Governor Cooper Announces Boards and Commissions Appointments

Today, Governor Roy Cooper announced Boards and Commissions appointments.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the Governor's Advisory Council on Aging:

• Adrienne A. Livengood of Winston Salem as a member at-large. Livengood previously served on the Senior Services Board and the Family Services of Forsyth County Board. Livengood has dedicated her time to raising awareness for senior care accessibility.
• Debra A. Stonecipher of Asheville as a member at-large. Stonecipher is a former Boeing Executive and owner of the Knight House. Stonecipher’s advocacy for families with aging parents led her to participate in the Mayo Aging and Alzheimer's Study; allowing her to further assist in research efforts to find a cure for the disease.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the North Carolina Arts Council:

• Susan W. Woodson of Raleigh as a member at-large. Woodson is an Artist at 5 Points Art Gallery. She has over 30 years of experience in graphic design and founded the Roundabout Art Collective in Raleigh. She is an active member of Moondog Fine Arts.
• Dr. Paul Keith Baker of Raleigh as a member at-large. Dr. Baker is the Executive Director of the Contemporary Art Museum of Raleigh and a Professor of History at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. Dr. Baker also has ample experience with program development and higher education.
• Dr. William Henry Curry of Raleigh as a member at-large. Dr. Curry is the Music Director of the Durham Symphony Orchestra. He also has several years of experience as the Resident Conductor and Artistic Director of the North Carolina Symphony.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Auctioneers Commission:

• John M. Harris of Winston-Salem as a member by the Governor’s discretion. Harris is a Principal Attorney at J. Harris Legal PLLC. He has over nine years of extensive law and government experience.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Bald Head Island Transportation Authority Board of Trustees:

• Joseph Patrick Hatem of Southport as a member at-large. Hatem is a native North Carolina resident who served as the Mayor of Southport from 2019 to 2023. He has experience as an Emergency Physician and as the Chairman of the Department of Medicine for J. Arthur Dosher Memorial Hospital.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Employment Security Board of Review:

• Adam Lockhart Taylor of Raleigh as a representative of employers. Taylor was the Director of Governmental Relations for the North Carolina Office of State Human Resources. His wealth of experience afforded him the opportunity to serve as Chief Deputy and later Assistant Secretary of the Division of Employment Security (DES) before serving as Senior Policy Advisor to the Department of Commerce Division of Workforce Solutions.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Advisory Committee on Cancer Coordination and Control:

• Melissa H. Smith of Wake as the North Carolina community college system representative. Smith is the Senior State Director of Health Science Programs for the NC Community College System. She previously served as the Dean of Health Sciences at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Disciplinary Hearing Commission of the North Carolina State Bar:

• Scarlett Hargis of Garner as a public member. Hargis serves as a Paralegal to the General Counsel in the Office of the Governor and has been in this role since 2017. Prior to this, she was the Administrative Officer for the Attorney General in the North Carolina Department of Justice.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Council on Educational Services for Exceptional Children:

• Dr. Bradley S. Stevenson of Charlotte as a representative of a private school. Dr. Stevenson is the Director of Program Administration and Clinical Services of Melmark Carolinas. Dr. Stevenson has experience working as a Behavior Analyst, a Senior Consultant, and an Educational and Behavior Consultant.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Hearing Aid Dealers and Fitters Licensing Board:

• Anne Morgan Selleck of Durham as a physician preferably specializing in the field of Otolaryngology. Selleck is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has experience as a research coordinator and has a subspecialty certificate in Neurotology.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Historic Murfreesboro Commission:

• Craig Lee Dennis of Murfreesboro as a member at-large. Dennis is an art teacher at Riverview Elementary School. He also serves as a Murfreesboro Town Councilman and Fire Commissioner. Additionally, Dennis spends his time as a volunteer for the Murfreesboro Historical Association and serves as the Landscape Committee Chair of the John Wheeler House.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina State Historical Records Advisory Board:

• Melissa A. Lovell of Holly Springs as a member at-large. Lovell has over twenty-five years of experience as a Legal Services Practice Manager and Agency Legal Specialist for the North Carolina Department of Justice.

