Kelly Dockham
Director of Federal Affairs
(919) 843-0050
kellydockham@unc.edu
Kelly (Mixon) Dockham is the Director of Federal Affairs for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has served in this role since January 2018. As director of federal affairs, she represents the University in advocacy before the federal government, regulatory agencies, and key policymakers. Kelly works closely with faculty, students, and administrators to develop and advance UNC Chapel Hill’s federal agenda.
Kelly arrived at UNC Chapel Hill in July 2015 after working ten years in Washington, DC on Capitol Hill and in the private sector. She began her career in 2005 as a professional staff member for her home-district Congressman, Roger Wicker (MS). In late 2006, Kelly was asked to join the staff of U.S. Senator Trent Lott (MS) and worked as his legislative correspondent on a variety of policy issues until his retirement from Congress in December 2007. Following Congressman Wicker’s appointment to fill her former boss’ seat, she served as Legislative Assistant for U.S. Senator Wicker, handling issues related to the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee as well as the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. In 2009, Kelly made the move off Capitol Hill, joining the Breaux-Lott Leadership Group – a bipartisan boutique lobbying firm founded by two former U.S. Senators, John Breaux (D-LA) and Kelly’s former boss Trent Lott (R-MS). In 2010, Kelly accompanied both Breaux and Lott to the Washington, DC based law firm Squire Patton Boggs (formerly Patton Boggs) where she served as Public Policy Advisor until 2015.
She is fortunate to work closely with government relations colleagues in the national higher education community and is currently serving on the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) Council on Governmental Affairs (CGA) Executive Committee. Kelly’s past leadership roles include serving as Biomedical Task Force Chair of the Association of American Universities Council on Federal Relations.
Kelly is a native of Oxford, Mississippi and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). During her time as an undergraduate at Ole Miss, Kelly was fortunate to intern for U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (MS) during his tenure as Chairman of the prominent U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations. She resides in Chapel Hill, North Carolina with her husband, Matthew and daughter Charlotte.
Roxana Keesler
Assistant Director of Federal Affairs
(919) 843-0051
roxana.keesler@unc.edu
Roxana Keesler joined UNC-Chapel Hill’s Office of Federal Affairs as Assistant Director in June 2019. She supports the advancement of UNC’s policy priorities by advocating before elected officials and their staff and collaborating with the campus community. Roxana provides policy updates and legislative analysis to UNC administrators, students, and faculty, and seeks to amplify their work and voices. She has worked closely with government relations colleagues in the higher education community and served as co-Chair of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) Higher Education Task Force from 2021-2023.
Previously, Roxana spent six years in Washington, DC with the Legislative and Public Policy practices of Arnold & Porter and Squire Patton Boggs, where she focused on higher education, healthcare, and technology policy. Her passion for education and federal affairs stems from growing up in a family of educators and her experience working as a congressional intern for former Rep. Mike McIntyre (D-NC). She also has worked with several nonprofits dedicated to early childhood and public health and safety issues. Roxana is a native of Wilmington, North Carolina and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Davidson College.
Roxana resides in Chapel Hill with her husband Andrew.
Chris McClure
Chief Strategic Officer & Secretary of the University
chris_mcclure@unc.edu
(919) 332-9441
Chris McClure is an experienced executive, communications, lobbying and strategy professional.
Chris is a native of Haywood County, North Carolina and a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Prior to returning to Carolina, he served as Executive Vice President, and Chief of Staff for the UNC System Office under Interim President Bill Roper. He also spent several years with the law firm of Brooks Pierce on their Government Affairs team representing an array of different industries and issues both in Raleigh and Washington, D.C.
Chris has held several leadership positions in campaigns and politics. He also previously served as Communications and Government Affairs Coordinator for the N.C. Technology Association. In 2013, Chris was named one of the “Most Influential Lobbyists” in North Carolina by the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research, and again in 2022 by the North State Journal as a “Top Agency Liaison”.
Chris resides in Hillsborough, with his wife, Liz and their two children William, and Anna.
Amy McConkey
Director of State Affairs
(919) 760-3437
amy_mcconkey@unc.edu
Amy McConkey is the Director of State Affairs for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In this role, she represents the University in advocacy before state government, regulatory agencies, and key policymakers. Amy works closely with faculty, students, and administrators to develop and advance UNC-Chapel Hill’s state legislative agenda.
Amy arrived at UNC-Chapel Hill in May 2022 after working for twenty years in and around North Carolina government. She began her career in 2002 as a reporter for NC State Watch (now The Insider, a publication of The Raleigh News & Observer). She then shifted into an advocacy role with the North Carolina Bankers Association, and later worked as a Legislative Specialist at Smith Anderson law firm, working on behalf of clients ranging from non-profit associations to Fortune 500 companies. More recently, Amy spent a decade representing the non-alcoholic beverage industry, where she worked with state and national leaders to pursue solutions to some of the nation’s most pressing public policy challenges. Her final stop before joining UNC-Chapel Hill was as Executive Vice President of a boutique public affairs firm run by former State Senator Tom Apodaca.
Amy is a native of Charlotte, N.C., and attended UNC-Chapel Hill. Writing for The Daily Tar Heel and studying abroad at the University of Sheffield were among her most gratifying college experiences. She graduated in 2002 with two B.A. degrees: one in Journalism and Mass Communication, and another in Political Science. Amy resides in Raleigh with her husband, Brent, and their two children. In her spare time, you can find her scouring estate sales and second-hand stores for vintage treasures or enjoying live music at Cat’s Cradle or another one of the area’s great venues.
Paulette Stroman
Public Affairs Program Administrator
paulette_stroman@unc.edu
Dr. Ivy R. Taylor
Director of Local Relations
irtaylor@sog.unc.edu
Dr. Ivy R. Taylor has been a leader in both government and higher education. She spent twenty years in San Antonio, Texas as an affordable housing advocate, educator, and elected official. Ivy served as Mayor of San Antonio, Texas for three years and as a member of the San Antonio City Council for five years. Her career began as a City of San Antonio employee and included time at an affordable housing nonprofit organization. Her higher education professional experience started with her role as a faculty member in the Public Administration Department at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Ivy also served on the San Antonio Planning Commission, on the boards of San Antonio’s two utilities, and was previously a Commissioner for the San Antonio Urban Renewal Agency.
Her interest in higher education as a tool for community and personal transformation led her to serve on the boards of two universities and then to pursue a doctorate in higher education management. Upon completion of the degree, she was hired to lead a small historically black college in Mississippi where she served from 2020 to 2023.
In 2024, she happily returned to North Carolina to join the team at UNC Chapel Hill as the Director of Local Relations. In that role, she is focused on supporting the efforts of a variety of stakeholders to ensure that the university and surrounding community strategically work together.
Ivy obtained a Master’s Degree in City and Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1998. Her other degrees are from Yale (B.A., 1992) and University of Pennsylvania (Ed.D., 2020). She lives in Cary with her husband, Rodney, and misses her daughter who is in college in Florida.