Photo Gallery

 Wanda is a business consultant specializing in Management, Leadership, and Business Development.  She utilizes her 30+ years of experience to help others excel. Pulling from lessons learned from upper management in the retail industry, ownership in a full-service marina, and directing the Carteret Community College Small Business Center; she offers sound knowledge on what it takes to be successful. Her business, Work on Wonderful Consulting, LLC, provides corporate and workplace training, one-on-one business development, and seminars to various educational facilities across North Carolina.    

  Jen Chappell is the co-owner of MF Chappell Wine Merchant and holds a WSET Level 2 Award in Wine and Spirits. Founded in 2020, MF Chappell is the Crystal Coast's premier provider of wine and gourmet foods. Prior to MF Chappell, Jen was a sales representative at AmericanEye in the Washington Design Center.

Jen is a consistent contributor to her community and the arts. In Alexandria, VA, she was a leader in both the Del Ray Artisans and Mount Vernon United Methodist Church. She is currently a member of the WISE Women of Carteret County and supports the Carteret Local Food Network.

In her spare time, Jen photographs nature and everyone around her. Her photography has been shown at Del Ray Artisans and at MF Chappell. Jen's daily zen comes from walking the beach at Pine Knoll Shores looking for as yet elusive whole sand dollars.

 Virginia Cuthrell had the privilege of growing up in Beaufort, NC. Her parents are David & Sylvia Wheatly. She graduated from East Carteret High School in 1996. Virginia obtained her undergraduate degree in history and political science from Meredith College in 2000.  She went on to study at UNCW and received a master’s degree in public administration with a concentration in non-profit organizations in 2004. While in Wilmington, Virginia worked as an advertising sales representative for Encore Magazine. The outside sales experience led to a job in pharmaceutical sales for 7 years. In 2012, Virginia started a new job as a physician recruiter and physician liaison at Carteret Health Care. Over the years at Carteret Health Care she gained more job responsibilities. Today, she is the Director of CHC Foundation, Auxiliary Services and Provider Relations. Virginia's most rewarding role is working at the hospital because the employees at CHC collaborate every day to provide quality health care with exceptional compassion and respect. Virginia is married to Bobby Cuthrell and they have a 10-year-old daughter, Catherine and a 7-year-old son, Rob. Their family enjoys the coastal lifestyle and spends most weekends near the salt water.  

As the Director of Hydrographic Operations at Geodynamics, Sloan Freeman manages the company’s operations in hydrographic survey, coastal shoreline monitoring, offshore geophysical survey, and marine GIS applications. Based in North Carolina, Geodynamics’ specialty areas include ellipsoidally-referenced surveys, NOAA nautical chart updates, benthic habitat assessment, marine minerals mapping, datum-derived shorelines, and GIS analyses and database design. Beginning in 2021, Sloan will oversee the strategic alignment of Geodynamics’ nearshore and offshore vessel-based survey fleet with the aerial topo-bathy survey capabilities of Quantum Spatial as the firms combine operations as NV5 Geospatial. As Principal in Charge at Geodynamics for twenty years, she has managed long-term contracts with NOAA and the USACE and coordinates collaborations with partners in coastal engineering, natural resource agencies, and for the US Navy, EPA, and BOEM. She is a licensed NC Professional Land Surveyor and is currently pursuing certification as a Coastal Practitioner through the Coastal Zone Foundation. Prior to founding Geodynamics, Sloan worked in the research sector of marine ecology and environmental policy at the Duke University Marine Lab where she managed and coordinated multi-million dollar research grants and projects in the field of coastal and ocean science. She holds a Masters degree in Environmental Management with a focus on Coastal Environmental Management.

 Sharon Galluzzo is the Amazon Best-Selling Author of “Legendary Business: From Rats to Riche$.” At a time when many feel suffocated by running the businesses they love, Sharon helps small business and franchise owners leverage the power of vision to enable them to increase revenues, grow their businesses and finally experience freedom. Sharon developed her strategies and processes from more than a decade as a multiple six-figure business owner. Her clients appreciate her real-world experience, enthusiasm, and “insight” as a business coach. Sharon is passionate about helping entrepreneurs rediscover the joy and profitability of business ownership. 

  Jenmekia Gay is a native of Fayetteville, NC.  She, along with her three daughters, relocated to Carteret County in 2018.  Seeking new opportunities and determined to “no longer survive, but thrive”, Jenmekia enrolled at Carteret Community College. As a student, Jenmekia placed first in the regional SkillsUSA Job Skills Demonstration and went on to earn a gold medal at the Skills USA National Competition.  In May of 2022, Jenmekia graduated with an Associates of Applied Science in Welding.  She is currently employed by Bally Refrigerated Boxes, Inc., as a welder and fabricator.  

Not one for excuses and having overcome many obstacles, Jenmekia states, “it doesn’t matter where you come from, your destination depends on your motivation.”

