Crystal Boyd ’89 Director of Marketing and Communications
Jeannie Evers Writer
Alexa Ortiz
Emily Slayton Graphic Designers
Robin Kelly Copy Editor
Adrienne Harris ’98 Director of Alumnae/i and Parent Relations
Clarisa Avila
Director of Annual Giving and Stewardship
Contributors
Kendra Klein, Dr. Barbara Ostos, Barry Panes
Contributing Photographers
Sarah Gaudoin; Marc Howard ’93 LS; Santa Catalina School archives; Santa Catalina School parents, faculty, and students; profile photos courtesy of the subject
On the cover: Camila Escalante Figueroa '25 rides a bike built by juniors for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Monterey County.
Back cover: PreK students get to know each other through play on the first day of school.
Above: Mandarin students get ready to decorate for Lunar New Year.
Inside back cover: Middle School students roast marshmallows during a weekend camping trip in Big Sur.
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.
12 A Reading Challenge for the Fun of It
M iddle School students participated in a monthlong competition meant to ignite their love of the written word. Three top readers share reviews of their favorite books.
26 Robotics Program Gets A Reboot
The C-Otters are re-energized with a new structure, new coaches, an expanded lab, and a vision fixed fi rmly on the future.
30 Shredding Barriers
After a devastating mountain biking accident, Annijke Wade ’03 returns to the trail to push her limits and advocate for diversity in the sport.
32 The Flight Brothers
Anton and Stefan Salameh, both 1996 graduates of t he Lower and Middle School, take to the skies with a shared passion for aviation.
34 A Matter of Pace
Hansi de Petra Rigney ’59 started running marathons when she was 60 years old. More than 100 races later, she shows no signs of stopping.
Moving Forward with Intention
Dear Santa Catalina School Community,
As I look back on my first two years as Head of School, it is hard to believe how quickly time has passed. It feels like just yesterday that I was confused about the difference between Santa Inez and the Convent, that I walked into Greer dorm when I was looking to find a senior, and that I was regularly corrected when I kept calling the Dining Room a cafeteria. I am grateful for the generosity of my colleagues in helping me to learn about our impressive school, and I am appreciative of our students and parents who have shared their thoughts and perspectives with me openly. I am humbled by the hundreds of alumnae/i I have met who continue to care deeply for Catalina thanks to the transformational educational experience they received. I am indebted to Sister Claire and Sister Christine for their warm welcome, mentoring, and counsel, and I am blessed to partner with a Board of Trustees that is so highly committed to the school’s future. I pray to God every day for the courage, strength, and humility to lead Santa Catalina School.
In collaboration with all of these constituencies, the work in front of us is to intentionally continue to merge the past with the present and the future by staying grounded in Santa Catalina’s mission and values.
This past 2023-2024 school year, our institutional areas of focus included raising awareness of Santa Catalina regionally and in the larger Bay Area, updating the strategic plan, deepening individual and collective cultural competence among employees, and preparing for the school’s 75th anniversary. We made good progress on all of these goals.
"The work in front of us is to intentionally continue to merge the past with the present and the future by staying grounded in Santa Catalina’s mission and values."
This fall we welcome our largest freshman boarding cohort in 10 years, and we will have the highest total newly-enrolled boarding group in 20 years. We have created new programs that extend the reach of a Santa Catalina education, including our new Middle School Scholars Leadership Program, and added a new co-ed, two-week summer camp for kindergarten–grade 6.
In order to update the strategic plan, we worked in small and large groups to ask ourselves what skills our students need and what we already have in place that can grow to
better meet students’ current and future needs. The result is the identification of two strategic directions for Santa Catalina School: health and wellness and real-world problem solving skills. These will be lenses we apply to our existing work to enhance the current student experience. We will share more details in the next Bulletin
To grow individual and collective cultural competence, we dedicated professional development days to getting to know one another better as colleagues while we grappled with this essential question: How intentional are we about inclusion as part of our definition of excellence at Santa Catalina? We will continue this work in the coming years as we work toward ensuring every student feels a sense of belonging.
Finally, and with great excitement, plans are underway to celebrate 75 years of Santa Catalina’s excellence beginning next fall, September 2025. It will be a yearlong celebration, kicking off with a party on campus for the entire community. You won’t want to miss it. It has been a full year of thoughtful and heartfelt work on behalf of our students and families, past and present.
In the following pages, you will enjoy highlights of life on campus that speak to some of the goals above. While the Bulletin provides a thorough snapshot of Santa Catalina, there is nothing better than being on campus and experiencing the vibrancy in person. Please come by anytime; I look forward to seeing you here.
Be well and blessings,
Dr. Barbara Ostos Head of School
Second graders have fun with pumpkins while counting seeds for a math lesson on estimation.
ESPN ANALYST INSPIRES STUDENT ATHLETES
COUGAR FAN DAY RAISES FUNDS FOR ATHLETICS PROGRAM
ESPN analyst Herm Edwards addressed Santa Catalina athletes and families for an inspirational event called Huddle Up with Herm. Edwards, a former football coach and a Catalina parent and board member, asked students to reflect on what it means to be an athlete. Sports are more than just a physical activity, he said. Sports are about leadership, teamwork, solving problems, and learning how to commit to something bigger than yourself.
Edwards stressed the importance of practice: The effort you put in is what you get out of athletics. He encouraged students to play as many sports as possible; expanding knowledge and skills will actually make athletes better at their favorite sport. In the end, he had one simple message for students: You are good enough.
GUEST LECTURE SHINES LIGHT ON STEINBECK SHIP
Cougar Fan Day brought supporters of Santa Catalina’s athletics program to campus for an afternoon of sports and community engagement. More than 175 parents, students, and guests attended this new take on the annual fundraiser. The event brought together both divisions as Upper School athletes led sports clinics for Lower and Middle School students in basketball, golf, soccer, tennis, and volleyball. Afterward, the adults were invited to join in for family sports activities. The event included a raffle, the inauguration of the Cougar Conditioning Center, and the sale of used sports equipment organized by the Parents Association. Cougar Fan Day successfully raised more than $30,000 to benefit Catalina athletics.
The Western Flyer, the fishing boat immortalized in John Steinbeck’s The Log from the Sea of Cortez, recently returned to Monterey after 75 years. Alumnae Council members Kathy Trafton ’74 and Jalynne Tobias Redman ’72 invited the executive director of the Western Flyer Foundation, Sherry Flumerfelt, to give a special presentation to the Santa Catalina community. The event was held in Mary Johnson Recital Hall. Ms. Flumerfelt spoke about the history of the Western Flyer, its most recent renovation, and the future of the vessel as a research facility.
Herm Edwards is a Catalina parent and board member.
Cougar Fan Day participants pose after a game of gaga ball.
Kathy Trafton ’74 introduces the speaker.
SANTA CATALINA MAKES THE 2024 FAMILY FAVORITES LIST
Santa Catalina was voted as Monterey Bay’s favorite private school for lower grades. It was the second consecutive year that the school won in this category of the Monterey Bay Parent’s Family Favorites contest.
“Words cannot express my sheer delight to be voted favorite school for the second year in a row,” says Head of Lower and Middle School Christy Pollacci. “Your love and support of Santa Catalina is like no other. I am blessed to be part of this very special place.”
SECOND-GRADERS CALL FOR CHANGE
As part of its mission, Santa Catalina fosters in students the drive to “serve the world with courage, grace, and compassion.” That’s exactly what last year’s second-graders showed when they came up with a plan to express their hopes about the world to three very important people. When the students wrote to Pope Francis, First Lady Jill Biden, and President Joe Biden in spring 2023, they may not have expected a response. Before the start of this school year, though, they heard back.
It all started during a lesson about St. Catherine of Siena, the school’s patron saint. The students learned that, as a teenager, St. Catherine sent more than 400 letters to the pope urging him to return to Rome. (At that time, the papacy was based in France.) After hearing her story, one student asked, “Are we going to write to the pope?” Other students added, “Can we write to Jill Biden?” and “What about President Biden?”
The answer was, of course, yes. Students were encouraged to think about what weighed on their hearts and to express their hopes for change. Their range of hopes was vast and included peace for Ukraine, housing for the homeless, equal treatment for girls and boys, liberation for women under oppression, and healing the sick. “The students brought their characteristic spirit of earnestness and passion to this project,” reports Ibi Janko Murphy ’83, ’79 LS, religion teacher for kindergarten to grade 4.
The first response to arrive was on behalf of the pope from an assessor at the Vatican. “His Holiness Pope Francis has received your thoughtful
notes, and he has asked me to thank you,” the letter reads. Dr. Biden’s letter arrived soon after. She expressed her thanks and wrote: “The President is working to improve the lives of all Americans. With your help—and with love, understanding, bravery, and small acts of kindness—we will do it together.” When Mrs. Murphy read the responses to the students, she says, “They shared this sort of reverent excitement and knew it was a big deal!”
The teen-aged Catherine had sent letters to the pope because she was driven by a sense of justice. Mrs. Murphy says that the students felt the same call, adding: “I am just so grateful that we had this experience to let them know that a commitment to their urgings within matters— that it is heard.”
Second graders pose with response letters from First Lady Jill Biden and the Vatican.
Monterey Bay
4-H CLUB MEMBER SWEEPS YOUTH RABBIT SHOW
Fifth-grade student Maria Paloma Munoz received three awards for her rabbits at the Monterey County Fair. Maria Paloma won Reserve Champion Meat Pen for her market rabbits, Best of Show for her Flemish Giant rabbit, and best Novice Showman. She went on to sell her market rabbits at the Junior Livestock Auction.
Maria Paloma is a member of the Natividad 4-H club, which she first joined when she was five years old. She cares for 13 rabbits before and after school and participated in fairs in Santa Cruz and San Benito counties. In addition to raising rabbits, Maria Paloma is very active in her club’s community service projects. Last summer she donated more than 450 homemade rabbit treats to the SPCA and helped clean up parks from Toro Park to Asilomar. She received the Rising Star and Sparks awards for her 4-H accomplishments.
EIGHTH-GRADER NAMED BALLET AMBASSADOR
Catalina eighth-grader JoJo Knipp was selected to be a youth ambassador for Monterey Peninsula Ballet Theatre. JoJo was chosen through an application process and will serve a two-year term volunteering in the community, developing leadership skills, and promoting ballet.
JoJo has studied ballet since she was three years old and has won many accolades in the dance competition world. She also studies musical theatre after school at Santa Catalina and assists teachers at The Dance Center and Pacific Repertory Theater Company. She has performed in The Nutcracker and other ballets around the San Francisco Bay Area and Carmel. JoJo says that she wanted to be a youth ambassador because she loves to help out in the community and wanted to build her résumé in dance.
SECOND-GRADER
WINS CHESS TOURNAMENT
Three Santa Catalina students participated in a local scholastic chess tournament. Second-grader Gurshan Singh won first place in his division (grades 1–2). Catalina offers chess as a class in its after-school enrichment program. Tournaments provide an opportunity for students to interact with players outside of school and to get a taste of competitive chess.
Grade 5 student Maria Paloma Munoz shows off some of her winning rabbits.
Gurshan Singh
Grade 8 student Jojo Knipp has studied ballet since she was 3 years old.
GRADE 8 DIGS INTO AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY DURING FIELD TRIP
SWEET SYMPHONY
> Fifth-graders took a trip to Sherwood Hall in Salinas for a performance of the Monterey Symphony, which played songs from popular movies and TV shows, including themes from Harry Potter, The Mandalorian, and Up
Lower and Middle School families banded together to donate hundreds of board books to new moms and their babies.
The Catalina community collected 452 board books for the Christ Child Society of Monterey Bay, which added the books to care packages for new mothers served by Natividad Medical Center in Salinas. Students also created bookmarks for the schoolwide service project.
Kathy Gibbs, a former parent, current school volunteer, and member of Christ Child Society, thanked the Catalina community for their “generous and giving hearts.” She added, “This will better the lives of mothers and babies in our community by helping to bond mom and baby. It is never too soon to start making happy memories. The personalized bookmarks are a very special addition and will make the moms very happy.”
The Lower and Middle School has also partnered with Christ Child Society for a diaper drive for the past two years. Other schoolwide service projects included a winter coat drive, Thanksgiving food drive, and Christmas toy drive.
NATURE'S BOUNTY
> Our youngest Cougars spent time in the vegetable garden. PreK listened to a story about how seeds grow and then explored the plants in the garden, while kindergartners studied the tall sunflowers and returned to the classroom to paint pictures of them.
SMALL MOMENTS
> First-graders had a publishing party after finishing their stories about small moments in their lives. Students took a “book walk” around the room and read each other’s stories. They filled out book reviews, too!
Kathy Gibbs collects board books from the kindergarten classroom.
GRAND EVENT BRINGS GUESTS TO CAMPUS
After five long years, the Lower and Middle School saw the return of Grandparents’ and Grandfriends’ Day on November 17. It was a special opportunity for these special guests to experience a slice of school life. After Mass and a morning reception, grandparents and grandfriends visited classrooms, where students showed off their work and led their guests in handson activities. In many classrooms, students interviewed their guests about their likes and lives. The day ended with a “picnic” lunch in the gym and a special all-school performance of two songs.
NEW PLAYGROUND MAKES ITS DEBUT
Students eagerly tracked the progress of construction for the new Lower School playground until it officially opened in early November, with a special blessing from Sister Claire. They wasted no time checking out the playground’s many features, including multiple options for climbing, crawling, and balancing, as well as an egg-shaped merry-go-round. The playground was funded through proceeds from the spring Carnival and an anonymous donor.
Left: Fifth grader Cara Ryan chats with her grandmother in class.
Above: Second graders Santino Aliotti and James Walker with their grandfather.
Owen Richer (Grade 3, left) and other students have fun exploring the new playground equipment.
ON THE GO: CATALINA STUDENTS STAY BUSY WITH FIELD TRIPS
Whether for learning or for play, Lower and Middle School students have enjoyed a wealth of field trips this school year, including the following destinations.
(1) Middle school students enjoyed a Saturday outing to Sky Zone in Gilroy, where they simply had fun together bouncing around and defying gravity.
(2) As part of their study of California history, fourth-graders visited the Pacific House and Custom House, where they made corn tortillas, crafted simple button toys, and learned about branding hide.
(3) Second-graders visited the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History. After learning about adaptations of monarch butterflies, students were able to observe them in the butterfly sanctuary.
(4) Fifth-graders visited Lula’s Chocolates in Monterey to get an inside look at how a small business is run. The trip helped students as they set up their own businesses for their Mini City project.
(5) Third-graders visited Ocean Mist Farms to witness the detailed care and planning that goes into growing vegetables such as artichokes and romaine lettuce before they end up on consumers’ plates.
(6) Seventh-graders learned the power of meal planning during a trip to Safeway. They developed a week of healthy meal plans for a family of four and checked their plans against real costs to test their budget. The middle school math club headed to San Jose to visit The Tech Interactive museum, a fun wrap-up of a first semester focused on an exploration of careers in STEM.
(7) PreK and kindergarten students visited The Farm in Spreckels, where they took a hay ride, wandered around the pumpkin patch, and met the farm’s animals.
FALL SPORTS WRAP-UP
Volleyball proved to be a middle school favorite again this year, with 75 students participating. Multiple teams played in two separate leagues. Two girls’ teams, JV and varsity, competed in the Mission Trail Junior Athletic League (MTJAL), a competitive league that has a playoff round and a league championship. Three additional teams— two girls’ teams and a boys’ team—played in the non-competitive Independent Parochial Athletic League (IPAL).
In the MTJAL, the varsity team—made up of girls in grades 7-8, with one sixth grader—finished with a record of 9–7, missing the playoffs by just one win. The JV team of sixth and seventh graders had a slow start but closed the season with a six-game winning streak and a 7–9 record.
In the IPAL, Catalina fielded JV and varsity girls’ teams for the first time. Coach Barry Panes said, “It was the perfect opportunity to give our first-time players a chance to experience team competition without the pressure of a must-win environment, like in the MTJAL.”
The IPAL coaches described teams that grew in skill and knowledge while developing a love of the sport. Boys coach Rosana Rolph said, “The players’ and supporters’ energy made every game a memorable event. Seeing the boys encouraging one another, celebrating their improvements, and learning valuable lessons from setbacks was heartening. As the season unfolded, the boys became more passionate about the sport. Beyond the scores and statistics, the season was about fostering a love for the game and instilling life skills such as teamwork, commitment, discipline, and leadership. ... The boys gave their best while on the court and exhibited character and resilience that will serve them well beyond the volleyball arena.”
Girls coaches Lupita Cepeda and Trina Nguyen said, “Coaching middle schoolers can be challenging. They’re at an age where they are too cool to get into the funny-looking ‘ready’ position or attempt something new at the risk of looking silly. What started as a group of students staring at us with little emotion soon turned into a team of athletes who were lined up and ready to begin each practice before we were. Many of these studentathletes began with minimal knowledge and skill in the sport and finished the season having learned how to dive on the floor to save balls and how to serve overhand. We are extremely proud of their persistence and tenacity, and we look forward to seeing their continued growth.”
In soccer, the boys’ team found success behind their eighth-grade leaders. One of the team’s top scorers was eighth-grader Brayden McIntyre. A major highlight from the season was his goal from halfway across the field in a game against Stevenson. The team also welcomed a player from York School for the first time: eighth grader Dedome Demagbo, who helped lead a strong defense and midfield for the Cougars. Coach Debra Burke said, “Overall, it was a successful season: We played hard and worked well as a team, and everyone had fun.”
The girls team had a winning season thanks to solid defensive effort and dominant midfield play. The Cougars controlled possession time in every game. Coach Joe Martis said, “This season was an excellent display of soccer tactics, skills, effort, growth, and Catalina pride. A developing young core also means the Cougars will be exciting to watch next year.”
(1) Sixth grader Austin Conner sets the ball.
(2) Eighth grader Brayden McIntyre was a top scorer on the soccer team.
(3) Sixth grader Neko Bernett-Jenkins hits one over the ne t.
(1)
(2)
(3)
WINTER SPORTS WRAP-UP
The Santa Catalina girls’ flag football team went undefeated this year. Coach Rik Sagin reflected, “All the girls were focused. Each individual made a significant contribution.” Eighth grader and team quarterback Kealani Sagin said, “This year was super special. We all grew, learned, and instilled confidence in one another. We were a true team.”
Veteran coach Joe Martis returned to coach the boys’ flag football team. He noted how the eighth graders stepped up as leaders on a small team. “Players often had to—and did—make big plays on both sides of the ball,” he said. “We got off to a great start and went into Christmas break on a three-game winning streak. We put together a creative playbook for our offense that let the boys play multiple positions when needed, which led to an understanding of key assignments, position roles, and teamwork, along with developing football knowledge and the ability to read, recognize, and problem-solve situations. The future is looking bright for Catalina football!”
Catalina had four basketball teams participating in the Independent and Parochial Athletic League (IPAL): JV and varsity girls, and JV and varsity boys.
(1)
The JV girls’ team fielded an impressive 35 players in grades 6 and 7. At the beginning of the season, coaches Dane Holmgren and Rosana Rolph offered to split them up into separate teams and alternate game days, but the players voted to stay together. When asked about the season, the two coaches said, “From the first tip-off to the final buzzer, the players gave it their all. Their love for the game was evident in their relentless hustle and teamwork, regardless of the score. The girls displayed great sportsmanship, independent of winning or losing a game. They congratulated opponents on their successes, offered encouragement, and always played with integrity and respect for the game and fellow athletes.”
The varsity girls’ team also had an undefeated season. Barry Panes, who coached the team along with Sagin, said, “What makes [going undefeated] so rewarding is that we compete in the IPAL where winning is not the priority. Everyone plays no matter what the score; everyone develops, everyone learns.”
The JV boys team played under the motto Together Everyone Accomplishes More (TEAM). The Cougars went 4-2—bouncing back from double-digit deficits in a couple of games—while developing new skills, trust in one another, and passion for the sport. New coach and grandparent, Ken Kroopf, said, “The boys were coached to have respect for each other, good sportsmanship, and teamwork, all of which helped us to achieve our goals and have a successful season. The boys learned many new skills, including dribbling without looking at the ball, making bounce passes, and passing at least three times before shooting. We added some fun to the practices by having hula hoop, free throw, and three-point shooting contests. ... I feel very confident that their abilities and passion for the game will continue to grow.”
Teamwork was also the framework for the varsity boys’ team, which finished with a winning record. First-time coach William Walker attributed the team’s success to “hours of hard work and dedication by the eighth graders over the winter holiday break and weekends— matched only by their steadfast commitment to their fellow Cougar teammates.” He added, “It was my pleasure and honor to coach such an awesome group of young men!”
(1) Eighth grader Payton Wardwell looks for an open teammate.
(2) Ella Bradford runs for the endzone.
(3) Sixth grader Gavin Spencer drives down the court.
for the Fun of It Reading A Challenge
The competition played out like a page-turner: middle school students vying for supremacy in a monthlong reading challenge that ignited their love of the written word. In February, students spent more than 1,200 hours reading as they fought for bragging rights and prizes, including free dress and Amazon gift cards.
