2025 Buyways - Election Edition 
Election Edition
Welcome to the 2025 Election Edition of Buyways where we will introduce to you the candidates running for the 20265 SCAGPO Board.
President's Report
A Message from SCAGPO President La Tasha Terry, MBA, CPPO, NIGP-CPP
This year, you will have the opportunity to vote for Vice President, Secretary, and Regional Directors for each designated region. These roles are vital to SCAGPO’s success. The Vice President serves as first in line to the President and helps lead the association’s direction. The Secretary records minutes, maintains records, and ensures smooth communication. Regional Directors serve as the link between the board and the membership in their regions, ensuring that every member’s voice is heard.
Leadership matters because the people you elect will influence training events, networking opportunities, and how SCAGPO serves its members. Representation matters because Regional Directors help ensure that each region is connected and engaged. Continuity matters because by voting for this slate, you’re supporting a team that will build on what we’ve accomplished and help us grow.
Please take time to review the candidate bios and messages available on our website or in the election edition of BuyWays. Cast your ballot when it opens, and make sure you’re an active member in good standing so your vote counts. Encourage others in your region to vote — every voice strengthens our organization. And if you’ve ever considered serving, committee participation is a great first step toward board leadership.
The upcoming vote for Vice President, Secretary, and Regional Directors is more than just filling positions. It’s about upholding SCAGPO’s values, amplifying member voices, and guiding where we go next. Your vote truly matters — please make sure your voice is counted.
Thank you for your continued engagement, your expertise, and your dedication to the procurement community in South Carolina. Together, let’s make this election count and keep SCAGPO strong.
Sincerely,
Message from the Nominating Committee
A Message From Nominating Committee Chair – Willie Atienza, NIGP-CPP, CPPB
Greetings, SCAGPO Family!
Welcome to the 2025 Election Edition of BuyWays!
The SCAGPO Nominating Committee is honored to present the official candidate ballot for the 2026 Board of Directors. Each year, the Committee works to bring forward dedicated and qualified candidates who are eager to serve and advance the mission of our organization.
This year’s ballot includes nominations for the following positions:
President, Vice President, Secretary, Region 2 Director, Region 4 Director, and Region 5 Director.
Each candidate has provided a brief biography and a personal message to the membership. We encourage you to review each candidate’s information carefully before casting your vote.
🗳️ Voting Period:
Friday, October 24, 2025 – Sunday, November 9, 2025, at 8:00 p.m.
To vote:
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Click the VOTE button at the end of the candidate list, or
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Log into your Member Account and access the Survey Section to submit your ballot.
A heartfelt thank you to the members of the 2025 Nominating Committee for their dedication and service:
Willie Atienza (Chair)
Tekethia Burrell
Julie Boland
Teresa Livingston
Shelia Willis
Holly Park
Daniel Ashley
La Tasha Terry
Kendall Jackson
As always, the successful candidates will be announced during the Annual Forum.
Thank you for participating and for continuing to support SCAGPO through your engagement and leadership!
Sincerely,
Willie Atienza
President Candidate
President Candidate Lisa Villeponteaux, NIGP-CPP, CPPB, MBA
My name is Lisa Villeponteaux, and I currently serve as your Vice President and Chair of the Program Committee. I am honored to announce my candidacy for President of SCAGPO for 2026.
With a strong foundation in public procurement, I hold both the NIGP-CPP and CPPB certifications and serve as the Director of Procurement for Berkeley County Government. Over the years, I have actively volunteered on numerous SCAGPO committees, consistently demonstrating my dedication to the growth and success of our organization.
If elected, I plan to build upon the theme of Leadership—recognizing that every one of us serves as a leader in our own way. My goal is to collaborate closely with our committees to ensure that our organizational priorities are achieved and that the evolving needs of our members remain at the forefront.
With your support, I am committed to continuing SCAGPO’s tradition of excellence, strengthening the value of membership, and expanding the opportunities that benefit us all.
Thank you for your confidence and consideration as your 2026 SCAGPO President.
Lisa Villeponteaux, NIGP-CPP, CPPB, MBA
Bio
Lisa Villeponteaux has been the Berkeley County Procurement Director since June 2023. Prior to this role, she spent many years as the County Contract Administrator in Procurement, where she learned many aspects of the County and how local government works. As Director, all Procurement activities, as well as contract administration, fall under her leadership.
Lisa is a Berkeley County native and a graduate of Berkeley High School. She received her undergraduate degree and Master’s from the Citadel. She has also taken many Procurement courses, earning her Certified Public Procurement Buyer certification and her national certification from the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing as a Certified Procurement Professional. Lisa also serves on the Board of the South Carolina Association of Governmental Purchasing Officials.
