With over 40 years of experience in clinical counseling, Barry Dixon has much knowledge of dealing with the emotional and spiritual well-being of different families and individuals.  Over 25+ years ago, Barry founded and grew Dixon Social Interactive Services, Inc. (DIXON), a local clinical behavioral health agency.  DIXON provides programs such as Substance Abuse Counseling, Family Counseling, Psychological Testing, Forensic Counseling, Psychiatric Comprehensive Services, Parenting Services, and Adult and Adolescent Outpatient Care, Community Support Programs, Peer Support Services, Tailored Care management Services Integrated Care, and Case Management. It was and still is his desire to help as many as he can to live their best life, spiritually, physically, and emotionally.  Barry holds the following credentials: a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology; Masters of Clinical Social Work; Provisional Licensed Substance Abuse Counselor; Certified Mediator; Certified Forensic Counselor; Certified Sex Offender Treatment Specialist, Master Substance Abuse Counselor, Certified Cognitive Behavioral Specialist, and a Certified Triple-P Parent Therapist.  Barry holds many local Board positions in the areas of Human Services. Barry is blessed to be married to his wife of 45 years, Derria N. Dixon.  This wonderful union produced two children; Dana Lauren, NC State University Alumnus and University of Southern California Alumnus, and Dreu Alexander Barry, who is an Alumnus of the University of North Carolina-Charlotte and who is also an Alumnus of Duke University.

Melissa Elliott is the historic first Black and first woman Mayor of the City of Henderson (2023), following eight years on the City Council. A seasoned criminal justice professional, she founded Gang Free Inc. to prevent gang involvement and restore hope to youth and families. Her career spans corrections, gang intelligence, emergency communications, and law enforcement collaboration.

Mayor Elliott is a Certified Community Health Worker Instructor, Certified Peer Support Specialist, and a statewide trainer on human trafficking prevention and response. A human trafficking survivor, she brings lived experience, faith, and policy-driven leadership to her advocacy—centering healing, accountability, and systems change. Grounded in her Christian faith, Mayor Elliott is committed to protecting the vulnerable, advancing just policies, and transforming pain into purpose.

Aminah is an integrative researcher, activist for Indigenous and Black issues, and advocate fighting violence against women and children. Aminah grew up in Pembroke, North Carolina and is a member of the Lumbee Tribe.

Beyond being a Division I track and field athlete in college, Aminah has also channeled her energies into her education having studied biology at East Carolina University and completing a masters in Physiology and Biophysics with a concentration in Integrative Medicine from Georgetown University.

Her research with Breaths Together for a Change centers blending wisdom traditions, Indigenous epistemology, with Western epistemology to test how mindfulness can reduce racial bias and heal historical trauma. She has served as a domestic violence and sexual assault victim advocate, a board member for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women NC Coalition, and created Good Medicine Woman LLC to address gaps in knowledge about Indigenous culture.

She has also written about various issues for Women’s Advance, and about disaster related issues for Southerly Magazine. She is a 2022 ECU 40 under 40 Leadership Award recipient and a NC Central law student.