Update on Mecklenburg County Initiatives with Dena Diorio
2025-04-11 10:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York) | 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.

Field Trip: Carolina Raptor Center
2025-04-15 10:00 - 12:00 | Carolina Raptor Center, 6000 Sample Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28078, United States
DATE: April 15, 2025
TIME: 10 am
COST: $14/person
ADDRESS: 6000 Sample Rd., Huntersville, NC 28078
CARPOOLING: Because parking is limited, carpooling is encouraged. Meet in the lower lot of Providence United Methodist Church at 9:40. Please let us know if you will be carpooling in the registration form.
The ¾ mile Raptor Zoo Trail is a self-guided tour highlighting raptors. There are 30 different types of birds located along the trail with educational placards and docents available to answer questions. There is also a new Quest Nature Center and picnic area located on the grounds. Take advantage of the of the spring weather and the opportunity to visit with fellow Senior Scholars, so bring a lunch and enjoy the day!
The $14 per person fee must be paid to Senior Scholars by end of business April 10.
Contact Pam Nemecek with questions.
Use the RSVP button to access a form to sign up and purchase your ticket.

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.

Lunch Bunch: April 25
2025-04-25 12:00 - 14:00 | Brixx Wood Fired Pizza, 7814 Fairview Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28226, United States
We have booked Brixx Pizza, for Friday, April 25, 11:45 a.m.
Located in the Foxcroft East Shopping Center.
Limited space available! Please sign up by 4/22/2025.
If you register and find you can’t attend, please email LunchBunch@SeniorScholars.net so that we can offer your seat to another member.
Brixx Wood Fired Pizza + Craft Bar
7814 Fairview Rd
Charlotte, NC 28226
704-295-0707

Wildacres Spring 2025 Retreat / April 28 - May 1, 2025
2025-04-28 08:00 - 2025-05-01 17:00 | Wildacres Retreat, 1565 Wildacres Road, Little Switzerland, NC, 28749, United States
Wildacres 2025: April 28 – May 1, 2025

Enjoy 3 nights in a Blue Ridge Parkway Mountaintop Resort with 75 of your Senior Scholar friends!
Speaker Meg Johnson, Music Therapy
Speaker Joe Kendrick, Music Impacts on Society
Waterfalls, hiking paths, fresh air, local entertainers, 8 home-style, all-you-can-eat meals!

All this for only $305/double occupancy.
Reservations now open. Hurry, it will fill up fast!
Details Here

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.

Curriculum Committee Meeting - May 14
2025-05-14 13:15 - 14:00 | Zoom Registration Required
Curriculum Committee Meetings are open to Membership.
Join our monthly Curriculum Committee meetings, via Zoom, to hear about upcoming speakers/events or to suggest speakers you know (or have heard speak) and believe would be of interest to your fellow Senior Scholars.
These meetings are always held on the Zoom platform.

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.

Spring Luncheon: June 5 | SOLD OUT!
2025-06-05 11:30 - 14:00 | Raintree County Club, 8600 Raintree Lane, Charlotte, NC, 28277
SPRING LUNCHEON IS SOLD OUT!
Get ready to enjoy our last event before our summer break—our wonderful spring luncheon. Save Thursday, June 5 from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. for this perennially popular gathering. It will be at the Raintree Country Club, 8600 Raintree Lane (near the Arboretum off Pineville-Matthews Road), and cost $45 per person.
The sumptuous buffet will include herbed chicken, pulled pork and fixings, mixed green salad, macaroni and cheese, baked beans, and berry cobbler. Cash bar will be available to purchase alcoholic beverages.
Our speaker will be local historian and man-about-town Tom Hanchett, who will talk about Charlotte’s changing food scene and hidden restaurants you should know about.
Signups start mid-April with the following payment options:
• Online – Use the RSVP button above. Signups end Tuesday, May 27.
• In Person – Stop by the Spring Luncheon desk at Friday meetings starting April 11 through May 23.
• By Mail – Mail checks to:
Senior Scholars at Queens
1900 Selwyn Ave
MSC 1409
Charlotte, NC 28274
Registration and checks must be received by Friday 5/23/25.
For questions, contact Nancy Stancill at nancy.stancill@gmail.com

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.

New Member Orientation - September 19
2025-09-19 09:00 - 09:30 | Providence United Methodist Church (PUMC) – Wolfe Hall, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, North Carolina, 28211
All members old and new are invited to attend our New Member Orientation meeting in person.
Learn more about the organization including how to meet people, join events and how you can help the organization – the best way to meet new people!
In person meeting, in Room 106 in PUMC.
Click the RSVP button for an email to tell us you’re coming!

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.

Lunch Bunch: September 26
2025-09-26 11:45 - 14:00 | Leo’s Italian Social, 4720 Piedmont Row Dr, Charlotte, NC, 28210, United States
We have booked Leo’s Italian Social, for Friday, September 26, 11:45 a.m.
Located in the Piedmont Center
Limited space available! Please sign up by 9/25/2025.
If you register and find you can’t attend, please email LunchBunch@SeniorScholars.net so that we can offer your seat to another member.
Leo’s Italian Social
4720 Piedmont Row
Suite 150
Charlotte, NC 28210

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.

