Leadership Wilmington Alumni Council July 23-June 24

Maggi Apel

Greater Wilmington Business Journal/WILMA magazine, Senior Marketing Consultant

Shanda Bordeaux

Wilmington Christian Academy, Director of Development

Jason Clamme

Lower Cape Fear LifeCare, Engagement Manager

Jerry Coleman

Cape Fear Community College, Small Business Center Director

Jerry Coleman, director of CFCC’s Small Business Center, has decades of experience in business and consulting, having owned his own consumer products manufacturing company in Wilmington NC. Jerry is committed to helping other small business owners succeed. “Starting, managing and growing a small business can be a daunting task. At CFCC’s Small Business Center, we help entrepreneurs plan and navigate the startup process; getting off to a good, solid start is essential. We really do become a partner and are always available to act as a coach and cheerleader for our clients. We will work with them as long as necessary to keep them going and help them achieve their goals and be successful in the long run.” Jerry earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from East Carolina University, and Master of Business Administration at UNCW. He earned his certificate in Project Management from UNCW and has secured multiple patents.

Chris Edwards

Ward and Smith, P.A., Attorney

Renee Jones

A Creative Touch, Inc., Chief Executive Officer

Founder, CEO, and Queen of Promotional Products who holds two Industry certifications (MASI, MAS+) - an accomplishment that less than 3% of promotional and advertising professionals have!  Currently serving as a Board of Directors for the Promotional Products Association International.   A member of Wilmington Central Rotary and the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary.

 

Thad Leister

GE Hitachi

J. C. Lyle

Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry, Executive Director

Henry Miller

M & N Construction Supply, Inc., President

Nicolas Montoya

Blockade Runner Beach Resort, General Manager

Jeremy Roberts

PBMares, LLP , Partner

Jennifer Smith

New Hanover County, Fire Battalion Chief

Jason Wheeler

Pathfinder Wealth Consulting, CEO and Wealth Advisor

Jason was born in Dayton, Ohio, but grew up in eastern North Carolina. He graduated from UNCW with a BS in finance and an MBA. Rob Penn, Jason’s business partner, hired him in 1999 and the two began a successful business relationship, highlighted by the formation of Pathfinder Wealth Consulting in 2005.

Jason’s passion for the business begins with helping our clients, working with select families to accomplish their personal and business goals. Jason’s role also includes managing the firm, leading its growth initiatives, and enhancing operations.

Jason resides in Wilmington with his wife, Ashley and their daughter, Merritt.

Jeremy Wilson

Ward and Smith, P.A.

John Zachary

Pathfinder Wealth Consulting, Partner & Wealth Advisor

Katharine Barrack

PPD Development LLP, Senior Manager

Stephanie Bolton

Patriot Roofing Company LLC, Owner

Ruth Ravitz Smith

RR Smith Strategic Solutions (R2S3) & New Lantern Partners

Jon Mason

City of Wilmington, Fire Chief

Michael Lee

Lee Kaess, PLLC, Member

David Flory

Highlands Residential Mortgage

Anne Gardner

Cape Fear Realtors, CEO

Anne is the Chief Executive Officer of Cape Fear REALTORS^®, a local trade association representing more than 3,400 real estate professionals in Wilmington and the greater Cape Fear region. She has represented professional and trade organization in the Washington, D.C. area, central Virginia and Wilmington, NC. Anne holds a Masters of Business Administration in Organizational Leadership from the Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Tech. 
 
She is an active volunteer, having served as a mentor for local leadership programs and is a member of the Cape Fear Rotary. She recently completed terms on the board of the of the Thomas Jefferson Community Land Trust,  Central Virginia Partnership for Economic Development and the Salvation Army Corps of Charlottesville.

Natalie English

Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, President and CEO

Sarah Stone

Excite Credit Union, Director of Retail Experience

Alisha Richardson

RE/MAX Essential, Owner/Director of Operations

Alisha Richardson has excelled in management and leadership in her 20-year career in the real estate industry. As co-owner and CEO of RE/MAX Essential, Alisha is responsible for running all facets of the company, including daily operations, business planning, and overall strategy, growth, and development for the company.  She plays a leading role in training, mentoring, and accountability for over 50 agents and staff. 

Andrea Troccia

Corning Credit Union

Michael Goodson

Clancy & Theys Construction Company

Amy Schaefer

Lee Kaess, PLLC, Attorney

Angela Douglas

LS3P Associates LTD., Healthcare Architect/Operations/Finance

Logan Thompson

Cape Fear Community College, Foundation Director

Ashley Wells

University of North Carolina Wilmington, Associate School Director, School of Health and Applied Human Sciences

I serve in the role of Associate School Director for Quality Assurance and Associate Professor of Practice in the School of Health and Applied Human Sciences within the College of Health and Human Services at UNCW.  In this role I support our faculty, students, and staff with program development and quality assurance, community engagement strategy, and DEI goals.  Prior to this role I served as the inaugural Assistant Dean for Community Engagement in the College of Health and Human Services at UNCW.  I began my professional journey in 2005 at the University of Georgia and am a proud triple-Dawg, having earned three degrees from my beloved alma matter!  I am thrilled to now be in North Carolina and enjoy all that our coastal environment has to offer!

