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Meet our Alumnae Trustees
The visionary stewards and leaders of our school, Annie Wright Trustees have several vital responsibilities. These include setting policies, vision and strategic direction; ensuring financial health and sustainability; and monitoring programs and services the school provides. Currently a third of the trustees are alumnae of the school. Here is a snapshot:
Elizabeth Appling ’63
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Retired Episcopal parish priest
How your Annie Wright experience inspired you
My time at Annie Wright has been an immeasurable part of the fabric of who I am as a woman, as a priest, and as a musician. The learning – both academic and communal – was also integral to my role as founding director of an arts organization for young girls.
Why you decided to join the Board of Trustees
I was asked by the Bishop of Olympia to be his representative on the Board.
Sally (Peterson) Atherton ’66
Retired biomedical researcher; current consultant and scientific grant writer
How your Annie Wright experience inspired you
I did not think that there was anything that I could not do because I was female.
Why you decided to join the Board of Trustees
I wanted to be a part of the growth and excitement at AWS as well as to give back to AWS so others would have the same opportunity for an excellent education that I did.
Stephanie Cook ’88
Management consultant in dentistry
How your Annie Wright experience inspired you
First and foremost, my education at Annie Wright inspired in me a genuine desire and willingness to learn. Annie Wright also fostered the benefits of setting clear-cut goals, critical thinking, patience and the sometimes long-awaited benefits of discipline.
Why you decided to join the Board of Trustees
My experience at Annie Wright as student, as an alumna and now as a parent has truly molded the person that I am today. I feel it is my responsibility to pay it forward so that future generations may also benefit from all that Annie Wright has to offer.
Judith (Yengling) Forkner ’63
Retired editor and development director
How your Annie Wright experience inspired you
My time at Annie Wright prepared me well for the world beyond. I arrived at college with confidence and curiosity and unafraid of challenges. And I was definitely better educated than most of my classmates at Vassar!
Why you decided to join the Board of Trustees
After meeting Christian in 2013, I knew the school was in good hands. When asked to join the Board of Trustees, I was eager to be part of the AWS community again. Little did I know what adventures lay ahead. It has been a great trip!
Sarah Kaiser ’93
Owner of a corporate event company
How your Annie Wright experience inspired you
It was nice to start college with a strong academic background and foundation. It also gave me confidence in my abilities in general which has been good for my life in many areas.
Why you decided to join the Board of Trustees
Christian asked me to re-join the board after a long hiatus. (Sarah served 2008- 14 and rejoined in 2017.)
Marjorie Oda-Burns ’66
Retired orthopaedic surgeon
How your Annie Wright experience inspired you
The strength of the AWS curriculum in the liberal arts forced me to widen my intellectual pursuits. Literature and art history were particularly influential in my development and interests as an adult.
Why you decided to join the Board of Trustees
I appreciate the ability to participate in considering what education means in the 21st century and how to prepare students for a life of learning. I’m looking forward to participating in the evolution of a school that will enrich the present and future lives of its students, as it has enriched mine.
Merritt (Klarsch) Pulliam ’92
Professional photographer and writer
How your Annie Wright experience inspired you
Annie Wright gave me the confidence to develop my own voice. I learned to think critically and to be curious about the world. I also made lifelong friends who inspire me every day.
Why you decided to join the Board of Trustees
It is an honor to play a small part in helping ensure the long-term success of the school. I am excited to be part of that process.
Pamela Hyde Smith ’63
Retired U.S. foreign service officer and ambassador; current docent and board member at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art
How your Annie Wright experience inspired you
Annie Wright kindled my intellectual curiosity and broadened my horizons immeasurably.
Why you decided to join the Board of Trustees
My mother, grandmother and cousins attended Annie Wright, and my father served on its board, so I wanted to continue the family connection and my own link to Tacoma and the school.
Aliya (Merali) Virani ’96
Educator, Lower School Director at the Bush School in Seattle
How your Annie Wright experience inspired you
The care and intentionality many of the educators took to understand who I was as a learner deeply resonated with me and led me to teaching.
Why you decided to join the Board of Trustees
I wanted to stay connected to the institution that led me to my career choice, supported me as an individual and a learner and brought me two mentors (Susan and Christian) and two of my closest friends.
