Jerome Aya-ay earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Notre Dame before pursuing a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences and Doctor of Medicine from Marshall University School of Medicine.

His entrepreneurial spirit emerged early — in the 1990s, he ran a food delivery business from his parents’ garage in Parkersburg, West Virginia. That venture, along with working at a tanning salon where he learned business fundamentals, shaped his path toward independent health care.

Today, Aya-ay leads Palmetto Proactive Healthcare, a 20-employee practice focused on accessible, transparent care. He champions a model prioritizing clear pricing and personal attention over the complexity and hidden costs in modern healthcare.

Beyond his practice, Aya-ay serves as President of the Upstate Medical Independent Medical Association, President Elect of the South Carolina Academy of Family Physicians and Trustee for District 3 of the South Carolina Medical Association. He also serves as Associate Clinical Professor at Via College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Reflecting on leadership, Aya-ay said, “You can burn the candle at both ends and fade fast, or shine bright enough to ignite the ambitions of others.”

Brent Ayers earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Clemson University in 2010. He leads ProGrin Dental, a health care organization with 150 employees.

Ayers began working at age 14, serving tables at a retirement home, where he learned the value of human connection through time spent with residents who longed for companionship. Those early experiences shaped his leadership philosophy centered on servant leadership.

During college, Ayers met Jim Blanchard, the longtime CEO of Synovus Bank, at The Masters golf tournament. Blanchard later spent a day mentoring him at Synovus headquarters, offering guidance on leadership and business. When Ayers asked for his best advice, Blanchard said, “You can tell the true character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.”

Under Ayers’ leadership, ProGrin Dental has expanded significantly. In February 2024, the company opened iGrin Pediatric Dentistry in Boiling Springs. In January 2025, Ayers launched Anchored Dental Implant Studio, also in Boiling Springs, with a second location scheduled to open in Greenville in November 2025.

Ayers serves as a member of the C12 Christian Leadership Forum and Resurrection Church. He was recognized in 2020 as one of Greenville Business Magazine’s Best and Brightest under 35.

Jason Bernd leads Novant Health’s South Carolina operations, overseeing the organization’s expansion across the state. He recently announced patient care expansion projects breaking ground in Greenville, Charleston and Bluffton as the healthcare system grows with these communities.

A University of Virginia graduate with a degree in chemical engineering, Bernd earned his MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business. He was recognized as a Jefferson Scholar at UVA in 2001 and an Arjay Miller Scholar at Stanford in 2006. The Charlotte Business Journal named him to its 40 under 40 list in 2011.

Bernd serves on multiple boards, including the Charleston Regional Development Alliance Executive Leadership Council, Discovery Place Children’s Museum, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, Trident CEO Council and Wingate University. He emphasizes that recruiting talented team members and clinicians remains Novant Health’s most important priority.

“Build your career by thinking in terms of your skill sets and your learning curve, not titles or pay,” Bernd said.

He lives in the Lowcountry with his four children.

Dr. Patrick J. Cawley leads MUSC Health as CEO and serves as executive vice president for health affairs at the Medical University of South Carolina, overseeing all clinical matters. Under his leadership, MUSC has expanded its clinical enterprise with a new Children’s Hospital, regional health network, multiple ambulatory sites and numerous joint ventures. The organization has become a national leader in telehealth while maintaining its position as South Carolina’s top hospital and health system per U.S. News and World Report.

Cawley previously served as chief medical officer of MUSC Medical Center, leading quality and patient safety improvements. He is a certified physician executive, fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and Liberty Fellowship Program member. the Society of Hospital Medicine.

Cawley graduated from the University of Scranton and earned his medical degree from Georgetown University before completing internal medicine residency at Duke University. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

Stephen Chandler leads HCA Healthcare Summerville Hospital, guiding an organization with more than 1,000 employees. Chandler earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from LSU and a Master of Business Administration from Baylor.

Early in his career, Chandler cleaned doctor’s offices after school to finance debate tournaments, learning the value of attention to detail and hard work. Under his leadership, the hospital recently achieved Level 3 NICU designation and opened a new 60-bed inpatient tower representing a $67 million investment.

Chandler serves the community as a board member of the Summerville/Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce and co-chair of the Summerville/Dorchester County Vision Plan Steering Committee. He also supports Dorchester County First Steps. His contributions have earned recognition including Charleston 40 under 40 and the HCA Healthcare Outstanding Mentor Award.

“How you do anything is how you do everything,” Chandler said of the best advice he has received. He defines success by how much a community benefits from one’s work. Outside the office, Chandler is an avid tennis player.

