Speakers

Field Trip - Carrie Hirsch : Continuing Education

Dr. Francine Marz is Dean of Culinary & Hospitality at the Culinary Institute of the South at Technical College of the Lowcountry in Beaufort, SC. She has 30 years of industry experience. Prior to her current role, she served as the Culinary Director for Northampton Community College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and also worked for Montgomery County Community College in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, where she was responsible for opening its Culinary Arts Institute. She has years of culinary coaching and competition experience for various state, regional and international competitions and has judged numerous high school and college culinary competitions over the course of her career. 

 

Marz has also worked in a number of restaurants, hotels and resorts across the country, such as Marriott Hotel and Contemporary Resort in Walt Disney World, often serving in leadership roles or as executive chef. Chef Marz has also worked with a number of celebrity chefs and notable chefs around the country. While in college, Marz worked for several respectable Charleston institutions including the Mills House Hotel, Seabrook Island Resort and Peninsula Grill.

 

Marz recently earned her doctorate in Organizational Leadership, Innovation and Learning in 2021 from Wilmington University in New Castle, Delaware. In addition, she holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in International Business and Finance from Argosy University in Phoenix, Arizona, a Bachelor’s Degree in Food Service Management from Johnson & Wales University in Charleston, South Carolina, an Associate Degree in Baking and Pastry and an Associate Degree in Culinary Arts, also from Johnson & Wales.

Bill Epps to Introduce

Board-certified in Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery, Dr. Perry has more than 20 years of clinical experience. Before joining Hilton Head Regional Physician Network, he practiced at Mercy Cardiovascular Institute in Canton, Ohio. Prior to that, he practiced at South Carolina Cardiovascular Surgery in Florence. 

Dr. Perry is a graduate of Syracuse University in New York and received his Doctor of Medicine from State University of New York in Buffalo. He completed his General Surgery residency at State University of New York in Buffalo, followed by his residency in Thoracic Surgery at State University of New York in Brooklyn. Dr. Perry then completed his Fellowship in Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, Ohio. 

Dan to Introduce

Cara to Introduce

Kim Washok-Jones is the director of projects & watershed resilience.

Jones is responsible for implementing the Town’s capital improvement projects, such as parks, streetscapes, sewer infrastructure, sidewalks, and lighting.  Jones is also responsible for supervising the Watershed Division and all the policies, projects, and partnerships which protect the Town’s water quality, natural resources, and watersheds.

Jones has worked in a spectrum of similar roles with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Waddell Mariculture Center, The Coastal Discovery Museum, and the Palmetto Bluff Conservancy.

Jones has been awarded a bachelor’s and master’s degree in biology, with a focus in ecology from Gannon University and Indiana University of Pennsylvania, respectively.  She is also a Ph.D. candidate in the Environmental Health Sciences Program within South Carolina’s Arnold School of Public Health, in which she is focused on anthropogenic estuarine water quality and remediation in Bluffton.  Throughout her career, Jones’ research experiences have ranged from water quality projects in the Great Lakes to resource partitioning in Zimbabwe, Africa.

Jones has lived in the Lowcountry since 1995.

Sam Keeler to Introduce

Jim Evans to Introduce

Kathy Cramer, Executive Director

Kathy moved to Hilton Head Island in 1977 from New Jersey then attended Erskine college where she received her degree in Elementary and Special Education. She also received her master’s degree in Education from Cambridge College in Boston in 1995. Over her career in special education Kathy taught for over 33 years in public schools across Beaufort County. 

While she was teaching Kathy was the Co-Director of Area 8 Special Olympics and worked to fulfill her dream of seeing Special Olympics as an official school sport. Her dream became a reality and the Beaufort County School District now recognizes and supports over 400 Special Olympics athletes in a variety of sports on a weekly basis. In 2015 Kathy founded and became the Executive Director of SOAR Special Recreation.

Megan Mack to Introduce