Peggy Owens
Executive Director of Student Support Services for Hoke County Schools in Raeford, North Carolina
Dr. Peggy L. Owens is the Executive Director of Student Support Services for Hoke County Schools in Raeford, North Carolina. As the executive director she leads a team of instructional support services personnel to include school counselors, school social workers, school nurses, mental health coordinators, mental health specialists, school health/safety coordinators and dropout prevention specialists. Dr. Owens also serves as the foster care and homeless education liaison for the district. Dr. Owens has championed the Social Emotional Learning efforts in her school district along with her district mental health team. She leads from the perspective of mentoring, developing and growing her team members into future leaders by challenging them to future think, innovate and implement new strategies to meet the needs of students, staff, parents and community stakeholders. Dr. Owens received The Order of the Long Leaf Pines in the summer of 2022 from Governor Roy Cooper. She was awarded the 2023 Public Health Service Award for Hoke County, because of her collaborative work during the COVID-19 Pandemic and other contributions to public health initiatives with Hoke County Health Department, North Carolina Health and Human Services, and the Hoke County Schools. She is active in her church and community organizations. In July 2023, she was elected the First Vice President of the Women’s Home and Overseas Missionary Society of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. Dr. Owens earned her doctor degree in Educational Leadership and Administration from UNC-Wilmington in 2017. Dr. Owens and her team have presented at local, state and national conferences. She creates opportunities for students and employees by promoting the words of Nelson Mandela. “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”