CASTILLEJA SCHOOL MAGAZINE FALL/WINTER 2012
fall/winter 2012 | 1
contents FALL/WINTER 2012 feature
departments
Made: The Visual Arts at Castilleja
Annual Report
41
Alumnae
62
Board Updates
70
Faculty Notes Class Notes
72
In Memoriam
88
2 | full circle
Inspiration Process Outcome
5 11 19
75
from the head ste
am
Castilleja’s renewed commitment to prepare young women to engage in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) has led to new courses, labs, programs, and opportunities. As a result, we have dramatically increased the number of students participating in research internships, and the number of students planning to major in a STEM field in college is rapidly on the rise. In short, our efforts are making a difference. But even as we proudly reflect on our success, we must continue to ask ourselves: What more can be done?
A recent panel at the Rhode Island School of Design posed the same question. Their answer is to become the lead driver of a policy initiative to add art and design to the center of the national education agenda on STEM. By bringing “right brain innovation” into the dialog about STEM, they are calling for a shift to STEAM to include arts in the mix. This is in recognition of the important role art and design play in the innovation process, as well as the latest research in neuroscience citing evidence that arts study strengthens other cognitive areas. I sat down with our own visual arts teachers to gain their insights, and here’s what they had to say. Nanci Kauffman (NK): Why do you think art education matters so much in the context of 21st century learning?
NK: Where do art and STEM intersect? HS: Though many see art and science as opposites, the fact is that they have long existed and developed collaboratively. Mary Hurlbut (MH): Reimagining the world and rearranging its forms and meaning are at the heart of both art and science. From Galileo to da Vinci, practitioners of both disciplines approach the tangible world with a sense of inquiry and investigation, observing, manipulating, and interpreting empirical material to put things in context, visualize patterns, and answer fundamental questions. HS: Our visual arts program celebrates this deep, long-standing relationship by challenging students to think outside of the box, comparatively and cross-culturally. By its very nature, our program is interdisciplinary—even transdisciplinary—and opens students to new ways of seeing, thinking, and doing. With a robust visual arts program and a curriculum infused with the arts, Castilleja is playing a leading role in exploring the transition from STEM to STEAM. And, as you will see by the extraordinary work featured in this special edition, our student and young alumnae artists are poised to play a leading role as creators, innovators, and problemsolvers as they journey beyond the Circle.
Helen Shanks (HS): To be successful in the 21st century, our girls need to be able to innovate, experiment and find creative solutions to difficult, open-ended problems. This is what we do every day in the visual arts program at Castilleja. We place a huge emphasis on process, teaching students to be flexible, to take risks and to learn new two- and three-dimensional skills within an environment where students can learn skills and the importance of research, trial and error, critical thinking, and collaboration. Deborah Trilling (DT): Kristina Hooper Woolsey, the "mother of multimedia," recognized that in the future, as the computer blurs the line between teaching and learning, "sights and sounds" will be as important in education as words and numbers. In an increasingly global world, pictures have become their own lingua franca, a common idiom for communication. Artistic knowledge equips our students to speak in the world of tomorrow. fall/winter 2012 | 1
feature: made 2012
inspiration process 2 | full circle
feature: made 2012
Along the way we explore, experiment, reflect, collaborate, critique, re-work and refine. Persistence, risktaking and failing and “failing better� is all part of the process.
made: visual arts
Making and creating art is a process. From the germ of an idea to the final concept and product, many steps take place in between: brainstorming, sketching, researching, re-thinking and, prototyping all contribute to realizing the final outcome.
outcome
fall/winter 2012 | 3
made: inspiration
4 | full circle
made: inspiration feature
made: inspiration
We look globally, we look locally; we think about the present, we think about the past; we think about what we love, what we hate and what gives meaning to our lives. We ask lots of questions, begin researching, and reflect on our work and the work of others.
fall/winter 2012 | 5
made: inspiration
6 | full circle
feature made: inspiration
materials The availability of a wide variety of materials and exposure to a range of approaches allows students to express their own concepts and creative ideas regardless of developmental level.
fall/winter 2012 | 7
made: inspiration
8 | full circle
feature made: inspiration
journals and mood boards Mimicking the way “real� artists and designers often work, students are taught to research and develop their ideas through journals, sketchbooks, mood boards and 3-D and 2-D prototypes. Our graduates are able to move between 2-D and 3-D and back again, setting the stage for future work as creative visionaries.
fall/winter 2012 | 9
made: process
10 | full circle
feature made: process
made: process
Students explore a wide variety of materials in the arts: from paint to clay, from photo to glass, and from wire to wood. Deliberately choosing a material to communicate a specific idea is the key to an assignment. Throughout the process students learn skills, gain confidence and again, reflect on their work. Concepts are examined and refined through journals and sketchbooks.
fall/winter 2012 | 11
made: process
12 | full circle
feature made: process
1sketching Sketching is fascinating brain activity. Whether it be in engineering or art, being able to convey ideas visually is rapidly becoming a necessity in the 21st century. The basic drawing skills all students learn helps them develop another way of thinking about, looking at, and understanding themselves and their world.
fall/winter 2012 | 13
made: process
6 14 | full circle
made: process feature
work-in-progress Progress is not a linear journey. Our students are encouraged to try multiple iterations to find the best solution to communicate their vision. Failure and “failing better� are routine!
fall/winter 2012 | 15
made: process
16 | full circle
feature made: process
bourn idea lab From da Vinci’s flying machines and monuments to automations, kinetic sculplture to a dictator series — art, history, and science converge in the Bourn Lab.
fall/winter 2012 | 17
made: outcome
18 | full circle
made: outcome
made: outcome
Refining and modifying ideas all lead to the final artwork. Being open to new suggestions and then reflecting on areas of growth, learning and expertise are all crucial in reviewing the outcome. This leads to circling back and finding inspiration for the next project. Showing our work in the gallery alongside professional artists creates an uplifting and exciting experience in the arts.
fall/winter 2012 | 19
made: outcome
20 | full circle
feature made: outcome
core arts Ninth grade students are introduced to a variety of studio, historical and critical art concepts through exploration of materials, tools, techniques, research skills, as well as connecting with other disciplines. Field trips to special exhibits help students experience art in the real world and bring that learning back to the classroom.
fall/winter 2012 | 21
made: outcome
22 | full circle
made: outcome feature
AP art and advanced visual art Students choose one of three areas: Drawing/Painting, Design, or Photography, and pursue the study of original concepts within that area to create a portfolio of 29 original works based on research, brainstorming, experimentation, analysis, skill, critique and collaboration, and imagination.
fall/winter 2012 | 23
made: outcome
24 | full circle
made: outcome feature
upper school ceramics Students explore the chemistry of different firing techniques and glazes, and learn hand-building and throwing skills that provide a rich experience in ceramics. Importantly, they learn to translate 2-D research and drawings into 3-D, improving spatial visualization, a critical cognitive skill where there is a persistent gender gap.
fall/winter 2012 | 25
made: outcome
26 | full circle
made: outcome
upper school drawing and painting Students continue their study of drawing and painting using observation, imagination, and source material with an emphasis on individual creativity through journaling. The study of color and multiple mixed-media approaches to making meaning in art helps students express their own point of view and develop their personal style.
fall/winter 2012 | 27
made: outcome
28 | full circle
made: outcome feature
upper school photography In the Upper School students learn to read the “text� of photos; make photos inspired by tradition and contemporary art; collaborate; study the history and critical practices of photography; use digital darkroom media; and learn lighting techniques. As a final project, students publish an original photo book that reflects focused attention on a concept through visual imagery and technical execution. fall/winter 2012 | 29
made: outcome
30 | full circle
feature made: outcome
middle school photography elective Middle School students have the opportunity to explore digital photography in electives offered throughout the year. They learn compositional and photo editing skills while developing a new outlet for their creative expression and perhaps even a new way of seeing the world.
fall/winter 2012 | 31
made: outcome
32 | full circle
feature made: outcome
middle school art Experimentation with a wide variety of materials and techniques helps Middle School students explore their creativity. Building skills, working collaboratively and in an interdisciplinary way enhances learning and an appreciation of all forms of visual art. fall/winter 2012 | 33
made: outcome
34 | full circle
feature made: outcome
middle school art II For students, middle school is a time of self-discovery. The creative process of journaling, sketching, designing and creating using a variety of materials and approaches helps them not only to find their own voice, but also to learn how to express themselves.
fall/winter 2012 | 35
made: outcome
36 | full circle
feature made: outcome
upper school design and sculpture Design is everywhere and students take advantage of this to explore most aspects of the design world from graphic design to fashion and from architecture to large-scale, site-specific kinetic sculpture. The research process and a design thinking model, which combines empathy for problem context, creativity in solution development, and rational analysis, are fundamental to this course.
fall/winter 2012 | 37
made: outcome
anita seipp gallery Having a dedicated gallery space provides students with the opportunity to exhibit their work in a professional setting, to participate with established artists in shows, and to gain curatorial experience. The gallery functions as a place for critique and evaluation of student work, as well as a space for large-scale student painting and collaborative projects in design. Exhibits in the gallery often provide an exciting backdrop to interdisciplinary work and is a school-wide teaching tool. 38 | full circle
made: credits
Jane Choi ’13, Inspiration Hannah Knowles ’15, Process Ayesha Bajwa ’14, Outcome
inspiration pages 4 and 5 Nicole Pereira ’14
sketching pages 12 and 13
Sarah Beesley ’15 Katie Chess ’15 Jessica Zubizarreta ’15, Wisdom and Beauty
AP art and advanced visual art pages 22 and 23 (clockwise from top left) Laine Caswell ’13, 40 Claire Bostrom ’13, Portrait Claire O'Malley ’12, Miss Universe
(clockwise from top left)
Charlotte Jones ’13, Untitled
Rachel Skokowski ’11
Emily Wong ’12, Portrait on Envelope
Clare Tandy ’15
Shifrah Aron-Dine ’12, Once Upon a Time
Ellen Howard ’18
Alice Borie ’12, Escape
Anne Li ’14
Meghana Bhat ’13, Untitled
Hannah Knowles ’15
Kristina Kolpakova ’13, Untitled
Alice Winham ’14 Anne Li ’14
upper school ceramics pages 24 and 25
Bourn Idea Lab pages 16 and 17 Shifrah Aron-Dine ’12, Germany Today Shifrah Aron-Dine ’12, Stalin Says
outcome pages 18 and 19
(clockwise from top left) Rebecca Merenbach ’14, Maya Angelou Cassidy Jensen ’14, Untitled Cassidy Jensen ’14, Helen Keller Surya Brown-Moffitt ’13, Untitled Shammai Mading ’14, Oprah Winfrey
Saloni Kalkat ’13, Portrait of Caitlin Colvin
Surya Brown-Moffitt ’13, Artemis
Claire O'Malley ’12
Bri Rossman, ’13, J.K. Rowling Miranda Dafoe ’14, Untitled
core arts pages 20 and 21
Emma Waldfogel ’14, Athena Jasmine Inostrosa ’14, Diana, Princess of Wales
made: visual arts
introduction pages 2 and 3
(clockwise from top left) Jolena Ma ’15 Madison MacGregor ’15
upper school drawing and painting pages 26 and 27
Julia McKay ’15
Camille Townshend ’13, Eye
Alexandra Myers ’14
Camille Townshend ’13, Feet Up
Maddie Tarr ’14
Hannah Mazonson ’14, Bird of Paradise
Natalie Sadlak ’15, Odyssey
Josie Furbershaw ’13, Transformation
Natalie Sadlak ’15, Violin
Madison MacGregor ’15, Blue Mouth
Anna Yu, ’15
Natalie Sherer ’13, Beestung
Artist Unknown, Saxophone
Camille Townshend ’13, Worktop
Multiple students, ceramic tiles
Alice Winham ’13, Africa fall/winter 2012 | 39
made: visual arts
made: credits
upper school photography pages 28 and 29
Katia Scocimara ’16, Valley Julie Plummer ’16, Teapot
(clockwise from top left) Jackie Maloney ’14, Portrait Paige Vermeer ’14, Oh Baby! Jessica Norum ’14, Blind Owl Erin Jobs ’13, Four Feet Rachel Lai ’15, Untitled Sanah Imran ’14, Portrait Yasmin Afifi ’15, Untitled
middle school art II page 34 (clockwise from top left) Paris Wilkerson ’16 Multiple Grade 6 and 7 artists, Eggs Artist Unknown Nicole Flamen ’16 Allison Zanolli ’16 Artist Unknown
middle school photography pages 30 and 31
Artist Unknown
(clockwise from top left)
middle school art II page 35
Elana Rich ’18, American Flag
Multiple Grade 6 artists, works inspired by music
Jenna Kotcher ’17, Tom’s Chloe Lawler ’18, Leaves Gwen Cusing ’17, Picket Fence
upper school design and sculpture page 36 and 37
Karnia Fonstad ’16, Crayons
(clockwise from top left)
Emma Glickman ’16, Running Water
Karina Gunadi ’15, Bar Code Curtain
Karly Quadros ’16, Glitter Stairs
Teni Amos ’15, Blue Clockworks
Sam Gerber ’17, Stepping Up
Isabelle Lyseggen ’15, Clockworks
middle school art page 32 (clockwise from top left) Tallulah Safka ’17, Sunflower Chloe Lawler ’17, Flower on Blue Background Hartley Bonham ’18, Stargazer Artist Unknown, Flower Quarter
Chloe Sales ’15, Bar Code Tear Juliana Diaz ’14, Little Shop of Horrors I Juliana Diaz ’14, Little Shop of Horrors II Ella Finley ’14 and Lexie Kirsch ’14, Kinetic Sculpture I Jane Choi ’15, Tick Tock Meredith Shell ’14 and Katherine Hass ’14, Kinetic Sculpture II
Noel Peng ’17, Pink Petals Gwen Cusing ’17, Pink Flower
Seipp Gallery page 38
middle school art page 33
top row: Waterworks Exhibit (Global Week, 2012)
(clockwise from top left)
bottom row: Bell Curve Exhibit (Spring, 2012)
Arushi Gupta ’18, Grateful Artist Unknown Leslie Akin ’16, Island Hammock collaborative Middle School installation Heejung Chung ’16, At the Beach Katie Look ’18, J.F.K. 40 | full circle
center row: Peacemaker Exhibit (Global Week, 2011)
a
alumnae
Alums and Honorary Alums pose with Betty Lee ’86 (center) after her demonstration of container gardening techniques.
