Dan Rummel is a senior loan officer with ArborOne Farm Credit, the Florence-based agricultural lending cooperative that finances farms, timberland, rural homes, and agribusiness across the Pee Dee, Lowcountry, and Grand Strand. ArborOne is part of the Farm Credit System and operates offices in Florence and Conway, serving borrowers throughout eastern South Carolina.

Dan is also a landowner of several conservation minded properties and has recently completed a conservation easement with the Pee Dee Land Trust; permanently protecting some of these properties. 

Harry Lesesne is president of the Darla Moore Foundation, where he oversees all foundation operations and grantmaking. Under his leadership the foundation has concentrated its giving in the Pee Dee and rural South Carolina, funding a $5 million scholarship program at Francis Marion University, a partnership with the Meeting Street Scholarship Fund, and preservation work at South Carolina’s Revolutionary War sites. 

Before joining the foundation, he spent roughly eight years as executive director of the Charleston Parks Conservancy, where he grew annual revenue, led major renovations of Colonial Lake and Hampton Park, and launched three community vegetable gardens. Earlier he served as senior advisor to Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr., and worked with The Conservation Fund and the University of South Carolina. He is a U.S. Army and South Carolina Army National Guard veteran, has authored or edited two books including a history of USC from 1940 to 2000, and holds a degree from Duke University plus an M.A. and Ph.D. in history from the University of South Carolina. 

Helen Rogers is conservation initiatives manager for the Southeast at the Open Space Institute, working from OSI's Charleston office. Founded in 1974, OSI is a national land conservation organization that has partnered in protecting more than 2.5 million acres across the eastern United States. Its Southeast program is run out of South Carolina under senior vice president of land Maria Whitehead, and Rogers is one of a Charleston-based team of five. 

OSI's Southeast work centers on climate-resilient landscapes and flood protection — protecting undeveloped floodplain that absorbs storm water and releases it slowly, at sites such as Snow's Island on the Pee Dee and Waties Island near Myrtle Beach — alongside regional grant funds that help local land trusts finance acquisitions. 

John manages CVSC’s efforts to develop and implement state and local environmental policy for land, water, and energy issues. He has been with CVSC since 2021, with previous roles focusing on energy policy at the state Legislature and the South Carolina Public Service Commission. 

John’s passion for conservation is rooted in the understanding that our health, wealth, and prosperity are deeply tied to the health of our natural ecosystems. 

Prior to joining the CVSC team, John worked at the Medical University of South Carolina, managing energy and sustainability projects. Before that, he worked in medical and environmental research. He has also held various leadership positions in community nonprofits across the Lowcountry region of South Carolina. 

On evenings and weekends, he can often be found fishing in the marsh, foraging for mushrooms deep in the woods while fending off mosquitoes, or spending quality time with his family. 

John M. Truluck serves as the Director for Dorchester County Economic Development, a position he has held for over 11years. During his tenure, the County has announced over 40 new companies or existing company expansions totaling 5001 new jobs and $9,415,408,000 in new capital investment.  Before joining Dorchester County, John previously led the industrial recruitment efforts in another county in South Carolina.  He has over 24 years of experience and is a South Carolina Certified Economic Developer. 

John holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a Master of Public Administration from the University of South Carolina.  

A native of Lake City, South Carolina, John, his wife and two daughters reside in the Summerville area. 

Jonathan W. Yarborough is Director of Government Affairs and Economic Development for Dominion Energy in South Carolina.  In this role, he oversees Dominion’s efforts with South Carolina state government and economic development including the General Assembly, the Governor’s Office, and various state agencies.   

He works closely with policy makers in shaping energy policy for the state.  Most recently, he provided hours of education and testimony to the general assembly in what resulted in the Energy Security Act of 2025.   

On the economic development front, Jonathan and his team work to recruit companies such as Scout Motors and Google to the Dominion Energy electric and gas service territory.  

