Our Team

CFSA staff and board live and work remotely across North and South Carolina to best serve our member network of farmers, food councils, and consumers across both states.

Get to know them below.

Our Board

CFSA is governed by farmers, business leaders, agriculture educators, and concerned citizens.

Ebonie Alexander

Black Family Land Trust | Durham, NC

Ebonie is the executive director of the Black Family Land Trust (BFLT) in Durham, NC. Incorporated in 2004, the BFLT is one of the nation’s only conservation land trust dedicated to the preservation and protection of African-American and other historically underserved landowners assets. The BFLT utilizes the core principles of land conservation and land-based community economic development to achieve our goals. BFLT measurably improves the quality of life for landowners, by providing families with the tools necessary to make informed, proactive decisions regarding their land and its use. The BFLT works primarily in the southeastern United States and its programs are intergenerational in their design. Ebonie and her colleagues at the BFLT honor the legacy of those stewards of the land that came before us and have faith in those stewards of the land that will come after us.

Michael Brown

Sustaining Way | Greenville, SC

Michael is the executive director of Sustaining Way and its flagship demonstration site, Annie’s House, located in Greenville, South Carolina’s historic Nicholtown.

A native of Spartanburg, Michael holds a BA in political science from Alabama A&M University, an MPA from The Ohio State University, and a JD from the University of South Carolina School of Law. Michael served 12 years as the District One Representative for Spartanburg County Council, was the first African American vice-chair, and chaired the Public Safety and Judiciary Committee. A long-serving member of the Economic Development Committee, Michael worked to establish 20,000 jobs and deliver more than $8 billion of development to the county. Among many community service roles, he has served on the South Carolina Bar Board of Governors, serves as president of the Spartanburg NAACP, is an alumnus of the Liberty Fellowship, and is an Aspen Global Leadership Fellow.

A trained apiarist certified in Sustainable Agriculture, Michael is a board member of the South Carolina Food Policy Council working to combat the reality of food swamps/food deserts in the communities throughout the state. He is passionate about helping heal the land and started a regenerative urban farm, Roots of Life, in 2019.

Dr. Miguel Castillo

NC State University | Raleigh, NC

Miguel is an associate professor at NC State University in the Crop and Soil Science Department focusing on grassland production & management. He also specializes in fertilization and use of alternative sources of nutrients for grassland agriculture and bioenergy feedstock from grasses.

Miguel was born in Loja, Ecuador, South America, and joined NC State University in August 2013. He also has degrees from the University of Florida and Zamorano, Honduras. He and his wife both have a keen interest in sustainable agriculture and local foods. They support small farmers by participating in various farm-to-fork events in the region.

Vice President

Davon Goodwin

Sandhills AGInnovation Center (SAIC) | Ellerbe, NC
Off The Land Farms | Laurinburg, NC

Davon grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, but has rooted himself in North Carolina for over a decade now, consistently demonstrating his dual commitment to agriculture and community. Davon holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, where he studied biology with a concentration in botany. While in college, Davon enlisted in the Army Reserve; he served in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he earned a Purple Heart after he was wounded by an improvised explosive device (IED). Davon works and connects to his community in numerous ways.

Since 2012, Davon has worked with Growing Change, a nonprofit organization that is transforming former North Carolina prisons into therapeutic farms for youth in the community. Through Growing Change, Davon has served as a teacher and mentor to youth who have been impacted by the juvenile justice system. He works full-time as the executive director of the Sandhills AGInnovation Center (SAIC), a food hub in Ellerbe, NC, which he has managed since it opened in 2017. The mission of the SAIC is to support communities facing food insecurity by providing food boxes of fresh, healthy produce and proteins, which nourishes people in the region while at the same time reinvigorates the local farm economy and supports the next generation of farmers.

Davon also owns and operates Off The Land Farms, a 42-acre sustainable farm located in Laurinburg, NC, where he grows muscadine grapes, blackberries, and vegetables. Davon was a 2017 Stone Barns Exchange Fellow, a group working at the intersections of climate change, food and agriculture. Davon was also a part of the 2018 documentary The War Within that chronicles the lives of retired veterans of the conflict in Afghanistan.

He currently serves on the board of the Center for Environmental Farming Systems.

Ken Harvin

SC Association for Community and Economic Development | Summerton, SC

Ken has spent 20 years as a community development practitioner in Communities of Color, addressing the issue of social inequality using community-building and organizing principles. Ken graduated from Scott’s Branch High School in the historic civil rights community of Summerton, SC, and was honorably discharged from the United States Marine Corps. He holds a master’s degree in nonprofit management specializing in community development finance from the New School for Public Engagement, Milano School of International Affairs, and Management and Urban Policy.

