Embracing the Competitive Spirit
SANDY
SMITH CHRYST ’14
The Virtues of
H-U-T-C-H-I-S-O-N
Did you know that each letter in the word “Hutchison” represents a virtue we teach our girls?
At a special ceremony for the entire middle school, each girl received a charm bracelet featuring symbols that represent the virtues for each letter in the acrostic. From a compass for “Trustworthy” to a lantern for “Humble” to a hammer for “Industrious,” these bracelets mark a new tradition. Scan the QR code to hear last year’s eighth graders share powerful insights on what the Hutchison acrostic character traits mean to them.
” — Randi Belisomo ’00
Photo by Brandon Dill
Photo by Alissa Cordoba
dear friends,
When I look back on my own years as a student-athlete, I can trace so many of the lessons I rely on today to those early mornings at practice and the challenges that tested my resolve. Whether it was showing up for a teammate, working through discomfort, or pushing past what I thought were my limits, athletics gave me more than just a chance to compete, it gave me a foundation for life. As a school leader now, I still draw on the confidence, resilience, and work ethic that began on the field.
In this issue, we’re proud to feature three remarkable alumnae who each wore Hutchison’s school colors with pride and carried the lessons of athletics into their personal and professional lives. Sandy Smith Chryst ’14 was part of the lacrosse team at Hutchison that won the state championship for four years in a row. She went on to play lacrosse at Stanford where she competed with some of the best athletes and learned a lot about resilience and believing in herself. Randi Belisomo ’00 was on the golf team at Hutchison and hits the links whenever she can. The lessons she learned from golf about personal responsibility are still relevant to her today. Carly Gubin ’12 played tennis at Hutchison and learned how important being part of a team was. As a dentist, she relies on a team when caring for patients.
Through sports, these women learned the value of teamwork, trusting others, and offering unconditional support. They developed personal responsibility, knowing that success often hinges on preparation and attitude. They cultivated resilience, discovering that setbacks are not dead ends but opportunities to grow stronger.
All three alumnae credit their time as student-athletes with shaping the way they lead, collaborate, and persevere today. Their stories are a testament to the lifelong value of athletics, not just in winning matches, but in shaping character and fueling success.
I hope their stories will inspire you to think about the lessons you might have learned when you were younger, and how those lessons still influence you today.
Warmly,
Kristen Ring, Ed.D. | President and Head of School
MISSION
Hutchison School is dedicated to academic excellence and to the parallel development of mind, body, and spirit as it educates young women for success in college and for lives of integrity and responsible citizenship.
HUTCHISON MAGAZINE
JULY 2025
PRESIDENT AND HEAD OF SCHOOL
Kristen D. Ring, Ed.D.
EDITOR
Max Maddock
Director of Communications mmaddock@hutchisonschool.org
CONSULTING EDITOR
Lori Guy
Director of Strategy lguy@hutchisonschool.org
DESIGNER
Barbara Himber
PHOTOGRAPHY
Alissa Cordoba, Brandon Dill, Danielle Katz, Melanie Melugin, Gabrielle Prewitt, Meryl Schenker, and various Hutchison constituents
Hutchison Magazine is published by the Hutchison Communications Office.
Please forward address changes to: HUTCHISON SCHOOL 1740 RIDGEWAY ROAD MEMPHIS, TN 38119 or khouston@hutchisonschool.org
Dr. Kristen Ring
SENIOR HONORS BEYOND HUTCHISON
10<20 Youth Impact Award
Haley Floyd ’25 was named a 10<20 Youth Impact Award winner by Memphis Parent magazine, which featured her story in its summer issue. Haley was chosen for her determination to improve students’ mental health through her myExperience project Pause for Paws, an initiative that brought therapy dogs to campus to offer comfort and connection.
Award for Aspiring Computer Science Students
Stephanie Park ’25 received a Regional Rising Star award from the National Center for Women & Information Technology. The award, part of a national initiative focused on correcting underrepresentation in computing, recognizes high school students for their computing-related achievements and interests.
Bluff City Essay Contest
Natalie Alexander ’25 won the Bluff City Essay Contest. Her powerful storytelling earned her a published article, as well as a spot on the cover of Love Girls Magazine and a cash prize.
Princeton Prize in Race Relations
Hailey Litzsey ’25 received the Princeton Prize in Race Relations, which honors students who have strived to advance racial equity in their communities. Hailey served as president of the Equity and Inclusion Council this past year. As part of the award, she had the opportunity to participate in a symposium on Princeton’s campus.
Congressional Art Competition
Chloe Warner ’25 won the Congressional Art Competition and her piece Take the Veil (see page 6) will be displayed in Rep. Steve Cohen’s office at the U.S. Capitol for the next year. She was honored at a special ceremony in Washington in June.
City of Germantown Scholarship
Anna Catherine Brickey ’25 won the Germantown Education Commission Youth Excellence Scholarship. The City recognized her for her volunteer work at LeBonheur Children’s Hospital and the Sisters of Charity, as well as her exploration of science, psychology, and art through independent research projects.
We celebrate the six faculty and staff members who are retiring this year. Together, they had 148 years of combined service to the Hutchison community. We thank Anne Marie Caskey ’80, Jeanie Gibson, Lucy Wunderlich Wesson ’74, Jeanette Leake, Susan Steinkamp, and Alice Trotter Crow ’88 for inspiring and influencing generations of Hutchison girls. Congratulations on your well-deserved retirement!
Young Writers Earn 23 Scholastic Writing Awards
Well Wishes for Our Six Retirees Award-Winning
Poets
Fifteen Hutchison girls earned a total of 23 Scholastic Writing Awards in the recent Alliance for Young Writers’ regional competition. Eight girls received Gold Keys: Emma Doherty ’28, Tyler Jones ’25, Harper Kellum ’29, Gracie Lirette ’27, Katie Phan ’28, Hannah Pollard ’25, Mary Alice Rawson ’29, and Sophia Wilson ’28.
Katie Phan ’28 Cora Winnig ’31
Katie Phan ’28 won first place in the Tom Lee Poetry & Spoken Word Contest. The Memphis River Parks Partnership celebrated Katie at a special ceremony that also marked 100 years since Tom Lee’s heroic actions saving more than 30 drowning passengers.
Cora Winnig ’31 earned first place in the middle school poetry contest at TomeCon, a convention in Georgia that hosts over 2,000 students.
Trailblazers Speak at Hutchison
During Black History Month and Women’s History Month, our middle and upper school girls heard from two groundbreaking leaders whose inspiring stories left a lasting impression. Dr. Tawana Miller, the first Black woman to graduate from Georgia Tech’s four-year program and grandmother of Ann Marie Gaines ’27, and Carolyn Hardy, founder of the first Black female-owned brewery and grandmother of Reagan Richardson ’33, spoke about dreaming big, working hard, and persevering through challenges. They reminded our girls that no one achieves success alone and that the relationships they are forging now can help shape their future success.
Vocal Point Wins Gold at Music Competition in Orlando
Vocal Point, Hutchison’s upper school vocal ensemble, won gold at the WorldStrides Orlando Heritage Festival. This was the top honor in the chamber choir division, and judges praised the group’s blend and balance in their singing.
Twenty-Two Sixth Graders Become Published Poets
The Anthology of Poetry by Young Americans selected poems from 22 members of the Class of 2031 to be published in its publication. These students discovered the power of poetry in Sydney Freibaum’s sixth grade English class.
Expert Discusses Substance Abuse
Hutchison and Memphis University School parents heard from David Magee, author of Dear William: A Father’s Memoir on Addiction, Recovery, Love, and Loss and the founder of the William Magee Institute for Student Wellbeing at the University of Mississippi. He spoke about his family’s difficulties with alcohol, drugs, and eating disorders, as well as some practical parenting strategies for dealing with these issues and with social media use.
Dr. Ring Highlighted in Magazine
East Memphis Living featured Dr. Kristen Ring, her husband Dennis, her sons Reilly and Colby, and her daughter Samantha ’26 The article talked about how Dr. Ring balances her leadership at Hutchison with community involvement and family life.
Maggie Higginbotham ’25, Carolyn Hardy, Reagan Richardson ’33, and Margo Clothier ’29
Ann Marie Gaines ’27, Tawana Miller, Kristen Ring, and Tonya Faulkner
Be sure to follow us on
Big Wins at the Mid-South Scholastic Art Awards
Twenty-seven Hutchison upper school students won 53 Mid-South Scholastic Art Awards in total, leading all other independent schools in the regional competition. Kate Connell ’25, Hannah Dunlap ’25, Olivia Evans ’25, Angela He ’25, Maren Levy ’26, Hannah Pollard ’25, and Chloe Warner ’25 received Gold Keys. Three of these students also won national Scholastic Art Awards. Olivia won a Gold Medal for her piece titled Under the Surface and Chloe received a Gold Medal for Take the Veil. Maren earned a Silver Medal for her mixed media piece called Little Cows. Chloe’s piece also won the Congressional Art Competition, and her work will be displayed at the Capitol.
