James L. M. Taylor became President and CEO of Ascend in September 2023. James spent more than 25 years with United Way, serving in resource development roles before moving into a 20-year tenure as CEO in the communities of Hagerstown, MD, Lafayette, IN and Richmond, VA. During that time, he was engaged in fostering and encouraging shared services models locally and at the state level. Prior to joining the Ascend team, James served as the Executive Vice President of the Shepherd University Foundation where he led their advancement efforts.

James grew up in Blacksburg, VA and graduated from Wake Forest University with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Politics.  He also earned a Master of Divinity from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Amy, have twin 24-year-old sons.

Jim earned his accounting degree from Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas, and has been a CPA for nearly 30 years. He started his career working in a local accounting firm in Dallas before making a career detour into church ministry for kids – all the while doing bookkeeping and tax returns on the side. He joined Ascend Nonprofit Solutions in 2012 as a controller and became CFO in 2016. In his spare time, Jim and his wife Tara are active in their church, enjoy travel and love experiencing new restaurants. Jim runs marathons (17 so far!), likes crime novels and prefers his coffee black.

Kelly has spent more than 15 years as a fundraising professional for social services and higher education organizations in Charlotte, working on comprehensive and annual campaigns, and leading the fund development efforts and strategy. She joined the Ascend Nonprofit Solutions team in 2022 to develop and launch a new fundraising program in support of the organization’s efforts to grow. Kelly is a graduate of Appalachian State University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications, and is an alumna of Leadership Charlotte - Class 33. In her spare time, Kelly enjoys volunteering with Park Sharon Athletic Association, cooking and testing new recipes, and getting outdoors with her husband and two young children.

Clark is a Microsoft Certified Network Engineer and Microsoft Certified Network Administrator. His education includes a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master of Arts in Counseling. He has experience in direct clinical work through providing counseling and case management services and has served as the Director of Social Services for a large healthcare provider. His technical career includes managing a local Charlotte MSP, varied CIO and director positions in the nonprofit and higher education sectors, as well as direct engineering and helpdesk experience. Clark made it to the Carolinas by way of the Rustbelt (Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Chicago). He loves his dogs, guitars and occasionally a good bourbon.

Sharon has over two decades of experience in a variety of HR roles within the nonprofit, financial services, manufacturing and distribution industries. Sharon has served as the lead HR officer for Ascend Nonprofit Solutions since 2016. Giving back to our community, she spends time serving on the Board of Directors for Furnish for Good and the Advisory Council for the Assistance League of Charlotte. Sharon holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources and Strategic Management from California State University, Sacramento. Sharon is also a member of the Plan Sponsor Advisory Council for The Standard Retirement Services. During football season, you can find Sharon and her husband, Jeff, rooting for Penn State and the Pittsburgh Steelers.