Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient 2025: Cara Puckett Roxland '01

Each spring, as another group of seniors graduates from Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School and officially become alumni, a familiar saying is heard: you are forever a Golden Bear. Few embody that lifelong connection more than the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient, Cara Puckett Roxland '01.

A proud Alpha-Omega, Ms. Roxland began her HIES journey at age three along with her identical twin sister, Marisa Puckett Howell '01. She was a highly involved student, with activities ranging from student council to varsity volleyball and serving as yearbook editor. She fondly recalls being taught by Niki Simpson twice, participating in spirit days and Winterfest and, in classic twin fashion, switching places with her sister for a day.

Ms. Roxland was officially named the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient earlier this year at the HIES State of the School address, where a group of her HIES classmates were in attendance to cheer her on. She was introduced by longtime friend and fellow HIES alumni Lauren Fryer Tucker '01, director of leadership giving at HIES and Ms. Roxland’s former colleague at Shepherd Center. 

“When I heard I was selected to receive this award, you could have knocked me over with a feather,” Ms. Roxland said. “I can’t think of anything that would mean more to me.”

Though a member of one of the school’s earliest graduating classes, Ms. Roxland is, in many ways, just as connected to the school as ever. Her longstanding commitment includes multiple terms on the Alumni Advisory Board—one as its president—and frequent volunteer work at alumni events. She’s served as a Class Representative for two decades, keeping her fellow Golden Bears connected to each other and to the school.

“My dearest and oldest friends are HIES grads. I find myself getting nostalgic a lot when I’m there, even though it looks a little different.”

Ms. Roxland has a deep-held belief that when you’re aligned with an institution’s mission and values, the natural outcome is a commitment to its success. This guiding principle has shaped not only her ongoing support of HIES but also her professional career.

Shortly after graduating from the University of Georgia with a degree in public relations, Ms. Roxland formally began her journey at Shepherd Center in 2005, a not-for-profit hospital specializing in the treatment of spinal cord and brain injuries. She notes, however, that her connection to Shepherd started years before then, as her mother was a longtime volunteer.

“I was probably there stuffing envelopes before I was speaking full sentences.”

Currently serving as the hospital’s engagement manager, Ms. Roxland has spent the subsequent decades at Shepherd in a variety of roles. Along the way, she met her husband, Jon, who shares her dedication as Shepherd Center’s director of major and planned gifts. Since 2020, she has focused primarily on leading engagement efforts for Shepherd’s $500 million capital campaign, ensuring each donor’s contribution is properly celebrated and that supporters experience the meaningful impact of their gifts.

“At Shepherd, Cara could always be counted on to take a vision to the next level,” Lauren Fryer Tucker ‘01 said, reflecting on her time as Ms. Roxland’s colleague. “Whether it was our time working together on the women’s philanthropy program or the current campaign, Cara could step into a meeting and hear what was being dreamt up and transform those dreams into actionable realities.”

Known for her ability to balance compassion with clear direction, Ms. Roxland is admired for the way she combines thoughtful listening with decisive action. Colleagues describe her as someone who gets things done while remaining sensitive to the people involved—a rare mix of efficiency and empathy that has defined her success at Shepherd. Her instinct to approach challenges with both heart and strategy has made her a trusted collaborator and friend to many.

As Ms. Roxland navigates a busy schedule of event support, facilitating donor naming opportunities and forging personal connections, no day is the same. She finds a sense of meaning in having watched and supported Shepherd Center, which celebrated its 50th anniversary earlier this year, through years of growth and expansion.

“As soon as you walk in the door, you see hope and inspiration…I’m not on the front lines, I’m not clinical, but I have so much respect and appreciation for those who are. You have to be invested if you’re going to ask others to invest.”

For the past three years, Ms. Roxland has helped facilitate a meaningful partnership between Shepherd Center and the PEAK Leadership Institute at HIES, affording students an up-close look at Shepherd’s innovative approach to patient care with site visits and in-depth tours. This fall, a group of PEAK students visited Ms. Roxland at Shepherd, where they met with staff members, toured the hospital’s therapy and research areas, and learned about the variety of career paths that contribute to patient recovery. Ms. Roxland shared her own experiences and insights during the visit, helping students connect the school’s leadership principles with real-world applications in healthcare.

“It’s been really fun to have my worlds collide…We are such a specific form of healthcare, and I love that PEAK helps expose students to it.”

Despite a full and fulfilling career, Ms. Roxland has remained closely connected to the people and places that helped shape her. Her dedication to Holy Innocents’ extends well beyond formal roles or titles. Whether helping plan reunions, chairing alumni initiatives, or simply bringing classmates together, Ms. Roxland continually finds ways to celebrate connection. Her efforts have strengthened the alumni community and deepened the sense of belonging that she herself values so deeply.

Forever a Golden Bear, she sums up her enduring bond with Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School in just a few heartfelt words:

“I have a lifelong home at HIES."