WILMA October 2022

Open Our Doors to Nourish More

The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina at Wilmington is close to opening the nCino Hunger Solution Center at 1000 Greenfield Street. The new facility will provide the infrastructure and space to reach more of our neighbors facing food insecurity in the Cape Fear region and allow the Food Bank to operate additional programs to address hunger at its root causes.

Along with the Greater Wilmington Business Journal, Sunrise Broadcasting, WECT, and WILMA Magazine, our goal is to raise an additional $100,000 with your support, so we can open our doors and feed more friends and neighbors.

Visit foodbankcenc.org/opendoors to be a part of our journey.

As the original Life Plan Community in Wilmington, NC - you can find ease in the fact we have been in the neighborhood for 30 years. Now our neighborhood is expanding, with exciting additional dining venues and 44 new Village Flats!

schedule a

In 2012, WILMA launched our Women to Watch Awards. Over the past decade, the annual honors have expanded to recognize more and more leaders. The first group included six women making impacts throughout the region. The awards ceremony was an intimate gathering at the City Club for them, their friends, family members, and colleagues. There were probably fifty people there, max. The awards program has grown over the years – our judging panel began picking finalists, a Public Sector category was added, nominations increased, and the awards ceremony itself draws hundreds of people and is a full-blown night out at the convention center.

But from daytime dining room to convention center ballroom, one thing that hasn’t changed is the spirit surrounding the awards. Accolades for the finalists and winners each year buzzes, and they receive much-deserved recognition for the work they are accomplishing.

Stay tuned for announcements of this year’s winners after the awards event October 21 in our WILMA email newsletter. W

DARIA AMATO is a native New Yorker and School of Visual Arts graduate. Throughout her thirty years of experience, she has photographed a range of editorial, advertising, company branding, and corporate clients in addition to music, fashion, portraiture, weddings, and still life. Amato has been recognized by The Society of Publication Designers and Graphic Design USA and received an Optima Design Award for best cover photography. This month, Amato photographed WILMA’s Women to Watch Awards finalists in the Business, Nonprofit/Volunteer, and Rising Star categories.

MEGHAN CORBETT, a native North Carolinian, is a freelance writer and editor. She graduated with honors with a degree in mass media communication and a minor in journalism from North Carolina State University. Corbett married her high school sweetheart, Will, in 2008. They welcomed a baby girl (Avery) to their family in 2016 and a baby boy (Hugh) in 2018. They also have two rescue beagles named Moze and Charlie. Corbett talks with HALF UNITED founder Carmin Black about this year’s Women to Watch Awards bracelet on page 39.

MADELINE GRAY is a freelance documentary photographer based in Wilmington. With a master’s degree in photojournalism, her work is regularly featured in local and national publications. She enjoys spending time in places that are off the beaten track and collaborating to share the diverse stories found there. Gray photographed awards finalists in the Arts, Education, Health, and Public Sector categories as well as HALF UNITED’s Carmin Black on page 39. madelinegrayphoto.com and Instagram: @madelinepgray

KRISTIN FRYT is an Austrian-based teacher who spends her free time hiking the Alps to find cows to take selfies with. A graduate of the University of North Carolina Wilmington and former Wilmington resident, she now teaches English to students of all ages. Fryt wrote the bio blurbs for this year’s Women to Watch Awards finalists. The awards section starts on page 23

DREWE SMITH and KATE SUPA own a creative studio – Drewe and Kate Branding Co. –that helps companies elevate their brand and digital presence through photography, brand styling, logo design, and website creation. The creative team styled and photographed this month’s style feature on page 14. dreweandkate.com

Publisher Rob Kaiser rkaiser@wilmingtonbiz.com

President Robert Preville rpreville@wilmingtonbiz.com

Editor Vicky Janowski vjanowski@wilmingtonbiz.com

Vice President of Sales

Carolyn Carver ccarver@wilmingtonbiz.com

Senior Marketing Consultants

Maggi Apel mapel@wilmingtonbiz.com

Matthew Coleman mcoleman@wilmingtonbiz.com

Craig Snow csnow@wilmingtonbiz.com

Marketing Consultants

Alexis Alphin aalphin@wilmingtonbiz.com

Rachel Miles rmiles@wilmingtonbiz.com

Office & Audience Development Manager

Sandy Johnson sjohnson@wilmingtonbiz.com

Events Director Elizabeth Stelzenmuller events@wilmingtonbiz.com

Events & Digital Coordinator

Jamie Kleinman jkleinman@wilmingtonbiz.com

Contributing Designer

Suzi Drake art@wilmingtonbiz.com

Designer Tara Weymouth tweymouth@wilmingtonbiz.com

Digital Editor

Johanna Cano jcano@wilmingtonbiz.com

Media Coordinator Julia Jones jjones@wilmingtonbiz.com

Fashion Stylist

Drewe Smith

Contributors

Meghan Corbett, Nina Bays Cournoyer, Kristin Fryt, Beth A. Klahre, Casey McAnarney, Dylan Patterson, Justin Williams Pope, Katie Schmidt, Lynda Van Kuren

Contributing Photographers

Daria Amato, Madeline Gray, Terah Hoobler, Allison Joyce, Kate Supa

Founder Joy Allen

Subscribe

For a one-year subscription, please send $26.00 (check or money order) to: WILMA, 219 Station Rd., Ste. 202, Wilmington, NC 28405, or call 343-8600 x201 www.WILMAmag.com

LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE

FOUNDING SPONSORS

CORPORATE SPONSORS

“L ive Oak Bank is proud to support the valuable work WILMA does to elevate women. Our organizations are aligned in enhancing the lives of women and through Live Oak’s latest effort to serve women-owned businesses, we believe exciting things are on the horizon. Women entrepreneurs are starting companies at twice the rate of the overall growth of small businesses in the United States. Financial inclusion is important for women to access loans as it strengthens the availability of economic resources. As the leading SBA lender in the country, Live Oak is uniquely positioned to provide women in our own community, and across the U.S., with access to capital to unlock their dreams of business ownership.”

Debbie Warwick EVP, Women-Owned Business Lending

W2W UPDATES

WILMA’s Women to Watch Leadership Initiative has updates to share as we continue to work on the effort’s core mission of helping develop more women leaders in our area. Here’s what we’ve been up to with various W2W Leadership Initiative programs and what’s coming up next:

W2W ALUM: Last month, we held an event for our previous Leadership Institute grads and WILMA Awards honorees. The networking event (above), took place at Waterman’s Brewing Company’s Ohana Room and include branding tips from Stephanie Lanier, Lisa Leath, and Hayley Luckadoo.

LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE: Members of this year’s WILMA’s Leadership Institute met in September to hear from Michele Holbrook, capital program manager, optical fiber and cable for Corning Incorporated, about strengths-based leadership. The group also talked with The Forté Institute about class members’ individual communication style profiles. The Institute is made up of forty women who meet monthly for leadership skills training, interaction with area executives, and peer mentoring sessions. Applications for next year’s class open again in December.

WILMA NETWORK: The WILMA Network, made up of women from the companies that support the Women to Watch initiative, serves as a resource for the women involved and represents a variety of area businesses, large and small. Members participate in monthly small-group networking events.

GETTING SOCIAL: Check out the initiative’s social media pages, where you can find the latest info about leadership program announcements, applications, and updates on women who have been involved with W2W. Follow us at facebook.com/ WILMAsWomenToWatch and on Instagram @WILMAsWomentoWatch.

IN THE LOOP: Keep up to date with these and other Leadership Initiative programs as well as application announcements by going to WILMAmag.com or signing up for the WILMA Leadership email at WILMAmag.com/email-newsletter.

- Vicky Janowski and Maggi Apel, Co-directors of the Women to Watch Leadership Initiative W2W@WILMAmag.com

photos by Michael Cline Spencer

The Women to Watch logo: When you see this throughout WILMA’s pages, it means this is a woman on the rise to know, an experienced leader to learn from, or a local program worth checking out. W

12 SHOW OF SUPPORT: Gallery exhibit ties into Breast Cancer Awareness Month

48 BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES: Kate Eames heads her construction firm and a new council

54 IN FRAME: Refocusing the Uplift film festival

DIRECTORY: women’s professional groups

Besides WILMA’s Women to Watch Leadership Initiative, there are a number of local groups to help women grow professionally. Here is just a sampling of some of them.

Cape Fear CREW

Year Founded: 2010

Description: “Cape Fear CREW is the leading organization for commercial real estate in the Cape Fear region in North Carolina … Members represent every aspect of the commercial real estate industry, including, but not limited to, law, leasing, brokerage, property management, finance, acquisitions, and engineering.”

Info: capefearcrew.org or info@capefearcrew.org

Cape Fear Women in Tech

Year Founded: 2014

Description: “Our vision is to make the Cape Fear Region the No. 1 employer of women in technology careers per capita in the country. We do this by championing opportunities for women in technology, empowering women to strive for these competitive positions, and inspiring women to lead in those roles.”

Info: cfwit.com or capefearwomenintech@ gmail.com

Coastal Women Attorneys

(N.C. Association of Women Attorneys)

Year Founded: 2013

Description: “CWA was formed to serve women attorneys in Southeastern North Carolina in the Fourth, Fifth and 13th judicial districts, which includes New Hanover, Pender, Brunswick, Columbus, Bladen, Duplin, Onslow, Sampson, and Jones counties. CWA is committed to increasing the participation of women attorneys in the legal profession, protecting the rights of women under the law and promoting, and improving the administration of justice.”

Info: ncawa.org/cwa or cwa@ncawa.org

The Inspiration Lab

Year Founded: 2015

Description: “The Inspiration Lab was built for working women passionate about personal and professional development. We offer teachings and tools to improve your skills, productivity, creativity, emotional intelligence, and well-being. We also provide opportunities for networking and connection. We represent a variety of backgrounds and careers, but we’re all like-minded in being serious about success, maintaining a manageable work-life balance, and supporting one another’s growth.”

Info: theinspirationlab.co

The Junior League of Wilmington

Year Founded: 1952

Description: “The Junior League of Wilmington is a women’s organization designed to empower women and to improve the community through the leadership of women as trained volunteers.”

Info: jlwnc.org or info@jlwnc.org

Women’s Impact Network of New Hanover County

Year Founded: 2011

Description: “WIN is a collective philanthropy nonprofit that makes yearly grants to nonprofits within the county. The focus of these grants rotates annually among four areas: education, health and wellness, the environment, and arts and culture.”

Info: winofnhc.org

YWCA Lower Cape Fear

Founded: 1914

Description: “The YWCA Lower Cape Fear is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.” Economic advancement programs focus on educational assistance, job training, and short-term and long-term planning skills.

Info: ywca-lowercapefear.org

PADDLING FOR A CAUSE

A local sports club partnered with the North Carolina Coastal Federation for a 120-mile journey with the goal of advocating for a clean environment.

The Wrightsville Beach Outrigger Canoe Club (WBOCC) recently began its trip up the North Carolina coast as part of the project “We the Water.” On September 14, the crew began the first leg of the project, which is slated to run for three years with the goal of paddling the entire state coastline.

The initiative aims to advocate for clean water, empower local communities, and bring awareness of contamination.

