Board Members

George Hoyle, Chair

Service: Appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the North Carolina Senate in 2021 to a four-year term running June 30, 2025. Hoyle serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees and serves as a member of the Academic Affairs, Athletics, Executive, CARL, Finance & Administration, Nominating, and University Advancement Committees.

Employment: Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Compass Financial Partners – Greensboro, NC.

Education: B.A. Organizational Speech, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Bio: A native of Winston Salem, George Hoyle is a Founding and Managing Partner of Compass Financial Partners, LLC. Mr. Hoyle received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and is a 29-year veteran of the financial services industry. He is a Chartered Retirement Plan Specialist (CRPS) through the College for Financial Planning, and has received the Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF) designation through the Center for Fiduciary Studies, in association with the Center for Executive Education, Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh. A nationally recognized firm, the team at Compass Financial Partners has been recently named to Barron's Top Institutional Investment Consultants, Pension & Investments Top Consultants, the PLANADVISER Top 100 Retirement Plan Advisors and NAPA Top DC Advisor Teams. A graduate of UNC Greensboro, Hoyle was a member of the 1987 Men's Soccer National Championship team and was inducted into the UNCG Athletics Hall of Fame. He received the 2007 UNCG Young Alumni of the Year award and was inducted into the Bishop McGuinness High School Athletic Hall of Fame. His service to UNCG includes membership on the Excellence Foundation Board of Directors, the Light the Way Campaign Steering Committee, the Students First Campaign Steering Committee, and the 2015 Chancellor Search Committee. Hoyle is also a past president of the Spartan Club Executive Committee and co-chaired the Athletics Department “5 for 5” Campaign for Champions. In his spare time, he enjoys playing golf, running and spending time with family.

Civic Affiliations and Community Service: Outside UNCG, Hoyle has served as Board Chair for the Carolinas Chapter of Operation Smile, was a founding member of the Greensboro Police Foundation Board, and is a member of the Greensboro Sports Council.

Mae Douglas, Vice Chair

Service: Mae Douglas was reappointed by the Board of Governors in 2023 to a second four-year term expiring June 30, 2027. She is Vice Chair of the Board. Mae also serves on the Academic Affairs, and Executive Committees and chairs the Nominating and Grievance Committees.

Employment: Former Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer, Cox Communications; Atlanta, Georgia

Education: B.A. Sociology; University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Professional Affiliations: International Women’s Forum

Bio: Mae Douglas, a Greensboro native and a graduate of UNCG, is an esteemed community leader, philanthropist, and the former executive vice president and chief people officer at Cox Communications in Atlanta. After her retirement and relocation back to Greensboro, she has focused on community service. In recognition of those efforts, Douglas received the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce Thomas Z. Osborne Distinguished Citizen Award for 2022, given for extraordinary service and achievement within the community. She was also named Greensboro's Outstanding Philanthropist for 2022 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals for her significant contributions to the community through leadership, volunteer service, and philanthropy. Additionally, Douglas received the 2019 ATHENA Award, presented annually by the Greensboro Chamber to a woman who embodies professional excellence and community service and who actively assists other women in their attainment of their own professional excellence and leadership skills. In addition to her role as a Trustee, Douglas has served her alma mater in multiple capacities, including Board liaison to the Moss Street Partnership School, the Light the Way Campaign Cabinet, and the Boards of the UNCG Foundation, Friends of the Library, and Gateway University Research Park.

Civic Affiliations and Community Service: Chair - Board of Directors of Cone Health; Member of the Board of Directors of Cone Health Foundation, United Way of Greater Greensboro, Gateway University Research Park, Guilford Child Development, M & F Bank Greensboro City Advisory Board; and the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro Advisory Committee. Mae is also a former member of the National Conference for Community and Justice of the Piedmont Triad (NCCJ) Board of Directors and the YMCA of Greensboro Association Board.

Linda Sloan, Secretary

Service: Reappointed by the Board of Governors in 2023 to a four-year term expiring June 30, 2027. Sloan serves as Secretary of the Board and sits on the Academic Affairs, Executive, Grievance, and University Advancement Committees.

Employment: Sloan is retired from Greensboro Day School. During her tenure, she established the school’s ongoing theatre program. She also previously served as an adjunct lecturer in the Department of Theatre and Speech at Wake Forest University and an adjunct lecturer in the UNCG Bryan School of Business and Economics.

Education: B.S Psychology, University of Rochester; MA Teaching & English, Tufts University; MFA Drama, UNCG.

