Winston-Salem State University Announces New Board of Trustees Members
Winston-Salem Salem State University is pleased to announce the appointment of four new board members. The university welcomes, Dr. Laura Gerald, Dr. Alex Johnson, Pam Oliver, M.D., and Carlos L. Pauling, Esq. as the university’s newest trustees.
“Our Board of Trustees is comprised of dedicated community members with a passion for higher education and believe in the mission and vision of WSSU. It gives me great pleasure to welcome our newest trustees. I am confident they will provide valuable perspectives as we forge ahead with our strategic priorities,” said Interim Chancellor Dr. Anthony Graham.
The following community leaders will serve as trustees.
Dr. Laura Gerald is a pediatrician and president of the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust. She joined the trust in 2016 and brought decades of leadership experience in the private, public, and non-profit sectors to the foundation. At the Trust, she oversees grantmaking of 24 million annually from assets of more than 570 million. She is a fierce advocate of the foundation’s mission to improve the health and quality of life for North Carolinians with low incomes, communities of color, and areas that have been marginalized.
Dr. Alex Johnson comes to the WSSU BOT with years of higher education experience. As the former president of Cuyahoga Community College, Dr. Johnson focused on strengthening the institution’s longstanding mission to provide high-quality, accessible, and affordable educational opportunities and services. He instituted programs to strengthen access, equity, and completion for the nearly 51,000 students. Dr. Johnson also served as president of the Community College of Allegheny County in Pennsylvania, chancellor of Delgado Community College in Louisiana, and president of the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges.
Pam Oliver, M.D., is the executive vice president and president of Novant Health Physician Network. She oversees the strategy and operations of over 680 medical clinic locations and a growing provider network of over 3,000 physicians and advanced practice providers. She also leads Health Equity, the Novant Health Institutes, and oversees the Novant Health Clinically Integrated Network. Dr. Oliver is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist practicing at Novant Health WomanCare since 2005. She has served Novant Health in various leadership roles, including submarket leader for the specialty practices in the greater Winston-Salem market, physician services line leader of women’s services for the greater Winston-Salem market, and senior physician executive for Novant Health Physician Network, supporting clinical and business strategy across the system.
Carlos L. Pauling, Esq. is the son of a WSSU alum and a long-time donor. Pauling family members have been pillars in the Winston-Salem community for more than 60 years. As such, he holds a deeply embedded love and allegiance for the city of Winston-Salem and the university. Pauling has served on the Board of Visitors for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and was a Board of Trustees member for Davidson Day School, thus bringing both public and private academic board experience. While on the UNC-CH Board of Visitors, he led a task force to develop and implement national best practices for university boards of visitors.
The remaining members of the WSSU Board of Trustees include:
- Kathleen Kelly, Chair, Managing Partner, Compass Financial Partners
- Bill Miller, Vice Chair, Consultant Cushman & Wakefield
- Brent Moore, Secretary, CEO and General Counsel of ABM Capital
- L’Tanya Bailey, Orthodontist
- Robert Barr, Staff Pastor with Agape Faith Church
- Matt Cullinan, Former University Administrator (elected to a second term)
- Drewery Nostitz, Retired
- Ricky Sides, Owner of Sides Chiropractic
- Tyrone McNair, SGA President
The next meeting of the WSSU Board of Trustees will be in September, where all members will take their oath of office.
About Winston-Salem State University
Winston-Salem State University fosters the creative thinking, analytical problem-solving, and depth of character needed to transform the world. Rooted in liberal education, WSSU’s curriculum prepares students to be thought leaders who have the skills and knowledge needed to develop innovative solutions to complex problems. Founded in 1892, WSSU is a historically Black constituent institution of the University of North Carolina with a rich tradition of contributing to the social, cultural, intellectual, and economic growth of North Carolina, the region and beyond. Guided by the motto, “Enter to Learn, Depart to Serve,” WSSU develops leaders who advance social justice by serving the world with compassion and commitment.
