Alliance Data's African American Resource Group Employee Spotlight: Daynor Carman and Charise Dunewood

"Lifting as we climb, onward and upward we go, struggling and striving and hoping that the buds and blossoms of our desires will burst into glorious fruition ere long" - civil rights activist and journalist, Mary Church Terrell. This week’s featured associates embody the “lifting as we climb” spirit through their work in the community. 

Daynor has been with Alliance Data for 2.5 years and is passionate about mentoring first generation lawyers as a way to pay it forward to the woman who inspired her to pursue a career in law. She helps them with interviewing skills and resume prep through the Diverse Attorney Pipeline Program - DAPP which helps first-year law students get placed with internships. She is also active with the Black Women Lawyers' Association of Greater Chicago, Inc., having served as Treasurer and currently serving on the Corporate Counsel Committee and the Elections Rights Committee. She’s especially proud of the work they did around this year’s election education, as well as the efforts they made to help diversify the legal profession in Chicago. Daynor is also on the board of a non-profit that is the oldest continually operating child welfare organization in the State of Illinois, proving a wide array of services to a population that is predominately Black and brown.

Charise has been with Alliance Data for 9 years and is passionate about giving to all communities that need assistance. As a member of Women’s Life, she shares her time and resources to collect and distribute blankets, food, clothing, and toiletries to the homeless community. She also participates in her church’s annual backpack giveaway where they provide hundreds of backpacks filled with school supplies for children in the Columbus area. They also host an annual toy drive to provide gifts for children during Christmas and prepare lunches at the Mid-Ohio Food Collective in the summer. She enjoys participating in these philanthropic opportunities with her 16-year old daughter and helping her learn that it is truly a blessing when you can bless those less fortunate than you.