Vision Statement

Empowering parents and caregivers to thrive and find balance on their caregiving journey, envisioning a world where parents and caregivers’ mental and emotional well-being is prioritized, and where compassionate support and understanding is readily available in families, among friends, in communities, and our workforce.

What We Do….Awareness, Education, and Advocacy

  • AWARENESS: We deliver compelling speaking engagements and presentations to highlight the hidden toll caregiving takes on parents , families, workplaces, and communities. Whether at conferences, chambers, business groups, government agencies, service organizations, or faith-based events, we shine a light on the often-overlooked parents and caregivers' experiences. In addition, we also emphasize the critical role of family and community members in recognizing parent and caregivers' challenges and being proactive in offering support. With over 50% of caregivers unaware they are labeled a caregiver, many go unsupported until burnout sets in. We spark essential conversations and help others recognize the caregiver crisis—and its impact on every part of society. Let’s bring visibility to the invisible caregiver and work together to help prevent burnout and build stronger, more compassionate communities and workplaces. To start the conversation, contact us.

  • EDUCATION: We provide speaking engagements, tailored workshops, and presentations for parent and caregiver groups, businesses, nonprofits, service and faith-based organizations focused on fostering self-care to help prevent burnout. Our holistic-educational programs support the “sandwich generation” and other caregivers—parents, grandparents, spouses, siblings, youth, and friends—who may balance work and caregiving responsibilities. Through practical self-care strategies and real-life tools, we help caregivers learn to prioritize their self-care, minimize worry, and sustain their energy to help prevent burnout. To collaborate with us, or if you have questions let’s start the conversation, contact us.
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  • ADVOCACY: We work with businesses and leadership teams through consulting, in-house (customized) well-being presentations, and workshops to implement parent and caregiver-friendly work environments. Our programs focus on self-care strategies and mind management techniques that help prevent burnout among the 70+% of U.S. workers who also serve as caregivers either part-time or full-time. Forward-thinking companies that recognize this shift are better positioned to retain top talent, reduce turnover, possibly cut costs, and thrive in today’s global economy. With women making up 60% of caregivers, many with advanced degrees, ignoring this reality puts organizations at risk of losing key contributors and their top talent. To stay competitive and supportive, businesses must adapt. We're here to help you lead the way. Explore our “Caregiver Advocate Business Program” or contact us to schedule in-house training or ask questions. Start creating lasting, impactful change today!
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Board of Directors

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Carolyn Dowdy

President and Founder

Carolyn Dowdy, President and Founder of Caregiver Mental Wellness, brings a diverse background to her role. She has served as a compassionate caregiver, founded and managed a bank consulting firm, held positions as Vice President of Operations, HR, and Training, is a self-published author, and played pivotal roles in launching two start-up banks in Georgia. Carolyn earned her “Bachelor of Science in Business” from Tusculum University in Greeneville, Tennessee. She furthered her education at the University of Texas in Austin, completing "The Graduate School of Financial Institutions Management," and graduated from the “Nonprofit Management Institute” through the North Carolina Center for Nonprofits.

With eighteen years of personal experience as a family caregiver for her parents and husband, Carolyn is deeply committed to advocating for the well-being of parents and caregivers to promote supportive families, communities, and workplaces. Her dedication culminated in the establishment of Caregiver Mental Wellness, Inc., a nonprofit organization based in North Carolina. Her work, informed by extensive research over seven years on parent and caregiver burnout and the challenges facing family caregivers in today's workforce, underscores her passion for raising awareness and effecting positive change in family caregivers’ lives.

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Greg Needham

UNC Charlotte 
Assistant Vice Chancellor for  
Research Translation & Industry Alliances

Greg Needham is a Charlotte-based technology commercialization and business strategy practitioner with more than 40 years of experience launching new ventures, building alliances, and translating complex ideas into real-world impact. Working at the intersection of technology, business, and market development, Greg has guided startups, SMBs, and Fortune 500 companies through the full arc of innovation from early-stage customer discovery and product definition to market entry, revenue growth, and strategic exits. His career spans a wide range of industries including advanced manufacturing, aerospace, energy, healthcare, marine, business services, and technology, giving him a broad lens through which to evaluate opportunity and drive growth. 

Currently serving as Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research Translation & Industry Alliances at UNC Charlotte, Greg has held senior leadership roles across entrepreneurial ventures and large corporations alike including Vice President positions at Brunswick Corporation and Kennametal, co-founder roles in a SaaS marketing automation startup and a single-family investment office, and nearly a decade running his own commercialization and business strategy consultancy. Over the course of his career, Greg has been directly involved in more than 30 mergers and acquisitions, primarily on the buy-side, and has served as a key member of the integration teams that followed. Currently, he is also serving as Chief Operating Officer and co-Principal Investigator for the Carolinas Engine for Grid Modernization, a $160M National Science Foundation (NSF) program. He holds graduate degrees in Technology Commercialization from the University of Texas and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh, and has served as an MBA lecturer, Executive-in-Residence, and NSF I Corps mentor at NC State University. 

