Kathleen Simpson served in the U.S. Army as a Colonel. Now retired, she taught at East Carolina University’s School of Nursing as a Clinical Assistant Professor. She also served as a Vice President at Vidant Beaufort Hospital. The Washington resident received a Master of Nursing Administration from the University of South Carolina. Wife of Glenn Simpson, mother of two, and grandmother of 2, Col. Simpson has had one son to attend BCCC and has taken Continuing Education classes at the college.
Darren Armstrong is the manager of Armstrong Farms and the manager of Pungo River Lime. He attended North Carolina University. The Belhaven resident serves as chair of the United States Grain Council Board of Directors and as a board member of the Corn Growers of North Carolina. He and his wife Dawn live in Belhaven.
Tina Eakes has worked as an insurance agent for the North Carolina Farm Bureau at the Hyde County office since 1996. She attended Mattamuskeet High School, and her son Payton is a recent graduate of Beaufort CCC’s Inner Banks Fire Academy, while her son Cruz is a graduate of East Carolina University. She is a Fairfield resident.
Steven Archie Griffin is a farmer with Griffin Farms, Inc. He earned a Master of Business Administration from East Carolina University. He currently serves as the Supervisor for the Beaufort County Soil & Water Conservation District and was selected and sponsored by TIAA-Cref as the second United States citizen for the Nuffield International Farming Scholars. He is also a graduate of the Executive Farm Management Program and a board member of the North Carolina Crop Improvement Association. Mr. Griffin took summer classes at BCCC while he completed his Bachelor of Science in Plant and Soil Science at N.C. State University. He is a resident of Washington.
Jonathon Oliver brings a diverse background in public safety and financial services to his current role as a financial advisor with Edward Jones. Prior to entering the financial sector, Oliver served with the Colorado Department of Public Safety for 25 years, where he held leadership roles as a Colorado State Patrol Captain and Deputy Director of Emergency Communications. He holds a Master of Business Administration from Colorado State University in Fort Collins. Since relocating to eastern North Carolina, Oliver has enjoyed participating in continuing education courses through Beaufort County Community College’s culinary arts program. He and his wife, Melynda, live in the Chocowinity with their two children, Anna and Connor.
Dr. Dennis Campbell, II is the president of ECU Health Beaufort Hospital and the interim president of ECU Health North Hospitals. He has worked with ECU Health for four years and previously worked with Cone Health in Greensboro, N.C. The Chocowinity resident earned a doctorate in healthcare administration from the Virginia University-Lynchburg. He and his wife Tiffany have three children and two dogs.
John Rodman is a retired city planner who worked with local governments in Beaufort County for 29 years, including 10 years with Beaufort County and 20 years with the City of Washington. He served a Director of Community and Cultural Services, overseeing the Planning & Development, Building Inspections, Historic Preservation, Parks & Recreation, and Library Service departments. He holds a Municipal Administration Certificate from the UNC School of Government, and he is certified through the American Institute of Certified Planners. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Urban and Regional Planning from East Carolina University. His wife Janet taught for over 20 years with BCCC’s Division of Continuing Education. She is currently an ESL teacher with Beaufort County Schools. Mr. Rodman’s oldest son George graduated from Pitt Community College with an Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice and Basic Law Enforcement Training. His youngest son Jack took summer classes at BCCC, and he is currently a graduate student at the University of Southern California’s School of Public Health.
Charles F. “Chuck” Williams is Senior Vice President of Southern Bank & Trust, where he has served the Belhaven Branch since March, 1994. He earned a Master of Business Administration from East Carolina University in December 1993. Mr. Williams currently serves on the BCCC Foundation. He resides in Pantego, Beaufort County, with his wife, Paula. They have two daughters, Katherine Duell (husband Casper) and Emma Pugh (husband Stephen).
John Rebholz brings decades of experience in business, government, and community service to his work in Beaufort County. He spent 30 years with Ford Motor Company in Sales and Service and 10 years as a small business consultant specializing in process improvements. He recently completed five years as a Beaufort County Commissioner, during which he collaborated with Beaufort County Schools and Beaufort County Community College (Beaufort CCC) to address workforce needs, conversations that helped lay the foundation for the Beaufort Promise initiative. Rebholz holds a Bachelor of Science from Oakland University and pursued graduate studies at DePaul University. He has served on the BCCC Foundation Board for several years, supporting the college’s mission and its role in developing a skilled local workforce. He and his wife, Shelly, have been married for 56 years. They have three sons, each a graduate of a different college, along with four granddaughters and two grandsons.