Reunion Weekend 2012
events
For two beautiful early fall days in September, more than 100 alumnae spanning over 60 years returned to Castilleja for Reunion Weekend events. In addition, more than 40 alumnae attended regional events in San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and Washington, DC. All the events gave classmates a chance to celebrate milestones (like a 50th reunion), friends a chance to reconnect, alums across the decades a chance to meet, and everybody a chance to have fun.
Coming Soon Art Museum Tour and Lunch
Family Valentine’s Party
Denver, Colorado December 1, 2012
@ Castilleja February 9, 2013
TGIF Reception
Honorary Alumnae Winter Tea
New York, New York December 7, 2012
@ Castilleja March 7, 2013
Global Week
view360
@ Castilleja January 7-11, 2013
@ Oracle in Redwood City April 6, 2013
62 | full circle
alumnae alumnae
1
2
Alumnae celebrate at the 50+ Reunion Luncheon at the Lockey Alumnae House 1 (front row, left to right) Honor Berger Spitz ’62, Barbara Hutter Manford ’62, and Kathy Stern Groves ’62; (middle row) Louisa Griggs Hagen ’62, Joanne De Phillips ’62, and Adrian Kennedy Erler ’62; (back row) Barbara Quaintance Bowers ’62, Nancy Fletcher ’62, and Camille Gibbs Herrick ’62 2 (left to right) Barbara Quaintance Bowers ’62 and Pamela Nye ’62 3 Camille Gibbs Herrick ’62 and Nancy Fletcher ’62 4 (left to right) Louisa Griggs Hagen ’62, Honor Berger Spitz ’62, Joanne De Phillips ’62, and Adrian Kennedy Erler ’62
5 (left to right) Mollie Bray Campbell ’53, Lynn Armstrong Winkel ’52, Joan Terbell Knowles ’52, and Shirley Arnott Pruitt ’52
4
3
5 fall/winter 2012 | 63
alumnae
1
Class reunion photos at the Saturday Cocktail Party 1 Class of 1982 (front row, left to right) Sarah Rosenbaum Gaeta, Debby Kramer Radin, Laura Kelly Kroger, and Kathleen Stewart Marcove; (back row) Patti Rosenberg, Maryly Culley Culpepper, Gabrielle Whelan, Heather Walker, and Julie Leet Hagelshaw; (not pictured) Caroline Little Cribari 2 Class of 1987 (left to right) Bonnie Rosenberg, Sarah Rakonitz Stein, Pamela Hawley, Rachel Burgoyne, Jennifer Jamieson Suter, Michele Wray Khateri, and Kristin Meier; (not pictured) Wakako Nomura 3 Class of 2007 (left to right) Anne-Marie Chun, Kelly Temes, Rachel Lopatin, Katherine Jordan, Anika Shah, Kelly Schryver, and Brett Powers 4 (left to right) Ursula Kinney Ringham ’90, Distinguished Alumnae Award recipient Pamela Hawley ’87, and Head of School Nanci KauffmanHA
2
3 64 | full circle
4
alumnae
6
5
7
5 Class of 1992 (front row, left to right): Olga Zundel, Hala Kurdi Kleinknecht, Stephanie Miles Nelson, Ann McMillan, and Julie Rosenberg; (back row, left to right) Laila Hag Collins, Reena Patton, Alicia Fang Chang, Rachel Mandell Basile, Sabrina Berry Parsons, and Sabrina Shakley Brooks 6 Class of 1977 (left to right) Elizabeth Harris, Denise Dowsett, Barb DeméréHA, Marina Dellaporta Marquet, Sue Stone, and Susanna Winchell Gaines 7 Class of 1972 (left to right) Janet “Betsy” Barker, Mia Mora, Melinda Winchell, Wendy Dunne Smith, Susan Sundby Nicholas, Chris Klukkert, and Joyce Bogner Bohn 8 Class of 2002 (left to right) Lisa Mandle, Emily Adams-Piper, Sarita Fu Wang, Pallen Chiu, Kari Barber, Chloe Leinwand, and Christina Nawas
8 fall/winter 2012 | 65
alumnae
9
10
Reunion Weekend: Saturday Chapel Program 9 Sarita Fu Wang ’02 and Pallen Chiu ’02 10 (left to right) Alumnae Association President Ursula Kinney Ringham ’90 and VP Events Christina Hansen McClure ’71 present Pamela Hawley ’87 with the 2012 Distinguished Alumnae Award 11 Wendy Dunne Smith ’72 and Chris Klukkert ’72
Reunion Weekend: Gamble Garden Demonstration and Lunch 12 (left to right) Helen Ham Christine ’97, Mani White ’97, Sarah Sobel ’97, and guests 13 (left to right) Janet “Betsy” Barker ’72, Joyce Bogner Bohn ’72, Susan Sundby Nicholas ’72, and Mia Mora ’72
12
11 66 | full circle
13
alumnae
2 3
1
Regional Gatherings 1 San Francisco - Pacific Heights Walking Tour (left to right) Ursula Kinney Ringham ’90, Karen Bowers Hill ’78, Laura Wes Cheek ’01, Tania Jemelian Boghosian ’77, and Jaclyn Kokores ’01 2 Washington, DC, National Museum of Women in the Arts (left to right) Nancy Tate ’66, Anne-Marie “Punky” Chun ’07, Natalie Adams ’99, and Whitney Brown ’02; (not pictured) Lisa Ide ’86 and Rachel Steyer ’07 3 Castilleja alumnae viewing some of the modern art collection at NMWA 4 Silicon Valley - Clos La Chance Wine
Tasting at the Lockey Alumnae House (left to right) Allison Davis P’08, Joan Ragno P’08, and Corky Davis P’08 5 Christina Koo Van Zandt ’90 and Bonnie Rosenberg ’87 6 (left to right) Ursula Ringham Kinney ’90, Joy Sih-Cleveringa ’90, and Bonnie Rosenberg ’87
4
5
6 fall/winter 2012 | 67
alumnae
2012 Distinguished Alumnae Award: Pamela Hawley ’87 Pamela Hawley ’87 was a middle school student at Castilleja when she first discovered her passion for remedying social situations that she deemed unacceptable—children and families who were starving in Mexico, teens who needed help to get their GED, or an increase in suicides—and where she learned to become a part of the solution. Pamela graduated cum laude from Duke University and received an MA on scholarship from the USC Annenberg School for Communication. It was during graduate school that she first learned about social entrepreneurship and the ability to “make a difference in a strategic, business-like way, while serving our communities.” She immediately realized that this was how she could achieve her vision of serving with compassion and business principles. In 1996 she co-founded VolunteerMatch, a nonprofit that matches volunteers with other nonprofits. In 2002, inspired by her international volunteer work, she founded UniversalGiving (http://www. universalgiving.org), a web-based service that connects people with opportunities to give and to volunteer with projects around the world. All projects are vetted through UniversalGiving’s proprietary Quality Model™ and 100% of each donation goes directly to the cause. A second service, UniversalGiving Corporate, handles the CSR strategy for Fortune 500 companies, ensuring the success of their international giving and volunteering programs. As founder and CEO of UniversalGiving, she has been honored with a Jefferson Award for Public Service (the Nobel Prize in Community Service), selected as a finalist in Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and chosen as a member of the Colburn S. Wilbur Fellowship Program through the Institute on Global Ethics. She is an Expert Blogger on CSR for Fast Company, and she has been invited twice to the White House by the Office of Social Innovation. UniversalGiving has been profiled on CBS and in FOX Business Network, and has also been featured in BusinessWeek, WomenEntrepreneur, Oprah.com, NBC News, The Christian Science Monitor, The New York Times, The Financial Times, MarketWatch, CNNMoney.com, Change.org, and See Change Magazine. One of Pamela’s employees said: “Working with her made me understand her passion for the mission and she taught me that doing good requires not just the intention, but a structured and meticulous work ethic that drives you toward your goal, every single day.” Outside the realm of her work is another passion that defines Pamela – improvisation. She got her start on the Casti stage, where she was quite famous for her Kareem Abdul Jabar impersonation. She has now performed in more than 100 shows in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. She has trained at and performs with Groundlings, Second City, Upright Citizens Brigade, and BATS. Pamela has stayed connected to Castilleja, serving on committees and panels, faithfully supporting the Annual Fund, hosting and facilitating an alumnae networking event at her office in San Francisco, and offering internships for alumnae.
