Our Mission & Leadership

Ragan Crawford Magness ’88 currently works as an interior designer at her firm, Story Interior Design, and is an active volunteer in the Mid-South community. She graduated from Vanderbilt University where she studied political science and art history. She and her husband, Lon, are the proud parents of Natalie ’16, Meredith ’18, and Mac.

Craig L. Weiss is a co-founder and partner of Tower Ventures, a privately-held company that develops and leases towers for the cellular industry and currently owns over 400 tower assets in 35 states. In addition to managing the Tower Ventures leasing department, Mr. Weiss serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Paragon Bank, a Southeast regional community bank headquartered in Memphis with over $750 million in assets.

Emily Bryce Bowie ’00 is an owner and communications consultant for Bryce Corporation, a locally owned and operated manufacturing business. She previously served the company as an account manager until 2011. Mrs. Bowie holds a Bachelor of Science in Commerce from the McIntire School of Business at the University of Virginia, where she currently is a member of the regional selection committee for the Jefferson Scholars Foundation. She and her husband, Sean, are the proud parents of Virginia ’28, Dorothy ’30, Thomas, and Bryce.

Jenny Werner Carter ’89, a native Memphian, earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a Master of Arts in Public Relations from the University of Memphis. She also spent a semester abroad studying at the University College of Swansea in Wales, United Kingdom. Prior to becoming a full-time mom, her career in corporate communications was focused in the advertisement and web development industries and most recently at FedEx, where she specialized in internal communications. Mrs. Carter’s community involvement includes serving on the board of New Memphis and volunteering with Church Health, Books from Birth, and Presbyterian Day School. She and her husband, Rob, are members of St. George’s Episcopal Church and the proud parents of five children.

Chris Clothier is an active real estate investor and entrepreneur whose family owns several Memphis and Dallas, Texas-based companies including REI Nation, which manages a $2 billion portfolio of single-family investment properties. As a partner and co-owner, Mr. Clothier serves as Vice President of Sales and Marketing and is the primary public face for the company, addressing investors and industry peers regularly. As an experienced speaker, he delivers keynote addresses to real estate, leadership, and entrepreneur conferences nationwide each year. Mr. Clothier and his wife, Michelle, founded The Cancer Kickers Soccer Club in 2016 and have grown the Memphis-based non-profit into an international organization having served more than 2,500 children from 23 countries facing cancer diagnosis. He is also a published author of The Turnkey Revolution. He has been married to Michelle for 27 years and has five children, including two sons, Grayson and Grant, who graduated from Christian Brothers High School, and three daughters at Hutchison, Sophie ’27, Margo ’29, and Andi Rose ’33.

Will Deupree III is a Managing Director and former branch manager of the Memphis Ridgeway branch of Raymond James & Associates. He has achieved the designation of Certified Investment Management Analyst, a joint program between the Investment Management Consultant Associate and Wharton Business School. He received his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Tennessee. Active in his community, Mr. Deupree has served on the boards of numerous civic and charitable organizations, including the National Civil Rights Museum and Partners in Public Education. He currently serves as a member of the board of trustees for the Deupree Family Foundation and is a board member of Commercial Bank and Holding Company. He and his wife, Angie, have a daughter, Jordan ’24, and a son, Reese.

Edward J. Dobbs serves as president of Dobbs Management Service. He received his Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Virginia. A graduate of MUS, Edward serves on the MUS Alumni Board, as well as the MIFA Board and the Memphis Tomorrow Board, the Church Health Center Board, the Jefferson Scholars Foundation at the University of Virginia, and the Baptist Hospital Community Advisory Board. He and his wife, Cindy, have three children, including Ella ’24. In memory of his mother, the late Yvonne Spragins Dobbs ’55, Mr. Dobbs has endowed a fund that enables the School to attract and retain exceptional faculty and provide additional professional development opportunities.

Malaney Cross George ’06 is a proud Hutchison alumna who helped lead the school’s first lacrosse team, served all four years on Peer Council, and participated in musical theatre. She graduated from The University of Alabama with a degree in Interior Design and held leadership roles including Capstone Woman and Vice President of her sorority. After marrying her high school sweetheart, Mason, they moved to Kansas City, where she worked in high-end residential and hospitality design and was active in Junior League and local philanthropy. Since returning to Memphis, she has focused on raising their three children — Crawford, Pierce, and her daughter Miriam ’35, a Hutchison student. She is deeply involved in school life, serving in multiple leadership roles with the PDS Parent Association and as a Parent Ambassador at Hutchison. A dedicated member of Second Presbyterian Church, she has taught Sunday school and helped lead worship and new member programs. Grateful for her Hutchison experience, she is passionate about supporting its strong tradition of leadership and excellence.

