Association Professionals

Kimberly Crowley serves as the Chief Executive Officer for the Palmetto Association for Children and Families. In this role and in concert with the Board of Directors, she directs the initiatives of the Association, advocacy and lobbying responsibilities, and collaborative partnerships which best support the interest and needs of the Members of the Association. Ms. Crowley is dedicated to ensuring the Members of PAFCAF have the most favorable environments to deliver the highest quality of services and supports to our most vulnerable and marginalized citizens of South Carolina.

Ms. Crowley has an extensive career of over 34 years in the field of advocacy, service delivery and administration of programs for vulnerable children and families, and adults across both North and South Carolina. She has worked for private provider agencies in both states. In North Carolina she gained valuable experience over a ten year period working for an Area Authority in a five-county catchment area and was operationally and administratively responsible for all services to children and families in the catchment area, including Early Intervention, Outpatient Therapy, Integrated Day Care, Developmental Day Centers, Day Treatment Centers and Residential Treatment Facilities. This experience prepared Ms. Crowley to open her own private provider agency in 2004, which she was a managing partner for 14 years. The agency provided services to children with mental health, developmental disabilities and/ or substance use disorders and their families. The services ranged from Early Intervention, Diagnostic Assessment and Outpatient Therapy including contracted School Based Therapy, community-based services such as Intensive In-Home and Residential Services.

Emily Parrish serves as the Coordinator for Provider and Community Engagement. In this role, Mrs. Parrish helps form connections between member agencies, service providers, state agencies, and community partners. She helps organizations navigate challenges and implement best practices through training, technical assistance, and resource provision.

Mrs. Parrish is passionate about serving and strengthening families, and helping youth find their voice.  She discovered her love of working with children early on through summer camps and afterschool programs at the Upper Palmetto YMCA.

Mrs. Parrish had a lengthy tenure with the Children’s Attention Home in Rock Hill and served in various positions, including Residential Counselor, Program Director, and Residential Services Director. She served as the Executive Director for the Home for six years. Under her leadership, the Home expanded its service array to include enhanced care for children with significant needs, independent living services for young adults transitioning out of foster care, and a day program for foster youth in South Carolina without long-term placement.

Mrs. Parrish has extensive experience with outreach and community engagement, supervision and management, program development and implementation, and training and professional development.

Mrs. Parrish holds a B.A. in Mass Communication from Winthrop University in Rock Hill and a Master’s of Liberal Arts degree, also from Winthrop. Mrs. Parrish’s graduate studies included a concentration in youth and adolescent development.

Mrs. Parrish lives in Rock Hill, SC with her husband and her two children.