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

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jonathan Ortiz

jortiz@hunt-institute.org | (984) 256-8548

May 15, 2025

The Hunt Institute Announces Fifth Cohort of the North Carolina Hunt State Policy Fellows Program
Innovative Program Develops Education Expertise of Local Policymakers

Cary, NC – The Hunt Institute is excited to announce the members of its fifth cohort of the North Carolina Hunt State Policy Fellows (HSPF) program. This program continues to provide a bipartisan group of 21 local policymakers and aspiring state and local elected officials in North Carolina with the resources, space, and expertise needed to develop thoughtful positions on a range of education policy issues. The new cohort will join over 100 elected leaders from across the state who have participated in this transformative program since its inception. 

“The Hunt State Policy Fellows program equips local leaders with critical insights into the challenges and opportunities in education,” said Dr. Javaid Siddiqi, President & CEO of The Hunt Institute. “Its success in North Carolina has led to this year’s expansion into Virginia and South Carolina. I’m excited to meet this new cohort and confident their work will shape their leadership and advance our mission of making education a top priority across North Carolina.”  

From May through September, Fellows will engage in three in-depth sessions, each centered on a distinct sector of the education continuum – early childhood, K-12, and higher education. Each session, spanning two days, will provide Fellows with the chance to learn, engage in constructive dialogue, and build relationships with policy experts from across the state. These interactions will help to strengthen their ability to advocate for the future of North Carolina’s students. 

Rep. Monika Johnson-Hostler, a member of the inaugural Hunt State Policy Fellows cohort and the first Fellow to be elected to the North Carolina General Assembly, reflects on the program’s impact: “The work of The Hunt Institute is invaluable, especially their HSPF program, which showed me how crucial it is for local elected officials to understand the current state of education in North Carolina. The program provided data, fact-based conversations, and insights that informed my decisions on the Wake County School Board and continues to be my go-to resource for nonpartisan education policy as a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives.”  

The 2025 NC Hunt State Policy Fellows cohort is: 

• Javiera Caballero, Council Member, City of Durham
• Lori Clay, Council Member, City of Concord
• Jessica Day, Mayor, Town of Knightdale
• Dr. Timmy Harrell, County Commissioner, Wayne County
• Joshua Harris, Council Member, City of Whiteville
• Aaron Haynie, Mayor, Town of Marshall
• Hope Haywood, County Commissioner, Randolph County 
• Dr. Jennifer Hodgson, Board Member, Pitt County Schools
• Alison Idol, Board Member, Watauga County Schools
• April Lee, Board Member, Johnston County Public Schools
• Elizabeth Monterrey Duvall, Board Member, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
• Guillermo Nurse, Mayor, City of Oxford
• Teagan Perry Hall, Commissioner, City of Boiling Spring Lakes
• Phyllis Portie-Ascott, County Commissioner, Orange County
• Michael Roberson, Sheriff, Chatham County
• Matthew Scott, District Attorney, Robeson County
• Amelia Stinson-Wesley, Council Member, Town of Pineville
• D. Hunter Thrift, Council Member, City of Thomasville
• Patrick Tillman, County Commissioner, Guilford County
• Susanna Wedra, Commissioner, Town of Waxhaw
• Charlotte Williams, Council Member, City of Hickory

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: http://www.hunt-institute.org/ 

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