2024 Institute of Government Features 108 Graduates from Counties Statewide
More than 100 county officials recently graduated from the South Carolina Association of Counties’ (SCAC) Institute of Government for County Officials, Levels I and II. Graduates included elected officials and county employees and represented 42 of the state’s 46 counties.
“It is an honor for me to recognize members of the class of 2024. This year, the class includes a record number 108 graduates,” said 2023-24 SCAC President Roy Costner III during the graduation recognition at the Association’s Annual Conference on July 31. “Thank you for your dedication to county government as demonstrated by your graduation.”
Level I graduates
Allendale County—Council Chairman Matthew Connelly* and Council Members Willa Jennings and James White
Bamberg County—Council Member Spencer Donaldson
Barnwell County—Clerk to Council Martha Thompson and Deputy County Administrator Meredith Wright
Beaufort County—Council Members David Bartholomew, Paula Brown, Thomas Reitz and Anna Maria Tabernik; Assistant County Administrator/Finance Dale Butts; and Interim County Administrator John Robinson
Berkeley County—Chief Information Officer David Kornahrens and Deputy County Supervisor Ashley Powell
Calhoun County—Community Development Director Marc Briggman
Charleston County—Coroner Bobbi Jo O'Neal
Cherokee County—County Administrator Marvin Bishop
Chester County— Council Member William Killian and County Administrator Brian Hester 
Chesterfield County—Council Member William Smallwood
Colleton County—Council Members Scott Biering and Bubba Trippe
Darlington County—Council Member Kirk Askins*
Dillon County—Council Vice Chairman Jamal Campbell*, Council Member Kenny Cook and Interim Clerk to Council Druscilla Blakely
Dorchester County—Council Member Rita May Ranck and Deputy Administrator for Public Safety Mario Formisano
Edgefield County—County Administrator James Cadell*
Fairfield County—Council Member Peggy Swearingen and Deputy County Administrator Synithia Williams
Florence County—Board of Elections and Voter Registration Executive Director Julian Young
Greenville County— Council Chairman Dan Tripp and Council Members Benton Blount, Alan Mitchell and Joey Russo
Greenwood County—Council Members Johanna Bishop and Dayne Pruitt
Horry County—Council Member Danny Hardee, Register of Deeds Deputy Director Nancy Holmes and Director of Finance Shannon Todd*
Kershaw County—Clerk to Council Hannah Parler and Assistant County Administrator Lauren Reeder
Lancaster County—County Council Member Jose Luis and County Administrator Dennis Marstall
Lexington County—County Council Member Gene Jones, Clerk to Council Jessica Hendrix and Deputy Administrator Chris Murrin
Marion County—Council Vice Chairman Dewayne Tennie and Council Members Tarus Gilchrist and Joel Rogers
Newberry County—Council Vice Chairman Nick Shealy* and Council Member Karl Sease*
Oconee County—Council Vice Chairman Don Mize
Orangeburg County—Council Member Latisha Walker and Probate Judge Pandora Jones-Glover
Pickens County—Council Member Claiborne Linvill
Richland County—Council Members Cheryl English and Don Weaver
Saluda County—Council Chairman James Moore
Union County—Council Members Danny Bright and Carolyn Rutherford
Williamsburg County—Supervisor/Chairman Kelvin Washington and Council Member Jacquelyn Hailes
York County—Council Members Tom Audette, Debi Cloninger and A. Watts Huckabee
Level II graduates
Aiken County—Council Vice Chairman L. Andrew Siders
Allendale County—Council Chairman Matthew Connelly* and Interim County Administrator Chanel Lewis
Anderson County—Council Member Glenn Davis and Deputy County Administrator Matt Hogan
Bamberg County—IT Director Chip Maier
Beaufort County—Assistant County Administrator/Finance Dale Butts* and Assistant County Administrator/Infrastructure Jared Fralix
Berkeley County—Library Director Gene Brunson
Chesterfield County—Council Member Benjamin Conklin
Clarendon County—Coroner Jacqueline Blackwell
Darlington County—Council Members Kirk Askins* and Angie Godbold
Dillon County—Council Vice Chairman Detrice Dawkins and Council Member Jamal Campbell*
Dorchester County—Council Members Edward Crosby and Harriett Holman and Clerk to Council Tracey Langley
Edgefield County—County Administrator James Caddell*
Fairfield County—Council Chairman Douglas Pauley
Florence County—Council Vice Chairman Jerry Yarborough
Horry County—Clerk to Council Ashley Carroll and Director of Finance Shannon Todd*
Jasper County—Development Services Director Danny Lucas
Laurens County—Council Chairman Brown Patterson, Council Vice Chairman Jeff Carroll, Council Member Shirley Clark, Deputy County Administrator Melissa Ferqueron, County Administrator Thomas Higgs, and Clerk to Council Cheyenne Noffz
Lexington County—Deputy County Administrator Michael Spires
McCormick County—Council Member Jacqueline Brown
Newberry County—Council Vice Chairman Nick Shealy* and Council Member Karl Sease*
Orangeburg County—Council Members Joeph Garvin and Kenneth McCaster
Pickens County—Clerk to Council Meagan Nations
Richland County—Council Chairwoman Jesica Mackey, Council Members Gretchen Barron, Yvonne McBride, and Allison Terracio; and Clerk to Council Anette Kirylo
Spartanburg County—Council Member Jack Mabry
Sumter County—Council Member Carlton Washington
York County—Council Chairwoman Christi Cox, Council Vice Chairwoman Allison Love and Assistant County Manager/Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer Kevin Madden
* Six county officials graduated from both levels in 2024.
The Institute of Government for County Officials provides elected county leaders and employees the opportunity to enhance their skills and knowledge. Participants must complete 27 hours of instruction to graduate from Level I and 18 hours of instruction to graduate from Level II.
SCAC partners with the Joseph P. Riley Jr. Center for Livable Communities, College of Charleston, to offer the Institute of Government three times a year. Clemson University’s Master of Public Administration program sponsors the Institute.