Staff

Interim CEO, Senior Director of Curriculum Design and Research

Rhonda Newton, M.Ed.

Rhonda joined Darkness to Light in September 2020 as the team’s Director of Curriculum Design. In this role, she is responsible for advancing the scale and impact of Darkness to Light’s prevention work by increasing the current course catalog of adult-focused training. She assesses new technologies, researches adult learning trends, and works with a variety of stakeholders across departments to analyze requirements needed to meet learning objectives and behavior change targets.

Rhonda brings with her over a decade of experience as an educator, curriculum specialist, and instructional designer at both the K-12 and university level. She has her B.A. in French and Spanish, an M.Ed. in Learning and Technology, and her Ph.D. research is centered around game-based learning and prosocial skill development.

Rhonda is a passionate individual with a personal mission to create safe, welcoming spaces for all individuals, whether that is virtually or in real life.

What did you want to be when you were little?
I wanted to be a teacher. Turned out I did become one and I loved every minute of that journey.

Something that may surprise you…
I write fantasy fiction and romance short stories in my free time.

Senior Director of Operations and Client Services

Lindsey Houston

Lindsey was born and raised in the rural settings of Minnesota. She received her BBA and MBA from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire. Prior to Darkness to Light, Lindsey spent five years working for a military non-profit that focused on education, Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation. Through this experience, Lindsey realized her love for non-profit organizations and the joy that comes from serving a meaningful mission. Honing in on her operational skills, Lindsey joined Darkness to Light as the Operations Manager and is thrilled to be part of such an enthusiastic team, supporting an undeniable mission.

What did you want to be when you were little? Growing up on a farm I thought for sure I would be a Veterinarian!

What is the best vacation you’ve ever been on? Hands down, Glacier National Park in Montana – the beauty is breathtaking and the activities are endless!

Operations and Client Services Manager

Sarah Eadon, MSW

Sarah relocated from Cleveland, OH in 2017 to work as an AmeriCorps VISTA for a small non-profit in Charleston, SC. A native Ohioan, Sarah holds an MSW from Case Western Reserve University and a BA in Psychology from Ohio State University (Go Buckeyes!). Before moving to the Lowcountry, she served as the Director of Social Work for the CWRU Student-Run Free Clinic and spent a year living in Holland working as an au-pair for a family of five. Prior to Darkness to Light, Sarah worked for almost three years as Program Manager for a non-profit that focused on providing grief support programs to children and was a member of a task force charged with creating a grief support toolkit for the National Alliance for Grieving Children.

Through her service as a VISTA, Sarah found her passion for non-profit organizations and has utilized her skills and experiences to support nonprofits build capacity to expand their reach in the community. She loves the opportunity and enjoys volunteering with organizations like the Junior League of Charleston and Charleston Hope. After working with domestic violence survivors and Veterans, Sarah found a passion for supporting & empowering survivors of trauma and is thrilled to work at Darkness to Light. In her free time, Sarah enjoys kickboxing, training for half marathons, or going on adventures with friends and family.

What did you want to be when you were little?
I absolutely love basketball!! As a kid, I was determined that I was going to be in the WNBA, despite being slightly height-challenged.

What is your favorite childhood memory?
Our family trip to the UK!  It was filled with fun, family, and a newfound love of ham sandwiches with buttered bread. It was so much fun to run around the Edinburgh castle and see some of the country where my Great-Grandparents lived!

Accounting Manager

Cindy Rickenbaker

Cindy came to Darkness to Light in 2020 from the tourism industry in Charleston. Originally from Memphis, TN, she graduated from the University of Memphis with a BBA in Accounting and a minor in Finance. Since relocating to Charleston over thirty years ago, she has many years of accounting experience in various industries ranging from ophthalmologists to auto repair shops to churches. Cindy is also experienced in customer service as she followed her passion for reading and served as a manager at Barnes and Noble for a time.

Cindy is thrilled to be a member of the Darkness to Light team and is very enthusiastic about providing support to the passionate professionals who educate others about the prevention of child sexual abuse. Cindy is the proud parent of three successful, adult sons and one black and tan miniature dachshund. In her spare time, she reads and watches entirely too much Netflix.

Senior Instructional Designer

Adam Stairs, M.Ed.

Adam Stairs is an Instructional Technologist over 10 years of higher education experience. He holds an M.Ed. in Student Affairs in Higher Education from Regent University, and a BS in Management Information Systems from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining Darkness to Light, he worked for West Virginia University and California University of Pennsylvania in a variety of roles including Instructional Designer, Application Developer, and Web Designer. He has extensive experience in student support services through technology, faculty distance education support, and instructional design for traditional and non-traditional students.

