2020-2021 Alumni Bulletin by Webb School of Knoxville

Webb LAYING THE CORNERSTONE

NEW HOUSE SYSTEM TO BUILD ON COMMUNITY, LEADERSHIP, SCHOOL SPIRIT ALUMNI BULLETIN

FALL / WINTER 2021

Above: THE START OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR SAW THE RETURN OF MANY in-person celebrations and activities, including our annual Convocation ceremony, held outdoors this past August. In addition to the procession of class banners, outstanding student and faculty presentations by senior Katherine Perkinson and Upper School art teacher Brad Cantrell, a great job by eighth grade emcees Will Carroll and Caroline Hurst, and music by Webb’s Chamber Singers, this year’s all-school event also highlighted Webb’s new House System and its six House crests.

CONTENTS FEATURES

Webb School launches new House System to build on community, leadership, school spirit.

Q & A with Brandon Bruce To lead Webb’s new Entrepreneurship Program, accomplished startup entrepreneur and philanthropist Brandon Bruce discusses his career and his new role at Webb as Entrepreneurial Studies Coordinator and Entrepreneur in Residence.

Laying the Cornerstone

A Lasting Legacy The Robert Webb Memorial Statue will soon become a reality – a lasting legacy to the founder of Webb School and the realization of his extraordinary vision.

Commencement 2021 Recap

DEPARTMENTS

33 Find us on facebook.com/groups/webbalumni Follow us on instagram.com/webb_alumni_association/ Connect with us on linkedin.com/groups/155736/

CAMPUS NEWS

SPORTS WRAP

ALUMNI REPORT

FACULTY FOCUS

CLASS NOTES

Network with us on webbalumni.org

PLUS:

Impact Report /2019-2020

9800 Webb School Lane, Knoxville, TN 37923 • webbschool.org Alumni Bulletin

FALL/WINTER 2021 1

Webb Alumni Association Board 2021-2022 Russ Powell ’87 President Allison Lacy Lederer ’95 President-Elect Kyle Baisley ’01 Cindy McCallen Cassity ’86 Walker Diddle ’96 Deb Kile Hotchkiss ’66 Angel Howard ’82 Dorn Kile ’68 Louis S. Moran III ’82 Julie Anderson McWhorter ’94 Stephanie Barnes Ogden ’76 Mark Overholt ’83 Terri Tarvin Ward ’75

WEBB SCHOOL PRESIDENT Michael McBrien UPPER SCHOOL HEAD Matt Macdonald MIDDLE SCHOOL HEAD Jennifer Phillips LOWER SCHOOL HEAD Kristi Wofford DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS & ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT Christy Widener

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Hugh Nystrom ’85 COORDINATOR OF DEVELOPMENT & ALUMNI AFFAIRS Joy Edwards

WEBSITE & COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR Aaron Teffeteller ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS Cathy Dowhos-O'Gorman

DEVELOPMENT DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR Rachel Williams

Caroline Seiler Ziegler ’09

Webb School Webb School Presiedent Board of Trustees Michael McBrien 2021-2022 Misty D. Mayes Board Chair Patrick Baird ’07 Robert P. Baskerville Philip Darby Campbell ’71 Cindy McCallen Cassity ’86 Amy Cathey Annie Haslam Colquitt ’05 Meg Keally Counts ’97

ALUMNI BULLETIN FALL/WINTER 2021

Creative Design/Editor Cathy Dowhos-O'Gorman Co-Editors Joy Edwards Rachel Williams

Joy Edwards Liz Gregor Ginna Mashburn Michael McBrien Hugh Nystrom ’85 Russ Powell ’87 Pro Photo Aaron Teffeteller

Alumni Bulletin Writers/Photographers/ Contributors Action PixTN/Smilestone Photographers Brandon Bruce Neil Butler ’12 Diana Curtis Danny Dunlap

Wade V. Davies Rob Frost ’86 Robert E. Hill Jr. ’79 Jonathan P. Johnson ’93 Matthew R. Kaye George M. Krisle III ’62 Allison Lacy Lederer ’95 Laura L. Lyke Frank Majors ’86 Howard Pollock Russell Powell ’87 Ayaz M. Rahman ’98 Mark D. Taylor Crawford Wagner ’92 Donovan Whiteside ’10

2 Webb School of Knoxville

Kristin Williams

M ESSAG E FROM THE PRESIDE NT

Dear Alumni and Friends RECENTLY, WHILE visiting our Upper School Entrepreneurship & Design Thinking class, I had the privilege to sit in on a student interview with Jim Haslam, founder of the Pilot Company. During the interview, the student asked Mr. Haslam what he thought were the most important characteristics of a successful entrepreneur. Without hesitation, he said that the number one characteristic is optimism. Jim Haslam went on to note that for your business to be successful, you need to surround yourself with optimistic people and be optimistic about your venture. Mr. Haslam’s words made me think about Webb School of Knoxville and how optimism is reflected in our culture and our community. It didn’t take long before I was overwhelmed with optimism as I reflected on some of our recent accomplishments as a school. Below are just a few of the highlights that speak to the enduring strength of Webb School and its bold thinking and commitment to push forward in ensuring that Webb students are prepared for a rapidly changing world. n Webb’s graduating Class of 2021 received over $8.5

million in scholarship offers.

n Students in the Class of 2021 applied to colleges and

universities in 41 states and 7 different countries, a testament to the fact that we are indeed instilling in our students a global perspective.

n The acceptance rate to Ivy League schools for Webb’s

n Webb School continues to rank in the top 10 percent

of all independent schools in the nation.

n For 2022, NICHE again ranked Webb as the No. 1 best

private K-12 school, best high school for STEM and best private high school in the Knoxville area. Webb also ranked in the top three for best high school for athletes in Knox County.

n In August, we celebrated the amazing accomplishments

of our alumni with the presentation of the school’s Distinguished Alumnus/na Award to Susan B. Zaunbrecher ’77. In addition, at our annual Alumni Achievement Awards luncheon, we recognized 12 Spartan alumni who have achieved outstanding success in their chosen professions.

n Our newly established Entrepreneurial Studies

Program received a $1 million endowment gift from current parents and other partners involved with Greater Sum Ventures.

n The school has launched a new House System to

promote a greater sense of community, connection and Spartan pride.

I could go on and on with all that we have to be proud of and the exciting ways Webb School is charting its course for the future. It is indeed that spirit of optimism – our Spartan Spirit – that drives us forward, and for that, we are all truly grateful. As a valued graduate of Webb School, I encourage you to become engaged and involved with your alma mater. Come visit campus and be inspired by what you see and experience. And know that you are an integral part of our school community – its past, present and future. After all, this is your school, and you will always be a Spartan. With much gratitude,

Class of 2021 was 22 percent, compared to a national acceptance rate of 6.3 percent.

n Over 14 percent of the Class of 2021, representing 11

different sports, are continuing their athletic careers in college.

Michael McBrien Webb School President Alumni Bulletin

FALL/WINTER 2021 3

C A M PUS NEWS

an evening on t he green This past September, Webb parents, alumni, faculty/staff, and other friends enjoyed an evening of coming together, in person, for a celebration of Webb School and the Webb community. The energy of being back again on campus was palpable, with laughter, smiles and robust conversation at every turn. Said Webb School President Michael McBrien, “Tonight is all about saying 'thank you.' Thank you for your support, your patience, and most of all, for the investment you are making in the lives of your children and their futures. It is the most important investment you can make, as our futures lie in their hands and their hearts.”

4 Webb School of Knoxville

C A M PUS NEWS

“

Our students define Webb School, and we are all so very proud of each and every one of them. We are blessed that they are with us every day, and we know they are with us because of you!

– President Michael McBrien at this year's Evening on the Green Alumni Bulletin

FALL/WINTER 2021 5

C A M PUS NEWS

Seniors earn National Merit distinction Webb Upper School students continued to exemplify the school’s commitment to cultivating outstanding scholastic achievement with the announcement of this year’s National Merit Scholarship Program honorees. Four Webb seniors were named National Merit Semifinalists and three members of the Class of 2022 earned National Merit Commended Student distinction. The National Merit Scholarship Program recognizes individual students who show exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies. High school juniors entered the National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2020 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). Less than one percent of the nation’s high school seniors have been designated National Merit Semifinalists. Webb’s 2022 National Merit Semifinalists – Reed Bishofberger, McClain Cameron, Katherine Perkinson, and Owen Roesch – are among the approximately 16,000 academically talented seniors to earn Semifinalist distinction, representing the highest scoring entrants in each state. Webb’s National Merit Semifinalists are eligible to continue in the competition for

(left) Webb’s 2022 National Merit Semifinalists: (back, l to r) McClain Cameron, Katherine Perkinson; (front, l to r) Owen Roesch, Reed Bishofberger. (below, l to r) Webb’s National Merit Commended Students for 2022: Zac Yu, Liam Riley, Cooper Wood.

some 7,500 Merit Scholarship awards, worth nearly $30 million, to be offered in the spring. About 95 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title. Webb’s Class of 2022 National Merit Commended Students – Liam Riley, Cooper Wood and Zac Yu – are among the some-34,000 high performers to earn Commended Student honors for their

AP Scholar Awards 2021

38 36

AP Scholars with Distinction

AP Scholars

AP Scholars with Honor

12 1

AP International Diploma

In 2021, 219 Webb Upper School students sat for 514 Advanced

Placement (AP) exams. Seventy-four percent of Webb’s AP

students received scores of 3 or higher; 55 students earned a score

of 5 and 95 posted a score of 4. Over the past five years, an average

of 84 percent of Webb School’s AP students have scored 3 or higher. 6 Webb School of Knoxville

exceptional academic promise. Although they are not eligible to continue in the competition for National Scholarship awards, Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 highest scorers who entered the 2022 competition by taking the 2020 PSAT/NMSQT. W

Webb scores top ratings for nation, Knox County According to Niche.com’s 2022 rankings of the best schools and school districts in the country, Webb School of Knoxville ranked in the top 14 percent of the best private K-12 schools in America. In addition, Webb School again ranked No. 1 for best private K-12 school, best high school for STEM, best private high school, and best college prep private high school in Knox County and the Knoxville area. Webb was also ranked in the top three for best high school for athletes in Knox County and earned a No. 6 distinction for best private K-12 school in Tennessee. W

C A M PUS NEWS

Spartan FIRST robotics teams change gears with virtual contests, projects

Science Olympiad team marks inaugural year with berth to state tourney At the virtual state tournament for Webb’s FTC team, the squad’s two mentors and Dean’s List nominees, (l to r) Kiri Nelson ’23 and Turner Parks ’23, were named Dean’s List Finalists and went on to represent Tennessee at the World Championship level. Dean’s List Finalists are regarded as student leaders who have led their teams and communities to increased awareness for FIRST and its mission. These students have also achieved personal technical expertise and accomplishment.

Despite having its FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) season cut short in 2020 due COVID-19 and facing the cancellation of in-person competitions the following spring, Webb’s robotics program did not skip a beat with its elementary, middle school and high school club teams operating on full cylinders – designing and building robots, competing in FIRST remote tournaments and game challenges and collaborating on innovation projects. Against the backdrop of the ongoing pandemic, FIRST provided new challenges and opportunities for each of its programs – FIRST Lego League (FLL), FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) and FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) – to still engage students in hands-on innovation learning, collaboration, competition, and design thinking while staying closer to home. The season’s theme – revolutionizing the way we play and move – was woven through each of the virtual FIRST program challenges – RePLAYSM for FLL, Ultimate Goal for FTC and Infinite Recharge for FRC. The RePLAYSM challenge for Webb’s third through seventh grade FLL team, Team 51985, included an innovation project and robot design and game. The FLL squad addressed the issue of keeping kids active during their free time at school for their innovation project, planning out activity stations and incorporating QR codes and Google Forms that students could use on their devices to find sports equipment, an obstacle course, hand weights, etc., at various school locations. Their robot design and game included building and programming a robot, using Lego robotics kits, that performed multiple missions related to sports and health, and submitting videos of their robot in action for judging. Team 51985 took first place overall in robot design at a remote tournament featuring squads from Central and East Tennessee. Webb’s FTC team – Team 9934, comprised of sixth through 10th graders – competed at the Tennessee state tournament, held remotely in April 2021. For their Ultimate Goal challenge, Team 9934 designed, built and programmed a robot to complete tasks for points – delivering wobble goals to marked areas, launching rings to low and high goals and placing rings on wobble goals – on a 12’ X 12’ playing field. At the virtual state tournament, the team’s two mentors and Dean’s List nominees, Kiri Nelson ’23 and Turner Parks ’23, were named Dean’s List Finalists and went on to represent Tennessee at the World Championship level. Webb’s FRC team of seventh through 12th graders – Team 1466 – took a three-pronged approach to their Infinite Recharge challenge, designing a game, developing an innovation project and producing a robot to complete various tasks. Their FRC game, titled “Nuclearctica,” involved teams and robots working together to stabilize and fuel a nuclear reactor to power up an Antarctic research base. Exercise motivation was the inspiration for the team’s innovation project, an app that featured an avatar – Madella the Wellness Manatee – that spoke and provided cues and encouragement for a person to complete fitness and wellness tasks. The project included app development, graphic design for the user interface, creating a business model for the app, and pitching the idea virtually to a panel of judges. And for their robot, Team 1466 concentrated on maneuverability, lightning speed and a dedicated drive team as they built and programmed a new robot from scratch to virtually submit for judging. W

This past spring, Webb’s Middle School Science Olympiad team participated virtually in the Regional Science Olympiad, and in its inaugural year, the Webb squad earned top five finishes in several events. In addition, the team’s combined score qualified the Spartans for the Science Olympiad State Tournament’s virtual event. Webb’s Max Moersch ’27 and Sohan Pallapothu ’26 captured third in the Water Quality event. Third-place kudos also went to Sam Kowalski ’27 and classmate Kaiser Ramjee in the Machines competition. Kowalski, Moersch and Ramjee also earned third in the Code Busters event, while in the Anatomy and Physiology category, thirdplace honors went to Alex Kalinin ’26 and Akshi Vuppala ’25. Vuppala and classmate Srihitha Dantuluri took fourth in the Heredity event. W

Shaney Brown’s science students engaged in a STEAM macro-photography contest as part of their exploration and comparison of microscopy and macrosopy. After viewing prepared and live organisms under different microscopes, students captured bigger images of nature on campus with their iPads. The pictures were voted on by faculty and student judges. Brown said that STEAM projects like the macro-photography contest turns students’ focus toward the application of STEM through art and design. “Ultimately, students can wonder, critique, inquire, and innovate while enhancing their critical thinking skills and recognizing the intersection of art, science, technology, engineering, and math.” (above) Sohan Pallapothu’s ’26 St. John’s Wort received first place. Alumni Bulletin

FALL/WINTER 2021 7

C A M PUS NEWS

Helping students navigate social media positively To better educate and inform Webb students about how they can develop a healthy relationship with social media and with each other, Webb’s Middle and Upper Schools have partnered with The Social Institute. The Social Institute aims to reinforce human qualities in our ever-growing digital world through a gamified, online learning platform that empowers students to navigate their social world positively – including social media and technology – to fuel their health, happiness and future success. The Institute’s system is organized with up-to-date information, games and timely topics that are of interest to students. Through a variety of formats (and the students’ advisors as facilitators), Webb high school students are learning via The Social Institute two times each month in their advisories, where they discuss the positive and proper use of social media and engage in important conversations regarding their online presence. In the coming months, a select group of Upper School students will be selected as ambassadors for The Social Institute to serve on a board, where they will be asked for feedback and input for future lessons and programs provided by the platform. In an effort to further enhance their interpersonal engagement, Upper School students have been asked to place their phones at the front of their classrooms during academic periods and to stay off their phones while in common places like the Spartan Bistro – a time meant for them to enjoy the company of their classmates, free of technological influence. In conjunction with The Social Institute’s social and emotional learning curriculum, the program also provides supplementary resources to give families insight into social media, technology and student experiences. W 8 Webb School of Knoxville

(above) Webb’s inaugural participants of the teen Mental Health First Aid USA course with Upper School Counselor, Alex Ardison, and Courtney Niemann from the Metropolitan Drug Commission of Knoxville.

