FALL/WINTER 2023
THE MAGAZINE OF SEWICKLEY ACADEMY
In Service of the Greater Good How one alumna has built on SA’s mission p. 28
S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G | The Magazine of Sewickley Academy
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A NOTE FROM THE CAVALIER HOUSE
Advancement Jessica Alberga Coordinator of Special Projects & Events Celeste Antill Database Manager Carey Byrnes Annual Giving Officer Susan Sour ’55 Alumni Relations Associate Brittani Vuono Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement Officer John Zimmerman ’85 Alumni Engagement Officer
Dear Panther Community, This issue of the Sewickley Speaking magazine captures excitement and community with feature stories that highlight Sewickley Academy. You will also see images from campus, our newest alumni class—the Class of 2023, and milestone moments our alumni have shared with us. This magazine is the lens through which we reflect our Panther community, and we hope these stories will inspire you to share your own with us. When we tell the story of Sewickley Academy, the truly special nature of our school is realized. Being a member of the Academy community comes with an overwhelming sense of pride. We promise to continue offering new and revitalized opportunities that allow you to express and grow this sense of pride. As the year progresses, we look forward to coming together both virtually and in person, in support of alumni networking opportunities, student-focused initiatives, parent volunteerism, and to support our current Panthers in athletics, the arts, academics and more. We are committed to helping friends and supporters of Sewickley Academy engage in ways that will create a bold future for our students, faculty, and staff. In collaboration with the Alumni Office, Sewickley Academy’s Alumni Council continues to focus on elevating the alumni experience while also supporting and serving our community. The Council is creating and implementing new strategic priorities for this academic year. Please keep watch for various opportunities to help inform our planning process. You can start by sending your feedback to alumni@sewickley.org. We truly value and encourage your input. Looking forward, I invite you to come along with us for the exciting year we have ahead. Whether you attend an alumni event, volunteer your time, follow along on social media, or return for a campus visit, we hope to connect with each one of you. Once a Panther, Always a Panther!
Brittani Vuono Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement Officer P.S. We hope to see you at one of our favorite traditions –The Alumni Holiday Party on Saturday, December 23, 2023, at the Edgeworth Club. 2
IN THIS ISSUE
THE MAGAZINE OF SEWICKLEY ACADEMY
20
Editor-in-Chief
Camryn Miller
Marketing and Branding Specialist Design
Direct Axis Creative, LLC Contributors
Dr. Ashley (Brown ’00) Birtwell
Head of School
Heather Border
Co-Interim Athletic Director Carey Byrnes
Annual Giving Officer Kelly Carioto
Co-Interim Athletic Director Mike Cesario
Middle School Dean, Social Sciences Teacher Derek Chimner ’04
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Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
F E AT U R E S
Holly Haddad
06 Win Palmer Memorial 07 Sewickley Academy Embraces
Grade 2 Teacher
Heather Hoffman
Director of Enrollment Management Stephanie Menzock
Home and School Association, President Dr. Jerilyn Scott ’86
Head of Lower School Pam Scott
Lower School Music Teacher Rachel Smith
Theater Teacher
Dr. Susan Sour ’55
Alumni Relations Associate Brittani Vuono
Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement Officer Stacey Widenhofer
Early Childhood Teacher John Zimmerman ’85
Alumni Engagement Officer Sewickley Speaking is published twice a year in the Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter for the alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff, and friends of Sewickley Academy by the Office of External Relations, 315 Academy Avenue, Sewickley, PA 15143. www.sewickley.org
Access the digital issue at sewickley.org/about-us/ explore-sa/publications @sewickleyacademy @sewickleyacademy
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the Great Outdoors
28 In Service of the Greater Good
CONTENTS 04 Letter from Head of School 05 Alumni Council Corner 08 Mission Moment: Character 09 Dr. Shannon Mulholland Retires 10 New Faces on Campus 13 Mission Moment: Diversity 14 Faculty & Staff Awards 16 Mission Moment: Community 18 Panther Tracks: Spring Athletics 20 Academics: A Taste of South Africa 24 Arts: Arts Fest and Theater Recap 26 Flat Panther Goes on Summer Vacation! 27 Hansen Cup Memorial Golf Outing 32 A New Addition to Campus 33 Mission Moment: Educational Vigor 34 Class of 2023 36 Alumni Weekend 2023 Recap 38 Alumni Profile 39 Class Notes 44 In Memoriam
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Class Notes are submitted by alumni. Photos provided by SA faculty and staff except where noted. S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G | The Magazine of Sewickley Academy
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UNDER THE
Cupola
LETTER FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
Dear Sewickley Academy Community, Fall is a particularly busy time at Sewickley Academy. I love seeing the campus come alive as our faculty and students return at the end of August. Everyone is refreshed, enthusiastic, and ready to start anew. As I enter my third year as Head of School, I am struck by the energy and optimism of our entire community– more so than ever. Each year, I am most particularly pleased to welcome new faces to campus. No matter what their role, they quickly become an integral part of our daily lives and valued members of our Academy family. In the pages ahead, you will be introduced to the dynamic new faculty and staff who have joined our already incredible team. Along with the hum of daily life as classes begin, sports teams gear up, and activities get rolling, there have been numerous events taking place, which keep our administration, families, and volunteers moving. There have been welcome receptions, back-to-school nights, assemblies, awards ceremonies, and fundraising events. In the coming pages, you will see updates on our Annual Clothesline Sale hosted by our generous Home and School Association, the Hansen Cup Golf Outing, Alumni Council, accolades, and so much more. For my own update, I am excited to share that enrollment is on the rise. We welcomed 100 new students, across all grades, on the first day of school. Our admissions team did not skip a beat continuing with mid-year transfers and kicking off applications for the 2024-25 school year. Interest is high with prospective students visiting campus weekly, which speaks volumes about our incredible faculty, staff, and the programs that they oversee. I am particularly grateful to our incredible admissions team, who have made this all possible while, at the same time, upholding the academic standards that set us apart. One of the highlights of the first semester is always Alumni Weekend. This year featured our traditional events such as reunion class parties, a gala, an Alumni Hall of Fame induction, faculty/student panel discussion, and campus tours. Two new activities, which were resoundingly successful, were an Alumni Tailgate & Soccer Game for families at Nichols Field and an Alumni Happy Hour at the Cavalier House. Both events were well attended and the feedback has been nothing but positive, which brings us to 4
everyone’s favorite part of Sewickley Speaking–the reunion photos. You can spot old friends and familiar faces in our traditional weekend recap. Unfortunately, amidst all of this good news, there is sadness. Our community was struck by tragedy on the first day of school, when longtime Director of Athletics and beloved coach, Win Palmer, passed away unexpectedly. We were privileged to host over 400 people at his Celebration of Life in the Means Alumni Gymnasium, which his office looked out upon, and where he led the Panthers to victory time after time. In this issue, we feature a memorial tribute to Coach Palmer and his extraordinary 22-year career at SA. Finally, I must draw your attention to our feature story about an incredible alumna named Rasheda Vereen ’06. Rasheda is a medical doctor in the U.S. Army specializing in pediatrics and neonatology. She spoke with us in-depth about her career as a military physician, her commitment to public service, and the experiences she had at Sewickley Academy that guided her on a path of academic achievement and significant humanitarian pursuits. She is both professionally successful and personally fulfilled, which she attributes to the foundation she received right here at The Academy. As the weather turns cooler and the leaves start to fall, we are well underway in a most promising school year across the spectrum of campus life. The momentum stemming from community collaboration on all fronts is tremendous and propels us onward with learning and leading. I look forward to bringing you many more accomplishments and memories in the spring. With warmest best wishes,
Ashley (Brown ’00) Birtwell, PhD Head of School
CO OU UN NC CIILL C CO ORRN NEERR C
ALUMNI COUNCIL UPDATE The Alumni Council entered its second school year since its relaunch with much enthusiasm. Meetings resumed in September and planning is underway for the coming year, with a focus on enhancing alumni participation in current school life. In particular, the council will be announcing upcoming partnership programs that will engage alumni with current students to undertake charitable good works. It will be an opportunity for students and alumni alike to work together in providing meaningful community service. Stay tuned for more details in our next issue. The Council will be hearing from several members of the leadership team during upcoming meetings to learn more about the new curriculum initiatives, facilities enhancements, technology advancements, and admissions updates. In addition to fostering alumni engagement, Council members are encouraged to use this information to educate fellow alumni on current events and to help recruit potential new students through direct contact with friends and fellow alumni.
