Meet Our Studio Staff
Wholesale Director
Shanon Baggett
While Shanon considers Asheville her “true home,” Raleigh has run a very close second since 2007. The mountains have always been close to her heart and therefore Appalachian State University was the perfect spot to gain her BA in Communications and to meet her spouse, Chip, of now over 24 years. Together they are raising two teens, Isabel and Samuel. Isabel also felt called back to the mountains and is enjoying her freshman year at UNCA. Samuel is trying to make his mark at Millbrook High School.
Upon walking through the door of DFJ last fall, Shanon instantly knew she was some place special and needed to be a part of this amazing mission. Serving women, supporting vulnerable populations and surrounding herself with a Christ centered organization are all reasons why Shanon feels called to work with Designed For Joy.
Volunteer Coordinator
Jennifer Covington
Jennifer has called Wake County home for 30 years, twenty of those have been in Apex. She is a realtor, decluttering specialist, mom and volunteer. She attended Meredith College (she’s an odd). She has worked with various nonprofit organizations for over 17 years. Feeling connected to the community and finding ways to contribute has been important to Jennifer especially since becoming a mother. She loves connecting people in ways that they can serve, support and engage with one another. Jennifer enjoys traveling the world, the ocean and finding something to laugh about.
Storefront Manager
Suzanne Gifford
Suzanne answered the call for retail volunteers in 2020 and is now on staff. She instantly fell in love with the women and the mission. Suzanne is passionate about expanding our reach in the Triangle and beyond. She loves sharing the DFJ mission with visitors in the studio and shoppers at vendor events. When not at DFJ, she enjoying spending time with her family, paddle boarding at Lake Jordan, reading, attending concerts and traveling.
Director of Corporate and Community Engagement
Grace Morris
Grace was born in Pensacola, Florida, but has called Charlotte, NC home for the majority of her life. She found her heart for mission work and nonprofits while working with her church growing up, but credits her passion to her grandmother, who served many nonprofits throughout her life and passed down a love of service to Grace. After moving to Raleigh in 2018 to attend Meredith College, Grace was able to pursue her passion as she constructed her own degree in Nonprofit Management. Grace started with Designed For Joy in the fall of her senior year as an intern and joined the Designed For Joy staff full-time following her graduation in May. When she is not hard at work, you can catch Grace hanging out with her friends, binge watching reality TV, or reading a cheesy romance novel.
Warehouse Director
Jenny Freiling
Jenny Freiling
Warehouse Operations Director
Jenny joined Designed For Joy in June 2022 as the Warehouse Operations Director. With a knack for organizing, she works with both production and retail to help the warehouse run smoothly. After graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill, Jenny dug deep roots into the Apex community. She stayed home to raise her three boys while her husband traveled to pursue his dream career. For more than two decades, Jenny has been an active volunteer in her church, her boys' schools and their sports teams. She is grateful for supportive friends who encouraged her to seek a new role for herself. With two of her boys in college, she enters a new season of life and is excited to be working in the nonprofit sector. Jenny feels extremely blessed to be part of the Designed For Joy family and to witness first hand the impact this organization makes supporting women in crisis.