staff directory

Mrs. Jennifer Noes is one of the Kindergarten teachers and this will be her 5th year at LLCS. She began her time at LLCS as a parent volunteer in the DLC helping catalog and organize the books. She then was hired as a Teacher Assistant in Kindergarten where she worked with great teammates and learned more about the curriculum. Last year, she moved back into a teacher position and took over one of the Kindergarten classrooms. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education from the College of Charleston and is certified to teach pre-K through 3rd grade in South Carolina. 

Mrs. Noes is married to her wonderful husband Jay for 17 years and has two sons: Connor (5th grade) and Joshua (1st grade) who attend LLCS. Mrs. Noes is excited to work another year with Ms. Carlson, her wonderful assistant extraordinaire, and can not wait to meet and get to know their new students. You can reach Mrs. Noes at jnoes@lowcountryleadership.org.

Julia Cameron is a first grade teacher at Lowcountry Leadership Charter School.  She has over 11 years of experience working with preschool, kindergarten, and first grade students.  This will be her third year at LLCS and her eighth year teaching first grade (her favorite!) Ms. Cameron has 2 children who also attend LLCS. In their spare time, they like to play with their dog Weiwei the Shar-Pei(pei), read to their cats Maggie and Frieda Calico, and have spend-the-night parties on the living room floor. 

Mrs. Benesch was born and raised in NJ, where her family still resides. She married her husband in 2012, and then moved to SC last November with their kitten, Gatsby.   Mrs. Benesch earned her Bachelor’s in Elementary Education, as well as a Bachelor’s in Math/Science from Rowan University. Since graduating college, Mrs. Benesch has made a career of almost ten years in education.  She has taught in 4 states, with ages ranging from 1 up to 14 years old. This is Mrs. Benesch's fourth year at LLCS!

Brianna Caspento, also known as Ms. C, is the 4th grade teacher at Lowcountry Leadership Charter School. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Coastal Carolina University. She lived and taught in China for 2 years before coming to LLCS. This is her second year of teaching here and is super excited for the new school year! 

Hi everyone! My name is Brinn Kirk and I am so excited to be back at LLCS this year! I moved to Charleston 3 years ago from New York, where I grew up and went to school to receive my B.S. in elementary and special education from Saint Thomas Aquinas College. I just got married this past summer. My favorite hobbies are running, going to the beach, and spending time with my family. 

My name is Grace Carlson and I am the kindergarten assistant working alongside Mrs. Noes. I was born and raised in Charleston and now live in the Meggett area. I started out at LLCS doing Navigation Station and Guest Teaching and was then hired on as an assistant. Before working at the school I was a nanny, so I have had plenty of experience working with children. You can reach me at gcarlson@lowcountryleadership.org 

Mrs. Retrina Hilton is an Assistant for both First Grade classes with Ms. Cameron and Ms. Federline.  She has been employed at LLCS for 10 years.  Before coming to LLCS she worked as a Certified Nurse’s Assistant and keeps renewing her license every 2 yrs.  She has been married to her husband, Lester for 37 years.  They have 4 grown children and 7 grandchildren, 2 of which attend LLCS.  She was born and raised in Ocala Florida but now resides in Hollywood.  You can reach Mrs. Hilton at rhilton@lowcountryleadership.org 

Mrs. Bacon is a 6th/8th ELA teacher at  Lowcountry Leadership Charter School. She has degrees in Music Education, Elementary Education, Administration, and National Board Certification. She has taught multiple grade levels throughout the Lowcountry. Mrs. Bacon lives with her husband, Terry, on Edisto Island. She has one adult daughter who resides in Cayce, SC, and an elderly Mom who is 96 years old in Bamberg, SC. Family, friends, and God are important focuses in her life. She enjoys walks on the beach, reading, playing the piano, and assisting students in preparation for their future endeavors. You can reach Mrs. Bacon at abacon@lowcountryleadership.org or by calling our front desk at 843-889-5527. 