As a practitioner, Ken has consulted with nonprofits, community action agencies, and public charter schools in urban and rural environments to build organizational capacity to effect change at the individual and community levels. In 2017, Ken was awarded a Research Institute for Scholars of Equity (RISE) fellowship at North Carolina Central University in partnership with the University of North Carolina of Wilmington, funded by the Institute of Education Sciences. In June 2017, he was selected to serve in the Corporation for National Community Service (CNCS) as AmeriCorps VISTA with the Enterprise Community Partners.

Ken was the first African American Student Government Association President of Kennesaw State College. Among his accomplishments is securing more than $2.2 million in federal awards for his community development projects. Ken has successfully managed multiple USDA Rural Development, Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS), and other state contracts and local private foundation grants designed to build the capacity of socially disadvantaged farmers and low-wealth rural communities for economic prosperity. Currently, Ken works with socially disadvantaged farmers to access NRCS, EQIP, CSP, FSA, COVID-19, ARPA, and LFAP resources to help sustain their enterprise.

Katherine Lewis

Naturally Katherine | Columbia, SC

Katherine has always had a passion for local food and farms, so when a part-time opportunity blossomed into a full-time position managing a 40-acre blueberry farm, she said yes! As the director of operations for six years, Katherine created and implemented food safety strategies, maintained good standing with Clemson’s organic program, and oversaw the daily operations. Like other small farms, she wore many different hats from weeder to packer to sales representative and more. After several years of being certified organic, she began consulting for several other farms that were interested in becoming an organic operation and helped them receive and maintain their organic certification. In 2021 Katherine decided to focus on being a mom to her two young boys and started her website Naturally Katherine! On this platform, she strives to bridge the gap between consumers and farmers through empowerment and education. She loves highlighting local farms and helping connect consumers with local products that they will love.

President

Aeriel Miller

Reedy Fork Organic Farm | Elon, NC

Ariel was born in Iredell County, NC, and grew up playing outside in her family’s large garden and always loved animals, though her love for dairy cows came a little later.

She’s an Elon University graduate, where she studied strategic communications and business administration. At Elon, she became a student leader in the Kernodle Center for Service Learnings’ Campus Kitchen program and often found many of her projects focused on sustainable agriculture and organic food.

After marrying, Aerial and her husband Ben assist with the operation of Reedy Fork Organic Farm, an Organic Valley dairy in Elon, NC. Aeriel has been involved in numerous organizations that have their hands in food, agriculture, and sustainability, including Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, T.S. Designs, NC Farm Bureau Insurance Company, and Reverence Farms. Currently, she is the market coordinator for the Authentically Alamance Farmers’ Market Network, a USDA FMPP grant-funded position working to create a cohesive network of farmers markets within Alamance County. She is actively involved in several community organizations, including Alamance County Cooperative Extension’s general Advisory Council and their FCS Advisory Council.

Treasurer

Cecilia Redding

Down 2 Earth Farms, LLC | Raleigh, NC

Cecilia is the owner of Down 2 Earth Farms in Rougemont, North Carolina, which grows organic produce and hay and has been certified organic since 2011.

She has degrees in agriculture engineering from the University of Florida and Iowa State University and an MBA from the University of North Carolina. She worked in various food processing/manufacturing companies before farming.

Cecilia is committed to helping sustainable farmers and environmental causes. She is currently on the boards for Ag Preservation in Orange County; Harvest Table, which focuses on using only local, sustainable food; and Resilient Ventures, which focuses on black entrepreneurs. She’s committed to transitioning her farm to young farmers while keeping all 150 acres in farming.

Secretary

Kate Renner

Gaia Herbs | Brevard, NC

Kate is the assistant farm operations manager at Gaia Herbs. With her earliest memories of playing in the dirt in a home garden, the relentless intrigue of living things led Kate to pursue a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences, then on to serve as a Peace Corps volunteer for three years in El Salvador. From this experience, she emerged with a conscience towards the global impact of conventional farming systems, health and nutrition, and cultural sensitivity. Bringing these learnings home, Kate worked as an apprentice on an organic farm and deepened her awareness of both nutrition in relation to soil health and her consciousness toward climate change. A brief internship with Piedmont Biofuels in Pittsboro, North Carolina, then three years of managing the Midtown Farmers Market led her to pursue a master’s degree in nutrition sciences with a focus on sustainable agriculture at Meredith College. She has been enjoying expanding agricultural experience now in Western North Carolina, from her time as a sous-chef for a local catering company specializing in local, organic ingredients to her four years with Sierra Nevada Brewing Company as an agricultural supervisor, growing produce for the Taproom Restaurant, assisting the executive chef in local sourcing initiatives, and connecting line/prep cooks and waitstaff with the farms in which ingredients were sourced. In her work at Gaia Herbs, Kate combines all facets from her life experiences, from migrant farmworker health and awareness, organic and regenerative agriculture practices, local community relations, and more.

