Leadership Webinar Series

Held on April 2, 2026, How to build a local talent pipeline that strengthens your hiring strategy covers what a predictable local pipeline actually looks like, how employer–Clemson partnerships align training to real workforce demand and how HR leaders are using Clemson talent to augment their talent strategy.

Wednesday, June 23, 2021

Join us as we look at how employers and employees are starting to reimagine the workplace and what productivity and success look like.

Many organizations are finding that now is a great time to reexamine how work is done and what the future role of the office will be, including evaluating pre-pandemic habits and systems that may have been shown to be out of date and inefficient. According to McKinsey Global Institute research, 80 percent of people questioned report that they enjoy working from home. Forty-one percent say that they are more productive than they had been before, and 28 percent say that they are as productive.

What can companies do to maintain productivity, collaboration, and learning while also sustaining the corporate culture now? Join us as we examine dimensions of workplace redesign: people, systems, processes, results, and workplace culture as they relate to potential increases in efficiency, financial savings, and employee well-being.

Caroline Fritz
Principal, Kiva Collaboration, Inc.

Caroline Fritz is a Lean and Six Sigma certified process improvement engineer whose specialty is accessing small group wisdom. She leads multifunctional teams through visioning, strategic planning, and process design and implementation. Her innovative approach to capturing knowledge and tapping into the creativity of the team has resulted in both improved employee satisfaction and significant cost savings for her clients.

Karen Dudley-Culbreath
Global HR Consultant, HR Concierge Consulting, LLC

Karen Dudley-Culbreath is a human resource executive with over 20 years of experience. Her passion is providing HR solutions to organizations by consulting on people strategies to exceed business goals. She excels in partnering on HR Optimization, LEAN Improvements, Succession Planning, Workplace Investigations and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion solutions. She has enjoyed working for a start-up, transforming and maturing companies in various industries, including hospitality, retail, government and non-profits. Most recently, she worked in a corporate position at Walmart, Global Business Services division, as a senior HR operations manager.

William Drennan
Studio Leader, Associate Principal, LS3P

Associate Principal Wil Drennan is passionate about design excellence. In every project, Wil focuses on human-centric approaches to creating interior environments that elevate the experience of inhabiting a space. In his nearly 20 years as project manager and lead designer on a diverse portfolio of commercial, mixed-use, hospitality, K-12, civic, and other work, he has developed a comprehensive knowledge of design principles, practices, and aesthetics. He particularly enjoys the process of anticipatory thinking and proactive design solutions; he is also fascinated by the emerging research on the impact of lighting on human minds and bodies and how designers can deploy lighting to create better interior environments. Beyond his design acumen, however, Drennan has also earned a reputation as an excellent colleague who enjoys the process of team building, storytelling, deep listening, authentic collaboration, and problem-solving.

Drennan currently leads the Interior Architecture Studio in the Charlotte office and serves as chair of the firmwide Image Knowledge Team focused on integrating interior strategies from the earliest stages of architectural design to create a holistic, thoughtful, client-centered interior environment. With a Bachelor of Science in Design and a Master of Architecture from Clemson University, he is actively engaged in professional and community service; he currently sits on both the Rock Hill Board of Historic Review and the Board of the York County Free Clinic.

Thursday, April 8, 2021

Many nonprofits had to pivot and adapt to a new way of doing business in 2020. Now that we are slowly heading out of the pandemic, what will your next move be?

Frank Canning will look at trends, ask the questions that you need to be asking, and offer suggestions on how to pivot once again. The goal is to get your organization to where you want it to be, not just back to January 2020!

Presenter: Frank Canning

Frank Canning is a consultant for Smoke Jumper Nonprofit Consulting with over 30 years of experience in nonprofit management, fundraising and administration. Canning served as an executive director, interim executive director and a regional vice president for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Canning works with nonprofits to strategically plan and implement their plan to reemerge from the pandemic in better shape than before 1/2020. He has extensive experience in hiring, training, and mentoring executive leadership; staff and volunteer management; crisis prevention and management; and special events/campaigns.

Thursday, March 4, 2021

We dive into how Clemson and Rymedi's rapid response to the pandemic is charting the future of connected health.

