SC CENTER FOR FATHERS & FAMILIES - Key Persons
Mr. Shain is the Special Assistant to the President at the University of South Carolina. Prior to his work at USC, Mr. Shain was the Columbia Bureau Chief for The Post and Courier. He has worked as a reporter and editor at newspapers in Myrtle Beach, Charlotte, and Columbia covering a range of beats including the military, sports, consumer news, and politics. Mr. Shain started a weekend backpack food program at his daughter's school and he volunteers at the Washington Street United Methodist Church soup kitchen.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Previous Board
Job Titles:
- Marketing & Communications Consultant
Callie joined the Center in 2021. She serves both fund development and communication teams. Callie leads donor communications, creates and monitors funding databases, and assists in social media writing and donor-centric communications strategies. As a graduate of the University of South Carolina Mass Communication Graduate Program, she has utilized her skills as an editorial coordinator at Columbia Lifestyle Magazine and other media roles in the Midlands.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Previous Board
Job Titles:
- Member of the Previous Board
Job Titles:
- Member of the Previous Board
Job Titles:
- Member of the Previous Board
Dawn directs the Access to Men's Healthcare component in three program sites. She also provides health education, direct care and treatment for fatherhood participants and forms partnerships with local healthcare providers for continuation of services and treatment for program participants. She designed the Men's Health curriculum and is often called upon to provide insight on the challenges of reaching out to low-income men and addressing their unique health needs.
Denise joined the Center in 2024 and serves as an Administrative Assistant. She assists the Center in all areas of organization, compilation, and support. She is responsible for administrative duties for the Center's Team, Board of Trustees, extended consultants, contractors, supporting office management, and managing day-to-day office operations. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina. Prior to joining the Center, she worked 10 years serving as an administrative professional in the school system. Denise brings with her a fierce passion for father's rights. This position combines her executive and administrative experience with her excitement to make a difference in the lives of fathers and families.
Job Titles:
- Vice Chairman of the Finance Committee
Dr. Sumter is double board certified in Family Medicine and Sleep Medicine. He graduated from the Medical University of South Carolina with a medical degree in 2012, completed a Family Medicine residency at USC-Palmetto Health Richland in 2015, and completed a fellowship in Sleep Medicine at the University of Michigan in 2016. Dr. Sumter is a single father who resides in Columbia, SC. He enjoys exploring nature and parks with his daughter. Dr. Sumter enjoys guiding his daughter through exploring her environment, self-discovery, and learning by doing. His parenting philosophy is that "parenting is similar to gardening; we must always nurture and occasionally prune." He also loves to cook, particularly seafood. He often hosts dinner parties at his home for his extended family.
Job Titles:
- Ex - Officio
- President of the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina
Donna Waites is the president of the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina, a ministry of the Sisters of Charity Health System, whose mission is to reduce poverty in South Carolina through action, advocacy, and leadership. Donna began working in the nonprofit sector with the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine in 2000 as the first fund development staff person for Healthy Learners. Later, she helped build the Providence Hospitals Development Foundation and served as their Director of Philanthropy. She joined Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina in early 2015. Donna received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of South Carolina and her master's degree in Organizational Change Leadership from Columbia College. Donna earned her Certificate in Finance Essentials through Duke University, is a current Grantmakers for Effective Organizations Change Leadership in Philanthropy Fellow, a member of the Blue Ridge Institute for nonprofit leaders, and serves as an elected elder of Downtown Church in Columbia, SC.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Previous Board
Job Titles:
- Member of the Previous Board
Job Titles:
- Member of the Previous Board
Job Titles:
- Communications Committee Co - Chairman
Clervaud is a husband, father, and community stakeholder. He has over 16 years of experience as a journalist and has been an anchor with WACH Fox News since 2010. He has a graduate degree in Christian Apologetics from Liberty University and a Bachelor of Arts in Telecommunication from the University of Florida. As a community member, Fraendy is a published author and licensed minister. He has written a children's book, Stuttering Stephen, and a thesis entitled" Debunking the Curse of Ham and its Generational Impact on the Black Race."
Gettys is a former college fishing national champion from the University of South Carolina, a two-time College Fishing All-American and FLW Cup Qualifier. his work has been featured in numerous outdoors publications.
Since that time, he has worked with McAlister Communications serving as the Communications Coordinator for the Bass Anglers Sportsman's Society (B.A.S.S.). and serves as communications and policy advisor for Senate President Peeler.
Gettys received his B.A. in Mass Communications with a focus in Advertising and Visual Communications from the University of South Carolina in 2016. He currently serves on the Youth Corps SC board, a nonprofit in Columbia focused on leadership development and with the Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Previous Board
Job Titles:
- President & CEO of the Sisters of Charity Health System
Janice Murphy is the president & CEO of the Sisters of Charity Health System. Her career includes more than 40 years of healthcare leadership. She has served as the president of St. Vincent Charity Medical Center, the Sisters of Charity Health System senior vice president of mission and ministry, and chief operating officer of regional hospitals and family health centers for the Cleveland Clinic, among other roles.
