Anthony J. Plotner, Ph.D.

Tony Plotner is a Professor in Special Education in the Department of Educational and Developmental Science in the College of Education. He received his Ph.D. in Special Education from the University of Illinois. He also holds a M.S. in Rehabilitation from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. His primary research interests center around (1) Enhancing employment and personal outcomes of transition-age youth with disabilities; (2) Improving collaborative service delivery across systems; and (3) Developing and implementing rigorous college opportunities for individuals with an intellectual disability. Tony has procured over 8 million dollars in external funding as Principal Investigator and has published over 80 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters. In his spare time, Tony enjoys playing high-stakes poker, traveling with his wife, and watching re-runs of Saved by the Bell.

Rebecca Smith Hill, Ph.D.

Rebecca (Becca) Smith Hill is a social worker, former middle and high school special education teacher, and adjunct professor at University of South Carolina. She is Assistant Director of Campus and Community Engagement at CarolinaLIFE, an inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) program at USC. She earned her Ph.D. in special education with a focus on transition from USC. Her research interests include self-determination, sense of belonging, dignity of risk, identity development, and overall wellness for transition-age young adults. She is also interested in enhancing cultural competency for pre-service teachers and others working with the disability community. Becca leverages her experience in the education and social work fields to use tenets of participatory action research as a framework for conducting research with emerging adults with disabilities.

Charles Walters, Ph.D.

Charles “Charlie” Walters, Ph.D., is an Assistant Research Professor at the University of Maryland’s Center for Transition and Career Innovation (CTCI) and a Research Fellow at the University of South Carolina’s Center for Transition Research and Leadership (CTRL). In his work, he leverages a career in education and publicly-funded services for people with disabilities spanning nearly 15 years. As a program evaluator, Charlie has worked on national impact evaluations of secondary transition interventions; internal and external evaluations of the service delivery of Centers for Independent Living; and systems change-driven evaluations of vocational rehabilitation agencies, schools, and Medicaid waiver service providers. As a researcher, Charlie maintains active lines of inquiry related to alternatives to guardianship, the youth initiatives of Centers for Independent Living, and systemic barriers to employment for youth with disabilities.

Shayla Anderson  

Shayla serves as the South Carolina Inclusive Postsecondary Education Consortium (SCIPSEC) Program Coordinator. She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees in special education from Coastal Carolina University, where she worked as a graduate assistant at the Coastal Carolina LIFE inclusive postsecondary education program. After teaching in the K-12 setting, she realized her true passion was in the field of transition. Shayla loves that she now gets to collaborate with professionals in the IPSE field across the state and country! In her spare time, she loves chasing the sun(rise) and dedicating her time and efforts to serving some of her favorite humans through her equine-assisted program, HERD Programs, LLC.

Erica Milliron

Erica is Director of CarolinaLIFE, an inclusive postsecondary education program at USC. Erica graduated from Millersville University in Pennsylvania in 2003 with a dual B.S. in Elementary Education and Special Education and graduated from the University of Kansas in 2013 with a Masters in Special Education with an emphasis in transition. Erica taught special education for 18 years in the public school system in Pennsylvania and served as a transition coordinator for 14 of those years. She spent the last year as a regional Transition Consultant in central PA.

Megan Reynolds, OTD

Megan is excited to join USC as a Postdoctorate Fellow. Her passion for accessibility and community inclusion have led her to pursue roles in supported employment and therapeutic recreation in Charleston, SC, before going back to school for her Doctorate in occupational therapy. Megan graduated with her OTD from the Medical University of South Carolina in Spring of 2023. Her research interests include community integration and transition for adults with disabilities, specifically, approaches that facilitate positive outcomes in accessibility, employment, and quality of life.

Madeline Castle, Ph.D.

Madeline Castle is an assistant professor at Mississippi State University. She earned her Ph.D. in counselor education and supervision from the University of South Carolina, masters degree in clinical mental health counseling from Auburn University, and bachelor's degree in educational psychology from Mississippi State University. She has five years' experience working within inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) programs supporting college student wellness. Her research interests include college students, intellectual or developmental disability, wellness, and best practices.