MEET OUR 2022-23 Mentors

Martha Honeycutt graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in Communications/Public Relations. After graduation, Martha worked in Germany for Lignotok GmbH, an automotive supplier. Upon returning to the U.S., she joined Ford Motor Company where she held different roles over the years, including Dealer Operations Manager, Fleet Call Center Manager and E-Business Strategy & Development Manager. She also functioned as a recruiter.

Honeycutt has a passion for the advancement of women. She was on the Board of Women’s Studies at the University of Michigan–Dearborn where she participated as a mentor. She was a member of Ford’s Women’s Marketing Team as well as the company’s Women’s Speakers Bureau. She is an active member of the North Mecklenburg Woman’s Club and has served two years as its president. Honeycutt and her husband have two grown children.

Sherry Cantrell is a “mostly retired” attorney who holds a B.A. in International Relations from Emory University and a J.D. degree from the University of Florida Levin College of Law. After a number of years practicing law in New York City, she settled in Charlotte with her family.

A mother of four, she is an ANSWER mentor because she knows it can be crucial to have someone ahead of you on your path lending support.

Mary Jane Freeman is the founder of The Davidson Center for Learning and Academic Planning, a comprehensive education center and accredited non-public school in Davidson. A lifelong educator, she spent twenty years in public education as a teacher and guidance counselor in California, Arizona, Missouri, Connecticut, and New York. She earned her undergraduate degree from San Jose State University, holds a master’s degree in counseling from Washington University, and earned a certificate of advanced study in curriculum and supervision from Fairfield University.

Hisayo Gallo was born and raised in Japan and graduated from Toyo University with a B.S. in Sociology. She came to the U.S. to study linguistics and psychology as a graduate student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she earned her master’s degree. Gallo began teaching psychology, focusing on developmental psychology. Her main interests are brain and cognitive development. She currently teaches developmental psychology at Gaston College. She is married to her husband of 25 years and has 3 grown sons. Gallo is a self-proclaimed gourmet cook, enjoys making pottery and playing classical music on the piano.

Diane “Dee” Gilroy has worked in software sales and telecommunications for over ten years. She is currently working on a master’s in cybersecurity at UNC Charlotte. She also has a master's degree in Spanish as well as business administration. Gilroy is most excited about being a mentor with ANSWER because she taught hundreds of students at UNC Charlotte where she worked as a Spanish instructor for almost ten years. During this time, she had the opportunity to motivate and coach students with difficult life circumstances. She especially enjoyed offering encouragement and support to single moms trying to finish college. She and her husband of 26 years have four daughters between the ages of 13 and 23 as well as a male German Shepherd (the son of the family).

Jaci Jones is a certified divorce financial analyst and a certified financial planner. After ten years in the insurance industry, Jones found her passion helping families design their legacy through trusts and estate planning. One of her favorite quotes is by leadership guru Max De Pree: "We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are." This sentiment is why she believes so strongly in ANSWER’s mission. When she thinks back to all the people who helped her "become what she needs to be," she wants to empower other mothers in the same way as an ANSWER mentor. Jones is a mom of one and loves to garden and jog.

Teri Kubbs is chairperson of ANSWER’s University Relations Committee. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from Ohio Northern University and a master's degree plus 30 (30 additional credits) in high school administration from the University of Dayton.  Her career spans 36 years in public education in Ohio, half in the classroom teaching senior government and half as a high school principal.  Kubbs is the proud mom of two amazing Sons – Kirt and Kody – two incredible bonus daughters – Mandy and Sherry – and two energetic and delightful granddaughters – Gwen and Delaney. 

Donna Lerner teaches art and is the assistant director of marketing at the Charlotte Jewish Day School. She hold a B.A. in Biochemistry and a minor in art history from Smith College, and an MSPH in Environmental Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Lerner began her career in environmental consulting in Washington, D.C. Prior to becoming a teacher, she worked in residential real estate and actively participated in several non-profit boards. She is married to a Charlotte native and has two grown children.