She is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. She holds a master's degree in nursing and administration from the University of Akron, a bachelor's degree in nursing from Bowling Green State University, a registered nursing degree from the Fairview Hospital School of Nursing, and an LPN from Marymount School of Practical Nursing. Throughout her career, she has been recognized by many for excellence in leadership development, facility management, clinical quality, and compassion.
Job Titles:
- Senior Banking Executive
- Treasurer / Finance Committee Chairman
Mr. Ratterree is a senior banking executive with more than 30 years of experience. He earned a degree from the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University as well as a BS Degree in Finance and Marketing from the University of South Carolina. In 2021 he relocated to his hometown of Columbia and joined United Bank as senior vice president. The father to two young men, Jay emphasizes being involved and open communication with his children. He believes that "investing in people equals infinite returns" and feels the philosophy helped his sons be successful in their lives and careers. An avid sports fan, Jay coached many of his son's teams and served as the PA announcer for Furman baseball and women's basketball."
Jerell currently serves as Senior Program Manager. He joined the Center in November of 2022 as Program Manager for the fatherhood programs. Jerell came to the center from Midlands Fatherhood Coalition where he served as an Intervention Specialist. Wesley has served in the non-profit community for more than 10 years in human services and case management. Wesley is also a Chaplain in SC Army National Guard. Wesley invests his time serving the homeless population in Kershaw and Sumter counties. He received his MDIV and MA in counseling from Columbia International University. Wesley has worked for various organizations promoting and advocating for self-sufficiency, family reunification, bringing resources to poverty communities, and advocating mental health awareness.
Job Titles:
- Director of Evaluation and Quality Improvement
Joel is responsible for developing data-based decision making and evaluative inquiry agency-wide. He leads information management, data interpretation, and data use. He also conducts and disseminates research and evaluations to support continuous quality improvement and to help advance the local, state and national research base in fatherhood. Joel has over 20 years of evaluation experience in the areas of education, public health, and child welfare. He received his doctorate in psychology from the University of South Carolina and worked for 10 years as a Research Assistant Professor at the Center for Child and Family Studies in USC's College of Social Work. He most recently served as the Senior Director of Research at The Evaluation Group.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Previous Board
Job Titles:
- Member of the Previous Board
Job Titles:
- Member of the Previous Board
Job Titles:
- Judge
- Member of the Previous Board
Judy has consulted with the Center staff since January 2011. She researches, prepares and submits local, state, and federal government and foundation grants, state and national corporate grants, and United Way grants. As grants manager she ensures that program activities are implemented in accordance with successful grant proposals, facilitates grant implementation meetings, and prepares extensive funders' reports.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Previous Board
Karriem joined the South Carolina Center for Fathers and Families as President in the summer of 2022. Previously, Karriem held the position of Vice President of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Broward County in Florida. He is a philanthropic leader with more than 20 years of proven success in program development, training, management, and fundraising. Karriem has an enthusiasm and drive to carry his nonprofit experiences to the realm of fatherhood programs and engagement. He is a graduate of Florida A&M University and the Social Enterprise Institute at Harvard Business School.
Job Titles:
- Director of Organizational Development and Operations
Kiki joined the Center in January 2014. Previously, she worked with the South Carolina Department of Education, Office of Adult Education. Kiki is a veteran of the Air Force, in which she served as a human resources manager. Serving as the Director of Organizational Development and Operations, Kiki is responsible for internal operations, staff and team development, Center human resources and development, workflow management of Center projects, and also acts as a liaison with the executive directors at each of our six statewide fatherhood organizations. She holds a master's degree in organizational leadership.
Job Titles:
- Program Manager
- Center in 2023 As Program Manager
LaTonya joined the Center in 2023 as Program Manager for Ready 4 Life, an initiative dedicated to engaging youth in South Carolina. She previously held the position of Family First Prevention Services Program Coordinator with the SC Department of Social Services. She has worked in government and non-profit communities for over 15 years, facilitating and implementing intervention programs for children and families. LaTonya's unwavering passion lies in her dedication to serving these vulnerable populations and providing them with invaluable support to overcome the seemingly insurmountable challenges they face. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Columbia College and her Master of Arts degree in Human Resources Development from Webster University.
Job Titles:
- Director of Marketing and Communications
Dr. Lawrence Ford joined the leadership team in the role of Director of Marketing and Communications in 2023. He brings more than two decades of non-profit leadership to the Center with global experience in the areas of publishing, media, events, public relations, and education. He has lived and worked on three continents conducting training programs, establishing mission centers, and managing aid distribution. Additionally, Dr. Ford is an adjunct professor in the graduate school at Columbia International University (CIU), mentoring Ph.D. students in ministry leadership programs. His education includes the University of California San Diego, Columbia International University, Dallas Theological Seminary, and Liberty University.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Corporate Controller and Assistant Treasurer
Lori is the Vice President of Corporate Controller and Assistant Treasurer for BlueCross and BlueShield of South Carolina. Lori is responsible for overseeing the corporate finance, treasury, and tax functions for BlueCross and its subsidiary companies and has served BlueCross for fourteen years. Prior to joining BlueCross, Lori held positions with RBMG Mortgage Bank and Deloitte, LLP. Lori earned a Master of Accountancy and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Cum Laude, from the University of South Carolina.
