Alumni Creators

alumni alumni creators creators

Actor, producer, and writer, Alexander Klebanoff ’01 executively produced and starred in crime thriller The Decipio, a film about an undercover agent who becomes unhinged as he discovers that things aren’t exactly as they seem. Recently released, the film will be distributed to prominent film festivals.

The Bridge by Bill Konigsberg ’89 will be adapted into an Amazon limited series with Bill serving as an executive producer. This story of two teenagers, strangers to one another who are set on jumping from the same bridge at the same time, explores the intersection of lives, perspectives, and possibilities. In Balanchine’s Classroom, a film by Connie Rosenberg Hochman ’72, is slated for release in September 2021, starting with an exclusive engagement at the Film Forum in NYC. The film chronicles dancers of legendary choreographer George Balanchine during the 1960s and 1970s, set against their present-day efforts to keep his legacy alive. Featuring neverbefore-seen archival footage of Balanchine at work during rehearsals and classes, this film captures interviews with his adored and adoring dancers.

Wes Moore ’96 is teaming up with Stephen Curry and Unanimous Media’s Pathways Alliance to produce the feature film adaptation of Wes’s bestseller, The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates. Based on a true story told through alternating narratives, this authentic and compelling book explores the lives of boys trying to find their way in a hostile word.

Solange Rizon ‘18 starred in Gaggle - The Voices and Stories of Chinese International Students in the U.S, a new virtual documentary theatre play, created by Xiaojin Niu and Qian Wu and produced by Emily Schorr Lesnick ’07. The cast of Gaggle joined Riverdale for a special performance for Upper School students in April 2021.

alumni alumni creators creators

Josh Appelbaum ’91 acted as producer on Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse starring Michael B. Jordan and Jodie Turner-Smith, digitally released in April 2021 on Amazon Prime. Based on Clancy’s 1993 novel of the same name, this action thriller tells the story of a Navy SEAL set on avenging his wife’s murder before finding himself in the throes of a much larger conspiracy.

Following the success of the first four editions, Scott Snyder ’94 released the fifth installment of his graphic novel, Nocterra, in early July 2021. The highly anticipated comic tells the tale of a world plunged into an everlasting night, transforming all living creatures into monstrous shades and leaving the only path to survival dependent on artificial light.

Emily Schorr Lesnick ’07, Oleander Shamar Furman ’11, and Jordan Officer ’18 have joined forces as members of the Board of Directors of Rebel Playhouse, an educational children’s theater company committed to empowering, educating, and entertaining audiences through dynamic performances and classes designed to foster creative development.

Nashville Ballet returned to the Ascend Amphitheater stage for their first live performance of the season featuring classical and contemporary works and live music performed by Louis York, including Claude Kelly ’99, and The Shindellas. Newly published picture book The Extraordinary Life of HH The Fourteenth Dalai Lama by Rima Fujita ’83 was released worldwide on June 8 featuring her original illustrations with narration by The Dalai Lama. Telling the story of his life, this book includes never-before-shared details of his journey as one of the most revered spiritual figures of our time.

Released earlier this year, George Liebmann ’56 authored Vox Clamantis In Deserto: An Iconoclast Looks At Four Failed Administrations, a collection of short provocative op-ed articles, book reviews, and historical essays providing critical commentary with an informed perspective on political events from 1995 to 2020.

riverdale bids farewell ricky lapidus

After 15 years at Riverdale, Dean of Faculty Ricky Lapidus is leaving to lead the upper school at Head-Royce School in Oakland, CA.

“I like to do this thing at the beginning of each class. It is called an evocation,” Mr. Lapidus said. Then, daily and with each one of us, he asked how we were feeling and what was going on in our lives. I felt seen as a student and person. I have never experienced such genuine care for students’ lives in and out of the classroom.

That said, I was unsure what to expect when Mr. Lapidus showed up on my sophomore schedule for English II. During Mr. Lapidus’s illustrious 15 years at Riverdale, he has been an English teacher, homebase teacher, health teacher, advisor, Constructing America teacher, the English department chair, and now the Dean of Faculty. In other words, through the eyes of a 15 year old, he was a really important and maybe intimidating person. In fact, Mr. Lapidus has played a critical role in so many different ways at Riverdale and has touched the lives of many.

