Three Government Professors Honored by Richard and Judy Vinroot’s Legacy
Three School of Government faculty members have been awarded three-year Robert W. Bradshaw Jr. Distinguished Term Professorships.
Phil Dixon, Robert W. Bradshaw Jr. Distinguished Teaching Associate Professor of Public Law and Government (Term: Three Years); Director, Public Defense Education
Areas of expertise: criminal law and procedure, public defense education, cannabis/hemp
Nomination excerpt: “His reputation as an expert is evidenced by his frequent consulting with media organizations, including NPR and ProPublica, regarding complex legal and policy issues.”
Jacquelyn Greene, Robert W. Bradshaw Jr. Distinguished Associate Professor of Public Law and Government (Term: Three Years)
Areas of expertise: juvenile justice, delinquency, and jurisdiction
Nomination excerpt: “Her scholarship and practical resources are essential to a broad range of stakeholders, including district court judges, prosecutors, defense counsel, magistrates, and law enforcement officers.”
Kirsten Leloudis, Robert W. Bradshaw Jr. Distinguished Assistant Professor of Public Law and Government (Term: Three Years)
Areas of expertise: public health law, local health departments
Nomination excerpt: “Her scholarship is both prolific and highly practical…[she] has provided public health professionals across the state with essential, accessible tools for their daily work.”
These term professorships are funded by a $1 million gift in 2009 from Richard and Judy Vinroot to the School of Government in honor of Richard’s longtime friend, mentor, and law partner, Robert Bradshaw. A portion of those funds were matched by the state’s Distinguished Professors Endowment to create the Robert W. Bradshaw Jr. Distinguished Professorships Fund.
The Vinroots, through this fund, also established two permanent professorships held by faculty members Kara Millonzi and Willow Jacobson. Millonzi is a professor of public law and government at the School and associate dean for research and innovation. Her areas of specialty include local government finance law and general county law. Jacobson is a professor of public administration and government and associate dean for academic affairs. Her research interests include leadership, organizational theory and behavior, and strategic human capital management.
Richard Vinroot said the donation helped he and his wife Judy, who passed away in 2024, give back to the University and friend they so admired.
“Judy and I wanted to do something significant during our lives for the University, hence our gift,” Richard Vinroot said. “We also wanted to honor our dear friend Bob Bradshaw, not only because of his and his family’s long friendship, but for Bob’s devotion to ‘good government’ in North Carolina.”
Richard Vinroot is a retired commercial litigator at Robinson Bradshaw, focusing on land use and zoning, real estate development, construction and employment. Bradshaw mentored Richard in his law practice, when he entered public life as a member of the Charlotte City Council, and when he served as mayor of Charlotte from 1991–95. Bradshaw also chaired Richard's campaign for governor of North Carolina in 1996. Vinroot earned his bachelor's degree in 1963 and his law degree in 1966 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a John Motley Morehead Scholar and a varsity basketball player under Dean Smith.
Judy was a student, cheerleader, and class officer at Carolina at the same time. Judy graduated with a degree in education in 1965. She was vice president of the General Alumni Association of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and served for many years on the Morehead-Cain Scholarship Selection Committee for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg region. Their three children subsequently attended the University.
Another portion of the gift established the school's Robert W. Bradshaw Jr. Public Administration Fellowship for the School’s Master of Public Administration students.
Published on September 16th, 2026