Commissioner   Vivian Saunders Term Expires: 2028   P.O. Box 609 Lewiston-Woodville, NC 27849 252-348-2517

Representing District IV - Roxobel and Woodville

Elected in 2024

Vivian Saunders is the wife of Darrell Saunders and the mother of Devon and Dennis Saunders. Vivian is affectionally know as, “MaMa” to her three handsome grandsons.

Vivian attended Fayetteville State University and Martin Community College. She serves on numerous boards. Mrs. Saunders is the first African American woman to become the Rotarian of the Year and become a Paul Harris Fellow in the state of North Carolina. Mrs. Saunders was awarded the NAACP Citizen of The Year Award, The Jane Metcalf Technology Award, The Governor’s Award for Grass Roots Community Volunteerism, has been recognized by both Republican and Democratic Parties for her work educating youth and many more accomplishments.

Mrs. Saunders is a driven community organizer, national motivational speaker, the CEO of Bertie County Hive Educational Vitality Center.

Mrs. Saunders’ work reached national and international recognition when her life's work was depicted in the feature film In The Hive, starring Loretta Devine, the late great Mikael Clark Duncan, and Vivica Foxx. Mrs. Saunders’ work has been even further recognized by the MacArthur Foundation which funded an independent documentary depicting Mrs. Saunders’ work for the communities that she serves.

Her love for children drove her to leave her job at Perdue Inc, the local poultry plant over 20 years ago, and pursue her passion to serve the community by opening the first 24-hour childcare center. Years later, Vivian expanded her child-focused mission by installing and administering two technology community centers in Bertie County, as well as serving over 100 students via the Hive. The Hive was an alternative school for young men in the 6th-12th grades.

Mrs. Saunders would describe herself as "The Realness of Bertie County". “The best way to get things accomplished in my community is to be honest and respectful. People know that Mrs. Saunders will always be upfront with them, and they come to me for help and advice because of that. My tag line is "if you don’t want to know the truth, don’t ask me".” Mrs. Saunders is a behind the scenes type of person.

“I do not see myself as the person that gets the glory for the job; I am the person that gets the job done. The most important job in my life, first and foremost, is being a wife and mother. When I die, I want that to be the job that I am remembered for and the legacy that I leave behind.”

Full Name:

Vivian Saunders

Education:   Fayetteville State University

Martin Community College

Selected Public Service & Community Activities: 

Selected Honors or Awards Received: 

First African American woman to become the Rotarian of the Year

Paul Harris Fellow

NAACP Citizen of The Year Award
The Jane Metcalf Technology Award
Recognized by both Republican and Democratic Parties for her work educating youth and many more accomplishments