6788 Wilkins Lane | Chestertown, MD 21620 | 410-778-4100

 

 

 

 

Governance at Kent School

Kent School is an independent not-for-profit school and is governed by a self-perpetuating board of trustees, The board is charged with keeping the school “in trust” and securing the school’s future. It does this by setting basic policies:

• Hiring, supporting and evaluating the head of school
• Undertaking strategic planning
• Leading the financial management and support of the school

2011-2012 Board of Trustees

Chris McClary, President
Degree/Profession: Chris graduated from Muhlenberg College with a B.A. in Communications. During his college career he was Student Body Vice-President and head of the judicial hearing board. Chris grew up in Kent County and moved back to raise his children here. Currently, he is an Associate Broker and Office Manager of Gunther McClary Real Estate, which specializes in selling and listing waterfront properties in Kent, Cecil and Queen Anne's counties. Chris enjoys boating, any and all water sports, basketball, reading, spending time with his family and cooking for friends and family.
Association with Kent School: Chris is a graduate of Kent School and is now the parent of two current students. Both of Chris’ siblings are Kent School alumni as well. Chris is the co-founder of Kent School’s acclaimed Kudner Leyon Visiting Writers Program.
Judie Willock, Vice-President
Profession and Education -High school at Dr. Williams School, Dolgellau, North Wales Attended Lewes College, Lewes, England. Before coming to the U.S., Judie was a law clerk in Brighton, England.
After moving to the Eastern Shore of Maryland, she worked for Chestertown Travel for about 15 years.
Association with Kent School:
Judie’s two 2 daughters attended Kent School from Kindergarten through 8th Grade and now her grandchildren are attending the school. She was a member of the Board
of Trustees in the 1980's and recently joined the Board again.
Personal/hobbies/interests:
Family, travel, gardening

Nancy Dick, Secretary
Degree/Profession: MS Pace University and NY Medical College, BA Politics Hollins College. After eight years of teaching a variety of subjects and coaching varsity sports at Garrison Forest School, Nancy entered a masters program in nursing. She spent 23 years as a Community Health Nurse in Kent County, MD, heading a number of programs, including family planning, jail health, communicable disease, and breast and cervical cancer screening. Now retired, Nancy volunteers for Kent School and for her church, serving in several capacities locally and in the diocese.
Association with Kent School: She has a long affiliation with the school as her mother was a Charter Trustee. Additionally, the property on which Kent School operates was once owned by her godmother and her husband. Nancy spent many days on what was then Riverside Farm and learned to roller skate in the kitchen – now the lower school computer room.
Interests: Cooking, reading, sports and keeping up with four great nephews and the rest of the family.

James Anthony, Treasurer
Degree/Profession:
BS Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland
Master of Systems Engineering, University of Maryland
MBA, University of Chicago
After working as a professional engineer for 6 years followed by 2 years dedicated to obtaining his MBA, James became a business strategy consultant for Diamond International and McKinsey & Company. His professional focus on the financial services industry and local family history made his current role as President and CEO of Chesapeake Bank and Trust Company a natural choice. In addition to serving as Treasurer and Trustee to Kent School, James is also a Board Member of the Kent Community Food Pantry, Advisory Board Member to Mt. Harmon Plantation, and President of the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy. James, his wife Kelly, and daughter Isabelle reside in Chestertown.
Hobbies & Interests: Sailing, Downhill Skiing, Backpacking, Historic Renovation

Bill MacIntosh, Member-at-Large
Degree/Profession: BA Economics, Harvard College MBA, Harvard Business School
Following service as in intelligence officer in the US Army, Bill worked domestically and overseas in international finance and treasury for Nestlé and PepsiCo International for nearly fifteen years before coming to the Baltimore area and ultimately to the Eastern Shore almost 10 years ago. Bill has since worked as VP of Development at Washington College and as EVP and COO of the US Naval Institute Foundation at the Naval Academy. Bill is currently associated with Benchworks Consulting here in Chestertown.
Association with Kent School: Bill and his wife Kay are parents of two Kent School
graduates, Will ’06 and John ’08.
Personal/hobbies/interests: Cycling, kayaking, rowing, attending the boys’ sports and musical events

Jim Barry
Degree/Profession: Jim, a native Bostonian, received an MBA from Suffolk University and a Doctorate from Northeastern University. After teaching leadership and coaching ice hockey at the Naval Academy for nine years, he and his family relocated to Chestertown because of Kent School!
Association with Kent School: His youngest son is a graduate, his daughter a former faculty member and now, two of Jim’s grandchildren are students.
Jim is a decorated Vietnam veteran and, along with his wife, volunteers with addicted, homeless veterans in Baltimore. He and his wife Sheila are adjunct professors at Washington College.