Teen mental health program teaches students lifechanging skills A group of 20 Webb high school students, comprised of Upper School Peer Support members and House Council prefects and representatives, used their lunch periods this fall to take part in the teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) USA course with Courtney Niemann from the Metropolitan Drug Commission of Knoxville. Backed by superstar and mental health advocate Lady Gaga, this peer-to-peer program teaches high school students about common mental health issues and what they can do to provide initial help to friends and peers who are experiencing or developing a mental health or substance use challenge. Through video presentations, printed materials, Q & A sessions, and role-playing, the program aims to teach teens to recognize when a friend or peer is showing signs of a mental health issue or crisis, such as suicidal thoughts or substance abuse, and trains them on how to respond and get help. The course was developed specifically for high school students across the nation and stresses the importance of involving a responsible and trusted adult. W

In October, several Webb Upper School students, faculty KNOW? and parents (left) participated in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Out of the Darkness Knoxville Walk at Concord Park. The Webb Peer Support team raised $680 for suicide prevention and survivor support programs.

DID YOU

C A M PUS NEWS

Webb senior Perri-Hann Mahfouz (right) at Girls Inc. of Tennessee Valley in Oak Ridge. Mahfouz volunteers at Girls Inc. to help educate middle school girls on the importance of making healthy food choices.

Educating girls to make healthy food choices Alanna Kosier, Vice President of Programs and Operations at Girls Inc. of Tennessee Valley, recently praised Webb senior Perri-Hann Mahfouz’s efforts working with Girls Inc. Girls Inc. delivers life-changing programs and experiences that equip and inspire girls, especially those who are underserved, to overcome barriers and grow up strong, smart and bold. Girls Inc. of Tennessee Valley offers programming in Anderson, Blount and Knox counties, and its facility in Oak Ridge provides summer and after-school programming for girls in grades kindergarten through eight. According to Kosier, Mahfouz has started her own 501(c) nonprofit, where she educates children on the importance of how food relates to how they feel and why it’s important to make healthy choices. Mahfouz reached out to Kosier

about becoming involved with Girls Inc. “She worked with our organization this past summer, providing healthy lunch and snacks for the girls who come to our summer camp,” noted Kosier. “Perri arranged to have the meals sponsored, planned a balanced menu and then prepared and delivered the meals daily to our facility. These meals consisted of healthier options and new foods for our girls. Most of the girls had never tried hummus, pita sandwiches or hazelnut spread on fruit.” Kosier added that Mahfouz continues to come every Wednesday afternoon to the Oak Ridge center to talk with middle school girls about food in relation to their bodies. Says Kosier, “She is an amazing young woman.” W

DID YOU

KNOW?

Interactors continue with community outreach Webb’s Interact Club continued to exemplify the Interact motto, “service above self,” with community outreach this fall. Students helped out at the Mobile Meals packing center (top), preparing food boxes for the elderly. In addition, Webb Interactors volunteered with CareCuts (above left), helping to serve a hot lunch and provide clean clothing to the homeless in downtown Knoxville. They also joined forces with local Rotarians and UT Medical Center nurses at Free Flu Shot Saturday (left), handing out clipboards and collecting information and donations for the Empty Stocking Fund from over 100 drive-through patients. W

Enriching the connections between divisions, Upper School French students visited first graders during their music classes this past spring to teach them classic French nursery rhymes, as well as numbers and the alphabet in French. Upper School Spanish Club members also dropped by to lead kindergartners in traditional Spanish songs. Everyone learned together with lots of music, movement and laughter! Alumni Bulletin

FALL/WINTER 2021 9

C A M PUS NEWS

Webb string orchestra program KSYO participants (standing, l to r) Rebecca Aponte, Samuel Sudler, Joshua Sudler, William McNab, Colin Aponte; (seated, l to r) Gaby Bainbridge, Henry Jay, Katie Ray (not pictured: Lily Kim).

Webb students selected to Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra Nine Webb Middle and Upper School string orchestra program members have been chosen to participate in the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra (KSYO), including Webb senior Colin Aponte, who was named Youth Orchestra Concertmaster for the 2021-2022 season. The mission of the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra is to educate students through high-level orchestral training in a professional environment while developing new audiences for symphonic music. Students selected for the KSYO rehearse weekly under the direction of professional conductors for various concerts to be performed throughout the year. Under the leadership of KSYO Music Director, James Fellenbaum, more than 350 students are selected by an audition process each year to participate in one of six orchestras, led by the Youth Orchestra. Other ensembles include Youth Chamber Orchestra, Sinfonia, Philharmonia, Preludium, and Junior Orchestra. Webb string orchestra director, Bethany Burton, said that she is extremely impressed by the number of students who have chosen to dedicate themselves to the KSYO this year. “Not only does the KSYO have extensive audition requirements, but it also involves weekly rehearsals and multiple concerts throughout the year,” Burton noted. “What is most exciting to me is that these students are so passionate; auditions were the first week of school, so the process and preparation were self-motivated. I am elated to have so many fervent musicians as part of Webb’s orchestra program.” In addition to members of Webb’s orchestra program, another five Webb students, who privately study strings with outside instructors in the community, were also selected to the KSYO. W

Webb proudly congratulates the following Spartan studentmusicians selected for this year’s KSYO: • Colin Aponte ’22, violin Named concertmaster of the top Youth Orchestra • Samuel Sudler ’23, bass Named 1st chair/principal bassist in Chamber Orchestra • Emily Ford ’24, violin Named to Youth Chamber Orchestra • Rebecca Aponte ’25, violin Selected to top Youth Orchestra • Marvin Hicke ’26, violin Named to Sinfonia • William McNab ’26, bass Named 3rd chair bassist in top Youth Orchestra • Katie Ray ’26, violin Selected 1st violin/5th chair in Chamber Orchestra

• Joshua Sudler ’26, viola Named 1st chair/principal viola player in Sinfonia Orchestra • Gaby Bainbridge ’27, violin Selected for Preludium • Henry Jay ’27, violin Selected for Sinfonia Orchestra • Lily Kim ’27, viola Selected for Philharmonia • Lucas Hicke ’28, violin Selected for Preludium • Lauryn Ray ’28, violin Selected for Philharmonia • Ruby Ownby ’29, violin Selected for Philharmonia

Curtains up! Webb’s cherished theater productions returned to the Bishop Center stage this November as the Upper School presented the cult-hit musical comedy, Little Shop of Horrors – everyone’s favorite boymeets-girl, plant-eats-world love story! Strings and choral performances also took center stage this fall to the delight of audience members.

10 Webb School of Knoxville

Spartans deliver Coach Ziegler the perfect birthday gift with state soccer title

Could Webb head boys’ soccer coach, Jared Ziegler, have envisioned a sweeter birthday celebration than the one he experienced May 27? Not likely. Webb’s Spartans presented Ziegler with the perfect birthday gift to a perfect 20-0 season – a 2021 Division II-A state championship title. Ziegler’s Spartans spiritedly sang Happy Birthday to him shortly after receiving the state championship trophy – their first state crown since 2016 – following a 1-0 victory over Franklin-Grace Christian Academy at Richard Siegel Soccer Complex in Murfreesboro. Teary-eyed and with a grin from ear-to-ear, Ziegler, who turned 34, said it was the best birthday gift he’s ever received.

Webb’s single goal over Franklin-Grace, which boasted a 20-1-1 record coming into Thursday’s state championship match, came on a penalty kick by Ben Pensky ’22. In the first half of the game, classmate Garrett Webb attempted a shot at goal, but had his legs taken out from under him by Grace goalkeeper Kytn Wolf, resulting in a yellow card for Wolf and the PK for the Men in Green. The hard foul sidelined Webb, and Pensky, the Spartans’ leading scorer, took the shot. The midfielder successfully fired the ball into the Lions’ net and, together with solid defensive play for the rest of the game and sharp goal keeping by Nathan Pope ’23, sealed the title for the Spartans.

SPORTS WR AP

The victory marked Webb School’s fourth state soccer crown and third under Ziegler. In a 5Star Preps article by Dave Link ’77, posted May 27, 2021, Ziegler said the state game was special due to the contributions of all Webb players. “We talk about it all the time, everybody on the roster, even the JV guys that aren’t here,” Ziegler noted in the article. “Everybody made this program the way that it is, and even if you’re not playing any minutes, you have an impact and effect on the way you treat your teammates and pumping them up for matches.” W

Boruff caps Spartan wrestling career with silver medal at state Spartan grappler Brik Boruff ’21 brought home a runner-up finish and a silver medal from the 2021 TSSAA Division II Individual State Wrestling Tournament. Boruff and teammates Dominic Vance ’22 and Matthew Tieng ’21 all qualified for this year’s individual state contest. Competing in the 220-pound weight class, Boruff, a three-time state medalist, wrestled three matches at state, pinning his Nashville Christian opponent 41 seconds into the first match and winning a 6-3 decision over McCallie’s Carson Brik Boruff with his parents Lora and Todd Boruff.

Gentle to advance to the final. Facing Montgomery Bell Academy’s Gabe Fisher for the championship title, Boruff lost a tough battle with a pin at 5:48. Vance and Tieng finished in the top eight at state in their respective weight divisions. While Webb’s wrestlers have a strong history of medaling at state, Boruff’s appearance at this year’s contest marks the first time in 15 years that a Webb grappler has advanced to the state championship final. Spartan alumnus Dean Smith ’06 took gold at state in 2006 in the 160-pound weight class. W Alumni Bulletin

FALL/WINTER 2021 11

SPORTS WR AP

Webb track & field shines at state Top-five finishes, including gold-medal performances, highlighted Webb School’s appearance at the 2021 TSSAA Division II-A Track & Field Championships in May. Lennox Langham ’25 took her place on the winner’s podium with first place in both the girls’ long jump and triple jump. She also joined teammates Sheelove Knowles ’22, Jeneva Mitchell ’25 and Kristen Menna ’22 to capture third in the girls’ 4 X 100-meter relay. Sophie Ades ’21 also medaled in the girls’ long and triple jump events, placing seventh and fifth, respectively. Class of 2024 members MacKenzie Ivy, Anna Graves and Reese Wilson, and Lawson Phillips ’22 brought home gold in the girls’ 4 X 800-meter relay. Graves also finished runner-up in the girls’ 3200-meter run and took third in the 800-meter race. Ivy placed fourth in the 800, followed by Phillips who grabbed fifth. In the girls’ 100-meter dash, Knowles placed sixth and, along with Elle Abel ’23, Parker Dunn ’23 and Phillips, took sixth in the 4 X 400-meter relay. Austin Rhea ’21, Kaden Narayani ’22, Brian Conley ’22, and Zach Vickers ’24 finished just three seconds behind first-place University School of Nashville to capture a silver in the boys’ 4 X 800-meter relay. Conley went on to place fourth in the boys’ 400-meter dash and joined Vickers, Taylor Dunn ’21 and Bill Robinson ’22 to take sixth in the 4 X 400meter relay. Rhea also earned medals in the 1600 and 800-meter events, with eighthplace finishes in both. Dunn, along with Knox Foss ’22, Bradee McCoy ’22 and Ethan Klasky ’24, also earned sixth in the boys’ 4 X 200-meter relay. In the boys’ field events, McCoy placed fourth in the triple jump, while Ari Klasky ’24 grabbed fifth in the discus throw. W

(l to r) Alex Juergens, Delaney Bone, Lili Roth, and Wilder Dewhirst.

