Board of Directors

The Hospitality House Board of Directors works to ensure the agency is meeting the needs of the community in a responsible fashion. If you are interested in serving on the board please email Board Development Committee Chair Lory Whitehead.

Lory Whitehead

Chair - Watauga County

A retired US Army Officer, Lory holds a BA in math and a MS in criminology. She lives in Boone and has been active in the community through High Country Lifelong Learners, the Watauga Amateur Radio Club, High Country Writers, and the Boone Unitarian Universalists Fellowship. Lory also has experience working with the Bread of Life Kitchen and Unitarian Universalists of Transylvania County and as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer. Lory joined the Hospitality House board in 2018.

Jacque Dunbar

Vice Chair - Watauga County

Jacque is a retired educator and school administrator living in Boone. She has over 30 years of experience in various NC school systems. She holds an MPH and has also worked as a health education coordinator. Having served as a volunteer in Hospitality House programs for five years, Jacque joined the board in 2018. She has supported several other High Country nonprofits including F.A.R.M. Café, Habitat for Humanity, and the Humane Society, and she is active in St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.

Russell Headrick

Treasurer, Finance Committee Chair - Watauga County

Russell joined the Board in 2019, and he serves on the Executive Committee, as Treasurer, and as Chairman of the Finance Committee. He and his wife Margaret moved to Watauga County full-time in 2016, but they’ve owned a house here since the early 2000s, and their eldest son graduated from App State. Russell continues to practice law part-time as a consultant for Lathrop GPM, a Kansas City-based law firm. Russell became familiar with Hospitality House as a member of the Missions Committee at First Presbyterian Church-Boone, and Margaret, a Watauga County Master Gardener, volunteers in the Hospitality House gardens. Both Russell and Margaret are ordained Deacons and Elders in the Presbyterian Church USA. They have both been active in missions work at First Presbyterian Church, and they currently serve as Elder and Deacon there. In addition to serving on the Missions Committee, he is Chairman of that church’s Property and Personnel Committee.

Pan McCaslin

Secretary, Hearts of Hospitality House President, Resource Development Committee Chair - Watauga County

Pan lives in Valle Crucis and works as a psychiatric nurse and licensed counselor. She holds a MA in theology and a M.Ed. in counseling. She has served on the board for two years and is also chair of Hearts of Hospitality House. As well, Pan is the chair of the national Board of Archives for the Episcopal Church and is very involved at Holy Cross Episcopal Church. She formerly served as director of the Regional AIDS Interfaith Network in Northwest Arkansas, as a member of the Watauga County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, and worked as a drug and alcohol counselor.

Adele Dunbar

Board Development Committee Chair - Watauga County

Adele joined our board in 2018. She and her husband Charles have lived in Watauga County since 1982, raising two daughters that graduated from Watauga High School. Adele retired from a thirty year career in elementary teaching in Mitchell and Caldwell counties. A member of Rumple Memorial Presbyterian, Adele has served as a church elder, mission’s committee member, Women’s Circle member, and moderator of the local Presbyterian Women’s group. In addition to Hospitality House, Adele stays active in the Blowing Rock community, having been a Girl Scout leader, Blowing Rock Women’s Club member, officer of the Blowing Rock School PTO, and Blowing Rock Cares Food Pantry volunteer.

Neil Hartley

Facilities Committee Chair - Watauga County

A resident of Boone, Neil is a semi-retired home and building inspector and electrician. He formerly worked as a building code official for Watauga County, the Town of Boone, and the City of Hickory. Neil has served on the Hospitality House board since 2016 and says he has a heart for people who struggle. He has been active in Boone United Methodist Church and as a member of the Watauga County Planning Board.

Tom Trueman

Personnel Committee Chair - Watauga County

Tom is a retired Federal contracting executive and engineering program manager who worked in the field of air traffic management and space exploration. He holds a BS in business administration. Tom lives in Boone and has served on the Hospitality House board since 2016. He is also a member of the Life Villages board of directors and president of the Kiwanis Club of Boone.

Peter Finne

Avery County

Pete and his wife Yvonne moved to the area in 2016. Shortly thereafter he began volunteering in our Community Kitchen. Born and raised in a small town just north of New York City, Pete joined the Navy in 1969 and continued as either a contractor or as a civilian Navy employee until retirement. In 2015, Pete began volunteering with Low Country Food Bank in Charleston, SC, cooking Meals on Wheels for 250 recipients and assembling an average of 500-700 after-school meals per day. Additionally, he has been co-lead in six Cooking Matters classes and assisted the Asheville YMCA in getting their Cooking Matters classes started. He and Yvonne are members of St. Luke’s Episcopal and consider everyone at Hospitality House part of their extended High Country family.

