Board of Directors
Annual CSC Board Retreat - August 24, 2024 at South Academy of International Languages
Kelly Willis, President
Kelly moved to Charlotte from upstate New York in 2002 to begin a teaching career with Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools. In 2005, she joined Charlotte Latin School as a Lower School Spanish teacher and in 2017 became the Director of Global Studies. Bitten by the bug early on as a Rotary International Exchange Student in the Canary Islands, Kelly has a passion for building long-lasting relationships through cultural exchanges, curricular programming, and language acquisition. She and her husband Cory live just across the border in South Carolina with their daughter, Mila.
Stacey Hepp, VP Global Affiliations
Stacey, originally from Florida, has lived in the Charlotte area since 2006. She is very active in the Rotary Youth Exchange Program, and Past-President of the Charlotte North Rotary Club. She studied abroad and speaks German. Stacey is married to David Hepp, and they have 3 daughters. She has worked in the marketing and events world for over 25 years with Harrah’s Cherokee, Radio Disney and most recently the Olympic Sports sector as the marketing director for USA Softball, and USA Canoe/Kayak. Stacey continues to work in sports marketing and is very active in serving the community.
Manish Mittal, Treasurer
Manish Mittal is vice president at Wells Fargo, leading strategic initiatives in the area of Fixed Income and Commodities derivatives trading. Manish is a CFA Charterholder and MBA in finance. A resident of charlotte for 15+ years, Manish and his wife Niketa have two daughters, Nandini, a sophomore at Weddington High and Megha, an eighth grader at Scholars Academy. Manish enjoys volunteering in community and currently serving on Planning board commission at Town of Weddington and the board of Johnston YMCA. In Past, Manish had served as a treasurer at Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy board. Manish enjoys cricket & football and likes to play golf.
Felicia Eybl, Secretary
Felicia is a native North Carolinia, who grew up in Fayetteville. She lived and taught in Germany for 17 years before returning to the US and settling in Charlotte. Felicia attended Gardner-Webb University and received the Master of Arts in School Administration and the Doctor of Education in Executive Leadership. She has served as the Principal of South Academy of International Languages (S.A.I.L.), formerly Waddell Language Academy, from 2015 to 2023. Felicia is married to Dirk Eybl and has two children and six grandchildren.
Justin Jones-Fosu, Board Member
Justin is a devoted husband, full-time dad of four, and a recent summiter of one of the Seven Summits. He is a dynamic speaker, social entrepreneur, and CEO of Work. Meaningful., delivering 50–60 keynotes each year on meaningful work and inclusion. As the author of Your WHY Matters NOW, The Inclusive Mindset, and I Respectfully Disagree, he inspires individuals to take ownership of mindset, purpose, and performance. Through his role as Chairman of the Work Meaningful Foundation, he champions education initiatives in Ghana and the U.S., donating at least 5% of profits to these efforts.
Steven Kropp, Board Member and Arequipa Chair
Steven Kropp is the Honorary Consul of Guatemala to North Carolina (emeritus). He is CEO and President of Comexxco, Inc. as well as Managing Director of the Tencate Nicolon Latin America Division. He has worked across six continents, focusing on developing new foreign markets, business turnarounds, and high-level government negotiations. Mr. Kropp speaks English, Spanish, Italian, and Catalan, and is conversant in French and Portuguese. He graduated from ELISAVA (formerly the Rocosa School of Textile Design and Engineering) in 1969, and the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters from the University of Barcelona in 1966.
Joel Ritchie, Board Member
Joel Ritchie is a retired educator who served the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District for 39 years in roles including teacher, assistant principal, principal at all three levels, and ultimately Area Superintendent overseeing more than 40 schools. He led the development of Butler High School, serving as principal for ten years, during which time the school was named one of Newsweek's Top 100 High Schools. While at Butler, he initiated a sister school relationship with a school in Limoges, France, leading four student exchanges and fostering strong international connections. Throughout his career and into retirement, Joel has remained active in community leadership, serving on the boards of the Charlotte Symphony, Assistance League, and his church.
