Meet the Friends of Hominy Creek Greenway’s Board of Trustees
Nancy Benoit is a new transplant to Asheville – making the move from Massachusetts just four months prior to the pandemic lockdown. She has fallen deeply in love with the Greenway which she and her dog walk daily, feeling blessed to have this natural sanctuary across the street from her magical little home with a green roof–also a reflection of her love of nature. Nancy has a background in the arts and continues to work in a remote position as a digital marketing professional for a large health and human service organization in Massachusetts. She is grateful for the opportunity to support the mission and vision of the FOHCG, utilizing her marketing skills and devotion to this community greenspace.
Thomas House has been a resident of Asheville since 1992, moving here after graduating from Appalachian State University. He teaches middle school career technical education in Asheville City Cchools. Thomas is an avid bicycle commuter, and can often be seen riding his bike along one of the growing number of greenways throughout the city. He is formerly a vice chair of the Asheville Parks and Recreation advisory board, and has long been involved in the preservation and maintenance of recreation space in Asheville. Thomas and his wife Michelle have two adult children. They enjoy traveling and exploring while trying to keep up with their kids.
Emma Castleberry has been an Asheville resident for nearly 8 years, but a recent move to West Asheville dramatically increased her use of the Hominy Creek Greenway, where she walks daily with her rescue puppy, a husky mix named Spunj. As a freelance outdoor writer and reporter, Emma has an appreciation for all things nature, with a particular reverence for accessible wild areas like the greenway. She joined the board at the beginning of 2024 and feels passionate about protecting and enhancing this vital, unique public resource that makes our community – locally and globally – a better place to live.
Lewis Lankford landed in Asheville just in time for Belle Chere in 1996 and no one has yet been able to make him leave. He was a founding member of West Asheville Development, LLC and helped turn the Bledsoe Building into the commercial and social center of Haywood Road. He currently works as Finance Manager for Ginger’s Revenge in Asheville and joined the board as Treasurer in 2022. Any sunny afternoon is likely to see Lewis out on a trail, hiking or biking with his wife Krista and trail dog Alli. Linville Gorge is his favorite place, but Hominy Creek is a lot closer to home.
Tim Watkins is a cyclist, climber, runner and all around nature lover. Previously an outdoor recreation instructor, he is enthusiastic about teaching proper trail etiquette and Leave No Trace principles. He is passionate about protecting our existing greenway network, and supporting the expansion pedestrian focused infrastructure. As one of many who transitioned to remote work during the pandemic, Tim knows the value of our urban greenspaces, such as the Hominy Creek Greenway, that provide a much needed escape from the monotony of remote work.
Holland Youngman is a lover of mountains, trees, streams, rocks, clumps of moss and so on. She enjoys spending time exploring area trails on foot and on bike with her friends and her trusty canine sidekick. A wildlife biologist by profession, she has a passion for creatures (great and small), ecological conservation, and for learning about and sharing the natural wonders of the world with others. She is also enthusiastic about supporting walkable and bikeable trail systems as a way to promote healthy lifestyles, community interaction and connection with the living world; thus her love of the Hominy Creek Greenway.
Jack Igelman is a founding trustee of the Friends of Hominy Creek Greenway and a resident of West Asheville since 1999. He rejoined the board in 2022 after serving from 2012 to 2018. He teaches economics at Warren Wilson College and is the lead environmental reporter for Carolina Public Press, covering environmental topics throughout the state of North Carolina. Jack and his wife Elizabeth have two teenage boys.