Why Support Holderness?

We Rely On Your Support

The Office of Advancement’s mission is to raise funds to support all areas of Holderness School. Our success is made possible by the generous contributions of more than 1,800 alumni, parents, and friends every year. This broad base of support includes gifts at all levels that together have a tremendous impact on our school. Making an investment in Holderness School’s future will pay dividends for generations to come, and we hope you will consider joining us in this important endeavor.

Tuition only covers 75% of the yearly costs to run the school; summer programming covers 5%, while philanthropy accounts for the remaining 20% of its operating budget. Careful stewardship of tuition income, endowment revenue, and annual gifts are the means by which we care for our buildings, staff, and faculty, and provide an exceptional education to each one of our students. Philanthropy is an especially resonant word for Holderness School because our mission and most deeply-held value is Pro Deo et Genere Humano, meaning for God and Humankind.

Our Priorities

Holderness Fund – Gifts to the Holderness Fund support a wide range of priorities, including academics, arts, financial aid, special programs, athletics, and spiritual life. To learn more, contact Darren Moore ’99, Director of the Holderness Fund, at (603) 779-5245 or dmoore@holderness.org.

Capital and Endowment Gifts – Gifts to capital projects and our endowment are investments in Holderness School’s future. Your gift helps to preserve and enhance our beautiful campus, support scholarships, the library, faculty professional development, and student programming to ensure that the Holderness experience will be available to future generations. To learn more, contact Kathleen Kime ’99, Director of Major Gifts, at (603) 779-5229 or kkime@holderness.org.

Planned Gifts – Bequests allow donors to leave a legacy and make a lasting impact at Holderness. Additionally, the gift of an IRA or retirement plan, life insurance policy, annuity, or charitable trust can offer donors sizable tax benefits while also supporting Holderness. To learn more, contact Peter Barnum, Senior Associate Director of Major Gifts, at (603) 779-5221 or pbarnum@holderness.org.

Ways to Give – Gifts of cash, securities, recurring gifts, and matching gifts can make a profound impact on today’s students. To learn more, contact Tim Platt, Advancement Database and Gifts Manager, at (603) 779-5325 or tplatt@holderness.org or Mark Sturgeon, Executive Director of Advancement, at (603) 779-5225 or msturgeon@holderness.org.

Advancement Staff Directory

Our staff are here to share the ways you can help keep Holderness School at the forefront of independent school education and to inspire you with the possibilities for affecting the lives of our students.

List of 9 members.

Mark Sturgeon

Executive Director of Advancement

(603) 779-5225

Bio
Mark was previously at Norwich University, where he served as the senior director of development. Mark most recently managed all operations of the major gifts team during Norwich's bicentennial campaign. Mark’s prior work in the pharmaceutical and banking industries helped him develop a track record of relationship-driven sales, combining a vital blend of expertise in budgeting, operations, and financial analysis. Mark’s management acumen demonstrates his ability to be a strategic thinker, problem-solver, and relationship builder.

Mark earned his bachelor’s degree in history from Saint Michael’s College in Vermont. He is a member of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education and the Association of Fundraising Professionals. He previously served as the vice-chairman of the board for the Cystic Fibrosis Lifestyle Foundation, and is currently volunteering as a member of Plymouth, NH Planning Board.

Mark and his wife, Abby, have two young children, a Chesapeake Bay Retriever named Winnie, and live in Plymouth, NH.
Peter Barnum

Senior Associate Director of Major Gifts

(603) 779-5221

Bio
Pete was the Holderness School director of admissions for twenty–five years and is the creator of the now–famous criteria for knowing if a young person would be a good fit for Holderness: the trick is to ask yourself, would you want to drive across the country with this young person? He holds a B.A. from Rutgers University, and he and his wife, Joan, have three children: Faith ’09, Sam ’07, and Seth ’05. Reach Pete at (603) 779–5221.
Pat Buckley

Director of Stewardship & Operations

(603) 779-5223

Bio
Patrick joined Holderness in 2015 as the Director of Stewardship. He did his undergraduate work at Colgate University, where he majored in Political Science and History. He went on to the University of Vermont for an M.Ed., Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration. Before Holderness Patrick was Assistant/Associate Director of Alumni Affairs at Colgate University, Director of Alumni Relations & Annual Giving at Southern Vermont College, and most recently at Shakespeare and Company in Lenox, MA, where he worked in annual giving and membership.

Patrick enjoys hiking and snowshoeing. He used to play the drums, which no one believes because he is generally very quiet. Patrick is on the board of Advice to the Players, a small Shakespeare theater company in Center Sandwich, NH.
Neal Frei 03

Assistant Director of Alumni and Parent Relations

(603) 779-5264

Bio
Neal, a member of the class of 2003 has been a teacher at Holderness and now works in the advancement office as the Assistant Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement. His most recent stint at Holderness started in 2015. Neal received his BA from Hamilton College with a Biology Major and a Math Minor with a Pre-Med focus. His thesis topic was titled Adaptations in Microbial Community Function on Microbial Fuel Cell Electrode in Response to Variations in Circuit Resistances. He is happy to chat about his thesis or about giving to the Holderness Fund at any time.

He previously worked for the United States Secret Service as a Special Agent in the New York Field Office. Neal is a well-known ‘foodie’ who enjoys experiencing new foods everywhere he goes.
Kathleen Kime 99

Director of Major Gifts

(603) 779-5229

Bio
Kathleen returned to Holderness after her time as regional director, FAS Capital Giving at Harvard University and managing director of the Harvard College Fund. She holds a B.A. from the University of New Hampshire, and she and her husband Ryan have two children, Karis and Grayson. Reach Kathleen at (603) 779–5229.
Stacy Lopes

Associate Director of Alumni and Parent Relations

(603) 779-5228

Bio
Stacy comes to the Advancement staff after many years in the ski industry including working as the marketing manager for Ragged Mountain and Loon Mountain and the events and public relations manager at Waterville Valley. She holds a B.A. from Plymouth State University, and she and her husband have a daughter. Reach Stacy at (603)779–5228.
Darren Moore 99

Director of the Holderness Fund

(603) 779-5245

Bio
A member of the class of 1999, Darren returned to Holderness in 2017 after a 14 year career as a capital campaign and fundraising consultant. Darren is a recreational runner, likes to hike and travel. He has visited 38 of the United States 59 National Parks and aspires to see them all some day. Darren and his wife Lucia live in Campton NH.
Tim Platt

Advancement Database Manager

(603) 779-5325

Bio

Tim Platt comes to Holderness after 37 years of teaching Latin and history at the middle and high school level. Tim has also served as an admissions director, music director, and soccer, basketball, and crew coach throughout his time in education. Tim was even the director of Camp Mowglis on Newfound Lake for three summers. A graduate of Princeton University and Dartmouth College, Tim completes the New York Times crossword puzzle every day and recently completed hiking all 48 NH 4,000-footers.
Kelly van Lingen

Assistant Director of the Holderness Fund

(603) 779-5220

Bio
Kelly has held a variety of administrative positions spanning over 15 years. She worked as a contract manager and executive assistant for Beacon Partners, a major healthcare consulting firm, and a senior administrative assistant for Scudder Kemper Investments. She has a B.A. from Framingham State University and she and her husband Ed keep busy with their five children. Kelly can be reached at (603) 779-5220.