Our Board
The Asheville Sister Cities board of directors is comprised of community leaders who are passionate about fostering relationships between the people, businesses, non-profits and government of Asheville and those in our Sister Cities worldwide. We also depend on volunteers who share our enthusiasm for promoting peace through global friendship. If you’re interested in volunteering with Asheville Sister Cities, please contact any one of our board members. You are welcome to attend our Board meetings. They are generally held the 3rd Thursday of each month, but please contact Secretary ahead of time to confirm.
Asheville Sister Cities Board of Directors Officers
PRESIDENT
Ken Nelson
Ken Nelson and his wife, Julie Hettiger, moved to Asheville in 2015 and were introduced to ASCI thru several committee fundraisers held at Metro Wines. After visiting Saumur, France, as part of the 2017 trip delegation, they became active members. Having previously lived in the multi-cultural cities of Houston and San Diego, studied in Madrid, traveled through the Spanish speaking regions of the world, he was ready to take on a new role in the Asheville Community. Ken is the founder and co-owner of Blue Delta Energy, a firm focused on renewable energy finance that works with clients on funding their various sustainability projects. Ken is excited to continue our organization’s many successful programs as well as build towards an even brighter future.
Immediate Past President
Jessica Coffield
Jessica Coffield joined ASCI in 2015 after seeking out the organization because of influences in her youth, including Model UN. She then served as the Saumur, France Chair from 2017–2021, helping to organize the 2017 delegation trip. She feels strongly about the impact that Sister Cities can have in building citizens of the world as well as the local impact on multicultural coalition building. She also volunteers with the Junior League of Asheville, where she served as President, and Young Professionals of Asheville as a former board member.
Treasurer
Chris Thompson
Chris moved to Asheville in early 2020 after many years in tax and accounting in and around Atlanta, including almost thirteen years at The Coca-Cola Company. As a CPA she is excited to put her talents to good use as ASCI’s Treasurer.
Secretary
Gail Jolley
While living in Miami in from 1975-1997 Gail was primarily working in International Sales and traveled throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as trips to Europe for trade shows. Since moving to Asheville in 1998, she has been working for the School for Esoteric Studies. For the last decade or more Gail has been their Executive Director. She also worked part time as a substitute for the Buncombe County Public Library system from 2000-2014.
In addition to this paid employment, Gail has volunteered to serve as Treasurer with the Kenilworth Residents Association, as substitute information assistant at the North Carolina Arboretum, and currently volunteers with the Asheville Symphony Guild. She has been a member of Asheville Sister Cities for a number of years and volunteers with the Saumur and Dunkeld-Birnam committees.
City Committees
DUNKELD & BIRNAM, SCOTLAND
Rick Lutovsky
Rick Lutovsky has been the co-chair of the Dunkeld & Birnam Committee, with Doug Orr, and has been involved in the Sister City movement since the early 80’s. He is the past President/CEO of the Asheville Chamber and currently serves on the board of the YMCA of Western North Carolina, and as Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the University of North Carolina at Asheville.
DUNKELD & BIRNAM, SCOTLAND
Doug Orr
Doug co-chairs with Rick Lutovsky the Dunkeld & Birnam Committee and they founded the Sister City partnership in 2018 after several years of Scotland visits and planning. He served as president of Warren Wilson College for 15 years during which time he initiated the College’s international academic field course program. He co-authored with Scotland’s Fiona Ritchie, host
of NPR’s The Thistle & Shamrock music program, the New York Times best – selling book Wayfaring Strangers: The Musical Voyage from Scotland and Ulster to Appalachia. He and his wife Darcy are folk musicians and perform in a band performing Appalachian and Celtic music, and they have traveled frequently throughout Scotland. As such he founded the Swannanoa
Gathering Summer Music workshops at Warren Wilson and the annual Swannanoa Solstice concerts at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts, which he emcees and hosts.
Osogbo, Nigeria
Joe Johnson
Joe has been In Asheville for almost three years. He has enjoyed hosting exchange students from Peru, Denmark, Spain, and Ecuador, and teachers from Mexico and Spain, and loves these life-long connections. He has lived in West Africa and Costa RIca, but has spent most of his time in the mountains of Colorado. Joe is looking forward to working with the Osogbo, Nigeria committee to do meaningful work, to raise awareness of our commonalities, to build interpersonal connections, and to celebrate together!
