As an alumna of the University of South Carolina, Shawn Berry Clark’s academic degrees include: Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology, Master’s of Education in Early Childhood, Master’s of Education in Education Administration, and PhD in Education Administration. Her career moves include working in the following areas: participant with the Youth Diversion Project for at-risk youth at USC, youth counselor at The Boys and Girls Club, teacher at USC Children’s Center and Webber Elementary School, and administrator at Saluda Middle School for 11 years. Currently, Shawn serves as Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Saluda County Schools.

Shawn serves on the board of the South Carolina Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and the South Carolina Association of School Administrators. She has led professional learning sessions at the local, regional, state, and national levels on topics such as classroom observations and the use of video, formative assessment, common core state standards, and quality feedback. As a former two-time high school dropout, Shawn knows the meaning of not having a quality education and has devoted her life to making school the best possible experience for all students.

Shawn and her husband live in Johnston, South Carolina along with Zeus and Titan (their amazing canines). She is the mother of 2 incredible adults, Peyton Love and Dana Kippel – her two main reasons for proving to others that education is the key to having choices in life. Shawn can be reached at sclark@saludaschools.org or shawnbclark@gmail.com.

Abbey Spoonmore Duggins has spent the last fourteen years as a middle school English teacher and literacy coach, a middle and high school instructional coach, and a high school assistant principal for instruction. She has master’s degrees in Language and Literacy and Educational Administration, as well as a PhD in Language and Literacy from the University of South Carolina.

A member of several professional organizations, Abbey is energized by learning, reading, and interacting with students and colleagues. She has recently served her state as president of the South Carolina Leaders of Literacy (SCLL) and is on the board of the South Carolina Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. She has led professional learning sessions at the local, regional, state, and national level on topics such as formative assessment, classroom discourse, literacy frameworks, and quality feedback. As a classroom teacher, establishing a strong culture of learning and sense of community was at the foundation of her teaching beliefs. This same philosophy is reflected in her writing and her work as an instructional leader.

Abbey and her husband reside in Batesburg, South Carolina, where they are raising their own little reader, Maxwell, and his sidekick, Noche (a black lab/German Shepherd mix). She can be reached at aduggins@saludaschools.org or abbeyduggins@hotmail.com.