Lila Stith, MSW earned her Master of Social Work degree from Appalachian State University in 2023 after serving as a College Adviser for first-generation college students with Appalachian College Advising Corps. She graduated with a BA in Sociology and a minor in Africana Studies from the University of North Carolina Asheville in 2018. While at UNCA, she earned distinction as a University Research Scholar for her thesis on Paranormal Belief Construction in the American South.
Lila holds a passion for serving low-income families in Western North Carolina and beyond. She is particularly interested in relocalized food systems, rural community health, and creating communities that sustain and care for each other. She is excited to serve as the lab’s research coordinator. She calls Yancey County, NC home with her family, garden, and many pets.