Candidates file for election 2023: Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough, school board
Orange County could see significant changes in leadership this year as Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough voters elect new mayors, fill vacant council seats and choose from 14 candidates to fill four seats on the city school board.
Chapel Hill’s incumbent Mayor Pam Hemminger announced July 19 that she would not seek a fifth term in office, citing a need to rest and focus on other interests. Carrboro Mayor Damon Seils and Hillsborough Mayor Jennifer Weaver also are not running again.
Carrboro Council member Barbara Foushee is running unopposed to replace Seils, and Hillsborough Town Board member Mark Bell is unopposed in the race to replace Weaver.
There were no candidates halfway through the filing period for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education, but the field exploded to 19 after a local blog stated four unnamed people affiliated with the conservative group Moms for Liberty might attempt a takeover of the seven-person school board.
The final list includes multiple political newcomers — one of whom dropped out Friday due to a family tragedy — and three incumbent school board members. Another four candidates dropped out before the Nov. 7 ballots were printed.
The remaining candidates will compete for four open seats; board member Jillian La Serna did not file for re-election.
The Chapel Hill election also promises to be interesting, with two council members who have regularly butted heads over town issues and council decisions vying to replace Hemminger.
Adam Searing, who was elected to Chapel Hill’s Town Council in 2021 and regularly votes against the council majority, announced he would seek the mayor’s office in June. On July 19, just hours after Hemminger declined to seek a fifth term, Chapel Hill Council member Jessica Anderson, a public policy analyst and college educator, joined the race with Hemminger’s support.
Voters in all three towns also will elect at least one new town board member each in the Nov. 7 general election. Board members passing on another term are: Carrboro Mayor Pro Tem Susan Romaine, Carrboro Council member Sammy Slade, and Chapel Hill Council members Michael Parker and Tai Huynh. Anderson’s council seat is open this year.
Chapel Hill Council member Amy Ryan, who is seeking a second term in office, will run alongside nine newcomers. Carrboro’s council field is also crowded, with four newcomers joining first-term incumbent Council member Eliazar Posada on the ballot.
The early voting period will run Oct. 19 to Nov. 4. All of the races on the ballot are nonpartisan.
Voter registration deadline: Voters can register through 5 p.m. Oct. 13 to vote in this year’s elections, or register during early voting.
More information: Orange County, orangecountync.gov/1720/Elections; Durham County, dcovotes.com
Chapel Hill mayor
▪ Name: Jessica Anderson
Age: 44
Relevant experience: Town Council member since 2015 (mayor pro tempore, 2017-19); Council Committee on Economic Sustainability chair since 2021; 2019 Chapel Hill Magazine Woman of Achievement
Website: jessformayor.org
Career: Professor of the practice of public policy, policy analyst and interim director of the Master of Public Policy Program, UNC-Chapel Hill
▪ Name: Adam Searing
Age: 56
Relevant experience: Chapel Hill Town Council, 2021-present; co-founder, Friends of the Greene Tract; former member and chair, Covenant with North Carolina’s Children; former member and chair, Carrboro Planning Board
Website: adam4chapelhill.com
Career: Public interest attorney; research professor, Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy; adjunct assistant professor, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health; former executive director, N.C. Health Access Coalition
Chapel Hill Town Council
▪ Name: David Adams
Age: 73
Relevant experience: former youth baseball and basketball coach in Chapel Hill and Carrboro; ECHHS basketball public address announcer; American Legion park organizer and leader; member, Chapel Hill Alliance for a Livable Town
Website: davidadams4council.com
Career: Cancer researcher and adjunct associate professor, Duke University Health System; former director, Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center Drug Discovery and Development Laboratory
▪ Name: Breckany Eckhardt
Age: 41
Relevant experience: Democratic Party canvasser; no political offices held
Website: www.breckany.com
Career: Lead consultant, training solutions-advisory solutions, Nordic Global; Epic Systems instructional desiger/principal trainer
▪ Name: Jeffrey Hoagland
Age: 37
Relevant experience: Ran for Town Council in 2021
Career: Calibration technician
▪ Name: Melissa McCullough
Age: 68
Relevant experience: Spent year working on Environmental Protection Agency sustainability planning “detail” with Chapel Hill and Durham to identify gaps and opportunity; Chapel Hill Planning Commission, seven years, including as liaison to the Environmental Stewardship Advisory Board and the Community Design Commission. Sierra Club, NEXT Chapel Hill-Carrboro affiliate, former Democratic Party precinct chair, and board member with the Bike Alliance of Chapel Hill
Website: melissaforchapelhill.com
Career: Applied ecologist; first state employee to examine stormwater runoff as a pollution source in the 80s, while at the N.C. Division of Coastal Management; U.S. EPA for 30-plus years. Retired in 2020 as senior sustainability advisor and assistant director of the Sustainable and Healthy Communities Research Program.
