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2012 Statewide Arts Conference -
THRIVE: The Arts in the Future of South Carolina
Conference Presenters
Keynote Speaker
President
Brooklyn, New York
Holly Sidford is president of Helicon Collaborative, a consulting team that develops strategy, research and innovative ideas to propel change through arts and culture. She is a strategic planner, program developer and fundraiser with more than 30 years experience leading and developing nonprofit cultural and philanthropic organizations. She has worked as a funder at the state, regional and national levels and has developed programming and management systems at a range of nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Prior to founding Helicon, Holly was a principal at AEA Consulting, an international consulting firm where she worked on strategic planning, research and organizational development projects in the U.S. and the U.K., including cultural redevelopment planning in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. She also was the founding president of Leveraging Investments in Creativity (LINC), a ten-year national initiative to expand support for creative artists, and she spearheaded the national research and planning effort that preceded the creation of LINC.
Holly was program director for arts, urban parks and adult literacy at the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund and held leadership positions at the Ford Foundation, The Howard Gilman Foundation, the New England Foundation for the Arts and the Massachusetts Council on the Arts and Humanities.
Holly holds a bachelor's degree from Mount Holyoke College and a management certificate from Columbia University. She lives in Brooklyn N.Y. with her husband and daughter.
Jo Anne Anderson earned Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees from George Peabody College. After teaching for several years, she earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Florida State University. She has worked in classrooms, in district administration and with policy-making bodies. She directed the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee for 13 years, during which time South Carolina’s education accountability system was ranked first in the nation. She has consulted on projects with state, regional and national education policy organizations including the Education Commission of the States, the S.C. Chamber of Commerce and South Carolina governors. Dr. Anderson is the author of the UNESCO guide on school accountability and numerous publications in the areas of evaluation and accountability. She has continuing research interests in resiliency and organizational effectiveness.
She is an at-large member of the board of SouthArts. She is a founding and continuing member of the Arts in the Basic Curriculum Committee, serves on the College of Education Advisory Board for the College of Charleston and is a fellow of the Furman University Riley Institute’s Diversity Leadership Initiative. She is a recipient of the Order of the Palmetto.
Jo Anne has particular interest in ensuring that young people of poverty have experiences and opportunities so that they reach their potential as students, artists and members of our community.
She is married to Lorin W. Anderson, the Carolina Research Professor Emeritus at USC. They have two married sons and three beautiful granddaughters.
Mayor
Even before Steve Benjamin was elected Mayor of Columbia in 2010, he worked very actively in community initiatives with numerous public and private organizations dating back to his years at the University of South Carolina, where he served as president of the Student Government and as Student Bar Association president at the USC School of Law.
Mayor Benjamin has continued that service through the present, serving on numerous boards for nonprofit organizations such as the Columbia Urban League, Benedict College and the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce. He is a founding board member of the Eau Claire Promise Zone and a founding member of Choose Children First.
In 1999, at age 29, Benjamin was appointed to Gov. Jim Hodges’ cabinet as director of the state’s second largest law enforcement agency, the Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services.
In addition to his work as Mayor, Benjamin practices law with Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart.
He is married to the Honorable DeAndrea Gist Benjamin, a circuit court judge in South Carolina’s Fifth Judicial Circuit. The two are the proud parents of two daughters Bethany (6) and Jordan Grace (4).
Artist
Michaela Pilar Brown is an image and object maker. She studied sculpture and art history at Howard University, though she has always been a maker of things. Born in Bangor, Maine, and raised in Denver, Colorado, she cut her teeth in the halls of a museum where her mother worked as a security guard and has been immersed in the culture of objects, their making and interpretation ever since.
Her current art practice focuses on cultural hierarchies relating to beauty, and how race and history play into these caste systems. She explores issues of identity and notions of otherness as defined in American standards of beauty using a combination of performance and staged photography and is interested in the politics of the body with respect to race and gender. She makes her home in South Carolina.
Director
Delirium Tribal and Alternacirque
Natalie Brown founded Delirium Tribal Bellydance Company in April of 2006; in August of 2007, Delirium Tribal transitioned to a collective approach and teamed up with fire performers and hulahoopers based in the Columbia area. The new umbrella vaudeville circus-inspired performance organization was coined Alternacirque, and has been presenting shows since 2007. In its fourth season, Alternacirque used a S.C. Arts Commission AVI grant to purchase lighting and sound equipment and build a mobile stage, which has allowed Alternacirque to perform in larger, more family-friendly venues.
