The Oliverian School Board of Trustees
Jeanne Townsend, President
Jeanne currently serves as the President of Oliverian’s Board of Trustees. She earned her BA from Duke University, and her JD from Washington University School of Law, where she was on the Editorial Board of the Law Review. After law school, she settled in St. Louis, Missouri, where she became a partner with Goldstein and Price, specializing in maritime law. In addition to practicing law, Jeanne has served on several non-profit boards, including the St. Louis Woman’s Club and the St. Louis Black Repertory Theater, and currently serves as a Provisional Magistrate Court judge in Clayton, Missouri. She and her husband, Tom, are also involved in various capacities at the Savannah College of Art and Design, where their oldest son, Alex (Oliverian ’08) attended college. They run the Alex Townsend Memorial Foundation, a non-profit organization that produces the A-Town Get Down, an annual music and arts festival in Savannah, Georgia, and operates Pianos for People, whose mission is to pair unused pianos with lower income families in the St. Louis area. Jeanne has been an active volunteer at Oliverian since Alex started here, as a charter student, in 2004. Before serving on its Board of Trustees, she served on the Oliverian Advisory Board. Her husband, Tom, co-founder of Rodgers Townsend advertising agency, has been extensively involved in Oliverian’s marketing campaigns. Jeanne enjoys hiking and mountain climbing, and has climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Kenya. Jeanne and Tom have two other children, Nate and Laura.
What do you love most about Oliverian?
Jeanne’s commitment and love for Oliverian stems from the difference it made in Alex’s life while he was a student here, and for the support and love she’s received from her Oliverian family since the accident that took his life. She views her role in helping students like Alex find their place in the world as a perfect way to carry on Alex’s legacy.
Peter Stevens, Vice President
Peter received his primary education at independent schools in the northeast. After receiving his BA from Williams College and his MA from the University of Chicago, Peter served for thirty months in the United States Peace Corps in Malaysia. Upon his return to the United States, he taught English for six years before becoming an independent school headmaster. Peter served for 24 years as school head in two American international schools (Switzerland and England) and two schools in the U.S. (Ohio and Oregon). Changing roles, but not fields, Peter worked for five years as academic director in a therapeutic boarding school in Massachusetts, and most recently worked as an independent educational consultant (member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association and the National Association of College Admission Counselors), working with families and students, mostly those in therapeutic or semi-therapeutic programs, as they transition from high school to college. Peter lives in Shelburne, Massachusetts with his wife Linn, a portrait and landscape artist. Along with serving on Oliverian’s board of trustees, he is currently a member of the board of The Academy at Charlemont in Charlemont, Massachusetts. He has two grown children, Abby and Josh, and two grandchild.
What do you love most about Oliverian?
“The unconditional love for, commitment to, and belief in each unique student.”
Nancy Newberger, Treasurer
Nancy has been President of W-R Industries, Inc., a Chicago small manufacturing company, for many years. A Chicago area native, she received a BA in anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania and a JD from Northwestern University. She has been involved with various nonprofits over the last 30 years, including her synagogue, the Jewish Federation, the University of Chicago Hillel Center, Cub Scouts, and SSA at the University of Chicago. In addition to serving on Oliverian’s Board of Trustees, she is also on the board of The Buxton School in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Nancy has three grown sons, Jacob, Sam, and Zack. Sam graduated from Oliverian in 2006 and Pitzer College in 2011. He received a Fulbright Scholarship for 2011-2012 to Morocco. He is presently getting an MBA and master’s in data analytics in Madrid, Spain. Nancy currently resides in Winnetka, Illinois. She is an accomplished knitter.
What do you love about Oliverian?
“No matter what a student’s prior school and life experiences were, I love that Oliverian ignites a love of learning in students through a self-discovery of the tools that individual needs to follow their passions and connect with the people in their lives.”