▪ Name: Jonathan (Jon) Mitchell
Age: 43
Relevant experience: Chapel Hill Planning Commission 2021-present (chair, 2022-present); participated in drafting the town’s new Complete Community development framework.
Website: jon4chapelhill.com
Career: Lawyer specializing in financial regulation; part-time stay-at-home dad
▪ Name: Theodore Nollert
Age: 29
Relevant experience: 2022-23 president, UNC-Chapel Hill Graduate and Professional Student Government; member, Chapel Hill Planning Commission
Website: theodore4chapelhill.com
Career: English doctoral candidate, UNC-Chapel Hill
▪ Name: Amy Ryan
Age: 63
Relevant experience: Council member since 2019; 17 years of service on Chapel Hill advisory boards and committees, including Planning Commission and Community Design Commission
Website: amyryan.org
Career: Editor
▪ Name: Elizabeth Sharp
Age: 44
Relevant experience: PTA president and board member, Montessori Community School; former member, Northside Elementary School Improvement Team; volunteer for Neighbors on Call and Lillian’s List
Website: elizabethsharp.org
Career: co-owner, Hawthorne & Wood and Bluebird restaurants
▪ Name: Renuka Soll
Age: 56
Relevant experience: Chair, Chapel Hill Parks, Greenways, and Recreation Commission; treasurer, North Carolinians against Gun Violence; organizer of three Gun Give Back events, Chapel Hill’s People’s Academy and Community Police Academy graduate
Website: renukasoll.com
Career: Literacy tutor, New Hope Elementary School
▪ Name: Erik Valera
Relevant experience: member, Chapel Hill Planning Commission; Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic/Latino Affairs
Website: valeraforchapelhill.com
Career: Chief operating officer, El Centro Hispano; former research project manager, UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine
Carrboro mayor
▪ Name: Barbara Foushee
Age: 58
Relevant experience: Carrboro Town Council, 2017-present; OWASA Board of Directors, 2015-2018; Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP, Silver Life and Executive Committee member; Carrboro Human Services Advisory Board and Community Home Trust, former board member; First Baptist Church of Chapel Hill Community Action and Political Awareness Ministry, co-chair; Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.; Eta Phi Zeta Graduate Chapter
Website: barbaramfoushee.com
Career: Senior technologist, molecular oncology
Carrboro Town Council
▪ Name: Catherine Fray
Age: 37
Relevant experience: Carrboro Planning Board, 10 years, elected chair twice; co-chair, Carrboro Connects task force
Website: frayforcarrboro.com
Career: Accounting software consultant
▪ Name: Jason Merrill
Age: 45
Relevant experience: Chapel Hill Transportation and Connectivity Advisory Board, 6 years, elected chair twice
Website: www.bikeboro.com
Career: Founder and former owner, Back Alley Bikes
▪ Name: April Mills
Age: 43
Relevant experience: member, N.C. Economic Development Association; board member, American Red Cross, Association of Corporate Growth, Morrisville Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and the Triangle CREW and Council for Entrepreneurial Development; honored by Triangle Business Journal as the Top 25 Women in Business in the Triangle in 2012 and with the 40 Under 40 Award; graduate, Leadership North Carolina Class XXIV.
Website: aprilforcarrboro.com
Career: Client relationship executive, Fox Rothschild LLP
▪ Name: Eliazar Posada (incumbent)
Age: 30
Relevant experience: Carrboro Town Council, 2022-present; Carrboro Planning Board, 2020-22; Carrboro Connects Comprehensive Planning Task Force, 2020-22; N.C. Democratic Party State Executive Committee, 2020-present.
