Introducing the Leadership Triangle Transforming Leaders 2022 Goodmon Fellows

Leadership Triangle
12 min readDec 12, 2022

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Welcoming 25 new Alumni into our Goodmon Fellow community.

These 25 Triangle leaders spent a day every week for 2.5 months in a masters level course in leadership development, with content that accounts for differences in proximity and access to power. Transforming Leaders was designed to meet these participants in their own lived experience and help them co-create a leadership model that works for them — based on authenticity, personal values, and desired impact. In this post, we uplift their spirits, passions, and work. We celebrate the commitment and courage that it takes to discover the inner workings of themselves as leaders and to transform. We hope you all will connect with and support them as they join our alumni community of 1000+ Goodmon Fellows, positively impacting the Triangle through their leadership.

Addie Moody is the Director of Foundation and Individual Philanthropy at United Way of the Greater Triangle. She holds a degree in Public Policy with minors in Politics, Philosphy and Economics from UNC Chapel Hill.

Annise Weaver is a dynamic award winning leader that serves as the Associate Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and NC-PAL Co-Director of Duke University’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Annise utilizes strategy to integrate equity in programs and systems that assist children and families behavioral health needs. Annise’s favorite maxim- You can’t keep it unless you give it away.

Brittany Barnwell is a New Media artist currently residing in Durham, NC. Born and raised in western North Carolina, Brittany sought to further her understanding of the digital arts by pursuing a higher education at the University of North Carolina Asheville where she obtained a bachelor of arts degree in New Media with a focus in 3D animation in 2015 graduating Cum Laude.

Brittany’s hard work and creativity have been recognized by both peers and professionals alike. During her internship at The Cliffs in Travelers Rest, SC she assisted in redesigning the company’s new hire visuals and created a new hire company training film. Shortly after graduating UNCA, Brittany moved to Tucson, Arizona in 2016 and worked as a Creative Associate with Sonder Agency, and eventually as Lead Graphic Designer, assisting in the development of creative assets from logos and branding, web designs, UX/UI interfaces, logo animations, print work, product photography, marketing collateral and much more.

After deciding to trade the Sonoran desert back for the Appalachian mountains in 2019, Brittany rejoined The Cliffs in a new role as Member Services Director taking responsibility in the development of a new department and leading internal clubhouse marketing efforts and event promotions. At the start of 2022, Brittany joined the Research Triangle Foundation as their newest member on the Marketing and Communications team fulfilling the role of Multimedia Designer.

Carla Abramczyk joined Triangle Community Foundation as the Senior Development Officer in 2021. In addition to new donor cultivation, she oversees the Foundation’s Legacy giving program, and stewards fundholders to help them meet their philanthropic goals. Carla has more than 26 years of non-profit fundraising experience in principal and major gift fundraising, external relations, and volunteer and board management. Prior to joining the Foundation, Carla worked in higher education development for 22 years at NC State University, and more recently held senior development roles with the Granville Health System Foundation, and the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.

C. Olivia S. Gooding is the Manager, Foundations and Grants at United Way of the Greater Triangle. Prior to her current role, she served as Director of Development for the Triangle American Heart Association and led on their National Innovation Team. Previously, she held development leadership positions with America SCORES and Teach For America in Cleveland. Olivia began her career with AmeriCorps teaching in St. Louis. Olivia is currently a member of Junior League of Durham and Orange Counties and formerly served on the Young Professional Boards of the Ronald McDonald House and Girls on the Run. She remains passionate about equitable access and opportunities for youth and women. Olivia graduated cum laude from Case Western Reserve University, earning a B.A. in Economics and History and a M.Ed. from the University of Missouri- St. Louis.

Cyrus Wilson is a US Army veteran and works for Capitol Broadcasting Company as the Vice President and General Manager of Microspace Communications Corporation. He also serves in board positions with StepUp Raleigh and the Leadership Triangle Alumni Board. Over the past 22 years, he has held key positions in operations, program management, sales and marketing, and product sustainment. Although his professional experience is in technology and communications, Cyrus is very passionate about helping others thrive and succeed through mentorship, counsel, and career coaching. He is passionate about leadership and is always looking for an opportunity to grow. Cyrus lives in Holly Springs with his wife Meaghan and three boys, Jaiden, Eli, and CJ.

