Senior Scholars at Queens

An Untold Story of the US Involvement in Afghanistan...And Its Aftermath...A Personal Journey with George Forsythe
2024-11-08 10:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York) | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: An Untold Story of the US Involvement in Afghanistan…And Its Aftermath…A Personal Journey
SPEAKER: George Forsythe, Brigadier General, U.S. Army (retired)
George will discuss the establishment of the National Military Academy of Afghanistan from 2003-2005…its strategic implications and lessons learned. George will also discuss how his translator and their family immigrated to the US and settled in the heartland and how they help resettle Afghan families after 2021.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

BIOGRAHPHY
GEORGE B. “BARNEY” FORSYTHE, Ph.D.
Brigadier General, U.S. Army (retired)
BG (ret) George B. Forsythe was born at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, on November 13, 1948. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from United States Military Academy at West Point in 1970, and an M.A.C.T. degree in Social Psychology and a Ph.D. in Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He spent thirty-five years on active duty in the United States Army, serving in command and staff positions before returning to West Point’s Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership in 1984 as an Academy Professor. In 1991 he was promoted to Professor of Psychology and Leadership, and in 1996 he was appointed Professor, USMA, and Vice Dean for Education, a position he held until his retirement in 2005. Upon retirement, he was advanced to Brigadier General.
While at West Point, General Forsythe supervised the core and electives courses in leadership, designed and taught in the Eisenhower Graduate Program in Leader Development, consulted on West Point’s Cadet Leader Development System, advised the LA Police Department and the Bangladesh Military Academy, and conducted several major leadership research projects as Director of the Center for Leadership and Organizations Research. In 2003, he led an international team that wrote the concept plan for the National Military Academy of Afghanistan
Following his retirement from the Army, General Forsythe was selected to be the Senior Vice President and Dean of Faculty at Westminster College in Missouri, and in February 2008, he was appointed Westminster’s 20th President. Under his leadership, the College designed and implemented the Westminster 2020 strategic plan, internationalized and diversified the campus community, expanded academic programs, integrated academics and student life around the Concept for Student Development, created and implemented a system for assessing student learning, modernized the campus infrastructure, and enhanced the College’s national reputation, with 95% of graduates in fulltime employment or graduate school within six months of graduation. General Forsythe retired as Westminster’s President in 2015, and he now serves as a faculty member with the Thayer Leadership Group at West Point, where he does corporate leadership training.
General Forsythe’s scholarly achievements comprise over forty publications and presentations on leadership and student development, post-secondary education, and assessment. He has received three awards for Best Paper by an Established Investigator from the Division on Education in the Professions of the American Educational Research Association. In 2011, General Forsythe was honored with the Missourian Award for outstanding contributions in the areas of business, civic leadership, and the arts. In 2015, he was named by Ingram’s Kansas City Business Magazine as 50 Missourians You Should Know. He is a Professor Emeritus at both West Point and Westminster College.
He and his wife, Jane, reside in Beaufort, South Carolina. Jane is a retired early childhood educator. They have two grown children and three grandchildren.

MakerSpace Charlotte: Enabling & Celebrating Human Creativity with Steven Gray
2024-11-15 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: MakerSpace Charlotte: Enabling & Celebrating Human Creativity
SPEAKER: Steven Gray, Makerspace Board Member
This talk will present an overview of makerspaces as a means of providing affordable access to a wide variety tools, equipment and training to the general public both nationally and across the globe. In particular it will highlight MakerSpace Charlotte’s offerings and its impact on the local community and discuss how the space envisions it role going forward to support the arts, local non-profits, and lifelong learning in the Charlotte community and beyond.
NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

BIOGRAPHY
Steven Gray is a founder and the current executive director of MakerSpace Charlotte — a role which he has held for the past 7 years. During his tenure the organization has grown from 13 memberships and 800 sf of space to over 500 memberships and 33,000 sf.
Prior to helping establish MakerSpace Charlotte, he operated a small custom electronic design business for nearly two decades servicing clients ranging from fortune 500 companies to struggling artists and everything in between.
He also worked on Wall Street for 5 years between undergraduate and graduate studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Earl Scruggs Center with Mary Beth Martin
2024-11-22 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: Earl Scruggs Center in Shelby
SPEAKER: Mary Beth Martin, Executive Director of the Earl Scruggs Center, Shelby, NC
The Earl Scruggs Center combines the life story of legendary five-string banjo master and Cleveland County native, Earl Scruggs, with the unique and engaging story of the history and cultural traditions of the region in which Mr. Scruggs was born and raised. It was in the nearby Flint Hill community where Mr. Scruggs learned to play banjo and began the three-finger playing style that has come to be known around the world as “Scruggs Style.”
The Earl Scruggs Center explores Mr. Scruggs’ innovative career and the community that gave it shape while celebrating how he crossed musical boundaries and defined the voice of the banjo to the world. Mr. Scruggs embraced tradition while also adapting to the changing times and looking toward the future—themes which resonate throughout the Center. Engaging exhibits, special event space and rich programming provide a uniquely rich experience for visitors.
BIOGRAPHY
Mary Beth Martin has served as the Executive Director of the Earl Scruggs Center in Shelby, NC, since 2018. During her time at the Center, Mary Beth has established ongoing programming including Musical Explorations for local children, the Center Stage Concert Series, instrument camps, and K-12 educational opportunities with the Bluegrass Ambassadors. She has been instrumental in founding and producing the Earl Scruggs Music Festival, which has been nominated for the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Event of the Year Award.
She holds an M.B.A. from Gardner-Webb University and a B.A. in Political Science from North Carolina State University. She is a graduate of IMBA’s Leadership Bluegrass program and Leadership Cleveland County.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

