Toxic Free NC's Board of Directors

Members of the Board (click name for photo, bio, and officer and committee positions) Back row, left to right: Ghassan Hamra, Annie O'Leary, Katherine Shea, Colleen Boudreau, Allen Spalt Front row, left to right: Mindy Hiteshue, Laxmi Haynes, Cathy Jones, Juan Echeverria, Michelle Nowlin Emeritus Members of the Board: Billie Rogers, Jane Sharp MacRae, Erick Umstead

About the Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is a group of people who each bring their unique skills and resources to the task of overseeing and caring for our organization. They meet four times a year as a full group to ensure that the organization stays true to its mission, stays in compliance with the law and with best practices, has the resources it needs to succeed, and to plan for our long-term health and well-being. Throughout the year, Board members contribute their energy and time to supporting Toxic Free NC's programs as volunteers and committee members. They are a wonderful group of talented and creative people, and their leadership and support are critical to Toxic Free NC's success!

The Board of Directors has several permanent or "standing" committees, and also convenes temporary or "ad-hoc" committees to work on specific projects, like special events or hiring. Volunteers who are not members of the Board can also serve on these Committees (except the Executive Committee). The standing committees are:

Board Development Committee. This committee is responsible for recruiting new members to the Board, and ensuring orientation and skill development for all Board members.

Fundraising Committee, a.k.a. "The Pollinators." This committee leads the Board's involvement in fundraising, and supports the staff in planning, carrying out and evaluating our fundraising activities each year.

Engagement Committee. This committee is working with staff to investigate new strategies of engaging activists for pesticide reform in rural and low-income areas of the state.

Executive Committee. This committee includes the Board's President, Treasurer, and Immediate Past President or President-Elect. Together with the Executive Director, these Board Officers ensure that the Board is fulfilling its responsibilities, and prepare the agendas for Board meetings.

Board members serve three-year terms, and can be nominated by any Board, staff or committee member, or by any volunteer or community member for election by the full Board.

Members of Toxic Free NC's Board of Directors

	Colleen Boudreau Treasurer and member of the Board Development Committee Colleen has served on the Board since 2004. She is an independent contractor and CPA, providing business and accounting services to organizations throughout North Carolina. She lives in Raleigh with her husband Russell, their two dogs Shasta and Chimay, and is expecting her first child in August 2008. In her spare time, Colleen enjoys hiking with her family (dogs included), futzing with her plants, cooking, and traveling.
	Juan Echeverria Bio coming soon.
	Ghassan Hamra Ghassan joined the Board in December of 2008. He is a PhD candidate in Epidemiology at the UNC School of Public Health, focusing on environmental and occupational epidemiology. Ghassan is an alumnus of Americorps VISTA in NC, and a former Toxic Free NC intern (2004-05). He's also an avid mountain biker, and volunteers for L'il Farm outside Chapel Hill. Photo: Ghassan (left) and his wife Leah.
	Laxmi Haynes Chair of the Engagement Committee Laxmi is Program Director at Student Action with Farmworkers. She coordinates the Into the Fields internship program and the Sowing Seeds for Change Fellowship program, and directing the Into the Fields Theater Group. In her spare time she likes to dance, work in her garden and collect antiques.
	Mindy Hiteshue Chair of the Board Development Committee and member of the Engagement Committee Mindy graduated from NC State University in 2001 with a BA in Spanish Language and Literature and a certification in Business Spanish. She works as Business Manager at the NC Conservation Network and has served on the Board of Toxic Free NC since 2006. She is currently working on her certificate degree in Nonprofit Management from Duke University, and has done volunteer work with other organizations including the Neuse River Foundation and El Pueblo. She enjoys singing, running, and spending time with her 9 nieces and nephews! Photo: Mindy Hiteshue (left) and her mother Diane Hiteshue at Toxic Free NC's 20th Anniversary Party.
	Cathy Jones Member of the Engagement Committee Cathy and her husband Mike Perry own Perry-winkle Farm located in northern Chatham County. They raise vegetables, cut flowers and pastured poultry for sale at local farmers' markets and to area restaurants. Although their work is sunrise-to-sunset, they take a yearly trek in late summer to New England searching for cooler temperatures! Photo: Cathy Jones (right) with a bouquet of flowers from Perry-winkle Farm and staff member Fawn Pattison at Toxic Free NC's 20th Anniversary Party.
	Michelle Nowlin President and member of "The Pollinators" Michelle is an attorney with the Environmental Law and Policy Clinic at Duke University and has served on the board of Toxic Free NC for 4 years. She has two children and spends her non-work time restoring her old mill house, toxic-free gardening and making pottery.
	Annie O'Leary Member of "The Pollinators" Annie is a major gift officer for the Southern Environmental Law Center in their Carolinas office in Chapel Hill. She joined Toxic Free NC’s board in 2006. Hiking, yoga and gardening and anything else she can do outside are her favorite things to do. Photo: Annie O'Leary (right) with staff member Billie Karel at Toxic Free NC's 20th Anniversary Party.
	Katherine M. Shea Immediate Past President Katherine is a staff physician at NC State University Student Health Service. She has served on the Board since 2003 and has a particular interest in children's environmental health. She is married, has two grown children and has recently become a certified yoga teacher.
	Allen Spalt Member of "The Pollinators" Allen was co-founder and executive director of Toxic Free NC. He is now happily retired and watching the current staff and board do amazing things. He remains active on the board and with Beyond Pesticides. At other times he is at the beach, travelling with his wife Susan, or playing with their Irish Setter Lucy. Photo: Allen Spalt (right) receiving a lifetime achievement award from Emeritus Board Member Billie Rogers at Toxic Free NC's 20th Anniversary Party.
Emeritus Board Members Billie Rogers, Founding Board member (pictured, left) Jane Sharp MacRae, Founding Board member (pictured, left side of center photo) Erick Umstead, Toxic Free NC Co-founder (pictured, right)