THE BRIDGE A P U B L I C AT I O N O F P H O E N I X C O U N T R Y DAY S C H O O L
Winter 2022
THE BRIDGE Phoenix Country Day School, Winter 2022
Andrew Rodin Head of School Gay Firestone Wray Chair for Leadership Roz Bolger Abero ’89 Assistant Head of School Katie Charles Director of Annual Giving & Stewardship Sam Cieplicki Director of Development Leslie Kornreich Feldman ’99 Director of Alumni Relations Chris Hall Director of Communications & Marketing Tina Pitts Advancement Coordinator Lydia Rodin Advancement Events Coordinator and The Bridge Editor Baird Photography Studios, Largo Photography, Mark Skalny Photography Feature Photography Other photography and articles: PCDS students, faculty, and staff
The Bridge is published twice each calendar year—winter and summer. An Annual Report on Philanthropy is also sent each fall. We welcome your comments and suggestions. Please email The Bridge at communications@pcds.org. ©2022 Phoenix Country Day School. All rights reserved. This Page: Firework display at Blue & Gold 2021
Contents ON THE COVER Blue & Gold Pep Rally 2021
ANNUAL
FUND
Look for the symbol to the left throughout this issue to identify PCDS Annual Fund dollars at work. Read more about the impact of philanthropy at PCDS on pages 34-35.
Inside this Issue: All the latest news from PCDS Upper School (US), Middle School (MS), and Lower School (LS), plus alumni features and philanthropy highlights. 2 4 10 12 14 17 18 20 25 26 28 32
Message from the Head of School Past & Present: Celebrating 60 Years Sustainability Progress Project Excellence US Independent Studies Louis Family Society for Planned Giving US Fall Play Athletics PCDS Swag Speech & Debate Faculty News Student Art
33
Save the Date: Bridge-the-Gap
34
Annual Fund
35
Tax Credit
36
Message from the Alumni Board President
37
Save the Date: Alumni Spring Weekend
38
Alumni Events
40 Alumni Spotlight: Bryan McLaren ’05 42
Golden Circle
43
Alumni Scholarship Fund
44 Class Notes 57
PCDS:Connect
PCDS MISSION
PCDS prepares promising students to become responsible leaders and lifelong learners through an education that emphasizes intellectual engagement, independence, collaboration, creativity, and integrity.
PCDS is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), which sets forth guidelines for independent school governing boards. To view the Principles of Good Practice, visit www.pcds.org/admissions/the-independent-school-difference.
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MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL PCDS Community, Birthdays have always been fun for me. Certainly, they’re memorable for the gifts we may receive: in my 2022 yearbook letter, for example, I express my delight at unwrapping a Polaroid instant camera for my 12th birthday. I also remember a hamster I got when I turned nine; I named him Speedy. But birthdays are also important markers of time. True, it’s hard to find too much excitement around turning, say, 31— although a good friend of mine who only celebrates prime number birthdays would disagree. Sixty, however, is a nice, big, round number that should captivate the attention of all family members and close friends. Sixty is the age where you can look back and appreciate the vast array of experiences you’ve accumulated, knowing that you’ve withstood all those bumps and bruises and skinned knees, and turned them into meaningful avenues for growth. At 60, we are patient and wise and empathetic. But we are also still full of energy and life and the desire to make things happen. We are our best selves! The same goes for schools. As PCDS reaches the Big 6-0, it’s the perfect time to reflect back on all that we have accomplished, and also to look forward to the incredible opportunities that still lie ahead. We have spent so much capital on climbing the mountain—on putting ourselves on the map—and we should take great pride in the success that we’ve had together. We should also find strength in the recognition of all the possibilities that lie ahead. As we sit on the precipice of another decade in the evolution of our School, we should see this celebration as a rallying call to once again dig deep, to delve into our carefully collected bag of tricks, and to fashion a dynamic community that will uniquely serve the next generation of promising Eagles. Happy 60th birthday, PCDS!
Andrew M. Rodin P’19, ’19, ’25 Head of School Gay Firestone Wray Chair for Leadership
“As PCDS reaches the Big 6-0, it’s the perfect time to reflect back on all that we have accomplished, and also to look forward to the incredible opportunities that still lie ahead.” Head of School Andy Rodin 2 | PCDS THE BRIDGE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES BOARD OF TRUSTEES David Lewis President Taylor Burke Executive Vice President and Vice President Trusteeship Charles W. Shields Vice President Finance Donna Johnson Vice President Advancement Darryl Berger Vice President Strategic Planning Jordan Rose Vice President Facilities Planning Tracy Brennan Martin Felli Mercedes Liljegren Tim Louis ’81 Top row, from left: Mercedes Liljegren, Chris Ashby, Head of School Andy Rodin, President David Lewis, Donna Johnson. Middle row: PA President Gwen Gorlin, Riad Nizam, Charles W. Shields, Martin Felli, Taylor Burke, Tim Louis ’81. Bottom row: Kiran Singh, Margaux Rosen, Jordan Rose, Tracy Schwimmer, Tiffany Pondelik ’00. Not pictured: Darryl Berger, Tracy Brennan, Julie Sabeeh, Dan Silverman
Margaux Rosen Julie Sabeeh Tracy Schwimmer Dan Silverman Kiran Singh
Ex officio: Andrew Rodin Head of School Tiffany Pondelik ’00 President, Alumni Association Board Gwen Gorlin President, Parents’ Association Advisory Trustees: Susan J. Bansak Beverly Bradway Daniel J. Donahoe III Bennett Dorrance Nick Firestone ’84 Susan Garrity Samuel Garvin Bert Getz Donald R. Loback Nan P. Miller Jahm Najafi Ellie B. Nolan Frederick M. Pakis Nicholas J. Sakellariadis ’69 Jonah Shacknai Shoshana B. Tancer Charlene Whitfill Garth Wieger Gay F. Wray
WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS Chris Ashby P’27, ’29
“ I believe education is one of the greatest gifts we are able to give our children, and the PCDS community provides a uniquely impactful learning environment. I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in the continuing stewardship of the mission of the School.”
Riad Nizam P’30, ’33
“ It is an honor to be a Trustee at PCDS. I am very thankful for what the School has done for my family during the last two years—being in school was the best medicine for our family. To be able to contribute to a place that means so much to us is so exciting!”
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4 | PCDS THE BRIDGE 4 | PCDS THE BRIDGE
Past & Present Celebrating 60 Years
It was in the fall of 1960 when Mae Sue Talley and her family decided to build a “really good school in this desert and friendly town that we had fallen in love with and wanted to call home.” They needed a place to send their children instead of sending them back east.
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I
n 1960, a group of pioneers led by Mr. Franz Talley and his wife, Dr. Mae Sue Talley, agreed to found a nonsectarian, nonprofit, college preparatory day school based on an eastern school model that would soon become—in their minds—the “Exeter of the West.” The Talley Academy, which was our School’s original name, was soon changed to PCDS, as it was thought that a public campaign for capital and endowment funds wouldn’t succeed under its original name.
school” in the Southwest. Because of all of their efforts, and the efforts of the visionaries to follow them, PCDS currently stands tall as the top school in the Southwest and beyond.
The location of PCDS in the 1960s was much more remote and rural than it is today. There were riding stables close by and our nearest neighbors’ yards could not be touched by a baseball home run. The geographical setting—the desert landscape with majestic Camelback Mountain as its backdrop and the wash running through the center of the campus— played an important role back then, just as it does today. Because of the Cudia Wash, most of our property is in the 100-year flood plain. This dictated the location of the early buildings and continues to play a role in the growth and development of our School today. Thankfully our School’s founders and visionaries believed in the importance of laying the groundwork for a “really good
Mae Sue Talley’s dream came true in 1960 when she scooped the first shovelful of dirt at the PCDS groundbreaking.
THEN—1960s
NOW—2022
Enrollment
93
750
Grades
3 through 9
Pre-kindergarten through 12
Facilities
16 classrooms, 2 science labs, a small library, art room, and study hall
80 classrooms, 9 science labs, 7 art studios, 3 libraries, 3 computer labs, 4 music rooms, 2 pools, 2 auditoriums, and 2 gymnasiums
School Colors
Royal blue and white
Navy blue and gold
School Dress
No T-shirts or Levis. Girls must wear skirts or dresses
No bare feet, clothes with too many holes or stains, or shirts with inappropriate slogans
Sports Teams
1964: Football, wrestling, boys’ basketball, baseball
12 sports, including track and field, flag football, golf, swimming/diving, cheer, volleyball, soccer, cross country, tennis, softball, baseball, and basketball
Graduating Seniors
1965: 16
2021: 75
Annual Fund
1964: 60% parent participation
80% parent participation
Mascot
Thunder the Eagle
Thunder the Eagle
6 | PCDS THE BRIDGE
“Everyone dedicated to our School wanted the best educational experience for its students and for Arizona. That meant bringing in teachers and ideas from all over and growing PCDS wisely. We have come so far in 60 years!” Advisory Trustee (and early visionary) Gay Wray P’77, ’80, ’84
HEADS OF SCHOOL OVER THE YEARS Charles Shepard 1961
Robert W. Herbert 1962
Mae Sue Talley
1963
1964
Cornelius Dutcher
John I. Yellott
1965
1966
Rex Allison
1967
1968
Larry Laughlin
1969
Robert Pierce Jr. 1970
1971
Peter Wainwright
1972
1973
1974
1975
Herbert J. Louis
Frank C. Rand III
BOARD PRESIDENTS OVER THE YEARS
The Talley family purchased 20.44 acres at $5K/acre, donated that land to PCDS, and underwrote most of the initial operating and construction costs
Did You Know? In the 1960s, Headmaster John Yellott explained the reasoning behind the Phoenix Country Day School name choice at that time: Phoenix—our School was intended to serve the entire metropolitan Phoenix area Country—to denote the rural atmosphere of the campus at that time, which provided space for playgrounds and athletic fields Day School—because its aim was to provide excellent college preparation for children who could continue to enjoy the benefits of home and family life
In 1961, PCDS was founded by the Talleys with help from Rex Allison, Cornelius Dutcher, A.T. LaPrade, A.B. Robbs, Jr., and Guy Sullivan. The doors were opened to 93 students in grades 3-9
First Blue & Gold in 1967 In 1968, the Founders/Board of Trustees helped to purchase the additional 20 acres we have today
Burch Hall was originally built to house our School’s administration and to serve as an auditorium and cafeteria
HEADS OF SCHOOL OVER THE YEARS < 1991
<
1992
1993
Bennett Dorrance
Galen Brewster 1994
1995
1996
1997
Donald Loback
BOARD PRESIDENTS OVER THE YEARS 8 | PCDS THE BRIDGE
1998
1999
Susan Bansak
2000
2001
2002
Garth Wieger
2003
2004
2005
2006
Jonah Shacknai
Joel Monell 1976
1977
1978
1979
Bert Getz
1980
1981
Gay Wray
Margaret J. Madden > 1982
Jahm Najafi
2009
2011
Beverly Bradway Larry Clemmensen
1987
George Leckie
1988
1989
1990
Robert Matia >
In 1991, the current Ann Hays Daley Bridge replaced the Lincoln Bridge that was built in 1972
Our School marked its 30th birthday by burning its mortgage papers by then Head of School Peg Madden and then Board President Bennett Dorrance
In 2003, Dorrance Auditorium was built
Project Excellence was established in 1987
Lee Pierson 2010
1986
In 1986, the gym (now Alumni Gym) and music building were built
In 1973, the first nurse’s office and a student lounge were constructed
2008
1985
In 1981, a major flood forced a relocation of the US complex to higher ground
In July 1973, athletic facilities were built including 4 tennis courts and the John I. Yellott Aquacenter
2007
1984
Jack Blumenstein
PCDS’s endowment fund was created in the early 1970s by Dr. Herbert J. Louis (Tim) with a generous gift
Geoffrey Campbell
1983
Andrew Rodin 2012
2013
2014
Jahm Najafi
2015
2016
2017
Taylor Burke
2018
2019
2020
Tracy Brennan
2021
2022
David Lewis
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STRATEGIC PLAN FEATURE
Pathways to a Greener Campus Charting our progress in sustainability By the Sustainability Squad
T
he PCDS Strategic Plan highlights sustainability as a key area for improvement, and directs us to “commit to more environmentally-friendly campus practices.” As such, a group of faculty and staff have come together to form the Sustainability Squad, which meets regularly to pursue realistic and sustainable avenues for environmentally friendly practices and education.
