Vann Rogerson is a native of Martin County and a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill with a B.S. in Business Administration. During his career as a Certified Public Accountant, he owned or managed several businesses in Williamston and New Bern,NC. Rogerson is credited with starting the first Small Business Center at Martin Community College in 1990.  From 1991 to 1995 Vann was the Northeast Existing Industry Developer for the North Carolina Department of Commerce. From 1996-2006, Vann was the Regional Marketing Director and Recruiter for both the Northeast Commission and the North Carolina Department of Commerce.  In August 2006, the board named Vann Rogerson, President and CEO of North Carolina’s Northeast Commission.On January 1, 2015, NC’s Northeast merged with NCEast and Vann became the Senior VP of NCEast.  Vann now serves as the President / CEO.

Trey Goodson graduated from East Carolina University in May 2018 with a Bachelors of Science in Management with a concentration in International Business and a minor in German. He joined NC East Alliance as an intern and was hired on full time in June 2019 as Director of Marketing and Communications. Trey currently manages the day to day marketing operations of NC East including business recruitment. Trey also serves on a number of community boards including Rivers East Workforce Development Board, Northeast Workforce Development Board, NERSBA Early College, and Greenville United FC.

Bianca Shoneman is an award-winning development practitioner with over 20 years of experience advancing vibrant communities through innovative investments and cultural initiatives.

As the Vice President of Community Development, Bianca brings her expertise in strategic planning, placemaking, and economic revitalization to foster growth and create meaningful connections within the communities she serves. Over her career, she has been awarded millions of dollars in grants, crafted zoning ordinances, facilitated design guidelines, and led impactful initiatives that have won national recognition. Her commitment to community extends beyond borders, having brought potable water to a rural village in El Salvador.

During her tenure as CEO of the Cool Spring Downtown District in Fayetteville, NC, Bianca spearheaded transformative growth, including over 800,000 GSF of new and adaptive reuse construction projects, organizing over 100 community events, and tripling the organization’s operating budget. She is passionate about celebrating the uniqueness of each community and building upon its assets to create places people love.

 

Lauren Phillips Raynor is the Director of Marketing and Communications for NC East Alliance. Prior to joining NC East Alliance, she served as Director of Marketing and Communications for the Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce, where she led social media strategy, promotional content, advertising initiatives, and the production of Glimpse Magazine. Her work has played a key role in enhancing regional economic and business development efforts across eastern North Carolina. Raynor holds a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Sports Science with a minor in Communications from Meredith College and a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Digital Communication.

Bebe Major joined NC East Alliance in June 2024 as the Event and Program Coordinator, primarily supporting STEM East, the organization’s education initiative. She later transitioned into a full-time role, expanding her responsibilities to include coordinating special events and projects, as well as overseeing office operations.

A proud retiree of Beaufort County Community College (BCCC), Bebe dedicated 30 years to advancing the institution’s mission. After retiring, she remained actively involved in education through part-time roles at both BCCC and Beaufort County Schools. From July 2020 to 2024, she also served as Executive Assistant to the President at Martin Community College.

With a distinguished career in the North Carolina Community College System, Bebe has played a key role in planning and executing a variety of events, initiatives, and community programs. Her passion for education, commitment to community engagement, and exceptional organizational skills continue to make a lasting impact across the region.

Mackenzie Pope serves as the Program and Research Assistant at NC East Alliance. Prior to joining NC East, she worked in operations with the NC State University football team, collaborating closely with the Operations staff to manage team logistics, including travel coordination, scheduling, and personnel information. Mackenzie holds a Bachelor of Science in Sport Management from North Carolina State University, with minors in Business Administration and Psychology.

Julia “Julie” Crippen is a seasoned grants professional with over a decade of experience leading high-impact grant initiatives across higher education and local government sectors. As the Grants Oversight of the NC East Alliance, she specializes in identifying funding opportunities, managing cross-functional teams, and securing resources that fuel community growth, education, and workforce development.

From 2022 to 2024, Julia served as Grants Manager at the Mid-East Commission, managing local government grant projects and navigating the complexities of federal grants management. She spent over 12 years in Grants Management and Teaching in the NC Community College System, retiring as Compliance Director, Wake Tech Community College, where she advised senior leadership and developed tracking systems for $72 million in American Rescue Plan funding.

Previously, as Executive Director of the Grants Management Office at Pitt Community College, she led 30+ grant proposals through 20 teams—achieving a 78% win rate and securing $38 million. Earlier, at Beaufort County Community College, she advanced mentoring, STEM, workforce development, and academic retention initiatives.

Prior to Grants Management, Julia served NC as a K–12 teacher and was Wilson County Teacher of the Year. She and her husband, Scott, live in Pitt County and have two children and three grandchildren.

Hannah Jones’ early work history focused on bookkeeping and special project management.  Hired by NC’s Northeast Commission in January 2006, Hannah has worked closely with senior staff, the county developers, tourism professionals, and chamber executives to promote NC’s Northeast Region.

Ms. Jones was the primary contact for tourism for the region, often leading group tour and other tourism initiatives.  Hannah is recognized as a certified “Travel Marketing Professional” by the Southeast Tourism Society.  She has completed the Basic Economic Development Course at the UNC School of Government. On January 1, 2015, NCEast hired Hannah as a Special Projects Coordinator and then on September 1, 2019, she was promoted to Finance Officer.

Mark Hill serves as the Comptroller for NC East, bringing more than 27 years of management experience and over three decades in the non-profit sector. In his role, Mark leads the organization’s financial strategy and operations, ensuring sound fiscal management and alignment with NC East’s mission. He brings deep expertise in fund accounting, grant compliance, and financial reporting, playing a critical role in maintaining the organization’s financial integrity and transparency.