The information below is intended to supplement the general information about the AAUW NC 2026 Conference Speakers.

 

AAUW Chief Executive Officer: Gloria L. Blackwell

Gloria is uniquely and highly experienced to lead AAUW through a period of significant and impactful change to meet its mission to advance equity for women and girls. During her tenure, she has led AAUW through strategic planning designed to leverage its strengths in higher education and capitalize on advocacy priorities that increase member and mission impact by aligning its membership affiliates with the overall national mission.

Among her many unmatched AAUW accomplishments is her 17-year management of AAUW’s highly esteemed fellowships and grants programs—during her tenure awarding more than $70 million in funding to change the lives of women scholars and support equity programs in the U.S. and globally.

Gloria expanded AAUW’s outreach to girls and women of color across programmatic initiatives fueling women’s economic security such as AAUW STEMEd for Girls and AAUW Money Smart and implemented National Science Foundation and other grants in higher education and STEM. With a strong international development background, she also leads AAUW’s global initiatives and engagement as main representative to the United Nations.

She is a prominent thought leader on issues ranging from equity for women in higher education and STEM to economic empowerment and the gender pay gap. She has been featured in panels, podcasts, symposia and prominent media outlets such as TIME, USA Today, The Washington Post, the Chronicle of Higher Education, Bloomberg Education, and ABC News. Her leadership has been recognized by the International Alliance of Women, Diverse Issues in Higher Education, Crittenton Services of Greater Washington and She’s the First, among others.

Prior to joining AAUW, Gloria was the director of Africa education programs at the Institute of International Education (IIE) and managed fellowships programs. She also served as a Peace Corps staff member and volunteer in Africa. She holds a master’s degree in education and human development from the George Washington University, a bachelor’s degree in international affairs from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and studied at the American University in Paris.

Gloria is a passionate advocate for equity for women and girls and is committed to supporting education, opportunity and empowerment for women and girls globally.

KeyNote Speaker: Congresswoman Alma Adams District 12

Dr. Alma S. Adams was elected to her sixth full term representing the 12th Congressional District of North Carolina on November 5, 2024. After winning a special election in November  2014, Congresswoman Adams was sworn in immediately as the 100th woman elected to the 113th Congress.

Representative Adams serves on the Committee on Education & Workforce and the House Committee on Agriculture. She serves on the subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education and is Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development. Additionally, she serves on the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture and the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology.

One of her outstanding legislative accomplishments is the enactment of H.R. 5363, the Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act that permanently provides funding totaling $255 million a year for all Minority-Serving Institutions, including $85 million for HBCUs. Another is the establishment of a new $50 million R&D grant program for HBCUs and MSI’s in 2023 federal budget.

Representative Adams has previously served on the Financial Services Committee, Joint Economic Committee and in several leadership positions, including Assistant Whip for the Democratic Caucus, Vice Chair of Agriculture, Ranking Member of the Small Business Committee, ranking member of the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, and ranking member of the Small Business Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight, and Regulation.

The Congresswoman is the co-founder and co-chair of the Black Maternal Health Caucus with Rep. Lauren Underwood of Illinois, as well as the founder and co-chair of the Congressional Bipartisan Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Caucus.Adams is also a member of the Women’s Caucus, Diabetes Caucus, Autism Caucus, Congressional Black Caucus, Progressive Education Caucus, Historic Preservation Caucus, AIDS/HIV Caucus, Hunger Caucus, Medicaid Expansion Caucus, and the Art Caucus.

The Black Maternal Health Caucus works to reduce the unacceptable rates of mortality and morbidity for Black parents. Adams introduced the landmark Momnibus package in 2020, 2021, and 2023 with other members of the caucus.

The HBCU Caucus promotes bipartisan legislation that supports HBCUs and their graduates. Since its inception, the caucus has coordinated the Diversity in Tech program and the HBCU Braintrust, both of which foster engagement, collaboration, and partnership between Fortune 500 companies, government and industry leaders, and HBCUs. The caucus also won $40 million for HBCUs for scholarships, funding for newly established centers of excellence in agriculture, and additional funding for agricultural research and cooperative extension for 1890 land grant universities in the 2018 Farm Bill.

Throughout her career, Representative Adams has fought for a quality education for all students, including legislation to provide nutritious breakfasts in schools and increased pay for teachers. For 40 years, Dr. Adams taught Art at Bennett College. While at Bennett, she led the effort to increase student civic participation coining the phrase “Bennett Belles are Voting Belles” and organizing annual marches to the polls. As a former educator, Rep. Adams has dedicated her career to improving the lives of young people and her community. She is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the North Carolina A&T State University Human Rights Medal, the highest award presented by her alma mater to an individual who fights against social injustice and helps improve the world, and was inducted into the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame.

In 1994 Dr. Adams was appointed by her peers to serve in the North Carolina House District 26 seat. She went on to serve ten terms in the State House. During her tenure, she rose to become the chair of the North Carolina Legislative Black Caucus and was instrumental in passing legislation that improved the climate for quality affordable health care in the state. Representative Adams also pioneered the Displaced Homemakers Bill and successfully spearheaded the state’s first minimum wage increase in nine years.

Before serving as a member of the North Carolina General Assembly, Congresswoman Adams served nine years on the Greensboro City Council. Throughout her service to the second district in Greensboro, Dr. Adams worked to create safe and affordable housing and for the revitalization of neighborhoods. She began her political career in the 1980’s by becoming the first African American woman ever elected to the Greensboro City School Board. It was then that she made a lifetime commitment to effecting social change in her community and beyond.

