SOHC Speaker Bios Final

7/27/2019 SOHC Speaker Bios Final

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Gregory Torrales

President

SC Hispanic Leadership Council

Gregory Torrales has been serving the community for

over 17 years in various forms of leadership. He played

an instrumental role in changing an “English Only” local

government law in Pennsylvania. He has a degree in

Counseling and is the owner of LaTorr Consulting Services

Gregory believes that everyone should be afforded the

same opportunities and has fought diligently to ensure

equal access for all. He is currently the President of the

Board of Directors for the SC Hispanic Leadership Council

Speaker Bios

Lee McElveen

Hispanic/Latino Coordinator

SC Commission for Minority Affairs

Lee S. McElveen was born in Mexico City to a Puerto

Rican father and a South Carolinian mother. She wasraised in Puerto Rico and had the benet of experiencing

childhood in a bicultural and bilingual home. She received

her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Southern

Wesleyan University and has had a rich background

in her professional life, having worked at the South

Carolina Department of Social Services, USC Center for

Developmental Disabilities at the School of Medicine, The ALPHA Center-Kershaw County



Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services serving as the Region II Hispanic/Latino Program Coordinator

for a 9 county area (Kershaw, Lee, Chestereld, Lancaster, York, Faireld, Richland Lexington

Chester) and is currently employed with the South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs

as the Hispanic/Latino Coordinator for the State of South Carolina. Ms. McElveen has also

taught conversational Spanish at ATEC in Kershaw County and taught at a private school in

Puerto Rico.

Ms. McElveen is uent in both Spanish and English and has been certied as a South Carolina

qualied interpreter and translator through the South Carolina Department of Social Services

and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

She has also spent many hours as a volunteer, assisting as a Board Member of the Mental

Health Association, offering her services to the Kershaw County Medical Clinic, the Kershaw

County Police Department, the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Department and many more in hercommunity and throughout the state. She has served as a board member to the Nationa

Latino Peace Ofcers Association, Chairman of the Good Samaritan Medical Clinic, Columbia

SC, Board Member of the Cross Cultural Council, She is a current member of the Lieutenants

Governor’s Ofce on Aging-Respite Coalition, Governor’s Council on Substance Abuse and

Prevention, board member of Latino Communications- CDC and current Board member of

United Way of the Midlands and the SC Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Ms. McElveen has dedicated her professional and personal life to the betterment of people

cross-culturally. She has worked in the Human Service eld for the past 13 years, and has

been actively involved with the Hispanic community for many years, strengthening her role

as advocate for the Hispanic/Latino population. She has found commonality among people

of all races and cultures, bringing her unique perspective to the world around her. She has

spent a great deal of personal time assisting state agencies, organizations and individuals

in identifying ways to lend a helping hand to Hispanic/Latino people as they work toward

improving their lives and that of their families, assisting people with insurmountable task of

starting a new business in a totally new language, culture and political system. Ms. McElveen

is happily married and the proud mother of two wonderful sons. She resides in Kershaw

County, South Carolina, and commutes all over the State to lend a helping hand.



Ivan Segura

President

Council of Mexicans in the Carolinas

Ivan Segura is a Workforce Development Consultant for

the Connecting People to Jobs/WIA Program, a workforce

development initiative aimed to move low-income

Hispanic/Latino Midlands residents out of poverty

and into living wage jobs by connecting them with job

training, education, and support services. Mr. Segura was

born in Mexico and has a solid background in business

administration and nancial planning. A devoted advocate

for the Hispanic community, he serves on the Board of Directors of the SC ACLU and the SC

Hispanic Leadership Council. He is also serves on the Advisory Committee to the MexicanSecretary of Foreign Relations’ Institute of Mexicans Abroad and is the President of the Council

of Mexicans in the Carolinas. An ardent advocate for Latino arts, he is the Executive Director

of Palmetto Luna Arts, a non-prot organization with the mission to foster an understanding

of the Hispanic/Latino culture by promoting artistic creation and providing opportunities for

cultural expression for the community in South Carolina.

Dean HyblExecutive Director

Ten at the Top

Dean Hybl was named Executive Director of Ten at the Top

in January 2010.

Since arriving in the Upstate, he has directed the effort to

create a Shared Upstate Growth Vision for the 10-countyUpstate South Carolina region. More than 10,000 people

across the region were involved in developing the “Our

Upstate Vision”, which was unveiled on April 27, 2011.