Website: eliazarforcarrboro.com
Career: Consultant, Posada Strategy Consulting; nonprofit director
▪ Name: Stephanie Wade
Age: 48
Relevant experience: volunteer, Meals on Wheels of Orange County
Website: stephaniewadenc.com
Career: IT systems analyst, UNC-Chapel Hill
Hillsborough mayor
▪ Name: Mark Bell
Age: 57
Relevant experience: Hillsborough Town Board of Commissioners, 2015-present; Hillsborough Mayor Pro Tempore, 2019-21; Hillsborough Parks and Recreation Board, 2018-19; Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization, 2017-present; Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau (chair), 2016-present; Alliance for Historic Hillsborough (chair), 2008-14; Hillsborough Historic District Commission (chair), 2007-15
Website: facebook.com/MarkBellForHillsborough
Career: 32 years information technology leadership experience, including vice president for business development, vice president for health information technology, chief information officer, Principal Healthcare Management consultant, author
Hillsborough Board of Commissioners
▪ Name: Meaghun Darab
Age: 46
Relevant experience: Orange County Schools central pantry manager, board member, Porch Hillsborough; 2019-20 PTA president, Hillsborough Elementary School
Website: meaghun4hillsborough.com
Career: Freelance upholstery and design consultant, certified pool operator, former manufacturing engineer, carpenter and handyperson
▪ Name: Matt Hughes (incumbent)
Age: 32
Relevant experience: Hillsborough Board of Commissioners, 2018-present; Juvenile Justice Planning Committee of the Governor’s Crime Commission, 2022-present; Hillsborough Historic Commission, 2021-present; N.C. Human Relations Commission, 2017-22; Hillsborough Tourism Development Authority, 2018-present; Hillsborough Tourism Board, 2016-present; Orange County Board of Adjustment, 2015-18; President of Northern Orange NAACP, 2023-present; member, Democratic National Committee, 2020-present; Chair, Orange County Democratic Party, 2011-17
Website: matthughesnc.com
Career: Chief financial officer, Blueprint North Carolina, 2021-present; finance and operations professional with nonprofits and governmental entities
▪ Name: Evelyn Lloyd (incumbent)
Age: 81
Relevant experience: Hillsborough Board of Commissioners, 1991-present; former member, Historic Hillsborough Commission (41 years of service); former member, Orange County Health Board, Orange County Human Relations Commission, Orange County Board of Elections and N.C. Pharmaceutical Association board; former member and president, N.C. Board of Pharmacy
Website: facebook.com/EvelynLloydforHillsboroughTownBoard
Career: Pharmacist and owner, Lloyd’s Pharmacy
▪ Name: Victoria Joy Masika
Relevant experience: church community leader, 2005-11; Outreach Ministry leader, DKM Ministry, 2012-present
Website: masikaforcommissioner.com
Career: 5th-grade teacher, Durham Public Schools; academic coach, 2018-19, N.C. Charter School System; academic dean/teacher, 2019-21, N.C. Charter School System
Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education
▪ Name: Hasan Abdullah, no longer on the ballot
▪ Name: Meredith Ballew
Age: 47
Relevant experience: Past member and Scroggs Elementary School liaison, CHCCS Special Needs Advisory Council; PTA president, executive board member, event chair, School Leadership Team member at PTA of PS 59, Inc. Board member, Sutton Area Community.
Website: meredithballew.com
Career: Executive director, Friends of the East River Esplanade; director of fund development and communications, YMCA of Greater New York-Vanderbilt Branch; executive director; director of development and programs, Wall Street Rising; Democratic and progressive nonprofit fundraising consultant, McEvoy & Associates
▪ Name: Rani Dasi
Age: 52
Relevant experience: School board member since 2015, including as vice chair and chair; board member, Public School Foundation and Orange County’s Family Success Alliance; board chair, Walking Classroom; executive board, N.C. Caucus of Black School Board Members; Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA board
Website: dasiforschoolboard.com
Career: Corporate finance and strategy
▪ Name: Vickie Feaster Fornville
Age: 52
Relevant experience: Chapel Hill native; Chapel Hill High School alumna and parent; CHCCS volunteer for over 30 years; PTA member; co-vice president at McDougle Middle School; member and co-chair, School Improvement Team at McDougle Elementary School and McDougle Middle School; former CHCCS Parent Ambassador; Community Ambassador/Student Advocate/Parent Peer
Career: Retired N.C. probation and parole officer; Special Programs coordinator, Orange County Department of Social Services
▪ Name: Barbara Fedders
Age: 56
Relevant experience: N.C. lawyer with 15 years of experience advocating for court-involved youth; Carrboro Elementary, McDougle Elementary and Chapel Hill High School volunteer; chair, Carrboro Community Safety Task Force; researcher, inequities in school discipline, student privacy and LGBTQ+ youth; board member, Reintegration Support Network
Website: barbarafedders.org
Career: Associate professor, UNC School of Law; director, UNC School of Law Youth Justice Clinic
▪ Name: Jane Gabin
Relevant experience: member, Southern Association for College Admissions Counseling, Victorian Society of New York, Alliance Francaise chapters in New York City and Raleigh
Website: janesgabin.com
Career: Independent educational adviser; CHCCS substitute teacher; taught high school and college, including at Chapel Hill High School (1980-83); former college counselor, including the United Nations International School, and the UNC-Chapel Hill senior assistant director of undergraduate admissions.
