Elevating Excellence Through Education, Empowerment, and Service
By Greetings, my fellow Paralegal Division members, and welcome to the 2025-2026 bar year! I have the privilege of serving as your Paralegal Division Chair and am excited for the year to come. I would like to take some time to discuss our theme for the year and highlight some of the benefits that come with your membership. It is also my honor to introduce you to this year’s Executive Officers, Council Members, and Committee Co-chairs.
This year, our Council will be embracing the theme of Elevating Excellence: Through Education, Empowerment, and Service — a theme that reflects our dedication to advancing the paralegal profession with purpose and integrity. We recognize that excellence does not happen by chance; it is cultivated through continuous learning, a strong commitment to professional responsibility, and a shared desire to serve our communities with distinction. As a Council, we are focused on providing meaningful educational opportunities that inspire growth, sharpen skills, and prepare our members to meet the evolving demands of the legal profession with confidence.
Through thoughtfully curated educational articles, engaging Power Hours, and focused programming, we aim to empower our members not only with knowledge but also with the tools to lead in their respective roles and workplaces. By fostering collaboration and dialogue around best practices, ethics, and leadership, we are strengthening the foundation of our profession and positioning our members to be trusted, resourceful partners within the legal community.
Finally, we recognize that our work extends beyond ourselves. As legal professionals, we are uniquely positioned to serve and uplift each other and the communities around us. This year, we will seek opportunities to engage in service projects and outreach efforts that align with the NC Bar Foundation’s mission and current community needs. We will be exploring a signature conference to equip you with skills and knowledge to empower you to take on leadership roles in volunteer organizations and associations. We will have several in-person and virtual opportunities for you to connect with fellow Paralegal Division members, including a fall festival, holiday social, Town Hall and roundtable events, CPEs, and more.
Together, through education, empowerment, and service, we will elevate not only our profession but also the broader communities we are privileged to serve. We are happy to have you on this journey with us and hope that it empowers you to elevate your excellence.
Executive Officers and Immediate Past Chair
Sarah White, ACP, NCCP – Chair
I am an Advanced Certified Paralegal (Litigation) through NALA, The Paralegal Association, and a North Carolina State Bar Certified Paralegal with 30 years of experience in the legal field. I currently work as a litigation paralegal with Ragsdale Liggett PLLC focusing on civil litigation and insurance defense. I was the recipient of the North Carolina Bar Association’s 2018 Distinguished Paralegal Award. In addition to Chair, I serve as Co-Chair of the Bylaws Committee.
Andrea is a business litigation paralegal with Smith Anderson. She was the recipient of the North Carolina Bar Association Outstanding Paralegal Pro Bono Service Award in 2024 and is a member of the North Carolina Pro Bono Honor Society for 2022 and 2023. In addition to Vice Chair, Andrea serves as a Section Liaison and Chair of the Long-Range Planning Committee.
Natalie Porter, NCCP – Secretary
Natalie is a North Carolina State Bar Certified Paralegal with almost 20 years of law firm experience. She is the founder of Apricus Paralegal Group and is a member of the North Carolina Pro Bono Honor Society for 2021, 2022, and 2023. In addition to Secretary, Natalie is serving as Co-Chair of the Pro Bono Committee.
Martin Ginsburg, BS, RN – Treasurer
Martin is a freelance paralegal and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the medical and legal fields. Martin is the founder of MarGin Consulting. In addition to Treasurer, Martin is serving as Co-Chair of the CPE Committee. He also was appointed by the President of the Association to serve on the NCBA Minorities in the Profession Committee.
Alice Johnson, NCCP – Immediate Past Chair
Alice is a North Carolina State Bar Certified Paralegal with over 37 years of experience in the legal field and works as a Legal/Integrity Specialist with ABB Inc. In addition to Immediate Past Chair, Alice serves as Co-Chair on the CPE, Diversity and Inclusion, and Nominating Committees, as well as the YLD Liaison. She was also appointed by the President of the Association to serve on the NCBA Programs Committee.
