Amity Buckner has served as the Executive Director of Pickens County First Steps since 2013.  Pickens is a rural county in the northern west corner of South Carolina. Amity holds a BS in Early Childhood Education from Winthrop University and an M.Ed from the University of South Carolina.  She holds certifications in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, and Special Education: Preschool/Early Childhood. She is a certified childcare and Triple-P trainer.  As an early childhood educator and advocate for over 25 years, with over a decade in the 4K and 5K classroom, Amity has a passion for the importance of early childhood experiences. Her advocacy efforts have been recognized on the state and local level. In her spare time, she enjoys exercise, decorating, shopping and Starbucks. Amity and her husband of over twenty years are proud parents to two teenagers.