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The North Carolina Aquariums Division is proud to announce new directors at aquariums in Pine Knoll Shores and Roanoke Island. Liz Baird comes to the Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium after serving 24 years at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. She will begin her new position Sept. 2. Larry Warner, who has a 32-year career in museums and aquariums, will serve as director for the Roanoke Island location. He will begin his new position Sept. 3.

Secretary Susi Hamilton of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources issued the following statement after learning of the death of Phil Freelon:
 
We were saddened to learn about the passing this morning of renowned architect, arts advocate and 2017 North Carolina Award winner Phil Freelon.  

N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Susi H. Hamilton announces the appointment of Angela Thorpe as the director of the N.C. African American Heritage Commission (AAHC). Thorpe has served as acting director since September 2018.

The State Archives of North Carolina is excited to announce the establishment of an Oral History Unit within its Special Collections Section. The unit is headed by oral historian Ellen Brooks, a graduate of the Oral History Master of Arts program at Columbia University. She was previously the oral historian at the Wisconsin Veterans Museum. 

State officials have notified families that a man who previously worked at summer camps and other programs run by the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences has been charged in North Carolina and other states with alleged crimes involving children. None of the current charges stem from activities at the Museum.

The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) has announced that Maylon White has been chosen as director for the North Carolina Aquariums Division. White will take over the role on March 4, 2019, and follows the departure of David Griffin, who retired in January after leading the division for 16 years.
 

Jeff Jones has been named superintendent of Stone Mountain State Park in Wilkes and Allegheny counties, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation. Jones succeeds Bill Meyer, who recently retired after 31 years of service to the division. Jones has served as acting superintendent at Stone Mountain State Park since Bill Meyer’s retirement in December 2018. 

N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Susi Hamilton announces the appointment of Joshua Davis as the new Chief Financial Officer for the department.  

A native of Davis, N.C., in Carteret County, he has worked at DNCR for over eight years and previously served as the department’s Strategy and Policy Advisor and the Director of Internal Audit. Prior to working at DNCR, Davis worked at the Office of the State Auditor for seven years as a Financial Auditor and Performance Audit Supervisor.

N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Susi Hamilton announces the appointment of Timothy Owens as the new State Librarian of North Carolina.

The North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA) has named Valerie Hillings as its next Museum director. A Duke University graduate and curator with the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation (Guggenheim) for over 14 years, Hillings is currently curator and associate director of curatorial affairs for the future Guggenheim Abu Dhabi museum. She will join the NCMA on November 1, 2018, when Dr. Larry Wheeler retires after 24 years at the helm of the Museum.