Our Staff
Dallas Bonavita
Dallas was instrumental in developing Note in the Pocket and is a founding member of the Board of Directors. Her commitment to volunteerism began in college where she participated in programs that mentored troubled youth. She has participated in and led dozens of volunteer committees through church and at her children’s schools. She is a former member of the Cardinal Gibbons Family Board. Her previous work experience includes Disability Specialist for the State of North Carolina, a Relocation Specialist, and co-creator and owner of Kids Gym, Inc.
Mrs. Bonavita is a North Carolina native and has lived in Raleigh for over 20 years. She holds a BS in Parks and Recreation Management from Western Carolina University.
“Every day I get to work with amazing people dedicated to bringing dignity and love to children in our community who need it most. I am thankful for the privilege to serve with such a wonderful staff, a supportive board, and the best volunteers, school social workers, and agency caseworkers in the world.”
Sarah Caldwell
Sarah is a passionate nonprofit professional dedicated to building partnerships across sectors to grow our community resources and be a catalyst for change. Sarah has over 12 years’ experience managing strategic fundraising and communication plans, working to raise awareness and engage stakeholders across our community. Her previous nonprofit experience includes Sr. Director of Community Relations with MVLE, and Development Coordinator at PHILLIPS Programs for Children and Families. Sarah holds a BA in Economics and Political Science from Wake Forest University and a Masters in Public Administration, with a certificate in Nonprofit Management, from George Mason University. Sarah is a member of the Junior League of Raleigh serving as the co-chair for the Community Connect committee. As a North Carolina native, Sarah is grateful for the opportunity to support her local community.
“I believe we all have a story to tell and I’m excited for the opportunity to help share Note in the Pocket’s story. This is such an exciting time for the organization to celebrate our accomplishments as we plan for continued growth and the opportunity to reach even more individuals. All with the goal of inspiring confidence through the power of our community.”
Elaine Pleasants
Elaine has over 21 years in senior level management, focusing on leadership and the business operations of two non-profits in the Triangle area. Her experience includes budgeting, billing systems, accounting and financial reporting, data analysis, facilities, quality and risk management, human resources, and staffing and scheduling. She has had the opportunity to be an important part of two growing and changing companies and integrated the operations and cultures of merging organizations, developing and implementing strategic plans, using data and quantitative information to improve efficiency, and leading the growth of these organizations to greatly increase the numbers of clients served and improve financial stability. She has a BA in Economics from UNCG and considers herself a NC native, having moved here in the 6th grade. She lives in Clayton with her husband, daughter, and rescue dog.
“Note in the Pocket is doing such vital work to help children succeed in school by providing clothing and removing the worries related to what to wear. I am proud to be a part of the team!”
Tammy West
Tammy grew up in Garner, NC and returned to the Raleigh area after attending college at UNC-Wilmington (B.A in English Literature). Still not knowing what she wanted to be when she grew up, she tried her hand at a few positions in Human Resources and then 10+ years in Executive Recruiting. While she enjoyed the HR career path, she always felt that something was missing. In 2014, Tammy heard about Note in the Pocket at a Parent-Teacher Board meeting at her children’s school and she immediately started to volunteer. The more she volunteered and the more she learned about the mission, the more she fell in love with the fact that this organization changes the lives of children every, single, day. In 2018, Tammy was offered a staff position and jumped at the opportunity to join the team! She is so thankful to be part of this wonderful organization.
“I am thankful for the many blessings my family and I have been given and the opportunity to give back to my community.”
Carole Trone
Carole caught the volunteering bug as a child who tagged along for her parents’ community and church volunteer activities. After experiencing firsthand the satisfaction and inner peace that one derives from service to others and commitment to a charitable mission, she was hooked, and has made volunteerism a core part of her life ever since. Carole’s many years of experience leading volunteers in a variety of nonprofit settings, combined with her background in child and adolescent counseling, fostered a particular fondness for children’s causes. She discovered the wonderful work of Note in the Pocket through both clothing drives at her children’s schools and her involvement with the Junior League of Raleigh.Carole moved to Raleigh from the MD/DC Metro area in 2015, and is loving the beautiful new state and community she now calls home. She looks forward to joining the Note in the Pocket family!
