e months ahead will be de ning for University School of Nashville and shape our school for years to come. Working together, our community will navigate key leadership transitions, implement the critical recommendations from the Barnes & ornburg report and the USN Community Task Force, manage the re-accreditation process, and launch an ambitious new strategic plan.
Given the importance of this work, ensuring stability, continuity, and momentum is essential. To that end, the Board of Trustees is delighted to share the following announcements concerning USN’s future leadership:
Juliet Douglas Named Interim Director of USN
e Interim Director Search Committee has named Juliet Douglas, formerly a longstanding senior administrator at USN, as Interim Director e ective March 31, 2025. Mrs. Douglas, who retired from USN in 2023, will serve in this role until a new Director is identi ed for the 2026-2027 academic year.
roughout her 27-year leadership tenure at USN, Mrs. Douglas served in many key roles including Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, introducing USN to more than 14,000 children and families. We are delighted to welcome Mrs. Douglas back to USN and know that her leadership ability, devotion to our students and families, and deep commitment to the school’s culture will enable USN to thrive during this time of re ection, change, and growth. Please nd more about Mrs. Douglas on page 4.
Board of Trustees New Leadership: Dr. Alex Jahangir to Become Board President
e Board of Trustees has established a seasoned leadership team to guide the school’s future course and is pleased that Alex Jahangir, M.D. has been selected by the Executive Committee to be our new Board President. In addition to being a Vanderbilt University Medical Center physician, Dr. Jahangir is a well-regarded Nashville community leader who has led several nonpro t Boards and chaired the city of Nashville’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. While serving in Board leadership for a spectrum of leading organizations, Dr. Jahangir has contributed to governance, strategic planning, and institutional growth. Dr. Jahangir is deeply passionate about USN and the exceptional educational experience that it provides to his three children.
Joining Dr. Jahangir as o cers of the Board will be Vice President and new Trustee Erin Zagnoev, who is the USNA Co-President; Treasurer Jim Rieniets, who has extensive nancial expertise; and Co-Secretaries Kristin Wilson and
Robert Perry ’03, who have in-depth experience in legal processes that will ensure the e cient and e ective functioning of our Board. Together, their collective knowledge and leadership will be instrumental as we navigate the important work ahead.
In order for Board leadership to work in seamless partnership with Mrs. Douglas, USN will transition to this leadership team e ective March 24, 2025, following con rmation by the entire Board.
e Board of Trustees thanks Eric Kopstain for his tireless dedication as Board President during this challenging time for our school. Mr. Kopstain’s commitment to and care for USN has been invaluable, and we appreciate his steady partnership as we navigate this transition in the months ahead. We wish Mr. Kopstain and his family the best as new college and career opportunities take them to Florida.
e Board would like to express our sincere gratitude to the following trustees who will complete their service in May 2025: Terrence Brooks, Stacey Cason, Saeed Fakhruddin, Scott Ghertner ’85, Amy Hu man, Eric Kopstain, and Tina Modi. eir dedication and contributions have been signi cant and impactful and we are truly grateful for their service.
e selection process for new Board members is still underway and we look forward to welcoming and working with those who will begin terms in May.
USN Strategic Plan to be Launched in March
So many of you contributed to USN’s long-anticipated strategic plan, which re ects the collective dreams and aspirations of our entire community. We are pleased to share that this comprehensive plan, which sets an inspired path for all aspects of our future, will be shared with you a er Spring Break. Built upon foundational work completed last year, our strategic plan represents a blueprint for educational innovation that honors our traditions while positioning us for continued excellence and sustainability.
Moving Ahead Together
Looking toward the future, there is much to accomplish and this is also a time of tremendous opportunity. At every step, our priority remains ensuring that USN’s students, faculty, sta , and administrators thrive in a stable, supportive, and forward-thinking environment. With the unwavering support of our families, faculty, sta , administrators, alumni, parents of alumni and other champions, we will not only succeed but also thrive. Your commitment to our students, your belief in our educators, and your engagement in our community are the foundation upon which we build our future. We are deeply grateful for your partnership, your dedication, and the civility with which we navigate this journey together. rough collaboration, respect, and a shared vision, we will shape a bold and inspiring future for USN.
