Journal and Annual Giving Report FALL 2016
Samantha Liebeskind ’15
Emilia Ruiz-Michels ’25
Alexander Smetana ’25
2 Message from the Head of School 4 Alumni Class Notes 6 Woodward, Weir, and All the Presidents 10 Time Traveling to Quaker New Amsterdam 12 Thinking Outside the Box of Growth, Learning and Celebration: 14 Summer Horizons at Brooklyn Friends School 2016 at Brooklyn Friends School 15 Horizons Annual Giving Report 2016
Excellence: 18 Demonstrating Upper School Awards and Recognition 1 9 Brooklyn Friends School Annual Giving Report in Giving: 44 Portraits Matt and Claire McAuliffe
BROOKLYN FRIENDS SCHOOL JOURNAL is published by the Advancement Office of Brooklyn Friends School for alumni, parents, grandparents, and friends. 375 Pearl Street • Brooklyn, NY 11201 Tel: 718.852.1029 • brooklynfriends.org Joan Martin, Editor
Guided by the Quaker belief that there is a Divine Light in everyone, Brooklyn Friends School cultivates an intellectually ambitious and diverse community that celebrates each individual’s gifts. We challenge our students to value and embrace difference as they develop critical thinking skills and apply their knowledge and intelligence both in and out of the classroom. In this rich learning environment, we inspire all members of our community to voice their convictions, to discover and pursue their passions, and to seek truth. Our graduates are compassionate, curious, and confident global citizens who let their lives speak in the spirit of leadership and service. P H O T O , A B O V E : The Class of 2017 at their Powell House Retreat, September 20, 2016
Journal and Annual Giving Report FALL 2016
A MESSAGE FROM
Dr. Larry Weiss Head of School Working joyously together, the School’s constituencies took major steps towards sustainability and excellence, and we thank all of our supporters for helping us to achieve these momentous results.
For 149 years, Brooklyn Friends School has opened its doors each September to provide academic excellence and Quaker values to its students. The continuity of this mission is reflected in the pages of this Journal. For example, the annual Upper School Recognition Ceremony (highlighted on page 18) celebrates outstanding student achievement and leadership in all academic disciplines, athletics and service. Many of these awards are named for legendary BFS teachers from past decades, and several of the financial awards were endowed by alumni. Building upon the accomplishments of our current students and faculty, BFS’ 2016-2017 school year began with an enrollment of 910 students, a 40% increase over the past 8 years and a historically record total. Also reaching a historic record is the Upper School’s enrollment of 201 students. Such growth, mandated by BFS’ 2008 Strategic Plan, is all the more remarkable because it was accomplished during the years of major recession when many independent schools around the country were hard-pressed to maintain even their previous enrollment levels. To support our expanding student body, the BFS community including parents, grandparents, alumni, faculty/staff and other friends contributed over $1 million to the annual Brooklyn Friends Fund for the first time in BFS history. Total donations to the School for 2015-16, including the Light the Way Capital Campaign, totaled approximately $2.7 million. Working joyously together, the School’s constituencies took major steps towards sustainability and excellence, and we thank all of our supporters for helping us to achieve these momentous results. In the case of Brooklyn Friends, while enrollment growth establishes a key and necessary foundational element for sustainability and excellence, it is not sufficient in and of itself. We must recognize that our School’s record-breaking fundraising performance brings us to a level that virtually all of our competing schools reached many years ago. Our growth curve is impressive, but it originated at a very low level. As we approach our sesquicentennial in 2017-18 that will mark 150 years of continuous excellence in Friends education, we must accelerate our philanthropy in support of operations and endowment. Having fulfilled our commitment to support building improvements and new construction to accommodate our larger student bodies, our long-term sustainability focus must now shift to
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Head of School Larry Weiss with Bill Weir, Tali Woodward and Bob Woodward. See article on page 6.
the truly exceptional commitment that we make to student financial aid each year--more than $6.6 million for 2016-17. Such funding allows BFS to maintain its leadership reputation for socioeconomic and racial/ ethnic diversity among its peer schools, and it supports hundreds of talented and highly motivated K-12 students. Our primary philanthropic goal for 2016-2017 is to exceed last year’s Brooklyn Friends Fund’s success of $1 million. Among the many priorities included in our $30 million 2016-17 operating budget that are supported by the Brooklyn Friends Fund, in addition to student financial aid and scholarships, the following are particularly significant from my point of view: • supporting the curriculum development and implementation initiatives being taken by our Middle School and Upper School Division Heads, Glen Pinder and Sidney Bridges in conjunction with their newly-appointed Assistant Head of Middle School for Academics, Nitya York and Assistant Head of Upper School for Academics, Paul Beekmeyer;
• providing our talented, dedicated, and hardworking faculty in all divisions with increased recognition and opportunities to broaden and deepen their subject-based and methodological knowledge and practice with meaningful, challenging, self-initiated professional development experiences; • sustaining our ongoing relationships with Friends Council on Education and other Quaker organizations and groups as we deepen our ongoing commitment to Quaker values and practice. With deepest thanks for your engagement with Brooklyn Friends School and your concern for our future sustainability and excellence, I remain most sincerely yours,
In friendship,
• encouraging the growth and deepening of traditional and student-led extracurricular activities that should thrive in the new Upper School and Middle School facilities;
Fall 2016 BROOKLYN FRIENDS SCHOOL JOURNAL 3
ALUMNI Class Notes by Lekeia Varlack Judge ’99
As a fellow member of the class of ’99, I am very proud to report Elan Freudenthal ’99 was presented the 2016 FEMA Individual & Community Preparedness Award for Notify NYC at the White House by FEMA Deputy Administrator, Tim Manning. This prestigious award acknowledges Elan’s remarkable work as the Watch Commander Supervisor at the NYC Office of Emergency Management. His agency started the Notify NYC program which is the City’s official source for emergency alerts and info. They won the 2016 FEMA independent and Community Award for incorporating American Sign Language (ASL) videos into Notify NYC messages. Keep up the good work, Elan!
in Berkeley, California. Her passion is in intercultural ecotheology and the social gospel and she is currently a pastoral intern at Glide Memorial Methodist Church in San Francisco, which is a radically inclusive social justice ministry. She also added that her family is doing very well. Her daughter Sonia is preparing to begin high school and she celebrated 24 years together with her companion Willa, this past summer by visiting the National Parks in Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. Life is great indeed, Debbie!
Miranda Magaganini ’78 executive and co-produced the film Good Business, about retail giant Pick and Pay’s decision to grow an ethical business in South Africa during the times of Apartheid. The film is receiving critical acclaim including the 2016’s official selection from the Joyce Forum from the San Diego Jewish Film Festival. Visit goodbusinessfilm.com to watch the trailer.
It’s a match made in BFS bliss as alums Rebecca Soll ’99 and Charles McVey ’99 got engaged over the summer. Not only are these two former classmates, but they both are lifers at Brooklyn Friends, having known each other since 1st grade. We can’t think of a better way to start a lifelong relationship. Congrats Becky and Charles – we wish you the best of luck!
When asked to contribute to class notes, Debbie Alvarez-Rodriguez ’79 replied by saying, “Life is great.” After a very fulfilling 41-year career working in the public sector, non-profits and philanthropy she returned to graduate school and is now a second year Masters of Divinity student at the Pacific School of Religion
Artist Jeff Rothberg ’01 was featured in a DNAinfo article for his “I sit with Kaepernick” posters that have been displayed in several Brooklyn neighborhoods. In the article Jeff states the response to his artwork has been mostly positive and added “I can’t be more proud and just honored that people are responding to this so well.”
From the Meeting House to the White House, these BFS alums received the highest honors in their professions. Kyle Neptune ’03 helped lead his team to victory as the assistant coach for the NCAA champions Villanova Wildcats, while we cheered along on the sidelines. In the spring Kyle and the team met with President Obama at the White House. Kyle was also just listed as one of the top recruiters in men’s college basketball according to ESPN. Congratulations, Kyle, on all of your great achievements.
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Check out his website (jeffrothberg.com) that features his other pieces that are social and political snapshots of modern times. Kira O’Brien ’05 is the Youth Program Supervisor at International Rescue Committee, which is a nonprofit organization that aids in global humanitarian efforts by providing relief to refugees and victims of global conflicts around the world. Thank you, Kira, for your dedication to such an important service. Former BFS athlete Nathan Weiser ’05 wrote an article in The Red Hook Star Revue about the draft of the SAYO Grays star Joshua Palacios to the Toronto Blue Jays. The SAYO Grays are a student athlete youth organization (SAYO) multicultural baseball league located in Sunset Park Brooklyn. Nathan captured the rise of Palacios’ career from local athlete to a professional baseball player. To read Nathan’s article, visit www.star-revue.com. While stopping by BFS for a tour of the Upper School building, McKenna Posey ’09 shared that she graduated from Parsons School of Design and currently works in interior design at Soho House. This is an impressive gig, considering Soho House is a 4.5 star hotel and members’ club, located in Manhattan’s trendy Meatpacking district. Sounds like a great place to plan a staycation! Jacob Ginsberg ’12 was the first place winner of Brown University’s Preston Gurney Prize for Literary Criticism of Poetry. Each year, this honor is awarded to an undergraduate senior for the best essay of 5,000 words or less on any topic in literary criticism (poetry). Congratulations on your esteemed prize, Jacob. We are proud of your accomplishment. Congratulations are in order for Amara Granderson ’13. She was featured in the Seattle Times about her performance in Lydia R. Diamond’s play Stick Fly. Amara plays Cheryl, the daughter of a family’s housekeeper. One critic for the Broadway World review wrote, “Granderson manages some amazingly powerful moments as her own world falls
apart.” Best of luck on and off the stage, Amara. We look forward to your next performance. While attending Alumni Day, Asia Kaul ’13 gave us an update on her sister Maya Kaul ’15. Maya is enrolled in a genetic engineering internship at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where she is currently a sophomore. Impressive work Maya – we look forward to seeing what your future has in store. In between attending classes at Brown University, recent graduate Abrielle Moore ’16 has created the blog, Onyx Life (onyxlife.co) that is designed to uplift and celebrate the Black community. Categorized by the sections Beauty, Fashion, Food and Life, this blog highlights important topics while increasing awareness about various societal issues through insightful and thoughtfully written posts.
Show your Blue Pride: become a
Class Agent! We are looking for alums who are willing to serve as liaisons between their classmates and the Alumni Office. To be a Class Agent, you won’t need to commit more than a few hours of your time, but your service will have a major impact on our alumni community. Class Agents act as representatives for their graduating class and are motivators for their classmates to become involved in activities and events at BFS. Class agents also encourage and educate their peers about the importance of giving to Brooklyn Friends. Whether making a few phone calls, sending emails or coordinating reunions on your class’ behalf, being a class agent is a great way to be supportive and connected to BFS. For more information, or to sign up as a Class Agent, contact Lekeia Varlack Judge at (718) 852-1029 ext. 208 or lvarlack@brooklynfriends.org
Fall 2016 BROOKLYN FRIENDS SCHOOL JOURNAL 5
Presidential Politics Comes to Brooklyn Friends
Woodward, Weir, and All the Presidents by Jeffrey Stanley
With the presidential election closing in on November 8, now is a fitting time to look back on a springtime interview held at the school with investigative journalist and author Bob Woodward.
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A two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Bob Woodward continues working for the Washington Post to this day. He has written 12 number-one nonfiction national bestsellers – more than any other contemporary author. Bill Weir is a former co-anchor of the shows Nightline and Good Morning America. Since 2015 he has been the host and executive producer of the CNN program The Wonder List With Bill Weir, on which he travels the world interviewing extraordinary movers, shakers and unsung heroes. As a broadcast journalist he was on-site covering Hurricane Katrina, the Japanese tsunami, the rescue of 33 Chilean miners trapped underground for 69 days, and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, among many other assignments. Weir and Woodward began by recapping the Watergate scandal and the great journalistic risk undertaken by legendary Washington Post editor Katharine Graham to publish a series of investigative pieces on Nixon’s nefarious activities. On April 19, as New Yorkers voted in the presidential primary, BFS had the pleasure of hosting an interview with legendary investigative reporter Bob Woodward, led by CNN’s Bill Weir, onstage at the Pearl Street meetinghouse. Sponsored by Head of School Larry Weiss and the BFS Advancement Office, the event drew more than 250 guests. Both Bill Weir and Bob Woodward are affiliated with the school as a parent and grandparent, respectively. During the one-hour interview before a packed house, Woodward spoke at length about the upcoming presidential election and what lessons can be learned from previous elections from the Nixon era to the present. Woodward, of course, became a household name during the early 1970s for his reporting, along with journalist Carl Bernstein, of President Richard Nixon’s involvement in the notorious Watergate Hotel break-in. Both journalists worked for the Washington Post at the time. Their book, All the President’s Men, became an international bestseller and a major Hollywood motion picture, with Woodward portrayed by Robert Redford.
Woodward recounted that in 1971 he sat down to lunch with Mrs. Graham to go over his and Bernstein’s investigations and reportage up to that point. “We had a problem,” said Woodward. “No one believed us. It was inconceivable...She asked all kinds of questions about Watergate. As a boss she was very mind on/hands off.” He explained to her that there was an active cover-up going on, that the government’s investigation of the allegations was not at all aggressive, and “When we go visit people at home they often close the door in our faces – that really happened,” he told the audience, “and it’s jolting to have that happen. She said, ‘Okay, when is the truth about Watergate going to come out?’ And I said, ‘Never.’ And I remember she just looked at me with this pained, wounded expression and she said, ‘Never? Don’t tell me never.’ I left lunch a highly motivated employee.” He also spoke candidly about his feelings for later presidents right up to President Obama, whom he had interviewed several times for his 2010 book Obama’s Wars. As one of his aides said, “Obama doesn’t like continues on next page
Fall 2016 BROOKLYN FRIENDS SCHOOL JOURNAL 7
Woodward, Weir and All the Presidents continued from previous page
way,” he warned the audience, “and you can be pretty sure about it, but it’s quite possible you’re going to be wrong.” Woodward bemoaned a pattern among some modern journalists who are more prone to sit in their offices emailing their subjects and awaiting polished responses rather than pounding the pavement and tracking down face-to-face interviews even in the face of resistance. “You’ve got to show up,” he admonished. “They [journalists] don’t go up to the Hill. They don’t look people in the eye... The old saying, Sit quietly in the life of your subject...there’s nothing quiet about journalism now... The judge who said it got it right: ‘democracies die in darkness.’” politics.’ I think he misjudged the importance of having relationships with leaders on the Hill, particularly in his own party.” About an exhaustive interview with then-President George W. Bush roughly a decade ago, he recalled asking the President, “How do you think history will judge your Iraq War? – I think the mention of history maybe caused Bush to think about those history exams at Yale he did not do very well on,” quipped Woodward to his chuckling audience. “He threw up his hands and said, ‘History we won’t know, we’ll all be dead!’ Comforting thought but it’s true, we don’t know.” As a case in point, Woodward mentioned that initially, he considered President Ford’s pardon of Nixon as dishonorable. “And when I had the luxury of time to interview Ford for hours and go through the record and look at it, in fact it turns out that what Ford did was quite courageous to get Nixon off the front page and Watergate off the front page...As he said to me plaintively, ‘I needed my own presidency.’ And so things can look a certain
Weir concluded the interview by asking the outspoken Woodward about the 2016 presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Weir prefaced his questions by reminding the audience that Carl Bernstein has said Clinton’s refusal to release the transcripts of her Wall Street speeches is comparable to Watergate, and that Woodward himself has made similar statements about the ongoing scandal regarding her private server and the unreleased emails. “My comparison,” said Woodward, “was that we should know what’s in these emails and she should explain it...All I’ve said is that we need some answers to these questions.” He continued: “She really needs to go public and say, ‘This is what I did, this is why I did things.’ ” Woodward, who has known Hillary Clinton since she was First Lady, said, “She’s got a very strong capacity to think and talk straight.” He pointed out that it was she who convinced her husband in 1991 to run for president. “She’s a strong person, and so we’ll see. I think authenticity matters, straight talk matters. And we need that from her.. . from all the candidates.”
{ } Woodward bemoaned a pattern among modern journalists who are more prone to sit in their offices emailing their subjects and awaiting polished responses rather than pounding the pavement and tracking down face-to-face interviews even in the face of resistance.
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Before the main event in the meetinghouse, Bob Woodward joined Head of School Larry Weiss and Head of Upper School Sidney Bridges for a meeting with a group of Upper School students. During the 40-minute session he asked all the students individually about their own interests and took questions from the group. In the age of the Internet and easy information, Mr. Woodward discussed the importance of direct observation and human sources. Those two things, combined with documents, form a sturdy three-legged foundation of information. “No matter what you end up doing [in your career] you’re going to have those three sources of information,” he explained. “If you don’t, you’d better get them. You’ll be much better at doing what you do.” He also touched on the challenges of pursuing truth, noting that absolute truth can be hard to come by. “Is it perfect? Is it an engineer’s drawing? No, it’s the best obtainable version of the truth.”
As for specific observations about Donald Trump – whom Woodward interviewed extensively for the Washington Post just a few weeks before, Woodward told a few anecdotes from the interview. He described Trump’s forceful and complex personality, his obsession about whether immigrants are legal or illegal, and his capacity for measuring other people’s reactions to himself, which Woodward perceives as a key to his business negotiating strategy. The evening ended with Woodward signing copies of his 2015 book The Last of the President’s Men, a documentbased chronicle about Nixon aide Alexander Butterfield, who disclosed the president’s secret taping system that ultimately led to Nixon’s resignation. The book sold out that evening, and many guests enjoyed meeting and greeting the very personable, wise, and engaging man whose actions and investigative reporting helped shape the course of US history.
Fall 2016 BROOKLYN FRIENDS SCHOOL JOURNAL 9
Time-Traveling to Quaker New Amsterdam by Jeffrey Stanley
Just as they were deep into their history study of New Amsterdam last spring, the fourth grade class and their teachers journeyed to an area of the Dutch colony that had a distinctive English accent. Their destination: the Old Quaker meetinghouse in Flushing, Queens – New York State’s oldest house of worship, and the second oldest in the US. Arranging and executing the trip was an epic mass transit challenge, but the rewards were great for these young Friends. “It was a long day but a wonderful one – we had 66 kids, six teachers, two train transfers, and four very long blocks to walk until we reached the spot,” recalled teacher Bea Bartolotta. “We learned some fascinating history from the meetinghouse historian, enjoyed lunch on-site, and held our first Meeting for Worship as an entire fourth grade in this very special space.” The group toured the upstairs of the building to see an old school house and to view historical artifacts. The May 9 field trip was arranged by teacher Amy Hertz, who explained that students had learned how Peter Stuyvesant, the governor of New Netherland, persecuted Quakers, among others. “The early Quakers and others
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continued to fight for what they believed in and finally won,” said Amy. “We came face to face with history at the meetinghouse and discussed how the Flushing Meeting symbolizes religious freedom.” From their tour guide the students heard about the Flushing Remonstrance of 1657 – a written demand to Peter Stuyvesant for religious freedom – and the life of Quaker John Bowne, who helped build the meetinghouse in 1694. The teachers were surprised to learn that the home of John Bowne still stands nearby, and plans are underway for a visit next year to include his home as part of the tour. While studying New York City’s history every year, fourth graders typically start out learning about Henry Hudson but with a visual twist. “We read how his first mate, Robert Juet, describes the land in his ship log and the students make watercolors based on his observations,” said Amy. “Students also learn about the different directorgenerals who ruled the colony and evaluate each based on information they read and images they observe.” The curriculum is broad and deep. Students learn about the area’s original Lenape inhabitants whose land was taken by the Dutch, they learn about slavery, and they learn about African religion, which was persecuted right along with Judaism and Quakerism. “They read, analyze, and discuss several primary sources to support these topics,” continued Amy. Field trips typically include visits to the African Burial Ground in lower Manhattan and an educational sailing excursion aboard the historic sloop Clearwater, a replica of the wooden Dutch vessels that traveled the Hudson River in the 18th and 19th centuries. Students also investigate domestic life in the colonies across all economic and social strata, and then collaborate in building their own model of New Amsterdam circa 1660, which is built and displayed in their classrooms.