Lisa resides in Moncks Corner, where she enjoys spending time with her family and friends and her four-legged child, Myah. On the weekends, Lisa enjoys hanging out on the water and volunteering around town.
Vice President Candidate
Vice President Candidate Ashley Kennedy-Shell, CPPO, NIGP-CPP, CPPB
I am excited to announce that I am running to serve as your Vice President for 2026. Like many procurement professionals, I fell into this career path, and it has become one of my greatest passions. I truly love procurement and giving back to the procurement community through this organization. In the past, I served as your Director-at-Large as well as the forum, program and nominating committees. As your current Region 1 Director, I want to take my commitment a step further by serving as your Vice President.
If elected, I will focus on supporting the goals of our organization, fostering strong communication, and collaborating with leadership as well as the membership to turn our ideas into action to move our organization forward. With my previous experience and dedication to the organization, I am ready to continue to serve and contribute to the progress we all want to see as an organization. I look forward to earning your trust and your vote.
I served as Director-at-Large and I am the current Region 1 Director. As the Region 1 Director, I've led charitable events such as Wreaths Across America and a food drive through Harvest Hope Food Bank. I also organized SCAGPO to participate in the 2025 Walk for Life event.
I served on the Forum Committee, Nominating Committee, Program Committee, Reverse Trade Show Committee. Shared my procurement journey at the Young Professional Conference.
2025 Young Professional of the Year (NIGP), Chair of Access and Opportunity Committee for NIGP. I also serve on the test development committee. I've received scholarships to attend forum through NIGP as well as the upcoming Leadership Summit. I was also an Item Writer for the NIGP-CPP.
Vice President Candidate
Vice President Candidate Teresa Livingston
Dear SCAGPO Members,
I am honored to announce my candidacy for Vice President of SCAGPO. I believe I am motivated and dedicated to the organization as a candidate for this position because I have been actively engaged with both our membership and our leadership over the past several years.
Having had the privilege of serving as the Board Secretary for 2 years, the Chair of the Professional Development Committee and a member on the Forum Committee & Relations Officer, I have gained a deep appreciation for the dedication, collaboration, and excellence that define our organization. As the Chair for the Professional Development committee, I am proud of the fact that our work has given the membership not only quarterly training but introduced free lunch and learn sessions for the members at no cost to the organization. The attendance at quarterly training increased since training was offered based on the members’ needs. I am eager to continue helping to lead our growth in a professional and respectful manner.
As Vice President, my focus will be on:
- Empowering professional growth through continued education and training opportunities.
- Enhancing collaboration between committees, members, and leadership.
- Promoting transparency and engagement to ensure every member feels valued and informed.
I believe together we can continue to build on SCAGPO’s strong foundation and move forward with purpose, unity, and innovation.
I sincerely appreciate your support and the trust you have placed in me over the years. I look forward to the opportunity to continue serving this outstanding organization as your next Vice President.
SCAGPO’s leadership needs to hear from you — your ideas, challenges, and aspirations matter. Our committees also need your involvement, as your participation is the foundation of our success. I want to listen to your ideas, your desires, and your needs — and then I want to champion them.
As a leader in this organization, I see myself as a stakeholder in the success of every member. Your success is my success. It is truly our membership that makes SCAGPO the exceptional organization it is today.
If elected as your Vice President, I will work collaboratively with our Board to identify and create more opportunities for your voice to grow stronger — both within SCAGPO and across the broader procurement community. Together, we can continue building a community that values professional growth, inclusion, and shared success.
I look forward to the opportunity to serve you and to help advance the mission of SCAGPO in the years ahead.
Secretary Candidate
Secretary Candidate Emmett Kirwan, NIGP-CPP
I am pleased to be running for the position of Secretary to SCAGPO. With my background in public service as well as my experience with public relations, I feel I bring knowledge and experience to this position. As with all things in procurement, maintaining records is vital. In this position I hope to continue the great work of our previous Secretaries and help keep the membership up to date on what is happening within the organization. If elected to the position I will be proud to serve everyone within SCAGPO.
Bio
Emmett Kirwan has been the Procurement Director at SCDOT since August 2018. Prior to being Director he was the Contracts Manager for SCDOT, ITMO Procurement Manager, and Assistant County Administrator for Calhoun County. Prior to entering the public sector Emmett worked in the private dining club and hotel industry in a variety of roles from waiter to accounting manager. Emmett has lived in Columbia, SC since coming to USC (Go COCKS!!) in 1996 for his second Bachelor’s Degree. He holds a Bachelor’s in Communications with an Emphasis in Public Relations from Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA, a Bachelors in Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Administration from USC, and a Master’s in Public Administration from USC. He has served as Senior Warden at St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church in Columbia and sings in the choir there as well. In 2024 he completed the Certified Public Manager program and earned his NIGP-CPP in 2023.
