An Elizabethtown native has been named vice president and general counsel at the University of Rochester in New York.

Donna Gooden Payne will begin her appointment Oct. 21. She has most recently served as the university counsel and vice chancellor for legal affairs at East Carolina University.

In a news release, the university’s president lauded Payne following a national search.

“I am thrilled to welcome Donna to the University,” Sarah Mangelsdorf said. “Her leadership and experience as chief legal counsel at a large and multifaceted research university, as well as her understanding of the complex laws and regulations affecting higher education and how they are evolving, will be immensely beneficial to our institution.”

In the release, Payne said, “The University of Rochester has a stellar academic reputation and the medical center’s mission of service to the region resonates with my own life’s work. I am honored to have this opportunity to join President Mangelsdorf’s team as she builds on the University’s tradition of excellence.”

In her role at Rochester, Payne will have “oversight for all institutional legal matters, inclusive of the Medical Center, and leads the attorneys and day-to-day operations of the University’s Office of Counsel. A member of the University’s senior leadership team, the vice president and general counsel is the key legal adviser to the president, board of trustees, and leadership throughout the University,” the release said.

Gail Norris previously held the same position and announced her retirement in March.

Payne has been at East Carolina as chief legal counsel since 2008, advising the chancellor, Board of Trustees and senior administrators. Before going to Greenville, she had been university counsel for UNC Pembroke. In 2003, she was interim legal counsel at UNC Wilmington.

She has, in the early years of her career, practiced law with firms in Austin, Texas, and in Elizabethtown. She did her undergrad work at UNC Chapel Hill and went to law school at the University of Texas at Austin.

Members of the search team hailed the work of Payne.

“During the search process, Donna provided unique and impressive insights into key issues impacting both higher education and health care,” Holly Crawford said in the release. “I’m confident that she is well-prepared to step into this important leadership role.”

She was co-chairwoman of the search committee with Doug Phillips. Crawford is senior vice president for administration and finance, and the university’s chief financial officer. Phillips is senior vice president and chief investment officer.

“She has everything we sought in our next general counsel, including unquestioned integrity, a range of highly relevant experiences and demonstrated leadership. We are delighted she has decided to join us,” he said.

Over the course of her career, Payne has worked on issues and policy related to Title IX, civil rights regulatory requirements, investigations, risk management programs, and developed the university’s legal strategy for an innovative integration plan for its medical faculty practice of over 400 clinical providers with a regional hospital system’s physician practice.

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Alan Wooten

Bladen Journal

Alan Wooten can be reached at 910-247-9132 or awooten@bladenjournal.com. Twitter: @alanwooten19.