Webb ALUMNI BULLETIN
PLUS:
Impact Report /2019-2020
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FALL / WINTER 2020
Spartan Strong From Mr. White’s Thursday ThankTanks to our varsity tennis team putting together care packages for oncology and burn patients at ETCH, from the junior class and Webb staff boosting the spirits of the Class of 2020 to Spartan Bistro Chef Beth’s cooking videos, and from both Ms. Durkin’s Mindful Mondays and Ms. Ardison’s tips to help bolster our social and emotional health to Coach Herrin’s home workouts and magnets to celebrate our teachers and staff, the Webb community rallied behind the motto “Spartan Strong” to stay connected with one another and to support and care for each other and the greater community during an unprecedented spring 2020.
CONTENTS FEATURES
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Distinguished Alumni, Achievement Award Recipients
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Webb School recognizes its Distinguished Alumnus/na Award honorees for 2020 and 2019 – Omar Baldonado ’87 and Allison Page 93, celebrates 11 Alumni Achievement Award recipients for 2020.
Creating Career Connections
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Student-driven Career Talks engages students, speakers in uncovering unique career paths; Laura Mansfield ’80 recounts her participation amid spring 2020 COVID shutdown.
Keeping to the Code
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Community, engagement remain at the core of Webb’s robotics program as it expands focus, increases outreach, forges new alumni networks, overcomes challenges of a global pandemic.
Commencement Recap 2019 & 2020
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DEPARTMENTS
28 Find us on facebook.com/WebbSchoolOfKnoxville Follow us at twitter.com/Webbschoolknox Follow us on instagram.com/webbschoolknoxville/
CAMPUS NEWS
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SPORTS WRAP
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ALUMNI REPORT
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FACULTY FOCUS
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CLASS NOTES
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9800 Webb School Lane, Knoxville, TN 37923 • webbschool.org Alumni Bulletin
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Webb Alumni Leadership Council 2020-2021 Russ Powell ’87 President Kyle Baisley ’01 Cindy McCallen Cassity ’86 Walker Diddle ’96 Deb Kile Hotchkiss ’66 Angel Howard ’82 Dorn Kile ’68 Julie Anderson McWhorter ’94 Ed Mobley ’80 Mark Overholt ’83 Alex Vogel ’96 Terri Tarvin Ward ’75 Alexander Waters ’06
WEBB SCHOOL PRESIDENT Michael McBrien UPPER SCHOOL HEAD Matt Macdonald MIDDLE SCHOOL HEAD Jennifer Phillips LOWER SCHOOL HEAD Kristi Wofford DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS & ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT Christy Widener
DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC PLANNING David Nelson DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Hugh Nystrom ’85 COORDINATOR OF DEVELOPMENT & ALUMNI AFFAIRS Joy Edwards
WEBSITE & COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR Aaron Teffeteller ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS Cathy Dowhos-O'Gorman
Caroline Seiler Ziegler ’09
Webb School Webb School Presiedent Board of Trustees Michael McBrien 2020-2021 Misty D. Mayes Board Chair Patrick Baird ’07 Robert P. Baskerville Philip Darby Campbell ’71
DEVELOPMENT DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR Rachel Williams
Cindy McCallen Cassity ’86 Amy Cathey Annie Haslam Colquitt ’05 Meg Keally Counts ’97
ALUMNI BULLETIN FALL/WINTER 2020
COVER PHOTO BY: AARON TEFFETELLER 4 Webb School
Creative Design/Editor Cathy Dowhos-O'Gorman Co-Editor Joy Edwards Bulletin/Impact Report Writers/Photographers/ Contributors Catherine Atchley Action PixTN Brian Beckley Marjorie Butler ’12 Danny Dunlap Joy Edwards
Liz Gregor Alise Kowalski Nicholas Kurzak ’24 Jenifer Lawrie Bobby Lewis, Pro Photo Laura Mansfield ’80 Hugh Nystrom ’85 Russ Powell ’87 Shiva Senthilkumar ’19 Aaron Teffeteller Nangesian Waters ’14 Rachel Williams Meryl Ye ’20
Wade V. Davies Jill A. DiBiase Robert E. Hill Jr. ’79 Jonathan P. Johnson ’93 George M. Krisle III ’62 Frank Majors ’86 Louis S. Moran III ’82 Howard Pollock Russell Powell ’87 Margaret Scism Mark D. Taylor Crawford Wagner ’92 Donovan Whiteside ’10 Kristin Williams
M ESSAG E FROM THE PRESIDE NT
Dear Alumni and Friends, In 1955, Robert Webb said, “I want to start a school that educates young people in extraordinary ways.” Today, we continue to keep Mr. Webb’s vision alive. We are doing extraordinary things at Webb and our graduates continue to make extraordinary contributions to their communities, their professions, the nation, and the world. The recognition of our Distinguished Alumnus/na Award recipients and the celebration of our Alumni Achievement Award honorees highlight just a few of the remarkable contributions that our alumni are making in the lives of so many others. Last spring, we announced the launch of the Webb School of Knoxville Alumni Association (WSKAA). As graduates of Webb School, you are now members of an impressive, talented and spirited group of men and women from all around the world. You belong to an association that celebrates its alumni and values your continued involvement with your alma mater. Now, more than ever, we need you to stay connected. As alumni, you are the legacy of this amazing school; we invite you to share your stories of achievement and impact with our current and future students, and to get involved in the life of Webb. In the months ahead, we hope to be able to visit our alumni and host regional receptions to reconnect and spread the Spartan Spirit. When we speak about extraordinary ways of teaching students, we need not look any further than the extraordinary learning environments that have been built this past year on campus. Through the generosity of alumni, families and friends of Webb School, our Reimagining Extraordinary campaign has enabled us to add new and innovative spaces. This includes an addition to the Middle School that houses a new library, state-of-the-art science lab and an Innovation Lab with 3-D printing and augmented reality capabilities. We have also added a robotics studio and demonstration room. In our Upper School, we have built a new wing, which holds our Research Library, Learning Resource Center, Writing Center, and a one-of-a-kind visualization lab with a technology wall – one of the first in East Tennessee.
In addition, we now have a real “front door” to our school with an extension to the back of the Central Building, providing a beautiful, impressive and interactive new entrance. Renovations to the Central Building also include an admissions suite, President’s Office, an innovative multi-purpose room, and student collaboration rooms. We can’t wait to welcome you all back to campus for a tour of these new dynamic spaces. The past months have brought so many challenges into the lives of individuals and organizations. Although COVID-19 presented us with obstacles and risks, we have taken the lead in showing others how we can continue to teach all students in extraordinary ways. When schools closed in March, Webb rose to the challenge, and we immediately went to virtual learning. Our teachers worked tirelessly to ensure that the quality of education that Webb School is known for continued to be delivered to every student. When we opened school this fall, we opened with waitlists in almost all grade levels. Webb once again demonstrated that given any challenge, we will always rise above it and ensure that we prepare every student to their fullest potential. School days looked a bit different this fall, but the Spartan Spirit carried us through and has made us stronger and better. I am so proud of everything that is taking place at your alma mater. We remain focused on giving all that we can to every student and keeping our eye on the future. Webb School is a leader in education. We hold strong to our history and traditions, and we look to the future as we continue to reimagine what extraordinary should look like. I send each of you my very best and I look forward to your continued support and involvement with your school.
Michael McBrien Webb School President Alumni Bulletin
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C A M PUS NEWS
While we were unable to host our fall 2020 WebbFest celebration, our Spartan Spirit stayed strong with the school’s first-ever Sparty Spirit Days, featuring our very own Sparty! Thanks to the incredible efforts and talents of our parent volunteers, led by Sparty Spirit Days coordinators Alise Kowalski and Catherine Atchley, the Webb School community came together for two glorious days of Spartan pride and just plain fun! Themed dress-out days, service projects to support the Webb and Knoxville communities, drop-off
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excitement, lunch treats, an Instagram scavenger hunt, spirited send-offs for the football and cross-country teams, and of course, Sparty shenanigans (Sparty drives a mean scooter!), all highlighted this amazing parent-driven event. And let’s not forget the Sparty Spirit T-shirts and the over 3,000 Spartygrams that went to students, teachers, staff, and police officers in support of each other. In the wise words of Sparty, “We are so much better together.” W
Click on the below videos, produced by Alise Kowalski, and join in our Sparty Spirit Days!
C A M PUS NEWS
Upper School philanthropy club invests in giving back Running their own investment fund . . . in high school? Members of Webb’s Upper School studentdriven Philanthropic Investment Group (PIG) club are doing just that, and this fall, the PIG students presented a check for $1,000 – part of the PIG’s latest investment profits – to the Haslam Family Club University branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley. Webb’s PIG, which launched in fall 2019, is the brainchild of senior Crawford Hovis who, along with classmates and fellow club leaders Sam Beall, Eli Mayes and Harrison McCollum, approached Webb President Michael McBrien with the idea of starting an Upper School investment club that would help to make a difference in the lives of others while providing students with real-world skills and experience. “We started PIG out of a desire to support our local, national and global communities, and to provide Webb students with a program to learn about business, finance and economics,” says Hovis. “We felt that it was important for Webb students to have the opportunity to give back to their community and to learn while doing so.” The student investment group, which boasts more than 75 Webb Upper School students, manages a real financial portfolio, including the researching, buying and selling of stocks. Members can become voting partners with an investment of $25 or more and/or by participating in a series of fundraising efforts. Any PIG member can pitch stock options, and the voting partners then vote to buy or sell. “At our meetings, we discuss the current status of our investments, present new trade ideas and, most importantly, consider where we could donate next,” Hovis explains. “When a trade or donation has been proposed and discussed, we vote to determine whether or not we will execute a transaction or make a donation.” The donation to the Boys & Girls Club represented part of PIG’s second round of investment profits. In February 2020, inspired by Webb teachers Beth Meyer and Frances Seiler’s story of hope and selflessness that involved Meyer donating her kidney to Seiler, the club gave its inaugural earnings through trade to the American Kidney Fund in the teachers’ honor. Hovis notes that the decision to give to the Boys & Girls Club this fall held special significance for the PIG members, as many of the students have had connections to the organization since Middle School through Webb’s volunteer initiatives, including a student tutoring program at the Club and hosting parties for the Club’s
(above, l to r) Webb PIG club members Molly Crawford ’23, Rose Beall ’23, Eli Mayes ’21, Crawford Hovis ’21, and Sam Beall ’21 (far right) with some of the children from the Boys & Girls Club present a check for $1,000 – part of PIG’s latest investment profits – to Anderson Olds (second from right), Executive Director of the Haslam Family Club University branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley. (above left) Sam Beall plays a game of tic-tac-toe with a Boys & Girls Club member.
children. “Having seen the Boys & Girls Club’s impressive and important work firsthand,” say Hovis, “we felt moved to support the Club during this difficult and uncertain time for many of its members.” While so much has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philanthropic Investment Group’s commitment to helping those in need is unwavering. “Our primary goal remains to support our communities, and our zeal for achieving this goal has only grown during this pandemic,” Hovis remarks. “We were able to maintain significant returns during the past months of market uncertainty, and we will continue to donate these profits to causes that inspire us.” McBrien, who serves as the PIG club advisor, says he is proud of what PIG has accomplished. “There is no greater good that young people can do than to reach out and give unconditionally to others who are in need,” he says. “These students understand and embrace the true definition of philanthropy – goodwill to others, an act or gift made for humanitarian purposes. It gives me great hope for our future, knowing that it lies in the hands of individuals like the members of our PIG club.” W Alumni Bulletin
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Putting service above self
Hands-on impact Step 1: Place a vitamin pack in a plastic bag. Step 2: Slide the bag under the funnel. Step 3: Add a cup of soy, a scoop of dried veggies, then a cup of rice. Step 4: Weigh the bag. Step 5: Seal the bag. Step 6: Put the bag in a box . . . now repeat steps 1 through 6 9,999 more times. That was the scene last winter when Webb Middle and Upper School students joined forces after school to package 10,000 meals in two hours for people in need around the world through the international non-profit organization Rise Against Hunger. Rise Against Hunger’s mission is to end hunger by 2030 by providing food and life-changing aid to the world’s most vulnerable and create a global commitment to mobilize the necessary resources. Overall, Rise Against Hunger has delivered nearly 506 million meals to those in need in 77 countries. Sporting hair nets and gloves, Webb students, faculty, staff, and parents formed assembly lines at numerous meal packaging, weighing, sealing, and boxing stations in the school’s Spartan Bistro cafeteria to provide nutritional, non-perishable meals to be shipped to countries across the globe. Members of Webb’s Middle and Upper School Interact Clubs were in charge of the event with Maddie Bell ’22 at the helm. Bell, who has participated in previous Rise Against Hunger meal packaging efforts through her church, proposed the idea to Liz Gregor, Director of Webb’s Coleman-Lange International Center and Upper School Interact advisor. Bell also helped raise the necessary funds to cover the food and transport costs of getting the service project off the ground. Gregor jumped at the idea and pointed out that the goals set forth by Rise Against Hunger align with those of the school’s Interact Clubs. “At Webb, we’re always looking for ways to serve our local and global communities,” she said. “And our Interact Clubs want to be involved in efforts to help feed hungry children overseas; so our partnership with Rise Against Hunger was a terrific match. And this event was truly a hands-on opportunity to change lives.” W 8 Webb School
While much has changed in navigating this new school year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Upper School Interact Club’s commitment to its motto “service above self” has been steadfast with Webb Interact students helping to make a difference in the lives of others and lending a hand this fall at local community agencies. Webb student volunteers joined forces with the Rotary Club of Knoxville (RCK) to help with this year’s drive-through Free Flu Shot Saturday in September. Spartan Interact students provided forms for visitors to complete in their cars while waiting for their flu shots. They also went from car to car collecting donations for the News Sentinel’s Empty Stocking Fund. Webb’s “Interactors” again teamed up with RCK a week later for a morning of assembling and stacking bookshelves at Wesley House Community Center. They also donated children’s books to the center. In addition, they served at the Love Kitchen to help package groceries for the Kitchen’s Wednesday afternoon food pantry (below). More recently, in partnership with Keep Knoxville Beautiful, both the Upper School Interact and Environmental clubs combined efforts for a joint clean-up on Dutchtown Road, collecting more than 10 bags of trash. W
C A M PUS NEWS
(right) Webb’s 2021 National Merit Semifinalist, Josh Chapman. (far right) Webb’s National Merit Commended Students for 2021: (top row, l to r) Sydney Aikens, Rhea Charles, Susannah Gordon; (bottom row, l to r) Crawford Hovis, Sam King, Timmy Zitzman.
Seniors excel in ACT, National Merit Program Webb Upper School students continued their commitment to exemplary academic achievement with the announcement of this year’s National Merit Scholarship Program honorees. In addition, ACT reported that seniors Josh Chapman, Rhea Charles and Crawford Hovis attained the highest possible ACT composite score of 36 on the ACT test. According to ACT, fewer than half of one percent of all students taking the ACT earn a top score. Among the United States high school graduates in the Class of 2019, just 4,879 out of the nearly 1.8 million students who took the ACT scored a composite 36. News of this year’s National Merit achievers also coincided with Webb Upper School’s announcement of its National Honor Society members for 2020-2021. Chapman, Charles and Hovis all garnered National Merit recognition for 2021. Chapman joins a prestigious group of students, nationwide, to be named National Merit Semifinalists. Additionally, Charles, Hovis and
four other Spartan seniors earned National Merit Commended Student honors. More than 1.5 million juniors in about 21,000 high schools across the country entered the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2019 Preliminary SAT/ National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). Less than one percent of the nation’s high school seniors were designated National Merit Semifinalists for 2021. Chapman is among the approximately 16,000 academically talented seniors, including the highest-scoring entrants in each state, to earn Semifinalist distinction, and is eligible to continue in the competition for some 7,600 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $30 million to be offered this spring. Over 90 percent of this year’s Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist
AP Scholar Awards 2020
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National AP Scholars AP Scholars with Honor
AP Scholars with Distinction
AP Scholars
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In 2020, 193 Webb Upper School students sat for 464 Advanced Placement (AP) exams. Of those exams, 82 percent boasted scores of 3 or higher, including 97 scores of 5 and 133 scores of 4. Over the past five years, an average of 80 percent of AP exams taken by Webb students have produced scores of 3 or higher.
standing, and more than half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title. Webb’s National Merit Commended Students for 2021 – Sydney Aikens, Rhea Charles, Susannah Gordon, Crawford Hovis, Sam King, and Timmy Zitzman – are among the approximately 34,000 high school seniors, nationwide, to earn Commended Student honors for their exceptional academic promise. Although they are not eligible to continue in the 2021 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 highest scorers of the 1.5 million-plus students who took the 2019 PSAT/NMSQT. W
Botero named CBRP Hispanic Scholar The College Board National Recognition Programs (CBRP) recognized Webb School senior Lucas Botero as a 2020-2021 CBRP Hispanic Scholar for excellence in academic achievement. The CBRP create pathways to college for students from underrepresented communities by awarding them academic honors and connecting them with universities across the country. Colleges use these honors to identify students from underrepresented groups who have excelled on their PSAT/NMSQT and in their classrooms. Students who scored in the top 2.5 percent of PSAT/NMSQT takers and who identify as one or more of the following: African American, Hispanic American or Latinx, or Indigenous; or attend school in a rural area or are from a small town are eligible to apply for CBRP recognition. Alumni Bulletin
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Historical banner season
Team 1466 wins two FIRST blue banner awards While FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) high school robotics teams across the country and around the world had their 2020 competition seasons cut short due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, Webb robotics Team 1466 still garnered high accolades for this year and made school history by earning two FIRST blue banner honors – its first-ever Chairman’s Award and the Woodie Flowers Finalist Award. Team 1466 received the Smoky Mountain Regional 2020 Chairman’s Award. Considered the highest recognition given during the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) season, the Chairman’s Award is presented to a single team at each regional or district event that "best represents a model for other teams to emulate and best embodies the purpose and goals of FIRST,” according to FIRST’s website. “The Chairman’s Award was created to keep the central focus of FIRST Robotics Competition on the ultimate goal of transforming the culture in ways that will inspire greater levels of respect and honor for science and technology, as well as encouraging more of today’s youth to become science and technology leaders.” While winners of this award included those teams that did have the opportunity to participate in on-site competitions earlier in the 2020 season, FIRST also opted to judge individual/team awards based on interviews and submitted documentation from the some-4,000 teams scheduled to participate in the 150-plus suspended events. Team 1466 was presented the Chairman’s Award out of the 54 teams from eight states and Canada that were slated to compete at the Smoky Mountain Regional, March 25-28, and that submitted materials for judging. This marked the first time in its 17-year history that the Webb robotics program earned this prestigious distinction. Webb’s FRC team was recognized for its unique ties to the East Tennessee STEM community. “As the first FRC team in East Tennessee, we've played a longtime role in mentoring other local teams and supporting program growth through education and volunteer work,” noted Upper School science teacher and Team 1466 mentor/coach, Jenifer Lawrie. She pointed out the team’s partnership with various community organizations, including the Boys & Girls Club, where students have hosted a LEGO Expo to introduce the children at the Club to the world of engineering. Team 1466 has also represented Webb at several STEM outreach events, including a "Robo-rodeo" at the Tennessee Valley Fair and the Tennessee STEAM Festival. The Spartan squad has also intensified its efforts toward connecting Webb’s elementary, middle and high school robotics teams to form a unified program, where older students mentor and 10 Webb School
share workspace and outreach projects with younger program members to enhance robotics education and competition in the school’s three separate FIRST programs – FIRST LEGO League (FLL), FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) and FRC. Lawrie, who has served as a Webb FRC team mentor/coach for the past seven years, was also nominated for and won FRC’s Smoky Mountain Regional 2020 Woodie Flowers Finalist Award (WFFA). This award recognizes robotics team mentors who lead, teach, inspire, and empower students to reach their goals and celebrates effective communication in the art and science of engineering and design. One adult team mentor was named a Regional WFFA recipient by FIRST at each of the some-75 regional competitions, worldwide. Students on each robotics team pick candidates for the Finalist Award and must submit an essay describing the qualities of their nominee and why he or she deserves the honor. In her nominating essay, Team 1466 co-captain Meryl Ye ’20 described Lawrie’s commitment to advancing FIRST Robotics and to developing better thinkers and leaders. Read more of Ye’s essay HERE. Lawrie is the second team mentor to earn WFFA honors in the history of Webb’s robotics program. Spartan alumnus, former Team 1466 member and longtime team mentor Sam Bacon ’08 won the award in 2012. Both the Regional Chairman's Award and the Woodie Flowers Finalist Award capped off an outstanding year for Webb’s robotics programs in all three divisions. In addition to Team 1466 earning two FIRST blue banners, Henry Partridge ’21 and Emory Wineland ’21 were named Dean’s List Semifinalists, recognized for their technical expertise, leadership, measurable contributions to the team, commitment to STEM outreach through the team, and academic success. In addition, Webb’s Lower School FLL team competed at the Marble City Invitational in December 2019, where the students received high marks for their robot construction and programming, and for their outdoor classroom design project. The Spartan Middle School FTC team competed at two events – the Tennessee State Championship and the Alabama State Championship. At the Alabama contest, Webb earned a Judge’s Award, presented to a team whose unique efforts, performance or dynamics merit special recognition, but do not fit into any of the existing award categories. W
Finding their voice, passion
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5. Webb students across all three divisions are offered numerous opportunities to participate in school plays, musicals and concerts – building students' self confidence and helping them discover hidden passions and talents. A sampling of this past year's theater productions include: 1 & 2 – Upper School fall 2019 musical, Grease; 3 & 4 – Upper School spring 2020 play, The Farnsworth Invention; 5 & 6 – Lower School Theater Workshop's The Looney Tunes Show in January 2020.
