Winter 2025 // The Caller: The magazine for alumni, parents, employees, and friends of Catlin Gabel
Educating for Democracy
creating space for students to explore agency, empatHy, and tHe rigHt to belong
Catlin Gabel is an independent, non-sectarian, progressive coeducational day school serving 787 students from preschool through 12th grade. Its roots go back to the Portland Academy, founded in 1859. The school occupies 67 acres on Barnes Road, five miles west of downtown Portland, and a neighboring eight-acre East Campus currently used for the Community Arts Program for adults.
HEAD OF SCHOOL
Tim Bazemore
ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL
Kama Bruce
ASSISTANT HEAD FOR ENROLLMENT AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS
Sara Nordhoff
DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT
Nicole Rinetti-Clawson
DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL CONTENT, CALLER EDITOR
Ken DuBois
duboisk@catlin.edu
ALUMNI DIRECTOR
Rebecca Allen allenr@catlin.edu
WEB AND GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Hannah Lee
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Tea Bear, Ken DuBois, Hana
Hutchings
CATLIN GABEL SCHOOL
8825 SW Barnes Road Portland, OR 97225 (503) 297-1894 catlin.edu
COVER
In Olivia Poirier’s fourth grade classroom, discussion is prompted by student inquiry, including their “Lingering Questions” about democracy.
Building the Capacity to Lead by Educating for Democracy
Head of School Tim Bazemore shares thoughts on a pillar of progressive education
How Can Bugs Help Us Learn About Democracy?
Preschool teachers create space for children to grow their sense of agency
Democracy is a Verb
In Upper School classes, students lead with inquiry to explore the political system
Calculating Chaos with Dr. Math
A Middle School teacher uses humor to spark a celebratory approach to math
View from the Pitch
Head Varsity Boys Soccer Coach Peter Shulman chronicles a championship season
Of Note in Fall 2024
Annual Report 2023-24
Alumni Profile: Chris Park ’14
The current trustee explains his family’s commitment to the future of Catlin Gabel
Traditions
Alumni Holiday Party
A photo gallery of our December 2024 alumni community gathering
Building the Capacity to Lead by Educating for Democracy
By Tim Bazemore head of school
What makes a Catlin Gabel education distinctive and valuable? Experiential learning? A culture of inquiry? Appreciating the whole child? Expert teachers? Our beautiful campus? It is all of those—and a longstanding commitment to educating students for active participation and leadership in society.
“Educating for Democracy” has been a hallmark strength at our school and stands as one of our four pillars of progressive education. But what does it mean, exactly?
For over a century, Catlin Gabel School has embraced an educational philosophy informed by Dewey, Montessori, Piaget, and Vygotsky. A consistent theme across these influences and the decades here is that students need to learn about democracy. This includes opportunities to practice democratic skills and behaviors, as well as learning about systems and structures of Democracy. Weighing information and perspectives and practicing critical thinking and civil discourse within systems is at the heart of our mission.
When Ruth Catlin wrote “In this age, the most pressing need of all seems to be one’s need of understanding human relations and rights in the complex society to which he belongs” (1933), she spoke to the urgency and importance of educating students to not only master academic skills and concepts, but to apply those to who they are in community. As in 1933, today our students are growing and learning in a broader context of factionalism and an erosion of compromise and collaboration. The opportunity for them to leverage their agency and voice to pursue the greater good is sharpening our thinking on how to educate for democracy at Catlin Gabel.
Democratic skills and civics lessons have long been priorities in how teachers design
curriculum, shape classroom culture, and encourage student collaboration at Catlin Gabel. We also are seeking to address the complex interplay of evidence, experience, and opinion by teaching and blending forms of pluralism.*
Academic pluralism includes lessons in which students consider competing points of view through debate-oriented processes based on facts and evidence. This training in logic and analysis (and speaking and listening) is essential in developing critical thinking.
In lessons emphasizing civic pluralism, students have personal and dialogue-oriented opportunities to share stories, reflections, and experiences that illuminate their opinions relative to curriculum. These lessons build relationships, generate a spirit of mutual appreciation, and support a sense of belonging.
The integration of these pedagogies is deliberative pluralism, in which facts and evidence, as well as lived experience, play a role in developing insight and understanding. Deliberative pluralism allows students to make decisions by weighing inherent tradeoffs. It fosters reasoned thinking, sound judgment, confidence, appreciation for diverse perspectives, and selflessness. It provides a pathway to cultivate and practice a collective ethic of pluralism.
This progressive education pillar is also built into systems and culture of our school in less visible ways. Those include Educating for Democracy Guidelines to support teachers in designing lessons, and faculty and staff discussions on how to support expressive freedom, disciplined nonpartisanship, and intellectual diversity. The Student Association president sits on the Board of Trustees; we employ consultative
decision-making processes, as when students, parents, and colleagues share input in leadership searches; and student voice is valued in sustainable campus operations decisions and engaging with prospective parents.
Ultimately, educating for democracy is about leadership. We want every graduate to go into the world with the capacity to lead, with empathy and good judgement. Whether an introvert or extrovert; by setting a quiet example or visibly taking charge; Catlin Gabel graduates learn the skills, knowledge, and courage to take responsible action. This is educating for democracy.
*Thanks to Tegan Morton, Catlin Gabel School; Eboo Patel, Interfaith America; and Professor Martin Carcasson, Colorado State University
How Can Bugs Help Us Learn About Democracy?
Preschool teachers elevate a complex topic— bug squishing versus bug advocacy— to help children practice democratic thinking
By Hana Hutchings and Teresa Yurchis preschool teachers
In the Preschool classroom we have been thinking about our own identities, the identities of others, and how when we come together we form a community. As teachers we actively reflect on what it means to educate for democracy by creating space for children to demonstrate and grow their sense of agency whilst
being aware of their impact and connection to all community members.
As we play together moments of tension naturally rise. When we noticed children squishing bugs we wondered how we, as their teachers, might lean in to use this complex and uncertain topic to help the children practice democratic living. Bugs are often associated with feelings like fear and uneasiness and yet some children are total bug lovers. We anticipated that both ways of thinking might belong in our community.
So we started by having a discussion about bugs. Should we squish bugs? Why or why not? Our hope was that this question might help them navigate their own thinking and practice perspectiveseeking and listening. There is a lot of agency and power in bug squishing and bug advocacy. When the children shared
“When the children shared their thinking, we heard them making sense of their world and considering the thinking of others.”
their thinking we heard them making sense of their world and considering the thinking of others in the community.
We had each child vote on if we should squish bugs by making a mark on a big piece of paper. The next step we took was to bring forward different perspectives and ideas through books like “ Two Bad Ants,” “ Hank’s Big Day,” and “ Hey, Little Ant.” We had many conversations where we listened and shared our ideas. We also invited Middle School Drama teacher Deirdre Atkinson to visit us dressed as a giant bug so we could ask questions and find out more about what it “feels” like to be a bug in the world. We see a key aspect of democratic living as a willingness to engage empathetically and with curiosity to the world around us—even when it challenges us.
Through these experiences we noticed shifts in some of the children’s relationship with bugs. But more pertinently, we recognized all the children’s work of practicing curiosity and empathy even when experiencing a difference of opinion. Our community will always be complex with children navigating their power and their ideas. When we lead with curiosity we are able to form connections and find new ways of being that reflect the depth of our interconnectedness, reciprocity, and the right for all of us to belong.
in two upper school classes, students lead with inquiry and curiosity to explore the complexity of the democratic system
DEMOCRACY IS A VERB
BY EMILY O’SULLIVAN Upper School Math Teacher & PATRICK WALSH Upper School Social Studies Teacher
Preparing students for participation in a democratic society has always been at the forefront of progressive education. Given the rise in misinformation and the waning social power of shared sources of information, it has never been more important to equip young Americans with the tools for political participation.
This fall, we have each had the opportunity to teach very different courses, Statistics and “Election 2024,” that address these skills. And in a special assembly, our students had a chance to demonstrate what they learned with the entire Upper School.
In Statistics, students explored how gerrymandering can affect election results. Students played a redistricting game and learned how challenging it is to account for all the qualities we might like to have in a map. We talked about who controls redistricting in each state, and what algorithms have been developed both to redistrict and to test for fairness. We saw how political maps can give viewers a limited or skewed understanding of a nuanced reality.
We also dove into voting theory, focusing on ranked choice voting. Multnomah County introduced ranked choice voting for the first time on November’s ballot, and one of the ballot-counting methods we studied is the method used for the Portland mayoral and auditorial races.
“We are genuinely proud of our students’ professionalism and commitment to putting personal feelings aside in the pursuit of learning about the political process.”
