Team

Sumner Bender, a Columbia native, joined the Nickelodeon as the Executive Director in June 2022. Bender Is the past president of the Board of Directors for Trustus Theatre, is the Vice President of the SC Theatre Association, and a member of The Contemporaries for the Columbia Museum of Art. She recently joined the Main Street District’s Public Spaces Committee. Prior to joining the staff at The Nick she was the lead theatre teacher, and professional development facilitator, in Richland County School District Five at Spring Hill High School. Bender is dedicated to the arts in the Midlands and is looking forward to helping revitalize Main Street as a thriving arts corridor!

Xavier Blake, a Bamberg, South Carolina native joined the Nickelodeon in February 2023. A veteran producer and content creator in the public television realm, he is driven by dedication to greater diversity and inclusion in all spaces.

Blake most recently served as the Content and Engagement Manager at PBS member station WMHT in Upstate New York. No stranger to Columbia, Xavier worked for over 20 years for the local PBS affiliated, South Carolina Educational Television where he traveled the state building relationships through storytelling. An avid community builder, he is excited to have the opportunity serve the Columbia community in this capacity. Blake believes centering historically marginalized is imperative to build the kind of society where everyone is able to thrive.

Blake holds a BA in Communications from Newberry College and a Business Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion certificate from the University of South Florida.

Kassidy Wright joined The Nick as the Marketing and Development Coordinator in January 2023. A Charleston native, Kassidy spent her summers in college working for the Office of Naval Research at Joint Base Charleston designing and developing mobile applications. She’s also volunteered for several STEM programs, where she taught elementary and middle school students robotics, coding and other technology skills.

Before joining The Nick, she was the Communications and Membership Coordinator at the SC Press Association. Kassidy is currently getting her master’s degree at the University of South Carolina.

Allie Stubbs, born and raised in Columbia, attended the College of Charleston where she received a BA in Arts Management. Following graduation, she spent a year as the General Management Apprentice at Triad Stage in Greensboro, NC. Stubbs then returned to Columbia where she spent a few years as a patron before joining the Nick. She looks forward to serving the Columbia community as a part of this organization!

Winifred is a Native of Columbia,SC and is a true thespian. While taking theater courses in performance and production she developed a passion for the performing arts. She enjoys singing in her church choir (The Brook) cooking, decorating, watching movies, traveling, and spending time with her 2 sons and 2 grandchildren. She states, “I enjoy both receiving and providing stellar service and entertainment. Working here at Nick allows me to do just that.”

Jorian Branham was born, and the world has never quite forgiven him since. An avid film enthusiast and self-proclaimed critic, he enjoys sharing his excitement for film culture with guests as part of the Nick staff. Branham is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in computer science with a double major in Software Engineering and Machine Learning. He likes to call himself a storyteller, and in his spare time he collects, plays, and designs tabletop board games.

Donnie enjoys a tall glass of freshly squeezed lemonade every evening as he concocts his homemade artisan soaps that he sells and gives to his friends and family. He grew up oldest of six, often escaping the challenges of being the eldest by discovering new worlds in books and in nature. When other children enjoyed the typical joys of sports, music and other things that are staples in the typical child he remembers being almost forced into the kitchen to help prepare meals for the siblings and family by his grandmother, forever diligent in her tutelage of how to create the perfect meal with whatever they had in the kitchen and pantries to spare. He is a Gaston native and received his certification in massage therapy in 2016. After a long day, he enjoys his glass of lemonade whilst listening to his choice of audio books. He is graced with the responsibility of owning a dog, a cat, a bearded dragon and two ball pythons that he loves very much. Donnie looks forward to his future with high expectations and pride as he embraces the loving staff, intriguing guest and the ever improving atmosphere that the Nickelodeon has to offer.

My name is Cierra McCullough I’m from Augusta,Ga I’m a graduating mass communications senior from Benedict College and there’s nothing I love more than watching cool and  interesting movies in beautiful scenery like we offer at the Nick.