Lisa Thomson,

Director

Lisa is a natural connector and higher education leader with 20 years of experience across graduate admissions and career services. She spent the majority of her career at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business,
first leading admissions for the specialty master’s degrees, then as the Career Services Program Director for the Master of Management Studies and Executive MBA programs. Most recently, she designed and launched a career services department for 15,000 students and alumni at the Quantic School of Business and Technology, an AI-powered edtech startup.
With an insatiable love of learning, her educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Appalachian State University, a Master of Arts in College Student Personnel from Bowling Green State University, a Master of Education in School Counseling from UNC Chapel Hill, and a Doctorate of Education from North Carolina State University. She’s also a Designing Your Life certified coach and loves helping others reach their goals.
Outside of work, you can find her trying a new exercise class, listening to an interesting podcast, entertaining her kids and her dogs, and volunteering in the local community. As a native of the Triangle, she’s thrilled to be joining the Kenan-Flagler team!

Bill Faulkner,

Senior Associate Director

Dr. Bill Faulkner has spent over 20 years as a leadership educator, higher education administrator, coach, and mentor leading his own teams of professional and graduate level staff along with hundreds of emerging influencers. Bill also founded and acted as principal of his own career and leadership coaching and development firm. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Saint Andrews University and holds both a Masters and Doctorate in Education from the University of Georgia.

Currently, he serves as the Senior Associate Director and a Career and Leadership Coach for Executive MBA students at UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School where he serves over 200 students engaged in the Evening and Weekend Executive formats which will expand to the new Charlotte program. Bill also interacts with the MBA@UNC and Full-Time cohorts through various webinars and other direct support opportunities. He has an affiliation as a certified coach, speaker, and trainer with Maxwell Leadership, Inc. He is also credentialed as a certified Gallup Strengths Coach, DISC Personality Profile Consultant, and Designing Your Life Coach and Studio facilitator.

Linda Vo,

Senior Associate Director

Linda joined UNC Kenan-Flagler in 2017 as the Associate Director, Career Coaching for Full Time MBAs.  In her role Linda primarily worked with students interested in the fields of consulting and strategy, providing students with career coaching and knowledge from her time in the industry. Linda is now the Sr. Associate Director, Career Coaching leading the coaches serving the Full Time MBAs.  She coordinates with stakeholders across the school including students, faculty and staff to execute a holistic and valuable career search and support experience for all Full Time MBAs.

Prior to joining Kenan-Flagler Linda was a consultant in Washington, D.C. serving clients in the federal space, implementing new policies, improving processes and procedures for several government agencies.  Her undergraduate degree is in Commerce from the University of Virginia and her MBA is from the George Washington University.

Chad Collins,

Associate Director

Chad brings 20 years of experience working as a career development professional. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated success with high achieving students interested in all career fields including technology, medicine, and government. As Associate Director of Career Coaching for the full-time MBA program, Chad provides big picture career coaching and prepares students on all levels for careers in technology/operations. Chad currently serves as the staff advisor to the Business Technology Club, Operations and General Management Club, and Analytics Club.

Chad holds a BA in psychology and religion from the University of Rochester and a MS in College Student Personnel Administration from Canisius College in Buffalo, New York. He holds certifications in MBTI, Birkman, Gallup Strengths and has completed training in NACE Career Coaching, NACE Management Leadership Institute and UNCG Leadership Institute. He enjoys hockey, fly fishing, vinyl records and adding to his many collections.

Focus: Technology

Carl Fengler,

Associate Director

Carl has over 15 years of experience, holds a master’s in counseling psychology and a BFA in acting, and has utilized his background in athletics, acting, and clinical psychology to run holistic career development programs and develop innovative, big-picture strategies for diverse populations at Columbia University, New York University, and Pratt School of Design. In his role, Carl will primarily work with students interested in entrepreneurship and consulting and strategy, leveraging his extensive experience to provide insightful career coaching and support. Prior to joining Kenan-Flagler, Carl was the Associate Director at Pratt Institute’s Center for Career & Professional Development in Brooklyn, NY. There, he supervised a diverse team, founded the institute’s flagship Entrepreneurship program, and developed strategic goals for the Career Center. Carl also has experience as an adjunct professor, teaching courses in entrepreneurship and public speaking, and has held various career development roles at New York University and Columbia University.

Before pursuing graduate studies in psychology, Carl worked as a professional actor, performing in regional theaters, off-Broadway productions, and appearing in independent films and commercials. In his free time, he enjoys running, rock climbing, surfing, and exploring new destinations through travel.

