OCDP Officer and State Executive Committee Nominations

OCDP will be holding officer and State Executive Committee elections at the upcoming county convention. Registered democrats in Orange County were nominated for the open positions and candidates are listed by position, below.

Lynn McGee

Current involvement in Orange County & NCDP:
• President, OC Democratic Women, and Region 7 Director
• NCDP State Executive Committee Member
• NC Congressional District 4 Data Chair
• Precinct Leader, Coles Store<
• OCDP Google Workspace Administrator
• Campaign Manager for Wendy Padilla, OC School Board (2024)<
• Northern Orange NAACP Chapter member<
• PerSisters Community Outreach Member
• Commissioner, OC Human Relations Commission (2023-2024)

2024 Election Cycle:
• Coles Store precinct tied with North Carrboro as the second highest Democratic voter turnout in Orange County (89.2%)
• Served as Orange County Voter Protection Liaison and coordinated over 600+ poll observers to serve  700+ poll observing shifts during Early Voting and Election Day polling locations.

Professional Experience and Transferable Skills:
• Engineering and Program Management: Mechanical and Chemical Engineer (BSME/BSChE) with career focus in Product Design and Technical Program Management. Recipient of multiple Outstanding Teamwork and Contribution to Science awards from NASA.
• Retired Educator: Education: MS degree in Education, Curriculum, and Instructional Strategies, with 16+ years of experience as a NC licensed public school educator in math, science, and engineering, grades 6-12.  Served as an Engineering Instructor at the NC School of Science and Math for 2 years, and Director for Virtual Programs at the SC Governor School for Science and Mathematics.

Vision for the Future:
• Implement a structured approach to precinct organization utilizing precinct teams, coaches and training
• Reinstate committees for fundraising, community events and special projects
• Deliver consistent, positive messaging to disenfranchised voters (Dems, Unaf, & Rep) via Town Hall events, various forms of multimedia, and community projects
• Collaborate with African American and Hispanic organizations
• Develop Standard Operating Procedures and Document Control System for OCDP

Kevin Argabright

I am Chair of Eastside precinct, president of the Orange County Progressive Caucus, and a working professional for 13 years with a Masters in Engineering. I am Vietnamese-American and have been an Orange County resident for 7 years now–and have just recently started a family here!

A few things I have done:

• With the county’s restarted Progressive Caucus, I strategized our mission, laid out a plan of action, and convinced others who had become disenchanted or burned out with the party to come back and work with me.
• When precinct members asked questions about political news, I took the time to analyze incoming articles and data, breaking down and explaining what’s really being said to promote critical thinking as well as information and data literacy.
• On the Platform and Resolutions Committee for the North Carolina Democratic Party, I read through the resolutions and spoke up when the platform watered down a resolution into something much less meaningful and got it changed to match the original intent.

I am passionate about using my position and my strengths to advocate for others and hold ourselves accountable as allies. I emphasize that priority should be spent making sure democratic voices are not just heard but listened to.

Linda Cohen

As a lifelong Democrat, I have brought my business experience and skills to my volunteer work with the Orange County Democratic Party (OCDP). I am dedicated to OCDP’s mission to elect leaders who support the values of the Democratic Party.

Current involvement with Orange County:

• Precinct Vice Chair, North Carrboro
• OCDP 2nd Vice Chair
• OCDP Office Administration Chair
• OCDP Website Content Creator & Administrator
• County Election Liaison, NCDP Voter Protection Team
• OC Democratic Women, Vice Chair
• League of Women Voter’s Observer, OC Board of Election Meetings.

Activities During 2024 Election Cycle:

• Served as member Voter Registration Team
• Was point of contact for Coordinated Campaign staff
• Was liaison for Get Out the Vote canvasses
• Managed compilation and distribution of literature for canvasses
• Provided voter protection expertise to precinct leaders and Coordinated Campaign staff
• Fielded calls from voters about absentee voting and voter ID
•  Managed compilation of poll greeting materials

Managed 2025 Precinct Organizing Cycle:

• Distributed organizing guidance and materials to precinct leaders
• Managed precinct organizing documentation
• Coached precinct leaders on precinct organizing
• Liaised with Data Team on application of activist codes in VoteBuilder

Professional Experience and Transferable Skills

• Retired publishing executive responsible for fast-paced delivery of information and guidance to legal and accounting professionals
• Managed teams across multiple locations, including internation locations, guided by key values of teamwork: passion for work, respectful collaboration, and clear communication.
• Project management expertise and strong problem-solving skills
• Action-oriented and highly responsive to requests for assistance

Vision for the Future

The 2026 elections are critical and we must drive greater voter engagement across all Orange County demographics. It is imperative that OCDP works closely with Precinct Leaders to support them and ensure all precincts are functioning on the highest level.

