08/18/2026
Conroy Center Announces New Executive Director
Welcoming Our New Executive Director, Robert Gwaltney
The Pat Conroy Literary Center is pleased to announce the appointment of Robert Gwaltney as our new Executive Director. A nonprofit executive and critically acclaimed author, Gwaltney brings more than 25 years of mission-driven leadership and community service, along with a deep personal connection to Pat Conroy’s work and legacy.
A lifelong resident of the American South and a graduate of Florida State University, Gwaltney most recently served in executive leadership with Easterseals North Georgia, overseeing one of Georgia’s largest nonprofit early childhood education and family service programs. He also brings significant literary accomplishments of his own and has often cited Pat Conroy as an inspiration for his writing.
“Pat Conroy understood that stories can change the way we see ourselves, our communities, and one another,” Gwaltney said. “I am honored to join an organization that carries that belief forward.”
As Executive Director, Gwaltney will build on the Center’s established legacy while focusing on expanding educational programming, strengthening community partnerships, growing philanthropic support, and broadening the Center’s reach throughout the Lowcountry and beyond.
“I want the Literary Center to continue to be a place where readers and writers feel welcomed, where young people discover the power of their own voices, and where Pat’s enduring belief in empathy, courage, and the power of story remains at the heart of everything we do,” he said.
Gwaltney joins the Literary Center on September 1, 2026.