Behind the Curtain with Laura Little
2025-01-10 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: Behind the Curtain
SPEAKER: Laura Little, Executive Producer, Laura Little Theatricals
Laura will speak about what it takes to put up a theatrical production at the community theatre and regional levels and the difference between Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off Broadway.
She’ll explain the difference between the roles of the artistic director, executive director, producer, and general manager.
You’ll hear the many ways producers find a show and the process used to determine the trajectory of taking it to Broadway and whether it should move on to a national tour.
And finally, the audition process. Possibly concluding with a mock audition.
NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

BIOGRAPHY
Laura Little – Executive Producer / Artistic Director of Laura Little Theatrical Productions
Laura Little produced All Is Calm off-Broadway as well as the PBS special of the same show. She co-producer the Tony Award winning Come From Away on Broadway, Toronto, London, Australia, and National Tour. Other Broadway credits include: co-producer of the five time Tony Award winning Peter and the Starcatcher and First Date starring Zachary Levi.
Current Broadway Production: Our Town starring Jim Parsons, Katie Holmes and Richard Thomas
Broadway investing partner: Tony Award winning Parade and Swept Away.
In Charlotte she produces cabarets at Middle C Jazz Club and in 2023, the Radio City Music Hal style show Need a Little Christmas.
Laura is the past Executive Director of Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre and Executive/Artistic Director of CYT Spokane and founder of LLL Talent Agency (now MAM).
Current:
Member the LIG Rotary Club of Charlotte-part of Charlotte Rotary Club.
Advisory Board for PBS Charlotte
Past:
Past President and member of Coeur d’Alene Sunrise Rotary
Past member of the Coeur d’Alene Noon Rotary
Past President and member of Idaho Public Television
Past Salvation Army Kroc Center’s Advisory Board
Awards:
She was honored to be a Soroptimist Woman of Distinction recipient in 2015
2020 Girls Scouts of America Women of Distinction Award

How Music Impacts Society with Joe Kendrick
2025-01-17 10:00 - 11:30 | Providence United Methodist Church (PUMC) – Wolfe Hall, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, North Carolina, 28211
TOPIC: Songs of Solidarity, Songs of Protest, Songs of Hope Amidst Struggle: A Brief Survey of the Impact of Music on the Radio for Social Movements
SPEAKER: Joe Kendrick, Director of Programming and Operations Manager, WNCW
An overview of songs, artists, genres and eras of music on radio that reflect and have impacted various social movements in America.

BIOGRAPHY
Public radio programmer, music host, writer, podcaster, college instructor, public speaker, event producer
My role is to envision and develop the sound and image of WNCW, create original programming and manage round the clock operations. I recruit, develop and manage our programming staff. Also I host and produce weekly music shows and a bi-weekly podcast, Southern Songs and Stories. I represent WNCW in person as well as virtually worldwide to donors and industry partners. Additionally, I am part of the team that produces the annual Earl Scruggs Music Festival in Tryon, NC.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

What a Rush! A Brief History of Mining in North Carolina with Valerie Reynolds
2025-01-24 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: What a Rush! A Brief History of Mining in North Carolina
SPEAKER: Valerie Reynolds, Department of Earth, Environmental, and Geographical Sciences UNC Charlotte
From the first gold discovered in the United States to the ultra-pure quartz fueling the semiconductor industry, mining has played an essential role in North Carolina’s economy for centuries. This presentation will provide a brief history of mining in North Carolina as well as the geologic conditions responsible for forming such valuable mineral deposits.

BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Reynolds earned her PhD from the University of Tennessee, then worked as a Research Assistant at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History for 2 years before beginning her teaching career. She taught at The University of the South (TN) and Colby College (ME) before arriving at UNC Charlotte in 2012. In addition to teaching, Dr. Reynolds is the Undergraduate Coordinator for the Geology and Earth & Environmental Sciences programs and is a faculty advisor for the student-led GEO club.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

What did you say? Communication, Problem-solving, and Intelligence in Birds with Jeffrey Thomas
2025-01-31 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: What did you say? Communication, Problem-solving, and Intelligence in Birds
SPEAKER: Jeffrey Thomas, Professor of Biology, Queens University of Charlotte
Birds, especially songbirds, say a lot. But what do we know about what they’re saying to each other? And how do they use their communication to negotiate interactions with each other, find food, and learn about their surroundings? Birds offer a rich and fascinating opportunity to explore and define animal intelligence and the complexity of communication systems.
From mockingbirds to ravens to vultures, birds show a remarkable breadth of intelligence, but research is beginning to shed light on the connections between vocal behavior and problem solving.

BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Jeffrey Thomas is a professor of biology and the director of general education at Queens University of Charlotte. His research and teaching examine the intersection of ecology and evolutionary processes on animal communication systems. He has also served on the board of Carolina Raptor Center.
In his spare time, he travels, cooks, and takes his dog for long walks.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

The Future of US-China Relations with Keren Zhu
2025-02-07 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
GREAT DECISIONS TOPIC: The Future of US-China Relations
SPEAKER: Keren Zhu, Assistant Professor, Davidson College
U.S.-China relations have emerged as the most consequential dynamic in contemporary international relations, profoundly influencing global politics, economics, and security. This lecture will explore the evolution of U.S.-China relations since 1949, examine the key factors shaping the future of this relationship, and analyze how their competition extends to and impacts other regions.

BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Keren Zhu is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Davidson College. She teaches courses on Asia Pacific international relations, the rise of China, and policy analysis. Her research focuses on Chinese foreign policy, the Belt and Road Initiative, and global infrastructure development. She holds a B.A. from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, an M.Sc. from the University of Oxford, and a Ph.D. from the Pardee RAND Graduate School.
Dr. Zhu has published extensively on China’s global engagement and U.S.-China relations. She also co-hosts “The Belt and Road Podcast” and is currently working on a book about the global impact of Chinese infrastructure projects. Prior to Davidson, she held academic and research positions at the RAND Corporation, University of Southern California, Boston University Global Development Policy Center, and The New School India China Institute.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

Medicare Fraud with Austin Caton
2025-02-14 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: Medicare Fraud
SPEAKER: Austin Caton, Aging Program Coordinator, Centralina Area Agency on Aging
Austin is an Aging Program Coordinator for the Digital Navigation Program providing assistance with technology and training for older adults in our region.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

America and Changing Economic World with Jay Bryson
2025-02-21 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
GREAT DECISIONS TOPIC: America and Changing Economic World
SPEAKER: Jay Bryson, Managing Director, Chief Economist, Wells Fargo Corporate and Investment Bank
Dr. Bryson will present his annual analysis of financial markets and macroeconomic developments in the global economy.
He will also provide an outlook for the next two years including forecasts of GDP growth rates, inflation rates, and interest rates in the major economies of the world.

BIOGRAPHY
Details coming soon.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

How PBS Charlotte Shines the Spotlight on our Region with Amy Burkett
2025-02-28 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
GREAT DECISIONS TOPIC: How PBS Charlotte Shines the Spotlight on our Region
SPEAKER: Amy Burkett, PBS General Manager
Amy will share interesting statistics and behind the scenes production details woven in and out of video clips of local documentaries as well as our signature Emmy winning news magazine Carolina Impact.

BIOGRAPHY
Amy has been honored to lead the renaissance of PBS Charlotte since 2013. She’s grateful that over that time the station has seen over a 400% increase in community support. In addition to the wonderful national content the station has five weekly local shows the newest Unspun is a political program that helps you know what politicians are often thinking but not saying hosted by former Charlotte mayor and governor Pat McCrory. Amy has led the station for five Emmy awards during her time year brining her total to 11 Emmys during her more than 30 years in broadcasting. She’s published two leadership books.
The 7D’s to Your Destiny and The Dirty F-Word: Lessons From our Failures

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

The Shadow of Alzheimer's Disease with Dr. Adam Law
2025-03-07 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: The Shadow of Alzheimer’s Disease
SPEAKER: Dr. Adam Law, Visiting Scientist, Cornell University
This talk will explore Alzheimer’s Disease from a personal, professional and research perspective, as a physician who, in retirement, is participating in a laboratory investigating its molecular mechanisms.

BIOGRAPHY
Adam Law is a Londoner by birth and emigrated to the USA at the age of thirty-one. He moved to Ithaca 34 years ago and has lived in the same home in North East Ithaca where he and his wife Jane Marie raised 3 Ithacan children.
He trained in medicine and molecular medicine at the University of London. He was a post-doctoral researcher at UCSF and Cornell University in molecular biology and genetics. He was the only endocrinologist in Tompkins County for most of his 28 year career in medical practice in Ithaca and also was a primary care physician.
During this time when he was president of the medical staff at The Cayuga Medical Center, he was responsible for bringing medical students and residents to Ithaca from Weill Cornell, where he was a clinical assistant professor.
He has co-founded 2 non-profits. In 2010 Physicians, Scientists and Engineers for Healthy Energy (PSE) in his living room, currently board president and in 2021 Artists with Evidence (AwE), currently board treasurer.
He retired from clinical medicine in 2022. Currently, he is a visiting scientist in the Lis lab in the Biotechnology Center at Cornell University researching Alzheimer’s disease. His hobbies are learning the guitar, studying Brazilian Portuguese, running and cycling.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