Focus: Consulting/Strategy & Venture Capital

 

Camille Mason,

Associate Director

Camille has over 10 years as a strategic career services leader in the field of education and career development. She has focused on master-level career coaching and advising including working with MBA, MPH, MHA, MSPH and PhD students with UNC Gillings School and UNC Kenan-Flagler. Camille emphasizes career exploration, career planning and self-empowerment while supporting them in the goal setting and life planning process. Camille’s driving philosophy is helping students find their unique personal mission. She helps guide leaders to achieve life-changing success in their careers by developing strategic plans that align with your personal mission and goals while connecting you to the right connections that will help to advance your career.

Prior to joining UNC Kenan-Flagler, Camille worked with public health professionals across a variety of industries which included government, healthcare, health informatics, health administration and health insurance.

Camille received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and her Master of Education from Winthrop University.

Focus: MBA@UNC

Zoe Riddell,

Associate Director

Zoe Riddell has been a professional coach for the past 13 years. Her recent coaching focus has been on helping seasoned professionals find or recapture passion for the next step in their career journey. Prior to her career in professional coaching Zoe has held a number of functional roles in industry, specifically transportation, retail management, banking, and on various consulting projects. Zoe holds an undergraduate degree in Anthropology and Sociology from Earlham College in Richmond, IN, and received an MBA from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. In addition, Zoe is credentialed as a Career Ownership coach, Professional Life coach, and Holistic Health coach. Zoe resides in Davidson, NC and spends her spare time visiting her adult children as often as possible, cooking, reading, and playing with Decker her Golden Retriever.

Focus: Charlotte Executive MBA

Spencer Shih,

Associate Director

Spencer’s coaching focus is for students interested in marketing and healthcare. Prior to becoming a career coach, Spencer spent 10 years in the U.S. Navy as a Civil Engineer Corps officer. Spencer earned his MBA at the Johnson School at Cornell where he concentrated in marketing. He interned with Colgate-Palmolive before moving to Colorado and spent 3.5 years with Sling TV in marketing and E-commerce roles.

In his free time, Spencer enjoys exercising, daydreaming about Pokey Stix from Gumby’s Pizza and watching whatever iterations of “Law & Order ” are currently airing.

Focus: Marketing & Healthcare

 

Nadine Verna,

Associate Director

Nadine Verna is an award-winning career coach with over 17 years of experience in higher education. Prior to Kenan-Flagler Business School, Nadine was the Director of Career Development in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Montclair State University. Nadine has also held career coaching roles at Yale School of Management, Wake Forest School of Business, Columbia School of Social Work, and Duke University.

Nadine is a certified administrator of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and Strong Interest Inventory assessments. She has also completed various trainings and certificates in career and life coaching, financial literacy, and mental health, wellness, and human development.

A native New Yorker of Haitian heritage, Nadine enjoys going to brunch, traveling, reading, watching documentaries, and volunteering with the nonprofit, Mindful Awareness Academy for Children (MAAC), in her spare time. Her degrees are from Mount Holyoke College and New York University.

Focus: Finance, IB

Elizabeth Wallencheck,

Associate Director

Elizabeth Wallencheck has offered comprehensive and personalized career services to alumni of the School since 2012. Her 30+ years of career-management experience includes 12 years in industry as a consultant for a leading global career-transition firm where she delivered a range of coaching and training services. During this time, she was tapped to serve on a select team delivering executive-level coaching, and participated in the delivery of assessment centers that assisted client companies with succession planning for senior management. She is also Principal/Owner of Nexus Career Strategists Ltd., a private career-consulting and training firm. Prior to that, Elizabeth spent 13 years in career development within higher education, serving as Assistant Director, Career Services, at a large public university in Ohio.

Elizabeth is a Crucial Conversationsâ Certified Trainer and is qualified to administer several career assessments including the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the First 90 Days Online tool. A member of Phi Beta Kappa, she earned an MS in Counseling from the State University of New York at Albany. Her mission is to help people achieve greater professional satisfaction and success by partnering with them in envisioning their career goals and executing effective plans to achieve them.

Focus: Alumni Community

Camille Walton,

Associate Director

Camille has over 15 years of experience in healthcare, consumer marketing, management consulting, and career coaching. She is known for her creativity and strategic insight and has a demonstrated history of dynamic product launches and crafting impactful marketing strategies that resonate with diverse audiences.

In her most recent role, Camille helped professionals from various industries and functional areas to successfully re-enter the workforce. She achieved this by combining personalized coaching with leveraging individual strengths.

Currently, Camille specializes in guiding students interested in the Energy and Sustainability sectors as a career coach. She holds a BS in Civil Engineering from North Carolina A&T State University and an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. She is also a Highlands Certified Consultant and a Certified Career Transition Coach, which underscores her expertise and commitment to career development.

