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NC LEADERSHIP FORUM-SPRING 2023
Triangle Cohort

Triangle Cohort

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Participants

Travis Bailey

SVP Regional Executive, First Bank

Travis B. Bailey is currently the Triangle Regional Executive for First Bank.  First Bank is a $12 Billion Dollar bank and currently the largest community bank headquartered in NC.  The Triangle division for First Bank is a private banking model dedicated to develop and serve its clients through a service excellence model that is customer first.  Travis and his team offer high touch relationship banking whether for your business or personal needs which includes commercial loans, business deposit services, treasury services, mortgage needs, wealth management, and HR employee solutions through our First at Work product line.

Flint Benson

Political Strategist, State Employees Association of NC

Flint Benson is a retired Warden with the North Carolina Department of Correction. He has worked with SEANC for the past 10.5 years and is responsible for educating legislators on the needs of NC state employees and retirees, lobbying for SEANC’s top ten legislative priorities that are voted on at convention. He has also been a member of the Johnston County Board of Adjustments since 2007.

Lori Bush

Council Member, Town of Cary

Lori Bush is the At-Large Representative of the Town of Cary having served for 12 years and an employee of Cisco Systems for 27 years. As a technologist she strives to find solutions using technology for public good, connecting citizens and improving lives.  She is a passionate do-er, currently serving on non-profit executive boards such as the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and the East Coast Greenway Alliance.

Adam Caldwell

Regional Representative, Office of U.S. Senator Thom Tillis

Adam Caldwell grew up just outside of Newton Grove, NC. He graduated from East Carolina University in 2015 where he double-majored in Political Science and History. He obtained a Master of Public Administration degree in 2019 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. For nearly seven years, Adam has been a regional representative for U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) covering issues related to housing, economic development, transportation, military/veterans’ affairs, agriculture, disaster recovery, and local government. His 19-county region is centered in the southeastern part of the state. Adam lives in Benson with his wife, Sarah, and two young sons, Braston and Everett.

Lisa Chapman

President, Central Carolina Community College

Dr. Chapman has been in the North Carolina Community College System for thirty-five years. She currently serves as the president of Central Carolina Community College (CCCC), a position she has held since April 2019. She began her career as a biologist at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, followed by several years at CCCC. Her tenure at the college included serving as a biology instructor, department chair, academic dean, and Executive Vice President for Instruction/Chief Academic Officer. Chapman left CCCC in 2014 to serve as the Sr. Vice President/Chief Academic Officer of the North Carolina Community College System, a position she held for 5 years before returning to Central Carolina as president.

Debra Derr

Director Government Affairs, NC Chamber

Debra Derr credits her success to being in the right place at the right time and a willingness to take a chance on herself. Her background as a radio announcer and eventually a television producer/writer laid the groundwork for a career in public relations and government affairs. While working at SCETV, in Columbia SC, she received a Corporation for Public Broadcasting scholarship to study documentary film production at the world-renowned Maine Media and Workshops in Rockport, Maine. Her one-minute speeches were used as an example of how to write them while serving as a congressional press secretary.  She was a founding member of the Wake County Commission on Women, where she was the public affairs director of the county. Debra was a part of a team of lobbyists that helped lead the effort to bring video competition to North Carolina and was consistently ranked among the Top 50 Most Influential Lobbyists when she was with BellSouth. Before returning to her government affairs roots with the NC Chamber where she is responsible for childcare, education, talent supply, unemployment insurance, and housing affordability she was chief deputy secretary for the NC Department of Cultural Resources and a partner in Market Solutions, LLC. Debra was a 2010 recipient of a Women of Achievement Award given by the General Federation of Women’s Club.  She is a graduate of the Business Leads Fellow program for the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation that develops business leaders to be education and workforce champions in their community.  She is a member of the advisory councils of ApprenticeshipNC, NC Workforce Credentials, and the Public School Forum of NC. She earned a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from Norfolk State University, where she was graduated Cum Laude.

Ilana Dubester

Executive Director, El Vinculo Hispano

Ilana Dubester is originally from Brazil and has lived in Chatham County since 1991. She founded El Vínculo Hispano in 1995 to address the unique needs of the growing Hispanic community living in the rural central Piedmont. Ilana has nearly 30 years’ experience in non-profit management, program development and implementation, capacity building, fundraising, public policy, community organizing, and advocacy.  She serves as a trustee on the board of directors of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. Ilana is a state certified court interpreter and is fluent in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Hebrew. She attended Hebrew University in Jerusalem earning an Associate Degree in Social Studies.

