Center for Faith and Life
Meet the Staff of the Center for Faith and Life
Merri Alexander
Vice President for the Center for Faith and Life
Merri Alexander’s experience with Montreat began in the early 1980’s when she served the conference center in promotion and marketing. She then re-joined the staff in 2004, working first in marketing in the development office, and subsequently moving into the role of Vice President for Program Development and Marketing. In her current position as Vice President for the Center for Faith and Life, Merri will provide oversight for new directions in adult program development, partnership opportunities with other groups and organizations, and summer worship. Merri holds degrees from the Southeastern Center for Photographic Studies (FL) and St. Andrews Presbyterian College (NC) and is currently a part-time student enrolled at Union-PSCE in Charlotte, NC. She is a Presbyterian elder who has served on the Sessions of St. Simons Presbyterian Church (GA) and Laurinburg Presbyterian Church (NC) and is currently a member of First Presbyterian Church, Asheville, NC, where she serves on the sanctuary renovation committee.
Tracy Taylor Bailey
Director for Conference Services
Tracy has been on the program staff of Montreat Conference Center since the summer of 1986, when she started as a receptionist in the program office. She advanced to Executive Secretary and then conference manager. In her current position as Director for Conference Services, Tracy will assist Vice President Merri Alexander and the Master Planning Team in the restructuring of adult programming. A native of the area, she was graduated from Asheville-Buncombe Technical College in 1981.
Emily Causey
Director for Conference Services
Emily has been a summer staff employee, an intern in the Center for Youth and Young Adult Ministry, and the Conference Center’s Youth Conference and Clubs registrar. At the end of the 2008 summer season, Emily was made Associate for Conference Services. Now, as a Director for Conference Services with the Center for Faith and Life, Emily will continue to work with the planning and execution of conferences and partnered events. Emily, a native of Greensboro, NC, holds a BA degree in Religious Studies from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Susan Akduman
Registrar for the Center for Faith and Life
Susan Akduman, a native of Tenafly, NJ, moved to Black Mountain, NC, in 2004. She began working at Montreat Conference Center as a Clubs Registrar the summer of 2005 and moved into a full-time position in 2006 as the Adult Conference Registrar. In that position, Susan assists with conference registrations, answers registration questions, and is often the smiling face greeting guests at conference check-in.
