our people

GenOne staff

  • IAN JOYCE

    Executive Director & Co-Founder

    In 2016, Ian launched GenOne with co-founder Greg Gabriel and was also recognized as an Aspiring Leaders Fellow. He received the Principal’s Educator Award of Excellence and the Charlotte Chamber’s Young Professional Educator of the Year Award in 2017.

    GenOne began its journey as a formal nonprofit in May 2018, with Ian as its Executive Director.

  • Keith Cartwright

    KEITH CARTWRIGHT

    Senior Program Director

    Keith is a career educator holding an Ed.S. in Educational Leadership from Liberty University, a Master of Arts in Career Counseling from North Carolina Central University, and a Bachelor of Science Degree from North Carolina A&T State University.

    He has 20 years of experience in the education and non-profit sector having worked with students  from middle school through post secondary education.  That experience includes program development and management, budget and grant development and management, and coaching.

  • SHARON WALKER

    Director of College Advising

    Sharon is a National Certified Counselor, holding an M.Ed. in Counseling from UNC Charlotte and a B.A. in Psychology and Spanish from UNC.

    She provided counseling services to students and families for 21 years at Providence High School. After serving as a School Counselor for 13 years, she created the Providence College and Career Center in 2011 and transitioned to the role of College and Career Counselor.

  • LONTINA BRADFORD

    Director of College & Career Readiness

    Lontina is our Program Manager, where she leads the development and execution of the mentorship program and scholar curriculum. She is also building out our after-school programs for middle and high school students.

    She attended the State University of New York at Cortland, graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology. Lontina recently earned her Master’s Degree in Youth Studies from the City University of New York School of Professional Studies.

  • DAVE WALSH

    Technology & Operations Manager

    Dave has worked in several diverse fields during his career, including Outdoor Experiential Education, Small Business Consulting, Human Resources, Project Management, and HealthCare Information Technology. The common thread in all these roles has been helping individuals, teams, and organizations grow and improve.

    He is a passionate supporter of the GenOne mission and works mostly behind the scenes, ensuring operations and technology run smoothly.

  • BIANCA S. HUCKABEY

    Manager of College Persistence and Advising

    Bianca is a first-generation college student who graduated from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor’s in Human Development and Family Studies. She later earned a Master’s degree in Urban Studies, with a focus on Urban Education, from Southern Connecticut State University.

    Passionate about community programming for youth, and inspired by impactful educators, she pursued a Post Graduate degree in School Counseling and a Graduate Certificate in Intermediate Administration from Sacred Heart University.

  • ALICIA BUSBY

    Academic Success Coordinator

    Alicia is a first-generation college student who attended Fayetteville State University, where she received her undergraduate degree in Middle Grades Education, specializing in Language Arts. Alicia has taught at several schools across North Carolina and has over 8 years of experience growing students.

    She is passionate about building positive relationships with her students and being a positive role model in their lives.

  • CHANEL GREGORY

    College Readiness Coordinator

    Chanel is a passionate educator with a heart for helping students discover their potential. With over thirteen years of experience, a Bachelor's degree in English from Winston-Salem State University, and an M.Ed from Walden University, she's done everything from teaching English to training teachers and leading student success programs. Chanel's true superpower is building meaningful connections that make students feel seen, valued, and motivated to chase their dreams.

    Outside of work, Chanel's mornings are a mix of coffee, gratitude, and some cherished family time. She's a firm believer in the power of education and thoughtfulness, and she brings both to everything she does, on and off the clock.

Want to join our team?

There is a lot to be said about meaningful work. GenOne believes in an inclusive culture that fosters belonging for every employee and Scholar. Our team strives to create a safe and fun environment for first-generation students to grow, learn and flourish throughout their educational journey to and through college. From program coordination to operations, event management to college advising, our team is working hard every day to further our mission both in front of and behind the scenes.

If we have any openings, they are posted on our LinkedIn page

GenOne Board

  • Don is the Chair of the GenOne Board and a partner at Wedge Capital, managing an institutional small cap investment strategy. He is involved with Social Venture Partners and serves on the boards of Charlotte Wine and Food Weekend and the investment committee for St. Olaf College.

  • Maria is a GenOne Board Member and the Dean of Professional Occupations at South Piedmont Community College. She is also a member of the Alliance for Children Board and a partner with Social Venture Partners.

  • Barlow serves as a member of the Board of Directors. He is an Associate in the Charlotte office of McGuireWoods LLP, an international law firm. In addition to his work with Gen-One, Barlow serves as a Volunteer Attorney Advocate in the Council for Children’s Rights’ Custody Advocacy Program.

  • Lauren Robinson is a CPA at TBH Consulting, providing accounting advisory services, providing her clients support for complex accounting and financial matters. She also spent 6+ years at Deloitte, as a Manager.

  • Cristy Travaglino is a Partner with Social Venture Partners Charlotte where she supports innovative nonprofits throughout the Charlotte region. She has prior Board leadership experience with both Social Venture Partners and Common Wealth Charlotte. Previously, she was VP at Goldman Sachs in their Credit Risk Management & Advisory department and served as Board Chair for Neighborhood Trust FCU (a community development credit union) in New York.

  • Star is a Vice President at Wells Fargo focusing on Strategy, Digital, and Innovation. She has held positions at Citi Group and Deloitte, working in operational risks and compliance. Star has a background in criminal defense and was an adjunct professor at Elizabeth City State University. She is an active member of the Association of Corporate Counsel, NC Association of Black Lawyers, and the NC State Bar.

  • Myah is a proud educator with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Throughout her 12 years as an educator, Myah has served in several capacities including classroom teacher, curriculum specialist, interventionist, dean, and district program specialist. Myah holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of North Texas.

  • Neel is a Risk Director at Truist Financial, where he manages various Enterprise Operational Risk programs. In addition to having 10+ years of Finance and Risk experience, Neel is actively engaged in Diversity and Inclusion causes. He is a Steering Committee member of the Asian and Middle Eastern Enterprise Resource Group at Ally Financial.

  • Sara Reid serves as the Chief Advancement Officer at Charlotte Christian School. In this role, she oversees the Advancement team consisting of development and communications.  With over 25 years of fundraising experience, Mrs. Reid has worked at the University of North Florida, Queens University of Charlotte and the South Carolina Children's Theatre. 

  • Scott is a retired Managing Director from Accenture, where he led the Finance and Performance Management practice globally. He holds a B.S. in Finance from Arizona State University.

  • Melodie serves as the Global Head of Talent Management & DEI at Barings. She is responsible for developing and executing Barings’ Talent Management strategy as well as Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Early Talent initiatives.

  • Rianne is a licensed NC CPA working for RSM as an Assurance Senior Manager. Her primary responsibilities include leading audit engagements through effective project management.  Previous experience has included Non-Profit audit and financial statement preparation.

  • Jacob is an associate with Moore & Van Allen, PLLC.  His practice focuses primarily on mergers and acquisitions and general corporate governance. Originally from Baltimore, MD, he has lived in the Charlotte area since 2013. 

  • Ray leads Operational Excellence at Bank of America, where he focuses on creating business transformation strategies across the company and driving a culture of continuous improvement. Ray has been an active member of the Bank’s Hispanic Latino Executive Council since its inception, an active member of HOLA and serves on multiple non-profit boards supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs.

  • Carola is currently the Chief Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity Officer at a retirement community. Her 17-year tenure with the YMCA culminated in her role as District Executive Director of the Johnston and Simmons Ys. She served on the Community Building Initiative Board from 2019 to 2025 and served as the President of the East Mecklenburg High School PTSO.