Women’s History Month spotlight: Dr. Kimberly Outlaw-Starkey serves and leads
As Women’s History Month continues, Dr. Kimberly Outlaw-Starkey’s service on the Lenoir County Board of Education reflects both a personal commitment to education and a historic first in local leadership.
Outlaw-Starkey, vice chair of the board, said her decision to run for office came from a desire to help strengthen local schools and bring an education-centered perspective to the board.
“We needed some people on the board who were education centered,” Outlaw-Starkey said.
A licensed clinical social worker since 2010, Outlaw-Starkey earned her bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate from East Carolina University. She also teaches at multiple institutions, work she said reflects her long-standing commitment to learning and student growth.
“I’m a lifelong learner,” she said.
Now in her second term on the school board, Outlaw-Starkey said she remains focused on helping students succeed in a system that has changed significantly since she was in school.
“Lenoir County Public Schools used to be very different when I went to school,” she said.
Outlaw-Starkey represents District 3 on the board, which includes western Kinston and much of the Kinston-4 precinct, along with part of Kinston-5 under Lenoir County’s adopted redistricting plan. She pointed to the construction of a new school in her district as one example of progress, while also saying more work remains to improve school facilities and support students across the district.
That work, she said, is tied to a broader sense of responsibility in public service and representation.
“I’m the first Black woman on the school board,” she said.
For Outlaw-Starkey, that milestone is part of a larger commitment to serving students and helping move the district forward through education, advocacy and leadership.
