Faces

Laura Williams often spends her commute thinking not only about the small inconveniences of life but how to adjust and improve them.

Simply put, Williams likes making things better. As UNC Charlotte’s controller, she is constantly devising small changes to processes to make work easier for members of the University community.

“Whether it is establishing guidance on account codes or becoming more intentional about outreach to business officers, just trying to improve things every day is a part of what drives me,” said Williams. 

As assistant director for trips for Venture Outdoor Leadership, Brian Holcomb is fulfilling a passion to share nature with others; his goal is to provide outdoor adventure experiences that enable members of the campus community and those in the greater Charlotte region to develop as individuals and as members of a team and to become inspired by the outdoors.

Larry Gourdine, associate dean and director of Student Assistance and Support Services (SASS), understands firsthand the barriers that many students face at UNC Charlotte.

Students can experience nonacademic stressors that affect their social or academic performances. Pressure to graduate with straight A’s or even to graduate at all can feel like an impossible feat. Some students, for example, admit to working more than 60 hours a week, facing financial issues and at times interpersonal concerns.

Nadia Campbell seeks to provide UNC Charlotte students with outstanding personal development opportunities that result in improved leadership skills. This goal meshes with that of her office, Leadership & Community Engagement.

Last year, the Division of Student Affairs realigned and united the Center for Leadership Development with the Office of Volunteer Outreach to create Leadership & Community Engagement.

As director of the Popp Martin Student Union and Cone University Center, Morgan Meehan has a passion for creating environments that promote 49er engagement.

A graduate of Indiana University with a Master of Science in Higher Education and Student Affairs, Meehan said she has always envisioned herself working with students and quickly obtained experience as a graduate assistant.

“Thank you for calling Niner Central and The University of North Carolina at Charlotte.”

Appropriately nicknamed the “voice of UNC Charlotte,” Chris Garcia is responsible for this recorded message that greets the thousands of Niner Central customers who call each week.

Jordan Harris is on a mission to make everyone on campus rethink community engagement. She wants every member of the UNC Charlotte community to see a place for themselves in the University’s commitment to outreach in the city.

She’s driven in part because of her responsibility as the associate director of community relations and also because of her own experiences in life.

It has been said that Chris Gonyar, a two-time alumnus, bleeds green. As the University’s director of emergency management, he oversees emergency preparations and plans, operational emergency response protocols, manages campus-wide emergency response trainings and guides operational and strategic functions of the NinerAlerts system.

Gonyar enjoys the campus culture and the talent that University employees exude.

Bonny Shade works to ensure all University fraternity and sorority members have a sustainable, healthy and amazing collegiate experience. As associate director for fraternity and sorority life, Shade is a member of a unit that works closely with students who participate in campus Greek life. UNC Charlotte students can join any of the nearly 400 student organizations on campus; however, approximately 6 percent of the student body are members of a fraternity or sorority.

Keeping PACE epitomizes Paul Taylor’s philosophy on work and life – for him, Positive Attitude Changes Everything.

“No matter what happens, my goal is to have a positive outlook all the time – it makes pretty much any situation easier to handle,” said Taylor, who is the zone maintenance manager.