South Carolina State Director
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Rural Development
Vernita F. Dore was appointed South Carolina state director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development by President Barack Obama in August 2009. A seasoned agency administrator, she is a passionate advocate on behalf of rural communities. Ms. Dore brought to USDA Rural Development a wealth of experience, with more than two decades of working on behalf of rural Americans. Currently, she oversees a multi-million dollar portfolio in community economic development projects and directs a staff of approximately 100 employees to fulfill the agency’s mission, “to increase economic opportunity and improve the quality of life for all rural Americans.” In the last three years, Rural Development was able to invest over $1.5 billion in S.C.
Ms. Dore is an active community leader, serving as co-chair of the S.C. Rural Development Council and on the boards of the Beaufort-Jasper Higher Education Commission, the BNCC Society of Christian Women, and the S.C. Women’s Connection.
A native of Beaufort, S.C., Ms. Dore earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of South Carolina. She has received additional professional development from the USDA Graduate School, the University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business and the Federal Executive Institute.
Director
Arts in the Basic Curriculum Project (ABC)
Christine Fisher is the director of the Arts in Basic Curriculum (ABC) Project, a statewide collaborative among the S.C. Arts Commission, the S.C. Department of Education and Winthrop University. The ABC Project's mission is to provide leadership to achieve quality, comprehensive arts education (dance, music, theatre, visual arts and creative writing) for all students in South Carolina. Under her leadership, the ABC Project has developed a series of summer professional arts institutes, arts integration tools, an ABC Arts Schools Principals Network, Regional Arts Education Advocacy training, curriculum guides for the 2003 S.C. Visual and Performing Arts Standards, and created the S.C. Council of Arts Education Presidents, (CAEP) which works on recruitment and retention of arts teachers and arts education advocacy strategies.
Ms. Fisher holds a Master of Music Education from USC. She was a music teacher at Southside Middle School in Florence, S.C., prior to being named ABC director in 2001, and was the 1998 S.C. Teacher of the Year, the only music teacher to hold that honor. She has received several awards, including the Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Award in Arts Education in 2006 and the S.C. Art Education Association’s Arts Advocate of the Year Award in 2004, and was inducted into the S.C. Music Educators Association Hall of Fame in 2009.
Catawba Cultural Preservation Project
Beckee Garris was born and raised on the Catawba Indian Reservation in Rock Hill, S.C., in 1947. She is the granddaughter of former Chief Albert H. Sanders, Sr and the great-granddaughter of former Chief Samuel Taylor Blue. She is a divorced mother of three and grandmother of six.
She has volunteered for more than 20 years at the Catawba Cultural Preservation Project and serves on their board as secretary-treasurer. She began working for the Tribal Historic Preservation Office in 2000. In 2010, she was selected as one of the 21 contributing Native Storytellers from around the country to be included in the book Trickster Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection. Beckee is a Catawba potter also.
She is currently taking classes at USC Lancaster working toward her BLS in Native American Studies.
Mayor
Jeffrey Graham was elected Mayor of Camden in 2008. Jeffrey takes pride in his hometown: Camden, South Carolina. He was born and raised in this historic city and remains deeply engaged in the life of his community.
Jeffrey is a graduate of Camden High School, and graduated in 2004 from Presbyterian College with a degree in business administration. He and his wife, Sara, are the proud parents of a son, Edwards.
Jeffrey is currently vice president of Graham Realty, Inc.; a member and former vice president of tourism for the Kershaw County Chamber of Commerce; a board member of the Rotary Club of Camden; and past chair of the Camden Polo Match on behalf of the Kershaw County Fine Arts Center. He is a member of the Kershaw County United Way Partnership Committee and the Applied Technology Education Campus (ATEC) Advisory Council.
Graphic Illustrator
Sanford Greene is a professional graphic illustrator with a successful career as a contract illustrator for several major comic studios. Greene has created a graphic novel titled "1000," which has been optioned by MTV for their new MTV Comics division. The comic will first appear digitally. S.C. Arts Commission AVI funds will enable Greene to produce the complete novel, including sketching, inking and coloring.
