Leadership

Prentice Stabler was named Ensworth’s eighth Head of School in 2022. He received his A.B. in History with a certificate in Teacher Preparation from Princeton University, his M.A. in Private School Leadership from the Teachers College of Columbia University, and his M.B.A. from the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University. Prentice began his teaching career at McCallie, where he also served as a member of the history faculty and as Varsity Head Crew Coach, Boarding Advisor and Dorm Parent, and Assistant Director of Boarding Admission. In 2013, he joined Franklin Road Academy as the Head of Upper School and served in that role until 2019, when he was appointed Associate Head of School. Prentice and his wife Rhymes have three children, Pace ’33, Ramsay ’35, and Bennett (age 3).

Ricky Bowers was named Athletic Director of Ensworth’s High School in May 2002. He served as the Head Coach for both the Varsity Football Team and the Varsity Boys’ Basketball team. In 2009, Ricky was named as an Associate Head of School. He has won numerous coaching awards throughout more than thirty years of coaching and was inducted to the Tennessee Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2017. Bowers earned his Bachelor’s Degree at David Lipscomb University and a Master’s Degree in Administration from Tennessee State University. Ricky and his wife, Debbie, have four children who are alumni of Ensworth: Anna ’08, Richard ’09, Andrew ’13, and Mary Rae ’15.

Dr. Heather Caponi joined Ensworth in 2020 as the Head of Lower School and took on the role of Associate Head of School in 2023. Prior to Ensworth, she worked at Brookfield Academy in Wisconsin beginning in 1995, where she taught 4K, first, third, and fourth grades. She also helped create a resource department in Brookfield’s Lower School for struggling students and headed that department until she became the Assistant Lower School Head and then Primary and Lower School Head. Heather was awarded the Creative Thinking in Management Award from Independent School Management for a teacher growth and learning program she created. Caponi received her B.A. in American Studies from Colby College and her M.Ed. in School Counseling from the University of San Diego with Program Valedictorian Honors. She received her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Innovation at Arizona State University. Heather and her husband Chris have three adult children, Christopher, Caroline, and Connor.

Rebekah Armstrong was named Director of Enrollment Management in 2021. Capps began her career at Ensworth in the summer of 2004, assisting in the Admission and Dean of Students offices during the early years of the High School. She transitioned into the role of Director of Admission for Lower/Middle School in 2007 and has served as Director of Enrollment Management since 2021. Throughout her time at Ensworth, Rebekah has been actively engaged in student life, coaching and chaperoning class trips. She has also been involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters as a mentor since 2016, and she is a member of Midtown Fellowship Church. Capps earned her B.A. in Psychology from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville and her M.Ed. in Learning and Instruction from Vanderbilt University.

Angela Claxton joined Ensworth in 2023 as the Director of Marketing & Communications. Prior to Ensworth, Angela served as the Director of Marketing and Communications at Franklin Road Academy, where she was a member of the leadership team and spearheaded marketing, public relations, crisis communications, website, social media, messaging, and media efforts. Angela has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics & Management from DePauw University and owned her own business for over a decade before entering the independent school world. Angela and her husband Brett have two children, Cash and Cora.

Nowell Hesse was appointed Ensworth’s second Head of High School in July 2019. Hesse came to Ensworth from his alma mater, Isidore Newman School in New Orleans. During his sixteen years as an educator at Newman, Nowell held a number of significant roles including Chair of the Science Department, Director of Technology, and Head of Upper School. Hesse graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude from the Honors Program at the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Science in Genetics/Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and holds a Masters of Education in Independent SchoolvLeadership from Vanderbilt University. Nowell and his wife Alyce have four children, Caitlin ’28, Patrick ’32, David ’33, and Caroline ’34.

