55 Notable alumni of
Appalachian State University
Updated:
Appalachian State University is 1086th in the world, 395th in North America, and 370th in the United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 55 notable alumni from Appalachian State University sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff.
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Charlotte Flair
- Enrolled in Appalachian State University
- Studied in 2005-2007
- Occupations
- personal trainervolleyball playerprofessional wrestler
- Biography
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Ashley Elizabeth Fliehr is an American professional wrestler. She is signed to WWE, where she performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Charlotte Flair. She is currently out of action due to a torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus.
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Luke Combs
- Occupations
- country singersinger-songwriter
- Biography
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Luke Albert Combs is an American country music singer and songwriter. Born and raised in North Carolina, he began performing as a child. After dropping out of college to pursue a career in music, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he released his debut EP, The Way She Rides, in 2014.
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Eric Church
- Occupations
- singer-songwritercomposerguitaristsingermusician
- Biography
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Kenneth Eric Church is an American country music singer-songwriter. He has released nine studio albums through Capitol Nashville since 2005. His debut album, 2006's Sinners Like Me, produced three singles on the Billboard country charts including the top 20 hits "How 'Bout You", "Two Pink Lines", and "Guys Like Me".
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Franklin Graham
- Occupations
- pastormissionary
- Biography
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William Franklin Graham III is an American evangelical evangelist and missionary. He frequently engages in Christian revival tours and political commentary. He is president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) and of Samaritan's Purse, an international Christian relief organization. Graham became a "committed Christian" in 1974 and was ordained in 1982, and has since become a public speaker and author. He is a son of the American evangelist Billy Graham.
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Steven M. Greer
- Occupations
- ufologistphysician
- Biography
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Steven Macon Greer is an American ufologist and retired physician who founded the Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence (CSETI) and the Disclosure Project, which seeks the disclosure of alleged classified UFO information.
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Eustace Conway
- Occupations
- naturalistenvironmentalistteacher
- Biography
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Eustace Robinson Conway IV is an American naturalist and the subject of the book The Last American Man by Elizabeth Gilbert. He has also been the subject of Adventures in the Simple Life by Sarah Vowell on the weekly radio show This American Life with Ira Glass. He is the owner of the 1,000-acre (4.0 km) Turtle Island Preserve in Boone, North Carolina. He is one of the featured personalities on the History channel show Mountain Men.
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David Weber
- Occupations
- science fiction authorwriterscreenwriterfantasy authorscience fiction writer
- Biography
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David Mark Weber is an American science fiction and fantasy author. He has written several science-fiction and fantasy books series, the best known of which is the Honor Harrington science-fiction series. His first novel, which he worked on with Steve White, sold in 1989 to Baen Books. Baen remains Weber's major publisher.
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Ted Budd
- Enrolled in Appalachian State University
- Graduated with Bachelor of Science
- Occupations
- business executivepolitician
- Biography
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Theodore Paul Budd is an American businessman and politician serving as the junior United States senator for North Carolina since 2023. A member of the Republican Party, he was the U.S. representative for North Carolina's 13th congressional district from 2017 to 2023.
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Stephen J. Dubner
- Occupations
- journalistwriterpodcaster
- Biography
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Stephen Joseph Dubner is an American author, journalist, and podcast and radio host. He is co-author of the popular Freakonomics book series: Freakonomics, SuperFreakonomics, Think Like a Freak and When to Rob a Bank. He is the host of Freakonomics Radio.
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Brock Long
- Occupations
- emergency manager
- Biography
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William Brockmann Long is an American emergency manager who served as the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). He was appointed to the position by President Donald Trump in April 2017 and confirmed by the United States Senate in June 2017. He served until his resignation in March 2019, following criticism of his handling of the Hurricane Maria and an ethical complaint over using official vehicles.
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Mark Harris
- Occupations
- pastorpolitician
- Biography
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Mark Harris is an American pastor and politician from North Carolina. He is a Republican candidate for the redrawn North Carolina's 8th congressional district 2024 election, Representative Dan Bishop is vacating his seat to run for attorney general.
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Everett Withers
- Occupations
- player of American footballhead coach
- Biography
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Everett Rowe Withers is an American football coach and former player. He currently serves as the assistant head coach and defensive passing game coordinator for the Florida Atlantic Owls. He formerly served as the defensive coordinator at FIU, and previously served defensive backs coach for the New York Giants and as the head coach for the Texas State Bobcats. Withers served as head football coach at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill during the 2011 season as well as James Madison University in the 2014 and 2015 seasons.
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Ron Prince
- Occupations
- player of American football
- Biography
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Ronald Dale Prince is an American football coach. He served as the head football coach at Kansas State University from 2006 to 2008 and Howard University in 2019, compiling a career college football head coaching record of 18–28. Prince was the assistant head coach and offensive line coach for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) from 2015 to 2017.