Critical Thinking – A Quick Course
2025-03-14 10:00 - 11:00 | Zoom Only
TOPIC: Critical Thinking – A Quick Course
SPEAKER: Pierce Howard, Ph.D
Beginning with a definition of critical thinking–and in the spirit of critical thinking, Pierce will offer several definitions. What it is, and what it is not.
The core is questioning, so we will explore the world of asking questions that most support critical thinking. Then Pierce will identify obstacles to thinking critically, followed by qualities that foster critical thinking.
This all leads up to identifying System I (instincts) and System II (processes) mental functions, what Daniel Kahneman described in his Thinking, Fast and Slow (2013). We will close with a daily tool bag that includes five basic skills of critical thinking.
NOTE: This meeting is Zoom only. PUMC is closed on 3/14/2025.

BIOGRAPHY
Pierce J. Howard, PhD, was born in Kinston, North Carolina. Making his way through public schools, he learned to love reading, writing, mathematics, music, and nature. Four years at Davidson College stoked his passion for literature, music, philosophy, and psychology. Three years in the U.S. Army as a Military Intelligence Specialist molded his penchant for research and investigation. During graduate school at East Carolina University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he changed his major from literature to educational psychology.
His first job was with the North Carolina Advancement School in Winston-Salem. Moving to Charlotte in 1977 to teach at West Charlotte, Pierce then co-founded LEAD (long E) Associates in 1979. Between arriving in Charlotte and retiring, Pierce also served as an adjunct professor at UNC–Charlotte, Pfeiffer University, and most recently the McColl School of Business at Queens University.
In 1986, along with his wife, Jane, he started a consulting company, now named Paradigm Personality Labs. Over 32 years, they offered training, team building, coaching, and personnel research to clients on six continents. In 1994, Pierce wrote and published The Owner’s Manual for the Brain, now in its 4th edition and published by William Morrow. He even appeared as a guest on “Oprah” in1995. Subsequently, he wrote more than 20 books. The Howards’ core service has been through several personality assessments that they developed: the WorkPlace Big Five Profile, the SchoolPlace Big Five Profile, the WorkPlace Values Profile, and the WorkPlace Performance 360. In 2018, Pierce retired as the Chief Innovations Officer at Paradigm, but in retirement, he’s now writing The Owner’s Manual for Critical Thinking.

International Climate Cooperation in an Era of Geopolitical Turmoil with Mark Kelso
2025-03-21 10:00 - 11:00 | Providence United Methodist Church (PUMC) – Wolfe Hall, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, North Carolina, 28211
GREAT DECISIONS TOPIC: International Climate Cooperation in an Era of Geopolitical Turmoil
SPEAKER: Mark Kelso, Professor, Political Science, International Studies & Sociology Department, Queens University
An overview of international efforts to enhance global environmental protection, with a focus on recent efforts to address climate change. Discussion of where these efforts have succeeded.
Discussion of key challenges that lie ahead.

BIOGRAPHY
Mark Kelso is Professor of Political Science at Queens University of Charlotte. His research interests focus on environmental policy and political leadership.
His most recent publication is “A Green Presidency? Barack Obama and the Environment” in Meena Bose and Paul Fritz, Evaluating the Obama Presidency (2024).
He has also published in Congress and the Presidency and Presidential Studies Quarterly. He is the 2017 winner of the Hunter-Hamilton Love of Teaching Award.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

NATO Under New Leadership with Dmitry Vovchuk
2025-03-28 10:00 - 11:00 | Providence United Methodist Church (PUMC) – Wolfe Hall, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, North Carolina, 28211
GREAT DECISIONS TOPIC: North Atlantic Treaty Organization Under New Leadership
SPEAKER: Dmitry Vovchuk, The Cohen Group
Following NATO’s 75th Anniversary Summit in Washington DC in July 2024, the Alliance faces a new reality. The reelection of Donald Trump and his policies on NATO and Ukraine will determine the course of European security for the foreseeable future. NATO’s new Secretary General, Mark Rutte, must effectively navigate this new political environment to manage deterrence and defense against Russia, preserve Ukraine’s sovereignty, and ensure NATO remains united across the Atlantic. This timely update on NATO will be provided by Mr. Vovchuk ahead of NATO’s next Summit, taking place in The Hague in June.

