Alumnae Weekend Speaker Bios

Whitney A. White ’08

Whitney A. White '08 is an innovation leader, entrepreneur, and executive coach who helps high-performing leaders design lives and careers that reflect what matters most to them.

She is CEO of Afara Global, an innovation firm partnering with organizations to launch and scale new ideas, and Co-Founder and CEO of Equity Commons, a virtual reality company focused on strengthening leadership, empathy, and human-centered performance. Whitney is also the Founder of Take Back Your Time, where she works with senior leaders and ambitious professionals seeking greater clarity, alignment, and sustainable impact.

Whitney’s career spans management consulting at Bain & Company, senior operating roles in e-commerce and technology, and the founding of multiple ventures. Across her work, she is known for combining strategic clarity with a deeply human, values-driven approach.

Whitney founded the Davidson Tech Impact Fund and currently serves on the Davidson College Board of Trustees. She is honored to engage with fellow alumnae in reflection, connection, and possibility.

Mary Laura Philpott ’96

Mary Laura Philpott, a 1996 Davidson College alum, is the author of the memoir “Bomb Shelter: Love, Time, and Other Explosives” (2022), which was called a “masterwork” by The New York Times and a “beautifully wrought ode to life” by the Washington Post. “Bomb Shelter” was awarded the Southern Book Prize, chosen by Cheryl Strayed’s “Wild Reads” Book Club, and named an Editor’s Choice by The New York Times Book Review and one of the Best Books of the Year by NPR. It was also an Indie Next pick by booksellers nationwide, an Amazon Editor’s Choice selection, and a notable or most anticipated book according to publications ranging from PEOPLE magazine to the Washington Post to the Read with Jenna community on TODAY.com, among others. Mary Laura is also the author of the national bestseller “I Miss You When I Blink” — named one of NPR’s Favorite Books of 2019 and a finalist for the Southern Book Prize. Additionally, Mary Laura is a former bookseller and was an Emmy-winning co-host of A Word on Words, the literary interview program on Nashville Public Television. During her time at Davidson, she was an English major and member of Rusk Eating House. Today, she lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with her family.

Dr. Catherine Bagwell

Dr. Catherine Bagwell is the Virginia Lasater Irvin Professor of Psychology at Davidson College. Catherine received her B.S. in psychology from the University of Richmond and her M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Duke University. She has spent her teaching and scholarly career at four undergraduate liberal arts schools, first at her alma mater, the University of Richmond, and then at Colgate University, Oxford College of Emory University, and now Davidson. Catherine’s research focuses on the significance of friendships for adjustment and well-being, and she teaches courses on adolescent development, child psychopathology, and interpersonal relationships.

Donna Peters ’89

Donna Peters is an award-winning executive coach and founder of The Me-Suite. Her leadership podcast ranks Top 1.5% of all podcast downloads globally. Donna's book, Options Are Power: Career Strategies for High Performers Who Want a Life, is a 4-time medal-winner. Donna recently served as the Innovator in Residence at The Hurt Hub in Davidson and Chairs the Davidson Arts and Creative Engagement Board. Prior to coaching, Donna was a senior partner at Accenture Management Consulting. Now residing in Colorado, she has lived and worked in the US, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, and the UK. Her core values are Curiosity, Freedom, Respect, Vitality and Gratitude. Donna ’89 asked Jonathan Darsey ’90 out on a date in the foyer of Cunningham in 1986 after theatre auditions. They just celebrated wedding anniversary #30!

Marya Howell ’91 P’25

Marya Howell (she/her) is a senior major gifts officer specializing in women’s philanthropy. An alumna of Davidson (B.A. English, ’91), she has devoted her career to higher education leadership, including 10 years as the college’s director of alumni and family engagement. Marya holds an M.A. in Higher Education from Stanford University, where she led the Women’s Center. Her professional journey includes 10 years directing Loyola University Maryland’s civic engagement initiatives, along with earlier experience in international service in Ecuador, secondary education, and residential life at Colgate and American Universities. Marya is also the proud parent of a recent Davidson graduate, Carter, a physics major in the Class of 2025.

