South Carolina Child Care Inclusion Collaborative

Dr. Googe has over 20 years of experience working in the field of early childhood special education and holds a PhD in Special Education from the University of South Carolina. She is a Research Assistant Professor at the Yvonne & Schuyler Moore Child Development Research Center at the University of South Carolina. She is the Director and Principal Investigator of the South Carolina Child Care Inclusion Collaborative, Principal Investigator of the Mix EC Project, and Principal Investigator of the South Carolina Partnerships for Inclusion project. She has experience as an early interventionist working with infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families, as a preschool teacher in an inclusive preschool, as a trainer and technical assistance provider supporting child care providers to increase their use of inclusive practices, and as an adjunct instructor teaching courses in early childhood and early childhood special education for both undergraduate and graduate students.

Dr. Googe’s research and professional interests include supporting access to high-quality inclusive settings for young children with disabilities through the provision of professional development related to evidence-based inclusive practices among early childhood teachers the development and implementation of cross-sector professional development systems in early childhood. 

Dr. Googe believes early care and education providers play an important role in supporting children with disabilities/developmental delays and their families. She is passionate about supporting providers to increase their skills and knowledge related to including children with disabilities in their programs.

Sarah Shaw joined the SC Childcare Inclusion Collaborative in October 2019 as the Program Coordinator. She provides support to our Inclusion Specialists and coordinates our developmental Screening initiatives.

Sarah earned a BS in Early Childhood Education from the College of Saint Rose in Albany, NY and an M. Ed.in Early Childhood Education from the University of South Carolina. Sarah was an Early Interventionist for 10 years. During this time, she provided service coordination and family training to families who have children with disabilities. Prior to early intervention, Sarah worked as a childcare teacher in several childcare centers in Albany, NY and Columbia, SC. Sarah has experience working with children from birth to five years of age.

Sarah has a daughter with whom she enjoys spending spare time. Together they enjoy the beach, museums, art, dance, and theater.

NaQuayle Guyton serves as our Referral and Outreach Coordinator. She comes to us with a wealth of knowledge as it relates to children, families, and providers. NaQuayle holds an Associate's in Healthcare Administration.

As the Referral and Outreach Coordinator, NaQuayle is responsible for communicating with childcare programs, parents, and community partners to spread awareness of SC Inclusion Collaborative programs and initiatives. She provides administrative support to the director and the program staff which includes assistance with technology and its management. 

NaQuayle is a wife and mother to three wonderful children. Together they enjoy sports, traveling, singing, and dancing. Outside of her family time, NaQuayle loves to read, write, and create.

Kim McCollum joined the Inclusion Collaborative in December 2014 as an Inclusion Specialist. Prior to joining our team, Kim taught Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten for 17 years, served on the board of First Steps of Pickens County for 2 years, was a child care trainer for Lifelong Learning of Greenville County for 3 years, and was a Preschool Director for 3 years. Kim has experience in private and public schools and child care facilities.

Kim earned a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from Southern Wesleyan University in 1993 and her Masters of Education specializing in Teacher Leadership from Walden University in 2013. Kim holds a South Carolina Professional Teaching Certificate in Early Childhood as well as being a Certified Trainer and Technical Assistance Provider with the SC Endeavors.

Kim has been married since 1991 and they have four children. In her free time, Kim enjoys spending as much time as possible with her children, family, and friends or going to the movies and reading.

Kim provides training and technical assistance to child care providers in the following counties: Oconee, Pickens, Greenville, Spartanburg, Cherokee, Laurens, Newberry, Greenwood, McCormick, Abbeville, and Anderson.

Karen B. Middleton is a native of Columbia, South Carolina. She joined the SC Inclusion Collaborative in January 2013 as an Inclusion Specialist. Prior to joining the Inclusion Collaborative, She worked in many facets of Head Start, serving as both an Education Specialist and Center Coordinator for 22 years.  She has worked with both Aiken Barnwell Head Start and GLEAMNS Human Resource Commission.

Additionally, she was a Grantee Performance Support Specialist with STG International, Inc. providing training and technical assistance throughout Head Start Region IV.

She received her Masters of Arts in Human Behavior and Conflict Management from Columbia College. In addition, she received a certificate of 40 hours in Civil Mediation Training from Columbia College.

Karen has an A.A. in General Studies from North Greenville College. She received a BS in Child and Family Development from Benedict College. While attending Benedict College, she received a Certificate in Child Protective Services from the Social Work Department. She is also a President’s Trophy Scholar. She is a Certified Trainer, Technical Assistance Provider through SC Endeavors, also TPOT, TPITOS Reliable and a Certified Pre-K CLASS Observer.  

She has received many professional training hours, certificates, and honors. She is a member of NAEYC and The High/Scope Educational Research Foundation.

Karen enjoys traveling, shopping, listening to music, especially jazz, and photography. Her personal motto is “The sky is the limit and always continue to aim high.” 

Karen provides training and technical assistance to child care providers in the following counties: Calhoun, Orangeburg, Allendale, Hampton, Jasper, Beaufort, Colleton, Dorchester, Berkeley, and Charleston. 

