NAMI SC Board of Directors

Theodore Calvin Cooley, ‘Ted’
NAMI SC Board President - NAMI Beaufort County

Ted graduated from Virginia Military Institute in 1962 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics. He served two years in the U.S. Army as 1st Lt. and is a retired Major in the Inactive Reserves. Until his retirement in 2000, Ted was employed in the insurance industry with two major companies. His last responsibility was Executive Vice President. He managed an insurance division and was a member of the Board. Currently, Ted is an active partner in Home Helpers in Beaufort County which is a non-medical in-home care business.

Ted became involved in NAMI in 2000 when a family member was diagnosed with a mental illness. After attending the Family-to-Family course, he and wife, Betty, became advocates for the mentally ill. They became support group facilitators and conduct two support groups every month in Beaufort County. Ted has served on the NAMI Beaufort County Board since 2003 as treasurer, president, and secretary. He is also Vice Chairman of the Coastal Empire Community Mental Health Center Board. In 2008 Ted joined the NAMI SC Board and was recognized as NAMI South Carolina’s Volunteer of the Year for 2008. He is a member and elder of Low Country Presbyterian Church and serves on the Local Missions Committee. Ted enjoys golf and likes to play duplicate bridge with Betty. They are Life Masters. Ted has three sons and three grandchildren.

Joan Herbert, MS
NAMI SC Board Vice President - NAMI Charleston Area

A native South Carolinian, Joan received a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the Medical University of South Carolina in 1975.  After two years of bedside practice in psychiatric facilities in Atlanta, Georgia, she obtained a Master of Science degree with a major in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing in 1979 from the University of Maryland in Baltimore. For two years post-graduate school she served as an instructor in the MUSC College of Nursing and provided family therapy in part-time private practice.  From 1982 until 1991 Joan held various progressive management positions in the private psychiatric hospital sector.  Positions included Program Manager, Director of Nursing and Clinical Services, and Assistant Administrator in facilities in South Carolina, Texas and Florida.  She re-joined the MUSC staff in 1991 and served as Administrator of the Institute of Psychiatry from January 1997 to April 2009.  Joan’s current title is Director and Coach of Organization Performance at MUSC as part of the MUSC Excellence Initiative, with particular focus on performance improvement across the Medical Center.

Larry Graham
NAMI SC Board Treasurer - NAMI Kershaw

Larry graduated from Camden High School and North Carolina State University with a degree in Engineering. He is self-employed at a family owned independent tire store and describes himself as a grease monkey, brake mechanic, and tire changer.

Larry’s involvement with NAMI Kershaw began when a family member was diagnosed with a mental illness. He is the current Chair of Mental Health America of Kershaw County and is on the Santee Wateree Mental Health Center Board. Larry and Linda, his wife of thirty-two years, have three children, Joe, Becky, and, Dan and one grandchild, Gretchen. He is also involved in the Baptist Church, the Kiwanis Club, the Bicycle Club, and the Bee Keeping Club.

Fletcher C. Mann, Jr.
NAMI SC Board Secretary - NAMI Greenville

A native of Greenville, Fletcher graduated from UNC Chapel Hill in 1975 and USC School of Law in 1979. He was in a private law practice, Clerk of Court for Greenville County, a business law instructor, and an executive director of a non-profit.

In 2007 Fletcher began attending a NAMI Connection Support Group. He became a Connection facilitator in 2008, took the Peer-to-Peer Education Course, served on the NAMI Greenville Board of Directors, and was hired as its Program Director. Fletcher was the recipient or co- recipient of two NAMI National Connection Awards in 2009: Program Expansion and Outreach and Data Reporting. He enjoys walking, backpacking, gardening, and, sometimes, golf.

