Forever West
FEATURES
MASTERS CONNECTIONS TO THE AMERICAN WEST
06 Home Off the Range: Katherine "Katy" Thatcher Spahn '88
10 Stewarding the Land, Carrying on the Family Legacy: Louise Searle Klarr '78
12 Forever West: Louise Mettler Davenport '68
A Message from LAURA
DANFORTH
sharing the Masters experience
When you have a wonderful experience, you want to share it with those you love the most. And the joy only expands if those people, now nourished by their own experience just as you were, want to share it with their loved ones.
Thus it often happens at schools like The Masters School that alumnae/i offer their children the opportunity to have their own version of a transformational experience that they treasured and want to share. Many families have made Masters a part of their family’s story for generations.
Many families have made Masters a part of their family's story for generations.
In this issue of The Bulletin, you’ll read about three proud alumnae — Katherine “Katy” Thatcher Spahn ’88, Louise Searle Klarr ’78 and Louise Mettler Davenport ’68 — who carry the banner of multifaceted family traditions. Their families have deep roots at The Masters School and strong connections to a way of life that is unfamiliar to many of us: ranching.
Family tradition led these extraordinary women to Masters, and family tradition called them back to the West. With their Masters education, and continuing to live by Masters’ mission and motto, these women have taken on life’s challenges with their might.
I hope you enjoy these stories of tradition, love and courage. I know you’ll be interested in the investments we’re making into our campus and program through the historic Our Might Campaign. Let us revel in the many ways this diverse and joyful community continues to live our mission.
With gratitude,
Laura Danforth Head of School
Photo: Colin Smith
letters to the editor
Members of the community shared their thoughts on the Spring 2024 Bulletin: Come Together: Celebrating Music at Masters. “
What a wonderful Bulletin you just sent out. I never read all the articles in a Bulletin (including my college ones) before. The covers themselves were so creative and timely. And the theme music was well-researched and so inclusive.
Nice work there!
Sally Mills '56
I just want to say how much I enjoyed The Bulletin this season. My daughter Sophie ’14 and son Owen ’17 graduated from Masters. Celebrating music at the School was such a great idea. The music and arts are what was appealing to us when we first looked at the School back in 2007. Owen played guitar in several Great Gig concerts — they were amazing to see and very well directed.
The School evolved over the years, adding more sports and becoming more academically rigorous — both very positive for the School.
I was happy to see the School’s spring Bulletin emphasis on something that everyone can agree on, not politically motivated, and enjoy — the arts!
Thanks for listening.
Best, Carol Lieber
”Just got The Masters School Bulletin and I am so happy to see that it’s celebrating music at Masters. I loved reading about Grace Gibson, Barry Eastmond Jr., Sydney Friedman, Jess Eliot Myhre, Dorotea Zovko, Dana Williams, Sean Kubota and more! Great to see Jennifer Carnevale leading all things performing arts with other amazing folks like John-Alec Raubeson, Curt Ebersole, Gilles Pugatch, Katie Meadows and Sam “Musicman” Appiah ’12!
What an uplifting piece that brought me so much joy! I know that there are so many other alumni doing great things out there in the performing arts world … and you are just as wonderful as those featured. #DoItWithThyMight
Gillian Crane ‘92
Associate Dean of Students and Director of Dobbs 16 (1998-2014)
“ ”
The Bulletin is always fun and informative; however, your Spring 2024 issue was exceptionally vibrant. Bravo!
Barbara Glasser P’03
I am reading The Bulletin about music — it is so inspiring! It’s a reminder of why I love Masters and teachers like Jen Carnevale.
Nova Rivers ‘20
features
Saddle Up
Your Bulletin journey starts now. We’re thrilled to share stories of alumnae/i whose paths have taken them near and far, from sprawling ranches out West to rural small towns to the Olympics in Paris.
But before we begin, let’s take a moment to reflect on their time at Masters.
06 12 14
Katy Thatcher Spahn ’88 credits her weekends taking the “Activity Bus” to New York City for her decision to pursue a career in the art world.
When it comes to favorite Masters moments, Louise Mettler Davenport ’68 doesn’t have one, because “Everything was a good memory.”
Coming from small-town New Hampshire to Masters, Emmett Soldati ’06 was “instantly exposed to a much broader background of students and teachers, both from the New York region but also internationally.”
22
Sam Coffey ’17 loved soccer from the moment she first kicked a ball. While at Masters she discovered another passion — the joy of service to others: “I am passionate about using my life to lift others up, and I credit MISH with birthing these strong passions in me for helping others in any way I can.”
HOME OFF the RANGE
For more than half a century, three generations of a Colorado banking and ranching family — the Thatchers — traded views of the Front Range for the Hudson River, exchanged jeans and cowboy boots for school uniforms, and swapped Western skies for the New York skyline to attend The Masters School. And Katherine “Katy” Thatcher Spahn ’88 has the pictures to prove it. My family clearly had good experiences at the School. We were from Colorado towns 1,800-plus miles away, so it wasn't exactly next door.
Katy, who goes by Kat Thatcher professionally, pointed to an enormous gallery wall covered with family portraits in her Scottsdale, Arizona, home. “All of the women in these photos behind me went to Dobbs,” she said on a Zoom call. “Based on what’s been handed down to me, I believe I am the 16th member to attend Dobbs.”
Eighty-three years earlier, Lucia Thatcher Waller was the first member of the Thatcher family to attend. According to school records, Lucia completed her studies at Masters in 1905 when founder Eliza Bailey Masters was head of school. Her sister Ada Thatcher Huntzinger followed shortly thereafter, finishing in 1908. In addition to Katy’s grandmother Katherine “Tinny” Thatcher Farrar ’35 and her mother, Katherine “Kit” Farrar Spahn ’63, there were enough great-aunts, aunts, first cousins and distant cousins who graduated from Masters to generate an alumnae family tree (below).
“My family clearly had good experiences at the School,” Katy said. “We were from Colorado towns 1,800-plus miles away so it wasn’t exactly next door.”
Originating from Pueblo, Colorado, the Thatcher family has deep roots in Colorado history. In her book “The Thatchers: Hard Work Won the West,” historian Joanne West Dodds explained how the family opened the town’s first general store in 1863 and contributed to Pueblo’s
HEADS of SCHOOL DURING THATCHER ALUMNAE TENURE AT MASTERS
Eliza Bailey Masters 1877—1921 Evelina Pierce 1928—1945 A. Cameron Mann 1959—1967
Craighill Burks 1967—1971
C. Hugh P. Silk 1971—1980
John H. Wright, Jr. 1980—1990
Thatcher Family Spans Generations at Masters
DANIEL THATCHER — m. — LUNA ADA JORDAN
— m. —
MAHLON DANIEL THATCHER KATHERINE PRINDLE LUCE
LUCIA THATCHER ‘05
WILLIAM WALLER — m. —
KATHERINE “TINNY” THATCHER ‘35
FREDERICK FARRAR — m. — VIRGINIA WALLER ‘30
HILL
FELICITE “FLICKA” HILL REGAN ‘66
PETER SPAHN — m. —
KATHERINE “KIT” FARRAR ‘63
ELIZABETH “BETSY” FARRAR ‘68 JANET FARRAR ‘72
KATHERINE “KATY” THATCHER SPAHN ‘88
FRANCIS JORDAN — m. — CLARA JOSEPHINE PETERSON
LUCIA PEABODY JORDAN — m. — EGBERT AUSBION H. BAKER
LUCIA “J0SIE” BAKER ‘43 SHERWOOD WATERMAN
LUCIA “BETH” WATERMAN ‘80
LYDIA GENEVIEVE THATCHER ROBERT CAMPBELL WHEELER — m. — LUNA ADA THATCHER ‘08
ROBERT LEE HUNTZINGER — m. —
RUTH HUNTZINGER SZALAY ‘35
DOROTHY HUNTZINGER PATRICK ‘37
LANGENBERG McINTYRE — m. —
WINIFRED “WINNIE” WHEELER ‘29
ROBERT THATCHER WHEELER SHERLI JANE WEAVER — m. —
VIRGINIA “DINNY” McINTYRE STACHE ‘61
WHEELER LUTTON ‘62
MAHLON
CHARLES
SHEILA
HOME OFF the RANGE
continued
infrastructure by building the Grand Opera House, the Union Depot and the town’s trolley company. The Thatchers were also instrumental in bringing the Santa Fe Railroad to Pueblo, which literally put the town on the map and gave the city (and the Thatchers) a direct connection to the East Coast. They established 42 banks throughout the state and ranched cattle from the border of Mexico to the edge of Canada. In the late 1890s, the family built Rosemount, a 37-room home in Pueblo designed by New York architect Henry Hudson Holly. Rosemount remained a Thatcher residence for 75 years, and the mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The family donated the home to the city of Pueblo, and in 1968 it reopened as The Rosemount Museum. All furnishings, accessories, decorative arts, paintings, custom woodwork, wall and window treatments are original to the home. And, it turns out, the museum also houses some of the luggage that was used by the older generation to transport their belongings east to Masters.