Hybl is now coordinating the development of ve new Our Upstate Vision Task Forces each

focused on one of the areas addressed in the regional vision: Human Potential; Economic &

Entrepreneurial Vitality; Sustainable Growth; Natural Beauty & Resources and Community

Vibrancy.



TATT was recognized by the Alliance for Regional Stewardship as a nalist for their prestigious

2011 Organizational Champions Award. The award winner will be announced in August

Hybl was also recognized by Greenville Business Magazine as one of Greenville’s 50 Most

Inuential for 2010. Prior to joining Ten at the Top, Dean spent ve years promoting regional

collaboration in the Central Florida area.

While with myregion.org, which promotes regional development and collaboration in the

Orlando area, he served as the primary Program Manager for the “How Shall We Grow?”

initiative, which engaged more than 20,000 residents in an 18-month conversation about

growth in the region. The project culminated with the unveiling of the Central Florida Regional

Growth Vision in August 2007.

Dean also coordinated initiatives focused on environmental preservation, improvement in

science and math education, arts and culture, economic development and social servicesPrior to joining myregion.org, Dean spent 15 years as a Sports Information Director and

Assistant Director of Athletics in college athletics. He received eight national publication

awards during six years at Hampden-Sydney College and then directed marketing and

communications efforts for 21 varsity sports during nine years at Rollins College. He has also

worked for a private public relations rm and is the founder of the web site Sports Then and

Now.

Originally from Keysville, Virginia, Dean is a graduate of James Madison University. He and

his wife, Suzy, have two children, Bethany and Nate, and currently reside in Greer.

Evelyn Lugo

President

SC Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

President/Founder, South Carolina Hispanic

Chamber of Commerce

As the President and founder of the rst Hispanic chamber

in South Carolina, Mrs. Lugo came from Puerto Rico after

deciding, along with her husband, that Greenville, South

Carolina would be the perfect place to continue raising

their two sons, college and high school students at that

time.



It was shortly after she started working for a local credit card processing company that she

found many Hispanic business owners experiencing problems interacting and doing business

with the rest of the business community. Looking for ways to help the business community

Mrs. Lugo found that there was no Hispanic Chamber in South Carolina. Her search put

her in contact with the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Washington where she was

informed that there was no Hispanic chamber in SC. After explaining the purpose of the

call, the USHCC asked her if she wanted to start a chamber in the area. With a background

in business administration; experience in working with big corporations such as Eastman

Kodak, Abbott Pharmaceutical, and 3M; and the experience of starting a campus bookstore of

her Church ministry in Puerto Rico, Lugo knew that the task would not be an easy one. But

the need was clear and the burden was increasing every time she would get in contact with

local and statewide business owners.

Six months later, in August 2007 the South Carolina Hispanic Chamber of Commerce wasincorporated. The Chamber was designated a 501(c) 6 non-prot organization in June 2009

by the IRS.

Boards:

Michelin Development Advisory Board, Ten at the Top Board, Greer Chamber of Commerce

Board, Children’s Hospital Council, South Carolina Cancer Alliance Council, First Choice

Community Council, and former member of the Blue Ridge Boys Scout Board.

Military Experience:

Honorable discharge Puerto Rico National Guard – Rank: SP4 Military Police



Lydia Cotton

Hispanic Liaison

City of North Charleston

In 2005 the Hispanic / Latino community was going

through a large number of robbery, assault and murder

Others were losing their lives for just crossing the streets

for being drunk. In a corner of a gas station in one of the

most central areas of my community would gather more

than 150 people to look for work every morning. I could see

that even though the community only wanted a job, this

was not the best strategy to win the hearts of the residents

of North Charleston.

The city of North Charleston already hired the rst Hispanic Victim Advocate, Mrs. Miriam

Walker. Ms. Walker was in talks with Councilwoman Jerome to see how they could

communicate with the Hispanic / Latino community. When I meet Miriam and Rhonda, our

rst meeting was in Rhonda’s home dinner table. Rhonda Jerome, Miriam Walker, Tanya

Driggers and I started the very rst Hispanic community meetings.

For this effort, We were able to improve the chains of communication, and help the police

lower the crime rate by 54% and bring light to many families in my city, but most important

build a long lasting relationship with the Hispanic/Latino community.

There are simple steps we follow to achieve success communicating with the Hispanic/Latin

Community.

1. While Rhonda was opening doors for us in every department of City Hall, Miriam was

solving victims issues, Tanya was helping organizing the monthly meetings and I was walking

the street listening to the people.

2. We spent most of the time solving simple issues for the residents. One example of this is

that if a trashcan was stolen or broken, we helped the resident contact the city to get a new

one. This helped us have a strong and lasting relationship.

