Governor-Elect Josh Stein Announces Leadership Team

(RALEIGH) Governor-elect Josh Stein today announced his leadership team in the Governor’s Office.

Seth Dearmin, Chief of Staff

Seth has been Chief of Staff at the North Carolina Department of Justice since 2017. Before that, he ran Governor-elect Josh Stein’s successful 2016 campaign for Attorney General and led various initiatives for political, corporate and non-profit clients of Nexus Strategies, a public affairs consulting firm. Dearmin formerly worked on the Attorney General’s staff of now-Gov. Roy Cooper and for University of North Carolina General Administration under then-President Erskine Bowles. Seth is a native of Pinnacle and served as Student Body President of his alma mater, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Seth and his wife have a young son.

Jasmine McGhee, Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor

As Senior Deputy Attorney General at the North Carolina Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Division, Jasmine led the department’s consumer protection and antitrust work. Prior to this role, she led the office’s Public Protection Section which focused on educating North Carolinians about scams and fraud. Jasmine has served on the state’s Human Trafficking Commission, Governor’s Crime Commission, and was the staff lead for the Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice. Before joining the AG’s office, Jasmine was a white-collar investigations and litigation lawyer at WilmerHale in Washington, D.C. and K&L Gates in Raleigh. She is a proud alum of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and obtained her law degree from Columbia. Jasmine hails from Durham, and she and her husband have two young daughters.

Laura Brewer, Deputy Chief of Staff and External Advisor

Laura is Deputy Chief of Staff at the North Carolina Department of Justice. In that role, she led the department’s policy and communications work, while also overseeing the legislative and information technology functions. Laura also helped create and deliver the More Powerful NC public education campaign centered around opioid addiction and treatment. Before her time at the Department of Justice, she worked at Capstrat, a communications agency, where she led work on health care, energy, and regulatory issues for public and private-sector clients. She also worked in the U.S. Senate offices of Elizabeth Dole and Richard Shelby. Laura is a graduate of Mary Washington College and Johns Hopkins University. She and her husband live in Raleigh and are the parents of twins.

Christie McNeill, Deputy Chief of Staff and Chief Operating Officer

Christie has served as Executive Director of the Transition Team for Governor-elect Josh Stein. Prior to that, she spent over 10 years at McKinsey & Company, most recently as a partner in the financial services practice where she advised clients on a range of strategic topics. She has been a leader at startup businesses and worked on education reform at the New Jersey Department of Education. A native of Greensboro, she earned her undergraduate degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her MBA at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Christie and her husband have two young daughters.

Sarah Boyce, General Counsel

Sarah is the Deputy Attorney General and General Counsel at the North Carolina Department of Justice. Prior to her current role, Sarah was Deputy Solicitor General. Before joining NCDOJ, Sarah helped found the Washington, DC office of Munger, Tolles & Olson and is a graduate of Davidson College and Duke University School of Law. She clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and for Justices Sandra Day O’Connor and Stephen Breyer on the U.S. Supreme Court. Sarah also served as a Bristow Fellow at the U.S. Department of Justice. She is a native of Belmont, and she and her husband have two young sons and a new daughter.

Tiffany Lucas, Chief Deputy General Counsel 

Tiffany has served in the North Carolina Department of Justice since 2017, as Deputy General Counsel and as a Special Deputy Attorney General for the office’s Education Section. Before joining NCDOJ, she worked in the Georgia Office of the Attorney General and at Alston & Bird and Kilpatrick Stockton law firms. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Harvard Law School. Tiffany and her husband live in Cary and have one daughter. 

South Moore, Deputy General Counsel

South has served in the North Carolina Department of Justice since 2021, most recently as Deputy General Counsel. Before joining NCDOJ, he clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke Law School. Moore grew up in Murfreesboro and now resides in Raleigh with his fiancé.

Jonathan Krebs, Western North Carolina Recovery Advisor

Jonathan will serve Governor-elect Josh Stein as the Western North Carolina Recovery Advisor. For the past 20 years, Jonathan has worked with residents, governments and communities to rebuild from nearly every major disaster since Hurricane Katrina. He has led the design and implementation of programs that restore housing, infrastructure and small business. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Southern Mississippi in Business Administration. Jonathan and his wife have two sons. 

David Webb, Intergovernmental and Outreach Director

David served as the Political Director for Attorney General Josh Stein’s campaign for Governor. An eastern North Carolina native, David developed and executed a successful political outreach plan to engage voters across North Carolina. The coalition groups he built included business leaders, faith leaders, women, Republicans, law enforcement, farmers, educators, students, and veterans from all corners of the state. He previously served as Regional Director for US Congressman Don Davis and Deputy Political Director for Cheri Beasley for NC. David taught high school social studies at Southwest Guilford High and earned his undergraduate degree from UNC Greensboro. He and his wife Kelsey Webb live in Zebulon.

Kate Frauenfelder, Communications Director

Kate served as the Communications Director for Attorney General Josh Stein’s campaign for Governor, sharing Governor-elect Stein’s vision for a safer, stronger North Carolina with voters across North Carolina. She previously worked for the North Carolina Democratic Party as its Communications Director. A native of Durham and daughter of two educators, Kate earned her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She lives in Raleigh with her fiancé.

Tracy Lovett, Office of Constituent Engagement Director

Tracy currently serves as the Director of the Office of Public Engagement and Inclusion for the North Carolina Governor’s Office. She previously worked for Congressman David Price in the US House of Representatives for 22 years, including as Director of Outreach and Senior Advisor. Lovett holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. 

Jacqueta Rascoe, Boards and Commissions Director

Jacqueta is an experienced leader and Director of Boards and Commissions for the North Carolina Governor’s Office. In addition to her public service, she is a licensed massage and bodywork therapist with a passion for holistic wellness, serving as an active board member of the North Carolina Chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association. A Fayetteville native, Jacqueta is dedicated to fostering well-being in mind, body, and spirit. Jacqueta balances her professional endeavors with her most cherished roles as a wife and mother to her two young children, Jordyn and Jaxon. 

Louise Warenda, Operations Director

Louise is joining the Governor-elect’s team from the Research Triangle Regional Partnership, where she served as Operations Manager. Prior to contributing to the success of RTRP, Louise was the Office Manager and Assistant to the CEO of Capstrat. Louise is a native of Wilson, and a graduate of North Carolina State University. In her spare time, she helps run the triangle based “50 Group,” and is an active member of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church. Louise is married and is the proud mother of three beautiful daughters. 

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