Rev. Keith Sexton

Roanoke Rapids, NC

Keith has been serving in the United Methodist Church since 1997 and as a pastor since 2000. He completed work for a Master of Theology at Duke Divinity School in 2003. Keith is actively engaged in the Creation Care Ministry, addressing Climate Change. He serves as Coordinator of Advocacy for the Creation Care Team of the North Carolina Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Keith’s studies at Central Carolina Community College in sustainable agriculture prepared him to lead an organic community garden. He is a graduate of CFSA’s first cohort of the Member Advocacy Program. He serves as a member of the Organizing Committee of the North Carolina Food System Advocacy Coalition. He is the co-creator of The Regenerative Agriculture Toolbox, a guide and resource to aid congregations in connecting with and supporting local famers, as well as employing regenerative practices on church-owned land.

Keith is enrolled in the Public Theology program at Wesley Seminary in Washington, D.C., and is on track to graduate in May 2025. His capstone project’s working title is Creating Common Ground, where Science, Common Sense, and Faith Empower Communities to Forge Public Policy for the Greatest Good.

Keith is passionate about advocating and caring for the earth so that the generations to come will receive a healthier planet than the one we inhabit.

Becca Watson

GrowFood Carolina | North Charleston, SC

Becca is a South Carolina native who grew up “on the ridge,” known for its rich agricultural history, in the small town of Monetta. Her passion for sustainable food systems, promoting local farms, and preserving agricultural landscapes has deep roots. Growing up on a fourth-generation organic fruit and vegetable farm, she has felt a connection to agriculture and the land all her life and has witnessed firsthand the innumerable challenges that farmers face. She has devoted her energy and industry expertise to serving farmers throughout South Carolina.

A Clemson University graduate, Becca returned to Monetta after her studies to support her family’s farm for two years. She implemented and managed the farm’s food safety program, assisted with housing compliance for seasonal workers, and managed various farmers markets throughout the Midlands. Becca then accepted a position at GrowFood Carolina, a food hub and program of the Coastal Conservation League, where she began as a Quality Assurance Specialist in 2017. She was promoted to Farm Coordinator in 2018 and now holds the role of Farm Outreach Manager. Her current focus includes grower outreach, market access, wholesale development, and production planning.

Throughout her career, Becca has prioritized farmers as the cornerstone of regional food systems that are essential for the security of our nation’s food chain, community nourishment, and land preservation. Her dedication and agricultural roots fuel her enthusiasm for supporting local growers and building resilient food systems.

Andrea White

Food Bank of Greenwood County | Greenwood, SC

Andrea oversees the Lakelands area’s largest hunger-relief organization as Chief Executive Officer of the Food Bank of Greenwood County since 2021. Through a network of more than 25 food resource banks and satellite pantries, 100 community partners, agencies, schools, colleges, and universities, the Food Bank of Greenwood County provides nearly 60,000 pounds of food to thousands of people in need on an annual basis. Andrea oversees programs that support children, families, veterans, and senior citizens. She has created a holistic approach to food insecurity, food equity and access, and food ecosystems that include producers (both large scale and small), retailers, processors, restaurants, community gardeners, and organizations that distribute food to impoverished households in the Lakelands community. She directs all aspects of the organization’s efforts of fundraising, communications, advocacy, outreach, and volunteer services.

Prior to her role at Food Bank of Greenwood County, Andrea spent 18 years in educational leadership, serving as a special programs administrator, responsible for family & community resources, student performance outcomes, gifted and talented data analysis, and state regulations and policy research. With a deep personal commitment to strengthening communities, Andrea has been an avid volunteer and board member throughout her career, including service with: the Leadership Greenwood Board of Regents for the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce, Keep Greenwood County Beautiful; Greenwood Chamber of Commerce’s Nonprofit Council, Rotary Club of Greenwood, Greenwood Lions Club, Greenwood Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, Greenwood Promise Engagement Committee, and Lakelands Food and Hunger Alliance.

Andrea holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Limestone University, a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Webster University; certification in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) from the University of South Florida, and Nonprofit Management from Winthrop University; graduate of the Leadership Greenwood Class of 2021, a 2022 Riley Fellow at Furman University and a Women’s Leadership Institute graduate also at Furman University. Andrea was recognized as an Under 45 Star in 2021 from the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce and inducted into the Marquis Who’s Who biographical registry for her standard of excellence in leadership, education, and community advocacy.

