New Leadership, Enduring Commitment

At the regular summer meeting in July, Baylor’s Board of Regents welcomed six new members. Leadership also transitioned to a new chair, Todd Patterson, B.S. ’90, who served last year as vice chair and is founding partner of Patterson + Sheridan, LLP. He succeeds William “Bill” Mearse, B.B.A. ’78, M.B.A. ’79. The new vice chair is Jack F. Harper II, B.B.A. ’93, a member of Baylor’s board since 2022 and a partner and co-founder of Hedloc Investment Co.

With the new members in place, 94% of this year’s Regents are either Baylor alumni, professors or current students, and several also are current Baylor parents. The strong individual and collective commitments that board members have to the University will guide their efforts to strategically advance Baylor’s historic strengths and adhere tightly to its distinct position as a Christian R1 institution.

The six new regents include three serving at-large, plus one new Alumni-Elected Regent, one new Student Regent and one new Faculty Regent.

Elizabeth Carlyle, B.B.A. ’92, J.D. ’95, at-large Regent, is CEO of First Freedom Art Company in Houston.

Brad Creed, B.B.A. ’79, Ph.D., at-large Regent, retired as president of Campbell University in 2025 after a 10-year tenure. Before that, Creed served as provost and executive vice president at Samford University and as dean of Baylor’s Truett Seminary.

Mary Freiner, Student Regent, is pursuing her Master of Divinity at Truett Seminary, where she leads the Truett Asian Student Association. She also holds degrees from Samford (B.A., political science) and George Washington University (M.A., Latin American and Hemispheric Studies).

Chris Hansen, M.F.A., Faculty Regent, is chair of Baylor’s Department of Film & Digital Media and is a writer and director.

Carlos Ramón, B.S. ’90, at-large Regent, is a global technology executive and entrepreneur. He has led tech firms such as Conviva, Veriforce and Uniply, and has held senior roles at such companies as PeopleSoft, Akamai and Silver Spring.

Susan “Suzii” Youngblood March, B.A. ’72, Alumni-Elected Regent, is policy consultant for the H. E. Butt Foundation in San Antonio. She previously served as CEO of Prosper Waco, the Christian Life Commission of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.