Regional Representatives
Regional representatives are important members of the Council, bringing the needs and goals of 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. There are six regional representative positions - one for each of the local food council regions outlined by Community Food Strategies: Southeastern, Northeastern, Triad, Triangle, Greater Charlotte, and Western. These regions represent a over 35 food councils and coalitions, throughout the state.
Share your food system “pinch points” and ways that the NCLFC can support those local food system challenges with your regional representatives or by clicking on the button below.
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.
Delphia McCoy
Southeast Regional Rep
delphia@acpproject.org
Delphia McCoy is a community leader dedicated to advancing sustainable solutions that strengthen local food systems and expand opportunity in southeastern North Carolina. A graduate of the Rural Economic Development Institute and Bowie State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, she brings more than two decades of experience in program development, public service, and community engagement.
Her work centers on building partnerships between farmers, food distribution networks, faith-based organizations, and local institutions to improve food access and support long-term community resilience. Drawing on prior experience with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and national public health initiatives, she combines strong operational leadership with a commitment to ensuring that communities facing economic barriers have a voice in regional and statewide conversations about food, health, and economic development.
Alyssa McKim is the Food Security Coordinator for Guilford County Cooperative Extension, where she leads countywide strategy to strengthen food access, cross-sector collaboration, and local food system resilience. With over 15 years of experience in community-based food systems, regenerative agriculture, and coalition leadership, she convenes more than 35 partners through the Guilford County Food Action Network to align data, policy, and on-the-ground action.
Her work integrates participatory research, farmer-to-pantry partnerships, and systems-level planning to address food insecurity through equitable, sustainable solutions. Alyssa brings a strategic, relationship-centered approach to advancing collaborative food policy at both the local and regional levels.
Dana Choquette
Western Regional Rep
dana@wncfoodcoalition.org
Dana (she/her) spent the last decade in clinical social work. She has a B.S. and Masters Degree in Social Work and is conversationally fluent in Spanish. In 2022, she transitioned into supporting local food systems. She is the Executive Director of the WNC Food Systems Coalition, supporting Western NC in building a strong local food shed with equity for all.
She and her partner co-own and manage a regenerative farm in McDowell County focused on pastured chickens, hogs, sheep and cattle. She loves spending every possible moment outside with her daughter, and sharing a delicious meal with pals.
Kenya Joseph
Charlotte Regional Rep
kjoseph@charlottefoodpolicy.com
Kenya Joseph is a passionate advocate for compassionate assistance and underserved populations, born and raised in New York City. Now based in Charlotte, North Carolina, she is the President and Co-Founder of Hearts and Hands Food Pantry, a nonprofit established in 2017 that has become a vital resource for families across the greater Charlotte area.
Kenya relocated to Charlotte in 2013, bringing with her over 20 years of experience in corporate finance and a deep commitment to service. Her professional expertise and strategic leadership have helped feed more than 100,000 people and foster lasting partnerships throughout the community. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kenya mobilized the food pantry’s resources to address rising homelessness and provide critical support services at a time of unprecedented need. Her impact extends beyond the pantry—she currently serves as Board Chair of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Food Policy Council, having joined the board in 2021.
Kenya also holds several regional and statewide leadership roles, including serving as a State Advisory Council representative for NC Cooperative Extension (representing Mecklenburg, Gaston, and Cabarrus counties), a regional representative for the North Carolina Local Food Council, and an active member of both the North Carolina Food System Advocacy Coalition and the North American Food Systems Network.
Driven by her entrepreneurial spirit and passion for systems innovation, Kenya is committed to expanding her work in the nonprofit sector. She continues to build transformative partnerships aimed at creating sustainable, community-centered solutions for Charlotte and beyond.
Makayla Johnson
Northeast Regional Rep
jmakayla5@gmail.com
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.