2023-2024 Charlotte Wine + Food Board
Charlotte Wine + Food is supported by an incredible group of Charlotte-area professionals, influencers and innovators that each leave an indelible mark on our organization. If you are interested in joining the CW+F board, please complete this form and submit to info@charlottewineandfood.org.
ARIAIL SIGGINS BARKER - board chairman
Ariail joined the Charlotte Wine & Food Board in 2019 as a way to combine her passion for wine with the ability to support children in the Charlotte community. She is a Vice President at Clearview Capital, a middle market private equity fund, and enjoys spending free time with her husband, Andrew, and children, Gray and Davis.
executive committee
Bonnie Kelly
Senior Vice President, Total Rewards, Avantor Sciences
John Reid
SVP - Metrolina Region, Truist
Palmer Steel
Chairman Emeritus
Will Whitley
Founding Partner, New South Properties of the Carolinas, LLC; President & CEO, NSP, Inc
board members
Steve Balzer
Partner, Banking & Capital
Markets Tax,
EY
Tom Bohrer
Managing Director, Regions Bank/Regions Securities LLC
Bill Bounds
Founder and Co-owner,
Cork Vault
Cat Carter
Co-Owner,
L’Ostrica
Don Cleven
General Partner,
WEDGE Capital Management
Melissa Collins Brannan
Realtor ®/Broker,
Cottingham Chalk
Jeff Conway
Partner/Owner, Napa at Kingsley, Napa on Providence, Pump House, Smoothie King
Craig Selimotic Danforth
Vice President & Financial Advisor, Bernstein Private Wealth Management
Richard De Sousa
EVP - Head of
Growth & Development,
SCOR Global Life Americas
Jim Deupree
Founder & CEO,
Chapter Two
Dr. Stephen Hannon
DDS, MS, Orthodontist/Owner,
Hannon Orthodontics
Lon Huber
Senior Vice President,
Pricing and Customer Solutions,
Duke Energy
Terrell Johnson
Sommelier at McNinch House
Paul Kush
EVP & Chief Claims Officer,
Selective Insurance
Company of America
Mark Maier
Retired/Former Business Owner
Paul Miller
Retired Law Enforcement Executive
Jon Perry
Executive Chairman,
Specialty Products & Insulation
David Secrest
Managing Director, Barings
Marty Snider
Reporter/Host NBC Sports,
Owner MSA TV
Marty Snider & Associates, Inc.
Paul Stein
Partner, Advisory Services,
Ernst & Young
Jill Trainor
Managing Director, Commercial Rates and FX Solutions -
Head of East Region
Wells Fargo
Samantha Unger
SVP, GHR COO and Head of GHR Workforce Analytics, Reporting, Data Governance and Business Controls, Bank of America
CHAIRMAN EMERITUS
Leslie Schlernitzauer
Co-Owner, Porcupine Provisions & Gathered
Phil Smith
Executive Vice President and Head of Specialized Industries at Wells Fargo
Alison Summerville
Business Administration Executive, Ally Financial, Inc.
Staff
LAUREN DEESE is the Executive Director of Charlotte Wine + Food (CWF). Deese manages the operations, marketing, and execution of the events and charity.
Deese spent close to 10 years in NYC where she started her career at Bon Appetit magazine working in both advertiser merchandising and events. After which, she went on to produce events for many of the nation's leading culinary festivals including The Food Network NYC Food & Wine Festival, Foxwoods Food & Wine Festival, Las Vegas Uncorked, Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, and Wine Riot, to name a few. She also spent 5+ years with experiential marketing firm, GMR Marketing, where she created incentive and meeting experiences for Cintas Corporation and Husqvarna, and most notably, led operations for the first-ever NFL Women's Summit at Super Bowl 50 in San Francisco.
Deese, a Charlotte native, is thrilled to continue to build upon the CWF legacy, using her expertise and passion for wine and food to positively support the Charlotte community.
SHREYA GANGARAM is the Events Marketing and Communications Manager of Charlotte Wine + Food (CWF). Shreya is responsible for the overall marketing and communications, ticketing management, and office/event operations with a focus on auctions and volunteer support associated with Charlotte Wine + Food events.
Shreya holds a B.A. in Communication Studies with a concentration in Public Relations from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She actively participated in various extracurricular activities, societies, and non-profit organizations during her academic years showcasing her leadership abilities and her love for being involved in and giving back to the community. With a background as a Communications Specialist at Enventys Partners, Shreya brings her expertise in crafting engaging content, managing social media channels, and supporting company executives to the team.
Shreya is excited to continue supporting the Charlotte community through Charlotte Wine + Food.
MAKAYLA JOHNSON is a part-time Events Marketing Coordinator at Charlotte Wine + Food (CWF). Makayla assists in designing and developing marketing materials; specializing in organizing auction materials and auction execution, and general CW+F event management.
Makayla holds a B.A. in Communication Studies with a concentration in Public Relations from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She is an honors student who showcased her leadership skills as a member of the University Honors Program, Communication Studies Honors Program, and various other committees. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Management at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She has ample experience in event catering and execution, which she brings to her role at CW+F.
Makayla is thrilled to continue to give back to her community through the efforts of Charlotte Wine + Food.