Governor-Elect Stein Named His Picks for Important State Departments

Governor-elect Josh Stein last week named key leadership team members for his new administration, including major department leaders. Among the announcements were his picks to head the departments of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR), and Transportation (DOT). All three leaders are veterans of Governor Roy Cooper’s current cabinet. 

Secretary of NC Department of Environmental Quality

Reid Wilson, Cooper’s current Secretary of Natural and Cultural Resources, will take over as the new Secretary of Environmental Quality. Wilson has extensive environmental leadership experience, including eight years at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concluding as chief of staff for Administrator Carol Browning; and in the private nonprofit sector, including as executive director of the Conservation Trust for North Carolina and as national political director of the Sierra Club. Wilson’s priorities as DNCR Secretary included expanding educational content for school-age children; protecting public health; boosting local economic development; strengthening commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity, and accessibility; and addressing climate change and community resiliency. 

Secretary of NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources

Pamela B. Cashwell, Cooper’s current Secretary of Administration, will move into Wilson’s current post of Secretary of Natural and Cultural Resources. Cashwell, an experienced civil rights and trial attorney with a background in economics, has dedicated special attention to serving as a voice for underserved communities. She is a member of the Coharie and Lumbee tribes and is the first woman of American Indian heritage to head a cabinet department in North Carolina. 

Secretary of NC Department of Transportation

Joey Hopkins will stay in his current post of Secretary of Transportation. Hopkins, a professional engineer, is a 30-year veteran of NC DOT, including the development of DOT’s Strategic Prioritization Process.

Part of the Transition Team

In a separate news release, Governor-elect Stein thanked his transition team, who helped vet applications for posts in the incoming Stein Administration. The environmental and climate advocacy community was well represented on the Stein transition team, including Executive Director of the NC League of Conservation Voters (NCLCV) Carrie Clark. Other environmental leaders on the Stein transition team included NCLCV Board Member Nina Szlosberg-Landis; Brian Buzby, NC Conservation Network Executive Director; and Molly Diggins, retired director of the NC Sierra Club.