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Morris Davis
- Occupations
- politicianuniversity teacheradministrative law judgemilitary officerJudge Advocate General of the Armed Forces
- Biography
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Morris Durham "Moe" Davis is an American retired U.S. Air Force colonel, attorney, educator, politician, and former administrative law judge.
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Eric Bachmann
- Occupations
- singer
- Biography
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Eric Emil Bachmann is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer. He rose to prominence as the frontman of Archers of Loaf and Crooked Fingers. Originally a saxophone major at Appalachian State University, Bachmann’s music is distinctive for its creative and innovative arrangements. In addition to the guitar, he plays the piano and banjo regularly on tour. He was born in Greensboro, North Carolina, and grew up throughout the Southern United States. He currently lives in Athens, Georgia.
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Paul Johnson
- Occupations
- head coach
- Biography
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Paul Clayton Johnson is a former American football coach. He served as the head football coach at Georgia Southern University from 1997 to 2001, the United States Naval Academy from 2002 to 2007, and Georgia Tech, from 2008 to 2018, compiling a career college football coaching record of 189–100. Johnson's Georgia Southern Eagles won consecutive NCAA Division I-AA Football Championships in 1999 and 2000. He is noted for his use of the flexbone spread option offense.
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Howard Coble
- Enrolled in Appalachian State University
- Studied in 1949-1950
- Occupations
- politicianlawyer
- Biography
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John Howard Coble was an American politician who was the U.S. Representative for North Carolina's 6th congressional district, serving from 1985 to 2015. He was a member of the Republican Party. The district includes all or portions of ten counties in the northern-central part of the state, including portions of Greensboro and Durham.
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Kendall Lamm
- Occupations
- player of American football
- Biography
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Kendall Lamm is an American football offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played at Appalachian State for four years and was signed by the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2015.
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Harrison Delbridge
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
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Harrison Andrew Delbridge is an Australian professional soccer player who plays for K League 1 club Incheon United and the Australia national team.
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Robert P. Ashley, Jr
- Years
- 1960-.. (age 64)
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Robert Paul Ashley Jr. is a retired lieutenant general in the United States Army who served as the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency from 2017 to 2020. He previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army G-2. He received a commission through ROTC as a 1984 graduate of Appalachian State University. He retired from active duty on October 1, 2020. He currently serves as Senior Advisor to the Chairman of Arcanum, a global strategic intelligence company. He is the son of a United States Air Force veteran of the Korean War who later lived in North Carolina and worked a sewing machine mechanic.
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Jeffrey Springs
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Jeffrey Scott Springs is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Texas Rangers and Boston Red Sox.
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Don Cardwell
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Donald Eugene Cardwell was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) right-handed pitcher who played for five National League (NL) teams from 1957 to 1970. He was the first pitcher in major league history to pitch a no-hitter in his first game after being traded. He pitched a no-hit, 4–0 winning game for the Chicago Cubs on May 15, 1960, just two days after being traded from the Philadelphia Phillies. After winning 15 games for the Cubs in 1961, he won 13 games twice for the Pittsburgh Pirates before helping the New York Mets win the 1969 World Series title.
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Jo Zayner
- Years
- 1981-.. (age 43)
- Enrolled in Appalachian State University
- 2006-2008 graduated with Master of Science
- Occupations
- biophysicistresearcherblogger
- Biography
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Jo Zayner is a biohacker, artist, and scientist best known for their self-experimentation and work making hands-on genetic engineering accessible to a lay audience, including CRISPR.
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Allen Joines
- Years
- 1947-.. (age 77)
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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James Allen Joines is an American politician currently serving as the mayor of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In 2009, he was also appointed chairman of the North Carolina Economic Development Board.
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Mark Newhouse
- Occupations
- poker player
- Biography
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Mark Newhouse is an American professional poker player who made back-to-back final tables at the World Series of Poker Main Event in the 2013 and 2014 finishing ninth both times, making him the only player to make the November Nine twice before the format was abandoned. He beat a field of 6,352 and 6,683 respectively, outlasting 13,017 people in the process and was the first player to make back-to-back final tables in the Main Event since Dan Harrington in 2003 and 2004. The probability of Newhouse achieving back-to-back final tables is 1 in 524,079 (assuming all players have an equal chance).
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Bucky Waters
- Years
- 1935-.. (age 89)
- Enrolled in Appalachian State University
- In 1961 graduated with Master of Arts
- Occupations
- sports commentatorbasketball coachbasketball player
- Biography
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Raymond Chevalier "Bucky" Waters is an American basketball broadcaster with ESPN and Madison Square Garden Network and a retired basketball coach. He served as head basketball coach at West Virginia University from 1965 to 1969 and at Duke University from 1969 to 1973, compiling a career college basketball coaching record of record of 133–96.
