Board Members

• Residence: Washington
• Appointed by: Governor
• Term expires: June 30, 2027

Kathleen Simpson served in the U.S. Army as a Colonel. Now retired, she taught at East Carolina University’s School of Nursing as a Clinical Assistant Professor. She also served as a Vice President at Vidant Beaufort Hospital. The Washington resident received a Master of Nursing Administration from the University of South Carolina. Wife of Glenn Simpson, mother of two, and grandmother of 2, Col. Simpson has had one son to attend BCCC and has taken Continuing Education classes at the college.

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• Residence: Washington
• Appointed by: County Commissioners
• Term expires: June 30, 2025

Teresa Canady served the Martin County Department of Social Services as a Social Worker Supervisor until she retired in 2015. There she supervised the Child Care, Work First Employment Services Units and Intake Services. She started working with Beaufort County Department of Social Services in 1977, and later worked for Washington County DSS for 16 years. Ms. Canady holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a Concentration in Management. She earned an Associate of Applied Science in Secretarial Science from BCCC. Ms. Canady is the wife of William Canady, has one daughter, Felisha Canady, and lives in Washington.

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• Residence: Belhaven
• Appointed by: Senate
• Term expires: June 30, 2028

Darren Armstrong is the manager of Armstrong Farms and the manager of Pungo River Lime. He attended North Carolina University. The Belhaven resident serves as chair of the United States Grain Council Board of Directors and as a board member of the Corn Growers of North Carolina. He and his wife Dawn live in Belhaven.

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• Residence: Fairfield
• Appointed by: Hyde County Commissioners
• Term expires: June 30, 2028

Tina Eakes has worked as an insurance agent for the North Carolina Farm Bureau at the Hyde County office since 1996. She attended Mattamuskeet High School, and her son Payton is a recent graduate of Beaufort CCC’s Inner Banks Fire Academy, while her son Cruz is a graduate of East Carolina University. She is a Fairfield resident.

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• Residence: Washington
• Appointed by: County Commissioners
• Term expires: June 30, 2027

Steven Archie Griffin is a farmer with Griffin Farms, Inc. He earned a Master of Business Administration from East Carolina University. He currently serves as the Supervisor for the Beaufort County Soil & Water Conservation District and was selected and sponsored by TIAA-Cref as the second United States citizen for the Nuffield International Farming Scholars. He is also a graduate of the Executive Farm Management Program and a board member of the North Carolina Crop Improvement Association. Mr. Griffin took summer classes at BCCC while he completed his Bachelor of Science in Plant and Soil Science at N.C. State University. He is a resident of Washington.

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• Residence: Washington
• Appointed by: Board of Education
• Term expires: June 30, 2025

Julia Lodge worked for Beaufort County Schools for 18 years in data management, and at East Carolina University for 12 years as lead processing clerk. She worked across three sites with Beaufort County Schools as a data manager: first at Central Office, then at the Beaufort County Ed Tech, and then at the Beaufort County Early College High School. She has two children, Christopher Lodge and Shontra Jewell Lodge Topping.

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• Residence: Chocowinity
• Appointed by: Beaufort County Commissioners
• Term expires: June 30, 2028

Dr. Dennis Campbell, II is the president of ECU Health Beaufort Hospital and the interim president of ECU Health North Hospitals. He has worked with ECU Health for four years and previously worked with Cone Health in Greensboro, N.C. The Chocowinity resident earned a doctorate in healthcare administration from the Virginia University-Lynchburg. He and his wife Tiffany have three children and two dogs.

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• Residence: Washington
• Appointed by: Board of Education
• Term expires: June 30, 2027

John Rodman is a retired city planner who worked with local governments in Beaufort County for 29 years, including 10 years with Beaufort County and 20 years with the City of Washington. He served a Director of Community and Cultural Services, overseeing the Planning & Development, Building Inspections, Historic Preservation, Parks & Recreation, and Library Service departments. He holds a Municipal Administration Certificate from the UNC School of Government, and he is certified through the American Institute of Certified Planners. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Urban and Regional Planning from East Carolina University. His wife Janet taught for over 20 years with BCCC’s Division of Continuing Education. She is currently an ESL teacher with Beaufort County Schools. Mr. Rodman's oldest son George graduated from Pitt Community College with an Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice and Basic Law Enforcement Training. His youngest son Jack took summer classes at BCCC, and he is currently a graduate student at the University of Southern California’s School of Public Health.

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• Residence: Washington
• Appointed by: Governor
• Term expires: June 30, 2026

Wali Saleem is a retired educator who spent his career in service to Beaufort County Schools. He worked as a Mathematics and Computer Teacher for 18 years, of which he spent 14 years at Washington High School. He worked as a curriculum director with Beaufort County Schools for 7 years. He served as Principal at Aurora High School, P.S. Jones Middle School, and Southside High School. Currently, he operates a tax preparation service, Professional Tax Service in Washington. Mr. Saleem earned a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from East Carolina University. His wife Yvonne earned an associate’s degree from BCCC. Mr. Saleem taught a class at BCCC in 1985. They have one daughter, Robyn, and one son, Wali Jr., and five grandchildren.

