29 minute read
Alumni Weekend
Derek Willis (’84), David Ivester (’84), Jarett Shadday (’85, LD ’18), Chris Jefts (’84, LD ’15) and other members of the 1984 state championship baseball team are recognized before the football game along with members of the 1969 and 1954 Mid-South championship baseball teams.
Laurel Jaymes, daughter of Rebecca and Bryan Lowe ('99, LD '18), dons purple during the Pre-Game Picnic.
More than 400 alumni and friends returned to the Lakeside last October for Darlington’s Alumni Weekend celebration. Event highlights included the presentation of the Distinguished Alumnus Award to Bill Smith (’72), a 29-22 win over Christian Heritage at the Homecoming game, and class reunion parties. Reunion classes had high attendance with the Class of 1999 boasting the largest number of returning alumni. A special thanks goes out from Darlington School to the class agents, event hosts, and all those involved in making last year’s celebration a great success. We look forward to celebrating classes ending in 0 and 5 and classes ending in 1 and 6 in the fall of 2021.
Former Darlington President Jim McCallie attends Darlington Celebration.
Callie Maffett (’16) cheers as the Tigers defeat Christian Heritage.
Jeremy Powell (’99) steps up to bat in the Baseball Reunion Game.
Katherine (Hancock) Crumb (’79), Meredith (Weeks) Banks (’78), Allison (Hunter) Brooks (’79, LD ’14) and Julie (Mims) Zajac (’79) catch up at Lunch on the Lawn.
Gaines Dempsey (’94) and Michael McAlpin (’94) visit at the Pre-Game Picnic.
Harley Yancey (’07, LD ’17), president of the Alumni Council, and Bob Hortman (’72), chairman of the Board of Trustees, present Bill Smith (’72) with the Distinguished Alumnus Award.
Members of the Class of 1994 celebrate their 25th reunion at V3 Studio.
Tom Ford (’54) looks through a yearbook at the Golden Tigers reception.
Members of the Class of 1979 catch up during Lunch on the Lawn. Elle Smith (’21) and Lawson Brown (’21) are crowned Homecoming Princess and Prince with Karson Swiger (’20) and Mae Mae Shadday (’20) as Homecoming King and Queen.
Becky and Ed McIntosh (’72) pose for a photo with the Darlington Tiger at the Pre-Game Picnic.
Russ Arnold (’11), Nora Cook (’09), Issac Nichols (’11) and Luke Cook (’11) root for the Tigers at the Homecoming game.
Eva Marie (Kelley) Burns (’79) visits with classmates during Alumni Weekend.
Class of 1984
Eddie Gardner and his children, Ted (’19) and Alex (’18), hosted a group of alumni and current students at their home in the Bahamas last summer. In attendance were Noah Morris (’23), Chaeli Brogdon (’23), Mia Gardner (’23), Carisa Brogdon (’20), Ethan Willie (’18) and Patrick Shelley (’21).
Eddie Gardner (’86) hosts a group of Darlington alumni and students.
1992 (next reunion 2022)
Class Agents: Annabelle (Anna) Hubbell,
Michelle (Simmons) Payne, Claire (Drummond)
Strowd
Chad Price and his wife, Andrea (Gittings ’85), announce the birth of twin boys, Hammond and Thomas, on April 8, 2019.
1997 (next reunion 2022)
Class Agents: Julie (Wilson) Lucas, Vann Morris
Michael Van Cise was recognized in
Best Lawyers in America, Trusts and
Estates. He is a partner in the Private
Wealth Group of Arnall Golden
Gregory LLP and lives in midtown
Atlanta with his wife, Ashley, and children, Gabriella and Ashton.
1999 (next reunion 2024)
Class Agent: Marie (Hodge) Gordon
Chris Motley and his new startup,
Mentor Spaces, were featured in a Forbes article this summer.
Their mission is helping highperforming black students and young professionals navigate the road to success through mentorship with experienced and influential leaders.
They believe mentorship is the way to close the opportunity gap for underrepresented black and Latinx students.
