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, council or board, please complete this form or 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, Community Volunteer
Chair-Elect
Melanie Stith, Culture Wins
Audit Chair
Christopher Glenn, Cape Fear Valley Health System
Advancement Chair
Wendy Kopp, Fifth Third Bank
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
- 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
- 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
- Jerome Smalls, City of Charleston
- Jimmy Staton, Santee Cooper
- Richard Waring, Palmetto Goodwill
- Fran Welch, Ph.D., College of Charleston
- Jeremy Willits, Harbor Commercial Partners
- 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, Chair
- Tim Grow, Elliott Davis
- B. Shawan Gillians, Santee Cooper
- Mark Lewis, TechCXO
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, Chair
- Jennifer Brown
- Crystal Chandler
- Wills Denton
- Ruhamah Dunmeyer Grooms
- Sonia Hanson
- Natalie Hauff
- Nikki Kuniej
- Parker Lee
- Kyle Rains
- Emily Ross
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
- Germone Gadsden, Apollon Wealth Management, LLC
- Kayra Husser, Wells Fargo
- Erin LaBrake, Elliott Davis
- Parker Lee, The Bank of South Carolina
- ReZsaun Lewis, Lowcountry Youth Services
- Renee Linyard-Gary, Roper St. Francis Healthcare
- Dan Mooney, Boeing
- Charles Patrick Jr., Westbrook & Brickman
- Nilsy Rapalo, Círculos de Bienstar
- 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
- B. Shawan Gillians, Chair
- Preston Bankson
- Brad Davis
- Tyson Hoff
- Frank Kellert
- Mark Lewis
- Cassandra Price
- Roy Rathbun
- Michael Samuel
- Covington Sharp
- Tony Tripeny
- William Zobel
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
- Darren Callihan, Greystar
- Kenya Dunn, Lifetagger
- Erika LeGendre, College of Charleston
- Nina Magnesson, Good Strategies
- Aiyana Mathews, Gardner-Mathews Global Management
- Cathy Quinn, ArborGen, Inc.
- Elaine Reed, AstenJohnson
- Elizabeth Rogers Prim, Chernoff Newman