Cherell Harris Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina

Cherell is an Associate Counsel at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and a trusted expert in high-value technology and healthcare contracting. With more than 25 years of strategic advisory, operational excellence, and project leadership experience across the biotech, pharmaceutical, and medical device industries, she brings a uniquely powerful blend of technical depth and legal insight to her work. Before entering the legal profession, Attorney Harris built a distinguished career in biotechnology and life sciences, contributing to organizations such as the Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Merck, Bausch & Lomb, and General Mills. Driven by a long-held dream of becoming an attorney, she returned to law school as a working professional and earned her JD from North Carolina Central University School of Law’s evening program in 2019. She also holds a master’s in chemical engineering from North Carolina A&T State University and a BS in chemistry from Spelman College. A certified Six Sigma Black Belt and Project Management Professional, Attorney Harris brings discipline, equity, and strategic clarity to every initiative she leads. She is an active member of the North Carolina Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division, where she serves as the Community Outreach Division Director, Co-Chair of the Minorities in the Profession Committee, and Co-Chair of the Communications Subcommittee for the Intellectual Property Committee. Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Attorney Harris has made the Southeast her home for most of her adult life. She is a proud wife and mother of two adult sons. Beyond her professional commitments, she enjoys yoga, dance, martial arts, vegan cooking, investing, collecting shot glasses, and spending meaningful time with family and friends. Her greatest passion lies in mentoring emerging professionals—championing reinvention, resilience, and the power of leading by example.