New Member Orientation - October 10
2025-10-10 09:00 - 09:30 | Providence United Methodist Church (PUMC) – Wolfe Hall, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, North Carolina, 28211

The Government Accountability Office with Davis Judson
2025-10-10 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: The Government Accountability Office
SPEAKER: Davis Judson, Senior Analyst, GAO
GAO has been called the congressional watchdog and the defender of the public interest. Learn about GAO’s unique role in the federal government and how it supports Congress with objective, reliable, and nonpartisan information.

BIOGRAPHY
Davis Judson is a project manager in GAO’s financial markets and community investment team, where he leads teams in evaluating government programs that span Wall Street to Main Street. He received an MPA from Cornell University and a BA in economics and urban studies from Washington University in St Louis.

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

The Pearl, Charlotte's Innovation District with Hillary Crittendon
2025-10-17 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: The Pearl, Charlotte’s Innovation District
SPEAKER: Hillary Crittendon
The Pearl, anchored by Wake Forest School of Medicine, is a 30-acre mixed-use development that includes education, retail, apartments, a hotel, open community space, and health science research facilities. Located next to uptown and Atrium Health’s flagship hospital, it aims to drive economic growth and job creation in the Charlotte Region.
This presentation will explore how public-private partnerships, educational collaboration, and strategic business development are fueling growth in the district. The Pearl exemplifies how innovation district can power transformation across education, research, healthcare and economic mobility–delivering a model of inclusive innovation that is uniquely Charlotte.

BIOGRAPHY
Hillary Crittendon joined Atrium Health in early 2021 and serves as Head of Operations and Strategy for The Pearl, Charlotte’s innovation district.
Prior to joining Atrium Health, Hillary was the Director of the Charlotte Executive Leadership Council, a 30-member CEO council based in Charlotte which is focused on influencing economic mobility, policy and economic development solutions for the region. She joined the CELC via McKinsey, where she served as a consultant in various capacities over nearly 5 years.
Hillary holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in French from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a Masters in Business Administration from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She has experience in investment banking, having served as an analyst at Credit Suisse, and in financial fundraising in the private equity and hedge fund industries. She also co-founded The Brandshop, a startup marketing and consultancy focused on supporting growth of high-end female-owned retail and lifestyle brands.
Hillary serves on the board of the Urban League of Central Carolinas and the North Carolina Business Committee for Education (NCBCE). She also serves on the Advisory Board for the Charlotte Mecklenburg School System’s Career and Technical Education Program and on the Auxiliary of the Mint Museum.

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

The Future of Human-AI Relations with Mark Peres
2025-10-24 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: The Future of Human-AI Relations
SPEAKER: Mark Peres, Author/Professor/Founder
In this provocative and accessible talk, ethicist and novelist Mark Peres invites audiences to explore one of the most profound questions of the 21st century: What does it mean to share the future with intelligent machines?
Drawing on the ideas at the heart of his new novel, The Accord, Peres looks beyond today’s headlines to examine how artificial intelligence is reshaping our understanding of consciousness, agency, and responsibility — and how it might evolve from a mere tool into a genuine collaborator in the human story.
Through a blend of philosophy, literature, and real-world examples, he outlines three possible futures for human–AI relations — subordination, domination, or transformative partnership — and offers guiding principles to ensure that this powerful technology serves humanity rather than distorts it. This is not a technical presentation but a spirited conversation about values, imagination, and the choices that will determine whether AI deepens our humanity or diminishes it.

BIOGRAPHY
Mark Peres is founding director of The Charlotte Center for the Humanities & Civic Imagination, the Charlotte Ideas Festival, the On Life Life and Meaning podcast, and Charlotte Viewpoint magazine. He is also an award-winning professor of leadership and ethics at Johnson & Wales University, where he challenges students to reflect deeply on what it means to lead a good life.
He is the author of ‘The Accord’ – a novel on the future of human-AI relations, and ‘The Man Who Lived a Hundred Lives’ – a memoir about his father’s improbable life and immigrant journey. He is the winner of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Luminary Award for Lifetime Achievement. Mark is a graduate of The Florida State University College of Law, and of Rollins College, where he studied history and philosophy of religion.

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

Energy Transition to Carbon Free Electricity with Neva Espinoza
2025-10-31 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: Energy Transition to Carbon Free Electricity
SPEAKER: Neva Espinoza, Senior Vice President – Energy Supply and Low-Carbon Resources & Chief Generation Officer
Neva Espinoza will discuss how nuclear power and other advanced technologies can enable a transition to affordable, reliable, and carbon-free electricity