The goal of the challenge was simply to encourage reading. The competition proved to be a great success, with students expressing interest in a second round this fall. “They really got into it,”
remarks Middle School Director Maria Canteli, who would find students reading on the benches when she arrived at school each morning.
As a class, seventh graders came out on top, accounting for about half of the total hours logged. Eighth-grader Zamina Singh clocked in at more than 98 hours of reading time—more than any other student.
So what were the titles of choice? We asked Zamina and the top readers in grades 6 and 7 to write about their favorite books from the challenge. Here are their reviews.
The Subtle Knife Emma
William Mulgrew
Grade 6
Reading Time: 1,938 Minutes
I chose The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman because I had just read The Golden Compass, which is the first book in the series, and I wanted to keep reading. Also, my grandma gifted me the entire set. My favorite part of the book was when Will, the main character, won the subtle knife in a fight and became the real owner of the knife. One side of the knife could cut through any solid object and the other side could cut into different worlds. I think this is my favorite part because the knife is so powerful and a big part of the rest of the story. One of the worlds that Will enters is inhabited by some of my other favorite characters. In this world, people have dæmons, which are personal, magical pets that are bonded with them for life. If you are young enough, your dæmon can turn into anything it wants, like a bird or a snake or a dragon, but as soon as you are a teen, it adopts a
permanent form. A dæmon can also talk to you but cannot touch anyone else. Sometimes dæmons get into fights, and if your dæmon gets hurt, you feel the same amount of pain. If your dæmon gets too far away from you, you feel a large amount of pain. There are also witches who fly around on pine tree branches and can turn invisible. They are experts with bows and arrows, and their dæmons can go as far as they want from their owner without either of them feeling any pain. There are also armored polar bears called panserbjørn. Their king’s name is Iorek Byrnison. Lyra, another main character, has made friends with Iorek. Lyra has a golden compass that has the power to answer questions and tell the future. The problem is, many people want the knife and the compass, so Will and Lyra have to team up to protect both of the objects. I think that this is one of the best books I have ever read and would one hundred percent recommend this to anyone who likes adventure books and diving into different universes.
Chloe Bressler
Grade 7
Reading Time: 5,766 Minutes
A book I have enjoyed reading in my spare time is Emma by Jane Austen. My mom had recommended the book to me; I was hoping to be challenged, and Emma certainly did just that. I was intrigued because I learned that Emma had inspired many modern-day movies and other books. As I read Emma, I realized how often the theme of a witty young woman who sometimes meddles in other people’s lives is used as a foundation for literary and theatrical works. Although the beginning of the book started off as a challenge, as I navigated through idioms and archaic language, the more I read, the easier it became. Emma is an endearing character who seems to only want the best for her friends, but her actions are often misguided. Her actions often lead to conflicts and frustrations, but ultimately her kind heart is apparent. The many twists, mishaps,
and misunderstandings throughout the book kept me entertained and wanting more. I enjoyed reading a book whose main character is a strong young woman who goes against social norms and makes her own path. Although we are used to modern books with feminine heroes, the fact that Emma was written in the 1800s seems remarkable. Without revealing any spoilers, one of my favorite parts of the novel reveals Emma’s conflict when she figures out who she is in love with. However, I wouldn’t call Emma a love story in the traditional sense, and it isn’t about the need to find true love. It is a book about character and being true to one’s self. It is funny and frustrating at the same time. I would recommend Emma to anyone in middle school and above, who is looking for a challenge. Readers will enjoy the smart bantering between characters, the playful use of words, and the vivid descriptions that make you become invested in the characters and immerse you in the time period. I learned a lot of social standards, etiquette, foods, and appropriate dress of the time period by reading Emma. I hope I have inspired many others to read Emma and other works by Jane Austen.
The Lunar Chronicles
Zamina Singh
Grade 8
Reading Time: 5,914 Minutes
A must-read for anyone interested in sci-fi is The Lunar Chronicles, written by Marissa Meyer, an author who has written a good number of my favorite books. I love her books because she brings what she is writing off the page and into my mind. Her books are just beautifully written, and no matter how many times I read them and come back to them, the sudden twists and unexpected turns are just as exciting as the first day I read them. The stories almost get better with age. In particular, I love Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles because I am a huge fan of fictional stories. The Lunar Chronicles takes place in the future, where people have moved to the moon and created a nation entirely separate from Earth. This new moon community evolves and gains so much power that the community members can manipulate the minds
of earthlings. As a result, Luna (the moon) and Earth are at war. The stories revolve around five main members of the lunar community: a young cyborg, an adopted girl named Cinder, a redhead named Scarlet, a girl named Cress who is trapped in a satellite, and a beautiful stepdaughter named Winter. The fate of the world and the outcome of the war depend on these characters. What is interesting, however, is that these futuristic tales are all based on old fairytales, and Marissa Meyer has adapted them so that teens can read them and love them. It is hard to believe that age-old fairytales can come alive in tales about wars between the moon and Earth. I especially love the way these books make the reader feel almost positive that one thing will happen but then the exact opposite thing occurs. I love how each time I read them, something new and exciting comes up. The stories are like a mature version of all the historic fairytales, and I love how they are retold from a perspective that we can read and still enjoy in our modern world. I say this with full conviction: anyone who picks up these books, no matter the person’s age, will not be able to put them back down.
SCHOOL YEAR KICKS OFF WITH SHARED ADVENTURES
Catalina mixed things up for the start of the 2023–24 school year, kicking off with two days of retreats and service activities for each class. The purpose of the change was to give students time to connect and bond before the start of academic classes.
Freshmen headed to Elkhorn Slough for a kayak adventure, then made sandwiches for Dorothy’s Place, played games, and filmed skits around campus. Sophomores helped the Big Sur Land Trust clear weeds from the future site of a city park in Salinas and went geocaching in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Juniors embarked on their annual health and wellness retreat; this year it included an overnight stay at The Camp in Carmel Valley. Students hiked, tried their hand at archery, made tie-dye shirts, created action plans for the year ahead, and more. Back on campus, they built kids’ bikes to be donated to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Monterey County. Seniors took a day to work on college applications before heading to the American River for the annual rafting trip. This year, a climbing wall, ropes course, and zipline provided additional thrills.
All of this intentional time spent in community helped set the tone for a fun, welcoming, and enthusiastic start to the school year.
STUDENTS KEEP COMPANY WITH GLOBAL PEACEKEEPERS
Students had a unique opportunity to interact with international peacekeepers and defense personnel who were in Monterey for a special two-week course on women, leadership, and national security. The occasion was made possible thanks to Catalina’s relationship with the nearby Naval Postgraduate School, which hosted the delegates through the Department of Defense’s Institute for Security Governance (ISG). The group of 29 delegates, representing 23 different nations, participated in an exercise on Catalina’s campus and later enjoyed dinner with global leadership education students and other student leaders. The intimate atmosphere allowed these students to make extraordinary connections with global leaders and to learn from their journeys, both personal and professional.
Ellesia Corona ’24 shared a table with delegates from Botswana, El Salvador, and Indonesia. She described them as hilarious, sweet, thoughtful, and fascinating. “Sharing one common meal from 23 unique perspectives was the experience of a lifetime,” she said. “Over the course of the night, we smiled, cried, and formed unforgettable bonds as we laughed over how spoiled dogs are in the United States. The passion and energy that drove discussions at each table was eye opening, and my fellow global leaders and I have gained new perspectives on issues affecting people around the world. Connecting with like-minded women who have experienced such different lives from all of us has awakened us to a higher appreciation for the opportunities we are inspired to take on in our daily lives.”
The ISG course supports a United Nations resolution to increase women’s representation in decision-making positions at security and defense institutions. The inclusion of women in these roles promises to yield more diverse perspectives on how to address national security challenges, resulting in more effective responses to those challenges. Course participants included 25 women and four men from countries in Central America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Caribbean.
Their presence on campus supported the goals of Santa Catalina's global education program, which cultivates students’ global competence so they too can become positive change-makers in the world.
HONOR SOCIETY WELCOMES FRENCH LANGUAGE STUDENTS
Nine students were inducted into Santa Catalina’s newly formed chapter of the Société Honoraire de Français (French National Honor Society). Induction in the society is the highest honor for students of French in the United States. The society recognizes students who have met the national standards of an A or A- average in French every reporting period. Each student received a certificate and a blue, white, and red honor cord.
Top: Gaby Salazar Zaied ’24 speaks with a peacekeeper during dinner. Above: A group of 29 delegates from 23 countries visited campus.
SOPHOMORES STUDY STEELHEAD IN BIG SUR
Sophomores in the Marine Ecology Research Program (MERP) took an overnight trip to Big Sur to study steelhead and dip their toes into field work. Students visited the University of California’s Big Creek Reserve, where they worked with a scientist who has been studying endangered steelhead in the region for 20 years. Students went snorkeling in the creek as they practiced scientific observation and data collection. In addition to studying fish, they examined stream insects and hiked through redwood forest that is recovering from wildfires. For sophomores, who are in their first year of the research program, this annual trip is a great introduction to field work and to the dynamic coastal ecosystems of California.
NHS MAKES DOG TREATS FOR SPCA
> Members of the National Honor Society got together to make dog treats for the SPCA of Monterey County. Twenty-four students descended on the little kitchen off the dining room to bake treats and cover them with a peanut butter icing.
FRESHMAN VALENTINES
> Freshmen spread the love on Valentine’s Day by creating valentines for everyone in their class and sharing heartfelt compliments and greetings. The activity was organized by newly elected freshman senate leaders.
COLLEGE COLLABORATION
> Head of School Dr. Barbara Ostos hosted a college essay writing workshop for seniors at her house. The seniors worked in a collaborative setting to ease the stress of upcoming applications, and enjoyed spending time together as a group.
Above: MERP students snorkel beneath the Big Creek bridge. Right: Students practice collecting data in the water.
NEW CLUB RAISES FUNDS FOR VETERANS' FAMILIES
In honor of Veterans Day, a new student club, The Patriot Fund, raised money to support a charity that assists veterans’ families. The club was formed by sisters Emmy ’26 and Sofia ’25 McHugh. Their bake sale fundraiser benefited Folds of Honor, which provides educational scholarships to the spouses and children of America’s fallen or disabled military personnel and first responders.
At Assembly, Emmy and Sofia reflected on their own family’s military ties and recognized four Santa Catalina faculty and staff members who are veterans: French teacher John Daniel, College Counseling Director Fred White, math teacher Jon Christensen, and Business Manager Ron Kellermann.
CLUB MEMBERS LEAD BLACK HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATIONS
Members of the Black Student Union club led the school in a celebration of Black History Month. Their chosen theme for the month, “Black joy,” focused on the many contributions and achievements of Black individuals throughout history and in contemporary life. Throughout February, students made announcements in Assembly that highlighted influential figures based on daily themes. For example, on Music Mondays, club members shared biographies of Corinne Bailey Rae and Michael Jackson. The club also hosted a chapel service and organized a Community Dinner. Thoughtful planning by club members allowed for all students to learn and celebrate together.
FROM WASTEWATER TO GOLF GREENS: STUDENTS SEE SCIENCE IN ACTION
Students in environmental science took a deep dive into California’s water resources and water quality. Following their classroom lesson to the source, they visited the Carmel Area Wastewater Treatment Plant to learn how the plant treats wastewater for other uses. Specifically, they were able to see how the plant cleans and recycles wastewater to be used on Pebble Beach golf courses. The field trip helped students make the connection between issues they are studying in class and practical applications.
Students in the environmental science class tour a wastewater treatment plant.
Emmy ’26 and Sofia ’25 McHugh started The Patriot Fund club.
FALL MUSICAL BYE BYE BIRDIE TAKES A FUN LOOK AT FANDOM
Santa Catalina’s fall musical, Bye Bye Birdie, felt like the perfect fit for today’s Taylor Swift era. It was hard not to think of Swifties when watching the screaming, fainting fans of teen idol Conrad Birdie (Debra Wachira ’26) on the Performing Arts Center stage. A loving send-up of the 1950s, small-town America, teenagers, and rock ’n’ roll, Bye Bye Birdie remains as fresh and vibrant as ever.
When Conrad is drafted into the Army, a plan is hatched for a farewell performance to remember. To promote his new song, “One Last Kiss,” Conrad will bestow a kiss on all-American girl and fan club member Kim MacAfee (Emmy McHugh ’26) on The Ed Sullivan Show. His arrival in her small Ohio town sends everyone into a tizzy, from his excitable fans to Kim’s parents (Emme Adamski ’27 and Rosette Tawfik ’26) and boyfriend (Leah Brewer ’24), who object to the publicity stunt. The central focus of the show, however, rests on Conrad’s songwriter, Albert Peterson (Rehema Kiama ’24), and Albert’s secretary, Rose Alvarez (Anna Halim ’25). Albert and Rose want to marry but must contend with the chaos surrounding Conrad as well as Albert’s biased and manipulative mother, Mae (Zay Mohan-Black ’26).
(3)
Audiences were treated to hilarious performances, incredible set pieces and dance numbers, and even a bit of Catalina flair: Fans’ special song for Birdie, “We Love You, Conrad,” followed the song that juniors sing to their senior ring sisters. The production involved about a quarter of the student body and counted several middle school students among the cast.
(1) Anna Halim ’25 as Rose and Rehema Kiama ’24 as Albert.
(2) Teen idol Conrad Birdie (Debra Wachira ’26) dips his biggest fan, Kim MacAfee (Emmy McHugh ’26).
(3) Cast members play Telephone on an iconic Bye Bye Birdie set.
STUDENTS SWAP IDEAS WITH TEENS IN UKRAINE
A small group of Catalina students gathered before school to participate in a Zoom call with teenagers from Ukraine. The purpose of the meeting was for the two groups to share perspectives and ideas about driving change in schools and raising funds in service of a particular project. The Ukrainian students sought ideas on how to create a community center at their school.
Nikol Lahoda ’26, a boarding student from Kyiv, helped organize the meeting along with members of a Ukrainian organization called savED, whose mission is to restore access to education in communities affected by the war. Nikol also brought Ukraine to campus in the form of art. As part of the fall student exhibition, “Interpretations of Legacy,” in the library’s art gallery, Nikol curated a collection of landscapes and city views by Ukrainian artist Semko Tetyana Andriivna.
ALUMNA RETURNS TO TALK COLLEGE, ROTC
An alumna from the Class of 2017 returned to Catalina to talk to students about college and her experience in the Air Force ROTC. Loleï Brenot ’17 majored in international relations and French at the University of Southern California and joined the ROTC as a junior. She has begun her first Air Force assignment in South Korea.
Speaking to seniors in the Marine Ecology Research Program, Loleï described her role in the ROTC as a “keyboard warrior,” participating in extensive classroom training and simulations. She said she wasn’t looking for anything intense—“I don’t need to prove anything”—and likes that she is surrounded by people who value academics as much as she does. Loleï also highlighted the benefits of internships and discussed how the skills she gained from MERP—such as statistics, working with data, and being able to speak scientifically—have translated to her non-STEM role.
Loleï Brenot ’17
GILDED AGE SPARKS SPIRITED DEBATE
U.S. history students researched the Gilded Age and portrayed real-life figures such as banker J.P. Morgan, railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt, and Progressive Era reformers Ida Tarbell and Jacob Riis. They donned fake mustaches and debated topics such as the role of business in the United States and whether American society is naturally collaborative or competitive. The activity enlivened the study of the past and gave students an appreciation for historical perspectives that they can apply to their understanding of the world today.
Nikol Lahoda ’26, left, organized the Zoom with Ukrainian students.
U.S. History students portray banker J.P. Morgan and railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt.
WINTER PLAY PUFFS TURNS THE WIZARDING WORLD ON ITS HEAD
Potterphiliacs were treated to a new take on their favorite wizarding world with Santa Catalina’s winter theatrical production. Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic, chronicles the beloved story of Harry and his adventures as seen from the perspective of another house of students “who just happened to be there too.”
This story’s central characters are the eager Wayne (Rehema Kiama ’24), nerdy Oliver (Zay Mohan-Black ’26), and misplaced Megan (Eva Ushakoff ’24), who navigate all the perils of adolescence while the well-known plot points of the original series swirl around them (chronicled by a narrator played by Ava Kruger ’24). As the Puffs do their best to make a name for their own house—pinning their hopes on the charismatic and talented Cedric (Sofia Vea ’25)—Harry (Emmy McHugh ’26) drifts in and out with an “aw shucks, me again?” attitude that elicits eye rolls.
Each cast member did a fantastic job of bringing a new character to life, whether embracing a distinctive personality or portraying a fresh take on the original. This was also a show that made clear the vital contributions of backstage work. A single stationary set allowed for well-choreographed entrances and exits; nimble lighting and sound cues enhanced the rapid-fire action on stage; and a multitude of props added a specific layer of humor to an already spot-on spoof. For those who attended, one thing is certain: They will never be able to look at Harry and friends the same way again.
PROPS AMONG PLANES
Technical theatre students made more than 200 props for Puffs to accentuate the show’s homespun aesthetic. Several of the items are on display in Monterey Regional Airport as part of a yearlong exhibit called “Music and the Arts.” The exhibit can be found on the mezzanine level.
(2)
(1)
(3)
(1) Wayne (Rehema Kiama ’24, in black) leads the Puffs.
(2) Eva Ushakoff ’24 as Megan and Zay Mohan-Black ’26 as Oliver.
(3) Harry (Emmy McHugh ’26) saves the day with a mop version of Ron and the headmaster (Andriana Low ’25) by his side.
STUDENTS MEET WITH ALUMNAE NURSES
In November, students interested in the medical field were invited to have lunch with alumnae who built careers in nursing. Nine students joined Julie Hobbs Bryan ’72, Pat Allen Sparacino ’65, Seaneen Scott Sullinger ’82, and Kelsey Green ’13 for the luncheon, which was sponsored by the Alumnae Council. It was a great opportunity for students to ask questions, connect with the Catalina network, and learn more about possible career paths.
FUNDAMENTALS OF FITNESS
> Students hit the Cougar Conditioning Center for a new co-curricular class called Fundamentals of Fitness. Students learn how to develop an exercise program. They also learn both functional and strength training movements.
RAINBOW FLAME
> Chemistry students had fun with a “rainbow flame” lab experiment. They ignited sticks dipped in solutions of different metal compounds to see which colors would be produced. Then they identified unknown compounds as part of the experiment.
ET TU, BRUTE?
> In Dr. Hunt’s Advanced Topics: Shakespeare class, students recreated the infamous stabbing of Caesar. ’Twas death by highlighter, banana, and curling iron.
SOME PHYSICS LESSONS HAVE WHEELS
Wheeled vehicles have been a driving force in physics classes this year. Toward the beginning of the year, freshmen recreated Galileo’s famous inclined plane gravity experiments by rolling carts down ramps to see how long it took for them to travel different distances. The students then graphed the data to determine the cart’s acceleration. Galileo used similar experiments to show that Earth’s gravity accelerates all objects at the same rate.
In another lab, freshmen figured out the weight of a car using nothing but some file folders and a tire pressure gauge. They pushed the folders under each tire to determine how much of the tire was actually touching the ground. After the students measured the surface area and pressure in each tire, they were able to calculate the weight of the car as a whole.
Meanwhile, in the Advanced Topics class, students collected and graphed data to determine the veracity of a manufacturer’s claim that its car travels at a constant speed. While learning experimental design, the students found that, even with rough measurements, they can use data to prove or disprove a hypothesis.
RUGBY RING SISTERS
> Ring sister showdown! Tarn Reilly ’23 played Caroline Maguire ’22 in a Brown vs. Princeton rugby game in September. Matches come and go, but the bond between ring sisters is forever.
SPIRIT WEEK
> Students enjoyed dressing up during Spirit Week. Each day had a different theme, including generations, high school stereotypes, and the smash hit “Dress Like Your Teacher.”
NEW ROOMMATES
> Roommate changes are still a part of residential life at Catalina. This biannual tradition helps students build new relationships, cultivate adaptability, and navigate diverse social dynamics. It’s always a surprise for students to see who will be their next roommate.
FALL SPORTS WRAP-UP
Santa Catalina’s athletes had a successful fall season, with four teams— field hockey, tennis, volleyball, and water polo—making it to the Central Coast Section (CCS) championships.
Cross country placed third in the Pacific Coast Athletic League (PCAL) Cypress Division championships, in which Marina Hurtado ’27 led the Cougars with a time of 27:22.70, finishing 19th overall. Lindsey Terrazzino ’27 clocked the team’s fastest time of the season in the third meet of the year, running the course in 22:16.94.
Field hockey headed into the CCS championships with an overall record of 5–1–4. The team went up against Presentation High School in the first round, an epic and well-matched battle that ended regulation in a 1–1 tie and went into two overtime periods and two shootouts. In the end, the Cougars lost in a final sudden death round. Goalie Sofia McHugh ’25 had eight shutouts on the season and recorded 19 saves in the CCS match. Sofia was named Second Team All-League, along with Bianca Fritz ’24. Megan Barry-Schoen ’24 was named First Team All-League, and Cora Derbin ’24 made the Richard Chamberlin Sportsmanship Team.
