About Our Board Members

Dave was a parent at MSC in 2016-2017 and has been again since 2021. Dave is a geology professor at USC and has taught summer institutes to improve the pedagogical skills and natural science content knowledge of middle and high school teachers.

Chanda has been a parent at MSC since 2020 and works as the Associate Director of Special Admissions and Testing for Midlands Technical College. She received her Bachelor’s in English from Benedict College and dual Master’s degrees in Human Resources Management and Human Resources Development from Webster University. She has 15 years of service in the field of Higher Education.

Mary has been a parent at MSC since 2020 and works as a digital rights lawyer for the Open Technology Fund. She was a triple major in college and graduated cum laude from law school before serving as law clerk to the Chief Justice at the Supreme Court of South Carolina and as the Chief Information Security Officer/Chief Privacy Officer for several government agencies. Mary is a proud graduate of the Clemson Montessori School, where she attended from 3K – 6th grade.

Bridgett has been a parent at MSC since 2021 and is a licensed insurance agent. Prior to joining the Board, she played many integral roles at the school like leading committees for development, volunteering for events, and assisting in the administrative office. She serves as an MSC Parent Liaison and Ambassador, being available to welcome and guide new families in the community as well as support staff and prospective parents during Information Sessions. Bridgett has a wealth of experience in different professions both in Columbia and Charleston as well as Augusta, GA. In her free time, Bridgett enjoys discussing politics, music, and literature, and she dedicates a great deal of time to taking care of her dog, Lola, and her family.

Ginny is the primary licensed psycho-educational specialist and owner of Blooming Minds, LLC. She has nearly 25 years of experience working with students in various capacities from preschool through college age and has served students in independent schools, public schools, and colleges. Ginny received her Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Francis Marion University and her Master of Arts in School Psychology and Specialist in Education from The Citadel.

L. Kobie Wilkerson a.k.a L. Kobie Da Wiz is an award-winning author, poet, speaker, presenter, storyteller, edutainer, master teacher, and powerful transformer of schools and organizations. He ingeniously converts resistance to change into receptiveness for growth. He is a leading authority on helping schools and organizations cultivate relationships that support a healthy culture and climate. Kobie works with schools and organizations where it is his goal to see them systematically operate at their best, so they can effectively impact those they serve. Passionate about continuous growth, he decided to pursue education to shape and mold the values of children by inspiring them to love knowledge and to be life long learners. Mr. Wilkerson has a B.A. in Education and a B.S. in Sociology from Kentucky State University. He obtained his Masters in Education Administration from Kansas State University. Kobie is a graduate of the Les Brown speaker training program and was also selected as a South Carolina Educational Policy Fellow, a program of the Institute for Educational Leadership out of Washington, D.C.
Kobie has taught in Topeka, Kansas and Cincinnati, Ohio (where he was born and raised). During his time in Cincinnati he founded Camp Gye Nyame, a summer camp that focuses on reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. He has presented in South Africa, and most recently participated in a Kenyan delegation put together by Utengo, whose goal is strengthening impoverished Christian churches and schools so that they become places of healing and restoration for Kenyan youth. Currently, Kobie serves as chief consultant of the Love II Learn Educational Group and Love II Learn Music where they work to empower teachers to engage students to transform our world through literacy and music. He is also President of Love II Learn Books and CEO/President of the newly founded Love II Learn Foundation. Kobie has a passion for relationships and personal development, and a sincere desire to see all who he comes in contact with become their very best.

Ernest W. Cromartie III is a Columbia, South Carolina native and an accomplished attorney with more than a decade of legal experience in the Midlands. His family joined the Montessori School of Columbia community in 2019, and he began serving on the MSC Board of Trustees in 2025. He graduated with honors from Georgetown University and earned his Juris Doctor from The University of Texas School of Law at Austin. Following law school, he was selected as a Presidential Management Fellow in Washington, DC, where he served with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and the U.S. Department of the Treasury. A member of the South Carolina, Richland County, and American Bar Associations, Ernest brings valuable expertise in litigation, corporate transactions, real estate, and public finance, which supports the Board’s fiduciary and governance responsibilities.

Steve Marino serves as Managing Director and Head of Investor Solutions at Jefferies Credit Partners. He earned an International MBA from Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina, and B.S in Business and Economics from Lehigh University. Steve’s family joined the Montessori School of Columbia community in 2021, and he began serving on the MSC Board of Trustees in 2025. In addition to his role at MSC, he serves on the University of South Carolina Education Foundation Board, Finance Committee Member for the Business Partnership Foundation at UofSC Business, and on the joint Investment Sub-committee. Steve brings deep expertise in finance and investing to support the Board’s fiduciary and long-term planning efforts.

David has been a parent at MSC since his daughter started 3K in 2023, and he joined the board in 2025. He graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology. David is currently a full time parent and has a passion for community volunteering as well as valuable networking skills stemming from his previous experience in business to business medical sales. In his free time, he enjoys gardening and woodworking.