Who Are We?

Anyone is welcome to be a part of Kinship Plot. There are many ways to be connected, whether you attend an event, join a learning cohort, participate in a work day, or take a more active role in co-shaping or leading a Kinship Plot offering. Most of our offerings are local to the Charlotte community, but we sometimes offer virtual opportunities to connect and learn as well.

Co-Shapers of Kinship Plot

The co-shapers of Kinship Plot are people who care deeply about cultivating resonant relationships and are committed to bringing our various gifts, loves, passions, and expertise to the table. Our staff lead and run our programs, the board of directors has governing and fiduciary responsibility for the organization, and the wisdom council provides encouragement, wisdom, and insight based on their particular knowledge and expertise. Additionally, we have a global "kinship network" of people who co-shape this vision and action in diverse and compelling ways. We hope YOU will co-shape with us, too!

Join the kinship network

Staff

Stephanie Ann Vander Lugt

Co-Founder & Co-Executive Director

Clinical social worker, minister, and gardening enthusiast who loves gathering eclectic people around the table

stephanie@kinshipplot.org

Wes Vander Lugt

Co-Founder & Co-Executive Director

Theology and arts professor, minister, and writer who loves beauty, books, and hospitable life together

wes@kinshipplot.org

Rebecca Hart

Cultivation Program Manager

Oversees the development and implementation of all cultivation-related activities for Kinship Plot

cultivation@kinshipplot.org

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Ranika Chaney

Oddkin Unite Facilitator

Leverages the creativity of local artists to cross boundaries and build community and resonance. Oddkin Unite gathers groups to encounter original art, share a meal, and engage in transformative discussion.

oddkinunite@kinshipplot.org

Anne Fisher

Oddkin Unite Coordinator

Leader in early childhood education. Love organizing people to facilitate meaningful connections.

oddkinadmin@kinshipplot.org

Board of Directors

Kim Summerrow

President

Head of Payable, Platform Transformation, at Wells Fargo in Charlotte. Builder of community, church leader, and social justice advocate.

Kerrie Stewart

Vice-President

Social researcher in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at UNC Charlotte and NC Justice Center board member. Advocates for civic engagement and effectuate social and economic justice for Black women and girls.

Brian Diebling

Treasurer

Director at PricewaterhouseCoopers with experience in both non-profit and corporate sectors. Brings his expertise in finances, strategic partnerships, strategic thinking, and passion for serving the community.

Emilio R. Bermejo

Secretary

Assistant professor social work at California Baptist University with a passion for communities of practice and restorative justice.

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Delilah Montalvo

Director

Reentry and social justice advocate with over 20 years of nonprofit experience, currently serving with the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office. She is the creator of the Not My Stories to Tell podcast and a leader in programs that support healing, reintegration, and equity in the Charlotte community.

Kate Lingbeeek

Director

Program director at a private foundation, avid gardener, and currently exploring how to incorporate cover crops which are appropriate to Michigan's cold climate as a way to nurture those living in the garden soil.

Elizabeth Bridges

Director

Musician, youth mentor, avid hiker, certified Forest Therapy Guide. Passionate about family and friends, connecting humans and nature, meditative walks, fostering community, and contemplative practices.

Matthew Lindsay

Director

Ministry Partner at Lake Forest Church – Westlake, where he and his wife, Lili, are active in small group leadership and community engagement. Professionally, he combines engineering and business expertise in leading teams and driving organizational growth, with a lifelong commitment to building up others.

Wisdom Council

Angelica Garnett

Educator, church leader, and immigration advocate in Charlotte. Passionate about radical welcome, equity, bridge-building, and immigration justice.

Olaniyi Zainabu

Career Readiness Facilitator and Case Manager with extensive experience supporting reentry and career development in Charlotte. A creative at heart, she is also known for her powerful singing, spoken word, and drumming, using art to inspire others to recognize their value and potential

Rev. Helms Jarrell

Contemporary mixed media folk artist, collaborative change maker, minister, and non-profit leader in Charlotte, NC. Passionate about cultivating beloved community through practices of hospitality, creativity, and prayer.

Steve Smith

Spiritual director, former pastor, writer and founder of The Potter's Inn retreat center. Cultivator of companionship and soul care for global ministry leaders in North Carolina.

Dr. Devon Abts

Director of operations and research at the Clemente Course in the Humanities. Theologian with a passion for curating community through the arts and enthusiastic gardener learning to cultivate wonder one plant at a time.

Dr. Daniel Gutierrez

Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Substance Abuse Counselor, and an Associate Professor in Counseling and Special Education at Virginia Commonwealth University. Passionate about kinship, contemplation, soulful living, and answering the yearnings deep inside.

Frank Martin

A leader in the real estate industry, Frank is also active in community service, especially in the areas of affordable housing and public education. He has served on the boards of the Charlotte Housing Partnership, the Harvest Center, and Sugar Creek Charter.

Dr. James Krohn

Theological educator, former pastor, founder-director of KRUX in Stellenbosch, South Africa. Enthusiast of learning, hospitality, and spiritual transformation.

Joel and Sarah Donohue

Geologists by training, lovers of all things outdoors, and the stewards of Waterfall Hollow Ranch in Tahlequah, OK, where they cultivate hops and honey, deep friendships, and a deliberate life of listening and observing.

Derrell Young

Staff chaplain at Yuma Regional Medical Center in Arizona and PhD candidate in psychology at Regent University, with experience as a pastoral, graphic designer, and spoken work artist.