2012 Engage Charlotte Board Members

Jonathan Utrup, Chair, is a senior analyst at Bank of America with experiences ranging from consumer product finance to compliance. He is a recent graduate from Winthrop University's MBA program and has a bachelor’s degree in finance from University of Toledo. He actively displays leadership in Habitat for Humanity building projects, Crown Financial Coaching and mission trip fundraisers. Recreation includes traveling, personal fitness, outdoor activities, volunteering and the occasional game of Texas Hold 'Em.

Jonathan is a very driven and motivated individual, open-minded and always up for new experiences. He enjoys social and professional networking and prides himself of having friends of so many different backgrounds. He finds a competitive strength and talent where he’s good at many things, but great at just a few. His motto: "Life is so very brief ... let's enjoy this gift and make each other better people."

Ollie Chandhok, Vice Chair, has been with the Charlotte Business Journal for three years as a Circulation Sales Executive. He recently made the move over to the advertising department at the Charlotte Business Journal, and is helping his clients build their brands and grow their business. Ollie is ranked as a top 3 circulation sales executive within American City Business Journals and earned the companies top award; The Eagle, in 2009 for his performance. He enjoys sharing both his expertise in sales and knowledge of the Charlotte Business Journal to help readers further their careers and business through its content.

Originally from Toronto, Ollie moved to Charlotte to attend Queens University where he played on the school’s golf team. He currently lives in Matthews with his wife; Kenna and children; Olivia and Ace.

Meigan Powell, Past Chair, of Powell & Partners Creative has used her skills as a media buyer, planner and marketer to enhance the success of brands such as Wachovia, GM, Zatarains, Arby’s and Benihana, to name a few. Her wide-ranging New York agency experience spans projects as diverse as devising media plans for Six Flags theme parks, and implementing all local Hispanic broadcast buys and merchandising for Heineken, Heineken Light and Amstel Light. Better yet, her bachelor’s degree in art and design, means she also has high creative wattage, making big-idea contributions to brainstorming sessions with clients’ “buzz’ marketing efforts.

Skyne Betha, Manager of Supplier Diversity at Compass Group North America, Foodbuy Division, is responsible for the company’s corporate-wide program. This includes implementing and developing processes, procedures and communication to increase business with minority and woman-owned business enterprises. A native of Rose Hill, North Carolina, Skyne earned a bachelor’s in Business Administration from Mount Olive College.

In addition to her involvement with Engage Charlotte, Skyne is also a board member of the Diversity Business Council and volunteers for the non-profit organization Gifted Girls and Emerging Young Leaders, a program that will impact the lives of girls in grades six through eight by providing leadership development, civic engagement, enhanced academic preparation and character building.

Chavon Carroll is the Donor Marketing Officer for the Arts & Science Council, a local non-profit with a mission to build appreciation, participation and support for the arts, science, history and heritage in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. In addition to her role on the Board of Engage Charlotte, Chavon is also actively involved in the YWCA’s 1902 Society and ASC’s Young Donor Society. Chavon holds a B.A. from Xavier University (Cincinnati) with a degree in Public Relations and a minor in Spanish, Chavon came to Charlotte by way of Cincinnati, Ohio in the summer of 2010. Outside of her work and volunteer activities, she enjoys spending time in her South Charlotte community with her 5-year-old daughter, Jordan, and her husband, Charles. An avid sports fan, you also might see her out at several Bobcats and Panthers games throughout the year.

Amy Chiou works for Lincoln Harris on the Bank of America account. In that role, she supports planning efforts for the Democratic National Convention and serves as the liaison between Lincoln Harris and Bank of America. A native Texan, she attended the University of Texas where she earned a bachelor’s degree in government. She moved to Charlotte in 2008 after graduating from law school at George Washington University. In addition to her involvement with Engage Charlotte, Amy is active in Democratic politics and has worked on many local, state and national political campaigns including the campaigns of President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Mayor Anthony Foxx.

Courtney Colosi relocated from Rochester, NY to the Queen City in 2007. She is currently a recruitment consultant with Chiquita Brands International. In addition to Engage Charlotte, Courtney is Director of Community Involvement for Business Leaders of Charlotte (BLOC), where she is directly responsible for the organization’s outreach events and fundraisers.

