Forty leaders from the Lowcountry and surrounding area have completed the Riley Institute at Furman’s Diversity Leaders Initiative (DLI).
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.
Over the past five months, participants have examined sensitive issues related to diversity and inclusion, explored “blind spots,” and discussed how to suspend assumptions. Each class is expertly facilitated by Juan Johnson, an independent consultant and former Coca-Cola vice president.
As part of the program, participants have worked in small, cross-sector groups to respond to real issues and opportunities in their communities through service projects. The projects from this class focus on topics such as teaching water safety to children; inspiring goals in kindergartners from low income neighborhoods through a college tour; providing a “Porch Party Trailer” full of resources to encourage interaction among Charleston neighborhoods; launching a mentoring program between members of the Charleston Symphony Youth Orchestra and students from a Title 1 elementary school; and showcasing future career opportunities to middle school students through forums and onsite field trips.
“We are extremely proud of this class, their work to improve their organizations and communities, and the relationships they have formed from their honest conversations this semester,” said Don Gordon, executive director of the Riley Institute.
DLI graduates 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.
In addition to the Lowcountry, DLI classes are selected annually in the Upstate and Midlands.
Each class is crafted to reflect the diverse demographics in South Carolina.
The full roster of Riley Fellows is available online at riley.furman.edu. The Riley Fellows of the 13th Lowcountry DLI class are:
Nancy Appel
Director of Development
Coastal Conservation League
Charleston
Tony Bartelme
Senior Projects Reporter
The Post and Courier
Charleston
Keith Benjamin
Director, Department of Traffic and Transportation
City of Charleston
Charleston
David Bennett
Executive Director
Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission
Charleston
Walker Brock
Principal
Canongate Capital
Charleston
Stacy Brown
Director of Operations
Metanoia Community Development Corporation
North Charleston
Chris Bryant
Associate Attorney
Yarborough Applegate
Charleston
Greg Bulanow
Fire Chief
North Charleston Fire Department
North Charleston
Amy Chase
Vice President, Professional Services
Blackbaud
Charleston
Angelica Colwell
Special Counsel
Nexsen Pruet, LLC
Charleston
Bill Craver
Shareholder- President/ Manager
Craver Law Firm PA/Crystal Enterprises, LLC
Charleston
Kate Darby
Chair; Director of Administration
Charleston County School Board; J. Henry Stuhr Funeral Chapels and Crematory
Charleston
Lee Deas
Grand Imaginator
Obviouslee Marketing
Charleston
Sara DeWolf
Board Chair
Charleston Hope
Daniel Island
Clifford Fulmore
Board Member; House Call Educator/Consultant
Engaging Creative Minds; Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Charleston
Lucinda Dale Gardner
Attorney
Mount Pleasant
Chase Glenn
Executive Director
Alliance For Full Acceptance (AFFA)
Charleston
Kecia Greenho
Executive Director
Reading Partners South Carolina
North Charleston
Adrian Grimes
External Affairs Manager
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston
Natalie Ham
Attorney
Charleston County School District
Charleston
Melinda Hamilton
President, League of Women Voters of the Charleston Area
Charleston
Craig Harris
Lieutenant of Internal Affairs
Mount Pleasant Police Department
Mt. Pleasant
Angel Johnson-Brebner
Executive Vice President
Coastal Community Foundation
Charleston
Hope Lanier Freeman
Director, Communication & External Affairs
BP America
Wando
Ted Legasey
Community Volunteer
CPN, TCCC, Gaillard Performance Center
Kiawah
Glenda Levine
Chief Diversity Officer
Berkeley County School District
Moncks Corner
Ken Lott
Vice President, Human Resource Management
Santee Cooper
Moncks Corner
Lorraine Lutton
President and CEO
Roper St. Francis (Carolinas Healthcare System)
Charleston
Catherine Main
Executive Director
East Cooper Land Trust
Mount Pleasant
Marc Marchant
Vice President, Principal
LS3P
Charleston
Edward McKeIvey
SVP CRA Officer
South State Bank
North Charleston
Jonathan Rauh
Director of Evaluation and Public Policy
Trident United Way
North Charleston
Jennifer Ross
Director of Development
Gibbes Museum of Art
Charleston
Gable Stubbs
Principal
SGA Architecture
Charleston
Peter Tecklenburg
County Auditor
Charleston County
Charleston
Mary Tinkler
County Treasurer
Charleston County Government
Charleston
Sean Tracey
Vice President of Local Area Programs
Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce
North Charleston
Adrienne Troy-Frazier
Executive Director
Berkeley County First Steps
Hanahan
Thornton White
Logistics Technologies
ATI
Charleston
Jordi Yarborough
SVP, External Affairs
SC Ports Authority
Charleston
For more information about the Riley Institute and its programs, visit riley.furman.edu.
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