Our Board of Education

Meet Our Board of Education

Mr. Craig Randall, Chair

Mr. Randall currently serves as the Chief of the Criminal Division for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of North Carolina, a position he has held since June of 2018.  He received his undergraduate degree from Union College (Schenectady, NY) in 1993, majoring in economics, and his law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1999. Mr. Randall spent six years in the Navy JAG Corps where he prosecuted courts-martial in Norfolk, Virginia, and served as a Staff Judge Advocate for a Navy Admiral in China Lake, California. Mr. Randall joined the U.S. Attorney's Office in Charlotte in July 2005 and has prosecuted/supervised a wide variety of federal cases ranging from violent crime to national security and white-collar fraud, among others. Between 2015 and 2023, Mr. Randall also served as an adjunct professor at UNC-Charlotte, teaching a graduate-level Information Technology course that focused on the legal, ethical and policy implications of developing technology. Mr. Randall and his wife, Cortney, live in Huntersville with their two children, one of whom attends LNC elementary. 

Email:  CRandall@lncharter.org

Mr. Jeffrey Flanagan, Vice-Chair

Mr. Flanagan serves as the General Manager of Carolina’s Dispatchable Generation– West at Duke Energy, where he provides strategic oversight and leadership for multiple regulated electric generation facilities. Mr. Flanagan has spent his career working in the utility industry where he held roles in project management, engineering, and operations leadership. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Paper Science & Engineering from North Carolina State University in 2002 and a Master of Business Administration from the University of South Carolina in 2007. Additionally, he is a licensed Professional Engineer. Jeff resides in Huntersville with his wife, Maggie.  He has three daughters, two of whom attend LNC Middle School, with the third set to join LNC in the class of 2041.

Email:  JFlanagan@lncharter.org

Mr. Andrew Palladino, Treasurer

Mr. Palladino brings over two decades of financial and operational leadership experience to Lake Norman Charter. He currently serves as Regional Controller for Enterprise Mobility, where he oversees financial operations for one of the company’s largest Regions. A proud Stonehill College graduate with a degree in Business Administration with a focus on Accounting, Andrew has built a career rooted in financial integrity, strategic growth and ethical leadership. His responsibilities have spanned financial statement preparation, budgeting, compliance, forecasting and facilities oversight. He’s also a three-time Exceptional Achievement Award in Business Management recipient, an honor earned by fewer than 10% of peers company-wide. Known for his collaborative spirit, strong ethics and commitment to continuous improvement, Andrew is excited about using his expertise to serve the LNC community, support the school’s mission and ensure financial stewardship. Andrew and his wife, Ashley, live in Huntersville with their three children, all of whom are LNC students.

Email: APalladino@lncharter.org

Ms. Joana Sampson, Secretary

Ms. Sampson serves as a Technology Risk Management professional at TD Bank, where she provides risk oversight and leadership across information technology risk, governance, compliance, audit readiness, and issue management activities. Throughout her career in the financial services industry, she has held risk management and leadership roles at several major financial institutions.  Ms. Sampson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Banking and Finance from Central University College in Ghana, West Africa. She is passionate about strengthening governance, fostering accountability, and supporting initiatives that create opportunities for long-term success.

Joana resides in Huntersville with her husband, Magnus, and their two children, both of whom attend Lake Norman Charter. As both a parent and community leader, she is committed to supporting the school’s mission and ensuring that all students have access to an exceptional educational experience.

Email:  JSampson@lncharter.org

Ms. Nicole Benford

Ms. Benford is currently the Director of Niner Finances at UNC Charlotte where she leads a department that teaches Financial Literacy.  She aims to ensure that students are graduating not just with their academic credentials but also with the life skills needed to manage their finances.   Nicole has a Master's in Accounting from UNC Charlotte and has served on the Accounting Advisory Board of the Turner School of Accountancy. She has also served on the Board of the North Carolina Association of CPAs.  Nicole and her husband, Julius, live in Charlotte and have 4 children, one of whom attends LNC.  

Email: NBenford@lncharter.org

Mr. Erick Bowen

Mr. Bowen is a Senior Vice President at KeyBank, where he leads their commercial real estate payments banking division. Throughout his career, he has partnered with commercial real estate owners, operators, and investors across the country, helping organizations strengthen their financial operations and achieve long term growth. Erick combines his financial expertise with real-world operational experience as a principal of a real estate investment company focused on the acquisition and operation of multifamily communities. This perspective informs his commitment to sound fiscal stewardship, strategic planning, and building strong, sustainable organizations.

Erick earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a minor in Communications from Southern New Hampshire University. Prior to joining the board of education, he served on the Lake Norman Charter’s THRIVE Committee, where he supported initiatives focused on student readiness and future success. He is passionate about creating an environment where students are known, challenged, and prepared to lead with integrity and purpose.

Erick and his wife, Lori, live in Huntersville with their two children.

Email:  EBowen@lncharter.org

Mr. Landon Eustache

Mr. Eustache is a lawyer currently serving as a Director in the Office of the General Counsel at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he advises on legal matters and guides teams through complex contractual negotiations. Prior to that role, he worked in Wells Fargo’s legal department and spent over a decade at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, advising on contractual and regulatory matters. Landon received his B.A. from Howard University and his J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law. He has a longstanding record of board and community leadership, having served as a director on the boards of the Council for Children's Rights (including one year as board president) and the Mecklenburg County Bar. He has also volunteered through the Mecklenburg County Bar's Lunch with a Lawyer program and the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy. Landon and his wife, Carla, live in Cornelius and have two daughters, both LNC students.

Email:  LEustache@lncharter.org

Mr. Jorge Gonzalez - THRIVE Committee Chair

Mr. Gonzalez is an HR professional who currently serves as a corporate HR director for Spectrum. He runs a department of 20 HR professionals who serve over 100,000 employees across the country. Jorge received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida in 2012 with a Bachelor’s degree in History. Jorge has lived in the Lake Norman area since 2018 and has three young children, one of whom attends LNC Elementary. In 2024 he served on the LNC Future Ready Committee. He is also an active volunteer in local youth sports, coaching both basketball and baseball. Jorge is committed to ensuring our students receive real world career exposure and are prepared to become leaders in our community.

Email:  JGonzalez@lncharter.org

Mr. Derik Screen - Future Ready Committee Chair

Mr. Screen is a distinguished fintech professional and entrepreneur with an extensive background in finance and business intelligence. With over 15 years of experience in the higher education sector, Derik currently contributes his expertise at UNC Charlotte’s OneIT - Financial Services division, while also enriching future leaders as an Adjunct Professor at the Belk College of Business. Derik holds a Bachelor of Science from The Virginia Military Institute, earned in 2004, and further advanced his education with a Master of Business Administration degree obtained in 2008. His academic and professional journey has been driven by a deep passion for education, particularly in the realms of emerging technologies such as cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence. These interests align seamlessly with his role at Lake Norman Charter, where he is dedicated to steering the school towards a "future-ready" curriculum. Previously, Derik has contributed his leadership to several notable boards including the Rockbridge County Regional Library Association, the Virginia Military Institute’s Diversity Commission, and the UNC Charlotte’s Staff Council. His experience in governance and strategy brings valuable perspectives to the Lake Norman Charter Board of Education. Derik lives in Huntersville with his wife, Katrina, and their two children, who are both proud attendees of Lake Norman Charter Middle School. Together, they are deeply embedded in the community, sharing a commitment to fostering educational excellence and innovation.

Email:  DScreen@lncharter.org