Nancy Roman
What brought you to Fearrington?” I asked Nancy Roman. “Community and nature,” she replied with a smile. I nodded. We had both relocated to Fearrington from the Washington, DC, area, where the hustle culture permeates many lives. We both knew some great communities and some beautiful spots of nature, but to find both in one location is rare. “Here, everyone is from someplace else, so we are all eager to meet one another.”
Nancy Roman’s earlier life shaped her to become a pivotal force at Fearrington Cares. She spent her childhood in Florida, then moved to Texas to earn a journalism degree at Baylor University. Next was Baltimore and a master’s degree in international economics and foreign policy from Johns Hopkins University.
After completing her education, Nancy moved to DC and got a job on Capitol Hill, where she met her future husband, Steve Cohen, when they played on the same softball team.
Interested in nutrition and equal food opportunity for all communities, Nancy later joined the United Nations leadership team for the World Food Programme. This job included living in Italy, but when she returned to DC, she became the Capital Area Food Bank Program Chief Executive Officer.
Looking for ways to serve more people, Nancy became the Chief Executive Officer of Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) in 2017. This nonprofit organization is dedicated to supporting healthful food in partnership with Michelle Obama. PHA’s mission is to help create healthier communities through good food and to make good food available to all Americans.
When COVID-19 hit, Nancy and Steve decided to relocate to their North Carolina beach house and work remotely. After the pandemic ended, they realized they did not have to return to DC to live and began to search for a house in North Carolina. “When we turned into Fearrington, we saw the cows, the silo, and the trees. I turned to Steve and said, ‘I think this might be the place.’ ”
Not long after moving to Fearrington Village, Nancy became involved with Fearrington Cares. When asked for counsel, she suggested that focus groups would be a solid way to begin strategic planning centered on community needs. Nancy then offered to lead the focus groups, working with Betty Robie, Beth Coulombe, and Jodi Allen. After receiving more than a thousand pieces of feedback from the various Fearrington neighborhoods, the leadership of Fearrington Cares updated its strategic plan, centering it on healthy aging.
Now doing leadership coaching, Nancy also plays pickleball, gardens, reads, bikes with her husband, and serves on various nonprofit boards. Once listed in “The 100 Most Powerful Women in Washington,” Nancy brought her visionary leadership skills to Fearrington Village.
“Do you miss Washington?” I asked. “Not really,” Nancy replied. “And look out here.” She sweeps her arm and points to the stunning array of trees that back up to her property. “I get to go out on my back porch every morning and drink coffee while looking at the beautiful scenery.”
Yes, Fearrington in a nutshell.