BIOGRAPHY
Dmitry Vovchuk is a Vice President at The Cohen Group. During his time at the firm, Mr. Vovchuk has led a wide range of client teams in the defense, manufacturing, healthcare, financial, and technology sectors. In addition, Mr. Vovchuk supports The Cohen Group’s Europe practice and he leads the firm’s Ukraine working group, advising clients on sectoral implications of the war in Ukraine and its impacts on European markets.
Prior to joining The Cohen Group, Mr. Vovchuk served in numerous key roles at the US Departments of State and Defense, National Security Council, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). He also held several leadership positions in financial services and management consulting.
Mr. Vovchuk served as Deputy Chief of Staff to the Secretary General of NATO from 2013-2016. In that role, he managed the transition of NATO’s combat operations in Afghanistan to its Resolute Support Mission and helped achieve key milestones in NATO’s ballistic missile defense program. Mr. Vovchuk also led the process to conduct a full review of the US integrated campaign plan as the Director for Strategic Planning in the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy to Counter ISIS.
Additionally, Mr. Vovchuk coordinated the work of the White House Task Force responsible for the 2012 NATO Summit hosted by President Obama in Chicago and served as the National Security Council Director for Eastern Europe from 2012-2013, managing the development and execution of US policy for a region stretching from the Baltic to the Black Sea.
Mr. Vovchuk was selected to the Civil Service as a Presidential Management Fellow in 2006. He led the interagency process to invite new members into NATO at its Summit in Bucharest, Romania, supported the development of NATO’s renewed Strategic Concept, and managed US policy priorities for the Alliance’s International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF) mission in Afghanistan. Mr. Vovchuk also served as a Political Officer at the US Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine and in the Office of the Secretary of Defense during the 2008 conflict between Russia and Georgia.
Outside of government, Mr. Vovchuk advised global consumer goods and health care companies on organizational change and strategic alignment as a Principal with the McChrystal Group. He was a registered financial representative and served as Chief of Staff at Ally Bank, supporting the Executive Director for its auto, deposits, online brokerage, and wealth management customer care and experience division.
Mr. Vovchuk is the recipient of the State Department’s Superior and Meritorious Honor Awards, completed a five-year term membership with the Council on Foreign Relations, and taught foreign policy at Queens University of Charlotte. He received a Master’s of Arts in US National Security Policy at Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Arts from Drew University.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

American Foreign Policy in the Middle East with Dr. Harry Chernotsky
2025-04-04 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
GREAT DECISIONS TOPIC: American Foreign Policy in the Middle East
SPEAKER: Dr. Harry Chernotsky, Professor Emeritus Global Studies, UNC Charlotte
This presentation – part of the Great Decisions 2025 program -will address the continuing search for peace in the Middle East, as the region looks to move beyond the events of October 7 and confronts the realities of an uncertain future. We will review the latest developments impacting the region’s many trouble spots and will examine the changing posture of the United States under the Trump administration.

BIOGRAPHY
Harry I. Chernotsky is Professor Emeritus in Global Studies, retiring after 43 years on the faculty of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He served as the founding chair of the Department of Global Studies from 2009-2016 after spending 30 years in the university’s Department of Political Science. Previous positions included Director of International Studies and Interim Associate Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. He is the recipient of UNC Charlotte’s Bank of America Teaching Excellence Award and its International Education Faculty Award.
Chernotsky received his Ph.D. in Political Science from Rutgers University. He specializes in international political economy and American foreign policy and has published in a wide range of professional journals. He is most proud of his work (with Heidi Hobbs) – Crossing Borders: International Studies for the 21st Century (4rd edition, 2022) – one of the first textbooks providing an interdisciplinary perspective on the field.
Throughout his career, Chernotsky was a leader in international studies education. He spearheaded numerous initiatives at UNC Charlotte, including the development of the Model United Nations program and the interdisciplinary International Studies major. He was Director of the North Carolina Great Decisions public affairs series and still lectures widely on international affairs and U.S. foreign policy. He also served as President of the Southern region of the International Studies Association (ISA) and as Chair of ISA’s International Education section. He worked for many years with the University of Cantabria (Spain) on its global studies certificate program and was Scholar in Residence at Florida Atlantic University’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, where he continues lecture each year.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

Update on Mecklenburg County Initiatives with Dena Diorio
2025-04-11 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: Update on Mecklenburg County Initiatives
SPEAKER: Dena Diorio, Mecklenburg County Manager
Dena will provide an update on County projects and initiatives and answer questions.