SUSTAINABILITY SQUAD Roz Abero ’89 Assistant Head of School Tim Mitten Director of Campus Safety and Operations Hallie Mueller, Upper School Pete Saunders, Upper School Maki Fullerton, Middle School Elyse Gentile, Middle School Amy Hill, Lower School Andy McKean, Lower School Marian Florey, Parent Bryan McLaren ’05, Advisor
A Cultural Change: Eliminating the Plastic Water Bottle The group’s first priority this year was a simple one with both a tangible and symbolic impact: the elimination of single use plastic water bottles on campus. While convenient, these water bottles represent an enormous amount of plastic waste (see below for more information about the proliferation of single use plastic water bottles). In place of the pallets of plastic bottles used in years past, campus events and meetings now rely on large beverage dispensers with compostable cups. Over 50 water stations across campus offer convenient refills for those who bring their own bottles, and the US cafe has replaced plastic water bottles with water sold in aluminum bottles. While water bottles constitute a significant percentage of plastic trash, it doesn’t end there, and the group continues to work with our constituents on reducing other single use plastics on campus. “ I have lived in busy New York City, in quiet rural Pennsylvania, and now in the suburban desert. With such a contrast, I’ve noticed the profound effect that being outside has on me. I’ve spent large amounts of my free time hiking, scuba diving, free diving, etc., and seeing the effects that humans have had on the environment has made me more passionate about doing what I can to support its health. This is why I have spent so much time researching, participating in clubs, and raising awareness about environmental issues.” —Madison Angst ’24 “ My family and I compost at home. Instead of putting food scraps in the trash, we put them in our compost to be used for our vegetable garden. We also have easily accessible compost bins around the quad. It’s really important for students to work together to protect the environment, and it doesn’t take much to have a positive impact.” —Sonia Singh ’24
One million water bottles are bought around the world every minute, and more than half a trillion plastic bottles will be sold annually.
10 | PCDS THE BRIDGE
Recycling plastic isn’t a silver bullet—the majority of collected plastic recyclables have nowhere to go but landfills and oceans.
Of the 35 million tons of plastic waste the U.S. produces each year, 9% is recycled, 16% is incinerated, and 75% ends up in landfill.
A plastic bottle takes 500 years to degrade. For single-use convenience, aluminum and glass water bottles are now widely available in grocery stores.
Trash to Treasure: The Magic of Compost While various groups have composted on campus for years, these efforts are now campus wide, with educational compost bins in all three divisions and a system in place to divert tons of cafeteria kitchen scraps from the landfill to a local farm. Composting by Division • In an effort to reduce the amount of food waste that ends up in landfill, the LS started the year with a 45-gallon compost bin that was quickly filled with food scraps from daily snacks by the LS gardening club and kindergarten students. They expanded their compost efforts by adding a 100-gallon bin near the playground, where kitchen food scraps and grass clippings from sports fields are put into the mix. Each LS grade manages a garden bed with vegetables, flowers, and plants, and the students look forward to using the nutrient-rich finished compost for their garden soil. Students have studied the science of composting during science class, and they enjoy spinning the compost bins to help mix the cooking compost. • Composting has been occurring in the MS for several years, and a teacher and a parent volunteer maintain the compost bins in the MS garden. Students in 5th and 7th grade science classes learn about cycles of the Earth’s system and human impact on the environment, and various science lessons cover the benefits of composting and the science behind decomposition. Many MS students are passionate about making sustainable choices, and there are plans to develop a MS environmental student club. • For the past three years, the US Environmental Club has taken the reins from adults to orchestrate a weekly schedule of student compost volunteers and to educate the student body about responsible waste practices. It’s quite something to watch these dedicated students separate burger patties from buns during breaks simply because they feel so strongly about this gesture towards the planet. In some cases, composting has become personal, with students nagging their families to save and freeze their collective compost so that they can dispose of it at School and watch it change back into earth. In addition to the educational compost bins, PCDS is also diverting several tons of kitchen prep scraps annually with the help of a local compost operation. Instead of going to the landfill, these scraps are now separated by the kitchen staff and picked up by local mass composter R.City. The compost that R.City produces with PCDS food waste is used on their farmland to grow nutrient-rich organic fruits and vegetables that are sold to consumers. Perhaps the most exciting aspect of our shift towards sustainability is the widespread student empowerment emerging across our campus. Students from all divisions have made their voices heard through sustainability initiatives ranging from solar energy presentations to gardening projects, often pushing for changes themselves. Stay tuned for more purpose-driven green developments.
Each year, more than one third of food produced in the world goes to waste, and it is responsible for 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions.
Reducing food waste is one of the most important things we can all do to reverse global warming.
More Sustainability Efforts Underway • Switched to a recycling vendor that reliably collects commingled recyclables • When disposables must be used they are compostable, recycled, or recyclable • The team is evaluating opportunities for more sustainable policies and practices for supply-ordering • Curricular discussion of ways to combat climate change are prevalent across all grade levels • New buildings will prioritize energy efficient features • Significant xeriscape on campus to reduce water usage • Sharing information with families regarding ways to be more environmentally friendly in their homes • Exciting plans are underway for a large solar panel installation on campus that will reduce our energy use “ Saving the environment is a collective task that starts with us and the decisions we make—that’s why I’m so passionate about promoting sustainability across campus. Simple actions such as composting and recycling have given me a deeper appreciation for the environment and have made me want to continue finding ways we can help our planet as a community.” —Maya Allmendinger ’23
The first city to offer a city-wide service to collect compostables was San Francisco, in 1996. Since then, municipalities across the country have started food waste collection programs, including curbside pickup. While cities in the Valley have yet to follow suit, R.City (recycledcity.com) offers very affordable residential services if you would like your home food waste to be composted but lack the time or space to do it yourself.
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Project Excellence Highlights After 35+ years, the Project Excellence program and its scholars continue to thrive
by Molly Castro, Director Project Excellence and Julie Tamer, Assistant Director Project Excellence Project Excellence, Phoenix Country Day School’s signature outreach program, has been striving to meet the needs of highly motivated, high-achieving students from surrounding Title 1 schools in our community for over 30 years. This dynamic program seeks to connect students with resources, mentors, and scholarship opportunities to help them realize their full potential. The Project Excellence program is made up of two components: Saturday workshops on the PCDS campus made available to individuals from surrounding Title 1 schools, and the day-to-day partnerships with our very own Project Excellence scholars/students enrolled at PCDS and their families.
Saturday Workshops • After taking a year off due to COVID, Project Excellence Saturday workshops are currently back in full force. • This school year, we have welcomed over 70 middle school students from surrounding Title 1 schools onto our campus to participate in our Saturday workshops.
PCDS Project Excellence Scholars • We currently have 32 Project Excellence scholars on campus. • 21 US students • 11 MS students
• Saturday workshops meet once a month and offer students a wide range of courses to enrich their academic experience and spark their curiosity.
• Project Excellence scholars are a tight-knit community. They have weekly luncheons that offer opportunities to check in with each other and with their mentors.
• Our Saturday workshops feature courses such as biotechnology, engineering & invention, STEAM, artistic expressions, and struggles for justice in American history.
• Our students have been involved in School activities such as track, softball, eSports, speech & debate, basketball, swim, soccer, volleyball, musicals, plays, and more.
• Many of our Saturday workshop participants go on to enroll at PCDS as Project Excellence scholars.
• We have a record of achieving 100% college placement for our PCDS Project Excellence scholars.
Some Project Excellence scholars and their friends, from left: Olivia Owens ’25, Rodrigo Alvarado ’25, Nicholas Armenta ’23, Lyzbeth Lara Sandoval ’25, Taylor Jarvis ’24, David Ocampo ’24, Kaleb Gebresillasie ’25, Alex Flores ’24, Laurie Reyes ’22, Mia Warner ’25, Jessica Osorio ’25, Seth Osorio ’23, Caleb Humphreys ’23
Spotlight on Lucy Negatu ’21, Brown University ’25 Over this past winter break, we had the opportunity to catch up with recent graduate Lucy Negatu. What was your first introduction to Project Excellence? Lucy: I began my Project Excellence journey in the summer after third grade while a student at Balsz Elementary. While attending Balsz, Project Excellence made it accessible for me to continue coming to the summer programs and Saturday workshops by offering bus services and a loving community that kept encouraging me to come back week after week. It was through Project Excellence that I heard about PCDS, and I ultimately decided that I would apply to the US at PCDS. Even after being accepted to PCDS, Project Excellence Saturday workshops and summer programs were still very much a part of my life. What did it mean to you to be a Project Excellence scholar at PCDS? Lucy: I would meet with Molly Castro (Director of Project Excellence) often and would interact with other Project Excellence scholars as much as possible. As a junior, I became the head intern for Project Excellence. This meant that I helped to organize and plan the Saturday workshops and the summer camp program. This was my most treasured
position because it meant I would be able to give back to the program that had helped me the most in my life. Even during COVID, we made it a priority to create a tight-knit community while continuing our weekly (and, of course, socially distant) lunches together. It was always the highlight of my week to hear about other scholars’ lives. It also meant a lot to me to be a mentor to Project Excellence students who were younger than me. What extracurricular activities did you participate in while at PCDS? Lucy: I was involved with volleyball, basketball, softball, and soccer. I was a part of the IDEA club, outdoor leadership club, and was a junior senator. I was also in the West Side Story production. How did your participation in Project Excellence impact your life outside of School? Lucy: Through the connections and the PCDS community I was a part of because of Project Excellence, I was able to obtain a paid internship position at a local law group during my junior and senior years. The Project Excellence program was also the biggest contributor to my eventual acceptance to Brown University. I am forever grateful for the generosity of this program and the leadership skills that it taught me along the way. n
For more information or to find out how you can get involved with Project Excellence, please contact Program Director Molly Castro (molly.castro@ pcds.org) or Assistant Director Julie Tamer (julie.tamer@pcds.org).
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MIDDLE SCHOOL YEAR IN PHOTOS STUDENT SECTION
Learning Beyond the Classroom PCDS US Independent Studies
14 | PCDS THE BRIDGE
F
rom podcasting to neuroscience, digital art installations to archeoastronomy, students at PCDS are curious about a wide range of topics that are beyond the regular curriculum. Those students who want to explore an interest in a more structured and formal way may choose to design an Independent Study course. With the guidance of a faculty advisor, students submit a proposal that outlines the objectives of the study, questions that will be explored, and the skills or knowledge that will be acquired. Students define a general timeline for the work, identify the resources that will be used, and determine how the attainment of their goals will be demonstrated.
FALL 2021 INDEPENDENT STUDIES
Students begin their study once their proposals are approved by the Dean of Academics and Head of US. Students have regular meetings with their study advisor and keep a work log that they share with their advisor and the Dean of Academics. At the end of the semester, students give a presentation that summarizes their study, including highlights, challenges, unexpected outcomes, and future work in the area.
Sydney Cohen ’22 and Sedona Korzay ’22 with Mr. Brooks: Indigenous History
Being Human In the Desert
Aidan Goetzinger ’22 with Mx. Mixan: Digital Art and Installations
by Elliot Wessel ’22
Justin Horlick ’22 with Mr. Rodin: NCAA Video Podcasting
I have lived in this valley my whole life—practically next to our campus. As I drew closer to leaving this School and this state, I realized that despite my 18 years spent in this desert, I knew practically nothing about it. This Independent Study, spanning two semesters, is an attempt to remedy that fact and repair my relationship with this land before I leave. Being Human in the Desert is a study on living (past, present, and future) in one of the most beautiful, harsh, unique, and precarious places on Earth. I am studying the anthropological history as well as the ecological history of the Sonoran Desert; to understand what it means to be human in the desert, one must first understand those non-human beings. In the first semester, I dove into entomology and the practice of pinning insects. I wrote a proposal to establish an entomology collection on campus, and I received a grant to acquire a cabinet and drawers with which to store the collection. I also started the Sonoran Desert Club in which I teach other students how to collect and pin insects in order to continue the work after I leave.
Avantika Aggarwal ’22 with Dr. Caplan: Neuroscience and Technology Sabrina Bailey ’22 with Ms. Mehra: The Writing, Constructing and Publishing of Memoir Length Writing Devin Bansal ’22 with Dr. Reynolds: The History of Political Messaging in the U.S. Bianca Burke ’22 with Mr. Rodin: Fundamentals of Family Foundations Daniela Castro-Martinez ’22 with Mrs. Cherilla: Data Science and its Applications
Keara Dean ’22 with Ms. Anderson: Classical Studies: The Eclogues and the Georgics Hailey DeMark ’22 with Mx. Mixan: Graphic Design, Coding, and Web Development Erin Florance ’22 with Dr. Avery: Sustainability in Fashion: Ethics, Affordability, and Environmentalism
Henry Kaplan ’22 with Dr. Caplan: The Physics of Non-Spherical Lenses Elle Lazarski ’22 with Mrs. Cherilla: Berklee Online: Professional Certificate in Music Theory Abby Meng ’22 with Ms. O’Dea: Writing in the Mystery Genre: An Investigation into Form, Style, and Medical Accuracy Charlie Nassar ’22 with Mr. Tafur: Human Behavioral Biology Alexander Nistor ’22 with Dr. Vap: The Study of Archeoastronomy Lucas Oland ’22 with Mr. Tafur and Mx. Mixan: Computational Neuroscience Simon Ossias ’22 with Dr. Caplan: Quantum Programming Kirtana Roopan ’22 with Dr. Rath: Overcome Obesity: Wellness Program Cloe Short ’22 with Mr. Lewis: Portfolio Building Charlize Szeto ’22 with Ms. Mueller: Bio-Art Elliot Wessel ’22 with Dr. Vap: Being Human in the Desert
This spring semester, I am focusing on writing. I have been reading a few books which have been wildly influential to me (even outside of the context of this study): Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer and The Mushroom at the End of the World by Ana Lowenhaupt Tsing have restructured the way in which I think about humans in nature. While neither of
Lauren Yeung ’22 with Dr. Binger: The Science and Development of Skincare Products
Facing page: Elliot Wessel ’22
Jasmyn Loelke ’22: American Sign Language
FALL 2021 ONLINE CLASSES Emme Kate Hackett ’22: Criminology Jade Loelke ’22: American Sign Language
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these books is about the Sonoran Desert, the natural philosophy which they put forth provides a framework for me to evaluate the status of our chosen path of living in the desert, what that path looked like in the past, and how we might better navigate in the future. Dr. Vap, as my Independent Study adviser, has given me so much inspiration and encouragement and deeply enjoyable conversation, and I cannot thank her enough.
