Leadership Team
College President
Dr. Tracy Mancini became the sixth president of Carteret Community College on June 1, 2020, after having served as the College’s chief academic and student development officer and SACSCOC accreditation liaison for four years.
Having begun her community college career as an adjunct English instructor at Durham Technical Community College in 1994, Dr. Mancini later taught English, Humanities, and Religion there full-time until 2016. She also served as chair of the English & Communications discipline and dean of Arts, Sciences, & University Transfer. She is a past president of the statewide College Transfer Program Association and past co-chair of the Transfer Advisory Committee, which is charged with interpreting and enforcing the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement between the NC Community College System and the UNC System. She served on the strategic planning committees for the NC Community College System’s 2018-2022 and 2022-2025 strategic plans..
She is a member and club service coordinator of the Beaufort Ole Towne Rotary and a proud member of Leadership Carteret’s Class of 2018.
Dr. Mancini earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the College of William and Mary. Her graduate degrees include a Master of Arts in English from the University of North Florida, a Master of Theological Studies from Duke University, and a Doctor of Education in Community College Executive Leadership from Wingate University. Born in northeast Philadelphia and raised in Vineland, New Jersey, she has lived in North Carolina since 1993. Dr. Mancini and her husband, Norris Cotton, reside in Beaufort and enjoy books and movies, kayaking, gardening, and doting on their dogs, Mudge and Buddy.
Vice President of Corporate & Community Education
Perry Harker is a lifelong resident of Carteret County, growing up in Beaufort. He is a graduate of East Carteret High School and East Carolina University’s School of Business. He has been involved in workforce training and administration for more than 30 years.
Harker has worked at Carteret Community College for more than 25 years, serving in various positions (Director of Prison Programs, Small Business Center Director, Occupational Training Director) in his current role, he oversees the college’s workforce training programs. He has served on the boards of the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum, Boys and Girls Club of Coastal Carolina (Executive Committee), and East Carolina Community Development Inc. (Chairman), and Downtown Morehead Revitalization. Harker is past State President of the North Carolina Community College Adult Educators Association, REAL Enterprises (Chair), an entrepreneurship curriculum development non-profit and past Chairman of the Board of Directors for Learning Resources Network (LERN), the world’s largest association in continuing education and lifelong learning. Perry is an elected member of the Carteret County Board of Education (Chair) and serves on the Wells Fargo Advisory Board. He and his wife Sharon (a Beaufort Town Commissioner) have three adult children and a granddaughter.
Vice President of Instruction & Student Support
Dr. Maggie Brown began her career in education in 2000 as an English and journalism instructor at West Craven High School in Craven County. She then worked at Lenoir Community College from 2004-2020 in various roles including full time faculty, Director of Developmental Education, Associate Dean of Arts & Sciences, Associate Dean of Business and Industry, and Dean of Industrial Technologies. She was also a North Carolina Guided Pathways Coach during the 2019-2020 academic year.
Dr. Brown is a graduate of the North Carolina Community College Leadership Program, class of 2016. She completed her Bachelor of Science in English and Secondary Education (1999) and her Master’s Degree in English with a concentration in Writing (2003) from East Carolina University. Dr. Brown received her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, Higher Education in 2019 from Western Carolina University. Dr. Brown’s disquisition was entitled Reversing the Enrollment Decline in Career and Technical Education Career and College Promise Pathways.
Maggie Brown, her husband Chris, and their daughter Annabel reside in Craven County. They enjoy boating, renovation projects, and bicycling.
Vice President of Operations & Facilities
Steve Sparks joined the Carteret Community College family in March 2013 as the Director of Operations and Facilities. In 2018, Sparks was promoted to Vice President of Operations and Facilities and oversees the strategic operation, developmental planning, and implementation for all campus facilities. He also plans, directs, and represents the College during campus construction and renovation projects.
Sparks brings over 29 years’ worth of experience in higher education operations to Carteret Community College. He began his career at NC Wesleyan College in 1991, where he served as Director of Physical Plant. He also served as Physical Plant Director at Louisburg College from 2009 until moving to Carteret County in 2013.
Sparks serves as an Environmental Compliance Peer Auditor and maintains EPA-DOT and RCRA certifications, as well as being NC Pesticide licensed. He also serves as vice president to the NC Association of Community College Facility Operations.
When he’s not roaming campus, Sparks can be found with friends and family enjoying fishing and boating on the crystal coast. Occasionally, he’ll come to shore long enough to spend time enjoying a different sport, hunting.
