The Christmount Staff
The key to a successful organization is a happy and dedicated staff. We are blessed with a group of professionals who move mountains to provide a warm and nurturing atmosphere to enhance your Christmount experience.
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Interested in having Jamie or Mike come to your church to do a program on Christmount? The program is about 20 - 30 minutes long (tailored to your needs) and includes the 14-minute Christmount video, along with brochures and other give-aways. We can also fill your pulpit when your pastor is on vacation. Contact us for more information about this free service.
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Mike Murphy, Executive Director
Mike is responsible for everything at Christmount! He began working at Christmount in October of 1983 in Guest Services. He has served as Special Assistant to the Director, Development Assistant and Associate Director. Michael was selected as Executive Director in October, 1998.
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Helen Johnson, Associate Director
After 3 years at AAA, Helen returned to Christmount in 1998. She does a lot of the bookkeeping, and she oversees Guest Services staff. Helen knows just about all the great places to visit around here:  she can provide travel tips and sightseeing information for just about any group or interest!
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Jamie Brame, Church Relations Director
travels a lot, he's our "Road Warrior"...visiting churches, holding workshops, and attending assemblies. He plans and schedules camps and conferences and works directly with the groups. Jamie is available for church retreats and preaching, as well as for church programs. He is a talented musician, often performing with his wife, Renae. Jamie began working at Christmount in 1989.
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Mary Alice Murphy, Administrative Assistant
She keeps our Executive Director in line. She creates brochures and edits The Christmount Voice, volunteers as the Gift Shop manager and also teaches first aid and CPR to all the staff. She started working on the summer staff in 1978 and never really left; even when she wasn't on staff she was a volunteer. She's been back officially since 1997.
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Heath Coffey, Guest Services Coordinator
Heath answers phones, makes reservations, checks in guests, walks on water, and performs other miracles as needed by guests and his fellow staff! He keeps the Christmount computers working like they should, and tinkers with the website occasionally.  He tries to make Helen Johnson's life a little easier.
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Mark Norton, Operations Director
Mark oversees and supervises all daily operations with managers and assists the other directors as needed.  He is everywhere all the time - we think he might be omnipresent, meeting himself coming and going all over the grounds!
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Paul Norton, Maintenance Manager
Paul always has a smile on his face.  He makes sure everything works as it should.  You can see him around the Christmount grounds constantly working. Watch out if you see him in a tree - something is going to fall, and he's going to love doing what he's doing.
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Elsa Berndt, Camp Lakey Gap Director
Elsa has helped to create a summer camp program for children with autism that will fill up part of the camp area in the summer for 6 weeks. She will manage a summer staff of about 23 people, and be having fun playing in the woods and helping children with autism enjoy the great outdoors.

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Dolly Norton Housekeeping Manager
Dolly keeps us neat and clean! She's in charge of housekeeping and works hard all the time to make sure that every corner of Christmount is clean and beautiful! You'll see her smiling face when you have housekeeping needs of any kind!

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Diane Ylitalo Food Service Manager
Diane orders and cooks the food.  She is a great cook, and makes sure that no guest goes hungry.

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Bruce Dockery Maintenance
Bruce Works hard keeping things working.

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Erikah Norton Food Service
She is always working with a smile on her face.

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Lenora Turner Food Service
Lenora works hard in the dining hall.

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Evelyn Trigg Gift Shop Buyer
Evelyn Helps Mary Alice Buy stuff to sell in the gift shop.

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Ken & Gwen Myers Volunteers
In order to be closer to their grown children, Ken and Gwen Myers retired to North Carolina in 2001. They are members of the First Christian Church, Black Mountain and part-time volunteers at Christmount. Ken was a jet engine technical engineer with Pratt & Whitney and spent his career living and working in various countries overseas and around the U.S. Gwen spent most of her married life tagging along after Ken. They both grew up in Disciples of Christ churches, Ken in Oregon and Gwen in Washington State. Besides a son and a daughter, they have four grandchildren.

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Lynn Branch Guest Services Volunteer
Lynn answers the phones greets guests, and performs other much needed services.

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Sandra Jakeway Guest Services Volunteer
Sandra answers the phones greets guests, and performs other much needed services.

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Don and Jane Knibb Volunteers
Don and Jane are volunteers from Greensboro, NC, where they attend First Christian Church. They have counseled camps at Christmount (Don still does!), and are helpful at the front desk (Jane), in maintenance (Don), and in the Dining Hall (both!). Don is Chair of Christmount Utilities Commission and makes sure the water and sewer all works according to government regulations.

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Christmount Summer Camp Staffs are hired in the spring.  Applicants should contact Rev. Jamie Brame or Elsa Berndt for an application. See the next two paragraphs to decide which camp staff interest you.
       There are two summer camp staffs.
        One, for our traditional camps, accepts applications between January 2 and February 15 each year. Staff is hired based on camp experience, commitment to their faith and to the Church, self-motivation, maturity, and willingness to work hard. It is a physically, spiritually, and mentally demanding job. Please contact Jamie Brame, Church Relations Director, for application information.
        Camp Lakey Gap for children with autism has different application requirements. Please contact Elsa Berndt, Camp Lakey Gap Director, for application information. Click here.
   
        For "traditional camps:" to be fair and to give college students from around the country a chance to be hired, we do set several limits: not more than one person from a church, family, or college are hired each year (except in exceptional circumstances).