Overcome Obesity: Wellness Program
by Kirtana Roopan ’22 Over the course of the semester, I developed a wellness curriculum and taught the lessons in an after-school program at CASA Academy (a school for students from traditionally underserved communities). This is an extension of a project I started last year—a website that I created as a platform for me to learn and raise awareness about the obesity epidemic. Through this, I explored the obesity epidemic, issues related to it, and potential solutions. In learning so much about the role that holistic wellness plays in obesity prevention, the idea
“ The challenge in this study was not only teaching young kids complex material but also being culturally responsive when presenting that same complex material to my students whose lives and experiences are not always centered in traditional health programs.” Kirtana Roopan ’22
16 | PCDS THE BRIDGE
with this Independent Study was to create lesson plans on holistic wellness that are culturally relevant and easily applicable to students’ daily lives. Some of the questions I explored were: How can wellness realistically be applied to the lives of students from underserved communities? How can materials and activities best be presented to inspire meaningful change in students’ lifestyles and mindsets regarding wellness? The challenge in this study was not only teaching young kids complex material but also being culturally responsive when presenting that same complex material to my students whose lives and experiences are not always centered in traditional health programs. I taught my lesson plans to a group of K-4th graders on a weekly basis, and I found myself tweaking my approach as I went along. The curriculum is made up of five units: Holistic Wellness, Movement, Sleep, Social and Emotional Wellness, and Nutrition. The major theme throughout my program was emphasizing the interconnectedness of all these aspects of health. This study really made me reflect not only on wellness on a societal level, but also on the parts of my life that I could adjust in order to make positive changes in my own wellbeing. n
Louis Family Society FOR
PLANNED
GIVING
The Louis Family Society for Planned Giving recognizes members of the extended PCDS community who have included the School in their estate plans.
You are Invited to Leave a Legacy GIFTS FROM YOUR WILL OR TRUST The most popular way to make a planned gift is with a simple bequest to PCDS. Through your will or other estate plans, you may name PCDS as the beneficiary of a portion of your estate or of particular assets in your estate.
GIFTS FROM A RETIREMENT PLAN Donate assets subject to taxation and leave more to your family.
GIFTS FROM YOUR DONOR-ADVISED FUNDS Make an outright gift from your donor-advised fund or name PCDS as the ultimate beneficiary of the remainder in the fund.
GIFTS OF LIFE INSURANCE Make a significant gift to PCDS even without a large estate by naming PCDS as the beneficiary of your life insurance.
GIFTS OF REAL ESTATE Donate a valuable asset in exchange for powerful tax benefits.
LIFE-INCOME GIFTS There are a variety of tax-advantaged life-income gifts that you may wish to consider, including Charitable Remainder Trusts and Charitable Gift Annuities.
r
Please consult with your tax advisor or estate attorney about tax implications and which options are best for you. For more information or to let us know you have arranged for a planned gift, contact: Sam Cieplicki, sam.cieplicki@pcds.org or Roz Abero ’89, roz.abero@pcds.org, 602.955.8200
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STUDENT SECTION
Fall Play: Leaving Iowa by Lucas Oland ’22
Leaving Iowa, by Spike Manton and Tim Clue, is an unforgettable comedy focused on the intimate dynamics of family road trips. It's the story of Don Browning, an aspiring writer from Winterset, Iowa, who we see reminisce on his childhood vacations during a remarkable road trip of his own. Don brings the audience along with Sis, Mom, and Dad, as they venture across the American Midwest. The highlight of the show is the memorable array of zany characters they meet along the way, each with their own story and quirks. Returning to Dorrance Auditorium—after a hiatus due to COVID-19 protocols—meant an exciting new season of stage building and sound design for the show. Leaving Iowa included a massive raised wooden platform at the center of the stage, painted—appropriately—as a vintage roadmap of Iowa. Additionally, professional sound effects were used throughout the show, fully immersing the audience in Don’s story.
Left to right, top to bottom: Aaron Wang ’23, Abby Caplan ’23, Annika Almquist ’22, Jack Dahl ’22
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Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, PCDS has continued to accommodate for the safety of both audiences and performers. Our audiences in Dorrance were asked to be masked, and each performer was tested for COVID prior to the show. Actors were also allowed to wear masks during rehearsals and performances according to their own personal needs. I played the role of Don Browning, the son in Leaving Iowa’s family. My favorite part about playing Don was the creative logistics of his portrayal. Our production split Don into two characters: Young Don, a naive boy on a trip to Hannibal, Missouri, and Old Don, a mature, yet equally naive man struggling to stay focused on an adventure of his own. Acting as Old Don allowed me to hone in on the challenges and joys of transitioning into adulthood, which felt personally familiar as I cherish my final year of high school. The role also allowed me to rehearse a broad spectrum of monologues, which built upon my acting range through comedic and dramatic performances.
Top row, from left: Richard Humphreys ’23, Max Cabianca ’23, Bijan Atri ’24, Lucas Oland ’22, Aaron Wang ’23, Jack Dahl ’22, Siena Liljegren ’22, Katie Eckerman ’23, Seth Osorio ’23. Middle row: Sophie Valente ’25, Harrison Whitfill ’24, Ujji Bathla ’22, Elliott Ernster ’22, Taylor Jarvis ’24. Front row: Dale Nakagawa, Lily Gentry ’25, Nora Palermo ’24, Miranda Jarvis ’23, Annika Almquist ’22, Abby Caplan ’23, Laurie Reyes ’22, Rohin Kumar ’24, Caleb Humphreys ’23, Keith Burns
Lucas Oland ’22, Siena Liljegren ’22
Caleb Humphreys ’23
In my eyes, Don Browning is a character designed for the audience to live through; I learned to not just read my lines, but to truly empathize with their meaning. During the shows, I felt like I was speaking to each individual as Don Browning from Iowa—not just Lucas Oland the actor—and that level of authenticity elevated the experience for both me and our audiences alike. Leaving Iowa was another exceptional PCDS theater production that I will never forget. The cast and I cannot wait to bring what we learned from this play into future productions. n
Harrison Whitfill ’24
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ANNUAL
FUND
ATHLETICS
First Time Ever Volleyball State Champions AIA 2A State Champions & 2A Metro Region Champions
This page: Charli McCarter ’22, Coach Natalie Leavitt, Lilly Robinson ’22, Teraya Sigler ’25, Hannah Perlmutter ’23, Quincy Rodin ’25, Sonia Singh ’24
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2A Conference Offensive Player of the Year: Teraya Sigler ’25
All Region Second Team:
All Conference First Team: Teraya Sigler ’25
All Region Honorable Mention:
All Conference Second Team: Lilly Robinson ’22, Quincy Rodin ’25
All Region Player of the Year: Teraya Sigler ’25 All Region First Team: Lilly Robinson ’22, Quincy Rodin ’25, Teraya Sigler ’25
Alex Goldstein ’22 Ella Cabbil ’22, Mia Warner ’25, Ella Wilmink ’22
Internal School Awards: Coaches’ Awards: Alex Goldstein ’22, Lilly Robinson ’22, Quincy Rodin ’25, Teraya Sigler ’25 JV Girls’ Volleyball Coaches’ Award: Sophia Crisalli ’24
This page: Ella Wilmink ’22, Head Coach Kat Glaeseman, Emma Lammersen ’24, Ella Cabbil ’22, Ellie Bartolino ’23, Coach Jacob Kelty, Alex Goldstein ’22, Coach Greg Hull, Mia Warner ’25
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ANNUAL
FUND
ATHLETICS
Boys’ and Girls’ Swim & Dive State Champions AIA Div III State Champions & Small School Champions
This page, back row: Piper Fazio ’25, Tyler Sessler ’22, Cabot Teskey ’25, Richard Humphreys ’23. Front row: Julia Lotz ’25, Harper Alt ’23, Tatum Horton ’23, Sierra Goldstein ’24, Andrew Pham ’24, Siena Hayes ’22, Ava Shields ’23, Coach Mike Maczuga
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AIA DIII Boys’ State Dive Record Holder with 482 points: Chase Sorosky ’25 AIA DIII Boys’ Swimming Coach of the Year: Mike Maczuga
Individual/Relay State Swimming Champions 200 Medley Relay: Richard Humphreys ’23, Caleb Humphreys ’23, Oliver Lehmann ’24, Tyler Sessler ’22
Individual Girls’ State Dive Placement 2nd Place: Simone Sabeeh ’25 3rd Place: Lauren Yeung ’22 4th Place: Sierra Goldstein ’24 9th Place: Rosalyn Katz ’24
Internal School Awards: Coaches’ Awards: Siena Hayes ’22, Julia Lotz ’25, Bennett Russo ’24, Simone Sabeeh ’25, Tyler Sessler ’22, Chase Sorosky ’25, Charlize Szeto ’22, Oliver Wilmink ’25, Lauren Yeung ’22
This page, back row: Bennett Russo ’24, Chase Sorosky ’25, Oliver Wilmink ’25, Coach Kristin Pruett, Caleb Humphreys ’23, Coach Ken Maczuga. Front row: Rosalyn Katz ’24, Lauren Yeung ’22 , Lelia Symington ’25, Simone Sabeeh ’25, Claudia Primus ’25, Charlize Szeto ’22. Not pictured: Oliver Lehmann ’24
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ANNUAL
FUND
ATHLETICS
Additional Athletic Awards Congratulations to the following teams and students for athletic honors and awards
GIRLS’ & BOYS’ CROSS COUNTRY
5/6 Girls’ White Volleyball
Division Recognition:
Quarterfinalists
Girls’ Team Third at AIA Sectionals
Coaches’ Awards: Emme Schultz ’28, Rainie Winegard ’28
Girls’ Team Fifth at AIA State Meet
7/8 Girls’ Blue Volleyball
Boys’ Team Seventh at AIA Sectionals
Quarterfinalists
Third at AIA Sectionals, Third at State Meet: Kimi Cahoon ’24
Coaches’ Awards: Luly Poole ’26, Josie Robinson ’26
Tenth at AIA Sectionals, Nineteenth at AIA State Meet: Ella Brenes ’23
Semifinalists
7/8 Girls’ Gold Volleyball
Eleventh at AIA Sectionals, Fifteenth at AIA State Meet: Jenna Powell ’24
Coaches’ Awards: Jodie Jones ’27, Evelyn Sandoval ’26
Internal School Awards:
Quarterfinalists
Coaches’ Awards: Ella Brenes ’23, Kimi Cahoon ’24, Jack Dahl ’22, Alex Geyser ’25, Sam Novak ’25, Jenna Powell ’24
Coaches’ Awards: Tara Ghafouri ’27, Ula Stratz ’27
MOUNTAIN VALLEY LEAGUE 5/6 Girls’ Blue Volleyball
7/8 Girls’ White Volleyball
5/6 Boys’ Flag Football Semifinalists Coaches’ Awards: Bennett Ashby ’29, Ben Burgess ’28
7/8 Boys’ Flag Football
Semifinalists
Champions
Coaches’ Awards: Isabel Hargreaves ’29, Logan Sheridan ’28
Coaches’ Awards: Turner Ashby ’27, Blake Huskey ’27
5/6 Girls’ Gold Volleyball
GREAT HEARTS LEAGUE
Quarterfinalists
Coed 5-8 Golf Champions
Coaches’ Awards: Ayla Conant ’28, Ava Jannenga ’29
Coaches’ Awards: Eliza Meltzer ’26, Brady Sheridan ’26
Kimi Cahoon ’24
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Jenna Powell ’24
Ella Brenes ’23
PCDS Swag Station Have you GOT PCDS SWAG?
