Team
The Bloodworth House
Meet Dr. Nathan Newman
Executive Director
Dr. Nathan “Nate” Newman currently serves as Executive Director of the Claudia Foundation and the Bloodworth House, as well as Chief Operations Officer of Events. As a graduate of the University of Alabama, Nate holds both a B.A. and a PsyD, as well as an A.A. degree in Interior Design. As an Allied member of A.S.I.D., he is a prominent interior designer (having worked with clients from commercial banks to the Ford Family to rock and rap stars to the Governor’s mansion), as well as being certified in antiquities authentication and event coordination. As a formal garden enthusiast, Nate has also been certified by the University of Missouri in landscape design. With all of his accomplishments, Nate insists he is most proud of winning “Yard of the Month” twenty-three times (and counting), along with “Yard of the Season” twice.
Nate brings a wealth of experience in community engagement, organizational leadership, and nonprofit governance. He is currently an active board member for several local charitable organizations. With a proven track record across public, private, and family-owned enterprises, he is dedicated to advancing the mission and long-term success of both the historic venue and the foundation.
Having experienced the foster care system himself, Nate not only created our Designing Kids program but has brought to it a hard-earned expertise and special passion. He and the foundation are committed to ensuring that the essential needs of every underprivileged child are met (from fulfilling Santa’s wish list to furnishing winter coats, backpacks, school supplies, etc.).
Over the years, Nate has consistently applied his vast knowledge and leadership skills in hopes of proving his theory that when combining business and philanthropy, mountains can be moved.
Linda Surber
Program Coordinator for Designing Women and Charlie Classics Foundations
Ms. Surber has been a vital part of Designing Women Foundation since its inception in 1990. A lifelong educator, leader, and community volunteer with a passion for reading, she leverages her extensive experience to promote literacy within local organizations and the Poplar Bluff R-1 School system. As a Designing Women Foundation board member, she helps oversee the Foundation’s programs, including the Charlie Classics reading program, scholarship program, and annual holiday free book distribution for area children.
She is currently the secretary for the Designing Women Foundation and coordinator of the Charlie Classics program, and she is a member of the Poplar Bluff Municipal Library Board of Trustees. Her other literary involvements include memberships in the Poplar Bluff Monday Literary Club and Book in the Bluff committee, service as the librarian and book club leader at Second Baptist Church, and stewardship of her own Little Free Library. In addition to her educational and literary pursuits, she volunteers at the Butler County Archives and is an active member of the Poplar Bluff Fine Arts Club and the Butler and Reynolds County Genealogical Societies.
Ms. Surber received both her B.A. and M.A. degrees from Southeast Missouri State University. She retired after 32 years of teaching English and reading in Missouri public schools and has remained active in education through the Missouri and Butler County Retired Teachers Associations and membership in Alpha Delta Kappa, an honorary society for women educators. She received numerous awards during her teaching career and retirement, including being named the 2002-2003 Poplar Bluff R-1 Junior High Teacher of the Year and the 2022 Missouri Retired Teachers Association Region 12 Distinguished Retiree.
Stacey Million
Designing Women Foundation Consultant/Emerita
Stacey served as executive director of the Foundation and The Bloodworth House from 2003 to 2011. With more than two decades of experience in fundraising, nonprofit leadership, and volunteer engagement, Stacey has dedicated her career to advancing social impact and community development with organizations such as Children's Mercy Hospital, Starlight Theatre, and the American Heart Association. She currently works with national social impact and volunteering program, bringing her expertise in volunteer program management, community engagement, and impact-driven initiatives to a global stage.
During her years leading the Designing Women Foundation, Stacey championed programs that expanded educational and cultural opportunities in Missouri’s Bootheel region. She built meaningful relationships with founders, board members, and community partners while recruiting and managing hundreds of volunteers each year. Stacey directed literacy and scholarship programs, showcased arts and cultural events, and hosted distinguished guests, including celebrities, authors, and artists, including Lily Tomlin, Leslie Jordan, and Dixie Carter. Under her leadership, the Foundation awarded scholarships to non-traditional students, enriched local arts and literacy initiatives, and strengthened the enduring legacy of The Bloodworth House.
Stacey’s journey with the Foundation is deeply rooted in her own formative experience as a member of the inaugural Claudia Girl program, where she volunteered over 1,000 hours, read the 100 greatest "Charlie Classics", and embraced opportunities that broadened her horizons through travel, arts, and education. She credits the vision and generosity of Linda Bloodworth Thomason for instilling her lifelong passion for service, the arts, and creating opportunities for others. She says, "Linda gave me and all the Claudia Girls the gifts of travel, experience, exposure, and confidence—she permanently expanded my horizons and perspective—and affirmed that I could belong and joyfully make an impact anywhere I wanted to be."
Today, Stacey continues to give back as a volunteer with organizations, including Britain Development Center, KC Scraps, and Pawsperity, while enjoying travel, live performances, and a good book—ever inspired to “take a seat at any table” and help others find theirs.
Meet Dr. Nathan Newman
Executive Director
Dr. Newman brings extensive expertise in community engagement, organizational management, and governance to advance the effective operations and ongoing success of both the foundation and the historic home. With experience advising and working within public, private, and family-owned enterprises across diverse industries, he leverages a broad skill set to collaborate with community organizations and engage with venue guests.
He currently serves as Executive Director for the Claudia Foundation and Bloodworth Hause and holds positions on multiple local charitable boards. Dr. Newman's preferred philanthropic focus is Designing Kids, an organization dedicated to supporting underprivileged youth by ensuring their basic needs are met so they can concentrate on their education.
Dr. Newman received both his B.A. and PsyD from the University of Alabama.
His professional efforts have centered around addressing the challenges faced by underserved populations in rural communities, and upon returning to Poplar Bluff, he has utilized his training to benefit the region. His contributions have played a key role in the development of several local initiatives.