Thomas Collier
Dr. Collier manages the Collier Family Office in Chestertown, Maryland and directs the Comegys Bight Charitable Foundation.
He received his B.A. in economics at Yale University in 1967 and his M.D. from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1975. He was awarded an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1987. He is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, with service in Vietnam.
He completed his surgical and orthopedic residencies at Johns Hopkins Hospital and, following completion of his training, was in the private practice of orthopedic surgery in Maryland from 1980 to 1987. From 1987 until 2000 he was a senior management consultant to hospitals, medical equipment and pharmaceutical companies. In that capacity, he served over 200 clients in the U.S. and Canada. Following completion of the requisite course of study and examinations, he was designated a Chartered Financial Analyst in 2003.
In addition to financial planning and management, Dr. Collier has lectured at the University of Delaware on physician and hospital affairs, costs and financing of health care, Medicare and Medicaid issues, medical technologies, quality of care issues and medical malpractice. He serves on the Board of Directors of a number of local and state non-profit organizations, including Kent School, the United Way of Kent County, the Maryland Historical Society and the Academy of Art in Easton. His area of focus in board work has been on management of endowments.
He, and his wife Ginger live in an eighteenth century home on the Chester River. They have three married daughters, all graduates of Kent School, and one granddaughter.

Randy Cooper
Degree/Profession: B.A. Business Administration, Grove City College; MBA, Kellogg School of Business, Northwestern University; CPA, PFS
Randy worked as a CPA for Arthur Andersen & Co. in Chicago at graduation, followed by treasury department work for Marathon Oil Company. He continued his focus on treasury operations while working for Mellon Bank and subsequently as a Regional Vice President at Bank of America. In 1987 he left banking to open his own accounting and financial services firm in Chestertown, MD. Randy and other members of his firm have received numerous awards for their rehabilitation of Radcliffe Mill which is home to their offices.
Association with Kent School: Randy and his wife Ginger have three children who attended Kent School.
Personal/Hobbies/Interests: Randy and his family feel as if they have spent most of their lives walking around swimming pools. All of his sons compete(d) in collegiate swimming. Randy officiates swim meets and also serves as an instructor to train other officials.

Andrew Ferguson
Degree/Profession: Dr. Andrew Ferguson received his Bachelors Degree in Biology from Swarthmore College where he was also the captain of the men’s lacrosse team. After Swarthmore, Ferguson attended University of Maryland Graduate School studying Pharmacology and Toxicology. In 1994, he graduated from the University of Maryland, School of Medicine as a Doctor of Medicine. Ferguson is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the Carey School of Business at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
Dr. Ferguson has practiced family medicine in Chestertown since 1998 and is a partner in Shanahan and Ferguson, P.C.
Association with Kent School: Andrew and his wife Karen have two children at Kent School, Cole (4th Grade) and Reed (1st Grade). All are committed to the continued success of Kent School, as well as the growth of its community.
In their spare time, the Ferguson family enjoys travelling, boating, and athletic activities.

Tom Gale

Christie Grabis
Degree/Profession: BA French Roanoke College, MA French University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Christie began her teaching career at the University, then moved into the North Carolina public school system. Wanting to return to her home on Maryland's Eastern Shore, Christie accepted a position as French teacher, dorm parent, and coach with Gunston School. She has been with Gunston for 28 years where she has held a number of teaching and administrative roles. As Assistant Head of School, Christie is deeply involved with all aspects of Gunston and especially enjoys her work with the educational and co-curricular programs and faculty development.
Association with Kent School: Christie is the parent of two Kent School students, Andy '09 and Liz '11.
Personal/Hobbies/Interests: Christie and her family are passionate about all things in and on the water. Christie also enjoys reading, running, and all outdoor activities.

Herman Hill
Mr. Hill is a lifelong resident of Kent County where he makes his living farming a large piece of property in Rock Hall.
Association with Kent School: Mr. Hill’s affiliation with Kent School spans two generations. He is the parent of Kent School Alumnus, Trey Hill, and currently the proud grandparent of a Little School Student.