Under the Surface by Olivia Evans ’25
Take the Veil by Chloe Warner ’25
Little Cows by Maren Levy ’26
ATHLETICS ROUNDUP
Abram Signs to Play at Union University
Grace Abram ’25 signed to play basketball at Union University. On the court, Grace played a key role for the Sting squad, anchoring the inside and showing a lot of versatility in developing an outside shot over the course of the season.
Tennis Coach Receives University of Memphis Award
Tennis Coach Phil Chamberlain was honored with the Billy J. Murphy Award, which recognizes a former University of Memphis athlete who has excelled in their chosen profession after graduation. Since 2008, Coach Chamberlain has led the Sting to 16 straight region titles, as well as 8 state championships, including 1 team, 1 singles, and 6 doubles champions.
Tyler Jones ’25 Named TSSAA Miss Basketball Finalist
Tyler Jones ’25 worked extremely hard throughout her Hutchison career, recovering from a devastating knee injury two years ago to lead the Sting to a lot of on-court success. She’ll be headed to the University of New Mexico next year to continue her basketball career.
Varsity Tennis Wins Regional Titles
The varsity tennis team claimed its 19th consecutive regional championship as well as individual and doubles titles. In the individual competition, Olivia Evans ’25 won first, and Anna-Caroline Domas ’25 took home second to punch their tickets to state. In doubles, Ann Smith ’28 and Elizabeth Dunavant ’27 won the regional championship.
Basketball Wins Regional Championship
The varsity basketball team took home the TSSAA DII-AA West Region Championship after an undefeated season in the region. They ended the season advancing to the state quarterfinals in front of a home crowd of more than 600 Sting fans in the Goodlett Gym.
Track Team Finishes Strong
At the regional meet for high school girls, Caroline Fisher ’29 was the regional champion in the 3200-meter event. Caroline, Eva Schwartz ’28, Gillian Gatere ’29, and Caroline Jefferies ’29 won the 4x800 relay race.
In middle school, Taylin Anderson ’30 took first place in three events and set several school records at the Shelby League Championship meet. She was named the Mickey Pitts Female Athlete of the Meet after winning the long jump, the 100-meter dash, and the 200-meter dash.
All videos on pages 8 & 9 by Danielle
Katz
Take a peek at some of the things that have been going on in classrooms at Hutchison this year. Scan the QR codes to watch a short reel.
EXPLORING THE WORLD OF STEM
We want to inspire the next generation of female leaders in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Engineer-turnedteacher Jennifer Young talks about encouraging middle schoolers to love STEM.
A LIVE LESSON
Venturing out of the classroom to see live examples makes learning even more powerful. Upper school girls in Robert Lofton’s zoology class explain how visiting the Memphis Zoo brought what they were learning in class to life.
REIMAGINING A PILGRIMAGE
After reading The Canterbury Tales in Kenzie Newman’s English class, our juniors led a modern-day pilgrimage across Hutchison’s campus. Listen as they reflect on meaningful locations and personal stories, fostering connection and community.
A CRASH COURSE IN MONEY
As they head off to college, it is important for our seniors to learn about finances. Hutchison chief financial officer Melissa Baker talks about helping our girls build confidence so that they can be successful.
HOW TO MAKE CODING FUN!
Our junior kindergarteners are wideeyed as they experienced the magic of programming with a robot worm named Rainbow. Teacher Melissa Ivy introduces computer science and engineering at an early age to nurture problem-solving skills, logic, and creativity.
WHAT WOULD YOU GIVE 20% TO?
Social science teacher Kollin Falk and English teacher Amanda Muir challenged our 7th graders to use 20% of the second semester to delve into a subject they love. Then they challenged students to create a physical representation, a research paper, and a short speech on the topic.
Seniors Speak w QR codes
Our students say it best! Scan the QR codes to hear what some of our seniors have learned at Hutchison and how they discovered their interests.
CHLOE SIMPSON
HAILEY LITZSEY
MAGGIE HIGGINBOTHAM
NATALIE ALEXANDER
VIRGINIA UNGLESBY
HALEY FLOYD
Grace Trowbridge Bricken University of Tennessee,
Angeline Connelly Dalal University of Tennessee,
Margaret Hayes Higginbotham
Isabel Olivia McCarroll Dublin City University
Gabriela Jean-Noelle Rosario Spelman College
Natalie Yadira Alyse Alexander Spelman College*
Leanora Gabriel Ceravola Johnson University
Caroline Haley Floyd University of Georgia*
Isabella Allene Klimo Brigham Young University
Sienna Skye Nichols The Pennsylvania State University
Piper Palmer Wheaton University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Mary Taylor Buhler Hendrix College
Eliza Pinckney Dent University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Emily Everett Jackson Indiana University Bloomington
Ella Opal Miller University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Holly Savannah James Scheinblum Auburn University
Sophie Chandler Battaile University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Liza Katherine Pence University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Kirsten Marie Clark University of Tennessee,
Eden Davis Williams University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Anna Catherine Brickey University of Georgia
Grace Anna Abram Union University
Karrington Paige Davis Texas Christian University
Joy Eloise Hillyer University of Mississippi
Elizabeth Miles Miller University of Mississippi
Sadie Catherine Rosenblum University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill*
Adeena Awan Rhodes College
Brannon Elaine Chubb Hanover College
Sofia Maayan Frisch University of Miami*
Ella Claire Lambert University of Mississippi
Gyeongbin Park Purdue University
Jana Lane Whitehead University of Michigan
Audrey Preston Simmons University of Oklahoma
Lauren Nicole Burress Loyola University Chicago
Bailey Marie Gegg University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill*
Hailey Katherine Litzsey Spelman College
Anna-Caroline Maillet Domas Rollins College
Reese Elizabeth Miller University of Tennessee, Knoxville
the Class of 2025 !
Amelia Angelika Pennington Washington University in St. Louis
Mary Maude Burrow The University of Alabama*
Campbell Kate Wilson Pepperdine University
Georgia Lucille Bell University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Chloe Judith Simpson Amherst College
Ella Louise Colvett Mississippi State University
Caroline Mae Campbell University of Mississippi
Olivia Claire Evans University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Tyler Alexandria Jones The University of New Mexico
Madelyn Bailey Moore University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Sarah Grace Taylor University of Arkansas*
Elizabeth Blair Benge The University of Alabama*
Katherine Pinkney Connell The University of Texas at Austin*
Anna Laura Gaynor Haley University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Addison Lynne Magee University of Kentucky
Hannah Lea Pollard The University of Alabama in Huntsville*
Jamie Elyse Woods University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Nailah Marie Woods Rhodes College
Evelyn Hensley Carpenter University of Georgia
Mallory Catherine Adair The University of Alabama
Lilly Christine Fahey Case Western Reserve
Varda Saeed Kazmi University of California, Los Angeles
Lila Belle Murphey Austin Community College
Virginia Gail Unglesby Tulane University
Isabella Brooke Bomprezzi University of Mississippi
Mary Claire Cox The University of Alabama
Wenxiao He New York University
Millie Grace Malone University of Arkansas*
Sara Katherine Ratton University of South Carolina
Elizabeth Macie Carr University of Georgia
Eliza Blue Flores Saint Leo University
Lillian Diersen Kent Baylor University
Elizabeth Clementine Neubert University of Mississippi*
Chloe Reece Warner Clemson University
Abigail Marie Hacker The University of Alabama
Harper Clementine Loyd Pratt Institute
Hannah Rose Dunlap Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Garner Elizabeth Monroe University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Little Women
by Kate Hamill | Adapted from the novel by Louisa May Alcott
THIS FRESH ADAPTATION PROVIDES MODERN SENSIBILITY to the beloved story of the March sisters, emphasizing the individuality of each sister and their complex relationships with one another. The play explores themes of family, ambition, love, and loss as the girls navigate the challenges of childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. This show included 19 cast members, and seven students worked behind the scenes on the production crew.
This production was especially meaningful as it marked the final production directed by Anne Marie Caskey ’80. For more than three decades, she has been a creative force behind our theatre program, inspiring generations of girls to dream big, take risks, and bring stories to life on stage.
by
Photos
Melanie Melugin
by Melanie
by Steven Dietz
IN A LAND WHERE MEMORIES aren’t stored in minds but in coats—Past Coats—woven with each person’s unique story, a young girl seeks to reclaim her identity and find her way home. When the rulers of Great Island take away Iris’s Past Coat, she begins a journey to rediscover herself. With only a single button as a clue, Iris sets out on a quest filled with magic, friendship, and courage. Twenty-seven cast members and 13 crew members brought the mystical land of Nocturno and its many colorful inhabitants to life.
