RALEIGH -- Department of Public Safety Secretary Erik A. Hooks has named Caroline Valand as Deputy Secretary for Partnership Engagement. She will have oversight of the Governor’s Crime Commission; Private Protective Services Board and Alarm Systems Licensing Board; and Victim Services, which staffs the Crime Victims Compensation Commission.
“I am thrilled to have Caroline in this new role on the DPS leadership team,” stated Hooks. “Her valuable expertise in public engagement and partnership building will serve the DPS mission very well.”
Prior to accepting this position, Valand served as the executive director of the North Carolina Governor’s Crime Commission, which is the chief advisory body to the Governor and the DPS Secretary on crime and justice issues. In this role, Valand administered approximately $70 million in federal Department of Justice block grants, which are awarded to enhance services for victims of crime and to support law enforcement agencies throughout the state.
Before joining GCC, Valand served as chief of staff to the President and CEO of 3D Systems, the largest 3D printing company in the world. There, she oversaw the planning and execution of administrative and operational activities of the company. Valand also previously served as chief of staff for Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton.
Valand holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a master’s degree in legislative affairs from George Washington University. She currently resides in Raleigh with her partner and three-year-old daughter.