DIRECTOR
Quinn West Godwin
Quinn West Godwin serves as Director of the North Carolina American Indian Heritage Commission within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. He provides strategic leadership for statewide initiatives that preserve, interpret, and promote American Indian history, arts, customs, and culture.
Godwin previously served as Associate Director of the Commission, where he helped establish its strategic framework and expand educational programming and community partnerships across North Carolina. He began his career in state government in 2018 in the Office of Governor Roy Cooper, supporting statewide initiatives and working with diverse communities across North Carolina. His work focuses on strengthening collaboration with tribal communities, educators, and cultural institutions to advance accurate and inclusive public history.
He holds a B.A. in Dramatic Arts and a Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has completed additional professional training in public leadership and cultural stewardship. Born and raised in Pembroke, North Carolina, Godwin is a citizen of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. He is married to his wife, Gianna.
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
Stephen Bell
Stephen Bell serves as Associate Director of the North Carolina American Indian Heritage Commission within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. In this role, he supports statewide initiatives and partnerships that preserve, interpret, and celebrate American Indian history, arts, customs, and culture.
Bell has more than a decade of experience serving students, educators, and communities. He began his career as a middle school science teacher and later served as a school social worker and American Indian Education Coordinator for Guilford County Schools. His work has focused on training educators, supporting students, and building community partnerships.
Bell earned his bachelor’s degree from North Carolina State University and his Master of Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis. He is also a fellow in the Native Leadership Institute through the UNC American Indian Center.
Bell is a citizen of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. He was named the National Indian Education Association’s National Educator of the Year in 2023 and received the Native American 40 Under 40 Award in 2025.
ORAL HISTORIAN
Mikayah Locklear
Mikayah Locklear serves as Oral Historian for the North Carolina American Indian Heritage Commission, where she leads the Commission’s National Archives–supported Oral History Project documenting the lived experiences of tribal elders, leaders, and community members from North Carolina’s eight state-recognized tribes. The project preserves these histories through the State Archives and expands public access through digital platforms.
Locklear is an enrolled citizen of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and was born and raised in Maxton, North Carolina. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with double minors in American Studies and Environmental Justice. She is currently pursuing a Master of Library Science with a concentration in Cultural Heritage Informatics from Simmons University.
Her work centers community-driven archiving and the responsible stewardship of Native stories for future generations.