Board Chairperson

Deann McManus is a Multilingual Learner Program Coach in Lexington County School District One. Before taking on this role, she served as Success Coach at Newberry High School and the English Proficiency Assessment Program Manager at the South Carolina Department of Education.

With experience as an ESOL teacher in Newberry County Schools from 2012 to 2021 and deep expertise as a Multilingual Learner specialist, Deann is passionate about advocating for MLs and empowering the educators who serve them. She holds a BS in Early Childhood Education from Newberry College, an MEd in TESOL from American College of Education, and is currently pursuing an EdS in Administration from University of the Cumberlands. Deann believes in building collaborative relationships, fostering inclusive practices, and centering student needs in every decision.

Deann also serves as the board secretary for the Newberry County First Steps local partnership and has served as a board member for her local community theater. She has two grown children and two precocious cats. 

Secretary

Megan Todd is a lead ML teacher for Horry County Schools. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Inclusive Special Education with a minor in Psychology of Children with Exceptionalities from SUNY Cortland and a Masters Degree in TESOL from Adelphi University. She is a member of the Programming Committee for the SCML Educator Network and has worked with the Content Committee to create and produce their social media. Megan has experience on her district’s ML curriculum development team and has an interest in the Science of Reading as it pertains to ML’s. Prior to coming to South Carolina, Megan lived in New York and taught for the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) and Long Island schools. While in NY, she had vast experiences with co-teaching and the SIOP model. She lives with her husband, daughter, and two animals. 

Treasurer

Laura McAulay has been in education for 10 years and served as a multilingual learner program (MLP) specialist for 8 years. In addition to her K-12 ESOL certification, she received her bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education (K-6) and a minor in Spanish from Georgia Southern University and has her master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Clemson University. She has spent her entire career in South Carolina and taught for both Chesterfield County and York 4-Fort Mill School District. She has experience teaching all K-12 MLs. In Fort Mill, she also got extensive experience co-teaching at the elementary school level which allowed her to develop further classroom experience and an understanding of how to support MLs within the general education classroom. She is passionate about advocating and empowering ML parents and school staff to equitably educate MLs. She lives in Charlotte, NC with her husband, Sam, and is currently staying home with their two sons.

Kristin Craft is an Instructional Specialist in the Dept. of Multilingual Services in Charleston County School District. She holds a BA in Elementary Education with a specialization in Mathematics and a minor in Spanish from Millikin University and an MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from The University of Texas at San Antonio. She has taught early childhood through high school learners in four different states. She enjoys writing and intends to become an author of children's books in the near future. She resides in Charleston, SC with her husband and two young children.

Tory Pennington, PhD is an assistant professor of Early Childhood Education at the University of South Carolina Upstate. Her work centers on emergent curriculum, multilingual literacies, and play-based learning. She collaborates with teachers, families, and community partners to design joyful, inclusive learning environments where children can become infinitely.

Maria Garcia is a mission-driven marketing manager at the Babcock Center, where she leads brand development and strategic communications efforts in support of programs serving individuals with lifelong disabilities. With a career rooted entirely in the nonprofit sector, she brings a thoughtful, creative approach to advancing organizational impact and community engagement.

Maria holds a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Communications from the University of South Carolina and has played a key role in developing and elevating initiatives such as Jingle Jam, helping to strengthen brand presence and audience connection.

Originally from Mexico, Maria is passionate about expanding opportunities for multilingual learners and educators. As a former non-native English speaker, she understands firsthand the importance of having confident, well-equipped teachers. She is honored to serve on the Board of Directors for the South Carolina Multilingual Educators Network and is committed to supporting its mission to better prepare educators and create more inclusive learning environments.

Maria brings a creative and strategic perspective to her board service, grounded in her dedication to mission-driven work and community impact.

Dr. Liza Trejo is currently a Professional Learning Specialist for Avant where she creates and delivers professional learning for educators across the U.S. and beyond, and hosts the podcast: The Multiliterate Mind. She has been an adjunct professor for ESOL certification and a middle school ESOL teacher. She has also been a DLI Specialist and Coordinator for World Languages and Immersion before returning to the classroom. Her B.A. is in Spanish, she has an MAT in teaching Foreign Languages and a PhD in Language and Literacy. She specializes in teaching teachers, language and literacy and curriculum development. She has led districts across the country to use data to improve instruction, incorporate literacy strategies in their language courses and create curriculum. She is certified in Spanish K-12, ESOL, Elementary Education and Literacy Practices.