Meet the PSSA Team

The Palmetto Shared Services Alliance team brings deep experience, strong relationships, and a shared commitment to supporting South Carolina's childcare providers with practical, thoughtful, and responsive service.

Leslie Latimer

Executive Director · Co-Founder

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Leslie Latimer is the founding Executive Director of Palmetto Shared Services Alliance and one of the original champions of bringing shared services to South Carolina's early childhood field. During her eight years as Operations Director at Greenville First Steps, the vision for a shared services model began to take shape. In 2016, Leslie brought Shelley Summer on to help build the program, and in 2017, PSSA became its own nonprofit organization.

A social worker by training and a systems-builder by nature, Leslie has spent her career strengthening programs, partnerships, and supports for children, families, and early childhood professionals. She has served on a wide range of community boards and councils, including Greenville County Childcare Association, GHS Children's Hospital Community Advisory Council, Junior League of Greenville, Greenville Technical College Early Childhood, and LiveWell. She is also a graduate of Leadership Greenville Class 42.

Leslie earned degrees from Winthrop University and the University of South Carolina, where she completed a Master's in Social Work. Continuing her commitment to the field, she is also participating in the sixth Master's in Early Childhood Education cohort at the University of South Carolina.

Outside of work, Leslie and her husband, Ross, stay busy raising their two sons, Taylor and Mac, both of whom keep the family calendar full with practices, games, and athletic adventures. Somehow, Leslie has mastered the art of organization through it all, a skill that continues to amaze everyone lucky enough to work alongside her.

Shelley Summer

Director of Operations · Co-Founder

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Shelley Summer is a creative problem solver, advocate, and builder who has spent more than two decades supporting young children, families, and the professionals who serve them. Although she was convinced in her younger years that her future involved becoming an Art History professor, life had other plans. After finding her way into early childhood education, she quickly realized she had found the work she was meant to do.

Shelley began her career as a teacher before serving for eleven years as an assistant director of a childcare program in Greenville. In 2016, she partnered with Leslie Latimer to launch Palmetto Shared Services Alliance, helping transform an ambitious idea into a statewide organization that now supports thousands of childcare providers across South Carolina.

Known for turning ideas into action, Shelley spends much of her time creating tools, resources, and systems that help providers navigate the challenges of running a childcare business. She believes there is almost always a solution to a problem and strives to leave a little sparkle everywhere she goes.

A graduate of Wofford College with a degree in Art History, Shelley is currently participating in the sixth Master's in Early Childhood Education cohort at the University of South Carolina. Outside of work, she can often be found painting, designing in Canva, dreaming up new ideas, or spending time with her two sons, Briggs and Davis.

Catie Buckingham

Director of Workforce & Business Development

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Catie is a proud social worker and public health advocate who can often be found listening to early-aughts boybands while improving systems and processes across the social impact sector.

She holds a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from Winthrop University and an MPH from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. In every interaction, Catie is committed to making sure people walk away having experienced both unconditional empathy and radical competence.

She is determined to cut through red tape with a pair of oversized, sparkly scissors and help rebuild social systems so they work better for marginalized populations. Catie is also a member of Leadership Greenville Class 42, Greenville Women Giving, and a committed community volunteer.

Outside of work, she sends Arrested Development memes to her siblings, plays Barbies and baby dolls with her whip-smart preschooler, and likes to say she is going to write a book with her best friend — though she respectfully requests that no one ask for a writing sample.

Brittany Crumley

Director of Engagement
and Impact

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Brittany is an educator, researcher, author, and speaker with a passion for strengthening the people and systems that support children, families, and communities. She holds a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction within Early Childhood and brings experience spanning education, leadership, professional development, and systems-building. She believes that thriving professionals create thriving organizations, and ultimately, thriving communities.

Throughout her career, she has designed and led professional learning initiatives, facilitated collaborative conversations, and supported teams through growth and change. She is committed to creating environments where people feel valued, connected, and empowered to do their best work.

Through speaking, training, and consulting, Brittany helps educators and other mission-driven professionals build resilience, strengthen relationships, and create lasting impact in their work and communities.

Outside of her professional work, Brittany enjoys tending her garden, exploring mountain towns and trails, spending time with her rescue pup, and discovering inspiration for future talks, writing projects, and creative endeavors.

Susan Kear

Professional Development
Specialist

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Susan Kear is an early childhood educator, mentor, and advocate who has spent more than fifty years supporting young children, families, and the professionals who serve them. Her career began as a preschool teacher and expanded to include higher education, literacy initiatives, faith-based programs, and leadership roles in administration.

A Master Certified Trainer and widely respected leader in South Carolina's early childhood community, Susan is known for transforming complex concepts into practical, meaningful guidance. Providers across the state regularly turn to her for advice, encouragement, and solutions, and many proudly admit to being "Susan groupies," attending as many of her trainings as they can.