Visit the Swag Station in the lobby of the Shepard Welcome Center or shop online by visiting the Spirit Store, under the Athletics tab, at pcds.org WINTER 2021/22 | 25
ANNUAL
FUND
STUDENT SECTION
Speech & Debate Results US team results for fall 2021
Yale University Invitational Extemporaneous Speaking Champion: McKinley Paltzik ’23 Semifinalist Programmed Oral Interpretation: Misha Ghafouri ’23
Jim Fountain Classic at McClintock High School 2nd Place Original Oratory: Devan Amin ’23 3rd Place Informative Speaking: Jiya Mutyala ’25
New York City Invitational Extemporaneous Speaking Champion: McKinley Paltzik ’23
Glenbrooks Speech & Debate Tournament Duo Interpretation Champions: Sai Vadnerkar ’22, Yash Wadwekar ’22 Quarterfinalist Extemporaneous Speaking: McKinley Paltzik ’23
University of Texas Longhorn Invitational Semifinalist United States Extemporaneous Speaking: McKinley Paltzik ’23 Quarterfinalist International Extemporaneous Speaking: McKinley Paltzik ’23
The Maverick at Desert Ridge High School 2nd Place Varsity Public Forum Debate: Sedona Korzay ’22, Sammy Marks ’22 3rd Place Varsity Public Forum Debate: Tabitha Cohen ’24, Ria Mehta ’24 2nd Place Congressional Debate: Ria Mehta ’24 3rd Place Congressional Debate: Harry Steiner ’24
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Toro Country Classic at Mountain View High School Small School Sweepstakes Champions Duo Interpretation Champions: Sai Vadnerkar ’22, Yash Wadwekar ’22 Varsity Public Forum Debate Champions: Sedona Korzay ’22, Sammy Marks ’22 Extemporaneous Speaking Champion: McKinley Paltzik ’23 Congressional Debate Champion: McKinley Paltzik ’23 2nd Place Impromptu Speaking: McKinley Paltzik ’23 3rd Place Informative Speaking: Manya Madala ’24 3rd Place Original Oratory: Devan Amin ’23
ASDCA Division I Winter Trophy 2nd Place Varsity Public Forum Debate: Sydney Cohen ’22, Halley Moran ’22 3rd Place Duo Interpretation: Bijan Atri ’24, Miranda Jarvis ’23 3rd Place Congressional Debate: Ria Mehta ’24
McKinley Paltzik ’23 McKinley Paltzik ’23 has quickly become one of the top extemporaneous speaking competitors in the country. During her freshman year, McKinley placed third at the Harvard National Tournament and finished in the top-30 at NSDA Nationals. McKinley’s sophomore year brought even more success, as she won the Yale University Invitational and was a finalist at the Glenbrooks National Tournament. She was one of only 16 high schoolers invited to attend the prestigious Montgomery Bell Academy Round Robin, where she finished in fourth place. Her second year of high school competition ended with a fourth place finish at NSDA Nationals. And, currently into her junior year, McKinley has once again received an invite to the MBA Round Robin and has automatically qualified for NSDA Nationals in June 2022. We all look forward to her continued successes. WINTER 2021/22 | 27
FACULTY NEWS AND NOTES
Practicing What We Teach: PCDS Yellott Program 2020-21 faculty research aimed at further engaging students
Ongoing learning, continuous growth, collaboration. Cycles of practice, self-reflection, and improvement. These phrases describe some of the attributes of the education that students at PCDS enjoy. But did you know that those same qualities distinguish the PCDS faculty experience as well? One of the ways that PCDS encourages its faculty to pursue ongoing growth and learning is through the Yellott program. Yellott grants are available to any full-time faculty member, alone or in collaboration with others, to undertake substantial, self-reflective projects over the summer that are related to curriculum and instruction. These projects require allotments of time, focus, and material resources beyond what teachers can devote during the school year. During the spring of the school year, teachers submit applications for Yellott funding by describing the goal of the project, the guiding questions, the method of inquiry, division of responsibilities and timeline, the plan for its implementation, and a discussion of the suggested impact of the project. These proposals are then evaluated by a committee comprising the head of school, the division heads, and the director of curriculum and instruction. Yellott funds are not granted
to faculty members if the proposed project represents the work all PCDS teachers are expected to do to keep themselves abreast of new texts or ideas in their field; rather, the committee is eager to fund those projects that go beyond surface-level modifications. Yellott projects are intended to be time-intensive deep dives into teaching practice and curriculum, and successful projects are those that have implications not only for the teacher but for the School. After a one-year break from the Yellott program at the end of the 2020 school year, PCDS faculty responded in full force last spring when the call for Yellott proposals went out. As a result, at the end of the 2021 school year, the Yellott committee approved four projects for summer funding. This year, half of the projects are collaborations among multiple faculty members. As a result, in sum, the recipients of Yellott funding represent nearly 10 percent of the PCDS teaching faculty. This is a notable and healthy metric, as it means that a substantial portion of the faculty returned to campus in August with an exceptionally high level of energy, inspiration, and engagement—all of which tends to infuse the entire teaching community with those same qualities. Here is a little bit about the projects and the faculty members working on them:
Deepening Students’ Connections to the Natural World Pete Saunders (US science) is working on a project centered on Deepening Students’ Connections to the Natural World. By cultivating community alliances and designing thoughtful project-based learning experiences, Pete is working to design a wildlife biology curriculum that helps students contribute to the conservation of their immediate environment in meaningful and impactful ways.
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Building a Foundation for Mathematics with our Youngest Learners The pre-K team of Kelli Newsome, Sasha Eden, Claire Stephens, Kelly Blackson, has chosen to focus on Building a Foundation for Mathematics with our youngest learners. In light of a significant shift in the LS math curriculum, The Pre-K team is embracing this opportunity to design a custom math curriculum that will build a stronger mathematical foundation in PCDS’s youngest students, in a fun and developmentally appropriate way, that will prepare them for the rigors of the Investigations kindergarten curriculum.
Technology Approach to Tracking Student Growth and Development Brett Girod (MS innovation & technology) is excited about his Technology Approach to Tracking Student Growth and Development. By designing an original, streamlined digital survey instrument to increase the frequency and utility of touchpoints with students in advisory (“digital high-fives”), Brett is investigating ways for adults to see, recognize, and support MS students’ full humanity and socialemotional well-being.
A Curriculum for Executive Function A multi-grade-level LS team, known as the “Executive Function Action Group”, made up of LS teachers Gina Saltonstall, Jaime Sheridan, Pam Gagner, and Maddie Williams, is focusing on a Curriculum for Executive Function. Every teacher encounters students still developing the ability to manage emotions and monitor thoughts that would allow them to work more efficiently and effectively. This project seeks to build a curriculum for executive function for our youngest learners by demystifying the concepts and language associated with executive function, and allows for teachers and students to collaborate more effectively in the development of this crucial skill set.
Yellott projects are supported through the Yellott Faculty Grant Program, funded by an endowment that honors the memory of John I. Yellott, PCDS Headmaster from 1966-72.
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FACULTY NEWS AND NOTES Last school year, US English teacher David Kaye had the privilege of competing on Jeopardy! after many years of attempting to appear on the show. Following an audition process that took place over Zoom in the summer of 2020, he received “the call” while at School in September and flew to Los Angeles in late October to tape. “Being on the set, meeting Alex, and timing the buzz-in system successfully are all unforgettable moments,” shared Mr. Kaye. In his episode, Mr. Kaye vied with a four-time champion for the lead throughout the game, but he ultimately took second place receiving $2,000. In addition to feeling incredibly lucky to have been on during Alex Trebek’s last week of episodes, Mr. Kaye is grateful to the PCDS community for all their support around his appearance. “The day my episode aired,” he said, “nearly the entire US came to the Najafi Gym, masked and socially distanced, to watch it at lunchtime with me. I couldn’t have asked for a more wildly enthusiastic audience to relive my game with.” The celebration continued six weeks later with a special “Virtual Trivia Night” that Leslie Feldman ’99 and Tiffany Pondelik ’00 organized for alumni, which David co-hosted with PCDS’s other resident Jeopardy! contestant, Lance Coon. “We watched clips of Lance’s and my shows, asked PCDSand general-knowledge trivia, and tied in a contestant faceoff,” Mr. Kaye said. “The whole experience was a definite highlight in a difficult year.”
“After twelve years of pedaling back and forth come rain, heat, or cold,” US history teacher Matt Guthrie shares, “I bought a car.”
US athletic trainer Mitchell Barnhart wrote a journal paper—“The Influence of Timing of Reporting and Clinic Presentation on Concussion Recovery Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”—which was published in Sports Medicine. For more on his paper: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33761129/
In May of 2021, MS social studies teacher Shannon Burke was invited (over Zoom) to Leiden University (in the Netherlands) to guest speak about her thesis research. “I had the opportunity to discuss the prominent appropriation of Native symbolism and iconography throughout the Southwest region. The Cultural Anthropology Department at Leiden discovered they had been using a Zuni symbol and name to represent their program for decades, which resulted in internal discussions about cultural appropriation and exchange. I was able to speak alongside Kenny Bowekaty, an advocate for the Zuni community, as they discussed new logo options for their program,” she reports.
US history teacher Justin Brooks won an Outstanding Educator Award from The University of Chicago. 30 | PCDS THE BRIDGE
Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Jenny Treadway presented at the ISAS Diversity Conference in Houston, Texas, in October. “My workshop topic was titled ‘Humans of…Using Student Voice to Promote DEIJ work.’ Participants learned about PCDS’s Humans of PCDS,” she reports. Additionally, in 2021, she attended, along with seven PCDS faculty members and five PCDS students, a virtual People of Color/Student Diversity Leadership Conference which focused on DEI work in Independent Schools.
In July 2021, MS social studies teacher Kelsey Knustson was certified as a Master Scuba Diver, the highest recreational level one can reach. In 2021, she also began a doctorate in education policy, organization, and leadership (with an emphasis on global education and diversity and equity) which led to a doctoral research position with the United Nations (the education division: UNESCO). These projects are related to global access to education and digital literacy. She’ll be working as a doctoral researcher for the UN through April 2022.
US history teacher Sean Harvey was awarded the W. Turrentine Jackson Award from the Pacific Coast Branch of the American Historical Association (which serves historians that live in states and provinces west of the Mississippi River) for his dissertation titled, “Assembly Lines: Maquiladoras, Poverty, and the Environment in the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands.” This award is given to the author of the most outstanding dissertation on any aspect of the history of the American West in the twentieth century. Mr. Harvey’s dissertation was completed at Northwestern University in the summer of 2020. Here is a link for more on his award: https:// www.pcb-aha.org/awards/jackson-dissertation-award/ dissertation-award-recipients
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS
Emily Claire Buckle was born on February 24, 2020, to LS teacher Julie Buckle and her husband, Andrew Buckle; and big brother, Charlie.
Luca Stephens Huff was born on April 8, 2020, to LS teacher Claire Stephens and facilities manager Andrew Huff; and big brother, Emerson. In this photo, Luca is at the wheel of Grandpa Paul Schweikher’s VW Bug.
MS Spanish teacher Hannah Fox and her husband, Parker, welcomed Patrick James Fox into the world on May 8, 2020.
North Eric Miller was born on March 19, 2021, to US art teacher Hallie Mueller and her husband, Nick.
WINTER 2021/22 | 31
ANNUAL
FUND
STUDENT ART
PCDS Talent and Expression
Harper Alt ’24
Grace Whalen ’23
Clay wall pockets by fifth grade artists
Zara Lalji ’32
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Avery Gates ’33
Piper Fazio ’25
Max Haerter ’28
Abby Meng ’22
WINTER 2021/22 | 33
PHILANTHROPY
PCDS
ANNUAL FUND The Annual Fund is the backbone of philanthropy at Phoenix Country Day School as it provides the resources our School needs to bridge the gap between tuition and the School’s operating costs. • Immediately supports teachers and students • 100% of faculty & staff give • Tax-deductible • Participation is a key factor in securing outside funding • Vote of confidence in PCDS!
Deadline: June 30, 2022
Facilities & Safety – 6%
Financial Aid 10%
General & Administrative 6%
Operating Expenses
GIVING IS IMPORTANT Support the 2021-2022 PCDS Annual Fund today at PCDS.ORG/GIVE
Instructional Programs – 8%
Salaries & Expenses 70%
Annual Fund– 4%
Tuition 90%
Tax Credit – 3% Non-Program Revenue – 2%
Operating Revenue
Look for the symbol to the left throughout this issue to identify PCDS Annual Fund dollars at work.
“ Supporting the Annual Fund is a great way for us to show our appreciation for how PCDS educates and enriches our daughter. Just as rewarding is knowing that in addition to our Annual Fund gift, our Arizona Tax Credit contribution plays a vital role in helping families with need make PCDS a reality for their children as well.” Michele & Mark Patterson P’26
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PCDS
TAX CREDIT
HOW IT WORKS: ARIZONA TAXPAYERS CAN DECIDE WHERE THEIR TAXES GO:
1. You contribute to PCDS through our foundation, Arizona Independent Schools Scholarship Foundation (AISSF), by April 15. The maximum amount for 2021: $2,435 (married filer) and $1,219 (single filer). 2. AISSF sends you a receipt. Hold on to it. 3. You or your accountant will use the receipt to claim your state credit.
OR
4. AISSF provides scholarships to PCDS students. STUDENTS WITH FINANCIAL NEED
ARIZONA GENERAL FUND
(THROUGH WWW.AISSF.ORG)
CORPORATE TAX CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES ALSO AVAILABLE!
