Leadership
NCAJ Officers
NCAJ Governors
*All AAJ Delegates are ex-officio members of the NCAJ Board of Governors.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee
The Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee guides the intentional pursuit of diversity, equity and inclusion within the organization. It promotes full and equal participation in NCAJ by all eligible members and the reduction of bias in NCAJ.
- Drew Culler, Vice President, Johnson & Groninger, PLLC, Durham
- Dawn Baxton, Office of the Public Defender, Durham
- Matthew Berthold, Brown, Moore & Associates, PLLC, Charlotte
- Megan Callahan, Cardinal Law Partners, Greensboro
- Sheila Chavis, Brent Adams Law Offices, PC, Raleigh
- Lisa Conserve, Keches Law Group, Charlotte
- Kristen Dewar, Minick Law, P.C., Concord
- Melissa French, Chatham County PD, Apex
- Richard Gittings, North Carolina Legal Services, Durham
- Edward Gray, Federal Public Defender’s Office for the Eastern District of NC, Raleigh
- Gagan Gupta, Tin, Fulton, Walker & Owen, PLLC, Durham
- Shelsey Hall, Whitley Law Firm, Raleigh
- Taylor Hammonds, HensonFuerst, PA, Raleigh
- Darlene Harris, Power in Protection, PLLC, Charlotte
- Carma Henson, HensonFuerst, PA, Raleigh
- Leila Hicks, HensonFuerst, PA, Raleigh
- Victoria Kepes, The Noble Law Firm, Chapel Hill
- Donna Kidd, HensonFuerst, PA, Raleigh
- Charles Mast, Mast, Johnson, Trimyer, Wright, Booker & Van Patten, PA, Smithfield
- Rachel Matesic, Sasser Law Firm, P.A., Charlotte
- Amanda Memmler, Harris Legal, PLLC, Raleigh
- Jason Orndoff, Orndoff Law Firm, Hickory
- Sonya Pfeiffer, Pfeiffer Rudolf, Charlotte
- Jacqueline Reynolds, The Reynolds Law Firm, PLLC, Concord
- Anabel Rosa, Attorney Anabel Rosa, PLLC, Durham
- Arista Sibrey, The Clauson Law Firm, Raleigh
- Jennifer Spyker, Tin, Fulton, Walker & Owen, PLLC, Charlotte
- Elizabeth Todd, Todd Law Offices, PLLC, Morganton
Education Committee
The Education Committee studies, formulates and recommends continuing legal education programs.
- Lauren Newton, Vice President, Tin, Fulton, Walker & Owen, PLLC, Charlotte
- Christopher Bagley, Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, Durham
- Kristen Beightol, Edwards Beightol, LLC, Raleigh
- Adrienne Blocker, DeMayo Law Offices, LLP, Charlotte
- Bobby Bollinger, The Bollinger Law Firm, PC, Charlotte
- Mary Isabelle Book, Legal Aid of North Carolina, Wilson
- Victoria Boone, Homesley & Wingo Law Group PLLC, Mooresville
- Kevin Bunn, Kevin Bunn, Attorney-at-Law, P.C., Cary
- Whitney Butcher, Ketterer, Browne & Associates, Raleigh
- Ashley Crouse, The Law Offices of John M. McCabe, PA, Cary
- Aaron Dalton, Chad Brown Law, P.L.L.C., Mooresville
- Glenn Gerding, IDS Appellate Defender, Durham
- Jacob Goad, Law Office of Jacob Goad, Durham
- Jordan Godwin, HensonFuerst, PA, Raleigh
- Elizabeth Haddix, American Oversight, Pittsboro
- Carma Henson, HensonFuerst, PA, Raleigh
- Whitney Hill, Pfeiffer Rudolf, Charlotte
- Warren Hynson, Blau & Hynson, PLLC, Raleigh
- Victoria Jayne, Assistant Capital Defender, Asheville
- Samantha Johnson, Ted A. Greve & Associates, PA, Charlotte
- Zachary Kaplan, Ballew Puryear, PLLC, Durham
- Alexander Kelly, The Noble Law Firm, Raleigh
- Phillip Lopez, Kellum Law Firm, New Bern
- David Lund, Lund Law Carolina, Charlotte
- Courtney Mann, Brown, Moore & Associates, PLLC, Charlotte
- Jeffrey Marshall, Marshall & Taylor, PLLC, Raleigh
- Robert Melvin, The Melvin Law Firm, Greenville
- Rachel Mosser, Maginnis Howard, Charlotte
- Kara Neaton, Legal Aid of North Carolina, Greensboro
- Thomas Odom, Jr., The Odom Firm, PLLC, Charlotte
- Susan O’Malley, O’Malley Tunstall, PLLC, Rocky Mount
- Jason Orndoff, Orndoff Law Firm, Hickory
- Nicholas Parr, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, Charlotte
- Telana Poe, Horton & Mendez, Attorneys at Law, PLLC, Wilmington
- Diane Price, The Olsinski Law Firm, PLLC, Charlotte
- Kathryn Anne Robinson, Lee Segui, PLLC, Raleigh
- David Sherlin, Epstein Sherlin, PLLC, Raleigh
- Alison Smith, Edwards Beightol, LLC, Raleigh
- Jennifer Taylor, Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, Durham
- Mandy Vivelo, Law Offices of Jacob Goad, PLLC, Willow Spring
- John Ward, Nicholls & Crampton, Raleigh
- Rebecca Watts, Sodoma Law, Monroe
- Jessica Wilkie, Hansen, Howell & Wilkie, PLLC, Raleigh
Legal Affairs Committee
The Legal Affairs Committee is responsible for the development and advocacy of NCAJ positions on legal and ethical issues. It includes an Ethics Subcommittee to monitor the N.C. State Bar Ethics Committee and advocate as appropriate and an Amicus Curiae Committee to monitor appellate litigation, receive requests for amicus participation and participate as amici as appropriate.
- Elizabeth Poisson, Vice President, Poisson, Poisson & Bower, PLLC, Wilmington
- Elliot Abrams, Cheshire Parker Schneider, PLLC, Raleigh
- Noah Abrams, Abrams & Abrams, P.A., Raleigh
- Matthew Ballew, Ballew Puryear PLLC, Raleigh
- Andrew Banzhoff, Devereux & Banzhoff, PLLC, Asheville
- Valerie Bateman, New South Law Firm, Carrboro
- Christopher Behm, Block, Crouch, Keeter, Behm & Sayed, LLP, Wilmington
- Michael Bertics, Lennon, Camak & Bertics, PLLC, Raleigh
- Anne Bleyman, Anne Bleyman, Chapel Hill
- Christopher Brook, Patterson Harkavy, LLP, Chapel Hill
- Whitney Brooks, Olive Sanchez & Associates, Charlotte
- Matthew Bryant, Hendrick Bryant & Nerhood LLP, Winston-Salem
- Brian Buchanan, Grimes Teich Anderson LLP, Ashevlle
- Whitney Butcher, Ketterer, Browne & Associates, Raleigh
- Marcus Carpenter, Gray, Layton, Kersh, Solomon, Furr & Smith, P.A., Gastonia
- Sean Cecil, Law Offices of Sean P. Cecil, Raleigh
- Burton Craige, Patterson Harkavy LLP, Chapel Hill
- Shawntae Crews, Crews Law Firm, PLLC, Charlotte
- Nichad Davis, Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, Durham
- Christopher Fialko, Fialko Law PLLC, Charlotte
- Jay Gervasi, Jay Gervasi, P.A., Greensboro
- Narendra Ghosh, Patterson Harkavy LLP, Chapel Hill
- Laura Godly, Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman, Raleigh
- MaryAnne Hamilton, Miller Law Group, Raleigh
- Scott Harris, Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman, PLLC, Raleigh
- Mark Hayes, Law Office of Mark L. Hayes, Durham
- Christopher Heaney, The Law Office of Christopher J. Heaney, PLLC, Raleigh
- Carma Henson, HensonFuerst, PA, Raleigh
- Joseph Hjelt, Kornbluth Ginsberg Law Group, P.A., Durham
- Robert Hunter, Higgins Benjamin, Greensboro
- Warren Hynson, Hynson Law, PLLC, Raleigh
- Lucy Inman, Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman, PLLC, Raleigh
- Ivy Johnson, The ACLU of NC, Raleigh
- Zachary Kaplan, Ballew Puryear PLLC, Durham
- Ryan Kuchinski, Center for Death Penalty Litigation, Durham
- Hannah Lavender, Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, Durham