Golf (1–11) wrapped up the season with a fifth-place finish out of 13 teams at the PCAL championships. Freshmen Elise Peuvrelle and Sammie Chun regularly topped the Catalina leaderboard during the season, and Zoe Allen ’24 claimed the co-medalist spot in the team’s tiebreaker win against Monte Vista Christian School of Watsonville.
Tennis finished the regular season with a 9–6 record and went through two rounds of CCS play. In addition to the team’s postseason appearance, Sofia Gutierrez ’27 and Maya Touché ’25 made it to the first round of the CCS doubles tournament. The Cougars showed perseverance throughout the season, with more than a dozen wins coming in tiebreaker matches.
Volleyball (11–12) was ranked No. 3 heading into the CCS Division V playoffs. The team swept the quarterfinal round against Thomas More School of San Jose but then fell to Crystal Springs Uplands School of Hillsborough in four sets in the semifinals. Sofia Luna ’24 made Second Team All-League and was named to the Monterey Herald All-County Volleyball Team. Layla Borman ’24 made the league’s Richard Chamberlin Sportsmanship Team.
Water polo (15–8) went 2–1 in the PCAL tournament, beating Carmel and Monterey before falling to Stevenson. They advanced to the CCS Division II championships and lost to Aptos in the quarterfinals. Quinn Connolly ’26 was named First Team All-League, Riley Barringer ’24 was named Second Team All-League, and Abby Clarke ’24 was named to the Richard Chamberlin Sportsmanship Team.
(2)
(1)
(3)
(1) Gaby Salazar Zaied ’24 returns a ball.
(2) Aleasha Kalinski ’25 and Emma Kim ’24 celebrate after a play.
(3) Riley Barringer ’24 gets ready to pass.
(4) Alicia Bolivar ’25 putts on the green.
WINTER SPORTS WRAP-UP
Santa Catalina’s basketball team is the league champion. Catalina claimed the Santa Lucia Division crown in a 30–24 win over Anzar High School of San Juan Bautista. Both teams went into the title game with only one loss—to each other. The Cougars advanced to the second round of the CCS Division V playoffs, where they fell to No. 8 Pacific Collegiate School of Santa Cruz. The team finished the season with an 11–1 league record, 11–8 overall.
After starting the year with a string of preseason losses, the Cougars hit their stride in league play, recording their highest score of 50 against York School about midway through the season. Seniors Zoe Allen and Sofia Luna led the team in points, combining for more than 250 on the season. Zoe also pulled down more than 200 rebounds.
Zoe was recognized as the league’s Most Valuable Player. Sofia, who had nearly 30 steals, was named Defensive Player of the Year. Both players were named First Team All-League, along with Bianca Fritz '24. Ellesia Corona ’24 and Skyler Smith ’24 made Second Team All-League, and Lorenza Marquard Cerisola ’24 was named to the Richard Chamberlin Sportsmanship Team.
Catalina soccer had a mixed season in the well-matched Cypress Division, finishing with an almost equal number of wins and ties (3–6–3 in league, 4–8–5 overall). Fatima Cortes ’27 led the young squad in goals with six for the season, followed by Delilah Fujita ’26 and Piper Butler ’25 with five apiece. Keeper Aleasha Kalinski ’25 recorded three shutouts in goal. Olivia DaSilva ’25 was named First Team All-League, and Delilah made Second Team All-League. Fatima was named to the Richard Chamberlin Sportsmanship Team.
(2)
(3) Zoe Allen ’24 was the league’s Most Valuable Player.
(1) Ellesia Corona ’24 looks to make a pass.
Ale Assad Villarreal ’25 drives down the field.
(3)
Robotics Program Gets a Reboot
Members of Santa Catalina’s robotics team gathered in the bustling thrum of the competition pit area, their faces set in determination. In a recent practice session, they drove their robot headlong into a pillar, severely denting a point-scoring mechanism that shoots rings. Instead of despairing or pointing fingers, though, the students displayed an inspiring unity of purpose. With focused practicality, they removed some parts, found replacements, and were back in the arena 45 minutes later.
This display of resilience and teamwork exemplifies the spirit of Catalina’s rejuvenated robotics program. With the new school year came a new structure to the program, new coaches, an expanded lab, and a vision fixed firmly on the future.
This deeper commitment to robotics comes as the school explores ways to weave an engineering mindset into the student experience.
When Catalina robotics debuted in 2017, it was classified as a club. But it didn’t take long to realize that the time and effort involved put robotics more on par with an after-school sports team. Robotics had a season—January through March— that aligned with the FIRST Robotics Competition, and students regularly put in 15 hours a week to build and program a robot that could tackle a variety of tasks set by each year’s contest.
To be truly competitive, however, students would need more than three months to develop and practice their skills. So this year, Catalina doubled down on the varsity sport concept and offered robotics as a co-curricular option
throughout the school year. The fall co-curricular was open to all students interested in learning about robotics and gaining skills. Students who then wanted to commit to the team for competition season took robotics as a co-curricular in the winter and spring. The new structure gives students who are passionate about robotics a chance to engage in it year-round.
To help the team improve its game, Santa Catalina brought in a seasonal coach in residence: veteran coach Dale Yocum, who taught robotics for nearly 20 years at Catlin Gabel School in Portland, Oregon. New physics teacher Fable Moncure, who arrived with robotics experience from a previous school, also joined as a coach. The lab, which had previously shared space with maintenance staff, became a dedicated robotics and engineering space stocked with additional tools such as a cold saw and a laser cutter.
With the framework in place, students were eager to dig in. Coach Yocum comments: “They were universally dedicated. When the lab opened, they were there and they were on task.” Students learned how to use the tools, how to work with materials such as metal and plastic, and how to code. In the highly hands-on environment, there was something for everyone, with individual attention along the way. Mr. Yocum elaborates: “Robotics combines software engineering and electronics and mechanical fabrication and mechanical design and marketing and outreach and media all under one umbrella. So it has opportunities for students to get involved and enter the program wherever they’re comfortable, and then they can move around when they’re inside the program.”
At the start of competition season, the nine-member team, redubbed the C-Otters, set ambitious goals. This year’s competition was a music-themed game called Crescendo. There were
a number of ways teams could score points, including by “playing notes” (inserting orange rings into three types of slots) and “getting onstage” (lifting the robot off the ground by a chain). The students decided they would try to incorporate mechanisms for these and other tasks into their robot, rather than focus on a few and specialize. One major improvement they made to the robot was shifting the way it drives, a change that introduced more maneuverability but required more complicated software—and two people to control it.
The team participated in two contests this year: the Sacramento Regional and Monterey Bay Regional competitions. The students used Sacramento as an opportunity to fine-tune their robot and gain some practice working together as a team. Co-captains Yunah Baek ’26, Suhana Dail ’26, and Selin Sakiz ’25 all described being somewhat starstruck and eager to learn. As Ned Stork, Catalina’s first director of engineering, observed: “On the way back from Sacramento, the vibe in the van was how are we going to get better? How are we going to recruit more team members? It was all very forward-thinking and optimistic.”
In the spring (post-season), students continued to tinker in preparation for next year. Where they started from scratch last fall, they now have three robots to practice with: one for driving, one for testing out new mechanisms, and one for developing software systems, such as autonomous programming.
The Sacramento experience paid off, and the team headed into Monterey with a lot of confidence. Their robot worked well, they were better at driving it, and they proved their value to other teams. Though they narrowly missed being selected for the finals, the students were proud of their progress. “One of the things I like about Catalina in general is the growth mindset of everything,” says Coach Moncure. “The fact that we didn’t win never brought them down because they were so hopped up on their improvement over themselves. … That they went in there and they scored points and they grew and they learned and they worked together, it was a really good experience.”
Moving forward, robotics will be a key component of Catalina’s engineering program, still in development. The vision for the program is to instill an engineering mindset in all students, whether they pursue a profession in the field or not. As Mr. Stork explains: “We want to build awareness about engineering and how the profession and the pursuit serves the world. It’s important for all of our students to experience the engineering design process. We certainly don’t expect everyone to become an engineer. However, the engineering mindset has some very valuable and transferable skills: leadership, communication, problem solving, perseverance, ideating, prototyping, designing, testing, learning from failure. I think all students would benefit from that.”
On the Move
Move
What does it mean to be in motion? It’s not just a physical state, but a way of being—of growing, progressing, changing. Meet four alums who are always moving forward: an adaptive mountain biker, an 82-year-old marathoner, and two pilot brothers, all united by their pursuit of passion and purpose.
A Resilient Rider
Annijke Wade ’03
Annijke Wade ’03 was hooked on mountain biking as soon as her tires hit the trail. She had just moved to New Mexico for work, and biking seemed like a great way to explore her new environment, get out in nature, and meet new people. She taught herself at first, then enrolled in a women’s clinic as she started to get more serious about the sport.
In July 2021, about two years into her new passion, Annijke was riding a favorite trail in Angel Fire when she hit a bad jump that sent her flying. The accident caused a spinal cord injury
that left her paralyzed. Recovering at the hospital, the diagnosis settling in, Annijke had an almost singular focus: how to return to the trail.
“I thought about how to get back on a mountain bike almost before I even thought what my life would be like in a wheelchair,” she says. “Am I going to get a ramp? What is it going to look like for me to drive or to travel? None of those things were really front and center. I was always focused on how to get back outside. And in a lot of ways, having that very specific, very strong goal allowed me to move
forward through the process. It still is. It’s pushing me to become a more independent person, a better adjusted person, and a person who’s accepting of reality.”
Today, not only is Annijke back on the trail, but she is a professional mountain biker and a leading voice in efforts to make the sport more inclusive. She serves on the board of All Bikes Welcome, a nonprofit dedicated to building more racial equity and gender diversity in cycling, a sport pursued mostly by white men. She has helped organize rides for people of color at the Sea Otter Classic, the largest cycling event in the world. She has advised on the creation of accessible trails and speaks at conferences and other events. In 2023, she founded DirtBound, an initiative that aims to empower, develop, and support off-road paracycling. DirtBound is sponsoring a team of six adaptive athletes to compete in their first gravel race in Colorado this August.
For Annijke, off-road cycling has always been about getting outdoors and finding community. Both have taken on added significance since her accident. Through DirtBound and other advocacy work, she is able to show appreciation for what she has and to create similar opportunities for others. “After my accident, there were so many people who made things possible for me,” she says, noting that one of her professional sponsors provided her first adaptive mountain bike—which can cost north of $15,000—just three months after her accident. “Being able to have access to the outdoors almost immediately
“I thought about how to get back on a mountain bike almost before I even thought what my life would be like in a wheelchair.”
after my spinal cord injury was a game changer. It allowed me to find joy in life. It allowed me to connect with my community again. The idea behind DirtBound is to pass that on to other individuals, to give people the space to connect with each other, and to empower and uplift each other through this new experience.”
Annijke is a mountain biker and gravel rider. Both are off-road riding disciplines, but each presents its own thrills. Asking her to choose a favorite of the two is like asking her to choose a favorite child. She enjoys the endurance aspect of gravel riding, which gives her more time outside, but she also loves the challenge of clearing features, such as rocks and jumps, on a mountain bike trail. She has two main bikes, one that’s all electric and one that provides e-assist with a hand crank. “Both bikes are amazing,” she says. “I’ve been really fortunate to be able to ride them in lots of different terrains in all parts of the country.”
Annijka has always been an active person. As a longtime camper at Summer at Santa Catalina, she was a regular on the tennis courts. She danced throughout her youth, and
when she returned to Catalina as a boarding student, she dove into ballet and jazz classes and performed with Accents, the dance club. She also has had a passion for the outdoors. She was an inaugural member of R4, Catalina’s environmental club, and earned a B.A. in environmental studies from Lewis and Clark College. She currently works as a business development manager for a radar satellite company.
Originally from Sonoma, California, Annijka has returned to the Monterey Peninsula and makes good use of the trails on Fort Ord near her home. Recently, she reached an important milestone: her first solo ride. She explains that going solo “is something I’ve been working toward since my accident. It was really freeing. It was nice to have that level of independence back.”
Annijka has been diligent in setting up the systems she needs for the life she wants. In that pursuit, she harnesses the lessons she learned as a boarding student. “One of the biggest things I learned was how to be independent and structured as an individual,” she says. “That freshman year, getting
ready for finals for the first time and having to do my own laundry and set my own schedule—it’s something that has carried me throughout my life. I attribute those organizational skills and life skills that I learned being a boarding student to how I operate now. The structure that you find at Catalina can be really beneficial.”
It was also through her time at Catalina that she realized how much she likes being involved in community and advocacy. As a member of Accents, R4, the STAR Intern program, the Resident Council, and other groups, she found not only kindred spirits but an avenue for speaking up for others.
And as she continues to advocate for diversity in mountain biking and to push herself to even greater challenges—she signed up for her first endurance race this year, an all-women event in Washington state called Sturdy Dirty—Annijke has one overarching goal in mind: to cultivate and foster joy. “Biking is my safe space; it’s my solace,” she posted on Instagram earlier this year.
“I want to experience more joy in the outdoors while shredding in amazing places.”
Photo Credit: Patty Valencia
Annijke Wade ’03 navigates her adaptive mountain bike along a forest trail.
The Flight Brothers
Anton + Stefan Salameh ’96 LS
Anyone who has spent time on Santa Catalina’s campus knows that the sound of airplanes flying overhead is as much a part of the school soundtrack as birdsong. For most people, it’s a minor annoyance. For Anton Salameh, it was a call to rush to the window of his history classroom to catch a glimpse of the plane passing by. He recalls fondly that his teacher, Margaret Lotz, “knew I had an aviation addiction and was totally cool about me doing that.” Anton is now a pilot, as is his younger brother, Stefan, both 1996 graduates of the Lower and Middle School. The brothers are captains who fly commercially for the same major airline.
Their shared interest in aviation started early. Their father, who had wanted to be a pilot but was steered into the family hospitality business, would take the boys to the Monterey airport to watch the planes take off and land. Anton began taking flying lessons in seventh grade; Stefan, who is 13 months younger, followed in high school. (Both attended Palma School.) The pair washed airplanes in exchange for lessons and took their first solo flights at 16 years old. “We both flew airplanes alone before we drove a car alone,” Stefan says.
Anton was laser focused on being a professional pilot. He enrolled at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona, earning a degree in professional aeronautics with a minor in aviation business management. Stefan initially had dreams of becoming a doctor but drifted toward aerospace engineering at UC San
Diego. “I thought I wanted to design planes and fly them,” explains Stefan, who completed all of his flight training on the side.
In the end, though, the Salameh brothers didn’t stray far from one another. Both served as flight instructors during college, and both continue to train other pilots. They worked their way up through odd jobs and smaller airlines. Early in their careers, Anton flew planes for skydivers and Stefan gave flying tours of the Grand Canyon. Eventually, they began working for the same major airline. Anton has been with the company for 18 years, and Stefan for 17. But it wasn’t until about eight
years ago that they flew together for the first time. Anton was making his last international flight as a first officer and there was an opening on the plane for one more pilot. Stefan came on board. They flew from San Francisco to Chengdu, China, where they took advantage of a long layover to hike up Mount Qingcheng and, to Stefan’s delight, indulge in some authentic Sichuan cuisine.
International travel is a great perk for pilots. These days, Anton’s route takes him to Asia, Europe, and Hawaii. Stefan covers North America and points south, as far as Colombia and Ecuador. Among their favorite destinations have been Portugal, the
“We both flew airplanes alone before we drove a car alone.” -Stefan Salameh
Netherlands, Australia, and Japan. Thinking back on where their love for aviation began, they recall trips overseas to visit family in Ireland and Jerusalem, their parents’ homelands.
It’s not just about flying, though. Training new pilots is a deeply rewarding aspect of the brothers’ careers. Stefan says that instructing others keeps him sharp and ensures that he stays well versed in the stringent regulations and procedures set by the FAA. More important, he feels as if he is giving back to the pilot community. Anton likewise feels that he’s paying it forward, recalling the significant impact that his own mentors had on him throughout his training. Of course, Anton and Stefan together model a natural teacher-student pairing. Anton has helped Stefan earn qualifications and licenses since they both were teenagers. “He’s always been my mentor … somebody to go to for questions and advice,” Stefan says. For his part, Anton turns to his younger brother when he has questions that require a deeper dive into the technical side of things.
Given their love of sharing knowledge with others, it’s perhaps no surprise that as the brothers reflect on their time at Santa Catalina Lower and Middle School—having attended since pre-kindergarten—their memories immediately turn toward teachers. Anton recalls Mrs. Lotz spending time with him during her lunch break to help him get a handle on important names and dates in history. Stefan credits Mike Raggett with sparking his love of science. Both brothers have an appreciation for John Aimé, who would
“straighten us out,” as Stefan says, whenever they got into mischief. Anton summarizes, “The teachers wanted you to learn, and if you stepped out of line, they got you back on course without making you feel terrible about yourself.”
Stefan’s experience inspired him to send his own son to Catalina; Christian will start second grade in the fall. “I feel like Catalina prepared me well for high school, and I wanted my son to have the same spirit, the same close, caring environment that the faculty
and my classmates gave to us,” Stefan reflects. Whether Christian will become a pilot like his dad and uncle is an open question. However, Stefan and Anton could make a good sales pitch for their profession. Anton says, “I’ve probably seen the Northern Lights 50 times, seen volcanoes erupt below me. I’ve seen lunar eclipses and solar eclipses. The sunrises and sunsets never get old. I’ve seen corners of the globe that I would have otherwise not seen if it wasn’t for this job and profession.” As Stefan sums it up, “It’s the best office view you can have.”
Stefan Salameh, left, and brother Anton share a commercial cockpit for the first time.
A Matter of Pace
Hansi de Petra Rigney ’59
In just the past 20 years, Hansi de Petra Rigney ’59, age 82, has run 120 marathons . . . and shows no sign of stopping. Running keeps her healthy, clears her mind, and allows her to visit new places and to meet new people. And, as she jokes, the longer she continues, “there’s less and less competition.”
Before Hansi ran, she walked—race walked. Her father was a world champion race walker who qualified for the Berlin Olympics in 1936 and himself competed well into his 80s. He was opposed to running, and he warned Hansi of the effects that running would have on her body. (Aside from a recent hamstring injury and a replacement hip, though, she’s holding up well.) So, starting after college, Hansi joined her father in race walking competitions all over the United States and Europe. “We did very well,” she says, quickly correcting herself: “He did very well. I did so-so.” When her father died, Hansi, at 60 years old, decided it was time to start running. Her first marathon was the Big Sur International Marathon. She has since run in all six major marathons— Boston, Berlin, Chicago, New York, London, and Tokyo—as well as Rome and the California International Marathon in Sacramento.
Hansi’s weekly training routine consists of one long run of 15 to 20 miles, three 10-mile runs, a day of rest, and walking with a group on the weekend. She also swims almost every day. “You really have to commit yourself to running, because it takes so much time and energy,” she says. But living on the Monterey Peninsula makes it easier. Hansi explains, “I train along the ocean and the waves are beautiful,
the weather is pretty nice, and there are birds and seals and otters and deer and all kinds of wild animals. It is a pleasure.” She prefers to train solo, she says, because she likes to stop to take photos or to greet people she knows along the trail.
When it comes to the main attraction, however, Hansi can’t let herself get distracted. It’s all well and good to place first in a division of one—“There are not too many old people who still run,” she says—but to qualify for a major event like the Boston Marathon, runners have to finish within a specific time. For the 80-plus crowd, that’s five hours and 20 minutes. She’s come under that mark in almost every race in the past couple of years.
For Hansi, one of the great joys of running marathons is the chance to travel. She is no stranger to international life. Born to an Italian father and a German mother, she spent her early years in Berlin. When their apartment was bombed in 1945, the family relocated to her father’s hometown in Abruzzo, a region of southern Italy (where she is still known as “the German woman’s daughter”). They later settled in Carmel when her father got a teaching position at the Defense Language Institute. He enrolled her at Santa Catalina to “keep me away from those handsome boys” at her middle school, she says.
Hansi speaks fondly of her Catalina experience, especially of teachers such as Sister Kieran and Sister Gracia, who spoke Italian. “The teachers were not, as people like to recount, mean nuns who hit you on the hand. They were all beautiful, kind, very good teachers,” Hansi says. A good student,
"You really have to commit yourself to running, because it takes so much time and energy."
she enjoyed the “rigorous, intellectual atmosphere” of the school. She played field hockey, took tennis lessons, and, as she recalls, was surrounded by music. And she always felt supported, not only by the teachers but by her classmates. When her parents divorced, she was invited to stay with a Catalina family in Hollister for the summer. They gave her a job and let her use their car, “which I scraped one time,” she laughs somewhat guiltily.
Hansi went on to major in French and Spanish at Dominican College of San Rafael. She had planned to become a teacher after she graduated, but she became a flight attendant for Pan Am instead. On a flight from Los Angeles to Guatemala, she met the man who would become her husband of 54 years: Robert, a pilot. The couple settled in Berlin, where two of their four children were born and where their daughter, Katie Rigney Dietrich ’97, was educated before coming to Catalina. The family also lived for a time in Hong Kong, where one son was born, and traveled extensively across Europe, South Africa, and Japan.
