![\"diversity](\"https:\/\/news.furman.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/dli-midlands-group-2019-1140.jpg\")
Thirty-nine leaders from the Midlands and surrounding area have completed the Riley Institute at Furman\u2019s Diversity Leaders Initiative (DLI).<\/p><\/div>\n
Over the past five months, participants examined sensitive issues related to diversity and inclusion, explored \u201cblind spots\u201d and discussed how to suspend assumptions. Each class is expertly facilitated by Juan Johnson, an independent consultant and former Coca-Cola vice president.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>. The class created projects that focus on:<\/p>\n DLI class members are identified through a rigorous process including a nomination, application, and interview. Individuals are selected to join the class based on their capacity to impact their organizations and communities. In addition to the Midlands, DLI classes are selected annually in the Upstate and Lowcountry. Each class is crafted to reflect the diverse demographics in South Carolina.<\/p>\n \u201cWe watched remarkable relationships being formed among these leaders as they shared openly, learned courageously, and worked diligently to discover ways in which they could have a positive collective impact on more people in our state,\u201d said Don Gordon, executive director of the Riley Institute.<\/p>\n DLI\u00a0graduates 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. The full roster of Riley Fellows is available online at riley.furman.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n The newest Riley Fellows in the Midlands are:<\/p>\n Mike<\/strong> Adams Sean<\/strong> Baird Betty<\/strong> Best Bridget<\/strong> Brown Evelyn<\/strong> Coker Ferlecia<\/strong> Cuthbertson Latoya<\/strong> Dixon Sherry<\/strong> East Jermaine<\/strong> Easterwood Les<\/strong> Echols Chuck<\/strong> Epps Sara<\/strong> Fawcett Jean Cecil<\/strong> Frick J.R.<\/strong> Green Elizabeth<\/strong> Harris Scott<\/strong> Huffmon Lindsay<\/strong> Joyner Beatrice<\/strong> King Frank<\/strong> Knapp, Jr. Manny<\/strong> Licata Randy Mann Yvette<\/strong> McDaniel Dominik<\/strong> Mjartan Georgia<\/strong> Mjartan Anthony<\/strong> Padgett Jon<\/strong> Pedersen Bob<\/strong> Reeder Lee Ann<\/strong> Rice Beth Burke<\/strong> Richardson Tiffany<\/strong> Richardson Vicki<\/strong> Ringer Hope<\/strong> Rivers David<\/strong> Ross Ed<\/strong> Sanchez Cindi<\/strong> Scoppe Mary<\/strong> Sumter Della<\/strong> Watkins Carl<\/strong> White Stephanie<\/strong> Wildrick About the Riley Institute at Furman University Thirty-nine leaders from the Midlands and surrounding area have completed the Riley Institute at Furman\u2019s Diversity Leaders Initiative (DLI). Over the past five months, participants examined sensitive issues related to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":265,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,29,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8263","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-centers-and-institutes","category-riley-institute","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8263","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/265"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8263"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8263\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8263"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8263"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8263"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
\n<\/strong>Vice President, Business Development & Government Relations
\nGoodwill Industries of Upstate Midlands SC
\nColumbia<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Senior Vice President and CFO
\nSnider Fleet Solutions
\nNewton<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Director of Strategic Planning
\nDominion Energy
\nCayce<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Attorney
\nSC Appleseed Legal Justice Center
\nColumbia<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Executive Director
\nBlackville Community Development Corporation
\nBlackville<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Virtual Lab Coordinator
\nLloyd Kennedy Charter School-Aiken Performing Arts Academy
\nAiken<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Director – Office of School Transformation
\nSouth Carolina Department of Education
\nColumbia<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The SCEA President\/Teacher
\nThe SCEA\/Rock Hill Schools
\nColumbia<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Department Manager
\nMichelin North America
\nLexington<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Director of Community and Minority Enterprise
\nGreater Florence Chamber of Commerce
\nFlorence<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Superintendent
\nFort Mill School District
\nFort Mill<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>President and CEO
\nUnited Way of the Midlands
\nColumbia<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Senior Strategic Advisor
\nNP Strategy
\nColumbia<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Superintendent
\nFairfield County Schools
\nWinnsboro<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Executive Director of Tribal Operations\/Tribal Administrator
\nCatawba Indian Nation
\nRock Hill<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Professor of Political Science and Executive Director of the Center for Public Opinion & Policy Research
\nWinthrop University
\nRock Hill<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Attorney
\nGallivan, White, & Boyd, P.A.
\nColumbia<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Richland One School Board
\nRichland One
\nColumbia<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>President and CEO
\nSouth Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce
\nColumbia<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Vice President of Operations
\nBlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina
\nColumbia<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>SP Development Partner
\nMichelin North America
\nLexington<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Director of Choral Activities
\nDenmark Technical College
\nDenmark<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>President and CEO
\nSouth Carolina Community Bank \/ Optus Bank
\nColumbia<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Executive Director
\nSouth Carolina First Steps
\nColumbia<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>President and CEO
\nSCETV
\nColumbia<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Dean
\nUniversity of South Carolina College of Education
\nColumbia<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Program Director
\nRural LISC
\nColumbia<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Attorney
\nSouth Carolina Human Affairs Commission
\nColumbia<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Partner
\nRobinson Gray Stepp and Laffitte, LLC
\nColumbia<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>General Counsel and Director of Policy and Legal Services
\nSouth Carolina School Boards Association
\nColumbia<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Director of Public Affairs
\nPlanned Parenthood South Atlantic
\nColumbia<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Executive Vice President
\nSouth Carolina Technical College System
\nColumbia<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Executive Director
\nSouth Carolina Bar
\nColumbia<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Vice President
\nPalmetto GBA
\nColumbia<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Editorial Writer
\nThe Post and Courier
\nColumbia<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Sergeant
\nCity of Columbia Police Department
\nColumbia<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Executive Director
\nColumbia Museum of Art
\nColumbia<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Principal
\nAiken County Schools
\nGraniteville<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Shop Manager
\nMichelin North America
\nLexington<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The Riley Institute at Furman University broadens student and community perspectives about issues critical to South Carolina\u2019s progress. It builds and engages present and future leaders, creates and shares data-supported information about the state\u2019s core challenges, and links the leadership body to sustainable solutions. It is committed to nonpartisanship in all it does and to a rhetoric-free, facts-based approach to change. For more information, visit https:\/\/riley.furman.edu<\/a>. Or contact the Furman News and Media Relations office at 864-294-3107.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"