Mike is the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Communities In Schools of North Carolina.  He came to CISNC in 1994 after having served 22 years with the United States Army. Mike believes that non-profits should be managed fiscally and operationally just like a for-profit company—“Doing good works is important, but good works without sound business practices leads to a short-lived program.  By practicing sound financial management and servant-leadership principles, non-profits can do good works and flourish during thin economic times as well as flush."  Mike is a graduate of North Carolina State University and holds a Masters in Public Administration from Western Kentucky University.  He resides in Raleigh, North Carolina with Adair, his wife of 31 years, and their English Setter, Sassie.  His son, Jon, is on the staff at Brier Creek Country Club, and his daughter Kristin, who also does non-profit work, lives in Raleigh with her husband, Joe, and their two children, Bailey and Jack.

Tom is President and COO of Welty Building Company, LLC of North Carolina, a large construction management and general construction company located in Cary, NC, where he serves as project executive and oversees Welty’s operations. Tom attended the Milwaukee School of Engineering studying thermal design, HVAC, and process piping. He practiced as a design engineer for a mechanical contractor in Tallahassee Florida, relocating to Charlotte, North Carolina in 1974 where he became project manager of construction for Edward E Huff Company. He then relocated to the Triangle area in 1991, continuing his career in the construction industry, and joined Welty Building Company in 2009. Tom has managed in excess of $1 billion dollars in construction management, development and general construction throughout his career and has completed projects at Ft Bragg, Camp LeJeune, University of North Carolina, and Wake County Schools among many others throughout the Southeast and Mid-west.

Amy is the Chief Operating Officer with Atlantic Tire & Service, a tire and automotive repair facility with three locations in Raleigh, Cary, and Durham. In this role, Amy manages several aspects of the business including Human Resources, Accounting, Marketing, and Public Relations. Prior to joining Atlantic Tire & Service in 2007, Amy began her career in the banking industry in 2000 as a Branch Manager, and has worked for both Capital Bank and Central Carolina Bank.  Amy earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Forensic Anthropology from Appalachian State University and joined Alpha Delta Pi. As a North Carolina native growing up in Hillsborough, Amy developed a passion for children and education fueled by her parents’ philanthropic nature; her mother and father were house parents to orphaned children at the Crossnore School for Children and her father served on the Orange County Board of Education. Amy resides in Raleigh, and is a proud mother to her one year old son, Ward.

David started working for Carolina Power & Light as a scientist in 1974, after receiving his BA in Geography from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his MA in Environmental Studies from the University of Wyoming. As he moved up the ranks and his responsibilities within the company evolved, he switched gears in 1990 and went to Washington DC as a federal lobbyist to represent CP&L and eventually Progress Energy after the merger with Florida Progress. Although retired since December 2005, he continues to consult with Progress Energy as well as other charities and non-profit organizations. David lives in Raleigh and spends much of his time giving back to the community--over the years his activities have included two PTA boards, soccer coach for both Salvation Army and CASL teams, teaching in the PAGE program for gifted and talented students, Tribal Chief with the YMCA Indian Guides, the Raleigh Bicycle Task Force as well as founding and directing a high school scholarship for his late wife.

Lisa joined Cisco Systems in October 2010 as an Executive Communication Manager for Global Sales Operations, Centers of Excellence. A senior communication professional with extensive knowledge in strategic planning, integrated communication, and visual communication, Lisa designs and develops communication strategies and day-to-day communication deliverables from executive points of view. Prior to joining Cisco, Lisa spent three years at internationally recognized Deveney Communication in New Orleans, Louisiana after her time as a consultant for Zehno Communications, specializing in marketing and communication for organizations with an educational mission. Before her consulting experience, Lisa owned Vi-Comm, a visual communication firm for 15 years. She was named to New Orleans-based Gambit Weekly's “40 Under 40” list and included in New Orleans CityBusiness' “Power Generation” based on accomplishments and leadership, both professionally and in the community. Lisa holds a Bachelor of Arts with concentration in Fine Arts and Design from the University of New Orleans.