Jason Hiett returned to Ensworth in July 2012 as Director of Technology; he previously began at Ensworth as Assistant Director of Technology in 2007 before being named Director of Technology at University School in Shaker Heights, Ohio in July 2010. Prior to that, Hiett served as Director of Technology at Montgomery Bell Academy from 1997 to 2007. He was also an assistant football coach at each of the three schools, serving as part of seven state championship teams over 20 years. Before joining the independent school community, Jason worked in technology at Kimberly-Clark Corporation and at First American National Bank, where he was appointed team leader and given the title of Vice President. Hiett has a BSBA in Management Information Systems from the Tennessee Technological University College of Business Administration. Jason and his wife Joy have two children, Ellis ’23 and Sumner ’26.

Bedell James has worked in Ensworth’s Office of Institutional Advancement since 2005 and was named Director of Institutional Advancement in July 2019. He serves as staff liaison to the Investment Committee of the Board, overseeing the School’s endowment. Prior to coming to Ensworth, Bedell worked in investment banking as Senior Vice President and Head of Administration at Independence Trust Company, and prior to that he spent six years as Assistant Director of Camp Laney for Boys in Mentone, Alabama. James served for eight years on the Board of Directors for Independence Trust Company and currently serves on the Alumni Council of Darlington School, and is a member of their ad-hoc Board committee relative to endowment fundraising and long term financial sustainability. James graduated from Darlington School and earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Lynchburg College in Virginia. Bedell and his wife Anne have three children, Eb ’23, Tanner ’24, and Foster ’26.

Prior to serving as Head of Middle School, Dr. Doug Magee served Ensworth in a variety of capacities, primarily as the Associate Head of the High School where he provided supervision and oversight of the faculty by working directly with department chairs to promote skills-based teaching and learning. Before coming to Nashville, Dr. Magee served as the Dean of Curriculum, Innovation, and Design at the Church Farm School in Exton, PA. He has also supported various schools, nonprofits, and government agencies including his current role as a member of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission's HBCU Success Advisory Board. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Cairn University, a master’s degree in independent school leadership from the University of Pennsylvania, and a doctorate in Education Leadership and Policy from Peabody College, Vanderbilt University.

Dr. Bobby Mirzaie came to Ensworth in July 2014 from Phoenix Country Day School in Arizona, where he served for nearly ten years in multiple capacities including History/Social Sciences Chair and Curriculum Committee Co-Chair. Prior to that, Bobby taught at Casady School in Oklahoma City and Kinkaid School in Houston, Texas. Mirzaie currently serves on the Tennessee Association of Independent Schools (TAIS) Administrator Services Committee. Additionally, he served as Co-Chair of the 2018 National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) People of Color Conference and has served on several Accreditation Visiting Team Committees. Mirzaie earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from the University of Oklahoma, a Master of Liberal Studies from Arizona State University, and a Doctor of Education from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, with a concentration in Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leading. Bobby and his wife Jane have two children, Maddie and Mark ’32.

Kristian joined the Ensworth community in 2021. Before serving as the Interim Head of Lower School, Kristian was the Associate Head of Lower School. In this role, he helped lead the day-to-day operations of the K–5 program. Before coming to Ensworth, Kristian was the Associate Director of the Lower School at San Domenico School in San Anselmo, California. His work in education has primarily been with students in the K-5 space, but he has worked with high school students as both a Head Track and Field Coach and as a residential faculty member in a boarding program. Kristian received his bachelor's degree from Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia and master’s degree from The University of Melbourne. He is currently enrolled in a doctorate in Education at Vanderbilt University.

Beth Pollard was appointed Chief Financial Officer at Ensworth in July 2022 and serves as the staff liaison to the Finance and Infrastructure Committee of the Board. Pollard most recently served as the Assistant Head of School for Finance and Operations at Darlington School in Rome, Georgia, where she worked for the past sixteen years. She also worked as an Audit Manager with KPMG Peat Marwick in Greenville, South Carolina and has experience in banking and insurance. Beth has served as Treasurer on the Board of Trustees of the Rome Area Council for the Arts and the Northwest Georgia Sexual Assault Center. Beth is currently serving on the Boards of MISBO, Mid-South Independent School Business Officers, and NBOA, National Business Officers Association. Pollard is a Certified Public Accountant. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Clemson University. Beth has three adult children, Michael, Beau and Morgan.

