Laura Allen, Executive Director joined the CSB staff as Executive Director in November 2014. She has had extensive experience with nonprofits, including her role as the Director of Development for Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital. She volunteers at Meeting Street Academy and is on the board of the Girl Scouts Mountains to Midlands and the Spartanburg Philharmonic Orchestra. Laura is married to Roger Sullivan and has three grown children.

Kim Melick, Operations Manager joined the team in July 2016 as Operations Manager. She brings 10+ years of bookkeeping and marketing experience. Her most recent position was with Spartanburg County School District 1 in a bookkeeping role, and she worked with MCI and WorldCom as a marketing and communications strategist before joining the school district. Kim lives in Inman and has two children.

Carla Fowler, Case Manager is the most recent addition, joining us as Case Manager in August 2016. She served as Program Manager for the Family Self-Sufficiency and Homeownership Program at the Spartanburg Housing Authority for 15 years and facilitated counseling sessions at The Forrester Center for Behavioral Health. She serves on the board for The Bethlehem Center. Carla lives in Spartanburg and has two children.

Tom Russell, Co-Founder and Program Assistant was born in Aiken and raised in Spartanburg. Before co-founding The Children’s Security Blanket in 2001, Mr. Tom served as South Carolina Governor for the Optimist Club and remains involved in the service club today. He and his wife Lucy reside in Spartanburg, and they are proud parents and grandparents.

Blake Stafford-Gomez, Program Coordinator began her role as Program Coordinator in May 2016. She has had a wide range of experience in the nonprofit sector, from marketing to training to volunteering. She volunteers with the Junior League of Spartanburg and Spartanburg Philharmonic Orchestra, and plays kickball in her spare time. Blake lives in Spartanburg with her husband, Albert Gomez.