Governor Stein Announces Boards and Commissions Appointments and Nominations

Today, Governor Josh Stein announced appointments and nominations to boards and commissions.

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the Education Commission of the States:

• Maurice O. "Mo" Green of Guilford County as a State Education Agency Representative. Green was elected as the State Superintendent and leader of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction in 2024 and previously served as the Superintendent of Guilford County Schools from 2008-2016.  
• Dr. Elena Ashburn of Wake County as the Governor or Governor's Proxy. Dr. Ashburn currently serves as Governor Stein's Senior Advisor for Education Policy and previously served as the Central Area Superintendent of the Wake County Public School System from 2022-2025.
• Dr. Jeffrey A. Cox of Wake County as an at-large member. Dr. Cox is the President of the North Carolina Community College System, a role he has held since 2023. He was previously the President of Wilkes Community College from 2014-2023 and began his career as a teacher in Greensboro. Cox also serves on the MyFutureNC Commission and Board of Directors and the NC State Institute for Emerging Issues Advisory Board.  

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Board of Science, Technology, and Innovation:

• Sheila A. Mikhail of Orange County as the Governor's designee and Chair. Mikhail is the Co-Founder of biotechnology companies M34, Inc and Jurata Thin Film, Inc. She also serves on the board of BC Ruckus, WHAM!, and the Biotechnology Innovation Organization and is a founding member of the BC Early Detection Coalition. 

Governor Stein has nominated the following to the Governor's Crime Commission:  

• Elliott Abrams of Wake County as a Defense Attorney. Abrams is a partner at Cheshire Parker Schneider focusing on criminal defense, professional license defense, civil rights, and NCAA matters.  

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Board of Transportation:  

• Anthony "Tony" Lathrop of Mecklenburg County as Chair. Lathrop has served on the Board of Transportation since 2017 and chairs the Board's Finance Committee. He is also a partner with Moore & Van Allen PLLC, specializing in complex commercial litigation, transportation, zoning and land use law, and dispute resolution.
• David Womack of Pitt County as a representative of the 2nd Transportation Division. Currently retired, Womack is the former Owner and Operator of Womack Electric Supply Company, serving from 1972-2017.  

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Brain Injury Advisory Council:  

• Libby Wilhelmson of Wake County as the Executive Director or designee of the Brain Injury Association of North Carolina. Wilhelmson is currently the Programming Director at the Brain Injury Association of North Carolina.
• Dr. April Groff of Wake County as the Chair of the Board or designee of the Brain Injury Association of North Carolina. Groff is currently the Vice President of Clinical Operations for Collage Rehabilitation Partners. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the International Brain Injury Association, a founding member of the Foundation to Advance Brain Rehabilitation, and a member of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine.  

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina State Licensing Board for General Contractors:  

• Phillip Crumb of Pitt County in a Highway Construction seat. Crumb owns Crumb Construction, a full-service site work contracting business.  

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service:  

• Dr. Lori Carlin as the Superintendent of the Department of Public Instruction or designee. Dr. Carlin is the Section Chief for Arts Education and Social Studies at the Department of Public Instruction. She is also a member of the North Carolina Council on Economic Education.  

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Interagency Council for Coordinating Homeless Programs:  

• Darla G. Cole of Lee County as the Secretary of Public Safety or designee. Cole is an Investigator with the North Carolina Division of Private Protective Services. Her law enforcement career spans over 30 years, beginning with the Sanford Police Department. 
  William C. Ray of Orange County as the Director of NC Emergency Management, a position he has served in since 2021. Ray has been an emergency management professional for over a decade.  
• Karen Elizabeth Wade of Wake County as a Co-Chair and Secretary of the Department of Health of Human Services or designee. Wade is currently the Policy Director in the Office of the Secretary at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, where she previously served as a Senior Policy Advisor since 2017.  
• Jessica Slider Whichard of Wake County as Co-Chair and Secretary of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs or designee. Whichard serves as the Chief of Staff at the North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and previously served as a Senior Advisor for Communications at the North Carolina Department of Justice.  
• Scott Farmer of Johnston County as the Executive Director of a North Carolina Housing finance agency, a role Farmer has served in since 2017.  
• Donya M. Strong of Johnston County as the Secretary of Administration or designee. Strong serves as the General Counsel for the North Carolina Department of Administration. She is a member of the Advisory Board for the Paralegal Technology Program at Wake Tech and a member of the Governors' Advisory council on Aging.  

