Our Team

Nicholas V. Wharton, President and CEO of Charlotte Area Fund, has led premiere access and change initiatives in juvenile justice, K-12 public/private educational systems, higher education, and in the corporate sector. A staunch public policy advocate and leader for educational opportunity and workforce development, Wharton has led lobbying efforts on behalf of community colleges and workforce development in the New York State Legislator and to the US Congress in Washington DC. A proven thought leader, he has influenced global strategic partnerships with educators in Europe, South Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean and has given critical conversations on leadership, educational opportunity, workforce development, organizational trust, cultural competency, and strategic community engagement.  

Prior to his appointment at Charlotte Area Fund, Wharton served as the Urban League of Central Carolina’s Interim CEO & President and Chief Operating Officer and previously as Chief Partnership Officer and COO. Wharton has held leadership roles with Wachovia Bank (Wells Fargo), Corning Incorporated, Charlotte Latin School, Ithaca City School District, Binghamton University, and Ithaca College. Wharton also served as adjunct organizational communication faculty at the Roy H. Park School of Communication, Ithaca College. His community board engagement involves serving as NC State Chair, Council of Community Action Executive Directors, Vice Chair, Women’s Intercultural Exchange Inc. / Co-Chair Men’s Champions, Vice Chair, WFAE 90.7 NPR Charlotte Affiliate, External Relations Committee, Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, the Chris Canty Foundation and Co-Chaired CMS African American Boys Task Force. He holds a Bachelors of Arts in Sociology from the State University of New York at Cortland and a Master’s of Science in Organizational Communication from the Roy H. Park School of Communications at Ithaca College. Trustee Emeritus, State University of New York.

Qiana Figueroa, Chief Operating Officer of Charlotte Area Fund, Inc. (CAF), is a transplant from Brooklyn, New York.  After graduating from St. John’s University, she began her career with the NYC Administration for Children’s Services, where she was Director of Field Operations. After an impactful career and retiring from ACS, Qiana remains passionate about working with those who share the sentiment that every community has the capacity to continue to learn, grow, and leverage their strengths for positive change. The last three years have taught us the meaning of “resilience” and “empathy.”  As Chief Operating Officer, Qiana has embraced the mission of Charlotte Area Fund and hopes to continue to be a partner in attaining its goal to positively impact the community.

Qiana holds a Master’s Degree from C.W. Post University in Criminal Justice, a Master’s Degree in Human Resources from Stony Brook University, and is SHRM Certified. 

Ashley C. Williams-Hatcher is the Program Director with Charlotte Area Fund, Inc. (CAF). Ashley’s passion is chasing life’s purpose and enjoying her loved ones. She’s an empty nester to a 20-year-old, 18-year-old twins, and a grandbaby who are a God send. She grew up an Army Brat who believes in the importance of serving others. Ashley’s been in the non-profit world since 2008 and has worked with the Charlotte Area Fund since 2020.

Ashley’s why– she believes we are here to do God’s work and loves to provide solutions to issues that are presented as barriers for others.

As an integral part of the CAF family, Ashley regularly assists those who need the most help in our community achieve self-sufficiency. Ashley is happy to be part of this impactful team!

Alice Flowers was born in Mississippi but grew up in Minnesota. Although she spent most of her life in Minnesota, she considers herself a native Mississippian from the heart.  Alice moved to Charlotte in 2018 to be near her daughter and grandchildren.

Alice is a former model with a theater background. She discovered her true passion when she taught a personal development course at a modeling school in Minnesota. Alice found that some of the students came as rose buds and insecure, but by the end of the course, they had blossomed into beautiful roses with more self-confidence. She believes some people need a little encouragement to find strength and courage. That propelled her to start an empowerment program teaching personal development and brand management.

For Alice, being part of the Charlotte Area Fund Organization is more than just a job. It’s a full-circle moment that aligns perfectly with her passion. Her commitment to helping people and changing lives resonates deeply with the organization’s mission.

Damiko Faulkner is a native of Charlotte, NC. Damiko discovered a love for public speaking and reaching out to others at a young age, eventually leading him to study the area of Communication at Winston Salem State University where he received a Bachelor of Arts and furthered his studies by attending East Tennessee State University to continue focusing on Speech and Psychology during his graduate studies. Damiko then yielded to a call to ministry and attended Pittsburgh Theological Seminary earning a Masters of Divinity and certification in Urban Ministry. After pairing his compassion and ability to communicate affectively, it was natural for Damiko to utilize these gifts in the field of Human Services.

While actively engaging to address several communal crisis by serving on boards that include the Business Advisory Committee, Greenlight Fund and Community Builders, Damiko developed partnerships with the faith based, corporate, and non-profit organizations to bridge the gap to meet the needs of families and individuals. These attributes were valuable as Damiko worked as a CBS/Qualified Professional, Residential Manager and Psychiatric Technician over the span of 15 years.

Today Damiko is privileged to be a team member of the Charlotte Area Fund working as a Success Coach and MOU Specialist. He has had the opportunity to play an instrumental role in assisting hundreds of families during the global pandemic through emergency assistance and strategic partnerships. Damiko is grateful to stand alongside those who are truly extending a hand up to the residents of Mecklenburg County. Although the war on poverty is far from over, he is still encouraged to remain on battle field.

Andrea Garner is a native of New Orleans. Her background in non-profit spans over 10 years. This experience gives Andrea a sophisticated grasp on even the most theoretical aspects of human services. Andrea’s passion for helping those who desire to help themselves comes from her mother and her southern roots.