Luna Ada Thatcher Huntzinger, above, graduated in 1908, when the School's founder, Eliza Bailey Masters, was head of school.
“One of the sisters — it may have been Lucia [Thatcher Waller, Class of 1905] — sent her harp to Dobbs,” Katy said. “We literally still have some of the steamer trunks in the museum in Rosemount.”
Growing up, Katy loved hearing about Masters from the “women on her gallery wall,” especially her grandmother, Tinny, who shared stories about penmanship classes, the Delta/Phi rivalry and the Maypole dance. Even though Tinny seemed primed for city life with her Masters education and Smith College degree, she headed back to Colorado, where she met and married Denver lawyer Frederick Farrar. They had four children, and on family vacations the adventurous brood would gather up old mining equipment, eventually amassing enough of a collection to establish the Western Museum of Mining and Industry in Colorado Springs. In 1958, they purchased Pineries Ranch, a 12,000-acre property in Black Forest, Colorado.
“My dad was a lawyer, then he gave it up and started ranching,” explained Kit (Tinny’s daughter and mother
of Katy). “His family did not approve — his father was a lawyer as well — but that’s what he wanted to do, and that’s what he did,” she said.
Kit was a teenager when the family moved to Pineries, and she lived and worked on the ranch before coming to Masters in 1960. Transitioning to an East Coast boarding school from a rural ranch was quite a culture shock.
“I had never been to New York City, and I think my jaw was dragging along the pavement to tell you the truth,” Kit said. “It was a big adjustment in every way you could imagine — culturally, physically, emotionally. The clothes were different, the language was different, the hairstyles were different, the scenery was different. I was overwhelmed.”
But her roommates in Estherwood — whom she described as “wonderful” — including Crary Hoyt Gaggia ’63, Sandra Stewart Shasby ’63, Holly Gaylord Windon-Starck ’63 and Tyler Coleman Janes ’63 helped ease Kit’s transition and became her lifelong friends.
“They called me Kiki back in the day, and we’re all still in touch. At least two of them visited me on the ranch,” she said. “They’re why I wanted to come back to the [50th] reunion.”
Also, the School’s expansive views of the Hudson River reminded Kit of the vistas at home and made her feel less “closed in.” And, of course, there was the outstanding Masters academic program.
“I really did get a crack education, despite my own inclinations,” Kit said. “Dobbs turned me around from a flibbertigibbet into, while maybe not a serious student, at least a student who knew how to study and who could apply myself. That made a big difference.”
Although Kit was grateful for the excellent education and close friendships, her East Coast adventure was short-lived.
“After graduation, I went to college but as soon as I had fulfilled those education obligations, I was back at the ranch,” she said. “Horses and cows, that’s what I had known my whole life. I was a ranch girl, and I couldn't wait to get back to the country.” Her daughter, Kat, felt differently about ranch life.
“People constantly glamorize ranch life but trust me, there’s nothing glamorous about branding cows,” she said. “I was the kid helping fix fence posts, dig trenches, muck out horse stalls and break the water off the goat barn ice in the morning… and I had terrible allergies!”
At Masters, Katy was thrilled to be surrounded by like-minded peers.
“The School couldn’t have been more perfect for me,” she said. “[On the ranch,] I was this brainy bookworm in a rural environment with not a lot of impressive kids around me, and then I landed in this pool of incredible students who could play classical piano and were inquisitive and powerhouses in their own right. I mean these girls… I was like, ‘WOW!’” she said. “It felt like a sisterhood in a nurturing environment with such amazing teachers and talented classmates.”
Katy immersed herself in academics and extracurriculars while taking full advantage of the School’s proximity to New York City. She credited her weekly trips to Manhattan on the “Activity Bus” for inspiring her to pursue a career in the art world.
“I went into the city pretty much every weekend to visit museums,” she said. “I saw every great exhibition of the ’80s, and I’m so grateful my time at Dobbs happened to coincide with that very exciting time for art in New York. I remember walking into these museums and thinking, ‘No chores! No allergies! Whatever you do in here, you must just use your brain.’ And I was so happy about that idea that I made it my life’s work.”
After Masters, Katy studied at Trinity and Georgetown Universities, earning degrees in art history and English then worked at the Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C. She went on to get her master’s degree in fine and decorative arts from Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London and worked in its Great Estates division. There was no going back to the ranch.
She recalled, “My mom wanted me to take over the ranch, and I kept saying ‘I’m not working at Sotheby’s in London because I want to go back and take over a ranch — this is my life’s passion!’”
Eventually, though, as with her grandmother, mother and many other family members, the call of the West proved too big to ignore and she moved to Scottsdale, where for more than 20 years she has been an art appraiser, art consultant and lecturer.
“We are a Western family,” Kat said. “While I do miss D.C. and the culture of the East Coast, I grew up doing outdoorsy stuff, and I love the Western expanse and the landscapes. So it’s no surprise I ended up in Arizona.”
Meanwhile, back at the ranch… after more than six decades, the Pineries hung up its hat.
“The family ranch is no longer in business,” Kit said. “It’s now become a county park.”
When it opened in 2020, the Pineries Open Space became the largest public space in El Paso County, with more than 9 miles of hiking and biking trails and 1,000-plus acres of grasslands, meadows, forests, wetlands and ponds on the former site of the ranch. Kit still lives in Colorado Springs.
“I came from a rural environment, and now being back to something that’s semirural is a positive for me,” she said. “As I sit here talking to you, I’m looking out the window and Pikes Peak is dead center in my view, and there’s a building whose glass window is being illuminated by the sun, and there’s a huge white light on top of Pikes Peak. It’s really quite beautiful.”
LEFT: Estherwood roommates of Katherine "Kit" Farrar Spahn '63 (
(2) Crary Hoyt Gaggia '63
(3) Sandra Stewart Shasby '63
(4) Holly Gaylord Windon-Starck '63
(5) Tyler Coleman Janes '63
together on the positive and profound impact of their time at Masters.
“I got a wonderful education at Dobbs,” Kit said. “I learned how to concentrate on something and stay with it. That made a big difference for the remainder of my life.”
Katy agreed: “There’s no doubt that if I hadn’t gone to Dobbs, I never would have been set up for this career that I love so much. [As the 16th member of my family to attend the School], I am so proud of Dobbs. It was truly life changing for me. I loved going there and, honestly, if I could go back for another year or two, I would!”
BELOW: Pineries Open Space trail map in El Paso County, Colorado, with more than 9 miles of hiking and biking trails and 1,000-plus acres of grasslands, meadows, forests, wetlands and ponds on the former site of the Thatcher family's ranch.