Adam lives in Southwest Pennsylvania with his wife and two sons, and enjoys coaching youth soccer and spending time outside whenever possible. When asked about his hobbies, he’ll tell you, “It seems I’m constantly mired in remodeling projects but that is mostly my own doing…” When he was younger an

What did you want to be when you were little? 

Whenever I was younger I told my mother that my plan for when I grew up was to hit the lottery and live a life of leisure. I was an ambitious child… Didn’t quite work out that way, but getting the opportunity to affect positive change is just as good!

Director of Programming and Partnerships

Tracy Leonard

Tracy has been a Stewards of Children® Authorized Facilitator since 2014, a Certified Instructor since 2016, and was named Instructor of the Year in 2021. She earned her BA in psychology from Albion College, an MFA from the Professional Theatre Training Program at UW Milwaukee and a MA in Organizational Psychology from the University of the Rockies. Her background as a classroom teacher, school leader, and public education manager have uniquely positioned her to create change in the arena of child sexual abuse prevention.

She has presented at several national conferences on topics related to ACEs, trauma, resilience, and abuse prevention. In addition to her role with Darkness to Light, Tracy serves as a College and Career Advisor to low-income, first-generation students in the San Francisco Bay Area and is a featured writer (and former Managing Editor) for San Francisco Bay Area Moms.

Tracy, her husband Matt, and their two teens live in Dublin, California where you will find her volunteering with her daughter at the East Bay SPCA, serving on the bond oversight committee for the school district and on the Advisory Council for Cal State East Bay’s Transformative Leadership in Disruptive Times certificate program.

Programming and Partnerships Manager

Natalia Roubicek

Natalia was born and raised in Palm Beach County, Florida.  She received her BA at Florida International University in Miami.  Growing up, Natalia always had a passion for the arts and culture, as well as education. Prior to her position at D2L, she was an elementary art teacher. She has an appreciation for companies that are making a difference in this world. Natalia is excited to be part of the D2L family where she hopes to use her experience in helping the community.

Lead Instructor

Carol Hogue

Carol grew up in Lancaster, SC. She lived in Missouri, Kentucky, and Alabama before returning to her home state and has lived in Charleston, SC for 25 years. Carol graduated from Charleston Southern University with a Bachelor of Science and from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary with a Master of Religious Education. She has served as the Executive Director for a 24-hour crisis helpline, worked in and served on the Program Advisory Group for the second revision of Stewards of Children®. She has been a Stewards of Children® Authorized Facilitator since 2007 and a Certifying Instructor since 2008. As a teenager, Carol admired the bohemian lifestyle (a.k.a. hippies), Gloria Steinem, and Ralph Nader. She’s been referred to as a rebel with a cause. Today her cause is the prevention of child sexual abuse. Carol and her husband Marty have raised three awesome young adults.

Digital Marketing and Communications Director

Jessie Watford

Jessie joined Darkness to Light in June 2022 as the team’s Digital Marketing Manager. In this role, she is responsible for content creation and execution, management of social media, and supporting special campaigns and marketing initiatives.

As a graduate of Florida State University’s College of Communication and Information, Jessie is a dedicated and driven marketing and communications professional bringing a creative yet strategic outlook to the team.

Prior to joining Darkness to Light, Jessie worked as a COO & Account Supervisor for a Florida-based PR and digital marketing agency. During her time there, she managed a variety of clients including those in the nonprofit and human services space. It was because of these experiences that she became passionate about using her skills and expertise to support brands that are bettering our world.

Jessie currently resides in her hometown of Tallahassee, Florida, with her husband Bryson, and their two fur babies, Tucker and Lady Mae. She is honored to be a member of the Darkness to Light team and represent its mission.

Special Projects Manager

Andrea DeBell, M. Ed.

Andrea joined Darkness to Light in 2021 as the Social Behavior Change Program Coordinator. She spent most of her life in the education field in different capacities such as a teacher, school administrator, and online program coordinator. She earned her B.A. in Education and Languages from Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and an M.A. in Education with a concentration in Instructional Technology from Baylor University. 

Being originally from Brazil, Andrea witnessed a large number of children of all ages living on the streets, which sprouted a passion and lifelong mission to help provide better lives for children. Since then, she has purposefully worked in organizations that help provide a safe environment for children and/or endeavor to create equitable and just solutions for childcare.

In her spare time, Andrea enjoys going on hikes, spending time with her family, watching movies, and taking long walks while listening to audiobooks. 

Two of my favorite quotes: “We rise by lifting others” and “What would you do if you knew you could not fail?” 

Something that may surprise you… I am into wellness and mindfulness. I have been meditating for over 15 years and practicing yoga since my teens.