At the youthful age of 23, Alex Clark has accomplished more in her life so far than many people twice her age. While it is not unusual for women of all ages to multitask, Alex takes on her endeavors with the energy of a highly motivated individual, doing it all with grace and style.

A true Lowcountry girl, Alex was born in Charleston, S.C. and moved to Beaufort when she was 4 years old. Living in Bluffton since 2020, she graduated magna cum laude from the University of South Carolina Beaufort in April. Additionally, she was recognized as the “Outstanding English Major” by her teachers, whom she credits as her mentors and inspiration to pursue a teaching career.

Al’Kedra Tyler saw her first Marine when she was a sophomore in high school in Elizabeth City, NC. “I saw him walk down the hall, and he was like a vision of a Marine on the cover of a magazine. From that moment, I always wanted to do that, be a Marine. So, I joined the Junior ROTC, but it was Air Force. I found all the Marine commercials, graphics, weapons, uniforms, and posters enticing. I met the Marine recruiter in my junior year.”

“Mom was completely against the Marine Corps. She tried to talk me out of it, but I was stubborn,” Al’Kedra said. A week after graduating high school, she moved to San Antonio with a few friends. “It wasn’t working, so I called the recruiter, and he got me in. I was in boot camp for a week before I called my mother. It was May, and it was very hot here at Parris Island. I was only 100 pounds, very small, and I felt like I was wasting away. I was burning through calories, and it felt like I couldn’t eat enough or drink enough water to get through boot camp. But I made it.”

Detective Kate Cooler has given back to her community in many ways.

Kate, who grew up in the small town of Oxford, Connecticut, packed up her Jeep Wrangler to move to the Lowcountry in December 2014. Armed with a degree in Justice and Law Administration from Western Connecticut State University, she longed to be near the water and away from the snow. Kate had always enjoyed visiting South Carolina, so at age 22, she moved to the Palmetto State without a job or any firm prospects. After consulting Google Maps, she chose Beaufort and applied to a few agencies, showed up in person, and was sworn in as a cop in January 2015. She worked on patrol for three and a half years before joining the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office in 2018. There, she worked as a patrol officer with additional responsibilities in victim advocacy and criminal investigations.

Teri, Your story is one of rising from the ashes like a powerful Phoenix. Let’s start in the present and work backwards because where you have landed is the pinnacle of triumph over tragedy. Your podcast, The Healing Place, is rated in the top 2% of most listened to podcasts globally. Tell us more about it.

I love that visual of rising like an empowered phoenix! I was working in a mental health agency when a therapist friend approached me about starting a podcast. I began reaching out to trauma-recovery specialists around the country to invite them to join me on my new show. Word spread quickly and the podcast blossomed. Best-selling authors, therapists, and healers across the globe have been sitting down with me to share their empowering missions over these last seven years.

She can play guard and forward; she handles the ball with ease and sinks three pointers regularly. This is what happens when you start playing street ball at a young age, being the only girl in a mix of big, burly, boy cousins, all serious about the round ball. None of them knew Janiyah would take her determination to show them up on the courts and work her way up through the ranks to receive a full ride scholarship to play on the USCB Sand Sharks inaugural ladies basketball team. It has been a dream come true for Savannah native Janiyah Heyward.

At five feet, seven inches, Janiyah isn’t the tallest player on the team, but when she enters a room, her stature makes it clear she means business. She is large, strong, serious, an athlete at heart with competitiveness coursing through her like a wide-open jet ski on smooth-as-glass water. She plays the game, but she isn’t here to play. She’s here to improve, grow and be an important part of the team.

Grass doesn’t grow under Reily White’s feet.

Reily is the only female from the State of South Carolina, age 19 and under, invited to attend the U.S. Crew Olympic Development Camp in Chattanooga, Tennessee,
this month.

Born and raised on Hilton Head Island, 17-year-old Reily maintains a rigorous schedule that will make any over-achiever blush. About to enter her senior year, Reily is the youngest of three children. Her older brother rowed on a crew team for a couple of years, and the team needed someone to fill the last spot just one week before a race. At the tender age of 11, Reily, a fifth grader, jumped right in. “I didn’t know what it was,” recalled Reily, “but I said sure! I’ll try it!”

Codee Yeske and Alison Owen are enthusiastic and talented members of the athletic staff at the University of South Carolina Beaufort (USCB). Codee entered her third season as the head coach of USCB's softball program in 2024. Alison joined USCB in 2022. She serves as the assistant softball coach/camp coordinator but has added on a new role as the academic coordinator for the USCB Athletic Department. Alison will now oversee academics and academic standards across all 13 Sand Shark sports. The Sand Sharks are the USCB athletic teams in intercollegiate sports as a member of the NCAA Division II ranks, primarily competing in the Peach Belt Conference since the 2022–23 academic year.