Region 2 Director Candidate
Region 2 Director Candidate Rachel Shelley
Hello everyone,
My name is Rachel Shelley, and I am excited to be running for the position of Region 2 Director for SCAGPO. With the short term I have served, I have learned a great deal about this organization and how to better serve in the upcoming years.
Bio
Rachel Shelley is a young professional eager to help the SCAGPO community any way that she can. She worked her way up at the City of North Charleston to become the Deputy Director of Procurement in 2024. She stepped into the role of Region 2 Director for SCAGPO during the last year when asked by the current president due to the position being vacant.
Rachel holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in global supply chain as well as two associate degrees that were earned while competing in collegiate softball. After college, Rachel started working as an intern in the Finance Department and soon learned more of what Procurement was and decided it was the best career path for her.
Rachel is an active member of SCAGPO and NIGP. She works to earn credits to obtain her NIGP certification. She has served on various SCAGPO committees over the past couple of years and recently served to help rewrite the SCAGPO bylaws. Rachel strives to get student memberships in place for those in Region 2. She believes that bringing in a young professional’s perspective is beneficial to SCAGPO in many ways.
Rachel resides in the Park Circle community in North Charleston. She enjoys spending time with her friends and playing co-ed softball on the weekends.
Region 4 Director Candidate
Region 4 Director Candidate Matthew Hall
As Region 4 Director, my primary goal is to advance the mission and objectives of SCAGPO by promoting excellence, collaboration, and professional growth within the procurement community. I will focus on fostering meaningful engagement among Region 4 members through consistent communication, regional networking opportunities, and targeted professional development initiatives.
I am committed to strengthening partnerships among public procurement professionals across local governments, educational institutions, and special districts within the region. Additionally, I will work to ensure that Region 4 members are well-informed, supported, and represented in all SCAGPO initiatives and activities.
Through these efforts, I aim to contribute to the overall success of SCAGPO and to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and service in public procurement.
Bio
Matthew Hall is a seasoned procurement leader with 10+ years of experience in strategic sourcing, contract management, and compliance across public and private sectors. As Procurement Manager for the Greenville-Spartanburg Airport District, he develops standardized solicitations and contracts, ensures FAA and policy compliance, and delivers complex, high-value projects. His expertise spans supplier selection, market research, regulatory integration, DBE/ACDBE oversight, and executive-level contract analysis.
Previously, as Procurement Director for the South Carolina Department of Administration, he managed procurement operations, centralized purchasing, contract administration, and policy development for state agencies under a shared services model. He began his career at Fluor Corporation, overseeing cost forecasting, budget control, and schedule integration for multi-billion-dollar nuclear projects.
Matthew holds an MPA and a BA in Political Science and Sociology from Clemson University and has been a member of NIGP and SCAGPO since 2017.
Region 5 Director Candidate
Region 5 Director Candidate Nancy Silver, CPPO, CPPB, NIGP-CPP
Dear Fellow Colleagues,
It would be an honor to be your Region 5 Director. I look forward to getting to know you all better, sharing information from SCAGPO meetings, putting together a fundraiser that helps our communities and connecting our region. I would appreciate your vote and I look forward to supporting you on your daily endeavors. I hope to see you all at forum in November! J
Bio
Nancy Silver, NIGP-CPP, CPPO, CPPB, is an experienced procurement professional who has been employed with the County of Georgetown for over 13 years. Nancy has worked her way up through her agency, beginning as the Accounts Payable Supervisor in Finance and moving into the role of Senior Buyer in Procurement. In 2018, she was promoted once again to the Purchasing Officer for the County of Georgetown.
Nancy has been an active member of SCAGPO and NIGP since the start of her career in Procurement. She has historically volunteered as part of the Program committee as well as being a Mentor to multiple procurement individuals. Nancy believes that education is key and believes in obtaining certifications and taking NIGP classes to help enhance an individual’s education. Her highest priority for her staff is training. She believes that bringing education to her team not only helps those individuals personally, but also aides her agency and her community.
When Nancy isn’t working or volunteering with SCAGPO or NIGP, she can be found volunteering at her children’s school and volunteering at her church.
Vote!
BE sure to vote!
The voting link will be active from THURSDAY OCTOBER 24, 2025, THROUGH SUNDAY NOVEMBER 09, 2025, AT 8:00 P.M
To access the ballot, you must first be signed into the member area.
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Log In Under "Member Login" towards the top of the Home page or use the "Member Login" link under SCAGPO MEMBER SERVICES on the Home Page.
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Once you Login go to "Surveys" towards the left side of the page under MEMBER AREA
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Click the "Take Survey" under the ELECTIONS FOR 2026 SCAGPO BOARD survey.
It is fast and easy, and your vote matters!
Election Results will be announced at the Forum!