Sincerely,
e USN Board of Trustees
getting to know JULIET DOUGLAS
While a long -familiar presence at USN for almost three decades, Juliet Douglas may bene t from a bit of introduction to newer families, faculty, and sta .
In her 27 years at USN, Juliet served as Director of Admission and Financial Aid, introducing USN to over 14,000 children and families before retiring in 2023 to move to Newport, Rhode Island. Of particular pride to her is the demographic change of the school over the years, increasing from 12% students of color in 1996 to 36% in 2023, growing the school’s economic diversity from 6% of students receiving assistance to 22%, and overseeing the annual distribution of nearly $4 million in nancial aid to meet families’ needs. She executed awless Previews and Open Houses to showcase our school to hundreds of people within a few short hours each November. Over the course of her time at USN, she attended all Board and Executive Committee meetings, participated in or chaired multiple search and school renewal committees, chaired the area admissions
directors’ association, oversaw our exceptional retention of students, worked with countless parent volunteers at admission and school events, worked morning arrival (a personal highlight of hers), attended every level of student performance in the arts and athletics, and was a world-class Mystery Turkey at Grandparents’ & Special Friends’ Day.
Juliet is the proud mother to Sam ’12, the lead in e Inspector at Yale Repertory eatre, and James ’14, middle school admissions director at e Ensworth School; the fact that grandson Oliver lives in Nashville might have been consequential to her decision to take on this new Nashville responsibility. Her husband, Stephen, is known to generations of Lower School art students as Mr. Douglas, in his paint-smeared lab coat, and also was an assistant coach to the boys lacrosse team. e paintings of his students live on in school stationery and most notably the revered brown paper bags turned into vibrant Turkey Trot costumes that families archive for 13 years.
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCES
Recruited/Search consulted for a not-for-pro t independent school search rm.
Served as Director of Admissions and Financial Aid and taught English at e Madeira School.
Taught English at Tunghai University in Taiwan as a Princeton-in-Asia Fellow.
As a proud Tiger,
I am honored to step into this role and welcome the next leader of USN by July 2026. I’m very grateful for Chai Reddy and the entire leadership team for their guidance during this period, and I look forward to reconnecting with old friends and
Peabody Demonstration School University School of Nashville Directors
Received graduate degree from University of Virginia and undergraduate degree from Princeton University, where she won Princeton’s Detwiler Prize, awarded to the
Dr. Richard omas Alexander 1915 - 1924
Dr. William Henry Yarbrough 1924 - 1937
Dr. John Edwin Windrow 1937 - 1947
Dr. T. Ross Fink 1947 - 1951
Dr. William Knox McCharen 1951 - 1968
L. Edward Pratt 1968 - 1977
Harold Snedcof 1977 - 1978
Heber Rogers* 1978 - 1979
Harvey B. Sperling 1979 - 1990
Kay Simmons* 1990 - 1991
Edward R. Costello 1991 - 1999
Dr. Jean Gray Litterer* 1999 - 2000
Dr. Vincent W. Durnan Jr. 2000 - 2022
Amani Reed 2022 - 2025
Dr. Chai Reddy* January 7, 2025 - March 30, 2025
Juliet Douglas* March 31, 2025 - June 30, 2026
*Interim Director
(Opposite page) Juliet delivers the Commencement Farewell to the Class of 2023 on the Back Lawn.
(Above) Retired USN Lower School Art Teacher Stephen Douglas hugs Juliet on the beach in Rhode Island. (Below) e Douglas family: Sam ’12, grandson Oliver, James ’14, Stephen, and Juliet.