James Porto

Our founding fathers warned us that demagogues, who we now call “cult leaders,” would try to take over the American Democracy. We have been fortunate that none took traction until now. Donald Trump is a simple-minded cult leader being manipulated by others to destroy democracy in America. His craziness is a distraction for the dismantling of the institutions of government. The plan is to create chaos that evokes protests, then use those protests to declare a state of emergency, which will eventually lead to the declaration of martial law.

This was no secret. I wrote about it in The Essential Guide For Voting. Democrats failed to fully grasp the gravity of the 2024 election. We completely lost the low-information voter and the media wars.

The 2nd Vice Chair has responsibility for training and education. My focus will be to organize training material into a course for new democratic volunteers. The more our active party members know about the organization and operations of the party, the better. We should all be experts on the process.

I will also spend much of my time developing educational material to convince the unaffiliated voter to join Democrats in the fight for democracy.

I will also help develop educational material and actions that will address the low-information voter.

We are in a slow-rolling coup and because it is a relentless drip, we are not confronting it as loudly and as consistently as we should. I will be part of the leadership team that develops a highly visible, consistent, and persistent response to this coup that penetrates the attention span of the low-information voter.

I have the experience and the time to do all these tasks. I am a retired faculty member from UNC-Chapel and have taught and administered educational programs for 30 years.

Below is a summary of my qualifications.

• PHD, Public Policy UNC-Chapel Hill.
• Master of Public Admin, NSCU.
• BA Psychology, Duke University.
• Retired Faculty, School of Public Health, UNC-Chapel Hill. (Taught over 100 classes).
• Committee Member, State Debt Affordability Advisory Committee (2005-2013). Appointed by Speaker of the House
• Board Member, N.C. Capital Facilities Financing Agency (2001-2004). Appointed by Speaker of the House
• Former Mayor Carrboro, NC.
• Chair, Townhall Precinct.
• LtCol USMC Reserve Retired. Served in Viet Nam as a Helicopter Pilot.
• Author: The Essential Guide for Voting: The Case for Voting Democratic in NC.

Below are my relevant skills for the training and educational role of the 2 nd Vice-Chair.

• Developed dozens of courses to be taught both in person and online.
• Taught over 100 classes during the course of my career.
• Taught statistics, storytelling with data, leadership, systems thinking, among many others.
• Expert in Excel, Canvas learning platform, and many other digital platforms.
• Knowledgeable in Latex, a typesetting language, and self-publishing platforms.
• Highly organized and productive.
• Retired, so I have ample time to devote to this important task.

The country is in crisis, and the Democratic party is the last bulwark against the authoritarian forces that Trump has unleashed. It is important that we have talented folks with the ability and time to step forward to contribute to the fight against these forces. I have 30 years of experience in education, and I have the time to make significant contributions to the party’s training and educational goals.

In summary, here are the things I would like to address as 2nd Vice Chair. PUSH back on MAGA and Musk with visible educational material. Set up a Comprehensive Training Program, using Canvas or another LMS. Set up educational outreach to the low-information voter. Develop materials to train and educate Democratic volunteers. Develop material to recruit new Democrats. Support leadership at OCDP and NCDP to regain a democratic narrative from the GOP.

Frank DiMauro

Between December 1991 and January 2001, I have worked in the field of Employee Communications and Marketing Design at UNC-Chapel Hill and UNC Health. Before that I worked as a Communications Officer & subsequently, Design Director for a Canadian Fortune 50 company in Montreal, between 1979 and 1989. I have served in the roles of Media liaison between department and outside agencies; Webmaster/Designer, HR & UNC Health web site; developer of interactive communication modules using web-based technology; Trainer on computer-assisted HR procedures using networking technology, etc.