Danae Willis is a freelance UI/UX Designer and Researcher, who recently pivoted careers from preschool education. With a Bachelors in Child Development from California State University — Sacramento, Danae is passionate about EdTech and the intersections of education equity and technology. A California transplant, Danae enjoys a variety of things, such as kayaking, horror films, curating playlists, and everything southern.

Delvin Davis is a Senior Policy Analyst for the Southern Poverty Law Center, where he’s been researching criminal justice reform issues since 2018. Before SPLC, he was a Senior Researcher at the Center for Responsible Lending where he did similar work researching economic justice and predatory lending. As a 20-year resident of Durham with his wife and three children, Delvin has leveraged his career toward social justice, and his volunteerism to improve Durham’s diverse communities. In his spare time, he enjoys movies, sports, music, and his hobbies of painting and genealogy.

Eli Chuang is the Medical Director for Hospital Medicine Program at Duke Raleigh Hospital. He lead a team of over 40 providers that manages more than 8,000 hospitalizations annually. Over the past few years, his focus has been directed in increasing engagement of physicians and facilitating alignment with Duke mission. He is an optimist and works relentlessly with people around him to make tomorrow brighter.

Elisabeth Wiener’s work life was spent in brand management for major consumer packages goods companies including Procter & Gamble, RJRNabisco, Nestle and PepsiCo. Now, she’s become a serial volunteer being active on Durham’s Housing Appeals Board, Industrial Facilities and Pollution Control Financing Authority, The Sheriff’s Community Advisory Board, Durham Arts Council Board, The Rotary Club of Durham Board and the Advisory Council for AmeriCorps RSVP program.

Jordan Bowman recalls when he was 14 years old and attended a Rites of Passage experience that changed the trajectory of his life. Wanting every young person to experience this type of community and support, he and his dad, Jeff Bowman, started Journeymen Triangle. After years of training as a mentor, board member, and obtaining a degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Entrepreneurship from NC State he took the role of ED in 2019.

Currently Residing in Garner, NC — Jordan seeks to provide community support circles around the Triangle and throughout the state and region. When he is not engaged in Journeymen, he is busy with other projects focused on social entrepreneurship, education, and community building.

Kendra Lopes Rosa, MPH is a Program Director for the North Carolina Psychiatric Access Line (NC-PAL). She was part of the team that conceptualized NC-PAL and has been working with the program since its inception. She is employed by the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University Medical Center, having worked as an administrator for the Division of Child and Family Mental Health before her time with NC-PAL. Her career has focused on supporting the wellbeing of children and families, and healthcare workforce development. When not glued to her computer, she enjoys playing with her two small children and seeking opportunities for quiet time. She received her master’s in public health in Maternal and Child Health from UNC Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health, and her BA from Wesleyan University with a major in Government.

Kanalyn Jackson is a Durham native with a background in higher education. She has extensive experience with leadership development, training and facilitation, and community engagement.

Kanalyn has also worked in the non-profit sector providing leadership opportunities and resources to residents in rural North Carolina. It was through that experience that she learned the value of being civically engaged in the community, and it is something that has become important in her career and personal life.

Kanalyn holds a B.A in English Literature and Masters of Education from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. She enjoys interior decorating and spending time with friends and family.

Leaundra Clay is a lifelong learner and advocate for educational equity. Originally from Newark, Delaware, Leaundra attended Hampton University where she obtained a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Criminal Justice. On her way to law school, Leaundra learned about an opportunity in which she could be actively involved in the dismantling of the School-to-Prison Pipeline. This led to Leaundra joining the 2014 Teach For America Corps in Easterm North Carolina. During her time in the Corps Leaundra served as the 6th and 7th grade Social Studies teacher, School PBIS Coach, and the Culinary Arts Instructor at Warsaw Middle School in Duplin County.

