Governor Josh Stein has announced a series of appointments to various boards and commissions across North Carolina. The appointees represent a range of professions and backgrounds, including education, environmental justice, healthcare, and public service.
Marlene Louise Sanders of Wake County has been appointed to the Biotechnology Center Board of Directors as someone involved in biotechnology or life sciences. Sanders is currently the Director of State Government and Policy at Merck & Company.
Several educators have been named to the Governor’s Teacher Advisory Council. Among them is Rachel Maria Ogo Candaso of Martin County, an AVID Elective Teacher and Site Coordinator at Wellcome Middle School in Greenville. Candaso is also recognized as the 2025 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Teacher of the Year. Other teachers appointed include Dolores Amanda Aguayo, Tayler Duncan Bomar, Emily Morgan Burrus, Bobbie Joe Cavnar, Summer Anne Espinosa, Tamika Jaquetta Farmer, Emma Nicole Geist, Taleah Chanel Jones, Yaronda Ameris Kilgo, Christian Cortez Martin, Anthony Sean Martin, Elyse Cannon McRae, Marisha Darice Merchant, Hannah Parry Moon, Lindsay Combs Phillips, and Lydia Roberts Carson Sale.
Appointments to the Governor’s Environmental Justice Advisory Council include Dr. Valerie Ann Johnson of Granville County and Dr. Jovita Lee of Wake County. Johnson serves as Co-Director of Infrastructure and Development at the North Carolina Environmental Justice Network and is an adjunct professor at North Carolina State University. Lee is Program and Policy Director at the NC Black Alliance and Advance Carolina.
Dr. Sylvester Ejeh from Cumberland County joins the Justus-Warren Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Task Force as a practicing family physician or internist. Dr. Ejeh is an interventional cardiologist with Cumberland Cardiology.
The Marine Fisheries Commission will now include Johnathan Edward Mallette of Onslow County as a commercial dealer or processor from the coastal region who derives more than half his income from dealing or processing seafood.
Other appointments cover a wide array of boards: Dr. Crystal Noelle Cliff to the Acupuncture Licensing Board; Kim Heffney to the Alarm Systems Licensing Board; Dr. Jerome Lynch to the Board of Science, Technology and Innovation; David R. Buchanan to the Cemetery Commission; Lisa E. Phillips to the Interagency Council for Coordinating Homeless Programs; Shiquita Hyman to the Psychology Board; Cynthia Wallace to the Rural Electrification Authority; Phillip Feagan, Commissioner Ronald Dean Wesson, and Brady Cody to the Rural Infrastructure Authority; Robin W. Smith, Brian North, and Joshua Lee Heitman to the Sedimentation Control Commission; James T. Ahler to the State Board of Certified Public Accountant Examiners; Dr. Gary Liao to the State Board of Podiatry Examiners; Diamond Staton-Williams (a former member of the North Carolina House) along with Dr. Emily Collins and Christopher Nathan Roberts to the State Commission for Public Health; Kevin Anderson to the Licensing Board for General Contractors; Alyssa Hampton and Brittny Jean Zenere to the Statewide Independent Living Council; Michael J. Burns III (a former Navy SEAL Officer) to Veterans Affairs Commission; Jill Austin as an 11th Congressional District Representative on Social Services Commission; and David Walton Hutson as a public member on Well Contractors Certification Commission.
Governor Stein stated these appointments are part of ongoing efforts by his administration to bring experienced professionals into key roles throughout state government structures.
