Fall ’25 Board Meeting Agenda
Date: Friday, November 7 , 2025
Time: 9:00am – 1:00pm
Robert B. House Undergraduate Library , Room 205
203 South Rd #3942, Chapel Hill, NC 27514
9:10am Welcome & Opening Remarks
Jennie Hayman , Chair, Writingand Learning Center Advisory Board
Jim White, Craver Family Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
María Estorino, Vice Provost for University Libraries and University Librarian
9:25am State of the College with Dean Jim White
Jim White, Craver Family Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
10:00am Office of Undergraduate Education Updates
Ian McNeely , Sr. Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education , College of Arts and Sciences
10:20am Writing and Learning Center Director’s Updates
Kim Abels, Associate Dean for theCenter for Student Successand Director,Writing and Learning Center
10:40am Break
10:50am Center for Student Success Relocation Updates & Tour
Jacob Bacharach, Sr. Associate Dean for Operations and Strategy,College of Arts and Sciences
Powell Marshall, Assistant Dean of Infrastructure and Facillities Planning , College of Arts and Sciences
Suchi Mohanty, Head, R.B. House Undergraduate Library
11:30am Development Report
Michael Klaus , Director of Development, Arts and Sciences Foundation
11:45am Lunch & Conversation with Library Ambassador and Writing and Learning Center Students
1:00pm Closing Remarks & Adjournment
Jennie Hayman , Chair, Writing and Learning Center Advisory Board
1:15pm Tour of Ackland Art Museum – Optional
Franny Brock, Writing Coach Specliast
Fall 2025 Advisory Board Meeting
Success Happens Here.
2024-2025 Year in Review
6,396 unique Carolina students used the Writing & Learning Center 22,564 times in 2024-2025, a 1% increase from last year
SHE LOVES
Carolina, sharing knowledge and helping students learn still drives Associate Dean for
Student Success Kim Abels.
BY CLAIRE CUSICK (M.A. ’21)
When Kim Abels arrived at Carolina in 1995 to found and lead a new writing center intended to serve the entire campus community, she had everything she needed.
She held a doctoral degree in English from The Ohio State University, where her research focused on different aspects of the written word: rhetoric, theory, poetry and folklore. She had several years’ experience working at campus centers focused on writing and learning — she became a tutor during graduate school and later became an instructor at Duke University’s Academic Resource Center.
She brought to Carolina a deep commitment to helping students develop their thinking and writing skills, a passion she first discovered at Ohio State’s Center for the Study and Teaching of Writing.
“It was a wonderful place to be, because writers from different areas brought in all kinds of ideas and work,” she said. “And I realized, I loved teaching students in this setting.”
What Abels didn’t have in 1995 was a pair of rubber boots. Carolina’s fledgling center had been given space in the basement of the old Phillips Annex, and it was prone to flooding.
But no matter. Abels and a team of graduate students from a variety of disciplines got to work building the Writing Center at UNC-Chapel Hill. Their goal: to give every Carolina student the tools to improve their writing, no matter what the assignment or academic area.
“We started serving students, keeping track of data about who we were serving, connecting with faculty and staff across campus, developing our first
websites, writing tip sheets, adding support for English language learners,” she said.
In 2012, the Writing Center merged with the Learning Center, originally founded in the 1980s to help students with learning challenges, reading, test preparation and peer tutoring for nearly 100 Carolina courses. Abels became the director of the Writing and Learning Center and continued learning and growing, much like she and her colleagues (now 19 permanent staff, aided by 100 student employees) have encouraged all students who seek them out to do.
In 2019, the Writing and Learning Center became part of what is now known as the Center for Student Success, which also includes programs for incoming students (Summer Bridge), first-generation students (Carolina Firsts), transfer students and peer mentoring, all housed in the Student Academic Services Building on South Campus.
Abels and her team have continued to collect data and author academic papers as well as a book about academic coaching in higher education. Training more than 700 faculty and staff in the Center’s pedagogy, they have infused Carolina with a spirit of collaboration and student-centered support.
The results are impressive: more than 25 percent of undergraduates visit the Center every year, and by the time a class graduates, data consistently shows that more than half of students have utilized the Center’s services. The Center’s tips and tools pages have web traffic in the millions from around the country and the world. Peer universities
have looked to Carolina as a model.