DOLLAR-FOR-DOLLAR TAX CREDIT! Redirect your 2021 taxes today at AISSF.ORG Deadline April 15, 2022 for 2021 tax year
Questions about supporting PCDS? Please contact Katie Charles, Director of Annual Giving, at (602) 955-8200 x 2346 or katie.charles@pcds.org
“ As parents who both grew up attending Country Day Schools, we know how important the opportunity for an education at PCDS can be for a child—especially for those whose families may not have the means to make it happen. We were excited to learn about the Arizona Corporate Tax Credit Scholarship program and to be able to contribute to our PCDS community through our company— Spectrum Founders. This program helps fund the education of a child throughout their entire time at PCDS. In our family, we have seen—firsthand—the value of programs such as this and have seen what a difference a good education can make in a child’s life. It is so meaningful for our family to be able to contribute to this program through our company and to be part of changing a child’s life forever.” Spectrum Founders P.C. Nancy Kim, MD & Rajan Bhatt, MD P’31, ’31 Corporate Tax Credit Contribution: $500,000
WINTER 2021/22 | 35
MESSAGE FROM THE ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT Dear Fellow Eagle Alumni,
WELCOME NEW BOARD MEMBERS
This school year has been special in many ways. We are celebrating our alma mater’s 60th birthday and, with that, a return to some of our most cherished School events. We kicked the year off with a fantastic (and much-needed) virtual mindfulness program led by Beri Golding ’01. Blue & Gold Day heralded our return to in-person events with a fantastic evening of family fun, fireworks, and our always-popular Alumni Tent (which boasted record attendance this year!). We also marked the return of our beloved Alumni Holiday Party. What a night! Based on the success of our online offerings over the last couple of years, and our subsequent ability to reach people wherever they are, we are providing a mix of both in-person and virtual events. This means that we are engaging more alumni than ever before. Alumni Reunion Weekend is coming up this April, and we are thrilled to celebrate our Alumni of the Year, Athletic Hall of Fame inductees, and our many Eagles who will be celebrating their reunions. While we have missed the last two years of in-person reunions, we welcome all alumni to join us to celebrate on campus this spring. I am also proud of our Board’s Networking Committee which has been hard at work creating virtual webinars, connecting our US seniors with current college students to broach questions about college life, and facilitating connections on our online networking platform PCDS:Connect. We are also so thankful for all of the alumni who are joining our Board in honoring the School’s 60th year with generous gifts to the Alumni Scholarship Fund. We are looking at a record-breaking year for alumni giving. Remember that all gifts, no matter the size, make a huge impact in the lives of our students.
Alice Gaston Gibbons ’05 “ My years at PCDS were formative and I look forward to working with the rest of the board to support the next generation of PCDS students, both current and former, in the coming years.”
Happy 60th Birthday, PCDS. Go Eagles! Kate Pokorski ’13
Tiffany Westlie Pondelik ’00 Alumni Board, from left: Daniela Castro-Martinez ’22, Ali LeClair ’01, Stephanie Hackett ’91, Vice President Elizabeth Oviedo ’04, Secretary Sarah Wolfswinkel ’00, Kate Pokorski ’13, Alice Gibbons ’05, Revan Rottach ’97, President Tiffany Pondelik ’00, Wade Hunter ’22. Not pictured: Gilbert Armenta ’00, Tim Daley ’89, Eric Fram ’09, Colby Harris ’95, Hannah Keogh ’10
“I’m excited to reconnect with
my classmates and develop new relationships with fellow PCDS alumni. It’s a privilege to give back to the school that set me up for lifelong success.”
Revan Rottach ’97 “ It is wonderful to be back on campus to support PCDS and the Alumni Association. We look forward to planning events to bring our community together this year.”
Alumni Spring Weekend 2022 Come home to Phoenix Country Day School to celebrate and reconnect with classmates, friends, and faculty.
Reminisce and see what’s new at your alma mater!
This is YOUR reunion year! . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Friday, April 29:
Saturday, April 30:
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.: Welcome Cocktail Reception - PITCH Restaurant 5:00 p.m.: Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Celebrating: Courtney Berg '00, Christina Spetzler Chambers '95, Cliff Smith '85, Coach Paul Yardley 6:00 p.m.: Student-led Alumni Campus Tours 6:30 p.m.: The Annual Bridge-the-Gap Celebration and Reunions Including: Open Bar, Dinner Provided by the Valley’s Premier Restaurants, Music, Special Reunion Gifts, and More!
All Alumni Spring Weekend events will be held outdoors.
RSVP for all events at www.pcds.org/alumniweekend2022 2012 | 2007 | 2002 | 1997 | 1992 | 1987 | 1982 | 1977
Fall 2021 Alumni Events In the fall of 2021, the PCDS Alumni Association brought back three of our beloved in-person events: • The Blue & Gold Alumni Tent—food trucks, fireworks, carnival rides, and lots of fun for young and old alike • The Care Package Breakfast for parents of our college-age alumni (we hope the classes of 2018-2021 enjoyed their special deliveries!) • The annual Alumni Holiday Party which attracted a fun group of alumni who toasted to the holiday season on the patio of Social Tap in Old Town Scottsdale To view full event photo galleries, please visit pcds.org/alumni/engage/photo-gallery 1) Lou Werner ’87, Clarissa Robinson ’88, Steph Hackett ’91, Jason Hackett ’88, Bob Kosower, Daniel Durchslag ’89, Greg Boetel ’88, Tim Daley ’89 in the Blue & Gold Alumni Tent; 2) Kate Portanova ’96, Linda Noyes, Clarissa Robinson ’88; 3) Sidrah Khan ’14, Alexa Lewis ’14, guest; 4-6) Care Package Breakfast; 7) Tisa Tehranchi ’17, Emma Herold ’17, Jenny Treadway, Hannah Miller ’17 at the Alumni Holiday Party; 8) Young alumni enjoying the Alumni Holiday Party; 9) Carolina Lopez ’82, Nick Firestone ’84, Amy Bussema ’83; 10) Hailey Neher ’00, Tiffany Pondelik ’00, Sasha Pasulka ’00, Sarah Wolfswinkel ’00, Glen Goodman ’00; 11) Liz McGavock ’06, Grant Gehrlich, Courtney Van Cott Jorgenson ’06, Scott Griffen ’06; 12) Herman Lewkowitz ’79, Beth Foist Whitlinger ’77
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Alumni Spotlight
Bryan McLaren ’05 by Leslie Feldman ’99, Director of Alumni Relations
A
s part of Phoenix Country Day School’s commitment to sustainability (see p. 10), alumnus Bryan McLaren ’05 was brought on as a consultant to help guide the efforts of the School’s “Sustainability Squad”. Bryan holds a BA in business administration and ethics studies from the University of San Diego, a master’s degree in sustainable development from Northern Arizona University, an executive master’s degree in business leadership from Arizona State University,
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and an MBA with a specialty in sustainable development. Throughout his graduate career, McLaren devoted time to community development and philanthropic efforts earning a number of honors and awards, including Phi Kappa Phi Honors Society Membership and the Distinguished Walton Scholarship. He is certified as a Licensed REALTOR, Green Roof Professional, LEED Green Associate, and he is an active Forbes contributor as part of the Forbes Real Estate Council.
We had the opportunity to sit down with Bryan to learn more about his career and his involvement in our alma mater’s pledge to be greener. How did you get involved in helping PCDS consider its sustainability efforts? Being a “lifer” at PCDS helped me to develop a really meaningful connection with the PCDS community and its campus. As I would hope all PCDS community members would acknowledge, we hit the lottery being able to learn and grow in such an amazing environment. While at PCDS, I was fortunate enough to build an amazing relationship and friendship with one of the most important mentors in my life, Andy McKean (LS technology & design). We both share a strong passion for sustainability and the positive impacts a sustainable mindset can have on one’s community. Long after I graduated from PCDS, McKean and I had many discussions about the sustainability efforts I have been pursuing in my academic and professional career, and the ways in which those strategies could be implemented in our PCDS community. As an alum, what was your involvement with PCDS before you jumped into helping with sustainability on campus? After graduating in 2005, and while in college, I worked as a PCDS Summer Program kindergarten counselor for three summers. I also served on the PCDS Alumni Board from 2014-2017. What are some opportunities you think PCDS has that should help us reach our “green” objectives (maybe compared to larger institutions)? The amazing opportunity that PCDS has is in its resourceful and tight-knit community. As a very well-run institution, PCDS has the opportunity to build strong visions for its future and can take quick action on the required objectives to realize those goals. Any major sustainability or change effort in general requires meaningful input and participation from all of its stakeholders. In this case, we can be very grateful that PCDS has students, parents, teachers, staff, and leadership that are all willing to come to the table to contribute. What do you think are the future keys to our success as we continue to be as environmentally friendly as we can be? One of the most important factors when implementing sustainable development initiatives is to closely examine the specific topic and to ask the right questions to address that objective, while also doing our best to remove any previous bias. Sustainability initiatives typically need to balance both cultural/behavioral change along with physical/operational processes. If we truly want to achieve sustainable change, we must really examine all of the variables that contribute to a given issue and then transparently discuss how changes to a given situation can create a more sustainable and
prosperous community. Some of these issues are rather simple, while some are extremely complex. For example, a seemingly simple issue like eliminating single-use plastic waste from campus can actually have extremely complex variables. I mean, it sounds simple, right? Just stop using single-use plastics! But the reality is that this process involves both extremely complex behavior change AND extremely complex systems change: What are the different types of single-use plastics, where do there come from, and when they are used up, where do we dispose of them? The list goes on. We can absolutely achieve these types of objectives. PCDS is a brilliant community, but we must be able to openly examine the issues, ask the difficult questions, and support each other in the process. What’s the one thing you would like our readers to know about ways in which we can each do our part to combat climate change/be more environmentally friendly in our own lives? How can we each make a difference? READ, READ, READ. The most important thing each of us can do every day is read, listen, and observe as much as we can. The process of learning about the issues and the problems is so important. These are all complex systems that are constantly changing. What we know today might be different from what we may learn tomorrow. Knowledge truly is power when it comes to sustainability and suitable development. At the end of the day, this is really a systems thinking problem. How does each system work? What are the problems with the current system that are producing negative or unsustainable results? How can we make changes to those systems to make the end result better? What message would you like to leave our readers with? I believe the most important thing any of us can do in our lives is to take action to help create a better world for those that come after us. This applies to each of us during our entire life, and it also applies to each of the chapters within our life, as we enter and exit various stages and communities. I’m so excited and proud that PCDS has embraced the process and future of sustainable development, and I will use everything I know to help PCDS continue to grow sustainably for generations to come. On behalf of the entire PCDS community, thank YOU, Bryan, for helping us in this most important way. We are so grateful for your expertise, time, and talent. Stay up to date on our School’s sustainability efforts online at: https://www.pcds.org/about/2020-strategic-plan n WINTER 2021/22 | 41
Golden Circle 2022 The Phoenix Country Day School Classes of 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, and 1971 look forward to welcoming the Class of 1972 into the Golden Circle In honor of your 50th high school reunion, Head of School Andrew Rodin cordially invites you to your Golden Circle Induction Thursday, June 9, 2022 5:00 p.m. State of the School and Cocktail Reception with Head of School Andrew Rodin LON’s at The Hermosa 5532 N. Palo Cristi Road, Paradise Valley 7:30 p.m. Graduation Exercises and Golden Circle Induction PCDS Founders’ Lawn RSVP to Leslie Feldman by May 19, Leslie.Feldman@pcds.org, 602.955.8200 x2229
Class of 1972 photos; Bottom right: Golden Circle 2021
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Alumni Scholarship Fund
CELEBRATING 60 YEARS OF PCDS Support PCDS during our Alumni Challenge: $60 for 60
GIVE $60 FOR 60! Goal: 160 Alumni Donors
100% of your gift supports PCDS scholarship students
Your gift, of any amount, makes a powerful IMPACT. Thank you!
“ I am extremely grateful to everyone who helps to fund PCDS scholarships. Your generosity has enabled my twin sons to pursue a first-rate, independentschool education and to participate in life-changing, amazing opportunities that would otherwise not be afforded to them. Thank you so much for unlocking the doors that allow them to walk into futures filled with unlimited possibilities.” —Mozette Humphreys with Richard ’23 and Caleb ’23
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Here’s what some of our alumni have been up to… 1988 Nelson Ryland recently won a News and Documentary Emmy Award for Outstanding Newscast for his work at Vice News Tonight, a nightly news show produced by Vice Media Group. 2001
MS history teacher Sheila Marks has been invaluable in helping to collect Class Notes for many issues of The Bridge. In a conversation with Leslie Feldman, Director of Alumni Relations, Sheila shared why she so enjoys reaching out to alumni. Q: How many students have you taught in your time at PCDS? Ashleigh Levison is currently living in Denver, CO, while working as a vitreoretinal surgeon and uveitis specialist. In a small ceremony in April 2020, she married her husband, Tony Kaprive, a commercial airline pilot. In December 2020, they welcomed their daughter, Adalynn Harper Kaprive. TJ Blandford graduated from Furman University in 2006, and Harvard Business School in 2013. He is currently CEO of Woodbine Manufacturing Company. Before returning to Arizona a few years ago, he had lived in 10 states and explored a couple different careers, including as a high school math teacher. He now lives in Scottsdale with his wife, Nakeesia, and daughter, Sedona, and is loving every minute of raising a family in the desert where he grew up.
