Planning Committee

Bebe Landis and her husband Peter attended CREW in 2008; fell in love with OLLI and Asheville; found an apartment downtown, and moved here (from Montclair, NJ) permanently in 2015, after Peter retired and they traveled around the world for nine months. While their travels continued, they also enjoyed taking classes, volunteering, and making dear friends through OLLI and the greater AVL community.

Honey Solomon moved to Asheville with her husband, Howard, in March of 2014

from New Jersey where she worked as a Leaning Disabilities Consultant in the

Newark City school system. After receiving her BA in Speech and Drama and her

Masters in Guidance Counseling, Honey taught Language Arts for the New York City school system and then became employed as a trainer/manager in the office

automation business (before PCs). Following that, she worked on a variety of

projects, for a consulting firm, that included documenting procedures, writing training programs and training employees on, primarily, in-house computer systems. The Learning Disabilities Consultant position came as a result of further education and certification in the field. Since retiring, Honey has tutored adults who were having difficulties reading (with Literacy Together), did clerical work for Blue Ridge Public Radio, volunteers with OLLI and participates on the Boards of Directors of the Asheville Symphony Guild and NC Stage Company. After only a few days of moving to Asheville Honey attended her first classes at OLLI and six months later

she and Howard attended Leadership Asheville Seniors, both invaluable experiences. She enjoys traveling, theatre, opera, symphony, movies, reading and, most of all, taking very long walks with friends.

Bill spent his formative years (0-40) in Memphis, TN, where he learned about music and the civil rights movement and 'the South". Later, he operated a family-owned retail furniture business, worked in commercial real estate development/management and produced large outdoor special events and festivals. Seeking more than a business career, he moved to Key West and then St. Petersburg, FL where he lived aboard a 46’ sailboat and worked in the boating industry and with a national nonprofit. Now, he splits his time between FL and the Asheville area where his hobbies are anything outside (gardening, hiking, photography), cooking, enjoying all kinds of music and lifelong learning.

Permanently moved to Asheville in April, 2018. Made decision to relocate after attending PATH 5 years ago. Grew up in Brooklyn. After college in Boston (M.I.T.), lived 19 years in Minneapolis, 3 years in South Florida, and 23 years in Ormond Beach, Florida. Married with 2 married adult daughters and grandson living in New Jersey and Boston. Worked for two daily newspapers in business management roles, and then executive with company providing services to magazine publishers and associations. Spent last five years as part-time CFO/consultant for medium sized businesses and non-profit organizations and served as executive director for non-profit substance abuse treatment agency. Active as a volunteer in non-profit community, including chairing United Way allocations committees in two cities, and lay group facilitator at children’s grief center. Recently certified as SHIP Counselor. Love to hike. Attended LAS 32. Member of Olli Financial Advisory Committee and LAS Planner.

David Goble LAS 32 – David retired from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina on May 1, 2018, where he served as Director of Daniel Library, The Citadel Archive, and The Citadel Museum. During his 25-year career as a librarian he served as State Librarian for South

Carolina, and Dean of Libraries at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, North Carolina. Before seeking his fortune in libraries, he worked as a Commercial Banker for 18 years. Following graduation from The Citadel David was commissioned a Marine Officer and served in Vietnam. In addition to his master’s degree in Library and Information Science from the University of North Carolina, he holds a master’s degree in American Literature from the University of South Carolina. David is originally from New Jersey but has lived in North or South Carolina since 1965. David and his wife Joy have lived in Asheville since May of 2018. They

share their home with Frankie the wonder dog, AKA Asheville Flash and with two very

independent cats, Jake and Zoe.

Linda was a member of LAS 24 and has worked on the program for the last 11 years.

She is a volunteer at the visitor center and teaches classes about Asheville's art, architecture and events.

I moved to Weaverville from Pasadena, California in 2017. As a nationally certified career counselor and internationally certified project manager, I worked in multiple industries including non-profits, utilities, and airline. I was fortunate to be in the LAS 34 class. Retirement activities include tutoring through the Literacy Together program, volunteering for nonprofits, hiking, gardening, birding, taking classes at OLLI and attending multiple online programs on history, gardening and exercise. My partner and I share our home with two expressive cats and one adored dog.

Although I moved to Asheville in 2016 with my husband and two dogs, my connection with Asheville and the mountains of WNC goes way back. I was just graduating from high school on Long Island, NY when my Dad’s job transfer took our family to Asheville over 50 years ago. I only lived here during the summers of my college years, but was a frequent visitor over the years and witnessed Asheville’s growth and transformation.

My life’s work was in the field of social work and human services administration, focusing on family violence and serving as executive director of a domestic violence and sexual assault program for 17 years. I am an avid lifelong gardener, and achieved my Advanced Master Gardener certification through Michigan State University’s Extension Program in 2001. Since moving to Asheville, I earned my Blue Ridge Naturalist Certification through the Adult Education program at the NC Arboretum. I participated in the Leadership Asheville Seniors 31 group two years ago and found it very enlightening and a great way to meet fellow retirees who had recently moved here.

I have lived in Asheville since 2016, having retired from Michigan State University, where I was a professor of agricultural economics. My work for over 30 years focused on economic development and food security in Africa. I am married with two grown daughters and three granddaughters. I have been an OLLI member since arriving in Asheville and participated in LAS 34 in 2020. My volunteer work has included helping organize OLLI volunteers to work with a food panty at Asheville Terrace Apartments; working on the MANNA FoodBank Helpline, which assists people applying for SNAP (food stamps) and finding other food resources near them; and with the Haywood Street Congregation. I am also president of our local HOA in North Asheville. Before the pandemic, my wife, Barbara Berti, and I enjoyed traveling, both within the US and abroad. Now a lot of that travel is closer to home.