Charlotte Kirchgessner White

In these unprecedented times, protecting our democracy requires all of us to step up and take action. I’m running for Communications Chair to help our local Democratic Party. Clear, consistent communication is one of the strongest tools we have — and it’s where I can make a real difference.

As the owner of White Space Creative (WeAreWhiteSpace.com), a full-service branding and design studio, I’ve spent 25+ years helping organizations show up confidently, build trust, and inspire action. I’ve created branding, marketing, and fundraising campaigns across print and digital platforms, developed outreach systems, and collaborated with teams to make every message count.

Locally, I’ve co-founded a youth nonprofit (SKJAJAfund.org), volunteered for years with Orange Dems and County to County, and designed GOTV materials to help drive voter engagement. I never miss a chance to make a good protest sign — have Sharpie, will travel. As a lifelong Democrat with deep ties to our community, I’m ready to bring my skills, passion, and commitment to this role and help us connect, grow, and win.

Sheresse Alston

Over the past two years I have led successful voter registration drives in diverse communities, helped increase participation in canvassing and voter participation in St. John precinct. I’ve helped coordinate volunteer efforts for Kamala Harris campaign to enhance volunteer training. I would like to continue to build on efforts that lead to a more powerful party and sustainable communities. I bring a diverse set of skills and experience to 4th vice chair strategic planning, grassroots organizing, and effective communication. I am skilled in GOTV, I excel at fostering partnerships within the community, building strong relationships with local leaders and stakeholders. My problem-solving skills and ability to listen allows me to lead with empathy when I am engaging with my community. I am passionate about people and believe that all should have access to the ballot box. These skills and passions will help secure elections and lead to a better future I would like to serve because I’m deeply committed to the growth of our communities and party’s growth. I cannot afford to check out of the process. First of all, massive tariffs are being instituted, scientist are being fired from health and human services, food aid is being cut, education is being gutted so millionaires and billionaires can fill their pockets with money. I am passionate about increasing voter engagement and making sure our communities remain informed and active in shaping the future of North Carolina. As Fourth Vice Chair, I can leverage my leadership skills to support candidates, engage volunteers, and coordinate efforts that ensure our values are upheld at the county and above.

Michael Fath

I am honored to serve as First Vice Chair of the OCDP and as Chair of the Rogers Eubanks Precinct since its formation. I’ve supported and, at times, assumed the responsibilities of the Secretary, giving me firsthand knowledge of the role. I have also served as Secretary for multiple nonprofit and volunteer boards. My combined experience in executive leadership and precinct organizing strengthens my ability to support timely, transparent communication and documentation within OCDP.

Evan Lister-Shimauchi

Managed R&D projects in private industry and academia. Experienced in running small group meetings, writing reports, and presenting data-driven research. Collaborated in cross-functional teams, including members from sales, production, legal, and marketing departments. Raising a son and working in NC. Record keeping, data management, leading small group meetings, presenting results, report writing, background research, subject matter review, decision-making.

Carol Labrum

Carole became active in North Carolina Democratic Party politics in 2016 upon moving into the area in the Spring of that year, first working for the Clinton campaign to register voters, canvass and phone bank. Thereafter, Carole joined the local activist group Neighbors on Call and served them as a coordinator and administrator. In 2019 she was recruited by her precinct chair to take over as Dogwood
Acres Precinct Chair and has served in that role since for the Orange County Democratic Party (OCDP).

Carole also served as the Secretary for OCDP in 2022 for both the Primary and the Midterm elections of that year.

A highly motivated, detail, and service oriented professional, Carole’s attention to detail and devotion to optimal service are noteworthy. Carole earned her BS from Penn State University’s School of Health and Human Development and her MBA from Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business.

Carole is a sales and marketing professional, currently a consultant. She was Events Director at Blue Hill Event Center at Extraordinary Ventures in 2024. Prior, she was Head of Marketing for ABC Insights, a higher education management data analysis start up here in Chapel Hill. Before moving to NC, Carole was a Realtor in Cape May County, New Jersey for 15 years. Her first career encompassed a dozen years throughout hospitality management from coast to coast in hotel, food and beverage, restaurants, catering, convention services, corporate meeting and event planning and program execution management.

