{"id":1790,"date":"2023-08-23T20:22:04","date_gmt":"2023-08-23T20:22:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/riley\/?post_type=furman-update&p=1790"},"modified":"2023-10-31T19:10:10","modified_gmt":"2023-10-31T19:10:10","slug":"42-lowcountry-leaders-selected-to-become-riley-fellows","status":"publish","type":"furman-update","link":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/riley\/news\/42-lowcountry-leaders-selected-to-become-riley-fellows\/","title":{"rendered":"42 Lowcountry Leaders Selected to Become Riley Fellows"},"content":{"rendered":"

FOR INFORMATION: <\/strong><\/p>\n

Claudia Winkler
\nDirector of Marketing and Communications
\nThe Riley Institute at Furman University
\n864.294.3368; Claudia.winkler@furman.edu<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

AUGUST 24, 2023 \u2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:<\/p>\n

42 Lowcountry Leaders Selected to Become Riley Fellows<\/strong><\/p>\n

Participants will take part in the Riley Institute\u2019s award-winning Diversity Leaders Initiative<\/em> before joining a network of more than 2,700 graduates across the state. <\/em><\/p>\n

GREENVILLE, S.C. \u2014 Forty-two leaders from across the Lowcountry will participate in the Riley Institute\u2019s intensive 5-month Diversity Leaders Initiative<\/a> (DLI) program, learning the skills and perspectives necessary to leverage diversity in their organizations in ways that drive social and economic progress in South Carolina.<\/p>\n

Participants of DLI\u2019s 17th Lowcountry class were selected through a rigorous application and interview process after being nominated by DLI alumni. They are accepted based on a variety of factors, including their interest in and commitment to the program and their capacity to create impact within their organizations and communities. Each class is crafted to reflect South Carolina\u2019s demographic makeup.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday\u2019s leaders have an obligation to drive change across our state that impacts all levels of society, improving outcomes for everyone,\u201d said Dr. Don Gordon, executive director of the Riley Institute. \u201cThis class offers participants the tools and experiences to understand the nuanced challenges facing diverse segments of our community and to develop meaningful solutions.\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

Throughout the fall, 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<\/a>, partnering with nonprofit organizations to respond to real challenges and opportunities in their communities.<\/p>\n

\u201cSeeing the robust, impactful programs that the DLI participants develop in just a few months as part of their capstone is breathtaking,\u201d says Gordon. \u201cMany of these programs carry on for decades, benefitting communities across our state, and these capstones only provide a glimpse of what these leaders are capable of and will go on to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Graduates of DLI become Riley Fellows, members of a powerful cross-sector network of over 2,700 South Carolinians<\/a> that includes corporate CEOs, legislators, superintendents, religious and nonprofit heads, and business and community leaders.<\/p>\n

Listed below are the participants of the fall 2023 Lowcountry DLI class.<\/p>\n

Mahoganee Amiger
\n<\/strong>Founder \/ Entrepreneur \/ Artist
\nResponsible ARTistry, Inc.
\nSaint Helena Island<\/p>\n

Dan Battista
\n<\/strong>Executive Vice President – Southeast Region Leader
\nLowe Enterprises Real Estate Group
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Lauren Benton
\n<\/strong>Attorney\/Shareholder
\nThe Bellamy Law Firm
\nMyrtle Beach<\/p>\n

Katherine Bergmann
\n<\/strong>Head of Communications and Community Relations
\nVolvo Car U.S. Operations
\nRidgeville<\/p>\n

Julie Binz
\n<\/strong>Coastal Reserves and Outreach Director
\nACE Basin NERR\/SC Department of Natural Resources
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Drew Callaghan
\n<\/strong>Vice President
\nRPE, LLC
\nBluffton<\/p>\n

Linda Distlerath
\n<\/strong>Trustee, Executive Committee
\nSCRA
\nBluffton<\/p>\n

Michael Eckard
\n<\/strong>Office Managing Shareholder
\nOgletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Clare Fieseler
\n<\/strong>Climate and Environment Reporter
\nThe Post and Courier
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Mike Fuller
\n<\/strong>President and CEO
\nBerkeley Electric Cooperative
\nMoncks Corner<\/p>\n

Traci Grant
\n<\/strong>Director Corporate Services & Corporate Secretary
\nSantee Cooper
\nMoncks Corner<\/p>\n

