{"id":2480,"date":"2024-08-29T18:41:13","date_gmt":"2024-08-29T18:41:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/riley\/?post_type=furman-update&p=2480"},"modified":"2024-08-29T18:42:07","modified_gmt":"2024-08-29T18:42:07","slug":"dli-lowcountry-2024","status":"publish","type":"furman-update","link":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/riley\/news\/dli-lowcountry-2024\/","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<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

AUGUST 29, 2024 \u2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

42 LOWCOUNTRY LEADERS SELECTED TO BECOME RILEY FELLOWS<\/strong>
\nParticipants will take part in the Riley Institute\u2019s award-winning Diversity Leaders Initiative<\/em> before joining a network of more than 2,800 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 18th 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

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

Graduates of DLI become Riley Fellows, members of a powerful cross-sector network of over 2,800 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 2024 Lowcountry DLI class.<\/p>\n

Natassia Allen
\n<\/strong>Chief Operations Officer
\nBeaufort Jasper Hampton
\nComprehensive Health Services, Inc.
\nRidgeland<\/p>\n

Amy Barch
\n<\/strong>Executive Director
\nTurn90
\nNorth Charleston\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Peter Barton
\n<\/strong>Director
\nElliott Davis
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Russell Baxley
\n<\/strong>President and CEO
\nBeaufort Memorial Hospital
\nBeaufort<\/p>\n

Brett Bennett
\n<\/strong>President
\nCoastal Hydraulics, Inc.
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Djuanna Brockington
\n<\/strong>Interim Executive Director
\nGullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor
\nBeaufort<\/p>\n

Heather Bruemmer
\n<\/strong>Arts Administrator
\nHampton Friends of the Arts
\nHampton<\/p>\n

Dyrell Clark
\n<\/strong>Executive Director
\nReading Partners South Carolina
\nNorth Charleston<\/p>\n

Michelle Crawford
\n<\/strong>General Counsel, Compliance Officer and Board Secretary
\nAdvanced Technology International (ATI)
\nSummerville<\/p>\n

Ashley Demosthenes
\n<\/strong>President and CEO
\nLowcountry Land Trust
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Vanessa Denney
\n<\/strong>Interim Executive Director of Communications
\nCharleston County School District
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Joseph Dukes
\n<\/strong>Chief Solutions Officer
\nPalmetto Community Developers
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Lynne Ford
\n<\/strong>Associate Director
\nHelping Hands of Georgetown
\nGeorgetown<\/p>\n

Lissa Frenkel
\n<\/strong>President and CEO
\nGaillard Center Charleston
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Cokeitha Gaddist
\n<\/strong>Administrator
\nMedical University of South Carolina
\nMount Pleasant<\/p>\n

Elizabeth Gibbes
\n<\/strong>Partner, International Business Team Chair
\nParker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Allison Green
\n<\/strong>Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships
\nCharleston Metro Chamber of Commerce
\nNorth Charleston<\/p>\n

Tamara Greene
\n<\/strong>Regional Executive Director
\nFreedom Readers, Inc.
\nSurfside Beach<\/p>\n

Natalie Hauff
\n<\/strong>Deputy Director
\nCharleston County Public Library
\nNorth Charleston<\/p>\n

Kevin Horton
\n<\/strong>Attorney
\nShumaker Loop & Kendrick
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Brian Itzkowitz
\n<\/strong>President and CEO
\nPalmetto Goodwill
\nNorth Charleston<\/p>\n

Katrina Kenny
\n<\/strong>Senior Vice President, Contracts and Procurement
\nAdvanced Technology International (ATI)
\nSummerville<\/p>\n

Felice Knight
\n<\/strong>Director of Education
\nInternational African American Museum
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Richardson LaBruce
\n<\/strong>Attorney
\nFinger, Melnick, Brooks & LaBruce, P.A.
\nHilton Head Island<\/p>\n

John LaVerne
\n<\/strong>Founder & Operator (Chair – Explore Charleston Board)
\nBulldog Tours
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Elizabeth Mack
\n<\/strong>Pediatric
\nCritical Care Physician Vizient
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Greg McCormack
\n<\/strong>Senior Manager Financial Forecast
\nSantee Cooper
\nMoncks Corner<\/p>\n

James McQuilla
\n<\/strong>President
\nOrangeburg County Chamber of Commerce
\nOrangeburg<\/p>\n

Julie Moore
\n<\/strong>Trial Lawyer
\nDuffy & Young, LLC
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Paul Nunez
\n<\/strong>Director of Team Development and Culture
\nSouth Carolina Aquarium
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Laura Pelzer
\n<\/strong>Executive Director
\nCharleston Library Society
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Tony Pope
\n<\/strong>Agent
\nState Farm Insurance
\nSummerville<\/p>\n

Dan Ray
\n<\/strong>Board of Directors
\nSantee Cooper
\nPawleys Island<\/p>\n

Blakely Roof
\n<\/strong>President and CEO
\nUnited Way of Horry County
\nConway<\/p>\n

Sam Skardon
\n<\/strong>Development Director
\nMDC
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Deon Tedder
\n<\/strong>Attorney and State Senator
\nRogers, Patrick, Westbrook and Brickman, LLC- and State of South Carolina
\nMount Pleasant<\/p>\n

Lindsey Vance
\n<\/strong>CEO
\nMpowrd Analytics
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Kelvin Waites
\n<\/strong>Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
\nCity of Myrtle Beach
\nMyrtle Beach<\/p>\n

John Williams
\n<\/strong>County Attorney \/ Economic Development Director
\nBerkeley County
\nMoncks Corner<\/p>\n

Shawn Willis
\n<\/strong>Attorney
\nNelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

Nickisha Woodward
\n<\/strong>Attorney
\nTurner Padget
\nCharleston<\/p>\n

E<\/strong>llen Zisholtz
\n<\/strong>President\/CEO
\nCenter for Creative Partnerships
\nOrangeburg<\/p>\n

###<\/p>\n

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

The Riley Institute empowers emerging and established leaders\u2014across sectors and throughout society\u2014with the knowledge and tools to advance equity and drive social and economic progress in South Carolina and beyond. We work to strengthen public education; promote the power of diversity to help teams, organizations, and communities thrive; and elevate informed, evidence-based approaches to critical public issues. In all it does, the institute is committed to nonpartisanship and a bias-free path to change.<\/p>\n

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

FOR INFORMATION: Claudia Winkler Director of Marketing and Communications The Riley Institute at Furman University 864.294.3368; Claudia.winkler@furman.edu   AUGUST 29, 2024 \u2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:   42 LOWCOUNTRY LEADERS SELECTED […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1183,"template":"","update-categories":[11,18],"class_list":["post-2480","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\/2480","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":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/riley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/2480\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2482,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/riley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/2480\/revisions\/2482"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/riley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1183"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/riley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2480"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"furman-update-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/riley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/update-categories?post=2480"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}