By Dan Nonte, University Relations
Jane Preyer joins the Board of Trustees.
Jane Preyer of Chapel Hill followed in her mother’s footsteps April 5 when she joined the University of North Carolina at Greensboro Board of Trustees. Her mother, Emily Harris Preyer, graduated from Woman’s College, now known as UNCG, in 1936 and was on the board 1989-97.
Jane Preyer has served as director of Environmental Defense’s Southeast regional office since 1997. The non-profit organization links science, economics, law and private-sector partnerships to solve environmental problems, particularly climate change, and water and air pollution.
Appointed by the governor, Preyer replaces Linda Carlisle, who resigned after the governor appointed her to the state lottery commission. Carlisle remains co-chair of The Students First Campaign, the university’s $78.2 million fund-raising drive.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in English in 1976, and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She received master’s degrees in sports science from UNCG in 1984 and public administration from UNC-CH in 1993.
She was a professional tennis player from 1977-83 and at one time ranked 43rd in the world. She reached the round of 16 at Wimbledon, and defeated top-five players Evonne Goolagong, Manual Maleeva, Sue Barker and Betty Stove.
From 1985-91, she coached the Duke University Women’s Tennis Team. During her tenure, the team won five Atlantic Coast Conference Championships. She is a member of the North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame and a four-time ACC Coach of the Year.
She is the daughter of the late L. Richardson and Emily Harris Preyer of Greensboro. L. Richardson Preyer was a federal judge and a six-term Congressman. Emily Harris was student body president at Woman’s College, and served on the Board of Trustees of the Consolidated University of North Carolina 1953-72 and its successor, the University of North Carolina Board of Governors, 1972-77.
