<p style="text-align: left;" align="center"><a href="http://www.beaufortislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/health-Simmons-James-MD.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-2038" title="health-Simmons, James, MD" src="http://www.beaufortislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/health-Simmons-James-MD-202x300.jpg" alt="" width="202" height="300" /></a>James Simmons, MD, Beaufort Memorial Hospital pediatrician and board member, was recently chosen from over 300 nominees to be one of 23 leaders to participate in the Liberty Fellowship.  In announcing the selection, Hayne Hipp, Liberty Fellowship Founder, noted that this year’s fellows represent a broad spectrum of careers, expertise and personal passions.<!--more--></p>
The fellowship, founded by Hipp through partnership with Wofford College and The Aspen Institute, is a statewide leadership initiative. Fostering a values-based approach, the Liberty Fellowship exposes rising leaders, ages 30 to 45, to diverse perspectives, critical thinking and intellectual and personal development.

“Our eighth class is enormously impressive,” he said, “reminding us of the quality of leadership we have percolating in South Carolina.  While they span a wide range of thought and diversity of perspectives, these fellows share a desire to take action to make South Carolina better.”

Dr. Simmons, a pediatrician in private practice at All Children’s Pediatrics, has been a member of the medical staff at Beaufort Memorial since 1999.  He has been on the Board of Trustees of Beaufort Memorial Hospital since 2007, and has chaired the Board’s Quality Improvement Committee.