Terril Bates began her affordable housing career in 1989 as a Section 8 Administrator at the Beaufort Housing Authority. Throughout her career, Bates worked across the United States, earning roles as Deputy Executive Director, Director and CEO in Greensboro, North Carolina, Detroit, Michigan, Spartanburg, South Carolina and Daytona Beach, Florida.

Bates has been involved in Public Housing Authority and Rental Assistance Demonstration programs, administering multiple initiatives including VASH, Emergency Housing Vouchers, Housing Choice Vouchers and homeownership programs.

In January 2024, Bates, a graduate of Global Evangelical Christian College, joined the Greenville Housing Authority, which serves 3,200 households. She and her staff authored the Move to Work program in 2024, a Congressionally approved HUD program driving economic empowerment among nearly 2,000 participants. The program has garnered support from the Hollingsworth Foundation, United Way, Chamber of Commerce, USC Upstate and Goodwill.

“The other is myself in disguise,” Bates said, quoting Deepak Chopra. “This keeps me mindful of seeing the value of individuals.”

Allie Boykin serves as Interim CEO of SC Thrive, a nonprofit organization with 50 employees. Her entrepreneurial spirit emerged early when she created a babysitting service, learning to source and manage client families while developing skills she carries today.

Boykin earned a Bachelor of Business Administration cum laude from Presbyterian College in May 2009, with concentrations in Accounting and Management. She completed a Master of Accountancy at the Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina in May 2010.

Her community service includes serving as Treasurer and Secretary of Lugoff Elementary School PTO from August 2020 to May 2024 and as a Midlands Advisory Board Member for Multiplying Good from August 2023 to August 2024. She currently serves as Treasurer of the Community Medical Clinic of Kershaw County.

“The best advice I have ever received is to always do your best,” Boykin said. “If you have done your best, you’ve done all you can do.”

Michael Brown leads Sustaining Way and its flagship demonstration site, Annie’s House, in historic Nicholtown in the Upstate. A Spartanburg native, Brown earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Alabama A&M University, a Master of Public Administration from The Ohio State University and a Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law.

He served 12 years as District One Representative for Spartanburg County Council, becoming the first African-American vice chair while chairing the Public Safety and Judiciary Committee and serving on the Economic Development Committee, where he worked to establish 20,000 jobs and deliver more than $8 billion in development.

Brown serves as president of the Spartanburg NAACP and sits on the South Carolina Bar Board of Governors. A Liberty Fellowship alumnus and Aspen Global Leadership Fellow, he serves on the boards of the South Carolina Food Policy Council and Carolina Farm Stewardship Association.

As a certified apiarist trained in Sustainable Agriculture and Permaculture, Brown combats food deserts statewide as a recognized environmental justice advocate.

Caquisha (C.T.) Burton leads executive operations at Coastal Community Foundation, a $500 million organization supporting communities across South Carolina. She bridges connections across five departments and three supporting organizations, ensuring the president and CEO can effectively carry out the foundation’s mission.

Burton earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the College of Charleston in 2011, where she was recognized as Student of the Year for the School of Business.

In her current role, Burton identified critical gaps in board committee operations and developed a training initiative for committee administrators. The initiative improved meeting efficiency and built cross-functional support across the organization.

Burton serves on the board of Tri-County Cradle to Career Collaborative and teaches Bible study to middle school girls at her church. Following Hurricane Helene, she organized relief efforts in her hometown of Edgefield, connecting local schools with foundation resources that resulted in grants for affected families.

Dyrell Clark leads Reading Partners South Carolina, a literacy nonprofit serving students across the state. Clark holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Benedict College and dual graduate degrees from Webster University: a Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Administration and a Master of Science in Professional Mental Health Counseling.

Under Clark’s leadership, Reading Partners South Carolina operates 11 reading centers with 423 community tutors serving 477 students during the 2024-25 school year, with 86% of students meeting or exceeding their literacy growth goals.

Clark brings a unique perspective to the work, having been diagnosed with dyslexia as a child. This personal experience shaped a professional mission focused on ensuring every child receives necessary literacy support.

Clark serves as a board member of Lowcountry Connections Academy and was named to Benedict College’s inaugural 40 under 40 class in 2025 and selected as a 2024 Riley Institute Fellow.

“Lead with purpose, not position, when you focus on impact, influence will follow,” Clark said.

Angel Diaz, a retired U.S. Navy veteran and PGA professional, has led Project Golf Myrtle Beach since 2021, expanding golf access for underserved youth, veterans and beginners. After enlisting in the Navy six days after high school and serving for 22 years, Diaz earned a Bachelor of Science in Business from the University of Phoenix in 2012 before dedicating himself to transformative golf programs.

