Heritage Hall News

Heritage Hall celebrates faculty, staff achievements, and years of service

By Adam Kemp, Communications Manager
Heritage Hall celebrated faculty and staff achievements at its annual Faculty Recognition Luncheon, honoring endowed chair and teaching award recipients and recognizing 36 employees for milestone years of service.
Before students return to campus later this month, Heritage Hall took time to celebrate the faculty and staff members whose long-standing dedication has shaped the School community.
At its annual Faculty Recognition Luncheon held Aug. 12, Heritage Hall honored this year’s endowed faculty chair recipients, celebrated excellence in teaching, and recognized employees marking milestone years of service, including one administrator whose educational career spans 45 years at Heritage Hall.
The luncheon also marked the completion of Heritage Hall’s 12-year initiative to establish endowed faculty chairs across all disciplines at the School. The program was created to build permanent endowments to honor and support outstanding educators and coaches, while providing annual faculty bonuses.
President Aaron Fetrow credited the School’s Development team, Heart of Gold gala chairs and matching donors for helping Heritage Hall reach its goal to fund 14 permanent endowments three years ahead of schedule.
“The idea here was to honor and support our most deserving educators and coaches,” Fetrow said. “We’re proud to have built a program that will provide lasting support for our faculty.”
Over the 12-year initiative, Heritage Hall raised $3.75 million in faculty endowments and awarded approximately $1.5 million in faculty bonuses. The program will be fully funded beginning with the addition of the Dr. Powell Endowment for Social Studies and the Endowment for Electives next year.

Endowed Faculty Chairs

Heritage Hall honored 10 faculty members through its endowed faculty chairs for the 2026-27 school year.
The recipients are:
  • Judith Ann Knott Chair for Distinguished Achievement in Elementary Education: Lauren Brownrigg
  • Harrison Family Endowed Fund for ESS (Educational Support Services): Kristi Bradley
  • Heritage Hall Alumni Association Upper School Faculty Chair: Tiffany Hopper-Danz
  • Kirkpatrick Arts and Humanities Chair: Cristi Miller
  • Miller Family Endowment for Counseling: Dr. Kylie Lyons
  • Naifeh Endowment for Math: David Hart
  • Endowment for Science: Mark Rauch
  • Julie O. Bramble Chair in Elementary Education: Carly Costello
  • Guy A. Bramble Chair in English & Language Arts: Dan Kennard
  • William Carson Harris ’19 Middle School Faculty Chair: Amy Walker
The endowed chairs were made possible through the generosity of Heritage Hall families, alumni, and friends, with support from Heart of Gold Gala Chairs and matching donors.
Three of the recipients honored, Costello, Kennard and Walker, are entering the second year of their two-year endowed chair appointments.
Among this year’s awards, the Judith Ann Knott Chair was funded through the 2017 Gala, chaired by Graham ’00 and Betsy Colton, with matching support from The Knott Family. The Harrison Family Endowed Fund for ESS was established with support from 2018 Gala Chair Natalie Nelson and matching donor Russ Harrison.
The Heritage Hall Alumni Association Upper School Faculty Chair was funded through the 2019 Heart of Gold Gala, chaired by Brian Bogert ’95, Heather Verity Showalter ’95 and Jenny Gray Ferguson ’96, with matching support from the Heritage Hall Alumni Association.
The Kirkpatrick Arts and Humanities Chair was fully funded by the Kirkpatrick Family Fund. The Miller Family Endowment for Counseling and Naifeh Endowment for Math were funded through the 2022 Heart of Gold Gala, with matching support from The Miller Family Foundation and Greg Naifeh ’77, respectively.
The Endowment for Science was established through funds raised at both the 2024 Heart of Gold Gala, chaired by Andrea Miller, and the 2026 Heart of Gold Gala, chaired by Carly McDavid.

Excellence in Teaching

Heritage Hall also presented the Boghetich Prize for Excellence in Teaching, endowed by the Robert Glenn Rapp Foundation, to one teacher in each division. The award recognizes teachers who demonstrate creativity, playfulness, humility, a firm command of their subject matter, and an unwavering commitment to student success.
The 2026 recipients are:
  • Lower School: Morgen Champney
  • Middle School: Alex Shadid
  • Upper School: Katie Horn Davis ’09
The Heritage Hall Alumni Association presented its annual Distinguished Faculty Award to Jenny Gray Ferguson ’96.
Ferguson has served Heritage Hall for 25 years as an Upper School mathematics teacher, tutor, ACT test-preparation instructor, and head girls’ tennis coach. The award was presented by Heritage Hall alumnus Matthew Farber ’03, president of the Heritage Hall Alumni Association.

Celebrating Years of Service

Heritage Hall also recognized 36 faculty and staff members celebrating milestone years of service, from five years to 45 years.
Middle School Dean of Students Craig Brown ’78, who has served 45 years at Heritage Hall, received a standing ovation from his colleagues.
“I’m grateful to be at Heritage Hall,” Brown said. “Let’s love the kids up. Let’s give it our best.”
Among the School’s longest-serving honorees is Brown’s wife, Gina, who celebrates 30 years of service. Looking back on her career, Gina reflected on the mentors, colleagues, and students who have shaped her experience at Heritage Hall.
“It’s a good day,” she said. “The good days are being created right now by the people we learn from, work beside, and invest in.”
Andy Bogert, also recognized for 30 years, offered a simple reflection on his time at Heritage Hall.
“It’s been a privilege. It’s been an honor. It’s been a blessing,” Bogert said.
Courtney Ellingson, recognized for 25 years, also reflected on the deep sense of community that keeps her at Heritage Hall.
“It’s hard to imagine being anywhere else,” she said.

2026 Milestone Honorees

45 YEARS
Craig Brown ’78
40 YEARS
Victoria Beeson
30 YEARS
Andy Bogert
Gina Brown
25 YEARS
Courtney Ellingson
20 YEARS
David Hart
Jessie Maeer
Mark Rauch
15 YEARS
Robyn Brewster
Corinne Crepin
Becky Drozd
Darcy McRay
Jordan Semore
10 YEARS
Ashley Adams
Brooke Bogert ’10
Price Brown ’14
Jenny Campbell
Brian Ford
Alfredo Hernandez
Lauren Lee
Nina McPherson
Brenda Neundorf
Todd O’Neal
Morgan Rom
Ali Stevens ’13
5 YEARS
Ector Becerra
Valeecia Hearne-McKeever
Kelli Hoffman
Karrigan McGuire
Stephen Kerr
Haley McCarthy
Logan Parsons
Tracy Rich
Alex Shadid
Christina Strauss
Angela Tison
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