Board of Directors

Former Executive Director, Emily Herbert, MNM, (919) 399-5214* Emily joined North Carolina Rail-Trails in January, 2015 to serve as the organization’s second Executive Director. A native and resident of Durham and alumna of UNC-Chapel Hill, Emily has deep ties to North Carolina and a keen interest in preserving the state’s history and lands for the benefit and enjoyment of all. Emily holds a master’s degree in nonprofit management from University of Central Florida and brings to NCRT over a decade of previous work experience in nonprofit organizations of all sizes in several fields, including land conservation. In her free time Emily enjoys volunteering in the community, reading long books, and spending time with her husband and young daughter. Emily's term ends 12-31-17.

Chair, Dave Connelly, (919) 357-6409  Dave Connelly, NCRT Chair, lives in Durham, near the American Tobacco Trail. By day, he's a library assistant at Duke University. His interests include cycling, walking, mapping, photography and genealogy. He has ridden on rail trails in 8 states and 1 province. Dave believes trails are vital for improving public health. And he says the crucial word for greenways is "connectivity" (getting people where they want to go). He is active in the East Coast Greenway Alliance, the Carolina Tarwheels, Habitat of Durham, and Watts Street Baptist Church. He's married and has one son. Dave's term ends 12-31-17.

Vice Chair, Adam Olls, JD, (919) 828-0731 Adam graduated with honors from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 2008. A proud double Tar Heel, Adam received his undergraduate degree from UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School in 2005, where he attended as a William Richardson Davie Scholar.  Adam currently practices law in his native city of Raleigh, where he concentrates on regulatory compliance issues, business transactions, commercial litigation and campaign finance matters. Adam also presently serves as a board member and treasurer of a nonprofit fraternal organization, SOMF, and served as an assistant treasurer for Committee to Elect Judge Thigpen, a North Carolina Court of Appeals campaign committee. In his spare time, Adam enjoys almost any outdoor activity, including especially running, golfing and skiing.  In addition, Adam likes live music and is attempting (as of yet unsuccessfully) to learn to play the mandolin. Adam's term ends 12-31-15.

Treasurer, Jennifer Dostert, an avid cyclist and native Tarheel, has agreed to serve as Treasurer upon election to our board. She recently moved back to Chapel Hill from Washington DC. Jennifer is an experienced finance and healthcare consulting professional, including stints at Clinovations, Booz Allen Hamilton, USAID, and CarMax. Jennifer holds a B.A. in Economics and Spanish from UNC and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Jennifer's term ends 12-31-17.

Secretary, Nancy Pierce, (704) 458-5503 Nancy Pierce is a long-time trails advocate who lives near downtown Charlotte and joined the Board of Directors in 2008. Currently she serves as NCRT's Secretary. As an avid bicyclist, runner, swimmer and paddler, she believes that easy and abundant public access to trails, water and natural areas are essential to a community's quality of life. A professional corporate/editorial photographer and occasional writer, she often uses her communication skills to advocate for alternative transportation options, land and water conservation and sustainable growth. She, her husband and their two sons have bicycled many rail-trails throughout the United States and Canada. Nancy's term ends 12-31-15.

Director, John Morck, AICP, (919) 362-9822 John Morck served as Chairman of NCRT from October of 2008 to late 2013 and has been a member of the board of North Carolina Rail-Trails since the mid 1990's. He has previously served as secretary of the board. John is presently a Chief Planner with the NC Division of Community Assistance (DCA). John first joined DCA as a Community Development Planner in 1993. After departing for three years to serve in local government, he returned to DCA in 2000 where he has been Senior Planner and now Chief Planner. John graduated from Ripon College in Wisconsin with a B.A. in Economics and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a Masters in Urban Planning. John's areas of specialty include land use planning, meeting facilitation, growth management, and historic preservation and recreation trails. In addition to NCRT he serves on the board of the North Carolina Chapter, American Planning Association as VP for Professional Development. He is also a volunteer locomotive engineer for the New Hope Valley Railway. John's term ends 12-31-17.

Director,  Jeaquetta Jackson, (252) 643-1555 Jeaquetta Jackson is a native of Eastern North Carolina. She currently resides in Indianapolis, IN and is an avid volunteer in the community and has always rallied around organizations that promote social change. She became interested in the efforts of NCRT after learning about the legislative endeavors needed to continue rails-to-trails conservation in North Carolina and was a resident of North Carolina her first 2 years serving on the board. Jeaquetta graduated with honors from North Carolina Central University with a B.S. in Political Science and English. She received her Master's degree in International Business from Hult International Business School in London, England. She currently works for Schahet Hotels, Inc. As a director for NCRT, Jeaquetta hopes to help bring more youth and diversity into the organization by incorporating social media and online platforms with current outreach efforts. In addition, Jeaquetta hopes to increase board development, fundraising, volunteer recruitment, and member participation before the end of her tenure. Jae's term ends 12-31-15.