Chairman
South Carolina Arts Commission
Dr. Sarah Lynn Hayes is chairman of the South Carolina Arts Commission board of commissioners. Her professional experience ranges from levels K4 through 12th grade and in higher education. She is currently the director of the Central Child Development Center for Rock Hill schools and was previously the director of Fine Arts and Gifted and Talented Programs for the school district. She is a past president of The Arts Council of York County and currently serves on the organization’s board of directors.
She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Elementary/Early Childhood Education from the University of South Carolina and a Master of Education in Administration from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Dr. Hayes also has a Bachelor of Arts in Education from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an Associate of Arts from Peace College in Raleigh, N.C.
Dr. Hayes is married to John C. Hayes, III, who presides as the judge of the 16th Judicial Circuit Court of South Carolina. They have six adult children and two grandchildren.
Founder
Philippe Herndon is a former touring musician, a graduate of the IMBA program at the Darla Moore School of Business and founder of Caroline Guitar Co, where he and his team hand-craft guitar effects pedals. A member of the USC Columbia Technology Incubator, Caroline is proud to say their products are dreamed, designed, and created here in Columbia, S.C. Caroline’s first product, the Wave Cannon™ overdrive, received the Platinum Award for Excellence and was named to the “Buzz Bin” by Guitar World magazine. With their newest product Olympia™, Caroline became the first effector company to finance and develop a pedal via Kickstarter.com, a fundraising site dedicated to creative endeavors.
Preach Jacobs is a spoken word artist, music producer and event manager. He founded Sounds Familiar Records, a new record label that is home to hip-hop, progressive soul, Americana and punk-rock acts. It is a full-service production, promotion and tour-coordinating label that is managed by professional musicians, producers and event managers. Using his S.C. Arts Commission AVI grant, Jacobs will record and manufacture more original music, plan and stage concert tours and promote the label's artists to a larger audience.
BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina
Elizabeth Nkuo Johnson is the community relations manager for BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, responsible for managing the charitable contributions program and employee engagement initiatives. Employed with the company for 12 years, her work has helped BlueCross earn recognition locally and nationally for its philanthropy programs. In 2005, she was a recipient of The State newspaper’s 20 Under 40 award.
She has a Bachelor of Arts from St. Joseph’s College in Indiana, and a Master of Arts from the School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of South Carolina.
She worked for the Kellogg Company in Michigan, in the nutrition marketing department before moving to S.C. for graduate school. While pursuing her master’s degree in journalism, she worked for DHEC and the Girl Scouts of the Congaree Area.
Elizabeth is on the board of the Special Olympics of South Carolina, Palmetto Center for Women and the Columbia Design League.
Paul Kaufmann is principal of Kaufmann Forensic Actors, LLC, based in Columbia, S.C. KFA contracts with the Department of Justice (FBI), Department of Homeland Security (ICE) and several state and regional entities to provide actors for scenario-based training, specializing in crimes against children such as exploitation, cybercrimes, sexual and physical abuse, kidnapping and prostitution. Actors in his company work all over the U.S., including Los Angeles, Long Beach, Albuquerque, Helena, Seattle, Quantico, Pierre, Denver and Washington, DC.
Paul is a professional actor, recently performing in his third NYC role as the title character in Hieronymus at LaMaMa E.T.C. He has performed in Australia, Romania and Italy. Paul grew up in Columbia, and is proud to have honed his skills in the Columbia theatre scene, performing at Trustus, Workshop, Town and other local venues. He is an alumnus of Florida State University and studied for his Masters of Arts in Art History at USC.
ArtsReady Project Manager
Katy Malone started her path into arts administration as a visual artist. After achieving a science degree from Georgia State University, Katy did research and microscopy work while moonlighting as a painter. She exhibited throughout the Southeast and was involved in the alternative art scene in Atlanta. Ultimately, Katy decided to focus on making art and returned to school for an MFA in studio arts. An internship at the Fulton County Public Art Program gave Katy her additional calling in arts administration as she relished helping other artists achieve their career goals. Katy worked full time at the county, then at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport as senior assistant of the art program.
In 2011, Katy joined the South Arts team as a program director, focusing on touring exhibits, artist services and the ArtsReady online tool. Katy still creates visual art and occasionally teaches art courses at colleges around Atlanta.