“I am grateful for a family that loves me beyond measure and friends who support me at every turn. I am honored to be a part of Note’s mission to clothe children with dignity and love, and humbled by our many volunteers who make it all possible!”
Susan Elnicki
Susan is an educator by trade and has years of experience working in the classroom. Her family and she moved here years ago and enjoy the Raleigh area. She continues to work to make a difference in children’s lives and help the community around her. She loves the beach and enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter and two dogs.
Lourdes Reaves
Lourdes is a New York native and a Marine Corps Veteran. She met her husband while on active duty and eventually moved to his home state of South Dakota after serving in active duty. Lourdes attended the University of South Dakota where she received her BS in Elementary Education and her MA as a Reading Specialist/Literacy Coach.
After teaching 2nd grade for 15 years in South Dakota, Lourdes and her family moved to Wake Forest where she taught for one year at Millbrook Elementary. Realizing that she needed a break from teaching, she heard and soon volunteered for Note in the Pocket and instantly fell in love with its mission. Lourdes knew that NITP was where she wanted to spend her time to support children and families in need.
“I am beyond grateful to help support Note in the Pocket’s mission and still be able have an impact on children’s lives while out of the classroom.”
Kate Mills
Welcome Kate- Bio coming soon!
Liz Merritt
Liz is a NC native, born in Asheville, and raised in Charlotte. She received a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts at ECU, and living and working in Greenville NC sparked a fire in her to give back to the community.
After graduation she moved to Philadelphia PA where she gathered leadership and management skills in retail. She recently moved back to NC, Liz has made her home in Durham and is excited to better the Triangle with Note in the Pocket.
“What drew me to Note in the Pocket is their incredible mission, the focus helping impoverished children and their families with dignity and respect.”
Laura Floyd
Laura was born and raised in Durham, NC. She only went a few miles from home to attend NC State University where she graduated with a BA in Mass Communications. Laura married her college sweetheart, John, and remained in Raleigh to raise two boys. Laura worked for over 20 years at a local hospital helping others to regain function and mobility after illness or surgery. She found fulfillment in helping others. Now Laura is excited to help others in a new way as a Volunteer Leader at Note in the Pocket.
“The Volunteer Leader position at Note in the Pocket allows me to not only help those in need, but to meet and work with wonderful community volunteers who want to do the same!”
Tia Clark
Tia Clark is a recent ECU grad, obtaining her B.S. Degree in Public Health with a concentration in Community Health. As an Intern this summer, she looks forward to giving back to her community and making a difference. She’s always had a passion for giving back and helping kids whenever possible. Knowing the smiles she will put on a child’s face when they receive clothes from this organization, makes all the work worth the while. She is excited to be afforded this opportunity to work with Note in the pocket!
Kati Mullan
Meet Kati, Note in the Pocket’s new Development Associate. Kati is a highly result-oriented leader who excels in partnering with organizations to fulfill strategic initiatives that are translated into broader business objectives. She comes to Note in the Pocket with more than 20 years’ experience, where she most recently held the title of Executive Director for a nonprofit helping to advance children’s literacy throughout Wake County.
Kati spent her youth growing up in Vermont and attended Maryville College in eastern Tennessee. She holds a Bachelor’s of Arts in Business Administration and Accounting from Maryville College. Kati also earned a certificate in NonProfit Management from Duke University
Kait has been fortunate to call Raleigh home since 1994, and throughout the past two decades has been supporting the Raleigh-Durham communities as either a volunteer or working within the nonprofit industry. She enjoys spending time with her family, gardening, reading, hiking, and baking.
