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Now + Next Alumni

More than 115 regional leaders — from our design team to our most recent cohort graduates — have benefited from time spent at NOW + NEXT. 

If you are passionate about improving health conditions for those living, learning, working and playing in our region, register today to add your name to our growing list of NOW + NEXT alumni.

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Our Design Team

Dr. Frederick Buskey

Founder & CEO

Strategic Leadership Consulting

Angie Knight

Superintendent

Graham County Schools

Alex Knight

High School Student

Graham County Schools

Lori Bailey

Executive Director

Nantahala Health Foundation

Russ Harris

Executive Director

Southwestern Commission

Todd Goins

Director

Clay County Department of Social Services

Marianne Martinez

Executive Director

Vecinos, Inc.

Lisa Duff_headshot

Lisa Duff

Associate Director

Nantahala Health Foundation

Desta Trammell

High School Student

Graham County Schools

Our Pilot Cohort
Fall 2022

Joey Owle

Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

Bernadette Peters

Main Street Economic Development Director

Town of Sylva

Jonah Lossiah

Reporter

Cherokee One Feather

“The Nantahala Health Foundation Leadership program was an unexpected boost for me to focus on the most important part of my development for the benefit of my job, community, and personal well-being. The diversity of the folks in the cohort helped me view things from different perspectives, and [Dr.] Frederick [Buskey’s] guidance of the group contributed to our collective learning. This was a valuable investment of my time for the benefits I gained.” — Bernadette Peters

Paul Heckert

CFO

Hights, Inc.

Beth Booth

Director

Graham County Health Department

Becca Scott

Director of Community and Economic Development

Southwestern Commission

“This leadership program has been an opportunity to examine myself as a leader by learning from peers across Western North Carolina. It has allowed me to network with peers, as well, and learn about the great work that they are doing in this region. And to see how much of it intersects!” — Becca Scott

Tim Radford

Mayor

Town of Murphy

Parker Chatham

Executive Director

Restoration House of WNC

Cohort 1
Spring 2023

E. Claire Leipold

Health Science Student

Western Carolina University

Savannah Vining

 Education and Workforce Development Administrator

Hights, Inc

Deidre McMahon

Assistant Director

Southwestern Child Development

“The Now + Next program helped get me involved in real work with a valuable local impact. When I began this program, I was a college senior with nothing but vague plans for after graduation. As an alumnus, I work at a local nonprofit that focuses on decreasing food insecurity in the area, with many other job offers behind this one. Learning and growing with other members of my community in this program gave me the confidence and support I needed to step into a role I’ve always wanted to fill. I look forward to strengthening the awesome relationships I’ve made and doing more great work!“ — Claire Leipold

“This program empowers current and rising leaders in the WNC community through collaboration, connection, and strategy implementation which enables the region with powerful resources for sharing and implementing shared knowledge.” — Savannah Vining

“The Now + Next Leadership Program connected me with other leaders within the WNC community that I now consider colleagues and friends. This program encouraged me to not only challenge my leadership skills, but to explore professional growth opportunities with others through diversity and inclusiveness.” — Deidre McMahon

Stacy Guffey

Franklin Town Council Member

WNC Program Manager, UNC-Chapel Hill’s NCGrowth

Anna Rogers

Regional Ombudsman

Southwestern Commission

Beau Bishop

Housing and Weatherization Coordinator

Macon County Housing Department

“This program will help you with work/life balance by teaching you better self-care. It will help you prioritize elements of your work, making your efforts more effective and deliberate. Additionally, you’ll meet, get to know, and collaborate with a variety of leaders in a variety of fields from around the region.” — Stacy Guffey

Anita Welch Lossiah

Policy Analyst

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

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Jose Perez

Victim Advocate

30th Judicial District Alliance

Kevin King

Manager

Swain County

“This is a great opportunity for you to learn your own leadership style and how to strengthen it.” — Anita Lossiah

Cohort 2
Summer 2023

N+N Alumni

Valori Cassel

CEO

WNC Pacesetters

N+N Alumni Jennifer Fouts

Jennifer Fouts

Early Learning Pathways & Workforce Development

Southwestern Child Development

N+N alumni Emily Langdon

Emily Langdon

Development Associate

NCCAT

N+N Alumni Gail Mattingly

Gail Mattingly

Child Care Resource & Referral

Southwestern Child Development

N+N Alumni Lisa McBride

Lisa McBride

CEO

WNC Farm to Table

N+N Alumni Page McCurry

Page McCurry

HR Director

Town of Waynesville

N+N Alumni Michelle Shiplet

The Rev. Michelle Shiplet

Executive Director

GREAT and Five Point Center

N+N Alumni Kayla Nelson

Kayla Nelson

Adult Services and CMARC Supervisor

Clay County DSS

“I loved this program. I do not say that lightly. I am usually someone who leaves a training without really learning anything. Now + Next was a complete 180 from any kind of training I have attended in the past. This program encourages you to look introspectively to see your strengths and weaknesses as a leader, teaches you how to build on those, and gives simple, easy-to-understand ways to implement those changes to become a more effective leader. I feel anyone in a leadership role would greatly benefit from this program.” — Kayla Nelson

