Jenny Maxwell
Jenny Maxwell
Jenny joined The Buckley School faculty in 2000. In addition to leading public speaking training at company sites around the world, she teaches writing and media workshops, presents at national conferences, and provides presentation skills coaching for executives. She has a long career in writing and producing, with projects that have ranged from field producing TV coverage of George W. Bush’s presidential campaign to writing for The Food Network’s Good Eats. She is a former NBC affiliate marketing director and was editor of skirt! magazine for eight years. Recently, she’s scripted an Emmy-nominated series on World War Two heroes for public television. In 2014, she took on additional responsibilities with The Buckley School and serves as the school’s director.
Elise Partin
Elise Partin
Elise has wide-ranging, in-the-trenches experience in public speaking, facing the media, and managing crisis communication. She is mayor of the South Carolina town of Cayce, a position she’s held since 2008. She’s eager to recruit others to run for office and was asked to give a TED Talk on the subject. As a University of South Carolina adjunct faculty, she's taught in the School of Public Health, Department of Political Science, and the Honors College.
Chakisse Newton
Chakisse Newton
An award-winning and dynamic speaker, Chakisse is a consultant whose diverse clients range from non-profits and small businesses to global firms like Microsoft and Walmart. She specializes in strategy, sales, and communications. In 2018, Chakisse won her first run for public office and is currently serving a second term on Richland County Council. An active volunteer and board member with several nonprofits, she has been recognized as a Liberty and Aspen Global Leadership fellow.
Jana Daley
Jana Daley
Jana joined The Buckley School in 2000, after a career as an attorney and non-profit CEO, roles which developed her skills in public speaking and crisis communication. She's served on and chaired international and statewide boards, and she's a popular facilitator of workshops for board development, presenting, and media relations. As a business owner, she has hands-on experience managing employee communications and customer service. She's also a debate enthusiast and volunteers as a coach with youth debate teams.
Heather Singleton
Heather Singleton
Born and raised in Charleston, Heather graduated with a political science degree from the University of South Carolina. Since her junior year of college, she's worked in public service and corporate sectors focusing on brand strategy, facilitation, and fund development. She is principal consultant for Strategic Public Relations Consulting, a firm that supports businesses, nonprofits, and political organizations with internal and external communications needs.
Karen Edwards Kalutz
Karen Edwards Kalutz
Karen has been a steady force behind the school’s success from the start. A history major at the University of South Carolina, she first impressed Reid Buckley as his children’s high school teacher. He persuaded her to help him launch the school. She’s recruited and trained the school’s faculty, led the Executive Seminar, and designed and facilitated workshops for corporate clients. Early in her career, she naively accepted an assignment in Central America, discovering when she arrived that she’d been hired to provide public speaking training for a dictator. All she’s willing to say about the experience is that she’s happy to have survived it, and since, has been up for any challenge--including serving as the school's co-director from 2014 to 2022.
Emily Padgett
Emily Padgett
Emily's work as an actor, speech coach, theater director, and teacher makes her a perfect fit for The Buckley School. While teaching at Conder Arts Integrated School, she built a theater program from the ground up, then went on to coach high school students in writing and delivery for speech competitions. An Erskine College graduate, she has appeared on stage in many roles, including our favorite - playing Jo in Little Women.
Pam Schreiner
Pam Schreiner
Pam joined The Buckley School in 2006 and has worked here as a public speaking coach, copy editor for Reid Buckley, and as director of special projects. She has headed the school's Disciplined Thinking seminars and other advanced programs. Pam has also served in the U. S. Army Reserves. Our organizer extraordinaire, she coordinates Executive Seminars.
Dawndy Mercer Plank
Dawndy Mercer Plank
As a television news anchor and reporter, Dawndy worked for stations in Green Bay and Houston before making the NBC affiliate in Columbia, South Carolina her TV home for two+ decades. Dawndy now works as a spokesperson, media coach, keynote speaker, and content producer. She's also an equestrian (something we appreciate in Camden!), marathoner, and triathlete.
Jack Kuenzie
Jack Kuenzie
A veteran television journalist, Jack was a senior reporter in one of the country's most respected newsrooms. He's covered major breaking stories, from hurricanes to political scandals. He's now a sought-after coach and consultant for media training.
Reba Campbell
Reba Campbell
A public relations expert, Reba has first-hand experience facing the media. She's been press secretary for a congressman and managed communications for a state association and a public television network.
Kara Gormley
Kara Gormley
An award-winning journalist, Kara spent 15 years as an anchor and reporter for NBC affiliates in Raleigh, N.C., and Columbia, S.C. Her work has been recognized with the Edward R. Murrow Award, an Emmy, and honors from the Associated Press and the S.C. Broadcasters Association. She specializes in public relations, marketing, crisis communication, and social media.
Rachel Hudson
Rachel Hudson
Rachel has a rich background in theatrical arts as an actor, director, teacher, and set and costume designer. Active in the homeschool community, she saw a need to offer theater to students and founded a company for high school age thespians, which she still leads. She also works with adults to improve speaking and overcome stage fright, using an approach that brings laughter to learning.
Cindy Cole
Cindy Cole
A former elementary school principal in Charleston County, Cindy draws on her real-world experience in project planning and presentation, managing internal communications, speaking to diverse audiences, and addressing the media in her work at The Buckley School. She's also a Camden native, and we're glad to have her (and her expertise) back in our hometown.
Glenn Tucker
Glenn Tucker
An award-winning writer, newspaper editor, and publisher, Glenn developed the media training module for our Executive Seminar and frequently coaches company executives and corporate teams preparing to face the media. Glenn also finds himself answering reporters’ questions and knows what it takes to win over the media: He’s owner of an outdoor adventure company in Acadia, Maine, that has been featured in major newspapers and magazines.
Scott Hogenson
Scott Hogenson
A public affairs consultant based in Washington, D.C., Scott has directed communication for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, worked for the Republican National Committee press office, and managed accounts for a crisis communications firm. Scott has also reported for NPR and United Press International.