Job Titles:
- Director of Community and Agency Relations
Marc supports our network of fatherhood organizations across the state and manages several projects for those organizations and the Center. He supports program growth and training for local programs, with local fatherhood programs, identifies programming and personnel issues, assists in educating external audiences, and helps coordinate and plan special Center events. Marc came to the Center at the start of 2016 after serving as student services manager at USC's Darla Moore School of Business since 2011.
Nathan Price is a financial advisor with over seven years of experience in his field. Mr. Price earned a Bachelor of Science in Financial Economics from Anderson University and is a board-certified financial planner. He values the family unit and creating opportunities for youth, as shown by his tenure as a board member for the Youth Corps from 2019-2022, which is a program that provides leadership training for highschoolers in the Midlands of South Carolina. Mr. Price currently works as a financial advisor at Northwestern Mutual in Columbia, SC where he provides full service financial planning and asset management and develops financial plans for clients.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Previous Board
Job Titles:
- Member of the Previous Board
Mr. Mendoza is an attorney with Nexsen Pruet, where he specializes in creditors' rights and bankruptcy law. He is a certified bankruptcy and debtor-creditor law specialist in the state of South Carolina, has received the William E.S. Robinson Public Service Award of the S.C. Bankruptcy Law Association and was selected for The Best Lawyers in America for bankruptcy and creditor-debtor rights law. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of South Carolina School of Law.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Previous Board
Job Titles:
- Member of the Previous Board
Job Titles:
- Vice Chairman
- Co - Founder and Vice President of Global Core Strategies
Mr. Harvey is the Co-Founder and Vice President of Global Core Strategies and Consulting (GCSC), LLC. Ron has excelled at influencing organizations strategically, operationally, and tactically and his experience spans academic institutions, training organizations, and communities. Ron also serves on the Executive Committee for the Columbia Chamber and is a board member of several organizations across the Midlands including Midlands Technical College Verteran Board of Advisors and Communities in Schools.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Previous Board
Job Titles:
- Director of Finance
- Center in 2019 As the Director of Finance
Scott joined the Center in 2019 as the Director of Finance. He oversees the finance and accounting functions for the Center and statewide fatherhood organizations. He provides financial oversight, implementation and compliance. A graduate of Wofford College, Scott recently served with The Greyson Group as their assistant controller.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Governance Committee
Mr. Cooke has 20 years of managerial experience in account management, market research, and production environments. He's a graduate of Benedict College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Management, a Master of Arts degree from Webster University in Management, and Executive Leadership from Stanford University School of Business. He currently serves as the Director of Account Management for Colonial Life as well as a college business instructor at Midlands Technical College for the last 18 years. One of the highlights of his teaching career was being named the 2017 Midlands Technical College Faculty of the Year award. Before his eventful managerial and teaching career started, he served in the U. S. Marine Corps with the 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Combat Engineer, where his primary responsibility was receiving and transmitting Intelligence Battalion. Mr. Cooke is a native of Columbia SC. He has been married for 21 years and has raised 4 boys and a girl. His philosophy on fatherhood is based on God, Self, Family and Education. He says, "If you keep those in order as a father you can take care of others, once you take care of yourself." He loves to spend time with his family, and bonds with them over football.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Previous Board
Job Titles:
- Member of the Previous Board
Job Titles:
- Jobs Not Jail Project Director and Legal Consultant
Tana joined the Center in March 2020 after having retired as General Counsel of the South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs. Her background has been in the field of child welfare and has worked previously with the Children's Law Center and the South Carolina Department of Social Services. Tana will provide oversight and technical assistance for Jobs not Jail and provide ongoing technical assistance and training to local program staff on legal issues.
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Head of Partner Management at Pacific Life
Mr. Clayton is Head of Partner Management at Pacific Life, where he is launching a frictionless workforce benefits division. He was previously Assistant Vice President at Legal & General America where he led customer and administration services. In 2018, he was named one of "Columbia's Best & Brightest Under 35" by Columbia Business Monthly. He is a graduate of The University of Tennessee with a Master's in Organizational Psychology, and previously obtained his undergraduate degree in Philosophy from The College of Charleston.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Previous Board
Job Titles:
- Member of the Previous Board
Job Titles:
- Communications Committee Co - Chairman
- Pastor of Mt
Mr. Bolton is pastor of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Camden, a public outreach strategist at the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control and vice president of Bolton Counseling & Consulting, LLC. He spent 32 years as a journalist, starting as a reporter in 1986 with the Columbia Record before moving to The State in 1988. In May 1997, he joined The State's editorial board, becoming its first African-American member and in January 2000, he was promoted to associate editor, another first for an African-American. In 2011, Bolton published his first book, God Is Grace: Lessons to a Father from a Son.