“Building the Center alongside a team of talented colleagues and student staff has been a wonderful experience. We have developed services organically and incrementally in response to what we see and hear as students’ needs,” Abels said.
A NEW ERA
Leading up to the 30th anniversary of the Writing Center’s founding comes what may be its most exciting chapter yet: a strategic partnership formed with the University Libraries to strengthen the Center for Student Success’ alreadyrobust offerings and improve access for students by moving it from South Campus to the top floor of newly renovated space inside the R.B. House Undergraduate Library. Construction on this project is set to start in spring semester 2026, and the renovated space should be complete for the start of the fall 2026 semester.
“Being right there in the heart of campus will make it easy for students — while they’re going to class, while they’re in an academic mindset — to stop by and see what we’re all about,” Abels said. “Being in the academic heart of campus is where we belong. We’re going to be more visible and accessible to students. They hear about us through orientation and on syllabi, and we’re mentioned in the ‘College Thriving’ class, but there will be nothing like being right there, where they can easily come investigate and take advantage of what we offer.”
The move is being made possible by generous philanthropic support from alumni, parents and friends who want
Advisory Board MemberBios
Kimberly R. Bolton
Executive Director of Policy Communications , Blue Cross Blue Shield Association
Home
13320 Redspire Drive
Silver Spring, MD
Kim Bolton is the executive director of policy communications for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), a national federation of 34 independent, community -based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) companies that collectively pr ovide health coverage to one in three Americans. Kim is responsible for developing and leading the strategy to effectively communicate to the White House, Congress and other key stakeholders on BCBSA’s legislative and regulatory policy priorities. Prior to joining BCBSA, Kim began her career at the American Association of Health Plans (now America’s Health Insurance Plans), where she wrote advocacy pieces that appeared in national publications, including The New York Times, Washington Postand USA Today. Kim received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned an MBA with a specialization in Healthcare Management from the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. She currently resides in Silver Spring , Maryland.
Beverly Briggs (Bo Briggs)
Residential Interior Designer
Home
2868 Bakers Farm Road SE Atlanta, GA 30339
Beverly Freeman Briggs is a 1996 graduate of UNC with a degree in Psychology. She currently resides in Atlanta, GA with her husband, Bo, and two of their three sons. Their oldest son, John, currently resides in Chapel Hill as a freshman at UNC. While at C arolina, Beverly was a member of Chi Omega Sorority. Following Carolina, she earned a Master ’s in Public Health from Emory University. She worked in Healthcare Consulting for a few years before starting a career in Residential Real Estate. She currently enjoys Residential Interior Decorating and volunteering with her sons through the Buckhead Young Men ’s Service League.
Diane
Greene Chapman
(Parke M. Chapman ) Community Volunteer Home
40 Linden Circle
Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510
Diane Greene Chapman is originally from Greensboro, North Carolina and now lives in Briarcliff Manor, New York where she focuses on volunteer roles in the education arena. She has served The Hackley School, a distinguished independent college preparatory school for the last 20 years in various leadership capacities such as The Athletic and Annual Fund. Over the past two years, Diane has become extremely involved with 100 Women at the Kenan Flagler Business School joining the Executive Leadership Committee to expand the mission from the MBA to UBP program. She actively enjoys mentoring young women with their pursuits into the business world from college. Diane is currently a member of the Carolina Women’s Leadership Council and has enjoyed the many opport unities to empower and connect with other likeminded women. She also sits on The UNC Writing and Learning Center Board where she promotes mental health awareness both in the workplace and schools.
Previously, Diane worked in the 19th Century Furniture department at Sotheby’s and then at Christie’s Art Auction house on the operations side in the regional offices department supporting the many offices across the United States and South America. She s erved as the Vice President Business Manager in the European Decorative Arts department overseeing operations and helping employees reach their target productivity levels. She also worked at United Bank of Switzerland in the private wealth management depa rtment servicing high-net-worth individuals and families and developing new marketing strategies to attract new business.