Because of her connections to Berlin, Hansi has a soft spot for the Berlin marathon. She estimates she has run the race more than 20 times. In addition to visiting her sons there, she belongs to a Berlin-based running club called the Kilometer Eaters. After each marathon, “there’s always a certain amount of beer drinking, of course,” she says.
Hansi wants to try to keep to a pace of five marathons a year. She ran the Tokyo marathon in March and the Big Sur marathon in April; she plans to run the Berlin and Sacramento marathons in the fall. She was scheduled to run in Boston this year, but her husband passed away just two weeks prior. The loss has been devastating. But, as in running, she continues to put one foot in front of the other. If Hansi has her way, she will continue running until she’s 90. Don’t be surprised if she blows past that finish line.
Hansi de Petra Rigney '59 competes in the 2024 Big Sur International Marathon.
THE CONTINUES Journey
“ GROWING UP IN THE SALINAS VALLEY, I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY AGRICULTURE. I HAVE A GREAT APPRECIATION FOR THE INDUSTRY AND THE IMPORTANCE IT HAS IN OUR SOCIETY. ”
A Q&A WITH JESSICA CLEMENTS ’20
WHAT COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY ARE YOU CURRENTLY ATTENDING, AND WHAT YEAR ARE YOU?
I’m attending California Polytechnic State University, and I’m in my fourth year (senior).
WHAT MAJOR WILL YOU GRADUATE WITH?
I’ll graduate with a BS degree in agricultural business.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO STUDY AND PURSUE THESE AREAS OF INTEREST?
Growing up in the Salinas Valley, I have been surrounded by agriculture. I have a great appreciation for the industry and the importance it has in our society. The culture surrounding it is what inspired me to pursue this degree.
WHAT OTHER EXPERIENCES (ACADEMIC OR OTHERWISE) HAVE YOU ENJOYED IN COLLEGE?
Throughout my four years, I have been a part of Cal Poly’s Division I softball team. Being a student-athlete has had its challenges, but it was so rewarding to be able to do what I love.
WHAT DO YOU SEE YOURSELF DOING AFTER GRADUATION?
I have ambitions of being a D1 softball coach. In the event that this doesn’t work out, I have hopes of further pursuing my career in wine and viticulture.
WHAT DOES A “DAY IN THE LIFE OF YOU” LOOK LIKE RIGHT NOW?
My life is full of softball and keeping up with my academics. Two times a week, I have weights at 7 a.m, I go to class from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., and I have softball practice from 2 to 5 p.m. On the weekends during winter and spring quarters, I usually compete in a threegame series against other opponents in our conference.
HOW DID CATALINA COCURRICULAR INTERESTS CARRY OVER TO YOUR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE?
I was a member of both the volleyball team and the softball team. I still play softball to this day, and I hold Catalina responsible for my ability to handle academic rigor while being a student-athlete.
WHAT BROADER LIFE LESSONS DID YOU LEARN AT CATALINA THAT HAVE SERVED YOU WELL IN COLLEGE?
I think the main life lessons I brought along with me would be just always be yourself. Along with that, I believe it’s important to speak up and share your thoughts and experiences. Our mentors always preached that we should reach for the stars and that we have endless opportunities in this world; if and when we fall, we have a community to fall back on to lift us back up.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU OFFER TO NEW STUDENTS AT SANTA CATALINA?
As an alumna, I believe it is important to find ways to have fun and to invite classmates that you typically wouldn’t hang out with to do something together. In college, you meet lots of new people, but it’s worthwhile to have meaningful friendships in high school. Secondly, academics at Catalina are hard, but the effort pays off. It truly does prepare you for the load you will be expected to carry during your time in college. Lastly, I recommend building relationships with teachers and going to office hours. It builds a level of respect while also demonstrating your efforts in a class. It is a skill I brought with me, and it has saved me. One quarter, I was in a challenging economic analysis class and, because of my outside efforts and showing up to office hours, I earned a better grade in the class despite not doing the best on exams. It is also nice to get to know your professors outside of the classroom. They have a lot of insight on life.
IF YOU HAD TO DESCRIBE CATALINA IN THREE WORDS, WHAT WOULD THEY BE?
Sisterhood, competitive, collaborative.
“
AS AN ALUMNA, I BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT TO FIND WAYS TO HAVE FUN AND TO INVITE CLASSMATES THAT YOU TYPICALLY WOULDN’T HANG OUT WITH TO DO SOMETHING TOGETHER. ”
2024 Alumnae Reunion
celebrated their 50th reunion 1974
1,844
farthest miles traveled by alumnae (from Monterrey, Mexico)
202 alumnae in attendance
2014
had the highest turnout with 33 attendees
17 alums making up for the rained-out 2023 Reunion.
celebrated their 70th reunion 1954
REUNION GIVING 2024 BY THE NUMBERS
135
total Reunion giving donors
$66,659
total Reunion giving dollars raised
1994
won the Top Class Award and the Sister Kieran Participation Award for the highest number of donors and the highest participation
19%
total Reunion giving participation
1959
won the Catalina Award for raising the most money
Distinguished Alumna Awards
The 2024 recipients of the Distinguished Alumna Awards, Monica C. Lozano ’74 and Mary Looram Moslander ’84, are recognized for their extraordinary achievements as role models to alumnae and students, and for their dedication and service to their professional endeavors.
Monica C. Lozano ’74
Monica C. Lozano ’74 is the former president and chief executive officer of College Futures Foundation, an Oakland-based private foundation committed to closing equity gaps in California’s institutions of higher education by supporting underserved students. Prior to joining the foundation, Monica spent 30 years in media, including 20 years as editor, publisher, and CEO of La Opinión, the country’s leading Spanish-language daily newspaper. She went on to become CEO and board chair of the parent company, Impremedia, and subsequently chair of US Hispanic Media Inc., until she retired in 2015.
Monica continues to serve as a strategic advisor to several news, information, and media companies. In 2015, she co-founded the Aspen Institute Latinos and Society program to change the narrative and understanding of the Latino population’s role in strengthening our nation’s global competitiveness and prosperity for all Americans.
Monica serves on the board of directors of several companies and organizations, including Apple and Bank of America, and is the lead independent director on the board of Target Corporation. She chairs the boards of the Los Angeles Local News Initiative and the Weingart Foundation, which partners with communities across Southern California to advance racial, social, and economic justice for all. Additionally, she is a member of the Commission on Presidential Debates and COMEXUS, the U.S.-Mexico Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchange.
Monica has received multiple awards and distinctions and has been named one of Fortune Magazine’s 50 Most Influential Latinas. She was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2016.
Monica studied sociology and political science at the University of Oregon. She was Santa Catalina’s commencement speaker in 2018.
Mary Looram Moslander ’84
Mary Looram Moslander ’84, ’80 LS is a seasoned executive and entrepreneur with more than 35 years of experience in digital health management and consumer technology strategy. She founded healthcare IT company LiveHealthier, which she sold to Centene Corporation in 2015. Mary assumed various leadership roles within Centene, including CEO of Envolve PeopleCare Emerging Markets and CEO of Envolve Innovation Lab. She also served as the founding entrepreneur-in-residence, advising on mergers and acquisitions and consulting on employee engagement, diversity and inclusion, and executive development.
Mary is currently an executive advisor to private equity firms and growth stage companies in the digital health sector, with an emphasis on total population health solutions that drive individual behavior change. She is also an angel investor in women-owned companies and regularly mentors female entrepreneurs. Prior to working at Centene, Mary held executive positions at The Washington Post Company, where she played a key role in launching washingtonpost.com, and eventually served as vice president of strategy and product development at Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive.
Mary served on the Santa Catalina board of trustees from 2014 to 2019. She has also given back as a keynote speaker for various events, including commencement. As a student who benefited from financial aid, she established the James F. X. Looram Endowment Fund, named after her father, to provide educational opportunities to qualified students from military families.
Mary holds a B.A. in sociology from UC Santa Barbara and an M.S. in organizational development from Chapman University. Her sister is Meaghan Looram Mulcahy ’92.
Monica C. Lozano ’74
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA
READ MONICA’S ACCEPTANCE SPEECH FOR THE DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA AWARD
Iam honored to be with you today but also extremely humbled to be among the extraordinary women from the Class of ’74, who have each in their own ways led distinguished and exceptional lives. When Dr. Ostos called to invite me to receive this award, I admit I was completely taken aback and totally surprised. I couldn’t help but think, “Why me? I hadn’t stayed in touch; what would I say? I haven’t made it to a single reunion.” But then I paused, took a deep breath, and remembered how special my previous visit to Santa Catalina was.
The last time I was on this campus was in 2018, when I had been invited to give the Commencement address. It was the year my mom had passed, and my dad was deeply mourning her loss. Over lunch, when I told him I’d been asked to come
back to Catalina to speak, he immediately brightened up and said, ‘Of course you have to accept, and I’ll be right there with you.’ And he was, sitting in the front row, beaming as I addressed the graduates of Santa Catalina, six years ago.
Well, Dad passed away just a few months ago at the glorious age of 97, and I am here to accept this award humbly and with deep gratitude in the memory of my mom and dad who made the decision to send me to Catalina—a decision that altered the course of my life for the better.
I remember so clearly being dropped off as a 16-year-old junior, one of the few transfer students in our class. It was a hard adjustment, but I was met by warmth and generosity. I experienced things I’d never imagined: picnics at
Carmel Beach, pressing wildflowers from Carmel Valley, Mass in the Chapel, and the quiet songs of prayer at the Carmelite Monastery. Most importantly, I experienced deep connections and friendships that can only be forged in a community like Santa Catalina: spiritual soulmates who journeyed together toward adulthood.
As I reflect on those two short years at Santa Catalina, they were among the most transformative of my life. Here, I learned to be confident, to believe in myself, my talents, and the potential I didn’t know I had. The lessons I learned
“Those two short years at Santa Catalina were among the most transformative of my life.”
at Santa Catalina were foundational for my life’s journey: to proceed with confidence, to love learning, and to find the joy that comes from being exposed to ideas. I learned to adapt, to apply logic and reasoning, judgment and discernment, empathy and compassion. I learned to challenge ideas and to be challenged, to respectfully consider unique points of view, and to meet people where they are.
It is a privilege to attend a high school such as Santa Catalina. It is also very powerful. It became the foundation for
my success and instilled in me a sense of responsibility to contribute to the betterment of society more broadly. That is what I hope has distinguished my career over the past 50 years. I have found motivation, meaning, and purpose in my professional life, and have been able to marry my passion with the fullness of purpose in my work.
“It is a privilege to attend a high school such as Santa Catalina. It is also very powerful. It became the foundation for my success and instilled in me a sense of responsibility to contribute to the betterment of society more broadly.”
Santa Catalina teaches young women to own their power. Women today are still underrepresented in many fields—in the C-suites in corporate America, in politics, in science and technology. I had to demonstrate my capacity, my capability, and my work ethic, over and over. My business career and journey into the C-suite and corporate boardrooms was anything but linear. Nor was it easy. I seized the opportunity when it came my way, even if it meant being lonely or uncomfortable at times. But I learned to convert those moments of challenge into opportunities for change—to find my voice and to exercise it—because having people in the room who look like you and me, in decision-making roles, makes a difference. And enlightened leaders know that.
I have been fortunate to be affiliated with some of America’s greatest companies and most iconic and successful business leaders—leaders who drive day-to-day performance while transforming for tomorrow. These leaders possess great strategic acumen and an impressive capacity to motivate, to attract and unleash the talent and creativity of others. Among their many impressive attributes is their fierce adherence to the core values of equity and inclusion.
I have learned much from my work experiences. Most importantly, I’ve learned what are the negotiables and non-negotiables. We must challenge ourselves to be unwavering—even under
fire—to the conviction that by embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion we are paving the path to a more equitable world where everyone thrives.
Thanks to Santa Catalina, my life was changed forever. I learned courage, conviction, and compassion. I discovered the beauty of giving back. I experienced the love of friends who became like family. Here, my core values were forged.
I thank you all for this amazing recognition. I appreciate all of you and what this institution continues to mean in the lives of so many —before, now, and into the future. ”
Monica C. Lozano presenting her speech at Reunion.
Mary Looram Moslander ’84
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA
As a military child who was very fortunate to receive financial aid, it was important for me to find ways to give back to Catalina in that capacity. As a young alumna, I attended the annual wine tasting event. Affording a ticket and modestly bidding on the silent auction was all that I was able to handle financially. Decades later, I was delighted to be asked to be the keynote speaker at the Tuition Assistance Fundraising Gala in 2013. We raised a record amount that evening, something that I am extraordinarily proud of.
Then, as my financial position improved, in 2016 I was deeply honored to establish the James F.X. Looram Endowment Fund to provide financial aid to students from military families.
WHAT SKILLS, VALUES, OR LESSONS DID YOU LEARN AT CATALINA THAT HAVE HELPED YOU IN YOUR CAREER OR IN LIFE?
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO GIVE BACK TO SANTA CATALINA IN SO MANY WAYS OVER THE YEARS?
The single most important gift that Catalina gave me was believing in me long before I believed in myself. I was a middling student, but the teachers and administration knew that I was trying my hardest, and they reinforced that grit and determination by seeding deep within me the fact that they believed I would succeed. At some point, it sank in and I believed in myself as well. Giving back to Catalina is a way to tell every student that we see her and believe in her, and perhaps she will begin to believe in herself as well.
HOW WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE STUDENTS AND ALUMNAE TO GIVE BACK TO THE SCHOOL?
Think of that one experience, one teacher, one team, one production, one friend, that one instance when something magical happened for you. Hold that feeling in your heart and ask yourself if you can create a spark for another girl that is hungry and deserving of our love, support, and encouragement.
Giving can come in myriad forms, and your preferred method of giving back to Catalina can change and evolve over time. Giving back to school can be attending a sporting event or a performance; it can be making yourself available as a mentor, serving on a committee, or perhaps the Board of Trustees, one of the most rewarding experiences of my Catalina life.
I learned that how you lead your life matters, even when no one else is watching. “Do Well. Do Good.” And I learned the girls that knew me during those formative years are sisters for life; to this day, my three closest Catalina classmates are my oldest and dearest friends that I cherish deeply and love fiercely.
WHAT DOES RECEIVING THE DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA AWARD MEAN TO YOU?
I was deeply honored and fantastically surprised to receive this recognition and to be honored at our 40th reunion. I stand shoulder-to-shoulder with some incredible women who have come before me in receiving this recognition, and it excites me to see who will join our ranks in the coming years.
WHAT WORDS OF WISDOM DO YOU HAVE FOR CURRENT STUDENTS OR YOUNG ALUMNAE?
Legacy is not what’s left tomorrow when you’re gone. It’s what you give, create, impact, and contribute today, while you’re here, that then happens to live on. As Catalina girls, you have demonstrated that you have the imagination, the skills, and the drive to make significant positive changes. Never stop asking what your legacy will be and how it will grow and evolve.
Ways to Give to Santa Catalina School
Your generosity means so much to the future of Santa Catalina. Every gift matters. Here are ways that you can make a gift.
Give Online Now
Give online and make an impact today. santacatalina.org/giveonline or Paypal and Venmo: @SantaCatalinaSchool
Corporate Matching Gifts
Many employers have matching gift programs and will match contributions or volunteer hours. You can double or triple the impact of your gift.
Planned Giving
Give by Wire Transfer
Make your gift by wire transfer. To ensure proper credit and handling, please call 831.655.9392.
Give by Phone
Making a gift is as easy as picking up the phone:
831.655.9348
Give a Gift of Stock
Gifts of marketable securities are a simple way to contribute.
Santa Catalina Account #71934687
Santa Catalina Tax ID #94-1156652
c/o Stifel, Nicolaus & Co.
Attn. Paul Cahalan 30 Ryan Court, Suite 250 Monterey, CA 93940
831.333.0963
Tuition only covers about 75% of our annual operating budget. Help us bridge the gap.
• The Santa Catalina Fund runs from July 1 to June 30.
• There are opportunities to give throughout the year.
• Participate each year to ensure a meaningful and purposeful student experience.
Planned giving vehicles such as gift annuities or remainder trusts can provide substantial tax benefits for donors while generating income for Santa Catalina School. Some donors also choose to include Santa Catalina in their estate plans through a bequest or name the school a beneficiary of a life insurance policy or retirement account beneficiary. In addition, your gifts of real estate, such as your home, farm, or vacation home, while you retain the right to live there, can result in an immediate charitable deduction on your income tax and a gift to Santa Catalina when you no longer need the property. Donors who make planned gifts to the school are invited to join the Sisters’ Legacy Society.
Give by Check
Please send a check, payable to Santa Catalina School, to: Santa Catalina School Development Office 1500 Mark Thomas Drive, Monterey, CA 93940
If you are interested in making a gift, volunteering, or learning more about how you can connect with Santa Catalina, our staff is available to you.
Gretchen Mueller Burke ’83, ’79 LS Director of Development
Director of Annual Giving and Stewardship 831.655.9348 • clarisa.avila@santacatalina.org
Santa Catalina School is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
ALUMNAE CLASS NOTES
55
Beezie Leyden Moore
beeziem3@aol.com
Gray Burnham Hynes passed away peacefully with her family nearby on March 22, 2024. Her love of our pioneer years at Santa Catalina, her vacation home in Carmel, and her family were the high points in her life. While recently chatting with Gray, the subject of the Sister Kieran Achievement Award came up. In 1983, out of concern that Sister Kieran’s legacy was being forgotten, we decided to create a scholarship in her memory. We created a memory quilt of squares decorated by the Classes of 1953 and 1954 and faculty, which was auctioned off at our reunion dinner. Gray was the winning bidder, and now her family will donate it to the school in Sister Kieran’s memory. Since 1988, the Sister Mary Kieran Achievement Award has been awarded annually to two juniors based on “personal excellence in academics, leadership, and all-around achievement.” Fleana Giglio Snapp: I continue to live with my husband and daughters in our family home in Carmel. I am doing well with the loving care of my family. Beatrice Leyden Moore: I love my life in Cambria with two kitties and rescue doves. I love to spend time with family and friends and continue to remodel. I plan to attend the school’s 75th anniversary in 2025!
54
Gloria Felice gloriafelice@cox.net
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
The
at Reunion 2024.
Mary Nevin Henderson
Pat Kelly Phillips plwa2@sbcglobal.net
56
The Class of 1956 is without a class correspondent. Please contact Adrienne Harris ’98, Director of Alumnae/i and Parent Relations, to volunteer to serve your class in this meaningful way. We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
57
Barbara Erro Marsella barbjerro@gmail.com
58
Anne McCullough Griffin frankanneg@aol.com
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
The Class of 1959 met at Santa Catalina for Reunion on March 7-9. We had a great turnout and tried to telephone all those who could not attend. It was a wonderful weekend, organized by Kathy Mailliard Rende, Julie Hutcheson, and Marilyn Brown Wykoff. Our turnout included France de Sugny Bark, Margaret Rosenberg Duflock, Lila Desmond French, Rene May Lawler, Debby McCann, Kristan Jacobson O’Neill, Hansi de Petra Rigney, and Bobbie O’Connell Munson. We spent the entire weekend catching up and realizing what a wonderful class we had and how grateful we are to have stayed so closely involved over the years. We will not wait another four years for our next get-together!
ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION COUNCIL
Executive Committee
Pat Allen Sparacino '65
President
Priya Kumar Raju ’00
Katie Carnazzo Larsen ’02
Anna Lopez Mourlam ’06
Vice Presidents
Adrienne Harris '98
Director of Alumnae/i and Parent Relations
Members
Sally Fay ’74
Fran Gargiulo ’80
Lindsay Heller ’95
Paisley Piasecki ’13
Lucy Yu ’17
Sarah Hazel Sallee ’21
Melinda Bowman '67
Leslie Hunt Johnson '92
Gaby Corella Zaied '97
Rosella Coppel Bernal '97
Roberta Fernandez de Junco '97
Kendall Hoxey-Onysko '04
Madison Gong '18
Student Representatives
Charlotte Juge ’23
Anacecilia Hernandez ’23
Chapter Chairs
Boston G lenna Pasinosky ’12
Chicago & Midwest B ea Cleveland '04
Dallas Joanne Van der Plas Viola ’84 Hope Morgan ’90
Denver Celia Shelton Rogers ’85
Fresno Cece Fourchy Quinn ’05
Houston Diana Kendrick Untermeyer ’80
Los Angeles Lucy Yu ’17
Monterey Position Available
New York Melissa Roberts '95
Phoenix G loria Felice ’54 B ecky Hays-Rovey ’92
Portland, OR Virginia Sewell ’69
Ann Carter ’71 B rigid Flanigan ’73
Elizabeth Leach ’75
Sacramento Position Available
San Diego Position Available
San Francisco Maddie Callander ’05
Seattle Emily Buswold ’12
South Bay Marita Quint Bruni ’91
Washington, D.C. D evon Walter ’11
International Chapters
Asia Angelina Yao ’99
Diana Mak ’01
Europe Lara Brehmer ’98
Latin America Annie Coppel ’90
Tere Gonzalez ’94
Class of 1954
Blake Anderson, Christy Belvail Baguio, and Didi Dwyer Schreiber could not come as they had hoped. By telephone, we reached some of our class who live in Europe: Wendy Burnham Kuhn and Marie-Thérèse Poniatowski de Maigret. We heard from Shelly Le Blanc Duke, Mary Kay Denman, Crissy McCormick Merrill, Betty Blak Okie, Dits Requiro Peavey, and Lynne Wildman Chapman. Teresa Annotti Rogers was involved with a family marriage celebration, and Barclay Braden has just moved to Ocala, FL. All of those who attended our Class of 1959 Reunion—our 64th—want to thank Santa Catalina staff and the wonderful Sisters of Santa Catalina for a special reunion. 60
Marilyn Ramos Ospina maospina305@hotmail.com
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
Judy Nagel Cox jcox12rcox@aol.com
Penelope Corey Arango: Awesome that we have been sharing news since 1961! I just turned 80, but I feel 40, so like President Biden, I wear dark glasses to look younger! My life is incredible: daily Mass at 8:00 a.m., LA Fitness at 9:00 a.m., Mindful Meditation at 10:00 a.m., and twice-aweek classes at the University of Miami on Zoom at noon. I have lived on a lake—our home—for 33 years! As I shared, my sister, Susan Corey ’65, passed away recently, and she is now with Pamela Corey-Archer ’58, also from Santa Catalina, in heaven. Peace be with them. Much love to you, my dear sisters, for so many years, and remember, you have a room with your name on it at my home in Miami. Judy Nagel Cox: I celebrated my 80th birthday in Santa Rosa in May with my daughter and her family, and then she and I took a mother-daughter trip to Monterey and Carmel. We visited the school, which, by the way, you must do by appointment we found out! I also spent Christmas in Santa Rosa with the family. I have been traveling back and forth to Boca Raton, FL, where my sister was living, and I was visiting quarterly as she had a stroke three years ago and could use my company. But now she has moved to Santa Rosa, where my daughter lives, and where I am supposed to be moving within the year. Popcorn saved my life this summer. I had a bellyache from popcorn and I got an MRI, which ended up showing that I had bladder cancer. Because of the early discovery, they got rid of the cancer and I didn’t have to have chemo or anything. I’m the luckiest woman on the planet and grateful for my good health. As mentioned in some of the submissions, the Class of 1961 has continued to Zoom quarterly after our 60th reunion. We enjoy it so much and have reconnected and bonded in ways that have enriched our lives. I highly recommend it to all the other classes. Leigh Curran (Curry Griggs): I received exciting news. I learned that a short play
of mine would be in a 10-Minute Play Festival, and then a few days later I found out that my new full-length play would have a public reading in a new play festival, and I’ll be in it as well. I will miss our Zoom call as I will be in rehearsal! Sara Fargo: Turning 81 (in April 2024) is such a blah birthday compared to turning 80. At the same time, I am very grateful for life’s lessons and have never been happier—even with arthritis, sleep apnea, etc. I have good friends and I’m surrounded by a secret garden, my gym, coffee shops, the Santa Barbara Presidio, and a lot of history. Plus there’s classmate catch-ups via Zoom, family weddings to travel to in California and New Mexico, friends to visit in NYC—and perhaps a visit to Santa Catalina! Kathy Ryan Foy: Aloha, my classmates. An important part of my life has been living amongst other cultures and establishing lifelong friendships in Europe and Saudi Arabia. My children lived in some of these places, went to school with the locals, and became multilingual. My family has wanderlust and continues to reap the rewards of travel. I have lived in the West, Midwest, South, and East Coast of the U.S., and now I am in Hawaii. What have I gained from all these transitions? Resiliency and gratitude! I have met wonderful people and friends 61
The Class of 1959 at Reunion 2024.
Judy Nagel Cox '61 with her granddaughter Melanie Mazza and daughter Sandi Mazza.
Penelope Corey Arango ’61 in Miami.
I met decades ago, starting with my days at Santa Catalina. I treasure my former classmates and am so blessed to have our Zoom calls to genuinely share our current lives and offer support, interest, love, and concern for one another. This support makes our lives easier as we experience the challenges of being older and wiser. Embrace your loved ones and surround yourselves with beauty and your favorite places, pets, and things. I am taking ballroom dancing for fun. The next class is the mambo and bolero! I am the oldest and least experienced. Merrie Monarch World Hula Competition comes to Hilo next week with people from all over the world attending. The best part is Maria Hart McNichol and her sister, Mimi Hart Harris ’72, are coming for the event. I am excited about the reunion after more than 60 years! My three children will also be in Hilo at the same time. I have not been with all three together in decades. They have lived on different continents, including Asia, Africa, and Europe. This is monumental! Susie Munhall Frey: I have little good stuff to report. Walt has been fighting cancer for the past eight years, and it appears that the fight might be ending. I am just waiting for the MRI and a call from the surgeon or oncologist. The waiting is wearing on my nerves, which are already thin. It has been coming and you would think I would be used to it … but I’m not. Patricia Flynn: My only complaint about this past year is how quickly it’s gone by. The highlight was a two-month trip to Italy, partly inspired by my ongoing quest to improve my Italian. I must credit our freshman-year French teacher, Sister Magdalena, for instilling a deep love of romantic languages. During this visit, I spent two weeks at an Italian school in Bologna, a fascinating city, where I lived with a family and explored the surroundings. Then, I traveled from Venice across northern Italy to Lucca, where I made many stops. It was a glorious week hiking in the Dolomites, some of the most spectacular mountains ever. Back home at Christmas, I had a lovely overnight visit with my dear pal Sara Fargo in Santa Barbara, rekindling old memories and exploring the mysteries of aging. I was also honored to be able to attend the memorial service held for Susan Crane,
aka Sister Matthew, who passed away last year at the ripe age of 99. She was fondly remembered in her last years as feisty and engaged with the world of ideas as ever—a fitting tribute to a remarkable woman. Sharon Gless: My life is good, and I come from gratitude! My brother is doing much better. The only story I have to tell that might interest the class is the following: Last year, I interrupted the class Zoom because I was calling from the set of a film I was shooting (one scene) with Pierce Brosnan. I had to whisper so the film crew couldn’t hear me. Well, it was just one scene, but the reviews just came out, and I got a rave about my very naughty three-minute scene! It makes a girl feel good. I just wanted you to know. Love to all. Judi Musto Hachman: It finally stopped raining in Stockton, CA. Yesterday, I got a cute text and pictures from our former next-door neighbor who hangs out with the local Hilo lowlife, Kathy Ryan Foy and Maria Hart McNichol! Nini Richardson Hart: Life since I graduated has been very full. Our two children and their families have accomplished so much and have achieved fulfillment in their lives. My husband and I have been able to travel all over the world. As a result, we are very fortunate. We have sat on many foundation boards, also boards created by our governors. Sat on many offices for the Community Banking Association of America. As a result, as we age, hopefully gracefully, we gift to many charitable organizations. For me, Santa Catalina, our class, is one. Caroline Harris Henderson: Things are pretty much the same here in Jacksonville, OR, for which I am grateful, as many changes these days are unwelcome. Exciting news, though, is the anticipated birth of a great-grandchild in August! How time flies. My mother was the same age as I would be when her first great-grandchild (my oldest son, John) was born. I still work part-time at an investment office. The desktop operating system is changing, so I’m facing some daunting training if I want to stay! We’ll see if my brain is up to the challenge. I continue volunteering at St. Vincent de Paul in social services and for several church ministries. I hope to get over to the coast soon and have a visit with Anne Irving. I travel to Seattle occasionally to keep up with friends from the airline days. The boys’ families are doing well; I see them several times yearly. Our classmate Bess Van Buskirk Brassel is up to her usual adventures. Last year, she moved from Florida to Spring, TX, first to her daughter’s and then to her own place near Houston. She found a church to her liking and met a wonderful man there with whom she developed a friendship that eventually progressed to an engagement! He is active in politics and enjoys the arts, so her life has taken an entertaining and happy turn. I have contact information if anyone wants it. Please call if any of you venture up to or through southern Oregon this year. I have a guest room and live in a cute historic town surrounded by wineries featuring good music and artistic events. Maria Hart McNichol: I just returned from a six-week stay with my sister, Mimi Hart Harris ’72, in Oahu. It was a wonderful time, including visiting Hawaii to see the Merrie
Monarch World Hula Competition and a visit with Kathy Ryan Foy. We had a lovely lunch overlooking Hilo Bay and caught up on more than 60 years of life. It was a joy. My life is filled with blessings, and my Santa Catalina sisters are certainly a part of that. Lissa Gahagan Nicolaus: Kudos to Mary-Allen Macneil for organizing them and to Judy Nagel Cox for sending write-ups to everyone. I continue to enjoy oil painting and am involved each year with an art show for environmental organizations through a group called BayWood Artists. This year, we benefit California State Parks. We are still in the same house (41 years) in Ross, CA, and recently put in a front and back garden, which are fun to work in. My 80th birthday came up way too fast in November, followed by a hip replacement a few months later! Exciting news for me is that the daughter of my niece Leslie Hunt Johnson ’92 is attending Santa Catalina in the fall.
62
Mary Foley Bitterman mbitterman@osherfoundation.org
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
Danielle Varlay Bonnet: In light of the passing of Jane Albert Willens, I feel nostalgic about all of you left within our grasp. My family is well. Dave and I are perking along, still catering to our two dachshunds, Norman and Mason, and are looking forward to spring flowers and summer cruising with our classic car club. My younger son, Darion, and his little family have moved out of Carmel and have resettled in Daytona Beach, FL. His disc jockey business has taken off, and they are enjoying a less expensive lifestyle, a younger generation of people, and an ocean warm enough
Kathy Ryan Foy ’61 meets Maria Hart McNichol ’61 in Hilo, Hawaii.
Danielle Varlay Bonnet '63 experiences October in Frankenmuth, Michigan.
Kathleen Brown '63 celebrates Easter with her family, including her twin great-granddaughters.
to swim in. My other son, Peter, is still thriving in Las Vegas. I finally finished my memoir and first children’s book, and if and when they are published and sold someday, I’ll return to Catalina and speak about how some of us are very late bloomers! I’d like to shout out to all of my precious classmates and urge all of us to pray around the clock for the stability of our country. I pray all of your families are well. Big hugs all around! Mary-Ellen Briel: Several inches of snow fell here in St. Paul, MN, during the Easter holiday when children and grandchildren ventured over. Soon, I’ll return, as ever, to Athens and the microapartment and mega terrace I call home when I’m there. I continue volunteering at Melissa Network, an organization for migrant and refugee women based in Athens, teaching ESL to some beautiful Middle Eastern, African, and Ukrainian migrant women. One of my daughters worked at Melissa Network last month, too—it is great to sense it is a shared interest. On Zoom, I facilitate four groups of Melissa Network women: single moms, ESL, group therapy, and ESL kids! Kathleen Brown: My quick thoughts fall into three buckets: family, travel, and school. As a family, we are celebrating my husband’s miraculous recovery from multiple near-fatal health challenges over the 2021-2023 calendar years. Now, it’s just recalcitrant knees that limit his mobility. In addition, we were blessed with the birth of two gorgeous twin girls, our first great-grandchildren—what a joy! Our shared five children and 12 grandchildren are all doing well and filling our lives with laughter and pride. Travel is my passion, and I’ve checked off three major bucket list trips in the last seven months: South Africa (a safari, Johannesburg, and Capetown), Japan (Naoshima and other art islands), and India. Endlessly interesting. Taking a grandchild as my travel companion on trips to South Africa and Japan was also a marvelous opportunity. Finally, school! I was elected a trustee for Santa Catalina last year, and serving has been one of the great honors of my life. I sleep in the Hacienda apartment when visiting for board meetings, which is weird but cool. I meet the remarkable students who give me hope and optimism for the future. And I get
to see the fabulous faculty and head of school in action. If you have not yet met Barbara Ostos, the head of school, you are in for a treat. She is smart, high-energy, charismatic, and fun! I’m still practicing law, serving on a public company board, and working in the nonprofit sector on longevity issues, a fascinating mega trend that is not getting enough attention. Century lives are here and we need to plan for them and adapt! Jansie Stephens Farris: This year has been a great one. I work with my grandkids weekly to help with math homework if needed. I am so lucky to have nine grandkids close by. I will go to Seattle to visit with my son and his family—two more grandkids. A few health issues have also come up this year and I’m just recovering from my seventh round of COVID! Maybe I am going for a world record! Lynn Gates: I am still working and going to the office every weekday. My children are fine, and my grandchildren are doing well. I hope all is well with you. Judy Haig Hansen: It was delightful to see those who attended the reunion and to realize all the incredible growth the school has gone through. I’d love to be a student again. Living in Santa Fe, NM, has been a stimulating move from Seattle: lots of sun, hiking, skiing, golfing, pickleball, art classes, galleries, and museums, to say nothing of the fascinating multi-nation history here (Native American Nations, Spain, France, Mexico, and the United States) as the oldest capital in the U.S. But we spend the summer in Washington at our cabin to get a green and blue fix. Early this year, Neal and I celebrated our 50th anniversary. I never pictured 50 years—that’s for really old people! We enjoy our adult children and grandchildren as they go through different life stages. Going forward, we are planning another travel adventure for the fall based on the belief that we need to do it while we still can. Kathleen Hynes: Phoenix is my new home. After years of receiving help from a wonderful caregiver, finances made it more practical to move to assisted living. I had torn my anterior cruciate ligament when I was 13, years before anyone knew the function of the ACL. My new home is Clarendale in the Arcadia district. The residents here are very friendly, the food is good, and I have many cousins in Arizona. My grandfather and his two brothers from Ireland came to Bisbee. My mother was born in Arizona before it was a state and spoke Spanish before she spoke English. Best wishes to everyone. Diane (Didi) Ditz Stauffer: I enjoy good health and my volunteer activities in Stockton, CA. My son, John, married his fiancée, Scarlet, last fall, greatly pleasing both families. They reside in the Bay Area. Vicki McCallum Waddell: I’m five years into retirement and am busier now than when I was studying for my degree, raising a family, and working! Retirement is a period of relaxation wherein we can do more of what we love, improve our health, learn new tasks, spend time with family, and give back to our community. I’m extremely lucky and can do all that, but all this activity can be exhausting! I’ve been a play writer, care partner, treasurer of our local HOA, and executor, and I respond to all sorts of charity tugs that make life rewarding.
All the while, I’m keeping the home fires burning. To my schoolmates, I hope you are all too busy, too. Retirement can bring so much joy, but please remember to breathe, love yourself, and do all you love in moderation! On that score, I remain a work in progress. Sally Rorick-Orlando: Well, it’s been a challenging time trying to come out of the pandemic, with war’s brutality raging in the headlines and a crazy political scene, but by the grace of God and the hope of prayer, we are taking it one day at a time! My spiritual direction practice continues mostly by phone or Zoom, as do the small groups I am enriched by. We take annual trips to our favorite dude ranch in Montana and our pilgrimage to Catalina Island to restore ourselves. I’m doing some workshops online, which are great, but I miss being in person. I also enjoy being in touch with several Santa Catalina classmates on Zoom. My health is staying in a safe range thanks to my new oral chemo. So my mottos for this time in life are, “I’m doing the best I can, which is what I have, right where I am!” and “Growing old ain’t for sissies!” Trish Scott Williams: I’m doing fine and keeping busy. Doing volunteer work when I’m home, but also traveling a lot to tackle my bucket list. Last summer, I went to the Norwegian fjords and the Arctic. In November, we went on safari to four African countries. I love the different cultures and the wildlife. I’m now traveling in Cuba for 10 days— fascinating! My family is doing great, and the grandkids keep growing too fast. I hope everyone else is doing well and enjoying life. Love to you all.
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
65
Patricia Allen Sparacino pat.sparacino@gmail.com
Michele Clark michele.clark@unlv.edu
Bonnie Bray: Activities in life have returned to normal pre-pandemic levels, and I feel fully recovered from cancer. I walk a few miles each day and, afterward, spend time in my garden, reading or visiting with friends in person, by email, and by phone. I’m so grateful to be doing ordinary things and have graduated with a schedule of CT scans and oncologist visits every six months. I know I’m very lucky to have come through this unscathed, with the help of family and friends and a wonderful care team. We’re not traveling as much as we did pre-pandemic, but last fall, Dick and I camped for more than a week along the Oregon
coast and in the Northern California redwoods in beautiful weather until we heard gale and flood warnings—that brought us home quickly! Michele Clark: This year has certainly presented its share of challenges. Last year, during a visit to a friend’s house, I took a tumble on the stairs, resulting in a fractured humerus and broken radius and ulna. While my bones have since healed, I’m still diligently working on restoring mobility to my shoulder. Despite this setback, I’ve embarked on some delightful travel escapades. One particularly unforgettable journey was a trip to Ireland, where I explored the breathtaking landscapes with friends and family. Thankfully, apart from the mishap with my arm, I’m in good health, as are my siblings. Carol Carnazzo-Brown: Ron and I live in an over-55 community in Lincoln Hills, CA, and we are enjoying God’s blessings of good health and the love of family and friends. My sister, Gigi Carnazzo Knudtson ’71, lives in the same neighborhood, so we have lots of fun together. We love being with our grandkids. Ron is semi-retired from his law practice and loves keeping relationships with his longtime clients. I am enjoying retirement by taking care of my beautiful granddaughter (3) twice a week. I continue volunteering at our church in Granite Bay. Our faith is strong, and we pray fervently for world peace. Blessings to all! Tammy Dougherty: I continue to work a bit on writing educational materials and am happily on Nana duty. I’ve published four books and a small collection of articles. M.F. Flynn: After 10 years of retirement, I’ve figured out how I want to spend my time, and I have two volunteer activities. The first is hospice, where I mostly visit patients’ homes. It’s very rewarding and not as sad or challenging as it may sound. The other is with an organization called Write Girl, mentoring teenage girls in writing. I’m working with a girl born in Nepal who lives in Venice, Italy. I’m also writing stories and occasionally performing them. Most of the time, it’s traveling (near and far), playing mah-jongg, spending time with friends, and doing puzzles, like Spelling Bee, to keep my mind sharp! Kathy Toy Grandemange: This year was active for us. My husband, George, and I took our daughters and their families to the scenic Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks to celebrate several birthdays and graduations. Our eldest daughter turned 50 in July, and her son turned 21. I can hardly say it! How did that time get away from us? In September, we belatedly celebrated our 50th anniversary (1970-2020) with a Viking cruise up the Eastern seaboard; beautiful area with fall colors and great excursions, all very enjoyable. Family reunions and holiday activities took up the rest of the year—lots of fun and catching up. Sally Leonard Harris: I hope you are all healthy and happy. It’s been three years since I moved back to Carmel Valley, and being in such a great place has been wonderful. I’ve spent most of my time in the garden (although I no longer climb trees), doing some business, and enjoying my pal, Sadie (a 5-year-old Swiss mountain dog). I have reconnected with Liz Holt Protell ’64. She also has a Swissie, and we have long play dates on the
beach. My elder years continue to be pretty funny, wondering how all the wrinkles appeared and trying to remember what I went into the next room for. The door is always open here. Love to you all. Lola Hogan: I am working as an expert witness for handling property casualty claims. Boring except to those of us in the mill. I have traveled, including a great trip to see the animals in Kenya and Tanzania. A cheetah jumped on the back of our vehicle while shopping for lunch. I hope everyone is happy and healthy! Peggy Hudson: I’m still in Lake San Marcos near San Diego. I’m also still riding my horse and enjoy doing dressage with him. He is much more advanced now than I am. It seems that multitasking on a horse is more difficult at our age. It’s great exercise, though. I’m president of my homeowner association, as rewarding and frustrating as that job can be. I also foster kittens for an animal center that gets them from their partner shelters. I have the kittens for two to three weeks and give them lots of love and playtime before I take them back to be adopted. My family members are all doing well. My youngest brother and his second wife live near me and have two young kids. I love being able to see them as much as I can. Evie Lindemann: I have contacted a few of you more recently. It makes me joyful that going back all that time in our history, we continue to find reasons to want to connect. I shared with a few of you that I contributed a chapter to a book about grief and loss. It is a heart-centered approach with easy-to-follow exercises: Seasons of Grief, edited by Claudia Coenen and published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers in the U.K. I am rather shy about sharing my work, and when I heard back from a few of you with such loving and supportive messages, it made me so happy! Thank you! I continue to live in Asheville, NC, where many black bears roam our streets in springtime when the baby bears are hungry. My son, daughter-inlaw, and three grandchildren live about two hours away in Charlotte, and I am lucky not to have to fly back to California anymore. I am currently the president of a nonprofit called Meher Archive Collective. The organization has an international reach and is connected to Meher Baba, so it is personally meaningful. I make time for play and recently have taken up the tango again with my sweetheart, Hugh. Sending each one of you a love greeting and wishes for staying well. Maisie de Sugny Macdonald: I’m adjusting to living alone for the first time. Sadly, Chris passed away in May 2022. He had Alzheimer’s and had not been able to speak or write for almost four years. I’m very lucky to have family and close friends in the area. Looking forward to our 60th reunion in March 2025. How I wish it were sooner. Seeing and catching up with as many classmates as possible will be wonderful. Let’s hope we have a big crowd! May we all stay happy and healthy. Caroline Lord Mackenzie: I am still enjoying life in Hawaii. Now that the Peace Corps is back in over 28 countries, I am busy with the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Hawaii, helping to recruit new volunteers. And now that the Peace Corps and
Rotary have a “Partnering for Peace” agreement, I am a Rotarian. Other volunteer commitments include counting trees for the Citizen Forester Program! Golf, boogie boarding, water aerobics, gardening, reading, and visiting family in Maui and San Diego round out the rest of my life. The fires on Maui last August were terrible, but the aloha spirit of care and kindness are everywhere. Visit Hawaii; meet me in Maui sometime. Leslie Baldwin Power: All’s great here. I am happy to have celebrated New Year’s Day with my two grandsons (born two years and 23 minutes apart)! Kathy Ramos Sharp: My grandson lived with me as he finished his last year at the University of Silicon Valley. He is now working to secure a career in graphic arts. It has been nice to share my home with a young family member, especially when my children and their families live far from me, some in other states. My daughter, who lives in Michigan, has been looking at homes for me in her locale, as she wants me to relocate near her. A major move like this will take at least two years to plan and prepare, but I am seriously considering it. Much of my life is filled with music-related
activities. I continue to be a San Jose Symphonic Choir member, where we prepared for an April concert, performing Verdi’s Requiem. This summer, the Symphonic Choir will travel and sing at various venues in Austria and Slovenia. I keep busy planning weekly music schedules, holding choir practices, and directing our local church choir, singing in four voice parts for Sunday Masses. Wendy Wilson Snell: My husband, Steve, and I continue to enjoy our life in North Carolina (56 years of marriage and still going strong). For the past five years, we have lived in Fuquay-Varina, a combination of two historic 1800s towns 35 minutes from Raleigh. We love the location of our home with a water view that can’t be beaten. While technically a golf course view, the small lake
Caroline Lord Mackenzie ’65 spends time boogie boarding in Hawaii.