Class of 1989
Bew White (’68) Forging your own path
Textiles a nd fabrics are stitched into Bew White’s (’68) family story. His greatgrandfather was Braxton Bragg “B.B.” Comer, former governor of Alabama and founder of Avondale Mills, a textile company based in Birmingham. Before White could jump into an expected career with Avondale Mills, however, he needed to pursue an education. That path led him to Darlington School for the boarding experience.
Bew was very active in campus life at Darlington as a soccer player, cheerleader, member of the Pep Committee, proctor and Darlingtonian staffer. He was also involved with the Darlington Players. He recalls with fondness the bonds forged between the day and dorm students – or “day dogs” and “dorm dirt” as he referred to them.
“The constant social interaction collection of handcrafted indoor and with others was very helpful,” said outdoor pillows created by White’s White. “Living in a dorm away from daughter, Wynne (White) Martin your parents from the time you’re 16 (’00). years old is initially a big wake-up “Your children tend to tell you call, but certainly matures you more things your employees won’t tell quickly.” you, which can be helpful,” said
After Darlington, White earned White. “Building a company is very a B.S. in Textile Engineering from difficult, but when your children see Auburn University and, while there, how everything works and can make met and married his wife of 48 years, people’s lives better (including their Wendy. own), they tend to immediately get it!
After college, he went into the Working with them is probably one family business as Avondale’s of the great blessings of our lives.” salesperson in New York with the Summer Classics can now be found Northeast as his territory. With in all 50 states and Canada, offering clients such as K-Mart and JoAnn products to hundreds of dealers Fabrics, White covered a territory throughout the United States. There ranging from Ohio and Michigan to are 13 Summer Classics Home retail Pennsylvania and New York. He was stores where Summer Classics, a successful salesman, but eventually Gabby and Wendy Jane products can realized that he wanted to try be found in one location. something on his own. Initially, COVID-19 halted business
At just 28 years old, White left his at Southern Classics, but most stores job in the Northeast and started a opened within a few weeks once new sales representative company in 1978 protocols and procedures had been called Vista Corp., which specialized put into place. Since then, business in selling outdoor furniture. In 1987, has been strong. he started multiple companies in an “It turns out sitting outside is a effort to expand from selling on the good thing and people are doing it a road to building a national brand. lot,” said White. “In fact, we recently One of those companies was Summer donated a large sum of furniture to Classics, created with the intent to Darlington so more students could design and manufacture products sit outside.” that White would want in his own The shift to the outdoors is evident backyard. With a business model on Darlington’s campus these days as based on creating products that were students spend their breaks together consumer driven, would stand the and enjoy their lunches outside, test of time, and would not go out of sitting on the furniture donated style, Summer Classics officially took by White. Some teachers also have off in 1987. classes in these beautifully furnished
Three decades later, Summer outdoor spaces. Classics has become a leader in the “Bew has faithfully donated design, marketing and retailing outdoor furniture to Darlington of high-end outdoor furniture. over the years as a way to enhance Due to the seasonality of the the enjoyment of the campus for outdoor furniture market, White our school community and all who has continued to seek fresh ways visit,” said Julie (Wilson) Lucas to expand business. In 2008, he (’97), chief advancement officer. “He ‘68 recruited his son, William White, to head up a new indoor furniture brand called Gabby (named after his grandmother, Gabrielle “Gabby” Comer). Gabby, which debuted in 2010, is credited with the growth of annual revenue since its launch. This prompted the creation of a third product line in 2018, Wendy Jane, a loves Darlington and is such a great example of how we can connect the passion and business of a donor directly with our student experience. We are so grateful for Bew and his continued love of the school.” 17
Class of 1994
Class of 1999
2001 (next reunion 2021)
Class Agent: Whitney (Keene) Whittington
Kate (Dennis) Spear and her husband, Chris, announce the birth of a son, Scott Christopher, on Feb. 12, 2019. He joins older sister, Louisa
June.
2002 (next reunion 2022)
Class Agents: Tiffany (Payne) Horton, Annie
Rosen, Miles Wellesley
Tripp Alexander and his wife,
Rosemary, announce the birth of a son, Banks, in March of 2019.
The Alexander Family
2004
Class Agent: Vacancy (next reunion 2024)
Parrish Owens and his wife, Cat, announce the birth of a son, James Parrish, on March 20, 2020.