Diane earned a Bachelor of Arts in French from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her Master of Business Administration from Columbia University. She reached her lifelong dream to become fluent in French upon spending her Junior Year of co llege abroad in Paris at the Sorbonne. Diane has four children - one graduated from UNC in 2023 and two are current UNC students. Morgan (UNC 2023), Hadley (UNC 2025) and Mason (UNC 2025) and Hunter is a current 10th grader at Hackley School. She enjoys international travel, art museums, exercise, reading and absolutely any UNC sporting event.
Latta Chapman
Senior Vice President, Wealth Advisor, Morgan Stanley
Home
604 Battery Place
Alexandria, VA 22314
Latta Chapman graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. She is a Senior Vice President and Family Wealth Advisor in Morgan Stanley’s Washington, DC office. Latta joined Morgan Stanley Dean Witter in 1989. Latta and her team are dedicated to helping clients realize their life and wealth goals through individualized holistic planning. She has been recognized by Morgan Stanley for her achievements by being selected as a member of the firm’s Century, Presiden t, and Master’s Club. She also served on the firm’s Women’s Business Exchange Steering Committee. She received her Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) designation from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition, she has the Certified in Long Term Care designation. Latta has been named to Forbes Best -In-State Wealth Advisors 2022 and Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors Best -In-State 2022. She volunteers at the Alexandria Tutoring Consortium and currently serves on t he University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Board of Visitors and the UNC -CH Learning and Writing Center Advisory Board. She is also actively committed to numerous other non-profits as a volunteer and donor. In her personal time, she enjoys traveling and playing golf.
Elizabeth England (Andrew J. England )
Home
422 N Humboldt Street Denver, CO 80218
Elizabeth England is a 1990 UNC graduate, originally from Greensboro, NC, with a degree in American Studies. She currently lives in Denver, CO with her husband Andy, their son Oliver, who is a student at the University of Denver, and daughter Sally., who attends Colorado College. Elizabeth recently completed a master’s degree in social work at the University of Denver and works as a Clinical Social Worker and Relationship Specialist, working with individuals, families, and couples as they navigate past wounds that have impa cted their connections with themselves and with others. Elizabeth has been a longtime advocate of education and o f helping to provide resources that enable students with unique learning styles to thrive and excel.
Marilyn M. Friddle (Terry G. Friddle)
Global Head of Quality Assurance, Wine and Spirit Education Trust
Home
415 Hawkins Island Drive
St. Simons Island , GA 31522
Marilyn Friddle, a proud 1982 UNC graduate, is the Global Head of Q uality Assurance for London -based Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) . She manages teams in Shanghai, Hong Kong, London and the U nited States Marilyn spent the majority of her career as an International Tax CPA for Deloitte and E rnst &Y oung in Charlotte , and in Dusseldorf Germany. As a dedicated lifelong learner and holder of multiple wine degrees (CSW, FWS, WSET) , she later relaunched her career with the WSE , combining her love of wine education and travel with her expertise in business, now overseeing over 900 wine and spirits schools globally in 80 countries. She is particularly passionate about the mission of the Writing and Learning Center and its accessibility to all UNC students. Marilyn is an Atlanta native, and after many years in Charlotte and Germany , has returned to her Georgia roots living on St . Simons Island, Georgia. She and her husband Terry , himself a 1982 UNC graduate, are the proud parents of three sons: Hayes, a 2015 U.S. Naval Academy graduate who is married to Madeleine (UNC ’14) ; Jack (Elon '18) ; and Carter (UNC '21). Marilyn and Terry are also proud grandparents of little Collier, who is the daughter of Hayes and Madeleine.
L
aura B. Grace (Michael F. Grace)
4010 Beresford Road Charlotte, NC 28211
Laura Grace and her husband, Mike, first discovered the Writing and Learning Center at a first -year orientation session for their son, Patrick, who graduated from UNC in 2019. The Center’s message of inclusivity, collaboration, and desire to help students from all bac kgrounds and abilities find success both in and out of the classroom resonated strongly with Laura. She is an active volunteer on behalf of the Carolina community, serving on the UNC Board of Visitors and the Carolina Women’s Leadership Council, in addition to her service on behalf of the Writing and Learning Center. Laura enjoys using these platforms as an opportunity to promote the Center’s role in enabling Carolina students of all backgrounds, all areas of study, and all unique learning style s to find success, and to know that it is OK to ask for help.
Margaret Hutton Griffin (Carter H. Griffin ) Home
26 W Irving Street
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
Margaret Hutton Griffin teaches creative writing in the Washington, DC -area. After graduating with honors in creative writing from UNC -CH, she worked as an environmental reporter at the Bureau of National Affairs. She earned an MFA from George Mason Univer sity, receiving the Heritage Writer Award for distinguished fiction. Her graduate fellowship involved teaching freshman composition and literature, as well as tutoring in the GMU Writing Center. Later she worked as a freelance writer and on the editorial team of Carter + Cosgrove in Alexandria, VA, supporting such clients as Accenture, Lockheed Martin, and GE. Her fiction has appeared in The South Carolina Review, The Sun, The Chattahoochee Review, Artful Dodge,the anthology Abundant Grace, and The Antioch Review. Currently, she also tutors students in under-served communities with Reading Partners. She and her husband, Carter Griffin (’90), have one daughter.
Alexander J. Hambacher Vice President, Conversus, a StepStone Company
2800 Park Road
Charlotte, NC 28209
Alex Hambacher is a vice president at Conversus, a StepStone Company. Conversus focuses on delivering private market solutions to high net worth investors. Prior to Conversus, Alex was an investment strategist for the Wells Fargo Investment Institute focused on sourcing, due diligence and ongoing monitoring of direct private investment opportunities. Before that he was a member of the investment teams at Corrum Capital and Bank of A merica Merrill Lynch’s Strategic Investments Group focused on private equi ty, private credit, and hedge fund investments. Prior to BAML, Alex was an analyst at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey focused on originating, underwriting, and syndicating leveraged loans. Alex is a native of Charlotte, North Carolina where he lives with his two sons, Hudson and Cooper. Alex received a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Jennie J. Hayman - Chair
Attorney and Civic Volunteer Home
2527 White Oak Road
Raleigh, NC 27609
Jennie Jarrell Hayman of Raleigh is an attorney and longtime community volunteer. She has served her profession as an Assistant Attorney General and Chair of the North Carolina Rules Review Commission. At UNC, Jennie and her husband, Wilson, were National Presidents of the Parents Council, she served on the Board of Visitors, The Board of Wesley (Methodist) Campus Ministry and now chairs the Writing and Learning Center Board. She is a UNC graduate with a degree in history, is a member of Alpha Delta Pi Soro rity and a member of the Order of the Golden Fleece. Jennie is a native of High Point and her son, Will, received his BA, MBA and JD from U NC
Dr. Donovan A. Livingston (L auren N. West -Livingston )
Teaching Assistant Professor; Director of College Thriving , University of North Carolina
Home
5503 Ripplebrook Rd Durham, NC 27712
Donovan Livingston is a 2009 graduate of UNC's College of Arts & Sciences with a degree in History. He earned a master's degree in Higher and Postsecondary Education from Columbia University, an M.Ed. in Learning & Teaching from Harvard University, and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Originally from Fayetteville, NC, Donovan currently resides in Winston -Salem with his wife, Dr. Lauren WestLivingston, who is currently in the MD/PhD program at Wake Forest School of Medici ne. Donovan and Lauren are the proud parents of their one-year-old daughter, Joy. Donovan currently serves as Assistant Dean in the Office of University Collaborations at Wake Forest University. He is also a part -time lecturer in the Department of Educatio n at Wake Forest. Donovan is a lifelong advocate for historically underrepresented students in higher education and was formerly a college adviser with the College Advising Corps and the TRIO Programs (Upward Bound and Student Support Services). While at C arolina, Donovan was President of the Black Student Movement, Vice President of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, and was a Project Uplift counselor in the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs. Donovan is also a spoken word poet and hip -hop artist, and his research explores the intersections of hip -hop and higher education. He is interested in understanding how poetics - rooted in Black lyrical and oral traditions - may serve as a catalyst for student success and systemic change in colleges and univer sities. Donovan delivered the commencement speech, titled "Lift Off", for Harvard University's Graduate School of Education in 2016, which Harvard called "one of the most powerful, heartfelt speeches you will ever hear."
Britlan G. Malek, Psy. D.
