About Us

Principals/Partners:

Coretta D. Bedsole

Bedsole joined Palmetto Public Affairs, LLC as a Principal on September 1, 2008. Prior to becoming a Principal, she was the owner of Progressive Lobbying Solutions, a full service lobbying firm that represented primarily non profits and professional and trade associations.

Bedsole served for 14 years as the on-staff lobbyist and Director of Governmental Affairs and Development for the South Carolina Trial Lawyers Association (now known as the South Carolina Association for Justice). While on staff with the SCTLA (SCAJ), she oversaw the day to day operations of the association's legislative and advocacy program. She coordinated their grassroots efforts and managed their political action committee as well as raised funds for the association's operations.

She currently serves on the Medicaid Transportation Advisory Committee for the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and the Community Advisory Board for the Rice Home. Other volunteer activities include currently serving as President of the Symphony League for the South Carolina Philharmonic, Board member for the South Carolina Philharmonic, and a volunteer for Global Volunteers, a private, non-profit, non-governmental organization engaging short-term volunteers on micro-economic and human development programs in close partnership with local people worldwide.

Bedsole holds a Bachelors degree in Political Science from Winthrop University. She is married to George Johnson, a 30-year engineer with Michelin Tire Corporation. They have one son, Derrick, who works as a professional musician.


Rebecca D. Ramos, Esq.

Ramos is a founding Principal of Palmetto Public Affairs, LLC. Prior to her work with the firm, she was chief staff officer for Senator Peter Welch, President Pro Tempore of the Vermont Senate, and attorney and policy analyst for Governor Howard Dean. Her husband, Kelly Lowry, is a native South Carolinian, and they returned to his Spartanburg home to be near family and to raise their two children. Her first job out of law school was Conservation Director for the Palmetto Conservation Foundation in Columbia, South Carolina.

Ramos graduated with a Juris Doctor and Master of Studies in Environmental Law from Vermont Law School and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering from Auburn University. Ramos is a founding member of The Daughters of Susan B., a group of over 100 women advocating for increasing the number of women in the democratic process. She also serves on the Executive Committee and is communications chairman of Women in Giving for Spartanburg, a woman’s philanthropic organization. She currently chairs the Board of Hubculture Inc., an arts focused nonprofit organization and is a Board member of the Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System Foundation Heart Division. Ramos has served on the Environmental Committee and Community Indicators Project of the Spartanburg County Foundation. She is currently a Liberty Fellow, Class of 2011.

Associate:

Gail R. Kinard

Kinard joined Palmetto Public Affairs, LLC as an associate in January, 2009.  She has served in various positions in both the executive and legislative branches of state government. She served as the Administrative Assistant for Governor Richard W. Riley during his tenure, working in various areas of responsibility from overseeing the Governor’s daily schedule, to developing and coordinating grassroots support in the Governor’s successful effort to pass the Education Improvement Act. Following that, Gail spent three years working as the Administrative Assistant to the Speaker Pro Tempore, assisting in monitoring and analyzing legislation. She began her career as a campaign aide in the Riley Gubernatorial Campaign, working in all aspects of the campaign, from organizing the candidate’s daily schedule to coordinating early volunteer meetings across the state, and planning and implementing fundraisers.

Prior to returning to work this past year, Gail stayed home to raise her three children.  She remained active in community affairs, serving as PTO President, board member and volunteer at The Women’s Shelter, and volunteer with the South Carolina Nature Conservancy.  She currently serves as a board member of the Southeastern Institute for Women in Politics and the Jackson-Macon Conservation Alliance, headquartered in Highlands, North Carolina.

Gail holds a Bachelors Degree in Political Science from Duke University.  She and her husband, Ken, have three daughters.

Of Counsel:

Palmer Freeman Jr., Esq.

Palmer Freeman serves in the position of Counsel. Palmer joined the firm after having taken time off as a lobbyist to pursue a judicial appointment. He has been active in South Carolina governmental affairs, working with the South Carolina General Assembly and with state government agencies for over thirty years. He brings a wealth of experience, to the job having represented many diverse interests before the Legislature and government agencies.

Upon his honorable discharge from the Army he enrolled in the University of South Carolina’s School of Law where he was on the South Carolina Law Review, a member of the law school's international moot court team and an instructor of legal writing.

He practiced law in his hometown of Fort Mill, first as a partner at the law firm of Mack, Mack & Freeman and later as a partner with the Rock Hill firm of Spencer & Spencer. While maintaining his law practice, Freeman was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives, where he served for ten years.

At the conclusion of his fifth term in the House, he did not seek re-election but moved to Columbia where he joined a law firm and began working as a lobbyist while continuing to practice law. He opened his own firm in 2000.

Freeman served on the Board of Trustees for Winthrop University, the former South Carolina Coastal Council, and was appointed to the Committee that drafted the South Carolina Beach Front Management Plan. He has served as a member of the governing board of the Richland County Public Defender Corporation and is currently on the South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center's board of directors. Freeman has lectured on the Ethics in Government act at several legal seminars.

He is married to Dr. Jane Rankin Freeman. He has five children and three grandchildren.


Alisa Mosley

Mosley is founder of Association Solutions, an association and non profit management and consulting firm, working with non-profit organizations on strategic planning, restructuring issues, hiring strategies, workplace diversity, team buildings, assertiveness, and communication skills. Prior to founding Association Solutions, Alisa served as the Executive Director of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers' Association, the largest and most comprehensive professional association for law enforcement officers in South Carolina, with over 10,000 members. She was responsible for strategic planning, fiscal management, lobbying, fund raising and member services for SCLEOA. She served with numerous law enforcement organizations including the US Attorney's Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee, Operation Lifesaver, the Amber Alert Coordinating Committee, the Governor's Council on Substance Abuse Prevention, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Hall of Fame, the South Carolina Police Accreditation Council, and Crimestoppers.

Prior to joining SCLEOA, she had eighteen years of experience in career services at the University of South Carolina. She served as president of the Southeastern Association of Colleges and Employers and the South Carolina Co-op and Placement Association. In addition, she was a keynote panelist for the National Association of Colleges and Employers Annual Conference.

Mosley has served as a presenter and consultant to numerous corporate and non-profit organizations. For ten years she wrote a weekly career issues column for The State Newspaper and has contributed articles to the South Carolina Business and Economic Review, Midlands Career Guide, and Midlands Woman. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina where she received bachelors and masters degrees.