Mary Reaves
Vice President & Chief Advocacy & Independent Living Officer
803-779-5121 ext. 125
[email protected]
Columbia Office
Mary has worked in the accessibility space for almost 20 years, and she is passionate about accessibility as it is the pathway to true inclusion and belonging.
Mary Reaves is a Rehabilitation Counselor by training who worked in Deaf Mental Health for nearly 10 years before co-founding Beginnings SC where she spent more than ten years building and managing programs that include parent counseling, services for child care providers, advocacy and policy, training and technical assistance, and awareness and education to support the families and professionals who serve deaf and hard of hearing children. She received her Bachelor's in Psychology from USC and later a Master's in Rehabilitation Counselling from the USC School of Medicine in 2009 with a Certificate in Deaf Studies and, through this program, learned American Sign Language. Mary received a Certificate in Special Education Advocacy from William & Mary Law School in 2021 and has since supported families (including her own) as they navigate the educational needs of children with disabilities.
Mary has served on the board of directors for community organizations, including Girls Rock Columbia, The Hive Community Circle and currently, the Blue Ridge Institute. Mary's goal is to help remove the barriers put in place when access is not provided. She is married to her high school sweetheart, Larry, and together they have three children and one pup named Nova. When she isn't working, she enjoys making cool stuff, reading, learning new things, and napping. On the rare occasion, she can get one.