N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Reid Wilson today announced three appointments to key roles in department leadership.
Staci Meyer will serve as Chief Deputy Secretary for the department. Meyer has been serving as Deputy Secretary for Arts, Libraries and Administration since 2017, and will continue to oversee those divisions. She previously served the department as Chief Deputy Secretary and Acting Secretary during the Easley administration.
Tracey Burns will serve as Deputy Secretary for Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Inclusion, and will oversee the African American Heritage Commission. Burns was appointed Assistant Secretary for Diversity and Inclusion in April 2018, and previously worked for the department in the Division of Sate Historic Sites. Her expanded role will reaffirm DNCR’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, ensuring all people feel welcome and included at the department’s sites.
“Both Staci Meyer and Tracey Burns have been an integral part of our department’s executive staff over the last few years,” said Secretary Reid Wilson. “I greatly appreciate the dedication and collaboration they have each brought to our team.”
Jeff Michael will join the department May 1 as Deputy Secretary for Natural Resources, managing the North Carolina Zoo, Division of State Parks and Recreation, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, North Carolina Aquariums, and Division of Land and Water Stewardship. He has been director of the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute since 2003.
Prior to joining the institute, Michael was executive director of the Wildacres Leadership Initiative, a nonprofit focused on multiculturalism and collaborative leadership. He previously served as executive director of the Land Trust for Central North Carolina (now Three Rivers Land Trust) and the Yadkin-Pee Dee Lakes Project (now Central Park NC). He has served on the boards of Morrow Mountain State Park Advisory Committee and Preservation North Carolina, among others. Michael has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and master’s in Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He also holds a J.D. from the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Law.
“I look forward to the new perspectives and vision that Jeff Michael will bring to our team,” said Wilson. “His experience in conservation, natural resource protection, and economic development will be a great asset to the department. With the expanded roles for Staci Meyer and Tracey Burns, this new leadership team has the knowledge and experience needed to lead DNCR in pursuit of our top priorities – expanding educational opportunities; improving public health; stimulating economic development; strengthening diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility; and combatting climate change and enhancing community resiliency.”
Downloads: