NCRMA Staff

NCRMA President and General Counsel Andy Ellen has been named one of the top five most effective lobbyists in North Carolina by the North Carolina Public Policy Institute for the last three bienniums, as well as a recipient of the 2014 Triangle Business Journal’s Corporate Counsel Awards. Andy has overall responsibility for leading NCRMA and its 11 affiliated companies. He is passionate about achieving the Association’s mission of promoting a positive legislative and regulatory environment for the retail industry in order to enhance members’ opportunities for success. Originally from Southern Pines, North Carolina, Andy is a 1992 graduate of Elon University. He received his Juris Doctorate from the Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University in 1997, and became licensed to practice law in North Carolina that same year. He lives in Wake Forest with his wife, Tricia, and their two daughters, Julia and Jenna.

Elizabeth advances the government relations efforts for NCRMA, having lobbied the North Carolina General Assembly and regulatory bodies to advocate for a positive business climate for retailers in North Carolina since 2006. In addition, Elizabeth oversees Emergency Management response efforts for retail, the Carolinas Organized Retail Crime Alliance and other Association activities. Prior to joining NCRMA, Elizabeth served as Director of Government Relations for the NC Chamber of Commerce after working as an associate lobbyist with Roger Bone & Associates for various business clients. Elizabeth received the Triangle Business Journal 40 Under 40 Award in 2019 and served as the 2017-2018 President of the North Carolina Professional Lobbyists Association as well as a past president of the Young Lobbyists Association. She also serves as a President of NCRMA affiliated entities 209 Retail Partners LLC and Total Quality Management, Inc. Graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a double-major in Public Policy Analysis and Political Science, Elizabeth is married to John and lives in Raleigh with their two children, William & Emily.

Lindsey began her tenure at NCRMA in 2007 and has been at the helm of the Carolinas Food Industry Council since 2012. Before her time at NCRMA, Lindsey was the Director of Research and Education at the North Carolina Forum for Research and Economic Education (NCFREE), where she analyzed financial data, election results, and district information to predict the outcome of statewide and state legislative races. Born and raised in San Diego, California, Lindsey came to North Carolina to attend Wake Forest University, where she earned her degree in Political Science with a minor in Latin American Studies. She now resides in Raleigh with her husband Chris and two sons.

Ann previously worked at NCRMA for nine years, first as Director of Government Relations and then as Executive Director for the NC Jewelers Association. In the time Ann was gone, she honed her skills in communications and marketing with another statewide trade association, the NC Pork Council. Now she brings that experience, along with her prior knowledge of NCRMA, to work for you. Ann will oversee the development of all communications including newsletters, promotional and educational materials, websites and social media platforms. Born and raised in the NC mountains, Ann came to Raleigh to attend Meredith College, graduating with a double-major in English and Political Science. She and her husband, Rob, live in North Raleigh with their children, Will and Elise.

Stephanie Stafford has worked with NCRMA since September, 2011. Stephanie attended Dutchess Community College in New York where she graduated with an Associate Degree in Business Administration. She moved to Raleigh in 1997 with her husband Dennis and started her career at IBM. Stephanie currently resides in Raleigh with her husband and two sons, Trevor and Justin.

Pam joined NCRMA in March 2021. She brings a unique perspective and vast retail experience to her role at NCRMA. Her background in retail and deep connection to the Charlotte area, combined with her education in Corporate Communications and Marketing, allows her to support and grown our local membership. In addition to membership growth, Pam is our Meetings and Event manager. Pam and her husband, Jeff, have lived in Charlotte for 28 years and have strong ties to the community. They have two sons, Rob and Mitch.

Amanda joined NCRMA in March 2022 with responsibility for membership sales and support in the Triangle area. She has degrees from Kansas State University and the Catholic University of America. Previously, she served as a legislative librarian for large law firms and as a sales representative for LexisNexis. Amanda is very active in her community forging relationships with businesses in support of schools. She has lived in the Wake Forest area for 22 years and is married to her husband, Michael. They have three children Quinn, Chris, and Avery Elspeth.

Jessica joined NCRMA in December of 2021 as Association Management Coordinator. She is the primary point of contact for the Carolinas Organized Retail Crime Alliance (CORCA) and supports the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association (NCRMA). Prior to joining NCRMA, Jessica worked as a Legislative Assistant at the North Carolina General Assembly. Jessica graduated from East Carolina University earning a degree in Communications with a focus in Public Relations and a minor in Child & Family Relations. She currently resides in Wake Forest with her husband, Matt and their dog, Macie.

Caroline joined NCRMA in March of 2023 as an Association Management Coordinator. She supports the operations of the South Carolina Retail Association, and is the main point of contact for South Carolina RPAC, the RISE Up Credentialing program, and North and South Carolina Emergency Management issues. Caroline has had a diverse background in government and government affairs, most recently coming from the North Carolina Healthcare Association. Caroline graduated from North Carolina State University in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science with minors in Spanish and Business Administration. She currently resides in Raleigh.

Mary Beth started at NCRMA in March of 2020. She graduated from Campbell University in 2015 with music degree, and then taught at an inclusive preschool for 5 years. She currently lives in Durham.

John has worked at NCRMA since 2019 in a variety of roles. He currently acts as NCRMA's Web Developer and in-house IT Manager. He graduated from Appalachian State University in 2017 with a Bachelor's Degree in Communication Studies. In 2022, he completed a Coding Bootcamp and is now adept in HTML, CSS, JavaScript with a focus on writing React. He currently lives in Raleigh with his wife, Sara.

Ben joined NCRMA in September 2022. He brings 10 years of accounting experience, as well as a dedicated view to administrative organization and logistics management. Ben received his degree in accounting from the University of Phoenix after a 12 year career as a professional chef. Originally from New Hampshire, Ben has lived in North Raleigh since 1995 and is married to his wife, Carrie.