Photos
Melugin
To Know Her: A Tribute to Sandra Burt
Written with
love and gratitude
by Kathleen Towner and Lynn Erickson
We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family of Sandra Burt, beloved teacher and honorary alumna, who touched countless lives over her remarkable 47-year career at Hutchison in early childhood. Her dedication, wisdom, and warmth have left an indelible mark on our community. She was a joyful and giving teacher and was infamous for pulling girls’ teeth. Even after her retirement from Hutchison in 2020, Sandra continued to have an impact on the lives of children through tutoring sessions, which brought her much happiness.
To know Sandra Burt is to marvel at how one person can accomplish so much—and do it all so remarkably. Sandra was not only a teacher to young girls, but also a florist, a resident tooth-puller, our travel expert when we discussed our dream vacations, and a constant source of encouragement. If you had the opportunity to teach alongside Sandra, you were truly blessed.
Many teachers who worked with her will tell you: they learned just as much as the students she taught. In Sandra’s classroom, young girls were introduced to American traditions such as reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and singing the National Anthem, and they journeyed across the country through her vivid lessons on historic landmarks. It was not uncommon for students to go home and eagerly request a family vacation to a place Mrs. Burt had brought to life that day. Her “morning meetings” were a daily highlight, not just for her students, but for her teaching partners as well. Through these joyful gatherings, Sandra’s love for her country and her experiences of travel became real for all who listened. She had a natural gift for making every lesson feel like an adventure, exciting and meaningful at every level.
Rick Burt, Cathy Crill Herrington ’89, Sandra, Cindy Crill Brewer ’87, and Kevin Brewer celebrating Sandra’s honorary alumna status.
Mrs. Burt’s care extended far beyond academics. If you had a loose tooth, a visit to Mrs. Burt’s classroom was practically a rite of passage. She had an uncanny ability to know exactly when a tooth was ready to come out—and if it wasn’t, she had plenty of creative suggestions to speed things along. Students who experienced Mrs. Burt’s ‘dental skills’ proudly carried home a paper tooth, complete with their real tooth taped on it and the date written for posterity. It was one of the many ways she made school magical.
(Continued on page 16)
The BEST! Loved having her as my teacher and loved teaching with her! Sandra was dearly loved by her students and parents.
—Liz Robinson Helmsing ’93
Best memories of her summer camp –and she was the best tooth puller!
—Stephanie Fuss Hayes ’82
Sandra and Rick enjoying Grandparents’ Day with granddaughter Clara Herrington ’32.
We loved Mrs. Burt. She was so sweet and so thoughtful. Not only did we get to see her at school, we got to see her at church on Sundays. She will be truly missed. —Angie Deupree
She was always smiling and made everyone feel special and loved. Truly a magnificent, Godly woman.
—Araxee Ross ’99
A Hutchison legend! She will be missed!
Front: Melissa Ivy, Jane
Lane
What a special lady! Not only did my daughter love her as a teacher and camp counselor, but she taught me so much in the year I was across the hall from her in Abston. She also made me laugh so much! She will be missed.
—Marie Arkle
She was such a treat ! A blessing to have for generations !
—Katherine Wilson Blackney ’95
Sandra with her beloved family. Front row: Benjamin Brewer, Rick Burt, Cooper Burt, Finlay Burt, Clara Herrington ’32, Sandra, George Brewer; back row: Kevin and Cindy Crill Brewer ’87, Cathy Crill Herrington ’89, and Richard and Palmer Burt
Sandra Burt and Claire Carson McDonald ’95
Allen,
Arnold Clanton ’98; back: Andrea Lacher, Missy Prewitt, Sandra Burt, Lynn Erickson, Ann Marie Crump, Elizabeth Chisholm Jordan ’86
made school magical.
Her thoughtfulness planted roots, quite literally, across Hutchison’s campus. In celebration of Arbor Day, Mrs. Burt made it a tradition to gift each girl in her class a sapling to take home and plant. She always made sure there were extras, so that colleagues could plant them too, and so some could remain on campus. Today, many of the trees standing tall at Hutchison were planted by Sandra’s students, a living and growing legacy of her dedication to nurturing life and learning.
Sandra’s love for nature also blossomed in her gardens and in her remarkable talent for arranging flowers. If you attended any major Hutchison event, whether it was graduation, May Day, an awards banquet, or the beloved Mother-Daughter Luncheon, you were sure to encounter Sandra’s floral artistry. Her arrangements were more than decorations; they were reflections of joy and love. On May Day, you might find her perched on a ladder, decorating the backdrop with armfuls of fresh flowers the girls had brought in to share.
Through her creativity, nature became an unforgettable part of Hutchison’s celebrations and memories.
Sandra Burt lived and breathed the mission of Hutchison School. In every lesson she taught, every tree she planted, and every conversation she shared, Sandra reflected this vision. She nurtured her students’ minds with knowledge and curiosity, encouraged their spirits with traditions and celebrations, and fostered a strong sense of responsibility and love for their community and country. Through her tireless devotion, Sandra helped countless young women grow into capable, thoughtful citizens—just as Hutchison’s founder had dreamed.
Sandra’s pride in Hutchison ran deep. She believed completely in Hutchison’s mission and community and took great pride in being a part of this institution. She carried its spirit and values in everything she did.
Perhaps Sandra’s most enduring gift was her heart. She never forgot a name—not a student, not a teacher, not a parent. In conversations, her memory was a bridge connecting past and present, honoring each relationship she had built. She loved Hutchison deeply, and it loved her in return. As the Hutchison Alma Mater so beautifully states:
“The friendships made at Hutchison will bring joy for years to come.”
Sandra’s memories live on in the hearts of countless young women—many of whom now have daughters of their own attending Hutchison. If Sandra were here today, she would be so proud, greeting each mother and daughter by name, recalling something special about them both. Her memory, her spirit, and her love for Hutchison continue to shape the school’s future, just as they shaped its past.
“Though classes come and classes go, one thing remains the same–the spirit of Miss Hutchison and the pride we have in her name.”
Sandra Burt lived that spirit every single day.
Sandra Burt arranged flowers for many Hutchison events, including graduation at Idlewild Presbyterian Church
Building on Their Legacies
The Hutchison community honors the lives and legacies of two esteemed former trustees who passed away this year. Trustees help steward our school’s mission across generations. The strength of Hutchison today rests in part on the leadership they offered during their years of service.
William Reid Sanders, Sr.
Reid Sanders passed away on January 16, 2025, at the age of 75. A lifelong Memphian, he served on Hutchison’s Board of Trustees from 1996 to 2017, including as Board Chair from 2003 to 2005. He played a pivotal role in recruiting Dr. Annette Smith as Head of School in 2000 and remained a trusted advisor throughout her transformational 17-year tenure. His leadership helped usher in an era of remarkable institutional growth, and his calm, strategic presence was a steady force behind the school’s evolution. A generous benefactor himself, Mr. Sanders was also a persuasive and influential advocate for the school, inspiring others to give boldly in support of Hutchison’s mission. In recognition of his extraordinary contributions, he was named an Honorary Alumna—an honor reserved for those who have left an indelible mark on Hutchison. We extend our condolences to his wife, Chris Robinson Sanders ’72; daughter, Aubrey Sanders ’04; and son, Reid Sanders Jr. Mr. Sanders’ legacy endures in the strength of the school he helped shape.
James F. Springfield
Jim Springfield passed away on April 30, 2025, at the age of 95. He served on Hutchison’s Board of Trustees from 1974 to 1980 and was a steadfast advocate for educational opportunity, particularly through financial assistance. In 2018, he established the Springfield Family Scholarship Fund at Hutchison to help ensure that more girls could benefit from a Hutchison education, regardless of financial circumstance. His commitment to access extended across institutions, with lasting support for Rhodes College and the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. We extend our condolences to his daughters, Sidney Springfield Evans ’76 and Susan Springfield ’82 (trustee from 2011 to 2016), and his son, Jim Springfield. Mr. Springfield’s generosity continues to open doors for students and reflects the values on which Hutchison stands.
William Reid Sanders, Sr.
James F. Springfield
Betting on Herself: LEARNING TENACITY AS A STUDENT ATHLETE
by Max Maddock
Sandy Smith Chryst ’14 knows what it’s like to bet on herself . . . on the lacrosse field, in the classroom, and professionally.
In her junior year at Hutchison, she got the call from Stanford University in California, offering her a scholarship and a spot on the lacrosse team. She had never considered venturing so far for college, but the opportunity was too good to pass up. She took the chance and pushed herself, playing lacrosse all four years while tackling tough academics.
