College of Charleston Welcomes New Staff

Introducing the College of Charleston’s newest staff members! These new Cougars bring a lot of experience, talent and enthusiasm to the community, and they are excited to share their diverse skills and expertise with the CofC community and contribute to the success of the College!

Find out a little about these new colleagues below – and be sure to welcome them when you see them out and about!

Amanda Benjamin
Police Officer, Department of Public Safety

Background: Prior law enforcement within the State of South Carolina.

Interests: The most important thing in my life is my family and spending time with them.

Looking Forward: I’m looking forward to the opportunity to grow within my career field.

Corey Chamberlain ’22
Office Manager, Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences

Background: I was raised in Upstate New York and moved down to Charleston in 2018 to attend the College. The beautiful city, liberal arts education, study abroad programs and small class sizes drew me to CofC. I graduated with a B.A. in English: literature, film and cultural atudies and a minor in environmental and sustainability studies in 2022. I also took a variety of classes in the education and geology fields. In spring of 2019, I studied abroad in Switzerland, which was incredibly life changing. I was very involved as an undergrad on campus in various student employment roles, Her Campus, C40, and more. After graduating, I began working for the iCharleston program which allowed me to live abroad with students in Rome and London and guide their transition to the College of Charleston. In between my two iCharleston contracts, I worked as an advisor in the AAPC and helped with summer orientation. I have loved Charleston and the College since my first tour, so I am ecstatic to continue working and living where I love!

Interests: I am a big foodie, so I love cooking and trying all the restaurants in the Lowcountry with friends. You can often find me with a book in hand, as I am a big reader. I feel happiest near the water, so I always enjoy a beach trip, boat ride or just walking along the rivers. If I have the time and money, I also take every chance I get to travel and explore new places!

Looking Forward: I am eager to develop and refine my professional skills while making connections both within and beyond my new department. Working in education has always been a passion of mine. I am excited to support the academic journeys of our students and faculty. SSMB was my favorite classroom building as a student, so I am very lucky to call it my new “home” on campus!

Ashley Holdridge
Regional Assistant Director of Admissions, Division of Enrollment Planning

Background: I am from Ledyard, Connecticut, and I worked in the Enrollment Management Office at Mitchell College as an admissions counselor after graduating from there in 2021.

Interests: I enjoy spending time with my dog, Flip, watching sports and being creative through painting and photography.

Looking Forward: I am most looking forward to learning all about the College of Charleston and everything it has to offer its students. I am also looking forward to the welcoming community that I have seen and heard so much about thus far.

Bob McHenry
EMS Liaison, Department of Public Safety

Background: I was born Maryland and was educated in the University of Maryland system. Currently I am a full-time Realtor with Coldwell Banker in downtown Charleston. I spent 40+ years as a member of the fire/rescue and emergency medical services, rising through the ranks to fire/rescue and EMS chief. I am a lifetime member of the Maryland Fire Chiefs Association and was inducted into their hall of fame. I spent 20 years with the Walt Disney Company as a senior communications engineer based in Washington, D.C., providing high-end broadcast facilities and services for all of official Washington, D.C.

Interests: I like spending time with my family, including my wife of 43 years, Carolann, our four adult children (Courtney, Robert, Ryan, Cari), our three grandchildren (Alyssa, Camden, Amelia) and our 7-year-old German shepherd, Kiera. I also enjoy our membership at Shadowmoss Golf & Country Club and the BEACH!!! Especially Folly Beach.

Looking Forward: I look forward to serving the the CofC community along with the members of the student-run Emergency Medical Services team.

Carlos Moran
Groundskeeper, Grounds Department

Background: I am from Jalisco, Mexico. I was born on March 24, 1994. I moved to Charleston in 2017. I am dedicated to working, especially in a restaurant, in La Cocina. I have eight years of experience learning all culinary styles. I learned to cook Mexican, Cuban, Greek, Mediterranean, French food, among other countries such as Pakistani and Jordanian. Before taking up that profession as a cook, I worked for several years as a zootechnical veterinary medical assistant specializing in livestock – vovino (cows). I learned many things. I liked that job and started studying, but shortly after moving to Charleston, I began to have better opportunities for growth by learning a little about everything.

