Today, Governor Roy Cooper appointed new members to 55 boards and commissions.
“These appointees go the extra mile in serving North Carolina,” said Governor Cooper. “I’m thankful for the experience and dedication they will bring to these boards and commissions.”
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the North Carolina Code Officials Qualification Board:
• Daniel Couch of Buxton as an elected official from a county under 40,000 people. Couch is a Dare County commissioner. He is the owner of Hatteras Tours on the Outer Banks and a real estate broker with Hatteras Realty. Couch serves as chair of the Friends of the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum.
• Helen Proffitt McIntosh of Burnsville as an elected official of a city under 5,000 people. McIntosh is a member of the Burnsville Town Council. She retired from the Yancey County Schools as a teacher assistant after 25 years. She represents Burnsville on the Region D Council of Governments Rural Transportation Advisory Committee.
• Thomas Bender of Bennett as member who is a local government fire prevention inspector. Bender is a fire marshal and fire inspector for Chatham County. Additionally, he is a North Carolina Certified State Fire Instructor.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Commission for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services:
• Nancy Lamb of Rocky Mount as a substance abuse services family member. Lamb is an Assistant District Attorney for the Seventh Judicial District. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Children’s Advocacy Centers of North Carolina and previously was vice president of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Emergency Response Commission:
• Garry E. McCormick of Charlotte as a representative affiliated with the production, storage or transportation of hazardous materials. McCormick worked for the Charlotte Fire Department for 30 years and is a member of the North Carolina Association of Fire Chiefs, the North Carolina Emergency Management Association, and the National Fire Protection Association.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the Governor’s Complete Count Commission for the 2020 Census in North Carolina:
• Juvencio Rocha-Peralta of Greenville as a member at-large. Rocha-Peralta is the executive director and founder of the Association of Mexicans in North Carolina, Inc. He is a board member for the Martin-Pitt Partnership for Children and the North Carolina Rural Center.
• Lori J. Johnson of Holly Springs as a member at-large. Johnson is the managing attorney of the Farmworker Unit of Legal Aid of North Carolina. Johnson had been with Farmworker Legal Services of North Carolina.
• Shannon Vickery of Durham as a member at-large. Vickery is director of production partnerships and business development for UNC-TV. She previously worked as assignment editor for North Carolina Now. She is a member of the Midsouth Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Science, NETA Production Council and the Radio Television Digital News Association.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina State Board of Podiatry Examiners:
• Gloria Lewis of Oxford as a public member. Lewis works as an administrative assistant for Allscripts in Raleigh. Lewis previously served on the North Carolina Board of Physical Therapy, the NC Child Fatality Prevention Board, and the NC State Board of Opticians.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina State Board of Registration for Foresters:
• Mark Megalos of Raleigh as a registered forester. Megalos is an extension professor for North Carolina State University’s College of Natural Resources. He previously served as chair for the Appalachian Society of American Foresters and as a member of the NC Plant Conservation Board.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy:
• Kay L. Warren of High Point as a licensed massage therapist. Warren is the owner and lead therapist of Carolina Neuro-Muscular Therapy. She has received her national certification for both therapeutic massage as well as medical massage therapy.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the North Carolina Medical Board:
• Dr. Christine Khandelwal of Apex as a licensed physician nominated by the review panel. Khandelwal is the Director of Inpatient Palliative Care Service at WakeMed Hospital, as well as working as a Palliative Care and Hospice Medicine Physician for Transitions Life Care.
• Dr. Venkata Jonnalagadda of Greenville as a licensed physician nominated by the review panel. Jonnalagadda is the associate chief of staff of the Greenville Veterans Affairs Health Care Center/Morehead City Community Based Outpatient Clinic and a partner at Greenville Psychiatric Associates, P.A. Additionally, she serves as vice chair of the North Carolina Commission for Public Health.
• Jerri Patterson of West End as a nurse practitioner nominated by the review panel. Patterson is an adult nurse practitioner at Integrated Pain solutions PLLC. She is a licensed adult nurse practitioner and a registered nurse.
• Varnell McDonald-Fletcher of Durham as a physician assistant nominated by the review panel. McDonald-Fletcher is a physician assistant of surgery at the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center. She serves on the education committee of the North Carolina Medical Society.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Historic Hillsborough Commission:
• Janie Morris of Hillsborough as a member at-large. Morris retired as a librarian at Duke University. She served on the Hillsborough Planning Board and has worked extensively with the Care2Share group to provide weekend meals to Hillsborough school children.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the African American Heritage Commission:
• Valerie Ann Johnson of Oxford as a member of NC Historical Commission. Johnson is a professor of Women’s Studies and director of Africana Women’s Studies at Bennett College for Women. Johnson is also a member of the program committee for the Berkshire Conference of Women Historians.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the Edenton Historical Commission:
• John C. Morehead of Edenton as a member at-large. Morehead is a lawyer in private practice. He served on the board of the James Iredell Association and is a member of America’s 400th Anniversary Committee.
