Dr. Kendra Jason is an associate professor of Sociology and serves as the Executive Fellow for Strategic Initiatives in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at UNC Charlotte. Her specializations include race, class and gender inequality, and work and occupations. Dr. Jason has nearly 15 years of diversity, equity, and inclusion experience. Her research on the topics of organizational behavior and management, inequality and work can be found in refereed journals, technical reports, book chapters, and teaching outlets. Her work has been featured at The National Academy of Sciences and in media outlets, including Forbes.com. She is a sought-after speaker on race and equity in the workplace. She is the founder of Work 4 Change, a workplace equity consultancy and editor of Race and Social Justice: Building and Inclusive College through Awareness, Advocacy, and Action (2023).
Beth Butler Fadel J.D. has more than 24 years of experience providing subject matter expertise to Fortune 50 companies in ADA Accommodations process and disability inclusion strategies. As a Disability Inclusion Consultant and Executive Director of DI-NC, Beth brings extensive experience in the private sector, including specialized expertise in balancing risk mitigation while promoting full accessibility to support the inclusion of people with disabilities in the workforce, marketplace, and supply chain. Beth began her pursuit of disability inclusion and equality for all early in her career, achieving her law degree from Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, Alabama in 1993 and joining the AL State Bar in 1994.
In her early career Beth worked in the financial services industry supporting Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Compliance programs. Since assuming the role of Executive Director for DI-NC in 2017, she has focused on recruiting and developing an active Board of Directors, with diverse representatives from North Carolina’s corporate community. These efforts promptly led DI-NC to being recognized as Disability:IN’s Affiliate of the Year in 2020. Legally blind since birth, Beth leverages her experiences both personally and professionally to challenge companies to think, act and lead differently.
Lee Anne Tourigny is a neurodivergent, master’s student at UNC Charlotte studying psychology and has a bachelor’s in psychology from Gardner-Webb University. She currently works as the Coordinator of Disability Outreach for the University Career Center at Charlotte, as well as with Photovoice Worldwide as a project coordinator. Lee Anne has given numerous talks including “Why Should the Workplace Care About the Disability in Diversity," a TEDx Talk and “Disability @ Work: Planning and Implementing a Week of Events for Neurodiverse Students and Allies,” a roundtable discussion at the North Carolina Association of Colleges and Employers Conference. In 2023, she was awarded the Joseph T. Brown Memorial Award for Outstanding Young Leadership from Disability: IN North Carolina. She loves learning about new photography techniques and conducting qualitative research to create a more accessible, inclusive and equitable world, specifically for those with disabilities in higher education and in the workforce. Lee Anne plans to continue her studies and obtain her doctorate and then work in higher education or for a nonprofit.
Meagan Glasco has a passion for student success that has translated to more than a decade of
experience in higher education. She has consistently strived to equip students with the essential resources and opportunities required to acquire career-ready skills. Meagan is the Executive Director of Professional Development at the Belk College of Business, where she leads the professional development team and lends her support to the Women in Business Initiative. In her capacity, she orchestrates comprehensive programming tailored for undergraduate business students, extends support to special programs and student organizations within the college, oversees the process of securing academic credit for internships, and connects students with prospective employers and career opportunities. Before delving into student support roles within higher education, Meagan Glasco taught and worked in fashion marketing and management.
On the 2019 International Women's Day, UNC Charlotte recognized her contributions and in
2022, Meagan received the Belk College Staff Member of the Year award. Meagan holds a
master's of science in Human Services from Argosy University, a master's in Retailing from the
University of South Carolina, and a bachelor's of Art from UNC Chapel Hill, where she was a member of the ACC Champion Women's Swimming + Diving team.
Linda Thurman is currently the Director for Employer Relations and Student Professional Development and Career & Co-op Advisor, in the William States Lee College of Engineering at UNC Charlotte. She has more than 28 years of technical recruiting, employer relations, professional development, and career advising experience. When she is not coordinating the multidisciplinary professional development courses, she is hosting various campus events that allow students to engage with alumni and employers. She was the first public board member to serve as Chair of the North Carolina Board of Examiners for Engineers and Land Surveyors and is now an emeritus member. Linda was recently reappointed by Governor Cooper to the NC GICC (Geographic Information Coordinating Council) to represent UNC Charlotte.
Dale-Marie Wilson, PhD, is a Full Teaching Professor in the College of Computing and Informatics (CCI) at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC). She received her undergraduate degree from New York University and her Master of Science and doctoral degrees in computer science from Auburn University. Her research focuses on providing equitable access to computing. In August 2023, Dr. Wilson was featured in an article in the Charlotte Business Journal titled, “Women at the Forefront of AI and Digital Transformation.”She was mentioned in the Charlotte Observer in a May 2022 article highlighting a Black female undergraduate in computer science, who was quoted as saying, “every single Black woman here says if it wasn’t for Dr. Wilson, they would have dropped out of the major.” Dr. Wilson's efforts to improve CCI and UNCC’s visibility in diversity and inclusiveness were recognized in 2023 when she was awarded the CCI Special Contributions to Equity and Inclusion in Computing Award.
Patrick Madsen is the Associate Dean of Advising & Experiential Learning and also serves as the Executive Director of the Career Services Center at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Dr. Madsen is part of a strategic leadership team tasked with the implementation of the “Charlotte Model,” integrating academic advising, career education, and experiential education to ensure that all students successfully progress to on-time graduation with the education and experiences that will enable them to thrive in their careers and our communities. His background includes a degree in Psychology from North Carolina State University, a master’s degree in Counseling from East Carolina University, and a doctorate in Organizational Leadership/Student Affairs from Nova Southeastern University. Dr. Madsen has more than 25 years of experience in higher education and 20 years of experience teaching at the university level. International travels and consultations have taken Dr. Madsen from regional consultations with corporations to consultations with administrators in Azerbaijan, Palestine, Serbia, Sweden, and Germany. Dr. Madsen was selected as an international expert on career services and higher education for the Fulbright Specialist program, a five-year honor.
Dr. Suzanne Voigt serves as the Program Manager for Career Readiness Design and Faculty/Staff Engagement at UNC Charlotte's Career Center. She oversees all faculty/staff career-development related trainings including the Career Competency Institute as well as the Career Consultant Training Program. Through these trainings, she supports faculty/staff in the integration of career competencies into their courses and activities as well as trains faculty/staff on how to have meaningful career-related conversations with their students.
During her work in career services, Suzanne earned her Doctorate of Philosophy in Counseling and Student Personnel Services from the University of Georgia. Prior to this, she also completed her Masters in School Counseling from Liberty University and her Bachelor of Arts in French from Queens University of Charlotte. She currently is pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Art in Photography from UNC Charlotte’s College of Arts + Architecture.