ABOUT
Get To Know Me
I chose Durham as my home 31 years ago because it was the community where I wanted to raise my family and dedicate my life to public service. Durham reflects the diversity of its people through culture, faith, profession, and experience. Being part of this community has shaped my belief in a justice system rooted in fairness, compassion, and dignity. This belief guides my commitment to fair courts and strong community, where the law protects rights, promotes safety, and strengthens public trust.
I was born and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and began my career in public service 26 years ago at the North Carolina Industrial Commission, where I learned the importance of impartiality and the responsibility judges hold to guard against bias and treat every litigant with dignity. That early guidance taught me that fairness without exception is the foundation of justice, and I continue to carry that principle into every case I review.
After earning my degree in Political Science from UNC Chapel Hill and my law degree from North Carolina Central University, I interned at the Land Loss Prevention Project, supporting farmers in crisis. I later served as a law clerk at the Industrial Commission and then as an Assistant Attorney General representing the Commission statewide. In that role, I ensured injured workers received the compensation they were owed while balancing the practical needs of employers. I learned that civil justice is economic justice, and that the courtroom plays a direct role in whether families remain secure or face hardship.
In 2005, I was appointed Deputy Commissioner of the Industrial Commission, presiding over contested claims under the Workers’ Compensation Act and the Tort Claims Act. In 2018, Governor Roy Cooper appointed me to the Full Commission to fill a vacancy, and in 2019 he designated me Vice-Chair. I was confirmed by the General Assembly to serve my first term and my current second six-year term beginning in 2022. On the Full Commission (appellate level), I review appeals, weigh evidence, make credibility determinations, and render judicial decisions that affect workers, families, businesses, and State agencies across North Carolina. My work requires clarity, balance, and the ability to keep the courtroom accessible for everyone who comes before it.
Outside the courtroom, I enjoy walking my dog, attending my son’s high school football games, and cheering for the UNC Tar Heels and NCCU Eagles. Balancing loyalty to both schools and living with my husband Randy, an attorney with strong opinions of his own, has prepared me well for settling disagreements, especially during basketball season.
