About the USS Yorktown Foundation

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.

Emma Dajani is a Vice President at Fifth Third Bank in Charleston, where she delivers tailored commercial banking solutions to Middle Market companies across South Carolina. She brings a wealth of experience from her previous roles, including serving as a Commercial Banker at JPMorgan Chase and working in mergers and acquisitions and private equity at Mill Rock Capital. Emma began her career at Citibank, with positions in both Dallas and New York.

Originally from Chicago, Emma earned her BBA in Finance from Southern Methodist University. She now resides in downtown Charleston with her two dogs and enjoys golfing, pickleball, and gardening in her free time.

Emma is proud to support the USS Yorktown Foundation and is passionate about its mission to educate, inspire, and honor those who have served.

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.

Chaunce Clark carries on three generations of family tradition in real estate, project management, and development through his work at The Peninsula Co, a brokerage and development firm located in the Old Village of Mt. Pleasant. Specializing in residential and investment properties, he brings a high-touch approach and extensive market knowledge built over two and a half decades in the business.

An Atlanta native and graduate of the College of Charleston, Chaunce has proudly called the Lowcountry home for over 30 years. He and his wife Calder live in Mt. Pleasant, and are frequently found exploring the area with their children, Campbell and Walton.

Raised with a deep respect for those who serve, Chaunce is honored to support the USS Yorktown Foundation and its mission.

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.

James H. “Seamus” Flatley, IV is the Senior Vice President of Strategic Sales at Maritime Tactical Systems (MARTAC), Inc. Prior to his current position, Flatley held roles including Chief Operating Officer and Vice President for Business Development at IOMAX USA, a global aerospace and defense company specializing in the modification and delivery of special mission aircraft to international customers. 

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 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, Flatley cultivated high-performing business development teams, spearheaded successful capture campaigns, and introduced innovative service offerings.

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.  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.   

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.

Tom is the owner of TL Hendricks Consulting Services, LLC, a strategic consulting firm located in Mt Pleasant, South Carolina. He currently serves as the audit committee chair of The Citadel Foundation and is a board member of the Lowcountry Red Cross. He also leads The Citadel Cadet Corps Leader Mentor program, providing mentor services annually to 31 senior cadet corps leaders and 14 athletic team captains.

From 2012 through 2016, Tom served as President & CEO of the National Air Transportation Association (NATA), representing over 2,300 global aviation businesses. While at NATA, Tom repositioned the association’s reputation and reach within the executive and legislative branches. He fundamentally altered the perception of NATA within Washington policy circles to reflect a non-partisan, constructive, and solution-oriented approach that resulted in greatly improved benefits for member companies. Tom also served as Chairman of NATA People Solutions in Reno, NV, and on the boards of the NATA Foundation, the National Aeronautic Association, the Air Charter Safety Foundation, the Alliance for Aviation Across America and the Aero Club of Washington, D.C.

Prior to joining NATA, he was senior vice president of safety, security, and operations for Airlines for America (A4A), the trade association for major US airlines. In this role, he was responsible for the technical and operational functions of A4A and developing and shaping A4A regulatory positions on flight operations, safety, engineering, air traffic management and security. In addition, he led A4A efforts in cargo, passenger facilitation, airport infrastructure and passenger service standards. Working with the TSA/DHS, Tom led the industry’s efforts to develop the Known Crewmember System (KCM) currently used at scores of US airports to screen pilots and flight attendants in a real-time eligibility-verified data base. Additionally, Hendricks served on the Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST) Executive Committee.

Prior to joining A4A, Hendricks oversaw global daily flight operations for five years at Delta Air Lines as Director of Line Operations. As a captain and air-transport-rated pilot, he also served as a chief pilot in Atlanta and represented Delta on several key industry groups. He has extensive domestic and international flying experience on numerous transport category aircraft.

A retired Air Force Reserve colonel and career fighter pilot, Hendricks also served on active duty as a U.S. Navy officer on the USS MIDWAY (CV-41) and as an instructor pilot at Topgun, the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School. A native of Fairfield, Ohio, Hendricks graduated from The Citadel in Charleston, S.C. in 1979, with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and secondary emphasis in Business Administration.

Hendricks has been married for 47 years to his wife, Suzette from Charleston, South Carolina. They have two adult children and three grandchildren.

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.

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.