Discover the Key North Carolina House Education Committees Shaping Policies for the 2025-26 Session

North Carolina’s legislative session for 2025-26 has kicked off. One of the key topics is the new budget for education. Issues like school voucher funding, teacher salaries, and disaster relief from Hurricane Helene are being discussed. There’s also interest in exploring a new approach to education funding, specifically a weighted student funding formula.

Here’s a brief overview of the House committees related to education, including their chairs and members.

Education – K-12 Committee

Chairs:

Rep. Brian Biggs, R-Randolph: Realtor

Rep. Tricia Ann Cotham, R-Mecklenburg

Rep. David Willis, R-Union: Small business owner

Vice Chairs:

Rep. Hugh Blackwell, R-Burke: Retired attorney

Rep. Cecil Brockman, D-Guilford: Legislator

Rep. Heather H. Rhyne, R-Lincoln: Pharmacist

Rep. Diane Wheatley, R-Cumberland: Retired

Members:

• Rep. Jennifer Balkcom, R-Henderson: Mortgage loan officer
• Rep. Cynthia Ball, D-Wake: Mediator
• Rep. Gloristine Brown, D-Pitt
• Rep. Laura Budd, D-Mecklenburg: Attorney
• Rep. Aisha O. Dew, D-Mecklenburg: Consultant
• Rep. Julia Greenfield, D-Mecklenburg: Retired nurse
• Rep. Frank Iler, R-Brunswick: Retired
• Rep. Jake Johnson, R-Polk: Real estate
• Rep. Donny Lambeth, R-Forsyth: Consultant
• Rep. Brandon Lofton, D-Mecklenburg: Lawyer
• Rep. Marcia Morey, D-Durham: Chief district court judge, retired
• Rep. Larry W. Potts, R-Davidson: Real estate investor, building contractor
• Rep. Dennis Riddell, R-Alamance: Marine engineer, educator, and thermographer
• Rep. Mike Schietzelt, R-Wake: Attorney
• Rep. Phil Shepard, R-Onslow: Retired civil service, minister
• Rep. John A. Torbett, R-Gaston: Legislator
• Rep. Julie von Haefen, D-Wake

Education Appropriations Committee

Chairs:

Rep. Brian Biggs, R-Randolph: Realtor

Rep. Tricia Ann Cotham, R-Mecklenburg

Rep. David Willis, R-Union: Small business owner

Vice Chair:

Rep. Hugh Blackwell, R-Burke: Retired attorney

Members:

• Rep. Cynthia Ball, D-Wake: Mediator
• Rep. Cecil Brockman, D-Guilford: Legislator
• Rep. Wyatt Gable, R-Onslow
• Rep. Zack Hawkins, D-Durham
• Rep. Monika Johnson-Hostler, D-Wake: Executive Director of the NC Coalition Against Sexual Assault
• Rep. Ray Pickett, R-Watauga: Self-employed
• Rep. Lindsey Prather, D-Buncombe: University admissions

Higher Education Committee

Chairs:

Rep. Kelly E. Hastings, R-Gaston: Realtor

Rep. Ray Pickett, R-Watauga: Self-employed

Vice Chair:

Rep. Timothy Reeder, MD, R-Pitt: Physician

Members:

• Rep. Jay Adams, R-Catawba: Commercial real estate broker
• Rep. Jerry “Alan” Branson, R-Guilford: Stout Trucking, Inc.
• Rep. Mark Brody, R-Union: Contractor
• Rep. Gloristine Brown, D-Pitt
• Rep. Terry M. Brown, Jr., D-Mecklenburg: Attorney
• Rep. Becky Carney, D-Mecklenburg: Former county commissioner
• Rep. Todd Carver, R-Iredell: Retired law enforcement
• Rep. Mike Clampitt, R-Swain: Retired fire captain
• Rep. Ted Davis, Jr., R-New Hanover: Retired attorney
• Rep. Wyatt Gable, R-Onslow
• Rep. Zack Hawkins, D-Durham
• Rep. Beth Helfrich, D-Mecklenburg: Writer/editor
• Rep. Julia C. Howard, R-Davie: Appraiser
• Rep. Neal Jackson, R-Moore: Pastor
• Rep. Monika Johnson-Hostler, D-Wake: Executive Director of NC Coalition Against Sexual Assault
• Rep. Abe Jones, D-Wake: Attorney
• Rep. Donny Lambeth, R-Forsyth: Consultant
• Rep. Tim Longest, D-Wake: Attorney
• Rep. Howard Penny, Jr., R-Harnett: Retired agribusiness
• Rep. Lindsey Prather, D-Buncombe: University admissions
• Rep. Renée A. Price, D-Orange: Consultant
• Rep. Heather H. Rhyne, R-Lincoln: Pharmacist
• Rep. James Roberson, D-Wake: Senior Dean at Wake Technical Community College
• Rep. John Sauls, R-Lee: Minister
• Rep. Brian Turner, D-Buncombe: Real estate
• Rep. Diane Wheatley, R-Cumberland: Retired
• Rep. Donna McDowell White, R-Johnston: RN, aging specialist

Staff of House Speaker Destin Hall

• Kari Cobb – Executive Assistant
• Courtney Taylor – Director of Digital Media
• David Cobb – Policy Advisor
• Demi Dowdy – Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications
• Grace Irvin – Policy Advisor
• Jeffrey Elmore – Senior Policy Advisor
• Julia Garrison – Director of Operations
• Kenan Drum – Deputy General Counsel
• Lewis King – Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy
• Neil Inman – Chief of Staff
• Sam Hayes – General Counsel
• Sumit Gupta – Deputy General Counsel and Senior Policy Advisor
• William Cobb – Policy Advisor

This update is a condensed version of an article originally published by EducationNC.