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Alumni Profiles
MACKENZIE LOGAN ’11
MacKenzie Logan graduated from Derryfield in 2011 with a dream of one day starting her own business. She furthered her education at the University of New Hampshire and graduated with a degree in business and economics. In recent years, her career has been focused on marketing. During the pandemic, she was working from home as a marketing coordinator, and although she enjoyed her work, she felt like she wanted to do something more. While working full time from home, she organized a book drive for community organizations on the Seacoast, which brought in 5,000 books that Logan then donated back to her community. She also started an Etsy account for her handcrafted seashell ornaments and sold over 1,000 of them. Yet the dream of starting her own bricks and mortar business still remained in the back of her mind. So when Logan stumbled upon a building for rent and realized it would be a perfect place for a coffee shop, she was able to make her dream a reality. She renovated a beachfront storefront in Hampton, NH, and called it Flamingos Coffee Bar. From the fun wallpaper to the vivacious furniture to the heavenly drinks and food, this place has it all.
JAMIE DUCHARME ’11
Author and journalist Jamie Ducharme graduated from Derryfield in 2011 and then attended Northeastern University to pursue a degree in journalism. In January of 2013, Ducharme secured an internship as a health reporter at Boston Health Magazine, eventually transitioning to full time. Despite her demanding schedule as a journalist, Ducharme took college courses at night. She later moved to New York City to work for Time Magazine as a news reporter, staff writer, and most recently, health correspondent. Through her reporting at Time, she began writing about the dangerous rise of Juuling and vaping. This work led to Ducharme’s first book, Big Vape: The Incendiary Rise of Juul, published in May of 2021. Macmillan Publishers describes the book: “With rigorous reporting and clear-eyed prose that reads like a nonfiction thriller, Big Vape uses the dramatic rise of Juul to tell a larger story of big business, Big Tobacco, and the high cost of a product that was too good to be true.” When asked how her time at Derryfield shaped her journalistic career, Ducharme recounted hours spent with beloved librarian Betty Jipson, and the rigor of Mr. Anthony’s English class. She remembered her days as a writer for Lamplighter and said that while she did not know what form her literary skills would take when she left DS, the foundation she built here carried her through her career. Ducharme’s book is now being turned into a Netflix Documentary Series. “The docuseries happened totally by chance,” she says. “Amblin, the production company I’m working with, was interested in doing a project about Juul and they happened to learn last year that I had signed a book deal with Henry Holt, my [book] publisher”. Big Vape was sent to the production company who felt enthusiastic about making the story fit into a television format. Ducharme and filmmaker, RJ Cutler, recently signed a deal with Netflix. Ducharme says she is excited to have the opportunity to be a consulting producer on the show, which means she will be able to guide the production team’s research and interviews to ensure that the show matches her book. We don’t yet have an air date, but we’ll keep you posted!
DONALD MONSON ’96
Don Monson graduated from Derryfield in 1996 and went to Northwestern University to earn a BS in Economics, and then to the London School of Economics for his MBA in public financial policy. Throughout his life, Monson has been an active member of numerous choral groups from Derryfield’s own chorus, to a fraternity chapel choir at Northwestern, to the Apollo Chorus of Chicago. He recalls Derryfield as foundational in both his personal and professional pursuits. After graduate school, Monson joined Deloitte and worked in analytics for 17 years. He recently joined JP Morgan & Chase and is working in antimoney laundering. Monson says he “traces all this back to the math programs at Derryfield,” where he enjoyed rudimentary computer programming and mathematics. Monson is a father to two sons, ages eleven and nine, who are carrying on their father’s Eagle Scout interest, an activity that has become a bonding activity for the trio. He remembers his Derryfield days fondly and recalls his relationship with his advisor who encouraged him and kept him connected to music and the arts. Monson says that Derryfield instilled a sense of confidence in him that he doesn’t believe he would have found anywhere else. He remembers the other students that he connected with in Derryfield’s crew program and the coaches that welcomed them with open arms.
