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North Carolina Office of Violence Prevention kicks off advisory board, lays out strategic plan and priorities
Summary
The Office of Violence Prevention opened its first advisory-board meeting for the 2025'027 term, introduced 24 board members across sectors, and reviewed a strategic plan centered on collaboration, workforce development and community empowerment.
Ciara Scott, director of the North Carolina Office of Violence Prevention, opened the advisory board's first meeting of the 2025'027 term and outlined the office's mission and near-term priorities. The office, Scott said, strives to reduce violence and firearm misuse by fostering cross-sector collaboration and applying a public-health approach.
Scott said the office was created by executive order in March 2023 and reestablished by a subsequent executive order in August 2025, and that it is housed at the Public Safety, Department of. She described four core functions — connecting, convening, collaborating and training — and introduced a small staff that includes deputy director Paul Callanan and program coordinators Desiree Lakey, Callie Rockey and Robert Epstein.
The board will have 24 members, Scott said, representing local offices of violence prevention, local government, law enforcement, health departments, nonprofit and faith-based organizations, and academic institutions. Scott called those members the office's "boots on the ground," assigning the board three engagement roles this year: advise on resources and data products, participate in trainings and events, and collaborate on regional meetings and an annual conference.
Scott walked the board through the OVP strategic plan (released November 2024), which she summarized as three goals: enhancing collaboration and coordination (improving interagency data alignment and cross-sector partnerships), strengthening the violence-prevention workforce (establishing core competencies and expanding reach), and preparing and empowering local communities (promoting a public-health approach, trainings and implementation supports).
Scott listed recent office outputs that the board will build on, including county-level violence profiles for all 100 counties, recorded webinars and a resource hub. She also announced logistics for the year: five formal board meetings, one in person on Feb. 18, and a webinar on Feb. 25 focused on how public policy affects violence-prevention initiatives.
The meeting included an interactive Menti exercise in which members flagged motivations and priorities (common answers included "community," "passion," "purpose" and "progress"), and several members asked for practical resources: evidence-based programming ideas, efficiencies for a new office, rural-focused supports and networking opportunities.
Scott closed by asking members to complete a contact form to confirm names and titles for the OVP directory and promised follow-up emails with presenters' contact information, links to resources and next steps.
