Meet the Coaches

Tom joined the Heathwood coaching staff in 2021 as the Head Girls lacrosse coach. Previously, he was the head coach at Forest Park High School in Woodbridge VA. In his fourteen years at Forest Park his teams qualified every year for the regional playoffs. He was selected 6A Coach of the Year in 2015. He is a frequent presenter at the US Lacrosse Conference and was a selector for the Virginia national team and in 2021 for South Carolina. Tom has a BA in History from Ohio Wesleyan, master’s from Ohio University in Athletic Administration, Masters in International Policy from the National War College and a masters from Webster University in Management.

Rob teaches math and coaches football and softball coach at Heathwood. Prior to Heathwood, Rob taught for sixteen years in Long Beach, CA. Rob graduated with a BA in Liberal Studies with a minor in History and an MA in Educational Administration from Long Beach State in California.

Brian Benator joined the Heathwood Hall community in May of 2023. Brian will serve as the Head Varsity Boys Basketball Coach and Program Director. In addition, Brian will assist in various areas within the athletic department.

From 2015-23, Brian was an Assistant Men's Basketball Coach and recruiting coordinator with The University of West Florida, where in 2018 the Argos won the Gulf South Conference Tournament and participated in the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball National Tournament.

In July of 2021, Benator earned the 2021 Anthony Stewart Memorial Coach of the Year Award from the embRACEus organization. embRACEus is an organization that is aimed to transform, empower, and promote coaches and administrators in professional, college, and high school athletics. In June of 2019, Benator was selected as 1 of 11 participants in the Jay Bilas Skills Academy: Coaches Leadership Program. The program is designed to prepare NCAA Division I college assistant coaches for an opportunity to become a head college basketball coach in the future. Benator was one of two NCAA Division II assistant coaches selected in the inaugural program.

Before West Florida, Brian had coaching stints at Young Harris College, Fishburne Military School, Tennessee-Chattanooga, and the University of North Georgia and served in various roles. Throughout his career as a college coach, he has coached numerous professional basketball players and school record holders.

Benator graduated from The University of Georgia in 2008 with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management, where he served as a student manager for the men's basketball team. He completed his Master's in Business Administration at Tennessee-Chattanooga in August 2011.

An Atlanta native, Brian and his wife Melissa, a 1st grade teacher at Heathwood, have been married since 2015. They are parents to Jake ('36) and Emma Rose.

Brian Buscher is a Lower School Physical Education teacher and heads Heathwood’s baseball program. Coach Buscher is a graduate of the University of South Carolina , where he earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Psychology. Before his teaching career started, he was a professional baseball player for nine years and Division 1 college baseball assistant coach for six years.

Born and raised in Goose Creek, SC, Brianna Davie has been passionate about basketball since she was six years old. She played on the women's team at the College of Charleston, from which she graduated in  2011 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. She currently works in real estate with a focus on real estate investing.

Nick is a graduate of UNC-Charlotte, where he was a four year scholarship tennis player and earned a degree in Spanish. He has worked as a tennis pro for twenty years, teaching at numerous clubs/resorts such as Wild Dunes, Kiawah Island, Rockbridge, and Country Club of Landfall in Wilmington. He still enjoys playing Pro Ams and exhibitions. Nick has coached the boys and girls varsity tennis teams at Heathwood since 2017, as well as directed the afterschool tennis program for kids.

Jason Giovannone joined the Heathwood Hall faculty in the fall of 2013. Prior to joining Heathwood, Jason collected and tested water samples for an independent lab. He was an educator and avian keeper at Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens. He received his B.S. in Middle School Education from the University of South Carolina.

“I love that we are encouraged to explore and use our campus to enhance our teaching and develop a natural wonder in all of our students. Our beautiful 133-acre campus includes various habitats and learning environments that extend my teaching from a traditional four walled classroom.”

Drew completed his undergraduate and Master's degree in Music Education at Auburn University.  During his time at Auburn, he performed in various ensembles and venues, such as the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.  He is also an avid golfer and competes in several local amateur golf tournaments.  He taught in Alabama, Virginia, and Georgia, before coming to Heathwood Hall to be the band director for the Middle School and Upper School.  He also serves as the Head Coach for the Boys Golf Team and Assistant Coach for the Girls Golf Team.