During Leaundra’s 3rd year in the classroom she was selected to receive a fully funded scholarship to obtain a Master’s of School Administration from North Carolina State University through the North Carolina Leadership Academy Fellowship. After teaching in Warsaw, Leaundra served as an Assistant Principal in Duplin County for 2 years and was selected to serve on the District’s Equity Advisory Committee.

Once joining Teach For America staff, Leaundra had the privilege of coaching Corps Members across Easter North Carolina in Duplin, Sampson, Lenoir, Edgecombe, and Pitt County Schools. As a proud Teach For America North Carolina Alumni, Leaundra is currenting supporting the thriving North Carolina network in achieving the 10 year goal and reimagining alumni impact as the Managing Director of Alumni Network Strategy in the Triangle. Leave believes a superior education can peak student interest to pursue their interest. Ultimately, providing a life of choice, opportunities, and liberation.

Loria Glenn, PMP, CSM, CSPO, SSM is an electrical engineer by training but has spent over 20 years creatively leading cross-functional teams delivering software solutions in the IT and health insurance industries as a certified Project Manager. She currently leads Blue Cross NC’s Data & Analytics Talent and Communications team. Born and raised in North Carolina, Loria received her BS and MS degrees in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina A&T State University. As a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, she co-leads Raleigh Alumnae Chapter’s Educational Development and actively volunteers with the chapter’s youth mentoring programs. In her free time Loria enjoys spending time with family and friends, trying new recipes, and serving as the Chief Dessert Engineer of her home-based bakery creating confectionary works of art.

Mary Grace Stoneking, MPP is a Design Strategist for the City of Durham. She’s a dedicated advocate for wealth equity, has strong values, and a strong work ethic. Mary Grace’s experiences and education have equipped her with a number of skills such as research and writing, quantitative and qualitative data analysis, human centered design, and behavioral economics. She is a committed leader and public servant.

Dr. Melissa Rasberry is an education professional with a deep commitment to equity, opportunity, and access, honed through 24 years of experience in K-16 classrooms and education non-profits. Presently she serves as the Director of the Professional Learning and Leading Collaborative at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at NC State University where she leads a team of amazing colleagues who design and implement professional development for educators across the state. She began her career as a third grade teacher in Durham and continues her teaching now as an adjunct professor in the educational leadership doctoral program at Virginia State University.

Nastacia Pereira, MPH is a Research Manager at Forward Cities. They apply expertise at the intersection of health equity, storytelling, and systems change to translate big questions into deep insights that enhance our understanding of people’s experiences and drive actionable solutions. They earned their Bachelors in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Agnes Scott College and their MPH from the Gillings School of Global Public Health at UNC Chapel Hill. Beyond their research pursuits, Nastacia is a budding social entrepreneur seeking to advance an equitable business model that addresses root causes of disadvantage for youth of color. In their free time, Nastacia enjoys making candles, spending time outdoors, and photography.

Nathan Snowden is a Manager of Corporate Campaigns at United Way of the Greater Triangle and has been with the organization for three years. Nathan is committed to using his role to shift corporate mindsets surrounding philanthropy from a charity to justice-based lens and to tell the story of United Way to an ever-growing Triangle Audience. In addition to serving on the philanthropy team Nathan loves storytelling and has a media background with a bachelor’s degree in Media Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where he graduated in 2016. He is married to his college sweetheart April and they share a home with their mini poodle Charlie.

Natanya Chadwick is an area manager for Pinnacle Financial Partners in Cary, Chapel Hill, Raleigh and Durham. She started her financial services career in 1998 with SunTrust, where she began as a teller and later became a branch manager and eventually a business development officer. Chadwick joined Pinnacle in 2017 when the firm acquired Bank of North Carolina, where she had worked since 2014.

Chadwick earned a bachelor’s degree from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also graduated from North Carolina School of Banking.