The Flushing Remonstrance was a 1657 petition to Director-General of New Netherland Peter Stuyvesant, in which some thirty residents of the small settlement at Vlishing requested an exemption to his ban on Quaker worship. It is considered a precursor to the United States Constitution’s provision on freedom of religion in the Bill of Rights. According to historian Kenneth T. Jackson, the Flushing Remonstrance was remarkable for four reasons: • it articulated a fundamental right that is as basic to American freedom as any other, • the authors backed up their words with actions by sending it to an official not known for tolerance, • they stood up for others in articulating a principle that was of little discernible benefit to themselves, • a nd the language of the remonstrance was as beautiful as the sentiments they expressed.
(Source: Wikipedia)
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Gordon Terry and Carol Bove
THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX:
Philanthropy
at Brooklyn Friends School by Joan Martin 12 BROOKLYN FRIENDS SCHOOL JOURNAL Fall 2016
The Class of 2016 – the first class to graduate from the new Upper School at Lawrence Street,
Philanthropy comes in many forms at Brooklyn Friends School.
The most readily identifiable may be the charitable donations given annually to the school, but there are other ways in which individuals and families are making their mark on philanthropy at BFS. In the 2015-16 academic year the most noteworthy was Carol Bove and Gordon Terry’s extremely generous gift from the private sale of Carol’s “Eighth Blue Sweater Painting.” Carol’s sculptures, assemblages, and paintings are represented in permanent collections around the world including the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of Art, and the High Line in New York as well as museums in France and Lebanon. She lives and works in Red Hook, Brooklyn, and is known for her simple yet intricate assemblages incorporating steel I-beams, driftwood, peacock feathers and found objects. The sale from “Eighth Blue Sweater Painting,” along with the commission donated by David Zwirner Gallery, provided a substantial monetary gift to the BFS educational and financial aid programs, as well as the Light the Way campaign. But Carol and Gordon took their donation one step further to engage meaningfully with the BFS community. On May 10, they opened their expansive Red Hook studio to a small group of faculty, friends and parents for a preview of Carol’s works-in-progress for a New Museum exhibit this past summer and an upcoming fall solo exhibition at the David Zwirner Gallery. The tour and reception were so well received that many ideas are now percolating about the myriad ways of connecting our talented parent body with philanthropic work. Parent talent in the culinary arena was on display this year as well. On March 9, parent Brad Farmerie, Executive Chef of PUBLIC restaurant in New York,
joined Head of School Larry Weiss to host a special event for major donors to the Brooklyn Friends Fund and the Light the Way capital campaign. A group of 22 guests took part in a craft cocktail demonstration followed by an outstanding dinner and expressions of gratitude from Larry and leadership volunteers. Good conversation was also on the menu as friends made connections with one another and talked about their shared experiences as members of the BFS community. Another culinary event took place on May 7, when our new Upper School facility played host to a buffet of delicious fun at the inaugural PAT FoodFest. Raising funds for the school, the event was run by an incredible group of parent volunteers. Hospitality is another example of philanthropy at Brooklyn Friends, one that takes the form of dinners in parents’ homes to recognize the support of major donors to the school and to thank the volunteers who carry out this important work. In 2015-16, parents Wenda Gu and Kathryn Scott hosted the fall reception for major donors in their Brooklyn Heights brownstone. In the spring, parents Paula and Hayden Dunbar opened their home to celebrate the success of the Brooklyn Friends Fund and to thank the Fund’s many volunteers. Paula and Hayden Dunbar
Leaving a Legacy
Sometimes philanthropy can be a group activity at BFS. As the first class to graduate from the new Upper School at Lawrence Street, the members of the Class of 2016 and their families rose to a substantial challenge to leave a senior legacy gift. They collectively raised $40,744 with 87 percent parent participation. In recognition of this achievement, a formal photograph of the Class, taken by alumna Elinor Hills ’14, will be installed outside the Alumni Office on the first floor. Fall 2016 BROOKLYN FRIENDS SCHOOL JOURNAL 13
Summer of Growth, Learning, and Celebration:
HORIZONS AT BFS 2016
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Horizons Annual Giving Report
Horizons at Brooklyn Friends School successfully completed its ninth year of programming in the summer of 2016 and graduated its first class of 8th graders. At full capacity, our program served 122 students – kindergarten through 8th grade – who benefited from six weeks of learning, growth, and fun. This summer our program-wide theme was entitled: “Inside Out,” with a focus on identity, as self portraits of students and staff peppered the hallways of the school building, and we celebrated traits that make each individual at Horizons different, and unique. Students participated in project-based academics with a focus on STEM subjects and a wide variety of enrichment activities including instrumental music, dance and visual arts. Learning how to swim and gaining proficiency in swimming continued as hallmarks of the program.
