Kara Gormley Meador joined the Original Six Foundation as Executive Director in July 2022 and has since led the organization through a period of significant growth and expanded impact across South Carolina.

Under Kara’s leadership, the Foundation rebranded and strengthened its core initiatives, launching O6 Afterschool and My O6 Library to better reflect the mission of expanding educational opportunity for students in rural and under-resourced communities.

During this time, O6 Afterschool grew from 6 schools to 13, and the number of students served increased to more than 1,000 annually. The My O6 Library program expanded from 38 schools to 50, placing thousands of books into the hands of young readers across the state. Kara has also significantly increased fundraising efforts while helping shape programming to include college tours, career exposure, and workforce development opportunities for students.

To support this growth while maintaining program quality, Kara helped add a third staff position, bringing on an O6 Program Coordinator to strengthen program delivery and support schools statewide.

Like many leaders of small but mighty nonprofit teams, Kara also wears a number of hats. In addition to serving as Executive Director, she often finds herself acting as Event Director, Communications Director, Social Media Manager, Video Producer, HR Director, Program Assistant, and Account Executive—doing whatever it takes to advance the mission.

Prior to joining the Original Six Foundation, Kara helped global, regional, and local businesses, nonprofits, and foundations tell their stories as Director of Media and Content Strategy at NP Strategy. She also spent eight years running her own communications and marketing firm.

Earlier in her career, Kara was an award-winning broadcast journalist and news anchor at NBC affiliates in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Columbia, South Carolina.

Kara has also served as an adjunct professor at the University of South Carolina School of Journalism and Mass Communications and the South Carolina Honors College. A founding partner of SC WIL (Women in Leadership), she remains committed to supporting and uplifting women in leadership roles.

She also contributed to the book Faces of Freedom, which features stories of veterans from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Proceeds from the book were donated to the Wounded Warrior Project and Fisher House Foundation.

Kara lives in Lexington, South Carolina, with her husband and their three sons, Dalton, Evan, and Cooper.

Nick Washington has been the Program Director for the Original Six Foundation since 2016. Nick received his bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Francis Marion University. With nearly two decades in the field, he has extensive nonprofit and youth development experience. He is also an alumnus of the Fred R. Sheheen Non-Profit Leadership Institute at Francis Marion University. Nick is a graduate of multiple fellowships from The Riley Institute at Furman, including South Carolina Afterschool Leaders Empowered (SCALE) and Diversity Leaders Initiative Fellow. He has also served on several committees, such as the School Improvement Council at Logan Elementary and the South Carolina Alliance of Black School Educators Youth Conference planning committee.

As the Program Coordinator for the Original Six Foundation, Angelica plays a vital role in overseeing and managing multiple programs within partner schools across South Carolina. With expertise in programmatic implementation, management, and evaluation, Angelica is committed to enhancing education opportunities for growth and youth development within the communities served by the Foundation.

A product of afterschool programs herself, she truly believes in the transformative power of OST (Out-of-School Time) education. Angelica brings a background rooted in service, mentorship, and dedication to creating equitable opportunities for youth, regardless of their background. “Each and every child deserves access to the same opportunities that help unlock their full potential.”

In her free time, Angelica enjoys listening to podcasts, long walks on the beach, spending quality time with her husband, daughter, and dog, and staying active in her church community.