{"id":1370,"date":"2023-01-25T15:56:11","date_gmt":"2023-01-25T15:56:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/riley\/?post_type=furman-update&p=1370"},"modified":"2023-01-25T20:10:42","modified_gmt":"2023-01-25T20:10:42","slug":"41-midlands-leaders-selected-to-become-riley-fellows","status":"publish","type":"furman-update","link":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/riley\/news\/41-midlands-leaders-selected-to-become-riley-fellows\/","title":{"rendered":"41 Midlands leaders selected to become Riley Fellows"},"content":{"rendered":"

FOR INFORMATION:
\n<\/strong>Katie Quine
\nMarketing and Communications Manager
\nThe Riley Institute at Furman University
\n864.294.3368; katie.quine@furman.edu<\/p>\n

JANUARY 25, 2023 \u2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:<\/p>\n

41 MIDLANDS LEADERS SELECTED TO BECOME RILEY FELLOWS<\/strong>
\nOver the next five months, they will participate in the Riley Institute\u2019s award-winning Diversity Leaders Initiative<\/em> before joining a network of more than 2,600 graduates across the state. <\/em><\/p>\n

COLUMBIA, S.C. \u2014 Forty-one leaders from across the Midlands 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\u2019s Diversity Leaders Initiative (DLI).<\/p>\n

These leaders, who are members of DLI\u2019s 15th Midlands 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a time of significant social strife, leaders must come together to identify ways to unite communities to improve outcomes for all,\u201d said Dr. Don Gordon, executive director of the Riley Institute. \u201cThe DLI experience will help them as they lead South Carolina toward a better tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

DLI classes are facilitated by expert Juan Johnson, an independent consultant who was The Coca-Cola Company\u2019s first-ever vice president for diversity strategy.<\/p>\n

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 \u201cblind spots,\u201d and gain tools to develop strategies within their own organizations.<\/p>\n

Class members also work together to develop capstone projects, partnering with nonprofit organizations to respond to real challenges and opportunities in their communities.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith more than 2,600 Riley Fellows statewide, the impact these tight-knit leaders have is amplified with the addition of every new class,\u201d Gordon said. \u201cIt\u2019s a special thing to witness them coming together to make South Carolina a better place to live and work for all its residents.\u201d<\/p>\n

Listed below are the participants of the spring 2023 Midlands DLI class. The full roster of program graduates can be found online at www.furman.edu\/riley<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Spring 2023 Midlands class participants:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Eric Bellamy
\n<\/strong>Chief Partner Engagement Officer
\nChildren’s Trust of South Carolina
\nColumbia<\/p>\n

Montrio Belton
\n<\/strong>Attorney
\nLaw Office of Montrio Belton
\nRock Hill<\/p>\n

Cynthia Bennett
\n<\/strong>Chief Diversity Officer
\nSC Chamber of Commerce
\nColumbia<\/p>\n

Tyson Blanton
\n<\/strong>Government and Community Relations District Manager
\n<\/strong>Duke Energy
\nLancaster<\/p>\n

Salandra Bowman
\n<\/strong>Chief Learning Officer
\nSouth Carolina ETV
\nColumbia<\/p>\n

Ashley Brown
\n<\/strong>Deputy Director; Executive Director
\nSC Arts Commission; Arts Grow SC
\nColumbia<\/p>\n

Karla Buru
\n<\/strong>Chief of Staff
\nSC Department of Health and Environmental Control
\n<\/strong>Columbia<\/p>\n

Aditi Bussells
\n<\/strong>City Councilwoman, At-Large
\nCity of Columbia
\nColumbia<\/p>\n

Lady June Cole
\n<\/strong>President
\nLeague of Women Voters of Columbia Area
\nColumbia<\/p>\n

Russell Cook
\n<\/strong>Director, SC Academic Innovations
\nSouth Carolina Research Authority (SCRA)
\nColumbia<\/p>\n

Millicent Dickey
\n<\/strong>Chief Academic Officer
\nClover School District
\nClover<\/p>\n

Brianna Douglas
\n<\/strong>Executive Director
\n<\/strong>The Byerly Foundation
\nHartsville<\/p>\n

Bill Duda
\n<\/strong>Office Managing Shareholder
\nOgletree Deakins
\nColumbia<\/p>\n

