Santa Catalina School Bulletin Spring/Summer 2020

santa catalina

Faculty reflect on a new reality

Advanced Topics tap into teachers' expertise Alums in science, from matter to Mars

2020 SPRING/SUMMER BULLETIN

Crystal Boyd ’89 Director of Communications Jeannie Evers Writer

Jen Rocha Graphic Designer Robin Kelly Copy Editor

Shannon Gaughf ’08 Assistant

Director

Contributors

of Alumnae/i Engagement

Debra Burke, Paul Elliott, Zach VanHarn, Erin White

Contributing Photographers

Marc Howard ’93 LS; Nick Lovejoy; Santa Catalina School parents, faculty, and students; profile photos courtesy of the subject

Editor's Note

It goes without saying that the world looked very different six months ago, when we started planning this issue of the Bulletin. With most of the magazine written and in production by the end of March, our attention shifted to supporting our school community as we moved to learning and working remotely. Knowing that the spring issue of the Bulletin would be delayed, we decided to publish it digitally. This is not an official move away from printing the magazine, but rather a response to our current circumstances.

Though most of the content in this issue reflects a time of normalcy, we did feel it was important to acknowledge that our world and our school have changed. We invited three faculty members to share their thoughts about how COVID-19 has altered our educational paradigm in an already constantly shifting landscape. Now that landscape has changed even more, and we find ourselves living in a country that is questioning the meaning of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” for our Black citizens, including many alumnae/i.

My staff and I recognize the disconnect between the close-knit school community shown on these pages and our now physically distant way of life. We also recognize there are important issues of racial injustice that are not addressed here. These issues demand that we listen, reflect, learn, and act, and that is what we hope to achieve.

We will continue to delve into a variety of topics in coming Bulletin issues and look forward to sharing more stories from alumnae/i who are thoughtful, bold, and impactful contributors to the world around us.

In closing, I want to thank my staff members for their flexibility, adaptability, and can-do approach to the work that we do. Their willingness to meet the needs of our school community—not just in recent months, but always—is an inspiration to me. I hope that my fellow alumnae find support and strength in our sisterhood as we move forward in these changing times and that this Bulletin provides a little joy for each of you.

Crystal Boyd ’89 Director of Communications

On the cover: A painting of the Hacienda by Georgia Meyer '22.

Inside back cover: Kindergartners experience the wonders of jellies at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Back cover: Fourth-graders show love during a virtual class held over Zoom.

Santa Catalina’s Bulletin is published twice a year. We welcome suggestions for topics and news, as well as comments about our publication. Email us at communications@santacatalina.org.

Santa Catalina School, located on the Monterey Peninsula, is an independent, Catholic school. The Upper School is a college-preparatory high school for young women, with boarding and day students in grades 9–12. The Lower and Middle School is coeducational, with day students in PreK–grade 8. A summer camp for girls 8–14 years serves resident and day campers. Santa Catalina School is accredited by the California Association of Independent Schools and Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Santa Catalina School admits students of any race, creed, color, and national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, disability, and national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship programs, athletic, or other school-administered programs.

FEATURES 32 Fleeting Views of All That Matter

Dennis Perepelitsa ’00 LS searches for a glimpse into the origins of the universe. 34

Reaping What She Sows

Plant scientist Sally Mackenzie ’77 is in pursuit of a sustainable food system. 36

Searching for Truth in the Deep Blue Sea

An appreciation for the natural world lands Devynn Wulstein ’14 in Hawaii—and in reach of a Ph.D. in marine biology. 38

Down to Earth

Geoscientist Katherine Glover ’97 digs into the past to prepare for what the future might bring.

02 Message from Head of School

Campus News

Alumnae News

Class Notes 72 Transitions

40

Solving Big Problems in Nanospace

From astronaut health to planetary exploration, Jessica Koehne ’96 helps NASA reach for the stars.

Committed to Learning

Dear Friends,

Our country, and our world, is undergoing tremendous upheaval. The novel coronavirus and the ensuing COVID-19 pandemic have caused significant disruption and great suffering. The virus has put many of the most vulnerable in society at greatest risk, including a disproportionate number in the Black community. This is all the more heart-breaking in the wake of a national reckoning over the treatment of Black people and the systemic racism that continues to exist in this country. Those of good conscience can no longer turn a blind eye to this injustice.

Santa Catalina teaches that all human life is sacred and that each of us is made in the image of God. At this important juncture, we reaffirm our commitment to teach our students that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral society. Our aim has been to provide this education throughout our school program, from PreK to grade 12. But there is much work that remains to be done. Especially for those of us who are privileged, now is a time of listening to those who have been marginalized. Our goal for the upcoming year is to find ways to have Black voices speak to our students and faculty about their lived experience, so that we may listen and learn. This includes listening to the voices of Black writers, thinkers, and artists. And it includes listening to students of color at Santa Catalina, young people who have much to offer. At this point in time, it is critical to demonstrate humility in the face of the challenge of racial injustice. I will be working with our division heads to make listening and learning a focus for the next school year and beyond.

In addition, our board chair, Laura Lyon ’81, and I are committed to

work with the board’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee to address how we can diversify our faculty and admit a larger number of students of color to the school. We will also seek assistance from our alumnae council and network with others in the larger Santa Catalina community to find ways in which our school can actively work to create a more just society.

Like many schools around the country, we at Santa Catalina are diligently working to prepare for a school year unlike any before it. We ask for your prayers and support as we navigate an uncertain future. Know that we act with faith and hope as we prepare our students to become global citizens who will one day possess “a sense of responsible purpose, and a determination to serve the world with courage, grace and compassion.”

Sincerely,

Meg Bradley

COVID - 19 reflections

Like the spread of the coronavirus itself, Santa Catalina's shift to distance learning came fast and furious. Administrators began preparing as early as late January, as the first cases of COVID-19 began emerging in the United States, but the time between the school's announced closure and the beginning of online classes was remarkably short. Below, three Catalina faculty members share their experience of adapting to a new reality and finding a deeper appreciation for the relationships at Catalina's core.

IBI JANKO MURPHY ’83

K–Grade 4 Religion Teacher and Compass Coordinator

At the heart of our school is the building of relationships that, in turn, serve to educate the whole person.

If there is any time that has highlighted these two defining characteristics, it has been this time.

In awe, I’ve watched my colleagues as they stepped up to the plate and, like so many across the globe (no matter what line of work or way of life), took on something they never signed up for or could have anticipated. Our teachers packed materials, learned new ways of teaching through sudden and consuming online training courses, and then spent 10–15 hours a day recording, uploading lessons, preparing for live ones, or scanning materials to go into carefully orchestrated daily schedules. Remarkable.

We have all been brought face-to-face with the particular challenge of distance learning for a school like ours—a school where relationships are at the heart of who we are. How do you foster those relationships authentically, dynamically, and meaningfully at a distance, through technology? The short answer is, it’s hard. Our

teachers haven’t given up, though, and they are finding ways—live Zoom sessions, breakout rooms, and advisory meetings, to name a few.

As a teacher of one of our performance-based subjects, I asked myself: How do I do this? How do I teach religion and help with the character education program and service online? After all, if truth be told, I deliberately stayed away from technology in an effort to bring more interaction and actual connecting to the human spirit.

I wasn’t alone in my struggles and wonders. The challenge with performance-based subjects is that an integral part of all of these expressions is what happens when students physically come together to create beauty through music or art, to explore the questions of their faith. It is something elusive and somewhat ineffable, and it is difficult to recapture that dynamic online.

Determined to try, though, and led by the beating heart of our school—relationships—I turned to my colleagues in the other performance-based subjects. We didn’t want religion or art or music or technological ingenuity to disappear. And the administration didn’t

want that either. Wisely, our school leaders wanted these subjects to continue to have a strong presence but also wanted them to be rolled out at the right time. The priority was, of course, the core subjects, and to take care of our students, our families, and teachers. To take care of our families at the primary level is to be sensitive to the many different schedules and demands of each individual home as we partner with families as they guide their children along. So, every step taken has been thoughtful and intentional.

Teachers of performance-based subjects were faced with the question: How could we support the teachers of the core subjects, continue to communicate the teaching of the whole child, and navigate the tension without being burdensome or requiring more screen time, which is really counter-intuitive to the creative spirit? We pondered, waited, listened, and collaborated. And then we came up with a Schoology folder called HeART: He is for hearing music, A is for art, R is for religion, and T is for technical ingenuity. In addition, the folder offers a final section: HeART REACH. It’s our service spot, and it offers a place where we can come together and do what we know we are here to do: to reach out and help others.

After a few weeks of adjusting to this new way of learning, more collaborating happened. Teachers and administrators listened to families, and it seemed that the intermediate grades were ready for more. So we carefully rolled out the next step, guided by the

administration, and started offering live Zoom studio time for those grades in performance-based subjects.

When I teach through recorded lessons, I get a small taste of what the homeroom teachers are carrying, and I continue to hold them in high regard. Our teachers may very well have performance gifts, but their vocation is to teach and to guide. At its best, teaching is interactive. And in the physical classroom, it’s indeed interactive and live and nuanced and forgiving. In distance learning, simply how one disseminates the information to the students is a big piece of the puzzle. The only thing that gets me past worrying about the details of the recording is thinking about my students—focusing on them, on what I want to give them, on reaching them. In religion, I want to reach their hearts. To do so, I have to pare down to what is at the lesson’s core. That core, for right now, is prayer and service. There couldn’t be a better time for both of these.

I hope I will take that with me—paring down and a simplicity. Mostly, though, I hope I will take with me the deep appreciation of all that is at the root of who we are and what is part of the DNA of our school—relationships, nurturing the human spirit, and connecting to it. In spite of the immense challenges of this time, what has kept us going is our shared vocation—the love of what we do and for whom we do it: our eager, open-hearted students. There is no better motivator.

ROSS DILLON

Middle School History Teacher

Some years ago, I attended a lecture of neuroscientists who had completed the first long-term studies on the effects of screen time on the brain. The results weren’t great—and that was for adults. For developing minds, the concerns were graver still. I mention this upfront because, when this is all over, certain voices will say that our nation’s distance learning experiment proves that online learning can effectively replace the classroom—a dangerous, mistaken takeaway. Thankfully, at Catalina, there is little chance of our adopting such a position.

For our middle school distance learning program, the choice was made to limit the school day and thereby limit screen time. Normally our day starts at 7:55 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m. We pared that down to 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., focusing on the core academic classes. This

way, we minimized the amount of time students would spend on digital devices. We also added ten-minute breaks in between classes, which further gave students a break from screens.

Distance learning is a stop-gap and, at a school like Catalina, falls far short of ideal. Our school is based on relationships, both in and out of the classroom. During hall duty, I could strike up conversations with students on their way to class; during recess duty, I might cheer on our seventh-grade girls to defeat the sixth-grade boys (or vice versa, depending on the day). Study Hall and carline were great opportunities to chat with my students about life, middle school drama, or whatever was on their minds.

Online classes are preferable to no instruction at all. In my history classes, we spend one day each week on skills to develop research

distance learning timeline

projects. We spend the other class on the textbook so we don’t fall behind on coverage. With such limited interaction—80 minutes a week—distance learning is only able to deliver the basics in history. Gone are those wonderful historical tangents and conversations, generated by a student’s curiosity from an off-hand description encountered in his or her studies.

JANUARY

The first cases of COVID-19 are reported in the U.S. Santa Catalina begins monitoring the situation and contacting state and local health authorities.

February 22 -march 1

Catalina goes on Winter Break; the dorms stay open for students from Asia who are unable to travel home because of the virus. Work begins in earnest on distance learning plans.

march 13

Catalina announces that school is closed.

march 18

Distance learning begins in the Upper School.

This is unfortunate because, of course, while we retain the knowledge of these years (we can still solve for x, recall that Julius Caesar was assassinated, and know that mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell), our memories of these years cover very different ground. Our memories are of the exceptional activities, field trips, and events. (Luckily, we already had our seventh-grade Architecture Fair, and our sixth-graders already made stone tools. These activities aren’t replicable over a screen.) To simulate Plato’s gymnasium, we would do exercises while debating philosophical ideas. This lesson was abandoned this year because history, like math, is cumulative, and many of those enriching classes must be jettisoned to make sure we reach our destination by the end of the year.

That said, what we remember most of all from these years are not the exceptional lessons, but the relationships with our teachers. I am still friends with my middle school English teacher because she took an interest and helped me mature and develop as a student. Those relationships are at the core of what we do. And, although Zoom can let me cover a textbook chapter with my class, it would be disingenuous to say that it can replace the Catalina experience.

Thankfully, we’ve taken measures to shore up this concern. Once a week we have an advisory period, and we conduct online meetings with families. We are staying connected: each time I see my students I remind them to stay safe and healthy, that this unpleasant situation will come to an end. For teachers at Santa Catalina, and all we stand for in educating the whole student, that day cannot come soon enough.

march 23

Distance learning begins in the Lower and Middle School.

April 27

Catalina announces that distance learning is extended through the rest of the school year.

The success of Catalina in developing the minds and characters of young people has long stood as a testament to counter those voices advocating for increased screen time, testing-oriented curricula, and the dwindling of traditional classrooms. We know better. A major study six years ago found that too much screen time had a negative effect on sixth-graders’ ability to recognize emotions in others. What could be less Catalina, where we stress the importance of thinking about the needs and emotions of others?

My hope is that, now that screen advocates are experiencing just how basic and bare-bones the online learning experience is for students, they will retreat from such ideas. When debates inevitably come, our Catalina community can serve as a powerful example of why time in the classroom, and in-person relationships with faculty, make all the difference in the development not only of our middle school students but of all children.

faculty reflections

NATALIE BURKE ’99

Assistant Dean of Students and Freshman Class Dean

In July 2019, I attended a TABS Conference in Boston with Julie Lenherr Edson ’88, the Head of Upper School, and Katherine Busch, the Dean of Students. Among the many seminars we attended was one on emergency preparedness. We attended it with a keen awareness of the recent fires in California and wanting to learn from schools that had to evacuate their resident students in a hurry. We did not think we would be applying lessons learned a few months later as we shut down in-person classes at Santa Catalina and sent our boarding students home.

Those who know Santa Catalina know it to be a safe, strong, and beautiful community seemingly separate from the “real world.” It is a nurturing place for learning, growth, and connection. Springtime at Santa Catalina is an especially lovely time. The sunshine stretches later into the afternoon, the swim team splashes at the pool, and the calendar is dotted with traditions and celebrations. Our alumnae return to campus to gather and connect. The Junior Class hosts Prom, and the entire community gathers to support and celebrate Catalina with the Annual Benefit and Father-Daughter Weekend. The first cases of COVID-19 were just beginning to be reported in the United States. It felt like a far-off danger was encroaching but there was no smoke in the sky, rubble from an earthquake, or torrential rain to signal danger. Campus was blooming, the birds were singing, and the students were laughing and smiling. It all seemed so safe and protected, but as local and state governments began to take action, so did Catalina.

The school closure was announced at Assembly on a Friday. In Study Hall, I often look out at the rows of desks and reflect on how it felt to sit in those same chairs more than 20 years ago. My student experience never feels far away, and on that day I especially wondered what it would be like to be sitting at those desks. I watched the wave of emotions ripple through the classes—shock, disbelief, concern, sadness. Assembly ended and the girls hugged, cried, and called home. I looked at my colleagues; we knew the great work of getting everyone home and learning online was about to begin.

In the time that we have been away from each other, it has been both the best and the worst of times. I have watched the teaching faculty take to online learning with gusto. We have leaned on each other for information sharing, technical training, and best practices.

We have burned midnight oil recalibrating lesson plans, ensuring that students had everything they needed to adjust and thrive. I have seen the best of my colleagues in their willingness to grow, stretch, learn, adjust, and support this transition to distance learning. Yet, I have also experienced the worst of times, with the large void created when our students left campus. The lives of our students are the heartbeat of Santa Catalina. Our relationships with them and their relationships to each other create this beautiful community we hold so dear. Without them here, campus is too quiet and their absence is felt strongly.

Despite this void, the strength of our community and the bonds we hold dear from afar have been a bright spot. As we all settled into the routine of Zoom classes and Google Hangouts, we found time for fun, collaboration, jokes, silliness, and connection. The heart of Santa Catalina is beating strongly online. Advisory groups meet to bolster and support each other. Birthdays are being celebrated at Assembly, and Netflix parties, online cooking classes, and virtual exercise sessions boost our spirits in the off hours. Even though we can’t play table tennis in Thompson Lounge, nothing can stop our spirit and our desire to be there for each other.

I hope that one day soon, when this is all behind us and we are back on campus, our students will feel proud of the lessons learned. I have seen our students dig deep and reach higher, surprising themselves with their ability to direct their own education in the absence of a structured schoolday. As the Freshmen Class Dean, I have watched with pride a class of teenagers create work schedules and manage online calendars packed with class times, teacher meetings, club meetings, self-care responsibilities, and extracurricular activities in a way that we do not typically learn to do until college. I have witnessed our girls recognize the importance of social relationships and make time to nurture them from afar. Most important, I think we all have recognized how we cannot take one moment for granted. In my video conferences with students, I often hear how they miss breakfast in the dining room, hanging out in Study Hall, practicing lacrosse. They miss all those little moments that used to pass by quickly in the whir of a busy schoolday. When we are all together again, I know those little moments will be savored, cherished, and held dear in a way that will enrich us all.

GRADE 8 LEADS CLOTHING DRIVE FOR LOCAL VETERANS

Eighth-graders collected clothes and toiletries for military veterans finding their way back to civilian life. The items were donated to the Veterans Transition Center (VTC) in Marina. “It may seem simple, but things like this can go a long way in offering veterans hope and a sense of stability in regard to dayto-day needs,” said student Naiya Patel during Chapel Sing. Eighth-grader Emma Kim reflects that this service project is a way to show gratitude for the veterans’ service and sacrifices, as well as the sacrifices of their families.

After Chapel Sing, Compass circles gathered to write cards with messages of gratitude and hope. Students included a St. Michael medal with each card. The eighth-grade class has been connecting more and more with local veterans in recent years, holding clothing drives, hosting guest speakers, and visiting veterans in senior living facilities.

FUNDRAISER FOR JDRF

> Through the support and generosity of the Catalina community, we raised a total of $12,765 for diabetes foundation JDRF. More than 290 individuals walked with us on Lovers Point trail in support of JDRF. In addition, resident faculty children held an impromptu produce sale to raise an extra $20.00.

MATHCOUNTS TEAM TAKES THIRD IN CHAPTER COMPETITION

> Eighth-graders Domenic Borgomini, Eugene Kim, Taiga Minami, and Katie Noble took third place as a team in the 2020 Mathcounts chapter competition on February 1. Taiga and Katie also placed among the top three as individuals, qualifying them for the state competition. The mission of the Mathcounts program is to engage Middle School students in building confidence in their math abilities through problem solving.

On Halloween, the Lower and Middle School campus was filled with colorful and creative characters—from cowboys and mall cops to Lady Gaga. PreK and kindergarten students went trick-or-treating on the Upper School campus, with a special stop to wish Sister Claire a

lower and middle school

(1) PreK and kindergarten students go trick-or-treating, getting candy from Head of School Meg Bradley and Sister Claire.

(2) The House of Service moves a hula hoop around a circle during Pumpkin Olympics.

(3) The House of Responsibility competes in a sack race.

(4) Middle School students in creative costumes.

happy birthday. Then they changed into their Compass colors for the annual Pumpkin Olympics, a series of friendly relay games that ended with the House of Excellence defending its crown.

santa catalina / spring/summer bulletin 9

NPS OPENS ITS DOORS TO STUDENTS

Santa Catalina Middle School students experienced a whirlwind day of STEM demos and activities at Discover NPS Day on October 25. The Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) invites students, teachers, and other members of the public one day a year to see what goes on behind the gates.

NPS researchers shared their science knowledge at various stations, where students learned about force and frequency, how satellites stay in space, and even how astronauts take showers in space. A virtual/augmented reality station and a battle bots competition were highlights.

SENSORY GARDEN TAKES SHAPE IN PLAYGROUND

A sensory garden is taking shape in the pre-kindergarten and kindergarten playground, thanks to a collaboration with sixth-grade science students. The garden is part of an effort to create more outdoor, hands-on opportunities for Santa Catalina’s youngest students, according to Amy Aldrich-McAfee, the Lower and Middle School’s director of curriculum and learning and the learning specialist for PreK–grade 4. Sensory gardens appeal to the five senses and are a popular way to create an outdoor learning space. Ms. Aldrich-McAfee explains: “This garden is part of recess and is all about the kids. If they make the mistake of watering too much or picking the flowers, we will have learning opportunities from that. But it is an exploratory space for them to get their hands dirty if they choose.”

In addition to enriching the PreK and K experience, the garden project fits into sixth-graders’ work as an Ocean Guardian School. Last year, students focused on reducing single-use plastics; this year, they are taking a broader environmental approach. Sixth-graders have already met with the younger students to talk about what they want in their garden and have helped prepare the beds, filling two large tubs with soil and straw. Next, they will help with planting and setting up a worm composter. The plan is for the groups to come together during two recesses every week. PreK and K Director Lydia Mansour is excited about the project for her “little budding gardeners,” calling it inquiry learning at its best.

and middle school

THIRD-GRADERS PROMOTE THE THREE RS: REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE

Third-graders have made recycling their Project of Passion. They led an assembly on January 24 to educate other students about why it’s important. The main message was that we are all on this planet together, so together we should help keep it clean and healthy.

The students opened their presentation with a Mayan saying that means “I am you, you are me, we are one.” They ended it with a sign-language performance of “This Land Is Your Land.” In between, they shared facts about waste and pollution and sang a song about ways we can reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Every grade level has a Project of Passion, a service-oriented project that students work on throughout the year. Through education, third-graders encourage the entire school community to recycle and make more sustainable choices.

Each grade level also presents at least one assembly each year. Assemblies allow students to share what they are learning in class and to practice speaking and performing in front of others.

> First-graders visited Skydive Monterey Bay, where they learned how a parachute uses air resistance to float down. The field trip was part of a science lesson. The students also participated in a “skydive training class,” walked through an airplane, and even got to visit the spectator section to watch the skydivers jump.

> PreK students collected and delivered aluminum cans, plastic bottles, towels, and blankets to the SPCA as their Project of Passion. They toured the facility and got a few pet cuddles, too.

> Fifth-graders experienced California’s maritime history aboard the Balclutha. They rigged a boatswain’s chair, served meals, swabbed the deck, and learned how to raise and lower small boats and flags.

FIFTH-GRADERS PREP FOR MARS

Science teacher Kelly Miller took grade 5 on a journey to the Red Planet throughout the year—at least in their imaginations. The young “space travelers” had to figure out how to get to Mars, how to grow food there, and how to get back to Earth. Having learned about the conditions on Mars, the students are designed a solar habitat to survive the cold climate. Next, they learned how to make a solar oven to cook food. “Our potatoes and fava beans are growing nicely in the school garden,” Mrs. Miller reports.

CSUMB STUDENTS GET A TASTE OF P.E. AT CATALINA

Kinesiology students in CSU Monterey Bay’s Intro to Teaching Physical Education class joined PE teachers at four local schools, including Santa Catalina. According to their teacher, Jody Garry, students gave Catalina high marks in their end-of-semester evaluation.

Lower and Middle School Athletic Director Debra Burke says she enjoyed hosting the students and watching their confidence and knowledge grow. The kids also liked learning from their new college helpers. Both schools hope the partnership will continue.

SECOND-GRADERS TAKE TO STORYTELLING

Grade 2 students practiced their writing skills by crafting personal narratives about a small moment in their lives. Writing Workshop tasked the children with stretching that small moment into a story with details and description. Many students wrote about vacations; other topics included being late to soccer, getting a cat, and going on a hike. Of course, no story would be complete without hand-drawn illustrations by the author.

Narratives are just one type of writing that secondgraders practice throughout the year. They also practice science writing, opinion writing, and poetry. In addition, students learn about parts of speech and rules of grammar, punctuation, and capitalization.

ALUM STARTS NONPROFIT TO HELP BUTTERFLIES

lower and middle school

EIGHTH-GRADERS ATTEND HAMILTON

The Dan and Lilian King Foundation made it possible for every eighth-grader in Monterey County to see the Tony Award-winning musical Hamilton at the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco. On February 5, Santa Catalina grade 8 students joined the last group to see the show this school year. The foundation’s mission is to advance learning of the U.S. Constitution. Santa Catalina students have been studying that period of history.

Santa Catalina Lower and Middle School is big on service, with students participating in numerous projects throughout the year. Our hope is that by the time eighth-graders walk down the brick steps at graduation, they know it’s their duty to give back.

That’s exactly what happened with Jackson Swette ’17 LS, who recently started his own nonprofit, the Monterey Monarch Project, to restore the local butterfly population. On January 7, Jackson returned to campus to teach Lower School students about ways they can help save these important pollinators. “Monarchs are amazing creatures with a right to life, and are part of the Peninsula legacy,” said Jackson, who started at Catalina in PreK and is now a junior at Stevenson School.

Speaking at assembly, Jackson reported the drastic drop in monarch numbers because of the loss of milkweed habitat due to pesticides and other factors. Monarchs lay their eggs on milkweed and the caterpillars eat it, so the plant is essential to the butterflies’ survival.

Jackson urged students to plant “waystation gardens” at their homes so monarchs have a place to live, eat, and breed on their migration to Mexico. At the end of assembly, he distributed milkweed bulbs to each student. “Now is the perfect time to plant,” he said.

Jackson started the Monterey Monarch Project after reading a local news article about the butterflies’ plight. One of the project’s goals is to plant more than 5,000 milkweed plants through outreach to schools. Learn more at montereymonarchproject.org.

Aaron Ziegler, who teaches history and English at Santa Catalina, notes: “We haven’t extensively studied Hamilton’s life, but he has been an important figure in our class for over two months. I have played several songs from the musical that made explicit references to issues we were studying, such as his political rivalry with Thomas Jefferson, his extraordinary ascension from orphaned immigrant to Secretary of Treasury, his involvement in the Battle of Yorktown, and his overall views on American governance. The musical really fits so nicely into the curriculum by creatively expressing these very complex and important moments in this country.”

Good news for next year’s eighth-graders: The King Foundation has snapped up another 9,000 tickets for the beginning of next school year.

FALL SPORTS WRAP-UP

The boys’ Mission Trail Junior Athletic League (MTJAL) volleyball team had a very successful season, with a 9–5 record. This year’s team consisted mostly of novice volleyball players. The eighth-graders were quick to lead by example, and they won their first match against Palma. Two very tough losses to the No. 1 and 2 seeds, Carmel and Pacific Grove, inspired the team, and they won five out of their next six games, with one of the wins being against Carmel. Earning the No. 4 seed in the playoffs, the team lost to Carmel in three sets, despite an exciting and competitive game.

The girls’ eighth-grade MTJAL volleyball team had a challenging start to the season, with the first two games at Carmel and Pacific Grove. The team won four out of the next five games and finished the season 4–8. Not only did the players’ skills improve, but their attitude was always positive and their mindset was about supporting their peers. Our program and their selflessness was what made them such a wonderful team. “Although we did not win all of our games, the growth and development as players and teammates made the season really fun!” reflected eighth-grader Sophia Tonini.

The girls’ seventh-grade MTJAL volleyball team played a perfect season, with a league record of 14–0. With only eight players, the team was small but mighty. Each player was individually very skilled, but the athletes had to learn how to play as a team. Each time they played Buena Vista—twice in league and during the championship game—the game went to a third set. And each time, the players stayed focused, communicated, and remembered their positions. Coming together as a team led them to the 2019 championship. “Volleyball is a really fun sport, but it becomes even more fun when you have amazing athletes to play with,” commented seventh-grader Ava Edwards.

