Board of Directors

List of 11 members.

• 

  Sallie L Porter 

  Nurse Anesthetist

  Board President

  Bio

  Sallie joins the Hanger Hall Board of Directors as her youngest daughter, Anna, begins 6th grade at Hanger Hall. Her older daughter, Emily, is a Hanger Hall Alumna.

  
  

  Sallie recently served on the Hanger Hall Head of School Search Committee and has become increasingly interested in the benefits of single-gender education. She previously served as Vice President for the East Asheville Recreation Club during a period of great transition.

  
  

  Professionally, Sallie works as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist at Providence Anesthesia. She also serves on national anesthesia certification committees. 

  
  

  In her free time, she enjoys adventuring around the Asheville area with her family and dog Gus. Sallie also loves any opportunity to see live theater.

  
  

  As a member of the Hanger Hall Board of Directors, Sallie hopes to promote inclusivity, intellectual curiosity and social-emotional learning within the school community.
• 

  Katie Conner 

  Head of School

  Bio

  I am honored to serve as Head of School at Hanger Hall, a place that has been close to my heart since I first joined the faculty in 2005. Over the years I have had the privilege of witnessing and contributing to tremendous growth and positive change within this remarkable community.

  Originally from Maryland and the youngest of four redheaded siblings, I made my way to Western North Carolina for college and quickly knew this was where I wanted to plant roots. After some time out west and the birth of my first daughter, I returned to the area and settled in Swannanoa, where my family grew with the arrivals of Violet and Lucille. All three of my girls attended and graduated from Hanger Hall, which makes this community all the more meaningful to me on a personal level.

  Before stepping into school leadership, I taught 6th grade Humanities and 6th through 8th grade Spanish at Hanger Hall for many years. One of the great joys of my career has been teaching students over multiple years and seeing them grow into confident, thoughtful, and powerful young women. That long view of their development continues to shape the way I lead with deep respect for the individual journey of each student and a firm belief in the strength of our community.

  Hanger Hall is a special place, and I am so proud to continue working alongside this incredible team of educators, students, and families as we build on our mission and vision for the future.
• 

  Jodi Evans 

  Board Secretary

  Bio

  Jodi and her family moved to Asheville in 2019 and quickly fell in love with the beauty, people, and vibrant community of Western North Carolina. Since then, Asheville has truly become home. A former small business and estate planning attorney, Jodi now serves as Director of
  the Executive Office for Dogwood Health Trust. She is grateful for the opportunity to join the Hanger Hall Board.
  Outside of work, Jodi enjoys reading, hiking, and exploring all that WNC has to offer with her family. Her daughter, Piper, is currently in the fifth grade and is looking forward to becoming a Hanger Hall student next year. Jodi is delighted to join the Hanger Hall community and looks forward to getting to know the families, faculty, and students who make the school so special.
• 

  Derek Hoffman 

  Bio

  I'm a father, husband, and entrepreneur with over 17 years living in Asheville, NC. I'm a co-founder of a successful digital publishing venture, achieving top 50 website traffic rank honors in the U.S. Currently, I'm investing in innovative tech startups.

   

  Dedicated to community service, I've spent the past decade mentoring student-athletes through the UNC Asheville Leaders for Leaders program. I've also co-founded a non-profit supporting families of pediatric cancer patients and served on its board. I am also certified as a 200-hour yoga teacher, passionate about holistic well-being and personal growth.

   

  I hold a BA from the University of Michigan and have studied abroad at the University of Melbourne, Australia. I love spending time with my family, cooking, watching basketball, walking my dog, enjoying live music and traveling the world whenever possible
• 

  Nina Ireland 

  Bio

  Nina Ireland is a second-generation Asheville native, entrepreneur, community advocate, and nonprofit leader dedicated to strengthening Western North Carolina. She served on the boards of the YMI Cultural Center and OnTrack WNC and has volunteered with numerous community organizations focused on education, financial empowerment, and civic engagement. Through her work in healthcare, small business, media, and public service, Nina has led community outreach initiatives, educational workshops, and programs that connect people with valuable resources. As a single mother, entrepreneur, and active volunteer, she is passionate about developing future leaders, supporting local families, and creating opportunities that help Asheville thrive.
• 

  Katie Langwell 

  French & Drama Teacher

  Bio

  Katie Langwell has been teaching drama and French at Hanger Hall since 2007 has one of the best jobs in the world.  

