University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics

Leaders for Leaders Program Description

Leaders for Leaders is a unique program that pairs a UNC Asheville student-athlete with a community Champion. 

Strategic Themes

  • Strengthen Relationships - the mentoring experience itself

  • Expand Opportunities - career connections, recruiting student-athletes and community volunteers, and alumni engagement

  • Measure & Sustain Success - tracking outcomes and ensuring long-term growth

Priority Areas 

  • Market and Recruit Student-Athletes & Community Champions

  • Offer Multiple Levels of Engagement

  • Implement a Tracking System

  • Community Champion Orientation Session(s)

  • Refresh and Rebrand the Leaders for Leaders Website

Measurable Outcomes

  • 100% of Bulldog Student-Athletes will engage in some aspect of the Leaders for Leaders Program annually.

  • Actively engage at least 100 Community Champions on an ongoing basis.


The UNC Asheville Athletics Leaders for Leaders Program Advisory Board is made up of a selection of current Champions.

Sandy Bowles, Chair
Karen Depew and Steve Keeble, Retired/Community Leaders
David Meyer, BOT/BAA/Wells Fargo Wealth Management​
Keith Washington, Next Level Coaching​​​​​​
Molly McNichols, Carolina Mountain Sales​​​​​​
Grady Bradshaw, Preferred Properties/Soccer Alumni​​​​​​
Hannah Kitt, CEO Power of Women​​​​​​
Joe Tanner, Retired/BAA Board/Walnut Cove
Tina Lance, Champion Credit Union/Alumni​​​​​​
Brandy Mills, Mills Consulting
Donna Bailey, Retired/Founding Member/Walnut Cove
Kevin Pasarilla, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management
Dan Whisnant, CEO SDV Office Systems

For more information, please reach out to Rebecca Nelms, Assistant AD for Student-Athlete Success at rnelms@unca.edu or (828) 251-6919.