Zithobile (Dr. Z) was born in Swaziland, southern Africa, and moved to Greensboro, North Carolina with her family when she was 4 years old. She grew up passionate about authenticity, stories, dance, and leadership, and has worked in a number of sectors including higher education, nonprofit, healthcare, and finance. No matter the role, every position has led her back to those same passions. They now serve as the foundation for Deftable®, LLC.  

In 2016, Dr. Z was recognized as one of the Triad Business Journal’s 40 Leaders Under 40, and received a full scholarship to attend Google's Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute (SIYLI) in New York, NY. Her SIYLI experience strengthened her ability to approach inner development and leadership as the convergence of emotional intelligence (EQ), mindfulness, and neuroscience. She has facilitated emotional intelligence workshops for the Salisbury Police Department, authentic leadership workshops for universities, nonprofit organizations, and faith-based institutions, and is an Adjunct Leadership Coach with the Center for Creative Leadership. As an executive coach, Dr. Z has worked with a diverse range of clients including DoorDash, United Nations, Syngenta, Trane Technologies, and National Football League,

Dr. Z is also 1 of the co-founders of We the People International, a Greensboro-based nonprofit organization focused on activating youth and young adults through education and entertainment for year-round civic engagement, community work and entrepreneurship. She was recently awarded the 2021 Leadership Greensboro Service Medal for her commitment to leadership and her extensive community involvement. Dr. Z was also featured alongside Mrs. Shirley Frye in a keynote conversation for the 2021 City of Greensboro Annual MLK Commemorative Program. She is the 2021-2022 Impact Committee Chair for Greensboro’s community-led Juneteenth effort.

As a freelance writer, Dr. Z’s work has been featured in several publications including O.Henry Magazine, Triad City Beat, Black Business Ink Magazine, HuffPost and Charlotte-based CLTURE magazine. She has also authored speeches, op-eds, and research-based web content on a variety of topics including leadership, spirituality, and culture. Dr. Z, or “Zitty” as friends and family call her, is the host of the Ukuvusa Radio Podcast which airs every Tuesday at 7pmEST on Onyx Urban Radio. Archived episodes can be found on Buzzsprout and Apple Podcast.

Dr. Z is a lover of the arts, and performed with the E. Gwynn Dance Company of NCA&TSU for over 15 years. She and another E. Gwynn Dancer (Jackie Lewis) co-founded Zodwa Dance Co., an all women’s Afro-fusion dance company focused on leadership development, entrepreneurial development, and the celebration of multiethnic dance and holistic wellness.

Dr. Z earned her B.S. in Business Management from Guilford College, her M.A. in Communication Studies from UNC-Greensboro, and her Ph.D. in Leadership Studies from NC A&T State University. She is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Wake Forest University.

CONTACT: zitty@deftable.com

Lisa, at the core, is a nurturer and an advocate. Born in Raeford, North Carolina, Lisa grew up being known for being wise beyond her years. She was always drawn to the elderly, a fascination that has fueled her appreciation for wisdom, listening, and a life well lived.

Between 2005 and 2016, Lisa worked as the Personal Assistant to the President in the Office of the President at Bennett College. During those 11 years, she had the honor of serving 5 different presidents, an experience that truly birthed her appreciation for women and leadership. During a transitional period at Bennett College, Lisa was among several employees to get laid off. For most, it was a significant end. For Lisa, however, it was a new beginning. After a quarter century of putting the needs of others before her own, she decided to take her layoff as an opportunity to re-discover her own interests. She learned that among them were event management, nutrition, and personal development.

She spends her free time volunteering to advocate against human trafficking, teaching etiquette to youth and cultivating her culinary skills as Chef N'gai's first Community Culinary Apprentice. 

In 2017, Lisa re-enrolled as a full-time student to complete her undergraduate degree at the very university she left 24 years earlier to raise her son – North Carolina A&T State University (NCA&TSU). In May 2019, she graduated with her B.A. in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Women’s Studies, a degree that will enhance the intuitive leadership skills that she has cultivated over the course of her career, supporting women leaders. 

CONTACT: lisa@deftable.com