Kiran Handa Gaudioso is Chief Executive Officer of United Way of Northern New Jersey and president of United For ALICE. She has overseen strategic planning for how the organization fulfills its mission of improving life for ALICE and those in poverty at the local, state, and national level, including United for ALICE. This national research-based initiative provides an accurate study of households that earn above the poverty level but less than a basic cost of living.
During the pandemic, she led the establishment of the ALICE Recovery Fund and the creation of an innovative childcare pilot, United in Care. She was asked by Governor Murphy to co-chair the Third Sector Advisory Council to work with public sector leaders across the state to develop relief, recovery, and re-imagination strategies to support ALICE.

Prior to joining United Way, Kiran served as interim CEO and vice president of Program Operations at New Jersey After 3, the public-private partnership that worked to provide safe, quality after-school and expanded learning time programs for 15,000 public school students in New Jersey. Kiran developed programmatic and operational management expertise while serving as director of Mentoring, Volunteerism & Enrichment Programs at Sponsor for Educational Opportunity in NYC.

Early in her career, as a policy adviser under former Governor James Florio, Kiran was instrumental in establishing AmeriCorps in New Jersey.

Kiran received her B.A. in political science and policy studies from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. She received a fellowship to attend The Eagleton Institute of Public Politics at Rutgers University, earning her M.A. in political science. She is a lifelong New Jersey resident and prides herself on being a “Jersey girl.”

Recognized as a top North Carolina political influencer and one of the state’s most influential lobbyists, Bruce Thompson leads Parker Poe’s Government & Public Policy Group. He concentrates his practice in governmental and regulatory activities, including legislative representation and counsel before the United States Congress and the North Carolina General Assembly. He also focuses on economic development initiatives, having represented some of the nation’s largest companies in incentives negotiations with local and state officials.

He has been named to Woodward/White’s The Best Lawyers in America since 2008 and listed among the “Most Influential Lobbyists” by the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research.

Shereá D. Burnett, J.D., VSP (she/her) is a dedicated advocate and visionary leader committed to advancing equity for underrepresented communities. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Shereá earned degrees in Political Science and Afro-American Studies, with a minor in Social and Economic Justice. She also earned her Juris Doctorate from Elon University School of Law.

As a citizen of the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, Shereá’s Afro-Indigenous heritage profoundly informs her work. Her career centers on building equitable systems, reshaping narratives around marginalized communities, and empowering those communities to lead transformative change.

Her impact spans housing and homelessness, domestic violence advocacy, and child and family welfare. She has directed housing programs and a domestic violence shelter, served as a Child Welfare Social Worker, and advocated for children in foster care as a Guardian ad Litem.

From August 2023 to October 2025, Shereá served as Executive Director of Partners Ending Homelessness in Guilford County, North Carolina. In November 2025, she became President of the United Way of Alamance County. Recognized for her dynamic approach to civic engagement, she also serves as an Adjunct Professor and contributes to community-focused publications. 

A strategic problem solver and passionate advocate, Shereá uses her platforms to raise awareness, strengthen communities, and foster meaningful dialogue on pressing social issues.

Heather Adams serves as the Executive Director of the Guilford County Partnership for Children, the local Smart Start agency providing support to children (prior to school entry) and their families. Prior roles include Vice President of Public Will Building at Ready for School, Ready for Life, Executive Director of the Rockingham County Partnership for Children and experience as an early childhood educator and a Montessori classroom teacher.

She is actively involved with the Blue Ridge Institute, a national leadership organization for social change agents, and served as the organization’s President from 2019–2021.
Heather holds a degree in Sociology from Guilford College and had the opportunity to spend a semester in Ghana as a student. Her time there significantly shaped her worldview and her commitment to service. The mother of a college-aged daughter, Heather is an avid runner who enjoys being outdoors.

Danielle is a strategist and developer of people, communities, and organizations. As a native of Guilford County, N.C., Harrison received most of her education in the Piedmont Triad. Having graduated from Guilford Technical Community College, Guilford College, and North Carolina Agricultural Technical State University, she received two undergraduate degrees in criminal justice and a master’s degree in adult education. Harrison received her doctorate degree in general education administration from Northcentral University.

For the past 18 years, workforce development has been a primary focal point for Dr. Harrison. She began her career working for the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, where she gained her passion for aiding individuals with their personal and professional transitions.