Curtis joined the faculty at Heathwood in 2001. While at Heathwood, he has taught Middle School Math and Lower and Middle School PE. He also served as the Assistant Athletic Director for 10 years and earned the SCISA Charles Smith Volunteer of the Year, in 2009. Outside of the classroom, Curtis has coached numerous teams on campus, including Boys and Girls Middle School Basketball, Junior Varsity Girls Basketball, and Girls Varsity Soccer. In 2013, the Girls Soccer team won their first and only State Championship. Curtis earned All-American Honors in soccer while at Hampden-Sydney. He was inducted into the HSC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005. Curtis and his wife, Cheryl have two children, Callie (’27) and Charlie (’29)

Rev. Jeri-Katherine Sipes joined the Heathwood Track & Field coaching staff in Spring 2020, and she began full-time employment at Heathwood as an assistant chaplain, religion teacher and coach in Fall 2021. Before coming to Heathwood Jeri-Katherine served in United Methodist Churches across the Midlands for eleven years, and she coached cross country and track for ten years at Dreher High School, growing the program from a dozen runners to over sixty runners, taking the program from an unranked team to consistently competing as one of the top 5 teams in the state and coaching many state champions and future collegiate runners from the 400m to the 5k. Jeri-Katherine’s interests include the Hebrew Bible, Ecotheology, Theology & the Body, Wesleyan Theology, and Social Justice/Advocacy. She has a passion for learning and sharing her love of God, learning and running with all ages. She is currently enrolled in a Youth Ministry program at Princeton Theological Seminary, hoping to learn and grow into her new role as a youth religious educator. “Heathwood gives me the opportunity to do everything I have been made to do: learn, teach, pastor, coach, run and enjoy God’s beautiful first incarnation–creation. The community and campus at Heathwood are life-giving.” She and her husband, Hiram, have three boys, Hiram Clyde (‘33), Grady (‘35), and Obie (‘37).

Eliza joined Heathwood's faculty in 2020. After graduating from Heathwood in 2011, Eliza attended the University of Georgia, where she studied fisheries and wildlife biology. She then completed a dual master's program in Charleston while working for the Department of Natural Resources, working in environmental education. Immediately prior to Heathwood, Eliza worked in watershed management. In addition to teaching 8th grade science, Eliza serves as the chair of the Heathwood Alumni Council and coaches cheerleading.

Willis has served on the faculty and staff at Heathwood for 16 years. His duties include teaching courses in the Upper School (Global Issues, Multicultural Studies, and Public Speaking), managing the school's community service efforts, and coordinating multicultural initiatives. Willis, who received All-Conference and All-American honors on the University of Missouri’s cross country and track teams, is also the head girls’ cross country coach and track coach.

Willis has three years experience in academic counseling and personal counseling at the university level and twelve years experience in family counseling. He also has over 25 years experience managing community service projects for high school and college students. Mr. Ware, who received a Chamber of Commerce Civic Award for community service as an undergraduate student, served as the president of the United Way of the Midlands Blueprint for Leadership class of 2005. He also served on the American Red Cross Diversity Leadership Council, the Youth Corps Board of Directors, the Hope Worldwide S.C. Board of Directors, and served as chair of the Palmetto Association of Independent Schools Diversity Leadership Committee. He has completed training in the National Association of Independent Schools Summer Diversity Institute and was recognized by Palmetto Association of Independent Schools for his leadership in the development of the first PAIS Inclusivity Conference. He currently serves as a Diplomat for the Columbia Chamber of Commerce and has recently completed training in Brown University’s Choices Program’s Engaging Students in Inquiry and Discussion on International Issues.

Willis’ daughter, Lydia, is a Heathwood alum ('09) and a graduate of the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill ('13).

Stefani joined the faculty at Heathwood in 2017. She currently teaches both Lower School and Early Childhood Physical Education. In addition to her work in the classroom, Stefani is the Head Women’s Varsity Volleyball Coach, and has previously served as Head Coach to the Middle School Volleyball program. Outside of Heathwood she has played and coached volleyball at both the colligate and club levels. Before moving to South Carolina, Stefani spent two years serving as the first assistant at Iona College for the Women’s volleyball and a year serving as the Second Assistant at Rider University. She has coached numerous camps and clubs for over 12 years. Stefani comes to us from Long Island, New York, where she graduated from Molloy College with B.A. in Communications with a minor in Psychology.

Brionna Dickerson Zimmerman '05 joined Heathwood Hall in August of 2018. As Alumni Relations Coordinator, Brionna works closely with the Development and Advancement teams to increase alumni engagement with the school through events like Homecoming, Mingle & Jingle, the Alumni Giving Challenge, and the Alumni Spring Reunion. Prior to her role in Alumni Relations, Brionna spent three years as the Special Events Coordinator, overseeing large-scale events like the Annual Auction, Grandparents and Special Friends Day, and Homecoming.

Brionna is also the Head Coach for the Varsity Girls Basketball team at Heathwood. Brionna ended her basketball career at Heathwood as the all-time leading scorer and third all-time scorer in the state with just under 3400 career points. She later became a Division I student-athlete at the University of South Carolina under Coach Dawn Staley. She graduated with a Masters in International Business with an emphasis in Marketing and Spanish. Brionna enjoys watching Gamecock basketball and spending weekends staying active playing kickball with her family. She and her husband, Tymere, have 3 children – Jordyn, Kobe ('33) and Skylar ('37).