The power of connecting with people through common experiences and stories is a hallmark of Blue’s career in service. It is her dedication to excellence and grit that has shaped her leadership and governance style: “If you make a commitment, you have to do it with excellence,” she says. “Give of yourself and be your best. Don’t just be a placeholder.”

She lives this every day and this dedication has helped her to lead organizational vision and educational initiatives and to manage financial systems and budgets.

GETTING STARTED

Blue’s local government career and statewide board service is reflective of her grace and determination to make a difference for others. She serves North Carolinians from Robeson County, her birthplace, as County Manager. Prior to that, Blue held consecutively advancing roles with the county including Assistant County Manager, Finance Director, and Assistant Finance Director. “I couldn’t do what I do now without coming up the ranks in Robeson County.”

She has served on the Local Government Federal Credit Union’s (LGFCU) Eastern Sandhills Advisory Council, the Advisory Board of LGFCU, and the LGFCU Board of Directors from 2012 through 2018. In 2018, Blue left the LGFCU Board to help organize and charter Civic Federal Credit Union, and become one of its first members.

COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY

Her board service focuses on education, finance and local government—all with significant contributions to her local community and state. Specifically, Blue serves as Treasurer for the Civic Board of Directors and is also on the Civic Local Foundation Board. She is also the Vice Chair of the UNC School of Government Board of Directors and Chairs the Committee on University Governance, a position to which she was twice elected (2017 and 2021).  She is actively involved with local Councils of Governments in Robeson, Hoke, Scotland, Bladen and Richmond counties. Blue is a member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and is a graduate of University of North Carolina at Pembroke.  

FUTURE FOCUS

Blue strongly believes in the credit union model to help make a difference in the lives of others. She says Civic stands apart from other financial institutions because of the, 

willingness to go above and beyond. It matters, to go the extra mile and help customers and clients. In most places, people just become a number – there is no relationship.”
 

Looking to the future of the LGFCU and Civic merger, she believes there are “unlimited opportunities for Civic to get to the next level and to best serve our community.”

PAST VOLUNTEERISM, MEMBERSHIPS & ACTIVITIES

•  UNC System President and Chancellors Search Committee (member)
• Committee of UNC System University Personnel (Chair)
• University Finance Committee, Committee of Audit and Risk Management, Committee for Historically Minority Serving Institutions (member)
• Local charity organizations and foundations (member)