2005 (next reunion 2025)
Class Agents: Madison (McRae) Criswell,
Kimberly King, Ford Knight, Brad Large
Kim King was named executive director of the Sexual Assault Center of NWGA in October of 2019. Employed by the organization since 2011, she holds a B.S. in Child and Family Development from the University of Georgia and an M.B.A. from Shorter University. Prior to leading the agency, she served as director of programs and services, overseeing the prevention education program.
2007 (next reunion 2022)
Class Agent: Christie (Doss) Perrin
Carlos Charques married his wife,
Pilar, on July 6, 2019, at Parroquia
Castrense in Ciudadela Park in
Barcelona. Several Darlington alumni were in attendance, including Patrick
Collier ('08), Justin Smith ('08), Jeff
Grizzard ('08), Martin Schmitz
Drager ('07), Juan Escoda and Ken
Sasaki ('06).
Pilar and Carlos Charques (’07)
Bill Smith (’72) Distinguished Alumnus
Bill Smith knew the day he visited Darlington’s campus that he was where he needed to be. His friend from summer camp, Tom Barron (’70), toured him and Smith’s connection to the Lakeside was sealed.
“From the first day of school in the fall of 1968, Bill and Darlington just clicked,” recalled classmate Dr. Bob Hortman (’72), chairman of the Board of Trustees. “He was a great citizen of this campus, filling the Coke machines, delivering newspapers to the dorm rooms, all the glamorous jobs. But seriously, Bill was into everything.”
Smith’s fingerprints were truly all over campus as a Darlington student. He served as associate editor of the Jabberwokk and chairman of the Dance Committee; served on the “Y” Cabinet and the staff of The Darlingtonian; and was a member of the Darlington Players, the Pep Club, the Honor Council, and other organizations. He played baseball, basketball and was captain of the cheerleading squad. He also worked at the Maple Street Community Center, the school’s service project at the time. At graduation, Smith was honored with the Faculty Medal for General Excellence for his service to school and community.
“I always say that you only make a handful of big decisions in life – who you marry, where you live, having children,” said Smith. “Darlington was one of those decisions for me. While there, I learned to read and write at a level I had never experienced before, and this made college easy for me.”
After Darlington, Smith went on to earn a B.S. from Florida State University, where he is still active. He is a member of the Florida State University Athletic Board and has previously served as national
Bill Smith (’72) addresses the Leadership Darlington Class of 2019.
president of the Florida State entities such as the Federal University Alumni Association, Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Southeast chairman of the Florida State Community Hospital, the Florida University Foundation, and as a Bankers Association, Memorial board member of the Florida State HealthCare, the Tallahassee Area University Research Foundation. In Chamber of Commerce and others. 2009, he was inducted into Florida A loyal Darlington alumnus, Smith State’s College of Business Hall of serves the school as a member of Fame. the Board of Trustees, a Visitor
A native of Tallahassee, Fla., Emeritus, and a former class agent. with banking in his blood, Smith He has been the honorary chairman is chairman, president, and chief of Leadership Darlington for three executive officer of Capital City years and is also a member of the J.J. Bank Group Inc. and chairman of the Darlington Society and the J. Daniel board of Capital City Bank, where he Hanks Sr. (’27) Heritage Society. has worked since 1978 in numerous Smith was recognized for his capacities. He serves as the third career contributions and devotion generation of family leadership for to the school last October when he the institution, which began over 100 was named Distinguished Alumnus years ago with his great-grandfather, during Alumni Weekend. In his William Henry Smith. address to the student body and
Banking during a global pandemic his friends, he emphasized the has been an interesting experience importance of connections made for Smith’s team at Capital City Bank by the Lakeside. For nearly half a as they adjust business practices century, the Class of 1972 has been while still moving forward. The a model example of a class that has year 2020 was to be celebratory for valued their lifelong relationships the bank, marking its 125th year in with one another and with the school operation and making it the oldest of where it all began. all Tallahassee-based businesses. “Bill has freely given Darlington
“We had a large celebration planned his time, treasure and especially his as part of our annual shareholder’s heart,” said Hortman. “Bill may tell meeting in April and shifted that you that he’s a better man because of event from in-person to virtual,” said Darlington, but I say that Darlington ‘72 Smith. “We’ve also commissioned a book of stories about the bank and will soon release that to our teammates and directors.” Currently a member of the board of directors of Capital City Bank Group, Capital City Bank, First National Bankers Bank, and Southern Co., Smith’s past service has included is a better place because of Bill Smith.” Smith and his wife of 44 years, Paula, have two children, William and Jennifer, and two grandchildren, Ford and Cameron. 19
Class of 2004
C. J. Cypress III and his wife, Jess, announce the birth of a daughter, Reese, on Oct. 3, 2019. Brett Henson married Lauren Graham on March 9, 2019, at Catawba College’s OmwakeDearborn Chapel in Salisbury, N.C. Lauren and Brett Henson (’07) Alex Milhous and his mother, Jessica, stopped by to visit campus and reconnect with Soccer Academy Director Chad Liddle in June of 2019. Alex serves in the U.S. Air Force and is currently stationed in Las Vegas
Class of 2009 - party
after serving several years overseas.
