News

The Charleston County School District (CCSD) Education Foundation Board of Directors, by unanimous vote, is pleased to announce the appointment of Catherine Templeton as Interim Executive Director, where she will lead the Foundation through its initial launch and organizational development.

The CCSD Education Foundation serves as the district's official charitable partner. The Foundation is dedicated to connecting philanthropists, businesses, community organizations, educators, and families to expand opportunities for students and invest in innovative educational initiatives across Charleston County School District.

Templeton brings more than three decades of executive leadership experience spanning the public, private, nonprofit, and legal sectors. Throughout her career, she has built organizations, led complex operations, secured transformational philanthropic support, and developed strategic partnerships that deliver lasting community impact.

As President and Co-Founder of US Brick, Templeton negotiated the U.S. Department of Justice divestiture that created the nation's largest privately owned brick manufacturer and subsequently led the company's startup and operations across a 16-location manufacturing and distribution network. Previously, as Director of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), she managed an agency of approximately 3,600 employees, oversaw a budget exceeding $600 million, and led one of the state's largest public organizations through significant operational transformation.

Templeton has also demonstrated a longstanding commitment to education and philanthropy. As Co-Founder and Board Chair of the One Beckham Foundation, she helped establish the organization's governance structure and led fundraising efforts that generated more than $250,000 during the school's inaugural year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. She has also served as an adjunct professor at the College of Charleston and is a Charleston County public school parent.

"Ms. Templeton’s unique combination of executive leadership, governance expertise, fundraising success, and passion for public education makes her exceptionally well-suited to guide the Foundation during this important launch phase," said Roger Jones, Chair of the CCSD Education Foundation Board of Directors. "She has a remarkable ability to bring people together around a shared vision, and we are confident she will help establish a strong foundation for the organization's long-term success. We are honored to have her serve as our interim executive director"

Templeton said she is honored to help build an organization that will expand opportunities for Charleston County students.

"The Charleston County School District is doing extraordinary work on behalf of students, educators, and families," Templeton said. "The Education Foundation has tremendous potential to unite community partners around that work and create new opportunities that will have a lasting impact on student success. I am grateful for the opportunity to help establish the Foundation and build the relationships that will sustain it for years to come."

The CCSD Education Foundation exists to inspire philanthropy that strengthens public education across Charleston County. By cultivating charitable investments and strategic partnerships, the Foundation will support innovative programs, remove barriers to student success, recognize educator excellence, and expand opportunities that enrich the educational experience for every student.