Gratin Smith

Board Chair

After public schooling Gratin graduated Clemson in 1976 then went to MUSC in Charleston, SC for medical school, completing his pediatric residency training in Columbia, SC.

He was in mostly solo pediatric practice for four years in Walterboro, SC, and then joined the faculty of Self Regional Healthcare in Greenwood, SC for about 25 years. With an interest in children with special healthcare needs, he was a forensic examiner and expert witness for victims of child sexual abuse, and served for years on the SC Child Fatality Advisory Committee.

Jill Cleveland

Board Co-Chair

Jill began her engagement with CHC as a ReClaim Madison volunteer, but Cleveland has been involved in affordable housing for more than 25 years. She joined Habitat for Humanity in 2003 where she was engaged in both local and national management roles, as well as consulting with affiliates in initiatives focused on neighborhood revitalization and growth.

Jill also brings extensive fundraising and non-profit management knowledge to the CHC team, gained through programs at Duke University, The Fund Raising School of the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, and extensive training in community development through NeighborWorks.

Graeme Frelick

Board Secretary

Deep commitment to my family and to my community are core values that I hold dear. CHC’s mission fits squarely with my values through its services to people who are less fortunate, ensuring they can live in safe and affordable homes. I have had the honor of contributing my organizational development expertise by serving on the CHC Board of Directors since January 2018, establishing strategies for the future of CHC, ensuring it has an effective structure, skilled human resources and finances, and providing oversight for the organization’s programs. I also have a chance to contribute directly to improving the lives of CHC’s clients by volunteering my time and construction skills several times per year to its Neighbors Helping Neighbors program. 

I am grateful for the experience and exposure that I have gained through my work with CHC, and I look forward to continuing my involvement over the next several years, helping the organization grow and increase its reach to the many people of Madison County who are in need.

Patricia Ruscoe

Board Member

Tricia Ruscoe is very pleased to be a 5-year resident of Marshall and currently manages the office for the nonprofit Friends of Madison County Animals in Marshall.  She coordinates the spay/neuter clinics, handles the pet pantry, approves and facilitates veterinary vouchers for urgent illness and injury, recruits volunteers and board members, and attends board meetings. 

This provides daily contact with Madison County residents who qualify for those programs either by being low-income households, those on disability, or those receiving public assistance from the state or county.   

In the past she held the voluntary position of volunteer coordinator for Animal Compassion Network before they merged with Asheville Humane Society.   

Her passion for animals began a long time ago and continues to provide rewarding relationships with pet owners.  She enjoys interacting with fellow county residents, getting to know their situations, and being an empathetic direct contact when they find themselves unable to provide the care a family pet deserves. 

Emily Wood

Board Member

I moved to Madison County in 2014 after years of working on ranches out west. My husband and I live in Shelton Laurel, where we enjoy spending time with our dogs, hiking, and flower farming. I am a Realtor primarily in Madison County and wanted to align myself with an organization that is relevant to the nature of my work. The services CHC provides to our community really resonate with me, and after I attended my first Neighbors Helping Neighbors and heard about the organization’s mission to help residents “age in place,” I knew I wanted to be involved on a deeper level. 

CHC not only offers quantifiable assistance to folks who need it, but also serves to strengthen neighborly bonds by building a more resilient community. I feel that my connections within the county, pragmatic problem solving and enthusiasm to connect with people over power tools are strengths I bring with my involvement in CHC. I am proud and heart warmed to be involved with an organization that offers so much and empowers so many.

Dan Olson

Board Member

About 20 years ago my brother, who was the director of a Christian ministry asked me to work for him as the maintenance supervisor. This job required me to be responsible for several homes, an office and 80 acres of property.

Due to this multi-faceted position, I have dealt with just about any construction/maintenance issue there is. In 2015, due to health concerns, my brother retired, and I became the Executive Director of Hope International. My first love, however, continues to be getting my hands dirty and successfully completing a job!

I believe the strengths I bring to the board is my ability to talk with anyone from a customer living in a million dollar home to a sub-contractor’s day laborer. I enjoy meeting new people and I enjoy leaving their life better as a result of my efforts. I am comfortable leading out on a job or being a worker on a team.

Ann Harold

Board Member

I moved full time to Marshall in 2006 from Atlanta GA where I raised my children and began my real estate career in 1993. During the 2007/2008 recession I opened French Broad Real Estate Co. and have been actively helping people buy/sell real estate in Madison County and beyond ever since.

I feel so very lucky to have landed here and am continually amazed at the melting pot of people that have landed in Madison County from all points, and how our Community has grown.

I have witnessed the evolution of Community Housing Coalition and Reclaim Madison over the years and am delighted to have been asked to join the Board. The work of this organization aligns perfectly with my passion for all things housing and I look forward to working with my colleagues to this end.

Callis Chambliss

Board Member

Hi, My name is Callis Chambliss and I am grateful to call Madison County home. I have been involved with CHC since 2020 and am happy to currently be participating as a board member. I have been working in the community development field,  specifically around creating secure and meaningful housing for over 15 years. Housing is such an important bedrock to a person’s life and a community at large. I’m lucky to be involved with the work CHC does to help people stay in their homes, and to keep those homes safe and working properly. I am blessed to be a small part of a great group of people working hard to help others and increase the capacity of this organisation. In my free time I enjoy the company of friends and family, being outside, biting off more than I can chew, woodworking and sewing. 

Miryan Rojas

Board Member

Since moving to WNC in 2020, Miryam has built her home from the ground up, renovated two others, and developed an 8,500-square-foot commercial property into what has become Mars Landing Arts Center. She learned early on about CHC in her short time here, and it took no time for her to recognize the immense value the organization provides to residents of Madison County and beyond. 

Parallel to her long career behind the scenes in the TV & Film industry and her current stewardship of contemporary art, Miryam rediscovered her passion for design and architecture. Since 1999, she has gained first-hand experience with a dozen of her own commercial and residential building renovation projects in her time living in both South Florida and Western North Carolina. Miryam gravitates to a holistic approach to realty investments, asking how a given project can add the most positive value not only to the property but, ultimately, to the community. 

Miryam proudly serves on the board and deeply aligns with the CHC mission.