“Outrigger canoeing is a connection to the water like no other,” says KERRI ALLEN, North Carolina Coastal Federation Southeast Regional Office Manager and WBOCC board member. “I cannot think of a better way to tell the story of our coast than from the bow of a canoe and how we can all make a difference in protecting and restoring the place we call home.”

photo by Kerri Allen/courtesy of North Carolina Coastal Federation

SUTTON APPOINTED TO AIRPORT AUTHORITY

Real estate attorney FAISON GIB SON SUTTON was appointed to the New Hanover County Airport Authority.

Sutton will serve a four-year term through June 30, 2026.

Born and raised in Wilmington, Sut ton’s practice focuses on real property acquisition, development, leasing, and finance.

She gained eighteen years of expe rience at Murchison, Taylor & Gibson, and she also served as the firm’s first female managing partner in 2018. An active member of the community, Sut ton has served on numerous communi ty and economic development boards.

New Hanover County commissioners also reappointed SPRUILL THOMPSON to the airport authority. Thompson will serve his term through June 30, 2026.

The authority elected its officers: THOMPSON as chairman, NICK RHODES JR. as vice chairman, and TOM WOLFE as secretary.

The group has authority over Wilm ington International Airport, which has commercial air service on American Airlines, Avelo Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines.

THIS YEAR'S NODS FOR EQUITY AWARDS

The New Hanover County Office of Diversity and Equity hosted its second annual Equity Awards Gala, recognizing eleven residents for “their dedication to expanding and elevating equity and diversity throughout the community,” according to an announcement about the winner.

The women who received the 2022 Equity Awards are below. For a full list of winners, go to nhcgov.com.

• CHAKEMA CLINTON-QUINTANA, vice president of inclusive small busi ness at Live Oak Bank (Business Equity Award);

• SHERI SHAW, CRYSTAL PELLOM, and CONSTANCE FOREMAN, Three La dies in Wilmington co-founders (Commu nity Equity Award);

• CIERRA WASHINGTON (above), Northside Food Co-Op project manager and community advocate (Community Equity Award);

• FAWN RHODES, New Hanover County Health and Human Services ad vancing equity coordinator (Health Equity Award) and

• JAZMIN TREJO and VANNIA BAU TISTA, Cape Fear Latinos co-founders (Nonprofit Equity Award).

CAROUSEL CENTER'S NEW BOARD MEMBERS

The Carousel Center welcomed additions to the nonprofit’s board of directors.

The new members are ELIZABETH DEATON, TRICIA DELP IRELAND, WINDY EZZELL, DONNA FAYKO (above), LESLIE MCINTOSH, KENDRA TOLLEY, and JENNA YINGLING.

“We are all deeply invested in mak ing sure that our children have every opportunity to grow up in safe, healthy environments that will allow them to thrive and succeed, and this expansion will make that possible,” says RHONDA HENRY, newly elected board chairman.

Other elected officers are SHEME KA KEMP as vice chair; SAM WOOD as secretary; and DORY WEISS as treasurer.

The Carousel Center is the region’s only nationally accredited, nonprofit Child Advocacy Center that provides child medical exams, forensic inter views, confidential professional trauma counseling, and caregiver support to children and their families who have experienced physical/sexual abuse.

Last month, it signed a memo of understanding to be the sole provid er of child abuse services for Pender County.

ant more WILMA? Check out our daily emails, which include even more profiles and stories for Wilmington’s successful women. To sign up for the free emails, go to WILMAmag.com

“We are currently selecting an office space in Burgaw to open in three to six months to more efficiently serve Pend er children and their families closer to home,” says AMY FEATH, The Carou sel Center’s executive director.

BUBBLING

dotted around downtown attracting redevelopment – South Front, Cargo District, North Fourth – new restaurants and breweries have been key to build up traffic.

New establishments for the Soda Pop blocks, including Hi-Wire Brewing, seem to be just the start.

people who live nearby,” Erol says, adding that so far Cugino has seemingly attracted locals rather than tourists.

THE SODA POP DISTRICT’S BITES AND BREWS

by JUSTIN WILLIAMS POPE photo by MADELINE GRAY

s Princess Street sees more redevelopment projects in the pipeline, food and drink have been the initial strategies to entice people to stop.

The area, nestled along Princess Street between New Hanover High School and downtown Wilmington, was dubbed the Soda Pop District – a reference to the for mer Coca-Cola bottling plant at Princess and 10th streets that serves as an anchor to the surrounding activity.

Like other outlying neighborhoods

Earlier this summer, Cugino Forno, a restaurant specializing in Neapolitan-style pizza, opened its doors to a strong re sponse.

“We didn’t necessarily look into the Wilmington market, but it has worked out well,” says NAIM EROL, managing partner of Cugino Forno.

Erol says that he and his business part ners were approached by neighbors at HiWire to open a location in Wilmington.

After some market studies, he and his cousins decided Wilmington would be right for their next spot. The Wilmington location joins five other Cugino Fornos in North Carolina and Maryland.

If initial traffic is any indication of the success of Hi- Wire (which opened in Wilmington in the fall of 2020) and Cugi no Forno, the move proved a smart one. On any given evening, the parking lot is full, and cars are lined along the streets. Both locations also have outdoor seating.

“We also get lots of walk-ins from

The Cugino Forno space is attached to Hi-Wire – 1020 Princess Street, a block from the Coca-Cola bottling plant – and was renovated before opening. The build ing’s former life was as a car dealership, built in the 1940s.

“I see this whole area as a sort of new family destination,” Erol says. “We have pizza and salads and gelato. They have beer and ping pong tables, so we draw all ages.”

A longtime staple, Folks Café sits on the corner of Princess and 12th streets.

Owners TAMMY and JUAN PACINI have been in business at the location for twenty-two years and have seen the com ing and going activity.

“It’s a process you know,” Juan Pacini says. “It really has been seven to eight years of changes, and then some places closed, and others came. And now, there is a whole different environment here.”

“In 2000, when we came here verses today, it’s like night and day,” Tammy Pacini says.

“It took some time for Brooklyn (Arts District) area to develop, but look at it today, it’s thriving. What Andy is doing, is something wonderful,” she says.

Pacini is referring to ANDY HEWITT, of Parastream Development. Hewitt and SANDY THORPE have driven invest ment in the blocks, which in 2019 first bought the building to develop the HiWire Brewing taproom.

Last year, Parastream purchased buildings on three blocks for $8 million. The deal included the Coca-Cola bottling building that is now in a first phase of renovation as well as other buildings and property in the area.

One of those nearby buildings Para stream bought will be redeveloped and turned into Raleigh-based Bowstring Brewyard’s Wilmington outpost. The brewpub is expected to open at 1002 Prin cess Street sometime in the middle of next year. The Electric Bottling Co. originally used the building as a soda bottling plant, eventually selling it to Coca-Cola.

The long-term plan for the main Coca-Cola plant will be a multi-tenant, urban-flex warehouse that is ideal for a variety of uses, including makerspace to accommodate light manufacturing, assembly, warehouse, and distribution in addition to office and retail with storefront opportunities, the developers have said.

The building was Wilmington’s first bottling plant, officials say. A new mercantile storefront is planned along Princess Street.

Plans for the new look of the building will also be unique.

Artist renderings show an updated, freshly painted building that will also include film-inspired graphics as an ode to the nearby Cucalorus Film Festival’s headquarters: Jengo’s Playhouse.

Media Best Practices

Media Best Practices

Representing the Spiffy brand is all about consistency and honesty. Spiffy is green and we take pride in using our reclaim mat while washing. Our technicians are our hardest working employees, and we want to represent them proudly. There are many branches of Spiffy to represent, and across the board they are consistent and recognizable as the overall Spiffy identity.

Representing the Spiffy brand is all about consistency and honesty. Spiffy is green and we take pride in using our reclaim mat while washing. Our technicians are our hardest working employees, and we want to represent them proudly. There are many branches of Spiffy to represent, and across the board they are consistent and recognizable as the overall Spiffy identity.

Spiffy conveys the attitude of our brand through our photography and the marketing we put out in the world. We follow a set of best practices that allow Spiffy’s image to stay consistent.

Spiffy conveys the attitude of our brand through our photography and the marketing we put out in the world. We follow a set of best practices that allow Spiffy’s image to stay consistent.

Reverse Logo

Best Practices:

Practices:

1. Branding is visible - ideally the entire wordmark of Spiffy and

Media Best Practices

Media Best Practices

Branding is visible - ideally the entire wordmark of Spiffy and the Penguin

No water leakage around mats

Media Best Practices

For Folks Café’s Tammy Pacini, all the growth that has happened and anticipated is welcome news.

Representing the Spiffy brand is all about consistency and honesty. Spiffy is green and we take pride in using our reclaim mat while washing. Our technicians are our hardest working employees, and we want to represent them proudly. There are many branches of Spiffy to represent, and across the board they are consistent and recognizable as the overall Spiffy identity.

Note:

Representing the Spiffy brand is all about consistency and honesty. Spiffy is green and we take pride in using our reclaim mat while washing. Our technicians are our hardest working employees, and we want to represent them proudly. There are many branches of Spiffy to represent, and across the board they are consistent and recognizable as the overall Spiffy identity.

Technician’s

Representing the Spiffy brand is all about consistency and honesty. Spiffy is green and we take pride in using our reclaim mat while washing. Our technicians are our hardest working employees, and we want to represent them proudly. There are many branches of Spiffy to represent, and across the board they are consistent and recognizable as the overall Spiffy identity.

Spiffy Extended logo

Spiffy conveys the attitude of our brand through our photography and the marketing we put out in the world. We follow a set of best practices that allow Spiffy’s image to stay consistent.

Spiffy conveys the attitude of our brand through our photography and the marketing we put out in the world. We follow a set of best practices that allow Spiffy’s image to stay consistent.

“Today, we see people walking to the new places. Some come here. Some are families, and others are just young people out and about,” she says. “But it’s nice to see them walking in the neighborhood and enjoying themselves. We have been patiently waiting to see this, and now it’s happening.”W

Full-Color Reverse Logo

Best Practices:

Best Practices:

Spiffy conveys the attitude of our brand through our photography and the marketing we put out in the world. We follow a set of best practices that allow Spiffy’s image to stay consistent.

Best Practices:

One-Color Reverse logo

This story appeared in the fall issue of WILMA sister publication Wilmington Biz Magazine. To read the full story, go to WilmingtonBizMagazine.com.

1. Branding is visible - ideally the entire wordmark of Spiffy and the Penguin

1. Branding is visible - ideally the entire wordmark of Spiffy and the Penguin

1. Branding is visible - ideally the entire wordmark of Spiffy and the Penguin

Download the app | GetSpiffy.com | (844) 438 7443

you can’t find an image you

2. No water leakage around mats

2. No water leakage around mats

3. Technician’s face is in photosmiling as appropriate

2. No water leakage around mats

3. Technician’s face is in photosmiling as appropriate

SUPPORT SHOW OF

GALLERY EXHIBIT TIES INTO BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

by KATIE SCHMIDT photo by TERAH HOOBLER

Throughout the month of October, Gallery Citrine will be hosting a special exhibit to commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Bra Ha Ha. One major difference between this exhibit and others you may be familiar with? The canvas of choice is bras.