Chief Advancement Officer Julie Lucas (’97) and Director of Alumni Relations Vicki Vincent gather with Greenville-area alumni and friends for lunch in October.
Soccer Academy Director Chad Liddle with Alex (’07) and Jessica Milhous
Shawn Powell was named one of the Top 10 Florida State University football players of the 2000-2010 decade by the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper.
Thomas Mew (’90) From company to courtroom
From the stage at Darlington to the U.S. Supreme Court, Thomas J. Mew IV (‘90) has taken the foundation of creative and critical thinking skills he acquired during his time at the Lakeside and used them to build a successful career in law.
“Naturally, there was broad academic rigor at Darlington, but I also enjoyed the diversity of the student population that opened me to different viewpoints and experiences from around the world,” he said.
A number of teachers stand out in Mew’s memories, but he says his English and drama teacher, David Powell, had a profound influence on his life.
“The way he challenged his charge to secure this historic civil students to read a text, read more rights victory. deeply, and then think about “There are no words to fully potential interpretations helped me express Gerald Bostock’s sincere look for meaning beyond the surface gratitude for the Supreme Court’s of the words,” said Mew. “He would decision in his case,” said Mew. “In a also use a text or play in the drama moment when so many are hurting program to set how the narrative and reeling from the injustices of would play out, and that is important inequality, this is a positive step in in what I do every day.“ the right direction for equal rights.
Powell, along with the late But there is still so much work to be George Awsumb, helped Mew lay a done, as recent events underscore.” foundation of communication and According to Mew, having a case creativity. heard in the U.S. Supreme Court is
“Law is a lot like storytelling very much about being in the right – telling the story in a way that place at the right time. resonates with people,” he said. “I “Representing a client in the learned much about the creative U.S. Supreme Court was a pretty process with David Powell and incredible experience,” he said. George Awsumb, and anything you “It was a case that really needed do in law is a creative process.” to be heard by the Supreme Court
After Darlington, Mew earned because there was division in the his B.A. in History from Davidson lower courts across the country. College and went on to the This outcome will add uniformity University of Georgia Law School, across the country. I was cautiously graduating magna cum laude in optimistic about the outcome 1997. He met his wife, Catherine, at because we had always felt that the Davidson, and the two were married argument we were making was the in 1998. most consistent with the text of the
After law school, Mew served as statute. I was thrilled to see it and a law clerk to the Hon. Herschel P. thrilled to be able to share the result Franks of the Tennessee Court of with my client.” Appeals and to the Hon. Harold L. The landmark case brought Murphy of the United States District national attention to Mew and his Court for the Northern District of firm, and it was his teacher and Georgia. He practiced for many years friend David Powell that made at Rogers & Hardin and is now a certain that Darlington was aware of partner with Buckley Beal in Atlanta. the accomplishment.
