Speaker Bios

Melissa D. Bane, CPA, CFP®, PFS®, ChFC

Senior Private Client Advisor
Melissa Bane is a Senior Private Client Advisor and Principal at Greenwood Capital, a $1.5 billion financial firm with offices in Greenville and Greenwood, SC. In her role, she delivers holistic financial planning and personal service to high net-worth individuals and families. She enjoys building relationships and is honored to come alongside her clients during their most difficult circumstances, as well as to celebrate with them during their happiest times. She directly manages over $200 million in client assets, serving 150 households across the Southeast.

Melissa joined Greenwood Capital in 2013 as the first female advisor and the first Certified Public Accountant (CPA) at the firm. She is one of only a handful of women in the state to achieve both her CPA and CFP (Certified Financial Planner) designations. In addition, Melissa is a Personal Financial Specialist®, a Chartered Financial Consultant, and is licensed in South Carolina as a life, accident, and health insurance professional. She earned her B.S. from Lander University and is a graduate of the Southeastern Trust School at Campbell University.

In 2024, Melissa was honored by the GSA Business Magazine as a “Women of Influence” for her work in the community. Melissa serves on the Grants Assessment Committee of Greenville Women Giving and is on the Board of Wesley Commons. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the SC Association of CPAs, and the SC Financial Planning Association.

With over 30 years of experience in the financial industry, Melissa is a sought-after speaker at various educational events, ranging from local book clubs to national conferences.

Keith W. Beitler 

 Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, Landry’s, Inc.

 As the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Landry’s, Inc. Keith Beitler is innovative and profit-oriented with demonstrated success in increasing revenues, achieving cost reductions, and improving guest satisfaction in customer-facing operations and large, diverse organizations. He has a reputation as a strong leader with the ability to analyze issues, devise continuous process improvements and incorporate business process outsourcing initiatives to increase efficiency and streamline operations. 

Keith is instrumental in all aspects of corporate structure from real estate, analysis, acquisitions, marketing, human resources, sales, safety, training, and facilities development. As well as culinary management including product evaluation, menu development, design, product development, purchasing, pmix analysis which includes purchasing and recipe building and adherence. 

Keith joined Landry’s in 1995 when the company was growing in its early years. Keith started out as the General Manager of one restaurant where thru dedication and hard work, proved to be a critical asset to the company. 

Keith has been a dedicated leader and employee with Landry’s for over 25 years and his leadership skills are essential in Operational and Corporate Strategies, Fundamentals of Management & Culture, Decision on Policies & Procedures in driving the company forward and exceeding Landry’s goals.

As a team leader, Keith played a key role in some of the company’s largest acquisitions, development, and transitions; including, Golden Nugget Lake Charles, Galveston Island Pleasure Pier, and had an essential hand in winning an RFP with the City of San Antonio for the joint operation of Go Rio River Cruises on the Riverwalk.  

Keith was born in Salina, Kansas and moved to Texas in 1958. At the early age of 12, Keith began his restaurant management career learning the industry through his parent’s restaurants. He later graduated from Texarkana College with a degree in Business Administration and Management. 

He and his wife Kelly have been married for 40 years; have three children and 3 grandchildren. Keith currently resides in Cypress, Texas. He enjoys spending the weekends at his lake house, fishing, and cheering on the Houston Astros and Dallas Cowboys in his free time.  

Kathy Ligon

Founder and CEO, Early Education Transaction Advisory Firm
Kathy Ligon Trained as a public accountant, Kathy has a unique 40+ year background in educational operations. Early on, she was named Financial Director for a growing educational organization and subsequently moved to COO, directing growth management and helping the company multiply from five to 125 sites operating in several different states. During this time, she gained a wealth of knowledge in growth strategy, target selection, pricing and negotiation, cultural analysis and post-closing integration tactics. In 2003, Kathy started her own early education transaction advisory firm—providing unmatched support to the private early education sector by developing price analyses, negotiating strategies and matching buyers with sellers. Her unique understanding of the nuances of process development and company integration has led to the successful transactions of more than 300 early education businesses.

Jaime Rechkemmer

Founder, Aim4Impact Consulting
Champion for educators, families, and the next generation of leaders With over 20 years of experience in educational leadership, program development, and organizational strategy, Jaime Rechkemmer is dedicated to empowering early childhood educators and leaders. As the founder of Aim4Impact Consulting, Jaime collaborates with education partners to drive meaningful improvements in quality, compliance, and professional development. Jaime’s extensive career spans roles such as Vice President of Education, Senior Executive, and Board Member for prominent educational organizations. Known for her expertise in curriculum development, leadership coaching, and process optimization, she brings a proven track record of enhancing programs, managing multi-million-dollar initiatives, and delivering impactful training for teachers and administrators nationwide.

Driven by a passion for supporting “kiddos, families that love kiddos, and heroes that teach kiddos,” Jaime combines strategic thinking with a down-to-earth, relational approach. She believes in creating solutions that foster growth, elevate educators into leadership roles, and build a brighter future for children. When not consulting, Jaime can be found championing innovative educational technologies, leading advisory boards, and inspiring her network with her mission to make education more impactful, equitable, and innovative.

Nigel Risner

Peak Performance Expert
Nigel Risner is an award-winning motivational speaker, television presenter, author and business coach, known for his ‘Zoo Theory’ of professional communication. He works with businesses to create more fluid communication processes at every level and creates more dynamic and efficient interactions, for a more productive workforce, who remain on-task and where every individual is on the same page regarding objectives and aims.

