Who We Are
Meet our staff and board!
While Circles relies on volunteers to support clients, provide meals for meetings, and lead fundraising efforts, they are led by a group of individuals passionate about their community and helping others. Read below to learn more about those individuals!
Our Staff
Dawn Neatherly, Executive Director
Dawn Neatherly, Circles of Jackson County’s Executive Director, has a long-standing love for Jackson County, North Carolina.
Beginning in 1974, Dawn came to the Cullowhee valley every year as a summer camper taking temporary residence on Western Carolina University’s campus. After spending her summers in Cullowhee for six years, she returned to the area full-time to complete both her undergraduate and graduate degrees at WCU.
Following her time as a WCU student, Dawn left Cullowhee and spent years working as a counselor for the state in the public school and prison systems. 30 years later, she knew it was time to return to Jackson County.
Dawn first joined Circles in 2018 under the title of Coordinator, which later shifted to Executive Director. She was first drawn to Circles when looking for a way to give back to her community, and stuck around upon seeing how well the Circles model truly works. Dawn admired how Circles doesn’t just give things to individuals, but instead teaches them how to become self-sufficient. Dawn believes that by teaching individuals how to work towards self-sufficiency, Circles has unlocked the key to breaking cycles of poverty.
In her free time, Dawn enjoys reading mysteries, visiting and researching old houses, and attending high school and college basketball games. A lover of history, she’s interested in travel with historical emphasis and is looking forward to an upcoming trip with her husband, Allen (Circles Ally and volunteer).
If you need to contact Dawn, she can be reached at dneatherly@circlesofjackson.org
Rachel Byrd, Client Services Coordinator
Rachel Byrd, a recent Western Carolina University graduate, currently serves as the Client Services Coordinator for Circles of Jackson County. Rachel is responsible for recruiting and assisting Circle Leaders and Allies, coordinating weekly meetings, and engaging with the wider community to generate program awareness, among other things.
Rachel first became connected with Circles during her senior year internship, while studying in the social work program at WCU. After graduating in the spring of 2023, she was offered a position at Circles, and gratefully accepted the opportunity to serve this wonderful community. Though Rachel grew up in the foothills of North Carolina, she is pleased to now call the mountains her new home after moving here to attend college.
As a person who experienced generational poverty, Rachel is overjoyed to work for an organization that specializes in helping individuals and families overcome barriers to escaping poverty. Using the experiences of poverty paired with her educational background, Rachel is a great match for Circles.
When she’s not working for Circles, Rachel can be found enjoying the natural beauty of Jackson County, by hiking or camping with her dogs and her partner.
If you need to contact Rachel, she can be reached at rbyrd@circlesofjackson.org.
Our Board
Blake Daniel, Chairperson
Rev. Blake Daniel, pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Sylva since 2015, currently serves as the Chairperson of Circles of Jackson County’s board. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia and Duke Divinity School!
Blake has been with Circles for nearly four years, having joined our board in 2019. He first learned about Circles when Ann Melton, Circles of Jackson County’s founder, presented at First Presbyterian about the impact Circles has on members of the community. He was immediately hooked! He specifically admired Circle’s emphasis on relationships and its comprehensive model of care.
When he’s not working at the church, Blake can usually be found doing activities with his wife, Erin, and three young boys or out running; he also loves a quiet moment to read.
Kelli Brown, Board Member
Circles of Jackson County’s board member, Kelli R. Brown, currently serves as the Chancellor of Western Carolina University. She has worked at 7 institutions of higher education, but since coming to WCU in 2019 it has become not only her professional, but personal home! She has loved every second of being here and is honored to further give back to her community through Circles.
Kelli was first asked to join the Circles board in 2020 and has been an active member ever since. She enjoys attending Circles meetings whenever she can and spending time with our volunteers and Circle Leaders. Having been a public health professional, she knows the impact poverty can have on an entire community, not just individual lives. She was initially drawn to Circles because of its innovative approach to guiding individuals from poverty to self-sufficiency and stayed because she knows that by supporting those in poverty, we are also supporting our entire community.
In the free time that she can find, Kelli enjoys taking advantage of Jackson County’s beautiful outdoors or relaxing through reading. Specifically, she enjoys a good John Grisham novel or local author David Joy’s work. She has spent the past 35 years with her wonderful husband, Dennis, known to many as WCU’s First Gentleman or “First Dude.
Ann Melton, Founder and Board Member
Ann Melton is the founder of Circles here in Jackson County. With the passing of her husband, the only thing she could do to live and move on was something she called; “die to self.” This meant that Ann was going to be involved in something that wasn’t about her and instead made a difference for other people. After she attended the “Circles of Hope” program in Haywood County, she knew exactly what to do. Ann felt that Jackson County needed a program like the one in Haywood, so she contacted the mayor of Jackson County, preachers, and social services, and invited them to the First Baptist Church where she informed them about Circles.
