Our Party Officials
Shelley Allen
Chair
Shelley was born in Key West, FL and grew up a Navy brat. She taught elementary school after graduating from Texas A&M. She earned her Ph.D. in reading education from Ohio State, then worked as a research associate and project coordinator at Vanderbilt. After moving to Richmond, VA, she served as a literacy non-profit consultant before returning to teaching as a tutor. Her volunteer experiences include robotics team mentor, PTSA vice president, and policy steering committee parent rep at the regional governor’s school her son attended. She and her husband moved to Holden Beach in 2020. After joining BCDP and working on the communications team, she was elected 1st vice chair in 2021. In 2022 she served as acting chair when the party's chair ran for state office. She is grateful for the amazing Democrats she has the privilege of working with in Brunswick County.
Arthur Hill
1st Vice Chair
Arthur Hill was born in Charlottesville, Virginia. He graduated with a BA in English from the University of Virginia. After three years in the Army, including a year in Vietnam, he worked as a legislative aide and speechwriter for a U.S. senator, a Washington correspondent for several magazines, and a member of the Corporate Communications Department at a major federal agency. In 2014, he moved with his wife, Sherry, to St. James, North Carolina. Since then, he has fulfilled a goal to work as editor and contributor at a small community publication. He co-authored a book published in 2022 on the history of St. James. Arthur also serves as BCDP's Communications Team Chair.
Kristine Garrity
2nd Vice Chair
Kristine was born and raised in New York, but has called North Carolina home for over thirty years. She graduated from Fordham University with a major in philosophy and a minor in math. Before retiring, Kristine was an administrator and program director in non-profit health.
Mike Rush
3rd Vice Chair
Mike Rush was born and raised in Montclair NJ., where he graduated from Montclair High School in 1967. After graduation from high school , he served as a Second Class Petty Officer in the United States Navy from 1967 until 1971 and used his GI Bill Benefits he accumulated from his years of military service to attend Babson College in Wellesley, MA where he graduated with a BS in Business Management in 1975.
Prior to retiring, Mike’s professional background included solution/consultative sales, management, and corporate marketing positions for several Fortune 500 companies in the computer, telecom, and network equipment industries.
Sherry Williams
Secretary
Sherry was born and raised in Spartanburg, SC. She attended Clemson University and graduated from Limestone College, after which she worked in social work. She moved to NC where her children grew up, then went back to school and worked as an art director in an ad agency. After moving to TN, she worked at a PR agency, then started her own business. There, she became involved in politics, where she did creative work for the local and state party and later became Vice Chair of Loudon County Democratic Party. Sherry also serves on the BCDP communications team.
Ray Gilbert
Chair, People of Color Coalition
Ray grew up in Southport, NC. He went to college at Southern Arkansas U, Arkansas State U, and North Carolina State U. He is a husband (30+ years), father, grandfather, pastor, and faithful advocate for people of color to have access and rights. He is an active member of Hickmans Crossroads precinct and Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Calabash. Ray is a past-president and lifetime member of the NAACP; past Master, Pythagoras Masonic Lodge #6, PHA; a fellow with the North Carolina Institute of Political Leadership; and was elected to the Brunswick County Board of Education (2004-2008). In addition, Ray was Chairman of the NC Fatherhood Advisory Development Council and NC Practitioner’s Network for Fathers and Families Board; past-chairman of the Brunswick County non-profit Building Coalition, Inc; and serves on the Board of Directors for the Cape Fear Chapter of the American Red Cross.
State Executive Committee Members:
As Party Chair - Shelley Allen
Elected Members:
William (Bill) Flythe
Joanne Levitan
Denise Mirandola
Mike Rush
Janis Simmons
Tom Simmons
District Executive Committee:
Chair - Shelley Allen
1st Vice Chair - Art Hill