Meet Our Board

The Casting for Hope Board of Directors is made up of amazing people with a real heart for our cause and geographic region that we serve.  They represent diverse backgrounds and come to the Casting for Hope boardroom with individually unique skillsets that coalesce into a powerful group of individuals committed to achieving Casting for Hope’s mission and vision in western North Carolina.

Tim Barnsback

Tim Barnsback is a public school teacher with the Burke County Public Schools with a huge heart for serving the community.  Tim first became acquainted with Casting for Hope when he volunteered at our annual Casting for Hope fly-fishing competition.  Tim quickly immersed himself in everything Casting for Hope and transitioned into being the coordinator for the then Mipso in Morganton event even before he joined our board.  Tim continues to be the board lead on the Winter Music Festival and is a constant fixture at our events locally and regionally.

Dr. Ashley Case

Dr. Ashely Case is a native of North Carolina and attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for both undergraduate studies and medical school. She then completed residency training at the University of Alabama in Birmingham followed by a fellowship in gynecologic oncology at Washington University in St. Louis. She was proud to return to North Carolina in August 2009 at which time she joined Hope Women’s Cancer Center in Asheville, North Carolina. Dr. Case is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Gynecologic Oncology as well as a member of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology, American Society of Clinical Oncologists, American Association for Cancer Research, and the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology. Dr. Case has special interests in clinical research for women’s cancers, genetic predisposition to gynecologic cancer, and complex pelvic surgery. She is trained in minimally invasive surgery utilizing laparoscopy and the DaVinci surgical system in the surgical management of gynecologic malignancies. Dr. Case is married with three children and enjoys snow skiing, reading, running and spending time with her wonderful family.  Dr. Case joined the Casting for Hope Board of Directors eager “to impact lives and affect cures.”

Squeak Smith

Squeak Smith is one of Casting for Hope’s board members.  He is a life member of Trout Unlimited and winner of the Mortensen Award for Lifetime Achievement with Trout Unlimited.  When TU celebrated its 50th Anniversary, they named Squeak one of the ten most influential TU members in the organization’s 50 year history!  There is absolutely no way to quantify the value of the work Squeak has done for western North Carolina fisheries through his leadership in Trout Unlimited, land protection efforts with Foothills Conservancy of NC, and water quality enhancements as Chairman of  Resource Institute.  Having made a lifetime commitment to volunteering with non-profits, Squeak brings a unique and invaluable accumulation of experiences and skill sets to the Casting for Hope team.

Rev. Dr. Thomas A. Bland

The Rev. Dr. Thomas A. Bland, Jr. is the Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church of Morganton, North Carolina.  Dr. Bland has extensive and steady service histories in community development, non-profit service, and in general care for those in need.  Under his leadership such organizations as the Mimosa Christian Counseling Center have come to life.  He is deeply involved in creating opportunities for housing for those who would otherwise experience homelessness in Morganton.  He has been named Morganton’s Man of the Year.  Dr. Bland officiates and oversees the Morning of Hope 5K Race and Community Sunrise Service.