Louise Law, Secretary
Louise Law is currently the CFO of an LLC in Chapel Hill NC, where she lives with her family. After receiving a dual degree in accounting and computer science, she went to work for IBM. Volunteering has been a way of life for Louise, including actives such a domestic violence organization, several schools and libraries, La Leche League, and local garden clubs. Her daughter graduated from Oliverian and is now attending law school.
What do you love most about Oliverian?
“The way Oliverian provides a supportive, home-like environment for the students.”
Lauren Estebanell Adams
Lauren Estebanell Adams is currently the Director of School Counseling at KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate in Lynn, MA. Lauren was the founding counselor in 2010, and helped open the first KIPP: MA high school. Lauren received her undergraduate degrees at the University of Colorado at Boulder in both marketing and tourism management. Before KIPP, Lauren worked at Oliverian for five years, starting as a dorm parent and Spanish teacher, then advisory coordinator, and finally director of student support. Lauren got the travel bug early in life and has traveled to over 35 countries and plans to continue travelling throughout her lifetime. Lauren is a strong advocate in experiencing different cultures and languages, she values spending quality time with family, and she pushes herself to get the most out of each and every day.
What do you love most about Oliverian?
“At Oliverian, students are able to explore different opportunities, that then develop into interests. Oliverian doesn’t judge, it accepts and embraces differences, and hopefully can bring out the best in its students. Having worked at Oliverian for five years, I got to know the students well, in and outside the classroom environment, and I feel very lucky to have built relationships with such extraordinary individuals.”
David Hagerman
David, whose father served as Headmaster of the Holderness School in New Hampshire for 27 years, grew up in the world of independent school education. After graduating from Holderness and Deerfield Academy, he received his BA at University of New Hampshire. He subsequently served in the United States Army, performing tours of duty in Germany and Vietnam. Upon his completion of military service, David obtained a Master’s Degree from University of Massachusetts. He then spent twelve years teaching at Deerfield Academy. After leaving Deerfield, he became involved for many years in independent school leadership, as Director of the Annual Fund for Hotchkiss School, Associate Headmaster at Salisbury School, Headmaster of Pingree School, and Director of Capital Campaigns at Cardigan Mountain School. He currently works in the development office at Dartmouth College, where he is Managing Director of the Dartmouth College Fund. Dave is presently a director of “Plan A Head”, a teacher placement service for independent schools. He and his wife, Brooke, live in Lyme Center, New Hampshire. They have four grown daughters, Kully, Casey, Jamie, and Whitaker. He enjoys his “other job” as a hockey and lacrosse referee, gardening, skiing, and spending time with family.
What do you love most about Oliverian?
“I love the commitment the faculty make to the kids.”
George Hathorn
George Hathorn has been a practicing architect for over forty years, focusing on residential projects in the Upper Valley of both New Hampshire and his native Vermont. George earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in architecture from Yale University. For nearly thirty years, he has been involved in all aspects of campus planning and design at Dartmouth College, retiring as College Architect emeritus. George lives in the Hanover, New Hampshire, with his wife, Mary Lou. Together, George and Mary Lou have five children and ten grandchildren and a new step great grandson, whom they visit or host as often as possible. Most of their leisure time is spent in family-oriented activities. George also devotes free time to volunteering for child-centered organizations. He is excited by the idea of “helping Oliverian accomplish a Master Plan and implementation that will improve efficiencies, increase safety, and enhance student life through a heightened sense of community.”
What do you love most about Oliverian?
“What I love most about Oliverian is the care, effort and genuine love by faculty, staff and board toward attaining it’s clearly stated mission in the service of its wonderful students.”
