Alumni Class Notes

With your permission, we will reprint your note in the Fall 2020 issue of The Review. What’s the latest? Let us know at classnotes@lfanet.org Class Notes

1946

As an amendment to her class note in the December 2019 Review, Nancy Washburne writes that in 1943 and 1944, when she was at Ferry Hall, the girls did not read the 12th Chapter of Romans from the New Testament. The text was written on the front wall of the chapel and they would all read it out loud together to start every day.

1947

Marilyn Hays Hopkins continues to enjoy life in Carmelby-the-Sea, Calif., where she has lived for about 20 years since retiring from a career in manufacturing management. Carmel is not only very scenic but also has outstanding music venues. There is a symphony and a chamber music group, and combined with the proximity to San Francisco with the opera and ballet, there is a wonderful variety of entertainment. Marilyn has the good fortune to have a large and well-connected family, including six grandchildren. She says she finds this important because at her age, many long time friends are gone. She says that it is always fun to read the class notes in hopes of seeing a remembered name.

As of early May, Willie Sanderson reports that there isn’t much to do these days with everyone hunkered down. There are no performances at the event center, water aerobics and all other classes are canceled, the fitness center is closed, no bocce ball - even the golf courses are closed, as is the movie theatre and all club houses. However, she says that she is still fortunate to be in Rossmoor. She can walk the golf course, and for those who can still hike, nearby trails are gorgeous. Because Rossmoor has a contract with Comcast, there are special free opportunities, like a week of HBO, for entertainment. The restaurant is doing take-out, and the grocery and drug stores have special hours for seniors along with oneway aisles, hand-sanitizing stations and other distancing mechanisms. Willie can sit on her deck and enjoy the flora and fauna and the still green hills beyond. She can even talk with her next door neighbor, though they cannot see each other. She can sit on her front porch and talk to passers by, and the residents sometimes gather with their own glasses of wine and sit outside at a distance to socialize. They wear masks, and toilet paper and other necessities are re-surfacing now. Willie sees her family less frequently and at a distance, but those moments are welcome treats. Everyone is working from home. Willie does the TV exercise class each morning and walks around outside several times a day - a nice chance to see people if any are out. With no traffic and less activity, the birdsong is constant and louder. And all sorts of wildlife are more evident. The coyotes in the hills are very rowdy in the wee hours each morning. Social distancing may go on for a long while, no doubt, but it is worth it to stay safe. Willie hopes that everyone is doing well.

1954

John Winsor’s fourth novel, “Maggie’s Revenge,” has just been published, available as an e-book or paperback on Amazon.com. The protagonist, Maggie, is grief-stricken by the deaths of her husband and daughter; fueled by vengeance, Maggie chases the killers through Civil War chaos down the Santa Fe Trail. She befriends Kit Carson, Jim Bridger, and many other famous characters on the frontier. John reports that readers like it, saying, “it is an exciting page-turner, just the thing to escape the boredom caused by the virus.”

1957

Charles “Chuck” Erickson writes that last May, he attended his older daughter Megan’s wedding in Gloucester, Mass. His younger daughter Charli, who works for the Dorsey law firm, travelled from Seattle to join the family. In June 2019, he acquired a 500 square foot mountain cabin near Franklin, N.C. The cabin looks out on Jacob’s Mountain and has a stream flowing nearby. Chuck describes the cabin as beautiful and very peaceful, because his cell phone rarely works. In July 2019, he adopted a new rescue dog, Pepper, who is a half-Lab and half-German Shepard and all black and very clever. In

Class Notes

November, he marked his 80th birthday. As of April 2020, Chuck and his family are sheltering in place in their house in Boiling Spring Lakes near the coast of North Carolina. In early June, the family hopes to be able to go up to their mountain cabin. Despite having less medical services and facilities, there are also fewer people, less coronavirus infections, better summer weather and no hurricanes there. Anyone who doubts “global warming” needs to experience the 90-plus temperatures and humidity and high-80s ocean water temps North Carolina has had for the last several years.