Sakina Bhagat brings many years of experience in the early childhood field to her role as an inclusion specialist for SCIC. She is passionate about providing the best early childhood experiences for all children and understands the significant impact of these formative years on their future, regardless of their background. Children are our future, and they deserve the best. 

Prior to joining SCIC, Sakina taught children aged 0-5 years and spent the past twelve years in leadership positions as an Assistant Director and Director in the Columbia area. She is currently earning her master’s degree in early childhood education.

Outside of her professional life, she enjoys traveling with her family, learning about different cultures, and exploring their cuisines.

Samantha joined SCIC in April 2024 as an Inclusion Specialist. She provides coaching, consultation, and training to early child care teachers across the Midlands Region, focusing on the use of evidence-based practices that can be used to support the inclusion of children with disabilities, developmental delays, and/or challenging behaviors. 

Before joining the SC Child Care Inclusion Collaborative, Samantha worked as a supervisor in Temporary Family Assistance TANF, with South Carolina’s Department of Social Services, providing benefits and support to families with young children in need. She also has 6 years of experience as a child care provider on Fort Jackson’s military base, teaching children ranging from infants to preschoolers. While working at Fort Jackson’s early child care program, she earned her Child Development Associate credential in the competency standards for infants and toddlers.

 Samantha graduated with honors and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in human services from the University of South Carolina-Beaufort. She is currently earning her master’s degree from the University of South Carolina-Columbia in early childhood education.

Adrienne is a native of Holly Hill, SC and graduated from Lander University with a BS in Interdisciplinary Studies. She has a M.A. in Mental Health Counseling and is a Certified Special Education Teacher with an emphasis on Emotional Disorders. Adrienne has over 15 years of experience in the teaching world as a child care teacher, early head start teacher, head start teacher, and a special education teacher.  She has served many children and their families from the ages of birth to 9 of diverse learning abilities and behaviors. Adrienne was also a service coordinator for the Special Needs and Disabilities Board in Orangeburg, SC and a teacher mentor for SC First Steps. Adrienne enjoys going to the beach, spending time with family and friends, reading, and journaling. 

Dr. Kate Chappellis a Clinical Associate Professor with the University of South Carolina, College of Nursing, and practices as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. She received her Ph.D. in Nursing from the University of South Carolina. She has been nursing faculty since 2007and teaches in didactic, clinical, and simulation settings across the BSN and Nurse Practitioner programs. Her research and practice interests include caregiver vigilance for child sexual abuse, creating equitable access to resources that address trauma, integration of social determinants of health across nursing curriculums, and resource support for children with significant healthcare needs. She is a member of several professional organizations including the South Carolina Nurses Association and serves as the Advocacy and Policy Chair for the Developmental, Behavioral, and Mental Health Special Interest Group in the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners.

Dr. Victoria Davis is a Clinical Assistant Professor with the University of South Carolina, College of Nursing and practices as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. She received her Doctorate in Nursing Practice from the University of Florida. She has been a nurse educator since 2015 and teaches in didactic, clinical and simulation settings across the undergraduate and graduate nursing programs. Her research interests include preventive and accessible care for the school-age population and the integration of social determinants of health across nursing curricula. She is a member of several professional organizations including the South Carolina Nurses Association and serves as a state board member for the South Carolina National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners.

Amy Shapley has been a nonprofit professional for over 15 years. She received her MA in counseling from Trevecca Nazarene University and has continued her education with certificates in nonprofit management, conflict resolution, project management, and staff development. She has worked in the fields of maternal-infant health, trauma-survivors, disability, and child welfare. Amy is a seasoned trainer on topics related to family strengthening and program improvement.

As a program director Amy has created structures and procedures for service delivery, collective impact, and community education and has consulted with nonprofit organizations to develop programs and secure funding for federal, state and local opportunities to expand resources and increase outcomes for program participants.

Aaron Prince is the Communications Coordinator for SCIC. In this role, he is responsible for all content management for SCIC and its partner programs SCPI and Pyramid PIECES. This includes website updates, newsletter publishing, social media management, and the creation and execution of content calendars.

Aaron holds an MA in Copywriting and Strategic Design. He has spent the past several years in ad agencies and in-house teams creating materials for everything from small startups to multinational conglomerates. He has experience writing, designing, and crafting marketing and communication deliverables for the healthcare, insurance, home building, and retail industries.

Suzanne Wingard is the Events Coordinator for SCIC and its sibling programs SCPI and Pyramid PIECES. In this position, Suzanne is responsible for planning, managing and organizing functions and events that align with the mission of our work for externally funded projects.

Suzanne holds a B.S. in Health Sciences from Clemson University and has 10 years of experience around training and conference coordination. She has worked directly with SC partners to implement multiple state and nationwide conferences that provided training, support, and resources to families of children, youth, and young adults with special healthcare needs and the professionals who serve these families. As a trainer, she has provided multiple trainings directly to caregivers, professionals, education students, and youth. She is also an appointed member of the SC Developmental Disabilities Council, seated as a parent of a teen with a disability.