Meet the Staff
Tammy AyotteConference Center Director
Tammy
Ayotte grew up in the hospitality industry in her family’s restaurant
businesses. As an adult professional, she has been involved in the
salon/spa, wedding, convention, party planning, and customer service
industries. Her personal ministry has included serving as a Prepare/Enrich
Counselor and a Wedding Officiate that also creates custom ceremonies, being highly
active in her home church, and serving as a Stephen’s Minister.
Heavily
immersed in the culture of customer care, and feeling that every guest
is a valued addition to the Gravatt family, Tammy prays that each
person feels they have connected spiritually, and will leave
Gravatt renewed and nourished by their time there.
Tammy
has been married to her husband, Jim, an active Gravatt volunteer, for
30+ years, and lives in Aiken with him and their two chihuahuas.
Thomas K. ColemanProgram Director
Thomas Coleman was a camper and is a longtime staff member at Gravatt, beginning in 1997 as a
junior counselor. He has been a counselor, assistant ropes director,
and ropes director for the camp. He was the Camp Gravatt Male Staffer
of the Year in 2003, served as Director of the Adventure & Discovery
Center and all around go-to-guy from 2004 until 2007, when he was promoted
to Program Director, a position which expands the scope of what Thomas has
done to include development of new programs and additional responsibilities
for guest services. He continues to serve the
summer camp too.
Thomas graduated from Appalachian State University in
2004 with a degree in Recreation Management and a concentration in Outdoor
Experiential Education. He is Challenge Course Technician and First
Aid Wilderness Responder certified, an Eagle Scout and a member of the
Association for Challenge Course Technology. Thomas lives in Columbia
but spends many overnights at Gravatt serving guest needs.
About his job Thomas says, "I enjoy working with and meeting
new people," and anyone who has
met him knows this to be true. Thomas also says, "It is rewarding to
see people overcome challenges and experience new things." To learn
more about challenging your group with the Adventure & Discovery Center
or learning with the new Gravatt Environmental Education Program,
contact Thomas [email].
Ellen Grbic
Office Manager
Ellen Grbic joined the Gravatt
staff in July 2009. Ellen moved to Aiken from Florida. She has two grown
children and three grandchildren. She is a member of Cedar Creek Church in
Aiken, where she is an active Stephen's Minister.
Hers will be the voice that answers when you call Gravatt. She
will be happy to help you plan your visit or answer questions about our
facility. You can also contact Ellen [email].
Scott McNeely
Camp Director
Scott McNeely grew up as a camper at Gravatt and has worked on the
summer camp staff since 2002. He has served as a counselor, head
counselor, assistant ropes director, program director, leadership
director and assistant director. He won the Outstanding Staffer of the
Year award in 2004, an award presented every summer by his Godfather,
Archdeacon Fred Byrd.Scott was raised in the small farming community
of Tirzah, South Carolina just outside of Rock Hill. He graduated from
Clemson University in 2005 with a BA in Psychology and a minor in
Religion. After graduation, Scott moved back to York County where he
worked with Special Needs children for York School District One. In 2011
he accepted a permanent position at Gravatt, serving as the Camp
Director. For questions about Camp Gravatt, contact Scott [email].
Roy Stewart
Director of Buildings and Grounds
Roy Stewart was born at Gravatt in 1956 and lived here with his mother and grandfather, who was the
first caretaker of what was then known only as Camp Gravatt. As a boy,
Roy loved Gravatt so much that he "had to get a job there" in 1970. He
knows more about the inner-workings of the
land and facilities than anyone. About his life at Gravatt, Roy says,
"I still love it here as caretaker and maintenance supervisor, and if you
come to the Gravatt Camp and Conference Center, you will fall in love with it too."
Lauri SoJourner Yeargin
Executive Director
Lauri Yeargin grew up as a camper at
Gravatt and served on the camp staff for five years in high school and
college. After more than ten years away she returned as a volunteer.
She has served as assistant camp director and camp director. She knows
first-hand the impact Gravatt has on the lives and spiritual growth of
campers and staff alike, and has considered it an honor to serve as the
executive director of the Gravatt Camp and Conference Center since 2007.
Lauri earned her BA in English –
Professional
Communications from Winthrop University and her MA in Student Personnel
Administration from Ball State University. Lauri's four children will
grow up at Gravatt too. She lives on-site with her family
to
serve the needs of Gravatt's guests.
For questions regarding Gravatt, contact Lauri [email].
Board of Directors
Mr. Clint Burdett, Treasurer
Mr. Emery Clark
Ms. Tina Lockhart
The Rev. Patsy Malanuk
Mr. Brian Phillips
Mr. Chip Smith, Vice Chair
Mr. Benton Williamson, Chair
The Rt. Rev. Andrew Waldo
The Rev. Grant Wiseman
