Meet the Board

Each of NCRGEA’s nine districts has at least one board member to represent and interact with members on a local level across the state. In many cases, there may be two board members for a given district, as well as two At-Large seats. Click on the images below to read more about each board member.

2022—2023 Association Officers

Michael Taylor

President - Emerald Isle/District 9

Michael Taylor

President - Emerald Isle/District 9

After 32 years at four colleges in the North Carolina Community College System, Mike is an active member of the NCRGEA board and is currently the Association’s president. He enjoys setting his own schedule in retirement, as well as traveling with his spouse. He’s also found that an unexpected joy in retirement is, “I can stay busy doing nothing.”

Email:MikeTaylor@ncrgeaboard.com

Karl Sanders

Vice President - Rocky Mount/District 5

Karl Sanders

Vice President - Rocky Mount/District 5

Karl’s financial background with the state includes working as the NCCU Purchasing manager, UNC-TV Purchasing Officer, DENR Purchasing Officer, DOA Senior Purchasing Administration, and Employment Security Commission. As part of the NCRGEA board, Karl serves on the Government Relations Committee and is Chairman of the Governance and Leadership Committee. He says retirement provided him with greater control over his time and activities and allows him to serve in a volunteer capacity.

Email:KarlSanders@ncrgeaboard.com

Robert (Bob) E. Shepherd

Secretary/Treasurer - Asheville/District 1

Robert (Bob) E. Shepherd

Secretary/Treasurer - Asheville/District 1

Bob retired from LGERS as the Executive Director of Land-of-Sky Regional Council (region included Countries of Buncombe, Henderson, Madison & Transylvania). He is a member of three committees as part of his NCRGEA work - Executive, Finance, and Government Relations. In retirement, he enjoys traveling and spending time with family and volunteering at church and nonprofits. Bob says he also enjoys working with NCRGEA in retirement.

Email:BobShepherd@ncrgeaboard.com

Vann Langston

Past President - Raleigh/District 8

Vann Langston

Past President - Raleigh/District 8

A past NCRGEA president, Vann spent his career working with K-12 schools. He was a principal and Assistant Superintendent of Wake County Public Schools, Assistant Superintendent of Johnston County, a Staff Consultant for high schools DPI, and Director of Board Development for the NC School Boards Association. Vann serves on three NCRGEA committees - Executive, Local Government, and Governance and Leadership. When it comes to retirement, he enjoys the extra time to spend on reading and traveling, as well as the honor of serving NC governmental retirees through his service on the Board.

Email:VannLangston@ncrgeaboard.com

2022—2023 Board of Directors

J. Thomas Lundy

Hickory/District 2

J. Thomas Lundy

Hickory/District 2

Tom spent 44 years in local government service, primarily as the Catawba County, NC Manager and retired as the longest-serving county manager in the state. At NCRGEA, Tom serves on the Government and Relations: Governance and Leadership and Local Government committees. He enjoys spending time with wife, Cindy, and his two children and four grandchildren. Tom has been a board member of NCRGEA since July 2020.

Email:JThomasLundy@ncrgeaboard.com

Bobby Burleson

King/District 3

Bobby Burleson

King/District 3

A former superintendent of the NC Department of Corrections, Bobby is a member of the Outreach and Engagement and Government Relations committees. He enjoys traveling and working around his farm. Bobby currently lives in Stokes County.

Email:BobbyBurleson@ncrgeaboard.com

Ben L. Neal

Clemmons/District 3

Ben L. Neal

Clemmons/District 3

Ben’s career included working for the NC Employment Security Commission as an Employment Interviewer I, a Personnel and Purchasing Officer for Rockingham County, and the Rockingham County Assistant County Manager/HR Director. In his position as the Manager/HR Director, he served as the Group Plan Administrator for health benefits, which was among the first to begin self-insuring group coverage and consumer-driven health care benefits. At NCRGEA, Ben is a member of the Executive Committee and is Chairman of the Benefits Committee.