While their paths diverged, from ranch house to auction house, Katy and her mother come
Stewarding the Land, Carrying on the Family Legacy
Louise Searle Klarr ’78 has taken the Masters motto — Do It W ith Thy Might — and applied it to an unlikely field: cattle ranching.
FOR LOUISE SEARLE KLARR ’78, BOARDING SCHOOL WAS ALWAYS PART OF HER FAMILY’S STORY.
“Where we grew up [in Lake Forest, Illinois], everybody went to boarding school,” Klarr said. “I picked Dobbs because I thought it’d be cool to be near New York City — and to be a legacy.” (Klarr’s mother, Sally Burnett Searle, graduated in 1947, and her aunt Calvine Burnett Bowen and cousin Lucia Bowen Cross were members of the Class of 1950 and 1977, respectively.)
But cattle ranching?
That chapter of Klarr’s story was a plot twist.
In 1975, when she was a sophomore at Masters, her parents bought a 200,000-acre sagebrush ranch in Elko County, Nevada, named Maggie Creek Ranch.
Klarr had always loved the outdoors and at Masters was involved with DAA, and served
LEFT: Klarr enjoys a desert day with two Maggie Creek cowboys.
as president of the athletic association her senior year.
But for an active, sporty teenager from the suburbs of Chicago, a ranch out West was a whole different world.
“There’s no way I can wear cowboy boots,” she remembered thinking during her first visit to Maggie Creek.
But, she said, “It wore off on me.”
After she graduated from Masters, Klarr attended the University of New Hampshire, completing a two-year program in animal science.
“I had always liked the idea of being pre-vet,” she said. “My parents had bought the ranch in 1975, and I was interested in working out there. I thought if I had a little more animal science background, that’d be good.”
While she did spend half a year on the ranch baling hay and vaccinating calves, Klarr’s career took her in a decidedly different direction: working for a Nevada senator and trading futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.
The ranch, while not part of her professional life at the time, remained a constant draw.
“I was involved in the ranch from its inception,” Klarr said. “I know the history of everything that's happened — every type of hay system we've ever used, every type of breeding program, new property acquisitions, old properties being sold.”
During her days on the field hockey and lacrosse fields at Masters, Klarr probably didn’t imagine that one day she’d be able to rattle off terms like AUM (a cattle industry unit of measurement used to describe the amount of forage an animal needs for one month) or discuss the effect of protein-rich grass on cattle development.
But these days, that’s her vernacular.
Klarr has been chairman of the board at Maggie Creek Ranch since 2012. In that role, she ensures that the ranch manager — the person with boots on the ground, literally and figuratively — is running everything properly, and is the main liaison between the ranch manager and her family members on the board.
By all measurements, Maggie Creek Ranch is considered a medium-sized ranch, with between 1,800 and 2,100 cows roaming the property on any given day.
“Even our cattle are medium-sized European breeds,” Klarr said. “We’re a mid-sized commercial cow/calf operation where we can produce a superior Angus product with the infrastructure we have.”
There is one aspect of Maggie Creek Ranch that is outsized: its commitment to environmental stewardship.
“Environmental stewardship is really what we’re about,” Klarr said. “There are best practices in our industry, and we take advantage of them.”
Approximately one-third of the land is publicly
owned, and the ranch manager has diligently built trust and relationships that further the ranch’s goal of protecting the land.
Drought and wildfires are a constant threat, and the ranch manager and other employees are trained as firefighters and part of the local volunteer fire department. This allows them to respond quickly to small fires on the ranch; they also reseed range land where fires have broken out.
The ranch also works with government agencies and nonprofit organizations to improve the watershed and protect local trout and other endangered species.
“All of our cattle management and land management is really with the cattle in mind,” Klarr explained. “If you do that right, you get the wildlife because you’re managing your water resources, your grass resources, and you know what you have on the land.”
For its dedication to environmental stewardship, Maggie Creek Ranch won the prestigious national Environmental Stewardship Award in 2015.
“It was just amazing,” Klarr said. “We’re doing the best we can with what we have.”
As meaningful as the work is, the biggest honor for Klarr is continuing to write the story that her parents started nearly 50 years ago.
“My mom and dad loved the ranch,” Klarr said. “They loved the people, and they enjoyed every day there. I like keeping their legacy going.”
Environmental stewardship is really what we're about. “ ”
FOREVER WEST
At The Masters School, Louise Mettler Davenport ’68
“learned to get along with everyone,” a skill that served her well in her decades running the family’s dude ranch in Wyoming.
IT ALL STARTED WITH A HANDSHAKE.
Louise Mettler Davenport ’68 grew up in Far Hills, New Jersey, and Tallahassee, Florida, but her father so loved the West that he took the family to a ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, every summer. He had been eyeing ranch properties in the area for years, and in 1967, he purchased Moose Head Ranch, a 120-acre ranch in Grand Teton National Park, in a handshake deal. At that time, Jackson Hole was simply a quiet valley nestled at the base of the Teton Range — not the thriving vacation destination it has since become.
Louise was the third generation in her family to graduate from Masters, following her mother, Eleanor Travers Mettler ’41, and grandmother Louise Allderdice Barnaby, Class of 1908. For Louise, attending Masters broadened her horizons and taught her that “there was more to life than what I was used to at home” — and after graduating, she, too, heard the call of the West.
In the summer of 1968, she lived on the family’s newly acquired ranch and worked for a fishing guide during the day.
RIGHT: Two of Louise and Kit’s children, Chris, left, and Lindsay, right, have continued the family tradition of running Moose Head Ranch.
That fall, her parents began making big changes to the ranch, building the present-day lodge and several cabins and working to build a base of customers, starting with friends and family.
“In the beginning, it was a lot of personal friends, and they spread the word,” Louise said.
She returned to work at the ranch in the summer of 1970, cleaning cabins, waiting tables and doing her part to keep the ranch running smoothly. That summer, Kit Davenport was hired last-minute as an assistant wrangler — despite having little experience.
“It worked out wonderfully for us!” Louise said.
After graduating from the University of Denver with a B.A. in English, she and Kit married in March 1973, and continued working at the ranch every summer thereafter.
When her father died and her mother got cancer in the early ’90s, Louise stepped up to take on a larger role at the ranch which, by that time, was a well-established dude ranch destination with a strong customer base.
“Moose Head became my life commitment, aside from my family,” Louise said.
Although she had been working at the ranch for two decades, there was still a learning curve.
“I’d learned so much from my parents over the years about talking to potential guests, taking reservations, hiring a staff of 26, budgeting and meal planning, but doing it all mostly by myself was daunting,” Louise said.
In addition to managing operations and staff, Louise also made changes to the lodge and cabins, updating furnishings and adding decks. She placed more emphasis on fine dining by hiring gourmet chefs, while also making sure there were always meal choices for children.
She found that of all of her roles in running the ranch, the part she enjoyed most was “the communication with the people.”
At the time — pre-internet — guest bookings took place over the phone. “It really made you close to them before they even got there,” Louise reflected. “That's what happens when you talk on the phone. You learned everyone’s names, their kids names and ages, and what they hoped to do during their vacation. I would arrange and suggest fishing and rafting trips as well as make suggestions for a day trip to nearby Yellowstone National Park or a trip into Jackson for the rodeo.”
Moose Head Ranch boasts a bucolic experience: panoramic views of the Teton Range, horse rides through meadows of alpine flowers while glimpsing wildlife in the distance, evenings looking out at the Snake River with the Milky Way visible above.
It’s a way of life Louise has enjoyed sharing with others.
“It has been heartwarming getting to know and become friends with so many people from all over, watching their kids grow up, and then these kids wanting to bring their families back to share the same experiences that they enjoyed,” she said.
Louise and Kit handed the reins (so to speak) over to two of their children, Chris and Lindsay, six years ago, making Moose Head Ranch a third-generation family-owned business.
What does she think of her children continuing the family business?
“It makes me proud,” she said. “They share the same basic values that we have, and they are striving to pass along these same ideals and beliefs to our guests and staff. So many of these values have been forgotten or taken for granted.”
