Things About Capt. Thomas J. Hudner Jr. ’43

Released last November, the movie Devotion is based on the 2015 eponymous book, which details the inspirational true story of Capt. Thomas J. Hudner and his heroic efforts to save the life of his friend and wingman Ensign Jesse L. Brown during the Korean War. Brown was the Navy’s first African American aviator.

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Amazon Studios is currently working on a limited series drama called Assume Nothing, based on Tanya Selvaratnam ’88’s memoir that reveals the details of her abusive relationship with former New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. Mimi Won Techentin ’79 is the executive producer; Selvaratnam will also be a producer.

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For his brave and selfless act, Hudner received the Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman in 1951. Hudner’s 22-year Navy career included 27 combat missions in Korea and serving as executive officer aboard the USS Kitty Hawk during the Vietnam War.

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During his lifetime, Hudner received numerous military decorations, including the Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star Medal. In April 2017, the U.S. Navy christened the naval destroyer USS Thomas Hudner (DDG116)—a rare honor for a living veteran. Hudner attended the ceremony but passed away later that year.

4 There were many in the Class of 1943 who joined the military after, or sometimes before, graduation. In his 50th Reunion reflection, Hudner commented humbly on the honors he received, writing, “There were many guys there on the ground making all sorts of sacrifices and enduring unimaginable hardships…but many of them weren’t recognized for what they did, as many of you know from your own experiences.”

5 Andover honored Hudner and his life of non sibi in March by hosting a community screening of Devotion and issuing a custom challenge coin with his portrait, painted by Chas Fagan ’84.

Hoopstar Kennedy Herndon ’23 is now officially the highest scorer in Andover girls’ basketball history, tallying 1,208 points during her four-year career. In February, the girls’ varsity captain surpassed the previous record of 1,108 points, held by Andover Athletics Hall of Honor inductee Becky Dowling Calder ’94

DEPUTY HEAD OF SCHOOL, TWO CHARTER TRUSTEES

Merrilee Mardon will begin her appointment as Andover’s first deputy head of school this summer. Currently associate head of school and dean of faculty at the Hotchkiss School in Connecticut, Mardon is an experienced educator and administrator who has served in academic and residential life leadership roles. Mardon will replace Raj Mundra P’18, ’20, who served a oneyear term as interim deputy head of school and who will become head of school at LickWilmerding High School in San Francisco in July. (Read more about Mundra’s tenure at Phillips Academy on page 28.)

At Hotchkiss, Mardon oversees a team that includes campus life, athletics, and academic department heads and supervises the human development program, mental health counseling, and health services. She was instrumental in creating the Walter Crain Fellowship, which promotes the development of underrepresented populations among independent school leadership. The program will soon have six fellows who will go on to earn master’s degrees in private school leadership in partnership with the Klingenstein Center at Columbia University’s Teachers College.

A graduate of Smith College, Mardon earned a PhD in economics from the University of Massachusetts and taught economics and gender and women’s studies at Connecticut College before joining the Hotchkiss faculty in 2008. She was appointed associate dean of academic life in 2013 and dean of academic life in 2014.

In December, Amy Christodoulo ’98 was named to the Board of Trustees for a sixyear term as a charter trustee. Christodoulo’s leadership as co-chair of the Andover Development Board has been foundational to revitalizing the group’s engagement and strengthening its philanthropic mission. Christodoulo has been active in many nonprofits, primarily centered on equity in childhood education. Additionally, she has served on the boards of the San Francisco Symphony, Marin Country Day School, and Geography of Hope, which provides scholarships that enable students to participate in life-changing adventure expeditions.

Christodoulo holds degrees from George Washington University and the Fashion Institute of Technology; her professional background is in merchandise planning and technology consulting. She and her husband, Peter ’98, live in San Francisco with their two children.

Additionally, Carlos Montemayor ’92, P’23, was also named to a six-year term as a charter trustee. As CEO of the privately held INL Group, a conglomerate based in Monterrey, Mexico, Montemayor oversees interests in real estate, media, and hospitality.

Montemayor has served for eight years on the Andover Development Board and has volunteered as an alumni admission representative interviewing prospective PA students. A proud parent of a student in the Class of 2023, he also serves on the Parent Advancement Council. Beyond Andover, his philanthropic and volunteer endeavors include serving on the board of La Universidad de Monterrey for more than 15 years. Montemayor graduated from Cornell University with a BS in industrial and labor relations. He lives in Monterrey, Mexico, with his wife, Luisa, and his two sons.