The Independent and Parochial Athletic League (IPAL) volleyball team had a strong season. The team consisted of grade 6 and 7 boys and girls combined, all new to the sport. Although the IPAL league is a “learning league,” it is still very competitive. Catalina’s novice players competed against teams made up of sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-graders and took games to the third set. The players’ confidence and skills grew and improved with each match, as did their attitude throughout the season. Coach Jen O’Connelly did an outstanding job teaching the fundamentals of the sport while also keeping the activity light and fun. “This was one of my first team experiences, and I really liked being able to play and compete with my fellow classmates,” said sixth-grader Quinn Connolly.

The girls’ soccer team had a great season, despite a league record of 1–7. Seventh-graders stepped up to lead in the absence of eighth-graders on the team. The first game of the season—against All Saints—was a tough one, but the girls did not feel defeated. They took each game as a learning experience, motivating them to learn their positions and keep improving. They came back and had a strong win against Junipero Serra. This team was positive in attitude and focused on the love of the sport. “I really liked how everyone on the team got along well and worked together as a team. Everyone was always super supportive of one another!” said sixth-grader Jayla Ballesteros.

Catalina’s boys’ soccer team was large—19 players—and represented all middle school grades. The team faced a strong opponent in All Saints and played a competitive game that ended 2–2. Goalie Andrew Airada made at least five key saves to keep the score to two goals. The boys had a great win against Junipero Serra, even though they were missing their starting goalie. The eighth-graders led warmups, set examples during the games and practices, and supported the younger players. Their losses were close and competitive, which helped them play better as a team; they finished 2–1–4 in league play. “I enjoyed this season because we worked on our team-building skills, and most of all I like having fun with all of my friends and teammates!” said eighthgrader JP Brenot.

Sixth-grader Antonio Borgomini passes the ball. The boys’ soccer team had players from all grades 6-8.

WINTER SPORTS WRAP-UP

Boys’ flag football, under the direction of Coach Joe Martis, had a successful season with strong leadership from the eighth-graders. The team rebounded from a first-week loss against International School of Monterey to finish with a 5–1 record. A highlight of the season was a game against All Saints, which came down to the final seconds when eighth-grader Domenic Borgomini scored the winning touchdown. Coach Martis helped develop the boys’ confidence, leadership, and humility.

The dedication of Coach Jason Mehringer to teach not only the fundamentals of the game but also specific plays and position training resulted in a season of learning for the girls’ flag football team. The girls also learned about sportsmanship, being part of a team, and hard work. Eighth-grader Riley Barringer stepped into a new position as starting quarterback, but by the end of the season she was calling her own plays and setting up the offense on her own. Despite a 1–4 record, the team developed and improved with each game. Players have much to look forward to, with many seventh-graders returning next year.

The boys’ sixth-grade basketball team was large not only in numbers—with more than 15 on the team—but also in spirit and heart. Coach Joe Martis helped the boys improve individual skills and group play. The growth was evident from their final game rematch, which the Cougars lost by only four points. Their 0–5 record does not reflect the improvement or the spirit of this team, which was evident every time they stepped on the court.

The girls’ sixth-grade basketball squad also had a tough season, finishing 0–6. Coach Jesus Rincon and Coach Charlie Hanson focused on increasing the athletic intelligence and the confidence of the players, many of whom had never played. It was a tough season facing teams that had sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-graders, but the girls never buckled under the pressure— even when they didn’t have any substitutes. Dedication and sportsmanship defined this team’s season.

The girls’ seventh- and eighth-grade basketball team consisted only of seventh-graders, but they were a spirited group. The season started with a strong win against Madonna del Sasso, which was followed by a tough home court loss to All Saints. Coach Rincon and Coach Hanson were happy with the tie against Stevenson but very excited about ending the season with a win against Junipero Serra School (JSS). Savannah Hardy scored more than 75 percent of the team’s total points for a personal best in the game against JSS. The squad finished with a 3–1–2 record, and the players look forward to next year.

Coached by Joe Martis, the seventh- and eighth-grade boys’ basketball team started the season with losses to All Saints and Bayview Academy. Several players were new to the sport. Eighth-grader Andrew Airada was the team motivator, pushing his teammates to stay positive and focused. The boys performed well against San Carlos but faced a challenging season. In their final game against Trinity, they scored the most points of any match they had played; it was a great way to end the season.

Eighth-graders Tessa Rava (14) and Riley Barringer (29) turn upfield. Riley excelled as quarterback on the girls’ flag football team.

Eighth-grader Taiga Minami was part of a boys’ basketball team that ended the season with their highest-scoring game.

scholastic winners

TALENTED STUDENTARTISTS WIN BIG

Eight eighth-graders claimed a total of 16 awards in the 2020 Scholastic Art Awards for the California Central Coast Region. Their submitted works included photography, design, and film and animation.

The California Central Coast Art Region is the largest and most competitive in the country, with 25 counties stretching from Monterey County in the south to Napa in the north and across the width of the state.

Santa Catalina students won in three categories: Gold Key, Silver Key, and Honorable Mention. Emma Kim and Emma Sondergaard won the most awards, with five apiece.

Gold Key works automatically advanced to national judging. This year, Emma Kim was awarded a National Gold Medal for her black-and-white photograph Glassy and was invited to attend the national awards ceremony at Carnegie Hall. (The awards ceremony, which takes place in June, was later canceled due to shelter-in-place mandates.)

Congratulations to teacher Susan Kendall and the following students:

NATIONAL GOLD KEY

Emma Kim — Photography, "Glassy" (8)

GOLD KEY

Emma Sondergaard — Photography, "Carnival Swings" (10)

SILVER KEY

Owen Alderson — Photography, "Snowy Day" (6)

Emma Kim — Photography, "Shattered Shadows" (3)

Sean Oliver — Photography, "NorCal" (1)

HONORABLE MENTION

Domenic Borgomini — Photography, "Light the Night" (7)

Emma Kim — Photography, "Asphalt Rising" and "Ephemeral Future"; Design, "Lemon Cosmetics" (4)

Naiya Patel — Film and Animation, "The Growth"

Tessa Rava — Photography, "Spin" (5)

Emma Sondergaard — Photography, "Spoons," "Motorcycles," "Flowing Plastic," and "Rainbow Purses" (2)

Sophia Tonini — Photography, "Vintage Car Door" (9)

A

HIGHER STANDARD

by Peter Myers, Assistant Head of Upper School

At a recent science conference, a single question was asked of one of Santa Catalina’s Marine Ecology Research students at the conclusion of her presentation. Recognizing that the student had conducted much of her research while working with researchers at Stanford’s Hopkins Marine Station, the conference member asked if Stanford’s logo could be added to the presentation. Apparently, this student’s work reflects the caliber of research that universities want to claim. In fact, Santa Catalina students often go well beyond the standards of typical high school courses to follow their passions.

It was in an effort to recognize and support these students that Santa Catalina’s Advanced Topics (AT) courses were first created. Starting in the 2019–2020 school year, AT courses were offered in English, math, world languages, and science with the goal of allowing students to move beyond a college-prep curriculum and to engage in more specialized, college-level studies. Similar to Advanced Placement (AP) courses, AT courses are UC Honors certified and offer a grade adjustment that recognizes the high level of course work being completed. However, unlike AP courses, AT courses are not required to follow a standardized curriculum approved by the College Board. They are instead inspired by the passions of Santa Catalina students and are the creation of Santa Catalina faculty.

Our students—hailing from across the United States and from Mexico, Switzerland, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, and other countries—bring a

By recognizing and encouraging students’ passions, AT courses allow for a more meaningful and impactful learning experience.

—Peter Meyers, Assistant Head of Upper School

wide array of passions, experiences, and perspectives to campus and to each classroom. One only needs to glance at a few titles of our students’ senior seminar research papers in history to see this diversity: “Having It All: A Goal, a Standard, and an Issue for Women,” “The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games: The Dominance of Realism,” and “Perception, Legislation, and Cooperation: Regulating the Shark Fin Trade.” Because AT courses are unique to Santa Catalina and do not follow a national curriculum, faculty can create courses that nurture these interests and provide opportunities for students to pursue a passion in a manner that most do not experience until college. It was student interest that led to the creation of the AT courses Multivariable Calculus, taught by Noova Ongley, and Dramatic Literature, taught by Dr. Nancy Hunt. By recognizing and encouraging students’ passions, AT courses allow for a more meaningful and impactful learning experience.

The crafting of such a learning experience is made possible only with the expertise of an extraordinary faculty. Seventy-eight

percent of our faculty hold advanced degrees, with three Ph.D.s in the science department alone. The AT curriculum puts teachers in the position of truly being able to tap into their knowledge and expertise, and the result is the creation of some incredible and compelling courses. For example, consider Sarah Paff’s AT English course, Tales of Horror, Guile, Wisdom, and Woe: Short Stories and Fiction, offered for the first time this year. Needless to say, there isn’t an empty seat in her classroom. Just as AT courses embrace the interests of students, they also enable faculty members to share their passion and expertise in the same areas, and the result is a catalog of courses that cannot be replicated anywhere else.

Looking forward, Santa Catalina will continue to review and expand its AT course offerings. Already for the 2020–2021 school year, new AT courses will be available in both the English and history departments. Enrollment for these courses is already strong. Knowing the quality of our students, I would not be surprised if yet another student was asked to place a university’s logo on her finished work.

JUNIORS GO ON HEALTH AND WELLNESS RETREAT

Juniors enjoyed an overnight retreat at St. Francis Retreat Center in San Juan Bautista on September 20–21. The theme of the event was “Being Present.” The retreat—part of a series centered on different aspects of the Wheel of Well-being— offered opportunities for individual reflection, guided meditation, class bonding activities, and creative expression.

Friday’s activities included a night hike. On Saturday, girls took time for journaling, following prompts that corresponded with the four points of a compass: north for acknowledging the guiding and stabilizing forces in their lives, east for identifying new beginnings, west for taking stock of endings, and south for looking inward. Students shared their reflections with each other in small groups. At the end of the retreat, students left with an action plan for personal growth.

BOTS DO BATTLE

Four seniors—Megan Gibson, Uma Sinha, Damiera Cruz, and Emma Ubertino— represented their computer science class in a competition during a STEM education day at Monterey’s Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) on October 25. Students in the class had spent six weeks designing and building robots weighing one pound or less. The four representatives brought two robots to the contest: one robot featured a wedge to get under other bots and a mechanism to either push or clamp down on the opponent; the other robot had a protective metal body and spikes on the back. The students competed in pairs. Their goal was to knock the opponents’ robot out of the arena. The seniors took third place in the nondestructive division (for robots that wouldn’t do any damage).

In the destructive division, Damiera and Emma operated a robot made by Brandon Naylor, an NPS student who serves as a mentor for Catalina’s robotics team. They placed second in that division.

The competition was part of the annual Discover NPS Day. The event allows nearby NPS to show students and other members of the public what happens behind the gates.

MODEL U.N. CONFERENCE RECOGNIZES STUDENT DELEGATES

Four juniors from Santa Catalina attended the 7th Annual High School Model United Nations Conference on October 26 at Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS) and participated in debates. The conference focused on global climate change and its impact on coastal cities, human displacement, and global economics.

Channing-Jaye Scott and Ally Berkowitz, representing the United States, were recognized for Outstanding Performance in Committee. Graduate students from MIIS measured the delegates’ effectiveness, speaking ability, and overall impact during formal committee hearings and informal caucus discussions. Channing-Jaye and Ally debated issues related to refugee displacement from climate change and natural disasters. This was the second consecutive year they were recognized for outstanding performance. Last year, they represented Ethiopia.

Fatemeh Shahroudi and Angelia Shi also participated in the conference. Fatemeh, representing Peru, debated issues related to the environmental effect of trade liberalization. Angelia, representing Kiribati, debated issues related to human settlement in response to global climate change in coastal cities.

The Model UN club’s moderators are science teacher Susan Williams and religion teacher Blake Riley.

Santa Catalina presented the musical Fiddler on the Roof October 18–25. The lively production featured Bailey Brewer ’20 as Tevye, the patriarch of a Jewish family who tries to maintain traditions in the face of hostile political forces in early 1900s Russia. His convictions are tested by his three eldest daughters, each of whom seeks to reject the will of the town’s matchmaker (Marissa Schimpf ’22): Tzeitel (Hattie Keys ’20), who longs to marry her childhood sweetheart (Maddie Mizgorski ’21); Hodel

(Samantha Scattini ’21), who wants to marry a revolutionary (Maddie Elkin ’21); and Chava (Katalina Villarreal ’20), who falls in love with a man outside her faith (MK Barlow ’21).

From the performances to the lighting, sound, and stage design, the cast and crew expertly navigated moments both big and small. Although the musical is filled with well-known songs, it was the dancing that left the biggest impression. The dance numbers are a “unique quality of the show,

creating [this] sense of a long-standing tradition and sense of community,” explains dance teacher and choreographer Nicole Cofresi.

For Audrey Avelino ’22, who played the rabbi’s son, a favorite part of the show was the community built among cast members behind the scenes. Audrey also spoke about what resonated with her most: “This story is just as relevant now as it was when [it was] made. It has something in it that almost everyone can relate to.”

Chava (Katalina Villarreal ’20) and Hodel (Samantha Scattini ’21) talk to their sister Tzeitel (Hattie Keys ’20).

Tevya (Bailey Brewer ’20) leads the men of his village in song.

MERP SENIORS CONTRIBUTE TO LARGE, REAL-WORLD PROJECT

Working in collaboration with researchers from the United States and Mexico, four seniors in the Marine Ecology Research Program (MERP) are contributing to a large study on the impact of climate change on abalone populations. The researchers are focused on abalone in the California Current, an ocean current that brings cool water down the West Coast from British Columbia to Baja California. Specifically, the team is looking at how the interplay of off-shore and near-shore conditions affect the structure of abalone populations.

The project involves researchers at Stanford University, the University of Georgia, the Autonomous University of Baja California, and Comunidad y Biodiversidad, a nonprofit organization promoting conservation in coastal communities in Mexico. The project is funded through the National Science Foundation’s Biological Oceanography program.

On January 16, three MERP seniors—Rosemary Lee, Chanel Sun, and Candace Wong—took part in a meeting with researchers at Stanford’s Hopkins Marine Station. These students presented the results of projects they have been working on specifically for this collaboration. Rosemary and Chanel reported on their statistical analysis of oceanographic variability and abalone habitats off Isla Natividad, Mexico. Candace presented work she produced with Ava Owens ’20 on the effects of climate change on algae that grow on seagrass.

These three students presented their finished projects along with 10 other MERP seniors at the Ocean Sciences Meeting 2020 on February 17–21 in San Diego. This conference attracts ocean researchers from around the world. The students also presented their research in poster sessions, listened to talks, networked, and attended workshops on many different aspects of ocean science.

STUDENTS WIN CARMEL ART CONTEST

Three Santa Catalina School students received awards in the Carmel Art Association’s 2020 For the Love of Art competition.

• Nicole Oliver ’21 was awarded second place in the painting category for Cittadina

• Trixie Stork ’21 was awarded third place for her painting Sweet Tooth

• Georgina Burton ’20 received honorable mention for her painting Desire

Their work, along with a painting by Kylie Ludviksen ’20 (Ponderosa) and a collage by Kaitlin Criswell ’21 (Eggs in One Basket), were on exhibit in February. For the Love of Art gives high school students the chance to participate in a juried show and have their work displayed for sale in a professional gallery. This year’s contest drew 67 students from 15 high schools and arts organizations from across Monterey County.

Cittadina by Nicole Oliver '21.

SENIORS GET UP-CLOSE LOOK AT SILICON VALLEY INNOVATION CENTER

On December 5, a group of seniors visited A3, a research and development hub for Airbus in Silicon Valley. Students in the Computer Science & Technology and Advanced Topic Physics classes toured the facility and heard from engineers, designers, and other A3 employees who are working on projects that aim to transform the aerospace industry. They also learned about an exciting paid summer internship with the company’s Monark project, which is working to improve weather forecasting. A month later, three students were awarded internships for summer 2020.

Computer science teacher Amy Azevedo Mulgrew ’02 explains: “Opportunities like this to see the inner workings of a Silicon Valley startup provide the students a chance to envision themselves in a career where they get to use the skills they are learning in the classroom. They must see the staircase before they can take the first step.”

Bix Cruz, father of Damiera Cruz ’20 and head of recruiting at A3, fielded questions about the company’s projects and the process of bringing an idea to life. Mrs. Mulgrew noted that “Mr. Cruz took the time to talk about the application process to a company like A3 and advised the students on how best to represent themselves through their LinkedIn profiles and their ability to talk about their past work and interests.”

In a series of presentations, employees (mostly women), talked about their projects and offered the students advice on communication, iteration, and how to learn from failure. The presentations were also live streamed to students back at Santa Catalina. Mrs. Mulgrew commented: “Their advice for our girls about taking credit for their work, navigating various communication styles, and tackling challenging problems had a huge impact. The field trip really provided lessons that I cannot provide in the classroom setting alone.”

DESERVING STUDENT BECOMES A DISNEY DREAMER

Nicole Munoz ’22 has been accepted into the highly selective Disney Dreamers Academy Class of 2020. She receives an all-expenses-paid, four-day, three-night trip to Disney World Resort, where she will collaborate with other contestant winners, attend career workshops, develop networking and interview skills, and work with mentors.

The academy receives thousands of applications from teens across the United States but accepts only 100 applicants each year. Nicole, a day student from Pacific Grove, explains: “I made the decision to apply for Disney Dreamers Academy because I saw it as a wonderful opportunity to meet new people from around the country, hear from extremely influential people about their craft, and have the opportunity to experience a once-in-a-lifetime journey. When I first applied, I never imagined I would get in, but I knew that I would be kicking myself if I didn’t apply. When I received my potential-winner letter, I was of course in shock, and I don’t think it will truly hit me that I got in until I get on the plane to Florida. But most of all I am grateful for the opportunity.”

According to the Dreamers Academy website, the event was created to “encourage Dreamers along their paths to success, to provide them with tools to let their potential shine, and to convey that the power of dreaming is the first step to achieving their goals.” Attendees meet Disney cast members, celebrities, industry experts, and community leaders in a variety of career disciplines. Disney hosts the academy in partnership with comedian/entertainer Steve Harvey and Essence

Nicole says, “I am looking forward to meeting all of the inspirational people who made this happen, but of course being at Disney World is an added bonus!”

STAGE DOOR DEPICTS LIFE IN AN ALL-GIRLS BOARDING HOUSE

Few plays are more relatable to a Santa Catalina School girl than Stage Door, presented January 17–25. The play depicts the comings and goings of aspiring young actresses who live in a boarding house in 1930s New York. The plot centers on the courageous Terry Randall (Marissa Schimpf ’22), who struggles through auditions. One of her fellow aspirants enters the film industry (Samantha Scattini ’21) and one gives up in despair (Cheryl Mendoza ’21). One of the men in her life, a playwright (Maddie Elkin ’21), “goes Hollywood,” and another, a producer (India Gonzales ’20), helps her follow her goals.

The action takes place in the boarding house run by Mrs. Orcutt (Bailey Brewer ’20). The set was hand-painted by the crew, inviting the audience in from the start. The large cast allowed for about twice as many female roles as male roles—there are 16 young women in the boarding house—and offered the perfect opportunity to break out some amazing vintage costumes.

All of this set in a place where girls live and work and play together, and see each other through the ups and downs? Yeah, Catalina girls might know something about that.

(1)

(2) Judith Canfield (Courtney Kostka ’20) reads a letter to Terry Randall (Marissa Schimpf ’22) and other residents of the Footlights Club.

(3) Southern belle Bobby Melrose (Jenna Tarallo ’22) swoons for Texan actor Sam Hastings (Madeleine Nowak ’20).

MK Barlow ’21 as aspiring actress Bernice Niemeyer.

STUDENTS GET SNEAK PEAK AT FILM FESTIVAL DOCUMENTARIES

Santa Catalina School students received a special preview of three films being shown at the 20th annual International Documentary Film Festival in Monterey. The festival, held October 24–26, is hosted by the Monterey Bay Chapter of the United Nations Association. Santa Catalina is a proud sponsor of the festival.

Leona Lind ’21 and World Languages Department Chair Melissa Sheets were on the film selection committee, which met several times over the summer to set the festival’s final lineup. Leona and Mrs. Sheets introduced the films shown to students October 23 in the Performing Arts Center.

• “Enough: The Empowered Women of Korogocho” tells the story of women in a Nairobi slum who are learning to protect themselves from attackers.

• “Girls Section” is about girls in a remote region of Pakistan fighting for their right to attend school.

• “Kofi and Lartey” follows two boys who work at the site of a massive electronic waste dump in Ghana.

The Peace and Justice Club presented the film festival preview with the goal of inspiring students to become good global citizens.

MARINE BIOLOGIST UNPACKS HER VOYAGE TO THE ‘WHITE SHARK CAFÉ’

Marine biologist Barbara Block presented new research about white shark migration during a special event on October 1, co-hosted by the Monterey Bay Stanford Club and Santa Catalina School. Dr. Block shared publicly, for the first time, the results of a major expedition that her team took last year to an area of open water in the Pacific Ocean called the White Shark Café.

A principal researcher at Stanford’s Hopkins Marine Station in Pacific Grove, Dr. Block has been tagging sharks for about 25 years. Sharks migrate every year from Monterey Bay—where they forage in the fall and winter—to the Café, located about halfway between Mexico and Hawaii.

STUDENTS JOIN WORLDWIDE CLIMATE STRIKE

Santa Catalina School students met with their peers from other local schools on September 20 at Colton Hall in downtown Monterey, adding their voices to those of millions of young people worldwide demanding that leaders take action on climate change. Students carried signs with messages such as “Save our environment” and “Denial Is Deadly” and chanted slogans such as “We’re with Greta!” Messages were inspired by Greta Thunberg, the Swedish environmental activist credited with sparking the youth climate movement. As one strike supporter put it, “I want to rally for a future we can survive through; without strikes like this, people in power will never listen.”

In her presentation, Dr. Block talked about the expedition, the data they collected, the creatures they found swimming below the surface, and the technology they used to aid their research, including DNA sequencing from water samples. One goal of the research is to learn why the sharks make the voyage. Another goal, potentially, is to carve out the Café as a marine protected area.

Earlier in the day, Dr. Block spoke to seniors in Catalina’s Marine Ecology Research Program about how she first became interested in sharks, about advances in tagging, and about how much we still don’t know about our oceans. She remarked that if the students decide to continue in marine science, “there will be plenty to do.”

FALL SPORTS WRAP-UP

Cross country, tennis, and golf all made their mark in the Pacific Coast Athletic League (PCAL). Cross country and tennis represented Santa Catalina in the Central Coast Section (CCS), too. All-league honors went to nine girls in golf, field hockey, volleyball, and water polo. Here’s a closer look at each of our fall teams.

The cross country team, which went undefeated, won the PCAL’s Santa Lucia Division but barely missed qualifying for CCS as a team. Ana Leissner ’21 qualified as an individual and represented Catalina in the championships on November 16, finishing 29th.

The tennis team took second place in the difficult Gabilan Division of the PCAL. After winning a play-in match, the team advanced to the CCS team championships on November 11, where they lost to Saratoga. Cecy Alcaraz ’22 and Lara Yuan ’23 played in the league individual championships on November 4–5, taking first and second in singles. They both advanced to the CCS individuals, where they lost in the quarterfinals.

Golf had an impressive 8–4 record and placed second in the Gabilan Division. The Cougars also took second place overall in the PCAL championships. Grace Deakyne ’20 was First Team All-League, and Alex Nickle ’21 was Second Team All-League. With only one senior on the team, Catalina will return 10 golfers in the 2020 season.

The field hockey team was very young this year and ended up with a 3–8 record and a fifth-place finish in the Mission Division of the PCAL. Angie Leissner ’22 was First Team All-League, and Lauren Dean ’20 was Second Team All-League. The Cougar field hockey program will return 15 players, nine of whom were freshmen this season.

Volleyball took fourth place in the Mission Division with a 6–9 record. Cougar volleyball was also a very young team, with six freshmen on varsity and 15 freshmen in the program. Jess Clements ’20 was voted First Team All-League; Anna Yeh ’23 and Abby Gunter ’20 were voted Second Team All-League.

Water polo was in a rebuilding year and went 2–15 overall, finishing in seventh place in the Mission Division. Catalina will return nine players, five of them seniors next fall. Georgina Burton ’20 was voted First Team All-League, and Maddy Brown ’21 was voted Second Team All-League.

TWO SWIMMERS SET TO COMPETE IN COLLEGE

A signing ceremony was held on February 17 for seniors Damiera Cruz and Claire Sullivan, who will both compete at college in the fall. Damiera will compete in freestyle sprints for Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania. She was selected to the all-league team as a sophomore, and recently swam in the Speedo 2019 California/ Nevada Sectionals, a national meet from USA Swimming. Claire received a full-ride swimming scholarship to Malone University in Ohio, where she will compete in freestyle distance events. Claire is a three-time CCS qualifier in the 200 and 500 free and holds the school record in both events.

Cross country runner Ana Leissner ’21 represented Catalina in the CCS individual championships.

WINTER SPORTS WRAP-UP

Basketball and soccer, both participating in the Santa Lucia Division of PCAL, continued to build on new talent and experienced leadership. Three student-athletes earned all-league honors, and another student earned a league sportsmanship award. The future is looking bright for both of these teams.

Basketball improved from last year’s one-win season, finishing in fifth place with a 4–11 overall record and 4–8 in PCAL. Under first-year Head Coach Peter Cofresi, the squad started four freshmen and one sophomore, making it the youngest starting team in school history. The players were able to rebound from previous losses and win their final two games to end the season on a high. Consistent scoring from freshmen Selma Ruiz and Liliana Pedroni and sophomore Maddy Foletta, who led the team in points, helped keep the Cougars competitive throughout the season. Liliana also led the team with 52 steals; Selma, who won a league sportsmanship award, had a teamhigh 115 rebounds. Freshman Margaret Spencer had a notable game against Monterey High with five rebounds against three opponents over six feet! Assistant Coach Jen Rocha reflected: “Despite being a young team, the girls proved to be poised and confident on the court. Our team improved tremendously throughout the season, and we look forward to building on this season’s success.” The basketball team earned the Outstanding Sportsmanship Team Award at season’s end.

An experienced offense helped lead the Cougar soccer squad to a third-place finish, a 6–5–3 overall record, and a 5–4–3 league record. Portia Randall ’20 was named to First Team All-League; Niamh Burke ’21, Leona Lind ’21, and Caroline Maguire ’23 were named to Second Team All-League. Niamh led the team with eight goals; Kate Larsen ’21 scored two game-winning goals. Goalie Caroline Maguire started the season with three big saves in the last five minutes in a win against Notre Dame. She continued her excellent play and earned

three shutouts over the course of the season. Sarah Sheetz ’23 received the Sportsmanship Award. Head Coach Julian Salas reported: “The team performed and adapted well to our new system of play. We’re losing one senior and will have 10 returning starters next year, and I think we’ll be able to contend for the title next year.”

PCAL has 33 schools and is an equity league by sport. There are five divisions; listed in order of the strength of teams, they are Gabilan, Mission, Cypress, Santa Lucia, and Arroyo.

SENIOR SOFTBALL PLAYERS SIGN WITH DIVISION 1 SCHOOLS

Seniors Jess Clements and Abby Gunter signed National Letters of Intent to play softball at Division 1 colleges next year. Jess will play for the Cal Poly Mustangs, and Abby is joining the Iowa State Cyclones.

Both players have been all-league varsity athletes their entire high school careers. Athletic Director Paul Elliott described the two athletes: “They are similar in competitive spirit, the way they work to get better, and the way they compete. The moment they stepped on our campus as freshmen, Jess and Abby were ready for high-level varsity athletics. They have been the best players on their teams, but you would never know it by the way they treat their teammates.”