Jenmekia’s motivation is to be more than her circumstances and to use her platform to help pave the way for better opportunities for her three daughters and women interested in nontraditional careers.  She is passionate about helping persons with disabilities and is putting a plan in place to use her talents to fabricate handicap ramps for those in need.  Jenmekia also serves as a mentor to persons adversely affected by the criminal justice system, helping them transition successfully into the workforce and society.  

  Originally from Wilson, NC, Robin made Carteret County her permanent home two years ago. Her entire life has been spent coming back and forth to Carteret County and when she was offered a position with the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain in Morehead City, she left Wilson to pursue the job and her dream of living at the Crystal Coast year-round.

Robin has over 20+ years in a variety of roles raising funds for many different non-profit organizations sometimes as a volunteer and some as an employee. She is Director of Resource Development for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain (BGCCP). For more than 50 years, BGCCP has helped put young people on the path to great futures. The organization serves more than 3,000 youth through membership and community outreach in the Club’s 17 facilities in 7 eastern NC counties. She is responsible for serving Carteret, Craven and Beaufort Counties, raising funds and awareness through various events, direct solicitations from individuals and businesses, and participates in many other community activities.  

Stacie Johnson joined Jarrett Bay in July of 2019 as the Recruitment and Retention Manager. Her primary focus is on cultivating relationships with local high schools, schools specific to boat building, and other organizations to promote and develop future employment opportunities at Jarrett Bay. In January of 2020, Stacie added the Human Resources responsibilities to her position and works to maintain a strong workforce for Jarrett Bay.

Stacie was born and raised in Claysville, Pennsylvania, just south of Pittsburgh. After graduating in 2000 from West Virginia University, she moved to Raleigh where she started her career in the pharmaceutical industry. In 2013, she moved back to Pittsburgh to become the business manager of Asti’s South Hills Pharmacy. After too many cold winters, the decision was made to move back down South. In 2016, she and her daughter, Harper, made their home in Atlantic Beach. For three years, she was the Business Operations Manager for the Medical Park Pharmacy group in Eastern North Carolina.

Mary Cheatham has spent her entire life living and working in North Carolina, including her college days, which she spent at UNC Chapel Hill. As a mother of two and wife to her high school sweetheart and fellow local business owner, she has a strong connection and a deep love for this community that shows in her commitment to its prosperity. That vision for this area’s growth was the catalyst that brought about Mary Cheatham King Real Estate, a team who has served hundreds of families since 2015.

From the get-go, Mary Cheatham’s initiative, integrity, and ability to empower others has allowed her to guide local families through some of the most significant decisions they will ever make. As a result, MCKRE has held the rank of Carteret County’s number one real estate team since 2017, and was voted 2018’s Small Business of the Year for Carteret County. In addition, MCKRE is currently ranked in the top 100 teams for Keller Williams worldwide.

MCKRE, under the direction and leadership of Mary Cheatham, is made up of a select few women, each with a unique set of skills, all with a shared goal: high standards of communication, connection, teamwork, and dedication to excellence all on behalf of their clients.  Through this combined effort, MCKRE exceeds expectations and delivers 5-star service to each client every time 

Dr. Tracy Mancini became the sixth president of Carteret Community College on June 1, 2020, after having served as the College’s chief academic and student development officer and SACSCOC accreditation liaison for four years. 

Her community college career began when she taught as an adjunct English instructor at Durham Technical Community College in 1994. She went on to teach English, Humanities, and Religion full-time at Durham Tech, eventually serving as chair of the English & Communications discipline and dean of Arts, Sciences, & University Transfer.  She is a member and club service coordinator of the Beaufort Ole Towne Rotary and a proud member of Leadership Carteret’s Class of 2018. She is first vice president of the Gamma Zeta chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma education sorority and a member of the Beaufort Woman’s Club.

Dr. Mancini earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the College of William and Mary. Her graduate degrees include a Master of Arts in English from the University of North Florida, a Master of Theological Studies from Duke University, and a Doctor of Education in Community College Executive Leadership from Wingate University. 

Born in northeast Philadelphia and raised in Vineland, New Jersey, she has lived in North Carolina since 1993. Dr. Mancini and her husband, Norris Cotton, reside in Beaufort and enjoy books and movies, entertaining, kayaking, gardening, keeping up with family, and doting on their dogs, Mudge and Buddy. 

Michele Querry is Carteret County's Director of Economic Development. She is a native Texan and graduate of Texas A&M University. She obtained a Master of Arts in Public Administration and spent four years on Capitol Hill working for a Representative from Texas, participating in the legislative process, and making valuable connections and lifelong friends. Her work in campaign finance eventually took her to Florida where she became active in campaigns and elections. Having always possessed an entrepreneurial and somewhat free spirit, Michele founded a consulting firm with an emphasis on fundraising, marketing, real estate and community development. At the age of 15, Michele and her family began spending their summers on Emerald Isle. In 2018, for the third time in her career, the road less traveled brought her back to Carteret County. This time to stay. Michele is proud to call Carteret County her home.