The Right Reverend Douglas E. Theuner Award is named in honor of the Eighth Bishop of New Hampshire, a faithful servant of Holderness School. This award is given to a person who has significantly increased and furthered the mission of the school. 

At this year’s Commencement ceremony in late May, Nell Reynolds P'18, '20, '22, was awarded the Right Reverend Douglas E. Theuner Award for her years of service as a Holderness School Trustee and Board Chair, and for her impact as a lifelong educator, leader, and passionate advocate for students.

Leading Through Challenge and Change

With a career spent in the classroom as an English teacher and on the sidelines as a field hockey coach, Nell understands the transformative power of schools and great educators. Nell joined the Holderness Board of Trustees in 2016 and went on to lead the board as Chair from 2019 to 2023, guiding the school with clarity, compassion, and purpose. She also chaired the School Life Committee and continues to serve on the Advancement, Governance, and Nominating Committees.

Nell is a graduate of Choate-Rosemary Hall, earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in English from Dartmouth College, and holds a master's degree from SUNY-Cortland in English Education. Before serving on the Holderness Board of Trustees, Nell served on the Fay School Board of Trustees and Lincoln Nursery School. With wisdom, grace, and unwavering dedication, Nell led our school and board through some of its most challenging and transformative years. From steering us through the uncertainty of COVID, to thoughtfully chairing the search committee to find a new head of school, her leadership has been steady, strategic, and deeply human.

A Parent's Perspective, A Trustee's Purpose

As a parent of three remarkable graduates, she brought not only institutional insight but also personal investment to every conversation. Most notably, Nell has fostered a board culture rooted in empathy, engagement, and shared purpose, ensuring that every voice was heard and every decision was grounded in what was best for students. Her legacy is one of resilience, heart, and lasting impact.

Earlier in the spring, Nell's daughter Emma '22 delivered a wonderful Chapel Talk based on the idea that a person's success is often built upon other people believing in them first. Emma used her time at the microphone to celebrate the amazing teachers, coaches, dorm parents, and fellow students whose belief in her helped to bring out the very best during her time at Holderness.