Chair
Vice-Chair
Treasurer
Secretary
Trustee
Trustee
Trustee
Trustee
Trustee
Trustee
Trustee
Trustee
Trustee
Trustee Emeritus
Luke Henter is an alumnus of Peabody School (class of 2012) and currently a J.D. candidate at the University of Virginia School of Law. Prior to law school, Luke worked for an international executive search firm recruiting senior executives into Fortune 500 companies, top consulting firms, and private equity portfolio companies. His professional experience also includes a stint in nonprofit administration. Luke graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University with a degree in History and a certificate in the History and Practice of Diplomacy. He is very pleased to remain involved with Peabody as an alum and continue to support its mission.
Carla Hallman, SHRM-SPC, is the Director of Human Resources at Farmington Country Club, leading the club’s recruiting, retention, and employee engagement strategy. Prior to her career in Human Resources, Hallman spend 12 years in the United States Army Military Intelligence Corps as an All-Source Intelligence Analyst, serving multiple tours in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. Having called Charlottesville home for over 14 years, Hallman has demonstrated her commitment to community service through various leadership roles, including Past President of the Junior League of Charlottesville and service on multiple local boards, including the Paramount Theater and the Boys & Girls Club of Central Virginia. Carla actively participates in dance, the arts, and veterans’ advocacy. Carla earned her degree from the University of Virginia School of Continuing and Professional Studies and carries her SHRM Senior Certified Professional designation.
Michael Ledwith is the Head of Trading at Quantitative Investment Management (QIM), a systematic investment advisor operating hedge funds and commodity trading pools.
Originally from Tappahannock, VA, Michael attended a small PreK – 8th grade day school, an experience that shaped his belief in the impact of close-knit school communities. Michael attended the University of Virginia to study engineering, business, and economics. He holds a B.S. and M.S. in Systems Engineering from UVA, where his research focused on predictive risk systems in financial markets. While at UVA, Michael co-developed and co-instructed the UVA in Argentina program, a January-term consulting course that remains one of the School of Engineering’s most popular study abroad offerings. He also enlisted in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, serving at Joint Base Andrews in support of wartime airlift operations.
After graduate school, Michael moved to New York City to pursue a trading and investment career, working first at a market-making firm and later at a volatility arbitrage fund. In 2012, Michael returned to Charlottesville to work at QIM. He has held several roles across the firm’s trading, technology, and analytical practices. Today, Michael oversees the technology, operational efficiency, personnel, and trading performance of QIM’s twenty-two-hour global trading desk, which operates from Charlottesville.
Michael and his wife Jessie are the proud parents of two children, both at Peabody. Outside of work, Michael helps lead Charlottesville Cub Scout Pack 36. He enjoys adventure near and far, good food, and board games – though his favorite thing is time indoors with his family.
John Vernon worked for 21 years with United Technologies Corporation until his retirement in 2012. He spent 15 of these years overseas, nine based in Asia and six based in Europe. John held a number of international executive roles with United Technologies, including Vice President and General Manager, Global Fire Suppression for United Technologies Climate, Controls, and Security, headquartered outside of Boston; President of the Carrier Corporation Residential and Light Commercial division for Europe, Middle East and Africa, based in Paris; Executive Vice President of the Toshiba Carrier air conditioning joint venture, based in Tokyo; and Managing Director of the main export factory for the Toshiba Carrier joint venture, located in Pathum Thani, Thailand. Prior to these assignments, John held a variety of management positions at United Technologies locations in Brunei, California, New York, Italy, and Japan.
John holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and History from University of Virginia, a master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Chicago, and an MBA and master’s degree in Asian Studies from the University of Virginia. Prior to obtaining his master’s degrees, John served for three and one-half years as an officer in the United States Marine Corps, attaining the rank of captain.
John served for four years on the Darden Graduate School of Business Corporate Advisory Board at the University of Virginia. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Alliance Francaise of Charlottesville for six years, serving as Treasurer between 2014 and 2018. Between 2016-2020, he also served on the Board of Directors of Three Notch’d Road, a Central Virginia baroque music ensemble, where he remains a member of the Advisory Board.
John is the proud parent of Jack Vernon, a Peabody rising fifth-grader. He enjoys sharing his passion for jazz and classical music with his much more musically talented son. He also enjoys traveling, foreign languages, and history.
Adam Fentress is an accomplished leader in higher education and educational technology, recognized for driving growth, delivering impact, and building high-performing teams. He is currently serving as Managing Director of Development for University Priorities at the University of Virginia, where he leads a variety of key fundraising initiatives and programs.
Before joining UVA, Adam held roles at EAB and Symplicity, partnering with colleges and universities to improve student success through innovative technology and data-informed strategies.