Tara Fish

Executive Director, Harnett County Partnership for Children

Tara Fish, Executive Director for the Harnett County Partnership for Children, is known by her colleagues for her passion for children and unwavering courage to advocate for early education opportunities.  For more than twenty years, she has worked in her local community to implement programs that focus on helping children be successful in school and life. A graduate of Campbell University, Tara lives in Willow Spring, NC with her husband Ray and her two children Jenna and Jackson.  In her spare time, she enjoys vacationing at the North Carolina Coast and spending time with her family.

Bonner Gaylord

COO, Kane Realty Corporation

Bonner Gaylord is the Chief Operating Officer for Kane. He oversees day-to-day operations and directs members of Kane’s Commercial, Residential, and Services teams. Bonner holds an undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina and a Master of Business Administration degree from the Kenan-Flagler Business School where he was a Hobgood Fellow. He is a NC licensed general contractor, a NC licensed real estate broker, and a LEED accredited professional. Bonner was elected as a Raleigh City Councilor from 2009 to 2017 where he served on various committees and as liaison to multiple city-related organizations.

Jessica Holmes

Deputy Commissioner, NC Industrial Commission

Jessica N. Holmes earned her undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law. She is licensed to practice law in North Carolina and New York and currently serves as a Deputy Commissioner at the North Carolina Industrial Commission. In November 2014, Jessica became the youngest commissioner ever elected in Wake County’s history. She created Wake County’s Affordable Housing Task Force and chaired Wake County’s Affordable Housing Committee.

Karen Howard

Chair, Chatham County Commissioners

Karen Howard is a former attorney and current Chair of the Chatham County Board of Commissioners. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Commissioner Howard spent most of her childhood in the Bahamas before returning to the US for boarding school. She went on to obtain a BA in English from Georgetown University and an LLB (Law) from the University of Buckingham in the UK. Commissioner Howard was called to the Bar of England and Wales and The Bar of The Bahamas in 1992. In addition to her role as Commissioner, Howard serves on the boards of The National Inclusion Project, the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Governor’s Crime Commission, is the Governor’s appointee to the Oil and Gas Commission, and serves as liaison to several local boards including the Chatham County Board of Education and the Chatham Arts Council. She is a former Chair of the Board of Education and this year Commissioner Howard was appointed to serve as Chair of the Association of County Commissioner's Public Education Steering Committee and Co-Chair of the Legislative Goals Committee. She is also a UNC Advanced Leadership Corp Ambassador, a member of the Hunt Institute’s ElevateNC: Higher Education, a Hunt Institute State Policy Fellow, and a member of the Advisory Board of MyFutureNC.

Vanessa Jenkins

Executive Vice President, Preston Development Company

Vanessa Jenkins is Executive VP for Preston Development Company overseeing the sales and marketing for Chatham Park. Vanessa joined Preston Development Company in 1991 and serves as the liaison between builders, neighborhoods, sales teams, and the marketing implementation for all Preston Development Communities. Vanessa is a Master in Residential Marketing (MIRM), a National Association of Home Builders’ distinction. She was the 2017 President of the Raleigh – Wake County Home Builders Association and continues to serve on its Board of Directors and the board for Imagine Wake. She has been a licensed North Carolina Realtor since 2001. . Prior to joining Preston Development Company, Vanessa was involved in commercial leasing and commercial property management.

Chris Johnson

Director, Johnston County Economic Development Office

As Director of the Johnston County Economic Development, Chris Johnson coordinates with the Department of Commerce, Economic Development Partnership of NC, Site Consultants, and other public and private agencies on issues regarding economic development, community development, growth management legislation, and regional planning. For over 7 years, Chris serves as Chair for the Research Triangle Regional Partnership (RTRP) EDAC group. During his 9-year tenure, Chris has directed over $5 Billion dollars of new and expanded industry investment and over 3,500 jobs in Johnston County. Those projects include: Grifols Therapeutics, Berry Global, OPW, Dollar General, Ashley Homestore, AdvanceTEC, Amazon and in 2022, Do Good Foods $100M investment in Selma, $30M investment by Becton Dickinson, and Novo Nordisk’s $1 Billion expansion in Clayton. In 2021 and 2022, was recognized by Business North Carolina Magazine in their “Power List” of North Carolina’s Most Influential Leaders. Originally from Jackson NC and graduate of East Carolina University, Chris is married to the former Kim Gower of Smithfield. Together they have 2 Children (Quinton – 27 and Caroline – 23). They are owners of Jewel’s Formals in downtown Smithfield and have been in business for over 3 years. Chris is an avid road cyclist, amassing over 3,900 total miles in 2022.

