Our Team

Foxfire is run by the power of a passionate staff and dedicated community members who make up the organization’s national board of directors and local community board.

Foxfire Staff Members

Todd Faircloth, Executive Director

Todd Faircloth grew up in Warner Robins, Georgia, and attended Georgia College and State University where he received his degree in marketing. Over the next two decades, he worked for Georgia Farm Bureau Federation in Statesboro as a District Federation Manager.  In this role, Todd worked with local farmers, agribusiness partners and office staff in the 17 counties that he served.  Additionally, he acted as the liaison between county and state leadership.

After relocating to Rabun County in 2020, he worked as a Partner Relationship Manager for Four Seasons Hospice in Western North Carolina. He brings administrative experience and community engagement to our team.  As Executive Director, Todd works with the organization’s staff, governing board, community board, and regional partners to develop and expand the reach of Foxfire’s programs.  Todd’s love of Foxfire values and history was instilled at an early age by his grandparents who routinely brought him to visit this area when he was a child.  He enjoys relaxing by a river, music, and cool mountain air!   

Barry Stiles, Museum Director

Barry has been a part of the museum since 2008. He oversees all aspects of the museum and archive, including projects such as the Beck Barn relocation and digitization of the archive’s analog audio collection, and oversees public history and education development. Prior to Foxfire, Barry worked at Sautee Nacoochee Community Association as its Heritage Site Manager. He also worked as an exhibit construction specialist for the Folk Pottery Museum of Northeast Georgia, constructing the environmental exhibits at the museum.

He is a carpenter and craftsman, specializing in preservation of historic structures. Barry is also an interpreter and demonstrator of traditional skills, including blacksmithing and woodworking. Foxfire is near to his heart as three of his Grandparents and two of his Uncles are featured in Foxfire publications.

John Singleton, Education and Community Engagement

John Singleton is a six-generation Rabun County native, a Foxfire alum, and has worked for more than 20 years in Higher Education. In this latter work John assisted in promoting student leadership, cultural programs and cross-cultural engagement across programs in the US, Central Europe, Africa and Latin America.

At Foxfire, John’s work is focused on reconnecting community, students and visitors/readers with the cultural heritage and traditions of Southern Appalachia. By preserving local history and promoting post-secondary education, students in the Foxfire leadership program will be able to connect with their past while being pushed to prepare academically for their futures.

John is married to Claudia (Cortes) Singleton and they have two children, Johan Singleton of Harpers Ferry, WV and Antonella Singleton, a student at Clayton Elementary School.

Jessica Parker, Foxfire Services Coordinator

Jessica joined the museum in 2013 and but originally came to the area from Forest Park, GA. In her role at Foxfire, Jessica networks with local artisans, including past Foxfire contacts, for products to sell in the museum store, maintains effective relationships with donors and members, and manages the Foxfire Magazine subscriptions. Additionally, Jessica assists with marketing and promotions for the organization.

In her spare time, Jessica enjoys camping, riding motorcycles with her husband, and spending time with her three children and five beautiful grandbabies.

Cathy Stiles, Fiscal Operations Manager

Cathy joined her husband, Barry Stiles, to be a part of the Foxfire family in 2008. Originally they moved onto the Foxfire property into staff housing when Barry joined the staff team. They have since relocated to their family homestead nearby. Cathy has over twenty years of experience in non-profit administration, accounting, fundraising and grant writing. Cathy has served as a volunteer for many years at Foxfire, and has also worked at Foxfire in several staff positions over the years. Cathy currently performs the accounting functions, including payroll, accounts payable, and financial reporting; as well as writing grants and working with the development of donors.

Cathy also enjoys demonstrating heritage skills during Foxfire events, including churning butter and washing laundry in an outdoor tub over a (simulated) fire. She always encourages children (and adults) to participate by helping churn the butter or pounding the laundry with the paddle. This is one of her favorite activities at Foxfire because it gets her out of the office and out with the visitors to have fun with them.

The Foxfire Fund, Inc.

 

Board of Directors

Dr. Laura west, chair/president

Lakemont, GA

 

Kathy Thompson, Secretary

Athens, GA

 

Clay Battle, Treasurer

Lakemont, GA

 

Teresia Dunn

Tiger, GA

Jennifer Arbitter, Vice-Chair/Vice President

Clayton, GA

 

Burgess “Buz” Stone, Chair Emeritus

Lakemont, GA

 

James K. Hasson

Atlanta, GA

 

Jan Buley

St. John’s, Newfoundland

 

Ted Altholz

Lakemont, GA

Sandy Smith

Lakemont, GA

 

Anne Pledger

Lakemont, GA

 

Anne Warner

Lakemont, GA

 

Stuart Swanson

Alpharetta, GA

 

Rick Story

Clayton, GA

 

 

Suzie Flaherty, Community Board President

Clayton, GA

Community Board

Suzie Nixon Flaherty, President

Clayton, GA

 

Richard Edwards

Columbus, GA

 

Joey Fountain

Tallulah Falls, GA

Mike Cook

Rabun Gap, GA

 

Jennifer Mitcham Gantt, Vice-Chair

Tiger, GA

 

Bruce Russell

Clatyon, GA

 

Christy Dills White, Secretary

Clayton, GA

 

Justin Spillers

Demorest, GA

 

Shane Taylor

Otto, NC