Bios of 2011 Board Members

Chairperson Jennifer Lynn Browning, a native of Asheville, teaches literature and writing at Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College.  She is a poet and novelist as well as an avid scrapbooker and photographer.

Vice-Chair and Recording Secretary Gwendie Camp was a friend of Candy Maier and a founding member of The Candy Maier Scholarship Fund established in Candy's memory. Gwendie retired to Asheville from medical school administration and now writes for her own enjoyment and, occasionally, for publication. She served as Chair of The Candy Fund for its first four years.

Corresponding Secretary JC Walkup spent five years with United Artists Corporation followed by thirty-three years in the aircraft design business.  Following her move to Western North Carolina in 2000 she began volunteer work and writing full time.  Improvement of her own writing and that of other women is her particular passion.  She has written novels, a play and numerous short stories. Her day job is Publisher and Senior Editor of FRESH, a literary magazine.

Treasurer Celia Miles is a native of western North Carolina and retired from A-B Tech Community College.  The co-author of a technical writing textbook, she has also published five novels and two short story collections and co-edited two anthologies of writing by WNC women.  When not writing and editing, she enjoys traveling and photographing old mills and stone circles.

Other Board Members:
Whitney Laura George has held several positions on the Board of The Candy Fund.  She previously was a project consultant to Fortune 100 companies, the legal and banking industries before moving to Western North Carolina, and is now a writer.

 Martha McMullen,  a founding member of The Candy Fund, brings special expertise to it from service on other Asheville-area Boards, particularly in the areas of Finance and By-laws.  After many years in adminstration and software development, she came back to writing through Peggy Millin's ClarityWorks classes where she met Candy Maier.  Martha's book, Woodie on the Homefront, is scheduled for publication in October 2011.

Past Chairperson Cheryl Dietrich is a retired Air Force officer and a writer.  Her essays, memoirs, and short pieces have appeared in local and national publications.  She  has also led writing classes at the College for Seniors in Asheville, NC.  She is a founding member of The Candy Fund and served on the Board for five years, the last year as Chairperson.