Dee Callahan selected as new Administrative Director of the Friends of the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum

Hatteras Island resident Dee Callahan was recently selected as the new Administrative Director of Friends of the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum by a unanimous vote on March 19.

“She hit the ground running, developing a draft budget with the finance committee, helping coordinate the British War Graves ceremony and reception [in May], developing social media platforms, and revamping ‘The Wreck Report’ with the newsletter committee,” said Danny Couch, president of the Friends of the Graveyard of Atlantic Museum.

“She is also re-organizing nearly 40 years of file boxes in storage, and is bringing expertise in hospitality management to the events committee with the re-introduction of Holidays at the Museum coming up in December.”

Callahan is an island-born Hatteras Village native. She and her husband, Darrin, live on family land in the village dating back to the early 1800s, where they raised their children, Savanna and Ian.

Savanna is a graduate of Cape Hatteras Secondary School of Coastal Studies (CHSSCS) and is an RN in Eastern North Carolina. Ian is also CHSSCS grad, and applies his considerable outdoor skills as an officer in the United States Coast Guard, having served early in his career aboard the cutter Midgett in the Pacific.

Callahan recently retired from the Hatteras Marlin Club after 31 years of managing the kitchen, cooking for the membership, and overseeing special events.

She is involved in community work as a board member of the Hatteras Island Cancer Foundation, and is a member of the Hatteras United Methodist Church.

Creativity, organization, and working with others are high points on her list, and she brings a love of Hatteras Island and its people with their unique heritage and history to her new position.

“We couldn’t be more excited about the energy, professionalism, and relationship-building skills that Dee brings to the Friends group, the museum, and the island community,” said Gordon Wicker, chairman of the Friends of the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum. “She’ll have quite an impact helping position the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum as one of the Outer Banks’ leading cultural attractions.”