Annette Medlin

Senior Project Director

I began my professional career in the arts, on the performance side, and then shifted into nonprofit management. The last fifteen of those years were spent either managing or consulting with chambers of commerce both in the U.S. and internationally. While the arts and business worlds may seem like incredibly diverse communities, there is actually a very common connection! First, nonprofits, regardless of their area of focus, are passionate about their work or cause and about the belief that what they do is having a lasting effect on the community of people they serve. Second, events, engaged volunteers, and fundraising are imperative to provide the resources necessary for success and to ensure that desired lasting impact. The fundamental language of nonprofits is the same. People, passion, and the power of a community, fueled by the investments of that community through time, talent, and capital.

Two of my top five strengths in the CliftonStrengths Assessment are connectedness and activator. Those are exactly what I do and why I love it. I love communities of all kinds; I love making connections with people and between people who are passionately lifting up a nonprofit community; and then I love digging in and working with my own passion and commitment to see those people achieve the goals they have set for success!

Annette is a skilled organization management professional with 20+ years in nonprofit program management. She is a resource in high demand for associations, nonprofits, and chambers of commerce in the areas of membership development, engagement and retention, fundraising strategies, board and staff development, collaborative leadership, strategic planning, systems assessment and development, and volunteer recruitment and management.

Having successfully led three chambers of commerce, Annette has a quick eye for assessing an organization, its challenges, and obstacles, and identifying solutions for new efficiencies and success. When meeting with diverse organization constituencies, from board leadership and community leaders to event volunteers and staff, Annette can fluidly adapt to the audience and deliver the exact message appropriate to the situation.

A common thread through all of Annette’s work is her passion around communities of people and connecting them with the solutions they need to succeed. In her work as a consultant for the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), Annette worked with each country with the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry to collaboratively build a sustainable budget, develop strategies to increase membership and other revenue streams, and develop systems for efficient organization management.

Annette is also a frequent speaker, coach, and workshop facilitator for State Chamber Associations in Iowa, Georgia, Pennsylvania, the Carolinas, and Maryland, as well as the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE).

Summary of Experience

• President/CEO for Greater Augusta Regional Chamber, United Corpus Christi Chamber, and Georgetown County Chamber.
• Consultant for the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE).
• VP Public Operations for Brookgreen Gardens (SC), a national destination with annual visitation of over 200,000.
• Board member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Southeast Institute Board of Regents, the Carolinas Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (Chair), the Virginia Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, and numerous social and civic nonprofit organizations.
• Senior Fellow with the American Leadership Forum, Waccamaw Chapter.
• Completed Business Leads Fellowship Program through US Chamber Foundation Workforce and Education Division.
• Awarded “Chamber Executive of the Year” in South Carolina by CACCE.