1962

MaryKay Jones Catlin is doing well during this stressful time. Caregiving for her first husband takes a lot of her time, but she still enjoys her gardening and working in and around her water garden now that spring is here. She does puzzles and reads on those chilly days she cannot be outside. She has been FaceTiming with her grandkids. Her family is very fortunate; they all still have jobs except one granddaughter who teaches, but she is on contract and is good until August. She would love to hear from other classmates from 1962.

1963

Al Louer reports the sad news that his wife, Tessa, died in March 2020 after a brief illness unrelated to the coronavirus. The Louers were married for 42 years. Tessa was a successful realtor in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Indiana and Virginia as Al worked in public relations and development for Mystic Seaport, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, and Colonial Williamsburg. Tessa had two sons from her previous marriage and a grandson, all of whom survive her. Tessa will be buried in the churchyard of Bruton Parish Episcopal Church in Williamsburg where the Louers were married and remained long time parishioners.

1966

Buff Courter and Jeff Konker submit updates on behalf of their class. In the COVID-19 era, the 1966 class award for best social distancing goes to Doug Read. Doug is a recent cancer (5 stem cell bone marrow transplant) survivor. He moved out of his main home in Lake Tahoe; he retreated to his smaller getaway house, located in a town of 200 folks; and his wife, Laura, was the only person allowed to visit, delivering weekly supplies. In his own solitude, he still embraced life, followed his passions, and even helped others. He skied on the local slopes, rebuilt his kitchen and stairwell, and even mentored five other patients who were going through their own cancer treatments. Meanwhile, Richard Lang and his wife, Judith, took advantage of the closure of a local golf course to take long daily walks. Buff Courter followed suit, returning to his daily hikes in his backyard National Cleveland Forest, halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego. Jeff Konker observed how he and his wife were surprisingly pleased with their delay in downsizing, as they enjoyed their larger house with space for projects and study, including Jeff’s reading of Aristotle’s Politics, plus their own long walks on Chicago’s north side. Doug Owen, with his experience in research labs with Tony Fauci, offered his warm regards and cautionary support for continued social distancing to all classmates. Scott Lennox, another cancer survivor, participated in the evening cheers for first responders and hospital workers. He also had good news: his 37-yearold daughter is pregnant and due in November, Scott’s birthday month. Neil Gumenick, never one to back away from an illness, continued to treat his patients in Los Angeles. Some spouses and children have caught the coronavirus, but no classmates reported a positive COVID-19 test. Many classmates highlighted how they maintained contact with family and friends through Zoom, Skype, etc. Technology and various forms of home exercise, even dusty dumbbells, seem to have become “saviors,” Lastly, perhaps the Class of 1966 can all take solace in the fact that the coronavirus occurred in 2020, not in 2021 - when the class will have their 55th reunion. Several classmates have already promised to attend that celebration. Stay healthy!

Gift Planning

Class of 1959 Alumnus Invests in Young Scholars

By Garry Sloan P’19, ’21, Director of Individual Philanthropy

Dr. James “Mac” Harris ’59 of Palo Alto, Calif., credits Lake Forest Academy for paving his path to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in metallurgy and a Ph.D. in material science. Following his successful career in computer circuitry and patents, Harris thought it was time to give back to the Academy—a school that meant so much to him.

Motivated by matching funds made available through the $1 million endowed scholarship challenge by LFA Trustee Jim C. Cowart ’69 and his wife Janet, Harris established the Lt. Col. McGrew & Rosa Harris Endowed Scholarship Fund to honor the memory of his parents and promote scholarship assistance to deserving students in need of financial help, as he once did. The Harris endowed scholarship is part of LFA’s Inspire & Invest Initiative, an ambitious effort to secure endowed scholarships, endowed faculty chairs and faculty professional development funds. For more information about Inspire & Invest, please go to www.lfanet.org/inspire.