J. David Almeida, ‘Dave’
NAMI Mid-Carolina

Dave received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from The Citadel in 1990. He works in public affairs for a major pharmaceutical company. From 2000- 2007 he served as the Executive Director of the South Carolina chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Derek Brown, MSW, MPH
NAMI Mid-Carolina

Derek Brown is Director of Development for the University of South Carolina, College of Social Work. A Wofford alumnus, Derek also holds Master of Social Work and Master of Public Health Administration degrees from USC. He later graduated from the Management Academy for Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Derek has served as a clinician and administrator, in both inpatient and outpatient settings for consumers throughout the entire life cycle. Today, he is a team member of University Development at USC. Within the division of health sciences (Medicine, Nursing, Public Health, Pharmacy and Social Work), he leads the College of Social Work’s development program, with an emphasis on major gifts and grant proposals. Derek works with donors to establish scholarships, fellowships, research projects, professorships, endowed chairs, and research centers that will create new leaders and knowledge. He is also a private giving fundraiser who works mostly with individual donors interested in making major gifts. A former board member of the Pee Dee Mental Health Center and All Saints’ Episcopal School, Derek also serves on a review board for a National Institute of Mental Health clinical trial at MUSC. He is concerned about all aspects of mental health issues.

Beverly Cardwell
NAMI Piedmont Tri-County

Beverly and her husband spent twenty-one years as a management team in a multi-national corporation. After numerous moves throughout the country, they settled in Rock Hill, SC. They became involved in NAMI in 1995 when a family member was diagnosed with a mental illness.

Over the years, she has served NAMI Piedmont Tri-County as president, board member, and “help line” responder. Membership in other boards includes the NAMI SC State and Executive Boards, the Catawba Community Mental Health Center Board, and the Catawba Foundation Board. In addition, she is a national speaker, providing hope and education in the area of mental illness, and is a Trustee for her church. Her hobbies include traveling, cooking, home decorating, and wedding planning.

William R. Hamilton, ‘Bill’
NAMI Grandstrand

Bill was born and raised in San Mateo, California. Following graduation from the University of California at Berkeley, he enlisted in the California Air National Guard. After returning from active duty, he began his teaching career as a public school music teacher. During this time he began graduate studies at California State University, San Francisco, and his musical interests shifted to theory and composition. He moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan where he completed his doctorate at the University of Michigan, and began his career as a college professor.

In 1979 he was hired by USC Coastal Carolina College. In addition to teaching, he developed an interest in jazz piano and wrote music for some theater productions. When USC-CCC became Coastal Carolina University, he wrote the music for Coastal’s alma mater. He retired from full time teaching at the end of the 2006- 2007 year, but has been able to do some part time teaching, and continue his performing activities. Bill joined NAMI in 1991 after a family member experienced symptoms of mental illness. Presently, he serves as president of NAMI Grand Strand.

James Hayes, MD, ‘Jim’
NAMI Greenville

Jim Hayes is a retired Pediatric Hematologist-Oncologist, but still works as the Medical Director for Research Compliance for Greenville Hospital System and Medical Director for Taylors Free Medical Clinic. He and Glenda his wife have been active in NAMI since 2005 and are Family-to-Family teachers. Glenda is a Provider Education teacher. Jim has been a board member of NAMI Greenville since 2007. Their activities involve church work at Taylors First Baptist Church, where they teach Sunday School and do educational classes about mental illness for the church. They are actively involved in medical missions in Fortaleza Brazil. Being grand parents to 5 active grand children is their favorite activity. Jim's goal for NAMI is to greatly increase research efforts to understand the cause of mental illness and increase NAMI's outreach.

Robert Wesley Hayes, Jr., ‘Wes’
NAMI Piedmont Tri-County

Wes graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1975. While at West Point, he was elected President of the Class of 1975 and served as a Battalion Commander. His military service includes service as a member of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg from 1976-1980, and service as a member of the South Carolina Army National Guard from 1980-2005 where he held the rank of Colonel. He is a master parachutist, a ranger, and recipient of the Legion of Merit Award. In 1983, Wes graduated from the University of South Carolina’s School of Law. While in law school, he was elected President of the Student Bar Association, served on the South Carolina Law Review, and was a member of the Order of the Coif. He is a partner in the law firm of Harrelson, Hayes and Guyton. Wes served in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1985-1991. He has served as a member of the South Carolina Senate since 1991 and is a member of the Republican Party.

Wes currently serves on the Boards of the South Carolina Bank and Trust of the Piedmont, Guardian Fidelity Mortgage Corporation, Westminster Towers, and the York County Chapter of the American Red Cross.  He is an active member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Rock Hill. He was Chairman of the York District Boy Scouts of America from 1985-1991, and Chairman of the Rock Hill United Way Campaign in 1992. Wes is a member of the American Legion, Kiwanis, Elks, Gideons, Christian Legal Society, National Lawyers Association, and State and County Bar Associations. Wes and his wife Sally have three children.