Andrea’s philosophy is summed up in a quote by Shirley Chisholm: “Service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on this earth.”

Tiki Windley

Z Smith Reynolds Foundation | Chapel Hill, NC

Tiki joined the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation (ZSR) in 2022 as the Program Officer for Community-Based Strategy. Her grandmother instilled a passion and commitment to help those in need in her at a young age. “To whom much is given, much is required” is an ideology Tiki tries to put into practice in both her personal and professional lives. Seeing the ever-widening gap between those who have access to resources needed to create a better quality of life and those who do not reminds Tiki of her own humble beginnings and inspires her to pay her blessings forward.

Before joining ZSR, Tiki was responsible for the day-to-day budget management for both the Carolina Hunger Initiative (CHI) and Food, Fitness, and Opportunity Collaborative (FFORC) teams at the UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (HPDP). She also contributed to program planning for the CHI team and was the project manager for the Community Circles project through FFORC. Community Circles enabled community residents to address poverty and racism’s effect on their access to healthy foods through a series of facilitated conversations and resident-created and implemented action plans.

Before joining HPDP, Tiki successfully directed an innovative program that addressed the social determinants of health at the United Way of the Greater Triangle. Her previous work also included managing a statewide network of free tax preparation providers as well as a pioneering public benefits access program at MDC.

Tiki holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Elizabeth City State University and a master’s in public administration from NC Central University. She has a daughter, Dorean; a son, David; absolutely perfect granddaughter, Arielle; and an adorable grand-doggy, Mikey.

Our Staff

Dylan Alexander

Lomax Farm Manager

Amelia Bruss

Soil Health Technician

Kim Butz

Soil Conservationist

Meghan Conway

Development Coordinator

Mark Dempsey

Organic Technical Service Provider

Jay Dunbar

Local Produce Safety Coordinator

Lenwood Edwards, Jr

FarmsSHARE Coordinator

Sonia Frischemeier

Development Director

Cassidy Fryga

Local Produce Safety Coordinator

Matt Kneece

Policy Director

Angie Lavezzo

Project Assistant

Jazmin Leath

Education Coordinator

Jacob Leech

Associate Executive Director for Operations

Emily Ling

FarmsSHARE Faith Community Organizer

Claire McLendon

Grants Coordinator

Roland McReynolds

Executive Director

Karen McSwain

Associate Executive Director for Programs

Mary Beth Miller

Education Manager

Wanda Morrison

HR Coordinator

Keisha Rainey

Food Systems Specialist

Cheryl Ripperton Rettie

Finance, Administration, & HR Director

Joe Rowland

Organic Initiatives Coordinator

Sara Runkel

Local Food Program Director

Jamie Rye

Senior Communications Officer

Marianna Spence

Membership & Database Manager

Marcus Williams

Farm Services Director

Lomax Farm Manager

Dylan Alexander

Dylan grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, and became interested in the ability of food to heal after a medical diagnosis. He was accepted into the Farmers-in-Training (FiT) program at CFSA’s Elma C. Lomax Research & Education Farm in 2014 and set out to share the benefits of organic farming with others. Dylan’s efforts were made official with the founding of Alexander Acres in 2015, selling certified organic produce at various farmers markets and to local restaurants.

Shortly after graduating from the FiT program, Dylan became the Lomax Farm coordinator, and was recently promoted to manager. He is responsible for land management, maintaining equipment, and assisting with Lomax’s research, education, and the FiT program. Dylan has extensive experience in seasonal organic vegetable production, hydroponics, indoor and outdoor mushroom production, and management on farms and in greenhouses and high tunnels.

Dylan and his wife live outside of Charlotte on their 14-acre homestead and focus on mushroom cultivation, high tunnel production, and raising small livestock.

Soil Health Technician

Amelia Bruss

Born in California, Amelia lived in Arizona, Ohio, and Colorado before her family settled on a farm in central New York, where they grew vegetables and hay and raised fiber sheep, dairy cows, chickens, and pigs.

Amelia received a bachelor’s in sustainable farming systems from Green Mountain College in Vermont. Since graduating in 2017, she has worked on and managed small diversified farms in New England. Since 2020, Amelia has worked for Natural Resources Conservation Service districts in Vermont and Massachusetts, helping farmers access resources, improve production practices, and increase soil health.

As our soil health technician, Amelia provides technical assistance to farmers on conservation planning and organic production, transition, and certification.