Jonathan began working in the SCANA Government Affairs department in 2015.  Prior to joining SCANA, Jonathan handled legislative and intergovernmental affairs for the SC Department of Commerce and the Department of Health and Environmental Control.  He also worked on the federal level as a congressional liaison for the Department of Agriculture and a senior advisor to the assistant secretary for Fossil Energy at the Department of Energy in Washington, DC.  Prior to College, Jonathan served in the United States Army Infantry.  Jonathan is a graduate of Clemson University and the University of South Carolina School of Law.  Jonathan has served on various boards including the SC Manufacturing Alliance and Southern Carolina Economic Development Alliance.  Jonathan and his wife Stephanie attend First Presbyterian Church in Columbia with their four children.   

Katherine Ross leads Parker Poe’s Energy Industry Team. She advises renewable energy developers, independent power producers, utilities, investors, and commercial businesses on the development, acquisition, financing, and operation of energy projects across the Southeast. Katherine regularly counsels clients on regulatory, environmental, land use, and transactional matters involving renewable energy facilities and infrastructure. She is recognized by Chambers USA and The Best Lawyers in America for her work in energy and environmental law. 

Kevin currently serves as County Administrator for Florence County. Prior to his time with the County, Kevin served for three years as an Assistant City Manager with the City of Florence. Prior to his time with the City, Kevin served as Finance Director for Florence County, a position he held for over 23 years. Prior to his time as finance director, Kevin worked for ten years in public accounting, first with the firm of Arthur Young and Company and more recently with Webster Rogers LLP. 

Kevin received his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Bob Jones University in 1986 and his Master of Public Affairs degree from Indiana University in 2014. He became a CPA in 1988, a Certified Government Finance Officer in 2001, and an ICMA Credentialed Manager in 2022. 

Kevin has been a member of numerous professional and community organizations and has held leadership roles in most of these organizations. In 2024, Francis Marion University named him as Public Servant of the Year. 

Kevin has been married for 39 years to his wife, Kim, and they have three adult children, Jeanette, Stephen, and Michael, one granddaughter and three grandsons. 

Leslie is the CEO of Sustain SC, a nonprofit organization connecting sectors across South Carolina to optimize the use of our natural resources in a way that is sustainable for both our economy and our environment. With a business development background and passion for sustainability, Leslie unites smart growth with conservation to sustain South Carolina’s economic prosperity.

Prior to joining Sustain SC, Leslie built and executed strategies to drive business growth for Fortune 500 companies, governments, non-profits, and institutions. As a strategic communications and public affairs professional, Leslie specializes in advising purpose-driven clients to uncover strategies to meet business goals while positively impacting their communities.

Leslie is a community leader. She was recently named as South Carolina's Top 50 Women to Admire and is a Riley Institute Diversity Leaders Initiative Fellow. Leslie was appointed by Governor McMaster to the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission and serves on the City of Charleston Commission on Women. Leslie founded the non-profit Charleston Civil Rights and Civics (C3) and serves on the Charleston Chamber of Commerce's Regional Policy Committee. Leslie completed her MBA from Georgetown with a focus in Non-Market Strategy to help businesses be a force for good in the world

Matt Holt serves as Dean of the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences and Vice President for Public Service and Agriculture at Clemson University, roles he has held since September 2024. 

Under his leadership, CAFLS has launched Boundless Impact, a bold ten-year strategic plan, and grown its competitive research enterprise to record levels. Dr. Holt has championed SC Horizons, a multi-institutional agricultural innovation initiative anchored in advancing precision agroforestry, agribiotech and human health, as well as resilient production systems. He has initiated the Clemson University Center for Invasive Species — a cross-college effort to integrate research, Extension, and regulatory science to address one of the most significant and growing threats to American agriculture and natural resources. He has also significantly expanded the college’s philanthropic mission. 

The College, through its instruction, discovery, public service, and Extension missions, serves the people of South Carolina and beyond by strengthening agricultural productivity and profitability, promoting sustainable natural resource management, and supporting the health and vitality of communities across the state. 

