Class News & Notes

1967 Christopher Kennedy ’67 is the senior deputy director of athletics at Duke University and teaches in the university’s English Department and Ethics Institute. His book, Battlefield Surgeon, based on his father’s experiences and frontline medical care in World War II, was a finalist for the Army Historical Foundation’s Distinguished Writing Award. He’s currently working on another book and has no plans to retire anytime soon.

1980 Angelo Kusber ’80 and his daughter joined his parents, Leo and Annamaria, for Mass at the Priory Chapel while visiting from Minnesota. 2000 Zoltan Kovacs ’00 recently moved to a Nashville, Tenn. suburb with his wife Cheryl and two sons, Ethan (6) and Jacob (3).

2003 Falon Fatemi ’03, formerly the youngest Google employee at 19, founded Node this past fall. The business development company boasts $17 million in investor funding, including from star of Shark Tank and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban.

In February 2018, she reunited with Director of Strategic Initiatives Al Zappelli at an event in San Francisco.

Travel enthusiasts, the Scarionis: Tara ’03 and Marc ’07, spent time traveling in China this last year.

Tara Scarioni ’03 currently lives in Los Angeles and works as an events planner for Netflix. She recently caught up with Father Martin during his visit to LA in June 2018.

2005 Bret Yerkovich ’05 is currently a vice president at JLL, helping companies lease and buy real estate in the Bay Area. He recently was the best man in classmate Peter Giovannotto’s wedding.

2005 classmates: Peter Giovannotto (left) and Bret Yerkovich

2007 Alicia Kriewall-Lopez ’07 and her husband Daniel welcomed their first child, Benjamin Pacha Lopez, this past May. Baby Benjamin was born on the same day his parents closed on a new home in Rochester, N.Y.

2010 Lauren Allen ‘10 has worked at IDS Real Estate Group for the past two years, overseeing real estate management, marketing and leasing, and construction management of a portfolio totaling 310,000 square feet of office and 3.4 million square feet of institutionally-owned industrial assets throughout Southern California.

2012 Kat Gregory ’12 graduated from Stanford with her BS / MS in Computer Science in June, and she is heading to London to work for Google in AI (Artificial Intelligence) and HCI (Human Computer Interaction.) She taught 13 classes during her Stanford years, focusing on Computer Science, Ethics and AI / HCI. Kat is shown flanked by her alumni brothers, Chris ’14 (left) and John ’17. 2012 Max Barnes ‘12 was the recipient of Menlo College’s Outstanding Oak Award in recognition of his leadership while an undergraduate. In addition to being named to the Dean’s List, his classmates voted him “Most Likely to be the Next Steve Jobs.” He also was the Judge Russell awardee, given annually to a student who exemplifies the greatest scholarship, leadership, character and service to the Business Management Program. During Barnes’ time at Menlo, he also founded the Pioneer Club, a private entrepreneurship club, which was voted the 2017-18 Club of the Year.

Kat Gregory ’12 graduated from Stanford with her BS/ MS in Computer Science in June, and is headed to London to work for Google in AI (Artificial Intelligence) and HCI (Human Computer Interaction). She taught 13 classes during her Stanford years, focusing on Computer Science, Ethics and AI/HCI.

Kat is shown flanked by her alumni brothers, Chris ’14 (left) and John ’16, at her Stanford graduation.

CLASS NEWS & NOTES

Anthony Shu ’12 joined Upper School English faculty Kindra Briggs’ Discourse of Dining: Food and Literature classes in March 2018 in the Franklin Garden Pavilion. Shu, who graduated from Princeton with a degree in sociology, discussed his exploration of the international food community, experience working in the restaurant industry and overall passion for food, and then led students in cooking demonstrations.

Alumnus Anthony Shu ’12 returned to campus as a guest lecturer and was joined by current faculty member and Priory classmate, Eric Turnquist ’12, during one of his lessons in the Franklin Garden Pavilion.

2013 After graduating from Duke, Emre Sonmez ’13 moved back to the Bay Area to join Smartcar as a software engineer. He still can be caught running the trails around Priory on Sunday mornings.

2013 Reunites (l-r): Emily Ting, Emre Sonmez, Brian DiGiorgio, Griffin Koontz, Sarah Zuckerman, Matt Campbell and Ben Krausz.

2014 Before his May 2018 graduation from Bucknell University, Chris Gregory ’14 received the school’s Bison Award, given annually to a senior who displays exceptional leadership through their involvement and impact on campus.

Following his graduation from Bucknell, Chris Gregory ‘14 gets a lift from younger brother, John ‘16.

Damien Perez ’14 is currently working towards a degree in social work at San José State University. He recently completed an internship at a re-entry program in San José that offers employment and life skills classes to people who were previously incarcerated. He hopes to continue working professionally with people in the criminal justice system.

