The PSSA Team

 Executive Director  - Co-Founder

Leslie joined Palmetto Shared Services Alliance as the founding Executive Director after serving 8 years as the Operations Director at Greenville First Steps.

She serves on various community boards and councils including Greenville County Childcare Association, GHS Children’s Hospital Community Advisory Council, Junior League of Greenville, Greenville Tech Early Childhood and Livewell. She is also a graduate of Leadership Greenville class 42.

Leslie graduated from Winthrop University and the University of South Carolina with a Masters in Social Work.  She is married to her husband Ross an they live in Greenville with their 2 sons, Taylor and Mac.

Director of Workforce and Business Development

 Kelly M. Saunders is a highly experienced and accomplished professional with over 20 years of experience in the early childhood education field. Kelly earned her Master’s degree in Early Childhood from the University of Maine.  In her previous roles, Kelly has served as the Director of two different childcare centers, one of which she opened from the ground up. She has also worked as an Early Childhood Specialist with Southern Adirondack Child Care Network (NY), where she has helped providers thrive regardless of their level of experience. Kelly is a skilled educator and communicator, and she has a deep understanding of children's developmental needs and growth.  She has spent her life advocating for and pursuing social justice for children and families- ensuring that they have the support they need to grow and prosper equitably. Kelly is passionate about helping others grow and achieve their personal goals, and her dedication to her work is evident in everything she does.   

Professional Development Specialist

Susan is an early childhood educator and advocate who has been working with young children in numerous capacities for the past 50 years. She started her career as a preschool teacher and has worked in various childcare settings; including higher education programs, literacy programs, and faith-based programs, ending up in administration. 

Susan is proficient in creating developmentally appropriate curriculums, professional development for Early Childhood professionals as a Master Certified Trainer, and has exceptional leadership skills.

Susan graduated from Marietta College with BA in Sociology and East Carolina University with a MS in Child Development and Family Relations. She is married to her husband, Rhys, mother to her 2 children, Emily and Gordon, and Mimi to her granddaughter, Nora.

Outreach Specialist 

Ruth is a passionate advocate for early childhood education with a diverse background in language, education, and community engagement. She holds a Master’s degree in Spanish from Middlebury College and is fluent in Spanish. Her career began teaching English as a Foreign Language at a community college in Santiago, Chile, followed by several years teaching middle school Spanish in North Carolina.

Ruth later transitioned into early childhood education, serving as Operations Manager at My Amigos Bilingual Education Center. She went on to launch her own translation services company, supporting key statewide initiatives including ABC Quality and SC CCR&R’s Dual Language Learner project. Her work has also extended into STEM education through her contributions to Plasma Games, an interactive learning platform used in classrooms across 19 states.

When she’s not leading trainings or supporting providers across South Carolina, Ruth enjoys abstract painting, gardening, and caring for her ever-growing menagerie of rescue animals—including cats, Australian shepherds, and goats.