July 1, 2015 - June 30, 2016
In addition to the 122 students we hosted this summer, there was a steadfast, dedicated crew of teaching professionals and working artists who worked side-byside with the Horizons’ scholars. We had more than 25 teachers and staff members and 15 high school volunteers who worked tirelessly towards our mission to overcome the opportunity gap that persists in low-income communities. We continue to be inspired by our Horizons family of teachers and students, and the great work and growth that happens each summer. We are equally moved by the generosity of the many donors listed in this section, whose unwavering support forms the foundation of this amazing enterprise and special partnership between friends. Rachel Webber Executive Director Horizons at BFS
HORIZONS AT BFS Annual Giving Report 2015-2016 Foundation Support
Altman Foundation Con Edison Deutsche Bank Edith Glick Shoolman Children’s Foundation Heckscher Foundation for Children Horizons National Insomniac Music Charity O.L. Pathy Family Foundation Pinkerton Foundation TD Charitable Foundation Tools For Life TopSpin
Corporate Support
Dynasty Management Inc. Forest City Ratner Companies Greenberg Traurig, LLP Isaac Chera Quinlan Development Group Stahl Organization United American Land
Individual Support Anonymous (1) Richard Becker Anthony Bertoldo and Marisa Fariña
Mr. Don Capoccia Mr. Joseph Chan Danielle Damiano Medeiros Rebecca Brock Dixon and Adam Dixon Amos and Karen Edelman Alexis Ekstein Alireza Esmaeilzadeh and Claudia Held Isaac Khafif Pamela Kiernan Tiffany Koo Mr. Brian Leary Julie Mainelli Joan Martin Jake Ottmann and Lauryn Small Seth and Emily Phillips Scott Sambade David Schwartz Caroline Segarra Anna Seibert Erica Siegel Joshua and Julie Teicher Rachel Webber Michael and Marlies Winter
Celebrate Horizons! April 12, 2016 Anonymous (1)
Aaron Abraham William Abramson Kenneth and Diana Adams Stephanie Ahr Prash Akkapeddi Altronix Michele Arbeeny Ann Armbruster Richard Becker Lorenzo Bellard Anthony Bertoldo and Marisa Fariña Michael Betesh Rebecca Birch Juliana Blazuk Stephen Blum Diana Boutross Matthew Buggenhagen Michael Burke Dorothy Buslewicz Mark Califano Mr. Don Capoccia Steven and Ann Capoccia Laurie Carey Robert Catell Maria Catenacci Anna Chalmers Mr. Joseph Chan
Jay and Elizabeth Chandler Andrew Cohen Brian Cohen Ofer Cohen Anthony Colicino Paul and Andrea Compton Brian Cooper Cory and Emily Cowles Cushman and Wakefield Danielle Damiano Christine Dappolonia
Fall 2016 BROOKLYN FRIENDS SCHOOL JOURNAL 15
Dominick DeLucia Eric Demby and Liza Steinberg-Demby Rebecca Dixon Daniel and Alisa Doctoroff Roxanne Donovan Amos and Karen Edelman Diana Ehrlich David Emil Alireza Esmaeilzadeh and Claudia Held Sal Ferrera First American Title Insurance Company Barry Fishbach Forest City Ratner Companies Michie Foster Miller Andrew Gardini Dan Gellert Derek Gillepsie John Glaister Brian Gochenaur John Golfinos Andrew Grosso and Becky Lasky Kevin Hansen Robert Harleman Suzanne Hart Guido Hartray Karima Hassan Chris Havens Kei Hayashi Laurel Hecht Herrick, Feinstein LLP Michael Congdon and Marna Herrity Danny Heumann Leo Stephen Hill Elyse Horn Moe Issa Lon Jacobs Jen Katz Pamela Keefer Sean Kelleher Pamela Kiernan David Kleiser
Tiffany Koo Adam Koplewicz Paul Korngold Christopher Koza Elisabeth Kozack Alice Lah Keith and Christina Lam Mr. Brian Leary Jay Levinton Brian Lichter Anthony Losquadro Brian Lucey Jeffrey Lynford M&T Bank M&T Charitable Foundation Julie Mainelli Hyman Mamiye Frank Marino Laura Martinelli Andrew Masucci Vincent Mattone Patrick Mazza Maureen McCarthy Donald McCartney Mary and Ed McDonald Kristen McMahon Rachel Mertins Douglas Meyer Rivka Mintz Andrew Moger Rosemarie Mohsen Daniel Moritz Bryce Moses Terence Mullin Salvatore Muzio Steven Najarian James Nelson Thomas Nohilly Alexis Offen Shira Oszmian Jake Ottmann and Lauryn Small John Palmer Daniel Panitz Mehul Patel Peace of Mind Insurance Brokerage LLC Seth and Emily Phillips Will Potter Quinlan Development Group Karen Ramirez Lisa Rapkin Tiffany Raspberry Elana Reiter Courtney Repoli Anthony Restaino Jose Rivera Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Scott Ryser and Rachel Webber Stephen Safina
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Sarah Saint-Amand Nikki Sarraga Brynne Sarsfield David Schwartz Caroline Segarra Matthew Siano Jeremy Singer Kristen Smith Jay Stark Gary Stephens Andrew Stern Christopher Stuart Gabriel Swire Richard Talesnick TD Charitable Foundation Keith Torjusen Michael Vatis Jack Velasquez Peter Vietro-Hannum and April Che Chisholm Eric Vukmirovich Timothy Walther Heather Warnken Jeanne Weinkle Lawrence Weiss and Wendy Aibel-Weiss Wells Fargo Bank Yelin Wen Winthrop Wharton Mr. James Whelan Sara Whitney Heather Wicus Tyler Wilkins Gregory Williamson Michael and Marlies Winter Tracy Wise Yoel Zagelbaum Howard Zemsky
Horizons Giving Day May 12, 2016 Anonymous (1) Denise Jones Adler Cristina Adragna Nicole Brightbill Major Brock Mary Brock John F. Brock Joe Chan Michael Corbi Juliette DeCarlo Rebecca Dixon Holly Eagleson David Ellison Maiken Erstad Marisa G. Fariña Catherine E. Foster Amy Brianna Frieder Audrey Garvin
Laurel Hecht Jessica Hinz Laura John Pamela A. Kiernan David E. Kleiser Henry Koo Edward Koo Tiffany Koo Patricia Krainski Jocelyn Laporte Julie Mainelli Jed Marcus Meghan McCarthy Danielle Damiano Medeiros Jeffrey R Miller Jeffrey Miller Michie Foster Miller Mina Mishrikey Annelise Osborne Seth Phillips Rachel Quitkin Scott Ryser Lauryn M. Small Elizabeth Sosenke Katherine R. Taylor Rachel W. Webber
Horizons Reading Challenge
Anonymous (6) Anita and Ken Adams Yvonne Adams David Addison and Dorothee Cates Craig Averill Victoria Bailey Andrew and Katie Bednark Sally Benbasset Glenda Benson Steven and Samantha Berg Jennifer Berg-Wallish Anthony Bertoldo and Marisa Fariña Marjorie Bhavnani Gregory Bilse Sylvia Bistrong Sean Bobe Claire and Bill Bove Joseph Braido Jessica Brennan Brooklyn Friends School Organizations Christiaan Bunce and Jules Gim Dr. Lawrence Burwell Scott Burwell Steven Burwell and Heidie Joo-Burwell Maya Cater Rich Christina Anthony Conte Judy and Terry Cook
Horizons Annual Giving Report
