Our Team

Select a member of our team to learn more Below

Liz Star
Elizabeth (Liz) Star, Founder
Julia Winer
Julia Winer, Trustee
Benjamin
Benjamin Winer, Trustee
Miranda Cominole, Executive Assistant

Elizabeth (LIZ) Star

Founder, Trustee

Liz Star is an undeniable and unstoppable catalyst for good, pushing tirelessly for results-oriented equitable systems change for positive whole child health outcomes. Put plainly, she gets great work done to make life better for our state’s youngest children and their families. Liz centers children and families in cross-sector work ranging from maternal health, trauma-informed judicial systems, parenting education and home visiting research, and evidence-based community infrastructure strategies. Liz is the ultimate connector who learns, researches, convenes, advocates and leverages community momentum- and puts her money where her mouth (or maybe her heart) is- while leading Charlotte and the Carolinas to better outcomes for children and families.

Miranda Cominole

Executive Assistant

I was inspired to join the HopeStar Foundation because of its mission to strengthen families and promote early childhood development—values that align closely with my academic background in Sociology and Gender & Women’s Studies from Appalachian State University.

My previous experience in community-based research and administrative coordination has given me a strong foundation in organization, communication, and collaboration. I’ve worked with local government and health initiatives to support equitable access to resources, which deepened my commitment to community-centered work. As Executive Assistant, I look forward to contributing my skills in project management and stakeholder support to help HopeStar’s programs thrive. I’m excited to begin this journey with a team so dedicated to creating lasting, positive impact for children, mothers, and families as a whole.

 

Julia Winer

Trustee

Julia graduated from Elon University with a degree in Public Health in May 2020. Shortly after, at the height of the pandemic, Julia started her Master’s degree in Public Health at NYU’s School of Global Public Health. She moved to Manhattan in April 2021 to finish her program in person. Currently, Julia is the Development Operations Associate at the Familial Dysautonomia (FD) Foundation in NYC.

Benjamin Winer

Trustee

Benjamin is a student at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, where he focuses on his passion for urban development and creating more sustainable environments. His academic pursuits reflect his commitment to innovative solutions that balance growth with ecological responsibility.

Advisory Board

Susan Gale Perry, CEO Child Care Aware of America

Dan Gerlach, Dan Gerlach, LLC.

Carmen Hooker-Odom, Secretary of the North Carolina Health and Human Services, Retired

Sara Horstmann, MD, Atrium Health

Brandon Lofton, Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson, P.A.

Amelia Thorn, JD, Senior Lecturing Fellow, Duke University School of Law; Senior Assistant Director, Bolch Judicial Institute

Judge Elizabeth T. Trosch, North Carolina Judicial District 26

Stacy Warren, The Duke Endowment

Mary Louise Cohen, Phillips & Cohen LLP

Gibbie Harris, Former Public Health Director of Mecklenburg County

Jen Zuckerman, Principal, Zuckerman Consulting LLC

Kody Kinsley, Secretary of North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services

Robin Jenkins, Senior Implementation Specialist, Impact Center at Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute

Ben David, CEO of New Hanover Family Justice Center