Staff

Deborah Johnson - Chief Executive Officer, joined the NC Pork Council in November of 2005. She has worked in the livestock and poultry industries since 1980. Her pork industry experience began at Prestage Farms as its public relations coordinator. During her time at Prestage Farms, Deborah was elected to the NCPC board of directors and served as president of the Council in 1999. She later worked for Premium Standard Farms as manager of communications and public affairs for its North Carolina operations and eventually assumed the role of director of communications and public affairs for the Kansas City-based organization. At the national level, Deborah was appointed twice by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to serve on the National Pork Board. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she holds degrees in journalism and speech communication.

Amy Cave - Administrative Officer, joined the NC Pork Council in September 2003. Amy began working on the Pork Council's annual audit in 1997. At the time, she was an audit supervisor for Williams, Overman, Pierce & Company, LLP where she performed audits and prepared tax returns for eight years. Amy received her bachelor of science in business administration in accounting from Appalachian State University. She is a Certified Public Accountant and is a member of the NC Association of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Ann Edmondson – Director of Communications & Marketing, joined the NC Pork Council in May 2007. Ann previously worked for the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association for nine years as their director of government relations then as the in-house lobbyist. During that time, she also took on the role as the executive director of another statewide association for whom she drafted and published an annual directory and newsletters, planned and hosted an annual convention, tradeshow and educational seminar as well as other general association management responsibilities. She has also worked at NCDENR and the NC House of Representatives. She is a graduate of Meredith College with bachelor of arts degrees in English and political science.

Terri Smith – Administrative Support & Project Development, joined the NC Pork Council in September 2008. A graduate of East Carolina University she is the Council’s “front person” and brings a strong and diverse work experience to our team – in private business, education and association management support. She has receptionist/admin experience, office manager experience as well as significant communications/marketing experience (advertising, newsletter design/production, media buying, etc…).

Angie Whitener Maier – Director of Policy Development & Communications, joined the NC Pork Council in 2007. She oversees NCPC’s government affairs efforts and serves as the Council’s lead lobbyist. In addition to representing the interests of NCPC members at the NC General Assembly, she also manages the NCPC PAC fundraising program and coordinates NCPC’s grassroots lobbying efforts. Before coming to the Council, Angie worked as a policy analyst in the Office of the NC Speaker of the House of Representatives, as a legislative assistant to two state senators, and as a campaign manager for state legislative races. She holds both a bachelors and masters degree in political science from North Carolina State University.