Courtney also donates time and energy to The Komen Foundation and Habitat for Humanity. In her spare time, Courtney enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, working out, or taking her pup, Canoli, for a stroll. Courtney graduated from State University Of New York at Buffalo with a degree in Communication and minor in Marketing.

Corey Goolsby is a native of North Carolina and received his electrical engineering degree from NC State where he was a Caldwell Fellow and honors graduate. After spending several years in Research Triangle Park he decided to leave North Carolina in 2004 to enroll in the Stanford University MBA program. While at Stanford, Corey participated in a special global leadership program that allowed him to lead and mentor his peers as well as work internationally in China.

After attaining his MBA from Stanford in 2006, Corey left the Bay Area to return to North Carolina for a sales position with IBM. Corey worked at IBM for three years where he completed the IBM Global Sales School graduating with honors and among the top of his class. There he worked with Fortune 500 retailers in the Carolinas and was awarded 100% Club honors for his success in his role as an account executive.

In 2010, Corey decided to pursue a business development role with HP, where he currently works today. In his first year in the new role he was able to successfully market HP solutions to new customers across several industries in the Carolinas. He leveraged that early success to take on a new role working with public sector customer across a territory that now spans four states. He is particularly excited about having the opportunity to directly serve local governments, schools and colleges with the solutions that he provides these customers in his current role.

Outside of work, Corey has been very active as well. He’s had involvement with several organization including the National Sales Network, North Carolina Technology Association, City Dive and his alumni networks. He has a passion for servant leadership and looks forward to serving Charlotte in his role on the Engage Charlotte board.

Ally Oelerich joined Charlotte Center City Partners in August 2008 as Event Coordinator, responsible for the planning and coordination of all events in both Uptown Charlotte and the Historic South End. These events ranged from Belk Carolinas Carrousel Thanksgiving Day Parade, Time Warner Cable BBQ & Blues, the First Night Charlotte festival to celebrate the New Year, South End Soul, Presbyterian Hospital July 4th Spectacular and the annual Center City Vision Awards in the Spring.

As of July 2010, Ally transitioned from Event Coordinator to Communication Associate, helping to coordinate media and PR requests and releases as well as coordinating volunteers at all CCCP events. Ally also handles all content on the "Things to Do" section of the FindYourCenter.com website. This includes reviewing and uploading accurate and compelling content supporting CCCP and ArtsFest, Inc. events as well as events generated by organizations other than CCCP or ArtsFest.

Prior to her position with CCCP, Ally worked as a Marketing Coordinator for TA Associates Realty in Boston, Massachusetts where she helped coordinate the company's annual cycle of events, including a summer outing, holiday party, annual meeting and annual golf tournaments.

Ally is originally from Stony Brook, New York and graduated from Oswego State University in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Relations. In her spare time, she enjoys running, playing tennis and hiking - activities she can enjoy with much greater frequency having traded Boston's snowy winters for the much more hospitable climate of Charlotte and the Carolinas.

Kate Payerle is an attorney at Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson, where she focuses on litigation practice on behalf of individual and corporate clients who require representation in court, in arbitration, or on appeal. She has aggressively litigated financial services industry disputes, personal injury lawsuits, employment cases, agency proceedings and trade secret claims in all stages of the litigation or arbitration process. Immediately before joining Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson, Kate served as a law clerk for a federal trial court judge, where she gained insight into to trial and pre-trial strategies from the court’s perspective.

Kate currently serves on the North Carolina Bar Association's Citizen-Lawyer Committee, the City of Charlotte's Privatization and Competition Advisory Committee, and is Charlotte City Council's appointee to the Citizen Transit Advisory Group. She grew up in Charlotte, went to college in Chapel Hill, and then spent nearly seven years in San Diego, CA earning a Master's degree in Pacific International Affairs and a law degree before returning to Charlotte. She is thrilled to see how Charlotte has grown and changed in that time, and has especially enjoyed discovering the growing greenway system on early morning runs and bike rides.