Rymedi provides a cloud-based connected health platform to streamline large-scale testing, protect patient privacy and deliver real-time dashboard analytics. Their testing solution, deployed at Clemson University, provides weekly testing to 22,500 students and staff. As a result, Clemson COVID-19 cases came down 95% to a positivity rate of only .6%, which allows staff and students to safely return on campus. This technology is already enhancing healthcare delivery beyond COVID-19 and ushering in a new era in access to patient-centered care.

David Stefanich, MBA, MSc, MCA

David Stefanich is co-founder and CEO of Rymedi, a cloud-based disease testing and vaccine administration workflow management solution. A former CIO and CTO for global Fortune 500 companies, he specializes in technology architectures and software applications for highly regulated industries. He has employed data-driven methodologies to improve compliance and operations in pharmaceutical manufacturing and supply chain management. An inorganic chemist by training, Stefanich combines his master's degrees in chemistry, computer science and global finance to improve healthcare technology workflows. He is a founding member of Blockchain in Healthcare Global IEEE ISTO.

Jason Cross, Ph.D., JD

Jason Cross (Ph.D., JD) is co-founder and chief strategy officer for Rymedi. Cross's core focus is business model innovation to expand access to high-quality healthcare. He was a professor at Duke University and the founding director of the Innovation & Technology Policy Lab, where he spearheaded value-based contracting between countries and pharmaceutical and medical device companies. Cross is also chair of the Intellectual Property Subgroup of the IEEE Blockchain in Healthcare and Life Sciences Working Group.

Delphine Dean, Ph.D.

Delphine Dean is a bioengineering professor at Clemson University who recently received the Rob and Jane Lindsay Family Innovation Professorship. She leads a lab focusing on a wide range of mechanics and interactions of biological systems. Dean is focused on creating new devices to impact and transform the delivery of healthcare.

Dean holds an S.B., M.Eng., and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Over the last 10 years, she has led many novel research projects on medical devices, collaborating in places such as Tanzania and India.

Jose Arrieta

Jose Arrieta, the former chief information officer and chief data officer of HHS, offers over 20 years of innovative technology management experience. At HHS, he centered his attention on emerging artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies. Arrieta led the creation of HHS PROTECT, which is the largest public health surveillance program in the history of the United States.

Arrieta recently joined Rymedi's advisory board, bringing his expertise in connected health. He is also an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University. Previously, he taught at the University of Virginia and advised at American University.

Wednesday, February 17, 2021

As we look to an uncertain future, employees are looking to leadership for instruction, guidance and information regarding the Organization's current and future state. The best thing we as leaders can do is lean in. Listen to your employees, empathize with their greatest concerns, communicate frequently and confidently, and be flexible and supportive to meet their needs. This presentation offers valuable and actionable tips on putting together a crisis management plan.

Join us as we look at messaging and communication strategies and techniques, relevant employment policies that organizations should review and update, and share resources available to assist leaders in developing a game plan.

Presenter: April Simpkins, SHRM-CP, PHR

April Simpkins is a dually certified HR professional with 30 years of executive-level human resources experience. April is an HR consultant and the chief human resources officer for TotalHR, a human resources services firm focused on supporting the HR needs of small- to mid-sized businesses. She has helped more than 1000 business owners shape and develop their human capital.

Her experience and expertise, coupled with her continued study of human resources trends, have made her a trusted advisor for many in the business community. It also led to an invitation to The Business Journal Leadership Trust, which allows Simpkins to share her expertise with leaders nationwide. She has been a requested presenter and guest speaker for organizations that include Harvard University Extension School, Winthrop University, The Citadel, EEOC, and The City of Charleston, to name a few. She is also a member of the SHRM Speakers Bureau.

Thursday, February 4, 2021

Change is essential to organizational success. We often know what needs to change, why it needs to change, and the outcome we seek to achieve. Yet so many change initiatives fail to realize their intended ROI. Why? Because successful change requires the participation and support of people. Disappointing results are not necessarily due to the change itself but rather to the implementation of the change.

In this seminar, Laura Bogardus will introduce basic concepts of change management, focusing on change implementation. Using the Prosci^® ADKAR Model, she will introduce the fundamentals of facilitating individual change. Participants will practice concepts they've learned by envisioning a personal or professional change using ADKAR.

Presenter: Laura Bogardus, Ph.D.