“We were trying to think of some thing to do for Breast Cancer Awareness Month because everybody knows some one who has had breast cancer,” says SUE CUNNINGHAM, one of the artists at the gallery. “Even just within our core group of ten artists, we’ve had two with breast cancer. And so, we wanted to do something that would do some good and also put a smile on people’s face.”

The exhibit will not only raise aware

ness with these elaborately crafted bras, but proceeds will go to a local organi zation serving those diagnosed with breast cancer, Going Beyond the Pink.

Cunningham met the founder of the organization, KARA KENAN, and knew the nonprofit’s focus on serving local residents in the breast cancer community was a worthwhile investment.

“I think people naturally want to do something good, but they don’t always know how or where to start,”

Cunningham says. “Going Beyond the Pink is supporting our neighbors. That’s something we can do with an event like Bra Ha Ha – be a part of helping our own community.”

Going Beyond the Pink offers those in the breast cancer community resourc es, health and wellness education, and support for both the diagnosed individ ual and their family. Kenan started the organization after being diagnosed with breast cancer at age thirty-five and realiz ing there were gaps in what was available to someone navigating their diagnosis.

“Some of the things I needed as a young woman with cancer, I just couldn’t find in our community,” Kenan says. “We have incredible oncologists and support groups, but things like health and wellness education, financial assis tance for people who may not be below poverty level but are still living paycheck to paycheck, support for young people that have children to take care of … We wanted to target some of these gaps.”

Kenan launched Going Beyond the Pink in 2017 and has made a substantial impact in bettering the lives of those navigating breast cancer throughout New Hanover, Brunswick, and Pender counties.

“The one thread that I have seen most consistently between nonprofits and businesses in this area is the idea of collaboration,” Kenan says. “We all seem to just know we’re better together.”

This is not the first time Gallery Ci trine has used an exhibit for the greater good, and it is certainly not to be the last.

DONNA LAUNEY, Gallery Citrine owner and artist (read more about her as a WILMA’s Women to Watch Awards finalist this year on page 24), says the mission of the gallery has always been to not only provide art for the community

but to enrich it through fundraisers and more philanthropic-leaning projects.

Since its inception in August 2019, the gallery has produced events and exhib its benefiting local organizations such as Adopt an Angel and Good Shepherd Center, as well as helping Ukrainian chil dren refugees through Save the Children.

“The generosity of the local art com munity allowed us to raise $16,000 for Ukraine,” Launey says. “All of the artists, out of the goodness of their hearts, paint ed and donated their works specifically for that event. There’s an extra emotion and energy when you’re creating some thing for a cause.”

Both Launey and Cunningham agree that that extra emotion has been pres ent as they’ve both worked on the bras they’ll have on display at Bra Ha Ha. Of course, there’s also a fun factor when the art you’re working on is something like a “Treasure Chest” bra, all bright and bedazzled.

“These have been so much fun to do,” Cunningham says. “I’m currently trying to find a special glue for silicone, which is a first. But it also hits close to home, for all of us.”

For Kenan, Bra Ha Ha is an example of taking the reality of breast cancer and showing it in all its forms.

“We talk about going beyond pink ribbons, which there is so much beauty and value in those really iconic images,” Kenan says. “But I love when somebody takes it further. When Sue came up with this idea to have people decorate bras? Talk about gritty! It’s such an exciting form of self-expression, which I’m all about.

“Everyone’s journey with breast cancer is going to be different, so it’s really all about what’s going to empower an indi vidual and make them feel heard,” she says. “I hope that’s what people find at this event.” W

GALLERY CITRINE’S BRA HA HA

Exhibit: October 6-30

Reception: October 28, 5-8 p.m.

Address: 17 South Second Street Donations start at $25 a bra, and all monies go to Going Beyond the Pink Info: gallerycitrine.com

WHERE MEDICINE MEETS

BEAUTY

Vitamin

Call

COOL RANCH

While the word “equestrian” might bring to mind royals and heiresses, this look is not just for the blue bloods.

Here are the four staple items for channeling your inner horseback rider:

1. A button-down Oxford. This one’s a nobrainer and is probably already in your closet. Keep it simple with a solid color or soften the overall look with a floral pattern. If you're feeling a little extra, pintucking, smocking, or pleats can also add some zhuzh.

2. Skinny pants. Denim, leather, or stretch are the top opts.

3. An oversized blazer. Try a corduroy or twill. For the more adventurous, look for a long sleeveless vest or gilet, as your fellow horsewomen would call it.

4. Knee-high boots. Not the showy stiletto kind – the functional kind with chunky heels, preferably in leather or suede. Want to add a little Western flair? Go for a good ole cowboy boot.

Styling the equestrian look is easy: Keep the lines clean, the accessories to a minimum, and the palette to warm hues of blue, carame,l and charcoal. Together, the tailored casualness of these pieces are fit for royalty but on a budget that won’t knock you off your saddle. W

photos and styling by Drewe and Kate Branding Co. intro by Nina Bays Cournoyer

Paige Mayslie vegan leather DRESS in dark argan, Sylvia Toledano ebony clip-on EARRINGS-Malachite, Gas Bijoux Totem Valloris RING, all available at S. Worsley Boutique

Ciao Lucia Veneto floral DRESS, Demarson Ama drop EARRINGS, Sylvia Toledano Massai RING, DeMellier The Maxi Santorini in cognac, and Paige Faye BOOTS in cocoa suede, all available at S. Worsley Boutique

Ciao Lucia Elettra DRESS in midnight, Odette New York Eros EARRINGS, Kin the Label Brooke HAT, DeMellier Stockholm woven BAG, and Paige Faye BOOTS in black suede, all available at S. Worsley Boutique

Kerri Rosenthal Mason SHIRT in lake, Paige Claudine PANTS in cognac luxe coating, Odette New York Mezzaluna hoop EARRINGS, SUNGLASSES (stylist’s own), and Paige Presley BOOTIES in cocoa suede, all available at S. Worsley Boutique

Chufy Ciji TOP in andino pink, Chufy Thomas SKIRT in andino pink, Pistola Mandy oversized SHACKET, Gas Bijoux Creole Orphee EARRINGS, DeMellier Verona BAG in ruby, Paige Faye BOOT in black suede, all available at S. Worsley Boutique

Meet the 2022 WILMA’s Women to Watch Award finalists

They represent leaders in their fields and community. Read more about the thirty-five women on the following pages to learn more about why the judges selected them out of nearly 300 nominations and applications that came in this year.

In this issue, we introduce this year’s finalists in arts, business, education, health, nonprofit/volunteer, public sector, and rising star. The rising star category is the only one with an age description and is open to those under thirty.

The women will be honored at this year’s awards event October 21 where the winners will be announced. For party details, go to W2WAward.com.

Congratulations to this year’s group.

For more about the finalists and their accomplishments, go to our website at WILMAmag. com.

About the Cover

2022 Arts category finalist, comic artist, and editor-in-chief/art director of a local comic book series Tales of Cape Fear ANGELA FERNOT illustrated this month’s cover. Playing on the annual Awards issue’s silhouette, Fernot wanted to bring a different inspiration to this year’s artwork. “It was important to me that I created something that felt representative of Wilmington and also honored the art I love to create most, while also not feeling too ‘out there’ for the average reader,” she says. “It was a delicate balance for me.”

The Judging Process

Each year, WILMA opens up the nominations process for the Women to Watch Awards during the summer.

Our judging panel – made up of leaders who sit on the Women to Watch Leadership Initiative’s advisory board as well as outside guests – met to pick the finalists and winners in each of the seven categories.

WILMA would like to thank the judges for volunteering their time and expertise on the awards.

The Judges

Wanda Coley Amy Grant Kristy Hubard Alexis Hunter Kendall Hurt Lily Loizeaux

The Setting

Tammy Proctor Ruth Ravitz Smith Justine Reel Deloris Rhodes Kelly Schaudt Sheri Shaw Debbie Warwick Karen Weaver

For this year’s Awards photoshoot, we took over the many different sides of the Cargo District for the day’s category group photos. Thanks to the neighborhood’s businesses for hosting: Shop Local shipping container, End of Days Distillery, The Fuzzy Needle, The Plant Outpost, Coworx, Alcove Beer Garden, and The Starling. Info: cargodistrict.com

The Bracelet

This year’s awards bracelet is from HALF UNITED (read more about founder and former Women to Watch Award-winner CARMIN BLACK on page 39).

group photos by DARIA AMATO & MADELINE GRAY | headshot photos by LIGHTBLOOM PHOTOGRAPHY

BY KRISTIN FRYT

PHOTO BY MADELINE GRAY

MAHLAYNEE

COOPER

Founder & Director, Speak Ya Peace NC LLC

Using her education, experience, and desire for the arts, Mahlaynee Cooper established the Speak Ya Peace organization to strengthen the African American community through artistic expression.

SAYANTANI

DASGUPTA

Assistant Professor, UNCW Creative Writing Department

International author and speaker Sayantani Dasgupta has made quite a mark locally as well as afar.

A recent invitation to speak at the Society of American Travel Writers in Bogota, Columbia, adds to her roster of writing,

ANGELA FERNOT Artist, Art of Angela

Not only is Angela Fernot an artist, but she is a teacher of the arts as well. Her passion pours into her classes to the benefit of students at the DREAMS of Wilmington, where she works in the afterschool and summer art camp programs. Fernot also helps other

With her philosophy, “Art is a discipline that can teach, heal, and connect,” Cooper has organized and brought people together by partnering with local groups such as the UNCW’s College of Health and Human Services, Sokoto House, DREAMS of Wilmington and local Juneteenth celebrations. In August, she directed the James Baldwin birthday commemoration at Cameron Art

teaching, and speaking to inspired audiences. Dasgupta has published numerous books and essays and shows no sign of slowing. Her debut collection of essays, Fire Girl: Essays on India, America, & the In-Between, was a finalist in the Foreword INDIES awards. Dasgupta is interview editor for Assay: A Journal of Creative Nonfiction. As part of her graduate teaching, she created the “Write to Imagine” initiative, and working with

artists with self-publishing, developing merchandise, and finding freelance work. Fernot’s work ranges from drawing portraits to illustrating comic books in print and digital art. Not one to stick to the basics, she is an “all-over” artist who loves to explore new projects, techniques, and tools. Fernot co-created the Tales of Cape Fear, a local comic anthology. “Since I created Tales of Cape Fear in 2020, I have

Museum, to highlight the writer’s work. She has held poetry workshops at Theatre For All and serves on the board of NHC Special Education PTA. A poet and activist, Cooper has hosted more than twenty Speak Ya Peace events in the past year and also is a mentor to young female artists who want to be local change agents and provides platforms for them to speak their peace.

the Cameron Art Museum helped create professional opportunities for teaching assistants. On campus, Dasgupta is involved with Randall Library, including serving on a hiring committee for its humanities librarian. Additionally, Dasgupta formed “Write Wilmington,” a weekly online writing workshop that draws participants from Wilmington, across the country, and internationally.

been on a mission to cultivate connections between artists of all genres and to bring down the barriers between how people view ‘fine art’ versus ‘commercial pop art,’” Fernot says. “Comic books have been shaping lives, giving voice to storytellers, and inspiring pop culture for generations. I want comic artists and illustrators to be celebrated and appreciated for the incredible abilities they possess.”

