Our Team

A two-time HBCU graduate of Lane College and Tennessee State University, Damien has dedicated his career to strengthening housing, crisis response, and youth services across the country. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Supportive Housing at the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. Damien has also held key leadership roles as Executive Director of the Durham Crisis Response Center, Chief Program Officer at Friends of Youth, and Vice President of Domestic Violence Services at YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee.

Outside of work, Damien enjoys life with his wife, Shawntea, raising their two daughters, and their Cavapoo, Sheisty. What excites him the most about joining Palmetto Place is the opportunity to work alongside such a dedicated team to provide safety, stability, and hope for children and youth. Damien looks forward to building with you all as we grow our impact together.

Heather is the master at wearing multiple hats! With over a decade of nonprofit experience and over 10 years in HR and Operations, she is excited to be apart of the team at Palmetto Place! She is a proud Columbia College graduate with a Bachelor’s in Accounting and a Master’s in Organizational Change and Leadership. She is a 2014 Leadership Columbia graduate and serves on the South Carolina Association of Colleges and Employers (SCACE) board.

When Heather isn’t managing her day to day duties, she’s spending time with her husband, Brad, two daughters, Kylie and Adalynn, doing DIY projects, and finding the best thrift deals in town!

Info coming soon!

Michelle Smith is originally from Ohio and is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Michelle brings extensive experience in program operations, organizational oversight, and service coordination, having served as a Program Manager for the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program and as an Executive Administrator supporting multi-project leadership initiatives. Her background also includes oversight of compliance, performance metrics, and process improvement across grant-funded and mission-driven programs.

Throughout her career, Michelle has worked closely with vulnerable populations, including veterans, at-risk youth, individuals and families experiencing homelessness, individuals with mental health challenges, and underserved communities. She demonstrates a strong aptitude for developing and refining processes and systems that enhance efficiency, consistency, and overall program effectiveness. Her professional approach is grounded in structure, accountability, and continuous improvement in service delivery.

Samantha serves as the Community Outreach Coordinator, bringing over 9 years of community outreach experience. She is an honor graduate of Benedict College, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Health, and also holds a Master’s degree in Health Administration from Webster University. Samantha takes pride in fostering relationships with various community organizations and participates in community-based learning activities. Additionally, she is a member of the Oh So Sweet Ladies of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Her extensive connections and active involvement in the community make her an invaluable asset to the team.

Samantha is a wonderful wife and a fantastic mother to four beautiful girls and one boy (aged 1, 7, 14, 14, and 17). Yes, you read the ages correctly! She has a set of twins. In her spare time, Samantha enjoys listening to the Earn Your Leisure podcast. She is actively involved with youth through her youth empowerment group, Youth Empowerment. Their motto is, "On the road to success, never say never, but I can, and I will!" Samantha diligently embodies this motto as she leads through servanthood, leadership, community-building, and involvement.