Meet our Huddle Leaders
Huddle Coordinator
Ruth Gray
Ruth was born and raised in Florida, but has called Virginia her home since 2015 - more specifically - Roanoke since November 2020. Ruth works as a local REALTOR® here in the valley where she donates 10% of her income to charitable organizations. Prior to her career in real estate, she spent 15 years in the world of finance working with industry leading financial firms. When she isn't juggling work and her toddler, she is looking for opportunities where she can donate her time or out getting social with other mamas of The Valley.
Since she was a little girl, philanthropy and charity have been near and dear to Ruth's heart and volunteering with HUM fills so much of that bucket for her. Having moved with a newborn during a pandemic, Ruth found herself feeling isolated, lonely, and missing the sense of community she had. In February 2022 she was introduced to Huddle Up Moms and found her people! She didn't dip a toe, she took a plunge - joining multiple huddles and attending every meet-up she could. When she was approached to join the team, it felt like a natural next step for her to take.
Ruth lives in Roanoke county with her husband, son, and their zoo (three dogs, one cat, lots of deer, and a backyard bear). She and her husband love the adventure that mountain living offers and are excited to raise their family here. In their down time, you can find them hiking local spots, exploring the many local parks, hitting up local events, or just hanging at their casa.
"I know what it's like to be a mom and have to (re)build your community - that's why I was so excited to discover Huddle Up Moms! Connecting • Educating • Empowering - their mission aligns greatly with my passion of not just supporting mothers, but women in general. I firmly believe that this organization needs to be international; I am so excited and honored to be a part of it and to help it grow!"
Huddle Leaders
Lesley Butterfield
Moms of Children with Special Needs
“I feel strongly that when we meet the needs and bridge the gaps for all kids, we can raise a stronger and more diverse a d tolerant generation. As moms of children with special needs, we have a unique opportunity to be a voice for our children and to connect with others who experience similar situations.”
Dominique Gallo and Kendra Carroll
Stacie Margo
Breastfeeding Moms
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"I am a strong believer in parent's right to choose and believe that parents are fully capable to make decisions for their families. I have been helping mothers with lactation and birthing for the past 9 years and am a life time learner."
“Now more than ever, it’s so important for mamas to have the support they need”
"Huddle up mom's provides a community I have searched for since becoming a mom. Motherhood is about finding your village and HUM truly is that village. Motherhood can be isolating and lonely but with access to resources, and newfound friendships, I've found support and a sense of belonging."
Katie McNally Tait
Moms of Pandemic Babies
"Becoming a mom during a global pandemic is a profoundly weird experience. New moms like me have had to miss so many of the basic community bonding opportunities that normally accompany first time parenthood. By starting a specific “Moms of Pandemic Babies,” huddle, we can help to fill that community gap and bring together a supportive group of moms who are on this unique path together. In addition to our online presence, it’s important to me that this huddle includes a monthly walking group. I think we are all craving some in person interaction and I believe this will provide a regular, low-risk opportunity to do that. I hope to see all you hardworking pandemic mammas there!"
"Huddle Up Moms is important to me because moms need a community! Parenting is hard, and it is so important for moms to have support and resources available to leverage whenever needed. Whether it's to ask questions, share stories of successes and teachable moments, pictures of our little ones, we all need others in similar life stages to lean on. It really does take a village, and that's what Huddle Up Moms is to me."
"HUM is such a valuable asset to our mom community in Roanoke in so many ways, but I specifically wanted to play a more active role in the Stay At Home Mom's huddle because it's hard and we need to know we're not alone! It's difficult to adjust to the monotony, lack of external validation, and isolation that can occur and I wanted to take a bigger step to take care of myself and help other mom's navigate their journey."
Ginny Leigh Hundley
Emily Reinhardt
Stay at Home Moms
Reagan Costello-White
Jes Bookout
Adoptive/Foster Kinship Moms
"I've been a foster mom for about 5 years and I know it's a tough job. I'm interested in bringing foster moms together to lighten the load."
“The Foster, Adoptive, and Kinship Huddle is important to me because our journey and experiences are quite different than birth parents. It’s nice to talk with people who have had similar experiences and who understand all of the other procedural nuances that impact our daily lives. I appreciate Huddle-up Moms for looking at all of the different intersectionalities of motherhood and creating space for all of us.”