Mew’s practice covers a broad “Thomas was a fine student – range of employment law matters, honest, witty and talented,” said including both individual and Powell. “He never backed away from class action wage-and-hour, a challenge, and in fact tackled one discrimination, and harassment very difficult acting role in Chris litigation, as well as in arbitration Durang's ‘Baby with the Bathwater.’ and mediation. He is also an adviser I had the pleasure of watching his on employment contracts, releases daughter, Eden, perform last January, and restrictive covenant issues. and it was a circle-of-life moment a
Mew has represented clients at all teacher sometimes gets to witness. levels in state and federal courts, I'm immensely proud of Thomas' ‘90 including the U.S. Supreme Court. In a 6-to-3 ruling on June 15, the Supreme Court decided that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination “because of sex,” includes LGBTQ employees. Mew represents Gerald Bostock, petitioner in Bostock v. Clayton County, Ga., and led the significant legal work in a landmark decision, and it helps me feel our future is in good hands.” 21
Julia (Douglas) Thomas and Gregory Thomas (’07, LD ’20) were married on March 7, 2020, at Lawrence Plantation in Rome. The service was officiated by Frank Barron (’77). Julia (Douglas ’07, LD ’15) and Gregory Thomas (’07, LD ’20) Nolan Wynn the chef at Banshee restaurant in Atlanta, was featured as the chef spotlight in Dining Out Magazine in July of 2019. Mary Beth (Montgomery) Ball and her husband, Robert, announce the birth of a son, Robert Owen V, on Aug. 3, 2020. Garrett Henderson and his wife, Katie, announce the birth of a daughter, Kate, on Feb. 15, 2020
2009 (next reunion 2024)
Class Agents: Korea (Black) Gilreath, Bess (Kelley) Graham
Pepe Ivars and Mack McCann (’10) got together for dinner in Spain on
Feb. 14, 2020.
Murat Varol and David Forgac (’09) had the opportunity to visit while in
2008 (next reunion 2023)
Class Agents: Mac Gilliland Jr., Patrick Wilson
Prague this summer. Murat Varol (’09) and David Forgac (’09)
2010
Class Agent: Cole Daniel (next reunion 2025)
Allie (Evans) Garab and her husband, Blake, announce the birth of a daughter, Evelyn Blake, on Jan. 14, 2020.
Class of 2014
2021 Georgia GOAL Tax Credits Now Available
Redirect a portion of your state income tax liability to the Georgia GOAL Scholarship Program for a 100% Georgia income tax credit and help maximize this source of financial aid for deserving families. Applications are already being accepted now, so act fast before the cap is met!
The Georgia GOAL Scholarship Program is a win-win-win for taxpayer donors, scholarship recipients, and our school community.
• Darlington has awarded a total of $3,501,950 in
GOAL Scholarships since 2008. 171 students have benefited from this program.
In 2020, 198 members of the community contributed $533,288 through GOAL.
Last year, 64 students received GOAL scholarship funds totaling $467,760.
Tax Credit Limits
• Single individual or head of household – up to $1000
Married couple filing a joint return – up to $2,500
Married couple filing a separate return – up to $1,250
S corporation shareholder, LLC member, or partnership partner – up to $10,000
C corporation or Trust – up to 75% of annual
Georgia income tax liability
How it Works
1. Apply. Complete the 2021 GOAL Tax Credit
Application at www.goalscholarship.org (it takes just 20 seconds!) 2. Submit. GOAL submits your application to the
Georgia Department of Revenue. 3. Approval. GOAL and DOR notify you of approved tax credit amount and payment deadline. 4. Make Payment. Pay GOAL by check or credit card within 60 days of DOR approval. 5. Take the Credit. GOAL sends you Form IT-QEE
SSO1 (tax receipt) to claim the credit on your 2021
Georgia income tax return.
For more information, contact Carolyn (Seigler) Brearley ('99), director of GOAL and financial aid, at cbrearley@darlingtonschoo.org
Sean Atkins (’99, LD ’15) is director of admissions and financial aid at Suffield Academy.
Photo courtesy of Hillary Rockwell Cahn, Suffield Academy
Sean Atkins (’99, LD ’15)
Finding your foundation
Sean Atkins (’99, LD ’15) learned the value of relationships at a young age. Now director of admissions and financial aid at Suffield Academy in Connecticut, he says the COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized that it is personal connections that make an organization and community resilient.
“I’ve realized just how important our institution is to our families,” Atkins said. “I think sometimes it’s easy to overlook the work that everyone does to make a community whole. COVID-19 has taught me that nothing in a community can be taken for granted. The foundation and importance of community for me all started at Darlington.”
