Charlotte Berger earned a double Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Business Administration from Hope College. She worked her way through leading agencies in Charleston before establishing Charlotte Berger PR in 2020. The firm recently celebrated its five-year milestone with a team of 13.

Beyond her agency work, Berger founded TastemakersCHS in 2016, an organization connecting Charleston’s culinary scene with creators and nonprofits. The community has grown to more than 40 members with a combined Instagram following exceeding 700,000. TastemakersCHS has raised over $70,000 for more than two dozen local nonprofits supporting causes from domestic abuse victims to veterans with PTSD.

Berger serves as board member for Harbour Club at WestEdge and is a Lowcountry Local First member. She regularly leads speaking and education initiatives focused on artificial intelligence and marketing for professional organizations.

“Lead with generosity and outcomes — if you consistently create value, the press and partnerships follow,” Berger said.

She defines success as providing deserving women with purpose-filled careers and delivering impactful results to clients.

John Boyanoski earned a bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University in 1998. He leads Complete PR, a five-person professional services firm in Greenville, as president and CEO.

Boyanoski has demonstrated civic engagement throughout his career. He has chaired The Greenville Zoo Foundation, Rebuild Upstate and the Greenville Chamber’s PULSE Advisory Council while also serving on boards including The Children’s Museum of the Upstate, the South Carolina Small Business Development Board and Junior Achievement. He currently serves on the Greenville Chamber Board of Advisors, the Greenville County Board of Zoning Appeals and the YMCA Caine Halter Board of Advisors.

His recognitions include being named one of Greenville’s Best and Brightest in 2012 and the Greenville Chamber’s 2014 Young Professional of the Year. In 2023, Habitat Greenville honored him as Organizational Donor of the Year. The Soapstone Church Endowment recognized his volunteer service in 2025. He is a graduate of Leadership Greenville Class 40 and the Greenville Health System Medical Scholar program.

Regarding industry challenges, Boyanoski said, “AI is a challenge and blessing.”

Scott Brandon earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Davidson College in 1985 and a Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina in 1989. Brandon leads EVOQ Group as CEO and Owner, the holding company for Brandon, Eight Oh Two, Joybyte, Untamed, TravelBoom, SaleSurf Growth and Cineloco. The organization employs 205 people in marketing and advertising.

In April 2025, EVOQ acquired SaleSurf Growth, an Amazon specialty marketing agency. Joybyte, the company’s influencer-led social media agency, earned recognition as one of Arizona’s fastest-growing companies and was named by TikTok as the fastest-growing TikTok Shop agency in the United States in September 2025. Brandon was named Charlotte’s largest advertising agency.

Brandon serves as Vice Chair of Brookgreen Gardens Board of Trustees and holds board positions with MB National, Southern Financial Corporation and The Southern Bank. He serves the Myrtle Beach Area Recovery Council and Pawleys Island Presbyterian Church as an Elder.

Brandon’s father taught him that “hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”

David Campbell was promoted to CEO of Chernoff Newman in October 2024, leading the professional services and advertising firm’s 55-person team. Campbell holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Mississippi State University and a Master of Business Administration from George Washington University. He also attended Florida State University.

Campbell began his career as a financial analyst at the Federal Savings & Loan Insurance Corp, where he learned the importance of earning his position daily and maintaining curiosity. This foundation shaped his approach to leadership and continuous learning.

In his current role, Campbell focuses on navigating industry challenges including new technology adoption and talent acquisition. He serves as commission chair for the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs and holds board positions with Richland Library, Town Theater and Cola Jazz Foundation. Campbell also serves on Synovus’ local advisory board.

His advertising industry leadership includes serving as national chair of the American Advertising Awards and on the American Advertising Federation’s board and executive committee. Campbell has received multiple recognitions from the American Advertising Federation, including the Silver Medal and Legion of Excellence.

Marion Crawford began her career on the Nightly News Desk at NBC in New York before returning to the Carolinas to work at WSPA in Spartanburg and later WLOS in Asheville. These early experiences solidified her commitment to storytelling and authentic communication.

In 2010, Crawford founded her namesake agency, which began as a public relations firm and quickly evolved into a full-service communications agency with 30 employees. Over the past 18 months, she has strategically expanded the leadership team, promoting Bryant Lambert to president in 2024 and recruiting senior-level talent including Rusty Broome from GSD&M Austin as vice president and group creative director, Carissa Niewinski from Dentsu as group director of Media Analytics, and Kim Banks as director of communications.

“The key is people,” Crawford said.

