Governor Cooper Names New Members for State Boards and Commissions

Governor Roy Cooper today announced 44 appointments to various state boards and commissions.

"State boards and commissions provide valuable guidance and oversight on a variety of critical issues, and I appreciate these talented North Carolinians stepping forward to serve," Gov. Cooper said.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual as Chair to the North Carolina Courts Commission:

• Representative Joe John of Raleigh as Chair. Before being elected to the North Carolina General Assembly in 2016, he served as the Director of the State Crime Lab and Associate Judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the North Carolina Human Relations Commission:

• Dr. Paul Norman of Raleigh as the representative of Congressional District 2. Norman is the Dean of Men and Director of First Year Experience at Saint Augustine’s University. Norman previously worked as a dean at Wake Technical Community College.
• Matthew G. Hughes of Hillsborough as the representative of Congressional District 4. Hughes is a Business Officer at UNC- Chapel Hill in the Division of Finance and Administration in the College of Arts and Sciences. Hughes previously served on the Orange County Human Relations Commission.
• Charlotte Williams of Hickory as the representative of Congressional District 5. Williams is an Associate Dean for Engaged and Global Learning at the office of Academic Affairs and Assistant Professor of the Human and Community Services Coordinator at Lenoir-Rhyne University.
• Edith Chance of Greensboro as the representative of Congressional District 6. Chance worked at Syngenta Crop Protection Inc. and is very active in her community.
• Stewart Poisson of Wilmington as the representative of Congressional District 7. Poisson is a litigator at her firm Poisson, Poisson & Bower and frequently presents at continuing legal education courses for workers’ compensation attorneys in North Carolina.
• Judge Toni King of Fayetteville as the representative of Congressional District 8. King is a District Court Judge in Cumberland County and a professor in the Criminal Justice Department at Fayetteville State University.
• Dr. John Avery Campbell, Sr. of Lumberton as the representative of Congressional District 9. Campbell, also a minister, is a former executive director of the North Carolina and Robeson County Human Relations Commission and a current member of the Robeson County Board of Education.
• Toussaint Romain of Charlotte as the representative of Congressional District 12. Romain is an Assistant Public Defender in Mecklenburg County and community advocate at the Know Your Rights Campaign.
• Dick Huffman of Salisbury as the representative of Congressional District 13. Huffman practices law and is Chair of the Lenoir Rhyne Board of Visitors and on the Rowan Helping Ministries Board of Directors.
• Anthony Teague of Hickory as a member at-large. Teague is a senior vice-president of Merchandising/Sales at Jackson Furniture Industries and former vice-president of upholstery at Broyhill Furniture.
• Anna Stearns of Black Mountain as a member At-large. Stearns is currently the legislative assistant to Representative Brian Turner at the North Carolina General Assembly. Stearns was formerly a Lead Paralegal at Ronald E. Sneed, P.A.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the North Carolina Interagency Coordinating Council for Children from Birth to Five with Disabilities and Their Families:

• Dr. Brandi Hinnant-Crawford of Waynesville as the parent of a disabled child under the age of 12. Crawford is an assistant professor of educational research at Western Carolina University. She was previously at Harvard’s Center for Education Policy as a Data Fellow with the Strategic Data Project.
• Amanda DeSimone-Shabrack of Apex as the parent of a disabled child under the age of 6. DeSimone-Shabrack is the Owner/Life Coach of Realize a Better You, LLC.
• Suzanne Cotterman of Raleigh as the provider of early intervention services for a school system. Cotterman is the Director of Early Education at Durham Public Schools.
• Rochelle Lawson of High Point as the parent of a disabled child under the age 6. Lawson is currently a board member and the policy council chairperson for Guilford Child Development.
• Amy Asplundh of Raleigh as the parent of a disabled child under the age of 6. She is a former clinical social worker at Nathanson Adoption Services and Duke University Medical Center.
• Jill Sirko of Apex as the parent of a disabled child under the age of 12. Sirko is a parent volunteer at Exceptional Children’s Assistance Center and a research collaborator at the UNC Chapel Hill School of Nursing.

Gov. Cooper appointed the following individuals to the North Carolina Executive Mansion Fund Incorporated Board of Directors:

• Jennie Jarrell Hayman of Raleigh as an at-large member. Hayman served as the Chair of the NC Museum of History Associates, the Co-Chair of the Inaugural Ball for the Junior League of Raleigh, and as National Chair for the UNC Chapel Hill Parents Council.
• Carolyn Morrison of Raleigh as an at-large member. Morrison was a Professor of Education at William Peace University and Campbell University. She also served on the Wake County Board of Education.
• Nancy Hinton Andrews of Raleigh as an at-large member. Andrews currently serves as the docent liaison to the Mansion for the Raleigh Fine Arts Society. Andrews has served on the board of managers for the National Society of the Colonial Dames and co-chaired the North Carolina History Museum opening.
• Sabrina Guy of Surf City as an at-large member. Guy served as the President of the North Carolina Clerks Association. She has served as a board member for the NC League of Municipalities, NC State Employees Credit Union and United Way.
• John F. Wilson of Manteo as an at-large member. A former Mayor of Manteo, Wilson served on the Lineberger Cancer Institute Board of Visitors, the State of North Carolina Executive Mansion Fine Arts Committee and the Governor’s Coastal Futures Committee.
• Samantha Hatem of Raleigh as an at-large member. Hatem is the President-elect of the Junior League of Raleigh, and is on the board of directors at SAFEchild, the Alexander YMCA, the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce and the Wake Tech Foundation.
• Kimberly Moore-Dudley of Greensboro as an at-large member. Moore-Dudley is a real estate agent and Team Owner of KMD homes with Keller Williams Reality. She is a board member of the Greensboro Regional Relators Association Foundation.
• Martha Zaytoun of Raleigh as an at-large member. Zaytoun has been president of the Raleigh Fine Arts Society and Chair of Friends of the College at NC State University, and is a founding member of the Friends of the Gallery at NC State University.
• Linda Douglas of Cary as an at-large member. Douglas is currently the director of Volunteer Engagement in University Development at UNC-CH Chapel Hill. Douglas served on the National Board and Nominating Committee of the Association of Junior Leagues International.
• Nathan Adams of Indian Trail as an at-large member. Adams is the President of First Impressions Resume Center. Adams is a former board member of Historic Charlotte, Inc. and a Career Coach for Charlotte Works.

Gov. Cooper appointed the following individuals to the Tobacco Trust Fund Commission:

• Edward Bissette of Spring Hope as a flue-cured tobacco farmer. Bissett is a fourth-generation tobacco farmer and served on the Phase II of the Tobacco Buyout Board. Bissett has served on the Nash Community College Board, the Farm Credit Board and the Farm Bureau Board of Directors.
• John Ashe of Reidsville as a flue-cured tobacco farmer. Ashe has been a tobacco farmer for more than 30 years and was awarded the Tobacco Growers Association Director of the Year. Ashe has served on the Tobacco Growers Association of N.C. Board of Directors, the Rockingham County Farm Bureau Board of Directors and the Southern States Co-op Board of Directors.

Gov. Cooper appointed the following individual to the North Carolina State Library Commission:

• Anna Betts of Raleigh as an at-large member. Betts is currently an Adjunct English Instructor at Wake Technical Community College, Adjunct Developmental English Instructor and an Adjunct College Student Success Instructor at Johnston County Community College.

Gov. Cooper has reappointed the following individual to the North Carolina Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors:

• Richard M. Benton of Goldsboro as a registered land surveyor. Benton owns and works at Benton & Associates Land Surveying and Mapping, P.A. in Goldsboro. He is a member and past president of the North Carolina Society of Surveyors and has served as the North Carolina Delegate to the National Society of Professional Surveyors.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Pamlico Community College Board of Trustees:

• Iris Hudson of Arapahoe as an at-large member. Hudson has served in the U.S. Departments of Defense, Agriculture, Treasury and Homeland Security. Hudson was a tutor at Pamlico Community College and a lead facilitator at college job fairs.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the State Health Coordinating Council:

• Denise Michaud of Morganton as an at-large Member. Michaud recently retired as the Health Director for Caldwell County. She previously served as the Food Service Director for Hillhaven Convalescent Center.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Governor`s Advisory Council on Aging:

• Sandy Dixon of Raleigh as the Department of Public Safety representative. Dixon is currently the Development and Policy Analyst for the Office of Victim Services.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the North Carolina Institute of Medicine:

• Dr. Alexandra Dean of Charlotte as an At-large member. Dean is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Psychologist. She also teaches psychology and counseling courses at Gardner-Webb University.
• Dr. Elizabeth Tilson of Raleigh as an At-large member. Tilson is the State Health Director and Chief Medical Officer at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. She previously served as a primary care provider in the Child Health Clinic at Wake County Human Services.
• Dr. John Morrow of Greenville as an At-large member. Morrow has served as the Health Director for Pitt County since 1997 and is a former president of the North Carolina Association of Local Health Directors.

Gov. Cooper appointed the following individuals to the North Carolina State Board of Barber Examiners:

• Don A. Beal of Conover as a licensed barber. Beal has been barbering for more than 47 years and is the owner of Hair Connection in Conover, which has been in business for more than 33 years.
• Sherod Holloway of Wake Forest as a licensed barber. Holloway has more than fifteen years of service in the hair care industry as a professional multi-state Master Barber-Stylist, Instructor and School Campus Director.
• Carolyn Coleman of Pleasant Garden as a Public member. Coleman is serving her third term on the Guilford County Board of Commissioners.

Gov. Cooper appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Capital Facilities Finance Agency Board of Directors:

• Matt Cullinan of Winston-Salem as a public member. Cullinan serves as the Chair of the Duke University Sanford School Board of Visitors and is a member of the University of Notre Dame College of Arts and Letters Advisory Council. Cullinan is the former Vice-President of Administration and Strategic Initiatives at Wake Forest University.

Gov. Cooper appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy:

• Dr. Laura Echols of Durham as a school based professional. Echols is a School Psychologist for Durham Public Schools. She is a member of the National Education Association, Durham Association of Educators and the North Carolina School Psychology Association.

Gov. Cooper appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Local Governmental Employees` Retirement System Board of Trustees:

• Allen Buansi of Chapel Hill as a member of the governing body of a city or town participating in a retirement system. Buansi is a Chapel Hill Town Council member and an Attorney Fellow at the Center for Civil Rights at the University of North Carolina School of Law.