Amelia lives in Wilmington, North Carolina, and enjoys riding her horse, spending time in the woods with her dog Frankie, cooking, hunting, and spending time with family.

Soil Conservationist

Kim Butz

Kim Butz, Soil Conservationist at Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, is passionate about food and farming. She received her B.S. in Sustainable Food and Farming from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She grew up in agriculture, managed a diversified vegetable farm, and brings many years of hands-on experience. She is responsible for technical assistance on Soil Conservation for our farmers throughout the Carolinas. Conservation, regenerative, and sustainable farming practices are her focus, and she is excited to be a part of the Climate-Smart initiatives.

Kim lives near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Development Coordinator

Meghan Conway

Meghan grew up on the North Shore of Massachusetts and attended college at the University of Vermont, where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies and Food Systems. Throughout her professional career, Meghan has always made the focal point of her work, connecting people and communities through the medium of food.

With a passion for food accessibility and regenerative agriculture, she has worked passionately in multifaceted roles that have provided her with new perspectives on what it means to be both a producer and consumer in the world of agriculture. Meghan has a deep love for farming and closing the loop of our food system, in which farm-to-plate not only alludes to locally sourced products but also to creating a community where everyone can sit around the same table.

Before CFSA, Meghan worked in a variety of roles that spread throughout the landscaping, farming, composting, and business development sectors. As a relatively new resident of North Carolina, Meghan is eager to learn more about what North Carolina’s unique landscape, food culture, and climate have to offer! Though she isn’t entirely used to the humidity and 80-degree weather in April, coming most recently from Colorado, she is eager to lean into the blooming seasons by practicing her hobbies of climbing, running, and prepping her own garden for this season’s abundance!

Organic Technical Service Provider

Mark Dempsey

Mark grew up in Georgia and moved to North Carolina for the first time to attend Appalachian State University. There he received his Bachelor of Science in Environmental Biology and then received his Master of Science in Soil Microbiology from Miami University in Ohio.

After graduating, Mark worked as a researcher in Penn State University’s sustainable agriculture program, focusing on improving cover crop management and reducing tillage in organic systems.

At CFSA since 2015, Mark currently writes conservation plans geared toward organic production and certification. These plans are funded by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and can help growers do a better job stewarding the natural resources on their farms with technical and financial assistance.

Mark lives in Clemson, South Carolina, where he’s working on his Ph.D. at Clemson University in lentil breeding.

Jay Dunbar

Jay joined the local food movement in 2008 after previous education and non-profit development careers. He started his journey as an observer, helping The Greenhorns produce video content about young farmers in the Southeast. Jay then promoted local foods and farming in Winston-Salem, organizing local foods-focused events, and engaging with the community on the challenges and rewards of building a resilient local food system.

Following a life-changing experience at Slow Food’s Terra Madre in 2014, Jay began earnestly pursuing his agricultural career, establishing and managing River Ridge Organics, an organic berry farm in southwest Virginia. Immersed in all aspects of organic production and farm business management, he discovered a passion for food safety.

Jay brings that passion and interest to CFSA, where he serves as a local produce safety coordinator, assisting growers with GAP certification and conducting workshops and webinars on farm food safety throughout the Carolinas.

FarmsSHARE Coordinator

Lenwood Edwards, Jr

Lenwood was born and raised in Greensboro, North Carolina, and graduated from NC State University in 2009 with a B.S. in sport management. He finally found his community while working at Greensboro’s local food co-op, Deep Roots Market. His roots hail from Snow Hill, NC, where his grandfather, “Benny P,” built their family home to raise Lenwood’s father and his 11 siblings. Endless rows of tobacco, corn, and soy set the backdrop on return trips home for family reunions.

While working as the produce and meat manager at Deep Roots, Lenwood found a passion for working with local farmers in the surrounding area who utilize pesticide-free and organic practices. His respect and sense of responsibility to the small farming community grew as his knowledge of and appreciation for sustainable agriculture blossomed.

“It was an honor to be in the position of onboarding new farms, helping them become competitive in a retail setting and to incorporate safe handling practices. Seeing them become successful gave me a sense of purpose.”

Lenwood is excited to bring his skills as a “produce wrangler” to CFSA as the new FarmsSHARE coordinator, where he will work with the many food hubs partnered with CFSA, serving over 270 farming partners.

At their Greensboro home, he and his partner enjoy two Dachshund siblings, Ollie and Scout. He enjoys flower gardening, meditating, and plucking out riffs on guitar and bass.

Development Director

Sonia Frischemeier

Sonia comes to CFSA with over two decades of cross-functional, nonprofit experience in fund development, partner relationship management, and operational management. She is passionate about bringing people together to build resilient, equitable communities.

