HEATHWOOD - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Director of Strategic Initiatives at the State Fiscal Accountability Authority
Alana Odom Williams is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at the State Fiscal Accountability Authority. An attorney by trade, Alana is a former litigation partner at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough. Alana currently serves as a Commissioner for the Riverbanks Parks Commission and is a member of the Columbia chapter of The Links Inc. and a member of the Columbia Junior League. She is also a member of Hope Interdenominational Church, where she leads a women's Bible study and has taught Sunday School. She has previously served on the boards of Hope In Christ Ministries and March of Dimes. Alana is married to Derrick L. Williams, Esq. and has two daughters, Deana Grace '28 and Regan.
Alicia McFarland is a pediatrician practicing at Sandhills Pediatrics in Columbia, SC. She grew up on the coast of North Carolina and earned her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. From there, she moved to Columbia, where she attended the University of South Carolina for medical school and residency.
Alicia is married to Steven McFarland, an attorney at Nelson Mullins. They have three daughters, Kaitlyn '25, Sarah '27, and Emily '29, who all attend Heathwood Hall. Alicia enjoys traveling, adventure sports such as skiing and SCUBA diving, and spending time with her family.
Allison Amick Barry grew up in the Midlands for all of her childhood. She received a Bachelor of Science in Political Economy and a Master of Arts in Economics from Clemson University. While at Clemson, she taught various economics classes. Upon graduation, Allison worked in project management and business development for the Commerce department before leaving to work in finance and operations for multiple family-owned businesses.
Allison and her husband reside in Lexington, SC and are the proud parents of Lukas (Class of 2032) and future Highlander Micah (Class of 2037).
Job Titles:
- Director of Extended Programs
For over 27 years, Allison's passion has been early childhood education. She started her career at Hood Street Elementary on Fort Jackson and then Forest Lake Elementary in the administrative office. She began teaching at St. Martin's in the Fields Drop-In Nursery and then continued at Kilbourne Park Day School, where she was a teacher and then the Assistant Director. From there she was the Assistant Director of Eastminster Day School before coming to Heathwood first as the Director of Summer Programs and Assistant Director of Extended Learning and, since 2020, as Director of Summer Learning. Her love of children even extends to running a summer camp for over 10 years called F.I.T.S. Camp (Fun In The Summer). Many of her former campers are now Heathwood students.
Allison is a member of St. Martin's in the Fields and Coralbell Garden Club. She and her husband Neil have been married for 21 years and have four children. In her spare time she loves gardening, hiking, riding bikes, going to the beach and mountains and is looking forward to her first grandchild due this August.
Job Titles:
- Development Services Coordinator
Beth joined Heathwood Hall in August 2019. As the Development Services Coordinator, she supports the Development Team by maintaining alumni and donor records, tracking all gifts and pledges, assisting with the Annual Fund, managing event registrations and mailing lists, and supporting the many school and alumni events throughout the year. She graduated from Presbyterian College with a BS in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting. Prior to Heathwood, Beth worked in banking for 19 years, primarily in the areas of credit risk and credit administration. She enjoys spending quality time on the beach or at the lake with her husband Ronnie, their son Gavin '32, and their springer spaniel, Zara.
Childs Thrasher is an attorney and mother of Alexander (class of 2032) and Jimmy (class of 2034).
Job Titles:
- Head of School
- Ex - Officio
- Head of School at Heathwood Hall
Chris Hinchey was appointed Head of School at Heathwood Hall in April, 2015. Chris arrived at Heathwood as the Upper School Head in the summer of 2013. Chris has been in education, as a biology teacher, basketball and baseball coach, and administrator, for 25 years. He grew up in Norwich, CT and graduated from Trinity College (CT), where he majored in Biology and captained the basketball team his senior year. He started his career at Avon Old Farms (CT) and then worked for 19 years at Salisbury School, where he served as Dean of Students, Dean of Faculty, and Head Basketball Coach. He also earned his MALS from Wesleyan University (CT) and his MS Ed in School Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania (PA).
