Clemson Alumni Association adds 5 to the 2022 board of directors

The Clemson Alumni Association has named Charlotte Underwood Cobb of Seneca to its board of directors. Her term began July 1.

Cobb earned her Bachelor of Arts in early childhood education at Clemson University in 1991. During her time at Clemson, she was active in the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and later served as sorority adviser. After graduation, she became an active alumna, serving and supporting the University in a variety of ways.

For over 31 consecutive years, Cobb has been a Clemson Forever Fund donor. She and her husband, Stephen, have been IPTAY supporters since 2012. Following a career at The Coca-Cola Company, she facilitated introductions for Clemson staff with The Coca-Cola Foundation that culminated with the $300,000 First-Generation Scholarship Program. Additionally, Cobb enabled introductions for P.A.W. Journey staff that led to micro-internships for student-athletes with The Coca-Cola Company.

While living in Atlanta, Cobb held various volunteer positions on the Atlanta Clemson Club (ACC) Board, including a term as club president. During her time with the ACC, she instituted new fundraising events for the ACC’s Lawrence V. Starkey Scholarship including Clemson Day at the Braves in 2017 and dinner at The College Football Hall of Fame with inductee, Coach Danny Ford.

She also placed an emphasis on community service projects on behalf of the ACC, supporting the Rally Foundation, Our House Homeless Shelter, Habitat for Humanity, Special Olympics of Georgia, Atlanta Food Bank, and Trees Atlanta. Keeping Clemson connected to the area, the ACC also held networking events, inviting Don Munson, Davis Babb and Rashard Hall from P.A.W. Journey to speak.

In 2017, she received the Clemson Alumni Association’s Frank Kellers Ill Volunteer of the Year Award for years of dedication to the organization, and in 2018, the Cobbs were inducted into the Legacy Society.

After returning to the Clemson area, Cobb joined the Fort Hill Clemson Club, becoming a board member in 2021. She currently serves as chair of the newly created service committee.

Cobb is retired after a career in the United States and Australia with The Coca-Cola Company.

“Through my affiliation with the Atlanta Clemson Club Board and now the Fort Hill Clemson Club Board, I strive to engage alumni, parents and friends of Clemson and raise awareness of Clemson University and the clubs in the local community,” said Cobb.

The Clemson Alumni Association has named Ben Leader of Charlotte, North Carolina, to its board of directors. His term began July 1.

Leader earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science with a minor in legal studies at Clemson University in 2010. Aside from his studies, he participated in a variety of activities during his time at Clemson.

Leader served on the Leadership Council, the Student Alumni Council, the College of Business and Behavioral Science Student Advisory Board and in the Student Senate, where he was a former University Services Committee chair. He participated in Omicron Delta Kappa and was a former president of Sigma Nu and a former vice president of the Tiger Brotherhood. In the Blue Key Honor Society, he worked as a new member trainer.

At Campbell University’s Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law, where Leader received his Juris Doctor, he completed an externship for the Chief Judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals and was also named a Campbell University Webster’s Scholar. Professionally, he is a member of the York County Bar Association, the South Carolina Association for Justice, the North Carolina Advocates for Justice and the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce. Leader was recently selected by the National Trial Lawyers as a Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Attorney in South Carolina.

Since 2013, Leader has been an IPTAY donor and proud football season ticket holder. In 2014, he joined the York County Clemson Club (District Echo), where he served as a Young Alumni chair, treasurer, vice president and most recently as president, with this term ending June 2022. Additionally, he was an at-large council member on the Young Alumni Council from 2014-2016.

Due to his impact in business, leadership, community, educational and philanthropic endeavors, Leader was named a Roaring10 Class of 2016 Award Recipient by the Clemson Young Alumni Council. Since that time, he has continued to serve his community and alma mater. He was also a graduate of the 2018 class of Leadership South Carolina.

Leader is an attorney and partner with Elrod Pope Law Firm, an injury law firm.

“I have always had a strong passion for serving and giving back to Clemson University, and I believe this stems from the fact that I grew so much, both personally and professionally, during my four years at Clemson,” said Leader. “I am extremely grateful for the education, experiences and opportunities Clemson has provided me.”

The Clemson Alumni Association has named Marque Macon of Charlotte, North Carolina, to its board of directors. His term began July 1.

Macon earned a Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering at Clemson University in 2010 and later received his MBA from Loyola University Chicago in 2015.

While studying at Clemson, Macon contributed to many organizations. He was a resident assistant and participated in the Student Senate. He was involved in Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., serving as vice president. His Greek involvement didn’t end there; he was president of the Greek Programming Board and a Gamma Sigma Alpha Greek Honor Society member.