Bio: Linda Sloan received the 2012 O.Henry Award presented by ArtsGreensboro and the Greensboro Partnership. She and husband Tom are the 2022 recipients of the National Center for Community and Justice of the Triad's Brotherhood/Sisterhood Citation Award, given to community leaders in recognition of extraordinary efforts to fight bias, bigotry, and racism and make the community a better place for all. The Sloans have also received the Greensboro Business Leaders Hall of Fame Award from Junior Achievement; the Lifetime Achievement Award from United Way of Greater Greensboro; and the 232 Award for Excellence from Triad Stage. Their many contributions to UNC Greensboro include establishment of the Sloan Endowed Scholarship, which provides full support for students who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement and financial need. Residents of Greensboro, the Sloans have three daughters and nine grandchildren, all living in the Durham/Chapel Hill area.

Civic Affiliations and Community Service: In addition to her service on the Board of Trustees, Sloan is previously served on the UNCG College of Visual and Performing Arts Board of Visitors. She is Founding Board Chair of Triad Stage and of Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro's (CFGG) Women to Women, a permanent grant making endowment dedicated to empowering women and children to creat healthy families and vibrant communities in Guilford County. She has also served on the Boards of the CFGG, North Carolina School of the Arts Foundation; United Arts Council (past chair); United Way of Greater Greensboro; Green Hill Center for North Carolina Art; Hospice Foundation of Greater Greensboro, and Greensboro Day School.

Anita Bachmann

Service: Appointed by the Board of Governors to a first term running July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2025. Bachmann chairs the Compliance, Audit, Risk Management, and Legal Affairs (CARL) Committee. She also serves on the Finance & Administration and Nominating Committees.

Employment: CEO - North Carolina Market for UnitedHealthcare’s Community Plans

Education: Master of Health Science (MHS), Health Services Administration - Medical University of South Carolina Charleston; Executive Leadership Program - University of Pennsylvania’s The Wharton School.

Professional Affiliations: Appointed by Governor Cooper as board member to the NC Institute of Medicine and the NC Works Commission.

Bio: With more than 30 years of experience in the industry, Anita Bachmann is an accomplished Executive with extensive, progressive experience in healthcare administration, business operations, healthcare delivery systems, business development, technology, clinical strategy, and regulatory/legislative affairs. She has also served as Senior Vice President of Health Reform Strategy at Optum, where she was responsible for development of the reform strategy to support state government business growth, and Vice President of Health Care Reform at UnitedHealthcare. In recognition of her efforts, Bachmann was named an Outstanding Women in Business by Triad Business Journal in 2017, and a Triad Power Player in 2019 and 2021. She also recived the Greensboro Chamber of Commierce Athena Leadership Award in 2019 and the Triad Business Journal C-Suite Award in 2020.

Civic Affiliations and Community Service: Bachmann is immediate past chair and current member of the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce Board and is also a board member of Guilford Merchants Association/First Point.

Margaret S. Benjamin

Service: Reappointed by the Board of Governors to a first full term running July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2025. Benjamin is Chair of the University Advancement Committee and serves on the Nominating and Compliance, Audit, Risk Management and Legal Committees.

Education: MA Liberal Studies UNCG; BA Fine Arts and Advertising, Louisiana State University

Bio: A New Orleans native, Margaret Benjamin began her museum career as Public Relations Director of the Gallier House Museum. At a Congressional awards ceremony in Washington, DC, she received the 2017 Champion of Museums award from the American Alliance of Museums for her exemplary advocacy for museums and was recognized as a 2018 AAM Star Advocate. In 2018, she and husband Bill received the United Way Greater Greensboro Legacy Award, presented to families who demonstrate a legacy of giving and community impact and who exemplify a shared dedication to service and exceptional support of programs that transform lives in our community. Benjamin is also the recipient of the Junior League of Greensboro's Sustainer of Distinction Award for 2022.

Civic Affiliations and Community Service: In addition to her service on the Board of Trustees, Benjamin's service to UNCG includes membership on the Campaign Steering Committee, Board of Visitors, Weatherspoon Arts Foundation Board of Directors, and Weatherspoon Art Museum Advisory Board. Outside UNCG, she currently Chairs the Public Art Endowment of Greensboro Steering Committee and serves on the following: Greensboro Public Library Foundation Board of Directors; Cone Health Cancer Center Advisory Committee; Louisiana State University Museum of Art Advisory Board, and the Museum Trustee Association Board of Directors. She is former president of the Greensboro History Museum, Inc. Board of Trustees, and has served on the Greensboro College Board of Visitors, Greensboro Cerebral Palsy Association Board of Directors, Greensboro Downtown Parks Board of Directors, and Children’s Home Society of NC Board of Trustees.