Demond Richardson is a Sourcing Manager on Wells Fargo’s Supplier Diversity team, He is responsible for strategy development, supply chain partnering, relationship management and MWDBE outreach and engagement. Demond is able to impart valuable input and guidance, due to his experiences as a global supply chain sourcing professional, a small business owner and as an attorney negotiating contracts related to technology and the sports and entertainment industries.

Being a proud native of Charlotte, North Carolina, Demond is energized and enthused by his community development and mentoring activities and achievements. Demond is a mentor and advisor for West Charlotte High’s Emerging Leaders Program, Villa Heights Elementary School and the Emerging Leaders Summer Program for Black Males. Demond assists the community by providing many hours of pro bono legal services in the areas of contracts, consumer protection and elder law.

Demond serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Georgia Minority Supplier Diversity Council. He is also a member of the Procurement Corporate Advisory Board for the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and an active member of the American Bar Association, National Bar Association, African American Real Estate Professionals of Charlotte and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

Demond received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and a Juris Doctorate from North Carolina Central University School of Law where he received the distinguished Earl Warren Legal Defense Scholarship. Demond currently lives in Charlotte with his beautiful wife Angela and their two wonderful, brilliant and entertaining children Selassie and Nia.

Megan Sadler is an attorney in Wishart Norris Henninger & Pittman, PA's Commercial Litigation practice group and regularly assists closely held businesses to resolve simple and complex commercial disputes in federal, state as well as the North Carolina Business Court. Megan moved to North Carolina in 2001 to attend law school at Wake Forest University School of Law where she served as the 2003-2004 Research Editor for the Wake Forest Law Review and graduated cum laude in 2004. From Winston-Salem, Megan moved to Raleigh to clerk for a justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court.

In 2005, Megan moved to Charlotte to work with her firm and, like many of her fellow West Virginian's, fell in love with the Queen City. Megan is significantly involved in serving on the board for Ten Thousand Villages of Charlotte as well as the Wishart Norris Henninger & Pittman Charitable Foundation and supporting St. Innocent's Orphanage and Project Mexico.

Crystal Thomann relocated to the Queen City from Roanoke, Va., in 2005 after graduating from Roanoke College with dual degrees in English and marketing. The past three years she have been the account executive at the Central Piedmont Community College Harris Conference Center (HCC), a 10,000-square-foot executive conference center in a serene setting with exceptional customer service and state-of-the-art technology. HCC’s affiliation with CPCC allows her to foster her enthusiasm for education while actively engaging in the corporate world. Outside of work, she is passionate about the community, giving back, and engaging others. She enjoys donating her time and energy to numerous volunteer activities through Hands on Charlotte as well as serving on the Steering Committee of the Young Executives for Success (YES!) division of Dress for Success. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling to new places, running, and being a self-proclaimed DIY decorator.

David Truesdale graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering and minor in Engineering Business. He has worked for over three years in the general contracting industry at Rodgers Builders, Inc. as a Project Engineer where he has had the unique opportunity to work on a wide variety of projects for clients such as Wells Fargo, UNC Charlotte, Johnson & Wales and Time Warner Cable, to name a few. David is certified as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED AP), which has allowed him to work on innovative projects that incorporate Green Building design and sustainability. Originally from Columbia, South Carolina, he moved to Charlotte in 2008 upon graduation from college. In addition to his involvement with Engage Charlotte, David has also volunteered on several Habitat for Humanity building projects throughout the community. He enjoys networking in social and professional circles, spending time with family, traveling, and staying active through recreational softball, soccer, and the occasional round of golf.

Curtis Watkins works for Duke Energy in Global Technology Development, exploring emerging technology in the utility sector ranging from electric vehicles to energy storage to clean combustion, as well as managing international partnerships with companies in areas such as Japan and China. In addition to his involvement on the board for Engage Charlotte, Curtis also serves as a commissioner on the Mecklenburg County Air Quality Commission and the Historic District Commission, is Vice President of the Wilmore Neighborhood Association Board, and volunteers his energy experience for other local economic development efforts such as with the Energy Capital Committee.

In his spare time Curtis enjoys working on classic cars, learning to play musical instruments, reading, writing, cheering on his favorite sports teams, and spending time with his family. Curtis holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University and various project management certifications.