David Whitfield was appointed as Director of Community Engagement and Inclusion in 2020. He joined the Ensworth community in 2006, and since that time, he has been the Seminar Department Chair and has taught in both the History and English departments. Prior to that, he spent 12 years at MBA in a variety of roles: history teacher, Director of Counseling Services, Head of Model UN, and Head of the Advisory Program. Thirty years ago, Whitfield co-founded and became Executive Director of Time to Rise Inc., which provides summer camps for at-risk youth that offer academic and enrichment opportunities along with a character education initiative. In 2009, he established the Kids Academy program, where he trains high school students to be teachers and counselors directing summer camps for younger students from rural areas. Most recently, David developed Tearing Down the Walls, a race and leadership conference for independent school students in the Southeast that affords students from diverse racial and socio-economic backgrounds the opportunity to become leaders in the arena of race relations and inclusion. Whitfield has his B.A. in History from Tennessee State University, his M.A in Social Science from the University of Chicago, and his MALS from Vanderbilt University. David and his wife April have one child, Coltrane, age 5.

Brock Kidd is a founding partner of Pinnacle Asset Management in Nashville, Tennessee. As the leader of Pinnacle’s largest Private Wealth Management team, he advises high net worth and ultra-high net worth families and oversees their investment strategies through Raymond James. Kidd began his career in investment services with First American in 1994. In 1996, he was named Vice President and was the youngest to be given the designation in the 100-year history of the company. In 2000, he was on the original team that founded Pinnacle Financial Partners, where he concentrated his expertise on building his clientele along with the investment firm, Pinnacle Asset Management. In 2009, Kidd received the Nashville Emerging Leader Award for Top Leader in Financial Services. He was also recognized in 2010 as one of “Top 40 Nashvillians under 40” by the Nashville Business Journal. Since 2013, Kidd has been featured as a Top 50 Investment Advisor in the United States by Bank Investment Consultant Magazine, including ranking number one and number three in the country, consecutively. Brock is a member of the 2017-18 class of Leadership Nashville Foundation, and he has also been honored as a “Power Leader In Finance” by the Nashville Business Journal and has been on this list since its inception. In 2019, 2020, and 2021, Forbes Magazine recognized Brock as one of the top Investment Advisors in the state of Tennessee.  In 2020, he was honored as a member in the Raymond James Global Top 50 which lists the top 50 investment advisers in all of Europe and North America. An active member of the Nashville community, Kidd has served on numerous non-profit boards including Chairman of the Board at the Martha O’Bryan Center. Brock also served as founding Chairman of Explore Community School from 2013-2019. Brock and his wife Corinne have four children: Harrison (Junior at George Washington University), Mary Katherine ’30, Ella Grace ’31, and David (4 years old).

A lifelong native Nashvillian, Jennifer Frist has always supported local nonprofits. She is a past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Nashville Zoo and has served on the Zoo board or advisory board for the past 20 years. She has also held past board positions at Nashville Public Television, Tri-Star Centennial Medical Center, Nashville Public Education Foundation, and the Nashville Humane Association. Jennifer also serves on the board of the Frist Foundation, one of the largest Tennessee family foundations that focuses on philanthropic giving in middle Tennessee. She is on the Frist Art Museum Gala Executive Committee and is a member of the Leadership Nashville class of 2014. Jennifer is a passionate advocate and supporter of many autism initiatives. She serves on the advisory board of The Precisionists Inc., an employment model for those on the autism spectrum, and was instrumental in helping establish the new Frist Center for Autism and Innovation at Vanderbilt University. Frist attended Vanderbilt University where she earned her B.S. in Computer Science Engineering. Jennifer and her husband Billy have three children, an adult son Walker and daughters Jacqueline ’21 and Sophia ’23. 

