21 South Carolina leaders selected for Liberty Fellowship’s 14th class
December 12, 2017
Individually, the 21 leaders chosen for Liberty Fellowship’s 14th class are accomplished and impressive. Connected to the broader network of 290 Liberty Fellows working collaboratively across South Carolina, they are an engine for change.
“Adding new perspectives and expertise to the Liberty Fellowship network amplifies the Fellows’ efforts to find creative solutions to issues facing South Carolinians,” commented Luanne Runge, President & CEO of Liberty Fellowship. “Each of these new Fellows has a unique role in this network and helps us leverage our differences for the good of South Carolina.”
For the lifelong program, Liberty Fellowship selects diverse leaders and immerses them in five seminars over 18 months. Through Socratic, round-table discussions, Fellows reflect on what makes a just society, thereby deepening knowledge, broadening perspectives, and enhancing their ability to tackle issues. A highlight of the program, the Globalization Seminar has Liberty Fellows interacting with Fellows from the Aspen Global Leadership Network in locations such as South Africa, India, and China. Other key components for each Fellow are being paired with a mentor and undertaking a leadership project aimed at enriching South Carolina.
“Chosen in part for the work they are already doing, these Fellows are community builders, innovators, and problem solvers,” added Hayne Hipp, who Co-Founded Liberty Fellowship with his wife, Anna Kate. “The seminar experience will shape the larger role they will play statewide and builds immediate trust with the other 269 Fellows who are using the shared experience to eliminate traditional barriers to progress.”
These are the Liberty Fellows for the Class of 2019:
Hope Blackley, Clerk of Court – Spartanburg County; Spartanburg
Matt Casey, Commander – 482 OG Det 1, Shaw Air Force Base; Columbia
Ashley Demosthenes, President & CEO – Lowcountry Land Trust; West Ashley
Gary Eichelberger, Rector – St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church; Greenville
Justin Ferira, Founder & CEO – The Seine Group; Charleston
John Florence, General Counsel – Sonoco; Hartsville
Dehler Hart, President – Springland, Inc.; Fort Mill
Robert Hood, Judge – South Carolina Circuit Court; Columbia
Meliah Bowers Jefferson, Member – Wyche, P.A.; Greenville
Karl Lozanne, Neurosurgeon – Midlands Othopaedics & Neurosurgery; Columbia
Elizabeth Mack, Pediatric Critical Care Physician – MUSC; Charleston
Eric McCarthy, Senior Vice President of Government Relations and Legal Affairs – Proterra Inc.; Greenville
Cedrek McFadden, Colon and Rectal Surgeon – Greenville Health System; Greenville
Jeffrey Montgomery, Founder & Former Managing Partner – Omatic Software; Charleston
Elizabeth Smith Owen, Partner – Morton & Gettys, LLC; York
Mike Reichenbach, Owner & President – Mike Reichenbach Ford Lincoln, Volkswagen & Chevrolet; Hilton Head
Sidney Heyward Rex, Executive Vice President and Incoming CFO – W. B. Guimarin and Co., Inc.; Columbia
Christy Thompson, Vice President of Worldwide Marketing – ScanSource, Inc.; Greenville
Diana Farfan Valente, Visual Artist – Diana Farfan Studios; Greenville
Bunnie Lempesis Ward, Director of Policy Development and Evaluation – S.C. Education Oversight Committee; Columbia
Joe Waring, Corporate Director of HR and Incoming CFO – Evening Post Industries; Mount Pleasant
View detailed profiles here.
About Liberty Fellowship
Liberty Fellowship is a statewide leadership initiative founded by Anna Kate and Hayne Hipp, Wofford College, and The Aspen Institute. Through the Fellow program, Liberty Fellowship seeks to inspire outstanding leadership in South Carolina, empowering the state’s leaders to realize their full potential. Fostering a values-based approach, Liberty Fellowship exposes rising leaders to diverse perspectives, critical thinking, and intellectual and personal development. For more information, visit www.libertyfellowshipsc.org.