Congresswoman Adams has one daughter, Linda Jeanelle Lindsay, one son Billy E. Adams II, four grandchildren: Joslyn Lindsay, Aaron Lindsay, Billy E. Adams III, and Miracle Sumner, and one great granddaughter Blair Rose Adams. Congresswoman Adams graduated from North Carolina A&T State University in 1968 and received her Master of Arts in Art Education in 1972. She earned her Ph.D. in Art Education and Multicultural Education from The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio in 1981.

Additional Guest Speakers

Young People’s Literature Awards – 2025

Carol Baldwin, Young Adult Literature Author –  Half Truths

Carol Baldwin’s debut Young Adult historical novel, HALF-TRUTHS, was published in April 2025 by Monarch Educational Services. It won the 2025 NC AAUW Award in Young Adult Literature, is a Historical Book winner from the North Carolina Society of Historians, the winner of the 2025 Hindi award, and the recipient of the Bronze Medal in the Coming-of-Age category from Reader’s Favorite. Carol co-publishes Talking Story, a newsletter for educators and media specialists, and holds a B.S. in Mental Health and a M.S. in Community Counseling. Before turning to writing for children, Carol published Friendship Counseling: Biblical Foundations for Helping Others and Teaching the Story: Fiction Writing in Grades 4-8. She is Write2Ignite’s Co-Director for the Master Classes. When she’s not working on her next book, Carol enjoys reading, exercising, networking with other writers, and blogging.

Read more about Carol Baldwin on her website: https://carolbaldwinbooks.com/half-truths/

Patrice Gopo, Young Children’s Literature Author –  Ripening Time

Patrice Gopo is an award-winning writer who crafts stories steeped in themes of place, belonging, and home. Her essay collections include Autumn Song, recipient of the inaugural Pattis Family Foundation Creative Arts Book Award, and All the Colors We Will See, a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection. Her picture books include Ripening Time, All the Places We Call Home, and the forthcoming Beyond Alaska’s Window, all inspired by several of her essays. Patrice is also the editor of the essay anthology We Deserve to Heal. When she’s not writing, Patrice hosts the podcast Picture Books Are for Grown-Ups, Too! because she believes in the power of stories to help build connections between people. Patrice lives with her family in North Carolina, where she enjoys walks just after dawn and thinks a perfect day ends with ice cream.

Please visit www.patricegopo.com to learn more.

Corey Mitchell, Founder and Executive Director, Theatre Gap Initiative

Tony Award winner Corey Mitchell is the founder and artistic director of the Theatre Gap Initiative (TGI). Leveraging years of industry experience, he leads the TGI team with distinction. He is also active as a director, actor, keynote speaker, educational consultant, and workshop presenter in Charlotte and throughout the country. He was the inaugural winner of the Tony Award for Excellence in Theatre Education and the recipient of the Arts Innovator Award from The Arts Empowerment Project.

Read more about Corey Mitchell and the Theater Gap Initiative: https://theatregap.org/meet-our-team/

Jeanne Smith, State Education Co-Chair League of Women Voters Charlotte – Mecklenburg County

The ERA-NC Alliance is a non-partisan, non-profit 501c4 organization dedicated to North Carolina’s ratification of an Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

The League of Women Voters promotes participation in elections and provides nonpartisan information to educate voters on issues and candidates. The League of Women Voters of Charlotte Mecklenburg is one of 15 local Leagues in North Carolina, serving voters in Mecklenburg, Iredell, Rowan, Cabarrus, Gaston, and Union counties.

AAUW Charlotte will have an informational table showcasing the organization.

Read more about the LWV – Charlotte – Mecklenburg: https://www.lwv.org/local-leagues/lwv-charlotte-mecklenburg

Marla Barthen – State Co-President ERA-NC Alliance

AAUW is a founding member of the Alliance. The Equal Rights Amendment North Carolina Alliance is a group of organizations that agree ratification of the ERA will improve women’s lives in North Carolina and the United States. Learn about our Lead and Member Organizations and how your organization can be a part of this movement to achieve true equality under the law for both men and women in our country.

Read more about the ERA-NC Alliance: https://www.era-nc.org/

Alyssa Levine – Mecklenburg County District Court Judge

Alyssa Levine currently serves as a Mecklenburg County District Court Judge.  She is a native Charlottean and proud third-generation Mecklenburg County attorney.  Judge Levine attended Charlotte-Mecklenburg public schools, received undergraduate degrees in public policy and political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a Graduate Certificate in Women in Politics and Public Policy from the University of Massachusetts Boston, and a law degree from North Carolina Central University School of Law.

Judge Levine is an active community leader who has served on and chaired many nonprofit boards.  She currently serves as a member of the Mecklenburg Bar Foundation Board of Directors and Larry King’s Clubhouse Board of Directors.  Larry King’s Clubhouse is the children’s play and care center at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse, serving children ages 6 weeks to 12 years old while their caregivers address courthouse business.  Judge Levine also belongs to numerous legal and community organizations.

Since being sworn in as a district court judge in January 2023, Judge Levine has presided over civil and criminal matters in District Court.  She hears domestic cases as a designated Family Court Judge.  Judge Levine conducts bench and jury trials, first appearances, probable cause hearings.  Judge Levine’s wide range of experience in law and service to community has provided her with a strong foundation to be the judge she is today.