WHO WE ARE
An ally for farmers, food hubs & funders.
Blue Ridge Foodshed Fund is a public benefit company — forming the connective tissue between funders and food-system leaders in Western North Carolina.
We focalize non-extractive investments, resources and innovations into our region so they can be distributed in a decentralized fashion to the grassroots initiatives and organizations that are key to our shared vision of a thriving local food economy.
We are rooted in the region we serve — nurtured by the ancient Blue Ridge Mountains we get to call home. We honor this land, its people, and its rich history.
We’re a catalyst between what is and what can be — sparking insights and deeper understandings that become possible when all members of our foodshed, from farmers to funders, see themselves as valued stewards of one interconnected living ecosystem.
Our leadership team has founded, run and guided small businesses and corporations. We bring a unique synergy of expertise in food & farming, regenerative entrepreneurship & finance, and whole-systems design.
Meet the Stewards
-
Andrea DuVall
CO-FOUNDER & CORE STEWARD
Andrea built bridges between farmers and communities for 13 years as CEO and Co-Founder of Mother Earth Food, channeling more than $9 million to 250+ family farms through fair pricing and farmer-first partnerships. She's navigated every aspect of regional food infrastructure — from aggregation and logistics to market partnerships and cross-sector collaboration. This operational depth gives her a rare perspective on the realities required to make local food systems sustainable. A relationship-builder at her core, she expanded local food access across the community through trusted partnerships. Now she brings that practical wisdom to help shape the next evolution of regional food systems.
-
Holly McCann
CO-FOUNDER & CORE STEWARD
Holly leads the regenerative systems design, legal & governance innovation, and ecosystem development work for Blue Ridge Foodshed Fund — helping to weave independent food businesses into an interconnected, mutually thriving living system. A former Silicon Valley corporate attorney and award-winning entrepreneur, she brings a unique depth and breadth of legal expertise, entrepreneurial success, and whole-systems leadership cultivated across three distinct careers spanning more than 30 years. Holly is the creator of the Roundtable Operating System and has spent the past decade guiding leaders worldwide in the transition from extractive business practices to conscious stewardship. She now applies her expertise in regenerative organizational design and systems thinking to catalyze thriving food economies.
-
Jean-Paul Lausell
FINANCIAL STEWARD
Jean-Paul guides regenerative investment models for the Blue Ridge Foodshed Fund, bringing over 20 years of executive leadership across purpose-driven enterprises. As CFO and COO of Hickory Nut Gap during COVID-19, he witnessed firsthand how resilient local food systems thrived while national supply chains collapsed—an experience that shaped his conviction in place-based, regenerative finance. He's founder of Thriving Systems Partners, specializing in multi-capital frameworks that measure returns and impact for various stakeholders including employees, local communities, investors and the environment. Jean Paul's career spans CEO, CFO, and COO roles, plus M&A experience supporting multiple private equity funds—giving him a rare bridge between traditional finance and regenerative systems thinking.
Advisory Council
-
Aaron Grier
CO-FOUNDER,
GAINING GROUND FARM -
Lyric East
CO-FOUNDER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR,
WILD EAST FARM -
Noah East
CO-FOUNDER & FARM OPERATIONS,
WILD EAST FARM -
Gray Shipley
PARTNER,
SHIPLEY FARMS BEEF -
Ines Katharina Kinchen
FOUNDER, EMERALD ARK
BIODYNAMIC BEE SANCTUARY -
Christopher Gergen
CEO,
REGENERATIVE ORGANIC ALLIANCE -
Alan Booker
FOUNDER, INSTITUTE OF
INTEGRATED REGENERATIVE DESIGN -
Evan Folds
FOUNDER, BE AGRICULTURE
ECOLOGICAL ENTREPRENEUR