Coming soon…
Term: November 2022 – November 2026
First Year Elected/Appointed: November 2022
Years Served: 3
Education:
Central College
Degree(s): MBA
Community Organizations:
- Member, American Management Association
- Member, Anderson Planning Board
Greg Balog was elected to the Anderson County Board of Education in November 2022 and is currently serving his third year. He earned his MBA from Central College and has been actively involved in the Anderson community, including eight years of service on the Anderson Planning Board. He is also a member of the Anderson Planning Commission and the American Management Society.
Now retired, Greg is passionate about advocating for quality education and supporting students, teachers, and schools in Anderson County. Through his role on the Board of Education, he works to enhance educational opportunities, promote student success, and ensure a strong foundation for future generations. A proud father of four Wren High School graduates and grandfather to eight—two of whom have also graduated from Wren and one currently attending school in Anderson—Greg remains committed to strengthening the local education system for all families in the community.
Term: November 2022 – November 2026
First Year Elected/Appointed: November 2014
Years Served: 10
Education:
- Crescent High School
- Tri-County Technical College – Associate Degree in Business
- Anderson University – Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration
Community Organizations:
- Board Member, IBSC
- Board of Directors, United Way
- Board of Trust, Anderson University
- Board Member, Iva Recreation Association
Mr. C. Nakia Davis, a native of Iva, SC, has dedicated a decade to public service, currently serving a term from November 2022 to November 2026. First elected in November 2014, he has been an active leader in his community. He graduated from Crescent High School and earned an Associate of Business degree from Tri-County Technical College, followed by a Bachelor of Business Administration from Anderson University. Additionally, he is a graduate of The South Carolina Bankers School at the University of South Carolina.
Mr. Davis serves on the IBSC Board of Directors, United Way Board, Anderson University Board of Trust, and the Anderson County Board of Education. He is also a board member of the Iva Recreation Association and an active member of Iva First Baptist Church.
Outside of his professional and community commitments, Mr. Davis enjoys playing golf and spending time with his family. He has been married to his wife, Brooke Davis, for 23 years, and together they have three daughters: Ryleigh, Emerson, and Brantley.
Term: November 2022 – November 2026
First Year Elected/Appointed: November 2010
Years Served: 15
Education:
- Chapman High School, Inman, SC
- Wofford College
- Converse University
- University of South Carolina
- Clemson University
- Furman University
- Columbia University
Degree(s): B.A., Masters, Ed.S, Ed.D.
Dr. Gary L. Burgess, Sr., is a life-long resident of South Carolina and an award-winning veteran educator. He is a native of Inman, South Carolina. Burgess is the second child of the late Edward D. and Willean H. Burgess. He is married to the former Quintella M. Howard of Chicago, Illinois. They have three adult children: Lee, Alexandra, and Nathan; Darian a great-nephew reared in the home and one god-daughter, Joycelyn Hardy, MD. He is a graduate of Wofford College, Converse College, and the University of South Carolina at Columbia where he earned his doctorate.
Burgess served on the Transition Assessment Team for South Carolina’s Superintendent of Education, the Honorable Mick Zais, in 2010. Currently, he serves on the Anderson County Board of Education as an elected public official. Burgess is C.E.O. and president of BRAG – the Burgess Research Action Group.
He has been recognized by numerous local, state, regional, and national organizations as an educator. Burgess was honored as the Secondary Principal of the Year for the State of South Carolina in 1996 and was named a Milken National Educator in 1999-2000. In 1999, he was recognized by Visions magazine as one of the Top 25 African-America Influencers in South Carolina. Former South Carolina Governor Jim Hodges appointed him to South Carolina’s Juvenile Parole Board and to the John De La Howe Board of Trustees.
He served on the board of the Wofford College National Alumni Association. Burgess was recognized by Wofford as the Outstanding Young Alumnus of the Year in 1997, the first African American to receive this distinction in the college’s history. In 2006, he was one of five Anderson County citizens to receive the coveted “Pointing the Way Award” given by the Anderson Independent-Mail newspaper. Burgess was recognized as a “Hometown Hero” in February 2013, in the Anderson School District Four area which he represents on the Anderson County Board of Education.
Dr. Burgess has experience on the political stage of South Carolina as a statewide primary candidate for the office of South Carolina Superintendent of Education in both the Democratic and Republican parties.
Term: November 2022 – November 2026
First Year Elected/Appointed: November 2022
Years Served: 3
Education:
- Palmetto High School
- East Tennessee State University – B.S.
- Clemson University – Masters and Educational Specialist
- South Carolina State University – Doctorate in Educational Leadership
Dr. James D. “Doug” Atkins is serving his third year on the Anderson County Board of Education after 12 years on the Anderson District One Board. A 1969 graduate of Palmetto High School, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree from East Tennessee State University in 1973. He later obtained a Master’s and Educational Specialist degree from Clemson University in 1976 and 1985, respectively, and completed his Doctorate in Educational Leadership at South Carolina State University in 2001.
Now a retired educator, Dr. Atkins dedicated 47 and a half years to serving as a school administrator in both South Carolina and Georgia. He remains committed to supporting the five districts in Anderson County, striving to ensure a quality education for all students and a positive environment for teachers.
