In April, a delegation from North Carolina, including seven North Carolina Cooperative Extension State Advisory Council members and two Strategic Planning Council members from N.C. A&T State University, attended the Public Issues Leadership Development (PILD) conference in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Jon Ort, associate dean and director of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, accompanied the group, along with Dr. Marshall Stewart, associate director, department head and state program leader for 4-H and family and consumer sciences, and Dr. Ed Jones, associate director and state program leader, agriculture and natural resources and community and rural development, both from N.C. State University; Joy Staton, N.C. Cooperative Extension state advisory leader; and Sheilda Sutton and Anita Wright, both of N.C. A&T State University.

This year’s theme was “Connectivity: Community to the Capitol.” The seven State Advisory Council members attending PILD were George Quigley, council chair; Pete Miller, Jo Ann Stroud, B.A. Smith, Charles Boyd, Lynn Yokley and Jack Parker. The two members from A&T’s Strategic Planning Council were Perry Graves, council chair, and David Autrey.

Extension agents attending PILD included 4-H agents Barbara Dunn Swanson, Randolph County, and Danelle Barco, Tyrell County; Epsilon Sigma Phi members Christine Barrier and Debbie Bost, Cabarrus County; family and consumer sciences agents Sue Counts, Watauga County, and Debra Stroud, Johnston County; and agricultural agents Kelly Groves, Catawba County, and Stanley Holloway, Yancey County.

— Natalie Hampton