- Matthew Lee, Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman, PLLC, Raleigh
- Constance Lowe, The Law Office of Constance G. Lowe, Hillsborough
- Kellie Mannette, Thomas, Ferguson & Beskind, LLP, Durham
- Taylor Marks, Ward & Smith, PA, Wilmington
- C. Douglas Maynard, Law Offices of C. Douglas Maynard, Jr., PLLC, Winston-Salem
- Ryan McCollum, Whitley Law Firm, Raleigh
- Marcus McGee, Wilder Pantazis Law Group, Charlotte
- Jonathan McGirt, Jonathan McGirt, Attorney at Law, Raleigh
- Mark Melrose, Melrose Law, PLLC, Waynesville
- William Mills, Mills & Mahoney, P.A., Durham
- Jon Moore, Brown, Moore & Associates, PLLC, Charlotte
- Lauren Newton, Tin, Fulton, Walker & Owen, PLLC, Charlotte
- Christopher Nichols, Nichols Law Firm, Raleigh
- Ann Ochsner, White & Stradley, PLLC, Raleigh
- Chris Olson, Olson Law, PLLC, Raleigh
- Jason Orndoff, Orndoff Law Firm, Hickory
- Michael Patrick, Law Office of Michael W. Patrick, Chapel Hill
- Maria Perry, Perry Legal Services, LLC, Durham
- David Pishko, Pishko Kalarites, P.A., Winston-Salem
- Jennifer Reed, Grimes Yeoman PLLC, Mooresville
- Richard Renner, The Noble Law Firm, Raleigh
- Jonathan Salmons, Speaks Law Firm, PC, Charlotte
- J. David Stradley, White & Stradley, PLLC, Raleigh
- Melanie Tarrant-Bull, Legal Aid of North Carolina, Gastonia
- John Taylor, John Taylor Law Firm, PLLC, Raleigh
- Elizabeth Todd, Todd Law Offices, PLLC, Morganton
- Amos Tyndall, Parry Law, Chapel Hill
- Jon Ward, Tatum & Atkinson, Raleigh
- Rebecca Watts, Sodoma Law, Charlotte
- Cathy Williams, Levine Law Group, P.A., Mooresville
- Gabriel Zeller, Gabriel E. Zeller, Attorney at Law, Reidsville
Legislative Committee
The Legislative Committee informs and supports NCAJ’s Advocacy Strategic Plan by identifying and evaluating proposed and pending legislation and by helping to develop NCAJ’s legislative program.
- Anna Pishko Kalarites, Vice President, Pishko Kalarites Lawyers, Raleigh
- Melissa Abrams, Abrams & Abrams, P.A., Raleigh
- Andrew Banzhoff, Devereux & Banzhoff, PLLC, Asheville
- Christopher Beacham, HensonFuerst, PA, Garner
- Joseph Bowman, Bowman Law, PLLC, Winston-Salem
- Julie Boyer, Julie Boyer, Attorney at Law, Winston-Salem
- Allan Davis, Jr., Davis & Davis Attorneys at Law, PC, Richfield
- Zachary Deason, Peniston Deason, Attorneys at Law, Monroe
- Diana Devine, Brent Adams Law Offices, PC, Raleigh
- Catherine Elbakidze, Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, Greensboro
- Zachary Ezor, Tin, Fulton, Walker & Owen, PLLC, Durham
- William Grist, Law Office of W. Daniel Grist, PLLC, Charlotte
- Kimberly Guerrero, Law Office of Jacob Goad, Willow Spring
- Billie Guthrie, The Deuterman Law Group, Durham
- Taylor Hammonds, HensonFuerst, PA, Raleigh
- Joshua Hansen, Hansen, Howell and Wilkie, PLLC, Raleigh
- Matthew Harbin, Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, Durham
- Michael Harman, Harman Law, PLLC, Huntersville
- Richard Harper, The Harper Law Firm, PLLC, Sylva
- Carma Henson, HensonFuerst, PA, Raleigh
- David Henson, HensonFuerst, PA, Raleigh
- Heather Hodge, Knox Law Center, Charlotte
- Joel Ledbetter, Marcari, Russotto, Spencer & Balaban, PC, Cary
- Preston Lesley, Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, Durham
- Constance Lowe, The Law Office of Constance G. Lowe, Hillsborough
- Jenny Maynard, Brown, Moore & Associates, PLLC, Charlotte
