Lowcountry leaders become Riley Diversity Fellows
December 13, 2019The Riley Institute at Furman has announced that 41 leaders from the Lowcountry and surrounding area have completed the Institute’s Diversity Leaders Initiative (DLI) class.
DLI class members are identified through a rigorous process including nomination, application and interview. Individuals are selected to join the class based on their capacity to impact their organizations and communities.
Over the past five months, participants have examined sensitive issues related to diversity and inclusion, explored “blind spots,” and discussed how to suspend assumptions. Program designer and facilitator Juan Johnson, a former Coca-Cola vice president with a deep and varied background in issues of diversity and inclusion, has led each of the DLI classes since the program’s inception in 2003.
As part of the program, participants worked in small, cross-sector groups to respond to real issues and opportunities in their communities through service projects.
The projects from this class focus on connecting at-risk students to local businesses and access to shadowing and internship opportunities; establishing a personal mentoring program for vulnerable children; addressing transportation challenges for community members who need to access medical care; supporting people in need with food and personal care products through an easily accessible outdoor public pantry; and raising awareness of the widespread lack of access to menstrual hygiene products, and encouraging the South Carolina legislature to make hygiene products more affordable by exempting them from sales tax.
“I watched in admiration as these leaders raised thoughtful questions and encouraged courageous vulnerability,” said Don Gordon, executive director of The Riley Institute. “I am excited to see how their committed leadership will help drive progress in their communities and organizations.”
DLI graduates become Riley Fellows, members of a powerful, cross-sector, statewide leadership network that includes CEOs of corporations, mayors, city and county council members, legislators, school superintendents, pastors and rabbis, non-profit heads, chamber of commerce directors and community leaders.
In addition to the Lowcountry, DLI classes are selected annually in the Upstate and Midlands.
Each class is crafted to reflect the diverse demographics in South Carolina.
The full roster of Riley Fellows is available online at riley.furman.edu. These are the leaders selected for the 14th Lowcountry DLI class:
Todd Abedon
Principal
Chartwell Holdings
Sullivan’s Island
Tui Allen
Senior Director of Product Management
Blackbaud
Charleston
Rick Baumann
Founder
Murrells Inlet Seafood
Murrells Inlet
Beth Bernstein
Representative & Attorney
SC House of Representatives &
Bernstein & Bernstein
Columbia
Nadia Bornfleth
Director of Training & Professional Development
Advanced Technology International (ATI)
Summerville
Catherine Brack
Director of Development
Charleston Gaillard Center
Charleston
Ron Brinson
Member of City Council
City of North Charleston
North Charleston
Kate Buckholz
Senior Program Manager
Blackbaud
Charleston
Andrew Connor
Partner
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough
Charleston
Johnny Davis
Director, Jasper County Parks & Recreation
Jasper County Government
Hardeeville
Patrice Davis
VP for Student Services
Trident Technical College
North Charleston
Tom Davis
Senator
South Carolina Senate
Beaufort
Jeffrey Fleming
Chief Operating Officer
Palmetto Project
North Charleston
Timothy Goodwin
Mayor
City of Folly Beach
Folly Beach
Audrey Hopkins Williams
Maven, Hampton County
SC Arts Commission
Estill
Shayna Howell
VP of Communications
League of Women Voters Charleston Area
Folly Beach
Deon Jackson
Senior Associate Superintendent
Berkeley County School District
Moncks Corner
Amber Johnson
Diversity, Racial Reconciliation, &
Tolerance Manager
City of Charleston
Charleston
Anna B. Johnson
County Council Member
Charleston County
Charleston
Stephanie Kelley
Executive Director
East Cooper Community Outreach (ECCO)
Mount Pleasant
Lana Kleiman
Executive Director
Charleston Legal Access
Charleston
Anna Lewin
CEO
SC Community Loan Fund
Charleston
Glenn Marcus
Director of Global Sourcing
Ingevity
North Charleston
Matt Mardell
Director
Colleton County Museum
Walterboro
Reggie McNeil
Executive Director Capital Programs
Charleston County School District
North Charleston
Nichole Myles
Executive Director
Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry
Charleston
Al Panu
Chancellor
USC Beaufort
Bluffton
Rikki Parker
South Coast Office Director
South Carolina Coastal Conservation League
Beaufort
Darrick Paul
Chief People Officer
MUSC Health
Charleston
Amy Prock
Chief of Police
Myrtle Beach Police Department
Myrtle Beach
Ashley Redmond
Executive Director/Chief Development Officer
Roper St. Francis Healthcare
Charleston
Luther Reynolds
Chief of Police
Charleston City Police Department
Charleston
Sharon Richardson
Land Protection and Community Engagement Consultant
Charleston
Jeremy Rutledge
Senior Minister
Circular Congregational Church
Charleston
Ian Scott
SVP – Government Relations
Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce
North Charleston
Scott Sharp
Regional Vice President
TD Bank
Charleston
Victoria Smalls
Director of History & Culture,
Program Development Director, & Assistant to the Executive Director
Penn Center
Helena Island
Angie Stone
Human Resources Director
Town of Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head Island
Hank Taylor
Chairman
Dorchester Economic Development Corporation
Summerville
Carolee Williams
Strategic Planning and Project Management Principal
Columbia
Melvin Williams
VP/Senior Business Developer
S&ME, Inc.
Mt. Pleasant
For more information, contact Riley Institute Deputy Director Jacki Martin at 864-294-3578, and jacki.martin@furman.edu.