Email:BenNeal@ncrgeaboard.com

Dr. Doris Carver

Roxboro/District 4

Dr. Doris Carver

Roxboro/District 4

Doris has retired from Piedmont Community College in Roxboro and is currently consulting on a part-time basis with wonderful, kind teams of highly dedicated state and non-state employees. In retirement, she looks forward to traveling and spending more time with family and friends, especially her five grandchildren.

Email:DorisCarver@ncrgeaboard.com

Jerry Monette

New Bern/District 5

Jerry Monette

New Bern/District 5

With 33 years of local government experience, Jerry spent the last 24 years as the elected Sheriff of Craven County. He’s also a proud resident of New Bern, NC, the Birthplace of Pepsi Cola. As an NCRGEA board member, he serves on the Government Relations Committee. Jerry says that retirement allowed him to drop the stress and focus on family time and travel - including spending time with his two-year-old granddaughter.

Email:JerryMonette@ncrgeaboard.com

Libby Snuggs McAteer

Gastonia/District 6

Libby Snuggs McAteer

Gastonia/District 6

With 27 years with the State of North Carolina, 21 of those were with the North Carolina Department of Revenue where Libby was the first woman promoted to manager of a local office. She was then elected as the 17th Gaston County Clerk of Superior Court and Probate Judge for North Carolina Judicial District 27-A. Libby is a member of the Finance and Outreach and Engagement committees with NCRGEA. In retirement, she is very active in lineage societies and member of nine different organizations.

Email:LibbySnuggsMcAteer@ncrgeaboard.com

Jerry Pinkard

Mint Hill/District 6

Jerry Pinkard

Mint Hill/District 6

A former IST Director for Mecklenburg County for 20 years, Jerry led the growth and modernization of IT and turned Mecklenburg County into a nationally recognized leader in the use of technology. He is a member of the Association's Local Government and Finance committees.

Email:JerryPinkard@ncrgeaboard.com

Mary Kay James

Goldsboro/District 7

Mary Kay James

Goldsboro/District 7

Mary Kay began her teaching career in 1980 at John A. Wilkerson High School in Belhaven, NC. During her years as a professional educator, she taught high school English, served as school counselor, was an assistant principal, and concluded her career as a middle school principal, retiring from Wake County Public Schools after 31 years. Mary Kay is on the Government Relations and Outreach and Engagement committees for NCRGEA. In retirement, she also serves on the Leadership Board of Regents for Wayne County Chamber of Commerce and is on the Board of Directors for Dillard Academy Charter School.

Email:MaryKayJames@ncrgeaboard.com

Frank Lewis

Lillington/District 7

Frank Lewis

Lillington/District 7

Prior to retirement, Frank worked for the NC Justice Academy and the offices of the Secretary of State and State Budget. He is a member of NCRGEA’s Finance and Governance and Leadership committees and says retirement provided him with the time to travel, read, and be with his wife. Frank also enjoys working part time in retirement and volunteering for the Lillington Museum.

Email:FrankLewis@ncrgeaboard.com

Suzanne P. Merrill

Raleigh/District 8

Suzanne P. Merrill

Raleigh/District 8

Suzanne’s time as a public servant involved working 10 years in the Forsyth County Department of Social Services and 30 years in the NC Department of Health and Human Services-Divisions of Aging and Social Services. She is a member of the NCRGEA Executive and Government Relations committees and Chairperson for the Outreach and Engagement Committee. Flexible scheduling and the ability to travel with family and friends have enriched Suzanne’s retirement, and she is currently raising and training a new puppy to adulthood.

