North Carolina Central University (NCCU) has appointed Avery L. Staley, '93 (BA), chief of staff, effective July 15, 2024.
Staley will report to NCCU Chancellor Karrie G. Dixon and will serve as a key member of the chancellor’s cabinet, providing leadership and direction for change management initiatives, project management and program development.
Staley, an alumnus of NCCU, currently serves as the inaugural vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, N.C., where he was appointed in July 2021. In this role he supervises the Office of Human Resources, Title XI and Compliance, Disability Services and Multi-Cultural Affairs. Staley’s accomplishments include overseeing implementation of a new payroll system, executing a 16-point plan for equity and establishing a campus wide DEI council.
Prior to Lenoir-Rhyne, Staley served as special counsel to former NC Lieutenant Governor Walter Dalton and worked at Livingstone College as a director of corporate relations and foundations and as human resources director. Staley currently serves as a member of the North Carolina Internship Council following his appointment by Governor Roy Cooper. Additionally, he is a member of the Lutheran Services Carolinas Board of Directors and 3T Foundation Board of Directors.
Staley is a proud NCCU alumnus. He earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 1993, was initiated into the Alpha Kappa chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and was elected freshman class president. He also holds a Master of Liberal Arts from Winthrop University and a Juris Doctor from Vermont Law School.
“This is a huge honor and privilege to return and serve my alma mater in this role,” said Staley. “I am eager to work with Chancellor Dixon, administration, faculty, staff, alumni, students and our broader NCCU community.”
Staley married his college sweetheart, Erika, and they have two daughters, Sage and Lark.