I was nervous to take a class where we would read one of the most iconic Shakespeare plays, Macbeth. But on day one, I found a quick-witted, sometimes-silly man who embraced teaching through honesty and laughter. Mr. Lapidus’s love for life and learning, as well as his candor about his thoughts on books, writing, nature, children, and family created an environment that was conducive to engaging and nuanced discussion. As students, we felt supported taking risks and possibly being wrong. As we read books like God of Small Things, A Visit from the Goon Squad, Macbeth, The Albanian Virgin, and Intimate Apparel, we dug deep, and I learned how to find even more joy in reading and discussing literature.

farewell to

by sloane ptashek ’21

I remember exploring irony with Mr. Lapidus. He introduced us to “Ironic” by Alanis Morrisette and had a serious problem with the song. As he pointed out, none of it is actually ironic. It is just, to quote Mr. Lapidus, “a song in which Alanis repeatedly misstates what irony is...over and over again.” The class sang the song in unison, and now, whenever I hear it, I reminisce about our togetherness and the hilarious videos our class made on that day, with Mr. Lapidus in the background, laughing and rolling his eyes.

Through Mr. Lapidus, I discovered that reading and writing were not a chore; rather, through these exercises, we learned about nuance and specificity, as he encouraged us to explore beyond the obvious. I enjoyed going outside, even in the freezing cold, to write in the journals he gave us about a specific piece of nature on Fieldston Road. Mr. Lapidus taught us that we can discover and share so much about a tiny piece of the world.

In the same way we learned literature and writing skills from him, we learned that the classroom is a safe space to explore ourselves as students and people. Lila King ’21 agrees, “Mr. Lapidus truly cared about his students. He created a community full of students who were eager to go to class, whether we were writing creatively or sitting outside to discuss the latest novel we were reading.” Mr. Lapidus made us feel so comfortable in class that some of us would take our shoes off or discuss things other than the books we were reading (he also happily helped himself to the food we brought to class). When Mr. Lapidus brought his children in, we were lucky to see a side of him that we typically do not see in our teachers. We got to know Mr. Lapidus as a friend, confidante, and someone on whom we could rely. We did and still do.

Mr. Lapidus has this unique talent of being able to infuse every moment with joy and to create relatable analogies. I looked forward to every class on the top floor of 9/10. I do not go up there anymore, but I find myself wistful about my time with Mr. Lapidus. He made every class a fun, safe, and enlightening space for everyone.

As Mr. Lapidus goes off to lead the upper school at Head-Royce School in Oakland, we wish him luck. I am beyond grateful for all that he taught me, not only about English but about how to love learning and to trust myself in the process. The English II class of 2018-2019 will always remember his funny remarks, enthusiastic speeches, and his love for teaching. We always yell to him across the cafeteria when we see him walking by, or stop by his office whenever we can, even if it is out of our way. We will miss doing that next year and for the rest of our lives. We are incredibly lucky to have had him for all of our time at Riverdale.

We love you and will truly miss you, Mr. Lapidus! Here’s to more fly fishing, dystopian novels on the beach, squash, and fun with Juniper, Cormack, and Niko in sunny California. You will have an enormous impact on the lives of even more students, and they will be as lucky as I am to have learned from you.  sloane ptashek ’21

Sloane is a graduate of the Class of 2021, and has been at Riverdale since she started Kindergarten in 2008. She is passionate about and dedicated to the performing arts, social justice, and history. She will attend the University of California Irvine starting this fall, with an intended double major in Drama and American Studies.

ECAP

2020-21 virtual events

Homecoming and Reunion ’20: A full day of online events for alumni, students, parents, and faculty including book and panel discussions, interviews, and class gatherings.

The first virtual OCT Lower School Book Fair 2020 includes guest appearances by several authors and illustrators, including Jason Chin, Justin LaRocca Hansen, Veera Hiranandani, Caron Levis ’96, Mary O’Keefe Young, and Supriya Kelkar. Riverdale Community Action Day: Participants celebrate our longstanding community partnerships with hands-on service projects that can be done from home and directly support local organizations.

NOV 2020

The Lower School, with support from the International Parent Committee, celebrates Diwali with a 15-minute full school movement break. Students are led in a Bollywood-style dance by a dancer located in Dubai, Ekta Mehta. Jolli Humanitarian Award Winner Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, an environmental and indigenous people’s advocate and activist from Chad, speaks to Upper School students with passion, honesty, and care on ways in which traditional indigenous understandings of the environment can be married with scientific understanding in order to combat climate change and its unequal impact on indigenous populations around the world.