“water hazard” is the star with resident herons, ducks, geese, and turtles. Our daughter and family are a 15-minute drive. Our oldest grandchild, Gavin, is a college sophomore majoring in engineering. His brother, Liam, is a high school senior and still unsure about a college major. Our son and family live in Wilmington, NC, a two-hour drive. On Easter Sunday 2023, our new grandson, Noah Isaac, was born. His sister, Ellie, turned 9 in May, and his brother, Logan, turned 7 in June. On Christmas Day, we learned that our daughter-in-law is expecting No. 4 at the end of August! While a surprise, everyone is happy. Noah will now have a sibling who is only 17 months younger than him. He will not be the caboose! Pat Allen Sparacino: Thank you, Michele—we are now the class co-correspondents! Bob and I keep busy with various projects that support education. Bob is an editor of dissertations and manuscripts, primarily for nurses. I mentor people interested in master’s and/or doctoral preparation for a nursing career. We have enjoyed traveling again after the two-plus year hiatus. We loved our “family and friends” visit to England last September and look forward to visiting the Azores in May. Please put Reunion ’25 on your calendars so we can celebrate the 60 years since our graduation together! Ann Hodges Strickland: Jim and I are trucking along together. Our beautiful granddaughters are college age now, and both are interested in pursuing sports medicine. Our son, Tom, has been an employee of Apple for several years and enjoys keeping Jim and me (and various relatives) updated with the latest in Apple hardware!
66
The Class of 1966 is without a class correspondent. Please contact Adrienne Harris ’98, Director of Alumnae/i and Parent Relations, to volunteer to serve your class in this meaningful way. We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue.
67
Ann Kuchins
kuchinsa@yahoo.com
Anne Neill
anneneill@yahoo.com
As the Class of 1967 enters its 75th year, we celebrate our unique ways of reinventing ourselves to embrace this stage of life that continues to present new loves, loss, and life experiences. Cathy Quarre Alexander: I enjoyed a fun trip to London with my granddaughter Mimi, daughter of Sara Alexander Vanis ’98. I have been traveling a bit, to Argentina, then off to a cruise of the Mississippi River. Both trips were organized
through YPO friends, so numerous Zoom lectures have been organized, from Argentina’s financial challenges to civil war lectures to present-day issues facing the south. Joan Dubrasich Anspach: I’m still in the house we bought in 1983 in Piedmont, CA. My six grandkids, all between 8-11, live nearby, so Bill and I are enjoying life immensely. I’m blessed to be in great health, playing bridge, and in book groups and community clubs. We have plenty of room for houseguests, and our calendar is wide open, so consider this an invite! Lisa Dollar Buehler: Bill and I have made a big move. We bought a house on Spring Island in South Carolina. It’s a private, gated bit of subtropical heaven behind Hilton Head. Bill works remotely and plays a lot of tennis. I play croquet, canasta, and Mexican Train. We have made so many friends in the almost three years we’ve been here. But I’ve kept my home in St. Helena because two married children and three grandchildren are there permanently. My eldest and his family moved to Naples, FL, an easy plane ride away. We visit them for Halloween and Valentine’s Day. Things I don’t do anymore (nod to Roz Boswell Seysses, see below): Wear high heels, cook fish, and drink. Melinda Manlin Bowman: I’ve retired from the Tor House Foundation and am spending a lot of time with my grandchildren, Lucas (5) and Audrey (2). Being on the Santa Catalina Alumnae Council keeps me connected to what’s going on. My 2024 resolution is to share more events, accomplishments, and insights with you! Catherine Caufield: Life on Tomales Bay, CA, is beautiful and good. I keep busy making medical appointments, reading, playing with my cat and husband, taking walks with friends, and being charmingly bossy. Laurie Bechtel Dachs: While we are of the same vintage, our lives have merged and gone different ways over the years. We have shared births, deaths, marriages, divorces, and illnesses, among many challenges and successes, and we should honor each other and give ourselves some serious credit.
So here we are, a great class filled with extraordinary women who have managed to stay in touch over almost 57 years! For the Dachs family, we moved last year from Lafayette after 30 years. It’s a big move, but we are within five minutes of three of our kids’ families with 8 of our 11 grandchildren, ages 4 to 21. They requested we move closer; maybe they are helicopter kids! Alan is semi-retired until the end of the year. I formally retired in 2021 but find my engagement with conservation organizations and water in California keeps me very busy. Our oldest son, Eric, runs Fremont Group; he just sold his business, X2X, to devote his full time to Fremont. Our girls are busy raising kids and engaged in various community activities. Our youngest, Michael, has joined Fremont and wants to be a part of the family business. He had worked at Bechtel, including time in Riyadh with his new bride a few years ago. All four families are in the Bay Area, so we are lucky to have family close and everyone in good health. Renata Engler: My life continues to be very far removed from retirement in that I am the primary caregiver for my husband, who requires a lot of support due to the loss of most of his short-term memory capacity (but excellent remote memory) and multiple health challenges that we manage to navigate positively for most of the time. It is a humbling journey but a great challenge to practice loving kindness and patience and develop the skill to find humor in many daily experiences. I am grateful for each day and that, so far, we are managing reasonably well. By grace, my health is good as I use the tools that facilitate that, such as PEMF (pulsed electromagnetic frequency) therapy, photobiomodulation, and various healthy lifestyle choices. I feel phenomenally blessed to be functional at almost 76. Besides caregiving and managing our home and life chores, I am still working on the ability to do most things from home with remote tools. The research work has been intense, and I was finally able to publish the experience of over 14 years of data from the program I built between 2002 and 2016. The research represents the largest experience with myocarditis and pericarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle and/or lining of the heart) as an adverse drug reaction after the live replicating smallpox vaccine. The program I built enabled the first identification of myocarditis as a signal in young, largely white males after the new mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. For other work we have accomplished, go to PubMed and search “Engler, Renata,” and it will come up. The team I work with keeps telling me they need me to remain active in the efforts, so I think I will be engaged for at least two years to finish what I feel driven to complete. I also do some telemedicine as a Red Cross volunteer for the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and that has been challenging as I work with complex patients whose systems have failed or are lost because no one has time to do a comprehensive history and medical summary. Integrative medicine is a growing passion for me as I see a great need for options beyond big pharma and have found great benefits in energy medicine. The journey of learning and
Class of 1967 members Wynn Woodward, Joan Seamster, Joanne Bosche Ehrlich, andAnne Neill gather in Canada to celebrate their late classmate Vicki MacLean Gourlay.
Class of 1967 members Katy Lewis, Ann Kuchins, and Brenda Beckett gather for lunch to mark the eclipse.
being able to contribute is one that I hope to continue for as long as I am able. We were not blessed with a child that lived, but I enjoy mentoring and helping younger doctors, healthcare workers, friends, and neighbors. Cece Morken
Gada: Dave and I still live in Boise and keep remodeling our 1930 English cottage. We spent the winter months cooking on a small induction hob in the garage, as the kitchen and dining room had been gutted. Dave still managed to produce complex meals despite the awkward arrangement and lack of a water supply in the garage. Above the garage is a small apartment where we spent our waking hours. Now that the remodel is done, we will visit the Bay Area and Chicago grandkids. They all came to Idaho during the winter to ski, so we’ve seen them often. Despite my heart problems, I continue line dancing to Zumba weekly with a great group of friends and make rosaries with another group. I feel very blessed to have these friendships and great memories of you from Santa Catalina, and I’m grateful for how every day presents opportunities to do good. Carolyn Layton Garner-Reagan: I went on a tour of Australia and New Zealand in April! It was a 28-day tour with a longtime girlfriend who was widowed about a month before me. The tour included two things I love: trains (the Ghan) and penguins (the little penguins on Phillip Island). I was very excited, and this was my seventh continent. As for the retreats, I remember them feeling very long. As a day student and an NC, I recall being glad I could go home at night. Rose Teichert Grimm: I had a wonderful visit from Mary Sweetland Laver, who was here in Ojai, CA,
with her family celebrating a big birthday milestone for her husband. I think she gave me a highly useful quote from a former teacher. As a person who feels compelled to try to do it all, I found it a lovely relief— “Climb every other mountain.” My family and I are well, still in Ojai after 30 years of floods, fires, and beautiful nature. Laurie Hammonds Hall: I still can’t believe we will all be 75 this year. I have so many memories of my younger years, and then I suddenly realize that the incident occurred or that the friendship began 40 or 50 years ago when it seems like yesterday. Norman and I still live in Palm Desert, CA, most of the winter. We love the warm weather and camaraderie here and the fact that we live in a community where we can stay involved and active. We are in Sun Valley, ID, in the summertime. It’s a fairly new community to us. Still, I have enjoyed serving on an affordable housing board there. We’ve made a big difference in raising community awareness and creating many new housing units for essential workers. I’ve loved giving back to the community there and am so glad to have been involved in something meaningful. We don’t get to see my children and grandchildren as often as we’d like, but fortunately, they all love to come to the desert and Sun Valley, so we get long visits a few times a year. Watching them grow up has been so fun; it seems they grow a foot each time we see them. Of course, we have a few medical issues like everyone else, but so far, we’re still healthy and happy. Thank you all for sharing a little bit of your life. I think we did make a difference, each in our way. Terry Cashill Juhola: Sadly, I lost Bruce in October. He had increasing difficulties from lung issues when he collapsed in early September from a pulmonary embolism. He then had a fatal heart attack after nearly four weeks in the hospital. Blessedly, all four children were here in the first week and had a special time with their dad, and then we were all able to get to the hospital for a final goodbye. As painful as it is to be without him, I am so grateful that we all had the time to be with him and that he was not relegated to live a life of severe impairment. I am doing well, more good days than bad, but I am still trying to get my bearings, as you who have lost spouses will appreciate. My stepson and stepdaughter are so wonderful, supportive, and loving. My Alex is still in Boulder, CO, working for a U.K.-based start-up. My grandsons, Cashill (14) and Beau (10), are wonderful boys I see every other month or so. Son Tyler is still in Bend, OR. He is head of sales for a start-up and is so attentive and sweet, my boots-on-the-ground. Still looking for his true love, but I think that’s worth waiting for! All four bring such joy. My life here is filled with good friends and enough activities to keep me busy. I look back at our Catalina years with such nostalgia and am very impressed with what you are all up to! What an amazing group of women! Mary Whitney Kenney: Leonard and I moved to Manhattan Beach, CA, a year ago and now live in the same block as my son and his family (lovely wife and four children). Both of my sons are doing well, or even very well! My four grandchildren visit frequently, which is great. I have quite the
volunteer schedule, including Guide Dogs of America, BARK reading therapy dogs, St. Francis Animal Ministry, and Daughters of the American Revolution. Leonard unfortunately suffers from a Parkinson’s-related illness, but he is very diligent in acting to maintain his current level of fitness. After the Easter celebrations, I went to Texas for the eclipse! Melissa King: Greetings from Colorado! I am visiting Evan, my younger son, and his wife just outside Boulder in search of a small test-the-waters rental while I figure out if this native Californian can adjust to Colorado. The arrival of their first child, a girl, this August is helping lure me here, although they’ve been badgering me for years to move. I am a changeresistant sort, very content with and grateful for the old knowns of life, but perhaps this is just what my future should look like come summer. So far, I’ve found a darling little independent bookstore, the rec center, the library, a great gelato and coffee place, and a grief support nonprofit eager for more volunteers. Now I just need my older son, Andrew, his wife, and 1-year-old Max to head in this direction as well, plus a few new friends, a new older dog, and a wreck of a tiny old cottage that I can redo to my heart’s content. Leaving a tremendous core of friends in the Bay Area won’t be easy, but they are gradually moving onward, too. How I got two such outdoorsy sons beats me, as I am anything but. Evan, who has been building with Duplos since toddlerhood, started his own home-building company, with any free time dedicated to skiing, hiking, climbing, camping, and such (despite his rheumatoid arthritis).
Andrew works at corporate headquarters for Specialized (bicycles) in Morgan Hill, CA, and is passionate about mountain biking and skiing. Dare I hope my future granddaughter might like tea parties, frilly dresses, and occasional walks along the Pacific Ocean, at least for a short while?
Ann Kuchins: I just got back from an amazing trip to Southeast Asia, which included Bali, Singapore, Thailand, and Cambodia. This was my third trip with the UC Berkeley alumni group under the umbrella of AHI Travel. They always have excellent, engaging local tour guides, and you learn so much from them about the cultural, social, and historical background of the place you are visiting and their daily lives! The other advantage is that you leave all the planning to them. As they say in Singapore, we are like “peaceful ducks following the leader,” although sufficient free time is built into the schedule. I continue to volunteer with the Red Cross. In addition to moving around California for the 2023 floods and doing sheltering and recovery work, I had the unique experience of going to Guam in June, where they had the worst typhoon in their history. I deployed right at the beginning and flew over on a military flight with FEMA workers. I was the on-site night manager for a shelter that averaged about 250 people a night. About half of our clients were migrants from Micronesia. I learned quite a bit about the cultural and political background of Guam. I didn’t deploy to Maui until November. I was doing recovery casework and training local Temporary Disaster Employees
(TDE) who were hired at decent wages to take over the work as the Red Cross decreased its involvement. I also worked with FEMA reviewing rejected applications, which is not a typical Red Cross job. I was so impressed with the care and concern of the FEMA employees in finding what people needed to get assistance. They deployed for several months and worked six days a week, 10 hours a day. Many of them have other jobs back home. Government workers often get a bad rap, but I loved working with this affable, generous group of people. When I’m home, I work with people displaced by a home fire as a disaster responder and a caseworker. I am still involved with the nonpartisan League of Women Voters, do a little voter registration, and hope to moderate local candidate forums in the fall. I also plan to get involved in partisan politics as the election nears. Mary Sweetland Laver: Chiming in here from Bala Cynwyd, PA, where Lance and I have lived for 40-plus years. We are grateful for good health and a vibrant community. Our daughter lives nearby with her family, so we see our granddaughters often. Our son and his wife live in L.A., but we keep in close touch, as we do with our many Sweetland relatives in the West. A highlight of a recent SoCal trip was a lovely visit with Rose Teichert Grimm in Ojai! On the work front: For the past four years, I’ve directed a local initiative called New Encounters: Catholics Confronting Racism. I’m inspired by what we are learning as we strive to remind ourselves that we are all made in God’s image and that Catholics can be major culture-shifters on that theme. As I write this, we are close to the anniversary of MLK’s assassination. For those of us who were at Stanford in 1968, we recall an encounter with some of our former Santa Catalina teachers who were visiting and who didn’t grasp the significance of MLK’s death and its impact on us. Laurie Bechtel Dachs spoke of this when she was honored in 2017, our 50th reunion year. There is much to learn as we each do what we can to forge a better world for our grandkids and beyond. My husband
is very involved in Jewish and interfaith circles advocating for peace. We welcome hearing from any of you who may be doing similar things in your neck of the woods! Katy Lewis: After a few tough years, all is well in my life. I love my work. I am now an executive director at mbaMIssion, where I admit top candidates worldwide to top business and policy schools in the U.S. My three daughters and their wonderful husbands thrive in their jobs and lives. My oldest, Claire, is a lighting designer who has worked on major projects (stage, parties, and corporate) throughout California. Rosemary is a senior executive at UpStart, which she helped build as a fintech startup (it is now post-IPO). Katharine lives in D.C. and is the director of global policy at Airbnb. It’s hard to believe that I now have four young grandchildren (three boys and one girl) and a fifth (a girl) due in May! I feel so blessed! Besides work and family, I just adore my garden. Living in the BurlingameSan Mateo area (just south of San Francisco) is like heaven! Since it’s much warmer and sunnier than SF, I have planted a large perennial garden with fruit trees (apricot, apple, plum, lemon, orange) and herbs galore. I have become quite interested in attracting birds to my small garden; my current goal is to attract mourning doves to nest. I have never forgotten hearing about mourning doves at Roz’s in France! Sue Lloyd has been in touch with Catherine Sparolini. She writes, “Sadly, before Christmas, Kay Sparolini had a fall in her home in Carmel and is still recuperating at the Ivy Park at Monterey facility where I visited her recently. Do join me in prayer for her speedy recovery.” Sandy MacGregor Mack: My husband, Wake, and I are well (health is a gift at our age), playing golf and pickleball and practicing yoga. My grandchildren are licensed drivers, so my previous job as Nana Uber has diminished, but we are useful as dog-sitters these days. We are in Palm Springs, CA, enjoying a break from the Portland weather and have been joined by children and grandchildren, except those in college. Life does move along. Sending well wishes to everyone and cherishing many Santa Catalina memories.
Yolanda Scaccia Manuel: I still work for the Archdiocese of San Francisco at St. Catherine of Siena School. We have six grandchildren, and the three who live with us keep us busy: Jenna played varsity volleyball at Mercy High SchoolBurlingame and will attend the University of Nevada Reno in the fall, and the twins, Andrew and Christian, are heavily involved with robotics competitions as sophomores at Serra High School in San Mateo. They grow up too fast but keep us young, so I’m glad to be a part of their daily lives. I’m also happy to report that I finally finished La La’s Christmas, a 200-page, full color with pictures, perfectly bound Christmas and family cookbook! My family is happy that I’m passing on my most treasured cookie and holiday recipes, and they enjoy reading the stories about our family and the history of each recipe. I miss seeing all of you, but I hope we can get together sometime soon.
Jeanette Caniglia Mazzarino: I attended the presentation and tour of the Santa Catalina Rosary Chapel by Dr. John Murphy, Assistant Head of
School for Mission and Identity and Religious Studies Department Chair. It was so enlightening. The chapel is still as beautiful as it was when we were there. It needs a few updates after 70 years, but they are not changing anything. Do you remember November 22, 1963, when we were all summoned to the chapel to pray when we got the news that President Kennedy was shot? Do you remember the sobs when they announced that he had succumbed? It was a moving and unforgettable experience for me. The chapel continues to be a spiritual place for staff and students. I learned today that it was the first building added to the property under Sister Kieran’s leadership. What a treasure! I am so proud to be an alum. Anne Neill: So far, I’ve avoided major health issues and got some traveling in. Seems that a few of us have ties to Colorado! My younger daughter finished grad school last year and is a practicing psychotherapist in Boulder; I occasionally get out there. My other daughter still lives and works in Berlin, Germany, but we’ve been meeting in Chamonix, France, for summer adventures the past few years. Trina Smith Overlook: As many of you have said, reading about your lives and recent developments is wonderful. Although some of us have suffered serious losses or quietly struggled with ongoing life challenges, it is striking that we all express a sense of purpose and an appreciation for the people and communities surrounding us. That suggests we are doing pretty well—especially for the group of older ladies we have now become. I am grateful to say I am well, as is my husband, Mike. We are both engaged with causes and on boards that sometimes keep us busier than we’d like. Our three children live nearby, so we regularly see them and our seven (soon to be eight) grandchildren. All our children are gainfully employed, and so far, no grandchildren have been kicked out of school. So, all in all, we’re thriving. Nan Peletz: The big news is that I designed and am building a new house in Palo Alto, CA. It will be finished in June of this year. This project has taken up most of my time in the last two to three years, and I haven’t had much time to paint. I’m really looking forward to finishing it so I can get back into my studio. My two granddaughters, Phoebe (8) and Piper (6), are SO much fun. My partner of 12 years has four granddaughters. All told, we have six girls aged from 6 to 15. All of those I love are in good health, as am I (well, if you don’t count glaucoma and kidney issues). So I feel incredibly lucky. I know things can turn on a dime, so I practice staying in the present moment and in gratitude. Lynne Abbes Rolley: I am still very involved in tennis in Orinda, CA, after leaving La Quinta Resort five years ago. I am also the board chair of the Professional Tennis Registry (20,000 coaches internationally) for my volunteer job. Mike and I have been married for 56 years and go between Moraga and Palm Desert, as he prefers warm weather. I have one daughter, Ashlie, and two beautiful grandchildren, with whom we spent Easter in La Jolla. We are blessed but have had our share of tragedies as well. I lost two sisters to cancer and my first son-in-law to a heart attack
Anne Neill '67 and MaryBeth ’69 meet up to watch the eclipse in Texas.
