About
Leadership
Get to Know Our Acting Head of SchoolA Profile & the Search
Chai Reddy, Ed.D. joined University School of Nashville as Head of High School on July 1, 2024 to steward the division with more than 60 High School faculty and support staff as well as 404 students and their families. The Board of Trustees appointed him Acting Head of School on January 7, 2025 to help the school through a transition. Dr. Reddy is supported by a senior leadership team of USN educators and administrators to ensure seamless operations during this time.
His commitment to fostering an inclusive learning environment aligns perfectly with USN’s mission and guiding principles. He will prioritize building trust and relationships with our families & students and serve as an exemplary ambassador of our school while attending admissions events, recruiting faculty, and continuing his work with professional organizations.
His commitment to fostering an inclusive learning environment aligns perfectly with USN’s mission and guiding principles. He will prioritize building trust and relationships with our families & students and serve as an exemplary ambassador of our school while attending admissions events, recruiting faculty, and continuing his work with professional organizations.
A product of the independent school Holland Hall in Oklahoma, Dr. Reddy earned a Doctor of Education in Interdisciplinary Leadership Studies from Creighton University, a Master of Arts in Humanities from John Carroll University, and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Lake Forest College.
He came to USN from Beaver Country Day School in Massachusetts, where he has worked as Director of the Upper School since 2021. Dr. Reddy began his career as a math and science teaching intern at the Haverford School in Pennsylvania before moving to Hawken School in Ohio where he taught history and humanities, coached, and served on a number of student and faculty committees. Dr. Reddy moved to Punahou School in Hawaii where for 13 years he taught social studies, coached football and basketball, and oversaw the start and growth of a number of global education programs as director of the Wo International Center. He has served on the faculty during the National Association of Independent School’s annual Student Diversity Leadership Conference — which USN student leaders attend each fall — and was the founder and principal consultant for the Shanti Alliance, designed to support educators and students as they enact social change within their school communities.
Undertaking a search for a new Head of School is an extensive process, and we are committed to assuring that the high caliber of USN’s education and service to our students is not impacted during this time of transition. The Board is taking swift action to select an Interim Head of School and has established a committee to lead this process, chaired by Trustee Naima Walker Fierce.
Undertaking a search for a new Head of School is an extensive process, and we are committed to assuring that the high caliber of USN’s education and service to our students is not impacted during this time of transition. The Board is taking swift action to select an Interim Head of School and has established a committee to lead this process, chaired by Trustee Naima Walker Fierce.
School LeadershipBoard of Trustees
The USN Board of Trustees serves to fulfill the Mission of USN:University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.
USN Board of Trustees Members
List of 4 items.
-
Board Leadership
President: Eric Kopstain
Vice President: Benjamin Goldberg '98
Secretary: Kristin Wilson
Treasurer: Jim Rieniets -
Board Members
Aole Ansari
McLean Barbieri '97
Terrence BrooksMarcya Carter-SheatsChris Chamberlain '85
Stacey Cason
Vinh Duong
Saeed Fakhruddin
Reagan Farr
Scott Ghertner '85
Amy Huffman
Shanna Singh Hughey
Alex Jahangir
Tonia Klein
Tina Modi
Robert Perry '03
Will Radford
Jennifer Russell
Divya Shroff
David Spigel '88
Kelly Unger
Naima Walker FierceMatthew Wolf '99 -
Emeritus & Honorary Members
Emeritus MembersAnn FundisFrank GarrisonJohn Hassenfeld '75Mike Shmerling '73
Raymond ZimmermanHonorary Members
Teri Doochin Kasselberg '73 -
Ex Officio
Ex Officio Members
Chai Reddy, Acting Head of School
Dara Freiberg, 2024-2025 USNA Co-President
Erin Zagnoev, 2024-2025 USNA Co-PresidentMike and Brandy Bivens, 2023-2025 Annual Fund Co-ChairsNathalie Lavine '00, 2024-2025 Vice President, PDS/USN Alumni Association
Betsy Hoffman '83, 2024-2025 Faculty Representative
USN Administrative Team
List of 14 members.
1915 to presentPDS/USN Directors
- Dr. Richard Thomas Alexander
1915 – 1924 - Dr. William Henry Yarbrough
1924 – 1937 - Dr. John Edwin Windrow
1937 – 1947 - Dr. T. Ross Fink
1947 – 1951 - Dr. William Knox McCharen
1951 – 1968 - L. Edward Pratt
1968 – 1977 - Harold Snedcof
1977 – 1978 - Heber Rogers*
1978 – 1979 - Harvey B. Sperling
1979 – 1990 - Kay Simmons*
1990 – 1991 - Edward R. Costello
1991 – 1999 - Dr. Jean Gray Litterer*
1999 – 2000 - Dr. Vincent W. Durnan Jr.
2000 – 2022 - Amani Reed
2022 – 2025 - Chai Reddy*
January 7, 2025 – present
*Interim Director
Contact USN
Edgehill Campus
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-321-8000
Fax: 615-321-0889
Email: info@usn.org
River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-321-8000
Fax: 615-321-0889
Email: info@usn.org
River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218
USN Mission:
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.