(Frederic W. Malek ) Psychologist
Home Mailing:
7700 Oldchester Road
Bethesda, MD 20817
Britlan Malek is a proud member of UNC class of 1998. While at UNC, she earned a BA in psychology and was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority. Britlan received her doctorate in clinical psychology from the George Washington University. She is a clinical ps ychologist at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC. She specializes in evaluating the development of infants and toddlers, including those diagnosed with neurological and genetic conditions. Expertise includes early diagnosis of autism. Bri tlan is a trustee of The River School, also in DC, an internationally renowned school innovating the inclusive education of young children with hearing loss. Britlan resides in Bethesda, MD with her husband, Fred, and their children Frederic and Canon.
Frances C.
Mangan
(John F. Mangan) Community Volunteer
Home
2220 Red Fox Trail
Charlotte, NC 28211
Francie Mangan is a native Charlottean and graduate of UNC in 1983. She and her husband, John, have three daughters. Two of her children also graduated from UNC in 2015 and 2019. Francie lived in Atlanta and Washington, DC working in publishing for Southern Homes magazine and Time Warner Media , before moving to Charlotte in 1999. She has served as a community volunteer in Charlotte for many charitable organizations. Francie has served as past chair of the WCLC and volunteer since its inception and is proud to serve with such a dedicated group.
Timothy C. McCoy, Jr. (Christina K. McCoy )
Head of Client and Business Development, The London Company
Home
4310 Cambridge Road Richmond, VA 23221
Tim McCoy, Jr. is Head of Client and Business Development at The London Company. He is also a Principal and a member of the firm’s management team. Tim has 30 years of industry experience, beginning his career at First Union Securities. He spent 11 yearsat Thompson, Siegel & Walmsley, serving on both the SMA and Institutional Marketing teams before joining TLC in 2011. A native of Richmond, VA, Tim is a 1991 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.A. in Political Science and a lso completed the Carolina Business Institute in 1993. Tim serves on the Board of Governors at St. Christopher’s School where he chairs the Development Committee, the Advisory Board of the Writing and Learning and Center at The University of North Carolin a – Chapel Hill, the Finance Committee of FOCUS Richmond, and the Board of Governors of the Commonwealth Club. Tim and his wife Christina have two boys – Cole (UNC ’24) and Jack (senior at St. Christopher’s Schoo l).
Catherine C. Morris (John Calhoun )
Founder, CCM Sale Consulting LLC
Home
219 Stagecoach Road Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Catherine Morris is the former Director of Automotive Sales and Group Leader for ATI Industrial Automation. She retired in October of 2020 and started CCM Sales Consulting, LLC. She has helped several companies break into the automation space including Apera AI out of Vanc ouver, BC. Apera Vue 4D Vision technology provides robots with human-level 3D Vision. This exciting technology is referred to as 4D because it adds AI to 3D Vision, essentially giving industrial robots intelligence and eye -hand coordinatio n just like a human worker. Catherine was an integral part of ATI for over 26 years. Her dedication to trying to make automation more accessible for all created countless opportunities for growth for over two decades. In addition to her work with ATI, Cath erine was an active Board Member of the Robotics Industries Association (RIA) as well as the Association for Advancing Automation (A3). She served on the Board of Directors for both organizations and was a Past Chairperson of RIA. She was the first woman t o be elected Chair of RIA in 2012, and the first person to represent an end -effector supplier in RIA leadership. Catherine also worked extensively to help secure exhibitors, special guests, and facilitate promotional efforts for the biannual Automate Show. Under her direction as committee chair, the Automate Show’s attendance and popularity surged to record levels. Catherine is a vigilant advocate for all who participate in the automation industry. She encouraged her peers to leave their logos at the door and work with the entire industry in mind. Catherine’s ability to bring people together and help them to see things in new ways made her a tremendous asset to ATI as well as RIA and A3. After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Catherine began her career as a high school physical education teacher and coach. Her time as a member of the UNC Lady Tar Heels basketball team gave her a passion for learning and a competitive edge that drives her work.