Jim Bowen is an attorney and partner at Riley Warnock & Jacobson, PLC in Nashville, having previously served at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP in New York. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Belmont University teaching a business law course in the Jack C. Massey College of Business. Bowen graduated from Columbia Law School in New York where he was a James Kent Scholar. Prior to that, he graduated with distinction from the University of Virginia where he was a Distinguished Major in history and was elected Phi Beta Kappa. Bowen is a Nashville native and attended Montgomery Bell Academy and Ensworth School. Jim is married to Laura Bowen and has three children: Mimi ’25, Lily ’25, and Rosemary ’29.

Kathryn Brown is currently an officer of Carell Family Real Estate in Nashville, TN. Previously, she worked as a project manager for Herbert and Company Custom Home Builders in Nashville, as director of Special Projects for Central Parking System, and as a kindergarten teacher at Smith School in Franklin, TN. Community involvement has always been a priority to Kathryn and she has served on numerous boards throughout the city, including the Nashville Zoo, Tennessee Repertory Theater, Central Parking System, and Ronald McDonald House. Brown has also advised many committees, such as Sunday in the Park for Warner Parks, The Swan Ball for Cheekwood, and the Antiques and Garden Show. Serving on the board of the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Kathryn chaired the “Growing to New Heights Campaign”raising $40 million dollars for a four-floor expansion. Kathryn joined the Ensworth board in 2002 and was integral to building the high school. She served on the Capital Campaign Committee and the Building Committee and led the Landscape Committee. Kathryn has served on the Executive Committee since 2004 and was Board President from 2009-2011. She currently chairs the Building Committee for the new Lower School as part of the “Excellence Begins with E Campaign.” She and her husband David are parents of two Ensworth alumni, Carell ’09 and Nicholas ’13.

John Jacobson is an attorney for Riley Warnock & Jacobson, where his practice is focused almost exclusively on commercial litigation in federal and state courts. Jacobson counsels clients in the financial services, healthcare, and entertainment industries regarding potential disputes with other businesses, employees, and regulatory compliance. He has extensive jury and non-jury trial experience in corporate and business litigation. Jacobson has tried numerous cases in federal and state courts and has experience in most arbitration forums, including FINRA, Computer Science Engineering. Jennifer and her husband Billy have three children, an adult son Walker and daughters Jacqueline ’21 and Sophia ’23. FRANK GORDON Frank E Gordon serves as the Managing Partner of Crofton Capital, a Nashville, TN based evergreen venture capital fund.Mr. Gordon served as Vice President of Development and Managed Care of MediSphere Health Partners and Director of Provider Relations at Health Wise of America through the acquisition of Health Wise by United Healthcare. He has also held various development and marketing positions with HCA and Surgical Care Affiliates. He currently serves on theBoard of Directors of numerous private companies, as well as Nasdaq company HealthStream, where he chairs the Compensation Committee. Mr. Gordon also serves as aDirector of Nashville Capital Network (NCN) and as a member of the Investment Committee for several NCN affiliated venture funds. He has been actively involved in the community, having served as Board Chair of The Nashville Public Library Foundation, an officer on The Nashville Public Television Board, Board President of The Nashville Jewish Community Center and continues to serve as an officer on The Memorial Foundation Board. He earned a B.S. from theUniversity of Texas in Austin and an MBA from Georgia StateUniversity. Frank and his wife Gwen have three children, sons Gavin and Cam and daughter Taylor. AMANDA GRAFF President of the Ensworth Parent Association, ex officio Amanda Graff brings decades of experience in philanthropy and marketing to Ensworth’s board. She spent 10 years as a senior sales executive with General Electric. Her past philanthropic outreach includes being an active volunteer and fundraiser for the Junior League of Chicago and Betty Brinn Children’s Museum. And 2020, she co-chaired the MadHatter, the Nashville Sexual Assault Center’s largest fundraiser. Amanda has given her time to Ensworth over the years as a room parent, Super ENSWORTH BOARD of TRUSTEES 2022-2023 4AAA, Chicago Board of Trade, and the Chicago Futures Exchange. He is a member of the Tennessee Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates. John graduated from the University of Mississippi in 1987 with a B.A. degree and received his J.D. with high honors in 1990 from the University of Tennessee, where he was a member of the Order of Coif, served as Student Materials Editor of the Tennessee Law Review, and was a John W. Green scholar. John and his wife Dee are parents of two Ensworth alumni, Sara Jordan ’13 and Jake ’16.