“My father was a career army officer for over 30 years,” Harris reflected. “He started in the Civilian Conservative Corp. in the 1930s, followed by enlistment in the Army in 1940 ahead of the United States’ entry into World War II. He was sent overseas in 1947 to train soldiers and our whole family, including my two older brothers and mother, went to Italy for a year and then Germany for another. My mother died there in 1948.”

In 1955, Harris’ father was assigned to a post in Chicago. “My two brothers were already in college, and my father felt Lake Forest Academy would prepare me for college while allowing me to remain close to him.” With limited family resources, Harris needed financial aid to afford LFA tuition. “Thankfully,” he said, “a scholarship made my attendance possible.” Harris entered the Academy in the fall of 1955 and remained at the school even after his father was transferred to Korea for one year.

“My time at LFA was one of the happiest periods of my life,” Harris recalled. He describes himself as an “acceptable student,” remembering a particular opportunity outside the classroom that made an indelible impression. “I was asked to be editor of the yearbook even though I had never been on the Caxy staff.”

Harris also joined LFA’s Richards & Tremain Society by establishing a charitable remainder trust through his estate to supplement the newly-created scholarship that bears his parents’ names. The Richards & Tremain Society recognizes constituents who include LFA in their estate and gift planning processes.

“I have great fondness for LFA and would like to see its traditions continue,” he said, “including those of Ferry Hall. As an alumnus, it feels good to know young, deserving scholars will continue to receive the benefits of a quality education from our alma mater.”

For more information on how to establish a scholarship fund at LFA, contact Director of Individual Philanthropy Garry Sloan at gsloan@lfanet.org. Also, please contact LFA if you have already included LFA in your estate plan and are not recognized, as yet, as a Richards & Tremain Society member.

The Richards & Tremain Society

The Richards & Tremain Society was founded in 1988 to recognize those members of the LFA community who have made provisions for LFA in their estate plans. The Richards & Tremain Society is named for Mr. John Wayne Richards, headmaster of Lake Forest Academy from 1913 to 1941, and Miss Eloise Tremain, Ferry Hall’s principal from 1918 to 1945. Their legacies of strong, effective leadership have shaped the future of the school in many ways. Membership in the Richards & Tremain Society recognizes gift planning that will benefit LFA and will leave a lasting and important legacy.

Class Notes

1967

Bob Tarun is halfway towards completing his MFA degree in Creative Writing at NYU in Paris. The program will temporarily go online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bob plans to work on his Silicon Valley-based white collar crime novel in San Francisco until Paris reopens.

1971

Anne Winton Black reports that in June 2020, she and husband Rick will have been married for 45 years! They hope to make this a year of celebrations with family. Fortunately, the couple traveled with their daughter’s family prior to adhering to stay-at-home orders. In mid-February, Windy, son-in-law Dustin and their three grandsons, Flynn (9), Hayes (7) and Tucker (3) joined the couple for a very child-friendly, week-long cruise in the western Caribbean aboard the Disney Fantasy. She says that Disney knows how to do inter-generational travel exceedingly well. Their grandsons’ dearest wishes were to become permanent castaways! Little did they know how much these memories would mean to everyone as Anne and Rick have not been with the kids in person for seven weeks. Later this year, the couple will capture time with their son, Rod, grandson Patrick (6) and Rod’s fiancé, Terry. Anne says that she is grateful to the Rhode Island Governor for her thoughtful and prudent responses to keeping the state and its residents as safe as possible during this horrible pandemic. Though Anne feels very badly for those who have lost their livelihoods, she is convinced that social distancing and stay-at-home orders has kept the residents well-below initial expectations for fatalities. She is grateful for Lake Forest Academy’s equally swift and prudent response to keep its students, faculty, and staff safe. She is proud that students have responded so well to distance learning. These are such strange times, but it is teaching everyone how to remain resilient and flexible! Here’s to better days ahead! The Reverend Linda Graham and Bruce moved to Davison, Mich., where Linda began a new call at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church on December 1, 2019. The couple moved into their new home at the end of February 2020. Bruce had a stroke on March 4; he is recovering nicely, but is still in a nursing home for rehab.