2015 On Mar. 29, Andy Isokpehi ’15 stopped by campus to see the recently completed LaureL STREAM Center and visit with Residential Faculty & Tech staff member Kailen Song, outgoing Director of College Counseling Dot Kowal and Father Martin. 2016 A Wildlife Biology and Equine Science double major at Colorado State, John Gregory ‘16 will be taking the fall semester off to accommodate a fabulous adventure with his sister, Kat ‘12. The pair will hike the Pacifi c Crest Trail for the next four months from Canada to Mexico. And you can follow their journey at: katandjohn.wordpress.com. 2017 Addison Vogt ’17 was recognized by the National YoungArts Foundation as a 2018 YoungArts winner. The jazz musician was one of 757 honorees from over 7,600 applicants from across the United States. Did you get your Priory sunglasses this year? Thanks to all the alumni who came from near and far to visit campus this past year! Next time you’re in the area, be sure to stop by Priory, catch up with the monks, former teachers, explore the new buildings on campus and see the Alumni Office for your Priory sunglasses!

If you know you’re going to be visiting campus and would like to

arrange a tour or shadow a class, please email alumni@prioryca.org.

CLASS NEWS & NOTES

Social Rewind Priory...coming to a town near you!

Boston Trivia Night & Dinner The Alumni Association kicked off its year-long regional socials with a pair of mini reunions in Boston in September 2017. While on official college counseling business, Director of College Counseling Rolando Crisostomo reunited with Shivani Dayal ’14 (Wellesley College) for a Trivia Night in downtown Boston, followed by a dinner in Cambridge the next day with Nick Jaeger ’17 (Harvard University), Rachel Wolf ’16 (Tufts University) and Jessica Thorson ’15 (Tufts University). Joining Crisostomo and the quartet of grads was former Priory college counselor Betty Van Wagenen.

Palo Alto Happy Hour More than 20 alumni from the Classes of 1978 to 2015 joined Head of School Tim Molak, Father Martin Mager, Director of Development Suzanne Couch, Alumni Director Diana Chamorro, Faculty Alumni Liaison Todd Turner and Director of Strategic Initiatives Al Zappelli for the Alumni Association’s Palo Alto Happy Hour at The Patio on May 10.

Los Angeles Social Father Martin Mager, Diana Chamorro and Todd Turner reconnected with nearly a dozen Los Angeles-based grads from the Classes of 1979-2012 for a social on June 21 in Public School 310 Bar & Restaurant in Culver City.

Upcoming Alumni Events

If you’d like to partner with the Alumni Office to host a regional social in your city, email alumni@prioryca.org.

San Francisco Social Friday, July 20

New York Social Thursday, August 2

Alumni Basketball Game Wednesday, November 21

Alumni Soccer Game Thursday, November 22

#Love4Priory: Alumni Giving Day Tuesday, November 27

Home for the Holidays: Young Alumni Social Friday, December 21

2019 Reunion Saturday, April 13

A Lasting Legacy Class of 2018 honors Joe Montero ’76 with Senior Gift

Over their time at Priory, the Class of 2018 gained quite a reputation. A reputation for being leaders in the school community with an unmatched level of spirit and class camaraderie. Beyond all they contributed in the classroom, as thespians, artists, singers, musicians, athletes, global stewards, club leaders and more, together they have invested in the future of Priory.

Guided by the leadership of the seven-member Associated Student Body (ASB) and in partnership with the Alumni Office, the Class of 2018 designated its Senior Gift to partially fund a scholarship named in honor of beloved teacher, coach and alumnus, Joe Montero ’76 †, to benefit a fellow students’ pursuit in receiving the gift of a Priory education.

“We remember Mr. Montero as a teacher, a mentor and a friend,” said ASB Vice President Elizabeth Duncan. “He brought joy and enthusiasm to learning and the Priory experience. He inspired and supported us all…[and each] gift will give another Panther the opportunity to be inspired at Priory, like we all were.”

Each senior was asked to make a gift of $20.18, in honor of their graduation year, and by the conclusion of the three-week campaign 70 percent of the class came together to support the Joseph B. Montero, Jr. Endowed Scholarship Fund with nearly $1,300.

“It is incredibly humbling to see the love and dedication the Class of 2018 has for Priory,” said Diana A. Chamorro, associate director of development, marketing & alumni engagement, of the campaign only in its second year as a formal program. “By passionately coming together to honor a beloved member of our community and support something so meaningful, as a scholarship fund, is inspiring and affirms their Priory education has prepared them to serve a world in need of their gifts.”

The ASB team (l-r): Emerson Swan, Tatiana Reese, Mick Jeon, Miranda Prince-Figuereo, Elizabeth Duncan, Emma Lewer, and Noah Willis worked as class liaisons to help educate their classmates about the significance of their support and how it will benefit future generations of Priory students.