JERI GREENBERG Artist, Jeri Greenberg Art

After working many years in New York City as a fashion illustrator, sportswear designer, and advertiser, Jeri Greenberg transformed herself into an esteemed pastel painter, educator, and philanthropist. She moved south and is making a mark on Wilmington

DONNA LAUNEY Owner & Artist, Gallery Citrine

The quartz crystal citrine, known as the sunshine stone for the soul, is precisely why Donna Launey chose to name her art gallery/working studio co-op Gallery Citrine. Opening in August of 2019, the gallery was a way

after just three years. As a national and international award-winning artist, Greenberg has decided to take her talents and share them with the community, offering weekly classes at the Cameron Art Museum, presenting demonstrations and workshops, and jurying pastel exhibits. And feeling a strong connection to the community, she created the Restaurants + Arts ILM project to give

for Launey to create a brighter future and show Wilmington that art can bring hope and joy to any situation. Launey, herself a painter, worked as a diagnostic radiologist before opening the gallery on South Second Street. By bringing this vision of hers to light, Launey has turned an empty space into a haven for artists to create and exhibit, while serving Wilmington through charity work. Using

back, celebrate, and support a variety of Wilmington’s restaurants and cafes. Her art portraying the local establishments is displayed around town. A portion of the painting proceeds goes to the nonprofit organization NourishNC. “Yes, I am a wife and mother, but artist is the title I give myself,” Greenberg says. “It was hard-earned. This second act has been a wonderful gift. I am totally grateful.

this idea, she has featured both renowned and emerging local artists, with proceeds going to other nonprofit organizations. Local beneficiaries have included Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard, Good Shepherd Center, and Cape Fear River Watch. A sunflower exhibit raised over $16,000 for Save the Children, a group that supports refugee children in areas of armed conflict.

BY KRISTIN FRYT

PHOTO BY DARIA AMATO LOCATION: END OF DAYS DISTILLERY (EODDISTILLERY.COM)

CONSTANCE FOREMAN

Founder & Lead Coach, Beyond Clinic Walls Wellness | Physician, Novant Health

One might think being a doctor, a lieutenant commander in the Navy Reserves, and a volunteer board member with Honor Flight of the Cape Fear Area might be enough to fill one’s plate,

ISABELA LUJAN Co-Founder, Latin American Business Council | Realtor, Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage

After leaving her home country of Venezuela for a better life in 2016, Isabela Lujan found a new place to call home in Wilmington, venturing through a foreign

but that is not the case for Constance Foreman. She also found time to help launch the networking group 3 Ladies in Wilmington and start her own business

Beyond Clinic Walls Wellness. Referring to herself as a “docto-preneur,” her aim with Beyond Clinic Walls Wellness is to equip clients with practical, expert wellness solutions for everyday life. Through wellness-based events and corporate

culture and unfamiliar environment. Lujan realized she needed to be part of a bigger community; one that tied into her Latinx roots. She acquired Wilmington Spanish Meetup, a local networking group where community members meet for coffee, learn Spanish, and integrate with others who share interests in various cultures. Leading this meetup inspired Lujan to help form the Latin

ZOË MATHEWS

Owner, Code Ninjas Wilmington

In August 2021, Zoë Mathews opened Code Ninjas franchise location at Mayfaire Town Center, bringing STEM and coding education to area children. Mathews and her team combine teamwork and collaboration to promote

MYRA MCDUFFIE Owner, MeMa’s Chick’n’ & Ribs

After working thirty years as a respiratory therapist and nurse, Myra McDuffie, along with her husband, James, decided to open MeMa’s Chick’n’ & Ribs in 2017. She set out to make an impact on her community of Burgaw

MALLORIE MOORE

Director of Client Development, Dualboot Partners

Mallorie Moore’s mantra seems to be “support and serve.” A graduate of N.C. State University, Moore has been around the tech and startup world for more than ten years

the importance of these fields to all children and especially encourage more girls to participate in the traditionally male-driven fields. Code Ninjas holds monthly in-school coding enrichment at Wilmington Preparatory Academy and pop-up STEM Experiences for professional women. Mathews is also a co-founder of girls code it, a free, tenweek club that teaches the fundamentals

by creating jobs and hiring people to help improve the local economy. The restaurant’s signature-brand sauces and rubs are for sale at twenty-plus Lowes Foods, in airports, and more major platforms planned for the future. The McDuffies set out to expand and purchased land in 2019 to create The Creek at Burgaw, a shopping center on N.C. 53 in Pender County. Myra

since joining her first startup in the Triangle area. With experience in helping new startups and entrepreneurs, Moore became a chamber ambassador for the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce. Moore joined software and business development company Dualboot Partners as director of client development to invest back in her community and local entrepreneurial ecosystem after gaining

health workshops and seminars, Beyond Clinic Walls Wellness strives to serve as a reminder that a person’s health is bigger than simply going to the doctor regularly. Looking ahead, Foreman says she wants to expand what she has started. “I’d like to build community partners,” she says, “that allow me to offer health coaching and health education services to larger groups of people.”

American Business Council out of the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce in 2020 with several of her peers, as she saw a need to promote accessibility for Latin American-owned businesses in the region through equal access to economic and public policy opportunities. Lujan, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage, served as the council’s founding co-chair with Gustavo Rodea.

of coding and builds sisterhood for third-fifth grade girls. Code Ninjas camps range from building and coding dancing lego robots to video game building. Saturday group sessions are also offered to organizations such as the Boy Scouts/ Girl Scouts and church youth groups. Here the groups can bring kids to the center to gain exposure to and spark interest in the STEM fields.

McDuffie estimates the center would create more than forty more jobs, and the couple has looked to raise funds from accredited investors. The building would house MeMa’s, an event space, a commissary kitchen, and manufacturing space for the signature sauce. Having graduated with a master’s degree in organizational leadership, Myra McDuffie has seen her hard work pay off.

over a decade of SaaS startup experience. She previously served as vice president of enterprise at Next Glass. Moore was eager to find the right opportunity that would allow her to help grow a number of startup businesses all at the same time. In the community, she has volunteered with NourishNC and GLOW Academy as well as mentored young women who are new or entering the workforce.

BY VICKY JANOWSKI

PHOTO BY MADELINE GRAY LOCATION: THE FUZZY NEEDLE (THEFUZZYNEEDLE.COM)

SCHALA HARPER

Exceptional Children Teacher, Trask Middle School

Schala Harper’s journey into the classroom began in an untraditional way. Initially thinking she would be an architectural engineer, she volunteered with the PTA and in her child’s class, eventually became a

APRIL QUERY

Assistant Vice President of College Access and Community Outreach, College Foundation of North Carolina

April Query has worked for the College Foundation of North Carolina for sixteen years. The statewide group is a free service from the state that promotes access to education in North Carolina and helps

DANA STACHOWIAK Associate Professor of Curriculum Studies/ Director of Gender Studies & Research Center, UNCW

In the university’s Watson School of Education, Dana Stachowiak was charged with leading the effort to transform its master’s in curriculum program to make

teaching assistant. She is now an EC teacher after going through UNCW Watson College of Education’s Residency Licensure program, which addresses teacher shortages by offering alternative pathways for people from other careers to get their teaching licenses. In 2020, she was picked to represent the New Hanover County school district for North Carolina Center for the Advancement of

students with education planning, career planning, and applying and paying for college. Query, who is based locally, plans and executes trainings for educators and school counselors across the state, including in the Wilmington region at CFCC and UNCW. “My favorite part about working in college access is the relationships I’ve built over the years. These include relationships with families,

it more robust and far-reaching. They headed up UNCW’s women’s studies and resource center in 2019. “As someone who identifies as non-binary or genderqueer, I know the importance of a center dedicated to gender justice being inclusive of all gender identities. So in thinking about, ‘What does the landscape of women and gender studies look like anyway?’ We need to shift to grow with the trends across the

Teaching’s Beginning Teacher of the Year award. Harper is one of two adult liaisons locally who established a partnership with the national organization Student Voice to promote students’ involvement in decisions in New Hanover County Schools. Harper also co-wrote a middlegrade interdisciplinary curriculum that was made in connection to the sculpture “Because It’s Time” by Dare Coulter.

educators, and others across the state and locally who assist students with the college-going process,” Query says. “The relationships we make are the key to truly helping students.” Query, who earned her bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees from UNCW, also is active with the university’s alumni efforts, including previously serving as president of the Cape Fear Area UNCW Alumni Chapter.

nation if we want to grow the program.” The center’s name changed to the UNCW Gender Studies and Research Center in 2020. Since then, the center, which offers a minor, hired its first lecturer, changed its postbaccalaureate certificate program to a teachable certificate program, and this semester launched a Transcend Collective Honor Society for trans and non-binary students.

LOGAN THOMPSON Director of Advancement, CFCC Foundation

Through Logan Thompson’s work at the Cape Fear Community College Foundation, more students have had access to training and education programs. In her first year with the foundation, revenue

TIFFANY D. TUCKER

Deputy Director of Athletics & Senior Woman Administrator, UNCW Athletics

Tiffany D. Tucker joined UNCW in 2019 and was named deputy athletic director in 2021. Sports Illustrated and Empower Onyx included her in a national “100 Influential Black

more than doubled to $2.4 million. And during the 2021-22 academic year, she oversaw the awarding of over $1 million in scholarships – the most the college has ever awarded in an academic year. Last year, Thompson achieved her Certified Fund Raising Executive designation. Also named a 40 Under 40 award winner this year, Thompson serves as a coach for UNCW’s QENO (Quality Enhancement

Women in Sports” list, describing the collegiate basketball coach-turnedadministrator as someone who mentors and motivates college athletes. This month, the Women Leaders in College Sports organization will honor Tucker with the Nell Jackson Nike Executive of the Year award. It comes during the fiftieth anniversary year of the federal Title IX law’s passage. Tucker helped

for Nonprofit Organizations), focusing on topics such as board development, strategic planning, and organizational change management. A part-time lecturer at UNCW, Thompson has taught in both the Master of Public Administration program and in the university’s public and international affairs department on nonprofit resource development and management.

organized a National Girls & Women in Sports Day leadership Summit and was appointed to a four-year term on the NCAA Women’s Basketball Rules Committee. Tucker has also been active in the leadership of the Colonial Athletic Association. At UNCW, Tucker served on the search committee for a new vice chancellor of student affairs and as a member of several university committees.

BY KRISTIN FRYT

PHOTO BY MADELINE GRAY LOCATION: THE PLANT OUTPOST (THEPLANTOUTPOST.COM)

KENDRA BENTLEY Doula & Breastfeeding Peer Counselor, Port City Milk Fairy/Kendra the Doula

Wanting to connect with and help other mothers in similar situations with breastfeeding, Kendra Bentley set out to create a local Facebook group

JENNIFER NOMIDES

President & Co-Founder, Coastal Direct Health & Wellness

Physician Jennifer Nomides has been working for the past seven years as an inpatient care specialist at Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center. Additionally, she’s been medical director for Horizons Health,

to do just that. Run by five volunteer administrators, all with Wilmington ties and a shared experience of breastfeeding issues, the group currently serves 2,000plus members in the Port City and surrounding areas. Participation jumped during the recent formula shortages. The group’s purpose is to bring support and breast milk to families in need. This is accomplished with the donations of

Coastal Horizons Center’s primary care service. She serves as the medical director for Kythoni Inc., a nonprofit founded by her parent. Through Kythoni, she partnered with AID International to open a free-standing clinic in a rural part of Haiti, and she also serves as medical director for that clinic. Recently Nomides, along with her sister Kristin Pleasant, a certified family nurse practitioner, cofounded Coastal Direct Health & Wellness

women’s oversupplies of milk. “There are no donation fees and all donors have the option to ask for replacement bags for pumping the milk but no money can be involved,” Bentley says. Besides being a mother of four, Bentley is a trained doula who often also offers pro bono birthing doula services to families in need. Bentley is a member of Cape Fear Area Doulas.

in Leland. The clinic offers health care services at a modestly priced membershipbased fees. “It is fun to be your own boss and in this particular model of health care delivery (Direct Primary Care), where we take out the frustrating insurance piece and get to work directly with patients, we have experienced much more fulfilling doctor-patient relationships which makes this job much more enjoyable,” Nomides says.

