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.
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
Associate Director
Nantahala Health Foundation
Desta Trammell
High School Student
Graham County Schools
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
Paul Heckert
CFO
Hights, Inc.
Beth Booth
Director
Graham County Health Department
Becca Scott
Director of Community and Economic Development
Southwestern Commission
Tim Radford
Mayor
Town of Murphy
Parker Chatham
Executive Director
Restoration House of WNC
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
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
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
Valori Cassel
CEO
WNC Pacesetters
Jennifer Fouts
Early Learning Pathways & Workforce Development
Southwestern Child Development
Emily Langdon
Development Associate
NCCAT
Gail Mattingly
Child Care Resource & Referral
Southwestern Child Development
Lisa McBride
CEO
WNC Farm to Table
Page McCurry
HR Director
Town of Waynesville
The Rev. Michelle Shiplet
Executive Director
GREAT and Five Point Center
Kayla Nelson
Adult Services and CMARC Supervisor
Clay County DSS
Stephanie Almeida
CEO
Smoky Mountain Harm Reduction
Amy Anders
Community Organizer
Swain County
Ronda Birtha
Director
One Dozen Who Care
Brynn Green
Pre-K Teacher
Jackson County Schools
Katie Pincura
Health Sciences Professor
Western Carolina University
Yolanda Pinzon Uribe
Outreach Director
Vecinos
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
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
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
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
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
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
