Riley Institute’s Diversity Leaders Initiative Selects Lowcountry Fellows

Poised to join more than 1700 Riley Fellows from across the state, 44 leaders from the Lowcountry and surrounding areas have been selected to participate in the Riley Institute at Furman’s Diversity Leaders Initiative (DLI).

“We are excited to welcome these accomplished people into DLI. The relationships they will form and tools they will gain over the course of the DLI program will support their progress as passionate and influential leaders in the state,” says Dr. Don Gordon, executive director of the Riley Institute.

Class members meet over the course of five months in a format driven by timely, relevant case studies and other experiential learning tools designed to maximize interactions and productive relationships among program participants. DLI is expertly facilitated by Juan Johnson, an independent consultant and former Coca-Cola vice president. “DLI is unique among South Carolina’s leadership programs. In addition to the opportunity to develop new relationships and take part in positive action in their communities, participants gain deep knowledge of how to effectively manage and lead increasingly diverse workers, clients and constituents,” says Johnson.

As part of the program, leaders also work in cross-sector groups to respond to real issues and opportunities in their communities through capstone service projects.

Participants, who reflect South Carolina’s demographics and who represent the corporate, nonprofit, education, faith-based and government sectors, are chosen by nomination and application. “It is increasingly evident that our state benefits from having a unified body of leaders committed to working to break down barriers that hinder progress as we move toward a thriving economy and brighter future for all South Carolinians,” Gordon says.

The Riley Fellows for Lowcountry Class 11 are:

Craig Ascue
Associate; Business Owner
Avision Young Commercial Real Estate
Mt. Pleasant

Edie Blakeslee
Vice President Grantmaking and Community Leadership
Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina
Charleston

Terri Boone
Director
Leadership Institute at USC Salkehatchie
Allendale

Amy Brennan
Executive Director
Center for Women
Charleston

Laura Bright
Vice President, Marketing and Communications
Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce
North Charleston

Margie Bright Matthews
Attorney; State Legislator
Bright Matthews Law Firm, LLC
Walterboro

Patrick Bryant
Partner
Bidr
Mt. Pleasant

Sara Clow
General Manager
Coastal Conservation League – GrowFood Carolina
Charleston

Melissa Crosby
Principal
Colleton County High School
Walterboro

Merridith Crowe
Chief Operating Officer
Trident United Way
North Charleston

Charlie Cumbaa
Executive Vice President of Corporate and Product Strategy
Blackbaud
Charleston

Barbara Dilligard
President & CEO
Karaton Services, LLC
Charleston

Kathryn Diminich
Senior Manager
Elliott Davis Decosimo
Charleston

Mica Dolan
Corporate Contracts Manager
Advanced Technology International
Summerville

Laura Evans
Partner
Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP
Charleston

Susan Gaddy
Managing Partner
The Gaddy Law Firm
Mt. Pleasant

Shawan Gillians
Associate General Counsel
Santee Cooper
Moncks Corner

Reggie Gosnell
Chief of Police
City of Conway
Conway

Anton Gunn
Chief Diversity Officer & Executive Director of Community Health Innovation
MUSC
Charleston

Bruce Hendricks
Federal Judge
U.S. District Court
Greenville

Jackie Heyward
Mayor
Town of Hollywood
Hollywood

Brian Hicks
Columnist
The Post and Courier
Charleston

Blan Holman
Managing Attorney
Southern Environmental Law Center
Charleston

Anthony Jackson
CEO, Roper St. Francis Mount Pleasant Hospital; VP Roper St. Francis Health System
Roper St. Francis Health System
Mt. Pleasant

Brent Jonas
Director, Stakeholder Relations
Charleston Regional Development Alliance
North Charleston

Rodell Lawrence
Executive Director
Penn Center Inc.
St. Helena Island

Lottie Lewis
City Council Woman/Community Leader
Town of Allendale
Allendale

Christiaan Marcum
Member
Richardson Patrick Westbrook & Brickman, LLC
Mt. Pleasant

Caroline Mauldin
Executive Director
South Carolina Future Minds
Charleston

Rick Maxey
Superintendent
Horry County Schools
Conway

Jim May
Chief School Officer
New Tech Network
Napa, CA

Amanda McNulty
Host and Producer, Making it Grow; Extension Agent
SCETV; Clemson University/Clemson Extension Sumter County
Sumter

Michael Boulware Moore
President, CEO
International African American Museum
Charleston

Sally Newman
Executive Director
Charleston Legal Access
Charleston

Weston Newton
Partner; Representative
Jones, Simpson & Newton, PA; SC House of Representatives
Bluffton

Don Pratt
General Manager
WCBD-TV
Mt. Pleasant

Carl Ritchie
Chief of Police
Town of Mount Pleasant
Mt. Pleasant

James Simmons
Physician
All Children’s Pediatrics
Port Royal

Jeannine Smalls
Pastor
Grace Chapel AME Church
Beaufort

Tiffany Spann-Wilder
Attorney
Spann Wilder Law, LLC
North Charleston

Jeffrey Tibbals
Attorney
Nexsen Pruet, LLC
Charleston

Marjory Wentworth
South Carolina Poet Laureate
The Art Institute of Charleston
Charleston

Loren Ziff
Principal
Eastrock Properties, LLC
Mt. Pleasant

Nancy Zisk
Professor of Law
Charleston School of Law
Charleston

Learn more about the Riley Institute at Furman’s Diversity Leaders Initiative. Or contact Megan Dodgens, Manager of Diversity Leadership Programs at (864) 294-3253, or megan.dodgens@furman.edu.