Spartan, Lady Spartan duos bring home gold in state doubles Webb’s boys’ and girls’ varsity tennis teams concluded the final day of the 2021 TSSAA Division II-A state tennis tournament at Adams Tennis Complex in Murfreesboro with gold medals in doubles championship play. The Spartans’ Wilder Dewhirst ’23 and Alex Juergens ’22 won the boys’ doubles title, May 28, with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Jack Wilkerson and Tristan Scallion of University School of Jackson (USJ). Both Spartan doubles teams – Dewhirst/Juergens and Zach Reynolds ’22 and Trent Valeriano ’25 advanced to this year’s DII-A boys’ state doubles semifinals, where Reynolds and Valeriano fell to USJ’s Wilkerson and Scallion, 6-2, 7-5, and Dewhirst and Juergens, who had just started competing in doubles events that season, defeated Nashville’s Christ Presbyterian Academy’s (CPA) Aiden Menzie and Leo Menzie, 7-6, 6-1, to advance to the final. Lady Spartan doubles partners Lili Roth ’21 and Delaney Bone ’22 defeated USJ’s Brilee Davis and Addy Measley, 6-3, 6-1, for the 2021 DII-A girls’ state doubles crown. Roth and Bone, whose last state doubles appearance included a runner-up finish in 2019, reclaimed a Webb tennis dynasty that included four straight Lady Spartan state doubles titles before the 2020 season was interrupted due to COVID-19. In addition, Roth and Bone, and Webb doubles pair Evan Lyke ’24 and Molly Crawford ’23 were on their way to repeating a familiar tradition of an all-Lady-Spartan state doubles tournament final. However, Lyke and Crawford fell to USJ’s Davis/Measley duo, 6-1, 6-2, in their semifinal. Both doubles titles came on the heels of DII-A state team tournament play for Webb earlier in the week that included a runner-up finish for the Spartan boys’ team and a state semifinal appearance for the girls. Webb’s boys took home the silver in the DII-A state team championship, May 26, falling to CPA, 4-3, in the state title match. A day earlier, Webb’s Lady Spartans fought to gain a berth to this year’s state team championship, but lost, 4-1, to USJ in their semifinal. The USJ Lady Bruins went on to claim the 2021 state crown with a 4-2 victory over Christian Academy of Knoxville. W

SPARTAN SHOUT-OUT

Facing competition in a new and bigger division this year, Webb’s girls’ and boys’ varsity cross-country teams proved a force to be reckoned with at the 2021 Division II-AA State Cross-Country Championships, November 6. The Lady Spartans grabbed runner-up in the team standings – just four points shy of first-place Harpeth Hall – and the Spartan boys finished eighth. Read more at webbschool.org/athletics/news. 12 Webb School of Knoxville

SPORTS WR AP

Winning records, championship titles signal bright future for Webb Middle School basketball With a combined 35-0 record for both the boys' A and B teams during the 2020-2021 season and a 17-5 record for the girls’ team, championship titles for the boys, and the fact that a lot of the starting lineups for both programs have returned for 2021-2022, the future looks bright for Webb Middle School basketball. Coming off a stellar season the previous year that included a Knoxville Independent School League (KISL) basketball championship crown for the boys' A team, both boys' teams were a dominating force in 2021, ending their campaigns undefeated and grabbing Division I and Division II KISL championship titles. The Spartan teams endured the struggles of playing during a pandemic, but temperature taking, mask requirements and small crowds didn’t dampen the boys’ championship drive. Both squads demonstrated strong teamwork and depth. Under the direction of Wes Jones, the Spartan boys' A team capped a perfect 23-0 season by winning the KISL Division I championship. Shavar Young ’26 was named tournament MVP and, along with teammates Barron Scheetz ’25 and Cam Swearengen ’26, earned All-Tournament team honors. Additionally, Young and classmate Greg Tate were named to the KISL Division I All-League team. The Spartan boys' B team, coached by David Nelson, completed its 12-0 season with a KISL Division II championship title. Colten Collier ’26 earned tournament MVP kudos and joined teammates Baxter Johnson ’26 and Treyson Derry ’27 on the All-Tournament team. Johnson and Collier were also named Division II All-League for the regular season. Webb head varsity boys’ basketball coach, Ricky Norris, says he is thrilled with the direction of the Middle School boys’ basketball program. “Obviously the wins are fun for the players, but I’m more excited about their individual skill development, their teamwork and the way they represented themselves and Webb School,” said Norris. “These athletes spent a lot of time in the gym this winter under trying

conditions. Their hard work showed against some of the best teams in East Tennessee. It will be fun to watch them progress over the next four to six years." Webb’s Middle School Lady Spartans charged out of the gate in pre-season play to win the Foothills Middle School Tip-Off Classic. Point guard Meeyah Green ’26 was named tournament MVP and joined classmate and forward Avery Green on the All-Tournament team. Both players would go on to be selected to the girls’ KISL Division I All-League team for the regular season. With only one eighth grade player and the rest seventh and sixth graders, the young but talented squad steadily improved throughout the season, finishing 17-5 and defeating schools that they lost to earlier in the year, including powerhouse Robertsville, which went on to win the girls’ TMSAA state tournament. While the Lady Spartans had to navigate all the challenges of competing during a pandemic, they also had the unique opportunity to practice “side-by-side” with Webb’s varsity girls’ team, which according to Middle School head girls’ basketball coach, Tony Ingram, enhanced his players’ performance. “When the high school girls and our girls didn’t have a game, we would split the court and practice at the same time,” Ingram explained. “We sort of leaned on each other. Plus, by practicing alongside the varsity players, the Middle Schoolers got to see a different level of physicality and pace, and this helped prepare them for more experienced teams.” “It has been really fun to watch our Middle School girls progress this season with their skill development and overall performance in basketball,” says Webb head varsity girls’ basketball coach, Shelley Collier. “The future for the Lady Spartans is bright,” she added. “I’m proud of Coach Ingram and all of our Lady Spartan players, and the way they represent themselves, their families, the Webb community, and our basketball program.” W

Webb’s Lady Spartans and Concord Christian’s Lady Lions returned to home plate to take a swing at cancer at the annual StrikeOut Cancer softball game, April 27. The Lady Spartans wore pink T-shirts and socks of whatever color represented the type of cancer that impacted the person they were honoring. Guests could also pick up “STRIKE OUT CANCER FOR:” remembrance/ dedication cards to honor loved ones. Head Webb softball coach, David Moore, noted the significance of the annual StrikeOut Cancer game. “Knowing friends, co-workers and family members who have battled or are still battling cancer, it is important for our young people to understand that they can make a difference,” he said. “Playing a sport teaches a lot of life lessons; I hope this will be one they will always remember.” Alumni Bulletin

FALL/WINTER 2021 13

by DIANA CURTIS Webb Upper School English teacher/WebbPress advisor

LAYING THE CORNERSTONE

WEBB LAUNCHES NEW HOUSE SYSTEM TO BUILD ON COMMUNITY, LEADERSHIP, SCHOOL SPIRIT

any Spartan alumni may remember our Lower School’s Crane Ceremony, a cherished tradition to celebrate the senior class by giving each Spartan graduate a string of origami cranes as a reminder of the support, community, love, and hope they will always have at Webb School. There is, however, another significance to these hand-folded creations. Depicted in flight, each paper crane is unique; yet each is also connected to others. That spirit of connectedness and belonging is a fundamental quality of Webb School and is the underlying inspiration for the implementation of a new House System. After many months of visioning and planning, the program launched this past August. And while this inaugural year will involve building and refining, the longterm goal is to create a program that becomes ingrained in and integral to Webb’s campus culture. The goal of Webb’s House System is to enhance the school’s caring and supportive environment by providing Middle and Upper School students increased opportunities to lead, mentor, collaborate, and contribute. Strong bonds are forged across grade levels and with faculty and staff. According to Webb School President Michael McBrien, the idea for a House System grew from the Lower School’s successful and beloved FAMILIES program. Each Lower School FAMILY is comprised of students from multiple grades, Pre-K through five, and is led by a faculty/staff member. FAMILIES meet regularly to participate in service projects and

14 Webb School of Knoxville

team building-activities while forging connections and friendships along the way. A student’s FAMILY remains the same throughout his/her Lower School career. McBrien remarked that “students always comment on the value and positive experience of being a part of our Lower School FAMILIES.” As Webb students aged out of Lower School, they often shared with him “how much they miss being part of a FAMILY,” he said. Recognizing the value of this program and acknowledging the need for increased community building amid a steadily growing student body, McBrien and Middle School Counselor, Jane Durkin, began ideating on what has now become Webb School's House System.

held its inaugural sorting ceremony for the House System’s six Houses. (left) At the first House meetings this year, House members brainstormed about the designs of their House crests. Pages 16 & 17: More highlights from some of the House meetings held this year.

Pictured: (far left) Following Upper School Field Day in May 2021, Webb

connections across grade levels Every student in grades six through 12, every faculty member and every staff member at Webb has been sorted into one of six Houses. These Houses meet monthly and are working to create distinctive cultures and visions. During the opening meetings, students learned about the namesake of their House. They put this knowledge to work by creating a visual crest, a motto and pillars that reflect the values of their unique House. The process has helped students gain ownership over the program, and with each meeting, House members are bonding by creating special traditions. Some Houses have composed chants, while others have come up with identifying hand signals. These traditions and values will build as the program ages.

“

The House system has brought our community even closer together. I love the connections I’ve

made across grade levels. I've learned so much

about students and what their passions and hopes are for Webb. I love the feeling of working as a

team on campus with other students, and I look forward to winning the House Cup. Doss is Boss!

– Maddie Bell ’22, House Council representative

about our houses * About Dossett House: Named after Julie Dossett Webb, wife of Webb School of Knoxville founder, Robert Webb. Bob and Julie Webb were married in 1949. Julie served on Webb School’s Board of Trustees for 29 years. She continues to be the treasured heart of the school.

About Haslam House: Named after the Haslam family. Three generations of Haslams have attended Webb School, and seven family members have served on Webb’s Board of Trustees. Also, 13 Haslam family members are Spartan alumni. The family has been a valued benefactor to the school over many years.

Motto: Through Grace We Thrive

Motto: Experior. Educare. Exsupero – Experience. Educate. Excel.

Pillars: Scholarship, Servant Leadership, Camaraderie & Community, Courage

Pillars: Family, Determination, Excellence, Passion, Education Alumni Bulletin

FALL/WINTER 2021 15

By the time our current sixth graders are ready to graduate, each student will have spent seven years meeting with a specific group of staff and students. The House identity will be central to the student experience at Webb and will foster fruitful and meaningful relationships across campus.

leadership opportunities While cultivating a sense of community and inclusion is at the heart of our new House system, another key component is the increased opportunity for student leadership. Student prefects, with help from a team of Middle and Upper School faculty and staff, plan and lead each monthly House meeting. These prefects – one from the junior class and

one from the senior class – are elected by members of each individual House. The Student Government Association in the Upper School has been renamed and is now House Council to better fit this new initiative. Each Middle and Upper School grade elects one class representative per house to serve on House Council, which meets regularly to plan campus events. This new structure allows many more students to serve in leadership roles. After the first House meetings at the beginning of this school year, when students worked on creating their crests, pillars and motto, subsequent meetings have focused on camaraderie and mentorship. House leaders

organized small groups with students from each grade, giving everyone a chance to meet and learn the names of students from other grades. House prefects planned fun activities; lip sync battles, pumpkin decorating, relay races, mummy wraps, and other games have heightened students’ sense of belonging and school spirit. In the coming months, each House will focus on service to the community during its meeting time.

positive competition Some of the planned activities are friendly competitions between Houses to earn House points. During Spirit Week in September, for example, trivia, sports and arts contests awarded

About Henslee House:

About Hudson House:

Named after Stewart Henslee, who was a trusted friend of Webb School founder, Robert Webb, and his wife, Julie. The Henslee family generously donated the 58 acres of land in West Knoxville for Webb School to build its own campus.

Named after Genevieve Hudson, who served as a teacher at Webb School and headmistress of the Webb School for girls from 1957 to 1968. When the girls’ and boys’ schools merged, she continued to teach and was a college counselor at Webb until her retirement in 1971.

Motto: Terra Legatum – Land of Legacy

Motto: Honor Begins with Hudson

Pillars: Legacy, Opportunity, Growth, Learning

Pillars: Honor, Heroism, Humility, Heart

16 Webb School of Knoxville

“

The House System gives us the opportunity to build a community apart from the community our school has as a

whole. I love getting to know students who I may not normally come in contact with during a normal school day. I’m excited

to be in the first senior class to experience the House System;

we’re able to create traditions that students will follow for

years to come.

points to each House. Students can also earn points for their respective Houses by participating in the Webb Reads Book Challenge or by submitting written content for the Pierian, the Upper School literary magazine. According to McBrien, the points system promotes a positive environment. He explains, “We only award points, never taking them away. It’s a way to promote positive competition, collaborative leadership and a greater sense of inclusion and cooperation, as well as Spartan pride.” In May, the House with the most points will be awarded the House Cup at a special end-of-year celebration.

– Brian Conley ’22, Haslam House prefect

Webb’s Lower School students, though not sorted into Houses, still have a place in the new system. “We did not want to change the philosophy or format of the FAMILIES program, as we believed it was age appropriate for the Lower School students,” McBrien notes. “Each Lower School faculty member is part of a House, and the FAMILIES are learning about the various Houses.” In October, leaders from each House Council visited the Lower School and taught the students about the six Houses, sharing the crests and values. Houses are exploring more opportunities to interact with the Lower School, including helping at morning drop-off and lending a hand with Lower School reading programs.

As Webb’s House System takes root, friendships and mentorships across divisions will grow. The sense of community and school spirit will increase. New traditions will spring forth. Still, one of the most exciting aspects of this new system is its organic nature. We don’t yet know all the ways that this initiative will positively impact the campus, but school leaders are confident that the creation of the House System will become a touchstone of the student experience, adding to the rich tradition and legacy of Webb School of Knoxville. * For their official crests, students will be working with a graphic designer this year to help bring their ideas to life and tell the story of each unique House.

About Pfeifer House:

About Sawney House:

Named after William “Bill” Pfeifer, who was the beloved president of Webb School from 1988 to 1995. He later served on the board of the East Tennessee Historical Society and was the Director of Special Projects at Colonial Williamsburg.

Named after William Robert “Sawney” Webb, who was the grandfather of Robert Webb, founder of Webb School of Knoxville. Sawney founded the original Webb School in 1870, currently in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, and it was there that he established the Honor Code.

Motto: Auro Perennius – Go for Gold Pillars: History, Heart, Harmony, Honor

Motto: Honora Praeteritum, Respice Praesentem, Finge Futurum – Honor the Past, Respect the Present, Imagine the Future Pillars: Strength, Spirit, Sportsmanship, Alumni Selflessness Bulletin

FALL/WINTER 2021 17

Q &A WITH BRANDON BRUCE

When Webb School crafted its Strategic Vision, it identified entrepreneurial methods as a key element of the Webb experience, which served as the catalyst for the creation of Webb’s Entrepreneurship Program. This initiative strives to empower Upper School students with an entrepreneurial mindset that can serve them no matter what career paths they eventually choose; providing real-world learning for long-term success.