Ms. Chadbourne is coming to LLCS with 3 years of teaching experience and a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Biology from Western Carolina University.  With field experience in science, Ms. Chadbourne has a hands-on approach to teaching, believing strongly in project-based experiences, scientific inquiry, and labs! Ms. Chadbourne is currently participating in the onboarding process, and plans to begin in the classroom by mid-week!  She’ll be meeting students today during Gator Break and lunch, and is very excited to join our team and get to know our amazing NaviGators!  You can reach her at echadbourne@lowcountryleadership.org. 

Kathryn Deemer serves the upper school as a curriculum coach, and she teaches sophomore and senior English. She has fourteen years of experience in education.  She has a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education and a Masters in Leadership Studies from Marshall University. She is certified in Secondary English and School Administration. 

Mrs. Susanne King is a high school history teacher and is the history department head here at Lowcountry Leadership Charter School. She has a Masters of Arts in Teaching with a specialty in social studies. Living in Ravenel with her husband, Mr. Charles King, they have two sons, Andrew and Matthew. Matthew is a 2018 graduate of LLCS. As a loyal Navigator through and through, she is a strong supporter of our students. Mrs. King brings a love of history that she wants to share with her students. She is a 23 year teaching veteran and an original teacher from the opening of the school. You can reach Mrs. King at sking@lowcountryleadership.org or by calling our front desk at 843-889-5527 to leave a message, or by selecting extension 171 to leave a voicemail. 

Mrs. June Lowry serves as one of our High school teachers here at Lowcountry Leadership Charter School. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from the College of Charleston and teaches Biology, Chemistry, Anatomy & Physiology, and Marine Science.  Living in Hollywood with her husband, Mr. Billy Lowry, and her son, Nathan Lowry, who was a graduate from LLCS in 2017.  She enjoys working with the students and fellow faculty members each day.  Her desire is to make a difference in their lives. She also loves animals, especially horses, swimming, and outdoor activities in her spare time.  You can reach Mrs. Lowry at jlowry@lowcountryleadership.org or by calling our front desk at 843-889-5527. 

Mrs. Katie Bell is the HS Agriculture Education and FFA Advisor at Lowcountry Leadership Charter School. She serves as the Community Service Coordinator for our high school students.  Mrs. Bell has a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture from Clemson University and is PACE certified in Middle and Secondary level Agriculture Education.  Mrs. Bell is embarking on her 8th year of teaching at LLCS and in that time has earned awards that include Teacher of the Year, District Teacher of the Year, and Outstanding Early Career Teacher in Ag Ed.  Along with her students, Mrs. Bell manages the school’s sustainable learning farm, Leadership Farm & Livestock.  Mrs. Bell has been married to her husband George for almost 20 years and they have four children: Pandora (17), Aidan (16), Avery (14), and Austin (13).  You can reach Mrs. Bell at kbell@lowcountryleadership.org or by calling our front desk at 843-889-5527.   

Brian Lemons is the CTE Instructor for Information Technology at Lowcountry Leadership Charter School. He has an Associate Degree in Computer Technology at Trident Technical College. He is certified to teach Career & Technical Education (CTE) courses for Information Technology. He has 8 years of experience in the educational field. Before earning his degree, Brian Lemons served in the United States Marine Corps for 4 years.  Mr. Lemons is married to his wife Desiree for 11 years and they have 2 children: Jacob (11) and Samuel (7). 

Chef Greenawalt serves as our Food Service Director and is also our Culinary Arts Instructor here at Lowcountry Leadership Charter School. He is going into his 6th year at LLCS. Chef has a specialized degree in Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management from L’ecole de Cuisine at York Technical College. He has an extensive background working in fine dining restaurants and back of house management. When not at school you can find Coach Chef at the baseball field. He has coached Varsity Baseball for the last two seasons and is excited to bring home another trophy this year. He enjoys spending time with his lovely, beautiful wife and two children who also attend LLCS. He resides locally and is a valued member of our community. You can reach him via email at dgreenawalt@lowcountryleadership.org or by leaving a message with our front office staff. 