James Horvitz
James Horvitz (Jim) is President of Container Connection, a logistics company located in Southern California. Jim was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and went on to earn a B.A. from the University of Michigan (Go BLUE!). Though he no longer practices law, Jim is a licensed attorney and also picked up a Master’s Degree in business tax from USC. Jim has spent much of the last twenty five years focusing attention on contributing to and supporting the Autism community. This was prompted by the diagnosis of both of his children on the autism spectrum. Both boys are very different and have varying needs. Close to home, Jim has sponsored Spirit League (sports programs for youths with special needs) and served on the board of directors for New Vista School, where his younger son, Andrew, was a student for several years. His older son, Matt graduated from Oliverian in 2017 and now attends Colby-Sawyer College. James is a resident of Coto de Caza, California where he resides with his wife, Robin and his two sons when they are home from school. Time permitting, he can be found traveling the world and rooting for the Wolverines and all Cleveland sports teams.
\Will Laughlin (ex officio)
Head of School and CEO of Oliverian School, Will brings with him over twenty years of educational leadership experience in the US and abroad. Will’s professional adventures include serving as the president of an international university with campuses in Tokyo and Osaka, head of school for a therapeutic boarding school in North Carolina, and executive director for a group of five therapeutic schools in Idaho and California. He has also launched several companies, including a peanut-butter company that helps feed malnourished children (moyopb.com) and an adventure-based youth-development program (impossible2Possible.com). A fifth-generation native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Will stayed close to home for his education, earning degrees from U.C. Berkeley and Stanford University.
Will’s wife, Beth Laughlin, is a fellow Stanford graduate and therapeutic-education professional. From their new base in New Hampshire, Beth continues her work as founder and partner of Second Nature 360, a transition and support program for adolescents who have recently completed treatment. She also serves as Will’s fearless crew chief for his ultra-distance running adventures, which include record-setting expedition runs across Costa Rica, Death Valley, and the Rocky Mountains.
Melissa Strobel
Melissa Strobel has been a part of the Oliverian community since 2011. After working in alternative education settings for several years, she ventured into the beautiful wilderness of Pike, New Hampshire and quickly became enamored with the “Oliverian way.” As a dorm parent, learning specialist, advisor, and admissions officer, Melissa loved the opportunity to help students grow and thrive in the small and supportive learning community.
A native of Massachusetts, Melissa studied communications, journalism, and law at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York. She earned a Master’s of Education in Divergent Learning from Columbia College in South Carolina, and is currently taking graduate courses in Nonprofit Management at the Harvard University Extension School. Melissa now works in the Alumni and College Relations Division at Berea College in central Kentucky. She continues to be involved at Oliverian in any way she can, and loves staying connected with former Oliverian students.
What do you love most about Oliverian?
“I love that Oliverian is perfectly unique, and truly unlike any other school in the world. I have been a part of the Oliverian community in various capacities since 2011, and I am continuously impressed by the men and women- both student and staff- who come to Oliverian each year and discover their place in the world. Our community feels like a family, where every member cares for one another, contributes, and is encouraged to succeed.”
Advisory Committee
Carolynne Krusi
Carolynne received her BA at the University of California, Davis, and her MA at the University of California, Berkeley. She worked as a teacher and guidance counselor at an independent school in Oakland, California, before becoming a Dean at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. While at Dartmouth, she served as Class Dean, Assistant Dean of the College, and Assistant Dean of Residential Life. In her capacity as assistant Dean, she developed a curriculum for tobacco, alcohol and drug education. Along with the Oliverian Board of Trustees, Carolynne currently serves on the Useppa Island Board of Governors and the Selanta Family Project, an organization that creates new families for Ethiopian orphans. She has co-authored three books in connection with her Selanta Family Project work. She enjoys art, travel, and spending time with her children and grand-children. She and her husband, Paul Beisswenger, a medical doctor and Professor of Medicine at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, live in Hanover, New Hampshire and Useppa Island, Florida. She has four grown children, Adam, Rebecca, Ben and Christopher, and two grandchildren.