Chadwick has been an ambassador for the Cary, NC, Chamber of Commerce and volunteered for the Raleigh Chamber membership drive. She was chair for Women in Business Communication and served on the Raleigh Realtors Community Action Committee. Chadwick is a 2023 Council Member for NC Young Bankers Association, DE&I Committee and Culture Leader for Pinnacle, and a mom of two teenagers and two sweet pups.

Robin Rennells is the Executive Director of the Redwoods Group Foundation, where she focuses on child sexual abuse prevention, aquatic safety and social entrepreneurship.

Prior to joining Redwoods, she served as the Executive Director of Youth Thrive, a Wake County collective impact initiative focused on the well-being of youth. She has supported over 150 families with the births of their children as a professional doula and coordinated the Wake County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council for many years. Passionate about dog rescue, Robin has fostered over 30 dogs.

Sarah Montgomery is a non-profit leader with over twenty years of experience in social justice movement building, organizing and community-based policy advocacy.

Central to Sarah’s work is a core belief in the ability of people to effect positive changes by working collaboratively and across differences toward shared, common goals. Sarah has worked with nonprofits in New York City, Nicaragua, and North Carolina with a focus on expanding education rights, access, and community engagement.

Sarah joined the NC Justice Center as a Policy Advocate with the Education & Law Project in March 2017 and became Senior Policy Advocate in September 2020. Sarah currently serves as co-Chair to Every Child NC, a statewide coalition leading the fight for equitable school funding, using the Leandro court case to organize and build power in communities across NC. Sarah holds dual BA degrees in Social Thought and Political Economy (STPEC) and Spanish from UMASS-Amherst, as well as an MA in International Affairs from the New School where she concentrated on socio-economic development.

She was honored to receive the 2022 North Carolina Association of Educators President’s Award for her advocacy on behalf of NC’s public school children.

Sarah Williams, CSM, co-founder and partner at Offset Collective, a brand consultancy based in Durham. As head of Insights and Strategy Sarah leverages her tenured creative agency background in UX Research, Brand Strategy and Design, and Client Services to help her clients build irreplaceable brands. She has worked across a wide spectrum of industries, from healthcare to CSG, and worked with start-ups to Fortune 100 companies. A DMV native, Sarah relocated to Durham after living in San Francisco for 12 years where she worked in a variety of consultancy settings. Sarah is a certified Scrum Master and holds a Certificate in Negotiation and Influence (UC Berkeley Executive Education). She graduated from Towson University with a B.S. in Mass Communication & Journalism.

Sonali Ratnasinghe is a UNC Chapel Hill student. While a student, she is the founder and Executive Director of General Services Foundation, a 501(c)3 helping high school students find a lifelong passion for service. Additionally, she is a board member of the RDU-based nonprofit Activate Good. Sonali’s favorite thing about the local community is the energy and sense of connectedness we have.

Tina Biello, MBA is both a skilled event coordinator and a savvy relationship builder. Her leadership style can be described as “do what it takes” with no task too low to create exception. She is a lead by example individual and one that empowers others to seek beyond their natural borders to achieve the extraordinary.

She is recognized by her peers for leaning into challenges and leveraging a diverse network of thought strategist to design a balanced approach to solutions. This builds credibility and trust amongst the industry and encourages future participation.

13 years in the Hospitality Industry has provided an appreciation for the consumer experience and the patience across a variety of personalities. Previously a Program Manager for Cisco Systems in RTP and currently the Director of GTM for Network Services at NTT Data Ltd in Raleigh, Tina specializes in simplifying complex conversations for executives and assisting teams to understand the underlying value beyond their investment.

Tina holds an MBA from NC State with a concentration on Entrepreneurship & Technology Commercialization. She completed a BA in Marketing at Notre Dame College of Ohio.

In her spare time, she enjoys reading, hot yoga, baking, custom cake creations, and is currently learning how to kayak.

Tina lives in Durham with her husband Josh Frumkin, daughter Evelyn, and two fur-babies: Alfred & Cupcake.

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Leadership Triangle
Leadership Triangle

Written by Leadership Triangle

Leadership Triangle builds leadership capacity and promotes regionalism across the separate communities of the Triangle (Chatham, Durham, Orange, Wake County).

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