Consolidated Health and Human Services Board appointments approved
Published 1:54 pm Sunday, February 1, 2026
ALBEMARLE — Three appointments and two reappointments for the Consolidated Health and Human Services Board were approved during the Stanly County Board of Commissioners meeting on Jan. 20.
Commissioners unanimously approved the five moves based on recommendations from the Consolidated Health and Human Services Board’s Jan. 8 meeting.
The recommendations were presented to the board by Dolly Clayton, the county’s health and human services director.
“Our Consolidated Health and Human Services Board is our public health board as well as our social services board that were combined together,” Clayton explained. “The commissioners made that consolidation happen at the end of 2017 for 2018. There are currently 21 positions on our board.”
“The public health board has always had specific positions on its board — professional individuals with different disciplines. When they created this consolidated board, it basically combined it all together.”
Dr. Neal Speight was appointed to fill the physician member seat for a four-year term effective Nov. 7, 2025, through Nov. 6, 2029. Speight previously served as a general public member and was recommended to move into the physician role after the seat became vacant.
The physician seat opened following the expiration of Dr. Jenny Hinson’s term on Nov. 6, 2025. Hinson did not seek reappointment, and no other qualified applications were on file for the physician position. After discussion, the board unanimously recommended Speight for the role.
With Speight’s move, Jennifer Lehn was appointed to fill the vacated general public member seat. Lehn will serve the remainder of the four-year term effective Feb. 5, 2026, through Nov. 6, 2027.
Sharon Efird was appointed to the pharmacist member seat for a four-year term effective Nov. 7, 2025, through Nov. 6, 2029. The seat was vacant, and the board received two qualified applications. After discussion and a majority vote, Efird was selected over Sean Pickler.
Dr. James Link was reappointed to serve a four-year term as the veterinarian member effective Nov. 7, 2025, through Nov. 6, 2029. Link previously served a partial two-year term after Dr. Amy Jordan resigned her position and was the only qualified applicant for the seat.
Seena Koohestani was also reappointed to the board as the consumer of human services member. His four-year term will run from March 4, 2026, through March 3, 2030.
The Stanly County Board of Commissioners will hold its next regular meeting on Monday night at 6 p.m. in the Gene McIntyre Meeting Room at Stanly County Commons.