In all of these topics, we had rich reflections on what it means to be fair and how hard decisions, prioritizations, and concessions might have to happen to move forward with our democratic processes. The general takeaway: there’s more complexity and nuance in maintaining democracy than we might originally think.
In the elective honors course “Election 2024,” students focused on the political events leading up to the November general election. Two of the top five mayoral candidates visited our class, as did a local political strategist who took part in drawing Portland’s new city council district lines. These visitors gave students a front-row seat to the changes to Portland’s political landscape, including the impact of ranked-choice voting on the candidates’ political strategy. Students ran most of the classes, focusing on toss-up Senate elections and on the details of the several swing states which determined the winner of the presidential race.
Students’ self-directed learning continued post-election. They interviewed the recently elected State Treasurer (who is the mother of two Catlin grads!), a newly elected judge, and several incoming members of Portland’s expanded city council. One conducted research on the evolving political allegiance of Generation Z; another looked into the role of social media in turning out young men for
President Trump. Students talked with political strategists and even a professor at Cal State Fullerton with expertise in the role candidates’ clothing choices play in elections! With these student-driven projects, they defined the scope of the project and then engaged in serious primary and secondary research.
When the two classes came together to present to their peers at an Upper School assembly, it was much more than an exercise in knowledge sharing—it also allowed them to demonstrate how inquiry and curiosity can shield students from partisanship and bias, even though many of them felt strongly about the outcome of the election. We are genuinely proud of our students’ professionalism and commitment to putting personal feelings aside in the pursuit of learning about the political process.
“Democracy is a verb.” This statement, attributed to politician and judge Abner Mikva, embodies one of the central principles around which we designed these lessons. Democracy is a process that needs frequent maintenance and adjustments by active participants. As progressive educators committed to experiential learning, we are committed to engaging our students in democracy in the classroom, so that they leave Catlin prepared to be thoughtful, active citizens in the world.
Calculating Chaos with Dr. Math
BY DAN RINEHART MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH TEACHER (AKA DR. MATH)
In the guise of an otherworldly provocateur, Dan Rinehart is bringing a celebratory approach to math in the Middle School
Normally, Dr. Math would never stoop to self-promotion, as he finds it gauche, but today he’s made an exception for The Caller
To catch you up, Dr. Math is a transdimensional being who visits the middle school during assemblies to offer fiendishly difficult mathematical estimation contests. His motives are his own. The current incarnation of Dr. Math has been
profoundly influenced by the original character conceived by Carol “Pongi” Woodbridge. I took the reins when Pongi retired, and I’ve added a soupçon (some would say dollop) of manic energy, pro-wrestling style plot twists, and needlessly elaborate insult comedy.
When I was in 8th grade, Algebra-1 almost broke me, and it did actually break my desk at home. There I was,
“What about learning for its own sake, just because we’re alive, stumbling around this gorgeous planet with preposterously powerful minds?”
all of thirteen, desperately shuttling “X” from side-to-side, and in a rare lapse of adolescent self-control I slammed my fist down so hard the desk buckled. My mother, perpetually armed with a brimming ladle of Irish-Catholic guilt, claimed that I had destroyed an “heirloom” (does IKEA make heirlooms?). I’ve since learned that many of my students, perhaps even a majority, bring their own negative associations to math class.
I don’t want my students to break their furniture. I want them to encounter mathematics with curiosity, even reverence, for a branch of knowledge that is inextricably linked to the most beautiful, jaw-dropping achievements of our species: Think of the pyramids, flying buttresses, or the ability to order boneless wings from your phone.
“When are we going to use this?” The favored refrain of the temporarily frustrated student. Over the years I’ve armed myself with every possible answer to this question. I can’t honestly tell students when they will use a system of equations to figure out how avocados fit in the trunk of an ’06 Camry. But we don’t hold other subjects to this standard, do we? Students don’t ask when they will “use” their knowledge of “Lord of the Flies” or when they will be able to deploy logical fallacies in the wild. (Have you ever pulled out post hoc ergo propter hoc at Costco?)
So why do we save this question for math? Our middle school students are experiencing the greatest developmental leap since they were infants. Their frontal lobes are inflating like a couple of pool toys, and here I am asking them to
use parabolas to model the effects of earth’s gravity. It’s an intense time for them! But what’s more practical than taking advantage of this time, when their brains are drenched in hormones, to push their ability to think abstractly? And what about learning for its own sake, just because we’re alive, stumbling around this gorgeous planet with preposterously powerful minds?
It’s a privilege to work in a place where I can bring a celebratory approach to a subject that has historically been affiliated with ulcers, boredom, and broken desks. If I need to don a green wig and award expired cans of Manwich Sauce to students who can correctly estimate how many grams an old pair of shoes weighs, well then, I guess you can call me Dr. Math.
View from the Pitch
in game-by-game match reports, head varsity boys soccer coach peter shulman chronicles his players’ progress and poise through a championship season
Throughout the soccer season, Peter Shulman sees his players building technical precision, physical strength, and communication skills, and something more: character. He knows that their personal growth and maturity are the real signs of success. And, incidentally, he’s seen how those character traits lead to wins: As Head Coach, Peter has guided his teams to five State Championships, six League Titles, and four seasons without a loss. (He also served as Assistant Coach for ten years.)
Those insights are reflected in Peter’s “Match Reports,” shared throughout the season with players, families, and fans, and excerpted here. Each missive adds to the story of individuals and a team evolving; in his final note of the year, sent days after the 2024 State Championship, Peter reveals that he is evolving as well.
Each new soccer season offers an interesting meeting of tides: continuity and rupture. We return 12 members of last year’s squad, with plenty of familiar faces in midfield and the attack, but even then, a boy can take such a leap over the summer that he’s practically a new player altogether. August always offers some eye-widening moments where this growth announces such an arrival, always a delight to see.
We’ll see if we can continue the Road Warrior ethos as we head into probably the most grueling week that I can recall. Plenty of experiential learning to come!
A barn burner win for Eagles. This 96-hour stretch is something of a three-act play, a compressed passage of travel and competition that will be a heavy mental, physical, emotional, and interpersonal lift. We’ll go through some valleys and we’ll have to figure out how to pick each other up rather than apart when we hit them. To date, however, we have not played from behind and thus faced the kind of pressure in which character is more deeply revealed.
While some questions remain, the biggest one on my mind at the start of the season has been answered: we can defend smartly and stingily.
SEPTEMBER 17, 2024
davis-gant field
catlin gabel eagles 1, westside christian eagles 1
You can stitch up a lot of shortcomings with good tactics, and you can wreck your team with truly bad ones, but so much of the game comes down to technical execution, and in particular the ability to string together a few near-perfect moments.
We were pretty good, not quite precise enough in consecutive moves, but you had to like the energy and focus.…in the end just not quite where we needed to be on the
technical side. The boys were disappointed not to win, but retrospectively there were plenty of positives in the match. I really liked the fight that we showed in the second half.
The opposition made this a tough game, and this will test most teams’ mental and emotional fortitude. It’s a great learning experience to have under our belts.
High school sports is about making memories, and I think the boys will remember this one fondly for years to come. There’s nothing like a Catlin Gabel Homecoming, especially on a beautiful evening, sweeter too when completing the double after the Girls’ Varsity won a 3-2 thriller with a late goal. Food trucks, face paint, and all your friends and family at a great rivalry; It can be a heady atmosphere, too, difficult to calibrate one’s energy in a poised manner.
But the boys hit just the right note of fire and ice tonight. We played all 20 players, and to a man they competed fiercely, kept their heads, and several had their best outing yet. It was truly a team victory today, and it was the best vibe we’ve had across the group all year from start to finish.
Many of you parents know club soccer well, but high school soccer—and this game in particular—is at times a different genre. You have Seniors who’ve known each other for years—some for fourteen of their eighteen years—playing in front of their schoolmates, friends, probably a crush or two in that mix. It’s a derby match versus intense rivals but also club teammates and/ or friends. There’s a lot of emotion wrapped up in it, and that’s not the easiest thing to channel.
We had a pretty good first half in terms of patience, playing to feet, and creating opportunities. The second…well, there will
be plenty of cringes to go around as the tape gets viewed. However, every hole we dug we climbed out of, and that was certainly a team effort. Not pretty, but getting a win on Nicol Road is rarely easy, and is to be savored.
SEPTEMBER 30, 2024
lewis and clark stadium, portland riverdale mavericks 1, catlin gabel eagles 4
It can be a pretty impressive performance or an oddly hollow one, depending how one looks at it. I wouldn’t say it was an evening marked by poise.