Susan's connection to PSSA dates back to its earliest days. She first served on the Board of Directors and, following her retirement as a childcare director, joined the team part-time to help develop and grow PSSA's professional development offerings.

Susan earned a BA in Sociology from Marietta College and an MS in Child Development and Family Relations from East Carolina University. She is married to her husband, Rhys, is the mother of Emily and Gordon, and is Mimi to her granddaughter, Nora.

Tammy Compton

Professional Development & Advocacy Specialist

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Tammy Compton is an early childhood advocate, educator, and mentor who has spent more than thirty-five years supporting children, families, and childcare professionals across South Carolina. She began her career as a part-time teacher and went on to own and operate a childcare center for twenty-two years, giving her firsthand experience with both the joys and challenges of running a program.

A passionate supporter of PSSA since its earliest days, Tammy served on the pilot group that helped shape the organization and has long been one of our biggest champions, helping connect providers in Spartanburg and beyond to the resources and support they need. She is widely respected throughout the early childhood community and is known for her ability to encourage, inspire, and build directors up to be the best leaders they can be.

After serving as the Quality Counts Program Director for Spartanburg County First Steps, Tammy retired and launched her own consulting business. Her passion for advocacy continues through service on numerous local and statewide committees, including the SC Advisory Committee for Regulations of Childcare Facilities and as SCECA District 4 President. You can often find her at the Statehouse educating lawmakers about the realities facing childcare providers across South Carolina.

Tammy holds a BA in Sociology from Furman University and a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of South Carolina. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, traveling, and spending time with her grandchildren. She lives by the Michael Phelps quote, "You can't put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get."

Ruth Newby

Resource and Support
Specialist

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Ruth Newby is an advocate for early childhood education, lifelong learner, and self-proclaimed data enthusiast who loves turning information into practical tools and resources that help providers succeed. PSSA first met Ruth while she was serving as an administrator at a bilingual preschool in Lexington County, where her passion for supporting children, families, and educators quickly became apparent.

She holds a Master's degree in Spanish from Middlebury College and is fluent in Spanish. Her career has included teaching English as a Foreign Language in Santiago, Chile, teaching middle school Spanish in North Carolina, and leading operations for a bilingual early childhood program. She later launched her own translation services company, supporting statewide initiatives including ABC Quality and SC CCR&R's Dual Language Learner Project.

At PSSA, Ruth combines her love of data, problem-solving, and provider support to help develop resources, trainings, and tools that strengthen programs across South Carolina. She is especially passionate about finding creative ways to make information more accessible and useful for the people who need it most.

When she is not supporting providers, Ruth can usually be found painting, gardening, or caring for her ever-growing collection of animals. She operates a cat rescue in the Midlands and shares her home with rescue cats, Australian Shepherds, goats, and whatever other creatures seem to find their way into her life.

Bella Watkins

Administrative Assistant

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Bella Watkins has dedicated her professional life to mastering the art of executive support. With more than twenty years of experience, she has helped leaders stay organized, increased productivity, strengthened operations, and ensured that countless moving pieces come together seamlessly behind the scenes.

Known for her steady presence, and commitment to excellence, Bella plays a vital role in keeping PSSA running smoothly. Whether coordinating schedules, managing projects, or solving problems before anyone else even realizes they exist, she brings efficiency to everything she does.

Outside of work, Bella is an avid equestrian and horse trainer who has a deep love for animals of all kinds. Her home is shared with dogs, cats, and even an albino leopard gecko, proving that if it has fur, feathers, scales, or hooves, there's a good chance Bella will adore it!

Need help finding the right person?

Reach out to the PSSA team and we will make sure you get connected to the support, tools, or answers you need.

Board of Directors

PSSA is guided by a dedicated board whose leadership and experience help strengthen our work across South Carolina.

Deborah DePaoli

Chairwoman

Institute For Child Success

Susanna Lee

Vice Chair

The Lee Group

Cathleen Cullen

Secretary

Spartanburg First Steps Quality Counts

Jessica Sharp

Past Chair

SC Program for Infant and Toddler Care

Vaudrien Ray

Owner, Miss Ruby's Academy

Thomas Compton

Owner, Miss Tammy's Little Learning Centers

Brandon Kinder

Owner, bioPURE

Hope Collins

Bon Secours St. Francis

BJ Norris Long

Director, Primrose Simpsonville

Liz Baysden

The Champions Center

Lindsay Powers

Lakeshore Learning

Dr. Glenda Brown

Purpose Foundation SC

Dr. Jennifer McConnell

Director, Brookland Academy

Stephanie Knobel

Director, Judson YMCA