Liliana Pedroni ’22 was part of the youngest starting basketball team in school history.

CATALINA STUDENTS SWEEP REGIONAL SCHOLASTIC ART AWARDS

Fourteen Santa Catalina School students claimed a total of 21 awards in the 2020 Scholastic Art Awards for the California Central Coast Region. They submitted works in the categories of photography, painting, digital art, and drawing and illustration. The California Central Coast Art Region is the largest and most competitive in the country, with 25 counties stretching from Monterey County in the south to Napa in the north, and across the width of the state.

Santa Catalina students placed in three levels: Gold Key, Silver Key, and Honorable Mention. Gold Key works advanced.

Congratulations to art teachers Jaime Ball and Claire Lerner, and to the following students:

GOLD KEY

Dylan Barry-Schoen ’21—Photography, Ana (9)

Holly Liu ’22—Painting, Time Preservation (2)

Samantha Scattini ’21—Digital Art, Hidden Mirage (3), and Photography, Simple Memory (8)

SILVER KEY

Hailey Boe ’20—Photography, A Handpicked Morning (6)

Gianna Borges ’22—Painting, Afternoon Light (7)

Milan Coleman ’22—Photography, Early Mornings (1)

Hannah Davis ’21—Photography, Smoke and Mirrors (4)

Harper Hanson ’22—Drawing & Illustration, Expressionist (5)

HONORABLE MENTION

Dylan Barry-Schoen ’21—Photography, Gray Whale Cove

Gianna Borges ’22—Drawing & Illustration, Self Portrait (two pieces)

Georgina Burton ’20—Painting, Koi Pond

Anna Cole ’21—Photography, A Snowy Overlook

Nicole Korinetz ’21—Photography, Life on the Reef

Kylie Ludviksen ’20—Painting, Papa and Half Asleep

Sofia Marquez ’20—Photography, Still Conversation (two pieces)

Emily Oh ’21—Digital Art, Alive and Glass

Empowering Women in Science

LAURE WOODS ’80

After obtaining a B.S. in Animal Science from UC Davis, Laure Woods ’80 went on to a career in clinical research, working with pharmaceutical companies such as Matrix Pharmaceutical and Genelabs Technologies. She also founded her own consulting business to advise companies that test the safety and efficacy of medications, devices, diagnostic products, and treatment regimens intended for human use. Laure also formed a private foundation focused on the education, health, and welfare of children, and founded the LaureL STEM Fund, which led to her work with Santa Catalina’s robotics team.

HOW DID YOU HELP START THE PROJECT AT SANTA CATALINA?

In 2017, I contacted the school with my desire to help fund an all-girls robotics team. This decision was driven by my experience at the FIRST Robotics competitions I attended with my daughter’s team. There were more boys than girls and one or no all-girls teams at the competitions. So of course I contacted my alma mater! I was so excited to learn that a group of students, led by Madison Gong '18, had already formed a team and were using a room for their robotics lab in the Sister Claire and Sister Christine Mathematics and Science Center. I had recently started the LaureL STEM Fund as part of my family foundation, and one of our goals is to create more opportunities for young women in STEM. We were excited to partner with the Catalina robotics team—entirely driven by students.

Catalina has fielded an all-girls robotics team at FIRST Robotics competitions for the past three years. At the first competition they were in, Nuns-N-Bolts won the coveted Rookie All Star Award. This was a huge feat, considering there are about 60 teams at the competitions.

WHAT SPARKED YOUR INTEREST IN SUPPORTING WOMEN IN

STEM? I’ve been interested in science since I was a little girl. I wanted to be a veterinarian. My mom knew I’d be best served in an all-girls school that would allow me the freedom to raise my hand with confidence, knowing I was as important as everyone else in the classroom. I was allowed to create and experiment in a safe and positive space. Teamwork was the norm. Looking back, I know my mom made the right decision.

Discovering the struggles my female friends and colleagues went through, being one of few or even the only women in

their college STEM classes, made me determined to make a positive change for my daughter’s generation. My daughter was the captain of her robotics team and is now a mechanical engineering major in college. Clearing an easier path for her and her peers’ future is critical. If a girl’s innate interest in science and technology is not carefully stewarded by her schools and communities, she may not get as far or as fast to her goals, if at all. We need all of the talent we can get in these fields, and that will happen only by giving girls an empty slate and the tools, guidance, and encouragement to create something new.

HOW DID

SANTA CATALINA

PREPARE YOU FOR THE

WORK YOU’RE DOING TODAY? Simply put, Santa Catalina taught me how to collaborate with, trust, and rely on my peers. My fellow classmates provided me with freedom and confidence to verbalize and act on my ideas. In 2009, I became sick with Lyme disease and was surprised by the dearth of research on and knowledge about this debilitating condition. There still is no cure. So in 2012, my friend Bonnie Crater (whose niece and nephew have Lyme disease), and I started the Bay Area Lyme Foundation. We were a small team of Girl Scout moms who collaborated around an idea to make change. We fund research, ecology, diagnostics, and novel therapeutics around Lyme disease across the country. Our mission is to make Lyme disease easy to diagnose and simple to cure. This foundation is one of my proudest accomplishments, and the model of sisterhood that I grew up with helped me create a strong, healthy (women-run) organization in Silicon Valley.

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU TELL US? The upcoming generation, more than any in history, will depend on technology. Having top-notch teachers and resources at their fingertips will equip them with what the society will require of them. The in-depth knowledge they gain, coupled with solid values of empathy, sharing, and fairness that Santa Catalina instills, will be one of the most important things these young women take with them in their lives—and into the world.

Finally, I would urge families and friends of Catalina’s students to come to the students’ competitions, fairs, and meets. Attending STEM competitions is just as important as attending sports competitions. There is nothing better than hearing cheers and rustling pom-poms in the stands during a tough competition!

Veritas Challenge Success!

We are grateful to the 690 of you who joined us in the Veritas Challenge! Thanks to you we have unlocked $1,174,977 toward the tuition assistance endowment. Tuition assistance ensures wellqualified students are able to create their own Santa Catalina story. Currently, 42% of Santa Catalina students receive some level of tuition assistance.

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I can honestly say that I think about my time at Santa Catalina and its impact on my life every single day. It is a gift for which I am forever grateful.

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Catalina gave me friendships that will last a lifetime, as well as a network of amazing, empowered women. It’s a place I can always come back to and call home. I couldn’t be prouder to call myself a Catalina woman, and it really is thanks to tuition assistance.

Nancy Kennedy Major ’96

Abby Austin ’13

Fleeting Views of All That Matter

by Jeannie Evers

As an experimental nuclear physicist, Dennis Perepelitsa ’00 LS studies very small particles of matter that exist for just a fraction of a second. The thing he’s after in that fraction of a second is nothing less than a glimpse into the origins of the universe.

An assistant professor of physics at the University of Colorado (CU) Boulder, Dennis studies what happens when two beams of particles collide at nearly the speed of light, producing the hottest matter ever made on Earth. “The particles slam with such high energy that they create a whole lot of other different particles to study, new and exotic particles we can’t normally access,” he explains. One of those rare creations is something called quark-gluon plasma, a subatomic “soup” that is the focus of his research. “That’s the phase of matter that all of the universe was in just after the Big Bang. By studying what happens in these collisions, we’re studying in a controlled lab setting how the early universe would have evolved shortly after its creation.”

Dennis conducts research at the Large Hadron Collider near Geneva, Switzerland, and the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider at the Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York. As a doctoral student

A view of the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland, one of two particle accelerators where Dennis Perepelitsa ’00 LS conducts his research.

at Columbia University, he was the first scientist to earn outstanding Ph.D. thesis awards from the research communities at both of these particle colliders. Recognition for his work has only grown from there. In 2017, he won an Early Career Award from the U.S. Department of Energy, which came with a five-year, $750,000 grant. In February of this year, he was one of 25 early career science scholars to receive a $100,000 Cottrell Scholar Award from the Research Corporation for Science Advancement. The award recognizes those who integrate scientific teaching and research. Dennis’ proposal included a plan to give undergraduates more experience with computational physics. There’s a growing need for scientists to be proficient with technical skills. “A lot of what we do is reconstructing or analyzing the data. That’s where the science comes from at the end of the day,” he says.

Born in Moscow, Dennis moved with his family to the United States in the 1990s. (“I didn’t learn English until I was seven, but that’s young enough to not have an accent,” he jokes.) They settled in Monterey when his mother got a job at the Presidio. After attending school in Pacific Grove, young Dennis came to Santa Catalina for seventh and eighth grade. It was a short but influential time. In grade 8, he was allowed to take geometry with the Upper School girls rather than algebra with his peers. “It was a little funny being an eighth-grade boy in a class of high school girls, but I respect that the school identified that I would benefit and made accommodations,” he notes. The experience taught him something beyond shapes and formulas. “Somehow, this idea that I can imagine something bigger and go beyond what other people are doing—it

expanded my mind as to what was possible,” he adds.

Dennis also appreciates the soft skills he gained in his two years at Catalina. Emotional intelligence, the ability to work collaboratively, to be organized, creative, and take initiative—these skills are essential for research in a university setting. “My memory was that at Catalina, there was a holistic sense to the whole curriculum, from P.E. on up,” he says.

For high school, he attended York, where he became involved in the theater program. Here, too, he draws a connection to his current work, this time as a professor. “I do think those experiences made it easier to be at the front of the classroom, to improvise and lecture in real time and keep students interested,” he says. He enrolled at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology intending to be a mathematician but discovered he was drawn to math more as it relates to computer science and physical problems. A quantum mechanics class set him on his current path.

Modern science is becoming increasingly collaborative, international, and interdisciplinary. One reason Dennis chose to continue his research at CU was so he could lead a team. “The science I wanted to do, no one person, no matter how smart, could do it alone,” he says. He encourages budding scientists to study abroad so they can learn how to be collegial with people from around the world, and to explore interests outside their own so they can better make connections between fields.

All of this collaboration means that new discoveries don’t stay secret for long. For Dennis, though, the moment of discovery is almost a zen moment. As he puts it: “I really like the idea that we’re studying phenomena that no human has observed before. Not every discovery in physics is groundbreaking, but we are learning a lot of interesting things about how nature behaves.” To be the first person to see something so fundamental—well, you’d want to make that fraction of a second last as long as possible.

I really like the idea that we’re studying phenomena that no human has observed before.

REAPING WHAT SHE SOWS

by Courtney Shove

Dr. Sally Mackenzie ’77 likes a challenge—anything that keeps her on her toes. In fact, she might not be where she is today without academic “rivals” and colleagues who have stretched her expertise. Currently the Lloyd and Dottie Huck Chair for Functional Genomics and a biology and plant science professor at the Pennsylvania State University, Sally has also served on the faculty at Purdue University and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

This academic asserts: “Science moves really fast, so you’re never really studying the same thing. You’re always having to self-educate. When you move to a new academic community, the scientists around you know different things, and because you don’t know them, you’re seeking out all this new expertise. You suddenly take on a new dimension to the way you think.”

On the flip side, she seems to have shifted some paradigms of those in her sphere of influence. Santa Catalina classmate Laura Robinson Harbert ’77 says that Sally gave her a new way of looking at life. A clinical psychologist, Laura spoke to Catalina students in January 2020 and mentioned Sally as someone who had changed her life for the better. Her classmate had reached out to her during a tough time in

high school and really made her feel seen: “Sally wanted to know me. She asked me questions about things I thought and felt.”

Sally first came to Santa Catalina as a junior, and she quickly discovered an environment that totally inspired her. She found the atmosphere to be welcoming and encouraging—perfectly conducive for young women to be themselves and to explore their potential. From the get-go, she appreciated the diversity of thought that the school fostered.

She remembers having been invigorated by calculus with Admiral Hatcher and advanced chemistry with Dr. Wang: “Those two teachers had more impact on my career decisions than anyone before them. I went to UC Davis knowing I would be a biology major really because of their two classes.” Believing that “you should always go to school with kids who are smarter than you,” Sally loved being challenged by bright classmates such as Wendy Richardson Ardrey ’77 and Diane Berthoin-Hernandez ’77, and she credits Laura Robinson Harbert with transforming her life and making her want to change the world.

After finishing a bachelor’s degree in botany at UC Davis in 1981, Sally attended the University of Florida, Gainesville, where she

completed a Ph.D. in plant biology in 1986 and a postdoc in molecular biology in 1988. Now at Penn State, she teaches plant biology to undergraduates in the fall and works on research, federal grant proposals, and manuscripts for publication in the spring and summer. She also travels regularly, visiting universities worldwide and giving presentations about her research.

Sally’s chief concern is food security, especially in regard to climate change. Throughout her career, she has focused on improving the plasticity of certain plant species through epigenetics, which literally means “on top of genetics.” As she describes it, there are certain DNA “decorations” that determine whether certain genes are turned on or off. Over the years, she and her colleagues have been able to breed plants that have greater plasticity without genetically modifying them. The greater the plasticity of a plant, the more likely it can withstand environmental changes, so the application of her work is indeed relevant.

The ability to grow more resilient plants holds promise for areas such as the Middle East, where food production is difficult due to water scarcity and a limited amount of arable land. In the meantime, the population is growing, forcing Middle Eastern countries to import much of their food supply. As Sally points out, creating sustainable food systems in other countries not only is the right thing to do (that is, feeding the hungry), but it also helps stabilize weaker economies and mitigates migration issues.

Another large-scale issue of concern is misleading scientific information in the mainstream media: “The most challenging thing about my work is the rampant misinformation that pervades the mass communication space regarding agricultural technologies, genetic technologies, and food safety issues.” For instance, many people are scared to eat genetically modified (GM) food, but, as Sally points out, GM crops are usually better because they are bred so farmers can use fewer pesticides. Plus, genetic engineering happens in nature in ways that are similar to what happens in GM technology.

Processed foods that contain partially hydrogenated oils and lots of added sugar are a much bigger health threat, Sally notes. For that reason, she eats a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables but surprisingly does not buy organic. She recognizes that the high cost of organic foods prevents them from being a sustainable food system for all consumers. Instead, she opts for conventionally grown produce.

The food business, it seems, was a part of Sally’s growing-up years. Her father worked in produce distribution—mostly tomatoes. At one point, the family moved to the Salinas area, where her father worked for Bud Antle, Inc. (which was later bought by Dole Food Company and then spun off into Tanimura & Antle). The family was living in San Benancio Canyon when Sally attended Santa Catalina. Later, her course veered north to Davis and has moved easterly since. Now, in College Station, Pennsylvania, she carries with her the knowledge and influences she gained on her journey and shares them with those in her ever-growing personal and professional spheres.

Her advice to young people interested in pursuing careers in science is to look for a mentor early: “Find a lab that does work that excites you, and arrange an internship. Explore a lab, learn some of its techniques, and get good at them. Don’t wait for a career to just happen, and don’t think it comes through the curriculum of a science major.” She also recommends taking on computational projects and looking into applied mathematics, as those skills are invaluable for today’s scientists.

Science moves really fast, so you’re never really studying the same thing.

SEARCHING FOR TRUTH IN THE DEEP BLUE SEA

by Joan Niesen

As a young girl growing up near Lake Tahoe, Devynn Wulstein ’14 loved the natural world. While her friends imagined themselves as princesses or ballerinas, Devynn studied natural phenomena. She discovered a website where she could simulate volcanic explosions, entering parameters into the program and watching the lava, ash, and gas burst forth on her screen. On hikes with her parents, she stopped periodically to peer into the dynamite holes left from avalanche blasting years prior, fascinated at the rock particles forming.

When Devynn enrolled at Santa Catalina, she gravitated toward history and English courses, shying away from complex math. As a sophomore, she took biology from Dr. Christian Reilly, who spearheaded Catalina’s Marine Ecology Research Program when he joined the faculty in 2008. Devynn adored class with Dr. Reilly, hooked by his focus on trying to understand the environment and the fieldwork—trips to tide pools, days spent counting sand crabs—that formed the backbone of his instruction. Still, when it came time to apply for college, Devynn imagined sticking to the humanities and eventually going to law school.

She did, however, apply to one school with strong science

programs: the University of San Diego. And when it came time to make her college decision, Devynn balked. “I don’t want to do history, because there’s nothing new,” she recalls thinking. Instead, she packed for San Diego, where she decided she’d study biology. This, Devynn says, is when her path began to meander. Devynn quickly realized that her biology program was overwhelmingly tailored for pre-med students, and she had little interest in that course of study. As she evaluated her options in other related fields, a friend began to tell her about the physics class he was taking. “He talked about his class the same way that I’ve talked about my bio class with Dr. Reilly,” Devynn explains. That enthusiasm piqued her interest, but she was still hesitant; she hadn’t taken physics since her freshman year at Catalina, and she knew the field required more math than she’d ever thought she’d want to study. Even so, Devynn dove in, taking a physics class during the summer after her freshman year. By the time she was a sophomore, she was working with Dr. Ryan McGorty in his physics lab at the University of San Diego, helping build a microscope and eventually publishing her first paper about it and the techniques she and Dr. McGorty developed for its use. Eventually, Devynn’s work trended

back toward biology as she and her fellow researchers studied DNA and cytoskeleton proteins. Graduation neared. Dr. McGorty received a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and hired Devynn to stay on in a paid position for a year while she figured out her plans for graduate school.

As she worked in Dr. McGorty’s lab, Devynn decided it was time for another pivot. She thought back to Catalina, to how her science studies there had encouraged an appreciation for the natural world. She applied only to graduate programs in marine science and physical oceanography. The University of Hawaii, where she impressed her now-advisor, Dr. Josh Madin, with her physics background and math skills, was a natural fit for her. Devynn enrolled in the fall of 2019 for what should be a five-year Ph.D. program in marine biology, and she quickly got to work at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB), where she helps monitor coral reef ecosystems. Immediately, she was gratified by how hands-on and applicable her research could be.

“I wanted to create a positive change,” Devynn says of her decision to focus on

marine ecosystems in graduate school. “It sounds cliché, but I would like my research to be a few steps closer to potential change. And I really love science, and I love that it’s about searching for truth…and trying to understand the universe a lot better. It does so in an objective way, and I think there’s something really beautiful and valid in that.”

At the University of Hawaii, Devynn began the early stages of her thesis during the 2019–20 school year. Her thesis will focus on coral reef ecosystems and juvenile coral, and she hopes her work will help improve coral restoration techniques in areas where reef health is struggling from overfishing, bleaching, pollution, or disease. Working with HIMB, Devynn is able to spend ample time in the field, though her thesis will rely heavily on work done in the lab.

In Hawaii, Devynn has found a course of study that melds her past interests—from Dr. Reilly’s biology fundamentals to physics to her childhood love of the natural world around her. Though she’s refused to follow a straight-line path, she’s grateful she had the confidence in herself to know when her next step should be a more creative one,

rather than the move that would make the most sense on paper. She attributes much of that confidence to her years at Catalina, where she was encouraged to speak up and ask whatever questions came to mind. In an all-girls environment, she says, she learned how to make her voice heard, and that didn’t change after she entered physics classrooms filled almost entirely with men. Devynn says that Catalina inspired the “confidence in being able to ask questions and not really worry what everyone else is going to think about you.” She adds: “I feel like my curiosity has always been encouraged academically, and I haven’t really ever faced anyone telling me that I can’t do it. And if I do face those people, it sort of makes it more of a fun challenge to get past that point.”

Devynn says she’s always found it difficult to plan her career too many steps into the future, and that she’s guided by a desire to be excited every morning when she wakes up for work. Beyond 2024, her expected graduation year, she’s unsure where her path will take her. She does have her eye on one job, though: Dr. Reilly’s at Catalina, whenever he decides to retire. It’s a long way from coral reefs and NIH grants, but there’s something appealing about returning to her roots.

Years ago, in elementary school, Devynn participated in her first science fair. Her project focused on climate change, though she doesn’t recall the specifics. She just remembers her enthusiasm for the research and the argument she made for saving the planet. Devynn contemplates: “This is the job that my childhood self would have loved for me to do, which is crazy. It is definitely crazy. I tucked it away. I hadn’t told anyone in college that I loved marine science. It was just like a bit of a hidden secret, hidden goal.”

I love that [science] is about searching for truth. … It does so in an objective way, and I think there’s something really beautiful and valid in that.

down to earth

Geoscientist Katherine Glover ’97 digs into the past so she can get a sense of what the world will look like in the future. Take, for instance, the San Bernardino Mountains in Southern California. Katherine recently published a paper on vegetation, wildfire, and erosion there going back 120,000 years, and it’s where she conducted research for her Ph.D. in geography at UCLA.

Wildfires are a common occurrence in the mountains these days, thanks in part to a die-off of pine trees. “Anyone who goes up there today sees the risk and how hazardous that environment is right now, how prone to burn it is, but we’ve had climate conditions in the past where wildfire just wasn’t an active process on the landscape,” says Katherine, a postdoctoral research associate at the Climate Change Institute at the University of Maine. She adds: “Seeing how

by Jeannie Evers

that’s come and gone and changed over time, what happens to plants and vegetation when fire is happening versus when it’s not: I think those are elements of the past that can inform what we might expect in the future in California.” One possible outcome based on the historical record: fewer pine trees, more resilient sagebrush scrub. Katherine sums it up: “Looking at the past allows me to say, This is the range of what’s possible.”

Katherine collects these data by taking core samples from the ground beneath lakes. “If you ever put a straw into a smoothie or Slurpee and put your thumb over it and make suction, that’s basically what we’re doing with the lake sediment,” she says. As sediment collects in the lake basin, it creates layers that capture what’s in the environment over time. By analyzing pollen particles and looking for charcoal,

which is evidence of fire, geoscientists can piece together the history of a landscape.

This process has become Katherine’s area of expertise—even if it doesn’t always work as expected. Last June, Katherine took two graduate students to the Grand Kankakee Marsh in northwestern Indiana, an area once so rich in biodiversity it was known as the “Everglades of the North.”

With funding from a National Geographic Society grant (which makes her a National Geographic Explorer), Katherine hoped to get a 5,000-year history of the area. Instead, she weathered a series of setbacks, including having her equipment get stuck in the muck. In many ways, it was a humbling experience. Her part in a larger project didn’t work out, but other parts of the project—collecting soil samples, being able to create curriculum for local teachers— did. Plus, her students gained valuable time in the field. “In a very short period of time, their background knowledge exceeded mine on the area,” Katherine says. Learning to get comfortable with that, she realized that her role is “all about trying to facilitate someone to be their own expert and learn how to grow their career after this experience.”

Katherine’s own interest in science didn’t really blossom until she was in

college. A boarding student from the San Francisco Bay Area, she came to Santa Catalina for the arts program. Still, her arts background has proved beneficial to her as a scientist. Katherine comments: “I’d say it was great for fostering a lot of the creativity that I’ve used in science, and for looking at things from a new lens. It’s also great for trusting your own vision for what you want the final product to look like. In high school it was my art portfolio, but in science it’s more like, What do I want to show with this study, and what lab analyses and collaborators can get me there? … And I always get compliments on my maps.”

While a student at Santa Catalina, Katherine didn’t think much about the benefits of an all-girls environment. Now she recognizes the importance of seeing women in the sciences. She is passionate about being a mentor for women in earth science because she herself didn’t have any female role models in the field. Between her undergraduate studies at DePauw University in Indiana and her master’s work at the University of Cincinnati, she had one female science professor. She often speaks up for inclusion in climate change research, including at the Society of Women Geographers’ conference in Washington, DC, last year, where she was

invited to speak. “Writing papers and doing the science isn’t enough, both for climate change and for diversifying the field,” she says.

This year, she is teaching a class on women and climate change, looking at the ways in which women have not been at the table in policymaking, research, and the media. The class also looks at the ways in which women bear more of the impacts of climate change, especially in the developing world. Women are often the ones in charge of food and working the land, but they also tend to feed the children first, and the men. These social dynamics mean that women are often more malnourished and have higher mortality rates. “It’s deep and dark stuff sometimes, but the students keep me honest with how we can be solutionoriented and start to look at ways in which this can change,” Katherine says.

Fifteen years ago, in between her master’s and doctoral studies, Katherine was a high school teacher. With those students, “I felt it was an uphill battle just to get them to even process or think about climate change,” she says. That’s a marked difference from today’s generation. “There’s so much more receptiveness now. Seeing a lot of the climate activism driven by young people keeps me optimistic.”

Looking at the past allows me to say, ‘This is the range of what’s possible.’

SOLVING BIG PROBLEMS IN NANOSPACE

BY JEANNIE EVERS

How do microbes evolve in space? How can we monitor the health of astronauts on the International Space Station? Are we alone in the universe? These are just some of the questions that Jessica Koehne ’96 is helping to answer.

Jessica runs the nano-biosensor development lab at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley. Her team develops sensors for human spaceflight and environmental monitoring. In her nearly 20 years at the agency, she has helped develop diagnostic devices for astronauts’ heart health, sensors that analyze the composition of water to ensure that it’s safe to drink, and sensors that can evaluate chemical and biochemical environments on other planets.

This year, Jessica created hardware for a project on the International Space Station (ISS) that, in her words, “will contribute to our understanding of how biology evolves to adapt to the harsh environment of space.” Currently, her greatest effort is for the InSpace Manufacturing project. “The basic idea is that as we travel farther from Earth— farther than the ISS and especially toward manned flights to Mars—we won’t be able to rely on resupply from Earth and will need to make goods, parts, and tools as we go,” Jessica explains. For another project, AstroSense, she is helping to develop a biomedical

sensor to measure signs of stress that astronauts can create using tools such as a 3D printer.

Although most of her work is geared toward the well-being of astronaut crews and human spaceflight, she has been especially excited about her lab’s role in exploring other ocean worlds in our solar system. Her lab received funding to develop habitability and life detection instruments for the exploration of Europa, a moon of Jupiter. Jessica describes this area of focus as some of her lab’s “coolest work.”

Jessica grew up in the Highway 68 corridor between Monterey and Salinas. She and her twin sister, Amanda, first considered Santa Catalina because the high school they would have attended was closed for seismic repairs. With a combination

of passionate teachers, great science labs, and the arts, “Catalina just had a great feel from the get-go,” Jessica says.

She enjoyed her math and science classes, but her main passion was dance, and that’s where she kept her focus while choosing a college. She wouldn’t take another science class until her sophomore year at Santa Clara University, where she started as a biology major. She graduated in 2000, though, with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, and applied for a position at the Ames Center soon after—but not because she had a particular interest in space. “I just needed a job,” she says. She joined the Ames nanotechnology team at a time of tremendous growth and worked on several projects for biological, chemical, and electronic applications. The job suited her. Jessica explains: “Nanotech is so interesting because it’s inherently interdisciplinary. For somebody like

me, who has a lot of interests, it’s great. Going into a field like this allowed me to work with a lot of different people with different backgrounds who were coming together to solve big problems.”

After a couple of years, she decided to attend graduate school through a program for civil servants, joining the UC Davis surface science lab in collaboration with NASA. (She overlapped with her sister, who was studying veterinary medicine at UC Davis; Amanda is currently a comparative pathologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.) Jessica earned her Ph.D. in analytical chemistry, then returned to Ames and took over the nano-biosensors group. In finding her footing, she learned to navigate funding and determine where to devote time and resources. “That first year was an interesting time, an exploratory time, figuring myself out and how best to apply what we have here,” Jessica says.

Scientists in the nano-biosensors group also collaborate with government agencies and other institutions on projects. For example, Jessica partnered with a neurosurgeon at the Mayo Clinic to develop implant sensors that can monitor the chemistry of the brain in real time. Jessica says she is always looking for ways to push her lab’s technology and expertise into innovative new directions, as with her team’s latest foray into planetary exploration.

