Regional Representatives
Regional representatives are important members of the Council, bringing the needs and goals of the local food councils across the state to the table.
Regional representatives serve two-year tenures as a regional liaison between local food councils and the state food council. Currently, there are six regional representative positions - one for each of the local food council regions outlined by Community Food Strategies: Southeastern, Northeastern, Triad, Triangle, Charlotte, and Western. These regions represent a total of thirty-three food councils throughout the state.
Kelly Warnock
Triangle Regional Rep
kwarnock@dconc.gov
Kelly is a Nutrition Program Manager at Durham County Department of Public Health, where she and her staff work improve policy, systems and environments to make the healthy choice the easy choice. She works closely with the Triangle Area Double Bucks program, assisting with grant writing, program growth, technical assistance and marketing efforts.
Kelly is past co-chair of the Partnership for a Healthy Durham, a collaboration of over 500 Durham residents and organizations that works to improve Durham’s health priorities. She was the recipient of the GlaxoSmithKline Foundation Child Health Recognition Award in Public Health category in 2015.
Kelly has a BS in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Master’s in Public Health – Nutrition from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.
Salina Brown-Artis
Southeast Regional Rep
salinabrown64@gmail.com
Salina is the Founder and Chief Executive of the Nonprofit TRUTH- To Really Understand Thy Health, a local organization that prides itself on improving the overall health and wellness of the community through resources, services, and education. Through the nonprofit she has worked closely with schools, farms, small businesses, and corporate businesses such as the Vitamin Shoppe to deliver educational events and giveaways to serve the community.
She also created the platform Goldsboro Gardening Group, a networking local council that allows health and wellness enthusiasts and agricultural professionals to collaborate for education and economic development purposes.
Her passion doesn’t end with agriculture, accredited through her former work as a research technician and data analyst for Center for Environmental Farming Systems, she also spends her day to days as a public school teacher who works closely with instructional coaches to combat ways to better improve the education of rural students.
Moriah Gendy
Triad Regional Rep
moriahg@cityofws.org
Moriah is a homegrown Winston-Salem native who continues to serve her home as the city’s Food Resilience Program Manager. After graduating from Wake Forest University in 2016 with a B.A. in History, Moriah dove into the world of civic engagement, environmental stewardship, and food advocacy. She served for two years as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer and has worked for the NC State Parks System, local non-profits, and small-scale organic farms.
In her role as Food Resilience Program Manager, Moriah develops programs that further the success and outcomes of food work in Winston-Salem; such a wide scope of focus allows her to work in a variety of spaces, including food security and local food systems capacity building. She frequently collaborates with the Winston-Salem Urban Food Policy Council, and is excited to represent this and other local food councils in the Triad area.
Nicole Hinebaugh
Western Regional Rep
For 20 years Nicole has been managing nonprofit programs related to affordable housing, community organizing, food security and policy, and resources for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
Currently, Nicole serves as the Farms and Food Project Director for Haywood Christian Ministry, developing and implementing local food procurement systems and strategies for the organization's newly emerging food hub in Haywood County.
Nicole also currently serves on the Boards of Directors of the WNC Food Systems Coalition, the Asheville Buncombe Community Land Trust, and the Macon Farmers Market.
Adriane Watkins-Mingo
Charlotte Regional Rep
awmwork@gmail.com
Adriane is a Beginning Teacher Support Coordinator for Union County Public Schools. As a career educator, Dr. Mingo brings a wealth of experience and knowledge from the classroom to state-level positions. D. Mingo began her career in Charlotte, NC as a fifth grade teacher, after graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Appalachian State University. She continued her educational goals and earned her Master degree in Literacy from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC and achieved her National Board Certification in Early Childhood Generalist shortly thereafter. Always seeking to learn more, Adriane earned her doctorate in Educational Leadership from Gardner-Webb University, where she has also served as an adjunct professor.
Adriane is the owner and operator of Watkins Grove Farm. She absolutely loves being a farmer. She and her father have been dubbed, “the dynamic duo”. Her mission statement is to raise the best tasting and finest quality vegetables for the local community while maintaining affordability. Using only natural and sustainable farming methods - no herbicides, pesticides, or insecticides leaves a smaller carbon footprint while simultaneously improving the health of its customer and environment are top priorities. She currently serves on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Food Policy Council and is thrilled about the work ahead in her new role as Regional Representative.
Chester Williams
Northeast Co-Regional Rep
ceo@abc2nc.org
Chester is the founder and Chief Empowerment Officer (CEO) of A Better Chance A Better Community (ABC2), an organization which connects rural communities with resources and opportunities to activate youth power and advocate for realistic solutions and healthier lifestyles. He also supports the ABC2 World Changers, the youth of ABC2. Together they created a large Community Garden to provide fresh seasonal produce for the Enfield Farmer's Market. Proceeds from farm sales go directly to scholarships and training programs for the youth and teens in the community, continuing a loop of investment and commitment that is evident in all Williams’ efforts.
He is a visionary and a tireless optimist, who stands beside his World Changers and helps facilitate the vision they have for a powerful and just future. He sees the community garden as a vehicle for everything from self-esteem building to financial literacy and service learning. He partners with numerous organizations and agencies and also serves on numerous committees and boards—Rural Health Group, Southeastern Halifax Coalition, and NC Citizens for Public Health, NC Local Foods Council, to name a few—as he believes collective engagement and partnership are key to a vibrant and healthy community.
Makayla Johnson
Northeast Co-Regional Rep
makayla@abc2nc.org
Makayla Johnson is an intern at A Better Chance, A Better Community (ABC2), where she serves as Recreational Facilitator. She joined the ABC2 family through the Non-Profit Internship Program (NPIP), and since then has been hard at work facilitating educational programs and collaborating with community partners in drafting and implementing various projects. She is excited to join the NCLFC family alongside ABC2 founder and Northeast Regional Representative Chester Williams, and is enthusiastic about discovering the world of food systems work.