Coach Hailey Heyward serves as one of our proud Physical Education Teachers here at Lowcountry Leadership Charter School. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Health and Physical with a minor in Health Science from Virginia State University.  Living in West Ashley with her Daughter, Bella who is now attending LLCS. Coach Heyward is also in her first year as the Head Coach of the Varsity Volleyball team. You can reach Ms. Heyward at hheyward@lowcountryleadership.org or by calling our front desk at 843-889-5527. 

Coach Denton is entering his Second Year at LLCS. Last Year Coach was a part of the Gator Cafe assisting Chef Greenawalt and Mrs. Gorman. Coach Denton is born and raised here in Charleston, SC. Attended West Ashley High School and Signed up to play Baseball at Toccoa Falls College(GA). He has two brothers, Zach and Dylan. During his free time Coach Denton enjoys spending time with his family, watching baseball, and hanging out with his friends.

Mrs. Veronica Rodriguez is the K-8th Spanish/Yearbook teacher at Lowcountry Leadership Charter School. She is starting her eight  year as a Spanish Teacher and her fourth  year as yearbook advisor. She has been married to her husband Edgar for 23 years and they have two daughters Olivia(17) and Isabel (11), and a puppy named Mia. You can reach Mrs. Rodriguez at vrodriguez@lowcountryleardership.org. 

Rhiannon Callesen is a professional Dance Instructor.  She has been teaching Dance for 23 years and teaching at LLCS for seven years. She has traveled the US and Canada performing in multiple shows and touring with a Dance troupe called 2Extreme. She was in the production of the Nutcracker for 16 years with the Morca Ballet Company in Washington State. She was also a professional Flamenco dancer and was invited to perform in Spain. She was a Swampfox Cheerleader/Dance team member for the Charleston Swamp Foxes arena football team. She has a daughter in the 9th grade at LLCS. 

Mrs. Ashleigh Greenawalt (aka Mrs. G) is our K-12 Art Teacher here at Lowcountry Leadership Charter School. She is going into her 9th year teaching at LLCS. Prior to teaching art, she served as an assistant to the 2nd grade team and worked with the Special Education department. Although she relished her time spent within these departments, Art is where her true passion for teaching lies. Mrs. G attended the  College of Charleston and also took classes at Trident Technical College. She resides locally with her husband and two Middle School boys, Sawyer and Tucker, who have attended LLCS since Kindergarten. She loves animals, has ridden horses her entire life, and will never say no to a new pet. As a valued member of our LLCS family, you can often find Mrs. G at after school events, athletic games, and other community happenings. She is welcoming, passionate, and fun to be around. You can reach her via email at agreenawalt@lowcountryleadership.org or by leaving a message with the Front Office. 

Ms. Laura Crim is the LLCS K-12 Music Teacher. Ms. Crim holds a Bachelors of Music Education from Lander University and is pursuing a Masters in Education from Converse College. Formerly from the “Midlands” of SC, Ms. Crim is happy to be in the Lowcountry closer to family. Ms. Crim has three older children all of whom are artistic either as writers, artists or singers. Ms. Crim enjoys singing music from Blues to Opera. She plays piano, ukulele, a little bass guitar and beginning drumming. She also loves reading, the beach, anything with her children, and meditation.

Mrs. Pinckney Lee serves as one of our Special Education Teachers here at Lowcountry Leadership Charter School. She has an BA in History from USC and a BA in Criminal Justice from Ashford University.  She also received her Masters in Special Education from WGU.  She lives in Edisto with her wife, Jasmine Winn. and their animals.  You can reach Mrs. Lee at plee@lowcountryleadership.org. 

Celeste Tanner is a Special Education Teaching Assistant, Director of Navigation Station After School Program, GTeam facilitator, and high school EXCEL Club Leader.  She is a certified paraprofessional with 17 years experience in the education field.   Ms. Tanner began her career in education in the upstate of South Carolina, with experience teaching K5 through high school grade levels in the Special Education categories of ED and LD.  She is the blessed mother of Ava Tanner, the 2018 Lowcountry Leadership Charter School Valedictorian.

