Connect, lead and learn with your alumni chapters

Bay Area Alumni Chapter Boating in the Bay event.

Connecting with our alumni is easier than you think. UNC Kenan-Flagler has 13 active Alumni Chapters. From educational alumni breakfast events, mentor and mentee programs, to holiday gatherings, chapters organize, promote and host opportunities for alumni to connect with each other.

Behind each chapter is an enthusiastic team of alums who develop events and other ways to keep people in their city connected to each other. Some volunteers find giving their time back to the School is a valuable way to connect with their communities.

“I moved to San Francisco in February 2018 and wanted to establish myself within the Bay Area,” said Ryan Cartwright, account executive at Armory.io and chief recruiting officer of the Bay Area Alumni Chapter. “I gained an immediate circle of trust from the other board members. I also gained immediate connections with UNC Kenan-Flagler students and alumni who attended our events.”

Other officers see the Alumni Chapter as an educational tool to stay informed about the School.

“I think it’s important to get involved with the local chapter so you can keep up to date with Carolina and UNC Kenan-Flagler activities and events as well as enjoy the various programs that are put on,” said Anton Downie, relationship manager, middle market banking at Wells Fargo and chief marketing officer for the Charlotte Alumni Chapter. “In the short amount of time I’ve spent in this role I’ve met some incredible people on my team and other alumni who have attended events. I feel better plugged into the UNC and the various events in the area.”

Summer Welcome Event

The chapters are not just in the U.S. You’ll find them in London and Shanghai, too. UNC Kenan-Flagler has a presence all over the globe. They are an amazing way to keep in touch with UNC while overseas, says Lorenzo Lombardi, senior consultant at Monitor Deloitte and CEO of the London Alumni Chapter. “I have met some amazing UNC alumni living over in London and who have come over here for work or study! Also, it’s a great excuse to check out some local restaurants and pubs!”

Belma Porobic, financial analyst at Wells Fargo and CEO for the Charlotte Alumni Chapter, encourages alums to use the local network. She said, “Getting involved in the alumni community offers great networking opportunities with people who all have one thing in common – rooting for our Tar Heels!” Porobic also has met many new, interesting people in Charlotte who she wouldn’t have met otherwise.

Every officer has gained something different from serving on their local chapter boards. Ed Lee, senior financial analyst at Applied Economics and CEO for the Atlanta Alumni Chapter, values the chance to serve his local community and gain more leadership experience. He encourages alumni to raise their hands and get involved with their local officer team.

“Volunteering with the local alumni chapter will give volunteers the chance to develop new, lasting friendships, expand their network of business relationships, improve their skills in working within a team, learn about themselves, their school and their community, and to be a part of a group outside of work and their personal lives,”says Lee. He has served on his local chapter board for three years. “The Atlanta alumni community is beginning to feel more like family,” he says.

Dallas Alumni Chapter Q&A with the Dean

Visit the chapter websites to learn more about their upcoming events, meet the officer team and find out how to get involved! You can also see all of the upcoming events for the community here.

UNC Kenan-Flagler is partnering with alumni to determine where we should establish the next chapters. If you are interested in being part of this process, contact Cherie Michaud, assistant director of alumni community.