BIOGRAPHY
Dena Diorio has been a leader in public administration since 1988. After graduate school Dena started what would be a ten-year stint with the City of New York, eight of which were in the Mayor’s Office. Serving under three different Mayors, Dena started as a financial analyst in the Departments of Sanitation and General Services where she provided financial support to various operating divisions. In 1990, she was appointed a supervising analyst at the Mayor’s Office of Operations where she rose to the level of Deputy Director in only five years. In 1995, she was appointed the Director of City Legislative Affairs and served as the Mayor’s lobbyist to the City Council. In that role she is credited with facilitating the passage of over 100 local laws included in the Mayor’s legislative agenda.
In 1998, Dena was appointed the inaugural Director of the Office of Policy and Management for the City of Stamford, Connecticut. She established a strong budget and auditing department that improved efficiency and accountability. In 2002, Dena moved to the City of Danbury, Connecticut where she served as the Director of Finance and Human Resources.
Dena joined Mecklenburg County, North Carolina in 2007 as Director of the Department of Financial Services. She is recognized for guiding the County through the fiscal crisis and implementing policies that significantly improved the financial position of the County. In 2013, she was promoted to Assistant County Manager and in 2014 was selected as the first woman to serve as County Manager for Mecklenburg County. As County Manager Dena serves as the CEO of the organization and is responsible for a workforce of 6,000 employees and an annual operating budget of $2 billion.
In her role as County Manager, Dena serves on a variety of boards including Charlotte Center City Partners, the Charlotte Sports Foundation, the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, Blumenthal Performing Arts, and United Way of Central Carolinas.
Dena has been recognized for her leadership by many organizations. In 2015, she was named Public Policy Leader of the Year by the National Association of Women Business Owners, and in 2016, she received the Leadership in Action award by Career Mastered. In 2018 she was named one of the 50 Most Influential Women by the Mecklenburg Times, and in 2019 a Most Admired CEO by the Charlotte Business Journal. In 2020, Dena was chosen as the Businesswoman of the Year by Queens University, the first woman from the public sector to receive the honor. In 2021, she was awarded the Excellence in Leadership Award from the Centralina Regional Council, received a Woman in American History Award from the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Pegasus Award from the Public Relations Society of America, which honors someone from outside the public relations profession for embracing the strategic use of communications. In 2023, she was awarded the Whitney M. Young award by the Urban League of Central Carolinas that honors those that have made significant impacts in the black community.
Dena earned her bachelor’s degree in social services from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh. She earned a master’s degree in public administration from Columbia University.
Dena lives with her husband Phil in Charlotte, North Carolina.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

Fluid Geopolitics of South Asia with Parag Jyoti Saikia
2025-04-18 10:00 - 11:00 | Zoom Only
GREAT DECISIONS TOPIC: Fluid Geopolitics of South Asia: Challenges and Opportunities
SPEAKER: Parag Jyoti Saikia, Doctoral Candidate, Department of Anthropology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
India is at a volatile crossroads in South Asia. In summer 2024, India lost one of its close allies as student uprising deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Towards the end of 2024, China announced to build new dams on rivers originating from Tibet, threatening India’s efforts to build similar dams downstream. Such tensions are not new in international relations, India’s reaction to China’s growing financial and infrastructural influence in South Asia has been closely observed. Drawing from scholarship on Indo-China relations and personal experience of growing up in a frontier area, my talk will discuss India’s challenges and opportunities to becomes a regional and global leader.

BIOGRAPHY
Parag Jyoti Saikia is studying the construction of a hydropower dam in India to understand how infrastructures in-the-making shape everyday life, the environment, and geopolitics. He is a doctoral candidate in anthropology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (UNC). His research is supported by the Wenner-Gren Foundation, Social Science Research Council and UNC’s Graduate School. He is a public-engaged scholar who has also been awarded to Public Scholar’s Training Fellowship from SAPIENS magazine. For nearly a decade, he has been associated with grassroots organizations working on dams, rivers, and the environment, and been writing about these issues both in English and Assamese, his mother tongue. His writings have appeared on The Conversation, SAPIENS, South Asia blog of London School of Economics, The Wire, and Asia Times.

NOTE: This meeting will be Zoom only. There will be no in-person meeting due to Good Friday and PUMC being closed.

Update on Queens University with Dr. Sarah Fatherly
2025-04-25 10:00 - 11:00 | PUMC – Wolfe Hall, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: Update on Queens University
SPEAKER: Dr. Sarah Fatherly, Chief Academic Officer for Queens University of Charlotte
Learn about what has been happening at Queens over the 2024-2025 year.

BIOGRAPHY
Sarah Fatherly is the chief academic officer for Queens University of Charlotte, overseeing all academic programs and services. Having served in that role since 2017, Dr. Fatherly has almost two decades of experience in academic administration.
She joined the Queens community in 2012 as associate provost and dean of university programs providing a renewed focus to undergraduate student success and retention. In addition to scholarship in her academic fields of study, Fatherly has published and presented widely on scaling high-impact practices, equity-minded curriculum innovation, faculty development practices, and campus partnerships for student success. She earned a B.A. from Gustavus Adolphus College, an M.A., and a Ph.D. in United States History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

Wildacres 2025 Speaker Meg Johnson: Music Therapy
2025-04-28 10:00 - 11:00 | Wildacres Retreat, 1565 Wildacres Road, Little Switzerland, NC, 28749, United States
Senior Scholars annual Wildacres retreat is scheduled for April 28-May 1, 2025. For full details and to register for this event, please go to the Wildacres page.
TOPIC: Music Therapy: The science, the singing and everything in between.
SPEAKER: Meg Johnson, Music Therapy Program Director and Clinical Coordinator, Queens University
The presentation will provide an overview of the field of music therapy: the academic foundations, the education of students and therapists, the places we work and how we do what we do.

