Dana (she/her) spent the last decade in clinical social work, supporting kids & families, and people experiencing addiction. She has a B.S. and Masters Degree in Social Work and is conversationally fluent in Spanish. She has managed multiple programs including regional mental and physical health initiatives with the Autism Society, the Boys & Girls Clubs, and most recently, MAHEC.

She and her partner co-own and manage a regenerative farm in McDowell County focused on pastured chickens, hogs, sheep and cattle. She loves spending every possible moment outside, and sharing a delicious meal with pals.

Over the last two decades, Jenn (she/her) has worked in worked in social research and food preparation, with 15 years in nonprofit research, design and program delivery.

She credits food for changing her life; influencing health, community and connection to the land, during a time when she needed it most. She realized food was a universal way to influence people’s lives and in 2016 she became dedicated to never stop learning more about preparation, production, ritual and sustainability related to food.

She is very excited to combine her passion for food and experience in research and service development to support community food sovereignty across WNC.

Liz (they/she) has a passion for food advocacy work and contributing to long-lasting change. They have spent the last several years immersed in food sovereignty, education, justice, and community resilience work through an intersectional lens. After going to language school in Central America, they earned a B.S. in Multidisciplinary Anthropology and Sustainable Development with a focus on Human-Animal relations and Community Resilience from Appalachian State University. 

Post-graduation, Liz worked with diverse farms and food security movements with BRWIA and ASAP. They are deeply committed to advancing human and non-human animal justice through education, advocacy, and bold climate action.

Outside of work, they can be found biking, gardening, practicing yoga, or volunteering at local animal sanctuaries and with the Food Empowerment Project.

After studying Creative Writing and Child Development at Pitzer College in Claremont, California and Literature and Language at UNC-Asheville, Megan (she/her) has worked as a writer, an educator, and a nonprofit leader with experience in operations and administration, advocacy, strategy, and development. Along with her love of learning, mountains, and stories, Megan is an urban gardener and a big fan of eating and sharing clean, slow, local food. She is honored to be a part of this collective work in strengthening systems to bring more healthy food to feed more people.

Info about Mike coming soon!

Chair

Formative Health Consulting

Vice Chair

Haywood Christian Ministry

Secretary

MANNA Food Bank

Member at Large

WNC From the Ground Up

Member at Large

Buncombe County Health & Human Services

Member at Large

Mountain Xpress