BOARD MEMBER PROFILE
Sitting Down With Diana Mezzanotte
At the March Annual Meeting, the board asked KICA Finance Committee member and former Town
Council member Diana Mezzanotte to serve as board chair. Digest sat down with Diana to ask her a
few questions and give members a chance to get to know her.
You first came to Kiawah in 1980, when the island
was much different than it is now. What’s a favorite
memory of that time on the island?
The Jeep safaris. In 1980, my husband, Dave,
and I went to work for DuPont at the Savannah
River Plant in Aiken. For the next few years, we
visited various coastal communities. We loved
coming to Kiawah, staying at the Kiawah Island
Inn, and going on the safaris. They went as far
back as the Ocean Park area, but it was called
Cougar Island at that time. During one safari,
we came upon an alligator and nest of babies.
We think that spot was the first property we
bought in 1989 on Bufflehead Road.
You’re a veteran of the TOKI Town Council, KICA’s
Finance and Nominating committees and the
Kiawah Conservancy Board. What inspires you to
give your time to community service?
I believe in these organizations and I enjoy
the people I meet along the way. Our island
is full of talented people with a wide variety
of backgrounds; who wouldn’t want to work
alongside them toward a common goal?
Understanding our community and contributing
to its improvement and sustainability is
rewarding.
Off island, I serve on the board at Our Lady of
Mercy Community Outreach. This organization
makes a difference, not only in assisting and
giving, but in helping people make significant
changes in their lives.
What are you most proud of in your past Kiawah
4 | KIAWAH ISLAND DIGEST
service and most excited about tackling this time
around on the board of directors?
I’m proud of my time as chair of the town’s
Environmental Committee (EC). Several
members of the EC committee were interested
in addressing sea level rise so we established the
Sea Level Rise Committee. John Leffler stepped
up and did a wonderful job chairing a core team
of 10 volunteers. The output was a 124-page
Sea Level Rise and Adaptation report. Both
TOKI and KICA have shown strong support for
the committee’s recommendations and, as you
know, KICA has identified six infrastructure
improvement projects that will move water off
the island more efficiently.
Going forward, I hope KICA can continue to
operate in a leadership role, and partner with
other community entities, to adjust to changes
in our environment.
You volunteered for a time as a mediator for the
Better Business Bureau (BBB). Does that experience
inform your perspective on the board?
As a mediator, your job revolves around
identifying ways opposing parties can come to
a consensus. It’s similar to what we do on the
board. I think my role in mediation certainly
helps me be a better board member today.
Beyond community service, what are your hobbies?
I like to swim, bike, and hike. Our family
incorporates these activities into our annual
vacations.