Ann Ridge officially graduated in May 2020 with her Ph.D. in theology and cultural criticism, with an emphasis in human development and faith, from the Chicago Theological Seminary. Also, her music studio, Front Room Studios, has produced a new CD called “Love Rules.” Listen to Ann’s music on her website at www.frontroomstudios.org.

Michael Springer retired from the American Dental Association, where he was responsible for business and publishing. He divides his time between Bonita Springs, Fla., Lake Erie and France. Michael was pleased to connect with Bruce Anderson ’70 and Phil Collins ’69 at the recent alumni luncheon in Naples, Fla. He was delighted to meet the new Head of School and to give an update on the Walter Hoesel Endowment for Student Support. The Hoesel Fund is having a very positive impact on students in need, and the pandemic is making these funds even more important.

1975

Michael Daugherty writes that despite reports to the contrary, he is alive and well in St. Paul, Minn. After 38 years of practicing law, just when he seemed to get the hang of it, he is reducing his client load and slowly changing careers. He is enrolled in his second masters in English. This time it’s an MFA, and he has recently published his first short story in a long time, “The Sleepover that Changed Everything,” in this spring’s issue of the Summit Review literary magazine. He and his wife Mary have four grown children living nearby and three grandchildren under three.

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Danny Donian recently moved to Lake Geneva, Wis. He was just featured in the Grateful Dead’s new book, “Deadhead Stories,” which was just released last fall. The book features fans and staff that came in contact with the Grateful Dead! All proceeds from the book go towards the Jerry Garcia foundation, Rex and Danny with his friend Gina. S.E.V.A foundations. Danny’s children, Amber and Caleb, come to visit, and he also has a best friend, Gina Lee. He is really looking forward to the upcoming Class of 1975 reunion; Danny says that he hopes to see past friends and most likely make some new friends as well!

Danny with his son Caleb and daughter Amber

1976

Jenny Carter recently started teaching renewable energy law at Vermont Law School. The curiosity, enthusiasm and intelligence young adults are bringing to the table to try to solve the problems of climate change is energizing and inspiring! She confesses, though, that she is not a fan of videoconferencing classes and cannot wait to get back to seeing her students in person.

She is still living in the same house of 25 years that is two miles down a dirt road with her family and menagerie. Anyone who visits Vermont should give her a call, email, video-chat, or hologram. Nancy Sokolsky Douglass and her husband are hunkered down in their home in Indianapolis. They are taking long walks with their dog, playing monopoly, binging on “Ozark,” and probably eating too much and drinking too much wine. The couple have not seen their two-andhalf-year-old granddaughter who lives in Indianapolis since this whole thing started, which is sad for the family. They cannot wait to hug her again. The couple’s son Stuart is still in Israel, where he plays pro basketball, and is waiting for his team to honor the rest of his contract before he can come home. Their youngest son is in Denver, hunkered down with his girlfriend and working from home. Nancy is thankful that her immediate family is healthy. She hopes that everyone is too!

1977

Scott Meloun writes that it was great to see Head of School José M. De Jesús P’22, Vice President of Advancement Rob Buckla and Director of Individual Philanthropy Garry Sloan P’19, ’21 at the Naples, Fla., reception in February. The location and turnout was great, and of course, José gave a fun and enthusiastic speech. Scott says that LFA is fortunate to have all three, and others, at LFA working towards an even better future. He hopes that everyone will return next year; and if anyone missed it, please come next year.

