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Our Leaders

Party Members

State Officers

Our Party Officers were elected by the governing body of the North Carolina Democratic Party, the State Executive Committee, and work in collaboration with the Party staff to elect Democrats from Murphy to Manteo.


 

Chair Anderson Clayton

Anderson Clayton serves as the current chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party. Elected at 25 years old, Anderson Clayton is the youngest chair of a state democratic party. Chair Clayton grew up in Roxboro, North Carolina and graduated from Appalachian State University. She worked on Congresswoman Kathy Manning’s congressional campaign, in Iowa as a field organizer for the presidential campaigns of Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren, and then for the Senate campaign of Amy McGrath. Prior to her election as Chair of North Carolina Democratic Party, Chair Clayton served as a chair of the Person County Democratic Party, her hometown county. Chair Clayton resides in Roxboro, NC.

First Vice Chair Jonah Garson

Jonah Garson, a Chapel Hill native, is an attorney, organizer, and current First Vice Chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party.

After graduating from UNC (’09), Jonah worked in the NC General Assembly for Sen. Ellie Kinnaird, Rep. Paul Luebke, and Speaker Joe Hackney. Jonah spent time in NY while he attended Columbia Law (‘14); while he was away, he helped to found Team4NC, which mobilized out-of-state donors and volunteers to support NC candidates, particularly those running in races critical to the state’s democratic revival.

Jonah returned to NC to serve as field coordinator for dozens of legislative challengers across the state, and in 2019, he was Voter Protection Director for the special “re-do” election in NC’s 9th Congressional district, re-done due to GOP ballot fraud.   He then served as the First Vice Chair and Chair of the Orange County Democratic Party.

Currently, in addition to serving as First Vice Chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, Jonah practices law at Parry Law, PLLC, a civil litigation firm based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.  He also serves as the Governor’s Appointee on the North Carolina Education and Workforce Innovation Commission, and on the Executive Committee of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP, the Board of Visitors for UNC-Chapel Hill, and the International Advisory Board of Carolina Performing Arts.

Second Vice Chair Dr. Kimberly Hardy

Dr. Kimberly Hardy was elected Second Vice-Chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party in 2023. She also serves as the 2nd Vice-President for Democratic Women of North Carolina and was President of the Democratic Women of Cumberland County.  Dr. Hardy is also a former candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives for District 43. In addition to her work with the NCDP, Dr. Hardy is a former school social worker who now serves as an Associate Professor at Fayetteville State University’s School of Social Work where she teaches and focuses her research on the intersection of social work, public health, and religion/spirituality. Dr. Hardy earned her PhD & BSW from Morgan State University and her MSW from The Ohio State University.

Third Vice Chair Elijah King

Elijah King is the Third Vice Chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party and has held key leadership positions within the North Carolina Democratic Party, including the executive committees of the state party, the 4th Congressional District, and the Durham Democratic Party. He is a communications professional with a particular focus on government relations and digital organizing has worked in the private sector at Rising Tide Interactive through the midterm season of 2022 working with multiple other state Democratic parties, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and other democratic entities. Elijah is in the process of earning his bachelor’s degree at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Secretary Melvin Williams

Melvin Williams has been elected State Party Secretary for seven two-year terms which began on January 29, 2011.  He also writes, assembles, and publishes the popular GOOD NEWS ABOUT DEMOCRATS newsletter. Melvin served eight years as a Duplin County Party Chair and eight years as the Seventh Congressional District Party Chair before becoming our State Party Secretary.

Treasurer Deniese Chaney

Deniese Chaney is the Treasurer of the North Carolina Democratic Party. She also serves as Vice Chair of the Cheeks Precinct in Orange County and previously served as the Assistant Treasurer of the Orange County Democratic Party. A native Tarheel, an avid classic car enthusiast, amateur photographer, and lifelong lover of the UNC Tarheels; she graduated with a Master of Public Health from the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. She spent 25 years at UNC Chapel and another 20+ in healthcare management and IT consulting.

Deniese was driven to become politically active after the 2016 elections, realizing she could no longer remain on the sidelines. She believes that as Democrats, we must use all our energy to share our accomplishments, win over voters, and combat misinformation if we expect to have a democracy after the 2024 elections. Deniese is committed to this agenda and bringing her energy and support to the NCDP team to help turn North Carolina Blue and expand our leadership in Washington.

Assoc. of County Chairs President Cassie Rice

Cassie Rice is the Association of County Chairs President and Chair of the Orange County Democratic Party. Growing up in a political household,  Cassie learned early on that government has the ability to improve all lives. Her grandmother, in particular, taught her to give a voice to those who do not have one and to stand for what is right, no matter the cost. Instilled with the passion that government can be a force for good and equality, Cassie began her professional career working for the campaign to re-elect Congressman David Price. After the campaign, she joined Rep. Price’s staff and worked for seven years in both his Washington and Raleigh offices. She is the recipient of a master’s degree in political science from UNC and a master’s degree in European studies from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. Her graduate studies in Sweden allowed her to see first-hand how gender-neutral statewide policies have altered perceptions and interactions between the genders. A North Carolina native, Cassie currently lives in Chapel Hill with her husband, three children, and two dogs. In her free time, she enjoys practicing yoga and spending time in nature with her family.

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