Vivek Dadlani Katherine Darras Sumitra Daswani Timothy Davis Ben Edmonds Edward Edmonds Jonathan Edmonds and Rachel Mazor Sam Edmonds Josh Empson and Rachel Klauber-Speiden Raymond Empson Josh Ezrin Jacob Fain Mr. Sidney Faucette Jason Flom Kirsten Foster Jane and Barry Freeman Ian Gerard Marielena Glassman Patricia Goodwin Philip Graham Mr. Philip L. Graham, Jr. Virginia Graham Thomas Greenwood Deirdre Guest David Gutterman and Romaine Orthwein Mr. David Guy and Mrs. Alma Blount Elizabeth Guy William Guy and Andrea Magiera-Guy Amanda Habbershaw Anna Habbershaw John M. Haight Jane Hallisey Sarah Harding Edward P. Harvey, Jr. Sigfrid and Sharyn Hauck Kenneth Hawkins Ronnie A. Himmel E M Hinnenkamp David Hogan Patricia Hogan Rachael Hogan Jeremy Holgersen and Hillary Siskind Stephen Homer David Hughes Andrew Jacknain Jessica Jarrand Adam Joffe Alexei Kai Lisa Kalis Pattira Kalis Doris Kell Joshua Kestler Pamela Kiernan Danny Kim
Yumi Kim Brigitte Kleine Wade Lambert Jenny Lascano Chad Lauer Kristin Lavitola Mrs. Joanne LeBlanc Matthew and Sabrina LeBlanc Lauren Lee Jason Lenner Timothy Lennon Christopher Leonard Michael LeValley Denis Lipari Mr. and Mrs. John Macdonald Pauline Magiera Bella Mancini Mark Matthews Raphael Mazor Talya Mazor Bob and Miriam McBennett Charlton McIlwain and Raechel Adams Defonza McIlwain Henrietta Morlock Bradford Mulder and Marisa Marinelli Richard Newman Susan Newman Miroslav Nisenbaum Janet Ottman Judith Ottmann William K. Ottmann, Jr. Gail Ottmann-Deeves Jeffrey Panzo and Kersten Stannard Lorraine and Lewis Panzo Matthew Perkowski Lisa Perlmutter Rosemary Phillips Jennifer Pierce Adam Pincus and Suzanne Myers David and Nicole Porter Lucille and Herbert Porter Janna Quam Constance Quenemoen Jennifer Quinton Raymi Ramseur Mr. and Mrs. David Raymond Anita Reddy Rama Reddy Sangeeta Reddy Lois Reid Alison Reif Megan Richter Hermes and Gemma Rodrigues Clair Rozier Robert and Martha Rubin Mrs. Joan Santoro and Mr. Frank Santoro
Barry and Michele Schindler Gary Schuman and Cori Snyder Debra Schwartz Carol Seeds Rachel Selekman Michael J. Serota Mr. and Mrs. Harlan Sicherman Dawn Simons Laird Simons Curt Small Leith Speiden Garrick Stannard Paul and Barbetta Stannard Courtney Statfeld Olivia Stennett Adrian Swift and Kirsten Loreen Taffera Fine Building And Finishes Inc Neelam Tapia Haysel Tavarez Gordon Terry and Carol Bove Susan Terry Gail Thompson Allen Ian Trundle Amrit Uttam Maggie Van Ert Mark Voysey and Sally Habbershaw Sylvia Voysey Alison Wang David Webley Carol Weidman Rebecca Weintraub Melissa Weldy Amani Willett and Alison Kalis Gail Willett Kamali Willett Pamela Williams Marie Wolpert
Horizons at Brooklyn Friends School Program Volunteers Jojo Attal Margaret Cassidy* Ben Francis* Sam Francis* Caila French* Hildi Gabel* Sarah Glassman* Mick Golden Greta Lagerberg* Eduardo Liz* Hunter Marrero Cosima McConnell* Alexia Samuel* Gabriela Sanchez* Emma Sprague* Marcellus Telesford*
July 1, 2015 - June 30, 2016
Horizons at Brooklyn Friends School Partners
Brooklyn Friends School Coca Cola Horizons National Long Island University Mark Morris Dance Group PS8 - The Robert Fulton School PS67 - The Charles A. Dorsey School PS307 - The Daniel Hale Williams School Venture Up Ski Partners
Horizons at Brooklyn Friends School Board of Trustees
Joe Chan, Co-Chair Rebecca Dixon, Co-Chair Rachel Webber, Executive Director Richard Becker, MD Matthew Buggenhagen Don Capoccia Danielle Damiano Medeiros Karen Edelman, ex-officio Alireza Ezsmaeilzadeh Marisa Fariña Pamela Kiernan David Kleiser, ex-officio Tiffany Koo Brian T. Leary Julie McCartney Mainelli Michie Miller Seth Phillips Erminia Rivera David Schwartz Lauryn Small Larry Weiss, ex-officio Tyler Wilkins Mike Winter
*BFS Upper School student
Fall 2016 BROOKLYN FRIENDS SCHOOL JOURNAL 17
Demonstrating Excellence: UPPER SCHOOL AWARDS AND RECOGNITION The theme of the annual Brooklyn Friends Fund that concluded in June of 2016 was “Underwriting Excellence.” Also in June of 2016, the Upper School held its annual Recognition Ceremony and Closing Day by acknowledging students who had demonstrated excellence as scholars, artists, activists, and peer leaders.
It is part of the Brooklyn Friends School tradition to inspire all students to be their personal best. Another tradition, going back to the early 20th century, has been to recognize those students, whose effort and achievement within the school and beyond merits a shining light. We are pleased that several of these awards are named in honor of esteemed faculty alumni and endowed by contributions from the alumni body. George Fox Award Abrielle Moore ’16 Sierra Vines ’16
Benjamin Burdsall Class of 1949 Scholarship Miles Nabritt ’17
Martin R. Norregaard Prize for Excellence in Writing Olive Wexler ’16
Lucy G. Adams Award for Academic Excellence Anna Franceschelli ’16 Arden Restrick ’16
Brooklyn Friends Upper School Merit Scholars Class of 2017 Hildagard Gabel Philip Camposano Class of 2018 Joy Freund Lucy Smith Isabel Ullman Class of 2019 Asca Akiyama Violet Guinness Maxine Simons Class of 2020 Betsy Allen Sage Gordon Benjamin Rosenfeld Detailed descriptions of the Upper School awards and the national awards are on the BFS website, brooklynfriends. org/usawards
Jack R. Ramey School Spirit Award Olive Wexler ’16
Samuel Pemberton Award Claudius Agrippa ’17 Sophia Lipkin ’18 Emmitt Sklar ’17
Bayard Rustin Youth Activism Award Cecilia Emy ’16 Charlie Hills ’16 Jade Hodge-Pollard ’16 Henry Jacobs ’16 Abrielle Moore ’16 Patonya Parker ’16 Ruby Phillips ’16
Community Leadership Award
Outstanding Contribution to the Athletic Program Charlie Hills ’16 Samuel Horowitz ’16 Henry Jacobs ’16 Taty Rosenthal ’16 Sierra Vines ’16
Departmental Awards English Maya Bushell ’16 Abrielle Moore ’16 Ruby Phillips ’16 History Maya Bushell ’16 Henry Killen ’16 Science Isabella Guinness ’16
Christopher Boyd ’16 Cecilia Emy ’16
Mathematics Ashley Kang ’16
Community Spirit Award
World Languages French – Anna Franceschelli ’16 Latin – Grace Morenko ’16 Mandarin – Kamal Goulbourne ’16 Spanish – Maya Walfall ’16
Charlie Hills ’16
Recognition for Raising Social Awareness Ruby Phillips ’16 Jade Hodge-Pollard ’16 Meledi Montano ’16
Recognition of Admissions Ambassadors Ashley Azeez ’16 Christopher Boyd ’16 Maya Bushell ’16 Caroline Campos ’16 Anna Franceschelli ’16 Charlie Hills ’16 Henry Jacobs ’16 Abby Moore ’16 Ruby Phillips ’16 Olive Wexler ’16
18 BROOKLYN FRIENDS SCHOOL JOURNAL Fall 2016
Performing Arts Dance – Meledi Montano ’16, Noah Walker ’16 Music – Sam Horowitz ’16, Henry Jacobs ’16 Theatre – Ruby Phillips ’16, Olive Wexler ’16 Visual Arts Patonya Parker ’16 Physical Education Kamal Goulbourne ’16
