Politics

Retired Navy captain files for state House

By Bill Moss, Published: December 19, 2015

A retired Navy captain who switched to the Democratic Party last summer has filed to run for the state House seat currently held by state Rep. Chris Whitmire, who is retiring from the Legislature.

Maureen Mahan Copelof, a registered voter in Transylvania County since 1993, said she switched parties because she opposed changes the state Legislature had made in school funding, health care and the environment.
“I never expected to run for political office but I am concerned about the direction our state has moved in over the past several years,” she said in a news release. “I am concerned about the erosion of our public education system; about the refusal of our state to expand Medicaid to needy families; about the continuing need for jobs that pay a living wage; about the poverty and hunger that exists in our state; and the threats to our environment.”
“We need to change direction” she continued. “I care too deeply about the future of our state and our community here in the western section to just sit by and hope for the best. I look forward to working with the citizens of Polk, South Henderson and Transylvania counties as I become active, involved and lead the change that our district needs.”
Copelof served on active duty in the Navy for 30 years. As commanding officer of the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Master Station Atlantic she was responsible for leading over 1,000 sailors and civilians and responsible for a budget of over $100 million, a campaign announcement said.
She was responsible for fleet and shore communications stretching from North Dakota to Bahrain with over a dozen commands reporting to her. She served on the staff of the chief of naval operations, was appointed to a special task force that worked to bring web-based technology to the fleet and served as deputy director, command and control, at U.S. European Command, where she worked with all military services and NATO allies.
Copelof holds masters degrees in business administration and political science. Since living permanently in Brevard, she has been active in the community serving as president of the Brevard Chapter of the American Association of University Women and on the executive board of the Transylvania NAACP chapter. She volunteered for two years as executive director of a therapeutic riding center and is a member of the Transylvania County Planning Board.