Adam earned his M.B.A. from William & Mary’s Raymond A. Mason School of Business and holds a B.A. in History from Hampden-Sydney College. Adam lives in Charlottesville with his wife, Stephanie, their First Grader at Peabody, and their youngest, born in October 2024.
Will Mayo holds a B.S. in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech and an M.B.A. from University of Colorado-Boulder. Will is the Chief Revenue Officer of WillowTree, where he leads sales and revenue functions for the company. Prior to this role, Will was a Director of Business Development at Twitter, where he led partnerships for Twitter’s data services business. Will spent 9 years in management consulting where he provided commercial, government and non-profit clients with strategic planning and financial advisory services and spent the first couple of years out of college working for Lockheed Martin as a Satellite engineer. Will and his wife, Carol Lynn, have one Peabody graduate and one Peabody student. He spends his free time running, fly fishing, and traveling with his family.
Hayes Humphreys is an entreprenuer and leader in the craft beverage business. Armed with an M.B.A. from the Darden School of Business and a reputation for being the last one at the party, he joined Devils Backbone Brewing Company as Chief Operating Officer and General Manager in 2011. During his time as the company’s executive leader, Devils Backbone grew from its humble roots as a rural Virginia brewpub into one of the fastest growing craft beer brands in the country, and was eventually acquired by Anheuser-Busch. Post-acquisition, Hayes remained with the company as the president and founder to lead the organization through the integration, disruption, and expansion that followed. He oversaw the launch of Devils Backbone Distilling Company and the development of its industry-leading ready-to-drink canned cocktail Orange Smash. He currently serves as Vice-President of Craft for the Northeast, which includes Devils Backbone Brewing Company, Devils Backbone Distilling Company, and Cisco Brewers, based on Nantucket, MA. As an investor and advisor, Hayes has helped several local beverage startups get going, including Snowing In Space Nitro Cold Brew Coffee (acquired and now operated by Grit Coffee), and Commonwealth Crush Winery Incubator and Co-Packer. Additionally, he’s offered plenty of free advice to local craft brewers, some of which they’ve even asked for.
Born on the friendly streets of Brooklyn, NY, Hayes clings to his (917) area code and has fierce opinions about pizza. He prioritizes travel, live entertainment (comedy, music, theater), and getting outdoors for walks and bike rides around town. He holds a B.A. in Economics-Accounting from Claremont McKenna College which he used in a short and professionally-clarifying stint as a public auditor at KPMG LLP. Charlottesville has been home since 2009, and it’s where he met his match, Jessica, a commercial photographer, interior designer and home stager. Together, they raise two Peabody students in Second Grade and PreK.
Gary Fox has practiced law for more than 45 years, first in the private sector, and then as a trial attorney within the Office of General Counsel at a federal agency. He received an A.B., with a concentration in political science from Brown University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. A number of years later, Gary returned to school on a part-time basis, ultimately earning a Master of Theological Studies from Boston University. During that time, he served for two years as a teaching fellow for Nobel Peace Prize recipient Elie Wiesel, assisting in the development and presentation of four academic courses. Mr. Fox’s daughter has taught at Peabody for several years.
John Duncan is a graduate of the University of Virginia and holds expertise in corporate development, national security, and personnel and facility security. Across a 25-year career in defense and intelligence that encompassed public and private sector roles, Mr. Duncan has overseen a broad range of US defense efforts, from large-scale IT initiatives to intelligence and counter-terrorism support operations. He has directed programs with worldwide applications, designed and managed corporate deployment strategies, and personally directed staff operations in a variety of foreign theaters. In June 2019 he successfully exited Intrepid Solutions and Services, Inc.; a company that he co-founded in 2009 and served in a variety of senior leadership roles, including Chief Executive/President. During his tenure, the company received industry-wide recognition and awards including multiple-year rankings as one of the fastest-growing companies in America and designation as Small Business Federal Contractor of the Year in 2012. In 2020, John formed Heahmor, a Charlottesville-based real estate investment and development platform focused on community collaboration-driven projects with synergistic stakeholder outcomes. He is a proud parent of two Peabody graduates and one current Peabody student.
The daughter of Indian immigrants, Kiran was raised in the Sikh faith in the diverse National Lab community of Oak Ridge, TN. Kiran holds a B.A. in Economics from Vanderbilt University and an M.B.A. from the Darden Graduate School of Business at the University of Virginia. She started her career in the chairman’s office of Bankers Trust in New York City, and subsequently moved into private client services. After earning her master’s degree, Kiran worked in brand management at Johnson & Johnson on the iconic Johnson’s Baby brands.
She and her husband Jim moved from New York to Hong Kong in 2005 where Kiran served on the Hong Kong International School’s development team, managing its annual fund. In 2013, the family relocated to Charlottesville, VA where Kiran spent many years working as development director and grants manager for a national independent abortion provider.
