Alumni on the Mesa

1. Kelly (Portnoff) Barker '89 and Valarie Gardner '89 toured some of their favorite spots on the Mesa in February.

2. Ellen Cowan '90 and her son, Julian, visited Cate in February. Ellen loved showing Julian around campus and sharing Cate memories.

3. Avery Sheffield '93 recently visited the Mesa with her husband, Dan Rosenthal, and four children who loved exploring the campus and racing each other around the track.

4. George Luo '11 chatted with Cate’s Art and Ceramics Club students about his passion for finance and ceramics on March 21, 2023. (Luo is the sixth from the right.)

5. Ema Boateng '13 visited Cate in the Fall and caught up with faculty. From Left: Kyle Mason, Emily Sosrodjojo '13, Ema Boateng '13, Paul Denison '79, Randy Person '10, Wade Ransom with daughter Rachel, and Bryan Rodriguez.

6. Eliza Giles '13 hosted Cate Connect, an alumni panel offering insight to current students about the healthcare profession in March. (Giles is the third from the left.)

7. Erika Noble '14 enjoyed a meal with her former advisor, Juarez Newsome, before her hike with the Cate’s Women’s Forum in honor of Women’s History Month.

8. Julie Phan '16 brought her brother to the Mesa and spent the day chatting with former Cate faculty.

9. Abhimanyu (Abhi) Bangaru '21 and Shion Kato '21 visited Cate over spring break and discussed their experience at Case Western Reserve with Alex Tang '23.

10. Michael Armstrong '21 visited the Mesa in March and reconnected with his former advisor, Cece Schwennsen.

11. Peter Wood '22 caught up with good friend Maesa Vongkusolkit '23 while visiting Cate this spring.

1988

35th Reunion

With one-day old jet lag from international travel, Ann and Bill Hamm made the journey back to Cate for the second time this spring. The Hamm’s attended Mesa Dinner in April and were excited to come back for Camp Cate.

1998

25th Reunion

With so many children in tow for the Class of 1998, it was Junior Camp Cate that was the focus for the 25th reunion. No matter where you were on the Mesa, children of the Class of 1998 (Eli’s, Nadine’s and Ray’s) roamed the Mesa in search of the next activity. For the first time in Camp Cate history, a non-adult won the Mesa Race when Sofia Chu took 1st place female with a finish time of 16:44. Tim Weir, the cross-country coach, made sure to take note. Robert Hanson writes: “I am sad that I won’t be able to attend my 25th reunion this year, but my family is preparing for a major move in June to Portugal! My wife Sonia and I will be leaving our posts at Blair Academy, where I have been teaching for the past five years, to live in the Silver Coast region north of Lisbon. I plan to pursue screenwriting projects, and will begin developing a new documentary film. I plan to take up painting again with the goal of gallery representation. Our children, Audrey (6) and Benjamin (4), are excited to enroll in a Portuguese school and learn a new language. Hopefully Sonia and I will be able to keep up! I wish I could be at the reunion, but I’ll extend an invitation to Portugal to anyone from the class of 98! We’d love to host you! Servons!” Maritsa (Cholmondeley) Hofherr and Dan Hofherr welcomed baby Ashley Harper Violet into the world on October 11, 2022. Lea Redmon writes: “I can’t wait to share my new book with you upon publication in 2024! The name of my book is How to give great gifts! Do you have any great stories of remarkable gifts? I’d love to hear them! My email is: lea@luckypennyparlor.com. Please take good care and be well.”

