Dr. Wesley Carter
About

Dr. Wesley Carter

I spent more than twenty years in enterprise technology, including roughly fifteen at IBM and Cisco, leading through change at the highest levels. I hold a Doctor of Management in Organizational Leadership and an MBA, and a Generative AI certification.

My work rests on one conviction: leadership begins with the human being, not the org chart. That is the lens I bring to every identity engagement. I treat a leader as a life to be understood and then honored, never a resume to be polished.

I am also an independent grief science scholar. Justin’s death brought me to this work; sustained study keeps me in it. I examine grief research closely, including how its findings are interpreted and whether assumptions about emotion, gender, or culture shape who is recognized as grieving and what support they receive. I bring that work to clinicians, leaders, and communities through my talks, into practice through Westercove™, and into explicit criteria others can examine through the Rubric for Evaluating Grief Support Apps (2026), co-authored with Judith Johnson-Hostler, LCMHCS. Independent means I pursue my scholarship outside a university or research-institution appointment, and I direct my own questions and study. It does not mean working alone: I collaborate with clinicians and researchers, and I hold my work open to scrutiny.

I am the author of AI Powered Leadership for Modern Families, and the Founder & CEO of Westercove™. My guiding belief: Human Centered Leadership. Purpose Served by AI.

Doctor of Management, Organizational LeadershipMBA, Wake ForestGenerative AI certification15+ years at IBM & CiscoAuthorIndependent Grief Science ScholarFounder & CEO, Westercove™
My signature method

The ABCD Framework™

A simple, repeatable way to use AI with intention: Human Centered Leadership, with purpose served by AI.

A · Actor

Tell the AI who it should be

B · Background

Give it your real context

C · Call to Action

Ask clearly for what you want

D · Data Check

Verify, and keep your judgment in the lead

Credentials & certifications

Two decades, documented.

Education

  • Doctor of Management, Organizational Leadership
  • MBA, Wake Forest University
  • BA, Business, UNC Charlotte

AI & Emerging Technology

  • Generative AI certification
  • Technology Leadership, Cornell
  • Author, AI Powered Leadership for Modern Families

Agile & Delivery

  • Leading SAFe
  • Certified ScrumMaster, Scrum Alliance
  • ITIL 4 Foundation

Process & Leadership

  • Lean Six Sigma Black Belt
  • Leadership Architect, Korn Ferry
  • Duke Corporate Education (x3)

Grief Science

  • Co-author, Rubric for Evaluating Grief Support Apps (2026)
  • Presenter, SCCMHCA 2026 Annual Conference
  • Clinician training, SCCMHCA, with Judith Johnson-Hostler
  • Research-grounded design: Westercove™ Guiding Principles
Other work

Beyond the stage.

Stage

MC & Hosting

A warm, commanding presence to host, emcee, and carry the energy of your event.

Voice

Narration

Professional narration and voice work for audiobooks, e-learning, and media.

Education

Educator Training & CEUs

Accredited early-childhood professional development through Kids by Carter, a suite of NC-approved courses.