SAN CRISOBAL DE LASS CASAS, MEXICO
Ann Hord-Heatherley
SAN CRISOBAL DE LASS CASAS, MEXICO
Trish Hord-Heatherly
Saumur, France
Allison Weems
Allison Weems has a love of the French language and francophone cultures. As a professor of French at UNCA, she actively seeks connections with the University through exchanges and delegation support. Originally from Greeneville, TN, she splits time between there and Asheville with her husband, cats and dog, Coco. “What I love about ASCI are all of the opportunities to make and facilitate meaningful connections among students, local citizens, and our friends around the globe. I am constantly reminded of the necessity to explore and celebrate our common humanity.”, she says.
Karpenisi, Greece
Sophie Mills
Sophie is serving as the Chair of the Karpenisi Committee till a replacement can be found. If you are interested in taking on this role please reach out to ashevillesistercities@gmail.com
Valladolid, Mexico
Dr. Cathy Peerless
Cathy is chair of the Valladolid committee. She grew up in Asheville during the 1960’s attending Lee Edwards High School (1968). She graduated from the University of North Carolina (1972) and moved to Connecticut where she taught Ceramics at the University of Harford (MAED and Ed.D). Cathy also taught art, world history, and international studies at Suffield High School for 36 years. She retired and returned to Asheville in 2010 to take care of her mother and continue caring for her father who was a beekeeper for almost 30 years. She began her beekeeping with some coaching from him. As a NCSBA Journeyman Beekeeper, she currently has an apiary with 5 hives in North Asheville and another
apiary with 11 hives in Alexander. Cathy also serve as Secretary of Buncombe County
Beekeepers Club.
Committees at Large
Membership
Marjorie Mcguirk
Marjorie McGuirk is an enthusiastic member of ASCI who strongly believes in building community through shared experiences. Marjorie particularly enjoys the fact that ASCI finds common ground in diversity of language, culture, and political orientation. She looks forward to serving as Membership Coordinator and invites the population of the greater Asheville area to enjoy the many benefits of ASCI membership. Marjorie has aided in the Global Glitz annual fundraiser, and participated in many activities with the Greece and France committees. She is an inaugural member of the Giving Circle.
Giving Society/Special Projects
Gwen Hughes
Gwen G. Hughes is a Founding member of ASCI. Gwen has served in many capacities with ASCI including; Fund Development, International Congress (2005) coordinator, San Cristobal Committee Chair and Special Projects Coordinator which included 3 international students art shows, Maya performance groups bringing two amazing shows to Asheville and 2 wheelchair distributions to our sister cities in Mexico. Gwen and husband Carroll, have helped develop sister city relationships and firmly believe in the Mission Statement of the organization.
Student Outreach
Blake Noble
Publicity
Tom Good
Fundraising
Special Projects / At-Large
Ken Richards
Ken Richards career has been in human and global relations. He and his wife, Irene Dillingham Richards, were administrators in the United States Department of Defense Overseas Schools. They coordinated global conferences throughout Europe and were co-editors of the international journal, “Education World“.They were part of the team founding “Friendship Force WC” and Sister Cities. In 2005 Ken was awarded the Richard Oakland Fellowship by SCI as State Coordinator of the year. “Sister Cities is an important vehicle for uniting all individuals and families as a global family sharing love and understanding in caring for each other and caring for this beautiful planet upon which we all live.”
Non-voting member
VLADIKAVKAZ, RUSSIA (FRIENDSHIP CITY)
Constance Richards
Constance Richards is the former chair of the Vladikavkaz Committee of Asheville Sister Cities. She spent almost seven years in Russia as a foreign correspondent, but met her late husband, international sculptor and painter Vadim Bora — originally from Vladikavaz — in Asheville. She currently works as a fine art curator and author and serves on the Asheville Public Art and Culture Commission.
Non-voting member
Melipona HoneyBee Project
Rebecca Robertson
Rebecca Robertson is a veteran bee-tender and long standing member in the College of the Melissae. She is on the Leadership Committee of BEECITY USA/ Asheville. She has traveled extensively visiting ancient sites and Bee Temples. She conceptualized the “Valladolid Melipona Bee Project” after she was invited in February 2020 to represent Bee City Asheville on an ASCI trip to Valladolid in Yucatan Mexico. Her connection to the native Stingless Melipona bees and their women keepers was immediate, as was her decision to find the ways and means to help her beekeeping sisters to grow and thrive.
