Board of Trustees

List of 17 items.

• Paul W. Horgan, Head of School

• Sam Bauer '84, Board Chairman

  Sam Bauer '84 is a litigation attorney and managing partner of Bauer & Metro, PC. After graduating from Sea Pines Academy, he earned a Bachelor of Science at Spring Hill College, and a Juris Doctorate at the University of Alabama. He is a past President of the Beaufort County Bar Association, and past President of the South Carolina Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He has been accepted as a full member in the National College of DUI Defense, and the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. He is a regular instructor at the South Carolina Judge’s School, the Summary Court Judges School, and numerous lawyer education programs. He is Death Penalty Certified by the South Carolina Supreme Court, and has been actively involved in Capital Defense.
  
  

  Sam has lived on Hilton Head Island since early childhood. He lives with his daughter Isabelle, Class of '25, who attends Hilton Head Prep.

• Hillary Dollenberg, Vice Chairman

• Linda Fraser '77, Treasurer

  Linda is currently serving her sixth year on the Board of Trustees in the capacity of Treasurer while also serving on the Development Committee. Linda was a graduate of Prep’s precursor Sea Pines Academy in 1977. Her children Elliott Fraser'05 and Carson Fraser '08 are also alums. Linda graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of South Carolina. She has been a financial advisor for 26 years and is currently Vice President at Janney Montgomery Scott, LLC. Linda currently serves as the President of the Club Course Property Owners Association in Sea Pines. She has previously served on the boards of the Rotary Club of Hilton Head and the Alumni Board of Hilton Head Prep.

• Gillian Alsko, Secretary

  Gillian Alsko, and her husband Mike, own and operate Coastal Home and Villa, a boutique vacation rental company on Hilton Head Island. She has lived on the Island for 15 years and has been an active volunteer at Prep for most of those years. Gillian graduated from Rider University with a degree in American Studies and resides on Hilton Head Island with her husband Mike, their daughter Ella ‘20, and son Wynn ‘24 - both of whom are Lifers at Prep.

• Charlie Hardwick

  Charlie Hardwick and his family moved to Hilton Head in the summer of 2021 and he joined the Board of Trustees in 2022.  He is a Managing Director at FM Capital, a transportation-focused venture capital firm.  He has over 25 years of experience in alternative investments and investment banking.  

   

  Charlie holds an undergraduate degree from the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.  He is married to his wife of 19 years, Charlotte, and has one son, Charlie, class of ’25 at Hilton Head Prep.

• Walter Wilkins '91

• Cass Tokarski

  Cass Tokarski and his family moved to Hilton Head in 2021 and he joined the Board of Trustees in 2022. Cass founded Wright Cove Capital, an independent investment advisory firm, 3 years ago after a 20 year Wall Street career. Prior to founding WCC, Cass served as Global Co-Head of Securitized Products at Cantor Fitzgerald, following nine years as a Managing Director at RBS and Greenwich Capital, where he held a variety of trading roles. A New Jersey native, Cass graduated from Villanova University with a
  degree in Finance and Management Information Systems. Cass was a member and Captain of the Villanova Men’s Swim Team and a finalist at the US National Championships.

• John Long '80

  John Long, ’80 is a founding partner in South City Partners, a multi-family development company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.  After graduating from Sea Pines Academy John earned a BS in Industrial Systems Engineering at Georgia Tech. South City Partners has developed more than 5,000 units with a market value in excess of $1.5BB.  John is an active member of the National Multifamily Housing Council, is the past board chair of the Carl Sanders YMCA, a board member of Georgia Advanced Technology Ventures and an active member of Peachtree Church.  Most importantly, John is married to his wife of 31 years, Margaret, and has 3 grown kids; Abby, Jack and Millie.

• Leslie Richardson

  Leslie Barry Richardson graduated with a B.A from UNC at Chapel Hill. Leslie moved to Hilton Head Island in April 1989, after she married James N. (JR) Richardson, Jr.  Leslie works in marketing and “Special Projects” for their companies. She has been very active in the community and has served on many boards including the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, Coastal Discovery Museum, Hilton Head Orchestra Advisory Board, St. Luke’s Foundation, South Carolina Yacht Club, Sea Pines Montessori School, Young Presidents Organization, Southern Seven Gold Chapter and USA Southern and Caribbean Region. She is a Founding Member of Women in Philanthropy. She has also been involved in numerous volunteer activities and has chaired several charity events. Leslie was asked to lead the Women’s Seminar in Istanbul for the International Global Summit for Young Presidents’ Organization. She received “Volunteer of the Decade” from the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, the Colonial Dames of XVII Century Woman of the year, Hilton Head Island/Bluffton Zonta Woman of the Year, and the International Best Event Award from World President’s Organization for an Entrepreneur Youth Summit she chaired. Leslie and her husband, JR, have also received the Distinguished Citizen’s Award from Hilton Head Preparatory School and an Accommodation from The Beaufort County Council for Workforce Housing. They have three children who graduated from Hilton Head Prep, James '10, Collins '12 and Forest '14.