BIOGRAPHY
Meg Stanley Johnson has extensive clinical experience with a variety of client populations including child, adolescent and adult psychiatric settings, memory care groups, and children and adults with neurodevelopmental disabilities in both individual and group settings. Her current clinical focus is with young adults with autism who have limited verbal skills and a history of aggression.
She is the music therapy program director and clinical coordinator at Queens in addition to teaching in the music therapy and general education programs.
Education

M.M., Neurologic Music Therapy, Colorado State University
B.M., Music Therapy, Queens College, Charlotte, NC
B.A., Psychology, Queens College, Charlotte, NC
Bi www.musictherapy.org
www.ncmusictherapy.org
www.cbmt.org

Wildacres 2025 Speaker Joe Kendrick: How Music Impacts Society
2025-04-29 10:00 - 11:30 | Wildacres Retreat, 1565 Wildacres Road, Little Switzerland, NC, 28749, United States
Senior Scholars annual Wildacres retreat is scheduled for April 28-May 1, 2025. For full details and to register for this event, please go to the Wildacres page.
TOPIC: Songs of Solidarity, Songs of Protest, Songs of Hope Amidst Struggle: A Brief Survey of the Impact of Music on the Radio for Social Movements
SPEAKER: Joe Kendrick, Director of Programming and Operations Manager, WNCW
An overview of songs, artists, genres and eras of music on radio that reflect and have impacted various social movements in America.

BIOGRAPHY
Public radio programmer, music host, writer, podcaster, college instructor, public speaker, event producer
My role is to envision and develop the sound and image of WNCW, create original programming and manage round the clock operations. I recruit, develop and manage our programming staff. Also I host and produce weekly music shows and a bi-weekly podcast, Southern Songs and Stories. I represent WNCW in person as well as virtually worldwide to donors and industry partners. Additionally, I am part of the team that produces the annual Earl Scruggs Music Festival in Tryon, NC.
Joe Kendrick profile

The Levine JCC's Butterfly Project with Lori Semel
2025-05-02 10:00 - 11:00 | PUMC – Wolfe Hall, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: The Levine JCC’s Butterfly Project with Lori Semel
SPEAKER: Lori Semel, Butterfly Project Coordinator
The Butterfly Project was developed as a call to action through education, the arts, and memorial making, which uses the lessons of the Holocaust to educate about the dangers of hatred and bigotry and cultivates empathy and social responsibility.
Participants paint ceramic butterflies that are displayed as symbols of resilience and hope, with the goal of creating 1.5 million butterflies around the world—one for each child who perished during the Holocaust, and honoring the survivors.

BIOGRAPHY
Lori graduated from East Carolina University. She taught middle school for 10 years, leaving to stay home with her two children. She began volunteering with the LJCC Butterfly Project in 2011, joined as staff shortly after and is now Coordinator.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

Healthcare Delivery with Dr. Stephen Riggs
2025-05-09 10:00 - 11:00 | PUMC – Wolfe Hall, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: Healthcare Delivery, Past, Present and a Future with AI

SPEAKER: Dr. Stephen Riggs, Steve Riggs, MD, MBD, FACS; Professor Advocate Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine Vice Chair Department of Urology- Atrium Health Levine Cancer Center, Carolinas Medical Center
Healthcare delivery is experiencing unprecedented change and growth. The United states spends more on healthcare than any other country but ranks low when measuring many health outcomes. Government (medicare and medicaid) health insurance remains a topic of great debate while Artificial intelligence brings excitement and new energy to fixing some of our greatest challenges.

BIOGRAPHY
I am a Professor and Urologic Oncologist within the Department of Urology, Wake Forest School of Medicine and Levine Cancer Institute within Advocate Health (formerly Atrium Health). I have an active clinical practice in Urologic Oncology and extensive experience in designing and conducting clinical trials. My clinical interest includes bladder, kidney, testis, and prostate cancer with a research focus on standardization and optimization of surgical care. I currently serve Vice Chair for the Department of Urology, Chair for Robotic Surgery and Strategy for the Southeast and Co-lead the Enterprise Surgical Quality committee focused on defining and standardizing surgical quality and operations across the Advocate Enterprise.

Medical School: University of South Carolina College of Medicine
Residency: Vanderbilt University – Surgery; University of Mississippi Medical Center – Urology
Fellowship: University of California Medical Center – Urologic Oncology

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport Update with Jack Christine
2025-05-16 10:00 - 11:00 | Providence United Methodist Church (PUMC) – Wolfe Hall, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, North Carolina, 28211
TOPIC: Charlotte Douglas International Airport Update
SPEAKER: Jack Christine, A.A.E., Chief Infrastructure Officer, CLT Airport
Mr. Christine is overseeing Destination CLT, a five-year, $2.5-$3.1 billion capital program that includes planning, design and construction of expansion of terminal and concourse, and the development of numerous airfield projects. He will provide an update of progress and plans for the future.

BIOGRAPHY
Details coming soon.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

Wildlife You May Know with Bob Senn
2025-05-23 10:00 - 11:00 | Providence United Methodist Church (PUMC) – Wolfe Hall, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, North Carolina, 28211
TOPIC: Wildlife You May Know
SPEAKER: Bob Senn, Certified South Carolina Master Naturalist
Presentation with slideshow, and a side of humor, on many of the wildlife seen in North and South Carolina.