Sonia shares a little slice of heaven in Carrboro, North Carolina, with her husband, Brooke, and an assortment of furry rescues. Their kids have flown the coop.

Local Produce Safety Coordinator

Cassidy Fryga

Although she was born in Lexington, South Carolina, Cassidy has considered the Upstate SC her home for the past eight years. Ever since she was 10, she dreamed of attending Clemson University. She did so as a food science and human nutrition major in 2016. As an undergraduate, Cassidy worked for the Clemson University Student Organic Farm and fell in love with the farm-to-table process. After graduating in 2020, she worked for three years as a food safety practitioner for a packaging and manufacturing company in Spartanburg, SC. There, she learned the ins and outs of the GFSI certification process, principles of good food production, safe food handling, and good hygiene practices. This laid a solid foundation for her food safety experience and launched Cassidy toward her true passion of applying her knowledge to support local food systems. As a local produce safety coordinator with CFSA, she looks forward to building connections with farmers across North and South Carolina and learning more about sustainable food systems in her area.

Policy Director

Matt Kneece

A native of South Carolina, Matt combines a background in governmental affairs and public policy with a passion for sustainable agriculture to serve as CFSA’s policy director.

His work at CFSA involves advocating for state and federal policies that better support local food, organic farming, and resilient regional food systems. He works closely with CFSA members and allies to educate policymakers on issues of importance to the local, organic farming communities and spearhead grassroots communications in support of specific policy needs.

Matt studied political science and geography at the University of South Carolina, with a focus on the relationship between conservation and rural development.

He lives with his wife in Columbia, South Carolina, where he is an avid hiker, birdwatcher, and urban farmer.

Angie Lavezzo

Inspired by a childhood of reading books where the heroines have bountiful kitchen gardens, Angie started her first plot in the backyard of her family’s suburban Washington DC home when she was 14 and has been a passionate grower ever since. After studying botany and horticulture in college, Angie comes to CFSA after eight years at Sow True Seed. While there, she educated gardeners and farmers on selecting and saving crops for seed, growing tips and strategy, pollinator stewardship, and writing seed stories and how-to guides.

Angie moved to Asheville in 2003 with her partner and son and now lives in Candler, North Carolina, just west of Asheville, on a 13-acre farm in the beautiful Hominy Valley region. So far, she’s planted an extensive orchard, far too large of a vegetable garden to reasonably keep up with, and installed dozens of birdhouses, bat houses, and native bee houses. She and her partner will be exploring agritourism opportunities in the coming years.

Education Coordinator

Jazmin Leath

Jazmin has lived in North Carolina all her life and, despite several years of traveling around the eastern United States, has a deep appreciation and love for the unique ecosystem of North Carolina’s sandhills. She currently resides in Fayetteville.

Jazmin’s passion for local food systems and agricultural ecosystems began at Appalachian State University. There, she studied sustainable development to pursue a career path that would address both human and environmental challenges in the world. Jazmin engaged in a wide range of intertwined topics, such as environmental justice and sciences, agroecology, anthropology, and more. They also worked as an animal caretaker on a nearby small-scale farm. Jazmin immersed herself in new ways of connecting to the land and the community, guiding her to take on a position with CFSA. She looks forward to years of learning and experience and intends to one day steward her sustainable farm. In the meantime, they’re happy to garden and grow in whatever sunny spot they can find.

Associate Executive Director for Operations

Jacob Leech

Jacob grew up on a small family farm in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, where he spent his youth working with cattle or hiking and fishing in the mountains. This experience guided Jacob down a career path focused on natural resource conservation and protecting the viability of small, sustainable farms.

Jacob studied political science and biology at Guilford College, which included an enlightening summer internship with his hometown’s soil and water conservation district. After college, he spent seven years in Florida working on various projects, ranging from integrated water resources management to beginning farmer training programs. Jacob returned to North Carolina in 2011 to work on dam removals, agritourism projects, and farmland preservation plans before coming to CFSA in 2015. He lives in Raleigh.

As CFSA’s head of operations, Jacob puts his 12 years of nonprofit leadership, budgeting, and grant management experience to good use.