LUKE CHAPDELAINE ’16
Luke Chapdelaine graduated from Derryfield in 2016 and pursued his interest in science. He went on to attend the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering, earning his master’s degree a few months later. His master’s thesis focused on the change of blood flow through an artery when the artery is clogged. He used simulations as well as Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to measure the blood’s movement. Chapdelaine is working toward publishing his thesis paper, but for now it is currently available at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s library. Earlier this year, he started to work as a mechanical engineer for the Waters Corporation, which is a lab and experimentation company many biotech and pharmaceutical companies use for their products and studies. Chapdelaine’s focus is higher performance liquid chromatography, a technique in analytical chemistry that breaks down liquids and deciphers what elements the liquid contains. Waters Corporation had a part in helping both Pfizer and Moderna with the recent COVID-19 vaccine. Chapdelaine is very excited for this new chapter of his life and can’t wait to see what the world of science holds for him.
RANDALL KRANTZ ’91
Randall Krantz graduated from Derryfield in 1991 and went on to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for his BA in mechanical engineering. Building upon a love for travel and language that he discovered while at Derryfield, Krantz studied abroad in France at the Université de Technologie de Compiègne and continued his studies in mechanical engineering, this time strictly in French. After his time in college, he worked as a control systems field engineer for General Electric Power Systems. Krantz then moved to Alaska and worked at Anchorage Municipal Light and Power before he pursued his MBA at IESE Business School. After his time abroad, he decided a life of travel and cultural immersion was just what he was searching for. During his MBA studies Krantz landed a project management consulting position in San Salvador, El Salvador followed by a start-up management position in London, England. During his time in London he co-founded what is now known as the Responsible Business Club, which looks at problems with an eye for social and environmental consciousness. Krantz next landed in Geneva, Switzerland, a place of mountains and cold weather, much like New Hampshire. In Geneva, Randall began working for the World Economic Forum where he helped initiate their work on climate change, environmental sustainability and consumption. Krantz then seized an opportunity to do some government advising work in Bhutan for two years. Krantz and his wife took a risk and quit their jobs to make the move, but he recalls the choice as one of the best he’s ever made. His time in Bhutan taught him the issues he was working to fix regarding the climate crisis could not be solved without taking a step back and looking at ways to provide equitable solutions to sustainability and consumption. When he returned to Geneva in 2016, Krantz was committed to making sustainability accessible for all people and now works on shipping decarbonization and helping companies set realistic and accountable climate targets. He recalls his time at Derryfield as foundational for the path he has since chartered, citing Mr. Rob Bradley’s chemistry experiments and Señor Gomez’s trip to Spain as major influences in his life. Krantz says that Derryfield taught him to take risks and look at problems more deeply and formed the roots of his character and his life.
CHARLOTTE LEYDEN ’16
Charlotte Leyden graduated from Derryfield in 2016 and set her sights on the west. She went on to graduate from Montana State University with a degree in agricultural economics. During her time in Montana, she worked at many different ranches, finished her schooling early and met her boyfriend. After she graduated she and her boyfriend moved to Colorado. Last fall was full of amazing experiences for Leyden, including riding her horse 100 miles down the Colorado Trail with a group of women riders and camping overnight under the stars. She then was presented with an opportunity to work for Centennial Livestock Auction Company as a ranch hand. Leyden currently runs livestock and works in the sale barn where livestock are auctioned on a daily basis to nearly 400 people. She really enjoys the fast pace and welcoming atmosphere. During her time at Derryfield Leyden became passionate about the Spanish language, fueled by her much admired teacher Judy Reynolds. Leyden is finding her facility with Spanish to be extremely important in her job, as the majority of the customers speak Spanish fluently. Leyden loves what she does and adores that her job is based in the outdoors. She is very grateful to Steve Mathes, her former Derryfield teacher, who encouraged her to pursue her dreams.
KAE FINK ’11
Kae Fink graduated from Derryfield in 2011 with a great love for Nordic skiing. After Derryfield, she went on to do a post graduate year at Burke Mountain Academy, a private school that specializes in training ski racing athletes in Vermont. Fink then attended Middlebury College where she skied for the Nordic team, sang acapella, was a member of the Outdoors Club and worked for Residential Life. She graduated from Middlebury with a dual major in chemistry and environmental engineering. Her graduation date actually happened a year later than originally scheduled because Fink was given the opportunity to ski for the Sun Valley Ski Team in Idaho. She planned her classes for her last year in a way that allowed her to have one more additional season of skiing at Middlebury before she moved out west. Once Fink said goodbye to Middlebury, she started working toward her masters degree at the University of Utah. After a few short months, she was offered an internship at National Renewable Energy Lab in Boulder, Colorado. Fink and her boyfriend had always dreamed about minimizing their carbon footprint and living off the land, so they decided to launch “Operation Off the Grid,” and started building their own sustainable and self-sufficient tiny home. Their tiny home took about two years to complete and during those two years Fink was offered a full time position at National Renewable Energy Lab. She is now a chemical engineer and works to develop better battery recycling methods and the next generation of batteries. Fink is still working toward her master’s through a virtual program at Columbia University. She also got married this summer. Kae is very excited for this next chapter!