As director of the nonprofit, Diaz oversees three staff, 40 volunteer veteran ambassadors and 17 PGA professional instructors who have served 550 disabled veterans, 100 underserved youth and 500 golf newcomers through free instruction and therapeutic programs like PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere). In 2024, he spearheaded a unanimous South Carolina House resolution designating May 9 as “PGA HOPE Day.”

Diaz received the 2025 Carolinas PGA Patriot Award for his work empowering military veterans through adaptive golf. He also serves on the board of the LPGA Amateur Golf Association’s Myrtle Beach Chapter. “Live with intent,” Diaz said, emphasizing the importance of aligning choices with passion.

Kerry Driggers celebrated her 10th year as president and CEO of the Greater Irmo Chamber of Commerce in July 2025, making her the longest-serving president in the organization’s 31-year history. Under her leadership, the chamber’s partnership has doubled to nearly 500 members in and around the Irmo area.

Driggers has a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of West Georgia. Her civic involvement includes serving as chair of Leadership Lexington County in 2025, vice chair of the Irmo Future Growth Corp. in 2025, and past presidencies of the Optimist Club of St. Andrews-Irmo and the Rotary Club of Columbia. She earned recognition as Rotarian of the Year in 2013 and Optimist of the Year in 2021.

Driggers defines her success as “leaving my community stronger than I found it — helping businesses grow, creating opportunities for others, and fostering connections that make people feel seen and supported.”

As the wife of a fire chief and mother of an airman, she is passionate about supporting first responders and military families.

Delisa English leads The Blood Connection, a nonprofit blood center serving the Southeast with 871 employees. English holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Auburn University and a Master of Business Administration from The University of Tennessee. She completed additional executive education at The George Washington University and Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Originally planning to become an educator like her father, English changed her major to business during her junior year after realizing teaching wasn’t her passion. Her career path led to the blood industry. “The work we do at The Blood Connection is demanding — it’s relentless, it’s 24/7 and it never stops — but saving lives is immensely meaningful,” English said.

Since September 2024, she has overseen significant expansion, including new community blood centers in Evans, Georgia and Greenville, North Carolina, with a Danville, Virginia location in development. The organization opened the Augusta Blood Distribution and Operations Center.

English serves as board chair of Blood Centers of America and as secretary of the Association of Blood and Biotherapies. Her honors include the Riley Institute Diversity Fellowship and recognition as SC Women in Business in 2022.

Sara Fawcett leads United Way of the Midlands as president and CEO, guiding the 50-employee organization as it celebrates its 100th anniversary while addressing challenges of sustainable funding and engaging donors in innovative ways.

A College of William and Mary graduate with a bachelor’s degree in economics, Fawcett forged a partnership with Mungo Homes and Homeless No More to address affordable housing in the Midlands.

“You would be a lot less worried about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do,” she says.

Her first job at age 16 selling clothing at a mall taught her the importance of engaging customers beyond standing behind the cash register.

Fawcett serves on multiple boards including South Carolina Technical College System Foundation, Central Carolina Community Foundation, and United Way Association of South Carolina as chief professional officer chair. She holds vestry membership at Cathedral Church of the Apostles.

She received Allen University’s Richard Allen Award in 2023 and Columbia Urban League’s Ethel M. Bolden Award in 2024.

Sam Franklin has dedicated nearly nine years to the YMCA of Greenville, progressing from Chief Operating Officer to his current role as President and CEO, which he assumed in September 2024. As COO, Franklin supervised all nine branches within the association. His leadership builds on more than three decades of YMCA experience across multiple states.

Before joining the Greenville organization, Franklin served 13 years as Vice President of Operations for the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina in Winston-Salem, where he supervised multiple branches including the Innovation Quarter YMCA and the association’s sports division. Earlier in his career, he demonstrated entrepreneurial skills as Executive Director of the YMCA of the Triangle, transforming the Lee County Branch from a single office into an operation with a million-dollar budget.

Franklin’s YMCA career began in 1991 at the Harding Place YMCA in Middle Tennessee. He earned a Bachelor of Applied Science in Public Relations and Image Management from Middle Tennessee State University.

Jason Giulietti leads the Central South Carolina Alliance as President and CEO, driving economic growth and investment throughout the region. Giulietti earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Master in Public Administration from the University of Connecticut.

Under his leadership, the Alliance has been reinvigorated as a catalyst for economic development, operating under principles of accountability, transparency and authenticity. The organization has experienced significant growth while attracting new capital investments and creating jobs across Central South Carolina.

