The Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust is excited to share that Trust President Dr. Laura Gerald has been inducted into The Order of the Long Leaf Pine by Governor Josh Stein. One of the highest civilian honors conferred by the Governor of North Carolina, the award recognizes exemplary service to the state and its communities.
Dr. Gerald and her fellow honorees join a distinguished group of individuals whose service, professional achievements, and civic leadership have made a lasting impact on the state.
“I am thrilled to join The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, and it is an honor to be inducted with such an outstanding group of leaders from the Triad region,” said Dr. Gerald. “It has been my privilege to dedicate my career to improving health care access in my home state of North Carolina. At the Trust, I look forward to continuing the critical work to ensure equitable opportunities for all North Carolinians, regardless of their race or where they live. I love our great state, and I believe that we can create a future where all of our communities are thriving.”
After medical school, Dr. Gerald began her career in her hometown of Lumberton, North Carolina, as a pediatrician. In 2014, Dr. Gerald was appointed to be the North Carolina State Health Director and the Director of the Division of Public Health where she prioritized the importance of addressing social determinants of health to improve health outcomes across the state.
Dr. Gerald became president of the Trust in 2016. Her leadership helped establish a new strategic direction that continues to deepen our commitment to racial equity and systems change. A crucial moment of this journey was our 2022 announcement that the Trust would divest from tobacco and invest $100 million of the foundation’s corpus in socially responsible funds that support economic opportunity for North Carolina residents.
Dr. Gerald is a graduate of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics and holds a bachelor’s degree from Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges, a medical degree from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and a Master of Public Health degree from Harvard University School of Public Health. She is a board-certified pediatrician and fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Gerald’s mother, Helen Thompson Gerald, was inducted into The Order of the Long Leaf Pine in 2011 for her outstanding service to education in Robeson County.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Gerald and her fellow honorees on this meaningful recognition of their service to North Carolina.
Read the announcement from the Office of Governor Josh Stein.