Mary Hopper

Executive Director

Mary brings a wide range of experience to her job as Executive Director, having served as an advocate for both neighborhoods and business corridors. Because of her work on city contracts, she has first-hand experience with street design, road planning and transit projects as well as in forging better connectivity through the use of sidewalks and greenways.

Mary served for eight years on the Charlotte Mecklenburg Planning Commission, the final two as its chairman. Her work there included authoring the first report on Big Box retail and leading two summits on regional planning.

As a professional communicator, Mary has led two of Charlotte’s communication associations and won national and local awards for her work. She has direct experience with developing municipal service districts, having been a longtime board member of Charlotte Uptown Development Corporation (predecessor to Charlotte Center City Partners) and serving on the founding body for South End.
Mary has her undergraduate degree in Spanish from Georgia State University and her Master’s and Ph.D. in Romance Languages from the University of Missouri Columbia. She’s lived in Charlotte since 1967.

704.688.2483
mhopper@universitycitypartners.org

Janelle Goodrich

Project Manager

As UCP’s project manager, Janelle has utilized her education in interior design, her organizational skills and her growing expertise in photography and graphics. Since joining the staff in February 2008, she has overseen a comprehensive signage project, been the point person on Green Goats & Gardens, assembled UCP’s greatly expanded photo library and managed both the URP video shoot and the filming of University City’s television commercials.

Janelle also manages the social media campaign, works with the websites, and staffs the Green Committee.

Her ability to master various design software packages has been invaluable. Born and reared in the Midwest and educated at Virginia Commonwealth University, Janelle has lived in University City since 1998.

704.688.2481
jgoodrich@universitycitypartners.org

Dikeesha Nelson

Administrative Assistant

Dikeesha is the glue that holds the operation together. She organizes events, ensuring that every detail is addressed so the event runs smoothly. She does not shy away from tackling the mundane items like nametags and choosing menus while being perfectly capable of handling the technology and set-up.

Day to day, she is the interface that makes sure that bills are paid, supplies are ordered and that the appropriate accounting procedures are followed. The New Jersey native moved to Charlotte with her family in 1985 and has totally settled in, now raising her baby girl here. Before joining University City Partners, Dikeesha worked in law firms and with other non-profits including Goodwill.

704-688-2482
dnelson@universitycitypartners.org