20 minute read
Alumni
AUTUMN RICHARDS WAANI ’12
Sustainable Business
by Kendra L. Bates, Assistant Director of Communications
For Autumn Richards Waani ’12, sustainability isn’t just a mindset; it’s her livelihood. On the brink of her 10-year reunion, Waani updated Berwick Academy on her projects of passion and how she found herself exactly where she was meant to be.
Shortly after graduating, Waani earned her degree from the Culinary Institute of America and embarked on a career as a pastry chef. With a lifelong fascination and respect for nature, she soon yearned for her professional endeavors to mirror her personal ones. Thus, the birth of her company, Backyard Fern, an online market offering 100% plastic-free, vegan-friendly, and locally handmade goods. Though sustainability and business were not in Waani’s original plans after leaving the Hilltop, her journey has been a satisfying one.
“Although I received recognition and awards in my career as a pastry chef, my greatest accomplishment was actually when I gave myself the freedom to change careers,” she says. “Changing the course of your life can be intimidating. I’m very proud to have allowed myself to pursue and grow my interests in the worlds of art, writing, and sustainability. Recognizing your desire for change and actually creating change are two separate things. My greatest fear was doing both and, in turn, I was able to build Backyard Fern, a company that enables artisans to pursue their own creative interests.”
Backyard Fern is an online market offering 100% plastic-free, veganfriendly, and locally handmade goods, all while shipping orders in minimal eco-friendly packaging with carbonneutral shipping. The mission behind the business model stemmed from Waani’s own frustrations as a shopper.
“I longed for a place where I could shop anxiety-free,” she explains, “a place where I was confident in the quality and sustainability of the goods and where I knew my purchase would directly contribute to something positive in the world. At Backyard Fern, people know their purchase directly supports local makers and small businesses, while 4% of profits are given to charities benefiting environmental and community causes.”
In her new business venture, Waani is able to incorporate her expressive talents when working with the 25+ independent artists featured in the market. Collaborating with a progressive team and a creative mindset is not something new for her, however. The opportunities she had at Berwick to experiment with new methods of creativity are some of Waani’s fondest memories. “Whether it was in the visual, physical, or literary arts, I spent countless hours participating in all the creative spaces Berwick had to offer,” she says. “Having access to such a wide variety of creative courses inspired me to continue to prioritize the arts in my daily life as an adult, which led to the creation of Backyard Fern.”
With a new chapter of her career underway, Waani is open to reflection and offering insight for budding young professionals. When asked what advice she would give to students and alumni looking to start a career that follows a personal interest, Waani urged the nurturing of passions and allowing room for oneself to evolve and learn. “While you may be focusing on a specific passion in terms of a career,” she says, “being a well-rounded individual can have an amazing effect on your abilities to be creative and succeed within your focus and life.”
ANYA BURZYNSKI ’10
The Power of Networking
by Jamie Reynolds, Director of Communications
Anya Burzynski ’10 was on a career path in public health, earning her bachelor’s degree in health policy and management from Providence College and a master’s degree in public health from Boston University. But one year after completing her advanced degree, she switched her focus to aerospace manufacturing. “It’s never too late to try something new,” she explained.
Burzynski now works at AeroDynamics, a service provider for aerospace manufacturers. As director of operations, she oversees the day-to-day activities that keep the company running. While shifting career paths can have its challenges, Burzynski notes how important it is to create and maintain a solid network, and how that has benefited her in her current role. “One of my primary focuses is hiring and retaining talent. Over the last four years, I have made several key hires, and my secret weapon is my strong Berwick network. I have always viewed alumni gatherings as great hiring opportunities.”
If she could give one piece of advice to current students, it would be to remember that networking goes beyond friendships. In fact, in her experience, oftentimes you don’t have to be best friends to make great co-workers.
Berwick alumni who AeroDynamics has hired throughout the years, Emerson Bilodeau ’10, Tatiana Bradley ’15, Kennedy Tischner ’15, Bonnie McDermott ’16, Anya Burzynski ’10
Burzynski fondly recalls long bus trips with the ice hockey team, building team camaraderie. But along with building friendships with teammates, she was most thankful to leave Berwick with strong critical thinking skills that still help her today. “Being able to think through a problem, collaborate, and come up with creative solutions is something a small company has to do every day.”
