MCF Board of Directors

The Magdalene College Foundation (MCF) is overseen by a dedicated Board of Directors, each of whom generously volunteers their time, expertise, and guidance in support of the College and its mission.

Their leadership helps to ensure the effective stewardship of funds raised in North America, strengthening Magdalene’s ability to provide life-changing opportunities for students and to preserve its academic and historic character.

The Directors serve without compensation or reimbursement, reflecting their deep commitment to the College and its future.

All administrative costs of the MCF are separately funded, ensuring that 100% of donors' gifts go directly to supporting Magdalene College. This means every contribution makes a full and immediate impact on students, academic programmes, and College priorities.

Chairman

Mr Robert Chartener OBE (1982) is chairman of Human Touch LLC, a leading company in innovative wellness solutions. Over his career, he has held key roles in operations, finance, and investment in both the United States and internationally.

Passionate about education and philanthropy, Mr Chartener serves on several non-profit boards. He is a trustee and vice president of The Hotchkiss School, a trustee and secretary of Cardigan Mountain School, chairman of the Egmont US Foundation, and co-chairman of the Parents Leadership Council at Haverford College. More than 20 years ago, he founded Magdalene in America to strengthen ties between Magdalene College and its members across North America.

Mr Chartener holds an A.B. from Princeton University, an M.Phil. from Cambridge University, and an M.B.A. from Harvard University. He is a Fellow-Commoner of Magdalene College.

Vice-chairman

Mr Geoffrey Craddock (1977) is Chief Risk Officer at MassMutual in New York. He leads the company’s enterprise risk management strategy, overseeing operational and reputational risks across MassMutual and its subsidiaries.

Before joining MassMutual in 2017, Mr Craddock served as Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Officer at OppenheimerFunds. In this role, he established and led the firm’s risk management and asset allocation function in response to the global financial crisis, strengthening governance and supporting strategic initiatives.

Mr Craddock holds an MBA from Cranfield School of Management and a BA/MA from the University of Cambridge.

Treasurer

Mr David Brigstocke (1971) is a former Managing Director of J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc. and previously served as Chief Financial Officer of J.P. Morgan Asset Management.

He began his career as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG before moving into investment management. Mr Brigstocke holds an MA in Mathematics from the University of Cambridge and an MSc in Management Science from Imperial College London.

Ms Suzanna Jemsby (1990) is the Head of School at Washington International School, an independent institution in Washington, DC, serving students from preschool to grade 12. The school follows the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, with a focus on language immersion and inquiry-based learning.

She has held leadership roles in schools across the USA, Germany, and the UK. Ms Jemsby holds ALCM and LLCM qualifications from the London College of Music and an MA in Modern and Medieval Languages from the University of Cambridge.

Ms Clemency Burton-Hill MBE (2020) is a broadcaster, author, journalist, and violinist. She studied English at Magdalene (2000–03) and was awarded an MBE in 2022 for services to broadcasting and journalism.

She has presented for the BBC, including Last Night of the Proms, and hosts the Classical Fix podcast for BBC Radio 3. A columnist for BBC Culture and chief interviewer for BBC Music Magazine, her writing has appeared in The Financial Times, The Guardian, and The Sunday Times.

Clemency is the author of Year of Wonder and Another Year of Wonder and lives in Washington, DC, with her family.

Dr Jason Hafler (2006) is Managing Director of Sanofi Ventures. Previously, he was Director of Corporate Development at Translate Bio and worked in life sciences investment at Atlas Venture. He has also been a Flagship Ventures Entrepreneurial Fellow and a consultant for the University of Cambridge’s technology transfer company.

Jason holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge and graduated with honours from Bowdoin College.