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John R. Evans Jr
- Enrolled in Appalachian State University
- Graduated with Bachelor of Science in criminal justice
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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John R. Evans Jr. is a United States Army lieutenant general who serves as the commanding general of United States Army North since September 9, 2021. He most recently served as the commanding general of the United States Army Cadet Command and Fort Knox from May 18, 2018 to August 3, 2021. Previously, he served as the commanding General of the United States Army Special Operations Aviation Command from July 2016 to May 2018.
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Buck Newton
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Eldon Sharpe "Buck" Newton III is an American lawyer and politician who serves as a Republican state senator in the North Carolina General Assembly (the state's legislature) representing N.C. Senate District 4 (Wilson, Greene and Wayne counties). Newton originally won a seat in the North Carolina Senate in the 2010 election by defeating the Democratic incumbent, Albin B. Swindell.
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Isaac Butts
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Isaac Butts IV is an American professional basketball player and podcast host who currently plays for Koshigaya Alphas of the Japanese B-League. Butts played high school basketball at Georgia Military College Prep School until 2007. He averaged 26 points per game and 17 rebounds per game during his senior year. Upon high school graduation, he received a scholarship to attend Appalachian State University. Once he completed his collegiate career at Appalachian State, he was invited to participate in the Orlando Magic Summer League. In 2021, he and co-host Max Matsumoto created the IKEMAX Podcast where Japanese B-League basketball players discuss their experiences.
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Ritch Workman
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Ritch Workman is a former Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives, who represented the 52nd District, which includes southern Brevard County, stretching from Melbourne to Palm Shores, from 2012 to 2016, and previously representing the 30th District from 2008 to 2012.
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Daniel Wilcox
- Occupations
- player of American football
- Biography
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Daniel Wilcox is a former American football tight end. He has played for the Baltimore Ravens, the New York Jets and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played in the National Football League (NFL) from 2001 to 2008. He attended Appalachian State University.
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William W. Hartzog
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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William White Hartzog was a United States Army General whose commands during his 35-year career include the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command, the 1st Infantry Division, and United States Army South. He was born in Wilmington, North Carolina.
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Jonathan Scales
- Occupations
- jazz musician
- Biography
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Jonathan Scales is an American steel pannist and composer. He has recorded and produced seven albums, the most recent being Mindstate Music, released in 2019 on Ropeadope Records. Since 2007, Scales has recorded and performed with Victor Wooten, Howard Levy, The Duhks, Roy "Future Man" Wooten, Jeff Coffin, Jeff Sipe, Casey Driessen, Oteil Burbridge, Kofi Burbridge, Yonrico Scott, and Béla Fleck whom Scales describes as his "musical hero". His albums have been reviewed by Modern Drummer and JazzTimes. Scales graduated from Appalachian State University in 2006.
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Chad Barefoot
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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John Chadwick "Chad" Barefoot is a former Republican member of the North Carolina Senate, representing North Carolina's 18th Senate district from 2013 to 2018. Senate District 18 covers Franklin County and parts of eastern and southern Wake County.
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Charles Moir
- Occupations
- baseball playerbasketball coach
- Biography
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Charles Robert Moir was an American college basketball coach. He was the head coach of the Virginia Tech Hokies men's basketball team from 1976 until his resignation in October 1987. During his 11 seasons at Virginia Tech, Moir's Hokies compiled a 213–119 record. He was forced to resign after the discovery of severe NCAA violations. Including his time at Tech and coaching stints in high school and at Roanoke College and Tulane University, Moir compiled a career record of 616–238 in his 31 seasons as a high school and college head coach.
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Ralph Hise
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Ralph E. Hise, Jr. is an American politician. A member of the Republican Party, he represents District 47 in the North Carolina Senate. Hise joined the Senate in 2011 after winning election on November 2, 2010. He is from Spruce Pine, North Carolina.
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Marques Murrell
- Occupations
- player of American football
- Biography
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Marques Allen Murrell is a former American football linebacker. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Appalachian State.
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Michael Parker
- Occupations
- university teacherfaculty memberwriterlecturerjournalist
- Biography
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Michael Parker is an American short story writer, novelist and journalist.
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Linda Combs
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Linda Morrison Combs is a former U.S. federal government official. She was the Controller of the Office of Management and Budget in the Executive Office of the President at the White House. She had five Presidential Appointments confirmed by the United States Senate and served under three Presidents: Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush.
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Belus Smawley
- Occupations
- basketball coachbasketball player
- Biography
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Belus Van Smawley was an American basketball player and coach.
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Coaker Triplett
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Herman Coaker Triplett was an American professional baseball player. In Major League Baseball, he was a backup outfielder, playing mainly as a left fielder for three different teams between the 1938 and 1945 seasons. Listed at 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m), 185 pounds (84 kg), Triplett batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Boone, North Carolina.