And it’s good for the ranch.
“When a business of any kind has been passed on for multiple generations, there’s an essential continuity,” Louise said. “I think there's a great appreciation for the business because you've lived it. All that goes into making it what it has become.”
Just as she made changes when she took over the business from her parents, her children have made changes, too. While there are still no TVs, internet access is readily available, and they host weddings in the fall, after the ranch closes. Even with these added amenities, many guests relish the quiet moments sitting on the deck, watching their children play hide-and-seek, or tossing a Frisbee or football with newfound friends.
“Our family has been able to keep and improve these 120 acres within one of the most beautiful parks in the country,” Louise explained. “I hope we can continue to run the ranch and share with so many others this land we love and respect so much.”
living our mission
Our School’s mission is simple and powerful: A community of diverse individuals, we gather to learn, to strive, to dare, to do — to be a power for good in the world. This issue, we’re debuting a feature that will showcase a member of our community who is living our mission. Enjoy, and be inspired!
BUILDING COMMUNITY, ONE CUP at a TIME
For one alumnus, being a power for good is all about connections.
Emmett Soldati ’06 wears many hats: savvy entrepreneur, plucky small business owner, dedicated activist, friendly neighborhood barista and selfdescribed “proud townie.”
But when he moved back to his hometown of Somersworth, New Hampshire, after graduate school, he didn’t plan for that last descriptor to become part of his biography. In fact, he didn’t think he’d stay long in a sleepy town of 12,000 people.
But one simple idea led Soldati to put down roots: opening a cafe that would be a welcoming gathering space for people from all walks of life.
Since then, his commitment to his local community and his state has only grown deeper.
The moment that solidified Soldati’s ultimate journey back to Somersworth
was one of loss: In June 2010, just a couple of months before he was set to move to London for graduate school, Soldati’s childhood home was destroyed by a fire. No one was hurt, but the house he had lived in his entire life was gone.
The aftermath left a lasting impression.
“Hundreds and hundreds of people showed up on the day of and in the months following to support my family,” Soldati recalled.
When he arrived in London later that summer, the juxtaposition was stark.
“I loved living in London,” he said. But, “I felt a bit lonely; it was very hard to build relationships with people.”
What Soldati was missing, he said, was “a strong sense of community where people knew who I was, I knew who they were. Even if we didn’t hang out
regularly, they were going to look after me and vice versa.”
He finished graduate school and realized, “I want to just go home.”
So he did.
Back in Somersworth, Soldati decided his best course of action was to open a business, but not just any business.
“I am a big subscriber to the concept of third spaces — places that aren’t home or work where you can meet and gather,” Soldati said. “Certainly my hometown had none of those or very few.”
Soldati also decided to stop drinking alcohol in 2010, and said, “That process led me to see how much our social landscape is dictated by spaces [that sell and serve] alcohol.”
LEFT: Soldati recently expanded his ambitions beyond the Teatotaller Cafe, running for New Hampshire's Executive Council. RIGHT: Soldati was all smiles during the Dover opening of the Teatotaller Cafe.
Those two ideas are the foundation of the Teatotaller Cafe, a coffeehouse, tea shop, bakery and event venue.
“I wanted it to be a little bit more explicit in signaling to the community that this was a sober space,” Soldati said. “That’s why I called it Teatotaller,” a pun on the word teetotaler (someone who abstains from drinking alcohol).
When only two customers visited on the first day, Soldati’s tenacity kicked in: “Let’s get three people tomorrow, and let’s get four the next day. I’ll work the long hours, I’ll write press releases, I’ll bring flyers around door to door, whatever I have to do to get people in here.”
That hard work paid off. Teatotaller has been twice named Best of NH by New Hampshire Magazine and was named Most Instagrammable Restaurant in America by Food Network Magazine. Soldati also expanded, opening locations in Dover and Concord.
Soldati sees Teatotaller as a place where everyone and anyone in the community is welcome and valued — an important tenet that helps young people maintain ties to their hometown.
“I think we lose so many people who grow up here because they just don’t see or feel a connection,” he said. “I think Teatotaller has played a part in either making some people feel like they do want to stick around or that they want to return or that they just have a slightly stronger affinity for their hometown.”
Like many other rural and semirural parts of the country, New Hampshire has been significantly affected by the opioid crisis; the state had some of the highest rates of fentanyl-related overdose deaths per capita in the U.S. for several years in a row.
“Not that I had planned it in any way,” Soldati said, “but to have an explicitly sober space with a name that signals sobriety
— while still being open late and having shows and having community events — put me really close to the center of a lot of the organizing on the ground about how we address the opioid epidemic.”
He began partnering with SOS Recovery Community Organization, a nonprofit that supports all people affected by substance use.
Soldati explained that one of the biggest issues people in recovery face is finding stable employment: “If an employer discovers that you have a gap in your resume because you were in a sober living facility or you were incarcerated, then that’s a big hurdle to gaining employment. And so oftentimes we see people tumbling back into a cycle because the community is not there.”
SOS Recovery wanted to open a restaurant that would employ people in recovery or transitioning from incarceration but couldn’t find an available space. At the same time, Soldati was “realizing that my first cafe in Somersworth was no longer well-matched with the market.”
It was serendipity.
Soldati sold the Somersworth Teatotaller location to SOS Recovery and became the project and kitchen manager for Fold’d Community Diner, a full-service diner run by people in recovery or transitioning from incarceration that boasts an all-day breakfast and a full lunch menu. The diner’s website describes it as a place of “community, compassion and second chances.”
For Soldati, it isn’t just the diner’s mission of employing people in recovery that speaks to him. It’s also the focus on destigmatization and engaging with the community.
“New Hampshire is a place that has struggled with isolation and disconnection of which there is a correlated theme to addiction and substance use,” Soldati said. “We are all connected to someone in recovery, and we need to be a little bit more explicit and loud about those relationships because a lot of people fall through the cracks in silence.”
So what’s this proud — and busy — townie doing next?
He recently ran for New Hampshire’s Executive Council, a race he didn’t win but in which he did receive 45% of votes cast.
Whether it’s his political aspirations or his businesses, Soldati has one simple goal.
“I see myself as someone who gets us back to knowing our neighbors and having close friends and being engaged in a physical place,” Soldati reflected. “Those are some of the most powerful things we can do to solve a lot of the challenges that we talk about.”
And being a power for good?
“‘The good,’ for me, is really just about connection.”
RIGHT: The American Legal System class recently traveled to the U.S. Court of Appeals, where they watched two oral arguments and had a Q&A session with U.S. District Court Judge J. Paul Oetken.
“One of the nice things about being a teacher and a lawyer is that it’s really the same job in many ways,ˮ said Ben Thorn, a lawyer turned educator. “You go into the courtroom and explain how law applies to the facts of your client’s case. Persuasion is the name of the game, and that’s what I do every day in the classroom: try to persuade my students to learn about Latin, ancient history or the law.”
country is governed and why it is so important to understand the power that the legal system has,” Kennerly said.
After years of practicing law as a corporate litigator, Thorn, a classics major in college, transitioned to teaching middle school Latin and ninth grade world history at Masters. Encouraged by his students to share his legal expertise, Thorn introduced an upper school course this year on the American legal system. It gives students an understanding of legal concepts, individual rights and practical aspects of law.
Thorn brings the legal world to life, guiding his class of seniors through the process of reading and understanding cases and statutes, analyzing the various government bodies responsible for making and enforcing laws, and exploring what defines a law. He also encourages them to consider how laws and our legal system sometimes fall short of achieving society’s values.
Just as in law school, he uses the Socratic method to foster critical thinking and reasoning. “Right now, the class operates more as a Socratic discussion between the students and me, but as they become more confident analyzing the issue, I expect that dialogue to evolve towards a more Harkness student-led discussion,” Thorn explained.
