COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina First Steps, the state’s public-private partnership for early childhood services, announced that Ann Vandervliet has been named as its new executive director.

“We are thrilled to welcome Ann to First Steps,” said David Morley, chair of the South Carolina First Steps Board of Trustees. “She is a mission-driven leader with deep expertise in early childhood systems building. Ann understands the power of partnership and collaboration in achieving meaningful, measurable outcomes for young children and families.”

“I am truly honored to have this opportunity to work alongside families and communities to ensure that every child has the chance to reach their full potential,” said incoming Executive Director Ann Vandervliet. “I look forward to building on the strong foundation First Steps has laid over the past 25 years, continuing to advance collaborative, family-centered systems that support the healthy development and education of young children across South Carolina.”

Vandervliet brings over 20 years of executive leadership experience in the nonprofit and public sectors, with a strong focus on early childhood education and service delivery. Most recently, she served as executive director of the Guilford County Partnership for Children (GCPC) in North Carolina, where she spearheaded a collaborative effort among federal, state, and local agencies to meet the needs of the county’s early childhood workforce.

Prior to her work at GCPC, Vandervliet was the founding executive director of Smart Beginnings (now the Center for Early Success) in Southside, Virginia, where she secured what was, at the time, the largest private investment in Virginia’s history to support school readiness initiatives. Her career also includes roles as a program officer for the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation and as a communications leader for public and nonprofit organizations, including the Down East Partnership for Children, Nash-Rocky Mount Schools, and Easter Seals South Carolina.

Vandervliet’s extensive professional background is complemented by her volunteer leadership roles, including serving as chair of the Danville Public Schools Foundation, delegate to Virginia’s Early Childhood Advisory Council, and facilitator for the Federal Reserve of Virginia’s Regional School Readiness Roundtable.

A graduate of the University of South Carolina, Vandervliet holds a bachelor’s degree in international studies.

Vandervliet will officially begin her role as executive director of South Carolina First Steps on Thursday, October 17. In this capacity, she will oversee 46 county-level nonprofit affiliates and lead partnerships with over 300 providers of state-funded four-year-old kindergarten. She will direct the work of the South Carolina Early Childhood Advisory Council, the state’s primary collaborative body for the healthy development and education of children from prenatal through age five. Vandervliet will also be responsible for raising private and nonstate funds to diversify revenue and expand the agency's operational capacity.

About South Carolina First Steps

As a public-private partnership, South Carolina First Steps operates as both a state agency and a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, with a mission to ensure that every child in South Carolina enters school ready to succeed. In fiscal year 2024, First Steps directly served 64,678 young children across all 46 counties of the state.

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