A: At this point, I have taught over 1,300 students at PCDS. Q: Why do you enjoy reaching out to alumni to collect Class Notes? A: I love reaching out to alums because I love to see where they are in their lives. I also love to reconnect with my former students. Q: What makes a “good” Class Note? Does it have to be something really big that has happened in someone’s life? A: A good class note can be a big event in one’s life, like a wedding, birth of a child, or a new job or it can be a small event, such as a group of alums getting together for someone’s birthday or a trip they did together. Q: How do you feel when you learn about all the things your former students are doing out in the world? A: I love learning what my former students are doing now because I love to see how much they have changed since 8th grade. I am always blown away by the paths that these alumni are on. I hope that I have had a teensy, tiny impact on their lives, just as they have had on mine. Would you like to submit a Class Note for the next issue of The Bridge? You can do so at pcds.org/alumniupdate.
We collect many Class Notes each year and cannot guarantee that all submissions will be printed. Class Notes are written in an individual’s own words.
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Josh Wright is the City Manager for the City of Chandler, AZ. He lives in Chandler with his wife, Melissa, and children, Caleb and Hannah.
Molly Dean-Chang graduated from The University of Arizona in 2004, and then she received a master’s in social work from ASU in 2009. Molly is a psychotherapist with a private practice in Phoenix. She specializes in maternal mental health, infertility, anxiety/ depression, and PTSD. Her husband, Sam Chang, is a local real estate attorney, and they have a daughter. They love spending their free time hiking, exploring nature, traveling, golfing, and hanging with friends and family. Michelle Hertzfeld reports, “After PCDS, I went to The University of Arizona for undergrad, and then Indiana University, Bloomington for graduate school. I graduated with dual degrees from both schools—East Asian studies (Mandarin) and environmental policy. After university, I worked for the U.S. Federal Government, first at NOAA and then at USGS, as a Presidential Innovation Fellow under the Obama Administration. I helped start 18f.gsa. gov, which is a federal office that fixes technical problems, builds products, and works to improve how the government serves the public through technology. Since then, I’ve mostly continued to work in the civic or mission-driven technology sector. I’ve also moved around a lot, with significant time spent in China, Indiana, Washington, D.C., and Tucson. Two years ago, I moved to Australia. I live there now in beautiful Wodonga, Victoria (Dhudhuroa/Waywurru country).
Katie Thompson is currently living in the state of Washington and loving every minute of her active lifestyle. She works in emergency medicine as a physician assistant, and she runs a small company that specializes in education and empowerment for healthcare professionals on treating survivors of interpersonal violence. “I am also a member of one of the federal disaster medical teams, which keeps me busy. Additionally, I am a masters rower and am looking forward to my first regatta this fall.” Brian Snyder writes, “After graduating from PCDS in 2001, I attended Brandeis University, where I quit the basketball team after two practices (accepting your own limitations and shortcomings is not easy and will take your inflated ego down several notches). I then spent the next four years wishing I had gone anywhere else for college (including, but not limited to, literally anywhere). I received my law degree from Chapman University—a much better experience for me. (That said, a dean has made news in the last year or so for things that would embarrass most people.) In 2008, I moved back to Scottsdale and have loved being home. I am a Partner at Snyder & Wenner, and my practice focuses on catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases caused by medical malpractice (and other personal injury matters, as well). While I am very proud of the work we do, it can be a little awkward at PCDS get-togethers, as 93.7% of PCDS graduates are now doctors. My wife, Amy, and I have been married for eight years, and we have three kids: Mia, age seven; Noah, age four; and Dylan, age one. I coach Mia and Noah’s sports teams, while Dylan
does his best to ensure I never get a full night’s sleep (and that I can never find the TV remote). I consider myself very lucky that I have been able to keep close friendships with many PCDS people—even Jeff Sand ’01.”
Ali Hicks LeClair currently lives just down the street from PCDS with her family. She has been a lawyer since 2008, and she is currently practicing family law at Jennings, Strouss, & Salmon in Phoenix. There she assists clients with a variety of family law issues, including divorce, custody, legal separation, prenuptial agreements, and mediation. She has also been a member of the PCDS Alumni Board for several years now. She and her husband, Ted, were married in 2013. Ted owns a local billboard company (LeClair Calihan) and was also the head coach of the PCDS baseball team. They have three beautiful daughters: Audrey, age 20; Charlotte, age seven; and Anabelle, age four. Her step daughter, Audrey graduated from PCDS in 2019, and she is currently a student athlete at The University of Michigan. She plays on the softball team, and they won the Big 10 Championship last year. Go Blue! WINTER 2021/22 | 45
Network with PCDS alumni around the globe at pcdsconnect.org After a detour through Austin for a PhD, Bryan Silverthorn lives in the San Francisco Bay area with his wife, Sarah. He works as CTO at Angaza, a startup co-founded with his sister Lesley ’01. Angaza has enabled home solar energy for millions of off-grid households across sub-Saharan Africa. Beri Golding discovered the magical and transformative healing power of yoga while interning on Wall Street. In the post 9/11 era, Beri found herself seeking an outlet for stress relief. As she often tells her students and clients, “Yoga sure does know how to give you a whole lot more than you bargained for.” Initially, Beri didn’t think she was a prime candidate for yoga, due to an old knee injury she endured while jumping on a trampoline with a fellow class of ’01 alum, and the fact that her type A personality knew nothing about the verb “to chill”. Nevertheless, she felt that yoga spoke directly to what her body and heart needed in the post 9/11 climate of downtown New York. Today, Beri is the owner of Be Yoga, LLC, a mobile and virtual healing “studio.” She is a polyvagal informed yoga teacher, body therapist, and “Soul Saver” focused healer and educator. She teaches classes, offers body therapy, and provides “bottom up” trauma informed healing, and she specializes in creating personalized programs for her clientele. Most recently, Beri has been preparing to launch SOLE FLOSS, a self-care device she invented and designed to help people embody a greater sense of safety, comfort, and ease in their bodies, minds, and hearts. The greatest source of inspiration for Beri is her 46 | PCDS THE BRIDGE
daughter, Rayne, who is loving life as a PCDS fourth grade Eagle. They live in Phoenix with Beri’s fiance, Franklyn (who proposed in the Hava Java parking lot), and their COVID puppy, Duchess, a cockapoo. 2002
love of coding, she started work as a software engineer for a private GovTech company in New York in 2019, and in June 2021, relocated to Sydney, Australia, to work on a large project for them. She anticipates being in Australia for a year or two before returning to Brooklyn. Nataliya Biskup is a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, with fellowship training in pediatric and craniofacial surgery. She is currently in private practice in Wichita, KS, where she also heads the Cleft and Craniofacial Clinic. She is married and has three rambunctious children who keep her just as busy at home as she is at work. 2003
Laura Neller Lanigan lives in Houston, TX. She is married to Kyle Lanigan, an insurance executive, and they have a son, Willie, age three. In 2020, Laura launched a consulting business focused on fundraising and development work. Prior to consulting, she served for 11 years as director of alumni affairs for The Browning School in NYC. She is a graduate of Washington & Lee University. Laura sends her best to all at PCDS and looks forward to celebrating the Class of 2002’s upcoming 20th reunion. Sophie Nye graduated from Grinnell College in 2006. In 2009, she moved to Brooklyn, NY, and for several years worked alternately in travel and education administration, earning a master’s degree in international education from NYU in 2014. Belatedly discovering a
Simi Dhillon is a practicing primary care physician with HonorHealth Medical Group in Phoenix. At the time of submission, she and her husband, Mandeep, were expecting their first child due in December 2021. 2004 Bryan McLaren shares, “After nearly a decade working on sustainable development and real estate in the regulated cannabis industry, I’ve made it my career mission to help integrate legacy cannabis markets into modern communities through our real estate development firm, Zoned Properties, Inc. I am so grateful to be surrounded by such an amazing team of passionate individuals working to make a meaningful difference in our communities and to have such a wonderful family of my own here in Scottsdale.”
2007
Becky Repko Leon resides in Pittsburgh, PA, with her husband, John. They celebrated nine years of marriage in December. They have two daughters, Parker Rae, age four; and Charlie Mae, age one. John is in management for Cintas Corporation. Becky is enjoying being a stay-at-home mom. They live on Neville Island and spent the last summer boating on the Ohio River. Within the year, they plan to take their girls on their first trip to Disney World.
Asher Landay is a producer on the new NBC series LA BREA. When a massive sinkhole mysteriously opens up in Los Angeles, a family is separated after a mother and her son fall into the sinkhole and find themselves in a mysterious primeval world alongside a disparate group of strangers. Asher helped shepherd the project from its initial development all the way through its production in Melbourne, Australia. He’s hopeful for a season two renewal. Asher still lives in Los Angeles with his goldendoodle, Chip, age two; who often has puppy playdates with Lizzie Thompson’s ’07 dog, Truman!
2005
Kelly Minkin received a degree in molecular and cellular biology from The University of Arizona and then went on to earn a law degree. She has been a local attorney for the past seven years and is currently a partner at The VerStandig Law Firm. Kelly is also a professional poker player and happens to be the top-ranked female poker player on Arizona’s All Time Money List! Kelly resides in Scottsdale with her partner, Landen, and their son, Izaia.
Blake Lewkowitz reports, “My wife, Victoria, and I welcomed our second child, Rory Tancer Lewkowitz, on March 4, 2021. Rory was named after my grandfather, Robert Tancer, and has already provided us with so much joy and excitement. Quinn is loving being a big sister and can’t wait to show off her new best friend, when we can safely do so.” Ben Shanken is the VP of Growth at Discord. He and his fiancee, Veronica, as well as their corgi, Louie Cheesecake, split time between San Diego and San Francisco. Ben and Veronica plan to marry next year in Sonoma, CA. Michael Crane lives in downtown Phoenix with his partner, Ash, and cat, Bananas. He is a practicing family law
attorney at a small firm in Phoenix. When he is not working, he, Ash, and Bananas like to sit on the couch and watch Star Trek reruns while eating popcorn. (Homestyle Butter from Pop Secret is their typical go-to.) Michael keeps in touch with his old PCDS classmates by losing to them at Fantasy Football. 2008 Ilian Valev graduated from ASU with a degree in finance. After working as an accountant and financial analyst for Honeywell Aerospace, he returned to ASU and graduated (2018) with a law degree. Following a one-year clerkship with the Arizona Court of Appeals, Ilian obtained a job as a commercial finance lawyer for Snell & Wilmer (a large business law firm in Phoenix), where he has been for more than two years. As a commercial finance lawyer, he represents lenders in commercial lending transactions. “When I’m not working,” shares Ilian, “I like to go hiking, play tennis and pickleball, and spend time with my dog, Homeboy. Another fun PCDS fact is that Schulyer Humes ’08 and I are still great friends, and we have been roommates for more than five years now.” After being admitted to the California Bar, Caroline Lynn opened her own boutique/solo practice while simultaneously stepping into the role of inhouse counsel for LGO Hospitality. In her free time, and as much as possible, she continues to pursue her lifelong passion of equestrian show jumping. 2009 Anne Faber-Inkpen was working as a chief of staff before taking a sabbatical in 2020. She founded an e-commerce start-up that provides at-home baking kits. She lives in Munich, Germany, with her husband, Nick, and cat, Fritz.
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Are you following the PCDS Alumni Instagram page? https://www.instagram.com/pcds_alumni/
In spring of 2020, Matt Rosenzweig defended his dissertation on the mathematics of quantum many-body systems and subsequently began a postdoctoral position at MIT as a CLE Moore Instructor and Associate of the Simons Collaboration on Wave Turbulence. He spent the fall semester in residence at The Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics (ICERM), located at Brown University. Matt shares that when the first snowstorm hits New England, he’ll wonder why he ever left Arizona. Alex Beller recently moved to Denver after many years in LA. In 2018, he cofounded Postscript, a software business that went through Y Combinator and now employs over 200 people working remotely across North America. In 2021, in a happy twist of fate, Elliot Ginsburg ’09 joined Postscript, as Head of Legal. (Shoutout to Mrs. Mazzolini for seating Elliot and Alex next to each other during senior year calculus.) Time not spent working is time spent snowboarding or cheering on the Phoenix Suns from afar. 2010 Diana Schron is finishing up her third and last year of residency at UCSF orthodontics. She has enjoyed living in San Francisco these last few years and was especially fortunate during the pandemic to have two amazing PCDS alum roommates, Emily Schron ’13 and Austin Ingersoll ’10. Early on in the pandemic, Ted (Diana’s fiancé) moved 48 | PCDS THE BRIDGE
from NYC to SF, and they found an apartment just down the street from Emily and Austin—which made it ideal for the quarantine pod to get together. Diana and Ted are planning to wed in Phoenix in November 2022, and they plan to remain in the Bay Area for work for the next year or two. Sophie LaBelle recently completed her master’s thesis on the evolution of baboons and their closest relatives. She is happily living in Illinois with her husband, two poodles, and new daughter, Lucy LaBelle Kryder. Geri Hormel reports, “In 2013, I founded Almost There: A Mom + Pups Rescue (ATR), an organization specializing in saving the lives of mama dogs and their pups. In December of 2020, I moved ATR into a brand new, stateof-the-art facility built specifically with the nonprofit’s mission in mind. This new facility houses 19 ’Mutternity Suites’ and large indoor play yards for the dogs to get exercise year round. Since reopening in January 2021, ATR has placed over 380 pets in loving forever homes. Almost There Rescue is actively looking for donations, volunteers, fosters, and adopters. They also offer puppy parties for a donation. To learn more, check out the website at, www.almostthererescue.org. My significant other, Hunter Rodgers, and I like to spend our spare time fostering pups, traveling, drinking good wine, and tending to our 50(ish) chickens, four goats, Daisy the duck, Lucy the goosey, and mastiff puppy, Ham.”