  
  

  Katie grew up in Atlanta and went to University of Richmond, VA where she double-majored in French and Theatre.  After working for a theatre company in Richmond, freelancing as script supervisor in film production, and sneaking off to France whenever she could, she decided to hop a train and head to New York City.  While there, Katie helped run a theatre company, worked for HBO, and performed in many plays.  She also directed, wrote and performed for an all-women sketch comedy group.

  
  

  In Katie’s French classes, students perform skits, sing songs, create magazines, go on strike, belt out the national anthem, taste new foods, create weather reports, hold fashion shows, and play games!  Katie believes that the more fun her students have, the more they will learn.  The material becomes more challenging as students progress and by the time they leave Hanger Hall, most are able to start in French 2 in high school.

  
  

  In Drama, Katie’s classes are great for unleashing energy.  Through games, skits and improvisation, Katie works with the girls on becoming more comfortable in front of a group.  The girls all have a chance to “perform” in class every week and there is usually a lot of laughter.

  
  

  Many years, Katie also directs a school play and everyone is invited to participate.  Rather than focusing on a show that may feature one or two students, Katie tries to create shows where everyone has a chance to shine, and students are introduced to the idea of working together to create a fun evening of theater.  
• 

  Ricardo Martinez 

  Bio

  Ricardo is originally from Spain and has lived in Asheville since 1996.
  
  

  He likes to travel, bike and camp; he and his wife have undertaken several home remodeling projects in the past years in their off time.
  
  

  Ricardo has served as an Asheville police officer for the past 25 years, and is currently a sergeant over the recruitment unit.
  
  

  His career in law enforcement has equipped him with a deep understanding of community service and public safety, which he hopes to bring forward as a member of the board of directors.  
  
  

  Ricardo is the father of a Hanger Hall student and wants to make a positive impact on our school by supporting the education and development of all of our students.

   
• 

  Marta Prizadeh 

  Bio

  Marta Pirzadeh is a public health professional with more than 25 years of experience dedicated to improving health and well-being locally and globally. Throughout her career, she has focused on expanding access to education, health services, and leadership opportunities for young people—particularly girls and young women—while advocating for equity, dignity, and opportunity for all. Her expertise spans nonprofit leadership and global health programming, including youth development, HIV prevention, and community-based reproductive health. She is currently the Chief Operating Officer at the Western North Carolina AIDS Project (WNCAP).

  Additionally, Marta is deeply engaged in her local community. She currently serves on the Advisory Board of the Black Mountain YMCA and is a recent alumni of Leadership Asheville. Originally from upstate New York, she now lives in Black Mountain where she values the strength of small-town community and connection to the outdoors.

  Marta is the mother of four grown children, but is drawn to Hanger Hall because of its strong alignment with her values around youth empowerment, equity, and community-centered learning. She is eager to contribute to the school and its students by sharing her skills, experience, and passion in ways that support young people—especially girls and young women—in realizing their full potential.

  Marta holds a Master of Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a dual bachelor’s degree in Health & Society and Deaf Studies/ASL from the University of Rochester.

• Joel Puryear 

  Bio

  Joel moved to Asheville with his family in 2014 and has practiced psychiatric medicine here since then, working with clients ranging in age from 15 to 95.

   

  Outside of work, Joel enjoys cycling, camping, catching live theater with his family, and drumming, including playing in a local musical comedy improv group.

   

  Joel is the father of a Hanger Hall student and previously served on the board of Our Voice. He hopes to bring his clinical background and community experience to supporting the growth and wellbeing of every Hanger Hall student.
• 

  Hallie Veteto 

  Bio

  Wherever Hallies goes, she aim to optimize the systems around her and make things easier for those she works with. She is deeply invested in whatever environment she finds herself in, giving her full self to every task. Hallie thrives when trusted with responsibilities such as managing a team or communicating effectively with others.
  
  Hallie currently serves as a Sales and Marketing Associate for Bozzuto in Washington DC and is an alumna of Hanger Hall School.
• 

  Brunilda Weber 

  Board Treasurer

  Bio

  Born in Puerto Rico, I moved to Asheville as a child and have called Western North Carolina home ever since. Some of my fondest memories are of two cultures blending together in our house growing up. Today, home is here with my family, and I feel lucky to be raising our two kids in the same community that raised me.
  Professionally, I've spent my career in leadership and executive roles across the renewable energy and construction industries. I currently work as a renewable energy consultant, helping project owners navigate procurement and regulatory strategy, and I co-founded and ran a residential construction company here in Asheville. This fall, I'll
  begin teaching at Western Carolina University, sharing what nearly two decades in supply chain and operations have taught me with the next generation of business students.
  I'm passionate about girls' education and the confidence it builds, and I'm honored to help support the financial health and long-term growth of a school that means so much to our community.