Aerial photo of campus buildings surrounded by greenery and the mountains in the background
Julia DuvallJuly 16, 2026

Becky Brown elected chair of WCU Board of Trustees

Ìð¹ÏÊÓÆµapp's Board of Trustees elected Becky Brown as chair during a special called meeting on Thursday, July 9. Brown succeeds Casey Cooper, who completed his term as chair and will continue serving on the board through June 30, 2029.

Photo of Becky Brown

Becky Brown

A retired senior state government leader, Brown brings more than three decades of experience in fiscal management and public administration. She served for 31 years as director of Budget and Management for the North Carolina Department of Labor and is widely respected for her strategic leadership and stewardship of public resources.

A 1971 graduate of WCU, Brown has maintained a longstanding commitment to the university through both leadership and service. She joined the Board of Trustees in 2020 and previously served on WCU's Foundation Board, Alumni Board of Directors and Catamount Club Board. She has also completed executive leadership programs at UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke University.

The board also elected Jake Robinson as vice chair and Susan Strum as secretary.

Photo of Jake Robinson

Jake Robinson

Robinson, a 2010 WCU graduate and president and CEO of Champion Credit Union, has served on the Board of Trustees since 2021. A former Catamount men's basketball standout, he has remained actively engaged with the university through board and committee service.

Photo of Susan Strum

Susan Strum

Strum, who joined the Board of Trustees in 2024, is a 1987 WCU graduate with degrees in biology and chemistry and a master's degree in biochemistry from Wake Forest University. She is head of Assay Development at Sapere Bio and previously served as chair of WCU's College of Arts and Sciences Advancement Council.