North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has announced the appointment of Charlrean Batten Mapson to the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities (NCCDD).  Mapson will join the 39 other individuals on the Council who work to identify problems facing the intellectual and other developmental disabilities (I/DD) community.

A Wilmington resident, Mapson is employed by the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Zion Church and is currently serving as the pastor at Price Cathedral AME Zion Church in Wilmington. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Engineering from Clark Atlanta University, a Master of Divinity in Theology from Hood Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry in Theology from Duke University. She currently serves on the New Hanover County Smart Start Board.

A parent of a son with Autism, Mapson feels there is a need for more parent advocates but points to a lack of resources and supports for these parents. Her major challenge has been initiating parent support groups for those with disabilities. She feels the involvement of an average citizen like herself on the Council is one of the best things NCCDD is doing.