News & Resources

The Coalition Welcomes Sandra Phelps 

Sandra Phelps from New Bern will come on board as the new Executive Director of the Coalition on Aging effective February 3, 2025.  Sandra brings a strong background in non-profit management to the position. She has served as Executive Director with United Way of Coastal Carolina since 1999 and prior to that was Executive Director of Beaufort County United Way for two years. She also worked for eight years in public relations and marketing at two local hospitals in eastern North Carolina.  In her role with United Way, she worked to develop collaborative relationships and a productive network with local officials, community nonprofits, business, civic and political leaders.   The Coalition was drawn to Sandra’s experience and effectiveness in working with diverse organizations and groups around issues which is certainly one of the key things that the Executive Director of the Coalition is called on to do frequently. Mary Bethel, Coalition Board Chair notes that “the Board felt that her skill of working with diverse groups along with her extensive background in fundraising and revenue generation as well as marketing vision and messaging were attributes that made her the right person to lead the Coalition at this stage of our evolution.”  Although Sandra has limited background in aging, she has worked closely with the Eastern Carolina Council Area Agency on Aging in New Bern on several initiatives and has had involvement with NC 211.  She notes “I am very eager to quickly learn more about aging issues and the network of aging providers across the state and welcome this opportunity to help bring leadership to the Coalition and awareness to aging issues. This is such important work as the age 65+ population grows in North Carolina, and it is great that I have the opportunity to start in this position as efforts get underway to implement the recommendations in the new Multisector Plan for Aging for the state.” Sandra has an undergraduate degree in Communication Studies from UNC-Greensboro and a M.S. in Business Administration from Boston College.  She has served on the Board of Directors for the United Way of North Carolina, the New Bern Area Chamber of Commerce and currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Craven Community College.