Feed the Pack is led by its Student Leadership Team (SLT) and guided by its Advisory Board. The SLT manages the daily operations of the pantry while the Advisory Board provides advice and guidance for strategic planning, additional ideas, and support.
2022-2023 Advisory Board
Brian Mathis, a 2009 alum of NC State, joined the Student Leadership and Engagement team in 2016. In his role, Brian provides vision and leadership for civic engagement initiatives, cultivates partnerships with non-profit partners and community organizations in the area, and supports the Feed the Pack Food Pantry. Since arriving at NC State, Brian has implemented the online service platform used to connect NC State students with meaningful civic engagement opportunities in the Triangle, coordinates voting and election engagement efforts at NC State.
A native of Morgantown, West Virginia, and current Wake Forest resident, Dave Johnson is the interim Director of NC State Multicultural Student Affairs at NC State. He is very excited to be a part of the Feed the Pack Advisory Board, and hopes his experiences allow him to bring a perspective from a multicultural and inclusive lens. Dave is also very interested in helping to break the stigma that many students of color still hold about using the Feed the Pack Pantry resource. He has many interests, including soccer, baseball, video gaming, and sneaker shopping. Dave is an avid and possibly obsessive Star Wars fan, and lives by the mantra, “Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.”
My name is Birtena “Marie” King, this is my first year as an Advisory Board Member. Having been handed the torch by Ada Baldwin, I am honored to carry it on. I have been with NC State for 7 yrs. I am the Administrative Support Supervisor for Facilities Housekeeping. Feed the Pack Pantry is a favorite of mine, and I am an active volunteer! Throughout my life, I have always been passionate about serving others. I am looking forward to serving on the Advisory Board and learning how I can best serve the Wolfpack community.
Marie’s volunteerism and position with Facilities Housekeeping provides us with insight into the Staff perspective of Feed the Pack
Mike Giancola (he/him/his) currently serves as the Assistant Vice Provost and Student Ombuds at North Carolina State University. Previously, NC State University’s Associate Vice Provost for Student Leadership & Engagement and Director for the Center for Student Leadership, Ethics, & Public Service, Mike has dedicated his professional career to working with college students. He gained early experience working and teaching at Kent State and Ball State Universities prior to his move to Raleigh in 1998. Mike is one of the founding members of the Feed the Pack food pantry back in 2012 and has serves as an active volunteer and member of the advisory board.
Besides his enjoyment found in traveling, serving the community, and coaching youth sports including wrestling, soccer, and volleyball, Mike Giancola proudly cites his most important leadership roles as being a husband to his wife Jennifer and a father to his two children Megan and Sam.
In his role with Student Ombuds, Mike brings unmatched experience and expertise in providing essential resources to a college community.
Marquette Russel, a University Program Associate for the University Honors Program (UHP) at NC State, assists in day-to-day operations of the UHP as well as provides support to the UHP Director. Marquette has served as liaison for the UHP at many different places across campus, including Facilities and Dining. She also works to put on events for the UHP and provides invaluable insight on staff perspective of the Feed the Pack food pantry.
McKenzy Heavlin is a first-year Master’s student in Electrical Engineering who serves as Student Body President. During his time in Student Government, McKenzy has been passionate and focused on addressing food, housing, and financial insecurity that NC State students face at all levels of the university.
McKenzy offers great insight into the student perspective and has great outreach into underserved communities at NC State.
Mumtahina Riza is a second-year MS student in biology (Integrative) at the Department of applied ecology at NCSU. She started volunteering with Feed the Pack as a patron representative on the advisory board in March 2022. She enjoys being a part of Feed the Pack’s leadership team and plays a role in Feed the Pack’s efforts to provide a feeling of a second home for all at NC State University. Serving as a student patron representative, she attempts to assist the program effectively in bridging the spaces between patrons and leaders. She is pleased to be a member of the Feed the Pack advisory board and hopes to work for the benefit of the NC State community to ensure food security.
Arlene Mabry, longtime member of the Pack, has been with NC State since 1999. Arlene has worked in the Athletics Business Office, working with coaches and staff on budgeting and gathering other information, since 2007. In 2017, Arlene joined the Staff Senate and became interested with the mission of Feed the Pack during one of their meetings. Arlene has helped Staff Senate coordinate food drives for Feed the Pack and is an invaluable member of our Advisory Board, serving as the eyes and ears for Feed the Pack in the Staff Senate.
Nicole Peterson has been at NC State for 15 years and helped to establish the Division of Academic & Student Affairs development office in 2014. In this role, Nicole developed the unit’s fundraising infrastructure, identified fundraising initiatives, and has raised nearly $30M for DASA as part of NC State’s $1.6B Think and Do the Extraordinary Campaign. Prior to building DASA’s development program, Nicole oversaw the Arts Development Office. During her time in the arts, she led the building campaign for the Gregg Museum of Art & Design, NC State’s first stand-alone art museum, which opened in 2017.
Nicole’s fundraising expertise plays a huge role in our Advisory Board, as we steer Feed the Pack and our fundraising into the future.
Lauren Ball (she/her) is an Assistant Director in the Office of International Services and has worked at NC State for 14 years. In her current role she supports the success of NC State’s international student, scholar, and family community through cultural programming and support services. As a member of the Feed the Pack Advisory Board, Lauren advocates for international patrons of the pantry and works to share this campus resources with the populations she serves.