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Recent Articles from Charlotte Rene Woods
MARCIA CONSTON
TCC president since 2020, Marcia Conston strives to be both a role model and a mentor. “I wanted to be an administrator where I could make the most difference in the lives of people,” she says, and that has been her unwavering focus throughout her 30-year career in education. As a Black woman, Conston is […]
TRACY GREGORIO
Nine years ago, Tracy Gregorio and two business partners realized the military needed better technology to protect its communications systems from cyberattacks. G2 Ops was among the first small businesses to apply digital engineering to safeguard military communication systems, Gregorio says. The company plays a pivotal role in helping weapons and ship navigation systems communicate […]
LATITIA McCANE
Growing up in Alabama, Latitia McCane was inspired by the work of her father, a mechanic at Ciba Geigy Chemical Corp. (now BASF), and her uncle, an electrician at Ingalls. So, she forged her own career path in STEM and manufacturing fields. A throughline in her work, however, has been to support and encourage women […]
CECILIA HODGES
Outside of her three-decade career in banking, in which she currently manages more than 60 branches, Cecilia Hodges enjoys volunteering for community organizations and charities. “I can see in the work that those dollars really make a difference to people,” she says. One organization she’s involved with, Women Giving Back, is a boutique that provides […]
DIANNE JEWELL
Dianne Jewell’s work as a physical therapist and administrator has not just been about helping patients but also her colleagues. In 2011, Jewell founded the Rehab Intelligence Network, which helps rehabilitation practices use data to demonstrate the value of their services, and served as its CEO for a decade. “Health care is awash in data […]
BUFFY BAREFOOT
BUFFY BAREFOOT President — Virginia Beach, TowneBank, Virginia Beach Buffy Barefoot describes herself “as a pretty steady Eddie.” During her 27-year career in finance, she has worked for only two companies, and she credits her steady rise to staying in her lane, keeping her nose down and doing the best job she could. “End of […]
DEBORAH JOHNSTON
Deborah Johnston’s father inspired her career path. When she was a child, he encouraged her to pursue a job in nursing for the opportunities it could afford her. “He said, ‘You’ll always have a job. You could join the Air Force and travel the world. But no matter what happens, you’ll always have a job, […]
JYLINDA JOHNSON
Jylinda Johnson sees the world for what it could be. That’s why she thrives in a role that requires her to solve complex problems facing the federal government. Johnson oversees a 2,000-person team for General Dynamics Information Technology, a business unit of Reston-based Fortune 500 global aerospace and defense contractor General Dynamics Corp. Her team […]
GWEN HURT
Gwen Hurt spent more than 15 years working in the tech industry. Then, unexpectedly, days after being laid off from her job in 2013, Hurt and her daughter were in a car accident. During their months of recovery, Hurt decided to start her own winemaking business in 2014. Her daughter suggested she name it for […]
JENNIFER HUNTER
Education and mentorship are important to Jennifer Hunter. “If you want to create change and create opportunities … you’ve got to bring people to the table,” she says. “And that means supporting folks, equipping them, preparing them and then pulling them to the table with you.” Outside of mentoring others, she was appointed by former […]