Chris has three children, (Ryan '22, Jack, '25, and Will '27), and lives in Columbia with his wife, Heather. He enjoys the beach, working out, and reading and loves returning to the Rhode Island shoreline each summer.
Dale Heinitsh Roberts is a 1990 graduate of Heathwood Hall and the parent of Heathwood students Alexander '22 and Davies '24. She is a Realtor with Keller Williams Dalex Realty.
Dewey graduated from Davidson College in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. In 2007, he earned his Master of Architecture degree from Rice University. He has practiced with architectural firms in Charleston, Florence and Columbia, South Carolina. He has been the project architect of medical, judicial, government and academic projects. He currently owns his own practice in Columbia. Dewey has served on the local chapter board of the American Institute of Architects as well as the South Carolina AIA Political Action Committee. He has served on committees of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, including the test writing committee for the Architect Registration Exam.
Dewey and his wife, Heathwood Alum Ann Harriott Fisher Ervin, M.D., are the parents of Phillip '27 and Eloise '28. Dewey and Ann Harriott, both are members of the Davidson College Class of 1999, are active in the Columbia Area Davidson College Alumni Association. They are members of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral.
McIver attended Heathwood from kindergarten until graduation in 1999. In high school, he had the honor of representing Heathwood and the Columbia community as an Olympic Torch Bearer. He then attended Wofford College where he met his wife, Sunny. After graduation, he spent 12 years at Medical University of South Carolina completing medical school, General Surgery Residency and Plastic Reconstructive Surgery fellowship. He is board-certified in Plastic Surgery and General Surgery. After completion of his training, he moved back to Columbia and practices at Providence Hospitals where he is Chairman of the Department of Surgery.
McIver is serving on the Heathwood Alumni Council and MUSC Board of Visitors.
McIver and Sunny have two daughters who attend Heathwood, Cate '29 and Cora '32. Sunny is active in the Heathwood community serving on the auction committee and as teacher appreciation coordinator
Stan graduated from Winyah High School in Georgetown, SC in 1963. He finished the University of South Carolina in Columbia with a chemistry major in 1967. He then finished Duke Medical School with his MD degree in 1971. After internship and residency at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, AL, he returned to Duke for his cardiology fellowship in Durham, NC. He completed this in 1975 and returned to Columbia SC to practice cardiology. He currently works at Lexington Medical Center with LM HVC Cardiology and currently has an office practice only.
Drew Rowley is the parent of Heathwood students Eamon '34, Reagan '31, and James '29.
Job Titles:
- Director of Annual Giving
- Hall As Director
Erin Pope joined Heathwood Hall as Director of Annual Giving in January 2013. Prior to Heathwood, Erin worked as the Manager of Annual Giving for Lexington Medical Center Foundation. She graduated from Clemson University with a BS in Marketing. Erin is passionate about educating the Heathwood community about the importance of good stewardship and the impact it has on our school. She and her husband, Will, have three daughters: Bonnie '27, Everett '28 and Sims '33, all Heathwood Highlanders.
Eva Greenberg has spent more than a decade working in athletics administration in independent schools. A native of Washington, DC, she is a graduate of Dickinson College, where she competed in both track and cross country. She also holds a Masters in Sports Management and Strategic Marketing from Georgetown University. She has coached track and cross country at both the varsity and middle school levels.