Harrison has taught workforce curricula, as well as created and stimulated future educators, while working in both two-year and four-year higher education institutions. She has trained and provided strategic planning and workforce analyses as a Health & Human Services Training and Quality Manager. She now serves as the Executive Director of the Guilford County Workforce Development Board and President of the GuilfordWorks Foundation.
Because of her endless community service, Harrison was a 2022 Triad Business Journal 40 Under 40 and 2024 Black Business Ink Power 100 Honoree, as well as a 2025 Triad Business Journal C-Suite awardee.

Raven Welch, Guilford County Nurse Manager, Cone Health Congregational & Community Nurse Program, is dedicated to bridging gaps in care and connecting people to the resources they need to achieve whole-person health (body, mind, and spirit) while also addressing the social drivers of health that impact vulnerable populations. The CCNP team serves both faith communities and community sites to promote health and prevent illness by meeting people where they are and building trusting, caring relationships within the populations that need it most.

In addition to her leadership role, Raven also serves as a Congregational Nurse at the Interactive Resource Center, where she provides care, advocacy, and encouragement to individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

David Williams, a Greensboro native, is the owner and president of Lorac Academy Truck Driving School, which operates in Guilford and Durham counties. Deeply committed to reentry initiatives in Guilford County, Williams understands firsthand the challenges individuals face when reintegrating after incarceration. Through his family-owned business, he has created pathways to meaningful employment for formerly incarcerated individuals, helping to expand opportunities and reduce recidivism. Williams’ leadership reflects his dedication to community empowerment and economic mobility through workforce development.

Alice Mahood is the Director of Integrated Data and Services for Guilford County and a graduate of the UNC School of Government. Her career has been dedicated to using good data to tell the stories that matter most—stories about people, communities, and the systems that connect them. With experience in local government across North Carolina and New England, Alice has worked to bridge the gap between information and action, helping teams see how data can illuminate challenges and spark meaningful change.

Stuart Mills is the Executive Director of Partners for Children & Families, Inc., the Smart Start agency in Moore County, North Carolina.  Partners for Children in Moore County is leading the effort to launch North Carolina’s new Tri-Share Child Care program. Stuart also serves as the Chairperson of North Carolina’s Financial Literacy Council.  He is a director of the Village Heritage Foundation in Pinehurst, NC and Chairperson of the Given Tufts Foundation.  Stuart was formerly a senior partner of Kirkland & Ellis and the head of their office in London.  Stuart is a lawyer and accountant by training, and an alum of the University of Chicago and the University of Michigan. 

With over 25 years of nonprofit leadership experience, Jessica Schultz currently serves as Vice President of Career Development Services with Goodwill Industries of Central North Carolina. After earning her bachelor’s degree in social work, Jessica began her career supporting at-risk youth in Washington State. Joining the Goodwill network in 2005, she spearheaded disability employment and training programs, advancing to senior mission leader and now leads workforce initiatives across a 13-county region.

Shaunté Kinch is a futurist, systems thinker, and service designer who helps organizations reimagine and realize equitable futures. As Founder and CEO of Empact Global, she works at the intersection of health, education, and community—three interdependent systems that both shape and are shaped by poverty.

Shaunté believes that lasting progress depends on addressing the feedback loops between these domains: how health affects learning and earning, how education drives opportunity and wellness, and how community networks sustain both. An engineer of better futures, she combines the rigor of engineering, the art of systems change, and the heart of people- centered design to help institutions elevate community voice.
With more than 20 years of experience spanning engineering, innovation, and social impact, Shaunté has partnered with organizations such as NASA, Stanford Health Care, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to improve access, equity, and outcomes.
Her regenerative—not extractive—approach centers people with lived experience in defining challenges and co-creating solutions that build long-term capacity for equity, dignity, and shared power.
Guided by her proprietary frameworks—REAL Futures™ (Reimagined, Equitable, Abundant, Liberated Futures) and FutureFlows™—Shaunté helps organizations move from vision to action by embedding equity within systems and culture. She is currently launching the Institute for a Better World, an education and research arm of Empact Global that expands access to futures thinking and literacy applied to social good.
A frequent speaker and facilitator, Shaunté has led sessions for the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Design for Dignity, and the Women in Engineering ProActive Network (WEPAN), sharing tools that help leaders design against systems of oppression and realize regenerative futures. Her bold goal—to positively impact five million lives by 2030—reflects her belief that every person and community holds the wisdom to shape a better world. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and three children, who inspire her daily to design futures filled with freedom, balance, and possibility.
www.shauntekinch.com | www.empactglobal.com

Jackie Donahue is the Market Vice President for the Triad region at Veterans Bridge Home (VBH), where she leads strategic growth, partnerships, and community engagement efforts to strengthen veteran employment and support ecosystems. Prior to this role, she served as Senior Employment Navigator, where she drove veteran hiring initiatives, built employer relationships, and led recruitment strategies across the industrial and technology sectors.