Executive Director
South Carolina Arts Commission
Ken May is executive director of the South Carolina Arts Commission, where he has served in several positions since 1985. He has been a panelist and site visitor for the National Endowment for the Arts; a panelist, presenter, consultant and facilitator for national, state and local arts organizations; and is a regular guest lecturer in the arts administration program at the College of Charleston. He is a member of the board of South Arts (formerly Southern Arts Federation), serves as treasurer of the South Carolina Afterschool Alliance board, is a member of the Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee for the City of Columbia, and is a fellow of the Diversity Leaders Initiative of the Riley Institute at Furman University.
Before beginning his career in arts administration, he worked in the for-profit world, holding positions with ARA Services Magazine and Book Division and McGraw-Hill. Prior to his long sojourn in the realm of day jobs, he worked as a professional musician. He received undergraduate and master’s degrees in music history and musicology from Florida State University.
President
Perry Mixter is president of Mixter Consulting Services and currently lead project consultant for power2give.org, a web-based fundraising and capacity-building program created by the Arts & Science Council in Charlotte, N.C. He served as president of The Arts Partnership of Greater Spartanburg from 2007 to 2011. From 1991 to 2005, Mixter served as director of the Office of Cultural Affairs at Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C. Mixter served as executive director of the Winston-Salem Symphony from 1984 to 1991.
Throughout his career, Mixter has served in a variety of leadership roles in the arts, including serving as secretary for the S.C. Arts Alliance, and as president of the N.C. Presenters Consortium. Mixter earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Denison University, and he holds a Master of Arts degree from the Arts Administration Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Artistic Director
Mrudani School of Performing Arts
Dr. Anuradha Murali is the artistic director of the Mrudani School of Performing Arts, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote Indian classical dance, namely Bharathanatyam and Kuchipudi, by conducting classes, performances, lectures and demonstrations. Dr. Murali had her initial training in Bharathanatyam under Radha Srinivassan. She has had advanced training through Shanta and VP Dhananjayan, Bharathakalanjali, Chennai, India, and Adyar K Lakshman, Bharatha Choodamani, Chennai, India. She has had training in Kuchipudi by P. Rajeshwari and advanced training in Kuchipudi by the world-renowned Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam, Kuchipudi Art Academy, Chennai, India.
She has worked as an adjunct professor of dance at Columbia College in Columbia, S.C. and as an instructor of dance at the University of South Carolina. She has conducted workshops at prestigious venues such as the World Congress on Dance Research, Athens, Greece; World Dance Alliance- Sao Paolo, Brazil and Florence, Italy. Dr. Murali is a recipient of numerous grants and awards for dance and choreography.
Tourism Marketing Associate
S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Kristin Pearson is the tourism marketing associate at South Carolina’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. Her responsibilities include running the Tourism Advertising Grant (formerly known as TPF) as well as advertising in Canada. Prior to working at SCPRT, she worked in advertising and marketing at The State Media Company in S.C. and Travel + Leisure, NBC and iVillage in New York City.
She is from Connecticut, graduated from Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania and moved to Columbia, S.C., two years ago with her husband.
Brandolyn Thomas Pinkston is a visionary who helps bring about change for the good of others. As the former administrator of the S.C. Department of Consumer Affairs, she used her position to improve the quality of life for the people of South Carolina. The Hartsville native has distinguished herself as a people’s advocate, having successfully implemented innovative consumer programs and having been featured as a speaker on consumer issues across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
From 1996-1999, she served as president of the National Consumer’s League in Washington DC, leading the organization through its centennial celebration in 1999. In 2010, Pinkston was an honoree on the AT&T African American Calendar for her service to the “good people” of South Carolina. She now devotes her time to another passion – advocating for the arts. Pinkston currently chairs the Friends of African American Art and Culture Affiliate at the Columbia Museum of Art.
Social Media Coach and Business Services Consultant
Becky Pittman is a social media coach and business services consultant with more than 15 years experience in management consulting and social media platform usage. Becky Pittman Consulting's client base includes public figures, corporate and nonprofit companies who rely upon her for 1:1 social communications coaching, content curation, analytics and reputation audits as well as social network community management and trend analysis. Her Fortune 500 experience includes purchasing, forecasting, controlling and contracts management in global information technology environments.
In June 2010 Becky successfully launched and managed a statewide social media grassroots arts advocacy campaign on Facebook (“Save the SC Arts Commission: 2020 Focus”), Twitter and e-mail to preserve $1.4M of funding that had been vetoed by the governor.
Becky remained immersed in sacred and classical choral music performance during her government and corporate careers and has served in numerous leadership roles in arts nonprofit organizations in the Pee Dee and Upstate South Carolina.
