Federal Relations Council

What is the institution’s role in Federal Relations?

Each Chancellor shall designate a campus officer to carry out the function of a Federal Relations Officer (FRO). Collectively, campus federal relations officers make up the UNC System’s Federal Relations Council.

Some of the duties and responsibilities of Federal Relations Officer are to:

  • Represent the campus on the University’s Federal Relations Council
  • Coordinate campus activities in support of the University’s approved Unified Federal Agenda
  • Assist the institution research officer in pursuing contracts, grants and cooperative agreements with federal government agencies and;
  • Coordinate visits by covered federal government officials to the campus or affiliated campus program.

Campus Federal Relations Officers

Appalachian State University

Matthew Dockham
Director of External Affairs & Community Relations

East Carolina University

Karson Nelson
Director of Strategic Initiatives

Elizabeth City State University

Ariel Aponte
Associate Vice Chancellor of Military, State and Federal Relations

Fayetteville State University

Wesley Fountain
Vice Chancellor of External Affairs and Military Relations

North Carolina A&T State University

Oliver Thomas
Director of External Affairs

North Carolina Central University

Michael Page
Director of External Affairs

North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics

Brock Winslow
Vice Chancellor of External Relations

NC State University

Julie Smith
Assistant Vice Chancellor for External Affairs, Partnerships, & Economic Development

Matt Peterson
Director of Federal Affairs

University of North Carolina Asheville

Amy Strickland
Chief of Staff

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Amy McConkey
Director of State Relations

Kelly Dockham
Director of Federal Relations

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Anna Helms
Assistant Director for Constituent Relations

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Andrew Cagle
Director of State and External Affairs

University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Chris Maples
Executive Director of External Affairs

University of North Carolina School of the Arts

Jim DeCristo
Chief of Staff

University of North Carolina Wilmington

Mark Lanier
Assistant to the Chancellor

Western Carolina University

Christy Agner
Deputy Chief of Staff and External Relations Director

Winston-Salem State University

Richard D. Davis III
Director of Government Relations and External Affairs

ECU Health

Michelle Brooks
Executive Vice Dean, Brody School of Medicine

North Carolina Arboretum

George Briggs
Executive Director

North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority

Mary Shuping
Director, Governmental and External Affairs

PBS North Carolina

Douglas Strasnick
Chief of Staff

UNC Health Care

Leah Burns
Director of External Relations

UNC System Office

Bart Goodson
Senior Vice President Government Relations

Austen Nowell
Assistant Vice President State Government Relations

Eric Naisbitt
Assistant Vice President State Government Relations

Elizabeth Morra
Vice President Federal Government Relations

Federal Relations Officer Resources

Regulations on Contacts with Covered Officials