Mentorships have been another meaningful aspect of her job. Since 2010, she has mentored 82 interns—from high schoolers to postdoctoral students, many of them from underserved or underrepresented backgrounds. “To see undergrads— many, if not most, of them the first in their family to go to college—pursuing these careers in science, tech, and engineering is phenomenal.”

The importance of giving back was a value instilled at Catalina, she says, and it’s been a big part of her career. Another Catalina value: academic integrity. Jessica comments: “It’s a critical . . . part of one’s training, no matter what career they go into. It was very impactful for me as to how I wanted to represent myself and my career.”

In 20 years, Jessica has received more than a dozen awards and recognitions from NASA and other institutions, including the Women in Aerospace Achievement Award in 2018. She also received the 2011 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor bestowed by the government on scientists and engineers beginning their research careers. The award came with a White House invitation. She recounts the experience: “We lined up according to height. I’m kind of short, but not the shortest. As we were going into the room [the East Room], I’m getting close to this big medallion at the center, and the photographer says stop. I look at the medallion and realize I’m splitting center. Right there is where the president is going.” Sure enough, Jessica is just to President Obama’s left in the official photo. “It was a pinnacle for sure,” she adds.

Nanotech is so interesting because it’s inherently interdisciplinary. For somebody like me, who has a lot of interests, it’s great.

Distinguished Alumna Awards

The 2020 recipients of the Distinguished Alumna Awards, Tracy Miller Hass ’75 and Dr. Kismet Thompson Roberts ’90, are recognized for their extraordinary achievements as role models to alumnae and students, and for their dedication and service in their volunteer and professional endeavors.

Tracy Miller Hass ’75 is a long-time volunteer and supporter of Santa Catalina. Beginning in 1986, she served several years as a class correspondent, as well as a class agent and a reunion ambassador. In the 1990s, she was active on the All Together Now committee and was an integral part of the Envision 2000 initiative, serving as both a chair and a class agent. Tracy joined the Alumnae Association Council in 2000 and served generously for 10 years in various leadership roles, including four years as president.

In 2011, Tracy joined the Santa Catalina School Board of Trustees. During her two consecutive terms, her roles have included chair of the trustee committee, co-chair of the development committee, and member of the audit committee. She has been an active member of the executive committee, serving in leadership roles and currently as secretary.

Tracy has been recognized in the community for her outstanding leadership, service, and philanthropy. In 2005, she was nominated as one of 20 dynamic female leaders in Gentry magazine’s annual salute to women, “Leading by Example.” In 2010, she was a National Philanthropy Day honoree, nominated by Santa Catalina School, and was named Woman Entrepreneur of the Year by the Women’s Initiative for Self Employment of Silicon Valley and the Peninsula. She currently serves on the board of directors of the Menlo Circus Club, a private country club in Atherton.

Tracy holds a B.A. in art history from Scripps College and an MBA from Pepperdine Graziadio Business School. Early in her career, Tracy worked as a fund accountant in the venture capital industry. She now works as an interior designer and was honored to work on the interior design details of the Carol Ann Read Head of School house at Santa Catalina.

Dr. Kismet Thompson Roberts ’90 is an Air Force veteran and current physician with Sutter Medical Group. She attended Duke University on a full Air Force ROTC scholarship, earning a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. She earned her medical degree from the University of Colorado School of Medicine on a full Air Force Health Professions Scholarship in 1998. She completed her specialized training in full-spectrum family medicine with the University of Nebraska and Offutt Air Force Base Family Medicine Residency.

While serving in Japan alongside her husband, Glen, an Air Force pilot, she received the Air Force Physician of the Year award. While teaching family medicine to resident physicians as an associate professor at the University of Nebraska, she completed a Faculty Development Fellowship through the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and served as the assistant program director for the residency. She deployed to the Middle East in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Kismet achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 2009 and soon after separated from the Air Force to focus on her family. In 2011, she returned to California to work with Sutter Medical Group, where she is a full-time outpatient physician and a “wellbeing champion” for clinician wellness.

She has served as a Journey Day speaker for current Santa Catalina students and as a mentor for students who are interested in entering the medical field or the military. Santa Catalina is a family tradition; both of Kismet’s sisters—Dr. Kassandra Thompson Brenot ’87 and Kahlil Thompson Coyle ’93—are graduates of the Upper School.

Tracy Miller Hass

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO GIVE BACK TO SANTA CATALINA IN SO MANY WAYS OVER THE YEARS? I loved my high school experience at Santa Catalina and have always looked back on those years with great fondness. The 1970s were a restless era following the rebellious nature of the 1960s. It was an awkward time. We weren’t sure who we were or what we wanted. I came to love Santa Catalina and the structure it brought to my life. My friends were my world. I knew that if my friends were by my side, I could do anything.

WHAT HAS SANTA CATALINA MEANT TO YOU SINCE GRADUATION? After graduation, I kept up with my closest friends but was busy establishing my career and family. One day I received a call asking if I would like to get involved in the 50th anniversary celebration. I had recently become a mother, and something about that call just struck a chord in me. I did get involved, and it was really fun. I don’t know if I would have become involved if it weren’t for that call. I just needed that little push. I volunteered with many of the celebration events. There was a fundraising campaign and I made my first financial pledge, which represented a commitment to something bigger than myself. I was asked to join the Alumnae Board, where I met alums of all ages. To this day, I cherish my time on the Alumnae Board and was honored to serve as President for four years. Through the Alumnae Board came my introduction to the Board of Trustees. I believe I was the first Alumnae Board President that was given an ex-officio seat on the Board of Trustees. I’m currently serving my tenth year as a trustee.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED OR GAINED FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF SUPPORTING CATALINA AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OVER THE YEARS? My involvement with Santa Catalina has taught me that when you are passionate about something it becomes part of you. It has never felt like a chore or an obligation to give back to the school. It has been so rewarding.

HOW WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE SANTA CATALINA STUDENTS AND ALUMNAE TO GIVE BACK TO THE SCHOOL? I would encourage them to think about what school has meant to them. Hopefully, there is something that will bring them back—a special friendship, an influential teacher, a particular experience, a strong or renewed faith. These are the experiences that helped me become reconnected with Santa Catalina.

WHAT SKILLS, VALUES, OR LESSONS DID YOU LEARN AT CATALINA THAT HAVE HELPED YOU IN YOUR CAREER OR IN LIFE? I didn’t realize how much my Santa Catalina experience would

shape my life. How many times did we hear the word “veritas” when we were students? Thinking about veritas has helped me in moments when I had to make a hard choice or decision. I’ve learned from serving on the Board of Trustees that there is a “Santa Catalina way” that guides our behavior. The Santa Catalina way is being mindful of others even in unpleasant situations and stresses the importance of thinking about others and having compassion.

WHAT DOES RECEIVING THE DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA AWARD MEAN TO YOU? HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER AWARDS YOU’VE RECEIVED? It is truly an honor. It’s not a goal that I was striving for, and that makes it different than other accolades or honors. Other awards I have received have been for a specific achievement or event. This award feels like a beautiful culmination of my lifetime of volunteerism. I am proud of what the award represents and it is a true gift.

WHAT WORDS OF WISDOM DO YOU HAVE FOR CURRENT STUDENTS OR YOUNG ALUMNAE? I would encourage them to hold their Santa Catalina experiences close to their hearts. These experiences and friendships will sustain them for a lifetime.

Dr. Kismet Thompson Roberts

WHAT CHALLENGES, IF ANY, HAVE YOU FACED AS A WOMAN IN YOUR TWO CAREER FIELDS? My greatest challenge was leaving two very small children (two and four years old) to deploy to the Middle East. My husband, an Air Force pilot, also deployed. I left my two children in the care of my wonderful parents for three months. I was torn between my duty as an Air Force physician and as a mother.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT? I [received] the Air Force Clinical Excellence Award in 2003.

WHAT SKILLS, VALUES, OR LESSONS DID YOU LEARN AT SANTA CATALINA THAT HAVE HELPED YOU IN YOUR CAREER OR IN LIFE? Santa Catalina has taught me the greatest lesson of all: that I can achieve anything through hard work and perseverance. Being a woman does not make me less. I have learned not to be afraid to try new things; the only downside is failure, and if you never try you will never have the opportunity to succeed. Catalina taught me to be a strong woman and not to sell myself short.

WHAT DOES RECEIVING THE DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA AWARD MEAN TO YOU? Being a distinguished alumna is an amazing honor. It is possibly the greatest honor of my life aside from being a mother and wife. Only a few alumnae are given this great honor, and I feel humbled to be included in their ranks.

WHAT OR WHO INSPIRED YOU TO PURSUE A CAREER IN THE ARMED FORCES AND IN THE MEDICAL FIELD? My father encouraged me to consider a career in the armed forces to help pay for my education. I’d wanted to be a doctor since the age of 11. My experience at Santa Catalina and the amazing instructors in biology and mathematics solidified my desire to learn more about medicine.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR WORK AS A PHYSICIAN? Every day I am inspired by my patients. I am invited into their lives at their most intimate and private moments to help them. It may be during their diagnosis with cancer, finding out they are pregnant after years of infertility, caring for a newborn, providing care after a hospitalization or celebrating their successes. It is a privilege to be part of their lives.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE OR MOST MEMORABLE CATALINA TRADITION, AND WHY? My most memorable tradition is Retreat Week. I have amazing memories of the spiritual awakening I experienced during those times. The time I was given to reflect on my spirituality and faith is incredibly unique.

WHAT WORDS OF WISDOM DO YOU HAVE FOR CURRENT STUDENTS OR YOUNG ALUMNAE? I would love to have some amazing words to inspire other young women. However, my best advice is to tell women to be true to their faith and to their integrity. Never let these be compromised. You will be asked many times in the future to compromise them, and if you refuse to do so you will live a fruitful and fulfilling life. When all is said and done, these are the most important qualities.

ALUMNAE CLASS NOTES

Fleana Giglio Snapp brorat1955@comcast.net

54

Gloria Felice gloriafelice@cox.net

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue! 55

Mary Nevin Henderson Pat Kelly Phillips

plwa2@sbcglobal.net 56

The Class of 1956 is without a class correspondent. Please contact Shannon Gaughf ’08, Assistant Director of Alumnae/i Engagement, to volunteer to serve your class in this meaningful way.

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue! 57

Carole Lusignan Buttner wmbclb@aol.com

Diane Dickerson: This past year has gone so very quickly. I’m still living at home in Santa Barbara, and am continuing to repair it as it was built in 1923. I’ve learned a lot and feel so grateful that I had this opportunity. I am still renting four rooms in the main house and live in the cottage nearby. We have formed a lovely community here. My oldest son has moved to Connecticut and my Napa son visited for Christmas. I frequently drive up to their house and visit with my two grandchildren, Evie (7) and Owen (5). Denise LeBlanc Hellier: I spent Christmas with my daughter and her family in Darien, CT. I am heading to California in January for my birthday celebrations with family and friends. Maribeth Conway Steiner: We are still in Anchorage and part time in Bend, OR, where two sons and their families live—such fun with grandchildren popping over. Our granddaughter is now in her

second year at Columbia and she loves it! She is followed by our seven grandsons! Mary Cano: It has been a quiet year for me. I did go to London with my cousin Sally in October to celebrate our 80th birthdays. Hard to believe that we (with I believe the exception of Camille) are now in our 80s! I drove up from La Jolla to the Monterey area at the end of the year to meet the two daughters and two grandchildren of my other cousin, Vicky. We had the pleasure of staying two nights at what was my grandparents’ house in Pacific Grove and is now Martine Inn, a beautifully maintained bed and breakfast. I had great delight in driving them all around the Peninsula. We were there at New Year’s and I took them up to Santa Catalina—at least drove them in and stopped outside the Hacienda and told them what a fantastic time I had there with all of you so many years ago! I love writing 2020; I would never have thought of ever reaching this year! But I send my very best wishes to all of you for a beautiful year. Carole Lusignan Buttner: Of our seven grandchildren, the oldest is working at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and the youngest two are living in Dutch Harbor, AK, with their medical parents. The ash from a neighboring active volcano kept them from returning home after the Christmas holidays. Maribeth understands all this! As we treasure our families, friends, and classmates, we realize that these are worrisome days, full of a lot of uncertainty. We are beginning a whole new decade together. We pray for wisdom and peace. We shall always share that loving bond which we formed so long ago.

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The Class of 1958 is without a class correspondent. Please contact Shannon Gaughf ’08, Assistant Director of Alumnae/i Engagement, to volunteer to serve your class in this meaningful way.

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue!

59

Bobbie

O’Connell Munson

bobbiemunson@sbcglobal.net

It was such fun to receive all of the emails and phone calls from my terrific classmates. Most of us had been together last year to celebrate our 60th reunion at the school. Each time we gather, we are reminded of the warm, close, loving relationship of our classmates of ’59. I (Bobbie) had a long phone call from my very first roommate Louise “Wheezie” Grant Garland. It was great to catch

ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION COUNCIL

Executive Committee

Kathy Trafton ’74

President

Jalynne Tobias Redman ’72

Priya Kumar Raju ’00

Katie Carnazzo Larsen ’02

Vice Presidents

Zach VanHarn Director of Annual Giving and School Engagement

Members

Sandy Hollenbeck Schnieder ’62

Pat Allen Sparacino ’65

Terry Whitney Baganz ’69

Marie Cantin ’70

Sally Fay ’74

Annie Coppel ’90 Lindsay Heller ’95

Brogiin Keeton ’01

Kai Romero ’01

Anna Lopez Mourlam ’06 Kristina Flathers ’11

Chapter Chairs

Boston Position vacant

Chicago Lisa Cavanaugh Wiese ’74 Kristina Flathers ’11*

Dallas Joanne Van der Plas Viola ’84 Hope Morgan ’90

Denver Laura Stenovec ’99

Houston Diana Kendrick Untermeyer ’80

Los Angeles Leslie Hunt Johnson ’92 Paige Finster Greenspan ’96 Mzilikazi Kone ’01

Monterey Liz Holt Protell ’64

New York Priya Kumar Raju ’00*

Phoenix Gloria Felice ’54

Becky Hays-Rovey ’92

Portland, OR Virginia Sewell ’69

Ann Carter ’71

Brigid Flanigan ’73

Sacramento Position vacant

San Diego Taylor Griffon ’11

San Francisco Yvette Merchant Nichols ’96 Natalie Burke ’99

Anna Lopez Mourlam ’06

Seattle Madeleine Lynch Greathouse ’85

Washington, D.C. Position vacant

International Chapters

Asia Angelina Yao ’99

Diana Mak ’01

Europe Lara Brehmer ’98

Latin America Annie Coppel ’90* Tere Gonzalez ’94

*Designates Alumnae Association Board member

up with her. Marilyn Brown Wykoff: Vic and I are on our month-long cruise to Guam, via Hawaii and the Marshall Islands. We had a great visit with Julie Hutcheson in Houston. Julie has the most charming and beautiful carriage house. Julie is still adjusting to life in Houston, but is so happy to be surrounded by her family. We were there just before Christmas for lunch, and being together was the best gift of the season! Lila Desmond French: I’ve rented out my home in Palm Desert and have been in Austin, TX, visiting with my daughter, Carson Billings Lovell ’89, and grandchildren. My eldest grandson recently committed to play lacrosse for the Air Force Academy. The other grandson will play for a school on the East Coast. Last summer, I took a European cruise and visited Paris with my two granddaughters. This summer I plan to take the boys to Italy and Greece. At this age, we should celebrate ourselves, cherish our families and friends, and look forward to the years ahead. Lynne Wildman Chapman: I have become a grandmother for the first time at age 77! My granddaughter, Sophie, is precious, wonderful, the best. Debby McCann: Tim and I went to Washington, D.C., to see the grandchildren at Christmas. My sisters, Abby McCann ’54, Margaret McCann Grant ’57, and Kathy McCann ’65, are all well and we all visit regularly. Thank you to everyone who helped me with the Sister Kieran Scholarship. Kristan Jacobson O’Neill: My husband, Ed, and I love spending most of our time in the high Sierras of Shaver Lake. I am very involved with the museum and hosting concerts, and I am still remodeling our home. Rene May Lawler: This past summer, I headed to Singapore, Java, Bali, and the Komodo Islands. This coming season, I am off to the Black Sea, Turkey, Ukraine, Bulgaria, and Romania. I now have six grandchildren, and the second great-grandchild will arrive this April. Barclay Braden: My husband, Richard, and I are planning to sell our Colusa home this year, keep the one in Florida, and travel! Christy Belvail Baguio: My health has hit another snag. I have a lung showing cancer, and will again be put on some research drugs to control the issue. Keep me in your prayers. We just celebrated the 85th birthday of my husband, Alfred, with all of the kids and grandkids. I am also a 49ers fan, so I have a lot in common with Bobbie, especially this football season! Didi Dwyer Schreiber: I am going through some health issues with family and friends. Margaret Rosenberg Duflock : I am in really good health and so grateful for that. I still live in San Ardo, in the house I grew up in. It is a great life. I have a “getaway house” in Paso Robles. It’s only 40 minutes from my house. I do not have to drive far for anything. Recently, I drove to King City in the morning then to Paso for a four-hour meeting, then to Monterey for a Santa Catalina event. So you can see why I enjoy Paso Robles—everything is so close! My 12 grandchildren are all well. Two of my 12 grandchildren have graduated from college, are gainfully employed, and are enjoying their jobs. I always try and go to Santa Catalina

events and enjoy them when I do. I am still very proud of the school as an alum, the mother of three alumnae daughters, and three alumnae granddaughters. M.T. Poniatowska Maigret: We had a huge amount of tourists this year in Brussels, thanks to the fact that Paris was in a mess of strikes and also thanks to some excellent exhibits with Brancusi, Keith Haring, Salvador Dali and his jealous attitude toward Magritte’s work, plus the excellent Magritte Museum in Brussels. For once in a lifetime, our family was reunited during the two weeks of Christmas vacation. We were nine adults, seven children, one dog, and one rabbit. It was a miracle getting everyone organized, especially those coming from Napa. Now everyone is back in school, passing exams, and thinking about the future. Wendy Burnham Kuhn: I am lamenting that we did not have enough time to visit with one another at our wonderful 60th reunion last March. I was so impressed with Santa Catalina and the girls. I loved going to the classes, and thought the food was divine. I was also very happy to see the Sister Kieran Scholarship get underway. It was wonderful to be able to come, all the way from France, for our reunion! Mary Denman: I continue to enjoy living in my diverse community in New York. I am grateful and my health is good, but from day to day, at our age, one never knows. The adult spiritual formation team continues to offer many programs for my parish. Soon, we begin a four-session workshop for Lent. Last year’s attendees selected The Shack for our topic. Also, I am totally involved in the beautiful garden here, transitioning into conifers and shrubs, starting a few years ago. Wonderful to search the web for unusual plants. If you want to have a copy of my best mail order companies, please email me. It is a handout that I use for garden tours here. Hansi de Petra Rigney: My husband, Bob, and I just celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary. We are so grateful for the very adventurous life we have shared, living all over the world. We now have five grandchildren as well. I am recovering from last year’s hip replacement surgery after having run 111 marathons. I am already hoping to be running again this spring. I feel so lucky to live on the Central Coast, where I train almost daily along the ocean. I couldn't be happier with all of my blessings—husband, family, and many friends. One of those blessings was having had the opportunity to be a student at Santa Catalina, surrounded by wonderful teachers and fellow students. Kathleen Mailliard Rende: All is well in retirement. I am enjoying my dear husband and his passion for golf. Will I ever master the game? We're having fun with our grandson, who plays for the Branson School golf team in Marin. Can't wait for spring and more golf. Always thinking of our wonderful reunion last year and the opportunity to see everyone. Stay well, dear classmates, and keep in touch. France de Sugny Bark : Dennis and I continue to enjoy our life at the Sequoias in Portola Valley. It is a caring and interesting community of people. We are hoping that Chrissie McCormick Merrill will move here eventually. She is signed up but is waiting for an

available apartment. Chrissie is living in San Francisco with her dachshund, Alice, and we see each other often. Our three sons are all doing fine. The eldest, Dwight, lives in Larkspur and is married to Meghan, and has a son, Axel (8). Matthew lives in Boulder, UT, with his wife, Constance, on 10 acres of land on which he has built his own straw-bale house. She has a huge organic garden from which they eat all year and she sells her produce at the local farmers’ market. They are also involved with teaching yoga, martial arts, and wilderness survival. Our youngest son, Sam, lives in Sun Valley, ID, and is head of all retail for the Sun Valley Corporation. His wife, Maria, is an accountant with her own business and they have a daughter, Emma (18). Blake Anderson: I have been going through much of the same health issues as the rest of you (balance and falls that require surgery). I feel like an orthopedic disaster. Patty Falk Feeley: I, too, am going through a lot of health issues, and have decided to move back to California shortly. My daughter lives in Southern California and I have a best friend living in L.A. I have been in touch with Teresa Annotti Rogers. Teresa said their family is still recovering from the death of her husband, Phil, but all are doing well. Bernadette “Dits” Requiro Peavey: I am giving up tennis but am doing well—just slowing down. Phil Duke, the husband of Shelley Le Blanc Duke, phoned to let me know they had completed their move from their magnificent Rallywood Farm to a much smaller home and acreage, but still in Middleburg, VA. It has been eight years since Shelley’s stroke, and she no longer rides, and is doing little traveling, but they sound very happy with their new home. It was great to hear from them. Shelley’s brother and sister are their frequent guests from the West Coast. Betty Blak Okie: We are all well here. Christmas was especially crazy with all my kids and seven grandkids here. The playroom looked like a hostel, with air mattresses wall to wall! For about the last two years, I've been taking art and writing classes and am continuing that full force. I haven't left “the homeland” this past year but am still traveling and am planning a trip to Glacier National Park with my oldest daughter. Now, for my (Bobbie O’Connell Munson) news: Our 60th reunion was so very wonderful and I could never tell all of you the depth of the joy you brought to my life in honoring me. It was quite a surprise, but one that will be foremost in my happy memories for the rest of my time on this earth. Sadly, it was followed by the sudden and unexpected death of my second son, Ryan. It was such a shock. We had lost my eldest son, Greg (48), in 2012, and now Ryan (53) to a massive coronary. Ryan ran all of our businesses, and this past year has been very difficult. I think we all thought there was a rule that we were not to outlive our children, but obviously that is not the case. Fortunately, I have the other three boys, and my wonderful daughter-in-law Sandy, and the grandchildren. It was very sad, as my youngest granddaughter graduated from Berkeley a month after her dad’s death. It was very difficult not

having him there with us. But we are mostly all back on track now, and the good Lord gives us strength when we need it, if we allow it. So to all of you, the great Class of ’59, thank you for being there for one another, as you have always been, over these wonderful 61 years.

60

Marilyn Ramos Ospina maospina305@hotmail.com Karen Swanson Crummey kcrum1@sbcglobal.net

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue!

61

The Class of 1961 is without a class correspondent. Please contact Shannon Gaughf ’08, Assistant Director of Alumnae/i Engagement, to volunteer to serve your class in this meaningful way.

Nini Richardson Hart: Our 60th is coming up in 2021 and God bless our classmates who have recently passed away. How wonderful to be involved again with our class through the Class of 1961 Endowment. Jim and I celebrated our 50th anniversary with our children, their spouses, and our grandchildren. It was delightful. Jim and I are so lucky that our children are so productive in their careers, their spouses are doing marvelously, and our grandchildren are the light of our life. I have talked to so many of our classmates, especially Sharon Gless and Kathy Ryan Foy Just like old times. Caroline Harris Henderson: Greetings from Jacksonville, OR! We had a Santa Catalina mini-reunion last June when Terry Lowe Hall, Anne Irving, Susie Munhall Frey, and I met for a festive dinner at the Bella Union Restaurant here in Jacksonville. Terry had come up for a visit of several days and Anne came over from Bend for the night, and there was lots of memory lane conversation. It's a bit of a concern when some of us don’t remember some of the events that came up, or the principal players in those events. Perhaps it’s selective memory! Bess Van Buskirk Brassel was unable to join us, but Terry and I caught up with her a few days later. Bess has had a difficult year with her husband’s declining health and her own health challenges, which she bravely powers through. I am sorry to report that her husband, Phil, died in December. Her brother, Tom, came to help out about a year ago, and his support has been invaluable and is ongoing.

There are no big changes for me, for which I am grateful. I work part-time for Edward Jones, volunteer for St. Vincent de Paul, travel short distances to see my two sons and their families in Oregon, and went a long distance to celebrate the wedding of the daughter of my stepson, who lives in Reno. My first great-grandchild will have arrived by the time of publication! The other grandchildren are busy with school and career pursuits. In September, I went on my first cruise, a New England and Canada venture, and a great experience. Penelope Corey Arango: I am still quite involved in meeting my spiritual, emotional, physical, and intellectual needs. Unfortunately, my last client, a psychologist, passed away from a stroke in December. We published her books and I taught her SSL, with both of us laughing like the dickens throughout the years! My daily routine is Mass at 8:00, where I am also on two ministries, then a support group from 9:30-10:30, because I am on my fourth pacemaker (I'm 76, but feel 40). At noon, I attend the University of Miami, taking several courses, and at 2:00, I work out at L.A. Fitness for an hour. I work Mondays at the financial department at St. Augustine and on Saturdays I work in oncology from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. On Sunday, I rest! I also take courses online, meet so many interesting people where I go, and love life, to say the least! Don't travel anymore, but I am with you all in spirit! Mary-Allen Macneil: Last year, I received Dharma Transmission in the Soto Zen Buddhist tradition that I follow. That means that I am now authorized as an independent Zen priest and teacher. I am the guiding teacher at a small Zen center in Oakhurst, CA. We’re small, but very active, offering meditation classes, Zen movie nights, non-violent communication workshops, retreats, weekly meditation groups, and so on. I was also trained as a spiritual director at Mercy Center in Burlingame, and I combine Zen teaching with spiritual direction to Zen students and people of any faith tradition, or none. I see a wide variety of people in this way, including Zen students, Christian clergy, and atheists! I was recently invited to help out at a Catholic retreat center as part of their spiritual direction team for a weeklong silent retreat on Julian of Norwich. I also offer an eight-session series on personal death awareness. So, I have a fascinating life! Kathy Ryan Foy: I have been on the Big Island of Hawaii for almost two years. It has been a monumental change from 30 years in Connecticut. I came at the request of my son, who has a son (12). The island is so beautiful, I do not miss the cold and snow of the East Coast. I saw Vicky Street Medeiros, who has lived there for over 50 years. I had not seen her since our graduation. It was wonderful to see her and learn about her life in such a place of beauty. She is a very dedicated and busy grandmother. I did see Pat Flynn, Bess Van Buskirk Brassel, Caroline Harris Henderson, and Susie Munhall Frey last Christmas. Really fun to see them! I find a sense of comfort in seeing old friends. Even though decades have passed, it is easy to share our ups and downs! I have three children. Tammie (48), with two children, lives

in Bend and Portland, OR. She and her husband are teachers of special ed and have had their share of challenges in Oregon, Curacao, and Morocco. Christopher (42) lives in Hilo and has taken on farming as a hobby. His small river is more like Niagara Falls since our torrential rains! Lara (37) is an acupuncturist living in Galway, Ireland. They all have wanderlust as we have lived in Europe and Saudi Arabia. Maria Hart McNichol: Bravo for Kathy, weighing in all the way from the Big Island! It was wonderful and quite amazing to hear about her gutsy move from Connecticut to Hawaii. Her globe-trotting kids come by their wanderlust honestly! I'm still in Philadelphia—it's been more than 50 years—and I almost feel like I'm from here. Growing up in the Navy, Hawaii was the only place that felt like home. My sister (Mimi Hart Harris ’72) still lives on Oahu. I don't get back as often as I'd like but love Hawaii more than ever. I continue to volunteer mornings at Overbrook High School. Being with kids is always new and enlightening. My daughter, Mimi (37), and her wife live in South Philly, which is great support for Ed and for me. Patrick (39) and his wife just had their first baby, Maria Edith, but we call her Edie. (Edie Chase McDougal, where are you?) Patrick lives in Atlanta, so it will take some creativity to spoil this child from afar. I think I'll figure it out. I'd love to know what everyone is reading. I just finished The Dutch House and Becoming by Michelle Obama, which I liked a lot. I’d also like to know what everyone does for a peaceful respite. I dig in the dirt when it isn’t frozen, sew, make stuff, watch YouTube tutorials on how to make more stuff, and walk. Kathy was so right when she described how easy it is to pick up where we left off—even if it was 60 years ago— and to share our stories with each other. I think it’s a gift given in abundance to women. I hope our 60th reunion will bring many of us together.