Endurance, strength, and diligence are three radiant attributes Kourtny Kosto exemplifies on and off the tennis courts, where she has flourished in her love for the game.

Born and raised on Hilton Head, an island known world-wide for golf and tennis, it was only natural Kourtny gave them both a try. Starting out as a competitive trapeze, ribbons, and Cirque du Soleil dancer, Kourtny always knew she was going to live an active life.

Kim Lewis is a beachcomber extraordinaire. After moving to Hilton Head Island from the mountains of North Carolina, she began walking the beach at Fish Haul, picking up little treasures each time. Now her home and garden are potpourris of many of her precious finds. Her husband, Matt, says Kim is the “idea person,” and he is the “doer.” Their home has an outdoor shower and two indoor showers that Kim has tiled with seashells, small bottles, sea glass, shark teeth, dolphin bones, even ancient horse teeth—all found on the beach or in the Lowcountry pluff mud. The stunning tile work beckons a closer look to find the intricate treasures it contains. The Lewis’ driftwood garden also showcases numerous curiosities. All of their finds, creatively woven into their home and garden, will be featured on the All Saints Episcopal Church Garden Tour on May 18.

As a young girl growing up in the early 1970s, the fact that Trisha Marmo had a child-sized ironing board wasn’t all that unusual. Unlike most five-year-olds, however, Trisha’s ironing board was her operating table, and her dolls were her very first patients.

“Very early on I had an affinity for helping others,” Trisha recalled. “It’s just always been a part of who I am.”

That affinity has guided Trisha all her life, steering her into a nursing career, which came as a surprise to her because, from those early ironing board/operating table years, her heart and mind had been set on becoming a doctor.

Tara Boswell’s life has been idyllic. She grew up on a farm in the tiny community of Cummings, S.C., seven miles outside of Yemassee, and has never left. “I grew up there and have always loved it-–the space, the fresh air, conserving wildlife and experiencing God’s magnificent creations.” She married her high school sweetheart, Chuck, who grew up in nearby Hampton. Their parents knew each other, and Tara said it seemed like they had always been in each other’s lives. “Our relationship evolved. I started dating Chuck when I was 16 and never went out with anyone else.” The couple married when Tara was 21, after she earned her degree in elementary education.

Tiffany Mikkelson is an organizer of the next level by necessity.

Born, raised, and schooled in Jackson, Mississippi, Tiffany met her husband, Ryan, in law school at Mississippi College School of Law. As their courtship progressed, Ryan, a Wisconsin native, mentioned he wanted to return to his adopted hometown of Bluffton. The couple established that they were agreeable to moving to Bluffton and founded Mikkelson Law Firm, LLC.

Ella Mae Jenkins was born on Daufuskie Island in 1937 on a hot summer Sunday in August. Now, she is the oldest living matriarch on the Island, still calling Daufuskie home 86 years later. Both of Ella Mae’s parents, Cornelia and Freddy Grant, Sr., were also natives of the eight-square mile sea island still only accessible by water. Her father worked in Savannah as a river dredger.

According to the 1940 Census, rarely did a Daufuskie resident get educated beyond the sixth grade, as it wasn’t until the 1930s that the Maryfields School for black children was even built. This is the two-room schoolhouse where Pat Conroy taught in the late ‘60s, and yes, one of Ella Mae’s seven children had Conroy as a teacher.

Candice, the last time we caught up, we were at the largest Pink Partini ever held throughout 19 years. It was the largest, because you were taking center stage that evening. In fact, you were center stage! More than 4,000 people came out to Tanger Outlets in Bluffton to not only celebrate your monumental win of Season 12 American Idol, but also to hear your beautiful, powerful voice. 

That was 2013 and over the 20 years of Pink’s existence, your win is one of the biggest, most positive things Beaufort County has experienced. In the last 11 years, we have seen you grow and blossom. We’ve gotten to meet your wonderful mother, Carole, and participate in her big event. We are thrilled for your success, and we are excited to let everyone know what you’re currently up to and where your journey has led you so far! So, Candice, please fill us in!

Nancy Golson was featured in the very first issue of Pink Magazine 20 years ago. In that feature she was described as the epitome of the Bluffton State of Mind. And that hasn’t changed. Nancy has lived on Myrtle Island for 44 years in a house built in 1919 on family property previously owned by her mother-in-law.

“When I got married, we built a house in my mother-in-law’s backyard. We were young and naïve and kept adding on. Eventually we moved into the original house,” Nancy said. She mentioned her children enjoyed growing up there, on the river, as opposed to a gated community. “My new edict is to leave the vegetation alone. It’s a habitat for animals and birds. Nature is wild, and it gives the yard privacy. But now they’re cutting down trees for mega-houses with manicured lawns.”