Katrusia (Kay) Johnson

Executive Director, Harbor Inc.

Kay Johnson is the Executive Director at Harbor, Inc. Harbor provides comprehensive services for individuals traumatically impacted by family violence. With over twenty years of experience in Not-for-Profit Management, Katrusia believes that her position at Harbor affords her the opportunity to emulate daily one of the four Rotarian Self-Test Principles, “Service Above Self”. For Katrusia working within the community in which she was reared is allowing her to develop as one of the many leaders that were instrumental in her professional matriculation into the varied industries of service. Katrusia holds a B.A degree in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice from the University of North Carolina a Charlotte.  She also received her MATS degree from Liberty University.

Paul Kane

Executive Vice President/CEO, Home Builders Association of Raleigh-Wake County

Paul Kane is the Executive Vice President/CEO of the Home Builders Association of Raleigh-Wake County. The HBA is the trade association of over 2,300 members serving the residential construction industry throughout all of Wake County, North Carolina and is the second largest HBA in the nation. Paul began his career as a real estate lawyer, practicing for 14 years with the prestigious Tulsa, Oklahoma law firm of Eller and Detrich. From 2006 through September of 2015, Paul served as the Executive Vice President/CEO for the Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa. Since 2015, Paul has been the CEO of the HBA of Raleigh-Wake County. Paul is also the secretary and board member of Operation Coming Home, a charity that builds new homes for veterans who were injured in combat operations.

Chavi Khanna Koneru

Co-Founder & Executive Director, NC Asian Americans Together

Chavi Khanna Koneru is co-founder and current Executive Director of North Carolina Asian Americans Together (NCAAT), the first and only pan-Asian social justice organization in the state. Based in the Triangle, Chavi leads the nonprofit’s efforts to increase visible representation from the Asian American community in North Carolina. She attended the University of North Carolina for college and later for law school, allowing her to become an expert on Tar Heel basketball. Her prior professional experience includes work in immigration law, and in voting rights, including a stint in the Voting Section of the US DOJ Civil Rights Division. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her family including her 3-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son.

Johnnie Larrie

Managing Attorney, Legal Aid

Dr. Johnnie Larrie is an experienced attorney with over 28 years of legal experience in consumer and community economic development initiatives. She joined Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC) in 2004 and currently serves as the consumer practice manager for LANC’s statewide consumer practice group. In addition, she is the Managing Attorney of the Economic Justice Initiative (EJI, which initiative strives for financial stability and economic security on behalf of vulnerable North Carolina populations. Johnnie’s EJI team provides legal research, case onsultation, training and co-counseling support to LANC local offices performing an array of consumer defense work across all 100 North Carolina counties – including homeownership preservation, financial exploitation and debt collection defense cases. Johnnie worked as legal counsel to several nonprofit and community-based agencies focused on housing and other socio-economic issues on behalf of underserved North Carolina populations. These advocacy roles helped fuel her passion to champion social justice causes for the most vulnerable consumer populations.

Lorena Patterson

CEO, Connecta Corp LLC

Virginia is currently the Senior Vice President and Triangle Market Executive for Bank of America and is responsible for overseeing market-wide operations as it relates to community, employee engagement and brand awareness. She has spent her entire career “connecting” people through sales, business development, fundraising and community relation roles. Virginia serves on the board of the Girl Scouts of NC Coastal Pines, Leadership Triangle and is currently chair of the Meredith College Business School Advisory Board. In addition, she serves on the advisory boards of Triangle Family Services and the Holt Brothers Foundation as well as the campaign team for Kings Ridge, a new affordable housing complex in Raleigh.

Virginia Parker

SVP, Bank of America

Virginia is currently the Senior Vice President and Triangle Market Executive for Bank of America and is responsible for overseeing market-wide operations as it relates to community, employee engagement and brand awareness. She has spent her entire career “connecting” people through sales, business development, fundraising and community relation roles. Virginia serves on the board of the Girl Scouts of NC Coastal Pines, Leadership Triangle and is currently chair of the Meredith College Business School Advisory Board. In addition, she serves on the advisory boards of Triangle Family Services and the Holt Brothers Foundation as well as the campaign team for Kings Ridge, a new affordable housing complex in Raleigh.