Giulietti’s approach to leadership reflects advice he received early in his career: “check your ego at the door.” This principle has guided him to build trust and meaningful relationships based on collaboration rather than personal agendas.

His career began at age 16 working in a grocery store, where he advanced from bagger to front end supervisor within 30 days. This experience taught him the value of hard work and building trusting relationships with colleagues.

In 2025, Giulietti earned the Foreign Direct Investment Professional designation and was inducted into the Southern Business and Development Magazine Hall of Fame, recognizing his impact on economic development.

Don Gordon served as the Riley Institute’s executive director from fall 1999 until June 2024, advancing social and economic progress and educational outcomes in South Carolina. Under his leadership, the institute evolved from a part-time, one-person initiative into one of the nation’s foremost liberal arts university institutes, expanding to 18 staff and more than 30 programs.

As a member of Furman’s Political Science Department specializing in African and Middle Eastern politics, Gordon created the urban studies program and major and led the national award-winning Organization for African Unity Team for 20 years. He co-authored “Understanding Contemporary Africa” with Dr. April Gordon, a textbook used in over 100 universities for nearly 25 years.

On leave from Furman, Gordon served as chief of staff and committee counsel in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Gordon earned his doctorate and master’s in political science from the University of Florida and undergraduate degrees in political science and psychology from the University of South Florida.

Winslow Hastie earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of the South at Sewanee and a Master of Arts from the University of Georgia before dedicating his career to historic preservation in Charleston.

As CEO of Historic Charleston Foundation, Hastie leads a team of 26 employees working to preserve and sustain Charleston’s people, historic places, culture and community. Under his leadership, the Foundation has secured significant funding for critical preservation initiatives, including a $1.25 million grant from the Mellon Foundation to revitalize Mosquito Beach on James Island and another $1.25 million grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to support the Common Cause loan fund program, which provides financial assistance to income-qualified legacy homeowners for historic home renovations.

Hastie serves on the Board of Directors of Preservation Action and Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, the Advisory Board for the American College of the Building Arts, and the Board of the Friends of the Lowcountry Lowline. He said the best advice he ever received was to be yourself, enjoy what you do, and you will ultimately be successful both in your work and for your own personal satisfaction.

Amy Holbert leads Family Connection of South Carolina, the state’s only Parent Training and Information Center, which serves families of children with disabilities. Holbert earned a Master of Social Work from the University of South Carolina and a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from the University of North Carolina Greensboro.

Her career began as a mental health consultant in a hospital emergency room, where she learned the importance of compassion and presence during vulnerable moments. This foundation shaped her approach to leadership and advocacy.

Under Holbert’s leadership, Family Connection secured the PTI Center grant in 2025, ensuring continued expert guidance for families navigating educational systems. The organization provides practical tools and support to strengthen families, schools and communities.

Holbert serves on numerous national and state boards, including Board Chair of Parent-to-Parent USA National and South Carolina’s Maternal Mortality Task Force. She has mentored state leaders through the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs and received recognition as a 2025 Healthlinks ‘Women in Health’ honoree.

“Success is achieving meaningful goals that truly make a difference in people’s lives,” Holbert said.

Melanie Huggins leads Girl Scouts of South Carolina– Mountains to Midlands as president and chief executive officer, transitioning to the 35-employee organization after 30 years in public libraries including serving as executive director of Richland Library, which received the National Medal from the Institute for Museum and Library Services in 2017.

A University of South Carolina graduate with a master’s degree in library and information science and bachelor’s degree in studio art from Winthrop University, Huggins addresses challenges of sustaining volunteer-led troop models amid competition for girls’ time and rising anxiety levels.

“My dad always encouraged me to be myself and follow my instincts; to not feel pressure to conform,” she says.

Her first job at Riverbanks Zoo’s Ape Island Snack Bar taught her customer experience matters as much as products sold.

She co-chairs the Midlands Regional Competitiveness Council and serves on South Carolina Community Loan Fund’s board. She completed the Aspen Institute Global Leadership Network’s Liberty Fellowship in 2017.

Dean Hybl leads Ten at the Top, a nonprofit organization focused on regional collaboration across the Upstate. In September 2025, Hybl and partners including the South Carolina Office of Rural Health and the Upstate Regional Office of the South Carolina Department of Public Health unveiled behavioral health community and business resources as part of the Resilient Upstate Behavioral Health Collaborative. The initiative involved more than 100 companies and organizations and produced a Behavioral Health Workplace Toolkit, career summaries for 16 behavioral health professions and materials supporting stigma-free and recovery-friendly work environments.