Job Titles:
- Head of Upper School / Assistant Head of School
- Upper School Head
Upper School Head George Scouten returned to Heathwood Hall in 2013 after three years at Linden Hall (PA), the country's oldest all-girls boarding school. In his previous tenure at Heathwood (1998-2010), George held various positions, including Dean of Students, Director of International Studies, and English department chair. Originally from Baltimore, MD, George studied English and History at Salisbury, earned his master's degree from Bowling Green, and completed his Ph.D. in English and Rhetoric from the University of South Carolina. Since then, George has earned multiple accolades for excellence in teaching, including an Elliott Award from the University South Carolina and the SCISA Upper School Teacher of the Year award. He earned a Fulbright Award in 2003, a Turkish Cultural Foundation Award in 2008, and a National Endowment for the Humanities teacher grant to study the poetry of Dante in Siena, Italy in 2009. Most recently, George completed the National Association of Independent Schools Aspiring Heads Fellowship. He also plays competitive lacrosse and coaches the Heathwood Hall varsity boys lacrosse team.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board
- Ex - Officio
Freeman attended Heathwood from the age of four until his graduation in 1997. He then matriculated to Davidson College, earning a BA in History in 2001. While at Davidson, Freeman was a three-year starter linebacker on the football team, and a member of the winningest team in school history. He then returned to Columbia and attended the University of South Carolina School of Law. Upon his graduation from law school in 2004, he joined Belser and Belser, the family law firm. Freeman and his father are now the fourth generation of Belsers to practice law together in Columbia.
Freeman is civically active and has served in leadership positions for the ETV Endowment of South Carolina, the Midlands Chapter of the National Football Foundation, the Young Contemporaries of the Columbia Museum of Art, the Columbia Kiwanis Club, the Columbia Area Davidson College Alumni Association, and Trinity Cathedral.
Freeman and his wife Maryanne have three sons, Hill (class of 2027), Heyward (class of 2028) and John (class of 2032), and are active in the Heathwood community.
J.P. Scurry is a retail broker specializing in advisory services and investment properties, focusing mostly on retail. He works on acquisitions, dispositions, sale leasebacks, tenant representation, buyer representation and landlord representation with Colliers International. He also leads a team that works with companies on multi-city location expansions across South Carolina, and the Southeast.
JP is a Heathwood Alumni; graduating in 1995. He attended Washington and Lee University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1999. Before joining Colliers, JP attended University of South Carolina where he earned an International Masters of Business Administration with an emphasis on finance and real estate investment, as well as proficiency in Spanish. In 2017, JP was named a CoStar Power Broker in retail leasing transactions in Columbia. He has gained recognition as a Life Member of the Circle of Excellence by the Central Carolina REALTORS Association.
JP serves on the South Carolina CCIM Board of Directors and is very involved in the South Carolina ULI Chapter. He also serves on the Columbia Museum of Art Finance and Building Grounds Committees. JP is active on the Columbia Commercial Real Estate Market Forecast Committee. He is an usher at Trinity Cathedral and a member of the United Way Young Leaders Society. In 2006, he graduated from Leadership Columbia.
Jeanette and her husband, John, are parents to three Heathwood students: John (class of 2026), Sam (class of 2028), and Charlie (class of 2032). Jeanette received a Bachelor of Arts in English from Presbyterian College and a Master of Human Resources from the University of South Carolina's Darla Moore School of Business. Prior to staying home with her children, Jeanette held leadership Organizational Development positions in the banking and manufacturing industries, focusing on leadership development, diversity, and succession planning.
Jeanette is very active in the Heathwood community. She has served for several years as Heathwood Classroom Parent and has been a grade-level representative for the Heathwood Parent Association, where she also co-chaired the Teacher Appreciation Committee. Jeanette has volunteered on numerous committees, including the Auction Committee and Heathwood Connections, and also has served as the grade level representative for the Annual Fund.
Jeanette and John are members of Eastminster Presbyterian Church.
Job Titles:
- Director of Admission and Financial Aid
Jessie joined the Heathwood community in 2018 when she moved to Columbia to lead Heathwood's Extended Learning program. Jessie spent most of her career in Washington, D.C. as a lower school teacher, department chair, and instructional coach. Her passion for curriculum and instruction and child development are invaluable to families as they navigate all the best Heathwood has to offer.
Jessie grew up in Kansas where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology at Kansas State University. She holds a Certificate in Advanced Education Leadership from Harvard's Graduate School of Education, as well as a Masters of Arts degree and a Doctorate of Education, both from the University of Southern California (Fight On!).
Jessie and her husband, Graham, are the proud parents of Caroline ('39) and future Highlander Molly ('41).