A. Bruce Moore, Jr. is President, Service Line and Operations Integration for HCA Healthcare, a Nashville-based company that is one of the nation’s leading providers of healthcare services. He is responsible for HCA Healthcare’s development of service lines such as pediatrics, oncology, and cardiovascular, and has operational responsibility for ambulatory surgery centers, behavioral health, post-acute, telehealth, research, and national provider relations. A 38-year veteran of HCA, Bruce joined the company as a staff auditor in 1982. He has served the company in a variety of roles, including Vice President of Compensation and Vice President of Benefits before assuming the position of Vice President, Operations Administration in 1997. Moore was named Chief Operating Officer for the Outpatient Services Group in July of 2004 and President of the Outpatient Services Group in January 2006. His current board memberships include the HCA Healthcare Foundation, Nashville Health Care Council, and The University of Mississippi Foundation. A native of Laurel, Mississippi, Moore received a bachelor’s degree in finance from The University of Mississippi. Bruce and his wife Karen are the parents of three Ensworth alumni, Tyler ’02, Margaret Anne ’08, and Mitchell ’12. 

Gerard Bullock is Principal Broker with Self/Weichert Realtors – The Andrews Group. Previously, he was the Director of North America Wholesale Distribution Operations for Under Armour from 2011-2018, and he moved to Mt. Juliet in 2015 to open their new distribution facility, bringing over 1,000 jobs to the city. He was recognized as the 2019 Businessman of the Year by the Mount Juliet Chamber of Commerce. Prior to his time with Under Armour, Bullock was Director of Transportation and Hub Operations for UPS from 1997-2011. Gerard serves on the Board of Second Harvest Food Bank and is Board Chair Elect with the Mt. Juliet Chamber of Commerce. Gerard and his wife Sara have four children, Gerard Jr. ’20, Gianna ’21, Gabi ’26, and Gage ’29.

After receiving her B.A. from the University of Virginia, Daphne Butler began her career in investor relations, working as a manager at Equity Group Investments and Burston-Marstellar in Chicago. She then moved into public relations work, serving as the Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations for The Wedding List in New York, and she became Director of Customer Care when the company was acquired by Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. Throughout her career, Butler has worked as a mentor, tutor, and substitute teacher, combining her passions for education, adolescents, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. She has served on the boards of Children’s House, The Land Trust for Tennessee, and KIPP Academy, and she is currently a board member with STARS Nashville and Board Chair for Teach for America Nashville-Chattanooga. Daphne is a Graduate Intern with Connection Therapy Group in Brentwood, working toward her M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy. She and her husband Rawls have four children: twins Lucy ’21 and Fred ’21, Lila ’24, and Nelson ’26.

Raja Clark began her career with Goldman, Sachs & Co. in 1994 as a Financial Analyst in the Mergers & Acquisitions department and joined the Real Estate Principal Investment Group in 1996. After Goldman, she worked on leveraged buyouts at EXOR America and at First Atlantic Capital before joining Insight Venture Partners. Raja later concentrated on seed and early-stage investments in the areas of digital assets, financial and healthcare services. Key areas of focus throughout have included sourcing, company diligence, and transaction and financing execution. Work with portfolio companies centered on recruiting for senior leadership roles, development of business strategy, financial and operational restructuring, and best practices implementation. Raja volunteered her time in several non-profit organizations in New York City. For her childrens’ schools, Raja assisted with Admissions over many years and served in numerous roles, including capital raising efforts, event management, and co-head of the Diversity Equity and Inclusivity Committee at The Nightingale-Bamford School. Raja emigrated from Morocco before high school and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Stanford University with a Bachelors in International Relations and a Masters in Sociology, Management & Organizational Studies. Raja and her husband Geoff have four children, Sara ’22, Laela ’24, Amber ’25, and Larabi ’29.

