Our Team

Shawn has spent the past 10 years working in the non-profit sector. Although she has worked in a variety of roles in other nonprofits, Shawn has served in various roles at Palmetto Place from Volunteer to Lead Direct Care staff to Development Manager and now Interim Executive Director.

Shawn has a passion for serving children and youth in foster care and homeless teens and considers Palmetto Place a part of her family. Shawn’s favorite parts of her job include getting to spend time with the residents, advocating for their best interest, and developing programs with an incredible team of staff members.

Heather is the master at wearing multiple hats! With over a decade of nonprofit experience and over 10 years in HR and Operations, she is excited to be apart of the team at Palmetto Place! She is a proud Columbia College graduate with a Bachelor’s in Accounting and a Master’s in Organizational Change and Leadership. She is a 2014 Leadership Columbia graduate and serves on the South Carolina Association of Colleges and Employers (SCACE) board.

When Heather isn’t managing her day to day duties, she’s spending time with her husband, Brad, two daughters, Kylie and Adalynn, doing DIY projects, and finding the best thrift deals in town!

Kristan became a member of the Palmetto Place family in 2016 as a Direct Care Staff at our teen home in West Columbia. Her role as Client Services Supervisor entails lots of data collecting, program implementation, and ensuring all of our residents’ needs are met. She is a graduate of Missouri State University and is currently working on her Master’s in Public Administration from Clemson.

She has previously worked with the American Red Cross and AmeriCorps in disaster relief and volunteer management, and hopes to continue working in community service. She is passionate about building strong communities, and feels that this position gives her the ability to make a positive impact on the Midlands. When she is not working, she’s usually hanging out with her husband, daughter Evelyn, and their two dogs, Ash and Lola.

Laird serves as our Development Manager at Palmetto Place and is a proud Graduate of the Darla Moore School of Business where she pursued her degrees in Insurance Risk Management and Marketing, along with a Minor in Japanese at the University of South Carolina. She has experience in entrepreneurship, social media marketing, digital marketing strategy & consulting, and a heart for building strong servant-minded relationships through local missions in her community.

You can find Laird speaking to groups, businesses, and other agencies about youth homelessness awareness, all things Palmetto Place programs, and how to become more involved. She also supports our Volunteer Program efforts. She looks forward to working with the Palmetto Place team to help the residents of Palmetto Place grow and build a promising future!

Samantha serves as the Community Outreach Coordinator, bringing over 9 years of community outreach experience. She is an honor graduate of Benedict College, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Health, and also holds a Master’s degree in Health Administration from Webster University. Samantha takes pride in fostering relationships with various community organizations and participates in community-based learning activities. Additionally, she is a member of the Oh So Sweet Ladies of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Her extensive connections and active involvement in the community make her an invaluable asset to the team.

Samantha is a wonderful wife and a fantastic mother to four beautiful girls and one boy (aged 1, 7, 14, 14, and 17). Yes, you read the ages correctly! She has a set of twins. In her spare time, Samantha enjoys listening to the Earn Your Leisure podcast. She is actively involved with youth through her youth empowerment group, Youth Empowerment. Their motto is, "On the road to success, never say never, but I can, and I will!" Samantha diligently embodies this motto as she leads through servanthood, leadership, community-building, and involvement.