National Awards National Latin Exam Awards, 2016 On average over the past 10 years, 60 percent of BFS students who take this exam excel and receive awards. Upper School laureates for 2016 are listed below: Angel Iparaguirre’18 Jason Cayetano’18 Isabel Ullman’18 Amanda Becker ’18 Michaela Guy ’18 Alice Qu ’18 Miranda Chang ’18 Holly He ’19 Helen Lipsky ’19 Jordan Benn ’19 Issac Handy ’17 Emmitt Sklar ’17 Grace Morenko ’16 Scholastic Writing Awards National Medalists Amanda Becker ’18 Salma Bensalim ’20 The Princeton Prize for Race Relations Amanda Becker ’18 Experiment in International Living Leadership Program in South Africa Maalik Dunkley ’17 New England Young Writers Conference at Bread Loaf of Middlebury College Kieran Huang ’17 Valerie Magan ’17 East-West Center Global Youth Leadership Program Amanda Becker ’18 Joy Freund ’18 Sean Wong ’19
Pictured above, l to r: Teacher Jon De Graff, Emmitt Sklar ’17, Head of Upper School Sidney Bridges, Sophia Lipkin ’18; Miles Nabritt ’17; Sidney Bridges, Ruby Phillips ’16, Meledi Montano ’16, Jade Hodge Pollard ’16, Director of Equity and Inclusion Orinthia Swindell
Annual Giving Report
MESSAGE FROM
Gustav Peebles
Bradford Mulder ’83
CO-CHAIRS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES As Co-Chairs of the Board of Trustees for Brooklyn Friends School, we, and the entire Board, place primary importance on the financial strength of the School – to ensure that funds exist to provide our students with the best possible education based on our Quaker values, now and into the future. As part of securing this future, the Board is planning to begin work this year on a new Strategic Plan which we intend to publish in the 2017-2018 school year. The 2008 Strategic Plan laid out some concrete financial goals: to increase annual contributions to the Brooklyn Friends Fund by 25% and to increase parent participation to 85%. We are pleased to report that these goals have been met, and in fact have been exceeded, with parent participation reaching 88% last year and contributions surpassing $1,000,000.00, an increase of 220%! These facts speak to our financial strength and to the commitment and investment in BFS from parents, grandparents, alumni, faculty, staff and friends who make voluntary contributions to the School. We want to take this moment to recognize these remarkable achievements and to pause and say thank you to all who have helped us reach these goals. We would also like to acknowledge the tremendous efforts of so many under the leadership of Dr. Larry Weiss. The entire Advancement Office, volunteers, faculty, administrators, alumni and board members should all be recognized. A special “Thank you” to all of the Brooklyn Friends Fund parent volunteers, especially Sabrina LeBlanc, Chair of the Brooklyn Friends Fund, who worked on the Fund last year to make it such a resounding success. The entire community should be proud of achieving this remarkable goal.
20 BROOKLYN FRIENDS SCHOOL JOURNAL Fall 2016
At the same time, the just concluded three-year Capital Campaign, co-chaired by parents Mark and Allison Dunn, raised over $3.7 Million to help support the construction of our Upper School building. We thank them and all of the Capital Campaign volunteers for such a successful campaign. Another critical goal for the 2008 Strategic Plan was to expand the enrollment of students from 600 to 900 in ten years. We are pleased to report that the opening enrollment this September is 909 students, surpassing the goal by 9 students two full years early! Expansion has created more academic and curricular opportunities for our students, launched an extraordinary International Baccalaureate program, strengthened our commitment to Quaker values and our relationship with Brooklyn Monthly Meeting and New York Quarterly Meeting, and increased the diversity of our community among many other developments from expansion. As our school grows and evolves, so do its financial needs. Philanthropic support of Brooklyn Friends is one of the most important activities we can undertake to ensure the strength of our Quaker values-based education and our commitment to academic excellence and diversity for the next 149 years and beyond. Based on the unbridled enthusiasm we are witnessing for the future of our school, and the extraordinary generosity of our community, we see the continuing success of Brooklyn Friends in a very bright light, and for that we are most grateful. In friendship, Gustav Peebles Brad Mulder ’83
Annual Giving Report
July 1, 2015 - June 30, 2016
MESSAGE FROM
Karen Edelman DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT At Brooklyn Friends School, our students are inspired to ask questions thoughtfully, discuss topics deeply, and use their experiences to influence the world around them. Our alumni have taken these tools with them and done extraordinary things in their lives – so many of them credit their depth of curiosity and learning to their times at Brooklyn Friends. I spend much of my role as Director of Advancement speaking with our former students, and I am so moved by the inspiration they continue to derive from their time at BFS. Providing a premier academic program in the arts, sciences, humanities and technology, athletic programs, as well as state of the art facilities, while maintaining our extraordinary commitment to a truly diverse community, is not easy. The expectations that our families have, as well as those we put on ourselves, are high. We rely on our extended community to do what they can to help us maintain and build upon these programs. And in the 2015-2016 school year, our community truly came through. For the first time in the history of the school, the Brooklyn Friends Fund raised over one million dollars, setting a new philanthropic standard for Brooklyn Friends School. Over the past three years, we have raised more than $7.2 million through our capital campaign, gala and giving to the Brooklyn Friends Fund. To quote the theme from last year’s Brooklyn Friends Fund, we asked our community to underwrite excellence, and you truly stepped up, thank you! More than 70 parents, alumni, grandparents and friends volunteered their time last year to help us reach these monumental fundraising goals. We could never have achieved this level of philanthropy without their support.
