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Our Board
Jim Howard
Executive Director
Jim became Seeds of Hope's Executive Director in January, 2021. He and wife, Alison, have lived and worked in Wilson for many years. They have two grown children, Emily and Andrew, and are members of West Nash United Methodist Church.
Lucy Russell Pittman
Board Chair
Lucy Russell Pittman is obtaining her Ph.D. in Education from UNC-Chapel Hill and is a proud Wilson resident. She is also the Vice Chair of the Wilson County Public Library Board of Trustees.
Rhyan Breen
Vice Chair
Rhyan Breen is a local attorney and current Wilson County School Board Member. He is the husband to a woman he doesn't deserve and the father of two precocious children.
Rev. Rachel Kwashe
Secretary
Ex-Officio Board Member
Pastor, Winstead United Methodist Church
Rachel has served at Winstead UMC since July 2021. She lives in Greenville with her husband and two dogs but remains passionate about serving the community of Wilson through Seeds of Hope and her church.
Gary Farmer
Board Member
Recently retired from the Wilson County School Board, Gary serves the Wilson community in many ways including using his farming equipment to periodically plow and mulch the Seeds of Hope Teaching and Community Garden.
Rev. Daniel Pinell
Board Member
Daniel Pinell is the vicar of St. Mark Episcopal Church and La Guadalupana de Wilson. He, his wife, and their four small children moved from Ocala, Florida to Wilson, NC in 2021. Before moving to Florida, they lived in Oakland, California, serving as missionaries. He’s passionate about books, movies, and a strong cup of coffee.
Sanda Hight
Board Member
Sanda Hight is a life-long resident of Wilson. She is retired from Wilson County Schools after a long career as an English teacher and is currently a substitute teacher. As a member of Winstead UMC, she is part of church outreach, especially with the public schools. She enjoys reading, writing, and being an amateur cellist. She and her husband Fred have two children and four grandchildren.
Julia Newton
Board Member & Master Gardener
Julia is the Garden Coordinator for the Seeds of Hope Teaching & Community Garden. She is a Extension Master Gardener Volunteer and has guided the progress of the gardening program. She and her husband, Will, live in Wilson.
Peggy Wilson
Board Member
Peggy is a retired educator with 36 years of teaching with Wilson County Schools. She is married with 3 grown children and 5 grandkids. She is a long time member of Winstead UMC and has been involved with the Hand in Hand Ministry for 20 years. She is looking forward to serving on the board of SOH.
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John Sallenger
Board Member
Linda Cooper-Suggs
Board Member
Linda is the NC State Representative for District 24, which covers Wilson County.