3. We are always honest and speak the truth to each family, never making excuses when



a Hispanic/Latino resident commits a crime. This helps the Police and community come

together and solve many crimes.

4. I became member of the Police and Community panel. This helped the community and

Police build a strong relationship.

5. The community came together to volunteer in all the events of Police, Fire, Recreation

Department.

6. I founded a group called “Dame La Mano.” The members of “Dame La Mano” are people who

have never had the opportunity or experience in being a leader, but, have a lot of knowledge

in the deep part of the Hispanic / Latino community. Today, they are our guides and the rst

people we talk to when issues arrive in our Hispanic/Latino community.

7. Thanks to the City of North Charleston we have a community center/computer lab/police

station, in the heart of the Hispanic/Latino population and 90% of the volunteers are Hispanic/

Latinos. This gives the community lots of pride.

Our vision is to have everybody involved, Hispanic/Latino, Black, White, Brown, Yellow and

even green.

Two things I always remember to win the hearts of my community.

1. Respect

2. Listen



Julie Smithwick

Executive Director

PASOs

Julie Smithwick graduated from the University of Georgia

with Bachelor degrees in International Studies and Spanish

Upon graduation she joined the Peace Corps where she

served as a “Youth and Families At-Risk” volunteer in

Ecuador, South America for almost 5 years. She has a

Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of

South Carolina, with a concentration in Social Work with

Communities and Organizations. In 2012, Julie was awarded

the “20 Under 40” award given to the top 20 leaders under age 40 working in the Midlands.

Julie has over fteen years of experience working in Latino communities, both in Latin

America and the Southeastern states of the US. She is the founder and Executive Director of

PASOs, which means “steps” in Spanish. This community-based organization hosted by the

Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina is present in 15 counties

of South Carolina and advocates for the Latino population across the state.

PASOs mission is to help Latino families and service organizations work together for strong

and healthy families through education, support and grassroots leadership development

Under Julie’s leadership, PASOs received the “Promising Practice of the Year” award from the

Association for Maternal and Child Health Programs in 2012.

Julie is a board member of the Good Samaritan Free Clinic and the Fund for Southern

Communities and lives in West Columbia, SC with her two children: Elias, who is 9 and Bella

who’s 7.



Jaime Harrison

Chairman

South Carolina Democratic Party

Jaime currently serves as Chairman of the South Carolina

Democratic Party. Upon his election, Jaime became the rst

African-American to serve in that role. He also serves as a

Principal and democratic strategist at the Podesta Group, a

full service Government and Public Relations rm.

Prior to joining the Podesta Group, Jaime served as the

Director of Floor Operations and Counsel for Majority

Whip James E. Clyburn in the United States House of Representatives. He was responsible

for running the whip operation for all legislative actions in the House of Representativesfrom 2007 to 2008. Harrison has also served as Executive Director of the House Democratic

Caucus, where he broke two barriers, becoming one of the youngest individuals and the rst

African-American to hold the position. As Executive Director, Jaime oversaw the day-to-day

operations of the House Democratic Caucus, and participated in the development of national

strategy, message, and policy for the Democratic Party.

In 2010, Harrison received two distinctive honors. First, he was named as one of the “top

40 lawyers under 40” by the National Bar Association and IMPACT-DC. In addition, he was

recognized by The Root, an online magazine, as one of 100 individuals, ages 25-45, who

represent a new generation of emerging and established leaders in the African-American

community. Jaime has appeared as a political strategist on CNN, MSNBC, and ATN. The

consummate teacher, Jaime is a regular guest lecturer for the Brookings Institute and the

Congressional Black Caucus Political Education Leadership Institute’s Political Training Boot

Camp. In 2009, Harrison served as a lecturer for Harvard Kennedy School’s Black Policy

Conference.

Jaime has also been featured in several Capitol Hill and South Carolina publications. He was

selected by The Hill as one of the “35 Stellar Staffers Under 35”; showcased as one of Roll

Call’s “Fabulous 50 Staffers” on Capitol Hill; highlighted in the National Journal’s “The Hill

People”; and proled in several articles including “Orangeburg Native Rises Rapidly in DC”-

The State; “A Long Way from Orangeburg” – Politico; and several articles in his hometown

paper, the Times and Democrat.



Ted Creech

Director - External Affairs

AT&T South Carolina

Ted Creech is Director of External Affairs for AT&T in South

Carolina. Ted directs the local government, external andcommunity relations, economic development and in-

state federal relations activities for the company in South

Carolina.

