Parole Commissioners Willis J. Fowler Commissioner Bill Fowler, who has been chairman since Feb. 13, 2017, served as a Raleigh police officer and detective from 1964-1972 before joining the Department of Correction as a parole officer. After the state's parole and probation supervision systems were merged, he supervised both probationers and parolees for many years. In 1983, Fowler was promoted to a parole hearing officer. He was a chief parole hearing officer when Gov. Mike Easley appointed him to the Parole Commission in July 2005. Eric Montgomery Commissioner Eric Montgomery of Charlotte was appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper on Dec. 8, 2017. Montgomery is the president of the Montgomery Law Firm. He previously served as assistant general counsel for Bank of America and Flagstar Corportation. Montgomery is also a member of the board of directors for the African American Community Foundation. Haley Phillips Commissioner Haley Phillips was appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper on April 25, 2022. Previously, Phillips spent six years as a post-conviction attorney at North Carolina Prisoner Legal Services, Inc., representing people incarcerated in North Carolina prisons. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the University of North Carolina School of Law. Graham Atkinson Commissioner Graham Atkinson was appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper on March 24, 2017. He has more than 30 years of service as a law enforcement officer with the Surry County Sheriff's Office, including sheriff from 2006 until his retirement in April 2017. He served as a patrol deputy, detective, narcotics investigator, chief of detectives and county's first DARE officer in 1990. He served on the executive board of the NC Sheriffs' Association for several years, and was president in 2016-17. Atkinson also served two terms on the Surry County Board of Education, including three years as chairman. He is a graduate of Surry Community College and Gardner-Webb University.
Parole Commissioners Willis J. Fowler Commissioner Bill Fowler, who has been chairman since Feb. 13, 2017, served as a Raleigh police officer and detective from 1964-1972 before joining the Department of Correction as a parole officer. After the state's parole and probation supervision systems were merged, he supervised both probationers and parolees for many years. In 1983, Fowler was promoted to a parole hearing officer. He was a chief parole hearing officer when Gov. Mike Easley appointed him to the Parole Commission in July 2005. Eric Montgomery Commissioner Eric Montgomery of Charlotte was appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper on Dec. 8, 2017. Montgomery is the president of the Montgomery Law Firm. He previously served as assistant general counsel for Bank of America and Flagstar Corportation. Montgomery is also a member of the board of directors for the African American Community Foundation. Haley Phillips Commissioner Haley Phillips was appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper on April 25, 2022. Previously, Phillips spent six years as a post-conviction attorney at North Carolina Prisoner Legal Services, Inc., representing people incarcerated in North Carolina prisons. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the University of North Carolina School of Law. Graham Atkinson Commissioner Graham Atkinson was appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper on March 24, 2017. He has more than 30 years of service as a law enforcement officer with the Surry County Sheriff's Office, including sheriff from 2006 until his retirement in April 2017. He served as a patrol deputy, detective, narcotics investigator, chief of detectives and county's first DARE officer in 1990. He served on the executive board of the NC Sheriffs' Association for several years, and was president in 2016-17. Atkinson also served two terms on the Surry County Board of Education, including three years as chairman. He is a graduate of Surry Community College and Gardner-Webb University.