David Brown

Service: David L. Brown was appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the North Carolina Senate to serve a four-year term running July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2027. He serves on the Academic Affairs, Athletics, and Grievance Committees.

Employment: Attorney and Management Committee Member, Goldberg Segalla LLP

Education: BA, Economics, UNCG; JD University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Professional Affiliations: American College of Coverage Counsel; International Association of Defense Counsel; Defense Research Institute; Claims and Litigation Management Alliance; North Carolina Bar Association; North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys

Bio: David L. Brown is a North Carolina native and an attorney in the Greensboro office of Goldberg Segalla, LLP, a national law firm. David serves on the firm’s management committee and as co-chair of the firm’s Global Insurance Services practice group. Brown represents insurers and insurance brokers throughout the country in matters involving a variety of complex commercial disputes, and has been consistently recognized as one of the top insurance attorneys in the country. He is also a certified mediator and maintains an active mediation practice. In addition to being nationally recognized as an insurance expert, David has been consistently recognized by his peers as a preeminent trial and appellate lawyer. He has tried more than 75 cases to verdict, and has been counsel in over 100 appeals to state and federal appellate courts. Highly regarded among his colleagues, he is rated AV Preeminent—the highest possible rating—by Martindale-Hubbell. He and wife Martha, also an attorney, have three adult daughters.

Civic Affiliations and Community Service: An alumnus of the university, David has previously served on the UNCG Excellence Foundation Board (Past President); the Spartan Club Executive Committee (Past Chair); the Bryan School’s Economics Advisory Board and Alumni Advisory Council; Spartan Club Athletics “5 for 5” Campaign Committee; and the Students First Campaign Steering and Advanced Leadership Committees. Brown and his family have established student scholarships in the School of Nursing, the Bryan School, and in Spartan Athletics. He is a former member and chair of the Greensboro Day School Board of Trustees and an alumnus of the Chamber of Commerce Leadership Greensboro program.

Oita Coleman

Service: Appointed by the Board of Governors to serve a four-year term expiring June 30, 2027. Oita Coleman serves on the Finance & Administration and University Advancement committees. In addition to her service on the Board, Coleman has previously served on the UNCG College of Arts & Sciences Advancement Council since 2012 and on the UNCG Light the Way Campaign Steering Committee (2020 - 2022).

Employment: Coleman is CEO and Founder of Servant Voice Technologies, LLC, where she partners with organizations to achieve success through continuous improvement, innovation, and creativity. The firm provides consulting services including leadership development & coaching; strategic planning & development; program management; and quality & continuous improvement practices. She also serves as Senior Advisor for the Open Voice Network, a collaborative industry initiative developing the global technical standards and ethical use guidelines for the multi-platform, multi-device, multi-modal, and multi-use future of artificial intelligence-voice enabled assistance. Coleman is the former Vice President of Research and Development for Software Quality at SAS Institute, with oversight of implementation of global processes, standards, and policies for software development life cycles that drove delivery of high-quality products and customer satisfaction.

Education:BS, Mathematics, 1982, UNCG

Bio: A performance-driven executive with over 30 years in the software industry, Oita Coleman is skilled in cultivating relationships and leveraging talent and resources to create exemplary teams. Throughout her career, she has been distinguished by an innate talent to “connect the dots” of opportunity that wind through an organization, bringing people and processes together into a coherent whole. She has been recognized as among the Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Tech by the National Diversity Council. She also received the inaugural Great Place to Work® For All™ Leadership Award recognizing women leaders from businesses on the Best Companies to Work For list compiled by Fortune 100. Additionally, her efforts were recognized by US Black Engineer & IT Magazine as “Women Who Make a Difference in Technology.” Coleman and her husband, Charles, reside in Apex, North Carolina.

Civic Affiliations and Community Service: Prior to joining the UNC Greensboro Board of Trustees, Coleman served two terms as a member of the North Carolina Central University Board of Trustees. She is currently a member of the NC Technology Association Board of Advisors and has served on the Wake NCSU STEM Early College High School Business Advisory Board. Coleman is also former chair of the Triangle Uplift Foundation Board of Directors.

Dr. Ernest J. Grant

Service: Appointed by the Board of Governors to a first term running July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2025. Dr. Grant Chairs the Board's Atheltics Committee and serves on the University Advancement Committees. He has also served on the UNCG School of Nursing Advisory Board

Employment: In March 2023, Dr. Grant was named Interim Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Duke University School of Nursing.

Education: BSN, North Carolina Central University; MSN and PhD in Nursing, UNC Greensboro.

Professional Affiliations: Immediate Past President, American Nurses Association (ANA); Past Chair, National Fire Protection Association Board of Directors; Chair, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Education Messaging Advisory Committee; Member, American Burn Association Board of Trustees; Past President, North Carolina Nurses Association; Fellow, American Academy of Nursing; Member.

Bio: Dr. Ernest Grant is a distinguished leader in his field with over 30 years of nursing experience and an internationally recognized burn care and fire safety expert. He is the 2022 recipient of the Nightingale Award, given by the Foundation of New York State Nurses, to an individual whose actions mirror those of Florence Nightingale: leader, mentor, educator, researcher, organizer, developer, bold in the face of adversity, and passionate about nursing and patient care. Grant was also named one of Modern Healthcare's 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives in 2022. The list honors health care leaders who are deemed by their peers and the senior editors of Modern Healthcare to be paving the way to better health through their executive responsibility, leadership qualities, innovation, community service, and achievements. He was also selected by the US Celebration of World Standards Day Planning Committee as the 2021 recipient of the Ronald H. Brown Standards Leadership Award, named in honor of the late US Secretary of Commerce Ronald Brown, in recognition of decades of work in burn care and prevention and development of the NFPA standard used nationally as essential guidance for all aspects of fire and life safety education. In 2002, the ANA honored Grant with the Honorary Nursing Practice Award for his contributions to the advancement of nursing practice through strength of character, commitment, and competence. That same year, he was also named Nursing Spectrum's Nurse of the Year. In 2001, Dr. Grant received the Nurse of the Year Award from former President George W. Bush for his service to burn patients injured in the September 11 World Trade Center attacks. Grant was named UNCG Alumnus of the Year in 2010 and received the Alumni Distinguished Service Award in 2006. His support for his alma mater also includes establishment of an endowned scholarship in Nursing in honor of his mother, Mrs. Annie B. Grant.

Dale Phipps

Service: Appointed by the Board of Governors to serve a four-year term expiring June 30, 2027, Dale Phipps serves on the Athletics, University Advancement, and Compliance, Audit, Risk Management, and Legal Affairs (CARL) Committees.

Employment:Retired (2023) Senior Vice President at Laboratory Corporation of America (Labcorp)

Education: BA, Biology and BS, Accounting, UNCG; NC Certified Public Accountant (inactive); Institute of Internal Auditors Certified Internal Auditor with certification in Control Self-Assessment

Professional Affiliations:

Bio: During his career, Dale Phipps has provided strong leadership to corporations, Fortune 500 boards, and audit committees to optimize business processes, including the establishment and maturation of financial reporting and internal control processes for large public companies. He brings deep experience in risk assessment and mitigation, including establishment of governance structures that led to significant financial returns and operational efficiencies and synergies, as well as strategic improvements in data and cyber security. He is also recognized for his ability to navigate financial requirements for global operations including establishment and optimization of financial governance processes for operations in Europe, Singapore, India, and China. At Labcorp, Phipps was responsible for the global internal audit operation including financial regulatory oversight and enterprise risk management, and has successfully overseen establishment and development of LabCorp’s internal audit function. He was instrumental in leading risk management and control processes across the enterprise, resulting in significant financial and operational improvements. Phipps and wife Barbara have three adult children and reside in Burlington, North Carolina. The couple have established endowed scholarships for athletics, accounting, and creative writing, and named spaces in the School of Nursing and the Coleman Athletics Building.

Civic Affiliations and Community Service:In addition to his service on the Board of Trustees, Phipps has served as a member of the UNCG University Investment Fund Board, the UNCG Foundation Board and Executive Committee, the Bryan School's Accounting and Finance Advisory Board, and the University Committee on Honorary Degrees. He is also a member of the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors.

Dean Priddy

Service: Appointed by the Speaker of the North Carolina House to a second term running July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2025. Dean Priddy serves as Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee and as a member of the Executive, Nominating, and Compliance, Audit, Risk Management, and Legal Committees.

Employment: Retired (2015) Executive VP of Administration, Qorvo, Inc.

Education: B.S. and M.B.A., The University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Bio: Dean Priddy began his career with Analog Devices in 1986 and held progressively responsible positions in finance and marketing. He joined RFMD, a leading supplier of solutions for the wireless industry in 1991 as Controller, and became CFO and Corporate Vice President of Administration in 1997. He held that position until the formation of Qorvo, a merger of equals between RFMD and TriQuint Semiconductor in December 2014, and subsequently held the position of Executive Vice President of Administration and Value Creation at Qorvo until his retirement in March, 2015.