1980

Laurence Minsky is the co-author of a book that was published in the UK, Europe, and the rest of the world on November 3, 2020 and in the U.S. on November 26, 2020. It is called “Global Brand Management: A Guide to Developing, Building, & Managing an International Brand.” It was published by Kogan Page, one of the leading independent British publishing houses. The book is available at https://bit.ly/2zWCVKb.

Also, as the author of a number of other professionally published books, Laurence invites alumni to visit his author page on Amazon at https://amzn.to/3foFBAA.

Class Notes

1989

Beatrice Casini’s Italian citizenship will be officially recognized this spring, which, best of all, allows her son to become an EU citizen as well. This was a project begun in the early 2000s, and though the virus has deeply delayed the passports, Beatrice is hopeful that they will come through. She is working on regular language learning, letter-writing, helping her son through distance learning and cultivating better yard work practices! She hopes that everyone is sheltering well.

1990

Sylvia da Palma Barros writes that she and her family are in lockdown in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Her kids, 17 and 11 years old, are taking online lessons, and she and her husband are working from home, as well. Everyone is healthy, which is a blessing. Sylvia works in education, specifically with young learners. It has been challenging to keep the students engaged through online lessons, and business is suffering a lot, she writes. She has been dedicating all of the time she has to help her small company survive these tough times.

1995

The Reverend Christian Anderson and his wife Anastasia welcomed the blessing of Christian, Jr. into the world on April 18, 2020. The couple is over the moon in gratitude and joy. Peace and blessings to everyone and stay safe!

Christian, wife Anastasia, and Christian, Jr.

2000

Jesse Cohen currently lives in Highlands Ranch, Colo., with his wife Charise and their adopted rescue dog. Jesse is a police officer with the Westminster Police Department where he is assigned to the patrol division. Jesse also runs the department’s arrest control training for officers and academy recruits. Jesse is also a black belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu and helps run The Kompound training center, as well as competes in tournaments all over the country. He rarely uses Facebook, but would love to hear from everyone on Instagram at his profile @cauli_ears_ja.

2001

Brooke Miller Schiewe lives in Lake Bluff, Ill., with her husband, Ryan, and their two children, George (3.5 years) and Anna Hug, who was born on April 15, 2020, at Lake Forest Northwestern Hospital. Brooke has been freelancing with a digital pharmaceutical advertising agency, helping in financial portfolio management.

2003

Charlie Waddell and Casey Kennedy Waddell ’08 announce the birth of their daughter, Piper Marlette Waddell, on May 10, 2020. Mom, Dad and big brother Clark are thrilled with the new addition to the family.

2007

David Klein and his wife Lindsay welcomed their third child, Carter Levi Klein, on May 13, 2019. Pictured are their older children, Caden and Charlotte, with Carter.

Chih-Hao Yang is a real estate broker in Illinois. The real estate market is one of the essential businesses that has stayed open during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has been extremely busy helping a lot of his clients look for rentals and sell or buy their new homes. Thanks to technology, most of the initial tours are now done virtually by photos, video, or through a 3D tour. Chih-Hao has been honored to reconnect and help a lot of his fellow LFA friends to

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Back to School

In spring 2019, LFA introduced an entrepreneurship class to its History and Social Science Department curriculum. Taught by longtime faculty member Matt Vaughn, one of the key components of the course is interaction with alumni entrepreneurs. Since the class’ debut, Vaughn has invited a host of local alumni back to the classroom to speak to students about their businesses, including their successes, failures and best practices. Below is a list of alumni who have returned to LFA to share their knowledge with LFA students.

Former LFA arts faculty member Ryan Fowler, whose wife, Lauren Fowler, currently teaches in LFA’s Fine & Performing Arts Department, spoke to Matt’s class in February about his local art business.

Johnnie Johnson ’01 , a real estate investor in Chicago, is a regular speaker in Vaughn’s entrepreneurship class. He was on campus on February 13. Here, he is pictured with History and Social Science Teachers Suzy and Matt Vaughn. Matt Vaughn with Noah Cohen ’16, a senior at Brandeis University. Noah spoke to students on January 8 about his efforts with a pharma start-up in Boston.