2003

20th Reunion

The report from the 20th reunion was specific and helpful, with wide-ranging feedback from those who attended. Olga Blik and Carolina Miro recommended the School add more hours to the Coffee Cart, specifically from 12:00 p.m. –4:00 p.m. when coffee was needed after sleeping late in High House. Tina Smith wondered if there was a way for classes to “chip in” to pay a current Cate student to be a “runner” for classmates and families throughout the weekend, picking up coffees, ice, and other items needed to bring the weekend together. Kyle Haskett noted that the construction does not allow frisbee golf players to complete (or even start) holes #3 and #8. He recommended that the School bring back the Dorhmann Pischel Open, but before that, check-in with Ned Bowler '83 about the “secret” back nine. Heather Clark and Nicolle Cotes are in love with baby Valentina who was born on April 7, 2023. Lizzie (Kay) and Christopher Hale welcomed their third child, Stevie J on June 29, 2022. This past May, Robert Hash climbed Mount Hood, the highest point and mountain peak in the state of Oregon and the second most climbed mountain in the world! Marcus Spagnoletti and Andrea Remmert were married on March 4, 2023 in Hockley, Texas.

2008

15th Reunion

As is typical for the 15th reunion, many classmates carried newborns with them between Camp Cate activities. It appears that the School will be facing a possible legacy challenge when the Avrutins, DeGroots, McCartys, and Sotos begin the Admissions process in 2034. Jenny and Matt DeGroot welcomed Ozzy John into the world on January 25, 2023.

Shawn Devilla married Sydney Lehman on August 27, 2022. Ali Farr and Kyle McCarty are in love with Ryan Scott who was born on March 23, 2023.

Maureen and David Soto welcomed Alyson Gheen on March 15, 2023 and are overjoyed with their new baby girl.

10th Reunion

The Class of 2013 had quite the turnout at Camp Cate, considering that members of the class refer to themselves as “the few.” Jesse Gavin, Melanie Gerwin, Wesley Greason, Kaitlyn Gulock, Michael Martinez, Marina Narain, Christian Ondaatje, Felix Pasarow, Sam Pelham, and Emily Sosrodjojo attended Camp Cate for the first time as they were unable to join their fifth reunion in 2018. Reid Jeffries, Kailin Jones, Meghan Killea, Lanéa Pearson, Mabel Sabina, and Maddie Schrager are currently the only ones who can say they have perfect reunion attendance. Reid and Kailin both traveled from the East Coast to maintain their record; a testament to their commitment. Perhaps Grace Hunter can get partial credit for attending Friday’s Kick-Off Party via FaceTime, giving her a near perfect reunion record. The class spent the weekend catching up with one another, celebrating milestones such as Melanie and Felix’s engagement, Lanéa’s new chapter in starting a Masters in Counseling Psychology program, and Kaitlyn’s journey towards completing her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. The Class of 2013 proved to still be “the proud” during the Saturday Reunion Dinner class photos. They cheered in unison for their classmate, Thys Northup, who could not attend. It was as though they had traveled back ten years to their senior year of high school.

Grace Dickman and Hunter Weston were married on December 30, 2022 in Williamsburg, New York. Melanie Gerwin was engaged to Felix Pasarow on January 29, 2023 while hiking down the Grand Canyon; they met as students at Cate! Wesley Greason moved back to the Bay Area in 2023. He’s enjoying spending time with his family and friends. He writes that life is good. Chris Powell is entering his last year of medical school this fall and will graduate with an MD/MBA from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston in May, 2024. He will be pursuing a career in Psychiatry upon graduation. Emily Sosrodjojo finds herself back on the Mesa, making assembly announcements and helping with the Cate School yearbook. Emily extends gratitude to her classmates who helped with her Advancement responsibilities throughout Camp Cate weekend so the she could “clock out” and spend more time with them.

2018 5th Reunion

Over 50 members of the Class of 2018 returned for their first ever Camp Cate! A big thank you to Nico Athanassiadis who hosted the entire class at his home in Carpinteria on Friday afternoon. The 5-years brought the energy – attended every event and activity throughout the weekend. Whether it was pickleball, basketball, afternoon barbecue, or the rainy Sunday morning hike, the 2018s were there. Not surprisingly, Kyril van Schendel won the 40th Annual Mesa Race with a blazing time of 10:57. What happens in Long House, stays in Long House! See you in 2028.