Founded in 1964, Sacramento Country Day is an independent, coeducational college preparatory school for students in grades Pre-K to 12 and admits students without regard to race, color, gender orientation, religion, or national or ethnic origin. It does not discriminate in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid programs, athletics programs, employment practices, or other school-administered programs. Country Day is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), and is accredited by the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
THANK YOU FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
Dear Country Day Community,
I am delighted to share with you that, through your support this year, we have raised a total of $845,250, which directly supported our students’ experiences at Country Day for the 2023-24 school year. Thank you!
Because of our donors, our institution is stronger, and we continue to provide the best academic experience in Sacramento. Your annual support fuels our school to prepare students for a life of thinking critically, living creatively, and acting compassionately. This year, we bid adieu to our class of 2024, and send them off to Stanford, Duke, UC Davis, UCLA, UC Berkeley, USC, Cal Poly, Lewis & Clark, Northeastern, Pitzer, and Claremont McKenna, among many others.
We couldn’t have done this without all of you.
Thank you to our volunteers, who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to supporting our community. Auction chairs Nicole Purcell and Chelsey Reeves worked tirelessly to bring our community together and raise impressive funds, all while enjoying a wonderful evening. Also, Country Day Fund Ambassadors combined efforts encouraged 80% of our parents to give to the Country Day Fund.
We are grateful to our Parents’ Association, Families of Color, Grands & Friends, and countless other volunteers. Our school simply wouldn’t be excellent without you.
Moreover, I am grateful to Julie Sloat, our board president, and the Board of Trustees, whose generosity in financial support, time, and expertise elevates our school as an exemplary example of independent school education.
Finally, I would like to commend our faculty, our best asset, for their dedication, care, and ongoing support of the Country Day Fund. Thank you to our faculty and staff, donors, and volunteers. When you read the pages that follow, please feel proud of what you have made possible - and inspired by what we can accomplish in the future!
Warmly,
Lee Thomsen
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2024
OUR 2024 GRADUATES . . .
Aakash Arumugam
Siri Atluri
Brooklyn Barker
Delsyn Beaton
Luana Booth
Imani Cochran
Kasmer Conner
Aiden Cooley
Mia Crowder
Eshaan Dhaliwal
Kaitlyn Dias
Katie Espinoza
WILL ATTEND . . .
Babson College
California Polytechnic, Humboldt
California Polytechnic, Pomona
California Polytechnic, San Luis Obispo
California State University, Chico
California State University, San Jose
Claremont McKenna College
Colorado School of Mines
Duke University (2)
Lewis & Clark College
Zoe Genetos
Aiakos George
Paxton Graham
Chloe Hirahara
William Holz
Lilya Jafari
Liam Kaschner
Annalucia King
Andrew Klieger
Harper Livesey
Aidan Look
Lauren Lu
Rachel Pirie
Loyola University, Chicago
Montana State University
Northeastern University
Pitzer College
Scripps College
Seton Hall University
Stanford University
The University of Edinburgh
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Davis
Elliot Robinson
Aarushi Rohatgi
Luke Scripps
Ishaan Sekhon
Caleb Shin
Alex Shuler
Gulzar Sohal
Derek Taylor
Julie Tsoi
Chase Usrey
Sylvia Valverde
Grace Zhao
Juliette Zúñiga
University of California, Irvine
University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Riverside
University of California, Santa Barbara (2)
University of California, Santa Cruz (2)
University of Colorado, Boulder
University of Massachusetts, Amherst (2)
University of San Diego
University of Southern California (3)
University of the Pacific
High School students celebrated College Day on May 15 with cheers and whistles as seniors announce their college destinations wearing logo gear for the school of their choice.
Students pose atop the Cinemark sign at the annual fifth grade & High School field trip to the movies.
THANK YOU
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOU.
Country Day exists because of our donors.
The continued support from generous individuals who understand the power of philanthropy makes our programs successful and is the only way we continually fuel our school’s longstanding reputation for excellence.
Your contributions have enabled us to offer innovative programs and create transformative change throughout our campus. Your generosity this year allowed for program support and student success across many areas!
• Coding and engineering clubs were added to our fourth grade.
• High School girls’ varsity volleyball and High School tennis teams completed undefeated league championship seasons.
• Medallion yearbook students won first place in the Journalism Education Association of Northern California’s Academic Yearbook Spread category with their spread on the High School Chalk Mural, and The Glass Knife literary magazine won gold from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.
• Middle and High School students experienced trips to Rome, Lake Tahoe, a dude ranch, Ashland, and Catalina Island.
• We awarded 3.5 million in tuition assistance.
• Middle School teachers collaborated to create the second annual Pacha Mundi Day, a day inviting community members to share their cultures at Country Day.
Thank you for your dedication to our school. Because of you, we are stronger in delivering an outstanding independent school education.
High School Coordinators, Sandy Buchanan & Sandee Chand
COUNTRY DAY FUND
Danielle Manaois, Chair
CLASS AMBASSADORS
Danielle Manaois, Pre-Kindergarten
Darra Brewer, Kindergarten
Tracy & Stephen Brady, 1st
Mina Walter, 2nd
Robin Chatterjee, 3rd
Giselle Vasquez, 4th
Melissa Conner, 5th
Beth Nelson ‘98, 6th
Julianna Burton, 7th
Elizabeth Monas, 8th
Tamara Musso, 9th
Julianna Burton, 10th
Sureena Thiara, 11th
Jinny Beaton-Lê, 12th
DONORS TO ALL FUNDS 2023-24
Thank you to the hundreds of donors who supported Country Day with their gifts to the Country Day Fund, Country Day Scholars Program, Endowment, Restricted Funds, Gifts-in-Kind, and Auction Sponsorships.
LEADERSHIP CIRCLE
Soyla Fernandez & Kelly Jensen < + James & Christine Woo
The Zhang Family Anonymous (2)
FOUNDERS CIRCLE
Manish Aggarwal & Jasmine Maan <
Jenna Magan & Luke Barker < Shari & Richard Byers
The Bentley Family <
Roxanne Elliott & Antonio Falcone < + Guinea & Howard Fan <
Danielle Frankel & Violet Kennedy ‘29
Marshall & Elizebeth^ Frankel ++ Jessica & Johnny Greenfield
Kristoffer Hall ‘91 & Dr. Rachel Maney <
Harry C. & Deborah L. Elliott
Family Foundation
The Hoddick Family Miller’s Ace Hardware
Madelena Martin & Christopher Shuler
Julie & Kevin Sloat < +
Emily Oliver Stephenson < + The Walter Family Trust ++
VISIONARIES CIRCLE
Apple
Darra Messing Brewer ‘00 & Zachary Brewer
Stephanie & Justin Castillo
Rohitesh & Sandra Chand < Consolidated Communications Foundation
Katie & John Deterding
Pat Mahony & Randy Getz < + Rachel & George Grinzewitsch
Jill & Bill Hageman <
Ted Harris & Melissa Conner
Nicole Spyt-James & Jesse James
Melinda Levy, Mary Maguire & Maureen Smith, Quinn ‘29 < Tatiana & Sean MacNeill
Gary & Karen Messing ++ +
Teimour Nasirov
Kate & Austin Ramos
Kristina Launey & Nikolas Rechtiene
Reynen Foundation
Jennifer Henderson & Sean Rogers
Laurel & David Rosenthal
Michelle Christian & Glenn Sorensen
Laura & Jonathan Wilt
Elizabeth & Timothy Wong
Peter Xie, UC Educations
Ramiro Zúñiga & Nicole Carbo
Anonymous
PATRONS CIRCLE
Harpreet & Paul Bains
Deborah Burrows & Kai Bockmann
Sary & Nicholas Brunner
Sandy Buchanan
Buckmaster Office Solutions
Alicia Perla & Benjamin DeBerry
Joseph & Megan Eschleman +
Ruby Liu & Wei Fang
Finding Common Ground
Mediation & Law Services
Margaret Chang & Andrew Holz
Ashley West & Josh Hughes
Sarah & Bruce Inman
Intel Foundation
Amy L. Johnson ‘95 < * ^
Giselle Vasquez & Keith Jones