Hybl earned a Bachelor of Science in Communications with a journalism concentration and an English minor from James Madison University in 1989. He previously served as founding co-chair of Greenville CAN and held board positions with Community Works and the Greer Chamber of Commerce. He currently serves on the Trinity Lutheran Church Council.

Hybl received recognition as one of SCBIZ Magazine’s 50 Most Influential Business Leaders in South Carolina in 2023 and the Urban League of the Upstate Corporate Citizen Award the same year.

“Success is a team sport,” Hybl said.

Rebecca Imholz has transformed the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce since taking the helm, including opening the organization’s first brick-and-mortar space in August 2024. Previously operating from her home office, garage and storage unit, Imholz has built the chamber into a vital resource addressing critical community challenges including attainable housing, infrastructure, child care and workforce development.

Her career began as research faculty at Virginia Tech, where she managed $900,000 in grants and a staff of five while developing strategic communication plans for the U.S. Department of Energy’s nuclear waste management program. This foundation in stakeholder engagement prepared her for chamber leadership.

Imholz’s community involvement spans education, senior services and affordable housing initiatives. She serves on the Bands of Wando Foundation board and is currently completing the Furman University Riley Fellows Diversity Leadership Initiative Program. Her recognition includes SCBIZ/Charleston Regional Business Journal’s Women of Influence and Noteworthy Network Award for Lowcountry Diversity Leadership.

Beyond traditional business leadership, Imholz hosted “Let’s Talk Boomers” on 94.3 WSC for seven years, showcasing her passion for connecting with the Lowcountry community.

Taylor Jackson earned a Bachelor of Science in Political Sciences with a minor in Biology from Clemson University. Jackson serves as president and CEO of the Maritime Association of South Carolina, leading the organization with just two employees.

Jackson holds numerous leadership positions throughout the maritime and logistics sector. She serves as Co-Vice Chair of the National Association of Maritime Organizations and as 2025 Chair of the South Carolina International Trade Conference. Her board involvement includes the Maritime Cybersecurity Institute, Global Charleston, Charleston Motor Carriers Association and Charleston County CTE Advisory Board. Jackson previously chaired Charleston Women in International Trade and currently serves as Secretary of The International Propeller Club of Charleston.

Jackson has received recognition as the Maritime Association of SC’s Emerging Leader of the Year in 2023 and NTW Young Leader of the Year in 2019. She defines success as “the impact I can have on others, even in small, meaningful moments,” Jackson said.

The Maritime Association of South Carolina will celebrate its centennial with a gala in February 2026, featuring the second annual Maritime and Logistics Summit.

A Mount Pleasant native, Faith Rivers James joined the Coastal Conservation League in 2022 after witnessing decades of development pressure on the Lowcountry landscape. A graduate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School, James built her career at the intersection of law, leadership and environmental conservation.

She practiced legislative law in Washington, D.C., and served as counsel and senior policy advisor to the U.S. House Majority Leader. Upon returning to South Carolina, she led the South Carolina Bar Foundation and helped launch the groundbreaking Heirs’ Property Preservation Project through partnership with the Coastal Community Foundation. Her law teaching career at Vermont Law School and Elon University School of Law focused on property and environmental issues. From 2017 to 2022, she served as Assistant Provost for Leadership at The Citadel, where she shaped the next generation of state leaders.

James is an expert on preserving African American property ownership in the Lowcountry and was instrumental in creating the Center for Heirs’ Property Preservation in Charleston.

“I have always prioritized the conservation of natural resources, protecting our rural landscapes, and preserving communities,” James says.

Grady Johnson, an entrepreneur himself with a Bachelor of Science from Clemson University, is the executive director of the Harbor Entrepreneur Center. Under his leadership, the center has grown to become the third largest entrepreneur center in the Southeast and one of the top 10 in the nation, spanning over 64,000 square feet with more than 100 companies in residence.

Johnson has demonstrated significant commitment to regional leadership, having served as chair of both the Association of Area Business Publishers and the Palmetto Trail. He has also held board positions with SustainSC and Charleston Center for Women.

Johnson identifies a critical challenge facing entrepreneur support organizations: the need to evolve and adopt new technologies like AI as rapidly as the company founders they serve. His approach to navigating such challenges reflects the best advice he has received: “Go for it,” Johnson said.

His career began at age 15 as a deck hand on a Fort Sumter tour boat in Charleston harbor, where he learned multitasking by managing everything from tickets to the snack bar. Outside work, Johnson plays bongo drums in a ukulele band.

