Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director
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Jennifer is a native of South Carolina and an ordained minister in The United Methodist Church. She loves South Carolina, but has managed to spend all but ten years of her adult life in North Carolina. Those ten years were spent pastoring United Methodist churches across the Upstate. She attended Duke University several times and in the process earned a BA, double majoring in English and Religion, a Master of Divinity, a PhD in religion, and a Graduate Certificate in Women’s Studies. Prior to coming to the Council, she spent 16 years as the United Methodist Chaplain at Duke University, where she also taught undergraduate and divinity school classes, served on committees and task forces, and attended lots of basketball games. She writes frequently for various publications when time permits and preaches regularly in congregations across North Carolina.
Sean Allen, Director of Finance and Administration
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Sean was raised in Austin, Texas where he attended the University of Texas. After earning a BBA with an emphasis in Accounting and Master in Professional Accounting, he attended George W. Truett Theological Seminary where he met his wife, Jamie, and they both earned a Master of Divinity. Prior to coming to the Council, Sean spent twenty years in congregational ministry, most recently as Senior Pastor of a Baptist church in Raleigh, and two years in financial administration for a number of churches in the Triangle. When he is not cheering for his Texas Longhorns, Sean enjoys community theater, playing golf, watching sports, and spending time with his wife and their three children: Avery, Hannah, and Max.
Susannah Tuttle, Director, NC Interfaith Power & Light
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Susannah Tuttle joined the staff in August 2011. She received a Masters of Divinity degree from Starr King School for the Ministry at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA. In 2004 Susannah was hired as UNC Chapel Hill’s first Sustainability Research Associate and went on to co-initiate Trace Collaborative, LLC a consulting firm specializing in the implementation of sustainability within the design and construction industry. Susannah currently serves on Interfaith Power & Light’s national Board of Directors, We Own It’s Board of Trustees, Duke Energy’s NC Eastern Advisory Council, and UNC School of Law’s Center for Climate, Energy, Environment, and Economics (CE3) Advisory Board.
Rachel Baker, Communications Director
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Rachel was born and raised in Durham, North Carolina. She is an Appalachian State University alumni with a passion for systemic transformation and equity for all North Carolina residents. Rachel joined the Council is 2018 as Immigration Program Coordinator and her role has since transformed to Communications Director. She enjoys contributing her knowledge and expertise to help promote positive social change through communications and graphic design. In her free time, Rachel loves spending time outside with her wife and two labs, playing rugby, and dancing.
Heidi Peterson, Fund Development Director
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As an Indiana native, Heidi studied Philosophy at Indiana University in Indianapolis and attended the Indiana University Lilly School of Philanthropy for Professional Fundraising and Nonprofit Management. The pursuit of racial and social equity for all people is a passion developed during her time working within the community of Marion, Indiana. She looks forward to supporting these initiatives around North Carolina through her role as the Fund Development Director. Eventually, she would love to earn a Master of Divinity to deepen her understanding of the role of faith in making sustainable, positive changes. She currently shares a 120 year old home with her husband and three boys, who all love exploring the mountains and ocean while hiking, camping, and riding bikes. Whenever she has free time, she gardens and cooks.
Chris Pernell, Director, Partners in Health and Wholeness
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Chris is a native Kentuckian and the daughter of missionary parents who served Eastern Kentucky for more than 40 years. She relocated to North Carolina in 1981 and has come to call NC home.
Prior to coming to the Council, she spent several years in corporate America with The Diabetes Treatment Center and Honeywell International before joining a faith-based, nonprofit medical clinic serving the uninsured and under-served of Franklin County. Chris is excited to be a part of the Council's PHW program where she can utilize her background in health care and service. She and her husband, Joey, have two children, a cat, and a surprisingly friendly bearded dragon.
In her free time, Chris enjoys reading, basketball, and traveling, especially to the mountains.
Brandy Murray, Program Coordinator, Partners in Health and Wholeness
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Brandy Murray is a native of Rocky Mount, NC. She received her undergraduate degree from the illustrious Winston – Salem State University in Political Science. She has a Master of Divinity from Wake Forest University School of Divinity. Her ministry research focuses on Hip Hop Theology and intergenerational worship. She brings innovative communications and social media management skills to the PHW team. During her spare time she likes to create memories with her Sorors of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated, family and life long friends.