Greg Habib
\n<\/strong>Mayor
\nCity of Goose Creek
\nGoose Creek<\/p>\n

Grace Hamilton
\n<\/strong>Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
\nCharleston Metro Chamber
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

DJ Hampton, II
\n<\/strong>President and CEO
\nTrident United Way
\nNorth Charleston<\/p>\n

Robin Hargett
\n<\/strong>Executive Director
\nUrban Land Institute South Carolina
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Renee Harvey
\n<\/strong>Executive Director & Co-Founder; COO & Managing Partner
\nTheir Future. Our Vote. & Their Future PAC \/ Bold South Strategies
\nJohns Island<\/p>\n

Marilyn Hemingway
\n<\/strong>Founding President\/CEO
\nGullah Geechee Chamber of Commerce
\nGeorgetown<\/p>\n

Deion Jamison
\n<\/strong>Instructional Coach
\nOrangeburg County School District
\nOrangeburg<\/p>\n

Charles Jordan
\n<\/strong>Attorney
\nMoore & Van Allen
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Courtenay Lewandowski
\n<\/strong>Chief Advancement Officer
\nSC Aquarium
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

John Linton
\n<\/strong>Member
\nWalker, Gressette Linton, LLC
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Neil Lipsitz
\n<\/strong>City Councilman
\nCity of Beaufort
\nBeaufort<\/p>\n

Corey McClary
\n<\/strong>Workforce Development Manager
\nBerkeley County Government
\nMoncks Corner<\/p>\n

Christine Messick
\n<\/strong>Director, Community Engagement
\nReading Partners
\nNorth Charleston<\/p>\n

Kevin Mitchell
\n<\/strong>Chef Instructor, Author, Culinary Historian
\nCulinary Institute of Charleston at Trident Technical College
\nNorth Charleston<\/p>\n

Kristen Nichols
\n<\/strong>Attorney, Shareholder, Executive Committee
\nTurner Padget Graham & Laney, PA
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Phillip Padgett
\n<\/strong>Chief Financial Officer
\nSouth Carolina Ports Authority
\nMt. Pleasant<\/p>\n

Kevin Phillips
\n<\/strong>Attorney
\nSchiller & Hamilton
\nBeaufort<\/p>\n

Lee Pringle
\n<\/strong>Founder & Artistic Director
\nColour Music Festival
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Malika Pryor
\n<\/strong>Chief Learning and Engagement Officer
\nInternational African American Museum
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Shelli Quenga
\n<\/strong>Chief Innovation Officer
\nPalmetto Project
\nNorth Charleston<\/p>\n

Marcela Rabens
\n<\/strong>Publisher of Universal Latin News and Charleston Latin Guide
\nUniversal LLC
\nNorth Charleston<\/p>\n

Karen Riordan
\n<\/strong>President and CEO
\nMyrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce and CVB
\nMyrtle Beach<\/p>\n

Cassandra Robinson
\n<\/strong>Employee Relations Specialist
\nCharleston County Government-Human Resources Department
\nNorth Charleston<\/p>\n

Sarah Schreiber
\n<\/strong>Senior Staff Attorney
\nCharleston Legal Access
\nNorth Charleston<\/p>\n

Leslie Skardon
\n<\/strong>Director
\nGlobal Prairie
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Solomon Stevens
\n<\/strong>Columnist
\nThe Post and Courier
\nNorth Charleston<\/p>\n

Emily Swanson
\n<\/strong>Board Chair
\nReading Partners
\nNorth Charleston<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>Willie Todd
\n<\/strong>President and CEO
\nDenmark Technical College
\nDenmark<\/p>\n

Brian Turner
\n<\/strong>President and CEO
\nPreservation Society of Charleston
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Chito Walker
\n<\/strong>Interim Chief of Police
\nCity of Charleston
\nMt. Pleasant<\/p>\n

Conrad Williams
\n<\/strong>Medical Director, Palliative Care
\nMedical University of South Carolina (MUSC)
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

###<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/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-two leaders from across the Lowcountry will participate in the Riley Institute\u2019s intensive 5-month Diversity Leaders Initiative (DLI) program, learning the skills and perspectives necessary to leverage diversity in their organizations in ways that drive social and economic progress in South Carolina.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1798,"template":"","update-categories":[11],"class_list":["post-1790","furman-update","type-furman-update","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","furman-update-category-diversity-strategies"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/riley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/1790","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\/1790\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/riley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1798"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/riley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1790"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"furman-update-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/riley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/update-categories?post=1790"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}