NCLifeSci Legislative Luncheon and Forum

Sen. Benton Sawrey, co-chair, NC Life Sciences Caucus (R-Johnston)

Senator Sawrey represents District 10 and is also a partner at the law firm of Narron Wenzel, P.A. Before being elected to the Senate, he served on the Johnston Community College Board of Trustees and was an officer with the Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation and the Partnership for Children of Johnston County. Sawrey serves on several committees in the North Carolina Senate, including Judiciary, Appropriations, Rules, Elections, and is a co-chair of the Senate Health Care Committee and the Subcommittee on Health and Human Services Appropriations. He is a third-generation graduate of North Carolina State University and attended the University of South Carolina School of Law.                  

Sen. Jay Chaudhuri, co-chair, NC Life Sciences Caucus (D-Wake)

Senator Chaudhuri represents Senate District 15 in the North Carolina State Senate, which includes N.C. State University, North Raleigh, and parts of Wake Forest.  He serves as co-chair of the Life Sciences Caucus, the Early Childhood Caucus and the Economic Development & Foreign Trade Caucus. Chaudhuri has played a leading role in recruiting two major global companies to the region. He has served as Senate Democratic Whip, the second-highest ranking Democrat in the Senate, since 2019.

Rep. Donna White, co-chair, NC Life Sciences Caucus (R-Johnston)

Representative White is serving her fifth term representing District 26. She is the first woman from Johnston County to be elected to this office. She serves as a Chair of the House Health Committee and the Appropriations for Health and Human Services Committee, and she is Vice-Chair of the Appropriations Committee. White is a member of the Education & Community College, State and Local Government, Rules and Local Government Committees. Bicameral appointments include the Joint Legislative Oversight Committees on Health and Human Services and Access to Healthcare and Medicaid Expansion. White is a registered nurse, and prior to the General Assembly, she was named a Top 100 Nurse in North Carolina. Her public service includes 12 years as a member of the Johnston County Board of Education and 15 years on the Clayton Planning Board, as well as other local boards and committees.

Rep. Robert Reives, co-chair, NC Life Sciences Caucus (D-Chatham, Randolph)

Representative Reives has served in the North Carolina House of Representatives since 2014. He represents House District 54. Reives’ legislative committee assignments include Agriculture, Appropriations, Appropriations for Justice and Public Safety, Education and Community Colleges, Judiciary Subcommittee on Criminal Matters, House Select Committee on School Safety, Judiciary, Redistricting and Rules, Calendar and Operations of the House. He received a B.S. in business administration/finance from UNC-Chapel Hill and his J.D. from the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Law. After college, he returned to his community to serve as a prosecutor for the Lee County District Attorney’s Office. Four years later, he entered private practice and has been a partner in the law firm of Wilson, Reives & Silverman for almost two decades.

Moderators

Laura Gunter, president, NCLifeSci

Gunter directs the work of the life sciences advocacy association in conjunction with its executive committee and board of directors. NCLifeSci promotes policy initiatives that encourage the growth and success of life science companies doing business in the state by advocating for the industry before the NC General Assembly and the NC Congressional delegation. She works closely with state and federal partners on the advocacy and policy front. Before becoming president, Gunter served as NCLifeSci’s membership development and government affairs director. Previously, she served as business development director for NCBiotech and as a technical sales representative for Fisher Scientific. She received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Virginia and earned a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

Joe Lanier, principal, Milestone Strategies 

Lanier represents clients in state and federal government relations issues, with a particular focus on matters coming before the North Carolina state government. He has more than 25 years of federal and state government affairs experience in both the public and private sectors. Prior to founding Milestone Strategies, Lanier served as chief legal and legislative counsel for two U.S. Senators and worked in the Washington government relations practices of two leading national law firms. His practice focus added state work in 2008 when he joined a local Raleigh law firm and began to also represent clients before North Carolina’s General Assembly and state agencies. Lanier holds undergraduate and law degrees from the University of North Carolina.