Board of Directors
The HCCA Board of Directors is elected at the annual meeting held every March. The board consists of 12 seats with 6 candidates elected each year (for two-year terms) to maintain organizational continuity.
Board Officers
President: Chris Pelly
Vice President: Christina Maggi
Treasurer: Christina Quetel
Secretary: Bruce Black
Board Members
Doug Baughman**
My wife, Wendy, and I moved to Haw Creek in 2020 from Marietta, Georgia following our daughter who has lived in the Asheville area for 15 years. I retired in 2022 after over 35 years in environmental consulting where I had the opportunity to work on a variety of environmental assessments, watershed management and stormwater studies, and water infrastructure projects. Currently, I'm also on the boards for RiverLink and the Environmental Quality Institute where I have the opportunity to continue to apply many of the lessons I've learned over the years. I've volunteered on the HCCA Clean & Green Committee for a couple of years and look forward to working with my fellow Haw Creek residents to continue the organization's efforts to improve the quality of life for our community.
Bruce Black*
I moved to Asheville from the South Carolina coast. I have worked in the retail petroleum sector, the land development industry, served as an elected official on the Hilton Head Island town council and worked for the City of Asheville. I have lived in Michigan, Illinois, Switzerland, Ohio, Tennessee, South Carolina and now in Asheville. My wife Helen is an Asheville native. We moved into Haw Creek about 22 years ago and we are enjoying it as our permanent home. My education is in urban planning from the University of Tennessee and it is my hope that Haw Creek can remain a sub-urban area with a country feel.
Michelle Decker*
My husband and I transplanted our family’s manufacturing company from Miami in 1999, and although a challenge it was the best decision we ever made. After settling in, I took my skills as Director of Operations to the real estate world, which has always been a passion. Now deeply rooted after raising our children in the mountains, we enjoy all that Asheville has to offer, the arts, hiking, camping, biking to local eateries, and spending time with our friends, family and Jake, our beloved English Sheppard that we adopted from Brother Wolf. I am pleased to have joined the HCCA board and look forward to using my communication, negotiating, and creative skills to serve our community.
Rick Fornoff**
Following a childhood in New Jersey I followed my family to Texas, where I spent four years in purgatory in Houston before coming to my senses and moving to Asheville in 1979. I've lived in my house on the north end of Haw Creek since 1984; as I tell people I'm not a Haw Creek native, but my children are. I spent the first half of my career in IT, working with Buncombe County and then the county school system. Following that I managed several small businesses, finishing my career by coaching people in public speaking. I've previously served as a board member with the Haw Creek (Volunteer) Fire Department and with the Asheville Downtown Association. I'm excited to do my part to foster community in what is already a great neighborhood in which to live.
Christina Maggi*
My husband and I moved to Asheville from New York City in 2018, after I retired from a career in the non-profit sector. I spent 30 years working for organizations committed to creating positive change for people—like Planned Parenthood, Amnesty International, ACLU, WaterAid and United Hospital Fund. I also served on the board of our 72-unit co-op for 9 years, most of that time as president. Frank and I love living in our beautiful Haw Creek neighborhood, just steps from Masters Park. I’m especially grateful that I can continue to contribute by serving on the HCCA board.
Shelley McKechnie**
I sure love almost everything about Haw Creek—I just wish it were safer and more pleasant to get around our neighborhood on foot and by bicycle. I’m eager to help fix that, contributing my time and professional experience managing projects with lots of moving parts.
Barber Melton*
I am one of the original founding members of the Haw Creek Community Association and of the Coalition of Asheville Neighborhoods, which is an umbrella group for many neighborhood associations throughout the city. After 40 years I continue to be an activist. I have served on the Neighborhood Advisory Committee, the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Affordable Housing Committee, and many other diverse committees through the years. I am a native and go back many generations in Haw Creek. I and my adult children are very active at St John’s Episcopal Church, which my great grandfather started. My roots go very deep and I love Haw Creek. I continue to try to be sure we honor this valley and all who have contributed so much.
Chris Pelly*
A resident of Haw Creek since 1992, my wife, Juanita Igo, and I raised three children on Cisco Road. I retired in 2023 from a 25-year career as a self-employed real estate broker. I first became involved with the community association in 1995 and the campaign to build Haw Creek Park on Avon Road. My neighbors were kind enough to elect me president from 1995 to 2003, again from 2007 to 2011 and now a third time since 2020. In between, I served on Asheville City Council from 2011 to 2015. Bringing people together to build community and effect positive change is my guiding philosophy. Our community has many talented and generous residents who, working together, make Haw Creek the place I am proud to call home.
Liz Polfus**
I have lived in Haw Creek for over 10 years. I've gotten to know my neighbors through dog-walks and yard work. Since the 2020 shutdown I have been working out of my home as well, which means my evening "commute" has become a hike through Masters Park when the day is done. Professionally I work at an Asheville-based IT firm doing process engineering and operations. I have a background in project management, web design & development, and a deeper background in fine art, thanks UNCA! Haw Creek has been such a good home full of incredible people, I'm excited to get to know more of our community and continue to foster connections within it.
Christina Quetel**
I am a native of the U.S. Virgin Islands and have been privileged to call Asheville and Haw Creek home since 2018. Haw Creek and our community have become very special to me and I've enjoyed becoming involved in HCCA and participating in the Community Outreach and Clean & Green committees. Professionally, I work in Human Resources in the nonprofit sector. I am a proud graduate of the University of Miami with a BBA focused in Human Resources Management and Legal Studies. In my spare time, I love running, walking around our beautiful neighborhood, and hiking in the mountains with my partner, Joe, and our two dogs, Bailey and Maple.
Renate Rikkers*
I was raised and educated in Germany before coming to the US as a young adventurer in the early 60s. Over the decades, I have been fortunate to have lived and traveled in all five regions of this country, always finding my place in my new community by getting involved and contributing my time and energy to important issues. Haw Creek has been home for 25 years, and my connection to our Community Association has been a consistent part of my life in an ever-changing Asheville.
*Two-year term ending March 2026
**Two-year term ending March 2027