Ann called this, “the blind leading the blind.” Ann expressed that the beginning of this program was “a God thing,” the way that it all fell into place. Fast forward two months in, and Ann has an unexpected aneurysm. She wasn’t even expected to live after this. However, while she was away, four women became leaders of the program and it just flourished. Following her health incident, Ann was able to get back to everything and continued to help grow Circles of Jackson County. To Ann, this was all about paying it forward.
Deborah Harris, Board Member and Treasurer
Deborah Harris is not only a member of Circles of Jackson County’s board, but she also serves as our treasurer! After spending 32 years working as a government accountant, Deborah retired and chose to embrace volunteer work.
Deborah joined Circles of Jackson County when Ann Melton first founded the chapter, and has been here ever since! She was drawn to Circles because of how it paired educational support
While she has volunteered with a few different non-profit organizations, she stuck with Circles because she found it so fulfilling.
In her free time, Deborah loves to travel (particularly small ship cruising)! You’ll find her attending the Indianapolis 500 every year, where she reconnects with and visits friends she’s met there. When she isn’t traveling, she enjoys crafting cards to share with friends!
Jake Buchanan, Board Member
Jake Buchanan, a native of Jackson County, has deep roots in the community. With a decade-long career as a history educator at Smoky Mountain High School, followed by six years serving as its principal, Jake has dedicated himself to fostering educational excellence and leadership development.
His commitment to community service extends beyond the classroom, as evidenced by his two-year service as a Circles board member. Jake wholeheartedly embraces the mission of Circles, recognizing the importance of support and guidance in every individual's journey.
Driven by a belief in the power of mentorship and community, Jake values the opportunity to uplift others. Beyond his professional endeavors, he finds fulfillment in hands-on work and cherishes moments spent with his family
Roger Murajda, Board Member
Deeply rooted in the mountains of Western North Carolina, Roger Murajda’s called the region home for the majority of his life. Being in the area it allowed him to participate in sports and plenty of outdoor activities growing up. He continues his love for the outdoors through fishing, hiking, and lake activities. With strong family values, Roger feels fortunate to have a wife of 19 years, Amanda, and two daughters, Aleah and Hannah. Together, they are actively involved in their church, First Presbyterian Church, where Roger has served as an Elder on the Session and participates in various committees and boards. His faith in Christ serves as a guiding force in his life and provides stability in an ever-changing world.
Roger, dedicated to his craft of landscaping, started his own landscaping business at 16. Roger honed his skills and eventually became the current General Manager at BH Graning Landscapes, where he has since served for 12 years. Although 2024 is his first year serving on the Board of directors for Circles, his decision to join Circles was influenced by his home church's long standing support for the Circles and his connections with several board members. When he was approached for an opportunity for the role he felt called to serve. In his free time, you can find Roger spending time outdoors doing a variety of activities, including camping, hunting, driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway, coaching youth basketball, and spending time with his family dog, "Maggie.
Gayle Woody, Board Member
Gayle Woody, originally from Wheaton, Illinois, has dedicated her life to education and community service. After graduating from Wheaton Central High School in 1970 and earning a BA in Art Education from Seattle Pacific University in 1974, she began her teaching career at Almond School in Swain County, where she was recognized as Teacher of the Year in 1976. Gayle then served as a Health Education Specialist at the Jackson County Department of Public Health before transitioning to Smoky Mountain High School, where she taught visual arts until her retirement in 2016, earning Teacher of the Year honors for the 2015/16 academic year. Alongside her teaching career, Gayle has been actively involved in various community organizations, including serving as a Commissioner on the Jackson County Board of Commissioners from 2018 to 2022 and volunteering with United Christian Ministries, Jackson County’s food pantry, since 2016.
In addition to her community service, Gayle continues her passion for the arts as a studio artist since 2016. Recently, she was elected to the Jackson County Board of Education in May 2024 and joined Circles of Jackson, furthering her commitment to community development. Gayle's dedication to education, service, and the arts makes her a cherished member of the Jackson County community.
In Loving Memory
Sherry Loretta Walker
September 28, 1961 - July 1,2023
Sherry Walker, Board Member
Sherry Walker was a member of Circles of Jackson County’s board, and first began her journey with Circles as a Circle Leader.
Sherry was introduced to Circles through Jennifer Abbey, a former Circle Leader and current volunteer. Jen knew that Sherry had a goal of finding a job with a livable wage, and she knew that Circles could be a support system to help her get there. However, in 2019 Sherry experienced a devastating house fire which forced her goals to change. While Sherry was searching, Circles supported her not only emotionally, but through action as well. Individuals went with her to view homes and taught her what to look for when finding a safe place to live. Furthermore, last year Sherry advocated for herself and her coworkers at her job, resulting in all of their wages raising to become livable.
With the support of Circles, Sherry was able to reach multiple life goals, and served Circles in return as a board member! For Sherry, Circles was a true community prioritizing love and acceptance, and she was honored to be a part of it.
Sherry enjoyed checking off items on her bucket list whenever she could. Most recent, she rafted class 5 whitewater rapids and jumped out of an airplane!