Mark Everett
\n<\/strong>Director of Human Resources
\nNational Educational Telecommunications Association
\nColumbia<\/p>\n

Laurie Funderburk
\n<\/strong>State Executive Director
\nUSDA-FSA
\nColumbia<\/p>\n

Claire Gibbons
\n<\/strong>Managing Director
\nPower:Ed
\nColumbia<\/p>\n

Terrence Green
\n<\/strong>Chief of Police
\nLexington Police Department
\nLexington<\/p>\n

Shiva Hodges
\n<\/strong>U.S. Magistrate Judge
\nU.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina
\nColumbia<\/p>\n

Uschi Jeffcoat
\n<\/strong>Curator of Education & Community Engagement
\nFlorence County Museum
\nFlorence<\/p>\n

Jazmon Kearse
\n<\/strong>Police Advisor
\nCity Attorney’s Office\/Columbia Police Department
\nColumbia<\/p>\n

John Lay
\n<\/strong>Shareholder
\nGallivan, White & Boyd, PA
\nColumbia<\/p>\n

Nancy Lee
\n<\/strong>Executive Director
\nHabitat for Humanity of South Carolina
\nColumbia<\/p>\n

Ashley Lidow
\n<\/strong>Director of Policy and Government Relations
\nWomen’s Rights and Empowerment Network
\nColumbia<\/p>\n

Kevin Lindler
\n<\/strong>Regional Business Executive
\nFirst Citizens Bank
\nColumbia<\/p>\n

David Lyon
\n<\/strong>Partner\/Attorney
\nDuff Freeman Lyon
\nColumbia<\/p>\n

David Mathis
\n<\/strong>Deputy Superintendent
\nSC Department of Education
\nColumbia<\/p>\n

Laura McKinney
\n<\/strong>VP, Community Development Office
\nFirst Community Bank
\nLexington<\/p>\n

Ameka Neely
\n<\/strong>Director of HR and Payroll
\nChildren’s Trust of South Carolina
\nColumbia<\/p>\n

Tim Norwood
\n<\/strong>EVP
\nSynergi Partners
\nFlorence<\/p>\n

Elizabeth Owen
\n<\/strong>Partner
\nMorton & Gettys, LLC
\nRock Hill<\/p>\n

Hannah Pittman
\n<\/strong>Associate Director
\nSouth Carolina Association of School Administrators
\nColumbia<\/p>\n

Alyssa Richardson
\n<\/strong>Chief Executive Officer
\nPalmetto Community Developers
\nNorth Charleston<\/p>\n

Gregg Robinson
\n<\/strong>CEO
\nFlorence County Economic Development Partnership
\nFlorence<\/p>\n

Joe Roof
\n<\/strong>VP, Support Operations
\nPalmetto GBA
\nColumbia<\/p>\n

Joelle Ryan-Cook
\n<\/strong>Deputy Director
\nColumbia Museum of Art
\nColumbia<\/p>\n

Kirby Shealy
\n<\/strong>Attorney
\nAdams and Reese LLP
\nColumbia<\/p>\n

Gary Simrill
\n<\/strong>Special Assistant to the President
\nWinthrop University
\nRock Hill<\/p>\n

Jason Sloan
\n<\/strong>VP, Medicare Advantage Stars and Risk Programs
\nBlueCross BlueShield of SC
\nColumbia<\/p>\n

Donny Supplee
\n<\/strong>President
\nUnited Way of Kershaw County
\nCamden<\/p>\n

Donna Waites
\n<\/strong>President
\nSisters of Charity Foundation of SC
\nColumbia<\/p>\n

Nick Washington
\n<\/strong>Program Director
\nOriginal Six Foundation
\nColumbia<\/p>\n

###<\/p>\n

About the Riley Institute at Furman University<\/strong><\/p>\n

Furman University\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Forty-one leaders from across the Midlands 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\u2019s Diversity Leaders Initiative (DLI).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1371,"template":"","update-categories":[11,18],"class_list":["post-1370","furman-update","type-furman-update","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","furman-update-category-diversity-strategies","furman-update-category-news-release"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/riley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/1370","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/riley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/riley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/furman-update"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/riley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/1370\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/riley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1371"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/riley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1370"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"furman-update-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/riley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/update-categories?post=1370"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}