Over her 10+ years in workforce solutions and staffing, Jackie has held leadership roles managing branch operations, sales, recruiting, and program development. She has consistently leveraged data-driven strategies and stakeholder collaboration to advance veteran employment outcomes. Under her leadership, VBH has expanded employer engagement, increased veteran placements, and enhanced the development of Employer Resource Groups (ERGs) as a sustainable inclusion practice within corporate settings.

Jackie’s passion for veteran advocacy is deeply personal. Her journey began when she supported her husband, a USMC veteran, through his transition from military service to civilian career success. That experience ignited her commitment to empowering veterans as they navigate employment, professional growth, and workplace integration.

Jackie holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina. Outside of her professional life, she is a proud mother to her daughters, Everleigh and Olivia, and an advocate for building communities of support—whether through veteran networks, corporate DEI programs, or mentoring.

Laura Happer serves as the Market Network Director for the Triad region at Veterans Bridge Home, where she leads regional strategy to connect veterans, service members, and military families with community resources, employers, and holistic support systems across Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point. Reporting to the Market President, she oversees the growth and health of the Triad’s veteran network, empowering partners and stakeholders to build a culture of collective impact that supports the well-being of the military-connected community.

Since joining Veterans Bridge Home in 2022, Laura has been instrumental in building and refining the organization’s Employment Program—creating standard operating procedures, developing volunteer pathways through employer partnerships, and leading career networking events that bring together hundreds of veterans and employers. She also spearheaded the Women Veterans Coffee and Conversation initiative, which provides a supportive space for women veterans and spouses to connect with critical resources, peer mentorship, and leadership opportunities.

Before stepping into her current leadership role, Laura served as the Regional Program Coordinator for the North Carolina National Guard Employment Center, where she supported service members and families statewide through tailored career counseling, employment placement, and resource navigation.

A former member of the North Carolina Army National Guard’s 1132nd Military Police Company, Laura brings both lived experience and professional expertise to her work. She is passionate about building inclusive communities and equipping employers to establish and sustain Veteran Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) that champion veteran talent and belonging in the workplace.

Jamese Ivy is currently serving United Way of Greater Charlotte as Chief Impact Officer. In this role, Jamese oversees the organization’s community impact strategy, focusing on advancing equity and empowering previously disinvested communities while also providing basic needs support across our four-county region.

Jamese joined United Way in 2021 as Director of Neighborhood Initiatives, where she led the United Neighborhoods grant process and played a key role in its expansion in 2023. She was later promoted to Director of Community Initiatives, taking on leadership of the Unite Charlotte grant process alongside United Neighborhoods. In both roles, Jamese has consistently supported funded partners while identifying strategic opportunities to align and strengthen community-focused programs.

Prior to joining United Way, Jamese was a Senior Associate Program Officer at Renaissance West Community Initiative where she managed the strategic planning and implementation for the Renaissance West STEAM Academy. Jamese collected and analyzed educational data and coordinated extracurricular activities for the Academy as well.

Jamese is a 2024 honoree of the Charlotte Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Awards program, which recognizes rising leaders in the business and civic community. Jamese has served as a former member of the Junior League of Charlotte, Board Member and Education Chair for the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., President of her neighborhood’s HOA and as a member of the Renaissance West STEAM Academy PTSA.

A first-generation college graduate, Jamese earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a master’s degree in geography with a concentration in community planning from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Jamese was born and raised in West Charlotte. She is married, a mother of two adorable children and two dogs, and enjoys spending time with her family.

Jamese enjoys baking, so much so that she opened an online bakery during the pandemic. She also enjoys reading books by Black female authors and discussing them with her book club, and watching documentaries.

Gregory Liggs Sr., Peer Services Supervisor, Kellin Foundation; CPSS, (Certified Peer Support Specialist), Addiction Specialist Trained, MHFA Instructor, (Mental Health First Aid -Instructor), NC Certified CHW, (Community Health Worker). Gregory is originally from the small town of Reading, PA. However, he has resided and worked in Greensboro NC since 2002. Greg is married and has three children, 5 grandchildren. Greg previously worked at Triad Adult and Pediatric Medicine and NCFIT, (NC Formerly Incarcerated Transitions). His primary role as NCFIT CHW afforded him the opportunity to work with those returning justice-served citizens that needed assistance with connecting to healthcare. Specifically, he connected patients to care, assisted with medication costs, connected SUD patients to counseling and MAT Treatment, connected individuals to employers, and overall patient advocacy. In addition to his primary CHW role, as an MHFA Instructor, Greg was charged with training new and existing clinic staff to obtain their MHFA certifications. Greg’s dedication to working with underserved populations is always evident. Greg’s motto is “Provide Hope to the Hopeless”.

