Steve Mandell - Founder

10 Years as Head of School

14 Years in Key Administrative Positions

10 Years in Private Industry (International Shipping & Logistics)

M.Ed. in Leadership and Administration (South Carolina)

B.A. in Legal Studies (Massachusetts)

Independent School Graduate (Pomfret School)

ALICE Certification in Active Shooter Response

SHRM Veterans at Work Certified

Certified Instructor & Authorized Facilitator, Darkness to Light

U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame - South Carolina Chapter

Storm King School Athletics Hall of Fame

Steve Mandell had a very simple approach: show-up early, work hard, and care compassionately for others. With a positive, wellness-based approach to employment and operations, schools can truly be great places to teach and learn. This was Steve Mandell's mission every day. 

Steve founded Big Back Pack in 2017 after holding various administrative posts in independent schools including Head of School, Chief Financial Officer, Assistant Head for Advancement, and Guidance Director. In his nearly 25 years of service, he created numerous programs and curriculum for safety & security, student guidance, faculty professional growth, human resource development, and health education. 

Sadly, Steve passed away in May of 2022, after a long battle with cancer, but his dream for Big Back Pack will live on for many years to come.  The deep values and genuine care with which he built BBP inspired all who worked with him.  He was both a friend and mentor with endless gifts to share, and he will be dearly missed.

All future emails/inquiries should be sent to Hacker Burr at hacker@bigbackpack.org

7 Years as Head of School 

10 Years as Development Director and Major Gifts Officer

7 Years as Admission Director 

MBA (The Citadel) 

B.A. English Literature (Roanoke College)

Independent School Graduate (Fessenden School and Holderness School)

Former President of the Charleston Tri-County Admission Council 

2012 South Carolina Entrepreneurship Teacher of the Year

Innovative leadership featured in What Schools Could Be (Ted Dintersmith, 2014)

Hacker Burr is a people person and a connector.  Coming from a long line of independent school educators (St. Marks, Webb School, St. Andrews, Westminster, Nobles, McCallie, GPS), and having started his advancement career at the age of 14--giving tours at Holderness School--he found a natural fit in the advancement world, eventually making him one of the youngest Heads in the country.

Hacker deeply believes that "fit" is everything.  He is passionate about leveraging his years of experience to help client schools and the talent we place (in these top-notch institutions) find this "right fit".  Ultimately, when placement work is done right (with the Big Back Pack process) both the people and the organizations we serve will grow stronger.

Over two years working closely with (and being mentored by) Steve, Hacker has been inspired by the BBP approach and plans to carry Steve's vision forward into the future, building on the tremendous brand that he established over the early years of the company and continuing to deliver the same level of service and care that Steve embodied throughout his career.  

Visit Hacker's LinkedIn profile to learn more about his background and outlook.

Email Hacker at hacker@bigbackpack.org.

17 Years as Independent School Director for Extended Care, Summer Programs and Extracurricular Programming

8 Years as Co-Director of An Independent School Early Childhood Program

B.S. in Psychology with an emphasis on Employment Counseling/Personnel Management (Appalachian State University)

Education for Ministry (EfM) graduate

Master Gardener

Valerie believes that an ideal education partners teachers who are well-prepared with families of the children they serve. She enjoys building teams and encouraging people to use their skills and interests to enhance their work. Valerie's special interest in architecture and design helps her see how that affects the way we work and play. A safe and healthy environment boosts learning exponentially. Children learn best when they can be creative, approach a subject from many angles and feel free to express themselves. In her spare time Valerie enjoys gardening, reading, playing the harmonica and piano, and hiking.

Visit Valerie's LinkedIn profile to learn more about her background and outlook.

Email Valerie at valerie@bigbackpack.org

4 Years as Education Coordinator with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force at the South Carolina Attorney General's Office

5 Years in Law Enforcement, with 3 years of experience as a School Resource Officer

Associate Instructor at the National Criminal Justice Training Center

Designed and Developed "Protecting Children in a Digital Age" professional development course

Authorized Facilitator, Darkness to Light "Stewards of Children" Training

United Way of the Midlands "Blueprint for Leadership" Graduate

B.A. in Anthropology (University of South Carolina)

Joe is a big believer in being both positive and proactive. He's dedicated his professional life to serving his community, and he found his calling in educating others about how to best serve those around them. With a passion for instructional excellence, design, and community building, Joe focuses on building bridges between people through understanding and empathy. Recognizing that actions speak louder than words, he works to produce results and tangible outcomes in addition to meeting learning objectives. Joe's areas of expertise include Digital Citizenship, Social Media, School Security, and Child Safety, but he's a lifelong learner who eagerly seeks to add more to the list.

30 years of experience in Human Resources and Management

Certified Senior HR Professional through SHRM (SHRM-SCP) 

Certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR)

Certified Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR)

M.A. in Management (Webster University)

B.S. in Psychology (College of Charleston)

Adjunct faculty member at Trident Technical College

In addition to being on the Big Back Pack team, Sharon has led her own consulting firm since 2004. She is a business executive with thirty years experience in the human resources and management field. An effective trainer and motivational speaker, Sharon is a recognized author and subject matter expert in the areas of employee staffing, anti-harassment training and investigations, employee development, employee relations, strategic planning and risk management. A life-long community leader and SHRM advocate, Sharon Sellers can help schools with a world of issues.