Reservations & Program Manager

Reservations & Program Manager Mary Beth Best brings many years of experience working with the public, especially in retreat settings, to her work at St. Mary’s Sewanee, which she began in May 2018. Before joining the staff, she attended Centering Prayer groups at St. Mary’s Sewanee, walked its labyrinth, and explored its hiking trails. She said she most enjoys meeting and coming to know the guests, learning why they are visiting St. Mary’s Sewanee. “Many people arrive uncertain or stressed, but they leave with renewed spirits that shows on their countenance. It is a joy to witness this transformation!”

Operations Manager

Kylene joined the St. Mary’s Sewanee team in November 2016 as the Business Manager and is now the Operations Manager. She holds a Master of Public Administration degree and a Graduate Certificate in Non-Profit Management from Tennessee State University. She has worked for nonprofit organizations and churches for many years, specializing in the business aspect of the organizations. She considers creating “First Light” — the daily email meditation — among her favorite things to do for St. Mary’s Sewanee.

Property Manager

Tim has worked at St. Mary’s Sewanee since March 2012 and knows the buildings and grounds better than anyone. Coming from a stressful manufacturing background working long hours, St. Mary’s Sewanee has helped him find a good balance between working hard and taking time to enjoy life, including his young daughter. Using his skills and experience, Tim repairs and maintains a vast array of equipment on campus. His love of nature compels him to improve the appearance of the grounds and to create new hiking opportunities. He says there’s never a dull moment at St. Mary’s Sewanee — from helping board members explore the property to finding parts and repairing antiquated buildings — each day brings something new.

Property Assistant

Austin grew up in Sewanee and has recently moved back to be closer to family. He has a sculpture degree from the Herron School of Art and Design in Indianapolis, and loves working outside in nature when he isn't in his studio.

Weekend Coordinator

Since most retreats happen on the weekends, Holly is the face most familiar to our guests. As the Weekend Coordinator, Holly Hodges is here to welcome you as you arrive on Friday and bid you farewell on Sunday. She hosts the weekend events assisting guests in making the most out of every weekend retreat.

Housekeeping Staff

To keep the retreat center sparkling takes a tremendous amount of work and is a labor of Love for the SMS Housekeeping Team.

Brandy Meeks is a native to the mountain community and she enjoys spending time with her husband of more than 17 years and their three beautiful children. She finds joy in cooking for her large family, but likes coming to work with a small staff. Her bright spirit and positive energy are brought to the retreat center everyday.

Housekeeping Staff

Mary Margaret is an artist who loves illustrating. She also loves: dancing, hard work, building things, being outside, climbing trees, cooking, animals, traveling, making new friends- and lots of other stuff.

The way she got to Sewanee was by praying to live here again. She came here the next day to visit friends. While walking the Mountain Goat Trail, she got a call for an odd job. She stayed another night after work. The next morning she went for breakfast at Stirlings (her first job at 16- the signage she painted in calligraphy on the restroom doors is still there 24 years later). She answered an ad in the Messenger and next day got the job.

Being at St. Mary’s reminds her of a combination of summer camp at Camp Weed in Live Oak FL which she was sponsored by her church to go to, and volunteering in exchange for workshops at Shakerag Workshops- both for 4 years in a row.

She is very thankful to be in such a picturesque, peaceful place around such kind people. She thanks God for bringing her here!

Kitchen Staff

Josh Orange grew up in Tracy City and his family enjoyed traveling. He settled down close to his home town in Monteagle. Josh’s smile and joy for his work is contagious. He has worked in the culinary field for nearly a decade and still loves to learn about new dishes and methods of cooking. Josh has been known to try new recipes and test them out on the staff before the guests arrive. His creative spirit is not just in the kitchen but also on the canvas and in the garden, as he is a painter and gardener as well. Josh enjoys working at SMS the most because of the work family and the “glorious sunsets”.

Kitchen Staff

Derrick Parsons is a mountain native from Grundy County. He is a family man first and foremost with “an awesome wife” and three amazing children. His passion is being a husband and father. When he is not busy taking care of his family, he enjoys working on his dad’s truck that was left to him and is very special to him. Second only to his family is his passion for cooking and caring for the guests at SMS. He is careful, considerate, and hardworking when it comes to meal preparations and all that comes with that. Derrick is not afraid of the heavy lifting! He is also a very talented amateur artist. What he likes most about working at SMS is the view at New Hope Bluff and his coworkers.

Reservations Coordinator

As St. Mary's Sewanee's Reservations Coordinator, guests may encounter Blake in several unique capacities. Whether they speak to him on the phone, through email, or in-person, Blake finds tremendous joy and purpose in helping guests feel assured they are in for a restful and restorative stay while at St. Mary's Sewanee. Blake's favorite aspects of working at St. Mary's Sewanee include the wide variety of retreats he gets to help host and the tremendous generosity of spirit displayed by both guests and his fellow co-workers.

Blake is a Sewanee native and currently holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In his free time, he enjoys watching movies, taking photographs, going on long drives, hiking, and traveling for various concerts and music festivals.