Primary social media networks:
Twitter: @becky_pittman and @spartanarts
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/becky.pittman
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Becky Pittman Knows mobile: 864-205-1479
http://myonepage.com/beckypittman
Executive Director
Betty Plumb is executive director of the South Carolina Arts Alliance (SCAA), the state’s primary arts policy, advocacy and service organization. Under her leadership, the Arts Alliance has developed an extensive grassroots advocacy network in support of the arts and arts education, completing many successful advocacy campaigns.
Ms. Plumb and the Arts Alliance have been the recipient of such awards as the Alene Valkanas State Arts Advocacy Award from Americans for the Arts, which honors an individual that has “dramatically affected the political landscape through their arts advocacy efforts at the state level;” the Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Award – the Governor’s Award for the Arts; the S.C. Art Education Association; the S.C. Dance Association; and Winthrop University’s Medal of Honor in the Arts. Ms. Plumb was recently named to the 2011 Top 25 Most Powerful & Influential Leaders in the Nonprofit Arts by Barry’s Blog, a national arts blog based in California.
Ms. Plumb also serves on several state, local and national boards and committees.
Speaker and Consultant
LaMondré Pough´s dedication to helping people unleash their personal potential has quickly established him as a premier inspirational speaker and trainer. He believes that in order for an organization to be at its very best, the people who make up the organization must be at their best. Organizations and business executives hire LaMondré for his inspiring presentations, which translate into an increase in employee and member morale and productivity. Addressing such areas as inspiration, empowerment, leadership and diversity, LaMondré helps people and organizations achieve their best.
Living with a severe disability, spinal muscular atrophy, LaMondré has faced many challenges and has accomplished many things. He was a founding leader at South Carolina’s first Independent Living Center, the host of a weekly radio program, The LaMondré Pough Show, Empowerment Radio, a founding partner in TechnoAngels and the founder and CEO of LaMondré Pough Unlimited.
CEO
Ben Rex has been the CEO of Cyberwoven since its inception in 2001. He is a graduate of the University of South Carolina Honors College and serves on the South Carolina Honors College Partnership Board. Ben is actively involved in the community as a member of the South Carolina Philharmonic Board of Directors, the Salvation Army Advisory Board, and the Central Carolina Community Foundation Board of Directors. Ben has a broad interest in how business, economic development, arts and culture intersect to strengthen South Carolina, and works actively in each of those sectors.
Director
Lowcountry Program
Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelly Foundation
John joined the foundation in 2004 after a 30-year career in museums. He served as executive vice president and chief operating officer for Brookgreen Gardens, Pawleys Island, South Carolina. Before that, he was director of collections and conservation for Colonial Williamsburg and senior curator for The Mariners' Museum, both in Virginia.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Trinity College, Connecticut; a Master of Arts in Early American Culture from the University of Delaware; and the Doctor of Philosophy in American Studies from George Washington University.
He is based in South Carolina.
Executive Director
Ivan Segura is executive director of Palmetto and Luna. Born in Aguascalientes, Mexico, he delved into several artistic endeavors until finally deciding to follow his high school teacher's advice ("What the heck are you doing trying to paint or sculpt? You are a writer, did you hear me? A writer!"), and zeroed in on creating stories through words. He has published several short stories and a collection of poems. A devoted advocate for the Hispanic community, Ivan has organized a number of artistic projects with the mission to positively affect society through the arts and to bring together Hispanic artistry and American society. He is vice-president of the Council of Mexicans in S.C. and a member of the board of directors of the S.C. Hispanic Leadership Council. He lives in Columbia, S.C., with his wife Amanda and daughters Sofka and Maya.
Anne Sinclair is a co-owner of Resource Associates, Inc., in Columbia, S.C., and has a diverse background in organizational development, strategic planning, resource development, problem solving, board development, meeting facilitation, board training, communication skill development, and conflict management. Anne has worked with family businesses, partnerships, not-for-profit organizations, and government agencies, using her skills in planning sessions, retreats and small groups. She facilitates focus groups, assessment interviews, executive coaching and large-group meetings.
In addition to her consulting practice, Anne served on Columbia City Council for 20 years and on the board of the National League of Cities.
Since retiring from Columbia City Council, Anne serves on several boards including the Columbia Metropolitan Airport Commission (current vice-chair), 701 Center for Contemporary Art, McKissick Museum’s Advisory Council (current chair) and the Congaree Land Trust.