PHIL TATRO ’16
Upon graduating from Derryfield in 2016, Phil Tatro was looking forward to a college experience that would show him what he didn’t know he was missing. Phil found this enlightenment of sorts at Pace University in New York City, where he studied arts and entertainment management. Tatro remembers the transition from small town New Hampshire to the Big Apple as transformational. As the bustle of NYC opened the world for Phil, he found himself doing an internship in a non-partisan government think tank. Recalling a love for history while at DS with Mr. Berk, Tatro decided to continue his deep dive into government and public affairs. Currently, he is interning at the United Nations doing work in publications and public information. Some of his current projects include a sustainable development book club for students in countries like Brazil, Portugal, and Japan; marketing for the UN; and sustainable practices within the publishing industry. He will attend Indiana University in the fall of 2021 to pursue a masters in public affairs.
FIRAS OMER ’11
Firas Omer graduated from Derryfield in 2011 and went on to attend Middlebury College for a degree in neuroscience. After that, he landed an internship in Burlington, VT for a startup called Faraday. This internship is where he found his passion for tech and data. Once his internship ended, Omer moved to Oakland, CA to work at Plaid. He loved the job but his role was mostly in customer service, which was not his passion. Omer left Plaid after a year and started a new job at ValueStream Ventures as an investment associate. ValueStream Ventures helps and supports other small data companies by investing and growing them. Omer’s responsibility is to find these small data companies and get them connected with ValueStream Ventures. Omer enjoys his job and appreciates that his role allows him to meet new people everyday.
Omer was also nominated to be a part of the HBCUvc Group, and recently was named one of their 2021 Emerging Venture Leaders. HBCUvc is a non-profit organization that helps educate students studying venture capital and technology entrepreneruship while attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Omer wants to help increase the diversity and inclusion within his field as well as become a mentor to those who want to one day have a career in his line of work. Omer noted he was given a lot to help him succeed, which is why he wants to “pay it forward.”
DICK JARDINE ’71
Dick Jardine graduated from Derryfield in 1971 on a scholarship that the school offered at the time for students who were going to go into the military service after high school. Jardine was one of seven children in his family and knew if he went into the Army he could be the first one in his family to receive a college education. He also knew this was the only way for him to accomplish his dream of being a math teacher. After Derryfield, Jardine was accepted into the United States Military Academy. After being a cadet for four years, he went on to serve in the Army. Jardine’s first assignment was as a Platoon Leader at Fort Gordon in Georgia. Following that assignment he went to Germany as a Communication and Personal Officer where he commanded a company and was promoted to Captain. After completing company command, he went to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) for his master’s in mathematics. After graduating from RPI, he returned and taught math at West Point. He later went to Alaska and became a battalion executive officer. During his time in Alaska, Jardine learned about a trade program in which America and Britain exchanged personnel.
He signed up and went to live in North Yorkshire, where he served with the British Royal Signals Regiment. Once he returned from across the pond, Jardine went back to RPI to earn his PhD in Mathematics and taught again at West Point. He retired from the Army in 1999 and moved back to New Hampshire to become a professor in the mathematics department at Keene State University. Jardine was the department chair for 16 years and introduced online teaching programs for math classes at Keene State. Outside of his career journey, Jardine has a great love for running. He coached the cadet marathon team for many years and he himself has completed over 40 marathons, including qualifying for and running the Boston Marathon eight times and running the Mount Washington Road Race a dozen times. He ran three halfmarathons over the 2020-2021 year and is training for a fall marathon.