Michelle Ready, RN
NAMI AOP

Michelle graduated from the Medical University of South Carolina’s School of Nursing. In 2002 she took the Family-to-Family course when a family member was diagnosed with a mental illness. The knowledge she gained from the course, as well as the support she received from others in the organization, inspired her to become a volunteer with NAMI. She became a Family-to-Family teacher and state trainer, a Family Support Group facilitator, a Provider Education teacher, a Parents and Teachers as Allies presenter, the NAMI AOP resource person, and the NAMIWalks co-chair for NAMI AOP for two years as well as the Web Coordinator for the NAMI AOP and NAMI SC websites. In 2004 she received NAMI SC’s Volunteer of the Year Award. In 2008 she received NAMI SC’s Solid Gold Member Award and was inducted into NAMI National’s Family-to-Family Hall of Fame.

In addition to her work with NAMI, Michelle is on the Anderson-Oconee-Pickens Mental Health Center Board. She has served on the Citizen’s Advisory Board at Patrick B. Harris Psychiatric Hospital. Michelle has a daughter and a son. Her hobbies include cake decorating, scrapbooking, card making, and organizing the homes of friends.

Jane B. Simpson, 'Janie'
NAMI Mid-Carolina

Janie Simpson has been involved with NAMI SC and NAMI Mid-Carolina for 10 years. She has volunteered with In Our Own Voice, Crisis Intervention Training, Family to Family, facilitation of support groups and Provider Education. Much of her career has been spent in the mental health field, some of which, has been training mentors to work with persons with mental health issues and certifying South Carolina Department of Mental Health “peer support specialists”. She has extensive experience writing recovery curriculum she has taught around the state of South Carolina and is a dedicated advocate for all those living with mental illness and their families.

Gary Snyder, MS
NAMI Mid-Carolina

Gary is executive director of Capital Campaign communications at the University of South Carolina, and a public health adjunct faculty member.  Prior to arriving in SC in 2006, he directed communications efforts at the Ohio State University Medical Center, building the programs for three health sciences schools. At the medical school, he helped develop the Office for Global Health and taught the “Marketing Health Services” course in the Masters of Health Administration program.  Before Ohio State, he led communications/marketing at Ohio University’s medical school, helping build the University’s SHARE Kenya program, and furthering global partnerships with the university’s Tropical Disease Institute.

He holds degrees from the Ohio University E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, where his graduate research examined immigrant Latino health knowledge and practices, and their information access.  Gary’s passion for improving the physical and mental health of underserved communities is illustrated in 25 years of service in community health and social justice programs, which includes a current community-building initiative in inner-city Columbia.  Gary, who became a certified community mediator in 2010, has worked to diminish the stigma applied to the poor and marginalized, and hopes to help NAMI erase the stigma faced by those living with mental illness.

James C. Williams, Jr., 'Jimmy'
NAMI AOP

Jimmy Williams is an attorney who served from 1998 until his retirement in 2010 as a Circuit Court Judge in South Carolina.  He previously served as as Chief Deputy Solicitor for the First Judicial Circuit in Orangeburg and Calhoun counties.  He presently is operating Carolina Mediation Service and his web site and complete bio can be viewed at CarolinaMediationService.com.  Now living in Seneca, he is active in all matters Clemson.  Jimmy completed the NAMI Family to Family course in early 2010 after undertaking to assist a young homeless orphan who suffers from bipolar disorder.  He is especially interested in helping eliminate the stigma associated with mental illness and in working to educate the various components of the criminal justice system of the special needs of the mentally ill caught up in that system.

Yancey Wise
NAMI Charleston Area

Yancey is a retired clinical social worker who practiced psychotherapy. She is the Consumer Representative to the NAMI SC State Board and the NAMI Charleston Area Board and has served as the Outreach Chairman. In 2009 she was the NAMI Charleston Area’s Volunteer of the Year.  She is a NAMI Connection facilitator and co-leads four groups a month in Charleston and has taught NAMI’s Provider Education course.  She has served on the Consumer Council at MUSC's Institute of Psychiatry. Yancey, an active member of her church, does volunteer work in cities and schools, and has two sons and four grandchildren, including triplets.