Administration Team

Matthew "Matt" Sherman has served as principal of Blythewood High School for five years. He served as an assistant principal for several years at Blythewood High before being promoted to principal in 2018.  Sherman began his career in education 23 years ago in Richland Two as a special education teacher at Ridge View High School.

Sherman holds a Bachelor of Science in education from Presbyterian College. He completed a Master of Educational Administration at the University of South Carolina. In addition to holding certifications in elementary and secondary administration, he earned National Board Certification in 2005. Sherman is a member of the South Carolina Association of School Administrators (SCASA).

Ahmed Ali has served as an administrator at Blythewood High School since 2018. He has served the Richland Two community in various capacities and multiple locations since 2011. 

Mr. Ali went to the University of South Carolina and earned a Bachelor of Arts in History, a Masters of Arts in Secondary Social Studies, and a Masters of Arts in Educational Leadership. 

Odora Coleman earned a Bachelor's of Arts degree from the University of South Carolina Upstate in 2011. She began her career in education as a high school English teacher in 2012. Since then, she has earned a Master's of Education in  Administration and Supervision from Liberty University in 2017.

Mrs. Coleman has served as an administrator at Blythewood High School since 2018. She is a member of a few professional associations to include South Carolina Association of School Administrators (SCASA) and South Carolina Associations for Supervision and Curriculum Development (SCASCD). In 2022, SCASCD recognized her as an Emerging Leader in 2022.

Odora Coleman is proud to be a part of Bengal Nation and is #1ProudBengal!

Greetings Bengals! I am Jeremi Madden, 9th grade administrator at Blythewood High School. I have been with the BHS FAB team since January 2022 and in education overall since August 2007. It is a joy everyday to say that I get to be a Bengal and work with the best team in the district. I have been married since 2010 to my best friend Jen. We have two awesome kids, Grace and Miller, and a black lab mix named Ellie. Blythewood is a fantastic place to be and I feel proud to be a part of Bengal Nation!

Welcome to Bengal Nation!!  Sharlene Drakeford has served as the Director of School Counseling at Blythewood High School for 18 years.  She previously worked at Ridge View High School as the Director of School Counseling before transitioning to BHS.  She also worked as a School Counselor at Spring Valley High School and Sumter High School.  Ms. Drakeford began her career in education 27 years ago. Prior to education, Ms. Drakeford worked as a Child Protective Investigator with the Department of Social Services for six years.

Ms. Drakeford holds an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of South Carolina in Lancaster and Bachelor of Social Worker from Winthrop University.  She completed a Masters and Education Specialist degree from the University of South Carolina in Elementary and Secondary School Counseling.  Ms. Drakeford earned National Board Certification in 2004 and recertification in 2014.  She is a member of the Palmetto State School Counseling Association (PSSCA) and the Palmetto Teacher Association. 

Lisa Ellis has been working in public schools since 2001. She has taught many levels and courses in English during her career as well as served as an Instructional Coach at a middle school. This is her 12th year as the Director of Student Activities, nine of which she served at Ridge View High School. She graduated from College of Charleston and has two Masters degrees, one from Clemson University and one from Columbia College.