But I think this team deserves some serious credit for its team defending; we provided excellent cover, and we continue to show that we are a very tough team. We’re not the biggest group, but we don’t back down from physical challenges and win our share of tackles. We relied on these qualities in the second half, because while in possession our accuracy and mental focus frayed....Let’s be clear: 4-1 flattered us, but we did fight for the win and it’s just never easy at their place.
We have some days to work on touch, poise, the proper weight of a pass, and how to be a team through thick and thin.
OCTOBER 8, 2024
davis-gant field
catlin gabel eagles 7, portland adventist academy cougars 0
Sometimes I forget that we’re playing in a truly stunning place; we can all get in our heads a bit too much, and it does do well to look around. Davis-Gant Field is a masterpiece, Mike Wilson and his crew have it in pristine shape, and it’s all happened in as glorious of a Northwest (extended summer) as I can recall. Seeing the sunset at the end of the game put a few things in perspective.
We came out poorly, and that lies at my feet…they were a good bit stronger than the record. I did not sufficiently prepare for this. But we grew into the match.
We’re still working on finding a more consistent rhythm, with the patience to know when to play to spring the frontline and when we need to build more carefully. We’ve got a week to fine-tune it all before
we play Valley Catholic in a pivotal match that might well determine the district championship.
OCTOBER 17, 2024
SENIOR NIGHT
davis-gant field
catlin gabel eagles 4, valley catholic valiants 1
Late in the evening, when music of the game began seeping through the players, they cooked up a lovely midfield combination and finish for the coup de grâce We were certainly the better team on the night, but Valley’s a dangerous team and they made it difficult. It’s football—it’s not supposed to be easy, and only a fool would expect it to be.
This is a night to feel good about what the group put together, emanating from the Seniors on down. There’re not too many games left (just three guaranteed). They’ll go as far as they can, ultimately, on what they can conjure together.
OCTOBER 18, 2024
davis-gant field
catlin gabel eagles 8, de la salle n. catholic knights 0
Lopsided games are usually pretty unsatisfying and uncomfortable affairs; it’s no fun for the opposition in most cases, and it rarely brings out good traits in the winners.
On the night they played unselfishly, moved the ball quickly, and had some fun while also operating with class on the pitch, right down to when one of our boys quickly ran to the opposition keeper at game’s end to offer a handshake, a recognition that he’d made several excellent saves amidst a rain of close-range shots.
NOVEMBER 9, 2024
STATE QUARTERFINAL
davis-gant field
catlin gabel eagles 3, valley catholic valiants 2
Today’s result was definitely hard fought, and I’d say that luck was on our side. In several regards we played well, controlling possession, and getting into some good spots…but we just weren’t precise enough to
finish. Meanwhile, they shot twice and took two goals from clean, crisp strikes which punished giveaways. The gap in technique at critical moments and persistent communication issues put us in a hole, and we had to manage our own frustrations at that reality.
To the boys’ credit, they kept their heads, kept the ball in the attacking third…and it was all one-way traffic. We got the first of two PKs with 23 minutes to go, and the second about 10 minutes later, bagging both. From 2-0 down to 3-2 up in about 14 game-clock minutes, thanks to one great moment in a sea of mostly pretty good ones.
I suspect we’ll need more maturity and poise to achieve what we hope to do. Playoff soccer is just different.
NOVEMBER 16, 2024 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
liberty high school, hillsboro catlin gabel eagles 1, oregon episcopal aardvarks 0
When does a story really begin? Maybe, as a few players regaled us in the locker room before the game, it was their first ever game, stories of laughter, tears, and it-seemedlike-a-good-idea-at-the time. Maybe it was in August, when we scrimmaged Westview and I thought that this could be a pretty strong outfit. Maybe it was back in a gym, six months ago, where a player was gaining strength, or out there gaining speed with Coach Greg Hess on the track. Maybe it was coming out of half-time down 2-0, a week ago, to Valley Catholic, when we just needed the ultimate in focus to stay alive. You can choose your own adventure to say when it all started.
This group made it very difficult for the taller Aardvarks to get traction in the air. They played with a ton of physical courage in addition to the foot skills. On the day, the boys outshot OES 15-1, with an 8-1 corner advantage; it was largely an onslaught with a few forays in the opposite direction.
The final security shield came from really intelligent defending. We had a maturity that we didn’t show earlier in the year, our disciplined defending sucked the oxygen out of the Aardvarks’ efforts to light a fire.
Beating a team like OES three times in a season is a difficult task; shutting them out three times is simply phenomenal.
NOVEMBER 27, 2024
CODA
Dear Players and Families,
I am stepping down from my job as Boys Varsity Soccer Coach (though I will continue as a history teacher).
It has been an honor to work in the program for the past 22 years. I have deeply appreciated seeing young people grow through the many challenges and sheer effort that comes with collective endeavor, and have been moved by the exhilarating moments as well as the hard lessons that make up the Beautiful Game. I have learned more than imaginable, met a lot of wonderful people—players, families, fellow coaches, and officials as well—and look forward to sustaining those relationships in the years to come…
Yours in the Spirit of the Game,
Peter
OF NOTE IN FALL 2024
A collection of events, happenings, and recognitions that shaped our school
Catlin Gabel launched a new introductory robotics team, FRC 1844 the Eggineers, which joined the long-established 1540 The Flaming Chickens team to compete in fall competitions and host a FIRST LEGO League Qualifying Tournament.
(1) Engineering opportunities were expanded to include a Tinker Lab for grades 1-5 and programming for all 7th graders, and a new InvenTeam was established to explore tech-based solutions to social issues.
For the sixth consecutive year, Catlin Gabel was named the Best Private K-12 School in Oregon by the school information resource Niche.com, who also ranked the school as Oregon’s Best Private High School, Best High School for STEM, and Best College Prep Private High School. Niche also ranked Catlin Gabel in the top 1% of all private K-12 schools in America
(2) In the Beginning and Lower School, Community Meeting celebrations included Hispanic Heritage Month and the Chinese Moon Festival; In the Middle School, student-led assemblies included Mental Health Awareness Week , National Coming Out Day, Invisible Disabilities Week , Diwali, and Rosh Hashanah; and in Upper School assemblies, students led presentations with guest speakers for Hispanic Heritage Month and Indigenous Peoples’ Day
(3) For the Upper School fall production, the CG Players presented Dracula: The Vampire Play, based on Bram Stoker’s 19th century Gothic horror novel and featuring student-designed sets, costumes, and lighting.
(4) Heritage Day, our annual celebration of the many cultures that make our school community special, took place in the Creative Arts Center with hundreds of participants enjoying homemade food, student performances, and families’ cultural displays.
(5) Catlin Gabel’s Neurodiversity Affinity Group created art for TriMet’s “Celebrating Diversity” bus mural design project, and a bus decorated with the artwork and the phrase “Neurodiversity
is natural” was brought to campus for the community to admire up-close.
(6) At the traditional Lower School rolling of the oat cake in November, the cake landed “O” side up, which portends (students say) milder weather and fewer snow days in the months to come.
Dozens of young Douglas firs were planted in the Fir Grove, the latest stage in a campus-wide restoration effort following the removal of tall timbers damaged in the January 2024 ice storm.
In support of Eagles Soar : The Campaign for Catlin Gabel, the school received the largest gift in school history from Jordan D. Schnitzer ’69, a contribution that funds, in part, construction of a new Community Center for Athletics and Wellness (see details on page 17).
Beginning, Lower, and Upper School students shared the stage for a special choir performance at the Grotto Festival of Lights, a program that included an original composition by music teacher and conductor Judy Rose
(7) For our third annual Winter Story Time, 8th graders created a theatrical experience that brought children’s stories to life, and presented their show to delighted Beginning and Lower School students in Cabell Theater.
Grades 5-8 cross country: The girls team took 1st place to become MCL Champions, and the boys team took 4th place in the league.
Middle School Soccer: The Girls Soccer Blue team won the MCL Championship for the third consecutive year, and the Boys Soccer Blue team took the MCL Champions title for the fourth consecutive year. The Boys Silver team qualified for the first round of playoffs.
Middle School Tennis: With a huge turnout again this year, the team had strong showings against OES in three match-ups.
Middle School Volleyball: With a large group joining this year, both Blue and Silver teams competed hard against a tough MCL schedule.
(8) Upper School Volleyball: The team finished 3rd in league and 8th in state, and made the Round of 16 for the 3A OSAA State Tournament. Hayley Schaaf ’26 was named to the First Team All-League and the Second Team All-State; Maliha Rajan ’27 and Rachel Cohrs ’25 were named to the Second Team All-League; and Honorable Mention All-League recognition went to Lyla Wohlgemuth ’25 and Chase Zanon ’28.
