Founding Members

Dr. DeHaven is a community medicine practitioner and researcher, and has developed three different medical school divisions dedicated to community medicine and community health science research. His research program has received continuous federal funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and numerous foundations for improving the […]

Darlene Heater is the executive director for University City Partners, which envisions and implements strategies and actions to drive University City’s long term economic vitality as a center for employment, living, education, commerce and entertainment. Heater is a graduate of The Ohio State University. She has held roles in the public sector for nearly twenty […]

Leslie James is a native from the West Indian Island of Dominica. He obeyed the Gospel at age twelve while attending the New Golden Heights Church of Christ in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. In 1998 his family moved to Charlotte, NC and began attending the Sugar Creek congregation. His desire is to contend earnestly for the […]

Pat has always been a prolific community leader, and an advocate for building social capital. For last 20 years, Pat has been involved, developed and lead community building initiatives across Charlotte, especially within the City area. Capitalizing on her talent and ability, she was asked to join Collective Impact Group “UCity Family Zone” and head […]

Wendy is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Bethesda Health Center and Camino Community Center. She has been a member of Camino since 2003. She is from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and has lived in the United States for 11 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism/Social Communication and has post-graduate education in Community […]

Pastor Rusty has been Camino’s lead pastor since 2012. He and his wife Anna have four children: Kirsten, Molly, Grady and Gideon. He is the founder and president of World Reach Inc. and Camino Community Center. Pastor Rusty and his family have served as missionaries in Cuba and Latin America for the past 20 years. […]

Rob Rogers is leading efforts to focus University City’s vast resources on 4,600 students at Governors Village. That effort now has a name, University Connect, and a small but growing group of people hoping to profoundly broaden learning opportunities at Vance High and the other three schools at Governors Village. “This is a movement that […]

Reverend Dr. Peter M. Wherry is a native of Buffalo, New York. He received his early education in the schools of the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo, graduating with honors from the St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute. He earned with honors, the Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work and Gerontology from Virginia Union University and also […]