Where do we go from here? Now that a new philanthropic standard has been set, we continue to set our sights on the future, and we ask you all to do the same. We are looking forward. To the seniors who will graduate this year and go on to do amazing things like their fellow alumni. To the three-year olds who have only recently joined our community and will, certainly, make their mark on Brooklyn Friends in the coming years. To the faculty who will continue to guide our students in their academic, social and emotional pursuits. To the families who continue to put their trust in Brooklyn Friends to help shape students into compassionate, curious and confident global citizens who let their lives speak in the spirit of leadership and service. We are looking forward to a bright future, and we hope that all of you will continue to give back to the community that means so much to all of us. In friendship, Karen Edelman
Brooklyn Friends Fund Volunteer Leaders, 2015-16 Fall 2016 BROOKLYN FRIENDS SCHOOL JOURNAL 21
Portraits in Giving
MATT AND CLARE MCAULIFFE by Kathryn Collins Matt and Clare McAuliffe fell into the fundraising niche at Brooklyn Friends School early on when Clare joined the gala committee and took on the task of curating the preschool and lower school art projects for the live auction. If you walk into the home of a BFS family and see a gallery-quality framed piece of children’s art, Clare likely had something to do with it. Matt joined the Brooklyn Friends Fund Committee in the fall of 2012 and took on the role of vice-chair for the preschool division the following year.
front doors are like magic. The minute Madeline and George walk into this building, they are bouncy, excited, happy to be here, and proud of their school. BFS is really a ‘second home’ to them throughout the year. We want to support that in whatever way we can.”
The couple have always believed in the transformative power of the Brooklyn Friends community. Whether brainstorming stewardship event ideas or hosting committee gatherings in their apartment overlooking Brooklyn Bridge Park, they’ve enjoyed and helped to foster the camaraderie for which the BFS parent body is known.
The 65-member Brooklyn Friends Fund Parent Committee includes families who are brand new to Brooklyn Friends as well as those who have been a part of the community for more than a decade. They reflect the greater BFS parent body in that they are mothers and fathers who come from every walk of life, every neighborhood in Brooklyn, and a few in Manhattan too. They share a common bond in their commitment to building a culture of philanthropy and to raising funds to carry out the school mission. Their work impacts every student, every day.
Now, with Madeline beginning Middle School and their son George in second grade, Matt and Clare are taking their commitment to BFS to a whole new level. The couple are the new parent chairs of the Brooklyn Friends Fund Committee which, last year, raised more than $1 million for the school’s operating budget. Describing why they agreed to take on the project, Matt said, “Those iconic
Matt and Clare are looking forward to their two years chairing the committee. Reflecting on his professional experience, Matt noted, “At Google we’ve done a lot of research on what makes a good team. Basically it comes down to being nice. To peel the onion a little further, we’re talking about psychological safety. A good idea can come from anywhere, from any level of experience.”
44 BROOKLYN FRIENDS SCHOOL JOURNAL Fall 2016
Brooklyn Friends Fund Committee 2016-2017 Parent Committee Chair Matt and Clare McAuliffe
Division Vice Chairs Mary Beech
Michael Farkas Katie Gerard
Parent Committee
Tom and Analisa Barrett Mary Beech Andrea Compton Pat Cremins Albert Diaz
Sunyoo Kim
Prescott and Paula Dunbar
Michael Lieberman and Jessie Harris-Washburne
Mark and Allison Dunn Rachel Empson-Speiden
John and Vanessa McGuire
M. Salomé Galib
Danae Oratowski
Maria-Ray Guido
Leadership Gifts Vice Chairs
Erica Hamilton Lucille Harper
Steve Burwell and Heidie Joo-Burwell
Lara Holliday
Sabrina LeBlanc
Alexander Kagen and Susan Hashemi
Macon Jessop
Senior Legacy Gift Brooklyn Friends FundSunyoo Kim Vice Chairs Andrew Scruton and Louise Whittet
Lumumba and Monifa Bandele Christopher and Danielle McConnell
David Kim and James Logatto
Brooklyn Phillip and Sharon Koblence Friends Fund Terry Kung
Park Lagerberg Carrie Lamb
Howard Levitt and Nathalie Sommer Ron Lieber Sandy Maltzman Brad Mulder ’83 Alice Neumann de-Chamorro Ryan O’Connell and Rachel Rothman Jake Ottman and Lauryn Small Raymi Ramseur James Roberts and Lisa Starr Matt Rogers Rachel Strohmenger Alex Tavantzis Ilse Werther Ryan and Ashley Williams
Brooklyn Friends Fund Faculty Committee Vanessa Ehler Elizabeth Heck Edward Herzman Denise Parks Deborah Richman
Nancy Tanney Margaret Trissel Lisa Ventry Linda Villamarin
Alumni Class Agents
Edith Mendelson Gelfand ’61 Barbara Rothenberg ’63 Ellen Dresdale Ritz ’66 Mechele Plotkin Flaum ’68 Steve Magagnini ’72 Dana Stone ’76 Muriel McClendon ’77 Catherine Woolston ’80 Rachael Maurer ’87 Meredith Erickson ’95 Crystal Backus ’96 Hannah Janal ’99 Lekeia Varlack ’99 Alap Vora ’03 Sherika Campbell ’09 Ryan Ladouceur ’09 Airenakhue Omoragbon ’15 Sierra Vines ’16 Charlie Hills ’16
Brooklyn Friends Fund
Brooklyn Friends Fund Brooklyn Friends Fund Brooklyn Friends Fund
Brooklyn Friends Fund
Brooklyn Friends Fund
Looking forward, giving back.
Names in bold denote 10 or more years consecutive giving
^ denotes deceased
brooklynfriends.org/donate
Board of Trustees Gustav Peebles, Co-Chair Bradford Mulder ’83, Co-Chair Steven Burwell Richard Cutler ’62 M. Salomé Galib Ben Horner Macon Jessop Kamauru Johnson Pamela Kiernan William G. Morris, Jr. Ed Oliver Catherine Ramey Adam Rashid Margaret Trissel Barbara von Salis '07 Willie Mae Watkins Larry Weiss, Head of School, ex-officio Karen Edelman, Director of Advancement, ex-officio David E. Kleiser, Chief Financial Officer, ex-officio
Administration Larry Weiss, Head of School Karine Blemur-Chapman, Director of Enrollment Sidney E. Bridges, Head of Upper School Jacquelyn Condie, Head of Lower School Karen Edelman, Director of Advancement Maura Eden, Head of Preschool David Gardella, Athletic Director Greg George, Director of Technology Terry Kung, Director of College Counseling David E. Kleiser, Chief Financial Officer Natania Kremer, Director of Service Learning and Civic Engagement Joan Martin, Director of Communications Mary Osorio, Executive Assistant to the Head of School Lesly Pierre, Director of Facilities Glen T. Pinder, Head of Middle School Sara Soll, Director of Family Center Orinthia Swindell, Director of Diversity and Institutional Equity Rachel Webber, Executive Director of Horizons at Brooklyn Friends School Lily Edelman, Class of ’20 ➣