Four area residents have been selected as members of the 55-member Leadership North Carolina (LNC) Class XXIII for 2015-16, according to a news release.

They are Kathy Browder, associate dean at University of North Carolina Wilmington's College of Health & Human Services; Debbie Elliott, president of public relations firm Talk Inc.; Velva Jenkins, vice president of continuing education, economic and workforce development at Brunswick Community College; and Patrick O’Bryant, territory account lead for Johnson & Johnson.

Leadership North Carolina’s mission is “to inform, develop, and engage committed leaders by broadening their understanding of and involvement in issues and opportunities facing North Carolina,” according to the release. The program aims to cultivate a network of individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences who share a deep commitment to their state.

There are now nearly 1,000 graduates of the program whose “continued ties to LNC and to one another provide them with rich opportunities for serving North Carolina,” the release stated. 

LNC sessions are held around the state, highlighting the social, geographic, and economic diversity of North Carolina, the release stated. Meetings this year will convene in Boone, Raleigh, Greensboro, Charlotte, Wilmington and Asheville.