Kevin Lamar Argabright

Strong leader with years of experience managing team members and volunteers. Years of experience in working with people, gathering data to determine root causes of problems, developing and implementing solutions, then monitoring those solutions to ensure the desired outcomes. I feel a great responsibility to utilize my skills where I can to help ensure a good future for my family. I know I’m capable of performing the role, and I know I have the mindset to push the party in the right direction.

Vicki Boyer

I have a deep understanding of NCDP, having served as OCDP Secretary, SEC member 3x’s, 3rd ViceChair AND 1st ViceChair of the 4th District, several times OCDP resolutions chair, state resolutions committee secretary. Work on resolutions in particular makes me very aware of the issues important to our party rank & file & I can do a good job representing Orange County. As SEC member, I always attended every meeting of OCDP–these are the people I represent & it is important to know what they think. Thorough understanding of party organization as well as Robert’s Rules (!). I know what is expected of me & can be relied upon to attend meetings. Working relationships with Dems across NC.

Linda Cohen

As a lifelong Democrat, I have brought my business experience and skills to my volunteer work with the Orange County Democratic Party (OCDP). I am dedicated to OCDP’s mission to elect leaders who support the values of the Democratic Party.

The 2026 elections are critical and we must drive greater voter engagement across all Orange County demographics. It is imperative that OCDP works closely with Precinct Leaders to support them and ensure all precincts are functioning on the highest level.

Michael Fath

I am a life-long Democrat who sees our Democracy in peril and am eager to continue the fight. As a business leader and former management consultant, I can bring a blend of strategic leadership and grassroots organizing skills to the SEC. I would be honored to serve as an SEC Member representing Orange County. I have served in party leadership roles as OCDP First Vice Chair, as a CD4 Executive Committee member and am the Chair of the Rogers Eubanks Precinct since it was formed. These experiences have deepened my understanding of how essential precinct-level organizing is to the strength and success of our party. We are entering a pivotal two-year period, and I believe it is critical to have experienced, dedicated leaders who can bridge the gap between grassroots organizing and state-level advocacy. I want to ensure that the voices of Orange County Democrats—at every level—are heard, respected, and represented at the SEC. Through my leadership roles in the county and district, I have built collaborative relationships across the party and gained insight into how to effectively champion progressive priorities. I take seriously the responsibility of communicating between our county and state party structures and will work hard to keep our members informed and engaged.

John A.Ferguson

Former St. Mary’s Precinct Chair, Former Chair Northern Orange Black Voters Alliance, Former 2nd vice Chair OCDP, Current Vice Chair St. Mary’s Precinct. Work well with members of a group.

Theodore Nollert

I serve on the SEC currently, was just appointed to the finance committee by Chair Clayton, ran the NCDP statewide campus organizing program, and am a member of the Chapel Hill Town Council. I am knowledgeable about organizing and communications.

Sarah O’Brien

I serve as Organizing Director for the North Carolina Democratic Party, leading direct voter contact statewide. My past roles within the Orange Dems includes Co-Executive Director of County-to-County, five years as Colonial Heights precinct chair, and current SEC member since 2023. I’ve also had leadership positions on legislative and county commissioner campaigns. These roles have given me a clear understanding of what candidates and grassroots volunteers need from the State Party. As a staff member, I have firsthand insight into the strategies and infrastructure required to execute the SEC’s vision effectively.

As an organizer for the Democratic Party, my work is to bring people into the party as volunteers and voters. Effective organizing requires clear and timely communication, leveraging technology and data, meticulous attention to detail, team building, and respect for volunteers’ time. Winning elections requires strong party infrastructure, which is governed by the NCDP Plan of Organization. I also bring to the role of SEC member an in-depth knowledge of the Plan and its practical implementation, gained by helping to prepare materials and train party leaders for Precinct Annual Meetings, County Conventions, District Conventions, and biannual SEC meetings.

