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The Board of Regents and its committees are responsible for the policies and procedures of Leadership Grand Strand. The program is sponsored by the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce to develop a corps of informed, committed and qualified individuals capable of providing dynamic leadership for the Grand Strand area.
LGS is accepting applications for three upcoming at-large positions on the Board of Regents. Applicants must be a graduate of LGS.
The board positions have a 3-year term that officially begins July 1, 2024, but the applicants selected will be required to attend an orientation session on June 7, 2024.
The Board of Regents is charged with promoting, protecting and improving the program, both presently and for the future and we would love to have your input, energy and involvement. Board members will participate in the following areas to ensure the health and viability of LGS: program history, by-laws review, budget and finance, class projects and hours, leadership training and programs, alumni association, the Ann DeBock Leadership Award, class member selection and the Bill Pritchard Scholarship Fund.
Applicants should be willing to regularly volunteer to assist with program duties and understand that this body works diligently in its commitment to the betterment of LGS. Active participation in board, class and alumni functions and activities is expected of all Board of Regents members.
Interested applicants are asked to read the Board of Regents Responsibilities of Membership. To apply, download and fill out the application, attach an updated biography or resume and submit via email to LGS@VisitMyrtleBeach.com no later than Thursday, March 29.
Class XL
Sean Bailey is the Marketing Manager for SkyWheel Attractions. Originally from the south side of Chicago, Sean holds a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology from Valparaiso University.
After college, he chased storms, and the dream of being a meteorologist across the country. He forecasted frigid winters in Upstate New York and tornadic storms in Arkansas, and then moved to the Grand Strand to forecast the array of weather affecting the residents and visitors. While in Leadership Grand Strand Class 40, he discovered a new calling to do marketing and digital media for the SkyWheel.
Sean is an active member of the community. Since his time in LGS Class 40, he has been involved in several organizations dedicated to downtown revitalization, homeless initiatives, and professional development. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, he is also on the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Council. Sean lives in Socastee with his 8 year old puppy Skye and enjoys competing in beach volleyball tournaments, working out and listening to Taylor Swift.
Aaron Clay
Class XLII
Class LXII
Brent A. Barker is a Plant Engineering Supervisor with Horry Telephone Cooperative, Inc (HTC). In his 23+ year tenure with HTC, Brent has predominantly led the distribution design engineering team with emphasis on team development both within HTC and other entities to promote cooperative partnerships.
Brent is an active member with Waccamaw Sertoma Club, First Baptist Church of Conway, and a past board member of Conway Chamber of Commerce.
He is a Conway High School graduate and holds an Associate of Science degree in Civil Engineering Technology from Horry Georgetown Technical College. He is a graduate of Leadership Grand Strand Class LXII.
Currently, Brent resides in Conway with his wife Lauren, 2 sons Landon and Stanton, and family dog, June. Brent and his family enjoy boating, fishing, sporting events and other outdoor activities.
Class XLIII
Andrew Finch is a senior mortgage loan officer with Corning Credit Union with more than 11 years of lending and banking experience. He also is a U.S. Veteran having served six years in the Military Police Corps for the United States Army Reserves and serving one deployment, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
In addition to his service on the LGS Board of Regents, Andrew is an ambassador for the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, member of the Grand Strand Young Professionals’ Steering Committee, an active Rotarian of the Myrtle Beach – Chicora Rotary Club and member of the Coastal Carolinas Association of REALTORS’ Housing Opportunity Advisory Group, which serves Habitat for Humanity of Horry and Georgetown counties.
Hailing from New Jersey, Andrew has traversed South Africa, New York and North Carolina before finally finding “home” in Myrtle Beach in the summer of 2021. In his personal time, he enjoys cruising on his Harley-Davidson up and down the Coastal Carolinas, cheering on his favorite football team, The Dallas Cowboys, and spending time with his dog, Zeke.
Treasurer
Class XLI
Dustin G. Formo is the VP - Corporate Accounting & Finance for The Jackson Companies. He obtained a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master of Accountancy from the University of South Carolina. He has been a licensed C.P.A. since 2008. He is a graduate of Leadership Grand Strand Class 41. Dustin is a native of Florence, South Carolina, but now lives in Murrells Inlet. He loves the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Carolina Panthers.
Dustin and his wife April have two children, Anna Grace and Banks, and two dogs, Rambo and Tuff. He enjoys traveling, spending time with his family, attending sporting events, and going to the beach.
Chair
Class XL
Ryan Graham is the Director of Outside Plant Engineer with Horry Telephone Cooperative, Inc. (HTC) and has been with the company for 20 years. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of South Carolina, Honors College, and he has held a Professional Engineering Certification since 2004. Ryan is an active member of HGTC’s Electronics Engineering Technology Advisory Committee and a former board member and President of the Aynor Area Athletic Association.
Ryan’s leadership resume includes being a Senior Fellow in Class III (2013) of the Waccamaw Community Foundation’s American Leadership Forum in 2013 and a graduate of Leadership Grand Strand Class XL (2020).
Ryan is a native of Horry County having graduated from Aynor High School, and currently resides in Aynor with his wife Brandy, 2 sons, and a daughter. The family enjoys serving on the mission field with trips to India, Germany, Israel, Haiti, and other world outreach locations. They also enjoy camping and watching their children compete in multiple sports.
Dr. Jessica Y. Greene, LPC
Immediate Past Chair
Class XL
Dr. Jessica Y. Greene is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a private practice practitioner in the Grand Strand area and is a native of Sumter, SC. She is a graduate of Coastal Carolina University with a Bachelor's degree in Sociology, Webster University with a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Counseling, Northcentral University with a Doctorate of Philosophy degree in General Psychology, and Leadership Grand Strand Class 40.
Dr. Greene is a private practice practitioner and works with people of all ages and specializes in mental health, anxiety, depression, trauma and grief. She previously was a professional counselor and mental health counselor in a school setting. She tailors her approach to meet the needs of each client ranging from cognitive behavioral techniques to faith-based counseling. Her goal is to help improve her client’s quality of life and mental health.
Dr. Greene has been involved in several volunteer roles with organizations since moving to the Grand Strand such as Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Myrtle Beach Sunrise Rotary Club, Horry County Schools, Habitat for Humanity of Horry County, and Junior League of the Grand Strand. When Dr. Greene is not working or volunteering, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, golfing, reading, and traveling.
Class XLIII
Kasey has spent her entire career, over 20 years, in healthcare and she has a passion for serving her community. She currently serves as Chief Operating Officer at OrthoSC.
Class XLI
Danielle Lewis, a true native of Myrtle Beach, is the Neighborhood Revitalization Coordinator at Habitat for Humanity of Horry County. She is passionate about empowering her neighbors to be the best they can be and seeing resident relationships thrive. Prior to her role at Habitat, she was the assistant manager for Pirates Voyage for over 9 years. Danielle earned an Associate Degree in Arts from Horry Georgetown Technical College and a certificate in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the workplace from the Muma College of Business at the University of South Florida. She is a member of LGS Class 41.
Her passions include mental health advocacy, which led her to start REACH Empowerment, Inc. REACH stands for Restore, Educate, Achieve, Connect, and Heal. Through REACH Empowerment, Danielle’s time is removing barriers to mental health resources and stopping the stigma of utilizing professional services when it comes to maintaining and enhancing an individual's mental health.
Danielle has a daughter, Brooklyn, who likes to paint nails, shop and go to the park with her mommy. Danielle enjoys spending time with her family, as well as celebrating her friends. She also enjoys reading fiction novels and traveling.
Class XLII
Stacey Lyon is the Founder and CEO of Beach Nest Interiors & Design. She is from the Annapolis, Maryland area and moved to Myrtle Beach five years ago with her husband and two children. Stacey earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from Radford University in Radford, VA and her MBA in Marketing from Notre Dame of Maryland University in Baltimore, MD.
Stacey spent much of her career in the decorative plumbing products industry and has an extensive background in kitchen and bath design, creating custom fixtures and a passion for home design trends that she uses to successfully help clients love where they live.
Stacey is passionate about curating women's leadership and empowerment events that includes hosting an annual luncheon on International Women's Day and Ignite Fall Seminar. She also has a son with autism and works to promote inclusion along the Grand Strand.
Stacey is currently a proud graduate of Leadership Grand Strand class 42 and serves on the Board of Regents, volunteers as a Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassador, is a founding member of the MBACC Women’s Council, is the Fundraising and Social Media Chair for the Carolina Forest High School Panther Marching Band, is a member of Junior League of the Grand Strand, serves as a Board Member for Champion Autism Network and volunteers with many local nonprofits in the community serving between 75-100 hours monthly. In her free time, Stacey loves spending time with her family, connecting people, hosting get-togethers, music and dancing, puzzles and arts & culture.
Chair Elect
Class XXXVIII
Santana Pennauchi, a native of Myrtle Beach, is the owner and master event planner of EVENTS BY SANTANA, EBS. She has been in the event industry in the Grand Strand for over 7 years and continues to expand in the field. EBS offers a wide range of services to flawlessly execute full event production, festivals, weddings, fashion shows and more. She has worked with clients such as the Market Common, Myrtle Beach Boardwalk, Domino's Pizza Corporate, and Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce.
Santana was a member of Leadership Grand Strand Class XXXVIII (38) where she held positions such as chair of YLA, Youth Leadership Academy, and co-chair of her Ann DeBock group.
Santana resides in Myrtle Beach with her husband, Bill, and dog, Sunday.
Class XL
Davis Skipper is an assistant vice president-loan officer for Conway National Bank located in Surfside Beach. He has been with the bank since 2016 and in the field of banking for 12 years. After graduating from Marion High School, he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Master of Business Administration from Francis Marion University. He is a graduate of the South Carolina Bankers’ School and Leadership Grand Strand Class XL.
Davis currently serves as President of the Surfside Area Rotary Club, Secretary of the Board of Directors for Murrells Inlet 2020 and is a member of IPTAY. He is a former Vice President and two-time President of the Chesterfield Lions Club.
A multi-generational native of Marion, SC, he currently resides in Murrells Inlet with his wife, Ashley, and chocolate Labrador, Rosey. In addition to Murrells Inlet, Davis has a special affinity for Cherry Grove and Garden City where previous generations of his family have and continue to visit since the 1950s. Additionally he enjoys golf, duck hunting and cheering for The Clemson Tigers.
Class XL
Anna Strickland is the Government & Community Relations Representative for Santee Cooper. She is a Horry County native who spent her school years and teaching career in North Carolina before moving back to Horry County in 2016. Anna holds a Bachelor of Arts in History with a Teaching Licensure from Campbell University and a Master of Arts in History from UNC-Wilmington, and is a graduate of Leadership Grand Strand Class XL.
Anna is a jack of all trades with her position at Santee Cooper including, but not limited to, government relations, community relations, educational outreach, corporate outreach and volunteerism, and economic development. Her passion for community involvement has led her to serve as Chair of the Waccamaw Region Workforce Development Board for the South Carolina Department of Commerce and Co-Chair of the Public Education and Awareness Committee for the South Carolina Coastal Region Human Trafficking Task Force. Also, she is a member of Coastal Carolina University’s Women in Philanthropy and Leadership and Grand Strand Young Professionals.
She considers herself a foodie and movie-buff and enjoys spending time outdoors, traveling to historical sites, and keeping up with her active Australian Shepherd, Finn.
Secretary
Class XLI
Katie joined United Way of Horry County in November 2019 as the Community Impact Coordinator where she is focused on learning about Horry County’s greatest needs, grantmaking and making a positive impact in our community. Before United Way, Katie worked at Habitat for Humanity of Horry County for three years and received her Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health from Coastal Carolina University in May 2016. She served on the Steering Committee for the Grand Strand Young Professionals for two years and is a graduate of Leadership Grand Strand Class XLI. She is serving her first term on the LGS Board of Regents.
Katie is originally from Pennsylvania but has resided in Horry County for 16 years. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, cheering on the Philadelphia Eagles, traveling the world, going to the Disney World and Universal Studios theme parks, and going to the movies and concerts.
Class XLIII
Kristy Yelle co-owns Palmetto Protection Films with her husband, Matthew. A native of North Carolina, she has called the Grand Strand home since 2002. Yelle earned an associate degree in business administration from Horry-Georgetown Technical College.
She is a graduate of LGS Class 43 and is actively involved in the community. She is the president of Myrtle Beach BNI, president-elect of the Myrtle Beach Kiwanis Club, board member of the Horry-Georgetown Home Builders Association, and secretary board member for the International Window Film Association. Yelle also is a committee member for the HGHBA Work-Force Development Committee, an Ambassador for the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, member of Junior League of the Grand Strand, member of the Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corporation, and a MAC member of the IWFA. She also blogs monthly for the Window Film Magazine, an international publication. Through her passion for animals, she also serves on the Pet Project Committee through the HGHBA which fundraises bi-annually to benefit local animal shelters in our area.
Kristy lives in Murrells Inlet with her husband, two sons, three dogs and an abundance of chickens. She enjoys spending time with family, crafting, reading and going to the beach.
Founder
Ex Officio
I retired after 30+ years as an executive with Burroughs & Chapin Co. l have been married for 51 happy years to Lineta. We have two grown and married children and two teenage grandsons. I Began LGS 38 classes ago and served as program director until I could turn the job over to Anne DeBock after she graduated with the first class. I have served the Myrtle Beach community in many capacities through the years: chamber chair, first chair of the CAB, founder of the Grand Strand Soccer League which morphed into the YMCA program, first chair of the MB Bike & Pedestrian Committee, current chair of the MB Planning Commission.
I have especially enjoyed watching the success of the LGS program, the success of the graduates and their impacts in our community. The longevity has amazed me which I largely attribute to the leadership of the graduates who serve the program on the BOR and the leadership of directors like Diana.
For more information about Leadership Grand Strand, contact Diana Greene, LGS executive director, by emailing LGS@VisitMyrtleBeach.com.
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