Grace Rohrer (full name: Grace Jemison Rohrer-Huff; June 14, 1924 – October 12, 2011), was an American educator, arts and women's rights activist, and politician who served as the first woman to hold a state cabinet-level position in North Carolina when she was appointed Secretary of Cultural Resources by Governor James Holshouser from 1973 to 1977.
She excelled in arts promotion in Forsyth County, North Carolina, being a member of the Winston-Salem Symphony Guild.
[3] Rohrer became active in civic affairs while in Winston-Salem and in the 1960s started working with local Republican party committees.
She moved up in party hierarchy over time, even getting her father involved: Howard Jemison served several terms in the North Carolina House of Representatives for Forsyth County.
[4] Rohrer then became vice chairman of the party and during 1972 was interim chair when Rouse decided to temporarily step aside to campaign for Gardner.
[3][6] Actively encouraging more women to participate in politics, she became one of three candidates short-listed for the Nixon administration's choice for Treasurer of the United States in 1974.
[8] After she lost the race for Secretary of State, newly elected governor Jim Holshouser decided to choose Rohrer to be head of the Department of Art, Culture and History.
[10] When a Republican next won the governorship of North Carolina, it was James G. Martin who appointed Rohrer as his Secretary of Administration (another state cabinet-level post).
[12] After leaving office, she took a position with Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, in 1988, serving there until 1994.