Job Titles:
- Administrator
- Director of Information Services
John Caballero has worked as a teacher and administrator in independent schools for over 25 years. He began his career pursuing his passion for education as a mathematics teacher. Over the years he has served in a variety of leadership roles from Dean of Students, to Director of Marketing and Communications, to his current role as Director of Information Services. John has been an educational technology leader who has guided Heathwood Hall through years of dynamic growth in technology. John is also the proud parent of a Heathwood Hall alumna, Molly Caballero '20.
John holds a B.S. from Notre Dame University, an M.A. from the University of Portland, an M.Ed. from the University of South Carolina, and an M.S. from North Carolina State University.
JoLee Becker Gudmundson is a 1986 graduate of Heathwood and has a BA in Mass Communication and Journalism from Winthrop University. She is married to Gus Gudmundson (class of 1980). Both of her sons are lifers at Heathwood, Alex Knoll (class of 2010) and Gus, III (class of 2017). They are members of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral.
JoLee is an active leader and volunteer in South Carolina and within the Columbia community. She serves on the Advisory Board of the South Carolina Small Business Development Center. She has previously served as Highlander Club President, a grade representative to the Heathwood Parent Association as well as on the Auction Committee. She is a Paul Harris Fellow to the Rotary Club of Five Points and a sustaining member of the Junior League of Columbia.
She is President of Gudmundson Consulting, a government relations firm that represents a wide range of public policy issues for her clients' advocacy interests. Her expertise includes healthcare, criminal law, banking, and finance as well as business and nonprofit interests. She is a frequent speaker, providing continuing education lectures for her clients as well as to other nonprofit organizations.
Josh is currently serving as the Chief Financial Officer of Global Life Insurance, a Chubb Corporation. Josh holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota and a MBA from the University of St. Thomas in MN. Josh has spent the last 20+ years in the Financial Service industry, holding a variety of Finance roles for Fortune 250 companies. Josh's experiences span the U.S. and international markets, including 8 years as an expatriate in Tokyo Japan.
Josh and his wife, Heidi have two boys, Jay '26 and Christian '29. The Nelsons joined the Heathwood community in 2016 when the family relocated to Columbia. Heidi has been active in the Heathwood community by serving as a room parent to her son's classroom as well as serving on the Auction Committee. Josh serves as an assistant coach in the Palmetto Baseball league and the Nelson family are members of Shandon Baptist Church.
Kenny remains active with Wofford College athletics by being a former member of the Terrier Club Board of Directors, serving on the Alumni Council, and being a member of the Wofford College Hall of Fame Committee.
Kenny and his wife Celita Proffitt Hastie have two sons Calvin 5 and Foster 2.
Kevin is a computer science graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY, and also attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University before starting a career in Chicago working on pinball and arcade games. In 1995, Kevin founded one of the first Web hosting companies in the world, pair Networks, Inc., where he continues today as owner and CEO.
Kevin also founded the Replay Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit private operating foundation dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and enjoyment of pinball; Replay operates the largest pinball tournaments in the world and maintains a collection of more than one thousand pinball and arcade machines, as well as hundreds of classic gaming systems.
Kevin and his wife Amanda both grew up in Anderson, where they were in the same first grade class. They reside in downtown Columbia with their two children Lilly (class of 2018) and Owen (2023) Hart. Amanda is a member of the Auction Executive Committee and volunteers with the Heathwood Parent Association. Kevin and Amanda are members of the 1951 Society, as well as Super Blue donors to the Highlander Club. The family enjoys worldwide travel, Clemson football, and hosting gatherings at their home for friends.
Kirby and his wife Llewellyn have a daughter, Emma (class of 2018), and a son, David. The Shealys are active members of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral.
Kirby, a Heathwood graduate, is a partner in the law firm of Adams and Reese. He has been involved in many community and professional organizations, including the South Carolina chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates. Kirby is a past-president of the John Belton O'Neall Inn of Court, an organization of lawyers and judges whose mission is to promote the highest standards of civility, professionalism, and competency in the legal profession. He also serves on the South Carolina Supreme Court's Committee on Character and Fitness, which is charged with determining the suitability of applicants to the South Carolina Bar.
