Pyramid PIECES Team - Pyramid PIECES

Child Care Support Team

Joanne Osterland

Lead Pyramid Model Implementation Coach

JOANNEO@mailbox.sc.edu
(803) 973-9227

Joanne Osterland is a Pyramid Model Program Implementation Coach, supporting child care centers with program-wide implementation. Joanne earned a BA in Early Childhood Education from Kent State University and a Master of Science in Special Education from Drake University. She has served as a teacher in toddler, pre-kindergarten, and kindergarten classrooms, and as a director of programs serving infant through school-age children. Joanne is a Certified Trainer and Technical Assistance Provider with SC Endeavors. She is dedicated to helping teachers experience joy in their work as they implement best practices to support children's growth in social and emotional development.

Stephanie McAvoy

Lead Behavior Specialist

smcavoy@mailbox.sc.edu
(803) 457-2497

Stephanie McAvoy is a Behavior Specialist with the Pyramid PIECES team. In this role, she provides behavior support services in child care programs throughout South Carolina. Stephanie has over 15 years of experience and holds a master’s degree in special education. She is excited to be a part of supporting children, their families, and the whole early childhood team through building relationships and supporting the implementation of evidence-based practices throughout South Carolina.

Trisha Germain

Behavior Specialist

TGERMAIN@mailbox.sc.edu
(839) 250-7184

Trisha Germain is a Behavior Specialist, providing behavior support services in childcare programs throughout the state of South Carolina. She holds her M.A. in Early Childhood with a Specialization in Teaching and Learning, along with her B.A. in Early Childhood Studies. She is also a certified trainer with SC Endeavors and has worked with Head Start, Parents as Teachers, and Early Head Start. Trisha has over a decade of experience teaching and mentoring young children with disabilities, developmental delays, and challenging behaviors. She is passionate about the opportunity to improve outcomes for children, families, and teachers within the South Carolina early childhood community.

Dallas Yoshida

Behavior Specialist

nichol73@mailbox.sc.edu
(803) 995-0853

Dallas Yoshida is a Behavior Specialist with the Pyramid PIECES team. In this role, she works to support early childhood educators by providing behavior support services in childcare programs across the state. She received her B.A in Psychology from the University of South Carolina and her MSW from Winthrop University. She is a licensed social worker with a background in early intervention and pediatric mental health. She is passionate about collaborating with families and early educators to provide the support they need to foster the growth and development of young children.

Audrey Bell

Behavior Specialist

AB374@mailbox.sc.edu
(803) 605-1235

Audrey has a BA in History from St. Joseph’s College of Maine and a MA in Elementary Education from the University of Phoenix. Her experience includes working directly with early childhood students as a classroom teacher and a paraprofessional for children with disabilities, as well as determining eligibility for state early intervention programs. Audrey is passionate about using data-driven results and building strong relationships to enhance the educational experience for all learners.

Erin Martin

Pyramid Model Implementation Coach

EM74@mailbox.sc.edu
(803) 394-1834

Erin Martin is a passionate and dedicated Pyramid Model Implementation Coach with over 20 years of experience in early childhood education, specializing in early intervention and inclusive education. Before joining Pyramid PIECES in 2025, she served as an Inclusion Specialist for Family Child Care Home (FCCH) providers statewide for the South Carolina Child Care Inclusion Collaborative, delivering professional development on evidence-based practices that promote the inclusion of children with disabilities and developmental delays. Erin emphasizes fostering healthy social and emotional well-being in young children through supportive and inclusive teaching strategies.

Erin earned Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Family Consumer Science Business with a concentration in Child Development from South Carolina State University and a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Early Childhood Education from the University of South Carolina. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Foundations of Education at the University of South Carolina.

Erin Martin is an early childhood professional with a strong background in early intervention and inclusive education. She has served as an Early Interventionist, Supervisor, and Developmental Therapist, supporting families and young children through individualized services. Erin has also worked in child care centers and with Richland County First Steps, always focused on bridging research to practice and promoting equitable, inclusive learning environments..

Erin is not only an advocate for inclusive education but also a devoted wife and mother to four amazing children. Outside of her professional endeavors, she enjoys reading and spending time with her family.