To lead the program, accomplished startup entrepreneur and philanthropist Brandon Bruce has come on board as Entrepreneurial Studies Coordinator and Entrepreneur in Residence. Bruce has spent his career in education and nonprofits, as well as successfully growing technology startups and supporting and promoting entrepreneurship in the Knoxville community. In this Q&A, he discusses his career as an entrepreneur and his new role at Webb.

18 Webb School of Knoxville

Q: What is your definition of an entrepreneurial mindset? A: I think one of the best definitions I’ve heard is from a

stand-up bit by comedian Chris Rock. He talks about the difference between a career and a job. “When you got a career, there ain’t enough time in the day. It’s 5:35 p.m.! I gotta come in early tomorrow and work on my project. When you have a job, there’s too much time.” There is a related quip that an entrepreneur works 80 hours a week because they don’t want to work 40. When I think about the entrepreneurs I’ve had the opportunity to meet, common traits include ambition, creativity, discipline, and empathy. The entrepreneurial mindset is one of curiosity, possibility and drive.

Q: What is the role of the Entrepreneurship Program at Webb School?

Q: Could you describe the general curriculum for the Entrepreneurship Program at Webb School?

A: When I lived in the Washington, D.C. area 15 years ago,

A: During the first week of class, students in my

the college application rate was really low at several area high schools. A nonprofit organization talked to the students and realized that one of the big reasons the students weren’t applying to college was because they had never been to a college campus. The nonprofit had a bus and they started transporting high school students to one of several local colleges where the students could walk around the campus, meet college students, visit a classroom, eat in the cafeteria, and catch a sporting event. The field trip dramatically increased the rate of college applications and college attendance. The role of the entrepreneurial program at Webb is similar in the sense that we want to transport students into the world of starting and growing companies, so that entrepreneurship is an option they consider now and in the future.

Q: What drew you to joining the Entrepreneurship Program at Webb School?

A: Webb parent and former Board of Trustees member

John Tolsma sent me an email saying, “I have a crazy idea... do you have time to talk about an opportunity?” That’s really an unfair question to ask a fellow entrepreneur who loves crazy ideas and talking about opportunities. Teaching at Webb School combines two things I care a lot about: entrepreneurship and education. Webb School President Michael McBrien shared with me his vision for connecting Webb School with the community. That is something I’m excited to be doing. For example, each student in my entrepreneurship classes invites a local entrepreneur to campus for a live interview in the Upper School’s Visualization Lab. This fall, we have two classes with 17 students in each class, so by the end of the semester, we’ll have learned from 34 entrepreneurs. Each entrepreneur is able to share the unique story of their entrepreneurial journey, which is also a big part of the story of their life. We’re hearing about ups and downs, challenges and successes, hard work and luck, growth and pivots, capital and talent, determination and grit. I’ve always learned the most about entrepreneurship by talking with entrepreneurs and I’m so grateful for all the entrepreneurs who are coming to campus to share their stories. These are stories that students will remember. Folks can watch and listen to the interviews on the Webb School YouTube channel and the Startup Knox Podcast.

Introduction to Entrepreneurship & Design Thinking classes asked what we would be learning during the semester. I answered the question with a question, “What do you want to learn?” There was a long pause and they laughed, and then realized I was serious. I had an overall idea of what we would learn in class and a plan for how we would learn it, but I wanted to hear from the students – the voice of the customer – and what they wanted. Some students wanted to learn the basics of business because they’re considering joining their family’s company. Others were thinking about starting their own company someday. Still others signed up for the elective course out of curiosity to find out what entrepreneurship is all about. And a few signed up because it fit in their busy schedule of college prep courses, athletics, theater, music, and clubs.

What I shared with the students is that this class would probably be different. There will be more questions than answers, because starting a business doesn’t resemble a straight line as much as a tangled ball of yarn. Participation is its own reward since entrepreneurship is not a spectator sport. Entrepreneurship is about individual drive, so schoolwork will include standing up in front of the class to present ideas and interview entrepreneurs. And it’s about teamwork and serving customers, so there will be group assignments and class projects.

Q: Could you provide more details about your Introduction to Entrepreneurship & Design Thinking course?

A: For the Introduction to Entrepreneurship & Design Thinking class, prior to the mid-semester entrepreneur interviews, we tackled three projects.

First, we inherited a blank slate classroom, so students worked in teams to propose designs for the classroom – a process that simulated the thinking that millions of companies have had to do during the pandemic. Students also proposed names and designs for the basement level of the Upper School, which is commonly known as “The Dungeon.” Second, students created and presented a slide deck about themselves – their education, work experience, volunteer activities, and personality. They also created the beginning of a LinkedIn profile which will be valuable when applying for part-time and full-time jobs in the future.

Alumni Bulletin

FALL/WINTER 2021 19

Pictured:

For their Introduction to Entrepreneurship & Design Thinking class, students contacted and arranged for on-campus interviews with entrepreneurs about their careers and perspectives on entrepreneurship. Jim Haslam, founder and chairman emeritus of Pilot Company (right), and Webb alumnus Tommy Nguyen ’08 (below), co-founder and COO of StoragePug, were the inaugural guests this fall. They were interviewed by Ned Delozier ’23 and Kathryn Atkins ’22, respectively.

Third, students read Jim Haslam’s book, Co-Piloting, and then wrote and discussed their own versions of three common company statements: Company Values, Statement on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Statement on Giving Back.

Q: Students who successfully complete Introduction to Entrepreneurship & Design Thinking can go on and take the Honors-level Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice course. Could you briefly describe its curriculum?

We’re currently in the midst of 34 interviews with local entrepreneurs. Following the entrepreneur interviews, we’re going to do three projects to finish out the semester.

A: In the spring Honors Entrepreneurship Theory &

This November, students are working in groups to build a website and other marketing collateral for several local nonprofit organizations that need a marketing boost. We’re partnering with United Way of Greater Knoxville to identify organizations, and then we’ll do a round of customer discovery prior to building. In early December, students will have the opportunity to sell products on campus from the Junior Achievement of East Tennessee custom Airstream trailer (a.k.a. the Mobile Business Accelerator). Each class is deciding on products and developing a marketing and sales plan. This is a heads up competition between the two classes to see who can net the biggest profit. For the balance of December, students will read Diane Tarshis’ business plan kit, Distilling Your Dream, and develop a short business plan for a startup idea of their own. They’ll also create and present a pitch deck in the final two weeks of the semester.

20 Webb School of Knoxville

Practice class, we’re going to carry over the entrepreneur interview component, because it’s perhaps the best way to learn about entrepreneurship – by hearing stories from people who have lived it and are living it.

We’re also going to have the unique opportunity to work with Harvard Business School case studies. We’ll use these realworld examples of entrepreneurs navigating crossroads in their companies to enable Webb School students to apply their creativity in challenging circumstances. The generous support of Greater Sum Ventures makes possible our partnership with Harvard Business School and access to their library of case studies. And there is no better way to learn entrepreneurship than by doing it, so students will have the opportunity to lay the groundwork and launch new ventures.

Q: What makes Webb School of Knoxville uniquely

positioned for implementing an entrepreneurship program?

A: I think entrepreneurship is in the DNA of Webb School. It was a brand new startup in 1955. Today, many of the entrepreneurs that come to campus for class interviews are family members of the students.

I’m also confident that one of the dominant traits of Webb School alumni is the entrepreneurial spirit. Many of the students who attended Webb School over the past 66 years have started their own companies. Continuing that tradition of entrepreneurship aligns with the founding principles of the school and the goals of today’s students.

Q: What is the current climate in Knoxville for startups? A: The startup climate in Knoxville is healthy and growing.

Just this past year, several more accelerators were announced in Knoxville – the Spark Innovation Center, TechStars Industries of the Future and a Cleantech Accelerator at Spark Innovation Center. These join the Innovation Crossroads program at Oak Ridge National Lab, a world-class accelerator that welcomed its fifth cohort this year, and the programs at Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, including The Works for startups and Inflection Point for growth stage companies.

“

students

I think of that time as a period of accelerated education on business – sales, marketing, customer service, product development, operations, legal, insurance, accounting, capital, and talent. And we got to do a bunch of really cool community projects like partnering with Knox County Schools and the Knox Education Foundation to set a Guinness World Record in 2017 for the number of students learning how to code. I also have the opportunity to serve as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, Muse Knoxville, Junior Achievement of East Tennessee, and local startup SmartRIA. In addition, I started the 100Knoxville initiative with a focus on working with Black entrepreneurs to help grow their companies. And I chair the Knoxville Chamber’s eKnox Task Force and cofounded the Knoxville Technology Council with my friend John McNeely. My friend John Bruck, who runs the Spark Innovation Center at the University of Tennessee Research Park, and I launched Startup Knox, which provides a directory of local resources for entrepreneurs and a podcast featuring more than 100 interviews. I also serve on the Innov865 Alliance Steering Committee and the Board of Directors of Cherokee Farm Development Corporation.

More recently, I’ve become a partner in One Knoxville Sporting Club, the new professional soccer team coming to Knoxville next spring. And I’m a cofounder and CEO of Uncat, a software startup that helps accountants and bookkeepers resolve . . . one of the dominant traits of Webb School uncategorized transactions with their clients. Uncat recently won the Audience alumni is the entrepreneurial spirit. Many of the Choice award at Startup Day, which was who attended Webb School over the past 66 a lot of fun.

years have started their own companies. Continuing that tradition of entrepreneurship aligns with the founding principles of the school and the goals of today’s students.

Q: Please describe some of the biggest lessons from your

career that you bring to your role as Entrepreneurial Studies Coordinator and Entrepreneur in Residence at Webb School?

A: I learned the most about entrepreneurship when I started

a software company called Cirrus Insight with my good friend Ryan Huff. We launched an application to connect Salesforce with Gmail in 2011 and grew the company for the next seven years, reaching No. 41 on the Inc. 500 list in 2016 before selling the company in 2018.

All of that is a long way of saying that I like to hang out with entrepreneurs and start projects and grow companies.

What I told the students on the first day of class is that startups run on enthusiasm. My goal is to not only share my enthusiasm for entrepreneurship, but to also cultivate in students a sense of enthusiasm for the power of ideas and a confidence that they can have a lot of fun and seek fulfillment by solving problems, building products and daring boldly.

Alumni Bulletin

FALL/WINTER 2021 21

The Robert Webb Memorial Statue will soon become a reality – a lasting legacy to the founder of Webb School of Knoxville and the realization of his extraordinary vision. by GINNA MASHBURN FORMER LONGTIME WEBB ENGLISH TEACHER

Legacy A

LASTING

MAGINE THIS: You’re walking

on the Webb School of Knoxville campus, heading up toward the Upper School building, and just east of the sidewalk on a tree-shaded hillside sits a somewhat larger-than-life-sized bronze statue of Webb School founder, Robert Webb. He’s peacefully seated on a large boulder, blending into the scene around him – a lush garden and teeming behind it the energy of students and staff moving from classrooms to buildings to playing fields – all on an incredible 100-acre campus that is a testament to this one man’s audacity and tenacity.

22 Webb School of Knoxville

he Robert Webb Memorial Statue will soon become a reality. Renowned Nashville, Tennessee artist Alan LeQuire is in the final stages of completing the statue. Best known as the sculptor of Athena Parthenos for the Parthenon in Nashville, LeQuire has created multiple public commissions, including Nashville’s Musica in Music Row, Tennessee Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial and Cultural Heroes, as well as the Tennessee Woman Suffrage Memorial and the Burn Memorial in downtown Knoxville.

n the not-too-distant future, a teacher or prospective student might choose to share in the quiet repose of Webb’s Clayton Science Center garden, next to this bronze gentleman, or a Lower School child might offer him a warm hug, or a group of students might sit beneath his feet and listen as a teacher tells the inspirational story of how this lone man followed his dream to create a college-preparatory school here in his hometown. Bob Webb used the school model created by his grandfather, Sawney Webb, in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, and his uncle, Thompson Webb, in Claremont, California. Our Webb School is thus the third to bear the Webb family name.

hose of us fortunate enough to be hired by Robert Webb and to work for him knew first-hand of his insistence on academic excellence, his integrity in all matters, and the value he placed on a well-rounded education that included sports and the arts as well as a traditional academic curriculum. I personally experienced Mr. Webb’s brand of supportive leadership. In the mid-’70s, following my move to the Upper School after teaching eighth-grade English, he said, “You know, you caused me trouble with some parents when you taught Richard Wright’s Black Boy.”

I had no idea there had been complaints and told him so. Bob Webb said, “Good. That’s the way I wanted it.” He told parents that I was a professional and he backed me up in my choice of texts. I was grateful for his support and trust.

or those teachers and past generations of students who knew Bob Webb, who heard his Chapel Talks or sat in his world religion class, the bronze sculpture will remind them of his image. Some who came after his retirement in 1984 and death in 2005 may have casually observed the oil portrait done by Webb graduate John W. Kelley ’70 in the Central Building, or his picture might appear in an occasional school publication. However, this sculpture is designed for people of all school generations – past, present and future – to better appreciate the man whose academic rigor and high standards permeate the school’s culture.

was reminded again of Bob Webb's skill when I recently reread Jack Neely’s ’76 excellent history of the school, A Splendid Instinct. The quality that stood out for me was Mr. Webb’s ability to change, to adjust to shifting social realities. Janet Colbert, retired Webb Latin teacher, recalled one of his Founder’s Day talks in which he said, “The present school was not Plan A, nor

was it really Plan B.” He originally envisioned a boys-only-residential school, but when Knoxville parents caught on to the success of the boys’ school and pleaded with him to admit their daughters, he pivoted and a separate girls’ school emerged, only to see both schools combine in 1968. He became convinced that a co-ed day school was much more likely to succeed.

lan A also did not include Black students, although Mr. Webb made it very clear that he did not intend Webb to be a “white flight” school. Many people assumed that was his purpose, given the Civil Rights turmoil of the 1950s and ’60s. Webb’s Board of Trustees announced an openadmissions policy in 1966 and the school welcomed its first Black student, Nick Wynn, that fall. Three years later, Bob Webb spoke at the Mid-South Association of Independent Schools' annual meeting and urged his fellow educators to integrate just as Webb School had done. He talked of the moral reasons to do so as well as the need to prepare students “for the realities of their lives ahead, much less a position of leadership.” And he acknowledged his own shift in thinking, noting, “You will recognize in hearing these words from my lips that no saint sings louder than the reformed sinner.”