Despite switching gears, Burzynski is satisfied with where she landed. “I realized that a degree did not define my future, and making this transition has been so rewarding.”
ALUMNI PHOTOS
Alumni Hockey Game 2021
Jim Hamilton and Jessie Orzech Pares ’92 Dick Shafner ’65 and former faculty Dave Morton in Naples, Florida
Alumni Bruins Hockey Game
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Ryan Walters ’11
Ryan Walters graduated from Berwick in 2011. He attended William & Mary and continued on to get his MBA at the University of Darden School of Business. He is currently working at Deloitte in Washington D.C. as a healthcare strategy senior consultant.
What is your proudest accomplishment since leaving Berwick?
After graduating from Berwick, I attended The College of William & Mary. It started out as the quintessential college experience. The fall of my freshman year you might have found me throwing the football around on our quad, what we called the Sunken Gardens, studying for midterms in the oldest academic building in the country, where Thomas Jefferson was taught, or meeting with our chancellor, Robert Gates, a former secretary of defense. Berwick prepared me well for this storied next chapter in my life. However, in the spring of my freshman year, I suffered an accident that left me paralyzed below the waist. This propelled me into a career of purpose and one that holds many proud accomplishments. Joining a Big Four consulting firm in 2017, I immediately began to build a brand in the healthcare and diversity, equity, and inclusion spaces. Both have resulted in incredible impacts — from front-line support of the country’s pandemic response to helping our clients build more inclusive cultures for employees and customers. My proudest accomplishment is the work I have done around the latter. In this role, I have helped large companies like Marriott design an inclusive Room for All across their 7,000+ hotels worldwide and supported a Silicon Valley-based transportation company with their go-to-market strategy.
How do you feel Berwick helped prepare you for your professional career?
Our school shaped my leadership style, allowing me to build critical skills while in student government. I was also able to build strong communication skills through the public speaking competitions I participated in and the need to persuade classmates and teachers in my role in student government. Yet, the two things I received from Berwick that stand out the most to me are my drive and passion. BA is a collection of talented and smart students and teachers who create an academic environment that is rigorous and rewarding. This instilled in me a fire in my belly to not be satisfied with OK, instead striving for exceptional. As I mentioned earlier, purpose is extremely important to me in my career. I would not have been able to find my purpose without passion, which is rooted in my time at BA. My senior year, I found a passion for psychology thanks to a wonderful teacher, Cindy Briggs. Her AP Psychology class launched me on a trajectory to studying marketing and psychology in college. Her influence is a large part of why I am building a career in the healthcare field.
What is your fondest memory of your time at Berwick?
One experience that comes to mind is when a group of teachers, friends, and I traveled to Kentucky after my junior year to visit our pen pals at Lassiter Middle School. The trip contained all of the elements that made my time at BA so special — purpose, new and exciting experiences, old and new friends, and genuine laughter. Highlights included visiting the University of Kentucky and Churchill Downs, eating at Joe’s Crab Shack overlooking the Ohio River, and of course, drinking Big Red soda. We made lifelong friends with the students from Lassiter (and the next summer they visited us in Maine), some of whom I still keep in touch with to this day.
Do you have any advice for students graduating from Berwick this year?
I encourage current students to spend time appreciating what they have today. So much of our life we are looking ahead to what we want or behind to what we had and forget to be grateful for where we are today.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Sophie Beauchesne ’19
Sophie graduated from Berwick in 2019 and is in her third year at Salve Regina University studying environmental science. She highlights the many research and project-based opportunities she’s had at Salve and previews her studying abroad experience in Tanzania this winter.
Can you summarize your internships and research in environmental science at Salve Regina University?
