The Lowcountry STEM Summit:

  Brilliance • Balance • Breakthroughs

A one-day professional development experience for STEM and healthcare

professionals in the Lowcountry.

Date: Saturday, November 8, 2025

Location: Carolyn Lewis K8 School

Time: 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM

sponsors

About the Summit

The Lowcountry STEM Summit brings together college & graduate students, healthcare & STEM professionals, and educators for a day of inspiration, learning, education & connection. With the theme Brilliance, Balance, and Breakthroughs, this event is designed to spark ideas, foster leadership, and equip attendees with tools they can immediately use in both their professional and personal lives.

Expect a keynote from a prominent STEM leader, an engaging panel discussion on innovation and entrepreneurship in the Lowcountry, and hands-on breakout sessions to fuel both career and life growth.

Event Highlights

Keynote Speaker

Coming soon!
A visionary South Carolinian who will inspire and empower attendees

Panel Discussion

Innovation in the Lowcountry: Entrepreneurship, STEM Business Development & Community Growth

Networking Lunch

Boxed lunches provided; connect and collaborate with peers and leaders

Breakout Sessions

Choose two engaging workshops to deepen your skills

Breakout Sessions

AI Uncovered: The Good, the Bad, and the Breakthroughs

Learn how artificial intelligence is shaping research, careers, and everyday life. Explore best practices and walk away with a practical AI-driven tool you can use immediately.

Balance Without Burnout: Building Your Overwhelm SOS Toolkit

Discover strategies to identify signs of burnout, set healthy boundaries, and create your personal “Overwhelm SOS Toolkit” to restore harmony in work and life.

Breakthrough Leadership: Setting Goals, Shaping Futures

From short-term wins to long-term career moves, learn how to set goals with intention, position yourself for leadership, and refine your skills for advancement.

Agenda at a Glance

9:30AM - 10:00AM

Registration & Networking Coffee

10:00AM

Welcome & Keynote

11:00 AM

Panel Discussion

12:15 PM

Networking Lunch

1:15 PM - 2:00 PM

Breakout Sessions (1 rounds)

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Breakout Sessions (2 rounds)

3:00 PM - 3:30 PM

Survey Completion & Closing Remarks

Speakers & Panelists

We’re excited to feature local leaders in STEM, healthcare, and

entrepreneurship. Stay tuned for announcements!

Host Bio: Dr. Lilli Wright, PhD
Watson Institute Google AI Fellow | Scientist | Founder of The PhD Playbook 

Dr. Lilli Wright is a homegrown leader from Summerville, South Carolina, whose career bridges cutting-edge science, higher education, and community empowerment. A biomedical scientist by training, she has more than a decade of experience advancing oncology and cardiovascular research and has served as a Principal Investigator, NIH T32 Fellow, and Senior Molecular Scientist.

As one of only 49 global Watson Institute Google AI Fellows, Dr. Wright is recognized internationally as an innovative entrepreneur entrusted with the support of Google to design solutions that transform lives. She is the Founder and CEO of The PhD Playbook, an organization dedicated to helping graduate students, postdocs, and professionals achieve their goals faster, healthier, and wealthier through mentorship, strategy, and community. 

Deeply rooted in her Lowcountry upbringing, Dr. Wright is passionate about giving back to the next generation of STEM leaders. Through initiatives like the Lowcountry STEM Summit: Brilliance, Balance, and Breakthroughs, she brings together scholars, professionals, and visionaries to explore what’s possible when brilliance meets purpose.

A biomedical scientist and Summerville, SC native, she is passionate about building community and shaping the next generation of STEM leaders.

Panelist: Larry Collett
Speaker | AI Expert | Consultant | Trainer

Larry Collett is a nationally recognized AI expert, consultant, and speaker who helps businesses, from small organizations to large enterprises, leverage artificial intelligence to achieve operational success, increase productivity, and drive efficiency. As founder of the Larry Collett Consulting Group, Larry partners with leaders across industries to build responsible AI strategies that create lasting impact.

A firm believer in lifelong learning, Larry turned his curiosity about AI in 2023 into formal study through the Whiting School of Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, graduating on May 31, 2025, with a specialization in AI Business Strategy. His work bridges cutting-edge technology with practical business transformation, helping leaders harness AI confidently and ethically.

In addition to his consulting work, Larry serves as Executive Director of the Larry & Rebecca Collett Foundation, which promotes leadership, education, and faith-based synergy around the world. A certified trainer in The Table Group’s "The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team" and “The 6 Types of Working Genius,” he equips teams to collaborate more effectively and lead with clarity.