Atkins enrolled as a boarding student his sophomore year thanks to a scholarship from the Boys’ Club of New York. Having grown up in the East Village in Lower Manhattan, he found the South to be a welcome change of pace and the people to be genuine.
“The connection I had immediately with Darlington’s teachers and faculty came at a pivotal time in my life and it was needed,” he said. While marked with tremendous success in athletics, Atkins’ time at Darlington also brought sadness with the loss of his mother at age 16. The Darlington Community surrounded him during this time of grief, especially retired basketball coach and educator Jim Van Es. “Coach Van Es was like a father figure to me,” said Atkins. “He was gruff but also gave me warm, tough love. This was exactly what I needed during that time, and I am happy to say that we still stay in touch.” After Darlington, Atkins attended Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, where he played football and still holds the single game rushing record. “Their warmth instilled confidence In 2003, he graduated with a B.A. in in me to be a more active learner and African American Studies. helped in my athletic career, too.” Life came full circle for Atkins
At Darlington, Atkins became a when a position opened up at the resident assistant in his dorm, served Boys’ Club Independent School on Student Council and was a threePlacement Program, the very sport athlete. He played basketball, organization that brought him to ran track and was a member of Darlington. For nearly seven years, the 1998 Class A Georgia state he served as director of the program, championship football team. helping place over 300 young men
“Sean came to Darlington as a in independent schools around the basketball player from New York country. City and had never played football When Atkins became a father, his before,” said Tommy Atha, head wife, Yasmin, encouraged him to football coach and assistant athletic pursue a career in boarding school director. “It was obvious from admissions. the start that this young man was “Living in New York City was tremendously athletic. He had never expensive, and a career change put on a football helmet before and it happened somewhat by mistake,” took a little getting used to.” he said. “I was going to Suffield
As a junior, Atkins was primarily Academy to see a student that I had a backup running back who played placed graduate and happened to find some on special teams, but Atha out about an opening there.” moved him to nose guard the Atkins made the move to Suffield following year. Academy over a decade ago and lives
“Sean was built like anything but on campus with his wife and their a defensive lineman, but he was so children, Sean Jr., Gavin, and Juliet. quick and strong you couldn't block He also helps out with the boys’ him,” Atha said. “He totally changed varsity basketball team. our ability to attack on the defensive No matter how busy things get in side of the ball. By the end of the life, Atkins finds time to give back ‘99 year, he was being double teamed every play, which essentially gave us a numbers advantage defensively. Sean ended up that year as the Class A Defensive Player of the Year for the entire state. He always played with great intensity and absolutely no fear, and he’s still one of my favorite people in this world!” to Darlington as a member of the Alumni Council and a graduate of Leadership Darlington. “Darlington is the place that shaped me as a person, as an educator, as a father and as a husband,” said Atkins. “In some ways, besides my parents, Darlington is the foundation of who I am, and I will always give back.” 23
Leadership Darlington Class of 2020
Trang Dang ('20) receives the Thornwood Bracelet for General Excellence during Commencement.
Frank Manning ('20) receives the Darlington Medal for General Excellence during Commencement.
2012 (next reunion 2022)
Class Agents: Kelsey Ann (Williams) Bassel,
Austin Spooner, John Wilhoite
Kelsey Ann (Williams) Bassel
married Benjamin Walker Bassel on
June 29, 2019, at Darlington School’s
Morris Chapel.
2015
Class Agent: Vacancy (next reunion 2025)
Marshall McCann and his brother, Mack (10), spent some time in Rota, Spain, this year. Jackson Wall is finishing his Master of Accounting at the University of Georgia and has been selected to work for the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB).
2017
Class Agent: Vacancy (next reunion 2022)
William Groover earned the distinction of Faculty Honors at the Georgia Institute of Technology for spring 2020. This designation is awarded to undergraduate students who have a 4.0 academic average for the semester.
