NORTH CHARLESTON, SC– Trident United Way is proud to announce the appointment of Melanie Stith, President of Culture Wins, LLC and Principal, The McNair Group, LLC, as the newly elected Chair of its Board of Directors, succeeding Barbara Melvin, President & CEO of the South Carolina Ports Authority, who recently completed her term of dedicated service as Board Chair. Melvin will remain on the Board of Directors, serving as Immediate Past Chair for the upcoming fiscal year.
Joining the Board this year are six new members, each bringing valuable expertise, community connections and a shared commitment to advancing Trident United Way’s mission to uplift families out of poverty in the Tri-County region:
• Joseph DeLeon, President & CEO, Roper St. Francis Healthcare
• CJ Gathers, CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lowcountry
• David Ginn, President, Charleston Regional Development Alliance
• Courtney Howard, Vice President, Community Engagement, College of Charleston
• Don Smith, Director of Community Relations, Hendrick Charleston
• Jon Witherow, Vice President & General Manager, Nucor Company
Trident United Way would also like to recognize and thank outgoing Board members for their impactful contributions, as well as Barbara Melvin, whose leadership as Board Chair has been instrumental in advancing Trident United Way’s vision for a stronger community.
“Barbara’s dedication, steady leadership and unwavering commitment to our mission have left a lasting impact on Trident United Way and the families we serve,” said DJ Hampton, President & CEO of Trident United Way. “We are deeply grateful to Barbara for her dedicated service during her time as Board Chair, and to all of our outgoing Board members for their committed service. At the same time, I’m excited to work alongside Melanie in the year ahead as we continue to expand our reach, deepen our impact and bring our community together to uplift 15,000 families out of poverty by 2035.”
As Board Chair, Stith will work closely with Hampton and the Trident United Way leadership team to guide strategic priorities, strengthen community partnerships and advance initiatives that address the Tri-County’s most pressing needs.
Trident United Way would like to thank the following outgoing board members for their service and dedication to our community.
Board members concluding a six-year term:
• Courtney Howard (Community Impact Chair, now a newly elected Board Member), Vice President for Community Engagement, College of Charleston
• Francis Johnson, Chairman & CEO, Johnson & Johnson Insurance
• Wendy Kopp (Advancement Committee Chair), Senior Vice President, Fifth Third Bank
• Julie Kornahrens, Community Volunteer
• Francis Welch, Dean, School of Education, College of Charleston
Board members concluding a three-year term:
• Michael Scarafile, President, Carolina One Real Estate
Board members concluding a two-year term:
• Richard Waring, Director of Contract Operations, Palmetto Goodwill
• Ed Woodcock, EVP & President, Ingevity
Board members concluding a one-year term:
• Ruhamah Grooms (Chair, PULSE), Release Change Manager, Booz Allen Hamilton
• Brianna Johnson (Chair, Women United), Public Relations Representative, Berkeley Electric Cooperative
• Parker Lee (Chair, Young Leaders United), Vice President, The Bank of South Carolina
For more information about Trident United Way visit www.tuw.org.
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ABOUT TRIDENT UNITED WAY
For more than 80 years, Trident United Way has been a trusted partner in building a stronger future for Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties. With a bold goal to uplift 15,000 families out of poverty by 2035, we lead collaborative solutions that increase income, reduce debt and open pathways to opportunity for local families, creating lasting impact for generations to come.