George & Debby Kaschner
Julian Burns King & Robert King
Kassia & Reed Kingsley + Louis Klieger & Patricia Sierra
Fei Xue & Dennis Kubaile
Rebecca & Samuel Lee
Thomas Melchione & Tanya Maagdenberg
Northrop Grumman Foundation
Prema Mutiso & Bennet Omalu
Quehuong Dong & Anish Patel
Theresa & Bruce Pettinari ++
Laura & Vick Prakash
Jasmine Karalakulasingam & Amit Raheja
Sara Rahimian ‘94 & Chris Harrelson
Bobby & Megan Rich
Sacramento Eye Consultants
Shuchi Anand & Ankit Sarin
Katherine Tsakopoulos ‘86 & Socrates Stamatis +
Kimberly Garza & Daniel Stanush
Sureena & Ravi Thiara
Julie Checkoway & Lee Thomsen * + Towerpoint Wealth
Sharon & Dean Colli in memory of Andrew Cochrane ‘97
Victoria & Christopher Conner *
Cinnamon & Larry Cook
Richele Cooley *
Sheila & Branden Cord
Jenn & Jimmy Crabbé
Elise Craig ‘02 in memory of Andrew Cochrane ‘97
Ernest K. Crowder
Jim & Jana Cuneo + in memory of Andrew Cochrane ‘97
Andy & Elona Cunningham * +
Karen Schultz & Peter Czobor
Swathi & Satish Damaraju
Kamilyn Davis *
Richard Day *
Jessica Hegedus & Sebouh Der Bedrossian
The Desai Family
Kapil & Pabina Dhawan
Tim & Alisa Dobbins * +
Kathryn & David Doh
Juanita Martinez & Adam Dondro
Sydney Donnell & Tyler Morris
Julie & James Donohue
Stephanie Douglas
Courtney Doyle *
Robert & Nancy Earl in memory of Andrew Cochrane ‘97
Houman Ehsan
Joseph, Dominic, Gehnevi & Elijah in memory of Andrew Cochrane ‘97
J.P. & Mahmoud Eltorai +
Marianne Emerson ++
John Eng
Martha & Mike Engel ++
Joe & Karen Engstrom in memory of Andrew Cochrane ‘97
Judith & John Engstrom in memory of Andrew Cochrane ‘97
Noemi Nunez Esparza & Luis Esparza
Rick & Linda Eytcheson < +
Barbara Fackenthall Tash * in memory of Andrew Cochrane ‘97
Ingrid & Marc Foster
Wendy Frampton Holly & Cliff Holly * in memory of Andrew Cochrane ‘97
Molly Frandrup *
Hannah & Geoff Frank *
Paula Gluzman & Brandon Freeman
Jo French *
Amy & Ryan Friedman
Olivia & Christopher Fry
Marc & Lorraine Furman ++ in honor of Finn Johnston ‘32
Dennis & Donna Gagne in memory of Andrew Cochrane ‘97
Faith & Scott Galati < +
Swati & Sunil Gandhi
Giovanni Garcia *
Tom & Juliet Gede +
Peter Gemmell
The Genetos Family
Anne Hartridge & Matthew George
Sarah Gerber & Bryan Tolentino *
Faten Ghariani *
Miguel Gonzalez
Idalia Orellana-Goodell & Parker Goodell
Gary Goyette & Andrea Todd + Rowena Gray & Gregory Wright
Janet Gross *
A. Cade Grunst *
Aleitha Burns Grunst
Allison Guilderson *
Marisa Sharkey & Benjamin Gumpert < Bernice Hagen +
Kate & Walter Ham
Sharon Jackson Harlan +
Marlee Harrell in memory of Andrew Cochrane ‘97
Sherry & Brian Haus
Sheila Hefty * in memory of Andrew Cochrane ‘97
Jennifer Hetzner
Ryan & Builee Hobbs *
Jennifer & Adam Hofmann
Yuying & John Holick
Wendy & Jay Holman * +
Maria Hoyos *
Peggy Wu & Victor Huang
Juraporn & Brandon Hughes
Cheree Herd & David Hunter
Monte & Beth Ikemire in memory of Andrew Cochrane ‘97
Melissa Cox & James Ireland
Erin Jacobs
Patricia Jacobsen & Wayne Strumpfer * +
Kelley Taber ‘84 & Gary Jakobs +
Marissa Jian
Jeff & Deanna Johnston
Phoebe & Charles Jones *
Tess Kahn * Manpreet & Gurvinder Kandola
Yingdan Zhang & Haifeng Kang
Ann Bancroft & Irwin Karp + in memory of Andrew Cochrane ‘97
Suganya Parthasarathy & Raju Kasturi
Martin & Jana Katz + Louis, Christina, Theo ‘18 & Lia ‘19 Kaufman + Karyn Macneil & Dror Kedem + Hadley & James Keefe * +
Paul Kessler ‘11
Allen, Kathy & Adam ‘16 Ketchum +
The Kirby Family *
Preethi Yarradoddi & Narasimha Kommireddy
Amanda & Roger Kosla
Jason Kreps *
Patricia E. Kriz +
Monica & Christopher Kyle
The LaComb Family + Elizabeth K. Lake ‘92
Shelby LaMar
Jenna & David Lang
Mari-Lu & Derald Langwell * in memory of Barbara Lazar
The Lawson Family
Jinny Beaton-Lê & Alan Lê
Thuan Bui & Xuan Lê ++
Liz & Ben Leavy + Yanling Lei *
Amanda Leidolph *
Lauren & Bryan Lemieux
Mackenzie & Stephen Lesher ‘92 <
Sophia & Jason Levens
Michael Lewis ‘09
Judy & Steve Lewis + in memory of Andrew Cochrane ‘97
Rick Lewkowitz *
Lena Li
Amanda Chen-Lim & Michael Lim
Anna & John Lindgren
The Lipper-Sagehorn Family +
Krista & Bobby Lister
Julia & Ian Logan
Sonia & Holly Longoria
Jeff & Nicole Look
Sue Loustalot + in memory of Andrew Cochrane ‘97 in memory of Louis Loustalot
Ann Love ++ in honor of Dr. Kellie Whited
Zack Lu & Caroline Zhou
JoAnna Wall & Matt Luckett
Ty MacAdam
Dr. Tara M. Neavins & Mr. Michael Maltese
Robbie Mancina ‘76 *
Loren Cadelinia & Uri Mangune
Jami Rubin-Mark & Joncarlo Mark
Angie Valderrama *
Kristi & Josh Mathisen * +
Inés Matthew *
Sarah & Tuffer Mayeda
The McClain Family
Jane McGinnes *
Rita & Thomas McNamara
Sean Magee & Jo Melinson *
Inthira & Alvaro Mendoza
May Mercury *
Kelly Johnson & Philip Merksamer
Kristine Mesplou in memory of Andrew Cochrane ‘97
Melanie Michel *
Jodi Hicks & Paul Mitchell
Katherine & Omar MoheyEldin + Kaitlin Richter & Ali Mohsen
Laura Steele Monahan & Brian Monahan *
Amrita Biswas & Amit Mondal
Olivia & Fortino Montoya
The Montoya Family
Pablo Morales Garcia *
Lucy Kuria Naim & Gabriel Naim
Nancy Cronheim & Dave Nakano +
Patricia & Robert Naylor * +
Jenny Lu & Dalip Negi
Sue Nellis & Mark Gorton * + in memory of Andrew Cochrane ‘97
Ann Nichols Jones ‘98 & Morgan Jones
Sally Nichols < + *
Vianey Nunez
Larry ^ & Heidi Nurse ++
Barry Oaks
Yara & Nick Ohanian
Ann Marie & Philip Ore ‘87
Sarah Ostermueller *
Ruth & Hubert Pan
Diego Panasiti *
Andrea & Arthur Pannell
Chandana Tiruvayepati & Vikram Paravastu
Sarah Parrish *
Kurt Pearsall *
Kristi & Ray Peoro * +
Mark Pepple & Lupe Gomez +
Dr. Pam Peters *
PG&E Corporation
Carl & Sarah Pirie
Latonia Pitts * +
Michael & Alma Ponce
Erin & Matthew Post ‘97 + +
Susan & David Post + in memory of Andrew Cochrane ‘97
John & Wendy Pritzlaff ++
Scott & Cortney Pritzlaff
Marisol & Franklin Rafanan
Douglas & Barbara Ramey ++
Adrienne Renteria *
Rosa Orellana & Isaias Rivas
Davita Levin-Robinson & Seth Robinson
Reina & Nitin Rohatgi
Rudi Rose *
Wendy Ross *
Bob & Patty Roth in memory of Andrew Cochrane ‘97
Ryan Rotolo & Ce-Ce Wang
Ronda Rufsvold
Audrey Russek
David A. Russell ‘99
Amy & Matt Ryan ‘89
Maura Ryan Perotti ‘02 & Nick Perotti *
Phillip Saltzman ‘00
April Sanders *
The Sanders Family
Mary & Peter Sandlin
Tressa Ferrell & Arthur Sandman
Vaishnavi Venkataramanan & Vivek Sarathy
Jenny Wu & Daniel Schank
Jennifer Schurer Coldiron ‘96
Amanda Maguire & Aaron Scott
Christian Scott *
Jamie Reamer & Justin Scripps
Denise, Burke & Brianna ‘12 Scruggs * +
Usha Saldanha & Sameer Sharma
Summer & Matthew Sheehy
William Sheng & Esther Liew
Jamie Sherman
Nicole Silverman
Kirandeep Kaur & Dharmvir Singh
Ruby Tsoi & Henry Siu
Alison Slack
Kate & Eric Smith
Debra Jean Zwicker-Sobrepena & Glenn Sobrepena
Parisa Emami & Iman Soltani
Theresa Chen & In Hee Song
Jenna & Robert Squiers
Christina Stainbrook Emerson ‘06 *
Zeynep & Serge Stanich
Renee Stern
Carole Cory & Jan Stevens
Amie & John Stevenson + Candice & Andrew Stolz
Melissa Strong *
Catherine & Ben Swann
Ruth Swisher ++
Bruce & Katherine Tatarian in memory of Andrew Cochrane ‘97
Nancy & Robert Tate in memory of Andrew Cochrane ‘97
Anh & Benjamin Thomas
Caroline Timmer ‘04
Rory Tira *
Mai & Jeff Townsend
Tyler Trussell ‘09
Reyna & Ryan Tsukiji
Jenna Umino-Kunihiro ‘95
Michelle & Tyson Underwood
Michael Unti *
Marty Usrey
Jessica Vando ‘92 & Tim Milberger
Dana & Matt Vargo *
Valerie & Giovanni Velo *
Han Vu
April Lu & Paul Wang
Jordan Watts *
Claudia Jo Weber & Mary K. Morrison + in honor of Courtney Page ‘80
David & Vicki Webster
Randi & Dan Weitzman
Carol & Steve Wessels * in memory of Andrew Cochrane ‘97
Doug & Kellie Whited *
Marilyn J. Wickland + in memory of Andrew Cochrane ‘97
Wild Hunnie
Becki Williams *
Emily & Dan Wilson
Erica Wilson *
Erin Wilson ‘21
Arnie Wolf & Fern Tablin +
Gary & Sara Wong *
Idara & Jonathan Wood
Theresa & Austen Worsham + Douglas Wright
Shau-Ling & Rei-Young Wu ++
Rachel Lin & Tim Xu in honor of Garman Xu ‘23 in honor of Garrett Xu ‘25
Jenny Ding & Jason Xu +
Jeffrey L. Young ‘77, M.D.
Dr. & Mrs. Joseph Young +
Michelle & Evert Zelaya
Diane Zhu & Fred Zhang
David & Nichole Zinn
Anonymous
What’s for dinner in an owl family? A family of burrowing owls can consume 7,000 insects and 1,800 rodents in one season.