Council members include: Virginia (Nimick ’00) Elliott President Clayton Morris ’11 Vice-president Logan Cole ’16 Co-secretary Ciara Donohue ’17 Co-secretary Ian Carroll ’11 Meredith Doyle ’12 Jason Fincke ’93 Willie Paul ’16 Todd Thompson ’85 Anna Zappala ’07
Finally, a number of Alumni Council members participated in the various events of Alumni Weekend, and a good time was had by all. Virginia (Nimick ’00) Elliott, Meredith Doyle ’12, Jason Fincke ’93, and Anna Zappala ’07 reconnected with old friends and engaged with new ones. It’s hard to believe the next opportunity to get together is just around the corner at the annual SA Alumni Holiday Party. If you’re in town, be sure to stop by and share your ideas and good cheer with council members. This year, the party is on December 23 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Edgeworth Club. We look forward to seeing everyone!
S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G | The Magazine of Sewickley Academy
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F E AT U R E
A TRIBUTE TO COACH PALMER On the first day of classes this year, the Sewickley Academy community was shocked and bereft at the sudden death of Athletic Director Win Palmer, age 65, on August 31, 2023. Written by Susan (Ratcliffe ’55) Sour
Coach Palmer had been at the school for 22 years, during which he not only served as AD, but also as basketball coach, golf coach, and softball coach (a program that he founded in 2008). To the thousands of students he taught over the years, he was a role model, an inspiration, a motivator, a mentor, and a friend. Part of the profound impact Coach Palmer had on SA students was his belief in the role of athletics to develop the whole person. He was interested in all aspects of every player, not just how they could handle a ball. He believed that winning teams weren’t solely about physical skill, but about the personal relationships of the players to one another and their ability to interact seamlessly as a team. To this end, he taught kindness, tolerance, patience, humility, sportsmanship, and the value of hard work and persistence, so that students would emerge from his programs to be productive and successful in all they might do throughout life. He also believed part of the key to being successful was to be unsuccessful at times. He taught students how to analyze their own mistakes, to learn from losing, and to take the insight they gained from this self-reflection to turn weaknesses into strengths and subsequent victories. Time and again, his philosophy rang true.
The Win Palmer Excellence
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The Tribune-Review described Coach Palmer as “a gentleman’s gentleman,” who left “an indelible mark on the Sewickley Academy and WPIAL sports communities. He was one of the winningest coaches in WPIAL boys basketball history and reached double digits in leading his boys golf team to WPIAL championships.” “During his time at Sewickley, Panthers athletes and teams amassed 16 PIAA titles, 55 WPIAL championships, 108 section crowns and 15 Trib Total Media/MSA Sports Cups, an annual award that promotes the best overall athletic program in the WPIAL in a school’s specific classification.” “The Associated Press named Palmer as Pennsylvania Basketball Coach of the Year in 2017 after Sewickley defeated Philadelphia Constitution, 68-63, in overtime to win the Class AA state championship.” Tom Droney ’10 played basketball for Coach Palmer for four years, during which the Panthers won two WPIAL titles (2009 and 2010) and one PIAA championship (2010). They remained close during Tom’s career at Davidson College, the international circuit, and beyond. Tom gave this tribute to his former coach and friend. “Beyond the massive success he achieved coaching and directing the athletic department, he will forever be known for the relationships he developed with everyone he came across at Sewickley Academy. The best part of that success was the progress that was made from freshman year until senior year. He was the leader, and he got us to buy into his philosophy. We competed so hard for him because we didn’t want to ever let him down.”
Coach Palmer was bound to the entire Sewickley Academy community. He developed long lasting and genuine relationships, provided guidance and advice, and was always in your corner to lend a helping hand. Win was as genuine a person you could ever come across.” Tom Droney ’10 As a basketball coach, Win motivated his teams to a combined 674 wins, including four state titles in Virginia and two in Pennsylvania. Win was a devoted husband and father. Coaching his own sons in high-school basketball was one of the great thrills of his life. Win Palmer is survived by his sons, Matthew (Nina) Palmer ’06 of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Tyler (Melissa) Palmer ’10 of Charlotte, North Carolina; and two siblings, Julie Palmer of Brookline, Massachusetts, and Jeff Palmer (Mimi Zolan) of Bloomington, Indiana. He was predeceased by his beloved wife of 35 years, Dawn Nicholson Palmer; and his sister, Beth Palmer. A Celebration of Life was held on Saturday, September 16, at Sewickley Academy’s Event Center and Means Gymnasium. The Win Palmer Excellence Fund has since been established to provide tuition support to an exceptional student who exemplifies the values, character, and sportsmanship that Winthrop (“Win”) Palmer espoused and encouraged in others.
