Casting Carolinas is an independent 501 c 3 organization that began in January 2015. Casting Carolinas was founded so that our unique new F.L.O.W. program, which combines fly fishing instruction with medical education and mindfulness, could be offered to women surviving all types of cancer. Casting Carolinas is committed to working with local communities across North and South Carolina to make retreats possible for all survivors. Understanding that some women are not able to attend a Three-day Retreat, we have designed a program that also includes One-day Retreats and activities.
All Casting Carolinas’ retreats and events are staffed by volunteers who are experienced, skilled professionals. Our staff are trained to work with survivors and dedicated to providing a retreat experience that enhances quality of life. Our trademarked F.L.O.W. program model offers much more than fly-fishing instruction! We teach the skills that can help women deal more effectively with the emotional challenges of cancer survivorship. All Casting Carolinas alumnae become part of a support network, The Casting Carolinas Fly Fishing Sisterhood, and have the opportunity to participate in on-going gatherings and events including an annual retreat weekend.
Meet our Board of Directors and Staff
Starr Nolan, MSW, LCSW Executive Director
Starr holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of NC at Chapel Hill and has been in private psychotherapy practice in Asheville since 1994. She has many years of non-profit leadership experience. Starr was Chair of the Board of Directors at Helpmate, Asheville’s domestic violence agency, for 4 years and served on that board for 8 years. She was President of the Land O’Sky Chapter of Trout Unlimited in Asheville for 4 years and also served on that non-profit’s Board. Starr was Program Coordinator for Carolinas Casting for Recovery for 13 years and worked on the national staff as Regional Program Director for CfR for 4 years.
In 2017, Starr was named to the Southern Appalachian Fly Fishing Museum’s Hall of Fame in the “Humanities” category in recognition of her fly fishing expertise and years of volunteer service.
Starr owns and operates Brookside Guides, a fly fishing guide service, which has operated in Asheville for 15 years. She has taught hundreds of new anglers how to fly fish. In her spare time Starr enjoys playing fiddle and mandolin in her band, All Strings Re-Considered.
Board of Directors
Kathy Ackerman, Honorary Chair Emeritus
Kathy Ackerman was a founding force and the inspiration behind Casting Carolinas. In 2014 she convened a meeting to discuss forming our new non-profit and provided funding to begin our journey! She was the original Chair of the Casting Carolinas Board of Directors and continued to provide enthusiastic support for our mission for many years. Sadly, Kathy was diagnosed with glioblastoma in 2017 and continued to inspire all us all with her courageous fight (along with continuing other activities, she posted a video of herself sky diving while in the midst of treatment!)
As usual, Kathy became involved in helping others -raising funds for brain cancer research and continued with that until her death in 2022. She is greatly missed by all of us!
Anna Garrett
Dr. Anna Garrett has been a clinical pharmacist for over 20 years and she’s worked in a variety of practice settings. While traveling her career path, she discovered that working with women in midlife is her true passion. Dr. Anna believes that suffering in perimenopause or menopause is not necessary and she offers a variety of services to create precision hormone management plans for her clients. These include hormone balancing, weight loss, epigenetic coaching and health coaching with a goal of helping women in perimenopause and menopause escape from hormone hell and feel amazing in their bodies so they can rock their mojo through midlife and beyond!
She is the author of Perimenopause: The Savvy Sister’s Guide to Hormone Harmony.
Dr. Anna obtained her Bachelor’s and PharmD degrees from UNC Chapel Hill. She also hold a degree in Business Administration with Accounting Concentration from UNC. She is currently enrolled in the School of Applied Functional Medicine, is a certified Level 1 Epigenetic Coach with Apeiron Academy, has studied with the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and is a Certified Intrinsic Coach.
Dr. Anna and her husband, Dan live in Asheville with their wonder dog, Max.
Richelle Calicott
Richelle Calicott learned about Casting Carolinas after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021. She attended a Casting Carolina’s retreat and loved the support, resources, and connection she felt with the staff and other survivors there. She knew immediately that she wanted to serve this community and share her experience with others.
Richelle lives in the greater Charlotte area with her husband, two boys, and two dogs. She has a bachelor’s degree in business and is a founding partner of an IT consulting firm. She led a team in Charlotte’s 24 Hours of Booty event to support the 24 Foundation and cancer navigation for several years and, more recently, organized and directed an event to support the non-profit, NothingPink.
Richelle spends most of her free time outdoors cycling, paddleboarding, and fishing.
Arlene Wagner
Arlene is a native of Niagara Falls, NY and has been in North Carolina since 1990. She is retired from a career as an administrative assistant in the insurance and legal fields. She is a two-time cancer thrive-or and became involved with Casting Carolinas when attending the first retreat. Since that time she has volunteered with Casting Carolinas in many capacities including participating on the Retreat Staff. Even though the fishing bug “did not bite her”, Arlene believes in the organization and its goals. Her hobbies are knitting and crocheting, including creating Knitted Knockers, (a very soft, flexible prosthetic) that she will make for anyone needing them.
Tammy Hardman
Tammy grew up in the mountains of Southwestern Virginia and currently lives in High Point, NC. She has worked in healthcare for over 30 years. She is currently employed by Aetna Insurance as a Provider Relations Manager. Tammy served as Chairperson of the Aetna Employees Reaching out (Aero) group for 4 years and also served on the Board of Directors for WestEnd Ministries.
In her spare time she enjoys volunteering, sewing, gardening and enjoying time with her adult daughters, Hannah and Darby.
Jennifer Stubbs
Jennifer Stubbs is a Dental Hygienist and shameless fly fisher living in Chapel Hill, NC.
She is a two time cancer survivor and was introduced to fly fishing while attending Casting Carolinas as a participant in October of 2016.
Jennifer leads CC retreats and coordinates Casting Carolinas’ Alumni program. When she isn’t working or volunteering you can find her fishing, camping and hiking with her husband Jay and two dogs, Chester and Nelson.
Christy McMakin
Christy is a breast cancer survivor and attended her first Casting Carolinas retreat in October of 2021. She immediately fell in love with the organization and its mission to serve women who are affected by cancer and began volunteering in 2022.
She is a mother to 4 adult children, and ‘momsy’ to 5 of the sweetest grandchildren this side of the universe. A social worker by profession, Christy works with the chronically homeless population to provide stable living and affordable housing.
She is an outdoor enthusiast and enjoys hiking, rock climbing, kayaking and fly fishing! She also enjoys reading and blogging.
Linda Vance
Linda was introduced to fly fishing while studying for her PhD in conservation ecology in the mid-90s; her colleagues convinced her it was the most environmentally friendly way to sample the health of fish populations in mountain streams. She chose to believe it, and has been sampling streams, lakes, rivers and oceans ever since. After attending a retreat in 2024, where she was so moved and impressed by the quality of the retreat leaders and the joy of the participants, she felt compelled to join the Board to help the program in any way she could.
She and her partner live in the Asheville, NC area with two cats who are completely uninterested in water-based activities, and who disapprove of her catch-and-release practices for fish.
Our Advisory Board
Mary Alice Monroe
Jim Hefley
Patricia Dumaine