6. Alumni Bulletin
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(left) Kiri Nelson ’23 received a Gold Key award for her drawing & illustration entry, Smile. (below) Gold Key honors were awarded to Stephani Franks ’20 for her photography piece, La Belle Poubelle.
Students shine at Scholastic Art, Writing Awards Webb students have consistently earned high praise at the annual Southeast Region-At-Large Scholastic Art & Writing Awards – a testament to Webb’s exemplary arts programs and faculty. For 2020, Webb was again well represented at the juried show with several student-artists receiving top honors, including one of the most celebrated awards – Gold Key. Gold Key winners are automatically considered for national-level recognition. The 2020 Southeast Region-AtLarge contest received 3,000-plus art and writing entries from schools (public, private, parochial, and home schools) representing Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, and Mississippi. Read more about Webb’s 2020 award winners HERE. W Webb's visiting artists for 2019-2020 shared with students their unique perspectives and skills that ranged from turning ideas into experiences to producing/editing video and film. Webb hosted mixed media artist/illustrator and Spartan alumnus Corwin Levi ’97 (left) in fall 2019 (read more HERE) and digital artist Kim Lloyd (below) in February 2020.
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(back, l to r) Thomas Mandrus ’22 , Bobby Moran ’21. (front, l to r) Hazel Matteson ’22, Alex Yu ’20.
Spartan musicians chosen for All-State East Senior Clinic Webb band and strings students Thomas Mandrus, Hazel Matteson, Bobby Moran, and Alex Yu were selected for the February 2020 East Tennessee School Band & Orchestra Association (ETSB&OA) All-State East Senior Clinic in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Violinists Mandrus, Moran and Yu, and clarinetist Matteson were among the 2,800-plus high school students from across East Tennessee to audition for the highly competitive and prestigious three-day clinic. For the audition, participants were required to prepare a solo piece, memorize and perform several major and minor scales, and sight-read an unknown piece of music. Students chosen for the All-State East Senior Clinic had the opportunity to work with and learn from well-known music educators and conductors from across the country. The clinic participants also tackled new repertoire, which they performed in a final concert in Gatlinburg. W
SPORTS WR AP
Spartan boys race to state crosscountry title, girls take runner-up Coming off the heels of a season that included top-five team and individual performances at the KIL and Division II-A East Region races, Webb’s varsity cross-country squads delivered an outstanding showing at the 2020 TSSAA Division II-A state championships with the Spartan boys winning the team title and the girls finishing runner-up. Webb’s boys ended a four-year drought, having last won a state crown in 2016, and avenged their runner-up finish at last year’s state contest with an overall championship score of 45 – well ahead of second-place Harding Academy (60). In addition, Webb’s top five finishers each clocked a season PR. The Lady Spartans posted a team total of 66 at state – just two points shy of first-place St. George’s Independent School. This year marks the Webb girls’ second straight state runner-up finish. To learn more, click HERE. W
Spartan boys, Britt bring home third at state golf championship
Webb’s varsity boys’ golf medaled in both team total and individual performances at the 2020 Division II-A State Golf Championship in Manchester, Tennessee. Reece Britt ’21 brought home a bronze medal from the two-day tournament and led his Spartan team to a third-place state trophy. Britt, who has signed with Austin Peay State University, concluded a stellar high school golf career with a 2-over-par 146 at state, just four strokes behind state champion Kaleb Wilson of Christian Academy of Knoxville (CAK). The Spartans tallied a 630, finishing behind Evangelical Christian School (627) and state champion CAK (604). Fellow Spartan seniors Sam King and Eli Mayes carded 159 and 161, respectively, to finish 16th and 17th at state, while freshman Tate Woodruff placed 21st with a 164. “Playing a two-day state tournament is tough, especially with rough conditions,” said Webb head varsity golf coach and alumnus, Jeremiah LaDage ’05, “but our boys gave everything they had.” LaDage, who has coached five of the team’s seniors for the past four years, commended the senior team members for their leadership and dedication to their craft. “They have exceeded my expectations,” LaDage said, “and I am very proud of everything they have accomplished and know they will continue to raise the bar.” W Alumni Bulletin
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SPORTS WR AP
Nadaud named football Academic All-American, earns fourth straight AllState kudos for lacrosse
Varsity, Middle School basketball teams conclude 2020 season with region, KISL titles Prior to the suspension of its 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Webb’s varsity boys’ basketball team captured its third straight Division II-A East Region title. The Spartans defeated Grace Christian Academy, 71-43, in the region title game to clinch a region three-peat. Webb cruised through each region tournament bracket, defeating Grace Baptist Academy, 64-32, in the quarterfinals and Christian Academy of Knoxville, 67-44, in the semis. Uriah Powers ’20 was named tournament MVP, and along with David Sanger ’21 and Jaylon Green ’22, earned All-Region Tournament Team kudos. Webb’s Lady Spartans dominated play in their region quarterfinal with a 45-25 win over Grace Baptist to advance to a gutsy 42-39 win over Silverdale in the semis, but fell, 64-41, to The King’s Academy in the title game. Sheelove Knowles ’22 and Madelyn Ladd ’23 were both named to the girls’ All-Region Tournament Team. In addition, Webb’s Middle School boys’ and girls’ A basketball teams proved to be unstoppable during the 2020 season, as both teams won their KISL championships. Posting a 29-2 record, the Middle School boys A team defeated The King’s Academy, 59-31, to grab its second straight KISL Varsity Large Boys Basketball Tournament Championship title. Eli Vickers ’24 was selected as tournament MVP and joined classmates Cooper Cameron and Zach Vickers to earn KISL All-Tournament Team honors. Additionally, Drake Ingram ’24 and Harvey Niendorff ’24 were named KISL All-League for the regular season. The Lady Spartans shut down Mount Pisgah Christian Academy, 37-25, in their KISL championship game and ended their season 31-0. Sydney Stinson ’24, Alexis Houser ’24 and Maliyah Mixon ’24 were selected to the KISL All-Tournament Team with Stinson also garnering tournament MVP distinction. In addition, Meeyah Green ’26 and Katelyn Overton ’24 were named KISL All-League for the regular season. Webb’s Middle School A teams also dominated at the James C. Haile AAAA State Tournament with the boys beating Prescott South, 53-35, in the championship game and the girls defeating Walter J. Baird, 43-36 in their title game. Eli Vickers, Niendorff and Ingram (tournament MVP) earned boys’ All-Tournament Team kudos, while Houser, Green and Stinson were named to the girls’ All-Tournament Team. W 14 Webb School
In June 2020, Webb football/ lacrosse standout Luc Nadaud ’20 was named a 2019-2020 National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA) High School Academic All-American for football. Now in its 27th year, the NHSCA honors those studentathletes who triumph inside and out of the classroom. In addition, the Knox News Sports Awards selected Nadaud as the recipient of its 2020 Academic Achievement Award. To learn more, click HERE. Nadaud also earned Tennessee Scholastic Lacrosse Association (TSLA) All-State honors for Division 2 for 2020 along with teammates Sam Beall ’21 and Joseph Reeves ’21. With TSLA’s announcement, Nadaud became the first Spartan player in the history of Webb’s lacrosse program to be named All-State four years in a row (2017-2020). In addition, he earned this distinction playing three different positions – short-stick defensive midfielder, defenseman and midfielder. “In my 17 years as a TSLA coach,” says Webb head lacrosse coach, Rico Silvera, “I know of no other Tennessee lacrosse player to win All-State honors at three different positions.” W
Seventeen Spartan student-athletes from KNOW? the Class of 2020 (Over 16 percent of the graduating class), representing 11 different sports, are continuing their athletic careers at the collegiate level (Divisions I, II & III).
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ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
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Being connected is the key to building a great
network, and the goal of our new Alumni Association is to do exactly that. As we’ve said, we want to get you involved because
Webb School recently hosted its first Senior Lunch for the Webb Class of 2021 on campus. We were fortunate to have perfect fall weather that day as the class parents put together a safe and physically distanced event on Faust Field at David Meske Stadium. In a year with so many activities being pared down or canceled altogether, it was truly fun to be able to celebrate this great group of seniors. It was also our first opportunity to begin to welcome them as our soon-to-be newest members of the Webb School of Knoxville Alumni Association. I could tell by some of the looks on the seniors' faces that the reality of that hadn’t fully hit all of them yet! I think we can all remember the excitement of moving on toward new adventures in college, but still being a little sad that such an important time in our lives was coming to a close. For that reason, we reminded the seniors that wherever their next steps take them, they will always have a home at Webb School. Of course, one of the great things about Webb is that this “home” extends well beyond the campus and the city of Knoxville. Our Spartan alumni are spread out all over the country and throughout the world. This creates an opportunity to build a strong and vibrant resource for all alumni, not just those who are moving on to college or beginning their careers. Each year, as we review the accomplishments of our alumni for class recognition, we are amazed at the breadth of experience and the level of impact that Webb graduates have in their workplaces and communities. Webb School truly has developed leaders in business, athletics, education, the arts, and public service. Hopefully, we will soon be able to move back toward in-person events again, and when that happens, we’ll plan more local alumni gatherings in cities throughout the country. Until then, please join our Webb Alumni LinkedIn page and check out our Instagram. Being connected is the key to building a great network, and the goal of our new Alumni Association is to do exactly that. As we’ve said, we want to get you involved because you already belong.
you already belong.
"
Russ Powell ’87 President, Webb School of Knoxville Alumni Association Parent of Caroline ’21 & Weiler ’24 Alumni Bulletin
FALL/WINTER 2020 15
2020 & 2019
Distinguished Alumni Omar Baldonado ’87 and Allison Page ’93 Each year, Webb School has the privilege of presenting its Distinguished Alumnus/na Award to one Spartan graduate whose business or professional accomplishments and service to others exemplify the goals of Webb School in the spirit of its motto, Principes Non Homines – Leaders Not Men. Webb’s Distinguished Alumnus/na Award is among the highest honors bestowed upon a member of Webb’s alumni community. This past fall, Spartan Class of 1987 alumnus Omar Baldonado was named the recipient of Webb’s Distinguished Alumnus/na Award for 2020. In addition, in fall 2019, Webb School presented its Distinguished Alumnus/na Award for 2019 to Class of 1993 alumna Allison Page. Baldonado and Page join the nearly 30 Spartan alumni who have received this prestigious honor since the award was inaugurated in 1991.
O
MAR BALDONADO is Director of Software Engineering, Infra Network at Facebook. He is also a co-lead for Facebook’s Open Compute Project (OCP) networking initiative. At Facebook, Baldonado is part of the networking team, responsible for large-scale software systems that model, automate, monitor, and control Facebook’s network. A graduate of Stanford University, Baldonado has been developing networking software for over 25 years and is a veteran of multiple startups in Silicon Valley in the field of computer networking. He recalls in the 1990s, when one of the startups was acquired by Cisco Systems, right around the advent of the World Wide Web. “It was a fascinating vantage point from which to watch the creation and growth of companies such as Cisco, Yahoo, eBay, and Google,” he said. A 2017 Webb Alumni Achievement Award recipient, Baldonado notes the impact his Webb experience had on him. “When I was in high school, it was hard for me to truly appreciate this, as I was frankly far more concerned about finding some friends and trying mightily to fit in,” he recalls. “But now, Webb’s motto, Principes non Homines, really resonates.” For the dynamic, high-tech world, however, he says he’d change the motto slightly to be Leaders not Coders. “It’s true that the high-tech world certainly needs expert software developers to write those latest apps, gadgets or services,” Baldonado explains. “But those companies also need engineers to be leaders: to show initiative and courage in starting up a new company or pursuing a crazy idea against all odds, to motivate and rally others to their particular cause and to effectively communicate their ideas to the world.” Baldonado listed how Webb School provided this foundation for him. First, it offered a rigorous curriculum and engaged faculty. “My teachers mentored and challenged all of us to learn at a high level,” he said. Second, Webb provided a wide array of extracurriculars. “There were many formal clubs and teams,” Baldonado notes, “but there were also other activities like the Freshman Retreat and even Chapel Talks that encouraged us to come out of our shells and become leaders.” And third, his Spartan classmates. “While we had different interests and ran in different circles, our class still felt like a tight community,” he said. “I’m so thankful for everyone who helped make my Webb experience what it was.” W
16 Webb School
A
LLISON PAGE is the President of Discovery, Inc.’s joint venture with Magnolia, the home and lifestyle brand led by Chip and Joanna Gaines. In this role, she oversees all programming, development and operations for the multi-platform media company, comprised of a linear television network and TV Everywhere app. A subscription streaming service is scheduled to début at a later date. Previously, Page was President of HGTV and Food Network, where she managed all programming and development for the two dynamic lifestyle brands. Prior to Discovery’s acquisition of Scripps Networks Interactive, Page served as Senior Vice President and General Manager of U.S. Programming and Development for the company’s HGTV, Food Network, Travel Channel, DIY Network, Cooking Channel, and Great American Country brands. Under her leadership, series such as Flip or Flop, Fixer Upper and Brother vs. Brother garnered record ratings for HGTV. Selected as a recipient of Webb School’s Alumni Achievement Award for 2018, Page graduated with honors from Northwestern University with a bachelor’s degree in American studies. She started her career at CBS News Productions and later became an associate producer at CBS News Sunday Morning. Page joined Food Network in 2001 and spent many years developing primetime series for Rachael Ray, Giada De Laurentiis, Bobby Flay, and Guy Fieri. Known as a key strategist and dynamic leader who developed hit shows as well as successful sales and digital partnerships, Page was central to Food Network’s record-breaking, double-digit ratings growth and instrumental in the successful launch of Cooking Channel in 2010. A member of the Board of Directors for Realscreen West 2019, Page has served on the advisory board for the Tennessee Film, Entertainment and Music Commission and on the Board of Directors for the Knoxville Museum of Art. She is also active with Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT). In 2018, Page was named to the Cablefax 100, which honors the most influential players in the cable industry, and was given the 2018 Power Woman Leadership Award by New York Moves magazine. She is also the recipient of the 2015 WICT Southeast Woman of the Year Award. And in 2014, Page was recognized as a “Woman to Watch” by Multichannel News, which also named her to its 2012 “40 Under 40” list. W
Awards ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT 2020
PICTURED: 1. Jim Hart ’60 2. Buddy McLean ’65 3. Phil Duncan ’75 4. Mary Louise Hemmeter ’80 5. Rusty Mowery ’85 6. Jay Livingston ’90 7. Marianne Farmer Canada ’95 8. Matthew Goldman ’00 9. Spencer Waters ’05 10. Trey Hatcher ’10 11. Elizabeth Thompson ’15
Jim Hart is a former television industry leader with more than 35 years in television station management. A graduate of Davidson College, Hart was senior vice president of Scripps Howard Broadcasting and a vice 1. president for the E.W. Scripps Company from 1995 to his retirement in 2002. He came to Scripps from Multimedia Inc., where he served as president of the company’s broadcast television division. Previously, he was vice president and general manager of WBIR-TV, Multimedia’s NBC affiliate in Knoxville. In addition, between 1967 and 1981, Hart served as vice president and general manager of Multimedia’s WLWT-TV in Cincinnati, Ohio, and WXII-TV in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. From 2002 to 2018, Hart was Executive Director of Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In addition, he has been president and CEO of Friends of the Smokies for the past 18 years, and is the recipient of the United States Department of the Interior’s Citizen’s Award for Exceptional Service for his efforts to raise awareness of and protect Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Under Hart’s tenure, donations to Friends of the Smokies significantly increased and helped fund the park’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Twin Creeks Science and Education Center as well informational media needed to equip the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. Throughout his career, Hart, who was named Webb’s Distinguished Alumnus/na Award recipient in 2012, remained active in the Knoxville community, including serving as campaign chair and president of the United Way, as well as participating on the boards of Leadership Knoxville, Knoxville Chamber, Salvation Army, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Red Cross, and East Tennessee Public Television.
ALUM NI RE PORT
Webb's Alumni Achievement Awards are presented annually to those alumni who have distinguished themselves in their respective careers and have achieved outstanding success in their chosen professions while upholding the mission of Webb School of Knoxville. This year, 11 Spartan alumni, nominated by their classmates and representing the reunion classes of 1960, 1965, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015, were honored. We proudly present this year's Alumni Achievement Award recipients.
Buddy McLean, his brother James, and Jeanie Johnson, wife of Spartan alumnus Chip Johnson ’65, are the owners of The Lodge at Buckberry Creek in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Opened in 2005, the 46-suite, urban-rustic, 2. Adirondack-style resort became number one on Trip Advisor and was a Four Diamond AAA property until November 2016, when forest fires in the Great Smoky Mountains burned all but one building. McLean is currently the managing partner in D&V Distributing Company while planning to rebuild Buckberry Lodge. A graduate of the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing, McLean began his career with Ralston Purina Company, moving to Louisville, Kentucky, to become a regional marketing director for Ralston, covering eight states. He later returned to Knoxville where he worked at Davis Newman Payne Marketing Communications as an account executive. In 1989, McLean became president, CEO and owner of the company until it closed its doors in 2010. During his tenure, McLean handled advertising and marketing for some of Knoxville’s most prominent businesses, including Home Federal Bank, Food City, Mayfield Dairy Farms, Sea Ray Boats, Roddy Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Selecto Meats Inc., Lay Packing Company, and Kern’s Bakery. McLean recalls coming to Webb School as a seventh grader when the school had just opened its doors on its new West Knoxville campus. “My time at Webb taught me to apply myself and persevere to accomplish the goal,” McLean says. “Since leaving Webb School, I have seen both successes and failures. However, the failures pointed me to God, knowing that He was in control and not me. Looking back, I would not change the outcome.”
First as a Washington, D.C., journalist covering Congress and elections, next as a national promoter of civic education and engagement, and now as a local government practitioner in Falls 3. Church, Virginia, Phil Duncan has dedicated his 40-year career to strengthening democracy in America by nurturing a more informed and engaged electorate. Duncan took to journalism early at Webb School, where he was sports editor of the yearbook and editor of the student newspaper. At Davidson College, he majored in political science and edited The Davidsonian newspaper. He spent his summers reporting for the Halls-Fountain City Shopper and the Community Newspaper Group. He was also an intern at the Charlotte Observer and Knoxville News-Sentinel. Duncan went on to land a job with Congressional Quarterly, Inc. (CQ). He was a politics reporter and then editor for CQ’s Weekly Report magazine, and then became editor of CQ’s Politics in America. He also wrote for the Weekly Report’s “Roundtable” and appeared on C-SPAN, CNBC, MTV, and A&E, as well as NPR, Bloomberg Radio and the BBC. After retiring, he was elected to the Falls Church City Council and later re-elected in two close races. He also served on the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce board and received the Chamber’s Pillar of the Community award. Duncan recalls that the first publication for which he wrote was a mimeographed class newspaper in Genevieve Hudson’s seventh-grade English class, titled Webbed Feat. “Miss Hudson was just one of the memorably formidable teachers I was fortunate to have at Webb School,” he says. “She and Mrs. Graf and Mr. McMahon for English, Mrs. Watt for geography and Mrs. Fisher for Latin – those especially stand out, a half-century later, as masters of their craft.” Alumni Bulletin
FALL/WINTER 2020 17
Awards Mary Louise Hemmeter is a professor in the Department of Special Education at Vanderbilt University’s 4. Peabody College. She received her undergraduate degree in early childhood special education from Auburn University and both her Master’s in Education in early childhood special education and Ph.D. in education and human development from Vanderbilt. She held faculty positions at the University of Kentucky and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign before returning to Vanderbilt to join the faculty. Hemmeter’s research focuses on effective instruction, supporting socialemotional development and addressing challenging behavior in young children, and coaching and supporting teachers. Director of over $30 million in grants funded by the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services, she has published over 100 articles, seven books and numerous curriculum and assessment materials. As Director of the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning, Hemmeter was involved in developing the Pyramid Model for Supporting Social, Emotional Competence in Young Children, and Practice-Based Coaching, a model for coaching teachers to implement effective practices. Co-author on the Connect4Learning: The Pre-K Curriculum, she is the recipient of the Merle B. Karnes Award for Service to the Division for Early Childhood and the Mary McEvoy Service to the Field Award. Her current work is related to the prevention of exclusionary discipline practices in early childhood programs. Hemmeter says that she has many great memories from her years at Webb School, adding that she is grateful for how Webb prepared her academically, particularly the writing skills she gained. She noted that she has been amazed at how often in her travels and work she runs into Webb connections. “So many people doing so much good work around the country and the world,” she says.
18 Webb School
Rusty Mowery is a renowned Broadway choreographer and actor. While studying for his 5. bachelor's degree in theater arts at the University of Tennessee, he became a member of the Actors’ Equity Association with the Clarence Brown Theatre Company. After moving to New York City, he made his Broadway début in 1992 in Cats at the Winter Garden Theatre. Following four years prowling the Winter Garden stage, Mowery opened the first national tour of Ragtime at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C., before joining the Broadway production. His other Broadway acting credits include Suessical, Hairspray and Legally Blonde. Mowery later signed on as associate choreographer to Tony Award-winning director/choreographer Jerry Mitchell. He recreated Hairspray at the Hollywood Bowl with Mitchell and was associate choreographer for the Olivier Award-winning London production of Legally Blonde. Mowery’s next big collaboration with Mitchell was Broadway’s 2013 multi-Tony Award winning Kinky Boots, with music/lyrics by Cyndi Lauper, book/script by Harvey Fierstein and starring Billy Porter. Mowery went on to set Kinky Boots all over the world. In 2018, Mowery was part of Mitchell and Garry Marshall’s creative team for the Broadway musical adaptation of Pretty Woman and was again tapped for its international productions. That same year, he was presented with the Clarence Brown Theatre Artistic Achievement Award. While his career has taken him across the world’s stages and Hollywood’s soundstages, Mowery says his biggest thrill is his charity work for Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS. Mowery notes that his favorite memories of Webb include the long hours he spent rehearsing for school plays and musicals. He credits former Webb choral music director Philip Griffin for fueling his passion for music and the theater, noting that Griffin encouraged him to dream beyond Webb and believe in his unique gifts.
FOOTNOTE: In fall 2019, Webb School celebrated 10 Spartan alumni chosen by their classmates to receive Webb’s Alumni Achievement Award for 2019. Click HERE to learn more.
Jay Livingston is the first-ever Chief Marketing Officer of Shake Shack, a modern “roadside” burger 6. stand founded in Madison Square Park and headquartered in New York City. In his role, Livingston is responsible for the marketing, culinary planning and digital experience for the now gourmet, fastcasual restaurant, which boasts over 250 locations domestically and internationally. As CMO of one of America’s fastestgrowing restaurant chains, Livingston oversees the opening of a new Shake Shack somewhere in the world every four days. He claims he learned everything he knows about burgers from former Webb School cafeteria staff member Sophronia Favors and Wilma at the Kingston Pike Krystal in Knoxville. Livingston joined Shake Shack after serving as CMO of BARK, the parent company of BarkBox. BARK is the world’s most dog-centric company, delivering entertaining products, experiences and content to over 600,000 subscribers. In 2018, BARK generated over $200 million in revenue. That year, Livingston was named one of Forbes’ “CMO Next,” a list highlighting the top 50 CMOs who are redefining the top marketing role and driving its evolution. Previously, Livingston was Senior Vice President of Global Marketing at Bank of America, where for 20 years he held senior leadership roles in every functional area of global marketing and strategy. A graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in speech communications and a minor in political science, Livingston is also an active angel investor and advisor in New York City, and he often speaks on the topics of social philanthropy and marketing. He has co-executive produced two films and is a founding member of Unite America, a movement of Democrats, Republicans and independents working to bridge the growing partisan divide and foster a more representative and functional government.
Marianne Farmer Canada is an executive producer with Discovery Digital Studios in Knoxville. She graduated from 7. the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor of Science degree in broadcast journalism and theater. Following a stint as a stage actress with the Slovak National Theatre and later heading a regional marketing team for Red Bull Energy Drink, Canada returned to her roots in broadcasting as a production coordinator at Scripps Networks Interactive. Over the next 13 years she would wear many hats, from location scouting to talent casting, before finding her passion in the digital department. She says her years at Webb School instilled a love of the arts and theater that she has been able to turn into a thriving career with Discovery Digital Studios. Canada heads the Webby-nominated HGTV Handmade brand, with a reach of over 4 million passionate followers. In addition to serving as Handmade’s executive producer, Canada is an on-camera personality on the channel and resident crafting, parenting and entertaining expert for HGTV.com. She has developed several on-camera personalities for the brand, as well as created professional relationships with celebrities and influencers. Canada is also active in the community and was appointed to the Mayor’s Maker Council. While Canada credits her Chapel Talks with building the foundation for a lifelong love of public speaking, she says she truly experienced the strength of the Webb community when her infant son went through cancer treatment in 2014. Her Spartan classmates rallied around her family, creating car magnets and a local Go Hugo campaign to provide financial and emotional support. “People I hadn’t seen since graduation showed up for me and my family and showed the unbreakable bonds that were forged during our time together at Webb,” Canada notes. “I’ll forever be thankful for having these people in my life.” Following her son’s recovery, Canada has worked to shine a light on pediatric cancer, raising funds and awareness by speaking publicly for entities such as The Butterfly Fund and the American Cancer Society.
ALUM NI RE PORT
Matthew Goldman is a vascular and endovascular surgeon at Wake Forest Baptist Health and an assistant professor 8. of vascular/ endovascular surgery at Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. A graduate of Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in education, Goldman was a four-year varsity letterman on the men’s soccer team and helped lead the Brown Bears to three Ivy League soccer championships and an NCAA Elite Eight appearance. He was named an All-Ivy and All-New England soccer team selection, and was awarded Brown’s Class of 1937 Trophy, presented to a player who contributes most to the program. Goldman attended the Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University, where he was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society. He was also on the Quillen College of Medicine Admissions Committee and was presented with the Dean’s Scholarship award upon graduating with his Doctor of Medicine. Goldman was also selected to serve on the Quillen College of Medicine Alumni Society board of directors. Following a general surgery residency at Wake Forest School of Medicine (WFSM), where he served as a chief resident, Goldman pursued sub-specialty fellowship training in vascular and endovascular surgery at WFSM, as well as his Master of Science in clinical and population translational sciences. In addition to serving as a professor at WFSM, Goldman is board certified by the American Board of Surgery in both general surgery and vascular/endovascular surgery, and is active in clinical surgery and research/ medical education at Wake Forest Baptist Health. He and his team made national headlines after successfully re-attaching the severed arm of a 13-year-old boy. Goldman says that he has many favorite memories of his years at Webb School. “Dr. Banker and Dr. Jacobstein are still among the greatest teachers that I have had in my life,” he notes. “Their passion for their craft and their students still resonates with me.”
Maj. Spencer Waters is an AV-8B Harrier pilot in the United States Marine Corps. A graduate 9. of the United States Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree in political science, he was commissioned with the Marines in 2009. Waters attended The Basic School in Quantico, Virginia, and later moved to Naval Air Station Pensacola in Pensacola, Florida, for naval flight training. After attaining his designation as a naval aviator, he earned his wings as an AV-8B Harrier “Jump Jet” pilot at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in Cherry Point, North Carolina, and became a member of Marine Attack Squadron 231 “Ace of Spades.” Waters was deployed to the Middle East, serving on the USS Iwo Jima as part of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s (24th MEU) Aviation Combat Element, and on a second land-based deployment in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. Waters has clocked over 1,000 flight hours aboard the AV-8B Harrier “Jump Jet,” including 200-plus combat flying hours. He has served as a forward air controller with 2d Tank Battalion in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and completed the Weapons and Tactics Instructor course in Yuma, Arizona. He says he is first and foremost a family man, and is involved with his local church’s discipleship ministry, The Navigators. As he reflects back on his time at Webb School, Waters says his closest friendships were formed through his participation on the Spartan cross-country team, as a member of the Chamber Singers and in helping to start the Webb lacrosse team. “I’m standing on the shoulders of the achievement giants of the Class of 2005,” he remarks. “My class has accomplished significant milestones in the last 15 years.” He added that he is very thankful that Webb taught him the tenets of servant leadership. “Spartans are here to serve, not to be served,” he noted. “The Webb culture goes beyond the place itself and extends to the close friend, the caring teacher and the persistent coach.”
Trey Hatcher is Vice President of Finance at LM Energy Partners, a private equitybacked oil and 10. gas midstream and infrastructure firm. Based in Dallas, Texas, LM Energy boasts a $100 million-plus equity commitment and multiple active investments across the United States. Hatcher graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and business administration from Washington and Lee (W&L) University, where he earned magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa honors. A Kemper Scholar and Cullum Owings Memorial Fellowship recipient, Hatcher participated on the W&L Generals’ track and field team and tennis team. He was also the associate director of the Williams Investment Society, a student-run organization that manages a portion of W&L's endowment in equity securities. Following graduation, Hatcher joined J.P. Morgan as an investment banking analyst. Working in Houston, Texas, and New York City, he focused on mergers and acquisitions and financing transactions on behalf of energy clients. Hatcher went on to become an associate at NGP Energy Capital Management, where he analyzed and executed energy private equity investments. NGP Energy is a global energy, private equity firm with more than $20 billion of cumulative equity commitments and over $10 billion in assets under management. “Outside of miraculously managing to graduate without getting kicked out,” Hatcher jokes as he looks back on his years at Webb School, “my favorite memory is our senior year state title in tennis with Coach Pitkanen, who was a great mentor to me. At the same time, my friends and classmates won football and baseball state titles, so it felt like we all went out on a high note.” Webb prepared him for the rigors of college, Hatcher added, “by teaching me how to manage time effectively with academics, athletics and extracurriculars.”
Elizabeth Thompson is a medical student at the Medical University of South Carolina. She graduated 11. from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in anthropology and medicine, health and society. Wanting to explore multiple facets of medicine, she became an Emergency Medical Responder with Vanderbilt LifeFlight while in college and a CPR instructor for underserved communities in Nashville, Tennessee. In addition, she spent a semester in the Medical Practice & Policy program at the Danish Institute for Study Abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark, where she examined healthcare systems on a global level. After returning to Vanderbilt, Thompson collaborated with professors and peers in examining ways to ameliorate the opioid crisis, becoming involved in an ongoing study that uses virtual reality to distract patients in rehab from their addictions. At Vanderbilt University Medical Center, she helped conduct a clinical trial, published in Obstetrics & Gynecology, designed to reduce opioid over-prescribing for post-cesarean deliveries. Thompson did research at the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University after graduating. Her work included determining novel targets for cancer therapy by examining the DNA damage repair process and analyzing which modifications prevent carcinogenesis. She also presented her research on a novel therapeutic target for radiation therapy in breast cancer at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting and authored a chapter in Therapeutic Approaches for Targeting Colorectal Cancer Metabolism. Recently, she transitioned her focus to community service and spent the last year as an AmeriCorps member at the Global Village Project in Decatur, Georgia. Thompson, who came to Webb School as a sixth grader, says Webb cultivated her passion for learning. “The culture created by the faculty and staff was instrumental in preparing me to manage life’s challenges,” she notes. “I am grateful for their encouragement as they inspired us to pursue our interests, take chances and find our own paths." Alumni Bulletin
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ALUM NI RE PORT
Photos/video courtesy of Marjorie Butler.
Moving forward, giving back Lady Spartan standout, UGA basketball scholar, aspiring orthopedic surgeon, entrepreneur Marjorie Butler ’12 shares life lessons, insights with students
MORE ABOUT MARJORIE BUTLER Lady Spartan state champion basketball, track & field scholar-athlete, Division II-A Tennessee Miss Basketball, PrepXtra Girls Player of the Year, Wendy’s State High School Hiesman Award winner, Cum Laude Society, AP Scholar with Distinction Earned basketball scholarship to University of Georgia, where she made three NCAA appearances and one Elite 8 appearance Selected 2016 SEC Women’s Basketball ScholarAthlete of the Year, nominated as 2016 NCAA Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year Four-time SEC Academic Honor Roll, two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District selection Graduated magna cum laude from UGA with double major in biology and kinesiology Member of Blue Key National Honor Society, Phi Beta Kappa Society, Alpha Lambda Delta Academic Honor Society, Student National Medical Association Full academic scholarship to Vanderbilt University School of Medicine with concentration in orthopedics Co-authored articles on orthopedic research for academic publications, including Neurosurgery, the official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons Chief Operating Officer of JuJu Rentals, founder of Dream-Believe-Achieve Academy Volunteer head coach with D13 Elite boys basketball program
20 Webb School
Our Spartan alumni – all 7,000-plus of them – are an integral part of the Webb School family. They are a network of problem-solvers and creative, critical and progressive thinkers who are making a difference in their communities and the world. Our alumni are one of our greatest assets – a testament to the impact of a Webb School education and the work of its teachers, staff, parents, and community. We consider our graduates an invaluable resource and a powerful inspiration for our students. Such was the case when Webb welcomed back Class of 2012 graduate Marjorie Butler as its keynote speaker for Black History Month in February 2020. A former Lady Spartan basketball and track and field standout, she earned a basketball scholarship to University of Georgia and graduated magna cum laude with a double major in biology and kinesiology. Butler, who is pursuing her Doctor of Medicine under a full scholarship at Vanderbilt University, is also Chief Operating Officer of the successful Airbnb JuJu Rentals and founder of Dream-Believe-Achieve Academy, which offers best practices and training in the home share industry. Despite her hectic schedule, Butler set aside an entire day to speak with and listen to Webb students during her February visit. In the Upper School’s Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Design Thinking class, she shared her perspectives and the genesis and challenges of forming JuJu Rentals. She discussed personal development and what gives life meaning in Ms. Rowcliffe’s Philosophy Honors class and she offered an open forum during lunch, where she and students exchanged ideas about overcoming obstacles, reaching goals, gratitude, and how to be a change for good.
Butler’s presentation during Chapel addressed the issue of racism and discrimination in the American healthcare system and the need to empower communities to create fairness for all. And at the end of the day, Butler returned to her stomping grounds in the Lee Athletic Center, offering valuable coaching tips and inspiration to Coach Collier’s varsity girls’ basketball team. Webb School is incredibly proud of all of its alumni. By sharing their life stories and wisdom, they enrich our community, shining light on new pathways and perspectives, and helping students to “connect the dots” in thinking beyond the classroom. W View the below video of Marjorie Butler’s return to Webb School.
Meryl Ye | Class of 2020
Creating Career Connections Career Talks engages students, speakers in uncovering unique career avenues, overcomes pivot to virtual to maintain community connection
F
rom Junior Career Day to the creation of the Webb MD and Webb JD programs, Webb School has made great strides to prepare its students not only for success in college, but also in the workforce. During my senior year, while serving as Upper School Student Government Association (SGA) vice president, I sought to further these endeavors by developing a career program that offered students exposure to unique career paths. Collaborating with my other SGA members, teachers, Webb’s Alumni Office, and parents of fellow classmates, I reached out to members of the Webb community who had jobs outside the fields of medicine and law to explore other career avenues that might interest students. For example, I thought I wanted to be a doctor, but then I discovered computer science halfway through high school and decided that I would rather be an engineer than a healthcare professional. At this age, there’s this pressure for us to have some sort of idea of what career we want, but how are we supposed to know if there are so many options that we don’t even know exist? Titled Career Talks, the new program launched in February 2020, and brought guest speakers to campus to talk about their jobs, their education and how they got to where they are today. Students who attended were encouraged to ask speakers for career advice and establish connections that could eventually lead to shadowing or internship opportunities.
A month-and-a-half later, however, the program was put on hiatus as the COVID-19 pandemic reached the United States and students were unable to return to campus. With the help of Webb’s tech department, the SGA took advantage of this time to transition Career Talks to a virtual setting and to expand its outreach. With location no longer being an issue, Webb students, teachers, parents, and alumni were invited to attend these webinar events, which featured speakers within and beyond the Knoxville area. At school and at home, Career Talks pushed students to step outside the boundaries of the common core curriculum and to learn about fields involving business, journalism, creative design, and more. In addition, the unexpected change in modality proved that even during a time of physical distancing, the Webb community could still find a way to engage with one another. W
Webb’s SGA would like to extend a special thanks to the following 2020 Career Talks speakers: n Bill Bass ’80 n Rachel Stowers Kinney ’05 n Ben Kowalski (parent of
Sam ’27 & Ollie ’29)
n Mahasti Vafaie (parent of
Sidney ’20 and Ella ’22)
n Katherine Goddard Walker ’03 n Laura Mansfield ’80 (see related
article on page 22)
Alumni Bulletin
FALL/WINTER 2020 21
Webb Class of 1980 alumna Laura Mansfield is Director of Public Relations at The Tombras Group, having previously served as Senior Vice President and Executive Director of Public Relations and Social Media at Tombras. Mansfield was also Executive Vice President at Fletcher Marketing PR, as well as principal and founder of Spica Communications. A published author, Mansfield also taught advertising and public relations at the University of Tennessee and Pellissippi State Community College. In addition, she was Vice President of Corporate Communications for Edfinancial Services, a $10 billion national student loan service provider. Mansfield graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Tennessee with a bachelor’s degree in English literature. She also holds a Master of Business Administration in finance from UT in addition to her accreditation in public relations. We were so pleased and honored to have Mansfield join in one of our SGA Chapel Talks shortly after the guest speaker forum went virtual, and asked Mansfield to provide her thoughts about her participation.
T
hese are strange times. Social distancing. Working from home. Doing everything via Zoom, Slack, Microsoft Teams, WebEx, etc. So, it was no surprise when the opportunity to speak to Webb seniors about careers in public relations pivoted from in person to online. Over the past six months, my workday has morphed from face-to-face meetings in conference rooms at Tombras headquarters to video conferencing from my home office – complete with my administrative assistants, Henry Dog and Karma, my cat, in attendance. Despite the prevalence of Zoom backgrounds, I prefer my actual digs. Something about being authentic. So, if we’re on a call, you’ll likely see my pets. However, the Webb SGA talk was different. Instead of the Brady Bunch squares of faces to which I’ve become accustomed, the talking heads were missing. Participants signed in on a party line of some sort and could only submit questions via text. I could see the call facilitators but not the students, which was a major bummer at first. However, we rallied. The pandemic has taught us to be flexible, nimble and agile in our communications. In fact, the SGA talk felt a little like those long-ago Chapel Talks when we spoke into the great void without making eye contact with anyone. As a former adjunct instructor and university professor, and yes, even a Webb School substitute teacher, I’m not gonna lie. I was shook. I’ve come to rely on facial cues and body language to engage students. Even at work, in presentations and new business pitches, a buffered, pixelated person is better than no face at all. The most engaging presentations are dialogues not monologues. Word-of-mouth is still the single best form of communications, implying that you need to see people’s faces and speak one-on-one, even to a crowd. That’s something else about the pandemic that’s been weird. Even in real life, people are masked. I didn’t realize how important seeing mouths forming words and smiling or not smiling is to communications. It’s mission critical. Nevertheless, as I was speaking to the intrepid Webb students and extended community, thoughtful questions trickled in via Zoom Chat. We engaged digitally, in real time. I ended up giving away autographed copies of my books as door prizes. Snail mailed ’em, old school. There were follow-up emails and even a phone call with an actual person. She had watched my presentation and had lots of excellent questions
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“Connection happens one person at a time. Despite technology – or perhaps, because of it – personal relationships are more vital now than ever before. This recent batch of Webb graduates will be better prepared for life for having gone through these unprecedented and unforeseen circumstances. They’ve learned to bend like trees in the wind and find new ways to grow toward the light.” about her path forward. As always, I came away more inspired by her journey than she could possibly have been by mine. And I was reminded of something a fellow author once told me: The people who need to read your books will find them. I think that’s a metaphor for life, because we can’t worry about reaching everyone. Connection happens one person at a time. Despite technology – or perhaps, because of it – personal relationships are more vital now than ever before. This recent batch of Webb graduates will be better prepared for life for having gone through these unprecedented and unforeseen circumstances. They’ve learned to bend like trees in the wind and find new ways to grow toward the light. Steve Jobs famously said, “Stay foolish. Stay hungry.” I’ll add, stay open-minded and eager. Be willing to compromise and adapt. Never stop learning. Be real and always speak your truth, regardless of the medium. That’s what I took from my time at Webb and what I try to apply every day in my personal and professional life. I hope that’s what I conveyed during the digital SGA talk. W – Laura Mansfield, APR Class of 1980
Community and engagement remain at the center of Webb’s robotics program as it expands its focus, increases outreach efforts, forges new alumni networks, and overcomes the challenges of a global pandemic – all in a new, comprehensive facility.
KEEPING TO THE CODE by Jenifer Lawrie
Upper School science teacher & FIRST Robotics Competition Team 1466 advisor/mentor
Webb School’s robotics program, founded in 2003 by former Upper School math teacher “Brotha” Dave Pierce, has seen steady growth since its inception. In its inaugural 20032004 season, the Upper School’s FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition (FRC) Team 1466 made its début at the Peachtree Regional in Duluth, Georgia. The team’s robot was literally a tank, sporting hand-made tank treads and topped
with a toy Tasmanian Devil. And while the rookie team members made a great run to the Peachtree playoffs, it’s their legacy as the original members of what is now the oldest continuous FRC team in East Tennessee and the second oldest program in the state that’s most salient. Team 1466 has witnessed many changes over its 17-year history, but its commitment to technical innovation, student leadership and community involvement has remained at the heart of the program.
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ONE SCHOOL, ONE TEAM Under Dave Pierce’s leadership as the founding faculty sponsor, the FRC program in the Upper School thrived. After the program’s first 10 years, it become clear, however, that FIRST’s core values of discovery, innovation, impact, inclusion, teamwork, and fun had a place in the Lower and Middle Schools as well. In 2013, a FIRST LEGO League (FLL) team launched at the Middle School level with Middle School science teacher Miller Callaway at the helm. Then in fall 2014, Upper School science teacher Jenifer Lawrie took the reins for the FRC squad following Pierce’s retirement. A FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) team was added for upper Middle School grades the following year. Today, Webb boasts two FLL teams serving third through seventh grades, one FTC team serving grades six through 10, and our FRC team continues to include students in grades seven through 12. While competing in separate divisions under the FIRST competitive umbrella, our students’ approach to the program is one team with one mission statement and community goals. The older students mentor younger participants, and younger members teach their older peers new skills as well. The teams also share service projects and volunteer opportunities. In August 2020, that philosophy of one school, one team took another leap forward when all three robotics programs moved to a common workspace in the Middle School’s new Innovation Center. The Center’s design and construction over the past two years – part of the school’s Reimagining Extraordinary campaign – was exciting and engaging for our robotics program and students. Our Upper School team was actively involved in the early layout of the new space, communicating with architects about the team’s workshop needs. Middle School science classes worked on a design thinking challenge,
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Right:
Webb’s 2004 FRC Team 1466.
Below:
Webb robotics program founder “Brotha” Dave Pierce works with a Team 1466 member in 2009.
playing the role of architects to create their own lab space via computeraided design (CAD). The Lower School FLL teams interviewed several representatives from the firm responsible for creating our amazing new center. They also enthusiastically chatted with building designers about the choices and challenges that came up during project development, and had the chance to share ideas for an outdoor playground as part of their FLL Innovation Challenge for the 2019-2020 season. These days, the Innovation Center is buzzing with activity every day after school as 90-plus Lower, Middle and Upper School students and their faculty mentors meet in small groups to work on robotics projects. This fall semester, our FLL members tackled programming skills and the of use color sensors, gyroscopes, ultrasonic sensors, touch sensors, and rotary encoders to guide their robots through an array of maze challenges. The FTC team is designing a launching
mechanism for its robot, set to take the field in a virtual competition in April 2021. The FRC Team 1466 is gearing up for its 18th season with both remote and in-person training sessions. All of this activity includes so much more than the expected cutting metal and writing code. Students also explore graphic design and multimedia projects, produce detailed business plans, develop educational materials, lead community service projects, and support creative STEM activities to engage their classmates and community. With the Innovation Center’s Robotics Hall, new collaborations and creative solutions emerge as students prepare to solve real-world problems through their robotics experience and beyond.
ALUMNI CONNECTIONS Since its founding, Team 1466 has competed at numerous regional events and helped support the formation of new teams at a number of local high schools. In 2005, the team won its first regional competition – the Palmetto Regional in Columbia, South Carolina – bringing home a blue banner and a FIRST World Championship berth. Since then, the team has qualified for three more world championship appearances, most recently in 2018. In addition, Team 1466 has garnered several regional technical honors and both students and mentors have been recognized with individual
awards, including two Dean’s List Finalists – Ishi Keenum ’12 and Rachel Anderson ’18 – and two Regional Woodie Flowers Finalists – Sam Bacon ’08 and Jenifer Lawrie. Over its 17-year history, the FRC team has developed a notable alumni network and has attracted a number of professional mentors to provide guidance and technical support. It has also developed a lengthy list of sponsors and collaborators, including Baird & Wilson Sheetmetal, TVA, KUB, Y-12 CNS, Bobcat of Knoxville, the Knoxville chapter of the Tennessee Society of Professional Engineers, University of Tennessee, the United States Air Force, Boeing, and NASA, just to name a few. In the fall of 2018, the team produced a retrospective video highlighting the program’s past 15 years. This undertaking turned out to be the seed of inspiration for a
larger alumni survey project and later an alumni spotlight video (view video below). In reviewing photos and video footage from Team 1466’s previous FIRST robotics seasons, students identified an enormous alumni base. An idea began to percolate to create a survey to find out what our FIRST alumni were up to and what their memories, experiences and perspectives were, looking back on their time in FIRST. The project’s goal was to connect with the past in an effort to guide and plan for the future. The team members sought to check in with as many alumni as possible for the survey. With the help of Webb’s Alumni Association, a list of past team members was compiled using old yearbooks, news articles and the
Above:
(L TO R) Ishi Keenum ’12, Alex Tilson ’10, Sam Bacon ’08, and Nick Gigliotti ’10 at the FIRST World Championships in 2010.
memories of current team mentors. In all, students put together a list of over 120 alumni names along with email addresses wherever possible. The survey was sent out to the Spartan robotics alumni in the fall of 2019, and responses started rolling in immediately. Furthermore, in addition to the data gathered from the digital survey, nearly two-dozen FIRST alumni volunteered to engage in interviews with current students via phone, video conference or in person. According to the digital survey, FRC team members from 2004 through 2019 noted that student leadership and autonomy were the two aspects of the robotics program they valued most, and 100 percent of those who responded indicated that student team members were empowered to make important decisions. Access to exceptional and caring technical mentors, opportunities for internships and community involvement, and a sense of community and belonging were also among the most memorable experiences for the survey respondents.
Student leadership and autonomy were the two aspects of the robotics program they valued most. One-hundred percent indicated that student team members were empowered to make important decisions.
Left:
(L TO R) Luke Bullen ’20 and Evan Chow ’20 at the 2019 FIRST Great Smoky Mountain Regional in Knoxville.
Access to exceptional and caring technical mentors, opportunities for internships and community involvement, and a sense of community and belonging were also among the most memorable experiences for the survey respondents.
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FALL/WINTER 2020 25
The data also showed that 50 percent of FRC 1466 alumni felt robotics helped them “considerably” in developing teamwork and problem-solving skills. Ninety percent of respondents indicated they were able to establish a good relationship with their team mentors and 90 percent noted that they felt a sense of belonging on the squad. Current team members were delighted and intrigued by the conversations they had with our robotics alumni, representing the classes of 2005 through 2019. They heard stories about the late nights working on a robot before the shipping deadline, the highs and lows of robotics competitions, the camaraderie and friendships formed, and the uniqueness of the FRC experience in teaching students to think like engineers alongside their mentors in a highpressure environment. Alumni also described the value in trying new things in the robotics lab, the critical importance of collaboration and communication skills developed from seasons of resolving disagreements in the lab or on the competition field, and the need to establish a diverse and diversely talented team. These perspectives helped the students focus their efforts on empowering student leaders, building a sense of community within the team, and engaging a broader swath of the Webb student body to participate in robotics.
WEATHERING THE STORM The 2019-2020 year for Webb’s robotics program was full of excitement and challenges. Our FLL students competed at the Tennessee Valley Fair, the Marble City regional qualifier and the Secret City Invitational, and brought home high marks for their robot design and programming. The FTC team took part in both the Alabama and Tennessee state championships and earned a Judge’s Award from the Alabama event – the team’s first-ever award.
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Left:
Webb’s FRC Team 1466 hosted a "robot reveal" gathering in March 2020 for robotics team families, and presented their completed robot for the season's challenge.
Below:
Webb's FLL team members compete at the 2019 FIRST Marble City regional qualifier in Knoxville.
Webb’s FRC team built a sturdy and thoroughly tested robot for the 2020 competitions slated for late March and early April. The team had high hopes for the season, with a significant increase in student membership and participation. New technical skills were being explored, such as making carbon fiber components in-house and improving upon the robot’s visionprocessing programming. Then, just under two weeks before the Webb team’s robot was to take the field for the first time, FIRST, like much of the world, was brought to a halt by the COVID-19 pandemic. In-person robotics contests were indefinitely suspended. This was a devastating moment for our team members, but they were prepared to recalibrate expectations. The FIRST Robotics experience has always been about more than simply a robot. Although Webb’s FRC team was faced with an uncertain future in the spring of 2020, it was able to fall back on the program’s primary goals – to engage with the community on STEM issues, empower student leaders and innovators, and excel both on and off the field of competition. During the spring and summer months of stay-at-home protocols, robotics students across all three divisions found ways to learn, share, collaborate, and serve. The FLL team
continued to meet virtually from March until August. Students completed coding, CAD and teamwork challenges devised by the FRC team. The FTC and FRC members also held virtual meetings throughout the spring and summer months. They enjoyed student-run technical workshops and heard from several guest speakers, including Webb alumnus Matthew Krane ’82, who talked about materials engineering and his research in heat transfer as a professor at Purdue University. Longtime team mentor Sam Bacon ’08 taught students how to use machine learning algorithms to program autonomous robots, and Spencer Williams ’18 discussed how his experiences in high school robotics helped prepare him for his current university research on evaluating treatment methods for hip dysplasia.
Left & Below:
With Webb's FLL, FTC and FRC teams now all housed in the Robotics Hall of Webb's new Middle School Innovation Center, there are greater opportunities for students to collaborate, mentor and participate in robotics service and community outreach projects across all three divisions.
The program’s commitment to engaging with the greater Knoxville community was also unwavering. Over the summer, team members 3-D-printed well over 1,000 NIH-approved “ear-saver” clips for distribution at local medical facilities and the Webb campus, and the Middle School robotics team continues to 3-D-print face shields. The FRC team adapted the design for a no-touch handsanitizer dispenser and shared detailed build instructions with schools and community centers across the region. Members also volunteered at one of the few camp programs open early in the summer to provide robot-themed activities for elementary-age campers. Team 1466’s unprecedented spring was capped off with two major FIRST awards presented in early May. While award winners included those teams that did participate in on-site competitions early in the season, FIRST also opted to
judge awards based on interviews and submitted documentation from the some-4,000 teams that were to compete in the 150-plus suspended events. Webb’s FRC members won the 2020 Smoky Mountain Regional Chairman’s Award – the team’s firstever Chairman’s Award – and the Woodie Flowers Award (see related story on page 10). Team 1466 recognized this amazing if unusual end to the season with a virtual celebration that included teachers and mentors via Google Meet. This prestigious recognition is without a doubt a testimony to the incredible efforts of our current students, 130-plus alumni, current and former mentors, and teachers who have been a part of the program since its inception.
STAYING SPARTAN STRONG This year, Webb’s FRC team is focused on continuing its efforts toward engaging the community in new ways. Chapel videos, song parodies, robotics demo days for Lower and Middle School classes, gingerbread house engineering competitions, art and design contests for the Upper School, and Career Talk guest speakers are just some of the avenues our students are using to connect with the broader school community. Students continue to learn from our robotics alumni via the survey and are building a broader network of both technical and non-technical mentors for the greater Knoxville FIRST community. While there is much uncertainty in the world at this moment, our robotics program has set its course and is sticking with it. Community and connections are at its core. The bonds forged have remained strong as programming has expanded into each division on campus, as students and mentors have come and gone, and as the global pandemic compelled members to work together while physically apart. And now, with a workspace that has evolved from an old warehouse on the UT campus to a stateof-the-art facility that is representative of our one school, one team philosophy, Webb School robotics will endure and flourish for years to come whatever the future may hold. W
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2019 COMMENCEMENT R E C A P
VALEDICTORIAN
Shiva Senthilkumar SALUTATORIAN
Anna Bryn Williams MARGARET & LEONHARD SCHEUERMANN TROPHY RECIPIENT
Anna Bryn Williams DR. S.J. CHAPMAN MEMORIAL AWARD RECIPIENT
Jonathan Oates ROBERT WEBB SERVICE AWARD RECIPIENT
George M. Krisle III ’62
436 offers of admission to 159 different colleges and universities
$16+ million in scholarship offers/ merit awards
17 legacy graduates 27 “Ever Green” grads (entered Webb as kindergartners) 4 National Merit Finalists 4 National Merit Commended Students 19+ state championships across nine sports
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2020 COMMENCEMENT R E C A P
VALEDICTORIAN
Sidney Vafaie-Partin SALUTATORIAN
Meryl Ye MARGARET & LEONHARD SCHEUERMANN TROPHY RECIPIENT
Meryl Ye DR. S.J. CHAPMAN MEMORIAL AWARD RECIPIENT
Lucas Farr ROBERT WEBB SERVICE AWARD RECIPIENT
Deb Kile Hotchkiss ’66
380 offers of admission to 148 different colleges and universities
$8+ million in scholarship offers/ merit awards
11 legacy graduates 31 “Ever Green” grads (entered Webb as kindergartners) 2 National Merit Finalists 2 National Merit Commended Students Over 16% of the class, representing 11 different sports, are continuing their athletic careers in college Alumni Bulletin
FALL/WINTER 2020 29
FACULT Y FOCUS
Phillips appointed Middle School Head
Fields receives state Latin teaching award Webb Upper School Latin teacher, Jenny Fields, was presented with the 2019 Tennessee Classical Association Distinguished Latin Teaching Award. The Tennessee Classical Association (TCA) annually recognizes a K-12 Latin teacher for his/her effort and dedication with the purpose of fostering excellence in the teaching of Latin and to focus attention on those who have achieved it. Criteria for the award include: evidence of his/her students' superior performance in Latin; involvement with his/her school’s language club; participation in language contests; students continuing with Latin in college; successful program development and maintenance; professional service; and other data, including innovative methodology, faculty leadership and recognition beyond the individual school. Fields teaches all Upper School levels of Latin at Webb – from Level II through AP – and under her tutelage, an average of 65 percent of her students have been recognized on the National Latin Exam in the past two years. Her students have also received numerous group and individual awards at the Tennessee Junior Classical League (TJCL) State Convention, and for the past several years, have won the Knoxville Latinfest. State co-chair of the TJCL from 2011 through 2017, Fields has sponsored Webb’s Upper and Middle School Latin Clubs and the Upper School Greek Club. She has also coached Webb’s Scholars’ Bowl team. Read more HERE. W 30 Webb School
development and conference planning committees. She also participated on both the NJAIS and Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) accreditation teams. Phillips was a founding member of the Independent School Data Exchange’s task force that developed, along with research scientists at the Educational Testing Service (ETS), the Mission Skills Assessment, a noncognitive skills test used both nationally and internationally. She has been instrumental in the training and adoption of project-based learning methodologies and design thinking frameworks, and has written and presented extensively on the development and assessment of noncognitive skills, as well as school innovation and leadership. Phillips completed a Bachelor of Arts degree from Smith College, and later her master’s degree in teaching from Brown University. She began her career in education as a middle and high school teacher at Cheshire Academy, a boarding school in Cheshire, Connecticut. W
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In your words . . . Looking back on the Spartan careers of (top to bottom) John Tatgenhorst (“Mr. T.”), Clark Wormsley and Tommie Sue Kiggans – all who announced their retirement at the end of May 2020 – as well as Deborah (Gross) Welsch, who retired in December 2020, it’s hard to put into words how each of these individuals impacted the Webb community and how each touched the lives of so many students, colleagues and others over the years. Still, we’re going to try, but we need your help. We invite you to share your memories of and tributes, best wishes, and even advice for retirement for these four amazing retirees, who together represent 117 years of service to Webb School! Please fill out the form linked below. We will compile and share your words with John, Clark, Tommie Sue, and Deborah, and their families, and will highlight them in the next edition of our Alumni Bulletin. Thank you!
CLICK HERE
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This past summer, Webb School was pleased to welcome Jennifer Phillips as the new Middle School Head. A seasoned educator and administrator with a passion for middle school programs, Philips has served in numerous leadership roles, including middle school teacher and advisor, division director, curriculum director, and strategic planning committee chair. Before coming to Webb, Phillips was Director of Teaching and Learning at Far Hills Country Day School in Far Hills, New Jersey. Her responsibilities included oversight of curriculum and program initiatives, faculty recruitment and hiring, and professional development. An active member of the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools (NJAIS), Phillips worked on NJAIS’ professional
CL A SS NOTES
THE FOLLOWING CLASS NOTES WERE SENT VIA EMAIL, SNAIL MAIL, POSTED TO OUR ALUMNI FACEBOOK SITE, OR FEATURED IN THE MEDIA THROUGH NOVEMBER 25, 2020. IF YOU HAVE NOT YET JOINED OUR WEBB SCHOOL OF KNOXVILLE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION FACEBOOK GROUP, PLEASE VISIT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/WEBBALUMNI/.
’60s Webb Class of 1961 Valedictorian, Thomas Chesney, a pathologist in Germantown, Tennessee, was honored with a lifetime achievement award at the Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis annual medical staff meeting. Dr. John Diddle ’67 retired after 43 years of building an outstanding orthodontic practice in the Knoxville area. According to Diddle, it wasn’t just a job, it was his passion. He loved his patients, staff and all the people he met throughout the years. (below) John Diddle with his grandkids Bennie Diddle ’29 and Murphy Diddle ’26.
Flossie McNabb ’69, founder of Union Ave Books in downtown Knoxville, started offering a concierge service in 2020. Books can now be picked up curbside, delivered within five miles or shipped for $1.99. The recent concierge service is one of a handful of ways Union Ave Books has continued to serve customers during the coronavirus pandemic.
’70s The Knoxville News Sentinel reported in June 2020 that former Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam ’76 would join the Wilson Center, a Smithsonian Institution think tank that conducts independent research and brings together experts and scholars to shape policy decisions. A month earlier, Haslam and his wife, Crissy, announced that the Bill and Crissy Haslam Foundation was launching in partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs a statewide tutoring program – Tennessee Tutoring Corps – to help grade school students at risk of falling behind following the closure of schools during the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, in the fall of 2019, Vanderbilt University reported that Haslam would join its faculty as a distinguished visiting professor in its political science department. Jack Neely ’76 released a new book in August 2020, titled Historic Bearden: The 200-Year Story of Knoxville’s Fourth Creek Valley. Neely’s latest book, edited by Paul James, includes historical information about, for example, East Tennessee's first mental institution; Knoxville’s first airport; tavern-era roadhouses that later became busy motels; one of America's most prolific rose farms; the beginning of Knoxville’s cable-TV industry; latenight jazz-age clubs; the city’s
first drive-in movie theater; a lost "Memorial Highway;" and an enduring community of African-Americans, a few of whom farmed their own land in the area even before the Civil War. Click HERE for more information. David Beauchamp ’77 has been the proud owner of Leland Veterinary Hospital since 1991. Dr. Beauchamp says he wanted to be a veterinarian since he was nine years old. A graduate of NC State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in zoology and later a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Beauchamp has served as president of the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association and chairman of the American Veterinary Medical Association Judicial Council. Robert E. Hill Jr. ’79 is the retired CEO of Acosta, Inc., and a Webb School Board of Trustees member. A longtime sales and marketing professional who served Acosta in a variety of key capacities, Hill quickly gained a reputation for achieving outstanding results given his indepth knowledge of the industry, strategic sales execution excellence and strong client relationships. He was previously president of Siler Brokerage, a family business started by his grandfather in 1927, which was later acquired by Acosta in 1994. Hill went on to become Acosta’s president and CEO, and led the company in meeting its sales and marketing objectives for more than 500 consumer packaged goods companies across North America and the acquisition and integration of 50 sales and marketing agencies. In 2016, he was appointed vice chairman of Acosta, leading an associate base of 30,000 until his retirement in 2018.