“At its core, this is a class about encouraging students to think critically about the rules we as a society create and how they either support or undermine important societal values. If we want students to create positive change in the world, it is important they first understand the current system and its pressure points,” Thorn continued.
Immanuelle Kennerly found the discussion of the rule of law eye-opening. “We spent a class going through the rule of law in various countries and it changed my perspective on how each
Thorn said, “Iʼm not trying to make a crop of Masters lawyers, but what I want my students to come away with is a sense of how lawyers think, how they approach problems, and how the legal system as a whole operates. Whatever field they go into, I hope theyʼll better understand the intersection of the law and what theyʼre studying.”
Case in point. Kennerly said, “Although this class has deepened my interest in law, it has not influenced my career interests. However, it has shown me how the law intersects with many industries, and it has given me insight into how legal principles influence many areas of business such as decision-making and operations.”
Thorn approaches his class by remembering the professors he had at the University of Virginia School of Law and trying to pass on the kindness they showed to him. One law professor in particular, Earl Dudley, left a lasting effect on him. As a nod to his influence, Thorn recently ended a class with one of Dudley’s quotes: “Beneath the surface of every procedural rule are fundamental issues of fairness, justice and equity.” It’s a reminder to his students that the study of law is not just about rules, but the deeper principles that shape them.
At its core, this is a class about encouraging students to think critically about the rules we as a society create and how they either support or undermine important societal values. “
MASTERS COMMUNITY CELEBRATES THE CLASS OF 2024
June 8, 2024
After Commencement speaker Marcus Samuelsson was welcomed to the podium with a rousing “Yes, chef!” by the 125 members of the Class of 2024, the internationally acclaimed, award-winning chef, best-selling author and philanthropist shared his recipe for a successful future. “Create a community, be a mentor, you have these amazing opportunities ahead of you,” he said. “Stay hungry for new ideas — ideas that might be very different from yours, you might not even agree with them, but hear somebody out.”
In his remarks, Class Co-President Jeren Staber told his classmates that when he looks out at them, he sees “individuals who have been equipped with the skills, the motivation and the knowledge to be powers for good wherever they end up.” Staber continued: “Be the people I know you can be. You contain multitudes and to show up anything less than your authentic selves would be letting yourself down and those around you.”
Congratulations, Class of 2024. You inspire us with your potential.
MIDDLE SCHOOL GRADUATES MOVE UP
Fifty-nine members of the Class of 2028 made the official transition to ninth grade in a graduation ceremony filled with speeches, songs, laughter and a lot of advice.
double take
double take
CORINNE VANBEEK ’99
is a board-certified orthopedic shoulder and elbow surgeon with practices in Stamford and Wilton, Connecticut. She is the director of surgery at Stamford Health. VanBeek earned a B.A. in biology from Barnard College and received her medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. She completed her residency in orthopedic surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University and her fellowship in shoulder and elbow surgery at The Rothman Institute/ Thomas Jefferson University. She enjoys playing golf and pickleball.
IAN LAM ’ 25
is a five-day boarding student who lives in New York and hails from Hong Kong. For the past two years, Lam has participated in the School’s Science Research Program and has worked with Dr. Jonathan Fisher at New York Medical College on vessel analysis methods. Last spring, Lam won first place in the Medicine and Health category at the Regeneron Westchester Science and Engineering Fair for his research project “Characterizing the Effects of Low Intensity Focused Ultrasound on Cerebral Microvasculature”. Lam is a member of Masters’ fencing team and enjoys piano, photography and judo.
AN
ALUMNA AND A STUDENT — BOTH WITH A PASSION FOR SCIENCE AND MEDICINE — ANSWER A SERIES OF QUESTIONS ON THEIR INTERESTS, ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND PURSUITS.
What inspired you to pursue a career in medicine?
CORINNE: It promised constant intellectual stimulation and the unique satisfaction of making a tangible difference in people’s lives. For someone like me, who thrives on variety and easily becomes restless with routine, the dynamic nature of medicine was particularly appealing. The field offers endless opportunities to grow and explore new challenges.
IAN: To help people and apply my love for science. I have always found fulfillment in bringing comfort to people in their times of need. I have always been enthralled with a physician’s power to bring hope and certainty to people at their most hopeless and uncertain times, and I hope a career in medicine will allow me to do the same.
Who has had the most significant impact on (pursuing) your career?
C: My patients. Their compelling stories of courage and recovery have been a constant source of inspiration, and they reinforce my dedication to the field. The chance to effect meaningful change in their lives provides a deep sense of fulfillment. In many ways, I find that my patients enrich my life far beyond what I contribute to theirs.
I: The people around me who struggle with health-related issues. Having many people close to me suffer from possibly lifethreatening conditions, I am always reminded why I am working toward a career in medicine.
Which area of science do you enjoy and why?
C: I’m particularly passionate about the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) with virtual and augmented reality in the field of medicine due to the transformative potential and endless opportunities it presents.
AI is revolutionizing how we approach medical procedures, especially in orthopedic surgery.
For instance, in shoulder replacements, these technologies enable highly precise simulations and planning, which can greatly enhance surgical outcomes and patient recovery. The ability to integrate advanced imaging and real-time data into the surgical process makes the field both exciting and intriguing. The continuous advancements in these technologies promise to further expand their applications, continually pushing the boundaries of what is possible in medicine.
I: Biology and anatomy. Knowledge from subjects help you understand the world around you and how all of the processes within it work together. I love applying these topics in exploring different problems in the world; in particular, I can apply biology and anatomy in research, understanding the mechanisms around specific diseases and conditions and finding new ways to treat them.
What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced?
C: Practicing orthopedic surgery as a female. During my training, women represented only about 3% of orthopedic surgeons, a figure that has fortunately increased to nearly 6% today. Despite this progress, navigating a predominantly male-dominated field presented its own set of obstacles, from overcoming stereotypes to establishing my place in a competitive environment.
Another significant challenge has been maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Even when I’m at home, my mind often remains occupied with the complexities of patient care. It’s common for any dedicated doctor to worry about patients during off hours and to experience sleepless nights over challenging cases.
I: My biggest challenge stems from my poor eyesight. I am legally blind and have severe myopia. Going without glasses is a vulnerable and alienating experience and can
be limiting in terms of activities. With my condition being degenerative, I have a lot of anxieties about my eyesight in the future.
What is your fondest memory of Masters?
C: Hands down my volleyball team and our coach, Ms. O’Shea. I still remember our team's huddle chant: “En Fuego!” I played a sport every season and remember pitching a perfect softball game and getting “athlete of the month.”
I: I will treasure the memories of small things. For example, a few mornings a week, I head to the Fonseca Center to get an iced coffee from Rika, who runs the cafe. More than the coffee, I love the chats with Rika and getting to know her. Also, I absolutely love playing the pianos in both Strayer and Estherwood, the beautiful sounds they make, and how they echo through the building and campus. I am most fond of my recitals in Estherwood, where I get to share my love for music in such a beautiful building.
Which class or teacher at Masters influenced you the most?
C: Biology class, of course! I was and still am fascinated by the human body and its intricacies.
I: Driven by my interest in medicine, I took STEM-oriented courses such as Science Research and AP Biology, both of which fueled my passion for science and medicine. I am so grateful to have had amazing teachers for both classes, Dr. Gremski and Ms. Merrill, respectively, who truly pushed and guided me through my high school STEM journey. I have been in Science Research for four years now, and because of this program, I have had a plethora of opportunities and experiences such as lab internships and science fairs.
What advice do you have for Masters students interested in studying medicine?
C: Find a mentor — or multiple. Connect with professionals in the field who can provide guidance and advice. Mentorship can offer valuable perspectives and support as you navigate your journey.
I: Take full advantage of the opportunities Masters offers, such as the Science Research Program and other advanced science courses, as well as opportunities that you find interest in outside of school — be it volunteering, shadowing, etc.
