Mrs. Byrd McPherson currently serves as the Executive Director of Darlington County First Steps (DCFS) and has held this position since 2008. Under her leadership, she has taken DCFS to new heights while engaging community partners to work together to make a difference in the lives of young families in Darlington County. During her tenure as the Executive Director, she has expanded both the scope of services and the number of families now served by DCFS. She accomplished this feat by partnering with United Way of Hartsville and securing additional funding from the Eastern Carolina Community Foundation, The Duke Endowment, Fact Forward formerly known as the South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, Children's Trust Fund of South  Carolina, and the S.C. Cancer Alliance.

Mrs. Byrd McPherson earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Wesleyan University in Human Resources Management. In 1989, Mrs. Byrd McPherson was authorized to practice as a Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker, a license she still maintains. In 2011, she completed the S. C. Education Policy Fellows Program and in 2014 was named by the Region IV Head Start Association Humanitarian of the Year and Hartsville Chapter of Omega Psi Phi, Alpha Beta Beta Chapter, Citizen of the Year. In 2015, Mrs. McPherson was given the Woman of Achievement Award presented by the Greater Hartsville Chamber of Commerce and the Murray L. Vincent Outstanding Prevention Professional Award presented by Fact Forward. Mrs. Byrd McPherson served as Mayor of her hometown, Lamar, S.C, from January 2018 to 2021.  

Her motto for living: All things are possible!

Mrs. Bowman is a Parent Educator hailing from Lamar, South Carolina. Her history with helping families stems back to her days as a Bethany Baptist Church Sunday School teacher where she also served as a Trustee Treasurer for the Deacon and Trustee Board. As well, she served as a part-time caregiver for the Lee County Special Needs Board. Among her plethora of other titles, Jacqueline has also lent her expertise as a Family Café Group Facilitator. Jacqueline has an excitement about making connections with families and believes in having a serving mindset. Jacqueline joined our DCFS team in July 2023.

She is a mother of 3 sons and has a total of 8 grandkids. Jacqueline is married to Calvin Bowman and they share a strong commitment to their faith together.

Mrs. Davis is from Hartsville, SC, and graduated from Mayo High School for Math, Science, and Technology in 2004. From there, she went to college and attended Coastal Carolina, graduating in 2008 with a degree in Communications. She previously worked with Teen Pregnancy in Chesterfield gaining experience with youth, reproductive health education, contraceptive use, as well as planned and unplanned pregnancies. Mrs. Davis is currently a member of the Community Health Worker Ambassador Program and a graduate of the 2019-2020 Leadership Hartsville Class. In addition, she is the Community Health Worker and lead Family Planning Health Worker for the organization.

Mrs. Davis is passionate about working with the community and providing needed resources. She joined the DCFS team in September of 2016.

Shannon O'Berry is the Financial and Administrative Director for Darlington County First Steps, managing the organization’s budgeting and financial operations. A graduate of Benedict College, she also holds an MBA from an online university, equipping her with the knowledge and expertise to support both the fiscal health and strategic growth of the organization.

Mrs. Bright-Edwards is from Hartsville, SC. she graduated from St. Augustine's University with a degree in Early Childhood Education. She, also, received her Master of Education from Lesley University in Boston. Her experience with children is vast having taught kindergarten for 34 years before retiring in 2009. In 2007, she began working with Countdown to Kindergarten with Darlington County First Steps. In 2009, she became a full time Parent Educator. Now, she has expanded her influence by being a Motheread/Fatheread Facilitator, Literacy Kit Coordinator, and data clerk.

She is very passionate about taking children's story books and bringing them to real life situations with young people. Together, they have great discussions about how parents introduce reading to their children. It introduces them to vocabulary, making predictions, building confidence, and more.

Mrs. Taylor is from Hartsville, SC. She has been working in education for the past 15 years: HeadStart for 1 and a half years and Darlington County School District at Southside Early Childhood Center for 14 years. Chrystal is married to Aliontate Taylor and they are the parents of 3 beautiful children.

Mrs. Taylor is looking to support parents with information and resources to build their parenting and communication skills. She's also passionate about working little ones and preparing them for the journey of kindergarten. She joined the DCFS team in July 2023.

Patricia Sullivan-Steward serves as the Operations Manager and is responsible for the ebb and flow of operations and functionalities of internal and external systems. Additionally she supports resource development, board governance, and oversees the Communications Department. She reports to the Executive Director.

Her educational background is from Coker University, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication Studies and she is currently pursuing a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling. She enjoys community outreach and working with others to help them achieve their goals. Mrs. Steward has been part of the Darlington County First Steps organization since 2014. 

Jessica Roberts serves as the Communications Specialist, creating and managing digital media, public messaging, and website maintenance. She plays a key role in ensuring clear, engaging, and consistent communication across media platforms.

Jessica is a graduate of the College of Charleston, earning a degree in Communication. With a strong background in media and web design, she combines creative vision with technical expertise to enhance the organization's online presence and connect with the community effectively.

Passionate about outreach and storytelling, Jessica enjoys creating content that informs, inspires, and builds meaningful connections between the organization and the public.

Since November 2023, Elijha has served as the Motheread/Fatheread Facilitator. He's a New York native that has lived in Lamar, SC for the past 12 years. He recalls being first introduced to Darlington County First Steps through the Men's Health Initiative. Additionally, he worked for the Lamar Town Hall in various positions with a focus on community engagement.

Elijha has worked as a youth counselor for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Community Center in Rockville NY for four years with a strong focus on students' personal and professional development.

The number one thing he looks forward to is creating meaningful connections with participants of the program, especially with recruiting men in the community.

Ritha Ponds joined the team June of 2025 as the Community Health Worker, a position made possible through the Community Health Alignment Initiative managed by the Center for Community Health Alignment. Mrs. Ponds is a native of McBee, a rural town not far from Darlington County, and has lived there most of her life. Her background working with families and communities is ingrained in her professional and personal commitment to service.

Prior to joining the team, Mrs. Ponds worked in administrative and finance roles to support training programs and families through the American Red Cross locally and across the state. She is looking forward to becoming a supportive, trusted link in Darlington County communities.