Crawford serves on the Peace Center Board of Trustees and Executive Committee, United Ministries Board of Directors and Strategic Planning Committee for First Presbyterian Church of Laurens. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Virginia.

Katherine Smoak Davis earned her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of South Carolina in 1992. The following year, she founded Smoak Public Relations in the Greenville area, establishing what would become recognized as the Upstate’s premier public relations firm.

For more than three decades, Davis has served as an experienced media specialist, working with a wide range of clients to communicate their unique stories and passions to the broader community clearly and accurately. Her firm specializes in building strong relationships with clients and utilizing creative, practical and proven methods in order to deliver measurable results.

Smoak Public Relations provides comprehensive services including media relations, community relations, political relations, special event management and strategic planning. Davis emphasizes that getting messages across simply and strongly is essential to successful public relations campaigns. Whether issuing press releases, establishing social media accounts or staging special events, her team focuses on helping clients communicate their messages effectively with their targeted communities.

Velda Hughes has built Hughes Agency into a distinguished professional services firm over nearly 40 years while leading transformative philanthropic efforts across the Upstate. Hughes led the $18 million fundraising campaign to build Unity Park in Greenville and has been instrumental in raising more than $30 million since 2011 for TD Synnex Share the Magic to support families and children in need. She also spearheaded raising $14 million to build The Children’s Museum of the Upstate.

A University of North Carolina Chapel Hill journalism graduate, Hughes recently made strategic leadership appointments including Bill Fox as chief operating officer, Amanda Long as vice president of client services and media, and Anna Fisher as vice president of events and creative services. “My father always told me to hire people who can do their work far better than you,” Hughes says. “I have lived by that rule my entire career.”

Her leadership has earned recognition including the Order of the Palmetto and the Greenville Chamber of Commerce ATHENA Leadership Award.

Ryan Johnston leads 6AM City, a newsletter-first local media company based in Greenville that reaches millions daily across 28 U.S. cities with hyper-local content. Since joining as CEO in 2016, Johnston has positioned the company as a trusted source connecting readers with stories about events, business, development, culture and city life through accessible digital channels.

Johnston’s entrepreneurial background includes co-founding Southern Tide in 2005, where he contributed to strategic planning and concept design. He previously launched College Comfort, a bedding distribution company for college students, in 2002. From 2012 to 2018, Johnston served as publisher of Upstate Business Journal, managing an integrated business media brand in the Upstate.

His career also includes serving as vice president of tenant representation at Trinity Partners, supporting commercial real estate operations in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Johnston studied management and entrepreneurship at Clemson University. Under his leadership, 6AM City continues to innovate, including its Newsletters-as-a-Service product, which supports brands and communities with audience development, content creation, distribution and monetization.

Leah Stoudenmire Lawson leads The Rock It! Co., a boutique event marketing firm specializing in B2B event strategy and execution for companies across the United States. Stoudenmire Lawson earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of South Carolina before beginning her career as a junior account executive at EP+Co., an advertising agency where she developed skills in client management and strategic thinking.

Since founding her Greenville-based company, Stoudenmire Lawson has expanded its national footprint, recently adding Orgill, Veritas Prime and Quantum Health to its corporate client portfolio. The firm focuses on sales kickoffs, multi-day corporate programs, incentive trips and customer revenue-generating events, introducing customized event marketing packages for organizations seeking expert support in strategic planning, creative branding and onsite execution.

“Lead with integrity, and the rest will follow,” Stoudenmire Lawson said, describing her guiding principle. She served on the KIND of the Upstate Board and volunteers with First Presbyterian Church of Greenville. Her recognition includes honors from Talk Magazine, GSA Business Report and Greenville Business Magazine.

Amanda Loveday leads NP Strategy as CEO, a position she assumed in January 2025 after growing the 26-employee firm from a single employee in 2016 to operations spanning five cities across three states.

A University of South Carolina graduate with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism, Loveday identifies trust as her industry’s biggest challenge in an era shaped by artificial intelligence, where authentic communication becomes increasingly vital.

“The best advice I’ve ever received was to use your gifts fully but make sure you’re using them with purpose,” she says, a philosophy shaped by overcoming a childhood speech impediment that taught her the power of intentional communication.

Her first job at Chick-fil-A at age 15 instilled lessons in hard work and kindness that continue to guide her leadership approach.

Loveday serves on the board of Richland County Public Education Partners, demonstrating her commitment to community engagement.

She defines success as alignment — when actions, intentions and outcomes point in the same direction. At NP Strategy, this means building lasting partnerships through trust, treating people well, and creating meaningful impact rather than simply chasing growth or attention.

