Christine (Carter) Leese and Tiana Carter: 25 Years of a Mother-Daughter Legacy

By Annie Dubois

The question, “What have you both learned from each other?” prompted laughter, banter, and tears during a Zoom call with Christine (Carter) Leese, Chief of Staff at MSU’s Infrastructure Planning and Facilities, and her daughter Tiana Carter, Neuroscience student and Coordinator II at IPF*. When it comes to Christine and Tiana’s story, the first chapter begins during Christine’s senior year of high school.

When Christine became pregnant during her senior year of high school, she lost the support of her parents and lived in a home for unwed mothers. There, she received support and encouragement from the church pastors who worked at the home to pursue her dream of going to college.

“I think being kicked out of my house and having the experience that I did really drove me to prove everybody wrong and be successful despite all odds,” Leese said. “That’s really where I got a lot of my drive and determination. Although it was very difficult at the time, I look back with reflection and gratitude, focusing more so on the positive aspects of my circumstances.”

Christine chose to attend MSU because of the financial, emotional, and social support offered through financial aid, the Family Resource Center, and the Student-Parents On a Mission program.

“MSU really helped me to navigate the resources and the support that I needed being a non-traditional student. The university  took me under their wing to show me all the support that was available at MSU,” Leese said. “Having that support network was really critical for me in choosing MSU, and it’s been great to me ever since.”

As a student, Christine pursued a marketing degree and worked full-time for MSU as a Human Resources Professional. After graduating, Christine continued her career at MSU, and has since worked here for nearly 25 years.

During her time as a staff member at MSU, Christine has worked in various positions within the Vice President’s Office for Finance & Operations, now known as the Executive Vice President’s Office for Administration. She also served on the Spartan Child Development Center board of directors, advised the Women’s Advisory Committee for Support Staff, and served on the WorkLife Advisory Committee.

Christine’s work to support Spartans reaches beyond her service to campus organizations. In 2014, she set up the Christine S. Carter Leese Fund for Student Parents, which was established to support MSU Student Parents with financial need and has impacted MSU student parents all over the globe.

“I wanted to give back to people in similar situations that I was in,” Leese said. “I set the fund up for parents with priority to single parents, and I make an effort to reach out to these folks to see how the funds have positively supported their success at MSU.   I’ve connected with over 12 recipients, who are all over the world. To be able to see the impact of this investment work in a positive manner is fantastic.”

In recognition of her commitment to supporting Spartans, Christine was recently awarded the Robert F. Banks Award for Institutional Leadership, which is given to MSU faculty or staff members who demonstrate extraordinary and sustained institutional leadership.

“I actually worked with Bob Banks. He established this award to set the trajectory of what was important and meaningful at MSU. To know that I embody those traits is just so meaningful. I always have MSU’s best interest at heart and I always want to do what will make the institution shine,” Leese said. “To be recognized for those efforts and to know that I had such an impact on other people’s lives and their careers in a way that is meaningful is humbling.”

From being a student parent to winning the Robert F. Banks award, Christine’s legacy at MSU is undeniable. Within those 25 years working at the university, Christine has also witnessed her daughter grow up and, parallel to her own story, attend and work at MSU.

Tiana Carter

Tiana Carter started working at MSU in 2012 as an Administrative Assistant at Infrastructure Planning and Facilities. She works as an Office Manager for the WorkLife Office. She is working toward a degree in neuroscience.

“I always loved psychology and I’ve been really interested in science,” Carter said. “My father pushed me to be a woman in STEM. For me it was important to be a woman of color in STEM to have that representation.”

Within the field of neuroscience, Tiana is interested in workplace behavior and bridging the gap between different types of employee behavior to facilitate better communication and relationships in the workplace. She is also interested in bringing MSU research to the forefront of the university’s academic profile.

“I wanted to come to MSU because I saw all the opportunities it gave my mom and I’ve grown up an MSU fan,” Carter said. “I’ve always been around MSU, and I love what they do for the community.”

Beginning in March 2020, Tiana started working as an Office Manager for the WorkLife Office, a position that has allowed her to build a network of individuals who she assists one-on-one by connecting them to information and services across the university.

“The most rewarding part for me is truly helping people individually,” Carter said. “WorkLife is really there for all employees. I’ve really built this community of individuals who I can relate to and who can understand what I’m going through individually.”

Working Together

As two staff members at MSU, Christine and Tiana’s duties and professional circles overlap, and the two sometimes find themselves in meetings together.

“It’s a family bond that we end up bringing to the workplace,” Carter said. “Sometimes it’s hard to keep a straight face in meetings when I’m looking at my mom and I’m laughing because I see her all the time and I know what she’s thinking and feeling.”

Through the witty jokes and knowing glances that occurred during the Zoom call, the bond Christine and Tiana share is evident. Working together has allowed their bond to grow in different ways, with the two learning from one another professionally.

“As a mother, I have watched Tiana grow personally and professionally. I am so proud when I hear commentary from colleagues about how supportive and professional she is,” Leese said. “It’s really nice to see her blossom into her own. The most important thing is that she has her own personality and her own journey.”

Tiana and Christine have different work styles and perspectives, which meant that for Tiana, working with her mom also presented the unique challenge of distinguishing herself and becoming an independent employee in the workplace.

“There can be an expectation for me to be like my mom. We’re very different. I think it’s hard for people to realize that, but it’s understandable because a lot of people work with both of us,” Carter said. “My biggest thing when I came to MSU was making sure that people knew that I got the job on my own and my mom didn’t have any influence on me getting the job. I wanted to make my own path.”

From the beginning of their story, starting with the challenges Christine faced with an unplanned pregnancy, to now working alongside her daughter, the question remains: what have you learned from each other?

“I have really learned patience, authenticity, and perspective from her,” Leese said. “She’s just so incredibly smart, and she is so open minded. Living through her personal experiences and seeing the world through her eyes have made me more empathetic as well.”

“What haven’t I learned from my mom? My mom taught me a lot about success, how to be a go-getter and independence,” Carter said. “She taught me to always strive to be a better version of myself.”

*Tiana was the Office Manager at the WorkLife Office for the past year before transitioning to her role in IPF.