Meet Baylor’s new class of Regents

As Baylor’s Board of Regents holds its regular summer meeting this week, six new Regents are taking their seats at the table to start new terms. They’ll be led by a new Board Chair, Todd Patterson (BS ’90), and a new Vice Chair, Jack F. Harper II (BBA ’93).

Patterson, who served last year as Vice Chair, is founding partner of Patterson + Sheridan, LLP, a leading national intellectual property and complex litigation law firm headquartered in Houston. He succeeds William “Bill” Mearse (BBA ’78, MBA ’79), who completed three years as chair. Harper, a member of Baylor’s Board since 2022, is a partner and co-founder of Hedloc Investment Co., a multi-family investment office with interests in oil and gas, real estate, and financial assets.

Joining them and the other returning Board members are six new Regents taking their seats at the table to start new terms: three serving at-large, plus one new Alumni-Elected Regent, one new Student Regent, and one new Faculty Regent:

• Elizabeth Carlyle (BBA ’92, JD ’95), at-large Regent, is CEO of First Freedom Art Company in Houston — a collection that includes 200+ pieces, including the iconic The Prayer at Valley Forge painting currently on loan to the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.
• Dr. Brad Creed (BBA ’79), 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 (BA, political science) and George Washington University (MA, Latin American and Hemispheric Studies).
• Chris Hansen, Faculty Regent, is chair of Baylor’s Department of Film & Digital Media, in addition to teaching courses in directing and screenwriting. He is also an award-winning writer and director whose feature films have been screened at festivals across North America.
• Carlos Ramón (BS ’90), at-large Regent, is a global technology executive and entrepreneur with 30+ years of experience scaling tech organizations worldwide. Ramón 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 (BA ’72), Alumni-Elected Regent, is policy consultant for the H. E. Butt Foundation in San Antonio. She previously served as CEO of Prosper Waco, CEO of the Christian Life Commission of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, and CEO of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

With the new members in place, 94% of this year’s Regents — 31 of 33 — are either Baylor alumni, professors or current students (including nine who have earned multiple degrees from the university). Several are also current Baylor parents. Given the unique Baylor experience — a truly transformational education built on the foundation of our Christian faith — it’s good to see so many Bears answer the call to serve their alma mater.

Sic ’em, Baylor Regents!