(9) Upper School Cross Country: The number of students participating rose significantly this year, and their race times steadily improved throughout the year. The girls finished 7th in Special District 1 and the boys team finished 12th.
(10a, 10b) Upper School Soccer: The Varsity Girls and Varsity Boys Soccer teams both won the State Championship in back-to-back matches on Nov. 16: The Girls team defeated Central Linn/East Linn 5-0, and the Boys team defeated OES 1-0. Addi Dauler ’26 was named OSAA All-State Girls Soccer Player of the Year; Addi, Alana Hill ’27, and Annika Sirtori ’25 were named to the All-State Girls Soccer First Team; and Chris Dorough was named All-State Coach of the Year. Alana was also named All-League Player of the Year and Chris was named All-League Coach of the Year. Papa Diallo ’26, Giancarlo Rendon Benitez ’27, Riley Nordhoff ’25, and Finn Hough ’25 were named to the OSAA All-State Boys Soccer First Team; Peter Shulman was named All-State and All-League Coach of the Year (see Peter’s “View from the Pitch,” page 10).
ANNUAL REPORT
catlin gabel 2023–2024
as I reflect on the past year, I am filled with gratitude for the unwavering support of Catlin Gabel. This community’s generosity has been instrumental in shaping the lives of our students and empowering our faculty to deliver exceptional education.
Through your contributions, we had the most successful fundraising year in the school’s history— over $15 million was raised! This achievement is a testament to the power of our community and the collective impact we can make. Your support has directly funded essential programs and initiatives through the CG Fund, including:
• Financial Assistance: 27% of families receive tuition assistance, and that is made possible through philanthropy.
• Experiential Education: A hallmark of a Catlin Gabel education, this includes experiences such as class trips, global ed trips, experiential week, senior projects, and so much more.
• Faculty Development: Our teachers make a Catlin Gabel education truly unparalleled. Supporting their growth and development is an investment worth making.
By investing in these areas, we're ensuring our students receive a world-class education that prepares them for success wherever life takes them. Your support has also allowed us to make significant strides toward our ambitious goals for Eagles Soar, the campaign for Catlin Gabel. Together, we're accomplishing big things, such as:
• Building a Community Center for Athletics and Wellness
• Growing the school’s endowment
• Strengthening the CG Fund
Your partnership is essential to our continued success. Thank you for your belief in our mission and your commitment to making a difference.
Nicole Rinetti-Clawson director of advancement
Year in Review
september 1, 2023-august 31, 2024
School Financials
We are committed to transparency of financial reporting and maintaining a balanced budget. Donations to the school are essential components of our income as a nonprofit.
*net of financial assistance
Thanks to the generosity of donors like you, we ended the year with a balanced budget. There are always unexpected needs that appear throughout the year, and your gifts helped us to meet the needs of students and teachers all year long. Thank you!
$29,563,000
Eagles Soar Campaign Update
a multi-year campaign
$37.8M
$30M GOAL
$10M GOAL
$7M GOAL
Eagles Soar Campaign
The most ambitious campaign Catlin Gabel has ever launched, Eagles Soar will propel our school forward while ensuring our tradition of progressive education continues. The investment we make now will extend the values and impact of a Catlin Gabel education for years to come.
Our vision is purposely focused on three strategic initiatives that will advance community building, enhance athletics and wellness, provide a new student dining commons, honor our alumni history, and support faculty excellence.
Our Three Campaign Priorities
Build the Community Center for Athletics and Wellness
$26.3m toward $30m goal
The new Community Center will become the heart of Catlin Gabel, promoting a sense of community and showcasing our alumni and history. It will serve as a gathering place, a location for dining, and an inspiration for generations of students of all athletic abilities.
Grow the Endowment
$6.4m toward $10m goal
Growing the endowment will ensure Catlin Gabel is accessible for more families, and that our school reflects the growing diversity of our community, both in our student body and in our faculty.
Strengthen the Catlin Gabel Fund
$5.1m toward $7m goal
This is our highest priority every year as it benefits the needs of today, supporting important annual campus improvements and allocating resources for classroom materials, as well as trips and activities.
Endowments
Endowment Areas
Endowed funds provide a constant, yearly revenue stream that helps Catlin Gabel maintain financial stability and plan for the future. Typically, endowed funds cover six percent of the operating budget each year.
The Catlin Gabel endowment currently has over $44M in total with 75 funds, which cover a variety of needs for the school. The majority of endowed funds contribute to financial assistance, academic programs, and professional development.
$44M fy24 endowment total
$1.7M fy24 endowment transfer
Catlin Gabel has worked with Angeles Investment Advisors to manage our endowment since 2002. The Endowment Committee (a volunteer sub-committee of the Board of Trustees) is tasked with overseeing and approving all aspects of endowment investments and annual transfers. Like many entities, the fluctuations in the stock market impacted the value of our endowment. Endowment Growth $30,321,281 $31,776,700 $34,386,720 $36,350,457 $35,154,534
Seeding the Future of Catlin Gabel
By establishing the new Bazemore Endowment for Environmental Sustainability, Tim and Lisa Bazemore are leading the effort to expand the school’s commitment to preserve and protect the natural world—and inviting others to join them
Why did you choose to focus your long-term support of Catlin Gabel on this area?
TIM: We want to ensure the curriculum and co-curricular offerings, and school operations, incorporate a sustained focus on this topic. Nature is the third teacher that provides opportunities to practice skills, gain knowledge, apply academic concepts to the natural
world, and understand the necessary and inevitable interplay of natural and built environments. We believe that time spent in and with nature fosters mental and physical health for all community members.
LISA: Disparate or episodic actions and activities help, but a centralized and institutionalized commitment that includes looking at needs and opportunities across the school and across the years will enable progress. It’s important to ensure a consistent analysis of processes, materials, and resources, and set annual and longterm goals.
What are some of the specific goals of your endowment?
TIM: The endowment will fund a coordinator position stipend to sustain this work and learning so this effort is not dependent on the waxing and waning of interested community advocates and champions.
LISA: As a complement to the endowment, which supports people and programs, we also will be making
a donation to help fund charging stations in the parking lot adjacent to the Community Center for Athletics and Wellness. This will be presented in the form of a challenge to raise funds for approximately eight stations. We want to invest in the tangible and visible energy infrastructure that supports our environmental sustainability beliefs.
With this endowment, do you hope to inspire others in the community to get involved?
TIM: We do hope our gift will attract additional support, and make our sustainability value more visible and durable.
Climate change is a primary issue of our time and it is urgent. We adults need to take responsibility for the impact we are having and not just leave it to the next generation to figure out. Catlin has the capacity to be a leader in this area—but we need the will and the resources. We and those who follow will be healthier, happier, and more closely connected to so much of what makes us human.
Lisa Bazemore and Head of School
Tim Bazemore
Josephine “Joey” Day Pope ’54
december 6, 1936 – october 2, 2024
A member of the class of 1954 of the Catlin School, as it was known then, Joey became an invaluable member of and advocate for the Catlin Gabel community. She devoted decades of her life in support of the school, our students, and our beautiful campus.
After graduating from Stanford in 1958, she came back to Portland to earn an elementary teaching certificate at Portland State University and served as a fifth-grade teacher at Catlin Gabel in 1959. In 1964 she married Peter Pope, and together they had four children. Their children and grandchildren also attended Catlin Gabel. Amongst her many roles, Joey served on the Board of Trustees for more than 10 years, including as President.
She was such an exemplary volunteer that in 1992 the school named its annual volunteer service award after her and installed
a sundial in her honor outside Dant House. Poppy Dully, former Director of Development and parent of alumni, described Joey as “A woman who gets in there and gets the job done. She is one of the exceptional women in our city and needs to be recognized as such.”
Former Head of School Jim Scott praised Joey as working “tirelessly to model and to promote a healthy volunteer ethic in the Catlin Gabel school community.”
In her time on the Board, she was proud of her work to reaffirm the school’s traditions of volunteerism, community service, and civic and social responsibility. She was a
supporter of the arts through her philanthropy and advocacy. She founded the Esther Dayman Strong Lectureship and formed the Honey Hollow Horticulture Volunteer Landscape and Maintenance Committee. Horticulture was a great passion of hers. She inspired volunteers to come together to care for the natural beauty found around campus.
During her tenure, Joey was a guiding force in the design, fundraising, and construction of the campus entrance. We are so grateful to her for making estate plans, and to her daughter Maria Pope ’83, for supporting the
school’s ongoing mission. Together they are funding a new arrival experience to campus as part of the Community Center for Athletics and Wellness — the Joey Day Pope Plaza. Head of School Tim Bazemore is “proud to have known Joey and humbled by her dedication to Catlin Gabel. Generations of Catlin Gabel families, alumni, and visitors will be reminded of Joey’s legacy and her commitment to our school community.”