Term: November 2022 – November 2026
First Year Elected/Appointed: November 2022
Years Served: 2
Education:
- West Florence High School, Florence, SC
- Clemson University, Clemson, SC
Degree(s): BS Financial Management
Community Organizations:
- Current:
- Foothills Fellowship of Christian Athletes Leadership Board, Chairman
- Former:
- Marshal Primary School Improvement Council member
- Belton Elementary School Improvement Council Chairman
- Belton Honea Path H.S. School Improvement Council member
- South Carolina Baptist Convention Order of Business Chairman
Jason Dorriety was elected in 2022 and has served for two years. A graduate of West Florence High School in Florence, SC, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Financial Management from Clemson University.
Active in his community, Jason currently serves as Chairman of the Foothills Fellowship of Christian Athletes Leadership Board. His past involvement includes serving as a member of the Marshal Primary School Improvement Council, Chairman of the Belton Elementary School Improvement Council, and a member of the Belton Honea Path High School Improvement Council. He also previously served as Chairman of the South Carolina Baptist Convention Order of Business.
Jason is currently employed at Neals Creek Baptist Church.
Term: November 2024 – November 2028
First Year Elected/Appointed: November 2024
Years Served:
Education:
- TL Hanna High
- Erskine College
- Anderson University
- Clemson University
Degree(s): BS, MBA, PhD (ABD), Current PhD student Anderson University
Community Organizations:
- Former Rotarian
- Leadership Anderson Class 27
- Leadership South Carolina Class of 2020
- Current Employer: Anderson University
Other Board Member Info: Anderson County Sheriffs Foundation
Mark Williamson lives in Anderson Board of Education Area 7 with his wife, Joan. A lifelong resident of Anderson County, he attended District 5 public schools before pursuing higher education. Throughout his career, he has worked in various roles, gaining diverse experiences. After a decade of teaching as an Adjunct Professor, he is now honored to serve as the Dean of the International Graduate School at Anderson University. Mark’s goal is to leverage his background in education and leadership to support Anderson County’s school districts and, most importantly, the students they serve.
Term: November 2024 – November 2028
First Year Elected/Appointed: November 2020
Years Served: 4
Education:
- Airport High School, Columbia, SC
- The Citadel, Charleston, SC
- Southern College of Optometry, Memphis, TN
Degree(s): BS Physics, Doctor of Optometry
Community Organizations:
- Board Member, Planning and Development Committee (1980)
- Board Member, South Carolina Optometric Association; President (1997)
- Board Member, South Carolina Board of Optometry Examiners (2000-2006); President (2005-2006)
- Clinic Director, Optometry Department, Anderson Free Clinic (2015-2020)
- Board Member, South Carolina Optometric Physician’s Association Board (2020-2025); President (2025)
Dr. Vaughn Parfitt has served on the board since his election in November 2020 and is currently in his second term, which runs from November 2024 to November 2028. A graduate of Airport High School in Columbia, SC, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Physics from The Citadel and a Doctor of Optometry degree from the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, TN.
An active member of the optometric community, Dr. Parfitt has held numerous leadership roles, including President of the South Carolina Optometric Association (1997), President of the South Carolina Board of Optometry Examiners (2005-2006), and Clinic Director of the Optometry Department at Anderson Free Clinic (2015-2020). He currently serves on the South Carolina Optometric Association Physician Board (2020-2025) and assumed the presidency in 2025.
In addition to his contributions to eye care, Dr. Parfitt is deeply committed to supporting education in the Anderson community, using his role on the Board of Education to advocate for students and educators.
Term: November 2024 – November 2028
First Year Elected/Appointed: Appointed February 2024, Elected November 2024
Years Served: 1 year
Education:
- T. L. Hanna High and Westside High School, Anderson, SC
- Florida A&M University
- University of Phoenix
Degree(s): BS Mechanical Technology, Masters in Technology Management
Community Organizations:
- Deacon, Evergreen Baptist Church
- Board of Directors, Westside Community Center
- Advisory Board, Anderson Institute of Technology
- Member, South Carolina HBCU-Inner Alumni council
David Blanding was appointed in February 2024 and elected in November 2024 for a term running from November 2024 to November 2028. He has already dedicated 1 year of service in this role.
David is an accomplished engineer with 43 years of experience at The Boeing Company, where he worked as a Senior Engineer and Technical Fellow in the Boeing Research and Technology unit. During his career, he became a recognized authority in electrically powered flight actuation and hydraulic fluid subsystems. As a passionate mentor, David has worked with students from diverse backgrounds, sharing his knowledge and experience.
David studied Artificial Intelligence at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He holds a BS in Mechanical Technology from Florida A&M University and a Master’s in Technology Management from the University of Phoenix. He graduated from T.L. Hanna High and Westside High School in Anderson, SC.
In addition to his professional achievements, David is deeply involved in his community. He serves as a Deacon at Evergreen Baptist Church and is a member of several organizations, including the Board of Directors at the Westside Community Center, the Advisory Board of the Anderson Institute of Technology, and the South Carolina HBCU-Inner Alumni Council.
David is married to Eugenia McGinnis Blanding, and they have two daughters, Regina Blanding and Jessica Blanding Hooper. Among his numerous accolades, David has been awarded the 2003 Golden Torch and 2012 Celestial Torch Awards by the National Society of Black Engineers. He is also the holder of 20 patents granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
David’s personal motto is: “Helping young people to go beyond where I am is more important than helping them get to where I am.”