NEXT DIRECTOR
Finding the right permanent Director to lead USN into the future is one of the most important responsibilities of the Board. To guide this critical process, we have established a Search Committee co-chaired by Naima Walker Fierce and Erin Zagnoev, both with deep leadership experience and a strong understanding of our school’s needs. e committee consists of dedicated and diverse individuals with strong ties to USN with expertise in education, governance, leadership, and community engagement.
Tobey Beaver Balzer '02, Fi h Grade Science Teacher, Parent ’34, ’36
Shira Boehler, Parent ’29, ’29, ’31, ’35
e Honorable Phil Bredesen, Former Tennessee Governor, Former Trustee, Parent of Alumnus ’98, Grandparent ’29, ’33
Richard “Rick” Ewing ’83, Parent of Alumna ’24
Frank Garrison, Former Board President, Emeritus Trustee, Parent of Alumni ’08, ’10
Benjamin Goldberg '98, Trustee, Parent ’32, ’36
Teri Doochin Kasselberg ’73, Honorary Trustee, Parent of Alumni ’99, ’02, ’16, Grandparent ’31, ’33, ’37
Srijaya Reddy ’97, Alumni Board Immediate Past President, Parent ’35
Jennifer Russell, Trustee, Parent ’29
Anne Westfall, Director of Development, Parent ’27
Over the coming months, the committee will oversee a national search to identify candidates who embody USN’s values, culture, and commitment to educational excellence. We will partner with an experienced search rm to ensure a thorough, inclusive, and well-structured process, and we look forward to receiving your feedback and support throughout the search.
GETTING TO KNOW NEW
BOARD LEADERSHIP
Board President Alex Jahangir with wife Helen and daughters Layla ’29, Kate ’31, and Elise ’32.
I would like to thank Past President Eric Kopstain for his dedication, leadership, commitment to USN, and steady partnership as we navigate this transition. ere is much to be done in the coming months, and I look forward to working together with the community to ensure a bright future for our school.
Erin Zagnoev, Board Vice President
Dr. Alex Jahangir, Board President
Alex Jahangir, M.D. will become the next President of the Board of Trustees, a er con rmation by the full Board on March 24, 2025. An orthopedic trauma surgeon at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Dr. Jahangir is also a proud father of three USN students — Layla ’29, Kate ’31, and Elise ’32 — Dr. Jahangir is focused on USN’s success and the strength of our community.
A veteran community leader, Dr. Jahangir has given signi cant time and energy to improving Nashville and many of its essential nonpro t groups. is includes having co-chaired the Transition Committee for Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell and having served as board chair for organizations including Adventure Science Center, Metro Nashville Board of Health, Nashville COVID-19 Task Force, Vanderbilt University Medical Center Medical Executive Committee, and Imagine Nashville. Dr. Jahangir has also served on the Boards of the Nashville CVC and the ink Tennessee nonpartisan think tank. rough this work, he has contributed to the governance, strategic planning, and institutional growth of each of these entities and looks forward to using his experience to guide USN throughout this important period.
Erin Zagnoev will join the Board of Trustees as the new Vice President. Erin is a longtime, deeply engaged leader of our school. She has been a driving force in strengthening parent engagement and enhancing the student experience. As 2024-2025 USNA Co-President and a dedicated mother to three USN students — Rena ‘’29, Sari ’32, and Tali ’35, Mrs. Zagnoev has played a vital role in shaping key initiatives that support our families and enrich our school.
Mrs. Zagnoev holds expertise in nonpro t administration, fundraising, and strategic development. She holds an MBA in Nonpro t Management and serves as Director of Administration & Advancement at e Temple, overseeing operations, nances, and community engagement. She especially looks forward to integrating her favorite aspects of her day job — fundraising and development — into her new role as Board Vice President.
Board Vice President Erin Zagnoev with husband Greg and daughters Rena ’29, Sari ’32, and Tali ’35.
Mission
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.
