History Made in the Town of Weldon

The Weldon Town of Commissioners recently voted to appoint Katherine Parker as the new Director of Administrative Services (Town Clerk).  Ms. Katherine Parker is the first African American to be hired in this position for the town.

A Weldon native, Katherine G. Parker received her B.A. in English from Bennett College in 2011. She received her Masters in Public Administration from Clark Atlanta University in 2014. During graduate school, she focused her studies to issues involving policy, children, community and economic development. While in Atlanta, Katherine worked at Robert W. Woodruff Library as a Graduate Research Assistant. While in graduate school, Katherine developed her research policy skills working with Edgecombe County’s Cooperative Extension Office, the Office of Governor Beverly Perdue and the United States House of Representatives, Congressman G. K. Butterfield.  Her graduate final presentation included research on the dynamics of the Roanoke Valley, including a focus on the Town Of Weldon and the recreational needs for children.  Katherine’s thesis (exit paper) was “A Systems Theory Approach to Building a Strategic Operational Plan for the Development of Shiloah Landing in Edgecombe County, North Carolina”.    

Returning to North Carolina in 2014, Katherine previously worked at the Northampton County Manager’s Office where she assisted the Clerk to the Board, completed numerous projects and policies for the County Manager and the Board of Commissioners. She also served as a committee member to coordinate the “Weldon Back to School Bash” in 2015.  Katherine joined the Weldon Police Department in 2016 as the Public Information Officer/Administrative Assistant, with a focus on coordinating various community policing events and managing the various social media networks.    

Town Commissioner Susie Adams stated “Ms. Parker brings a fresh and updated outlook to accomplishing administrative task.  I am proud to be apart of a town that advocated hiring from within when at all possible.”

Currently, Katherine continues to volunteer in the community with the Eastern North Carolina Alumnae Chapter of Bennett College, serving as Financial Secretary, and the Enfield-Roanoke Rapids Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. She is also a May 2016 graduate from the Rural Economic Development Institute (REDI) XXVI Class. Katherine enjoys music, dancing and learning about the global community. She is the daughter of Dr. Mae B. Parker, granddaughter of Mrs. Erma H. Reese and has three siblings. •