Catlin Gabel today would not be the same without Joey’s tireless work. Her presence will be felt on campus and in our community for years to come.
Planned Giving: Create your Legacy
Many donors, like Joey Day Pope ’54, have made estate plans to leave a lasting legacy at Catlin Gabel. We are deeply grateful for the support of our alumni, families, employees, and friends.
Planned giving is a special way to express your gratitude for the pivotal role Catlin Gabel played in your life. By including us in your estate plans, you can help ensure that future generations have the same opportunities to learn, grow, and succeed. Through a planned gift, you can provide scholarships, fund innovative programs, support vital positions and buildings, and ensure the continued excellence of our school for years to come.
Some planned giving options may also provide tax benefits for you and your family, including bequests, charitable gift annuities, and charitable remainder trusts. By planning your gift now, you can ensure that your philanthropic goals are met and that your assets are distributed according to your wishes. We can work with you and your advisors to create a plan that aligns with your financial and charitable objectives.
Leaving a legacy through planned giving is a powerful way to express your values and make a lasting difference. It’s a testament to your belief in the power of education and your commitment to Catlin Gabel. Contact Advancement today to learn more about how you can create a legacy at Catlin Gabel. Please visit catlin.edu/plannedgiving or contact Nicole Rinetti-Clawson, Director of Advancement, at rinetticlawsonn@catlin.edu
Photos courtesy of Maria Pope ’83
Thank You
2023-24 Volunteers
We are grateful for the many ways our volunteers supported the Catlin Gabel mission this past year. Thank you to our extraordinary volunteers for their service. In addition to the individuals listed here, we wish to acknowledge the efforts of all Catlin Gabel volunteers.
board of trustees
Mark Holliday, Chair of the Board of Trustees
D’Artagnan Caliman ’91, Vice Chair
Nitesh Sharan, Treasurer
Kate Warren Hall ’93, Secretary
Derrick Butler, MD, MPH ’86
Mat Ellis
John Gilleland
Susie Greenebaum ’05
Melanie Harris
Amanda Hill
Juliet Hillman ’09
Alex Ho, PhD
Nkenge Harmon Johnson, JD ’93
Robert D. Kelly, Ph.D.
June Kim
Indira Nallakrishnan
Eneida Nemecek, MD
Kia Selley
Tyler Silver
Amelia Templeton ’02
Laura Tremblay, MD
Tim Bazemore, Ex Officio
Jay Mahajan, Ex Officio
Becky Lennon, PFA President
Maureen Reed, Faculty-Staff Forum Co-President
Eric Mandel ’99, Alumni Council President
John DiLorenzo ’24, 23-24 CGSA President
audit committee
Mark Holliday, Committee Chair
Stuart Ellis
Heidi Halvorsen-Bell ’88
June Kim
Eric Mandel ’99
Indira Nallakrishnan
Chris Park ’14
Peter Steinberger
bid committee
D’Artagnan Caliman ’91, Committee Chair
Maya Burgos, PFA Inclusivity Coordinator
Derrick Butler ’86, MD, MPH
Mayen Dada, PFA Inclusivity Coordinator
John DiLorenzo ’24, 23-24 CGSA President
Jack Ericksen ’25, CGSA Inclusivity Coordinator
Melanie Harris
Nkenge Harmon Johnson, JD ’93
Eneida Nemecek, MD
Laura Tremblay, MD
Mark Holliday, Ex Officio
capital campaign committee
Ingeborg Holliday, Committee Co-Chair
Mark Holliday, Committee Co-Chair
Luz Angela Gonzalez
Susie Greenebaum ’05
Kate Warren Hall ’93, Board Secretary
Alex Ho, PhD
John Kroger
Nicole Lee
Indira Nallakrishnan
Vanessa Peterson, MD
Tiffany Rosenfeld
Kia Selley
Tyler Silver
Michele Toppe
Jenny Turner
Yang Yang
endowment committee
Jay Mahajan, Committee Chair
Alix Meier Goodman ’71
Joe Hall ’97
Dirk Jonske ’02
Robert D. Kelly Ph.D.
Warren Rosenfeld ’73
Don Vollum ’84
Robert C. Warren, Jr. ’66
Mark Holliday, Ex Officio
Nitesh Sharan, Ex Officio
Deborah Schnitzer Novack ’66, Emeritus Member
enrollment & external relations comm
Mat Ellis, Committee Chair
David Dombrow
Lisa Ericksen
Julia Winkler Jacobson ’02
Becky Lennon, PFA President
Amelia Templeton ’02
Abby Tibbs ’96
David Newson
Karen Uretsky
Mark Holliday, Ex Officio
finance committee
Nitesh Sharan, Committee Chair
Eric Blackburn
Jill Eberwein
Zan Galton
John Gilleland
Kate Warren Hall ’93, Board Secretary
Jeff Manternach
Ewan Rose
Mark Holliday, Ex Officio
governance committee
Kate Warren Hall ’93, Committee Chair
Tim Bazemore, Head of School
D’Artagnan Caliman ’91, Board Vice Chair
John Gilleland
Susie Greenebaum ’05
Mark Holliday, Board Chair
Indira Nallakrishnan
Eneida Nemecek, MD
Jay Mahajan, Ex Officio
pfa executive council
Becky Lennon, President
Robin Janssen, Josh Bellish, Co-Vice Presidents
Irina Bearce, Treasurer
Neha Hewitt, Communications Coordinator
Caryn Dombrow, Robin Janssen, New Family Integration
Maya Burgos, Mayen Dada, Parent Inclusivity
Lori Ireland, Advisor
pfa bls representatives
Hannah Pscheid, Chelsea Lay, Preschool
Emily Medress, Anya Valentine, Kindergarten
Aly Smith, Veronica Carmenate, 1st Grade
Nisha Hall, Jared Kendal, 2nd Grade
Marnie Handel Bordley, Sun Park, 3rd Grade
Tanya Hill, Charlotte March, 4th Grade
Minna Yoo, Ashley McCarron ’95, Sam Braff, 5th Grade
Ellie Watts ’05, Thao Nguyen, BLS Coordinators
pfa middle school representatives
Yoon Richards and Luz Gonzalez, 6th Grade
Blake Deeds, Andria Shirk, 7th Grade
Ivy Chiu, Jennifer Bryne, 8th Grade
Marli Blasengame, MS Theater Coordinator
pfa upper school representatives
Jed Mitchell, Gina Condon, 9th Grade
Ashley Schaaf, Frances Perez, 10th Grade
Patricia Kozak, Cheree McNeil, 11th Grade
Tracy Stout, Alyssa Pace 12th Grade
Jenny Alvarez, Rachel Devlin, US Theater Coordinators
Tina Szczesniak, US Division Coordinator
pfa event coordinators
Samudra Kugel, JR Anderson, Heritage Day
June Kim, Spirit Coordinator
Marisa Mercer, Nicole Sasser, Spring Festival
alumni council
Eric Mandel ’99, President
Eliza Robinson ’24, CGSA VP
Paul Dickinson, former faculty
Len Carr ’75
Chris Dorough ’03
Erik Granum ’03
Joe Hall ’97
Debbie Ehrman Kaye ’73
Sid Pai ’18
Chris Park ’14
Elizabeth Sabin-Rouffy ’87
Chris Park ’14
Catlin Gabel’s youngest trustee on the lasting impact of a Catlin Gabel education, working to support the next generation of students, and following through on a legacy of leadership
You are the oldest of three Park children, all of whom graduated from Catlin Gabel and served as CGSA Presidents. You have served on the Alumni Council and now serve on the Board of Trustees. How was this sense of leadership instilled in you?
I think it started with our family, our parents. Since our family moved to Portland in 1996, my parents have been leaders in the community. My dad is currently a leader for the Portland Art Museum, my mom is a leader for the Oregon Historical Society. I think our family culture has been a big part of why each of us has valued leadership so much growing up. It’s also the education we received at Catlin, which always encouraged us to take risks and to share our voice.
What do you hope to accomplish while serving on the Catlin Gabel Board?
I joined the Board for a few reasons. It’s a great personal and professional development
opportunity. Being a relatively recent alum on the Board, I’m always looking to learn.
To be more specific, I’m looking forward to the capital campaign for the Community Center for Athletics and Wellness. And I think one of Catlin’s greatest strengths is its teachers and the instruction students receive both inside and outside of the classroom. I want to see the next generation of students get the same education that I received while I was here.
Was there a particular lesson or teacher that made an impact on you?
I have a few teachers who come to mind, but it would be unfair to pick just a few. The common thread among all of my teachers who left an impact is the personalized attention that every student gets.