Karin Douglas ’88 

Karin has experienced the social sector from several vantage points: health advocacy work with state policymakers, fundraising in higher education and global NGOs, board leadership, chief advisor for an NFL-owner’s community empowerment project, and decades of executive coaching and consulting in strategic planning, fundraising and board development. The thread woven throughout her career is a pursuit of inclusion and authentic engagement of community members. Her core belief is that when we seek diverse representation – economic, social, educational, cultural – we are rewarded with a symphony of voices, vision, gift, skills, and talents that can create sustainable models for social change.

Beth McCaw ’92 

Beth McCaw ’92 is a former estate planning attorney who transitioned into full-time philanthropy, most recently serving as President & CEO of the Washington Women’s Foundation. An expert in nonprofit governance, Beth has served as an adjunct law professor at Seattle University and chaired numerous boards, including YWCA USA. She currently serves on the Cabinet for the Dean of the Harvard SEAS and as an independent director for The Seattle Times. At Davidson, Beth serves on the Board of Trustees, co-chaired the Women ACT task force and served on the Board of Visitors. Beth holds a JD from the University of Georgia and a Masters in Not-for-Profit Leadership from Seattle University.

Patricia Massey Hoke ’07

Patricia Massey Hoke is a dynamic, collaborative leader grounded in authenticity and courage whose background spans nonprofit executive leadership, fundraising and institutional advancement, and strategy consulting. She currently works as an independent consultant, partnering with nonprofit leaders — especially Executive Directors — who want a trusted thought partner to help them navigate complexity, strengthen their leadership, and clarify their purpose. She is especially interested in the intersection of the strategic and human elements of leadership and has a passion for nurturing the inner spirit of change leaders. Patricia was the first Executive Director of Women’s Impact Fund, a giving circle in Charlotte, NC that strengthens women’s leadership in philanthropy. Prior to joining Women’s Impact Fund in 2019, Patricia was the director of corporate and foundation relations at Davidson College. Previously, she worked as a Manager with Deloitte Consulting supporting business model transformation efforts. Patrticia holds a B.A. in Anthropology from Davidson College and an MBA from The College of William & Mary. Patricia and her husband, John, have three young boys.

Leigh Rawdon ’95 

Leigh Rawdon is the CEO and Co-Founder of Tea Collection. Tea designs and sells children’s fashion inspired by world travel to inspire global connection and curiosity. The company commits 10% of its profits to global, grassroots organizations working to create a better world for children everywhere. While the majority of sales come through TeaCollection.com, the assortment is also available at hundreds of retailers, including Babylist, Nordstrom.com, and Maisonette. Tea was one of the earliest brands to offer resale on its own site, reflecting a commitment to sustainability and the long-lasting quality of its products. The San Francisco Business Times has recognized Tea Collection as one of the largest women-owned companies in the Bay Area. Leigh earned a BA in English from Davidson College, where she was a Stuart Scholar and served as Editor-in-Chief of The Davidsonian. She earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and, while CEO of Tea Collection, she also taught entrepreneurship as a lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business. Leigh and her husband live in Oakland, California with their beloved cattle dog and two teenage sons.

Dr. Lisa A. Hasty ’81

Lisa A. Hasty, M.D., Davidson College Class of 1981, grew up in Athens, GA. She graduated from Emory University School of Medicine in 1985. Her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology was completed at Pennsylvania Hospital and her fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the University of Pennsylvania. Lisa was awarded a Clinical Investigator Award from the NIH for her research studying immune proteins in women with endometriosis. Following fellowship, she joined the faculty of Emory University as an assistant professor in 1992. She founded the Atlanta Center for Reproductive Medicine in 1998. She treasured her time caring for her patients as she helped them navigate infertility, recurrent miscarriages, hormone abnormalities and fertility preservation. Lisa served on the Davidson Alumni Board from 2013 to 2016.  She remains committed to her alma mater and plans to move to Davidson in 2027 with her husband, Dr. Andy Smith, class of 1980. They have three children, Heather Smith Burch ’10 , Graham Hasty Smith ’12 and Prentiss Smith Yarborough (Rhodes College ’18).