Larry lives in Summerville, South Carolina, with his wife Rebecca and their three boys. When he’s not helping organizations embrace AI, he enjoys sailing, exploring the outdoors, and serving on local nonprofit and credit union boards

Panelist: Erica Parrott
Director and Chief Engineer of Production Engineering, 787 Program, The Boeing Company

Erica is currently the Director and Chief Engineer of Production Engineering for the 787 Program at Boeing South Carolina. In this role, Erica leads of team of over 300 engineers and technical professionals responsible for delivering robust engineering and technical solutions/improvements to the 787 Production System that are aligned to Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost and Innovation.

Accomplished, trusted senior leader with 20+ years of production engineering (PE) experience in the aerospace and supply chain management industries, with a focus in Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering. Strategic thinker, excellent communicator and skilled in building positive relationships. Experienced in stakeholder engagement and supporting multiple business units. Passionate about servant leadership, mentoring and professional development.

Panelist: Tanqueray Edwards
CEO, TR Edwards Consultancy

Tanqueray Edwards is the driving force behind our success, and she is driven by a deep belief in the power of transformation. Her journey—from navigating the complexities of single motherhood and military life as an "Army brat" to building successful businesses—has instilled in her a unique blend of resilience, empathy, and strategic thinking. She understands firsthand the challenges of today's business landscape and is passionate about empowering organizations and professionals to not just survive but thrive.

As a sought-after speaker, she shares actionable strategies and inspiring stories on topics ranging from career reinvention, leveraging difference to achieve excellence and preparing for an AI-enabled workforce. She has had the privilege of working with organizations like Duke Energy, JLL, Hilton Grand Vacations, and Chief (Executive Women’s Group).

She believes that true success is built on a foundation of empathy, collaboration, and a relentless focus on delivering tangible results. She is inspired by the potential of businesses and individuals to achieve extraordinary things and is committed to helping them get there.

A certified powerhouse with credentials including B.S. Civil Engineering Technology, M.P.A, Scrum Master, Product Owner, PMP, LEED AP, LEAN Enterprise Professional, and Six Sigma Black Belt.

Panelist: Liz Donovan
Founder, Mom Me Minute

Led by empathy, passion, and insight Mom Me Minute was founded in 2024 by Liz Donovan as a heartfelt solution for moms to get support where and when they need it. Home. Moms, especially those navigating postpartum, need modern support systems to maintain their family, house and wellness.

Encouraged by her sister, a postpartum doula, Liz began providing child and pet care. Liz set out to align technology and service solutions to ease the burdens of modern motherhood.

Liz is originally from New York. Liz Donovan dedicated a decade to building a career in IT and Project Management. Like one in three women in corporate America, Liz experienced burnout and stress amplified by the pandemic. Determined to prioritize her well-being, she allowed herself time to travel and embarked on a nomadic journey.

Liz especially enjoys local coffee shops, nature walks, yoga, seasonal food, and the company of dogs (maybe even a few cats).

Panelist: Rene W. Harris
Principal, Beech Hill Elementary

In her 13 years as principal of Beech Hill Elementary School, René Wyatt Harris has drawn on her experiences as a teacher and curriculum specialist to encourage out-of-the-box teaching methods that go beyond traditional standards to reach the whole child. In close collaboration with teachers and families, Harris launched the Lighthouses of Lifelong Learning program, which coheres instruction around shared values and principles that speak to the skills and capacities students need to develop to be well-rounded citizens of the 21st century.

Central to the success of this framework has been Beech Hill’s whole-hearted embrace of Growth Mindset precepts, which empower students to take control of their learning and motivates them to persevere through personal and academic challenges. Harris encourages teachers to tap into this active learning engagement by viewing play and the classroom environment as learning tools using outdoor classrooms and interactive displays called the Third Teacher.

Beech Hill has been recognized for many academic achievements during Harris’ tenure, including earning multiple ESEA/AYP Ratings of “A,” earning the Palmetto’s Finest Award in 2012, and being named a National Blue Ribbon School in 2018. Harris holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications and Speech from the University of Alabama and a Master of Education from The Citadel in Educational Leadership and Administration and completed graduate studies for Initial Certification at Charleston Southern University.

More To Come

Registration

Secure your spot today! Space is limited

General Admission: Free through Generous donors and partners

Sponsorship Opportunities

Support innovation and leadership in the Lowcountry by sponsoring this one-of-a-kind event. Your funds will go directly toward participant experience—covering lunch, refreshments, swag bags, printed materials, and decor.