Andrea joined the CAF team as a Success Coach, directing and supporting the needs of the customers to reach self-sufficiency. She is committed to making a difference and changing lives.

Andrea is an advent football lover, she spends all of her Sunday’s watching the games and n her spare time, Andrea enjoys time with family, music, art and cooking.

Shawn E. Grady serves as Workforce Development Coordinator for Charlotte Area Fund, bringing years of experience in workforce development, financial literacy, community engagement, housing, and veteran outreach. His career has focused on connecting individuals and families with education, employment opportunities, and resources that support economic mobility and self-sufficiency.

Originally from Erie, Pennsylvania, Shawn’s career spans the nonprofit, public, and private sectors, including the Greater Erie Community Action Committee (GECAC) Talent Search Program and United Way of Erie County. In Colorado, he served as an Employment Counselor with the Colorado Center for the Blind and Credit Analyst with Nextel Communications.

After relocating to Carolinas in 2009, Shawn completed four years of AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps VISTA service focused on career development, re-employment, and financial literacy. He later served as Financial Literacy Coordinator with Community Link and Senior Education and Veteran Outreach Coordinator with Habitat for Humanity of the Charlotte Region.

Shawn’s commitment to this work is personal. Growing up in public housing, becoming the first in his family to graduate from college, and achieving homeownership gave him firsthand insight into the path toward self-sufficiency.

A proud Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, Shawn earned an Associate of Arts and Bachelor of Arts from Edinboro University and a Paralegal Diploma from Central Piedmont Community College. He remains civically engaged through his church and community partnerships.

Shawn believes everyone deserves the opportunity to succeed, but opportunity must be matched with belief in one’s potential and a willingness to do the work.

Tracy L. Johnson is a native Ohioan currently residing in South Carolina. She is a published author (Covenant Books), poet, spoken word artist, and portrait artist, who is passionate about inspiring others to live with gratitude and purpose.

For twenty years, she enjoyed working in Church Administration and Management, where she acquired the experience, skills, and heart of a servant leader.

Tracy studied Architectural and Constructional Engineering Technology at the University of Akron and received her master’s in business management at Indiana Wesleyan University.

Born in Lafayette, Indiana, and raised in Columbia, South Carolina, Tabitha L. Jones developed a passion for service through volunteerism at an early age. That passion inspired her lifelong commitment to strengthening individuals, families, and communities through social work and community engagement.

In addition to her commitment to service, Tabitha has a lifelong appreciation for the arts. From ages four to fifteen, she studied ballet, jazz, and lyrical dance at Columbia Dance Academy and performed in productions with the renowned William Starrett of Columbia City Ballet. She also participated in youth pageants, experiences that helped cultivate confidence, discipline, and leadership.

Tabitha is a proud graduate of W. J. Keenan High School (2012), Columbia College, where she earned a Bachelor of Social Work (2017), and the University of South Carolina, where she completed dual graduate studies, earning a Master of Social Work and a Master’s Certificate in Counseling (2019).

Throughout her 14-year professional career, she has served with Homeless No More, Communities In Schools, Anuvia, the Department of Social Services, and currently Charlotte Area Fund. She is passionate about connecting individuals and families with the resources and opportunities they need to thrive while continually pursuing professional development to better serve others.

“We are morally obligated to use our time and talents to uplift and empower others.”

Terry Howard, a native of Charlotte, North Carolina, has dedicated his professional career focusing on improving the conditions and quality of life of the economically marginalized citizens of Mecklenburg County.

More than 20 years of experience, Terry has built expertise in creating strategic partnerships, collaborations and planning at the local and state levels promoting initiatives that assist the underserved members of this community. Terry has worked in the areas of early education, employment and training , workforce development and housing.

Terry received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Johnson C. Smith University and has accumulated many accreditations and certifications during his tenure at the Charlotte Area Fund.

Terry has served as past president of the Charlotte Enterprise Community and The Employment Networking RoundTable. Terry has served on the Board of Directors of Eastside Community Development Corporation/ Learning Enrichment Achievement Program (L.E.A.P.) upon which he was honored as the 2009 Man of the Year recipient. Terry has also served on the Board of Directors of the Crime Victims Coalition.

Teresa Hughes, a native of Camden, NJ, moved to Charlotte approximately 22yrs ago. After spending more than 25 years of her life as a homemaker raising four children, Teresa decided to pursue and obtain her GED at the age of 40. In 2015 she visited the Charlotte Area Fund and immediately completed an application. She was accepted and enrolled in the CSBG Self-Sufficiency Project where she participated in the Work Readiness classes.

Upon completion of the training, Teresa began an internship with Charlotte Area Fund. Teresa describes her experience “as very productive” because it afforded her the opportunity to use and enhance her customer service skills. Upon completion of the training, Teresa volunteered at CAF and as a result of her increased skill, she was hired as the Health & Nutrition Assistant.

Teresa relates her experience at CAF as “one of the best things she has ever done with her life!”.

Jerrod Settles is the Senior Intake Coordinator at Charlotte Area Fund. He comes with over a decade of experience at the state government level with social services dealing with employment and training, workforce development, and SNAP Benefits eligibility. Mr. Settles is a graduate of South Carolina State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice. He is also a member of the illustrious South Carolina State Marching “101” Band and a member of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity.

Mr. Settles has a passion for helping others and making their dreams and goals a reality. As a native of Beaufort, SC, he is also an avid golfer and swimmer, and loves teaching others how to swim and being safe around the water.