ORGANIZATION ADVISORS

Eleanor H. Hardy is a lifelong educator and compassionate leader with more than 45 years of dedicated service in the field of education. From the beginning of her journey as a teacher assistant to her later role as a school principal and beyond, Eleanor has remained committed to helping others learn, grow, and thrive.

She holds a B.S. in Elementary Education and English from Winston-Salem State University and went on to earn a Master’s degree in School Counseling from North Carolina Central University. She later obtained Master’s Level Certifications in Educational Administration (North Carolina Central University) and Supervision (East Carolina University).

Eleanor spent 19 years as an elementary school teacher before becoming one of the first school counselors in the Halifax County School System. Over her career, she served as a school counselor, Director of Student Services, and principal, culminating in a total of 31 years in public education before retiring. Following her retirement, she served as an adjunct professor at Halifax Community College and Wesleyan College.

She later relocated to Charleston, South Carolina, where she joined the Charleston County School District as an Accountability Specialist and Guidance Director. She also earned certification as a Career Counselor (Global Career Development Facilitator) from Coastal Carolina University. After seven additional years in the district, she again retired—only to take on her final role as Principal and CEO of a Charleston County charter high school, a position she held for six years.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Eleanor furthered her personal and professional growth by becoming a certified Life Coach through the International Association of Professional Career College. She is now the proud Owner and CEO of Insight Life Coaching and Consultant Services, LLC.

A woman of deep faith and community involvement, Eleanor is a dedicated member of Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church in North Charleston. She serves as a Deaconess, President of the Baptist Women’s Ministry, Leader of the Caregivers Support Ministry, Consultant for Four Rivers CDC, Instructor for the Cyber Seniors Ministry, and Supervisor for the Four Rivers Summer Camp Program.

Eleanor was married to her beloved husband, Plummer F. Hardy, Jr., until his passing in 2018. She is the proud mother of two children, Fletcher (Tonya) and Nikki, and the joyful grandmother of two grandsons, Evan and Chase.

A woman of grace, wisdom, and deep conviction, Eleanor continues to live a life of service, leadership, and unwavering dedication to others.

Dr. Ernestine Barnes-Small was born in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, in the late 1950s. She is the twelfth of thirteen children, raised on a farm by her parents, Chames and Mae Eliza Barnes, who were sharecroppers. Ernestine lost her father to a tragic swimming accident just before her second birthday. From an early age, she spent many days in the cotton fields or under the tobacco shelters with her mother and younger brother until she was old enough to attend school.

During the summer months, like all her siblings, Ernestine worked in tobacco fields until they graduated and left for the military, other jobs, or moved north to join older sisters seeking new opportunities. Working the fields wasn’t optional—it was the only way Mrs. Barnes was allowed to remain in the farm shacks, as the children’s labor was needed for the cotton and tobacco crops. Ernestine proudly became the first in her family to attend a four-year college.

Though the Barnes household faced many survival challenges, Ernestine reflects that she didn’t realize they were poor until much later in life. Her mother had a way of making a piece of cornbread with sweetened water feel like a luxury. Among the many lessons her mother passed down, the two that left the deepest impression were: “There’s no such thing as can’t,” and that “discipline and hard work are non-negotiable.”

In a presentation she once gave, Ernestine emphasized that today’s struggling women often lack motherly guidance, mentorship, and sisterhood. She proudly declared, “My first and most impressive mentor had only a third-grade education. She raised nine of her thirteen children alone. She raised chemists, independent truckers, a Sergeant Major, a Master Sergeant, a surgeon, executive assistants, teachers, line repairmen, a plant operations leader, mothers, and fathers. My number one mentor showed me that there is no such thing as can’t. Her name was Mama.”

Ernestine enjoyed a successful 30-year career at Cummins Inc., serving in multiple leadership roles including Plant Operations Leader, Plant Diversity Leader, Certified Six Sigma Black Belt, and Training and Development Leader. After retiring, she dedicated herself to her true passion—mentoring women. She earned her Master of Science degree from Springfield College’s Charleston, SC campus, where she developed CallMAMA Incorporated during her Projects class. She later earned a Ph.D. in Human Services with a concentration in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from Capella University.

Founder of F.A.M.I. Services, a nonprofit organization dedicated to family mediation and intervention through educational trainings and consultations based on evidence-based curriculums. With over twenty years of experience in advocacy, nonprofit management, and community activism, Travis brings a wealth of knowledge, leadership, and compassion to every space he enters.

Currently, Travis serves with the South Carolina Department of Children’s Advocacy – Guardian ad Litem Program, where he continues to champion the rights and voices of vulnerable children. His work has spanned lobbying efforts for social and racial justice, promoting fairness, equity, and systemic reform in various governmental structures. His advocacy targets systemic racism, social inequities, and the disproportionate impact these challenges have on minority communities.

Travis holds a Bachelor of Arts from Auburn University and a Master of Arts in Psychology from Faulkner University, with concentrations in clinical, abnormal, theoretical, and applied psychology. He has also completed doctoral coursework at Faulkner University and is in the dissertation phase of his doctoral journey.

He currently serves as Board Chair for Dorchester County First Steps, and has held numerous leadership positions with other nonprofit boards, demonstrating his enduring commitment to early childhood and family advocacy. He has actively participated in grassroots campaigns such as Stopping the Violence, Project Love, and Hope for the Holidays, always taking a hands-on leadership role.

A servant leader at heart, Travis has been a faithful member of New Jerusalem Church – The Triumphant Church for over two decades. His love for ministry, music, family, and travel is matched only by his deep desire to fulfill the call on his life and serve others through the will of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.