Erin Ford is the current Interim CEO of SCBIO, recently transitioning from Executive Vice President and COO. Ms. Ford works on corporate strategies emanating from the organization’s three statewide offices, its Board, and hundreds of supporting Members and Investors.  Her comprehensive responsibilities include serving as primary lead for SCBIO’s business operations and finances, championing investor relations and existing industry strategies, and spearheading integrated marketing initiatives. She previously served as sales and marketing executive at Poly-Med, a global innovation company that is developing absorbable polymers and constructs for the medical device industry, during which she served on the SCBIO Board of Directors. Before her role at Poly-Med, Inc., Erin was a business recruitment officer at the Upstate SC Alliance.  She served as the main point of contact for life sciences companies interested in expanding or locating in South Carolina. While at the Upstate Alliance, Ms. Ford served as an ex-officio SCBIO board member from 2013-2015 and led a regional biosciences task force comprised of industry executives from across the region. Erin also has extensive television experience as a documentary producer and sportscaster.

She received her B.A. in Communication from La Salle University in Philadelphia.

Carla’s served as the Senior Apprenticeship Consultant with Apprenticeship Carolina for the last ten years before joining SCBIO as investor relations and engagement director.

Carla’s career has included tax credits and economic development consulting, government relations (Federal and state), marketing and business development.  Prior to joining Apprenticeship Carolina, Carla was a Project Coordinator with Pickens County, South Carolina, where she worked with agencies in the areas of economic development, tourism, transportation, and emergency management. Throughout her career, she has worked with a number of industries including the life sciences, manufacturing, financial services, energy, information technology and health care.

Carla’s expertise has been featured during conferences and events hosted by the National Governors Association,  Urban Institute, Appalachian Regional Council, US Department of Labor, NAACP, International Monetary Fund, SC ETV, Washington Press Club, nationally recognized economic development organizations and numerous trade associations.  Carla has also been featured as a contributor in number of local, state and national publications for her work with Apprenticeship Carolina.

A graduate of the SC Technical College System Leadership Academy, Carla has also completed the National Basic Economic Development Course through the University of North Carolina. She is a native of Liberty, South Carolina, and a graduate Southern Wesleyan University with a B.S. in accounting.

Sam currently serves as Marketing Director for SCBIO where his extensive marketing career allows him to successfully implement all marketing and communications strategies, as well as overall image and branding. Sam also leads the team in preparing all annual marketing plans and works to create a calendar of campaigns and events. He is also responsible for the marketing budget and is the lead planner for SCBIO’s annual conference and its associated committee. Sam Patrick’s varied marketing career includes work directing strategic communications for such organizations as DOW, Publix Super Markets, SouthTrust Corporation, Wachovia, Datastream Systems, Ryland Homes, Club Corporation of America, State of South Carolina Tourism, Elliott Davis and Advantica/Denny’s among them. With a background in industries including consumer goods, technology, economic development, financial services and professional services, Sam founded Patrick Marketing & Communications, Inc. (PM&C) in 2005 to assist organizations seeking to deploy innovative marketing and communications to accelerate their profitable growth. Sam also serves as Director of Marketing for Greenville Area Development Corporation (the official economic development arm of Greenville County, SC) and NHE Inc. (which provides professional association management and apartment management to high quality communities across the Southeast). Sam’s involvements include the American Advertising Federation, South Carolina Association of CPAs, Miracle Hill Ministries, Senior Action, and Southeast Life Sciences. He speaks and writes regularly on various marketing and growth topics. Sam is a proud graduate of The University of Georgia where he holds a B.A. in Journalism, Public Relations and Marketing. 

Megan is a senior majoring in Bioengineering with a concentration in biomaterials and a minor in physics at the Clemson Univeristy Honors College. She just completed a year long cooperative education program with Cook Research Inc. 

McKenna is an intern at SCBIO. She is a senior Microbiology major with a concentration in Biomedicine and a minor in Business Administration at Clemson University Honors College. In addition to SCBIO, McKenna is a Clinical Microbiology Intern at Paratek Pharmaceuticals.