Program Team
Born and raised in North Carolina, MaKia hails from Greensboro but now calls Goldston home. A lover of crafting and the great outdoors, she finds joy in creativity and nature when she’s not at camp. Her passion for helping others and being outside led her to Camp Royall in 2018, where she quickly became a vital part of the team. At camp, you’ll always find MaKia singing, laughing, and spreading joy while supporting campers. Camp Royall is her favorite place on Earth because it embodies love, support, and acceptance for everyone. She became Camp Royall Director on February 1, 2025.
Contact MaKia: maikens@autismsociety-nc.org
Originally from upstate South Carolina, Maddy moved to North Carolina to pursue her career as a speech-language pathologist, specializing in pediatric clinical and school settings. Since 2018, Camp Royall has been her second home, where she thrives on creating connections and building a strong sense of community. Her favorite camp tradition? Roasting marshmallows to the perfect golden brown around the campfire.
In her free time, Maddy enjoys reading, creating art, and spending time with friends. Her goal at camp is to ensure that every staff member and camper has access to communication in a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment.
Contact Maddy: mwebber@autismsociety-nc.org
Born and raised in Angier, NC Sarah Hayes now calls Pittsboro home. Sarah is a licensed Recreational Therapist and has been working at camp since 2022. She loves creating a place where our campers can be themselves while having a fun activity filled week. Knowing that Camp Royall provides caregivers with a time of respite and peace of mind knowing their camper is safe and being well taken care of for the week is one of Sarah’s favorite things about camp.
In her free time Sarah enjoys reading a good book or building some Harry Potter Legos. She loves camp and all the great things the team does for our campers.
Contact Sarah: shayes@autismsociety-nc.org
Originally from Charlotte, NC, Emily Manning started working at camp while attending school in the triangle in 2018. Camp became her second home and she has since relocated to Pittsboro to be closer to camp after finishing graduate school in South Carolina. Before working full time at camp, she practiced as a board-certified behavior analyst. She loves supporting and getting to know all of the staff and campers here at camp.
In her free time, you can find Emily exploring parks with my two dogs or enjoying some time in her hammock!
Contact Emily: emanning@autismsociety-nc.org
Ashton is a NC native who grew up down the road in Carrboro, NC. He came to work at Camp Royall in 2023, where he finally found his home in Sanford with his partner and multitude of cats. On weekends, Ashton enjoys volunteering with local theatres and stretching his sewing skills in new and challenging ways. He loves the joy that Camp Royall brings to the community and is excited to be a part of such a wonderful group of people.
Contact Ashton: aanderson@autismsociety-nc.org
Contact Us
camproyall@autismsociety-nc.org
Phone: 919-542-1033
Fax: 919-533-5324
250 Bill Ash Road
Moncure, NC 27559