About the Director

David L. Clegg
Director of Governmental Relations

David L. Clegg serves as Deputy Commissioner and Director of Governmental Relations for the Employment Security Commission of North Carolina. Prior to his current appointment he was the attorney for the Employment Security Commission State Advisory Council. As Director of Governmental Relations, Clegg plans and directs ESC’s comprehensive legislative program on the state and federal level. He serves as ESC liaison to government officials and agencies regarding matters of policy and constituent service. He is actively involved in communicating the mission of ESC to educators, community and business leaders throughout North Carolina. He is a recipient of the ESC Award for Outstanding Service, and was selected as the recipient of the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Public Service.

Prior to joining the Employment Security Commission, Clegg served ten years as the County Attorney and County Manager of Brunswick County, the only individual in the state to hold both positions simultaneously. His local government experience also includes service as a Board of Elections member, and as Chairman of the Lower Cape Fear Water and Sewer Authority.

Clegg is a member of the Raleigh Kiwanis Club and is a faculty member at Wake Technical Community College. He is the Scholarship Director of the Miss North Carolina Scholarship Pageant.

He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Government from Hampden-Sydney College and a Master of Arts Degree in Theater and Speech from the University of South Carolina. He was awarded the Juris Doctor Degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law.

Patrice H. Fields
State Coordinator of JSEC

Patrice H. Fields joined the Office of Governmental Relations in January, 1999. In her current appointment, she will serve dual roles as State Coordinator for the JSEC(Job Service Employer Committee) program and be engaged significantly with ESC’s labor market education program and legislative agenda. As State JSEC Coordinator, she will provide direction, information and technical assistance to the State JSEC and its more than 100 local Job Service Employer Committees who give critical advisory support to local Employment Security Commission offices. Further , as State JSEC Coordinator, Ms. Fields will be the liaison between the North Carolina JSEC and its regional and national counterparts. In addition to her JSEC duties, Ms. Fields will interface with the North Carolina General Assembly regarding legislative matters and constituent services.

Prior to her appointment to the Office of Governmental Relations, Ms. Fields was employed with ESC’s Appeals Department initially as an Appeals Referee prior to promotion to Deputy Chief Appeals Referee. As Deputy Chief Appeals Referee, she supervised the work of sixteen (16) appeals referees and assisted in the daily management of the Appeals Department.

Ms. Fields received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in politics from North Carolina State University and was awarded the Juris Doctor Degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law in Chapel Hill. She is currently pursuing her Master of Divinity degree from Shaw University.