Deena Anita Hayes-Greene

Current office and 2026 campaign

Deena A. Hayes-Greene is the incumbent District 8 member of the Guilford County Schools Board of Education and is seeking re-election in the November 3, 2026 general election; the Democratic primary for the seat was cancelled, advancing her automatically to the general-election ballot, according to Ballotpedia ¹.

Background and education

Hayes-Greene earned her bachelor's degree from Guilford College in 2004. She first ran for — and won — a seat on the Guilford County school board while still a student there, an experience she has described as "transformational" ². She co-founded the Racial Equity Institute, a nonprofit focused on racial-equity work in education and beyond ².

Career

Hayes-Greene was first elected to the Guilford County Board of Education representing District 8 in 2002, according to Ballotpedia ¹, and has been repeatedly re-elected since; she ran unopposed for a new term in 2022, winning with 11,466 votes ³.

She has held the board chairmanship multiple times during her tenure, including through the 2020-21 school year when the board approved an $829 million budget ⁴, and was re-elected chairwoman in December 2022 ⁵.

Legislative record and accomplishments

As chair, Hayes-Greene has emphasized fiscal responsibility, equity, and safety. She led budget discussions balancing academic programs with student-support services ⁴. At a 2023 Guilford Dialogues panel, she said progress on educational gaps requires "greater understanding and inclusion" extending beyond schools into housing, health care, and other community sectors ². After a wave of threatening emails and voicemails targeted district leaders, she publicly addressed safety concerns and called for protective measures for staff and board members ⁶.

In a 2023 opinion piece, Hayes-Greene wrote that the board is "ready to seat a Republican," provided the candidate aligns with the board's mission ⁷.

Sources