A leader made of the community
Harry Southerland’s leadership is grounded in lived experience. Born and raised in Raeford, North Carolina, he was shaped by a hardworking single mother who taught him the value of responsibility, service, and showing up for others. Those early lessons continue to guide his work today—as a public servant, a father, and a trusted advocate for Hoke County families.
He is a proud husband and father, deeply rooted in family and faith, and committed to building a county where the next generation has more opportunity than the last.
Harry’s public service began in education, elected to the Hoke County Board of Education in 2000, where he became a leading advocate for the Leandro case and equitable school funding across rural North Carolina.
In 2014, he was elected to the Hoke County Board of Commissioners, where he now serves his third term. As Commissioner, Harry helps oversee an $80 million county budget and a workforce of more than 600 employees, always focused on turning public investment into tangible community benefit.
His leadership has helped deliver historic progress: raising the county minimum wage to $15 per hour, expanding affordable housing, investing in education and public safety, and bringing long-awaited community facilities from planning to reality.
A graduate of Hoke County High School, Harry went on to earn degrees in Business Management and Economics from North Carolina State University, graduating with honors. Driven by a desire to serve those too often overlooked, he pursued law at North Carolina Central University School of Law, where he was elected class president twice and competed nationally on the Moot Court Trial Advocacy Team.
He earned his Juris Doctor in 1994 and was admitted to practice in North Carolina and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina—bringing both legal rigor and moral clarity to his work.
Before retiring from law, Harry built a diverse legal career spanning criminal defense, business, and entertainment law—most notably securing a life-changing acquittal for an indigent client and representing a first-round NBA draft pick.
He’s also affectionately known as the “favorite country lawyer,” a longtime co-host on Sheryl Underwood Radio, where he reached and empowered audiences nationwide through humor, honesty, and perspective.
Harry’s work has been honored across North Carolina, including the Order of the Longleaf Pine, County Commissioner of the Year, and multiple awards from public safety and community organizations. In 2021, Governor Roy Cooper appointed him to the North Carolina Board of Examiners for Optometry, recognizing his steady leadership and statewide impact.
At his core, Harry Southerland is not defined by titles, but by trust. He listens. He builds coalitions. He follows through. And he believes that the strongest communities are shaped not by one voice—but by many, moving forward together.