Interests: I like to do sports; I play soccer and volleyball. I have my adventures – I enjoy exercising, going for a walk, running outdoors. I have a lot of fun when I go out to places I don’t know and I make a lot of friends wherever I go. Right now I’m working on what is important is to have an entrepreneurial mind in having my own businesses!

Looking Forward: What I hope this new job brings are new experiences and learnings – just working on something different.

Megan Oldak
Communications and Marketing Coordinator, School of Languages, Cultures, and World Affairs

Background: I’m originally from Long Island, New York. Before coming to CofC, I worked at a special needs pre-K as an occupational therapist.

Interests: I love to go to the beach and explore downtown with my friends. I enjoy painting, reading, powerlifting and playing volleyball in my free time.

Looking Forward: I’m most looking forward to working with different departments and helping show others all CofC has to offer.

Gabriela Prat
Student Success Specialist, Academic Success and Retention Office

Background: I recently graduated from the University of Georgia in May with an M.A. in nonprofit management and leadership skills. During my time at UGA I engaged in various supportive roles, including resident assistant, graduate assistant, nonprofit intern and volunteer, and peer mentor. After graduating, I had the opportunity to engage in a summer internship with the University of South Carolina Beaufort. In this role I collected and analyzed data for the Division of Enrollment Management that provided insight into recommendations for continued campus growth.

Interests: I really enjoy learning about others and the world around me. I value curiosity and creativity. 🙂 I love being in the outdoors adventuring, doing yoga and creating art of various forms. I really like painting but am trying to broaden my horizons and experiment with clay, wood and other materials. I also love doing puzzles and spending time with my new kitten!

Looking Forward: I am so excited to learn more about the campus culture and others I work with. I’ve heard nothing but positive comments about the campus community!

Maddie Price
Collections and Outreach Coordinator, Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences

Background: I am from Ruston, Louisiana. I have an undergraduate degree in geological sciences from UNC Chapel Hill. I worked in informal education working with K-12 and tutoring college students in mathematics for three years before completing my master in museum science from Texas Tech University. During my master’s program, I was an apprentice at Lubbock Lake Landmark archaeological site where I handled collections management for field-collected specimens. After completing my master’s degree, I worked at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science focusing on archival storage creation and preparation of sauropods in conjunction with the U.S. Forest Service and worked at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument focusing on stabilizing and rehousing the collection for the National Park Service.

Interests: My spare time is devoted to my two orange cats, Moon and Saturn, who just turned a year old. My hobbies include traveling (I am currently at seven countries visited and can’t wait to see more!), Taylor Swift, crafting and Disney.

Looking Forward: I am most looking forward to learning! I am looking forward to being able to contribute my skills to the Mace Brown Museum and also learn new things in my position. I am also looking forward to getting to be a part of the geology department’s team!

Niki Ruff
Office Manager, Career Center

Background: I am originally from Oklahoma but came here from Ohio. I began at CofC as a temporary employee, working in the Career Center as a student employment specialist. I also work for Charleston County Parks and Recreation. Prior to that I worked as a paralegal here in Charleston and in Ohio.

Interests: I enjoy being outdoors, especially at the beach. I like exploring different areas of Charleston and trying new restaurants. I like running (especially on trails) and reading in my spare time.

Looking Forward: I am excited to embark on a new chapter here at CofC. I really enjoy working with the people here.

Heewon Son
Intercultural Student Engagement Coordinator, Multicultural Student Programs and Services

Background: I was born in South Korea, raised in Japan and came to the United States at the age of 15. Since then, I’ve moved around the country and lived in eight different states, gaining a rich tapestry of experiences that have shaped my passion for fostering diverse and inclusive environments. Before coming to the College of Charleston, I served youth in under-resourced neighborhoods through various nonprofit organizations with my educational background in P.P.E. (political science, philosophy and economics). My Korean name translates to “the source of joy,” which sums up my approach to life as well as my career in student development.

