SC Humanities is pleased to announce the FY2018 Board of Directors who begin their terms on November 1, 2017.
Four new members will join the Board of Directors in 2017: Mary Elisabeth Grigg of Columbia, Alice Taylor-Colbert of Greenwood, James E. Smith, Jr. of Columbia, and Richard Westbrook of Lexington.
L to R: Mary Elisabeth Grigg, Alice Taylor-Colbert, James E. Smith, Jr., and Richard Westbrook
Mary Elisabeth Grigg holds a B.S. in Journalism from St. John’s University in New York. Currently, she is Senior Vice President at DiGennaro Communications based in New York City. She oversees the firm’s creative and technology practices. Previously, she was the Senior Manager of Business to Business Communications at Yahoo and later the global director of corporate communications for the Sapient Corporation. She serves on the Advisory Board of the USC School of Journalism and Mass Communication and the Board of Directors of Columbia’s Parks & Recreation Foundation.
Alice Taylor-Colbert holds a M.A. and Ph.D. degree in American Studies from Emory University. She is Director of Innovation and tenured Professor of History at the Palmetto College of the University of South Carolina. She assists the Chancellor in strategic planning, college initiatives, program development, grant writing, innovation grant management, and special project management. Palmetto College unites the four 2-year branch campuses with online Bachelor’s degree completion programs offered by the senior campuses of the USC system. She served as Campus Dean at USC Union and as a Dean and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs at Lander University. She lives in Greenwood, where her husband is a Chemistry Professor at Lander.
James E. Smith, Jr. holds both undergraduate and law degrees from the University of South Carolina. He operates a Columbia-based law firm, James E. Smith, Jr. P.A. James is a combat veteran and is an officer in the South Carolina Army National Guard, along with being a small business owner. He was first elected to the SC House of Representatives in 1996 and currently is running for Governor in South Carolina.
Richard Westbrook holds a B.S. degree and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of South Carolina. He is Executive Vice President of South State Bank. An active member of the community, Westbrook serves on the Board of Visitors for the University of South Carolina and on the Board of the Lexington Medical Center, where he serves as Chairman.
Board Members continuing to serve are: Kim Shealy Jeffcoat (Chair) of Lexington; Tom Mack (Vice Chair) of Aiken; William Balk of Williston; Marie C. Boyd of Columbia; Duff Bruce of Greenville, John H. Busch (Secretary) of Chapin; Beryl Dakers of Columbia; Jo Angela Edwins of Florence; Daniel J. Ennis of Conway; Walter Fiederowicz of Charleston; Mary Ellen Fuller of Alcolu, Ellen Granberg of Clemson, Billy Keyserling of Beaufort; Randolph R. (Randy) Lowell, Esq. of Daniel Island; S.C. (Cal) McMeekin, Jr. of Columbia; David E. Rison of Summerville.
SC Humanities bids a sad farewell to seven outstanding Board Members who retired from the Board in 2017: Belinda Gergel of Charleston, Ghussan R. Greene of Orangeburg (Past Chair), Samuel M. Hines, Jr. of Charleston, D. Delores Logan of Columbia, The Honorable Elizabeth D. (Betty Jo) Rhea of Rock Hill, G. Garrett Scott of Spartanburg, and William Mathews “Bubba” Self of Greenwood . Each served South Carolina Humanities with great diligence and passion and will be sincerely missed.
The Board of Directors of SC Humanities consists of volunteer academic and public members. Board members initiate and develop projects, seek to make the humanities accessible statewide, and take active roles in fundraising.
