
Derrek Pugh, M.A.
Residential Counselor

Connect with Derrek Pugh, M.A. to Send Message
Connect
Connect with Derrek Pugh, M.A. to Send Message
ConnectTimeline
About me
SC State Director Director at Abraxas Youth & Family Services | Vice Chairman of Richland County Council
Education

Benedict College
2010 - 2012Bachelor's degree Interdisciplinary Studies
Webster University
2013 - 2015Master of Arts - MA Business Administration and Management, General
Experience

Luthern Family Services
May 2001 - Dec 2016Residential Counselor• Responsible for conducting faculty observations• Evaluated, facilitated, and monitored services and client’s progress• Facilitated community client referrals• Implemented crisis intervention techniques for conflict resolution• Maintained cohesive relationships with staff of other agencies and institutions• Participated in the interdisciplinary treatment plan• Developed individual smart goal plans for services• Provided supervision and guidance to residential population Show less

SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH
Sept 2010 - Jul 2013Human Services Specialist• Assisted with conducting needs assessments and developing client support plans• Assisted individuals with removing barriers from various social, cultural and economic backgrounds• Established and maintained cooperative, effective working relationships with clients• Assessed, planned, and implemented post services follow- up• Managed and complied with all HIPPA requirements• Provided ongoing individual, family and group therapeutic sessions• Facilitated individual case management for a variety of social services programs • Conducted trainings and distributed program information• Performed routine analytical review of regulatory processes and documents.• Oversaw compliance with professional and program standards• Completed monthly reports on case findings, visits, issues, and closures • Conducted personal interviews with clients to ensure quality controls measures were being followed. Show less

Richland County Recreation Commission
Aug 2011 - Jul 2018Program Supervisor• Operational leadership and oversight of administrative staff and department• Developed and facilitated relationships with local businesses and community leaders• Maintained and administrated training and orientation for nearly 150 team members• Responsible for the preparation and management of a $400,000 + budget• Helped secure sponsorships to support programs within the department• Supervised 14 recreational sites that house approximately 80 campers at each site• Oversaw all seasonal staff and afterschool programs 250+ staff during the summer• Developed new partnerships to increase programming in the communities served• Responsible for interviewing prospective employees and conducting all annual training• Worked with the Richland County Recreation Foundation to obtain grant funding assistance. Grants maintained include up to $200,000• Developed new partnerships to increase programming in the communities served• Monitored compliance for volunteers and seasonal staff • Facilitated presentations for community groups, churches, schools and civic organizations in support of organizational programs and objectives Show less

South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy
Jul 2018 - Mar 2022Deputy Director-Directed and managed operations to include human resources, marketing, budgeting, procurement, public relations, risk management and safety for more than 100 staff and a multi-million budget. -Managed and oversaw the recruiting, retention, and post-residential monitoring programs for more than 200 cadets-Planned, developed, implemented and monitored the Mission, Vision, Goals, and Objectives of the Academy-Established strategic partnerships with youth serving organizations, agencies, and local/state businesses resulting in successful fundraising projects averaging $100k Show less

Benedict College
Jan 2019 - May 2020Adjunct Professor- Recreation and Sports ManagementAssessed grades for students based on participation,performance, assignments and examinations-Reported student learning outcomes and class reviews-Served as an Academic Advisor to 35 studentsCourses Taught:1. Freshman and Junior Seminar2. Introduction to Recreation3.Stress Management4.Sports Management Internship

Richland County Government
Jan 2021 - nowRichland County Council, District 2 Representative and Vice-Chair-Provides information to the community about the policies and decisions of council -Develops community and corporate action plans informing strategies, long-term financial planning, and workforce planning -Oversees and reviews council finances and public policies for the community -Partnered with local agencies to institute health fairs, mobile COVID-19 testing clinics and health education seminars throughout Richland County and the State of South Carolina. Current Committees/Appointments:-Administration and Finance Office of Small Business Opportunity Ad Hoc-Economic Development and Industrial Community Impact Meeting-Central Midlands Regional Planning (COG) Nulla Bono Committee-Edventure Children’s Museum Township Auditorium-Palmetto Health Alliance Recreation Commission-Richland Airport Commission-Richland County Detention Center Task Force Alvin S. Glenn Center & Jail-Towns of Arcadia Lakes, Blythewood, Eastover, Forest Acres, Irmo – Blythewood Show less

Allen University
Aug 2021 - nowAssociate Professor-Develop and deliver engaging and innovative course materials related to various aspects of business management, such as strategic management, organizational behavior, marketing, finance, and more.- Facilitate learning through interactive lectures, discussions, case studies, and real-world examples to enhance students' understanding and application of business concepts.- Provide guidance and mentorship to students, offering support in their academic and professional growth.- Evaluate student performance through assignments, exams, and projects, and provide constructive feedback to promote learning and development.- Stay current with industry trends, best practices, and research in business management, integrating relevant insights into teaching materials and curriculum.- Collaborate with other faculty members and academic staff to enhance the overall learning experience and academic programs within the department.Current Classes:1. Community Literacy 2. Personal Finance 3. Management Information Systems4. Fundamentals of Global Business5. Organizational Communication6. Product and Operational Management7. Enterprise and Technology Show less

