Governor Honors Community Leaders
On October 14, 2026, Governor Josh Stein recognized a group of notable individuals from North Carolina by inducting them into The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, a prestigious honor that celebrates significant contributions to the community.
During the ceremony, Governor Stein expressed pride in honoring those who have positively impacted their communities. “These exceptional North Carolinians have strengthened our state through their leadership, service, and dedication to their communities,” he stated, highlighting the profound influence these honorees have had throughout the Triad and across North Carolina.
Recognized Individuals and Their Contributions
Among the honorees was Valencia Abbott from Rockingham County, a social studies educator at Rockingham Early College High School who was named the 2025 North Carolina History Teacher of the Year and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History’s National History Teacher of the Year for the same year.
Kevin Baker, the executive director of the Piedmont Triad Airport Authority from Guilford County, was also recognized. Bishop Larry Brown, a minister at Taylortown’s House of Prayer in Moore County, received acknowledgment for his community service.
Judge Julianna Earp, previously a Special Superior Court Judge for Complex Business Cases in Guilford County, and Lara Gerald, president of the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust and former state health director, were among those honored for their leadership roles.
Additional honorees included Deena Hayes-Greene, a Guilford County Board of Education member and co-founder of the Racial Equity Institute; Allen Joines, the mayor of Winston-Salem; and Stephen Lee, a former career and technical education teacher at Northern Guilford Middle School.
Further Acknowledgments
Kelly A. Moore, director of forensic services for the Greensboro Police Department, and Paula Rakestraw, former executive director of the Rockingham County Partnership for Children, were also celebrated for their contributions to the community.
Michael Regan from Wake County was honored for his previous role as Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and his tenure with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Judge Michael L. Robinson, a former chief judge of the North Carolina Business Court, was similarly recognized.
Lastly, Tim Tsujii, director of elections for Forsyth County and recipient of the 2026 U.S. Election Assistance Commission Clearinghouse Award, along with Officer Michael Smith and Sergeant Liam Whelan from the Winston-Salem Police Department, completed the list of distinguished recipients.
Source: Office of the Governor of North Carolina
