“It feels great to be back. It’s really exciting to see the growth around town – and be a part of it.”
Meet Mary Rice, who returned to Greensboro to propel her family’s car dealership to new horizons. Honored to be the third generation at the wheel of her family’s business, Mary embraces her hometown roots, and is committed to giving back to Greensboro.
“We are proud to be a part of the Toyota family, particularly in light of the new $5.9 billion investment in Toyota Battery Manufacturing North Carolina.”
La-Donia Alford Jefferies, Greensboro native and NC A&T State University graduate, fell in love with the school’s famous Greatest Homecoming on Earth (GHOE). After moving away to attend graduate school, La-Donia felt the pull to move back and celebrate the places she loves most. She honored her alma mater in her children’s book, Homecoming, a story of siblings on their first trip to the event. Now permanently settled in Greensboro, La-Donia is proud to attend homecoming with the next generation – her own children.
Molly Brenner Harbaugh grew up in Greensboro and after graduating from the 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’s family was enjoying life as a new family and thought they had a few more years left in the City. And then last March happened.
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.
For the course of 2020, Molly, Mark and Annie had one foot in New York and one foot in Greensboro. While in Greensboro, they had a great time and enjoyed being able to experience everything her hometown had to offer. They joined the Greensboro Science Center and visited many playgrounds and parks. Mostly, they enjoyed my Mark’s favorite part about Greensboro – that everyone waves to you. (Mark is from New Jersey, so waving was a foreign concept to him.)
In December, they drove back up to New York to spend some time in their apartment and to visit in-laws. After the trip they realized that although they loved NYC, it was time to move on.
When talking through their options, they kept coming back to Greensboro. Greensboro’s affordability, the community, the weather and so much more. They realized it was time to make that final leap and work towards moving out of Molly’s parents house. With Molly and Mark both working remotely for the foreseeable future, they knew that they could work remotely and live in Greensboro.
Molly’s family purchased a home in February 2021 and are excited about planting roots. The outpour of support from people in Greensboro has been amazing. Molly says, “You can tell it’s genuine when people say you are going to love it here. And I do credit a lot of that to Boomerang Greensboro. My husband says he is a want-to-be Boomerang because he loves the concept so much. But this program truly contributed to his excitement in moving here.”
Molly will admit that it hasn’t been a totally easy transition moving back, mainly because her favorite restaurant Taste of Thai has closed, so if anyone has recommendations on what can fill that void, she would appreciate it.
Now’s the time to make your move back – or help someone else do the same.
Ethan James, a proud alumnus of UNC Greensboro, has carved a niche for himself in the digital world as the creator of the popular YouTube channel, “The Honest Carpenter.” With over 950,000 subscribers, Ethan shares his expertise as a professional tradesman, offering valuable insights and tutorials to a wide audience eager to learn.
After spending several years honing his craft in Raleigh, Ethan returned to his roots in Greensboro, drawn by the city’s burgeoning entrepreneurial ecosystem. Through the support of Boomerang Greensboro, he established a studio at the Nussbaum Center for Entrepreneurship. This move has not only allowed him to expand his audience but also provided a supportive environment to further grow his business.
As a proud Dudley Panther, NC A&T Aggie, and member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Davida Robinson’s Greensboro roots run deep. After leaving home to pursue her career, Davida’s return to Greensboro landed her a position as Operations Leader Trainer for Toyota North America at its first battery plant in North America. She is now on the frontlines of the groundbreaking megasite, where they’re shaping the future while redefining corporate-community collaboration.
Beyond Toyota’s $14 billion investment in the megasite, the company is also partnering with NC A&T to establish a STEM lab for K-12 learners. Davida is passionate about giving back and staying connected—she serves on the Shirley T. Frye YWCA Greensboro board, frequents Broadway shows and concerts at the Tanger Center, and loves exploring local festivals and markets.
She’s especially proud to serve on the YWCA board alongside her childhood friend, Endya Frye—a full-circle moment that reminds her just how special it is to be home.
Alan Mitchell’s story comes full circle—with a global edge and a hometown heart. Born and raised in Greensboro, Alan ventured far to build an impressive career. After earning his degree in business management from Appalachian State and an MBA in marketing from Vanderbilt, he headed to the Bay Area, where he led marketing teams at Google and helped open the company’s first North Carolina office in Durham.
But when it came time to choose a place to grow his family and deepen his impact, Alan boomeranged back to the Triad.
Since returning, he’s continued to shape brand strategy for some of the world’s most recognizable companies—earning recognition in the Triad Business Journal’s 2023 “40 Under 40” and helping grow revenue by 20x at The Variable. In 2024, Alan launched a new brand strategy firm—Ricochet Growth Partners—alongside fellow Greensboro boomerang Phoebe Murray, with a mission to help companies sharpen their purpose and scale with clarity.
Alan also gives back as a board member at the Greensboro Science Center and a champion for the region’s creative and economic growth.
Alan says, “Greensboro offers something rare—true community, deep local pride, and a sense of balance that supports both your career and your personal life. It’s a place where people show up for each other and work hard to put this region on the map.”
From Google to Greensboro, Alan’s return is more than a homecoming—it’s a bold bet on the Greensboro’s future. And it’s already paying off.