’80s Laura Mansfield ’80 published her first novel, The Narcissist’s Wife. The book is about a woman’s life with a confrontational and abusive husband and her attempts to get out of the relationship. Also the author of Geezer Stories: The Care and Feeding of Old People, Mansfield is a longtime, accomplished practitioner in the field of public relations. She serves as Public Relations Director at The Tombras Group in downtown Knoxville. See related story on page 22. Alan Schmadtke ’80, who also goes by the pen name David Ryan, won the Gold Award for Thriller in the 2019 Royal Palm Literary Awards for his book Dead Odds. His years as a journalist gave him behindthe-scenes knowledge of sports and police work. Derek Kirk ’81 is the founder of The Restaurant Nerd and soulPhoodie, an online community that celebrates Black food and beverage culture. The brand highlights the stories and showcases the talents of creators excelling and innovating in the world of food and beverage. Learn more HERE. In a recent interview with Billboard, Country Music Association (CMA) CEO Sarah Trahern ’82 talked about CMA’s decision to provide $1 million to MusiCares. “COVID-19 changed how we look at serving the entire country music industry,” she said. “We’re usually more focused on the celebrities. But I think, frankly,
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CL A SS NOTES
the COVID situation forced us to reach out and ask people how we can serve them as an organization. Should we be giving grants to people, other than what we do through music education? We realized that’s not our core expertise. So, we made the decision to give $1 million to MusiCares to help our music community. We asked how we can do a workshop on mental health and make sure we’re reaching out not just to people who are CMA members, but also people in our community who might not be.” Jonathan Burdette ’85 says to eat your beets! Dr. Burdette is a neuroradiologist and researcher at Wake Forest School of Medicine. He uses advanced magnetic resonance imaging techniques to study the brain as a complex and interconnected network. Recently, he and his team designed a clinical trial to investigate whether beetroot juice in combination with an exercise regimen could enhance neuroplasticity and improve brain function. View Burdette's 2018 TEDx Talk HERE. Christopher Lorton ’85 recently shared an overview of his work on a video call with Webb classmate and Director of Development, Hugh Nystrom. Lorton has been heavily involved with the COVID-19 pandemic, serving as the principal software engineer for the Institute of Disease Modeling (IDM), part of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The IDM’s mission is to support global efforts to eradicate infectious diseases and achieve permanent improvements in health by developing, using and sharing computational modeling tools and promoting quantitative decisionmaking. Lorton and the IDM began work on COVID-19 in the early days of the pandemic, and their research in disease modeling continues.
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Frank Majors ’86 (right) returned to the Webb campus to speak with students in the Upper School’s Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Design Thinking class. Majors and Spartan classmate Greg Hagood cofounded Nephila Capital, where Majors serves as co-CEO and co-director. He shared his career journey and offered his perspectives about entrepreneurship and its core components and skill sets.
’90s Jay Livingston ’90 is the first-ever CMO of Shake Shack, a modern-day “roadside” burger stand that started in Madison Square Park in New York City. Livingston oversees all the marketing and digital experience for the company. He is also an active angel investor in New York City and is a founding member of Unite America. See related story on page 18.
(above) Webb Director of Development, Hugh Nystrom ’85, traveled to New York City for a Spartan alumni event and had the chance to visit with Jay Livingston ’90 (left) at Shake Shack's innovation kitchen in its world headquarters.
Dana Goolsby Jones ’91 is the Director of Enterprise (Brand) Management at the Walt Disney Company. With over 20 years of experience working for Disney, she leads and manages the global Mickey Mouse & Friends brand. Kareem Abdel Aziz ’92 is a founding member of International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) Global Fintech Group. Arguably the most experienced and accomplished fintech investors in emerging markets, IFC has invested in over 50 companies and more than four dedicated fintech funds. Aziz is the Global Head for Digital Payments Investments for IFC and also leads IFC's fintech investments in the Middle East, including Pakistan and Turkey. He holds an MBA from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science degree from Rutgers University, and is currently based in Washington, D.C. Tyler Congleton ’92 leads development and sales of private ownership at Blackberry Farm and Blackberry Mountain. He also serves as principal broker of Blackberry Farm Real Estate, LLC. In addition, Congleton is an original/current investor in Turkey Creek Land Partners, a 350-acre mixed use commercial development in Knoxville.
Knoxville Bar Association (KBA) President Hanson R. Tipton ’92 and Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sharon G. Lee ’71 hosted a Law Day virtual town hall (below) for the KBA to discuss recent developments in the Tennessee courts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Law Day, held each year on May 1, is a national holiday established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1958 to celebrate the role of law in our society and to cultivate a deeper understanding of the legal profession. The KBA traditionally holds a Law Day luncheon, and its theme this year was The 19th Amendment at 100, honoring the 100th anniversary of the amendment that granted women the right to vote. In light of the pandemic, the luncheon was postponed, and a virtual town hall was provided via Zoom to let members know about recent developments and measures taken by the state Supreme Court to allow the courts to continue operating during the pandemic. Crawford Wagner ’92 is CFO for Jewelry Television® (JTV), where he oversees the company’s finance, accounting, international supply chain, and consumer protection, including JTV’s consumer receivables program. His financial responsibilities include financial planning and analysis, treasury and tax. James Choo ’95 says he was honored to be asked to give a TEDx Talk at the University of Tennessee in 2019. Dr. Choo’s talk, titled My Journey to Understand Pain, Opioids and Trauma in My Community, can be viewed HERE.
Brock Bosson ’99 is a member of Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP's Corporate Governance & Investigations and Litigation Practice groups. He also serves as co-chair of the firm’s pro bono committee. He is an advisor to global companies and their officers, directors and board committees in over 40 countries, focusing on internal investigations, compliance counseling, white-collar defense, and securities litigation. He regularly represents clients before government agencies in criminal and regulatory investigations and enforcement actions related to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, securities fraud, financial integrity, trade sanctions, anti-money laundering, and corporate social responsibility matters. Bosson also has extensive experience conducting internal investigations and assisting both multinational companies and governmental agencies in assessing and enhancing their regulatory compliance programs. Previously, Bosson investigated and prosecuted a range of criminal matters while serving as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney and military prosecutor in the United States Army. He also served as a legal advisor for combat operations and contingency planning, and was frequently the U.S. government’s primary representative, negotiator or compliance inspector on matters of international law at events throughout the Middle East. Marshall Goldman ’99 is the founder of Goldman Bagels, which officially opened its doors in November 2020 . . . its car doors, that is. Goldman makes the bagels in Greenback, Tennessee, and delivers them to his customers at the parking lot of Toddy’s Back Door Tavern in Knoxville. He makes the drop-offs between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. to be able to get to his day job at University of Tennessee’s Athletic Department. Read the story at KnoxTNToday.com.
’00s Lisa Conley Bengston ’00 (below right, with Webb Lower School librarian Kristie Atwood ’80, left) is an educational services representative with Usborne Books & More. She returned to the Webb campus last year to help spearhead Webb’s Lower School “Fantasy of Books” book fair to benefit East Tennessee Children’s Hospital (ETCH). Proceeds and donations from the event, sponsored by Usborne Books & More, totaled over $3,200 worth of books to be donated to ETCH.
Brad Smith ’01 (below), a Nashville-based entrepreneur and former Rhodes Scholar, was named a top health care official in President Donald Trump’s administration. In January 2020, Smith took over as the Director of the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation and Senior Advisor to Secretary Azar for value-based care transformation. Previously, Smith served as the COO of Anthem’s Diversified Business Group and was co-founder and CEO of Aspire Health.
(l to r) Matt Lane, CEO of StreamLine Brands, Davis Tarwater ’02 and Brittany Tarwater cut the ribbon to officially open SafeSplash Swim School in spring 2020. (photo by Rachel Kinney, posted at knoxnews.com).
Olympic gold medalist Davis Tarwater ’02 is CEO of Southeastern Swim Schools, and opened SafeSplash swim school in Knoxville in spring 2020. He put his swimming expertise into the new swim school to teach kids a love for the water. Tarwater told knoxnews.com, “We start lessons at six months to teach them how to self-rescue and to develop a love for the water. We teach all the way up to adults.” The facility houses an in-ground, 20-yard warm water teaching pool and two endless pools, which create a current the student can swim against. Tarwater was also named to the Knox.biz 40 Under 40 class of 2020. Meghan O’Brien Jackson ’03 graduated from Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky, with a nursing degree before following in her father’s footsteps and taking a direct commission into the United States Air Force. Her tenure as a captain in the USAF Nurse Corps took her to Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan in 2013. She said it was hard to find the right words to describe her time in a war zone, but noted, “I am very thankful for that opportunity.” Her six-and-a-half years in the Air Force took her from San Antonio, Texas to Afghanistan to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. After her honorable
discharge in 2017, she came back to Knoxville and threw herself into completing both her MSN and MBA degrees by May 2020 through the University of Texas at Tyler. “I’m very fortunate I had the GI Bill help with that,” she said. While working on her MBA, Jackson found that she really enjoyed the nitty-gritty of running a business, which led to her investing in the already established Bio Plumbing and reorganizing it as an LLC with her now business and life partner, Jonathan Jackson. Lauren Fox Pettit ’03 (right) started Fox Events seven years ago after working in the event planning industry. She built the business from the ground up and now has a full staff and production team. Fox Events travels all over the Southeast producing high-end weddings and corporate events. Pettit says it’s been a dream come true for her, and that she's looking forward to continuing to expand her business worldwide. Brooke Ranney ’03 is the owner of Western River Outfitters LLC & Centennial Canoe Outfitters in Palisade, Colorado. She was featured in America Outdoors; read more HERE.
Alumni Bulletin
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Nicholas Panella ’04 is an otolaryngologist head and neck surgeon. Affiliated with Parkwest Medical Center and Fort Loudon Medical Center, Panella’s practice includes, but is not limited to, surgical management of head and neck cancer; transoral surgery for oropharyngeal cancer; maxillofacial trauma; thyroid and parathyroid surgery; office-based management of nasal obstruction and sinus disorders; sialendoscopy; and allergy therapy, including sublingual immunotherapy. Lex Hultquist ’05 is founder and CEO of HQdigital, which provides web design, website development and online marketing services to clients in Northwest Ohio, Southeast Michigan and beyond. Headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, HQdigital is built to accommodate the digital marketing needs of small to medium-sized businesses in search of a digital resource that is both professional and affordable. Hultquist and his wife, Meghan, who serves as president of HQdigital, provide lead generation, customer acquisition, technology implementation, and consulting services. HQdigital’s clients include Carmike Cinemas, LiquidSpace, Assurance Software, A Cloud Guru, Proudfoot, Telesystem, LSI Industries, OpsRamp, Grant Street Consultants, and Texas Academy of Palliative Medicine. Matthew Cross ’06 is founding partner and CEO of OE Experiences, a consulting and development company focused on engaging experientially driven business models. OE Experiences was recently retained by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to develop a 200-acre, mixed-use site located between Knoxville and Asheville, North Carolina, which will allow tourists and shoppers access to dining options, unique shopping experiences and entertainment attractions. Learn more HERE. 34 Webb School
Ashleigh Walker Ford ’06 is the product manager at ORCA Coolers, LLC, founded by her father in 2012. She is responsible for developing the ORCA brand, including all new product development, design oversight, product pricing, product placement, and product marketing and promotion. Eli Robinson ’06 has started a new charitable initiative – Trivia For A Cause. What began as a quarantine pastime has turned into an amazing force for good. Since March 2020, Trivia For A Cause has raised more than $35,000 for various charities as part of its mission to do good and have fun. Elizabeth Blakeley Hall ’07 joined the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in June 2020 as its new emergency manager. She is responsible for coordinating emergency medical responses and search-and-rescue operations alongside local agencies and organizations. In addition, she provides safety information to hikers, as well as other safety measures. Previously, Hall served in the emergency services office and with law enforcement at Yellowstone National Park. She was also a backcountry ranger at Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Alaska. Anjali Bisaria ’08, a Stanford University School of Medicine graduate, was scheduled to defend her thesis when the Bay Area’s shelter-in-place order went into effect this past spring. Still, she was not going to let the global pandemic get in her way. Instead of delaying the presentation on her research about cell migration, Bisaria (right) delivered her thesis in front of a virtual audience of about 60 people.
Glory Johnson ’08 signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Dream in February 2020. She is the recipient of multiple WNBA awards, including All-Star (2013, 2014), AllDefensive Second Team (2013) and All-Rookie Team (2012) honors. Johnson has scored more than 200 points in her seven-season pro basketball career, including a careerhigh 35 3-pointers in 2019.
Georgia Vogel ’08 (above) opened Honeymouth boutique in September 2020. The retail shop, located in the Old City in Knoxville, features artistmade leather goods, clothing and accessories designed and made by Vogel. (Photo featured at Inside of Knoxville.) Eliza Dawson '09 is Associate Channel Marketing Manager for Skullcandy Inc., where she is responsible for omni-channel, go-tomarket strategies across key retail accounts with Best Buy and Target, while supporting Walmart, Amazon, CE, and Sam’s Club.
Neel Madhukar ’09 is CEO and co-founder of OneThree Biotech, which uses biology-driven Artificial Intelligence (AI) to accurately predict new potential therapeutics and to5 pinpoint the underlying biological mechanisms driving drug efficacy. Madhukar earned his Ph.D. from the Weill Cornell Medical College, where his research focused on designing new machine learning approaches that are better suited for biological 6 problems. While at Cornell, he authored numerous scientific publications in the fields of machine learning, pharmacology and precision medicine. His work has led to the development of new AI prediction methods, the discovery of a novel class of cancer therapeutics 7 and the start of new clinical trials. Madhukar went on to complete his postdoctoral studies at Cornell Tech’s Runway Postdoc program, where he developed OneThree Biotech. An awardee of the PhRMA Foundation informatics fellowship, he was named one of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 leaders in healthcare and was listed as one of the top 100 AI Leaders in Drug Discovery and Advanced Healthcare. Click HERE to view a Podcast featuring Madhukar. Ashtain Rothchild ’09 is a 8 personal trainer for Mirror, an interactive reflective screen that turns any room into a private gym. Mirror offers thousands of classes so that clients can exercise in the comfort of their homes without sacrificing a lot of space.
’10s Luke Letsinger ’10 graduated from the University of Tennessee9 with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering. Melding his passion for engineering with a love of the off-road world, he is a test engineer with Yamaha’s Terrain Vehicles Product Development group, where he leads testing activities for prototype side-by-sides.
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Donovan Whiteside ’10 is a student at the University of Tennessee College of Law with a goal to enter the public policy and advocacy space to affect largescale changes in educational law. Previously, he was constituent services coordinator with Sen. Lamar Alexander’s Washington, D.C., office. He also served as a personal aide with Randy Boyd’s gubernatorial campaign and as an executive assistant with U.S. Representative Tim Burchett’s D.C. office. Active in service-leadership, Whiteside is a tnAchieves mentor at West High School and a member of the downtown Knoxville Rotary Club, Congressional Black Associates and the Heritage Foundation. He is also on Webb School’s Board of Trustees and the founder of the Knoxville Minority Pachyderm Club (KMPC) whose mission is to grow an active and dependable base of minority voters in Knox County. (above) Hosted by Knoxvillian Trevor Higgins, Whiteside (right) and his brother Troy Whiteside ’15 (left) met with Ken Juster, United States Ambassador to India, in February 2020. Connor Moore ’11 joined the executive team as head of content at Co-Liv, a global nonprofit empowering the worldwide coliving movement. He has visited coliving locations in the United States, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, India, South Korea, and Malaysia, among others, to interview founders and residents about their thoughts on the global industry of coliving. Moore is also founder of Coliving Corner, which documents research in the coliving industry. Moore graduated from Duke University, where he studied public policy and social entrepreneurship. After
working abroad in Australia, New Zealand and Thailand, he joined Venture for America and worked for an image recognition company in business development. He completed his MBA at the Asia School of Business (ASB) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – a collaboration between the MIT Sloan School of Management and the Central Bank of Malaysia. During a summer internship, he received a research grant from ASB to explore the global coliving industry.
developing countries. Currently, Robinette is supporting the Foundation’s efforts as it prepares to award a $500,000 grant for a team of researchers to investigate the relationship between air pollution exposure and COVID-19 severity in low- and middle-income countries. He says he is grateful for this opportunity to advance research that is relevant to the ongoing pandemic while also contributing to the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In May, Robinette completed his Master of Public Policy (MPP) degree at Duke University, where he concentrated in environmental and energy policy.
His master’s project explored the impact of energy access on women’s empowerment in Sub-Saharan Africa and earned the award for Exemplary Master’s Project. He also received the MPP Citizenship Award for service to the university and the community. Yohan John ’13 completed his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at Georgia Tech in 2016 and his master’s in the same field at MIT in 2019. He went on to spend a year as an Edison Engineer working at General Electric’s global research center in upstate New York. At GE, he has been involved in wind turbine and fighter jet engine projects.
Preparing African youth to succeed Zoë Nutt ’11 has released her second album, titled How Does it Feel. Nutt lost a significant amount of her hearing and took a year off from recording while learning to work with a cochlear implant and hearing aid. She used that time to write songs for her album. In an article by American Songwriter, Nutt said, “The way I describe my songs is very storytelling-focused. They are all focused on stories and experiences that either I have had or I have seen other people have, and really just the theme of the outsider looking in; there’s a lot of that in these songs.” Nutt says that music is her passion and has given her the drive to keep fighting through the difficulties that life has thrown at her. Click HERE to learn more about Nutt's inspiring journey. Forrest Robinette ’12 began a new position as senior associate of research at the United Nations Foundation in Washington, D.C. His work includes strengthening the evidence base for the health and climate benefits of energy access in
NANGESIAN WATERS ’14 is a team member with Educate!, a nonprofit that prepares youth in Africa with the skills to succeed in today’s economy. Educate! tackles youth unemployment by partnering with youth, schools and governments to design and deliver solutions that equip young people with the skills to attain further education, overcome gender inequities, start businesses, get jobs, and drive development in their communities. Waters reports that last year, Educate! began developing alternative education and employment pathways for the youth in Africa who don’t have access to secondary school. Now, this work has been recognized by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as a 2020 Goalkeepers Accelerator. After graduating from The George Washington University, Waters worked at DT Global, where she concentrated on USAID development projects in Somalia, Mali and Egypt. She later returned home to Kenya and joined Educate! as a grants and partnerships officer. “What drew me to Educate! was their passion to really prepare African youth with 21st century skills and to change the way schools teach,” Waters notes. “As someone who studied in Kenya, I realize the shortcomings in the education system. Therefore, I was so excited to be part of an organization that really cared about how education contributes to development and invests passionately into the development of African youth.” Waters says that she has always been interested and passionate about education, specifically in Africa, so the opportunity to work with Educate! was perfect for her to learn more about education reform and innovation. “Educate! continues to teach me about innovation and strategy,” she explains. “When schools closed in March in most African countries due to COVID-19, Educate! was able to innovate and transform its model into one that is remotely deliverable and able to reach as many students as W Bulletin possible in Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya.” Alumni FALL/WINTER 2020 35
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Cole Sams ’15 joined KIFI/KIDK-TV of Idaho Falls, Idaho, as a reporter in August 2020. He graduated from East Tennessee State University with a bachelor’s degree in media and communications with a concentration in journalism. Sams previously interned with WJHL in Johnson City, Tennessee, where he worked with the sports department, covering Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. Sophia Winter ’15 is founder of Artizan Studios, a boutique art consultancy that offers a mentorship-based program titled, The Artizan Academy, for the curious and the creative. Its mission is to provide accessible and effective guidance to help artists create sustainable success, no matter how that may be defined. Through concise lectures, intentional coaching and guided growth plans, Artizan Studios helps students cultivate their careers while encouraging their craft. McKenzie Needham ’16 graduated from Wake Forest University with a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry and molecular biology and minors in Spanish and dance. She is an oncology research specialist at Levine Cancer Institute in Charlotte, North Carolina. “As someone who performed bench laboratory research in college, I find it exciting to learn about clinical research and the many behind-thescenes processes that need to take place in order to ensure a clinical trial follows regulations,” Needham 36 Webb School
says. “In this role, the majority of the research I perform is retrospective.” More recently, Needham has been paired with a gastrointestinal medical oncologist to assist with research-related tasks, specifically the study of an alternative dosing regimen of chemotherapy for colorectal cancer patients. She has also had the opportunity to assist with data collection for COVID-19 studies. “While at times this process is tedious,” Needham notes, “I always find it meaningful when I consider the impact the findings will have on medical knowledge in the future.” Carter Anderson ’17 writes for Sidelines Magazine. Her September 2020 article featured Britt Larson, a student-athlete at Sweet Briar College. The article addressed how minority groups are treated within the National Collegiate Equestrian Association and how dignity, respect and opportunity are key to making the equestrian industry more inclusive. Abby Bailey ’17 is in her senior year at University of Georgia as a “double dawg,” which she says means that she will complete both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in under five years. Bailey plans to become a registered dietitian and to pursue a career as a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Registered Dietician (NICU RD) or to work with patients with metabolic conditions such as diabetes, obesity, etc. “I love seeing the people around me happy and have found my role in sharing with them how nutrition and fitness play a part in that,” she writes, adding that with her Instagram, healthybyabs (above), she shares tips and tricks to help people achieve a healthy, happier lifestyle.