This past summer, I had the opportunity to work alongside Dr. Jameson Chace on a summer research project funded by Rhode Island Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) and the National Science Foundation. I worked in the field, banding live songbirds and recording data to better understand how breeding songbirds use the many islands in Narragansett Bay as refuge from mainland predators. Bird banding was one of the skills I never thought I would ever acquire in college, but it is the most rewarding and fun. I also worked closely with the Audubon Society of Rhode Island to observe the nesting behavior and reproductive success of osprey. This past semester, I was a water quality and access intern at Clean Ocean Access, a small environmental nonprofit. I was able to gain firsthand experience working in the nonprofit sector, which taught me a lot about what makes local nonprofits successful. The most fun part of the job was collecting water samples in the ocean.
How did attending Berwick spark your interest in studying environmental science?
The biology classes at Berwick did a great job at both giving me a basis in lab sampling techniques and sparking my interest in studying environmental sciences. I have many fond memories of going outside and exploring the trails right on campus during our biology labs.
How did Berwick prepare you for your undergraduate experience at Salve Regina?
Research projects at Berwick challenged me to develop questions and explore my unique interests. The small class sizes taught me how to interact and develop relationships with faculty, which has opened many doors for undergraduate research, internships, and study abroad opportunities.
Can you explain your upcoming opportunity to study abroad?
As a part of the study abroad program at Salve Regina, I will be traveling to Zanzibar Island, located off the coast of Tanzania. There, I will take several classes focused on marine ecology and natural resource management as well as learn the Kiswahili language. I am most looking forward to experiencing a new culture, meeting new people, and exploring the coral reefs.
Q&A
Welcome the New President of the Board
by Jamie Reynolds, Director of Communications
Barbara O’Connor is the CFO of KFO, LLC, a small Boston family office. Previously, Barbara was the CFO and a partner of The Baupost Group, LLC, a Boston-based investment firm until her retirement in 2018. Prior to joining Baupost in 1996, she served as vice president of finance at BayBanks, Inc. and earned her CPA while at Arthur Andersen. Barbara holds a B.S./B.A. in accounting from Bucknell University and a master’s of science in finance from Boston College. Barbara has been a member of Berwick Academy’s Board of Trustees since 2014 and worked on several board committees, including Financial Affairs, Audit, Finance subcommittee, Investment, and Executive committees during her tenure.
Along with serving as the president of the Board of Trustees for Berwick Academy, she serves on the Boards of Directors of WBUR, Boston’s NPR news station, and Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center, a nonprofit with the mission to empower individuals and engage communities to end domestic violence. Barbara lives in Newburyport, Massachusetts, and has three children, including Evan ’19.
What motivates you to serve the School in this impactful way?
I feel very strongly about the importance of education in our society. My youngest son, Evan, graduated from Berwick in 2019. He benefited tremendously from Berwick’s academic programs and, more importantly, from the many ways that Berwick’s community helped him grow as an individual. He learned a lot about himself by trying new activities and engaging with others with various perspectives. I am grateful to all of those who came before me who gave their time and resources to Berwick and made Evan’s experience possible. Now, I would like to do my part to ensure that Berwick continues to thrive for many future generations of Bulldogs.
You have served in several volunteer roles. What is unique about this experience at Berwick?
Each of the boards I serve on is very different, but all do very important work for our community. My experience with Berwick is unique in a couple of ways. First, it is the first board that I have led. It is rewarding to learn about and contribute to each of the areas of the Board’s work as chair and to help guide the direction of the School. Additionally, of the nonprofits I work with, Berwick is the one I have a personal connection with, and that makes it special to me. As we hear about the programs and initiatives of the School, it is very easy for me to imagine their impact on the students and their families as I was once in their shoes.
What excites you most about Berwick’s new strategic plan?
I am excited about all of the initiatives in the strategic plan. In my view, they advance the School in the ways we work together and positively impact the broader community. We embark on this new strategic plan from a position of strength and, as we meet our objectives; we will have diversified our adult and student community; made progress on our environmental footprint; improved our educational systems; and developed important external partnerships for the benefit of our students and the local community. Our society is changing rapidly, and this strategic plan will position us well to prepare our students to be future leaders.
Why is The Campaign for Berwick important for the School at this moment?