This is not Karin Van Name’s first rodeo. It is her 102nd at the age of 93.

“Wait a minute…,” you might say!

Karin moved from Long Island, New York, to the Lowcountry in 2002. Back then, one of Karin’s daughters lived here, and Karin and another daughter, an x-ray technician, visited often. Tired of the cold weather in New York, mother and daughter decided it might be time for a more permanent change of scenery. The x-ray tech daughter interviewed for a position at a local hospital and was hired. “That’s it, New York!” said Karin’s daughter. “We’re moving to Hilton Head!” Karin has three daughters, two granddaughters, and a grandson and has been a mom for most of her life.

An Update on this family’s Struggle with In Vitro Fertilization from the May, 2021 issue

When Pink readers last met Beaufort, SC, native Nikki Shepperd, in early 2021, she was undergoing In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatment in Virginia Beach, VA, where her husband Charlie, a Naval officer, was stationed at Norfolk Naval Station. The note at the end of the feature stated that sadly, the treatment was unsuccessful. But this girl persevered and started a second round of IVF in August of 2021.

On her Facebook page, Charity describes herself as “indigenous woman, body worker, yogi, artist, belly dancer, tree hugger, mom to Eli, and wife of Ashley. She knows who she is and defines herself for all to see. Though she encompasses all of these titles, she is so much more.

We met up in the coffee shop at Beaufort Waterfront Park, where she arrived wearing a beautiful, colorful cape that looked like it was made from a menagerie of fabrics, pieced and sewn together to make something so striking. I learned Charity made it herself. She explained how she uses old clothes to bring new life to creations she crafts and sews together. This has become a passion she has turned into a fun, small business. She calls it “GrateFULL Threads Upcycled Clothing.

As a long-time hotelier family in Charleston, SC, and a 9th generation Charlestonian, tell us when your career in hospitality started?
I started working in the office with our accountant at age 7. I put bills and checks in numerical order. She’s been with us since 1980. I got bored in the office, so at age 10, I started working the front desk at Meeting Street Inn. I wanted to talk to people, greet everyone, and see our repeat guests who have been coming every year since before I was born. Now their children come and even grandchildren. We have one employee who worked at the hotel before my grandparents bought it. He’s still with us! I love working with so many of our longtime employees who have been with us 40 and 50 years and hearing their stories. We are about to celebrate 150 years in business. They are family to us, and they’ve become family to many of our guests, as well.

From a young age, Leanna McMillan wanted to be outside and learn all she could about nature.

Leanna was born and raised in Darlington, SC, a small town near Florence, SC, and left home to attend and earn a B.S. degree at Coastal Carolina University. She then moved to the Lowcountry in 2018 to be closer to her family in Savannah. Leanna’s job with Oldfield 1732, the sprawling, white-fenced community at the bend on 170, happened somewhat organically, pun intended. Her husband landed a job in Okatie, piquing Leanna’s interest in nearby Oldfield, a growing residential community with a serious commitment to the natural environment. “Oh, yeah,” said Leanna in a leisurely and charming Southern drawl. “I wanted that job!” One year later, Leanna accepted the position of Oldfield’s Staff Naturalist.

Janina Cushman, a resident of Hilton Head Plantation, said she could never live in a house without a garden. However, her idea of “a garden” certainly surpasses what most homeowners can imagine. Janina and her husband, Rob, moved from Wexford Plantation to their home three years ago. Janina said they looked at 40 homes before they found their gem—a totally private, large lot with tidal estuaries and marsh views. Rob said, “It was a palette with nothing on it, no color, just pine straw.” So, Janina worked on a plan with the help of a landscape designer.

“I wanted some hardscaping because it gives character. It’s been great fun,” she smiled. Stone walkways lead through the garden with two-feet high raised beds, constructed with light brown, stone bricks. Janina, who loves color, added. “The beds are as flower-filled as I can get them.”

Dawn Weaver’s life has always been one of giving care, loving others and relying upon her rock-solid faith. “I draw all my strength from the Lord. He will not abandon or forsake me,” she said. Dawn has certainly been tested, however. Her 34-year-old son, Jonathan suffered a traumatic brain injury as an infant has required 24-hour full care—feeding, bathing, dressing, everything—ever since.

“Jonathan is very verbal. He tells everyone, ‘I am unique because I am fearfully and wonderfully made by God.’” Dawn said he is sweet and captures everyone’s hearts. “I don’t let his limitations hold him back. I want him to get the fullest life, and I push him to his limits.” Everyone knows him fondly as “Scooby” because he has always loved to watch “Scooby Doo” cartoons. He has t-shirts, hoodies, shoes, and room décor with Scooby designs.