Josie O’Gorman ’17 is an advertising major at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. She was named a Remembrance Scholar, one of the highest honors a student at SU can receive. O’Gorman is one of the 35 senior recipients – each awarded a $5,000 Remembrance Scholarship – representing the 35 Syracuse University students who were lost in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland in December 1988. Remembrance Scholars help educate the campus community about terrorism by relating SU's Pan Am Flight 103 experience to more current events. Through education and service, all 270 lost in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, especially the university’s 35 students, are remembered and honored. This past summer, Darby Bauman ’18 worked at Thrive Lonsdale (below), where she was able to use her two greatest passions – education and ministry – to serve the Lonsdale community in Knoxville. As a teaching intern, she prepared and taught reading lessons, Bible studies and other activities for her class of nine eighth graders. In addition, Thrive utilized a discipline system that strove to bring structure to the students’ lives during the summer. “Working at Thrive was an opportunity I cherish, because I gained a lot of experience for my major, middle childhood education, at Ohio State, and ministry experience, as I am a WyldLife leader at a middle school in Columbus,” Bauman writes. “I am so thankful for the ways I got to bridge the gap of summer learning loss and show the kids how loved they are in this season of uncertainty.”
Casey Collier ’19, a point guard at Lipscomb University, is a two-time ASUN Conference Freshman of the Week honoree. She led her Bison team her freshman season with 3.0 assists per game and averaged 10.0 points per game, scoring in doublefigures 14 times. Collier also grabbed 5.0 rebounds per game – secondbest on the team – and was second on her team with 25 steals. She played in all 30 games while starting in 23. Collier was named a Female Athlete of the Year by the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame in 2019. She was also a Knox News Sports Awards Basketball Player of the Year nominee her senior year of high school and is a two-time Miss Basketball Finalist. In 2019, she won the TSSAA Division II-A Miss Basketball Award following an outstanding senior season highlighted by an average of 16.3 points per game with 5 assists, 5 steals and 6 rebounds per game. The three-time All-State player made 42 percent of her shots from the field while connecting on 33 percent of her three-point attempts. Collier was also a 72 percent shooter at the free throw line and led her Lady Spartans in charges taken.
Building connections, making a difference Like many college students this year, SHIVA SENTHILKUMAR'S ’19 summer plans were upended by the COVID-19 pandemic. But he confronted this challenge by using the time to connect with Webb’s alumni network to explore future career paths and to give back. Following the completion of his freshman classes online from Vanderbilt University in spring 2020, Senthilkumar, whose interest is in medicine and science, struggled to find internships after Vanderbilt’s Medical Explorations Program was canceled for the summer. Undeterred, he switched gears and decided to learn more, firsthand, about the different careers in medicine and healthcare. He reached out to Joy Edwards, Coordinator of Development and Alumni Affairs at Webb, who helped put him in touch with numerous members of the Webb School community who are involved in the field of medicine. “I sent out a lot of emails, and I mean A LOT of emails,” Senthilkumar recalls. His efforts paid off and he had the opportunity to shadow several local doctors representing a variety of disciplines, including the following Spartan alumni and alumni parents: n Sally Baerman, audiologist n Brian Bonnyman ’81, family physician n Philip Campbell ’71, ophthalmologist n Lauren Gallian, nurse practitioner specialist n Scott Gallian, family physician n Christopher Hovis ’93, radiologist n David Hovis ’86, 0rthopedist n Michael Madigan ’99, periodontist n Jeffrey Roesch, radiologist
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’20s Mason Patel ’20 was selected to the Alton River Dragons baseball team, a college summer league team and program. Mason, a pitcher and Georgia State University recruit, will join other Alton River Dragons team members to play in the Prospect League this summer, featuring 13 teams in Missouri, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, and West Virginia.
Senthilkumar also talked via phone with Webb alumni Elliot Baerman ’14, Roy Broady ’85, Kevin Brott ’85, Grace Jeon ’82, Connor Jacobs ’16, Tyler Krohn ’99, and Jack Nadaud ’17 about their career stories in medicine, veterinary medicine, engineering, and even business administration, just to name a few. “This was an extremely helpful experience since I was able to determine my major and the career path I think I want to follow,” he remarked, adding that he plans to either major in chemistry or chemical biology with a double in medicine, health and society on a pre-med track. “I'm super thankful I went to Webb,” he noted, “since even during the COVID pandemic, I was able to start with Webb's alumni network and then branch out to Vanderbilt's graduate connections.” Senthilkumar’s summer also included volunteering at local charitable agencies, including the Tennessee Tutoring Corps program, launched by the Bill and Crissy Haslam Foundation in partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs and other youth-serving organizations. Senthilkumar taught second through fourth grade students on reading comprehension, writing and math, and said he truly enjoyed the experience. “It was really nice working there since I genuinely love teaching people, and I think it was a great way to give back to an organization dear to my heart.” W
Shiva Senthilkumar ’19 (right) speaks with Bill Haslam ’76 and Crissy Haslam at the Boys & Girls Club in Knoxville about his participation in the Tennessee Tutoring Corps program.
Share Your News!
Celebrating a new career? Newly married? Announcing an expanding family? Doing cool stuff in college? Met up with Webb classmates/friends? Let us know what you've been up to for the next edition of our Alumni Bulletin. How? Email Joy Edwards, Coordinator of Development and Alumni Affairs, at joy_edwards@webbschool.org. And don't forget to include pictures. Thank you, and we look forward to receiving your Spartan news! Alumni Bulletin FALL/WINTER 2020
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Weddings Elle Brewer ’10 & Bradley Ternes August 8, 2020
Dwight Tarwater ’10 & Charity Johnson
Jeannine Bell ’12 & Trey Blakley ’10 February 22, 2020
August 15, 2020
Callie Fultz ’12 & Chase Carter ’12 July 11, 2020
Drew Wofford ’15 & Breanne Arden Rackley July 11, 2020
Jeanette Carlson ’12 & Sam Brewington November 16, 2019
Births Natalie Bell Copenhaver ’04 & Chad Copenhaver Olivia James Copenhaver
Wes Roach ’07 & Sarah Roach Winston Alexander Roach
Ashton Iris Jessup
December 2, 2020
July 30, 2020
Gibbs Wetherall ’10 & Rachel Wetherall
Madden Hogan Wilson ’10 & Alex Wilson
Shawnee Shuler Hunt ’11 & Brad Hunt
McCoy Smith Wetherall
Heyward “Ward” Alexander Wilson
Caden William Hunt
September 18, 2020
October 27, 2020
April 10, 2019
38 Webb School
Khaki Grayson Jessup ’10 & Elliott Jessup
October 18, 2020
In Memory CLASS OF 1962
Jim Cox passed away March 11, 2020 More information can be found HERE. John Fowler passed away July 28, 2020 More information can be found HERE.
CLASS OF 1966
John Kennedy passed away January 21, 2020
CLASS OF 1969
Charles “Zeke” Zirkle passed away March 9, 2020
CLASS OF 1971
John Temple passed away October 7, 2020
CLASS OF 1977
Laura Chritton Glenn passed away December 3, 2020
CLASS OF 1981 CLASS OF 1987
More information can be found HERE.
More information can be found HERE.
More information can be found HERE.
More information can be found HERE Mark Hahn passed away December 23, 2019 More information can be found HERE. Brent Snodgrass passed away December 22, 2020 More information can be found HERE.
CLASS OF 2002
Amanda Jackson Stoess passed away March 27, 2020
CLASS OF 2006
Jennings Brock passed away October 18, 2019
More information can be found HERE.
More information can be found HERE.
Russell Ries, husband of Susie Webb Ries ’71 and son-in-law of Julie Webb and Webb School founder, Robert Webb, passed away January 5, 2021. More information can be found HERE. Herschel Bailey, former Webb Upper School dean and Middle School science teacher, passed away December 19, 2020. More information can be found HERE. Kathy McMillin, former Webb volleyball coach and Middle School physical education teacher, passed away June 5, 2020.
Alumni Bulletin
FALL/WINTER 2020 39
Empowered to soar! Many Webb alumni remember our Lower School’s Crane Ceremony, a time-honored tradition to celebrate the senior class by giving each Spartan graduate a string of origami cranes as a reminder of the support, love, hope, and community they will always have at Webb School. There is, however, an even deeper significance to these hand-made creations. Depicted in flight, each folded crane is unique; yet each is also connected to others. That is the spirit of the Webb School experience. Students are supported on their individual paths, as well as valued for what they bring to our learning community. Together, we thrive, and in turn, students are empowered to soar! 40 Webb School
Impact Report 2019-2020
Fellow Spartans, My sophomore year Chapel Talk was on breakfast cereal. When Mr. Webb established the Chapel Talk as one of Webb School's most enduring traditions, I don’t think he imagined me discussing the merits of Mr. T cereal vs. Cookie Crisp and Frosted Flakes. The Chapel Talk experience has helped generations of Webb students develop better writing skills, public speaking abilities, confidence, and a stronger connection with their peers as they share thoughts on life and personal experiences. COVID-19 has not put an end to this tradition; however, this year, the talks have been delivered as a live broadcast, screened to each of our high school classrooms and virtual students from our recently opened Upper School Innovation Center. While the times and current environment have changed, Webb is still teaching and strengthening our community spirit with excellence. I recently reread A Splendid Instinct: Robert Webb and the Founding of the Webb School of Knoxville by Jack Neely ’76. I am reminded of the courage that Mr. Webb had when he shared his vision for our school with the Knoxville community. One of his biggest challenges was that he did not have a place for the school. Fortunately, there was a passionate group of volunteers who believed in his vision and wanted to see an independent school in Knoxville that could teach students in, as Mr. Webb said, “extraordinary ways.” In 1957, that small group of supporters raised $236,000 to build the school on its present-day campus. Were it not for their hard work, belief and generous philanthropy, Webb School would not be here today. Ever since that first fundraising campaign, Webb students have greatly benefited from the ongoing support of the Webb community of parents, grandparents, alumni, and friends. This year, your support of the Webb Fund enabled Webb to provide the resources to quickly implement virtual learning options when the pandemic hit. Your annual giving has also helped enhance enrichment programs at the school, Webb’s science facilities, visual and performing arts programs, athletics, and financial aid initiatives that would not be possible through tuition alone. All of us who attended Webb know that much of what we enjoyed at our alma mater was made possible by the generosity of those who came before us. Now more than ever, I encourage you to make a gift to Webb School to help ensure that today and tomorrow’s students continue to receive that same support. Together, we are stronger in preparing Spartan graduates to make a positive difference in the world.
Hugh Nystrom ’85 Father of Trace Nystrom ’24 Director of Development
When you give to Webb School of Knoxville, you become part of a community of donors who are united in their support of our vision, mission and impact. We are honored and grateful to celebrate those who support Webb at every level. Your
Table of Contents Financial Summary
45
Leadership Gifts
46
Gifts in Honor
54
Gifts in Memory
58
Principes Society
60
look like, but to bring it to life
ArtXtravaganza 2020
61
for each student, each day.
WebbFest 2019
62
investment in Webb School allows us to not just dream of what an exceptional educational experience might
The mission of Webb School is to inspire and nurture the full potential of each individual and to prepare our students to serve as leaders of character in tomorrow’s world. 44 WEBB SCHOOL OF KNOXVILLE
THE WEBB FUND: UNRESTRICTED GIFTS 5-YEAR GIVING HISTORY $600,000
$555,742
$559,884
$522,564
$516,406
$500,000
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
$401,155
$400,000
$300,000
$200,000
$100,000
$0
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
2019-2020*
Fiscal Year *Annual giving fundraising efforts paused due to COVID-19 closure.
*Annual giving fundraising efforts paused due to COVID-19 closure.
The Webb Fund
$401,155
Prior Capital Campaigns
$320,837
Endowments $7,000
Restricted Giving $94,439
TOTAL: $2,815,000
Alumni Scholars Fund
$11,865
ArtXtravaganza Proceeds
$37,359
Reimagining Extraordinary Campaign
$1,942,345
TOTAL GIVING BREAKDOWN FISCAL YEAR 2019-2020
2019-2020 IMPACT REPORT
45
Leadership Gifts FOUNDER’S CIRCLE $15,000+
CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE $10,000 - $14,999
3 Anonymous Donors AHB Foundation, Inc. Mr. & Mrs. Stephen W. Bailey* Beverage Control, Inc. Mr. Jim & Mrs. Dee Dee Brogan^ Charis Foundation, Inc. Mr. David & Mrs. Annie* Colquitt Mr. Ross & Mrs. Sara Croley^ Lange Family Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Bradford Denning Mr. William* & Mrs. Cristen Haslam The Haslam Family Foundation The Haslam III Foundation, Inc. Mr. Andy* & Mrs. Jennie Johnson^ Mr. & Mrs. Jon Lawler Mrs. Sherri P. Lee Mr. Shawn & Ms. Laura Lyke^ Mr. Dan & Mrs. Micki Martin^ Mr. James* & Mrs. Robin Pennington Pilot Company Mr. Bill & Mrs. Alexa Riley^ Mr. Dane & Mrs. Meg Scism^ Mr. Mike & Mrs. Janine Stephens^ Mr. Justin & Mrs. Lisa Stinnett^ Mr. John Tolsma & Mrs. Lee Ann Furrow-Tolsma^ Mr. J. Harvey* & Mrs. Karen White Zorich Family Foundation
Anonymous Donor Mr. L. Scott & Mrs. Cindy McCallen Cassity * Mr. Hugh D. Faust III* Mr. J.W. Johnson & Mrs. Whitney Haslam Johnson* Klesse Foundation Mr. & Mrs. William R. Klesse Mr. Mike McClamroch*^ Mr. & Mrs. James K. Milam Mr. William H. Nix Dr. Rob & Mrs. Diane Page^ Mr. George Sampson^ The Sampson Family Fund Mr. Michael & Mrs. Lucy Schaad^ Mr. & Mrs. Charles Stephens Wyatt Family Foundation Mr. Bob & Mrs. Cardin Bradley^
46 WEBB SCHOOL OF KNOXVILLE
BENEFACTOR’S CIRCLE $5,000 - $9,999 Anonymous Donor Mr. David Arnholt & Mrs. Cynthia Haslam Arnholt* Mr. & Mrs. Ross K. Bagwell Sr. Bright Funds Foundation Chapman Family Foundation
Deliron Mfg, LLP Mr. Drew & Mrs. Melissa Everett^ Mr. & Mrs. William E. Haslam Jr.* Mr. Robert* & Mrs. Margaret Hill Jr. Dr. George* & Mrs. Susan Krisle Mr. Stephen & Mrs. Laura Jane Lepley Mr. Michael & Mrs. Betsy McBrien Ms. Billie McElroy Mr. Howard & Mrs. Janice Pollock^ Mr. Tim & Mrs. Andrea Reyes^ Mr. Stephen* & Mrs. Kim Rosen^ Mr. Wes & Mrs. Liz Stowers Mr. JT & Mrs. Rita Thome^ Dr. Josh & Mrs. Bryn Todd^ Mr. & Mrs. Charles A. Wagner III Mr. Crawford & Mrs. Cindy Wagner*
PATRON’S CIRCLE $2,500 - $4,999 Dr. Chris Aikens & Dr. Christy Park^ Mr. & Mrs. Jim H. Averill Jr. Mr. Patrick W. Baird* Mr. Robert & Mrs. Susan Baskerville^ Betty C. Hinton Fund Mr. Robert & Mrs. Amy Cathey^ Dr. Walt & Dr. Melissa Chiles^ Mr. Chris & Mrs. Khristan Cimino^ Mr. Ted W. Cook Jr.*
Mr. Wade Davies & Ms. Bethany Hallam^ Mr. Jonathan Evans & Mrs. Melissa Graf-Evans* Mr. & Mrs. Ray Hand Dr. Daryl & Mrs. Kemberly Harp^ Mr. Sam & Mrs. Misty Mayes^ Dr. Rob & Mrs. Diane Page Mr. Russ* & Mrs. Heather Powell^ Dr. Jeffrey & Mrs. Andrea Roesch^ Webb School Hot Sauce Club Mr. Joey* & Mrs. Jennifer White
PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE $2,000 - $2,499
SPARTAN CLUB $1,000 - $1,999
