Meet the Gravitate Family

Pete & Gayle

I am a northern girl who fell in love with North Carolina when we moved from Michigan in 2019.  Realizing that southern hospitality is real has been an unexpected delight for my family. I married my high school sweetheart 35 years ago and we have been blessed with seven children…four through the gift of adoption! 

I discovered the secret path to joy after adopting my daughters Grace and Ella who both have Down syndrome. God’s invitation to step into the special needs world has provided my family with nothing but beauty.  

Creating a future for people of all abilities is my passion. Meaningful purpose, inclusion in our community and opportunities to connect with friends is what everyone deserves.

After meeting Kayla and Kelly, and recognizing that we held the same dream, our shared vision became reality in 2020 with the launch of Gravitate Queen City.

Spending time with our Gravitate Bakers -my favorite people on the planet- has allowed me to gravitate and grow towards acceptance, inclusion, kindness and grace. They teach me something new everyday, and their contagious joy fuels my passion and makes me smile.

I'm Kelly, I am Union County born and raised! I married to my husband, Charles. We have two children, Olivia & Jonathan. We have a sweet chihuahua named Hulk and a flock of chickens. 

I worked in special education for over 14 years as a teachers assistant and a job coach. That is where I met both Gayle & Kayla.  I quickly learned we all shared a similar vision to make more opportunities for individuals of all abilities in Waxhaw and surrounding areas. 

I'm Kayla! I am married to my husband, Casey, and a proud mama to my two sons, Emerson and Sawyer! We have two sweet fur babies, Bailee and Brodie. I graduated from UNC Wilmington with a degree in Adapted Special Education. I worked as a special educator for 4 years before leaving the school system to stay home with Emerson and help grow Gravitate!

Not only is Shannon our incredible photographer, she also has the biggest heart. We love, love, LOVE having her as our exclusive Gravitate Queen City Photographer. She brings so much joy to Gravitate and we are so incredibly blessed to have her as a part of our team.
Shannon has a background in behavior therapy and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Shannon now works for Acosta while also working as a portrait photographer.  If you are looking for a photographer to capture life's perfect moments, Shannon is it!