NC Plant Conservation Program & Friends of Plant Conservation Staff
Lesley Starke, NCPCP Program Director
Lesley has worked with NCPCP since about 2011, working her way up from Research Specialist to Plant Ecologist and now leading NCPCP as Program Director. She is skilled, knowledgeable, and dedicated to plant conservation. She is also a friend! 
RETIRED
We are happy for Nancy, and sad for NCPCP, FOPC, and all the Friends members who were lucky enough to work with Nancy and who count her as a friend as well as a FOPC Friend. Nancy Stewart, NCPCP Info Tech and Ginseng Coordinator |
Olivia Dannemiller, FoPC Volunteer Coordinator
Olivia grew up and currently lives in Asheville, North Carolina. She always had an interest in the outdoors, but her passion for environmental sustainability began at Appalachian State University, where she received a B.S. in Sustainable Development with a focus in environmental studies and a minor in Biology. A few internships at environmental non-profits throughout and after college made her realize she wanted to continue a career in environmental non-profits. She is finishing up a second 11 month term in AmeriCorps Project Conserve as the Community Engagement Associate at Conserving Carolina, which involved running the volunteer program. In her free time, you can find her mountain biking, adventuring to swimming holes, seeing live music, or borrowing a friend’s dog for the day. Say hello when you hear from her or see her! 
Katherine Cullata, NCPCP Research Specialist Katherine grew up in Boone, North Carolina. She holds bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Studio Art from
UNC-Asheville and is currently finishing up a M.S. in Plant Biology in the Krings Lab at N.C. State University. Her love of plants began in the Blue Ridge Mountains and has taken her to seasonal field botanist jobs in coastal Massachusetts and the Kansas prairie. Working for the Plant Conservation Program has been on her “dream job” list since college and she has enjoyed jumping into her duties in her first month as Research Specialist, including monitoring rare species, issuing permits, and participating in a controlled burn. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, sketching plants in ink and watercolor, and hiking. |