Circles Henderson County
Circles Henderson County seeks to inspire and equip our community to reduce poverty and remove the barriers that stand in the way to financial security. Poverty is more than a lack of material wealth, sometimes it means relying on family, friends and government assistance which can be dehumanizing. When people achieve financial security, they experience a surge of pride and confidence. Often, they say they have regained their dignity, their value, and their humanity.
At Circles Henderson County, we believe everyone can work together to reduce and eradicate poverty. The Circles model focuses both on what individuals can do to change their situations and on what society can do to remove the barriers that stand in their way.
We also provide resource-based support through Circles Resource Teams. Each of the five teams is comprised of community volunteers who offer their time and talents by providing connections to area resources the Circle Leaders need to reach financial stability.
The Circles Chapter Team
Lin Johnson
Circles Coordinator
LinJohnson6@gmail.com
Lin Johnson joined Circles Henderson County in November 2025. Lin is the Community Coordinator and takes on the tasks of leading our Chapter, fundraising and educating the community about Circles and our mission, "Building Community to End Poverty".
Lin is a retired Presbyterian PCUSA Commissioned Pastor. Before locating to Hendersonville, NC, Lin lived in Miamisburg, OH and Fort Myers, FL where she worked as a Mortgage Banker and assisted her clients with credit counseling, specializing in government loan programs.
Lin and her husband Gene Carlson, share 5 children and 12 amazing grandchildren (her grandkiddos). They have lived in Hendersonville, NC for 14 years. Her best times are spent with family, friends and enjoying the Western North Carolina hiking trails and camping.
The opportunity to work with the Circles Henderson County Chapter is a "Bucket List" dream that has come true and will become even better once our community embraces the new and exciting work that Circles brings to our community. Lin invites everyone to join her and the wonderful team at Circles Henderson County to build a community that ends poverty. Not via a service of products supplied but by educating, training and supporting our neighbors that are in the deep depths of poverty and want to find a better way to live and thrive.
Lin is available to speak at your club, church or civic organization to spread the news that a different way to end poverty in our communities does exist.
In 2025, Lin and her husband sold their baking mix manufacturing business, Mimi's Mountain Mixes after a successful 10 year period.
Stephanie Dasai
Circles Coach
stephanie.dasai@TCQR.org
Stephanie Dasai is the Circles Coach whose primary role is to work within the Circles community, supporting Circle Leaders, Allies, and volunteers. The Coach is the person on whom participants and volunteers call when they have questions or concerns within the Circles community.
She graduated Radford University with her Bachelors in Psychology and has worked in the non-profit sector for more then 5 years. Stephanie centers community, transformation and curiosity in her day to day practices. Her strengths lie in her facilitation skills, public speaking and compassion for others. As a Queer Latina women, Stephanie thrives to dispute systemic oppression and support community members in finding stability and connection.
Paul Hugger
Founder and Board Chair
PaulHugger@gmail.com
Rev. Paul Hugger (pronounced Hugh-ger) brought the Circles model to Henderson County, drawing from his experienceat Wilkes Regional Medical Center, in Wilkes County, NC. He served there as the hospital chaplain and health promotiom, as Executive Director of the Wilkes Community Health Council. In this role he organized a community forum where he was introduced to the CirclesUSA model. This led Paul to help start a Circles chapter focused on building community to end poverty as a contributor to preventable illness.
Paul is an ordained Baptist minister who has successfully started new congregations in West Virginia and Georgia. His background in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) led him to chaplaincy in hospital and hospice settings, where he saw firsthand how poverty contributes to poor health outcomes. While working in hospice, Paul earned a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Appalachian State University and later worked in a private counseling practice and bereavement support at hospice.
After retiring in 2019, Paul and his wife, Vickie, relocated to Henderson County to be closer to family. They are active members of Trinity Presbyterian Church, PCUSA, where they found a community committed to supporting those marginalized by society. Paul enjoys gardening, singing in the church choir, and spending time with his two grandchildren, Fiona and Rowan.
He also enjoys exercising at the YMCA. He says his goal is to keep body and soul together as long as possible.
Nitiki Kilgore (Nickie)
Circles Support Volunteer
NitikiKilgore5385@gmail.com
Nickie Kilgore holds a degree in Sociology and a Master’s in Social Work, with more than 15 years of experience in Human Services. In her role as Social Worker and Resource Coordinator at The Free Clinics, she brings together professional expertise and lived experience with poverty to help neighbors move toward with stability and self-sufficiency. Deeply committed to community impact, Nickie also supports the Henderson County Circles chapter in its work to address and reduce poverty. Outside of work, she enjoys exploring Western North Carolina with her family, attending community events and volunteering.