Bradford Johnson

Megan Bramble Owings
Degree/Profession: BS Political Science, Lehigh University
Juris Doctor, University of Baltimore School of Law
Megan is a graduate of Kent School. After working as an associate attorney for the law offices of Rifkin, Livingston, Levitan & Silver, LLC for seven years, Megan began working as in-house counsel for David A. Bramble Inc. in 2010. Megan also works part-time for the Saunders Law Firm in Chestertown. In addition to serving as Trustee to Kent School, Megan is also a Board Member of Shared Opportunity Service, Inc. in Chestertown. Megan, her husband Casey, and daughter Eleanor reside in Chestertown.
Hobbies & Interests: Running, tennis, reading

Pat Parkhurst
Degree/Profession: B.A. Art Education Roanoke College; Graduate Certificate Fundraising George Washington University.

After working in Development at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Pat began teaching at Ruxton Country School. She taught Kindergarten through Fifth grade art for seven years, as well as assisted in Admissions while there. She and her husband, Steve, returned to Centreville to raise their three children. She now manages their farm and boards horses for the non-profit organization CANTER. Pat and her family enjoy all things outdoors, as well as spending time traveling with friends and family.

Association with Kent School: Pat is a graduate of Kent School. She and Steve have three children who currently attend Kent School. She is currently a member of the PTF Board.

Kahle Perez
Degree/Profession: Kahle graduated with a BA from University of Maryland, College Park. He started his career in Insurance brokerage with Potomac Basin Group in 1999 as a Sales Representative. He quickly became the top broker/sales representative in the firm, promoted to VP of Sales and M&A and now is a Partner at the firm.
Kahle is an active member of The Greater Washington Association of Health Underwriters, and an inductee of The Lead Producers Round Table. He holds a license in Life & Health, Property & Casualty, Series 6 & 63, and is a Certified Benefits Consultant (CBC). In addition, he is on the Carefirst Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Healthcare, and Coventry Healthcare Broker Advisory Councils.
Kahle and his wife Ally have three children, two of whom are currently enrolled at Kent School.

Lorraine Kenton Polvinale
Degree/Profession: AB Spanish Literature, Washington College 1969
M.ED Curriculum & Instruction, Loyola University, Baltimore 1989

After graduating from Washington College, Lorraine taught for two years at Gunston School in Centreville. For the next 36 years she worked at Garrison Forest School in Owings Mills, Maryland. Her experience there included: Spanish teacher, foreign language department chair, Head of Middle School, Head of Upper School, Assistant Head of School. For many years during her career at GFS, she, her husband Tom, and daughter Cristina lived on campus. Since 2007 Lorraine has been the Assistant Vice President for Alumni Relations for Washington College. She serves on the School Board for Archbishop Curley School in Baltimore and serves as a Eucharistic minister at her church, Sacred Heart. For the past 3 years she has been an active member of the Chester River Chorale.
Currently Lorraine and Tom live in Chestertown. On the weekends she enjoys playing golf and boating with her husband and traveling to Baltimore to visit her daughter, son-in-law and two precious granddaughters.
Hobbies & Interests: Singing, Reading, Golf, Boating

Susan Ross
Degree/Profession: Dr. Ross received her B.S in Zoology from the University of Maryland, College Park. She then received her Medical Degree from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, MD. Her residency in Family Practice was conducted at University Hospital in Baltimore.
After residency and a year of teaching in the Residency Program at the University of Maryland, Dr. Ross moved to Chestertown and opened her practice in Family Medicine. She has been an active staff member at Chester River Hospital since 1978.
Association with Kent School:
Dr. Ross is the parent of three Kent School Alumni: Paul ’93, Elizabeth ’97 and Emily ’04.

Georgeanna (Gigi) Windley
Degree/Profession: B.S., University of Maryland; Certificate; Strategic Leadership for State Executives; Duke University; Certified Tour Professional Designation; National Tour Association. Gigi started her career in publishing as an art director for magazine and then as the director of College Relations for a small liberal arts institution. She went on to work in the field of destination marketing and development and directed the Tourism, Film and Downtown Revitalization programs for the State of Delaware. After her career in public service, she started a small consulting firm that specialized in sustainable tourism development. She is currently employed with Delaware Technical and Community College’s Terry Campus as a Continuing Education Program director.
Association with Kent School: Parent of two Kent School students, Tara ‘04 and Michael ’07.
Personal/hobbies/interests: Gigi is active in community organizations and periodically serves as a facilitator for the Dover Human Relations Commission. She, along with her family, enjoy trail riding, sailing, travel and performing arts activities. She is also a calligrapher and enjoys teaching art history.