Venessa is the Executive Director and Chief of Staff to the President of AT&T North Carolina operations. In this role she oversees the company’s community engagement activities, including local government relations, economic development, and corporate philanthropy. A 30-year veteran of the communications industry, Venessa served in network staff and line management positions as well as the regulatory department before moving to her current position in July 2001. A native of Raleigh, Ms. Harrison is a graduate of University of Phoenix and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management. She is deeply committed to the cause of educational opportunity for all children, particularly in the area of college access. She is a member of numerous local civic organizations, including N.C. Bankers Association Camp Challenge Advisory Board, Johnson C. Smith University Board of Visitors, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Parent University. She was recently appointed to the State Superintendent’s Career Ready Commission and is also engaged in the Women’s Intercultural Exchange initiatives. Ms. Harrison is married and has two children, including one adult daughter in Atlanta and one daughter who is a senior at North Carolina A&T State University.

Anne has worked as IBM’s Manager of Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs for North Carolina, South Carolina and West Virginia since 2000. She began her career in graphic design with Louisiana Public Broadcasting, and through her time at  WTVI-TV Charlotte, the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, The TCI Companies and United Way of Central Carolinas, Inc she has build a career of program and project management involving the successful communication and marketing of products, services and events. Ann has received numerous awards and recognitions, including a North Carolina Governor’s Award, and has been very involved in the community, serving on several Boards of Director, the Charlotte Chamber and the UWCC Business Volunteerism Council.

Keith has more than 20 years of public relations, corporate communications and crisis management experience. His diverse background includes corporate, agency, political and non-profit public relations. He currently serves as Director of Communications for Time Warner Cable based in Raleigh, North Carolina and is responsible for local media relations, community relations and employee communications. Before that, Keith was managing director of Corporate Communications at AGL Resources, a Fortune 1000 natural gas/energy holding company, where he provided strategic direction for external, customer and employee communications, as well as corporate branding. Prior to that, Keith was director of Public Relations and Employee Communications for Progress Energy, vice president/account supervisor for Ketchum Public Relations in Washington, D.C.,and public relations director of the National Alliance of Business (NAB), a nonprofit organization focused primarily on education, workforce and workplace issues. He began his career in communications in the writer’s group for the Jack Kemp for President campaign in 1987. Keith received his bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Karl serves as Leader of the NC STEM Community Collaborative, a partnership housed at MCNC with North Carolina communities, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Battelle Memorial Institute and other corporate & education stakeholders. The NC STEM Community Collaborative helps communities throughout North Carolina ensure that all students engage in rigorous & relevant science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education that provides them with good choices in life and bolsters the economic strength of their communities.In this role, Karl is responsible for the operations, growth, and executive leadership of NC STEM. Karl, a social entrepreneur, brings extensive public and private sector expertise from a diverse background, domestically and abroad, including as a teacher, charter school administrator, successfultechnology executive in high-growth environments, entrepreneur, and improv comic. Karl graduated from University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill as a NC Teaching Fellow and James M. Johnston Scholar. Karl has completed certificates from CalTech, UCLA Anderson Business School Extension, the Institute for International Mediation and Conflict Resolution (IIMCR), and is a 2009 Education Policy Fellow with the NC Public School Forum’s EPFP program.

Brian currently serves as Director of Human Resources for Rex Healthcare, a 394-bed healthcare system in Raleigh, North Carolina. During his career at Rex, he has also served as Director of Laboratory Services and Administrator of Rex Nursing Care Center of Apex. Brian has maintained a Nursing Home Administrator license since 1995 and is a past member of the North Carolina Health Care Facilities Association Board of Directors, and was recently named to the Triangle Business Journal's "40 under 40" list for 2011. He holds a bachelor of arts in Biology and a Master of Healthcare Administration from UNC-Chapel Hill. Brian and his wife Amy have two children, Savannah and Reed, and his interests include sports, automobiles, and family.

