Meet the Staff

Larry proudly serve as the Associate Dean and Director for Student Assistance and Support Services (SASS). Larry’s responsibilities include providing overall leadership and administrative oversight for SASS. Larry also works directly with students experiencing a broad range of issues interfering with their ability to be successful academically, socially and personally by connecting students to support services; provide assistance and support to faculty seeking help regarding a student issue or concerning student behavior and; support to parents and family members seeking help on behalf of their student(s). 

Larry graduated from Murray State University with an undergraduate degree in Health and Physical Education and a Masters degree in Public Health with a concentration in Gerontology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.  Prior to working at UNC Charlotte, Larry has had the privilege and honor of serving students at the University of Georgia, North Carolina State University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Larry is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership at UNC Charlotte. 

Katie Russo serves as the Associate Director for SASS. Katie received her Bachelors degree in History from UNC Greensboro and her Masters of Arts degree in Higher Education Administration from Virginia Tech. After graduate school, Katie worked at Virginia Tech’s Steger Center for International Scholarship in Riva San Vitale, Switzerland, for two years. She also served as a Residential Learning Coordinator in Housing and Residence Life at Virginia Tech. Before coming to UNC Charlotte, Katie served as an Assistant Director in Community Standards at the University of Connecticut, where she had experience with conduct, care team, and Title IX. In her free time, Katie enjoys reading, traveling, playing volleyball, and hanging out with her family and friends. Katie’s top five Strengths are: Responsibility, Empathy, Arranger, Relator, and Developer. She can be reached at krusso4@charlotte.edu. 

Brian Pearlman serves as the Assistant Director for Withdrawal Services. Brian obtained his Bachelors of Arts degree in Sociology with a minor in Public Health from UNC Charlotte and his Master in College Student Personnel Administration from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Brian has spent time working with Student Organizations and Activities, Student Government, Residential Conduct, Fraternity and Sorority Life, and Title IX. Brian most recently served as an Academic Advisor for University College here at Charlotte. In his free time, Brian enjoys watching sports and movies, and doing research. Brian’s top five Strengths are: Context, Analytical, Individualization, Arranger, and Includer. He can be reached at bpearlma@charlotte.edu.

Molli Keller serves as the Assistant Director for Case Management. Molli received her Bachelors degree in Organizational Communication from the University of Evansville and her Masters degree in Student Affairs and Higher Education from Indiana State University. After graduate school, Molli spent six months in Grantham, England working for Harlaxton College, followed by three years in Residential Life at Purdue University as a Residence Education Coordinator and three years in Residential Life at the University of South Florida as an Assistant Director. In her free time, Molli enjoys running, trying local food and coffee, traveling, and crafting. Molli’s top strengths are: Achiever, Communication, Individualization, Harmony, and Consistency. She can be reached at mkelle60@charlotte.edu.

Carmen Barham is an alumnus of UNC Charlotte with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. After graduating, she worked at the North Carolina Supreme Court in Raleigh for two years before transitioning to the Office of Student Conduct at NC State University. She made her move back to UNC Charlotte in April of 2024, where she now serves as the Administrative Support Associate for SASS, as well as an Athletic Band Technician for the UNC Charlotte color guard. In her free time, Carmen enjoys reading fiction and teaching in the marching arts. She can be reached at cballa17@charlotte.edu.

Joshua Boyd serves as the Program Director for Basic Needs. Joshua received his Bachelors degree in Exercise Science from UNC Pembroke and his Masters degree from UNC Charlotte in Educational Leadership. Before coming to UNC Charlotte, Josh began his higher ed career working with Advancement at UNC Pembroke as the Annual Fund Coordinator where he raised money through Phonathon for the Annual Student Aid fund. Since 2022, Josh has been a part of Niner Nation. Before his current role, he previously worked in Enrollment Programs for New Student Orientation where he handled operations for New Student Orientation and oversaw the New Student Community mentorship program. In his free time Josh enjoys watching lots of anime, and PBS Frontline documentaries. He also loves eating Krispy Kreme doughnuts and working out at his CrossFit gym. He can be reached at jboyd57@charlotte.edu.