Young women of integrity, compassion, and confidence
That’s how the school viewbook describes the St. Mary’s girls of today, and these words ring true of alumnae as well.
It is encouraging to see St. Mary’s - the #1 girls' school in the Southeast region - continue its tradition of providing an outstanding education which enables each student to reach her potential and instills in girls a sense of responsibility to others and a belief that they can make the world better.
It is also delightful to be part of a community of capable, hard-working, and fun-loving women. St. Mary’s welcomes alumnae back to campus for our annual Alumnae Weekend and brings together alumnae for events throughout the year and across the country, including book clubs, alumnae chapel speakers, decades parties, and gatherings of alumnae in other cities.
The financial support of alumnae is vital to the school. More than half of our alumnae give to the Annual Fund, with gifts ranging from $50 to $50,000. All gifts are essential as we ensure that today’s girls receive an exemplary education in a supportive community, just as we did. Please know that we are grateful for every single gift, regardless of size, as we are grateful for you as a member of the
St. Mary's family.
Please contact us to learn more about upcoming events, to share an idea, or to get more involved in volunteering or leadership.
We hope to see you soon!
Elizabeth Simpson Alrutz '82
Alumnae Board President
The Outstanding Alumna Award is given each year to an alumna who exhibits the qualities inherent in the St. Mary’s philosophy: integrity, spirituality, loyalty, and service.
Kathy Buckman Gibson '80
St. Mary's Alumnae Association is pleased to announce that Kathy Buckman Gibson '80 will be honored as St. Mary's 2022 Outstanding Alumna.
Kathy is the President and CEO of KBG Technologies, LLC, a pillar in the Memphis and global business communities, and a leader of many philanthropic endeavors. She will receive the award and deliver remarks on April 1, 2022, during St. Mary’s Alumnae Weekend, which is part of the school’s 175th-anniversary festivities.
For more than 30 years, Kathy served on the board of Bulab Holdings, Inc., the parent company of Buckman, a specialty chemical supplier. She also held several key positions at Buckman, including chief operating officer and general counsel, worked as an analyst for Citicorp, and was an associate in mergers and acquisitions at Smith, Gambrell & Russell law firm. She holds a JD and an MBA from Emory University and an AB from Duke University.
A champion of educational causes, Kathy is the chair of First 8 Memphis and serves on the board of Seeding Success and Tennesseans for Quality Early Education. She is also a trustee of the Women’s Foundation for Greater Memphis, a board member of the National Civil Rights Museum, and a member of the Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce Chairman’s Circle. While at Buckman, Kathy led the company’s global BuckmanCares initiative, which continues to drive corporate social responsibility, volunteer efforts, and philanthropic giving programs.
Kathy has held previous leadership roles at Girls Inc., Memphis Talent Dividend, St. Mary’s Episcopal School, United Way of the Mid-South, Lausanne Collegiate School, Mid-South Reading Alliance, the Assisi Foundation, and Memphis BioWorks Foundation. In 2019, she was named Woman of the Year by the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry and a Change Maker for the City of Memphis by Leadership Memphis. Kathy is married to J.W. Gibson, and they have two daughters.
Please join us in congratulating an exceedingly deserving recipient whose outstanding leadership brings light and life to everything she does.
The St. Mary’s Alumnae Association presents the Creative Teacher Award each year to a teacher who exemplifies the high ideals of the school and who embodies a spirit of wonder and imagination. The award rotates among divisions and is selected by the division head.
