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Leadership of the North Carolina Senate for the 2025-26 session

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Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, announces the Senate budget plan in 2023. Liz Bell/EducationNC

North Carolina’s long legislative session for the 2025-26 biennium has officially begun.

A new state budget for the next two fiscal years is on the table, and in the education space there has been talk of addressing school voucher funding and policy, teacher pay, Hurricane Helene relief, and new approaches to education funding, like a weighted student funding formula.

Below you will find a list of Senate committees pertaining to education, along with each committee’s members with their role, political party, home district, and occupation, if listed on the General Assembly’s website.

At the bottom of the page, you can also find the leadership of the Senate and staff of Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, R-Rockingham.

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Education/Higher Education Committee

Chairs

Sen. Kevin Corbin, R-Macon: Insurance agency owner

Sen. Michael V. Lee, R-New Hanover: Attorney

Sen. Brad Overcash, R-Gaston: Attorney

Members

Sen. Lisa S. Barnes, R-Nash: Agribusiness

Sen. Woodson Bradley, D-Mecklenburg: Business owner, broker, and realtor

Sen. Bob Brinson, R-Craven

Sen. Jay J. Chaudhuri, D-Wake: Attorney

Sen. Sophia Chitlik, D-Durham: Strategic planning consultant and impact investor

Sen. Amy S. Galey, R-Alamance: Attorney

Sen. Michael Garrett, D-Guilford: Managing partner, Marketing Associates

Sen. Bobby Hanig, R-Currituck: Business owner, Hanig Services

Sen. Mark Hollo, R-Catawba: Retired physician assistant

Sen. Dana Jones, R-Forsyth: President/owner, Caudill’s Commercial Electric Company Inc.

Sen. Tom McInnis, R-Moore: Small business owner

Sen. Buck Newton, R-Wilson: Attorney

Sen. Gladys A. Robinson, D-Guilford: Health Services, executive

Sen. Norman W. Sanderson, R-Pamlico: Retired small business owner

Sen. Kandie D. Smith, D-Pitt: Consultant

Sen. Caleb Theodros, D-Mecklenburg

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Appropriations on Education/Higher Education Committee

Chairs

Sen. Kevin Corbin, R-Macon: Insurance agency owner

Sen. Paul Newton, R-Cabarrus: Retired

Sen. Brad Overcash, R-Gaston: Attorney

Members

Sen. Val Applewhite, D-Cumberland: Real estate broker/owner

Sen. Jay J. Chaudhuri, D-Wake: Attorney

Sen. Sophia Chitlik, D-Durham: Strategic planning consultant and impact investor

Sen. David W. Craven, Jr., R-Randolph: Bank executive

Sen. Dana Jones, R-Forsyth: President/owner, Caudill’s Commercial Electric Company Inc.

Sen. Joyce Waddell, D-Mecklenburg: Education consultant for early child programs

Leadership of the Senate

Here is the leadership of the Senate:

President Lt. Governor Rachel Hunt

President Pro Tempore Sen. Phil Berger

Deputy President Pro Tempore Sen. Ralph Hise

Majority Leader Sen. Paul Newton

Majority Whips Sens. Amy Galey and Todd Johnson

Republican Joint Caucus Leader Sen. Carl Ford

Democratic Leader Sen. Sydney Batch

Democratic Whip Sen. Jay Chaudhuri

Democratic Caucus Secretary Sen. Julie Mayfield

Staff of Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger

Abbigail Clark – Constituent and District Liaison, legislative assistant

Darrell Malcolm – Special Assistant, Boards and Commissions

Derrick Nipper – Director of Scheduling

Jenny Kelvington – Policy Advisor

Josh Yost – General Counsel

Kolt Ulm – Chief of Staff

Lauren Horsch – Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications

Madison Alligood – Deputy General Counsel/Policy Advisor

Matthew Lanetti – Policy Advisor

Robin McBrayer – Policy Advisor

Shelly Smyk – Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy