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Leadership Grand Strand Board of Regents

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.


Headshot of Sean BaileySean Bailey
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

Chair Elect
Class XLII


Headshot of Brent BarkerBrent Barker 
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.

 


Olivia Elswick
Class XXXVII

Olivia Elswick was born and raised in Myrtle Beach, SC. Since graduating from Clemson University and spending a year teaching English in Asia, Olivia has worked in marketing in the Myrtle Beach area. Her clients have included Visit Myrtle Beach, Visit Tucson, Northern Kentucky, and countless others in the destination marketing space. Olivia has been involved with Grand Strand Young Professionals for 10 years, serving on the Steering Committee, Young Professionals Council, and as an ambassador. She was the 2019 Ambassador of the Year and 2024 Young Professional of the Year.

Olivia is the President of the Grand Strand Clemson Club and is involved with the American Advertising Association, Grand Strand Technology Council, American Heart Association, and Women in Philanthropy and Leadership. Olivia stays involved with the community with kickball, league tennis, book clubs, and volunteering at the Theater of Republic. Olivia has a passion for history, travel, and craft beer.


Andrew FinchAndrew Finch

Treasurer
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.


Ryan GrahamRyan Graham
Immediate Past 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.


Headshot of Jessica Greene

Dr. Jessica Y. Greene, LPC
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.


Kasey HerringtonKasey Herrington
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.


Shawn KelleyShawn S. Kelley
Class LXIV

Shawn has over 46 years of experience in the first responder community. He is one of the founding principles of Practical Solution for Public Safety, Inc. (PS4PS) specializing in public safety consulting since 1996. PS4PS is a certified Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB) in Virginia.

Shawn is a retired Assistant Chief/Chief Fire Marshal of the Arlington County (Virginia) Fire Department with more than 28 years of public safety service in Arlington.  In his last assignment he was an Assistant Fire Chief assigned as the Chief Fire Marshal and the Chief Building Official for Arlington County, managing a division of 50 employees and 1.2 billion in valuated construction annually. 

LGS is the fifth Leadership program he has graduated from. He also attended Leadership Arlington (VA) in 2000, Leadership Virginia in 2008, Leadership Greer (SC) in 2016, and Leadership South Carolina in 2018. He also served in the Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce Leadership Development Council, 2014 to 2020

Shawn resides in the Arcadian Shores community with his wife Karen (LGS Class LXIII), and their three dogs. They have a daughter and a son and two grandchildren.


Steven LastaukasSteven Lastaukas
Class XXXVIII

Steven Lastauskas is a Business and Commercial Banker at First Citizens Bank with more than 14 years of banking experience. He obtained a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in both Finance as well as Management from the University of South Carolina. He is also a graduate of the South Carolina Bankers School’s three year program and Carolina Forest High School.
 
Steven is active on the Dunes Club finance committee, a member of the Horry Georgetown Home Builders Association, and is an Eagle Scout from Troop 856 located in Socastee. He has served as the President of Santee Lodge 116 Order of the Arrow with the Boy Scouts, Board Treasurer with Bridgewater Academy (a K-8 nonprofit), McLeod Seacoast Fellow, and graduated the Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Industry Awareness class. Steven is a graduate of Leadership Grand Strand Class 38.
 
Steven lives in Myrtle Beach with his wife Tiffany and they enjoy rooting for the Gamecocks, going to the beach, and traveling.


stacey lyonStacey Lyon
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.


Eric Rivenbark
Class XLIV

Eric is a dedicated professional with over a decade of expertise in fundraising, finance, and management. Currently, he serves as the senior director of major and planned gifts at Coastal Carolina University, where he is committed to advancing university initiatives and priorities. In this role, Eric leads and mentors the major gifts team and oversees planned giving initiatives, while serving on the leadership team in the advancement office.

Actively involved in his community, Eric serves on the board of the North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the East Carolina University Alumni Association Board of Advisors. He is a proud graduate of LGS Class 44, has participated in Leadership Conway and the Myrtle Beach Citizen’s Police Academy.

Outside of his professional and community commitments, Eric loves to travel with his family, enjoying time away with his wife, Laura, and three children, Chloe, Landon and Tucker. A self-proclaimed “travel guru,” Eric enjoys putting together new and exciting adventures for his family to explore. His interests include supporting the athletic teams of both the Coastal Carolina University Chanticleers and his East Carolina University Pirates, reading a good book and cooking.


davis skipperDavis Skipper
Chair
Class XL

Davis Skipper is a Vice President-Loan Officer for The Conway National Bank located in Surfside Beach. He has been with the bank since 2016, and in the field of banking for 13 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 (Class Vice President) and Leadership Grand Strand Class XL.

In addition to serving in the LGS Board of Regents, Davis serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for Murrells Inlet 2020, a member and Past President of The Surfside Area Rotary Club, and a member of IPTAY. He is a former two-time President and Vice 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, waterfowl hunting, and cheering for The Clemson Tigers.


Stephanie WarrenStephanie Warren
Class XLV

Stephanie Warren is dedicated to making a difference in her community. As the Executive Director of the Grand Strand Miracle Leagues, she brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to fostering inclusivity and accessibility for all. Stephanie's journey with the organization began in 2002 as a volunteer, and she has since played a pivotal role in its growth and development since joining the team in 2023.

A Myrtle Beach native, Stephanie pursued her education at the University of South Carolina before embarking on a decade-long career in nonprofit theater in New York City. During her time in the Big Apple, she immersed herself in the vibrant world of theater while also actively volunteering for initiatives like the Autism Friendly Performances hosted by TDF.

Back in her hometown, Stephanie's dedication to community service is evident in her involvement in various organizations. As the Community Chair for the Junior League of the Grand Strand, she spearheaded initiatives that made a meaningful impact on the lives of local residents. She is a graduate of Leadership Grand Strand’s Class 44.

Driven by her passion for creating inclusive spaces, Stephanie continues to champion initiatives that celebrate and empower individuals of all abilities. 


Kristy YelleKristy Yelle
Secretary
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. 


Headshot of Bill PritchardBill Pritchard
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.


Questions About LGS?

For more information about Leadership Grand Strand, contact Shannon Furtick, LGS executive director, by emailing LGS@VisitMyrtleBeach.com.

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