Tell us a little bit about your personal life. I’m a 2006 Clemson University graduate, and I enjoy traveling around the state and southeast visiting friends and family, particularly at Clemson sporting events. In my spare time I like to read, hike, kayak, and lounge in my hammock.
When did you start working at the COG? February 2014
What is your current position? Economic and Community Sustainability (ECS) Director
Sum up your job in one sentence. I oversee the department that provides regional planning assistance and implementation of project-based solutions to regional and local challenges.
Have you held any other positions within the COG? No
What is the project, program, activity, event that you are most proud of? To date, the project I’m most proud of is VisionKershaw 2030. From July 2015 to March 2016, my team and I conducted a large amount of outreach to county residents, and developed a comprehensive vision for the entire county based on citizen input and stakeholder feedback. The final product represents something that leaders across the county can use as they plan their budgets, future initiatives, and serve the residents of the community.
What COG related project, program, activity, event are you most looking forward to? Right now, I’m looking forward to completing a regional “Green Infrastructure” Plan for Santee-Lynches. We’ve received funding from the South Carolina Forestry Commission to develop a series of asset maps and come up with policy recommendations for our local governments to consider. As a nation, and as a region, we’ve spent much time and energy on our built environment (i.e. roads and buildings), but while we recognize the importance of water quality and the environment, there hasn’t been significant effort to connect that to economic development and quantify what the unbuilt environment can mean to us in recruiting people and jobs to the area.