Board of Directors

The SCOT Board of Directors is elected each year at the Annual General Meeting, and new board members are welcome. Meet the current board members.

Officers

	Ruth Suehle President Originally from South Carolina, Ruth has lived in the Triangle for more than 20 years with her husband Scott, whom she met at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in 1997. They’ve spent the years since then attending and volunteering at various games around the region. She and their two children dance with the Annandale Center. Clan associations: Campbell, Bruce
	Stephanie England Floyd Vice-President Originally from Oklahoma, Stephanie and her family lived in the northeast for many years before settling down in Chapel Hill in 2015.  She and her husband Scott, are the proud parents of three children, two of whom are highland dancers with the Annandale Center for Scottish Dance and More in Cary.  She and her family enjoy attending highland games and can be found volunteering at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in Linville each year.  She has served on the SCOT board since 2018 and is also a Co-Chair of Fundraising and Marketing at the Pat Johnston Memorial Competitions.   Stephanie’s heritage includes Wallace ancestors immigrating to the Carolinas in 1773 and Duffy ancestors immigrating to Rhode Island in the 1830s.
	Brian Proffitt Secretary A native Hoosier, Brian enjoys learning new things about Scotland, Scottish athletics, and Highland Dancing. He and his wife Cynthia are the parents of three amazing daughters. Clan associations: Rose, Wallace
	Scott Suehle Treasurer Scott began his journey into Scottish culture as a Highland athlete more than 20 years ago. From there it was a journey into the music, arts, and dance. Now a husband and father to three Highland dancers and enjoying traveling to Highland Games up and down the east coast, Scott has recently taken up learning to play bagpipes. Clan associations: Campbell, Morrison

Board members

	Carolyn McDonald Graf Carolyn became interested in Scottish culture when she discovered that the stories her father had told her about the massacre of Glencoe were facts in her English history book. She has played in a pipe band, is a premier Scottish Highland dancer, and enjoys Scottish country dancing. Clan association: MacDonald
	Jessica Higgins Originally from Pennsylvania, Jessica moved to the Triangle in 2009 to attend graduate school at UNC with her husband Chris. She started highland dancing at the Annandale Center in 2016 when her daughter would only try out a class if she did too. Now she dances at competitions and chases around her three other boys at highland games all throughout the region. Despite growing up in Pennsylvania, her ancestors immigrated from England and Scotland and were “hoi toiders” who settled in Currituck County North Carolina. She finds it fascinating to be in the same state after all these years and loves learning more about her Scottish heritage. Clan association: MacDonald
	Warren Hinson Warren is a life-long resident of North Carolina. He met his wife Dianne in the beautiful NC mountains so reminiscent of the Scottish highlands. While Warren and Dianne worked in the Boone and Banner Elk area, their family (now including three children) was often exposed to Scottish influences in architecture, music, art, and life-style. At the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in 2016, they learned of the SCOT organization, and thus joined to increase their exposure to – and further their enjoyment of – the Scottish history they have since learned is a part of their own. Clan associations: Davidson, Mackay (Sept Morgan)
	Robin Jackson Robin is a native North Carolinian whose Scottish roots run deep with her McGinnis ancestry. She received her B.S. from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) from East Tennessee State University. While working in Continuing Education at East Tennessee State University, she planned, directed, and led educational tours to Scotland, which instilled a love for the Scottish culture, music, and language. She is a student of the Gaelic language and has participated in immersion classes in Ireland and Cape Breton. Robin plays mandolin and guitar and enjoys making music with her husband and friends. Since retiring from UNC in 2022, she has been honing her skills in the Scottish game of golf. Clan association: MacInnes
	Stevan Jackson Stevan has a Scottish connection through both ancestry and occupation. His grandmother was a Robertson, whose roots weave back to the Western Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Stevan completed a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology with an emphasis in folklore and ethnomusicology from the University of Tennessee. Throughout his academic career, he taught cultural studies including Scottish, Irish, and Appalachian studies and their connection at various universities. In addition, he directed the Appalachian, Scottish, Irish Studies program at East Tennessee State University. His research includes music and folklore of these cultures as well as the Gaelic language of both Scotland and Ireland. He has made numerous trips to Scotland and Ireland in support of his research. He is also a musician on the Celtic harp, guitar, banjo, and mandolin performing several genres of music including Scottish and Irish, folk, bluegrass, and Americana. He is also a songwriter and a writer of academic and fiction material. In his retirement, he is trying to stay ahead of his wife in the Scottish game of golf. Clan association: Robertson
	Catherine McKinley, MA Catherine is the mother of 2 long time Highland dancers, a preschool teacher, and a support group moderator. Highland dancing was so beneficial to her children that she wanted to support one of the main sponsoring organizations. From it, they learned about teamwork, camaraderie, discipline, good sportsmanship, the value of pride at doing their best, and their Scottish heritage. Clan McKinley derives from “Son of Findlay” and started as a sept of Clan Farquharson which is from the Lennox area. Clan associations: Farquharson, McKinley
	Kay Merritt Originally from New Jersey, and now a 30-year resident of the Triangle, Kay currently is involved with SCOT and the Daughters of the American Revolution. Her interests in Scottish culture are due to the fact her maternal line traces back to Clan Cameron, as well as earlier attendance to the Grandfather Highland Games. I haven’t been up to the Highland Games at Grandfather Mountain in a long time. Clan association: Cameron
	Donald Ross Donald’s a native Scot and has been living in NC for almost 40 years. He joined SCOT in March of 2002, and has served on the Board since then as Membership Chairman. Also, he has been serving as President of SCOT for the past 6 years. He has also been running the Annual Burns Night at The Country Squire for the past 16 years. He also carried out the duties of Master of Ceremonies at the annual Burns Night held at The Landfall Country Club in Wilmington for almost 10 years. Donald (pictured center) is proudly seen in this picture with his Son and Grandson on one of the few occasions when they all wore Kilts at the 2018 Burns Night. Clan association: Ross
	Andrew Topp Andrew grew up in Williamsburg, VA and attended Scottish festivals each year as his parents were a Scottish crafts vendor and active participants in numerous Scottish organizations. He married his wife, Stacie, and moved to the Triangle in 2000. They have three teenage daughters who have been active Highland dancers for most of their lives. Andrew is a life member of Clan Sutherland, recently joined the SCOT Board, and is currently learning tenor and snare drum with a local pipe band. Clan associations: Sutherland, MacGill