What’s the best advice you received?
C: Embrace the process of getting to your destination. Two of my favorite quotes about the “process”:
“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” - Thomas A. Edison “The greater damage for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.”
- Michelangelo
I: Don’t go out of your way to do something you would hate and struggle with just because you believe it might make colleges favor you more. If you truly love medicine, you’ll find yourself doing so many college applicationworthy activities without even thinking about college. The road to medicine is a really long one, and you’ll have plenty of time to experience health care and explore your love for it, but there is a lot of time to burn out. If you spend all of your time doing superficial courses and activities, you might end up hating it.
What’s your favorite medical book, novel or medical drama on TV?
C: One of my first reads is still one of my favorites: “Complications: A Surgeon’s Notes on an Imperfect Science” by Atul Gawande.
I: “New Amsterdam” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” I loved “New Amsterdam” for how it portrayed social, racial and economic issues in healthcare. I have since garnered a lot of interest in these issues and hope to be able to advocate for and tackle them in the future.
What do you see as the most significant challenges facing health care today?
C: The issue of insurance and accessibility currently ravaging American health care. After shadowing at a clinic over the summer, I have learned a little about how insurance can make visits to the doctors — be it for checkups or vaccinations — extremely difficult. Often, patients struggle to secure a five-minute time slot for a consultation with a physician, who is likely juggling many patients and five-minute time slots a year to satisfy insurance companies’ quotas. With insurance companies placing a heavy financial burden on people in turn for the basic right to health care, a barrier is erected between patients and doctors, leaving many concerns and conditions unchecked. With many practices and hospitals being insurance-based, this issue has become incredibly complicated and widespread — and leaves many physicians powerless to do anything about it.
I: The rising costs of health care places a significant burden on individuals and the broader health care system with far-reaching implications. Also, as someone passionate about advancing medicine through technology, I am concerned about the challenges of regulating these innovations, particularly artificial intelligence and data security. Ensuring that these technologies are used ethically, safely and securely while protecting patient data is crucial.
Sam Coffey ’17
Sam Coffey ’17 doesn’t give up.
She didn’t when she was left off the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) World Cup roster in 2023 or when she was dealt injury after injury.
It’s just not in her DNA.
in 2024 Summer Olympics STRIKES GOLD
“For me, your response to adversity is what defines your character,” said Coffey, a former Division I standout at Boston College and Penn State and current member of the Portland Thorns in the National Women's Soccer League. “Who you choose to be, and how you choose to show up in hard times, is the greatest testament to who we are as people. And in all those situations, I had a choice — and I had to choose to fight, to believe in myself, to walk by faith and not give up.”
Doing it with thy might personified.
Coffey, who still holds the all-time goal-scoring record at Masters, was an integral cog in the USWNT machine this past summer, helping them win their fifth Olympic gold medal. A fearless and determined holding midfielder, Coffey was a breakout star of the international tournament.
The experience almost left her at a loss for words. Almost.
“It’s hard to put it into words,” Coffey said of winning the gold medal. “I’m not sure I can do the moment justice. But it was the most joyful and euphoric moment of my entire life. It was the culmination of heartbreak, triumph, blood, sweat and tears, like my entire life’s journey — even its twists and turns that I had often wished away — had led to this very moment. I was so grateful to celebrate the moment with my teammates, my family and friends, and those closest to me.”
The crowning achievement, at least momentarily, hung in the balance after Coffey was forced out of the quarterfinal round against Japan due to yellow card accumulation. She received her second yellow card of the tournament in the team's final group match, a 2-1 victory over Australia.
Having to watch her teammates from the sidelines was a different kind of pain.
“It was really difficult to have to watch that game from the stands — but I had nothing but utter belief that the team would get the job done," she said. "In retrospect, it gave me an opportunity to recover a bit more and prepare for the semifinal game.”
Coffey and the USWNT went on to defeat Germany, 1-0, in a grueling overtime semifinal match and blanked Brazil, 1-0, in the final to secure gold.
With an estimated 10 million people across the globe tuning in to watch the final — including a large Masters contingent — the pressure was seemingly insurmountable. Coffey, however, remained immune to it.
“I focused on the joy that it is to play the game I love, at the highest level,” she said. “It’s easy to let moments like this become too much, or to talk yourself out of them. When I focused on my ʻwhyʼ — of why I even started kicking a ball in the first place — it all fell into flow. At the end of the day, every game was just another game of soccer — and that’s something I know how to do. I had to play the game, not the occasion, and rejoice in the opportunity that I was walking in to live out my dream.”
From Greene Family Field in Dobbs Ferry to Parc des Princes in Paris, Coffey has been aiming and planning to reach this very mountaintop.
“It’s always been a dream of mine,” she said. “Even the days when it didn’t seem possible, I still believed. It is surreal to think about playing on the turf at (Greene Family Field) as a high schooler to then playing for a sold-out crowd in Paris in the Olympic final. But I never doubted that one day, if I poured my heart and soul into it, believed in myself and walked by faith, I could do it.”
And do it with her might, too.
ABOVE: JV girls soccer head coach and upper school English teacher Mariah Peña brought some members of the girls soccer team to meet Coffey when she was honored in her hometown of Sleepy Hollow, New York.
“
For me, your response to adversity is what defines your character. ”
RIGHT: Masters faculty and administrators cheered for Coffey from 49 Clinton Avenue.
ABOVE: Masters student roots for Coffey.
Welcome New Trustees
Natasha BANSGOPAUL ’04
Natasha is the co-founder and COO of VegaX Holdings, an award-winning financial technology platform that builds AI and blockchain-powered quantitative trading solutions for traditional institutions and investors in digital assets. She is also a White House Presidential Innovation Fellow and an entrepreneur in residence at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, where she leads key research initiatives on artificial intelligence.
Natasha has experience in financial technology, marketing, research and M&A, and more than 10 years of demonstrated leadership through key strategic roles at Fortune 100 companies. In addition to being featured in Forbes, Fortune, Black Enterprise, The Korea Times and Fast Company, she was named to Cosmopolitan and digitalundivided’s 2022 The New C-Suite, an annual list honoring breakthrough women of color entrepreneurs in the United States. Natasha is also an advisory board member of the International Association of Privacy Professionals, the leading nonprofit organization for privacy professionals, where she supports the AI governance board.
After graduating from Masters, Natasha earned her B.S. in business administration global management and marketing from Binghamton University. She was a BuntonWaller scholar at Penn State University, where she received her MBA in marketing, entrepreneurship and strategic leadership in 2010.
Natasha serves on the Board of the Dobbs Alumnae/i Association and heads the alumnae/i-to-student subcommittee with mentorship and support for Masters students of color. Natasha was a judge at the 2024 Diamond Challenge event hosted on campus at the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center and returns to campus regularly for panels and student mentoring. In 2024, she received the Richmond Bowl, a Reunion award given to alumnae/i who have demonstrated exceptional support of and service to The Masters School.
Kara DIOGUARDI ’88, P’31
Kara is a Grammy- and Emmy-nominated songwriter, producer and music executive. She is one of the most successful contemporary songwriters in the world and has won 20 Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) awards, including Songwriter of the Year. Kara has had more than 320 songs released by major labels, 150 songs on platinum-selling albums, and more than 50 charting singles. Her credits include collaborations with many of the most popular current artists across various genres.
Kara is a Herb Albert Visiting Scholar at Berklee College of Music; a co-founder of Arthouse Entertainment, a Los Angeles-based music publishing and production company; and was an executive vice president at Warner Bros. Records. She was a judge on seasons 8 and 9 of Fox’s “American Idol” and head judge on Bravo’s songwriting reality show competition “Platinum Hit.” In 2011, she made her
Lynn PILZER SOBEL ’71, P’99, ’05
Lynn is president of Lynn Sobel & Associates, LLC, a consulting firm that focuses on nonprofit development and board governance. She has served on The Masters School Board of Trustees since 1990, and is returning to a position as a board member after being named an honorary trustee since 2016. She was chair of the Board from 2003-2009 and is alumnae/i chair of Our Might: Campaign for The Masters School. Before joining the Board, Lynn had many roles at the School, including president of the Alumnae/i Board and chair of Estherwood Boutiques. She was awarded the Richmond Bowl in 2000 for her unwavering commitment to her alma mater.
