Mary Cole Pike was appointed chief of staff in May 2026. As chief of staff, she oversees the Office of Communications, Governance and Legislative Affairs. She also works closely with the senior leadership team to help align and coordinate key department initiatives, support executive decision-making and complement the deep operational expertise across the department. She previously served as NCDOT’s deputy secretary for External Affairs, a role she assumed in December 2025.
Pike has spent most of her career in the public sector. Before joining NCDOT, she served as executive director of communications and chief of staff for University Communications and Marketing at NC State University, where she helped advance institutional priorities and led the university’s communications strategy. She also held several roles supporting crisis communications, public relations and strategic communications planning for the university. Earlier in her career, she managed public- and private-sector client teams at Capstrat, now part of Ketchum, and served as regional director of communications for the YMCA of the Triangle.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and mass communication from UNC-Chapel Hill and a Master of Public Administration from NC State. A native of Ramseur, Pike lives in Raleigh with her husband and two children.