Elevra Community Anne Purcell About

Anne Purcell is a retired school administrator who spent her career serving Orange County Schools. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree in middle school education from Elon College, as well as a master’s degree in school administration from N.C. State University. 

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Anne most recently served as a principal with Orange County Schools. She previously worked as director of student services for the district, overseeing student-focused programs and serving as a liaison between families, schools, and central administration.

Anne Purcell is currently a member of the Orange County Board of Education. She was first elected in 2022 and is serving her first term. She is chair of the board.

Board of Education - Orange County School District

Anne is currently a member of the Orange County Board of Education. She was first elected in 2022 and is serving her first term.

As of April 6, 2026, Anne Purcell did not have a website or any information online.

School Facilities & Resources

Access to Education

Teachers

Said during a Chamber of Commerce roundtable event, "some LGBTQIA+-inclusive books would be better kept in the guidance counselor’s office...It’s giving them a chance to have somebody to talk to...It’s giving them an opportunity to not be checking something out in the media center where other children are looking at them and may taunt them or bully them."

Supports making certain LGBTQIA+-inclusive books available through guidance counselors to give students privacy, support, and help reduce bullying.

- Supports making certain LGBTQIA+-inclusive books available through guidance counselors to give students privacy, support, and help reduce bullying.

School Curriculum

Student Wellbeing

Facebook

Anne Purcell

Buket Urgen

Lori Russell is originally from Alamance County. She earned a bachelor's degree in economics and religion from Emory University and a law degree from Duke University. Lori is a parent of three children and is raising her family in Orange County.

Lori currently works as a senior vice president of public and government affairs and chief compliance officer at bioMérieux, an international medical device company. She previously worked as interim head of legal, intellectual property, and corporate integrity at bioMérieux, global export compliance director, a small business development advisor with the U.S. Peace Corps, a campaign manager at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and a cross-cultural business skills specialist.

Lori's campaign for the Orange County Board of Education is her first run for public office.

Candidate website

For Candidate Lori Russell on Issue school-services-resources: Advocates for thoughtful, ethical governance by actively listening to diverse communities, grounding decisions in data and experience, and ensuring clear communication and accountability for outcomes.

Emphasizes that schools need to be well-resourced so decisions made at the board level translate into real support for students and classrooms.

- Emphasizes that schools need to be well-resourced so decisions made at the board level translate into real support for students and classrooms.

Supports equal access to educational opportunities and services, with attention to students with additional needs and families navigating complex systems.

- Supports equal access to educational opportunities and services, with attention to students with additional needs and families navigating complex systems.

Agrees with the idea that educators should be respected, supported, and meaningfully included in decisions that affect their work.

- Agrees with the idea that educators should be respected, supported, and meaningfully included in decisions that affect their work.

As of April 6, 2026, Lori Russell’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Emphasizes student wellbeing through belonging, mental health support, strong relationships, and community connection.

- Emphasizes student wellbeing through belonging, mental health support, strong relationships, and community connection.

Lori Russell

Sarah Smylie has a bachelor's degree in public policy from Brown University and a master's degree in public administration and non profit/public/organizational management from Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

Who's Running: Orange County County Commission and School ...

Sarah works as a talent strategy consultant. She previously worked as a director of talent strategy and acquisition and director of admissions for Teach For America, and as a public school teacher, institutional analyst, and independent consultant. 

Sarah currently serves as the County Board of Education for Orange County. She was first elected in 2018 and is serving her second term. 


OCS Board of Education expands lunch programs, approves extra ...

Voted to expand meal option services for low income areas to include additional elementary schools.

Supported additional pay supplements for Orange County Schools bus drivers.

Voted to remove student meal charge caps, allowing students to charge meals when funds were unavailable.

- Voted to expand meal option services for low income areas to include additional elementary schools.
- Supported additional pay supplements for Orange County Schools bus drivers.
- Voted to remove student meal charge caps, allowing students to charge meals when funds were unavailable.

As of April 6, 2026, Sarah Smylie’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Orange County School Board votes to keep controversial LGBT ...

For Candidate Sarah Smylie on Issue school-curriculum:  
Opposes attempts to limit student access to books about people of color and LGBTQ perspectives.

Opposes attempts to limit student access to books about "people of color and LGBTQ perspectives."

- Opposes attempts to limit student access to books about "people of color and LGBTQ perspectives."

Sarah Smylie

Will Atherton earned a bachelor's degrees in electrical engineering and a bachelor's degree in electrical technology from McNeese State University and a master's degree in network engineering from North Carolina State University. He lives with his wife and four children in Hillsborough.

Will is a board member of the Orange County Board of Education. He works at the Orange County Board of Education, where he serves as board chair and is seeking his third term. He previously worked at no companies.

Will currently works as an executive director for the Clorox Company. He previously worked as a chief system architect for Lenovo, and chief system test engineer for IBM.

Will currently serves as a board member of the Orange County Board of Education. He was first elected in 2018 and is seeking reelection for his 3rd term.

OC School Board – Orange County Democratic Party of North Carolina

 Q&A: Atherton campaigns on experience for BOE seat 

Supports providing additional extracurricular activity opportunities.

Supports career and technical education (CTE) so that students have alternatives aside from college and can learn "real hands-on skills."

Prioritizes addressing funding cuts "at all levels."

Wants to be transparent about all projects, seeks community feedback, and wants to be a "good [steward of tax dollars] in all projects."

- Supports providing additional extracurricular activity opportunities.
- Supports career and technical education (CTE) so that students have alternatives aside from college and can learn "real hands-on skills."
- Prioritizes addressing funding cuts "at all levels."
- Wants to be transparent about all projects, seeks community feedback, and wants to be a "good [steward of tax dollars] in all projects."

Believes every child has the right to attend public schools in their district, regardless of where they live or their immigration status.

- Believes every child has the right to attend public schools in their district, regardless of where they live or their immigration status.

Supports the presence of a diverse group of teachers and staff.

Supports the presence and retention of a diverse group of teachers and staff.

Supports raising local supplements pay and competitive benefits.

- Supports the presence and retention of a diverse group of teachers and staff.
- Supports raising local supplements pay and competitive benefits.

Said, "the district needs to continue work to reduce racial disparities between students and disavows the idea that critical race theory is taught in schools."

Said schools should reduce racial disparities between students, and "disavows the idea that critical race theory is taught in schools."

Supports expanding Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) programs in elementary and middle schools.

- Said schools should reduce racial disparities between students, and "disavows the idea that critical race theory is taught in schools."
- Supports expanding Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) programs in elementary and middle schools.

Wants to ensure schools are a place that is safe, welcoming, and inclusive to all teachers, students, and families.

Wants to ensure every student feels a sense of belonging and that they are getting the support they need.

- Wants to ensure schools are a place that is safe, welcoming, and inclusive to all teachers, students, and families.
- Wants to ensure every student feels a sense of belonging and that they are getting the support they need.

Will Atherton

- The Board of Education runs the public school system. They create policies that establish standards, accountability and evaluation of essential operations of the school system.
- The Board of Education member hires a superintendent and can remove them when necessary. The superintendent assists the Board of Education in implementing the board’s policies. 
- The Board of Education is charged with deciding the school budget. This means they decide how to allocate money between different services, such as teacher pay, repairing school facilities, or access to technology.
- Board of Education members are elected every four years. 

Orange County Board of Education Member

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Orange County Board of Education Member

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