Friday at the North Carolina Museum of Art, Pamela Brewington Cashwell took the oath of office as secretary of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Cashwell was joined by her husband, David Cashwell and sons as N.C. Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls administered the oath. Cashwell will serve as a member of Governor Josh Stein’s cabinet and oversee the department’s nearly 2,400 employees and more than 100 locations across the state.
“Our state is fortunate to have incredible arts, culture, history, and breathtaking natural landscapes,” said Secretary Cashwell. “I’m excited to get to work at the department dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for all North Carolinians. I hope we can introduce more people to the wonderful parks, trails, museums, and historic sites North Carolina has to offer. Restoring those locations impacted by Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina will be a top priority.”
Cashwell served as secretary at the North Carolina Department of Administration since 2021. She previously served as senior policy advisor and chief deputy secretary for Professional Standards, Policy and Planning at the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, as assistant director at the North Carolina State Ethics Commission, and as a trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division and the Office of Justice Programs at the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Virginia. Hailing from the Coharie and Lumbee tribes of North Carolina, Cashwell is the first American Indian woman to head a cabinet department in North Carolina. Cashwell earned her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.
The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.