chair
Regina recently retired after 26+ years at Wake County Government in positions including Assistant Health Director and Human Services (HS) Director. In the role of HS Director, she was responsible for public health, social services, Medicaid transportation, and regional service delivery for the County, overseeing 1,600+ employees in 14 locations while serving on the Smart Start Board; the United Way Investment Cabinet; North Carolina Pilot Service Fee Schedule Advisory Panel; and the Youth Thrive Board. Earlier in her career she worked for the North Carolina Departments of Health and Human Services, Administration, and Public Instruction. Regina is a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill where she received both her Bachelor and Master of Science Degrees in Public Health. She is a member of the Raleigh Chapter of CHUMS, Inc.; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated, Raleigh Alumnae Chapter; Saint Paul A.M.E. Church where she plays in the Handbell Choir; a past member and president of Strengthening the Black Family, Inc.; and serves on the Board of Urban Ministries. She is enjoying her retirement with her husband, her daughter and her “grand cat” – Edgar the Great.
Vice-chair
Nathan is the owner of and Senior Human Resources Consultant at Amplify Impact LLC, providing HR support to nonprofits and small organizations. Nathan is passionate about working to end food and housing insecurity in Raleigh. In addressing food insecurity, he has served on the board of A Place at the Table since 2015. He is excited to serve the Hope Center Board and assist in supporting an organization that is “building a community where a person’s history in foster care does not limit their future”.
Nathan received a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Philosophy from Belmont University and a Master of Divinity from Baptist Theological Seminary in Richmond. He is married to Libby Stephens and they have one son, Henry. The family enjoys traveling, working in the garden and cooking.
Treasurer
Warren is a clinical psychologist who has consulted on state and national child welfare projects for the past 9 years. Prior to that he worked 30 years as a clinician and public human services administrator, spending 13 of those years as the Child Welfare Director for Wake County. Dr. Ludwig has served on multiple boards including Wake County Smart Start, the Executive Committee of the National Association of Public Child Welfare Administrators, the Council of Accreditation, and the John Rex Endowment. Warren is delighted to begin his second stint on the Hope Center board in 2024 because he believes in the center’s mission and has had the opportunity to witness the impact of its work. He lives with his wife and teenage daughter in Raleigh, where he also enjoys spending time with his two adult children and two grandchildren.
secretary
Virginia is the founder of East Third Group, LLC, a consulting practice that partners with education institutions, foundations, nonprofit organizations, and other groups committed to improving the experiences and outcomes of students. Before stepping into her role as an independent consultant, she worked as a teacher, nonprofit strategist, and philanthropic director. Born and raised in Chapel Hill, she is delighted to now call Raleigh home. She loves North Carolina and is driven by the promise of what’s possible for our state, particularly when we connect young people with the opportunities they deserve and the supports they need to thrive. Virginia joined the Hope Center’s Board of Directors because she’s inspired by the current and former foster youth we have the privilege of serving. It’s an honor for her to be part of their community of support.
Stephanie is a Wall Street veteran of more than 25 years whose career began as a financial analyst with Dean Witter/Morgan Stanley. She quickly moved ahead to the wealth management teams of Branch Banking & Trust and Central Carolina Bank and flourished as a private financial advisor for SunTrust’s Private Wealth Management Team, where clients she served ranged from the very affluent to young executives and professional athletes. In 2007, she and a colleague co-founded Proximity Financial Partners. Wealth management continues to evolve and advance. Recognizing the power of focusing on a select group of highly individual clients, Stephanie founded Chrysalis in early 2014. She also owns S. Bowens Management and Consulting LLC, a sports management and business consulting practice.
Stephanie grew up in the Midwest but finished high school at Needham B. Broughton High School where she cultivated a love for words, books, and literature. She holds a bachelor’s degree from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University and completed graduate studies at UNC and Duke University.
She lives in Apex with her son, who is without a question her greatest accomplishment. Stephanie gives back to the community as an active supporter of the American Heart Association, the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle and serves on the board of The Hope Center at Pullen.