Cohort 3
Fall 2023

Stephanie Almeida

CEO

Smoky Mountain Harm Reduction

Amy Anders

Community Organizer

Swain County

Ronda Birtha

Director

One Dozen Who Care

“Now + Next has the potential to have great impact on our region. There is so much power in unity and knowledge, but it is crucial to be united on the right fronts and to have the right knowledge. N+N provides tools for understanding the human side of life and how to value that aspect of any endeavor. When people learn how to effectively communicate and to recognize opportunities by pausing to consider the bigger picture, it can break down walls and demolish silos. An old African proverb says, ‘When spiders unite, they can tie up a lion.’ Now + Next provides the string to the spiders.” — Ronda Birtha

Brynn Green

Pre-K Teacher

Jackson County Schools

Katie Pincura

Health Sciences Professor

Western Carolina University

Yolanda Pinzon Uribe

Outreach Director

Vecinos

Cohort 4
Winter 2024

Gabby Beam

Administrative Director

HIGHTS

Megan Crews

Director of Mental Health

Jackson County Schools

Becky Green

Child Support Services Supervisor

Jackson County Department of Social Services

Linda Lamp

Business Services Representative

Southwestern Commission

Ann Lukens

Board Member

Nantahala Health Foundation

Eric Reece

Pastor

UMC Robbinsville

Russ Seagle

CEO

Sequoyah Fund

Chris Stuckey

Community Engagement Specialist

Westbridge

Carmen Waite

CEO

Boys and Girls Club of the Plateau

Paul Witty

Community Health Worker

UNIDXS

Cohort 5
Spring 2024

Sabrena Davis

Social Work Supervisor

Jackson County Department of Social Services

Allison Greenfield

Graduate Student

Western Carolina University

Nicole Hinebaugh

Project Director

MountainWish

Corey Holland

Information Management Coordinator

HIGHTS

Mary Jane Lucas

Program Coordinator

Circles of Cashiers

Randi Neff

STEM Program Coordinator

Southwestern Community College

Antonieta (Toni) Pasquariello

Western Regional Director

Legal Aid of NC

TJ Smith

Executive Director

International Friendship Center

Gretta Worley

Executive Director

HERE in Jackson County

Cohort 6
Summer 2024

Samantha Bradley

Board Member

Nantahala Health Foundation

Cecilia Estremera

Family Partner

Vaya Health

Dakotah Fozzard

Program Coordinator

MountainWise

Kirstie Frady

Project Coordinator

Noquisi Initiative

Tiffany Henry

Economic Development Director

Jackson County

Susan Huss

Executive Director

Child Medical Collaborative

Tracie Metz

The Bayberry Group

Jackson County

Tina Saunooke

Early Education Director

Qualla Boundary Head Start

Silas Shields

Grants Specialist

Cherokee County

LeNay Shular

Housing Project Manager

Southwestern Commission

Cohort 7
Fall 2024

Amy Boyer

Education Manager

Eastern Band of Cherokee

Niki Duff

Development + Communications Director

Western Carolina Medical Society

Emily Hamilton

Quality Director

Vecinos

Angela Henry

Grants Manager

Manna FoodBank

Kara McMullen

Trails + Stewardship Director

Friends of Panthertown Valley

Gina Myers

Project Coordinator

Noquisi Initiative

Cindy O’Boyle

Executive Director

Community Care Clinic of Franklin

Gabrielle “Sunny” Pringle-Jenkins

Mental Health Liaison

Graham County Schools

Courtney Robertson

Social Work Supervisor

Clay County Health + Human Services

Cohort 8
Winter 2025

Cecilia Faulkner

Executive Director

Reach of Cherokee County

Danny Ferreira

Digital Skills Educator

N.C. State Cooperative

Steven Inglima

President

Valley River Arts Guild

Victoria Ivey

Executive Director

Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce

Carlyn Kelly-Chasse

Mountain Meals Director

Restoration House WNC

Laura Lachance

Development Director

Town of Murphy

Megan Lambert

President

Cherokee Clay Food Alliance

Noah Lescalleet

Regional Coordinator

Heartland Communities

Callie Radford

Dean of Adult Education

Tri-County Community College

Debbie Davis

President

Zona Proxima

Shawn Smallwood

Project Manager

Southwestern Commission

Cohort 9
Spring 2025

Cody Allison

Administrative Assistant

Community Care Clinic of Franklin

Laura Brooks

Executive Director

Cowee School

Jada Bryson

Co-Founder

Dance Arts Co-op

Renee Gurtler

Finance and Operations

BlueCross/BlueShield NC Foundation

April Olson

Grant Writer

Southwestern Community College

Yesenia Ovieda

Clinic Manager

Vecinos

Carrie Petter

Executive Director

Community Health Network of WNC

Tom Young

President

Otto Community Development Org

828.634.1527
Mailing: 1547 Highlands Rd.
Franklin, NC 28734

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