Carper holds a B.S. degree from Appalachian State University and an M.S. degree in textiles and clothing from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She has over 27 years of industry experience in textiles and apparel during her career at the DuPont Company, where she was a global business manager responsible for over $300 million in global sales of Lycra.® While at DuPont, she also served as president of a global start-up venture in the apparel industry. She has conducted business in more than 25 different countries and has direct experience