Darlington’s Alumni Council elected Kristen Rachels ('05, LD '16) as president and welcomed seven new members at the May meeting.
Rachels, a longtime Darlington volunteer, is chief marketing officer at Itential in Atlanta. A former boarding student, she has served on the Alumni Council since 2018. Her younger brother, Boyd Rachels, is a 2023 graduate. Kristen and her husband, Thomas Gatliff, live in Atlanta.
New members include:
Charlotte Baker (‘02, LD ’22) is the director of epidemiology with Truveta Inc. in Washington, D.C. She holds a doctorate in public health from the University of Kentucky. Her career path in epidemiology has taken her from the CDC in Atlanta, to higher education at Virginia Tech, and now working for a major healthcare research company. Charlotte enjoys engaging with current students through the Darlington Connects program.
Lauren Bowling (‘05, LD ’17) of Atlanta has worked as a content strategist and writer for most of her career. She authored an award-winning personal finance blog for nearly a decade. She has stayed connected to Darlington as a Career Day presenter and Leadership Darlington participant.
Marissa (McKoy) Duggan (‘12, LD ’18) is an attorney/ESG compliance manager at Shaw Industries Group Inc. in Dalton, Ga. Her practice areas are environmental law and labor and employment. She provides legal/regulatory interpretation and guidance on matters involving our people (workforce) and products. Marissa has stayed engaged with the school serving as class agent and by volunteering through the Darlington Connects program. She and her husband, Ivy ('12), live in Rome.
Chris Jefts (‘84, LD ’15) is a regional director in development and alumni relations for the University of Georgia. A standout athlete at Darlingto, Chris pitched for five years in the Minor League System with the Chicago White Sox and Montreal Expos, was an assistant baseball coach for UGA, and was employed as a major league scout for the Cleveland Indians. He and his wife, Brook, have three children, Haila, Harrison, and Holden. The family lives in Athens, Ga.
Brad Large (‘05, LD ’20) is associate director of enrollment management and director of flexible tuition at Hawken School in Ohio. A former boarding student at Darlington, Brad spent several years working in Darlington’s Admission Office and currently serves as class agent. He and his wife, Adrienne, have two sons, Hank and Will. The family lives in Lyndhurst.
Ryan Somerville (‘03, LD ’22) is a manager for Business Water Solutions in Rome. Previously, he was an owner/operator of a Zaxby’s franchise in North Carolina. After 10 years in the restaurant industry, he and his wife, Shanah, decided to move back home. He has stayed engaged as class agent and a Darlington Fund volunteer. Ryan has a daughter, Baylor Anne, and two stepdaughters, Ella and Olivia.
Patrick Wilson (‘08, LD ’20) is vice president corporate banking relationship manager for BankUnited's de novo launch of their Atlanta office. He has spent his career in the banking industry. Patrick has stayed involved with Darlington as a class agent and the Darlington Connects program. He currently lives in Atlanta.
