Committees and Councils

Volunteers for Trident United Way are thought leaders on the board of directors or serve on committees and councils as decision-makers about community investments and strategies. Committee and council volunteers are selected through a Nominating Committee process. Thank you to every individual committee and council member for dedicating your time and talent to help guide Trident United Way's efforts to improve education, financial stability and health outcomes in the Tri-County area.

If you are interested in volunteering on a committee or council email volunteer@tuw.org.

Boards and Committees

The Trident United Way Board of Directors (the Board) is solely responsible for determining the organization’s policy, approving the annual budget and determining the goals of the organization. It is legally and morally responsible for all activities of the organization.  

Board members act as ambassadors for the organization, exercise strategic thinking and planning over the course of their term and become familiar with nonprofit oversight and governance principles.  
 

Board Chair

Barbara Melvin, South Carolina Ports Authority

Immediate Past Chair

Mark Lewis, TechCXO

Chair-Elect

Melanie Stith, Roper St. Francis Healthcare

Audit Chair

Christopher Glenn, Cape Fear Valley Health System

Advancement Chair

Wendy Kopp, Community Volunteer

Campaign Cabinet Chair

Michael Samuel, SouthState Bank

Community Impact Chair

Courtney Howard, PhD., College of Charleston

Finance Chair

B. Shawan Gillians, J.D., Santee Cooper

Investment Chair

Brenda Szymanowski, AstenJohnson

Marketing & Communications Chair

Peter LaMotte, Chernoff Newman

Board Members

  • Catharine Almquist, Trident Technical College 
  • Rita Berry, Greater Summerville/Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce
  • P.J. Browning, Evening Post News
  • Eric Craine, First Citizens Bank
  • Brad Davis, Community Volunteer
  • B. Keith Faulkner, JD, LLM, MBA, Charleston Southern University
  • Jerome Smalls, City of Charleston
  • Bob Fei, Life Cycle Engineering
  • Travis Frank, South Carolina Ports Authority
  • Mollie Gore, Santee Cooper
  • Ruhamah Grooms, Booz Allen Hamilton
  • Greg Habib, City of Goose Creek
  • Scott Howell, Ground Swell Capital
  • Deon Jackson, Community Volunteer
  • Brianna Johnson, Berkeley Electric Cooperative
  • Fran Johnson, Johnson & Johnson Insurance, Inc
  • Julie Kornahrens, Community Volunteer
  • Todd Lant, Blackbaud
  • Mark Lattanzio, Truist Bank
  • Parker Lee, The Bank of South Carolina
  • Katie McCravy, Optus Bank
  • Lauren Nilan, Elliott Davis LLC
  • Rev. Marion Platt, Star Gospel
  • Casandra Price, AstenJohnson
  • Marcela Rabens, Universal Latin News & Charleston Latin Guide
  • Michael Scarafile, Carolina One Real Estate
  • Geona Shaw Johnson, City of Charleston
  • Jimmy Staton, Santee Cooper
  • Richard Waring, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce
  • Fran Welch, Ph.D., College of Charleston
  • Jeremy Willits, Avison Young
  • Ed Woodcock, Ingevity
  • Bill Zobel, Banks Construction

The primary purpose of the audit committee is to provide oversight of the audit process.

Members

  • Christopher Glenn, Cape Fear Valley Health System
  • Tim Grow, Elliott Davis
  • Mark Lewis, TechCXO
  • B. Shawan Gillians, Santee Cooper

The Campaign Cabinet helps guide the strategy of and attainment of Trident United Way’s (TUW) annual campaign goal. Attainment of this goal makes it possible for TUW to fulfill its mission.

Campaign Cabinet members have an opportunity to engage various high-level community members in TUW’s campaign and gain unique networking opportunities as a result.
 

Members

  • Michael Samuel, SouthState Bank, Chair
  • Ryan Benton, United Bank
  • David Botzis, FORVIS
  • Ruhamah Dunmeyer Grooms, Booz Allen
  • Kearney Gregory, Santee Cooper
  • Sonia Hanson, SouthState Bank
  • Brianna Johnson, Berkeley Electric
  • Parker Lee, The Bank of South Carolina
  • Matt Roberts, College of Charleston
  • Peter Tecklenburg, Charleston County
  • Teresa Vaughn, Johnson & Johnson Insurance

The Community Impact Committee (CIC) provides strategic direction to the organization for all matters relating to community impact and investment, including, but not limited to, Trident United Way initiatives and strategic investment, partner investments, policy, strategic planning, CI Networks, product development and partner relationships, as well as Investment Review Teams responsibilities/operations.

 

Members

  • Courtney Howard, College of Charleston, Chair

  • Deb Campeau, Community Volunteer

  • Anne Forrest, Seacoast Supply

  • Gerome Gadsden, Apollon Wealth Management, LLC

  • Erin LaBrake, Elliott Davis

  • Parker Lee, The Bank of South Carolina

  • Charles Patrick Jr., Westbrook & Brickman

  • Renee Linyard-Gary, Roper St. Francis Healthcare

  • Dan Mooney, Boeing

  • Kayra Husser, Wells Fargo

  • Nilsy Rapalo, Círculos de Biestar

  • ReZsaun Lewis, Lowcountry Youth Services

  • Don Smith, Hendrick Automotive

  • Chad Starbuck, C&S Retail Services

The role of the finance committee is primarily to provide financial oversight for the organization.

 

Members

  • Shawan Gillians, J.D., Santee Cooper
  • Preston Bankston, PNC Bank
  • Brad Davis, Community Volunteer
  • Stefanie Henry, The InterTech Group
  • Tyson Hoff, Samet Corporation
  • Mark Lewis, TechCXO
  • Roy Rathburn, Community Volunteer
  • Covington Sharp, Community Volunteer
  • Tony Tripeny, Community Volunteer
  • Bill Zobel, Banks Construction Company

The role of the investment committee is to oversee the long term investments of Trident United Way. 

 

Members

  • Brenda Szymanowski, AstenJohnson, Chair
  • Wendy Brewer, Wells Fargo Advisors
  • Ben DeWolf, Tower Research Capital
  • Kathryn Diminich, South State Bank
  • Dan Gallagher, Community Volunteer
  • Scott Howell, Ground Swell Capital
  • Hugh Lane, The Bank of South Carolina
  • David Lobeck, First Citizens Bank
  • Ben Nesvold, Edward Jones
  • Andrew Porio, Tax Credit MarketPlace
  • John Winthrop, Community Volunteer

The purpose of the Marketing Advisory Council (MAC) is to support Trident United Way Marketing and Communications leadership and team by actively championing the strategies and efforts to further the mission of the organization. 

 

Members

  • Peter LaMotte, Chernoff Newman, Chair

  • Brooks Hearn, Chernoff Newman, Co-chair

  • Matt Brady, Town of Mount Pleasant

  • Kelsi Brewer, MUSC Hollings Cancer Center

  • Wendy Kopp, FineMark National Bank & Trust

  • Erika LeGendre, College of Charleston

  • Nina Magnesson, BoomTown!

  • Aiyana Mathews, Gardner-Mathews Global Management

  • Cathy Quinn, ArborGen, Inc.

  • Elaine Reed, AstenJohnson

  • Elizabeth Rogers Prim, Chernoff Newman