Board of Directors

Kenneth L. Childs is a partner in the Columbia law firm of Childs & Halligan. Ken grew up attending Greenville county public schools and, prior to going to law school, served as a teacher and administrator in several Greenville area high schools, as well as a professor at Furman University. His commitment to education continues in his law practice, which focuses on most areas of school law. Ken specializes in organizational issues of school districts, including board operations and governance, board-superintendent relations, and administrative contractual issues. He has a statewide reputation as an expert on school law and has been the principal attorney in several South Carolina cases, which have established controlling precedents in the various areas of school law. Ken is a passionate advocate for public education, both, in and out of the courtroom.

Jenna Hallman served as the 2009 SC State Teacher of the Year. A passionate classroom teacher, she was as a science specialist at Calhoun Academy of the Arts in Anderson prior to her selection as Teacher of the Year in May 2008. During her term, she served the statewide ambassador for teachers, participating in a one-year residency program at the Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention and Advancement. Jenna also participated in Leadership South Carolina and attended the Notre Dame of the Western Carolinas ’ Excellence in Teaching symposium. Jenna is a National Board Certified Teacher with ten years in the classroom and a strong advocate for public education.

Paul Livingston currently serves as the Chairman of the Richland County Council Economic Development Committee. Prior to his election to County Council, he served as chairman of the Richland School District One School Board. As the Chairman of the Economic Development Committee, Paul plays an integral role in attracting major industry to Richland County and the Midlands . His goal is to make Richland County a community which is not only thriving economically but one in which education and the arts play a vital role in the community as well.

Erwin Maddrey is the CEO of the Greenville investment firm, Maddrey & Associates, which he founded in 2000. Prior to that, Erwin spent 17 years as CEO of Delta Woodside Industries, Inc.; a company he also co-founded. Erwin served on the Accountability of State Superintendent Jim Rex’s Transition Team and is a respected leader in both the business and community sectors. He is a firm believer in fostering a stronger relationship between the business and education communities.

Traci Young-Cooper currently serves as the Director of Extended Day Programs in Richland School District One. South Carolina ’s 35^th State Teacher of the Year Traci is an experienced, secondary educator with both classroom and administrative experiences at the school, district, and state levels. She is a South Carolina native educated in the K-12 South Carolina public school system. During her Teacher of the Year sabbatical, Traci successfully chaired the South Carolina Teacher Forum, worked with South Carolina Governor Jim Hodges and State Superintendent of Education Inez Tenenbaum in promoting public education and formulating policy for schools and teachers. She also served as a Teacher-in-Residence at CERRA (Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention and Advancement) in Rock Hill , South Carolina .