I am a native of Dublin, Georgia. I grew up on the golf course and am a huge UGA football fan. When I was twelve-years-old, my family and I visited Asheville, North Carolina; it was then that I fell in love with the mountains and shared this new love with my parents saying, “One day, I would like to live in the mountains.” Long story short, I moved to the Roanoke area in 2003. My wife, Carrie, is a native of Fincastle, Virginia. We are a newly (married 2018) blended family with three children, Seth, Silas, and Georgia.

I grew up in a United Methodist Church and experienced a “call” to ministry during my senior year of high school. I have served numerous churches in the South Georgia and Virginia Annual Conferences. I have been with Southview United Methodist Church since 2016. I love to share the Good News of the Gospel, ride my mountain bike, and work with people of all ages. I especially love children. My wife, Carrie, says “It’s because he’s just a big kid himself.” I am a volunteer with Star City Junior Cycling team where I help coach young people on how to ride and race mountain bikes. I love chapel time with the kids. It's never boring!

I am the married mother of two children, a son and a daughter, and I have been a member of Southview Methodist Church since birth. My grandparents were founding members of the church, and I am a proud third-generation member helping to raise the fourth generation of our Southview family. I attended the preschool ministry as a child and hold it very dear to my heart.

Within Southview Church I have been blessed with many opportunities to fulfill my passion for teaching children. I have had the pleasure of serving as a Sunday School teacher for fourth and fifth-grade students as well as leading a Confirmation Class for sixth-grade students. For several years I helped lead our Wednesday UMKids group, in which I enjoyed teaching Bible studies, singing with the children, and teaching the importance of mission at the young levels of kindergarten through fifth grade. I later volunteered for the position of Children’s Ministries Director for four consecutive years. In this role I learned and engaged in the responsibilities of coordinating Sunday School teachers, planning all VBS activities, managing volunteers, and coordinating all holiday children’s activities for the children of the church and surrounding community.

As a child I knew that I wanted to nurture things. Stray kittens and wildflowers found a safe place to grow in my backyard, and I always made sure to help turtles cross the street. Though I wrote picture books (and still do!) about my love for God’s Creation, this compassion only began to make sense as a life path when I attained my Bachelo​r of Arts in Creative Writing and my Master of Fine Arts in Children’s Literature from Hollins University. These major​s inspired me to seek preschool ministry work because I realized that through my love of teaching students how to read and write their own names, rhymes, songs, and stories, I could nurture each child’s imagination and faith the way I once watered the seeds of my childhood.

For the past ten years I have worked in the family, God, and community-oriented spirit of preschool ministry as an Assistant to the Director, a Head Lead Teacher, and as a Lead Teacher for every age group (Twos, Threes, Pre-K, and School Age). With my first two years at West Salem Baptist Church Child Development and my next eight years at St. Mark’s Child Development, I gained firsthand experiences with children from all levels of need and background. This vantage point solidified my faith, and I learned that meaningful, one-on-one relationships between children, their families, and teachers in a loving ministry environment can create the stability children can depend on to grow and blossom into independent thinkers.

I have lived in Roanoke all my life. I went to Burlington Elementary School and Northside Middle and High School. I graduated Northside in 1997 and attended Virginia Western Community College. While going to college, I worked at a little grocery store called Tinnell’s for 22 years until it closed down in 2019. I then began looking for a job to fulfill my love for working with kids. I started a new journey in the field of daycare and worked at a great one until it closed. When I heard that a new day school was opening in September called Southview Day School, I joined the team and became a Lead teacher.

While not at work, I love working with my youth group at North Roanoke Baptist Church and serving with various activities at the church. I have been a member of the church since 2005.

If I am not at church, I enjoy outdoor activities and sports, especially pickleball. I also love animals, especially dogs. I have two dogs that love to go on walks, and they keep me busy. I am also a daddy’s girl. He has a motorcycle with a side car that 3 people can travel in. As a family, we have many fun adventures and rides on the motorcycle.

I am truly blessed to be here at Southview Day School. The Lord opened up the door for me. I saw the opening for help here at Southview and jumped right on it and called Ms. Andria and had an interview with her and Mrs. Ginger. 

I have worked in daycare for over 9 years. I have taught the 2.s, 3's, and Pre-K class. I truly love children, how innocent they are, and the love they give back--especially when they come up to me and say "can I have a hug?" The Lord expects us to love, teach, and train these precious ones he has given to us. 

My role here at Southview consists of being a morning opener, helping Ms. Andria in the 3-year-old class, and teaching music. My prayer is to be blessing to these children as well as their parents

I was born in the Star City and remained here. I am a graduate of William Fleming High School and attended Virginia Western. My working career has been in an office environment, with the last 20 years as a paralegal. I also worked for several years in the office here at Southview, where I am a member.

My father was the caretaker at Mill Mountain Zoo and Park when I was born. At that time, the zoo was considered a petting zoo, and having lived there 17 years, I have an extreme love and passion for all animals. I also have a passion for cooking, which led me to the position I now hold as Cafeteria Manager at Southview Day School. I also am a part-time Teaching Assistant

I live with my husband, Ken, and our two kitties, Niska and Maggie May. 

I was born in Wythe County, Virginia, and I have lived in Roanoke for the past 55 years. I have been an active Christian my entire life, and in the 1980s I fulfilled a dream. With the help of my husband, a Wesleyan Pastor, I opened my own licensed childcare ministry named Happy Times Childcare. I served as a director and teacher there for 18 wonderful years. We helped children and ministered to families from all walks of life. My favorite part of the job was helping families in need and seeing children grow. Knowing that we could teach children skills that they might not have been exposed to at home made me feel like I was making a difference in the integral early years of our students’ development.

When my husband retired from ministry, I decided to try something new as well: I ventured into Carilion family practice for the next 20 years. After retiring from healthcare, I had no intention of returning to work—until I saw a hiring ad for Southview Day School on Facebook. I remembered sending my daughter to Southview when it was a half-day program in 1982. She enjoyed it so much that she sent her own two daughters there. Now, years later, its full-day program needed someone with a heart for children and ministry. I called immediately, and here I am. Working here has been a bright spot in my life. The meaning I gain from working in a Christian atmosphere with loving children is immeasurable.