- Lauren McAndrew, Blanchard, Miller, Lewis & Isley, P.A., Raleigh
- Anthony Monaghan, Mecklenburg County Public Defender’s Office, Charlotte
- Jon Moore, Brown, Moore & Associates, PLLC, Charlotte
- Christine Mumma, The North Carolina Center on Actual Innocence, Durham
- Lauren Newton, Tin, Fulton, Walker & Owen, PLLC, Charlotte
- Christopher Nichols, Nichols Law Firm, Raleigh
- Jason Orndoff, Orndoff Law Firm, Hickory
- Paige Pahlke, Pahlke Law, PLLC, Charlotte
- PJ Puryear, Ballew Puryear, PLLC, Raleigh
- Clermont Ripley, N.C. Justice Center, Raleigh
- Lawrence Shaheen, The McIntosh Law Firm, Davidson
- Will Shuford, Reiss & Nutt, Wilmington
- Jammie Wacenske, Matheson & Associates PLLC, Raleigh
- Jonathan Wall, Higgins Benjamin, PLLC, Greensboro
- Anna Worley, Gantt Family Law, Raleigh
Membership Committee
The Membership Committee oversees the community priority of NCAJ, which includes membership recruitment, retention, and engagement. These are essential committee functions, as the strength of NCAJ is dependent upon a strong and diverse member base. This committee seeks to recruit and retain members by providing access to engaging connection-building functions, such as social activities and other gatherings, and by offering benefits which include monetary savings and discounts.
- Sheila Chavis, Vice President, Brent Adams & Associates, Raleigh
- Santiago Arroba, Osborn Injury Lawyers, Raleigh
- Gina Balamucki, Blackrose Law, Chapel Hill
- Katharine Batchelor, Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman, PLLC, Raleigh
- Emily Beeson, Ward Black Law, PA, Greensboro
- Kristen Beightol, Edwards Beightol, LLC, Raleigh
- Julie Bridenstine, North Carolina Prisoner Legal Services, Inc., Raleigh
- Robyn Buckley, Law Office of W. Daniel Grist, PLLC, Charlotte
- Alton Combs, III, Ricci Law Firm, PA, Kinston
- Ashyra Corpening, Legal Aid of North Carolina, Greensboro
- Garrett Davis, Law Office of Garrett Davis, Durham
- Kristen Dewar, Minick Law, PC, Concord
- Catherine Elbakidze, Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, Greensboro
- Katherine Gates, Whitley Law Firm, Raleigh
- Hunter Gentel, Ricci Law Firm, P.A., Greenville
- Robert Giles, II, Smith Giles, PLLC, Graham
- Dionne Gonder-Stanley, NCCU School of Law, Mebane
- Carma Henson, HensonFuerst, PA, Raleigh
- Sean Herrmann, Herrmann & Murphy, PLLC, Charlotte
- Leila Hicks, HensonFuerst, PA, Raleigh
- Madeline Hurley, Marshall & Taylor, PLLC, Raleigh
- Carlos Mahoney, Mahoney Law, PA, Durham
- Kevin Mahoney, NC Eminent Domain Law Firm, Asheville
- Matthew Mariani, Bell Legal Group, Raleigh
- Rachel Matesic, Sasser Law Firm, PA, Charlotte
- Valentina Mejia, Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, Charlotte
- Amanda Memmler, Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman, PLLC, Raleigh
- Amanda Mingo, Rawls, Scheer, Clary & Mingo, Charlotte
- Joseph Neville, Yarborough, Winters & Neville, PA, Fayetteville
- Lauren Newton, Tin, Fulton, Walker & Owen, PLLC, Charlotte
- Rachel Noorthoek, RMN Law, PLLC, Mooresville
- Chris Olson, Olson Law, PLLC, Raleigh
- Jason Orndoff, Orndoff Law Firm, Hickory
- Joel Rhine, Rhine Law Firm, PC, Wilmington
- Sharika Robinson, Law Offices of Sharika M. Robinson, Huntersville
- David Sherlin, Epstein Sherlin, PLLC, Raleigh
- Elizabeth Todd, Todd Law Offices, PLLC, Morganton
- Regina Zac-Williams, Ward Black Law, PA, Greensboro