Hattie Altmann
I am from Winston-Salem and I lived there until moving to Raleigh to attend NC State University. I am currently a senior and intend on graduating in May 2023 with a major in Communication Media and a minor in Nonprofit Studies. While in school I have enjoyed becoming involved in the NC State and Raleigh community. I am looking forward to giving back and sharing what I have learned at Note in the Pocket!
Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Christie Moser
Christie currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Member Business Services for the Cary Chamber of Commerce. After 15 years at the chamber, she runs the membership division along with Leadership Cary, and all chamber events.
She is originally from Asheville, NC but moved here to attend NC State University where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in Communications. She is an avid cook, Wolfpack enthusiast, and spends her free time running and traveling. Christie is a member of Church of the Apostles, and lives in Raleigh with her two sons, Finley and Asher, husband Frank, and dog Poppy.
Tim Tinnesz
Tim is the fourth headmaster in the history of St. Timothy’s School, a Pre-K to eighth grade Episcopal preparatory school of 500+ students, 75 faculty and staff, and annual operating budget of $7 million. Before this he spent 5 years as Head of School at Gaston Day School.
He is a natural leader and educator who received his Master’s Degree from Georgetown University. Since then he has spent his time giving back educating youth and improving school systems.
Jennifer Vondee
Jennifer is currently the Head, of North America Compliance at Viiv Healthcare. She has 14 years of experience providing business advisory services to pharmaceutical and life sciences companies focusing on process transformation, compliance / risk management and digital enablement. Prior to joining ViiV Healthcare, Jennifer was the was a Director and PwC and the data manager for the Somerset County NJ Cancer Education & Early Detection Program.
Jennifer is originally from Old Bridge, New Jersey and moved to North Carolina in 2014. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Health from Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University and a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Rutgers University.
She enjoys spending her free time challenging her kids to their own version of “Kids Baking Championship.” Jennifer and her family worship at Calvary Chapel Cary. She lives in Cary with her husband, Martin and three children, Ephraim, Eliana and Norah.
Mark Chambers
Mark serves as Vice President of Product Control at Credit Suisse on the Valuation and Model Governance team. For over 7 years, he and his global based team have been responsible for ensuring compliance and adherence to the regulatory driven requirements of a global investment bank. Prior to Credit Suisse, Mark served 6 years in various accounting and finance roles in both apparel and furniture manufacturing across North Carolina.
Mark was born in Reidsville, NC and is a graduate of Lenoir Rhyne University earning a degree in Physics as well as an MBA. Mark and his wife Stacey call Wake Forest home where they enjoy travelling the world and hitting the ski slopes.
Board Members
by last name
Dan Cahill
Advisory Board Member
Dan is a lifelong Raleigh resident. Married to Sallie Thorpe Cahill, he has three children. Growing up in Raleigh, Dan attended Our Lady of Lourdes School and Cardinal Gibbons High School.
Dan later attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, graduating in 1989 with a B.A. in public policy analysis. He graduated from Wake Forest University School of Law in 1994 obtaining his J.D.
Dan is currently a partner with the Raleigh law firm of Poyner Spruill LLP. He has attained an AV rating by Martindale Hubbell® and has been recognized in Business North Carolina magazine’s “Legal Elite” (Litigation) for 2009-2010 and 2014. He has been ranked among Super Lawyers magazine’s North Carolina “Super Lawyers” (Business Litigation) from 2010-2014 and recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® (Commercial Litigation) for 2014.
Dan currently serves on the Board of Trustees for St. Timothy’s School in Raleigh as well as the Board of Directors of Artspace, Inc. He is an active member of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Raleigh.
Richard Campbell
Advisory Board Member
Richard Campbell is Chief Communications Officer for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at NC State University. Richard leads a team of talented communications professionals who use the college’s magazine and website, social media channels and other targeted communications platforms to tell the many stories of CALS – helping connect diverse target audiences to the vital research, academic programs and outreach of the college.