Ted previously served as AT&T’s Legislative Affairs director

at the S.C. General Assembly, and before being promoted

to that position, he was Regional Director for AT&T in the Lowcountry where he managed

the company’s external affairs and economic development in the Charleston-Berkeley-Dorchester region.

Ted graduated from the University of South Carolina with honors in 1981. He worked in

television and radio news early in his career and won several state and national reporting

awards.

During his career with BellSouth before the company merged with AT&T, Ted gained a

In 1998, Jaime, a rst generation college graduate, received a Bachelor of Arts degree in

Political Science from Yale University. After graduating from Yale, Jaime returned to his

hometown of Orangeburg, SC and taught 9th grade social studies at his high school alma

mater, Orangeburg-Wilkinson High.

In 1999, Jaime became one of the youngest non-prot executives in the country when he served

as Chief Operations Ofcer (COO) of College Summit, Inc., a national non-prot organization

that works with communities to help students from low-income backgrounds successfully

enroll into college. Jaime, a member of the College Summit National Board of Directors, was

successful in helping College Summit grow into a nationally recognized organization with

ofces across the country.

In 2004, Jaime graduated and obtained his Juris Doctor from Georgetown University LawCenter. Jaime is a native of Orangeburg, SC and a member of the SC Bar.



Stephen Gilchrist President

South Carolina African American Chamber of Commerce

Stephen Gilchrist is considered to be an expert in the areas

of Business, Administration, Political Strategy, Legislative

Policy, Training and Grassroots Organizing. Mr. Gilchrist’s

policy background began as the Former Executive Director

of the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus and Junior

Research Analyst for the South Carolina Senate nance

Committee. He was also a Government Relations Director

in the Governors Ofce.

Among Mr. Gilchrist’s many accomplishments, he has been President of several major non-

prot organizations in South Carolina including serving as the Vice President of Public Policy

for the South Carolina United Way. He was also appointed Greenwood County’s rst AssistantCounty Administrator and the rst African American to join the leadership of the Greenwood

Area Chamber of Commerce.

Mr.Gilchrist is a partner in the rm of Palmetto Brokers in South Carolina and serves on

numerous boards and commissions. He is the Chairman of the South Carolina African

American Chamber of Commerce.

thorough knowledge of telecommunications technology and regulation while working

on several landmark regulatory initiatives in the 1990s. While in Atlanta, he directed the

corporate-wide marketing communications for BellSouth’s then-emerging Internet business

in the late ‘90s and helped lead the initial corporate launch of broadband DSL.

Ted is a member of the Central SC Alliance Board, the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce

Board, the Columbia Urban League Board, the Clain University Board of Trustees, the New

Carolina Board and the State Board of Communities in Schools. He is also former Chairman

of the Charleston Regional Development Alliance and Summerville-Dorchester Chamber

Boards.

Ted and his wife, Rosa, live in Columbia and have three sons.



Alan Wilson

South Carolina Attorney General

Alan Wilson was elected South Carolina’s Fifty-First

Attorney General on November 2, 2010, and took ofce on

January 12, 2011, becoming the nation’s youngest Attorney

General.

This marks his third stint in the ofce. Previously, he served

as a prosecution division intern under Charlie Condon and

as an Assistant Attorney General under Henry McMaster.

As South Carolina’s Attorney General, Wilson is the state’s chief prosecutor, chief securities

ofcer, and the state’s chief legal counsel. The ofce is comprised of more than two hundredemployees and nearly seventy-ve attorneys who manage nearly 8,000 active case les.

Wilson has focused on keeping our families safe and defending the Constitution.

He has assembled an unprecedented coalition consisting of the Attorney General’s ofce

the State Law Enforcement Division, every sheriff, the Police Chief’s Association, and all 16

solicitors. Together, they are actively advancing legislative priorities to ensure South Carolina

is the safest place to live, work, and raise a family.

As Attorney General, Wilson has defended the Constitution and the laws of this state even

if it means challenging the federal government. He has protected South Carolina’s right-to-

work; helped lead the 26-state challenge to the federal health care mandate; and successfully

safeguarded South Carolina’s voter identication and immigration laws in court.

Today, he is actively engaged in state and federal litigation to provide safe harbor to

South Carolina’s ports, shield the state’s energy interests at Yucca Mountain, as well as a

constitutional challenge of Dodd-Frank.

Prior to his election, Wilson served as an Assistant Solicitor and as an Assistant Attorney

General before entering private practice with the Columbia rm of Willoughby & Hoefer, P.A

He began his legal career working for the late Judge Marc H. Westbrook.