She admitted it wasn’t easy. “When I was at Hutchison, we were the best lacrosse team in the state, and I was a starter on the best team in the state,” Chryst said. “When I went to Stanford, everybody was a starter from their high school championship team competing to be a starter at Stanford. It was a challenging transition. On and off the field, I was constantly surrounded by people who were the best at what they were doing, whether training next to an Olympic medal winner in the weight room or sitting next to a friend in class who would go on to start and sell a tech company.
“Hutchison and Stanford taught me that you can’t be afraid to fail or hear ‘no.’ Rejection is part of the process, not the end of it. Taking risks, even when the outcome is uncertain, is how growth happens. If you don’t bet on yourself, you can’t expect others to either.”
Learning How to be a Versatile Player
Hutchison’s first varsity lacrosse team was formed in 2002 and won its first lacrosse state championship title in 2007. Chryst started playing lacrosse in 2009, when she was in the seventh grade. She had played soccer and basketball, and she said lacrosse felt like an easy transition to her.
On the lacrosse field, Chryst played as a midfielder, a crucial position for transitioning the ball from defense to offense, or vice versa. A good midfielder is versatile, able to adapt to different game situations, and play on both ends of the field. The position requires speed and strong ball-handling skills, as well as endurance, since midfielders often cover the most ground.
In 2011, Chryst’s freshman year, Hutchison’s varsity team won the Tennessee state championship, then repeated that feat over the next three years. During her senior year, Chryst scored 45 goals and had 14 assists. She was named a U.S. Lacrosse first-team All-American. In all, Hutchison’s lacrosse team has won nine state titles so far.
Sandy Smith ’14 playing lacrosse at Stanford
Chryst remembered that while she was at Hutchison, she excelled at math, but that there was something more valuable than her individual strengths or the specific classes she took. “Hutchison teachers taught me how to think critically and love learning. They encouraged me to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and not always accept things at face value, particularly if I didn’t understand them.”
In college, Chryst didn’t gravitate toward math, but instead chose Stanford’s interdisciplinary Science, Technology, and Society (STS) major. STS enables students to take both technical, hands-on classes, as well as classes that survey the social and historical contexts of science and technology. “What drew me to STS was its focus on asking complex, often unanswerable questions and learning how to grapple with them. I was able to take a variety of classes that focused on critical thinking and creative problem solving, both of which I encountered at Hutchson. Hutchison taught me to question, analyze, and approach problems from multiple perspectives.”
In her junior and senior years at Stanford, she focused on politics and policy, combining her interest in law, international relations, and public policy.
Bringing Herself to the Brink
Chryst admitted that balancing academics and athletics at Stanford tested her. Although she never had a seasonending injury, she had some nagging injuries, particularly in her junior and senior years, that slowed her down.
“Between injuries and not getting the playing time I wanted, I had to adjust and say ‘Okay, if I’m not able to contribute in this way or as much as I want, how else can I contribute value to the team and make this time worth it?’
There were times I questioned quitting lacrosse because it brought me to the brink of myself physically, mentally, and emotionally. I had to stay grounded in why I was doing it and who I was doing it for. Those reasons needed to drive me. My biggest competition was myself, and I had high standards.”
YOU NEED TO HAVE TENACITY TO CONTINUE WHEN YOU DO FAIL, AND I THINK THAT STARTED AT A YOUNG AGE AT HUTCHISON … ULTIMATELY, THAT FOUNDATION GROWS AND CHANGES, AND YOU APPLY IT IN DIFFERENT
SITUATIONS FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO COLLEGE TO LAW SCHOOL. ”
Photo by Meryl Schenker
Chryst said there is a mentality to being an athlete that helped her at Hutchison, at Stanford, in law school, and even now professionally. “Being a student-athlete is a huge advantage,” Chryst explained. “I truly don’t believe I’m the smartest in the room ever, but I think about my work ethic and the hustle to succeed. Law school is one of those places that if you put in the work, you’ll see the reward, but a lot of times it takes stumbling and falling to see that reward. I think people get dissuaded or discouraged when that happens.
“You need to have tenacity to continue when you do fail, and I think that started at a young age at Hutchison. Those are the sorts of things you learn as an athlete. You learn that being a part of a team. Ultimately, that foundation grows and changes, and you apply it in different situations from high school to college to law school.”
A Growing Interest in Law
By virtue of Stanford’s location in the heart of Silicon Valley, many people who attend the school gravitate toward careers in venture capital, which involves investing in emerging technology companies. Chryst thought that might be her path, too. However, another idea began percolating. While at Stanford, Chryst attended some talks at the law school and her interest started growing. She also remembered
by Meryl Schenker
what her mother often told her: that she would be a good lawyer. Her mother would know. She works as a nurse at a law firm in Memphis consulting on medical malpractice cases.
After college, Chryst took a job in San Francisco at T3 Advisors, a commercial real estate firm, and she recalled spending a lot of time on the phone with lawyers. She also met, through the family of Keller Chryst—her boyfriend at the time and now husband—the general counsel of the San Francisco 49ers. “I connected with Hannah Gordon and picked her brain about being a woman in the legal field,” Chryst explained. “She had gone to Stanford Law School, and she’s the one who encouraged me to go for it. I saw how successful she was as a lawyer, but also how she carried herself, her intellect, her legal acumen, even just sitting across the table. That’s one person I wanted to be like.”
Chryst decided to bet on herself again. She moved home, took the LSAT, and applied to law school.
She started at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, which she praised as an excellent school in teaching the foundations of the law. She then decided to transfer to Harvard Law School, where she discovered a competitive environment much like Stanford. “My professors were some of the most cited constitutional scholars and respected voices in their field,” she recalled. “They were former Supreme Court Justices, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and partners at topnotch law firms—people who not only studied and taught law but also helped shape it. I was surrounded by people who had accomplished things that you feel like you can only dream of.”
She admitted that the workload at Harvard was not for the faint of heart, but that it was one of the most rewarding experiences she has had. “A lot of why I loved law school so much was because I was in the trenches with a lot of likeminded people … meaning people who love the law and love to think and debate difficult legal questions that can have profound effects.”
An Appealing Role as Judicial Law Clerk
In 2021, before she had completed her first year at Harvard, she applied for a highly competitive clerkship with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Louisville,
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I’VE ALWAYS BEEN DRAWN TO ENVIRONMENTS THAT INVOLVE INTIMATE, HIGH-PERFORMING TEAMS . THAT’S WHERE EXCELLENCE IS BUILT, WHEN YOU SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE EXCELLENT OR WANT TO EXCEL IN THEIR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIVES. ”
Kentucky. Her bet paid off yet again. She graduated from Harvard in 2023, worked for a year at a New York-based law firm, and then started the clerkship in 2024 for Judge John K. Bush. Federal appellate courts review cases from the district courts to ensure that the law was applied correctly in all different kinds of cases—civil, criminal, immigration, and appeals from federal agencies.
“My day mostly revolves around legal research and writing, reading transcripts, parties’ briefs, district court decisions, and relevant case law. We become subject matter experts on the legal issues in each case fairly quickly. My job is to help the judge come to an informed and well-reasoned decision on questions such as whether the district court applied the law correctly as articulated by the law of the circuit and the Supreme Court.”
Several times per year, the judges and their clerks travel to Cincinnati for oral arguments. Chryst helps prepare the judge, ensuring he is familiar with critical parts of the record and equipped to ask informed questions.
The value of the clerkship is immeasurable, she explained: not only do clerks get a chance to see written advocacy, but they also get to witness what effective oral advocacy looks like and develop a sense for what resonates with judges.
“It’s a very collaborative job because you’re constantly discussing difficult legal questions with your co-clerks,” Chryst explained. “From Hutchison to Stanford, to Harvard, and now in this clerkship, I’ve always been drawn to environments that involve intimate, high-performing teams. That’s where excellence is built, when you surround yourself with people who want to be excellent or want to excel in their personal and professional lives. It raises the bar on your own performance, pushing you to grow, contribute more, and aim to be the best version of yourself.”
In terms of learning about law, she also truly enjoys being able to wrestle with and help decide tough questions. “I think
the most rewarding aspect of this job is the breadth of legal issues that we see,” Chryst said. “I’m not the decision-maker. The judges are. But the fact that I get a front row seat to that process is something I’ll carry with me throughout my career going forward.”
The Correct Response Makes all the Difference
Chryst’s husband recently took a job in Seattle, so she will relocate there when her clerkship ends this year and look for a job with a law firm. Whatever she does next, she knows she has the confidence and perseverance to do it.
“Betting on myself was one of the things that Hutchison taught me,” she said. “And by that, I mean having faith in myself. I learned how to go after opportunities and how to recognize which ones were worth going after.”
She also learned how to face adversity. “Whether you lose a game, don’t make the team, or face an injury, the lessons in how you respond to those moments can’t be overstated. Are you going to let that knock you down? Are you going to pivot? Are you going to try to seek something else out? Are you going to learn from it? What is your response to something challenging?”