Cecilia Lanyon ’06 spoke to students on February 25. Cecilia is the owner of The Gallery in Lake Forest as well as the Peanut Gallery, two businesses that combine her interests in art and food.

Henry Cowie ’08 spoke via Zoom with students during LFA’s distance-learning period about how he transitioned from working at a major corporation (Beam Suntory) to being on the ground floor of Bartesian, where is he head of commercial partnerships.

Jake Elperin ’04, president of Everest Transportation Systems in Evanston, with Matt Vaughn (left) and Associate Head of School, History and Social Science Teacher, and recipient of the Ned and Lynn Jessen Chair in the Humanities Bill Dolbee P’04, P’10 on January 22. Jake spoke to students about starting his own logistics company. Mimi Moses ’13 with History and Social Science Teacher Chris Dozois ’84, P’17, P’21 and Matt Vaughn. Mimi is the founder of Notam Branding, LLC. She spoke with students on February 21, and returned to campus to serve as an alumni representative at the annual alumni-student networking night on March 4.

Charlie Waddell ’03 with Matt Vaughn on March 9. Charlie is founding partner at Faircourt Partners, LLC, and a regular speaker in the LFA entrepreneurship classroom.

During the distance-learning months at LFA, Head Basketball Coach Kyle Koncz arranged for current LFA boys basketball players to interact online with alumni players. In April 2020, Matey Juric ’18 and Dylan Ennis ’11 spoke to the boys about how their LFA experience prepared them for their next steps in playing basketball in college and in the professional leagues. Matey is a current sophomore at Drexel University; Dylan graduated from Villanova and earned a master’s degree from Oregon. He plays professional basketball in Europe for Basket Zaragoza. The alumni shared insight and advice about the recruiting process, their experiences as college athletes, and how they worked toward their goals. Also in April, alumnus Todd Zafirovski ’09 spoke to the boys about his experience on the LFA basketball team as well as playing for Duke University, where he was a member of the 2010 National Championship Team.

Dylan Ennis ’11

Class Notes

look for their new homes. He is happy to provide his services to anyone looking in Chicago; his website is www. RealtorCHY.com.

2008

Brett Wall is currently heading into his fourth season as Head Coach and GM of the Hudson Havoc Jr., a hockey team in the USPHL. In his three seasons, Brett has been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to work with six LFA graduates and have a few more as fans (fellow classmates and 2008 graduates David and Peter Johnson)! He continues to recruit from LFA due to the players who develop under Coach Darrin Madeley, and Coach Andrew Poska. He gives updates on six LFA graduates who have made him proud of their hard work and commitment as players, but also as leaders for LFA. Brett shares that he can confidently say that these young men will continue to act as outstanding alumni. He says, “Thank you guys for your hard work and belief in our program and me as a coach.” See class notes for the six young alumni submitted by Brett on page 38.

Max Wigfield ’18, Connor Hudziak ’19, Connor McMahan ’19, David Johnson ’08, Brett Wall ’08, Peter Johnson ’08, Caleb Dusek ’18, Chris Dusek ’17 pose together after a big Havoc win at Mariucci Arena.

2009

Bobby Coburn (right), Principal of Carmen Middle School of Science and Technology - South Campus in Milwaukee, , Wis., an alumnus of Teach For America, spoke to the LFA community on January 13 about income inequality in public education as part of this year’s Head of School Symposium on “Global Poverty and Inequality.” Here, he is pictured with classmate Todd Zafirovski and Matt Vaughn, who chaired this year’s symposium.

2010

Lieutenant Kevin Berto of the United State Coastal Guard earned a master’s of science in ocean engineering from Texas A&M University in May 2019. He authored a paper detailing findings from a collaborative research effort on offshore wind Kevin at the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers OTC reception in Houston. loads that won “Best Paper” from the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers at the 2019 Offshore Technology Conference. Kevin resides in Washington, D.C., where he serves as a naval architect and marine safety engineer at the U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters.