In 2018, Alan Young and wife Kathleen arrived in Asheville after determining via CREW 2017 to move earlier than planned from their long-term home in Fairfax, VA. Alan is a retired Army officer, family therapist, Asia analyst, and now executive and life coach. Living near Biltmore Village where they are making a home in their vibrant, multifaceted community. They are members of First Presbyterian Church, Sister Cities Asheville, building a professional coaching organization, volunteering, and encouraging OLLI volunteers to serve the community with their professional gifts. They enjoy kayaking, dancing, music, beer, biking and fishing in Western North Carolina. Their remarkable and unexpected journey unfolding every day. Alan is on a mission to help connect Boomer generation wisdom, talents, and skills to our communities’ pressing needs.

Mark is a graduate of LAS 32. Prior to his moving to Asheville, he lived in Vermont most of his adult life as an elementary school principal. Thanks to his participation in LAS he is now a Guardian Ad Litem but also involved with public schools in Asheville and early childhood education. He lives with his wife, also an educator, and hopes to travel again once the pandemic has ceased to exist.

Tom Fehsenfeld has lived in Asheville since his retirement in 2016. Before that, he had a 42-year career with Crystal Flash, a family-owned petroleum distribution company in Michigan. After his retirement, the company transitioned to employee ownership and continues to grow under new management. Tom’s current project is ourstatefutures.org, a website comparing the future prospects of the next generations in North Carolina and Michigan. He holds a Masters of Government from John’s Hopkins University and a PhD from Walden University.

I recently retired from a 35-year career in the pharmaceutical industry. Over the course

of my career, I lived in the USA, Europe and Asia Pacific, working in a variety of

leadership positions in Global Business Units, sales and marketing and manufacturing.

I am a life-long student and have degrees in pharmacy, business administration and

bioethics and health care policy. I have served in many non-profit and government

appointed roles. Among them as a Board Member of the Australian Pharmaceutical

Research Association, a trustee of the Indianapolis Children’s Museum and a Board of Director of Indy Reads, an adult literacy organization.

I live in Asheville with my partner and our dog. Sports, hiking, music and the arts are my

primary interests.

Dick, and his wife Liz, moved to Asheville in 2020 after a career in orthopedic surgery. He obtained a Master’s degree in Public Health in 2021, joined a few physician advocacy groups, enrolled in LAS 35 and became a health reporter at 103.3 AshevilleFM. His interests range from biking, hiking, classical guitar, taking care of his 2 golden retrievers, improving access to healthcare, public health advocacy, and tai chi.

I retired from a maternal child health non profit in New Jersey where I did community programs, community and professional education, and government advocacy. I also served on my local board of education for 7 years. My magical power is recruiting people to work together on an initiative and breaking down silos. Bob and I have a blended family with 7 children and 10 grandchildren who are spread far and wide. We hope to travel during retirement not only to visit them but to learn more about the world. I love to read, cook, bake, play tennis and pickleball, bird watch, garden, paint (rooms) and entertain.

PERSONAL: grew up in the Boston area. Married. Son, daughter-in-law & granddaughter in Charlottesville VA, 2 step daughters, one in West Asheville and one in Chapel Hill

PROFESSIONAL: 38 years in public service: 10 years as staff in the Massachusetts State Legislature, 28 years as an environmental planner with the MA Department of Environmental Protection in program & regulation development and enforcement.

HOBBIES/INTERESTS: took up beekeeping for several years. Also took up bookbinding for several years

Judy Mattox is chair of WNC Sierra Club (Wenoca). She is originally from Oklahoma, and has lived in western North Carolina for the past 14 years. Her bachelor’s degree is from Northwestern University in Illinois and her masters degree is from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

She is a retired teacher.

Her focus with Sierra Club has been to help elect good environmental legislators.

She is the MC for monthly Sierra Club programs which range from wildflowers and birding to coal ash and climate change.

She also helps to organize a Sierra Club program for kids which focuses on taking inner-city children out to nature.

Annie Houle moved to Asheville, NC from Portland, Maine 12 years ago. She is originally from Columbus, Ohio and lived in State College, Pennsylvania for 12 years.

Before her retirement 6 years ago, she served as the National Director of Campus and Community Initiatives for the WAGE Project [Women Are Getting Even]. She helped develop and facilitate WAGE’s $mart $mart Salary Negotiation Workshops on campuses across the country from Maine to California in 48 states on over 200 college campuses. She trained over 1200 Facilitators to assist in the delivery of the workshops. WAGE's intellectual property was sold to the American Association of University Women [AAUW] in 2018.

Her personal work with women and girls through her profession, volunteer work and family has made her a passionate advocate for girls and women’s rights and gender equality, and she continue to support these causes.

Since moving to the Asheville area she has served as secretary of OLLI’s Executive Committee, the OLLI Steering Committee and is on the Inclusion and Life Transitions Committees. She has helped facilitate A Gift of Time, a course about end-of-life decisions and volunteers yearly for Leadership Asheville Seniors on the Education and Social Justice committees.

Annie has four daughters and seven grandchildren, six are girls. Two daughters live here in North Carolina and two live in Maine, so she makes several trips yearly to visit with her trusty dog, Cosie!

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