Chryst added that Hutchison gave her a community. “I built lifelong friendships and relationships at Hutchison. They are the first calls I make to this day. I wouldn’t be where I am without the steady encouragement of my Hutchison friends, teachers, and coaches. Betting on yourself is essential, but there will always be moments when you need to lean on your village—and I’m forever thankful mine has been there to walk this journey with me.”
BETTING ON MYSELF WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HUTCHISON TAUGHT ME. AND BY THAT, I MEAN HAVING FAITH IN MYSELF. I LEARNED HOW TO GO AFTER OPPORTUNITIES AND HOW TO RECOGNIZE WHICH ONES WERE WORTH GOING AFTER. ”
Mahjong at Hutchison
Hutchison’s second mahjong event on Saturday, February 22, was an incredible afternoon of mahjong, friendly competition, and community! A huge thank you to all the players who joined us, the amazing volunteers, and our generous door prize sponsors who added extra excitement.
Above left: Jamila Smith-Young, Kandice Henderson, Lori Miller, Terri Moses; middle: Megan Stafford, Kim Cribb, Bevan Lee ’04, ML Weber; right: Candace Wilder, Whitney Luckett Trimble ’96, Carmine Gober
Elizabeth McCord Marshall ’74, Nancy Weathersby, Sally Mercer, Jordan Alyse Coffelt
Jennifer Utkov Kruchten ’81, Vance James Lewis ’83, Debbi Freeburg, Laura Dearman
Ellen Horn Lucchesi ’14, Parker Tenent Francis ’14, Codie Harper Perdzock ’14, Claire Tenent Murk ’10
Above left, front: Amanda Akins Joy ’99; back row: Marjorie Porter, Laura Beth Gabriel, Faye Rainer. Middle photo, back row: Ann Alise Hayden, Jennifer McCormack Weeks ’88, Betsy Horn; front: Libby Rhett
Right: Jody Geary, Rebecca Nenon, Ashley Adams Park ’06, Conlee Adams Stringfellow ’06
You Helped Us Spread Love!
On February 6, our hearts were full, and we couldn’t have done it without the support of all who participated in Giving Day this year! Together, we raised more than $200,000 and celebrated more than 1,400 members of the Hutchison community. Thanks to the generosity of our amazing volunteers, students, parents, alumnae, grandparents, and so many others, Hutchison continues to be a truly special place for our girls. The outpouring of love and dedication is what makes our school so remarkable. Thank YOU for helping us #SpreadHutchLove this year.
If at First You Don’t Succeed: A LESSON IN PERSEVERANCE
Starting college at Ohio State University, Carly Gubin ’12 was undecided. She had always been interested in fashion and during high school had visited New York, completed internships at boutiques, and even learned how to sew. She assumed that’s what she would study.
While she was still thinking about her options, Ohio State invited representatives from different schools to come and talk to undecided students and share opportunities available to them. “One Monday, the dental school came to talk to us,” Gubin remembered. “I called my parents and said, ‘I’m switching my major.’ This was a month or two into school. They said ‘Whoa, whoa, before you switch your major, come home, shadow a dentist, make sure you like it.’ ”
But Gubin’s mind was made up.
“I always liked math and science, but I didn’t take any AP classes at Hutchison. I knew that science would be a bit challenging for me, and I would have to work a little harder,” she explained. “I took all the science classes, I joined the dental club, and I worked at the dental school just to get exposure.” One summer she interned with a general dentist, an oral surgeon, an orthodontist, and a periodontist.
Gubin had reasons for gravitating toward dentistry. She didn’t love the fashion courses she took during her first semester and as she heard more about the fashion industry, it sounded too unstable to her. She wanted a job that would be more secure. She also knew she didn’t want a desk job. As a dentist, she would be moving around, using her hands, talking to people, and helping them. She liked that dentists offer patients confidence and improved health. Lastly, what she learned about cosmetic dentistry appealed to her fashion sensibility.
“There’s so much more to dentistry than just fillings and cleanings. They were explaining how doing a full rehab of someone’s smile gives them confidence. That reminded me that what I wanted to do in fashion was make people confident and give them self-esteem to live their lives. They talked about the cosmetic aspect of dentistry, how dentistry is in high demand, and that you can always get a job. That made me certain that I wanted to switch to dentistry.”
She remembers how surprised her father, Dr. Steve Gubin of the
Stern Clinic, was at the time. “I thought he was going to have a stroke. I had told my whole family, ‘I’m not going to be in the medical field, I don’t like blood, I don’t like the hospital.’ I had never even talked about dentistry before. I think he literally thought that something was wrong with me.”
Building a Strong Foundation
After graduating from Ohio State on a pre-med track, Gubin took the Dental Admission Test (DAT). Unfortunately, it was around the same time that her mother passed away. She applied to different dental schools, but an advisor told her that her DAT scores weren’t competitive. She wasn’t surprised when she didn’t get any admissions offers.
Undeterred, she decided to move to New York, where she had always wanted to live, to figure out her next steps. She got an internship with a dentist that she said was much more than just shadowing and gave her great exposure to the practice of dentistry. While she was thinking about applying to dental school again, she had a great idea—she would apply to dental hygiene school. It was a last-minute decision and there was only one hygiene school still accepting applications. She had one week to apply.
“My only choice was New York University,” she said. “I ended up getting in, and I knew I had to make all A’s. I had to study my butt off to make sure my DAT score was great. I went to hygiene school for two years at NYU, and I ended up becoming involved in the dental school where I shadowed a lot of dental students.”
After two years of hygiene school, she took the DAT again and her scores were much more competitive. She applied to NYU Dental School and was accepted.
In retrospect, Gubin said she’s glad she wasn’t admitted to dental school the first time because attending hygiene school for two years gave her a strong foundation and put her ahead of many of her dental school classmates.
“The first couple of courses in hygiene school are the same in dental school,” she explained. “You’re learning the numbers of the teeth, you’re learning anatomy, you’re learning all the dental terms. When all my friends in dental school took their first course, I was helping them out because they didn’t know any of the dental
LIFE IS NOT A STRAIGHT LINE AND DETOURS ARE A PART OF THE JOURNEY.
terms, didn’t know the anatomy, didn’t know the tools.”
The team won the state championship one year.
“With sports, you’re not always going to win, so you have to be resilient and work harder the next time to accomplish your goals,” she explained. “Tennis helped me with that, because if I won every single match or if everything was perfect, then I wouldn’t have learned anything. Some days practice goes badly, or the match doesn’t go well. The next time you try to do better.”
Dental school is very fast-paced as well, she explained. A course in hygiene school might be a semester long, while in dental school it’s only a month long. While her classmates were studying for those classes, she was getting ahead in the next classes.
Hygiene school gave her experience with patients too. “You start clinical in the third year at dental school, and all my friends were scared to touch patients. They didn’t know how to interact with patients. In hygiene school, you have your own patients in your second year and you’re doing cleanings. I had already seen many patients, so I just dove right in. Clinical was easy for me. I loved it.”
Lessons from Tennis and Hutchison
Gubin played tennis while at Hutchison and is still great friends with her teammates, sisters Maggie Leavell ’12 and Neely Leavell ’12.
Gubin clearly took this lesson to heart with her push to get into dental school
She also learned a lot about teamwork. Even though they were a small team, she remembered that everyone had a certain role, and they worked together. “If you needed to step up, you did, and that’s how life is. Just because you have a certain role doesn’t mean that you can’t help others with their role. That’s such a great life lesson.”
She credits coach Phil Chamberlain with giving her support and wanting her to succeed both on the court and in the classroom. She also met frequently with Gretchen Gintz, upper school learning specialist, to learn about planning and time management. “I used those tools to plan and to get organized, and that’s how I got through dental school, honestly. Even today, I still use a planner.”
Gubin now lives in Austin, Texas, and works for a private practice under the mentorship of another dentist who has been in practice for more than 20 years.
“Hutchison taught me that if you want something and you work hard, you can achieve anything,” Gubin said. A lot of times in high school, you feel like, ‘Oh, there’s no way I can be a doctor. There’s no way I can be a dentist. I don’t have the grades, or I’m not in the top AP courses.’ But at the end of the day, if you try hard, work hard, you can do anything you want.
“Life is not a straight line and detours are a part of the journey,” she added. “Because I didn’t get into dental school the first time, I got into hygiene school, and because of hygiene school, I am where I am today. If I had to do it all over again, I would go to hygiene school again before dental school. Everything happens for a reason, and if you don’t get something right away, don’t give up.”
Teeing Up a Positive Mindset Lessons from Golf:
When people ask Randi Belisomo ’00 what the biggest difference is in her life today, she replies: “I used to be with people on the worst day of their lives. Now I’m with people on the best days of their lives.”