In the not-too-distant future, a teacher or prospective student might choose to share in the quiet repose of Webb’s Clayton Science Center garden, next to this bronze gentleman, or a Lower School child might offer him a warm hug, or a group of students might sit beneath his feet and listen as a teacher tells the inspirational story of how this lone man followed his dream to create a collegepreparatory school here in his hometown. Alumni Bulletin

FALL/WINTER 2021 23

Left

(l to r) Nashville sculptor Alan LeQuire, Julie Webb, wife of Robert Webb, Julie and Bob Webb’s daughter Susie Webb Ries ’71, and Susie’s son Russell Ries Jr. visited LeQuire’s studio in Nashville to view the clay sculpture of Robert Webb that will soon be cast in bronze.

obert Webb was a modest man. A favorite story tells of his taking an art class at the University of Tennessee after he retired. The professor asked students to introduce themselves and to give a little information about their background. The founder of the most prestigious independent school in Knoxville said, “My name is Bob, and I was in education.” So, what would a modest Robert Webb think of a sculpture of himself on campus? I agree with Spartan Class of 1962 alumna Cheryl Massingale who said he would probably be a bit embarrassed. And while he

wouldn’t have expected such a tribute, he would have nevertheless felt honored and proud. And I’m certain that as an avid art lover, Mr. Webb would have been happy to become such a prominent and enduring fixture on the campus he loved.

he people involved in bringing this project to fruition hope that future viewers of the sculpture will be inspired to learn from Robert Webb’s story and will recognize how hard work, a touch of audacity and the tenacity to pursue a goal – even against pretty big odds – can lead to remarkable results.

statue of a famous person is a timehonored way of recognizing their influence on an institution. Writing about Alan LeQuire’s sculptures, author Madison Smartt Bell says that LeQuire believes “the human figure serves as the primary carrier of significance, and that the human figure is the single subject to which all viewers inevitably respond.” We feel certain that future generations will respond with delight and wonder to this figure of Robert Webb, sitting on the tree-shaded campus he built from scratch.

Webb School would like to thank the following Robert Webb Memorial Statue Fund Advisory Committee members for all their efforts toward this cherished endeavor: Ted Cook ’69, Taylor Hamilton ’83, Deb Kile Hotchkiss ’66, Sheila Jacobstein, Ginna Mashburn, Lou Moran III ’82, Hugh Nystrom ’85, Mark Overholt ’83.

R EMEMBER ING MR . W EBB MARK OVERHOLT ’83: I remember Robert Webb as a warm, passionate educator who led by example. He was inclusive and believed that educated people should understand those from different backgrounds. For this reason, he required all Webb students to take a world religion course, a progressive act in the mid-1950s. Mr. Webb taught me to listen to others with different views and to try to understand their perspectives. When an opportunity came to participate in the statue project, I did not hesitate. The Webb community needs to remember Mr. Webb’s sacrifice to build our school. He started with little other than an indefatigable passion and vision to develop leaders. Students and alumni should be reminded of his service-oriented heart. He built this great school for us, not for his notoriety. I love

the design of the statue – Mr. Webb sitting on a large rock with an open seat for whoever might want to join him. It will continue to remind us of Mr. Webb’s goal for each of us – to pursue our passions in the face of obstacles.

CHERYL MASSINGALE ’62: I came to Webb School my junior year, and those two years changed my life as I discovered a love of learning. When I returned years later as a teacher, I learned, first-hand, how Mr. Webb supported his faculty. He wanted Webb to be a special place, and he succeeded. Incidentally, I learned to drive in the snow while there. Bob Webb would never call off school for something as insignificant as snow!

Alumni Bulletin

FALL/WINTER 2021 25

ALUM NI RE PORT

Fellow Webb Alumni,

Each graduating class adds another layer to

the value of a Webb education for all of us.

As in the past, Spartan graduates continue to be accepted to an impressive range of schools and earn a staggering amount of scholarships. Time and time again, Webb alumni then go on to do great things in their

The current school year is well underway and we are reaching the end of the first semester. However, I wanted to take a moment and look back at the end of last year to welcome the Class of 2021 as the newest Spartan alumni. I’m especially proud of this class since it happens to include my daughter, Caroline, and her classmates. It was so impressive to watch them work through adversity and finish their senior year with a great attitude. It was even more exciting to watch them head out to do great things in the next chapter of their lives. Keeping with tradition, Webb’s alumni sponsored their final Senior Lunch in the spring and gave the graduates each a gift to use as they head off to college. I was reminded once again of the outstanding job Webb School does in preparing students to succeed in life after high school. Not just as students, but also as adults; able to adapt to changing circumstances, think critically in new situations and take a disciplined approach to the challenges they face. Each graduating class adds another layer to the value of a Webb education for all of us. As in the past, Spartan graduates continue to be accepted to an impressive range of schools and earn a staggering amount of scholarships. Time and time again, Webb alumni then go on to do great things in their communities and around the world. This was clear during our Spartan Alumni Weekend this fall when we welcomed our Distinguished Alumnus/na Award recipient, a great group of Alumni Achievement Award honorees and classmates back on campus. Despite the challenges we still face with travel and organizing in-person events, we had a super turnout, and many enjoyed seeing the exciting new changes on campus. The Association is continuing its work to make Alumni Weekend even better. We’re exploring new events to host on campus and different ways to bring a larger range of classes together at the same time, so that you don’t have to wait for your reunion year to return to campus and reconnect with your friends. Webb’s Alumni Association is moving forward in another important way as well. We’re thrilled to announce the formation of the new Young Alumni Board. We have a fantastic group of young alumni who have committed their time to create events and activities to help keep their classmates connected. Please take a moment to read the article on the next page from Neil Butler ’12, President of the Young Alumni Board, to learn more about the group and its goals. We really appreciate Neil and rest of the Board for their efforts in launching this new initiative. Finally, we’d like to congratulate Allison Lacy Lederer ’95, who was recently elected as the next president of our Alumni Association. Allison brings a strong background to the group, including her work on the board of the Knoxville Museum of Art, where she led innovative programs, increased membership and engaged donors. We’re so excited about the ideas she’s already bringing to the Association and look forward to her continuing our growth. As always, please reach out to Joy Edwards, Hugh Nystrom ’85 or me if you have any ideas or suggestions for the Association. If you haven’t already, please log in to webbalumni.org and set up your account. We’re always looking for new ways to keep this amazing network of Spartan alumni connected and involved, and you’re our best resource. Personally, I look forward to seeing you at an event or back on campus soon.

communities and around the world.

26 Webb School of Knoxville

Russ Powell ’87 President, Webb School of Knoxville Alumni Association Parent of Caroline ’21 & Weiler ’24

ALUM NI RE PORT

WEBB’S YOUNG ALUMNI BOARD WAS established in the spring of 2021 as a way of engaging with and growing connections among Webb School’s young alumni. What began as a friendly discussion about how young alumni can reconnect with the campus quickly grew into a group of alumni dedicated to further developing both the young alumni community and the current student experience. Across multiple class years, there was one thing that each Young Alumni Board member shared with one another: the desire to give back to the Webb School community. Over the course of the past few months, the Young Alumni Board has put together a handful of action steps to serve as a resource for the Webb School community. The Board had the opportunity to meet with the school’s new House Council over the summer, which better helped frame our work ahead. Through that, the Board began finding ways to connect with current students, the most fruitful of which was actively engaging young alumni as a resource to the school’s on-campus clubs. From discussions with current students, it seems the community is ready to reinvest in the campus traditions that make Webb School such a special place, and the Young Alumni Board is excited to support these efforts in whatever way we can. Ultimately, the Young Alumni Board’s work centers on relationships. Whether they be between alumni and students, students and networking opportunities, or alumni-to-alumni, there exists a common thread of connectedness and relationship-building in each of the Board’s goals. Below is our Young Alumni Board’s mission statement. While admittedly ambitious, it does a great job of encapsulating all that the Board is currently working to achieve.

New Young Alumni Board to strengthen connections, community & involvement of young alumni MEET THE BOARD President Neil Butler ’12 Stephanie Biggs ’11 Marjorie Butler ’12 Taylor Cao ’11 Catherine Carter ’15

The Young Alumni Board exists to support and develop the extended Webb School community through: n Advancing the school’s initiatives

n Connecting young alumni with volunteer

n Becoming more invested in the current student

experience

n Connecting current students to resources and

networks accessible via the school’s young alumni n Building relationships among the school’s young alumni network n Increasing engagement in giving (via time, financial donations or other resources) among young alumni

opportunities within the Webb School community n Encouraging pride in and support for the school n Advocating for an environment of diversity and inclusion in all of its forms n Providing ongoing support to the school’s Alumni Association as a whole

Lastly, it is important to note that the Young Alumni Board is not static. Given how new it is, it cannot afford to be. Rather, its members have been excited to discuss new ideas and perspectives as they arise. With that in mind, we are always open to feedback, input and ideas. Please don’t hesitate to connect with our Young Alumni Board; contact us at webbyoungalumni@gmail.com if you have anything you would like to share. We would love nothing more than to hear from all of you, so that we can best represent the interests of the entire Webb School community!

Zach Dooley ’10 Todd Kelly Jr. ’14 Connor Moore ’11 Jane Romano ’12 Donovan Whiteside ’10

Neil Butler ’12 President, Webb Young Alumni Board

Alumni Bulletin

FALL/WINTER 2021 27

ALUM NI RE PORT

Fifth Third Bancorp EVP, Chief Legal Officer, Susan B. Zaunbrecher’77, Named Distinguished Alumna for 2021

ach year, Webb School of Knoxville hosts several events to recognize and honor the achievements and contributions of its alumni. Spartan graduates are an integral part of the Webb School legacy, and the school is extremely proud to celebrate their accomplishments. For 2021, Webb named Class of 1977 alumna Susan Buonocore Zaunbrecher as the recipient of its Distinguished Above: (l to r) Coordinator of Development and Alumni Affairs Joy Edwards, Susan B. Zaunbrecher’s Alumnus/na Award. The honor is among the highest husband, Don Zaunbrecher, Susan B. Zaunbrecher, and Webb Director of Development, Hugh Nystrom ’85. bestowed upon a member of the school’s alumni community, and is presented annually to a Spartan alumnus/na whose business or professional accomplishments and service to others Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, REDI Cincinnati (real estate exemplify the goals of Webb School in the spirit of its motto, development arm of the Chamber of Commerce), Pro Bono Principes Non Homines - Leaders Not Men. Partnership of Ohio, Queen City Club, and Cincinnati Women’s Zaunbrecher is an Executive Vice President and the Chief Legal Executive Forum. Officer of Fifth Third Bancorp and Bank in Cincinnati, Ohio. Fifth In 2018, Zaunbrecher was named a University of Cincinnati Third is the 11th largest commercial bank in the United States. College of Law Distinguished Alumna. She was also selected by At Fifth Third, she manages the legal and communications Best Lawyers in America as the 2017 Lawyer of the Year in departments, consisting of over 110 employees. She also serves Cincinnati in Securities, and is listed as a Best Lawyer in Banking, on the 12-member Enterprise Committee, which drives the Finance, Securities, and M&A. Her other accolades include 2016 company’s strategy and operations. A member of Fifth Third’s YWCA Career Woman of Achievement selection, Girl Scout inaugural Executive Diversity Leadership Committee, Zaunbrecher Woman of Distinction and recognition by the National Diversity is also the executive sponsor of the Women’s Executive Business Council as one of Ohio’s “Most Powerful & Influential Women.” Resource Group. In addition, Zaunbrecher was named a recipient of Webb’s Alumni Prior to joining Fifth Third, Zaunbrecher was a partner with the Achievement Award in 2017. law firm of Dinsmore & Shohl LLP, where she practiced for over 28 Zaunbrecher returned to campus, August 26, to receive Webb’s years after graduating from the University of Cincinnati College of Distinguished Alumnus/na Award and to speak with Lower and Law. At Dinsmore, she led the corporate department while Middle School students at their morning assemblies, and later with maintaining a busy corporate and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) the Upper School during Chapel. practice. Her specialty was providing legal services to financial Zaunbrecher shared how her experiences and her teachers at institutions, including Fifth Third. Zaunbrecher served on the Webb helped build a foundation for her to succeed in college, law firm’s Board of Directors for 17 years and was the first woman school and her career. She also noted how her Webb teachers took member of the Board’s Executive Committee as well as the first a genuine interest in her learning and well-being, which was woman department chair at the firm. She also chaired the firm’s instrumental in guiding her on her life’s path. Recruiting Committee and Diversity Committee for several years. Having built a successful career marked by a series of firsts in A graduate of Tulane University where she completed her executive leadership, Zaunbrecher also offered her perspectives on bachelor’s degree in art history, Zaunbrecher is the Chair of the character, leadership, integrity, and the importance of adaptability. W Alpaugh Family Economics Center at the University of Cincinnati. She is also a member on numerous not-for-profit boards, including:

28 Webb School of Knoxville

Awards

ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT 2021

PICTURED: 1. Maribel Koella ’66 2. Jeff McCrory ’71 3. Sallee Reynolds ’76 4. Derek Kirk ’81 5. Greg Hagood ’86 & Frank Majors ’86 6. Carla Ainsworth ’91 7. Ellery Foutch ’96 8. Brad Smith ’01 9. Matthew Cross ’06 10. Taylor Cao ’11 11. Ariel Gale ’16

Maribel Koella is Director and Principal Broker of NAI Koella | RM Moore, a nationally certified woman-owned and minorityowned organization of professionally trained brokers, 1. with international reach and local expertise in commercial real estate. Considered the driving force behind the largest commercial real estate firm in East Tennessee, Koella provides strategic counseling to clients, helping them envision and evaluate options, and then develop strategies aligned with their business aims. She also works with nonprofits on issues related to lease negotiation, property purchase and sales, and evaluating and responding to real estate donations. With professional accreditations that include CRE, FRICS, SIOR, and CCIM), Koella and her firm’s association with NAI Global have created an unparalleled international network of professionals and research capabilities. Since graduating from the University of the Americas of Mexico City with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, Koella has built a professional career marked by firsts, including serving as the first female appraiser for the Tennessee Veteran’s Administration and the first woman CRE in Tennessee (one of 13 in the state). In addition, she was the first and remains the only female Industrial Designated SIOR in Tennessee and was the first woman chair of the NAI Global Leadership Board. Also founder of the Knoxville chapter of the Urban Land Institute, Koella was presented with an Enterprising Women of the Year Award in 2016. In addition, she is a recipient of the National Association of Realtors’ National Commercial Award and a CCIM Impact Award. A two-time CoStar Power Broker honoree, she was also a Real Estate Forum’s Women of Influence selection and recipient of the March of Dimes Commercial Real Estate Industry Award.

