{"biography":"Lisa Michele McMillan is the Democratic candidate for the Guilford County Board of Commissioners, District 7, on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot. The Board of Commissioners serves as the governing body for Guilford County, North Carolina, setting policy, adopting the county budget, and overseeing county services such as public safety, health, and infrastructure [1].\n\nMcMillan grew up in Greensboro, attending Southern Guilford High School before leaving school at 17 while homeless. She later earned a GED and returned to higher education in her thirties, graduating from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (North Carolina A&T) with a degree in sociology at age 39 [8]. She also holds a bachelor\u2019s degree earned in 2011, according to Ballotpedia [1].\n\nProfessionally, McMillan founded and serves as executive director of Turning Everything Around, a nonprofit that provides mentorship, meals, trauma therapy, and resources to teen girls and other community members. The organization runs a mentoring program that connects young women with professionals ranging from lawyers to artists, and it operates a community\u2011advocacy arm that supports broader local initiatives [8][10]. In addition to her nonprofit work, she chairs the Greensboro Transit Advisory Commission and the Guilford County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, demonstrating a focus on transportation equity and youth safety [10].\n\nMcMillan\u2019s political experience includes two recent campaigns for the District\u202f7 commissioner seat. In the 2022 Democratic primary she placed third behind incumbent Frankie T.\u202fJones Jr., receiving 25.3% of the vote [1]. She ran again in 2026, narrowly defeating public\u2011school educator Walter Johnson III in the Democratic primary with 50.2% of the vote (3,655 votes) to Johnson\u2019s 49.8% (3,628 votes) \u2013 a margin of 34 votes that prompted a recount, which the Guilford County Board of Elections scheduled for March\u202f2026 [1][9][12]. The recount confirmed McMillan\u2019s lead, positioning her as the likely commissioner\u2011elect to replace Jones, who is not seeking reelection.\n\nMcMillan\u2019s campaign platform emphasizes \u201cAccess, Opportunity & Community.\u201d Her stated priorities are:\n\u2022 Individuals, Families & Children\n\u2022 Economic Opportunity & Affordability\n\u2022 Public Health & Community Well\u2011Being\n\u2022 Support for Small Businesses\n\u2022 Accountability, Transparency & Inclusion\nThese priorities are outlined on her campaign website and reflect her background in community advocacy and nonprofit leadership [4].\n\nIf elected, McMillan would bring experience in grassroots organizing, nonprofit management, and youth mentorship to the county board, aiming to translate her personal journey of overcoming adversity into policies that expand resources and equity for Guilford County residents.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Lisa McMillan - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Lisa_McMillan)\n- [4] [Elect Lisa McMillan | District 7 | Guilford County, NC, USA](https://www.electlisamcmillan.com)\n- [8] [Guilford County woman shows girls bright future](https://www.yahoo.com/news/forsyth-county-woman-shows-girls-223944445.html)\n- [9] [Guilford County to hold recount for District 7 commissioner seat | WUNC News](https://www.wunc.org/2026-03-16/guilford-county-to-hold-recount-for-district-7-commissioner-seat)\n- [10] [Woman working to keep pregnancy prevention program open for teen girls](https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2024/02/02/everyday-hero-works-to-keep-program-open-for-teen-girls-)\n- [12] [Guilford County to hold recount for District 7 commissioner seat](https://www.bpr.org/2026-03-16/guilford-county-to-hold-recount-for-district-7-commissioner-seat)","campaigns":[{"contest":"county_commission_district_07","county":"guilford","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Guilford County Board Of Commissioners District 07"},{"contest":"county_commission_district_07","county":"guilford","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Guilford County Board Of Commissioners District 07"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Lisa","fullname":"Lisa Michele Mcmillan","lastname":"Mcmillan","middlename":"Michele","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"county_commission_district_07","contest_title":"Guilford County Board Of Commissioners District 07","county":"guilford","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":"guilford","office_key":"county_commission","office_title":"County Commissioner","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},{"contest":"county_commission_district_07","contest_title":"Guilford County Board Of Commissioners District 07","county":"guilford","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-03-03","office_county":"guilford","office_key":"county_commission","office_title":"County Commissioner","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":"guilford","cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"county_commission_district_07","contest_title":"Guilford County Board Of Commissioners District 07","county":"guilford","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-03-03","office_county":"guilford","office_key":"county_commission","office_title":"County Commissioner","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"DEM","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"county_commission","office_title":"County Commissioner","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"summary":"Lisa Michele McMillan, a nonprofit founder and community advocate, is the Democratic candidate for Guilford County Commissioner District\u202f7 in 2026.","terms":[],"token":"5ffd0231b01158c5"}