Connie Powell, President
Connie is trained as a Speech/Language Pathologist. She retired in May 2006 from Pickens County School District having had a long professional career working with special needs children ages 3-15. Connie is active in the Clemson United Methodist Church where she has served as a member of the Building Committee and the Staff/Parish Relations Committee. Connie joined the CCDC Board in 2007 and is beginning a second 3-year term. Currently, she is serving a 2nd year as Board president and is grateful for all the time and energy Board members, teachers, staff and the multitude of volunteers give to make CCDC what it is today.
Judy Benson, Vice President
Recently, Judy Benson joined our Board of Directors. That gives us a full roster of 15 busy people! After receiving her M.Ed. from the University of North Carolina, Judy and her husband, Paul, spent the next 34 years following his career as a geologist. As she and her family moved around over the years Judy was always involved in “anything to do with children”... from Scouts and Sunday School, to PTA. Professionally, Judy was director of 3 pre-schools in the Chicago area, taught 2nd grade language arts in New Orleans, and taught 5th and 6th grade in North Carolina. She was a volunteer aide at the American School in London. The family returned home to South Carolina 10 years ago. Judy strongly believes that helping prepare young children for success in school is one of the most rewarding and important things we can do. Judy currently volunteers her services in our K4 class to provide extra help for some students.
Donna W. Patterson, Treasurer
Donna has been employed by Capital Bank for 13 years with a total of 35 years in banking. She has lived in Clemson for the last 19 years and has served as Chairman of the Clemson Area Chamber of Commerce, President of Rotary Club of Clemson-Calhoun, member of Clemson City Planning Commission and served on many other boards and committees. Her hobby is horseback riding and camping on the trail with members of the Pendleton Area Saddle Club. She is married to life-time Clemson resident, George A. Patterson.
Rosemary Bryan, Secretary
Rosemary is retired from the School District of Pickens County after 22 years as library media specialist atPickens Elementary school. Prior to moving to Clemson in 1981, she taught kindergarten and worked in schools and libraries in Virginia, Spain, and Bahrain. Currently, she is a library liaison on the Education Committee atUniversity Lutheran Church, works in a local shop, and participates in various church and volunteer activities. Rosemary served on the CCDC Board a number of years ago and says she looks forward to being involved in the Center's exciting future.
Subhash Anand
Subhash was born, raised, and educated as a civil engineer in India, a country he left almost 50 years ago to go to Germany for some advanced engineering experience. He came to the US as a graduate student atNorthwestern University, where he met his wife, Vera, who was born and raised in Brazil. Vera also was a graduate student in civil engineering. They have two daughters who attended all Pickens County schools. Subhash taught in Sacramento, CA, and Chicago, IL, before coming to teach at Clemson University in the Department of Civil Engineering in 1972. After 33 years of academic career at Clemson, Subhash retired in December, 2005. He has been seeking to get involved in Clemson community activities as a volunteer. He is looking forward to working with the most worthwhile work of the Clemson Child Development Center.
Marcia Barker
A native of Kingsport, TN, Marcia and her husband, Jim, have two sons. After studying for three years atWinthrop College, Marcia earned her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Georgia StateUniversity in 1972. Marcia has taught 7th grade in St. Louis, MO, and kindergarten for 17 years. Before beginning service as Clemson’s First Lady in 1999, she was Director of Fort Hill Presbyterian Kindergarten in Clemson. She is currently Chairman of the Board of Fort Hill Kindergarten. She also serves on the board of America Reads, Clemson University and on the board of the Friends of Lee Gallery. Marcia was named an honorary member of the Clemson University Alumni Association in 2001 and was also made an honorary member of the Blue Key in 2001. She received the Clemson University Foundation’s Volunteer of the Year Award in 2001.
Bill Baron, Fundraising Chair
Bill returns to the board after a brief hiatus in service. Bill is retired from the Civil Engineering Dept. at Clemson University. Bill and Elinor have three children and three grandchildren. Bill loves spending time with those grandchildren! During his previous service on the board, Bill chaired three home tours, generating nearly $40,000 in revenue.