Through Bogardus Consulting, Laura Bogardus works with clients on strategic development, board management and workforce inclusion. She recently partnered with Mike Teachey to launch Noble Aim Consulting, whose mission is to help coalitions and collaborating partners navigate complex obstacles and achieve systemic change.

Bogardus earned her Ph.D. in International Family and Community Studies from Clemson University, her M.A. in Human Behavior and Conflict Management from Columbia College, and her B.A. in Political Science from Miami University. She is a Marano Fellow of the Aspen Institute's Sector Skills Academy for Innovative Workforce Strategies. She is a member of the national and Greenville chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) as well as the national and Carolinas chapter of the Association of Change Management Professionals (ACMP). She is a ProsciR Certified Change Management Practitioner and an SHRM Certified Senior Human Resource Professional.

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Join us as we look at how creating an energized and supportive culture through a mindfulness program can lead to better productivity and increased profitability for your organization. We'll provide real-world examples on how to implement a similar program at your business—including applicable tools to foster an environment to increase workplace harmony.

Hear from the folks at Flow to You, who provide personal development, self-care, and well-being services, as well as from Tonyia Ragland-Davis from Michelin, on how mindfulness has supported programs and employees at Michelin.

Kelly Baird
CEO, Flow to You

Erick Herlong
Vice President of Operations, Span America Medical Systems, Inc.

Gena Adams-Riley
Sitting Practice

Joan Hope Craig
Innovative Wellness Consultant

Thursday, December 17, 2020

This webinar will discuss a review of 2020 and how leaders were able to navigate changing aspects of diversity and inclusivity, communication, empowerment, collaboration and the global supply chain. Where did they find new ways to collaborate and innovate through this difficult time? Join us as we explore these issues and bring these lessons forward into the new year.

Presenter: Karen Dudley-Culbreath

Karen Dudley-Culbreath is a Human Resource Executive with over 20 years of experience. Her passion is providing HR solutions to organizations by consulting on people strategies to exceed business goals. She excels in partnering on HR Optimization, LEAN Improvements, Succession Planning, Workplace Investigations and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion solutions. She has enjoyed working for a start-up, transforming and maturing companies in various industries, including hospitality, retail, government and non-profits. Most recently, she worked in a corporate position at Walmart, Global Business Services division, as a senior HR operations manager.

She holds a Master of Business Administration from Thomas More University in Crestview Hills, KY. She attended Miami University (Oxford, OH) and the University of Cincinnati for her undergraduate years. She is SHRM certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SHRM-SCP). She also holds a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. Dudley-Culbreath is an active member of many prominent organizations, including the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), Greenville Society of Human Resource Management (GSHRM) and Greenville Commerce Club, where she serves as the chairperson for the Diversity in Commerce committee.

Thursday, October 15, 2020

Everyone knows foreign actors attempt to influence social media conversations through disinformation, but how does it really work? And what are its possible effects beyond politics?

Presenter: Darren Linvill

Darren Linvill is an associate professor at Clemson University in the Department of Communication. Linvill's research explores state-sponsored social media disinformation and its influence on civil discourse. In addition to his academic publications, he has written for The Washington Post and Rolling Stone and is a highly sought-after expert on the topic of Social Media trolls and disinformation.

Linvill and his research partner, Patrick Warren, created a tool through the Clemson University Media Forensics Hub to help educate people about social media disinformation/troll accounts at the site: www.spotthetroll.org.

Friday, June 26, 2020

Learn about strategic actions you can take to increase the odds of improving your business when market expansion returns.

Managing a business through an economic downturn is a recurring phenomenon. What we have seen through the study of thousands of companies over the course of four economic downturns (recessions) shows us that not the most obvious reactions yield the best results. However, there are certain strategies and actions that have proven to have a better chance of succeeding.

Presenter: Steve Whigham

Steve Whigham is a business and marketing strategist who has worked his entire career with noted companies/brands such as Michelin, BFGoodrich Tires, Verizon Wireless, Ski Nautique, NAPA Auto Parts, The Toro Company, BMW Manufacturing, Johnson & Johnson's Ethicon Division, CloudFactory, Brinker International (Chili's, Macaroni Grill, On The Border), European Endoscopic Training Centre, Pfizer, Milliken & Company, Volvo Construction Equipment, Porsche Cars North America, Averitt Express, Gerber Children's Products, BlueBird Bus Company, Greenville Hospital System, MyMedChoices, Tire Centers Inc., USAutoForce, Northland International University, and World News Group among many others. Whigham has worked with businesses on four continents and in over thirty countries.