F E AT U R E
Sewickley Academy Embraces the Great Outdoors: Certified Nature Explore Classroom From physical health and cognitive development to emotional wellbeing and environmental awareness, the advantages of nature play and outdoor learning are abundant. Research shows that children who spend time in outdoor exploration exhibit enhanced concentration, develop creativity and problemsolving techniques, manage stress in healthy ways, and develop cognitive skills across the spectrum of academic and creative learning. Sewickley Academy recently undertook an educational enhancement initiative for Lower School students by becoming a Certified Nature Explore Classroom. With our picturesque campus and rich outdoor spaces, Sewickley Academy has always been a place where students have the opportunity for outdoor learning. This exciting certification, offered by the Nature Explore Program, a division of the nonprofit Dimensions Educational Research Foundation, marks a significant milestone for Sewickley Academy as a leader in outdoor education, offering a myriad of benefits to both students and the community. Stacey Widenhofer, a kindergarten teacher at The Academy, who is also
an outdoor educator and naturalist, was the driving force behind pursuing the certification. “Sewickley Academy has such amazing outdoor spaces – the greenway, the wooded ravine, the Secret Garden – and we were already doing so much with nature play and exploration. It made sense to build on that foundation and formalize our commitment to outdoor education.” She worked with Jim Miller, Director of Buildings and Grounds, to enhance our outdoor learning spaces to meet the requirements for certification as a Nature Explore Classroom. The Middle School Makers Club supported the effort by designing, refining, creating, and installing etched wooden signs labeling various spaces. In June 2023, a year after beginning the process, the Nature Explore certification was granted. With this accomplishment, Sewickley Academy becomes part of a thriving network of more than 550 like-minded organizations across the country that champion the integration of nature into the learning experience, creating holistic, hands-on educational opportunities for students of all ages. Early Childhood students spend time every day exploring a wooded ravine and an open field, known as the Greenway, behind their classroom building adjacent to Wardrop Field. They clamber up hillsides, climb trees, mix up muddy concoctions in their “mud kitchen,” and build forts out of stumps and branches. These naturebased activities allow children to take calculated risks, developing resilience and creative problem solving. Children also develop interpersonal skills, learning to cooperate, share,
S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G | The Magazine of Sewickley Academy
and communicate effectively when they engage in these adventures with their peers. At the same time, the teachers seamlessly weave authentic lessons in math, literacy, and science into the children’s play and exploration. The Secret Garden, located on Hazel Lane across from Frick Field, is a discrete plot of land enjoyed by students across all divisions. It provides space for planting, growing, and learning. Home to a pollinator garden, apple and peach trees, raspberry bushes, grape vines, and a variety of vegetables and herbs, the garden allows children to experience the growth cycle from planting to harvest. The Middle School Garden Club maintains the raised beds while Senior School ceramics students use the garden to fire Raku pottery. Students spend time in the garden reading, writing poetry, and creating art. Lower School science classes also host a pair of chickens in the garden each spring, cared for by the Grade 2 students during their study of birds. Heather Fox, the Director of Communications and Outreach for the Nature Explore program, says, “Sewickley Academy’s commitment to providing research-based and naturerich learning offers a wonderful example to programs and educators throughout the country. These spaces inspire hands-on activity, creativity, play, and plenty of time exploring the natural world for children of all ages.” In sum, the outdoor classrooms at Sewickley Academy provide a stimulating atmosphere where children can immerse themselves in the wonders of the natural world. FA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 2 3
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MISSION MOMENT
M I S S I O N M O M E N T:
CHARACTER
This summer, Sewickley Academy was thrilled to welcome back two accomplished alumni, Brooke Kries and Anthony DiTano, to serve as interns within our institution. Their unique experiences and dedication to the Academy made them invaluable assets to their respective departments.
BROOKE KRIES 2022 Graduate Brooke Kries, a 2022 graduate of Sewickley Academy, has quickly carved a niche for herself at Dartmouth College. She’s pursuing majors in History and Environmental Studies, with a minor in HumanCentered Design. Beyond academics, Brooke is quite active on campus. She’s a proud member of the Dartmouth Dance Team, contributes as a staff member for the Dartmouth Yearbook (Aegis), and serves as a photographer for The Dartmouth, the college’s newspaper. She also collaborates with the Hill Winds for Alumni Relations and holds an officer position in the Class Council. She is part of the Dartmouth Classical Ballet Theatre. Furthermore, she actively champions women’s roles in various sectors as a member of Dartmouth Women in Business and Dartmouth Women in Law and Politics. Notably, she also undertakes the responsibility of Social Media Co-Director for the Climate Cardinals. During her time at Sewickley Academy, Brooke wore many hats. She was a Student Ambassador, Cross Age Tutor, Yearbook Editor-inChief, and a member of the Cavalier House Council. Her involvement in various clubs included the Cancer Awareness Club, Mock Trial Club, and Key Club. Musically inclined, Brooke played the violin in the orchestra. In addition, she was a full-time participant in the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s pre-professional division and the Head of Graphics for Steel City Codes. She also held positions as a graphic designer, French Translator, and Lead Both Brooke and Anthony Intake Coordinator for Climate have exemplified the spirit Cardinals. of Sewickley Academy On her return to the Academy through their respective this summer, Brooke took on the role of an Advancement journeys in college and Assistant Intern. She showcased their dedication during her diverse skill set by managing their internships. We were the online Alumni database proud to have them back and working closely with the marketing and events team. Her this summer, contributing focus was primarily on design in their unique and and marketing initiatives. impactful ways.”
