Born and raised in the lowcountry, Nicole Hernandez will tell you she was blessed to grow up and cultivate her perspective in such a historic, environmental, and diverse location. She is amazed by the way that different environments effect our view of the world, an effect she often gets to observe being only a short…
Pamela Smith
Pamela Smith joined our Charleston community when she moved to Summerville in 2012 for a promotion with Lowes Home Improvement. Born and raised in Camden, South Carolina, Pam graduated in 2011 from “the best HBCU in the land,” Orangeburg’s SC State University with a bachelors in business management. After doing countless party setups for free,…
Natasha Thompson
Natasha Thompson, “Tashi,” was born in Florida and grew up in Daytona Beach. She was raised alongside her three brothers and sister by their loving mom. Her mother and siblings helped her, “the baby,” stay in a comfortable bubble during her childhood, attending a small private Christian school for her entire school career. This positive,…
Dan Seiden
A recovering Yankee, Dan Seiden was born and raised in Avon, CT where his unique childhood fostered his appreciation for learning and inspired his career in education. His high school experience as a day student at Avon Old Farm School for boys– one part Hogwarts and one part Dead Poets Society– could best be described…
Lauren Candies Tarpley
Lauren Tarpley has watched Charleston grow and change since Hugo times. A wife of three years and a mom for two, Lauren loves to bake (cupcakes!), go out to eat, and travel. She is an AYA [adolescent and young adult] breast cancer survivor. At the age of 34, Lauren was diagnosed with stage 2 breast…