In a 2-year election cycle, roughly 2500 seats are up for election across North Carolina, with rules and on schedules that vary across the 100 counties. I believe that the State Party exists to prepare Democratic candidates to run strong campaigns at every level and organizing volunteers to help them win. Aligning the work of Democrats across a state as large and diverse as North Carolina is a staggering task. The role of the SEC is to provide direction and set priorities for NCDP, by voting on leadership, budget, and bylaws. As a member of the SEC—and as NCDP’s Organizing Director—all my decisions have been about building Democratic Party that is bold, nimble, and focused on winning elections. I am unabashedly biased in favor of strategies that involve retaining state party staff, year-round direct voter contact, and creating on-ramps to participation in the party. We’ve started to see the impact of these decisions in the form of increased statewide participation in precinct meetings, unprecedented attendance at trainings, and hard-won victories last November. I have the experience to understand how the State Party can best serve candidates and volunteers. I hope I have earned your vote for re-election to the SEC.

James Porto

I am a Vietnam veteran and am watching the Trump administration dismantle the Veteran support system. This is part of the path dictators take. If they cannot co-op the existing military, they dismantle it and form a new one.

Trump is setting up a new force using Immigration and Customs Enforcement as its core element. ICE is becoming Trump’s SS (Hitler’s special bodyguard and elite force called Schutzstaffel).

I want to represent veterans and active-duty service members from Orange County on the State Executive Committee. I would like to work with other members and State Leadership to help organize veterans to fight for democracy.

We are in a slow-rolling coup and because it is a relentless drip, we are not confronting it as loudly and as consistently as we should. I will be part of a veteran leadership team that develops a highly visible, consistent, and persistent response to this coup that penetrates the attention span of the low-information veteran voter.

Cassie Rice

Growing up in a political household, I learned early on that government has the ability to improve all lives. My grandmother, in particular, taught me to give a voice to those who do not have one and to stand for what is right, no matter the cost. Instilled with the passion that government can be a force for good and equality, I began my professional career working for the campaign to reelect Congressman David Price. After the campaign, I joined Rep. Price’s staff and worked for seven years in both his Washington and Raleigh offices.

I am the recipient of a master’s degree in political science from UNC and a master’s degree in European studies from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. My graduate studies in Sweden allowed me to see first-hand how gender-neutral statewide policies have altered perceptions and interactions between the genders.

A North Carolina native, I currently live in Chapel Hill with my husband, three children, and two dogs. In my free time I enjoy practicing yoga and spending time in nature with my family.

Charles Suñé

I am a life-long Democrat growing up in Raleigh and working on campaigns for Democrats since before I could vote. Above all, I believe our party stands for equal opportunity for all Americans, and for me this commitment is personal. It started with my grandmother who as a suffragette fought for the right for women to vote, followed by my father who moved from Puerto Rico to the mainland US seeking a better life for himself and his family. I learned we can all make a difference in this country and that’s why I am involved in the Democratic party.

I have lived in Carrboro since 1998 and served as Chair of the Carrboro precinct for two years and was re-elected this year to another two-year term. I also organized and led the Suburban Precincts Organizing Team (SPOT), to bring together the precincts of Chapel Hill and Carrboro, developing outreach strategies to increase voter turnout, particularly among newly registered and Latino voters.
I have a passion for success and my broad professional experience as a Product Portfolio Director has provided me with insights into building diverse teams to address complex problems and deliver innovative and sustainable products that make a difference in people’s lives. Together, I believe these personal and professional experiences provide me with the skills to contribute to the success of the SEC.

I appreciate your support and vote to serve as a member of the SEC from the OCDP.

Jeremy Dennis Zettervall

As a lifelong English teacher I have strong communication skills. I can also faithfully represent and advocate for public sector employees, public education, and at risk communities. As a lifelong history and politics junkie I have deep understanding of current social, economic and political issues and the various polices that will affect people’s lives. It’s long past time to abandon the bipartisan neoliberal politics of the 80’s and 90’s. The republican party has been completely captured by Christian Nationalists. People are looking for a party that will fight back tooth and nail for every constitutional right that the Republicans would strip away from us from our freedom of speech to our bodily autonomy. I will work to return the party to it’s New Deal era roots when left wing populism was able to defeat fascism.