Kirby currently serves on the boards of Growing Home Southeast and Thompson Child and Family Focus, two agencies that care for children with emotional and psychological issues. He also serves as the Chancellor of the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina and the Treasurer of the Trinity Foundation Commission.
Kristin joined Heathwood Hall in the summer of 2019. Prior to joining Heathwood, Kristin worked at the Children's Hospital in Columbia for seven years. Kristin earned her pediatric nursing certification in 2015. She graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a B.S. She then went on to nursing school at the University of South Carolina. Kristin and her husband, Sam, have two children: Maggie '37 and future Highlander Roscoe.
Lara has spent over a decade in the non-profit sector in both development and communication roles. Most recently, Lara was the Chief Development Officer for Girl Scouts of South Carolina-Mountains to Midlands. Lara has learned the equal importance of donor acquisition, comprehensive stewardship and thoughtful cultivation. Her experiences and skills have allowed her to connect with stakeholders and nurture connections for successful development work.
Lara is from the Upstate and graduated from Clemson University with a degree in Early Childhood Education. In her spare time loves to read and travel, but most of all she enjoys spending time with her husband, Scott and their children. She has two daughters Mayzie ('29) and Kit ('35) and a son Gus ('31), who are enrolled at Heathwood Hall.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Head and Director of Finance and Operations
Liz Summers, Assistant Head and Director of Finance and Operations, joined the staff at Heathwood Hall Episcopal School in 2001. During her employment she has been responsible for overseeing the expansion and renovation of the School's campus, including building the Athletic Center, Middle School, Chapel and Dining Commons. In addition to managing the school's annual budget, Liz oversees the school's Human Resources, Business Office and transportation functions as well as the school's physical plant. Prior to her employment with Heathwood Hall, Liz spent 16 years as a commercial lender, credit officer, and manager at Bank of America.
Liz is an alumna of an Episcopal school, graduated from Mary Baldwin College and earned her MBA from the University of South Carolina. She and her husband West are the parents of two Heathwood Hall graduates. She enjoys working in a school because each day brings different and exciting challenges.
Marshall James attended Heathwood Hall for 12 years and graduated in the Class of 1985. He attended Morehouse College and graduated with a B.A. in English Literature. After Morehouse, he moved to Kurobe, Japan and taught English to kindergarten, elementary, junior high, and high school students for three years. In 1993, Marshall returned to Heathwood and began teaching upper school humanities and other electives until 1999. After Heathwood, Marshall worked as Student Affairs Director at the South Carolina Honors College at USC until 2006. Marshall earned an M.A. in English Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Marshall has also earned the J.D. and LL.M degrees from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. He has served as a law clerk for the Hon. J. Michelle Childs, U.S. District Judge and the Hon. Kaymani D. West, U.S. Magistrate Judge. Marshall is currently an attorney with the City of Columbia.
Northan graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Operations Research and holds an MBA from Pepperdine University. He was 4-year letter winner for the Air Force Academy track team and was Captain and Most Outstanding Competitor of the 1986 team. After graduating from the Academy, Northan served 20 years in the U.S. Air Force as a Systems Analyst and Personnel Officer. He is blessed to be a survivor of the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon.
Since 2007, he has been the owner of Express Employment Professionals, a local staffing company responsible for providing employment to hundreds of associates in the Columbia Metropolitan area each year. He is a member of the American Staffing Association, the Military Officers Association of America, and serves on the Midlands Technical College Business Advisory Council.
Northan and his wife, Audrey, are the proud parents of Robert '22 and Matthew '25 who have each attended Heathwood since kindergarten. During this time, Northan has actively supported Heathwood, serving on the Highlander Booster Club Board, the Heathwood Hall Diversity Committee, and as a Track and Field volunteer. Northan and Audrey have contributed to the Annual Fund at the 1951 Society level for years. The Goldens attend Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Orangeburg.
