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 has been working with non-profit organizations for over 30 years. While employed in the playground industry, she set up fundraising and design programs for schools and community groups to fund playground projects. She also served as interim director of Western Wake Crisis, a local food bank and financial assistance agency, and for the past ten years, has been instrumental in fundraising for the Caring Community Foundation, assisting cancer patients with financial difficulties brought about by their illness or treatment. Although new to fly fishing, Kathy enjoys all aspects of the outdoors, and loves sharing experiences with her family, including grandchildren Charlie and LuLu. She and her husband Chris divide their time between Cary and Sylva, NC.
Libby Adamson, Treasurer
Libby Adamson grew up in High Point, NC and currently lives in Spartanburg, SC. She is the Business Manager at Colonial Trust Company, and previously worked at Pine Street School and The Episcopal Church of the Advent. She has valuable experience working and volunteering in the Spartanburg community.
Libby has shared her love of fly fishing with Casting Carolinas’ participants since 2015, working on staff as a fly fishing instructor. She previously volunteered with the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education and Casting for Recovery. Besides fly fishing, Libby enjoys working in the yard, volunteering and traveling. She has two delightful adult children, Emily and Walker, and two dogs.
Reba Brinkman
Reba is a legend in the fly fishing world. She has a long-standing reputation for excellence in retail management and was a success while at the helm of Hunter Banks Company in Asheville, NC for many years. She was an integral force in creating and successfully growing western NC’s largest fly fishing show, the Western NC Expo. Reba was named Blue Ridge Outdoors Fishing Guide of the year in 2015. She has worked as a volunteer for Casting for Recovery and Casting Carolinas retreats for 7 years. Reba is active in outdoor conservation efforts and serves as Vice President of Land O’Sky Trout Unlimited. She currently works as an “Adventure Maker” for Adventures Proposed, Engagement Planners and Adventure Travel.
Jenny Horn, Secretary
Jenny Horn is a trained chemist who most recently worked at Sealed Air. While at Sealed Air, she was heavily involved in the Women’s Employee Resource Group as a board member with a focus on community outreach. One of her favorite moments as such was the planning of a day for female students from UNC Charlotte. They were able to participate in a panel from senior leadership as well as networking events and a speech from the CEO.
She graduated from Wofford College in 2013 and received an MBA from UNC Charlotte in 2017.
Jenny currently lives in Charlotte, NC with her husband, Kevin and their son, Finlay.
Anna Garrett, Chair
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.
Wanda Taylor
Wanda Taylor has been called the “1st Lady of Fly Fishing”by her colleagues because of her many firsts as a woman in the fly fishing industry.
She was the first female Orvis- endorsed guide in the Southeastern United States, as well as the first woman in the world to receive the International Federation of Fly Fishers Certified Master Casting Instructor designation. She was awarded the Southeastern IFFF 2005 Woman of the year award and in 2008 Wanda received the IFFF SE Council Award of Excellence. These awards were given to Wanda in recognition of her work with breast cancer survivors at Casting For Recovery retreats and the Georgia Women Fly Fishers Casting For Confidence program and for her teaching and testing activities for the IFFF Certified Casting Instructors program.
Wanda has been an Advisory Staff member of TFO Rods for two decades. She is on the Pro staff of Patagonia, Chota Outdoor Gear, Maven Fly and Aqua Design. In 2016, Wanda was the first female angler named to the Southern Appalachian Fly Fishing Museum’s Hall of Fame in the “Recreation” category.
Wanda’s passion is introducing women to the sport of fly fishing as a vacation for their mind, spirit and body.
Jackie Greene
Jacqueline (Jackie) Davis Greene is a businesswoman in Hickory, NC.
She has served in many capacities with Casting Carolinas since 2015 including Participant Coordinator, Hospitality Coordinator, Casting Instructor, Fishing Guide, Fund Raiser and member of the Board of Directors. She is passionate about working with women cancer survivors and “giving back” to those in need of attention while undergoing recovery. Fly fishing has become her primary tool of her Ministry. She has interviewed on TV, radio and magazines for her cause. Jackie also has served in several positions with Hickory Trout Unlimited Chapter including Chairing the Women’s Initiative, Vice President and is currently the first female President of Hickory Trout Unlimited Chapter. Jackie is a board member at-large with the North Carolina Council of Trout Unlimited. Jackie has worked as a volunteer with Women on the Fly, the North Carolina River Course, a Trout Unlimited sponsored annual fly fishing camp for 13-15 year-olds at Lake Logan, and children’s programs such as the Boy Scouts of America fly fishing merit badge and North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Kid’s Day fishing. She also works with the environmental program, A Clean Wilson Creek, where the people along the creek know her as ” the lady who fishes”.
Aimee Queng
Aimee Queng, MD, lives and practices in Weaverville, NC. She has volunteered for Casting Carolinas for several years, serving as Medical Facilitator and Fly Fishing instructor at retreats.
Aimee is an avid fly fisher and spends much of her free time exploring trout water across the country.
Sally Armstrong
Sally Armstrong lives and works in Greenville, SC. She currently manages the sales support team for Spectrum Automotive. Sally has years of non-profit experience, specializing in fundraising planning and events.
She worked as Bi-Lo Charities event manager for five years and was Volunteer Operations Coordinator for Trout Unlimited national.
Sally has great enthusiasm for the sport of fly fishing and has been a volunteer guide for participants at several retreats.
She holds a B.A. in religion from Wofford College.
Our Advisory Board
Mary Alice Monroe
Jim Hefley
Patricia Dumaine