The Hunt Institute Announces Sixth Cohort of the North Carolina Hunt State Policy Fellows

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 28, 2026
Contact: Lorenzo Pedro
lpedro@hunt-institute.org

Cary, N.C. – The Hunt Institute is pleased to announce the 24 members of the sixth cohort of the North Carolina Hunt State Policy Fellows, a bipartisan group of local elected leaders from across the state committed to advancing informed, solutions-oriented dialogue on North Carolina’s most pressing education policy challenges.

Through the program, Fellows will participate in a series of sessions examining critical issues across the education continuum, from early childhood and K–12 education to postsecondary attainment and workforce development. Fellows will engage with policymakers, practitioners, and leading experts to explore evidence-based approaches, exchange perspectives across political lines, and identify strategies to strengthen education systems and improve outcomes for students across North Carolina.

“For 25 years, The Hunt Institute has carried forward Governor Jim Hunt’s belief that lasting progress in education requires informed, committed leaders working together,” said Dr. Javaid Siddiqi, President & CEO of The Hunt Institute. “In North Carolina, that legacy continues through local leaders who recognize that strong communities depend on strong education systems and meaningful opportunities from early childhood through the workforce. We are proud to welcome the sixth cohort of North Carolina Hunt State Policy Fellows and look forward to the impact their leadership will have in communities across our state.”

Since 2021, the North Carolina Hunt State Policy Fellows program has built a strong network of local leaders across the state, establishing a model for bipartisan engagement and education policy leadership that has since expanded to South Carolina and Virginia. Through this growing network, The Hunt Institute continues to equip policymakers with the knowledge, tools, and relationships needed to strengthen education systems and drive meaningful change in communities across their states.

“As a newly elected official, I’m honored to join The Hunt Institute’s 6th cohort of North Carolina Hunt State Policy Fellows. I’m excited to learn alongside bipartisan leaders from across our state and build on Governor Hunt’s legacy of expanding educational opportunity for all North Carolinians,” said Eduardo Herrera-Picasso, Councilmember for the City of Wilson, and a member of the sixth cohort of the NC Hunt State Policy Fellows Program.

The Hunt Institute looks forward to working with this group of leaders and supporting their efforts to make a positive impact in communities across North Carolina. The cohort includes county commissioners, school board members, mayors, city council members, sheriffs, and tribal leaders, representing rural and urban communities from the mountains to the coast.

“My experience as a North Carolina Hunt State Policy Fellow deepened my understanding of education policy and how it can support my community. The program brought Republicans, Democrats, and unaffiliated leaders together to exchange ideas and find common ground around what is best for North Carolina’s students. I’m excited for the next cohort to build those same connections and bring what they learn back to their communities,” said Susanna Wedra, Commissioner for the Town of Waxhaw and a member of the fifth cohort of the NC Hunt State Policy Fellows Program.

2026 NC Hunt State Policy Fellows – Cohort 6:

• Andria Archer, Mayor Pro Tem, Town of Clayton
• Alex Baker, Speaker, Lumbee Tribal Council
• Shannon Baxter, Commissioner, Town of Zebulon
• Hayley Beaty, Mayor, Town of Dallas
• Mike Caskey Jr., Commissioner, Rowan County Board of Commissioners
• Mitch Colvin, Mayor, City of Fayetteville
• Blair Craven, School Board Member, Henderson County Board of Education
• Paula Dance, Sheriff, Pitt County
• Glenn Faison, School Board Member, Sampson County Board of Education
• Lori Furr, Mayor Pro-Tem, Town of Mount Pleasant
• Virginia Gray, Mayor, Town of Wendell
• Dr. Charlitta Hatch, School Board Member, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education
• Christina B. Helms, Vice-Chair, Union County Board of Commissioners
• Eduardo Herrera-Picasso, Councilmember, City of Wilson
• Bella Huang, Councilmember, Town of Cary
• Dr. Linda Jordon, Mayor, City of Butner
• Dr. Bobbie Little, School Board Member, Anson County Board of Education
• Tonya D. McDaniel, Commissioner, Forsyth County Board of Commissioners
• James “Smuggie” Mitchell Jr., Mayor Pro Tem, City of Charlotte
• Carol Pritchett, Mayor, Town of Lake Lure
• Dane Scalise, Vice-Chair, New Hanover County Board of Commissioners
• Parker Sloan, Commissioner, Buncombe County Board of Commissioners
• Pat Tillman, Commissioner, Guilford County Board of Commissioners
• Cody White, School Board Member, Swain County Board of Education

###

About The Hunt Institute
The Hunt Institute, an affiliate of the Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy, is a recognized leader in the movement to transform public education. Marshaling expertise from a nationwide partner network since its establishment in 2001, The Institute brings together people and resources that help build and nurture visionary leadership and mobilize strategic action for greater educational outcomes and student success. For more information, please visit: www.hunt-institute.org