Focus: Energy & Sustainability, MBA@UNC

Noemi Morillo-Vasquez,

Director

Noemi Morillo-Vasquez has over 15 years of experiences in higher education across career services and admissions, cultivating relationships with corporate partners, and leading recruitment and hiring strategies. Passionate about access, equality, and inclusion in the workplace, Noemi has also led several organizational initiatives in the DEI space.

Noemi joined the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business school in 2012, and previously spent almost 6 years as an integral member of the Employer Engagement & Recruiting (EE&R) team. In addition to heading MBA recruiting and hiring relationships for a portfolio of core employer partners within the consulting, marketing, and real estate sectors (including Deloitte, Greystar Real Estate Partners, and Procter & Gamble Company), Noemi worked collaboratively across key stakeholders to strategically navigate recruiting challenges, identify opportunities, and effectively meet hiring goals. In her most recent role as Associate Director of Admissions & Diversity Programs in the UNC Master of Accounting Program (UNC MAC), Noemi served as a champion for the MAC Program, working to build relationships with prospective candidates and recruiting top talent. Leading the holistic strategy for the MAC Program’s signature early access and diversity pipeline initiatives, she specifically focused on working with corporate sponsors, connecting with underrepresented populations, and enhancing programming that ensured broad awareness of MAC.

Noemi is originally from the Bronx, NY and earned her BA in Political Science from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Prior to joining Kenan-Flagler, Noemi served in variety of roles co-leading employer outreach and campus recruiting efforts at Fordham Law School in New York City. She received her MBA from the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School in December 2021. Residing in Durham, NC, Noemi enjoys serving within her community, spending time at her favorite local coffee shops, and short trips (making lasting memories) with her family.

Dr. Sandra Sienko Chandler Ed.D,

Senior Associate Director

Dr. Sandra Sienko Chandler has 20+ years of experience in education and strategic partner engagement. She has industry expertise in Technology, Financial Services, Healthcare and Education. Sandra currently serves as the Senior Associate Director, Employer Engagement & Recruiting at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School and has been a member of the Career & Leadership team since 2018. She has primary responsibility for designing and implementing employer strategy seeking opportunity to engage with our Full-Time MBA students in the Energy, Sustainability Healthcare and Technology sectors. She also leads efforts related to Employer Engagement for students seeking just-in-time hiring opportunities. This population includes those MBA students conducting an off-campus search within any of our MBA Programs (Full-Time, Evening Executive, Weekend Executive, MBA@UNC & Charlotte Executive). Sandra also works collaboratively with the Kenan-Flagler Alumni Community to support those seeking to hire our talented students or engage with employers as a job seeker. She is experienced in developing and executing market research and leading teams aligned to organizational goals and mission and able to manage and grow an active portfolio of prospects.

Dr. Chandler is a Certified Veteran Career Strategist, currently serves on the Board of Advisors for the North Carolina Technology Association (NC Tech) and completed her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, Policy and Human Development at North Carolina State University.

Prior to the transition to UNC-Chapel Hill, Sandra spent eight (8) years with the national education nonprofit organization New Teacher Center, focused on ending the predictability of educational inequity in public education for systemically underserved students by focusing on accelerating educator effectiveness and remains an advocate for education as an important part of enhancing economic mobility for students and families. She has also served as an Adjunct Faculty Member delivering Human Resource Development courses at Durham Technical Community College and has four (4) years of experience on the Undergraduate Admissions team at Duke University.

Focus: Energy, Sustainability, Healthcare, Just in Time Opportunities for Working Professionals & Alumni

Liz Stanson,

Associate Director

Liz Stanson has 9+ years of experience in career services and recruiting. Throughout her career journey, Liz has developed a passion for building strategic relationships and has connected countless students with key UNC employer partners to form successful, lasting careers. Currently Liz serves as the Associate Director of Employer Engagement & Recruiting supporting recruiting efforts within the Consulting, CPG, and Retail industry sectors.

Liz has been a member of the UNC Career & Leadership team since June 2015. Prior to her time at UNC, Liz worked as an Executive Recruiter in Banking & Finance in the NYC area before making the shift to higher education. Upon her move to NC, she took a position supporting the Student and Academic Affairs team in the UNC System Office, assisting with the recruiting strategy for the prestigious Marian Drane Graham Scholars program.

