County Executive Leadership

Dave Wickersham, Chairman
Dave is a native of Arkansas. He joined the US Navy to see the world and found Judy, the love of his life, in Virginia Beach in 1969. He graduated from Cornell in 1974 and worked for Cornell for the next five years in fisheries research. He has spent the majority of his career in the environmental field for DuPont and Honeywell. Always interested and involved in Republican politics, Dave was elected three times as the mayor of Ilion, NY. Dave is now retired and loving life, his two sons, daughter-in-law, and two precious grandchildren.

Gary Mitchelson,  Vice Chair
Gary is retired from Federal Law Enforcement and is a USAF veteran.  While in the USAF he was assigned to the National Security Agency where he met his wife of 32 years, Barbara.  They moved to Pamlico County in 2015 from Maryland.  Gary supports the County by being a Firefighter and an Emergency Medical Responder with the Florence & Whortonsville Fire Dept. Gary is also NRA Life Member and an Extra Class Amateur Radio Operator.  Gary is the webmaster for the GOP site and Facebook page.

Paul Slobodian, 2nd Vice Chair

Paul is currently is severing as chair and on the board of several organizations.  Those include Chair of Pamlico County Health Advisory Board, Board of Directors Pamlico County Chamber of Commerce (and past President), Board of Directors John Locke Foundation (Raleigh NC).  He is a local developer of Baird Creek Point, a water front community located between Oriental and New Bern.  

Paul previously was VP HR at Quality Dover Corp/Universal.  He was a board member of Excellus Blue Cross/Blue Shield as well as a board member of the New York State Association of the United Way.  He also severed with the New York State Workforce Development Board.  Paul is a former licensed Psychologist in Massachusetts and California.  

Barbara Mitchelson, Secretary
Barbara retired from Department of Defense in 2016 where she spent most of her 35 years working in the Counter-Terrorism field.  Barbara has actively participated with the Pamlico County GOP in many capacities including headquarters scheduling and coverage, Turkey Dinner chairmanship, and poll duties. She has been married to her husband Gary for 33+ years and they have no children.  The Mitchelsons moved to Pamlico County from Maryland in 2015.

Garvin Harrison, Treasurer
Garvin and his wife Janie are both local natives. Garvin returned home after attending Duke University, to work with his father as he transfigured Minnesott Beach from a summertime “swimming and fishing hole” to a year-round retirement and family community. Retired from Bosch (IT), Garvin is currently a tax preparer with H&R Block.

Jennifer Roe, Member-at-large, Action group Election integrity 

Jennifer, a true “down easter”, was born in Otway, NC, the daughter of a dredge boat captain and professional fisherman, Ronald Gillikin. The Gillikin family has lived in the Otway/ Harkers Island area since before the Revolutionary War. They are fishermen, boat builders and small business owners in Eastern North Carolina to this day.

Jennifer attended Havelock High School, where she ran track and was a member of the Pep Club. She studied at Wilson Technical Institute focusing on business management.

Her varied career has taken Jennifer from North Carolina to Europe and Asia. She has worked in data processing, office management and sales & hospitality. For 12 years Jennifer oversaw the Highland Industries Guest House located in Greensboro, NC for her husband Frank. This gave Jennifer rich insight into international business practices and customs.

Recently, Jennifer purchased, renovated and created The Magnolia House Bed & Breakfast in Oriental, NC. She manages this business and various other properties in Pamlico County.

Jennifer served as a Town Commissioner for Oriental, member and chairman of the Pamlico County Board of Elections, and is a current member of the Pamlico County Republican Party executive committee.

Frank and Jennifer have two sons and 5 grandchildren. They have had a home in Oriental for 20 years and are members of the Oriental United Methodists Church.

Kelly Slobdian, Member-at-large

Kelly is currently serving the Pamlico GOP as Coordinator/Chair of the “get out the vote",  Phone Calling Campaign for the GOP. She is co-owner and Partner of Pivot Coastal with her husband Paul at their Project/Development of the water front community Baird Creek Point. During the last two major hurricanes with hit Eastern North Carolina, Kelly participated and assisted the local community with hot meal programs.  

Kelly served in the Peace Corps for three years in Micronesia and upon return she worked for the Federal Government in D.C. for ACTION.  She later spent time in Japan as a Staff Writer for the Mainichi Shimbum In Tokyo.  While in Hawaii she wrote a series of articles.  Kelly and her husband Paul moved to North Carolina 15 years ago after raising their family in New York.  

Kathy Neilson, Member-at-large

Denise Meng, Member-at-large

Gordon Allison, Member-at-large

Wayne Hill, Member-at-large

Karen Richard, Member-at-large, Headquarters 

Debra Khouri, Member -at-large, assistant Treasurer

John Ambery, Member-at-large, Action group Election integrity 

Dexter Lui, Member-at-large, Action group 2nd Admendment

Patricia O'Donnell, Member-at-large (website, social media, advertising, graphics)

Precinct Chairs