Growing up, public service was paramount in the Wilson house. Alan and his three brothers

have all achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. All four presently serve our nation in uniform.

Wilson joined the National Guard immediately after graduating from college. He was called

to serve in Iraq where he led troops through enemy re and earned the Combat Action Badge

Today, he continues his military service by providing legal support for soldiers and assisting

in the prosecution of military crimes as a Lt. Colonel in the Judge Advocate General Corps.

He is a graduate of Francis Marion University and the University of South Carolina School of

Law. Wilson and his wife, Jennifer, have two young children, Michael and Anna Grace.

Thomas J. Smith

Executive Director

SC Commission for Minority Affairs

Thomas was born to Thomas Smith, Sr. and Mary Davis

Smith on September 7, 1948 in Columbia, SC. Thomas

graduated from C. A. Johnson High School in 1966. He

continued his education at Benedict College where

he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business

Administration with a concentration in management

Thomas furthered his studies in accounting and taxationat Greenville Technical College.

Thomas began his professional career in 1971 as a Junior Accountant with the Greenville

Hospital System. After returning to Columbia in 1974, he accepted the position of Assistant

Manager of Grants Administration, Grants Administration Division, Ofce of the Governor

During his professional career Thomas served in several capacities including Program

Coordinator with the SC Institute on Poverty and Deprivation, Financial Consultant with

DESA, Inc., and Budget Analyst with Research Associates, Inc.

Currently, Thomas is employed at the SC Commission for Minority Affairs and serves as

Executive Director where he is responsible for the overall supervision of the agency. Previous

to his current position at the Commission, Thomas served as its Community Services Program

Manager, and Research and data Manager.



During his professional career Thomas has had many professional development opportunities

including being selected as the person in state government to be trained in the usage of

“HandsNet” (a forerunner of the internet) in Cupertino, California. In 2001, Thomas completed

the State’s Executive Institute, the State Budget and Control Board’s professional management

course.

Thomas has been actively involved in community initiatives for a number of years and

recently became past president of the SC Diabetes Today Advisory Council which convenes

annually one of the largest African American Conferences on Diabetes in the country, with the

number of attendees ranging from 800 to 1,000. Currently, Thomas serves as the chairperson

of the Camille Graham Chapel Foundation, a non-prot, 501 (c) (3) organization that exists to

support educational and religious programs for inmates at the SC Department of Corrections

Camille Graham Women’s Prison.

Thomas is actively involved in his church, the Progressive Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Inc

where he serves as an Elder and as the Associate Pastor of the local assembly in Columbia.



Joshua Kimbrell

President

Palmetto Conservative Alliance Foundation

Josh was born and raised in the Upstate of South Carolina

a fact that adds to his passion to preserve South Carolina’s

history of faith, freedom and free markets. His love of the

Palmetto State led him to pursue pro-growth and pro-family

public policies, beginning his freshman year of undergrad

at North Greenville University. Josh’s ght for freedom has

only grown from there.

During his time as an undergraduate at North Greenville

where he studied economics, Josh began linking the state of

the nation’s culture to the strength of its economy. His philosophy that a “strong culture leadsto a strong economy, and a strong economy strengthens a strong culture,” is the foundation

of Josh’s public policy work, and is the basis of his daily radio program “Common Cents” on

92.9FM / 660AM and the corresponding public policy foundation, the Palmetto Conservative

Alliance, which he chairs. Josh’s conviction is that the culture and economy are linked, and

that liberty and limited government are necessary to create an opportunity society for all

South Carolina families.

Through “Common Cents” and the Palmetto Conservative Alliance, Josh and his team are

seeking to build a culture of life, liberty and economic opportunity for all South Carolinians

This commitment to shared prosperity for all citizens of our state led to the establishment

of the Foundation’s “Pluribus Project,” which is an effort to achieve unparalleled diversity

united in common values. Thus, the “Pluribus Project” boasts the most racially and age diverse

committee of any policy initiative in the State, united in an effort to share a positive message

of faith, family, freedom and free-markets with every single South Carolinian.

Josh Kimbrell’s leadership of “Common Cents” and the Palmetto Conservative Alliance are

all part of his dream to build a stronger South Carolina, and a more prosperous America,

for future generations. Only by reapplying the principles of the American Founding can we

reasonably expect to extend the blessings of liberty and the American Miracle to our children

their children and immigrants seeking a better life in the “land of the free.”

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SOHC Speaker Bios Final