GRATITUDE REPORT
I’m looking for a good dissection. I’m off to a science lab at Country Day!
COUNTRY DAY FUND 2023-24
FINANCE REPORT
The allocation of our 2023-24 budget of $20,920,000 and the distribution of fundraising dollars received this year are reflected in the graphs below.
CONTRIBUTIONS
COUNTRY DAY FUND 2023-24
AUCTION - NET
COUNTRY DAY SCHOLARS PROGRAM
ENDOWMENT - TOTAL
Additional Deferred $10,000
GIFTS IN KIND
RESTRICTED - TOTAL Hlavaty Impact Award
Technology & Engineering
Capital Improvements & Other
MISCELLANEOUS
TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS
REVENUE
EXPENSES
COUNTRY DAY LOYAL
CATHY & FRED KATZ
Cathy and Fred Katz and their family are Country Day Loyal!
Forty years ago, after visiting Country Day looking for the next step for their pre-school son Adam, they were ready to enroll him straight away! Two more Katz children, Shayna and Jared, soon joined Adam, followed a generation later by three grandchildren. Fred joined the Board of Trustees in 1993, and with his expertise as a general partner for The FHK Companies, was the skilled chair of the Buildings and Grounds Committee for a dozen years. Now that Fred is a grandparent, he has rejoined the Buildings and Grounds Committee and was recently effective in securing details about the planned installation of a traffic signal at Munroe and Latham.
That kindergartner, Adam, is now married and the father of two, and has recently returned to Sacramento after living two decades in China, where he met his wife Fang (English name Eve). Over 20+ years, Adam opened and operated English language schools with small personalized classes, reminiscent of his Country Day educational experience. What he did not find, however, was quality education for his own young children. Two years ago, Adam and Eve returned to the USA for one specific purpose – to enroll their children in Sacramento Country Day.
If the zest for travel is heredity, all three of the Katz children inherited it in spades. Daughter Shayna’s study of languages intensified at Country Day, when in 7th grade she went on a two-week exchange program to France with her class, followed a few years later by a two-week French immersion experience in Belgium, which she won through the National French Competition. Shayna adds, “By 11th grade, I had finished AP French and was able to start Spanish with the freshmen. I loved it! This passion took me to majoring in Spanish and minoring in French at UC Davis.” Shayna married Country Day alumnus Sang Kim ’97, and before the family moved to Hawai’i in 2016, daughter Millona attended pre-kindergarten at Country Day.
Youngest son Jared attributes his eagerness to live and work abroad to the introduction of language choices in lower school, and having multiple exchange students from Moldova, France, and China, who raised his awareness of a world behind Sacramento. When Jared started Pre-K in 1979, his teacher was long-time faculty Barbara Fackenthall, who was in her first year teaching. Years later, Jared’s niece Kitally was in Ms. Barbara’s class the year she retired, so her Country Day career opened and closed with a Katz!
Over the years, Cathy and Fred have journeyed many times to visit their children, some trips more eventful than others. When Jared was working abroad in international development and emergency management, Cathy visited him in South Sudan where she slept in a storage container, which she was thankful had a bathroom! Jared is now back in California, where he brings his global experience to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.
It’s not surprising that the Katz children were predetermined to “hit the road”; their parents met on a train in the Bay Area, when Fred spotted Cathy across a crowded BART car and maneuvered through the pack to ask her for a date. Cathy tore off a piece of paper bag to write down her phone number. And Fred still has that piece of paper bag just in case he’s on the road and wants to call home!
(far left) Fred Katz (center) pointing out a potential site for a second campus to fellow Board of Trustees members (l to r) Vince Jacobs, Nancy Reid, Tim Ryan, and Toran Brown. (near left) Fred assisting on a rainy day with the parking-lot line patrol, wearing the identifying lime green vest (hence the tongue-in-cheek name “lime patrol”).
COUNTRY DAY LOYAL salutes and thanks the members of our community whose ongoing support over several decades helps the school strengthen programs and explore new opportunities. We are pleased to recognize those families who have made annual gifts for 10, 15, 20, 30, 35, and 40+ years.
40+ YEARS
Robert & Nancy Earl
Fred & Cathy Katz
35+ YEARS
Julie & Jamie Nelson
Sally Nichols
Wendy Ross
Patrick & Betty Ryan
Jane & John ^ Wheaton
30+ YEARS
Dan & Judy White
Anita Seipp Marmaduke
Barbara MacAulay Ore
20+ YEARS
Dr. & Mrs. Kirby Baker
Jane & Paul Bauman
Mike & Cheryll Cochrane
Marisa Christie
Mari-Lu & Derald Langwell
Elona & Andy Cunningham
Steve & Cynthia Edwards
Peter Fisher & Andrea Hedin
Sue Goodwin
Sheila Hefty
Kelley Taber '84 & Gary Jakobs
Amy L. Johnson '95 ^
Martin & Jana Katz
Christina & Louis Kaufman
Kathy & Allen Ketchum
Laura Steele Monahan & Brian Monahan
Liz & Ben Leavy
Nina & Richard Mancina '73
Nancy Cronheim & David Nakano
Sue Nellis & Mark Gorton
Beth Nelson '98 & Nate Himes
Susan & David Post
Sue & Tim Ryan
Amy Nelson Wells '98 & Brooke Wells
Carol & Steve Wessels
Erica Wilson
15+ YEARS
Amanda & Jasen Ashdown
Luke Barker & Jenna Magan
Katherine Merksamer '88 & Mark Bogetich
Deborah & Ed Bolman
Rohitesh & Sandra Chand
Richard Day
Patsy Eliseo
Wendy Frampton Holly & Cliff Holly
Wendy & Jay Holman
Patricia Jacobsen
& Wayne Strumpfer
Jason Kreps
Judy & Steve Lewis
Pam & Ryan Livesey
Sue Loustalot
Saad & Elizabeth Monasa
Louay & Maya Owaidat
Anne & Bill Petchauer
Rudi Rose & Glenn Strom
Amy Ryan & Matthew Ryan '89
Phillip Saltzman '00
Denise & Burke Scruggs
Julie & Kevin Sloat
Dana & Matt Vargo
Kellie & Doug Whited
Marilyn J. Wickland
Arnie Wolf & Fern Tablin
10+ YEARS
Jason Allen '95
Laura & Sam Applebaum '94
Linden Welch Beck & Edward Beck
Kimberly & Christopher Biddle
Emily & Jamil Bitar
Sandy Buchanan & Darren Wilder
Jeremy Burr & Tricia Ross
Jeb & Julianna Burton
Simi & George Claire
Kelly Jones-Clark & Kasey Clark
Jennifer O'Brien & Sean Cooley
Bradley Cutler
Malinda & Kenyatta Dumisani
Hannah & Geoff Frank
Aleitha Burns & Cade Grunst
Marisa Sharkey & Benjamin Gumpert
Rachel Maney & Kristoffer Hall '91
Michelle Kessel-Harbart & Kevin Harbart
Qianyan Cheng & Jeff Howes
Lainie & Gregg Josephson
Louis Klieger & Patricia Sierra
Kathryn & Eric LaComb
Marsha & Charles Lawson
Renée DeBose & Christopher Levermore
Melinda Levy
Mike & Carol Luery
Mary Maguire & Maureen Smith
Kristi & Josh Mathisen
Jenny Lu & Dalip Negi
Ann Marie Ore & Philip Ore '87
Joy Pangilinan Kronemeyer & Jay Kronemeyer
Latonia Pitts
Sara Rahimian '94 & Christopher Harrelson
Marcus Sanders
Jenny Wu & Daniel Schank
Zalman Stern
Marty Usrey
Rosemary Vando
Vicki & David Webster
Dr. & Mrs. Robert Webster
Nichole & David Zinn
Ramiro Zúñiga & Nicole Carbo
What do owls do when they’re happy? They sleep! Most owl species don’t sleep all day like other nocturnal animals, they sneak happy little naps whenever they feel safe.
FACULTY AWARDS
In recognition of faculty who have gone above and beyond in demonstrating a commitment to Country Day’s mission and core values, we proudly announce this year’s awardees in each division. The recognition includes an honorarium of $1,500 for each awardee. These awards celebrate the remarkable contributions of teachers who, through their unwavering guidance, prepare students to lead in an increasingly interconnected, diverse world and to solve the ever more complex problems facing society in a time when humanity and benevolence are a priority.
KELLIE WHITED HIGH SCHOOL FACULTY AWARD
Kellie’s excellent work in the classroom and her outstanding high school curriculum often move from the doors of her lab across campus to lower school classrooms, where she works with lower school students. She also extends her reach to the graduate labs of Sacramento State University and into professional conferences where she creates spaces for our oldest students to join.
ALEITHA BURNS DANIEL R. KOPF MIDDLE SCHOOL FACULTY AWARD
Aleitha is a master middle school teacher, bringing a deep love for her craft and a contagious energy to campus each day. With a true understanding of the ups and downs of adolescents, she offers compassion or motivation depending on the needs of the situation. This award reflects the high standards that she sets for herself and her students, and her dedication, passion, and talent.
This award, funded by the Kopf family, is named for Daniel Kopf, who passed away in January of 2022. Through giving this award, the Kopf family hopes to continue Dan’s committed legacy of philanthropy to Country Day and continue shining a light on the unwavering passion of our dedicated, inspiring, and talented faculty.
MAURA RYAN PEROTTI ‘02
BARBARA ORE LOWER SCHOOL FACULTY AWARD
Maura inspires us to be passionate about what we do, piloting new initiatives, leading the division in everything Responsive Classroom, serving on hiring committees and the student support team and always, always insisting on doing things the Country Day Way!
The Lower School Faculty Award is named for longtime Country Day educator Barbara Ore, in recognition and in honor of her 30-year career at Country Day, much of it spent as the Head of the Lower School.
GRANDPARENT HONOR ROLL OF DONORS
Beth Walter with her granddaughters
Jenna ‘34 & Layla ‘31 on vacation in Hawai’i.