Abraxas Youth & Family Services
Apr 2022 - now-Lead and oversee all aspects of the organization's operations in South Carolina, including program development, staff management, budget oversight, and strategic planning.-Ensure compliance with all state and federal regulations, licensing requirements, and accreditation standards to uphold the highest quality of care for our youth clients.-Recruit, train, and mentor a high-performing team of professionals dedicated to providing compassionate and effective treatment services to youth struggling with substance abuse issues.-Build and maintain strong relationships with community partners, government agencies, and stakeholders to promote awareness of our services and foster collaboration for the betterment of youth in our care.-Drive continuous quality improvement initiatives to enhance program outcomes, client satisfaction, and overall effectiveness of our substance abuse treatment programs. Show less -Oversaw and directed the daily operations of the facilitySupervised, hired, and evaluated staff performance according tohuman resources policies-Developed and direct organizational strategies-Served as a liaison with governmental and contract agenciessuch as Medicaid, DJJ and SDSS-Organized and supervised the effective integration of supportservices to include, but not limited to medical, food, facilityprograms, maintenance, security and educationServed as the executive lead for programming, personnelmanagement, and business management-Devised remedial actions for any identified issues and conductcrisis management when necessary-Assessed and managed budgets and monitor income and expenses-Served as a champion for building and sustaining robustrelationships with staff and external customers Show less
South Carolina State Director
Apr 2023 - nowExecutive Director
Apr 2022 - Apr 2023
Licenses & Certifications

Furman University Riley Institute for Diversity Initiative
Riley Institute at Furman UniversityMay 2024
South Carolina Economic Development Institute
South Carolina Department of CommerceNov 2023
Honors & Awards
- Awarded to Derrek Pugh, M.A.Citizen of the Year Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. Omicron Phi May 2023
Volunteer Experience
Vice-Chair, Board of Zoning Appeals
Issued by Board of Commission for the Town of Blythewood
Associated with Derrek Pugh, M.A.Member
Issued by Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc
Associated with Derrek Pugh, M.A.Member
Issued by Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing
Associated with Derrek Pugh, M.A.Top 20 under 40 Class of 2018
Issued by Black Pages
Associated with Derrek Pugh, M.A.Member Board of Directors
Issued by Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands South Carolina on Jan 2025
Associated with Derrek Pugh, M.A.
Recommendations

Nirasha ruvini premathilaka
MBA, B.Pharm, DPHRM / Manager Human Resources cum Product Development at Gamma Interpharm Pvt. Ltd.Gampaha District, Western Province, Sri Lanka
Snigdha roy
Software Engineer at QualcommBilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India
Suryansh khare
Student at Rashtriya Raksha University l Cyber Volunteer @ NCRB, Ministry of Home Affairs | Cybersec...Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
Sujit reddy
Exploring Creative Freedom in GamesBengaluru, Karnataka, India
Manuel alejandro cobos lomelí
Technical Lead Engineer en Grupo GFT멕시코
Nishant gupta
Director - Pricewaterhouse & Co | CA (AIR -17) | SRCC | LLBDelhi, India
陈韵伊
Product Marketing and Brand Manager中国 广东省 广州
Dan bullock
DevonGreater Exeter Area
Wendy henrotte
Senior Direct Service AgentLiège, Walloon Region, Belgium
Laila giovana canteli
Analista de Crédito Imobiliário 👩🏼💻Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
Miguel angel ortega
CPA & ConsultantQuerétaro, Querétaro, Mexico
Christopher huhn
Program Manager @ Kaiser Permanente | MBA, PMP | Experienced Project and Operations Manager | US Arm...Seattle y alrededores
Umang bhatt
Regional Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Officer I Canada PostEtobicoke, Ontario, Canada
Isabelle gillard
Operational process change and development Manager - Always ready for new challengesمنطقة بروكسل الحضرية
Megan brown
Chair Lake Royale Community GardenKnightdale, North Carolina, United States
Prashant deshmukh
Senior Quality Assurance Analyst II at CRIFSatara Taluka, Maharashtra, India
Keerti allada
Authorised officerPune, Maharashtra, India
Hafizh zaki prasetyo adi
Data Scientist | AI Developer | Python DeveloperSouth Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia
Ankit jain, cfa
Director, Financial Institutions Group at BlackRockLondon, England, United Kingdom
Claudia soares
Senior Area Manager | Customer Strategy | Business & Team Leadership | Marketing | MerchandisingOdivelas, Lisbon, Portugal
...