Interests: Feeling a sense of belonging is important to me; I love spending time with my husband and my cat who remind me that I am a part of something bigger than myself. I enjoy staying active through running, lifting and pilates. I also enjoy cultural dances like salsa and bachata. Additionally, I like to read –my favorite genre being historical fiction.

Looking Forward: I’m most looking forward to witnessing students thrive and reach their full potential at CofC and beyond. The opportunity to support their growth, celebrate their successes and help them navigate challenges is an incredibly rewarding privilege.

Stacey Thomas
Senior Assistant Director Regional Admissions, Office of Admissions

Background: My most recent position was with the University of Kentucky serving as the regional admissions counselor for the DMV (D.C./Maryland/Virginia area). This is my 16th cycle guiding students and families through the admissions process from both the school counseling side and the higher ed side of the desk!

Interests: As a recent empty nester, I enjoy the slower pace of weekends at wineries and staycations over traveling the country for my sons’ sports! I am an avid and mildly obsessive shark tooth hunter, which began 15 years ago on Edisto Island.

Looking Forward: I can’t wait to share the opportunities that CofC offers with DMV students!

Danielle Wheeler ’16 (M.A.T. ’22)
Seashell Master Lead Teacher, N.E. Miles Early Childhood Development Center

Background: I grew up in Greenville, South Carolina. I received both my undergraduate and graduate degrees from College of Charleston.

Interests: I love to work in my garden, read and cook. Whenever I can, I try to explore nature and be out in the fresh air.

Looking Forward: I loved being a graduate student working at N.E. Miles. It is a dream come true to work as a lead teacher now where I am able to teach young minds how to explore their world as well as help lead and inspire future teachers in the classroom, through hands-on learning and experiences.

Kelsey Whiting-Jones
Associate Director for Student Engagement, Center for Sustainable Development

Background: Born and raised in Massachusetts, I have lived in big cities like Rome, Italy, New York City and Cape Town, South Africa, as well as the tropical coast of Malaysia, the plains of Indiana and the mountains of Colorado.

My career has been focused on environmental advocacy and international peace building. Most recently, I served as an advisor in rural Colombia for a new interdisciplinary graduate program – Regenerating Ecologies and Economies for Livelihoods. Previously I spent many years alongside the world’s foremost negotiation advisors, co-developing diplomatic solutions to crises like the war between Russia and Ukraine and the nuclear tensions between North Korea, the U.S. and South Korea (for more, see William Ury’s book, Possible). I have worked on numerous global sustainable development efforts, including Green Grids Accelerators at the Harvard Negotiation Project and Climate Parliament. On the local level, I have fought pollution threats to our air, land and water as a New England-based community organizer for Toxics Action Center. While I loved strategizing around sustainable waste management (aka “trash”) in Indonesia, one of my most transformative early experiences was building a long-distance walking trail across the Middle East.

I am a former USAID Research and Innovation Fellow and U.S. Fulbright Fellow with a master’s degree in international peace studies from the Kroc Institute at the University of Notre Dame and a bachelor’s degree in history and classics from the Commonwealth Honors College at the University of Massachusetts – Amherst.

Interests: I adore walking, swimming and paddleboarding across the beaches, marshes and creeks of South Carolina’s many islands and inlets. I believe in the power of dance. The loves of my life are my cats, Moshi and Merlin. My dream hour involves a fiction book and a cup of tea.

Looking Forward: I am most looking forward to meeting all the students! I can’t wait to help them turn their passions into pathways and possibilities across the College, the Charleston community and around the world. I can’t wait to learn more about the ecology here in the Lowcountry and help the university continue contributing to some amazing sustainable activities on campus and in the region. I’m looking forward to a greener future here at CofC!