68 | full circle
alumnae
Spotlight: Suelyn Yu ’06 Inspiration: Travelling on the highway, I always noticed all the cars around me inevitably filled with empty seats. I wondered, “Why isn’t there a way for people headed in the same direction to travel together?” Process: Prototype. Test. Prototype. Test. Our team spent hours debating user needs and hypothetical solutions. Testing a quick prototype, whether it was click-through wireframes or a quick build, with real users helped us make decisions faster. Outcome: An iPhone app for people to easily find friendly people to share rides with called “Ridejoy,” reduce our carbon footprint, and transform our transportation network. Suelyn Yu ’06, Interaction Designer, frog To learn more visit: www.suelynyu.com/Ridejoy-iPhone-app
Spotlight: Rachel Dwan ’04 Inspiration: At Castilleja I was influenced by English teacher Christina Buchmann’s ability to read the trajectories of how people wrote, to see the levels of irony that would tint and complicate a simple statement. I was also (unexpectedly) influenced by the much-reviled Keck math curriculum. Through it I saw that you could understand equations as composed sentences, with different parts working to create a certain kind of trajectory and rhythm, that with knowledge, could be interfered with. I left Castilleja with a love of radically switching mental modes, and seeing the similarities between modes. Process: I don’t use math to make my current work but I do use this kind of thinking: that a given oddity you encounter in the world can be broken up into pieces, and you can ask what those pieces do to each other before you put them back together. I use mental acrobatics to change one set of content into another, analyzing patterns and densities, and then enacting verbs: wandering from real verbs into nonverbs, and to imaginary words even. Emphasis always falls back onto this lightness and changeability that delights in taking patterns of thought from one discipline into a new one. Outcome: I moved from anthropology and psychology to architectural engineering, and then art, seeking to make my own systems and then dissolve them. My current work relies on very simple lines that are split apart and recombined to create a layered history of possible combinations. Rachel Dwan ’04, Artist
fall/winter 2012 | 69
board updates
Castilleja is pleased to welcome Diane Brooks Dixon ’69, Harry J. Elam, Jr. P’12, Gabrielle Layton P’18,’19, Ursula Kinney Ringham ’90, and Asher Waldfogel P’14 to the Board of Trustees. They join a seasoned and robust group, filling the seats vacated at the end of the 2011-2012 school year. Also joining the board for a 1-year term as the Castilleja School Association (CSA) representative is current CSA President Amy Hsieh P’13.
Diane Brooks Dixon ’69 Diane Brooks Dixon ’69 is the principal of Diane Dixon Global Consultants. Previously, she held the senior executive communications post for Avery Dennison for nearly 30 years and served as the President of the Avery Dennison Foundation from 1985-2011. She has held significant leadership and board roles in community and professional organizations, including the United Way of Greater Los Angeles, the YMCA Metropolitan Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Women’s Leadership Board of the Harvard Kennedy School. She also served as a Trustee of Polytechnic School and on the Board of KCET. She received her BA from the University of Southern California.
70 | full circle
Harry J. Elam, Jr. Harry J. Elam, Jr. has been a faculty member at Stanford University for 22 years. He is currently a Professor of Drama and the Olive H. Palmer Professor in the Humanities at Stanford. In July 2010, he was named the Freeman-Thornton Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education. He is the author and editor of seven books and has directed professionally at TheatreWorks and other Bay Area theater groups. In 2006 he was inducted into the College of Fellows of the American Theatre. He began his teaching career in the Theater Department at the University of Maryland, College Park, before joining the faculty at Stanford. He received an AB from Harvard University and a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. He and his wife, Michele Elam, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Centennial Professor at Stanford University, are the parents of Claire Patterson ’12, currently a freshman at Scripps College.
board updates
Amy Hsieh Amy Hsieh is the current President of the Castilleja School Association after having held various volunteer roles at the school over the last six years. She began her career as a buyer for Lord & Taylor in New York. She moved to the advertising industry as an account manager for McCann Erickson, where she oversaw brands including Nestlé Quik and Del Monte Foods. An active volunteer, she has held a variety of roles at five schools over the last 12 years and has served as an elder at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, where she supported the college, young adult, and youth ministry programs. She received her BA from Dartmouth College. She and her husband, Bill, are the proud parents of Hannah ’13, William, and Charlie.
Gabrielle Layton Gabrielle Layton is the Chair of the Board of Advisors for Challenge Success, a project of the Stanford University School of Education. Previously she worked for McKinsey & Company as engagement manager and as VP of product management for Ticketmaster-CitySearch. She is an Amelia Earhart Fellow and was a recipient of a NASA grant. Early in her career she worked in Scramjet engine research as part of NASA’s spaceplane project. She received a BE in mechanical engineering and a PhD in aerospace engineering from the University of Queensland, Australia. She and her husband, Thomas, are the parents of Cosima ’18, Niav ’19, Colette, and Finnavair.
Ursula Kinney Ringham ’90 Ursula Kinney Ringham ’90 is the current President of the Castilleja Alumnae Association Executive Committee, having joined in 2009 as Vice President of Events. She began her career at Adobe Systems, Inc. and later at Apple, in their Developer Relations groups. Her tenure in high tech included roles as a program manager, trainer, web content manager, and partnership manager. Today she stays engaged in the high-tech industry through her consultative work as a writer, recruiter, and project manager, and is an active volunteer. She received a BA in international relations from the University of California, Davis. She and her husband, Jim, are the parents of Madison and Ryan.
Board Transitions At the conclusion of the 20112012 school year, Ben Chien P’11 ’13, Steve Franklin P’03, Lindsay Austin Louie ’98, Martin Shell P’11 ’14, and Hannah Valantine P’09 ’11, retired from the Castilleja Board of Trustees. Also leaving the Board was Doreen Nelsen P’11 ’13, who served a 1-year term as CSA representative. Through their years of dedicated service to Castilleja, they have contributed significantly to preparing the school to both define and deliver educational excellence for girls in the 21st century.
Asher Waldfogel Asher Waldfogel is a serial founder at venture-backed companies, including Redback Networks (acquired by Ericsson), Tollbridge Technologies (acquired by Newcross), and Peakstream (acquired by Google), where he held leadership positions in engineering, marketing, technology, and general management. Previously he ran product management for the enterprise routing product line at Bay Networks, developed IP routing software for Wellfleet Communications, and invented the broadband subscriber management system/edge router product category for Redback. He serves on the Palo Alto Utilities Advisory Commission and on the boards of the California College of the Arts and several private companies. He received his BA from the University of Minnesota and MS from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He and his wife, Helyn MacLean, are the parents of Emma ’14.
fall/winter 2012 | 71
faculty notes New Faces On Campus Eighteen new faculty and staff members joined Castilleja for the 2012-2013 academic year. Nine additions were for newly created positions, including Angi Chau (Director, Bourn Idea Lab), Diego Fonstad (Tinkerer-in-Residence, Bourn Idea Lab), Jennifer GasparSantos (Director, Academic Technology), Ann Greyson (US Computer Science), Ruth Selby (Garden Coordinator), Raj Thakurta (Adjunct Faculty), Sarah Tkach (Technology Department Coordinator), Bryan Valek (Physics), and Hong Yeo (Bourn Idea Lab A/V Technician).
1
Also joining Castilleja are: Luz Deras (ACE Center Coordinator), Rachel Evers (Director of Events), Megan Kiczek (Fitness and Wellness; Middle School Athletic Director), Nancy Llewellyn (Latin), Christina Murdock (Assistant Director of Admission), Jessica Nella (Fitness and Wellness), Joy Osborne (English), Jim Pickett (Head of Upper School), and Cathy Wickboldt (Controller).
2 1 Bourn Lab director Angi Chou 2 Computer science teacher Ann Greyson 3 Garden coordinator Ruth Selby
3
72 | full circle
faculty notes
Summer Work While classrooms and work spaces are quiet during the summer, faculty and staff remain very busy. Twenty summer grants, seven professional development awards, and two innovation grants supported the redesign of curriculum and design of new courses, professional development, and the deepening of relationships with our partner schools and programs. A sampling of the work done this summer follows. Professional Development Faculty and staff took advantage of the break from classes to pursue a variety of professional development opportunities. Math teacher and senior class dean Dave LowellHA and science teacher and eighth grade class dean Tiffany Crist attended the Stanley H. King Counseling Institute this summer. The Institute teaches participants how to listen deeply and to respond in ways that promote learning, meaningful relationships, and responsible behavior, and helps teachers strengthen and deepen their relationships with students. Language teachers Ginny Contento ’79 and Lauren SchryverHA attended CLTA/CWLP Summer Seminar for Language Teachers, which focused on standards-based instruction in the context of 21st century skills, while Connie RichardsonHA attended a workshop for the new AP Spanish Literature & Culture course. History teachers Margaret LaneHA and Jeannine MarstonHA attended the 25th Annual Teacher’s Institute sponsored by the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR) to support work in revising the international relations (IR) course and the teaching of economics and statistics. Several speakers from the Institute will visit the IR course this winter. Director of Academic Technology Jennifer Gaspar-Santos attended the Lausanne Laptop Institute. Janelle Spanier (Fitness and Wellness) attended the IDEA Fitness Conference and the National Coalition of Girls Schools (NCGS) Conference, where she joined math teacher Kim Knapp and Head of Middle School Anne CameronHA. Dean of Teaching and Learning Josée Band and ACE Center Director Stacey Kertsman participated in a Mastering Group Facilitation workshop at the Bay Area Teacher Development Collaborative (BATDC) and Head of School Nanci KauffmanHA attended the annual California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) Head of School Conference.
Course Development More than 20 faculty members kicked off the summer with a oneday iPad workshop in advance of the launch of the iPad program in the fall, including Evelyne Nicolaou P’19, who redesigned the French I course to make use of the iPads. English teacher and sixth grade dean Christina GwinHA also did work on iBook authoring and attended EdTech Teacher’s iPad workshop to incorporate technology as well as other opportunities for interdisciplinary intersections into the English 6 curriculum. fall/winter 2012 | 73
faculty notes New course development was the focus for math teacher Josh Genauer, who developed Number Theory and Linear Algebra as one-semester mathematics courses and for Chinese teacher Shuyuan Wang, who designed Advanced Topics in Chinese. Many other faculty members worked on revising courses over the summer, including Jeanné Appelget, whose work covered both Middle and Upper School science courses and Doris MouradHA, who finalized the new Advanced Topics (AT) Chemistry curriculum, which included testing the visualization software that will be used throughout the course. In the math department, Carolyn Steele redesigned and restructured units in PreAlgebra, Kim Knapp redesigned College Prep Geometry, and Kyle BarrigerHA revised Algebra II, incorporating two units on statistical reasoning that were the focus of his sabbatical research. He presented his work, “Preparing Secondary Students for a DataRich World,” during a poster session at the American Statistical Association’s Joint Statistical Meeting this summer. Bill SmootHA and Joseph MitchellHA redesigned The Individual and Society, a humanities course they coteach, and Peggy McKeeHA, in collaboration with an interdisciplinary group of ninth grade teachers and Bourn Idea Lab Director Angi Chau, created a
74 | full circle
project on clocks and timepieces to integrate elements from history, math, and physics.
Beyond the Circle In June 2012, 14 students and six faculty members, including Jon Rockman (physics), traveled to Kenya to deepen our partnership with Kisaruni Girls’ School. The team worked with Kisaruni “learners” and “education facilitators” on projects that Casti and Kisaruni faculty had designed collaboratively. Kristin WalterHA (drama) and Heather Allen Pang ’81HA (history) worked with students to explore the different narrative traditions in Kenyan and western storytelling; Sarah Barnum’s (science) team created detailed maps of the Kisaruni campus; Joke Van der Hulst (fitness and wellness, pictured below left) helped students explore personal goals through studying everyday female heroes; and Christy Story (history, pictured below right) led students on an investigation of differences between Kenyan and American culture as revealed by demographic and economic databases. Through this intensive, in-depth experience, students and educators from both schools gained deep appreciation for each other’s cultures, traditions, and values; a partnership was built, and lifelong friendships were formed. Eugenie PaickHA (history), Valerie Ross (English), and Helen Shanks
(Art) travelled to Umbria, Italy, to attend the Spoleto Study Abroad Program to explore possibilities for the ninth grade interdisciplinary humanities curriculum and a future freshman arts and humanities immersion program. Instrumental music teacher Dr. Leslie Hart attended the International Society for Music Education Conference, Music Pædeia: From Ancient Greek Philosophers Toward Global Music Communities, in Thessaloniki, Greece, where she had the opportunity to discover the latest research from top music educators and brought home ideas for expanded learning experiences in composition, improvisation, and collaboration with students from around the world. Science teacher and junior class dean Jane McConnell ’81 attended the Student Global Leadership Institute (SGLI) along with a group of Castilleja students. Castilleja is one of 20 schools from around the world participating in SGLI’s yearlong program, which includes an intensive two-week summit at Punahou School in Honolulu, where students participate in workshops, discussions, and field trips that help them develop social-action projects suitable for their home cities—and the collaborative style of leadership needed to carry them out during their senior year.
class notes Young alumnae (above and below) returned to campus for 8 weeks as counselors at Castilleja Summer Camp
Adele Landenberger Haynie 550 Main Street Morro Bay, CA 93442
1943
Marilyn Hill McKae 4855 Snyder Lane, #218 Rohnert Park, CA 94928
1945
Send News to School Nancy Tomer Pickford has some happy news to share: “I am blessed with two great precious grandchildren, Emma and Mason, who live in San Jose. In 1945 we wouldn’t have imagined such a thing!”