Civic Affiliations and Community Service: UNCG Bryan Business School Advisory Board, Board of Partners Ending Homelessness, and the Bryan School’s Chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma. Dean is a past recipient of the Bryan School’s Distinguished Alumni Award and was Triad Business Journal’s Change Agent of the Year for 2010.

Tim Rice

Service: Appointed by the Board of Governors to a first term running July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2025. Rice chairs the Finance and Administration Committee and is a member of the Academic Affairs, Executive, and Nominating Committees.

Education: BS Pharmacy, Washington State University; MS Health Administration, Duke University

Professional Affiliations: President and Board Chair of The National Center for Healthcare Leadership; Past Fellow, American College of Healthcare Executives; Board of Trustees, Cielo Healthcare; Board of Governors, Center for Creative Leadership; Trustee, NC A&T State University; NC Hospital Association Board Member; Radius Ventures Advisory Board Member

Bio: Tim Rice is former CEO and current CEO Emeritus of Cone Health. He is a 2015 recipient of the American Hospital Administration’s Board of Trustees Award and in 2012 received the NC Hospital Association’s Distinguished Service Award as well as the Thomas Z. Osborne Award from the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. Rice was keynote speaker at UNCG’s May 2015 Commencement ceremony and was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters for his lifetime of service and contributions to the humanities and to human welfare.

Civic Affiliations and Community Service: Rice currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Community Foundation of Greater Greensbor. He is a former member of the GTCC Foundation Board and has also chaired the boards for United Way of Greater Greensboro, the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, and the War Memorial Commission. In addition to his role on the Board of Trustees, Rice's service to UNCG includes membership on the Excellence Foundation Board of Directors, the Board of Visitors, the Union Square Campus Board, and the School of Nursing Advisory Board.

Tim Sessoms

Service: Tim Sessoms was appointed by the Speaker of the North Carolina House to a four-year term running through June 30, 2027. He serves on the Athletics and Finance & Administration Committees.

Employment: Founder and CEO of CRG Corporation

Education: BA, Political Science, UNCG

Bio: A native North Carolinian and longtime resident of Summerfield, N.C., Sessoms is the founder and CEO of CRG Corporation, a 30-year-old professional services company with over 600 employees operating out of 10 offices in the U.S. and Latin America. CRG provides executive search services, direct hire and contract staffing, talent optimization consulting, and IT managed services. A veteran public servant, Sessoms has devoted his time to Summerfield and his broader community. He currently serves as Mayor of Summerfield and is a former member of its Town Council. In addition, he is an ordained minister, having served multiple churches for more than two decades, and has also coached numerous sports at the high school level throughout the Piedmont Triad. Sessoms’ decades of dedication to community involvement have been driven by his love of helping people, resolving issues, and being a servant leader. Sessoms and his wife, Heather, have been married for 40 years. They are the proud parents of seven children and proud grandparents of fifteen grandchildren. The immediate family of more than thirty members enjoys time together at the lake, the beach, or sharing Sunday night dinner and watching football.

Civic Affiliations and Community Service:Sessoms currently serves as Mayor of Summerfield, North Carolina, his second term in that office. He also served one term as Mayor Pro Tempore. In addition, Sessoms has served three terms as a member of the Summerfield Town Council. He is also a past member of the Board of Directors of Drug and Alcohol Services of Guilford County.

Awa Mbai

Service: Awa Mbai is President of the UNCG Student Government Association (SGA) and ex officio voting member of the UNCG Board of Trustees through June 30, 2024. She serves as a member of the Board's Academic Affairs and Athletics Committees.

Bio: Mbai is a senior from Raleigh, NC seeking a B.S. degree in Political Science with a minor in Spanish. After graduation, she plans to pursue a law degree. Before assuming her current role with the SGA, Mbai served as SGA Vice President, a Senator, Director of the Academic Affairs Committee, and Chair of the Current Concerns Committee. She currently works as an Immigration Assistant for North Carolina House District 6, working in Congresswoman Kathy Manning's Greensboro field office to help people navigate immigration casework.

Civic Affiliations and Community Service: Mbai's prior experience includes leveraging her Spanish skills to teach refugee students at the university's Center for Housing and Community Studies Cottage Gardens Resource Center. The Center is a community-engaged, applied research institution specializing in geospatial research, multi-modal data collection, and mixed-method analysis, used to develop community-informed solutions to social problems around housing and neighborhoods for governments, nonprofits, foundations, and institutions of higher education.