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Sarah Nichols Hughes joined Heathwood in May of 2020 in the newly created role of Director of Institutional Philanthropy. A seasoned development professional, she has more than 20 years of experience supporting the advancement of educational institutions, most recently as Interim Executive Director of Development for the University of South Carolina and Senior Director of Development at the UofSC School of Law. Prior to joining UofSC, Sarah served in the Development and Admissions offices at Washington and Lee University School of Law for thirteen years.

A graduate of Charlotte Country Day School, Sarah feels a particular affinity for independent schools and is deeply supportive of their mission. She holds a B.A. from Presbyterian College and a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration from the University of South Carolina. She and her husband, Sy, are parents of two sons, Marshall ’27 and Porter, a student at Sandhills School. Sarah enjoys spending time in the mountains, drinking coffee and playing tennis.

Erin Pope joined Heathwood Hall as Director of Annual Giving in January 2013. Prior to Heathwood, Erin worked as the Manager of Annual Giving for Lexington Medical Center Foundation. She graduated from Clemson University with a BS in Marketing. Erin is passionate about educating the Heathwood community about the importance of good stewardship and the impact it has on our school. She and her husband, Will, have three daughters: Bonnie ’27, Everett ’28 and Sims ’33, all Heathwood Highlanders.

Lara has spent over a decade in the non-profit sector in both development and communication roles. Most recently, Lara was the Chief Development Officer for Girl Scouts of South Carolina-Mountains to Midlands. Lara has learned the equal importance of donor acquisition, comprehensive stewardship and thoughtful cultivation. Her experiences and skills have allowed her to connect with stakeholders and nurture connections for successful development work. 

Lara is from the Upstate and graduated from Clemson University with a degree in Early Childhood Education. In her spare time loves to read and travel, but most of all she enjoys spending time with her husband, Scott and their children. She has two daughters Mayzie ('29) and Kit ('35) and a son Gus ('31), who are enrolled at Heathwood Hall.

Beth joined Heathwood Hall in August 2019. As the Development Services Coordinator, she supports the Development Team by maintaining alumni and donor records, tracking all gifts and pledges, assisting with the Annual Fund, managing event registrations and mailing lists, and supporting the many school and alumni events throughout the year. She graduated from Presbyterian College with a BS in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting. Prior to Heathwood, Beth worked in banking for 19 years, primarily in the areas of credit risk and credit administration. She enjoys spending quality time on the beach or at the lake with her husband Ronnie, their son Gavin '32, and their springer spaniel, Zara.