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ANTHONY DITANO 2023 Graduate Anthony DiTano, a 2023 Sewickley Academy graduate, has delved deep into the realm of Electrical Engineering at Villanova. At Sewickley, he was known not just for his academic prowess but also for his leadership as the President of the Italian Club. His techsavviness was evident, as he always lent a hand with tech-related matters at the Academy. This summer, Anthony embraced the role of an intern within the IT department at Sewickley Academy. His tech expertise was instrumental in various projects, including assisting with the assembly of the new ESPORTS lab, which was completed this fall. For Anthony, the highlight of his internship was not just the hands-on tech experience, but also the chance to interact with new staff members. This provided him an opportunity to see and understand the Academy from a fresh, enlightening perspective.
DR. SHANNON MULHOLLAND Celebrating Your SA Pride In 2002, Shannon Mulholland, Ed.D. was hired to serve as the founding Director of Support Services. She oversaw the department of independent contractors, as well as the newly hired Reading Specialist in the Lower School and The Academy’s first full-time faculty Learning Specialist. With a Master’s Degree in Teaching from the University of Richmond and a Doctorate in Education from Duquesne University, Dr. Mulholland had previously worked as a classroom teacher, Learning Specialist, and Counselor and had a wealth of knowledge and experience supporting students with mild to severe academic and social/emotional challenges. Her welcoming spirit, ability to bring a team of teachers, family, and outside professionals together in the service of the student, and rational problem-solving allowed the department to experience great success in the early years. With this new position in place, Sewickley Academy became the first school in the region to design and implement systems and practices to observe, evaluate, and accommodate students with academic, social/emotional, and health needs. Dr. Mulholland
served as the Director and taught Introduction to Psychology in the Senior School for 15 years. In 2017 she became the Head of Middle School. Her bright smile, warmth, and encouraging personality helped shape years of community building and positivity in the Middle School environment. As a researcher on curriculum and teaching and learning, she established new approaches and courses that enriched the Middle School experience for students. Known for her brightly color-coordinated outfits including shoes, glasses, watch bands, bracelets, and purses, she was a prominent figure in the Commons or at the podium delivering a wellconsidered message to all. Spanish teacher Jennifer Brown offered this tribute to Dr. Mulholland as the departing Head of Middle School: “Shannon’s belief in us as teachers, generosity, and constant support have encouraged our aspirations. She listened to us, guided us, and gave us the confidence to perform our best job. We were even allowed to change the curriculum to match the requirements of our students—she gave us the keys to educational creativity! “During her tenure, Shannon has embodied what it means to be a friendly and family-oriented administrator. Her personable manner fostered an atmosphere where children, teachers, and staff felt at ease and supported. Shannon took the time to get to know each individual, learning their names, stories, and goals. She led our school with professionalism,
S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G | The Magazine of Sewickley Academy
During her tenure, Shannon has embodied what it means to be a friendly and familyoriented administrator. Her personable manner fostered an atmosphere where children, teachers, and staff felt at ease and supported.” Jennifer Brown, Spanish Teacher experience, and a profound appreciation for the value of community. She made our school seem like an extended family by organizing family-oriented events and developing a sense of oneness among us all. “Shannon’s influence, however, does not end there. She coined the term ‘linking arms’ and developed our Middle School motto: “Be nice, Be empowered, and Work hard because every day is a new day.” Shannon’s impact will continue, and we are grateful for her steadfast dedication to providing an engaging and community-focused educational experience for all of us.” Dr. Mulholland has moved on to teach at Robert Morris University and head her own consulting services. We thank her for her service and wish her well in these new ventures.