Madison Boyle reports, “After six wonderful years in Wisconsin, GE Healthcare allowed me to migrate west to Irvine, CA. While in Irvine, I have taken on a commercial finance leader role, where I partner with our sales team and customers across the Rocky Mountain and Southern California markets to ensure that we can improve lives in moments that matter. This relocation has also allowed me to reconnect on a regular basis with fellow PCDS alums, Danielle Dozer ’10, and my brother, Dean Boyle ’15. In 2021, Danielle and I were able to catch a Phoenix Suns game at the Staples Center while the Suns were on their journey to the finals. Go Suns!” 2011 Rachel Epstein lives in Brooklyn, NY. She works in the music industry for The Bowery Presents and books concerts all over the East Coast. She writes, “After the obvious year+ COVID hiatus, it feels wonderful to see the return of live music events in a way that feels safe for everyone.”
In May of 2020, Kathie Zhang received her medical degree (with distinctions in community service, bilingual medical Spanish, and rural health) from The University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson. In July 2020, she started an internal medicine residency at The University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics. She is currently still undecided about whether to remain a general internist or to further sub-specialize (likely in nephrology).
After graduating from Southern Methodist University in 2015, Andrew Fennessy moved back to Arizona, and met his wife, Kenndra, in Old Town Scottsdale. They married on March 6, 2021, at Austin Country Club in Austin, Texas. Andrew’s best man was Ivaylo Bahtchevanov ’11. Andrew currently manages a sales team for a data privacy company in the Bay Area and plans to move his family to Southern California in 2022. After working at the Department of Homeland Security for the past two years, Ashley Sylvester is now an External Affairs Specialist for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency in Arlington, VA. Ashley also got engaged to Sutton Truluck on July 4, 2021, and their wedding is set for the fall of 2022. She looks forward to celebrating with her PCDS friends and wants all to know that Katy Rector Stieg ’11 is her wedding planner.
Lauren Sheffield graduated from Fordham University in 2015, and she lived in New York City after graduation. She began her career as a digital editor at Harper’s BAZAAR and continued working there until 2019. She is now living in Austin, Texas, doing marketing and has recently started her own business, a skincare company called Restorva.
Keep up to date with alumni happenings on the Phoenix Country Day School Alumni Facebook page: www.facebook.com/PhoenixCountryDaySchoolAlumni
In 2015, Lindsay Merhege Leonardi graduated from College of Charleston and joined the events industry as a luxury wedding and event planner. She currently plans and designs luxury weddings and corporate events for some of the world’s most successful companies here in the U.S. Lindsay hopes to soon expand internationally. She currently lives in Raleigh, NC, with her husband, Brian and sweet pup, Charlie. 2012 In 2016, Claire Schollaert graduated from Bowdoin College with a BA in biology and anthropology. She then worked as a research assistant at Boston University and completed her MPH there part-time. In 2019, Claire relocated to Seattle to pursue a doctorate in environmental health at the University of Washington. There she studies wildfire smoke impacts on air quality and health across the Pacific Northwest. WINTER 2021/22 | 49
future, I will relocate to Hawaii or an Asian country (preferably the Philippines or Thailand), where I hope to do my part in combating child trafficking. In the meantime, I would love to catch up and reconnect with all those in Arizona. I also just recently reunited with PCDS alum, Alex Juneja ’11. It was amazing to reminisce about our PCDS and Tesseract days!”
On a day between one and three years ago, which may or may not have had weather similar to today, the birds were either singing or eerily silent as James Hobin ’12 and Danielle Marquis ’11 walked to Cambridge City Hall. What exactly transpired that day is known only to them (and at least two other people), but it is rumored that they now pay lower taxes and share health insurance. For more details about this curious affair (or lack thereof), please whisper a secret to your local raven. After graduating from high school in Eureka, MT, Kaela Ho came back to Arizona for college. While she was a student at Grand Canyon University, she found her Asian and Hawaiian pride through GCU’s PASA (Philippine American Student Association) and GCU’s Hui Aloha clubs. She shares, “In college I also went on several antitrafficking mission trips to Thailand and Cambodia with Destiny Rescue. That’s where I found my love for Asia (and also had my first and only ghost encounter) and my passion to end human trafficking. I am still living in Arizona and am very passionate and vocal about StopAsianHate, antitrafficking awareness, my AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) pride, and abortion rights. Hopefully, in the near 50 | PCDS THE BRIDGE
Devra Hock is currently completing her doctorate in earth sciences and paleontology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Devra is researching the relationship between mammalian traits and the environment and is building a model to apply to fossil sites based on the proportion of mammalian traits in regional biomes. She started this work during her thesis for her master’s (also in earth sciences and paleontology) which she completed at UNL in 2018. This followed her graduation (magna cum laude) from Montana State University in 2015. During her time at MSU, Devra contributed to department research on dinosaur eggshells, participating in an NSF international research group in Hangzhou, China. Since being at UNL, Devra and her advisor have done numerous field work trips to Wyoming. There they collaborate with two research groups from New York to study the evolution of primates in North America. More recently in 2019 and 2017, Devra presented some of her graduate research at the annual paleontology conference in Brisbane, Australia, and Calgary, Canada. Devra is also working in informal science learning in natural history museums and is part of an international research group, which last met in person in Israel in 2019.
And, she is contributing an essay to a book on informal learning set to publish in 2023. Devra is also heavily involved with the Association for Women Geoscientists—having served on its international board since 2019—in a variety of positions but currently acting as the communications coordinator on the executive committee. She was just presented with an award from the association’s president for her work on improving the communication of the association, particularly with social media. Outside of her research, Devra performs with and teaches at an aerial studio in Lincoln, NE, and spends her (very limited) free time with her fiance and two cats. 2013 Jackson Murphy is now a lieutenant in the Navy and serves as a supply officer. For the past two and a half years, he was assigned to the USS Cheyenne, a fast attack submarine stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He was in charge of 10 sailors and responsible for all the logistics and food service operations onboard the submarine. During his tour, he spent 394 days at sea, sailed over 70,000 nautical miles, and visited Guam and Japan. Toward the end of his tour, he sailed with the Cheyenne from Hawaii to Connecticut, in preparation for the submarine to head to an engineered refueling overhaul in the shipyard. In September, he left the submarine and moved with his wife and dog to Bremerton, WA, where he is currently stationed at the Fleet Logistics Center and will become certified in acquisitions and contracting.
We have PCDS Alumni gear for sale! Email alumni@pcds.org to order hooded sweatshirts, tank tops, or hats!
2014 Avery Racine is currently an Area Manager for Central Operations at Amazon. Avery shares, “I work with the code team, and we handle many different processes that ensure that the fulfillment centers and other businesses are able to run smoothly. I graduated from ASU, where I made the Dean’s List multiple times. I have also lived in the Bay Area doing software sales. I still spend time doing volunteer work, and during the last few years, I have worked closely with Phoenix Rising For Haiti.” Nikhita Sachdeva shared, “I am currently finishing up my third year of medical school in New Jersey. COVID has really affected our day-to-day lives and having to experience patient care in the epicenter of it all has been life-changing. My family and I have also started an organization called Wholesome Living and have been gathering supplies for Afghan refugees. Life has been pretty busy, but I wouldn’t change a thing about it!” 2015 Steven Bolden reports, “In 2019, I graduated from Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA. After graduation, I accepted a full-time offer from Accenture Consulting to be a data analyst in the strategy practice of the firm. I’ve been there now for two years. I spend most of my free time taking dance classes as well as recording episodes of my podcast ’Candidly Cultured in Corporate America’ with my friend and coworker, Shan.” PJ Noghrechi shares, “Hey everyone! Since graduation, I completed my undergraduate degree and master’s in healthcare management at The University of Arizona. While completing my degrees, I served as a research
assistant at the Center for Management Innovations in Healthcare and was a TA for the MBA/MHM programs at the Eller College of Management. After spending a handful of years down in Tucson, it was time for me to move on to the next chapter in my life. I am currently a first-year doctoral student at The Ohio State University, specializing in health services management & policy (HSMP) through their College of Public Health. I’m stoked to be in a program that allows me to combine all of my academic/professional interests into a specialized degree. It’s definitely been a wild ride to enter this field during the ongoing public health crisis, but I’m excited to see where this journey will take me!” Bond McGillivray reports, “After I graduated from PCDS, I started down a neurobiology path (basically a biology degree with specialized training and a concentration in neuroscience) at the University of Richmond in Virginia. The research I am most proud of working on relates to diagnosing novel markers of genetic neurodegenerative diseases. Specifically, our principal question was whether genetic markers of fruit fly optical lobe degeneration could be used as a model for detecting Huntington’s Disease susceptibility in human fetuses. My job as an ultramicrotome technician was to slice in half these fruit fly optical lobes and study them for protein (ommatidia) degeneration. Through college, I also found myself very interested in human systems and geopolitics. My professor, Dr. David Salisbury, invited me and a select group of students to venture to Chile to perform novel data research and to run a pilot program test for the United Nations Climate Change Conference. Here we presented our climate-change-related-findings at the inaugural Climate Change Atlas of the Americas in Santiago, Chile.
Since graduating from the University of Richmond and landing straight into an unprecedented pandemic, I have taken a bit of a break from academia and moved to Boulder, CO, with my girlfriend, Elise, where I have been amateurishly exploring the world of electronic music production, audio engineering, and audio/visual technology. A little Rocky Mountain hiking and snowboarding here-and-there doesn’t hurt either. I hope to soon begin a master’s track in astrobiology at CU Boulder in order to jumpstart a career in the burgeoning field of astrobiology. I see this as an exciting path to marry my interests and experience in biology with my wonder for space exploration and the destiny of humanity.” 2016 Jessica Sherman attended ASU, where she became a Grand Challenge Scholar with a concentration in sustainability through the National Academy of Engineering. While at ASU, she completed an internship at Arizona Public Service, focusing on electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Her senior capstone project was an ASUled NASA research project which focused on their upcoming Psyche’s Hall thruster plume simulations (launch date in August 2022). She graduated from Barrett, The Honors College at ASU and the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering with a bachelor’s degree in enterprise informatics and a minor in business. Since then, she has been working as a Creative Digital Marketing Specialist at Honeywell Aerospace in Phoenix. Jessica reports that she has the best job. In the mornings, she works on marketing analytics, and for the rest of the day, she travels with the flight crew to document exciting new product testing and developments. WINTER 2021/22 | 51
Elle Miraglia graduated from UCLA in March 2020, just a week or so after the announcement that in-person classes would be fully online due the pandemic. She left Westwood with a bachelor’s in communication studies and a self-proclaimed concentration in business/real estate from all the elective classes she took while there. Upon moving home to Phoenix, Elle interned for a private equity group based in El Segundo, specializing in hotel to multifamily asset conversions. A few months later, she received a fulltime job offer at Jones Lang LaSalle. Elle is currently a multifamily/hotel Debt and Equity Analyst, assisting brokers with financing transactions and equity raises. She currently lives in Scottsdale, plays pickleball as much as possible, and hangs out with her pups, friends, and family in her free time. After graduating from PCDS, Jiahao Jiang attended Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, a well-known hospitality school in Switzerland. Jiahao reports that the school encourages students to gain professional experience before graduation. Therefore, during the past few years, Jiahao has worked with a luxury hotel in Thailand, a French NGO in Cambodia, and an American PR firm in China. These internships led him to a passion for marketing. Currently, Jiahao is pursuing a master’s degree in marketing at ESSEC Business School, Asia-Pacific, and is aiming to build a career in the marketing field in Singapore. During Jiahao’s free time along journeys to some lesser-known destinations in Southeast Asia and Europe, he vividly recalled (several times) what PCDS teachers used to say in
his classes. It was during one of those moments when he had the realization that a PCDS education has not only “allowed me to excel academically and professionally but also, and more importantly, nurtured mindfulness and a growth mindset in me.” Af ter graduating from Southern Methodist University and receiving his degree in business administration and finance, Matt Rosenthal currently works for AT&T in Dallas. He works in the sports & entertainment vertical assisting professional sports teams with their stadium and front office technology. Natalie Prieb reports, “After graduating from George Washington University in May 2020, with a degree in English and creative writing, I was lucky enough to get a yearlong position as a News Assistant at The New York Times. Even though the job was completely remote due to COVID, I learned so much and had the opportunity to work with some of the best journalists and editors in the industry. This past June, I moved back to the DC area and got a job as a social media curator at The Hill. I’m thrilled to be back in our nation’s capital and am sure that 2022 will be no less crazy a time in political journalism!” In 2020, Jake Bain graduated from Claremont McKenna with a MA in finance and a BS in economics. He moved to NYC over a year ago and currently works on various hotel transactions across the globe through his work on the Lodging Capital Markets team at Newmark.
