Converse College for Women Welcomes Inaugural Advisory Board
Written by Karen Rhodes
The Converse College for Women (CCW) recently welcomed five members to its inaugural Dean’s Advisory Board: Maddisen (Maddi) Currier ’13, Dr. Tudi Holmes ’22, Dr. Elizabeth Joyce ’89, Jennifer Settle ’06, and Linda Sangster West.
The Dean’s Advisory Board is a dynamic group of individuals who collectively serve as a resource for the leadership of the CCW and as champions for its growth and strong future.
The Converse College for Women is an empowering living-learning community that focuses on mentorship, service, and leadership. As a sisterhood that spans more than 130 years, this powerful group honors the mission of Converse through community events, engaging programming, women’s-centered courses, and other traditions.
“I am excited to work with this wonderful group of Advisory Board members and grateful for the perspective and unique gifts they each bring to our shared work.”
Dr. Chandra Owenby Hopkins
CCW Dean’s Advisory Board members will meet twice yearly and will be involved in the CCW’s signature events. In addition, they will positively represent the CCW to increase local awareness; serve as ambassadors for community service projects and women’s leadership events; be a resource for the dean and director regarding guest speakers, nonprofit organizations and corporate partners; advocate for the CCW and support fundraising initiatives that provide for transformative programming; and devote time and support to Converse students and higher education as a whole.
Dr. Chandra Owenby Hopkins, Dean of the Converse College for Women, said she looks forward to the impact this Board will have on the CCW. “I am excited to work with this wonderful group of Advisory Board members and grateful for the perspective and unique gifts they each bring to our shared work,” she said.
Meet the members of the inaugural CCW Dean’s Advisory Board.
Maddisen (Maddi) Currier ’13, CFRE, is a proud Converse University alumna and dedicated nonprofit leader whose career has centered on building strong relationships , strengthening communities, and advancing mission-driven organizations.
Maddi currently serves as the Associate Athletic Director of Development at the University of South Carolina Upstate, where she focuses on creating meaningful donor experiences and implementing strategic fundraising initiatives that support the university’s growth and student success. Maddi previously served at the Hope Center for Children, where she led fundraising and donor engagement efforts. She is involved in several local professional development groups, and has been recognized both locally and nationally for her commitment to civic leadership and community well-being. She holds a Master of Nonprofit Management from the University of Central Florida as well as the prestigious Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) credential. Originally from middle Tennessee, Maddi now calls Spartanburg home, where she lives with her wife, Jenni Russell Currier ’13 , and their two dogs. Together, they remain active in the local community and passionate about advancing opportunities for all.
Dr. Tudi Holmes ’22, has maximized the energy of multifacetedness and mindfulness to keep her moving forward toward her vision of improving communities. After graduating with her Master of Arts in English from Clemson University, Tudi headed to Hollywood where she wrote as a TV critic for The Hollywood Reporter. She also covered the healthcare industry for a number of years in North Carolina as a magazine writer/editor. However, it was not long before she realized her passions lay elsewhere, where she could more directly touch the lives of people around her.
Tudi transitioned into real estate sales, all the while continuing to love her neighbors. She served on the Ronald McDonald House of Durham’ s Board of Trustees and was recognized by the Board twice as Volunteer of the Year. In 2014, Tudi moved to Jamaica, West Indies, to take on the role of Deputy Director/Editor for Antillean Media Group, a Bridgetown, Barbados- based startup, where she covered major features, interviews, research, and important developments in regional affairs.
In 2016, Tudi returned to the Upstate, opening Tudi Holmes Realty. Still firmly rooted in her community, she is now a Board Member of Rebuilding Together Spartanburg She holds bachelor and master’ s degrees in literature, and she earned her Doctorate in Professional Leadership from Converse University in 2022.
Dr. Elizabeth Joyce ’89, holds a B.A. in Philosophy, Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education, a M.A. in Special Education, an Ed.S. in Curriculum and Instruction and a Ph.D. in Holistic Nutrition. She has served in the Spartanburg County District 7 school community for six years as a legal surrogate guardian for children who have IEP’s and need parent representation to ensure fair and adequate services are provided for them.
She has served as President of the Spartanburg County Medical Society Alliance and is currently the President- Elect of the South Carolina Medical Association Alliance. She has also served on many local philanthropic and community boards, including the Converse Alumni Board, Converse Board of Visitors, and many others. She is a mother of two, Silas (19) and Richmond (18), and her husband, Dr. Bill Joyce, is chief of nuclear medicine and a radiologist at SRHS. Elizabeth and her family live in Spartanburg, where her family has resided for more than eight generations. Art is one of her creative outlets, and she has written and illustrated a children’s book called Silas Saves the Friendly Crab.
Jennifer (Jen) Settle ’06 majored in History and Politics at Converse, and in 2013, graduated from USC Upstate with a BSN in Nursing, having worked in various roles at Spartanburg Medical Center. She is currently a Nurse Consultant for medical malpractice defense firm Huff Powell Bailley in Greenville.
During the summer. Jen works as a camp nurse for an all-girls Christian camp in the mountains of North Carolina. Jen is involved in giving back to the Upstate region and has served on the Spartanburg Day School Parents Community Board, Girls on the Run, and Women Who Love Young Life organizations. She and her husband, Ralph, have one daughter, Ruby, and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel called Caly; they love to camp in their Airstream travel trailer and go anywhere the wind takes them.
Linda Sangster West, a native of Augusta, GA, moved to Spartanburg in 1990 with her late husband, Jack, former Executive Vice President of Spartan Communications. Retiring in 2020, Linda enjoyed a 30-year career in marketing and public relations, community development, and non-profit philanthropy at Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System where she developed and facilitated the Regional Fellows Leadership Program.
She is deeply involved in Spartanburg’s philanthropic community and was an early supporter of Converse’s Valkyrie Supply initiative. Linda created an endowed scholarship In 2025 supporting the mission and vision of Converse University’s College for Women and Spiritual Life programs on behalf of students demonstrating financial need or academic achievement.