Elaine M. O'Neal

Mayor Elaine M. O’Neal is a native of Durham, North Carolina. She attended North Carolina Central University and graduated Cum Laude with a BS in Math in 1984. She went on to earn her Juris Doctor from the North Carolina Central University Law School. Mayor O'Neal was a Judge for 24 years and was the first woman in Durham County to be named Chief District Court Judge. In 2011, she was elected the first woman Superior Court Judge in Durham County. She retired from the bench in 2018 to lead the NCCU School of Law as Interim Dean.

She is proud of her deep Durham roots that hold many family members in Durham, including several beloved children and grandchildren. She is a member of several organizations including First Calvary Baptist Church, Durham County Bar Association, George White Bar Association, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Elaine has the heart of a public servant and a deep abiding love for her hometown and for all who choose to call Durham home.