• Marshall S. Creighton of Edenton as a member at-large. Creighton was previously an associate attorney for Brooks, Stevens & Pope, P.A. Creighton is a member of the Garden of Eden Club and served as a Taste of Edenton committee member.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the Statewide Independent Living Council:
• Benita Williams of Siler City as Center for Independent Living director. Williams is the executive director of the Joy A. Shabazz Center for Independent Living. She previously worked as the director of Independent Living Services at the Center.
• Timothy Miles of Chapel Hill as an individual with a disability. Miles is a consultant on compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. He is a member of the American Council for the Blind and previously served on the Carrboro Human Services Commission.
• Tylor Freeman of Union Mills as an individual with a disability. Freeman has been deeply involved in the Independent Living movement and served as a mentor to other delegates at the 2014 Youth Leadership Forum.
• Robert Hooe of Charlotte as an individual with a disability. Hooe works in sales and management for the American Red Cross, Plan 9 Music, and the US Census. He is a Red Cross First Responder.
• Sandra Hicks of Whitakers as an individual with a disability. Hicks previously worked as a communication supervisor with what is now Nash Healthcare and is an active advocate serving on the National Federation for the Blind.
• Kevin Mahoney of Asheville as veteran with a disability. Mahoney is the executive director of Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness. He served as an Arabic & Persian Farsi Linguist and senior mission manager in the US Air Force from 1980-2000.
• Caroline Bradstock of Greensboro as an individual with a disability. Bradstock worked as a community resource trainer at EasterSealsUCP and as an independent living specialist at the Alliance of Disability Advocates Center for Independent Living. She previously served on the NC Council for Developmental Disabilities.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the NCWorks Commission:
• The Honorable Tom Rabon of Holly Springs as a business representative and chair. Rabon is the chair emeritus at New Kind and a former member of the NC House of Representatives. Rabon has served in various roles, including chair of the Board of Trustees of UNC Wilmington and chair of the Board of MCNC.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Task Force for Safer Schools:
• Christopher J. Suggs of Kinston as a member of the Governor’s Crime Commission. Suggs is the founder and CEO of Kinston Teens, Inc., a nonprofit organization for youth empowerment and community development. Additionally, he is the co-founder and chair of Black Youth Network, a national network with a mission of connecting and empowering young African-American leaders and influencers.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the University of North Carolina Center for Public Television Board of Trustees:
• Linda D. Garrou of Winston Salem as a member at-large. Garrou served Forsyth County in the North Carolina State Senate, where she chaired the Appropriations Committee. Previously, Garrou was active as a child advocate and helped to establish the North Carolina Child Advocacy Council, serving as president and founding chair.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors:
• Daniel H. Post of Yadkinville as a public member. Post is an assistant business manager and organizer at L.U. 342. Post is a certified occupational health and safety instructor, and a Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee instructor, Local 342.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the North Carolina Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists Board of Examiners:
• Dr. Adam Mehlenbacher of Wake Forest as an audiologist. Mehlenbacher is an audiologist at the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center. He previously served in the Army National Guard as a combat veteran and was deployed to Iraq in 2003, to Ground Zero on 9/11 and to Bosnia from 1999-2000.
• Dr. Andrea Bucker of Chapel Hill as an audiologist. Bucker works as a clinical audiologist for UNC Hospitals Hearing & Voice Center at Carolina Crossing. She is a member of the American Speech Language and Hearing Association.
Gov. Cooper has reappointed the following individual to the Structural Pest Control Committee:
• Phil Clegg of Durham as actively engaged in the Pest Control Industry. Clegg is president of Clegg’s Termite & Pest Control, Inc. in Durham. Clegg is a member of the NC Pest Control Association, the National Pest Management Association, and the Board of Directors for First Citizens Bank.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Real Estate Commission:
• Doug Fox of Wilmington as a public member. Fox is an attorney at Yow, Fox & Mannen LLP. Fox is a former board member of the North Carolina State Ports Authority and the Winter Park Optimist Board of Directors.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the North Carolina Child Well-Being Transformation Council:
• Anna Carter of Cary as a representative from the Division of Child Development and Early Education. Carter is the director at the North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education.
• Lisa Cauley of Knightdale as a representative from the Division of Social Services. Cauley is the director of child welfare with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Social Services.
