The Marathon Continues: A Personal, Professional, and Purpose-Driven Shift
As of June 2, 2025, my time at UNC Charlotte has come to an end.
I was recently laid off due to organizational restructuring and budget cuts. As I walk away, I’m proud of the legacy I helped build over four impactful years—three of which I served as the inaugural Chief Diversity Officer.
Admittedly, I’m disappointed. But truthfully, I saw this coming—not from inside intel, but because I’ve spent my career studying social trends, organizational behavior, leadership shifts, cultural signals, political tradewinds, and budget fluctuations that often forecast major decisions. That insight hasn’t just helped me lead through disruption, it’s helped me stay ahead of it.
Still, no matter how clear the writing on the wall, transitions hit differently when the work reflects your values and purpose. So I chose to pause. I spent the last few weeks with my inner circle, got hands-on with personal projects (building with my hands has always been therapeutic), recalibrated, mapped my next steps, and sat in quiet prayer and strategic meditation. Faith is, and has always been, my secret sauce to nearly all of my strategies—there’s been a few hard head moments, but that’s a story for another day.
From my sitting time came the question: What’s my original “why”?
Why I Started
Quick backstory: I spent my college years at Auburn University. While there, I saw how a single university could influence everything from politics and job markets to education access—well beyond its campus borders. I was fascinated by that reach and its potential to uplift communities.
I received life-changing mentorship and watched brilliant leaders (too many to name) act as social and organizational alchemists. From them, I learned that to address systemic challenges, you have to work through systems. That insight led me into higher education administration. It was quickly accessible and gave me a real-time platform to get involved, experiment, lead, and deliver.
As my career evolved, so did my systems-thinking approach. I leaned into cross-sector collaboration—connecting research, people, space, capital, and purpose. The university became my tool to accelerate innovation and sustainability.
I start here because looking back, my “why” has always been about using systems to advance community well-being. That’s the lens I’ve used to build capacity, strengthen trust, and lead responsibly. Diversity, equity, and inclusion became my primary lens, but the mission has never been limited to higher education. In fact, it never was.
My work has always been industry-agnostic and impact-driven.
Turns out, higher education was my platform and proving ground; a place where I led transformation, drove innovation, and delivered results in complex systems.
What’s Next
My time in higher ed has been deeply rewarding. I’ve enjoyed learning, leading, solving complex challenges, transforming cultures, building global partnerships, and creating lasting, measurable impact. I’ve also had the privilege of sharing our work across sectors—which eventually became a consulting practice in itself.
But my proudest accomplishment? The number of students in my academic lineage who’ve I’ve deposited into this world as engineers, attorneys, physicians, professors, and more. I smile every time I see them on my LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram feeds doing life as successful professionals, growing their families, and sharing their journey and wisdom to the next generation. 🥹
It’s been a great ride.
Now, I’m turning the page and intentionally entering a new season where I bring my strategic leadership, systems insight, and values-based approach into new arenas. I’m excited about fresh challenges, new partnerships, and creating an even greater local-to-global impact.
Do I have a specific sector in mind? Not necessarily. Leadership is leadership. I’m energized by meaningful, well-compensated work that aligns with both purpose and performance.
I’m actively exploring executive opportunities in:
Health Equity & Community Partnerships
Corporate Impact & Social Responsibility
Community Engagement & External Affairs
Organizational Strategy & Transformation
Strategic Philanthropy
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Considering that many roles are filled through internal promotion or personal networks before they’re ever posted, consider this my way of shooting my shot. If you know of a role—or are thinking about creating one—let’s talk. Perhaps I can help you frame your strategy in building a position or grow an existing role to meet the needs of an increasingly complex landscape. Let’s see.
Thanks for reading! I’d love to hear your thoughts. Do you have personal experiences or observations to add? Let me know! In the meantime, the marathon continues. ✌🏾 + 🫶🏾
P.S. I’ll be back in the country by July 1st, and serving up more Footnotes. We have a lot to talk about.
Footnotes is a newsletter dedicated to exploring organizational trends and insights, offering strategies for leaders navigating cultural and organizational change. It also serves as a platform for me to reconnect with writing and spark meaningful conversations in this field. I welcome your feedback and participation. Please note that the views expressed here are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of any affiliated organizations. Thank you for your time and for joining the discussion.