Ken was born in Tortola, British Virgin Islands and grew up on St. Thomas, USVI. At the age of 6, Ken saw a television for the first time and the first program he ever saw on television was a newscast. At that point, he knew he wanted to be a television news reporter. Now a reporter and anchor with WRAL-TV in the Raleigh-Durham area, he has also worked in cities all over the country, including Savannah, Georgia, Portland, Oregon and Montgomery, Alabama. Awards received include a 2008 Mid-South Regional Emmy for best weekend newscast as well as two Georgia Associated Press awards for best spot news and best feature. Ken holds a BA in Mass Communications with a minor in Speech Communications from the University of South Florida, Tampa. He volunteers his time as a mentor with his church, Avent Ferry United Methodist Church, Wake County Schools and a number of non profit groups including Special Olympics North Carolina in addition to serving on several Boards of Director.

A native of Fayetteville, NC, Sam began his career with Carolina Power & Light, now Progress Energy, in 1987.  After working several jobs in different locations, including Progress Energy’s Florida organization, he returned to Raleigh in his current role as Director of Resource Management and Construction for Progress Energy Carolina. In this role, Sam is responsible for the efficient development and implementation of the distribution construction process.  His organization handles the engineering design, the making of effective labor resource assignments, and the scheduling of work, monitoring and measuring results, and ensuring the implementation of appropriate project management.  In addition, he is responsible for the work force strategy which incorporates the efficient use of internal employees and contractors. Sam resides in Raleigh with his wife, Karen, and five-year-old daughter, Rosemary.  He has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from North Carolina State University and is a registered Professional Engineer in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida.

bio coming soon

Jaz is a Community Relations Manager with Piedmont Natural Gas Company (PNG). He serves as one of PNG’s key representatives for the eastern region of North Carolina. His primary responsibilities include strategically managing Piedmont’s corporate philanthropy program and strengthening its external community relationships. He also engages in government relations activities which include developing and advocating for PNG’s legislative priorities at all levels of government. Jaz is very active in the community, through participation with a host of non-profit organizations including United Way, YMCA, Junior Achievement and F4K.  He is also a proud graduate of Leadership North Carolina. He earned a Bachelor's Degree from Johnson C. Smith University, and Master's Degrees in Public Administration and Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Winthrop University respectively.

Barbara has been actively engaged in the development of families and students throughout her professional career, beginning with her undergraduate studies at Ohio State University. After graduation she began teaching and transitioned into Career Explorations, helping prepare students for the workforce and training educators in delivering career information. Barbara has been a Career Development Coordinator at three schools since entering the Wake County Public School System and has developed effective Business Alliances at each school, providing valuable opportunities for students to connect classroom learning with their career future. Barbara received her MS from NCSU in Occupational Education, is certified as a Workforce Development Director, and received recognition as a National Board Certified Teacher in 2000. She has been involved in developing numerous CTE curriculum and testing modules, and has also been designated as a team leader at the state level. Barbara is currently a member of the new Heritage High School staff and serves as School Improvement Chair, Career Development Coordinator, and Special Populations Coordinator.

Betty is recently retired as the Career Development Coordinator at Middle Creek High School in the Wake County Public School System. She was hired into this position after spending more than eight years as the Career Development Consultant for the NC State Department of Public Instruction in Raleigh, NC. She is a Nationally Certified Counselor and a Nationally Certified Career Development Facilitator.At DPI Betty Jo was responsible for the state’s career development process and the functions of the state’s 350 Career Development Coordinators. In addition, she worked with the state’s school counselors in the areas of curriculum and staff development. Dr. Wimmer has worked in ten school systems in six states and brings a diverse array of experiences to her current position. Her hobbies include reading, writing creative non-fiction and spoiling three adorable grandchildren.