43 Lowcountry Leaders Selected to Become Riley Fellows

Over the next five months, they will participate in the Riley Institute’s award-winning Diversity Leaders Initiative before joining a network of more than 2,500 graduates across the state.

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Forty-three leaders from across the Lowcountry will have new tools and perspectives to leverage diversity to improve organizational outcomes and drive social and economic progress in South Carolina, gained through their participation in the Riley Institute’s Diversity Leaders Initiative (DLI).

These leaders, who are members of DLI’s 16th Lowcountry class, were selected through a rigorous application and interview process after being nominated by DLI alumni. They are uniquely positioned to create impact within their organizations and communities. Each class is crafted to reflect the diverse demographics in South Carolina.

“In a time of significant social strife, leaders must come together to identify ways to unite communities to improve outcomes for all,” said Dr. Don Gordon, executive director of the Riley Institute. “The DLI experience will help them as they lead South Carolina toward a better tomorrow.”

DLI classes are facilitated by expert Juan Johnson, an independent consultant who was The Coca-Cola Company’s first-ever vice president for diversity strategy.

Over five months, the class will engage in intensive discussions and scenario analyses that allow them to openly examine sensitive issues related to diversity and inclusion with fellow leaders, explore “blind spots,” and gain tools to develop strategies within their own organizations.

Class members also work together to develop capstone projects, partnering with nonprofit organizations to respond to real challenges and opportunities in their communities.

Graduates of DLI become Riley Fellows, members of a powerful cross-sector network of South Carolinians that includes corporate CEOs, legislators, superintendents, religious and nonprofit heads, and business and community leaders.

“With more than 2,500 Riley Fellows statewide, the impact these tight-knit leaders have is amplified with the addition of every new class,” Gordon said. “It’s a special thing to witness them coming together to make South Carolina a better place to live and work for all its residents.”

Listed below are the participants of the fall 2022 Lowcountry DLI class. The full roster of program graduates can be found online at furman.edu/riley.

Fall 2022 Lowcountry class participants:

Robert Behre
Editorial Writer
The Post and Courier
Charleston

Evan Bromley
Attorney
Bromley Law Firm LLC
Bluffton

Monique Brown
Senior Corporate Counsel & Privacy Officer
Benefitfocus
Charleston

Mike Carter
CEO
eGroup
Mt. Pleasant

Sarah Castle
Director, Amazon Technical Academy
Amazon
Charleston

Melanie Colclough
Executive Director
South Carolina Arts Alliance
Summerville

Ana Corson
Contracts Administrator
Advanced Technology International
Summerville

Beverly Cowart
SVP Talent Solutions
South Carolina Ports Authority
Mt. Pleasant

Jamie DeMent
Talent and Strategic Initiatives
CRDA
North Charleston

Grayson Dorr
Investment Finance Manager
South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA)
Summerville

Oscar Douglas
Director of General Counsel Investigations
Charleston County School Distrct
Charleston

Gina Ellis-Strother
Chief Administration Officer
Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission
Charleston

Jerry Evans
Attorney
Rogers, Patrick, Westbrook & Brickman, LLC
Mt. Pleasant

Phil Ford
Public Relations and Proposal Development Officer
The Regional Medical Center
Orangeburg

Karel Givens
DBE Liaison Officer
Charleston County Aviation Authority
North Charleston

Emily Guerrero
Pro Bono Coordinator
Nelson Mullins
Charleston

Chris Harvey
Corporate Director of Operations
Charlestowne Hotels
Mt. Pleasant

Veronica Hemmingway
Southern Lowcountry Program Director, Grantmaking & Community Leadership
Coastal Community Foundation
North Charleston

Anita Huggins
Deputy Superintendent
Charleston County School Distrct
Charleston

Matt Johnson
Center Director, Beidler Forest Audubon Center
National Audubon Society
Harleyville

Blaik Keppler
Deputy Director, Marine Resources
SC Department of Natural Resources
Charleston

Kristen Lanier
Director
Berkeley County Economic Development
Moncks Corner

Lindsay Leonard
Senior Director, Government Operations
Boeing
North Charleston

J. Malik Lightbourne
Manager, Talent Management
Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC
Aiken

Tonya Matthews
President and CEO
International African American Museum
Charleston

Cindi May
Professor of Psychology
College of Charleston
Mt. Pleasant

Kylon Middleton
Pastor
Mount Zion AME Church
Charleston

Mitch Mitchell
Councilman
City of Beaufort
Beaufort

Kyra Morris
President
Morris Financial Concepts
Mt. Pleasant

Evelyn Oliveira
Associate Pastor
Circular Church
Charleston

Jennifer Owens
Associate General Counsel
Sonepar
Charleston

Beth Patrick
Vice Chancellor for Operations, Finance and IT
University of South Carolina Beaufort
Bluffton

Debbie Rice
Senior Philanthropic Specialist
Wells Fargo
Charleston

Mikell Richards
Regional Sales Manager
United Community Bank
Mt. Pleasant

Chris Richardson
General Counsel and COO
BDV Solutions, LLC
Greenville

Reeves Skeen
Area Executive
First Citizens Bank
Charleston

Dale Threatt-Taylor
Executive Director
The Nature Conservancy South Carolina
Mt. Pleasant

Julie Walker
President
J.H. Walker Legacy Foundation
Mt. Pleasant

Richard Waring
Attorney at law
Law Office of Richard Waring, LLC
Charleston

Richard Waring
Vice President and Executive Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Charleston Chamber Foundation
North Charleston

Marty Watson
Chief Power Supply Officer
Santee Cooper
Moncks Corner

Holly Whitfield
Executive Director
Alliance for Full Acceptance
North Charleston

Karen Wrighten
Assistant Vice President/Campus Dean
Trident Technical College
Moncks Corner

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About the Riley Institute at Furman University
Furman University’s Richard W. Riley Institute advances social and economic progress in South Carolina and beyond by building leadership for a diverse society, broadening student and community perspectives on critical issues, hosting expert speakers, supporting public education, and creating knowledge through community solutions-focused research. It is committed to nonpartisanship in all it does and to a rhetoric-free, facts-based approach to change.

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