Ellen Crawford True ’91

A native of Nashville, Tennessee, the Rev. Ellen Crawford True ’91 has served as Senior Pastor and Head of Staff at First Presbyterian Church in Concord, NC since June 2021. Following Davidson, she went on to Union Presbyterian Seminary in Virginia (now Union Presbyterian Seminary) and has served churches in North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Ellen is married to David True. Their daughter Abby is a 2025 graduate of Davidson College and lives in Washington, DC. At Davidson, Ellen was a member of Rusk Eating House, a hall counselor, in the Student Government Association, and a cheerleader. She has previously served as a preacher and guest minister during Reunion Weekend. 

Meredith Dean ’80

Meredith Dean ’80 brings 40 years of experience in community and political organizing, non-profit management, and education to her present work as the National Director of Community Works, an effort to build trust across cultural and political divides in rural communities. As founding Director of the Appalachian Women’s Alliance, she worked with local women leaders in disenfranchised communities to develop programs blending education, the arts, and community action. With Meredith’s leadership, the group led participatory actions addressing regional poverty, the environment, cultural identity & diversity, racism, civic participation & leadership, and safety for women & children.  In 2010, she brought her hard-won knowledge to the Appalachian Studies departments at Virginia Tech and Radford Universities, where she served as an Adjunct Professor. At the same time, she co-founded a local nonprofit to address the health and wellness needs of children in her public school system. In 2018, she became the Field Director for a VA Congressional campaign, where, again, she found women to be the movers and shakers in their communities. Meredith’s family goes back seven generations in Appalachian Virginia, where she and her husband raised their son, 13 cats, 4 dogs, and a horse. Following Davidson, she received advanced degrees from the University of Virginia and Antioch University.

Ann Hayes Browning ’79

Ann Hayes Browning ’79 is a native of High Point, NC. After graduating from Davidson and the Kenan-Flagler School of Business at UNC, she began a 23-year career with Bank of America, where she was a founding partner of Bank of America Capital Investors, its private equity-investing arm. When she chose to pursue a second career, Ann wanted to focus her efforts on preserving the natural resources and character of her native North Carolina. She joined the start-up Carolina Thread Trail, a 15-county initiative to develop a connected network of trails and open space. As the CTT Director, she advanced community outreach, branding, public and private fundraising, and oversight of the community grants program. Now retired, she continues to volunteer for land conservation initiatives, serving on the boards of the Blue Ridge Conservancy and North Carolina Land and Water Fund. Ann resides with her husband and Labrador in Davidson.

Adrienne Miller ’16

Adrienne Miller ’16 is a dedicated fundraising professional with nearly a decade of experience with nonprofits. She holds her Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies from Davidson College and a Master of Business Administration in Strategic Management from Rice University. She started her career in the non-profit sector at Habitat for Humanity International, where she worked as an international internal auditor. She then transitioned into fundraising with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where she managed a book of business raising over $1.5M annually. During COVID, she shifted her focus to philanthropic innovation helping to lead expansion for the organization into cryptocurrency, ecommerce, augmented and virtual reality and connected wellness platforms as an ALSACx Project Manager of Innovation. Her love for innovation and strategy led her to pursue her MBA as well as experiences working in venture capital and operations in the wine industry. After graduation, she joined the Rise School of Houston as the Director of Development, leading fundraising, marketing and strategy for the school while working part time as a Development Operations Manager for MGVP, Inc., an international wildlife conservancy organization. Now, she combines her academic training with her diverse work experiences to help non-profits optimally serve their communities as Founder and Principal for Miller Operations & Strategy, an events and fundraising strategic management company. Outside of work, Adrienne is an active member of her community, serving on the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council Board of Directors, and volunteering with her church, sorority,  Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated., and the Association of Fundraising Professionals - Greater Houston Chapter. In her spare time, she loves to mentor young girls, is a podcast aficionado and an avid traveler with 33 countries and counting under her belt.