Dr. and Mrs. Kirby Baker
Isabelle Leavy '17, Nathaniel Leavy '21
Ed & Linden Beck
Andrew Bentley '32, Oliver Bentley '34
Glenice Bentley
Harper Livesey '24, Courtney Livesey '28, Taber Livesey '28
Carole Rossi Bregman & Eugene Bregman
Hannah Bregman '34
Lawrence W Browne, M.D. Charitable Fund
Nolan Montoya '27, Sierra Montoya '29, Wylie Montoya '31
Suzanne Charity
Jasper Bjelica '31, Anton Bjelica '34
Judith Davis
Troy Hoddick '14, Ryan Hoddick '15
Marianne Emerson
Demian Arriaga '33, Isandro Arriaga '33
Deceased ^
Martha & Mike Engel
Amy Bitar '28, Lena Bitar '31
Marshall and Elizebeth^ Frankel
Violet Kennedy '29
Marc & Lorraine Furman
Finn Johnston '32
Bernice Hagen
Heather Hagen '00, Jennifer Hagen '03, Neil Hagen '08, Amy Pringle '04
Ricky & Shirley Hazlerigs
Wilder Harris '29, Eva Harris '31
Fred & Cathy Katz
Kitally Katz '31, Macjennin Katz '34, Millona Kim '29
Tyler Webster '21, Nick Webster '24, Elise Webster '28
Shau-Ling & Rei-Young Wu
Nathaniel Huang '32, Aggie Huang '34
Where can an owl find a winning tennis team? Perhaps Country Day.
GRANDS & FRIENDS DAY
Our Lower School grandparents and grand friends are invited to campus every year for a morning filled with classroom visits and musical entertainment. This year, students created flower bouquets for their grand visitors.
SPRING SHOWCASE
On the evening of April 25, parents, students, grandparents, and guests came to campus for the annual Spring Showcase. Families watched PE demonstrations and enjoyed musical performances. Teachers were available to show off their classrooms and assist on the field. And, thanks to the volunteer work of Justin Lawson ‘27, Fosters & Paws hosted a “Puppy Social” during the event.
The Sheraton Grand on March 16 was the enchanting setting for the 47th Annual Auction “Sedona Nights.” Guests enjoyed dinner and live auction amidst the warmth of glowing candles, followed by dancing under twinkling stars. Guests were able to bid on vacation get-aways to New York City, Oregon, and Tahoe, original art, and the always popular Lower School class projects.
The Paddle Raise for the Country Day Scholars Program raised a record-breaking $167,956! Thank you to our generous sponsors, business donors, and big-hearted parents for their sustained commitment to our annual event.
BUSINESS, COMMUNITY, AND PARENT DONORS
Jenny & Nima Aflatooni
Jasmine Maan & Manish Aggarwal
Atlas Lab Landscape Architecture
B Street Theatre
Jenna Magan & Luke Barker
Jane Bauman
Beacon Grand
Mia Bellante & Anthony Ingoglia
Carrie Bentley
Birdies
Deborah Burrows & Kai Bockmann
Boeger Winery
Ed Bolman
Darra & Zach Brewer
Kelley & Matt Brown
Nicholas & Sary Brunner
Sandy Buchanan
Buckmaster Office Solutions
Burton Law Firm
Jeb & Julianna Burton
byuti salon + spa, Victoria Davis
Kelly Calkin & Leslie Walker
Canon
Margaret Chang & Andrew Holz
Robin Chatterjee & Arun Chatterjee '90
Amanda Chen-Lim & Michael Lim
Stephen Chuchel & Maya Juarez
Norman Colb
Anna Nidecker & John Coleman
Michelle & James Cooney
Jenn & Jimmy Crabbé
Marianna Giokas & John Demas
John & Katie Deterding
Rachelle Doyle
Eagleton|Pottier, PC, Stephanie Pottier
EMRL
Adam & Irma Endelman
Fenina Espinosa
Myra & Rafael Estrada
Guinea & Howard Fan
Soyla Fernândez & Kelly Jensen
Finding Common Ground Mediation & Law Services
Pat Mahony & Randy Getz
Sue Goodwin
The Green Room
Jessica & Johnny Greenfield
George & Rachel Grinzewitsch
Sarah HaBa
Bill & Jill Hageman
Hall Valuation Consulting, Inc
Kristoffer Hall '91 & Rachel Maney
Joha Harrison
Le Ondra Clark Harvey & Charles Harvey
Helwig Winery
I Street Public Affairs
Mia & Tony Ingoglia
Deanna & Jeff Johnston
Gregg & Lainie Josephson
Kassia & Reed Kingsley
Ashlie Kirby
Klearmind, Mickey Heyer
Lou Klieger & Patty Sierra
Martin Kosan
KT's Coiffure Salon, Kim Christiansen
Leslie Lattyak
Rebecca & Samuel Lee
Melinda Levy
Sean & Tatiana MacNeill
John & Lesley Mahan
Alvaro & Inthira Mendoza
MG Framing Studio, Matthew Geist
Melanie Michel
Miller's Place Ace Hardware
Angie Minova
Mono Mia
The Montoya Family
NEAT Method Sacramento
Emily Oliver Stephenson
One Digital Health & Benefits
Paisley Adventures
Joy Pangilinan
Paragary Restaurant Group
Heather Pettinari
Erik & Nicole Purcell
Harmony & Roop Purewal
Kristina Launey & Nikolas Rechtiene
Chelsey & Randy Reeves
Revolution Wines
Jack Reynen & Miriam Porter
Jami Rubin-Mark & Joncarlo Mark
Sacramento Eye Consultants
Sacramento Kings
Saintsbury Winery
Scott's Seafood on the River
Seasons 52
Shady Lady
Marisa Sharkey
Julie & Kevin Sloat
Patrick Smith
Michelle Christian & Glenn Sorensen
The Space Studios
Serge & Zeynep Stanich
Kimberly Garza & Daniel Stanush
Szymanowski Orthodontics
Ravi & Sureena Thiara
Julie Checkoway & Lee Thomsen
Rory Tira
Towerpoint Wealth
Jessica Vando & Tim Milberger
Mike & Mina Walter
Beth Walter
Western Health Advantage
Whimspire Books, Cortney Cino
Jeffrey C. Williams
Elizabeth & Timothy Wong
Barbara Lym & Alan Wong
Shannon Zajec
Zen Dermatology
THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS
STARRY SEDONA SPONSOR
Miller’s Place Ace Hardware
Jessica & Johnny Greenfield (Jac '28)
LUXE SPONSOR
Soyla Fernândez & Kelly Jensen (Isael '20)
TWILIGHT COCKTAIL SPONSOR
The Grinzewitsch Family (London '25)
GOLDEN HOUR AFTER-PARTY SPONSOR
The Walter Family (Layla '31, Jenna '34)
SPARKLE & SHINE SPONSOR
One Digital Health and Benefits
Shannon Zajec (Nephew Oliver ‘34
MOONSTONE BID-PADDLE SPONSOR
Sacramento Eye Consultants
Patricia Sierra & Louis Klieger (Andrew ’24)
Rebecca & Samuel Lee (Cora ’35)
DESERT BLOOM DESSERT SPONSOR
Elizabeth & Timothy Wong (Emma ’35)
ROSE QUARTZ TECHNOLOGY SPONSOR
Finding Common Ground Mediation and Law Services
Melinda Levy, Mary Maguire & Maureen
Smith (Quinn '29)
Inspired by Miller Greenfield, who has a rare neurodegenerative disease, Miller’s Ace Hardware offers employment to teens and adults with physical and or cognitive disabilities. They are incredibly passionate about providing training and purpose for their workforce. They find joy in working with teens and adults as they realize their potential in the workplace. Please consider them for both your individual and business needs.
“My participation as an auction sponsor is, first and foremost, about expressing gratitude to the Country Day teachers, staff, and community,” says mom, Jessica Greenfield, “We came to this school desperate for a safe and supportive middle school for our daughter as we continued to care for our son. We needed a school with a culture of caring and the ability to look at students as individuals so that Jac could still develop despite our family’s medical trauma. Country Day provided all of this and more for Jac and is one of the primary reasons Miller’s Ace Hardware exists.”
For those of you who have not had the opportunity to watch the Heartware video, Miller’s Ace Hardware is more than just a hardware store.
RED ROCK SPONSOR
Hall Valuation Consulting, Inc
Kristoffer Hall '91 & Rachel Maney (Wyatt ’25, Harrison ’27)
Stephen Chuchel & Maya Juarez (Sophie ’28, Henry ’32)
ENCHANTMENT SPONSORS
Atlas Lab Landscape Architecture
Kimberly Garza & Daniel Stanush (Naomi '35)
Julie & Kevin Sloat (Zoe '21, Jackson '23)
AURA SPONSORS
Pat Mahony & Randy Getz (Camille ’12)
I Street Public Affairs
Kelly Calkin & Leslie Walker (Alexandra '32)
Sureena & Ravi Thiara (Imani ’25, Ekram ’27)
THANK-YOU GIFT SPONSOR
The Board of Trustees
Auction Chairs Nicole Purcell and Chelsey Reeves.
Auction proceeds support the students, teachers, and mission of Country Day. Proceeds from Auction sponsors are vital to help with underwriting basic event costs, allowing an increased net profit. And without donations from our parents and local businesses, the Auction would not be possible. Revenue and expenses for the 47th annual Auction are listed below.
TOTAL FUNDS RAISED
AUCTION NET PADDLE RAISE FOR SCHOLARS PROGRAM
TOTAL
AUCTION REVENUE
High School students volunteered at the Auction and took the stage during the Fund-a-Need to speak about the impact the Scholars Program has on the whole school community. As Saheb '25 (second from right, above) said, "Our community’s diversity enriches every student's journey, not just the Scholars’.”