One thing that stood out to me was the recitations during high school. As a student, you don’t fully understand why you are doing these things, but it teaches you a lot of skills.
It’s Catlin’s way of teaching their students how to communicate, think, and write.
One thing we talk about on the Board is the value proposition. I think the Catlin education is not so much an outcome as it is the investment into each individual’s development. Catlin teachers really pay attention to each individual student, which is something I still appreciate.
Your family has supported the Community Center for Athletics and Wellness, naming the Training Room. What inspired you to make this gift to the school?
We’ve been needing a place like the Community Center for a long time. Regarding the Training Room, I think we got the best “training” at Catlin. You hear this all the time when alumni come back—they say Catlin prepared me. It’s a testament to the level of education and preparation the school invests in each of its students.
The way I see it, my service and contribution on the Board are just as important as any financial gift, and vice versa. I think it’s important for everyone in the community to understand that there are multiple ways to give back and support the school. Whether that’s your time, your professional network, or any financial contributions. I see my service and the gift as an expression of how much my family and I have benefited from being part of this community.
Vice President, Westhood Inc (Owner of The Reserve Vineyards & Golf Club)
Lead Construction Project Manager, Nike (2018-2021)
B.A. in Public and International Affairs from Princeton University
SENIORS-1ST GRADE BUDDIES
OCTOBER 18, 2024
Since 1969, thousands of friendships have been forged as students across divisions come together to make connections and bond. The Seniors-1st Grade Buddies Program matches two seniors with each 1st grader; they’re introduced at an October social and build their relationships at a series of events throughout the year.
Alumni & Friends Holiday Social
In December we welcomed the alumni community to Catlin Gabel’s East Campus for our annual Holiday Social. With so many alumni, parents of alumni, and former faculty in attendance, it was a cheerful night of holiday spirit. Dale and Barb Rawls opened up the ceramics studio to the alumni community for a free class, and Ronna Fujisawa led a class on watercolor painting enjoyed by novice and experienced artists alike. We heard from Head of School Tim Bazemore and Jordan D. Schnitzer ’69 about the positive impact the future Community Center for Athletics and Wellness will have on students and alumni, with Jordan sharing the inspiration for his and the Harold & Arlene Schnitzer Care Foundation’s transformational gift to the school. It was a wonderful night of celebration and connection for our community.
CLASS NOTES
send us your news
We are pleased to publish all Class Notes submitted by alumni or their class representative. Notes and photos may be submitted at any time through the online submission form at catlin.edu/classnotes.
Class Year: Class Member
71 and 73: An impromptu mini-reunion in Cannon Beach
74: Tom Buell
74: Laura Stillwell at Cannon Beach
74: Class of 1974 50th reunion get-together
75: The wedding of Margaret Park Bridges’ daughter Emma in Los Angeles in June 2024
75: Len Carr and family
75: David Ewart’s selfie painting at Haystack Rock
75: Chris Thomas in the Alvord Desert in October 2024
79: Marty Fulop’s ideal ski hill—no lift lines
90: Jen Shirley with Albert, Sebastian, Cole, Julia, and Louis the dog
91: Tom Boer at the U.S. Supreme Court on the morning of arguments in Moore v. Harper in December 2022
00: Cover of Taylor Sapp’s new ELT educator publication
04: Class of 2004 reunion in 2024
08: Emma Northcott and Jarno celebrate their wedding in the mountains of Chamonix, France in July 2024
11: Alex Corey working on campus
58
Sam Lockwood, Gabel class of ’54, LHS class of ’58, writes, “Fred Luddy was an ideal teacher for me in sixth grade. He noted my exceptional report on Rome. He also encouraged my mom to be less helpful with such endeavors. Mr. L’s Spiral passes each recess settled into our eager hands. I did manage to catch a few with myopic lenses bouncing about my face. Sid Eaton and I have shared time celebrating my childhood friend Meg Patton We visited Lopez Island in the San Juans to acknowledge her Henderson Camps legacy. Sid, properly clad in Red Sox merch with a baseball scorecard in hand, invited me and my son to a Mariners-Red Sox skirmish last spring. Joe Santry, Hillside ’54 and LHS ’58, exchange birthday greetings. I am in year 59 of teaching. Currently substitute work with public school. Long term jobs in 2023 and 2024 were K-6 PE and 6th grade. I love the work. Goal is 60-year career. CG need help? Beehive to Calculus (maybe). Ruthann and I, with family, will celebrate our 60th this December.”
60
Hilda Wright Rhodes writes, “My Husband Stan and I are enjoying our lives as seniors. We both have had a full career of teaching. Stan was head of the science department and physics teacher at Staples High School in Westport CT for 44 years. I taught kindergarten and first grade for 20 years in the same town, and was a preschool director before that. We loved our teaching careers. Stan continued to tutor until he was over 80! I was on our Town of Redding Commission On Aging for 12 years and have enjoyed being a part of the growth of our Senior Center. My husband teaches bridge there and enjoys an excellent discussion group. I have taken an art course there since retirement and have been fortunate to have been in our town’s Mark Twain Library Art show since retirement in 2003. We fully rejoice in our children and eight grandchildren. Catlin Gabel’s creative curriculum has been my driving force in all I do and our offspring seem to have inherited that gene!”
1963 CLASS REP: Jennie Tucker, jtucker@oregonwireless.net
1966 CLASS REP: Tom Tucker, tuckert6671@gmail.com
67
Leslie Pohl-Kosbau writes, “I enjoy the gatherings of alumni from Catlin Gabel. The Urban Group in Portland is especially appealing. I am the Moderator of the Board of First Unitarian Church in downtown Portland.”
1969 CLASS REP: Steve Bachelder, steve.bachelder@gmail.com
71
Marc Lamoreaux shares, “As of January 1 I’m going down to two days/ week after 25 years as environmental director for Native Village of Eklutna, the Dena’ina Indian Tribe whose traditional lands encompass Anchorage, Alaska. I live with my wife, with a goat herd, feral rabbits and turkeys, and moose roaming the wooded property. Yes, it’s cold here in the winter, but I can cross-country ski out my back door. I greatly appreciate my experience at Catlin Gabel.” Alix Meier Goodman writes, “An ‘0’ birthday for Michael Mills ’73 in Cannon Beach became an impromptu mini-reunion. John Mills, Alix Goodman, Mark Kelley, Gil Kelley, Allen Schauffler, Ceci T. Jones, Rich Jones, Colby Mills, Tara Mills, and Warren and Sheryl Rosenfeld attended, too.”
1973 CLASS REPS: Debbie Kaye, djek53@aol.com; Ted Kaye, kandsons@aol.com; and Steve Swire, sswire@gmail.com
73
Bob Bonaparte and his family are thrilled to welcome son Ian ’08 and his wife, Emily, back to Portland, including their baby, River. Melet Whinston writes that she is now “working part time and playing lots of chamber music—host three quartets a week at my house and get to perform cello/ piano regularly—very fun. Eleven concerts this season between Beaconettes and cello…” Tamara Howard writes from England that her daughter, Tabitha, is “just finishing her M.D. and Ph.D.—out of school at last!” Helping to keep our class in contact, Scott Director has made sure we know about events at school such as Homecoming in September and the Holiday Social in December. Thanks, Scott! Ted and Debbie Ehrman Kaye traveled for a month in China, including Taipei, Hong Kong, and Tibet, with ten days in Beijing for the International Flag Congress where Ted presented two papers.
74Tom Buell is undergoing treatment “with curative intent” for Stage 3 colon cancer and urges everyone to get regular screening. Otherwise, he’s living happily with his wife, Jamie Elsbury, in Port Townsend, WA (visitors welcome) and plans to be kayaking and exploring in their campervan in 2025. LeaAnne DenBeste writes, “I turned 68 and I am as healthy as ever. I teach voice lessons and piano lessons from my home studio and go for a walk in the neighborhood every day.” Sara Neill shares, “My husband Bo Neill ’71 and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary this year with a beautiful trip to the Galapagos Islands.” Laura Stilwell keeps busy performing in Portland and abroad. She is also a vocal coach, and in September she brought Tommy James, former pianist, arranger, and music director with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, to conduct another jazz vocal workshop. Laura flew to Spain over the summer to attend her nephew’s wedding. It was such a fun celebration with family, she says. She flew down to Los Angeles in November to attend the JEXA awards (jazz excellence awards), and had a blast singing at several venues in Los Angeles. Laura will venture to Chicago in March to perform at the University of Chicago and will teach a jazz vocal workshop while she’s there. Her first love is dance, and she is presently teaching jazz dance at Bodyvox, and having a blast! (laurastilwelljazz.com).