2011

Rickey Larke spoke with students in Director of Theater Matt Boresi’s acting, directing, and writing classes at LFA on February 14, 2020. Rickey lives in Los Angeles, where he is a Showrunner’s

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2017

Chris Dusek played three seasons from 2017 to 2020 with the Hudson Havoc. While in Hudson, Chris helped guide the Havoc to a National Championship appearance, a Regular Season and Playoff Division Title. As an individual, Chris left his mark on the USPHL record books as the all-time leader in points by a defenseman, and was named to back to back USPHL All Star teams in 2018-2019 and 2019-2020. He is leaving Hudson to play NCAA Division III Ice Hockey at Chatham University in the UCHC.

2018

Caleb Dusek is currently the captain of the Hudson Havoc, from 2019 to the present. Ever since he has stepped foot in Hudson, he has been a force. He has gained a huge following in the community for his leadby-example style of play. He has become known as the guy to score a timely goal, make a big hit, block a shot, or dominate on special teams. Caleb is coming off a 50 (21G, 29A) point season and helped lead the Havoc to their first National Championship appearance as well as their first Regular Season and Playoff Division titles.

2018

Max Wigfield has grown into a great leader during his time in Hudson, and he has masted his craft of preparation. He was named Assistant Captain of the Hudson Havoc for the 2019- 2020 season and he excelled as a leader on and off the ice. On the ice, Max had a breakout season. He erupted for 23 goals during this past season, and earned a NCAA Division III commitment to Chatham University. Wigfield also helped the Havoc to their first National Championship appearance as well as their first Regular Season and Playoff Division titles. Off the ice, Max was in charge of organizing and planning Mite practices. He soon became known as the coach with a “funny smile” after losing his front teeth halfway through the season and is beloved by the youth players and parents. 2019

Charlie Skinner spent the 2019-2020 season playing for the Cornwall Colts Junior, a hockey club in the CCHL. Charlie made an instant impact on the club from day one. As a rookie in the league, his hard work and commitment to his development was realized by the team’s veterans and coaching staff. As Charlie continued to develop, he was approached with an opportunity to play a leadership role in his first season and announced Assistant Captain of the team at the midway point of the season. Charlie looks to play another year of junior hockey in his pursuit of an NCAA scholarship.

2019

Connor Hudziak arrived in Hudson for the 2019-2020 season with expectations for him to display the same leadership he did during his time at LFA; he did not disappoint. He stepped in right away to contribute to a defensive core that had multiple veterans. Connor played a key role on the power play and played a tough shutdown role against other teams top lines and players. In his billet home, he was beloved for being the “best big brother” his billet siblings ever had. While on the ice, he had the crowd cheering all year while delivering his signature bone-shattering hip checks and huge shot blocks. He also helped the Havoc to their first National Championship appearance, a Regular Season and Playoff Division title.

2019

Connor McMahan had a great rookie year for the Havoc, and really stepped up in the playoffs. Connor came up big, making three points in four playoff games. He also played a key shut down role, making it difficult for other team’s top lines and players to become a threat offensively. This ultimately helped the Havoc to their first National Championship appearance and Playoff Division title. Connor was a great billet brother and has left a mark on the community of Hudson. He will continue his playing career at the University of Tampa Bay. 38 38

Alumni Advisory Board

Chopra ’15 Named to Alumni Advisory Board

By Ruth Keyso, Director of Alumni Engagement

Head of School José M. De Jesús P’22 welcomed Romaer Chopra ’15 of Chicago to the Alumni Advisory Board (AAB) during the Board’s May 2020 meeting. The AAB, composed of 32 LFA alumni and Ferry Hall alumnae, advises the Head of School on engagement of the school’s more than 6,000 alumni.