Kim McManus
Kim McManus is the Assistant Director of Brown Ledge Camp, a girls camp located in Colchester, Vermont, where she spent several summers when she was growing up. Prior to going to work for Brown Ledge, Kim worked at Oliverian for several years, first as a humanities teacher, and later as Dean of Academics and Associate Head. Kim received her BA from Tufts University and her JD from Washington College of Law at American University. She worked for two years as an attorney for the New Hampshire Public Defender’s Office before shifting her career path toward education. Prior to going to work for Brown Ledge, Kim served on its board of trustees for several years. An avid sailor, Kim lives in Burlington, Vermont with her husband, Mike. They have a young son, Finn.
What do you love most about Oliverian?
“I love seeing that the Oliverian experience helps students regain the ability to be interested and excited about the world around them.”
Herschel H. “Buzz” Quillen
Buzz Quillen is President/Broker of H.H. Quillen & Company, a Delaware-based real estate advisory company founded in 1991. Quillen has developed, leased, and managed shopping centers, suburban and center city office buildings, an 18-story high-rise condominium residential property, and recently a land use plan for 18.65 acres for Salisbury University, an 8,600 student University of Maryland campus in Salisbury, MD.
Prior to real estate, Quillen was a Senior Vice President of Bank of Delaware (PNC Bank) responsible for commercial loan business development for 11 years. Quillen is a 1973 graduate of the University of Delaware in business marketing and economics with additional certificates from the Stonier School of Banking at the University of Virginia and the University of Oklahoma.
Quillen served on the Oliverian Parents Association Board from 2007-2009 and was an Oliverian Trustee from 2010 through 2015.
Quillen has served on many Delaware non-profit boards, primarily St. Anthony’s Community Center (board member since 1986; president since 1988), which manages a senior center, daycare, after school and summer camp programs, two HUD 225 resident senior housing properties, and the Meals on Wheels food program for northern Delaware, which delivers over 550,000 meals to seniors every year.
Quillen lives in Greenville, Delaware is the father of two children, Andrew, 29, and Francesca, 26. Francesca attended Oliverian School for three years, graduating in 2009, and graduated from the University of Colorado-Boulder in 2013.
What do you love most about Oliverian?
“Personally, I love the calmness of the campus mountain setting and the family-oriented staff that supported and gave my daughter, Francesca a ‘redo’ in her young adult life. Through Oliverian, Francesca blossomed into a young woman, gained confidence in herself, graduated and went on to graduate in four years from the University of Colorado. As a parent, you have to love a School that did this for one of your children.”
Randy Richardson
Randy Richardson has strong ties to Oliverian. Not only did he lead Oliverian between 2009 and 2014, but his son, Josh, is also a graduate.
Randy has over 30 years of experience as a teacher, coach, and administrator of independent schools. He earned his BA at Hamilton College and his MALS Degree from Wesleyan University. In addition to running a boarding program at Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, PA, he served as Head of School of The Derryfield School in Manchester, NH. Randy also worked for two years as an educational and nonprofit consultant for Breakthrough Collaborative, a national students-teaching-students program dedicated to educational equity and teacher training.
After leaving Oliverian, Randy decided to fuse his love of the outdoors and the Upper Valley with his experience as an educational administrator and fundraiser. He is now development director for the Upper Valley Trails Alliance, and organization focused on advocating for trails to provide access to nature and better health. Randy lives and hikes with his family and dogs in Woodstock, VT.
What do you love most about Oliverian?
“I love that Oliverian strives to acknowledge and embrace the true uniqueness of every student stepping onto the beautiful campus. When so many educators and specialists are trying to find THE ‘formula’ or ‘system’ to solve all of our social and educational problems, Oliverian has intentionally bucked this flawed cookie cutter trend. The dedicated staff members at Oliverian understand that they cannot possibly know how to truly inspire and help a student until they genuinely know that individual as a unique human being. While they are informed by history and perception of others, they are primarily driven by who the student is at Oliverian at that moment. This kind of fresh start is an incredible gift given almost daily at Oliverian.”