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Mary Foley Bitterman mbitterman@osherfoundation.org

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue!

63

DiDi Ditz Stauffer dditzs45@gmail.com Sally Rorick-Orlando rolando@cox.net

Jansie Stephens Farris: The high point of my year was the family trip to Spain for two weeks last summer. The higher point was the birth of my 10th grandchild, who arrived in October! The low point has been that several health issues have led to

a move to Atria at Foster Square this month. Takes time to adjust to new surroundings but I am confident it will work out! Kathleen Brown: My travel high point had to be my trip to Iran with my son for two weeks in March. Next would be the trip with my husband to London, Madrid (for a family wedding), and then a Danube cruise. My work high point is helping L.A. County develop an alternative system of care for the justiceimplicated population. Life is good with my husband (84), who is in relatively good health, our five kids, and 12 grandkids. One granddaughter is about to graduate from the University of Washington with an engineering degree. One grandson is enjoying his freshman year at Gonzaga, and another grandson is in his first year at the U.S. Naval Academy. My twin grandsons who live in Missoula, MT, are in the nail-biting college application purgatory. The rest are working or studying and plotting their future in a world that is changing and chaotic. The low point is the political acrimony and divisiveness that characterizes our current civic discourse. It’s depressing. Pam Du Pratt Gallaway: We enjoyed an October visit from my daughter, Carey, and granddaughter, Lexi (9), who live in Berlin, Germany. Lots of roller skating, horseback riding, and swimming on their part. Rob and I continue to enjoy our life here in Carmel within sight of the Pacific. We are fortunate indeed. Judy Haig Hansen: After being retired for four years, a former boss recruited me (at 70) to Albuquerque, NM, to rebuild an employee and organization development department for a large healthcare system. I agreed to two years and then re-retired, and we settled in Santa Fe. We love the Southwest but still have our cabin in the Northwest for the summers. Neal and I are three months into an eight-month trip. We had someone who wanted to rent our home for nine months so we are using that money to visit (on a very strict low budget) Europe, South America, New Zealand, and Australia. We’ll be back mid-May. We stopped on the U.S. East Coast to visit our three children and

four grandchildren for the holidays. All is well with them, so I’m happy. I look forward to returning to Santa Fe and continuing my studies in art at the local community college and skiing for free at our local ski resort. I feel blessed right now and am savoring the feeling. Mary-Ellen Bowlin Briel: I've been back-and-forth to Athens for a few years, teaching migrant women at a wonderful NGO, Melissa Network, and finally obtaining a two-year Greek visa. Returning to St. Paul last summer, however, I felt it was time to stay around there, where three of my children live and have children of their own. Another son and family are in Worcester, MA (great for seeing Pat Coonan Hackett). So, with the exception of a couple of ice-slick months when I flee to warmer climes for my life, I've had a year of being more present to U.S. children and grandkids. I could get used to this. As I write, I'm visiting Jansie Stephens Farris in her new digs! Christine Chambers: In the face of the isolation getting older can cause, I am starting a women’s group. Consciousness-raising 50 years later! Bonnie McWhorter Bertelsen: After volunteering at Filoli for 17 years, I “retired” and am looking for another volunteer opportunity. On school days, I spend time with my grandson (6) and take him to school. In June, Jeff and I took a train trip from Vancouver to Whistler, Jasper, Lake Louise, and Banff, and in August, we flew to Amsterdam and took a three-week cruise to Iceland and Greenland. Both were wonderful. I spent a few days in Hawaii with my daughter and grandson at the Aulani Disney Resort in October. Suzy Gazlay: Not much to report in my journey as a disabled person. I’m thankful that my cognitive function is in better shape than my physical condition. I’ve had several opportunities to speak up for those who can’t. Most often it has to do with ADA issues. Interesting challenge! I’m singing in my church choir and ringing hand chimes, both of which are great fun! Lynn Gates: This year was notable due to becoming a grandmother for the second time. Julia is a veterinarian in Long Beach, CA, and now has Addy (2) and Sully (9 months). They were in Buffalo for the holiday season with Julia’s husband, Justin. My other daughter, Lauralynn, is an entrepreneur in New York City and is involved in several business ventures. I am still working as an arbitrator and mediator in the Buffalo area to resolve personal injury disputes, and traveling as much as I can. I remember the word power books forwarded by Veegee Glod Gorman and must say that they helped me communicate more precisely over the years. Veegee Glod Gorman: I live in the Colorado Rocky Mountains and thus enjoy the nonpollution and healthy outdoor life. My children live in different parts of the country and have all blessed me with lovely grandchildren! I cannot visit them because my travel is restricted due to being on oxygen because of the COPD that I have had since 2009. Ghislaine de Give: This year finds me more centered than I have been for a very long time. Many of my interests from the past 50 years have come together and now provide energy, enrichment, and direction. From days at

Santa Catalina, I have wanted to create something—a role on stage, a piece of writing, or a work of art. The realities of supporting myself and two children imposed a very different path and person from my dreams. After ending a lifetime in consulting with a two-year diploma in art, and then spending four subsequent months not being able to work on my own art without a class, some switch has been turned on. I now paint fairly regularly. While that alone is exhilarating, the real transformation is that I no longer try to create a stunning piece of art when I work. The “doing” has become my purpose; drawing one dried out leaf so it “speaks” what it is makes me feel I have done well. Multiple attempts at meditation, which started after college, also seem to have taken root. I meditate each morning. As with my painting, it is the steady practice, not the rare moments of transport, that makes me feel complete. Alongside this, I am pursuing an interest in eastern religious practices and their linkages with Catholicism. All my life I have sought to control myself, get better at something, do more. No longer. I now get joy from just being and expressing gratitude or at least wonder for what happens randomly or by purpose from outside me. A final gold thread is reconnecting with old friends. Zigzagging across the U.S. and then to France and England, along with other big shifts in life, have caused many disruptions that I accommodated by leaving most everything behind; place, habits, interests, and often, even the friends who created such meaning in those times. I recognize, with deep regret, how much I lost by forgetting or being careless. There are many years left and I want that time to include more than memories of the people who gave me the affection, lessons, and inspiration that continue to bear fruit today. Danielle Varlay Bonnet: I am married to my Finnish husband, Dave, and we live in the Michigan countryside with two miniature dachshunds. In the winter, we play a lot of games indoors and belong to a classic car club. In January, we will travel to Cancun for the first time, then visit the Gulf Coast of Alabama in the spring, then on to Nashville. Our son, Peter, lives in Las Vegas, and Darion is in Monterey. We all gathered in Carmel for Christmas and I hope to make our 60th in 2023. Frances Frawley Swanson: I’m living in the Washington, D.C., area. Among my blessings are two daughters and three grandchildren. I’d love to see any of our class visiting the D.C. area. Trish Scott Williams: I still live in St. Louis. This past year has been difficult in that my husband of 51 years, Bruce, is in advanced Alzheimer’s and now lives in a wonderful memory care home; a big change. I moved to an independent garden villa to get away from homeownership responsibilities. My daughter, Katie, and her family now live in Ohio. Grandkids Hunter (6) and Madison (5) are a delight and so gentle and sweet with their grandfather. We will celebrate “Family Day” on February 15 to commemorate adopting Katie 42 years ago, which made them a family. Pat Daugherty Shallenberger: My days are filled with volunteering, playing pickleball, Pilates, yoga, travel, and photography. I see Jansie Stephens

Christine Chambers ’63 and husband

Farris and Mary-Ellen Bowlin Briel frequently in the Bay Area. Daughter Jill is in Sacramento and son Jeff is in Santa Cruz with Ruby, my beloved granddaughter. Donna Hollenbeck Ramos: I live in Santa Cruz with my husband, Doug, where we spend a lot of time with our children and grandchildren. In my spare time, I’m involved with Citizens Climate Lobby, an international group working to get legislation passed to put a price on carbon with a revenue-neutral dividend. I also golf and am planning a trip to the Mid-Atlantic states with Doug later in the year. Roxanne Spieker Morse: I am now our Class Agent and am traveling through retirement. I rented an apartment in Strasbourg, France, for five weeks to brush up on my French. I rode the rails, read a daily French newspaper, visited my favorite restaurants, and spoke passable French. Walking dominated my exploring. Didi Ditz Stauffer: I’m busy as always. My days are full with volunteering, walking, going to exercise class, tennis, and playing golf; always working on my game. Daughter Anne (39) will marry Brad Bowery (39) in August on the Feather River. They are fly fishermen. My son, John (33), lives in Seattle and is an attorney. In February, I’ll head to Palm Desert for the winter. So I have much to be grateful for, and along with most of you will celebrate the big 75 birthday in October! Sally Rorick-Orlando: This was my year to check Australia off my bucket list. The members of the Class of 1963 are getting a wee bit older, and it is time for us to do things on our bucket lists! My daughter, Julia, loves to travel and is an artiste at planning itineraries and finding great excursions, hotels, and restaurants. We snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef, visited the Daintree Rain Forest, and visited gorgeous beaches and zoos to see kangaroos. My niece arranged for us to see Choir of Man at the Sydney Opera House, which was a thrill. Other than that, it was a relatively quiet year! Son Matthew is still very busy producing wonderful wines under the Forlorn Hope and Rorick Heritage Vineyard labels. And Rick and I are finding out firsthand that growing old is not for sissies! Come visit us in Oceanside. We have an addition over our garage, and we’d love to have you stay! 64

Antoinette Ziegler Hubbard joyfuleclectic@icloud.com

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue!

65Pat Allen Sparacino pat.sparacino@gmail.com Wendy Wilson Snell wendywsnell@gmail.com

Hilda Herrera Adler: Our greatest pride is our four grandsons; the oldest two have become accomplished skiers, and they share our love for the mountains and music. Marcia Mondavi Borger: All is well here. We are thrilled to have our second grandson. Little Charlie joins his brother, Conor (3). Our daughter has left her job at Instagram to be a full-time mother. I am trying to fill in when she is desperate. They are great fun but totally exhausting! My son, Brian, has joined my brother at Continuum, our little family winery. I am thrilled he has joined the team and is living in Napa Valley. I am active in the Parkinson’s Foundation, and so far am exercising to keep the ravages of the disease away—and have been quite successful. If anyone in our class is dealing with PD, or knows someone who is, the foundation is a wonderful resource of information: call 1-8004PD INFO or visit Parkinson.org. Bonnie Bray: I’ve had a wonderful year on my way to 73, able to spend time with children, grandchildren, and good friends, all of whom are growing older right along with me. As a matter of fact, watching those around me makes me realize just how much we’re aging. My older daughter just turned 50 this week, something I’m trying to digest since I can't really be much older than 50, can I? Our life in Portland includes tennis for Dick, long walks and quilting for me, and reading, concerts, symphonies, and lectures for us both. We have had several fun travel adventures this year. The first was camping in the rain in our little RV at the Oregon coast last New Year’s, surrounded by a herd of elk that greeted the New Year bugling and trumpeting. In February, we cruised to Hawaii from San Diego, visiting five ports on four islands in beautiful weather, returning to San Diego after 16 days. Another camping trip took me to Central Oregon, where I met three friends who started kindergarten with me at the Carmel Mission School—quite a wonderful reunion. In the fall, we drove east through Oregon, southern Idaho, and Utah to the national and state parks. We spent three glorious weeks visiting six national parks and four state parks; each different from the other, all with fabulous rock formations and views. As I look back on my eight years at Santa Catalina, I think the lesson I most value is that it was there that I was taught the art of critical thinking, a skill that has served me well throughout my life. Bettie Hutcheson Carrell: M.F. Flynn came to visit me during Thanksgiving, our usual tradition. We spent the holiday at our ranch, an hour from Houston. We thought and spoke about so many of our classmates! Michele Clark : The memories of Monterey and Catalina are strong. It is funny that our push, once we completed a few years at

Catalina, was to move on to college. But now, it is the memories that keep coming up, reminding me of the incredible friendships and fun. Yes, it was very hard, but everyone and our extracurricular activities made it tolerable. Barbara Hately Du Pont: My beau and I still live near Middleburg, VA, near my daughter, Hester, and my two granddaughters, Olivia (15) and Flora (12). We have recently bought a cottage in Vero Beach, where we are now until the end of April. We have our corgis, Lily and Dobbie, with us. The two-minute walk to the beach is the highlight for all of us! My mother still lives in Pebble Beach in the same house we were all raised in and is amazing at 93! So “home” is still Pebble Beach. Riding and falconry, my greatest loves, have been traded for more age-compatible Bridge, which is how I met Duke! Julia Anderson Frankel: I built a new home here in Houston several years ago that will be showcased at an Institute of Classical Architecture and Art tour in March 2020. Leticia Gascoin-Ruffie: I am in my seventh year of working as a caregiver since I returned to California after retiring in France. I work for two companies and also privately, and I love it! My patients are mostly veterans, and it really makes your day when you walk through the door and their smile and the sparkle in their eyes tell you that you are making their day, too! Cooking, cleaning, shopping, doctor’s appointments, walking the dog, and most importantly, listening to their stories, makes this job worth every second we spend with them. I just got back from four weeks in France visiting my children and grandkids. The situation under socialism is a mess—strikes, riots, you name it. Don’t fall for the (un)free stuff that our younger generations are falling for here. There is no such thing as “free stuff” anywhere! Just a word to the wise, and especially the unwise! Kathy Toy Grandemange: We had a good year. We spent a few days in Pacific Grove in April, celebrating birthdays for my husband and our four grandkids. Then, in

Wendy Wilson Snell ’65 with her grandchildren

September, we spent a week in Hawaii. We see our kids often and try to have each grandkid on their own for a few days in the summer. It is a happy tradition. I thought of our Santa Catalina days often this year, as our eldest grandson is a senior and is on the college hunt. Brought back lots of memories. Lola Hogan: I “retired” from my day job to resume my expert witness practice in insurance claims handling for property and casualty claims. In April, I joined nine friends from college on a riverboat tour from Paris to Normandy and back. The tour included cooking lessons and chocolate and cheese tastings. We even got to make macarons! The American cemetery at Normandy was very moving, so many lives lost. Otherwise, all is well in Pacific Grove. I would love to have a glass of wine with anyone coming to town! Evie Lindemann: This has been a year of deep change for me, one that I’ve anticipated and planned for, and in some ways, I feel like I’m riding on the wave of a large mystery of change and the unknown. I completed my last semester as an art therapy professor a week ago. I have moved to Asheville, NC, trying to learn what it means to become a Southern woman after being a native Californian and an East Coaster for 20 years. It’s a lot to absorb. However, I am well supported, have many friends in Asheville, largely through my spiritual community, and my son’s family and my grandchildren now live in Charlotte, NC. My grandchildren are seventh-generation Californians! M.F. Flynn is coming to visit me very soon, and she promises to help me organize myself— something she’s very good at and has done with me on previous occasions. A professional interest to me this year has been my work in Jamaica and my growing appreciation for the tremendous impacts of slavery across the planet. The Dominican Sisters of Peace, who have worked on my campus for years, developed a grant so that I could travel to Jamaica this past summer and take two graduate students with me to work with inner-city youth from violent families. It was a total game-changer for me, even though I’ve done work in Third World countries before. These children were tremendously creative, come from families with

very limited resources, and experience violence in their communities and in their homes on a pretty regular basis. Although the art therapy work that we did may have been a drop in the bucket, I always remain hopeful that some child will become ignited by their own creative capacities, and with that find a pathway into a different way of life as they mature. Wishing you all good health and wholeness as we travel into 2020. Caroline Lord Mackenzie: It’s tough living in paradise, but someone has to do it! The highlight of 2019 was a fabulous trip to Tanzania. I would go back again! The door is always open if any classmates visit Oahu! Kathy Ramos Sharp: This year has been a busy one with challenging concerts that I perform with the San Jose Symphonic Choir, where I sing in the alto section. Our annual You-Sing-It Messiah is always a big hit each December at the California Theater in San Jose, CA. I also direct a 30-member choir at a Catholic church in San Jose for Mass on Sunday mornings. The biggest change this past year is having one of my grandsons move in with me from Quincy, CA, to attend college locally. He is enjoying his classes and working part-time while I enjoy having his company. A win-win for us both. Wendy Wilson Snell: We have been living in our new home and town, Fuquay-Varina, NC, since November 2018. Best decision we could have ever made. We are closer to both the amenities of a town and our kids and grandkids. While our son, daughter-in-law, Ellie (5), and Logan (3) are a two-hour drive away, our daughter, son-in-law, Gavin (16), and Liam (14) are only 15 minutes away! The highlight of 2019 was attending concerts at Gavin’s high school (he plays the clarinet) and Liam’s middle school (he plays the trumpet). Next fall, Liam will join Gavin in the marching band. Besides the halftime show at football games, for six Saturdays there are marching band competitions. It has been such a treat to watch different high schools from all over the state. Quite a different experience from our high school days! Pat Allen Sparacino: Bob and I enjoyed visiting with friends and family, especially our granddaughter (5) in N.Y.C.; short trips to Carmel and Paso Robles; and a special trip to Sicily, stopping in London on the way. The mosaics in the Roman Villa del Casale near Piazza Armerina were incredibly intricate and extraordinarily preserved. Carpe diem. Ann Hodges Strickland: Jim and I will celebrate 54 years of marriage in April. It has been a journey filled with laughter, sorrow, joy, and adventures. We have two beautiful granddaughters who bring lots of fun into our lives: Chanele (17) and Paris (14). A trip to Hawaii is planned for June to celebrate Chanele’s graduation from high school.

Mallory Vail Weymann: Conrad and I are still living in Darien, CT, in the same house for the past 41 years. We are the lucky grandparents of eight—about to be nine—grandchildren. Vail, our oldest daughter, and her husband live in Darien and have three children: Kiran (10), Caden (8), and Zoe (4). Alex, our second daughter, and her husband live in Albany, NY, and have three children as well: Henry (6), Annie (4), and

Catherine (16 months). Josie, our third daughter, and her husband live in Chicago and have two children: Mallory (6) and Jack (3). Andrew, our son, is getting married to Courtney Moss this spring. They live in Manhattan. So, we are really busy and loving every minute. To get some respite from the winter, Con and I spend about three months each winter in Jupiter, FL, in a golf community. Besides golf and the grandchildren, I play a little Bridge, love my reading group, and walk daily with an amazing group of women. Love to all my classmates.

66 Lorri Ditz McCarthy lorditz@yahoo.com

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue!

67 Ann Kuchins kuchinsa@yahoo.com Anne Neill anneneill@yahoo.com

Anne Neill: As we roar into 2020, it seems that many of us are taking time to reflect on where we have been and where we are going. We are perhaps less focused on ourselves and are finding inspiration in the lives of families and friends around us. I was most impressed by how many people came from all over to celebrate our 70th birthdays in San Francisco. How wonderful that we still want to maintain our connections from our early years. I am going to list each person from the Evite to give you an idea of where people came from, and I know that many more of you would have been there if that were possible: Monica Stockton (Oregon), Anne Neill (San Francisco), Brenda Beckett , (San Francisco), Catherine Caufield (Inverness, CA), Gay Callan (San Andreas, CA), Louise Vessey Edwards (San Diego), Mary Whitney Kenney (Palos Verdes, CA), Wynn Woodward (Carmel/Canada), Yolanda Scaccia Manuel (San Mateo, CA), Ann Cahill Fidanque (Oregon), Carolyn Layton Garner-Reagan (Pasadena, CA), Joan Seamster (Massachusetts), Ann Kuchins (San Mateo, CA), Joanne Bosche Ehrlich (New York), Sue Lloyd (Florida), Nan Peletz (San Francisco), and Vicki MacLean Gourlay (Canada). And those who were around freshman year might remember Wendy Parkman ! She lives in San Francisco with her husband and performed with the Pickle Family Circus and taught circus and theater in S.F. She left Santa Catalina because

Ann Hodges Strickland ’65 with Chanele and ParisMcCoy

her family moved to the East Coast. Carolyn Layton Garner-Reagan: Michael and I are busy helping with our two grandsons (5, 3), which is a real delight to us. Thankfully, Michael’s health is stable as I write this. His status as a slow walker isn’t preventing us from getting itchy feet again, and two places on our possible list suddenly seem to be troublesome destinations: Australia (which would make my seventh continent) and Israel. Maybe it’s just time to take a U.S. road trip! It was great to see everyone who was able to make it to S.F. for our joint 70th birthday party! Mo Ragan Rafael: I had a great visit with Ann Cahill Fidanque and her husband, Dave, in early January. I hope to be seeing more of her since her grandchild lives in Santa Monica, a mere two hours north of me. That’s a lot closer to Encinitas than Eugene, OR! In December, I contacted Katy Lewis to ask if she would be willing to speak with one of my college application essay clients here in Encinitas. He’s got a lot going for him but he was profoundly close-minded about leaving CA to go to college somewhere that had cold winters that were well outside of the Southern California “temperate mold.” Katy gave him a generous hour of her time on the phone. When he asked Katy why he should even bother to pursue a good college education at an Ivy League school, given the fact that he was already a successful entrepreneur twice over at age 17, he was deeply struck by her response: “The purpose of a good liberal arts education is to teach you to think. Without it, the chances are very good that you will never truly learn how to think.” Kudos to Katy for stating the case for a good liberal arts college

education so clearly! The message he had been receiving from his family was that there was no need to go to college. After mulling Katy’s words over and over, he realized that he had been acquiescing to dumbing down his own intellect and appeasing his deep-seated strain of curiosity with learning about the mechanics of business. He opened his mind and applied to Yale and six other Eastern colleges. In addition, he really enjoyed writing their short answer essays because he loved the questions they asked! Renata Engler: What a precious gift each of you and all of you are in my life. Thank you so much for sharing with me and for giving me a sense of belonging somewhere even if I often feel I belong nowhere in this strange and struggling world. The year has been a challenging one, supporting many friends who are struggling with a life-threatening illness and/or the loss of loved ones, and trying to contribute in a limited fashion to patient care and ongoing research efforts. I finished two publication efforts: a chapter for my specialty textbook on allergy and immunology (on integrative medicine) and an article on lipoprotein(a) elevation, a new diagnostic code that is important for 20% of the population who may not be aware of their increased risk for cardiovascular disease and increased need for lifestyle changes to reduce that risk. As an immigrant child, with a family heritage of refugee parents, our times are especially heartbreaking for me, and now hearing of active duty service members serving this country while a parent is deported all challenge my heart and soul to keep focusing on the love that is needed and the only sane approach to life. I am so grateful for the blessings and gifts that I have enjoyed in my lifetime; thankful for the friendships, kindnesses,

and joys shared always. In my ongoing search for centered peace, healing, and contemplation with actions that hopefully make the world around me better for my having passed through it. I cherish more and more the gift of Richard Rohr’s writings and daily meditations. Nan Peletz: I find life at 70 to be wonderfully quiet and very peaceful. I do exactly what I want to do with my time and don’t think twice about saying no. I see my very closest friends, my children, and my partner. I spend most of my time painting and reading. That said, getting older has led to a stronger interest in philanthropy. Five years ago, I founded a nonprofit at Stanford, FAIR START (med.stanford.edu/ bipolar/Fairstart.html), which offers free diagnosis and treatment by Stanford psychiatrists to Bay Area community college students who go to their student health centers with mental health problems. It specifically targets bipolar illness, which if caught and treated early, can literally save a life. I also sit on the board of Turnaround Arts: California, which provides music, art, and drama programs to the 26 poorest schools in California. My son, Willie, and my daughter, Addie, are my greatest joys, but my granddaughters, Phoebe and Piper, are my greatest gifts. Laurie Bechtel Dachs: Just a quick note that I am celebrating, at least in my head, my retirement at the end of 2020. We are closing down the Foundation, which was started in 1957, and where I have worked since 1996 (more than) full time. It has been a wild ride, filled with tackling challenging issues and growing staff from one part-time person to a fantastic team of 35 super dedicated and smart folks. All grants are basically finished, no new proposals, and now we are spending most of our time to focus on communicating what we have learned in our two

Members of the Class of 1967 at a gathering in San Francisco to celebrate their 70th birthdays

primary areas: education and conservation. We are also spending resources to prepare our folks for their next phase, whatever and wherever that might be. I don’t plan to even think about 2021 other than organizing my own foundation, getting a dog after having been without one for the last three years for the first time since freshman year in college, and most importantly, tending to 10 grandkids. Katy Bates Kreitler: It is rather humbling reading all your class notes. I feel blessed to be a member of our class. This year for me has been a juggling act between “Nurse Katy,” real estate agent, dog walker, active outdoor enthusiast, supportive mother and grandmother, explorer, and novice golfer! My cheerleading with Gay Callan in school has made me the best supportive wife I could ever be since my husband's doctors refer to him as “a walking miracle!” Peter is now into his 13th year after overcoming seven rounds of cancer in conjunction with his ongoing challenge with degenerative heart disease and diabetes, and yet still has the energy to write his sixth book, Dear Father Peter, 49 Years of Letters to a Priest, available on Amazon! Thinking to myself after 45 years as a real estate agent that I should “hang it up,” I still get the calls that “light my fire” and sell some homes when I am willing and able during the fall and spring market. Yet, nothing gets in the way of Cape Cod to rejuvenate for the summer except this big year. I had to go to the wedding of my niece, Carolyn Bates ’08, in Provence; and in celebration of our birthdays, Laura (40) and I (70) continued on to Corsica and Sardinia for a 10-day backroads adventure where I learned how to ride a bike that had more than 3 speeds. Peter and I FaceTimed every night so we could not only catch up on the day's activities, but I also walked him

through how to use the washing machine and dryer! During my absence, he ended up appreciating and loving me more! My life is full and always evolving as I wonder what the next chapter will be. 2020 is definitely going to be a memorable one and one during which we all need to be a beacon of hope. Margie Helm: I thought about Gay (an article about Gay Callan was published in the fall 2019 Bulletin, “A Life Among the Vines”) this week while working with a young Guatemalan woman who is studying agronomy at the university in the Highlands of Guatemala. Chip and I are in Antigua volunteering with a Quaker Scholarship organization (Progresa) that serves young indigenous leaders and helps them reach their dreams. One of my students, Karen, is the only woman in her agronomy department. She has a dream of owning a farm that would include a restaurant and serving vegetables from the farm. She is working toward her goal by studying at the university and by developing a community garden in her Mayan village as a community service project even as she contributes to the support of her family. The inspiration provided by these committed and capable young people is a strong antidote to despair! Joan Seamster: We’ve moved closer to Boston to take advantage of everything it offers. Spend a good amount of time in Boston and Cambridge. Still consulting. I have added teaching to my skill set, with a lecture assignment at Tufts in their Masters of Innovation program, teaching marketing to students as they simultaneously work on launching a startup. It’s both challenging and rewarding. I get to see education from another angle, not just from the student’s perspective. Most days I work out of The Wing, a coworking space in Back Bay, whose

mission it is to mentor women. It’s a great place to get work done and be part of a vibrant community. I loved our fall 2019 class lunch in San Francisco. Thank you, Wynn, for championing this get-together. Michelle La Mothe: Jean and I have moved back to Europe where our children and grandchildren are. Ann Kuchins: I’m totally settled into the retirement phase of my life. My main focus is working with the Red Cross. Recently it occurred to me that my life revolves around disasters either locally, regionally, or nationally. Locally, we work with people who have experienced a home fire or some other home disaster. One minute they have a place to live and the next minute they are displaced, some with minimal financial resources to restart. I have yet to be deployed to a national disaster but I have worked the regional Camp Fire/Paradise fire and the Kincaid fire in Sonoma County. I am still working with women at the San Mateo County Jail on a self-paced vocabulary class. If nothing else, the class gives them something to do to alleviate the boredom. It’s interesting observing the interactions in a jail. What impresses me is the resilience of people to move on with their lives despite the pitfalls. I’m the lead for our Census project for my League of Women Voters. It is so crucial that every person is counted. California loses $10,000 for every person who does not complete the census. A little family news: Kelly, the youngest daughter of Tulita Kuchins Gibson ’68, was married. She followed in her mother’s footsteps as a high school teacher. Jane Kuchins ’70, Australian citizen now, lives outside Melbourne. Wildfires are blazing around her but she is safe at this writing. My brother, Andy, is president of the American University in Bishkek,

Wynn Woodward ’67 (far right) celebrates her birthday with classmates Susan Lloyd, Kay Sparolini, Joanne Bosche Ehrlich, Anne Neill, and Meg Parker Connors

Mary Whitney Kenney ’67 with her husband and their guide dog puppy, McCoy

Kyrgyzstan. (How many can find that on a map?)