Tim Lloyd ’05 joins students virtually from a U.S. Naval base in Japan in honor of Veteran’s Day. He describes the many traits that he has learned while serving in the Navy for over 10 years and details his work as part of the Watch Team within the Seventh Fleet, which oversees the Asian Pacific region.

Author Paria Hassouri joins Assistant Head of School for Operations Kelley Nicholson-Flynn in a discussion about Found in Transition: A Mother’s Evolution During Her Child’s Gender Change.

Jeffrey Hollender ’73 and Executive Director of the Bronx Cooperative Development Initiative (BCDI) Michael Partis discuss the economic sustainability of the Bronx. Monthly meetings of the AWARE, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ alumni affinity groups begin.

JAN 2021

Kelley NicholsonFlynn leads a conversation with writer Amy Julia Becker about her memoir, White Picket Fences. Lisa Birnbach ’74 moderates a discussion of the U.S. political system and electoral process framed by the recent election with panelists Tina Polsky ’86, Ron Kim ’97, and Cameron Koffman ’15.

FEB 2021

The Lower APR School hosts an Institutional 2021

Equity Roundtable focusing on representation and racial diversity in the River Campus curriculum.

Mikki Kendall, author of Hood Feminism, speaks to students and faculty, who flood the Zoom chat with comments describing it as the best assembly they have attended at Riverdale. Nate Irving ’11 shares with students his experiences as a student at the River Campus and Hill Campus, leading his baseball team at UVA to the College World Series, being drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2014, and now as a coach and bullpen catcher for the Cincinnati Reds. Dr. Rebecca Skolnick ’03 and Dr. Khadijah Cyril present to alumni on how anxiety and depression in teens has been impacted by this past year and what can be done to offer support and resources. Middle School Project Day, typically a week-long event, offers students a one-day course in an area of their interest. Course options included Civil Disobedience: From Ancient Greece to the Present Day, Let’s Cook a Meal!: Chemistry in the Kitchen, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Fundamentals of Business, and Fashion History: Use the Past to Redesign the Future.

MAY 2021

Karen Gantz ’68 and Cynthia Wachtell ’85 discuss the book The Backwash of War: An Extraordinary American Nurse in World War I, written by Ellen La Motte and edited by Cynthia.

MAR 2021

Lovia Gyarkye ’12, associate editor of The New York Times for Kids, a monthly print section made for the newspaper’s youngest readers, speaks to students about the inspiration behind her work and goals, both personally and professionally, and experience as a student.

JUNE 2021

The Class of 2021 celebrates their graduation during an intimate on-campus graduation that is livestreamed by nearly 300 virtual participants.

Tim ’ 57 & N ina Zagat, moderators

photo cre d i t : A l ch et ron

Joining us from her own kitchen, Chef Lauren -- classically trained chef, former host of AOL’s cooking series Pantry Challenge, author of three critically acclaimed books including Notes on Cooking: A Short Guide to an Essential Craft and an award-winning children’s book, Eat Your Breakfast or Else! -- kicked off the evening by sharing useful kitchen tips and tricks utilized by all professional culinarians and cooks alike. Chef Lauren’s segment was the perfect pairing for the upcoming conversation about the future of food and can be viewed, along with the restaurant panel, by logging on to the alumni portal.

Tim and Nina Zagat, founders of Zagat Survey and inductees to the the James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who in Food & Beverage in America, welcomed attendees to hear from a cadre of talented alumni connected by their passion for their work in the food industry. “I want to go back for just a second to Riverdale and its food when I was there,” recalled Tim, setting the scene, “corned beef hash, chicken a la king, and a dark brown gravy sauce on some kind of meat…that was Riverdale in those days, and frankly, that was food in New York in those days.” Going on to acknowledge how the landscape has since changed — both in regard to flavor and concept — and the deep impact this past year had on restaurants across the country, Tim and Nina invited panelists to share how this tumultuous time affected their businesses and the challenges they face moving forward. Colin McCabe ’93, co-founder of Chop’t Creative Salad Company among other endeavors, noted the unfortunate and painful reality of having to conduct layoffs and furloughs, not knowing what was in store for the “fast casual” chain of 75 restaurants located around the U.S. Rent costs accumulated with little to no flexibility from landlords despite the absence of indoor dining and newly instated online-ordering service fees took a substantial portion of profit due to the influx of takeout and delivery demands. Colin explained, “It puts a lot of pressure on margin using third-party platforms. Going into Covid, we were probably 35% digital, and at the height of Covid we were 80% digital, and that is just going to wear away those margins.” Sakura Yagi, former COO of the TIC Restaurant Group which served 12 different types of Japanese cuisines at 16 independent NYC locations pre-COVID, agreed noting the sudden burden placed on businesses to strengthen their online presence paired with a disruption in supply chain due to restrictions on imported goods contributed to the growing list of setbacks. “Everything came to a screeching halt. [Even now], it’s just so hard to get things, so prices go up because demand is up...I can’t get