Since graduation, Macon has remained an active alumnus. He is a Charlotte Clemson Club member and a Clemson University Foundation donor. He remains involved in the Charlotte alumni chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., previously serving as financial secretary and director of educational activities. Within the Clemson Alumni Association, he works on the Clemson Alumni Diversity and Inclusion Committee and Clemson Black Alumni Council. He has also volunteered his time for the Tigertown Bound event in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Professionally, Macon serves the National Association of Health Services Executives as the current president for the North Carolina Chapter. He is also a committee member of the North Carolina Healthcare Association and National Black MBA Association. Additionally, he was a past president of the Greater Charlotte Healthcare Executives Group, an independent chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Macon works at Atrium Health, an integrated nonprofit health system with more than 70,000 teammates, serving patients at 40 hospitals at more than 1,400 care locations. He was recently named as one of the 75 Black health care leaders to know by Becker’s Healthcare as well as one of Charlotte Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2020. Around election time, he volunteers as a poll worker in Mecklenburg County.

“My experience as an undergraduate student at Clemson made a significant impact to both my career and personal development and continues to shape who I am today,” said Macon. “I remain connected to fellow alumni and seek out opportunities to give back to an institution that has provided so much to me.”

Stephen Powell of Charlotte, North Carolina, earned a Bachelor of Science in bioengineering at Clemson University in 2010.

While in school, Powell was involved in a number of extracurricular activities. He was a student senator in the Clemson University Student Government and was an executive member of the Student Alumni Council. He was in the Tiger Brotherhood, Blue Key Honor Society, Omicron Delta Kappa, Order of Omega and Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, serving as a social chair and president.

As an alumnus, Powell has worked tirelessly to support and promote the University. He has served as the chair of the Networking Committee, vice president and president of the Charlotte Clemson Club and been a Charlotte Young Alumni representative. He has helped organize events around Prowl & Growl, Give Day, Clemson student sendoffs and alumni welcome events in the Charlotte area focused around football games, tailgates, evening functions and even the Clemson Alumni Association board meeting during the ACC Championship Game.

Aside from supporting his alma mater, Powell is heavily involved with Youth Villages, an organization that focuses on transitioning youth out of the foster care system. He and wife, Ashton, are also very active with their local Make-A-Wish chapter. Powell volunteers as a wish granter to make the wishes of children become realities and ensure that they are special moments. Additionally, he volunteers on the Wish Ball Committee and in numerous capacities, such as tutoring, volunteering at the men’s shelter and helping with clothing and food drives for local charities.

He works for LogicMonitor, an IT infrastructure monitoring company that provides solutions to other businesses.

“I’ve always had a drive to serve Clemson,” said Powell. “Clemson has given so much to me and my family, even before I was a student.”

The Clemson Alumni Association has named Jametta White of Phoenix, Arizona, to its board of directors. Her term began July 1.

White earned her undergraduate degree in marketing from Clemson in 2001 and later received her Juris Doctor from Loyola University School of Law in 2004.

At Clemson, White participated in numerous student activities. From the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority to the Clemson University Gospel Choir, her interests and involvement were varied. She was an active student in many of the organizations closely connected to the Harvey and Lucinda Gantt Office of Multicultural Affairs (now Multicultural Center). She served on the Minority Council and as a Clemson Football student-aide in the Recruiting Office, along with being active in Tiger Paws.

After graduating, White has remained an active alumna, supporting the University with her time, talent, network and treasure. She is an advocacy and engagement board member for the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business and served two years as president-elect and three years as president of the Clemson Black Alumni Council. Additionally, she has served on the Clemson Alumni Association Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

White continues to engage students as a Tiger Ties Mentor and a speaker to marketing classes. She utilizes her network to recruit business coaches to interact with students. Along with being a Minority Business Student Association donor and volunteer, she is a supporter of the Office of Career and Global Engagement. In the past, she was a part of the Birmingham Clemson Club in Alabama, serving a term as vice president.

White is the general counsel for Banks, Finley, White & Co. certified public accounting firm and the founder and president of Journey Sports Management LLC, Sports management firm. She is a member of the Georgia State Bar Association, Alabama State Bar Association, Colorado Bar Association and Sports Lawyer Association and is a certified contract adviser for the NFL Players Association. In the past, she served with the Junior League of Atlanta on the Diversity and Inclusion Committee. When she lived in Birmingham, Alabama, she volunteered with the Junior League of Birmingham and was a board member for the Mountain Brook YMCA.

“My time at Clemson shaped me into the person that I am today,” said White. “I believe that in all things, we are better when we work together. As a member of the Clemson Family, I feel like this is the perfect time for me to lend my voice, heart and experience to build a better Clemson Experience for both our students and alumni.”

The Clemson Alumni Association is an open-membership, nonprofit organization. Since its inception in 1896, the program has connected members of the Clemson Family, inspiring pride, celebrating achievement, providing service and strengthening relationships. Learn more at www.clemson.edu/alumni.