Hasker Hudgens Jr. leads The Equipping Center in Fountain Inn, bringing more than 20 years of experience as a lecturer, teacher, consultant, leadership trainer and mentor. He develops leaders and organizations through strategic planning and community development.

Hudgens founded The Equipping Center on Feb. 9, 2014, creating a ministry dedicated to helping individuals discover their purpose and serve their communities. He frequently addresses churches, corporate entities, civic organizations and charities across the region.

A Leadership Greenville graduate from Class XXXVI, Hudgens is a founding member of the Homes of Hope Advisory Board and serves on several business roundtables. He previously served on the Greenville Health System Children’s Hospital Philanthropy Board and Greenville First Steps board. He completed the Riley Institute at Furman University Diversity Leadership Institute.

Hudgens received the South Carolina Palmetto Patriot recognition, the highest honor from the lieutenant governor’s office for contributions to the state through public service. In May 2022, he became a peace ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. He recently earned his doctorate in theology.

Nick Kremydas earned a Bachelor of Arts from Francis Marion University before completing his Juris Doctor at the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1994. Kremydas serves as chief executive officer of the South Carolina Association of Realtors.

Throughout his career, Kremydas has earned numerous professional recognitions, including induction into the REALTOR® Political Action Committee Hall of Fame and being named one of Columbia’s 50 Most Influential Business Leaders in 2017 and 2018. He was recognized as one of Leaders in the Law by SC Lawyers Weekly in 2024 and has served on the National Association of Realtors Legal Action Committee since 1995.

The son of Greek immigrants, Kremydas has deep roots in South Carolina’s Greek Orthodox community, serving two terms as president of the Parish Council in Florence. He has volunteered as a Boy Scout leader and assistant tennis coach.

“I realized early in my career that a strong work ethic requires giving 100% every single time,” Kremydas said.

Tonya M. Matthews leads the International African American Museum as president and chief executive officer, overseeing an 80-employee institution achieving $197 million in annual economic impact since opening in 2021.

Matthews holds a doctorate in biomedical engineering from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree in biomedical and electrical engineering from Duke University. Under her leadership, the museum hosted President Joe Biden and Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, earned recognition as one of Time Magazine’s 100 World’s Greatest Places in 2024, and joined the UNESCO Network Places of History and Memory.

“Master the art of how to rest on the run,” she says, advice from a mentor about recognizing rejuvenating moments within meaningful work.

Her first position as a science museum project manager taught her that budgets need not constrain creativity.

Matthews serves on the Bright Focus Foundation board and Hilton Head Futures Advisory Board. She defines success through her successors and the impact of those she mentors.

An anime and animated film enthusiast, Matthews finds both calm and inspiration in vivid illustrations and imaginative storytelling.

Michelle McCollum leads the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor with more than two decades of experience in heritage tourism, economic development and conservation. She is dedicated to preserving, promoting and enhancing the state’s cultural, historical and natural assets through initiatives that connect communities, drive sustainable tourism and create economic opportunities.

McCollum believes in transforming heritage into opportunity by leveraging South Carolina’s diverse history, natural beauty and cultural traditions to fuel economic growth while ensuring long-term sustainability. She helps lead the South Carolina Seven Expedition, a groundbreaking adventure across the state’s seven natural wonders that raises awareness about conservation, resilience and outdoor recreation while engaging leaders and communities in the importance of protecting natural resources.

As a key organizer of the South Carolina Resilience Conference, McCollum brings together experts, policymakers and communities to address climate resilience, sustainability and disaster preparedness. This platform fosters critical discussions and strategies to ensure South Carolina remains strong and resilient in the face of environmental challenges.

Adela Mendoza began her career as a radio DJ and producer at a leading station in southeast Mexico, where by age 23 she managed logistics for large-scale concerts and negotiated contracts with international labels. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Journalism from Universidad del Valle in Mexico.

As executive director of Hispanic Alliance, Mendoza celebrated the organization’s 15th anniversary in 2025 with a yearlong campaign culminating in its La Fiesta gala. The Student Dreamers Alliance, a flagship program, entered its 10th year, while new initiatives advanced health equity and language justice.

Mendoza serves on boards including Prisma Upstate, Ten at the Top and Duke Energy Upstate Regional Advisory Board. She is a global fellow with the Aspen Global Leadership Network and completed Liberty Fellowship in 2016.

“True success is measured not just by what we accomplish, but by how much good we enable others to do,” Mendoza said.

Her recognitions include being named an Unsung Hero by Greenville Technical College and receiving the McNulty Foundation Inaugural Catalyst Award.