Amanda Farnsworth spent 27 years in the investment industry with J.J.B. Hilliard, W.L. Lyons, Inc. before retiring in 2012. Farnsworth has served on various corporate and non-profit boards including National Safety Alliance (Director for 11 years), Consumers Insurance Group (Director from 1994 and Chairman from 2006 – 2014), Franklin American Mortgage Co. (Director from 2001 – 2009), Optimum Solutions, Inc. (Vice-Chairman from 1997-2018), Aircraft Owners and Pilots Assn. , AOPA (Director since 2012), Precision Energy Solutions (Director from 2007-2013), and Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority Board of Commissioners, Vice Chairman (Commissioner since 2012). She has also served on various charitable boards including the American Heart Association, the Nashville Sports Council, Leadership Nashville Alumni Board, and the Boys and Girls Clubs where she is a past Chairman and remains active on the board. Amanda is an avid pilot and has earned her Instrument rating, Commercial rating, and SF50 Jet type rating. She graduated from Vanderbilt University with a B.S. in Mathematics and MS in Computer Science with related work in Business from the Owen School. Amanda and her husband Bob are the parents of Alexandra ’18.  

Frank E Gordon serves as the Managing Partner of Crofton Capital, a Nashville, TN based evergreen venture capital fund.Mr. Gordon served as Vice President of Development and Managed Care of MediSphere Health Partners and Director of Provider Relations at Health Wise of America through the acquisition of Health Wise by United Healthcare. He has also held various development and marketing positions with HCA and Surgical Care Affiliates. He currently serves on theBoard of Directors of numerous private companies, as well as Nasdaq company HealthStream, where he chairs the Compensation Committee. Mr. Gordon also serves as aDirector of Nashville Capital Network (NCN) and as a member of the Investment Committee for several NCN affiliated venture funds. He has been actively involved in the community, having served as Board Chair of The Nashville Public Library Foundation, an officer on The Nashville Public Television Board, Board President of The Nashville Jewish Community Center and continues to serve as an officer on The Memorial Foundation Board. He earned a B.S. from theUniversity of Texas in Austin and an MBA from Georgia StateUniversity. Frank and his wife Gwen have three children, sons Gavin and Cam and daughter Taylor.

Chad Greer is a partner with Optimis Wealth and a representative of Northwestern Mutual, which he joined in 1997. An active leader in the community, Greer raises financial resources to support basic health and human services and provides ongoing volunteer services to homeless families with children. For his years of volunteer service and dedication, Chad has received Northwestern Mutual’s national Community Service Award four times, The Pruett Financial Group’s William S. Cochran Award, and Invest in Others Charitable Foundation’s national Community Leadership Award. In his fourteenth year as a member of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society at the United Way of Nashville, Greer encourages professionals under 45 to become leadership donors. He serves as a monthly meal volunteer and a member of the advisory council at Safe Haven Family Shelter. Greer is active at Woodmont Christian Church and currently serves on the finance committee. He is the president emeritus of the Board of Directors of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee, and enjoys spending time with his “little brother” through the organization’s mentoring program. He earned his B.B.A in insurance and financial services from the University of Mississippi. Chad and his wife Kristen have three daughters, Mary Hayes ’20, Kate ’22, and Caroline ’26.

Dr. Emily Kurtz is a cardiologist and internist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), where she is the Medical Director for Executive Wellness and Concierge Medicine and an Associate Professor of Medicine. Emily attended undergraduate at Wake Forest University (B.S./1996) and received her medical degree (M.D./2000) from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine, where she was the student body president and served a term as the University of Tennessee student trustee. She completed both her residency training in internal medicine (20002003) and fellowship training in cardiology (2003-2007) at Vanderbilt and received a master’s degree in clinical investigation (M.S.C.I./2006) from Vanderbilt University during her fellowship training at VUMC. Kurtz completed post-doctoral cardiovascular fellowship training and research in preventive cardiology at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School and in cardiovascular imaging at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. From 2007-2016, she practiced cardiology at VUMC and was the Director of Preventive Cardiology for Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute. Emily is a past chairman of the board of Westminster School for Young Children, and she and her family are members of Westminster Presbyterian Church. She is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and serves on the medical admissions team for Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Emily and her husband Will are the parents of Claire ’25, Christian ’27, and Caroline ’29. 