CHRISTINA TERRY Co-Owner, Manager, & Physical Therapist | Healthy Seniors Physical Therapy and Wellness

Before starting her own business, Christina Terry gained experience as a physical therapist in a variety of settings: nursing homes, home health,

GINA WARREN Forensic Interviewer & Therapist, The Carousel Center

Being an advocate for children is something Gina Warren has done her whole career. Beginning as an educator, Warren advanced to working with children with behavior and other challenges. While working on her graduate degree,

COURTNEY WILSON

Co-Founder & Co-Owner, ComfyChemo

Working in a chemotherapy room as a nurse in 2010, Courtney Wilson had an extraordinary idea – one that seemed so simple yet necessary. Wilson realized the need for a shirt specifically designed

independent living facilities, and hospital acute care and inpatient rehab. Through that work, she knew her passion was working with seniors. In 2018, Terry became board-certified in geriatric physical therapy. In 2020, Terry and her husband opened Healthy Seniors Physical Therapy and Wellness. “As a physical therapist, I help people in pain, or recover from an injury or surgery, or

help people with their dizziness, balance, or weakness issues – all to enable them to live their life to the fullest,” Terry says. “I also enjoy the ability to educate seniors on the importance of fall prevention and the benefits of exercise. The people that need exercise the most are the ones that do it the least – I like being part of that change in their mindset and seeing the results through that change.”

she interned at The Carousel Center, the region’s only nationally accredited, nonprofit Child Advocacy Center that provides child medical exams, forensic interviews, confidential professional trauma counseling, and caregiver support to children and their families who have experienced physical/sexual abuse. While Warren’s work involves confidentiality, she does what she can to educate others – be

for treatment-day patients – one that had a two-zipper chest design that allows easier access to chest ports and other implanted devices for chemotherapy and dialysis patients. This is an idea that is beneficial to both the patients and nurses. Beginning with shirts made by hand, Wilson has grown her idea to be mass-produced and sent around the country and Canada, with many

they team members, law enforcement, or community members – to inform them how they can help. She researches cases when something has not sat right with her and has provided information to the center’s partners that led to cases being reopened. People are uncomfortable discussing child abuse, but Warren does so in a knowledgeable, yet compassionate way to bring such issues of reality to light.

more global requests coming in. “Since conception, Courtney has successfully grown the company every single year, and her products are trusted by our nation’s leading cancer centers,” says oncology pharmacist Greg Dowless, Wilson’s business partner in ComfyChemo LLC. Wilson stands behind the vision of the company – to make treatment days easier for patients. prices.

BY KRISTIN FRYT

PHOTO BY DARIA AMATO LOCATION: COWORX (COWORXSPACE.COM)

LAURA BULLOCK Director of Community Engagement, Vigilant Home

Through Vigilant Hope, Laura Bullock has streamlined a process for people in need in Wilmington to have food, clothes, a place to shower, health and sanitary products, access to

health care, and more. She works with a team of people at the faith-based group to build community and outreach for services. Often in charge of Saturday morning breakfasts, Bullock leads by example with the volunteers who help. Bullock speaks to organizations about poverty and helps organize the Poverty Simulation experience, designed for

participants to better understand poverty and homelessness. “I really want to help churches and individuals get involved in creatively addressing our affordable housing crisis,” she says. “I am worried about the increasing number of our neighbors who are living on the streets, sometimes simply because there is no home available for them to rent.”

GABRIELLA DE SOUZA

Executive Director, Friends of Wilmington Skateparks | Teacher, Cape Fear Academy

As a teacher, Gabriella de Souza understands students and their desire for expanding their own passions and hobbies. That was behind her motivation for starting Friends of Wilmington

ASHANTI GIBBS HINES

Program Director, StepUp Wilmington

In her current role as a program director at StepUp Wilmington, Ashanti Gibbs Hines has helped find over 200 jobs for StepUp Wilmington program participants and continues to design programs that help

CATHERINE MCDOWELL

Executive Director, Roots of Recovery

A former occupational therapist, Catherine McDowell founded Roots of Recovery after the death of a friend “due to the lack of secure housing and services in our area for homeless women

Skateparks. She worked with the city to get a timer installed for lights at the Greenfield Grind Skatepark to increase safety. “The skateboarding community is the only sport community I have ever encountered where you can show up to the park and not know anyone at all yet have them fully support you and cheer you on to learn a new trick,” she says. “Being a voice for the Wilmington

them succeed. She has worked with the nonprofit that focuses on employment opportunities for more than six years, starting as a life skills case manager and moving up to a leadership role. “I am an eyewitness to Ashanti’s effortless show of inclusive leadership and empathetic sentiments toward StepUp Wilmington’s staff, board members, colleagues, participants, and all those she encounters,”

with children,” she says. The nonprofit is dedicated to rebuilding the lives of homeless and in-recovery women, providing long-term housing, education, job skills, counseling, mentorship, and any other assistance necessary to get lives back on track. In just over five years, she has gathered the resources and people to purchase land, rehab three separate residences (with a fourth underway),

skateboarding community, and seeing them get so excited when we get things done is truly the highlight of my work.” The group is hosting a Skate Film Festival on October 15 at Satellite Bar & Lounge. It is also partnering with the city of Wilmington to build a mini bowl for beginning skateboarders at Greenfield Grind Skatepark and plans to raise funds for the project.

a former program participant says. Gibbs Hines was awarded the YWCA’s Rachel Freeman Unsung Hero Award in 2018. “What I enjoy most about my work is being able to develop ways to support our community in eradicating poverty,” she says. “Connecting folks with careers that pay a livable wage is an intricate part of restoring human dignity and creating strong, sustainable communities.”

build gardens to provide healthy meals for residents, open a computer lab for education, job searches and entrepreneurship, and create an extensive support network of peers and mentors for women in the community. “The focus for Roots in the coming year,” McDowell says, “is to expand our housing and begin building an additional twenty tiny homes for women with children.”

KATHRYN POLK

Executive Director, Global Connections

Hurricane Florence, numerous wars, uprisings, and other disasters around the world, as well as the closing of Wilmington’s refugee support group, inspired Kathryn Polk’s 2018 founding of Global Connections, a

refugee support center. Raising more than $20,000 and serving over 150 refugees from countries as far away as Burma, Afghanistan, Columbia, Ethiopia, and Iraq, Polk has also managed regular community awareness events at local universities and collaborates with more than thirty local organizations to serve refugees. Not only does Polk run the support center, but she also runs a thrift

shop – organized and operated by both volunteers and refugees. Since the recent arrival of Afghan refugees, Polk has volunteered over forty hours a week and plans to collaborate with other nonprofits to start an urban agricultural farm for refugees to run. On a separate project, Polk also serves as program coordinator for Garbage to Gardens, a school composting program.

THIS CATEGORY RECOGNIZES WOMEN WHO WORK IN THE AREA’S PUBLIC SERVICE SECTOR – PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES, LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT, MILITARY, ETC.

BY KRISTIN FRYT

PHOTO BY MADELINE GRAY LOCATION: ALCOVE BEER GARDEN (ALCOVE-BEER-GARDEN.BUSINESS.SITE)

MARIMER MCKENZIE

Diversity and Equity Outreach Coordinator, NHC Office of Diversity and Equity

Although only working in New Hanover County’s Office of Diversity and Equity since last year, Marimer McKenzie has surpassed expectations.

ERIN MCNALLY Marketing, Air Service Development, and PR Manager, Wilmington International Airport

For the past six years, Erin McNally has led the airport’s communications through hurricanes, the pandemic, and natural disasters. She oversaw the rebranding of ILM. She has played a key role in air service

JENNIFER PRICE Corporal, Oak Island Police Department

Jennifer Price is going into her eighth year in law enforcement, the majority of that time being road patrol for the Oak Island department. “I’d have to say the thing I enjoy the most about my work is the outcome of some of our

McKenzie helped hundreds of area Latinos receive COVID testing and vaccines, aided families on the verge of homelessness, and translated hundreds of documents for the county to help provide info to the community. She works with Church World Services to open a refugee resettlement office in New Hanover County and has helped displaced families of the Wilmington Housing Authority

development, assisting with cultivating relationships with existing and potential airlines. During McNally’s time at ILM, the airport has received two prestigious marketing and public relations awards, in addition to bringing in two new airlines and expanding its nonstop services. She co-led ILM’s United Way of the Cape Fear Area workplace giving campaign for six years and received its “Volunteer Award.”

struggling citizens that were addicted to some type of street drug and have turned their life around,” she says. “The best feeling in the world with that is when they approach you and thank you for helping them change their way of thinking and lifestyle from this awful drug world. A simple ‘thank you’ from whomever I encounter is what keeps me going in this profession.” Price became

get furniture and supplies. Her latest efforts include working with the state to organize an Embassy Day in New Hanover County. “During the next year, I would like to continue to promote language access in our community,” McKenzie says, “and continue to advocate and create more programs and resources for our marginalized communities here in New Hanover County.”

McNally co-developed ILM’s first Aviation Career Education Academy for middleschool students to spark an interest in aviation careers. She is a member of the North Carolina Airports Association and sits on the air service development; and marketing, communications, and customer experience committees for Airports Council International-North America trade association.

interested in her career as a police officer after seeing her sister, Jasmin Fuller, work in law enforcement. “Ever since then, it’s been an interest of mine, which I have come to realize it is a calling for me,” Price says. “Being a law enforcement officer is more than just helping, it’s building a strong relationship with the citizens so the city will run more smoothly for us all.”

RACHEAL PROSISE

Virtual Service Outreach Coordinator (former), NHC Senior Resource Center

Until recently Racheal Prosise served as New Hanover County’s first program coordinator dedicated to virtual services for the older adult population (and one of the first in the state). Prosise focused on

SYDNI STARNES Detective, NHC Sheriff’s Office

As a part of the multi-disciplinary team at The Carousel Center, Detective Sydni Starnes will stop at almost nothing to ensure child victims and their families are taken care of and served properly. Having always wanted to

developing innovative solutions to the digital inequities facing New Hanover County and surrounding areas. In the role, her goal was to develop, create, and implement virtual programming opportunities to decrease the digital divide among older adults and provide more opportunities for learning and socialization. “My work on the Senior Resource Center’s Facebook page has helped increase the center’s overall

work in the criminal justice field, Starnes found her niche working in the field of crimes against children two years ago. “I experienced my own trauma as a child and was fortunate that I had outside resources that worked with me through that trauma. I attribute my success to these people and my hope is to be that person for someone else,” she says. She is very proud that in some cases she is

participant numbers in dramatic size,” she says. “The Facebook page increases in followers by an average of thirty new seniors a month, which has pushed the total followers over 1,100.” Other notable achievements for Prosise at the center were acquiring a one-year license program with AARP to provide free technology classes at the senior resource center, virtual exercise programs, and livestreaming options for older adults.

even able to remain in contact with the victims and see firsthand that they don’t allow these incidents to define who they are, but instead work through them and thrive. For the future, Starnes plans on remaining in her position alongside The Carousel Center, Child Protective Services, and the District Attorney’s office to ensure children are getting the assistance they may need.

