UNC Asheville Foundation Welcomes New Members to Board of Directors
This week the UNC Asheville Foundation announced the appointment of several new members to the Board of Directors, along with three current board members returning for their record term, along with representatives from the University’s faculty, athletics, and alumni leadership groups. These appointments are effective on July 1st, 2026.
“The UNC Asheville Foundation Board plays a vital role in strengthening the University’s future through advocacy, philanthropy, and strategic leadership,” said Shannon C. Earle, Vice Chancellor for University Advancement. “We are grateful for the dedication and expertise these individuals bring to the Foundation Board and look forward to their contributions.”
The UNC Asheville Foundation supports the University by managing and stewarding private resources that enhance educational opportunities, faculty and staff excellence, student scholarships, athletics, and campus strategic initiatives.
Here is some information about the new board members:
Ross Bryan ’95: Dr. W. Ross Bryan is a 1995 alumnus of UNC Asheville and is currently Associate Dean/Professor of Honors at the University of Alabama. Ross is one of the three alumni who founded the Drs. Mullen Don't Be Afraid to Change the World Scholarship in honor of two of UNC Asheville's first Black professors, Dr. Dwight Mullen and Dr. Dolly Jenkins-Mullen. Ross has been the associate dean and a professor in the Honors College since the spring of 2015. He holds degrees from UNC-Chapel Hill (PH.D.), The Florida State University (M.S.), and UNC Asheville (B.A.).
Alan Coxie ’97: Alan Coxie is an attorney in Asheville specializing in criminal law, personal injury, small business and civil litigation, and traffic violations/DWI. He graduated from UNC Asheville in 1997 with a BS in Management and later went on to earn a JD from Wake Forest University and a Master of Public Administration from UNC-Chapel Hill. Alan served as a firefighter and captain with the Asheville Fire Department from 1984 to 1998 and is an adjunct fire instructor for Asheville-Buncombe Technical College.
Elizabeth Conte Fink ’19: Elizabeth is the Assistant Director of Major Gifts at the V Foundation, an organization devoted to cancer research. Prior to that, she was a Major Gifts Officer in UNC Asheville's Advancement department for several years. She has also held development positions at High Point University and the Rams Club at UNC-Chapel Hill. Elizabeth is a 2019 UNC Asheville graduate in Economics.
Emma Jones ’01: Emma serves as Executive Vice President for Leadership with Carnegie, guiding the agency’s commitment to be a trusted resource for practitioner-informed thinking about higher education. She nurtures partnerships with colleges, universities, and higher education organizations around the country. Her career has largely been on the regional and national level as a higher education expert, specifically in the areas of enrollment, strategic planning, and senior leadership management and mentoring.
The Foundation Board of Directors voted for Cindy Eller to serve as Chair and for Al Davis to serve as Vice Chair for the 2026-2028 term.
Serving their second terms with the UNC Asheville Foundation Board are:
Patrick Blalock
Darlene Davis
Carter Webb
The Foundation Board also welcomes new faculty representatives appointed by the Faculty Senate:
Dr. Lyndi Hewitt, Professor of Health Sciences
Dr. Casey King, Lecturer of Environmental Science and Director of Sustainability
Representing the Bulldog Athletic Board is:
Sandi Heckman, former chair of the Bulldog Athletic Board
Serving as the representative from the UNC Asheville Alumni Association Board of Directors is:
Luke Howe ’15, current member of the UNC Asheville Alumni Board.