BIOGRAPHY
Bob is a certified South Carolina Master Naturalist. There are five zones in SC and Bob was initially certified for the coastal zone in 2014.
After working in that area and continuing with projects and education over the next several years around the state, Bob became one of the few Naturalists with a Statewide certification in May, 2017. Bob has done work with Sea Turtles, Wolves, Snakes, Hawks, Oyster Beds and other assorted wildlife.
Bob has given presentations to many groups and has led activities at Anne Close Greenway and the SCDNR (South Carolina Department of Natural Resources) Marine Research Center on James Island, South Carolina. He is also a member of the South Carolina Association of Naturalists.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

Charlotte Fire Department Update with Battalion Chief Horne
2025-05-30 10:00 - 11:00 | Providence United Methodist Church (PUMC) – Wolfe Hall, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, North Carolina, 28211
TOPIC: Charlotte Fire Department Update
SPEAKER: Battalion Chief Horne
Chief Horne will provide us insight into the operations of an agency that is so critical to the safety of Charlotte. This talk, which will be our last educational presentation for the spring term, will serve as something of a counterpoint to last year’s presentation by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

Globalization, Trade, and Tariffs with Sergio Castello
2025-09-12 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: Globalization, Trade, and Tariffs
SPEAKER: Sergio Castello, Professor, Wingate University
A look at globalization since the 1970s to today and the importance of trade (and the notion of comparative advantage) in the US economy driven by multinational corporations and the TAA program to help dislocated workers.

BIOGRAPHY
Sergio Castello was born in Barcelona, Spain. At 18, he came to the US with $157, one suitcase and two tennis racquets. He earned a BBA in finance (minor in mathematics) from Freed-Hardeman University, an MBA from the University of Memphis, and a Ph.D. in international trade and finance from Colorado State University. He has been married to Lora for 35 years and have five children, Katie, Kerri (deceased), Walker, Monica, and Sofia. He enjoys playing tennis and golf and spending time in Montana.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

Elections Integrity with Mary Jo McGowan
2025-09-19 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: Elections Integrity
SPEAKER: Mary Jo McGowan, Dept of Political Science and Public Administration, UNC-Charlotte
A review of the elections process helps folks understand how elections work and how confident we can be in our electoral process.

BIOGRAPHY
Mary Jo McGowan is a faculty member at UNC Charlotte in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration.
Her research focus is on public policies relating to elections and running for office. She is a part of a research team studying impacts of election administration on electoral outcomes.
The team (Martha Kropf, Zachary Mohr, Mary Jo McGowan and JoEllen V. Pope) will publish their study of election costs A Republic If You Can Afford It: How Much Does it Cost to Administer an Election later this year.
Additionally, she studies policy complexity and its effect on outcome variables such as candidate decisions to run for office. Dr. McGowan teaches in the Model UN, Public Policy, and introductory Political Science courses. She is the Undergraduate Director for the Political Science Dept and Director of the American Studies program at UNC Charlotte.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

U.S. Relationship with Mexico with Dr. Jurgen Buchenau
2025-09-26 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: U.S. Relationship with Mexico: Past, Present and Future
SPEAKER: Dr. Jurgen Buchenau, Dowd Term Professor of Capitalism Studies; Professor of History and Latin American Studies, UNC Charlotte
An overview of the relationship between North America’s most populous countries since independence, with special emphasis on the history of the border, economic relations, and immigration.

BIOGRAPHY
Jürgen Buchenau is the Dowd Term Chair of Capitalism Studies, the co-director of the Center for Migration and Diaspora Studies, and Professor of History and Latin American Studies at UNC Charlotte.
Buchenau has authored and edited thirteen books, including Plutarco Elías Calles and the Mexican Revolution (2007), winner of the Alfred B. Thomas Book Award of the Southeastern Council of Latin American Studies, and The Sonoran Dynasty in Mexico: Revolution, Reform, and Repression (2023).
Buchenau’s research has been funded by the National Endowment of the Humanities and the American Philosophical Society. He is currently the editor of The Latin Americanist and two book series with Wiley and the University of New Mexico Press and has just completed a book on U.S.-Mexican relations.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

How Old Age Echoes Young Age with Judy Goldman
2025-10-03 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: How Old Age Echoes Young Age
SPEAKER: Judy Goldman, Author
Judy will talk about how every age — young age and old age and every age in between — brings with it the fear of the unfamiliar, as well as the exhilaration of trying out a new kind of existence.

BIOGRAPHY
Judy Goldman has published eight award-winning books — four memoirs, two novels, and two collections of poetry. Her most recent book, The Rest of Our Lives: A Memoir, published in May 2025, was named a best-seller by bookstores across the Southeast. Her work has appeared in USA Today, Washington Post, Real Simple, Our State, Charlotte Observer, and in many anthologies and literary journals.
Born and raised in Rock Hill, SC, she has lived in Charlotte for 58 years. She and her husband have two married children and four grandchildren.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.
