Cumberland County Manager Clarence Grier has announced that Faith B. Phillips has been appointed as Assistant County Manager for Environmental and Community Safety effective Oct. 1, 2024. Phillips has served as the Director of the Cumberland County Public Library since May 2021.

Under Phillips’ direction, the Cumberland County Public Library System has experienced significant growth and program development, enhanced community outreach, expanded library services, implemented innovative digital resources, been awarded numerous grants and received local, state and national awards. Most recently, the Library received an Excellence in Innovation Award from the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) for its Community Navigator Program, which seeks to connect unhoused Library patrons with resources to help them improve their lives.

Phillips also recently coordinated the project to renovate the former Dorothy Spainhour School to become an Employee Childcare Center to provide childcare services for County employees.

“Faith has shown exceptional leadership, blending competence with compassion and effectively advancing the library and its place in our community,” said Grier in a press release. “Her track record of managing large-scale projects and her commitment to improving County services were just a few of the reasons I believe she is the right person to fill this assistant county manager position and I look forward to seeing her continued growth within the County and working with her as part of the County’s executive team.”

“I am excited to serve Cumberland County Government and the County’s residents in my new role and look forward to continuing to enhance the quality of life for people across Cumberland County,” said Phillips in a press release. “I have deeply enjoyed serving as the County’s Public Library Director and look forward to continuing to serve in this new capacity alongside so many dedicated County employees.”

Phillips brings a wealth of experience to her new role, having previously served in various capacities with the Wake and Durham County Public Library systems. In Durham County, she managed the Main Library, during its renovation and transformation. Her tenure included roles such as Youth Services Humanities Coordinator and Teen Librarian. Phillips has also been instrumental in securing and managing several grant projects, including the award-winning Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Project Grant for Practicing Inclusivity. Her work, particularly in creating inclusive environments for individuals with special needs as well as her work with youth, earned recognition from the National Association of Counties (NACo) in 2020 and in 2017.

A native of Roanoke Rapids, N.C., Phillips holds a bachelor’s degree in History and Religion from Duke University and a master’s degree in Library Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.