Title: School Nutrition Director
Company: Buncombe County Schools
Location: Ashville, North Carolina, United States
Elizabeth Caughman Payne, school nutrition director at Buncombe County Schools, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Executives for dedication, achievements, and leadership in nutrition and business management.
With over two and a half decades of experience, Ms. Payne has established a distinguished career specializing in nutrition and business management. Since 2013, she has served as director of Buncombe County Schools’ school nutrition program, overseeing the nutrition needs of 45 schools across all grade levels. She also serves as a life navigator at The After Cancer Corporation, a role she assumed in 2023. Her experience includes concurrent positions as school nutrition director at Buncombe County Schools since 1999 and lunch lady since 1990. She also worked as a school bid sales manager at US Foods Inc. from 2011 to 2013. Additionally, she dedicates her time as the founder of Leelee’s Life Lessons Inc., established in 2022, and played a critical role during the COVID-19 pandemic by preventing food insecurity in Western North Carolina through curbside meal preparation and delivery under strict safety protocols.
Ms. Payne has also served on the Kellogg K-12 Advisory Council since 2020, as a board member of the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project since 2019, and as a member of the Public Policy and Legislation Committee of the School Nutrition Association since 1994. She laid an educational foundation, earning a Bachelor of Science in hotel, restaurant, and tourism administration management from the University of South Carolina, as well as certifications in applied positive psychology from the Flourishing Center in 2022 and agricultural safety practices from Cornell University in 2018. She is also an ordained minister with the Alliance of Divine Love and a member of the International Coaching Federation.
In light of her impressive undertakings, Ms. Payne has been honored with various accolades, including the Executive Lifetime Leadership Award from the Chamber of Commerce and two Gary Gay Awards from the North Carolina Department of Agriculture for her efforts to bring fresh, local foods to children. She takes pride in running one of the most highly regarded school nutrition programs in North Carolina and was instrumental in providing 100% free meals to all students in the county. Looking to the future, she plans to publish a book honoring lunchroom staff and remain dedicated to improving food security for children.
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