Before joining the university, Richard served as President of Carolina Broadcasting and Publishing, a strategic communications and public relations agency working exclusively with North Carolina associations and trade groups. Richard has lead the development and execution of state- and nation-wide media campaigns, and helped produce NC SPIN, a weekly public policy television program that airs across the state.
Ann Close
Ann is President/Owner of Close HR Connections, a full-service Human Resources (HR) Coaching/Consulting Firm in the Triangle area. She is a Senior HR Coach/Consultant with over 20 years of experience as a distinguished HR Generalist. She is also a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the local Raleigh-Wake chapter, RWHRMA.
Bruce Cross
Bruce is currently a Process Development Engineer at Dell; Diversity and Inclusion Advocate. Bruce has been with Dell Technologies for over 10 years. He received his Bachelors degree in Manufacturing Systems from North Carolina A&T State University.
Greg Delage
Greg is originally from Nashua, N.H. (voted the #1 city in the country in 1987 and 1997) and moved to Raleigh back in 2007 as part of a relocation with Fidelity Investments. Greg is currently working at CAPTRUST. Greg joined CAPTRUST in 2013 as director in professional services, responsible for improving processes and unifying service levels to plan sponsors and participants. Prior to CAPTRUST Greg served as Benefits Service Manager for Aon Hewitt and has worked in the industry since 1990. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in political science from Northeastern University.
Greg enjoys play Golf, Disc Golf, and pretty much any outside activity. Greg spends as much time as he can with his wife Monique, son Addison and daughter Olivia. Greg is also actively involved with his church and other community activities.
Ariane Despres
Ariane currently lives in Johnston County, following relocation from New Hampshire to North Carolina in 2008 with Fidelity Investments. She lives with her husband Roger and son Thomas, along with several pets. Their family enjoys traveling to new states in their motorhome and exploring NC beaches and mountains.
Ariane holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Southern New Hampshire University in Business Administration and Organizational Leadership. In her 15+ year career with Fidelity, she has specialized in Human Resources with a focus on workforce analytics, strategy, associate engagement, and external branding. Today, Ariane is a leader focused on growing a new regional center in Durham, concentrated on associate and client experience, business development results, and operational effectiveness.
Dana Green
Advisory Board Member
Dana currently manages the marketing for Brasfield & Gorrie’s Carolinas region. Originally from Pitman, New Jersey, Dana ventured south to attend Elon University, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Corporate Communications and minor in Psychology. She is an active Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce (GRCC) Young Professionals Network (YPN) member, where she has previously chaired both the Networking and Marketing Task Forces. In addition, Dana graduated from the GRCC’s Leadership Raleigh program (class 30) in 2015. She has enjoyed giving her time to the WakeMed Foundation for the last eight years, and currently serves on the Foundation’s Board of Directors and is the Chair of the annual Community Campaign.
Dana often describes herself as a creative marcom professional with an indulgent social media mind enhancing an interactive construction community. While a fiery Philly sports fan on the side, she is also a fanatic cheesehead (Green Bay Packers) with a passion for serving others. Dana currently resides in Raleigh with her husband, Jason, and their two sons, Beckett and Jonah.
Brooke Hanford
Brooke currently serves as the Marketing Manager for York Properties.
In addition to her role as Marketing Manager she acts as Executive Assistant to Smedes York, Chairman, and heads the York Properties Community Involvement Program.
Doreen C. Kelly
Advisory Board Member
Doreen is a founding member of the Board of Directors. She leads the administrative team of the Ravenscroft School and has been Head of School since July 2003. She joined the Ravenscroft faculty in July 1999 as the Director of the Lower School, also enjoying time in the classroom as a Lower School French Teacher.
Mrs. Kelly graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in Education. She also studied for two years at Villanova University.
