Our Team
Megan Smith, Development Manager
Megan comes to GiGi's Playhouse freshly out of the education field with a Masters of Arts in Teaching. As a general education teacher, Megan had exceptional dedication, compassion, and has consistently demonstrated a remarkable ability to create inclusive and supportive learning environments for all students. Her classroom was a testament to her commitment to fostering a sense of belonging and empowerment among all students, including those with diverse needs. Megan was known for her support of students who may face challenges in accessing appropriate educational opportunities.
Megan grew up in South Florida. She met her husband at the age of three, they have now been married over 20 years and have two children, Scott and Luke, and a very spoiled dog named Toodles. She loves college football, decorating, Disney, reading, and spending time with her family.
Megan is excited to continue her passion for inclusion and shouting the worth of others in this new role at GiGi's Playhouse Charlotte.
Aysen Ulupinar, Operations Manager
Aysen Ulupinar cares deeply about helping others—which makes her a great fit for our team. Her organizational and tactical expertise contribute greatly to GiGi’s Playhouse Charlotte.
Aysen moved to from Ohio to North Carolina in 2015 with her daughter. She has an extensive background in higher education, administrative work and leadership development. She worked at UNC Charlotte, the University of Akron, and Baldwin-Wallace University prior to GiGi’s Playhouse. She also currently works as a member of the Guest Relations Staff for Bank of America Stadium (home of the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC) - you'll find her at the stadium for every home game, match and concert, greeting fans as they arrive! Aysen earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development and Family Studies from Bowling Green State University and her Master of Education degree in Higher Education from Kent State University, both in Ohio. Aysen is a certified True Colors facilitator, REACH Ecosystem Practitioner, and has a passion for leadership development and training. She is grounded in her faith and loves to travel with her family while taking time to learn more about people. Aysen's name is pronounced Eye-Shen.
Connor Fagan, Board Co-President
After growing up in the Washington, DC area, Connor attended and graduated from Davidson College. Following his undergraduate studies, Connor spent four years in consulting before joining the Strategic Execution & Business Performance team at Truist to work on the bank's future growth strategy. Connor received his MBA with a concentration in strategic management from UNC Charlotte in 2023. Connor's previous volunteer work with Best Buddies and his interactions with individuals with Down syndrome led him to seek opportunities to make a positive impact in his community. He joined GiGi's Playhouse because he believes wholeheartedly in 'acceptance for all.'
In his personal life, Connor enjoys spending time with his wife, Michelle, and their dog, Birdie. An avid runner, he can often be found exploring the streets of South Charlotte on weekends. Connor is excited to bring his skills to the board of GiGi's Playhouse and help further their mission of supporting individuals with Down syndrome and their families.
Nathan Healy, Board Co-President
After a quick stint playing professional basketball in Europe for 2 years, Nate moved to CLT in 2015 and worked at Red Ventures for 8 years until moving to work for Palmetto Solar in 2024.
His desire to help with GiGi’s stems from his numerous interactions with the DS community and its individuals that always leave him inspired, and he wholeheartedly believed in “Acceptance for all”.
He met his wife Anna at App State, and they have 2 young children, Izzy (6) and Joe (4) who keep them busy. When it’s nice enough, you’ll find the whole crew outside somewhere, preferably on the water!
Laurie Maddex, Board Secretary and Programs
Laurie Maddex, M.Ed., is a parent advocate and a former educator. Her 10+ years of experience falls in elementary education, special education in an inclusive environment, and curriculum development. Laurie and her husband Bryan live in Waxhaw, NC, and parent four wonderfully different teen boys; two of them (Chase and Zeke) sporting extra 21st chromosomes.
Laura Schlesing, Board Treasurer
Laura Schlesing joined Advocacy Trust as a Trust Officer in October 2023. Laura graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration in trust management and a minor in financial planning from Campbell University Trust. She holds the ATFA certification and has over 15 years of experience in trust administration.
After graduating from college, Laura worked in both the personal trust and philanthropic sectors. Upon the birth of her first son, Laura decided to pursue a new career path closer to her home, leading one of Charlotte's largest child development centers. Her path took an unexpected turn when her second child was born with Down Syndrome and then diagnosed with leukemia at the age of two. Now that her boys are healthy and off to elementary and middle school, she has returned to the trust profession. Laura's mission to serve families affected by loss or adversity led her to Advocacy Trust.
Laura is active in the Charlotte community. She serves on the Levine Children's Cancer Champions Board and is Treasurer of the Board of Directors for Gigi's Playhouse Charlotte. Because of Laura's tireless efforts with the Leukemia Lymphoma Society, she was nominated to participate in their Visionary of the Year fundraiser for 2024 and is currently serving on the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation committee raising money to save lives. Laura lives with her husband of 19 years, their three sons, and two golden retrievers. When not working, Laura enjoys spending time with her family, running, dancing, and watching her boys play soccer and baseball.
Felicia Halas, Governance and Board Member
Felicia Halas is a board member here at GiGi’s playhouse Charlotte. She graduated from Wake Forest University in 2023 with a degree in mathematical statistics and a minor in computer science, and now works for Deloitte doing cybersecurity. Her hobbies include volunteering (especially with her friends at the playhouse), spending time outside with her dog, hanging out with friends and family, and doing anything active. She first got involved with GiGi's leading adult kitchen in 2022, and now she volunteers on a weekly basis. She looks forward to seeing your smiling faces in the playhouse!