Marion Thomas
Tara Barone
Working Moms Huddle
“When I had my first child in 2018, I remember feeling so desperate to connect with other mothers, especially working moms, because they provide a level of understanding for what I am going through unlike anyone. For me, I know that working outside of the home makes me a better mother, and whether you work outside of the home by requirement or choice, it’s all about what makes you the best version of yourself for your children. I am passionate about giving back to the community, to acknowledge and bridge the gap in disparities for women, and especially mothers. We are the hardest working people in the world, and we deserve the support and encouragement that HUM provides.”
“I decided to become involved with HUM after realizing just how impactful being around other mothers, through both events and social functions, was on my own mental health. Being a working mother has its own sets of challenges and it can often feel quite overwhelming and stressful. I’m a firm believer in surrounding yourself with others who can uplift you, and that’s what I hope the Working Moms Huddle to be! I’m looking forward to being a support as well as meeting lovely new faces in the Roanoke area!”
Mackenzie Loveland
Moms of Multiplies
I want to start the huddle for moms of multiples because I have learned that while having support from fellow moms is important, having support from fellow twin/triplet/etc. moms is crucial. Being a mom of twins is simultaneously both better and harder than I expected it to be. I want to have a community in Roanoke where we can lean on each other and support each other through this incredible, wild, crazy motherhood journey.
Kathryn Keefer
Moms of Teens
“Moms groups literally saved my life as a new mom living in a military base in Hawaii. I don’t know what I would have done without the community of moms in those groups. I want to bring that to everyone I can. We are not meant to go it alone”
Leanna Stone
Rachel Clark
LGBTQ+ Huddle
"I want to facilitate a way for LGBTQ+ moms and families in the Roanoke Valley (and beyond) to connect with one another. As a two-mom family, it is very important to my wife and I that our boys grow up with the opportunity to spend time with other families that look like ours."
"I want to provide an opportunity for other LGBTQ+ families and moms to connect, share, grow, and learn together. I believe it's important to have a community that can help one cultivate a sense of belonging. It's also important to my wife and I that we provide our daughter an opportunity to see and spend time with families like ours."
Shelagh Matheny
Moms of Loss
This huddle is a safe space for mothers who have experienced a loss to share their feelings, stories and tears. More often than not, we don’t have that space to grieve openly. Our family and friends want to support us, but sometimes aren’t sure how.
In June of 2022, I experienced a loss in the second trimester. Losing our beloved baby was devastating. During this time, I discovered how incredibly isolating the aftermath can be. I had no one to talk to about this tremendous loss I suffered. No support or community. Additionally, I had immediate concerns to address, like how I was supposed to show for work? How do I grieve and continue being a mother to my living child? What will happen to my body?
Where ever you are on your journey of grieving, whether it was years or hours ago, there is a safe space for you here. Please reach out to me if you or someone you know has suffered a loss. I want to be there with you to help you through this difficult period. You have the freedom to feel your feelings, however you wish to express them. You aren’t alone. There is a community of moms and resources to help you when you’re ready.
Emma Duer
Single Moms Huddle
Emma Duer is from Iowa but has been in Virginia for the past 10 years and lives in Roanoke with her two boys, 7 year old Linus and 9 year old Oscar. She became a single mom three years ago, and is still exploring what that looks like for her and rediscovering herself in this new chapter of life. That's why she's excited to be getting more involved in Huddle Up Moms, and is looking forward to making new connections with other single moms. When she's not working as a Program Evaluator from home or wrangling the boys, she runs a real estate investment business on the side. In her free time she enjoys doing DIY projects, knitting, going to local breweries and restaurants, and just getting outdoors in general
Emma Duer
Single Moms Huddle
Emma Duer is from Iowa but has been in Virginia for the past 10 years and lives in Roanoke with her two boys, 7 year old Linus and 9 year old Oscar. She became a single mom three years ago, and is still exploring what that looks like for her and rediscovering herself in this new chapter of life. That's why she's excited to be getting more involved in Huddle Up Moms, and is looking forward to making new connections with other single moms. When she's not working as a Program Evaluator from home or wrangling the boys, she runs a real estate investment business on the side. In her free time she enjoys doing DIY projects, knitting, going to local breweries and restaurants, and just getting outdoors in general