Anonymous Donor Mr. & Mrs. Charlie Atchley Mr. Chris & Mrs. Eden Bishop*^ Ms. Iris Bishop Mr. Maurice & Mrs. Tamara Boyer Mr. Jim & Ms. Patti Bruner^ Dr. Philip* & Mrs. Debbie Campbell Mr. Kevin & Mrs. Meg Counts*^ Dr. Randal & Mrs. Jasmine Dabbs^ Mr. Jeffrey & Mrs. Krissy DeAlejandro Dr. & Mrs. Joseph M. Googe Jr. The Jay Family^ Dr. Jay Jhala* Dr. Edward Kim & Dr. Clarissa Geyer^ Dr. John & Dr. Rebecca Lavelle^ Dr. Dan & Mrs. Tiffany Neiss^ Mr. Hugh* & Mrs. Angelia Nystrom^ Dr. Steve* & Mrs. Debra Ollard Mr. Bob & Mrs. Mary Belle Pitts^ Mr. Chris & Mrs. Kristi Stephens^ Mr. Joseph & Mrs. Karin Vogt Mrs. Joyce Webb Mr. Mark & Mrs. Kristin Williams Mr. Eric & Mrs. Faymi Winters^ Mr. & Mrs. Rick Ziegler
2 Anonymous Donors Mr. F. Whitfield* & Mrs. Rachel Addicks^ Assurance Data, Inc. Mr. Thomas & Mrs. Midge Ayres Mr. Whitfield* & Mrs. Brittany Bailey Mr. William* & Mrs. Pamela Bass Bobcat of Knoxville Mr. Maurice & Mrs. Tamara Boyer Mr. Rob & Mrs. Liz Britt^ Mr. James Collin Bruner* Mr. William & Mrs. Jill Carroll^ Dr. Neil & Mrs. Anne Coleman^ Dr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Deaton Dr. Steven & Mrs. Jill DiBiase^ The Diddle Family Foundation The Feinbaum Family Fund^ Mr. John & Mrs. Johnna Felton^ Mr. Jeff* & Mrs. Kaye Goodfriend^ Mr. Praveen Gowdar & Dr. Rashmi Hottigoudar^ Mr. Sean & Mrs. Lindsay Green^ Mr. Greg* & Mrs. Barbara Hagood Mr. Eric & Mrs. Mariana Hamilton^ Harold Hirsch Scholarship Fund Dr. David* & Mrs. Gina Hovis^ Mr. James & Dr. Melanie Hunt^ Mrs. Kim Jenkins^ Mr. William* & Mrs. Anita Jordan
Kendrick Shope LLC Mr. Reid & Mrs. Allison Lederer*^ Mr. Jay* & Mrs. Carla Livingston Dr. Mike & Mrs. Nancy McNally^ Dr. Greg & Mrs. Amy Midis^ Mr. William* & Mrs. Amee Oldham^ Mr. Thomas McDonald Overton* Mr. David & Mrs. Jessica Ownby^ Mr. Chris & Mrs. Jennifer Parks^ Mr. Powell & Mrs. Susan Partridge Mr. Brian & Mrs. Abby Pensky^ Mr. Richard C. Powell Jr.* Mr. Joshua & Mrs. Kim Ray^ Mr. Steve Roth & Dr. Zsuzsanna Zadori Roth^ Mr. John G. Sample Jr.* Mr. Robb & Mrs. Angie Seahorn^ Mr. Michael & Mrs. Julie Simpson^ Mr. Bob & Mrs. Maureen Stokes^ Tennessee Society of Professional Engineers The L.A.M.P. Foundation Dr. Matt & Mrs. Jenny Vance Vistage CE Group 04002 Mr. & Mrs. William B. Weigel Mr. Jordan* & Mrs. Mary Katherine Wormsley
2019-2020 IMPACT REPORT
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GREEN & WHITE CLUB $100 - $999 8 Anonymous Donors Dr. Jason & Mrs. Laura Abercrombie^ Mr. Andre & Mrs. Cynthia Adams Mr. & Mrs. Frank M. Addicks AIAA Foundation Mr. Neal & Mrs. Joan Allen Mr. James & Mrs. Felicia Andes^ Mr. Ned G. Andrews* Arconic Foundation Mr. Samuel & Mrs. Carole Ardison Mr. Chuck Atchley Mr. Stan Atkins Mr. Kenneth Atwood Mr. Richard & Mrs. Kristie* Atwood Mr. Chris & Mrs. Betsy Ayala Dr. Mike & Mrs. Martha Ayres* Mr. Edward* & Mrs. Virginia Babb Dr. Jacques U. Baenziger* Mr. Matt & Mrs. Caroline Baker^ Dr. Paul Barongan & Dr. Melissa Hood Mr. Grant & Mrs. Laura Barton^ Mrs. Mary Celeste Beall^ Mr. & Mrs. Randall Beatty Ms. Christine Bell^
48 WEBB SCHOOL OF KNOXVILLE
Mr. & Mrs. Ken Bell Mr. Mike & Mrs. Whitney Bell*^ Mr. Will & Mrs. Vandi Bellamy^ Dr. Michael & Mrs. Tracey Belmont^ Mr. & Mrs. O.J. Bergeron Mr. Rodney & Mrs. Amy Bibee^ Blount Mansion Association Ms. Suzanne P. Elder Bond* Rev. David* & Mrs. Lee Bowen Ms. Taylor A. Boyer* Mr. Adam & Mrs. Julie Braude^ Mr. Don & Mrs. Debbie Breeden Mr. Ted Mrs. Cindy Brennan^ Mr. Doug Bright Brogan Financial Mr. Mike Brown Mr. & Mrs. Larry Bryant Mr. David & Mrs. Stephanie Burgett Mr. & Mrs. Mike Callahan Mr. & Mrs. Miller Callaway Mr. & Mrs. John Callison Dr. Jason & Dr. Katherine Cameron^ Mr. Thomas Campbell & Rev. Susan Campbell* Mrs. Bethany Cantrell^ Mr. Brad & Mrs. Elizabeth Cantrell Mr. James S. Capps Dr. John & Mrs. Nancy* Cargile
Dr. James Chapman & Dr. Elizabeth Bishop^ Dr. Jeff* & Mrs. Vicki Chapman Dr. Antony & Mrs. Iwy Charles^ Dr. Thomas M. Chesney* Ms. Paula Chesworth^ Dr. Chinta & Mrs. Shaila Chintalapudi^ Church of the Ascension Mr. Jonathan & Mrs. Lauren Clay Dr. Geneva & Ms. Alexandra Cleveland* Mrs. Victoria Cleveland* Mr. Connor Coffey & Ms. Allison Page*^ Mr. Ken & Dr. Dawn Coleman^ Dr. Shawn & Mrs. Leann Collier Mr. Robby & Mrs. Shelley Collier^ Dr. & Mrs. John Comer Mr. Brewer Congleton* Ms. Christy Conley^ Mrs. Nancy Conner Mr. Christian Connors^ Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC Mr. Jared Corby*^ Mrs. Stephanie Corby^ The Cottrell Group Mr. David & Ms. Lisa Courtney^ Mr. & Mrs. Brent Crabtree Dr. Jay & Mrs. Staci Crawford*^ Dr. Miles K. Crowder* Mr. Jim & Mrs. Lauren Curtis^ Mr. Patrick Curtsinger & Mrs. Carey Parker^ Mr. Charlie & Mrs. Susan Cwiek^ Ms. Cynthia Deitle & Ms. Kristina Norris^ Mr. Gabriel N. Dagotto* Mrs. Ellen Beal Davies* Mr. Lloyd* & Mrs. Suzanne Davis Jr. Mr. John DeBord Dr. Peter T. Denton Jr.* Ms. Cindy Dickens Mr. Walker & Mrs. Meghan Diddle^ Mr. Roger & Mrs. Peggy Dugan
Ms. Alyson Dyer^ Mr. & Mrs. David Eastwood Ms. Heather Eastwood & Ms. Jen Rozanski^ Mr. Anthony & Mrs. Lisa Edwards^ Mr. Cole & Mrs. Joy B. Edwards^ Mr. Andrew & Mrs. Holly Ellis^ Ms. Rose A. Ellis* Mr. & Mrs. Michael J. Ernst Sr. Mr. Arthur Evans & Ms. Alex Ardison*^ Mr. Donald & Mrs. Kim Evans^ Ms. Donalee Evans Dr. Brock & Dr. Tiffinie Evans^ Dr. Brad & Dr. Jacqueline Farmer^ Mr. & Mrs. George Farr Dr. Skip & Mrs. Kim Farr^ Farragut Rotary Club Mr. John & Mrs. Leigh Feld^ Dr. Ronald & Mrs. Reta Feld Mr. & Mrs. Brian Ferguson^ Mr. John William Ferguson III* Mr. Tal & Mrs. Jenny Fields^ Ms. Kimberly Finger Mr. Jason R. Fogle* Food City K-VA-T Food Stores, Inc. Mr. Terry & Mrs. Rachel Ford^ Mr. Robert W. Ford* Mr. & Mrs. Lewis C. Foster Jr. Mr. Peter & Mrs. Sherry Franks^ Dr. Chad & Dr. Camilla Frost^ Mr. Rob* & Mrs. Erin Frost^ Mr. Ron & Mrs. Sheila Fuchs^ Ms. Heather Fuller^ Mr. Brian Fultz^ Prof. Mike & Mrs. Jenny Galbreth^ Dr. Stan & Ms. Alison Garner^ Dr. Paul & Mrs. Rinta Gellert^ Mr. & Mrs. Robert Gellert Dr. Jeffrey* & Mrs. Amy Gilbert^ Mrs. Judith B. Gilbert Mr. James D. Gill* Mr. Jim & Mrs. Martha Gill Mr. Xen D. Gilliam* Ms. Jennifer Goodman
Dr. Marcin & Dr. Elizabeth Gornisiewicz Greater Carolinas Women’s Center Mr. Scot & Mrs. Karen Green^ Mr. Brian & Mrs. Rachel Green* Dr. Jens & Mrs. Liz Gregor Mr. Matt & Mrs. Sarvee Grossman^ Ms. Melissa G. Guentz Mrs. JoAnn Guidry The Gustovich Family Mrs. Genevieve E. Hagler* Dr. David Haines Mr. Derek & Mrs. Samantha Halkett^ Dr. & Mrs. Don J. Hall Mr. Taylor* & Mrs. Sally Anne Hall Mr. Francis & Mrs. Kimberly Hamilton^ Mr. Jason & Dr. Ashley Hamilton^ Mr. Bryan L. Harper* Dr. & Mrs. Stephen Harris Mr. James* & Mrs. Janet Hart Dr. Richard & Mrs. Kelley Harvey^ Mr. Jeremy & Mrs. ReShanta Hazelbaker^
Mr. Josh* & Mrs. Kim Hedrick^ Ms. Leigh P. Henderson* Mr. & Ms. Elliott Herbold* Mr. Kelly & Mrs. Bobbie Jo Herman^ Dr. Albert Hickman* & Mrs. Terry Friedemann Dr. H. Kenneth Hicks Jr.* Mr. Larry & Mrs. Carol Hill Dr. Daniel & Mrs. Heather Hillesheim^ Mr. Richard & Mrs. Emily Hodges^ Ms. Karen Honeycutt^ Mr. Luke C. Hovis Dr. Christopher & Dr. Rachel Hovis Ms. Angel D. Howard* Mr. Tom & Mrs. Debaran Hughes^ Dr. Douglas* & Dr. Julie Jacobstein Mr. & Mrs. Richard Jacobstein Mr. Aaron James & Ms. Jane Durkin Mrs. Mary Broughton Jamieson* Mr. Justin & Mrs. Jeana Jarmon^ Mr. Dave & Mrs. Sarah Jenkins Mr. James & Mrs. Amy Jenkins^ Mr. Iang Jeon* & Mrs. Ase Grydeland 2019-2020 IMPACT REPORT
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Mrs. Anne Johnson Mr. Jonathan* & Mrs. Betsy Johnson^ Ms. LeAnne Johnson Mr. Michael & Mrs. Lori Johnson^ Mr. Jeffrey Jones* Mr. Jared & Mrs. Jennifer Jordan^ Mr. Chris & Mrs. Patti Kelly^ Mrs. Tiffany Kelly Dr. Jason Kennedy & Dr. Ritu Khanna^ Ms. Denia Kirk Dr. Scott & Mrs. Hilda Klasky^ Mr. & Mrs. Paul Klein Mr. Roger* & Mrs. Gail Klein
Mr. Michael Lambert & Dr. Lisa Bellner^ Mr. Joseph & Mrs. Ronda Landsman Mr. Chad & Mrs. Bianca Lankford^ Mr. Menachem & Mrs. Jill Langer^ Dr. Benjamin Lee* & Dr. Alisa Schoenbach^ Dr. Joshua D. Lee Mr. Dan & Mrs. Krista Lee^ Mr. W. Baxter* & Mrs. Kate Lee IV Ms. Judy Legg Mr. Mark & Mrs. Jaime Lemoncelli^ Mr. Jonathan & Mrs. Lauren Leonard Ms. Leslie-Anne Levy* Mr. Jay Livingston Jr.*
Mr. Robert Knapp & Dr. Sandra Tai-Knapp^ Mr. Stephen T. Koella* Dr. Bill & Mrs. Jenna Konomos^ Mr. Ben & Mrs. Alise Kowalski^ Mr. Wayne R. Kramer Mr. Paul & Mrs. Cindy Kraus^ Mr. Thomas & Mrs. Henrietta Kreon^ Mr. Kevin W. Krisle* Dr. Christian & Mrs. Brigitte Kunz^
Mr. & Mrs. Jon Loney Ms. Shay Lowe Mr. John & Mrs. Elaine MacDonald* Mr. & Mrs. Mark Mamantov Dr. David Mandrus & Dr. Veerle Keppens-Mandrus^ Mr. & Mrs. Jim Manikas Mr. Jeff* & Mrs. Meghan Markman^ Mr. Justin & Mrs. Katie Martin^ Mr. Lanny & Mrs. Katie Martin^ Mr. Jason & Mrs. Wendy Martin^
50 WEBB SCHOOL OF KNOXVILLE
Mrs. Marcia Klein Marx* Mr. Steve & Mrs. Chelsea Mattis^ Dr. Doyle* & Mrs. Amy Maull Mr. & Mrs. Wallace McClure Jr. Drs. Raymond McCord & Sharon Patton McCord Mr. William McCoy Mr. Patrick McCray Mr. David & Mrs. Traci McCullough^ Dr. Chip & Mrs. Andrea* McDowell^ Mr. Jim & Mrs. Jennifer McKinney^ Mrs. Beth McMahan* Mr. David & Mrs. Lyn Meske Mr. Brian & Mrs. Simone Metzger^ Ms. Beth Meyer & Ms. Gina Grubb Dr. William & Dr. Cynthia Meyer Dr. Drew & Mrs. Laura Miller* Dr. Lloyd Richard Miller* Mitch Reed & Associates, PLLC Mr. Chad & Mrs. Addey Mitchell Mr. Jordan & Mrs. Christina Mollenhour Mrs. Harriet S. Monnig* Ms. Dodie Montgomery Mr. Doug & Mrs. Amy Moody* Mr. & Mrs. Max Moore Dr. Rick & Dr. Mary Helen Moore^ Mr. & Mrs. Lynn Morehous Mr. Brad & Mrs. Julee Morgan^ Mr. Andy & Mrs. Gisselle Morgillo^ Ms. Cynthia Morrison Mr. Joe & Mrs. Jeanie Morrow^ Mr. A. Sterchi Morton* Ms. Janie Mosby Ms. Margaret Mosby Dr. Josh & Mrs. Leslie Moss^ Dr. Gopal & Dr. Aruna Murti Ms. Aimee Muse^ Dr. Mike & Mrs. Stacey Mysinger^ Mr. Todd Neel* Mr. David & Mrs. Kelly Nelson^ Mr. Brian & Mrs. Mary Newell^ Mr. & Mrs. Douglas W. Nickle Mr. Ricky & Mrs. Susie Norris^ Dr. Lori B. Nunley Johnson*
Mr. Jason & Mrs. Kelly Olson^ Mr. Davis* & Mrs. Christy Overton^ Mr. & Mrs. Tim Oxley Mr. Jamie Page Dr. Dante & Dr. Ellen Pappano^ Dr. John R. Parker* Mr. Alpesh & Mrs. Ami Patel^ Ms. Barbara Paty* Mr. Joe & Mrs. Beth Pearson^ Ms. Meredith Peccolo Mr. Michael & Mrs. Dana Pemberton^ Dr. & Mrs. John V. Pender Jr. Mr. Preston V. Phelps III* Mr. Jerry & Mrs. Nadya Pinn^ Mr. Andrew & Mrs. Makecha Pitts^ Ms. Molly Polk* Mr. & Mrs. Robert H. Polk* Ms. Barbara Pollock Dr. & Mrs. William D. Powell Mr. Dennis* & Mrs. Rebekah Ragsdale Dr. Sindhu & Dr. Radhakrishnan Ramchandren^ Ms. Khatija Ramjee^ Mr. Fred Ramsey III* Dr, Richard Reizenstein & Ms. Marcelle Morgan Dr. Thomas & Mrs. Stephanie Repine Mrs. Nancy Reynolds Mr. Jason & Mrs. Linda Roback^ Mr. J. Walker* & Mrs. Jennie Robbins Robert Felker Art and Design Mr. & Mrs. Bradley Roberts^ Ms. Nancy Roberts Ms. Minna Rosenblad^ Dr. Richard Reizenstein & Ms. Marcelle Morgan Ms. Amanda Rowcliffe Dr. Ronald & Mrs. Ebbie Sandberg Mr. Greg & Mrs. Sarah Schaefer Mr. John L. Schmid* Dr. & Mrs. David W. Schumann Dr. Sherry B. Scott Mr. Eric & Kristin Seabrook^ Mr. David & Mrs. Dianne Seals^ Dr. John K. Shaw II*
Mr. Jeff & Mrs. Missy Shawl^ Mr. Elli & Mrs. Abbie Shellist^ Mr. Bill & Mrs. Gretchen Sherrill^ Ms. Kathleen F. Siler* Mr. & Mrs. John Sipe Mr. Chris & Mrs. Amy Skalet*^ Mrs. Susie Skinner Mr. Jeremy Slade & Ms. Kristen Yartz^ Ms. Barbara Slagle Mr. & Mrs. Herbert H. Slatery III* Dr. Igor Smelyansky & Mrs. Nataliya Tomchuk^ Mr. Tanner & Mrs. Candace Smith Mr. Edwin & Mrs. Carolyn Smith Rev. Bruce A. Southworth* Mrs. Carol Sparks Mr. & Mrs. Derek Spencer Mrs. Ellen C. Spitzer Mrs. Anne L. Sprouse* Mr. George & Mrs. Amanda Steinbarger^ Dr. Christine Stevens Mr. Chris & Mrs. Jessica Stevens^
Mr. Don & Mrs. Helen Stewart Mr. Lindsey & Mrs. Tanya Stinson^ Mr. Loyd & Mrs. Barbara St. John Mr. William David Stooksbury* Mr. & Mrs. Eugene S. Stowers III* Mr. JD & Mrs. Linda Sullivan^ Dr. James Szybist & Dr. Angelique Adams^ Mr. Burt & Mrs. Patricia Tackaberry Mr. Raj & Mrs. Hemal Tailor^ Ms. Betsy K. Tanner* Mr. & Mrs. John Tatgenhorst Mr. Joe & Mrs. Leslie Taylor^ Mr. & Mrs. John W. Testerman Mr. Douglas & Mrs. Hiromi Thomasson^ Mr. Howard & Mrs. Kelli Tidwell^ Dr. Eddie & Mrs. Cherylene Tieng^ Mr. Matt & Mrs. Rachel Tinker^ Mr. Hanson* & Mrs. Elizabeth Tipton^ Hon. Joseph* & Mrs. Sheryl Tipton Mr. Ricky Tipton Mrs. Catherine Willis Towles* 2019-2020 IMPACT REPORT
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Mrs. Mary Alice S. Tucker Mr. Srinivasa Tummala & Dr. Sirisha Jasti^ Mr. Camden* & Mrs. Karen Turner Mr. Michael Twardy & Mrs. Lindsey Kressin Twardy* Mr. Glen L. Vesser III* Mr. Ned & Mrs. Jessica Vickers Volunteer Pharmacy, Inc. Mr. Jason & Mrs. Ashley Wade Mr. Ken Wade & Ms. Marion Paul Mr. & Mrs. David Wallace Ms. Meredith Noble Wallace* Mr. & Mrs. Hugh E. Wallen Mr. Timothy & Mrs. Terri Ward* Mrs. Robert Webb Mr. James & Mrs. Janette Wells Mrs. Deborah A. Welsch Dr. Michael & Mrs. Donna West Mr. Pete & Mrs. Tina Whitcomb Mrs. Katherine Bush Whiting* Mr. Clay & Mrs. Christy Widener Mr. Blaine & Mrs. Monica Wilcox
52 WEBB SCHOOL OF KNOXVILLE
Mr. Jason & Mrs. Kelly Williams Mr. Wayne & Mrs. Julia Wilson^ Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan E. Wofford^ Dr. Armand & Mrs. Christi Wood*^ Mr. William Miller Wood III* Mr. Clark Wormsley Mr. & Mrs. Ernie York Dr. James & Mrs. Jane Yu^ The Zhao Family Mrs. Angela & Mr. Ken Zhou^ Mr. Jared Ziegler
CONTRIBUTORS $1 - $99 Anonymous Donor Mr. Brent H. Alexander* AmazonSmile Mr. Charlie Arp Mr. Chuck & Mrs. Catherine Atchley^ Mr. Chris & Mrs. Betsy Ayala Mr. Kyle & Mrs. Mandy Baisley Ms. Glenda Barnes Mr. & Ms. Kirk Beckendorf Mr. Brian & Mrs. Jennifer Beckley^ Mr. Miles J. Biggs* Mr. Lucas Botero
Mr. Martin & Dr. Amy Brown^ Mr. David & Mrs. Stephanie Burgett^ Ms. Wanda Caldwell Mr. & Mrs. Tan F. Chan Mr. & Mrs. Arthur V. Clancy Dr. Natalie Clarke^ Mrs. Mary Conaty Mrs. Mary F. Costello* Mrs. Stacy Courtney*^ Ms. Amanda Lee Coutta Mr. & Mrs. Bob Crawford Ms. Molly M. Crawford Mr. Pete & Mrs. Gina Culpepper^ Mr. Michael & Mrs. Amelia Daniels^ Ms. Megan Daniels^ Ms. Lauren Doucette Mr. Wilmer H. Driver Mr. Philip* & Mrs. Leslie Duncan Ms. Ellery Foutch* Dr. James* & Mrs. Suzanne Gentry Jr. Mrs. Jenny Glover Dr. & Mrs. John R. Goodwin Ms. Lisa Green^ Mr. Sherif & Mrs. Alexis Guindi*^ Mr. Blaze Hayes Mr. & Mrs. David R. Helbig Mr. Philip & Mrs. Allison Hodges Ms. & Anne K. Hoskins Mr. Winston D. Hovis Mrs. Sue Howard Ms. Jane Rogers Jones* Ms. Rebecca Jordan^ Ms. Rachel Junga Dr. Josh & Mrs. Brandi Kellett* Mr. Kevin & Dr. Katherine Kerchner^ Mr. Dorn* & Mrs. Laura Kile^ Mr. William & Mrs. Natasha Leeth^ Mr. Graham H. Lischer Dr. Luther Little & Dr. Dawn Chandler^ Dr. Bradley & Dr. Lindsay Luttrell^ Mr. John & Mrs. Sarah Mailen Mr. Larry & Mrs. Amy Marion^ Mr. Bob & Mrs. Tiffany Massengill^ Mr. Harry & Mrs. Emily McAlister* Dr. Mike & Mrs. Angelea McCollum^
Rev. & Mrs. William C. Stooksbury Mr. Brian & Mrs. Julie Stout^ Dr. Gregory Stuart^ Mrs. Ann Marie Suhocki Mr. Miller B. Sullivan* Mr. Carrington C. Tutwiler Mr. Robert Ulrich & Ms. Patti Oates-Ulrich Mrs. James Wall Dr. Jeffrey* & Mrs. Lisa Wallen Mr. Chris & Mrs. Abby White Ms. Veronika Wilhelm* Mr. Tyler & Mrs. Rachel Williams W
Ms. Elizabeth H. McGehee* Mr. Charlie & Mrs. Cathy McNiven Mr. Eric & Mrs. Cherise Millhouse Mr. & Mrs. Wade Mitchell Ms. Marcia Mosby Dr. Matt & Dr. Erika Nadaud^ Ms. Kay C. Newton Mr. Jason & Mrs. Kelly Olson Dr. Felix & Dr. Dovile Paulauskas Mr. R. Jackson* & Mrs. Sarah Malak Pope Ms. Rachel Pope
Mr. & Mrs. John Quigley^ Mr. & Mrs. A. D. Redmond Jr. Mr. & Mrs. William B. Robertson Jr. Mrs. Elizabeth Roehner* Mr. Jeremy & Mrs. Piper Rose^ Mr. Peter Rosenblad^ Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Kelly Sawyers Mr. Seth & Mrs. Melissa Schweitzer Mr. Sam & Mrs. Crystal Scott^ Mr. Fred* & Dr. Ali Smith^ Mr. David & Dr. Amanda Squires^ Mr. & Mrs. Wesley Stephens
^ Parent * Alumnus/Alumna (Bold) 10+ Year Donor
Telling their stories
T
here are many reasons why Webb alumni might consider making
a gift to Webb School: to show appreciation for the education that
Webb provided them; to give others a chance to have a similar
experience; to stay connected to the Spartan alumni community. We invite you to view the videos to the right featuring Donovan Whiteside ’10,
(above) Donovan Whiteside ’10
Taylor Cao ’11 and Kensington Wieland Neely ’13 to learn their stories
(right) Kensington Wieland Neely ’13
(upper right) Taylor Cao ’11
and why they’ve been inspired to give back.