SHUTING ZHANG ’16
Shuting Zhang is an international alum who graduated from Derryfield in 2016. She went on to the University of Toronto and graduated with a BS in computer science. While in school, Zhang worked for a year as an intern at FormHero as a junior JavaScript developer. She graduated from the University of Toronto in June of 2021 and has since been working in software development. Zhang remembers her time at Derryfield fondly and spoke highly of her host family whom she connects with every year at Christmas time. She said that while the culture shock of coming to high school in America was challenging, Derryfield and her host family worked hard to help her adapt. Zhang noted that Derryfield taught her how to solve problems and to overcome challenges.
SEAN PALLATRONI ’06
Sean Pallatroni is an EMMY ® Award Winning composer, music teacher, accompanist, and performer in Manhattan, New York. He graduated from Derryfield in 2006 after four years of involvement in the arts and went onto the Hartt School at the University of Hartford to earn his BA in music composition. Pallatroni then went to New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts for his MFA in musical theatre writing. After graduating from Tisch, he became a composer for Connecticut Public Broadcasting and a music theory teacher at the college and high school level. Pallatroni has continued his work in composition for commercial, classical, theatrical, and marketing purposes. He has had shows at the New York Musical Fest and has directed over 30 shows throughout New York and New England. Now, in addition to his work in composing, Pallatroni works as an accompanist for RIOULT Dance NY and Pace University. Pictured above is Pallatroni working as an accompanist for a ballet class in Central Park. While at Derryfield, he found his roots in music. He remembers the overwhelming joy he felt as a freshman while watching Derryfield’s production of Children of Eden. After that performance, Palltroni became a member of the pit band, jazz band, choir and select choir as well as an integral part of the behind the scenes of Derryfield’s theatrical productions. He remembers his mentor and freshman advisor and choral director, Laurel Devino, as the catalyst for his career, confidence, and success. Ms. Devino advocated for and encouraged Pallatroni in the arts and music and pushed him to try new areas of the medium.
XIAOYUE (ZOE) GUO ’17
Upon leaving Derryfield, international alum Xiaoyue (Zoe) Guo ’17 left the small town environment of Derryfield for a big city life at New York University. Guo was an active member of the debate club and worked to take advantage of living in NYC. She recalled striking up conversations with people in Washington Square Park, idly strolling the city, and exploring new restaurants and bars. Guo has just graduated from NYU with a BA in philosophy and a minor in history. She is now working on law school applications and hopes to begin her studies in the fall of 2021. In the meantime, she will continue interning at Beijing Tiantai Law Firm. Guo is interested in environmental preservation and has plans to go into environmental and international law. She has worked as an intern at the China Ministry of Environmental Protection in the Foreign Economic Cooperation Office, the World Wildlife Foundation, and SynTao Green Finance. Guo has fond memories of Derryfield, particularly of her global trip to Nepal and Mr. Berk’s history class.
ROSALIND KENNYBIRCH ’13
Rosalind KennyBirch attended Rhodes College in Memphis, TN. She graduated cum laude with her bachelor’s degree in international studies and history with a minor in anthropology/ sociology. While at Rhodes, KennyBirch served in a variety of leadership roles in cultural, Greek, lobbyist, and diplomatic organizations. She also completed a semester abroad program at the University of Oxford where she studied European art, history, and literature during the medieval and Renaissance periods. While on summer break between her sophomore and junior years, KennyBirch worked as a marketing and content manager at Street Talk TV in Cape Town, South Africa. She has also worked as a collections and education intern at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, TN. Upon graduating from Rhodes, KennyBirch decided she would return to Europe to start her professional career, and first found a job in London as a communications officer at Local Partnerships LLP before moving to Lexington Communications as a research consultant and consultant on political intelligence. In January of 2021, KennyBirch began a job working for the UK Parliament House of Commons as a transport select committee specialist. In her current role, she writes briefings and suggests lines of questioning for politicians on issues of transportation. Her committee also leads inquiries into issues such as the impact of COVID-19 on the airline sector. KennyBirch is proud to have worked on teams that have written and issued policy recommendations, multiple of which have passed as law. At Derryfield, she participated in a variety of extracurriculars, including Key Club and the student newspaper, Lamplighter. She remembers when Derryfield parent, Lee Nyquist, ran for State Senate and looked to Derryfield students for interns. KennyBirch applied for and earned her first position in the political field. She remembered her courses in the humanities with favorite teachers Bruce Berk and Lindley Shutz as being foundational for her educational and professional career. KennyBirch is especially grateful for Derryfield’s focus on histories and cultures outside of American history.
