About the Foundation
Established in 2013, the USS Yorktown Foundation is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to raising funds that enhance the educational programs and museum plan of Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum.
The Official Foundation for the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum
Through donations from people just like you, the USS Yorktown Foundation provides scholarships for underserved students to participate in educational programs onboard the USS Yorktown, funding for enhancing and creating new exhibits, and support for educational programs and projects. Your gift supports experiences only Patriots Point can offer.
The USS Yorktown Foundation partners with the Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum to inspire our children, visitors, community, and the world by promoting America’s proud long-standing traditions of service, leadership, duty, and sacrifice through education, exhibits, programming, and community outreach.
Board of Directors
Chairman
Gray Coulton
Baird Private Wealth Management; Director
Gray is a Director at Baird, a privately held global financial services firm, and works in their Private Wealth Management business. He has been in the wealth management industry since 2005. Originally from Australia, prior to his investment career Gray worked as a Principal at various international business consulting firms in Sydney, Boston, and Atlanta. Gray served as a Infantry officer in the Australian Army, commanding at the platoon and company level, and his passion for military service and helping veterans is what drew him to the USS Yorktown Foundation. Gray is a prior Chair of PATRIOT, Baird's Veteran-focused associate resource group and is a Member of the Congressional Medal of Honor Museum Founders Society.
Gray completed his M.B.A. in Finance at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business and his B.A. with Honors in Political Science at the Australian Defense Force Academy, where he was named a Distinguished Graduate. Gray resides on Daniel Island with his wife Elizabeth and their yellow English Labrador, Sydney.
Rebecca P. Costanzo
Truist, SVP, Southeast Division Mortgage Sales Leader
Experienced Senior Vice President with a demonstrated history of working in the financial services industry. Strong sales professional skilled in Sales Organization Leadership, Leading High Performers, Sales Production and Performance, Sales Enablement and Accountability, Banking, Speaking and Coaching. Rebecca currently plays a dual role involving leading a high performing team of mortgage loan professionals in the field while simultaneously spearheading high profile corporate initiatives including an overall process redesign and the Originations Advisory Board reporting directly to executive leadership.
Melissa Cox Bosse
Blackbaud, Privacy and Governance
Melissa Cox Bosse is a Navy veteran, working mother of three, former Congressional aide and community leader. From an early age, Melissa’s family instilled in her the values of patriotism, fiscal responsibility, strong work ethic, and faith. Melissa was the first of her family to graduate college. She received a full scholarship through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) to Penn State University, where upon graduation, she was commissioned as an officer into the U.S. Navy. Melissa served on active duty as a surface warfare officer from 2002-2006. She was among the first female officers to serve aboard a guided missile cruiser (USS Philippine Sea (CG 58)) and deployed to the Middle East during wartime operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Following her honorable discharge from the Navy as a Lieutenant, Melissa enrolled in The George Washington University, where she earned a master’s degree in National Security Policy Studies from the Elliott School of International Affairs. Melissa continued her call to serve and for five years worked as a Military Legislative Assistant for congressional members of the Armed Services Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in the US House of Representatives. Following her time in Congress, Melissa worked as a policy advisor and development director at a Washington DC think- tank, Business Executives for National Security. There she led fundraising outreach and engagements with executive business leaders across the US and abroad. Melissa has spent the last decade in the private sector working for various global consulting and technology firms focusing on security, policy development and governance. Melissa and her family reside in Daniel Island, South Carolina. She is a devoted family woman and met her husband, Kevin, while serving in the Navy. Kevin continues to serve as a Captain in the US Navy Reserve. They have three young children together. Melissa is active in her local community, where she is honored to serve on the Board of Directors for USS Yorktown Foundation and the Daniel Island School Parent Teacher Association.
Rear Admiral James H. Flatley III
Vice Chairman
United States Navy (Retired)
Rear Admiral James H Flatley III enjoyed a very successful career in Naval Aviation, commanding at every level in the operational arena. He was a Navy Test pilot, flew 347 combat missions in Vietnam, commanded the aircraft carrier Saratoga and Carrier Striking Group 8. Twenty-one of his 1608 carrier landings, third highest total in Naval Aviation, were uniquely accomplished in the C-130 Hercules! His recognitions include the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Legion of Merit (5 awards), Distinguished Flying Cross (3 awards), Bronze Star, Air medal (30 awards) and the Presidential Unit Citation (2 awards).
Retiring in 1987 after 31 years of naval service, Admiral Flatley has since served his community as he served his country, including 7 years as CEO of Patriots Point Development Authority and Executive Director of Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum, and 28 years as a Roper St Francis Healthcare Trustee.
Jim and Nancy Flatley have been married for 65 years, and are proud parents of six children and 24 grandchildren, many of whom are carrying on the family’s Navy tradition, to include three third-generation fighter pilots, a Navy flight surgeon, a Navy SEAL, four Marine Corps Captains and a Staff Sargent, as well as a Lieutenant-junior grade and an Ensign in Flight Training to become a 4th generation fighter pilots - - THUS FAR!
Seamus Flatley
IOMAX USA; Vice President, International Business Development
Mr. James H. “Seamus” Flatley IV is the Chief Operating Officer of IOMAX USA, a global aerospace and defense company specializing in the modification and delivery of special mission aircraft to international customers. Prior to assuming his role as COO, Mr. Flatley was the Vice President for Business Development at IOMAX.
Mr. Flatley retired from the Navy where he spent the majority of his 22-year career as a naval aviator flying the F-14 Tomcat. After retirement Mr. Flatley served in several positions in the private sector managing international defense related programs for Middle East allies. As the Chief Growth Officer and later President of Government Services for a defense services company, Mr. Flatley cultivated high-performing business development teams, spearheaded successful capture campaigns, and introduced innovative service offerings.
