Cabinet selection begins for Christy Lambden

Student Body President-elect Christy Lambden is looking to fill the traditional cabinet positions — as well as a new one he has created.

The Executive Branch Officer Selection Committee is reviewing 29 applications for six different cabinet positions, said committee member and Student Body Secretary Nikita Shamdasani. The cabinet will likely be chosen in the next few weeks.

In addition to vice president, secretary, treasurer, chief of staff and senior adviser, Lambden has created a new cabinet position: director of state and external relations.

He said he plans for this new cabinet member to work directly with the N.C. General Assembly, the UNC-system Board of Governors and the system’s Association of Student Governments.

The Executive Branch Officer Selection Committee, which consists mainly of outgoing student government officials, will recommend three finalists for each position to Lambden for consideration.

Lambden will then interview finalists and select his officers for approval by Student Congress.

Although Lambden does not sit on the selection committee, he said he has a good idea of what he values most in his executive staff.

“I want to have a strong personal and professional relationship with them,” he said, adding that he hopes to use such relationships to help bridge the gap between the executive and legislative branches after a tense year.

Student Body President Will Leimenstoll, who sits on the selection committee, said it was extremely difficult deciding between candidates when he was choosing his own cabinet members last year.

“I’m sure Christy will be in the same boat I was, where I had a lot of great people apply,” he said.

“When it came down to it, I tried to make sure I was picking a team that would work well together and balance each other’s weaknesses.”

Shamdasani said the committee hopes to send its recommendations to Lambden by this weekend. Lambden will interview finalists and choose his cabinet in the next few weeks.

“(We are looking for) someone that has an idea about what they want to do — someone who’s super enthusiastic about the role,” Shamdasani said.

She added that chemistry was important in choosing candidates.

“It’s a whole year, and you definitely spend a lot of time together, so if you don’t like each other and aren’t excited to go into the office every day, that will make things difficult,” she said.

Lambden’s campaign manager, Michael Hardison, serves as the student body president-elect delegate to the committee.

“I kind of fill the void when it comes to knowing Christy personally and knowing what kind of dynamic the candidate would have with him,” he said, adding that so far the interview process has gone extremely well.

“Everyone has been great and qualified candidates so far, and it’s rejuvenating to see what Carolina has to offer.”

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