On Monday, May 10 RCS hosted nearly 150 alumni and current families for a dynamic demonstration by Chef Lauren Braun Costello ’94 followed by our 10th annual career panel: The Impact of Covid-19 on the Restaurant Industry featuring an eclectic mix of speakers including moderators Tim ’57 and Nina Zagat, and panelists Colin McCabe ’93, Jason Strauss ’93, Benjamin Berg ’96, and Sakura Yagi ’05. Sponsored by the Alumni Association Career Committee, this evening served as another opportunity to educate, inform, and connect community members, gathered to share in a common interest. L a uren Braun Costello ’94

photo credit: Medium Colin McCabe

photo credit : Ch o pt

Ben Berg ’96

photo credit: Leah Wilson for P a per C i ty Mag az ine Jason Strauss

photo credit: Tao G rou p

Sakura Yagi ’05

photo credit: Matt Sayles for Wi ne M a g a z ine

[my] hands on shisito peppers, plastic containers, paper bags, or saké,” says Sakura, also sharing that these are difficulties smaller operations will continue to face in the coming years as they try to bounce back. Having had to close six businesses in the midst of New York’s pandemic shakeup, Sakura is no stranger to the compounding pressures placed on familyowned businesses tasked with quickly redirecting initiatives. While government-issued grants and loans, such as the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, provided some relief, support was reliant on certain factors and came with the potential of increasing financial debt. Across all levels of the industry, considerations had to be made in spite of the uncertainty of coming times leading many to shutter their doors as others formed mutually beneficial alliances.

More than a year has passed since the initial spread of the virus and restrictions continue to lift as we make our way through the summer months. When asked to reflect on lessons learned and how this experience will shape their next steps, all panelists echoed that this has served as a milestone moment for businesses to reassess and reset. Jason Strauss, based in Las Vegas, Nevada, and co-CEO of TAO Group Hospitality and newly acquired Hakkasan Group, emphasized the crucial role of innovative thinking when analyzing the most fundamental aspects of his business: “To be whittled down to almost the core and then rebuilt, it’s really showing what a company we are. That was major learning for us.” Colin added that the quick implementation of ideas with a focus on rehiring and creating professional-growth opportunities was key to strengthening the culture of his company. In tandem with filling essential in-house positions, newly formed partnerships and reinvestments paved the way for diversifying portfolios leading to a surge of new business. Benjamin Berg, based in Houston, Texas, and founder and CEO of Berg Hospitality, pointed out that results of this business boost will depend on market and location: “[With restaurants] in Texas, they’re becoming an entertainment source and you’re partnering with your landlords so, in some ways we have the upperhand down here. It’s been all about your partners, raising money, and knowing we’re in this together.” Another shared sentiment was a collective appreciation for community and the acknowledgement that it was in connecting with others, whether over shared troubles or triumphs, that made the difference in their ability to weather the storm. When it came to the survival of the “mom-and-pop shop” in particular, Sakura stressed that collective brainstorming, pooling of resources, and finding ways to give back were key to making it through those defining moments. “What really stuck with me was this community-building feeling….especially in the East Village area, not just Japanese but [all] Asian restaurants, [with] independent owners, banded together to make things happen,” said Sakura. “And whether it was business or delivering food to hospital workers, we took tips from each other and tried to survive by leaning on each other.”

Audience questions ranged from current gaps in employment and the resurgence of the customer service industry to changing menus and takeout options -- and the panelists’ responses affirmed that, although the future remains unclear, strides are being made in the right direction. Businesses across markets will continue to consider how they can support employees while increasing the services they provide with a goal of expanding, when possible. With a note of gratitude and an abundance of positivity, Tim concluded the evening by advising, “People are very excited to go out as soon as they feel it’s safe, so get ready!” 