1949
Carolyn Hornkohl Gillespie 531 Rosarita Drive Fullerton, CA 92835 chgillespie@sbcglobal.net Arlayne Overfelt Fifer reports, “Norm and I celebrated our 60th wedding anniversary (June 22) with a trip up the Inland Passage to Alaska on America Cruise Lines with two of our favorite jazz bands and a few jazz friends. We returned to Olympia, WA, for a jazz weekend and then a visit with some old Richland, WA, friends who live in Lacey. We’re finding out that aging is not for wimps. We stay active in our church and I still create projects in my craft room and participate in some local craft shows/ boutiques. We have a wedding coming up at the end of September—the last of our three granddaughters will go to the altar. :) Only three of our nine grandsons have found the love of their lives, but the others are seriously working on it!”
1950
Send News to School Caroline “Patsy” Chickering Fish reminisces: “My news is mostly about my memories. I have just become 80, as I imagine my classmates have also. I love being 80. I have been thinking of the girls I loved. Celia King Cebrian, who died long ago; Micheline Verlinden, who has also passed away; Jeanese Crist Rowell, who was one of my very best friends, whom I do see once in awhile; Jean Dinkelspiel Chaitin, who drew naughty pictures with me in the eighth grade; Adela Youngerman, whose birthday was the same as mine, who I would love to see if she is around; and Janice Macabee McFarlane, who I had so much fun with and who I remember very well. Where is she? I was never much of a ‘student,’ but I remember all these girls and also many teachers. I remember Miss Schnyder, my art teacher (the only class in which I got an A!!!), Miss Huckvale, and Mrs. Valentine. Once when Mrs. Valentine was teaching us a class in music, someone put a piece of mud on her piano stool. She twisted around back and forth as she taught and played. When she was done, mud had gummed up her gray pleated skirt. I never liked Sibelius!!! I’m sorry, Mrs. Valentine, that I thought it was very funny. Great memories of Casti!”
1951
Keep in Touch with Castilleja Please send Class Notes to your Class Representative, or to Castilleja:
Maggie Ely Pringle ’71 Director of Alumnae Relations Castilleja School 1310 Bryant Street Palo Alto, CA 94301 (650) 470-7743 mpringle@castilleja.org
Or go online to www.castilleja.org/notes
keep in touch
1942
Cynthia Kaiser Floyd 150 La Sandra Way Portola Valley, CA 94028 Susie Stark Pollock is back in the Bay Area: “After living for 23 years in a Seattle suburb, I have moved, as a widow, to San Mateo because all three of our sons live in California. It is great to be back in familiar territory and blue skies.”
Carolyn Hornkohl Gillespie is still doing a little healthcare consulting, but is retiring for sure at the end of 2012. She has the same husband, two sons, and five grandchildren!
fall/winter 2012 | 75
class notes
1952
Shirley Arnott Pruitt 8555 Edinbridge Way Roseville, CA 95747 shirlpruitt@aol.com
worldwide climate change. If you’re in Guatemala, visit K’aslem Mandala and share your wisdom.
1954
1957
Charlotte Geary Gilmore 1061 45th Street Sacramento, CA 95819 charlotte.gilmore@gmail.com
Judith Bailey Quayle 7106 Overlook Drive Santa Rosa, CA 95409 dkquayle@hotmail.com
Karen Garling Sickel and Joanne Wyatt Fletter had to miss the 55th
Betty Mitchell Spurling recently had
Ellie Tilden Gardner 501 Portola Road, #8057 Portola Valley, CA 94028
Karen Matthiessen Simpson is still living in Adelaide, South Australia, and working part-time as a psychologist. “One daughter and son and his family are here. This summer I took a twomonth trip, spending some of that time visiting my other daughter and family in London—very busy with Wimbledon, the Queen’s Jubilee, and the Olympics!”
Cecily “Jigs” Fratis Abercrombie has
B.J. Lockhart Cowie is on the go:
Shirley Arnott Pruitt, Lynn Armstrong Winkel, and Joan Terbell Knowles attended the 50+ Reunion Lunch in September at the Lockey Alumnae House. Mollie Bray Campbell ’53 joined them and they had fun looking at pictures from their years at Castilleja.
1953
moved from Arizona to Ventura, CA. She writes, “We have given up cactus, heat, and a pool for Ventura’s ocean breezes, strawberry fields, masses of eucalyptus trees to draw and paint, and the opportunity to be closer to family members. The move had us listing/ selling a house, coping with three garage sales, making numerous trips to Goodwill, and dealing with real estate agents whose sartorial ideas would never have passed Miss Espinosa’s muster. Our movers were so thorough that it took three weeks for my underwear to show up, and my shoes a week after that. Now we are just four miles from our oldest’s house, which she thinks is close enough!”
Francia Bromley Jackson-Ala continues to live in Guatemala, where she has served as a volunteer “Citizen Diplomat” for the past 23 years. In 1977, while the director of Pajaro Valley School District community education programs, doctors told her she had six months to live due to acute systemic lupus. With allergies to all the accepted drugs, she battled “the wolf” for 12 years with holistic healing methods, mind control, meditation, art, music, and miracles. After regaining health in 1989, she continued studying natural healing which brought her to Guatemala, where she began working to defend a Maya K’iche community’s land rights. Her efforts helped create a successful resolution to the Los Cimientos land case, a historic first in Guatemalan human rights. In 2005, she and the Los Cimientos Alliance created K’aslem Mandala, an environmental youth leadership program which mentors Mayan youth in order to improve literacy levels, computer knowledge, and life skills. Soon K’aslem Mandala hopes to welcome visitors of all ages to Lake Atitlán to share the secrets of Mayan history and to witness firsthand the joys and sorrows of three Mayan ethnic groups that are surviving in today’s
76 | full circle
“We have moved to a new home in Baltimore, all on one level with lovely woods in the back. Granddaughter Kelly, who is a junior at Brown University, is spending the semester in Paris. We are going to visit in November, following an exploration of the Burgundy region. My daughter and her family live in Annapolis, so we see them with some frequency. I hope everyone in the class voted in the election!”
1955
Peggy McKennan Link 3085 Mill Vista Road #2423 Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 peggyslink@indra.com Peggy McKennan Link says, “My husband, Marsh, and I have recently moved to Wind Crest, a retirement community here in Denver, and we are loving it. Highlands Ranch was headquarters for the huge ranching operation talked about in James Mitchner’s book Centennial. In July, Highlands Ranch re-opened the newly restored mansion for public events and private parties. It has a magnificent view of the mountains. Wind Crest, where we live, is located just below on the Highline Canal (in Mitchner’s book it is referred to as Brumbaugh’s Canal), which runs for 84 miles through the greater Denver area. This year it was dry due to the drought. You can view photos of where we live at a website just opened by the residents: go to www.mywindcrest.com and click on pictures. Our apartment is on the fourth floor of the fifth picture on the left corner of that building and it overlooks the canal.”
1956
Darlene Cherie Rickey 444 San Antonio Road, #6C Palo Alto, CA 94306 rickeydarlene@yahoo.com
reunion this year because they were both away celebrating their 50th wedding anniversaries. They both met their husbands while they were students at Castilleja!
her shoulder replaced and would enjoy hearing from her classmates.
1958
Hildi Jensvold Vieira 75-640 Mahi iu Lani Place Kailua Kona, HI 96740 rolandhildi@gmail.com
1961
Dee O’Brien James 3223 Canfield Road Sebastopol, CA 95472 dee.e.james@gmail.com Nancy “Sue” Dyrud Rimkeit had a full summer, with house guests, a new hip, and trips to her little bunkhouse south of Sunriver. “With my new hip, I am looking forward to more hiking, greater ease in climbing up to the ski hill, and fun tennis. As soon as the weather cools, I will be riding my bike up the trail to see Janette French Barbour. My spare time has been spent serving on committees at the Multnomah Athletic Club and Tualatin Park and Recreation District.”
Dana “Dee” O’Brien James is on the move: “I’m all packed up, the condo is on the market, and I am looking forward to moving up to Sonoma to be near my granddaughters, Loie and Lucy, and the rest of the family. I am sad to leave Los Altos, but excited about a new house in Wine Country.”
Ruth Cannon Lee shared some sad news: “My husband, Raymond, passed away in March 2012.” Glorimarie McDaniel Hoffman now lives in Granite Bay, CA, near Sacramento. “I am retired from teaching but still very busy. I have a small business selling supplies to Indian organizations. We have grandchildren (ages 4 months to 14 years) with whom we spend a lot of time. We love to cruise and try to get away at least three times a year. My husband is planning on turning his business over to our sons, so the future will include more travel and leisure time.”
class notes
’62 Kathy Stern Groves ’62 as an International Jet Captain with her co-pilot of 39 years
Pamela Nye ’62
1962
1963
Honor Berger Spitz says, “After two
1964
Honor Berger Spitz 446 Atlanta Avenue San Jose, CA 95125 honorspitz@sbcglobal.net years in Evanston/Chicago I’ve moved back home to California!! In the middle of September, I moved into a sweet little house in the Willow Glen area of San Jose, just days before celebrating my 50th reunion!! What a year!!”
Margarita Espinosa Smith writes, “In March 2012 I retired from the Northwest Clean Air Agency in Mt. Vernon, WA, after 18 rewarding years. I worked with a dedicated staff addressing environmental issues and air quality in Northwest Washington State. Walt and I are now living in Boise, ID, to be closer to our son, Marc, and our grandkids, Katy (7) and Carter (2 1⁄2). We plan to enjoy hiking and camping in the Idaho mountains as we did in Washington. I still find time to play the piano, but mostly for personal pleasure.”
Pamela Nye is back in Ojai and full of inspiration! Being close to family and the beauty of the Ojai Valley definitely helps. “My mother (90) is in the Ojai Gables Care Center; my son, Braden Powell, and his wife, Amie, and their son, Reece, live in Studio City; and Ruric Nye is in Ojai. My daughter and her son, Kai, are in Mill Valley...not too far away! I am enjoying the experience of a real village filled with creative and interesting people. I am also finding fulfillment by being a life coach and adding Nerium: the second-year launch of a new global company. If you have not heard of it yet, you will. It is the most amazing age-defying botanical skin treatment (NAE-8 extract) yet to be discovered! (It has been clinically tested by ST&T Labs in San Francisco.) I invite you to look at my website, watch the video, support the part I am doing in any way you feel called, and of course contact me to see how you too can reverse your aging and, at the same time, be part of a global ripple. (My friends and I are looking younger, and so can you without surgery!) www.pamelanye. nerium.com.”
’64
’62
Sadie Morris Pullen ’64’s grandson, Hagan Thomas Pullen.
Sudie Fenn Moreland 1897 Echo Lane Lincoln, CA 95648 casudie@aol.com
Gail Wilson Zetter 757 Marina View Drive El Dorado Hills, CA 95762 Sarah Morris Pullen has an adorable grandson, Hagen, that she went to visit in Rochester, NY, for his first birthday. She says, “His father, my son Alexander, is a doctor of geoscience at the University of Rochester. I wish they all lived closer so I could share my grandmother hugs with him more often!”
1965
Libby Ames Edwards 3517 Shilo Drive Fort Collins, CO 80521 libbyeuro2@q.com Lindsay Jones Lowe 729 Old Creek Road Danville, CA 94526 lindslowe@aol.com
1966
Annette Boushey Holland boushey@juno.com
1967
Nancy Blake Tetrick dntetrick@sbcglobal.net
1968
Diane Schwabacher Vocker dsvocker@sbcglobal.net After a year at her home in the Sierra motherload, Christie Hunner Shawl is now back at her condo in Waikiki. She is enjoying networking with the Commerce of Hawaii as an Independent Distributor
’71 Nancy Walker Low ’71 training on her bike
for Seacret—skincare products derived from minerals and salts of the Dead Sea. www.seacretdirect.com/christieshawl.
1969
Caroline Trotter cctrotter@earthlink.net
1970
Send News to School Charise Hale McHugh continues as the CEO of the Half Moon Bay Coastside Chamber of Commerce & Visitors’ Bureau, as well as enjoying a lot of time at Yosemite and Tahoe with her husband, Jack. “Our oldest, Byron, is married and has two little girls (2 1⁄2 and 3 months) and a big movie that came out in October: he was the Director of Photography for Phantom, starring Ed Harris and David Duchovny. Josh owns Living Intentions, a raw food company across the United States; look for his 42 products at Whole Foods. Tamara is married and has a 7-year-old boy and a 4 1⁄2-year-old girl. She has gone back to school to get a master’s degree in counseling. We have reunions at Tahoe and enjoy living on the beach a little south of Half Moon Bay.”
Pamela Silver was recently awarded the Elliott T. and Onie H. Adams Professorship of Biochemistry and Systems Biology at Harvard University.
fall/winter 2012 | 77
class notes
1971
Jeanne Fisichella Hahne bjghahne@yahoo.com Nancy Walker Low and her husband, Bill, just completed riding 110 miles through the Bedford County area of southwest Pennsylvania. “Despite the challenge of steep hills, it was a wonderful opportunity to bike through miles of farmland, with covered bridges and barns in remote towns undisturbed by developers. This is our second year of riding with this group, and our guides are organizing another trip for next year. Classmates, do come visit me on the eastern shore of Maryland!”
1972
raising children, and trying to keep up with my husband in Pittsburgh, PA— another welcoming home for transplants. Both of my children, Malcom and Bergin, live in the city near us—having spent their college years in New England and discovering that there’s no place like the ‘Burgh. My father now lives with us, and I am in semi-retirement, clerking for the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. My husband’s family is close by and, all in all, life is chaotically happy.”
Nancy Ditz shares some wonderful news: “Our daughter, Emily Mosbacher ’12, has started her first year at Harvard and our son, Jack, is working at the Hoover Institution after graduating from Stanford.” Joyce Bogner Bohn trained to hike the Inka Trail in Peru with her husband, Richard, in November.
Karen Smith Shaw kesshaw@ucdavis.edu Mia Mora just retired! Now she is serving on the Board of Local Ecology and Argiculture Fremont (LEAF), a non-profit involved in building community around sustainable urban agriculture. This summer she traveled to Ireland while researching her Irish grandmother. She is also keeping her garden in shape and quilting!
Wendy Dunne Smith marvels, “It’s hard to believe that it has been 40 years since I spent my senior year at Castilleja after returning to the Bay Area from five years in New Zealand. What a wonderful transition Casti provided! I have spent the last several decades practicing law,
1973
1975
Jessica Hansen angelpiejess@hotmail.com Casey Lewis Keeshan is on the East Coast: “Hi all, after living in California my whole life, most of it in the Bay Area, my husband and I have moved to New York City! A once-in-a-lifetime job opportunity for him, plus the thrill of living on a different coast, made the choice easy. We live in Manhattan on the upper west side. I’ve learned to get around town via subway and don’t miss driving a car at all. No telling how long we’ll be here, but for now it’s very exciting and new.”
1976
Meredith Rothrock meredith@rothrockfamily.com
1977
Meg Malone Thompson peterthom@comcast.net
Mijke Roggeveen mijkeroggeveen@aol.com
1974
1978
Send News to School Marcia Roberts Terry
HA
left her longtime position in the Fitness and Wellness Department at Castilleja to relocate to San Diego and to marry Michael Terry. She will be attending the University of San Diego Marital and Family Therapy Program with a goal to counsel children.
Laurie Ray Lamb nylambs@gmail.com Nancy “Sarah” Greenwald Cottrell is happily settled up north: “I am enjoying living in a place many Bay Area residents come to on holiday, Ashland, OR. I am hoping this note will result in Castilleja alumnae giving me a shout-out if they come to Ashland on vacation or for a weekend visit. My summer has been busy with mountain hiking and gardening, but as the fall approaches I am intending to force myself to job search, hoping for a product marketing position.”
Cathy Friedman Duane wrote it to say, “In October I attended a 60th birthday party for Betsy Foster Delong’s husband Greg along with Barbara
’72 Mia Mora ’72 with an icy treat!
Marcia Roberts Terry ’74HA with her new husband
’72 Nancy Ditz ’72 with her daughter Emily ’12, son Jack, and husband Bruce
78 | full circle
’74
’75 Wendy Lewis Iverson ’65, Amanda “Amy” Lewis Catt ’77, Casey Lewis Keeshan ’75, and Georgia Lewis Hosac ’60
Girvin Hoskinson, Caren Friedman Clauss ’77, Beth Harris Booher ’77, Karen Bowers Hill and Barb Deméré ’77HA. It was such fun to get together!”
’78 Nancy “Sarah” Greenwald Cottrell ’78 with her brother, Jeff, celebrating their parents’ 64th anniversary in Palo Alto
class notes
’78 (front row): Betsy Foster DeLong ’78 and Cathy Friedman Duane ’78; (back row): Barbara Girvin Hoskinson ’78, Caren Friedman Clauss ’77, Beth Harris Booher ’77, Karen Bowers Hill ’78, and Barb Deméré ’77
’82 Helen Floyd Sullivan ’82 with her family on the waterfront
1979
Margarita Huertas Balagso balagsom@yahoo.com
1980
Jeanne Floyd Downs jdowns84@comcast.net
1981
Elizabeth Milne Baum elizabeth@elizabethbaum.com
1982
Laura Kelly Kroger laurakroger@comcast.net Christine Telfer McKenna was sad to miss the 30-year reunion, but still wanted to send an update: “I hope to be out to California in five years when life gets a little less hectic with my children. I spent the spring teaching math (geometry and statistics) at an all-girls school in Connecticut (Miss Porter’s School) and loved being immersed in the all-girls high school environment. This summer I visited Lake George and enjoyed sailing, playing tennis, and catching up with a lot of family and friends. My son Devin (15) is a sophomore at Avon Old Farms (all boys), my daughter Meghan (12) is finishing middle school, and my son Aidan (10) is entering fifth grade in Avon, CT.
’84
’84 Yachad Shifman ’84 and her children visiting San Francisco
Michelle Riches Helvey ’84 at her son Michael’s wedding
All are enjoying travel or premier soccer this fall on the East Coast...hope to see you easterners on the fields! If anyone is in the area we would love to catch up! I’ll be thinking of each and every one of my classmates...it’s been awhile!”
Australian Rules Football. We still support his team, go to games—home and away— and will cheer them on in Cincinnati for the Nationals! We spend a lot of time with our church, Hope Chapel, and have found a lot of ex-pat Californians there. So good! I have been able to visit California sporadically, but have seen Natasha and Debbie, who are helping us with caring for my mom. It is so wonderful to see friends from so long ago, and feel as though no time has passed at all! If folks are coming to the East Coast, give me a shout! Lots of love, Neeter.”
Christl Mitsch Drewry is still loving the Pacific Northwest out on Bainbridge Island, WA. “I have a licensed marriage and family therapist private practice here, focusing on women’s issues as related to life transition and on adolescent girls. My eldest son is a junior at the University of Oregon and my youngest is a senior in high school. Going through the college process is brutal!!!! I would love to see anyone who is passing through Seattle!” Laura Kelly Kroger is keeping busy: “I am home full-time and my daughters continue to be a joyful part of my life. Katie is a junior and Elizabeth is in seventh grade. They are at a K-12 independent school, and both girls play tennis and jazz piano. Jim is a partner at Novogradac & Co., a public accounting firm where he specializes in low-income housing tax credits. I’ve been playing a lot of tennis and am having fun playing United States Tennis Association matches on a club team. I’ve also been spending time on several home improvement projects and am especially enjoying an addition to our master bedroom. My daughters and I are members of the National Charity League, a mother-daughter philanthropy organization. We do volunteer work together and I have been an advisor for Katie’s class and am now an advisor for Elizabeth’s class. I really enjoy exposing the girls to cultural experiences and community service opportunities, and mentoring the girls to develop their leadership skills.”
Anita Hochscheid Miller is teaching kindergarten at a local Montessori school, and is training this year to teach firstthird grade. “It is tons of work, but I have excellent mentors. We are so happy in Raleigh, NC. Such a beautiful part of the country! My daughter, Nikita (16), is driving! My son, Alex (13), is loving Tae Kwon Do. They are such a joy to me! So kind and funny! My husband is a financial analyst, and just retired from playing
Kathy Stewart Marcove marvels at how time passes: “Our two beautiful children are growing like weeds! Natalya is a freshman in high school and Nickolas is in seventh grade. Jeff and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary on August 23 with a trip to Puerto Vallarta—it was wonderful! I am helping to find people work managing the Workforce System for San Luis Obispo County, and Jeff is a personal trainer here in Paso Robles. Life is good!” Mary “Helen” Floyd Sullivan just moved to Florida. “We live in Maitland, in the Orlando metro area. Our children started grade 8 (Ryan), grade 9 (Amanda), and grade 11 (Melissa) at Maitland Middle School and Winter Park High School. Matt, the children, and I love it here!”
1983
Yoshimi Segawa Munch ymunch@ysmcommunications.com
1984
Meredith Mortimer Pellegrin meredith94062@gmail.com Michelle Riches Helvey has had a big year! “My daughter, Brittany, was married in December, my youngest child, Cameron, graduated from high school in June, and my son, Michael, was married in June. Ted and I continue to keep ourselves busy at Oakwood School in Morgan Hill.”
fall/winter 2012 | 79
class notes
’89
’85 An Easter egg hunt with the families of Astrid Shorthouse-Spencer ’85, Kristin Young Gilbert ’85, and Ann Mays Silverberg ’85
Lynne Cavender ’89 in the Aloha state
’84 Colleen Haight ’84 and Stephen Meller
’89 Tara Desautels ’89 with her husband Colin, son Travers, and new daughter Rita
’89
’89
Allison Marston Danner ’89 swearing in as a judge for the Santa Clara County Superior Court
Jessica Collins Lonergan ’89 with her husband Frank and daughter Dixie at the Castilleja Opening Day Tie Ceremony
1986
civics, and geography to middle school students, and her son, Jasper, just entered kindergarten.
Laura Greene Wilkin lwilkin@cipa.org
Kathleen Quinlen Brown reports, “I am
1987 ’87
Sonja Hellman Bogumill sonjabogumill@yahoo.com Jennifer Breakstone Kabatchnik is
Aly Anderson ’87 receiving her master’s degree in history
Colleen Haight is thrilled to return to California, where she teaches economics at San Jose State University after a two-year leave of absence to work with a think tank in Washington, DC. In December she will marry Stephen Meller in a small family ceremony.
1985
Kristin Young Gilbert kristigilbert@sbcglobal.net Astrid Shorthouse-Spencer spent Easter this year with the families of Kristin Young Gilbert and Ann Mays Silverberg. “We took this great picture of our kids together as they prepared for the Easter egg hunt! Pictured above are Danielle Gilbert, Alexia Silverberg, Cole Gilbert, Zach Silverberg, Vivienne Gilbert, Marlo Spencer, Mia Spencer, and Jamie Spencer.”
80 | full circle
currently living in Rockridge, CA, with her husband Edan, son Ethan (8), and daughter Sabrina (4 1⁄2). “We recently celebrated our tenth anniversary and spent 10 days as a family in Hawaii. I also had an incredibly fun night out this summer in San Francisco with fellow graduates Kirstin Lynch and Amy Walton Groome.”
Linda Frenster Jackson is enjoying life in Colorado with her three kids and her Mini Aussie puppy, Jessie. “This year I have a sophomore and two in middle school. We volunteer at National Mill Dog Rescue and keep busy with soccer, dance, sewing, and learning to drive! I hike daily and am active on several committees at my kids’ school, The Colorado Springs School—which, like Casti, is an independent school. Life is good!!”
still living in Sacramento with my husband, Devin, and our daughter, Madelyn. I work as an in-house senior litigator practicing construction defect litigation. My husband works for IBM and Maddy, a sophomore, is in a humanities and international studies program at our local high school. We like to play tennis, ride bikes, and have fun in the mountains. I am still a member of the National Ski Patrol at Northstar, which keeps me busy on winter weekends. We like to travel, too, when we can get a chunk of time with no other commitments.”
Kristen French-Staples has been keeping busy: “I am still working in the digital and social media field here in London. I have, however, taken up painting again in the last year. I am dusting off my brushes after a 20-year hiatus and enjoying it as a hobby. Other than that, my family and I are well and happy.”
1988
Lara Kasser Stone lara@nas-inc.com
Aly Anderson was awarded a master’s
Alexandra Dumas alexandra92@stanfordalumni.org
degree in history this August from Southern Connecticut State University. She is currently teaching English,
Kat Beyer’s novel, The Demon Catchers of Milan, was published on August 28
class notes and is getting good reviews, including one by Kirkus Books (https://www. kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/katbeyer/demon-catchers-milan/). Kat also just had her first child, Tamin, this April. Sadly her mother, Anne Beyer, passed away on January 21.
1989
Jessica Collins Lonergan jessica@spurprojects.com Allison Marston Danner was appointed to the Santa Clara County Superior Court by California Governor Jerry Brown on May 18 to succeed Edward J. Davila. She has extensive experience as a prosecutor, having previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of California Criminal Division. Her leadership will be important as the judicial system grapples with budget cuts which could adversely affect the courts’ capacity to serve the public. “It is important to fund our system. Not just as a financial investment. It has importance for us as a society.”
Tara Desautels continues to sit as an Alameda County Superior Court judge in a juvenile delinquency assignment, where she also presides over a Girls Court. She is happy to announce the birth of her daughter, Rita Desautels Kemp, on August 2, 2012. Her husband, Colin Kemp, and son, Travers, are also doing well.
Janet Tennyson Manzano just started her fifteenth year teaching Spanish at Menlo School. “Aside from work, my son, Ben, is almost 3 years old and is expecting a baby brother in early November.” Frank and Jessica Collins Lonergan are thrilled to have their daughter, Dixie, join the Castilleja Class of 2019!
Lynne Cavender is living in the Aloha state: “I moved to Maui in May to be with my boyfriend. He is from Connecticut and is an assistant golf pro at the Kaanapali Golf Course. I am working at the Westin Maui as a concierge—if you
’90 Eileen Tse Lai ’90 celebrating her 40th with Karen Phipps Anderson ’90, Christina Koo Van Zandt ’90, Stephanie Rowen ’90, Shanti Perkins Gayle ’90, and Marcy Mamiya ’90
are ever in Maui, come find me. Island life is wonderful...if you ever need to make a major life change, Maui is a great option.”
1990
Christina Koo Van Zandt christinavz@gmail.com Gloria Tzuang writes, “After many years in the Bay Area we have finally moved on! I guess you might say I was hanging on to that off-chance that I might have a future Casti student, but after four sons I can say with 100% confidence that it isn’t happening! We have moved to Seattle where my oldest son, Doran, will be starting grade 6 this fall. I hear there is a pretty active Casti alumnae community up here and in my first week I ran into Charlene AguilarHA, whose son sings in the same boy choir as Doran.” In March, Karen Phipps Anderson moved to Flextronics to become its Vice President of Litigation and Disputes.
Eileen Tse Lai started the year off with a big 40th birthday bash, with fellow alumnae Karen Phipps Anderson,
Christina Koo Van Zandt, Stephanie Rowen, Shanti Perkins Gayle, and Marcy Mamiya there to help her celebrate. Other than that, work and family keep her busy. “My daughter started kindergarten and my son began second grade. Meanwhile, I’ve been with Equinix for three years now, where I am currently working on putting together a social media/business framework.”
Professor in the Department of Second Language Studies. I am teaching a variety of classes on second language teaching and research in the BA, MA, and PhD programs in our department. My research is looking at second language writing, specifically how long-term English learners develop their academic writing in American (Californian) high school contexts. I conducted a year-long ethnography at one average high school in the Central Valley and followed up with some of my focal students as they transitioned to college in the following two years. I expect I will be in Hawaii for many years to come, so I’d love to hear from Casti classmates and teachers who are in the islands. I ran into Annika Hays in the Honolulu airport when I was here in April for my interview!”
Stephanie Huang Tsai had a baby! Parker James Tsai was born on April 18, 2012. “Being a new mom has been the toughest thing I’ve ever done in my life, but he’s been precious and recently full of smiles. It’s also been great to connect with Susan Ryan Tighe via Facebook, who had a little girl. Susan Ryan Tighe wrote in to report that, “Eugene and I welcomed Kathleen (Kate) Ryan Tighe arrived on May 5, 2012, and we are thrilled. As you can see, she has red hair just like me!”
1992
Laila Haq Collins collinslaila@gmail.com Preete Mathur Bhanot is still living in
1991
Michele Harari Goldwasser bimini356@yahoo.com Betsy Gilliland was awarded a PhD from the University of California, Davis, in June and has just taken up her first academic job at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (Honolulu). “I’m sad to have to give up my California residency, but Hawaii is certainly a fine place to settle. I am now a tenure-track Assistant
’91 Stephanie Huang Tsai ’91 with her husband and new baby, Parker James Tsai
the Bay Area and is married with three kids. “I work in Morgan Hill. My eldest child, Priya ’19, just started her Castilleja journey as a sixth grader. I guess you could say I’ve come full circle!!!!”
Hala Kurdi Kleinknecht enjoyed her 20th reunion in September and loved seeing many of the ’92 Casti girls there. “I graduated this past June with a master’s degree in counseling psychology from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in Palo Alto. I have been working for over
’91 Kathleen (Kate) Ryan Tighe, daughter of Susan Ryan Tighe ’91
fall/winter 2012 | 81
class notes
1995
Sarah Shenfield Helling sk31haras@hotmail.com Lisa Vocker Lofberg lcvlteach@mac.com
’92
’92 Sabrina Berry Parsons ’92 and Sabrina Shakley Brooks ’92’s kids (Leo, Sammy, Hannah, Timmy, and Charlie) celebrating the beautiful weather
a year now as a therapist at StarVista at a residential home for teenagers in Redwood City. I am humbled daily by the teens I work with, as well as their parents and families. I was back at Castilleja this summer when my daughter Nicole (8) attended summer camp. I loved experiencing Castilleja through her eyes—she loved it and wants to go back next year.”
Sabrina Berry Parsons enjoyed a visit from a Casti classmate: “Sabrina Shakley Brooks and her family (husband Andy, Charlie (7), and Hannah (5) came up to Oregon to spend five days visiting with the Berry Parsons clan (husband Noah, Timmy (8), Leo (6), and Sammy (2 1⁄2). We hiked, floated down the river, rode bikes, and had a blast. I live in Oregon and run a tech software company with my husband. Sabrina lives in Mill Valley and teaches eighth grade at a private school in San Francisco.”
1993
Courtney Dyar cdyarsf@hotmail.com Lauren Carreker Leary laureneliseleary@gmail.com
Hala Kurdi Kleinknecht ’92 with her adorable son and daughter
phone as we were unable to meet due to crazy schedules! Ireland is a wonderful place to live and we have many dear friends (and a great orchestra!), but it was fun to get home to some dependable dry weather and, of course, all my very much missed family.”
Abby Kojola is still in the Bay Area: “I’m living in San Rafael and working for myself doing web design and social media marketing. I started my business, KojolaPower Marketing, three years ago.” Christine Chang Leyva and her husband, Arthur Leyva, welcomed their beautiful baby boy, Flint Chang Leyva, to this world on March 4, 2012. It was a marvelous day, and their hearts are filled with happiness! Christine went on to finally complete the licensure process and start her new job as a staff
1994
Jennifer Cady Logan skinbyjennifer@gmail.com Pratima Sethi is an entrepreneur! “My sister, Prerna Sethi ’99, joined me in business recently, which has been wonderful. We have really seen our jewelry line (Sethi Couture) grow and gain brand recognition over the past few years. We had the pleasure of hiring a Casti alum, Eleanor Ritchie ’10, as a summer intern who quickly took part in our social media efforts through Instagram and Pinterest and helped in the relaunch of our website soon to come! At home my and my husband Amaury’s mornings, evenings, and weekends are filled with laughter and joy from our two daughters, Sienna (1) and Amelie (3). We also continue to keep in touch with Suzan Huang Grisanti, Subena Mahal, Lisa Kitayama, Vy Le, and their families!”
’93 Heather Beckett Oakes ’93 with her grandmother and new arrival Arden Beckett Oakes
’94
Heather Beckett Oakes had the great pleasure of visiting Castilleja on her trip home in June. “While in the Bay Area, I visited with my grandmother who was instrumental in my Castilleja education. I met up with Anna Hurlbut Baker’s sister, Mary (an art teacher at Castilleja), who was kind enough to give me a lengthy tour of the new facilities and hunt up Jeannine MarstonHA, Doris MouradHA, and, of course, M.J. BlockHA, to say hello! It was delightful to introduce the newest addition to our family, Arden Beckett Oakes (born in November 2011) to some of my favorite teachers and friends. I hope to keep in touch with Mrs. Marston and to network Casti with schools over here for international exchanges. I had a fabulous time having coffee with Leslie Cardozo Stafford for the first time in 19 years and chatted with Sowmya Lakshmi Srinivasan on the
82 | full circle
Pratima Sethi ’94 sends her love!
’94 Sehba Zhumkawala Ali ’94 with two of her KIPP Heartwood Academy graduates, Danielle Phan ’12 and Monica Guerrero ’12, who graduated from Castilleja in June
’95 Christine Chang Leyva ’95 with her husband Arthur and baby Flint Chang Leyva
class notes
’97 Courtney Carter Charney ’97 enjoying the sunshine with her husband Michael and daughter Avery
’97 Mego Spieker Thomas ’97 with her beautiful family at the beach
’00 Kelly Groves ’96 with her sister, Cortney Groves Hsu ’02, and Austin Hsu
Kate Stober kes2122@columbia.edu Kate Stober recently relocated from New York City to Missoula, MT, where her husband is starting a new job. She hopes to continue her career in museum and library communications out in Montana.
’97
’99
Debbie Leight ’97
Kristen Leep ’99 and Jenna Hudson ’02 enjoy the San Francisco Spinsters Ball
psychologist at South Texas Veterans Health Care System in September. The Leyva family is living happily in San Antonio, TX.
(1 1⁄2). Mego works for a small real estate development firm and is loving being back in the Bay Area near friends and family.