AUCTION EXPENSES
Auctioneer & Live Auction
Catering &
Class Projects, Silent, Fixed Price Drawing
John & Valerie Adelsheim
Myreca Singh & Kingsley Adeoye
Maisae Affour
Jennifer & Nima Aflatooni
Manish Aggarwal & Jasmine Maan
Renu George & Kyle Alisharan
Liz Andarcia '95
Ed & Linden Beck
Christopher & Kimberly Biddle
Susan Bitar *
Tomás Boatwright '04
Katherine Merksamer '88 & Mark Bogetich
Jeanne Bovill *
Darra Messing Brewer '00 & Zachary Brewer
Kelley & Matthew Brown
Sary & Nicholas Brunner
Sandy Buchanan *
Christine Cahill-Reams '00 & Scott Reams
Kristen & Marte Castaños
Stephanie & Justin Castillo
Robin Chatterjee & Arun Chatterjee '90
The Claire Family
Carrie Cooper Bentley '01
Alicia Perla & Benjamin DeBerry
Barb Demmon *
Katie & John Deterding
Rachelle Doyle
J.P. Eltorai *
Irma & Adam Endelman
Myra & Rafael Estrada
Linda Eytcheson *
Soyla Fernandez & Kelly Jensen
Lou Ann Fischer *
Ingrid & Marc Foster *
Faith Galati *
Sue Goodwin
Rowena Gray & Gregory Wright
Jessica & Johnny Greenfield
Rachel & George Grinzewitsch
Jill & Bill Hageman
Bernice Hagen *
Kristoffer Hall '91 & Dr. Rachel Maney
Lynette Hall '99
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING SCHOLARS
Le Ondra & Charles Harvey
Dana & Jason Hinojosa
Margaret Chang & Andrew Holz
Mia Bellante-Ingoglia & Anthony Ingoglia
Kelley Taber '84 & Gary Jakobs
Jeff & Deanna Johnston
Lainie * & Gregg Josephson
Mia Crager Kalogeropoulos
& George Kalogeropoulos
George & Debby Kaschner
Martin & Jana Katz
Karyn Macneil & Dror Kedem
Michelle Kessel-Harbart *
Paul Kessler '11
Nina & Rajkamal Khangura
Julian Burns King & Robert King
Kassia & Reed Kingsley
Louis Klieger & Patricia Sierra
Elizabeth K. Lake '92
The Lawson Family
Rebecca & Samuel Lee
Renée DeBose & Christopher Levermore
Melinda Levy
Alison Slack & Jesse Lucero
Ty MacAdam
Corey MacMillan '92
Tatiana & Sean MacNeill
Jenna Magan & Luke Barker
Mary Maguire & Maureen Smith *
Lesley & John Mahan
Lauren Maita
The Mancina Family
Valerie Termini & Michael McCormick
Rita & Thomas McNamara
Liese & Noah Miller
Cathi & Rajiv Misquitta
Laura Steele Monahan & Brian Monahan
Beth Nelson '98 & Nate Himes
Julie * & Jamie Nelson
Joanna & Matthew Nelson
Sally Nichols *
Ann Nichols Jones '98 & Morgan Jones
Emily Oliver Stephenson *
Barbara MacAulay Ore *
Julie Montgomery Ott & Thomas Ott
Sarah Parrish
Amie Pegram '87
Ashley & Symon Perriman
Bill & Anne Petchauer
Susan & Curtis Popp *
Christy * & John Procida
Avery & Michael Prommer
Nicole & Erik Purcell
Harmony & Manroop Purewal
Jasmine Karalakulasingam & Amit Raheja
Sara Rahimian '94 & Chris Harrelson
Kate & Austin Ramos
Kristina Launey & Nikolas Rechtiene
Randy & Chelsey Reeves
Sue Ryan *
Maura Ryan Perotti '02 & Nick Perotti
Rajbir & Miraj Sanghvi
Jennifer Schurer Coldiron '96
Jamie Sherman
Madelena Martin & Christopher Shuler
Fenina Espinosa & Vishnu Singh
Julie * & Kevin Sloat
Michelle Christian & Glenn Sorensen
Zeynep & Serge Stanich
Kimberly Garza & Daniel Stanush
Amie & John Stevenson
Sureena & Ravi Thiara
Julie Checkoway & Lee Thomsen
Caroline Timmer '04
Tyler Trussell '09
Jenna Umino-Kunihiro '95
Michael Unti
Pamela Lopez & Juan Urbano
Jessica Vando '92 & Tim Milberger
Han Vu
Beth Walter
Mina & Michael Walter
Amy Nelson Wells '98 & Brooke Wells
Elizabeth & Timothy Wong
Shannon Zajec
Nichole Zinn
Anonymous * Auction Chair Emeritus donor
The Country Day Scholars program provides new incoming ninth grade students from diverse backgrounds the opportunity to access the college preparatory curriculum at our High School. The goal of this need- and merit-based scholarship program is to create an opportunity for exceptional high school students with notable potential in academics, leadership, innovation, the arts, or service to others. Students selected receive a four-year high school scholarship covering tuition, textbooks, class trips, one-on-one college counseling, an SAT preparation course, and a school-issued laptop computer.
DONORS TO ENDOWMENT &
RESTRICTED
FUNDS
ENDOWMENT FUNDS
BARBARA MACAULAY ORE FACULTY DEVELOPMENT
Deborah Burrows & Kai Bockmann
Amy L. Johnson '95 ^
DANIEL E. WHITE FACULTY SALARIES FOR LOWER SCHOOL
Brenda & Matthew Alexander
Flora Hu & Zhen Lu
Wendy Ross
Dan & Judy White
E.E. FORD FACULTY SALARIES FOR HIGH SCHOOL
Wendy Ross
April Lu & Paul Wang
ELLIOTT FAMILY FOUNDATION
Harry C. & Deborah L. Elliott Famiy Foundation
Roxanne Elliott & Antonio Falcone
KINGMAN TUNG M.D. AWARD FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND EXCEPTIONAL CHARACTER
Judy Tung
LIFERS SCHOLARSHIP
Amy L. Johnson '95 ^
GIFTS IN KIND
Deborah Burrows & Kai Bockmann
Sandy Buchanan
Sandee & Rohitesh Chand
Lan-Ahn & Han Do
Rick Lewkowitz
Emily Oliver Stephenson
Theresa & Bruce Pettinari
Ashley West & Josh Hughes
Rachel Lin and Tim Xu
ANDREW COCHRANE ‘97 LIBRARIES ENDOWMENT
IN MEMORY OF ANDREW COCHRANE
Lonna Bloedau
Mike & Cheryll Cochrane in memory of Alicia Cochrane
Elise Craig '02
Jean, David & Emily Decamilla
Robert & Nancy Earl
Joseph, Dominic, Gehnevi & Elijah
Judith & John Engstrom
Barbara Fackenthall Tash
Wendy Frampton Holly & Cliff Holly
Sharon Jackson Harlan
Marlee Harrell
Sheila Hefty
RESTRICTED FUNDS
BARBARA LAZAR MUSIC AWARD
Amy L. Johnson '95 ^
DIANE MARK FROST ‘76 MEMORIAL
Robert Boggs ‘77
Stuart Gilliam
Robbie Mancina ‘76
The Mancina Family
Catherine Miles Nielsen ‘77
Jeffrey L. Young ’77
Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Young
FRANCIE TIDEY AWARD
Amy L. Johnson '95 ^
David A. Russell ‘99
GARDEN
Calvin ‘09, Grace ‘17 & Abel Fernandez in memory of Kathy Russell-Fernandez
HIGH SCHOOL MENTAL WELLNESS
Richard & Shari Byers
Deceased ^
Amy L. Johnson '95 ^
Ann Bancroft & Irwin Karp
Sue Loustalot in memory of Louis Loustalot
Anita Seipp Marmaduke
Julie & Jamie Nelson
Susan & David Post
Bob & Patty Roth
Carole Cory & Jan Stevens
Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Tatarian
Amy Nelson Wells '98 & Brooke Wells
Carol & Steve Wessels
Marilyn J. Wickland
HILAVATY IMPACT AWARD
The Hoddick Family
HOLIDAY CARD
Patrick & Betty Ryan
LOWER SCHOOL CLOSING
Consolidated Communications Foundation
Bobby & Megan Rich
MATTHEWS LIBRARY
Tom & Juliet Gede
Sheila Hefty
OCTAGON
Intel Foundation
Saad & Elizabeth Monasa
ROBOTICS AND ENGINEERING
Consolidated Communications Foundation
Pam & Ryan Livesey
Bobby & Megan Rich
Burrowing owls are renters, not buyers! When searching for their preferred underground burrows, burrowing owls look for nests vacated by other small animals, such as rabbits, mice, and chipmunks.
IN MEMORY
John Joseph Gudebski 1944-2024
John Gudebski died peacefully surrounded by his family and friends at his home in Montecito, CA, on May 11, 2024, after a courageous fight with pancreatic cancer. John, his wife Marcie, and their daughter Jianna ‘13 were beloved members of the Country Day community, where John served on the Board of Trustees for over a dozen years (2005-2017), Marcie co-chaired two auctions, and Jianna was a Lifer, having attended for over 12 years.
John’s appreciation for homes and buildings manifested itself in numerous ways. As a member of the Board of Trustees, John chaired the Buildings and Grounds Committee, as well as served on the Capital Campaign, Development, and Strategic Planning Committees. Together John and Marcie designed and purchased several homes in Sacramento, and enthusiastically and creatively renovated them.
That appreciation for and knowledge of how houses become homes manifested itself in 2003 when John sold his ownership in Patterson Aviation to kick off what became a very successful career in real estate, first in Sacramento and later in the Santa Barbara area, where the Gudebskis had a second home.
As a testament of the family’s affection for Country Day, John’s obituary suggested that in lieu of flowers, friends might consider donating in honor of John to Breakthrough Sacramento.
Amy L. Johnson 1976-2024
Amy Johnson passed away on August 22 after a brave fight with an aggressive cancer.
Amy’s multiple connections to Country Day include Class of 1995 graduate; former Alumni Director, Medallion Advisor, and 50th Anniversary Reunion Weekend Chair; and member of the Board of Trustees.
