DIVERSITY ON LOCAL GOVERNING BOARDS

OUR COMMUNITY OF INCLUSIVITY

 

Orange County communities, including Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough, are composed of a broad diversity on local governing boards, including the House of Representatives, Hillsborough and Orange County Board of Commissioners, Chapel Hill Town Council, Carrboro Town Council, and CHCCS and OSC School Boards. These elected officials represent populations from many racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds.

Valerie P. Foushee, MEMBER OF THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Valerie went from serving on the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School Board, to being the first African-American female elected to the Orange County Board of Commissioners, to serving in the North Carolina state House, and currently Representative of North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District. In each of those elected positions, Valerie has focused on the issues that matter most; education, jobs, and being a champion for underrepresented communities.

Joal Hall Broun, District Court for 15B Judicial District

Gov. Roy Cooper appointed Orange County attorney Joal Broun to a district court judgeship in June, 2021. Broun’s professional experience includes working as the director of lobbying compliance for the North Carolina Secretary of State’s office. She served on the Carrboro Board of Aldermen for 12 years, and was a former member of the CHCCS School Board. She earned her JD and bachelor’s from Wake Forest University.

Robb English, Hillsborough BOARD of commissioners

Robb English was appointed to the Hillsborough Town Board in December 2019. He is currently a Recreation Specialist at Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation and has worked for the Town of Chapel Hill for 22+ years. He received his Master of Science in Recreation Administration and his Bachelor of Science in Therapeutic Recreation from Florida State University.

Matt Hughes, Hillsborough Board of Commissioners

Matt Hughes is a life-long resident of Orange County and began his public service in high school student government. Matt graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a BA in Political Science and a Master of Public Administration. He has worked in state government and non-profits for the past decade.

Renee Price, NC House District 50 representative for Orange & Caswell counties

Born and raised in Rochester NY, Renee earned her Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, from Tufts University majoring in urban affairs, and Master of Regional Planning from Cornell University, with concentrations in city development planning, and environmental planning and design. She also studied at Colgate-Rochester Divinity School in the Master of Arts program, and was the Chair as an Orange County Commissioner.

Jean Hamilton, Orange County Commissioner

Jean grew up on Eastern Long Island, New York and graduated from Smith College with an A.B. degree, majoring in economics, and spent her Junior Year Abroad in Geneva, Switzerland. After college, she worked for Chemical Bank in New York City before moving to California for graduate school. Jean received a Ph.D. in Economics from UC Berkeley and worked as an assistant professor of economics at Occidental College in California.

Anna Richards, Orange County Commissioner

Anna retired from The Boeing Company in June of 2013 after a 40+ year career. In her last position, she provided enterprise leadership of The Boeing Company Finance Services including Payroll, Payment Services and Supply Chain Financial Analysis. Managed organization of 200+ employees. Responsibilities included the planning, development and execution of organization strategy. She has led the local chapter of the NAACP.

Phyllis Portie-Ascott, Orange County Commissioner

Portie-Ascott has involved herself in numerous organizations. She served as the first vice chairperson for the Orange County Democratic Party and served on the Northern Orange NAACP leadership team. Alongside her involvement in civic organizations, Portie-Ascott has worked in multiple human services positions. She managed a mental health agency and now works in property management as the owner and broker in charge of PPA Properties.

Barbara M. Foushee, Carrboro MAYOR

Barbara Foushee is a Senior Technologist in a Molecular Oncology Laboratory in Research Triangle Park; and has spent her entire career working in clinical laboratory sciences. Barbara grew up in eastern North Carolina and graduated from historic Saint Augustine’s University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Medical Technology. 

Paris Miller-Foushee, Chapel Hill Town Council

Paris Miller-Foushee currently works at the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service, developing the next generation of leaders to engage in and serve community. She has served as the Vice-Chair of the Town’s Community Police Advisory Committee and on the Steering Committee of the Re-Imagining Community Safety Task Force. 

Camille Berry, Chapel Hill Town Council

Camille Berry works as a consultant to both for-profit and nonprofit leaders. She shares with her clients her decades of experience in cultivating relationships that are built upon collaboration, curiosity, and integrity. For nearly seven years, Camille worked with Community Home Trust to secure resources for its work in increasing and maintaining affordable housing.

ELIAZAR POSADA, CARRBORO Town CounciL

Eliazar Posada is the first openly gay Latino serving in North Carolina. He is currently the President and Founder of Posada Strategy Consulting, supporting nonprofit and grassroots organizations in fundraising, community outreach, and advocacy. He has degree from Campbell University in Political Science and Government with a Pre-Law Concentration.

 

Rani Dasi, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education Member

Rani Dasi has been a member of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education since 2015, serving as board vice chair from 2016-2017 and as board chair from 2017-18. An active member of the finance and policy committees, she focused on transparency and fiscal responsibility. She has also served on the board of the Public School Foundation and the Family Success Alliance.

Riza Jenkins, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education Member

Riza Jenkins completed her B.S. degrees in Business Management and Marketing at North Carolina A&T State University. Prior to starting graduate school, Riza was the North Carolina Voter Empowerment Coordinator for the NAACP. Her key tasks included increasing voter registration, education, and get of the vote efforts. After a few years in that role, Riza returned to school to receive her JD-MBA from Howard University. 

Vickie L. Feaster Fornville, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education Member

Vickie L. Feaster Fornville is a Chapel Hill native, and retired from the NC Department of Public Safety where she served as a Probation Parole Officer in Orange County. She has also volunteered in the CHCCS district for over 30 years where she have used my knowledge to advocate for all children, especially students and parents of color, in spaces where their voices would otherwise not be heard.

André Richmond, Orange County Schools Board of Education Vice Chair

André Richmond has been the Vice Chair of the Orange County School Board since 2022. He is also the Captain of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and has worked for the Sheriff’s Office for over 23 years in different roles, including Juvenile/Special Victims Investigator which helped to foster his commitment to the well being and education of the children and youth in Orange County.