FarmsSHARE Faith Community Organizer

Emily Ling

Emily Ling is a native Texan whose path has been influenced by time living in New Orleans, Georgia, Boston, and now North Carolina. With roots in the Christian tradition, her interdisciplinary work encompasses advocating for economic & social justice and actively creating the Beloved Community she longs to see. Prior to her current work in organic agriculture, Emily spent years advancing criminal justice reform and advocating on behalf of those who experience incarceration. Her interests in social transformation and ethical leadership led her into theological studies, and later into roles as the Social Justice editor of the EcoTheo Review and teaching workshops for faith leaders at educational institutions including Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary and Boston University. Most recently she has enjoyed blending her passions for social and environmental justice through regenerative farming, and she is delighted to assist congregations in growing their food ministries by serving as CFSA’s FarmsSHARE Faith Community Organizer.

Emily holds a Master of Divinity and a Certificate in Religion and Conflict Transformation from Boston University and a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Texas. She lives with her partner in Winston-Salem, where they enjoy hosting storytelling salons and being dog parents.

Grants Coordinator

Claire McLendon

Claire grew up in Weaverville, North Carolina, and studied sustainable development at Appalachian State University, then took a nine-year detour in the world of libraries. After grad school, she looked for a way to join her passion for sustainable farming and spreadsheets. Claire has been a farmers market manager, freelance grant writer, and worked with multiple local food organizations and businesses.

Claire lives in Carrboro, North Carolina, enjoys hiking with her family, and admires those who grow food all the more because she has yet to have a successful gardening season herself! She keeps trying, though.

Read more about Claire in her staff Q&A!

Executive Director

Roland McReynolds

Roland grew up in Columbia, Missouri. His grandma was a longtime subscriber to Organic Gardening; his family raised its own layer and fryer chickens, as well as grew most of their own vegetables. The family home was surrounded by conventional corn and soybean fields.

Roland is a licensed attorney, and after the births of his children, he decided to devote his legal training and business experience to the service of promoting healthy agriculture for future generations.

Roland lives in Pittsboro, North Carolina.

Associate Executive Director for Programs

Karen McSwain

Karen brings more than 20 years of organic farming, teaching, and research experience to the organization. Her practical hands-on experience, combined with a Bachelor of Science in Crop and Soil Science from Cornell University and a Master of Science in Horticulture & Sustainable Agriculture from Iowa State University, makes her keenly aware of issues faced by small farmers.

Based in Black Mountain, North Carolina, Karen directs CFSA’s technical assistance programs and oversees CFSA’s organic research and the Elma C. Lomax Education & Research Farm.

Education Manager

Mary Beth Miller

Mary Beth was grown and raised in the Piedmont of North Carolina. She realized her passion for agriculture while interning on a sustainable farm in Hillsborough and spending time on farms abroad after graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

In 2012, she founded Blue Merle Farm, growing vegetables, mushrooms, cut flowers, and keeping bees in Orange County, NC. She is passionate about climate change solutions in agriculture, environmental justice, and farm policy.

Mary Beth lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Read more about Mary Beth in her staff Q&A!

HR Coordinator

Wanda Morrison

Wanda brings more than 20 years of human resources experience to CFSA. Ranging from consultant to manager, she has held positions in recruitment, employee relations, and benefits administration. Wanda has supported small to medium and large organizations, with staff ranging from 400 to more than 1000 employees and managers in 23 locations throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.

She received her Bachelor of Arts in human services from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Wanda’s strengths lie in her approachability, congeniality, and general upbeat attitude.

She lives in Hickory, North Carolina, and enjoys traveling, interior decorating, and spending time with friends and family.

Food Systems Specialist

Keisha Rainey

Originally from Denver, Colorado, Keisha moved to Columbia, South Carolina, as an adolescent. She completed a degree in business administration from Newberry College. Keisha has experience in the foodservice industry, financial institutions, and assisting different industries in running their business operations.

In 2019, she found her passion when working for the South Carolina Department of Agriculture. There Keisha held several titles, including fruit and vegetable inspector, peanut grader supervisor, GAP consultant, and hemp compliance inspector.

She lives in Lexington, South Carolina, and enjoys the diversity agriculture offers as well as engaging with farmers and being part of helping them be successful. In addition to joining CFSA, Keisha has also been accepted to the Palmetto Leadership Program for the Environment, Agriculture, and Forestry through Clemson University.

In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her significant other, Jason, their son, Timmy, along with their two fur children, Sanford and Mattie, in Lexington, South Carolina. They enjoy working in their beginner garden, watching movies, NASCAR races, and eating good food.

Finance, Administration, & HR Director

Cheryl Ripperton Rettie

Cheryl joined CFSA in 2006 and holds degrees in accounting and ancient & medieval history and has worked for almost 20 years in various accounting positions.

A native of Chatham County, she still lives on the family farm near Pittsboro, North Carolina, where she meanders in the woods with her dog, gardens, keeps bees organically, and rides horses.