2019
Class Agent: Vacancy (next reunion 2024)
Jonas von Richthofen visited Darlington in October 2019 and stopped by to see Sam Moss ('63), dean of college guidance, while on campus. Sam writes: "Had a surprise visit on Wednesday from Jonas Von Richthofen ('19), who came from Germany. He says that his time here was one of the highlights of his life and he loves Darlington. This is the second time he has been back to visit in the last three years!”
Jonas von Richthofen ('19) and Sam Moss (’63)
Kristen Rachels (’05, LD ’16) is vice president of marketing for Itential, a software company in Atlanta.
She has more than a decade of experience driving growth for global software companies, but if you were to ask Kristen Rachels (’05, LD ’16) where she got her start, she would emphatically say Darlington.
“I talk about boarding school before I talk about what I did in college,” she said. “Darlington was so fundamental in framing my personal outlook on life. Darlington is 100% the reason I am where I am in my career and personal life.”
Rachels is ever-thankful to former Head of House James Milford for seeing her potential during the admission process.
“To know that someone saw something in me and believed in me at that time in my life was foundational,” she said. “The Head of House role is so critical to the life of a boarding student, and James was like a father, mentor, and cheerleader.
As a four-year boarding student, Rachels thrived. She was a house leader, played volleyball, cheered, worked on the Inkslinger literary magazine, was active in the Environmental Awareness Club and even helped in admissions.
“My time at Darlington had an relations, as well as design and effect on my critical thinking skills creative strategy. and curiosity about life,” she said. When COVID-19 hit, she began “I also began to develop hard life managing her international skills like interglobal communication marketing team remotely. and how to function in society with “Thankfully, we were already varying viewpoints and ideas. “ optimized as a digital-first
One of Rachels’ mentors was visual organization with all the necessary art teacher Kathy O’Mara. tools and protocols to work from
“Kathy really brought out anywhere and collaborate from something I didn’t know was there,” afar,” she said. “With over 40% of she said. “I thought differently about our workforce remote and spread my art, and she helped me to explore throughout the globe, the transition my uniqueness as an artist. As an was actually pretty seamless for us adult, I am now comfortable with with little disruption. As a manager challenging ways of thinking, trying of a distributed team that are all now new things, going out of my comfort working virtually, it's been really zone.” awesome to see how we are more
O’Mara still uses samples of efficient and streamlined, and more Rachels’ artwork with her current connected as humans and friends students. than we were pre-pandemic.”
“Every project that I give to my Ever-busy in her career, Rachels students, I try to get them to explore always makes time to give back to the the possibilities; for many, that school that shaped her. is difficult because they haven’t “Kids today are really the future yet found their artistic voice,” of the world, and it is rapidly said O’Mara. “For Kristen, it was changing,” she said. “There is a immediately different. She is one huge opportunity for Darlington to of my favorites, a treasure. When compete in this next generation, and creating art, she would look at other I want to help Darlington to continue artists for inspiration, but she always on into the future while retaining its took it and made it her own. You character and traditions.” could always see the wheels turning. She serves on Darlington’s She was fearless. I’m super proud of Alumni Council, has been a Fairy her.” DarMother to female boarding
After Darlington, Rachels students, presented at Career Day, went on to graduate with a B.S. and participated in Leadership in Communications from the Darlington. Her husband, Thomas University of Georgia and, since Gatliff, also donated a state-ofthen, has developed a reputation as the-art 3D printer to the Upper one of the most respected women in School MakerSpace and they are technology. contributors to The Darlington
After nearly a decade with leading Fund. enterprise mobility software Rachels is especially proud that her companies PowWow Mobile and brother, Boyd Rachels (’23), and her StarMobile, she now serves as vice cousin, Alden Baker (’23), enrolled president of marketing for Itential, as boarding students at Darlington a software company developing this year. intelligent automation for multi“Darlington taught me to challenge 25 ‘05 domain networks. Itential was recently named to Inc. Magazine’s 5000 list of America’s Fastest Growing Companies, and Rachels is responsible for all go-to-market strategy and execution, sales and channel partner enablement, field and event marketing, corporate communications and analyst everything, to never be satisfied with the status quo, to crave learning, to be curious, to push boundaries, and to never stop seeking,” she said. “Resiliency, grit, perseverance, strategic and critical thinking, compassion, and empathy are all skills that became rooted in me during my time at Darlington.”
