Beyond The Stars
Early Intervention
Meet Our Staff
Wendy Cox, Owner
Early Intervention Director
My name is Wendy Cox and I graduated from Francis Marion University in 1999 with a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education. I taught third grade at Walker Gamble Elementary before having our first child. When our first child was two years old, I opened Doodle Buzz Academy, a licensed, ABC quality child care center and SC First Steps 4K. I owned and operated Doodle Buzz Academy for 16 years until I had my last child, Eli. Eli was born with Down Syndrome, and I fell in love with early intervention through Eli's early interventionist. I realized the need for early intervention in this area and from that realization, Beyond The Stars Early Intervention was born. It warmed my heart to know that abilities are limitless and even children with delays and special needs can reach beyond the stars. I live in Lake City with my husband, Neil Cox and our 9 kids.
Lisa McDonald
Early Interventionist
My name is Lisa McDonald and I am a Registered Nurse from Lake City, SC. My husband and I have2 adult children and 4 amazing grandchildren. In our spare time, we enjoy outdoor activities, such as boating, fishing, and spending as much time as possible with family. My nursing career began in 1989 when I graduated from Florence Darling Technical College with an Associate Degree in Nursing. Years later, I returned to college and in 2009, I graduated from the Medical University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Over 35 years in healthcare have afforded me the opportunity to serve both adult and pediatricpopulations in a variety of arenas. Early in my nursing career, I worked with SC DHEC engaging in a variety of public health services, including maternal and child health services. It was in the public health arena that I was given the opportunity to care for expectant mothers, monitoring their health and teaching healthy maternal practices. I cared for babies and children through performing newborn home visits and assessments, performing developmental assessments, and engaging in plans and interventions to address developmental delays. Today, this work is known as Early Intervention and I am delighted to continue serving our community through this work at Beyond the Stars Early Intervention.
Emily Beth Gladden
Early Interventionist
Hello! My name is Emily Beth Gladden and I am from Lake City, SC. I graduated from Regent University in Virginia Beach with my bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in Christianity and culture. Since graduation, I have worked in ABA as a Behavioral Therapist where I helped kids of all ages with autism meet their goals and overcome some of life’s challenges. I have always had a passion for helping kids grow and develop into who they strive to become. My family is my biggest blessing and they are so important to me. I got married to my wonderful husband, Austin in 2023 and will soon be a new Mama in September of 2024! I am excited to use my passion of family, kids, and developmental psychology to work everyday towards blossoming little minds!
Shelley Floyd
Early Intervention Supervisor
My name is Shelley Floyd, and I am from New Zion, SC. I graduated from Francis Marion University in 2008 with a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education. Prior to joining this team, I taught in the classroom for 12 years; teaching 4K, 5K, 1st grade, and 3rd grade. I love working with young children and helping them learn and grow. My oldest daughter was born 15 weeks early and has cerebral palsy and autism. As the mother of a child (now a young adult) with special needs I am very passionate about the importance of early intervention and am so excited about the opportunity to work with other families and children to help them reach their maximum potential. In my spare time, I enjoy baking and spending time with my husband, our five children, our son in law, and our three sweet grand-babies.
Tammy Hewitt
Early Interventionist
My name is Tammy Hewitt and I am from Turbeville, SC. I graduated from Liberty University with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and I am currently working on my Master's Degree in Counseling at Liberty University. My husband Randall and I have one daughter named Gabby who is 15 years old. We enjoy watching her play sports and spending time together as a family. We love to travel together and our favorite place to go is the beach. My passion for helping young children through early intervention was sparked by my nephew Josh who has cerebral palsy. I have helped my sister and my parents care for him for much of my life and I love being able to see him grow in his abilities and as a person. The most rewarding aspect of my job is to get to see the children that I serve reach their goals. I am so excited to get to do this everyday and look forward to serving so many precious children.
Kristin Floyd
Early Interventionist
​“Find a job you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” How blessed and fortunate I am that this expression rings true in my life! My name is Kristin Phillips Floyd, and I am from Lake City, SC. I graduated from Francis Marion University in 2009 with a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education. I also have a Master of Education in Literacy from Coker College and a Montessori credential. Prior to joining this amazing team, I taught in the classroom for 14 years; teaching 4K, 5K, and 1st grade. I am extremely passionate about teaching children, and my career has always been an enjoyable and fulfilling experience for me. I believe in the power of early intervention and support for children’s development. I have seen firsthand the positive impact that a nurturing and educational environment can have on a child’s growth and well-being. Overall, I am driven by the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children and help them reach their full potential. In my free time, I love spending time with my husband and our three children. I also enjoy developing lessons and activities that will make learning as meaningful and captivating as possible for little ones. It would be a pleasure to work with your child!
Deanna McBrayer
Early Interventionist
My name is Deanna McBrayer and I am from Scranton, SC. I am a recent graduate of Francis Marion University with a Bachelor's in Early Childhood Education. I have chosen early intervention in hopes of being able to help members of my community and give children the tools they need to reach their full potential. When I'm not working, I enjoy spending time with my husband, Cameron, reading, and going on walks with my pups.
"Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood."
Fred Rogers
Stephanie Evans
Early Interventionist
My name is Stephanie Brown Evans and I am from Kingstree, SC. I received my undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education in 1989 and a master’s degree in special education in 2012 from FMU. I have 25+ years of teaching experience. I have taught in both the independent and public-school settings over the course of my career. I have taught a variety of ages and abilities. I am most proud of being the teacher for differently abled 3 to 5-year-olds. Being a part of their growth and seeing their progress is so very rewarding.I am excited about being a part of the Beyond the Stars Early Intervention Team and being able to work with children one on one. I am a big believer in meeting children where they are and providing developmentally appropriate strategies and interventions to help them grow and progress in their own time. My husband David and I have been married for 35 years and have two children and two beautiful grandchildren. Some of my favorite things are reading, spending time with our family and going to the beach. My ultimate enjoyment is being able to do all three at the same time.
Annsley Goodwin
Early Interventionist
My name is Annsley Goodwin and I’m from Darlington, SC. I graduated from Clemson University in 2022 with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Psychology and a minor in Youth Development Studies. I have always had a passion for working with children, so when I first learned about Early Intervention in a class I took at Clemson, I knew it was a field that I would truly enjoy being a part of. I am extremely excited that I am able to be a participant in helping children reach their full potential. In my free time, my favorite things to do are spending time with my family and friends, watching my favorite shows, and spending time in the sun - especially at the beach!