Email:SuzanneMerrill@ncrgeaboard.com

Grova Bridgers

Raleigh/District 8

Grova Bridgers

Raleigh/District 8

Grova’s career in public service spanned a variety of employers - from Halifax County, Welden City Schools, and Wake County Schools to the NC Department of Public Instruction, NCCU, and Johnson Community College. A member of the NCRGEA Outreach and Engagement and Finance committees, he said he looked forward to retirement because it meant not having to dress professionally and offered the “freedom” to consult with his community. Retirement has also provided Grova with the opportunity to spend time with his five grandchildren, wife, and other family members.

Email:GrovaBridgers@ncrgeaboard.com

Tom Simmons

Southport/District 9

Tom Simmons

Southport/District 9

Tom’s state and local government experience includes working for Brunswick County in several capacities - the Planning Board, Community Foundation, and Senior Resources. He also served two terms on the City Council and was the first vice chairman of Congressional District 7 and a candidate for the NC House of Representatives in 2020. A member of the Government Relations and Local Government committees, Tom enjoys traveling and playing golf in retirement. He has also found unexpected enjoyment in working on issues that affect retired North Carolina seniors.

Email:TomSimmons@ncrgeaboard.com

Mary Ann Hinshaw

Morehead City/District 9

Mary Ann Hinshaw

Morehead City/District 9

Mary Ann served 25 years in NC County and City government, serving as administrative support in Guilford County, as Deputy County Manger/Interim County Manager in Halifax County, as County Manager in Carteret County, and as Deputy City Manager in Wilmington. She enjoys outdoor activities, living at the coast and spending time with husband, daughter, son-in-law and grandson.

Email:MaryAnnHinshaw@ncrgeaboard.com

Nancy Leonard

Clemmons/At-Large

Nancy Leonard

Clemmons/At-Large

Nancy had an extensive career in local government working for the City of Winston-Salem, Information Systems Department, 1988 – 2019 member of NCLGISA (NC Local Government Information Systems Association). Current passions for Nancy are traveling and working part-time as a travel specialist. And her NCRGEA work flows into her current volunteering in the community as an educator and advocate for issues affecting seniors

Email:NancyLeonard@ncrgeaboard.com

Dr. Melissa Bartlett

Carolina Beach/At-Large

Dr. Melissa Bartlett

Carolina Beach/At-Large

A NC public school teacher at the middle, high, community college and university levels, Melissa also served an eight-year term as a policy maker on the NC State Board of Education. She recently moved from Carolina Beach, NC to Poquoson, VA and is now serving as an At-large board member who is on two committees, Governance and Leadership and Outreach and Engagement. Retirement finds her enjoying her volunteer work at a local aquarium and RVing cross-country. Melissa says freedom from grading hundreds of essays means she has time to pursue neglected hobbies, such as playing piano and guitar, creating stained glass art, and designing needlepoint canvases.

Email:MelissaBartlett@ncrgeaboard.com

Dee Freeman

Raleigh/At-Large

Dee Freeman

Raleigh/At-Large

Dee has 40 years in public service, with 27 of those as a city manager in four North Carolina cities. He also served nine years as the Executive Director of the Triangle J Council of Governments and four years as Secretary of the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources. On the board, Dee is a member of the Finance and Government Relations committees. He is also a member of the Local Government Employees’ Retirement System and the Teachers and State Employees’ Retirement System. Retirement has given him and his wife the chance to travel abroad and domestically and to divide their time between Raleigh and their mountain getaway in Asheville.

Email:DeeFreeman@ncrgeaboard.com

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First Name

Last Name

Phone Number

State

Member Status

Member ID

2022—2023 Association Officers

Michael Taylor

Karl Sanders

Robert (Bob) E. Shepherd

Vann Langston

2022—2023 Board of Directors

J. Thomas Lundy

Bobby Burleson

Ben L. Neal

Dr. Doris Carver

Jerry Monette

Libby Snuggs McAteer

Jerry Pinkard

Mary Kay James

Frank Lewis

Suzanne P. Merrill

Grova Bridgers

Tom Simmons

Mary Ann Hinshaw

Nancy Leonard

Dr. Melissa Bartlett

Dee Freeman

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