Alison Baringer

North Carolina Azalea Festival, Executive Director

Brian Rector

Coastal Beverage Co., Inc., CFO

Stephanie Kraybill

New Hanover County Schools, Board of Education

Laura Brogdon-Primavera

Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, Director of Programs & Initiatives

Abby Lorenzo

City of Wilmington

Dianne Jinwright

The Women Encouragement Living and Learning Place, Inc. (The WELL Place), President

Denise Kinney

Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage, President

Monica Valsi

North Carolina State Ports Authority, Project Manager

Monica Valsi, E.I. is a Project Manager in the Engineering Department with the North Carolina State Ports Authority (NCSPA).  She graduated from NC State University with a BS in Civil Engineering.  Monica has 30 years of experience in the civil engineering and construction project management industry.  Monica currently provides professional engineering and construction project management services for the construction, repair, maintenance, planning, design, and/or procurement of facilities and equipment for the waterfront and landside terminals operated by the NCSPA.

Outside of work Monica enjoys spending time with her significant other, kayaking, hiking, working out, listening to podcasts, and traveling.  She volunteers at several non-profit organizations including Paws Place, Habitat for Humanity, American Heart Association, and Work on Wilmington.

Donna Fayko

New Hanover County, Health and Human Services Director

Nathaniel Cook

Block, Crouch, Keeter, Behm & Sayed, LLP, Associate Attorney

Nate was born in Rochester, New York in 1988, and has called Wilmington home since his family relocated to Wilmington in 2001. Nate graduated from Elon University School of Law with a JD in May, 2017. Nate graduated from Appalachian State University with a BS in Political Science in May, 2011. Nate also earned a real estate track paralegal certificate from Cape Fear Community College in 2013. Before joining Block, Crouch, Keeter, Behm & Sayed, LLP, Nate previously practiced with Price & Williams, P.A. in Wilmington. In his spare time Nate enjoys spending time with his girlfriend Hayley, their dog Baxter, his family, and his friends. Nate also enjoys going to the beach, snowboarding, biking, traveling, going to concerts, and brewing beer.

Derek Mickler

City of Wilmington, Chief of Operations

Bradley Merritt

Southern Bank & Trust Company

Linda Stinson

RLS Focused Solutions

Connie Ronner

Live Oak Bank, VP, Senior Portfolio Analyst

Paul Stavovy

Cape Fear Community Land Trust, Executive Director

Heather McWhorter

UNCW Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Executive Director

Heather is the Director of the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) (uncw.edu/cie). CIE nurtures high-impact startups with education, connections, and incubation and collision space, and accelerates the entrepreneurial ecosystem in southeastern North Carolina as a vibrant hub of innovation.

Ryan Casey

Tilia Fiduciary Partners, Inc, Investment Advisor

Erin Keller

Turn Key Lifestyle, Owner

Kim Boyce

Smart Start of New Hanover County

Suzanne Jalot

Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry, Director of Communications

Matt Hilliard

Customers Bank

Graham Elmore

Vantaca, Director of People + Culture

Graham Elmore is the Director of People + Culture at Vantaca. Vantaca is a fast-growing, Wilmington based, fintech company that provides a cloud-based software solution that supports over 20,000 homeowner associations and 2.5 million homeowners. As the Director of People + Culture, Graham supports and drives initiatives that provide a world-class employee experience.

Prior to working with Vantaca, Graham spent over a decade as an educator in the roles of Teacher, Coach, Assistant Principal, and Principal for New Hanover County Schools.

Graham is a two-time graduate of UNC Wilmington and holds a Masters of School Administration and an undergraduate degree in Middle Grades Education, with a concentration in Math and Science. Graham is also a North Carolina Principal Fellow and North Carolina Teaching Fellow.

Kandra Romeo

Self-Help Credit Union, Director of Community Engagement

Albert Steed

True IP Solutions, COO

Kevin Crane

WHQR Public Radio 91.3 FM, General Manager

Amber Walters

Monteith Construction Corp., Integrated Marketing Manager

Alex Bouknight

The Carousel Center, Finance Manager

Matthew Tulipani

Piedmont Service Group, Business Development

Patrice Faison

New Hanover County Schools, Chief Academic Officer

I am the Chief Academic Officer for New Hanover County Schools. My primary responsibilities include overseeing academic programs and policies. Before this role, I served as an Executive Leadership Coach for Wake County Schools. I am currently in my twenty-seventh year in education. Throughout my career, I have found pleasure in serving my community by enhancing students’ lives. 

Thom Moton

City of Wilmington, Deputy City Manager

Max Nunez

New Hanover County Public Library, Librarian

Leslie Irving

City of Wilmington, Lieutenant/Public Information Officer

Chris Faircloth

Christopher Faircloth

Dory Weiss

VIIZR , Head of Product

Mallorie Moore

Michele Bennett

Corey Douglas

Rodgers

Jason Lovelace

Samet Corporation, Pre-Construction Project Executive

Riley Stephenson

Rockefeller Capital Management, Associate Vice President, Wealth Manager

Emma Ericksen

Thomas Construction Group, LLC, Marketing Coordinator