Tameka is a Supplier Diversity Program Manager for IBM Corporation. In this position, she provides overall program leadership in the Americas to ensure all internal and external stakeholders are fully engaged and informed of the ongoing development and implementation of IBM’s supplier diversity initiative. She believes we all have a responsibility to make supplier diversity, equity, and inclusion a corporate norm versus a program initiative. Tameka has been active in Procurement, Supply Chain Management for over twenty-two years while working to at IBM for twenty-six years. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Computer Information Systems from North Carolina Central University.

Tameka resides in Durham, NC with her life partner, Albert Royster, Jr., Ed.D, a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated®. She is a proud mother of three adult children, India, Brandon, and Kyler.  Tameka enjoys spending time and traveling with family and friends.

Ms. Walker holds a BA in english from Winston-Salem State University and a MA in communication from Queens University of Charlotte. She believes partnerships between corporate, university, and community organizations dynamically shape the world we live in.  Ms. Walker is currently the Senior Internship Program and Communications Specialist for RTI International.  She has been a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Chi Rho Omega Chapter since her initiation on January 25, 2009.

Shirley has been a member of the Cultivating Resources & Opportunities Community Foundation Board of Directors for the past five years.  She held the position of Assistant Chair and now serves as Secretary. Shirley has attended several Leadership and Development classes in addition to Diversity and Inclusion workshops. She is an active member of her Homeowners Association and has recently received certification as a Blue Core Coach and Blue Core Coach Supervisor.

Over the years, Vicky has amassed numerous certifications that include Certified Public Manager, Certified Business Resilience Manager, Certified Continuity Manager, Certified Mediator and Diversity, Inclusion & Equity Certificate.  Vicky’s memberships include Leadership Institute for Female Executives, the American Academy of Certified Public Managers, the Fountain of Raleigh Church, The Fountain Singers, Voices Anointed; and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, Chi Rho Omega Chapter (former President and Vice-President).

Vicky enjoys spending time with her family and granddaughter, Rose Patricia.  She also enjoys singing in the church choir, sewing, cross-stitching and playing spider solitaire.

Deyna has a passion for serving others. She’s served as a volunteer with Susan G. Komen Triangle to the Coast, Marbles Kids Museum, the Brown Bag Ministry and the PTA. She is the president of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® Chi Rho Omega Chapter. Her service leadership includes co-president of Mocha Moms, Inc, Durham, NC and Wilmington, DE Chapters, ambassador of Black Girls Run Raleigh, and cookie mom with Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay. As a member the Cultivating Resources and Opportunity Board of Directors, Ms. Hardison leads the Giving Tuesday fundraising campaign and serves as financial secretary.

Deyna earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism-Broadcast News from Ohio University. She continued her education with a graduate certificate in Digital Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Deyna loves to exercise. She trains with Camp Gladiator (group boot camp) and runs. She has completed a number of races including two full 26.2 mile marathons; OBX and TCSNYC. Deyna lives in Raleigh with her husband, two daughters and golden retriever.

Mary is an HR professional with over 20 years’ experience.  She is currently serving as Senior HR Compliance Program Manager for a global software company.  In this role, she manages all US programs and activities related to the development, implementation, and maintenance of the organizations’ compliance with HR policies and practices.  She earned both a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance and a Master of Public Administration at North Carolina Central University.  She also holds a Professional Human Resource (PHR) certification and is a Certified Affirmative Action Professional (CAAP).

Mary is an active, life-long member of the Nelson Chapel Baptist Church in Louisburg, NC where she has served on the following ministries: choir, usher board, nursing, youth, and Sunday school.  She enjoys traveling with family and friends, watching her daughter play softball and spending time with her great-niece who calls her “Gam Gam”.

She is married to Mr. Patrick Robinson, a member of Omega Psi Fraternity, Inc., and they reside in Wake Forest, NC.  Together they have two daughters, Jala, initiated into the Sorority through the Kappa Kappa Chapter of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and an ICU registered nurse, and JaNesa, a senior at Savannah State University.

Carla attended North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T), “Aggie Pride” and graduated with a degree in Professional Theatre/Communications with a minor in Education.

Carla has been a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated for 40 years and has been an active member of Chi Rho Omega Chapter for 12 years. She has held several leadership positions and served on many committees.  Carla is a Silver Star and Life Member.  Carla has been a Board of Director in the Cultivating Resources & Opportunities Community Foundation for six years and served as secretary for two years.