The Campaign for Berwick is important to reinforce our financial strength and to provide the current and future leaders of the School the flexibility to continue to enroll a highly qualified and diverse student body, attract and retain outstanding faculty and staff, and invest in our campus and programs. Personally, I am proud to have donated to the growth of the endowment as I believe it will help make Berwick’s great education and experience accessible to a wider range of students.
BOARD MEMBERS
Vice President James Lawson, Treasurer Jason Kroll, Secretary
Alice Bentley Lesli Friel Jim Hamilton Jim Jalbert Eric Katz ’84 Kennett R. Kendall, Jr. Dr. Arul Mahadevan Suzanne Miller Jermaine Moore Clare O’Brien Nicole Outsen Catherine L. Stevens
Powell ’80 Malcolm Smith III Patrick Spearman Kelly McGowan, ex officio Natalee Ohayon
Martin ’01, ex officio
New Board of Trustees Members
JERMAINE MOORE, P’24
Jermaine Moore is the founder of The Mars Hill Group and has spent the last 20 years building and developing highly engaged, high-performing teams. He helps define culture, while introducing and reinforcing skills and behaviors that drive business results and team performance. Jermaine’s areas of expertise include diversity, culture, leadership, and team development and coaching. He is also a speaker, facilitator, and trainer, specializing in communication, diversity and inclusion, change management, and workforce planning. Jermaine serves as the Diversity Director for the Human Resources State Council of NH and is on the board of the Diversity Workforce Coalition. As a member of the Board, he works on the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee and the Strategic Initiatives Committee. Jermaine is a current parent on the Hilltop, his daughter Amaya is in Grade 10.
NICOLE OUTSEN, P’22, ’24
Nicole Outsen is the intervention coordinator at Seacoast Charter School in Dover, New Hampshire, and an educational consultant providing professional learning opportunities to educators in the region. She is the board president of Pads for Pads, a nonprofit organization founded by her daughter, Kaya ’24. Pads for Pads works to support people experiencing period poverty and raise awareness around this important issue. Nicole also chairs the Grant Committee for The Clipper Foundation, a nonprofit organization in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, providing grants for innovative programming in local public schools. As a member of the Board, she works on the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee and the Strategic Initiatives Committee. Nicole lives in Portsmouth with her husband, Zang Garside, their two children Finn ’22 and Kaya ’24, and their dog, Zoula. She loves to read, cook, travel, and spend time outside with friends and family.
The Chadbourne-Thompson Society recognizes donors who make planned estate gifts to the School. Planned gifts are an essential part of Berwick’s long-term financial future and have helped shape the Berwick of today.
For more information, contact Director of Leadership Giving and Philanthropy Stephanie Caswell at 207-3846396 or scaswell@berwickacademy.org.
CHADBOURNE-THOMPSON SOCIETY MEMBERS
Ms. Deborah K. Blouin 1959 Mr. James B. Cook USN 1963 and Mrs. Paula R. Cook Mr. Bradley M. Damon 1963* Ms. Marie A. Donahue 1937* Ms. Aurora F. Dube 1925* Mr. Preston N. Eames 1965 Dr. Dennis Fink 1944 Mrs. Nancy B. Fort,* former parent Mr. Adolph L. Geyer 1931* Mr. Russell H. Grant 1945* and
Mrs. Martha A. Grant* Mrs. Doris Dixon Griffith 1939* Rev. Seth A. Lamont Hurd 1990 Mr. George E. Janetos,* former advisor Mrs. Alberta Morrill Johnson 1928* Kennett and Patricia Kendall, trustee, former parents Mrs. Mary Jacobs Kennedy 1908* Mr. Stuart Kerr, son of former headmaster Mrs. Natalee Ohayon Martin 2001 and Mr. Eric Martin Mr. Lawrence A. Martineau, Jr. 1964 and
Mrs. Karen L. Martineau Mr. Perley D. Monroe 1948* Ms. Olive F. Purington Moulton 1922* Mr. Victor Perreault 1933* and Mrs. Helen Hasty Perreault* Ms. Nancy E. Pindrus 1969 Ms. Wendy Pirsig, former trustee, parent Mrs. Mary Byrd Platt,* former grandparent Mr. Robert E. Richard* and Ms. Carole Auger-Richard, former trustee, parents Mr. & Mrs. Hap and Susan* Ridgway, former headmaster, parents Mrs. A. May Flynn Smith 1931* Mr. William R. Spaulding,* former parent, grandparent Dr. Owen R. Stevens, DVM 1948* and
Mrs. Margaret S. M. Stevens Mrs. Ella Estelle Geyer Stonebraker 1929* Mr. Mark H. Tay, trustee emeritus, former parent The Roger R. Thompson Endowment* Ms. Anne C. Willkomm 1983
ALUMNI ADVISORY BOARD
The Alumni Advisory Board (AAB) met on campus in October to continue conversations on the three areas of focus that are guiding their work — innovation, college and career success, and outreach. Considerable progress was made in plans to connect our most recent Berwick graduates with alumni who attend or recently attended their same college/university. The AAB then had time with the Board of Trustees to participate in a session around Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
The winter meeting was held in January on Zoom, where the AAB had an opportunity to review a draft of the School’s strategic plan and discuss where alumni involvement and participation will be helpful. One element of the strategic plan where the AAB is most excited to align is through strategic partnerships, specifically the utilization of our professional alumni networks to provide internship opportunities to current students.