Amanda Eckels Goetze ’94 owns Goetze Art & Design, a local art gallery. She is a Hutchison alumna and received a Bachelor of the Arts from the University of Richmond, where she was also a varsity athlete in track and field. Prior to returning to her native Memphis, Mrs. Goetze worked for United States Senator Thad Cochran and in the Office of Government Relations at the Smithsonian Institution. She currently serves as the President of the Dixon Gallery and Gardens board. She is a previous board member of the Urban Arts Commission and has served on the vestry of the Church of the Holy Communion. Mrs. Goetze and her husband Nick are proud parents to Harrison and Madeline ’27.

Megan Wellford Grinder ’91 holds a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University, where she graduated cum laude from the school of visual arts and art history. Mrs. Grinder previously worked as a development consultant at Coxe Currey & Associates in Atlanta, Georgia, before returning to Memphis to pursue a career as a professional artist. The concentration of her work is portraiture in oil, but she also works in watercolor, pastel, and acrylic. She has studied painting with a number of nationally recognized artists, including Nancy Cheairs ’74, Daniel Greene, and Shane Neal. Mrs. Grinder has been a class agent for the Hutchison Class of 1991 for 24 years, is a past president of the Hutchison Alumnae Association, and is a recent sustainer of the Junior League of Memphis. She and her husband, Brett, are the parents of Anne ’19 and Edward.

Shari Sistrunk Jefferies, M.D., is a native of Ruston, Louisiana. She received her undergraduate degree from Louisiana Tech University and her medical degree from Louisiana State University. Dr. Jefferies completed her residency and fellowship at the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center. She received her board certifications in General Pediatrics, Adult Psychiatry, and Child/Adolescent Psychiatry. She ran a private practice in Houston, Texas, from 2001-2011 and served as Adjunct Clinical faculty at Baylor College of Medicine. After a move to Cincinnati, Ohio, she served as Director of Child Psychiatry services at Hiawatha Behavioral Health in Michigan until 2020 and eventually became the Medical Director for three counties. She served as an adjunct clinical physician at Cincinnati Children’s Medical Center. Dr. Jefferies has served on numerous advisory boards, including Shire Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, Forest Pharmaceuticals, and Ironshore Pharmaceuticals. Her community involvement includes being a sustainer of the Junior League of Houston, sustainer of Kindervelt #50 of Cincinnati, Board member of the Indian Hill Church Nursery School, leadership board of Villages of Indian Hill School PTO, member of Cor Vitae for the American Heart Association and Women Go Red, hostess for the Ronald McDonald House Annual Fundraiser and the Starfire Foundation for disabled adults as well as teaching first grade boys and eighth grade girls Sunday School classes for years. She was featured in Venue Magazine’s “Changing Cincinnati” as well as InStyle magazine in Houston, Texas. She has been the keynote speaker on numerous topics involving mental health. Since moving to Memphis, Dr. Jefferies has been involved in Hutchison and Holy Rosary Catholic School activities. She has hosted many events throughout the years in her family’s home to support her children’s schools, church, and many efforts benefiting cardiac and mental health issues. She and her husband, Dr. John Jefferies, are parents to John Parker and Caroline ’29, who attends Hutchison.

Lindsay Horner Lewis ’99, a Memphis native, attended St. George’s through sixth grade and graduated from Hutchison in 1999. She earned her degree from Southern Methodist University in 2003 and later completed her elementary education certification and master’s degree at The University of Memphis. Lindsay taught at Hutchison, Oak Hill in Nashville, and Presbyterian Day School in Memphis. She also worked for Amanda Nisbet Design in New York while her husband pursued graduate studies. Since becoming a stay-at-home mom to daughters Ruthie ’30 and Meriwether ’32, she has volunteered with Binghampton Christian Academy and St. John’s Episcopal Church. She currently serves on the boards of The Children’s Foundation of Memphis and The Memphis Garden Club and enjoys time at the lake with family and friends.