Carla has a passion to help others and has volunteered with the Zebulon Boys & Girls Club to distribute food to those in need and she volunteers weekly with NAMI Wake County as a facilitator in support of those family members acting as caregivers for their loved ones diagnosed with a mental illness. Carla hopes to one day open a facility for the homeless to provide all their needs to get them reacquainted with their families and society.

Carla has three beautiful adult children, Ashley, Torri and Nicholas, and a grand dog, named Teddy who have made her extremely proud.  Carla’s daughter, Dr. Torri Staton, VP of DEI for the Raleigh Chamber is also a member of Chi Rho Omega Chapter.

Darice’s career gives her opportunities to reach students and their families in the community by putting together and assisting in programs that educate, feed the community, allow students, government officials, and police the opportunity to collaborate, while raising awareness to issues that may affect our communities.  Darice feels “Being part of the Cultivating Resource and Opportunity Foundation is a great way to get to know your community and its citizens. Volunteering gives you the opportunity to meet lots of new people. Working alongside individuals who also care about improving their surroundings will allow you to broaden your network of friends.” Additionally, it helps her better understand the circumstances of other members of your community. Having a broad, open-minded perspective of the different walks of life around you will help you to be an effective and empathetic citizen.

Sharon is a passionate public health professional with over 15 years of experience. She completed her undergraduate studies in Community Health Education at North Carolina Central University, and later earned a Master of Public Administration.

In December 2018, she established a national public health consulting firm, Before Tomorrow, Inc. Currently, she contracts with the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors, providing specialized technical assistance by designing and facilitating workshops and curriculums for organizations with cooperative agreements from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

She was recognized for being a young alumnus who has made a lasting impact in her community by North Carolina Central University in 2020 as a Forty Under 40 Award Honoree.

In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, and friends, and stands ready to serve and looks for innovative ways to improve the health of the communities in which we live, work, and play.

Serena is a Sr. Commissioning and Qualification Engineer, working with a consulting company, resourced to provide supplemental staffing and support and validation services, implementing digital validation services, for global pharmaceutical and medical device companies.  She has served in engineering and validation roles in the pharmaceutical and medical industry for more than 20 years.  She has served also operated her own validation consulting company for 4 years.

She received a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Tuskegee University and an Masters in Business Administration from Wake Forest University, with a concentration in Operations Management.

Serena resides in Wake Forest, NC with her husband, Jeffrey Flood, a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated®. She is a proud mother of three daughters, Jacqueline, Ava and Harper.  In her spare time, Serena is the President and Vice-President of the PTSA boards at her daughters’ school.

These skills prepared her for a career within the Office of the Governor in the administrations of
Governors Jim Hunt and Michael Easley where she held the position of Technical Support
Specialist with the North Carolina Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service.
While in this capacity, she served as a member of the Raleigh Mayor’s Committee for Persons
with Disabilities. As a member of this esteemed committee, she coordinated annual job fairs for
members of the city of Raleigh’s disability community.

In the years that followed, Ms. Crichlow served as an Education Program Manager for a
pharmaceutical trade association in the Washington, DC area and an insurance trade association
in Cary, NC. By conducting continuing education seminars across the nation, she was allowed to
meet the needs of professionals seeking to maintain their licensure in the pharmaceutical and
insurance industries.

She was later granted an opportunity to return to state government by serving in the Office of
Governor Roy Cooper. During the first six years of the administration, she provided expertise in
project management and event coordination while serving as a liaison between the Governor’s
Office and bodies such as its cabinet agencies and the Council of State.

She currently serves with the North Carolina Department of Commerce where she works closely
with the Secretary of Commerce to meet the growing needs of the state of North Carolina as it
reaches its expansion goals and seeks to address workforce challenges through its First In Talent
strategic plan. In this role, she has been gifted the unique opportunity to combine her passion for
bringing awareness to areas of disenfranchisement and galvanizing support for under-represented
groups.

In her spare time, Ms. Crichlow serves as a community organizer engaging in: educational
events, mobilization efforts, food insecurity initiatives and environmental enhancements. These
activities are conducted through her membership in the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Chi
Rho Omega chapter where she serves as Vice President.

Her most valued accomplishments are her children. She is the proud mother of a son, Kai, whom
she often describes as a champion. Despite a severe speech delay coupled with learning
disabilities associated with Autism, he successfully graduated from high school with honors and
obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from NC A&T State University.

Kai is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree from his alma mater while serving with
various organizations as an Autism Advocate. Her daughter, Zoe, became an entrepreneur and
obtained her LLC at the age of seven. She has spent the past four years growing a successful
business providing hand-crafted reading accessories while fostering relationships throughout the
community.