• Billy Lassiter of Raleigh as a representative from the Division of Juvenile Justice. Lassiter is the deputy secretary of Juvenile Justice for the Division of Adult Correction & Juvenile Justice.
• Eric Harbour of Apex as a representative from the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services. Harbour is the Child Behavioral Health Services Team Leader for the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services.
• Cindy Bizzell of Raleigh as a representative from the Guardian ad Litem program. Bizzell is the state administrator of the North Carolina Guardian ad Litem Program, within the Judicial Branch of Government. She currently serves as a member of the Child Fatality Task Force.
• Virginia Knowlton Marcus of Raleigh as a representative from Disability Rights NC. Knowlton Marcus is the executive director for Disability Rights North Carolina.
• Dr. Susan Kansagra of Durham as representative from the Division of Public Health, with expertise in substance abuse disorders. Kansagra works as the section chief for Chronic Disease and Injury for the North Carolina Division of Public Health.
• Dr. Kelly Kimple of Chapel Hill as a representative from the Division of Public Health, with expertise in children's health. Kimple serves as the chief of Women’s and Children’s Health Section in the Division of Public Health and the state Maternal and Child Health Director.
• Melissa Clayton of Garner as a representative from the Division of Medical Assistance. Clayton is the program manager-contract administrator in the Clinical Policy section of the Division of Health Benefits.
• Deanna Joy of Snow Camp as a representative from Children's Advocacy Centers of North Carolina. Joy is the executive director for the Children’s Advocacy Centers of North Carolina.
• Karen McLeod of Raleigh as representative from the North Carolina Child Fatality Task Force. McLeod is the president/CEO for Benchmarks – An Alliance of Agencies Helping Children, Adults & Families. She chairs the North Carolina Child Fatality Task Force.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the Marine Fisheries Commission:
• Sam Romano of Wilmington as a commercial fisherman. Romano is a co-owner and co-founder of Seaview Crab Company. They presently have 7 locations and service multiple restaurants in the Wilmington area.
• Doug Cross of Bayboro as a commercial fishing dealer/processor. Cross owns Pamlico Packing Co. Inc., a vertically integrated company delivering products from the waterfront to fine restaurants and retail grocers across the eastern seaboard. He previously served as a member of the Shrimp Advisory Committee and the Crustacean Committee.
Gov. Cooper has reappointed the following individual to the North Carolina Pesticide Board:
• Dr. Ricky Langley of Mebane as the state health director’s designee. Dr. Langley is a public health physician with the NC Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, in the Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch. He is a member of the American College of Physicians, and the Safety and Health Task Force.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Alamance Community College Board of Trustees:
• Cynthia J. Winters of Burlington as a member at-large. Winters is a financial advisor and vice president of Pinnacle Financial Partners. She serves on the United Way of Alamance County Board of Directors and volunteers with the Alamance Burlington School System.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Blue Ridge Community College Board of Trustees:
• Vivian A. Bolanos of Hendersonville as a member at-large. Bolanos currently works as a business development officer for First Bank. Bolanos serves on the United Way of Henderson County, Safelight of Hendersonville, and Pardee UNC Health Care boards.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Guilford Technical Community College Board of Trustees:
• Allison Mullins of Greensboro as a member at-large. Mullins is an attorney and partner at Turning Point. She is a member of the North Carolina Bar Association, North Carolina Advocates for Justice, and the American Association for Justice.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Piedmont Community College Board of Trustees:
• Robert Zippay of Semora as a member at-large. Zippay retired from John Deere with 38 years of service, after establishing and managing two new factories. He has served on the Hospice of Wake County Foundation, the Red Cross Board of Director and as the Chair of the Wake Technical Community College Board of Trustees.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Sampson Community College Board of Trustees:
• Dr. Paul Viser of Clinton as a member at-large. Viser is a physician of internal medicine. Viser is the past president of the Sampson Community College Foundation, current president of Sampson Partners, Inc., and serves on the Biology Advisory Board for the UNC Arts and Sciences Foundation.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Surry Community College Board of Trustees:
• Deborah Diamont of Pilot Mountain as a ¬¬¬member at-large. She worked as an anchor and producer for WXII-TV 12 in Winston Salem then Co-hosted PM Magazine. Diamont is a certified member of the NC Music Educators Association and worked as a music teacher around North Carolina for more than two decades.
Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Tri-County Community College Board of Trustees:
• James Michael Stevenson of Murphy as a member at-large. Stevenson was the chief executive officer for Murphy Medical Center with the Carolinas Health System. He served on the North Carolina Hospital Association Board of directors and was former chair of the Western North Carolina Health Network.