At Communities In Schools of Charlotte-Mecklenburg (CIS-Charlotte), we believe every student deserves the opportunity to realize their full potential. Opportunity doesn’t happen by chance. It grows when students have access to meaningful relationships, supportive resources, and the networks that open doors to college, careers, and lifelong success.

That belief is at the heart of the newly established Opportunity & Access Committee, a cross-sector group of community leaders committed to expanding access, strengthening pathways, and building social capital for the more than 3,000 students CIS-Charlotte serves across Charlotte-Mecklenburg.

The committee brings together leaders with diverse expertise, professional networks, and a shared commitment to creating opportunities that help students and families thrive.

Connecting Students to Opportunity

The Opportunity & Access Committee serves as a comprehensive board committee focused on advancing inclusion and belonging, integrating equity across the organization, strengthening advocacy and systems influence, cultivating mission-aligned partnerships, expanding college and career pathways, supporting workforce development, managing organizational risk, and engaging CIS alumni.

At its core, the committee is focused on helping turn opportunity into access and lasting impact.

For many students, success depends not only on academic achievement but also on having trusted adults, exposure to new possibilities, and connections to people and resources that can help them navigate their futures. By bringing together leaders across sectors, the committee helps CIS identify opportunities to build those connections, remove barriers, and create stronger bridges between students, schools, employers, higher education institutions, and the broader Charlotte community.

This work complements CIS-Charlotte’s integrated student support model, in which Student Support Specialists are embedded in schools to connect students with the resources and relationships they need to succeed. CIS works to ensure that students have individualized support as they pursue their goals.

The Opportunity & Access Committee builds on this foundation by helping strengthen the partnerships, networks, and systems that make these opportunities possible.

Building Social Capital. Strengthening Charlotte’s Future.

The power of the Opportunity & Access Committee lies in the collective expertise and networks of its members. When leaders across education, nonprofit, business, civic institutions, and the broader community work together, they can help create connections that individual organizations may not be able to build alone.

Those connections can translate into expanded career exposure, stronger college and workforce pathways, meaningful mentorship, strategic partnerships, and new ways for students to envision and pursue their futures.

For CIS-Charlotte, this work is about more than opening a single door. It is about helping students build the relationships, confidence, and access needed to navigate the doors that follow.

As Charlotte continues to grow, investing in students means investing in the future of the entire community. By aligning community expertise with the needs and aspirations of students, the Opportunity & Access Committee will help CIS strengthen the pathways that lead to educational attainment, economic mobility, and generational opportunity.

When we connect students to opportunity, we strengthen families, build stronger communities, and help create a stronger Charlotte for tomorrow.

Meet the Opportunity & Access Committee

CIS-Charlotte is grateful for the leadership, expertise, and commitment of the Opportunity & Access Committee members:

• Cory Bennett | Big Brothers Big Sisters America

• Judge Aretha Blake | District Court Judge, Mecklenburg County

• Nadia Campbell | Davidson College

• LaToya Crawford | Barber-Scotia College

• Dr. Virginia Covill | Mecklenburg County

• Jessica Cox | Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

• Ronnie Devine | Mecklenburg County

• Danielle Frazier | City of Charlotte 

• Jess George | Google

• Jonathan Lindsay | Microsoft

• Eboni Lewis | Mecklenburg County

• Tiffany McGee | Chick-fil-A Corporate Support Center

• Sam Smith | GreenLight Fund Charlotte

• Tracy Russ | Foundation for the Carolinas

• Nadja Trez | Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools

• Dr. LaMonica Sloan Wilhelmi | Winston Salem State University 

• Dr. Fahnie Shaw | CIS Chief Operations Officer

• Ronnie Compton | CIS Sr. Director of Community Impact & Engagement

• Kenyatta Clark | CIS Vice President of Operations

• Men Tchaas Ari | CIS President & CEO

The Opportunity and Access Committee joins the existing committees supporting the broader work at CIS-Charlotte: Advancement, Finance & Investment, Program Evaluation, Human Resources, Governance, and Executive. CIS-Charlotte is deeply grateful for all committee members who serve.