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North Carolina’s long legislative session for the 2025-26 biennium has officially begun.
A new state budget for the next two fiscal years is on the table, and in the education space there has been talk of addressing school voucher funding and policy, teacher pay, Hurricane Helene relief, and new approaches to education funding, like a weighted student funding formula.
Below you will find a list of Senate committees pertaining to education, along with each committee’s members with their role, political party, home district, and occupation, if listed on the General Assembly’s website.
At the bottom of the page, you can also find the staff of Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, R-Rockingham.
Education/Higher Education Committee
Chairs
Sen. Kevin Corbin, R-Macon: Insurance agency owner
Sen. Michael V. Lee, R-New Hanover: Attorney
Sen. Brad Overcash, R-Gaston: Attorney
Members
Sen. Lisa S. Barnes, R-Nash: Agribusiness
Sen. Woodson Bradley, D-Mecklenburg: Business owner, broker, and realtor
Sen. Bob Brinson, R-Craven
Sen. Jay J. Chaudhuri, D-Wake: Attorney
Sen. Sophia Chitlik, D-Durham: Strategic planning consultant and impact investor
Sen. Amy S. Galey, R-Alamance: Attorney
Sen. Michael Garrett, D-Guilford: Managing partner, Marketing Associates
Sen. Bobby Hanig, R-Currituck: Business owner, Hanig Services
Sen. Mark Hollo, R-Catawba: Retired physician assistant
Sen. Dana Jones, R-Forsyth: President/owner, Caudill’s Commercial Electric Company Inc.
Sen. Tom McInnis, R-Moore: Small business owner
Sen. Buck Newton, R-Wilson: Attorney
Sen. Gladys A. Robinson, D-Guilford: Health Services, executive
Sen. Norman W. Sanderson, R-Pamlico: Retired small business owner
Sen. Kandie D. Smith, D-Pitt: Consultant
Sen. Caleb Theodros, D-Mecklenburg
Appropriations on Education/Higher Education Committee
Chairs
Sen. Kevin Corbin, R-Macon: Insurance agency owner
Sen. Paul Newton, R-Cabarrus: Retired
Sen. Brad Overcash, R-Gaston: Attorney
Members
Sen. Val Applewhite, D-Cumberland: Real estate broker/owner
Sen. Jay J. Chaudhuri, D-Wake: Attorney
Sen. Sophia Chitlik, D-Durham: Strategic planning consultant and impact investor
Sen. David W. Craven, Jr., R-Randolph: Bank executive
Sen. Dana Jones, R-Forsyth: President/owner, Caudill’s Commercial Electric Company Inc.
Sen. Joyce Waddell, D-Mecklenburg: Education consultant for early child programs
Staff of Phil Berger, Senate president pro tempore
Abbigail Clark – Constituent and District Liaison, legislative assistant
Darrell Malcolm – Special Assistant, Boards and Commissions
Derrick Nipper – Director of Scheduling
Jenny Kelvington – Policy Advisor
Josh Yost – General Counsel
Kolt Ulm – Chief of Staff
Lauren Horsch – Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications
Madison Alligood – Deputy General Counsel/Policy Advisor
Matthew Lanetti – Policy Advisor
Robin McBrayer – Policy Advisor
Shelly Smyk – Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy
