Cub Scout Service Project

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Local Lion Cub Scout from Cub Scout Pack 921 in Greenwood, Peyton Wise (6), chose to collect toys, books, and games for abused children at Beyond Abuse for his Pick My Path Advancement service project.   Peyton created a sign to help promote his project and posted it on social media which caught the attention of the staff at Piedmont Technical College and the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office.  Over the past month PTC’s Human Services Club led by Brittany Aga and the Director of Victim Services at Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office, Catie Maffett, collected items for the service project which also included clothes, stuffed animals, & cleaning supplies.


Pictured L to R: – Elizabeth Wise, Den Leader; Alison Romagnoli, Director of Finance & HR; Peyton Wise, Lion Cub Scout; and Brittany Aga, PTC Professor of Human Services

Laurens City Police Department Receives Sexual Assault Training

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On Tuesday, 2/19 and Thursday, 2/21 Laurens County Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) conducted a Sexual Assault Response training for the Laurens Police Department Uniform Patrol Officers, Investigators, and Student Resource Officers.  During this training Laurens County SART members from Laurens City Police Department, SC Attorney General’s Office, PRISMA Health-Upstate, and Beyond Abuse presented information to attendees on responding to and providing best practice services to sexual assault victims in the front line.   The training was accredited through the SC Attorney General’s Office & the SC Criminal Justice Academy so that attendees could receive continuing education credits.  This training is a pilot training that our Laurens County SART hopes to grow and provide across the state to other Law Enforcement agencies and SART Teams.  If you are interested in joining our SART please contact Elizabeth Wise, SART Coordinator, at 864-227-1623 or laurenscountysart@gmail.com for more details and to apply.

Members of the Laurens County SART include:


8th Circuit Solicitor’s Office – David Stumbo, Solicitor

8th Circuit Solicitor’s Office – Cam Marrow, Assistant Solicitor

8th Circuit Solicitor’s Office – Joey Pittman, Investigator

8th Circuit Solicitor’s Office – Rhetta Christian, Victims Advocate

Beyond Abuse – Elizabeth Wise, Victim Services Manager (SART Coordinator)

City of Clinton Police Department – Julia Mercer, Patrol Officer

Laurens City Police Department – Lt. JC Brewington, Investigator

Laurens County Sheriff’s Office – Jared Hunnicutt, Investigator

Laurens County Sheriff’s Office – Michael Polson, Investigator

PRISMA Health-Upstate – Ellen Kennedy, RN-BSN, SANE Coordinator

SC Attorney General’s Office – Shannon Palm, VAWA Coordinator


Meet the Advocates!

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From left to right:
Deanna Kelly, Maria Roman, Elizabeth Wise, Courtney Steward, and Elaine Morton

Elizabeth Wise

Elizabeth is the Victim Services Manager at Beyond Abuse and has been with the agency since November 2011.  She supervises the Client Services Administrator/Specialist and Volunteers while also providing 24/7 crisis support and advocacy to adult and child victims of sexual assault.  She received her Bachelors of Science Degree in Psychology with Emphasis in Counseling form Lander University in December 2006.  She is passionate about her work because survivors need someone who will believe, support, and validate their experience.  In her free time, she enjoys reading, coloring, and spending time with her husband (Jason), son (Peyton), and two dogs (Kyro and Ryder).

Elaine Morton

Elaine is the Client Services Administrator at Beyond Abuse in our Greenwood office and has been with the agency since December 2014.  She provides intake and crisis support to survivors and their families, and is the face of the agency that greets clients, partnering agencies, and supporters as they come into the agency.  Prior to working here she was an on-call volunteer advocate and client services advocate with the agency, providing support services to victims of sexual assault and child abuse.  She is passionate about her work because she gets to witness the children we serve grow and move forward in their healing.  In her free time, she enjoys watching movies, dancing, and being outdoors.

Courtney Steward

Courtney is the Client Services Specialist at Beyond Abuse in our Laurens office and has been with the agency since May 2018.  She provides intake and crisis support to survivors and their families, and is the face of the agency that greets clients, partnering agencies, and supporters as they come into the agency.  Prior to being hired she was an on-call volunteer advocate with the agency, providing support services to victims of sexual assault and child abuse.  She received her Bachelors of Science Degree in Psychology from Lander University in May 2018.  She is passionate about her work because she gets to help everyone the best way she can.  In her free time, she enjoys eating, traveling, reading, writing, and dancing.

Maria Roman

Maria is a Bilingual Family Advocate at Beyond Abuse and has been with the agency since January 2017.  She assists families as their children are referred in for services through our Children’s Advocacy Center.  She received her Associates of Applied Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Piedmont Technical College is 2014 and is currently working on her Nursing Degree at Piedmont Technical College.  She is passionate about her work because she loves helping others.  In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family.

Deanna Kelly

Deanna is a Family Advocate at Beyond Abuse in our Laurens office and has been with the agency since November 2016.  She assists families as their children are referred in for services through our Children’s Advocacy Center.  She received her Associate in Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Augusta Technical College and her Bachelors Degree in Public Administration at Brenau University in Gainesville, GA.  She is passionate about her work because she loves working with children on a daily basis.  In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors.

Dancing With The Greenwood Stars – 2019 Trailer

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January Volunteer Graduates

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Over the last two weeks, new volunteers, staff, and board members participated in our 27.5 hour volunteer training program. The training consists of 15 hours in-class training and an additional 12.5 hours of online training.
The training gives new volunteers, interns, staff, and board members a look into the ins and outs of the organization and prepares them for providing support and advocacy to victims and survivors of sexual assault and child abuse.

Please join us in congratulating them for their hard work and willingness to serve the individuals of our community!


Pictured L to R: Elizabeth Wise (Victim Services Manager), Jeremiah Grooms (Education Specialist), Stephanie Carter (New BOD/Volunteer), Callie Scragg (New Volunteer/Intern), Allie Payne (New Volunteer/Intern), and Ivy Davis (New Volunteer )

Others that attended during portions of the training but are not pictured are:
Barry Putnam – new board member
Mary Haigler – new board member
Letha Davis – seasoned volunteer

Board of Directors New 2019 Members

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Beyond Abuse proudly announces the appointment of seven new members to its Board of Directors for the two year term beginning January 2019!

Sherri Gordon, Barry Putnam, Dr. Mary Haigler, Stephanie Carter, Rhonda Cox, Elizabeth Taylor, and Chelsey Steifle will join 6 other members of the Board to provide governance and oversight to the agency which provides support and services to victims of child abuse and sexual assault in Greenwood, Laurens, and Abbeville Counties. 

front: Lisa Tolbert (Board President), Chelsey Steifle, Rhonda Cox, Sherri Gordon, Dr. Leslie Meyers, and Elizabeth Taylor
back: Outgoing board member Anthony Kidd, Dr. Mary Haigler, Stephanie Carter, outgoing board member Brent Paris, Barry Putnam, David Harrison, and Wilson Bruce
absent: Tracy Delander and Debbie Walling.

Meet the Clinical Services Team!

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From left to right:
Samantha Black, Jaquelynn Mueller, Chesnee Martin, Zach Wilson, Angie Shirley, and Heather Bennett

The Clinical Services team, led by Samantha Black, is comprised of Forensic Interviewers and Therapists who serve in a dual capacity.  They conduct forensic interviews at the request of Law Enforcement or DSS, provide video recording and written notes summarizing interview, participate in weekly case review, and testify as needed in court.  They are all certified by Child First, a forensic interview training program. In addition the staff is responsible for providing individual, family and group treatment to child and adult victims of sexual violence and their families.  Upon referral to the agency, therapist conduct an assessment and evaluate the appropriateness of the client for therapy services and will assess for risk.  Based on this initial assessment, therapist will either refer client for additional external services or develop an individualized treatment plan that is specific to the client’s needs using evidenced based counseling techniques and Animal Assisted Therapy.  Beyond Abuse is very fortunate to have such a talented team – please read below about each individual member!

Samantha Black

Samantha is the Clinical Services Manager at Beyond Abuse. She supervises the therapists and forensic interviewers while also providing therapy to child, adolescent, and adult victims of abuse. Samantha graduated with her B.A. from Presbyterian College and received her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from Richmont Graduate University in Atlanta, GA. She is rostered in the state of South Carolina with Project BEST to provide Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and is a trained forensic interviewer through ChildFirst. Samantha became a LPC in 2016 and is currently working on her LPC/S. Her hobbies include spending time with family, painting, and traveling.

Jaquelynn Mueller

Jacqui joined Beyond Abuse in 2018 as a therapist and forensic interviewer. She earned her BSSW (Bachelors of Science in Social Work) at Trevecca Nazarene University and her MMFT (Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy) at Converse College. Her focus is in providing clinical services to our Laurens office. She has a passion for helping families and especially enjoys teenagers. In her free time you will find her enjoying hockey games, practicing golf and guitar, and delighting in sweets. 

Chesnee Martin

Chesnee is a 2005 graduate of Claflin University in Orangeburg SC. Chesnee graduated with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Sociology with a minor in Criminal Justice. She received her Masters of Arts degree in Community Counseling from Webster University in 2011. Chesnee recently joined the agency in July 2018 and serves as a therapist. Prior to joining Beyond Abuse, Chesnee worked for the State of South Carolina Mental Health Department for 4 years. She enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and watching classical movies in her free time.

Zach Wilson

Zach graduated from Lander University in 2015 with a B.S. in psychology and from Augusta University in 2017 with an M.S. in clinical psychology. His primary role is to conduct forensic interviews where there is a suspicion of child physical or sexual abuse, although he also does therapy with children and adult victims of abuse. Additionally, Zach teaches as an adjunct faculty member in the Psychological Sciences department at Lander University. In his spare time, he enjoys long walks at the park with his miniature schnauzer, Kirby.

Angie Shirley

Angie began working as a part-time therapist at Beyond Abuse in 2012. She provides treatment services to adult and teenage victims of sexual abuse/sexual assault as well as Protection Clarification Therapy to non-offending caregivers of child victims. Angie enjoys facilitating a treatment group at Leath Correctional Institution. She received a B.A. in Psychology from Winthrop University and a Master of Social Work from the University of South Carolina. Angie loves reading, cooking and spending time with her family, including her Yorkie, “Louie.”

Heather Bennett

Heather graduated from Anderson University with a BA in Psychology and from Winthrop University with a Master’s in Education in Counseling. Heather is trained in Child First and is a Licensed Professional Counselor. Her primary role is to conduct forensic interviews where there is an allegation of child physical or sexual abuse, although she also does therapy with children and adult victims of abuse.



National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (L.E.A.D.)

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In celebration of National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day and as a small token of appreciation for their service and support, Beyond Abuse staff delivered a few treats to each Law Enforcement agency in the service area. These men and women make providing care and protection possible for our community and individuals who have been victims of sexual abuse. Join us in thanking Law Enforcement officers and support staff!

P.S. We didn’t forget about Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office, Greenwood Police Department, and Abbeville County Sheriff’s Office – they were busy fighting crime!

Laurens City Police Department
Laurens County Sheriff’s Office
Abbeville City Police Department
Clinton City Police Department
8th Circuit Solicitor’s Office – Laurens County

Eaton Employees donate comfort blankets

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A big shout out to Eaton for collecting “comfort care” blankets for the children who receive services at the agency.

Accepting the blankets for the agency is Alison Romagnoli, Beyond Abuse’s Director Finance.

A Thank you to outgoing Board Members

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Beyond Abuse said farewell to 4 board members at the December 2018 meeting of the Board of Directors.  These dedicated members served three 2 year terms for a combined 24 years of service to the agency!  Thank you all for your support in fulfilling our mission to “move our community beyond sexual violence and child abuse…”.  We will miss you all!

Pictured below: Cathy Miller, Executive Director, Wilson Bruce, Vice President, and outgoing board members Andrew Hodges, Brent Parris, and Anthony Kidd.  not pictured is Fran Human.