ALUM NI RE PORT

Webb's Alumni Achievement Awards are presented annually to those alumni who have distinguished themselves in their respective careers and have achieved outstanding success in their chosen professions while upholding the mission of Webb School of Knoxville. This year, 12 Spartan alumni, nominated by their classmates and representing the reunion classes of 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, and 2016, were honored. We proudly present this year's Alumni Achievement Award recipients.

Jeff McCrory Jr. is a Presbyterian pastor with over 40 years’ experience in churches and seminaries. Rev. McCrory has served in Presbyterian churches in California (Geneva Presbyterian 2. Church, Laguna Hills), Colorado (First Presbyterian Church of Boulder), and Washington, D.C. (National Presbyterian Church). Currently, he is interim pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. McCrory is also a certified spiritual director. He teaches and ministers as a senior associate for Soul Shepherding, a spiritual direction organization. An ordained minister, McCrory is a teaching pastor, and is experienced as a professor of the Bible and an associate pastor for discipleship programming. He taught Old Testament and New Testament studies and biblical Hebrew for seminaries in California, Colorado and Washington, D.C. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee, McCrory headed west, working with the Young Life organization. He later graduated from Fuller Theological Seminary in California with a Master of Divinity degree and went on to complete his Master of Arts degree and Ph.D. in Ancient Near Eastern Studies at Claremont Graduate University. In addition to pastoring and teaching, McCrory is an avid acoustic musician, playing guitar, mandolin, octave mandolin, and autoharp in various Bluegrass bands, Christian worship bands, and roots rock and big band swing groups. Thinking back to the teachers he had as a student at Webb School, McCrory says Webb English teachers Cabell Tutwiler and William Tadler were two of his favorites, adding, “They taught me a love of literature and how to think creatively.”

Sallee Reynolds is Supervisor of Secondary Education for Knox County Schools. A graduate of the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor of Science degree in joint elementary and secondary 3. mathematics education, Reynolds began her teaching career at Knoxville Catholic High School where she taught mathematics and chaired the school’s mathematics department. Also a coach for the Fighting Irish, she was voted Knoxville Catholic High School Teacher of the Year. Reynolds went on to teach mathematics and coach track and field at West High School while also pursuing her Master of Science degree at UT in administration and supervision. In 2001, she was named West High School Teacher of the Year. She transitioned to school administration, serving as assistant principal at Central High School, and then returned to West as principal. In 2007, she was named founding principal of Hardin Valley Academy, picking up Tennessee Association of Student Councils' State Principal of the Year honors along the way. While she initially intended to pursue accounting, Reynolds said she soon realized that her life was meant to go down a different path, partly due to the impact of Webb teachers Joyce Hunter and Frank Lee. “I loved the challenge that they provided, the relationships that they established,” she noted, “and the sense of accomplishment that I gained working in their classes. “Challenge, relationships and accomplishment are the qualities that I have brought to my classrooms, my schools and my career,” Reynolds continued. “A positive attitude and a strong work ethic are two things over which we have complete control and must be shared with others to build a strong sense of community . . . These traits are rooted in my time at Webb. My passion for education and what I put into practice today did not come from my four years of college; they came from having a phenomenal experience at Webb School!” Alumni Bulletin

FALL/WINTER 2021 29

Awards Derek Kirk is the founder and president of The Restaurant Nerd, a restaurant strategy and marketing 4. consultancy group focused on assisting Black-owned food service establishments. He is also the founder of soulPhoodie, an online community that informs, educates and entertains those passionate about Black food culture. soulPhoodie highlights the stories and showcases the talents of creators excelling and innovating in the world of food and beverage, including chefs, sommeliers, writers, and more in between. With nearly 150,000 followers and growing daily, soulPhoodie shares timely, fun and engaging content about all facets of Black foodways. Kirk graduated from North Carolina Central University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in finance and went on to earn a Master of Business Administration in entrepreneurial management and marketing from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He has spent most of the last 20-plus years of his career as a brand marketer, working for and leading brands in the restaurant space, with a focus on utilizing technology to attract and retain customers. While Kirk says he has many great memories from when he was a student at Webb School, two of his favorites, besides those of his fellow Spartan classmates, would be “overdosing on gummy bears and Toblerone pushed on us by the German Club on the long rides home on Bus No. 2,” he recalls, “and trying to negotiate the validity of my demerits with Mr. Snodgrass.”

30 Webb School of Knoxville

Greg Hagood and Frank Majors are co-founders of Nephila Capital Ltd. Since its launch in 1998, the company has 5. grown to become the largest catastrophe insurance-linked securities manager in the world, with over 250 employees firmwide. Hagood completed his Bachelor of Science degree in finance from the University of Tennessee and worked for Bear Stearns Companies in New York City, where he was responsible for trading and brokering mortgage servicing portfolios, advising on mortgage banking mergers and acquisitions, and structuring hedging instruments for institutional clients. He later joined Willis Group Ltd. in London to start what is now Nephila Capital. Majors is a graduate of Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and a Master of Business Administration in finance from the Owen Graduate School of Management. He began his career as a reinsurance broker in New York City before moving to London with Willis Group Ltd. Nephila Capital was the first to focus on the convergence of catastrophe reinsurance and weather risk transfer markets with capital markets. It was also the first provider of alternative capital to the reinsurance market and is a global leader in the business of weather and climate resilience risk transfer. Hagood and Majors commented on their working relationship and a friendship that stems back to high school at Webb. “It definitely freaks people out when they learn that we went to high school together,” says Hagood. “But I also think that they like the story and figure that if we can get along with each other for this long, maybe we’ll be okay to deal with.” “It’s been a ton of fun working with a Webb friend all these years,” Majors added. “We’re different personalities that complement each other, but we have a very similar worldview, and a lot of that came from Webb School. We both consider Webb to be, other than our families, the most formative influence on who we are.”

Carla Ainsworth is Care Team Medical Director and physician at Iora Primary Care in Seattle, Washington, 6. where her practice offers comprehensive primary care for seniors. She is also a clinical faculty member at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Ainsworth earned her bachelor’s degree from Kenyon College, majoring in chemistry and history. A national championship swimmer for the Kenyon College Ladies, she graduated as the all-time leader in NCAA Division III history with 26 national championships. During her four years with the Ladies, Ainsworth garnered 28 All-American honors, established seven NCAA records, and collected 15 conference titles. She was named Division III Swimmer of the Year three times, a first in NCAA history, and became the first woman to win the 200-yard freestyle four consecutive years. Additionally, she won four straight titles in the 100-yard free, set 15 Division III championship records, and is a four-time Academic All-American. Recognized as one of the greatest athletes ever at Kenyon College, Ainsworth was inducted into the Kenyon Athletics Hall of Fame. In 2019, she was presented with the NCAA Silver Anniversary Award. Ainsworth completed her Doctor of Medicine at Washington University in St. Louis, and later attended University of California, Berkeley where she earned a Master of Public Health degree in maternal and child health. Following her family medicine residency at Swedish Family Medicine-Cherry Hill in Seattle, Ainsworth was offered a fellowship in geriatric medicine at Swedish Family Medicine-First Hill. At Swedish-First Hill, Ainsworth also served as a faculty physician in family medicine and geriatrics, as well as Associate Director of Clinical Operations and Family Medicine Residency Program Director. Ainsworth continues to mentor medical students and residents and has been active as a board member for several organizations.

Ellery Foutch is an assistant professor in the American studies department at Middlebury College where she 7. teaches classes on the art and material culture of the United States. Foutch graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wellesley College, majoring in art history, and later completed her Master of Arts at the Williams College Graduate Program in the History of Art. After earning her Ph.D. in the history of art from the University of Pennsylvania, she held postdoctoral teaching fellowships at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and The Courtauld Institute of Art in London. Foutch has published several articles on a variety of topics, such as patents for portable magic lanterns as illuminated, wearable technologies and 19th-century glass ballot boxes and political transparency. Her project, “The Sheldon Relic Chair 1884/ 2018,” received honorable mention for the Library Company of Philadelphia’s first biennial Innovation Award in 2019. Foutch’s research has been granted fellowships from the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum Research Center, the Terra Foundation for American Art, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Her teaching has been supported by Middlebury’s Academic Outreach Endowment Grants and the Center for Community Engagement. Previously, Foutch served as co-chair of the Association of Historians of American Art and as co-editor of the “Object Lessons” column for Commonplace: The Journal of Early American Life. Looking back on her time at Webb School, Foutch says that she’s grateful to her teachers for cultivating an environment of intellectual curiosity and rigor that foregrounded learning over grades. She added that she especially appreciated the skills of close reading and literary analysis that were honed over the years in many Webb English classes, where teachers also designed creative assignments that nurtured strong writing and the articulation of ideas. “Webb opened up so many possibilities to me,” says Foutch, “and I’m continually grateful.”

ALUM NI RE PORT

Brad Smith is the Matthew Cross is founder and Chief founding partner Executive Officer and Chief of Russell Street Executive Officer Ventures, an of OE Experiences, innovative health a consulting and care firm focused development 9. 8. on launching and company focused scaling companies on engaging experientially driven business that serve some of the nation’s most models. OE Experiences, in partnership with vulnerable patient populations. Smith is also Kituwah LLC, was recently retained to the CEO of Main Street Health, a value-based develop “The 407: Gateway to Adventure,” health care company committed to serving rural America. Formerly co-founder and CEO a 200-acre site located at I-40’s Exit 407 in Sevierville, Tennessee. of Aspire Health, which he grew into the nation’s largest home-based palliative care A graduate of Wake Forest University, provider before selling it to Anthem, Smith where he earned a Bachelor of Science later became Chief Operating Officer of degree in finance from the Calloway School Anthem’s Diversified Business Group. of Business and Accountancy, Cross has a Smith served as Deputy Director of the proven track record in the hospitality, real White House Domestic Policy Council, Senior estate development, financial services, and Advisor to the Secretary of the United States themed entertainment industries. He was Department of Health and Human Services CEO of Boyd Hollow Resorts, Inc., where he (HHS), Deputy Administrator at the Centers oversaw the development of Ancient Lore for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and Village in South Knoxville, a Top 5 Director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. He helped operationalize announcement at the 2019 IAAPA Expo, and was vice president at USI Consulting Group. various elements of the federal response to He also worked at Finard Properties, a COVID-19, including launching Project Airbridge. He was also a Board Member of Boston-based real estate development Operation Warp Speed. At HHS, he launched company, and in the finance department of payment models that lowered the price of Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort. In addition, prescription drugs, allowing rural communities Cross was named to serve on the Themed to transform how health care is delivered. Entertainment Association Board of Smith formerly served as Chief of Staff at the Directors-Eastern Division. Tennessee Department of Economic “Webb School was an instrumental part Development and was the founding Executive of my journey to who I am and how I got Director of the Tennessee State Collaborative here,” Cross says. “There is no doubt that its on Reforming Education (SCORE). culture, value system and resources elevated Smith graduated summa cum laude from my abilities and my character,” he noted. For Harvard University and earned his master’s Cross, his experience in Webb English teacher from Oxford University where he was a Rhodes Scholar. He has lectured at Duke, Warren Heiser’s class was particularly Vanderbilt and the University of Pennsylvania, impactful. “The critical thinking skills he and has authored several articles. instilled in me and the confidence I gained in Smith says that Webb School opened myself and in my public speaking ability doors for him that he could never have helped elevate me in my career,” Cross said. imagined. “While at Webb, I met Bill Haslam,” “That cultivated ability stayed with me into Smith recalls. “With the encouragement of my professional career and has allowed me Bill and Webb’s president at the time, I applied to clearly and succinctly address large and was accepted to Harvard, which opened crowds, assess complex situations and my eyes to a world of opportunities.” Smith communicate effectively,” Cross continued. added that Haslam helped introduce him to Sen. Bob Corker, who gave him his first job out “I believe we’re a summary of the investments of college. “That opportunity indirectly led to others have made in us, and I left Webb with a slew of others. Without Webb, I’m not sure enormous intellectual and emotional capital if any of this would have been possible.” that has benefited me and my family.”

Taylor Cao is a seventh-grade science teacher at St. George’s Independent School (SGIS) in Collierville, 10. Tennessee. For the 2020-2021 school year, he received St. George’s Apple Award for Distinguished Teacher, voted upon annually by the members of the current eighth-grade class. “The Class of 2025 was the first I taught at SGIS,” Cao said. “I watched them grow academically, win athletic championships and perform on the biggest stages. I was honored and humbled to receive the award from this special group of students.” Cao’s path to education started after he graduated from Lipscomb University with a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise science and moved to Memphis, Tennessee, to join Memphis Teacher Residency, a faith-based, nonprofit organization that recruits, trains and supports effective teachers in a Christian context. During his time in the program, he taught a variety of science courses in three different high schools across Memphis. Cao is also a graduate of the New Memphis Embark program, a four-month engagement that empowers high performing 20-somethings to grow as leaders and build relationships as they help make a difference in Memphis. This fall, Cao transitioned out of the classroom and stepped into the role of Director of Student Life at St. George’s. In his new position, he is responsible for promoting student connections through events such as homecoming, class trips and prom. Cao says that his time as a student at Webb School prepared him to lead in the real world. “When I arrived at Webb, it was the first time I had been in an uncomfortable situation,” Cao recalls. “My peers looked different from me. My teachers expected more from me. I had to learn how to adapt quickly to my new normal. I struggled to do this while balancing homework, practices, relationships, and everything else that comes with being a high schooler.” Now, as an educator working in a school similar to Webb, Cao says he can use what Webb School taught him to help students who may have similar experiences.

