Meet the Staff
The Foundation’s staff is (left to right) Doug Rabold, Bennett Tucker, Deon Mealing, and Chris Reichel.
Douglas E. Rabold
Executive Director
Doug Rabold was raised on a crop and cattle farm in western Pennsylvania. He moved to Aiken in 1990 to work at the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site, where he held positions in human resources, community outreach, and business development. In 1999 he was hired as Executive Director of Aiken Center for the Arts, and subsequently served on its Horseplay Unveiled Committee. He later opened a company and for three years operated an art gallery and a communications consulting business. During this time, he founded and organized Art After Hours and Aiken After Hours, served as the first chairman of the new Aiken Arts Commission, and contributed to Easy Street magazine. After a year of working with the Hitchcock Woods Foundation on a consulting basis, Doug was hired in 2005 to serve as the Foundation’s first Executive Director. He has served as a member of the board of directors for Leadership Aiken County and Helping Hands. Doug continues to serve with Rotary Club of Aiken, the Aiken Chamber of Commerce Equine Steering Committee, the City of Aiken Equine Advisory Committee, and the Aiken Center for the Arts Collections Management Committee. He is a graduate of Duquesne University in Pittsburgh with a degree in journalism.
W. Bennett Tucker
Woods Superintendent
Bennett Tucker grew up in Aiken and spent much of his youth exploring and enjoying the Hitchcock Woods. He volunteered with the Axe Club and enjoyed riding and showing horses at the Fulmer International Stables (now The Stable on the Woods). He worked with the Foundation’s former forester as a summer intern for three years while in high school and college, and volunteered to help with prescribed burns and the Aiken Horse Show. He joined the Foundation’s staff as Woods Superintendent in 2006. While in college, he became a volunteer firefighter with the Due West Fire Department and later joined Aiken Public Safety as a volunteer firefighter. Bennett has many first responder certifications, many structural and wildland firefighting certifications, and is a South Carolina certified prescribed fire manager. He has remained an active volunteer firefighter with Aiken Public Safety (winning Volunteer Firefighter of the Year in 2009) and serves on the board of directors of the Aiken Land Conservancy. Bennett graduated from Aiken Preparatory School and then from Christ School in Arden, North Carolina. He is a graduate of Erskine College in Due West, South Carolina, with a degree in business administration.
Deon R. Mealing
Woods Technician
Deon Mealing is originally from Edgefield, South Carolina. A lifelong interest in the outdoors led him to the Hitchcock Woods and he joined the Foundation’s staff as Woods Technician in 2007 after serving six years in the United States Army and receiving an honorable discharge. He served tours of duty in Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Deon was awarded numerous honors for his service, including a Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (2), and Combat Action Badge. Deon brought with him medical first responder training, various fitness training certifications, and extensive experience with heavy equipment operation.
Christine M. Reichel
Administrator
Chris Reichel was raised on Long Island, New York. She served as a computer programmer and systems analyst for a Navy defense contractor in Virginia, and for a bank in Delaware. She and her husband moved to Aiken in 1990. She served with Aiken Junior Woman’s Club for ten years and was president in 1999 and 2000. Volunteer work with the organization led to her position with the Hitchcock Woods Foundation and she was hired as Administrator in 2001. The mother of three, she continues to provide volunteer services for Project Graduation, school organizations and her church. Chris graduated from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, with a degree in computer science.