Catamount Club Staff


Contact us at catamountclub@wcu.edu or call 828-227-7124!

 

Brittany Kicklighter - Interim Associate Athletics Director for Development

Cell: 704.582.2938 

Brittany Kicklighter

Interim Associate Athletics Director for Development

Brittany Kicklighter, is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) and holds a bachelor’s degree in sport and entertainment management from the University of South Carolina. 

With more than 15 years of experience in athletics fundraising, donor engagement and campaign strategy, Kicklighter brings a proven track record of securing major gifts and building strong donor pipelines.

Prior to joining Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ, she served as senior director of philanthropy at Dream On 3, where she led fundraising strategies for a national nonprofit supporting collegiate athletics programs. Her experience also includes development positions at UNC Charlotte, where she played a pivotal role in securing philanthropic support for athletics and university-wide initiatives and managed a multimillion-dollar portfolio.

 

Gabby Franklin - Associate Director of Development / Catamount Club

Office: 828.227.3794

Gabby Franklin

Associate Director of Development - Catamount Club

Gabby Franklin was raised on the importance of community engagement and paying it forward. As the daughter of a Parks and Recreation Director, her life was structured around events to gather her hometown together and sports that allowed children to build character and create lifelong memories.

Gabby is a two-time graduate of Gardner-Webb University, where she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Healthcare Management in 2022 and a Master of Business Administration degree in 2023. While attending Gardner-Webb University, she was a cheerleader and had the opportunity to intern with Donor Development at the Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Greenville, South Carolina. Here is where she fell in love with the act of fundraising.

During her master's degree program, Gabby worked as a Graduate assistant for the Office of Advancement. Before graduating, she became the Assistant Director of Membership and Events for the Bulldog Club at Gardner-Webb University. In December 2024, she moved to Cullowhee, North Carolina, to fulfill the role of Assistant Director of Development for the Catamount Club.

 

Raymond Dillard - Assistant Director of Development- Catamount Club

Office: 828.227.3047

Raymond Dillard

Assistant Director of Development- Catamount Club

Raymond Dillard joined the Catamount Club athletics development staff in the summer of 2025 after graduating from Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ.

As a student, Raymond served both the Divisions of Advancement and Athletics in multiple roles, including the Chatty Cat role and as an intern for the Catamount Club. Raymond is a founding member of Kappa Alpha, and a graduate from the Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ College of Business. He holds dual degrees of Bachelor of Science in Business Administration for marketing and sports management.

 

Bailee Sterling - Assistant Director of Development- Catamount Club

Office:

Bailee Sterling

Assistant Director of Development- Catamount Club

Bailee Sterling joined the Catamount Club athletics development staff in March 2026. She relocated to Cullowhee following her time in Athletics Development at the University of West Florida, where she played a key role in enhancing the overall experience for athletic donors.

A former six-year collegiate volleyball player, Bailee competed at the University of Nebraska at Kearney before completing her graduate year at UWF, where she earned her master’s degree in Health Promotion and Wellness.

Bailee is excited to continue her journey in athletics from a new perspective, driven by a passion for philanthropy and its impact on student-athletes. She is deeply committed to helping create opportunities that allow student-athletes to thrive and enjoy meaningful, enriching college experiences, much like her own.

 

VACANT

Office:

VACANT

Assistant Director of Development- Stewardship and Events

 

 


In loving memory of Jeff Bewesy, Catamount Club staff member and passionate Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ Athletics advocate. While Jeff sadly lost his battle to cancer in August of 2022, his legacy lives on each day through our staff and our mission to support the lives of current and future Catamounts. His kindness and impact will never be forgotten.