District Support Team

Nichole Hudgens

Pyramid Model Implementation Coach

hudgenen@mailbox.sc.edu
(803) 521-9052

Nichole Hudgens is a Pyramid Model Program Implementation Coach with the Pyramid PIECES team, supporting school districts with program-wide implementation. Prior to joining Pyramid PIECES, Nichole served as an Inclusion Specialist with the SC Inclusion Collaborative, and as Quality Coach with the South Carolina Child Care Resource and Referral Network for four years. Nichole earned a BA in Early Childhood Education from Clemson University and received her master’s degree in Education from Ashford University. Nichole also taught pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and upper elementary school. Nichole holds a certification as a Certified Trainer and Technical Assistance Provider with the SCEndeavors.

Behavior Specialist

ellyna@mailbox.sc.edu

Support Team

Aaron Prince

Communications Coordinator

ap182@mailbox.sc.edu
(803) 973-9242

Aaron Prince is the Communications Coordinator for Pyramid PIECES. In this role, he is responsible for all content management for Pyramid PIECES and its sibling programs SCPI and SCIC. This includes website updates, newsletter publishing, social media management, and the creation and execution of content calendars. Aaron holds an MA in Copywriting and Strategic Design. He began his career in ad agencies and in-house teams creating a variety of materials for multiple mediums. He has experience writing, designing, and crafting marketing and communication deliverables for the healthcare, insurance, home building, and retail industries.

Suzanne Wingard

Events Coordinator

wingars@mailbox.sc.edu
(803) 767-7850

Suzanne Wingard is the Events Coordinator for Pyramid PIECES and its sibling programs SCPI and SCIC. In this position, Suzanne is responsible for planning, managing and organizing functions and events that align with the mission of our work for externally funded projects.

Suzanne holds a B.S. in Health Sciences from Clemson University and has 10 years of experience around training and conference coordination. She has worked directly with SC partners to implement multiple state and nationwide conferences which provided training, support, and resources to families of children, youth, and young adults with special healthcare needs, as well as to the professionals who serve these families. As a trainer, she has also provided multiple trainings directly to caregivers, professionals, education students, and youth. She is also an appointed member of the SC Developmental Disabilities Council, seated as a parent of a teen with a disability.

Leadership

Heather Googe

Principal Investigator

googe@email.sc.edu
(803) 777-2861

Dr. Googe has over 20 years of experience working in the field of early childhood special education and holds a PhD in Special Education from the University of South Carolina. She is a Research Assistant Professor at the Yvonne & Schuyler Moore Child Development Research Center at the University of South Carolina. She also serves as the Director and Principal Investigator of the South Carolina Child Care Inclusion Collaborative, Principal Investigator of the Mix EC Project, and Principal Investigator of the South Carolina Partnerships for Inclusion project. She is also a member of the Pyramid PIECES SLT.

Kerri Kannengieser

Co-Investigator

kannengi@mailbox.sc.edu
(803) 429-0519

Kerri Kannengieser is the Program Director for SC Partnerships for Inclusion (SCPI) and is a member of the Pyramid PIECES State Leadership Team. Kerri holds an M.S. in Special Education and has over 15 years of experience in the field, ten years working directly with children as a special education teacher. Kerri is a member of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and the Division for Early Childhood (DEC). She is a Certified Child Care Trainer in South Carolina. Additionally, she was appointed a member of the South Carolina Advisory Council for Educating Students with Disabilities (ACESD) in 2018 and currently serves on the Executive Committee as the co-chair of the council's Preschool Committee.

Kerri Wikel

Pyramid Model Coordinator

Appell@Mailbox.sc.edu
(803) 973-9281

Kerri Wikel is the Pyramid Model Coordinator. She coordinates and facilitates the work of the State Leadership Team (SLT) and supports the work of the professional development network as they provide training and program coaching. Kerri holds a BA in Psychology and a Master’s in Early Childhood Education from the University of South Carolina. Kerri is endorsed through the South Carolina Infant Mental Health Association as an infant family associate. She is passionate about promoting and supporting the cross-sector work of early childhood education professionals.

Our Team

Child Care Support Team

District Support Team

Support Team

Leadership