Marco Carbone, Board Member
Marco, a native Italian, moved from a small town in Tuscany to Manhattan to marry his wonderful wife, Sarah, on his 40th birthday. With a Master’s Degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from Genoa, Italy, and an MBA from Wake Forest, he has traveled around the world covering roles as a Consultant, Project Manager, Auditor, Marine Surveyor, and Inspector. Since moving to Charlotte in 2016, he has spent his free time giving back to the community by volunteering for local non-profit organizations. Full-time dad of 2 boys, Marco loves working with companies, primarily Italian, to develop strategies for entering the American market and growing their businesses in the US
Jana Smith, Board Member
Originally from Northern California, Jana Smith has lived and worked across the United States and has called Charlotte home for more than a decade. She serves as Vice President of Business Development at Weichert Workforce Mobility, partnering with multinational organizations on global workforce mobility and international HR strategies. With more than 25 years of experience in global mobility and cross-border workforce programs, Jana brings deep expertise in international relations, expatriate management, and global compliance. As a member of the Charlotte Sister Cities Board of Directors, she is dedicated to strengthening global partnerships that enhance Charlotte's cultural, economic, and international engagement.
Joël A. Gallegos, Board Member
Joël is Associate Provost for International Programs at UNC Charlotte where he oversees campus-wide internationalization efforts including education abroad and exchange, international students and scholar services, intensive English language training, intercultural outreach and on campus internationalization efforts and programming. Gallegos currently serves on the board of directors and chair of the education committee for the World Affairs Council of Charlotte and is a trustee on the Fund for Education Abroad (FEA). In 2022, Joël was named Honorary Consul of France for Central and Western North Carolina.
Doris Montero, Board Member
Doris is a global business executive and former diplomat with more than 30 years of experience working across international business, government, and cross-border operations. She is the Founder and CEO of Work World Jobs, a Charlotte-based firm connecting talent from Latin America and the Caribbean with employers in North America and Europe. Originally from the Dominican Republic, Doris has lived and worked in multiple countries and served in diplomatic assignments in Pakistan, Belgium, and Puerto Rico. She moved to Charlotte in 2022 after marrying her husband, James Kerry Reilly. Doris is passionate about fostering international collaboration and cultural exchange, values that align closely with the mission of Charlotte Sister Cities.
Michael Robinson, Board Member
A lifelong North Carolina resident, Michael is passionate about the state’s vibrant communities, abundant resources, and opportunities to give back both locally and globally. With a background in accounting and an MBA, he brings over 25 years of nonprofit experience spanning hospitals, independent schools, community centers, and start-up organizations. He serves on the Winston-Salem Sister Cities board and has led efforts to build global understanding, including student trips to Youth Leadership Summits and two visits to Kumasi, Ghana. In 2018, he co-led a peacebuilding and photography workshop in Kumasi, later showcasing his work in Charlotte’s Seeing Voices: Community (Un)Heard exhibit.
Michael’s LinkedIn Page
Denise Medeiros, Board Member
Central New York native Denise moved to Charlotte in 2002 as Associate Director of UNC Charlotte's International Student & Scholar Office, where she guides the campus through immigration and employment regulations. Her business, Smile Big World, brings interactive Earth science, geography, and global education to schools through the Earth Balloon. Denise holds an M.Ed. in TESOL from SUNY Buffalo and has lived in Finland, Germany, and Brazil. She speaks Portuguese and Spanish. She and her husband, Jorge Triana, are raising two teenagers, and she enjoys yoga, nature, and playing the French horn.
Niketa Mittal, Board Member
Niketa works in the area of Business Process management and holds a Masters degree in International business. She is a resident of Charlotte for the last 22 years and current serves as Chair of the Charlotte International Cabinet and as Co-Chair of the Festival of India. She is a very well-connected social activist and deeply involved with various non-profit organizations. She is a driven leader with a passion for community engagement. Niketa currently serves on several boards: Young professionals at International house; Framework for future; and International women's day committee. Niketa is married to a wonderful husband, Manish, and blessed with two beautiful daughters, Nandini and Megha, ages 19 and 16 .