Belisomo sees people celebrating their best days at Ronnie Grisanti’s Italian restaurant in Memphis, which she has managed since 2018. Previously she worked for 13 years as a general assignment, on-air news reporter for WGN television in Chicago.
During her years as a journalist in Chicago, she had her share of fun and heartwarming assignments. “I will never forget covering the Cubs the year they won the World Series (2016). I would go to cemeteries, and people would take a radio to listen to the Cubs game near a father or grandfather who had died and was a Cubs fan. That’s an example of where sports meant so much more than sports. It was a family legacy. I loved doing stories like that.”
She also remembered covering Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, particularly his 2008 election victory speech at Grant Park, before an estimated crowd of 240,000 people.
For all the good stories, though, she said the news often skewed toward tragic stories. “Chicago was the most dangerous city in the country for several years while I lived there with the highest homicide rate,” she recalled. “I never felt directly in danger. I was just around it all the time.”
Over time, she said, the difficult stories took their toll. Additionally, her husband, who also was in the news business, was diagnosed with colon cancer. “Trying to go out and be on TV and act like everything’s okay every day, while my husband was sick,
that was hard,” she said. “That would be hard in any career, but I had to keep going. When everything else was falling apart I had to keep covering other people’s tragedies.” Sadly, her husband succumbed to cancer.
Belisomo said she was glad she had attended Northwestern graduate school in journalism and thankful for the years she had in Chicago. “I loved journalism because it was something different every day,” she explained. She also liked working on deadlines.
She gives credit to Hutchison for first learning about deadlines.
“Ms. Newberry used to make us write the five-paragraph essay in the course of a class, with a thesis, three supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion, and we had to type it on deadline. That made a difference in my life. I learned how to put out content on deadline.”
Understanding Personal Responsibility Through Golf
One of Belisomo’s passions is golf. While she was at Hutchison, she was on the golf team, and although the team didn’t win the state championship while she was playing, they won the region title several times. She said playing golf was different from many team sports like volleyball or basketball because you’re often playing the game by yourself and don’t know how your teammates are faring on other parts of the golf course.
“You’re responsible for yourself,” she said. “You missed the putt, you hit it in the rough, you had a bad attitude on the golf course today? It’s all you. I learned a lot about personal responsibility. I’m still quick to say, ‘What did I do wrong?’ in a self-examination, because I can’t point fingers at anyone.”
She added that golf is a game of honor, respect, and trustworthiness. “You’re out there by yourself and if you’re in the rough and the ball moves because you took a step, that’s a stroke penalty, and you have to report that to somebody else. That’s why they call it a gentleman’s or a gentlewoman’s game, because you’re responsible for regulating yourself. There’s no referee.”
She said there’s one other factor that makes golf different: “We’re all playing against the golf course,” she explained. “A lot of people think golf is trying to beat the other person. You’re trying to beat the golf course.”
Although Belisomo didn’t play golf as an undergraduate at the University of Notre Dame, she now tries to play golf once a week when the weather is nice. She likes that she can show up to the course, be paired with other people, and make new friends by the end of the day. She’s also learned, through the years, that golf requires a positive mindset, which is a great way to look at life, too.
“You have to have a good attitude to play golf. If you hit a bad shot, you have to put that behind you immediately and move on,” she said. “You can’t let one incident ruin your whole day or your whole round. That’s a good lesson. I’ve had 40 years of practice. I’m a lot better at it the older I am and the more perspective that I have. Trying to learn that as a teenager was hard, and I knew that if I had a bad attitude, my father or my mother would be the first person to yank me off a golf course and say, ‘You’re going home, because that’s not what this is about.’ ”
Learning About Business and Taking Care of People
In 2018, Belisomo returned to Memphis because her father was sick. At the time, he was in the process of moving Ronnie Grisanti’s restaurant to its current location in the Regalia Shopping Center.
“I came home to help my mother take care of him, and my father said, ‘Why don’t you go to work?’ While he was doing cancer treatments, he got to come see the restaurant and eat before he went into hospice care. So, I took over his business. It was good timing, because my career in news was becoming harder due to changes in the news landscape. It was a good time to shift, and I’m so glad that I did.”
Having Hutchison friends in Memphis helped make the transition back easier. “There are several of us from Hutchison who have stayed friends through the years and all of us were coming back to Memphis at the same time.” One of her best friends is Emily Bryce Bowie ’00, who was a golf teammate while at Hutchison. Belisomo will get married again this year and Bowie will be her matron of honor for the second time.
Belisomo admitted that running a restaurant is similar to being a reporter because no two days are the same and you’re meeting new people all the time. She had never
managed people before this job, though, and she had to get up to speed on that as well as accounting and other business matters.
“I’m in the business of taking care of people and that comes naturally to me. I love it here.”
Belisomo tackled a big challenge during the pandemic in 2020. Because people stopped coming into the restaurant, she had to devise a way to keep the business going. They decided to package ready-to-eat entrees from Ronnie Grisanti’s to sell in grocery stores. It was a steep learning curve.
“Writing our food safety plan for the U.S. Department of Agriculture was about 100 times harder than a master’s thesis,” she said. “We had to learn it because we needed to keep the business afloat quickly.” The business now operates a commercial kitchen in Cordova at the University of Memphis Culinary Institute where the meals are made. The entrees are sold in about 18 Kroger locations in Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi, and she said they are continuing to expand. The whole enterprise took about nine months to launch.
A Strong Foundation at Hutchison
Belisomo credits Hutchison with helping her build a solid foundation, particularly in writing.
“I tell everybody, if you learn how to write, you can go someplace. [English teacher] Glenda Pera is one of my dearest friends today. She was the first person who told me that I could write well. I remember her telling me, ‘This is how you write an essay.’ I thought, ‘Wow. I didn’t even think it was that great,’ but apparently she did.”
She added that Hutchison gave her a well-rounded education, including confidence, self-esteem and great friends. “I knew that my teachers cared about me and my education and that makes a big difference when you feel like people are in your corner. I’ve always felt like there were people there cheering me on and that means a lot to a young lady.”
OUR INAUGURAL STING AND SWING PICKLEBALL MIXER was a smashing success! Thank you to Pickleball 901 for partnering with the Hutchison Parents Association (HPA) and to the parents, alumnae, faculty, and community members who came out for some friendly competition and school spirit. The HPA is grateful to all of the sponsors who helped make this event happen. Through events like this, the HPA can continue to build a strong community and provide meaningful experiences for Hutchison students throughout the year.
Colleen Canale, Lindsay Adams, Lindsay Horner Lewis ’99, Ellen Lester
Above: Cara Baskin ’96 and Justin Grinder Left: Lindsay Adams, Candice Maxwell, Colleen Canale, Marnie Slattery, Shibahn Singh Rodda ’02
Above: Zack Moore, Joy Moore, Marnie Slattery, Shibahn Singh Rodda ’02
Below: Carly Adams, Cyndy Taylor, Morgan Murphy, Lauren Kuykendall
Thank You to Our Sponsors!
BLACK AND GOLD SPONSOR
STING SPONSORS
GOETZ E
COURT SPONSORS
Nancy Welsh Smith ’68 Palmer & Foster Smith
In Honor of Eleanor Biggs’34 & Evie Biggs’37
Cara Baskin Grinder ’96, Ginger McCullough Wilson ’97
Laura Russell, Colleen Canale
Amanda Eckels Goetze ’94, Caroline Billups Janet Webster, Elizabeth Chisholm Jordan ’86, Bonnie Combs, Andy Combs, Tanya Crump, Keith Crump
Neely Leavell ’12, Shelton Wittenberg ’14, Briana Wilson, Natalia Nazareth Lauren Keras, Hattie Rounder, Lynn Schaefer, Caroline Schaefer ’08
Thank You to Our Leadership Donors
Leadership gifts to Hutchison allow our school to provide opportunities for each girl to discover her interests and develop into a strong leader. We showed our appreciation for our community who gave leadership gifts in the past year at the home of Palmer and Foster Smith, parents of Ann Smith ’28.
1. Foster and Palmer Smith, Hutchison Fund Co-Chairs | 2. Paige Phillips ’07 and Paul Gillespie, Hutchison Fund Co-Chairs | 3. Dave and Amy Howe, Farley Howe Ezekiel ’08 | 4. Stephanie and Taylor Key | 5. Kate and Coleman Connell | 6. Sarah Wright, Olivia Collins, Katye Houston, Kristen Farmer Davis ’99, and Mary Aubrey Landrum Stafford ’10
Hutchison Photos by Brandon Dill
1. Jamila Smith-Young and Paul Young | 2. Ashley Bryce ’02 and Jamie Riney | 3. Rebecca Balton ’76 and Chris Long
4. Jeremy and Katie Horner ’92 Alpert | 5. Fred and Brenda Grinder | 6. Dennis and Kristen Ring, Carrie and Trevor Benitone
Thank you!
