Board of Directors
Meet our Board
At the heart of KIND of the Upstate is our dedicated Board of Directors, a group of passionate and visionary individuals united by a shared commitment to enriching the lives all individuals. Their leadership and unwavering dedication guide our mission and drive us forward. Get to know the inspiring people who are shaping a bright, inclusive, and KIND future for all.
Becca Fowler
Education Chair
Becca earned her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and her Master’s in Library and Information Science both from the University of South Carolina, before completing her Doctorate in Professional Leadership from Converse University. She spent 12 years serving her community as a teacher and librarian before pausing her professional career to focus on her family and volunteer work. She is also a certified yoga instructor.
Originally from Camden, South Carolina, Becca moved to Greenville in 2015 with her husband, Brann. Together, they are raising their son, Henry, and are grateful to be part of the Upstate community.
Becca believes deeply that every person deserves to be treated with kindness and respect, regardless of age or ability. She strives to lead with compassion and an open heart, ensuring those around her feel seen and valued. She is passionate about KIND’s mission and is honored to support its efforts to foster inclusivity and empathy in children throughout the Upstate.
Carmen Hancock
Operations Manager
Carmen graduated from the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2009. She earned a Master of Science in Nursing from Augusta University in 2013. She is a Family Nurse Practitioner with oncology certification and has spent her career taking care of adults with cancer. She has more recently enjoyed focusing on cancer prevention and survivorship at the Center for Integrative Oncology and Survivorship at Prisma Health. She loves the patient education and wellness promotion aspects of her role.
Carmen and her husband, Thomas, are high school sweethearts. They moved from Atlanta to Greenville in 2016. They have two sons and a daughter, Alden, Nolan, and Eleanor.Carmen started volunteering with KIND in 2023 and has loved each opportunity to teach about kindness, disabilities, and inclusion. She feels that we should strive to be kind to others in our communities, be accepting of differences as this is what makes us great, and lend an inclusive hand to all. She has realized this is all even more important since becoming a mom and wants to instill these lessons in her own children. She is grateful for the opportunity to serve on the Board to further this mission.
Candice Hipp
Grant and Analytics Chair
Candice holds a master’s degree in health administration from the Medical University of South Carolina and a bachelor’s degree in finance from Wofford College. She worked in the health care field for 10 years and found a passion for establishing new innovative population health models that focused on improving the overall health of upstate communities. Candice has served on the KIND Board since 2021.
Candice’s sister, Caroline Giguere, is a co-founder of KIND and her son, Candice’s nephew, Row, is the reason why she is driven to support KIND’s mission. Candice has three children and believes that introducing kindness, acceptance and inclusion of people with disabilities at a young age can provide lifelong benefits. Candice enjoys teaching KIND’s curriculum and seeing the positive impact made on the children served.
Rebecca Huntington
KIND Day Chair
Rebecca was born and raised in Huntington, WV. She attended Marshall University where she double majored in Psychology and Spanish. After graduation, she spent a year studying and working in Valparaiso, Chile. Upon her return to the states she enrolled in the University of South Carolina School of Law, graduating in 2012.
Rebecca began practicing law in Charlotte, North Carolina where she met her now husband, Will, who was completing residency there.
Rebecca and Will moved to Greenville in 2016 and are proud to call the city home. They have two children, Mason and Emma. Rebecca has paused her law practice to devote herself to her family and volunteer efforts, like KIND, that help young people learn to make the world a better place.
Laura Johnson
Treasurer
Laura Johnson, who is originally from Aiken, SC, graduated from Clemson University with a degree in Industrial Engineering and Georgia State with a Masters in Business Administration. She has worked at GE (now GE Vernova) for the last 17 years in various operational and business transformation roles and is currently a Services Executive. Laura, her husband Whit, and their three children moved to establish roots in Greenville three years ago.
Laura’s youngest child, Beckett, has Trisomy 21 (Down syndrome). When Beckett was born in 2020, it opened up a whole new world to Laura and her family. Beckett is an adventurous, playful, loving, and kind 4 year old boy. His sister says, “to have a hug from Beckett makes you come alive”. Laura wants the world to be able to experience the joy of inclusion and friendship with those with disabilities, which is exactly what KIND is all about.
Meredith Wilkes Johnson
Secretary
Born and raised in Spartanburg, SC, Meredith graduated from Wofford College with a degree in Finance and has spent nearly 20 years in the banking industry. She is currently a Senior Enterprise Risk Officer at United Community Bank, where she focuses on strengthening enterprise‑wide risk management practices.
Meredith and her husband, Mitch, live in Greenville with their two children, Hattie (10) and Wilkes (8). Their family has supported KIND since its earliest days, participating in KIND events and volunteering in schools throughout the Upstate. She is passionate about instilling these values in her children and ensuring they grow up understanding the importance of empathy, inclusion and community. Meredith is grateful for the opportunity to further KIND’s mission and expand its impact.
Melissa Chandler Murphy
Fundraising Chair
Melissa Chandler Murphy is originally from Greenwood and moved to Greenville with her family from Alexandria, V.A. in 2021. Melissa received her Bachelor of Arts in government from Wofford College and a Master of Public Administration from the University of South Carolina. She currently serves as the Managing Director of Public Affairs and Communications for Duke Energy. In this role she is responsible for leading integrated public affairs and communications strategies to advance the Company’s top legislative, regulatory, and built infrastructure priorities in Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, and South Carolina.
Prior to joining Duke Energy, Melissa served as Chief of Staff to Congressman David Rouzer (N.C.-7), a role she held since January of 2015. Before leading Congressman Rouzer’s team, Melissa served as Deputy Chief of Staff to Congressman Joe Wilson (S.C.-2), where she began her career in 2006.
Melissa and her husband, Ryan, have two sons – Chandler and Patrick. She is passionate about KIND’s mission as she strives to raise her sons to be kind and inclusive.
We Need Your Help
KIND of the Upstate is a registered South Carolina 501(c)(3) non profit organization. 100% of your donation goes towards our mission and is tax-deductible to the extent of the law.