(41). Ashlie is now remarried after seven years and happy again! Roz Boswell Seysses: I still live in Burgundy, France, the same house for 50-plus years. While we have always had dogs, we now have a healthy flock of 20 chickens plus two roosters. My sons all live nearby and are fully running both wineries. They have lunch here on weekdays. My two eldest grandsons, 16 and 13, are in boarding school; two younger ones, 8 and 10, have lunch here on Wednesdays. Activities include many exercise classes, dog walks with friends every afternoon, and occasional trips to Paris to see friends, exhibits, or the theater. Things we don’t do: give dinner parties (only lunches), go to the movies at night, or travel much to the United States. I enjoy hearing about class news. It sounds as if we are aging differently but gracefully. Claudia Jones Shepherd: Lots of changes since Mike passed last September. I sold the house in Las Vegas and have moved to Modesto, CA. So far, I like being back in California. I am much closer to all my family and friends. I am planning a trip to Monterey in July and one to Mexico with my sister in October. I plan to attend the next reunion, assuming I stay well until then. I am looking forward to seeing everyone. Chris Von Drachenfels: My daughter and her fab new hubby and their six kids and I have bought 10 acres 20 minutes north of Spokane, WA. They needed a bigger house (grands are 18, 14, 10, 8, 2, 10 months) and I want to live amongst the trees and deer and not neighbors and city sirens. We sold our last California property last year, my wonderful family home. This was a hard decision, but in reality, I don’t travel much and would rarely use the house. I am retired after 20 years at my family business. Now I can focus on downsizing. We’re building a “Nonnie’s house,” an 800-squarefoot ADU, so most days I sort and pack my “treasures.” I also care for my two senior dogs (the kind of dog I rescue these days, some wonderful soul whose family abandoned them in their old age), one senior corn snake, and four middle-aged rabbits. I am not comfortable with our culture and usually just stay out of it. I am very comfortable with my own company, so off to the woods I go! I have a 2-year-old granddaughter to delight this summer with magic, fairies, and dragons. Happy Year of the Dragon to all! Leueen Willoughby: I am in Florida for the winter, and my husband and I will head home to Ontario in April. I come down here with a horse. In previous years I competed, but those days are over for me now. Back in October of last year, I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. However, I am still able to ride. If anyone is interested, I have a blog with all my horsey activities (horseaddict.net); my horse, Biasini, sometimes “speaks” on the blog. Our son lives in London and does consulting for elections. Our daughter is the executive vice president of an AHL hockey team. She lives in Belleville, Ontario. She has one son. Lyn Wyman: Life has had more than its usual number of ups and downs this past year, but I am overall healthy and managing the day-to-day with some success. The highlight of 2023 was my younger daughter’s wedding in October and acquiring a son-in-law who is such a dear person. In March, both of my daughters and I marked five years since my husband/their dad
passed away. We spent a lovely day together in San Francisco, where Dennis was born and raised. Our family had always talked about going to Alcatraz together, so we did that. The weather was glorious, and we think he would have approved. Two trips to Mexico were fun— Wynn Woodward generously hosted Louise Vessey Edwards and me in Cabo San Lucas in November, and I was in Puerto Vallarta with friends in January. Other things that keep me occupied: theater and San Francisco symphony concerts, zeroing in on how to make myself useful in the upcoming general election, managing old house maintenance projects, oral history transcript editing for the Stanford Historical Society, and most recently, reveling in all the attention that women’s college basketball is finally getting. Happy 52nd birthday, Title IX! And happy 75th birthday to all of us 1949ers in the Class of ’67! May the road rise to meet us.
68
Eugenie Schlueter emschl@sbcglobal.net
Daphne Macneil
daphnemacneil@yahoo.com
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
69
The Class of 1969 is without a class correspondent. Please contact Adrienne Harris ’98, Director of Alumnae/i and Parent Relations to volunteer to
serve your class in this meaningful way. Sandy Donnell: So sorry to have missed our 55th reunion! Our time recently has been filled with travel and weekend childcare. I love the four grandchildren, but it is nice to get away and be “unavailable” sometimes. It is also a relief to be removed from U.S. politics and get an alternative world perspective. It truly gets me down at times. We have been to France, where we are extremely lucky to be good friends with the current American ambassador, and have had the opportunity to stay with her at “the Residence.” Equally fun is a ride with her in her official vehicle, with a chase car clearing the way through Paris streets. Paris without traffic is a delight! Diving in Indonesia kept me from our reunion in March, and we are looking forward to a trip to Botswana in May. The chance to appreciate nature has been such a blessing. Throughout COVID, fires, and general unrest, the natural world offers such a lift. I see some classmates—too many to list, but they all look great 55 years later. Joan Farr Minks: Greetings from Indiana! My daughter was married this past fall in a beautiful celebration. Hippie mom here and a traditional midwestern mom-in-law, so it was an adventure! I’m loving retirement, with lots of international immersion travels and traditional craft classes. Visits to Papua New Guinea and Arnhem Land in Northern Australia for two months were amazing. Papua New Guinea was challenging and tense. I will be back in Northern Africa this fall and winter. I hope everyone is well and happy.
70
Marie Cantin rapideye1@aol.com
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
71
The Class of 1971 is without a class correspondent. Please contact Adrienne Mindel Harris ’98, Director of Alumnae/i and Parent Relations, to volunteer to serve your class in this meaningful way. Julie Garcia: I’m trying to wind down my development project of 51 houses in Redding, CA. I’ve survived the pandemic, high interest rates, and two rainy winters. Only five houses to go! I’m looking forward to a trip to Europe in the fall as a make-up trip from 2020. There are lots of Giants games on the schedule.
The Class of 1969 at Reunion 2024.
72
Suzanne S. Sederholt suzanne.scoville@gmail.com
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
73
Lucia Blair Webster lbwebster@comcast.net
Diane Hull: I’m compiling my Substack posts on “Reflections on the Long Walk Home” into chapters and working on editing them into a book. This will take awhile! From April to September I’ll be a “trail angel” for people hiking the Continental Divide Trail and collecting more stories. Debbie Humm: Finally, I got to join the Grandma Club. On Good Friday between the Holy Hours, our “Dear Theodosia” (think the Aaron Burr lullaby in the musical Hamilton) made her appearance. We are over the moon!
74
The Class of 1974 is without a class correspondent. Please contact Adrienne Harris ’98, Director of Alumnae/i and Parent Relations,to volunteer to serve your class in this meaningful way.
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
75
Meggan Laxalt Mackey mackey.dm@gmail.com
The Loss of Amanda Bryan: The Class of ’75 is saddened at losing our classmate Amanda Bryan, a strong, full-spirited, wonderful woman. We send her family our deepest condolences and look forward to the opportunity to join her Celebration of Life when we hear of those plans. We all pause to reflect on other Santa Catalina classmates, family members, and friends we have lost. They are always in our hearts. Annette Leach Alcocer: I am still at Catalina as the bookstore manager. It’s been 12 years, and I enjoy it so much! I ate lunch with Dryden Branson Bordin, Mollie Drake, and Dede Duoos Davis in Santa Cruz. We laughed and got caught up. We are returning to Kauai in June with our entire family, including grandsons Andrew and Matthew! Katy MooreKozachik: I met up with Christine Blom Gomez , her husband, and her dog Bijou during their quick visit to Carmel. We had a great time: cocktails, a fireplace, walking by the beach, and reminiscing. As many of you know, my husband passed away after a very long bout with a rare form of Alzheimer’s. I received and loved every card, text, and email I got. You are all in my heart; some have had a similar loss. I’ve not reached out much, but I know you all made a difference! Lots of love! Yolanda Mitchell West: I have been busy with work, music, and life! Recently I was elected Western Region Director of one of the most historic national music organizations, The National Association of Negro Musicians Inc. (NANM). Since its inception in 1919, this organization has provided encouragement and support to thousands of Black American musicians, many of whom have become widely respected figures in music and have contributed significantly to American culture and music history. I am also the branch president of one of the organization’s local chapters in Los Angeles. The 2024 NANM Convention was held here July
14-18. So as you can imagine, I am pretty busy. I am also an active member of other music organizations, such as Mu Phi Epsilon Alumni Chapter and The League of Allied Arts. I have sung as a guest soloist, often at churches in Los Angeles and Orange County. And to give me the most joy, I am the proud grandma of my 6-year-old grandson, Kasen. He is as smart as a button! My three sons, James III, Mitchell, and Jordan, are busy with their careers and doing well. And there is hubbie, James II, the love of my life: We are celebrating our 34th anniversary!
Adrienne Morphy Ladd: I like retired life, although I still manage two rentals in the Bay Area. Our son still lives in Brooklyn, and we happily see him several times yearly. I continue to nurture my vegetable garden in Bolinas and play lots of tennis and golf in San Francisco. I see Sarah Colmery Preston fairly regularly on her visits here for work, and I occasionally see Lisa Barry, Barbara Gault ’74, Sally Fay ’74, and others on hikes or the tennis court. I just returned from a fabulous trip to the Galapagos—a 2024 highlight that will be hard to beat! Allison Willoughby Hosbein: While I haven’t been good about sharing my news, I always read about what our class has been up to. My husband, Pete, and I live in central Florida, but our three kids have all flown the coop to fun places to visit. Our oldest daughter, recently engaged, lives in Chicago; our son is in Boulder but moving soon to Denver; and our youngest
Yolanda Mitchell West ’75 with her family.
The Class of 1974 at their 50th reunion.
daughter is in Boston. We recently designed and built an age-in-place house, which is more fun than the building, as we broke ground at the beginning of COVID. To celebrate our 30th anniversary in 2022, my husband and I took a cruise on the Rhône River last summer and rented a house for a couple of weeks in Avignon, France. Surprisingly (it shouldn’t have been), all three kids showed up during our stay, which made for a wonderful, if slightly crowded, time together! Pete will be retiring sometime in the next 12 months, so new adventures ahead! I’ll try to get to next year’s Reunion, although it may hinge on our daughter’s wedding date (still working on that one). Fingers crossed that the dates align, as I’d like to catch up with our class. It’s been too long (mea culpa). Cecily Marble Hintzen: We moved to the Portland, OR, area in summer 2021 after the pandemic upended our lives in Santa Barbara, CA, and we decided to retire. Our daughter and her family live there, so we are overjoyed to be part of their lives. Coming from sunny California, the most unique thing that happened was experiencing an ice storm and an extended power outage. Seven degrees and no heat overnight was enough to convince my husband that maybe a generator was worth the expense! It also motivated me to organize our neighbors so we have a system of checking on one another during emergencies. Tip for aging: Don’t do it! Cheryl Jeffcoat Wilhelm: I miss you all! I almost did not write, as not much had changed, but it has been 22 years of marriage for Bob and I. Hopefully, we have many more, as Bob has had advanced Parkinson’s for most of the past five years. We are still in Pebble Beach. I have always loved watching This Old House, and now we are trying to decide if we will fix this 76-year-old house. My heart goes out to you who have lost a loved one in recent years. Dad left us in 2021, and two of my brothers have cancer. God doesn’t give us more than we can handle, but God will always hold us in the palm of his hands. God bless you all. Christine Blom Gomez: Hope you’re doing well! There is nothing new for me on
this front. Enjoying retirement and lazy days and spending time with my aging dog (and husband!). We had two glorious trips to Kenya and Qatar but are taking a year off from international travel. Had a delightful sleepover with Katy MooreKozachik and her new buddy Bijou in Carmel. I saw Dede Duoos Davis and Joan Artz . Joan has a fantastic garden in the Carmel Valley and will be harvesting a bounty this year. Dede has been fixing the ranch nonstop for the next big wedding party. She’s done a fantastic overhaul of the place. I miss Amanda, her giggle, and her voice. I hope everyone is enjoying their days because life is short! P.S.: I don’t know how we could be coming up on our 50th since we’re probably all about 22!
Dede Duoos Davis: My younger son, Beau, tied the knot right before Christmas in a small ceremony overlooking the ocean in Dana Point, CA. So now I’ve got both boys married off. Yippee! Meanwhile, I’ve been busy as a bee pulling this ’ol 1890 ranch together to host the wedding reception. A small feat—but hey, Rome wasn’t built in a day, right? On another note, I was able to pull away from work recently to enjoy a grand time with Joan Artz and Christine Blom Gomez. We enjoyed a scrumptious dinner at Rustica in Carmel Valley (my favorite) and a Van Morrison concert in Carmel (he’s 77 already—yikes, time flies!). The best part was chatting till late over wine at the Carmel Valley Inn, exchanging stories and giggles. Wishing everyone continued health, happiness, and peace! Diana Oliver Bartley: I’m delighted to write that our daughter, Rosie, is expecting a baby in July. All advice and wisdom on being a grandparent are gratefully received! We’ve already been asked to babysit in Italy, which will be lovely. I’m trying to squeeze in as many trips away as I can before summer. I just returned from South Africa, which was a wonderful break from the dire spring we’ve been having. I plan to be there for our 50th. What a surreal thought! It’s been far too long since I’ve enjoyed seeing many of you, so you all better be there. Perhaps it is time to research a few discreet “tweakments,” book a personal trainer, pop supplements, and research the health benefits of injections of yak hormones. Sending lots of love to everyone in the meantime. Dominique Kenan Hutches: I’m still alive after all these years and living in Concord, CA. We live close to our two granddaughters, so we get to be active in their lives. We are raising two dogs, three bee hives, and one rescued 26-year-old ball python. Last December, she surprised us by providing eggs and babies, even though she hadn’t been around another snake for at least 13 years! (I keep wondering if she snuck away to Vegas or something?) Recently, we visited our daughter’s farm in Virginia. We have three brilliant daughters: a chemist, an emergency vet tech, and a writer of horror and science fiction. They are all amazing women! I can’t believe next year is our 50th anniversary of graduation—where did the time go? Frances (Franny) Hartwell: Flo Clark and Amanda hosted the most extraordinary party in the wine country. I’m glad I got to speak with Amanda a bit, not knowing it would be the last time. Life goes on in (mostly) quiet Berkeley, CA. I
love the people at my job and feel very lucky. I will visit Mexico City at the end of April with a friend. Neither of us has been there before. We’re making the itinerary now, and it’s really fun. Hope you will all make it to our 50th. Gretta Lenahan Ryan: Greetings from Tokyo on our last day of a month-long trip around Hong Kong, Korea, and Japan. I have enjoyed traveling since retirement 10 years ago, and we plan several trips yearly. I am still a bit of a newbie living in Newport Beach, CA, having relocated there after 30 years in Pasadena, but it’s a joy to be so close to my three daughters and seven grandchildren—and, of course, Disneyland! Irene Blackwood Moulton: Hi, Class of ’75; it’s been a while since I have written. This is what is going on in my world. I work at the Center for Reading Diagnosis and Instruction at CSU Monterey Bay. We work with school districts in the communities around us to help children who are diagnosed with mild to moderate autism, dyslexia, English language learners, or who are learning delayed. Steve and I are coming up on 48 years of marriage, with four children, 13 grandchildren (including twin girls born on March 17), and six great-grandchildren. Family is what I have been up to! Jane Wilson Hanna: We are doing well, splitting our time between Smith River and Grass Valley, CA. My husband, Mitch, just retired from operating two hospitals: one in Crescent City (hence the beach house in Smith River) and another in Auburn. I think I can retire, too, from all the hard work involved! We lost our wonderful son two years ago due to a fentanyl overdose. We live this loss every day, which broke our hearts—and those of all who knew and loved him. His twin sister is getting married in Greece this year, so we have something happy to look forward to. Jeannie Jagels Vaughn: My grandson was born on my birthday (April 8). He is now a 2-year-old, and he captivated us so much that we are buying an apartment in New York so we don’t miss too much of these early years! My daughters live on the Upper West Side and will probably be there for at least four more
Jeannie Jagels Vaughn ’75 with her grandson.
Cecily Marble Hintzen ’75 with her grandchildren.
years so we will be bi-coastal. (Getting into a New York co-op requires ridiculous disclosure and recommendations. It’s like it is its own “private club.”) My son continues to live in France with his husband, though he will spend more time here in the U.S. as he misses family. Our children (and their family members) are all healthy and working hard in their lives. I see Sarah Colmery Preston a lot, and Sue Bowen Osen ’74 remains a favorite, though I don’t see her as much now that we are going hither and yon. Kim Wright-Violich and Christie Wills Price remain in my life through a Stanford connection that I clung to during COVID. It is fantastic to be in touch with these wonderful friends. I am completely retired now, and our family office closes forever this month, which was the end of a long business partnership with my brothers. I am sad about that. I am planning to visit Meg Laxalt Mackey this summer in Boise. We have been trying to do this forever. I remain healthy and grateful for all I have in this world that is changing so fast. Lisa Barry: I am still plugging along as an O.R. and recovery nurse. This year marks 40 years in the profession. I love it, but I must say I feel it at the end of my workday. One of the surgeons I work for is retiring, which is my cue to slow it way down. Working very part-time is perfect. I love my coworkers, and having a sense of purpose is rewarding. My husband and I are still hiking right out our back gate. We are so lucky to have the beauty, weather, and wonderful lifestyle Marin County, CA, offers. I can’t submit these notes without mentioning the sadness of Amanda’s passing. I saw her a handful of times after her diagnosis, and she was as cheery, upbeat, and realistic as can be. It’s a stark reminder that one’s attitude is a choice. I miss her dearly. I hope everyone is well, and I look forward to our 50th reunion! Adelaide (Baba) Tietje Crosby: I am so grateful for our class keeping in touch. This has been a year of many goodbyes. My aunt had a beautiful memory collage of friends and family who had gone “upstairs,” as she said. My board is filling up too quickly. Grateful for each day and looking forward to seeing you all next year. We had a great year of rain but were so happy about the warm sunshine. Take care and safe travels in
2025. Kim Wright-Violich: All is well. Living full-time at Stinson Beach, CA. I am writing on a breathtakingly beautiful day. I was CEO of Schwab Charitable (Charles Schwab’s donoradvised fund) for 12 years. I left 10 years ago and co-founded two small companies. The first, Tideline, provides strategic advice to institutional investors on achieving environmental and social impact with investments. The second, BlueMark, verifies the authenticity of the claims impact investors make. In January, I retired from my day-to-day management roles in those companies but retained my role as non-executive board chair. I have also been assisting the first employee at Google with his philanthropy. That job has grown to almost full-time. Echidna Giving now has a team of 12 that is granting to over 100 organizations supporting girls’ education in India and Africa! Those roles have been meaningful and rewarding, but the moments of my life that move me the most are spent with my (close-by) three grown children and my two young grandchildren. My grandchildren call me Moomoo. It has nothing to do with having cattle ranchers in my family and hopefully does not reflect my appearance. I see Christie Wills Price the most and occasionally Jeannie Jagels Vaughn. Christie’s son was married last month, and she looked beautiful—her mother-son dance was one of my all-time favorites. Elizabeth Leach: Brigid Flanigan ’73 hosted a lovely gathering at her home in Portland, OR, for Catalina alumnae to send Dr. Barbara Ostos off to Monterey as the newest (and fifth) Head of School at Santa Catalina. We talked about Laurie Boone Hogan, a woman who influenced many of us positively. We decided, “If you want to see a strong turnout of alumnae from our class and others, just host a reception with Laurie Boone Hogan !” So, in February, a number of alumnae from the 1970s did just that. We gathered at the Sonoma, CA, farmhouse of Arden Bucklin-Sporer ’74 to celebrate. Lisa Cavanaugh Wiese ’74, Jeanne Vibert Sloane ’74, Tracy Miller Hass, Suzanne Dragge Icaza ’74, Lucy Lewis-Dreyer, Elizabeth (Boo) Byers ’74, Barbara Gault ’74, and many others came. It was much fun to connect with so many Catalina women! Looking forward to our 50th reunion!