Mary Ellen is originally from Cleveland, TN. After obtaining
a degree in computer science from University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) in
1983, she worked for ten years as a computer programmer at IBM in the Research
Triangle Park. In 1993, Mary Ellen returned home to Tennessee to change careers
and to help care for her elderly parents and disabled brother. She decided to study social work. During her study
in the clinical MSW program, she became a student research assistant in UTK’s
NIMH-funded Children’s Mental Health Services Research Center (CMHRC). Based
on this experience and the encouragement from her SW professors, she decided to
obtain her PhD in Social Work and pursue an academic path. After
completion of her PhD in Social Work in 2000, she worked at UTK’s CMHSC as a
Research Assistant Professor until 2004. Her research during her PHD and
post doc was primarily funded by Casey Family Programs and focused on foster
parent characteristics and assessment. After 11 years in Knoxville, she
worked as an Assistant Professor at the newly formed MSW program at East
Tennessee State University (ETSU) in Northeast Tennessee. While at ETSU,
in addition to teaching MSW classes and continuing her research on foster
parents, she served on her local Foster Care Review Board and was president of
the HIV Network Executive Board in Johnson City, TN. While on faculty she
earned tenure. Across her academic career, Mary Ellen co-authored many peer-reviewed
journal articles and presented at numerous national conferences with her work being
cited extensively. She took an early
retirement and returned to Raleigh after her disabled brother passed in 2022. She’s been busy reuniting with many friends
from the area, reconnecting with the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic community, and
volunteering with Transitions LifeCare and St. Vincent de Paul. She is also a
Certified Grief Therapist and plans to run grief support groups. Mary Ellen
enjoys spending time with friends, playing golf, traveling, trying new recipes
and caring for her adorable dog Brandi. Mary Ellen is excited to work on the
Hope Center Board and serve foster care youth as they transition into
adulthood.
Theresa is a member of Stuart Law Firm, PLLC where she has practiced since 2000. Her primary areas of practice are business law and commercial real estate, including representing developers, lenders and local government in multi-family affordable housing opportunities. Originally from Jacksonville, North Carolina, Theresa attended Campbell University and UNC-Chapel Hill School of Law before making the move to Raleigh. Theresa served for more than 10 years on the Camp Kanata Advisory Board (six as its chair) and in a variety of leadership roles with the Junior League of Raleigh where she was honored to receive Outstanding First Year Active recognition. Outside of her professional work, Theresa can frequently be found on the greenways and trails training for a race or transporting her teenagers to their various activities.
With over 20 years of experience in the housing industry,
Lorena Dione-McDowell has dedicated her career to helping communities tackle a
broad spectrum of housing affordability issues. As the leader of Balance
Community Advisors, Lorena leverages her vast network of experts to provide
local leaders with instant expert capacity and innovative solutions. These
solutions foster systems that support residents across all socioeconomic levels
and promote healthy housing ecosystems that spur positive economic
growth.
Lorena draws upon her deep experience in some of America’s
fastest-growing regions, like Minnesota, Northern Virginia, Georgia, and North
Carolina. These areas have presented unique challenges, such as an imbalance
between sprawl, density, and population growth. She knows that fast-growing
communities all too often create opportunities for many and deep challenges for
others. Lorena believes in the power of research and data, thoughtful planning,
and bringing together coalitions of stakeholders to create greater
opportunities and a better quality of life for all.
When she’s not leading this dynamic group, Lorena enjoys
spending time with her beloved family, listening to live music, reading, and
traveling.
With over 20 years in the design, construction, and development industry, Noah has served in various leadership roles, including principal in a multidisciplinary design firm, multifamily housing studio director, project manager, and project architect. He has experience in a wide variety of housing types, including single-family for rent, for-sale and rental townhomes, senior housing, market-rate apartments, and mixed-use developments across the mid and south Atlantic. Noah is passionate about affordable housing design and advocacy and is experienced in community engagement, master planning, stakeholder visioning, and consensus. Noah has led the design teams of more than two dozen Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) communities in North Carolina.
In addition to Noah’s expertise in design and construction, he brings extensive experience in process development, strategic planning, team member engagement, and cultural development. Noah’s strength as a leader and collaborator comes from his focus on people and teams, attention to detail, and curiosity. Noah is a registered architect, and he received his Master of Architecture from NC State and a BA in Anthropology and Art History from Wake Forest University. He has made his home in Raleigh for twenty-five years but has lived in Oregon, England, and Bolivia.
