Gary Nelson, DSW
Director Emertius, Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab
Gary M. Nelson is the Director Emeritus of the Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab and the Director Emeritus of the Family and Children's Resource Program at the UNC School of Social Work.
For over three decades, Dr. Nelson has worked to enhance the capacity of large-scale systems, family support, child welfare, aging and behavioral health and most recently social innovation and entrepreneurship to improve performance and impact with communities and vulnerable families. His areas of expertise include large-scale system and community change methods such as collective impact and integrative and collaborative leadership designs and methods. Leadership and large-scale system change efforts have involved collaboration with local, state, national and international programs such as the World Bank, the UNC, and Habitat International.
Although retired from the university, Dr. Nelson is still actively involved in community engaged systems change initiatives.
Beth Lowder, MSW
Manager, Community Aspirations Hub
Assistant Director of Community Engagement and Outreach, UNC School of Social Work
Beth Lowder, MSW, is a creative and strategic leader who is passionate about community engagement, cross-sector collaboration, and systems change driven by the expertise of people with lived experience. Beth serves as the Assistant Director of Community Engagement and Outreach at the UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work. Her work focuses on poverty alleviation and addressing social drivers of health and wellbeing.
Beth led the design, creation, and launch of the Community Aspirations Hub, bringing the global Poverty Stoplight methodology to community organizations across North Carolina. Beth is currently contributing to the design of a new Office of Community Engagement and Outreach at the UNC School of Social Work.
Beth received her Master of Social Work degree with a concentration in community, management, and policy practice and a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership from UNC Chapel Hill, and is earning her doctorate in public health leadership (DrPH) from UNC Chapel Hill.
Jonathan Rockoff, MAT
Lead Trainer, Community Aspirations Hub
Educational Consultant, Family & Children's Resource Program
Jonathan Rockoff, MAT, is an award-winning expert in course facilitation and content development in child welfare. His in-depth expertise on family well-being has been shaped by over 15 years of experience working directly with families in a variety of settings, including in-home services, juvenile justice, foster care, adoption, and education.
Jonathan currently works as an Educational Consultant with the Family and Children's Resource Program (FCRP) at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Social Work. At FCRP, he specializes in the development and facilitation of classroom-based and online courses on topics related to family well-being.
Jonathan obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology and Criminal Justice from the State University of New York College at Brockport, his Master of Arts in Teaching from Marywood University in Pennsylvania and his Professional Instructor Certificate in both New York and Pennsylvania.
Rick Zechman, CMSW
Technical Assistance and Evaluation, Community Aspirations Hub
Educational Consultant, Family & Children's Resource Program
Rick Zechman, CMSW is an expert in implementing a continuous quality improvement (CQI) process with organizations to help manage change. His experience guides agencies to make data-driven decisions based on quantitative and qualitative data.
Mr. Zechman is an expert in training CQI, organizational change management, and leadership skills such as coaching and supervision. He develops curricula for both classroom-based and online learning. His skills include direct practice, project management, supervision and program administration. He has experience as a child welfare worker, child welfare policy consultant, victim advocate for survivors of domestic violence, manager of advocates, and program manager.
Mr. Zechman received his Bachelor of Social Work from the University of North Texas and his Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Texas in Arlington.
Kait Bilston, MSW
Project Coordinator, Cares and the Office of Community Engagement and Outreach
Kait is a dedicated social worker passionate about systems change and supporting communities through education, collaboration, and advocacy. With experience in both direct practice and macro-level work, she currently divides her time between Cares and the Office of Community Engagement and Outreach (OCEO) at the School of Social Work.
Kait has contributed to several impactful projects, including developing the North Carolina Dementia Friendly Communities and Hospitals Toolkit, helping create the Dementia Capable North Carolina educational video series, and supporting the creation of a Hurricane Helene resource list for OCEO. Her approach blends big-picture systems thinking with hands-on collaboration. Whether she’s designing educational materials, engaging with stakeholders, or coordinating outreach efforts, Kait is committed to making tools and strategies accessible for all.
Kait earned her Master of Social Work from UNC Chapel Hill and her Bachelor of Social Work from James Madison University. A creative problem-solver, she finds joy in bringing her ideas to life — especially when they involve time in Canva or Miro.
Rob Callus
Graduate Assistant, Office of Community Engagement and Outreach
Rob Callus (he/they) is a social worker and refugee resettlement professional with a passion for leveraging collaborative, community-based approaches that foster cross-cultural understanding, promote inclusivity, and address complex challenges collectively.
Rob is currently pursuing a Master of Social Work degree at UNC Chapel Hill, where they also work as a Graduate Assistant with the Office of Community Engagement and Outreach. In addition, he is a Training Officer for Switchboard, a training and technical assistance program administered by the International Rescue Committee.
Previously, Rob managed a program at World Relief in Durham, NC, that facilitated school and community integration for newcomer families. Their diverse professional background also includes training community health workers on maternal and neonatal health models in rural Kenya and teaching English writing while serving as a guidance counselor at a secondary school in Tanzania. Rob is ESL-certified for teaching adults and youth, is a skilled interpreter in Swahili, and considers himself to be a lifelong learner.