Jennifer McCosley, Chair
Jennifer M. McCosley is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with Beacon Point Advisors. She began her financial planning and investment management career in 2008 and has gained valuable experience working at a community bank, a private trust company and now a registered investment advisory firm. Jennifer finds the people she works with as fascinating as finance, and she enjoys helping individuals and couples bring to life their retirement goals. Her appreciation for families comes from her own upbringing as the second oldest of eleven children, with three sisters and seven brothers. Nine of those eleven children are adopted, and three of those nine are special needs children. Jennifer knows it takes an amazing amount of stamina, commitment and love to advocate for a special needs child. She also understands better than most the impact that a special needs child has on the other members of the family, both in terms of sacrifice and grace, but also in terms of joy, growth and gratitude. It often takes a village of caring adults to help provide support for those surrounding the special needs child, and Jennifer witnessed and experienced that village at work in her own life through her teen and young adult years. Now, she leans into the support role by coming alongside her clients to take some of the most stressful pieces of life off their plates. Jennifer is a Campbell University alum (2008).
Tim Elliott, Treasurer
Tim is proud to have co-founded Peacehaven in 2007 with his wife Susan and Buck Cochran. The project was inspired by their son Julian who has cerebral palsy. Tim received a BS in accounting from the University of Richmond in 1984. His career followed public accounting work in Richmond to CFO of a coal company in West Virginia. He moved to Greensboro in 2002 so that Julian could attend Gateway education center. Susan lost her battle with breast cancer in 2009. In 2011 Tim married Ellis and now has six sons, including his three stepsons. He moved to Juno Beach FL for work in 2013. Tim loves golf, still has his first brand new car, a 1984 Mazda RX7, collects Case XX pocket knives, and wants to see any country he hasn’t traveled to yet.
Carl Mattacola, Secretary
Carl Mattacola joined the University of North Carolina Greensboro School of Health and Human Sciences (HHS) as Dean in 2019. He is also a Professor in the Department of Kinesiology. Previous administrative appointments include Associate Dean of Academic and Faculty Affairs at the College of Health Sciences, Division Director of Graduate Athletic Training Education, Director of Rehabilitation Sciences Doctoral Program, Director of Graduate Studies – Division of Athletic Training, and Acting Associate Dean for Research, all at the University of Kentucky. He received the William B. Sturgill Award for outstanding contributions to graduate education and The College of Health Sciences Kingston Award for Excellence in Teaching at the University of Kentucky. He recently served on a non-profit called Camp Horsin Around that serves children from throughout Kentucky and surrounding states who have cancer, diabetes, asthma, kidney disease, sight or hearing impairment, special needs or other illnesses. The facility also provides a camping home for organizations serving autistic children and young clients of Hospice as they deal with the loss of a loved one. This experience was extremely rewarding and the connection with Peacehaven provides another opportunity to serve. Carl lives in Greensboro with his wife Kathleen, their two corgis, and a cat. They enjoy exercising, traveling, and cooking together.
Kearns Davis
Kearns is an attorney with Brooks Pierce in Greensboro. Kearns founded the firm’s white-collar defense and investigations practice in 2007. A former federal prosecutor, he has tried jury cases at all levels of federal and North Carolina trial courts. He served as president of the North Carolina Bar Association in 2016-17. Kearns was drawn to Peacehaven because of his friendship with Peacehaven CEO Phelps Sprinkle. “I have loved learning about Peacehaven and way the organization touches lives in special ways, whether it’s the Core Members, Home Life Leaders, or the many others involved in the organization,” said Kearns. “I am excited about the opportunity to work with all the people so dedicated to the farm.” Kearns lives in Greensboro with his wife, Ashley. They are the parents to three children. in his spare time, he enjoys sailing and playing tennis.
Lina Fleihan
Lina is the Brand Director of her family's restaurant, Ghassan's. She attended UNC Chapel Hill and worked in marketing in New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C. She is an active volunteer, helping with nonprofits including Family Services of the Piedmont, the Greensboro Science Center, and the Guilford Green Foundation. She credits Greensboro as an inclusive place where “If you are willing to get involved, you will meet people that are ready to lift you up and help you succeed.”
Gregory Goins
Gregory D. Goins is Professor and Chair of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Design at North Carolina A&T State University. During his tenure as an educator at NCA&T, he has focused on broadening participation in STEM careers. In 2003, he received the prestigious NASA Space Flight Awareness Award for his photosynthesis research conducted on plants flown on the Space Shuttle and Space Station. For his work as principal investigator on the NSF Biomathematics project, he was by the Obama White House as a Champion of Change for HBCUs. He served as a NSF Program Director in the Division of Undergraduate Education for the IUSE, S-STEM, and Robert T. Noyce Programs. From this, he has continued to work extensively with national organizations to re-focus learning outcomes of the traditional methods of science instruction using active, collaborative learning strategies and the creation of problem-based learning problems and materials. He serves on multiple advisory councils and proposal panels for NSF, NIH, HHMI, and USDA.
Nick Wilson
Nick is the proprietor of the 1618 restaurant group. His connection to the community is evident in the unending support of local health, social, and education issues. His belief in community change through philanthropy has earned him the Triad Business Journal 40 Under 40 award, an Action Greensboro Made in Greensboro honoree, and the Greensboro Chamber Small Business Person of the Year award. Nick landed in Greensboro for college and loved it so much he never left, finding a permanent home here with his tenured, erudite husband Holt, who deserves endless praise — and probably presents — for allowing Nick to ply his trade during the odd hours of a restauranteur.