Nash Community College has announced the election of new leadership for its Board of Trustees. Russell L. Proctor III has been named Chair, and Angela Watkins Gailliard has been named Vice Chair.
Proctor, a Rocky Mount native, brings more than four decades of experience in financial services, community leadership, and nonprofit engagement. He has served on the NCC Board of Trustees since 2016, most recently as Vice Chairman. Proctor is a financial advisor with Stifel Nicolaus and has held leadership roles in numerous civic and nonprofit organizations, including the Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce, the Boy Scouts of America, and the Nash Community College Foundation.
“As NCC opens its doors with record Fall Semester enrollment, I am honored to have been selected by the Board of Trustees as their Chairman,” said Proctor. “NCC was recently named the 11th Best College in North Carolina by WalletHub. Today, USATODAY is reporting that Nash Community College has been named as one of the TOP 250 Vocational Schools in the country. This ranking encompasses all higher education entities involved in vocational education including universities and 4-year colleges. As I look at the five areas of study provided by NCC, Continuing Education, Career and Technical Education, University Transfer, Adult Basic Education and Special Enrollment, I am excited to be involved with an institution that can have such a large impact on not only Nash County, but the surrounding region as well.”
Gailliard, of Rocky Mount, was recently named Chief Operating Officer for the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). She was previously the Director of Programs for the Golden LEAF Foundation, where she manages more than $80 million in infrastructure-related grants. She has more than 30 years of leadership experience in for-profit and nonprofit organizations, with prior roles including Chief Corporate and Financial Officer at Word Tabernacle Church and management positions with Cummins Inc., Consolidated Diesel, Burlington Industries and Procter & Gamble. A Duke University graduate with both engineering and MBA degrees, she is active in numerous community organizations including the United Way Tar River Region, North Carolina Community Foundation, and The REACH Center.
“I am honored to serve as Vice Chair of the Nash Community College Board of Trustees. Having dedicated much of my career to advancing opportunities in both nonprofit and economic development sectors, I see firsthand how education can transform lives and communities,” said Gailliard. “Nash Community College’s commitment to meeting students where they are and preparing them for meaningful careers is inspiring, and I look forward to supporting this important mission.”
NCC President Dr. Hunnicutt is excited to engage with the two in their new roles.
“We are fortunate to have such dedicated and accomplished leaders guiding our Board of Trustees,” said Dr. Hunnicutt. “Their combined expertise in finance, community development and education will be instrumental as NCC continues to expand opportunities for students and strengthen its role in the region.”