Before joining Clemson, Dr. Holt served seven years as head of the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics at Virginia Tech, where he also co-chaired the Virginia Tech Advantage initiative — a multi-year effort to make college more affordable for underserved students. He has held faculty positions at the University of Alabama, Purdue University, NC State University, the University of Arizona, and the University of Wisconsin. 

Dr. Holt was named a Fellow of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association in 2009 and a Distinguished Agricultural Alumnus by Purdue University in 2024. As a first-generation college student who received Pell Grant aid, he is passionate about extending the land-grant mission to all eligible students regardless of means. 

Dr. Holt grew up on a row crop and livestock farm in North Central Indiana. He and his brother continue to own and manage the original 210-acre farmstead. He holds a Ph.D. in agricultural economics from the University of Missouri, Columbia. 

Ming Kibel is a Water Program Manager at Meta, leading water and wastewater compliance, utility coordination, and risk management across the company's data center portfolio. She joined Meta in 2019 as an engineer supporting the Southeastern data centers and has spent her career translating site-level engineering requirements into programs that scale. Her focus is long-term resource planning and water risk reduction in the communities where Meta operates. Ming holds a degree in mechanical engineering from Cornell University and is a licensed Professional Engineer in the District of Columbia. 

Heath Sessions is a businessman and public servant who has represented District 46 (York County) in the South Carolina House of Representatives since 2022. A lifelong South Carolinian, he was born in Spartanburg and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Carolina. Professionally, Sessions serves as Vice President of Moorhead Brothers, Inc., where he has built a career in the construction and infrastructure industry. 

In addition to his legislative service, Sessions has been actively involved in his community through organizations including the Historic Rock Hill Board, Camp Canaan, and the Winthrop Stakeholder Board. He has also served as a deacon and personnel committee chairman at Oakland Baptist Church. He and his wife, Kristin, are the parents of three children. In the General Assembly, Sessions serve on the House Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee, where he holds leadership responsibilities as the chair of the Medical and Health Affairs Subcommittee. 

Robert Bonnie is a Distinguished Scholar at the Stone Center for Environmental Stewardship at University of California, Berkeley.  Prior to that, Bonnie was Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation at the US Department of Agriculture and oversaw farm, climate and conservation programs. From 2017-2020, Bonnie was at Duke University as a Rubenstein Fellow working on conservation and environmental issues in rural America. Bonnie was Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment at USDA from during the Obama Administration. Prior to joining USDA, Robert was vice president for land conservation at Environmental Defense Fund where he focused on developing incentives to reward stewardship on private lands. Robert lives with his wife, Julie in Loudoun County, Virginia. 

Dr. M. Soledad Peresin is the Patricia “Pat” Layton Endowed Director of the Wood Utilization + Design Institute (WU+DI) at Clemson University and a Professor with joint appointments in Forestry & Environmental Conservation and Materials Science & Engineering. A chemist and materials scientist by training, she brings more than 20 years of academic and industry experience focused on transforming lignocellulosic biomass into high-value, sustainable materials for applications including construction, packaging, and advanced manufacturing. 

Prior to joining Clemson, Dr. Peresin was a faculty member at Auburn University, where she founded the Sustainable Bio-Based Materials Lab, and a Senior Scientist at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. She is a recipient of the NSF CAREER Award and has authored more than 90 scientific publications. 

Dr. Peresin is the founder and leader of the Forest Products Innovation Corridor (FPIC), a multi-state initiative connecting South Carolina, Georgia, and North Carolina to accelerate forest-based innovation, strengthen regional supply chains, and create new markets for forest resources. Led by Clemson University WU+DI in partnership with the University of Georgia and NC State University, FPIC brings together academia, industry, government, and investors to advance technologies from research and demonstration to commercialization, supporting economic development and the long-term sustainability of working forests. 

She also serves on the TAPPI Board of Directors, is Associate Editor of TAPPI Journal, chairs TAPPI’s Advanced Renewable Materials (ARM) Division, and serves as an elected Councilor of the American Chemical Society’s Cellulose and Renewable Materials Division. Through her research and leadership, she advances interdisciplinary collaboration, sustainable materials innovation, and the growth of a competitive circular forest bioeconomy.