Elders of the Session

Laura Brown, Worship

Laura grew up in New England and moved to Asheville in 1976 with her husband and first daughter. Along the way she became the mother of four children and the grandmother of eight very bright and beautiful grandchildren. A member of New Hope since 1992, Laura has served several terms as elder and has participated in many work groups and committees. Professionally, she earned her Master’s Degree in Nursing and then went on to work as a nurse for 45 years before retiring in the fall of 2016. She is loving her newly retired life and the added time to spend with family and friends! Laura also enjoys gardening, reading, and learning to be quiet and go deeper. Contact Laura at llbrown888@gmail.com. ​

Peg Lewis, Faith Formation

Peg has been at New Hope for about 4 years and has found a loving church home and an exciting place to serve in ministry. She moved to Asheville in 2001 from San Diego after a varied career in nursing, medical marketing management, and adult Christian education. Her mid-life adventures included getting married to Ernie, graduating from Fuller Theological Seminary with a Masters in Theology, and serving on the staff at La Jolla Presbyterian Church as Director of Older Adult Ministries. Peg enjoys birding, being with grandchildren, National Parks, loving friends, reading, and cooking (but not baking). Contact Peg at lewis9209@bellsouth.net.​

Ruth Lewis, Treasurer/Finance

Ruth has been a member of New Hope since 1998 and currently serves as Treasurer. After growing up in Western Pennsylvania and majoring in horticulture at Penn State, Ruth works as the administrator of one of the largest greenhouses in the country. In addition to serving as Treasurer, Ruth hand stitches our butterfly nametags, sings in the choir, and has previously served as the Worship elder. Her family started the Will Lewis Memorial Fund, which provides financial assistance to children. Contact Ruth at rmlewis62@hotmail.com. ​

Susan Maveety, Outreach

A member of New Hope since 1987, Susan has served multiple terms as an elder and has a special heart for outreach. She is a graduate of Hendrix College and the University of North Carolina at Asheville, where she completed her teaching certification. Retired from Buncombe County Schools after a career as a high school math teacher, Susan is now very active in the community, serving on the Presbytery of Western North Carolina’s Nominating Committee and Guatemala Partnership Leadership Team, as well as at Habitat for Humanity, the Swannanoa Correctional Center for Women, and the Black Mountain Home for Children. Susan is married to Jay and is the mother of James and Sarah. Contact Susan at maveety@charter.net. 

Kim Presley, Stewardship

Kim is an RN at a doctor’s office and is married to Stan, who is a firefighter. She and Stan enjoy motorcycle riding and spending time with family, especially with their new grandson, Warren. Prior to heading up the Stewardship Committee, Kim served as the chair of the Worship Committee and as a member of themost recent Pastor Nominating Committee. She enjoys cooking and following in the footsteps of her mother and chef extraordinaire, Carole Burnette. Contact Kim at kpresley@biltmoremed.com. 

Nan Riley, Congregational Life

​A life-long Presbyterian, Nan grew up in north central Florida. Her parents, both active in the church, exemplified lives of service; her mother as secretary to the pastor and as a substitute organist, her father as a lay pastor, serving a number of small rural churches. Following graduation from college as a Registered Nurse and later from graduate school, Nan continues to work as a family nurse practitioner and has traveled to Haiti on two medical mission trips. Nan is married to John, a retired Presbyterian pastor, and they have three sons and two grandchildren. Contact Nan at revjohnanfnp@aol.com.

Cathy Wingfield, Communications

Cathy came to New Hope in 2015. She is a native of North Carolina and a lifelong Presbyterian. Cathy served as elder at Mount Jefferson Presbyterian Church for many years. She is married to Dale Wingfield, and they have five grown children. They enjoy hiking, kayaking, camping and traveling with their dog Journey. Professionally she earned her Master's Degree in Media Technology from Appalachian State University, where she also received her undergraduate degrees in Elementary Education and Middle Grades Education. Cathy retired from teaching in 2015, when she moved to Asheville. Not one to be sitting on the deck all the time, Cathy now works as a reserve host at Biltmore House and as a substitute teacher at First Presbyterian Church Child Care Center. 

Bunk Spann, Building & Grounds and Personnel

Bunk is a native of Greenville, South Carolina and a lifelong Presbyterian. He has served as both deacon and elder in two other Presbyterian churches prior to moving to Asheville in 2013. A graduate of St. Andrews Presbyterian College, the Presbyterian School of Christian Education, and the University of Texas at Austin, Bunk taught graduate students in the department of Human Development and Counseling at Appalachian State University. He and his wife Nancy live at the Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community and feel truly blessed to be members of the New Hope family. Bunk loves to dig in the dirt, so the Building and Grounds Committee keeps him happy. Bunk can also frequently be found at the church making our staff members laugh. Contact Bunk at bunkspann@bellsouth.net.