Board of Trustee News

Letter from the Board Chair

Dear Friends and Supporters of The Derryfield School,

The 2021–2022 school year was filled with renewal and hope as we transitioned out of the daily confines of the COVID-19 pandemic. We have continued to see enrollment growth in recent years, and this year was no different. We started the school year with a record breaking 411 students! We enjoyed the return of so many traditions—Head’s Holiday, the musicals, community meetings back together in the auditorium, and more.

This year was also met with significant change. Our beloved Mary Halpin Carter shared that she would be moving on to a new school in Connecticut. This launched the Board into a comprehensive search for a new head of school. With the support of Carney Sandoe, and the head search committee, we were able to swiftly put a process into place which brought tremendous candidates to our door. It was clear from the initial announcement about our search that the positive reputation of Derryfield would yield a fantastic new head, and we are thrilled with the appointment of Andy Chappell into that role (you can read more about him on page 34).

Throughout the year, our philanthropic landscape has shifted, and we continue to work with the community in new ways to support Derryfield. The Derryfield Fund showed recovery from the pandemic, and now boasts two consecutive years of growth after the decline in giving we experienced in Spring 2020 and Fall 2021. We have learned that our community is still eager to support Derryfield and our programs, but they are interested in specific ways they can make an impact. There is a desire to give to specialized areas of the School like support of a scholar, faculty support, technology, and more. Providing additional definitive giving opportunities will be an area of continued growth, and we look forward to seeing how the community responds.

I’ve also had the privilege of being a part of Derryfield’s next big philanthropic investment, The Commons. This new facility will be nestled in the heart of campus, providing a beautiful gathering place for students and faculty to connect over healthy and delicious meals! A substantial lead gift— the largest in Derryfield history—allowed us to launch this transformative project. We look forward to sharing updates as the project unfolds.

Thank you for being a part of our community—whether you are a current or alumni family—together we make Derryfield a remarkable place. I am grateful to each and every person who was able to contribute to Derryfield during the 2021–2022 school year—whether it was to a capital campaign, to the endowment, to The Derryfield Fund, or other areas about which you are passionate. We would not be in this position of strength and growth without the community by our side.

With deep gratitude for your continued support,

• Susan Rand King ’81

Chair, Board of Trustees

Departing Trustees

▪ Emily Newick ’97 | 2011–2022

Emily was a key player in the planning of the Thinking Forward campaign, watching this campus expand and grow, and she was a trusted resource on developing fundraising strategies. During the Thinking Forward campaign, she was chair of the Philanthropy & Engagement Committee, helped to focus our strategy, reached across generations to engage donors, and hosted events to share the vision for Derryfield.

▪ Shannon McGinley | 2013–2022

Shannon and former board member Bill Zorn came together to co-lead the first campaign the School had held in 20 years. There was no roadmap, no recent institutional memory of campaigns, and a lot of relationship building that needed to be addressed. Shannon graciously opened her home on many occasions throughout the campaign, joyfully connected the community with the vision of the Board, and was successful in making the vision a reality.

▪ David Thirkill | 2014–2022

David is a long devoted member of the Derryfield community, and in recent years to the Board. We were lucky to have had his expertise, and we’ll miss his humor in the boardroom. He always made sure we were thinking outside the box, and brought his common sense approach to every discussion.

▪ Lori Evans Alderin ’00 | 2015–2022

Lori joined the Board just as the Thinking Forward campaign began. Her knowledge of the alumni body, and her past experience working in the Philanthropy & Engagement Office, was a tremendous asset to the team. Her vision for a more engaged alumni body, and alumni council, prompted change and focus for this important constituency. As Governance Chair she brought strategy, clarity, and direction to strategically building and supporting the Board.

▪ Renee Dudley | 2020–2022

Renee is a hands-on leader, helping Derryfield in so many ways. As a PFA leader she was critical to the success of our community events for years. It is her spirit of connectedness, of belonging, and kindness that elevated our events in recent years —she led GrandFriends’ Day, the back to school picnic, countless teacher appreciation initiatives, and more.

Incoming Trustee

▪ Lisa Drake

Lisa earned her B.S. and M.S. degrees in civil & environmental engineering from Tufts University. She is the former Director of Sustainability at Stonyfield Organic, and in that role she led the development and implementation of innovative strategies to advance the company on its sustainability journey for more than 19 years. Her experience includes leading collaborative projects in renewable energy systems, energy efficiency and conservation, food waste reduction, green building design, and many other industry-leading initiatives. In 2021, Lisa embarked on a new challenge, working with the fastest growing fleet management company in the US, Merchants Fleet, to help the company meet aggressive goals for adoption of electric vehicles in corporate vehicle fleets across the country.

Lisa serves in numerous board and volunteer roles including co-chair of the Board of Directors for New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility; Advisory Board and Ambassador for the NH Food Bank; and volunteer tutor with Manchester Community Action Coalition. Previously, Lisa served on the Board of Directors and as Communications Manager for Citizens for Manchester Schools.

Lisa and her husband, Erik, live in the North End of Manchester and are grateful Derryfield is their ‘neighborhood school’ for sons Evan ’21 and Alex ’24.