Leadership

Lizzie Bebber

Executive Director

Elizabeth “Lizzie” Fortenberry Bebber brings both nonprofit and leadership experience to United Ministries, encompassing fundraising, communications, board engagement, partnership development, and organizational planning.

Between 2008 and 2020, she worked for Christ House in Washington, DC (most recently as executive director), a medical respite organization that provides dignifying healthcare to sick and homeless persons. Lizzie delights in working for a more loving, just, and equitable world, and finds this work realized through communities and partnerships who are committed to hope, healing, and radical hospitality.

Over the last decade, Lizzie and her family have had the privilege of living in an intentional community alongside a group of formerly homeless men. Life there has truly shaped her call to work diligently for racial equality and reconciliation. Additionally, it has illuminated for her the guiding truth that no one is ever beyond the reach of healing and transformation.

Born and raised in Clinton, Mississippi, Lizzie is an ordained Baptist minister. She holds a Master of Divinity degree from George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University and was ordained by Calvary Baptist Church in Waco, Texas.

A lover of people, making connections, and preparing and enjoying beautiful meals around the table, Lizzie is most alive when people come together to find common purpose, share together around life’s joys and sorrows, and find spaces of connection which remind us that we’re never meant to live this life alone.

She is the proud mother to Eli (8) and Annette (4), and lucky partner on life’s journey with her husband, Eric.

Jamika Nedwards

Director of Mission Impact

Jamika Nedwards joined United Ministries’ staff in July 2022. Jamika worked at the non-profit Julie Valentine Center for 10 years, where she most recently served as the Crisis and Education Program Director. Jamika is also an Adjunct Professor at Greenville Tech and Southern Wesleyan University, where she teaches Race & Ethnic Relations, Intro to Human Services, and Diversity Issues. She is Vice-Chair of the Greenville County Human Relations Committee, and serves as Chair of their Strategic Planning Committee.

Susan Midgett

Director of Mission Advancement

Susan Midgett is a passionate non-profit professional who is known for her problem-solving skills and her ability to think outside of the box to address community issues through collaboration and innovation. Susan joined United Ministries as the Volunteer Manager in March 2022, and quickly fell in love with the programs and participants of UM. Susan is a Greenville native and is dedicated to creating equitable outcomes for individuals and families living in Greenville, regardless of their income or zip code. She attended the University of South Carolina – Columbia studying Political Science and Women and Gender Studies. She has previously served with numerous local non-profit organizations, including AmeriCorps Upstate, Communities in Schools, and United Way of Greenville County. Susan gained her love of service from her grandmother, Susan, who was a faithful volunteer and donor of United Ministries for many years.

Kimberly Mahaffey

Director of Administration

By contributing time and talent to both organizational and community capacity building, Kim helps cultivate durable and inclusive systems. Her policy, process, and procedure strengths include strategic design, managed growth, financial forecasting, change management, conflict resolution, and staff development. From 2007-2021 she helped grow a local affiliate into a state-level affiliate for a national education nonprofit. In her last two roles with that organization, Kim served as the Regional Vice President for Communities In Schools of South Carolina and the Chief Operating Officer for Communities In Schools of Greenville. Prior to that, she was an Education Department faculty member and the professional development coordinator at South Piedmont Community College.

Kim is also the former president of the Sans Souci Neighborhood Alliance and an alumna of Leadership Greenville, Class 36. She has a master’s Certificate in Organizational Change & Leadership and a Master of Education degree from Columbia College and Converse College, respectively. Her undergraduate work includes a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Certificate in Health Science.

In her free time, Kim enjoys racing 5K runs, kayaking, hiking, biking, and other outdoor sports with her significant other, as well as attending concerts and live music venues to support local and national artists, alike. She has lived and worked in Greenville since 1995.

Administration

Brian Sutherland

Accountant

Leigh Barton

Associate Director of Data, Evaluation and Strategic Impact

Angela Kates

Facilities Manager

Tiffany Gibson Cox, MDiv

Continuous Improvement Manager

Stacey Anders

Executive Assistant

John Mote

Facilities Associate

Departments & Programs

Click on each section below to view staff

Jessica Primus

Volunteer Manager

Hanna Ackerman

Communications Specialist

Jennifer Harrill

Project Manager

Nick Bush

Program Manager

Kathy Sharp

Case Manager

Davida Bryant

Program Manager

La-Shun Martin

Program Associate

Johanne Puckett

Food Donation Coordinator (volunteer)

Hannah Ennis

Program Manager for Adult Education

Michelle McClendon

Academic Counselor

Arsha Knowles

Economic Mobility Partner

Joe Anderson

Curriculum Specialist

Quiwanna James

Program Manager

Lee McCaskill

Lead Economic Mobility Partner

Jason Makis

Economic Mobility Partner

Isabel Martinez

Economic Mobility Partner

Temika Powers

Economic Mobility Partner

Josh Crocker

Program Manager

Joasia Karwatka

Emergency Shelter Partner

Jeffery Kitchen

Housing Coordinator 

Joel Koontz, MA, LPC

Mental Health Counselor

Amy Bell

Program Support Specialist

Board of Directors  2023-2024

Myra Morant, Past Chair — Human Resources Systems and Processes Manager, Greenville County Schools

Isaiah Dunlap, Secretary — Owner, Design Edge, LLC

Dixon Harrill, Chair — Market Executive, Synovus Bank

LaTonya Phillips — Clinical Applications Specialist, AGFA Healthcare

Camp Wynn – Principal, Colonial Trust Co.

Will Huss – CEO and Owner, Trehel Corp.

Cameron Covington Mackie – Consultant, Brand Strategy & Elevation

Cheryl Szczesniak – Executive VP of HR, Spinx Co.

Matt Puckett, Mission Advancement Committee Chair – Area President-SC, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

Linda Twilley – Director of Administration, Jordon Construction Company

P. McCrady Gwinn, Treasurer/Finance Committee Chair — Instructor of Finance at USC Upstate

Sima Patel, Vice Chair — Senior Corporate Council, Michelin

Sean Dogan, Human Resources Committee Chair — Director of Community Health, Bon Secours St. Francis

Tom Evelyn — Vice President of University Communications, Furman University

Suzanne Sanders, Governance Chair — Attorney, Community Volunteer

Michael (Mike) Shain Financial Advisor, UBS Financial

Jim Akerhielm – Entrepreneur, Community Volunteer

TJ Angone – Senior Vice President, Truist

Roselle Bonnoitt – Director of Assurance Services, Cherry Bekaert

Dorothy Dowe – Vice Mayor Pro Tem/At-Large Rep, Greenville City Council