Leadership

Institute Leadership

Amy Thaxton

Executive Director

Amy Bryant Thaxton serves as the Executive Director of the Institute for Southern Storytelling at Mississippi College and works closely to coordinate the collaboration of founders (Robert St John and Anthony Thaxton) with the student/faculty participants of MC. Amy has served on documentary and television series crews in numerous capacities domestically and abroad. She functions as one of the producers of an upcoming major documentary on the life of beloved writer Eudora Welty. An MC alum (’97, ’23), Amy fosters a team spirit, helps wrangle the students and the schedule, and serves as the go-to person for facilitating the work of the Institute.

Anthony Thaxton

Co-founder, Filmmaker/Television Producer/Artist/Writer

Anthony Thaxton has won awards as a television director, painter, educator, photographer, writer, musician, and filmmaker (including a Southeast EMMY Award). He graduated with Honors from Mississippi College (where he was named the 2019 Distinguished Art Alumnus of the Year). He lovingly writes, produces, directs, and edits programming about the south.

Robert St. John

Co-founder, Writer/Restauranteur/Filmmaker/Producer

Robert St. John is a 40-year veteran of the restaurant industry. He owns the New South Restaurant Group, which operates seven popular restaurants in Hattiesburg and Ridgeland, MS. He’s a writer, producer, filmmaker, columnist, tour host, founder of several non-profits, and was a founding and inaugural board member of the Independent Restaurant Coalition. He has made numerous appearances on the Food Network and other major outlets as well as co-hosting five seasons of Palate to Palette on Mississippi Public Broadcasting.

Advisory Board

In addition to Institute Leadership, Advisory Board Members include: