Our Board

Board of Directors

Ken Beard serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors for North Carolina National Guard Survivors’ Outreach Fund.

Ken is a retired Brigadier General from the NC National Guard. After serving over 35 years in the military, he retired in 2016 from the position of Assistant Adjutant General-Sustainment. He served as the principal adviser to The Adjutant General for sustainment operations and was responsible for senior oversight of the 113th Sustainment Brigade and the 130th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade. Previous military assignments include Firing Battery, Field Artillery Battalion, and Field Artillery Brigade Command, as well as various staff positions at all levels, including the US Joint Forces Command and the Joint Staff.

Ken holds a B.S in Zoology from NC State University and a Masters in Strategic Studies from the US Army War College.

Ken recently retired (December 2020) from RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company in Winston-Salem, NC after nearly 35 years, last serving in Research and Development as Director of Next Generation Product Development.

Melissa Culbreth serves as Secretary and Chaplain for the North Carolina National Guard Survivors Outreach Fund.

Melissa is a retired Chaplain and Major from the NC Army National Guard. She was medically retired after serving 9 1/2 years. Melissa served as the chaplain for the 230th Brigade Support Battalion under the 30th Brigade Combat Team during their 2009 deployment to Iraq. Subsequently, she served as the chaplain for the 1-130th ARB and the 449th TAB out of Morrisville. Unfortunately, cancer recurred for a 3rd time and Melissa had to medically retire in May 2016.

Melissa holds a B.A in Religion & Christian Ministries from Campbell University, a Master of Divinity from Campbell University Divinity School, and a Masters in Mental Health Counseling from North Carolina Central University.

Melissa continues to serve veterans through a myriad of volunteer work including VFW Post 2740 (Durham), the 30th Infantry Division Association, The Joel Fund, the NCNG Museum and other opportunities as they arise. She also uses her background in chaplaincy and mental health counseling in her work as a life coach where she helps fill the numerous gaps in the mental health system for veterans and civilians. Additionally, Melissa teaches in the Passages program, a program that teaches concepts of community and connection based on how indigenous cultures lived and functioned in communities around the world.

Mike served in the North Carolina Army National Guard for over 35 years, retiring in 2022 as a Lieutenant Colonel. He deployed to Iraq in 2004 with the 30th Armor Brigade Combat Team as an Operations Officer, and in 2008 with the 449th Theater Aviation Brigade as the Logistics Officer. He also deployed in 2016 to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba as the Logistics Planning Officer for the Joint Detention Group (JTG-GTMO).

Mike holds a B.A. in History from the State University of New York at Cortland.

Mike retired from the U.S. Civil Service in 2022. He worked at Joint Forces Headquarters in Raleigh as the Logistics Planning Officer for the North Carolina National Guard.