Central Piedmont announces Board of Trustees reappointments and new appointment

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Central Piedmont Community College today announced updates to its Board of Trustees, including the reappointments of Alison Summerville and Lucia Zapata Griffith, and the appointment of Andrew Sprenger as the college's newest trustee.

Summerville has been reappointed by the Mecklenburg County Board of County Commissioners for a four-year term. Zapata Griffith has been reappointed by the North Carolina House of Representatives for a four-year term and will continue serving as vice chair of the Board of Trustees. Sprenger was recently appointed by the North Carolina Senate and succeeds former trustee Chris Paterson, whose service to the college concluded after four years on the Board.

"I am grateful that Ali and Lucia will continue serving Central Piedmont through their reappointments and am pleased to welcome Andrew to the Board of Trustees," said Caldwell Rose, chair of the Central Piedmont Board of Trustees. "Each brings valuable experience, insight, and a deep commitment to strengthening educational opportunity and workforce development in our region. I also want to thank Chris Paterson for his dedicated service and contributions to the college over the past four years. Together, our trustees play a vital role in helping shape the future of Central Piedmont and advancing our mission to transform lives through learning."

Reappointments

Alison Summerville

A highly engaged trustee since her appointment, Summerville currently serves as partner for financial services with Nexus Search Partners, a Charlotte-based executive search and advisory firm. She brings more than two decades of executive leadership experience in financial services and a strong commitment to workforce and talent development. Throughout her service as a trustee, she has been a consistent advocate for aligning Central Piedmont's educational programs with regional workforce needs and strengthening connections between the college, employers, and the broader community. Summerville serves on the executive committee of the Board of Trustees.

Lucia Zapata Griffith

Zapata Griffith serves as vice chair of the Board of Trustees and is a principal with METRO Landmarks. An architect and builder, she contributes expertise in real estate development, design, construction and long-term stewardship of public assets. Her community leadership includes serving as Healthy Communities Co-Council lead with the Charlotte Executive Leadership Council, where she collaborates with regional leaders on priorities related to housing, economic mobility, workforce development and community growth. She also chairs the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance's Small Business Committee and serves on the Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority (MPTA).

New appointment

Andrew Sprenger

Sprenger joins the Board of Trustees following his appointment by the North Carolina Senate. He currently serves as regional operations manager for SanStone Health & Rehabilitation and has experience in healthcare operations, finance, and business analytics. Prior to his current role, he held positions with MidCap Financial and Wells Fargo and earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance from The Ohio State University. His professional background includes operational leadership, strategic planning, and workforce management across the healthcare and financial services sectors.

Recognition of service

Central Piedmont also recognizes the service of former trustee Chris Paterson, whose four-year term on the Board recently concluded. During his tenure, Paterson helped support the college's mission and strategic priorities while contributing to governance and oversight efforts to advance student success and workforce development.

The Board of Trustees provides oversight and strategic guidance for Central Piedmont Community College, helping ensure the college remains responsive to the educational and workforce needs of Mecklenburg County and the greater Charlotte region.