BOARD MEMBERS
Dr. Jim Duncan
Executive Director
Jim is the founder and director of Project Light Rowan. He is a retired Army Lt. Colonel, having served in Vietnam as a Helicopter Pilot and an Infantry Company Commander. He is also a Green Beret Special Forces soldier.
Jim retired from the Pentagon as an Inspector General and started the first high school JROTC unit in Rowan County at South Rowan High School.
Jim has 6 degrees to include a Doctorate of Ministry.
He is the founder of JJ’s Construction Company, Duncan Properties and Project Light Rowan.
Jim is an avid runner and serves in various positions in his church.
He is married to a local girl, Dr. Linda Broadway Duncan, has two children, 10 grandchildren, and 6 great grandchildren.
Susan Baker
Deputy Director
Susan is the Deputy Director of Project Light Rowan. She considers it an honor and privilege to serve our community by spreading awareness of the dangers of human trafficking.
She is a mother of four and grandmother to two children. She works as a full-time financial controller for Robert Half International.
She has earned her Bachelor’s degree and MBA from Pfeiffer University.
She loves Jesus and strives everyday to be a conduit of his love.
Dr. Linda Duncan
Board Secretary
Linda is the Secretary of the Board for Project Light Rowan. She is a native of Rowan County, and is married to the founder and director of Project Light, Dr. Jim Duncan.
Linda has two children, Jeff Duncan and Susan Duncan Baker, Deputy Director of Project Light.
She has ten grandchildren, five great grandchildren and two spoiled cats.
She has earned a Doctorate of Ministry from the Christian Life School of Theology in Columbus, Georgia, and is a faithful member of the Christiana Lutheran Church in Salisbury.
Anna Garrison
Board Member
Born and raised in Salisbury, North Carolina, Anna joined the Board of Directors at Project Light Rowan to help end human trafficking in her home town.
After graduating with a Master's degree from UNC Charlotte, she joined the executive team at Upward Management Group. Anna has a magnetic presence in the workplace and uses her positive attitude and energy to encourage others towards success.
Outside of work, Anna is a part-time wedding planner and enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
Dr. Alberta McLaughlin
Board Member
Alberta is the Police Victim/Witness Advocate for the Salisbury, North Carolina, Police Department (2019 –Present). She is also a survivor of abuse. She first began working with victims of Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence in a Mount Sinai Hospital, NY program. She later relocated to North Carolina to continue her education.
In addition to her academic achievements, she began her career with the Department of Public Safety as a correctional officer in 2006, where she served until 2009. She then changed her career path and worked as a clinical chaplain with the Department of Public Safety for six years as she earned her Doctorate in Ministry. She continued her role as a board-certified chaplain and worked with victims in her community.
Today, she works with victims of all crimes as a system-based victim advocate. She is dedicated to validating and empowering survivors. She supports victims, co-victims, and their families throughout the judicial system. She works closely with law enforcement officers, district attorneys, prosecutors, and court advocates. She brings awareness to the community through public education regarding domestic violence, human trafficking, stalking, identity theft, youth violence, child abuse, and suicide. Through these experiences, she has developed the ability to cultivate great relationships with community partners.
Karla Harvey
Board Member
Karla has over 25 years of experience working in nonprofit management. She has a proven track record in management, training, and process improvement. She holds a Master’s degree in Management and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Services from Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, WI.
Karla has demonstrated her skills in management and training at the Social Development Commission, a community action agency where she led programs providing emergency shelter, housing, food, and supportive services to low-income families. Additionally, she managed administrative grant writing, fundraising, and quality assurance divisions. Karla facilitates strategic planning initiatives, and enterprise risk management (ERM).
Currently, Karla serves as the Training Coordinator for Wellspring Living where she concentrates
on coordinating Human Traffic conferences and facilitating trainings including Human Trafficking,
Adverse Childhood Experiences and Trauma-Informed Practices. Karla served as a Trauma-Informed trainer for Nazareth Child & Family Connection (NCFC), where she led the agency in obtaining accreditation as a Trauma-Informed agency.
Additionally, Karla provided consulting services to the CASA Organization in Atlanta, GA, leveraging her expertise in organizational quality improvement and health management.
Ms. Harvey champions community resilience through her training stemming from the Sanctuary
Model: A trauma-informed approach with a focus on health maintenance, the effects of trauma, adversity, and chronic stress, the effects of trauma regarding brain development, and organizational improvement. She is well versed with the Community Resilience Model, a skilled-based model used to understand the impact of trauma and chronic stress, coupled with tools used to reset the natural balance of the nervous system.
She has provided trauma-informed training to various organizations including Livingstone College staff, YMCA staff, Middle and High School administrators, youth, and Faith-Based Organizations. Karla currently serves as a Board member for Project Light, a Human Trafficking organization in Rowan County.
Her aspiration is to become a licensed therapist to help individuals and families move forward one
step at a time. Karla’s core philosophy is that healing doesn’t mean the damage never existed; it means the damage no longer controls our lives. This belief is reflected in her favorite quote by A. Dubey. She draws inspiration from Philippians 4, which reminds her that she can do all things through Christ who strengthens her.
Judge Chris Sease
Board Member
Bio for Judge Chris Sease coming soon!
Garette Hunter
Board Member
Bio for Garette Hunter coming soon!