Pink: Tracy, congratulations on becoming Board Certified in Obesity Medicine! Can you share what it took to achieve this significant accreditation?
Dr. Blusewicz: Thank you! Board certification is no small feat. It involved extensive training, attending conferences, daily patient experiences, and studying rigorously for a comprehensive exam. Balancing this with my full-time Gynecology practice, Med Spa, research projects, and global engagements was challenging, but the expanding field of Obesity Medicine, with its successful options for patients, motivated me to persevere. The 4-hour board certification exam was one of the most complex I've taken. I actually cried tears of joy when I passed!

Chelsea Ackerman met up with me at Lowcountry Cider and Coffee shop on a blustery, cold Saturday morning. She’s a young mother of an almost 5-year-old and a 1-year-old, so her wonderful husband, Johnathan kept them at home for our interview. A cute blonde, with a quick smile, she arrived early, texting me for confirmation.

Chelsea was born with a rare congenital heart condition. It’s called transposition of great arteries, in which the two main arteries are somehow switched from where they should be. At birth, she spent several weeks in the Medical University of South Carolina hospital (MUSC), while doctors considered heart surgery, but decided on a “wait and see” approach instead. She says she’s had cardiologist appointments all her life, and other than a few fainting spells, grew up perfectly normal. She was an active cheerleader in her high school years and met her husband in high school. They dated for ten years and have been married for seven.

When it comes to class reunions, many of us are hesitant. However, Elizabeth Huggins is all about it as a member of the Class of 1991 at the University of Texas (UT) in Austin. She was a UT cheerleader from 1987-1990, leaving her Saturday sideline gig her senior year for a necessary internship in her nutrition major.

Elizabeth had no cheerleading experience prior to college. She was a gymnast—and a shy one, at that. A serendipitous moment became a game-changer when she was working out in the same gym as the cheerleading squad. She saw them stunting, which spelled F.U.N. to her. With her petite size, acrobatic background, and adorable personality, she was a shoo-in to make the squad.

Bahar Matin-Azad grew up in a loving family in Iran but longed to be free and independent. The patriarchal culture of Iran squashed all opportunities for her to grow into the woman she wished to be. (Even today, Iranian women experience discrimination deeply impacting their lives, particularly with regard to marriage, divorce, and custody issues. Wearing a hijab is compulsory and women are not permitted to travel abroad without their
husbands’ permission.

So, when a distant relative realized Bahar was a great catch, she played matchmaker and told her son, who was living in Canada, he needed to meet her. He came to Iran, and they liked each other. Bahar hoped that because he was educated and financially secure, her life would be better than what she experienced in Iran. “I had a fantasy that he would take me to another world where I could be independent and have a better life for our future children,” she said.

You have followed in the footsteps of three generations of men by becoming a licensed builder. How did your family react when you stepped into the traditional men’s world of construction?
My mother and my grandmother worked in the industry with my father and grandfather, so it is very special to me to be carrying on the whole family’s legacy in a new way, and in a new part of the country. My grandfather passed away before I was licensed, and my grandmother tragically slipped into dementia, but growing up they always supported me.

Debby Grahl developed a passion and talent for storytelling at a young age.

As a child, Debby experienced problems with her vision and was a slow reader. Debby was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), a rare genetic and degenerative eye disease with no cure. While growing up in Michigan, she began making up stories to entertain herself and her friends around the age of 13. She lost her ability to see print in her early twenties, but her medical condition hasn’t deterred her from sharing her romantic mystery stories with many happy readers.

In March of 2020, Leah McCarthy, owner of Downtown Catering Company, was at the pinnacle of success. “I was at the height of my business—successful, a high achiever, caring for both my mother, who had dementia, and three kids. Then my life fell apart.”

The Covid pandemic struck America like a sledgehammer. Events were cancelled, schools were closed, and kids transitioned to online learning. Churches held virtual services, and funerals were suspended. The hospitality industry was hit especially hard, and Downtown Catering Company was no exception.

“You will succeed if you persevere; and you will find joy in overcoming obstacles. –Helen Keller

What makes a champion? Is it skill? Drive? Hard work? For Maria Francescotti it is all of these mixed with tremendous discipline and perseverance. At age 16, Maria is a champion swimmer. Not only does she strictly adhere to proper nutrition, train diligently, and love to compete, she does it all even though she was born with Poland Syndrome and Symbrachydactyly.

Poland Syndrome is a condition where someone is born with missing or underdeveloped chest muscles. In addition, they may have webbed or fused fingers as another sign of the condition (WebMD.com). According to stanfordchildrens.org, Symbrachydactyly occurs when an arm or hand does not develop completely. Sometimes, one hand may be smaller than the other. Both Poland Syndrome and Symbrachydactyly happen as the fetus is developing in the mother’s womb. In Maria’s case, her right arm, upper chest, shoulder, and right hand are affected. However, her conditions have never stopped her from reaching her goals.