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.
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.
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.
Chad Martin is a graduate of Shaw University with a bachelor’s degree in religion & philosophy; he studied at Shaw University Divinity School, he holds a Duke University certification in nonprofit management, a Leadership Plenty Train the Trainer Facilitator, (MVP) mentors in violence prevention train the trainer, and University of Virginia/Center for Disease Control certification as a Lifestyle Coach. Chad Martin was elected to Martinsville City Council in 2017. Vice Mayor Martin has worked in the nonprofit world for over 20 years as a community organizer, Hunger Justice Leader for Bread for the World, volunteer coordinator for the women’s shelter, CASA volunteer, suicide hotline trainer, Crisis Intervention Trainer for several law enforcement agencies, Vice-President of The Martin Luther King Jr. planning council, Good News Prison Ministry, reentry council, History United Advisory Council, Board member for Girls Scouts, Virgnia Food System Council Board of Directors and many more.
Martin has joined the Future Harvest team as a Technical Assistance Provider. He recently became a private grant reviewer for USDA and Virginia Food Access Investment Fund (VFAIF) grant evaluation committee. Chad has served on the Board of Directors for the Virginia Food System Council. He is a current 2021 Walking College Fellow, 2019-2020 Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute, 2019-2020 Leadership Southside Fellow, 2018-2020 Virginia Tech VALOR Fellow, 2017-2018 Roanoke City works Xpo Fellow, DC ’17 Starting Bloc Fellow, 2016-2017 Middle Border Forward Fellow, and recently become an AIR Shift Facilitator through Virginia Tech. USGLC Global Leader Network Class of 2022 and the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation Inaugural Gender Equity Learning Exchange Fellowship Class of 2022. JLUSA Emerging Leaders Training Program 2022. Virginia Tech Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation Fellow. The class of 2023 School for Food Justice, Faith, and Storytelling, Climate Equity Policy Fund Fellow 2023-2026, and The Climate Advocacy Lab’s Climate + Health Peer Learning Circle Cohort 2023-2024. The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association 2024 Member Advocacy Program and 2024 North Carolina Political Leadership Institute. 2024 IRA Cohort. Chad was inducted as a Global Goodwill Ambassador. Martin was just appointed to The State of Virginia Commission on Food Insecurity. Councilman Martin was just appointed to the International Code Council’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee and has spent his life in service to others.
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.
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.
Makayla Johnson
Northeast 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.