The South Carolina Bar Foundation is pleased to welcome Sydney Gardner as its new Director of Finance and Development. This newly created position combines responsibility for both raising and managing funds, according to Executive Director Olivia S. Jones.
“I’m excited about this dual role,” Jones said. “The most important thing we do is manage funds and award grants to organizations making a difference in the lives of South Carolinians.” Both financial management and development, she added, are “absolutely critical to our purpose and mission.”
Gardner, who joined the Foundation on February 1, is a South Carolina native and a 2017 graduate of Presbyterian College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in history. In 2021, she graduated summa cum laude from the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University with a master’s degree in public service and administration.
Since 2021, Gardner has worked with the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust, where she advanced to serve as both event manager and office manager. Prior to graduating from the Bush School, she completed a summer internship with Richland County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), focusing on volunteer recruitment and training.
“We’re really fortunate to have found her,” said Jones. “She brings a strong background in both finance and development, along with valuable experience working in the nonprofit sector. We want everyone to understand what the Foundation is and why it matters—especially for people who are marginalized, forgotten, or feel like outsiders. Sydney is the right person to help us make that happen.”