Mr.Davis is a Special Education Teacher at Lowcountry Leadership Charter School. He is from Bath, North Carolina. He has multiple years of teaching experience in the special education and mental health field. He has a Bachelor's Degree from East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. He enjoys watching sports, playing golf, playing games, going to the beach, cooking and having a good time. 

Coach Johnson is the Athletic Director here at Lowcountry  Leadership  Charter  School. He has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Sports Management from Erskine College where he played collegiate soccer and met his wife. He lives in West Ashley with his wife, Stephanie Johnson, and two daughters, Brooklyn (6) and Delanie (4). Coach Johnson is responsible for all middle and high school athletics. You can reach Coach Johnson at bjohnson@lowcountryleadership.org or by calling our front desk at 843-889-5527. 

Judy Werzbarger is the math interventionist at Lowcountry Leadership Charter School. She has a BS degree in education from UNC-Greensboro. She recently moved from North Carolina to Summerville with her husband Bill. She has a 25-year-old daughter. During her spare time, she enjoys reading, playing tennis, and watching college sports. Ms. Wetzbarger looks forward to helping the students become better math students starting with the basics and building a strong foundation. 

Brandi Attebury is the Gifted and Talented Teacher for grades 3-8 at LLCS. She has a B.S. degree in Elementary Education from Elizabethtown College and a

M. Ed degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Penn State University, along with her Gifted and Talented Certification.  Mrs. Attebury has over ten years of teaching experience in grades K-12, and she has been at LLCS since February 2020. Mrs. Attebury has lived and taught in many places including Pennsylvania, California, Virginia, Spain, and now South Carolina.  She loves spending time with her husband, Jon, and her two kids Kaylin (12), and Colton (9). As a family they love playing with their dog, a labradoodle named Axel,  and traveling the world. Mrs. Attebury also loves to hike and curl up with a novel.

Morgan Sott is the Read to Succeed Literacy Coach at Lowcountry Leadership Charter School.   Mrs. Sott has a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Clemson University and a Masters in Education from Anderson University.   She has taught grades 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 6th.   She has been married to her husband Brandon for 2 years and they have a black lab named Raimey. 

Mrs. Brooke Ingram serves as the Digital Literacy Center (DLC) Manager here at Lowcountry Leadership Charter School.  This will be Mrs. Ingram’s second year as a permanent faculty member, however, she has over five years of service to the school community in various roles including serving as a Guest Teacher and giving countless volunteer hours to the LLCS DLC.  Prior to joining LLCS, Mrs. Ingram was a part of the “corporate world” serving in various roles including Ethics and Compliance, purchasing, and marketing for a defense government contractor.  She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the College of Charleston in 1999.  She has a daughter, Gabby, who has attended LLCS since Pre-K and is excited to be a fifth grader this school year.  In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and hanging out at the beach or being on the water.  You can reach Mrs. Ingram by emailing her at bingram@lowcountryleadership.org, or calling her at 843-889-5527 x141.  

Megan Whitt is the Director of Lowcountry Leadership Pre-School and K-4 Teacher's Assistant.  She has 10 years of experience in the pre-k education field. She has an Associate of Arts with an emphasis in music from Spartanburg Methodist College. From there she completed the Childhood and Family Studies program at Trident Technical College before transferring to Charleston Southern University as an Early Childhood Education major with an emphasis in special education. She has been the choir director for Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church for the last 8 years and has a Pembroke Welsh Corgi named Sadie. 

Mr. Ruff serves as our school psychologist and special programs lead here at Lowcountry Leadership Charter School. He has 25 years of experience in the fields of education, assessment, and psychology.  He is a 1994 graduate of The Citadel where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree.  He also has a Masters degree and a Specialist in Education Degree in School Psychology.  He is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP).  Mr. Ruff served on the board of the South Carolina Association of School Psychologists (SCASP) from 1998-2001 as the Lowcountry Regional Representative.  In 1999, Gus was presented with the Regional Award of Excellence by the South Carolina Association of School Psychologists in Columbia, SC. He is also a member of Psi Chi, the National Honors Society in Psychology.  He has been married to his wife Theresa for 15 years and they have four children: Griffin (19), Kaede (18), Hotaru (14), and Maddie (6). You can reach Mr. Ruff at gruff@lowcountryleadership.org or by calling 843-889-5527 ext. 131. 

