Leadership Wilmington Alumni Council July 23-June 24
Maggi Apel
Wilmington Media & Marketing
Senior Marketing Consultant
Shanda Bordeaux
Wilmington Christian Academy
Director of Development
Jason Clamme
Lower Cape Fear LifeCare
Director of Community Engagement
Jerry Coleman
_1211719.jpg)
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.
Henry Miller
M & N Construction Supply, Inc.
President
Nicolas Montoya
Trailborn Surf & Sound
General Manager
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
David Flory
Highlands Residential Mortgage
Natalie English
Wilmington Chamber of Commerce
President and CEO
Sarah Stone
Excite Credit Union
Director of Retail Experience
Alisha Richardson
RE/MAX Essential
Director of Operations
Michael Goodson
Clancy & Theys Construction Company
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
VP, Leadership Development
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
Donna Fayko
New Hanover County
Health and Human Services Director
Johnna Dodrill
Porters Neck Village
Director of Facility Services
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
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
Kim Boyce
Smart Start of New Hanover County
Program Director
Suzanne Jalot
WARM NC
Chief Development Officer
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
Kevin Crane
WHQR Public Radio 91.3 FM
General Manager
Amber Walters Burnette
Monteith Construction Corp.
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
Kellie Lewis
Customers Bank
VP Commercial Relationship Manager
Chris Faircloth
Christopher Faircloth
Shannon Lanier
Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard, LLP
Director of Marketing and Business Development
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
Monica Valsi
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Capital Project Manager
Paul Stavovy
Cape Fear Community Land Trust, Inc.
Executive Director
As Executive Director of CFCLT, Workforce Housing Advisory Committee appointee, member of NC Leadership Forum, & past-Chair of CF Housing Coalition, Paul Stavovy is deeply immersed in housing. His MPA degree, a lifetime of building, & strong nonprofit management, make Paul a housing expert. As construction manager for New Orleans Habitat post-Katrina, Paul built over 200 homes with 1000s of volunteers. As a remodeler, & owner of Classic Craftsmen LLC, Paul has amassed decades of design, building, remodeling, & PM experience, while his graduate education provided in-depth knowledge of urban policy, planning, land use, sustainability, & housing policy. Paul’s goal is to use his practical experience, coupled with his education & training, to have a positive impact on housing & the greater community. Paul is a critical thinker and eternal optimist.
Andrea Troccia
Indigo Shore Development
Owner/Manager
Jessica Humphries
Farrell Smith O’Connell Aarsheim Aprans LLP
Attorney at Law
+resize_57967.jpg)