Amy arrived at school in the early 1980s when her parents Linda and Wayne Johnson enrolled her in pre-kindergarten. A dozen years later her parents applauded at her High School graduation, where Amy received the Amicus Award, annually presented to the student selected by her classmates who has been the best friend to the class.
After graduating from Tulane University, Amy returned to Sacramento and accepted a position in the school’s Development Office working closely with Wendy Ross and Julie Nelson, and taking responsibilities for alumni communications. She also took on the job of advisor to the Medallion. After three years, Amy left Country Day to join her family’s scaffolding business, Big City Access. Amy and her family founded another company in 2005, Skyline Scaffold, Inc., which in 2018 was ranked the 22nd fastest growing company in Sacramento by the Sacramento Business Journal.
Despite Amy’s full-time work as CEO of Skyline, she still made time for Country Day, and in 2014, she volunteered for the big job as chair of the Alumni Reunion Weekend as part of the school’s 50th anniversary celebration. In 2017, Amy was asked to join the school’s Board of Trustees, where she chaired both the Buildings and Grounds and Trustee Committees, served on the Finance Committee, and lent her expertise to fundraising events.
A celebration of Amy’s life will be held sometime this fall, though details are not currently available.
Jill Maxine Relles 1945-2024
Former Lower School teacher
Jill Relles passed away in August.
From 1979 to 1996, Jill taught hundreds of Country Day fourth and fifth graders the staples of an enriched curriculum, as well as nurturing their creative visions as the Lower School Art Resource teacher. After leaving the school, Jill continued her career at the Sacramento County Office of Education as the State Director of the Reading Implementation Center.
When Jill was away from the classroom, she could often be found at the top of a mountain peak, on a pickleball court, or on a ski slope. Her travels with her husband, Tom, and various family members and friends took her to all corners of the globe.
From her obituary, “Her commitment to education and the betterment of young minds was evident through her tireless work and the deep connections she formed with her students and colleagues.”
In 2014, John points out the design for the new Middle School Center at a group presentation.
FRANCIE TIDEY AWARD
Congratulations to Patricia Jacobsen, this year’s Francie Tidey Award recipient. Ms. Jacobsen has been at Country Day since 2003, teaching high school mathematics classes, from beginning geometry to calculus, as well as serving as club leader, student council advisor, and dean of student life.
When introducing Ms. J at the award presentation, Avneet Bhullar ’17 said, “Whether it was walking through an all too challenging algebra problem, figuring out how to hold high school prom on a moving train, learning about the plasticity of my mind, or cheering each other on during half marathons, Ms. J consistently showed me new opportunities and pushed me to achieve new heights.”
Testimonials submitted on behalf of Ms. Jacobsen’s included quotes from former students highlighting the various characteristics of her role as both a teacher and the dean of student life. “When she heard that several students were interested in a multi-variable calculus course, she learned the concepts herself and taught the course, even though there were only four students in the class.” Another student offered, “she dedicated her classroom and time every day after school so a group of us could build a solar-powered boat.” And, “her accessibility is unmatched; she serves not only as a teacher, but also as a mentor and life coach for SCDS students. For me, Ms. J embodies the true essence of the SCDS community.”
The Francie Tidey Award for Excellence in Education, established in 2001, is an alumni-sponsored faculty award named to honor longtime College Counselor and English teacher Francie Tidey. The annual award recognizes a member of the faculty or administration who has made an outstanding contribution to the Country Day community during his or her tenure. This year’s winner was honored at a virtual award presentation in September and recognized at the High School graduation in the spring.
RETIREES
Lauren LaMay
Patricia Fels
Daniel I. Neukom
Frank Pignata
Barbara MacAulay Ore
Kay Schweizer
Sheila Hefty
Susan Gorton Nellis
Barbara Fackenthall Tash
Wendy Ross
Jane Batarseh
Marcus Romani
Robin Kren
Sue Ryan
Michelle Myers
Barbara Lazar
Ron Bell
Evelyn Dale
Glenn Mangold
Elena Rodriguez Bennett
Helen Bishop
Bill Stainbrook
After 38 years at Country Day, Michelle Myers is retiring and heading south to La Quinta, where she can visit the polo ponies she used to ride. Before coming to Country Day, Michelle started polo lessons at UC Davis, practiced locally, and ultimately competed in tournaments, most often in southern California, but also in Argentina and Europe. As Country Day’s Director of Physical Education, K-5 PE specialist, and High School PE teacher, Michelle also at one time or another coached volleyball, soccer, and softball. She also served as the go-to for on-campus and field-trip medical support and as an advisor for both the Run to Feed the Hungry and the American Red Cross blood drive, among other roles. She even accompanied Country Day students on trips abroad to Russia and China. About her retirement, Michelle adds, “As much as I love riding, I think I’ll stick to watching!”
Sue Ryan was hired in 1994 as a second grade teacher, saying she would try it for one year to see if her three kids were okay having mom at their school. She was already part of the Country Day community having been an active parent volunteer, co-chair of the 1993 auction, and co-chair with her spouse Tim of the annual fund. Looking back on her 18 years with the second graders, Sue fondly remembers reading aloud and sharing books with the class, which made her next position at Country Day a perfect fit – Lower School librarian. In addition to the annual library events such as the Book Bonanza and Read Across America, Sue was the inaugural librarian for the Toddler Story Hour started in 2017, where she read, used puppets, and offered snacks to groups of eager youngsters. Now, 30 years later, she is retiring from full-time work with plans to help with Lower School admission assessments. And, as a grandmother of five, there will surely be some reading time during family visits.
ALUMNI NEWS & PROFILES
ALUMNI EVENT CALENDAR FOR 2024-25
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2024
Los Angeles Alumni Mixer
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2024
Francie Tidey Award Presentation
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2024
Bay Area Alumni Mixer
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2024
Sacramento Alumni Reunion
SATURDAY, MARCH 15
Country Day Auction & Gala
SATURDAY, JUNE 7, 2025
Film Screening & Panel Discussion
A short documentary, featuring former teachers and students talking about the early years of the Country Day High School.
SUNDAY, JUNE 8, 2025
Alumni Picnic on Campus
ALUMNI NEWS
1970+
A group of older alumni were on campus in August filming a documentary about the beginnings of the Country Day High School in the 1970s and early ‘80s. The idea for the film was conceived and directed by former teacher David Hechler, who taught English and drama from 1974-1980. Among those interviewed were Richard Mancina ’73; Robbie Mancina ’76; Jeff Young ’77; Nicolette Lampert Sterk ’78; Adam Braver, Ken Press & Winnie Ward ’81; Toran Brown, Steve Davis, and Tim Grieve ’82; Ashley Tidey ’83; Kelley Taber ‘84; and Quincey Tidey Grieve and Katie Newell Dudensing ’86, as well as former faculty Carol Loscutoff (French 19781982), Kay Schweizer (Art 1975-2008), Dan Neukom (History 1973-2017), and Patricia Fels (English and Octagon advisor 19762018). The showing of the documentary will be in June 2025 as one of the events scheduled during the 2024-25 school year to commemorate the school’s 60th anniversary.
1978
Caroline McAlister lives in Greensboro, North Carolina, and recently retired from teaching English at Guilford College. Caroline has a children's book coming out in February 2025. Titled “A Line Can Go Anywhere” and illustrated by Jamie Green, it is a picture book biography of the sculptor Ruth Asawa.
1981
Winnie Ward recently joined Rimon PC, an international law firm with 50 locations in 11 countries, as a partner in the Real Estate group. She lives in Sparks, Nevada, with her husband Dale, their dog, and two cats. Winnie and Dale own MindWinder Aviation, a Part 135 charter company specializing in aerial firefighting. They
contract with the USFS and CalFIRE, providing “call when needed” support for wildfires.
1984
Elizabeth Stroup Messina and Lynn Keating Smith took two trips together this year, including visiting all five National Parks in Utah. “Lynn and I traveled together to Kenya our senior year in high school, backpacked through Europe together in college, and have continued to get together as our children have grown up. Being empty nesters, it was fun to be able to travel together for a week just the two of us. We still make excellent travel companions!”
1985
Michael Smith hit the nine-year mark at McAfee, where he works as a partner project manager. If things go according to plan, he hopes to retire sometime in the next five years. Retirement will give him more time to enjoy the newest addition to his family, a grandson born this summer. Franklin is Michael’s second grandchild, joining Carson who is eight.
1987
Dave Farley lives in Las Vegas, where he still works at Grant Doctors, the government grants and contracts consulting firm he founded. He also,
according to former classmate Robert Padjen, posts entertaining photos of his rabbit Carrot. As for Robert, no rabbits but post-retirement he tried selling honey, finding it, “a sticky business with too much buzz for me.” Robert’s more permanent retirement plan is to spend half the year traveling. “Living the dream.” says Robert. “To me, college prep education and experiences are to ensure you can end your career on your terms. The new career is still ’time traveler’. Sadly it is also still unidirectional and constant rate. Working on that.”
1994
Carter Graham just started a new job at Sea Crest School in Half Moon Bay. The school enrolls students in TK through 8th grade, and Carter will work as the Director of Faculty and Professional Growth. This fall, Carter’s eldest, Teo, will be a sophomore at the Bay School in San Francisco and share the campus with Abby, daughter of Annie Nichols ‘98, who’s headed there for 9th grade. Carter was one of the alums in attendance at Breakthrough Sacramento’s 30th anniversary celebration and fundraiser in April. She drove from the Bay Area with former program director Heather Hughes, who also has a son at the Bay School. Talk about a small world!
1984
1987
Robert Padjen finds his honey business to be a bit sticky!
Lynn Keating Smith and Elizabeth Stroup Messina visit Arches National Park in Utah.
1995
We are sorry to share the news that Amy Johnson died on Aug. 22. (See pg. 27.)
1997
Tepring Piquado joined the National Science Policy Network (NSPN) in March 2024 as its first Executive Director. NSPN provides policy training, resources, and platforms for scientists to connect with policymakers and the public, addressing complex challenges through evidencebased advice. If you are a scientist or a science policy enthusiast, Tepring invites you to join the network and attend the 2025 conference in Seattle!
