Governance
The official governing body of Gaston College is the Board of Trustees of Gaston College, which consists of 15 members appointed by various agencies and government positions including the Gaston County Board of Education; the Gaston County Board of Commissioners; the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners; the Governor of the State of North Carolina; the NC House; and the NC Senate. The president of the College’s Student Government Association is also a member. Regular board members serve a term of four years commencing on July 1. Standing Board Committees include the Finance and Facilities Committee, the Administrative Services Committee, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee, and the Executive Committee. The Board of Trustees generally meets monthly, but not less than quarterly. Meetings are typically held in the Myers Center Multipurpose room, section C, located on the Dallas Campus.
The current members of the Board of Trustees of Gaston College are as follows:
MR. JESSE CALDWELL
Chair
NC Senate (Term ends 2029)
A resident of Gastonia, Judge Jesse Caldwell, III, has a B.A. in Political Science and Government from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is a Juris Doctor of the University of North Carolina School of Law. Recently retired, he served in private practice as the Chief Public Defender, as Superior Court Judge since 1993, and as Senior Resident Superior Court Judge for Gaston County since 1995. Judge Caldwell is very involved with the community serving as a member on various committees. He has also taught classes at Gaston College, Gardner-Webb University, and was an Adjunct Faculty Member at the Charlotte School of Law.
MS. JANIE PEAK
Vice Chair
Gaston County Board of Commissioners (Term ends 2027)
Ms. Peak is a resident of Gaston County and a lifelong educator. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Secondary Education and a Masters of Arts degree in Education from Lenoir-Rhyne University. She also has a Masters of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina Charlotte. She taught high school English in Gaston County Schools for 38 years and has served on numerous local professional and civic boards and committees.
MS. SHAWNYA GORE, M.D.
Secretary
Gaston County Board of Education (Term ends 2026)
A resident of Belmont, she received a B.S. in Biochemistry from Spelman College and her Medical Doctorate from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. She is very involved in many civic, business, and professional organizations. Currently and for the past 23 years, she works as a physician with CaroMont Internal Medicine.
MR. BILL CARSTARPHEN
Gaston County Board of Commissioners (Term ends 2029)
A native of Gaston County and a McAdenville resident. Mr. Carstarphen earned a BA in Economics from Wofford College and is President and CEO of Pharr McAdenville Corporation. He is a long-time civic volunteer currently serving on several local and regional boards including the Catawba Lands Conservancy and the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden.
MR. ALAN CLONINGER
Governor (Term ends 2026)
A lifelong resident of Gaston County, he received an AS degree from Gaston College, a BS degree from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte in Criminal Justice, and a JD from Campbell University School of Law.
MR. JOHN DANCOFF
Lincoln County Board of Commissioners (Term ends 2026)
A resident of Lincoln County and a Gaston College graduate, he is currently Existing Industry Manager and Small Business Development Manager for the Lincoln Economic Development Association (LEDA). John is actively involved in the community, serving as Chair of the Lincolnton Relay For Life and on the Lincoln County Coalition Against Child Abuse Board.
MR. JONATHAN FLETCHER
Gaston County Board of Education (Term ends 2029)
A resident of Gastonia, Jonathan has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Software and Information Systems (and a minor in history) from UNC Charlotte. He is the Register of Deeds for Gaston County. Jonathan also serves as the Technical Director at Northlake Assembly of God. He volunteers on the Gaston County Animal Care and Enforcement Advisory Board, the Gaston County Industrial Facilities and Pollution Control Financing Authority, and other civic-minded organizations.
MR. STEVE HALL
Gaston County Board of Commissioners (Term ends 2028)
A resident of Bessemer City and a Gaston College graduate, he also retired from Gaston College after a 22-year career in the facilities area. In 2007, he formed High Caliber Athletics Inc., a locally recognized non-profit to help kids in the community that wanted to be involved in sports. He worked with students from all walks of life to challenge them and maximize their talents and abilities.
MS. IRIS HOPPER
Governor (Term ends 2027)
A resident of Gaston County, she is a graduate of Belmont Abbey College with a BA in Business Management and a Minor in Theology. Currently, she is a Project Manager for Duke Energy, where she has 18 years of experience in Energy Operations.
MS. RESA HOYLE
NC Senate (Term ends 2028)
A resident of Dallas and a Gaston College graduate, she went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Lenoir-Rhyne College and a Master of Arts in School Administration from Gardner-Webb University. She retired from Gaston County Schools as a Beginning Teacher Support Coordinator. She serves on the Leadership Gaston Advisory Board and various committees within St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.
MR. STEVE HUFFSTETLER
Gaston County Board of Education (Term ends 2027)
A resident of Gaston County, he is a graduate of Belmont Abbey College with a BA in Business Administration, and the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University, where he received a certificate in Banking and Finance. He retired as Senior VP in Commercial Lending with Alliance Bank and Trust of Gastonia . He also is a community activist serving on many local Boards and Committees.
MR. TOM KEIGHER
Gaston County Board of Commissioners (Term ends 2026)
Born and raised in New Jersey, he received a BA from Belmont Abbey College, and currently is a partner with a local financial group. He serves as a member of the Gaston County Commissioners and on several local boards and civic groups, for example, the CaroMont Health/Gaston Memorial Hospital Board, the Economic Development Commission, and the Transportation Advisory Board.
MR. DAVID LEE
Lincoln County Board of Commissioners (Term ends 2028)
A native of Lebanon Kentucky, he has resided in Denver, NC (Lincoln County) for the past 25 years. He earned a BS in Civil Engineering and retired from Robert Bosch Tool Corporation in 2021 after 33 years of service. He has been a long-time civic volunteer serving on several local boards including Lincoln Economic Development Association, Lincoln County Industrial Manager’s Association, Rotary Student Loan Fund of Lincoln County, and the Gaston College Foundation.
MS. JULIE STROUPE
NC House (Term ends 2028)
A resident of Cherryville and a Gaston College graduate, she also has a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Gardner-Webb University. She has been with BB&T, now Truist Financial, since 1998, advancing through various positions and is now a Teammate Banking Specialist. She is an active member of Mount Beulah Baptist Church where she is the organist/pianist, a Sunday School teacher, and Churchwide Missions Educator. She is also active with the Cherryville Little Theater.
MR. BANNOCK SCOTT
Student Government Association (2025-2026)
A resident of Gastonia, he is currently working on both his High School Diploma from Gaston Early College High School and an Associate Degree in Engineering from Gaston College. He is serving as the President of both the Gaston College Student Government Association and the North Carolina Comprehensive Community College Student Government Association (N4CGSA). Bannock is passionate about student leadership and advocacy. He plans to transfer to a four-year university to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering to become a mechanical engineer for amusement ride manufacturers.
Board Meeting Schedule 2025-2026
Board Minutes
2025 Board Minutes
2024 Board Minutes
- January 22, 2024
- February 9, 2024 (Called)
- February 9, 2024 (Retreat)
- March 25, 2024
- May 20, 2024
- June 24, 2024
- August 19, 2024
- September 23, 2024
- November 18, 2024
- December 12, 2024 (Called)
2023 Board Minutes