Mr. Flatley has a close association with the USS Yorktown. He is the grandson of the late Vice Admiral James H. “Jimmy” Flatley Jr., who served aboard the USS Yorktown in 1943 as the first air wing commander of Carrier Air Wing FIVE. Mr. Flatley, would himself serve in Carrier Air Wing FIVE from 2000-2003 as the Commanding Officer of an F-14 squadron assigned to the USS Kitty Hawk.
Mr. Flatley graduated from the United States Naval Academy and received a M.A. in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College. He served as the President of his USNA class for 26 years and served as President of a local chapter of the Tailhook Association, a non-profit organization focused on supporting local charities.
Doug Martin
TransPar; CEO
Doug Martin has served as the President of TransPar Group since 2016 and Mercury Associates since 2022. The companies are the leading management and consulting firms dedicated to K-12 student transportation and fleet management and consulting services in North America. The companies serve schools, districts, state and local municipalities, utilities, state departments of education, federal agencies, and commercial entities across the US and Canada. With management operations in Hawaii, Rhode Island, and everywhere in between, Doug has focused the teams on delivering innovative and implementable solutions. Prior to joining TransPar full-time in 2015, Doug served as COO/CFO and Managing Partner of ReefPoint Group, LLC a management consulting firm in Annapolis, Maryland. Doug is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and served 10 years of active duty as a Naval Flight Officer supporting the Global War on Terrorism, Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, and Southern Watch. He retired as a Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserves in 2020. Doug earned his Master’s in Business Administration degree from Regis University in Denver, Colorado.
Kevin R. McDearis
Blackbaud; Executive Vice President/Chief Products Officer
Kevin McDearis is a leader, visionary, and proven business and technology innovator with global experience across a broad spectrum of industries. As Executive Vice President, Chief Products Officer at Blackbaud, Kevin is responsible for strategy, product management, engineering and operations of the company’s global portfolio of products. Working with business and technical teams, he oversees technology strategy to develop solutions that exceed quality and performance expectations for Blackbaud’s customers across 60 countries worldwide. Kevin has a track record as a pioneer in the online payments space. As a senior leader at Fiserv (formerly CheckFree), a leading global provider of financial services technology, Kevin played key roles in tech innovations that developed the online bill pay capabilities leveraged by millions of individuals and organizations today.
Kevin has a strong commitment to nonprofit leadership and has served on a number of nonprofit boards supporting economic growth, women in technology, and STEM education. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Technology Association of Georgia, TAG, since 2011 and as Vice-Chairman of the Board in 2014. During his time on the board, TAG has grown to be the largest technology association in the country. Kevin most recently joined the Board of Directors for the USS Yorktown Foundation.
Doug Sharp
Principal Advisor with Sharp Advisors, LLC, Board Director of Serendipity Labs, Inc., and Board Advisor with Blue Skyre IBE
Doug Sharp joined the USS Yorktown Foundation's Board of Directors at the beginning of September. Doug is a Principal Advisor with Sharp Advisors, LLC, Board Director of Serendipity Labs, Inc., and Board Advisor with Blue Skyre IBE with over 35 years expertise in commercial real estate including representing investors, users and service providers. His broad background includes corporate real estate services, property management, facilities management, digital services and construction project management. He uses his experience, leadership and communications skills, to solve the most complex client challenges in the CRE industry delivering value, efficiency and effectiveness to their business. He is looking forward to using his broad range of skills to make a positive impact with the USS Yorktown Foundation.
Waters Investments, LLC, , President/CEO
Staff
Meaghan Silsby
Executive Director
Meaghan Silsby serves as the Executive Director of the USS Yorktown Foundation since May 2023. With extensive experience in nonprofit management and fundraising, Meaghan has successfully led major campaigns and strategic initiatives at organizations such as the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington, and City Year Washington, DC. Having diverse experiences championing education causes, public health causes, and now a military museum, Meaghan has raised multi-million dollars for various causes. She has extensive experience securing transformational gifts, training and partnering with board leadership and volunteers, and leading development departments to the next level. Meaghan excels at leading teams and volunteers to rally behind missions, leveraging their collective efforts to achieve remarkable fundraising results. She leads with a fresh perspective, consistently bringing new ideas and approaches to her work in nonprofit development.
Meaghan holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the College of Charleston and is currently a candidate for her Masters in Nonprofit Management at Columbia University.
Kayla Webber
Director of Community Relations and Membership
Kayla Webber joined the USS Yorktown Foundation as the Director of Community Relations and Membership in May 2024. Having previously served at Patriots Point from 2016 to 2019 as the Marketing & Group Sales Coordinator and later as the Marketing Manager, she was eager to rejoin the team in a new capacity. With over a decade of diverse experience in marketing, a wealth of knowledge in nonprofit management and a passion for community engagement, she has made significant contributions to esteemed organizations, including Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum, the South Carolina Aquarium, and the International African American Museum (IAAM).
Kayla's data-driven approach has been instrumental in shaping membership initiatives and has consistently driven membership success. At IAAM, she played a pivotal role in conceptualizing and launching the institution's membership program, while at the Aquarium, she spearheaded enhancements that drove growth across key metrics such as total member households, social engagement, and event revenue. Recognized as an innovator in her field, Kayla has participated in panels for the American Museum Membership Conference, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Blackbaud, and Cuseum on member motivation and marketing strategies. As Marketing Manager at Patriots Point, she was honored with the Telly Award for Best Promotional Video, the Destination Award from South Carolina Branded, and was a finalist for Best Outdoor Signage in the Charleston AMA SPARK! Awards. She looks forward to strengthening supporter connections and expanding outreach efforts to advance the organization's mission.
Kayla received her Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Clemson University (Go Tigers!). She and her husband, Matt, reside in North Charleston.