Dr. Erin Wood, an assistant professor of psychology at Catawba College, has just accepted the position of president on the board of directors of a local non-profit backpack program, Food for Thought. She follows Mrs. Paula Mead in the position, and will work closely over the next year with the organization's new Executive Director Mrs. Carol Herndon, the full board, and Catawba College Psychology Department intern, Kathleen Burris of Mt. Pleasant, N.C.
Food for Thought works in combination with a variety of community and ecumenical organizations to provide weekend food throughout the school year to food insecure children. Currently, students in 16 local elementary and middle schools are being served, and the organization is growing rapidly.
Dr. Wood said she is "excited to be a player in this crucial program and looks forward to continuing making connections across the community by focusing on the most essential needs of our children."
Dr. Wood joined the Catawba College Faculty in 2010. A native of Madison County, Va., she received her bachelor's degree in psychology and her master's and doctoral degrees in biopsychology all from Virginia Commonwealth University.