She has a Bachelor of Arts from Winthrop University and a Masters from Clemson University. Anne is married with three sons.
Author
Cassie Premo Steele, Ph.D., is the author of eight books of poetry, fiction, and non-fiction on the themes of creativity, healing, and living in balance with the natural world. She works as a creativity coach and leads classes and individual sessions with local and long-distance clients from her Co-Creating Studio in Columbia. Her poetry has been nominated twice for a Pushcart Prize, and her audio poetry album, This is how honey runs, is an inspiring mix of words and original music composed by S.C. musician, Russ Eidson. She has a poetry book about mothering & creativity coming out in April, and she is currently completing a book about the seasons of creativity and how we can align our creative practices with natural principles. She will be sharing insights from this book during her presentation.
Social Media Developer
Rick Stilwell is a web/social media developer with Palmetto GBA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Blue Cross Blue Shield of SC, and he’s a consultant for personal and small business interactions online. He has more than 20 years experience as a programmer analyst in financial/insurance fields. He has been involved in social media on various platforms for the past 15 years and has been studying the trends to stay ahead of the curve online for the past five years. He's also on the planning committee for the Social Media Club of Columbia.
Twitter: @rickcaffeinated
Facebook profile: facebook.com/rickcaffeinated
Facebook page: facebook.com/rickcaffeinatedthefanpage
Google+: bit.ly/rickcaffeinated
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/rickstilwell
President
South Carolina Chapter
National Association of Negro Musicians
Dr. Tommy L. Watson, lyric baritone, has a varied background as singer, voice teacher, vocal coach, and music director. Dr. Watson made his operatic debut in Cortona, Italy, while performing a charming and critically acclaimed Pascariello in Domenico Cimarosa's opera Li Sposi Per Accidenti.
As a concert artist, he has performed professionally internationally, nationally and in South Carolina, including with the S.C. Philharmonic, the Anderson Symphony, and the Benedict College Community Orchestras. He made his official debut with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra as a soloist in the Piccolo Spoleto Festival USA while performing the concert version of Gershwin's opera Porgy and Bess.
In addition to serving as president of the S.C. chapter of the National Association of Negro Musicians, he is a member of the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honors Fraternity, Delta Omicron, the National Association of Teachers of Singing, the National Opera Association, the Center for Black Music Research, and the Southeastern African-American Conference.
A graduate of Anderson College (B.A. in Music), Dr. Watson earned both a Master of Music and the Doctorate of Musical Arts in Performance from the University of South Carolina. He lives in Greenville, S.C., and serves as associate professor of music at Anderson University, where he founded and directs Opera Workshop.
Director
Division of Research
Darla Moore School of Business
University of South Carolina
Dr. Douglas P. Woodward is the director of the Division of Research and professor of economics at the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. He earned his Ph.D. in Economics at the University of Texas in 1986. Dr. Woodward's primary research interests are in the areas of regional economic development, entrepreneurial economics and international economics. He has published numerous academic articles in economics and regional science journals.
Dr. Woodward has conducted sponsored economic research in the United States, China, Morocco, South Africa, Kenya and elsewhere. Over his career, Dr. Woodward has received many grants and awards. He has testified before local, state and national government committees and has presented his research at many conferences around the world, including the prestigious World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Dr. Woodward has been quoted frequently in the national press and has often appeared on television and radio programs discussing economic development and related topics.
President
Berkeley Young specializes in destination research, planning and strategy. Young’s travel industry experience includes management positions at a destination marketing organization, a Chamber of Commerce, a golf resort and a research and planning firm.
In 2004 Young formed his Charlotte, N.C.-based company focusing on research and strategic planning for all aspects of travel destinations. Young’s firm is known for its custom-tailored approach in using research to address specific issues for destination marketing organizations (DMOs). Culture and heritage are typically the foundation of developing a marketing strategy to position a community as a unique destination. In the last 12 years Young has worked with more than 100 destinations in 26 states and is a popular speaker at regional and national conferences and conventions.
About the 2012 Conference
- February 8, 2012
- Brookland Conference Center, West Columbia, SC
- Registration
- Location and Hotels
- Presenters
- Schedule
- Session Descriptions
- Back to 2012 Conference Home
For more information, please contact Susan DuPlessis (803-734-8693) or Joy Young (803-734-8203).