Julie Moller
Board President
Julie, originally from Maryland, has lived on Garren Creek Rd in Fairview for 15 years with her husband Jim, their two daughters, and beloved dog Arya. Julie works in radiology, has a passion for writing, and is an avid bird photographer. She loves to read, hike (with frequent photography stops on the trail), camp, and spend lazy days drinking rum on the beach.
Richard Stevenson
Vice chair
Richard Stevenson, raised in Georgia, has resided in Western North Carolina for just over a decade. With ancestral roots in Bryson City he returned to the area that had been calling to him for many years, along with his partner of 20 years and his two children. Richard is an animal and nature lover who enjoys woodworking, bush crafting, and is always in pursuit of knowledge. He dedicates most of his days to homeschooling his children and learning new skills. When and wherever possible Richard finds himself in service to his friends and neighbors, sharing his time, energy, and compassion.
April-Skye Lee
youth coordinator
April-Skye has lived on Garren Creek Rd for almost all 16 years of her life. She is a junior at A.C. Reynolds High and has aspirations to attend NC State. April-Skye helps coordinate youth programming and youth volunteers for the foundation.
Our Board
The Garren Creek Foundation is guided by a dedicated Board of Directors who volunteer their time and expertise to ensure our programs reflect the needs of our community and maximize our impact.
Natalie Lamb
Executive Director
Natalie moved to the Garren Creek community in December of 2023, after living in Texas most of her life. Natalie, her husband, five children, and three dogs landed in Fairview, NC in search of a community surrounded by nature and a nearby city with a vibrant arts scene. In her free time she enjoys hiking, live music, crocheting/crafting, travel, and tap dancing. Natalie earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Texas Tech University and is still a licensed RN, even though she spends most of her time raising her kids these days. Her background includes working as a nurse at a major Dallas hospital and college health center, counselor and eventually nurse at a year-round camp for individuals with disabilities, parks & recreation children’s programming, and facilitating community health efforts. In the first days post-Helene in September 2024, Natalie and her family jumped in to help neighbors by creating a disaster relief center alongside other community members. With a background in serving others, this felt like a natural fit, and visions of meeting long-term community needs spurred the idea of a more permanent community center, food pantry, and clothing closet. She feels honored to be a part of the Garren Creek Foundation and has big plans for continuing to cultivate a strong sense of community on Garren Creek and surrounding areas.
Dorian Lamb
technology chair
Dorian and his family moved to the Garren Creek community from Dallas, Texas in December of 2023. Seeking a new community, and to be surrounded by nature, beauty, and art. And that is exactly what they found. They quickly planted roots in the community, roots that have continued to grow quickly, and deeply. An unexpected journey initiated by Hurricane Helene forged deep friendships with his amazing co-board members that are now family, most of whom had never met before. Dorian was born in New Orleans, he spent much of his young childhood in the Raleigh/Durham NC area, lived out of country in Mexico City briefly, before landing in the Dallas Tx area where he met his amazing wife Natalie. The two share a love for many things, one of which is building community and an enriching life for their large family. Raising five spirited kids in the mountains, with two dogs, and a rotating cast of other "pets" is always an adventure! Dorian loves spending time with his family; going on RV trips across the country; exploring nature; studying local flora, fauna, and fungi; jamming with fellow musicians; performing and teaching improv comedy in the Asheville area. With over two decades of experience in the Tech industry and a nerdy passion for technology and all things science, Dorian takes his role as Technology Chair seriously! With a heavy dose of fun as well. As an avid DIYer, he is always eager to jump in and learn new skills and put them to use to help others in the community and improve the local ecosystem.
Amber Palladino
Treasurer
Amber moved to the Garren Creek area in 2015, drawn by the mountain scenery and peaceful setting. It wasn’t unit the region was struck by catastrophe that she realized that local community was missing from her life. Getting to know the neighbors and finding ways to help others have been amazing results of the tragedy of Hurricane Helene. She is a professional data analyst, and enjoys fitness, dance, and loves board games. Her family members Shane, Andy, and Ryleigh are also active volunteers for the Garren Creek Foundation
Blake Parker
Community Chair
Blake Parker (he/him) is passionate about music, nature, and community connection, and has been extremely lucky to find all three right outside his doorstep. He was raised in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and spent his undergrad at Paul Smith's College, NY earning a B.S. in environmental science. After spending some years in the northeast, he and his partner of nearly 10 years chose to put down roots in southern Appalachia and found their way to the Garren Creek area in early 2024. When not soaking up the gorgeous surroundings in Fairview or engaging in the ever-expanding programming of Garren Creek Foundation, he can often be found in Asheville; working in horizontally led mutual aid projects or playing in the local community marching band (or even just strumming a guitar on a street corner). Blake deeply believes that everyone has a part they can play in their community's projects according to their abilities, and that everyone can be uplifted by those projects according to their needs. It is this ephemeral puzzle that Blake strives to help put together to achieve a more interconnected and resilient community network. From volunteering for over 15 years at the music festival Floydfest, to designing and teaching environmental education curricula at a summer camp in Vermont, Blake is excited to share his experience and enthusiasm with the Garren Creek family in many many ways! Always feel welcome to ask him about plants, songwriting and D.I.Y. concerts, or imagining decentralized community infrastructure!