BY KRISTIN FRYT

PHOTO BY DARIA AMATO LOCATION: THE STARLING (STARLINGBAR.CO)

THIS CATEGORY IS OPEN TO WOMEN UNDER THE AGE OF THIRTY.

BRIANA CARR

Owner and Clinical Social Worker, Serenity Healing Solutions PLLC

Brianna Carr has a tenacious aptitude for learning, processing thoughtful questions, and researching the unknown, which is evidenced by her rapid growth as a clinician and other successes.

SARAH DESILVA

Lead Engineer-Materials Science & Engineering, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy

Working as a lead materials engineer at one of GE’s nuclear energy businesses, Sarah DeSilva is engaged in the future of her field and local community. With her expertise in materials science and

ALEXIS RAEANA JONES

Owner and CEO, Alexis Raeana LLC

Alexis Raeana Jones, a member of the Lumbee Tribe, has catapulted herself to become a multi-talented global artist and strong advocate for Indigenous peoples and environmental rights. She has tapped into

She has provided clinical services for Coastal Horizons Center, the Boys and Girls Home of North Carolina, and most recently launched a full-time solo practice. Her business focuses on trauma-informed psychotherapy for people of all ages, particularly supporting people of color. Additionally, Carr, who is trained in family therapy, particularly structural family therapy,

has pursued specialized certification in the Gottman Method and EMDR, or eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, therapy. She is also a public speaker on the topics of transgenerational trauma, diversity, and EMDR, as well as a guest speaker for University of North Carolina Wilmington’s School of Social Work and a recent presenter for SEAHEC.

CAILEY RASH

Founder, Birth & Postpartum Doula, and Childbirth Educator, Babycakes Birth Services LLC

Taking the fear out of childbirth and eliminating maternal health disparities for women of color is what Cailey Rash set out to do when starting her business. Owner of Babycakes Birth Services, Rash uses

MAYRA ROBLES

Program Coordinator, UNCW Centro Hispano

Mayra Robles, the first in her family to go to college, has made an impact in the field of higher education. In 2019, she became UNCW’s first admissions coordinator specifically dedicated to increasing higher education

engineering, she leads testing and development of some of GNF’s advanced fuel materials. In 2020, DeSilva won the GEH Emerging Engineer Award, a distinguished accomplishment that recognizes her excellence in the field. She is chair of the GE chapter of North American Young Generation in Nuclear. She also does her part to educate students in the Cape Fear region, being involved

her passions to create Alexis Raeana LLC, a multi-faceted company combining her musical talents, modeling, and makeup industry work with her advocacy work for Indigenous peoples. She appeared on American Idol auditions, performed at the Kennedy Center, and participated in the U.S. Department of State’s American Music Abroad program. Jones, who holds degrees in environmental science and

physical, emotional, and educational support techniques to support women and their families as they transition into motherhood. A member of Cape Fear Area Doulas and Port City Urban Birth Collective, she works frequently with the Port City Breastfeeding Project. Rash also is a doula in the Novant Health NHRMC Community Health Worker-Doula Program, is a federal

access for Spanish-speaking and Latinx communities. Robles is now also pursuing her master’s degree. Beginning with the plan of becoming a teacher, Robles changed her career path after discovering her passion for higher education. Working as a mentor and employee for the cultural center helped her realize her gift as a connector who wanted to help future generations access higher

with and mentoring at local schools and coordinating visits for GE employees and volunteering to inspire young students on the basics of energy diversification and STEM. Additionally, DeSilva has taught LEGO Robotics to elementary students, organized a Boy Scout Nuclear Science Merit Badge workshop, judged science fairs, and spoke to middle schoolers about being a woman in engineering.

environmental engineering, uses her education to advocate for environmental rights with her work managing North Carolina’s programming for several nonprofits. “Alexis has advocated for environmental changes through providing lectures and speaker series to share about the impacts we have on the environment,” says friend and 2021 Women to Watch Awards finalist Ashley Lomboy.

grant-funded program to connect women with a community health worker and doula during their pregnancy and up to a year after giving birth. After learning that Black women are three times more likely to die from childbirth-related complications, Rash found her calling to become part of the hospital’s program, as well as to support the recipients of the Cape Fear Area Doula scholarship.

education the same way she had been helped. Robles found her footing as an advocate and young professional through her involvement with UNCW Centro Hispano. During her role there, she enabled dozens of students to graduate and complete their undergraduate degrees, with many of the alumni still reaching out to her for mentorship and leadership in their professional roles.

FULL CIRCLE

by MEGHAN CORBETT

photo by MADELINE GRAY

Today, Black heads up a Wilming ton-based jewelry and goods line that also has addressed those in need for the past decade. She comes full circle, and now is behind this year’s awards bracelet to the 2022 winners.

The beginning of her business path, however, was less than certain.

“At a pivotal moment in my life when my first career out of college was at a crossroads, I had to make a decision: Stick with the industry I’d gotten my degree in (journalism) or do an about-face and try my hand at something new,” Black says. “I spent six months doing soul searching trying to figure out my next right move. As someone who is results-driven, feeling like I did not have a goal to work towards was heartbreaking. One day, when look ing for new employment opportunities, I Googled ‘jobs at TOMS shoes.’”

A few years earlier, Black had met the founder of TOMS, Blake Mycoskie, at a conference and was struck by how his business combined fashion and philan thropy to change lives. His company was hiring for a program they called Vagabonds, and the job was to travel the country hosting speaking engagements at high schools and universities.

“It was only a six-month commitment, (so) I applied, and out of thousands of applicants, twelve others and I got the job,” Black recalls. “What I hadn’t antici pated is that this experience would show me that my love of fashion and philan thropy could be combined to help people in need through business.”

Black’s time at TOMS taught her a lot about business and gave her the founda tion to put those lessons to good use to make a difference in the lives of others.

“When my brother, Christian, and I started HALF UNITED, we only had $200 to our names to invest,” Black says. “We dreamed of working in a place like New York or LA but knew if we weren’t willing to seek funding for our idea, we were go ing to have to live and work in a place that was more affordable so we could reinvest every dollar we made into growing our brand and helping others. The first four years of running this business, we didn’t pay ourselves. That was hard, and looking back, I think about how motivated we must have been to pull it off. We worked odd jobs, eventually grew the brand to have a paid staff, and sincerely loved our community so much that staying here was an easy decision to make.”

The company has adapted along the way but kept its central priorities.

“Since 2009, our mission and our focus on fighting hunger with each pur chase made hasn’t changed, ever. How ever, the way we go about giving back, helping others, and stopping hunger and poverty has grown tremendously since we first began,” Black says. “When we first started, we gave away 50% of total sales;

as we grew, naturally, we learned that wasn’t a sustainable business practice. We tried giving away 50% of profits, but as our business grew and profits decreased, we realized that too wouldn’t accomplish our goal. What we did instead was to factor in the price of seven meals into the cost of each purchase made. This is where our business began to soar. We were able to factor in the price of meals into each purchase made and donate whenever a product sold, thus paying for the meals.”

They also learned that fighting hunger through meals helped, but it wouldn’t end hunger long term.

“In 2018, we had a wonderful and unique opportunity to employ hundreds of men and women in a rural community in Haiti to hand-make our leather hand bags,” Black says. “It was in Haiti that we learned gainful employment is the No. 1 way to fight hunger and poverty.”

The business now employs people in Peru, Bangladesh, India, Djibouti, Mexico, Vietnam, the U.S., and Haiti.

Black’s dedication to her work is why she won WILMA’s award in its inaugural year and why she is participating in this

Ten years ago, CARMIN BLACK was the first to win WILMA’s Women to Watch Award in the Business category for her jewelry company that focused on giving back to those in need. A lofty goal indeed, but one that Black was prepared to achieve.

year’s honors.

To be asked to be a part of the awards “was a massive honor,” Black says.

“To me, it meant being recognized for my future potential, and there was something very encouraging and special about that,” she says. “When I received this award, my business was much smaller than it is today, so at the time, I took this as a sign that this business would work out and others saw its potential. This bracelet, from one female entrepreneur to another, was not only made with a spirit of encouragement but was my way of reminding them to press into their dreams and never stop until they achieve their goals.”

THE AWARD

Each year, WILMA selects a bracelet from a local company or designer that serves as the award for the Women to Watch Awards winners. The pieces, this year from HALF UNITED, will be unveiled and presented to the winners at the October 21 awards event.

We build welcoming.

Since 1985 we’ve delivered kitchen and bathroom results that wow. Partner with us for your next project.

WILMINGTON, NC • APEX, NC • POOLER, GA • NASHVILLE, TN

CAROLINA CLEANING SERVICES

company of their friends and family.

Naturally, over the past 28 years, a lot has changed. And although that first handful of residential clients turned into hundreds of customers and a wonderful team of cleaning technicians, we remain a local, woman-owned, and family-operated business that values each client, tailoring our services to specific needs.

Best Cleaning Company in Wilmington NC, both 2021 and 2022.

Debbie Sardone, Founder, Cleaning For A Reason & Aneliese Bard Andrades (l to r)

If there’s one thing we’ve all learned over these past few years it is that time is our most precious gift — especially the moments we spend with our loved ones.

This family-first mindset inspired me to start Carolina Cleaning Services out of the trunk of my car back in 1994, with just a handful of residential clients at first. I had recently moved to Wilmington from Brazil with my two little boys to be reunited with my husband Luiz, who had been living here for one year. With no “village” at first to help us raise the kids, I decided to become my own boss so I could have flexibility and still

contribute to the household income. Of course it was a huge step, but the professional experience I had acquired from having been the first woman to become an account manager at one of the most prestigious car rental companies in Brazil gave me the confidence and skills I needed to thrive.

I had faith that I was creating something good and worthwhile, a unique service unlike any other. And because having quality time with my family had always been a priority, I made sure that Carolina Cleaning Services not only offered high-quality service, but also gave people the gift of time so they could enjoy life in the

I like to say that our business has a heart — we operate with kindness, integrity, and professionalism. As a Latino woman who’s had to reinvent herself multiple times to thrive in a new culture and country, I can tell you that building our reputation and getting to where we are now, a place we’re extremely proud of, didn’t happen overnight — well, it took almost three decades! It required a lot of hard work, resilience, and consistency. We’ve faced tough setbacks and challenges but bounced back every time with the help of the Wilmington community, who has welcomed and embraced us from day one.