Ellen Paulisick leads Longboard Dental, a 10-employee practice addressing the dental industry’s staffing challenges through founding the Dental Assisting School of the Lowcountry, a nonprofit program training high school seniors in dental assisting skills.

A University of Maryland graduate with a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences, Paulisick earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery from University of Maryland Dental School and served as chief resident at Baltimore VAMC.

“Be a winner, not a whiner,” she says.

Her first job lifeguarding throughout her teenage years taught hypervigilance and responsibility, qualities she brings to patient care.

Paulisick served as lead dentist at East Cooper Community Outreach dental clinic from 2022 to 2024. She earned recognition from Benco Dental’s 40 Under 40 Dentists in America in 2023 and received multiple distinctions including the Charleston Women Magazine She Shines Award in 2024.

She defines success as coming to work every day without feeling like working, creating a comfortable environment through innovations like adding a therapy dog to make the dental office feel less clinical.

Paulisick earned multiple distinctions in dental school including the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Community Service.

Joseph DeLeon leads one of the Lowcountry’s largest employers and a leading South Carolina-based health system jointly operated by Bon Secours Mercy Health and the Medical Society of South Carolina. With more than 30 years of senior leadership experience recognized for operational excellence, DeLeon joined Roper St. Francis Healthcare in 2024, where he oversees more than 6,800 teammates and a 350-provider medical group.

DeLeon is directing $1.7 billion in facility expansion projects, including development of the new flagship Roper Hospital in North Charleston. These initiatives will add nearly 600 healthcare jobs while the hospital’s construction alone is expected to generate 3,600 construction-related jobs and deliver a $2.5 billion economic impact to the region.

Prior to his role at RSFH, DeLeon served as president of Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth, an 851-bed Level I Trauma Center and Magnet-designated facility. A former captain in the U.S. Air Force Medical Service Corps, DeLeon serves on the Charleston Regional Development Alliance and Charleston Chamber of Commerce executive committees.

Douglas Giampapa leads HealthyCell, a health care company focused on evidence-based nutritional supplements. Giampapa holds a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and founded the company to address the supplement industry’s challenge of building consumer trust through clinical validation and transparency.

His first job stocking shelves at CVS taught him an early lesson about leveraging smart work over physical labor limits. This philosophy has guided his entrepreneurial journey, though not without significant obstacles. In 2021, lightning struck HealthyCell’s production facility and burned it down, leaving the company out of stock for months. Giampapa has also faced threats from a patent troll and come close to running out of money on multiple occasions.

“Progress happens through the magical partnership between the person with their head in the clouds and the person with their feet on the ground,” Giampapa noted, emphasizing the balance between vision and practicality that has sustained HealthyCell through these challenges.

The company, which employs 12 people, is launching its Bone Strength formula in the first quarter of 2025.

Joe Harper has led Sage Services Group as president since March 2006, building nearly two decades of leadership in the Charleston area. His career reflects a commitment to both business excellence and expertise in the health care sector.

Harper’s educational foundation includes a Bachelor of Arts from Erskine College, completed in 1998, followed by a Master of Health Administration with a focus in healthcare administration from the University of South Carolina in 2000. This specialized training in healthcare management has informed his approach to business leadership.

During his tenure at Sage Services Group, Harper simultaneously served as president of Insite Electronic Services from January 2017 through October 2018, demonstrating his capacity to lead multiple organizations. His professional versatility spans operational management and strategic direction across different business contexts.

Harper extends his leadership beyond the corporate sphere through community engagement. Since July 2024, he has served as a board member for the College of Charleston Athletic Fund, supporting collegiate athletics in the region where he has built his career.

William Kenley leads AnMed, an integrated healthcare delivery system in upstate South Carolina employing 3,800 people. “Never assume,” Kenley said, a principle that guides his strategic approach.

Under Kenley’s leadership, AnMed has expanded significantly, adding more than 40 providers in the past year and growing to over 60 sites of care. The organization acquired a physical therapy company, partnered with an urgent care provider and opened AnMed Piedmont, a free-standing emergency department and ambulatory campus in Piedmont in early 2025. AnMed recently broke ground for a campus in Central/Clemson featuring an emergency department, physician offices and surgical space.

Kenley holds a Master of Health Administration from Duke University and a Bachelor of Science from Radford University. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and serves as Chair of the South Carolina Hospital Association Board of Trustees and Chair of Antum Risk’s Board of Directors. He also serves on the Regional Policy Council for the American Hospital Association, Anderson University’s Board of Visitors and Tri-County Technical College Foundation.