Introduction

In August 2005, the North Carolina State Lottery Act (H. 1023) and the 2005 Appropriations Act ( 622) was signed into law, which established the North Carolina Education Lottery. View Legislation.
The act created the 9-member North Carolina Lottery Commission to initiate, supervise, and administer the education lottery. The Commission was appointed in September 2005, with Dr. Charles Sanders of Durham as its first chair and its initial meeting was held on October 6, 2005. On November 17, 2005, the Commission hired Thomas N. Shaheen as Executive Director. Shaheen served as Executive Director from December 5, 2005 through September 17, 2010.

Following his resignation, Alice Garland was appointed by the NCEL Commission Chairman as Executive Director on January 19, 2011. Key staff members and their areas of responsibility include:

Alice Garland – Executive Director
Sam Hammett – Deputy Executive Director, Sales
Bill Jourdain – Deputy Executive Director, Finance/Administration/Security
Deborah Doty – Deputy Executive Director of MIS and Gaming Systems
Lou Ann Russell – Deputy Executive Director, Marketing/Advertising & Corporate Communications
Quan Kirk – General Counsel

100 percent of the net proceeds of the North Carolina Education Lottery will go to education expenses, including reduced class size in early grades, academic prekindergarten programs, school construction, and scholarships for needy college and university students.