Peyton is a Heathwood Alumnus from the Class of 2006. After Heathwood, Peyton earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics with minors in religion and entrepreneurship from Wake Forest University. Peyton is a Partner and Director of Business Development at Trinity Partners, specializing in the sale and leasing of office/medical office and investment property sales of all types.
Peyton has been named one of Columbia's leading young professionals by Columbia Metropolitan Magazine and named to The State newspaper's "20 under 40" list of high achieving professionals in the Midlands. Most recently, Peyton was named to Columbia Business Monthly's list of the "Best and Brightest 35 and Under."
Peyton's current community involvement includes serving on the boards of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce, South Carolina Chapter of CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member), United Way of the Midlands, Midlands Housing Trust Fund, and the Diaconate of Eastminster Presbyterian Church. In 2018, he was awarded Heathwood Hall's Anne Thornhill Weston Award, given each year to a Heathwood graduate who has made significant contributions to the community.
Peyton and his wife, Lyndey, an attorney at Adam & Reese Law Firm, have two young daughters.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors of the Palmetto Project
Rion Cobb grew up moving around South Carolina, but ultimately finished high school in Columbia at Hammond School in 1996. He attended Wofford College, earning a B.A. in English in 2000. After Wofford, his graduate studies took him to Duke University, where he finished with a Master of Divinity degree. After Duke, he continued his education at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, and was ordained as a Lutheran pastor. After interning as a vicar in Texas, and serving as a pastor in Virginia, he returned home to SC in 2007 to join his family's business, Terminix Service, Inc. He is proudly part of the fourth generation of family members to work in the company, which is an independently owned and operated company, licensed to serve as part of the Terminix system by the Terminix International Company, L.P. He currently serves as the Vice President of Human Services, directly overseeing the Human Resources, Recruiting, Payroll, and Training/Technical departments.
Within the broader community, Rion serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Palmetto Project, the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Urban Entomology Charitable Alliance, and as an appointed member of the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce Review Committee. He has previously served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Alston Wilkes Society and as a member of the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Pest Control Association.
Rion and his wife, Charlotte, have four children, William (class of 2033), Jackson (class of 2033), Lucianna (class of 2033), and Henry (class of 2036). They consider themselves blessed to be active in the Heathwood community.
Roy grew up in Columbia and Orangeburg. He graduated from Wade Hampton Academy in 1985, where he played football on the 1984 team that won the State Championship. He then attended Rice University ( where he played what is now "old school' lacrosse) and graduated in 1989 with degrees in Business Management and Psychology. He worked for an oil company in Houston for two years while his future wife, Rebecca Monroy, finished her law degree at the University of Houston. He then returned to South Carolina to attend law school. He graduated from the USC School of Law in 1994.
Roy began his legal career with the Richland County Public Defender Office, then went into private practice. He is now a partner and the head of the litigation department at the Rogers Townsend law firm. His current practice consists mainly of the defense of environmental litigation (property contamination and personal injury toxic exposures), trucking accidents, and other serious personal injury cases. He also taught as an adjunct instructor in criminal law at USC for 14 years.
Roy serves on a number of legal and community boards, including the SC Bar Mock Trial Committee since 1996 and he is currently the Co-chair), SC Fact Forward(a reproductive health non-profit; current co-chair), the Columbia Running Club (current president), the Friends of Harbison State Forest, and others. Roy is also currently president of the Highlander Club at Heathwood.
Roy and Rebecca's three children all attended Heathwood: Rachel '16, Riana '20, and Ryan '22. Roy's hobbies include running (road and trail), growing oak trees, and playing lacrosse on the Local Masters (i.e. old guys) team.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director of Institution Philanthropy
- Executive Director of Institutional Philanthropy
Sarah Nichols Hughes joined Heathwood in May of 2020 in the newly created role of Director of Institutional Philanthropy. A seasoned development professional, she has more than 20 years of experience supporting the advancement of educational institutions, most recently as Interim Executive Director of Development for the University of South Carolina and Senior Director of Development at the UofSC School of Law. Prior to joining UofSC, Sarah served in the Development and Admissions offices at Washington and Lee University School of Law for thirteen years.
