Shawan Gillians, Santee Cooper: Keynote Speaker
Shawan Gillians serves as chief strategy and communications officer at Santee Cooper, where she leads enterprise strategy, communications and customer engagement efforts for South Carolina’s state-owned electric and water utility.
With a background spanning public affairs, communications and organizational strategy, Shawan has built a career focused on aligning mission-driven work with meaningful community impact. She plays a key role in shaping long-term strategic direction while ensuring clear, transparent communication with stakeholders across the state.
In addition to her leadership at Santee Cooper, Shawan is a Liberty Fellow and an active civic leader committed to advancing economic opportunity and strengthening communities across South Carolina.
Amy Stasiukaitis, Low Country Case and Millwork: How to balance personal commitments with professional growth
Amy Stasiukaitis serves as chief of staff at Low Country Case and Millwork, a company known for delivering high-quality commercial cabinetry and millwork across the Lowcountry. In her role, she supports operations and leadership within a business rooted in craftsmanship, long-standing client relationships and a legacy of excellence.
In addition to her work in the construction and manufacturing industry, Amy is the founder of The Helm, a Charleston-based community designed to support executive mothers as they navigate both leadership and family life. Through curated conversations and shared experiences, The Helm creates space for women to connect, grow and lead with intention.
As a wife and mother of four, Amy brings a deeply personal perspective to her work. Her Matriarch Chart framework encourages women to lead their lives with clarity, grace and tenacity, embracing both career ambition and the realities of motherhood without compromise.
Debbie Antonelli, Hall of Fame basketball analyst: Play to Win: What business leaders can learn from athletes about grit, pressure, and performance
Debbie Antonelli is a nationally recognized basketball analyst for ESPN and a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, known for her deep knowledge of the game and passion for storytelling.
With decades of experience in sports broadcasting, Debbie has covered college basketball at the highest levels, earning a reputation as one of the most respected voices in the industry. Her career reflects a commitment to excellence, preparation and a genuine love for the game.
Beyond broadcasting, Debbie is a dedicated advocate and speaker who uses her platform to inspire others, combining sports, leadership and philanthropy to create lasting impact.
Giff Daughtridge, CEO, GFD Management: Leading with Confidence, how to talk to your leadership
Giff Daughtridge is a veteran industrial executive with more than two decades of leadership at Nucor Corporation, the largest steel producer in the United States. He most recently served as president of sheet and tubular products, where he oversaw critical operations for Nucor’s high-value steel portfolios.
Throughout his career, Giff played a key role in scaling Nucor’s most significant assets. As vice president and general manager of Nucor Steel Berkeley, he managed a facility generating more than $2 billion in annual revenue and was recognized by the governor of South Carolina as an Ambassador for Economic Development. His early leadership includes serving as the founding general manager of Nucor Steel Hertford County, a role that cemented his reputation for operational excellence and community partnership.
Since retiring from Nucor, Giff has transitioned into strategic consulting and private management through his firm, GFD Mgt. He remains a dedicated advocate for the manufacturing sector and community resilience, having served as chairman of the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance and president of the Berkeley County Chamber of Commerce.
Natalie Hauff, Charleston County Library: How to build your personal brand
Natalie Hauff is deputy director of the Charleston County Public Library, where she oversees innovative services, including partnerships, outreach, community engagement, programs, communications and marketing.
Previously, Hauff spent nearly a decade as a journalist across radio, television and print. She was a reporter for ABC News 4 and The Post and Courier, where she was part of a team awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 2015. She is also a public speaker and delivered a TEDx talk in 2023.
She currently serves on the boards of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, Charleston Legal Access and Roper Hospital, in addition to other regional and advisory committees. She is also a mentor for Charleston County Government’s Emerging Leader Program and a Furman University Riley Diversity Leaders Initiative Fellow.
Jerome Smalls, City of Charleston: The power of community within professional development
Jerome Smalls is a program strategist, liberatory designer and community-centered real estate developer based in Charleston, South Carolina. His work sits at the intersection of public safety, systems change and neighborhood development, grounded in a belief that every young person has the capacity to thrive when given the right support, structure and opportunity.
He currently serves as developer of youth outreach programs for the Charleston Police Department, where he designs and leads initiatives that reimagine public safety through a human-centered lens. His work includes launching the Youth Citizen Academy and establishing the Highflyers Pilot, a first-of-its-kind, yearlong, wraparound violence intervention model for the city’s highest-risk youth.
Jerome’s approach blends credible messengers, mental health support, restorative practices and workforce development to disrupt cycles of violence and create pathways to self-actualization. Beyond his municipal role, he is the founder of SmallTalk Group and an active community leader, serving on the Trident United Way board and the Governor’s Juvenile Justice Advisory Council, while helping lead neighborhood revitalization efforts in Liberty Hill.
A graduate of Georgetown University, Jerome believes public safety must be both evidence-driven and deeply human, living out Jesuit values that emphasize care for the whole person. As he often says, “Everything in our society was once a figment of someone’s imagination. Therefore, any aspect of it can be reimagined.”
Marcus Stevenson and Karen Parson, Holy City Wellbeing: Your Wealth is in your Wellness
Marcus Stevenson and Karen Parson are the co-founders of Holy City Well Being (HCWB), a nonprofit and National Center of Distinction advancing mental wellness, self-care and trauma awareness across families, schools, faith communities and workplaces.
