James David Gailliard

James David Gailliard is the senior pastor of Word Tabernacle Church in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. He previously served as a Democratic member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for District 25 from 2019 to 2023, and was the first African-American to hold the seat. Gailliard attended Morehouse College and St. Joseph's University, with an academic background in theology, counseling, and business administration. He is also the founder of The Reach Center, Inc., a nonprofit focused on employment, homelessness prevention, and violence prevention. His work focuses on community development in areas such as health, housing, education, and criminal justice.