A graduate of Charlotte Country Day School, Sarah feels a particular affinity for independent schools and is deeply supportive of their mission. She holds a B.A. from Presbyterian College and a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration from the University of South Carolina. She and her husband, Sy, are parents of two sons, Marshall '27 and Porter, a student at Sandhills School. Sarah enjoys spending time in the mountains, drinking coffee and playing tennis.
Job Titles:
- PEAK Director / Upper School Geography Teacher
Stan Wood has been a faculty member at Heathwood since graduating from the University of South Carolina in 1983 and has served as Director of the PEAK program since 1997. He previously served as Athletic Director and was head coach of several varsity sports including boys basketball and track. Stan graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1983 with a degree in Physical Education, and is a 1986 and 1998 graduate of the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). Stan was recognized by the Richland County Conservation District as Conservation Teacher-of-the-Year in 2001 and was awarded the Jim Gasque Award for Teaching Excellence in 2010. He is an experienced kayaker, mountain and road biker, backpacker, mountaineer, and adventure racer. Stan is also a master SCUBA diver and a certified rescue diver.
Stephanie DeFreese is the parent of Heathwood student Payton Laubacker '23.
Stephanie grew up in Columbia, SC, and graduated from Irmo High School in 1989. Her college adventure began in Clemson where she dabbled in several different majors before deciding on Public Health. After graduating from Clemson, she attended USC and received a Masters degree in Exercise Physiology. During her graduate program, she interned in Cardiac Rehabilitation, and this experience sparked her interest in medicine. She spent two years working as an Exercise Physiologist in a local cardiology office, but then moved to Charleston to begin her studies in MUSC's Physician Assistant Program. After graduating in 2001, she worked as a Physician Assistant in Nephrology for 13 years. Her primary role was caring for patients with End Stage Renal Disease on dialysis in both the inpatient and outpatient settings.
Stephanie is married to ‘87 HHES alumnus, Ted Kimbrough, and with the birth of their second son, they decided it was time for her to begin a new chapter as a stay at home mom. When their two sons began in Heathwood's EC4 and EC3 programs in 2017, Stephanie wasn't quite sure what to do with her new found free time, so she devoted most of her days to helping out at school. As a parent volunteer, she has worn many hats, including the EC/LS HPA co-chair for 2 years, homeroom parent for several of the boys' classes, member of auction and homecoming committees, parent ambassador for new families, tour guide during open house, member of Heathwood Connections, founder (along with Molly Roddey) of the EC teacher's Lunch Bunch, and a dedicated participant in various campus beautification projects. Additionally, the Kimbroughs have been annual contributors to the Highlander Club and the 1951 Society. Stephanie enjoys gardening, flower arranging, reading, running, playing tennis and spending time at Pawleys Island. Stephanie and Ted, a gastroenterologist with Columbia Gastroenterology Associates, have 2 sons, Zach (class of ‘32) and Thompson (class of‘31). Big brothers Edward and Henry (HHES class of 2019) are also part of the Highlander family. If all goes as planned, when Zach graduates from HHES, it is believed that the Kimbroughs will have the honor of having had a student attend HHES for the most consecutive years (24!).
