Sustain SC and the Shi Institute at Furman University Welcome the 2026 Class of SLI Fellows
Sustain SC in partnership with The Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities at Furman University is pleased to announce the 2026 class of the Sustainability Leadership Initiative (SLI). Now entering its fifth year, SLI is a collaborative effort between Furman University’s Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities and Sustain SC. The 2026 cohort brings together a diverse group of leaders from business, government, academia and nonprofit organizations who are committed to advancing sustainability across South Carolina.
The SLI program is a six-month professional education program that runs January through June and includes six sessions designed to cultivate the skills and insights needed to lead sustainability efforts in a rapidly changing economic and environmental landscape. Graduates of the program are certified as Sustainability Leadership Fellows and join an active alumni network of cross-sector leaders across the state.
“We are delighted to welcome this talented and committed group of leaders to the SLI community,” said Leslie Skardon, CEO of Sustain SC. “SLI connects leaders from across sectors to build a powerful network to accelerate sustainability outcomes across South Carolina.”
Andrew Predmore, Executive Director of the Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities at Furman University added, “SLI provides an immersive professional education experience that deepens participants’ understanding of sustainability and prepares them to implement meaningful solutions in their organizations and communities. We are proud to partner with Sustain SC in support of this important work.”
The 2026 SLI Fellows are:
Adam Gleason, Heritage Landcare
Alison Montgomery, Westervelt Ecological Services
Amy Collins, Lockhart Power
Beau Reynolds, Trane Technologies
Bryan Cordell, The Sustainability Institute
Clay Word, The Nature Conservancy
Dana Bauer, Open Land Trust
Darcy Coughlan, Sustain Coastal at Coastal Carolina University
Darrel Pendris, Milliken Advisors
David Jones, SC Forestry Commission
Esther K. Adams, Center for Heirs' Property
Gregory Wilcox, South Carolina Research Authority
Griffin Muli, South Carolina Aquarium
Isreal Hodges, Scout Motors
Jenna Wyatt, Milliken & Company
Jessica Wilson, Carolinas Ready Mixed Concrete
Joseph Dukes, Palmetto Community Developers
Kay Self, VisionGreenwood
Lucas Messick, Halton MEI
Megan Copsey, BMW Manufacturing
Melanie Gearhart, Goodwill Industries of Upstate Midlands SC
Michelle LaRocco, Cirba Solutions
Peter Madden, US Endowment for Forestry & Communities
Purva Mhatre, Sonoco
Samuel Packard, Siemens
Sarah R. Lyles, Palmetto Pride
For more information about the Sustainability Leadership Initiative and the SLI program, please visit the SLI program page.
About Sustain SC:
Sustain SC is an economic development-driven organization that connects the sustainability goals of business in South Carolina with local solutions for the benefit of our economy, environment, and people.
About The Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities:
The Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities works at the intersection of socio-economic and ecological systems to tackle our most pressing sustainability challenges. The Institute places students and faculty at the heart of the work, making positive impacts through applied research, hands-on learning, and sustainability leadership training. The Institute builds on over a decade of proven success and national renown of the David E. Shi Center for Sustainability to envision a world that meets the needs of all people within the means of the living planet.
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