Kiran sits on the board of trustees for Saint Andrew’s School, a coeducational, Episcopal, all-boarding school in Middletown, DE; and The Emily Couric Leadership Forum, which each year awards $250,000 in scholarships to graduating female students – one from each of Charlottesville’s 11 high schools. She also serves as Co-Head of the Georgetown University Women’s Rowing Team’s parent booster club.
Kiran and Jim have three children Amrit (23), Ford (21), and Hank (16) who graduated Peabody School in 2024, and they split their time between Charlottesville and Houston.
Marie Bourgeois holds an A.A. in Interior Architecture and Design from the Intercontinental University of London and a B.A. in the Arts from Tulane University. Originally from Charlottesville, Marie has worked in design in New Orleans, Charlottesville, London, Gibraltar, and Sotogrande, Spain. Following graduate school, she worked on multiple projects in the London offices of Joanna Woods and Tim Gosling, including Gosling’s redesign of the Goring Hotel. From London, she relocated to Gibraltar to work with Patricia Darch Interiors, with offices in Gibraltar and the south of Spain. Her work has been featured in LPA, La Revista, and Casa y Jardin. She returned to Charlottesville in 2014 and is the principal and owner of Marie Bourgeois Design. Marie has been involved in several local charities, including the Women’s Initiative and the Music Resource Center, which she helped design for its initial opening in 2004. Marie and her husband Pat have one child at Peabody and five Peabody graduates.
Kelli Palmer is a strategist and practitioner in the fields of learning and inclusion. She is currently the Chief Diversity Officer at WillowTree, a market-leading digital product consultancy serving the world’s most admired brands. Prior to joining WillowTree, Kelli served as Head of Global Inclusion & Diversity and Corporate Citizenship at CFA Institute, a global association of investment professionals. Her background working across business, nonprofit, and education landscapes has made her a multidimensional leader and strategist who brings together deep expertise with pragmatic, business-minded approaches to proliferating belonging through learning. Though a proud and longtime Charlottesville resident, Kelli was raised in Montgomery County, MD and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education at Elon University. A devoted alumna, Kelli is a member of Elon’s Black Life Advisory Committee and the President’s Council. She received her Master’s Degree in Counselor Education from Wake Forest University and a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from UVA. A lifelong learner, Kelli studied at Oxford University and has earned graduate certificates from Boston College and Harvard University. She is an active contributor on numerous local and state nonprofit Boards, including the Heather Heyer Foundation, Community Climate Collaborative (C3), Piedmont Virginia Community College Foundation, and the UVA Physicians Group. In addition to her professional accomplishments, Kelli is a classically trained vocalist and former member of the Washington Opera Company. Kelli and her husband James have four children, including one Peabody student.
Maran Garland is the Director of Marketing Operations at Ting Internet, a subsidiary of the global telecommunications company Tucows, Inc. She brings over a decade of strategic marketing expertise and deep community engagement to her role, drawing on a rich background in the arts and higher education. As an accomplished leader, Maran has been recognized for sustainably driving growth, delivering high-impact results, all while coaching a high-performing team.
Maran holds a B.A. in Communications with a concentration in Marketing and Public Relations from Marymount Manhattan College and an M.A. in Liberal Studies with a focus in Literature from Stony Brook University. Prior to joining Ting, she served for ten years as Director of Marketing at The Paramount Theater in Charlottesville, Virginia. During that time, she taught an Arts Marketing course at the University of Virginia, further demonstrating her commitment to arts education and leadership development.
In recognition of her community involvement and professional achievements, Maran was named a 2025 Finest Honoree by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Maran and her husband, Rob, are proud parents of a Peabody School Panther who began her journey in PreK and is now thriving in Peabody’s middle school. When not championing Peabody or cheering on the Panthers, the Garland family enjoys traveling together and rooting for the Virginia Cavaliers—Go ’Hoos!
Natasha Lawler holds a B.A. in Political Science and Journalism from the University of Notre Dame. She got her start in journalism as a fact checker for San Francisco magazine and worked her way up to Managing Editor. Ms. Lawler was one of the first employees of Minted.com, a global community of independent designers and artists creating holiday cards, wedding invitations, and other artistic goods. She left Minted after eight years as the Senior Director of Public Relations, Partnerships and Events and currently owns and runs NML PR and Events, a brand building, public relations and events consulting business. While living in Hong Kong, Natasha founded a knitting group for undocumented refugees as a way to foster community and enable self-support. She currently serves on the Advisory Board of the University of Virginia’s Children’s Hospital and is a former board member of the International Rescue Committee Charlottesville. She is a Sunday School teacher and is also involved in several other local charities including Lilypads Housing and the Women’s Initiative. Natasha and her husband Nick have three boys at Peabody.