Erwin Wilcox Morrison (Howell Morrison) Board Member, Glen Raven Global
Home 26 Jamestown Road Charleston, SC 29407
Erwin Wilcox Morrison was born and raised in Charlotte, NC and now resides in Charleston, SC with her husband, Howell, and daughter, Lilly. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Glen Raven, Inc., a global performance fabric company operating in six continents and 23 coun tries. Glen Raven was founded by Erwin's great grandfather in North Carolina in 1880. Prior to serving on the board, Erwin was a Senior Executive Director for Greffen Systems, Inc., a green technology company providing energy saving solutions for the corpo rate and government sectors. Preceding her work at Greffen Systems, Erwin was a founding partner in TE21, Inc., an educational software company serving the K -12 community. Before entering the private sector, Erwin spent ten years working for two Governors and one U.S. President. Her work at the White House with George H.W. Bush in Intergovernmental Affairs focused on policy liaison responsibilities with the nation's governors and federal agencies. She worked closely with Governor Carroll A Campbell, Jr. in her role at the White House and went on to work for him in South Carolina as a health policy advisor. As Cabinet Director for Governor David Beasley, Erwin had oversight of thirteen Cabinet Agencies and was liaison to the other South Carol ina state agencies. During her time in the Governor's Office, she was recognized with several awards including the Order of the Palmetto, the Urban League's Youth Development Award, SC Statewide Immunization Outreach Campaign Award and the Distinguished Se rvice Award - S.C. Correctional Association. Some of her work in the communities across South Carolina included starting Family Learning Centers to offer educational remediation for students and computer skills for parents. Erwin is a graduate of the Colle ge of Charleston, has completed the South Carolina Executive Institute, the Kellogg School of Management Governing Family Enterprises executive education course at Northwestern University and the UNC Kenan -Flagler School of Business, Business Essentials executive education course. Additionally, she serves on the Glen Raven Global, LLC Board, the National Chapter Board for the U.S. Priory of the Order of St. John and several local Boards in Charleston, SC. Previous Board work includes the College of Charlest on Alumni Board and SC Executive Institute Board.
C arol F. Robinson (Martin L. Robinson)
Home PO Box 12517
Charlotte, NC 28220
Carol Robinson ’s youth in Memphis, Tennessee in the 1960’s and her early career serving on Capitol Hill developed her lifelong passion for leveling the playing field of education. She holds a strong belief in the potential of every student to excel and push their own b oundaries of possibility and has found much joy in witnessing these powerful transformations. After graduating with a BA in Political Science and English in 1982 from UNC, she served as a campaign manager for a US Congressman and on Congressional staff be fore returning to earn an MBA with honors at University of Virginia Darden School of Business. After a career in telecommunications in Research Triangle and New York with Nortel Networks, she and her husband Martin L. Robinson moved to Charlotte to raise their three children, Ned, Linley and Parks (UNC 2018). She has served in leadership and supported the YMCA of Greater Charlotte, Barnabas Counseling Center, First Presbyterian Church Charlotte, Love Inc., St. Mary’s Episcopal School, Hopeway, Charlotte C enter for Urban Ministry, The Relatives, Thompsons Child and Family Focus, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation, Charlotte Latin School and the UNC Learning and Writing Center. She is a founding elder at Waypoint Community Church of Charlotte and has enjoyed reconnecting and meeting new friends on the UNC Women’s Leadership Council.
Steve Purdy (Beth C. Purdy)
Principal and Partner, Cadrillion Capital
Home
3807 Pomfret Lane Charlotte, NC 28211
Steve Purdy is the principal and partner at Cadrillion Capital. Steve graduated from UNC with a B.A. in English and political science in 1991 and received a J.D. from UNC in 1994. In 1995, Steve received his LLM (with merit) from the University of London. He began his career with the family business, AGDATA, Inc., in 1995,originally serving as its general counsel. In 1997, Steve founded the MedData division of AGDATA, serving as its CEO. From 1997 to 2009, Steve continued to provide general counsel services to AGDATA while guiding the MedData division from its start-up phase through several growth cycles and acquisitions. In December 2009, Steve led the successful sale of MedData to TransUnion, LLC, one of the three major credit bureaus in the U.S., and also helped facilitate the sale of AGDATA to SFW Capital in February 2010.Steve has been involved in many volunteer organizations, including a board member for HopeWay Foundation 2014 -present; a board member of the CCDS Board of Trustees, 2014-present; an advisory board member for the UNC Shuford Program in Entrepreneurship, 2013-present; and an advisory board member for UNC’s Writing and Learning Center Program, 2012 -present. Steve is currently a member of Christ Episcopal Church. His hobbies and interests include golf, tennis and fishing.