Adam Katz is back in Sacramento after living and working in Gulin and Nanning, China, for the last 25 years. Adam, his wife Fang (English name Eve) and their two children are settling in - Adam is working in real estate development, while remotely managing his English language school in Nanning, and the children are attending Country Day School, Kitally in 6th grade and Mackey in 3rd this fall.
1998
Joey Jaszewski tells us he and former classmate Billy Downing get together often. “Even after all these years, Billy and I still hang out. We met in first grade in Mrs. Peters’ class - getting close to 40 years ago! As Billy says, he hasn’t been able to shake me yet.” Allison Rude works in advertising as a Group Creative Director at the Martin Agency.
1998
Joey Jaszewski and Billy Downing share a “cuppa” at a recent gettogether.
Says Allison, “I'm lucky enough to work remotely in Philadelphia where I live with my partner and our two-year-old son, Wali. I still chat with Helen Harlan and Chloe Ellers often.” When not talking with Chloe and Allison, Helen is a freelance journalist in Sacramento and a cocktail waitress at Freeport Bar and Grill. She recently had a column published in the Sacramento News & Review (Aug. 6) entitled “Remembering the good times, 20 years after losing my best friend” that recalled her close relationship with Andrew Cochrane, ‘97. She lives in Oak Park with her cats Bob Sacamano and The Boy Named Sue.
1999
After almost ten years, Lynsey Corbett is leaving Eventbrite, where she worked as a UX Researcher. She lives in Carmichael with her partner Robert and tries to grab dinner with Katharine Harlan Owens, Charlotte Nichols Whitehead ‘00, and Allie Nichols ‘02 whenever she can. John Givens was awarded tenure and is an Associate Professor in the International Studies Department at Spelman College in Atlanta, where he lives with his wife and two children, but continues his long tradition of sleeping on Andrew Price's couch whenever possible. David Russell completed a Master of Liberal Arts degree from Harvard Extension School, studying international relations. His focus centered on national and international security, with an emphasis on Russia. He is now engaged in a job search as he begins an exciting new career. Suraj Satpathy recently moved
to Newport Beach, CA, with his wife Kelley and currently works as the Chief Human Resources Officer for Envista Holdings Corporation, a global provider of dental products, solutions, and technologies. Suraj and Kelley welcomed their first child, Kaia May Satpathy, to their family in March 2024 and are enjoying endless cuddles and sleepless nights as they watch her grow into the Swiftie, Sacramento Kings fan, and power woman she’s destined to become.
2001
Kate Heitman Campbell is an attorney working in the Cybersecurity and Data Privacy team at Neal, Gerber, & Eisenberg, a law firm based in Chicago. In 2016, Shayna Katz-Kim, husband Sang Kim ‘97, and their two kids moved to Oahu, Hawai’i. Shayna is working in the field of instructional design at the University of Hawai‘i, where she is completing a PhD in Learning Design and Technology, while Sang works for the state of Hawai’I and is a passionate surfer. Shayna added, “All in all, I’m enjoying beautiful Hawai’i with my now 14-year-old daughter Millona (going into 8th), 11-year-old son Hunter (going into 6th), two chickens, two rats, kitty cat, and our dog Wooster!”
2002
After 15 years in the field of mechanical engineering, and inspired by personal experience and a desire to make a meaningful impact, Tejpal Sekhon recently shifted careers to senior
1999
2001
Suraj Satpathy and wife Kelley spend quality time with their first child Kala.
Shayna Katz-Kim and her kids on a walk near their home in Hawaii.
health care. He is now the owner and operator of Grand Cru Senior Care in Sonoma County. Grand Cru’s mission is to provide exceptional care, compassion, and dignity to its residents. Zach Goldstein and wife Erica welcomed son Asher (pictured above) in October. The family lives in San Francisco. Jared Katz* is back in Sacramento after many years living and working abroad on the front lines of emergency response and disaster relief, where he coordinated with international organizations to provide critical aid and develop sustainable programs. Now back in California, Jared is working with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and living in Midtown with his family.
2003
Kate Farrell is an assistant professor at the UC Davis School of Veterinary
Medicine. This spring, you might have heard her interviewed on Capital Public Radio’s Insight program, where she spoke about the pet blood bank that the school maintains.
2004
Aaron Harris is excited to share that he’s a new dad. Baby Constance, (hiding behind the rabbit) was born in February 2024. Kelsey Blodget’s (aka Kelsey James) second book, “Secrets of Rose Briar Hall” was published in June.
2005
Michael Cvetich is engaged to fellow teacher Aurora Santangelo with a wedding planned for next summer. They have moved from Reno, NV,
2004
At their 20th reunion, the class of 2004 planned a weekend of activities that included some members of the class stopping by campus for a picnic lunch. Posing by the new Country Day sign are Jasmine Kerner, Jeremiah Sheckler, Valerie Boogaard McColloch, Yuko Takegoshi, Tomás Boatwright, Ashley Cribbins, Shabeg Sekhon, and Joel Haffner*
to Carpenteria, CA, where Michael is teaching AP Psychology and AP History as well as coaching varsity basketball at Ojai Valley School. Christelle Follette moved back to Sacramento from Los Angeles and is a board-certified veterinary surgeon practicing in Rancho Cordova.
2006
Connecticut resident Adam Eltorai recently completed his radiology residency and has started a job with a Wisconsin based company doing teleradiology.
2008
Omar Eltorai lives in New York City and works as the Director of Research at Altus Group.
2009
After 4 years in Washington, DC, with global marketing communications firm Edelman, Cristina Hargrave transferred to their Seoul office in 2022. “Now I work for Edelman APAC and lead the Workplace Advisory practice in Korea. My favorite part of my job is that it allows me to travel and work across Asia.”
In photo above, Cristina is trying out snowshoeing in Hakuba, Japan.
2010
Zach Eltorai lives in Chicago and works as a financial manager in a real estate development company.
2011
Colin Keiner had the opportunity to travel to Texas to be in the path of totality for the solar eclipse.
2011
Congratulations to Paul Kessler on his recent nuptials. Paul married Haley Gould on May 26 in Newport, Rhode Island. “We were joined by about 200 guests including Country Day classmates Case Nichols, Robby Templeton*, Conti Kolokotronis* (groomsmen), and Nicole Antoine.” Paul and Haley live in New York City with their 115 pound Bernese Mountain Dog, Dunkin.
2012
Katheryn Contreras Montgomery and her husband, Timothy, welcomed their first child, Elena, on Halloween 2023. The family will move to the small town of Wall, SD, by the end of the year for Timothy’s job in law enforcement.
2015
Keegan Crain (in red with Erik Morfin-Ruiz ‘15 at Redwood National Forest) graduated from Iowa State University in 2020 with a degree in mechanical engineering. The COVID pandemic put a stop to his European travel plans, so Keegan road tripped across the United States, visiting seven national parks and 11 states before returning to Sacramento and getting a job as a Firmware Engineer at Intel. He and his girlfriend live in Midtown, and Keegan has been able to connect with some of his Country Day friends, including Erik and Chris Liston and former teachers Michelle Myers, Kellie Whited and Erica Wilson. He also travels whenever he can.
2012
Camille Getz calls her redcarpet walk at the Tribeca Film Festival “surreal.” She was there for the world premier of a documentary she edited called “Linda Perry: Let It Die Here.” For those with questions, Camille helpfully shares about her red-carpet style, “The outfit was a rental, and, yes, it made me very sweaty.” Camille also had the honor and “full-circle SCDS moment” of playing the violin during the wedding ceremony of former classmate Jianna Gudebski ‘13.
2013
Jianna Gudebski married Andreas Dal Piaz at The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern in Los Olivos in February. The couple lives in West Hollywood with their dog Tater Tot. Andreas works in luxury home construction and Jianna continues with her acting career.
2017
Jesus Galindo-Sanchez shared an update on his life since Country Day, with the hope that his journey can help other alumni recognize the importance of mental health. After a difficult start to college studying communications, Jesus took some time to reassess and recenter, including starting therapy. In 2020, he enrolled in a psychology program at Universidad Iberoamericana and is on track to graduate next semester. In addition to classes, Jesus is working as a human resources intern for Rockwell Automation. The company is headquartered in Wisconsin, so the job has allowed him to reconnect with the English language. Jesus reminds us that “not all of us have a linear growth life story once we graduate from high school. Seek help if you need it.”
2018
After graduating from Stanford University last spring, Sonja Hansen
moved to New York City to explore comedy writing and the performing arts. “In addition to working in early childhood education, I am currently writing for Bitter Woman Productions (which is in residency at Tisch School of the Arts), managing social media for Superhero Clubhouse (an environmental theater troupe) and performing on two improv teams through the Brooklyn Comedy Collective.”
2019
Chloé Collinwood recently completed certification in hospitality management
2017
Isabelle Leavy wed Jude Martin in a backyard ceremony in July. Isabelle is completing a master of science in Human Evolution and Behaviour from University College London. The couple will return to the United States in the fall, settling in Nevada City, CA, for the year.
(front of house) at Cardiff and Vale College in Wales. While there, she spent a number of months supervising the college restaurant (The Classroom) and working at Farncombe Estate, a hotel in the Cotswolds that counts Lady Gaga as one of its recent guests. In 2023, Chloé participated in Nestle’s Toque D’Or, a hospitality competition in the United Kingdom, and finished second out of nearly 400 competitors. (Search “Toque D’Or” on YouTube to see videos of the competition.) Nate Jakobs graduated in May with honors in Economics from Pitzer College. Nate had a successful
finish to his baseball career that included captaining Pomona-Pitzer’s first trip to the College World Series and earning a spot among the career home run leaders in Sagehens history. In photo above, Nate shows off his trophy with his parents Gary Jakobs and Kelley Taber. In August, Nate joined Economic & Planning Systems as a Research Analyst performing economic and market analysis for real estate and land use projects. Jack Christian’s family joined him when he received his white coat at
a school ceremony after he officially finished his first year of medical school at Johns Hopkins. Says Jack, “I will be spending the summer home in Sacramento doing remote research in Pediatric Emergency Medicine, the field I hope to eventually go into! Most of my summer will also be spent traveling with family and friends and entertaining my little sister Paige, a rising second grader at Country Day.” Olivia Popp* graduated from West Point in May with a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Philosophy while enrolled in
an Infrastructure Engineering track. In addition, she was awarded the Military Order of the World Wars Award, which recognizes the cadet who has made the largest scholastic improvement over their 47-month journey. Next, as a 2nd Lieutenant Infantry Officer, Olivia will attend the Infantry Basic Officer Leader Course (IBOLC) before starting Ranger School at Fort Moore, Georgia, this fall. Afterward, she will be stationed in Fort Carson, CO.
