Kirk Cameron, Executive Director
Kirk Cameron joined The Craddock Center in November, 2020. He has a degree in Healthcare Administration from Georgia State University. He is retired from a 28 year career with the McKesson Corporation and has lived in the Ellijay area since 2015. Kirk is passionate towards helping and serving others in each of the communities he has lived. He remains engaged with local non-profit organizations. Kirk is an active member of Cherry Log Christian Church.
Heidi Kennedy, Office Manager
Heidi joined The Craddock Center as our office manager in July 2025. She has a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education and a Master’s in Mathematics and Sciences from the University of Central Florida. Heidi retired from Seminole County Public Schools in 2024 after a fulfilling career as a teacher, Instructional Coach, and School Administration Manager. Married for 31 years with two wonderful children, Heidi enjoys mountain biking, hiking, and kayaking. She also volunteers with Ellijay Paws in Need, supporting animal rescue efforts in my community.
Natalie Jones, Arts Specialist
The Craddock Center’s own storyteller extraordinaire has delighted audiences as a professional storyteller across the Southeast for over 20 years. A former park ranger, teacher, and librarian, Natalie hails from Eastern Kentucky, a great growing ground for stories. Her interactive style engages listeners of all ages. Natalie has performed at the National Storytelling Conference in Gatlinburg, TN, the Jimmy Carter Library and at schools and libraries all over the state of Georgia. In 2016, she was crowned Georgia’s Biggest Fibber and was the People’s Choice Bold Faced Liar at the Festival of Carolina, both of which are actually compliments. She has joined forces with The Craddock Center and is thrilled to be spreading joy through stories and music to the children of the mountain region.
Sheila Clayton, Arts Specialist
“Ms. Sheila, you’re still going to school, you must really love it”, my little preschoolers would say as I gave my introduction on their first day of school. I did like going to school. As a little girl my dream was to be a teacher. Instead of going that route, I was encouraged by my counselor in high school to go into Engineering in college but after several years I did go back and went into teaching. I taught for twenty -three years in Christian schools, seventeen of those years were where my heart loved, four and five-year olds. I have been married to my husband, Brian, for forty-two years. He is a Baptist minister and works for a chemical company. We love living in the north Georgia mountains, serving our church, and helping in the community. I was a Girl Scout leader for fifteen years, a facilitator for abused children for two years. One of my favorite things to do in the summer when school is out is help in Vacation Bible Schools in our area. My hobby is genealogy, the perseverance of our ancestors and the love they had for their neighbors inspires me. I have no accolades to share except I have had many little arms reach around me in love and bigger ones as these same little ones grew into adults. I am so thankful to be working for an organization such as The Craddock Center that has such a love and dedication for these little kiddos.
Liese Connell, Arts Specialist
Liese Connell started teaching Elementary Education in 1995 and taught Elementary Music from 2004 through 2021. She has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and is a National Board Certified Teacher in Early/Middle Childhood. Liese’s passion for music education was enhanced by the Orff Schulwerk approach to teaching children through music, movement, drama, and speech into lessons that are similar to a child‘s world of play. She is the past Treasurer, President, and Course Director of the South Florida Orff Chapter. Liese was the Conductor for the Honors Orff Ensemble for Spotlight on Young Musicians at the Kravis Center in Palm Beach. Her students have performed at local green markets, malls, and nursing/assisted living facilities, in addition to a winter and spring concert every year. She is delighted to come out of retirement to work with the Craddock Center to share her love of music with children. In her spare time she enjoys walking, gardening, and playing a variety of music instruments, including piano, guitar, ukulele, mandolin, mountain dulcimer, and zheng, to name a few.
Gina Penland, Arts Specialist
After 30.4 years of teaching kindergarten with Cherokee County Schools in North Carolina, Gina Penland officially retired from a career filled with tiny shoes, big questions, and plenty of hugs. Gina has been happily married for 37 years, and she and her husband are blessed with five children and eight grandchildren who keep life joyful and lively. Gina will always treasure her years in the classroom, but she excited for this new chapter with The Craddock Center—one with fewer lesson plans, no report cards, and hopefully a little more sleeping in. Life has been good, God has been faithful, and she is looking forward to whatever comes next.