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Attorney General Josh Stein Honors Four Southeastern North Carolinians with Dogwood Awards

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, November 23, 2021

Contact: Nazneen Ahmed (919) 716-0060

Note: Photos of all 2021 Dogwood Award recipients are available here. Video of the awards ceremony is available here.

(RALEIGH) Attorney General Josh Stein today awarded four southeastern North Carolina leaders with the Attorney General’s Dogwood Award. The attorney general distributes these awards annually to honor North Carolinians who work to keep people safe, healthy, and happy in their communities.

Deborah Dicks Maxwell, North Carolina NAACP, Wilmington

“It’s been an honor to serve on the Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice with Deborah,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “I’ve seen firsthand how dedicated she is to building a more equal North Carolina and ensuring that our criminal justice system both keeps people safe and treats everyone fairly. We’re all better off for having her champion equality and justice as president of the North Carolina NAACP.”

Deborah Dicks Maxwell is president of the North Carolina NAACP and a member of the Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice.

Kemp Burdette, Cape Fear River Watch

“North Carolina has long been at the forefront of discussing the harms of PFAS, or forever chemicals, to our drinking water and people’s health,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “That’s in part because of Kemp and Cape Fear River Watch, which have been vocal in calling for attention to the growing dangers of PFAS contamination and the immediate need for the companies that made this mess to clean them up. Kemp’s advocacy is helping us make sure all North Carolinians have clean drinking water.”

Kemp Burdette is the Cape Fear Riverkeeper in Wilmington.

Margaret D. Bordeaux

“Margaret has built a career on helping make sure that people with addiction get the treatment they need to recover,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “Her work helps open up pathways to treatment and recovery for people across our state, and it helps our state find the best solutions for each community. I’m grateful for her dedication to fighting the opioid crisis and getting treatment to those who need it.”

Margaret Bordeaux is the Justice-Involved Overdose Prevention specialist with the North Carolina Division of Public Health’s Injury and Violence Prevention Branch and is based in Wilmington.

Sara LaVere

“Elections are the heart of our democracy, and the workers who carry them out are heroes,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “Unfortunately, we’ve seen the spread of baseless, misinformed claims about last year’s elections. Sara represents the integrity of our election workers. She made sure her mother’s mail-in ballot was discounted after she sadly passed away. Sara did the right thing, and her actions – and the actions of other election administrators and millions of voters across North Carolina – ensured a secure, legitimate election.”

Sara LeVere is director of elections in Brunswick County.

The 2021 Dogwood Award recipients are:

  1. Dr. Rasheeda Monroe, The Sister Circle, Cary
  2. Dr. Netasha McLawhorn, The Sister Circle, Raleigh
  3. Dr. Michele Benoit-Wilson, The Sister Circle, Raleigh
  4. Dr. Tiffany Lowe-Payne, The Sister Circle, Wendell
  5. Dr. Jacqueline Hicks, The Sister Circle, Zebulon
  6. Dr. Nerissa M. Price, The Sister Circle, Raleigh
  7. Lowe’s Home Improvement, Mooresville
  8. President Deborah Dicks Maxwell, North Carolina NAACP, Wilmington
  9. Dr. Kerianne Crockett, North Carolina Obstetrical and Gynecological Society, ECU Brody School of Medicine, and Vidant Medical Center, Greenville
  10. Kristie Puckett Williams, American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina, Charlotte
  11. Secretary Eddie Buffaloe, North Carolina Department of Public Safety, Raleigh
  12. Sheriff Quentin Miller, Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, Asheville
  13. Officer Stephanie Collins, Fayetteville Police Department, Fayetteville
  14. Ingram Bell, Gate City Coalition, Greensboro
  15. Linda Combs, sexual assault Survivor and advocate, Fayetteville
  16. Sue and Rod Lee, HeartWorks, Bayboro
  17. Karen Prince, HeartWorks, Bayboro
  18. Chief Chris Blue, Chapel Hill Police Department, Chapel Hill
  19. District Attorney Matt Scott, Robeson County, Lumberton
  20. Sen. Jim Burgin, District 12 (Harnett, Johnson, and Lee counties), Angier
  21. Kemp Burdette, Cape Fear River Watch, Wilmington
  22. Margaret D. Bordeaux, North Carolina Division of Public Health’s Injury and Violence Prevention Branch, Wilmington
  23. Major Elijah Bazemore, Durham County Sheriff’s Office, Durham
  24. Kevin Leonard, North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, Apex
  25. Sara LaVere, Brunswick County Board of Elections, Brunswick County
  26. Rep. Dean Arp, District 69 (Union County), Monroe
  27. Rep. Jason Saine, District 97 (Lincoln County), Lincolnton
  28. Rep. Donny C. Lambeth, District 75 (Forsyth County), Winston-Salem
  29. Rep. Jake Johnson, District 113 (Henderson, Polk, and Transylvania counties), Mill Springs
  30. Michelle Ellis, Hunter Huss High School, Gastonia
  31. Octavia Hamilton, Isaac Dickson Elementary School, Asheville
  32. Dean Bagnoni, John F. Kennedy High School, Winston-Salem
  33. Christopher Lane, Chapel Hill Police Department, Chapel Hill
  34. Marcus Morris, Scotland Neck Police Department, Scotland Neck
  35. Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, Asheville
  36. Piedmont Land Conservancy, Greensboro

 

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