Meet Our Staff

Melinda Dale Hargrave – Chief Executive Officer


I’m am honored to be a part of such a GREAT team and look forward to making a difference and improving services and quality of life initiatives for individuals with special needs living in South Carolina communities. Community Strong!

Read my story and more about this amazing organization! 

        Tasha Horton – Chief Operating Officer

I’m am honored to be a part of such a GREAT team and look forward to making a difference and improving services and quality of life initiatives for individuals with special needs living in South Carolina communities. Community Strong!

          Irene Stevens – Director of Residential Services

My name is Irene Stevens.  I am a member of The Arc of      the Midlands with over 17 years of professional experience working with individuals with IDD. I also have professional experience as a Clinical Counselor with The Department of Mental Health, medically fragile case worker with The Department of Social Services. I have volunteered at Hope Bridge at the Hollies. I am a certified Special Needs Life Qualify Coach and a certified Welfare Worker for South Carolina. I have a BA degree in Sociology. I have learned a lot and understand the importance of having a real bond, trust, and the importance of communication.  To help someone through a difficult time and celebrate their success makes me delighted. I am a proud mother of two beautiful girls.  I am also a grandmother of four handsome grandchildren.

        Allison Williams – Director of Employment Services 

I am originally from Charlotte NC and graduated from Charlotte Christian School with a high school diploma. I went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications at Wingate University and a master’s degree in special education. I also continue taking online classes to keep up to date with the needs of my clients.

 I moved to Lexington SC in 2008 and enjoy living near Lake Murray and spending time with my blended family. My husband and I have 5 kids and 4 grand kids. We all enjoy spending time together, watching movies and traveling.

I have worked for the Arc of the Midlands since May 2020. I enjoy that the Arc of the Midlands is person-centered, and everyone has their own set of skills to be able to work in the community. I help clients that are young adults, middle aged, and senior citizens find jobs in the community and help them be able advocate for themselves. 

 

Lydia Leonard

My name is Lydia Leonard. I graduated from River Bluff high school in 2014. I am also a Publix employee and have been with them for seven years. I started with Second Wave in 2021 as my second job. I have a large family with many siblings and lots of nieces and nephews. I have a dog named Scooby who is a Havanese. I enjoy hanging out with my friends when I’m not working.