Blakely Roof
President & CEO
843-347-5195 ext. 4
Blakely joined United Way of Horry County in July of 2019. Blakely moved to Myrtle Beach in 2006 from Knoxville, TN, and received her Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Clemson University. She began her career in the Grand Strand at the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce as Membership & Community Programs Manager and Chamber Liaison for gsSCENE for Young Professionals. Blakely then went on to work at Conway Medical Center as the Assistant Director for Foundation and Marketing and just prior to joining United Way was the Director of Administration at Habitat for Humanity of Horry County.
Blakely is a graduate of Leadership Grand Strand Class XXIX, Leadership Conway Class 2013, Nonprofit Leadership Institute at Francis Marion, and U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute of Organizational Management. She currently serves on Conway Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors, the Business Development Committee & West of the Waterway Council for the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, the Santee Cooper Customer Advisory Council and is a member of the Community Engagement Committee for Tidelands Health. Blakely is also an active member of Chicora Rotary where she served as President from 2017-2018 and was a GSE Member to Parana, Brazil.
Blakely is an avid college football fan cheering on her Clemson Tigers and Tennessee Volunteers and enjoys spending time with her husband Barry and two children Reed and Callie.
Sunday Frascoia
Finance Coordinator
843-347-5195 ext. 2
Sunday joined United Way of Horry County in January of 2020. She settled in the area in 2017 after trying Vermont, Florida, and Maryland. Sunday began her career in Washington, DC working for an International Labor Union, from there it was onto West Palm Beach, Florida where she and her husband opened and ran a golf cart business for 15 years. Sunday then semi-retired to the mountains of Vermont where she began work with her first nonprofit, Northeast Kingdom Learning Services. After realizing winter was entirely too long and too cold, she packed her family up and headed back south. Sunday continued her work in the nonprofit sector, working at New Directions of Horry County as the Finance Director for a couple of of years before joining United Way.
Sunday enjoys spending time with family and her two St. Bernards and is an avid reader of science fiction.
Michelle Bessett
Resource Development Director
843-347-5195 ext. 104
Michelle joined United Way of Horry County in January 2021.
Michelle grew up in New Hampshire before moving to Boston where she eventually worked for Toyota. She then relocated to Little River in 2010 and began her career in the Grand Strand working for Sparks Toyota. In 2015, she joined the American Heart Association as the Waccamaw Heart Walk Director.
In her free time, Michelle fosters dogs through the Humane Society of North Myrtle Beach. She is a die-hard Boston Celtics fan and enjoys spending time with her family.
Katie Dwulet
Community Impact Coordinator
843-347-5195 ext. 5
Katie joined United Way of Horry County in November 2019 after working at Habitat for Humanity of Horry County for three years.
Katie received her Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health from Coastal Carolina University in May 2016. During her time as a student, she volunteered at many different nonprofits around Horry County and in Washington D.C., making her realize that helping people is what she is supposed to do with her life. She is a part of the Grand Strand Young Professionals, a graduate of Class XLI of Leadership Grand Strand, and is now serving on the Leadership Grand Strand Board of Regents.
Katie is originally from Pennsylvania and enjoys spending time with her family and friends, cheering on the Philadelphia Eagles, traveling the world, and going to the movies and concerts.
Heather Downing
Marketing & Events Manager
Heather joined United Way of Horry County in September 2021.
Heather grew up in Conway, SC, and received her Bachelor of Science degree in Health Promotion from Coastal Carolina University. After graduation, she worked with Grand Strand Medical Center for almost three years.
In 2016, Heather relocated to Birmingham, AL with her husband, Alex, for several years before returning to the Grand Strand area. Upon her return, she was employed with Grand Strand Medical Center as the Community Relations Coordinator.
In her free time, Heather enjoys spending time with her husband and three-year-old son, Luke, and watching sports.