 
Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Interagency Coordinating Council for Children from Birth to Five with Disabilities:  

• Dr. Louis A. Finney, Jr of Forsyth County as someone involved in staff development/personnel training. Dr. Finney is the President and CEO of Smart Start in Forsyth County, a role he has served in since 2019. He is also a founding partner of Next Level Learning, LLC.  
• Vantoinette Savage of Mecklenburg County as a local early intervention agency representative. Savage is the Founder and CEO of Savage Academy, where she serves as an Early Childhood Professional Educator. Savage is the Founder and President of Family Childcare & Center Enrichment Foundation, a non-profit organization providing tools and resources to family childcare home and center based early childcare providers. She also serves her community as a member of the North Carolina Child Care Commission.  
• Dr. Cynthia K. Askew of Hertford County as a regional provider of early intervention services. Askew is a Health/Disability Manager for the Choanoke Area Development Association and an Adjunct Professor at Chowan University. She is also a member of the North Carolina Head Start Association and the North Carolina Early Childhood Infant Mental Health Association.
• Dr. Rachel Corbitt of Wake County as a local, regional, or state early intervention representative. Corbitt serves as the Durham Children's Developmental Services Agency Director at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. She is also a member of the North Carolina Association of School Administrators and the North Carolina Principals and Assistant Principals Association.  
• Christine M. Robinson of Buncombe County as a parent of a disabled child under age 12. Robinson is a small business owner and founder of the Doulas of Asheville. She is a member of the North Carolina Doula Association. Robinson is the parent to two neurodivergent children.  
• Robert Croom of Wake County as a representative of a state insurance agency. Croom is the Senior Deputy Commissioner for the Product Regulations Group of the North Carolina Department of Insurance. Croom previously served as an Assistant Attorney General at the North Carolina Department of Justice for 11 years.  
• Candace Witherspoon of Durham County as a representative of a state agency providing early intervention services or state childcare regulatory agency representative. Witherspoon is the Division Director of Child Development and Early Education of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), where she has also served as Acting Director and Deputy Director. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Partnership for Children and the DHHS Data Governance Executive Board.  
• Ginger M. Cash of Johnston County as a representative of a state education agency. Cash is the Assistant Director of Program Instructional Support at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. She began her career as a teacher in Cleveland County.  
• Jody L. Miller of Jackson County as a provider of early intervention services in a school system. Miller is currently a Community Engagement Coordinator at the Region A Partnership for Children.  
• Sara Elizabeth Palmer of Forsyth County as a provider of early intervention services in a school system. Palmer is currently an Early Intervention Service Coordinator at the Greensboro Children's Developmental Services Agency and is a member of the North Carolina Infant Mental Health Association and the national Council on Family Relations.  
• Starla Horton Hatley of Rowan County as an at large member or provider of early intervention services. Hatley is currently the RN Program Manager at the Cabarrus Partnership for Children and has been a registered nurse for over two decades.  
• Michelle Antonelli Merrit of Durham County as a division of medical assistance or Medicaid representative or IDEA member. Merritt is a Senior Program Analyst for Tailored Plans at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Division of Health Benefits.  
• Lisa E. Phillips of Guilford County as a representative of the Office of the Coordination of Homeless Children & Youth. Phillips serves as the State Director for the Education of Homeless Children & Youth in Foster Care at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.  

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Utilities Commission:

• Michael Stephen Hawkins of Transylvania County as an at-large member. Hawkins is the former President of Pisgah Enterprises. Hawkins also served as a Transylvania County Commissioner. He is now a Business Officer with the North Carolina Department of Revenue. 

