Crawford H. Cleveland III

Crawford Cleveland clevelandch@appstate.edu

Crawford H. Cleveland III

Senior Associate General Counsel

Crawford serves as Senior Associate General Counsel for Appalachian State University. He joined the Office of General Counsel in 2019. His legal practice areas include litigation, regulatory compliance, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, utility law for New River Light & Power, first amendment law, and public record requests. Prior to joining the University, he was a partner with di Santi, Watson, Capua, Wilson & Garrett, PLLC. He has experience in general civil litigation and has served as a County Attorney for Watauga County. Additionally, he also has in-house counsel experience with a large construction company in Louisiana from his time in New Orleans.

Dedicated to supporting the legal community, Crawford has served in a number of leadership positions. He was elected to the State Bar Council, the 60-member governing body for the North Carolina State Bar, in January of 2025. He is a member of the State Bar Ethics Committee. In recent years, he was elected as President of the 35^th Judicial District Bar in 2021, appointed as Vice-Chair of the State Bar Lawyer Assistance Program, and has served as President of the Watauga County Bar Association twice. He is also a graduate of the University of North Carolina System Executive Leadership Institute, completing that program in 2024.

EXPERIENCE

Education

The University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee – B.A. English
Charlotte School of Law, North Carolina – Juris Doctor

Bar Admissions

North Carolina

Memberships

North Carolina State Bar, State Bar Councilor for Judicial District 35
North Carolina State Bar Association
35th Judicial District Bar, President 2021
Watauga County Bar Association, President 2019, 2024
National Association of College and University Attorneys
University of North Carolina System Attorneys Group
UNC Executive Leadership Institute, Class of 2024

University Committees

Emergency Management Task Force
Real Estate Committee
Occupational Safety and Health Committee
Academic Affairs Standard Operating Procedures Committee

Community Service

Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors 2025-2027
North Carolina State Bar Lawyer Assistance Program, Board of Directors Vice-Chair 2020-2026
National Ski Patrol, Alpine Patroller at Appalachian Ski Mountain
St. Mary of the Hills Episcopal Church, Blowing Rock, Vestry 2018-2020
Watauga County Children’s Council, Board of Directors 2016-2019
Boone Sunrise Rotary 2016-2018

Sarah Rupp

Associate General Counsel

Real Property

Sarah joined the Office of General Counsel in 2022. Her primary area of practice for the University is real estate. Prior to joining the General Counsel’s Office, Sarah was in private practice in Boone where she focused primarily on real estate transactions. She spent the beginning of her career in Washington, D.C., working in commercial real estate, including purchase and sale, leasing, and financing transactions. Sarah graduated from Cornell University and Duke University School of Law. When not in the office, she enjoys spending time outside with her husband and three children.

EXPERIENCE

Education

Cornell University
Duke University, Juris Doctor

Bar Admissions

North Carolina

Professional Affiliations

North Carolina State Bar
North Carolina State Bar Association
35th Judicial District Bar
Watauga County Bar Association
National Association of College and University Attorneys
University of North Carolina System Attorneys Group

Practice Groups

Real Property
Transactional
Utility and Energy

Wendy Hildebran

Senior Paralegal

Wendy Hildebran began working as a Paralegal in the Office of General Counsel in July of 2021 and began serving as the Senior Paralegal in 2022. Wendy graduated from North Carolina State University and Meredith College. She began her career working as a paralegal for the law firm of Wheatly, Wheatly, Nobles Weeks, PA in Beaufort, NC, where she supported the attorney for the Town of Beaufort and Carteret County. She relocated to Greensboro, NC, where she worked as a paralegal to the Vice-President and General Counsel of General Dynamics Advanced Technology Systems, Inc. She and her husband, Scott, live in Lenoir with their two cats.

EXPERIENCE

Education

North Carolina State University, Bachelor of Science in Political Science, 1992
Meredith College, Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Paralegal Studies, 1994

Professional Affiliations

NC Bar Association Paralegal and Education law sections

Practice Groups

Litigation (eDiscovery, Torts, Workers’ Compensation)
Real Property
Transactional
University Governance

Emily Cornett

Emily Cornett

Executive Assistant

Having worked at Appalachian State University for the past four years, Emily made the switch to the Office of General Counsel in April of 2022. Before joining the Appalachian State family, she had focused her career on Child Development, working with many early learning centers within her community. Emily spends much time involved in youth sports as her two sons play soccer, basketball, and baseball. She is honored to be able to serve Appalachian State.