Merritt McNeely earned her public relations degree from the University of South Carolina’s School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Her professional career began as executive director of the Five Points Association, a role that would come full circle when she later served on the merchants’ district board.

Since joining Flock and Rally in 2018, McNeely has led the downtown Columbia-based agency through significant growth. The firm’s 21 full-time and four part-time employees achieved their best financial year in 2024, and by the third quarter of 2025 had exceeded that milestone. Under her leadership, the team has earned multiple “Best in Show” honors from the Public Relations Society of America and International Association of Business Communicators South Carolina chapters.

“Success is making an impact,” McNeely said.

Her community involvement includes serving on the city of Columbia’s volunteer committee for rebranding the region’s riverfront and holding board positions with the Congaree Vista Guild, where she served as president from July 2018 to July 2020.

Jeremy Smith leads operations at Garnet Trust, navigating the rapidly evolving Name, Image and Likeness landscape for University of South Carolina student-athletes. Smith has positioned the organization for long-term success by focusing on innovative opportunities that extend beyond traditional collective models.

In late 2024, Smith launched 1801 Media in partnership with The College Sports Company, creating a content and marketing platform that connects South Carolina businesses with student-athletes across all sports. This initiative represents a strategic shift toward scalable, brand-driven engagements.

Smith serves on the board of Pathways to Healing in Columbia, supporting survivors of sexual assault and abuse by connecting student-athletes with the mission. As an early member of The Collective Association, he has worked with congressional leaders to advocate for thoughtful NIL policies that protect athletes.

“What’s best for the athletes?” guides every decision at Garnet Trust, Smith explained. His approach reflects a commitment to supporting student-athletes not only during their four years at South Carolina, but for the 40 years after.

Brenda Stewart helps law firms build strong, intentional systems that support sustainable growth. With more than 25 years of experience working inside law firms of all sizes, she founded Stewart Marketing & Consulting in 2011 to bring clarity, structure and accountability to operations and business development efforts.

Stewart began her career managing law firms in the Washington, D.C., area before moving to South Carolina, where she served as executive director at Leatherwood Walker Todd & Mann for 16 years, overseeing operations for a firm with more than 50 attorneys. She later directed marketing and client services at Smith Moore Leatherwood before launching her consulting practice.

She authored “Intentional Marketing: Building Your Legal Practice One Relationship at a Time” and created the LinkedIn or Not program, which offers practical guidance through a 30-day challenge. Stewart also serves as a non-lawyer member of the South Carolina Commission on Lawyer Conduct, a position she has held for more than 15 years. She publishes Laurens County Buzz, an online news source.

Jennifer Sutton leads two companies that are reshaping how businesses approach brand strategy and entrepreneurial intelligence. As CEO and founder of Bright Marketing and OrangeWIP, Sutton has spent the past year rebuilding both organizations from the inside out, developing a proprietary business operating system that integrates brand, process, technology and people.

Sutton earned dual bachelor’s degrees in communications and political science from Indiana University-Bloomington, later completing executive MBA programs through Streetwise Interise’s Minority Business Accelerator and Babson College’s 10,000 Small Business Accelerator. Under her leadership, Bright Marketing launched specialized programs including Brand Therapy, Joy Lab and Innovation Sprints designed for upward-bound small and mid-sized businesses. OrangeWIP pivoted from digital magazine to podcast-driven content and Field Guides for founders.

“We’ve done the work on ourselves to better serve others — bringing strategy, execution and optimization under one roof,” Sutton explained.

She hosts the weekly podcast Hello Chaos and serves as marketing chair for Gamechanger while coaching entrepreneurs through multiple accelerator programs across South Carolina.

Alan Thompson leads Stingray Branding, a marketing agency specializing in home services companies, restaurants, and large-scale events. With degrees from the University of Florida, International Academy of Design and Technology, and Community College of the Air Force, Thompson combines business acumen with creative expertise and military discipline.

For eighteen years, Thompson has served as a Security Forces master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force Reserves while building his agency from a part-time side hustle into a regional powerhouse. Recently, Stingray Branding expanded operations to Atlanta Metro, promoted Neil Shulman to Charleston area manager, and launched a CRM product suite that significantly improves client profit margins and sales conversion rates.

Thompson’s civic leadership includes co-founding and chairing the North Charleston Chamber of Commerce and serving on the Charleston Gator Club board. His marketing excellence earned recognition from the American Marketing Association and 23 consecutive community votes for best-in-category honors.

“What must be done eventually should be done immediately and outwork your competition,” reflects Thompson’s philosophy of decisive action and relentless work ethic. For him, success means directly impacting others’ lives — developing team members, helping clients grow and watching others thrive.