Leadership Podcasts

Carol A. Lovin, MHSA, MN, is enterprise executive vice president, chief integration officer and system chief of staff for Atrium Health, one of the largest non-profit and leading academic health systems in the United States. As a member of the executive leadership team, she leads both external and internal integration, working to accelerate and strengthen enterprise-wide connections and alignment and driving value through growth and efficiency synergies as Atrium Health forms new partnerships. Lovin also co-leads business development with the chief financial officer, with responsibilities for new partnership opportunity assessment through deal closure. As system chief of staff, she integrates the work of the leadership team and the Atrium Health enterprise governance network to achieve Atrium Health’s vision and strategy. With more than 30 years of experience advancing healthcare strategy and business development, communications, marketing and operational execution, Lovin joined Atrium Health in 2007 when NorthEast Medical Center became part of Atrium Health. Before her current role, she served as Atrium Health’s executive vice president and chief strategy officer, overseeing strategy, business development, innovation, corporate communications, marketing and community engagement. During that time, she led the launch of both Atrium’s innovation group and advanced analytics team. Additional leadership positions held throughout her career include serving as president of the Carolinas HealthCare System Management Company and leading strategic planning, marketing and business development at NorthEast Medical Center. Deeply invested in the community, Lovin was one of 10 Charlotte business leaders who led the combination of the Charlotte Chamber and Charlotte Regional Partnership to form the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance. She currently serves as the Charlotte Alliance’s immediate past chair and also serves on the boards of Charlotte Center City Partners and the Charlotte Sports Foundation. Additionally, Lovin is vice chair of the board of MedCost, a benefits solutions company of Atrium Health. Lovin is decorated with many honors, including receiving Charlotte Business Journal’s Women in Business Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2018, she was named Charlotte Businesswoman of the Year by Queens University. Among others, recent recognitions also include being named to Becker’s Hospital Review’s “Women Hospital and Health System Leaders to Know” and “Hospital and Health System Chief Strategy Officers to Know.” Lovin holds a Bachelor of Science and a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Washington, as well as a master’s degree in health services administration from the University of Michigan.

Dwayne Black serves as the Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer of Shutterfly. Dwayne Black and the Shutterfly executive team are rated a C by 48 employees.

Jonathan S. Halkyard occupies the position of Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer of MGM Resorts International. He is also on the board of 7 other companies. In the past Mr. Halkyard was President, Chief Executive Officer & Director at Extended Stay America, Inc. and President, Chief Executive Officer & Director at ESH Hospitality, Inc. (a subsidiary of Extended Stay America, Inc.), Director at Sid R. Bass Associates, Chief Financial Officer & Executive Vice President of Caesars License Co. LLC, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer & Senior VP for Caesars Entertainment Operating Co., Inc., Chief Financial Officer & Executive Vice President at Nevada Power Co., Chief Financial Officer & Executive Vice President of NV Energy, Inc., Chief Financial Officer & Executive Vice President at Sierra Pacific Power Co., CFO, Treasurer & Executive Vice President at Caesars Holdings, Inc. and Corporate Finance Associate-Media Banking Group at The Chase Manhattan Bank NA. He received an undergraduate degree from Colgate University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Diane Morais joined Ally in 2008, and is responsible for driving the growth, profitability, and digital evolution of Ally’s consumer and commercial banking division.  She has oversight of the Deposits, Ally Invest, Mortgage, Ally Lending, Ally credit cards, and Corporate Finance businesses, as well as customer care and operations. She also oversees Ally’s Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) program.

Morais was instrumental in the creation and launch of the Ally brand in 2009.  Under Morais’ leadership, Ally Bank has achieved double-digit retail deposit growth each year, and now has more than 2.5 million customers and over $135 billion in retail deposits.  Ally has received numerous third-party accolades, including being named “Best Online Bank” in America by Money® Magazine, as well as “Best Internet Bank” and “Best for Millennials” by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance.

Prior to holding key leadership positions of increasing responsibility at Ally, Morais achieved a number of significant professional accomplishments in the financial services sector.  During a career spanning twelve years at Bank of America, she served in senior roles in deposit and debit products, national customer experience, card services marketing and consumer mortgage vendor management. Morais also spent nine years at Citibank’s credit card division in a variety of marketing, risk and finance roles.

A native of Pittsburgh, PA, Morais holds a bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University.  She is a member of the board of directors for Junior Achievement of Central Carolinas, the YMCA of Greater Charlotte, and Charlotte Center City Partners. Morais has been named to American Banker Magazine’s ‘25 Most Powerful Women in Banking’ list for six consecutive years. She was also named one of the top 25 outstanding business women in the Charlotte Business Journal’s 2018 Women in Business Awards.  She is active in the Charlotte community, serving as an Executive in Residence for Queens University and volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, Dress for Success and the Salvation Army.

A leadership panel that includes Fred Whitfield, Pete Guelli, and Muggsy Bogues of the Charlotte Hornets.

Currently serving on the Board of Directors of Sonoco Products Company (NYSE: SON) and The Cato Corporation (NYSE: CATO), both global New York Stock Exchange companies headquartered in the Carolinas.