Lucy Kuchins Pantoskey ’78, 12 years younger, is already retired in Santa Barbara after a successful career as an entrepreneur starting two businesses. Chris von Drachenfels: Ah, delightful winter weather here in Spokane. I haven’t seen too much real winter weather this year, now that I’m at home as a “Spokanite.” Forty degrees is not cold to me! I no longer miss California and usually visit only my son, Mike, who lives in Ukiah, the best of California for me, the old hippie that I am. Mike owns his own timber/old-growth company along with working on construction projects around Mendocino County. When I visit, I feel so at home I cannot stay too long or I would long to stay. Mike has two dogs, two cats, and a lovely corn snake, Monroe! I continue to work with my daughter, Eline, here in Spokane. We are selling more Monterey properties, bringing our assets to Spokane. Eline is the business manager for our family business, our residential rentals, and our real estate broker. Her four children continue to grow, almost beyond recognition: Abigail (14), ballet dancer extraordinaire; Benaiah (10), who continues to melt my heart by showing me his compassionate heart for all my (and his) four-leggeds; Linnea (6), who reminds me of me—fearless, eager to learn everything; and Jehu (4), who still sports his curly white-blond hair but who certainly isn’t acting quite angelic these days. I schedule time most days for one or more, while Eline homeschools and works as much as she can! I do have lots of four-leggeds. Still heartbroken with the passing of my pit bull, Peaches. I looked at our shelters for a senior in need of a home and found Angel. She, like my Peaches, likes to be near me, which I love. She is a shepherd/chow mix with so much fur that she prefers the outdoors, even in the snow. Zoe, my doxie mix, does not! And then I have an old one-eyed cat with a heart murmur, asthma, and chronic sinusitis, Pretty Boy. Lots of meds are mixed in with all their food. Let’s not forget my six bunnies: Blackberry, Opal, Rosemary, Drago, Wave, and Jimmy. Even though I despair every morning for the state of affairs, in our country and in our White House, I find that I am energized for 2020. I feel wonderful physically, and I am hopeful that Trump will be either defeated or face a totally Democratic Congress in November 2020. I plan to work this summer to make sure everyone who wants to vote can, regardless of their choices. I just want this to be a fair contest. Blessings to us all for a truly wonderful year. I am quite housebound with my companions but would welcome anyone who was traveling through Spokane. Claudia Jones Shepheard: Loved Gay's story in the Bulletin and everyone else's stories attached. I am very glad that 2019 is over. It seems we spent the entire year in doctors’ offices. Mike started in January with cataract surgery on both eyes, one at a time, which required four additional surgeries of varying kinds to completely correct his vision. Then he had back surgery in September, fusing L4 and L5. He is still in some pain but on the road to recovery. The bright spot in our year was over Christmas when our two kids and two of the three grandchildren

were here. Andrea brought Josh and Jennifer, and Brian arrived with his new fiance, Igor. What a wonderful young man. We fell in love with him, too. The wedding is being planned for summer 2021 in Toronto. Andee's third child, Chris, is a Marine stationed in San Diego, so he didn't get to come. Anyway, we have lots to look forward to with the wedding and Jen graduating high school the same year. Love to you all, and here's hoping that 2020 goes well for everyone. Melinda Bowman Manlin: I’m sorry I missed the lovely gathering in San Francisco in September. However, thanks to Yolanda Scaccia Manuel and Joanne, I was able to see Wynn Woodward, Joanne Bosche Ehrlich, and Sue Lloyd at the Monterey Bay Aquarium on September 17! What a joy to see them and all of you dear classmates, by association. My focus in 2019 was taking care of my grandson, Lucas (15 months). I’m amazed by him on a daily basis.

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Eugenie Schlueter emschl@sbcglobal.net Daphne Macneil daphnemacneil@yahoo.com

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue!

69

The Class of 1969 is without a class correspondent. Please contact Shannon Gaughf ’08, Assistant Director of Alumnae/i Engagement, to volunteer to serve your class in this meaningful way.

Terry Whitney Baganz: I am still working as a regional geologist for BHP. I find it difficult to stop, as my job allows me to solve 3D puzzles on a daily basis. I finally attended a professional football game this year, which was fun. More travel for next year to the Middle East and Mongolia. Not sure when retirement is going to happen. Marna Sweeney Haley: Not much change here. Summer in Durango, CO, and winter in Sun City, AZ. Read a lot, go to community Bible study, garden, fix up the house, spend time with friends and family, good health—praise God!

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Marie Cantin

rapideye1@aol.com

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue!

71

DeDe Rogers

dede.rogers@comcast.net Patty Lee Schminke patricia.schminke@gmail.com

Ariane Berthoin Antal: My last full year of paid employment as a senior researcher in Germany was 2019, and it was marked by my second bout of breast cancer. I ended the year with two articles on my current research topic, paths and identities in academia, and a successful last contribution to the Academy of Management at a session I organized at the annual conference in Boston on the career implications for academics of sociopolitical engagement around the world. Germany has mandatory retirement and I am looking forward to transitioning to a different pace of life in 2020, although I have several more articles I want to write based on the over 100 interviews I have conducted with academics from three generations in three countries. David and I have already booked our first retirement trip to Seattle to be with our eldest daughter and her three lively boys in February. Visits to our second daughter in Darmstadt, with her two children, and time with

Terry Whitney Baganz ’69

our actor son in New York are also high on the agenda. Kathleen Charles: This year has been very busy working on projects to boost small and medium-sized enterprises in Africa through capacity building, training, and access to finance. We work mainly with entrepreneurs in the agriculture sector, including women-owned businesses that are very active in both East and West Africa. I have a new affiliation with a consortium of impact investors in the U.K. that are raising funds to invest in projects aligned to the Millennium goals with social, environmental, and economic impact. On the personal front, I am still based in Paris but visit family and friends whenever possible in the U.S. I’m still playing a lot of tennis and walking the streets of the city to enjoy the sheer physical beauty of Paris. All are welcome to visit anytime. Debra Rosenberg Compton: Dave and I retired from farming walnuts three years ago and he retired from farm management in August of last year. Shortly after, we embarked on a five-week, six national parks journey with our yellow lab, Birdy. It reminded me of how beautiful and diverse our landscape is in the United States. Life is good! Julie Garcia: I had a pretty busy year considering I'm retired! I bought some apartments to fix up and a small development project to work on. I went to spring training in 2019 and hope to go again this year. Endured Bruce Bochy’s final season and hoping for a big Giants turnaround this year. I started out 2020 with a crunch by breaking my wrist while snowboarding. Looking forward to the 2021 reunion! Jayne Zambresky Hankison: I'm still working for Pebble Beach Company as their national sales manager; I have worked here for 43 years! My daughter has moved back to Carmel and now has a daughter named Coral. She married a man she has known since she was at Stevenson Middle School and he also works for Pebble Beach Company. I enjoy playing golf with my husband and walking my sweet Samoyed dog, Gracy. Anne O’Leary: I continue to work part-time at the State Department, reading and redacting documents for

Freedom of Information Act lawsuits. A very flexible schedule leaves me with great chunks of time to travel. Most often, the travel has been to California to help my mother (92), but also to Baja, where I’ve found a wonderful dental clinic. Husband Russell and I are planning another U.S. and Canada road trip this summer that will include Montana and Vancouver Island for family events. Last summer, my mom invited her children and spouses for a Rhine cruise, followed by visits to the birthplaces of my German great-greatgrandparents. This fall, we hope to bring my mother to explore our early-American English roots in New York and New England. My father designated me as the family historian before he died in 2017, and I’m enjoying the role. I look forward to our 50th reunion but I hope to see many Catalina friends before that. Come visit! Angela Nomellini: Our special trips last year included fishing in Seychelles and a safari to Africa. Seychelles was beautiful, but not the most fun fishing that I've had. Because of the heat and humidity, keeping covered with a buff over my face made things very uncomfortable, almost claustrophobic. We only caught bonefish (the trophy fish were beyond my capabilities), and while they put up a pretty good fight, I still prefer rainbows in Alaska. The trip to Alphonse Island was also interesting in that it is a resort, not a fishing lodge, so activities were varied and actually geared around the non-fishing people. One depressing aspect was the amount of plastic garbage that washed up on various parts of the atoll even though it was many thousands of miles away from the mainland of Africa. Last year they cleared three tons of plastic waste. Africa was wonderful. This was our third safari and we're ready to go back again. We arranged this trip through Bushtracks and they were extremely helpful. Our boys were able to join us, as well as two of our college roommates, who married each other (seems vaguely incestuous). We saw the Serengeti in Kenya, featuring a momma cheetah with two cubs taking down a reedbuck; did a moveable safari camp for the migration (interesting with all the rain; it was almost impossible to keep the dirt out of the tents); spent two nights at the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge (one of my all-time favorite hotels) and saw honey badgers in the crater; and ended up in the Okavango Delta, where we had a really good view of a rhino and her baby (as opposed to the last rhino sighting I saw: “See that black dot on the horizon? That's a rhino; trust me.”); and a last-minute sighting of a black leopard to finish off the big five. Less exotic but also fun, I went to New Orleans for the first time and did some red fishing (or tried; I got skunked). On the bright side, since we were there for the arctic blast, we were able to get into Café du Monde without a wait. The downside to the arctic blast was that the idea of an antebellum tour was not very enticing. However, I look forward to going back for that and the food, which was every bit as delicious as I had been told. Next time, though, I think we'll sleep off of Bourbon Street. That was an experience! Things stayed active until 3:00 a.m. and started

back up with the street sweepers at 7:00 every morning. I continue to be active with the Nature Conservancy in several different capacities and also with Stanford University, mostly with the Graduate School of Education, and the East Palo Alto Academy Foundation. Katherine Blair Rible: At the end of October 2018 we began an 80-day cruise from Hawaii, through the South Pacific, around New Zealand, and then all around Australia. Snorkeling, kiwis, koalas, kangaroos, wineries, and incredible beauty. The cruise included one of our bucket list items, a night at the Australian Open for two matches, Kerber and Nadal. We visited some friends on the Gold Coast at the end of the trip and returned home at the end of January 2019! (It is so sad about the devastating wildfires.) Last year was busy with volunteering at a local historic ranch, attending a talk by Jane Sweetland about her new book, watching grandnieces play soccer, attending local concerts, some part-time work, hiking, and enjoying our beautiful valley. On November 1, 2019, we departed on a 66-day cruise with 38 ports from Miami through the Caribbean, through the Panama Canal, and the circumnavigation of South America. It included a land tour to Machu Picchu, which is so amazing. It was an interesting time to be in South America with the political uncertainty. Our guides in each country gave us insight into the issues for the people. Uruguay was our favorite country. We were on the amazing Amazon River for a week before returning to Miami on January 6 and home to Nevada on January 7. In March, we will return to Buenos Aires and Mendoza for a contemporary art and wine tour. The rest of 2020 we are pretty much homebodies being with our friends and family. I am sad to miss our 50th reunion in 2021 as we will be cruising from Singapore to Barcelona, but we have to keep traveling while we can. Sara Lawrence Thom: I've been back in the U.S. and living in Ojai for nearly four years now and it has been an adjustment, but good. The peace of this valley has been wonderful and I love walking the hills and canyons. I am still teaching in Ojai and sometimes, in Ventura. Nothing new there but I did teach a fun sustainability class with middle schoolers last summer that I enjoyed. We did all hands-on projects. Middle schoolers are dreadful but I like them. Not an easy age to be, betwixt and between. I started a community garden project that has become a bit bigger than I had anticipated. My neighborhood had an old, mostly abandoned area of garden boxes and I took over a few and planted a cover crop in order to enrich the soil. Two other ladies took an interest and the three of us have become a sort of local garden force and the space is thriving. We are eating from our winter gardens, busy planning more projects, and expecting great things in the spring. My favorite part of life is, as always, my boys. Robert has been navigating the strong political currents in N.Y.C. for the last four years and is currently New York Field Office Director for Michael Bloomberg’s campaign. Both he and his brother Max have chosen a challenging life path, and I call politics “the meat grinder,” but they love what they do.

Jodi Ehrlich Kroening ’71 with her husband in Singapore

Max campaigned for current prime Minister Jacinda Arden in New Zealand and will be coming to New York next month to work with his brother. It has been awhile, nearly a decade, since we have all been together, and I am thrilled to finally have all three of us on the same continent. I do take an interest in local politics. I am volunteering in the Bernie Sanders campaign. My sons call me an activist and I do my best to speak up. As an educator, I feel I serve best when I can bring information forward. The state of the world these days demands attention and I feel that too many Americans are asleep. That is it from my side of the world. Wishing all a peaceful 2020. Jodi Ehrlich Kroening: My beloved father, John Ehrlich, died in October 2019. He was my lifelong supporter and I miss him terribly. Fortunately, it was very swift and he was mentally himself until the end—and active! He went to South America, including Iguazu Falls, last spring. He always loved the Father/Daughter Weekends! On a brighter note, my husband, Keith, and I celebrated New Year’s 2020 in Singapore as a 10thanniversary celebration. We spent a week there. I’m excited about our upcoming trip in March to India, Royal Palace on Wheels, with several friends, including Nonie Bechtel Ramsey. I also had lunches with Janet Miller Abbott and Jenny Budge last summer in Woodside. Patty Lee Schminke: Retirement is treating us as well as could be expected. We’re still camping and traveling with our friends. A retirement home in Colorado may be in our near future, although we love being in Salt Lake City. We’ll see what 2020 brings. DeDe Rogers: Last year was a calm year compared with 2018 and the upcoming adventures for 2020. My business, Stay Home Connected, had a banner year (not as impressive as that sounds), and I’m still enjoying helping the old folks get with the technology that they need. We went to the Balloon Fiesta in October. Wow! It

was even more impressive than we had anticipated. Steve and our son, Derek, are still home brewing beer and winning competitions. Although that’s a little more difficult with Derek living and working in Manhattan. Both kids, Sammie in San Diego and Derek in New York, are happy, healthy, and have careers they’re committed to. Everyone is still in tech, in one way or another. We’re happy, everyone’s healthy, and we’re grateful for that. Looking forward to seeing everyone in 2021 at our reunion. 72

Suzanne

Scoville Sederholt suzanne.scoville@gmail.com

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue!

73

Barbara Smith

O’Brien beob2110@gmail.com

The Class of ’73 must be the busiest people in the Catalina universe—I only heard from 11 classmates this time. Maybe they are saving up for our 65th celebration in Napa! Sue Work Ward: I had a very merry Christmas! I just saw Suki Bryan at my house (along with 10 other Catalina gals) and at the cotillion as well. Unfortunately, I am going to miss our Napa celebration as I have a long-standing previous engagement. Diane Hull Gansauer: My big accomplishment of the year was completing 400 more miles backpacking

on the Continental Divide Trail—3,100 miles from Mexico to Canada, and I’ve finished half. The knees still work so I'll keep going! Janie King: Because I remain just as insane as I have always been, I keep working on my company, Fasterthan.tv, which uses video games to train medical personnel. The technology is applicable to every field, but my nursing degree and some circumstances dictated this start. I spend most of my time and money pursuing this goal, and when I’m weary, I remind myself that I was certain to pursue the quixotic, so if not this, it would be another. My numerous brothers and sisters, known to many of you, are doing well and we get together frequently. My youngest brother bought my parents’ home in Santa Cruz and we gather there. I’ve done a lot of work as an RN, with a year or so in hospice. At the moment, I support the company with private duty nursing, mainly in Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, and Malibu. It’s interesting. In that setting, I can bring in my extensive knowledge of alternative therapies, which, much to even my surprise, work. Recently I broke my elbow by riding a scooter at night while wearing sunglasses and platform boots. My point here is that when my alternative therapies (comfrey poultice, amazing for bones) worked, I was stunned. Then I thought, “Well your surgeon was not ‘stunned’ when his operation to reunite my olecranon with the rest of my ulna worked.” Pause given. As you see, all is well and I look forward to seeing each and every one of you again. Cyndy Nadai: At the time that I am writing this, sadly Australia is being ravaged by fires throughout the country. We are living in a world which is being decimated as a result of our current practices. All countries must address climate change now and emphatically. Each of us can make a contribution toward making our planet a good place to be for future generations. Tina Greene: I’ve moved to Washington state. I fell in love with being “Nana Tina” and just got tired of having to travel long

Basia Belza ’73 and Krysia Belza ’85 with their father in Warsaw for the 75th commemoration of the Warsaw Uprising

Diane Hull Gansauer ’73 visiting the Wind River Range in Wyoming

distances to see my granddaughter. It was also time to downsize, so as if two hip surgeries and two cataract surgeries in a year weren’t enough, I purged and packed up 28 years of living in my wonderful home in Sacramento and moved myself and my two kitties to Ellensburg, in central Washington. My dear friend, Laura Lyon Gaon ’81 (current Catalina board chair), supported my move in ways big and small. I couldn’t have done it without her. Once again, I was blessed by my Catalina connections. I’m now living in a wonderful new house less than a mile from my son and his family, including my granddaughter, Allie (3), who loves hanging out with her nana. Honestly, I’m not sure who loves it more! Being Nana is the best job I’ve ever had. Allie is the bright light in a world and country that seem to be getting increasingly dark. I pray for our country; for leadership that honors the values our ancestors fought and died to protect; and for the health of our democracy. Deb Humm-Bremser: This last year or so I’ve hung out at Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital getting shorter—5’6” to be exact. My feet were constantly getting pressure sores, and since I haven’t walked on them for 35 years, off they went. Medically, it was prophylactic double amputation to avoid future sepsis that could do me in. Good riddance in my mind, but I never realized I had height vanity. I’m no longer 6 feet of woman but I’m proud to report that all four of my kidlets are nicely tied up in wedding bows. We launched ’em! Suki Bryan (the host of May’s 65th birthday party): I continue to sketch and paint and I’m that much closer to calling myself an artist. My travels in 2019 took me to Boston to cheer on my Megan when she ran the Boston Marathon with great success in April. She also ran in the Berlin

Marathon in October, completing two of her six majors goal. Proud mama! I had a wonderful visit with Barbara O’Brien, her husband, Byrne, and family in October. I attended the wedding of their son, JB, who married his beautiful bride in Skaneateles, NY. It was a lovely weekend packed with many fun events. I saw several classmates and fellow Catalinans during the holidays: Sue Work Ward, Cindy Doyle Walker, Ann Politzer, Marian Miller Stilz , Nina Gates Motlow, and Lani Kennedy Pringle ’74 just to mention a few. Always a blast! I’m looking forward to welcoming all of you in May for our 65th birthday reunion in Napa! Tina Tomlinson Del Piero: I am starting my 15th year with VNA & Hospice as the director of fund development. My two sons are doing well and happy. I have one granddaughter in Seattle from my oldest, Paul, and a wedding in September for my youngest, John. My best friend, Lisa Morel Suibielski, and I spend a lot of time together when they are in Monterey visiting their daughter, Jennifer, and four grandsons. Life is relatively normal—get up, go to work, come home, go to bed. Basia Belza: I was fortunate to travel with my father to Warsaw for the 75th commemoration of the Warsaw Uprising in August 2019. My dad was a combatant in the Warsaw Uprising in 1944. He was interviewed on national TV from the roof of the tallest Warsaw skyscraper, received a medal from President Duda, and was treated as a hero by all. I continue to be on faculty at the University of Washington School of Nursing. I serve as director of the de Tornyay Center for Healthy Aging and am thrilled to be able to make a positive difference in the lives of older adults. Holding true to our belief in the value of staying physically active, my

husband, Martin, and I ran some long-distance races this year, with our favorite being the Big Sur Marathon. Teresa Barger: Lots of transitions in 2019: Our oldest daughter, Medora, graduated from Wharton Business School, which she adored. She then took two father-daughter trips (one walking and one biking) and one motherdaughter trip (Canadian Rockies, hiking, and driving). Then she zipped off to Nairobi where she took a job with Dalberg Consulting. They specialize in social enterprises, nonprofits, and economic development. She loves it. The younger one, Amelia, has been a fashion designer in New York for several years and is now moving to San Francisco to be with her husband of two years who works in Palo Alto at Tesla. My husband, Travis, continues to drive me to work every day so I can get a half-hour of emails in before work starts. Very kind. And I am still making investments in emerging markets, although my other work is heating up: a university board in Cairo, an infrastructure fund in India, and a D.C. nonprofit. I am sorry I can’t get to Suki’s. Happy Birthday, everyone! Barbara Smith O’Brien: All is well with the O’Briens. Our first wedding (older son JB) was in October and Suki kindly came across the country to celebrate with us. We’re settling in Annapolis but finding starting over in our 60s a challenge—so many options for volunteering but we’re not interested in the malarkey and politics often associated with said volunteering. Very different approach to making friends, too. So looking forward to our birthday party in May!

Debbie Humm-Bremser ’73 and family at her son’s wedding

Barbara Smith O’Brien ’73 with her family at her son’s wedding

Sally Fay calgal75@aol.com

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue! 75

Deanna (Dede) Duoos Davis deanna.davis@yahoo.com

Our 45th reunion is around the corner, which may explain why our notes were rather sparse coming in for this year’s column. I took the liberty of transcribing some tidbits from social media. Frannie Hartwell: After 20 years with the same small family business, I have a new job. In October, I started at a social services agency in Berkeley, where I am an office manager and receptionist. I love this job because of the people and the mission. It’s incredibly busy. Before I know it, the day is over, and the week is over. I’ve been walking one and a half miles to work every day (until my knee started complaining).

Tracy Burke Taylor: My husband, David, and I are happy in our new home in Santa Clarita. Gratefully, we were not affected by the fires last year. We will be married for 21 years in April. Our four amazing grandchildren are 14, 10, 6, and 4. They are our greatest joy. I have been active serving at our home church, Crosspoint, in the worship team and the abortion recovery care ministry for five years. Very rewarding! This year will mark my 17th year at Anastasia Beverly Hills as a brow specialist. I am blessed to be a part of this innovative company and to work with the inspiring Anastasia Soare! Sending my love to all my classmates! Katherine Oven: I recently retired from a nearly 40-year career in water resources engineering and am enjoying an unstructured lifestyle and shaping a plan for my next chapter of life! Yolanda Mitchell West: I am now president of the Georgia Laster Association of Musicians, a nonprofit in Los Angeles that works to provide an avenue for youth to develop their musical talents. I sponsor musical events, including performing opera and gospel music. Hillary Kilduff: I am alive and well, although I am unable to make Reunion this year. Eve Andersen Bergez: I will not be able to make Reunion as I will be traveling to the U.K. with my daughter at that time. I am planning to link up with Diana Oliver Bartley in London. Though I regret that I will miss Reunion, I look forward to seeing everyone in 2025. Robin Nielsen: I am scheduled to be out of the country the week of Reunion but I hope to re-work my schedule so that I might possibly make an appearance on the Peninsula later that week. Katy Moore-Kozachik : I moved to Carmel last year

and got together with Joan Artz and Deanna over dinner in Carmel Valley to celebrate Joan’s birthday. It was a lovely evening at a charming and quaint restaurant, complete with a delicious slice of mouth-watering cheesecake slathered in raspberry sauce, topped with a birthday candle. Tracy Hobbs Jones: My husband and I took a fabulous cruise in September with many stops along the way, including Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Taipei, and Hong Kong. I enjoy time spent with all four of my grandchildren. Anne Kresl: I still live in the amazing town of San Miguel de Allende in Guanajuato, Mexico, a city known for its baroque Spanish architecture, thriving arts scene, and cultural festivals. It was voted the Best City in the World in 2017. (As everyone remembers, Anne is a fabulous photographer, and frequently posts amazing pictures on Facebook.) I am unable to make the reunion this year but hopefully, I can get away in 2025! Jeannie Jagels Vaughn: In February 2019, together with a group, I spent a lovely vacation on Isla Espirita Santo in La Paz, Mexico. This secluded island in the Gulf of California is considered to be the most beautiful island in the Sea of Cortez. Michele Bozzo Mahi: I recently took a trip to Maui and did a little wine tasting. I enjoy being a grandma to my daughter’s two little boys. Lesley Miller Andersen: I welcomed two grandbabies into the world in the last 12 months. My daughter had a baby boy, and my son had a baby girl, bringing the total of grandbabies to three now! Cecily Marble Hintzen: My husband and I visited New Zealand in December. Our daughter gave birth last year, making me a grandma to two beautiful grandbabies. Adelaide Tieje Crosby: I enjoy a full life, getting together throughout the year with my “Bunco Babes”—during May at the beach, June in San Francisco when I caught the Cabaret production with my friends, then again at a gathering during Christmas. Dryden Branson Bordin: I have been busy working on volunteer projects, one of which includes serving as a community outreach coordinator for the program Art Just Because, through Women’s Art Ministry, an offshoot group of the Women’s Empowerment Center in Reno. This group works with released female prisoners by providing clothing, training, developing new skills, setting up job interviews, and supporting these women throughout their rehabilitation and assimilation process. My outreach role supports the women by inspiring creativity through fellowship, art, and worship.

Marian Keeler: I just began working in January 2020 as a freelance painter and printmaker, the practice of studio art, investigations into toxic landscapes, and climate change. I have been working for 14 years at Fundamentals of Integrated Design for Sustainable Buildings, Wiley & Sons in the San Francisco Bay Area. Meggan Laxalt Mackey: In November, I put on an exhibit named for my book, Lekuak, the Basque Places of Boise, Idaho, which was inaugurated at the Albertsons Library at BSU. I also gave a talk at the library about the process of publishing a book.