Ken Zeidman writes that it was “great catching up at Chris Marks house for the evening 50th reunion get together. Amazing it’s been 50 years since we graduated Catlin. Where did the time go. All of us look the same of course. I have been happily married for 23 years and living in Portland. My daughter Ruthie is a sophomore at Chapman University. She’s studying communications. We also have a 13-year-old miniature labradoodle named Bella and a 4-yearold miniature poodle named Gigi. I mostly retired except when attending to some rental properties. Otherwise playing pickleball, tennis, golf, competitive bridge. I still go to about 10 Blazer games a year which is one of the other things that hasn’t changed in 50 years. I still look back at my Catlin Gabel experience very fondly and reminiscent of the (mostly) great times we had as well as the camaraderie.”
1975 CLASS REP: Len Carr, carrl@catlin.edu
75Hea ther Perkins writes, “Look forward to seeing everyone at our 50th reunion. I’m enjoying semi-retired life, still writing music here and there—mostly for modern dance, but I also did music and sound effects for an indie video game this year, and sound design for a Greek poet. I’m segueing out of volunteering with the Bird Alliance, about to start the Harborton Frog Shuttle again this year—we get red legged frogs safely across Highway 30 for their egg laying season. Also enjoying my nerdy sci fi pursuits—including going to ComicCons, because why not?—as well as kayaking and walking around Portland and the Oregon Coast.” Margaret Park Bridges finished her copy editor position at Thesis, a digital marketing agency in Portland, in 2024 after celebrating her daughter Emma’s wedding in June, then taking a vacation in Carmelby-the-Sea followed by a week on a friend’s yacht in Puget Sound. She is trying to work out what retirement will look like, but would love it to include more writing, traveling, and seeing old friends and classmates! Suzi Ehrman shares that she is “Thrilled to welcome my first grandchild, Louie Bruno Ferret. I am grateful to be in Philadelphia for three months to support my daughter, Rachel, and her growing family, as well as special time with my son, Joe, who lives here as well.” Patty Black Boday writes, “The past couple of years have been challenging. I lost my father, then a year later my mother. I was away from our business (Oregon Spice) during this time and my husband, David, was running it. I have since returned to work full time. We are still living in Lake Oswego. Our daughter and her family still reside on Maui. We have a granddaughter about to turn seven. It has been a ton of fun, as we visit often. I see Lisbeth regularly and we reminisce about ‘the good old days.’ Fun times to be sure! I spend my free time taking Bar Method classes, walking, reading, and traveling. I look forward to our big reunion!”
Len Carr writes, “Lots of travel and time with grown children and our grandchildren is a big focus to life these days. Additionally time biking, walking, skiing, work outs at the gym and pool, time in the yard, music and art and keeping up with numerous friends
occupied much of our time these days. Past recent travels to New York and New England, New Zealand, Sweden, France, and UK stand out as highlights. Local hotspots for us also include the Oregon coast and Puget Sound region. I continue to substitute teach, drive buses, and coach at Catlin Gabel. Looking forward to big turn out next fall for our 50th CG reunion.” John Bishop shares, “I visited the remarkable sculpture orchard of the dependably creative and idiosyncratic David McGraw in Guerneville, CA in September. Well worth the trip but you can check it out virtually at www.davingy.com. Then schedule a visit.” David Ewart writes, “Hi all! My big question for everyone is why now that we’re 50 years older, do you all look the same to me? I love that!” Chris Thomas writes that he is living in Eugene (Go Ducks), still doing lots of sailing at Eugene Yacht Club on Fernridge Reservoir, and landsailing on various dry lakes in beautiful remote areas of the western U.S. Kenneth Morris writes, “57 years ago I participated in making a garden within my North Portland neighborhood which was published within the Oregonian newspaper, placing first for my age group with a meeting/introduction with the then-First Lady Pat Nixon. 57 years ago due to my published notoriety I was awarded a full scholarship to attend Catlin Gabel by an anonymous donor. Being a minority (during the late 60s early 70s) attending Catlin put me at odds with society away from school, but within Catlin, I found and always had the love of real family, friendship, kinship that I still adorn within my heart today. Because of Catlin, throughout my life I’ve always strived through my adversities even when I did not know the answers, always being aware that I was made to be smart enough to eventually get there while lost or disabled. My life’s story has been complex, but what has never been is my true family love for all those that came before, during and after my time spent at Catlin Gabel.”
Tara Mardikes shares, “Many thanks to the Catlin Gabel School and community for the wonderful memories, values, and educational foundation I received. After college, I married, attended law school, practiced in Kansas City, had two daughters, returned to
Portland, continued working, and traveled. I retired last year and now enjoy learning new things and having adventures with my three lively grandchildren. It is always a pleasure to hear about what classmates have been doing since leaving Catlin.” Tam Putnam writes, “I live in the outer avenues of San Francisco, 10 blocks from the Pacific, in the house where my husband grew up. Work for Litquake, SF’s literary festival, organizing programs at opposite ends of the human timeline: Kidquake, a two-day event where students meet children’s-book authors and illustrators; and Elder Project, which offers writing classes to Bay Area seniors. My own kid, now 26, lives in L.A.”
1976 CLASS REP: Hester Buell Carr, hbc58@aol.com
76
Rei dar Ostgard will retire from his job as CFO at Breivang High School in Tromso, Norway, on February 1, 2025. He and his wife have sold their house and bought an apartment, and plan on spending more time with their three children and three grandchildren, spread all over Norway. He also hopes to have more time for volunteer work, and visiting France to learn better French.
1977 CLASS REPS: Paula Podemski, ppodemski@hotmail.com, and Laura Bachman, lbachman413@gmail.com
77
Che t Benson writes, “After many decades I’m finally leaving the house I grew up in. I bought it from my parents 25 years ago but now it’s time to go. In other news, I have also published my first book: a biography of my great-grandfather called Simon Benson: Immigrant, Lumberman, Philanthropist . Find it on Amazon, at the Oregon Historical Society, and local tourist attractions, or get in touch with me at cgbenson.com. I’m also available for presentations and talks.”
1978 CLASS REPS: Ken Naito, kennaito@comcast.net, and Peggy Schauffler, schaufflerp@catlin.edu
79 Mar ty Fulop is fulfilling a lifetime dream of being a ski bum.
80 Tom Kaye writes, “I live in Corvallis, Oregon with my family. Go Beavers! I have one daughter (Leda) at home and an older daughter (Lila) and stepson (Asa) fully fledged. After 25 years as founder and Executive Director of the Institute for Applied Ecology, I’ve stepped into a new role as Chief Scientist to get back to the research I enjoy most.”
81
Kat herine Wilcox shares,
“Greetings from Carmel, California! I’m a writer in the tech industry, currently working for Google, and immersed in the field of AI. In my free time, I pen and perform lyrics. I also volunteer for a social justice group, Tech2Empower, and I’ve done nonprofit work with them in Peru, Rwanda, Nepal, and the Caribbean (wakeinternational. org/volunteers-international-programs).”
1983 CLASS REPS: Traci Rossi, traci.j.rossi@gmail.com, and Adrienne Wannamaker, adrienne@wannamaker.com
84 Amy Maier writes, “Our 1984 class reunion was a memorable, special milestone! Bringing classmates together after four decades is a testimony to the power of community and shared memories that our time together at Catlin created. The joy of feeling 18 again, for even a brief moment, cannot be overstated! Hear, hear to the great class of 1984!”
85
Ale xandra MacColl Buckley writes, “I have lived in Athens, OH since ’98 when my husband Geoff got a job teaching Geography at Ohio University. It’s a beautiful corner of Appalachian Ohio where we’ve raised three kids. Our oldest, Ingrid, lives in Philadelphia. Our youngest, Owen, is a second year at Whitman College and our middle child, Peter, is an assistant teacher at Catlin. He got married in July to Kara D’Ascenzo, a Portlander he met at Haverford and she convinced him to live in Portland. Not a hard sell! He’s a Beehive Assistant teacher and coaches middle school XC and
high school track. It is really special sharing this connection to Catlin with Peter.”
1990 CLASS REP: Pippa Arend, pippaa@gmail.com
90
Jen Shirley continues to love living life in Brooklyn with her husband, children, and dog. She is a Senior Drama Curriculum Specialist at the Juilliard School and loves her job! She supports K-12 education clients in developing their Drama programs by traveling to such places as Panama, Switzerland, Uzbekistan, China, and the UAE, to name a few. She is thrilled to visit with Anna Olofsdotter (Peterson when at Catlin) whenever she is in Europe, and plans to rendezvous with her in Paris this May. She uses some of her vacation days from Juilliard to moonlight as a public speaking coach for fun. After 13 years she finally retired from her role as Director of MCC Theater’s Youth Company, grateful for this incredible experience. Every summer, she hauls her family to Portland where they spend time in the beautiful Pacific Northwest and get to see dear friends. Her daughter Julia is good friends with Dave Bertman’s daughter Cleo. And the wonderful Pippa Arend is ‘Aunty Pippa’.”
1991 CLASS REP: D’Artagnan Bernard Caliman, dbcaliman@gmail.com
91
Tom Boer writes, “I live in Berkeley with my wife, four great kids, and our dog. This year, my youngest starts kindergarten and my oldest finishes high school. I’ve been practicing environmental law for 25 years, starting at the US EPA, then the Department of Justice, and now private practice. I’m grateful for an amazing career handling complex and cutting-edge issues. One of my first cases involved hazardous waste at Area 51! I am also particularly proud of leading a pro bono team litigating against racial and political gerrymandering. We achieved a first with the North Carolina Supreme Court holding that political
gerrymandering was unconstitutional. That case went to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022, where I was joined by my partner Neal Katyal in securing a 6-3 victory rejecting the independent state legislature theory that threatened to slash constitutional protections for voters nationwide. We are still working for Common Cause and the NAACP to challenge continued gerrymandering.” D’Artagnan Caliman reports: Three Catlin Gabel alumni are in leadership positions with the 1803 Fund: Rukaiyah Adams ’91, CEO; D’Artagnan Caliman ’91, Vice President of Community Partnership; and Juma Sei ’18 , Communications Manager. 1803 Fund, Rebuild Albina announced $8 million for the first round of grantees. The grants will split $8 million across 11 community organizations in the city and will be renewable for up to five years. The Rebuild Albina project aims to support current and future generations of Black Portlanders through the 1803 Fund, which will invest in education, place, culture, and belonging in the Albina community over the next several decades. 1803 Fund’s CEO Rukaiyah Adams is Albina Vision Trust’s former chair; D’Artagnan Caliman, the Fund’s VP of Community Partnerships, said they see AVT as the strategists and planners and the Fund as one of many funding arms to make those plans happen. He said more grantees will be announced in spring of 2025 as the Fund builds out its three different funding programs: For the Future, For the Culture, and For the Joy. The 11 grantees recently announced are part of For the Future. For the Culture will focus on sponsoring Black community events to bring people together, and For the Joy will focus on big picture ideas that will be further defined next year.
1992 CLASS REP: Melanie Novack Piziali, melaniepiziali@yahoo.com
1996 CLASS REPS: Daniel Karlin, danielkarlin7@gmail.com, and Trace Hancock, tjhancock@gmail.com
1997 CLASS REPS: Katey Flack, katey.flack@gmail.com, and Phoebe Wayne, phoebevwayne@gmail.com
1998 CLASS REP: David Shankar, david.shankar@gmail.com
98
Dav id Shankar writes tha t it has been “an exciting year with Iris starting in the Beehive, and welcoming our new son, Rui, into the world. Wishing everyone a great 2025.”
2000 CLASS REP: Alex Youssefian, ayoussefian@gmail.com
00
Tay lor Sapp is Co-editor on the ELT educator publication Developing Materials for Innovative Teaching and Sustainable Learning, which was released on December 6 by Springer UK.
2001 CLASS REP: Tyler Francis, tyler.p.francis@gmail.com
2004 CLASS REP: Hannah Aultman, hannah.aultman@gmail.com
04
And y Young has moved back to Portland and will be working at St. Vincent hospital. Emily Tjuanakis welcomed a second daughter into the world. Marianna Adenike was born September 13 in San Francisco. Patrick Santa is still working with author James Patterson and most recently was an executive producer on Amazon Prime’s series Cross that just debuted this November. He is also an executive producer on a separate true crime docuseries that will be released on Amazon Prime in 2025, as well as a handful of others still waiting for greenlight. He was just accepted into the Producers Guild this year. Marissa Skudlarek writes that she loved catching up with ’04 classmates at their 20th reunion—and surprising many of you with the news that she is a software engineer now! She hasn’t totally abandoned theater, though: PlayGround SF produced her short play “The Sugarplum Trap” in December, and she directed a benefit staged reading of Tony Kushner’s “A Bright Room Called Day” in January.
2005 CLASS REP: Donna Canada-Smith, donna.canadasmith@gmail.com
2007 CLASS REP: Rob Kaye, robert.e.kaye@gmail.com
08
Emma Northcott and her husband, Jarno, celebrated their wedding in the mountains of Chamonix, France in July of this year. Her best friend from Catlin, Laura Davis, was one of her bridesmaids. 11
Alex Corey writes, “After nearly a decade in Europe (Switzerland, France, and Ireland), I earned my Ph.D. in Early Modern French Literature from Trinity College Dublin, building on a B.A. in English Literature from Reed and an M.Phil in Comparative Literature (also from Trinity). Now back in Portland, I’m working on forthcoming publications and pursuing an Oregon teaching license. I’ve also returned to the Catlin Gabel campus as a substitute teacher in the Upper School, covering English, French, and Social Studies classes. It’s an absolute joy to be back in this welcoming community, reconnecting with the classrooms and faculty that played such a pivotal role in shaping my path. The unique blend of encouragement, academic strength, and emphasis on selfdiscovery that I experienced at Catlin gave me the confidence and foundation to pursue my academic goals abroad. Family circumstances have brought me back to Portland for a new chapter, and I’m grateful to be part of this inspiring community once again!”
2013 CLASS REP: Alexandra van Alebeek, alexandra@vanalebeek.com
2014 CLASS REP: Chris Park, parkcgs@gmail.com
2019 CLASS REPS: Miles Asher Cohen, milesashercohen@gmail.com; Layton Rosenfeld, sparkyrosenfeld@gmail.com; Sydney Nagy, sydneycnagy@gmail.com; and Helene Stockton, hlfstockton@gmail.com
2020 CLASS REPS: Annika Holliday, annika.holliday@icloud.com, and Eamon Walsh, eamonreedwalsh@gmail.com
in memoriam
The Caller is honored to print In Memoriam notices for alumni and family members. Notices may be submitted at any time through the online submission form at catlin.edu/inmemoriam
Annette Antonovic ’85
Sister of Sandra Antonovic ’80, aunt of Alex Liem ’12
Diana Bayly Baird ’47
Cousin of Joan Metz ’45
Patty Beall ’58
Julie Schlesser Bell ’64
Daughter of Ginny Schlesser ’35
David Ellenberg
Husband of Lisa Ellenberg; father of Lily Ellenberg ’11 and Iris Ellenberg ’16; former Middle School teacher and trip leader
Jennifer Hazzard ’88
John Holden
Father of Meg Holden ’81 and Dorbe Holden ’83; grandfather of Ruby Belle Booth ’17; former Catlin Gabel trustee
Carroll Hutchinson
Mother of Thomas Hutchinson ’79 and Margie Hutchinson ’81
John Larsell ’74
Joanne Miller Lilley ’48
Mother of T.K. Lilley, Jr. ’74, Doug Lilley ’82, Charles Lilley, Page Lilley, and Elizabeth Lilley; grandmother of Kathryn Lilley ’04, Clara Lilley ’05, Caroline Lilley ’08, and Melissa Lilley ’10; sister of Prue Miller ’52 and Bobsy Graham ’54
Carol (Sayler) Meyer ’77
Joey Day Pope ’54
Mother of Maria Pope ’83, Emily Taylor ’84, Molly Pope ’87, and Peter Pope; grandmother of Peter Beatty, Jr. ’13, MacGregor Beatty ’16, and Grace Beatty ’24; aunt of Elizabeth Melone ’76, Andrew Pope ’79, Thomas Pope ’81, and Sarah Pope ’82; daughter of Molly McCormick ’27
Patricia Swindells Riedel ’55
Rosemarie Frey Rosenfeld
Mother of Meryl Haber ’74 and Eric Rosenfeld ’83; mother-in-law of Gordon Haber ’74; grandmother of Joey Haber ’01, Rachel Haber ’04, Claire Rosenfeld ’17, Layton Rosenfeld ’19, and Ben Rosenfeld ’23
Judy (Sharff) Simpson ’72
Mother of David Recordon ’04 and Danny Recordon; aunt of Katie Sharff ’98
Albert Starr
Father of David Starr ’77 and Philip Starr ’79
Cornelia Hayes Stevens ’51
Sister of Frederick Hayes ’45 and Sally Hayes ’53; sister-in-law of Sis Hayes ’46; aunt of Anna Levin ’71 and Peter Hayes ’74
John Michael Welch ’61
Pat Young
Grandmother of Andrew Young ’04, Matt Young ’05, and Tommy Young ’10
