Carol is a small business owner, author, activist, and a pioneer in the community finance space. Fed up with sending her money off to make a fast buck in faraway markets, and given her preference for local food and advocacy for a healthy and carbon negative local economy, Carol started making low-interest loans to sustainable farmers and food entrepreneurs in NC to help them start or expand their businesses.

Out of that passion she grew Slow Money NC, a state-wide network of farmers and foodies that now includes over 160 other lenders who have made affordable loans to 90 sustainable farmers and other ‘agri-preneurs’ throughout North Carolina. The loans total about 2.5 million dollars, and those numbers keeps growing each month.

In her book, Financing Our Foodshed: Growing Local Food with Slow Money, Carol shares the compelling stories of ordinary people doing something extraordinary, and speaks to those who understand the critical importance of a resilient local foodshed and want a blueprint to get them there. Carol is a sought after public speaker, as her straight talk about money and the imperative to get our money flowing into our local communities is both disarming and inspiring.