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Our Board
Jim Howard
Executive Director
Jim became Seeds of Hope's new 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.
Rev. Heather Wong
Chair
Pastor, West Nash United Methodist Church
Heather moved to Wilson in 2021 and serves as the pastor of West Nash UMC. Married to Phil, they have two children, Samantha and Matthew.
Heather Winstead
Vice-Chair
Heather is a member of West Nash United Methodist Church and the Rehab Director at a senior living facility in Cary. Heather and her wife, Christen, have a beautiful daughter. Both Heather and Christen were born and raised in Wilson and Heather is happy to be back in Wilson serving her community.
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.
Rhyan Breen
Board Member
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.
Vicenta Cariño
Board Member
Vicenta is Teacher Assistant at Vick Elementary School and a member of St. Therese Catholic Church. She is the Hispanic Ministry Coordinator for SOHW and works tirelessly on behalf of the Wilson Hispanic Community.
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 the congregations 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 among the immigrant community with InnerCHANGE. He and his wife are interested in learning how to grow fresh food and learning how to eat foods that are in season, and helping others do the same. He’s passionate about books, movies, and a strong cup of coffee.
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.
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 in Wilson County. As a member of Winstead United Methodist Chruch, she is interested in 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
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.
Eva Smithwick
Board Member
Eva is a credit risk officer with a 25+ year career in banking. She volunteers in the SOHW Teaching and Community Garden, and is an active member of the community. She and her husband, Aaron, live in Stantonsburg.
Linda Cooper-Suggs
Board Member
Linda is the NC State Representative for District 24, which covers Wilson County.