Board of Directors

Nelle Hotchkiss

Nelle Hotchkiss is senior vice president of association services for the N.C. Electric Membership Corporation. She serves as a board member for a number of organizations, including the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences for N.C. A&T State University, N.C.… Read more

Phil Marion, Jr.

Marion retired from the banking industry in 2021 after a 36-year career, much of it in southeastern North Carolina. He was a trustee of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and an advisory board member of the university’s Endowment… Read more

Paula Benson

Benson is executive director of Wilson Forward, a community advocacy group that focuses on improving educational opportunities, health and wellness, and workforce development in Wilson. Paula joined Wilson Forward in December of 2012, leading the transition from Wilson Forward’s beginning… Read more

Alice Schenall

Schenall is director of cross-sector leadership and facilitation for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials and an adjunct instructor at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health. She has served on the board of… Read more

Ben Knight

Knight is an acclaimed contemporary painter, artist and owner of Benny’s Big Time Pizzeria in Wilmington. He also co-founded the James Beard Award-winning restaurant Chef & the Farmer in Kinston. Knight, Vivian Howard and their family were the subjects of… Read more

Andy Anderson

Andy Anderson serves as an investigator at Disability Rights North Carolina (DRNC). Anderson has over 30 years of experience working with the disability community in many different capacities. His experience includes direct residential care, clinical plan development, day programming services,… Read more

Patrick Woodie

Patrick Woodie is president of the N.C. Rural Economic Development Center, Inc. From 2006 to 2013, he served as the center’s vice president for Rural Programs. A native of Alleghany County, he is a graduate of Wake Forest University and… Read more

Jose Alvarez

Jose Alvarez is the vice president of Prospera-North Carolina, Florida-based nonprofit focused on providing bilingual support and assistance to Hispanic entrepreneurs looking to start or expand their business. With Propsera-North Carolina, Alvarez is managing the first office outside of Florida… Read more

Ryan Ammann

Ryan P. Ammann is Senior Vice President for Truist Financial Corporation. Within Truist Community Capital, he leads the Funds and Alternate Investments team that deploys capital to support creation and growth of affordable housing, small businesses, and other impactful community… Read more

Al Bass

Al retired in 2019 after more than 47 years’ experience in commercial lending and community development. Most recently he was Executive Vice President at Self-Help Credit Union and Ventures Fund, where he directed the leaders of teams responsible for managing… Read more

Brenda Berg

Brenda is the President & CEO of BEST NC (Business for Educational Success and Transformation NC), a nonpartisan organization of over 120 business leaders with a focus on making education in North Carolina the best in the nation. She has… Read more

Sara Chester

Sara Chester is the executive co-director for The Industrial Commons, a nonprofit based in Morganton that aims to build a diverse working class and root wealth in rural communities. Having worked in economic and community development for almost 10 years,… Read more

Casey Cooper

Casey Cooper is the Chief Executive Officer of Cherokee Indian Hospital (CIH) in Cherokee, NC. The CIH serves approximately 14,000 members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI). As an enrolled member of the EBCI, Casey has been involved… Read more

Mike Hawkins

Mike Hawkins is President of Pisgah Enterprises, Inc., which owns and operates commercial and residential properties in western North Carolina as well as Pisgah Fish Camp seafood restaurant in Brevard. He served 12 years as a Transylvania County commissioner including… Read more

Randolph Keaton

Randolph currently serves as the Executive Director of Men and Women United for Youth and Families, CDC, a non-profit organization located in Delco, North Carolina as well as Councilman for the Town Of Sandyfield, NC. He was born and reared… Read more

Kim Shepherd

Mrs. Shepherd is the CEO of SkyLine Membership Corporation in West Jefferson, NC. She has worked for the cooperative for the past 25 years and assumed her current role in July 2018. Prior to being named CEO, Mrs. Shepherd served… Read more

Yolanda Taylor

Yolanda is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Wake Forest Law School and the lead attorney at the law firm, Yolanda L. Taylor Law Firm, PLLC d/b/a The Center for Community Law and Equity. She practices in the areas of… Read more

Jennifer Tolle Whiteside

Jennifer Tolle Whiteside serves as president and CEO of the North Carolina Community Foundation. She has led the Foundation for over 15 years, more than doubling NCCF assets and grantmaking in her tenure. As NCCF’s second CEO, she is responsible… Read more

Weyling White

Weyling J. White is the mayor of Ahoskie and Executive Director of Care Share Health Alliance He attended Hertford County Public Schools and played on the men’s basketball team. He is a lifelong member of Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in… Read more

Brittany Bennett Weston

Brittany Bennett Weston is the founding Executive Director of ResilNC, an organization that seeks to positively influence the ecosystem of available capital and support for Black entrepreneurs. She is also a thought partner consultant and facilitator for strategy and culture… Read more

Gil Wise

Gil has a passion for strengthening and growing rural churches in North Carolina. He grew up in a rural church and has served rural churches. He has previously been a part of the Thriving Rural Communities Initiative with The Duke… Read more