Ariel Gale is a graduate student at Emory University, with research interests in quantum chemistry, high-pressure 11. chemistry, atmospheric chemistry, prebiotic chemistry, and computational chemistry. She graduated from Furman University with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry and a minor in women’s, gender and sexuality studies. As an undergraduate, she was a member of a computational chemistry research group, studying solvent effects, configurational sampling and non-covalent interactions. She has authored several papers on the role of molecular water clusters in the origin of life and climate change. Gale was the recipient of the highly selective Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and was chosen for the Beckman Scholars Program, a mentored research experience for exceptional undergraduate students in chemistry, biological sciences or interdisciplinary combinations thereof. Gale served as a peer tutor, teaching assistant and leader in the Women’s Chorale at Furman. As a senior lab member, she also helped train new students in computational techniques and guided them through their research experiences. At Emory, Gale received a Women in Natural Sciences fellowship and, together with an ARCS Foundation Scholarship Award, she is focusing her research on developing highpressure quantum chemistry methods as well as optimizing workflow and developing new methods for calculating redox potentials of organic and organometallic molecules. She continues to mentor students, including assisting chemistry undergraduates in applying to graduate school through the Chemistry Graduate School Prep Club. Gale says that her experience at Webb gave her the confidence to pursue her interests and seek out exciting opportunities. “After building so many good relationships with my Webb teachers and seeing how they believed in me, I felt totally comfortable as an undergraduate in approaching professors to discuss their research or have a quick conversation,” she noted. “I cherish the connections that I have built in my communities with both my peers and mentors, and that started at Webb School.” Alumni Bulletin

FALL/WINTER 2021 31

ALUM NI RE PORT

Spartan Alumni Weekend WELCOME BACK SPARTANS! After last year’s Spartan Alumni Weekend was halted due to COVID-19, alumni near and far eagerly returned to campus this fall to celebrate the Green & White. The presentation of Webb's Distinguished Alumnus/na Award; catching up with classmates and friends at the Spartan Alumni Tailgate; cheering on the Men in Green at the Webb vs. Gibbs football game; campus tours with student ambassadors; Webb’s Alumni Achievement Awards luncheon; and evening class parties all highlighted this year’s Spartan celebration. During the football game, Webb honored retired football coach Randy Carroll for his 42 years of coaching at Gibbs and at Webb. Also, for her 35-plus years as Webb athletic trainer, Tennessee Orthopaedic Clinic’s Lisa Schutt was recognized with the announcement that Webb’s training room has been named in her honor. W

32 Webb School of Knoxville

2021 COMMENCEMENT R E C A P

VALEDICTORIAN

Josh Chapman SALUTATORIAN

Crawford Hovis MARGARET & LEONHARD SCHEUERMANN TROPHY RECIPIENT

Rhea Charles DR. S.J. CHAPMAN MEMORIAL AWARD RECIPIENT

Josh Chapman ROBERT WEBB SERVICE AWARD RECIPIENT

Deb Kile Hotchkiss ’66

$8.5+ million in scholarship offers 465 offers of admission from 166 different colleges and universities

Class of 2021 graduates applied to

to colleges/universities in 41 states and 7 countries

14 alumni legacy graduates 22 “Ever Green” grads

(entered Webb as kindergartners)

1 National Merit Finalist 6 National Merit Commended Students Over 14% of the class, representing 11 different sports, are continuing their Alumni Bulletin FALL/WINTER 2021 athletic careers in college

FACULT Y FOCUS

Retiring faculty & staff For 2020-2021, six faculty and staff members retired after many years of service to Webb School. Their dedication to the school’s mission and their support of the growth and learning of each Webb student is deeply appreciated by all members of the Spartan community.

Stan Atkins, Director of Facilities Management, 26 years of service to Webb School

Lynn Campbell, Middle School choral program accompanist, 22 years of service to Webb School

Elizabeth Cantrell, Lower School teacher, 20 years of service to Webb School

Jane Moore, Lower School Counselor, 18 years of service to Webb School

Kathleen Sullivan, Middle School choral/handbells teacher, 9 years of service to Webb School

Deborah Welsch, Lower School Administrative/Admissions Assistant, 21 years of service to Webb School

DID YOU

Against the backdrop of COVID-19, the Webb School community is reminded every day of just how extraordinary its teachers and staff are in supporting the school’s commitment to providing the best educational experience possible for every student. Each spring, Webb recognizes the contributions and talents of its faculty and staff with the presentation of the

KNOW?

34 Webb School of Knoxville

Donald L. Tarvin Award. Established by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph L. Johnson in honor of Donald L. Tarvin – teacher, coach, plant manager, camp director, friend, and counselor to generations of Webb students, this honor is given to faculty and staff who in their daily relationships with students, parents, peers, and the community exemplify the qualities of moral, ethical and spiritual leadership that Webb School seeks to impart to its students. Congratulations to Webb’s Tarvin Award winners for 2020-2021: (l to r) Stephanie Spurlock, Upper School science teacher; David Haines, Middle School Dean of Students; Aaron Teffeteller, Website & Communications Coordinator; and Dodie Montgomery, Lower School P.E. teacher.

McCray’s Daybook tops Amazon’s sales chart Director of over 80 stage plays; professional Shakespearean actor; voice work in radio commercials; art department buyer for the hit television series Babylon 5; star of the one-man play Vincent; author of top-selling graphic novel biographies of Betty White, Jack Dorsey, Britney Spears, and Elvis Presley; executive producer and lead actor of the award-winning audio drama series, Star Trek: The Continuing Mission; and now, Webb drama teacher Patrick McCray is a bestselling author on Amazon. This past August, McCray released his book, The Dark Shadows Daybook, a spirited collection of essays, insights and observations pulled from the website McCray helped create and authors, The Collingsport Historical Society – dedicated to all things Dark Shadows, the American Gothic soap opera that aired on ABC from 1966 to 1971. Twenty-four hours after McCray’s book went on sale, it topped the Amazon sales chart for “TV Guides & Reviews.” It was also Amazon’s No.1 New Release in Horror & Supernatural Literary Criticism. McCray is now putting the finishing touches on volume two. W

SPARTAN SHOUT-OUT

Upper School math teacher Alice Carson recently attended the Tennessee Mathematics Teachers Association state conference at Memphis University School. Carson, a Texas Instruments regional instructor, led one of the conference seminars – “Get More from Your TI-84” – and took part in sessions covering literacy in the math classroom, Escape Room and simulations in AP Statistics.

CL A SS NOTES

THE FOLLOWING CLASS NOTES WERE SENT VIA EMAIL, SNAIL MAIL, POSTED TO OUR ALUMNI FACEBOOK SITE, OR FEATURED IN THE MEDIA THROUGH NOVEMBER 12, 2021. IF YOU HAVE NOT YET JOINED OUR WEBB SCHOOL OF KNOXVILLE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION FACEBOOK GROUP, PLEASE VISIT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/WEBBALUMNI/.

’60s

After a long career as an attorney in the Kansas City region, Sam Colville ’60 has retired to St. Marys, Georgia. He welcomes all Webb friends to visit. Colville’s mother, Emily Colville Fisher, was a beloved Latin teacher at Webb School for many years. Colville established the Emily Colville Fisher Fund at Webb in her honor.

Retired Webb social studies/ economics teacher and coach Jay Livingston ’62 now has a classroom named in his honor in Webb’s Upper School, made possible with a gift from Spartan alumnus Frank Majors ’86. Webb hosted a dedication ceremony in November in honor of Livingston, who joined the event virtually. Webb faculty and staff, Livingston's classmates, friends and his son Jay Livingston ’90 were also at the celebration. (above) Frank Majors speaks with guests and students in John Schmid’s ’86 classroom, now officially called The Jay Livingston Social Studies & Economics Classroom. (More pictures on the inside back cover of this Bulletin.)

Deeply rooted in the history of American retail, Ron Emery’s ’69 5 & 10, which is the country’s second oldest family-owned 5 & 10, serves as a place of nostalgia and experience that modern-day shopping establishments often cannot provide. Many a Knoxville family made the trip to the last remaining Emery’s 5 & 10 on Chapman Highway. In 2015, Emery moved his store to The Island in Pigeon Forge where it has since grown and developed into a modern destination and 21st century store. However, its roots have not been forgotten. Black-and-white photos of the original location started by Emery’s grandfather in 1927 still adorn the walls, merchandise is displayed from the same fixtures purchased 50 years ago and vintage décor hangs from the ceiling. As for Emery, he still works in the store from sunup to sundown to keep his grandfather’s story and vision alive.

’70s Monica Langley ’76 joined Salesforce in 2017 as Executive Vice President of Global Strategic Affairs. She is also host of The Inflection Point, a digital series produced by Salesforce Studios. A bestselling author, Langley previously spent 27 years at The Wall Street Journal where she wrote multiple page-one profiles of newsmakers, including CEOs and presidential candidates.

For The Inflection Point, CEOs share how their personal backstories, professional influences and values inform their leadership and lives. “CEOs are often regarded as powerful and out of reach, and it’s easy to understand why,” says Langley. “But in my career, reporting for The Wall Street Journal, working in tech, and practicing law, I’ve had more meetings and interviews with CEOs than I can count. And I’ve always found them to be people like the rest of us – with their own strengths and weaknesses, their own challenges and their own very human stories.” One of Langley’s interviews includes a conversation with Webb alumni Jimmy Haslam ’72, former CEO and now chairman of the board of the Pilot Company, and his wife, Dee Bagwell Haslam ’72, founder/ executive producer of RIVR Media and CEO of Haslam Sports Group. Former Tennessee Governor and Knoxville Mayor, Bill Haslam ’76, has released his first book, Faithful Presence: The Promise and the Peril of Faith in the Public Square. In Faithful Presence, Haslam addresses the role of faith in political life. To quote the book’s description on amazon.com, “Too often, Bill Haslam argues, Christians end up shaping their faith to fit their politics rather than forming their politics to their faith. They seem to forget their calling is to be used by God in service of others rather than to use God to reach their own desires and ends . . . Drawing upon his years of public service, Haslam casts a remarkable vision for the redemptive role of faith in politics while examining some of the most complex issues of our time . . .”

’80s Blair Potts ’80 has made his career as a chocolatier. Founder of Potts Chocolate in Charlotte, North Carolina, Potts’ shop features handmade chocolates, truffles and caramels made from the finest raw cacao beans. “I’ve been in specialty foods since I helped start the first microbrewery in Connecticut back in the ’80s,” says Potts, “and my wife suggested I start looking into chocolate about 12 years ago. So I did, and it turns out I kind of had a knack for it.” Potts added that he started crafting chocolates as a side gig until 2011 when he was able to pursue his passion, full-time. “Chocolates are very frustrating to work with,” he notes, “so once I got past that frustration, I found it really interesting, because the beans are all different depending on where they come from and when they’re harvested. Also, the chocolate will behave differently depending on the bean.” Many Spartan alumni may remember Potts’ mother, Mary Jo Potts, a beloved Webb faculty member who taught English at Webb School for over 30 years. Greg McMichael ’85 is Atlanta Braves Director of Alumni Relations. McMichael played for the Braves through the 1996 season, including pitching in the World Series in 1995 when the Braves won. He shares his passion for and the history behind the Atlanta Braves on the podcast Behind the Braves. Hank Boughner ’87 is Chief Executive Officer at Dynamo Software, Inc. With more than 20 years of business, investment and transaction experience within growth markets, including technology, tech-enabled services and financial technology/services, Boughner leads Dynamo’s management team and defines its vision and long-term strategy. Alumni Bulletin

FALL/WINTER 2021 35

CL A SS NOTES

Previously, he was president of Global Solutions for Global Payments Inc., one of the world’s leading payment companies.

Mossy Oak, and his editorial work appears regularly in publications such as Modern Huntsman and Men’s Journal.

Chris Douglas ’87 is a Montanabased photographer and creative director, and is one of the most sought-after visual storytellers in the American West. He has been the go-to photographer for iconic brands such as Filson, Stetson and

Lee Bushkell ’88 is president of CampusLore, a new media brand focused on the legacies of professional athletes’ college careers. Launched in partnership with the NFL Players Association, CampusLore is described as the pro players’ take on the college game.

’90s Adam Parrish King ’90 was sound effects editor of FX Networks’ Fargo ‘East/West’ episode, which was nominated for an 2021 Emmy for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special.

Graphic featured at ebwworldwide.com

Leslie-Anne Levy ’90 leads the Infrastructure Security and Risk Analytics group in Argonne National Laboratory’s Decision and Infrastructure Sciences division. She manages a portfolio of activity primarily with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, focused on assessing the security and resilience of critical infrastructure, as well as analyzing and managing risk to infrastructure. She previously held positions in federal government and the private sector, with a focus on assessing and building capabilities to enhance national preparedness. Freddie Brabson ’91 is the house organist at the Tennessee Theatre in Knoxville where he regularly performs on the Mighty Wurlitzer organ. Brabson is also Director of Music and Liturgy at The Episcopal Church of the Good Samaritan.

