In the past couple months, we’ve had several new Partners join SVP Charlotte. Let’s get to know them!
Dennis Elliott
Dennis: I first heard about SVP through my relationship with HEART Tutoring, one of the first nonprofits SVP funded and where me and my roommates volunteer on a weekly basis. Given my education, interest and experience in business, I thought that there was more that I could contribute to nonprofits like HEART than just my weekly volunteer efforts. Through SVP, I am able to apply and share my leanings to help growing nonprofits – be it marketing, fundraising, selling, finance, strategic planning – you name it. The work that non-rofits do is incredibly important in our community, and through SVP, I feel like I am able to make direct impacts to those seeking help.
Frank & Michelle Goins
Frank: As a Client Advisor with SunTrust Investment Services, Frank’s responsibilities focus on developing and coordinating SunTrust Private Wealth Management relationships. Frank joined SunTrust in 2006 with 16 years of experience serving clients in the financial planning and financial services fields. Frank is qualified as a Certified Financial Planner, a Certified Trust and Financial Advisor and an Accredited Estate Planner. He is a graduate of Guilford College and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Michelle: A native of Greensboro, NC, Michelle attended Guilford College and graduated with a BA in Psychology She then attended UNC-Chapel Hill and graduated with a Masters in Social Work. Michelle has worked Part-time with KinderMourn as a Grief Therapist since 2005. She enjoys spending time volunteering at her children’s schools, Myers Park High School and AG Middle. Michelle is also involved in A Gathering of Minds, a community group that conducts community-wide discussions on education. She plays tennis any chance she gets.
Karen & Ken Rogich
Ken and Karen are both originally from the Washington D.C. area and moved to Charlotte over 20 years ago. They have three children and live in the Dilworth community.
Ken: For the past 17 years, Ken has been the Chief Financial Officer for Petty Holdings, which among other things, owns and operates Richard Petty Driving Experience and Exotic Driving Experience. Prior to that, he was Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for The Harris Group here in Charlotte. He earned the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation and is a graduate of The College of William and Mary in Virginia. Ken has been active in various church leadership capacities, including leading the Annual Giving campaign and serving as the Treasurer for nine years. In addition, he was a founding board member of the Charlotte branch of Stop Hunger Now from 2006 to 2008.
Currently, Ken is a member of Charlotte Angel Fund and also serves on its board of directors. He is a mentor for Queen City Forward’s Impact3 social innovation accelerator program and also serves on the Advancement Board for Clemson University’s Institute for Global Road Safety and Security.
Karen: Karen is a Certified Health and Wellness Coach, practicing in Charlotte since 2010, and is passionate about helping people create healthy bodies, minds and lifestyles. Karen works with clients one-on-one and in groups to integrate nutrition with the mind and body to create a healthy lifestyle – tailored to each individual. In addition, Karen conducts presentations on health and nutrition topics, as well as, workshops on breathing and meditation in the community. Karen has a private practice and also is the Health and Wellness Coach with Re Salon and Med Spa. Karen graduated from the University of Maryland and began her career in the news field with ABC News Radio in Washington D.C., and as a business reporter for a Washington Post subsidiary. Following this, Karen worked in Public Relations for the National Institute of Health (NIH) Clinical Center and then as the Assistant Press Officer for the National Institute on Drug Abuse in Bethesda, Maryland.
While working at NIH, Karen earned a Master of Education degree from Marymount University in Virginia. After moving to Charlotte, Karen worked for the Charlotte Mecklenburg School System in the Education Center and completed her student teaching at Bruns Avenue Elementary. Upon starting a family, Karen made the decision to stay at home as a full time mother, but continued to work part time by writing and contributing news articles for Duke Energy (then Duke Power), Charlotte Medical Center and other local organizations.
Over the next decade, Karen remained active in her church, serving as a Stephen Minister, lay Eucharistic minister, lector, member of the outreach committee, member of the rector search committee, and Christian Education teacher. She also became trained in meditation, ran several marathons and studied the Bible. Karen remains committed to parenting and creating a healthy environment for her family. She is an avid yoga practitioner, loves healthy food and healthy cooking and the outdoors.
Why SVP?
Karen and Ken: We are excited by the opportunity to be a part of an organization that provides “activated giving”. We love the SVP mission which includes investing its partners time and talent in local organizations (in addition to the financial support) in order to address important social concerns in our city. We believe this model of philanthropy will not only strengthen nonprofit partner organizations but also allow them to make a much larger impact in the community. It is a very real way to stretch and multiply each dollar that is given, allowing for maximum support. We look forward to contributing to this mission with like-minded people in our community.
We’re so happy to have all of these new Partners in our network. Welcome to the wonderful world of venture philanthropy!