John Saffold

Executive Director, Zebulon Chamber of Commerce

The youngest of five children, I grew up in in educator’s home in small-town, Lowcountry, SC. Studies at Clemson University began with a major in architectural design – a lifelong interest. I completed my undergraduate degree in Community and Economic Development with a desire to work to build strong foundations for individuals and families by strengthening communities through expanding opportunity. After some exploration, I returned to family roots by pursuing work in education as a means by which to strengthen the foundations of community through working directly with young people and their families. I pursued two Masters of Arts – one in Theological Studies at Reformed heological Seminary (to consider the things of heart and soul) and one in Teaching at UNC-Chapel Hill (to consider the things of the mind). On life’s journey, I’ve lived in small-town South and large metropolitan areas in the Western US and taught at various levels from 5th Grade to 11th Grade and served as head of several independent schools, as well fund raising for two colleges. Presently, I’ve returned back home to the Carolinas and taken a break from the academic setting and am working in Eastern Wake County in Zebulon, NC, as the Director of the Zebulon Chamber of Commerce, which is turning out to be a blend of all of these previous studies and experiences with the hope that I can play some part in thoughtful growth as the Triangle pushes eastward.

Iliana Santillan

Executive Director, El Pueblo

Iliana Santillan is a native of Mexico City. She has been organizing in North Carolina for 19 years. Currently, she serves as the Executive Director of El Pueblo. In her role, she seeks to empower rural communities, elevate Latinx leadership, and increase civic engagement across the state. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Meredith College and a Master’s Degree from NCSU. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her teenage daughter, running, and building Legos.

Reid Smith

Founder/CEO, RiverWild

Reid Smith is the Founder and CEO of RiverWild. RiverWild is a locally owned and operated investment and leadership company that strives to impact and develop the local community through construction, real estate, development, and agriculture. Raised in Johnston County, Reid has a deep appreciation for the local community and proven track record of investing in its bright future. He currently serves on the board of North State Bank, and is the chairman of the board for OneCompassion. He holds a bachelors degree in Business Administration from Campbell University.

April Stephens

Commissioner, Johnston County

April Stephens has been a Realtor for over 16 years in Johnston County. Leading a team of over 17 agents from various counties, we have come to learn the value of why clients move to certain areas. As a proud resident of Benson, she has served locally in many capacities. She is passionate about Johnston County and its future.

Yolanda Taylor

Lead Attorney, Center for Community Law and Equity

Yolanda L. Taylor, Esq. is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Wake Forest Law School and the Managing Partner at the law firm, Yolanda L. Taylor Law Firm, PLLC d/b/a The Center for Community Law & Equity. She practices in the areas of Housing Justice, Health Equity, Affordable Housing, and Community Economic evelopment Law. As an adjunct professor of law, she teaches law through the lens of justice in America and justice relates to concepts like “Power” and “Oppression.”

Shinica Thomas

Chair, Wake County Commissioners

Shinica Thomas is an Elected Official, serving as Chair of the Wake County Commission in the Capital City of Raleigh, North Carolina. She was elected in 2020 and has a focus of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity as well as Technology Education and Public Safety. Shinica is a Lifetime member of the Girl Scouts and most recently served as the North Carolina Coastal Pines Councils' Director of Advocacy and Educational Partnership.Shinica has a passion for community engagement, fund development and advocacy. She has worked for over 20 years in community organizations that elevate the voices of women and girls. Shinica serves on the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) Connection Counties Broadband Task-Force, the National Association of Counties ( NACO) Large Urban Caucus, YMCA of the Triangle financial Services Advisory Board, and has also been appointed by North Carolina's Governor Roy Cooper to serve on the Volunteerism and Community Service Commission. Shinica holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Fayetteville State University and master’s degree in Government from Regent University. She has lived all over the world as a military child and then an Air Force wife but enjoys calling North Carolina home for over 20 years. She is married to Raymond, her high school sweetheart, and they have two adult sons Rahsaan & Khalid.

Bryan Thompson

Assistant County Manager, Chatham County

Receiving a BA in Government/Public Administration from Campbell University and a MPA from Appalachian State University, Bryan is a seventeen-year veteran in North Carolina local government management, having served as town manager in the communities of Mount Gilead, Erwin, and Siler City. Since July of 2019, Bryan has served as an assistant manager in Chatham County and is responsible for overseeing several departments, including finance, budget, tax, emergency communications, emergency management, management information systems, and parks and recreation. Bryan is a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of Government’s Public Executive Leadership Academy (PELA) and the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Institute (REDI). Bryan enjoys camping and hiking with his daughters, Taylor and Alex (14 and 10, respectively), and his wife Theresa.