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N E W FAC E S O N C A M P U S
Ryley Anderson
Charlotte Bodgewic
Bianca Christof
Matthew Cragg
Kathleen D’Agostino
Kate Ellis
Shawn Gregory
Alison Grenert
We are thrilled to welcome new faces to Sewickley Academy and to celebrate familiar ones in new roles as we enthusiastically proceed with the 2023-24 school year.
Ryley Anderson
Computer Science Teacher/ Technology Coordinator
Ryley Anderson joined Sewickley Academy as both a Computer Science teacher and Technology Coordinator. He teaches in Lower and Middle Schools and supports technology across campus. Ryley has a master’s degree in teaching from the University of Pittsburgh. His diverse background includes teaching high school biology and middle school science, engineering, and computer science in Baltimore City schools.
Charlotte Bodgewic Senior School Dean
Charlotte Bodgewic brings a wealth of college counseling experience to our Senior School Dean team. She has been involved in college admissions in both universities and secondary schools, working at Carnegie Mellon University and Aquinas Academy. She holds an undergraduate degree in English, two master’s degrees in Educational Leadership and Secondary Education, and several teaching certificates.
Bianca Christof Grade 5 Teacher
Bianca Christof joined Sewickley Academy as a Grade 5 teacher with the enthusiastic recommendation of many families in our community. Originally from Sewickley, she taught at Manchester Academic Charter School and in the Quaker Valley School District. She is certified in both Elementary Education and Special Education. 10
Matthew Cragg School Counselor
Matt Cragg serves as a counselor for students in Grades PK-12, joining the Department of Student and Instructional Support. Matt has a BA in Sociology from Hobart and William Smith Colleges and an M.Ed. in School Counseling from Penn West Edinboro, along with multiple specialty certifications.
Kathleen D’Agostino
Assistant to the Head of Senior School
Kathy D’Agostino is already well known in the Senior School as Assistant to the Head of Senior School. She relocated to Pittsburgh last summer after holding a similar position in Ohio. She offers support to students, families, faculty, and the Head of Senior School.
Kate Ellis
Early Childhood Assistant
Kate Ellis works with our youngest students as an Early Childhood Assistant, supporting the PreKindergarten and Kindergarten teaching teams. Kate, a former homeschooler and mother of four, brings a wealth of experience to the role. She has a BS from Miami University Farmer School of Business.
Shawn Gregory
Accounting Specialist
Shawn Gregory joined the SA Business Office with a long career as an accounts payable specialist. He has also held accounting positions with the Rivers Casino, Civil & Environmental Consultants, and
Sewickley Water Authority. He holds a BA in Business Administration from Clarion University and several specialty certifications.
Alison Grenert
Senior School English Teacher
Dr. Alison Grenert, SA Class of 2001, joined Sewickley Academy as a Senior School English faculty member. Many already know her as Head Coach of the Varsity Girls Lacrosse team. Ali has earned three bachelor’s degrees from the University of Pittsburgh (Psychology, English, and Art History) and both an MA and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Rochester.
Lei Guo
Computer Science Teacher
Dr. Lei Guo joined us as a Computer Science teacher in the Senior School. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from China’s Xi’an Jiaotong University, a master’s degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the National University of Singapore, and a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. Lei has taught students from elementary to university levels and has been engaged in high-level scientific research at Pitt.
Lei Guo
Heather Hoffman
Laura Jack
Katrina Kayden
Dorothy Killmeyer
Stephanie Martin
Priscilla Morales
Mark Shelley
Wes Vaina
John Zimmerman
Heather Hoffman
Director of Enrollment Management
Heather Hoffman joined Sewickley Academy as Director of Enrollment Management, after an 18-year career at the University of Pittsburgh in admissions, outreach, and visitor engagement. There, she used strategic data analysis and innovative initiatives to increase prospective student visitor traffic by 20%. She has a BA and MEd from the University of Pittsburgh.
Laura Jack
Middle and Senior School Librarian
Laura Jack, SA class of 1982, excitedly returns home to Sewickley after raising her family in Atlanta where she worked in both public and school libraries. With a BA from Bowdoin and an MLIS from the University of Alabama, she was library manager at Pace Academy in Atlanta.
Katrina Kayden
Technical Theater Director
Katrina Kayden has turned a lifelong hobby into her full-time job as our Technical Theater Director, where she teaches a range of theater skills, supports student productions, and manages the Gregg Theater and Rea Auditorium. She earned her undergraduate degree in theater from
Westminster College followed by a JD from Villanova University School of Law.
