Admin & Support Team Biographies

Achieving the mission and vision of the Virginia M. Satir Center would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of the Admin and Support Team.  They are each unique and powerful leaders in their respective fields and we are grateful for on-going contributions.  Get to know a little more about the individuals you’ll likely interact with below.  

  • Chief Executive Officer

    Carol Holcomb (she/her) grew up in the very southern state of Alabama, USA where she went to undergraduate school at Jacksonville State University (1970).   After relocating to Chapel Hill, North Carolina USA,  she completed her Master’s Degree in Social Work (1980) and her Juris Doctor (1988) at the University of North Carolina.  

    In her early career as a Social Worker, Carol worked in child welfare and medical social work and ultimately turned her attention to social activism. She served as Special Projects Director for the North Carolina Council on the Status of Women and as Director of the University of North Carolina Campus Y.  After completing law school, she joined a private law firm where she  became a partner and practiced family law for approximately thirty (30) years.  Carol served as a contract attorney for two county Departments of Social Services where she was a legal consultant for  child welfare and foster care Social Workers and  litigated abuse and neglect cases.  She retired from the practice of law in 2018. 

    Carol first met Virginia Satir in 1980.  Over the next eight (8) years, she was privileged to attend many of Virginia’s  workshops and trainings as well as enjoy personal time with her.  Virginia had a tremendous influence on Carol’s life, personally and professionally and she came to understand the  transformative power of Satir’s Growth Model. Shortly after Carol’s retirement, she completed training as a Satir Life Coach.   She is active in the Virginia M. Satir Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA and serves as President of the center’s board.   She was co-producer of Jean McLendon’s training film, Fundamentally Satir. 

  • Founder & Program Director

    Regina Taggart, LCSW maintains a private practice in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She is the Founder, Executive Director and Senior Trainer with the Virginia M. Satir Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. As a social worker for 30 years, she has used the Satir Growth Model in multiple contexts including hospice care, therapy with children, adolescents and families.  With Jean McLendon, Regina is Co-Trainer for The Satir Legacy Program at VMSC which is dedicated to ensuring the succession of quality training in the Satir Growth Model.

    Mentored by Jean McLendon, LCSW, LMFT, for 30 years, Regina’s work as a Trainer with teaching the Satir Growth Model has taken her to Hong Kong, China, Germany, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan. Regina has facilitated community based Satir trainings for Carolina Friends School, Chatham County Department of Social Services, Corral, South Carolina HIV/AIDs Network and NASW NC.  She has also co-taught Use of Self and Satir Growth Model at UNC-CH School of Social Work.  She hopes to continue supporting Satir practitioners in their growth and application of the model.  

  • Director of Training

    Jean is the past president of The Virginia Satir Global Network and is currently the Director of Training at Virginia M. Satir Center. She trained with Virginia Satir for nearly 20 years and has been published in many journals and books.

    Jean holds degrees from Winthrop College, the University of Hawaii, and a specialized certification from the University of North Carolina. She is a licensed clinical social worker and marriage and family therapist, credentials that augment her profound impact on the field.  Jean has held faculty appointments at the University of North Carolina School of Social Work and the National Institute of Mental Health Staff College, and served as the faculty specialist with the Whole Systems Design Graduate Program at Seattle University.

    Jean’s deep-seated commitment to Virginia’s work took shape through years of collaboration and mentorship. Her path wasn’t just about learning from Satir’s wisdom; it was living the principles of the Satir Growth Model, both in therapy sessions and in the nuanced symphony of everyday life. Jean’s unwavering presence by Satir’s side, from workshops to pivotal moments of change, was both a testament to her dedication and a period of unparalleled growth in her understanding of human transformation.

    Today, Jean McLendon is not just a teacher of the Satir Growth Model; she is a living bridge to Virginia Satir’s legacy. Her work, characterized by an unwavering belief in the model’s power to transform lives, continues to inspire and educate.  To witness Jean working is to see the heart of Satir’s teachings in action, a testament to the transformative power of understanding, acceptance, and love.

  • Facilitator & Senior Trainer

    J. Hugh Gratz is a retired LCSW and a clinical social worker for 40+ years with experience in family therapy, hospice and bereavement, anti-oppression work and emergency trauma response including to NYC after 9/11, Sri Lanka after the tsunami, and El Salvador during their civil war. He trained with Virginia Satir over the last 8 years of her life and was a member of her training staff.

  • Facilitator & Senior Trainer

    Lutricia is a clinical social worker and a Satir practitioner who focuses on children and families in crisis. She has been an activist since the age of 14, trained in non-violent civil disobedience (Satyagraha) and a member of the Roy Wilkins Youth Council of the NAACP. Her book which addresses her work as an activist and therapist is due for publication Winter 2025. age of 14, trained in non-violent civil disobedience (Satyagraha) and a member of the Roy Wilkins Youth Council of the NAACP. Her book which addresses her work as an activist and therapist is due for publication Winter 2025.

  • Technical Admin & Social Media Manager

    Jennifer comes to the Center with almost 20 years of technical experience.  She has Bachelors degrees in Computer Science and Textile Engineering and a Masters degree in Advanced Analytics.

    For over 15 years, Jennifer worked at SAS Institute, starting out as a web developer and eventually becoming the Director for the Data & Analytics Center of Excellence.  Since leaving corporate America during the pandemic, Jennifer has been using her skills to grow and empower small businesses in the wellness industry.

    She has studied the work of Virginia Satir for years and is excited to leverage her technical skills in support the Center mission. Jennifer manages the technical infrastructure, website, and social media accounts for the Center.