Our Team

CEF Executive Director

Executive Director Full-Time

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Donna Carrington, She/Her

Donna leads both the Chapel Hill and Durham geographies, working with staff, Advocates, Members, and the Board of Directors. She stewards organizational vision and growth for all of CEF. Donna supports both offices in developing partnerships to secure housing justice and financial security for all Members. Donna’s passions are music, Jeopardy, Mahjong, and cooking shows.

Development & Finance Team

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Steven Horton, He/Him

Finance & Operations Manager

Steven was recruited to help out with bookkeeping after a short stint as an Advocate. What he loves most about CEF is the belief that is the foundation of the Member-Advocate relationship: that everyone is creative, resourceful, and whole. Steven has a background in sustainable agriculture and food access. He is passionate about growing the personal and financial freedom of people who are presently or have historically been denied that freedom. In his spare time he enjoys travel, surf fishing, cooking and eating, political and legal podcasts/discussions, and playing video games. He currently lives in Chatham County with his wife, Robin and kids, Ada and Graham

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Gabrielle Prince, She/Her

Communications & External Events Coordinator

Gabrielle joined CEF to bring her expertise in communications and external events, leveraging her Master of Social Work (MSW) degree to support and amplify the transformative work of the organization. What Gabrielle loves most about CEF is its approach, which combines person-centered support with financial services that pursue equity to reduce the racial wealth gap.

Gabrielle is passionate about storytelling and creating experiences where everyone feels safe and supported. In her spare time, she enjoys creative pursuits such as graphic design, painting, and reading self-help books.

Program Management

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Jessica Cannady, She/Her

Member Services & Programs Manager Full-Time

Jessica is the Member Services and Programs Manager (MSPM) at CEF. In her role she supports program staff, guides program strategy, and manages reporting for Member Services and Advocate Programs for the Durham and Chapel Hill offices. Prior to joining CEF, Jessica was a coordinator and advocate with Compass Center, and began her career as a community research analyst at Forsyth Futures. Jessica is passionate about community, qualitative research and storytelling, mental health advocacy, access to quality and affordable housing, and racial justice. She believes in working collaboratively with the community to build thriving communities. In her spare time, Jessica enjoys cooking, dancing, hiking, reading, and yoga.

Durham County Team

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Bianca Muñoz, She/Her

Office and Community Organizer Full-Time

Bianca joined CEF Durham in the spring of 2024 as the Office and Community Organizer. In her role, she enjoys getting to know Members while working at the front desk and organizing various advocacy efforts including facilitating DU Meeting of the Minds, scheduling community classes, and co-directing the CEF Freedom Liberation Ensemble. When she’s not in the office, you can find Bianca singing, picnicking, doing yoga, drinking coffee, and spending time with loved ones.

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Jessika Gore, She/Her

Member Resource Specialist Full-Time

Jessika is the Member Resource Specialist for CEF’s Durham office. Prior to joining CEF in this capacity, Jessika served individuals in crisis on both local and national levels. These experiences led to Jessika’s increased passion for embracing intergenerational communication and storytelling spaces as resources in proactive and preventative efforts toward equitable access. In her spare time Jessika is devoted to healing through the practice of increased self awareness and communicating boundaries as a lived example of safe space for her children to develop, thrive and extend to others.

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Wren Morgan, She/They

Member Services Coordinator Full-Time

Wren is the Member Services Coordinator for the Durham office. She stewards all services provided to members of the Durham office and helps ensure that Members have access to a diverse pool of resources that is reflected in meetings with Advocates, CEF’s online database, and the Durham office’s free clothing closet and menstrual product cabinet. She also helps maintain CEF’s relationship with a variety of local service providers. Wren was drawn to CEF because of their commitment to fostering deeper relationships with Members centered around the understanding that people are creative, resourceful, and whole. Outside of this role, Wren is passionate about reproductive education and does birth work as a hospital doula. Wren also loves thrifting, nature walks, birds, poetry, and baking.

Orange County Team

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Yvette Mathews, She/Her

Office and Community Organizer Full-Time

Yvette is the captain of the ship in the Chapel Hill office, leading the front of the house including reception, welcoming, and administration. Yvette also leads community advocacy efforts in Chapel Hill and is the creator and director of the CEF Advocacy Choir! Yvette is the first face many Members and Advocates see when they enter the office, and effectively ensures that everyone who walks through the door is cared for and leaves happy (and keeps CEF’s Office Agreements!).

Chloe Wells

Chloe Wells, She/Her

Advocate Program Coordinator Full-Time

Chloe is the Advocate Program Coordinator in CEF’s Chapel Hill office, heading up anything and everything regarding our amazing volunteer and intern Advocates! Prior to joining CEF, Chloe filled many shoes: boba tea barista, waitress, substitute teacher, front office support, equity and justice peer educator, campus literary magazine editor, grant writer, and more! Chloe was drawn to CEF through the commitment they have to serving all folks of all walks of life, both inside and outside the office. Chloe has always felt called to caring roles that put people first. She is dedicated to continuing her education in and dedication to equity and justice by learning with and from her community – and excited to build with them, too. In her free time, Chloe enjoys reading horror novels by her sunniest window, exploring local food, attending concerts, and thrift shopping, though you can almost always find her on the couch with her partner watching whatever’s new on streaming.

Tiz G.

Member Resource Specialist Full-Time

Tiz is a community organizer and the Chapel Hill location’s Member Resource Specialist. Their lived-experience surviving homelessness and trafficking informs the work they do today.

CEF: Community Empowerment Fund

Chapel Hill: 919-200-0233 Durham: 919-797-9233

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