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Senate Family Veterans Services Committee advances multiple board appointments
Summary
The Senate Family Veterans Services Committee screened and advanced several nominees — including reappointments to the State Agency of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Veterans Trust Fund Board — on largely uncontested voice votes; nominees included Lori Bell, Alberta Woodard, Geraldine Henderson Jr., Timothy McElhenney and Sean Pinkston.
The Family Veterans Services Committee advanced a slate of appointments and reappointments to state boards during a screening session. The committee moved Dr. Felicia Miles’ reappointment to the South Carolina Foster Care Review Board forward, and approved reappointments and initial appointments to the State Agency of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Veterans Trust Fund Board by voice votes with no recorded opposition.
The chair said Dr. Felicia Miles had been screened by the committee on March 11 and confirmed by the full Senate on April 21 to finish a term ending June 30, 2026, and that the governor had requested her reappointment for a term from June 30, 2026 to June 30, 2030. A committee member moved a favorable report and the motion carried on a voice vote.
Lori Bell, nominated from the 6th Congressional District for reappointment to the State Agency of Vocational Rehabilitation, told senators she had worked in state government, manufacturing, schools and nonprofits and that "I know a little bit about a lot of different things," which she said helps her serve a diverse clientele. Senators praised her background; after brief questioning the committee approved a favorable report by voice vote and included proxies in favor.
Alberta Woodard, who identified herself as the Fairfield County Veterans Affairs director, a senior deputy coroner and a Midlands Tech instructor, said she brings fundraising and networking experience to the Veterans Trust Fund Board: "We're in the business of changing their lives," she said, describing work to help veterans access benefits and community supports. The committee moved her nomination forward by voice vote.
Roxanne Deason Breeland (fourth congressional district) and Rhonda Jocelyn Preche (who works as a cybersecurity analyst at Dominion Energy) were each sworn in, reviewed by committee staff and approved by voice vote for reappointment to the State Agency of Vocational Rehabilitation. Members noted lengthy service and statewide references for Breeland and Preche's long tenure on the commission.
Geraldine Henderson Jr., a recently retired Army officer who said she served more than two decades and later as deputy chief of staff at Fort Jackson, and Timothy John McElhenney, a retired B-52 pilot and Air Force veteran, each described motivations to continue serving veterans and were approved by the committee.
Sean Travis Pinkston, an attorney and owner of a service-disabled-veteran-owned business that supplies medical equipment to veterans through direct VA orders, addressed a past allegation the chair described as an "indiscretion" from many years ago. The chair said the charges were dismissed and Pinkston's record expunged; Pinkston told the committee he would recuse himself from any matter that presented a conflict of interest. He was moved forward by voice vote.
What happens next: These favorable reports send nominees to the full Senate for confirmation where applicable. The committee recorded voice approvals and noted that proxies were counted in favor on multiple motions.