Friday, June 5, 2020

Join us as we talk about the IMPACT of authentic communication and relationships in business!

Learn how your communication and relationship skills affect your...

• Understanding and openness to different perspectives as it relates to building rapport and repairing relationships.
• Professional credibility with others.
• Efficacy of feedback - the ability of feedback to produce its intended result.
• Level of influence within and outside an organization.

Presenter: Nicki Creech, PCC
BMW Manufacturing

As a professional executive coach and trainer, Nicki Creech develops people to become the type of leaders people want to follow. She coaches with curiosity and believes sustainable change happens by self-generated insight. Creech is passionate about supporting leaders to use their strengths and values to reach their goals.

Creech began her career after graduating from Clemson University with a degree in financial management. She is also a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coaching Federation.

Friday, May 29, 2020

Join us as we delve into the new research behind human motivation and make sense of the new approaches that are working much better.

We have been given a motivational model from past generations that we have accepted as the way to encourage people to work harder and better. Recently, there has been a significant wave of scientific research examining human motivation, finding that many of our long-held beliefs about what motivates people actually demotivate them. Additionally, we'll learn about the particular motivational strategies that work with certain types of work – one size does not fit all.

Recommended reading concerning managing motivation:

• One More Time: How Do You Motivate Employees? by Frederick Herzberg
• Alive at Work by Danial Cole
• How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton Christiansen

Supported reading:

• Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
• The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky
• Learned Optimism by Martin Seligman
• The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt
• Flourish by Martin Seligman
• The Innovator's Dilemma by Clayton Christiansen
• Measure What Matters by John Doerr
• The Speed of Trust by Stephen M.R. Covey

Presenter: Steve Whigham

Steve Whigham is a business and marketing strategist who has worked his entire career with noted companies/brands such as Michelin, BFGoodrich Tires, Verizon Wireless, Ski Nautique, NAPA Auto Parts, The Toro Company, BMW Manufacturing, Johnson & Johnson's Ethicon Division, CloudFactory, Brinker International (Chili's, Macaroni Grill, On The Border), European Endoscopic Training Centre, Pfizer, Milliken & Company, Volvo Construction Equipment, Porsche Cars North America, Averitt Express, Gerber Children's Products, BlueBird Bus Company, Greenville Hospital System, MyMedChoices, Tire Centers Inc., USAutoForce, Northland International University, and World News Group among many others. Whigham has worked with businesses on four continents and in over thirty countries.

Friday, May 22, 2020

How will you seize potential opportunities in the marketplace and respond to shifts in consumer behavior?

This webinar will introduce our NEW e-Learning Certificate Course on e-Business starting in June 2020. We will focus on the characteristics, opportunities and challenges of e-Business and the steps needed to future-proof your company.

Emphasis will be placed on examining the strategic implications of e-Business and the strategies being deployed in a range of different industry sectors.

Presenter: Betsy McMillan Hipp

Betsy McMillan Hipp is an accomplished executive with more than 30 years of experience in marketing and public relations across a diverse array of industries, including sports, higher education, nonprofit and health care.

Prior to co-founding db Dynamic Marketing in 2020, she most recently served as global marketing director for ScanSource, Inc. In this role, she had worldwide management responsibility for public relations, social media, corporate social responsibility initiatives and corporate projects and events.

Presenter: Deonn Baker

Deonn Baker serves as global head of digital experience at ScanSource, where she defines and oversees the Company's web strategy and digital initiatives to transform user experience, maximize awareness and increase engagement.

Baker has more than a decade of experience in customer ethnographies and marketing research, including customer segmentation and data modeling, predictive selling analytics, voice of the customer analytics, journey mapping and user personas.

May 7, 2020

It takes a village to have a successful career. Learn how to prioritize the people who provide you with information, connect you to others, advocate for you, mentor, guide, coach and sponsor you.

In this session, we will:

• Define mentor, sponsor and coach,
• Describe the value of having a developmental network.
• Provide you with a network mapping tool that will enable you to see who is in your current network, and
• Use the mapping tool to create the type of strategic network that supports your ambition to reach your professional goals.