   

• Rob Hattler '91

  Rob Hattler (Class of 91) grew up on Hilton Head Island and started his education at Sea Pines/Hilton Head Preparatory as a first grader in January 1979. He spent twelve years at the school before attending and graduating from the University of South Carolina.
  

   

  After several years away Rob and his family moved back to the island where he began Pavilion Construction, a residential and commercial renovation company.  
  
  

  Mr. Hattler is married with two children, Emerson '30 and Myles '32. 

• Pam Jones

  Prior to moving to Bluffton three years ago, Pam Jones was a Fortune 100 executive in Atlanta, GA. During her career she held Vice President level positions in strategy, marketing, product management and advertising at Bell South and AT&T.
  
  

  She is an Honorary Board Member and past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the American Red Cross Georgia Region. She was recently appointed to the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross of South Carolina. Pam is a founding member of the National American Red Cross Tiffany Circle Society made up of female leaders and philanthropists from across the country.
  
  

  Pam is an alumna of Bucknell University, Lehigh University and Harvard University. She lives in Bluffton, SC, with her husband and three sons (Griffin ’19, Beckett ’22, and Paxton ’26).

• Catherine Scarminach Lewallen '95

  Catherine Scarminach Lewallen is a native of Hilton Head Island and a graduate of Hilton Head Prep class of 1995.
  
  

  Catherine received a Juris Doctor from Atlanta’s John Marshall School and a Bachelor of Arts from Emory University. She is a 2015 graduate of Leadership Hilton Head and member of both the South Carolina and Tennessee State Bar Associations. Catherine currently practices law at Novit & Scarminach, P.A., on Hilton Head Island with a primary focus on estate planning and probate and residential real estate. Catherine has been active as a member of the board of directors of Hospice Care of the Low Country and Hilton Head Dance Theater, and as a member of the Development and Donor Services Committee of the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry.
  
  

  Catherine and her husband, Jon, live in Bluffton with their two children, Bill and Sam.

• Kelley Stearns

  Kelley Stearns brings a dynamic blend of leadership, education, and athletics to the Hilton Head Prep Board of Trustees. A graduate of the University of Georgia, she earned an undergraduate degree in Consumer Journalism and a Master’s in Sports Management. As a member and team captain of the UGA Women’s Tennis team, Kelley led her team to three SEC Championships and a top national ranking.

   

  Kelley and her husband, BJ, own and operate the Smith Stearns Tennis Academy on Hilton Head Island, where they have built an internationally recognized program for aspiring tennis players. They are proud to raise their three children—Sophie (’35), Taylor (’37), and Summer (’41)—on the island, all of whom attend Sea Pines Montessori Academy at Hilton Head Prep.

   

  Prior to joining the Hilton Head Prep Board, Kelley served as Co-Chair of the Sea Pines Montessori Academy Board of Trustees, where she played a pivotal role in the school’s leadership and long-term vision, culminating in its merger with Hilton Head Prep. Her dedication to education, youth development, and community engagement drives her commitment to ensuring the continued excellence of Hilton Head Prep.

• Sydney Hitchcock

  Sydney Hitchcock is an attorney and a member of the Hilton Head Prep Board of Trustees. Originally from Pennsylvania, she graduated from Columbia University in 2008, where she was a member of the cross-country, track and field, and tennis teams. She began her career in HR and recruiting before earning her Juris Doctor, summa cum laude, from Seattle University School of Law in 2019. She then practiced business litigation at a Vault 100 law firm before relocating to Hilton Head Island in 2022. She currently practices trusts and estates law, helping clients with estate planning, asset protection, and wealth preservation.

  
  Sydney joined the Sea Pines Montessori Academy Board of Trustees in 2023 and served as co-chair in 2024. She lives on Hilton Head Island with her husband and their two daughters, who are currently enrolled at Sea Pines Montessori Academy at Hilton Head Prep.

• Tom Risher

  Tom is originally from Columbia, SC and after graduating from Clemson University in 1990 moved to Chicago where he spent 20 years as a bond trader in the US Treasury futures pits at the Chicago Board of Trade.

   

  Tom and his family moved to Hilton Head in 2010 when he became a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors.  In 2022 Tom made the move to Rockefeller Capital Management where he is a Managing Director and Private Advisor.

   

  Tom sits on the board of several local and regional non-profit organizations and can be found attending Clemson athletic events, in the hunting woods, or on the golf course.

   

  Tom and his wife, Jennifer, have their oldest daughter attending Hamilton College in NY and Merritt ‘26 and Caroline ‘28 both attend Hilton Head Prep.

• J.R. Richardson, Trustee Emeritus

  J.R. Richardson graduated from Mars Hill College in North Carolina. An Island resident since 1956, J.R. has been involved in various aspects of real estate sales and development in Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina since the early 1970's. He is the founder of the South Carolina Yacht Club, owner of Coligny Plaza and is a managing member of several Island companies. He sits on various boards and committees on the Island. He and his wife, Leslie have one daughter, Forest '14, and two sons, James '10, and Collins '12.