SALISBURY — Salisbury Academy welcomed three new members to the board of trustees last month—Tony Almeida, James A. Davis and Hannah Jacobson.

Tony Almeida is originally from Atlanta, Georgia and graduated from Vanderbilt University with bachelor’s degrees in history and economics. He is retired from a fulfilling 32-year career in which he served as the vice president of large business customers for Duke Energy U.S., the vice president of business relations and economic development for Duke Energy Carolinas, the manager of consumer services for Duke Power and a sales representative for Proctor & Gamble, among other roles.

Almeida served as the senior economic advisor to Governor Pat McCrory in 2013 and was a registered lobbyist for the NC Research Campus from 2015 to 2022. He is active in the community and serves at the Hurley YMCA, First Presbyterian Church of Salisbury and Hood Theological Seminary. Almeida and his wife, Rev. Margaret Almeida, have three sons and seven grandchildren.

James A. Davis is one of few attorneys in North Carolina with three board certifications: Federal Criminal Law, State Criminal Law, and Family Law. Davis has a trial practice in criminal, domestic, and general litigation. He regularly lectures at criminal, family law, and trial practice continuing legal education (CLE) programs, having presented at over 35 CLE programs.

Born and raised in Rowan County and the father of four children, Davis has been involved in a number of civic and community leadership positions. His current memberships and involvements include being a member of the Board of Trustees for Charleston Southern University and a member of the Rowan-Cabarrus YMCA Board of Directors.

Past board memberships include Rowan Helping Ministries, the Catawba College Board of Visitors and the First Baptist Church Board of Deacons, where he served as a deacon and secretary.

Hannah Jacobson is originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota and attended St. Olaf College for her undergraduate degree, where she was an All-American swimmer and held a school record in the 100-yard butterfly.

She earned her master’s degree in city and regional planning from UNC-Chapel Hill and worked at the Durham City-County Planning Department for almost 10 years before moving to Salisbury.

Jacobson was hired as the planning and community development director for the city of Salisbury in 2019. She is married to Andrew Jacobson, and together they have two children, Sawyer and Ingrid. They are members at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and love to spend time at the Stanback Woods, biking at Community Park, and shopping downtown.