Contact Development

As the assistant head of school for advancement, Bobby Cpin strengthens the school’s external relations, providing strategic partnership in development, alumni and parent relations, external communications, and long-range enrollment planning, integrating our work in these interconnected areas and seeking new opportunities for alignment and advancement of key institutional priorities. Bobby joined the school in 2013 and has held a myriad of roles including, executive director of development & alumni relations, executive director of annual giving & alumni relations, director of alumni and planned giving, amongst others. Bobby has devoted much of his working career to the academic world, having previously held senior positions at The George Washington University, Georgetown University’s School of Medicine, and the University of Pennsylvania. He has also taught graduate level classes in nonprofit management and history and visual art classes at the secondary school level. He is a member of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s (CASE) esteemed Independent School Leadership Group. He has a deep understanding of how schools function behind the scenes, and he enjoys thinking creatively about how our community can come together to support our students, teachers, and our mission. An avid oil painter and ice hockey enthusiast, Bobby received his B.A. in sociology and fine arts from Hamilton College, and earned graduate degrees from Syracuse University and the University of Pennsylvania. He and his wife, Becky, have two children and reside in Great Falls, Virginia.

Bobby can be reached at 202-537-2355 or click here to send an email.

Kavon Akhtar joined the annual giving team in August 2015 as associate director of annual giving. He then served as the director of young alumni giving until 2019, when he became director of annual giving. A D.C.-area native, he received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from George Washington University. Kavon came to St. Albans from Flint Hill School, his alma mater, where he served as sports information director and then as director of alumni relations. Kavon is responsible for developing and implementing annual giving’s strategy. Kavon serves as a primary point of contact for donors and supports the work of our dedicated volunteer teams. In addition to his steadfast work in the Development Office, Kavon has served as an assistant coach for the varsity basketball team since the 2016-17 season. He and his wife, Jordan, reside in Arlington, Va.

Kavon can be reached at 202-537-6409 or click here to send an email.

Robin Boswell is the associate director of alumni relations in the Development Office, where she is responsible for planning for alumni events, electronic communication, web updates, and alumni class notes. She came to St. Albans in 1997 as a development assistant, primarily responsible for gift entry and data base management. In 1999, she became the assistant to the director of development and office manager. Robin then took on the position of admissions and financial aid assistant from 2004 to 2007. Before coming to St. Albans School, Robin served as a senior secretary for the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. Prior to the FRB, she served as secretary and legal technician to the General Counsel of the Office of Justice Programs at the Department of Justice.

Robin can be reached at 202-537-5593 or click here to send an email.

Catherine can be reached at 202-537-5205 or click here to send an email.

Lanier Frank joined the development team as director of alumni relations in 2014, and is responsible for engaging alumni of all ages in their support of the school and one another. He works to build on-campus and regional events that encourage all alumni to remain actively involved in the life of the school. Previously, he served as vice president at Crossway Community Inc., advancing fundraising efforts as an entrepreneurial nonprofit in Maryland, and prior to that at a division of Johnston, Lemon & Co. that sponsored and administrated over $50 billion in mutual fund assets. Volunteerism on the Close includes his service as head of the NCS Annual Fund, chair of St. Albans Annual Giving, and 16 years on the St. Albans Alumni Association Board, the last two as president. Lanier received a B.A. in Business Administration from Vanderbilt University. He and his wife, Bethany, have two children, Shepherd ’09 and Campbell ’10 (NCS).

Lanier can be reached at 202-537-6582 or click here to send an email.

Manager of development information systems since July 2018, Preston hails from New Orleans, by way of Alaska, Georgia, and Washington, D.C. Most recently, he served as a database administrator and grant writer for the Louisiana SPCA, where he adopted/rescued his best buddy, Bogie, a terrier mix. Preston holds degrees from American University (B.A. in law and society) and the University of Georgia School of Law (J.D.). Following law school, he clerked for the Honorable Anna M. Moran, Superior Court Judge, in Kenai, Alaska, and represented indigent clients as a public defender in Southeast Georgia. An active volunteer, Preston built homes in Cambodia with Habitat for Humanity and served on the board for several LGBT organizations in Louisiana. Preston considers himself an epicurean adventurer and a musical theater aficionado.

Preston can be reached at 202-537-5592 or click here to send an email.

Ted Pelonis joined the Development Office in 2015 as a senior development officer. In this role, he will build and strengthen relationships with individuals and families that match their philanthropy with the School’s priorities. Prior to joining St. Albans, he held development positions at the American Heart Association, George Washington University, Georgetown University, and Bread for the City. A graduate of UC Santa Barbara, he holds a degree in English Literature and continues to enjoy reading as well as playing tennis and golf. A twenty-year District resident, Ted lives in Logan Circle with his wife, Eve, daughter, Rhea, and son, Leo.

Ted can be reached at 202-537-5790 or click here to send an email.

Since joining the development team in the fall of 2014, Kari Wade has served as the special events manager, covering all types of events for our alumni, parents, faculty, and friends of the school. She also designs many of the print and online material for the Development and Alumni Office. Prior to St. Albans, she worked for four years as the events and operations manager at the Wildwoods Convention Center in New Jersey, and spent three seasons leading the group events department for the Bowie Baysox minor league baseball team. Kari is a 2002 graduate of Lawrence Academy in Massachusetts, and received her B.A. in communication from the University of Maryland at College Park.

Kari can be reached at 202-537-6426 or click here to send an email.