Director, Harry Clapp, PE, (336) 697-7499 Harry Clapp is a long time board member of NCRT. Harry is active with the Greensboro Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, and instrumental in the Battleground Trail in northwest Greensboro which is being extended toward the center city where it will form a mile long western leg of the Downtown Greenway, a 4.8-mile loop around the center of Greensboro. This trail is on the old Atlantic and Yadkin Railway (former Cape Fear and Yadkin Valley Railway). Harry is a founding member of the NC Alliance for Transportation Reform and active in the Carolina Association of Passenger Trains. He is a retired engineer of the railroad industry. He lives in Greensboro with his wife of 57 years along with their son David. Harry's term ends 12-31-15.

Director, Tony Reevy, (919) 416-0965 Tony Reevy, a long time member of NCRT is Senior associate director of the Institute for the Environment at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Tony Reevy is a graduate of North Carolina State University, UNC-Chapel Hill and Miami University. He is a David P. Morgan Award winner (2006) and a Pushcart Prize nominee. His previous publications include poetry, non-fiction and short fiction, including the poetry chapbooks Green Cove Stop, Magdalena, and Lightning in Wartime. He resides in Durham, North Carolina with wife, Caroline Weaver, and children Lindley and Ian. Tony's term ends 12-31-17.   

Director, Michael Goodmon, B.S., (919) 433-1568 leads one of the country's most dynamic urban mixed-use developments, the American Tobacco Campus in Durham. As vice-president of real estate for Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc., the campus' owner and master developer, Michael manages the day-to-day activities of approximately 1,000,000 square feet of class A office, restaurant and retail space.  He also scopes and develops new projects and opportunities.  Michael has assembled a multitude of complex Historic and New Market Tax Credit transactions.  He earned a B.S. in Mathematical Economics from Hampden-Sydney College and a Masters in Trust and Investment Management from Campbell University.  His board service includes the City of Durham Workforce Economic and Employment Development, the Healing Place of Wake County, the Duke Catholic Leadership Counsel, the Rocky Mount Chamber of Commerce, Community Affordable Housing Equity Corporation (CAHEC), and Bull City Forward. Michael's term ends 12-31-16. 

Director, Brittain Storck, ASLA, PLA, (919) 484-8448 x126 is a senior landscape architect and project manager with Alta Planning + Design in Durham. Britt has a background in environmental design, landscape architecture, and active transportation design and planning. Her preferred focus is greenways and trails, open space, and natural resource-based recreation projects. Britt maintains a diverse range of professional skills and project management based on nearly ten years in design and planning practice. She has worked on trail projects in NC, SC, GA, TN, AR, CO, CA, NY and NV and brings a strong technical understanding of the complexities associated with  trail planning, design and construction. She walks the talk by by leading an active life style of running, cycling, tennis and other adventures at her home in Chapel Hill, NC. Britt's term ends 12-31-17.      

Director, Walter Turner, (336) 918-6600, is the retired historian at the North Carolina Transportation Museum. He is author of Paving Tobacco Road, A   Century of Progress by the North Carolina Department of Transportation, and two other books. His published articles on transportation history include one about trails and greenways in the state. He also has experience with public relations and fundraising. A fifth-generation North Carolinian, he is a graduate of Methodist College (now Methodist University) and UNC-Chapel Hill. Walter's term ends 12-31-17.

Director, Jamal Fox is a member of the Greensboro City Council. Councilman Fox has a BA from NCA&T, a Master's in Public Administration from Capella University, and continues work in a doctoral program. Among many civic involvements, he is Council liaison to Greensboro's greenways committee. He also serves as a mentor in the Guilford County Schools, and has been an adjunct instructor at NCA&T. Jamal's term ends 12-31-17.

Director, Kristi Wagner lives in Winston-Salem. She was director of development for a bicycling nonprofit in Tucson where she raised funds for nonprofits while producing nationally recognized rides. Before that, she provided marketing and PR for a Madison WI credit union. She created a financial literacy workshop series, coordinated college scholarship program, and partnered with area businesses on community projects. When she isn't on her yoga mat, she is a group fitness instructor with the YMCA, and volunteers as an ESL tutor. Kristi's term ends 12-31-17.

   President Emeritus, Al Capehart , PhD, (919) 542-0022 Al Capehart was a co-chair of the North Carolina Rail-Trail Steering Committee from 1987 to 1990 and has since served as the volunteer President and Executive Director of NCRT, Inc. Al facilitated North Carolina's first Federal Railbank - the Dunn-Erwin Rail-Trail, helped form the North Carolina Rail Corridor Round Table and fostered the development of five rail-trail master plans (with NCSU's College of Design). In addition Al has consulted with numerous local rail-trail groups and represented rail-trail interests with other land trusts, non-profits and professional and governmental agencies. Al is also a professional Santa Claus, SantaAL.com. As of January 1, 2011 Al is serving as President Emeritus. 

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*Primary information contact: Phone number (919) 399-5214