Two new members join Healthy Learners Board of Trustees

Healthy Learners announces the addition of Shenequa Coles and Shawn Suber, Ph.D., to the Healthy Learners Board of Trustees. Healthy Learners is a faith-based non-profit that works collaboratively with communities, schools, healthcare providers and families to remove health barriers to learning through screening, referral and access to medical services.

Shenequa Coles

“We are honored that Ms. Coles and Dr. Suber are bringing their extensive experience in education and education leadership roles—including as school principals— to the Healthy Learners Board of Trustees. Shenequa and Shawn also bring a passion to help students overcome obstacles to learning to improve their overall academic success,” said Amy Splittgerber, executive director of Healthy Learners.

“Their dedication to improving the lives of children in South Carolina will be immensely helpful in our ongoing mission to remove health barriers to learning,” added Splittgerber.

Shenequa Coles is director of support services, Richland School District One. She is an educator with more than 27 years of experience at the secondary level. As director of support services, she oversees all direct services to students, with an intense focus on those who are experiencing problems that create barriers to learning and overall academic success. She received a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of South Carolina. Coles worked at Hopkins Middle School as a teacher, mentor, program coordinator and department leader. Prior to transitioning to her district position in 2019, she was a high school assistant principal for curriculum and instruction for 4 years and principal for 10 years at Columbia High School, where she worked to provide rigorous programmatic opportunities for all students. She is a 2015 graduate of the Riley Institute at Furman University’s Diversity Leaders Initiative. Coles is a board member for Girls on the Run Columbia.

Shawn Suber, Ph.D., is the director of MTSS/state and federal programs in the Richland School District Two Academic Department. He served as the principal of L.W. Conder Elementary Arts Integrated Magnet School from 2013 to 2015 and as a leader in Richland School District Two for 15 years, including time as an assistant principal at Rice Creek Elementary and Lake Carolina Elementary. Dr. Suber started as a school counselor at W.S. Sandel Elementary in Richland School District One. He received a bachelor’s degree in sociology/psychology from Newberry College, two master’s degrees (school counseling from Winthrop University and educational administration from University of South Carolina), and an educational specialist degree and Doctor of Philosophy degree in educational administration from the University of South Carolina. Dr. Suber serves on several boards, including Richland Count First Steps, Board of Managers for Newberry College Alumni and Newberry College President’s Diversity Taskforce.

About Healthy Learners

Healthy Learners was founded in 1992 based on the belief that children learn better when they are healthy. A ministry of the Sisters of Charity Health System, Healthy Learners is devoted to removing children’s health barriers to learning with love and compassion. In order for our communities to thrive, it is essential that children are healthy and well-educated, graduate from high school on time, and perform at their full potential. The prevalence of health barriers to learning is higher in children of color or in poverty, and these same children bear more burden of disease—in part due to their poor access to healthcare services. This is where Healthy Learners steps in to provide access to these critical healthcare services so that all children can be at their best in the classroom. Healthy Learners has five regional programs that serve 150 schools across twelve (12) South Carolina school districts. For more information, see healthylearners.com.