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

• Kerry M. Wiggins of Winston-Salem as a member at-large. Wiggins is the Boards and Commissions Program Director of the North Carolina League of Conservation Voters Foundation. Previously, Wiggins was a patient advocate at Old Vineyard Behavior Health Services.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Locksmith Licensing Board:

• Erich Crouch of Greensboro as a public member. Crouch is a former Probation Officer with the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections, serving the department for 27 years. He has a certification in Homeland Security and ample experience in safety training.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the North Carolina Commission for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services:

• Carolyn Floyd Robinson of Lumberton as a substance abuse services consumer or an immediate family member of a substance abuse services consumer. Robinson is the Program Director of Borderbelt Behavioral Healthcare LLC and has worked as a substance abuse professional for over 22 years.
• Dr. Hany A. Kaoud of Winterville as a physician. Dr. Kaoud is the Medical Director and Psychiatrist at Easterseals PORT Health. Prior to this, he was an attending physician at Wayne UNC Health Care and a Research Assistant at California State University.
• Danny Ray Graves of Charlotte as a member who is a substance abuse services professional. Graves is the Director of Clinical Supervision for the McLeod Addictive Disease Center. He is a certified Clinical Addictions Specialist and a certified Substance Abuse Counselor.
• Suzanne Mizsur-Porter of Rutherfordton as a substance abuse services family member. Mizsur-Porter is the Executive Director of United Way of Rutherford County. She also served as Creative Director for EMSI Public Relations.
• Karon F. Johnson of Durham as a developmental disability’s family member. Johnson is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the School of Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is the owner of a Private Therapy Practice and has experience working within the Crisis Unit at the Chapel Hill Police Department.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission:

• Mildred Christmas of Raleigh as a member at-large. Christmas spent over 17 years as a State Procurement Specialist in the Department of Administration. She also served as the Records Management Analyst for the State Records Center in the Department of Cultural Resources for 14 years.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the NCWorks Commission:

• Rebecca Irene Axford of Hillsborough as a workforce representative/labor representative. Axford is the International Representative for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Education Department for the state of North Carolina.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina State Board of Examiners for Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors:

• Jeffrey Clark Farlow of Greensboro as a plumbing contractor. Farlow is the Executive Vice President at InfraPros, LLC. Farlow is an established leader for Facility Automation and Operations. He has been recognized for guiding the company in Green Building Technology and awarded the Distech Controls International Green Building Award for innovation and work in energy-saving strategies.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Private Protective Services Board:

• David E. Poston of Shelby as a member who is licensed under 74C-4. Poston is a former Patrol Deputy and Polygraphist/Background Investigator for Clay County’s Sheriff’s Office. He is a licensed private investigator and polygraph examiner who concentrates on defendant criminal case review and pre-trial polygraph testing, employee theft, espionage, and sabotage, as well as pre-employment and family advocacy.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the North Carolina Real Estate Commission:

• Patrick H. Bell of Raleigh as a licensed real estate broker. Bell is the Vice President of Land Acquisition Carolinas for The Kolter Group and serves as a board member on eight homeowner associations. He is also a former land acquisition manager and commercial real estate broker.
• Melvin Alston of Greensboro as a licensed real estate broker. Alston is the President of Alston Realty Group, Inc. He is also the Guilford County Commissioner Board Chair, representing district 8.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Council on Sickle Cell Syndrome:

• The Honorable Gladys A. Robinson of Raleigh as a member at-large. Senator Robinson is the Deputy Minority Leader of the North Carolina Senate for the State of North Carolina. Senator Robinson also serves on the Southern Regional Education Board.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individuals to the Supplemental Retirement Board of Trustees:

• Rajinder Singh of Cary as a member experienced in finance and investments. Singh has held various roles as a Global Financial Services Executive throughout his 25-year career. Singh also serves as a director on the boards of Sagen Canada, India Mortgage Guarantee Corporation, and Appalachian Trail Conservancy.
• Lanier T. McRee of Raleigh as a member experienced in finance and investment who is also a state employee. McRee works as the Assistant State Budget Officer for the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management. Previously, McRee worked as the principal budget analyst for the North Carolina General Assembly.

Gov. Cooper has appointed the following individual to the North Carolina Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service:

• Samantha C. Arrington Sliney of Whispering Pines as a member who is a representative of the military or veterans. Sliney is an attorney advisor for the Department of the Army- Joint Operations Command. She also serves as defense counsel for the New Jersey Air National Guard. Sliney also advocates and leads the Department of the Air Force Women’s Initiatives Team as their Co-Chair.

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