North Carolina Always is the creative brainchild and independent contracting firm of Chanel Nestor. North Carolina Always enables her to develop her own creative projects and manage contracts for short-term, high impact projects across North Carolina. Chanel’s ultimate goal is to understand all aspects needed to development a sustainable, thriving community.

About the Founder:

Chanel A. Nestor is a former adjunct lecturer of Rural Sociology at NC A&T State University where she instructed Local Food Systems, Rural Community and Economic Development, and Global Agricultural Economics, Hunger, and Poverty for three academic years. She has a passion for Black-American humanities and creative arts and with that passion she has founded The Black Creative Conference to support Black Creative Arts Philanthropy throughout the state of North Carolina. Chanel has professional experience in Regional Community and Economic Development, Food System Planning, and Cultural Sustainability.

Chanel is based in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina and actively works with stakeholders throughout the state. She enjoys serving as a resource bank for individuals, organizations, municipalities, and regions hoping to build their capacity, engage with stakeholders, and outreach with their community. She is in the process of earning a MBA with a focus in Real Estate. She currently holds a masters degree in Agricultural Education and hopes to utilize her education to support Business Development, Property Ownership, and the preservation of Agricultural Lands.

Chanel supports business operations of her father’s fresh beverage company, The Jugo Bar, and has directly impacted the business’s expansion across North Carolina. She is a member of Mount Moriah Outreach Center in Kernersville, NC where she has positively contributed to the church’s food pantry and urban farm school. She is the mother of a handsome son by the name of Nathanael. She is an avid road-tripper and has completed four cross country trips across America (her favorite scenic state is Montana). She enjoys traveling with her son, and they partake in photography together.

Recent Contracts

• Community Engagement Representative | Site Labs Global, Inc. (2024)

  • Supporting outreach and operations for a regional pilot partnership with Cone Health, a pioneer in health solutions based in Greensboro, NC, aiming to transform health access for communities across the Piedmont Triad region in the state

• Project Manager | Visit North Carolina, EDPNC (2023)

  • Supporting the day-to-day coordination of deliverables for the NC Rural Tourism Recovery Pilot Program

• Engagement Manager | Public Participation Partners Consulting (2022)

  • Serving as an Engagement and Outreach Manager working under projects for RDU International Airport, Go Triangle, and NC DOT

• Policy and Outreach Manager | Carolina Creative Works (2020)

  • Serving as the Engagement and Outreach Manager for the Piedmont Triad Regional Food Council Food System Assessment

Creative and Archival Projects

Previous Creative Project Sponsors and Funders

Email: chanel@ncalways.com | Phone: 336-252-9409