Deb McDermott is Owner and CEO of Standard Media Group LLC, a broadcast television group started in 2018. She has a 20-plus year career leading broadcast groups- including COO of Media General and CEO-President of Young Broadcasting – in which she successfully acquired and integrated more than 90 stations. During her tenure she helped grow Young/Media General from an approximate $220 million enterprise value regional TV group to just under a $5 billion enterprise value national broadcaster. McDermott currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors and Chair of the Compensation Committee of MediaCo Holding Inc (a public company), and on the Board of Directors and Chairs the Compensation Committee of Truxton Trust, a private bank and wealth management firm located in Nashville, TN, and on the Board of Directors of CMA. McDermott was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame in 2013, becoming the first woman to be honored from broadcast TV management. She has served as Chair of the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) and the ABC Affiliate Board of Governors, and has been a member of the boards of the National Association of Broadcasters, Television Bureau of Advertising and the international CEO women’s org, C200. She previously served on the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority Board, the Nashville Convention Commission and the CATV special committee, all positions appointed by the mayor. Additionally, she chaired the United Way Annual Campaign, served as President of Second Harvest of Middle Tennessee, chaired the Nashville Sports Council and served on the boards of the Nashville Symphony and the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau and Leadership Nashville where she is an alumni of the 1989 Leadership Nashville class. Deb and her husband Kevin have two sons, Kevin Patrick ’08 and Conor ’11, who both attended Ensworth pre-1st through 12th grade.

Don Orr is President and CEO of Nashville Machine Company, Inc., a Nashville based mechanical contracting company that is consistently listed by the Nashville Business Journal as one of Nashville’s largest private companies. A Nashville native, Don began his career at Nashville Machine in 1981 and served in multiple roles before becoming President in 2002. During his tenure, the revenue grew to $150 million; and in 2020, the elevator division was sold to Thyssen Krupp. Don also serves as a trustee on several multiemployer pension plans and health plans. Additionally, he is on the board of Show Hope, a faithbased organization focused on the needs of orphans. Orr earned his bachelor degree from Vanderbilt University in mechanical engineering and his MBA from Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management. Don and his wife Edee are the parents of Don II, Miller, and MollyKate ’27.

Dr. Neal Patel serves as the Chief Information Officer, HealthIT and Chief Health Information Officer for Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He has over 23 years of experience in implementing and advancing the use of computer order entry systems and Electronic Health Records. He has worked with industry as well as other healthcare organizations to think strategically and proactively about the use of clinical informatics tools to transform the delivery of clinical care. Patel received his Medical Degree from the University of Southern California and completed his Pediatric Residency and Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Neal joined the faculty of Vanderbilt in 1997 as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics. He obtained his Master of Public Health from Vanderbilt University in 2000. Patel’s clinical focus is on the care of children in the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit having served as Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, with adjacent faculty appointments in Anesthesiology and Biomedical Informatics. Neal and his wife Supriya are the parents of three Ensworth alumni, Alyssa ’10, Rajiv ’13, and Maya ’18.