▪ Name: Madison Garcia, no longer on the ballot
Note from the candidate: Due to a sudden family tragedy, I have made the difficult decision to declare my campaign inactive as of July 20th. The families and students of Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools deserve a candidate’s full attention, effort, and heart. I look forward to a future active run that reflects just that.
▪ Name: Solomon Gibson III
Age: 68
Relevant experience: Hate-Free Schools Coalition; TABLE food relief volunteer; teaching and working with children in multiple afterschool programs, summer camps, child developmental research programs and children’s theater; member, Ethical Humanists local chapter; Progressive Democrats of Orange County
Career: Former weighmaster, Orange County Solid Waste, and lab technician, working with PVCs, petrochemicals and laser-scanning disks; television and radio work, including for WXYC, WUNC, WNCU and WCOM.
▪ Name: Mariela Hernandez
Career: Rapid Rehousing case manager, Orange County Housing Department; former Family Success Alliance navigator
▪ Name: Lauren Kelly, no longer on the ballot
▪ Name: Scott McConnell, no longer on the ballot
▪ Name: Linda Mensing-Triplett, no longer on the ballot
▪ Name: Honoria (Honor) Middough
Relevant experience: Durham Public Schools teacher; member, N.C. Association of Educators; CHCCS parent; 2018 National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow
Website: middough4schoolboard.com
Career: Veteran teacher, Durham Public Schools
▪ Name: Renee Peet
Note from the candidate: Renee Peet announced she was withdrawing from the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School Board race on Oct. 10, 2023. Her name will still appear on the ballot, because she made the decision after the ballots were printed.
▪ Name: Ashton Powell
Age: 45
Relevant experience: Member, N.C. School of Science and Mathematics Board of Trustees (2015-18); president, Faculty Senate (2014-18); UNC Faculty Assembly since 2013; UNC delegate (2013-18); Faculty Assembly Executive Committee (2016-18); board member and former treasurer, Village West Home Owners Association (2010-15)
Website: facebook.com/AshtonPowellForBOE
Career: College advisor, Emerson Waldorf School; former biology teacher
▪ Name: Michelle Rissling
▪ Name: Taylor Tally
Age: 36
Relevant experience: Director of operations for a small test and evaluation unit, 2018-21. Directed $1.7M budget, safely navigated COVID with negligible mission impact, and negotiated inter-division deal. U.S. Air Force F-16 Division Commander and Weapons Officer, 2015-18. Led operational testing of pilot hardware/software and collaborated with dozens of organizations.
Website: tally4chccs.org
Career: Independent consultant, Windlift climate-tech startup in Durham; U.S. Air Force, F-16 fighter pilot, 12 years. MBA student, 2021-23, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School.
▪ Name: Deon Temne (incumbent)
Age: 51
Relevant experience: Chapel Hill-Carrboro School Board, 2019-present, (ISC)2 Raleigh-Durham; steering committee member, Campaign for Racial Equity in Our Schools; member, Equity Advisory Council; representative, Special Needs Advisory Council, Seawell Elementary 2018-19; representative, Northside Elementary, Superintendent’s Family Commission
Website: facebook.com/deontemne4chccs
Career: Chief operating officer, Farmer Foodshare; cybersecurity program manager & senior cybersecurity engineer, Department of Commerce; general manager/IT director at J&J Transportation; US Army 1991-2004.
▪ Name: Allison Willis
Age: 41
Relevant experience: Former public district and charter school teacher, coach, principal and district-level leader in New York City (18 years); Teach For America alum; public school parent; Frank Porter Graham Bilingüe room parent; public school advocate
Website: www.allisonwillisholley.com
Career: Educator
This story was originally published July 7, 2023 at 5:21 PM.