 Denise Armstrong brings over 30 year of experience as an office manager and administrator to Lowcountry Leadership Charter School.  Mrs. Armstrong began working for LLCS in 2013 in the LLCS Extended Day Program, Navigation Station. In 2014 and for the next five years, Mrs. Armstrong was the Director of NaviGation Station.   While serving as the Director, she also worked in the Gator Cafe and was one of our Administrative Assistant in the front office for 8 years.  Now she is the PowerSchool Administrator/Registrar and also oversees Attendance.  She is married to Robert Armstrong. Together, she and Mr. Armstrong have two adult children, four grandchildren, and two school-aged children, both of whom attend LLCS. 

Mrs. Desiree' Lemons serves as one of our proud Administrative Assistants here at Lowcountry Leadership Charter School. She has an Associate's Degree in Administrative Office Technology from Trident Technical College and specializes in communications, marketing and outreach for LLCS.  Living in West Ashley with her husband, Mr. Brian Lemons, the IT manager/CTE teacher at LLCS, they have two boys, Jacob and Samuel, who also attend LLCS. As a Navigator through and through, Mrs. Lemons represents the Front Office department as the face of our school at the front desk, serving students, faculty/staff, and families each day. She's a jack of all trades that keeps up to date on school business, student services, and communication. You can reach Mrs. Lemons at dlemons@lowcountryleadership.org or by calling our front desk at 843-889-5527.  

Ms. Arnesha Gates is our Administrative Assistant - Human Resources position here at Lowcountry Leadership Charter School. She has over 6 years experience in human resources and comes to LLCS with administrative assistant experience in the medical field.  Ms. Gates was born and raised in the state of Georgia, where her family still resides. She moved to SC back in 2020 with her 2 children, Rhyan and Rhylie, and 2 dogs, Rueben and Crystal. Ms. Gates is currently studying for her Bachelors in Science Accounting and has a passion for dog breeding. A highly valued member of the LLCS Faculty and Staff already, Ms. Gates is a strong pillar and manager of financial and HR matters. 

Ms. Karen Johnson serves on our Gator Cafe here at Lowcountry Leadership Charter School. She was a firefighter/engineer for Summerville Fire & Rescue for 14 years then became a stay-at-home mom. She was born and raised living out here in the Lowcountry. She has 3 children Caden “14”, Jorja “10”, and Hunleigh “5”.  She has been a parent from the beginning of LLCS. In her spare time, she loves to go hunting with her Fiancé Shane and going to the beach with her kids.  She can’t wait to see what the school year brings. Go Gators! 

Mrs. Liz Gorman works in the Gator Cafe alongside Chef Greenawalt for the second year.  She went to the Culinary Institute at Trident Technical College for an Associates Degree in Baking and Pastry.  Before coming to LLCS she was a Pastry Chef at Ms. Rose’s Fine Foods and Cocktails for three years. She has also worked for more than 20 years in the restaurant industry. She’s done everything from the front of the house to the back of the house in those. Mrs. Gorman and her husband have four children all who are currently attending or have attended LLCS. 

Melody Keller serves as our school nurse here at Lowcountry Leadership Charter School. She completed her nursing program and earned an Associate of Science Degree from Trident Technical College. Mrs. Keller and her husband Rusty, have two children. Their son graduated from LLCS in 2020 and their daughter will graduate in 2024. Mrs. Keller has been at LLCS since its inception and remains involved in many organizations within the school and community. In her spare time, Mrs. Keller enjoys spending time with her family and friends, volleyball, boating, reading, and traveling. 

BIO COMING SOON!

My name is Barbi Schlenker, and I am thrilled to be joining Lowcountry Leadership Charter School as your new Career Specialist. I come to you with 20 years of experience in Career and Technology Education and am ready to work with the students at LLCS in many areas involving their future career possibilities and exactly how they get there.