Leadership
Executive Director
Carrie Dugas serves as the Executive Director of the North Carolina Coalition on Aging, reporting directly to the Board of Directors. In this role, she oversees the implementation of Coalition’s strategic initiatives, policies, finances, membership engagement, and day-to-day organizational management.
With over a decade in the Aging Services Field, Carrie brings extensive experience, including senior roles in Life Plan Communities, showcasing her deep industry understanding. Carrie’s passion for serving older adults is evident in her commitment to ensuring they have access to quality care. Spending most of her life in North Carolina, Carrie earned her undergraduate degree from Western Carolina University in Recreational Therapy.
After completing the Leadership Academy through LeadingAgeNC in 2018, Carrie pursued further education, and earned her Master’s degree in Health Policy and Administration, from Penn State University in 2022. Her outstanding leadership was recognized with the Emerging Leader Award from LeadingAge NC in 2019, reflecting her dedication to enhancing the well-being of older adults in North Carolina.
Board of Directors
Mary Bethel is the Chair of the NC Coalition on Aging’s Board of Directors. Mary is retired as Associate State Director for Advocacy with AARP North Carolina in 2015. Prior to coming to AARP in October of 2005, she worked for almost 30 years with the N.C. Division of Aging and Adult Services in a variety of administrative, supervisory and program capacities. She is the recipient of numerous awards for her advocacy work in aging including the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the 2019 Elizabeth Welch Award from the N.C. Division of Aging and Adult Services, and the 2012 National AARP Lyn Bodiford Award. She has graduate and undergraduate degrees from NC State University. Mary served as the first executive director of the Coalition on Aging.
Adam Sholar is Vice Chair of the NC Coalition on Aging. Adam is the president and CEO of the NC Health Care Facilities Association (NCHCFA), a trade association for more than 90% of the skilled nursing facilities in North Carolina. He entered this role over 5 years ago, and in it focuses on advancing solutions to the challenges facing those who provide aged and disabled individuals with post-acute or long-term 24-hour medical care, as well as preparing North Carolina to care for its aging population. In addition to his role at NCHCFA, he is on the Board of Directors of the NC Institute of Medicine, a position to which he was appointed by the NC General Assembly. He has also previously served in senior leadership positions in the NC Department of Health and Human Services.
Dick Chady is the Secretary/Treasurer of the NC Coalition on Aging. After a career in journalism and public relations, Dick turned his energies to advocacy for older adults. He publishes the @NCThirdAge Twitter and Facebook sites for news of interest to seniors in North Carolina. As a resident of Carol Woods in Chapel Hill, he is a member of the NC Continuing Care Residents Assn. (NorCCRA). He has presented classes on “aging” topics at Duke’s lifelong learning program (OLLI). And he belongs to several related state and national organizations. Dick earned his B.A. at Grinnell College in Iowa; an M.S. in Journalism at Northwestern and Master’s in Library Science at UAlbany.
Kay Paksoy Castillo is the Executive Director of Friends of Residents in Long-Term Care, a statewide nonprofit working to advance the quality of life for the 100,000 individuals who receive long-term care in the state. Prior to her current role, Kay worked for over a decade as the Director of Advocacy, Policy, and Legislation and a registered lobbyist for the National Association of Social Workers, North Carolina Chapter. Kay holds a degree in social work from Campbell University.
Lee Dobson is the Division Director of government affairs for BAYADA Home Health Care, (non-profit service provider) and is also Deputy Executive Director of BAYADA Hearts for Home Care, Inc (a social welfare advocacy organization focused on promoting access to quality care at home). Lee is an experienced healthcare executive with over 28 years in home health care and hospice government affairs, public policy, and grassroots advocacy. Prior to joining BAYADA, Lee started her healthcare career with the Medicare Fiscal Intermediary at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina and later worked at the Association for Home & Hospice Care of North Carolina and Carolinas Center for Medical Excellence. Lee has her master’s degree in public administration with a focus on health administration from Troy State University. She is fluent in Spanish.
Deryl Davis Fulmer is currently serving as the community liaison for the North Carolina Retired Governmental Employees Association (NCRGEA). Deryl spent her career in higher education. She served as chief academic officer and in vice presidencies and deanships in several institutions, including universities in Wisconsin and technical and community colleges in both Wisconsin and North Carolina. After 30 years in higher education, Dr. Fulmer retired in 2019. She currently teaches a doctoral course on inclusive leadership at Edgewood College, Madison, Wisconsin each spring. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a master’s degree in cultural foundations of education and a Ph.D. in urban education from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Katie Kutcher has over 16 years of experience in aging services. She is an Assistant Aging Director for the Centralina Area Agency on Aging in Charlotte and works primarily with home and community-based services and supports. Key areas of interest include Aging and Disability Awareness, Cultural Competency and Age-Friendly Communities. She is also a part-time instructor for the UNC Charlotte Gerontology Program.
Les Geller has a long history of advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community. Prior to retirement he had a career as an architectural designer. Beginning in 2008, he served on the founding committee and on the initial Board of Directors for the LGBT Center of Raleigh. In 2009 he founded a program of the Center for older LGBTQ+ adults called SAGE Raleigh, which recently evolved to become rebranded as Carolina Aging Alliance. He created and led the SAGE Central NC Housing Initiative for seven years. Les is a former Board Chair of Wake County’s Resources for Seniors.
Mary Williams-Stover is currently the Equity-Centered Policy Manager, for The Center for Black Health & Equity. She has served the citizens of NC in several positions including Senior Director, NC Department of Health and Human Services Covid-19 Vendor Management Team, and Executive Director of the NC Council for Women and Youth Involvement. The NC Council for Women and Youth Involvement is one of several state advocacy agencies within the N.C. Department of Administration. Her goal is to encourage policy changes, increase individual and organizational commitment to improving women’s health and voter participation statewide, and support a vision to make NC the best place for all people to Thrive. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park and member of Grace Bible Fellowship church in Cary, NC.