Volunteer Leadership

Governing Board

The Board is committed to helping University School of the Lowcountry to grow and flourish and be successful over the long term. As stated by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), “The board is the guardian of the school’s mission. It is the board’s responsibility to ensure that the mission is relevant and vital to the community it serves and to monitor the success of the school in fulfilling its mission.”

Leigh (Berry) Mills
Leigh’s career as an accountant began in 2001 when she began an internship with Automated Trading Desk, LLC in the Finance Department. ATD is a privately held software development company specializing in the automated trading of securities. She graduated in 2003 from Clemson University with a BS in Accounting and immediately began working full time as an Accountant. In her childhood, she swam for the Snee Farm Swim Team for 12 years and then assisted Jason in coaching for an additional 4 years.  In  November 2006, Leigh married Clark Mills, and the couple currently resides in Mount Pleasant with their dog, Tyson.

Robert R. Donato, Esq.
Robert is a resident of Mt. Pleasant, SC and a practicing attorney with over 20 years of experience. He has served as in-house counsel to a New York based venture capital firm and in private practice advising clients on issues involving public and private venture funding as well as mergers and acquisitions. He is currently the managing director of Charleston Venture House, LLC, which provides advisory services to companies in the startup and early growth phases of development. He is also a contributor to the FastTrac curriculum developed by the Kauffman Foundation of Kansas City and a certified Administrator and Facilitator of the FastTrac entrepreneurial development program.

George Johnson, M.D.
George is Professor and Director of the Residency program in Pediatrics at MUSC.  He is responsible for educational direction of physicians becoming pediatricians.  He is also Division Director of Infectious Diseases and runs an HIV clinic. George has served on various national committees for HIV treatment and prevention.  He actively supports local schools and has come to know Jason Kreutner through his son’s participation in the swim community.  His five sons have all attended schools in Charleston County, three currently in high school and two matriculating at Clemson.

Kathy Roberts
Kathy is the founder and Director of Lowcountry Family Learning, a local consulting business specializing in psychoeducational assessment, parent advocacy, study and organizational skill training, and parent/teacher education. She has served on various school leadership teams as a private school board member, a school improvement council member for several East Cooper public elementary schools, and as the Director of Programming for a local Parent Teacher Association. Kathy and her husband Ray have two daughters who are honor students and currently attend middle schools in Charleston County.     

Gerard Silvestri, M.D.
Gerard is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina.  He is an expert in lung cancer with more than 100 scientific publications to his credit.  He currently serves on the board of trustees of the CHEST Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the American College of Chest Physicians.  Dr. Silvestri is a career educator and in 2004 was inducted by the South Carolina AOA (medical student honor society) as a distinguished faculty.  He resides in Mount Pleasant with his wife, Joanne, and their two children, Nate and Mia.

Roger Smith
Roger is an attorney and educational consultant who recently retired after twenty-five years working in and for independent schools throughout the country as a teacher, coach, college counselor, department head, and administrative search consultant. Among the schools where Roger worked are The Hill School (PA), Choate Rosemary Hall (CT), Webb School of California, Menlo School (CA), The Ross School (NY), and the Savannah Country Day School. A native Charlestonian who spent his teenage years in Mount Pleasant, Roger attended the former Moultrie High School, and was graduated from Exeter Academy, Harvard University (BA), Middlebury College (MA), and the University of Texas (JD). Roger now lives on Sullivan's Island and, when not volunteering at USL, spends his time caring for his elderly father and his leisure time reading, boating, and playing tennis.

Colleen Otto Thomas
Colleen is Program Manager at MUSC in the Pediatrics Department residency program. She has previously worked as director of children's ministry, preschool and elementary educator, Executive Director of Operation Understanding and served as a board member of numerous non-profit youth organizations. Colleen's son, David, is a graduate of Academic Magnet High School and is enrolled at the College of Charleston. He is also a former Snee Farm Swim Team swimmer and current assistant coach.

Victor K. Wilson
Victor is Executive Vice President for Student Affairs at The College of Charleston. Through this position, he serves as the administrative officer charged with planning and implementing student development services and programs outside of the classroom. Victor is active in several national, campus and community organizations, and he has remained a steadfast advocate for quality education at all levels. Victor's son, Hunter, is a senior at Bishop England High School.

 

 

 

As seen here at the USL table at Hibben's Harvest Festival, Board support and leadership are key.

 

 

 

Board of Visitors

The Board of Visitors is comprised of "friends of the school." It is an advisory (non-governing) body, and its members provide support and guidance to University School. The group is richly diverse, and USL benefits greatly from each member's unique insight and the group's collective wisdom.

J. Scott Ballenger
Antitrust and Competition / Appellate Law
Latham & Watkins
Washington, D.C.

Chris Benbow
Dean of Students
Westtown School
Westtown, PA

Arylette Brown
Industrial Psychologist / Clinical Exercise Physiologist
Wachovia Corporation / Presbyterian Healthcare
Charlotte, NC

John L. Eady, M.D.
Chief of Orthopedics
Dorn VA Hospital
Columbia, SC

Ward J. Ghory, Ed.D.
Head of School
University School of Milwaukee
Milwaukee, WI

Robert C. (Tres) Heffron III
Software Architect
Bainbridge Island, WA

Tom Horton
Historian
Mt. Pleasant, SC

Brendan Largay
Head of Middle School
Meadowbrook School of Weston
Weston, MA  

Tracy Nordhoff
Director of Admission and School Relations
Bertschi School
Seattle, WA

Rachel Kronick Rothbart         
Director of Legal Services
Harriet Buhai Center for Family Law
Los Angeles, CA

Joyce Swagerty
Head of Upper School
Brookwood School
Manchester, MA

James G. Ward, Jr., M.D.
Pediatrician
Mt. Pleasant, SC

Cindy Weir
Head of Early Childhood Division
The Independence School
Newark, DE

Joseph Wiendl, CFA
Senior Vice President, Skyway Capital Partners 
Vice Chairman, Board of Directors, Space Florida   
Tampa Bay, FL