Mrs. Kelly recently was asked to serve on the faculty for the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) for the Institute for New Heads. She is also a mentor for the NAIS Aspiring Heads Program. In addition, she has served as a District Leader for the National Association of Principals of Schools for Girls (NAPSG), which includes co-ed schools, along with being a former faculty member for the Administrative Leadership Seminar for Women held in October.
She is a member and chair for evaluation teams for the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS), and has served on the board of the SAIS Accreditation Committee from 2008-2012 as well as a former faculty member of the new teacher institute for SAIS. She is a member of the Southern Headmasters’ Association and she serves on the board of the Spoleto Study Abroad Program.
Patrick Mackie
Patrick is the Manager of Business Banking for First Citizens Bank in the Triangle and has been employed by the bank for the last 15 years in various communities, including Wake County and the Sandhills of North Carolina. In this role, he works with a team of bankers who focus on providing advice and financial services to locally owned businesses in the Triangle to support their financing needs.
Outside of his role with First Citizens Bank, Patrick is currently serving as Vice President of the Cary MacGregor Rotary Club and is on the advisory board for the Taylor Family YMCA in Cary. Patrick is also an active member of the Cary Chamber of Commerce having completed and later co-chaired the Cary Leadership Program in 2015 & 2016.
Patrick is a graduate of Appalachian State University and has a MBA from UNC Chapel Hill.
Sarah Owrey, MD
Sarah was born and raised in Northern Michigan. After high school, she attended Albion College and then attended medical school at Michigan State’s College of Human Medicine.
Sarah has been in North Carolina since 2006 when she moved to Winston Salem to complete her residency in pediatrics. She has been in Raleigh since 2009 when she and her husband, Ryan, moved here after she joined her current practice at Raleigh Children and Adolescents Medicine. Sarah has two children Hudson (2015) and Harper (2018).
Jeremy Petranka
Jeremy is an Associate Dean and Associate Professor of the Practice in the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. He helped developed the Master of Quantitative Management (MQM) program in 2017 and still serves as its programmatic dean. He is also the programmatic dean for MSQM, Fuqua’s only fully online program. In addition, he created and is the Director of the Fuqua Volunteer Corps, designed to connect recent graduates with non-profits facing business challenges.
Jeremy’s teaching experience spans multiple domains including strategy, leadership, economics, entrepreneurship, and structural institutions. He has won teaching awards for multiple courses across four programs at Fuqua, been named a Poets & Quants “Best 40 Under 40” and “Favorite MBA Professor of the Class of 2021”, and won the UNC-Chapel Hill Student Undergraduate Teaching & Staff University Award.
He received his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill in 2009 and completed his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Tech in 1999. Prior to his career in academia, he worked as a management consultant, working with Fortune 500 companies to align their information technology with their business strategies, focusing heavily on the role of data within the organizations.
On the personal side, Jeremy is married to his wife, Rachel. They have an assortment of rescue animals and enjoy good food, drink, and friends.
Susan Pruskin
Advisory Board Member
Susan is an Advanced Certified QuickBooks expert. She owns Susan Pruskin Consulting, a QuickBooks training and bookkeeping company.
She has always been involved in community service from Girl Scouts in her school years through her present participation in the Cary-Kildaire Rotary club with many other stops along the way. She grew up in Tampa, Florida and graduated from the University of South Florida.
John H. Ruocchio
Advisory Board Member
John is a founding member of the Board of Directors. Mr. Ruocchio graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1987.
He received his Juris Doctor from the Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law from Campbell University in 1995. Mr. Ruocchio is a former Treasurer of the North Carolina Republican Party, a former member of the Raleigh Telecommunications Commission, former member and Chair of the Board of Trustees of Cardinal Gibbons Roman Catholic High School in Raleigh, North Carolina, and a former Board member of Frankie Lemmon Memorial Pre-School in Raleigh, North Carolina. Mr. Ruocchio currently serves as secretary of the House Corporation of the Alpha Tau Chapter of Sigma Chi Fraternity at Chapel Hill. Mr. Ruocchio is also active in his church, the Knights of Columbus and various other community groups. Mr. Ruocchio has been an attorney with Lewis & Roberts, PLLC in Raleigh, North Carolina since 1997 focusing on workers’ compensation law. He was recognized in 2013 by the Best Lawyers in America.