Read more about Cheryl in her staff Q&A!

Organic Initiatives Coordinator

Joe Rowland

Joe has called the Piedmont of North Carolina home for over 35 years. His farming passion comes from summers spent on his grandparents’ farm in Indiana. Driving tractors, feeding cows, bailing hay, helping his grandmother in the garden, and fishing in the afternoons cemented that farming was the path for him.

After years in the craft beer scene in Boston reignited his interest in the integrity and artistry of artisanal products, Joe returned to North Carolina to focus on growing food. He spent four years as a farmer in training at the Elma C. Lomax Incubator Farm (now Elma C. Lomax Research and Education Farm). He purchased an 18-acre homeplace in 2012 and operated a sustainable, formerly organic-certified fruit and vegetable farm. Joe has also managed multiple farms in that area.

He has a B.S. in agricultural education from NC A&T and a horticulture certificate from NCSU. He was CFSA’s beginning farmer of the year in 2015 and the Cabarrus County Soil and Water Conservation’s farm family of the year in 2018.

He lives on his farm in Gold Hill, North Carolina, with his daughter Eleanor Pearl and their dog Holly, growing fruits and vegetables, edible nursery crops, and a permaculture orchard and food forest.

Local Food Program Director

Sara Runkel

Sara grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland, where her parents always had large ornamental gardens. She attributes her love of farming to the many summers she spent at farm camp as a child. Sara received a bachelor’s in environmental studies from Warren Wilson College and a master’s in sustainable systems from Slippery Rock University.

Before joining CFSA, Sara worked as an extension agent for NC Cooperative Extension and as an assistant professor of practice in horticulture with Oregon State University Extension. She also managed a new farmer training and business incubator program in Pennsylvania and has more than 15 years of diversified farming experience in Pennsylvania, Oregon, and North Carolina.

Sara is passionate about creating sustainable food systems and is committed to helping farmers manage risk to be environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable. She is a lead trainer with the Produce Safety Alliance and has worked with growers on produce safety issues since 2010.

She lives on a small farm in Bakersville, North Carolina, with her daughter and husband, who is an artist blacksmith, and their two dogs Okra and Piper. In her spare time, she enjoys tending a large garden, swimming in the river, and cooking delicious food with friends.

Senior Communications Officer

Jamie Rye

Jamie Rye was born “Downriver” Detroit, Michigan, and then transplanted to the rural cornfields of the “Black Swamp” region of SE MI. A descendant of southern farmers who moved north to work in the rustbelt, he learned the value of good food through backyard gardens and foraging fruit from abandoned orchards with his great-grandpa.

After receiving two Bachelor’s degrees from Cornerstone University, Jamie spent the next 20 years developing, growing, and supporting nonprofits centered around social justice, racial equity, sustainable agriculture, and the environment.

Before joining CFSA, Jamie was the Executive Director for a nonprofit supporting Black, Indigenous, and People of Color farmers in West Africa and the Black Belt region of the South. He also served as the Executive Director for a North Carolina-based nonprofit CSA farm. As the Senior Communications Officer, he utilizes his experience in food justice and community engagement and development to invite farmers and partners to join in CFSA’s work.

In 2021, Jamie, his wife Kelly, and their two kids visited Boone, NC, and promptly sold their RV to put down roots—a coming home of sorts. In their free time, Jamie and his family patiently watch the land they steward, grow their second regenerative farm, and restore their very well-loved tiny 1930s cabin.

Membership & Database Manager

Marianna Spence

Marianna grew up in Eastern North Carolina and has called the Triangle home since graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a bachelor’s in journalism and mass communications.

Before joining CFSA, she worked in fundraising and communications for local nonprofits.

She lives in Pittsboro, North Carolina, with her husband and sons and is slowly but surely starting a garden (10 blueberry bushes and two peach trees down!).

Read more about Marianna in her staff Q&A!

Farm Services Director

Marcus Williams

After graduating from Nansemond River High School in Suffolk, Virginia, Marcus received his Bachelor of Science from Virginia State University in plant and soil science. He then received a Master of Science in food safety and biosecurity from Virginia Tech University.

Marcus launched his career at an agriculture and natural resources extension agent at Virginia Cooperative Extension. While in Maryland, he worked in the cannabis industry, specializing in fertilization and integrated pest management. Marcus then worked for the state of Maryland as a fertilization specialist. He worked for the USDA/NRCS as a soil conservationist technician. Most recently, Marcus worked as an urban agriculture horticulturist at the University of Maryland Extension.

A kickball enthusiast and father of two, Marcus works remotely from Maryland and will relocate to North Carolina later this year.