Personally, Greg enjoys watching and participating in sports. He has been a youth coach over the years and enjoys mentoring young athletes. Most of all Greg enjoys spending time with his family, laughing, cooking, and especially dancing with his granddaughters!

Melissa Smith, Director of Workforce Development Solutions at the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, is a visionary leader committed to building inclusive communities, empowering individuals, and driving economic opportunity by leading initiatives that unite business, education, government, and community to strengthen the workforce and foster growth.
Melissa has played a key role in attracting businesses, creating jobs, and positioning Greensboro as a hub of opportunity. She leads the Workforce GSO Collective to align strategies and expand apprenticeships while advancing opportunities for reentry, refugees, immigrants, and transitioning military and veterans. A highlight in Melissa’s career is her role in partnering with HondaJet, Guilford County Schools, and the Greensboro Swarm to launch the region’s first STEMFest in 2025, drawing over 5,000 families and 100 partners.

Her journey as a survivor of domestic violence fuels her advocacy for change and her passion to inspire others. Melissa serves on numerous boards and is active in regional and national workforce associations.

Sally Elliott is a seasoned administrator and strategic partner with over 20 years of experience in education, workforce development, and community engagement. As the Community Engagement Liaison at HAECO Americas, she leads initiatives that expand access to aviation careers, foster regional partnerships, and support recruitment and retention through innovative, branded programs. Previously, Sally directed campus operations at Forsyth Technical Community College’s Stokes County Campus, where she championed educational access and inclusive workforce pathways for underserved and justice-involved populations. She holds degrees from Appalachian State University and UNC Greensboro, along with certifications in program planning and economic development. She has also served on multiple advisory boards and community organizations. A passionate advocate for the skilled trades and rural economic development, Sally brings a collaborative, opportunity-focused approach to building sustainable career pathways and strengthening communities.

With over 30 years of healthcare experience – including 28 years at Cone Health – Tammy King has built a career defined by clinical excellence, leadership, and a deep passion for education. She has served in various key roles, including Registered Nurse, Clinical Manager at the Regional Center for Infectious Disease, and currently, Lead Instructor for the CMA Academy.
Tammy holds a Master’s Degree in Nursing Education and is a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). A 2013 graduate of the Cone Health Leadership Academy, she exemplifies servant leadership and has shaped countless careers, helping to elevate the quality of care in the community.

Her leadership and dedication to professional development have earned her numerous honors, including Cone Health’s Nursing Excellence Awards (2006, 2025), the Red Ribbon Nursing Compassion Award from the NC Community for HIV Care (2020), and the Cone Health COVID Legend Award.

Philip Kosak received a Doctoral Degree in 1980 from the University of Georgia in Food Science, with a specialty in process engineering and food microbiology. From 1980 to 1982, he was a Process Engineer in product development for Frito-Lay, Inc. Technical Division. In 1982, he founded Carolina Fine Snacks, becoming co-owner and vice president. Today, as Owner and CEO, Carolina Fine Snacks is one of the nation’s leading authorities in high-tech snack food manufacturing.

Since 1988, approximately half of Carolina Fine Snacks employees have been persons with disabilities. Kosak has received numerous national recognitions for inclusive employment, including presidential and gubernatorial appointments and multiple “Small Business Employer of the Year” awards.

In her role as VP & Chief Philanthropy Officer, Michelle Schneider puts her decades of fundraising leadership to work for a mission that matters greatly to her: helping to tangibly improve the lives and well-being of our community members.
A long-time leader in fundraising, Schneider has dedicated her work to taking critical community fixtures—UNCGreensboro, Habitat for Humanity, and United Way—to a new level. As a consultant, she helped transform the philanthropic work of organizations like the YMCA, Greensboro Science Center, Meredith College, Holy Trinity Church, and others.
She joined Cone Health in 2017 and often takes time to round on patients and engage in systemwide initiatives that connect philanthropy to care. Schneider earned a bachelor’s degree in social work and a master’s degree in public administration from UNCGreensboro and the CAP® in 2020.

She serves on the shift_ed and Guilford Education Alliance Boards, is a William C. Friday Fellow, and a 2025 Triad Business Journal Outstanding Women in Business Honoree.