Job Titles:
- Head of Early Childhood and Lower School
Stephanie joined Heathwood as Head of the Early Childhood and Lower School divisions after eight years as the founding Head of St, Matthew's School in Bedford, N.Y. She also worked for 12 years at the Convent of the Sacred Heart in Greenwich, CT in a variety of positions (Kindergarten teacher, Early Childhood Theology teacher, Coordinator of Early Childhood, & Director of Extended programming). Stephanie's career started at the Quaker Ridge School in Scarsdale, NY, where she served for three years as a Second Grade teacher. Stephanie earned her B.A. from SUNY (State University of New York) Purchase in Psychology and holds an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Teaching from Fordham University and an MPS in Educational Leadership from Manhattanville College.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Head of School for Enrollment and School Advancement
Suzanne Nagy has spent most of her life on Heathwood's campus, beginning in preschool and graduating with the Class of 1990. Suzanne attended Furman University, earning a B.A. in English. Upon graduation in 1994, she returned to Heathwood to teach English in the Middle and Upper schools. In addition to teaching, Suzanne has worked in the Heathwood Admission Office and coached basketball and tennis for the Highlanders. Suzanne earned an M.Ed from the University of South Carolina. In 1999, Suzanne was invited by Governor Jim Hodges to serve as the Director of Caring for Tomorrow's Children and as the coordinator for the Spartanburg County Foster Care Review Board. She has also taught English at Charlotte Latin School, worked as Director of Admission and Marketing at Episcopal Collegiate School in Little Rock, Arkansas, and earned an M.Ed in school counseling from the University of Arkansas. Upon returning to Columbia in 2008, Suzanne worked as the Assistant Head of Heathwood's Middle School for five years, returned to the English classroom for three years, served as Middle School Head and Director of Enrollment, and is now Assistant Head of School for Enrollment and Advancement.
Caitlyn grew up on the High Plains of Colorado but came East to attend the College of William and Mary. There, she earned a B.A. in religious studies, focusing on Hebrew scriptures and Christian ethics. After graduation, she served two years in the Episcopal Service Corps in Winston-Salem, NC, where she worked with both the local Habitat for Humanity chapter and as a youth minister. While in North Carolina, she also worked on a new diocesan project called a Movable Feast, a mobile young adult ministry based out of a food truck that she helped design and create. She earned a Master of Divinity degree from Berkeley Divinity School at Yale. Caitlyn now serves at the Associate Rector at St. Martins-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church.
The Reverend Jimmy Hartley currently serves as Canon for Christian Formation Congregational Vitality, and Mission Communities for the Diocese of Upper South Carolina. He earned a Bachelors degree in Religious studies from the University of South Carolina. After college, he served at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church in North Augusta. Later he served as youth minister for Grace Episcopal Church in Charleston, SC. While Jimmy's wife, Caroline graduated from dental school, they moved to Birmingham, Alabama so that Carolina could do her general dentistry residency. While in Birmingham, Jimmy served at All Saint's Episcopal Church as a your ministry consultant. Jimmy attended seminary in Alexandria, Virginia where he earned his Masters in Divinity at Virginia Theological Seminary. After seminary, he served as assistant to the rector at St. David's Episcopal Church, Columbia SC.
W.D. grew up in Columbia, attending Heathwood from 4K until graduation (Class of 1992). He attended Clemson, earning a B.S. in Aquaculture, Fisheries, and Wildlife Biology in 1996. After Clemson, W.D. started his career in insurance, where his focus is on construction surety bonds. He is currently a partner with Propel Insurance.
Job Titles:
- Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Willis has served on the faculty and staff at Heathwood for 16 years. His duties include teaching courses in the Upper School (Global Issues, Multicultural Studies, and Public Speaking), managing the school's community service efforts, and coordinating multicultural initiatives. Willis, who received All-Conference and All-American honors on the University of Missouri's cross country and track teams, is also the head girls' cross country coach and track coach.
Willis has three years experience in academic counseling and personal counseling at the university level and twelve years experience in family counseling. He also has over 25 years experience managing community service projects for high school and college students. Mr. Ware, who received a Chamber of Commerce Civic Award for community service as an undergraduate student, served as the president of the United Way of the Midlands Blueprint for Leadership class of 2005. He also served on the American Red Cross Diversity Leadership Council, the Youth Corps Board of Directors, the Hope Worldwide S.C. Board of Directors, and served as chair of the Palmetto Association of Independent Schools Diversity Leadership Committee. He has completed training in the National Association of Independent Schools Summer Diversity Institute and was recognized by Palmetto Association of Independent Schools for his leadership in the development of the first PAIS Inclusivity Conference. He currently serves as a Diplomat for the Columbia Chamber of Commerce and has recently completed training in Brown University's Choices Program's Engaging Students in Inquiry and Discussion on International Issues.
Willis' daughter, Lydia, is a Heathwood alum ('09) and a graduate of the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill ('13).