Neil Foto, Board Member - Events/Marketing
Neil has lived in the Charlotte area for over 30 years and values being involved in the local community. He spent a few years working with Friendship Trays where he helped prepare, organize, and deliver meals to those in need. After receiving his MBA from Queens University, he began working for Red Ventures in the digital marketing field. After 8 years there, Neil currently works in the same field for Home Solutions. He and his wife, Caroline, love living in the town of Waxhaw, surrounded by dogs and horses.
Neil began volunteering with GiGi’s Playhouse in 2021 as a literacy tutor and has witnessed the impact that GiGi’s Playhouse has had on participants, families, and volunteers throughout the Charlotte community. He is passionate about the mission of GiGi’s Playhouse and the families it supports.
Dana Marxer, Marketing
Dana is the proud mother of 5 boys, including Christopher (who has Autism), Harrison, William, Luke, and Benjamin (who has Down Syndrome). She is an engineer turned entrepreneur, having served as an executive in multiple technology companies, and now the founder and CEO of a software company, ayeQ. Her long-time passion has been serving individuals with unique abilities, finding opportunities for them to pursue their dreams in alternative ways and contribute their gifts to society. She joined the GiGi’s board to enhance the career development opportunities for individuals with Down Syndrome and support the marketing effort to build awareness of GiGi’s Playhouse in the Charlotte area.
Eileen Walsh-Miot, Board Member - Family and Community Outreach
Eileen was on the start-up team for GiGi’s Playhouse Charlotte as a fundraising lead in 2018 and then served on the Board of Managers for 2 years. She has recently accepted a board member role again, with a focus on supporting families. Eileen continues to wear many hats to help keep our local GiGi’s Playhouse thriving. She has a gift for fundraising, building partnerships and family support.
Eileen received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Purdue University and then went on to get her Masters in Social Work from Indiana University. After graduation, Eileen spent several years working with children and their families in the school, juvenile justice, and residential settings before having her own children and dedicating her life to raising them.
Eileen is the mother of two children, including her daughter, Marie-Claire, who is rockin’ our favorite extra chromosome.
When Marie-Claire was born in May of 2007, Eileen, her husband, Herve and son Sebastien (2) were living in Cebu, Philippines and were surprised by Marie-Claire’s Down syndrome diagnosis. Since Marie-Claire’s birth, Eileen found a new purpose and drive to create a world where Marie-Claire can thrive. While living in Kentucky, Washington, North Carolina and Indiana, Eileen served on multiple Down Syndrome Association boards and Catholic school inclusion committees. She is passionate about serving once again on the board of directors for GiGi’s Playhouse Charlotte.
For Eileen and her family, the goal is not just inclusion but BELONGING. She can’t wait to help make this a reality for people with Down syndrome and other intellectual and developmental disabilities in the Charlotte area.
Joyce Mesick, Board Member – Development/Fundraising
Joyce has over 20 years of experience in the special needs field. In 2022, she founded Finding Trusted Care, a platform that connects families of special needs loved ones to qualified and experienced caregivers. Joyce became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in 2007 and holds a Master's degree in Special Education, graduating Magna Cum Laude from Lehigh University. She is married to her wonderful husband of 19 years and is a mom to three beautiful girls. Joyce is also an advocate for PANDAS treatment and FAPE for all families.
Thomas Dority, Board Member – Development/Fundraising
Thomas is a strategy & operations consultant who specializes in mid-size, high-growth technology companies. Having demonstrated success transforming several 'for-profit' companies, Thomas decided that the same talent & energy should also be directed to our non-profits in the Charlotte region. In addition to serving on the Board of GiGi's Playhouse Charlotte, Thomas is also actively engaged as a mentor in the local start-up community and also regularly engages with Apparo Nonprofit Technology and Process Improvement.
Dwayne Foster
Dwayne currently works for Eventbrite (NYSE: EB), a global event ticketing platform, in the role of Director, Strategic Initiatives. In this role he is responsible for working with cross-functional stakeholders and senior leaders to define the strategy to transform and enhance Eventbrite’s Customers Team (sales, service, and support). He and his team are also responsible for partnering with cross-functional stakeholders to oversee the successful completion of key projects required to achieve the company’s goals.
Prior to Eventbrite Dwayne served in S&O roles at Twitter and Spectrum Enterprise after spending more than 8 years in S&O roles for management consulting firms Deloitte Consulting and Jabian Consulting.
Dwayne received his undergraduate degree in Politics, Philosophy, Economics, and Law (PPEL) from the University of Richmond in Richmond, Va and he also holds an MBA with a concentration in Innovation and Growth Strategies from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in Charlotte, NC.
Dwayne currently resides in Charlotte, NC with his wife and three daughters.
Chase Davis
After growing up in Southwest Florida, Chase graduated from Davidson College with a degree in mathematics. Following his undergraduate studies, he spent two years in mass tort lien resolution before pursuing a career in data quality within corporate banking. Chase has since specialized in data quality and data validation for Bank of America's Corporate Finance division, where he leads efforts in data controls for both U.S. and international reporting.
Chase has previously volunteered with local campaigns supporting individuals experiencing homelessness and assisting those with autism. These efforts deepened his connection to GiGi’s mission of empowering and supporting individuals and families in the Down syndrome community. He joined GiGi's Playhouse because he believes in our mission to create opportunities for individuals with Down syndrome and to foster a more inclusive community for everyone.