Meet The Team
Strategic Focus
Environment
Infrastructure & Food Access
A healthy environment is built through planning that connects infrastructure, food access, and neighborhood design.
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In Asheville, environmental policy must go beyond preserving green spaces to ensuring communities have safe infrastructure and access to healthy food. While our city is rich in natural beauty, some neighborhoods still lack nearby grocery stores, walkable streets, or infrastructure that supports local food systems like community gardens and urban agriculture.
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Steps forward include aligning land use, transportation, and environmental planning so families can move safely, access fresh food close to home, and live in resilient neighborhoods.
When infrastructure and food access are treated as environmental priorities, public health improves and communities are better prepared for long-term growth.
Mental Health
Community Wellness
Mental health policy must reflect the realities of individuals, families, and communities. Asheville has counseling services available, yet many residents still lack access to coordinated, culturally responsive, and family-centered supports.
Without early intervention, mental health challenges can escalate, sometimes resulting in police interactions rather than health-based responses, particularly in communities of color.Steps forward require thoughtful use of city resources, strategic budgeting, and collaboration with community partners to prioritize prevention, clear communication, and wellness-based approaches.City leadership plays a key role in shaping systems that reduce harm and support stability.
Youth
Citywide Coordination​
Supporting young people requires intentional planning and collective action. Asheville benefits from many dedicated youth-serving organizations, but without a citywide youth strategy, efforts remain fragmented. This can leave gaps in access and make it harder for families to navigate available supports.
Steps forward has to include convening partners, aligning resources, and centering youth outcomes across city policy decisions. A coordinated approach helps ensure young people have access to safe spaces, mentorship, mental health supports, and pathways to opportunity.
Environment
A healthy environment is built through planning that connects infrastructure, food access, and neighborhood design.
Mental Health
Asheville has counseling services available, yet many residents still lack access to coordinated, culturally responsive, and family-centered supports.
Youth
Asheville has dedicated youth organizations, but without a citywide youth strategy, efforts are fragmented, leaving gaps in access and making support harder for families to navigate.