Meet Our Board of Directors

Spoma moved to Greensboro in 2001 to work at UNCG as a professor in the Department of Communication Studies and shortly thereafter became an owner and supporter of Deep Roots. Her enthusiasm for community, ethics, justice, and democracy has been put to use to help establish community gardens, secure more bus benches and shelters, introduce Participatory Budgeting to the city, and support the Greensboro Truth and Community Reconciliation Project. She served on the city’s Commission on the Status of Greensboro and has volunteered with many neighborhood organizations and local nonprofits committed to having conversations and taking action to make the future better for all, not just some. She is married to retired civil rights attorney Lewis Pitts and lives in College Hill with their beagle puppy, Bernie. In addition to spending time playing tennis, reading, and attending protests and rallies for racial and economic justice, Spoma enjoys cooking with products found at Deep Roots but admittedly, she likes eating those creations even more.

Brittany began her journey in the cooperative food movement in 2013 at the Dill Pickle Food Co-op in Chicago. Through her participation in the Co-op, her life was radically changed. She moved to Greensboro (because it had a food Co-op) in 2016, and started to work at Deep Roots. She continued to work for the store until 2023. She is enthusiastic to serve the store in her new role as the Boards Secretary. She runs Sun and Soil Farm with her husband in Madison, NC where they organically grow an assortment of vegetables, herbs, fruits & flowers. Brittany's life passion is creating a vibrant local food system that supports producers, farmers & the community. Brittany's other hobbies include homesteading, winemaking, camping, quilting, cooking, learning, reading & spreadsheets.

Debra Clark Smith El has lived in Greensboro, North Carolina, for 20 years and has been married to her husband Dennis for 22 years. With over 15 years of experience in accounting, she has a strong track record of providing exceptional service and optimizing operations for executives and managers across multiple locations. Her skill set includes administrative support, client relationship management, and effective communication, both independently and in team environments.

Debra earned an Associate Degree in Global Logistics Technology from Guilford Technical Community College in 2012, followed by a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Strayer University, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 2018. She completed her Master’s Degree in Accounting with a concentration in Forensics at Strayer in 2022, also graduating with honors.

An active member of several honor societies, Debra possesses a strong analytical mindset and a deep understanding of financial principles. She is also the owner of Smith El Tax and Business Center, supporting small businesses in her community.

Cecelia discovered Deep Roots to promote her family's health and prevent hereditary issues. She and her husband have been loyal supporters since the early 80s. Cecelia is the President of Bezingy, Inc., a small honey supply business established by her son in 2010, which sells raw honey online and in-person while relying on landowners committed to natural farming practices.

She holds a B.S. and an M.A. in Mathematics from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University and UNC-Greensboro, respectively, and retired from a successful 28-year career at Wells Fargo. Cecelia and her husband, Levern Allen Jr., are certified beekeepers and active members of the Guilford County Beekeepers Association. In her free time, Cecelia enjoys quilting, collecting cookbooks, gardening, canning, and creating healthy recipes.