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 I
was born in beautiful and historic Charleston,
South Carolina and have lived there most of my life. I must
admit that my childhood years were nothing extraordinary. After
graduating from St. Andrews Parish High School, I attended The
University of South Carolina in Columbia,
S.C. and received my B.A. in
Journalism (Advertising/Public Relations). There, I enjoyed fraternity
life as a member of Zeta
Beta Tau.
Over the next several years, I served as manager of Colonial Handbag
Company while at the same time, freelanced as a writer, photographer,
and event organizer in the Charleston area. I founded The Charlie
Post Classic Road Race in 1982, serving as its race director for
the first two years. I was also the public relations director
for the Cooper River Bridge
Run from 1983-1986. In 1986, I established The
Charleston Triathlon Club and was elected its first president.
Over the past 20 years, I have been involved in a variety of capacities
with the Charleston running scene including a five-year stint
as coach of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's "Team
in Training" program.
Since 1991, I have been a member of The
Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and subdivision, The
Division on Career Development and Transition (DCDT). I served
as Treasurer of CEC's Trident
Chapter #936 ( Charleston, SC) from 1995-1998. From 1995-2001,
I held several offices on the executive board of South
Carolina's DCDT chapter including state president in 2000.
I’ve been working in the field of special education for
over 22 years, teaching students the skills they need to successfully
transition from high school to employment, post-secondary education/training,
or independent living. Currently I serve as a transition specialist
at five Charleston County School District schools: School of the Arts, Garrett
Academy of Technology, Lincoln Middle/High School, Military Magnet
Academy, and Academic Magnet High School.
From 2006-2007, I worked for Berkeley
County School District, serving as the transition specialist
at Stratford High School. There, I taught students with a wide
range of disabilities the skills needed to procure and maintain
employment.
From 2000 – 2006, I was employed by Charleston
County School District (CCSD) as a community specialist with the
TOPS
Program (Transition Opportunities for Post-Secondary Students).
Specifically, the emphasis of my work focused on providing students
with a variety of special needs, ages 18 to 21, with comprehensive
independent living skills training, enabling them to be productive
and independent citizens. TOPS is unique in that a large part
of its curriculum is community-based, which teaches students the
relevant skills to be gainfully employed, shop, maintain a household,
travel, recreate, and much more by the time they exit the program.
From 1993-2000, I was a transition/employment
specialist with CCSD, serving students with disabilities at three
area high schools: those with Visual and Hearing Impairments at
North Charleston High School; those with Learning Disabilities,
Educable Mental Disabilities, and Emotional Disabilities at Wando
High School; and those with Orthopedic Impairments at St. Andrews
Parish High School. Much of my work centered on teaching students
the important skills necessary to procure either competitive or
supported employment by the time they graduated.
When I am not working, working out,
practicing yoga at Holy
Cow Yoga Center, or coaching, I enjoy travel,
cooking, reading, attending Charleston
area cultural, recreational, and social events, and listening
primarily to jazz.
I also enjoy photography both professionally as well as a hobby.
My work has been featured both in Charleston Magazine and House
Calls Magazine.
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