Directors and Staff

The Charleston Area Children's Garden Project was certified as a 501 (c) 3 non-profit charitable organization in 2004. Board members serve 2 year terms. The Executive Director is board-elected..

Board of Directors

Joseph Watson, President — Life-long East Side community activist. Affiliations: Charleston Development Academy Charter School; Enterprise Zone

Heyward Robinson, Secretary / Treasurer — Biologist and Environmental Consultant who directed the 5 year Charleston Harbor Project

Sharon Coke — Trident Technical College, Department of Horticulture Instructor

Tom Hutcheson — Semi-retired attorney

Joan Mack — National Public Radio 'Conversations'

Patricia Mack — West Side community activist whose professional and personal interests revolve around health care, children and nutrition

Staff

Darlena Goodwin, Executive Director
John Mitchell, Garden Leader
Fred Phillips, Garden Leader
Chad Dausener, Garden Leader
Gina Prevost, Bookkeeper
Stephan Krug, Website design and maintenance

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Darlena Goodwin, Executive Director —

In May 2007, Darlena Goodwin came to us as our new Executive Director. Fred Phillips met Darlena at Mt Zion Elementary School in Winter 2006. At that time, the Garden Project and the Mt. Zion students planned and developed an edible garden, which continues today. Darlena,who was a Math teacher at the school, emerged as a committed assistant to Fred and an environmental educator to the students who acknowledged the garden as a great way to teach math and science through the outdoors. As time evolved, Darlena agreed to accept the Director's position of the Project as Fred neared his retirement the next year.

Darlena has lived in Charleston since 1980. She is the proud mother of two children and has been working and teaching in the field of disabilities and/or mathematics for 23 years. Darlena held the position of Director of Children's Services for the Dorchester County Board of Disabilities and Special Needs as well as 'headed up' the Peer EXPRESS Project for the Department of Psychology at The Citadel. She is a strong advocate of equality, opportunity, and social justice. Darlena coached soccer for James Island Youth Soccer. She also created and coached a Unified League comprised of Softball, Basketball, and Soccer for youth with and without disabilities for Mt Pleasant Recreation Department. She has lived and worked on 2 organic farms and is a passionate environmentalist. Within this new position, Darlena feels that she is 'living her life's work' as she 'embraces the world's children as her own'.


Fred Phillips, Garden Leader at Crisis Ministries Family Shelter —

Fred was one of the original organizers of the project and became the first executive director. He has planted children's gardens in California, Massachusetts, Washington D.C. and Charleston.