The President’s Leadership Institute graduated its 2023 cohort in a ceremony at the Reeves Recruiting Lounge at Memorial Stadium on May 2, 2024.
The Institute, completing its eighth year, is a nine-month leadership development program designed to support and develop professional and personal leadership within a diverse and inclusive community of faculty and staff at Clemson University. Each cohort consists of 25 faculty and staff nominated by University leadership.
President Jim Clements addressed graduates and colleagues at the ceremony.
“During the past year there were some exciting things that happened. There were babies born—a little one was adopted into the Clemson Family—some moved from across the country—some won major awards—and others were appointed to significant organizations,” he said. “This class had a lot of heart. And this class was special. You really demonstrated what it means to be part of the Clemson Family, to look out for each other and to take care of each other. I look forward to watching you continue to learn and grow as leaders throughout your careers at Clemson and anywhere else you might go.”
President Clements introduced special keynote speaker, 1986 Clemson alum, Tony Mathis. Mathis has been honored by Clemson’s Alumni Association with its highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award, and in 2020, he was inducted into the Thomas Green Clemson Academy of Engineers and Scientists. While at Clemson, Mathis had been in the ROTC and later he served with distinction as an officer in the US Air Force. He is the former president and chief executive officer of military engines and Edison Works at General Electric, is chair of Clemson University’s Foundation Board and serves on the President’s Advisory Board.
“Coming to Clemson changed the trajectory of my career,” shared Mathis who majored in mechanical engineering as an undergraduate. From Clemson he spent time in the US Air Force testing planes like the F16.
Mathis shared his thoughts and principles with the PLI graduates, the first of which was “Be willing to do the work—do your homework and take the tough jobs.” To support his leading principle, he shared a story about the time he wasn’t interested in taking a particular promotion at General Electric to become a Master Black Belt in GE’s storied Six Sigma program Jack Welch had made famous. It wasn’t something he wanted to do. Mathis explained that by taking this hard job it made all his greater career progression and subsequent achievements possible, including his eventual ascension to the ranks of general manager, president and chief executive officer.
Congratulations to following graduate members of the eighth cohort of the President’s Leadership Institute:
Josh Barnes, Director, Office of Institutional Excellence Strategy & Operations
Tessa Byer, University Ombuds
Kelly Caine, Professor, School of Computing, College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences
David Clayton, Assistant Vice President, OCPSI and Executive Director, CU-ICAR
Shamella Cromartie, Associate Dean, Organizational Performance and Inclusion, Clemson Libraries
Monique Everroad, Director of Policy Initiatives, Office of University Compliance and Ethics
Joe Galbraith, Associate Vice President, Strategic Communications for Marketing and Communications
Corrine Grant, Director of Alumni Relations and Development, Division of Inclusive Excellence
Kristen Lawson, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Finance and Operations
Dan Lewis, Director of Digital Accessibility, CCIT
Renée Lyons, Director, Science Outreach Center
Michael McManus, District Extension Director, Pee Dee
Nathan McNeese, Founding Director, Clemson University Center for Human-AI Interaction, Collaboration, & Teaming; McQueen Quattlebaum Endowed Associate Professor of Human-Centered Computing
Michael Neault, Director of Livestock Poultry Health and State Veterinarian
Brandy Page, Executive Director of Development, Parent Philanthropy, Student Affairs and University Wide Initiatives
Lior Rennert, Associate Professor, Department of Public Health Sciences and Director, Clemson Center for Public Health Modeling and Response
Donna Robertson, Senior Director of Institutional Excellence, Strategic Execution
Kaifa Roland, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Director of Global Black Studies
Amanda Rumsey, Associate Professor, Department of Education and Human Development, College of Education
José Sagarnaga, Clinical Assistant Professor and General Management Area Coordinator, Department of Management, Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business
Jasmine Townsend, Associate Professor and Fellow, Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute and PRTM and Director, Clemson Adaptive Sports and Recreation
Erica Walters, Program Director, ClemsonLIFE
Danny Weathers, Professor, Department of Marketing, Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business
Daniel Whitehead, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry
Kevin White, Deputy Director of Athletics