After graduating from PCDS, Sam Garvin attended Claremont McKenna College where he played basketball for two years and received an MA in finance. Sam reports that CMC was one of the best experiences of his life (even though the last semester was remote due to COVID). While there, he met many of his best friends and also had the opportunity to maintain friendships with other PCDS alumni. Since graduating from CMC in 2020, Sam has been working remotely for Apple in corporate finance and business management roles as part of a rotational program. He has reportedly bounced around between Phoenix, San Diego, and Los Angeles, and he has done some traveling too. More recently, he has moved to San Francisco full-time to—he hopes—continue working in-person (rather than virtual) at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino. After graduating from Carleton College and receiving a degree in economics, Yash Muley now works for MidCap Financial in Los Angeles. Yash is currently working as an analyst for the Financial Sponsors and Leveraged Finance Group at Midcap, where he provides senior debt solutions to middle-market companies across all industries. Nicole Thumma is finishing her master’s degree in engineering at MIT with the Marine Robotics Group. This spring, she will remain in Cambridge, MA, and will start work as a software engineer at Pickle Robot Company. Since leaving PCDS, she has continued her involvement in technical theatre and has developed a passion for needlework and beaded art.
Join hundreds of fellow alumni on the Alumni Scholarship Fund honor roll at pcds.org/giveback 52 | PCDS THE BRIDGE
After leaving PCDS, Freya Irani attended the Berlin University of the Arts where she received a bachelor’s degree in music. She now lives in the Milwaukee area and is currently a traveling music teacher in the Milwaukee Public Schools. She teaches violin, viola, cello, and piano and is a substitute violist with professional orchestras in that area. Freya tells us that music is a universal language. “Being involved in musical communities has brought so much joy to my life. And, it allows young people to express themselves, make close friends, and to form lasting connections. Learning music at a young age provides kids with experiences they will never forget. It also teaches vital life skills such as selfdiscipline, collaboration, and dedication. I am grateful to be in such a position in my field—to be inspiring and to connect with others every day,” shares Freya. After graduating from PCDS in 2016, Jamie Cohen attended Duke University and was able to continue sporting royal blue as she transitioned from an Eagle to a Blue Devil. While at Duke, Jamie completed a major in public policy and minors in both markets & management and policy journalism. During college, she interned at CBS News and at the public affairs consultancy APCO Worldwide. She also played goalkeeper on Duke’s Women’s Club Soccer team, served as a section editor for the main university newspaper, studied abroad in Switzerland, and was an active member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. After graduating from Duke in May 2020, and leaving the Gothic campus behind, Jamie moved to Washington, D.C., where she now works for a strategic advisory firm called The Brunswick Group. She helps to advise clients in the healthcare sector on a range of critical issues. During the weeknights, Jamie teaches yoga at CorePower Yoga
and can frequently be found running around the monuments, trying new restaurants with friends, and exploring D.C.’s fun neighborhoods.
TV watching and reading, and exercises. He reports that he spent a great deal of 2020 working on a book about AI, ethics, and society—a book that he is now in the process of publishing. He is currently living in Mountain View, CA, and is working in Palo Alto. In May 2020, Mala Bansal graduated from Duke University with a bachelor’s in public policy and a certificate in science and society. She has since moved to Boston to work as an associate at EY-Parthenon, a strategy consulting firm.
Erica Samota attended California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. She studied biology and then worked in healthcare in Los Angeles. After deciding healthcare was not for her, she enrolled in USC’s master’s program in school counseling with the hopes of becoming an elementary school counselor to help students with their social-emotional skills and academic successes . “Throughout my K-12 schooling, my teachers had a huge impact on my life. As a counselor, I hope to provide a safe space and be encouraging to students, just like my teachers did for me. I recently got married to my college sweetheart, and after finishing my master’s degree, we hope to move towards the East Coast!” After graduating from PCDS, Daniel Bashir attended Harvey Mudd College. He studied computer science and mathematics, with minors/concentrations in economics and philosophy. He is now working at an AI chip startup as a machine learning engineer. In his spare time, Daniel writes newsletters and pieces for Skynet Today, edits for The Gradient, manages to do plenty of
In spring of 2020, Jason Greenfield graduated from Amherst College. While there, he studied computer and political science. After graduating, he began working as a data scientist at a cyber threat intelligence company in Boston called Recorded Future. “It’s been a really fascinating experience to work on a team that infiltrates criminal websites on the dark web to gather intelligence that helps our clients protect their organizations, and I’ve even picked up a little Russian on the side. While work has been a great learning experience, I intend to apply to graduate school in the near future and plan to study the intersection between humor and political extremism in digital communities. I will always be grateful for the foundation that PCDS has provided and hope to return to the Eagle’s Nest soon!” WINTER 2021/22 | 53
2017 Wally Brown shared, “I recently graduated from Menlo College with a double major in business management and entrepreneurship. I moved back to Scottsdale and am currently enrolled in classes to obtain my real estate license—since commercial real estate is part of my family business. Upon completion of my real estate license, I plan to begin studying for the LSAT.” In the spring of 2021, Annalise Bracher graduated from Duke University with a bachelor’s in cell and molecular biology, minors in music and chemistry, and a “graduation with distinction thesis” in neurodevelopmental genetics. She is currently taking a gap year while applying to medical school. During this time, she plans to complete a biomedical research fellowship with Underdog Pharmaceuticals at the SENS Research Foundation in Mountain View, CA. She has also joined a community orchestra with plans to keep up with the violin. In May of 2021, Miles Kohler graduated from Hofstra University with a bachelor’s in history and political science. After spending the pandemic in Phoenix and California while finishing up his senior year in college, he then moved to Seattle, where he currently lives with his partner and their German shepherd, Nova. In May 2021, Austin Merkel graduated from Texas Christian University with a bachelor’s in political science and in French. He recently moved to Austin, TX, where he is pursuing a master’s in global policy studies at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas. He reports that he is passionate about world travel and global cooperation, and with his master’s degree, his hope is to start his career and make a difference in the field of international affairs and diplomacy. 54 | PCDS THE BRIDGE
Janae Lewis reports, “Life has been wonderful since high school—between attending university, studying abroad in Taiwan, continuing my volunteer work, and more. In May 2021, I graduated from ASU and am now working as a software engineer in Tempe.” Aspen Pierson moved to Massachusetts after her eighth grade year at PCDS. She attended high school at The Rivers School. While there, she played on and captained both the varsity women’s soccer team and the varsity Nordic ski team. She is currently in her last semester at Williams College in Western Massachusetts. While at Williams, she has played for and captained the varsity women’s soccer team. Her team has won two NCAA DIII National Championships. Aspen took the fall of 2020 off so that she could return and play for her final season which was this past fall. Outside of soccer, she is a chemistry and pre-med major. Currently, she is writing an honors chemistry research thesis that focuses on natural plasmid DNA transformation. She is also the head of the sustainability committee on SAAC, a student athlete committee, and she has reportedly “absolutely loved” her time at Williams College. Soon after graduating from Williams, she plans to travel to Guatemala for six months to study Spanish and learn about the immigration and health care system there. After that, the plan is to begin applying to medical schools. Madison Bradford graduated from PCDS after eighth grade. For high school, she attended Phillips Academy Andover in Boston, MA. This past May, Madison graduated from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, CA, with degrees in accounting and finance and a minor in economics. She currently works for Deloitte in LA, and
she recently passed all four sections of the CPA exam. “I am so thankful for all the years I spent at PCDS, and I would not be where I am today without the quality education I received while there.” Gillian Barfield is currently living in Nashville, TN, where she is pursuing an accelerated bachelor’s degree in Nursing. In May 2020, she completed her undergraduate degree in human physiology at Gonzaga University, where she was also a member of the women’s varsity basketball team. She definitely misses competing on the court, but she is very excited about her current adventure—while enjoying all the country music and good food along the way. After she graduates in December of 2022, Gillian plans to move back to the West Coast to pursue a career in nursing, specifically in a newborn intensive care unit (NICU), while she works on her goal of becoming a nurse practitioner. In May 2021, Mallory Klinger graduated from The University of Arizona with majors in neuroscience and cognitive science and with an emphasis on cognition. Since September 2021, she has been working on her master’s in applied psychology at USC while also working full-time in the B2B Sales Development Program for AT&T Business. In November, she will be placed in a fiber territories sales executive role at AT&T in Dallas. Sam Lett graduated cum laude from the University of Southern California with a bachelor’s in business administration and a minor in Spanish. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in accounting with a concentration in data analytics from the University of Notre Dame. His plan is to graduate in May of 2022, and to begin work in the fall.
Alexandra Grounds attended PCDS from pre-K through eighth grade. For high school, she attended Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. She currently attends Columbia University in NYC and works as a professional artist. She specializes in large scale portraiture, with oil paint being her primary medium. Her portraits, often depicting classic iconic females and peers, aim to rework the patriarchy towards equality and female selfrepresentation. As a young woman in our social and political landscape, the discussion of objectification, oversexualization, and inequality has driven some of her most well-known pieces. Her painting is her form of resistance, of activism, and of empowerment— while embracing her own female sexuality. She currently has work displayed at the World Trade Center, the Castello di Ugento in Italy, as well as at exhibitions in multiple galleries nationally. Recently, Alexandra has made her debut as a designer and has introduced her artistry into a new medium. Her paintings now serve as the DNA and inspiration to the designs of her luxury clothing brand: HOUX Art-Á-Porter, which she launched in November 2021. Divya Agarwal majored in computer science and applied economics at Cornell University. Since graduating from Cornell, she has been working as a product manager at Blackstone, an alternative asset management firm
in NYC. She sits at the intersection of business and technology, where she is able to leverage her engineering background in the financial industry. Divya shares, “It has been a great experience working in such a fast-paced environment and handling complex problems on a day-to-day basis. Outside of work, I participate in two non-profits: Room to Read, an association focused on improving children’s literacy globally; and The Kota Alliance, an umbrella organization elevating collaboration amongst women-led start-ups, NGOs, and enterprises. All in all, my drive for innovation at work and my passion for social impact truly all started with a great foundation that was built at PCDS.” Following her time at PCDS, Georgi Pregulman Fish continued her education and passion for basketball through high school. After graduation from high school, she “took two years to find myself” and then enrolled at the W.P. Carey School of Business at ASU. Currently, Georgi is a college student with two beautiful boys, a loving husband, and a life-changing job. I never
expected to be where I am today; all I did was follow my heart and my truth and learned to love myself. Brittanie Underwood graduated from ASU and plans to work part-time focusing on either clinical or school psychology. Her plan is to pursue a master’s in psychology at Liberty University beginning in the fall of 2022. Outside of her academic and professional worlds, Brittanie reports that she plays the drums, piano, and practices a few other art forms. 2018 Madison Stringer is currently a senior at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in biochemistry and biophysics, minoring in mathematics, and submatriculating to also receive her master’s in chemistry this year. She is researching next generation contrast agents in the Dmochowski laboratory on campus, and she is currently applying to graduate school to pursue a PhD in chemistry to study intrinsically disordered proteins and their role in neurodegenerative disorders.
Rhea Tuli ’18, Sophia Casten ’18, and Jillian Gilburne ’16 met up in Washington, D.C., with their former PCDS Speech & Debate coach, Michelle Hill. Jillian is a Design Strategist at Booz Allen Hamilton. Sophia is currently working in the office of Senator Amy Klobuchar. Rhea is currently interning at a film production company. In May 2022, Sophia will graduate from Smith College and Rhea will graduate from American University. WINTER 2021/22 | 55
In May 2022, Kylie Fisher will be graduating from Northern Arizona University with a degree in Archaeology. She has been working on developing curriculum for study abroad programs in Chile. 2019 Julia Hekimian is currently a host for Alternative Nation on 88.7FM WRHU Radio Hofstra University, a three-time Marconi award-winning station. Kaleab Afework is studying cell biology and genetics at Rice University. He has been engaged in u ndergraduate research on cancer development and metabolism at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center where he is analyzing behavioral responses to environmental traps in drosophila fly model. Kaleab is also spending his time volunteering at Houston Methodist Hospital and planning events for other juniors in hisresidential college. 2021 Claire Linos recently completed her first semester of college at Case Western Reserve University in their direct admission nursing program. While there, she has been able to care for patients at University Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, as well as gain amazing skills in the nursing lab each week. S h e als o wo r k s fo r th e C as e a n d Cleveland Clinic as a lab assistant at their Health Education Campus. Jaxon Gonzales is currently pursuing a business degree while in his first year at Seattle University. He is committed to swimming for his school (as a Division I athlete) and is super excited to see how his first swim season and the next three years there will play out— both academically and athletically.
56 | PCDS THE BRIDGE
In January, a virtual panel of young alumni Zoomed into an US senior class meeting from their respective universities. They answered lots of questions posed by the seniors—from the PCDS-to-college transition, to campus life during the pandemic, to things they wish they had done as second semester PCDS seniors. Special thanks to Jake Rodin ’19, Michael Rosenthal ’19, Willo Wass ’20 and Simone Rawicz ’21 for their time.
Do you have news to share? We are always excited to hear from you. Send details about a graduation, a new job, a birth, engagement, or marriage announcement, a recent trip, a new hobby, or a visit with another alumnus/a (and email accompanying photos) to alumni@pcds.org. We look forward to learning what you have been up to!
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The original Burch Hall spire remains a focal point of campus today, just as it was in the 1960s.