We call Wilmington home. It’s where we’ve built our business, raised our boys and where we witness our eight beautiful grandchildren growing up. We are immensely grateful to this community for consistently recognizing our hard work and helping us become a top-rated professional cleaning company and for being recognized by Wilmington Magazine as the

As a thank you, we’re always looking for ways to give back to this town. One of our priorities is to help empower the women of the community through training and mentorship. My female cleaning technicians are taught responsibility, integrity, and a sense of community. At Carolina Cleaning Services they learn that they can do and be anything they want. And because we’re members of the ISSA, the Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association, our employees always have the most up-todate certifications. After all, our town deserves the highest quality service.

Since 2017, we’ve also been partnering with Cleaning for a Reason, a non-profit that provides free house cleaning to patients battling cancer. By offering this service, we relieve cancer patients of the stress of having to worry about house chores, allowing them to solely focus on getting better. This is an effort I’m extremely proud of and an experience that provides our techs with a deep sense of pride, purpose, and joy, knowing that with kindness and compassion they can improve someone else’s life significantly. All this is an integral part of our culture and reflects the healthy work environment we cultivate.

Aneliese Bard Andrades Founder & Owner Carolina Cleaning Services

CATAPULT

EMPLOYER-LED ETHICS IN THE WORKPLACE

TIME FOR A BRAINTEASER

What’s the common thread in the following HR situations:

A Muslim man fasting during Ramadan is the recipient of “good-natured” jokes at a company dinner; a hiring committee that uses a fake social media account to screen potential hires; a tat tooed woman faces uncom fortable questions about her appearance from coworkers; employees confront a manag er about perceived favoritism in the workplace.

The Answer? Workplace Ethics.

On this month’s Thinking Differently webinar series, attendees looked to Renee Watkins, Catapult Human Resources Business Partner and Advisor, for their expertise on navigating sticky-ethical situations with confidence and conscience.

Renee who has supported Catapult Members and partners for 15 years, defined ethics as a reflection of “values, integrity and moral code.” And when it comes to work-related ethics? “They’re layered,” says Renee.

OFFICE CULTURE INFLUENCES OFFICE

ETHICS

Frequent ethical issues may have their “main root in the culture of the organization,” says Renee.

Take time to really evaluate your workplace culture. A critical eye illuminates any shortcomings and helps you target the source(s).

Diversify Work Force: It’s a big, big world out there and there’s lots of talent to be found. So why settle for any less than what’s represented? When a workplace environment is structured around employees thinking the same, having the same strengths, and even coming from similar cultural backgrounds, the probability of misunderstandings is high. In other words, when your workplace looks very uniform, it’s easy to single others out.

Provide Harassment Training: “When a lack of respect and understanding is present,” says Renee, “it’s time to review their harassment policy and ensure that they provide harassment training.” Best practice? Train staff on the latest policies and workplace laws every two years. This includes education on anti-discrimination and antiharassment.

ETHICS IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

Company leaders should be well-versed in their ability to judge what is right or wrong, but how they go about documenting, correcting and learning from ethical issues as employers isn’t always as easy.

Transparency: Transparency is the best practice in protecting workplace ethics. Consider inviting others to high-level conversations, maintaining weekly companywide communications, and ensuring all staff has an explicit understanding of workplace hierarchy, expectations and objectives.

Intentional Decision-Making: When it comes to ethical gray areas, the best foot forward is mindful decision-making. Having the ability to comfortably explain your decisions showcases ethical consideration and good intentions. Remember: You should not be defensive, but your decisions should be defendable.

Create Space for Growth: Leadership positions have an ethical responsibility to help employees grow. Welcome conversations that focus on development by offering more than just a pat on the back. Show that you’re invested in your employees’ future successes and are there to actively motivate and help them achieve all they can.

Performance-Based Rewards: Differentiate between unearned favoritism and rewarding employees based on performance. Always make this distinguishable and transparent to your team. When choosing someone to head a new

initiative, consider the specific asks of the job and who is best suited to navigate them.

PRE-EMPLOYMENT ETHICS

When it comes to setting an ethical tone during preemployment, everyone holds a piece of the puzzle. However, when in doubt, HR professionals can help your organization understand best practices.

Document Your Process: When it comes to recruiting talent and reducing the workforce, it’s vital that your processes are well-documented. A “paper trail” and polished procedure will help your organization avoid being audited for discriminatory practices.

Ethical Background Checks: Utilize a trusted source when screening employees. Look to our for dependable counsel in making the best-informed decision on applicants.

Do Your Homework: Better develop your internal DEI program with our 6-part series which covers HR fundamentals your organization needs.

Pride yourself on Thinking Differently?

Register for upcoming Thinking Differently webinars at letscatapult.org/thinkingdifferently. Attendees of the webinar series also receive SHRM and HRCI recertification credits!

CITY OF WILMINGTON

MAKING STRIDES ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING

involves wraparound social services to help individuals remain housed and live with dignity and respect.

Earlier this year, Council also voted to donate the proceeds from the sale of the former Optimist Park to affordable housing efforts, including Eden Village, a tiny home community that helps the chronically unhoused transition from the streets to stability in a safe and supportive environment.

rehabilitation loan programs, more than 700 Wilmington residents and families have achieved or maintained home ownership.

In recent years, the City of Wilmington has grown in both popularity and population. This growth speaks to Wilmington’s desirability as a place to live, work, and play. It also presents challenges for city leadership, including preserving and creating affordable housing opportunities.

Two decades ago, the city committed to addressing affordable housing. In recent years, the Mayor and City Council doubled down on that

commitment, funding a strategic mix of programs designed to cultivate new home ownership and create affordable rent opportunities. These programs leverage public funds to multiply their impact many times over by partnering with private sector and nonprofit organizations.

Underscoring this commitment, Council voted in August to donate a former city fire station to Good Shepherd Center to develop up to 33 permanent supportive housing units. This type of affordable housing is among the most difficult to develop because it serves vulnerable populations and

Within the past year, Council also appropriated $3.5 million from the city’s American Rescue Plan funds to provide “gap financing” for Starway Village, with a planned 278 affordable rent apartments. Together with $1.8 million from New Hanover County, gap financing will multiply these public dollars 11-times over to an impact of approximately $60 million. Yet another recent Council vote moved Canopy Pointe forward, a 72-unit affordable housing community for seniors.

Council also recognizes the importance of home ownership so low-to-moderate income residents can share the same opportunity to build wealth and pass it on to their next generation. The city actively maintains a home loan portfolio of $6.2 million, with an additional $4 million ready to deploy for future home ownership loans. These funds are used to provide 0% interest loans to qualifying homebuyers. Together with down payment assistance and home

While these innovative programs help grow the city’s affordable housing stock, City Council also prioritized the building blocks for affordable quality of life when rewriting the city’s land development code last year. This code, which shapes the city’s physical development, provides new pathways and incentives for affordable housing that requires no public investment at all. The new code also encourages convenience to services and employment options, and easy access to efficient transportation, to support the city’s long-term affordability and livability.

The City of Wilmington’s investments in affordable housing over the past two decades now exceed $50 million. With the Mayor and City Council’s heightened focus, this commitment is yielding real results and greatly expanding our city’s promise of opportunity and affordable quality of life.

Tony Caudle was appointed Wilmington City Manager in 2021 and previously served as Deputy City Manager since 2008. Stay up to date on city news and projects at TheWilmingtonCurrent.com and follow the city on social media: Facebook @cityofwilmington, Twitter & Instagram @cityofwilm.

TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE

There is no denying that we are living in a fatigued, fractured, and uncertain world. Here is a question for you: “What will bring us together and help us heal?”

From my perspective, the answers have been in front of us since the beginning of time. When was the last time you felt awe as you stood in nature’s vast beauty? When was the last time you stood in the presence of true wildness? Being in nature heals us. It is both invigorating and peaceful.

TeachingHorse was inspired by how wild horses lead their herds. We have been working in partnership with Return to Freedom, a Wild Horse Sanctuary in Lompoc, CA since 2005 and we have brought over 1,000 clients to the sanctuary. (https://returntofreedom.org/). In 2006, we adopted a herd of

3 wild horses. Living with wild horses dramatically expanded our understanding of what they have to teach us about navigating through uncertainty. Many of you who have come to Double Run Farm in Leland, NC have met our wild horse herd member, Hope.

In the past year, the number of people who are part of the TeachingHorse network of facilitators has tripled. Many of them had never been to Return to Freedom. Even with the magnitude of uncertainty we are all still facing, we decided to hold a TeachingHorse Summit at Return to Freedom in August of 2022, so that all our facilitators could have their own direct experience with the wild horses. Normally we only travel together to work with clients. Not this time. No clients, just us. This was a time for us to come together, to heal, and be inspired by wildness.

At the core of our work

is The Diamond Model of Shared Leadership. This model was created to represent two fundamental aspects of horse culture. First, we explore how horses organize and collaborate to navigate through uncertainty. Second, we explore the capabilities that horses use to select their leaders (Attention, Direction, Energy, and Congruence).

My goal for taking our colleagues to Return to Freedom was to give them a first-hand experience of watching wild horses in their natural environments. I watched the light bulbs go off in their bodies, minds, and souls as they stood on 1,000 acres of the rolling hills of California surrounded by hundreds of wild horses, who live free to roam with their families as nature intended.

I could feel the sense of awe and wonder take over their spirits as they marveled at

polarities playing out in the way the horses communicated with each other. We observed fierce displays of strength paired with tender displays of care between stallions and their young. We experienced a lead mare looking to the horizon, then taking time to make a sincere connection to another herd member. The wild horse herds went from looking at a group of humans as a possible threat to embracing us as part of their community. Nature's answers have been right in front of us since the beginning of time.

June Gunter has worked in the field of leadership and organization development for over 35 years and holds a Doctor of Education degree in the field of Adult Learning from North Carolina State University. She is also the Co-Founder of Go-od Consulting, LLC.

BUILDING

OPPORTUNITIESBUILDING OPPORTUNITIES

Kate Eames heads her construction firm and a new council

by BETH A. KLAHRE | photo by TERAH HOOBLER

As a young girl, KATE EAMES, owner of The Anchor Group Design + Build and chair of Cape Fear Professional Women in Building Council, was hooked on the television show This Old House and dreamed to be show host Bob Villa.

Her mother emboldened the dream by taking her to Home-a-Rama, the annual parade of homes in their hometown outside of Richmond, Virginia.

“Growing up, I enjoyed everything related to home building and design. In art class, I’d draw floor plans and build small house renderings. I would clip pictures of windows, doors, and exteriors of houses from magazines to glue to my renderings,” Eames recalls.

Encouraged by her father, Eames attended Old Dominion University to study civil engineering. “My father provided the courage for me to enter this field knowing that I’d be one of few women,” she says.

Eames was constantly proving she had the same right to study engineering as her male colleagues. Even getting a first job proved to be challenging. Eames remembers door-to-door job hunting in early 2003 getting an offer to join the company softball team, go on a date, and even arm wrestle for a job, but no engineering job offer.

She took some graduate-level courses, subsequently landing a role with an engineering firm in New York. And then a visit to Carolina Beach sold Eames on coastal living. She relocated and spent the next nine years performing forensic engineering investigations and providing expert witness testimony for litigations.

Eames’ genuine love of construction moved her onto a project manager role with Wilmington-based PBC Design + Build in 2017.