A proud graduate of NC A&T State University, Tristan left Greensboro after college, spending time in Apex and Fayetteville. But when the pandemic reshaped how many of us think about life and priorities, Tristan began to feel the pull of home. She returned to Greensboro in search of stability, connection—and a future she could build on her own terms.
Boomerang Greensboro helped her find both. Through the program, Tristan was connected to a job with Guilford County and introduced to the City of Greensboro’s First-Time Homebuyers program, which helped her purchase her very first home. It was a full-circle moment—proof that Greensboro had grown, and so had she.
Now, Tristan is continuing to shape the future of Guilford County. She recently accepted the role of Economic Development Manager for the City of High Point, where she’s helping drive growth, investment, and opportunity across the region.
Alejandra Thompson de Jordan’s journey from the bustling streets of New York City back to her hometown of Greensboro, North Carolina, is a testament to the enduring pull of home and the possibilities it holds.
A proud native of Greensboro, Alejandra’s academic pursuits took her through esteemed institutions: classical guitar at UNC School of the Arts, business administration and marketing at Emory University, and fashion design at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Her professional trajectory soared as she climbed the ranks at L’Oréal, eventually becoming Assistant Vice President of Marketing, and later serving as Director of Marketing at Chanel.
Despite her success, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 prompted a reevaluation. Concerned for her family’s well-being, Alejandra, then pregnant with her second child, and her husband, Andrew Jordan, decided to temporarily relocate to Greensboro. What began as a short-term stay evolved into a permanent move, as they rediscovered the charm and comfort of their hometown.
In Greensboro, Alejandra embraced new professional and personal opportunities. She assumed the role of Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Thompson Traders, her family’s business specializing in artisan-made metal sinks and fixtures. Additionally, she co-founded ESTAS Beauty, a skincare brand focusing on scar care, inspired by her own experiences.
The family’s new residence, the historic Worsham House in New Irving Park, became a symbol of their renewed connection to Greensboro. The 1972 home, rich with character and history, provided the space and tranquility they sought, contrasting sharply with their previous life in Manhattan.
Alejandra’s return to Greensboro not only marked a personal homecoming but also signified a commitment to contributing to the community that shaped her. Her story exemplifies the “boomerang” phenomenon, where individuals return to their roots, bringing with them a wealth of experience and a renewed appreciation for home.
A Greensboro native and Page High alum, Jeff Fusaiotti is thrilled to be back in his hometown after a few years living in Charlotte. When he was ready to move back, Boomerang Greensboro connected Jeff with First Bank, where he now serves as Chief Audit Executive. Jeff takes pride in working for a company that fosters a culture of care and supports community initiatives, including aiding Western NC after Hurricane Helene.
Now living in his old neighborhood, Jeff and his family are enjoying more time together and with friends—and cheering on his two kids, who now attend Page High School, just like he once did. Being home also allows him to focus on his nonprofit, Hands for Hearts, which he cofounded in memory of a close friend to support children with congenital heart defects through events like its annual Casino Night.
For Jeff, Greensboro isn’t just home—it’s where family, work, and community come together in a way that feels just right.
For Sarah (Nudelman) Schivaone, Greensboro has always been home, even when life took her to New York. After years of building her legal career in the big city, she and her husband decided it was time to return to Greensboro. Family, community, and the opportunity for their daughter to attend B’nai Shalom Day School, just as Sarah did, made the decision clear.
Now an attorney at Brooks Pierce, Sarah has embraced life back in Greensboro. She is able to balance a fulfilling career with family life. From reconnecting with old friends to getting involved in professional, civic, and philanthropic organizations, including Leadership Greensboro and the Jewish Foundation of Greensboro, Sarah has found that coming back wasn’t just about the past – it was about giving her family the best future.
After graduating from Greensboro Day School in 2010, Elijah studied film, cinema, and video studies at Wesleyan University and launched a career in digital media that took him across the country. He built an impressive résumé, working with the NBA, Fox Sports, and eventually Crooked Media in Los Angeles, where he served as director of digital development. But when the pandemic hit and remote work became the norm, Elijah and his then-fiancée, Daixi, began to imagine a different kind of future—one with more balance, more space, and closer connections to family.
They made the leap and returned to Greensboro, a decision that gave them the flexibility to grow personally and professionally in a city that had grown up right along with them. Today, Elijah still works remotely for Crooked Media, and he and Daixi—now married—are raising their toddler in the community that shaped him.
Elijah sees Greensboro not just as a place to live, but as a place to invest in. He’s passionate about supporting local talent, building community, and giving back to the city that gave him his start. His Boomerang story reminds us: sometimes the best path forward is the one that leads you home.
After building a career in construction across cities like Wilmington, Orlando, Durham, and Charlotte, Jackson and his wife had established their lives in Charlotte. However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought unexpected changes. His father, David Hoggard, reached out, requesting Jackson’s assistance in transitioning into a leadership role at Double Hung, the historic window restoration company David founded in 1997.
Now serving as the Operations Manager at Double Hung, Jackson has embraced the company’s mission of preserving architectural heritage through sustainable practices. Double Hung specializes in restoring original windows in historic residential and commercial buildings, emphasizing craftsmanship, authenticity, and environmental responsibility.
Under Jackson’s leadership, Double Hung continues to serve the Southeast and beyond, undertaking projects that adhere to the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Historic Rehabilitation. Their work ensures that historic structures retain their original charm while meeting modern performance standards.