Kristi Harshbarger (NACCA President)

General Counsel, Iowa State Association of Counties  
Kristi joined the Iowa State Association of Counties in 2011 and currently serves as its General Counsel. In this role, she provides education and assistance to county officials and employees throughout the state and serves as ISAC’s attorney for in-house legal matters. Kristi grew up in Mediapolis Iowa, and attended the University of Iowa where she received a BA in journalism and then attended Drake University for law school. Kristi lives in Waukee, Iowa with her husband and two children. 

Gordan Watkins (NACCA President-Elect)

Gordon Watkins serves as the County Attorney for Forsyth County, North Carolina.  In his work for the County, Gordon has specialized in construction litigation, property tax appeals, and local government law.  He has been deeply involved in negotiating and drafting the North Carolina opioid settlements, which provide 85% of funding directly to NC counties.  He currently serves as the Chair of the NC Opioid Coordination Group.  

Gordon is a native of Lynchburg, Virginia.  He graduated with an AB in economics from Davidson College.  He worked as an Assistant Economist at the Richmond Federal Reserve Bank, before studying economics at MIT.  He then received his law degree from the University of Virginia.  After graduation, he worked in the litigation section of the Kilpatrick Townsend law firm in Winston-Salem.

Gordon is married with two daughters and lives in Winston-Salem.

Phylllis Errico (NACCA Past President)

Phyllis is General Counsel to the Virginia Association of Counties. She received her J.D. from the T.C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond and her undergraduate degree from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa.

She is a member of the Local Government Attorneys of Virginia served as a Board Member and President of the Virginia Council of School Attorneys. She served on the Board of Governors and as President of the Local Government section of the Virginia State Bar. She Served as President of the National Association of Counties Civil Attorneys and as President of the Virginia Society of Association Executives. 

Prior to her service at VACo, she was a Senior Assistant County Attorney and School Board Counsel for Henrico County, Assistant County Attorney for Hanover County, and Assistant Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Phyllis has served as a member of the Lehigh University Alumni Association and the Board of Trustees.