Our Team

Meet some of the leaders shaping the Food Bank’s mission and vision for a future where no one goes hungry.

Executive Team

Our executive team provides strategic leadership to advance the Food Bank’s mission and strengthen our impact across central and eastern North Carolina.

  • Jason Kanawati Stephany

    Vice President of Communications & Public Policy

    Jason Kanawati Stephany

    Vice President of Communications & Public Policy

    Jason brings nearly two decades of strategic communications and community mobilization experience to the Food Bank leadership team. He returned to North Carolina from the Oregon Food Bank Network, where he led communications and engagement efforts. Jason previously served in leadership and advisory roles for a host of national healthcare, social service, and advocacy organizations — including Health Leads, the Service Employees International Union, Emerge America, Planned Parenthood Advocates, and America Votes.

  • Michelle Thompkins

    Chief People Officer

    Michelle Thompkins

    Chief People Officer

    Michelle Thompkins is Chief People Officer at the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, bringing over 30 years of experience in healthcare and human resources. She has held leadership roles at GSK, Merck, Aventis, and Johnson & Johnson, with expertise in organizational change, leadership development, and employee engagement. Michelle also led HR functions internationally and transitioned to community-focused work in 2016. She holds degrees from Howard University and Rutgers University.

Advisory Council

As the voice of our network’s 700+ partner programs, the Food Bank’s Advisory Council is made up of representatives from leading free food markets, pantries, meal sites and delivery programs throughout the region. These leaders draw on their lived experience and on-the-ground expertise to guide community-centered decisions around everything we do — from the food we source to the policy change we seek to address hunger’s root causes.

The Advisory Council’s next cohort begins in Fall 2025. Stay tuned for additional information.

Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors provides governance and guidance to ensure the Food Bank delivers on its mission with integrity and accountability.

  • Anne Lloyd

    Chair

    Retired, Martin Marietta

  • David L. Garris

    Chair-Elect

    Vice President Mid-Atlantic Division, Food Lion

  • Charles Inman

    Secretary

    Director of Operations, Food Lion

  • Greg Bromberger

    Treasurer

    Vice President Corporate Treasury, Cisco Systems

  • Monica Barnes

    Vice President of Community Engagement, ABC11

  • Rev. Charles Brooks

    Pastor, Poplar Springs United Church of Christ

  • Drew Duncan

    Global Human Resources Lead, Biogen

  • Susan Corts Hill

    Attorney & Public Policy Consultant

  • Travis Hockaday

    Attorney, Smith Anderson

  • Becky Jacobs

    Fractional Chief Operating Officer, Simple Change

  • Donyell “DJ” Jones

    Chief Operating Officer, Boys & Girls Club of Wake County

  • Randolph Keaton

    Executive Director, Men & Women United for Youth & Families

  • Luann Kennedy

    Vice President of Finance, Cisco Systems

  • James Kissinger

    P&C Sales Director, Nationwide

  • David Kochman

    Former Vice President of Communications, Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC

  • Mikaela Morris

    Regional Council Representative, Greenville

  • Gregory Ng

    Executive Vice President, Business Transformation, MERGE

  • George Norman

    Regional Council Representative, Sandhills

  • Darlene Powell

    Regional Council Representative, Wilmington

  • La Verne Reid, PhD, MPH

    Interim Dean, North Carolina Central University College of Health & Sciences

  • Matt Rogers, PhD

    Regional Vice President, Aramark

  • Shelayne Daly Sutton

    Board Director and President, Daly Seven

  • Tim Tripp

    Retired, Duke Energy

  • Norbert Wilson, PhD

    Professor of Food, Economics & Community, Duke Divinity School & Sanford Public Policy

  • Louise Winstanly

    Adjunct Assistant Professor, UNC Chapel Hill Dept of Public Health

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