Service Award: Meridee Duddleston recognized for long arc of volunteer leadership

Alumni parent and former Trustee Meridee Duddleston was presented with the Alumni Association’s Service Award virtually by former Head of School Larry Van Meter ’68. “The mother of an alumna, Meridee thoughtfully and generously contributed advice, hours of meeting time, as well as financial support, over a long arc of volunteer leadership at MFS,” said Larry. “She is a great example of an MFS parent who has continued to have a deep and meaningful connection with the school.”

Meridee first became involved at MFS when her daughter, Melissa “Missy” Waxman ’03, enrolled in fourth grade in 1994. Melissa greatly enjoyed her science courses and, eventually, her opportunities as an Upper School athlete. A life-long, year-round competitive swimmer, she was a Cross Country team captain, Girls’ Swimming team captain, and also an accomplished rower, receiving medals in national competitions. As a senior, Melissa won the Herm Magee Award, presented for outstanding athletic
achievement, leadership, and sportsmanship. While Melissa was at MFS, Meridee served as a class parent, and was asked to join the Parent Council Executive Committee as an Upper School Division Coordinator.

As Melissa’s high school career was wrapping up, Meridee started seeking new challenges. A lawyer by trade, in 2003, she began volunteering at radio station WRTI-FM. That evolved into an 18-year career there, as an award-winning arts reporter and morning news anchor.

After Melissa’s graduation, Meridee remained involved in MFS. In the winter of 2004, she served on the Vision & Program Task Group. In 2005, Meridee joined the School Committee, where she served, until 2014. She served on the Development Committee, the Property Disposition Committee, and the Governance Committee. As a trustee, she was also involved in the development of the 2011 Strategic Plan, and worked on the Quaker Dimension task group. In 2016, she began serving on the Ad Hoc Risk Assessment Committee, a subcommittee of the board that provides advice to the Head.

She currently is a member of the Head’s Council, an advisory group that works closely with Head of School Julia de la Torre.

Meridee is able to use her legal experience and analytical skills, her finely-honed ability to ask questions from her years as a radio journalist, her experience as an MFS parent, and her warm and easy-going personality and wry sense of humor, to be a truly valuable member of every group with whom she’s served at MFS.

Meridee and her husband, cardiologist Harvey Waxman, have also been generous Annual Fund donors and lead contributors to a number of important MFS initiatives, such as Campaign 2000 for the Dining Hall; the Campaign for Arts, Athletics & Endowment; the Great Classrooms for Great Kids Campaign; the Camden Scholars Endowment; and the Emergency Financial Aid Fund.

Meridee’s daughter, Melissa Waxman Fleischer, is now an operating room nurse at New York City’s Hospital for Special Surgery.

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