ELIZABETH LUDWIG ’15
Jewelry designer Elizabeth Ludwig graduated from Derryfield in 2015. She attended the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, GA and earned her Bachelor’s of fine arts in jewelry. Ludwig has worked as a sales associate, creative assistant, and jewelry designer at a variety of companies and boutiques such as Deconic and Macy’s. Most recently, she has been designing jewelry for INC International Concepts for retail sale in Macy’s stores. Ludwig also has her own line of jewelry available for sale on her website. She remembers long hours in the art rooms during her time at Derryfield. Ludwig is especially grateful for and appreciative of Mr. Andy Moerlein, her art teacher, for his encouragement of the pursuit of her craft. After completing a pre-college program at Savannah College of Art and Design, Ludwig knew she wanted to pursue a creative career path. She is grateful for the kindness and advice of DS teachers and advisors like Mr. Bruce Berk, Señora Judy Reynolds, and Ms. Jennifer Melkonian. She also fondly remembers her days as manager of the baseball team with Coach Jeff Hastings.
JENNIFER MANDELBAUM ’10
Jennifer Mandelbaum, MPH, graduated from Derryfield in 2010. She attended Brandeis University, earning a double degree in health: science, society, and policy and sociology, with a minor in women’s and gender studies. Mandelbaum then went to the Yale School of Public Health, where she attained her MPH in social and behavioral sciences with a concentration in global health. At Yale, she worked in research in community-based initiatives that aided low-income neighborhoods in New Haven. Currently, Mandelbaum is pursuing her Ph.D. in health promotion, education, and behavior and is planning to graduate in 2022. She is currently working as a special projects evaluator at the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control in the Division of Diabetes and Heart Disease Management, where she led the creation of a data dissemination project, working with her team to compile this information into a manuscript currently under peer-review. The team is also working on another paper about how to identify priority populations to target for medical interventions. Mandelbaum shared that, like at Derryfield, the goal of this work is to collaborate with others and to critically consider broad issues of public health. She discovered her fascination for public health in Ms. Keefe-Hancock’s Diseases course at Derryfield, where she learned to look beyond the biomedical aspect of health and into the social, geographical, and environmental nuances. Mandelbaum says the curriculum at Derryfield emphasized the importance of different perspectives and critical thinking.
ZOE COUSINEAU ’20
U.S. Coast Guard Academy student Zoe Cousineau ’20 missed her Derryfield graduation in August of 2020 due to her early departure for bootcamp. For eight weeks, Cousineau and her classmates endured heat and physical strain during the height of a global pandemic. She fondly recalls her time as an Academy freshman, but was eager to get out of the first-year rank. Cousineau is a cybersystems major with a packed schedule. She plays on the women’s soccer team and directed the drama program’s show. Cousineau also works in external affairs at the Coast Guard Academy doing outreach and giving tours to prospective students. She remembers not knowing what she wanted her path to be after college until the end of her junior year at Derryfield. Two of her grandfathers served in the military, and she felt inspired to follow them and serve her country. A lover of the water and service initiatives, Cousineau found her perfect fit at the Coast Guard Academy: a school that challenges her mind, body, and spirit. When she joined the drama club, she thought she might land an acting role. Once she shared her experience in the field, they asked her to be their director. An Admiral presented Cousineau with a Challenge Coin, a representative token of special achievement, for her show’s success. She also won second place in a first-year essay writing competition using an essay that she began while at Derryfield. Cousineau says that Derryfield taught her how to effectively manage her time and to balance many responsibilities with great success. During the summer of 2021, she spent six weeks sailing on the United States Coast Guard cutter Eagle, a tall-ship that serves as a training base for cadets. Cousineau has since been certified in engineering and damage control, as well as the correct protocols to correct crises on board. During her time aboard, she sailed from Iceland to Canada to Bermuda, and back to New London, CT. Cousineau says that even when a 4:00 a.m. duty shift calls, the gorgeous sunrise, endless sky of stars, and people she has met make the grueling program worth every minute. She is grateful to the Derryfield Community for encouraging her to follow this dream and to her teachers for preparing her to take on new challenges. She knows her values of grit and determination come from her seven years as a Cougar.
