Advancing Women in Education,

Leadership & Community

Northeastern University–Charlotte, in collaboration with Pride Magazine, will host a special Local Leaders Global Impact thought leadership event focusing on Women Who Empower. Join us on March 6 from 5:30–7:30 pm to hear from women who have inspired through their example and insight. Learn and gain inspiration from aspiring and distinguished leaders’ stories—personal and professional—of fostering positive environments, connections, and communities.

5:30–6:00pm Registration/Beer & Wine Reception

6:00–7:00pm Program and Special Unveiling

7:00–7:30pm Networking

The program will include a panel discussion moderated by Dee Dixon, President and CEO of Pride Communications. Panelists include Dr. Philomena Mantella, Sr. VP and CEO of the Lifelong Learning Network at Northeastern University; Dr. Corliss Brown Thompson, associate teaching professor at Northeastern University; Regina Wharton, Senior Vice President, Senior Human Resources Executive, Human Capital Business Consulting at Fifth Third Bank; and other women who have empowered others through their careers.

 

Meet Our Empowered Speakers

Dr. Philomena Mantella, Senior Vice President and CEO, Lifelong Learning Network at Northeastern University

Dr. Philomena Mantella serves as Senior Vice President and CEO of the Lifelong Learning Network at Northeastern. In this role, she has led the University’s enrollment efforts, the services and experiences that promote student success, as well as the new Graduate Campus development. In January 2019, Dr. Mantella was unanimously voted in as the fifth, and first female, President of Grand Valley State University in Michigan. This appointment will commence beginning in July 2019.

Her background includes broad experience in virtually every area of enrollment management and student services. With 30 years in higher education administration, she has served as the senior enrollment manager and senior student affairs officer at a number of public and private universities throughout New York, New Jersey, Michigan, and Massachusetts.

Dr. Mantella presents on a national level around the topics of enrollment management, marketing, retention and organizational design. She has published in several enrollment management journals and is frequently quoted in the national and international media. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, where she earned her B.S. and M.S.W. and of Michigan State, where she earned her Ph.D. in educational administration.

Dr. Corliss Brown Thompson, Associate Teaching Professor at Northeastern University

Corliss Brown Thompson, Ph.D. has been a full time faculty member in the Graduate School of Education at Northeastern University since 2013 and has taught research methods, research design, and social justice courses. Dr. Thompson has been involved with NExT, the Global Network of Experiential Educators, at Northeastern since its inception. Dr. Thompson is passionate about using culturally relevant and experiential approaches in her teaching and mentoring, and she also uses and help others use research methodology and program evaluation approaches for deeper understanding and improvement of teaching and learning. Before becoming a faculty member, Dr. Thompson worked in a research and evaluation office in a school district and at the University of North Carolina, where she earned her doctoral degree. She also was an elementary school teacher in Charlotte and Chapel Hill, NC. 

Currently, Dr. Thompson is conducting research on experiential learning in STEM high school settings.

Regina Wharton, Senior Vice President, Senior Human Resources Executive, Human Capital Business Consulting at Fifth Third Bank

Regina Wharton joined Fifth Third Bank in 2010 as Senior Vice President, Regional HR Director for the Carolinas and as a member of the Executive Leadership Team that provided oversight for regional bank operations. In 2016, Ms. Wharton added Georgia, Tennessee, and Kentucky to her HR leadership responsibilities, and in 2018, she was sought to further expand her role to support the Enterprise Leader for Commercial Middle Market. Prior to joining Fifth Third Bank, she held various roles at Cornell University, Corning Inc., and Wells Fargo Bank.

Ms. Wharton has a reputation for being a change leader, strategist, and mentor. She serves on several community boards, including Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont Board of Directors, Charlotte Women Executives (WE) Board of Directors, and the Women’s Intercultural Exchange (WIE) Advisory Board. Ms. Wharton is a founding executive for the Queen City Metro Chapter (QCMC) of 100 Black Women and a member of the National Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM). She received the “2015 Player of the Year” Enterprise Summit Award, and is proud of the Charlotte Observer Top Workplace 2016, 2017 and 2018 Awards.

A native of New York, Ms. Wharton received a B.S. in business administration from the State University of New York and a master’s degree from Cornell University in industrial and labor relations/organizational behavior. 

Moderated by: Dee Dixon, President and CEO of Pride Communications

Dee Dixon is a seasoned advertising and communications professional and a successful entrepreneur. As the President and CEO of Pride Communications, Ms. Dixon has built Pride Magazine into an important voice for the Charlotte community.

In addition, Ms. Dixon founded the non-profit, PEEP (Pride Entrepreneur Education Program) and launched Pride Public Relations with Nepherterra Estrada Best. She has been the visionary behind several of Charlotte's major events including The Pride Sunset Jazz Festival, Pride Awards Gala and the Charlotte Small Business Symposium.

Ms. Dixon was named Charlotte Business Woman of the Year in 2006. She is currently a board trustee for the Charlotte Museum of History and has previously served on the boards of the Mint Museums, the Charlotte Chamber and the Charlotte Regional Visitors Association. In 2003, she received the Goody's Powder Community Leader of the Year Award for her role in helping make the Charlotte community a better place. She is co-founder of What Women of Color Want and Women's Inter-Cultural Exchange (WIE) and received the Long Leaf Pine Award from Governor Beverly Purdue in 2009. 

Having received a certification in Diversity and Intercultural Management from Wake Forest University, Charlotte-Center City in 2016, Ms. Dixon recently received the District 37 Toastmaster’s Communication and Leadership Award. An accomplished public speaker and world traveler, Ms. Dixon is a certified Life Coach and has been a member of Charlotte's Central Church of God for almost two decades.

 

In Collaboration with Pride Magazine

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Registration Full

Thank you for your interest in Women Who Empower! This popular event is currently at capacity. Please email charlotte@northeastern.edu to be added to the waitlist. We will contact you no later than Monday, March 4 to update you on space availability.