ALUMNI NOTES

Class Of 1972

CLASS OF 1972 50TH REUNION AT ASILOMAR - SEPTEMBER 2022

By Carla Nordstrom ’72

They always say—those people in their 80s, 90s, 100s—that the years may pass, but you never really change. This truism never proved more true than when, after 50 years, graduates of the Anna Head School (AHS), class of 1972, assembled at Asilomar in Monterey to celebrate, marvel and delight in how, after five decades, nobody really had changed. Oh, there might have been adjustments in names, addresses, marital status, career, style or hair color; there might have been more wisdom, less drama, good times, bad times, triumphs, trials and all manner of experiences in that joy called life. But we—the girls who wore knee-high socks and saddle shoes (saddle shoes!)— to school in ’72 were the same. The smart ones were still smart, the cute ones still cute. The hell-raisers, fun-lovers, sporty sorts, teachers’ pets—yep, the same. Albeit at age 68 these traits had coalesced into a group of warm and wonderful women who not only loved to see one another for a seaside weekend of eating at swanky restaurants, walking the white-sand beach and downwarddogging in a private yoga class offered by one of their own; but they also rekindled their high-school talent so irritating to teachers – their particular gift, really, of laughing and talking, talking, talking like there was no tomorrow. In two days, there was quite a lot of catching up to accomplish. Yes, all the eating and chatting and laughing may have felt like your basic day at AHS—at recess on the patio, perhaps, or after a synchronized swimming session in the pool (synchronized swimming!)— your basic day, that is, before the boys arrived our senior year in the School’s transition to Head-Royce. The happy

BRETT HOLLIDAY ’75 generously hosted a recent October weekend at her family cabin near Yosemite National Park. A small group of ’75 alumni reunited to enjoy an exceptional time together recounting memorable stories, yearbook nostalgia and delicious culinary delights. They delighted in spectacular vistas and a beautiful hike together in Yosemite Valley.

Class Of 1975

Pictured here (L-R): Jonathan Lewis (Betsy’s husband), Wally Smith, Cheryl Harrison, Betsy Armour, Brett Holliday, Laurie Anderson Smith and Peggy Sweetland

ELIZABETH WEITZEN ’04

Elizabeth recently participated in his year’s College Mock Interview program for the Class of 2023 seniors applying to schools this fall. “I really love this program. It makes me feel so much more connected to the school community and is a way I can give back...it’s a joy to chat with these super smart, interesting students. Thank you for including me again this year!” camaraderie, the friendly sisterhood, the deep and shared understanding that our Anna Head days had prepped us beautifully and well for lives of success and helped cultivate a certain… well, respect, even reverence, for the women we had become: it was all there as we enjoyed Asilomar, Julia Morgan’s celebrated sprawling, shingled retreat that felt very summer-camp-in-theBerkshires. In fact, when the class of ’ 72 last gathered for similar fun, feasting and frivolity at our 40th reunion weekend in Bolinas – that was merely a sneak peek into how, really, it’s now a thing: we Anna Head girls, we Anna Head women, so love a good time in the company of one another—even after 50 years—that we can’t wait until our next playdate at the beach of Pajaro Dunes, already planned for 2025. And that, like us, is not expected to change.

YUJI WINET ’08

Yuji shared that he was recently appointed Assistant Professor of Marketing at Duke University. He received his PhD from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and has already published a number of studies in the American Psychological Association’s Journal of Personality and Social Psychology: Interpersonal Relations and Group Processes.

Congratulations to Jeanne Alvis ’78

who, after 20 years at The Claremont—the last seven of which as concierge, was awarded Employee of the Year! She shares, “It’s an honor and a lovely validation that I am where I am supposed to be. I would not have originally said anything but thanks to Peter Smith ’78...he caught me over at the Claremont Hotel right after my win and has compelled me to share.

P.S. We saber a bottle of bubbles each day at 5:00 pm. All are invited. If you come by Wednesdays through Sundays I will be wielding the saber!”

WILL GLASER ’83

Alumnus Will Glaser ’83 spoke to the US students this past October during National Dyslexia Awareness Month about his experience as the founder of Pandora and his current company, Grabango. He shared how his dyslexia turned out to be a great asset in his journey as a tech entrepreneur.

MATTHEW FAHEY ’04

Long-time beloved faculty member and mom of Sarah ’98, Jackie ’02, Matthew ’04 and Bob ’08, Mary Fahey is pictured here with her youngest granddaughter, Presley James Fahey, daughter of Matthew and Jenn Fahey.

CELESTE DODGE ’97

Celeste writes: “Five years ago, I quit drinking. I was so overwhelmed and overworked—desperately trying to stay above water as a working mom who felt like she was being held together by string and scotch tape.

We live at a time where overwhelmed mothers are applauded instead of supported. I realized no one was coming to save me. I had to learn how to swim or I was going to sink. So I wrote a book on how I ‘learned to swim,’ entitled ‘It’s Not About The Wine.’

I’m so excited to share the cover and to announce that the pre-order is now available on Amazon and the book comes out September 12, 2023.” from the Midwest who was stationed in southern California. Before they married, Mona joined her parents in Portland and worked at the Volunteer Bureau and joined the Junior League. They were married in Berkeley in 1946 and settled in the Chicago area to raise their children and introduce them to art, music and the church. They enjoyed exploring the Midwest together and traveled to Lake Tahoe every summer.