Name: Marilyn K Dotson
Leadership Charlotte Class: 3
Title: Technology Consultant, Retired; Former Director of IT US Probation Western District of NC
Hometown: Auburn, Alabama
Education: Doctorate of Education Computer Science, Masters Mathematics, BS Mathematics and Education
Current Personal Goals: Personal Goal is to learn Spanish. My education was technical and I have always wanted to study another language.
What’s a lesson that you learned through LC that has stuck with you and why? LC helped me by teaching me how to be polite, persistent and to remember to say “thank-you” when trying to solve community problems that needed city/county staff participation. I continue to use these skills in my role on the Board of Directors of my small neighborhood association.
What do you remember most vividly from your Leadership Charlotte experience and why? What I remember most about being a part of Leadership Charlotte was having the opportunity to meet many people from different backgrounds who were all committed to making Charlotte a better place to work, live and raise families.
What’re you doing in the community these days? These days, I am deeply involved in my small neighborhood of Dunedin. I am a twice past president of the neighborhood Association, and the current treasurer. I am our neighborhood contact with the city/county on two projects: 1. Replacing dated and dangerous gas street lights that no longer meet code and 2. Storm Water Retention project that effects not only my neighborhood but also the McAlpine Creek Basin. I work the polls on election days. I also help with the UNCC College of Computing and Informatics in raising and providing scholarship money to encourage a strong commitment to promoting gender equality in the discipline.
How has your life after Leadership Charlotte surprised you and why? I think the biggest gift LC gives to Charlotte are the LC graduates who can truly help leave the community a better place to live for many years to come. I personally don’t feel that I can change the whole world, but I can change and improve the little bit around me.