Solomon Agyemang, Board Member and Kumasi Chair
Solomon Agyemang is the president of Asanteman Association of the Carolinas for the past 10 years. Solomon holds a master’s degree in marketing from Strayer University in Washington DC. He previously held positions as Area Coach for Pizza Hut, District Manager for Sears Roebuck & Company, District Manager for Bojangles Restaurant and currently owns a group home with his wife for children with mental disabilities. Solomon enjoys playing soccer and believes in the saying that “we make a life by what we give”
Noelle Carswell, Board Member and High School Rep.
Noelle is a student in the Chinese Language Magnet program at South Mecklenburg High School. As a global citizen, she has participated in a student exchange program in Barcelona, Spain, completed a smart cities and sustainability program in Amsterdam, and most recently organized and led a relief drive for Jamaica after the devastation of Hurricane Melissa. She is also a lover of the arts and has starred in her school's musicals, started a new dance team at her high school, plays the French horn, and spends several hours a week training as a competitive dancer. During the summer of 2026, Noelle interned with the World Affairs Council of Charlotte. She also serves at Teen Treasurer of the South Charlotte Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc
Noelle’s LinkedIn Page
David Lynn, Board Member
Dave is the Principal of South Academy of International Languages (S.A.I.L.). Previously, served as President of Charlotte Sister Cities from 2020 to 2023. He is the Past Chair of the Charlotte International Cabinet and is an active Rotarian. He and his wife, Ming, are raising four globally minded children and regularly welcome exchange students from around the world into their home.
Alina MacNichol, Wrocław Chair
Alina graduated from Princeton University in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and transitioned to Non-Profit management in 2005. She was the Executive Director of Charlotte Sister Cities and the Charlotte International Cabinet from 2005 to 2011 and has been with Opera Carolina since 2014, managing subscriber and patron relationships, maintaining and expanding community partnerships and developing new engagement initiatives. Alina served on the Board of CSC from 2021 to 2026 and currently serves as Wrocław Chair. She is married and has three adult daughters, who all live in Charlotte.
Dasha Tretiu, Voronezh Chair
Dasha Tretiu was born and raised in Voronezh. She moved to Charlotte in 2000 with her mom, and has been part of the Chatlotte community ever since. Dasha works at Novant Health but also has her yoga teacher’s license. Working hard to re-establish relationship with Voronezh and Charlotte.
Yongling Gorke, Baoding Chair
Yongling is a Shanghai native, has lived in Liverpool, the UK, Minnesota and Oklahoma before moving to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2017. Yongling is a Chinese instructor and international educator at UNC Charlotte, and she is the Chair of the Charlotte Baoding Sister Cities Committee. Yongling speaks Mandarin, Cantonese, English and German, and she is also learning Japanese.
Stéphane Allagnon, Limoges Chair
Raised in Roanne, France, Stéphane began language studies early and participated in exchange programs in England and the U.S. He earned a degree in American Civilization and Education, taught French in Ireland, and later became a French and Spanish teacher in Georgia, holding leadership roles in language associations. Stéphane serves as the Director of International Studies at Charlotte Country Day and is keen to contribute to the Charlotte community
Jerald Melberg,
Honorary Lifetime Director (2023)
Jerald Melberg, the owner of Jerald Melberg Gallery, has been involved in the visual arts for nearly half a century. Previously, Melberg served as a curator at the Mint Museum of Art in Charlotte, North Carolina. He has traveled to Arequipa, Peru, more than thirty times and has been instrumental in the growth of the Charlotte School, serving low-income students in our first sister city. He and his wife Mary remain leaders in Charlotte’s art community.
Mayor Richard Vinroot,
Honorary Lifetime Director (2024)
Mayor Richard Vinroot, a Charlotte native, Vietnam veteran, and practicing attorney, served as the 52nd Mayor of Charlotte from 1991 to 1995. He holds the distinction of being the first and only Charlotte Mayor to visit all seven sister cities. The City of Charlotte's Richard Vinroot International Achievement Award is named in his honor.