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Ellen Hoke Babb, Esq. was born in Greenville, South Carolina. A second-generation attorney, Ms. Babb understands clients’ need compassionate results driven attorneys representing them. Ms. Babb studied at East China Normal University in Shanghai, China. She graduated with honors from Mercer Law School with an Advanced Legal Research, Drafting and Writing Certificate. While attending Mercer, she was on the American Bar Association Negotiation Team. Ms. Babb completed her undergraduate degree at Furman University. While a student at Furman, Ms. Babb presented a paper on The Effects of Signs on Pro-social Behavior to the Carolinas Conference/National Conference on Undergraduate Research.
Ms. Babb is a Certified Family Court Mediator and Private Guardian ad Litem. She successfully litigates cases in Civil and Family Court.
Shannon Felder, JD, CWLS earned her law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law where she was a Carolina Legal Scholar, member of the South Carolina Law Review and President of the Black Law Students Association. Shannon Felder joined NACC in February of 2024 and works to ensure legal professionals have the resources they need to provide high-quality representation of children, parents, and agencies, and manages NACC’s training department.
Shannon previously served as a Managing Attorney for the South Carolina Department of Social Services for ten years. She collaborated with child welfare stakeholders, ensured quality agency representation in abuse and neglect cases, provided case consultations to social work team members in complex cases, and supervised over 40 legal professionals.
Shannon became involved in the child welfare legal system serving as a volunteer Guardian ad Litem for CASA while in law school. After a judicial clerkship, Shannon entered private practice as a civil litigator focusing on personal injury, including nursing home abuse and neglect. While in private practice, she served as a contract attorney for the Guardian ad Litem program in South Carolina. After fourteen years in litigation, Shannon joined the South Carolina Department of Social Services. She is certified by NACC as a Child Welfare Law Specialist.
Susan B. Hackett, Esq. is the Chief Staff Attorney at the SC Court of Appeals. Prior to this position, she was an Appellate Defender with the Office of Appellate Defense, representing individuals in their appeals following criminal convictions and in post-conviction relief matters. She won the President’s Award from the South Carolina Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in 2022. In 2020, she won the Gold Compleat Award from the University of South Carolina School of Law and in 2018, won the Martha Browning Dicus Award from the Public Defender Association for demonstrating remarkable competence, zeal, and adherence to the ideals of the legal profession.
Susan has worked at the Office of Disciplinary Counsel where she investigated and prosecuted lawyers for violations of the Rules of Professional Responsibility. She also served as the Executive Director of the Center of Capital Litigation, a non-profit dedicated to the representation of individuals charged with capital crimes. While an associate at Blume, Weyble & Norris, LLC, she represented criminal defendants in state and federal courts.
Upon graduating from law school, Susan served as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Deadra L. Jefferson in the Ninth Circuit. She also taught legal writing at the University of South Carolina School of Law as an adjunct professor for two years.
She graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2003, and from Winthrop University in 2000. Susan serves as a member of the Supreme Court’s Committee on Character and Fitness and the University of South Carolina School of Law’s Pro Bono Program Advisory Council. She is a member of the South Carolina Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and serves as the Secretary-Treasurer for the Education Foundation of the Association’s non-profit organization. She is a regular presenter at Public Defense 101: Fundamentals of the Profession, an annual seminar sponsored by the South Carolina Commission on Indigent Defense. Susan is an active member of the South Carolina Bar, serving on the Professional Responsibility Committee, the Practice and Procedure Committee and the Trial and Appellate Advocacy Section. She is currently the chair of the Law Related Education Committee.
Harry Hancock, Esq. received his BA degree in History from West Virginia University & Institute of Technology in 1989 and his J.D. from Ohio Northern University in 1991. He received an LL.M. in tax law from Case Western Reserve University in 1994. Mr. Hancock previously held positions of Tax Law Specialist, Florida Department of Revenue, Tax Policy Analyst, New Jersey Treasury, and Managing Litigation Attorney, South Carolina Department of Revenue. He is currently in private practice in Columbia, SC. Mr. Hancock serves as an Indigent Defense Contract Attorney and has served as a Guardian ad litem Attorney since 2017.
The Honorable Ernest Jarrett was born in Kingstree, South Carolina to William “Billy” Jarrett and Mattie “Beezie” Jarrett.” Judge Jarrett graduated from Williamsburg Academy in 1985, going on to attend Wofford College, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1989. In 1992, Judge Jarrett received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law.
Following law school graduation, Judge Jarrett returned to his hometown of Kingstree, where he was the managing partner of Jenkinson, Jarrett and Kellahan, P.A. Judge Jarrett spent his 28 years practicing primarily family law and was selected by his peers as one of the Super Lawyers by Super Lawyer magazine in 2020.
Judge Jarrett has served on the Williamsburg County Bar Association, the Georgetown County Bar Association, the South Carolina Association for Justice, the Family Law Section Council of the South Carolina Bar, the Supreme Court Commission on Docketing – Family Court Committee, the South Carolina Bench-Bar Committee, and the South Carolina Bar Resolution of Fee Disputes Board. In 2018 – 2019, Judge Jarrett served as Chairperson of the Family Law Section Council of the South Carolina Bar. Judge Jarrett is actively involved in his community. He has been President of Kingstree Rotary, served on the Williamsburg County First Steps Board, and served on the Tri-County Regional Development Board. He is an active member of Kingstree United Methodist Church.
He is married to Josette Jarrett and they have three children, Kyle, Katie and Winston, and two granddaughters Scottie and Evie.
Hailey Kanipe, MPH, CPS, ICPS is a native of Pelion, South Carolina. She graduated from Pelion High School in 2012, and decided to continue her education at Coker University in Hartsville, South Carolina. Hailey graduated from Coker University in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a concentration in counseling. Soon after, Hailey enrolled in graduate school at the University of South Carolina, and graduated with her Master of Public Health degree with a concentration in health promotion, education, and behavior in 2018.
In her professional career, Hailey has worked in the areas of health education and mental health, and has had the privilege of working with people of all ages, races, and cultures. She currently works as a certified substance misuse Prevention Specialist at the Lexington/Richland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council (LRADAC), where she has passionately served her community for the past five years. Hailey also works as a certified trainer for Adult Mental Health First Aid and Youth Mental Health First Aid by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.
Hailey currently resides in West Columbia, South Carolina, where she advocates for the needs of women and girls through her role as President of the Pine Ridge Women’s Club.
The Honorable Jenny Abbott Kitchings received a Bachelor of Arts from Converse College with a major in Modern Languages, including Spanish, Italian, and French. She graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law with a Juris Doctor and from the top-ranked Moore School of Business with an International Masters of Business Administration.
Upon graduation, Jenny came to work in the judicial system as a trial court law clerk. When her judge was elected to the Court of Appeals, she veered into private practice before returning to the court as an appellate law clerk. She was appointed as Clerk of Court on January 25, 2012.
Jenny's an INFJ, a proponent of technology, a Star Wars nerd, a Clemson fan, a lucky wife, and a competent, if harried, momma of two little girls.
Shalonda Harvey-Reaves is a family advocate contractor for SCCID. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Coker University with a major in Business Administration. During her attendance at Coker University, Shalonda also completed additional course work in the Social Work curriculum. She has 7 years of experience working in child welfare services and 9 years of experience working with vulnerable adults. She is known for helping others gain resilience after experiencing traumatic events. Shalonda is also an advocate in her community.
Philip L. Smith, Esq. serves as a Deputy Public Defender of the 16th Judicial Circuit Public Defender Office. He attended undergrad at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and attended The University of South Carolina School of Law. He was also a public defender in Richland County and a former prosecutor here in York County.
Samer Touma, PhD. holds a doctorate in Counseling (Department of Educational Psychology – University of South Carolina) with major emphasis on child/adolescent and family counseling. He is a current member of Chi Sigma Iota Academic Honor Society. Dr. Touma participated in post-doctoral specialized training at The University of South Carolina in advanced psychopathology/personality disorders (Diagnosis and Treatment) in children/adolescents and adults. In addition, he has acquired advanced training in psychopathology, testing and assessment for designation to assess and treat serious mental health problems. Dr. Touma is a Board Certified Forensic Mental Health Evaluator and a Board-Certified Child Custody Evaluator. Dr. Touma has been qualified to testify in court (in various counties throughout South Carolina) as an expert regarding a variety of mental health issues. In particular, he has been qualified by the court as an expert in child custody, post-divorce issues, and parental capacity. Dr. Touma has taught graduate level courses at several universities in South Carolina. He founded the counseling program at Webster University and served as department chair for eleven years. Dr. Touma taught clinical counseling internship, counseling practicum, in addition to counseling research and evaluation. In 2011, Dr. Touma was appointed by Governor Nikki Haley to serve on the State licensing Board for counseling.
The Honorable H. Bruce Williams was born in Columbia, South Carolina. His parents are the late Edna Richardson Harris and the late H. Lanier Williams.
He attended public schools in Columbia and received a bachelor’s degree in English and Government in 1978 from Wofford College. While at Wofford, Judge Williams served as President of the Student Body and the student representative to the Board of Trustees. He was selected to the Blue Key Honor Society and the Senior Order of Gnomes. In 1982, he graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law.
After graduation from law school, Judge Williams was in private practice until 1995. During that time, he served as a part-time Associate Town Judge in Irmo, South Carolina for four years (1991-1995). In addition, he served two terms on the Board of the South Carolina Trial Lawyers Association for the Family Law Section.
Judge Williams was elected to the Fifth Judicial District Family Court in 1995. During his tenure as a family court judge, Judge Williams served as president of the South Carolina Conference of Family Court Judges as well as secretary-treasurer. In 1997 he established the Richland County Juvenile Drug Court. In 1998 he was awarded the Governor's Program Achievement Award for Juvenile Drug Court. Judge Williams served as the Vice-Chair of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP) from 2017 - 2019, and chaired the NADCP from 2019-2021. Judge Williams also served as President of the Columbia Kiwanis Club. While a member of the Kiwanis Club, he volunteered as the advisor for the Columbia High School Key Club (1983 -1995). In November 2011, the Columbia Urban League presented Judge Williams with the distinguished Ethel M. Bolden Community Service Award.
He received the Richland County Bar Association Matthew J. Perry Civility Award in November 2012. Since 2012, Judge Williams has been an adjunct professor at the USC School of Law. In addition, he has served as faculty for numerous judicial and bar sponsored continuing legal education seminars and programs.
Judge Williams was elected to the South Carolina Court of Appeals in May 2004, and as Chief Judge in 2022. He is a member of the South Carolina Bar and is admitted to practice in all South Carolina courts as well as the U.S. District Court for South Carolina. He and his wife reside in Columbia and have two daughters.
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