1. Ashlee and Bart Reid | 2. David and Catherine Willmott | 3. Lance and Ginger McCullough ’97 Wilson | 4. Jay and Jennifer Campbell
5. Ragan Crawford ’88 and Lon Magness | 6. Collie and Veazey Gully ’78 Krausnick | 7. Lisa and Paul Berryhill | 8. Jonathan and Lynn Rowe
9. Wilson and Allison Pace
1. Shekinah and Rico Andrews | 2. Lauren and Matthew Gant | 3. Chris and Caroline Johnson ’91 Crosby | 4. Susan and Tom Stephenson 5. Martha Hollis ’03 and Garner Williams | 6. Scott and Lauren Douglass | 7. Virginia Unglesby ’25, with Kristen Ring, shared her Hutchison journey with attendees. | 8. Tim and Marti McFarland ’96 Mashburn | 9. Cara Baskin ’96 and Justin Grinder| 10. Tonya Faulkner and Lori Guy 11. Catherine and Mark Chubb
Alumnae Award Honorees
Distinguished Alumna Award
The Distinguished Alumna Award recognizes and celebrates alumnae who are making a difference in the world through exceptional professional achievement and selfless and visionary service.
Amy Atkinson Shreve ’80 is our Distinguished Alumna recipient this year. Amy serves as the Executive Vice President and Operations Executive for First Horizon Bank. She is also a member of their Executive Management Committee, which is comprised of the 16 senior leaders of the organization, and she and her team are responsible for all major operational functions of the bank. Amy has supported the growth of aspiring professionals through mentorship, sponsorship, and leadership, and is passionate about process improvement. In an industry historically dominated by men, her leadership, expertise, and passion have propelled her success and opened doors for future female leaders in banking.
Amy Atkinson Shreve ’80
Dr. Kristen Ring with Minje Mitchell Ramey ’60, Virginia Baird, and Amy Atkinson Shreve ’80
Amy, Minje, and Virginia have each made a lasting impact on our community and beyond, and we are proud to recognize their contributions. Congratulations to these inspiring women!
Anne Marie Newton Walker ’47 Philanthropy Award
Created in recognition of Anne Marie’s passion for and service to her alma mater, the Anne Marie Newton Walker ’47 Philanthropy Award is presented to an alumna who advances philanthropy to Hutchison through personal giving and serves as an inspiration to the larger community to give.
Minje Mitchell Ramey ’60 was presented with our Anne Marie Newton Walker ’47 Philanthropy Award. A loyal and faithful donor, Minje began giving back to our school in the 1970s, setting the stage for a legacy of generosity that has spanned an incredible 50-plus years. Minje leads by example, and she and her family, which includes three daughters and a granddaughter who are alumnae, continue to be positive advocates throughout the Hutchison community.
Honorary AlumnaAward
Honorary alumnae are active, vibrant individuals with a caring concern for their communities, their families, and for Hutchison. They have brought honor to themselves and the school and demonstrably reflect Miss Hutchison’s values and her passionate commitment to girls’ education.
Virginia Baird was honored to be named an Honorary Alumna of Hutchison. For 36 years, she inspired generations of young women at Hutchison with a profound appreciation for the Latin language and Roman history and culture. More than just a teacher, she was a mentor and a guide, fostering a love of learning that transcended the classroom and encouraging her students to think critically, to embrace intellectual curiosity, and to find their own voices. Even in retirement, Virginia’s commitment to Hutchison remains steadfast, as she continues to share her wisdom and expertise, proving that her dedication to education is a lifelong calling.
Virginia Baird
Minje Mitchell Ramey ’60
Coffee & Confections
Classmates and friends kicked off Alumnae Weekend over coffee and confections in the Sprunt Room. It was wonderful to see so many smiling faces back on campus!
Laurie Morrison Jackson ’90 and Jennifer McCarty-Finkel ’90
Opal Marlow ’80, Carla McCann Parris ’80, Leslie Chalmers Burke ’80, Kelly Witt Wells ’80, Amy Atkinson Shreve ’80, Cynthia Britton Cross ’80, and Lou Flowers Martin ’80
Alison Humphreys Nenon ’05
Alumnae Weekend photos by Brandon Dill and Danielle Katz
| Hutchison
Convocation
Mary Grace Edwards Walters ‘05
Amy Atkinson Shreve ’80, 2025 Distinguished Alumna
Class of 1980 Panel
Members of the class of 1980 shared the career and life lessons they have learned with the Class of 2025 in a special Food for Thought panel; Lou Flowers Martin, Carla McCann Parris, Amy Atkinson Shreve, Leslie Chalmers Burke, Cynthia Britton Cross, and Kelly Witt Wells
Laurie Fraser Stanton Elliot ’65 and Dr. Kristen Ring
Lunch on the Katherine and John Dobbs Farm
Dr. Kristen Ring, Loren McRae Lancaster ’05, Jennings Pitts Barnes ’05, Brokke Simpson Hall ’05, and Meredith Beaty Roper ’05
Jeanne Bowen Hollis ’75 and Missy Nichols Rainer ’77
Jane Campbell Gober ’65 and Brenda Chandler Cooke ’66
Anne Cunningham ’66 and Debby Owen Schadt ’65
Ali Chesney, Director of the Hutchison Farm, spoke with alumnae over a lunch featuring student-grown produce, sharing how she involves students in hands-on projects on the farm. Alumnae also heard from social science teacher Kollin Falk, who discussed how he’s introducing middle school students to artificial intelligence technology.
Missy Nichols Rainer ’77 and Betty Riggan Padgett ’60
Campus After Hours
Class of 2005 – Back row: Margaret Atkinson Martin, Lauren Stallworth Imbrosciano, Loren McRae Lancaster, Alex Roberts Heflin, Lawrence Dillon Alexander, Ruth Wood Garrett, Meade Miller Carlisle, Ivy Bryant Phillips, Maggie Fesmire Canter, Nancy Edwards Bourne, Alison Humphreys Nenon, and Chelsea Rose Jewell; front row: Sophie Stubblefield Bracewell, Brokke Simpson Hall, Chloe Baker Plunk, Meredith Beaty Roper, Jennings Pitts Barnes, Helen Morrison Guyton, Martha Campbell Robertson, and Katherine Ray
Brenda Chandler Cooke ’66, Anne Dillard Arnold ’65, Mamel Cole McCain ’65, Frances Crawford Catmur ’65, Jane Beck Ezzell ’65, Debby Owen Schadt ’65, Jane Campbell Gober ’65, and Anne Cunningham ’66
Caroline Kyle ’15 and Mary Kyle ’03
Above: Caroline Wade ’15, Sarah Grace Rogers Youngblood ’15, and Emma Johnson ’15
Left: Lesley Rainer Dillon ’75, Virginia Apperson ’75, and Weezie Collier Calandruccio ’75
Campus After Hours
Class of 2010 – Back
Claire
row:
Tenent Murk, Sara Rose Watkins Williams, Danielle Rassoul-Alexander, Addison Roberts Haykal, Meredith Taylor, Meredith Heppel Prousnitzer, Amelia Brown Williamson, and Mary Aubrey Landrum Stafford; front row: Kelsey Currie Lewis, Sarah Helton Shirey, Katherine Hammond, and Taylor Williams Ivers
Susu Rasche Sneed ’75, Lynn Misner ’75, and Mary Ellen Poindexter Chase ’75
Amelia Brown Williamson ’10, Dennis Ring, and Dr. Kristen Ring
Katherine Hammond ’10, Angela Garretson Massengale ’96, Leslie Randle ’95, and Nick Currie
Meredith Beaty Roper ’05, Katy Nair, and Brokke Simpson Hall ’05
Class of 2020 – Top, L to R; Grace Anne Eber and Josie Butler; Middle; Isabelle Sharp, Claire Schneider, Canale Tagg, Helen Gillespie, and Jada Millen; Front; Katherine Harding, Marilyn Wiener, Miller Bishop, and Lauren Halbach
Class of 1975 – Beth Thomas Ploch, Virginia Apperson, Pam Wilbourn Pierce, Helen McCormick Parsons, Jeanne Bowen Hollis, Weezie Collier Calandruccio, Whitney Withers Smith, Lynn Misner, Susu Rasche Sneed, Cindy Lafferty Williams, Mary Ellen Poindexter Chase, Lesley Rainer Dillon, Nancy Anderson, Lisa Burkhalter Mitchum, Carita Crump Palmer, and Vicky Freund Rehill
Caroline Kyle ’15, Stephanie Pierotti Word ’15, Jaden Davis ’15, and Claire Temple Avant ’15
Josie Butler ’20, Catherine Chubb, and Lauren Halbach ’20
Milestone Mimosa Brunch
Stella Orgill Blocker ’55, Sandra Hall Warlick ’55, and Josephine Phillips Schaeffer ’61
Class of 2000 – Kathryn Drinkard Howell, Peria Gober Williams, Emily Walker Koelsch, Emily Bryce Bowie, and Randi Belisomo