BIOGRAPHY
Neva Espinoza is Senior Vice President, Energy Supply and Low-Carbon Resources and Chief Generation Officer at EPRI.
In this role, she leads a global team conducting EPRI research and development related to energy supply – including generation, nuclear, and low-carbon fuels – as electricity use continues growing through the energy transition. This includes conventional and advanced nuclear, the existing fossil fleet, large-scale renewable generation assets, long duration energy storage, and the production and use of low-carbon energy carriers.
Previous leadership roles included serving as EPRI’s Vice President of Energy Supply and Low-Carbon Resources and Director of R&D for the institute’s Generation Sector. She joined EPRI in January 2012 with more than 10 years of operational and engineering experience in the power industry, across a diverse set of assets and technologies. Prior to EPRI, Espinoza served in technical and leadership positions at NRG’s Arthur Kill Power Station, Exelon’s Oyster Creek Power Station and Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory.
Espinoza received a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Rutgers University and Master of Business Administration degree from Wake Forest University. She is a graduate of the U.S. Navy’s Officer Nuclear Power Program and held a senior reactor operator license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Espinoza sits on the National Petroleum Council and the Georgia Institute of Technology Strategic Energy Institute Executive Advisory Board.

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

Lunch Bunch: October 31
2025-10-31 11:45 - 14:00 | Calle Sol, 3100 Apex Drive, Charlotte, 28211, United States
We have booked Calle Sol Latin Cafe & Cevicheria, for Friday, October 31, 11:45 a.m.
Located 3100 Apex Drive, Charlotte, NC 28211
Limited space available! Please sign up by 10/25/2025.
If you register and find you can’t attend, please email LunchBunch@SeniorScholars.net so that we can offer your seat to another member.
Lunch menu, but full menu available. Individual checks, tip not included. Free parking in the garage. Reservation at restaurant under name of Senior Scholars/Sara Friedman.
Calle Sol
3100 Apex Drive
Charlotte, NC 28211

Field Trip: Earl Scruggs Center
2025-11-05 10:00 - 15:30 | Earl Scruggs Center, 103 S Lafayette St, Shelby, 28150, United States
SOLD OUT!
The waiting list is closed. You have the option of driving up independently and paying the normal Earl Scruggs Center entry fee.
Cancel Purchased Tickets: Send a message to info@seniorscholars.net. No refunds after Wednesday October 29, 2025
DATE: November 5, 2025
TIME: 10 am – 3:15 pm
COST: $30/person (includes bus and Music Center entrance fee)
ADDRESS: 103 S Lafayette St, Shelby, NC 28150
TRANSPORTATION: SSQ is renting a 50-seat passenger van to shuttle members to the Earl Scruggs Center. The registration cost includes the bus cost plus the entrance fee to the Center. Meet in the lower lot of Providence United Methodist Church at 9:40. Lunch will not be provided and is not included in the fee, there will be opportunities to explore nearby restaurants after the tour.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: October 31, 2025
This field trip is only available to current paid up members of Senior Scholars.
The Earl Scruggs Center honors legendary banjo master Earl Scruggs, blending his story with the region’s rich history. Through engaging exhibits and events, the Center celebrates his groundbreaking “Scruggs Style” and lasting musical legacy.
Tom Hanchett will join the Magical Mystery Tour leaving PUMC. He’s on the Board of the Center and appears on the video that starts the tour. Joe Kendrick, who spoke to us (at a Friday meeting in January and at Wildacres) about music, will meet with us at the Center. Joe is also a relative of Earl Scruggs, has a weekly radio program about music and a podcast and has a relationship with the Center.
Earl Scruggs Center

The American Fire Service with Heather Burford
2025-11-07 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: The American Fire Service – Proud History & Innovative Future
SPEAKER: Heather Burford
From Benjamin Franklin co-founding the Country’s first volunteer fire company in 1736, through today’s migration to electric fire engines, the American Fire Service has evolved tremendously throughout history. Ever evolving, the fire service has undergone remarkable transformation, adapting to changing environments, embracing technology and innovation, and expanding its role beyond traditional firefighting.
This presentation will guide the audience through a short history of the fire service and discuss impactful advancements being made to better serve communities across our nation. The discussion will also touch on some of the lesser-known facts about the fire service such as why Dalmatians were the dog of choice for fire departments, and the impact that COVID has had on the profession of firefighting.

BIOGRAPHY
Heather Burford has a 35-year history with the American fire service. Soon after graduating from Iowa State University, Heather joined the Wilton Fire Department in Connecticut as a volunteer firefighter and fell in love with public safety services. In 1993, Heather was hired as the first female Firefighter in Manchester, Connecticut where she spent 13 years working her way up through the ranks of the department. She became the Fire Chief of the Ridgefield Connecticut Fire Department in 2006 and in 2014 she was appointed Fire Chief and Director of Emergency Management for the City of Seminole in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area of Florida.
Heather holds a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Connecticut, is recognized by the Center for Public Safety Excellence® as a Chief Fire Officer and is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program.
Heather has a long history of community involvement and volunteering. She is an active member of Team Rubicon, a veteran-led humanitarian and disaster recover organization; she serves as a board member for the South Carolina Firefighters Burned Children’s Fund; and she currently serves as a member of the Indian Land Consolidated Fire Protection District Commission. Heather resides in South Carolina, where she is close to her parents and extended family.

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

Curriculum Committee Meeting - November 12
2025-11-12 13:15 - 14:00 | Zoom Registration Required
