Leslie Cooley Dismukes

Leslie Cooley Dismukes started her tenure as Secretary of the NC Department of Adult Correction on January 1, 2025, bringing extensive experience as a public servant and leader to the role.

She began her career as an assistant district attorney in Mecklenburg County, followed by distinguished service at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, where she served as assistant U.S. Attorney, deputy criminal chief and later criminal chief.

Committed to advancing public safety and justice in North Carolina, she joined the North Carolina Department of Justice as the criminal bureau chief in 2017. In this leadership role, she oversaw a wide range of critical areas, including criminal appeals, special prosecutions, Medicaid investigations, public safety litigation, the NC Justice Academy, and the NC Sheriffs’ Standards Division. She was appointed by the attorney general as interim director of the NC State Crime Lab and represented the attorney general on the NC Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission, which governs the training and certification of many NCDAC staff.