Class of 1980 – Amy Atkinson Shreve, Kelly Witt Wells, Leslie Chalmers Burke, Linda Parrott Coleman, Opal Marlow, Carla McCann Parris, Cynthia Britton Cross, Lou Flowers Martin, and Anne Marie Caskey
Class of 2005 – Back row: Lauren Stallworth Imbrosciano, Cameron Stokes Knight, Alison Humphreys Nenon, Meredith Beaty Roper, Loren McRae Lancaster, Nancy Edwards Bourne, Lawrence Dillon Alexander, Ruth Wood Garrett, Sophie Stubblefield Bracewell, Ragan Mueller Washburn, Maggie Fesmire Canter, and Margaret Atkinson Martin; front: Mary Grace Edwards Walters, Martha Campbell Robertson, Betsey Haight Hawthorne, Chloe Baker Plunk, Jennings Pitts Barnes, Helen Morrison Guyton, and Brokke Simpson Hall
Sarah Wright and Minje Mitchell Ramey ’60, the 2025 Anne Marie Newton Walker ’47 Philanthropy Award recipient
Above: Ragan Crawford Magness ’88, Melissa Dula Reddoch ’85, Molly Morris Gooch ’85, and Sarah Morris Brower ’95
Left: Amy Atkinson Shreve ’80, 2025 Distinguished Alumna
Class of 1985 – Silvia Bevilacqua-McBride, Betsy Flowers, Beth Clark, Pam Nolley, Dale Hammond Bowers, Dorree Jane Smith Smith, Susan Stimbert Bullock, Melissa Dula Reddoch, Gay Daughdrill Boyd, Elise Phillipy Lake, Laura McArtor, and Molly Morris Gooch
Milestone Mimosa Brunch
Virginia Baird and Catherine Chubb
Betty Riggan Padgett ’60 presented Dr. Kristen Ring with several bricks from Hutchison’s Union Avenue campus
Ginny Muller Strubing ’60, Betty Riggan Padgett ’60, and Lillian High Trotter ’60
Above: Pat Newberry Kelly, Virginia Baird, Caroline Schaefer ’08, Amanda Killen, and Ragan Crawford Magness ’88
Below: Jane Campbell Gober ’65, Anne Cunningham ’66, Brenda Chandler Cooke ’66, Frances Crawford Catmur ’65, Mamel Cole McCain ’65, Anne Dillard Arnold ’65, Jane Beck Ezzell ’65, Debby Owen Schadt ’65, and Penny Reed Keras ’65
Nashville Gathering
Top row: Lauren Stallworth Imbrosciano ’05, Hardin Powell Meade ’04, and Virginia Grayson ’08; middle: Dr. Kristen Ring, Leslie Patton Davis ’83, Caché Truitt ’14, Meredith Miller ’07, Halle Dougher ’19, Shelley Grayson ’06, Sarah Cox Teague ’08, Natalie Cuicchi ’99, Myra Fort Leathers ’76, Elizabeth Saxton Inman ’99, and Mary Catherine Hughes ’10; Front: Lisa Patton Southard ’76, Adelaide Thornton ’08, Ellen Dennis ’07, Zelia Cedeño-Avila ’24, Catherine Kaiser Martin ’99, and Mary Aubrey Landrum Stafford ’10
Helen Morrison Guyton ’05, Maggie Fesmire Canter ’05, and Jennings Pitts Barnes ’05
Class of 2015 – Jaden Davis, Caroline Kyle, Emma Johnson, Sarah Grace Rogers Youngblood, Caroline Wade, Virginia Byars, and Claire Temple Avant
Class of 1975 – Helen McCormick Parsons, Lesley Rainer Dillon, Pam Wilbourn Pierce, Cindy Lafferty Williams, Nancy Anderson, Virginia Apperson, and Lynn Misner
PROFESSIONALLY SPEAKING
Susan Springfield ’82, who retired as chief credit officer from First Horizon Bank in December of 2024, joined the Board of Trustees of Church Health in Memphis.
Ellen Gannaway Lail ’84 published her latest article for the Forbes Coaches Council on Forbes.com, titled “Leverage A 2,500-YearOld Strategy for Joy and Success in Your Career.” In the article, she shares how a principle from military expert Sun Tzu can help one manage their career.
LEO Events, led by principal Cindy Crill Brewer ’87, was named a Rocky Top Business Award winner for the second year in a row by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The firm ranked 8th among 65 alumniowned businesses, recognized for its outstanding growth from 2021 to 2023.
Meg Thomas Crosby ’88 and Howard Cleveland (MUS ’88) co-authored a business book titled Running the Gauntlet: Proven Strategies for High-Growth Leaders.
Laura Dellinger Lynd ’92 was named one of the Top 50 Women Leaders in Dallas, Texas. She looks forward to mentoring other women who are making transformational changes in their fields.
Dr. Laura Fidler ’93 became the new owner of Brattleboro Family Eye Care in 2024, where she has worked since 2012.
Kim Waxman O’Bar ’00 is now teaching at St. George’s Independent School and excited to be a part of the school’s faculty and community.
Sara Fay Peters Egan ’00 published her new book, The Through Line: Finding Happiness through the Curveballs of Life, Family, and Business
Ashley Akin Brantley ’01 published her second book, Frommer’s EasyGuide to Nashville and Memphis, which
is currently the #1 best seller on Amazon for Memphis travel guides.
Goodwyn Heard Bell ’01 became the senior pastor of Blacknall Memorial Presbyterian Church in Durham, North Carolina.
Dr. Caroline Aldridge Walker ’04 was promoted to Associate Professor at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, where she serves as Chief of Cardiac Anesthesiology.
Lizy Heard Wegener ’05 has joined Goetze Art & Design (owned by Amanda Eckels Goetze ’94) as a gallery relations manager. She will support client relations, operations, and marketing efforts.
Rebecca Maury Dicken ’12 began a new role this year as a real estate agent at Coldwell Banker CollinsMaury.
Maggie Leavell ’12 started a new role as Senior Software Engineer at Thrive Financial in Nashville, Tennessee.
Kelley Guinn McArtor ’12 was promoted to Director of Mountain Dew Brand Marketing at PepsiCo.
Emily Faber ’15 is now part of Open Society Foundations as the project manager on the global operations team, based in New York.
Anna Johnson ’15 returned to Boston Consulting Group as a consultant after earning her Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School.
Caroline Hastings Breed ’16 started a new position as a personal banker at Benchmark Bank in February.
Patsy Detroit ’16 started a new role as a simulation operations specialist at Belmont University.
Madison Wunderlich ’16 was promoted to the role of brand manager at Marla Aaron Jewelry.
Maeji Brown ’18 started a new job as an analytical administrator at The ProLift Rigging Company in Memphis.
Abigail Fonville ’18 accepted a position as an architectural designer with Populous, an international sports architecture firm, in their Boston office.
Brianna Jett ’18 is now a diagnostic sales specialist with Bionote USA covering Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas.
Rachel Kimery ’18, director of marketing and communications at Kimery Wealth Management, was named one of the Top 50 Women Leaders of Memphis for 2025 by Women We Admire.
Kaia Starks ’18 joined Pilot Flying J as a procurement specialist II for the company’s deli, IT, and merchandising teams.
Ainsley Holliday ’19 joined Johnson & Johnson MedTech as an associate clinical account specialist in Nashville.
Hannah Touliatos ’19 started a new position as a clinical research coordinator at Veracity Neuroscience LLC.
Miller Bishop ’20 is the next owner/ editor of The Scout Guide Memphis, a publication and online resource that highlights local businesses, entrepreneurs, artists, and others who contribute to the city's vibrant scene.
Sydney Shy ’20 started a new position as media, marketing, and stewardship coordinator at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Memphis.
LET US KNOW ABOUT YOUR WORK
Please share your latest professional achievements and news so your fellow classmates will know what you are doing. Send professional news and photos to alumnae@hutchisonschool. org. The deadline for the next magazine is Friday, October 3, 2025
Empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test:
these five steps of design thinking guided second grade girls in the Design Lab. Inspired by the Spanish vocabulary they were learning, the girls used the 3D modeling program Tinkercad to design and 3D print jewelry. The project inspires the girls to use their imaginations as well as spatial reasoning, problem solving, and geometry. It also helps girls build determination and resiliency as they learn from mistakes and make gradual refinements to improve their designs. “If we stop when the design has a flaw, then we will not learn or progress and could miss out on a fabulous creative experience,” said academic technology specialist Jennifer Stover.
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