2023

Batch has continuously served as an advocate for families and small businesses. She currently serves on the Commerce, Pensions, Retirement, Aging, Education Appropriations, Legislative Ethics, and Flood Resiliency committees. She has advocated for several common-sense reforms, including paid family leave, affordable childcare, and mental health access.

Burgin is the North Carolina State Senator representing District 12: Harnett, Johnston and Lee counties. Before joining the General Assembly in 2019, Senator Burgin served two terms as a Harnett County Commissioner with three years as Chairman. In his professional life, Senator Burgin is President / Owner of C&D Insurance and Insurance Network Group, Chairman of the Board of New Horizon Insurance Group and President of B.C. Property Inc. He is also a partner of John Hiester Automotive, which owns Chevrolet and Chrysler Dodge Jeep dealerships. He was born in Knoxville Tennessee, attended The University of Tennessee Knoxville and graduated with honors with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.

Dr. J. Nathan Copeland is an Assistant Professor in the Duke Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and an attending child and adolescent psychiatrist at the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development. He completed medical school at University of Tennessee and both his general adult psychiatry residency and child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at University of North Carolina.

Cunningham represents the 106​th ​District in the North Carolina State House of Representatives. Before being elected to the North Carolina General Assembly in 2012, Carla was working as a Hospice Nurse and fulfilling her appointment to the North Carolina Commission for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services. An active civic and community leader, she is a recognized national advocate for women and children, Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse, and Healthcare.

Dr. Nora Dennis is a board-certified psychiatrist and addiction medicine specialist and Lead Medical Director for Behavioral Health at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, where she is responsible for leading strategic and operational excellence for the behavioral health team with a focus on value-based care and alternative payment models.

Ehlers serves as the Chief Operations Officer for- Trillium Health Resources. She is focused on improving access to health and affordability through emerging analytics and innovative solutions. She leads several major components of Trillium overseeing the strategy and innovation for Trillium along with member and network operations. Trillium Health Resources, is a leader in innovation for behavioral health and IDD and the life long supports needed by these populations in NC.

Hall is Medical Director for the University of North Carolina’s Center for Excellence in Community Mental Health and Director of Clinical Informatics for UNC’s Department of Psychiatry. Prior to joining UNC in 2015, Dr. Hall worked in other community mental health settings in North Carolina for 12 years as part of Assertive Community Treatment teams in both urban and rural communities.

Hoban is the founder and editor of NC Health News, as well as being the state government reporter. Hoban has been a registered nurse since 1992, but transitioned to journalism after earning degrees in public health policy and journalism. She's reported on science, health, policy and research in NC since 2005.

Kinsley serves as North Carolina’s Secretary of Health & Human Services, overseeing a department with over 18,000 staff and a $38 billion budget. With experience centered on health policy and operations, Kinsley worked on digital healthcare transformation, national education and labor policies, and served as COO and CFO of the U.S. Treasury.

Meltzer-Brody is the Assad Meymandi Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also directs the UNC Center for Women’s Mood Disorders. As Chair, Dr. Meltzer-Brody directs one of the largest public university departments of psychiatry in the United States and collaborates with UNC Health and the state of North Carolina on broad based initiatives to improve mental health.

Meyer has served in the North Carolina House of Representatives since 2013. He represents House District 50, serving constituents in portions of Orange and Caswell Counties. Meyer has worked across party lines as the founding Co-Chair of two bipartisan, bicameral legislative caucuses, the Early Childhood Caucus and the Life Sciences Caucus. He also served as Co-Chair of the House Democratic Freshman Caucus during the 2015 and 2016 sessions and joined the Intellectual and Developmental Disability Caucus during the 2017 session. His current legislative committee assignments include Alcoholic Beverage Control, Appropriations, Education (K-12), Homeland Security, Military & Veteran Affairs, and Regulatory Reform.

Sasser is a Chairman of the Health Committee, as the only pharmacist in the 180 member legislature. He has worked to get Step Therapy and the Pharmacy Benefit Management bills passed. He graduated from Pharmacy School at UNC Chapel Hill in 1973 and has been a pharmacist for 45 years, owning independent pharmacies for the last 35 years.

Sharkey has been in recovery for nearly half of his life. Early childhood trauma and mental health challenges led Jonah to substance use and an early bottom led him to sobriety at 17. After 13 years of sobriety, chronic pain and related depression and anxiety led to a costly relapse. Since 2012 Jonah has focused on sustainable recovery, training and working as a Peer Support Specialist, while learning to manage his chronic pain and mental health challenges. These combined efforts have enabled Jonah to achieve his lifetime goal of completing both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Instructional Design.

Woodard is the North Carolina State Senator representing District 22: Durham County. Before joining the General Assembly in 2013, Senator Woodard served on the Durham City Council for seven years. Senator Woodard currently serves on the Health Care, Finance, Budget, Transportation, Agriculture & Environment, Rules, and Nominations committees.