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• Residence: Pantego
• Appointed by: Governor
• Term expires: June 30, 2025

Marya Shavender, along with her husband Buddy Shavender, started Shavender Trucking, Inc. in 1978 and has successfully run it for 40 years. She holds a degree from Lenoir Community College. Ms. Shavender has three daughters: Marcy Morgan, Stacy Swindell and Tracey Brown. She is the grandmother of 8.

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• Residence: Washington
• Appointed by: House of Representatives
• Term expires: June 30, 2028

Russell Smith is the Owner of Russell’s, a retail clothing store in Washington that he has owned and operated for 35 years. He holds an Associate Degree in Retailing and Marketing from BCCC (then Beaufort County Technical Institute). Besides being a graduate of the college, Mr. Smith has served as a Trustee for the past ten years. His wife Denise Smith graduated from the Medical Laboratory program from BCCC (then BCTI). His son Zach and daughter Olivia both took classes at BCCC to further their educations.

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• Residence: Aurora
• Appointed by: Senate
• Term expires: June 30, 2026

Born, raised, and educated in Pennsylvania, Kurt joined the U.S. Army as a commissioned officer following graduation from college in 1987. He completed 34 years of service in the United States Army, retiring in 2021 at the rank of Major General. He is a graduate of numerous schools and is awarded a Bachelor of Science degree; two Masters of Science degrees and an honorary Doctorate. He and his wife Jennifer now call eastern North Carolina their home. He remains active in national security matters and volunteers in numerous community activities including scouting and community development initiatives.

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• Residence: Chocowinity
• Appointed by: Beaufort County Commissioners
• Term expires: June 30, 2026

Dr. Laura Staton is a retired occupational medicine physician, living in Beaufort County since 2005. A native of Independence, Mo., Dr. Staton earned a bachelor’s degree in public health education from Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, CA, and a doctor of osteopathic medicine from the University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kansas City, MO, completing her post graduate work in Garden City, MI. She earned a master’s degree in Public Health from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Dr. Staton has worked as an occupational medicine physician with the US Air Force as a flight surgeon; with the US Postal Service as the Senior Area Medical Director; with US Airways as the medical director; and as medical director of a private occupational medicine consulting business.

Since moving to Beaufort County in 2005, Dr. Staton has been active in community programs and organizations serving local youth. She serves on the board of directors of Eagle’s Wings Food Pantry; she volunteers with the Guardian ad Litem Program as a court-appointed advocate for children in the custody of the Department of Social Services; and volunteers with the department’s foster teen life-skills program, LINKS. She was appointed to the BCCC Board of Trustees by Gov. McCrory in 2013, and served as Board Chair from June 2015 - June 2017. Prior to her appointment to the Board of Trustees, Dr. Staton was chair of the Foundation Board of Directors.

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• Residence: Roper
• Appointed by: Washington County Commissioners
• Term expires: June 30, 2028

Julius Walker, Jr., retired as the superintendent of Washington County Schools in 2009. The Roper resident served as an interim superintendent for Bertie County Schools, twice for Hertford County Schools, and once for Washington County Schools. He started as a teacher for Washington County Schools in 1967. Throughout his career, he also worked as a teacher-coach, elementary school principal, middle school principal, high school principal, and assistant superintendent. He holds a Master of Art from North Carolina Central University. He was honored as North Carolina Outstanding Educator (African American) by Gov. Roy Cooper in 2020 and serves on the Washington County Board of Commissioners spearheading construction of a new K-12 school. Many students from Washington County Schools either attend Beaufort CCC after graduation or attend through Washington County Early College High School. He is the husband of Katie Walker, the father of Shawn Walker, Sr., and Kendra Walker Powell, and the grandfather of Mackenzie Powell, Ian Powell, and Shawn Walker, Jr.

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• Residence: Engelhard
• Appointed by: Hyde County Commissioners
• Term expires: June 30, 2028

Natalie Berry Wayne is the Hyde County Cooperative Extension Director and has worked at the Cooperative Extension since 2004. Prior to working at the Extension, Ms. Wayne worked as a physical education teacher at Mattamuskeet Elementary for two years. She earned a master’s degree from North Carolina State University. She has collaborated with Beaufort CCC’s Hyde-Davis Center through partnerships with Hyde County 4-H agriculture and family consumers sciences programming. An Engelhard resident, Ms. Wayne is the wife of Robert Wayne and the mother of two children, Brayden and Lear.

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• Residence: Plymouth
• Appointed by: Washington County Commissioners
• Term expires: June 30, 2028

Linda West is the Health Sciences Program Manager for Washington County Schools. She began her three-decade career with Washington County Schools in 1991 as the Health Sciences Education Program Manager and HOSA-Future Health Professionals advisor. Previously, she worked at the Washington County Hospital as a nursing supervisor and the Swing Bed Unit Coordinator. She graduated from BCCC’s Associate Degree Nursing program and earned her teaching certification through East Carolina University. She and her husband Kerry have two sons, Brant and Josh.

[email protected]

• Residence: Washington
• SGA President
• Term expires: 2025

Jacob Council is a dual-enrolled student at Washington High School. He is the incoming Student Government Association president. Mr. Council is a member of the Washington High School baseball team, and the honor society. He plans to transfer to a four-year university to major in mechanical engineering.