Yvonne Ralsky founded YBR Strategies, a boutique brand consultancy, after 20+ years developing brands and executing communication programs in high profile organizations. Known for leading entrepreneurial teams within large institutions, she is an executive who sets direction and develops talent to drive performance gains. She most recently led the transformation of a small not-for-profit to a robust player among citizen activists and spun off the marketing research capability into a separate non-profit deploying the latest consumer behavior research methodologies for civic organizations. Prior to her leadership of the non-profits, Yvonne was senior vice president in the reputation management practice at Fleishman-Hillard International Communications. She lived and worked in Washington, D.C. for more than a dozen years. At the U.S. Department of State, Ralsky led global media outreach surrounding such issues as challenged relations with Venezuela, escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula and in Sudan, and historic elections and civil unrest in Iraq. Her experience in the executive branch also includes the U.S. Department of Labor, where she was chief spokesperson and public affairs strategist for the department’s largest agency, the Employment Standards Administration. Yvonne honed her advocacy skills as director of government relations for the National Association of WholesalerDistributors and, later, representing the interests of Georgetown University before Congress and regulators. Ralsky’s career in Washington, D.C., began on Capitol Hill, planning media and political events for Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas. She went on to work for Elizabeth H. Dole in various capacities, including serving as an advisor on two presidential campaigns and at the American Red Cross. Yvonne received her bachelor’s degree in political science and foreign languages from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. She served as a Trustee of the Sacred Heart Schools on Sheridan Road in Chicago, where she was born and raised. Yvonne and her husband Michael have two children, Nina ’22 and Dean ’24. 

A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Rebecca Shah has been a nurse anesthetist for almost 20 years. She has been on the clinical staff of The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Duke University Medical Center, Wake Forest University Medical Center and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Rebecca graduated cum laude from Spring Hill College in Mobile, AL, and received her Masters degree in Nurse Anesthesia from Wake Forest University Medical Center. Since moving to Nashville, she has served on multiple organizing committees including Swan Ball, Mad Hatter, and the inaugural Cheekwood Holi Event. An active part of the Ensworth community, she cochaired Tiger Night in 2019-2020, and serves on the Parent Association Board. Rebecca and her husband Ash have three Ensworth tigers, Alexander ’28, Sonia ’30 and Bela ’32.

After a long and successful career as an entrepreneur, author, speaker and ally in the entertainment industry, with projects as diverse as brokering deals between Oprah and Starbucks, and consulting on national campaigns for the likes of McDonald’s, Gap, and UPS, Louis turned his attention to the one thing that he believes matters most for businesses and individuals – a life lived with purpose. After serving as CEO of The Lifebook Company, a Partner of Executive Development at GiANT Impact, and a nationalspeaker at Lifework Leaders, Louis observed the immense impact intentional living can have. A graduate of LeadershipNashville in 2004 and Leadership Middle Tennessee in 2006, he brings a keen eye for purposeful leadership with him everywhere he goes. He currently serves on the boards of NASBA Center for Public Trust, Friends of Warner Park, and the YMCA of Middle Tennessee and previously served on the boards of the Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, 100 Black Men of Middle Tennessee, Leadership Middle Tennessee, and New Hope Academy in Franklin, TN.

Dr. Stephaine Hale Walker, a native of Los Angeles, received her Bachelor of Science degree from Vanderbilt University and her M.D. from Cornell University Medical College. She completed her residency in Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and a fellowship in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. While at Harvard University serving as a Commonwealth Fund Fellow in Minority Health Policy and a Harvard Presidential Scholar, she completed her Master of Public Health. Upon completing both fellowships, Dr. Walker joined the Harvard Medical Faculty Physician group as a Neonatologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and an Instructor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School in the Department of Pediatrics. Upon marrying Bishop Joseph Warren Walker III, Senior Pastor of Mt. Zion Baptist Church, and moving to Nashville, she joined the Neonatology faculty at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt University. In 2010, Dr. Walker co-founded the Drs. Joseph & Stephaine Walker Foundation to help young people identify their purpose and go on to lead productive and satisfying lives through scholarship, mentorship, and community outreach. Targeting obesity and health literacy, in January of 2011, Dr. Walker along with her husband, cofounded ChurchFIT a holistic health and wellness program at Mt. Zion focusing on helping the church’s 30,000 plus member congregation promote, establish and maintain well balanced healthy lifestyles. In 2016, Dr. Walker launched ChurchFIT International, which has now become a model and resource for faith-based institutions around the world. Dr. Walker also co-authored with her husband a best-selling book entitled “Becoming a Couple of Destiny” which chronicles lessons of work-life balance and transparency in marriage. Stephaine and Joseph have two children, Joseph IV and Jovanni ’30.