Council Members:
| Terms Ending 2026: | Terms Ending 2027: | Terms Ending 2028: |
| Alexa Lyles Brinegar | Johana Sanchez | Bernice Kendall |
| Lakisha Chichester | Pending | Donna Richardson |
| Paul Ksieniewicz | Kelly Collins | Keyonna Smith |
| Princess Wallace | Yazmeen Gadalla | Zachary Westmoreland |
Committee Chairs:
| Bylaws: | Debbie Harris | Sarah White | |
| CPE: | Alice Johnson | Kimberly Johnson | Martin Ginsburg |
| Diversity & Inclusion: | Alice Johnson | Toni Morgan | |
| Ethics: | Johana Sanchez | Zachary Westmoreland | |
| Long-Range Planning: | Andrea Blosser | ||
| Membership: | Stephanie Crosby | Yazmeen Gadalla | |
| Nominating: | Alice Johnson | Debbie Harris | |
| Pro Bono: | Natalie Porter | Yazmeen Gadalla | |
| Publications: | Peggy Pardue | Rachel Royal | Tina Dadio |
| Section Liaisons: | Andrea Blosser | Lakisha Chichester | |
| Senior Lawyers Liaison: | Debbie Harris | ||
| Young Lawyers Liaison: | Alice Johnson |
The Benefits of Being an NCBA Paralegal Division Member
In moving forward for the new year, my goal is to bring our division closer and for our members to fully utilize the amazing benefits that the North Carolina Bar Association and the Paralegal Division provide to its members. If you weren’t already aware, here are some of the benefits that the NCBA provides to all of its membership:
- Section Membership: NCBA membership includes complimentary access to one of 30+ practice area-specific sections. Take advantage of the many robust benefits of section membership, such as in-person networking opportunities, discounts on section-specific CLE programs, and access to exclusive forms and email forums.
- Expert Series CLE: NCBA membership includes access to up to 12 hours of quality On-Demand CLE annually with Expert Series CLE. Each month, a new 1-hour On-Demand CLE will be made available to add to your CLE account. Once added to your account, you can watch it for up to 90 days.
- NCBA Community Forums: Connect with members of your NCBA Communities, plus access practice-specific resources and forms in the NCBA Community Forums.
- Member Discounts: Save on office supplies, travel, health planning, practice management software, and more. Members also get free, unlimited access to the N.C. Fastcase Web Library with state and federal opinions, statutes and regulations & rules.
- Member Directory: Search for members by name, practice area, and location.
- Events: View and register for upcoming NCBA events, including networking events, informative webinars, pro bono opportunities, and more.
In addition to all of the items mentioned above, the Paralegal Division specifically offers the following opportunities and advantages:
- NCBarBlog – Paralegal Division members receive notice of all new blog posts, including monthly Paralegal Spotlights and quality content specifically tailored for our Division. These blogs are intended to bring insight into our members’ careers, provide educational and instructional content to elevate your skills, and keep you informed of ethical obligations and changes in the law.
- Pro Bono Opportunities – Our Pro Bono Committee is constantly working to provide our Division with opportunities to contribute to the legal community in a meaningful and impactful manner. Stay tuned as opportunities will be shared as they arise.
- Paralegal Division Events – Our Membership Committee plans several networking and membership events throughout the state each bar year. This year, we will be bringing back the always-popular virtual bingo, fall festival, holiday social, and more to be announced.
- Committees – The Division has numerous committees that work constantly to ensure that our members get the most out of their membership. If you would like to be an active force in providing change to our Division, go to Form | North Carolina Bar Association and fill out the form with your committee preferences.
- Annual Meeting and Continuing Paralegal Education – The Division holds its annual meeting and CPE each year in May. The annual meeting is a free event for all division members where we will provide a recap of the Division’s activities over the year and install our new Secretary, Treasurer, and Council Members. This is followed by a paid CPE event with at least six (6) CLE credits, with one (1) hour of Ethics/Professional Responsibility credit. This year’s annual meeting and CPE will be held on May 7-8, 2026 in Asheville.
- Student Scholarship – The Paralegal Division Student Scholarship provides a tuition award to a North Carolina resident enrolled in a North Carolina Qualified Paralegal Studies Program as defined by the North Carolina State Bar (see this list). The scholarship will be paid directly to the school.
- Premier PassMember Giveaway – The Division provides the opportunity for members to win access to the NCBA Premier Passes at the beginning of each bar year. Premier Pass offers virtually unlimited CPE, including tuition-free program admission and around 1,000 On-Demand programs.
- Membership Dues Scholarship – New this year, the Division will award up to five paid NCBA Paralegal Division membership scholarships. The Division recognizes paralegals may be faced with unforeseen financial struggles due to the job market, health, or other factors. Look for more information in the coming months.
If you know someone who is not a member of the NCBA Paralegal Division, please encourage them to join by sharing this link!