As for me, Deanna Duoos Davis: I moved back to California from Montana, where I had spent eight months traveling back and forth every other week between Spokane and Whitefish, helping my mother get settled into her new home after she lost her home to the fire. Last summer, when I moved back to the ranch, I completed several long-planned construction projects. Then in the fall, our reunion planning began in earnest. I was able to track down Karen Eggerman through LinkedIn. She is a founding partner at Egg Design and consulting sustainability project manager for One Planet Community development at SOMO Village. As a side note, Karen was fortunate to live on the west side of the 101 when the evacuation order came through in Healdsburg last year. Her home thankfully escaped the fire. Right now, Karen is super busy with work, having been out of town on business when I contacted her, but she said she would try and make Reunion, if only for a day. It will be great to see her after all these years. Florine Clark , Cecily Marble Hintzen, and I worked through a 109-degree weekend in August, planning music and details for our class dinner. We met again in October at Florine’s house in Pebble Beach, along with Joan Artz, who brought along yummy sandwiches and a fun art project. Following this meetup, we decided to add an optional Saturday night dinner for those classmates interested in a more intimate setting, the restaurant choice, and plans of which were spearheaded by Christine Blom Gomez and Cecily Marble Hintzen. Our planning committee met a third time in January, testing out recipes. To nobody’s surprise, Dryden Branson Bordin once again stepped up to the plate and volunteered to help with Friday night dinner plans. Hosting a dinner party in someone’s home involves myriad decisions, so we’re very grateful for Dryden’s ideas and attention to detail. It’s been a lot of fun planning, and by the time you read this, our 45th reunion will have come and gone. Wishing you all the best in 2020! 76

Margaret Ganz

itstartsat50@hotmail.com

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue! 77

Julie Power Pantiskas juliepantiskas@gmail.com

Julie Power Pantiskas: I started the year by acquiring the Bob’s Big Boy salad dressing brand. Bob’s Bleu Cheese has been the number one bestselling refrigerated salad in California

for the past 50 years. Additionally, I continue to be an innovator-in-residence for USC’s Viterbi School of Engineering Start-up Garage, treasurer for American Women for International Understanding and American Bone Health, and sponsorship chair for Pasadena Angels. If that’s not enough, my eldest daughter, Lauren, was married in December to a wonderful young man. They are residing in Dallas. You have to admire this update from Leslie Person Ryan and her perseverance after the horrible fires in Santa Barbara: I have a food truck for my business—gourmet tacos and eclectic food that I have been learning at cooking school in Oaxaca, Mexico. I am also working on my Alessaro Design business. I am growing organic vegetables in Carpinteria and trying to find a new home for the arts center in Summerland. Lorena Farias de la Gaza: I am looking forward to becoming a grandmother again in 2020. Jane Saunders Johnston: I became a grandma in 2019 and traveled to England in April to meet my granddaughter. The fires in Australia were far off from us, but we had to deal with the smoke haze. Sandi Fleishhacker Randall: I am busy with my daughter’s engagement and hope my son is not too far behind in tying the knot. Hope Waterbury: My husband and I continue to spend time with my sister, Sue, and my mother (91) by meeting them for brunch. I remind each of you to reach out to me if you are ever in N.Y.C. Gina Jansheski: I am a pediatrician in Istanbul, where I enjoy feeding the street animals. Margot Kiser Jones: I am currently covering war, geopolitics, human rights, conservation, and crime in East Africa. I filed a report for The Daily Beast on how the attack on Americans has the U.S. forces unnerved in Kenya. 78 Elizabeth

Stelow DiNunzio liz@dinunzio.com

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue! 79

Deirdre Smith

dsmith7123@sbcglobal.net

An enthusiastic 15 of us convened for our milestone 40th reunion in March 2019. Most of us hailed from California; Suzie Bozzo Schlegel and Deborah Thomason traveled from New York and Arizona, respectively. Thanks to all for clearing their schedules to attend! What a treat and privilege it was to gather on the always beautiful Santa Catalina campus, become reacquainted, and receive hugs from Sisters Christine and Claire. As I wrote to classmates recently, I longed for more

time and was left with regret not to have spoken intimately with more classmates. Nevertheless, I am grateful for the bonding time we had! We posed for a plethora of pictures and reflected on and marveled at the years that have passed.

Shelley Post , who recently retired and moved to Jackson, Wyoming, spoke eloquently of the reunion: “Yes, the reunion was too short, but I enjoyed catching up with many. Most of us have dealt with a variety of challenges over the years, causing us to grow as people, appreciate our blessings and treasure those we love—I believe becoming more authentic people in the process.” So beautifully stated, Shelley. We missed those of you who were unable to join us! As we get older, these reunions become more meaningful. Let’s try to double our attendance numbers next time. Julie Jones Breitfuss surely would have joined us if it were not for a move from California to Seattle about the same time as the reunion. She writes:

“That [reunion] weekend my husband and I had a moving truck packed and we were headed to Washington—a temporary move, but it has been an unexpected surprise how much we are enjoying exploring and living in a different state. Rainy, yes. Traffic, yes, but one of the most beautiful summers and falls I’ve experienced. I also started working again as kids are out of the house, which has been very fulfilling and satisfying after so many years of being a mom. On a side note, I love seeing all of my Catalina friends’ Facebook posts and pictures. Blessings to all in 2020!” 80

Dana

DePuy Morgan danamorgan@mac.com

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue!

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Lil McDonald Manthoulis maria.manthoulis@gmail.com

Monica Stewart Baker moniker1963@aol.com

Elena Sada: We live in West Hartford, CT. Mark works at UConn and I am a professor at Eastern Connecticut State University. I did an ethnographic study on a religious sect, the Legion of Christ, and I published it as a memoir, Blackbird—a Memoir. It will come out as a movie

in 2022. I am currently conducting research, which is also my Ph.D. dissertation, on immigrant children in the U.S.; my goal is to make this into a movie as well because I believe we can learn a lot from immigrant children’s experiences. I remember many of you with lots of love. Erin Eggerman Romer: I’ve been working in clinical research administration at Stanford School of Medicine for the past 10 years—I’m a seasoned bureaucrat now! Not retiring anytime soon, unfortunately. My daughter, Gail, is a sophomore at Olin College of Engineering and doing well— and loving the cold and snow of Boston winters (I’m not joking!). My mother (92) is still kicking around Monterey and my sister, Karen Eggerman ’75, and I see her often. I enjoy getting together with Louise Diepenbrock Baker now and again for a hike and visit, and I see Laura Lyon Gaon and Laura Farrior a few times a year, which is always a lot of fun. I’m hoping to do a little traveling this year and perhaps find my “forever home” as I explore. Anyone in the S.F. Bay Area and Monterey/Carmel, please look me up—I’d enjoy reconnecting. Kim Gurries Gerami: It seems like a different life when we were all at Catalina. I live in the Santa Cruz area, and I have six children. Two are married and the fourth grandchild is due in March. We have a security company and have been blessed with 31 years of marriage thus far. Now that we are almost empty nesters, we have a fun-filled calendar of travels in this year of 2020. I can’t wait to hear from you all. Paula Tunstall Barker: My husband of 29 years, Brad, and I became empty nesters in September 2019 and I don’t like it! Missing my kids so much. I was able to have all three of them under one roof for the holidays, which was fabulous! I continue to work in nursing, coming up on 35 years. I did

Elena Sada ’81 and family visiting campus last summer

pediatric nursing for 30 and now have been in geriatrics for the past five. Looking forward to retiring but alas, college tuitions keep me needing to be gainfully employed. We are in our 16th year in Fort Collins, CO, and still love it with no plans on leaving, despite all the kids moving away. Our oldest, Meghan (24), is living in Alaska (by choice!) and works for Trout Unlimited, trying to save our beautiful planet. Nick (21) is graduating in May with a degree in tourism/recreation/ hospitality and will be moving to Seattle. Our youngest, Tessa (19), is a freshman at CU Denver, majoring in music business with a focus on vocal singing and songwriting. No clue where she will end up but our house is always filled with amazing music! Sara Bingaman Leake: Our exciting news is that our eldest daughter is experiencing life outside of Silicon Valley as a freshman in New England. Even more exciting is the fact that our youngest is learning how to drive! Finally, last year we built a new house. We are relieved that the project is over. Looking forward to catching up and reminiscing with everybody! Molly Hogan Vatinel: I’ve been so busy this last year and have recently moved, temporarily, to the L.A. area, where my younger daughter is attending an intensive two-year program in exotic animal and management training. My older daughter, Mary Claire Vatinel ’10, is an interior designer in Reno and my son is a sophomore at USD. I’m working remotely for a publishing company and on a book due out in the fall. I keep in touch with many of our classmates and see them as often as possible: Laura Lyon Gaon, Laura Farrior, Erin Eggerman Romer, Louise Diepenbrock Baker, Leslie Walker Burlock , and Jennifer Hately Ash. We saw Judy Wray Nelson and Mimi Willoughby Santry recently and we all pledged an effort to come to next year’s 40th reunion! I just can’t believe it! Lil McDonald Manthoulis and

Monica Stewart Baker: We continue to spend time together not only in Carmel, which allows us to connect with Janet Fergusson Leighton, Kate Mahaney Daniel, and Dorothea McFarland, but also traveling to watch Lil’s kids’ soccer games and to our favorite island in Greece! We both look forward to our upcoming 40th reunion! Hope to see you all!

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Mindy Malisoff Baggett mbaggett@cox.net

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue!

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Kellen Flanigan kellen@kellenflanigan.com

Kellen Flanigan Stinnett: I have moved from Los Angeles to Reno/Tahoe, NV, with my husband and two dogs. We are still active in the residential real estate industry and love our new winter playground in the Sierras. My daughter, Madison (28), lives in Venice Beach, CA, and my son, Nico (27), currently lives in Missoula, MT. My mom, Nancy, is turning 80 in May and we are planning a fun family outing for her. Looking forward to Otra Vez this year with the girls from our class!

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The Class of 1984 is without a class correspondent. Please contact Shannon Gaughf ’08, Assistant Director of Alumnae/i Engagement, to volunteer to serve your class in this meaningful way.

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue!

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Krysia Belza Logsdon

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Katharine Folger Yeager yeagerkbf@gmail.com

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue!

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Susan Smith Nixon snixon@starbucks.com

Illa Amerson: The big news for us is that my husband, John, and I are expecting a baby in mid-February. So odd that while other classmates are getting ready to send kids off to college, we’re going to be starting from scratch. Baby is strong and healthy so far and we’re excited about our new addition. No other big news to report

Susan Smith Nixon ’87 with daughter Audrey ’19 in Africa

Class of 1985 Schussboomer mini-reunion included Krisi Raymond, Carolyn Kimble Larsen, Krysia Belza, Jamie Buffington Browne, and Kirsten Ritzau

right now. Laura Evans Manatos: I decided to leave the news desk and launched Laura Evans Media, a PR and media consulting company focused on mission-driven organizations and changemakers. I was tired of the daily barrage of bad news and now enjoy developing solution-based stories, which the world needs now more than ever! The transition has been not only liberating but full of adventure. I’m looking forward to a 50th birthday trip in May with Ingrid Mueller Angier, Amanda Berman Pires, Erica Olin Giannini, Kelly Collins Petit , Sylvia Estrada Hellmund, Monique Chamlian Wright , and Katie Graham Devine. Susan Smith Nixon: I moved to Austin, TX, this past September. I am thrilled to be leading the downtown Austin Starbucks portfolio of stores. Jennifer Lazar and I have connected about all the wonderful things to do. Austin is cool and exciting! My daughter, Audrey ’19, completed her first semester at the University of Utah and was honored to be on the Dean’s List. Keri Hickey Westphal: We’re living the crazy life of two people with teenagers in high school, Henry (16) and Ryan (14)! Two boys in public school are not quite like our high school experience! Mike and I are doing well. Mike is a service and warranty division manager and I continue my beautification skills at the salon and have also taken on accounting at my church, so our world is really busy! Shannon McClennahan Mozes: Maddie (14) is going to Catalina camp for five weeks this year and it’s her last year to be a camper. She has attended camp every year for the past seven years and loves going up to Sister

Claire’s apartment to play with her dog, Sam. Our son, Mitchell, is in fifth grade at Landon School, where the Farnstroms taught for many years and from which they recently retired. We had Hans and Lora (who has not aged a day!) to our home for dinner last year. After living in McLean for 12 years, we are moving to Chicago in the summer for my husband’s work. We have loved living in the Washington, D.C., area but are also looking forward to living in the city again. Feel grateful to be close to my parents, who moved to Virginia when we moved here, and are doing well without any major health issues. I would love to see any of you in Chicago! Sending everyone love and wishes for good health. Kassandra Thompson Brenot: François and I are doing very well. Jean-Pierre is in eighth grade and will graduate from Santa Catalina Lower and Middle School in June. He is artistic, athletic, and loves studying history. Our daughter, Loleï ’17, is a junior at USC, majoring in international relations and French. I am very proud of my sister Kismet Thompson Roberts ’90 who was named one of this year’s Distinguished Alumnae. My family and I send everyone all our love; I am looking forward to our next reunion. Sylvia Estrada Hellmund: We are back in Key Biscayne! We left the beautiful Colorado mountains in August to come back to the hustle and bustle of Miami. My son, Sebastian, is a junior in high school, and Natasha is in fourth grade. I hope you are all healthy and happy and looking forward to seeing the Class of ’87 in 2022! Tricia Ham Salinero: My husband and I are spending a lot of time on the beach with our dogs as we gear up for empty nest syndrome. Our older son, Jake, is up at Sonoma State, majoring in basketball (or was it kinesiology?). Our younger son, Luke, is finishing up his senior year at Half Moon Bay High School and looking at colleges in Southern California. I am still working in Palo Alto in technology mergers and would welcome catching up with alums on the Peninsula, or just exchanging notes on Instagram as I do with Amy Cottrell Knutkowski and Sandra Kerr

Louchard. Carter Martin: Life has been crazy since I got divorced about three years ago after almost 30 years. I had a couple of art shows this summer in East Hampton and Montauk. Still spending time in Fort Worth, TX, where my daughter (22) is working for an interior design firm and my son (21) is a junior at the University of Texas, Austin. The empty nest has led me to get a precious pup over Christmas, and her name is Birdie. I can’t wait to hear how everyone is doing!

Jennifer Lee: I am still living in New York City and practicing architecture with my husband, Eric Alto. We have two daughters, Chloe (16) and Ines (14), and a golden retriever, Leo (6). Chloe is a junior in high school and getting into full college application mode. I am Facebook friends with Marissa Fung ’86 and Regina Chong ’86 and hope everyone is doing well. China Flanigan: Hello from boring Omaha. Still here but the end is in sight. One more year and then I get to return to the West. Lily is a freshman at Elon University in North Carolina. Pierce is a junior in high school, here, in the Hinterlands. I’m having difficulty with the radical acceptance that I will soon be an empty nester and north of 50. It all seems a little surreal. I hope everyone was able to celebrate their 50th in style with friends and family. We’re going to be the old broads at Reunion now. Kimberly Quinlan Bakker: Aloha from the hospital. I am still living in my hometown of Ross, working as a freelance event planner and a full-time mom. It was such a joy to see my daughter with Sister Claire on our recent visit. Quinn loved the dorms, is intent on going to Catalina, and will try it out at camp next summer. When she asked Sister Claire about me in high school, Sister Claire responded, “She was an angel to me.” I hope that gives you all a giggle! I also had a mini-reunion with Dria Miller and China Flanigan with her new furbaby, Frida, in Florida. Please let me know if you have girls going to camp so we can get together! 88

Kim Meek kmeekfi@gmail.com

In thinking about each of you and the year ahead, I realized we are all entering a milestone timeframe. For many of us, this milestone happens in 2020; for a few, it happens in 2021; and I think for one of us, it is in 2022! We are turning 50! How could this be? I thought 50 meant getting old, but 50 is going to be amazing! It would be excellent to hear

Bridget Callaghan Zaro ’89 and Virginia Reeves Apple ’89 with family members

Kimberly Quinlan Bakker ’87 with Sister Claire and Sam

how you all plan to celebrate your birthdays. Maybe some of us will crash your party, or perhaps we should land on Bainbridge Island for a weekend since so many from our class live there. At the very least, we can celebrate together in spirit, through these communications. Please do provide updates on your milestones throughout the year. We all light up when we think of one another; that is our beautiful bond with the school and each other, so let’s all make an effort to keep connecting. Here is what is happening with some of our dear friends. Beth Russo Tarallo: My son, Johnny ’10 LS, is getting married to the love of his life. Their marriage will take place in June at the beautiful Four Seasons Resort in Hawaii! My daughter, Juliana ’17, is a junior at Chapman University, majoring in English with a minor in television. She is interning at the Newport Beach Film Festival. My youngest daughter, Jenna, is currently a sophomore at Santa Catalina. She loves to sing and act, and is in all the musical productions put on by the amazing theatre program! Emily Palmer Browne: I’m still working as a nurse and charge nurse in neurology and loving it. Ellie (23) is finishing up at the University of Kentucky and Weston (20) is pre-med at Santa Clara. My mom survived her three surgeries and is doing well! I was so sad to miss Reunion! Come visit me in Sac! Erica Bailey Luoma: Avery (18) started her first year at Princeton and loves it! Her favorite memory so far is her volleyball team’s trip to the NCAA tournament. Matthew (15) is a sophomore in high school and learning to drive. He’s favoring volleyball over soccer now and is hoping to play in college. Chris and I are just trying to soak in all their moments before they are both out of the house. My parents moved to Phoenix (from Reno) to be close by and it’s been good to see them regularly. Virginia Reeves Apple: Loved seeing Bridget Callaghan Zaro and Haley King Lhamon on my recent trip to beautiful Bainbridge Island. It was such fun to connect with both of

them! Ninive Clements Calegari was here in New York this past fall—always love having her stay with us! Seeing old friends is truly a gift. As for our family, Ford and Trav are 10, Annesley and Sydney are 14—yes, David and I have four middle schoolers! It’s fun and packed and so good. Kim Rudas Goerlitz: All is well here. We are feeling more settled after the big transition of having our first child off to college last year. Our eldest, Maizy, is in her first year at Willamette University and loves it. Our youngest, Lucy (16), is completing her high school certificate in the best way that suits her learning style, which is through online classes with tutors at home. I’m preparing to begin a master’s program at Seattle Pacific University in family counseling; my focus is to work with parents raising children with special needs. Feeling super excited about this next phase in my life. Living so close to Bridget is a gift and our families are deeply connected, plus gettogethers with Haley are always a treat. Every summer we look forward to our visit with the family of Rebecca Khamneipur Morrison. My Catalina friendships grow richer and more meaningful to me every year. Bridget Callaghan Zaro: Our family returned from living in Aix-en-Provence, France, for the past year. We lived near my mom’s family in a city that I have always loved. It was a wonderful year of growth, new challenges, and having the gift of a lot of time together. Having dual citizenship, our daughters went to public school. They got to know their French family, improved their French, and embraced the culture. I worked on getting my diploma in occupational therapy validated by the French ministry of health and was our official “director of travel.” We made the most of their school breaks and backpacked in the Alps, biked

through the southwest of France, and traveled by train through parts of Italy and Spain. We returned to the U.S. in late August and I continue to be a guest lecturer at the University of Washington’s School of Occupational and Physical Therapy, and eventually plan to return to clinical care. Our oldest daughter, Aubine (15), is applying to Santa Catalina to possibly matriculate in her junior year as a member of the Class of 2022! I have the good fortune of living on the same island in the Pacific Northwest as Haley King Lhamon and Kim Rudas Goerlitz and love that we get to celebrate each other’s birthdays together and sometimes even celebrate Christmas together!

Jana Hunt Henderson: I married U.S. Coast Guard Commander Jeff Henderson in 2017. It was great to have Abbi Smith and Bridget Callaghan Zaro at the wedding! Sarah Clark Woolf: I am in a teenage world—Clark (17) is waiting to hear back from colleges; Meg (16) is at Santa Catalina and starting to stress about colleges; George (14) is a freshman at San Joaquin Memorial and playing a lot of tennis and wearing a hoodie 24 hours a day; and Robert (13) is in eighth grade and looking at his high school options. I feel like I float between applications and tours of various schools. I could shortly be without many children living at home! Chris is doing well with farming almonds, processing tomatoes, and growing almonds from the nursery to the farm. And I have been expanding my family business through the water management company I started. We help farmers manage their water supply and discover new and better ways to utilize a shrinking resource to continue farming and improving the environment. Time is flying quickly and I can’t wait to catch up with everyone in the near future. Heidi Cohen

Abbi Smith ’89 and Bridget Callaghan Zaro ’89 at the wedding of their classmate Jana Enos Henderson

Members of the Class of 1989 at their 30th Reunion

Cook : Our family moved to Michigan last year and this Vegas girl is now braving the Michigan winters! My extra incentive is being closer to my sweet Maddy, who attends Michigan State. My son, Jack, is a freshman in high school, and Jim and I continue to be an amazing couple together.

Mo Duflock Bernal: I am an empty nester now that Chloe is a freshman at Cal Poly. She pledged Alpha Phi this past fall—her first choice!

Rebecca Khamneipur Morrison: I am channeling my creative juices and have gone back to my love for painting, and showing my work at events within my community. I also have gone back to work with my old team and am slaying the many contracts that come across my desk. I also have a podcast! It is live and you can find it on iTunes. (There are so many interesting interviews and topics. Please check it out! If you want more information you can visit her website, thesecondhalfpodcast.com.)

Ninive Clements

Calegari: I had a run-in with a car this past spring, meaning a moving car turning a corner hit me! Quite scary and painful, but I am OK. I am still working through some recovery kinks. I am currently the CEO of Enterprise Youth, an amazing organization serving under-resourced youth in facilitating paid internships and working to help them reach their full potential. (In May 2019, Ninive gave the commencement address for the University of San Francisco’s School of Education and received an honorary degree, the Doctor of Humane Letters, for her work both in the city of San Francisco and nationwide. I was able to be there along with Ali Morey Garrett ’91 and other friends and family. It was a beautiful and inspiring address. So proud of her!) As for me (Kim), my little Hadley (3) is running her English soldier toy in circles around me, singing her favorite song, “Old MacDonald.” And she is now pulling every toy out of the toy chest—the cleanup never ends! She is my joy and we are doing great. We love our home in downtown Mill Valley, and in the days ahead she will start preschool at Belvedere Hawthorne Nursery School in Tiburon.

I’m still obsessed with Soul Cycle, and I’m now 21 years running with Fisher and still love making a difference in educating folks about how to elevate away from the product-driven world pushed by the financial services industry. I’m still quite active with my yacht club communities. I’m certainly no Haley, who won The Race to Alaska, a 750-mile race to Alaska, but I love my Friday night racing and ladies sailing programs here in San Francisco. I hope you all are well and feel inspired to stay connected to each other. Please, please keep your milestone news and updates coming.

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Augustina Stevens augustinastevens@icloud.com

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue!

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Amy Clausing amyclausing@me.com

Amy Bacon Clausing: I continue to live in San Mateo with my husband, Paul; our son, PJ; and two dogs, Toby and Winston. I’m still working as director of events at GetFeedback, but it was recently acquired so, after 10 years working for small, startup companies, I’m learning about working for a big company again. It’s an exciting new chapter. My son is in fifth grade at my alma mater. He’s a very active boy and dreams of being a Major League Baseball player, but we think high school, maybe college, golf is more likely. We spent New Year’s in Santa Barbara with Cameron Calcagno Newell, her husband, Chad, and kids, Colin (14) and Emerson (12). Amanda Hennigan Mansour: I am wondering how I could possibly have a child in college—my daughter, Alice, attends TCU and my son is in his junior year of high school. As a soon-to-be empty nester, I decided to return to work after 12 years as the CEO of the Mansour household. I’m now working at Homeboy Industries, a place that is all about hope, kindness, and joy. I am so grateful to be part of an organization that makes such an important impact on my community. It’s been a life-changing year. Hillary Meek : I am still living in the Sacramento area and working in IT at Swinerton, Inc. My daughter, Holden (16), is a sophomore at St. Francis High School, playing JV soccer and applying to the American School in London for her junior year. Carrie Rodella: This past academic year has been a red-letter year both professionally and personally. My son, Mario Alexander Di Santi, managed to get into

college in California (the process was filled with obstacles coming from a liceo in southern Italy, but that’s a long story) and is currently attending the University of the Pacific in Stockton, which is my parents’ alma mater. He is in the business school with a concentration in finance, and his first semester grades were straight As. Also, he’s now an official resident of Monterey with a driver’s license. I’m very proud! I still own an English as a Second Language school in southern Italy called International English Language Studio, which has two branches. Last year, I was selected among a pool of nationwide applicants to give a talk at the annual national TESOL conference in Rome. My talk was in November 2019 and it was entitled, “Beatlemania and Beatlemediation,” which involved the use of Beatles songs to teach ESL through mediation, a relatively new language learning concept. My colleagues and I have been attending the conference for years and it was a real honor to be selected as a speaker. In addition to my professional life, I continue to be active in various charities in my community as a member of my local Rotary Club and as a founding member of a local association called Amici di Paestum, whose aim is to valorize and promote our local archaeological park and museum. Most importantly, I am serving in my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints at their new Branch in Salerno as the Relief Society president. We recently spent a day at Catalina and I was particularly impressed with the new science building—what a beautiful structure, and all of the lovely Spanish buildings are so well kept! The campus is as gorgeous as ever. Walking around brought back a lot of memories and a few sentimental tears of nostalgia. I am grateful for the education I received at Catalina every day. Without that experience, there is no way I would know how to manage my time to be able to do so many things, and there is certainly no way I would ever have ended up on this amazing adventure of living in southern Italy. If any of you are ever in my adopted home, anywhere in Italy, please look me up. I would love to see you. I live in the ancient Greek Magnagraecia colony of Capaccio Paestum in the province of Salerno. Cameron Calcagno Newell: My family and I continue to live in Santa Barbara. My son, Colin, is in eighth grade and my daughter, Emerson, is in sixth grade. My husband, Chad, runs his own company, Snapwire. I continue to work in real estate in Montecito and Santa Barbara at Calcagno and Hamilton Real Estate. Monica Duflock : I live in Ross with my three sons. Carter is a sophomore in high school, Conrad is in eighth grade, and Colby is in sixth grade. It’s hard to believe that the grade school years are quickly coming to an end. The boys are busy with school and sports. I am constantly shuttling them from soccer to lacrosse to basketball. When I’m not busy with the boys, I’m busy on my latest project—the remodel of our new family home. While I’m really enjoying the project—it is amazing what you find in these 100+-year-old homes—I hope it will wrap up in time for the start of the new school year. I am also still very busy competing in the equine world. I

Carrie Rodella ’91 visiting campus

travel to Texas, Oklahoma, and Tennessee on a regular basis to compete. I am very grateful for the opportunity to be back in the horse show world.

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Amy Paulsen apindc@yahoo.com

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue! 93

Galen Johnson

galen.a.johnson@gmail.com

Congratulations to Kimberly Roberts Gnagy and her husband, Bret, on the birth of their son, Cooper Ellis. Andy Riegel Smith: Everything is moving along here in central California. I still work at the College of the Sequoias, and Steve is still teaching music. Our daughter, Story, is active in the local theatre program, having recently performed in Frozen, Jr. We celebrated Story’s ninth birthday on the Okavango River Delta in Botswana this summer with my entire family, including Ryan Riegel Abrash ’92 and her family. Jennifer Dohrmann-Alpert: I am thrilled to welcome in a new decade and am hopeful it will bring better health and promise than the past one, which was dominated by cancer and six related surgeries, not to mention two separate surgeries on my neck. To start the new year off right, I recently joined the architecture and design firm HKS as vice president of advisory services. I will

be helping build out a new line of work for the company by bringing my consulting experience to their suite of services—very exciting! I will be in Dallas, Los Angeles, and Miami quite often and would love to connect with any Catalina sisters when I am in town. Cedra Ginsburg Goldman: I still live in Denver with my husband and two sons (12 and 8). Last year was a busy year raising two boys, running a business, and finishing up my master’s in public health. I am now planning to shift the focus of the work my company does to be more about how buildings can promote health through good design strategies and thoughtful operation and maintenance policies. I hope to teach and conduct research, in addition to advising individual clients. Our family made a road trip out to the family ranch in the summer of 2019, and Catherine Macdonald Christian and Miranda Maison LeKander were able to take a few days out of their busy schedules to visit with us. Pam Edwards Brown wasn’t able to join us at the ranch, but we did find time for a lovely lunch together. We love having visitors, so if you are in the Denver area, please let me know. Kelly Neary: Milos and I bought a house in 2018 and remodeled it (still in Colorado, outside Denver). We would love to have visitors, so please let me know if you are coming to Colorado or want to come visit! We have plenty of space and would even welcome a mini-reunion this summer or fall for those looking for a girls’ getaway. I also moved companies last year and joined the “family business.” I lead talent acquisition efforts at Eventus Solutions Group. It’s a great company and culture and I feel honored to be part of the team. Milos and I had always said we would not work together but here we are. And to complicate life even more we added a rambunctious Labrador retriever to the mix. She is a ball of energy and though she exhausts us, we adore her!