Take action to be more intentional in your networking and make your connections work for you!

Presenter: Cynthia Sims, Ph.D.

Cynthia M. Sims is an assistant professor and program coordinator of the Master of Human Resource Development program in the Department of Educational and Organizational Leadership, College of Education at Clemson University. Her research focuses on the ways gender and diversity influence the enactment of leadership in the workplace.

Moderator: Bobby Rettew, M.A.
Storyteller & Digital Strategist, Owner, Rettew Creative

Bobby Rettew is a husband, father, award-winning storyteller, published author, educator for Anderson University and Clemson Center for Corporate Learning, business owner of Rettew Creative and business partner for TouchPoint Media podcast network. He also serves as the chair of the communications committee and a deacon at Boulevard Baptist Church, board member for the Fort Hill Clemson Club and vice-chair for Anderson County's Criminal Justice Coordinating Council.

April 23, 2020

COVID-19 has quickly changed customer behavior, business and marketing.

A discussion on what the new normal looks like and how all the changes occurring due to the pandemic will impact business moving forward.

Host: Robbie Fitzwater
Marketing Leader, Strategist and Teacher

Robbie Fitzwater is a transformational marketing leader with a passion for empowering those around him to be the best version of themselves. As an early pioneer in the digital marketing space, he has led organizations and brands through various digital transformations. He currently runs MKTG Rhythm, where he helps businesses grow by evolving their marketing strategy and teaches in the Clemson MBA program.

April 17, 2020

A fascinating conversation on why podcasting would be a beneficial marketing tool for you and your organization, and how you can get started.

Links referenced in the video:

• Shure MOTIV MV88 Microphone
• Blue Yeti Microphone
• Shure SM7B Microphone
• Shure MV88+ Video Kit
• DJI Osmo Pocket Gimbal
• Trint.com
• Rev.com

Host: Brad Willis
Writer & Columnist, Professional Blogger

Brad Willis is a writer based in Greenville, South Carolina. Willis spent a decade as an award-winning broadcast journalist. He has worked as a freelance writer, columnist and professional blogger since 2005. He has also served as a commentator and guest on a wide variety of television, radio and internet shows. He is the producer and host of the true-crime podcast Murder, Etc.

Host: Bobby Rettew, M.A.
Storyteller & Digital Strategist, Owner, Rettew Creative

Bobby Rettew is a husband, father, award-winning storyteller, published author, educator for Anderson University and Clemson Center for Corporate Learning, business owner of Rettew Creative and business partner for TouchPoint Media podcast network. He also serves as the chair of the communications committee and a deacon at Boulevard Baptist Church, board member for the Fort Hill Clemson Club and vice-chair for Anderson County's Criminal Justice Coordinating Council.

April 10, 2020

As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread and many of us are working remotely, virtual meetings have become an essential part of how businesses maintain productivity and continuity. They're an easy, cost-effective way to align multiple offices, keep remote employees engaged and work with clients and vendors. However, folks are beginning to realize that virtual meeting etiquette is a whole new ball game compared to in-person meetings. We'll go through some great ways to think about how to maximize your time in the virtual space to get the most out of the experience.

Instructor: Bobby Rettew, M.A.
Storyteller & Digital Strategist, Owner, Rettew Creative

Bobby Rettew is a husband, father, award-winning storyteller, published author, educator for Anderson University and Clemson Center for Corporate Learning, business owner of Rettew Creative and business partner for TouchPoint Media podcast network. He also serves as the chair of the communications committee and a deacon at Boulevard Baptist Church, board member for the Fort Hill Clemson Club and vice-chair for Anderson County's Criminal Justice Coordinating Council.

April 2, 2020

Building resilience is a practice. Learn what the research says and five practical things you can do now to stay positive and productive.

Instructor: Gail DePriest
Director of Corporate Relations and Leadership Development, Clemson University MBA

Gail DePriest is a certified master coach who teaches MBA classes on leadership and ethics, innovation and creativity. She has deep knowledge of corporate leadership practices and needs. For more than fifteen years, she has advised Fortune 500 companies through times of transition and helped top-ranked business schools create career management programs. In private practice, she coaches and prepares leaders for effective, transformational leadership. She is also a contributing writer for the South Carolina Business Journal.