RALEIGH -- The Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has named James Vaughan as the new warden of the Pasquotank Correctional Institution in Elizabeth City.
Vaughan, 59, had been the warden at the Caledonia Correctional Institution in Tillery since 2014.
“Warden Vaughan is a proven leader with hands-on experience running a large, high-security prison,” said Todd Ishee, Commissioner of Prisons. “He knows the business back and forth and brings outstanding organizational and leadership skills to his new post.”
In his new position, Vaughan is responsible for all operations at the Pasquotank Correctional Institution, which is a close custody facility for adult male offenders, who work in kitchen, janitorial and maintenance jobs in the prison. The prison also has an education program that prepares offenders for the high school equivalency test, as well as vocational programs and a cooking school.
A veteran employee to state government, Vaughan began his career as a correctional officer at Odom Correctional Institution in Jackson in 1986. He was promoted to sergeant in 1989 and to lieutenant in 1994.
In 2008, he was promoted to captain and transferred to Bertie Correctional Institution in Windsor. Four years later, he was named associate warden of operations at Central Prison in Raleigh and a few months later was promoted to deputy warden at the prison.
During his 33-year career, he served as the squad leader for the Prison Emergency Response Team for eight years. He also was the team leader for the Drug Interdiction Team in both the Eastern and Central regions and also served as the accreditation manager at Bertie Correctional Institution.
Vaughan is a graduate of Northampton County High School and completed the year-long Correctional Leadership Development Program.
His hobbies include fishing and golf. His wife, Cristel Vaughan, is the associate warden for programs at Warren Correctional Institution in Manson.