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Career Motivations & Pathways: Seen and Unseen

Charles Robinson, III.
Dr. Charles Robinson III was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina. Dr. Charles Robinson III pursued his passion for animal health by earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Laboratory Animal Science from the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in 2012. He then went on to achieve his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2019.
A God-fearing man, devoted husband, loving father, and successful business owner, Dr. Robinson is the proud founder of Robinson Mobile Veterinary Services, bringing compassionate and accessible care directly to the community. His commitment to service and education continues to inspire those around him.

Jonell Taylor
Jonell graduated from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, specializing in Statistics. She began her career as a System Administrator at South Atlantic Services Incorporated, where she implemented a ELT System before joining MetLife.  During her time at MetLife, Jonell led a range of high-impact projects utilizing Open Source Software, playing a pivotal role in the transformation of the company's cloud infrastructure. Today, as Director of Cloud Engineering at Fidelity Investments, Jonell leads the adoption of the azure cloud platform within the architecture & Engineering group. Her expertise spans multiple cloud platforms, including Azure & AWS. Jonell is passionate about helping enterprises leverage these technologies to build innovative and cost-effective solutions. She is committed to driving cloud transformation initiatives and exploring new ways to harness the full potential of cloud services to create scalable and secure products.
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Tejuan Manners
Tejuan Manners an Executive Director & Chief of Staff supporting Lenovo's Infrastructure Solutions Group, by delivering effective, complex, and intelligent projects for the business while driving operational excellence. His journey with Lenovo started in January 2019 after nearly 20 years at IBM.

Outside of Lenovo Tejuan is heavily involved in the community. Strong beliefs in mentoring and supporting youths along their journey.  He has also led Technology Camps for middle school and high school students, along with volunteering monthly at various shelters across Raleigh/Durham. He is also a Past President of the Raleigh Chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and the 23rd NC State District Director of the Association of North Carolina Alphamen.

Tejuan holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering, from North Carolina A&T State University. He is married and has a 16-year-olddaughter and a 13- year-old son. 

Kim Battle
‍Kimberly Battle is the owner and operator of Kandy Apples by K,  a local gourmet candy apple shop located in Raleigh, NC.  Kim was raised in Raleigh and is a graduate of North Carolina State University where she received a degree in Business Management with a concentration in Finance.  After 20 years in the Accounting field, Kim stepped out on faith and made a therapeutic hobby a full time business and 6 years later, her business continues to grow and thrive. Kim is a wife to Travis Battle and mom to 5 children.  It is her hope that the work she has done and business that she has built, will be a legacy for her children and future generations.

Darryl Lester
‍Lester served as the Director of Community Leadership and Programs at the Triangle Community Foundation (NC) and as Trustee of the Warner Foundation. He was also an Associate Counsel at Capital Development Services and a Training Manager at N.C. Public Allies ( part of the founding staff). He is well acquainted with educational institutions, having served as an Adjunct Professor in Public Administration at North Carolina Central University, Assistant Dean at UNC-Chapel Hill, the Assistant Director of African American Student Affairs at North Carolina State University, and as a Counselor at Shaw University Counseling Center (NC).Darryl is a graduate of both Wofford College (B.A., Economics) and North Carolina State University (M.Ed. in Counselor Education and minor in Psychology) and enjoys the brotherhood that he shares as a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
Lester currently serves as a Associate VP of Civic Engagement & Impact Strategies with Partners for Rural Impact.

Mayor Leonardo (Leo) Williams
‍Williams is a former teacher &school administrator. He was elected to the Durham City Council in 12/2021 and sworn in as mayor in 12/2023. Williams is a proud graduate of North Carolina Central University, earning a bachelor’s degree in Music Education and a master's degree in Educational Leadership. While attending NCCU, Leo met his wife, Zweli, and they are the proud parents of their son, Izaiah Williams. Mayor Williams is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. where he joined thru the Gamma Beta Chapter at NCCU.
Mayor Williams was recognized twice by Durham Public Schools as Teacher of the Year and was also recognized by the Triangle Business Journal with a “40 Under40” award for producing innovative practices in education. He transitioned from full-time educator to full-time small business owner when he and his wife opened Zweli's, the first full-service authentic Zimbabwean restaurant in the United States. While serving on the City Council, Mayor Williams continues to apply his experience and passion in education, entrepreneurship, and commitment to addressing deep social issues to make Durham a united community that provides safety and prosperity.