Forty-four leaders from across the state have new tools and perspectives to help leverage diversity to improve organizational outcomes and drive social and economic progress in South Carolina, gained through their participation in the Riley Institute’s Diversity  Leaders Initiative (DLI). 

The leaders, who graduated from DLI’s second statewide class on June 10, took part in intensive discussions and scenario analyses that allowed them to openly examine sensitive  issues related to diversity and inclusion with fellow leaders, explore “blind spots,” and gain  tools to develop diversity strategies within their own organizations. 

Since its inception 18 years  ago, DLI has become a cornerstone of Furman University’s Riley Institute. More than 2,300  leaders from across the state have graduated from the program. 

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.  

Classes are typically organized by region, taking place in the Upstate, Midlands, and Lowcountry, but the need to transition to virtual programming as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic created the opportunity for broader convenings unrestrained by geography.  

“Our newest Riley Fellows have set a remarkable example of the good we can achieve when we  rise as one South Carolina — even from a distance — to meet the challenges our communities  face,” said Dr. Donald Gordon, executive director of the Riley Institute. “As the pandemic recedes, I look forward to seeing how they continue to drive positive change in their  workplaces and communities with the tools they’ve gained in DLI.”  

DLI is facilitated by expert Juan Johnson, who was The Coca-Cola Company’s first-ever vice  president for diversity strategy.  

Participants are selected through a rigorous application and interview process after being  nominated by existing Riley Fellows. They are accepted based on their capacity to create impact within their organizations and communities. 

Each class is crafted to reflect the diverse  demographics in South Carolina. 

As part of the statewide class, participants worked together to develop awareness campaigns for five South Carolina-based nonprofits: Charleston Promise Neighborhood, Homeless Period  Project, Medical Legal Partnership, Homeless No More, and Fostering Great Ideas.  

The full roster of Riley Fellows is available online at riley.furman.edu. These are the graduates of the spring 2021 DLI class:  

Jorge Aceves 

CBS/F Americas TZ Director 

Michelin 

Greenville 

Jimmy Alexander 

Section Manager 

BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC 

Greer 

Mark Arnold 

Chief of Police 

Mount Pleasant Police Department 

Mt. Pleasant 

Renee Bacon 

Inclusion Partner 

Prisma Health 

Greenville 

Fabien Bernadot 

R&D Quality Director 

Michelin 

Greenville 

Barbara Blain-Bellamy 

Mayor 

City of Conway 

Conway 

Cody Butts 

President 

Cherokee Medical Center 

Gaffney 

Stephane Cocard 

Director of Development of Industry  Materials 

Michelin 

Greenville 

Larry Cunningham 

Dean 

Charleston School of Law 

Charleston 

Dawn Deck 

Investment and Grants Manager 

South Carolina Community Loan Fund 

Spartanburg 

Lydia Dobyns 

President and CEO 

New Tech Network 

Napa, CA 

Monica Dongre 

Employment Counsel 

RTI International 

Charlotte, NC 

Ben Duncan 

Director, SC Disaster Recovery, South  Carolina Office of Resilience 

Office of the Governor 

Columbia

Gerard Edwards 

District ADEPT, Induction & Mentoring  Coordinator 

Lee County School District 

Bishopville 

Julia Fuchs 

Section Manager 

BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC 

Greer 

Judi Gatson 

News Anchor 

WIS-TV 

Columbia 

Lynette Gibson 

Professor and Director of Research in  Nursing 

USC Upstate, Mary Black School of Nursing 

Spartanburg 

Jeremy Gilbert 

Wyss Smart State Endowed Chair and  Professor 

Clemson University 

Charleston 

Shirene Hansotia 

ACLU Senior Criminal Justice Policy Counsel 

ACLU of South Caroilna 

Charleston 

Yendelela Neely Holston 

Partner, Chief Diversity and Inclusion  Officer 

Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton, LLP 

Atlanta, GA 

Dawn Hyde 

Pastor 

Downtown Church 

Columbia 

Eric Hyyppa 

President 

National Educational Telecommunications  Association 

Columbia 

David Kirkpatrick 

Managing Director 

South State Bank 

Columbia 

Rich LaVecchia 

Vice President, Corporate Planning &  Strategic Solutions 

BlueCross BlueShield of SC 

Columbia 

Rhett Mabry 

President 

The Duke Endowment 

Charlotte, NC 

Lucy Grey McIver 

AVP and Deputy General Counsel 

BlueCross BlueShield of SC 

Columbia 

David Merhib 

President and CEO 

Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce

Greer 

Cortney Nick 

AVP, Store Manager 

TD Bank 

Columbia 

Kathryn Norwood 

Board Chair; Board of Managers Chair Jasmine Road; Jasmine Kitchen 

Greenville

Catherine Perry 

Talent Acquisition Manager 

BlueCross BlueShield of SC 

Columbia 

Autumn Phillips 

Managing Editor 

The Post and Courier 

Charleston 

Lance Radford 

Superintendent 

Spartanburg School District Two 

Chesnee 

Jaquetta Ross 

Director of Campus Life 

Greenville Technical College 

Greenville 

Roshella Smalls 

Assistant General Counsel 

Fluor Corporation 

Greenville 

Alexis Stoner 

Discipline Chair for Preventive Medicine and  Public Health, Associate Professor Edward Via College of Osteopathic  Medicine, Carolinas Campus 

Spartanburg 

Carolyn Swinton 

Chief Nursing Officer 

Prisma Health 

Greenville 

Bob Teachey 

Senior Project Manager 

Brownstone Construction Group 

Columbia 

Jason Terrell 

Program Officer 

Walton Family Foundation 

Charlotte 

Chloe Tonney 

President and CEO 

Trident United Way 

North Charleston 

Dan Weidenbenner 

Executive Director 

Mill Community Ministries 

Greenville 

Derrick Williams 

Attorney 

Mickle & Bass, LLC 

Columbia 

Matthew Wilson 

Professor of Opthalmology 

University of Tennessee Health Science  Center / University Clinical Health 

Memphis, TN 

Abby Woods 

Director of Internal Consulting 

Charleston County School District 

North Charleston 

Susan Ybarra 

Executive Director 

IACH at Furman University 

Greenville