Meet Our Team

Paul Guy

Executive Director

Paul L. Guy received a BA in Sociology from Berea College, Berea, KY, and graduated from Evangelical Institute and Bible College of Greenville, SC. He is uniquely qualified to lead BDI by virtue of his extensive law enforcement background, which complements his current profession as a Minister and youth counselor. From 1983 to 1966, he headed the Greenville County Sheriff’s Special Operations Task Force for Vice and Narcotics, and was a member of the Federal Drug Task Force. During the decade of the 80’s he created and developed, the Christian Mentoring Youth Program, The Pacesetters, which focused on relating youth concerns in the area of Christian growth. From 1993 to 1998, he developed and managed Boys to Men, Men to Christ. This was a faith-based project designed for local churches to create projects that would place “at risk” youth in a Christian setting that emphasize the development of life values, character and spiritual growth. Paul has continued his educational development by participating in seminaries and workshops in the area of Biblical counseling and race reconciliation.

George Hammond

Chief Financial Officer

George Hammond has extensive experience with small business operations and finance. He has an MBA from Pepperdine University and has completed all of the requirements, except dissertation, for his Doctorate of Public Administration from the University of Alabama. Following his 30 year retirement from the Air Force in 1995, he became the CFO and Executive Vice President of two technical companies in Montgomery, Alabama and Greenville, South Carolina. He has owned his own business consultant firm since 2001 and joined Beyond Differences in 2010.

Jody Fields

Financial Manager

Jody Fields is currently employed as an accounting supervisor with Apartment Investment and Management Company in Greenville , South Carolina . She is a graduate of Appalachian State University where she received both her undergraduate degree in Accounting and her Masters Degree in Business (MBA). She has worked extensively in accounting and finance in banking, financial services, and is the treasurer for two non-profit organizations.

Geri Guy

Director of Special Projects

Geri A. Guy graduated from Berea College, Berea Kentucky with a BA in History and minored in African and African-American Studies. She recently obtained a Masters of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in Secondary Education Social Studies from the University of South Carolina. While pursuing her education over the past several years, Geri worked as a volunteer for BDI and was instrumental in developing the current youth programs.

D’Shannon Brown

Youth Leadership Coordinator

D’Shannon Brown received her education at the University of South Carolina Upstate. She is the Youth Leadership Coordinator of Beyond Differences, Inc. She oversees, advises, teaches, and encourages the students of the Youth Leadership Council. D’Shannon is also the co-host of the young adult radio show, The Crew, aired every Saturday night on WOLT 103.3 FM

Sharon Y. Johnson

Director of Public Affairs

Sharon Y. Johnson is a Communications Professional of long standing. She has a B.A. Degree in Broadcast Communications from North Carolina A&T State University, and an M.A., in Strategic Communications and Leadership from Seton Hall University. She is currently an Associate Professor in the Mass Communications and Theatre Department at Lander University, and is owner/consultant with SJohnPR, a local Public Relations Agency. Sharon has 15 years experience in the television news industry and has worked for both NBC and CBS affiliates in North and South Carolina and currently hosts her own cable talk show. She is host/emcee for various community events and serves as a youth mentor. Her other accomplishments include being voted as one of “Top 50 Most Influential African-Americans of SC”, an Emmy nominated television Anchor/Writer, and Spartanburg Technical College’s Honoree “Women Making History”. Her Professional affiliations include Radio and Television Digital News Association (RTDNA), National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Stephanie Brown

Director of Special Programs & Events

Stephanie Brown graduated from the University of South Carolina with a BS in Social Economics. She has over ten years experience working with South Carolina’s job-training program, assisting the unemployed and underemployed with job training and placement assistance. She has also served as the program’s EEO coordinator. She is a Certified Facilitator, certified by the Public Issues Management School, Clemson University and she holds certificates in Employment Law, Personnel Law, Employee Relations Law and Employee Benefits Law.

Judith Gomes

Public Relations Assistant

Judith is a graduate of University of South Carolina and currently perusing medical school options in surrounding area. In her spare time, she volunteers for Beyond Differences as the public relation assistant and maintenance of the Beyond Differences website. Her diverse background gives her the unique ability to bring people, ideas, and principles together in creating a diverse perspective.