Darren Ash

Executive Director, The ROC

Darren serves as full-time Executive Director at no salary. His main role is to connect student participants to the construction industry in the form of mentorships, apprenticeships and permanent job placement. Darren has a strong track record of collaborating to achieve long-term organizational growth and sustainability. He was one of three founding partners of Apartment Realty Advisors (ARA), the largest private multifamily investment sales company in the U.S. until it was purchased by a publicly traded New York firm in 2014. He also founded and ran Charlotte Family Housing (CFH) for seven years, now the largest shelter to rapid rehousing agency in North Carolina. After CFH, he founded and ran Common Wealth Charlotte (CWC), a trauma-informed financial education and emergency loan program for low-wage workers. He graduated from the University of Georgia in 1982 with a Masters of Tax and CPA designation.

Email Darren at dash@roccharlotte.org

Margaret Thornton

Associate Director, The ROC

Margaret serves full time for The ROC as Associate Director. Before The ROC, Margaret worked at Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) under Carl Perkins Federal Program as a Career and Technical Education Coordinator. Prior to working at CPCC, Margaret owned her own small design and construction company. Margaret’s nickname is “Mother ROC”! 

Email Margaret at mthornton@roccharlotte.org

Jane Jacobs

Career Pathway Coordinator, The ROC
Julius L. Chambers High School
Garinger High School

Jane Jacobs serves The ROC by developing student career plans and providing student support. Prior to joining The ROC, Jane was a Student Success Navigator at Central Piedmont Community College; helping students through their enrollment process and connecting them to services and resources. Jane holds a Bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University and a Masters degree from University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Email Jane at jjacobs@roccharlotte.org

Hailey Brown

Career Pathway Coordinator, The ROC
ROC College

Hailey Brown serves The ROC by developing student career plans and providing student support. Prior to joining the ROC, Hailey was a CMS middle school teacher, and has always had a passion for creative, hands-on learning. Hailey holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Florida State University in Education.

Email Hailey at hbrown@roccharlotte.org

Dr. Melissa Wilson Balknight

Deputy Superintendent for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

Dr. Melissa Wilson Balknight is the Deputy Superintendent for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Her career in education began as a middle school science teacher. Dr. Balknight has served as a school administrator and held a variety of leadership roles at the district office level in a previous public school district. Her husband and son (both named Ricky) keep her very busy.

Bird Anderson

Board Chair

Executive Vice President of Homebuilder Banking, Wells Fargo

Bird is head of Homebuilder Banking for the Commercial Real Estate Group at Wells Fargo. He provides banking services to regional and national homebuilders and land developers across key markets in the U.S. Bird graduated with a bachelor’s from Vanderbilt University in 1985.

Melanie Reddrick

Project Architect, Little Diversified Architectural Consulting

Melanie is a project architect with the Community/ Schools studio at Little Diversified Architectural Consulting, focusing on K-12 school design. Little offers architectural, engineering, and graphic design services for a variety of project types, including civic, retail, higher education, healthcare, and corporate clients.

Daniel Cooper

Senior Vice President Construction -Crescent Communities

Daniel has over 17 years of construction management experience in a wide range of urban and suburban high-density projects. Daniel currently serves as Senior Vice President of Construction for Crescent Communities and previously served at the executive level at Fortune-Johnson, Inc., one of the nation’s premiere urban multifamily and mixed-use general contractors. Daniel holds a Board seat with the East Carolina University Construction Department and has actively participated in a wide range of local community and industry based charitable projects. He earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Georgia Terry College of Business.

Molly Shaw

Community Leader

Molly previously served as the executive director of Communities In Schools, whose mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. Molly earned a bachelor's from Davidson College and a master's in education at Harvard.

Trent Haston

President/CEO, Roby Family of Companies

A graduate of Harding High School, Trent has been laborer, carpenter and project manager to now president and CEO of the Roby Family of Companies, a company his grandfather and father built. Trent understands and appreciates what it takes to do every job within the construction industry. He graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2000 and was previously president of the Home Builders Association.

Armando Perez

Vice President of Construction Operations, Rodgers Builders

Armando Perez is a Vice President of Construction Operations at Rodgers Builders, a highly recognized and top leading general contractor in the North and South Carolina region. He has been part of numerous complex construction projects in Charlotte which have really helped reshape our growing city. Armando graduated as a Civil Engineer from Georgia Tech and also acquired a masters of finance at the University of Miami in Florida before moving to Charlotte in 2008.

David Privitera

President/CEO, Concorde Construction Company

David is president and CEO of Concorde Construction Company, a full-service general contractor located in Charlotte specializing in hospitality, multifamily and commercial projects. David graduated with a bachelor's in architecture and planning from State University of New York at Buffalo.

Lieutenant LeBraun Evans

Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD)

Lieutenant Evans is a 27-year veteran of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) and oversees the Community Engagement Division. Lieutenant Evans has done extensive work in the juvenile justice and electronic monitoring fields and currently manages all programs that offer engagement and second-chance opportunities for youth that enter the criminal justice system.

Alex Camps

Preconstruction Manager – Gilbane Building Company

Alex Camps has more than 20 years of construction management experience and currently serves as the Preconstruction Manager for Gilbane Building Company in Charlotte, North Carolina. He directs and coordinates the execution of preconstruction services with a specific emphasis on estimating services for large complex construction projects. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Temple University and a Master of Science in Project Management from Drexel University College of Engineering.

Josh Vallimont

Senior Project Manager - DPR

Josh is a graduate of Penn State University’s Architectural Engineering program and has more than 23 years of construction experience. He recently managed the delivery of the largest LEED Gold certified commercial interior renovation project in Charlotte. Currently, he works for DPR and is actively involved in various community volunteer efforts. Previously, Josh served as Senior Project Manager at Balfour Beaty and was also the past Chair of the Charlotte ACE Mento Program.

Matthew Brewster

Vice President - MSS Solutions

Matt is a mechanical engineer by training and education with over 15 years of experience in the construction industry. Currently, he oversees Mechanical Construction, BIM, Custom Fabrication, Pipefitting, Sheet Metal, and Workforce Development at MSS Solutions. Matt’s passion for improving his community through the built environment has driven him to continually improve himself both professionally and personally.

Franklin Chacon

Recent ROC Graduate

Franklin, a native of Honduras, joined the ROC as a high school junior. After graduation, he continued his studies at CPCC, where he completed his Associates in Construction Management. While maintaining his commitment to school, he worked full-time for Liles Construction as a field engineer and also for ahardscape landscaper, where he gained valuable skills and experiences. With his strong work ethic and attention to detail, Franklin is dedicated to building a successful career in the construction industry.

Margaret Thornton

Associate Director, The ROC

Darren Ash

Executive Director, The ROC