Lynn is chair emerita of the Jacob Burns Film Center and is on the advisory boards of Impact100 Westchester and The Thursday Club, two organizations whose mission is women’s collective philanthropy. She formerly served on the advisory board of the Westchester Children’s Association and on the board of the Westchester Community College Foundation. She graduated from the University of Rochester and earned an MBA from Columbia University.
Lynn lives in Dobbs Ferry with her husband, Eric, who graduated from Princeton University and Columbia University (MBA), and retired as CFO of the Theatre Development Fund in New York City. Their daughter, Anna ’99, graduated from Wesleyan University in 2003 and, in 2012, received her M.Ed. in early childhood education from Bank Street College of Education. Their son, Peter, and daughter-inlaw, Laura, are both members of The Masters School Class of 2005. Peter is a 2009 graduate of Johns Hopkins University, and Laura is a 2009 graduate of Cornell University and a 2012 graduate of Bank Street College of Education (M.S., child life.) Lynn’s nieces are also Masters alumnae: Lauren Pilzer ’08 and Julia Pilzer ’12 are both Bucknell University graduates.
Broadway stage debut as Roxie Hart in the musical “Chicago.” That same year, her memoir, “A Helluva High Note'' was released. In 2018, Kara became a co-owner of Walkers Maine, the acclaimed restaurant by Maine Hospitality’s 2019 Restaurateur of the Year, chef Justin Walker.
In 2016, Kara co-founded Inspired Nation, a nonprofit that aims to give young aspiring artists a platform to tell their stories, empowering them and giving them the ability to help others in their generation. All proceeds from Inspired Nation’s singing competitions benefit youth-focused charities. Kara is an active supporter of Phoenix House, one of the nation’s leading nonprofits dedicated to leading individuals, families and communities affected by addiction from disrupted to productive lives. She also has an educational scholarship in her family’s name at the Columbus Citizens Foundation that provides financial support to students of Italian descent. Kara studied pre-law at Duke University and graduated in 1992.
Kara and her husband, Michael McCuddy, live in Old Greenwich, Connecticut. Their son, Greyson, is in the sixth grade at Masters.
Photo credit: Rachel Deeb
catching up with former faculty
Anna Cabral Drew
Upper School Math Teacher 2012-2022
I enjoyed my time at Masters very much — I loved the creativity and flexibility afforded to teachers. I also appreciated the community feeling of living on campus: going from teaching the students in the classroom to chaperoning them on trips, watching them perform or play sports, or simply seeing them in the dining hall. I also very much miss interacting with and learning from my colleagues; they were smart, fun and dedicated.
My husband got his dream job at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry as an assistant professor in the department of environmental biology, so
when I was able to find a teaching position in the local school district, our family moved to Syracuse. I now teach math and computer science at Jamesville DeWitt High School. My children attend the school where I teach and are in seventh and twelfth grade. They miss their campus friends but have adjusted and like their new school, too.
Some nice Central New York activities I’ve enjoyed here include hiking, paddling or swimming in the beautiful lakes, and trying to ski when there’s good snow.
Miss you all. Come visit Central New York!
Matt Kammrath
Upper School Math Teacher, Class Dean, Basketball Coach and Co-Director of Ethical Leadership 2003-2021
After 18 years at Masters, I took over as director of the Norton Center for Common Good at the Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, Connecticut. In this role, I shape curriculum and programming around issues including engaged citizenship, health and wellness, current events, and of course, leadership development. (Yes, the legacy stones live on here at Loomis!)
As an administrator, I’m able to teach one math class a year. While I will always have a soft spot for the Business Dynamics crew at Masters, I still get a chance to dole out algebra 2 and precalculus knowledge to a new generation of students. I also coach the JV boys basketball team, which has been a welcome step back from the fast pace of those championship teams at Masters. Some of my fondest memories
include packing the old gym, lined five deep against the walls, as we defeated the likes of Brunswick, St. Luke’s and Hamden Hall in the FAA tournament.
My wife, Brooke, still works at the University of New Haven as a professor of forensic science and director of the Henry Lee Institute. We have two children, Riley and Grayson, and a mini-husky (go UConn basketball!) named Thor. Fun fact: Head of Upper School Mr. Newcomb and I still go out golfing several times a year to continue our epic rivalry on the golf course.
I’ve enjoyed reading about Masters’ Center for Inclusive Excellence, as it is similar to the work I do in the Norton Center at Loomis. Kudos to all the individuals who made that idea a reality.
Anna and her family enjoy the corn maze at Critz Farms, an apple and pumpkin orchard that hosts festivals and music in the summer and fall.
Kammrath and his family live in Connecticut and are big fans of UConn basketball.
MASTERS on the MOVE
Nothing beats longtime Masters friends and big wins for the Yankees at Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium.
This summer, Masters hit the road to visit with alumnae/i across the country.
Dinner in Detroit
Left to right: Associate Director of Institutional Advancement Mary Ryan ’00, Barbara Congdon Van Dusen ’45, Martha Sattley Henkel ’55, Antoinette Book ’66, Sally Pittman Wright ’70, Beth Whitney ’67 (host) and Peggy Buttenheim ’67 gathered at the Country Club of Detroit in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, for a dinner to reconnect and reminisce about Dobbs days.
Lunch Under Blue Skies in York Harbor
Left to right: Paula Lindsay Gillies ’64, Joan “Whippie” Whipple Trimble ’64 and Emmett Soldati ’06 had a picture-perfect Maine day for lunch with Director of Alumnae/i Engagement Brooke Nalle P’24, ’27 (not pictured).
in memoriam
Ann Atkins Clark ’44
Annie, who hailed from Indianapolis, came to The Masters School in 1941. She hit the ground running — literally — playing field hockey, softball and tennis, eventually becoming president of the Dobbs Athletic Association. She was a proud Delta, and her time at Dobbs informed her lifelong optimistic outlook.
After graduating from Vassar College, Annie and her husband, Elias Clark, a law professor at Yale, moved to New Haven and raised seven children, two of whom followed in their mother’s footsteps and graduated from Dobbs: Susan Clark Love ’70 and Annie Clark ’79. Ann’s niece Anne Atkins Young ’72 is also an alumna.
In 1972, Ann started working at The Foote School in New Haven as a library aide, then became a full-time physical education teacher, a position she held until 1992. Her influence as a field hockey and softball coach was so profound that a sportsmanship award was named in her honor and is given out each year to a student-athlete of distinction. Ann said that her greatest love as a teacher was “to recognize students’ strengths and weaknesses, and to support both.”
In her later life, she resided at a senior living community near New
died on June 2, 2024.
Haven, where she served as a volunteer on the Library, Welcoming, and Scholarship Committees, stewarding the funding for the nurses’ and other employees’ continuing education.
For eight decades, Ann was a dedicated and proud alumna who supported Masters in numerous ways. She served on the Board of Trustees from 1969-1975, spearheaded the Dobbs Alumnae/i Branch in New Haven, and was a class notes editor and Masters Fund volunteer. In recognition of her lifelong commitment to her alma mater and to serving the communities in which she lived, the School honored Ann with two alumnae/i awards: the Eliza Bailey Masters Fellowship Award (2023) and the Richmond Bowl (2004). She is one of only four alumnae in the School’s 147-year history to have received both awards.
When presenting Ann with the Eliza Bailey Masters Fellowship Award in 2023, Jodi Innerfield ’05, president of the Dobbs Alumnae/i Association Board, said, “Ann has been a power for good in every community that has been lucky enough to have her.”
