Coordinators
Dustin & Hannah Catherine Phillips
For the past nine years, Dustin Phillips has faithfully served on various committees for Night to Shine Shoals, taking on roles ranging from parking attendant and buddy to co-coordinator of guest registration and volunteer recruitment. This will be his fourth year as the event coordinator, leading the night with dedication as a representative of Christ Chapel Church. In 2024, his wife, Hannah Catherine, joined the Night to Shine Shoals team and has naturally stepped into a leadership role, further strengthening their shared commitment to making the Shoals a more inclusive community.
Guest Relations:
TBA for 2026
Buddy Recruitment Chair:
Dr. Amanda Hitt
Amanda Hitt is a dual-certified Nurse Practitioner in both family and emergency medicine. She has served as both a nurse and a nurse practitioner in local emergency departments for over 20 years. In 2020, she began teaching full-time at the University of North Alabama in the Undergraduate Nursing Department. Dr. Hitt has enjoyed being a part of the Night to Shine Leadership team for two years and loves being able to bring her nursing students to participate as Buddy volunteers to this event each year!
General Volunteer Recruitment Chair:
Activities Team Lead:
Buddy Check-In Team Lead:
Coat Check Team Lead:
Flower Station Team Lead:
Food Service Team Leads:
Gift Take Away Team Lead:
Hair & Make Up Team Lead:
Hospitality Team Lead:
Jaela Haithcoat
My name is Jaela and I am thrilled to be a part of Night to Shine for the second year in a row! A little bit about me is that I am a high school special education teacher, dog mom, concert lover, and book reader! I can’t wait to serve our exceptional needs community and make it a night to remember for everyone involved!
Code Blue (Medical) Team Lead:
My name is Brandi Ray and I am a local nurse practitioner with 20 years experience in the medical field, including emergency medicine, orthopedics, family practice, and gerontology. I have a doctoral degree in nursing practice from UAB with a passion and concentration on medical care and delivery of services to our extraordinary population. I have two daughters and my oldest rocks an extra chromosome. We all ride horses and participate in equine therapy as well as compete at the state and national levels. Night to Shine is one of my favorite events of the year and it’s always a pleasure to serve alongside an amazing team on this special night.
Code Yellow Team Lead:
Jennifer Berry is a National Board Certified Teacher, Exceptional Needs Specialist (Birth-21 Years), and accomplished educational leader currently serving as Executive Director of Educational Programming at Bear Creek Collaborative in Florence, Alabama. In this role, she develops and implements strategic educational programs that integrate outdoor education with academic learning objectives. She is also involved in organizations in the Shoals community focused on bringing awareness and support to the exceptional needs community and is currently working with The Extraordinary Foundation.
Jennifer holds a Master of Education in Special Education from the University of North Alabama and maintains additional certifications in Special Education (P-12) and Elementary Education (K-6). She also has served as Faculty Adjunct Instructor at the University of North Alabama’s College of Education and Human Sciences.
With extensive experience in special education and collaborative teaching, Jennifer specializes in creating innovative learning experiences and comprehensive program development. Her expertise in crisis management is particularly valuable, having served as a district trainer for the Managing Crisis Safely program in both Muscle Shoals City Schools and Florence City Schools, equipping educators with essential skills for supporting students in challenging situations.
Paparazzi Team Lead:
Parking Team Lead:
Red Carpet Team Lead #1:
Julianne Borne is a Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) and Licensed Dyslexia Therapist (LDT) with a passion for serving children and families in the Shoals area and beyond. She is the owner of The Learning Collective of the Shoals, a private practice geared toward helping students of all ages with dyslexia and other learning challenges. She provides individualized language therapy, executive functioning coaching, and comprehensive dyslexia assessments. Julianne holds a Master’s degree in Dyslexia Therapy and an Education Specialist degree in Psychometrics. She absolutely loves working with children and is excited to be a part of Night to Shine, celebrating such a fun and meaningful evening for the exceptional needs community. Julianne and her husband, Zach, are proud parents of a very adventurous one-year-old (Merit) who keeps them on their toes!
Red Carpet Team Lead #2:
Respite Room Team Leads:
Security Team Lead:
Howard Phillips
Set Up Team Lead:
Social Media Team Lead:
Tear Down Team Lead:
General Volunteer Check-In Team Lead:
Rebecca “Becca” Gans
This is my second year serving on the leadership team for Night to Shine and my third year being a part of this incredible event. From the very first time I attended, I developed a deep passion for supporting this amazing and caring community. My goal is to help ensure that everyone has a safe, fun, and unforgettable experience, and to do whatever I can to help the event run smoothly.
I put my heart and soul into every event I’m involved in, and I’m honored to be part of something so special.
A few fun facts about me: I’m a Sunday school teacher, I love to read, I’m a huge Disney fan, and I share my home with a cat and a dog.
Welcome Team Leader:
Alyson Bergner