Patricia Maruna is an attorney currently with U.S. Bank where she works in risk management and compliance. Maruna earned her law degree from the University of Panama. She holds an LLM in International and Comparative Law from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and completed the Program on Negotiation for Senior Executives at Harvard Law School. Maruna has been an ANSWER mentor since 2016. She also serves as secretary of the board of U.S. Bank Employee Development Network and council board member of Community in Christ Lutheran Church. Previously, she was vice president of the Executive Women of Lake Norman. Maruna is married to David, mother to Parker and David III, and step-mother to Zoë.

Lori Myers is a senior director at TIAA, where she leads a team that focuses on the internal customer experience with desktop technologies. Myers has 25 years of experience in the financial services industry in technology and business management roles. Since joining TIAA, she helped create the IT Women’s Council’s group mentoring program. She also co-chairs the Women’s Employee Resource Group in Charlotte and serves as a career coach.

Myers is an active volunteer as a member of ANSWER’s Professional Development Committee and the Belmont Abbey College Alumni Board. She holds an M.S. in Management and Leadership from Montreat College and a B.A. in Liberal Studies from Belmont Abbey College. Myers is a Distinguished Toast Master and served in the United States Air Force.

Myers lives in Cramerton with her husband, Clint. They have three children.

Kristine Virgint received her B.A. in International Relations from Kent State University. Following graduation, she worked in Bolivia for a hand-knit sweater company supervising production of designs and quality control. During this time, she became fluent in Spanish while working with Indigenous women. After returning to the U.S., she started her own retail company in Boston, expanding to New York City and Washington D.C.

Virgint spent the next 20 years working in Peru, Bolivia, Guatemala, Mexico and Nepal producing and distributing her own original collections of handmade products. She moved to Charlotte 15 years ago with her husband to raise their two sons. After spending the majority of her career working with women, Virgint recognizes the strength of women and feels privileged to help them improve their life for their families.

Sarah Welsh is a learning and leadership client manager at Bank of America, currently supporting the Global Technology and Operations team. Over her eleven years with the bank, she has had various roles leading key learning initiatives and the new hire program for the Global Banking and Markets business. Her passion is coaching employees at all levels to embrace their strengths, as well as identify and pursue development opportunities that support their career growth. Welsh is a native of Rochester, N.Y. and graduated from York College of Pennsylvania with a B.A in History and a minor in political science. She recently relocated to Charlotte from New York City with her husband and twin daughters.

Kathy Widger is retired from a 40+ year career in nursing with roles as a staff nurse, clinical and program director, educator, and advanced clinician. This includes a role as advanced practice psychiatric nurse. She was certified as a psychiatric clinical nurse specialist by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and she was a member of Sigma Theta Tau honor society in Nursing. She has volunteered as a trained community mediator in Maryland, working with parents to assist them in developing parenting plans. Kathy holds a B.S. degree from Boston College and a M.A. from New York University.

Sheila Williams is CEO/founder of S. Williams Coaching and Consulting LLC and a proud TIAA employee for almost seven years. She has also written youth and adult development programs for non-profit entities and municipalities. Williams holds a B.S. in Management with a concentration in organizational behavior as well as certifications in life coaching, mindfulness, IT, and Six Sigma (Green Belt). Her favorite quote is Vince Lombardi’s, “It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.” Williams is the proud mother of one son and her fur baby Chloe.

Jessica Yarzumbeck is the segment growth leader for dental and healthcare services at Aprio, a CPA-led business advisory firm. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from UNC Charlotte, M.A. in Communication from Queens University of Charlotte, and is currently working on an Integrated Marketing 360 Certificate through Cornell University. “I understand the challenges that come with being an untraditional student as well as the benefits of having a degree,” she says. “I’m so excited to offer support to an ANSWER scholar as she takes the initiative to better her life, her future and her family.” Yarzumbeck enjoys traveling, reading, listening to music and podcasts, and especially spending time with family, friends, her husband Brad and their kitties.