MEET US
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Laura Long Collins
President & Executive Director
Wake Forest
Laura Collins attended school in Raleigh and loved it so much that she's lived here in Wake County ever since. She has 20 years' experience in business with a focus on project and program management. She is a Technical Program Manager and Chief of Staff in Engineering at a major tech company. In her downtime you can find Laura with family, friends, her cat Mabel, and dogs Max and Marley. Her oldest daughter studies engineering at NCSU and her youngest, twins, are current and former United States Marines.
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Laura learned about the Facebook group Carolina Cares several years ago and was impressed by how many people are helped by the small core group of volunteers and by the larger Carolina Cares donor community. She saw how everyone had such a willingness to help each other and was inspired to do more herself. Laura began working more closely with Carolina Cares in 2019 and helps manage the Carolina Cares Facebook community, as well as assisting with in-person events and governance work as needed. She spearheaded the creation of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit that Carolina Cares is today. Laura is extremely proud of the work that Carolina Cares does to serve our local community and is thankful for all the volunteers and donors who make the work possible.
Clarise Tittle
Vice-President
Garner
Clarise works in healthcare and helps people on a daily basis in addition to her work with Carolina Cares. Originally from Pennsylvania, she has called Garner home for many years. She began volunteering with Carolina Cares in 2018 and has worked tirelessly behind the scenes for all of our events. Clarise can be found many nights leading up to our Christmas event collecting, cleaning, shopping, and organizing toys and donations. She is passionate about helping people where they are, however she can.
Monique Lockhart
Clayton
Info coming soon
Beth Owens
Wake Forest
Beth is a native of Alabama but has called the Raleigh area home for many years. She brings a bright passion to working with Carolina Cares and serving our community with dignity. Beth is an automotive aftermarket specialist with many years in technology and marketing. She lives in Wake Forest with her husband Tommy and children. Roll Tide!
CAROLINA CARES DEVELOPMENT BOARD
Dr. Donna Goldstein
Community Outreach Liaison
Raleigh
“Dr.Donna” grew up with parents in the social work and teaching professions , who taught her that it is our responsibility each day to do something to help repair the world.
Trained as a corporate psychologist , she served as the Director of Training and Wellness for an Atlanta based insurance company and later provided consulting and training services to 200 + organizations including over 50 nonprofits. She served as an adjunct faculty member at six universities and contributed to 28 books. She’s been an active volunteer for 45 yrs w/charities that serve the homeless and hungry , as well as the arts. She recently relocated to Raleigh and jumped right in volunteering for the Food Donation Connection and as one of the key volunteers for Carolina Cares, helping to organize the 2023 Christmas giveaway and the pop up give -away afterwards . She co-leads our monthly food pop-up , sponsored by MOM’s, at Trophy Brewery and is excited about also coordinating the Halloween Costume Swap and Giveaway. She has enjoyed mentoring several members our community and looks forward to continuing to be of service.
Nicole Finch
Community Outreach Liaison
Raleigh
Nicole Finch, originally from Upstate NY moved to Raleigh in 2013 with her husband Aaron and three children. They wanted a more active Homeschooling community and the ability to enjoy the great outdoors year-round. Her oldest son, Noah graduated from homeschooling in 2023 with an Associates Degree thanks to Wake Tech Community College which offered free College courses for homeschooling students to earn credits. He is now enrolled at UNC to earn his bachelor's degree with a dual major in Software Game Development and Electrical Engineering. Nicole’s twins Liam and Christian both freshmen, are also taking advantage of WTCC courses to earn credits toward their future careers.
Nicole has a BA degree in childhood education from SUNY.. She began volunteering for Carolina Cares in 2024 and has found it rewarding to help so many in need. As the saying goes, it truly takes a village, and many within the village have become like family.
Surbhi Ugra
Spokesperson
Raleigh
Surbhi moved to North Carolina in 2021 with her husband. They have since built a house and added a puppy and baby to their family, truly making Raleigh, NC their home. Surbhi has been dedicated to community service wherever she has lived, so it didn't take long for her to find and join the amazing Carolina Cares family.
At work, Surbhi leads Digital Employee Experience, acting as the liaison between HR and IT teams. She focuses on ensuring that technology improves the lives of those she works with and is implemented in an ethical way. She will bring the same skills and passion to our organization as the Spokesperson to Carolina Cares.
A million Thank-Yous to our family, friends, committed volunteers, and on-going donors who support us every day!
If you look through our photos you will see some familiar faces popping up at every event.
JOIN US!
We are a small passionate group of volunteers who work together to pull off our events and help our community.
We are growing rapidly and need more volunteers to help coordinate things in preparation for our events.
Please view the list of needed roles, and share with your networks.
CONTACT US
IN MEMORIAM
Celebrating the Remarkable Life of Susann "Zanny" Wigger
September 9, 2023
Susann “Zanny” Wigger, 47, had a kind heart and a passion for helping others. She believed in helping everyone attain dignity and self-sufficiency, and lived her life with compassion and acceptance for all she met. Her work touched many lives, even countless people who may not have even known her name. She helped people because she believed in it, not because she wanted accolades. She had a long history of civic and community involvement, driven by her compassion for the earth and love for all who live here. A long-time vegetarian then vegan, she believed all life to be precious.
Zanny was preceded in death by her father, who passed earlier this year, and by her late husband Ben, who passed over 6 years after beating stage IV esophageal cancer. She is survived by her fiance Paul, her sweet cats Maxi and Mittens, and many friends who loved her like family.
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She began volunteering with Carolina Cares in 2015, initially helping prepare and distribute food and meals to the homeless and helping with events. In 2018 she joined the administration for Carolina Cares, and when Carolina Cares became a 501c3 not-for-profit Zanny was Vice-President. She worked tirelessly behind the scenes and on center stage to help as many people as possible. In 2020 she joined the Board of Bridge the Gap Mission to further both groups’ missions.
Zanny was a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she made many lifelong friends. She had a career of over 20 years in marketing, consulting, and communications in both industry and in the non-profit sector. She spent many years doing consulting work, and in 2021 began working with Medical Leverage.
Zanny loved people, music, dancing, food, plants, camping, the outdoors, travel, and all things funky and colorful. She was a free spirit and marched to the beat of her own music. We know she will continue to live in our hearts forever, as will the impact she made on the world.
We, her dearest friends, love and miss her so; thank you for reading about her today and keeping her legacy alive.