Russell Smith is the Owner of Russell’s, a retail clothing store in Washington that he has owned and operated for 35 years. He holds an Associate Degree in Retailing and Marketing from BCCC (then Beaufort County Technical Institute). Besides being a graduate of the college, Mr. Smith has served as a Trustee for the past ten years. His wife Denise Smith graduated from the Medical Laboratory program from BCCC (then BCTI). His son Zach and daughter Olivia both took classes at BCCC to further their educations.
Born, raised, and educated in Pennsylvania, Kurt joined the U.S. Army as a commissioned officer following graduation from college in 1987. He completed 34 years of service in the United States Army, retiring in 2021 at the rank of Major General. He is a graduate of numerous schools and is awarded a Bachelor of Science degree; two Masters of Science degrees and an honorary Doctorate. He and his wife Jennifer now call eastern North Carolina their home. He remains active in national security matters and volunteers in numerous community activities including scouting and community development initiatives.
Dr. Laura Staton is a retired occupational medicine physician, living in Beaufort County since 2005. A native of Independence, Mo., Dr. Staton earned a bachelor’s degree in public health education from Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, CA, and a doctor of osteopathic medicine from the University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kansas City, MO, completing her post graduate work in Garden City, MI. She earned a master’s degree in Public Health from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Dr. Staton has worked as an occupational medicine physician with the US Air Force as a flight surgeon; with the US Postal Service as the Senior Area Medical Director; with US Airways as the medical director; and as medical director of a private occupational medicine consulting business.
Since moving to Beaufort County in 2005, Dr. Staton has been active in community programs and organizations serving local youth. She serves on the board of directors of Eagle’s Wings Food Pantry; she volunteers with the Guardian ad Litem Program as a court-appointed advocate for children in the custody of the Department of Social Services; and volunteers with the department’s foster teen life-skills program, LINKS. She was appointed to the BCCC Board of Trustees by Gov. McCrory in 2013, and served as Board Chair from June 2015 – June 2017. Prior to her appointment to the Board of Trustees, Dr. Staton was chair of the Foundation Board of Directors.
Julius Walker, Jr., retired as the superintendent of Washington County Schools in 2009. The Roper resident served as an interim superintendent for Bertie County Schools, twice for Hertford County Schools, and once for Washington County Schools. He started as a teacher for Washington County Schools in 1967. Throughout his career, he also worked as a teacher-coach, elementary school principal, middle school principal, high school principal, and assistant superintendent. He holds a Master of Art from North Carolina Central University. He was honored as North Carolina Outstanding Educator (African American) by Gov. Roy Cooper in 2020 and serves on the Washington County Board of Commissioners spearheading construction of a new K-12 school. Many students from Washington County Schools either attend Beaufort CCC after graduation or attend through Washington County Early College High School. He is the husband of Katie Walker, the father of Shawn Walker, Sr., and Kendra Walker Powell, and the grandfather of Mackenzie Powell, Ian Powell, and Shawn Walker, Jr.
Natalie Berry Wayne is the Hyde County Cooperative Extension Director and has worked at the Cooperative Extension since 2004. Prior to working at the Extension, Ms. Wayne worked as a physical education teacher at Mattamuskeet Elementary for two years. She earned a master’s degree from North Carolina State University. She has collaborated with Beaufort CCC’s Hyde-Davis Center through partnerships with Hyde County 4-H agriculture and family consumers sciences programming. An Engelhard resident, Ms. Wayne is the wife of Robert Wayne and the mother of two children, Brayden and Lear.
Linda West is the Health Sciences Program Manager for Washington County Schools. She began her three-decade career with Washington County Schools in 1991 as the Health Sciences Education Program Manager and HOSA-Future Health Professionals advisor. Previously, she worked at the Washington County Hospital as a nursing supervisor and the Swing Bed Unit Coordinator. She graduated from BCCC’s Associate Degree Nursing program and earned her teaching certification through East Carolina University. She and her husband Kerry have two sons, Brant and Josh.
Dr. Debra Windley is a retired educator and nonprofit founder with over 35 years of experience in K-12 education. She spent 19 years as a mathematics teacher before serving more than a decade in school leadership roles, including assistant principal, principal, and Student Services Coordinator with the Beaufort County School System. Following her retirement, she founded ESTEEM Consulting, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting academic success and advocacy. Dr. Windley holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from East Carolina University and remains passionate about bridging educational gaps and empowering students. A lifelong resident of Beaufort County, she has a strong connection to Beaufort County Community College through courses she has taken, small business center classes she has attended, and youth enrichment programs her children have participated in. She and her husband, Clyde, have three adult children: Bruce, Kieran, and Terrence.
Mackenzie Conaway is a Washington resident and a dual-enrolled senior at Northside High School.
