Grant is a sixth-generation Mississippian who grew up in Laurel. He founded Empower Mississippi in 2014 as a solution center, tackling Mississippi’s biggest challenges so everyone can rise. Previously, Grant served as Director of Development for the Mississippi Center for Public Policy. He is an alumnus of The Witherspoon Fellowship in Washington D.C.

Grant graduated with a B.A. in Political Science from Belhaven University and was selected as their “Young Alumnus of the Year” in 2009. Grant earned an M.A in Government from Regent University. Grant has been named to the Top 50 Most Influential Mississippians list by Y’all Politics. Grant currently lives in Madison with his wife Page and their five children. Grant and Page are members of Redeemer Church, PCA, where Grant serves as an elder.

At first glance, Brett’s career has spanned a wide range of experiences and industries. But if you look closely, you will see it has been consistently marked by service. 

A year abroad in Spain unlocked a curiosity and empathy in him for other cultures and people different from himself that has continued to impact his life and work to this day. After earning degrees in Spanish and International Development from the University of Southern Mississippi, Brett worked in Community Development with the Peace Corps in South America, followed by work in training management and human resources upon his return to the United States. 

Rick Taylor is the Executive Director of the Hattiesburg Convention Commission and currently operates a convention center, a visitors center, a performing arts theater, a museum district, a zoo, and a little hidden museum in an alley. He began his 34-year career in the tourism industry with a five-year stint in tourism development in the British, Dutch and French West Indies before coming to Hattiesburg. His experience is in attraction development, operations and marketing. A strong believer that unique and compelling experiences create customers for life, Rick implements this concept at each facility he develops. He is an advocate for motivated professionals to incorporate quality and creativity into every aspect of their career and responsibilities.

Rick is an inductee into the Mississippi Tourism Hall of Fame and a recipient of Hattiesburg’s Hub Award, the international Edward L. Bernays Tourism Award, and USM’s Margaret McCarthy Award for Tourism Industry Partner. He is a past officer of the International Association of Venue Managers and the Mississippi Tourism Association. Rick received an undergraduate degree in Humanities from Ambassador University in Los Angeles and a Master’s degree in Economic Development from the University of Southern Mississippi. He and his wife, Vicki, are parents of two boys, of which only one is still at home and only until next summer (whether he likes it or not).

ANN McCULLEN • Executive Director, Edwards Street Fellowship

A Hattiesburg native with an eye for sculpture, Dr. Erik Graham believes that every smile is a work of art ready to be unveiled. After attending dental school at University Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi, Dr. Graham and his wife Ginny (also a Hattiesburg native) moved back to Hattiesburg and joined Dr. Baker, where they formed Baker & Graham Family Dentistry. Ever since he was a child, Dr. Graham has been fascinated by how things work. He loves working with his hands, taking things apart, and putting them back together again. He has always been fascinated by innovation and captivated by the power of technology to improve people’s lives.

Outside of the office, Dr. Graham loves spending time with his wife Ginny and his three sons, Gregg, Parker, and Bradley. He coaches their baseball teams and helps coordinate their Boy Scout endeavors. Dr. Graham also enjoys wood carving, furniture building, and the art of sculpture, a passion which he carries into his dental practice, as well.