1996
Debbie Leight has quit Google and
Anna Beattie Wilson annawilson@gmail.com Josie Maran’s eco-makeup brand, Josie Maran Cosmetics, was featured in the “Trendsetter” section of the Sierra Club Magazine. Josie’s website is www. josiemarancosmetics.com. Meehan Rasch recently finished a year teaching at University of California, Davis School of Law as a Wydick Fellow and is currently serving as an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. She and her life partner, documentary filmmaker Sally Rubin, celebrated their commitment with a ceremony and assorted festivities in Carmel, CA, on September 29, 2012.
1997
Courtney Carter Charney ccharney@apr.com Yuriko Tse tse.yuriko@gmail.com After living in Los Angeles since college, Mego Spieker Thomas finally moved back up north with her husband and two daughters, Catherine (2 1⁄2) and Amelia
is starting a new business up in Marin. “Computers Made Easy offers one-onone, personalized training on all things tech. You bought it; let me show you how to use it! :)”
Courtney Carter Charney lives in Atherton with her husband, Michael, and 18-month-old daughter, Avery. Courtney practices residential real estate in the Menlo Park area and enjoys working with many of her Casti friends.
1998
Lindsay Austin Louie lindsaylouie@stanfordalumni.org Kimmy Morris Rosen kimberley.morris@gmail.com Katie Barnes is enjoying her first year as Nurse Manager for Curry Senior Center, a medical clinic serving low-income seniors in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood.
1999
Katherine Sleeth katherine_sleeth@ml.com
After almost a decade in New York City,
Emily Glenn Tucker is planning to return to the Bay Area this fall. She is moving back with her husband, Peter, and their one-year-old daughter, Amelia, and looks forward to reconnecting with other Casti alums in the area.
2000
Anjelika Deogirikar anjelika@gmail.com Claire Cummins clcummins@gmail.com Claire Cummins is still living and working in Australia—only a couple months away from her permanent residency! “I still work in high schoolaged student exchange, and spend most of my free time walking my German shorthaired pointer dog and meditating at the Shiva School of Meditation and Yoga. If you’re ever in Australia, let me know. My partner Jess, Jasper, and I would be very happy to show you around!”
2001
Kelly Wulff kellywulff@gmail.com Victoria Wobber finished her PhD in human evolutionary biology at Harvard this year. “I’m currently still in Cambridge, working as a post-doctoral fellow in Harvard’s Psychology Department. I’ve been in Cambridge for more than 10 years now, though I am looking to move somewhere in the next few years that doesn’t require shoveling so much snow! I’d be happy to meet up with any Casti alums who are in the Boston area.”
fall/winter 2012 | 83
class notes Shawna Seth has some exciting news to report: “Fellow members of the Class of 2001 may remember I was starting to talk about exploring a career change at our 10-year reunion last year. Over the past year, I’ve made the switch! I’ve started classes in the Masters of Oriental Medicine program at the Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine College in Berkeley, and I am slowly remembering the study habits, organizational preferences (planner!), and knowledge of biology and physics I developed at Casti. I’m on my way to becoming a healer. I couldn’t be more thrilled about leaving the tech world behind and doing work that better reflects who I am, but I know the skills I gained there will continue to serve me in running a clinic and having my own patients post-graduation (expected to be December 2015). My goal is to build a practice focused on dancers so I can bridge the two parts of my life. Speaking of dance, I had my first professional show in March and our fledgling company (as yet unnamed) has performances lined up for December 2012 through Summer 2013 in San Francisco. And in the summer I gave myself off between leaving work in May 2012 and starting school in September, I traveled to London and Berlin and then spent time in New York visiting college and Casti friends Emily Heddleson, Angeline Girard ’00, and Maria
Alvarez ’00.
2002
’02 Meredith Wiseman’02, Chloe Leinwand ’02, and Christina Nawas ’02 at Meredith’s Stanford PhD graduation
2003
Jenny Cook jennifernicholscook@gmail.com Katherine Tincher is up in San Francisco, running her own interior design firm. She’s doing mostly residential projects—if anyone is looking for a designer, let her know! Katherine is hoping to get back into some fine arts pursuits on the side.
Vanessa Ishii lives in Danville near
there to celebrate with the happy couple!
Julia Desmond finished her graduate
Kathleen Kelvie is still enjoying life
On July 7, Caitlin Kelly Hannon married Timm Hannon at Stanford Memorial Church. Castilleja classmates Sara
Bowling, Whitney Brown, Katie Fleishman, Katie Gunderson, Kathleen Parkes, and Neela Penumarthy were
degree in real estate at the University of Washington in Seattle. She is staying in Seattle to work at the Starbucks headquarters developing stores for Seattle’s Best Coffee.
Naima Bridges has moved to Chicago for her intern year as a resident physician in OB/GYN. New territories, new people, and a lot of work are in the immediate future for her! So far, Chicago has been treating her well. Let’s see how winter goes. After finally getting her PhD in chemical engineering at Stanford, Meredith Wiseman is moving to the Netherlands for work. “Come visit if you pass through Maastricht!”
Jacqueline Nguyen is currently in her first year of residency at St. Mary’s
84 | full circle
Casti girls celebrating Caitlin Kelly Hannon ’02’s wedding
Hospital in San Francisco for orthopedic surgery. “I’m excited to be back in the Bay Area and I’m looking forward to exploring the city whenever I get the chance.”
some of her favorite hiking trails in Contra Costa County. She reports traffic and weather for the recently formed “Megan and Menace Morning Show” on CBS radio’s Live 105.3 in San Francisco. This summer, she interned in the wildlife hospital at the Lindsay Wildlife Museum in Walnut Creek, where she studied animal husbandry and wildlife rehabilitation. Her favorite moment was fostering and releasing four baby cottontail rabbits from Turlock.
Whitney Brown whitneyalexisbrown@gmail.com
’02
in San Francisco and was recently promoted to manager at Triage Consulting Group, which affords her the opportunity to frequently travel to Los Angeles, Seattle, and even Lubbock, TX. If anyone is now living in those areas, she would love to get in touch!
Jessica Wong Zen recently received her MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management, moved from Boston to Seattle, became a homeowner, and started a new job. She is a senior vendor manager for Amazon Digital Music and is enjoying it so far. Jessica is happy to be back on the West Coast, and she invites anyone passing through Seattle to drop her a line! Nicole Stasio made an exciting career shift from conducting human factors research at NASA to leading the support
’04 Meaghan Fitzgerald ’04 and Kelly Fitzgerald ’07 cheering on the U.S. women’s soccer team as they go for the gold at the London Olympics
department at a small green business in San Francisco called Dharma Merchant Services. She is proud to be working for a company implementing a philosophy based on respect, compassion, and integrity in an industry that is notorious for the opposite. Nicole is finding her voice to support a network of nonprofits and mission-aligned companies working to make the world a better place. She completed the Wildflower Triathlon this year after rehabilitating from a serious bike crash, and is starting to realize that less is more and balance is key. In September, Nicole participated in the Castilleja Reunion Weekend Alumnae Panel on “Social Change: Standing Up and Speaking Out.”
Elizabeth Wright recently completed her master’s degree program in international relations at The Fletcher School at Tufts University, where she studied conflict resolution and monitoring and the evaluation of peace-building programs. She is in the process of figuring out what will come next, and invites anyone visiting the Boston area to come say hi! Jenny Cook just returned from a year teaching English in Japan with the Japanese Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program. “I’m happy to be home and am looking forward to my next adventure.”
Julia Sorensen married Andrew Lund on April 21 at St. Matthews Episcopal Church in San Mateo. They are currently
class notes at Coupa, and the sweet sights and sounds of 280 and KQED on the drive in to work.”
2007
Kelly Fitzgerald kellynfitz@gmail.com
’08
’08
Elisabeth Dillon ’08 and Zoe Kornberg ’08 on their Southeast Asia travels
Rachel Vassar ’08 taking a break from her brain development research
living in Mountain View.
at the World Resources Institute (an environmental think tank) in DC. This fall she began a dual degree at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources.
2004
Caitlin Cameron cjcameron86@gmail.com Meaghan Fitzgerald is still living and working in London and it’s been a really exciting year! She traveled with Debbi Kang to Venice, Italy, where they spent three days at an Italian cooking school. Meaghan also took part in celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and was joined by sister Kelly Fitzgerald ’07 for the London 2012 Olympics, where they both cheered on the U.S. women’s soccer team in the gold medal final. It’s also been a big year for Meaghan professionally as she transitions from her role of 4 1⁄2 years at Spoonfed Media Ltd. to join London-based startup 23 Snaps as Head of Marketing. Yasmin Radjy is rapidly approaching the anniversary of her return to the Bay Area after a 7-year hiatus! “I have been enjoying living in San Francisco and working for a small consulting firm called Monitor 360, which focuses on international relations issues and sociocultural analysis. During my free time, I volunteer as a local ambassador for the National Iranian American Council (NIAC), which has allowed me to continue pursuing my love of political organizing and social justice.” Yasmin helped organize and was a panelist on the Castilleja Reunion Weekend Alumnae Panel in September.
2005
Ashley D’Amour ashley.damour@gmail.com After working in a finance division of Google for two years, Sharlene Su has moved to Baltimore to pursue her MD at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Swing by if you’re ever in the Baltimore/DC area!
Kirsten Stasio is excited to come back home to California after spending three years on climate change policy
August was an exciting time for Nicole La Fetra Broder: “I celebrated my first wedding anniversary with Alex Broder, graduated with my BS in nursing, and attained my registered nursing license! In addition, I’m excited for my little sister, Noelle La Fetra ’12, who just started college at Tulane University. I look forward to beginning work soon as an emergency nurse with Providence Health here in Portland, OR.” After two years at frog design as a business analyst, Cecelia Lau will be moving to London with her fiancé and miniature schnauzer this December. She plans to travel, paint, and volunteer during their two-year stay.
2006
Chelsea Ono Horn onohorn@gmail.com Meg York margaret.alice.york@gmail.com Alex Chang-Graham is now a first-year medical student in the MD/PhD program at Baylor College of Medicine. She is adjusting to the heat and humidity in Houston and would love to meet up with any Casti graduates that have also migrated to Texas. In June, Meg York joined Palantir Technologies as an Embedded Analyst on the Law Enforcement Team. “I’ve been spending some quality time in Sacramento unraveling gang networks, flying around in helicopters, and surviving the desert weather. My sister, Catherine York ’08, recently moved in with me in the Mission in San Francisco. In addition to tricking her into doing my household chores, I’ve been enjoying foggy hikes in the woods, late nights in the Bourn Lab with Gatorbotics, eavesdropping on those techie upstarts
After graduating from Stanford in June 2011, Anne-Marie “Punky” Chun moved to Washington, DC, where she is working for Avascent, a management consulting firm that serves Fortune 500 clients in government-driven markets.
Rachel Care has returned home for a few weeks of sunshine and motherly love before heading back to Göttingen, Germany, for a job in the Inner Ear Lab of the University Hospital there. “In the coming year I look forward to my work improving the cochlear implant, my German language proficiency, and my ability to recognize a fantastic opportunity when I see it!” Courtney Chang lives in Washington, DC, where she works for the State Department’s Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator as a Multilateral Diplomacy Advisor. She really enjoyed seeing classmates at the 5-year reunion in September!
