University of North Carolina Board of Governors Appoints (and Re-Appoints) Four To FSU Board Of Trustees
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — The University of North Carolina Board of Governors (BOG) made four appointments to the Fayetteville State University (FSU) Board of Trustees (BOT) at its May 15, 2025, meeting. Their terms are from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2029. Brian Pearce and Al Ragland join the board for their first terms. Returning board members include the current Chair, Dr. Kimberly Jeffries Leonard, and Gregory Pinnix.
“I am delighted to welcome Mr. Brian Pearce and Mr. Al Ragland to our Board of Trustees and to welcome back our returning members as we continue the vital work of this university for our students, our community, the state and beyond,” said FSU Chancellor Darrell T. Allison, J.D. “Mr. Pearce and Mr. Ragland, both proud FSU alumni, bring a depth, experience, and influence to the board that is most timely, as FSU is poised to make even greater advancement to further our strategic initiatives. Moreover, I couldn’t be more thrilled to continue working alongside Dr. Kimberly Jeffries Leonard and Mr. Gregory Pinnix, who are also alumni of FSU. Their collective wisdom, leadership and influence has literally mobilized our overall alumni base in the most important areas. Their service has been especially invaluable to me, and FSU is truly fortunate to benefit from their leadership for another four years.”
Meet the newly appointed FSU BOT members:
Brian Pearce ‘08 joins the FSU BOT for his first term. He is the vice president of operations and development at Cape Fear Valley Health System. Pearce’s career at Cape Fear Valley Health System spans several senior leadership roles, including vice president of facilities and emergency management and corporate director of engineering and EMS. Pearce is the immediate past chair of the Greater Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, chair of the Prehospital Committee for the North Carolina Trauma Plane, and a member of the North Carolina EMS Advisory Council. Additionally, he has held past leadership positions, such as chairman of the North Carolina Association of EMS Administrators and commissioner of the North Carolina Emergency Response Commission. Pearce holds an associate degree in emergency medical science from Davidson Community College, a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from North Carolina State University, and a Master of Business Administration from Fayetteville State University.
Al Ragland ‘76 joins the FSU BOT for his first term. He is an executive search expert and HR/business consultant for AHK Global Resource LLC. Ragland is a passionate and innovative leader with experience managing multiple human resource functions for various companies. He is a highly effective and results-driven individual with broad experience in publicly traded and privately held organizations. Ragland has proven to work successfully with all organizational levels, including human resources HR, functional leadership teams, and global teams across various industries. He is adept at effectively implementing business strategies and HR practices that align with organizational goals. Ragland is an alumnus of Fayetteville State University.
Dr. Kimberly L. Jeffries Leonard ’86 returns to the FSU BOT, having served as chair for 2023-2025. Dr. Jeffries Leonard has a lifelong commitment to public service, exemplified throughout her successful professional, academic, and civic endeavors. She serves as president and CEO of Envision Consulting, LLC, a boutique public health consulting firm specializing in strategic and innovative executive-level solutions for public, private, and government entities. She also serves as the chair of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Inc. board of directors. Jeffries Leonard has over 40 years of experience in applied health and behavioral medicine research, evaluation, and training. She has served as a spokesperson for federal and state government initiatives and several organizations with interests related to public health. Jeffries Leonard earned a Ph.D. in psychology from Howard University, a Master of Science in psychology from North Carolina Central University and a Bachelor of Science in psychology from Fayetteville State University.
Gregory Pinnix ’95 returns to the FSU BOT for a second term. Pinnix currently works for ActivTrak as the head of sales development. Pinnix is responsible for driving opportunities and revenue for the largest segment of ActivTrak’s potential customers while establishing sales targets for team and individual representatives. He was formerly the director of sales and development at Pendo, a technology company in Raleigh, North Carolina, providing robust analytics and user feedback to companies. Pinnix is an expert in enhancing existing revenue streams while developing new ones to drive the organization’s overall impact and reach their goals. He graduated from Fayetteville State University with a Bachelor of Science in economics