He has received many awards for his speeches and business-boosting directives. He is the only European motivational speaker to have received awards from The Executive Committee, Footdown, Vistage and The Academy for Chief Executives. In the UK, only six individuals have been awarded The Professional Speaking Award of Excellence from the Professional Speakers Association, Nigel is among this small group. As a popular choice, he travels to over 18 different countries to deliver speeches at over 150 conferences each year and has worked with high-profile organisations including BT, HSBC Bank, Siemens, Pepsi-Cola and BskyB.

Nigel’s speaking engagements usually focus on the organisation he is attending. Discovering the areas for improvement, challenging managers and those in charge to broaden their horizons and change the way the organisation interacts, faces challenges and embraces opportunities. His workshops also combat issues such as personal growth, self-development and practical techniques for achieving professional success.

Phil Vaccaro

Partner, EY-Parthenon Education Strategy Practice, Ernst & Young LLP
Phil Vaccaro is a leader in education strategy, specializing in designing and implementing solutions for PK-12 systems. As a Partner in EY-Parthenon’s Education Strategy Practice, Phil collaborates with state and local education agencies to tackle challenges such as disaster recovery, fiscal distress, system reform, and organizational design.

With 20 years of experience as a teacher, district administrator, and consultant, Phil has led school improvement initiatives across the U.S. and internationally, including in Europe, the Middle East, China, and Latin America. He has advised on strategic priorities for major school districts such as New York City, Chicago, and Detroit, as well as early childhood education providers and foundations supporting education.

Prior to joining EY, Phil served as the Executive Director of School Performance for the NYC Department of Education, where he oversaw the city's accountability system. A passionate advocate for education, Phil frequently speaks at conferences and advises on transformational strategies to improve student outcomes.

Aaron Walters

Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO, Stand Out for Good, Inc.
Aaron Walters is the Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Stand Out for Good. He is a retail visionary with a passion for philanthropy and making a positive difference in the world. A self-starter and entrepreneur, Aaron has grown Altar’d State from a small boutique experience to a purpose-based family of brands. During a summer job at Walgreens, Aaron fell in love with retail and decided to forgo his medical school acceptance to remain with the company after college. After rapid success and growth with Walgreens, Aaron was recruited by Foley's to be a key member of the merchandising department. He soon garnered the attention of industry leaders at Walmart and joined their company as a merchant. By his mid-twenties, Aaron was managing multi-billion-dollar businesses and was swiftly promoted to an officer of the company. He then worked for Goody’s Family Clothing, where he orchestrated a remarkable turnaround of the $3 billion Men's Division - thus solidifying his reputation as a retail industry success story. In 2009, Aaron co-founded Altar'd State. He was seeking a different kind of retail company, one that filled a void in the women's apparel market and created meaningful change in the world. Since its founding, Altar’d State has supported thousands of charities with its weekly Mission Monday initiative. Every Monday, all company locations donate 10% of their net proceeds to local charities and the brand engages in humanitarian efforts on a global scale. Altar’d State has evolved into Stand Out For Good, Inc., a multi-brand fashion organization with a presence in 38 states. Their brands serve their guest at every stage of life – including Arula, women's apparel in sizes 10-24; Vow'd Weddings; Tullabee for baby & toddler; and AS Revival, an activewear brand. Aaron’s greatest win as a leader is providing meaningful career opportunities for thousands of associates - giving their families the opportunity to thrive. Aaron's commitment to fostering exceptional workplace environments has led to Altar’d State being recognized as one of Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For® and Best Workplaces in Retail.

Beyond his corporate leadership, Aaron serves on the boards of Coprodeli USA, Ambric LLC, NavSav Holding, LLC, and Community Capital Bancorp. Aaron and his wife, Callie, reside in Knoxville, TN, with their two children, Ashe and Noah, where they continue to make a meaningful impact on both the business world and their community.

Scott Wayman

Founder, Former CEO, and Chairman of Kangarootime

Scott Wayman is an entrepreneur, strategist, and leader with a passion for education, technology, and community impact. As Chief Strategy Officer at AB Studios, he is developing AI-powered tools to enhance afterschool learning and student engagement.

He also serves at Coastline Community College, supporting its mission of accessible education, particularly for students with intellectual disabilities and brain injuries.

Scott is the Founder, former CEO, and Chairman of Kangarootime, a global childcare management platform. He has raised over $100 million in venture capital, driving innovation and creating hundreds of millions in shareholder value.

Scott is the creator of The Resilience Workshop, inspired by his own journey with addiction and sobriety, focusing on mindfulness, resilience, and leadership. He also mentors entrepreneurs at Founder Institute, helping startups navigate growth and funding.

His work continues to shape education, business, and leadership through innovation and service.

Chanie Wilschanski

Early Childhood Leadership Xoach and CEO of Schools of Excellence

With two decades of experience as a teacher and leader, she helps school owners and directors build high-performing teams and seamless systems that work within the chaos—because real life isn’t about eliminating challenges, but navigating them with clarity.

Through proven frameworks, Chanie helps leaders improve enrollment, staff culture, profit, and strategic growth. As a wife and mother of four, she understands the pressures of leadership and life and is passionate about helping school leaders integrate their work and personal lives while building a lasting legacy.