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Veterans Affairs Commission:  

• The Honorable Alvena Heggins of Rowan County as a representative of the 6th Congressional district. Heggins is currently a Senior Professional Development Trainer at Melwood Community Services and previously served as the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem of Salisbury. She previously served in the U.S. Army Reserves in the Adjutant General's Corps and Military Intelligence from 1981-1998.  

Governor Stein has appointed the following to the Child Care and Early Education Task Force:  

• Dan Tetreault of Guilford County as a North Carolina Department of Public Instruction representative. Tetreault is the Assistant Director of Early Learning at the Department of Public Instruction. Tetreault began his career as a Kindergarten teacher at Haywood County Schools.  

Governor Stein has nominated the following to the Public Staff of the North Carolina Utilities Commission:

• Christopher J. Ayers of Wake County as the Executive Director of the Public Staff of the North Carolina Utilities Commission. Ayers has been serving as Executive Director since 2013 and is on the Executive Committee of the National Association of state Utility Consumer Advocates as well as the Board of Directors of the State Employees Credit Union and its Foundation. 

Governor Stein has nominated the following to the North Carolina Employment Security Board of Review:  

• Regina Smith Adams of Durham County as a representative of employees. Adams is the current member and vice chair of the North Carolina Employment Security Board of Review. She also serves as the staff attorney for the Employment Security division of the North Carolina Department of Commerce. 
  Governor Stein has nominated the following to the North Carolina Building Code Council:  
• Brent Sigmon of Durham County as a licensed unlimited plumbing and heating contractor specializing in mechanical contracting. Sigmon is the President of Comfort Mechanical Contractors, Inc. and Bull City Sheet Metal, Inc.  
• Natalie MacDonald of Wake County as a licensed professional engineer specializing in mechanical engineering. MacDonald is currently an Associate Mechanical Engineer and Project Lead at Buro Happold. She previously served on the North Carolina Building Code Council from 2021-2024.  
• Russell Williams of Alamance County as a level III code-enforcement official employed by a municipality or county. Williams is currently the Director of Inspections at the City of Burlington.  
• Gloria Carney Shealey of Orange County as a licensed general contractor specializing in the construction of buildings greater than 75 feet in height. Shealey is the President and CEO of the Daniele Company with over 25 years of construction industry experience.  
• Christopher Whaley of Davidson County as a level III fire code official. Whaley is currently an Inspections Administrator at the City of High Point. 

Governor Stein has nominated the following to the North Carolina Residential Code Council:

• Amy Musser of Buncombe County as a licensed professional engineer specializing in residential construction. Musser is a Principal at Vandermusser Design, PLLC and is a licensed professional mechanical engineer. She was previously an Assistant Professor at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.  
• Gary Hayes of Wilkes County as a level I or level II code-enforcement official employed by a municipality or county. Hayes is the Director of Inspections and Environmental Services for Yadkin County.  
• Cyril Jefferson of Guilford County as a public member. Jefferson is the Mayor of High Point, where he previously served as City Councilman from 2019-2023.
• Robert Zapple of New Hanover County as a licensed general contractor specializing in residential foundations or concrete placement. Zapple is the President and Owner of Rob Zapple Design and Build, Inc. He also serves on the Board of Trustees for Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts, WHQR Public Media and Smart Start of New Hanover County.  
• Ralph Euchner of Gaston County as a representative of the natural gas industry. Euchner is a Regional Operations Manager at the Public Service of North Carolina, Inc. He was previously a member of the North Carolina Building Code Council from 2008-2024.  
  Nicholas Picariello of Harnett County as a licensed electrical contractor. Picariello has worked at Sir Raleigh Electric, Inc since 2017.  
• Jason Shepherd of Orange County as a fire service representative. Shepherd is a retired fire service member, most recently serving as the Chief Fire Marshal of the Durham County Office of Emergency Services.