Chris Lumsden Appointed to State Board of Community Colleges

August 21, 2025

RALEIGH, N.C. – Chris A. Lumsden, a retired healthcare executive and longtime higher education and community leader, has been appointed to the State Board of Community Colleges. Lumsden was appointed to the Board by House Speaker Destin Hall in August and was formally sworn in at Surry Community College during a ceremony with President Dr. David Shockley.

Lumsden brings more than four decades of leadership experience in healthcare, education, and workforce development, strengthening the Board’s commitment to advancing access, student success, and workforce alignment.

He most recently served as President and CEO of Northern Regional Hospital in Mount Airy from 2018 until his retirement in 2024. Under his leadership, the hospital was recognized as a Top 100 Community Hospital in the United States, earned a 5-Star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and secured more than $28 million in state grants to expand services. Before that, he served for 30 years as CEO of Halifax Regional Health System in Virginia, overseeing more than 1,200 employees and earning national recognition for patient safety, quality of care, and
employee satisfaction.

Beyond healthcare, Lumsden has held significant roles in higher education governance, including Chairman of the Virginia Community College System Board of Trustees and founding chairman of the VCCS Foundation for Community Colleges.

“I’m honored to serve on the State Board of Community Colleges at such an important time for our colleges and students,” Lumsden said. “Community colleges have always been a cornerstone of workforce development and opportunity, and I look forward to supporting their mission across North Carolina.”

In 2024, Lumsden was part of the team honored with the inaugural Workforce Development Pinnacle Award—specifically the Apprenticeship Champion category—awarded by the State Board of Community Colleges. Northern Regional Hospital, under his leadership, partnered with Surry Community College and Surry-Yadkin Works to address the nursing shortage in rural Surry and Yadkin Counties by creating the first youth-apprentice program for healthcare professionals in the state. This innovative program enrolled high school students in structured pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship pathways that enabled them to earn credentials and gain hands-on healthcare experience, helping to build a local, sustainable nursing pipeline.

Lumsden’s appointment adds another respected voice to the Board alongside other recently appointed members. Read more about other recent board member appointments.

A native of Roanoke, Virginia, Lumsden is a graduate of Bridgewater College and earned his master’s degree from George Washington University. He and his wife, Linda, have been married for 44 years and are the proud parents of two children and one grandson.

Media Contact:
Nathan Hardin
Executive Director of Communications
North Carolina Community College System
hardinn@nccommunitycolleges.edu
704.787.2649