Yolanda Winstead

President, DHIC

Ms. Winstead has almost three decades of experience in affordable housing development, financing, and related services. She assumed her current role at DHIC at the end of June 2020. Established in 1974, DHIC is a nonprofit community developer that builds high quality affordable housing and provides other critical services to ensure its communities are diverse, economically vibrant, and affordable. DHIC is one of North Carolina’s leading developers of multifamily housing financed with Low Income Housing Tax Credits. Since its inception, DHIC has constructed and/or rehabilitated 44 apartment communities totaling more than 2,923 affordable apartments across nine counties in NC, and currently has an additional 928 units under development. Together these developments have leveraged $423 million in direct investment from both the private and public sectors. Immediately before assuming leadership at DHIC, she served as Vice President of Finance at Greystone Affordable Development, responsible for underwriting and sourcing financing tools, including Tax Exempt Bonds, and Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, and providing support and technical assistance to developer clients. Prior to joining Greystone, she served 15 years at Community Affordable Housing Equity Corporation (CAHEC), most recently as Senior Acquisitions Manager, evaluating and structuring over $400MM of equity investments in complex LIHTC and Historic Tax Credit transactions across the Southeast. Ms. Winstead actually began her housing career at DHIC in 1994, where she first served as Housing Services Coordinator, before transitioning to real estate development operations as a Project Manager. She also served as DHIC’s first Homeownership Center Coordinator. She holds a BS in Business Administration from Atlantic Christian College (now Barton College) and received her Nonprofit Management Certification from Duke University. Ms. Winstead is in her first term on the Board of Commissioner of the Raleigh Housing Authority. She also serves on the National NeighborWorks America Association Advisory Board and was just appointed to the Enterprise Community Leadership Council.

Christie Yarbrough

Real Estate Associate, RE/MAX United

Christie Yarbrough is a Realtor and Harnett County native. She currently lives in Buies Creek and has over a decade of experience in the construction industry and have been a Realtor with Remax since 2012. When not working, you can find Christie at the beach in Sneads Ferry.

Advisory COmmittee

DeVan Barbour

Co-Founder, Cornerstone Employee Benefits

DeVan Barbour is a father, husband, Christian, Conservative who was raised by two parents who instilled the importance of dedication to family and service to others early in life. From growing up working between the family fertilizer warehouse, hardware, and paint store to building a business of his own, he understands and appreciates hard work, integrity, and service. A native of Johnston County, DeVan attended South Johnston High School and earned his bachelor’s degree from N.C. State University. From there, he became very active in Conservative causes across the state until his mother was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer in 2008. At that point, DeVan returned home from Raleigh to be closer to his family and work at the family store in her absence. Today, DeVan lives outside of Benson on the family farm with his wife Britany, daughter Lainey Kate, and son Van. He’s a former member of the Johnston Community College Board of Trustees, delegate to the 2016 & 2020 Republican National Convention, a member of the Benson Lion’s Club, and when he isn’t hunting or fishing you can find DeVan supporting the Shriners Hospital for Children as a Sudan Dunn Clown and treasurer of the Dunn Shrine Club.

Nicole Dozier

Director Health Advocacy Project, NC Justice Center

Nicole Dozier, Director of the Health Advocacy Project is a 26-year veteran of the North Carolina Justice Center, a statewide anti-poverty organization. The health team works on the federal and state levels using diverse advocacy strategies including policy advocacy, communications and engagement, keeping people most impacted as the centerpiece. Nicole also has experience at the municipal government level as she retired as Mayor Pro Tempore of the Apex Town Council in December 2021 after serving 2 terms (8 years), where she created a community Think Apex initiative; championed the Senior Center that opened in November 2021 with a lounge that bears her name; pushed for affordable housing and efforts around increased public engagement and equity/inclusion and chaired the personnel committee (championing paid parental, caregiver and bereavement leaves, expanding the family definition under FMLA, town increasing support for health insurance for children, instituting a living wage, significant pay raises and hazard pay plus other supports related to the pandemic). Nicole’s more recent recognition includes: from the Governor the Order of the Long Leaf Pine (highest NC honor), Cary Magazine’s Women of Western Wake, National Coalition of 100 Black Women Policy Award, NC AIDS Action Network Advocate of the Year, Apex Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year and Apex Democrats Advocate of the Year. Nicole, a Tarheel, receiving a BA degree in Industrial Relations with Sociology concentration from UNC - Chapel Hill in 1988 also pledged Delta Sigma Theta in 1987 and is featured in the university’s Women with Moxie Oral History Project. Nicole has been a NC State Bar certified paralegal for over 16 years and active for 24 years with the NC Advocates for Justice who named her Disability Advocacy Section Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient in 2012. Over the years, Nicole has served on numerous committees and boards and is currently active in the Think Apex Initiative and with the NC Black Alliance and Local Progress NC.