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Danny Britt
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Danny Earl Britt Jr. is a Republican member of the North Carolina Senate, having represented the 24th district and its predecessors since 2017. He is a Lt. Colonel in the North Carolina Army National Guard. Britt is the first Republican to have been elected to the seat since the Reconstruction Era.
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Bryan R. Holloway
- Years
- 1977-.. (age 47)
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Bryan R. Holloway is an American former politician. He served five and a half two-year terms as a representative from the 91st District in the North Carolina General Assembly. Holloway resigned from his seat in 2015 to become a lobbyist. He currently operates from his own firm, Holloway Group Inc.
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Alec Dufty
- Occupations
- goalkeeper coachassociation football player
- Biography
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Alec Dufty is a former American soccer player and current coach. He is currently a goalkeeper coach with Sporting Kansas City in Major League Soccer.
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Steve Goss
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Benjamin Stephenson Goss was an American politician. He served two terms (January 2007 – December 2010) as a Democratic member of the North Carolina Senate. He represented the 45th Senate district, including constituents in Alexander, Ashe, Watauga, and Wilkes counties. He was defeated for re-election in 2010 by Republican Dan Soucek.
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Andy Dulin
- Born in
-
United States - Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Andy T. Dulin is an American politician. He was elected as a Republican to the North Carolina House of Representatives District 104, representing South-Central Charlotte, on November 8, 2016. He took office in January 2017 succeeding Dan Bishop who was elected to the North Carolina State Senate in the same general election. In 2018, Dulin lost re-election to Democrat Brandon Lofton. Dulin represented much of South Central Charlotte during his tenure in the NC House. Prior to his service in the NC house, Dulin previously served in the Charlotte City Council District 6, from 2005 to 2013.
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Glenn Gregson
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Glenn Boggs "Goose" Gregson is an American professional baseball coach and a former minor league baseball pitcher. He has been a Major League Baseball pitching coach for both the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox. As of 2022, he is a player development pitching advisor in Boston's system.
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Kelly Hastings
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Kelly Eugene Hastings is a Republican member of the North Carolina House of Representatives. He has represented the 110th district (including constituents in Gaston and Cleveland counties) since 2011.
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Laura Wright
- Years
- 1970-.. (age 54)
- Occupations
- writerman of lettersacademicuniversity teacherliterary scholar
- Biography
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Laura Wright is a professor of English at Western Carolina University. Wright proposed vegan studies as a new academic field, and her 2015 book The Vegan Studies Project: Food, Animals, and Gender in the Age of Terror served as the foundational text of the discipline. As of 2021 she had edited two collections of articles about vegan studies.
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Dan Millice
- Born in
- United States
- Occupations
- mastering engineeraudio engineer
- Biography
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Dan Millice is an American mastering engineer based out of Engine Room Audio in New York City.
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George M. Holmes
- Occupations
- player of American footballpolitician
- Biography
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George Milton Holmes was a Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's 92nd House district, including constituents in eastern Surry, northern Iredell and Yadkin counties. A retiree from Hamptonville, North Carolina, Holmes began serving his sixteenth term in January 2007. He was one of the longest serving North Carolina legislators. He died on December 31, 2009, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
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Leonard Bolick
- Born in
- United States
- Occupations
- priest
- Biography
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Leonard H. Bolick is a prelate of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America who served as the bishop of the North Carolina Evangelical Lutheran Synod from 1997 to 2015. Bolick is known for seeking ecumenical reconciliation and improving relations with the Roman Catholic Church in North Carolina while he has been bishop. Prior to serving as Bishop of North Carolina, Bolick served as a pastor at Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church in Concord, North Carolina and St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He later joined the Bishop of North Carolina's personal staff and served in youth ministry and evangelism, and was a member of the Synod's transition team. He was consecrated as Bishop of the North Carolina Synod on February 2, 1997. He was succeeded in this position by Timothy Smith, who was officially installed as bishop of the North Carolina Synod on September 12, 2015.
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Ruth M. Easterling
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Ruth Elizabeth Moss Easterling was a Democratic member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for thirteen terms. She was born December 26, 1910, in Blacksburg, South Carolina. She was an alumnus of Limestone College and Appalachian State University.
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Lehua Taitano
- Occupations
- writerpoet
- Biography
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Lehua M. Taitano is a Chamoru poet, interdisciplinary artist, and educator. She is an indigenous person of the Mariana Islands, which are referred to as Laguås yan Gani in the Chamoru language.
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Rachel Harris Larson
- Born in
- United States
- Occupations
- chemistmedical researcher
- Biography
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Rachel Harris Larson was an American chemist and dental researcher who studied the interrelationships of genetics, nutrition, and bacteriology in dental caries. She was the first female scientist at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research where she worked from 1942 until her retirement in 1977.