Dorothy Killmeyer Learning Specialist
Dorothy Killmeyer joined Sewickley Academy as a Middle and Senior School Learning Specialist. She has spent almost ten years teaching students from kindergarten to Grade 12, providing targeted intervention and instruction to students with a wide variety of learning needs. Dorothy has a master’s degree in Special Education from St. Thomas University in Florida.
Kristin Kroniser
Senior School Chemistry Teacher
Dr. Kristin Kroniser brings extensive teaching experience to her role as a chemistry teacher in the Senior School as well as expertise in both research and application. She holds a BS in Chemistry and a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry, both from Duquesne University. In addition to working with the PPG Coatings Innovation Center as an analytical chemist, Kristin has taught at Duquesne University, Robert Morris University, and several area high schools.
S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G | The Magazine of Sewickley Academy
Kristin Kroniser
Stephanie Martin
Middle and Senior School Art Teacher
Stephanie Martin is an accomplished artist and an experienced teacher with a master’s degree in Art Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She has worked in community art centers and museums as well as teaching in K-12 schools for over ten years. Stephanie’s own artwork has been exhibited at the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Pennsylvania State Museum, and many other areas. Through her engagement in the professional art community, Stephanie offers her students opportunities to gain exposure as developing artists.
Priscilla Morales
Assistant Director of Admissions
Priscilla Morales joined Sewickley Academy as Assistant Director of Admissions, bringing extensive experience from her role at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College of Information Systems & Public Policy. She has also served as Assistant Director for Admissions and Diversity at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine where she worked to increase educational opportunities for underrepresented students.
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N E W FAC E S O N C A M P U S
Mark Shelley
Head of Middle School
Mark Shelley has been in K-12 education for close to thirty years. He began his career as a social studies, history, and humanities teacher in South Carolina and New Jersey. He then served as Principal of Riverside Elementary School in Princeton, New Jersey, and Executive Director of Academics 6-12 at Environmental Charter School in Pittsburgh. Mark has a BA from Furman University and an ME from the University of South Carolina.
Wes Vaina
Senior School Dean
Wes Vaina brings extensive experience in higher education to our Senior School Dean team. He was the Director of Admissions and Enrollment at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Education and was an admissions consultant at the University of Idaho. With degrees in History, Public Policy, and Management, Wes is pursuing a Doctorate in Education through the University of Pittsburgh.
John Zimmerman
Alumni Engagement Officer
Sarah DeMicheli
Director of Libraries
Sarah continues as Lower School Librarian, while also becoming Director of Libraries, working closely with the Middle and Senior School Librarians to oversee the library science curriculum and collections.
Alicia Latte
Coordinator of Lower School Curriculum and Instruction
Formerly a Grade 4 teacher, Alicia is now Coordinator of Lower School Curriculum and Instruction where she oversees and enhances curriculum and instructional practice while continuing as Chair of the English Department.
Christy Mulhollem Senior School Dean
Christy joins the Senior School Dean team after teaching Middle School Social Studies. She continues to teach AP microeconomics and macroeconomics.
John Zimmerman, SA Class of 1985, brings his network of alumni connections and his love for SA to serve as our Alumni Engagement Officer. John has been a program administrator for many years. He has a BA from Gettysburg College and a JD from Widener University School of Law.
Shannon Rankin
FA M I L I A R FAC E S I N N E W P L AC E S Cindy Bevevino
Rachel Shannon
Assistant to the Head of Middle School
After years in the Head of School’s Office, Cindy has moved her organizational talents to serve as Assistant to the Head of Middle School. She also continues to administratively support the Board of Trustees.
Mike Cesario
Middle School History and Social Studies Teacher 12
After serving as Manager of Special Projects, Mike returned to the classroom where he teaches social studies and serves as the Middle School Dean.
Middle/Senior School Director of Student Life
Shannon expands her duties to become Director of Student Life for Middle and Senior Schools where she oversees student engagement, leadership opportunities, clubs, and community activities. Director of Student and Instructional Support
Formerly a Learning Specialist, Rachel took on department leadership as Director of Student and Instructional Support where she coordinates the team of learning specialists, counselors, and health professionals.
Lexi Shazer
Grade 4 Teacher
Lexi has transitioned from Grade 5 to Grade 4.
