​The Executive Committee consists of 4 elected officers, up to 5 elected at-large members, and the immediate past president. Executive Committee officers serve of term of 3 years. At-large positions are elected based on the organization's strategic focus and direction, including organizers from previous, current, and upcoming annual meetings.

​Officers

President
​Celeste Archer
Colorado Student Leaders Institute
1201 Larimer Street #3128
Denver, Colorado 80204
celeste.archer@ucdenver.edu
President Elect
Richard Parmer
Governor’s Honors Program
205 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive, SE
952 Twin Towers East
Atlanta, GA 30334
​rparmer@gosa.ga.gov
​Secretary & Treasurer
Karen Narkevic
University of Pittsburgh Health Career Scholars Academy
Suite 300 Iroquois Building
3600 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
narkevickd@upmc.edu
Immediate Past President
Royal Toy
​Division of Teacher Education & Mathematics 
Lewis-Clark State College
500 8th Avenue
Lewiston, Idaho 83501-2698
retoy@lcsc.edu

​Members-at-Large

​Ted Tarkow
Missouri Scholars Academy
tarkowt@missouri.edu
Nick Covault
Kentucky Governor's School for the Arts
ncovault@kentuckyperformingarts.org​
Aris Cedeño
Governor's Scholars Program - Kentucky
aris.cedeno@gspky.org​
Jenneth Layaou
​The Pennsylvania School for Excellence in the Agricultural Sciences​
jrl1145@psu.edu
Jean Patrick Antoine
The New Jersey Governor’s School of Engineering and Technology​
antoine@soe.rutgers.edu

​Board Members Emeriti

​Jim Bray, North Carolina
One of the founders of the North Carolina Governor's School, Jim was granted emeritus status following his long service to governor's schools and gifted education. He graciously accepted the honor of lending his name to NCoGS' highest honor, The Jim Bray and Lillian Press Distinguished Service Award. Jim passed away in 2004. All who worked with him and appreciate his legacy mourn his passing. We retain his name in our list of Members Emeriti to honor his memory and legacy.

Mary Daley, New York

Sherry Keffer, West Virginia
Sherry Keffer has been part of West Virginia’s Governor’s Schools since 1984, serving on the state advisory council and becoming state director in 1999.  Active in NCoGS since 1999, she has served on nearly every committee and also served multiple times as president.  During her years as director, the WV Governor’s Schools grew from two to five. Although she says she is retired, she is currently working with her successor to make his transition smooth.  She lives in the same town in which she grew up and has been married for 54 years to her high school sweetheart. The Keffers have two children and eight grandchildren.

​George Keller, Alabama 

Lillian Press, Kentucky
One of the founding members of the National Conference of Governor's Schools, Lil was granted emeritus status following her retirement as Executive Director of the Kentucky Governor's Scholars Program. She graciously accepted the honor of lending her name to NCoGS' highest honor, The Jim Bray and Lillian Press Distinguished Service Award.

Virginia Uldrick, South Carolina
An early member of the National Conference of Governor's Schools and founding president of the South Carolina summer residential Governor's School and the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities, Virginia has worked tirelessly on behalf of governor's schools and gifted education in her home state and nationwide. Virginia was granted emeritus status in 2003 upon receiving The Jim Bray and Lillian Press Distinguished Service Award.

Bob Seney, Mississippi
On the staff of the Texas governor's school program and now retired director of the Mississippi Governor's School, Bob served as secretary of the National Conference of Governor's Schools for several consecutive terms. Bob was granted emeritus status in 2005 upon receiving The Jim Bray and Lillian Press Distinguished Service Award.

distinguished service award recipients

The Jim Bray and Lillian Press Distinguished Service Award bears the names of two dedicated founders of the National Conference of Governor's Schools. They represent the loftiest achievements in the early development of governor's schools: namely, the establishment of the first governor's school and the incorporation of the National Conference of Governor's Schools.

At the request of the Executive Committee of the National Conference of Governor's Schools, both Jim and Lillian graciously lent their names to this service award, understanding the Executive Committee's desire to recognize their service to the national governor's school community. President's note: Since indicating his willingness to lend his name to this award, Jim Bray passed away after a long illness. We mourn his passing and dedicate this award to his memory.

The Jim Bray and Lillian Press Distinguished Service Award was established as an occasional award to be bestowed only on those individuals who have distinguished themselves over many years in their committed work on behalf of gifted students, governor's schools, and the National Conference of Governor's Schools. The Executive Committee of the National Conference of Governor's Schools bestows this award only when merited, not as an annual or regularly scheduled bestowal. The award is intended to represent the highest possible achievement in the National Conference of Governor's Schools.

In addition to receiving a plaque, each recipient of The Jim Bray and Lillian Press Distinguished Service Award receives Emeritus standing on the Board of Directors of the National Conference of Governor's Schools. Upon accepting the award at the Biennial Retreat or Conference, a letter of congratulations will be dispatched to the governor of the recipient's state under official National Conference of Governor's School letterhead, signed by the current president. In addition, a notation is inscribed in the minutes of the organization, to be maintained in perpetuity.