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Heather Wasser Tabacco heatherwasser@hotmail.com

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue!

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Catie Ryan Balagtas catieryan@gmail.com

Catie Ryan Balagtas: Charlie Balagtas and I were married again, this time in the Philippines, surrounded by his family. Honeymooning in the Palawan archipelago was amazing but I’m now back in Brooklyn, busy wrapping up the manuscript for my book to be published this fall, fingers crossed. I see Airlie Anderson Ryan ’96 regularly, and also Danielle Huthart with her new baby, Alexander, and Carina Cha Dian Krishna Elias proclaimed 2019 a year of travel: In February, I went to India with a group of friends. In April, I competed in the World Kendo Network tournament in Kyoto and witnessed Kyoto Taikai, the centuries-old tradition of Kendo skills showcased in a similarly centuries-old Dojo. Then in December, I returned to Niseko with my family to enjoy powder life. 2020 is a year of cleaning up, Marie Kondo style. Olivia Wright Darzell-Karp: I have been enjoying life in Sacramento with my husband, daughter, and our fluffy corgi, Albus. I’ve been navigating middle school for Lorelei while starting grad school myself for marriage and family therapy. Looking forward to this next chapter in my life! Got to catch up with Catie Ryan Balagtas and Chelsea Shofner Dow during their quick stops in Northern CA, and I see Nicole Nasser when we get our schedules to sync before her move to Texas. Christina Lee: Stanley and I have been married for 15 years and I’ve been working at my dad’s charitable organization for 17 years. I’m so blessed to be able to serve others and be paid to do it. Teaching part-time has given me perspective and a sense of groundedness in how I contribute to school boards. I treasure the year I spent teaching at an all-girls Catholic school in Hong Kong. Our eldest, Nathan, has started boarding school in England, and sharing his experience brings back fond memories of Catalina. Ian is likely to follow suit. Megan (9), our youngest, still has a few more years to go. I’m not sure I can deal with an empty nest, or all the flying, so soon!

Andy Riegel Smith ’93 with her family, including sister Ryan Riegel Abrash ’92, in Botswana

96

Jenny Noble

jnoble78@hotmail.com

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue!

97

Jasmin Reate jlreate@gmail.com

Oona Swanson Caldwell: I live in Ojai with my husband, Chad, and our two children, Finn (8) and Scarlett (6). I work at the Thacher School part-time as a nurse. Most of my time these days is spent with my family. My husband built and operates a new local laundromat and also does commercial real estate. Our family skis and surfs as often as possible and we love living in the beautiful town of Ojai. Mary Hodgins: I am still in D.C., still doing international trade law, and I made partner this year at the firm! I have two kids, Eleanor (7) and Henry (4), who I lovingly describe as hellions. Seriously, they are more likely to be in front of the Disciplinary Committee than be on it. Morgan McMillan Rogers and Lisa Walgenbach Cornehl happened to both be in D.C. on the same night a few months ago, and the three of us had so much fun meeting up and catching up for a bit! Jennifer McClendon Schaible: I am expanding

my Sebastopol flower farm and wedding floristry business, JenniFlora, and tending my 1,000 rose bushes and many more flowers with my husband and two teenage daughters, Alexa and Sophia (both 15). I love working with couples to create custom floral elements using flowers from our farm, in between being a taxi service for my daughters’ various after-school activities. Stephanie Masica Brawley: Mason and I marked our 10th year living in Merced in November, although we spend a good amount of time with my mom in Pebble Beach. I continue to work from home for Kforce, a national recruiting firm where I took a new role last year as a senior director over sales transformation. It has been a full year and I am learning a ton! Mason still has a thriving law practice here with his partner, who happens to be the mayor of Merced! Piper (10) and Mary (8) are doing well and love school, soccer, and art classes. They will both be attending summer camp at Santa Catalina this summer. Piper is actually going to be a resident camper and it will be a great adventure for her. Last year was a great year and I loved seeing Oona Swanson Caldwell at the beautiful wedding of Erin Brandewie Aragon in July! Angel Cabral Osborn: My husband, Jason, and I welcomed a son, Alden, in November. Sister Adelaide (2) loves him so much! I am currently starring in Amazon’s Undone, which you can stream on Amazon Prime Video, and it just got renewed for two more seasons. My sitcom, Life in Pieces, on CBS ended its four-year run and can be found on all streaming services, including Hulu and Amazon Prime. I also continue to be one of the faces of Cindy Crawford’s skincare line, Meaningful Beauty. Our family recently moved to Studio City, and we are loving the valley! Stacey Robbins Jordan: In March 2019, my husband,

David, and I welcomed our third child, Bryce, officially making us a party of five. He’s doing his best to keep up with his big brother, Dylan (6) and sister, Riley (3). Sally Botts Drescher: My husband, Scott, and I welcomed twins Margo Fox and Francis Finn, who completed our family in December 2018. We celebrated their first birthdays over the holidays. Lola (10) will hopefully be attending summer camp at Santa Catalina for the first time this summer, and I am so excited about it! Erin Brandewie: I married Joaquin Aragon in Carmel Valley in July 2018. Our baby girl, Mia, entered the world at CHOMP on December 4. We could not be more in love with her and are so happy to be back home on the Monterey Peninsula! I (Jasmin Reate) am lucky enough to see Erin as often as I can when I’m back on the Monterey Peninsula, where I also try to get to Catalina to visit with Sister Claire and Sister Christine. I recently participated as a speaker at the Santa Catalina Health and Wellbeing Day in January. It was an honor and privilege to work with the students on personal organization for optimal living and productivity. It is so impressive how the school continues to evolve to ensure the students have information on 360 degrees of wellness. In June, I accepted a position with The Hollywood Reporter, where I am the executive director of events and conferences. It is a great position that allows me to plan huge events and keep people organized! I still accept special professional organizing projects like the complete household setup and move in we did in Pebble Beach in May.

Mary O’Hara Ryan ’66, Cathy O’Hara Willmott ’60, and Airlie Anderson ’96 pose with Catie Ryan Balagtas ’95 and her husband Charlie at their wedding

Children of Sally Botts Drescher ’97

Natalia

Woodhall Chappelow nataliawoodhall@yahoo.com

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue! 99

Laura Stenovec laurastenovec@gmail.com

Reunion Weekend 2019 was definitely one of the best weekends of my year, and I know others feel the same way. It was so much fun being back on campus and reconnecting with so many of you. For those who couldn’t attend, we missed you. I wish we could do it again this year! Justine

Carroll Campbell: I really don’t get out much, and when I do, it’s to go to the restaurants of Marissa Anshutz Hermer, which has really made my life way more exciting, so thank goodness she moved here! And I miss all of you girls so much!

Claudia de la Fuente: It was great having Laura Stenovec visit Cambodia and later catching up with the Class of ’99 during Reunion. I have now been in Cambodia for four years and was recently promoted to Deputy Representative of the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Victoria Richardson Gray: In July, my husband, Gordon, and I welcomed our twins, Gordon Gray IV and Delphine Victoria Gray. The babies give us so much joy and happiness, along with the craziness of having two newborns! I have gone back to work full-time at Bonhams, where I

recently celebrated my 16-year work anniversary. I am vice president and director of the trusts and estates department, as well as head of office for San Francisco. Between our twin babies at home and a hectic work schedule, life is a constant juggling act, but I always make time for my Santa Catalina friends. Marissa Anshutz Hermer: We celebrated our one-year anniversary of The Draycott, our California brasserie in the Palisades, and opened Olivetta, our Mediterranean restaurant lounge in West Hollywood. Justine Carroll Campbell and Sarah Gallagher Parker were able to join us at Olivetta for our friends and family opening, and we welcomed Santa Catalina alums for a dinner at The Draycott. Dena Kolb: I had the incredible pleasure of traveling to Bath, U.K. with my family to celebrate the wedding festivities of Chelsea McNabb ’00 and her now-husband, Mark, in October. It was an honor to share in the special occasion and have an opportunity to catch up with fellow Catalina alums, Brigitte Kouba Neves ’00 and Jennifer Patton Wundrow ’97!

Trish Nugent Lingamfelter: Last year was such a fun year filled with Santa Catalina friendships. Reunion was a blast, of course, and I was able to spend a lot of great time thereafter with Mieke Fuchs Smith, Alaina McDonald Sylvester, and Katie Maloof Alden on both sides of the country. Our family is moving this winter—a whopping two blocks within New York City’s Upper West Side—and we’re excited about the change. I was recently promoted at Mower, which was an unexpected and fun way to kick off 2020, and I continue to organize PR and social for clients in the hospitality space, from Lufthansa Group to Pebble Beach Resorts, Charlie Palmer Collective, and more. Looking forward to seeing more Catalina friends this year! Kate Maurer: I was pregnant at Reunion last spring and had my baby boy, Hugh, in June. I’m taking the year off from teaching to

spend time with Hugh and loving every minute of it! Adrienne Partridge: I have been living in Mexico City for a year and a half now, first in San Miguel de Allende, and now settling into life in amazing Mexico City for the past eight months. Since I can work remotely with the U.S., had never lived in another country before, and wanted to become fluent in Spanish, I decided Mexico was calling my name. My executive coaching and consulting business is flourishing from Mexico, including a couple of Mexican clients now. Laura Stenovec and Natalie Burke came to visit me for New Year’s. It was such a wonderful and special visit with two of my dearest friends from Catalina!

Elizabeth Poett-Campbell: I love managing my family’s cattle ranch, Rancho San Julian, along with my husband and two boys (8 and 5). I have also begun a business on the ranch called The Ranch Table, where I am now offering retreats, gatherings, and private events. I have loved getting to visit with my Catalina friends. This past summer I hosted Sarah Gallagher Parker, Justine Carroll Campbell, Marissa Anshutz Hermer, and Amy McCormick Vokey and all their sweet kids! A wild time was had by all!

Members of the Class of 1999 with their children: Sarah Gallagher Parker, Amy McCormick Vokey, Justine Carroll Campbell, and Elizabeth Poett-Campbell

Victoria Richardson Gray ’99 with husband Gordon and their twins

00The Class of 2000 is without a class correspondent. Please contact Shannon Gaughf ’08, Assistant Director of Alumnae/i Engagement, to volunteer to serve your class in this meaningful way.

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue!

01Kai Romero kai.romero@gmail.com

Amy Stallard Kapner: I am still married to James, and we have two girls, Gussie (2), and Juno (6 months). I just changed family law firms after eight years at my first firm out of law school. I am now at Meyer Olson Lowy and Meyers, basically playing Marriage Story. Just kidding—I'm nice. Anne Hilby: I (happily) moved back to California from D.C. last fall to join Zipline, a startup that uses drones to deliver blood, vaccines, and other critical medical supplies around the world. I’m living in the Bay Area and traveling to Asia often, which provides a wonderful chance to see Catalina classmates and their families,

including Kiren Rizvi Jafry, Natalie Hall, Sarah Talbott Hawthorne, Brogiin Keeton, Astri Rahardja, Aniela Rahardja ’02, Amanda Walujo, Citra Soedarsono, and more! Stefanie Salyer Gallegly: Not much has changed around here. I’ve continued to grow my digital marketing agency, Trailguide Marketing, and love working with small business owners and clients around the country. Fun fact: Two of our three boys are currently taught by ’01 classmates! Sarah Talbott Hawthorne is Jack’s teacher at St. Dunstan’s and Ashley Teal Zaldivar is Grayson’s Spanish teacher at All Saints. It’s so amazing to have such wonderful friends involved in my kids’ education! Brogiin Keeton: I celebrated the first birthday of my son, Albright, in December with Kiren Rizvi Jafry flying down to L.A. to support me. (Yes, we threw him New York and L.A. birthdays. The L.A. birthday was more fun; we had an In-N-Out truck to cater.) On the work front, I continue to serve as head of litigation for Evercore, based in New York. We recently renovated our home in Harlem, a labor of love longer than Albright’s gestation. Come by and visit when you are in N.Y.C. Astri Rahardja: I am still in Jakarta and have traveled around Asia when I have holidays. I met up and hosted Annie Hilby in Jakarta during one of her work trips. We talked and reminisced a lot about Catalina. I also met up with Kiren Rizvi Jafry when she visited Singapore. Meeting Annie and Kiren were the highlights of my 2019 and I have missed them a lot. Emily Olson Spitzer:

Just living the dream in the suburbs of Las Vegas with two daughters, Luna and Thea (6 and 3), a husband, and a dog. I stopped working as a nurse when my first was born, but now my youngest’s antics at times are having me fantasizing about going back to work one of these days. Natalie Hall: I am living in London with my partner, Richard, and our Romanian rescue dog, Tallulah, who has usurped our robot-vacuum in the role of child. I’m a theatre producer, running my own company with my producing partner, Cimeon. After bringing Brooklyn’s weirdest underground art cabaret to London last year, this year brings a new multimedia opera based on Ovid’s Metamorphoses; a 360-degree music festival; and an immersive one-woman show, complete with a hog roast. This past Christmas, I spent time with Erin O’Brien, Anne Hilby, and Sarah Talbott Hawthorne, which was an utter delight. Natalie Melo: I just had my third kiddo in September and was pleasantly surprised to have a sweet girl after two crazy, Avenger-imitating, active boys. But I’m sure she will give me the most trouble as an angsty teen! I can say life is good because I am on maternity leave and will go back to being a neuro PT at CHOMP in February. That’s when life with three kids will be a test—three different drop-offs and pickups. I’m dreading it already. I can’t really complain though, because we are all healthy. Kai Romero: I am still living that Bay Area strivingfor-middle class lifestyle on two professional incomes with my husband, David, wondering when the hamster wheel is going to slow down to

A fun evening for Astri Rahardja ’01, Aniela Rahardja ’02, Elaine Hambali ’02, Anne Hilby ’01, Citra Soedarsono ’01, Clarissa Nurimba ’00, and Grace Lim ’00

a chill jog from a sprint. Still working but mostly in hospice medicine now, just a little in the ER. I honestly do miss Friday night overnight shifts, which were as close as a nerd mom like me could get to attending a rave. My kids, Diego (3) and Leo (1), are really good at negotiating and it turns out I am really bad at it. TL;DR: my kids eat too much sugar and watch too much TV.

02

Sasha Irving

sasha.irving@gmail.com

Olivia Nilsson olivianilsson@gmail.com

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue!

03

The Class of 2003 is without a class correspondent. Please contact Shannon Gaughf ’08, Assistant Director of Alumnae/i Engagement, to volunteer to serve your class in this meaningful way.

04

Katie Fruzynski katie.fruzynski@gmail.com

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue!

05

Madeline Callander madeline.callander@gmail.com Lyndsay Pedan McAmis mcamislc@gmail.com

06

Lauren Kristich lekristich@gmail.com

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue!

07

Natalie Kocekian nkocek@gmail.com

Hello, Class of 2007! Congratulations to all the new moms of our class: Miki Fukushima, Ashley Anderson Avilla, Kathryn Balestreri Dolmans, and Lauren Rice Bryne. And Ashley is expecting baby number two in January! I (Natalie) have been living in San Francisco for six years now, working at Google X, and have enjoyed spending

Members of the Class of 2007 at the wedding rehearsal of Alex Taddeucci Baynes ’07 (center): Kathryn Balestreri Dolmans, Madeline Aiello, Natalie Kocekian, and Kelley Trapp

Miki Fukushima ’07 with her daughter

time with so many of our classmates throughout the year. Alex Taddeucci Baynes: I married Ronan Baynes at the Catalina chapel in July 2019, and my Catalina bridesmaids included Natalie Kocekian, Kathryn Balestreri Dolmans, Kelley Trapp, and Madeline Aiello Meredith Evans Bell: I married in 2019, bought a house in Ventura, and started a new role doing global planning for technical products at Patagonia.

Lexi Dauernheim Lynch: I finished my time in the Navy after eight years of service in May. I started a new job at PayPal, and got married! In the military, I completed two deployments of ninemonth duration around the world as a nuclear surface warfare officer serving on board the USS Cape St. George and the USS Theodore Roosevelt.

Miki Fukushima: My partner, Sam, and I moved to the mountains and rivers of Missoula, MT, where we welcomed Akira to our family in early July of 2019. I work for Biomimicry 3.8, the leading bio-inspired consulting firm helping companies solve challenges through designs and functions found in nature. I manage the thought leadership and educational components of the company and am thrilled to be working with companies like Google, Kohler, and Ford while they build and transition their manufacturing plants and offices to net positive entities that operate like the ecosystems and forests next door.

Jennifer Williams: I have been working as a high school therapist in Orinda and recently gave a presentation on the somatics of family as part of the Place Talks series at the Prelinger Library.

Anna Martinelli: I am living in San Francisco with my husband, Janson (whom I met at Stanford), and just started a new job at Pinterest as the head of people strategy and programs. I can’t wait to see everyone at our next reunion in 2022!

08

Shannon Gaughf slgaughf@gmail.com

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue!

09

Mary Bolt mar.e.bolt@gmail.com

Megan McCaffrey mccaffrey.mf@gmail.com

10Maeko Bradshaw maeko.bradshaw@gmail.com

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue!

13

Caitlin Dullanty caitlindullanty@gmail.com Annie Haueter anniehaueter@gmail.com

14

11Kelsey Player kelsey.player93@gmail.com Kelsey Riordan kelseyriordan11@aol.com

Clementine Yost: I produce and engineer podcasts for various podcast networks in Los Angeles. My newest podcast, Doing Great, launched in January with Earwolf, hosted by a drag queen, Vicky Vox. I live in East L.A. with my chihuahua, and can't wait for our 10-year reunion next year! Rae Gregory: After living in San Francisco for over a year and a half, I am officially a city girl who bought my own Mini Cooper! I recently moved apartments, and now I’m living in Inner Richmond and loving it. My Mini and I have a shorter commute to work. I taught grade 3 at Stratford School, and I’m now the teacher to 22 adorable second-graders. I frequently get to see Kelsey Green ’13 in the City. She truly has been like a sister to me! Taylor Griffon: I’m starting my fifth year in San Diego and loving it more and more each day! I work for NAVFAC (Naval Facilities Engineering Command) and do urban planning and design for Naval Base Point Loma. I am working on a revitalization effort for the NAVWAR campus at Old Town San Diego. I love getting together with my old Catalina classmates! Kelsey Player and I hang out all the time now that she lives in San Diego, and we’ve fallen right back into our high school best friend patterns. I took over the San Diego alumnae chapter duties and can’t wait to see everyone at our reunion in a year!

12

Katharine Garcia katharine.garcia8@yahoo.com Chloe Dlott ccdlott@gmail.com

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue!

Kylie Moses kyliemoses14@gmail.com Emma Russell emmarussellpg@yahoo.com

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue!

15

Julia Clark julicclark09@gmail.com Mackenzie Fisher kenzieayn7@gmail.com

Shaden Beltran: I graduated from Chapman University with a B.A. in strategic and corporate communication. I moved to San Diego shortly after graduation and in doing so am now closer to my Ring Sister, Kayla Sharp ’14. She has been traveling and taking care of her grandparents. Now, she is a project coordinator at Campos EPC, a leader in pipeline, engineering, procurement, and construction services. Ellie Browne: I’ve spent the past year refining my photography skills and starting my own small photography business while attending the University of Kentucky. I had lots of fun hiking and exploring last summer and am looking forward to visiting Florida and swimming with manatees at a sanctuary! Anna Burks: I married Ben Keegan in July 2019. Since then, we have adopted an adorable cat and moved to Honolulu, HI. We will be in Hawaii for the next three years while Ben serves on the USS Columbia. I’m looking forward to exploring the island and having lots of family and friends visit!

Julia Clark : I graduated from Emory University in May 2019, receiving high honors for my thesis exploring the role of sustainability in the retail industry. I am now working for Gap Inc. and am part of their rotational management program in San Francisco. Cecily Donovan: I graduated from Boston University on the Dean’s List with majors in international relations and political science. I’m working in New York City at Invest Northern Ireland, a U.K. economic development agency, as a business development manager.

Maddy Fisher: I started my career in healthcare consulting in the fall after traveling in Europe and the U.S. throughout the summer. I’m living in Chicago but working in Seattle and welcome any and all recommendations for things I should try!

Brenda Melano: I’m currently working at a cell therapy startup called ArsenalBio and will attend UCSF in the fall to start my Ph.D. I also took up surfing! I love the ocean and the type of research I’m doing at ArsenalBio, so life in the Bay Area is going great so far. Samantha Mudd: I graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in May 2019 with degrees in English and rhetoric with an emphasis in public discourse. I’m currently living in San Francisco working as a paralegal for Lieff Cabraser Heimann and Bernstein, LLP, a social justice-driven law firm that is currently working on cases including Juul e-cigarettes, the recent California wildfires, and concussions in the NFL. I plan to apply to law schools in the fall of 2020.

Willow Wallace Vogt: I just finished my master’s program in architecture and design this past summer. My husband and I made a big move to Texas this year and am now working for Magnolia and pursuing my own business on the side.

16

The Class of 2016 is without a class correspondent. Please contact Shannon Gaughf ’08, Assistant Director of Alumnae/i Engagement to volunteer to serve your class in this meaningful way.

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue! 17

Annarose Hunt annarosyrosy@gmail.com

18

Sylvan Free sylvanfree@gmail.com

We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the fall. Look for your class notes in the fall issue!

19

Kacey Konya konya@usc.edu 20 Taylor Ford tnford@usc.edu

CLASS NOTES INFORMATION

PHOTO SUBMISSIONS

We welcome your photos for inclusion in Class Notes. Due to space restrictions, we are unable to publish all of the photos we receive. Photos meeting the requirements listed below will take priority.

Please note the technical requirements for photos:

• Images need to be 3” x 5” or larger

• Images need to be a minimum resolution of 300 dpi (or at least 800KB)

Priority is given to the following types of photos:

• Photos with groups of alumnae

• Photos with one alumna

• Photos without an alumna will only be included if space allows.

Please provide the names of all alumnae in the photo, including class year, and the location of the occasion.

SPACE LIMITATIONS

We do our best to include all of the updates that are sent in. Due to space limitations, the Communications and Alumnae Relations offices of Santa Catalina School may edit content in order to fit the space allotted. Thank you for your submissions.

To submit photos electronically, please send them as attachments to: shannon. gaughf@santacatalina.org.

Please do not include photos in the body of the email or in Word files. If you email a photo from your phone, please choose the largest file size possible. To submit a hard copy photo, please mail to:

Santa Catalina School Office of Alumnae Relations 1500 Mark Thomas Drive Monterey, CA 93940

SCHEDULE

We publish notes for each class once a year—odd-numbered class years in the spring and even-numbered in the Spring.

COMMUNITY TRANSITIONS

Alumnae

Marriages

Erin Brandewie ’97 to Joaquin Aragon

Meredith Evans ’07 to Eric Bell

Andrina Chaffin ’09 to Frankie Lopes Anna Burks ’15 to Ben Keegan

Births and Adoptions

Kimberly Roberts Gnagy ’93, son Cooper Danielle Huthart ’95, son Alexander

Angel Cabral Osborn ’97, son Alden Stacey Robbins Jordan ’97, son Bryce

Erin Brandewie Aragon ’97, daughter Mia Victoria Richardson Gray ’99, daughter Delphine and son Gordon

Kate Maurer ’99, son Hugh

Katy Congdon Williams ’00, daughter Paige Lara Wheeler Devlin ’02, son Charles

Ariel Robertson Donnelly ’06, daughter Ashlyn Lisa Zelitti Brogan ’06, daughter Olivia Kathryn Balestreri Dolmans ’07, daughter Jacklyn Miki Fukushima ’07, daughter Akira Rebecca Hsu ’07, daughter Evelyn Andrea Whipple-Samuel ’08, daughter Lily Camille Massaro-Menz ’09, daughter Cecilia Heather Souza ’09, son Oliver

In Memory

Our love and prayers to:

The family of Shirley Glod Myers ’61

Bess Van Buskirk Brassel ’61 on the death of her husband

The family of Suzanne Simard Miller ’66

The family of Kathy Donohoe Farrar ’66

Marie Cantin ’70 on the death of her mother Mary Firth ’70 on the death of her father

Jodi Ehrlich Kroening ’71 on the death of her father

Anne O'Leary ’71, Clare O'Leary '72, and Kate O'Leary Breuil ’78 on the death of their brother

Leslie Fancher Rodman ’71 on the death of her husband

Barbara Gault ’74 on the death of her mother

Lore Childs MacDonald ’76, Connie Childs ’78, Shirley Childs Kelly ’79, and Pindy Childs McKee ’88 on the death of their mother

The family of Pamela Jue ’81

Beth Mullaney ’81 and Kate Mullaney Barry ’83 on the death of their father

Mary Looram Moslander ’84 and Meaghan Looram Mulcahy ’92 on the death of their father

Sarah Smith Lucas ’86 on the death of her husband

Lori Didion Hunt ’88 on the death of her father

The family of Veronica Kirk-Clausen Flanagan ’95

Lucy O'Leary ’08 and Rachel O'Leary ’10 on the death of their father

Lower and Middle School Alumni

In Memory

Our love and prayers to:

The family of Trevor LaTourette ’12 LS

Faculty & Staff

Births

Lara Wheeler Devlin ’02 and Rob Devlin, son Charles Jude Janessa Rhoades and Taylor Rhoades, daughter Lincoln Reese

In Memory

Our love and prayers to:

Ron Kellermann on the death of his father

Lydia Mansour on the death of her mother

Heather Medina on the death of her father

Mark Purcell on the death of his mother

Melissa Sheets on the death of her father

Items in Transitions reflect communications received between October 16, 2019 and April 30, 2020.

Carolyn Bates ’08 married Matt Hogan in Avignon, France. Joining the rehearsal dinner festivities were Cecily Bates Brittain ’06, Cammie Bates Glover ’04, and Katy Bates Kreitler ’67.

Board of Trustees

Laura Lyon ’81 Chair Paul J. Felton Vice-Chair Carolyn Hartwell O’Brien ’74 Vice-Chair Kit Y. Wai Vice-Chair Michelle Blake Treasurer

Tracy Miller Hass ’75 Secretary Margaret K. Bradley

Head of School

Sister Claire Barone

Gerardo A. Borromeo Brett Davis Collins ’93 Herm Edwards James Farley, Jr.

W.

Honorary Trustee Brooks Walker, Jr.

School Administration

Margaret K. Bradley Head of School

John Aimé Assistant Head of School John Murphy, Ph.D. Assistant Head of School for Mission and Identity Ron Kellermann Business Manager

Lower & Middle School

Christy Pollacci Head of Lower & Middle School

Janet Luksik

Director of Tuition Assistance, PreK-12 Director of Admission Maria Canteli

Interim Director of MIddle School Chris Haupt Director of Student Life

Upper School

Julie Lenherr Edson ’88

Head of Upper School

Peter Myers

Assistant Head of Upper School

Katherine Busch

Dean of Students

Natalie Burke ’99

Assistant Dean of Students Liz Hulme

Director of Health and Wellness

Jamie Buffington Browne ’85 Director of Admission

Lydia Mansour Director of PreKindergarten & Kindergarten