Retired from Deloitte in 2019 after a 40-year career with the firm, lastly serving as the Managing Partner for the Carolinas practice, where she oversaw nearly 2,000 professionals and was responsible for the strategy and direction of Deloitte’s efforts and activities in North and South Carolina. Before relocating to Charlotte in 2011, she was the Managing Partner of Deloitte’s San Diego practice for 10 years and previously served as the Partner-in-Charge of Audit Services in Phoenix.

Throughout 40 years with Deloitte, providing auditing and consulting services, she served both large global companies as well as mid-market growth companies. She was the Lead Client Service Partner and Advisory Partner for several attest and non-attest clients, primarily in the consumer business, retail, manufacturing and distribution industries.

In 1991, She was admitted to the Deloitte partnership at a time when women represented fewer than 4% of partners at the largest accounting firms. During my career, she has led numerous initiatives on behalf of women. She helped develop a culture that encourages leaders to provide clearly defined paths to help professionals identify the right work/life fit, explore formal mentorship opportunities, and to strengthen benefits such as eldercare, childcare and a vast array of workplace flexibility initiatives. She remains focused on the advancement of women in the business community.

Investing locally has always been a personal interest. She is an involved and active member in the Charlotte community, serving as the immediate Past Chair of the YMCA of Greater Charlotte. She also participates in the Charlotte Executive Leadership Council, International Women’s Forum, Women Executives, AICPA, and NCACPA.

Brian Savoy serves as executive vice president and chief strategy and commercial officer for Duke Energy. He is responsible for enterprise strategy as well as strategies to transform the company's generation and transmission assets to achieve its net-zero carbon emissions goals. In addition, he has responsibility for commercial renewables, the natural gas business unit, business ventures and development, and relationship management and sales for large customer accounts.

Ralph is a senior-level Executive with extensive leadership experience within several of the world’s largest global investment banking and financial services organizations. Ralph is results-oriented and possesses an outstanding business, information technology and entrepreneurial background with a passion and highly regarded capability for transformational leadership. Recognized by Senior Level Executives and Board of Directors for an ability to identify and analyze operational issues, develop world class solutions, and implement audaciously visionary and highly innovative practices that consistently generate outstanding bottom-line results. Examples include launching the first Agile SDLC practice at Wells Fargo in 2008. That practice went on to become the gold standard of Agile at the firm and was instrumental in increasing the productivity of Ralph’s team by 5X and decreased their time/speed to market by more than 50%. Ralph started his first company in 2000, with a plan to address income inequality by providing the means to invest in equity markets for first time and underrepresented investors. And this audaciously visionary and innovative leadership shows up again in Ralph’s most current leadership roles as the founder of Knowhere Art Gallary; a fusion of contemporary art, technology and socially conscious storytelling. Lastly in Ralph’s roles as CIO at BNY Mellon and Wells Fargo which are implementing advanced AI and machine learning models to eliminate manual operational procedures.

Professional Experience

Kristan Seaford, raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, has a bachelor's degree in English and Psychology

with a minor in Marketing from Duke University. Kristan's early career was as a

marketing executive for a small advertising agency.

While she enjoyed her work, she was looking for something more. 

Kristan returned to school and received her master's degree in Counselor Education from Wake Forest University

as well as a NC License in Professional Counseling (LPC). Her counseling experience began

in several colleges where she served as an academic, career, and personal counselor. She then joined

a local private practice, where she used play therapy with children and traditional therapy with adolescents and adults.

She focused her attention on individuals, groups, and families suffering through anxiety, depression, 

eating disorders, abuse, divorce, and other life transitions. In addition, Kristan is a Gottman-trained marital therapist.

After a "break" from professional counseling to be a stay-at-home, Kristan has returned to her passion - providing

a place and a space for people to share their thoughts, feelings, dreams, challenges, and worries.

Kristan has opened her own private practice, Kristan Seaford, LPC, in Matthews, North Carolina. 

Kristan's Story

It was the Fall of 2013. Kristan Seaford, a 38-year-old stay-at-home mom with five young children,

had so far managed to avoid the bugs that her kids had been passing around like balls.

She liked to think that her flu shot and her cardiovascular health were providing her a protective shield - she was an avid runner

and taught classes in weight training and athletic conditioning.  

However, Kristan's life screeched to a halt and then veered in a new direction when catastrophic illness struck.

What began as the flu and strep throat turned into pneumonia and a life-threatening condition called septic shock.  

After 100 days, a medically-induced coma, six hospitals, and a miracle; she survived. 

However, the powerful treatments and medications that saved her life also changed it for ever.  

Today she lives as a triple amputee, with her remaining foot missing the toes and heel.

And she is as busy as ever - parenting those five children, driving them to various activities, 

volunteering at their schools, and even teaching group exercise classes again at the YMCA.

She has also become a motivational and faith-building speaker, a personal counselor, blogger, and writer. In short, Kristan has not let

disabilities slow her down, let alone stop her from doing what she loves— helping others.