“It was exhilarating, empowering, and exhausting,” she says. “To build someone’s home is a privilege and labor of emotional investment. Finishing a house for a happy, excited, and appreciative client is the best.”

Eames says that about a year ago she had an epiphany.

“I’m fully capable. I don’t need to work for anyone else, and I have the confidence to start my own business,” she says.

This past June, Eames opened The Anchor Group

Find it in Liv CBD’S 600mg CBD Face Serum.

With its powerhouse ingredients like Rosehip, Sweet Almond oil, and Geranium, to name a few, you’re sure to find your skin glowing.

Design + Build, a construction company that provides new home builds, remodels, custom builds, renovations, and project consulting.

Owning her own company gives Eames the power to choose her projects.

“It allows me to continue doing what I love with the flexibility of being available for my family,” she adds.

Eames has three children ages ten, nine, and seven. She hopes she can be the inspiration for other women to take a similar leap.

Eames, who is a licensed professional engineer in both North and South Carolina, credits her success in starting The Anchor Group to many things she learned at PBC, including building, estimating, scheduling, and logistics.

“I learned the importance of relationships,” she adds, acknowledging her subcontractors who help facilitate projects.

Eames is the chair of the recently organized Cape Fear chapter of the Professional Women in Building (PWB) Council. Eames was nominated by a panel of her peers and accepted the leadership role in the local chapter after continuing to experience exhausting struggles to prove her worth.

Under her leadership, the chapter announced its mission: The Cape Fear PWB chapter is a pivotal group in empowering and supporting women in the building industry through connections and outreach.

“It can be intimidating for females to enter this industry, especially when they don’t see females paving the way,” Eames says, noting that less than 3% of the construction boots-on-the-ground builders and project managers are women. “I know I’m not the only woman who experiences the constant qualifications challenges. It’s the major reason why my mission to normalize the construction demographic is so important to me.

“I’m fortunate that I love what I do,” she says. “It’s allowed me to succeed. I hope the council grows, bonds, and gives back to our Cape Fear community for years to come.”W

Kate Eames’ profile ran in recent WILMA Leadership email. To sign for the daily newsletter, go to WILMAmag.com.

l ivcbdnc.com

Looking for a natural approach to younger looking skin?

FEST

INSPIRE CELEBRATE EDUCATE

DECEMBER 3RD AT THE WILMA SHOW

Fun + Interactive workshops including STEM activities, inspiration stations with music, dance, art and more. Connect with local female leaders to learn, grow and be mentored!

WILMA’s Future Leaders is a part of our Women to Watch Leadership Initiative. To learn how to support and be involved in this program, contact us at marketing@wilmingtonbiz.com.

Registration for Future Leaders Fest participants will open in November.

WILMA ONLINE

Sign up for WILMA’s new daily emails at wilmamag.com/email-newsletter. Here’s the weekly lineup:

MONDAY IS WILMA LEADERSHIP with profiles on the region’s leading women, their business, personal, and career advice, as well as highlights on women who are making moves.

TUESDAY IS WILMA ROUNDUP, a focus on stories published on our monthly print issues and a look behindthe-scenes at the magazine.

WEDNESDAY IS WILMA WELLNESS where you can read about the latest fitness and health trends, as well as profiles on women in the wellness industry and get recipes and workouts from chefs and trainers in the community.

THURSDAY IS KEEP IT LOCAL, a collection of shopping finds from local retailers, sponsors’ content brought to you by the WILMA marketing team.

FRIDAY IS WILMA DOWNTIME, where we give you a backstage pass to upcoming shows and events in the community. You can also expect profiles and Q&As with local artists and highlights on the latest entertainment and leisure activities around town to get ready for the weekend.

Keep up with WILMA all month long, through our website, daily emails, and social media.

AT

Uptilt, previously known as Chick Flicks and Cinema Sisters, has always had the goal of giving voice to the voiceless.

able to help with the festival outside of being a sponsor until 2019.

“It was just so much fun to have these filmmakers come and watch them see their films on the big screen,” Delp Ireland says. “To watch them meet other people, it was just fantastic!”

That same year, the progenitors of the festi val decided it was time for them to step down and return to filmmaking. She, saddened by the idea of the festival ending, stepped up and offered to run the festival the following year. And although 2020 proved to be difficult con sidering the onset of the pandemic, she took on the challenge and has continued to work to expand the festival.

The festival’s board began discussing the trajectory of the film festival and asked, “What do we really want this festival to be?”

“It would be nice if there were parity (in the industry),” Delp Ireland says. Until then, they want it to be open to women and gender-expansive persons and find ways of breaking barriers to getting their films shown.

In 2022, they added awards and a grant program to give out two, $1,000 grants – one in New Hanover and one from anywhere in North Carolina. They also have six award cate gories and added two educational seminars for festivalgoers and filmmakers alike to attend.

As for 2023, the festival wishes to add more and continue that momentum. They have increased the grants to $2,000 each for 2023, with one being awarded to a North Caroli na resident and the other no longer being geographically specific; the film can be in any genre or any state of production.

THE FILM FESTIVAL CONTINUES TO EVOLVE

by CASEY MCANARNEY photo by ALLISON JOYCE

The mission began in 2016 when a group of Wilmington filmmakers decided it was time to help women tell their stories through the visual medium of short films. Seven years later, they are now expanding that goal to in clude educational opportunities and grants for people who identify with women’s stories.

The festival’s current director, TRICIA DELP IRELAND (above at Jengo’s Playhouse), began her journey with the festival as its first and only sponsor in 2016. She has been an avid fan of film for many years, having been a screener for the Atlanta Film Festival for eight years and sharing a love for short filmmaking with her husband. She had an animated short accepted into the Cucalorus Film Festival, on top of being a physical therapist and Realtor by trade.

Due to the festival falling during scheduled trips with her husband, Delp Ireland was not

Last year, 290 films were submitted from thirty-five countries. The festival accepted about fifty films, and organizers would love to get 350 films submitted this year.

They have also expanded who can submit to the festival. After their rebrand in 2022 to make the festival more inclusive, the festival is now allowing for films with 50% of the crew consisting of women and gender-expansive people to submit. Previously, submissions were required to have a woman or gender-ex pansive person as the writer or director.

“We did not want people to think this festival was about women’s issues; it’s about women’s stories,” Delp Ireland says. “We want to include and sell tickets to men too.”

The festival is scheduled for March 31 to April 2 of next year. The submission deadline for the Uptilt film festival is December 1. W

Info: uptiltfilmfest.com

TAKE

As Wilmington’s first public health equity coordinator, FAWN RHODES is blazing a new path in the city’s health care. She is tackling the area’s most urgent health care issues for marginalized populations. Rhodes’ background makes her particularly well-suited for the position. In addition to holding a bachelor’s degree in behavioral and social sciences from North Carolina Central University, Rhodes connects to the people she helps on a personal level. As a former struggling single mother, Rhodes says she has “walked in their shoes.” Also, Rhodes, who is a Wilmington native, has deep ties to the community. These factors give her a unique understanding of and compassion for those she serves.

WHAT POPULATIONS EXPERIENCE HEALTH INEQUITY IN OUR AREA? “So many people have health inequity and disparity. There are a lot of marginalized populations, everyone from black and brown populations, veterans, the disabled, seniors, and the queer community.” WHAT ARE THE MAJOR HEALTH ISSUES FACING NEW HANOVER COUNTY? “COVID and monkeypox. However, now that we are not on red alert, we are also addressing issues specific to our county. Housing is a major issue in our area. When you think about health, you must address food, shelter, safety, and security first. Get people stable, then we can address the disease.” DO YOU WORK WITH INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS OF PEOPLE TO ENSURE THEY GET THE HEALTH CARE THEY NEED? “Sometimes, I deal with an individual, and sometimes I deal with a group. It’s a case-by-case situation.” WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR REDUCING HEALTH INEQUITIES IN THE COUNTY? “Within five years I hope to have reduced health inequities and disparities by 10%. Other key areas I want to work on are food insecurities for our black and brown communities and getting seniors access to care. We have to go into seniors’ actual space. Often the reason boomers don’t get care isn’t transportation. It’s shame, so we need to knock on their doors and build trust.”

WHY IS THIS JOB IMPORTANT TO YOU? “Once I made a connection with the families, I realized this is where I want to be. There is nothing like doing work in your own backyard, making a difference, and helping people who know you and your family.” W

FAWN RHODES’s full profile will appear in an upcoming WILMA Roundup email. To sign up for daily WILMA emails, go to WILMAmag.com.

by LYNDA VAN KUREN photo by TERAH HOOBLER

JUDGE NOT...

by DYLAN PATTERSON illustration by MARK WEBER

Dylan Patterson is a writer and filmmaker who teaches English at Cape Fear Community College.

TThe American spiritual guru Ram Dass once quipped, “If you think you’re enlightened, go spend a week with your family.”

I can attest to the insights gleaned from taking Dass up on his dare.

To be clear, my folks and I have a wonderful relationship. They live nearby, and we meet often for meals. But these are visits of just a few hours. Our recent excursion to the mountains lasted a full ten days. Our longest stretch together in decades.

The first few days went fine, but by day three, little stuff my dad did started to bug me. I grew impatient with his stubborn insistence on rising (loudly) before dawn to swim laps at the mountain community pool (as he does every morning at home at his golf community pool). I got annoyed by his preoccupation with dessert as we chewed our last bites of dinner. Irritated as he read aloud every sign we passed between Boone and Blowing Rock. I clearly wasn’t as Zen as I liked to think I was.

On day six, in the middle of a gorgeous hike with breathtaking views, my father felt compelled to pull out his phone to check the next day’s forecast. Judgment rose up in me (“Why can’t he just be in the moment?!”), but this time, a previously silent inner voice spoke up: “You check your weather app way more than he does, dude.”

This new voice was spot on. And not just about the weather app. I realized that every critique of my father was actually a veiled critique of something about myself I wanted to change. A cliched

epiphany, of course. But knowing something intellectually is one thing; a truth striking you to the core is something else entirely.

I began to keep a list. My judgments of my father transformed into a laundry list of self-improvement suggestions: Speaks authoritatively on subjects about which he knows little. That’s me! Makes the same corny Dad jokes over and over. I need to work on that. Catastrophizes about small stuff. Check! Stubbornly attached to routine. Yeppers.

That last one really nailed me. In the name of efficiency, very little gets improvised in my life these days, and I realize, to my horror, I’ve become a creature of habit just like Dad. My father always chews Original Flavor Trident gum. I’m addicted to Freshmint Tic Tacs. He insists on swimming every morning. I stubbornly meditate every morning. We each have a rigid breakfast routine. His: yogurt with strawberries. Mine: oat squares cereal with blueberries.

The Japanese Zen Priest Shunryu Suzuki said, “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few.”

When we get older, we think we know everything, so we get stuck in routine. We lose that open curious mind we had when we were younger.

Recently, a friend’s son began college. I heard myself give him the following advice: “Stay curious.”

That new inner voice spoke up again. It said, “This is exactly the advice you need to hear.”

NOVEMBER 6, 2022

LIVE RUNWAY SHOW WEDDING DRESS GIVEAWAY WEDDING EXPERTS PANEL SAMPLES & SWAG

POWERED BY

GET 30 % OFF WHEN YOU PRE-REGISTER PRIOR TO EVENT