2008
Roark Luskin roark.luskin@gmail.com Elise Fabbro elisemarie73@gmail.com Jane Alexander wrapped up a solid career at Harvard University, where she was the starting shortstop on the Crimson softball team for all four years. She was named a Division I Softball Academic All-American (third team; first team District 1), Harvard’s Female Breakout Athlete of the Year, Ivy League Co-Player of the Year, and Harvard Softball’s Most Valuable Offensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Defensive Player of the Year. She finished the season batting .408 and leading the team in average, slugging, on-base percentage, and triples, and second in extra-base hits, total bases, stolen bases, and double plays. Harvard competed in an NCAA regional finals this year, eliminating No. 23 Texas Tech and Maryland before losing to No. 16 Washington—the first time a Harvard softball team has ever advanced that far in the NCAA tournament. Harvard won the Ivy League Championship in Alexander’s junior and senior seasons. Rachel Vassar is slowly inching her way up the Peninsula; she has made it to Redwood City, where she will be living for the year with fellow ’08 grad Sonja Swenson. She is continuing her
fall/winter 2012 | 85
class notes
’11
’12
’11
Annie Cardinal ’11, Abby Thornburg ’11, Natalie Shell ’11 and Sophie Brown ’11 return for the Opening Day Tie Ceremony
Annie Cardinal ’11 with Princeton’s scramble band
Class of 2012 representatives Shreya Ramachandran ’12 and Jane Larkins ’12
research on pre-term infants and brain development at Stanford while she applies to medical school. After graduating from the University of California, Los Angeles with a BA in theater, Emily Shenfield has decided to satisfy her restless spirit and move to Incheon, South Korea to teach English! “I plan on traveling extensively while I’m there and would gladly welcome any contacts or advice.”
2010
serving as the communications director of a student leadership initiative and acting as the social chair of her sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta.
Cam Stein cam.stein@yahoo.com
Annie Cardinal had a wonderful first year studying mechanical engineering at Princeton. “I learned to play cymbals and met my wonderful boyfriend, Glenn, by joining the university’s scramble band. I also toured with the Glee Club in Paris.”
Tayo Amos tamos922@gmail.com
2011
Allison Hoffman is living in San
Emily Steemers emily.steemers@gmail.com
Francisco and working at Intuit as a rotational development program associate.
Divya Bhat dbhatg@gmail.com
Elise Fabbro began her MA program in environmental studies this fall at the University of Southern California. After graduating in the spring, Elisabeth Dillon spent May traveling with fellow ’08 alum Zoe Kornberg to Southeast Asia. “We traveled to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam together and loved every minute! In addition to sightseeing, we visited local education initiatives in Cambodia. After our trip together, I spent two months traveling through the Middle East and Europe. This fall, I am starting work with The Walt Disney Studios as a member of the global promotions marketing team.” Zoe is now in DC working in the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue!
Rachel Moncton is living in Boston and working as an associate consultant for Bain and Company.
2009
Kennedy Flanders flanders@uoregon.edu Angie Moore angela@moorelife.com
86 | full circle
Natalie Shell shell.natalie@gmail.com Ginna Freehling gehf001@bucknell.edu Rachel Skokowski is enjoying her second year at Princeton. “I am taking a western civilization history class, an English literature class focusing on drama, a moral philosophy class, an introductory psychology course, and a French literature seminar. I’m excited about all of them! One of my papers won the Haarlow Prize in the Humanities for its analysis of the role rhetoric plays in Satan’s ‘fall’ in Milton’s Paradise Lost. My final research paper for my Freshman Writing Seminar (‘The Arts of Protest’), entitled ‘Ravaged but Rocking: Tonight’s the Night and the Crisis of Meaning in 1970’s Music,’ was nominated for the Quinn E. Morton Writing Seminar Prize. I’m still waiting to hear back about the results! I will be choosing a major this spring—I’m about 99% sure I want to do history! I may be back to visit again soon...it’s hard to stay away from Castilleja!”
Claire Fraisl is pursuing degrees in economics and political science at the University of California, Los Angeles. This summer, she interned at the nonprofit Seedling Projects in San Francisco, where she was able to learn more about the sustainable food movement and helped to plan the 2013 Good Food Awards. At UCLA, Claire’s involvement includes
2012
Jane Larkins jane.larkins@gmail.com Shreya Ramachandran shreyar@stanford.edu Congratulations to the Class of 2012! After a beautiful graduation on the Circle in June, everyone has scattered to colleges across the country. We look forward to seeing you back on campus again soon; until then, new class representatives Shreya Ramachandran and Jane Larkins will be keeping in touch.
News of Former Faculty and Staff Ann CriswellHA 321 Alvarado Avenue Los Altos, CA 94022 afcriswell@earthlink.net
Elyce MelmonHA continues to have wonderful success with her original plays. In September the Pacific Resident Theatre in Venice Beach, CA, held a reading of four of her short plays. In January 2013, the Santa Cruz Actors’ Theatre will include her short play For Art’s Sake, a comedy based on a well-known Bouguereau painting of a girl with a broken pitcher, as part of their “8 Tens at 8” production. Closer to home, the Pear Avenue Theatre in Mountain View did her short play entitled Vanishing Borders about a man who was wrongfully identified and spent eight years in prison. She writes, “I
class notes
HA
HA Karen TobeyHA picking coffee beans in Costa Rica during a coffee plantation tour
Elyce MelmonHA with her eldest grandson, Joey Malzbender, at his graduation from Gunn High School last June
stay connected
Stay Connected. Get Involved.
STAY CONNECTED to the Castilleja alumnae network. Join the new Castilleja Careers Listserv at groups.google.com/ group/castilleja-careers to stay up-to-date on upcoming career-oriented events, job opportunities, and professionalskills workshops.
We want YOU! There are countless ways alumnae can get involved. We love hearing from you, so please stay in touch. If you’re as excited as we are and want to join in the fun—here are a few suggestions:
HA
HA
1. Join the Advisory Council 2. Help plan a regional event
Chris BlairHA with Amy Yamamura ’11, Sarah Casabonne ’12, and Lizzie Souter ’12
Joan LonerganHA with a 38-inch striped bass caught deep-sea fishing off Chappaquiddick
just completed a new full-length play, but no clue if it will get a production anywhere; otherwise, I’m happily busy with my three grandsons and various volunteer activities. Retirement is fun, but nothing tops the rewards of being in the classroom with wonderful young women!”
where she was involved in initiating the Upper School program for Island Pacific Academy, a new independent college preparatory school in southwest Oahu. She was one of seven founding faculty members who opened the Upper School in 2006 with 50 ninth graders, who are now juniors in college. “It was a good experience,” she writes, “but all my family is on the mainland; and though it was hard to leave Oahu, it is great to be back among old friends, including many at Casti. I was fortunate to find another job in the Bay Area, teaching biology and AP environmental science at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton.”
Karen TobeyHA and her husband, Tom, spent her 65th birthday in Costa Rica, which she describes as “the country where pura vida is probably the most common phrase heard.” They loved the flora and fauna, the spectacular scenery, and the people, but “we had a little more trouble with the roads, which offered natural back massages almost anytime we got off the main highways.” When at home in Los Altos, Karen continues to play tennis and golf, participate in jazzercise classes, and spend time with friends and family, especially the four grandchildren who are the children of Casti alums Rachel ’94 and Kirsten ’96 and their husbands. Karen writes, “I read with great interest news of the Castilleja community, where innovation continues to propel the school forward with changing times, but where the 5 C’s continue to give young women a solid foundation for their futures. I look back at Castilleja years with great fondness and respect for the school and the girls, but I am happy to have Sundays free from grading papers!”
Judith Wagner
has returned to the Palo Alto area after six years in Hawaii,
4. Provide an internship for a Castilleja student or alum 5. Send an update for Class Notes 6. Become a Castilleja School fan on Facebook 7. Join the Castilleja Careers Listserv 8. Send us your updated contact information (it sounds simple, but nothing makes us happier than an accurate database!)
Former Upper School Head Chris BlairHA sent this update from the East Coast, “On September 16, we hosted a BBQ for the Casti girls who are at Colgate and were delighted to welcome Lizzie Souter ’12, Sarah Casabonne ’12, and
Amy Yamamura ’11 (Camille Stroe ’12 and Anna Cvitkovic ’09 couldn’t make it). It was so much fun to have the girls visit, go for a walk on the farm, show them all the work we have been doing with five young Amish men to restore the old barn, chat about Castilleja days and their present time at Colgate, and enjoy a BBQ together. It really brought a California vibe to our farm and reminds me of how much I miss the community at Castilleja!” HA
HA
3. Attend a regional event
denotes Honorary Alumna or Alumnus
Castilleja School Casti School Casti Athletics Castilleja School
Casti School
fall/winter 2012 | 87
in memoriam
Alumnae
Family
Elizabeth Wiel McCabe ’29 Mother of Joan Ramsay Palmer ’58 Carol Ramsay Rose ’59 Ann Ramsay ’61 Barrie Ramsay Zesiger ’63
Anne Beyer Mother of Kat Beyer ’88
Eleanor “Louise” Gooding ’40
Raymond Deméré Member, Board of Trustees 1975-1983 Father of Barb Deméré ’77HA
Constance Turrillas Holmes ’59 Lynn Campbell Spielman ’52 Mother of Cailean Spielman Sherman ’78 Sally Hexom Talley ’52 Vicky Bluford Wendling ’56
88 | full circle
Adelaide Deméré Mother of Barb Deméré ’77HA
Marcie Dubbs Mother of Melissa Dubbs ’74 Grandmother of Sarah Dubbs ’18 Raymond Lee Husband of Ruth Cannon Lee ’61
Administration Leadership Team Nanci Kauffman , Head of School HA
Josée Band, Dean of Teaching and Learning Kathy BurchHA, Executive Associate to the Head of School Anne CameronHA, Head of Middle School Jill LeeHA, Director of Admission Gabe Lucas, Director of Technology Jim Pickett, Head of Upper School Sue Reyneri, Director of Finance and Operations Kim Roberts ’83, Director of Advancement
Front cover: Saloni Kalkat ’13, La Sangre Del Sueno (Blood of a Dream) Best of Show scholarship award winner, Social Matters: Los Gatos Art Museums Juried Exhibition (2012)
Board of Trustees Kirk Bostrom Diane Brooks Dixon ’69 Harry J. Elam, Jr. Karen Fisher Jennifer Fonstad Scott Forstall Amy Hsieh Mir Imran Nanci KauffmanHA Bill Kind Martin Korman Gabrielle Layton John Macdonald
Joe Martignetti Ethan Nicholls Deep Nishar Mike Rantz Ursula Kinney Ringham ’90 Barbara Rosston, Chair Jennifer Sandell Kathleen Tandy Asher Waldfogel Quin Whitman ’81 Linda Yates ’80 Alan Zafran
Alumnae Association Executive Committee Ursula Kinney Ringham ’90, President Courtney Carter Charney ’97 Liz Rowen Fritz ’01 Christina Hansen McClure ’71 Jaclyn Kokores ’01 Lindsay Austin Louie ’98 Sarah Hinman Whittle ’86 Elizabeth Yin ’00
Inside front cover: Kaley Nelsen ’13, Stephen, a Masaai Tribesman Inside back cover: Fairy tale inspired automotons built in the Bourn Lab by (left to right): Isabelle Arnheim ’16, Katya Scocimara ’16, and Ryoko Shibata ’16
Photo Credits: Mary Hurlbut, Laura Nowell, Helen Shanks, Teresa St Goar, Jamie Sullivan, Dana Sundblad, Deborah Trilling, ToniBird Photography
Back cover: Miranda Dafoe ’14, Amelia Earhart
Design: ChaseVP, Look Design
fall/winter 2012 | 89
full circle
Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PA I D Palo Alto, CA Permit No. 100
CASTILLEJA SCHOOL MAGAZINE Castilleja School Foundation 1310 Bryant Street Palo Alto, CA 94301 www.castilleja.org
Environmental Benefits Statement Since 2011, Castilleja School has saved the following resources by using recycled paper and printing in a green certified facility for the production and printing of this edition of full circle and other projects:
58 fully grown 24,460 gallons of 40,787,250 BTU’s 2,706 pounds of trees water of energy solid waste
5,329 pounds of greenhouse gases
Printed on FSC certified recycled paper with soy-based inks.
90 | full circle