Staff
Leadership
Armeer Kenchen
Executive Director of the Small Business Credit Initiative and CornerSquare Community Capital
Armeer Kenchen leads the Rural Center’s small business credit initiatives, which includes Corner Square Community Capital. Prior to joining the Rural Center, he was a member of Self-Help’s executive team where he was responsible for developing strategic partnerships and leading… Read more 
Volunteered at 17 for the U.S. Army so now avoids bad coffee. Long runs. Long hikes. Camping. All forms of volunteerism.
Brandy Bynum Dawson
Senior Director of Policy & Advocacy
Brandy Bynum Dawson is the senior director of policy and advocacy at the NC Rural Center, leading the Center’s Rural Counts advocacy program. She previously worked for five years as the associate director of Rural Forward NC at the Foundation… Read more 
Rural roots. Roadrunner. Social justice warrior. Mama bear and wifey extraordinaire. Quote lover (aka lover of a good quote).
Bronwyn Lucas
Senior Director of Leadership & Engagement
Bronwyn Lucas is the senior director of leadership and engagement at the NC Rural Center. In this role, she is responsible for designing and implementing trainings and projects that promote leadership that is inclusive, connected, informed and creative. She is… Read more 
Thalassophile. Local business supporter. Virtuous Virgo. Tarheel. Boy mom.
Misty Herget
Vice President of Programs & Strategic Partnerships
Misty is the vice president of programs and strategic partnerships at the Rural Center. During her 14-year tenure at the Center, Misty has worked in small business and entrepreneurship support, community engagement, and leadership development. Currently, she oversees the Center’s… Read more 
Wanna-be world traveler. Avid reader. Devoted Wolfpack fan. Aspiring super mom. Always looking for my next favorite restaurant.
Patrick Woodie
President
Patrick is the president of the NC Rural Center. He is a product of our state’s public schools, including Piney Creek Elementary School in Piney Creek and Alleghany High School in Sparta. He graduated from Wake Forest University in 1987… Read more 
Devoted Son. Alleghany County native. Passionate Rural Advocate. Double Demon Deacon. Avid Reader.
Todd Brantley
Vice President of Public Affairs
Todd is the vice president of public affairs at the NC Rural Center, overseeing and coordinating the work of the Center’s advocacy/policy, communications, events, and research teams.
He previously worked as the director of policy and research at EducationNC, an… Read more 
Life-long Ruralist. Bookworm. Film Photographer. Blueberry Farmer. Husband & Father.
Staff
Daniel Michael, CPA
Controller
Daniel serves as the controller for the Rural Center. He is from Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and graduated from North Carolina State University’s masters of accounting program. He worked previously with the N.C. Office of State Auditor. Prior to obtaining… Read more 
Eastern North Carolina native. Optimist. Fan of singers that can’t sing.
Emily Holder
Program Associate
Emily is the Program Associate for the NC Rural Center’s Leadership and Engagement team. In this role, Emily provides support to various leadership training programs such as REDI and Homegrown Leaders. Emily also leads efforts to engage the Leadership Alumni… Read more 
Honey bee advocate. Plan maker. Empathic relationship builder.
Franklin T. Roberts, CPA
Chief Finance & Operations Officer
Franklin is the chief finance and operations officer at the NC Rural Center, overseeing the Center’s finances, operations and information technology.
He retired from Batchelor, Tillery & Roberts, LLP (BTR) in 2021, where he was a founding and audit partner. … Read more 
Avid Tarheel. Loves trying new restaurants in the Triangle. Treasures the Raleigh greenways. Will watch anything Ken Burns
Dr. Heather Kilbourne
Senior Program Manager, Faith in Rural Communities
Dr. Heather Kilbourne is the Senior Program Manager for the Faith in Rural Communities initiative. She grew up surrounded by the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in Marion, North Carolina. She previously pastored United Methodist Churches in rural towns and communities… Read more 
Stubborn Optimist. Walking Dead Theologian. Open-hearted Christian. World Changer.
J Farrar
Loan Operations Manager
J serves as a loan operations manager for the Rural Center’s Small Business Credit Initiatives. He has more than 10 years of operations experience, holding various positions throughout his career. He has also co-created with various community groups and nonprofit… Read more 
Jaenine Barnes
Accountant
Jaenine Barnes is a staff accountant at the NC Rural Center. She joined the Rural Center in July 2020 and helps with finance and administrative work for the Rural Center.
Born and raised in Wilson, North Carolina, Jaenine understands the… Read more 
Wilson County native. Catholic. Filipino American. Wolfpack fan. Small girl with a big heart.
Jasper Jones
Relationship Manager
Jasper joined the NC Rural Center in July 2021 and currently holds the position of Relationship Manager, Small Business Capital. In his role, he provides critical support to the NC Rural Center and its small business capital programs. At the… Read more 
Poet. Dreamer. Doer.