2019-2020 IMPACT REPORT
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Gifts in Honor IN HONOR OF
IN HONOR OF
Ms. Catherine E. Atchley
Ms. Olivia T. Bruner
Ms. Katharine G. Chapman
Mr. & Mrs. Charlie Atchley
Mrs. Helen & Mr. Don Stewart
Ms. Iris Bishop
IN HONOR OF
IN HONOR OF
IN HONOR OF
Mrs. Laura Barton
Mr. Robert Cameron
Ms. Katherine Caylen Conley
Drs. Raymond McCord & Sharon Patton McCord
Dr. Katherine & Dr. Jason Cameron
Ms. Shay Lowe
IN HONOR OF
IN HONOR OF IN HONOR OF
IN HONOR OF
Ms. Kelly Centaine Conley
Mrs. Amy Bibee
Ms. Brynn Campbell
Ms. Shay Lowe
Mrs. Sherry & Mr. Peter Franks
Mr. & Mrs. John Sipe IN HONOR OF
IN HONOR OF
IN HONOR OF
Mr. William Michael Conley II
Ms. Alexandra C. Bobo
Mr. Miles E. Campbell
Ms. Shay Lowe
Mrs. Carol Sparks
Mr. & Mrs. John Sipe IN HONOR OF
IN HONOR OF
IN HONOR OF
Mrs. Meg Counts
Carlie E. Bobo
Perry E. Campbell
Mr. & Mrs. W. Baxter Lee IV
Mrs. Carol Sparks
Mr. & Mrs. John Sipe
IN HONOR OF
Christopher Bobo Mrs. Carol Sparks
IN HONOR OF
Ms. Eleanor Bruner Mrs. Helen & Mr. Don Stewart
IN HONOR OF
Ms. Helen V. Bruner Mrs. Helen & Mr. Don Stewart
54 WEBB SCHOOL OF KNOXVILLE
IN HONOR OF
Christian & Zachary DiBiase Dr. Steven & Mrs. Jill DiBiase
IN HONOR OF
Ms. Benton L. Diddle Diddle Family Foundation
IN HONOR OF
Mr. John Murphy Diddle Diddle Family Foundation
IN HONOR OF
Mrs. Meghan Diddle Diddle Family Foundation
IN HONOR OF
Ms. Juliana Eberting Ms. Alyson Dyer   IN HONOR OF
Mr. Bannon Evans Mr. Samuel & Mrs. Carole Ardison
IN HONOR OF
Ms. Brynlee Evans Ms. Donalee Evans
IN HONOR OF
Mr. Bryce Evans Ms. Donalee Evans
IN HONOR OF
Mr. Mohan Fehr Dr. Gopal & Dr. Aruna Murti
IN HONOR OF
IN HONOR OF
Mr. John William Felton V
Ms. Caitlyn Y. Jenkins
Dr. & Mrs. John Comer
Ms. Cynthia Morrison
IN HONOR OF
IN HONOR OF
Ms. Sadie J. Felton
Mr. Henry M. Jenkins
Dr. & Mrs. John Comer
Ms. Cynthia Morrison
IN HONOR OF
Ms. Ansley Honeycutt William McCoy
IN HONOR OF
Ms. Reagan Honeycutt
IN HONOR OF
Ms. Allison Jordan Mr. & Mrs. Jon Loney
IN HONOR OF
Mr. Cole A. Kraus
William McCoy
Mrs. Cindy & Mr. Paul Kraus
IN HONOR OF
IN HONOR OF
Mr. Mason K. Huddleston Mr. Ricky Tipton
IN HONOR OF
Ms. Elizabeth Handly Hughes Mrs. Debaran & Mr. Tom Hughes
Ms. Olivia R. Lightholder Mr. & Mrs. Ray Hand
IN HONOR OF
Mr. Michael McBrien Mrs. Sherry & Mr. Peter Franks
2019-2020 IMPACT REPORT
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IN HONOR OF
IN HONOR OF
Ms. Ashley Kate Moore
Mrs. Danielle Nutt
Dr. & Mrs. John V. Pender Jr.
Mrs. Sherry & Mr. Peter Franks
IN HONOR OF
IN HONOR OF
Mr. Joseph A. Moore
Mr. Hugh Nystrom
Dr. & Mrs. John V. Pender Jr.
Mr. Jeffrey Jones
IN HONOR OF
IN HONOR OF
Elizabeth J. Morrison
Ms. Elisabeth A. Overton
Assurance Data, Inc.
Dr. & Mrs. William D. Powell
IN HONOR OF
IN HONOR OF
Dr. Erika Nadaud
Katelyn Overton
Mrs. Sherry & Mr. Peter Franks
Dr. & Mrs. William D. Powell
IN HONOR OF
IN HONOR OF
Mr. David Nelson
Ms. Margaret Page
Dr. Sherry B. Scott
Mr. Connor Coffey & Ms. Allison Page
IN HONOR OF
Mr. Hal D. Niendorff
IN HONOR OF
Mr. Charlie & Mrs. Cathy McNiven
Evelyn G. Pitts Mr. Bob & Mrs. Mary Belle Pitts
IN HONOR OF
Mrs. Andrea McDowell Mrs. Sherry & Mr. Peter Franks
IN HONOR OF
Mr. Milo I. Metzger Mr. Brian & Mrs. Simone Metzger
IN HONOR OF
Mrs. Jennifer Moffitt Mrs. Sherry & Mr. Peter Franks
56 WEBB SCHOOL OF KNOXVILLE
IN HONOR OF
Mr. Harvey F. Niendorff
IN HONOR OF
Mr. Charlie & Mrs. Cathy McNiven
Mr. Leo N. Pollock Ms. Barbara Pollock
IN HONOR OF
Mr. Otto C. Niendorff
IN HONOR OF
Mr. Charlie & Mrs. Cathy McNiven
Ms. Sophie H. Pollock Ms. Barbara Pollock
IN HONOR OF
Mr. Ricky Norris Mr. Burt & Mrs. Patricia Tackaberry
IN HONOR OF
Mr. James H. Rayson Ms. Nancy Roberts
IN HONOR OF
Ms. Carole M. Reeves Mr. Samuel & Mrs. Carole Ardison
IN HONOR OF
IN HONOR OF
Ms. Avery Stevens
Mrs. Robert Webb
Mr. & Mrs. Jon Loney Dr. Christine Stevens
Mrs. Kristie & Mr. Richard Atwood Dr. Thomas M. Chesney
IN HONOR OF
Ms. Maria A. Reeves
IN HONOR OF
Mr. Samuel & Mrs. Carole Ardison
Mr. Charles Turner Stevens
Ms. Karley M. Weigel
Mr. & Mrs. Jon Loney Dr. Christine Stevens
Mr. & Mrs. William B. Weigel
IN HONOR OF
Ms. Lauren A. Weigel
Mr. Seth A. Szybist
Mr. & Mrs. William B. Weigel
IN HONOR OF
Mr. Samuel J. Reeves Mr. Samuel & Mrs. Carole Ardison
IN HONOR OF
IN HONOR OF
Mr. Andre & Mrs. Cynthia Adams
Ms. Morison Rozanski Ms. Alex Ardison & Mr. Arthur Evans
IN HONOR OF
IN HONOR OF IN HONOR OF
Mr. Jack A. Williams
Sophia M. Szybist
Mrs. Kelly & Mr. Jason Williams
Mr. Andre & Mrs. Cynthia Adams IN HONOR OF
Mr. & Spencer M. Sibold Mr. & Ms. Ernie York
IN HONOR OF IN HONOR OF
Ms. Emily Wilson
Mr. William Tadler
Mr. Robert Ulrich & Ms. Patti Oates Ulrich
Mr. Carrington C. Tutwiler IN HONOR OF
Mrs. Stephanie Spurlock Drs. Raymond McCord & Sharon Patton McCord
IN HONOR OF
Mr. Rylan J. Wilson Mr. Robert Ulrich & Ms. Patti Oates Ulrich
IN HONOR OF
Mr. Wayne R. Wilson Mr. Robert Ulrich & Ms. Patti Oates Ulrich
IN HONOR OF
Mr. Clark Wormsley Mrs. Mary Katherine & Mr. Jordan Wormsley
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Gifts in Memory IN MEMORY OF
IN MEMORY OF
IN MEMORY OF
Mrs. Peggie Brooks
Tiffany J. Fenech
Tessa Majors
Mrs. Anne Johnson
Ms. Karen Honeycutt
Mrs. Harriet S. Monnig
IN MEMORY OF
IN MEMORY OF
IN MEMORY OF
Mr. Cameron Dougall
Mrs. Emily Colville Fisher
Dorothy Miller
Mr. R. Jackson Pope & Mrs. Sarah Malak Pope
Mr. Iang Jeon & Mrs. Ase Grydeland
Dr. & Mrs. John Comer
IN MEMORY OF IN MEMORY OF
IN MEMORY OF
Mr. James M. Overbey
Mrs. Pauline W. Eifler
Mrs. Ruth P. Graf
Mrs. Tamara & Mr. Maurice Boyer
Mrs. Melissa Graf Evans & Mr. Jonathan Evans
Anonymous Mr. & Mrs. Frank M. Addicks Mr. Neal Allen & Mrs. Joan Allen Dr. Jeff & Mrs. Vicki Chapman Mr. & Mrs. Arthur V. Clancy The Cottrell Group Mr. John DeBord Mr. Wilmer H. Driver Mr. James Gill Mrs. Jenny Glover Greater Carolinas Women’s Center Dr. & Mrs. Stephen Harris Ms. & Anne K. Hoskins Mrs. Sue Howard Mr. Dave & Mrs. Sarah Jenkins Mr. Andy & Mrs. Jennie Johnson Mr. Joseph & Mrs. Ronda Landsman Mr. Mike McClamroch Mitch Reed & Associates, PLLC Ms. Janie Mosby Ms. Marcia Mosby Ms. Margaret Mosby Mrs. Nancy Reynolds Mr. & Mrs. John W. Testerman Vistage CE Group 04002 Mrs. James Wall Mr. & Mrs. Hugh E. Wallen Mrs. Robert Webb
IN MEMORY OF
Ms. Lily Clair Felton Dr. & Mrs. John Comer
IN MEMORY OF
Mrs. Sarah Jane Hardrath Kramer Mr. Wayne R. Kramer
58 WEBB SCHOOL OF KNOXVILLE
IN MEMORY OF
IN MEMORY OF
IN MEMORY OF
Mr. Scott Polk
Mrs. Pam McAfee Spears
Mr. Shane Webb
Ms. Molly Polk Mr. & Mrs. Robert H. Polk Mr. & Mrs. Eugene S. Stowers III
Ms. Jane Rogers Jones
Mr. L. Scott Cassity & Mrs. Cindy McCallen Cassity Ms. Kathleen F. Siler
IN MEMORY OF
Ms. Amanda J. Stoess IN MEMORY OF
Mr. Lewis Sansom Mr. Kevin W. Krisle
IN MEMORY OF
Mr. Jack Slagle
Glenda Barnes Brogan Financial Mr. & Mrs. Bob Crawford Melissa G. Guentz Mr. Blaze Hayes Mr. James & Mrs. Janette Wells
Ms. Barbara Slagle IN MEMORY OF IN MEMORY OF
Mr. James L. Snodgrass Dr. Lloyd Richard Miller Mr. & Mrs. Eugene S. Stowers III
Mr. & Mrs. Don L. Tarvin
IN MEMORY OF
Janos Zadori Mr. Steve Roth & Dr. Zsuzsanna Zadori Roth
IN MEMORY OF
Ms. Anne Zirkle Ms. Leslie Anne Levy
Mr. Jason R. Fogle Mr. & Mrs. Eugene S. Stowers III
IN MEMORY OF IN MEMORY OF
Rita Souza
Mr. Robert Webb Dr. Miles K. Crowder
Mr. Christian Connors & Mrs. Jodi Forand 2019-2020 IMPACT REPORT
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Principes Society Members of Webb’s Principes Society have included Webb School in their wills or made a provision in their life insurance to benefit our school. Mr. & Mrs. Neal Allen Mr. & Mrs. Joseph K. Ayres Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Ayres Sr. Mrs. Catherine C. Biggs Mr. & Mrs. Randal Boyd Dr. & Mrs. Larry Brakebill Mr. Johnson Brownlow Mr. & Mrs. Will G. Brownlow IV Mr. William G. Brownlow V + Dr. & Mrs. Jefferson Chapman Dr. Thomas M. Chesney Mr. & Mrs. E. C. Cifers+ Mr. & Mrs. R. Deno Cole Dr. & Mrs. Lee Congleton III Mrs. Mary Brewton Couch Dr. Miles K. Crowder Mr. & Mrs. Paul Dore Jr.+ Mr. & Mrs. Lewis C. Foster Jr. Ms. Lucy Breeding Mr. & Mrs. James A. Haslam II Mr. & Mrs. James A. Haslam III Mr. & Mrs. William E. Haslam Mr. & Mrs. Robert E. Hill Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Fred Holtzclaw Mr. & Mrs. Jay Howard Jr. Mrs. Laura S. Huffman Mr. & Mrs. Joseph H. Huie Mr. & Mrs. Scott Hutchinson Mr. & Mrs. Luke Johnson Mrs. Dana Goolsby Jones Mrs. Jane Eblen Keller Mr. Leslie R. Klein Mr. Baxter+ & Mrs. Sherri P. Lee Dr. & Mrs. Frank London+ Mr. & Mrs. John MacDonald Mrs. Gloria Nelson Marquis+ Mr. Robert S. Marquis+ 60 WEBB SCHOOL OF KNOXVILLE
Mr. & Mrs. John W. McCallie Jr. Mr. Patrick McCray Mr. & Mrs. James F. McDonough Mrs. Julia Mirts Mrs. Addey Mitchell Mr. & Mrs. James M. Overbey Jr. Mr. & Mrs. J. Robert Page Ms. Barbara Paty Mr. & Mrs. C. Taylor Preston Mr. & Mrs. Dennis B. Ragsdale Mrs. Susie Webb Ries Mr. John G. Sample Jr. Dr. Erin Saunders Mr. & Mrs. David D. Schmid Mr. R. Culver Schmid Mr. Robert B. Shagan Mrs. Katie Skurski Mr.+ & Mrs. Herbert H. Slatery Jr.
Ms. Sidney W. Slatery Mrs. Mary Spengler Ms. Julia Stowers Mr. & Mrs. James C. Talley II+ Mrs. Neill Townsend Mr. & Mrs. David M. Traver Sr.+ Mr. Jeffrey Wall Mr.+ & Mrs. Robert Webb Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Weeter Mr. & Mrs. J. Harvey White Sr. Mr. & Mrs. Joseph H. White Jr. Mrs. Martha Ann Withers+ Mr. & Mrs.+ Stuart R. Worden Mr. Robert S. Young Jr. Dr. & Mrs. P. K. Zirkle W
+
Deceased
W
2020 2020 COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Jennifer Moffitt, Chair Andrea McDowell, Chair-Elect Erika Nadaud, Past Chair/Social Media & Hospitality Baskets Danielle Nutt, Past Chair & Artist Liaison Alise Kowalski, Artist Liaison Rachel Addicks, Student Art Coordinator Megan Daniels, Student Art Coordinator Bethany Hallam, Upper School Student Art Liaison Tracey Belmont, Middle School Student Art Liaison Sarvee Grossman, Lower School Student Art Liaison Angie Seahorn, Artists-in-Action Coordinator Andrea McDowell, Hospitality Jessica Ownby, Staging Jennifer Moffitt, Volunteer Coordinator Christi Wood, Marketing Materials Distribution Adrienne Hooker, Welcome Reception Ellen Schnoll, Faculty Liaison Sherry Franks, Special Events Coordinator Hugh Nystrom, Director of Development
2020 UNDERWRITERS: Dead End BBQ • Image Matters, Inc. • Sodexo Beverage Control, Inc. • Alphagraphics Thress Nursery Gardens • Planet H2O
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2019 COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Andrea McDowell, Chair Jennifer Bruner, Decorations - Outdoor Erica Butler, Decorations - Outdoor Leann Collier, Decorations - Central Building Alise Kowalski, Lower School Pre-WebbFest Kristi Wofford, Lower School Faculty Liaison Megan Daniels, Lower School Gift Shop Janine Stephens, Lower School Gift Shop Laura Shamiyeh, Midway Games Jennifer Moffitt, Volunteer Coordinator Hemal Tailor, Upper School Volunteer Coordinator Catherine Atchley, Signage Sarvee Grossman, Cake Walk Ellen Schnoll, Middle School Faculty Liaison Julie Cameron, Middle School Gift Shop Julie Braude, Midway Food Mindy Bobo, Middle School Pre-WebbFest Lynn Taylor, Middle School Pre-WebbFest Christy Overton, Middle School Pre-WebbFest - Baskets Tracy Nielsen, All-School BBQ at the Bistro Amee Oldham, Staging Missy Shawl, Staging Jennifer Jenkins, Tickets Cherylene Tieng, Treasurer Christi Wood, T-Shirts Stephanie Repine, Upper School Pre-WebbFest Jen Beckley, Upper School Faculty Liaison LeAnne Johnson, Rock the Clock Sherry Franks, Special Events Coordinator Cindy Rowan/Amy Smith/Hemal Tailor,
Facilities Management Coordinators
Hugh Nystrom, Director of Development
62 WEBB SCHOOL OF KNOXVILLE
“
Five years ago, the Webb School of Knoxville was merely a dream of this man. Knoxville badly needed a private school offering a sound education, yet the businessmen of the city felt that such a school had little or no chance of success. Despite this gloomy outlook, in September 1955, he opened the doors of his school to the people of Knoxville. The beginning was small, but since then, under his leadership, the school has grown phenomenally. He has furnished us guidance, spiritual inspiration, and leadership. Since, in the final analysis, it is to him primarily that we owe our present
“
location, buildings, and faculty, we affectionately dedicate this annual to Robert Webb.
A Lasting Legacy On September 12, 1955, Webb School of Knoxville opened its doors with just four students in the basement of Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church. That opening day was the realization of a vision that Robert Webb had to found an independent school in his hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee. Now, 65 years later, Webb School of Knoxville boasts an enrollment of 1,048 students, Pre-K through 12th grade, with over 7,000 graduates who have gone on to be leaders in communities throughout the world. Webb School would not have been realized without the hard work, perseverance and grit of Robert Webb. Four years after opening, the student body of the school dedicated the school’s first yearbook to Mr. Webb with the above dedication. Now, as Webb graduates, parents of Webb graduates, former faculty members, and special friends of the school, it is our time to leave a lasting legacy to Robert Webb. In that spirit, we are pleased to report that plans are underway to raise money to construct and install a statue of Mr. Webb on the school’s 100-acre West Knoxville campus.
“
Statues of famous people are a time-tested way to honor someone of importance in a
community’s culture. Therefore, it is fitting to have a statue of Bob Webb on the campus he created with such passion, integrity and devotion to learning. Such a work of art will
has identified internationally
and the realization of his extraordinary vision –
recognized artist Alan LeQuire of
Webb School of Knoxville.
Nashville, Tennessee. Best known as the sculptor of Athena Parthenos for the Parthenon in Nashville, LeQuire has created multiple public commissions, including Nashville’s Musica in Music Row, Tennessee Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial and Cultural Heroes, as well as the Tennessee Woman Suffrage Memorial and more recently the Burn Memorial in Knoxville.
The fundraising goal is $225,000 to help cover the cost of the sculpture, installation and initial maintenance. Contributions to the Robert Webb Memorial Statue Fund can be made online at webbschool.org/give-now. Please be sure to designate your donation to the Robert Webb Memorial Statue Fund. Donations can also be sent via check to Webb School (Attention Hugh Nystrom – Robert Webb Memorial Statue Fund).
photo with Julie (right) Hugh Nystrom ’85, Webb Director of Development, recently met with Julie Webb, wife of Robert Webb, to update her on the Robert Webb Memorial Statue Fund.
be a daily reminder for all who visit the Webb campus. The school exists because of one man’s vision – his ‘splendid instinct’ as wife, Julie, described his gift – that created an
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To create the statue, Webb School
Please help provide a lasting legacy to Robert Webb
exemplary institution.
Ginna Mashburn Longtime Webb English 2019-2020 IMPACT REPORT 63 teacher
64 WEBB SCHOOL OF KNOXVILLE
9800 Webb School Lane Knoxville, TN 37923