Former Asheville mayor and human rights leader named to Warren Wilson College board

PRESS RELEASE: 

Nearly 55 years since the first board of trustees assembled, Warren Wilson College continues to attract leaders who complement its mission and propel it forward. Elisa Massimino, president and CEO of Human Rights First, and Terry Bellamy, former Asheville mayor and director of communication with the Housing Authority of the City of Asheville, are among the College’s newest trustees.

“Warren Wilson College’s success is linked throughout its history to strong individuals who made important decisions that solidified its future and position on the world’s stage,” said Steve Solnick, Warren Wilson College president. “Terry and Elisa bring track records of effective leadership and will provide the College with invaluable insight and perspective. I look forward to working with them as the College launches a new strategic plan and academic programs that deepen the relationship between the liberal arts and applied learning.”

Dubbed a “wonderful mayor” by President Barack Obama, Terry Bellamy was the first African-American to be elected to Asheville’s top post. During her eight-year tenure, she helped secure the West Riverside Neighborhood’s United States Department of Justice’s Weed and Seed designation, which led to hundreds of thousands of dollars in revitalization grants. Bellamy also oversaw implementation of $40 million in bonds to enhance community water lines, according to the city of Asheville.

Bellamy’s experience working on committees and partnering on various projects with the College has her primed and ready to hit the ground running as a member of the board.

“Over the past decade, I have had the opportunity to work with Warren Wilson’s staff and student body on the issues of the environment, sustainability and homelessness,” said Bellamy. “Through the collaboration, we witnessed significant transformations in how the city of Asheville operated. It is my sincere hope that through my tenure on the board of trustees I will be able to assist in enhancing the existing relationship the College has with the city of Asheville, while helping to support the faculty and encouraging the students to excel academically.”

In announcing Bellamy’s appointment, Bill Christy, newly elected chair of the Warren Wilson College Board of Trustees, said, “As a former long-serving mayor, Terry Bellamy brings broad experience in the Asheville community and the greater western North Carolina area. She is passionate about the value of education and will be an asset as Warren Wilson more fully integrates into the Asheville community.”

In 2014, Bellamy was presented the “Old North State Award” by North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory “for outstanding public service to the State of North Carolina and the community.” She is currently pursuing her doctorate in education at Western Carolina University.

With 25 years working for the advocacy organization Human Rights First, Massimino has become a leading voice “on a series of global and domestic human rights issues,” according to the political website The Hill, which named her one of its top grassroots lobbyists of 2015. Human Rights First is guided by the belief that “American leadership is essential in the global struggle for human rights” and drives public and private entities to “respect human rights and the rule of law.”

Massimino points to the College’s educational model – a rigorous liberal arts curriculum enhanced through applied learning in on-campus work and community engagement – as a reason for joining the board.

“I see so many smart people coming out of college who are eager to do good and change the world. But many of them have never actually done anything—it’s all just theory,” said Massimino. “Warren Wilson College addresses that challenge head on—integrating the intellectual with the physical work required to build communities of change. It’s exciting, and our world needs more of it.”

Calling Massimino “a distinctive voice,” Christy said, “As a leader of one of the pre-eminent human rights organizations, she brings a perspective that will help the board think more broadly. Additionally, she has years of experience in various sectors of the nonprofit world, and we fully expect those to deepen our pool of trustee knowledge in many areas.”

In addition to appearing regularly in the pages of The New York Times and The Washington Post, among many other publications, Massimino teaches at Georgetown University Law Center, serves on the Council on Foreign Relations and is a member of the bar of the United States Supreme Court.

Bellamy and Massimino fill the vacancies left by retiring board members Terry Swicegood and Fran Whitfield. Ex-officio members Mike Nix and Khaetlyn Grindell also completed their service to the board at the end of June. Joining as ex-officio members are Alumni Board President Dennis Thompson and newly elected student trustees Ayla Rand, class of 2017, and Casey Berardi, class of 2018.

For more information, visit warren-wilson.edu.