Jenal Austin
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Jenal joined the Rural Center in April 2020 and oversees the Center’s funding partnerships with governments, corporations, foundations, and individuals. Born and raised in a small rural town in Southern California, Jenal grew up enjoying the many animals on her… Read more 
NC Transplant. Partnership Builder. Wannabe Tiny House Owner. Life-Long Learner. Pup Mom.
Jenny Grant
Senior Events Manager
Jenny is the senior events manager at the NC Rural Center, where she coordinates and manages all major virtual and in-person events for the Rural Center, as well as events for the Center’s two nonprofit subsidiaries, Thread Capital and CornerSquare… Read more 
Mountain native. Tree hugger. Hockey lover. Wife and mother.
John Coggin
Senior Advisor
John serves as a senior advisor for the NC Rural Center, where he consults on organization-wide development, policy, communications initiatives. He joined the Rural Center team in 2016 as the Center’s first director of the Rural Counts advocacy program. Prior… Read more 
Conversation starter. Day hiker. Night-sky watcher. Theatre nerd. BBQ aficionado. David S. Pumpkins.
Joy Stewart
Director of Compliance and Internal Audit
Joy Stewart is the Director of Compliance and Internal Audit at NC Rural Center, and leads the Center’s adherence to requirements governing non-profit financial institutions. In addition to compliance and audit, she has a background in risk management, operational excellence,… Read more 
Balance seeker. Cautious adventurer. Bookworm.
Juan Canal
Finance & Impact Manager
Juan is responsible for financial and impact reporting for the NC Rural Center’s small business capital division and CornerSquare Community Capital. Some of his responsibilities include preparing and submitting financial reports to stakeholders, making financial projections and analysis and helping… Read more
Dreamer of ending climate change. Former expert in soccer's offside rule. Lover of music and silence.
Julia Malinowski
Senior Director, Intermediary Lending & Investments
Julia Malinowski serves as the senior director of intermediary lending & investments for the Center’s Small Business Credit Initiatives.
She previously worked as the rural economic development program director at Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), a national Community Development Financial… Read more 
Empath. Neurodiverse. Jokester. Hallmark Movie aficionado. Má.
Kayla Daffron
Digital Media Manager
Kayla is the Rural Center’s digital media manager. She came to the NC Rural Center in July 2016 as an AmeriCorps VISTA and became a permanent member of the team in August 2017. A Raleigh native, Kayla has spent most… Read more 
Communicator. Wife. Traveler. Vol for life. Social media connoisseur.
Laura Carlson
Executive Assistant
Laura Carlson joined the NC Rural Center in October 2020 as the executive assistant to the president. In this role, she also supports the management team and the Board of Directors.
Growing up in Readlyn, Iowa (a town of 857… Read more 
Dr. Leah Bouchard
Director of Research & Data Management
Dr. Leah Bouchard is the director of research and data management at the NC Rural Center. A social justice researcher by trade, she has led and collaborated with other researchers on projects including but not limited to opioid misuse… Read more 
Reader. Writer. Artist. Oatmeal cookie fan club president. Espresso evangelist.
Miles Kirksey
Advocacy Engagement Coordinator
Since joining the NC Rural Center in 2018, Miles has been tasked with deepening the Center’s engagement with our leadership alumni network, small business community, and rural constituents across the state. As an advocacy engagement coordinator, Miles is responsible for… Read more 
Nature explorer. Perpetual smiler. Mediocre dancer. Chocoholic.
Olaunda Green
Rural Internship Initiative Program Manager
Olaunda is the program manager for the Rural Internship Initiative, a program of the Golden LEAF Scholarship. In this role, Olaunda provides training, support and oversight to interns and internship site supervisors across the state. With nearly 20 years of… Read more 
Woman of Faith. Wife. Girl Mom. Extrovert. Foodie. Traveler.
Patty Eller
Office Manager
Patty has called North Carolina home since 1971. She is a graduate of Cary High School and the Office Administrative Course at Wake Technical Community College. Patty came to work at the Rural Center thanks to a desire to give… Read more 
Organizer. Health enthusiast. Team member. Faith. Music. Arlington, VA, born; NC raised.
Sheridan Longest, CPA
Senior Financial Analyst
Sheridan serves as the Senior Financial Analyst at the Rural Center. In her role, she assists with a variety of financial and accounting tasks and stays up to date on the latest accounting standards and guidance affecting the Center.
Sheridan… Read more 
National Park enthusiast. Problem solver. Dog lover. Wannabe mountaineer. Great British Baking Show fan.
Torie Keeton
Policy and Government Affairs Manager
Torie Keeton is the Policy and Government Affairs Manager at the NC Rural Center. In this role she works with state and federal lawmakers to advance the Rural Counts advocacy agenda, a set of innovative nonpartisan policy solutions to rural … Read more 
Policy wonk. Devoted dog mom. Shoe enthusiast. Alto/Mezzo. Can be counted on to have a question.