Board of Trustees

Keith Snyder, Chair
Appointed by the Buncombe County Commission, 2008, elected to full term in 2009. Semi-retired attorney with prior legal experience as a private practicioner, State District Judge, United States Attorney, and Buncombe County Attorney, presently working part time (16 hours per week) in the Buncombe County Legal Department. Married to Frances C. Snyder, and they reside at 12 Allesarn Drive, Asheville.
 

Sarah Gassaway, Vice Chair
 
Elected 2009. Retired from the Buncombe County School System after 31 years as Head Secretary/Treasurer at Woodfin Elementary School. Recently completed a three-month interim position as Cost Clerk in the Transportation Department of Buncombe County Schools. Briefly served on the Town of Woodfin's Zoning Board. A lifelong resident of Woodfin, married to Reverend Jack R. Gassaway, Pastor of Richland Baptist Church. Resides at 118 Jonestown Road, Woodfin.

Robin Cape, Secretary
Robin Cape
Elected 2011. Robin Cape has been a sustainability advocate for over 30 years, in her personal, business and political service endeavors.  From living off grid and building a small organic homestead in the mid 80’s to operating a successful green business, Preservation Hall Architectural Salvage Co throughout the 90’s she has learned first hand the tenets of green living and livelihood.  Retiring from her business in 2001 she dedicated her time and efforts to local political service, winning a seat on the Woodfin Water Board as the first write-in candidate to win an election in Western North Carolina in 2003.  While on the Water Board, she helped place 1800 acres into conservation with a North Carolina Clean Water Management Fund grant and restructur the water department through the hiring of a new director and an upgrading of infrastructure.  Winning a seat on the Asheville City Council in 2005, Robin has focused on building Sustainability capacity within the City of Asheville by instituting a 2% energy conservation goal, LEED Gold standards for municipal buildings, the creation of a Sustainable Advisory Committee on Energy and the Environment, the hiring of an Energy Manager to address organizational efficiency and the development of a Sustainability Management Plan for the City of Asheville.  In support of building community sustainability she has played a key role in the purchase of 30 acres of urban forest for a natural park and the adoption of a Downtown Master Plan.  As a member of the AshevilleHub Alliance Board she has served on the Sustainability Task Force and Sustainable Community Committee, has worked on a national coalition with eight other communities to develop federal support for sustainable community development projects, is an advisory committee member of the ICLEI Climate Resilient Communities Committee and designed Reading Riding and Retrofit, a schools based community sustainability project.  She is currently collaborating with other NC partners to develop a NC Green Schools Recognition Program. Resides at 110 Westwood Road, Asheville.