Cary, NC -- United Way of North Carolina is thrilled for the retirement of Brenda Dickerson-Daniel, Executive Director of Granville County United Way and for the appointment of new leader, Cortney Phillips, who is currently the Deputy Executive Director.
Brenda Dickerson-Daniel, a native of Granville County, NC, is an alumna of Peace College. A devoted wife, proud mother of two, and doting grandmother of six, Brenda is an animal advocate and mom to fur babies Fitts, her Peekapoo, and Remi, her family’s Labrador Retriever.
Brenda's unwavering dedication to enhancing the success of children and youth, strengthening families, and revitalizing neighborhoods has been a hallmark of her career and community involvement.
A stay-at-home mom until her youngest started kindergarten, Brenda was actively involved in her church, local Parent-Teacher Organizations, Girl Scouts, and her children's various sports activities.
Brenda served as an elected member of the Granville County Board of Education for 12 years, including three years as Vice Chair and one year as Chair. She is a graduate of Leadership Granville and a former Steering Committee member. Additionally, she has been a board member of the United Way of NC and the Granville Recreation Club. Brenda also chaired the Granville County Emergency Food and Shelter Committee, which is administered under the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Brenda's public service career began with her role as the Granville County Branch Coordinator for the American Red Cross from 1994 to 1999. She then became the Director of the Harold Sherman Adult Day Center from 1999 to 2000. Since 2000, Brenda has served as the Executive Director of the Granville County United Way. Under her leadership, the organization, located in the Masonic Home for Children–Oxford’s Community Support Center, provides funds for 12 local health and human service agencies and 14 local health and human service programs.
In 2020, Brenda partnered with the administration of the Masonic Home for Children at Oxford to help convert space on their campus into the Community Support Center, a centralized hub designed to serve all residents of Granville County. The Center offers office and conference space for service providers, enabling them to establish a local presence to meet the needs of families. Campus resources—such as a gym, ball fields, cafeteria with industrial kitchen, and meeting areas—are accessible to programs developed in collaboration with Center partners.
Each participating organization maintains its programs, services, stakeholders, and communication channels while collaborating to provide services across the region and state. Current onsite providers include:
• Franklin-Granville-Vance (FGV) Smart Start
• Granville County United Way
• Baptist Children’s Homes of NC Foster Care and Adoption Services
• Granville Education Foundation
• Cradle to Class Parents as Teachers
• American Red Cross
Brenda's unwavering commitment to her community and her passion for service continue to drive her efforts to improve the lives of those around her. Whether through her work with local organizations or her dedicated family life, Brenda remains a steadfast advocate for positive change and community support in Granville County and beyond. Her legacy of service and leadership stands as a testament to her enduring impact and the deep connections she fosters within her community.
Following her retirement, Brenda and her husband, Warren, look forward to spending more time with their family, enjoying peaceful days on the family farm, and making memories together at Topsail Island, N.C.
Thank you, Brenda, for an amazing 25 years you have given to the United Way network and to Granville County!
Pictured from left to right: Cortney Phillips, Brenda Dickerson-Daniel, Sara Carlson (United Way of North Carolina)
And welcome to the network, Cortney! She shares with us that she is eager and excited to take on this new role with Granville County United Way. She possesses a deep passion for service and has a strong background in human services. Born and raised in Granville County, she is proud to serve the place she's always called home.
Cortney is a graduate of J.F. Webb School of Health and Life Sciences. She earned a Bachelors of Psychology from The University of NC at Greensboro and Masters of Health Services Admin/Public Health from Strayer University. With years of experience in the field of Human Services, she has dedicated my career to uplifting individuals and families through advocacy, support and now community centered programs.
She works closely with community partners and leaders to share her genuine love, dedication and collaborate spirit to serve this community.
We're so excited for Cortney and look forward to seeing the amazing things she will bring to Granville County!