Resiliency Conference at Wild Dunes to headline this year’s SC7 Expedition
March 26, 2024
Early bird registration ends March 31
By W. Thomas Smith Jr.
Early bird registration ends March 31 for the SOUTH CAROLINA SEVEN (SC7) RESILIENCY CONFERENCE to be held at Wild Dunes Resort, Isle of Palms, Charleston, S.C., May 20-24, 2024.
The two-day concluding-event for the monthlong statewide SC7 Expedition, the SC7 Resiliency Conference will feature a host of expert speakers aimed at breaking down barriers and uniting diverse sectors of health and wellness, conservation, and corporate sustainability within a singular setting. According to SC7 officials: “Unlike conventional conferences, this event is a first-of-its-kind, offering a rare opportunity for industry titans across these sectors to converge by fostering an environment where networking, learning, and collaborative ventures can emerge.”
Speakers will include S.C. Lt. Governor Pamela Evette; S.C. Representative Jay West; Dr. Tom Mullikin, SC7 leader and chair of the S.C. Floodwater Commission; Ben Duncan, chief resilience officer – S.C. Office of Resilience; Raleigh West, executive director of the S.C. Conservation Bank; Dr. Susan Johnson, director of Health Promotion and Assistant Professor of Graduate Studies at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC); W. Keller Kissam, president of Dominion Energy South Carolina; Michelle McCollum, SC7 chief logistics officer and president of the S.C. National Heritage Corridor; and Wes Carter, president of Atlantic Packaging; among others.
“Never before has there been a gathering of these industry sectors in South Carolina,” says McCollum. “The quality of the speakers and the excellence that will be presented in the sessions are a testament to how South Carolina is surfacing as a global leader in the areas of sustainability and resiliency. Caring for the place we live stimulates healthy people, healthy places, and a healthy economy.”
Dr. Mullikin agrees, adding: “I’m thrilled about this year’s conference, a first for us, as a key component of our epic annual SC7 Expedition.”
A monthlong statewide expedition from the mountains to the sea, SC7 involves a growing number of volunteers and outdoor enthusiasts, young and not-so-young – hiking, climbing, kayaking, rafting, and SCUBA diving – across South Carolina as they explore the Palmetto State’s seven named wonders and various on-trail and off-trail excursions in between. The seven designated wonders of the Palmetto State include Sassafras Mountain; the Jocassee Gorges; the Chattooga River; the Congaree National Forest; the Edisto River; the Ashepoo, Combahee, and Edisto Basin – universally referred to as the ACE Basin; and Bull Island-Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge.
This year, the SC7 Expedition begins April 22, Earth Day.
Who should attend the SC7 Resiliency Conference in May? Conservation leaders; health and wellness leaders; county and city planners; ecotourism leaders; university professors; sustainability departments of corporations and government agencies; local, state, and federally elected officials; and members of the media. No cost for attending media.
Among the conference sessions are – Green Health: Following Nature’s Path to Well-being, Increasing Access to the Outdoors: A policy structure for cities to increase access to parks and green spaces, Harnessing Advanced Energy, and Designing for the Lowcountry: What the Lowcountry’s land tells us about resilient infrastructure.
The early bird conference rate (ending March 31, 2024) is $275. Standard rate beginning April 1 is $325. Late rate beginning May 1 is $375.
Participation for all in the broader SC7 Expedition is free.
For additional information about the SC7 Resiliency Conference, visit – southcarolina7.com/conference.
– South Carolina Lt. Governor Pamela Evette kayaking during last year’s SC7 Expedition.