The board looks forward to meeting again on campus in May for its final meeting of the academic year. We are always looking for new members. If this work is something you are interested in, please contact Stephanie Caswell in the Advancement Office to learn more (scaswell@berwickacademy.org or 207-384-6396).
CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS
NATALEE MARTIN ’01, PRESIDENT
WILL ARMENTA ’02
ZACH BALOMENOS ’10
ANYA BURZYNSKI ’10
ANDREW CALDWELL ’02
SHARON FOGARTY ’82
BROOKS JALBERT ’15
ALEX KATZ ’14
KEN LAFLER ’82
DAVE SCHLEYER ’05
KEN WASSON ’80
The Founders’ Medal honors the beginnings of Berwick Academy and those people of character, courage, and vision who helped set the intellectual traditions and moral standard of their day. They gave generously of their time, talent, and resources to establish a school dedicated to promoting virtue and useful knowledge among the rising generations. Today, the medal is presented to community members who embody the founders’ character. This year, Dr. Charles D. “Dennis” Fink ’44 was selected to receive the award, joining 10 previous recipients who have received the same honor. During his time at Berwick, Fink served on the General Council as the class president, co-captained the football team, played basketball and baseball, and was engaged in theater and music.
In the many years since his graduation, Fink has been an ardent supporter of the Academy. He is a generous philanthropist, who has been giving regularly to Berwick since 1975, supporting initiatives such as the Athletic Center capital project and the Campaign for Academic Excellence. It was no surprise that he was one of the first to step forward to support The Campaign for Berwick. Fink served on the Board of Trustees for 10 years (1995-2005) and has been a Trustee Emeritus since 2005. He is a true friend to Berwick Academy, has a quick wit, and reminds us to have a sense of humor through it all. Berwick will hold a celebration to honor Fink and his outstanding dedication to the School at the Annual Trustee Dinner for Faculty and Staff in April.
Fink wrote a comedic poem that was featured in the 1944 Quamphegan called “A Hunting I Will Go,” written below.
It was Saturday morning, ’bout twenty below, The windows were frosted, the sky full of snow. My room was like ice, and while lying there grunting, It suddenly came to me, I should go hunting! As quick as a flash I was out of my bed And into my hunting clothes, yellow and red. Then downstairs I ran and grabbed hold of my gun, Threw open the door and went out on the run. I jumped off the steps and to my great surprise, Stepped into a snow drift, clear up to my eyes. I wiggled and squirmed, ’cause I was about froze; Snow fell down my neck, and it flew up my nose. My feet were all wet, and they started to freeze, In fact I was soaked to my red b.v.d.’s. It was a hard fight, but I finally got out, My hunting was over, to that I’d no doubt. So back in the house went myself on the run, I threw off my coat and put up my darn gun. Then off flew my clothes as I started to shed, And when I was through, I crawled back into bed.
Dennis Fink ’44
ON DISPLAY AT THE JACKSON ART GALLERY