Chopra earned his bachelor of business administration degree in 2019 from the University of Michigan. He was a teaching assistant in the University’s Ross School of Business. Chopra is an investment banking analyst at William Blair in Chicago.

“My time at LFA was filled with so many unbelievable memories that helped shape me as a student and as a person,” said Chopra. “In many ways, the LFA community became like a family to me. The time I spent with the LFA community will be something I cherish for the rest of my life. From walking in as a freshman to having the privilege to be the All-School President my senior year, I’ll always be grateful for the opportunities and experiences LFA provided.”

While at LFA, Chopra served as editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, the Spectator, and was chair of the Chicago Junior Chapter of the American India Foundation.

“I look forward to working with the rest of the group (AAB) to help support the values and future goals of the LFA community,” Chopra said.

Members of the Academy’s Alumni Advisory Board (AAB) held their first virtual annual meeting on May 16 via Zoom. Chaired by member Leland Brewster ’07, this year’s gathering included conversation with Head of School José M. De Jesús P’22 and a team of deans (Chris Tennyson, Kristine Von Ogden, Tom Johnson) about the school’s response to the COVID-19 crisis and plans for moving forward in the months ahead; an update on the Inspire & Invest Initiative with VP of Advancement Rob Buckla; and an open Q&A session with José M. De Jesús P’22. The AAB members also enjoyed conversation with All-School President Anna Schilling ’20 and incoming All-School President Nick Alutto ’21. Breakout sessions explored upcoming events, finances and fundraising, and ways to stay connected and engaged with the Academy in the months ahead.

For more information about the AAB, contact Director of Alumni Engagement Ruth Keyso at rkeyso@lfanet.org.

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Assistant on Black-ish S6 at Walt Disney Television/ ABC Studios. Rickey also spoke with members of the Black Student Union while on campus.

Beverly Onyekwuluje will be completing her M.D. degree at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine this May. She will start her residency training in Family Medicine at Northwestern.

2013

Alli Hostetler graduated in May 2020 with her juris doctorate from the University of Notre Dame Law School. She holds a bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from Notre Dame in political science, with a minor in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern studies. Alli is fluent in Arabic.

Amelia “Mimi” Moses will start her master’s in journalism degree at Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism this fall. She will be studying Media Innovation and Content Strategy. She will continue to work and live in Chicago until next summer, when she does a quarter in San Francisco to work in Silicon Valley.

2015

Dejon Brissett was drafted second overall by the Toronto Argonauts in the 2020 Canadian Football League Draft. Dejon played football at the University of Richmond as an undergrad and as a graduate transfer at the University of Virginia. Paul Johnson recently accepted a position in Amazon’s Retail Undergraduate Program and will move to Seattle this summer. He is a recent graduate of Miami University of Ohio.

2016

Ricky Leme, men’s golf co-captain at Trinity College, was named to the 2020 Division III PING All-Region Team and received PING Division III All-America Honorable Mention honors by the Golf Coaches Association of America. The PING All-Region Team has 96 players represented across six regions, with Ricky one of 15 chosen in the Northeast. He is one of five NESCAC players represented on this year’s regional team. As reported by Trinity, Ricky opened the 2019-2020 season by winning the Trinity Invitational, before tying for third in the Williams Fall Invitational, 12th in the NESCAC Qualifier, 5th in the Saratoga National Invitational and first in the Ekwanok College Tournament in the fall 2019. He carded the program’s best weekend score of the season, shooting a 142 in two separate tournaments, and fired a 69 on day one at Saratoga for the lowest 18-hole score on the team this fall. Ricky is a junior at Trinity, where he is majoring in economics.

2018

Tori Glass, a sophomore at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, won a Tony Hawkins Award for excellence in radio drama for an audio project she made during her freshman year of college. Tori and her team created an adaptation of the novel “Beloved” by Toni Morrison. Tori is a film and TV major at NYU.

Tori (second from right) with her teammates.