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MEET GALE
Dedicated to Service
Gale was raised in a small town in southwestern Virginia. She understands the value of hard work and the opportunities that come from education. Her mother worked swing-shift in a local textile mill from high school graduation to retirement. Gale attended local public schools, played flute in the high school band, worked for minimum wage at the local public library, and volunteered as a Candystriper at her hometown community hospital.
Gale has a nursing diploma from Virginia Baptist Hospital, a Bachelor's degree in nursing from ECU, and a Master of Science in Nursing from UNC-Chapel Hill. She has been a nurse practitioner since 1987 and was Chief Health Officer at SAS Institute for more than 26 years before retiring in October 2020.
Gale has been president of the North Carolina Nurses Association, chair of the North Carolina Center for Nursing, and a member of the North Carolina Board of Nursing. She served on the board of the Taylor Family YMCA in Cary and on the state Diabetes Advisory Council. She is an adjunct faculty member at Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill, East Carolina, Wake Forest University, and Case Western Reserve University.
Prior to her 2014 election to the legislature, Gale was a gubernatorial appointee to the Legislative Study Commission on Access to Health Insurance and to the Blue-Ribbon Task Force on the State Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees. She was appointed and served 4 years on the State Health Coordinating Council responsible for creating the annual State Medical Facilities Plan.
Gale served 4 terms in the NC House before joining the state Senate in 2023 as the first nurse ever elected to that Chamber. She is known as a commonsense legislator who works effectively with members of both parties. Prior to serving in the NC General Assembly, Gale served on the Cary Town Council from 2007-2014, including 3 years as mayor pro tem. Gale and her husband Kevin live in Cary.
Gale has a solid track record of service in business, government, her profession, and her community.
WHY I CHOOSE TO SERVE
Reflecting on my four terms in the House and first term in the Senate.
North Carolina has grown and prospered since I moved here in 1976. Once a state where manufacturing and agriculture were dominant, job growth is now more prominent in financial services, health care, technology and pharmaceuticals. Previous state leaders had vision and made intentional investments in people, infrastructure and places: public education; roads, bridges and ports; and successful public-private partnerships like the Research Triangle Park.
Between 2011 and 2014 I witnessed many deliberate legislative actions that set North Carolina on a regressive path. I was not willing to stand by and watch a legacy of progress, forged through decades of hard work and financial investment, continue to be threatened by political partisanship and short-sighted legislative policies. I first ran in 2014 to bring a reasoned, thoughtful, nonpartisan, and common-sense approach to the challenges that will determine our state’s future.
As a nurse practitioner and former healthcare administrator, I fought for Medicaid expansion from the moment I arrived as a freshman legislator in 2014. I was delighted to vote for it in early 2023. This healthcare coverage for 600,000 previously uninsured working adults is a lifeline for them and for our hospitals that need dependable revenue streams to stay open—not just as providers of healthcare, but also as employment centers and economic engines in their communities.
My husband is a Durham native, and I’ve lived here since 1976. We are the parents of 2 adult sons who attended Wake County public schools and then Appalachian State University. I believe every child must be guaranteed a sound basic public education. North Carolina needs more accessible and affordable pre-K programs, well-resourced K-12 schools, outstanding community colleges, and a world-class public university system. We should build upon our state’s legacy of educational progress and prepare our citizens for the jobs and economy of tomorrow.
I believe in the greatness, resourcefulness and resiliency of this state and its people. I ran in 2014 pledging to spurn partisanship and put my energies into fighting the right battles: for vibrant public schools, a healthy environment and a robust economy. During my time in the legislature, I believe I have lived up to that ideal.
It is a privilege to represent the residents of Cary, Morrisville and Apex in the General Assembly.