Lewellyn Betts
Lewellyn moved to Clemson from Chapel Hill, NC, last summer. Her husband, Tom Mroz, is a professor at Clemson. Lewellyn wanted a volunteer opportunity where she felt she could make a difference. Fortunately for CCDC, she chose to join our board. Her energy and enthusiasm for the mission of CCDC are evident by her commitment! Lewellyn is an artist and also works with The ARTS Center. You can find her up to her elbows in clay! But, on Monday afternoons, you will find her manning the front office at CCDC as parents come to pick up their children. Lewellyn has a lot of volunteer experience with numerous organizations inNorth Carolina and elsewhere which makes us happy that the family, along with beloved dog and cat, chose Clemson as their destination.
Joy Boatwright
Joy is an Administrative Assistant at Clemson University in the Department of Graphic Communications. She has lived in Clemson for 48 years. Joy has served in many community organizations such as President of the Clemson Lions Club, Secretary of the District 32A Lions, Girl Scouts Board, school volunteer and currently serves as Sunday School Director at First Baptist Church, Clemson. She is married to Randy Boatwright and they have two children, Nicholas 20 and Kathleen 16.
JoEtta Gant
JoEtta was born and raised in Memphis, TN. She has lived in Clemson for over 30 yrs. She is married to Ron Gantt and they have two adult children, Brian and Ronda. JoEtta is a retired school teacher, certified in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, and Special Education/Learning Disabled. She brings to CCDC board, 30 yrs of classroom experience and hope to actively volunteer in the classrooms. "I believe that every child can learn, given the proper nurturing and appropriate curriculum."
Paul Prichard
Paul retired from the Pickens County Schools in 2004. He received his teaching preparation from Iowa State Teachers College and holds graduate degrees in Education Administration from East Carolina University and the University of North Carolina. He was a teacher and administrator in North Carolina Public Schools for 30 years and spent 14 years in Clemson as the principal of Morrison and Clemson Elementary School. He recently served 4 years on the advisory board for the “Growing Place” pre-school at First Wesleyan Church. Paul is married to Melanie Prichard who was a Reading Recovery Teacher at Liberty Elementary School.
Jane Hamilton
Jane and her husband, Ed, moved to Clemson in 1988. She spent the previous 23 years accompanying Ed as he pursued a career in the Army. She has 2 children and 5 grandchildren. Her love is children and she graduated from Mary Washington College with a major in English and a minor in Elementary Education. During her “Army” years, she taught kindergarten-4th grade in many different schools. When she arrived in Clemson, she taught at The Episcopal Day School for 8 years. She then did homebound instruction for Oconee County for 8 years. She is enjoying retirement and her volunteer work. She is already a familiar face at the Center, volunteering in several areas.
Mable Wynn
Mable, her husband Eddie, and their two children moved to Clemson in mid-August 1974. Both children, April and E.J., are graduates of CCDC and are the main reason Mable feels compelled to join the Board and contribute to the future success of the Center. Mable served on the Clemson University faculty in the Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management Department as a Community Leisure Services and Program Planning Specialist for 37 years. During that time, her service to youth and the community include: Girl Scouts, YMCA, 4-H Club & “Visions for Youth” and other volunteer activities (Member of Clemson Lions Club, AWP, Pendleton Elk Lodge). Mable’s passion for dance performance and teaching led to service on several Arts Commissions on the local, county and state levels. Her deep concern for justice and human compassion led to a six year term with the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission. January 2010 marks Mable’s 10th year of retirement. Although she continues to advise and direct student groups on and off Campus, she is ready to “give back to her children’s roots – CCDC.”
Ruth Andreasen
Ruth and her husband, Bob, moved to the Clemson area about five years ago. Ruth is a semi-retired interior decorator. Ruth began volunteering at CCDC last year and has “jumped in with both feet.” She helps Lori, our Development Officer, with different fairs, helping with presentation boards, pictures, etc.; and fund raisers where the interior designer comes out in her. Ruth did all the decorations for the Murder Mystery Night and the Holiday Revue. Ruth is a willing volunteer for any projects we may have for her. Ruth told us that when she taught school while her husband continued his education. She remembers how hard it was to find quality childcare and added, “A quality early childhood education is crucial to the parents and the children and I look forward to coming in to volunteer because I always leave feeling good about the experience and the sense of being needed.”
