ABOUT
OLIVIA OXENDINE

Olivia Oxendine is a seasoned educator rooted in conservative values and principles.  A native of Lumberton, North Carolina, she entered the profession as an English teacher and quickly moved into other areas of education in Chicago, Illinois, and Spartanburg, South Carolina.  Olivia has served as an assistant principal, principal, state department director, regional director, and college professor.  She has devoted more than five decades to education and holds a lifetime educator license from the Department of Public Instruction.

In the late eighties, Dr. Oxendine served as principal of the former Southern Pines Middle School and inspired the parents to organize the school's first volunteer program.  She also established a series of assemblies to recognize students who put in extra effort.  At the state level, Dr. Oxendine has directed the state dropout prevention program and the NC DARE Program.

For nearly 10 years, the Candidate served as the Sandhills Regional Director for K-12 English Language Arts, supporting districts and teachers in developing writing curricula.  For nearly 20 years, she held a faculty position at UNC Pembroke, where she prepared graduate students aspiring to become principals.  In 2024, Dr. Oxendine retired from the University and received the prestigious Order of the Longleaf Pine.   Additionally, she is a UNCP campus recipient of the James Holshouser Award for Distinguished Public Service.

She earned her degrees from UNC Pembroke (B.A. in English), Appalachian State University (M.A. in School Administration), and UNC Greensboro (Ed.D. in Educational Leadership).    From Stanford University. Dr. Oxendine has completed advanced studies in gifted education.  From the Yale Child Study Center, she holds a credential in child-centered school reform.

In 2013, Former Governor Pat McCrory appointed Dr. Oxendine to the State Board of Education, a seat she continues to hold.  She has worked tirelessly to incorporate conservative themes into social studies standards and to identify critical race theory across grades.   Dr. Oxendine is also the Liaison to the State Advisory Council on Indian Education.

Olivia Oxendine is qualified for the Moore County Board of Education and will apply her in-depth knowledge to the Board's work.  She understands the role of local school governance and its impact on thousands of students' lives.

She is the mother of two adult sons (Eric and Brock) and grandmother of Hutson, Alex, and Drew.  Currently, Dr. Oxendine resides in Pinehurst.