Dr. Jamila Smith-Young is a nurse practitioner with a certification in pediatric acute care. She is a native Memphian and has spent over 14 years in the healthcare field specializing in endocrinology and pulmonology. She currently practices as a Pediatric Endocrinology Nurse Practitioner for UT Le Bonheur Pediatric Specialists focusing on diabetes and other endocrine disorders. Dr. Smith-Young contributes to the careers of current and future nurse practitioners as an Assistant Professor and mentor in the College of Nursing at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC). She serves as a co-investigator on a number of clinical research projects related to pediatric diabetes, hypothyroidism, and most recently, a Health Resources & Services Administration grant focusing on social determinants of health and health equity. She is a published author and has presented at national conferences focusing on diabetes and pulmonology. Dr. Smith-Young earned a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and in Nursing from Baptist College of Health Sciences. She expanded her nursing career early on by obtaining a Master’s of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Alabama, Birmingham, and in Public Health from Walden University. She later earned a doctoral degree in Nursing Practice from UTHSC. She is the founder of Forward 901, a 501c4 organization, whose mission focuses on enhancing the overall quality of life in Memphis by supporting programs, activities, and events for youth and disadvantaged populations. Dr. Smith-Young is the wife of Memphis Mayor Paul Young. They have two children, Zoe ’29 and Paxton.

Susan S. Stephenson is the Co-Founder, Co-Chairman, and President of Independent Bank in Memphis. Established in 1998, Independent Bank is a $1.4+ billion institution, the second largest bank headquartered in Shelby County. Prior to starting Independent Bank, she was Chairman, President, and CEO of Boatmen’s Bank of Tennessee. When named to the position in 1995, the 37-year-old Stephenson was the first female bank Chairman and CEO in Tennessee history. Following their acquisition of Boatmen’s Bancshares, Nations Bank appointed her President of their Memphis/West Tennessee market. Ms. Stephenson has served as a board member of both the St. Louis Federal Reserve as well as its Memphis Branch and is deeply involved in the Memphis community. She is a past Chair of the Board of New Memphis Institute and a member of the Executive Committee and Board. She is a past Chair and member of the Executive Committee and Board of the Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis, Treasurer and board member of historic Elmwood Cemetery, and a member of the Baptist Women’s Advisory Board. She is a member of the Memphis Society of Entrepreneurs and currently serves as President, and has served on numerous other local boards. She was recognized as the Women of the Year in 2022 by Girls, Inc. after receiving the 2009 “Smart Award” from the organization. Ms. Stephenson has also been recognized as a 2006 Woman of Achievement, was a member of the inaugural class of the Memphis Business Journal’s Super Women in Business in 2012, and received the 2013 Ruby R. Wharton Award for business. She holds a Bachelor of Science, summa cum laude, from the University of Tennessee. She is married to Tom Stephenson and is the proud mother of Tommy, Katie ’07, and Meg ’09, stepmom to Haley, and grandmother to twelve grandchildren.

Sequoia Taylor ’04 is managing partner of a secondary advisory firm in San Francisco called Spry Ventures. She has over a decade of experience as a finance professional and an operator at various tech startups. She started her career in investment banking, having spent time at UBS Investment Bank and later at Morgan Keegan/Raymond James. In her time in Silicon Valley, she has served as an entrepreneur-in-residence for an early-stage venture fund and an early employee at a Software as a Service (SaaS) company backed by Y-combinator, Andreessen Horowitz, and NEA. Prior to this experience, Ms. Taylor worked as interim Chief of Staff to the CEO of a leading advertising technology startup. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology & Economics from Wellesley College.

McLean T. Wilson is a principal of Kemmons Wilson Companies, as well as President of Valor Hospitality Partners, and Chief Investment Officer of Kemmons Wilson Hospitality Partners. Before joining the family business, McLean began his career as a commercial broker for Spaulding and Slye Colliers international in Washington, D.C. He earned his MBA at Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, and a Bachelor of Science in Commerce from University of Virginia, McIntire School of Commerce. Mr. Wilson’s professional board involvement includes Valor Hospitality Partners, Kemmons Wilson Hospitality Partners, and Billy Reid. He is also a former board member of the Intercontinental Hotel Groups Owner’s Association and was previously a chairman of the Revenue Performance Committee and Holiday Inn Committee (IAHI). He serves as President of CORRE, LLC and as a trusted advisor at Eikon ministries. Mr. Wilson is also on the board at The Collegiate School of Memphis and Crosstown Arts, where he co-led the re-development efforts of Crosstown Concourse. He and his wife, Libby, have five children, including a set of quadruplets.