Chair Philip A. Baddour, III

Serving the Commission since 2017

Governor Roy Cooper designated Philip A. Baddour, III to serve as Chair of the North Carolina Industrial Commission, effective February 7, 2019. Governor Cooper initially appointed Baddour to serve as a Commissioner at the North Carolina Industrial Commission in March 2017, and he was confirmed by the General Assembly in June 2017. Governor Cooper reappointed Baddour to serve a second, six-year term beginning May 1, 2023. Baddour’s reappointment was confirmed by the General Assembly, and he continues to serve as Chair of the Commission. Baddour previously served as a Deputy Commissioner from 2000 through June 2017.

Before joining the Commission, Baddour practiced law in his hometown of Goldsboro, North Carolina from 1996 to 1999, primarily representing plaintiffs in the areas of workers' compensation and tort litigation. In 1999, he joined the North Carolina Department of Justice as an Assistant Attorney General, defending state agencies in workers' compensation and tort claim actions. Baddour also previously served as a JAG Officer in the North Carolina National Guard.

Baddour received his B.A. degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1992 and earned his law degree from Campbell University in 1996.

To e-mail Chair Baddour, click here: Philip.Baddour@ic.nc.gov.

 

Vice-Chair Myra L. Griffin

Serving the Commission since 2018

Governor Roy Cooper designated Myra L. Griffin to serve as Vice-Chair of the North Carolina Industrial Commission, effective February 7, 2019. Griffin initially was appointed by Governor Cooper to serve as a Commissioner on May 3, 2018, effective immediately, and that appointment was confirmed by the North Carolina General Assembly on June 29, 2018. Governor Cooper reappointed Griffin to serve a second, six-year term beginning July 1, 2022. Griffin’s reappointment was confirmed by the General Assembly, and she continues to serve as Vice-Chair of the Commission.

Before her appointment as Commissioner, Griffin served the Commission as an Agency Legal Specialist for former Commissioner Reneé C. Riggsbee and as a Special Deputy Commissioner. She has subsequently served as a Deputy Commissioner since February 18, 2005.

Prior to joining the Commission, Griffin worked as an Assistant Attorney General with the Tort Claims Section of the N.C. Department of Justice. In this capacity, she served as Agency Counsel to the Industrial Commission and Prosecutor with the Workers' Compensation Fraud Investigations Unit.

Myra Griffin received her B.A. degree in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1994 and her J.D. degree, cum laude, from North Carolina Central University School of Law in 1997.

To e-mail Vice-Chair Griffin, click here: Myra.Griffin@ic.nc.gov.

 

Commissioner James C. Gillen

Serving the Commission since 2019

Commissioner James C. Gillen began serving a second six-year term as a Commissioner on the North Carolina Industrial Commission beginning July 1, 2024, following General Assembly confirmation of Governor Roy Cooper’s appointment.

Gillen began his legal career with the Industrial Commission in 1994, working as an Agency Legal Specialist under several Commissioners and as a Special Deputy Commissioner in the Executive Secretary's Office. Gillen then served as a Deputy Commissioner from 2005 until he was confirmed to serve his first term as a Commissioner.

Gillen received his B.A. degree in English from North Carolina State University in 1991 and his J.D. degree from Campbell University School of Law in 1994.

To e-mail Commissioner Gillen, click here: Jim.Gillen@ic.nc.gov.

 

Commissioner Kenneth L. Goodman

Serving the Commission since 2019

Commissioner Kenneth L. Goodman began serving a second six-year term as a Commissioner on the North Carolina Industrial Commission beginning May 1, 2025, following General Assembly confirmation of Governor Josh Stein’s appointment.

For over 40 years, Goodman owned and operated a small retail business in downtown Rockingham, North Carolina, R.W Goodman & Company. Goodman also served as Chief Financial Officer of Richmond Yarns, Inc. for 19 years. In addition to his private sector business background, Goodman has over 8 years of legislative experience. Goodman began serving in the North Carolina House of Representatives in 2011 as the District 66 Representative, and he continued to serve as a legislator until he began serving his first term as a Commissioner on May 1, 2019. While at the General Assembly, Goodman chaired the Ethics Committee, and he was a member of several important committees, including Commerce and Job Development, Education, Finance, and Regulatory Reform.

Goodman also previously served in the United States Army Reserve and the North Carolina National Guard. Goodman received his B.A. degree from Florida State University.

To e-mail Commissioner Goodman, click here: Kenneth.Goodman@ic.nc.gov.

 

Commissioner Adrian A. Phillips

Serving the Commission since 2021

Governor Roy Cooper appointed Adrian A. Phillips to serve as a Commissioner, and she was confirmed by the General Assembly on June 2, 2021.

Prior to her appointment to the Full Commission, Phillips served as a Deputy Commissioner beginning in 2002. Before joining the Commission, she worked as an Assistant Attorney General at the North Carolina Department of Justice where she was assigned to the Industrial Commission as Agency Counsel and Fraud Prosecutor for the Commission’s Fraud Investigation Section. Previously, Phillips prosecuted Medicaid fraud cases for the North Carolina Department of Justice and served as an Assistant District Attorney in former prosecutorial District 9A (Caswell and Person Counties).

Phillips, who is a native of Burlington, North Carolina, received her Juris Doctor from the North Carolina Central University School of Law and her Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry from Bennett College.

To e-mail Commissioner Phillips, click here: Adrian.Phillips@ic.nc.gov.

 

Commissioner Wanda Blanche Taylor

Serving the Commission since 2021

Governor Roy Cooper appointed Wanda Blanche Taylor to serve as a Commissioner, and she was confirmed by the General Assembly on May 20, 2021.

Before serving on the Full Commission, Taylor was the Director of Litigation/Counsel at Key Risk Insurance (a Berkley Company). Prior to that, she served as a Deputy Commissioner at the Industrial Commission for twenty years, including as Chief Deputy Commissioner. She has also represented both employees and employers/insurers in private practice.

Taylor, who is a native of Plymouth, North Carolina, received her Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law and her undergraduate degree at Duke University. She is a Fellow of the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers.

To e-mail Commissioner Taylor, click here: Wanda.Taylor@ic.nc.gov.

 

This page was last updated on 24 September 2021.