Marcus Stevenson is a nationally recognized mental health advocate, speaker and trainer whose work centers on helping individuals become the best version of themselves. With advanced certifications in mental health, career development and wellness, he is a National Level 3 WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) facilitator, a certified peer support specialist in North Carolina and South Carolina, and holds a certification in The Science of Well-Being from Yale University.
His career spans decades of community impact, from volunteering with the Hosea Williams Feed the Homeless Project to mentoring youth and working in school and correctional systems to redirect lives before they reach crisis points. He is the founder of The Boyz R Back nonprofit and hosts the radio show Your Wealth is Your Wellness on 96.3 OHM Radio in Charleston, where he is known as “Mr. Well-Being.” His work has earned him the Maya Angelou Wake Forest University Community Impact Champion Award and multiple recognitions for leadership in mental health and community outreach.
Karen Parson is a Charleston-based business owner and chief financial officer with a strong track record in leadership, operations and community investment. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a licensed residential builder, Karen brings both strategic and financial expertise to their shared mission. She is deeply committed to giving back and has been recognized for her impact, including receiving a mayoral proclamation in Jonesville, North Carolina, for her service.
Together, Marcus and Karen combine purpose and execution, bridging wellness, leadership and community engagement to create lasting impact.
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Lauren Nilan, Elliott Davis: How to elevate without burning out
Lauren Nilan is a seasoned accounting professional with more than 15 years of experience providing assurance and advisory services to financial institutions, ranging from midsize community banks to multibillion-dollar regional entities. She currently leads Elliott Davis’ financial institutions audit practice and serves as the office leader for the Charleston location. She is a frequent speaker for banking and CPA organizations.
Her deep understanding of financial services allows her to help clients navigate complex financial and operational challenges. In her role as office leader, Lauren regularly mentors team members in career development, community engagement and the day-to-day realities of professional growth.
A certified public accountant, Lauren earned her Bachelor of Arts in accounting and Master of Accountancy in audit from the University of Georgia. She is actively involved in the Charleston business community and currently serves on the board of Trident United Way and participates in the Trident CEO Council.
She is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the South Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants and the South Carolina Bankers Association, reflecting her ongoing commitment to excellence and service within the financial sector.
Lindsay Nevin, The Flyway Company: How to take risks in business
Lindsay Nevin is the founder of The Flyway Companies, a vertically integrated real estate and construction firm involved in development, construction, real estate acquisition, leasing and property management. He founded the company in 2004 after identifying an opportunity in the Charleston market and has since led projects across the Southeast.
His work focuses on placemaking and adaptive reuse, bringing new life to underutilized urban and industrial spaces. Flyway’s projects are concentrated across the Southeast, including Charleston, Nashville and Savannah, with a focus on creating environments where people and businesses want to gather.
Most notably, Lindsay leads The Refinery, a mixed-use development located at 1640 Meeting Street Road in Charleston. Through thoughtful planning and repurposing, the project supports community on the Upper Peninsula while creating space for the city’s creative culture through events, music and shared experiences.
Lindsay’s approach to business is rooted in taking calculated, thoughtful risks. The Refinery was a significant risk with early skepticism, but he saw the long-term potential and continues to use the space to test new ideas and curate experiences that bring people together.
Michael Samuel, SouthState Bank and MikeSam Fitness: The Art of the Side Hustle
Michael Samuel is a commercial relationship manager with SouthState Bank, where he works with commercial and middle-market businesses across South Carolina to facilitate mergers and acquisitions, real estate acquisition and construction, and equipment financing.
He is also the owner of MikeSamFitness, where he provides personal training and group fitness instruction for athletes of all levels.
Michael is deeply committed to serving his community. He is the 2025–2026 Resource Development Council chair and serves on the executive committee of Trident United Way’s board of directors. He is also a board member for Charleston Habitat for Humanity, where he chairs the advocacy committee.
In addition, Michael serves on the finance and investment committee for Coastal Community Foundation and is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., where he serves as treasurer for the Summerville chapter.
Ryan and Kelleanne Jones, Free Reign Restaurant Group (Allora, Southbound, Honeysuckle Rose, Community Table): Making difficult decisions in business
Ryan and Kelleanne Jones have spent nearly three decades building a life around food, family and hospitality. Their story began at work, when Kelleanne hired Ryan as the executive chef of her catering business, and the two quickly fell in love. Since then, they have worked side by side, shaping not just restaurants but a shared vision for how people gather.
They spent years running and managing restaurants across the country before settling in Hartford, Connecticut, where they built a successful restaurant and catering company. In 2016, they moved their family to Charleston, drawn by its energy, culinary scene and connection to the water.
Free Reign began shortly after as a pop-up inside a 200-square-foot space at Workshop, a now-closed multi-concept food hall, equipped with a wood-fired oven and a commitment to intentional hospitality. What started there has grown into a collection of restaurants - Community Table, Southbound, Honeysuckle Rose and Allora - each reflecting their belief that great hospitality extends beyond what is on the plate.
They are parents to four children and proud grandparents to one. At the center of it all, they continue doing what they love most: welcoming people in, sharing a meal and creating spaces where moments turn into memories.