The statewide Office of Violence Prevention supports a public health approach to the reduction of violence and firearm misuse in North Carolina.
Established within the Department of Public Safety by Governor Roy Cooper in 2023 and working in partnership with the N. C. Dept. of Health and Human Services and the 25-member Community Violence Advisory Board, the office serves as a centralized resource for organizations working to reduce violence and address its impact on our communities.
Mission
Reduce violence, harm from violence and firearm misuse in North Carolina
Vision
A North Carolina where all communities have the tools, resources and expertise needed to create and maintain safety and well-being
Approach
Foster collaboration across sectors and leverage the public health approach to support local communities in deploying evidence-based programs and strategies
2025-2027 Advisory Board
Dr. David Jacobs, Trauma Surgeon
Atrium Health
Sheriff Clarence Birkhead
Durham County
Sheriff Curtis Brame
Vance County
William Baxter, Community Safety and Violence Prevention Coordinator
Buncombe County
Uzuri Holder, Program Manager
Duke Violence Recovery Program
Sue Anne Pilgreen, Manager
Eastern Carolina Injury Prevention Program
Becky Ceartas, Executive Director
NC Against Gun Violence
Latisha McNeil, Division Manager
City of Greensboro
Rashad Gattison, Street Outreach Social Work Supervisor
New Hanover County
Nicole Elliott, Chair and Founder
The Marcus Jackson Project
Dr. Beth Moracco, Associate Director
UNC Injury Prevention Research Center
Cornelius Kinlaw, Site Supervisor
Urban Leagues of Central Carolinas
Chief Marcus Barrow
Henderson Police Department
Chief Patrick Smith
Salisbury Police Department
Dr. Yasmin Gay, Program Director
Atrium Health
Kevin Brooks, Executive Director
The Group Theory, Inc.
Sherita Sutton, Assistant Public Health Director
Forsyth County Department of Public Health
Ebony Rao, Public Health Manager
Mecklenburg County Office of Violence Prevention
John Jones, Director
Fayetteville Office of Community Safety
Dr. Apryl Alexander, Director
UNC-Charlotte Violence Prevention Center
Keifer Bradshaw, Director
Gate City Coalition
Dr. Karla Strong, Co-Director
Serve Center - UNC Greensboro
Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director
NC Council of Churches
Justin Reid, Director of Story Telling
Cities United
2025 Year-End Report
This report provides an overview of 2025 accomplishments including strategic planning, partnerships to develop training materials and the launch of the N.C. Violence Prevention Conference.