Diandra Lynn Patterson

Watauga County

Lynn joined the board in 2016. Having worked for Appalachian State University for the past 26 years, currently as the university program specialist in the office of the Dean of Libraries, Lynn oversees 120 student workers and helps students on academic probation find community service placements in the community. She is a member of the university’s Early Intervention Team, secretary for the Black Faculty and Staff Association, works with the Black Student Association, and advises the National Pan Hellenic Council. Residing in the historic Lake Junaluska area, Lynn is an active member of the Boone Mennonite Brethren Church.

Sgt. Casey Miller

Watauga County

A member of the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office, Casey became very familiar with Hospitality House through many hours spent patrolling and working to improve and strengthen relationships in the community surrounding our facility. He holds a BA in Business Management from Appalachian State, as well as various law enforcement certifications, such as drug recognition expert and standardized field sobriety testing instructor. Casey has also been involved with Middle Fork Baptist Church, the Masonic Lodge, and RISE of the High Country.

Mary Anne Caplinger

Wilkes County

Mary Ann joined the board in 2018. She resides in North Wilkesboro and is an artist, teacher, and author, specializing in fiber art and textiles. An alumna of Appalachian State University, she earned a MA in art education. Mary Ann has supported Hospitality House for several years in various roles. She has also been active in St. Paul’s Assistance Ministry, St. Paul’s Vestry, Wilkes Art Gallery, Wilkes County Quilters, and the Historic Downtown North Wilkesboro Partnership.

Kristin Hyle

Watauga County

Kristin is Assistant Director of General Education at Appalachian State University. She holds a BA in Anthropology from the College of William and Mary and a Master’s in Library and Information Studies from the University of North Carolina Greensboro. She also worked with Appalachian’s Freshman Seminar Program. Kristin joined the board in 2019, after having volunteered with Hospitality House for a few years as a dinner server and baker. Other experience includes working as a volunteer coordinator for the Watauga County Democratic Party and with Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity.

Frances Hayes

Wilkes County

Frances holds a Bachelor's in history with a teaching certificate, a yoga teaching certificate, and a Guardian ad Litem certification. While she is a retired reporter from the Wilkes Journal Patriot, she has worked for the Wilkes Habitat for Humanity, served as a board member, volunteer, and mentor for Communities In Schools, and served as an Our House/Child Abuse Prevention Team board member. Frances continues to work in the community, serving as a Democratic judge for the North Wilkesboro precinct, as a Guardian ad Litem, and attends St. Paul's Episcopal Church. She has volunteered in the Bread of Life Community Kitchen since 2018 and has recently joined the board in 2020.

Barbara Armstrong

Watauga County

Barbara attended Florida State University and earned her Institute for Organization Management certification from the US Chamber Institute for Non-Profit Management. She currently works as the Director of Community Development for Mystery Hill and for Intercultural Student Affairs for Appalachian State University. She joined the board in 2019 and has an extensive history of working with local non-profits, organizations, and businesses. Her experience includes but is not limited to: United Way Watauga County, Hunger & Health Coalition, Club 12, Caldwell Chamber of Commerce, Boone Chamber of Commerce, Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce, Yadkin Valley Heritage Trail, Highlands Union Bank, Watauga Women in Leadership, Holy Cross Episcopal Church, and High Country Host. Barbara has also collaborated with multiple regional non-profit organizations to partner with and benefit corporations to enhance community awareness of non-profits.

Dr. Christina May

Advisory Council

After retiring from a 25-year career as a Naval Officer, Chris took up residence in the High Country and has been very active with nonprofit organizations, serving as founding vice president of F.A.R.M. Café and on the Hospitality House board since 2013. She also served as moderator of High Country United Church and on the national board of One World Everybody Eats. Chris holds a Ph.D. in Human Services/Non-Profit Management, a MPA, and a M.Div. in Interfaith Theology. She works as an internship coordinator and adjunct professor at Appalachian State.

Nanci Newton

Ashe County

Nanci Newton worked with victims of sexual assault and domestic violence for over forty years, retiring in 2017 from the University of South Florida as Director of the Center for Victim Advocacy and Violence Prevention. A native of Tampa, FL, she directed rape crisis centers and battered women’s programs in Wisconsin and Georgia; co-founded the Child Advocacy Center in Athens, GA; and developed the Stop Violence Against Elders program for the City of Jacksonville, FL and the Women’s Center of Jacksonville.

She co-wrote and served as Executive Producer of the award-winning interactive CD-ROM Stop Violence Against Elders: A Comprehensive Training for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Professionals. She has extensive experience in training law enforcement, prosecutors, medical mental health professionals, and advocates as well as lecturing at universities and state and national conferences. Ms. Newton has a Master of Fine Arts in Writing and is ABD for a doctorate in Human Services.