Franklin Gomez Flores

Commissioner, Chatham County

Franklin Gomez Flores was born in Guatemala, but raised in Siler City, NC. He is a product of Chatham County Schools and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He grew up helping his family renovate homes in Siler City, in an effort to provide naturally occurring affordable housing. He remembers the early 2000s when his family would have to actively advertise in an effort to identify potential tenants, with vacancies lasting multiple weeks. Today, they are constantly asked if they or anyone has vacant units. Franklin noticed the growing need of his community beyond housing and in 2017 he decided to run for Siler City commissioner, but he lost. He later was appointed to the Chatham County Planning Board and ran for Chatham County Commissioner in 2020 as an unaffiliated candidate.

Brooks Matthews

Commissioner, Harnett County & Deputy Superintendent Harnett County Schools

W. Brooks Matthews was elected to the Harnett County Board of Commissioners in 2020, representing District 3. He served as Chairman from 2020-2021. As a Commissioner, Matthews will serve on the Harnett Properties Corporation and Harnett County Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee. Matthews attended Campbell University, where he earned his Bachelors of Science degree in 1976 and Masters of Education degree in 1979. In 2012, he earned an Education Specialist postgraduate degree from North Carolina State University. Matthews has over 40 years of experience in public education in Harnett County. In his career, he has served as a teacher, coach, athletic director, and principal at various Harnett County schools. Since 2014, Matthews has been Deputy Superintendent with Harnett County Schools. He has been an active member of his community by serving on the following Boards and Committees in the past: North Carolina High School Athletic Association Board of Directors, Campbell University Alumni Association Board of Directors, Harnett County Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors, and Boys & Girls Club of Central Carolina: Robin Paige Club Advisory Board. Matthews is a long time resident of Harnett County and resides in Buies Creek with his wife of 45 years, Rosa Maria. He has three children, Maria, Jennifer, and Heather, and six grandchildren.

Richard Moore

CEO, First Bancorp

Richard Moore is the CEO of First Bancorp. The company has grown dramatically over the last eight years and now has assets of more than $12 billion and a market cap of over $1.7 billion. It operates more than 110 branches in the Carolinas and has been recognized by Forbes as its best bank in North Carolina for each of the last three years. Business NC Magazine named Moore, CEO of the Year in 2019. Prior to joining First Bank, he was a Managing Director with Relational Investors LLC, and served eight years as State Treasurer of North Carolina. While Treasurer he was named, “Top Public Official of the Year” by Governing Magazine for his national leadership on corporate accountability and guidance of the state’s pension fund. Richard currently serves on the boards of the New York Stock Exchange and its affiliates, and has served on the boards of numerous companies and non-profits. From 1995-1999, Moore was the Secretary of Public Safety in North Carolina, the state’s top law enforcement position. Richard previously served in the NC House, representing six rural counties north of Raleigh. He is also a former Assistant U.S. Attorney, where he prosecuted numerous federal cases in the Eastern District of North Carolina. Moore is an honors graduate of Wake Forest University and its School of Law and a former University Trustee. He also holds a graduate degree in Accounting and Finance from the London School of Economics.

Facilitators

Tracey Greene-Washington

President, Indigo Innovation Group & Co-founder of CoThinkk

John Hood

President, John William Pope Foundation

Brooke Medina

VP of Communications, John Locke Foundation

NCLF Staff

John Hood

NCLF Steering Committee – Co-Chair

Leslie Winner

NCLF Steering Committee – Co-Chair

Debbie Goldstein

Executive Director, NCLF Duke University

Minda Brooks

Program Director, NCLF Duke University

Amber Rogers

Senior Program Coordinator, NCLF Duke University

Morgan Robertson

Duke Research Assistant, NCLF Duke University