Administration

Larry Ruff is Chairman of the Board of Trustees and is a founder of Wildwood. Larry is also our Director on Non-Academic Affairs and serves as the schools in-house legal council, having practiced law for over thirty years. Larry also serves on several committees, including Accreditation, Long Range Planning, Scholarship Development and Financial Development. Larry holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Ohio University and a Juris Doctorate Degree from Emory University. Webpage

Pamela B. Ruff, our Director of Business and Financial Affairs, is also a founder of
Wildwood.  Pamela oversees financial budgeting, all receipts and disbursements for Wildwood.  Pamela also runs Wildwood’s store, The Trading Post.  A graduate of the University of Georgia, Pamela holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice.  Pamela also graduated from paralegal school and managed the administrative and business affairs of an Atlanta law firm for several years.  Pamela serves on several committees, including the Scholarship Committee and The Parents Action Council Board. Webpage

Lyn Cates, our Head of School, taught at Westchester Elementary School in Decatur City Schools, Decatur United Methodist Kindergarten, Agnes Scott College, and Emory University. For twenty years, she taught and worked in various roles at The Westminster Schools in Atlanta where she developed and implemented a new reading curriculum and taught Children’s Literature and Language Arts. In addition to overseeing the curriculum, Lyn also serves on the Financial Aid and Admissions Committees. Lyn has a Bachelor’s Degree and a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from Emory University with a certification in Gifted Education from Georgia State University.  Lyn serves on Wildwood’s Board of Trustees. Webpage

Nancy Hammer assists in our admissions and development departments and served from 2003 until 2007 as our founding headmaster.  Nancy taught for twenty years at The Westminster Schools in Atlanta and for the last ten of those years was Director of Studies overseeing the curriculum and academic program. She has taught at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Nancy has a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Latin from Wake Forest University, a Master’s Degree in English Education and a Specialist’s Degree in Reading from Georgia State University. Nancy serves on Wildwood’s Board of Trustees, and the Accreditation, Financial Aid, and Standardized Testing Committees.

Melissa Lowrie, our Marketing Director, is instrumental in growing the awareness of our school both within and around our community.  Her involvement with civic, religious and social organizations, as well as continuous communications through several county newspapers, keeps Wildwood’s name present in the community. Melissa has an extensive background in marketing, relationship building and liaison responsibilities, as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from Louisiana Tech University.

Darlaine C. Ward, our Administrative Assistant, graduated from Radford University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing.  Darlaine is the assistant to the Head of School, the Director of Non-Academic Affairs and assists in the Administrative duties of the PreSchool at Wildwood.