Gail Weams
Gail is one of those rare souls whose heart beats for community, compassion, and connection. A proud graduate of Western Carolina University with a BS in Child Development & Family Relations, Gail has dedicated her life to public service, joyful giving, and making a lasting difference—especially when it comes to food, family, and fun.
With over 30 years at the NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services in the Food Distribution Division, Gail’s leadership stretched from overseeing the Indian Reservation Food Distribution Program in Cherokee to serving as the Field Representative across 27 counties in Western North Carolina. Her commitment didn’t stop there—during the devastating WNC floods in 2004, she stepped up to volunteer with Operation Brighter Day, bringing hope and supplies to those in need.
Her part-time role as Child Nutrition Supervisor for Henderson County Public Schools is just one more way Gail lives her purpose. As a longtime leader in the School Nutrition Association at both local and state levels, she’s helped shape young lives with nourishment, mentorship, and heart. In 2024, Gail was honored with the Mary Long Beasley Distinguished Service Award by the NC School Nutrition Association—a testament to her lifetime of service and excellence.
Outside of school walls, Gail is the author of the spirited Tropical Temptations Cookbook & Travelogue, a flavorful celebration of the islands. But her most vibrant expressions of joy come through her work with the WNC Parrot Head Club, a community service powerhouse she co-founded in 1998. Under her leadership as President and Vice President, the club earned the Golden Coconut Award—the highest honor among 200+ Parrot Head chapters—for their extraordinary impact on local and global causes.
Gail’s service resume reads like a love letter to Western North Carolina:
💖 Woman of the Year for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
💖 Flip Flop Hop Gala Co-Chair (raising over $30,000 annually for the WNC Down Syndrome Alliance)
💖 Brew City Trop Rock Festival Co-Chair (supporting animal welfare and hunger relief)
💖 Steering Committees for Manna FoodBank’s Blue Jean Ball, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, and Light the Night Walk
💖 Past Board Member and Treasurer of the WNC Down Syndrome Alliance
💖 Host of a beloved private weekend concert for 26 years featuring the Peter Mayer Group—an annual tradition of music, fellowship, and giving, benefiting nonprofits like Wind River Wellness and Lee Lee’s Life Lessons, Inc.
Her dedication to others has earned her numerous accolades, including the NC State Employees Award for Excellence in Public Service, and she was named one of the Top Ten Women You Should Know in WNC in 2008.
And at the end of the day, Gail returns home to her beloved black lab, Porter—her loyal sidekick- and her beloved husband, Steve, both sources of unconditional love.
We are endlessly grateful to have Gail as an angel among us and a cherished member of our board. Her wisdom, warmth, and wholehearted commitment to service inspire everything we do at Lee Lee’s Life Lessons.
