Wednesday, February 03, 2021

After 10 years of service at UNCW, Natasha Davis ’12M will be leaving her position as director of UNC Wilmington’s Quality Enhancement for Nonprofit Organizations (QENO) on April 1, 2021, to pursue opportunities within the private sector.
 
“Natasha has been an incredible champion for nonprofit organizations locally, regionally and beyond. Her wisdom, dedication to the nonprofit sector, and the creation of programming dedicated to uplifting and supporting our community have been invaluable,” said Jeanine Mingé, associate vice chancellor for community engagement and applied learning. “She is a fierce advocate for programs and policies that contribute to the greater good. ” 

QENO is a part of the Office of Community Engagement and Applied Learning.

Davis joined UNCW in 2010 and was named QENO director in 2013. During her time at UNCW, Davis elevated QENO from a program working within one academic department to a robust university-wide program. She transitioned QENO’s program strategy from traditional top-down strategy to a participant-led program design strategy, incorporating numerous nonprofit leaders, UNCW faculty, staff and students that work together to identify and address nonprofit needs. She also grew partnerships and collaborations from one internal and four external to 10 internal and 25 external partners plus nine external coalitions/collaboratives. 

In 2015, Davis was recognized as WILMA Magazine's Woman to Watch in the nonprofit category. She was inducted into UNCW’s James F. Merritt Million Dollar Club for securing over $1 million in grants in 2018. She oversaw a successful AmeriCorps VISTA program that placed full-time VISTA members in more than 20 nonprofits throughout southeastern North Carolina. Davis also brought in more than $1 million in grants to support southeastern North Carolina’s nonprofit sector and $1 million in-kind support, totaling more than $2 million for the region’s nonprofit sector. 
 
“The future of QENO is bright because of the steadfast and sturdy foundations Natasha Davis has embedded within the university and with our community partners,” said Mingé.  “For that, and for so much more, I thank her. “ 
 
--Venita Jenkins

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#OCEAL