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Appalachian State University Logo

Jennifer D. Chrisohon

Paul A. Meggett

Jennifer D. Chrisohon

Senior Associate General Counsel 

Employment and Transactional

Jennifer Chrisohon is a Senior Associate General Counsel. She began her career at Appalachian in July 2013 as the Assistant General Counsel. Prior to joining the Office of General Counsel, Jennifer served as the Deputy General Counsel to the North Carolina Department of Labor for over 8 years. In this role, Jennifer provided legal advice on personnel issues, federal and state wage and hour laws, State contracts, occupational safety and health and other regulatory areas such as boilers and elevators. Jennifer began her legal career at the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office in the Education Section representing the State institutions of higher education in litigation matters. Jennifer is also a trained mediator and has provided mediation services as a Lead Mediator to the North Carolina Office of State Human Resources and in the Wake County courts.

EXPERIENCE

Education

University of Tennessee College of Law, Juris Doctor 2003
East Tennessee State University, Bachelor of Science Political Science 1999

Bar Admissions

North Carolina

Professional Affiliations

  • North Carolina Bar
  • North Carolina Bar Association
  • Watauga County Bar Association
  • National Association of College and University Attorneys

Practice Groups

  • Higher Education
  • Labor and Employment
  • Laboratory School
  • Real Property
  • Sponsored Research
  • Transactional
  • Utility and Energy

Crawford H. Cleveland III

Crawford H. Cleveland III

Senior Associate General Counsel 

Regulatory and Litigation

Crawford serves as Senior Associate General Counsel for Appalachian State University. He joined the Office of General Counsel in April of 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.  In addition, he also has in-house counsel experience with a large construction company in Louisiana from his time in New Orleans.

He is active within the North Carolina State Bar and the local bar. The State Bar Council appointed him to a second three-year term in 2023 to serve on the Board of Directors for the North Carolina State Bar Lawyer Assistance Program. In October of 2020, he was elected President of the 35th Judicial District Bar covering a five-county area (Watauga, Avery, Yancey, Madison, Mitchell) for the 2021-2022 term. At the local level, Crawford has served as President of the Watauga County Bar Association in 2019 and 2024 and has been a member of the Executive Committee for the past five years. He particularly enjoys his engagement with attorneys in the community and helps organize Continuing Legal Education events for the local bar.

In the High Country, Crawford has served on boards and in leadership positions both in Boone and Blowing Rock. When he is not at work, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Brynn, and their two boys. They like to hike trails along the Blue Ridge Parkway and ski together during the winter season.

 

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
  • North Carolina State Bar Association
  • 35th Judicial District Bar, President 2021-2022
  • 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
  • Campus Climate Support Committee

 

Community Service

  • North Carolina State Bar Lawyer Assistance Program, Board of Directors  2020-2026
  • North Carolina Lawyer Assistance Program Foundation, Board of Directors 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

Practice Groups

  • Higher Education
  • Litigation
  • Real Property
  • Student Affairs
  • Academic Affairs
  • Transactional
  • Utility and Energy

Sarah Rupp

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

Wendy Hildebran

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

Paul A. Meggett

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.