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Thomas Schnupp

Vice President

Thomas Schnupp retired from an extensive career in the field of physical therapy with a specialty in Geriatric Physical Therapy. He worked at various healthcare type facilities in Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia, and currently resides in Concord, North Carolina. He dedicated his life to the field of Physical Therapy with a passion for supporting his care recipients. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Wheeling Jesuit College then attended Physical Therapy School at West Virginia University. Thomas continued his education and completed his master’s degree at the Medical College of Virginia. With a focus on home care, hospice care, an Alzheimer’s unit, and various skilled and extended care facilities, he gained extensive experience in elderly care. In addition to his extensive clinical experience, Thomas served on the faculty at Wheeling Jesuit University School of Physical Therapy.

With over thirty years of observing the various situations of caregivers in the home, he has a passion for supporting initiatives to support the well-being of caregivers. He witnessed the emotional toll on caregivers and championed mental well-being and support groups. Even in retirement his legacy continues to shine through as an advocate of caregivers’ well-being.

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Tara McAlister, SHRM-CP, RCC

Founder/President 
The People Strategy Group

Tara is a Charlotte-based HR strategist and executive coach with more than 25 years of experience helping organizations build stronger leaders and healthier workplaces. She is the Founder and President of “The People Strategy Group,” and holds both her SHRM-CP certification and Registered Corporate Coach (RCC) designation. Tara’s career spans healthcare, financial services, and professional services, including nearly two decades in a senior HR leadership role at Charlotte Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat Associates, a multi-site healthcare organization with more than 700 employees. 

Throughout her career, she’s worked closely with employees and employers navigating the human side of work, including burnout, mental health challenges, and the strain that caregiving responsibilities place on working individuals. Tara is an active community leader, currently serving as President-Elect of the “Union County Human Resources Association,” and Chair of the “Union County Chamber Women in Business” initiative, and she’s honored to bring her professional expertise to Caregiver Mental Wellness’s mission. 

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Advisory Board

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Ashley Henderson

Certified Family Partner
Care Manager and Educator

As a parent of a developmentally delayed child and former educator and advocate, I’ve seen the deep emotional and mental challenges caregivers face. Navigating systems, advocating for services, and balancing everyday life can be overwhelming and isolating. I joined the Caregiver Mental Wellness Advisory Board because I believe caregiver mental health must be a priority, not an afterthought. My goal is to help ensure caregivers feel supported, heard, and equipped with resources that truly meet their needs. I’m passionate about building a community where caregivers don’t just survive but feel seen, valued, and empowered in their journey.

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Janelle Goodrich

Director of Operations
University City Partners

A Midwestern native, she’s called Charlotte home since 1995 and has spent the last 15 years helping shape University City’s growth as Director of Operations for University City Partners. Armed with a B.A. in Interior Design and a minor in photography from Virginia Commonwealth University, I juggle everything from graphic design and event branding to bookkeeping, property management, and RFP wrangling. My passion for clear communication and thoughtful design keeps our community’s projects moving-and looking—their best.

Why join Caregiver Mental Wellness Advisory Board? The mission hits home. I watched my sister shoulder the emotional weight of caring for our mom during her battle with Alzheimer’s, and I saw firsthand how easily caregivers set their own well-being aside. Lending my skill set to an organization devoted to their mental wellness feels like the most meaningful way I can honor that experience—and help others avoid the burnout my family experienced.

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Leah Marone, LCSW

Psychotherapist
Mental Wellness Consultant

Leah is a seasoned psychotherapist, corporate mental wellness consultant, and Yale clinical instructor based in Charlotte, NC, with over 20 years of experience. She has facilitated more than 20,000 therapy sessions and is the author of Serial Fixer: Break Free from the Habit of Solving Other People’s Problems. A former Division 1 basketball player who worked through significant anxiety, Leah is dedicated to helping high-achieving leaders and teams break cycles of burnout, perfectionism, and self-neglect. Leah joined the Advisory Board of Caregiver Mental Wellness Inc. because she believes caregivers are often the backbone of families, communities, and organizations—but too often lack the support they need. She’s passionate about promoting sustainable self-care, emotional regulation, and boundary setting for those who constantly pour into others. Through her work, she hopes to help caregivers feel seen, supported, and empowered to prioritize their own well-being.

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Matthew Brown

The Huntington National Bank
Senior Relationship Manager 

While I grew up in Hickory, NC, I have made Cabarrus County my home since 2001 after attending UNC-Charlotte, where I earned my undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering, as well as my MBA.  I have been in the banking industry for the better part 25 years and have spent most of that time helping business clients with strategic advice to reach their goals, and leading groups of banking professionals to maximize results. 

The mission of the Caregiver Mental Wellness Advisory Board really aligns with my values, and helping those who help is extremely important.  Having seen first had how mentally taxing it can be to take care of someone with cognitive and mental decline; I wanted to find a way to give back to those who give so much.  I hope that my skill set in banking and leadership can help make a meaningful impact to the organization and the community as a whole.  

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