Rev. Jessica Stokes, Associate Director, Partners in Health and Wholeness, Mental Health Advocacy
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Rev. Jessica Stokes is the Associate Director of Partners in Health and Wholeness leading our state-wide mental health advocacy efforts. Jessica earned her Master of Divinity from Wake Forest University and BS in Clinical Psychology from Averett University. She is an ordained Baptist minister and joined the Council’s staff in 2016 after directing an interfaith non-profit in Washington State. Jessica’s background includes non-profit work, hospital chaplaincy, interfaith campus ministry, and the local church. Her convictions are rooted in experiences that range from ministry in Appalachia, as a chaplain in a psychiatric hospital, to learning about systemic issues Eastern NC while living in Greenville and Wilmington, as a PHW Regional Coordinator. She seeks authentic and earnest conversation. Jessica’s work for PHW includes a focus on mental health education and advocacy, specifically tailored for faith communities. Jessica is based in Durham with her wife, Vanessa, and two pets.
Elizabeth Brewington, Associate Director, Partners in Health and Wholeness, Overdose Response
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Elizabeth is a native North Carolinian, who spent most of her life in Greensboro before deciding to explore the Midwest for college. She graduated from the College of Wooster in Ohio, where she received a dual Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Religious Studies. After college, she returned to North Carolina and did a year of service through the Episcopal Service Corps. Elizabeth joined the Council in 2018 and loves being a part of the Partners in Health and Wholeness Program. Her work is focused on ending the overdose crisis, harm reduction, and drug policy. In her free time, she loves watching TV with friends and family and constantly annoying them with her many references.
Nicole Johnson, Associate Director, Partners in Health and Wholeness, Denominational Support and Special Projects
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Nicole has had the wonderful opportunity of living in different countries, having been born in Belize City, and currently calling North Carolina home. She is deeply convicted in her belief that faithful congregations can meet the environmental, social and ethical challenges of the 21st century in practical and tangible ways. Her travels and beliefs have motivated her to seek ways of merging faith, health, sustainability, justice and ethics. She is thrilled to have the opportunity to be working with congregations and individuals in creating and supporting more healthy communities. Nicole is a graduate of Salem College and of the dual degree MDiv/MA program in sustainability at Wake Forest University. Her favorite things to do include traveling, hiking, reading, growing things, trying new recipes, and spending time with family.
Sharon Jarrells, Office Manager
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Sharon was raised in NYC in the South Bronx. She has 20 years of office management experience, mostly in the legal field. She is excited to be working for the NC Council of Churches as their Office Manager. She has lived in all over including New York, West Virginia, North Carolina and Texas. Sharon and her husband, Timothy, moved to NC in 1990 after getting married. She has two adult son's, Travaris and Bernard and a small Pomeranian. In her free time she likes to cook, entertain, and read.
David LaMotte, Consultant for Peace
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David LaMotte is a graduate of James Madison University, where he became passionate about mediation and alternative conflict resolution in the late eighties and the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, where he completed a master’s degree in International Relations, Peace and Conflict Resolution. David is a member of the Swannanoa Valley Friends Meeting, but also has one foot in the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Collins Kilburn, Executive Director Emeritus
Collins Kilburn served as Executive Director of the Council for 20 years prior to his retirement in 2000. He was named Executive Director Emeritus by the Council’s Executive Board in December, 2005.
A native of Memphis, Collins graduated from Memphis State College and received his M.Div. from Duke. He is an ordained United Church of Christ minister, a member of Community United Church of Christ in Raleigh, and a watch care member of Olin Binkley Memorial Baptist Church in Chapel Hill.
Kilburn’s career with the Council spanned a total of 30 years, 10 of that as Director of Social Ministries, which included representing the Council on legislative issues. He wrote and performed folk songs linked to social justice issues of the time, such as “Take It All Off,” aimed at the repeal of the food tax and “Do You Have Room for a Little Boom Boom?” related to the MX missile.
Since retiring, he has found more time for tennis and for leading adult education programs focused on spiritual giants of our time. He and his wife, Martha Hamilton, share four children and seven grandchildren.