Vanderveldt’s EBW empowers, supports growth for women-led startups, scaleups INGRID VANDERVELDT ’88 is the founder and CEO of Empowering a Billion Women (EBW). Its mission, according to its website, is to “create a global sustainable future through the activation and empowerment of women. Our vision is a global economy powered by women and community. Because we believe when you activate women, you activate the economy.” EBW ranks #28 on Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America and has created $1 million in scholarships for women of color to, according to PRNewswire, “find, educate, train, and support 1,000 women leaders, entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs for its 2022 programs. This Initiative is meant to help stimulate the economy through the power of women’s innovation and forge a pathway for women to advance beyond the pandemic.” In addition, EBW is the fourth fastest growing womenowned/led business in the United States. Fellow Spartan alumna Erin Vanderveldt ’99 also works for EBW as head of finance. Previously, Ingrid Vanderveldt was the first Entrepreneur in Residence for Dell Inc., where she oversaw entrepreneurial initiatives worldwide, helping to build a $250 million business segment 36 Webb School of Knoxville

and founding the $125 million Dell Innovators Credit Fund, Dell Founders Club and the Dell Center for Entrepreneurs during her three-year term. Vanderveldt is an emeritus member of United Nations Foundation’s Global Entrepreneurs Council, a managing partner of Vanderveldt Global Investments, founding organizer of the GLASS Forum (Global Leadership & Sustainable Success), and cofounder of The Billionaire Girls Club. She also created and hosted CNBC’s first original primetime series, American Made, reaching over 1 million viewers around the globe, and is a Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network member. In 2018, she received the Global Empowerment Award by the Global Business and Interfaith Peace Awards in partnership with the UN. She has been named one of Oprah’s SuperSoul 100 Global Leaders and is the winner of the Forbes & Northwestern Mutual Global Entrepreneur in Excellence Award. Vanderveldt holds a master’s degree in architecture from the Savannah College of Art and Design and an MBA in entrepreneurship from the University of Texas at Austin. Learn more here: ingridvanderveldt.com.

Acclaimed opera singer Kevin Burdette ’92 is a member of the Atlanta Opera Company Players. In January 2021, the Players performed ‘Love Letters to Atlanta.’ Each ‘Love Letter’ included a visually stunning rendition of a song that had great meaning for the artist in a space that has significant meaning to Atlanta. Burdette performed ‘If Ever I Would Leave You’ from the beloved Lerner and Loewe musical Camelot, honoring one of his favorite vocal heroes, Cesare Siepi, another bass who adopted Atlanta as his hometown. Burdette chose to perform in the Atlanta Civic Center Auditorium, which closed in 2014. The space once hosted operatic legends during the Metropolitan Opera’s successful summer opera tour, an annual residency that lasted for more than 75 years.

CL A SS NOTES

Singer-songwriter Robby Hecht’s ’97 latest album, Me and the Fool I’ve Been, features six studio tracks and six acoustic recordings. Learn more at robbyhecht.com.

’00s

In February 2021, harpsichordist Malcolm Matthews ’07 (right) and violinist Jun Iwasaki presented a recital of music from the Baroque era at St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral in downtown Knoxville. Matthews is the Associate Organist and Choirmaster of Christ Church Cathedral in Nashville. He holds master’s degrees in both harpsichord and organ performance, as well as a Doctor of Musical Arts in organ performance – all earned from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. Caroline Farris ’08 now has a permanent space for her ACF Jewelry in Knoxville’s Old City. Long a fixture in the area. Farris made the leap to fully commit to a location and a vocation she loves. To quote an INSIDE OF KNOXVILLE article, “That she’s able to do so in the Old City with its rich personal history in her family makes the move feel like coming home.”

Mary Welch Fox Stasik ’00 (above) is host of HGTV’s Breaking Bland and owner of Mary Welch Fox Design. Known for her funky, eclectic, modern designs, Stasik lives in Charleston, South Carolina with her rock star husband Ryan Stasik, the bassist for the band Umphrey’s McGee, and their two daughters. Natalia Duncan Macker ’02 (below) is chair of the Teton County Board of Commissioners in Wyoming’s Jackson Hole area. She’s co-founder of the Wyoming Women’s Action Network and a gubernatorial appointee to the Wyoming Council for Women and the Department of Environmental Quality’s Land Quality Advisory Board.

Scott Comer ’09 (above) was featured in The Top 100 Magazine. A respected Washington ‘insider’ whose consulting firm roster reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of the Democratic Party, Comer is the founder of Fortune Hill Group, a Marylandbased political fundraising and events management firm dedicated to maximizing its clients’ resources and influence, with a keen focus on supporting Democratic candidates of color and social justice initiatives. Read more about Scott Comer here: thetop100magazine.com/ scott-comer Chief Executive Officer and founder of OneThree Biotech, Neel Madhukar ’09, announced a collaboration with Sun Pharma Advanced Research Company Ltd. (SPARC) to enhance understanding of the biological mechanisms driving

a key oncologic disease pathway. The collaboration will entail the application of OneThree Biotech’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform to fully characterize an enzyme pathway that metabolizes specific salts or esters involved in oncogenesis. The two companies seek to facilitate the discovery and development of innovative anticancer compounds and combination therapies to advance precision oncology.

’10s Taylor Cao ’11, Director of Student Life at St. George’s Independent School, was recently recognized as a 2021 New Memphis Educator of Excellence. Sara Daley ’11 is a senior scientist in Applied Research and Development at Merck, researching vaccines. Merck continues to be at the forefront of research to prevent and treat diseases that threaten people and animals. Singer-songwriter Zoë Nutt’s ’11 new release, Wildflower, earned a spot on Apple Music’s ‘Best New Song’ and Spotify’s ‘New Music Nashville’ playlists. Plus, her 2021 Rescue made Apple Music’s ‘Best New Songs in Country’ and Spotify’s ‘New Music Nashville’ playlists.

Wade Blair ’12 (above) earned his Juris Doctor degree from University of Tennessee’s College of Law. He was sworn in as an officer of the court and into the practice of law by Ronald Thurman, chancellor for the Thirteenth District Chancery Court in Tennessee. Emily Proud ’12 is a sports reporter and weekend evening news anchor at WKRN News 2 in Nashville, Tennessee. Anna Catharine Feaster ’14 is a policy analyst for the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) in Washington, D.C. Previously, she served as a research assistant, health staff assistant and constituent relations representative in the United States Senate. Katie Samples ’14 (right) has found her profession in teaching and has started a blog called Simply Semantics (simplysemantics.biz/). After graduating from Kenyon College, where she studied psychology and English, she moved to Maryland to teach and earn her Master of Education degree from Johns Hopkins University.

Alumni Bulletin

FALL/WINTER 2021 37

CL A SS NOTES

Cameron Overholt ’16 is a wine sommelier at Heitz Cellar in St. Helena, California. Previously he was a harvest intern at Heitz and worked in operations at Rootstock Wines in Austin, Texas.

Max Ward ’14 (above, right) is in his fourth semester at Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine, where he received his white coat. He recently published an article about sleep apnea for LMU-DCOM’s student newspaper.

On July 17, 2021, Webb Class of 2015 graduates Kate Schumaker and Rick Carl (above) got engaged on the Webb School campus. (below) While they attended different schools for their undergraduate degrees, both Wake Forest University graduate McKenzie Needham ’16 (right) and University of Georgia grad Madison Read ’16 (left) were accepted to Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Go Deacs!

38 Webb School of Knoxville

Carter Anderson ’17 is an assistant equestrian coach at University of Tennessee at Martin. She comes to UT Martin from the University of Georgia where she was a four-year member of the highly successful Bulldogs equestrian program. Anderson was part of Georgia’s 2021 NCEA national championship squad. The Bulldogs also captured NCEA reserve championships in 2018 and 2019 and a Southeastern Conference title in 2018. Anderson graduated cum laude from Georgia with a degree in journalism. She was a four-time NCEA Academic Honor Roll recipient and claimed SEC Honor Roll accolades during every season of her collegiate career. Abby Bailey ’17 is a senior dietetics major at University of Georgia and teaching assistant for UGA’s Cellular Biology Department. She is also working on her Master of Science at UGA with an emphasis on community nutrition. Bailey was recently accepted as a clinical pediatric dietetic intern at Duke University Hospital. Josie O’Gorman ’17 graduated magna cum laude from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, majoring in advertising and minoring in data analytics. She is a digital analyst for Razorfish Health in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Evan Davies ’18 is Chief Technology Officer at Notus Labs. Notus was awarded this past summer a National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research grant for $256,00 to conduct research and development work on advanced wearable sensors for athletic performance and safety. Since joining the Lady Huskers as a starting setter her freshman year, Nicklin Hames ’18 continues to make a huge impact on the University of Nebraska volleyball program. Her accolades include 2020 American Volleyball Coaches Association AllAmerica Second Team member, AllBig Ten First Team (2019, 2020) selection, AVCA All-North Region (2019, 2020), and 2018 All-Big Ten Freshman Team. She has tallied just under 1,100 digs and 65 career double-doubles. Also, with 4,124 assists at the beginning of November, she was one assist away from tying the school record for career assists in the rally scoring era and is only the third Husker in school history to surpass 4,000 career assists. Myles Rasnick ’18 transferred from East Tennessee State University to Maryville College. His hard work as shooting guard is fueling the Scots’ basketball success. For 2020-2021, Maryville posted a 10-2 record and Rasnick earned USA South 1st Team All-Conference honors.

startups that uses technology to accelerate the development of sustainable cities. Gregor assisted with the program’s annual conference, social media and website, and carried out other duties in Urbantech’s communications department. Samuel Hanggi ’19 (right) and three other Auburn University anglers placed within the top 10 of the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championship. Hanggi and his teammates finished among the top six teams in a fishing competition against 120 college teams from across the nation to earn Carhartt national championship honors. Richa Nathan ’19 took a summer internship at WUOT-91.9 FM, the National Public Radio member station in Knoxville. She worked as a health correspondent, reporting on healthrelated issues and medical journalism.

’20s

Sophie Gregor ’19 (below) took part in a summer internship in Copenhagen, Denmark, working with Urbantech, a non-equity, pilotfocused innovation program for (above) W.O.W. Network alumni Walker Smith ’20 (right) and Peyton Gallaher ’18 (left) are students at Arizona State’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Last spring, they joined forces to broadcast an Arizona State vs. Arizona women’s basketball game on the student network.

CL A SS NOTES

Weddings Courtney Tillman ’05 & Josh Vandeventer

MacKenzie Taylor ’11 & Kenston O’Neal

September 18, 2021

July 16, 2021

Kathryn Dunlap ’12 & Rowley Bowen-Jones

Rachel Scarbrough ’13 & Burton Sampson ’13

January 22, 2021

February 20, 2021

Haley Ellis ’12 & Daniel Adams

Katie Thompson ’13 & William Hubbard

Jason Berube ’10 & Amanda Spero

Caitlin Brandow ’12 & John Adgent

August 29, 2021

October 3, 2021

Elise Ergen ’11 & Conner William Taylor

Yates Congleton ’12 & Erin Winebarger

Shea Campbell ’13 & Kurtis Kress

August 21, 2021

September 25, 2021

Sloan Jansheski ’11 & Max Hines

Elizabeth Cope ’12 & Joseph Guerre

Leigh Cooper ’13 & Will Swisher

November 6, 2020

December 12, 2020

May 30, 2021

March 13, 2021

July 10, 2021

Lauren Mayes ’14 & Anthony Caldwell August 21, 2021

Kyle Jacobs ’16 & Monica Mohler September 18, 2021

Alumni Bulletin

FALL/WINTER 2021 39

CL A SS NOTES

Births Jonathan Alley ’00 & Anne Cortese Alley

Cassidy Duckett Britt ’08 & Sean Britt

James Ezekiel “Zeke” Alley

Taylor Hall ’05 & Sally McKinney Hall Edward Charles Hall

Ella Benton Duckett-Britt

September 9, 2021

May 6, 2021

April 28, 2021

Michael Lindstrom ’12 & Sarah Bea Lindstrom

Caroline Seiler Ziegler ’09 & Jared Ziegler

Olivia Beatrice Lindstrom

Anne Marie Ziegler

October 29, 2021

July 8, 2021

[passages] CLASS OF 1962

George Cranwell “Cran” Montgomery passed away June 14, 2021.

CLASS OF 1998

Lauren Elizabeth Kincaid passed away October 4, 2021.

CLASS OF 2007

Benjamin Tate Goodson passed away October 27, 2021.

Nell Eugenia “Genie” Dossett Matthews, sister of Julie Webb, passed away November 15, 2021. Genie Dossett Matthews was one of the first teachers in the girls’ school at Webb School of Knoxville. William “Bill” Pfeifer, who served as president of Webb School of Knoxville from 1988 to 1995, passed 40 Webb School of Knoxville

away February 5, 2021.

UPPER SCHOOL ROOM NO. 15 IS NOW OFFICIALLY CALLED THE JAY LIVINGSTON SOCIAL STUDIES & ECONOMICS CLASSROOM, thanks to a gift from Spartan alumnus Frank Majors ’86. Webb hosted a dedication ceremony, November 12, in honor of Livingston, who joined the ceremony virtually. Webb faculty and staff, Livingston’s classmates, friends and his son Jay Livingston ’90 also took part in the celebration. (top, l to r) Upper School teacher Amanda Rowcliffe; former Webb Upper School head, Steve Davis; Frank Majors ’86; Webb President Michael McBrien; Webb Director of Development, Hugh Nystrom ’85; George Krisle ’62; Jay Livingston ’90; Paul Ambrose ’62; Steve Koella ’63; Finbarr Saunders ’62; Webb athletic director and head football coach, David Meske. (right) Photos from the classroom dedication ceremony.

info (865) 291-3842 • webbschool.org

Non-Profit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit #181 Knoxville, TN

9800 Webb School Lane Knoxville, TN 37923-3307

WEBB HOSTED A REUNION, OCTOBER 8, FOR MEMBERS OF the Spartan 1981 football team, which won the school’s first state football championship title. Team members were also recognized during a special halftime ceremony at the Webb vs. Silverdale football game. (back, l to r) Ned Babb ’82; John Shaw ’82; Danny Overbey ’82; David Lee ’83; (front, l to r) David Coffey ’83; Ron Gratz, retired Spartan head football coach and teacher; Ken Brewster, retired Spartan assistant football coach and teacher; Angel Howard ’82, former Spartan cheerleading squad member; Wade Mitchell, retired Spartan assistant football coach and teacher; Roy Alexander ’82; Mike McClamroch ’82; Hugh Nystrom ’85, Webb Director of Development. (not pictured, but in attendance: Steve Fry ’82)

2020-2021 Alumni Bulletin

Articles inside

Q & A with Brandon Bruce

Commencement 2021 Recap

A Lasting Legacy