2022
Daisy Zhou is studying computer science and business at the University of Washington. She was busy this summer with several internships. “I am not a big fan of Seattle’s rain and long winter, but it is finally summer time for Seattle now! I plan to seize the good weather to go hiking and enjoy nature.”
ALUMNI EVENTS
Carter Graham ‘94, Sara Rahimian ‘94, Carole Barrow ‘93, and Chris Dale ‘93 get
and Octagon
It’s 10-year reunion time for the class of 2013 and they celebrated together at the Country Day annual Alumni Reunion in December at Cafeteria 15L in Sacramento.
together at the Bay Area Alumni Mixer, hosted by Chris and his wife Sarah Bashford.
Former English teacher
advisor Patty Fels with Jessica Vando ‘92 and spouse Tim Milberger at the Alumni Picnic held on the Country Day campus in June.
Los Angeles area alumni gather for a fall happy hour at La Boheme in West Hollywood.
ALUMNI PROFILES
LYNETTE HALL ‘99
Full profile published January 2024
Occupation: Community Engagement Manager for the City of Sacramento City I call home: Sacramento, CA College: Clark Atlanta University (an HBCU), B.A. in Psychology, minor in Biology
As the Community Engagement Manager for the City of Sacramento, Lynette Hall and her team work to design and implement strategies that engage, educate, and empower the Sacramento community, especially in areas and with residents that have been disproportionately underserved. This means organizing community meetings and focus groups, attending outreach events, and implementing marketing programs that address cultural and language barriers. Currently, Lynette is involved with the CityStart Initiative (focused on creating a blueprint to bridge the wealth gap for black residents), overseeing the Volunteer Services Program, and much more. She has been honored for her professional and personal efforts to foster thriving communities and most recently was recognized with the 2022 NAACP Women in Leadership Award.
One memory I have from Country Day: Classes with middle school English teacher Mrs. Cochrane, who nurtured my love for poetry and writing.
At Country Day I learned: That relationships matter and sometimes it’s not what you know but connections you have fostered. I also learned that you don’t really know what you like or are interested in until you have the opportunity to be exposed to new experiences, people, and industries.
LILIAN GILL POWERS ‘15
Full profile published April 2024
Occupation: Aviation Officer, US Army City I call home: Yuba City, CA and Fort Novosel, AL College: Lafayette College, BA Chemistry, BA History
After Country Day, Lilian Powers headed to Pennsylvania for college where she majored in history and chemistry, earning an Army ROTC scholarship and minoring in military science. As a first-year college student, she shared with The Octagon the importance of “exploring your options,” noting that Lafayette College wasn’t well known on the West Coast, but its small classes, welcoming community, and strong faculty and student relationships made it very similar to Country Day.
Since graduating from college, Lilian, who married Eleanor Powers in 2021, has pursued a career in the military. First serving as an Armor Officer at Fort Riley, Kansas, Lilian was promoted to 1st Lieutenant in May 2022. In January of this year, she was selected to transfer to the Aviation Branch and recently made the move from Kansas to Fort Novosel, Alabama, to begin flight school. Lilian is on her way to be certified to fly and command the AH-64 Apache helicopter.
At Country Day I learned: Throughout all the subjects, from STEM to history, the most important thing I learned was to think critically. Reviewing primary sources, cross-checking opinions with facts, learning to seek truth instead of going for gut reactions, and using what I do know to figure out ways to tackle more advanced problems, are all things that helped me greatly in college and in my career. Any random high school would have taught me to memorize equations and formulas, but Country Day really did teach me to go after the meat of matters.
AVNEET BHULLAR ‘17
Full profile published October 2023
Occupation: Medical Student
City I call home: Sacramento, CA
College: University of Washington, B.S. Biology and Minors in Global Health and Anthropology; London School of Economics and Political Science, MSc in Global Health Policy; University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine
With a master’s degree in global health policy already completed, medical student Avneet Bhullar is well on the way to achieving her stated goal of working to ensure an equitable healthcare system that cares for patients in the clinic and within their community.
One memory I have from Country Day: Making pancakes and grilled cheeses with Ms. J and Mr. Wells for student council fundraisers.
At Country Day I learned: That I shouldn't be afraid to ask questions. A little-known fact about me: My eyesight is so bad, it’s illegal for me to drive without corrective lenses.
BADIER VELJI ‘03
Full profile published May 2024
Occupation: Decarbonizing the electric grid as a Partner Success Manager at Leap Energy
City I call home: Madison, WI
College: Harvey Mudd College, Engineering; UC Berkeley, MBA
Badier Velji is a Country Day “Super Lifer.” With two years in prekindergarten, he spent 15 years as a Country Day student, graduating in 2003 and heading off to Harvey Mudd College. At Harvey Mudd, Badier studied engineering and served as student body president in addition to spending time as a diversity trainer, volunteering as a student interviewer for the admission office, and playing drums in a jazz band called “Jive Overdrive.”
This wide range of interests is also evident in Badier’s professional life. After graduating from Harvey Mudd, Badier worked as a mechanical engineer and project manager across the solar, defense, medical device, and biotech industries. An interest in learning more about how businesses work led him to enter an MBA program at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business in 2016. He took what he learned there and applied it to a job in strategy consulting with Ernst & Young. According to Badier, it was through his consulting work that he was exposed again to the concepts of clean energy and the energy transition. “I wanted to make more of a direct impact in my work, so I left my high-paying job for a startup working in balancing and decarbonizing the electric grid.”
Today, Badier lives in Madison, WI, (“a lovely city, though winters can be a little rough”) with his partner and their 16-year-old cat.
One memory I have From Country Day: The surprise 18th birthday party that our Calculus BC class threw for me and Mitchell Durante that included cake, video games, and music in the middle of the day. At Country Day I learned: How fortunate I was to be surrounded by passionate teachers who could kindle my lifelong love of learning. Most people might remember one or two impactful teachers in their lives. I feel lucky to have so many more.
YUKO TAKEGOSHI ’04
Full profile published June 2024
Occupation: Software Engineer
City I Call Home: Boca Raton, FL
College: University of California, Berkeley, Chemical Engineering; University of Maryland University College, Computer Science
When asked what advice she would give current Country Day students, alum Yuko Takegoshi says, “It’s okay to not be perfect. It’s okay to not know everything. Still, go ahead and take those chances, try new things, and advocate for yourself. Sure, you may sometimes be met with a ’no’ — but by preemptively rejecting yourself, you’re blocking the possibility of that ‘yes.’”
This is advice Yuko has taken herself. A chemical engineering major at UC Berkeley, she decided to transition to software engineering and has worked as a professional programmer for over a decade. This willingness to adapt and try new things also allowed Yuko to get her scuba diving certificate in 2013. She’s now a certified instructor whose deepest dive is 170 ft. It was while scuba diving that Yuko’s fiancé, John, proposed – underwater and about 800 feet back in a cave in Mexico. They were married this month, with another celebration planned this October in Japan.
One memory I have from Country Day: One memory would be Mr. Dent’s Calculus BC class, where I actually kept a collection of notable quotes. One favorite example: “You don’t do this for fun, because it’s not. No one goes home and is like ‘Oh! Integration by parts!’”
My favorite Country Day spot: The computer lab. As a Lifer, I spent plenty of time in there through various classes, and then later enjoyed just hanging out there with friends. I suppose it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that I eventually landed in my career path as a programmer.
At Country Day I learned to write: Not necessarily as an author (though I was an editor for The Glass Knife), but more generally. From writing engineering blog posts for work to documenting code to communicating in a remote work environment, I use the writing skills I gained from Country Day on a daily basis.
ZHUOREN MA ‘15
Full profile published February 2024
Occupation: Electrical Engineer
City I call home: Shenzhen, China
College: Boston University, Bachelor of Engineering; Columbia University, MS Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
During his time at Boston University, Zhuoren Ma discovered a passion for electrical engineering. After graduation, he continued his studies at Columbia University in New York, where he earned his master’s degree. After a stint at ASML in New York using a lithography system to produce semiconductor chips, Zhuoren made the move back to California. He currently works at Meta, applying his expertise in electrical engineering to the development of smart augmented reality glasses.
Memories I have from Country Day: Playing on the lacrosse team and going on the Ashland trip. My favorite Country Day spot: The physics classroom.
2023-24
Head of School: Lee Thomsen
Director of Advancement: Rachelle Doyle
Director of Marketing and Communications: Ingrid Foster
Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Coordinator: Amy Nelson Wells ’98
Photography: Jessica Bartlett Photography, MugsyClicks, Melissa Strong, Rachelle Doyle, Amy Nelson Wells, Brooke Wells, Valerie Adelsheim, Country Day Alumni, Country Day Archives
Design & Layout: Julie Nelson
Is this owl staring at you and blinking his eyes? It may mean he wants you to back off and leave him alone.
The Annual Report, compiled by the Sacramento Country Day Office of Advancement, highlights the previous year’s achievements and acknowledges donors and volunteers for their support. This report reflects gifts received from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024. Every effort is made to report donors correctly. If there are errors, please accept our apology and inform the Office of Advancement.
Eighth grade students on River Day rest along the American River at Clay Banks. The assignment for the students was to design an independent research question, and Sacramento State students helped them collect data to answer their question.
