Meredith Franklin Keaton ’08: From Model UN to City Hall

by Danielle Katz
Figuring out the best way to make change happen on a legislative level requires critical thinking and strong attention to detail. “If you’re going to change a governing document for a whole city, it has to be right. It has to be well thought out,” said Meredith Franklin Keaton ’08.
As Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for the Memphis City Council, Keaton lives a life of purpose. A former Hutchison Model UN and Youth Legislature participant, she is now making positive change happen in Memphis. She said she relies heavily on the critical thinking skills and resilience she learned at Hutchison. “Hutchison builds that confidence in knowing that you can do hard things,” she said. “You learn to accept when maybe things don’t go how you would like them to go. You pick yourself up and try again, and there are people there who can help you try again.”

Farley Howe Ezekiel ’08 and Meredith Franklin Keaton ’08 at Youth Legislature in Nashville.
Assigned to Memphis council member JB Smiley Jr., as well as several committees, Keaton has drafted legislation on many types of issues including plans to revive the Mud Island Amphitheater, recent revisions to the City of Memphis mayoral requirements, and the creation of the Memphis Academy of Civic Engagement.

“It’s exciting to see a tangible difference in the city I love, where I grew up,” she said. “The work we’re doing translates into programs and improvements to facilities around the city. You see how the work that you’re doing to draft these budgeting documents, resolutions, and ordinances goes into practice or goes on the ballot for people to vote on. It affects the citizens of Memphis.”

Prior to her career with the Memphis City Council, Keaton was a counselor at Youth Villages. As she works on a variety of city issues and topics, she said her counseling background plays a role, helping her think from a wider perspective and serve her community as an active listener.

“As a counselor, you learn a lot about not projecting your personal views onto your client or whomever you’re working with. You’re there to listen,” she said. “As I’m thinking through any policy issue, I’m considering how it’s going to affect people and what perspectives I might be missing or blind spots I may have.”

Ready for a New Opportunity
Although her career as a youth mental health counselor satisfied her desire to help people, Keaton realized she wanted to change course and have a more direct impact on the city. In 2019, she learned about a master’s degree program in city and regional planning at The University of Memphis. Taking a leap, Meredith reassessed her interests and knew that at her core, she loved to learn and enjoyed research.

She encountered challenges, though. During the first semester of her master’s program, Keaton was at a book club at the home of Hutchison classmate Farley Howe Ezekiel ’08 when they heard a loud noise outside. Keaton’s car had been hit and pushed up onto the curb by a drunk driver. She had to pause her studies to save money to purchase another car. Although this temporarily derailed her plans, she didn’t give up. She persisted and credits Hutchison for teaching her about resilience and industriousness. She eventually returned to school and graduated with her degree in December 2024.

Emily Howe Gianis ’09 and Farley Howe Ezekiel ’08 came to hear Keaton speak at Hutchison during Black History Month in 2026.
“Being industrious and being resilient go hand in hand—it rewards people who keep going, people who ask questions, try again, and aren’t afraid of effort. You don’t have to be perfect; you just have to keep going.” — Meredith Keaton, Speaking in February 2026 to Hutchison students during Black History Month

A Foundation of Servant Leadership
Keaton attended Hutchison from early childhood through graduation. She credits Hutchison with shaping her spirit to serve by providing opportunities to get out into the community and see the difference one could make. She fondly remembers the Great Penny Hunt for MIFA when she was in early childhood, Christmas parties with Perea Preschool students, and being part of the middle school community service committee. Summers were spent volunteering at Saint Francis Hospital. She was inducted into Hutchison’s Ascensus Society, which requires 125 service hours, in 9th grade, well before most students complete that number of hours.

Keaton’s mentors in Hutchison classrooms also made an impact, including Nina Haley, Carole Hooper, Deedee Perel, Pat Newberry Kelly, Mary Lee Wesberry, and Hadley Hury. These and other faculty members instilled in her an excitement for learning. The social science classes in particular piqued her interest, leading her to the work she does today to improve Memphis.

Her passion for service continued throughout her undergraduate years at Saint Louis University. A current member of the Junior League of Memphis and Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, she continues her service by packing backpacks with food for families in need and by volunteering at Sweet Cheeks Diaper Ministry.

“It’s my belief we’re all here to help each other along the way in some form or fashion.”

“Whether it’s professionally, perhaps by mentoring a younger employee, or whether it’s through volunteering, such as serving children and families by helping them to build the skills and confidence they need to move forward. With my work with the City of Memphis and the city council, I’m able to do what I can to help make Memphis as good as it can be for every single person who calls it home.”

Stepping Out of Her Comfort Zone—Literally
Almost 10 years after graduation, with her Hutchison teachers’ encouragement to step out of her comfort zone still fresh in her mind, Keaton put on dancing shoes! A dancer from the time she was little and throughout high school, she had not performed for 10 years when she saw an audition notice for the Hot Foot Honeys on social media in 2017. She has been a member of the group since, performing in numerous shows and even choreographing several numbers. “It was intimidating at first, but then I realized, ‘What is there to lose?’ That’s what I loved about Hutchison. You could just try things. You could join a club, you could learn, and everyone there was learning with you. I’ve carried that philosophy with me.”

As Keaton moves forward in her career, she wants to continue to serve Memphis, whether it is through community service, board service, or other opportunities that may arise. Looking back, Keaton sees Hutchison as the place that gave her the confidence to keep learning, embrace new opportunities, and trust that changing direction would lead to something greater.

“I can’t overstate how much Hutchison gave to me. It set up an amazing trajectory for my life,” she said. “You can chart your own course, and you can change it. It will all work out. It might not work out how you thought at first, but you will still be able to make a difference, try new things, learn, meet new people, and help others. You might just do it in a different way than you originally thought.”
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Hutchison is the leading private girls school in Memphis for ages 2 years old through twelfth grade.