Andrea Harris Equity Task Force
History of the Task Force
Reestablished under Executive Order No. 268, the Andrea Harris Equity Task Force was reconstituted to further the economic development of disadvantaged communities, improve health and wellness outcomes in underserved communities and advance equitable and inclusive practices within state agencies. The Task Force held its final meeting on Aug. 21, 2024.
First established under Executive Order No. 143, the Andrea Harris Social, Economic, Environmental, and Health Equity Task Force addressed the social, environmental, economic, and health disparities in communities of color disproportionally impacted by COVID-19 before sunsetting June 4, 2022.
About Andrea Harris
A native North Carolinian, the late Andrea Harris was a trailblazer for minority businesses and communities. A graduate of Bennett College, Harris became one of the youngest community agency directors in the nation, helping fight poverty across three rural North Carolina communities.
Unwavering in passion to help others, she co-founded the Durham-based NC Institute of Minority Economic Development in 1986 to support minority and women-owned businesses, serving as president in 1990. After retiring from the Institute, Harris continued to serve on several boards including a 2017 appointment to the state's Advisory Council for Historically Underutilized Businesses.
She is a recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Order of the Long Leaf Pine — the highest award for state service granted by the Office of the Governor — as well as an honorary doctorate from her alma mater.
Lunch & Learn Sessions: Implementing DEI for Your Business
External Mentor & Supplier Diversity Programs
Internal DEI Trainings and Employee Business Resource Groups
Diversity in Recruiting, Hiring & Training
2024 Task Force Members
| Member Name | Professional Affiliations |
|---|---|
| Pamela Cashwell | Secretary, NC Department of Administration |
| Betty Marrow Taylor | Chief Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Officer, NC Department of Commerce |
| Annette Taylor | Director, NC Department of Information Technology Office of Digital Equity & Literacy |
| Debra Farrington | Deputy Secretary & Chief Health Equity Officer, NC Department of Health & Human Services |
| Stephanie McGarrah | Executive Director, NC Pandemic Recovery Office |
| Tunya Smith | Director, NC Department of Transportation Office of Civil Rights |
| Christy Dunston | Director, NC Department of Transportation Office of Historically Black Colleges & Universities Outreach |
| Jordan Lopez | Policy Assistant, Governor’s Hometown Strong Office |
| Greg Richardson | Executive Director, NC Department of Administration Commission on Indian Affairs |
| Yahel Humberto Flores | Carolinas State Director, American Business Immigration Coalition Member, Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic/Latino Affairs |
| Adrienne Spinner | Director of Organizing, NC Housing Coalition Member, NC Department of Administration Council for Women Advisory Board |
| Annette Stevenson | President, Stevenson Consulting Group Member, Governor’s Historically Underutilized Businesses Advisory Council |
| Andrew Spainhour | Senior Vice President, Counsel Replacements LTD Member, NC Department of Administration Commission on Inclusion |
| Dr. Shun Robertson | Vice President for Access & Access Strategy, UNC System Office |
| Dr. Angela Alvarado Coleman | Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, North Carolina Central University |
| Juvencio Rocha-Peralta | Executive Director, Association of Mexicans in NC (AMEXCAN) |
| Kevin Price | President & CEO, The Institute |
| Haihui Huang | President & CEO, iPearl Inc. President, Chinese American Economic & Cultural Association |
| Dr. DeWarren Langley | Executive Director, Charles Hamilton Houston Foundation Inc. |
| Dr. Lenora Richardson Campbell | Former Dean, NC A&T State University College of Health and Human Sciences |
| Dr. Sonyia Richardson | Associate Professor, UNC Charlotte School of Social Work (PhD, MSW, & LCSW) |
| Quinny Sanchez Lopez | Health Care Access, Stakeholder Engagement & Community Outreach Manager, Unite Us (MSW) |
| Yazmin Garcia Rico | Director of Latinx Policy, NC Department of Health & Human Services |
| Trey Rabon III | President, AT&T North Carolina |
| Dr. Cedric Bright | Dean of Admissions, ECU Brody School of Medicine |
| Dr. James Johnson, Jr. | Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship and Director of Urban Investment Strategies Centers, UNC Kenan-Flagler School of Business Chair, NC Department of Environmental Quality Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) Advisory Board |
| Margaret Weller-Stargell | President & CEO, Coastal Horizons |
| Agency Liason | Professional Affiliations |
|---|---|
| Gianna Quilici | Policy Analyst, NC Department of Administration Office of the Secretary |
| Emily Roach | Director of Policy & Strategic Planning, NC Department of Commerce |
| Carolina Fonseca Jimenez | Diversity & Equity Manager, NC Department of Environmental Quality Member, NC Department of Environmental Quality EJI Advisory Board |
| Michael Leach | Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary, NC Department of Health & Human Services Office of the Secretary |
| Tracey Burns | Deputy Secretary for Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, & Inclusion, NC Department of Natural & Cultural Resources |
| Michael Arnold | Deputy Director & COO, NC Office of State Budget & Management |
| Dr. Andrea DeSantis | Policy Advisor, NC Office of the Governor |
| Christy Berk | Policy Advisor, NC Department of Transportation Office of Civil Rights |
About the Task Force
Task Force members were appointed by the Governor. They included:
- Secretary of the Department of Administration
- Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer of the Department of Commerce or designee
- Director of the Department of Information Technology Office of Digital Equity and Literacy or designee
- Chief Health Equity Officer of the Department of Health and Human Services or designee
- Executive Director of the Pandemic Recovery Office or designee
- Director of the Department of Transportation Office of Civil Rights or designee
- Director of the Department of Transportation Office of Historically Black Colleges and Universities Outreach or designee
- Member of Hometown Strong
- Member of the Commission on Indian Affairs
- Member of the Governor's Advisory Council on Hispanic-Latino Affairs
- Member of the Council for Women Advisory Board
- Member of the Historically Underutilized Business Advisory Council
- Member of the Commission on Inclusion
- Representative from the North Carolina Community College System or UNC System Office
- Representative from a North Carolina Historically Black College or University or a Minority Serving Institution
- Representatives from four (4) community organizations aligned with the mission of the Andrea Harris Equity Task Force
- Other appropriate experts from the focus areas listed above