Jo is semi-retired from 30 years working in Child Welfare in Virginia. She is currently a Child Welfare Consultant (part-time) with the NC Department of Health and Human Services Division of Social Services. She has family in Wake County and enjoys volunteering by serving communities with underserved populations and young adults. Jo worked closely with the Hope Center at Pullen during her work with Wake County Human Services Child Welfare. The work at the Hope Center at Pullen certainly makes a positive difference in the lives of older foster care youth. When she was asked if she was interested in serving as a Hope Center Board member, she was honored. She has witnessed the great work and count it a privilege to participate in the ongoing service the Hope Center does with young adults
Jordan works at First Horizon Bank as a Senior Client Specialist where she supports clients in their everyday banking needs. In addition to being a professional banker, she considers herself an amateur vegetable gardener and occasional roller skating extraordinaire. She enjoys staying busy, organized, and on top of things. She also likes to keep an active body and mind and is usually the first to jump into something new. On the weekends, if she is not running social media and events for her husband’s retro video game store, you can find her in the garden with her two kitties or snuggled up in the library with a good book. Having previous positions like Summer Camp Counselor and Toy Store General Manager, you could say she is well versed in enthusiasm and creating a good time. As a former foster kid, she likes to create a family wherever she goes and approaches most situations with an empathetic attitude. Jordan is ready to serve the community in a new way and thrilled to serve on the board of The Hope Center.
Robyn Williams is a Senior Trust Specialist in Wealth Management at First Citizens Bank in Raleigh, NC. She has been in the banking industry for over 20 years. She learned about Hope Center at Pullen through a project that was presented to one of the Business Resource Groups at the bank and immediately knew it was something she wanted to be a part of. She has worked with several other agencies that work with foster children. For the past 10 years she has worked with Royal Family Kids Camp as a Counselor for an away camp for one week for foster children. In addition, she has been the Lead Coordinator with the Methodist Home for Children, along with her sorority, Sigma Gamma Rho, Sorority, Inc, Raleigh Alumnae Chapter for the past 5 years in helping donate gifts at Christmas for their Adopt a Child Program. She has a heart for this particular area having grown up as a foster child herself and aging out of the foster care system. She enjoys working with each agency because the children that she’s worked with in the past, especially at camp each year, appreciate that she truly understands some of their issues/life as foster children. “The connection is indescribable once a child realizes she was just like me!” She is also the Rhoer Advisor of Sigma Gamma Rho, Sorority, Inc. The Rhoer Club is a leadership program for teen girls, ages 12-18. She has been their Advisor for the past 4 years. Originally a Jersey girl, she has been in the North Carolina area for the past 15 years. She has always been servant minded, and happy to be working with this great agency!
“When you are going through aging out you think that no one cares. You think that your life is so hard, so wrong, and that you should be able to have freedom, that you should be able to do what you want. Then your life would be right. Its not true. No, not at all. I wish I could have stayed in foster care. Then I wouldn’t have to worry about rent and saving money, and my money would be my money. Having a minimum wage job-I can’t pay rent on just one job. I have to go find another job. And I have no social life because all you do is work, work, work, then come back home, then work, work, work. No. I’m tired.”
Nationally, 50% of young people with a history in foster care are unemployed at the age of 24.
Our Career Development Program is designed to provide young people with a history in foster care the opportunity to gain the exposure, skills and knowledge necessary to successfully participate in the workforce as adults.
“When you are going through aging out you think that no one cares. You think that your life is so hard, so wrong, and that you should be able to have freedom, that you should be able to do what you want. Then your life would be right. Its not true. No, not at all. I wish I could have stayed in foster care. Then I wouldn’t have to worry about rent and saving money, and my money would be my money. Having a minimum wage job-I can’t pay rent on just one job. I have to go find another job. And I have no social life because all you do is work, work, work, then come back home, then work, work, work. No. I’m tired.”
Nationally, 50% of young people with a history in foster care are unemployed at the age of 24.
Our Career Development Program is designed to provide young people with a history in foster care the opportunity to gain the exposure, skills and knowledge necessary to successfully participate in the workforce as adults.
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