Tom Shell
Advisory Board Member
Tom is a former senior executive at Lenovo and current independent consultant. After a successful 30 year career in the IT industry, including leading global marketing and engineering teams as an expat in Asia for a decade, Tom retired from Lenovo in December 2017 where he was Senior Vice President for Development and Quality in the Data Center Group.
Prior to his appointment in September 2015 to lead Lenovo’s Enterprise Business Group, Tom led Lenovo’s PC Business Group, responsible for both Think and
Lenovo branded laptops, desktops, visuals and accessories. He also oversaw the Strategic Technology and Innovation Centre (STIC), PC services, and Eco System & Monetization (E&M) that support these products.
Before joining Lenovo in 2006, Tom was with Dell for seven years across the US and Asia, where he held several senior engineering positions and was a key player in establishing Dell’s first Singapore Design Center (SDC). Tom has also spent more than a decade at Siemens as a Manufacturing Engineering Manager for their mobile phone unit.
Tom began his IT career at IBM while studying at the University of Florida, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Engineering (BSIE).
Megan West Sherron
Advisory Board Member
Megan was named assistant dean of external relations effective Jan. 1, 2014. She joined the law school administration as the director of alumni relations & annual giving on Sept. 24, 2012.
A 2010 Campbell Law graduate, Sherron served as an associate attorney at Martin & Jones, PLLC in Raleigh prior to returning to her alma mater. In April 2014, Triangle Business Journal recognized Sherron as a 2014 Women in Business award winner. As assistant dean of external relations, Sherron oversees the alumni relations, career services, communications, and development departments. She has also managed the Campbell Law Connections mentorship program since the fall 2014 semester. Sherron previously served the law school as director of alumni relations & annual giving, developing and strengthening relationships with alumni and the community while acting as a liaison for alumni inquiries.
A native of Murphy, N.C., Sherron graduated from Wake Forest University in 2007 with a B.S. in business. She then attended Campbell Law School, spending time as a student at both the Buies Creek and Raleigh campuses prior to graduating in 2010. As a student she served as a consulting editor for the Campbell Law Review, president of the Christian Legal Society, competed in moot court competitions, and was a research assistant for Professor Jean Cary and Professor Greg Wallace. She was also a legal research and writing scholar. Sherron served as an associate attorney at Martin & Jones in Raleigh from 2010-12, representing clients in personal injury, products liability, and medical malpractice cases. Prior to Martin & Jones, Sherron interned with the Solicitor General at the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office, Justice Edward Brady at the North Carolina Supreme Court, and Judge Barbara Jackson at the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Sherron was appointed to the Capital City Clauses Board of Directors in March 2013 and elected Wake Women Attorneys Vice President in December 2013. She has also served as a peer mentor for the Campbell University Lundy-Fetterman School of Business Young Women in Transition program.
Jon Strickland
Advisory Board Member
Jon has over 30 years of experience in public accounting. He has extensive experience in individual and business income taxation as well as business valuation and litigation support services. Jon joined the firm in 2013 after working at Ernst & Young for 6 years in the tax department, and 19 years in local CPA firm as an owner. He is a Certified Public Accountant. In addition, he is accredited in business valuation by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, he has earned the Accredited Senior Appraiser in Business Valuation designation from the American Society of Appraisers, and he is a Certified Valuation Analyst accredited by the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts .
Education, Credentials and Special Training: Certified Public Accountant. B.A., Accounting, North Carolina State UniversityAccredited Senior AppraiserAmerican Society of Appraisers Accredited in Business ValuationAmerican Institute of Certified Public Accounts Certified Valuation AnalystNational Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts
Professional Affiliations: American Institute of Certified Public AccountantsNorth Carolina Association of Certified Public AccountantsAmerican Society of AppraisersNational Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts
Civic, Community Organizations: Member, Finance and Endowment Committees, St. Andrews Presbyterian ChurchBoard Member, Note in the PocketBoard Member, The Dereck Whittenburg Foundation.
Jennifer Tolley
Board Member
Jennifer currently leads Content Operations for GSK. In her role, she established and leads GSK’s in-house creative agency, and she also oversees the people, tools, and processes that enable the flow of promotional content within the organization.
Jennifer grew up in Raleigh. She graduated from Ravenscroft School and then Wake Forest University with a bachelor’s degree in Business. She moved back to Raleigh after college to pursue a career in marketing, working for life sciences and CPG advertising agencies in the area before joining GSK in brand marketing in 2017.
Outside of work, Jennifer lives in Raleigh and enjoys making memories with her husband, Jacob, their two children, Olivia (2018) and Lucas (2019), and German Shorthaired Pointer, Ray. In her free time, she loves to cook, cycle (a self-proclaimed Peloton and SPENGA enthusiast), spend time with friends, and travel the world.
Harris Vaughan
Advisory Board Member
Harris has more than 20 years of communications experience. Intricate organization situations that require high-level effective communications strategies and hands-on client leadership are his specialty. An entrepreneur at heart, Harris has an intrinsic aptitude for understanding client goals.
Before launching Eckel & Vaughan, Harris spent eight years developing and implementing marketing and advertising plans for Rockett Burkhead & Winslow clients. Prior to that, Harris helped launch a 50-state business and policy news gathering service for The Washington Post Company. Additionally, Harris worked in public policy on Capitol Hill, an experience that sharpened his gift for building relationships and reacting in fast-paced environments.
When the ravages of Hurricane Matthew struck North Carolina in 2016, the seeds of what would become The Sunday Supper were sown. In 2017 the Public Relations Society of America recognized Eckel & Vaughan, and the local agencies and volunteers with whom they collaborated, with The Silver Anvil for their community service. Harris and The Sunday Supper vision partners have ultimately created an event platform adaptable to any community in order to bring people together at one table to share a meal, celebrate commonalities, and raise funds for local charity. Harris remains the co-executive director and a board member of The Sunday Supper.
Harris holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, as well as an undergraduate degree from UNC-CH in political science. Harris balances career, service to community, and family life—while taking fun seriously for good measure as a certified whole hog barbecue judge. A native of Edenton, Harris, his wife, Ashley, and their three children call Raleigh home.
Jill Walters
Jill is a Shareholder with the firm, Baker Donelson .
Jill has been ranked in Business North Carolina magazine’s “Legal Elite” and ranked among Super Lawyers Magazine’s North Carolina “Rising Stars” in the Bankruptcy and Creditor/Debtor Rights Section annually since 2013. She has been published in USLAW twice, first in 2012 and then again in 2014.
In addition to her legal practice, Jill serves as the co-chair of the Pro Bono Committee for the North Carolina Bar Association’s Bankruptcy Section, is on the Board of Directors for the Carolinas Network of the International Women’s Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC), and also serves on the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Creditors’ Bar Association. Jill also previously served as Treasurer and on the Board of Directors for HopeLine, Inc., a suicide prevention organization based in Raleigh, North Carolina. In addition to her board work, since 2013 Jill has served as a volunteer and member of the Fundraising Committee for Haven House Services, a North Carolina non-profit focused on providing community-based services to homeless and at-risk youth. Jill also volunteers as an Alumni Mentor for her law school alma mater and is a regular volunteer for Legal Aid of North Carolina. Jill was a member of the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Raleigh Class of 2014-2015.After receiving her BA from Lake Forest College in 2004, Jill went on to earn her JD from Michigan State University College of Law in 2007.