Michael L. Stutts
Managing Partner, Winwood Collins, LLC
Home
110 N Corcoran St Unit 1205 Durham, NC 27701
Michael Stutts is the Managing Partner of Winwood Collins, LLC, a fancy -sounding corporate shell named after Steve Winwood and Phil Collins. For transparency, it’s just him doing advisory work and interim executive roles. He earned the right for self-employment by toiling for fifteen years in a variety of client services and senior executive roles. The majority of his time was spent at The Boston Consulting Group where he finished his tenure as a Managing Director and Partner in the Consumer Practice Area. Most recently, Michael was a senior technology executive at Bloomin’ Brands, Inc., home to Outback Steakhouse where you’ve eaten several Bloomin’ Onions. He now works with companies in industries that he thinks are fun and maximize work that seems like lei sure, including hotels and cruise lines. What Michael really wants to do is create a platform to promote mental health awareness and engagement in the workplace. He has written a book of questionable quality that details his life of success in the private sector while managing and addressing his own psychological adventures. Michael went to UNC -Chapel Hill (BS, ’02) and Northwestern University (MBA, ’08) and graduated into two massive economic downturns but does not take it personally. He lives in Tampa, FL but is absolutely not a Brady/Bucs fan, instead being an active Carolina Panthers season ticket holder and long -time sufferer. He has missed several exits on the highway of life and remains unmarried and without children.
Elizabeth J. Teal
(Ralph R. Teal ) Community Volunteer Home
9402 Lake Drive
Myrtle Beach, SC 29572
Elizabeth Teal is from Myrtle Beach, SC but has been a true Carolina fan for over 35 years. She was not Tar Heel born or Tar Heel bred - she is Tar Heel wed! She and her husband Ralph (‘84) are active in the Rams Club and are proud scholarship donors to th ree student athletes. Their two children are both Carolina graduates, Tradd (‘13) and Beau (‘15). Elizabeth has a background in non-profits with a focus on marketing. She worked for over 10 years as the Executive Director of Kids Voting, Horry County a non -partisan group dedicated to helping school youth understand the importance of citizenship and democracy. Elizabeth served on the original Learning Center External Advisory board and acted as the first President. Elizabeth is an active volunteer in her comm unity and has been involved with many organizations including the Children ’s Museum of South Carolina, the South Carolina Dyslexia Association, Coastal Carolina University, as well as First Presbyterian Church.
Debra W. Thornton (Justin A. Thornton )
Home
1307 Altamira Court
McLean, VA 22101
Debra Thornton is a proud Tar Heel born and bred, having grown up in Chapel Hill and attending Carolina. Following nursing school, she was a critical care nurse working with patients in intensive care. Following her retirement from nursing, Debra enjoyed a second career as a legal nurse consultant with the Arnold & Porter LLP law firm in Washington DC. She has a history of service, advocacy, and active volunteerism within her community and for the many causes about which she is deeply passionate. She served on the board o f the University Club in downtown Washington DC where she was instrumental in helping make the club a more diverse and inclusive environment . Debra has also served as a board member for College Bound, an organization which helps inner city and underprivileged youth in the DC area prepare for and succeed in college. Currently, Debra volunteers for several non-profit organizations which focus on the prevention of human trafficking and the exploitation of children. Debra is married to Justin Thornton, who is a UNC alumnus as well , and resides in McLean, VA.
Eve D. Whitaker
(Scott C. Whitaker) Real Estate Investor
Home
3832Paces Lookout Drive SE
Atlanta, GA 30339
Eve Whitaker began her career as an Account Executive with Cox Media Group in Atlanta, Georgia. After taking a few years to be at home with her three children, Eve earned her real estate license and is now responsible for operating a real estate investment company sh e co-founded with her husband. Eve graduated from the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media in 1987. Eve and Scott have three children: Wyatt (27), Holland (25) and Maddie (19 ,UNC '25 ).
Join us for our Spring Board Meeting: Thursday, April 23 – Friday, April 24, 2026 Visit our website: writingandlearningcenter.unc.edu
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