Alex Buffington
Alex Buffington returned to Greensboro from Charlotte to serve as the new Vice President of Construction Operations at Whitewood Construction. Alex started working with Ardmore Residential, a partnered business of Whitewood Construction, as an intern during the summer of 2013 and continued working with the company through college. He was offered a full time position after graduation. After four years away, sharpening his skills in the fast paced construction industry, Alex says, “The hiatus is over and I am glad to be back!”
Ethan James
Ethan James relocated back to Greensboro from Raleigh, NC this spring. Ethan is a professional tradesman, writer and the star of popular YouTube Channel, The Honest Carpenter. Ethan is producing and growing his 283K followers at his new studio at the Nussbaum Center.
Olivia Chasse Helseth
Olivia Chasse Helseth grew up in the Westerwood neighborhood and attended Saint Pius X Elementary School, Kiser Middle School and Grimsley High School. Olivia then ventured to Washington D.C. and attended Catholic University for her B.S.N. After 5 years working at Children’s National Medical Center in the Pediatric Cardiac ICU she moved to New York City. There she attended Columbia University, completing a Master’s of Nursing Anesthesia.
Alejandra Thompson De Jordan
Alejandra Thompson de Jordan was living a life in NYC she describes as “kind of like The Devil Wears Prada”. Her jet-setting, high-powered professional life was filled with excitement, but personally, she always felt Greensboro calling her home. After returning to escape NYC lockdowns under COVID, Alejandra discovered she could have the life she wanted, both professionally and personally, right here in GSO. Meet Alejandra and see why she believes the possibilities and potential are endless in Greensboro.
Molly Brenner Harbaugh
Molly Brenner Harbaugh grew up in Greensboro and after graduating from Greensboro Day School, headed to UNC-Chapel Hill with her best friends, Carrie and Caroline. After completing her degree in 2009, she headed to New York City to work for ESPN and Disney. During her eleven years in the city, she met her husband, got married and had her daughter, Annie. Molly and her family traveled to Greensboro for what they thought would be a long weekend to attend the ACC tournament. When the tournament was cancelled due to COVID-19, they canceled their return flight and moved in with her parents indefinitely.
Jackson Hoggard
Jackson Hoggard moved back to Greensboro after years away in Wilmington, Orlando, Durham and Charlotte working in the construction industry. Jackson and his wife were happily building their lives in Charlotte when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. That’s when he got a call from his dad asking for help. His father wanted Jackson to move back to Greensboro and start transitioning into a position at his father’s 24-year old company, Double Hung. Jackson is now back in Greensboro, leading and growing his family’s company.
Meet Jackson and see how's leading and thriving in Greensboro.
Ingrid Chen McCarthy
Ingrid Chen McCarthy was a respected Executive Chef living in Portland, OR. But the long hours and high cost of living made the choice to grow her family a difficult one. On a visit to her hometown of Greensboro, she saw what her life could be: more family time and less worrying about finances. She and husband Jeff made the move to GSO and found the community they didn’t know they needed. Now they’re serving up sourdough through their popular venture, Breadservice, and their family of four is thriving.
Elizabeth Wicker
Page High graduate Elizabeth Wicker left Greensboro for NC State, earning a degree in apparel design. She spent nearly six years in New York where she worked for famed American fashion designer, Nanette Lepore. Elizabeth found her way back to Greensboro and now works for Bradshaw Orrell Interiors. “Though NYC certainly has a piece of my heart, this is definitely home."
Justin Outling
Fresh out of Duke University’s School of Law, married, and working in New York City, things were going pretty well for Justin Outling. He wasn’t just getting by, he was thriving. Something was missing though. Was New York City what he really wanted? Justin and his wife, Cora, knew it was the best decision to make Greensboro home and raise a family. Today, the 38-year-old practices business litigation and white-collar criminal defense for Brooks Pierce. He is also now a Greensboro City Councilman, representing District 3. Despite being a Councilman and an attorney, what Justin likes most is being with his family, spending time downtown and going to LeBauer Park.
Meet Justin and see why coming home to Greensboro was an easy choice.
Jodee Ruppel
From a small town in Indiana to the Big Apple itself, Jodee had her pick of so many places to settle down. With a Master’s from Columbia and experience in the international nonprofit sector, any place would be lucky to have her. Living in Greensboro in the early 2000s, she wasn’t sure it was the place for her and her husband, Christian. Christian had grown up in Greensboro, but, like Jodee, couldn’t yet see himself back in the smaller city. But in 2016, with an eye on making a difference and finding real community, Jodee knew she could get involved in GSO. They packed up, rolled up their sleeves, and Jodee and Christian got to work building the future they wanted. (both literally and figuratively)
Meet Jodee and see why she thinks you’ll find the community you’re dreaming of in Greensboro.