Liz holds a BA in Psychology with a minor in Linguistics from Binghamton University, State University of New York. During her tenure with UNC, Liz also earned a certificate from the UNC Business Essentials course and is pursuing her PMP certification. In her spare time Liz enjoys staying active with her local running group, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Focus: Consulting & Technology

Richard Combs,

Associate Director

Richard Combs joined UNC Kenan-Flagler in 2023 with a variety of higher education experiences including collegiate athletics, fundraising, alumni relations, and career services. He is a connector who is passionate about creating opportunities for all MBA learners. Most recently, Richard served as a campus recruiter focused on hiring for a finance rotational program and technical roles for a government services company. Previously, he worked in career services roles at Duke University, University of Miami, and UNC-Chapel Hill.

 

Originally from Statesboro, GA and a University of Georgia fan, Richard attended The McCallie School in Chattanooga, TN for high school as a boarding student and later matriculated to Wake Forest University. He earned his BA in History from Wake Forest and a MA in Career Counseling from NC Central University.  Currently living in Durham with his family, Richard enjoys playing sports especially pickleball, traveling to the NC mountains, and considers himself a college basketball aficionado.

 

Focus: Finance & Technology

Natalie Viernes,

Associate Director

Natalie, a vibrant leader in the realm of higher education, brings a rich tapestry of experience and innovation to her role. Originally hailing from Mexico City, Mexico, she joined the University of North Carolina (UNC) in October 2017 and the C&L Operations team as Associate Director in January 2024. Her journey in academia is marked by over 18 years of professional dedication, characterized by strategic leadership, a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and a flair for integrating cutting-edge technologies like AI, VR, and AR into educational paradigms.

With a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Economics from Emmanuel College and a master’s in Higher Education from Appalachian State University, Natalie’s educational foundation is both strong and diverse. Her expertise shines in areas like operational management, brand enhancement, collaborative partnerships, and data-driven decision-making.

Beyond her professional realm, Natalie’s life is filled with diverse interests. An avid traveler, she has explored over 20 countries, enriching her global perspective. When not journeying abroad, she cherishes moments with her husband and two pups, enjoys local culinary delights, and hosts game nights, bringing together friends for shared experiences.

 

Laura Fazzina,

Assistant Director

Laura joined the Career & Leadership team in January 2021. In her role as Assistant Director, she manages the MBA recruiting program, providing strategic oversight and enhancing the student and employer experience. Additionally, she coordinates the EE&R team’s signature events, oversees recruiting data collection and analysis, and directs the team’s marketing and communications efforts.

Before joining UNC Kenan-Flagler, Laura was the Community Relations Coordinator for the Carolina Hurricanes where she led the organization’s community initiatives and planned fundraising events for the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation.

Laura received her BA in Exercise and Sport Science with a focus in Sport Administration from UNC-Chapel Hill. She lives in Chapel Hill and enjoys hanging out with her dog, Brady, reading, cooking, and eating.

Cassandra Williams,

Assistant Director

Cassandra is an energetic, collaborative, and experienced higher education professional specializing in strategic operations. Graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in psychology and education, she went on to pursue positions within UNC Executive Development and the Career & Leadership for MBA & Alumni Office at Kenan-Flagler Business School, centered around optimizing and improving the student and executive learner’s experience through providing high-value, top-class training and development programming and opportunities.

In her role, she oversees the Career & Leadership budget, marketing & communications strategy, and strategic operations for our wealth and variety of diverse, specialized Career & Leadership programming and recruiting events.

Cassandra was a competitive swimmer on various club teams throughout college and high school (State Champions in 2012). She is also a fearless foodie and a huge Carolina basketball fan! She was recognized with a SHRA Dean’s Performance Award in 2023.

 

Aidan Peacock,

Program Manager

Aidan Peacock serves as our front-line representative to students and employers on behalf of the Career & Leadership team. He also provides operational and strategic support for service delivery optimization, and manages vendor contracts, event logistics, and student data.

He is originally from Pittsfield, Maine, and moved to Durham in the summer of 2022 shortly before joining UNC. Aidan earned his BA in Latin American Studies from Hampshire College and is currently an MBA candidate at NC State. In his free time, he enjoys playing pick-up soccer, cooking, playing board games with friends and shooting pool.

 

Jessica Manneh,

Recruiting Coordinator

Jessica Manneh is a Western NC native but has called Raleigh her home for 20 years. She comes to Kenan-Flagler with a background in HR Operations, Recruiting, Hospitality, and Customer Service. Jessica received her degree in BA-HR Management from Western Governor’s University and holds a SHRM-CP. She is a member of the Raleigh Metro SHRM and prioritizes professional development.

Jessica loves Carolina athletics, especially attending home games with her kids. She also enjoys reading, exploring culture, and all things 90’s. She is a lifelong learner and hopes to explore the world with her family.