WFAE is pleased to welcome four new board members beginning a three-year term of service here in January 2021: Debra Turner Bailey, Riaz Bhamani, Diana Quarry and Matthew Socha.
Debra Turner Bailey returned to Statesville in 2013 after an extensive career in global human resources, including 21 years with Corning Inc., with the final nine years as global diversity officer. Bailey is currently working as a consultant, trainer and facilitator in the areas of leadership development and diversity and inclusion. Bailey, who has degrees from UNC Greensboro and Cornell University, is also on the board of Children’s Homes of Iredell County, Speak Life and Live and Circle of Giving.
Riaz Bhamani lives in Fort Mill, South Carolina, and is a financial services leader with more than 25 years of experience in developing, managing and generating revenue through credit card affinity and consumer lending programs, having worked for Bank of America for 17 years. Bhamani has degrees from Wilfrid Laurier University in Canada and Babson College and is also on the board of Refugee Support Services of the Carolinas and is a past trustee of Blumenthal Performing Arts.
Diana Quarry lives in Waxhaw and is of counsel with Morrison & Foerster LLP. She has extensive experience in commercial real estate, representing lenders, developers, landlords and tenants across the United States, with bar admissions to practice in both New York and North Carolina. Quarry has degrees from Cornell University and recognition in 2018 as Charlotte’s 40 Under 40. She just completed her term of service on the board of ATHENA International.
Matthew Socha lives in Huntersville and is an audit partner at Cherry Bekaert LLP and its not-for-profit industry practice leader. Socha has served on WFAE’s Finance Committee since January 2019 and is now a full member of the Board of Directors. Socha has a degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is also an advisory board member of the Independent College Fund of North Carolina.
Joe O’Connor, WFAE's president and CEO, welcomes Bailey, Bhamani, Quarry and Socha and extends his thanks to outgoing board members Scott Anderson, Gabriella Chapman and Moira LoCascio. Anderson, partner at Womble Bond Dickinson LLP, and LoCascio, CEO of McLaughlin Young Group, completed six years of board service in December 2020. Chapman, who relocated to New Mexico, completed two years of board service.
University Radio Foundation Inc. holds the broadcast license for WFAE. The Foundation’s Board of Directors is composed of 24 members from across the Charlotte region. Board members volunteer their time and expertise to oversee WFAE’s governance, financial assets, mission, and service to the community.