GOLDSBORO, NC — Longtime Goldsboro attorney Shelby Duffy Benton has been appointed to the statewide board of directors of the North Carolina Community Foundation (NCCF), bringing more than four decades of legal experience and community service to the organization.
Benton serves as lead attorney at Benton Family Law in Goldsboro and has practiced law in Wayne County since 1985. A graduate of North Carolina State University and Campbell University School of Law, Benton initially focused her career on criminal and family law before becoming a certified specialist in family law in 1995. Since then, she has devoted her practice exclusively to family law.
Throughout her distinguished legal career, Benton has held numerous leadership positions. She is a past president of both the Wayne County Bar Association and the North Carolina Bar Association, a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and a diplomate of the American College of Family Trial Lawyers.
In addition to her legal work, Benton serves as a commissioner on the North Carolina Domestic Violence Commission and sits on the boards of Mount Olive Pickle Company and Shallco, Inc.
Benton has also made a lasting impact through her commitment to education and youth development initiatives across eastern North Carolina, particularly in Wayne County.
She chaired the Wayne County Day Reporting Center Task Force, helping develop and implement an alternative program for first-time, non-violent offenders that provides opportunities for rehabilitation outside of traditional incarceration.
Her dedication to mentoring young people also led to the creation of the Teen and Attorney Partnership for Success (TAPS), a collaboration between the Wayne County Bar Association and Communities Supporting Schools. The program established countywide mock trial competitions for high school students, and Benton continues to support middle school mock trial teams preparing for statewide competition.
An active member of First Presbyterian Church, Benton has also helped establish a traveling volleyball program for young women in Wayne County and has served on the advisory board of The Salvation Army.
NCCF Board Chair John Willingham praised Benton’s appointment, citing both her professional accomplishments and community involvement.
“Shelby’s legal knowledge and long history of supporting her state and local community will be a true asset to our board,” Willingham said.
As a member of the North Carolina Community Foundation’s board of directors, Benton will help guide the organization’s mission of inspiring philanthropy and strengthening communities across the state through charitable giving and community leadership.
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