The staff of YCFS is made up of dedicated individuals with a variety of backgrounds. Many staff members have had over 10 years of experience in providing early childhood services.
Executive Director of York County First Steps
David Lisk spent over 20 years in a corporate industrial setting primarily in marketing and business development roles. He has focused the last 20+ years on assisting preschool children and their families as they prepared for their children to enter school, initially as the General Manager / Owner for a private childcare provider with locations in NC and SC. During the last 15 years, he served as a Board Member and then as the Executive Director of York County First Steps. Through all the opportunities to learn and gain experience, the capacity to develop and grow collaborative relationships has been consistent in his career. The opportunity to work within communities to leverage these relationships to help our future generations reach their life’s potential is where he derives the greatest satisfaction. He works to use his business skills to advance the efforts of community organizations providing early interventions in the most effective manner.
David earned a BS Degree in Engineering from UNC at Charlotte with continuing education in Marketing and Business Relations from the University of Michigan. He has also received certification from Winthrop University in Non-Profit Management.
He and his wife, Anne, have three married sons with 3 grandchildren that they enjoy spoiling every chance they get. When he isn’t involved in the community with the Rotary Club, Early Education, or other community initiatives, he likes traveling with his family, collecting books, and golf.
Program Assistant
Susan has been the Program Assistant for York County First Steps since August 2000. She has enjoyed seeing all of the children and families that have benefitted from the programs within York County First Steps over the years. Her job includes overseeing the childcare voucher program for teenage parents in order for them to obtain a high school diploma. She also handles general office duties for York County First Steps and York Regional Nurse-Family Partnership. Another one of her duties is to assist the Executive Director. She received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with minors in Sociology and Human Resource Management from the University of West Alabama. She is married to Roger Hagood, and they have three children, Alane, John, and Will. She also has five grandchildren, Lexi, Parker, Caleb, Riley Anne and Rush.
Early Childhood Specialist
For the past twenty years Susan has worked as an Early Childhood Specialist for York County First Steps. Her love of working with children and childcare providers began over twenty-five years ago, when she first began working in a childcare center. She has served in every capacity from teacher, to cook, to director, and has gained valuable knowledge from every experience. To aid her in her career as a Specialist, she has earned a Masters in Counseling with both agency and school certification from Winthrop University, and a Master’s in Early Childhood Education from the University of South Carolina. Although her education and experience are truly irreplaceable, she has found that while raising her own two children, Trey 14, and Emery 9, she has gained a deeper respect and appreciation for the uniqueness of children and the teachers who guide them. Her goal continues to be to serve the childcare providers of York County to help them grow in the knowledge of early childhood, so they can become a force in the lives of all the children they serve.
Early Childhood Specialist / Outreach Coordinator
Alannah has spent the last 10 years of her professional and educational career working to bridge the gap between community members and services. She began her career in the United States Navy where she was a Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Advocate and a Departmental Career Counselor. After leaving the Navy, Alannah decided to pursue her education further and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Social Work from Winthrop University. Alannah is also now a Licensed Master of Social Work in South Carolina.
Alannah believes in working collaboratively to implement evidence-based practices in childcare centers in York County and building partnerships with community stakeholders as York County First Steps continues to grow alongside our community.
NFP Program Manager
Rebecca Terry brings a diverse professional background and deep commitment to supporting pregnant women and new moms as they move into a mothering role and achieve their goals for themselves and their families. After serving as a hospital chaplain and congregational minister for several years, Rebecca pursued a career in nursing–first working as a labor and delivery nurse, then as a high-risk obstetric nurse, and finally moving into community health nursing. Before coming to Nurse Family Partnership at York County First Steps, she was a nurse supervisor at the NFP program at Care Ring in Charlotte.
Implementing Nurse Family Partnership has provided her a deep appreciation for and understanding of how NFP can transform the lives of mothers and infants, and collectively change communities.
Rebecca holds a BA from Baylor University (1996), Master of Divinity from Divinity School of Wake Forest University (2003) and a BSN from Texas Christian University (2014).
NFP Nurse Home Visitor
Karmen earned her Bachelor’s degree in Experimental Psychology in 2006 from the University of South Carolina. Karmen then found her passion for Nursing and pursued her Bachelors degree in Nursing in 2010 at the University of South Carolina.
Most of Karmen’s nursing experience prior to coming to Nurse-Family Partnership centered around mental health. Karmen worked with all ages ranging from children to senior citizens, in all different settings- inpatient, drug rehabs, long-term care, and home health. Karmen has been with NFP since August of 2018.
Karmen states, “I love my job because of the transitions you see in clients. Many clients join the program, scared/nervous/worried about the future, and then by the time they graduate, they have truly blossomed and are happy, thriving, successful moms.”
NFP Nurse Home Visitor
NFP Nurse Home Visitor
NFP Nurse Home Visitor
Dianne’s journey into nursing began in 2007 when she graduated with her Associate’s in Nursing. Eager to expand her horizons and deepen her knowledge, she pursued her Bachelor’s degree in 2011 and then achieved her Master’s in Nursing with a specialization in Management and Organizational Leadership. For the past 16 years, Dianne has been a dedicated healthcare professional, spending the last 9 years at the forefront of Labor and Delivery in a hospital setting. Dianne states, “My passion lies in caring for pregnant mothers and their newborns, with a special dedication to supporting teenagers. I find the entire process of pregnancy, labor, and delivery utterly fascinating.”
Beyond her career, Dianne shares her life with her husband and three of her five children in the Upstate region. She enjoys exploring new destinations, indulging in creative crafts, and delving into the intriguing world of true crime. When she’s not at work or pursuing her hobbies, you can find her relaxing by the lake, savoring the natural beauty of South Carolina.
Connected Families Parent Educator
Erin Paradiso moved to the Charlotte-Rock Hill area from Maryland in 2017. She quickly became involved throughout her college career and has worked at the community level as well as individually with people managing homelessness and substance abuse disorders in North and South Carolina. Erin graduated from Winthrop University in 2020 and 2021, receiving both her Bachelors and Master of Social Work. She is also now a Licensed Master of Social Work for the state of South Carolina.
As one of the two Parent Educators for the Connected Families program, she manages cases in which First Steps partners with York County DSS and aims to decrease recidivism of families who encounter the Child Protective Services system and increase positive family outcomes and reunification efforts for high-risk families.
Connected Families Parent Educator
Laura is originally from Alabama but after 35 years in South Carolina she is happy to call it home. Laura attended Winthrop University where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Sociology. Laura has two daughters, Madison 26 and Lyndsie 23. Laura is very involved with her church where she serves as a teacher in the children’s church program. She also volunteers as a foster for her local animal shelter.
Laura is currently a Parent Educator for the York County First Steps’ Connected Families program in which she conducts home visits with families in York County, referred by DSS, to assist parents/caregivers in working toward family preservation and reunification.
Connected Families Parent Educator
Andrea is the newest member of the Connected Families program, and the sole bilingual Parent Educator on the team. She brings with her, a wealth of knowledge on parenting young children and the importance of cultural diversity. The Connected Families program partners with DSS to aid families in family preservation and reunification through a home visitation model.
Andrea recently moved from California to South Carolina. She is the proud mother of two young boys and utilizes this experience in her career. Andrea possesses an Associate Degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences as well as an Associate in Sociology. She is currently continuing her study of Sociology as she works towards a bachelor’s degree from California State University of San Marcos. Andrea enjoys making connections in her community, spending time with her family, and taking portraits and photographs.
For Inquiries related to Child Care Providers:
Susan Robinson, Early Childhood Specialist: Contact
Faxes may be sent to 803-981-5784