Masters is fortunate to have been one of those communities.
Ann was predeceased by her husband of 64 years. She is survived by her children, Charles E. Clark (Karen), Katharine Jensen (Ron), Susan Love (Andrew), Robert T. Clark (June), Dorothy Chadwick (Terry), Annie Clark (Dave Thomas), and William R. Clark (Jennifer), bonus son Mark Lynch (Gail), 13 grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren.
Mary Mahoney Wood, a history teacher and devoted dormitory parent from 1982 to 2009, died on June 28, 2024.
Born into a family of educators, Mary followed the tradition and pursued a career in secondary education. She graduated from Worcester State College with a B.S. and earned master’s degrees from Assumption College and Sarah Lawrence College.
Mary’s passion for equality and justice for all was a lifelong commitment. Growing up during the Civil Rights Movement, she became an ardent advocate for the abolishment of segregation, discrimination and disenfranchisement in America. Mary was in Washington, D.C., to celebrate the signing of the Civil Rights Act by President Johnson, and held the distinct honor of representing the United States at the 1985
World Conference on Women held in Nairobi, Africa.
During her time at Masters, Mary created curricula in African American, Latino and Native American studies. She was known to pull all-nighters writing heartfelt college recommendation letters for her students.
Following her retirement, Mary found solace and joy in returning to her beloved family cottage on Bare Hill Pond in Massachusetts. She loved music, books and writing.
Mary is predeceased by her husband, Paul Wood; her son Michael Wood; her sisters Kathleen Mahoney Lockhart and Margaret Mahoney Burke; and her parents. She is survived by her son David Wood; her daughter, Jessica Wood; six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren and her sister Ellen Mahoney Nagle.
we remember
The Masters School notes with regret the passing of the following members of the extended school family.
FORMER FACULTY
Thomas Burke June 14, 2024
Mary Wood History teacher, 1982-2009 June 28, 2024
ALUMNAE/I
1940 s
Clara Banta Kennedy ’41 October 2024
Grace Heiskell Terry ’41 June 23, 2024
Anne Hooker Boardman ’41 September 17, 2024
Shirley Flower Howard ’42 June 23, 2024
Emily Warren Wettlaufer ’42 May 13, 2024
Virginia Best Clarendon ’43 May 15, 2024
Ann Atkins Clark ’44 June 2, 2024
Marnie Franks Hensel ’48 January 5, 2024
Virginia Buckley Macaul ’49 December 6, 2021
Eleanor Foster Scully ’49 July 12, 2024
1950 s
Jane Brown Nesbett ’50 September 7, 2024
Ann Carpenter Barney ’51 April 25, 2024
Jane Locke McGrory ’53 July 23, 2024
Marcia Burton Wilson ’56 August 17, 2024
Ashley Moore Ammidon ’56 June 2, 2024
Elizabeth Cunningham Hays ’56 May 7, 2024
Sandra Luke Stephenson ’58 June 11, 2024
1960 s
Alice Allen Smith ’60 October 29, 2024
Anica Reed Smith ’61 September 9, 2024
Kathleen Brooks Trottier ’63 August 19, 2024
Mary C. Goodbody ’67 August 19, 2024
Jane Shute Scifres '67 April 8, 2024
1970 s
Cynthia Keeffe Dunne ’74 October 24, 2024
1990 s
Kimberly Maxwell Gould ’91 October 19, 2023
Bulletin
THE MAGAZINE OF THE MASTERS SCHOOL
Laura Danforth Head of School
COMMUNICATIONS
Meredith Halpern Associate Head of Strategic Communications
Isaac Cass Digital Communications Manager
Christina Ha Communications Associate
Jen Schutten Associate Director of Communications
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ADVANCEMENT
Seth Marx Associate Head for Institutional Advancement
Judy Donald Advancement Associate
Hilary Finkelstein Director of Annual Giving
Sydney Hummel Advancement Assistant
Carol Maxwell Senior Manager, Engagement and Major Gifts
THE MASTERS SCHOOL LEADERSHIP 2024-2025
HEAD OF SCHOOL
Laura Danforth
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Beth Nolan ’69, Chair
Allison Moore ’83, P’17, ’19, ’24, Vice Chair
Katherine A. Henry ’94, P’25, ’29, Treasurer
Dana W. Oliver P’22, ’25, Secretary
Asema Ahmed ’96
Rajay Bagaria P’25, ’28
Natasha Bansgopaul ’04
Sara Barek P’27, ’29
Laura Danforth
Kara DioGuardi ’88, P’31
Michael Greene P’10, ’13
Jodi Innerfield ’05
Ronen Israel P’23, ’28
Christina Masters Jones
Philip Kassen
Susan Katzke P’24
Stacey Lacy ’93
Steve Marlowe P’23, ’23, ’25
Edgar M. Masters H’98, Life Trustee
Susan Follett Morris ’57, Life Trustee
Jonathan Resnick P’26
William Roberts
Lynn Pilzer Sobel ’71, P’99, ’05
HONORARY TRUSTEES
Marin Alsop ’73
Cynthia Ferris Evans ’52, P’76, ’86
Jeannette Sanford Fowlkes ’58, P’87
Ruth Mitchell Freeman ’51
Nancy Maginnes Kissinger ’51
Claudia Boettcher Merthan ’51
Tracy Tang ’80, P’18
DOBBS ALUMNAE/I
ASSOCIATION BOARD
Jodi Innerfield ’05, President
Liza Ciaramella ’07, Vice President
Natasha Bansgopaul ’04
Madison Blake ’22
Lucas Buyon ’11
Sharon Nechis Castillo ’84
Emily Daly ’06
Austin O’Neill Dunyk ’98
Kathryn Taylor Harvill ’95
Chloe Lazarus ’12
Karen (Jurong) Li ’20
Victoria Love ’88
Greg Pasternack ’05
Tiffany Tate-Salam ’00
PARENT ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Officers
Parke Anderson P’24, ’27 Co-President
Jenny Liang Milward P’24, ’26, ’29 Co-President
Committees and Chairs
Sara Barek P’27, ’29
Admission Support Co-Chair
Andrew Barnes P’26, ’26
Masters Fund Parent Chair
Theresa Ching P’26
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Committee Chair
Sharon Davenport P’27, ’27
Faculty Staff Appreciation Day Co-Chair
Peter Lavery P’29
Faculty Staff Appreciation Day Co-Chair
Jordana Manzano P’23, ’26
PA Program Support Liaison
Dana Oliver P’22, ’25
Book Club Chair
Saloni Singh P’27
Admission Support Co-Chair
Brooke Nalle Pʼ24, ʼ27 Director of Alumnae/i Engagement
Maryann Perrotta Database Administrator
Mary Ryan ’00 Associate Director of Institutional Advancement
Amie Servino ’95, P’26 Director of Parent Engagement
Maureen Steinhorn Annual Giving and Stewardship Manager
C lass Representatives
Sara Barek P’27, ’29
Rachel Combe P’24, ’26, ’30, ’32
Barbra Crane P’28
Susan Furniss P’20, ’23, ’25
Sonal Gibson P’29, ’31
Lyn Jacobson P’28, ’28
Leslie Laboriel P’27
Justine Lackey P’30
Peter Lavery P’29
Andrea Miller P’24, ’26, ’27
Jenny Liang Milward P’24, ’26, ’29
Lori Moussapour P’15, ’25
Shelly Steinwurtzel P’26, ’30
Jennifer Vargas P’26, ’31
Steven Yung P’23, ’30
Hitting the Books
The School’s library, located on the first floor of Masters Hall, was always known as a quiet place to study. Today, that original area with its beautiful mantel and woodwork is The Hub, a collaborative workspace for faculty. Just down the hall, the current modern library and digital resource center — renovated through the Our Might campaign in 2020 — remains a popular study spot on campus.
Photo: Ashok Sinha