How can this be? Elizabeth Walker Rudinica: At the ripe age of 67, I have decided to accept the me I am now! Life isn’t perfect, nor has mine been. I’ve been married to the same man for soon-to-be 43 years, through thick and thin! Two sons are on our payroll. One son has a wonderful girlfriend, and I love my little black Pomeranian grand pup, whom I couldn’t stand in the beginning but now adore. So at this point, my joys in life are my art, our home in the desert where I took up tennis again, getting out of bed every morning, and hitting the repeat button! I stay in touch with Adelaide Tietje Crosby, whom I consider a sister, and I appreciate her friendship through the years. I am very lucky and appreciate each day. And Amanda…she will be missed, a bright shining star up in heaven. Michele Bozzo Mahi: I recently took on a role at our church coordinating 115 volunteers weekly for our food pantry—and it’s been busy. Food insecurity is real in Orange County. As for special trips, my husband and I traveled to Maui to visit family in October and found it incredibly sad to see Lahaina, where he was raised. We saw a devastated Front Street and even saw how far into West Maui and Upcountry the fire went. Our family in Maui and here are all doing well; our grandkids are growing, and we are healthy. Hello to my classmates, and hopefully, I will see you all in 2025! Tracy Burke Taylor: I don’t have a lot of new news, but I want to stay connected! I am enjoying my quiet life in Santa Clarita in Southern California. I recently started playing tennis again and am making fun new friends and loving it! I am regaining my youth, bringing out the competitive “Catalina spirit” in me. I will head to Utah this summer to visit my daughter Angela and grandsons Austin and Beau. We plan on having some great adventures. I am looking forward to seeing everyone at our 50th! Mollie Drake: I recently moved back to Dallas after 32 years. My dear, sweet husband passed away last year unexpectedly from leukemia. When we thought he was 98% curable, I said, “If anything happens to you, I’d probably move back to Dallas, where I have many friends who are still there.” Most of our friends have left California. Sarah Colmery Preston: I had a great night with my three grandkids at the Wynn in Las Vegas. I
Tracy Hobbs Jones ’75 and her husband, Jeff, took a trip of a lifetime to Antarctica.
Katy Moore-Kozachik ’75 and Christine Blom Gomez ’75 in Carmel.
went up and down the escalator with them 22 times! They kept saying, “Can we do it again?” Our room overlooked the sphere, and we all loved it. I still work at Cate School, a few blocks from the grandkids. Annie and Sallie are 6, identical twins. Henry is 8 years old, in third grade. They are great fun. I hope to ski with them in a few weeks. I am also on the board of Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, which works hard to keep our area and waters pristine. Tracy Hobbs Jones: Retiring two years ago as the advancement director for Palma School in Salinas left me wondering what retirement meant. It didn’t take long to realize that I thrive on staying busy! I wanted to contribute to my community, so I applied to join the Monterey County Civil Grand Jury. I am currently wrapping up my second term. Grandchildren and traveling have jumped to the top of our list. Our son and his wife, along with our two granddaughters, call Denver home, while our daughter Sarah Jones Rediske ’04, her husband, and our three grandsons reside in Tulsa. Our trips to Oklahoma and Colorado have allowed us to rack up plenty of air miles. Last year was filled with incredible adventures! I embarked on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land with our church in February. Whether standing in the shadow of the Western Wall or sitting on the Sea of Galilee bank, every experience enriched my faith. It fostered a deeper appreciation for the historical and cultural tapestry of the Holy Land. We accompanied our son and his family to Italy for a few weeks in September. Our granddaughters were the perfect ages (12 and 7) for exploring, indulging in gelato, and mastering the art of pizza-making. However, the pinnacle of our adventures came in December when Jeff and I set sail for Antarctica. Every moment was surreal, from making awe-inspiring landings to kayaking amidst swimming penguins. We formed a special bond with the adorable chinstrap penguins and had a heart-stopping encounter when a humpback whale swam under our little Zodiac, leaving us in awe of nature’s magnificence. It was an exhilarating experience, albeit a tad nervewracking, that will forever remain etched in our memories. We can also now say that we survived the 26-foot swells crossing Drake’s Passage! Victoria Thys Barnes: My husband and I moved from California to Pennsylvania in September 2022 to be nearer to our three children (our two daughters are based in the Philadelphia area, and our son lives in Boston). My granddaughter was born in December 2022, and it’s been great fun spending time with that smart, strong, and utterly fearless little person. I am still working full-time, having switched from Silicon Valley marketing communications to a mostly remote comms consulting role at a global pharma company. I took up masters rowing a decade ago, and when I’m not working or chasing a toddler, I train and compete on the Schuylkill River with Whitemarsh Boat Club. Sending best wishes to all! Meg Laxalt Mackey: Thanks to everyone who sent their updates for the Bulletin . Thanks also to Sarah Colmery Preston for several prompts that inspired many responses. Those of you who could not write in, we miss you and understand how busy life is. We look forward to seeing everyone at our 50th reunion next year (gulp)! When we hear more, we will pass along specifics about the reunion celebration on school grounds—and off.
Let’s give it a try and have a full gathering! It’s been too long, and we can all make joyful connections. My life has been busier than ever. My Studio M business is very busy and over-full, mostly with wonderful book design projects for authors across the country. Creativity thrives these days! I am also involved in the Basque community teaching and helping to coordinate our Basque Studies Program at Boise State University, along with a few programs with the University of Nevada, Reno’s Center for Basque Studies, and various entities in Basque Country. I am also working on writing (and designing) a new book, which is the history of an amazing Idaho letterpress publisher—books truly are my love. I have battled a difficult infection since November (it seems to be resolving finally), but that medical scare has prompted my husband, Dennis, and I to sell our home in the Boise foothills and move into a much smaller, one-story home closer to town. We figured we’d better plan for our “next chapter.” This will allow us to travel more, so we look forward to that. My daughter Erin lives in the Portland-Vancouver area and collaborates with me on some design jobs, which is a thrill for me—and an honor! Hugs to all of you, and I can’t wait to see you in 2025.
76
Margaret Ganz itstartsat50@hotmail.com
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
77
Julie Power Pantiskas juliepantiskas@gmail.com
78
Elizabeth Stelow DiNunzio liz@dinunzio.com
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
79
Deirdre Smith dsmith7123@ sbcglobal.net
A fortunate Class of ’79 attended the Santa Catalina Alumnae Reunion Weekend in March with about 10 of us. Thanks to Grace Tietje for sending reunion photos to share. While I could not be there, seeing our peers celebrate our class and time at Catalina 45 years later was good! Perhaps we can gather our children and grandchildren one day. Grace suggested a reunion before our 50th, so if you have ideas, send them my way. Any coordinator volunteers? Perhaps we can convene in San Diego County, where I am, or near Grace, in San Luis Obispo. I was also happy to receive an update from Julie Jones Breitfuss
Grace Tietje ’79 and Lee Busby Orr ’79.
The Class of 1979 at Reunion 2024.
on her clan. She writes: “We spent the weekend with the kids in San Diego for Easter. It was a very fun get-together, although quite rainy, so I had to do indoor activities—eat, eat, eat—but I did get a chance between storms to go to a Liberty Station painting class, walk the kids’ dogs, and hang out, as it is always a treat with our now adult kids.” Julie has been calling Palm Desert home for a while now. Perhaps this would be a good rendezvous spot for our class.
Northwest as well as Alaska. I have also been adding trips to see some of my siblings in Palm Springs and Carmel. Since downsizing 18 months ago, I have little housework to contend with (no complaints!) and am rediscovering old crafting joys. My newest undertaking is quantum energy healing, which I am doing with a guide as I figure out what this next decade or two will look like. I hope you are all happy and healthy—more of a challenge as we enter our 60s! And remember, life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away!
Janet Fergusson Leighton: I have been busy taking on nana duties for the newest Leighton,
Amelia, who was born in October. I am blessed with three grown sons who live close by and whom I love being around. It’s great having Lil McDonald Manthoulis and Kathleen Mahaney Daniel here on the Peninsula. We see each other often. Monica Stewart Baker, now Monica Stewart Montoya, married longtime love Francisco in December 2022, with Lil attending. It was a beautiful winter wedding at Ghirardelli Square! Monica and Francisco continue to live in Modesto, CA. Lil McDonald Manthoulis: I took on a full-time job in national marketing for American Leak Detection, and we now live full-time in Carmel. My youngest son is a junior at Stevenson, and our converted garage room has become a favorite overnight hangout for his resident student friends. I am reliving my Catalina days watching him run around the Monterey Peninsula! Judith Wray Nelson: My husband, Pete, and I still live in Fall City, WA, and continue building treehouses around the country (www.treehousepoint.com).
Our three kids and two grandkids live nearby, so we’re lucky to see them regularly. We have a house on San Juan Island, and I’m so happy to spend time with Leslie Walker, who lives on Orcas Island.
82
Mindy Malisoff Baggett mbaggett@cox.net
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
80
Dana DePuy Morgan danamorgan@mac.com
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
81
Lil McDonald Manthoulis maria.manthoulis@gmail.com
Monica Stewart Montoya moniker1963@aol.com
Paula Tunstall Barker: This update is from my “liminal stage”—the transition phase of life. Currently an empty nester (still in beautiful Fort Collins, CO), retired from a nursing career 39 years in the making, and waiting for my husband to join me in retirement, I work occasionally for our library district, hit the gym, walk with my precious pooch Nellie, and travel to see our fabulous young adult children in the Pacific
Class of 1979 members Kristina Croonquist Martin, Francie Hoffmire Balestrieri, Grace Bruns, and Adrianna Pope Sullivan at Reunion Weekend.
Lil McDonald Manthoulis ’81 attends the wedding of classmate Monica Stewart Montoya ’81.
Jody Compagno: Reading your emails brought back so many laugh-out-loud memories! Yes, let’s plan an African safari reunion! Virginia Harris Gable: I was sad to miss our reunion last year. For those in the Bay Area, I would love a reunion lunch, dinner, or even a happy hour at Cultivar! It has been too long, and I miss all of you. We have a Cultivar restaurant on Chestnut Street in the Marina and a new location in Ghirardelli Square. I just saw my grammar school friends, and it was lovely. We had not seen one of our classmates for 40 years. For those interested, please email me, and we can figure out a date. Ibi Janko Murphy: As I write this, I realize it’s getting close to 45 years since we’ve all graduated and close to 20 years since I’ve had the unexpected grace to be back here teaching. I am grateful every single day. I adore teaching the littles who fill us all with pure joy and love, and our eighth graders inspire me as we explore service and leadership together. The faculty and staff here collaboratively offer laughter and support, and everyone will be happy to know that the same spirit of service and care remains here. My husband, John, continues to enjoy teaching philosophy to the “grown-up” girls who bring their wit and curiosity to the class. Our son, George (whose first outing at 2 months was our 25th reunion), is finishing his sophomore year and loving it as he enjoys his core courses and finds his niche in songwriting and composing. I am looking forward to seeing everyone again for our 45th, reminiscing and sharing in some good
laughs. Nella Nencini-Hutchings: I wish I could make one of these reunions, but they conflict with safaris each year. Life in Kenya is still going strong. I have been here for 20 years, which is hard to believe. Tin Trunk is also doing well with the boutique approach to designing safaris, which is increasingly important as preserving our wild spaces and animals continues to challenge all. In addition to helping people plan safaris to Africa and trips to Egypt, I am now podcasting, which is a fun and fresh thing in my life. I love meeting guides, conservationists, and Africaphiles and having informal chats with them, and I plan to keep this up as it’s a source of great joy. We just repainted our bush plane, so I love flying around Kenya even more. My three sons all live in Amsterdam now. It is a convenient coincidence when we visit Europe to have them all in one place, which we will do soon. Mary Sutton Pinkus: We are still living in Woodside, CA, but this year we are living in London one month on and one month off. Our youngest daughter, Sutton, graduated from Santa Catalina two years ago, so it was fun to be back on campus again and see Gretchen Mueller Burke. The school is thriving! Christine Sahadi Slonek: I’m very interested in getting together. Hello to all, and I hope you are doing well.
84
Julie Moore Delany julie@bushwire.com
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
85
Krysia Belza krysia@krysiabelza.com
86
Meg Gibbons Bertero megbertero@gmail.com
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
87
Susan Smith Nixon snixon@starbucks.com
88
Jennifer Pratt curgie615@earthlink.net
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
The Class of 1984 at Reunion 2024.
89
Emily Palmer Browne Wheeler epbrowne@aol.com
90
Sarah Lewis Boyle boyledesign831@gmail.com
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
91
Amy Bacon Clausing amyclausing@me.com
92
Amy Paulsen apindc@yahoo.com
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
93
Sarah Brown Goforth goforth345@gmail.com Galen Johnson galen.a.johnson@gmail.com
94
Audra Henry audrahenry7@gmail.com
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
95
Catie Ryan Balagtas catieryan@gmail.com
96
Jennifer Noble jnoble78@hotmail.com
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
97
Morgan Rogers McMillan morganrogersmcmillan@gmail.com
Jennifer Patton Wundrow: Life is crazy busy as usual. Still running my own interior design business out of Marin County with jobs all over California, including a big build project in San
The Class of 1989 at Reunion 2024.
Luis Obispo. Dave and the kids are great. My son is off to middle school and my daughter is headed to high school, which is so, so crazy. While she will not be going away for school, it brings back a flood of memories from my last summer at home before heading to Catalina and my freshman year in the dorms. Darcie (Goodman) Collins and I plan an annual girls weekend and it’s one of my favorite weekends of the year. Thankfully we still giggle as hard as we did (inappropriately) during Mass and the ELW performances. Sending hugs out to all my Catalina girls and hoping to see you all soon. Carmen Choi: We welcomed the arrival of our first born in November last year. Sabine has been healthy and just starting to enjoy music classes. She has made some baby friends (her friend gave her a surprise kiss last week) and traveled to Korea with mommy and daddy to see some relatives. Sarah McClendon: I’m loving working at UC Davis in Conference and Event Services while wrangling daughters Hazel (8) and Violet (7). I’m still coaching volleyball in Berkeley, celebrating my 14th year as director of Golden Bear Volleyball Club. Along with my wife, Melanie, and our new puppy, Barbie, we’re looking forward to hanging with Tia Jenn (Jennifer McClendon Schaible) and hitting the beach this summer! Minta Ershaghi Spencer: I’m living in Los Angeles, working as a professional harpist and pianist. My
three boys are growing up so fast; in the fall they will be entering sixth, ninth, and 12th grade, and they keep me really busy. Hope you’re all doing well and would love to see you soon. Andrea Hanel Cahill: Audrey, my 13-year-old daughter, and I moved to Santa Cruz’s West Side last year. We are now living with my partner, Quinn McLaughlin, and his two boys, who are 6 and 9. I’m enjoying all that Santa Cruz has to offer, including weekly ecstatic dance, mountain biking, ocean swimming, and a fun artistic community. Quinn is teaching Audrey how to kite surf. In the winter, you can find us skiing up a storm in Bear Valley. Angelique Cabral Osborn: I have had a busy year. My animated Disney movie, Wish, where I voice Queen Amaya, premiered over the holidays and was a big streaming success. I am starring on a new untitled Netflix animated series that premieres in 2025 and have an Amazon show premiering this fall called Clean Slate. I have also devoted a lot of time to volunteering, working with several nonprofits this year. In April, I had the honor of speaking at the U.N. on behalf of Justice for Migrant Women and C190. When I’m not volunteering or working, I’m busy with my kiddos Adelaide (first grade) and Alden (TK). We live in Toluca Lake in Los Angeles with our pup Lucy and my husband, Jason Osborn, who is vice president of marketing at Wonderful Brands.
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
99
Laura Stenovec laurastenovec@gmail.com
00 Kate Fagan katepfagan@gmail.com
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
01
Kaija-Leena Romero kai.romero@gmail.com
02 Sasha Irving sasha.irving@gmail.com
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
05
Madeline Callander madeline.callander@gmail.com
06
Lola Torney lstorney@gmail.com
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
07
Natalie Kocekian nkocek@gmail.com
Courtney Mazzei: I live in the East Bay and spend my days working in higher education fundraising for Northeastern University-Oakland, tending my backyard garden, cheering on the Bay FC women’s soccer team, and dancing around the house with my wife, Anna, and dog, Indy.
08
Shannon Gaughf Dillon slgaughf@gmail.com
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
09
The Class of 2009 is without a class correspondent. Please contact Adrienne Harris ’98, Director of Alumnae/i and Parent Relations, to volunteer to serve your class in this meaningful way.
12
Chloe Dlott ccdlott@gmail.com
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
13
Caitlin Dullanty caitlindullanty@gmail.com
Annie Haueter anniehaueter@gmail.com
10
Maeko Bradshaw maeko.bradshaw@gmail.com
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
11
Kelsey Player kelsey.player93@gmail.com Kelsey Riordan kelseyriordan11@aol.com
14
Kylie Moses kyliemoses14@gmail.com
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
15
Julia Clark julicclark09@gmail.com
The Class of 2004 at Reunion 2024.
16
The Class of 2016 is without a class correspondent. Please contact Adrienne Harris ’98, Director of Alumnae/i and Parent Relations, to volunteer to serve your class in this meaningful way.
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
17
Annarose L. Hunt annarosyrosy@gmail.com
18
Sylvan M. Free sylvanfree@gmail.com
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
Show
your Cougar Pride!
Want to show your school pride? Catalina & Co., Catalina's online bookstore, has you covered with a selection of T-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, stickers, and more!
To place an order, please visit santacatalina.org/ onlinebookstore or contact Annette Leach Alcocer ’75, bookstore manager, at 831.655.9376.
The Class of 2014 at Reunion 2024.
19
Kacey Konya konya@usc.edu
20
The Class of 2020 is without a class correspondent. Please contact Adrienne Harris ’98, Director of Alumnae/i and Parent Relations, to volunteer to serve your class in this meaningful way. We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
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.dillon@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
21
Dylan Barry-Schoen dbschoen25@gmail.com
22
Georgia Meyer meyega22@wfu.edu
We publish notes for each class once a year—oddnumbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter. Look for your class notes in the winter issue!
23
Charlotte Juge cpjuge@gmail.com
SCHEDULE
We publish notes for each class once a year—odd-numbered class years in the summer and even-numbered in the winter.
The Class of 2019 at Reunion 2024.
COMMUNITY TRANSITIONS
Items in Transitions reflect communications received between October 16, 2023 and April 30, 2024.
Alumnae
Births and Adoptions
Katie Carnazzo Larsen ’02, son Julian
Megan Pollacci Howard ’05, son Mark
In Memory
The family of Gray Burnham Hines ’53
Darlene Rocca Sullivan ’54 on the death of her husband
Hansi de Petra Rigney ’59 on the death of her husband
The family of Judy Rianda Zinani-Dudley ’60
The family of Christine Lowe Pratt ’62
The family of Jane Albert Willens ’63
The family of Evelyn Anderton ’64
The family of Susan Corey ’65
The family of Molly Helm Lynch ’65
Lauren Bechtel Dachs ’67 and Nonie Bechtel Ramsay ’71 on the death of their mother
Julie Brandlin Sigourney ’72 on the death of her husband
Teresa Rothe Graham ’74 on the death of her father
The family of Amanda Atherton Bryan ’75
Andrea Csaszar ’76 on the death of her mother
Caroline Shideler Orebi ’80 on the death of her mother
Kim Ward ’83 on the death of her father
The family of Aundra Robinson Saa Meroe ’85
Elise Mundell ’90 on the death of her father
Amanda Hennigan Mansour ’91 and Cassie Hennigan Filippone ’92 on the death of their father
Katie Rigney Dietrich ’97 on the death of her father
Elsbeth Sigourney ’01 and Brita Sigourney ’08 on the death of their father
Shannon Gaughf Dillon ’08 on the death of her father
Katie Karpenko ’17 on the death of her grandfather
Lower and Middle School Alumni
In Memory
Stephanie Shideler ’89 LS on the death of her mother
Faculty and Staff
Births and Adoptions
Diana Lara, daughter Kaila
In Memory
The family of Gordon Canepa
Dane Holmgren on the death of his father
The family of Sunzah Park
Under The Sea by Judy Zou'24
Hacienda Study by Jasmine Choi '25
Friday, March 21-Sunday, March 23
2023-2024 Board of Trustees
Laura K. Lyon ’81
Chair
Brett Davis Collins ’93
Vice-Chair
Matthew T. Gibbs II
Vice-Chair
Carolyn Hartwell O’Brien ’74
Vice-Chair
Kenneth Peyton Vice-Chair
Michael Roffler
Treasurer
Tracy Miller Hass ’75
Secretary
Dr. Barbara Ostos Head of School
Louise Diepenbrock Baker ’81
Sister Claire Barone
Gerardo A. Borromeo
Kathleen Brown ’63
Herm Edwards Jon Giffen Adriana Hayward
Tracy A. Huebner Brogiin Keeton ’01
Edward King
Charles I. Kosmont
Kate Brinks Lathen ’96
Tina Hansen McEnroe ’70, ’66 LS
Mary Khasigian Nikssarian Victor Ramirez Margaret Scattini
Stephen Schwerdfeger Pete Upham
Jalynne Tobias Redman ’72 President, Alumnae Association
