South Raleigh News

Today, Governor Roy Cooper announced appointments to various Boards and Commissions in North Carolina.

Gov. Cooper has appointed Joy B. Futrell of Ahoskie to the North Carolina Brain Injury Advisory Council as a director of a local management entity of mental health, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse services. Futrell is the CEO of Trillium Health Resources and the former CEO of Roanoke-Chowan Human Services.

Deborah H. Trotter of Concord has been appointed to the North Carolina Credit Union Commission as a member with over three years' experience as a credit union director or in management of state-chartered credit unions. Trotter is the President and CEO of Charlotte Fire Department Credit Union with over 40 years in the industry.

Mary Beth Newns of Currituck will join the North Carolina Emergency Response Commission as a representative of emergency managers in North Carolina. Newns is the emergency management director for Currituck County, where she has worked for 22 years.

Caela D. Brooks of Oakboro has been appointed to the North Carolina State Board of Registration for Foresters as a registered forester. Brooks works at Gelbert, Fulbright & Randolph Forestry Consultants with both private and industrial clients.

The Governor's Advisory Council on Hispanic/Latino Affairs will include Saira Estrada of Charlotte and Ricardo Bello Ball of Bryson City as members at-large. Estrada is the Language Access and Immigrant Integration Coordinator for the City of Charlotte, while Bello Ball is the Executive Director of UNIDXS, a nonprofit addressing social, economic, educational, and cultural inequities in Western North Carolina.

Gov. Cooper has also made several appointments to the North Carolina Local Governmental Employees’ Retirement System Board of Trustees: Avril Pinder from Asheville as a county manager; Benjamin F. Bobzien from Rocky Point representing active or retired members; Mathew M. Calabria from Fuquay-Varina as a county commissioner; and Wilson Weaver from Winston-Salem as a law-enforcement officer.

Alfred L. Hobgood IV from Atlantic Beach joins the Marine Fisheries Commission representing recreational sports fishing interests in coastal waters. Hobgood is Senior Vice President at Hobgood Peatross Investment Group with over 24 years in financial services.

Charles Herty Piner III from Morehead City has been appointed to the Morehead City Navigation and Pilotage Commission representing maritime interests after retiring from his role at the North Carolina State Ferry Division.

Jennifer Mundt from Raleigh joins the North Carolina State Ports Authority Board of Directors as an at-large member. Mundt serves as Assistant Secretary for Clean Energy Economic Development at the North Carolina Department of Commerce.

Franklin Gomez Flores from Siler City will represent rural county government on the North Carolina State Health Coordinating Council. Flores is a Chatham County Commissioner and Board of Health member.

Berenice Malagón from Chapel Hill has been appointed to the North Carolina Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice representing local and state government, academic institutions, research or advocacy groups. Malagón is a public relations specialist for El Centro Hispano with over 20 years' experience in journalism and social justice advocacy.

Natalia Mejia from Concord joins the North Carolina Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service selected among local educators. Mejia teaches at CC Griffin Stem Middle School and was named NCCAT’s 2023 Empower NC Beginning Teacher of the Year.

Finally, Linda Marshall, Kelsey Owle, and Stiles Rader Rockey have been appointed to serve on the Governor's Western Residence Board of Directors as members at-large.