MISSION MOMENT
M I S S I O N M O M E N T:
DIVERSITY
A NOTE FROM DEREK CHIMNER ’04, DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION Over the years, Sewickley Academy has been a place to learn more about oneself and our place in the world. The identities exhibited by each member of our community are cherished and celebrated for their individuality. The National SEED Project places a strong emphasis on providing a space and opportunity to delve into the distinctive facets of our individuality, facilitating personal growth and fostering inclusivity. SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity), is a renowned program that facilitates conversation for personal, organizational, and societal change to create a more just world. Founded in 1987 by Peggy McIntosh, SEED has grown into an international program with seminar groups throughout the United States and in many countries, including Canada, India, Japan, Uganda, and more. This summer, I attended the National SEED Project New Leaders Training course in Northern California. It was led by the current co-directors Gail Cruise-Robinson and Jondou Chase Chen. For one week, I was fully
immersed in SEED’s work, learning and growing from sunrise to sunset, as I engaged with over sixty Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) directors, socially conscious educators, and community leaders. Sessions focused on aspects of DEI education and types of training modalities. One of these modalities, Windows & Mirrors, allowed for quiet introspection on my own identity while also having a view into other’s experiences that vastly differed from my own. During points of conversation, I would observe similarities in another’s experience by describing how it was a “mirror” or reflective of my own experiences. Conversely, when exposed to a person’s experience that was foreign to me, I would describe it as a “window,” where I could look through and have a greater understanding
of the speaker’s background. Throughout our conversations in both the larger, all-attendee group and our smaller, more intimate home groups, this approach fostered more connected discussion when delving into specific topics. During our time together, we dug deep into our multicultural selves by describing how systemic racism is upheld or resisted, understanding how social class both conflicts and conforms with societal expectations, and a number of other probing discussion points. With the training in California complete, I bring a new perspective on the meaning of self-reflection and compassion towards others to the SA faculty and staff. Our SEED cohort meets monthly and has already tackled the concept of environmental identity. Each month, we tackle different aspects of our identities, following SEED’s format of taking a closer, inward look. As this SEED cohort “germinates” here at SA, I am confident that we will continue cultivating a school where everyone experiences a profound sense of connection and embraces belonging to a close-knit community.
As this SEED cohort “germinates” here at SA, I am confident that we will continue cultivating a school where everyone experiences a profound sense of connection and embraces belonging to a close-knit community.” Derek Chimner ’04, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G | The Magazine of Sewickley Academy
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FACULTY & STAFF AWARDS
Quick to step up and help within the Academy community, Ms. Lassen consistently contributes beyond her classroom and coaching duties. She designs and implements socialemotional advisory programming, helps to launch diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, enthusiastically supports new employees as a faculty mentor, and consistently reviews, reimagines, and develops curricula.
The following prestigious awards are bestowed annually upon highly deserving faculty and staff members for their exceptional contributions to the life of Sewickley Academy. Here are this year’s awards and winners. CLARK FACULTY CHAIR Established by the Academy’s Board of Trustees in 2003, the Clark Faculty Chair honors L. Hamilton Clark, Jr.’s 15-year tenure as Head of School at the Academy and pays tribute to Ceci Clark for her contributions to the Sewickley Academy community. This award is presented to a teacher who is a master of their subject matter; demonstrates a love of teaching and interacting with young people; possesses an energetic and enthusiastic teaching style; is respected by colleagues and the school community; regularly seeks professional growth opportunities; and is fully engaged in the life of the school. This year, Dennis Zeitler, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, presented this honor to Cheryl Ann Lassen, Physical Education Teacher and Coach at Sewickley Academy for 29 years. Ms. Lassen brings energy, tenacity, and care to all that she does. Students, staff, and faculty alike seek her out for her insight, her breadth and depth of experience, and her genuine enjoyment of teaching and learning. 14
When students enter Ms. Lassen’s classroom, they know they will find support, feel included, and experience a warm sense of welcome. With a gift for addressing uncomfortable topics with knowledge and grace, Ms. Lassen engages students through the use of a variety of interesting and collaborative activities, current technologies, and dynamic guest speakers. Students know they will be learning about highly engaging topics with tremendous real-world utility and, often, even developing life-saving skills.
Remembered by students long after they graduate, Ms. Lassen is among our most asked-about community members at alumni events. Alums comment on the life lessons learned as a result of knowing their beloved teacher, on the consistent enthusiasm she displays, on the strength instilled in them during both wins and losses, and on how she models the importance of eternal optimism. In her nearly 30 years at the Academy, Ms. Lassen has been a difference maker for students in all three divisions – pushing students to reach new heights, explore new passions, and ultimately grow into positive role models within our community. As a Lower and Middle School physical education teacher, Middle School advisor, grade dean, student diversity club sponsor, Middle and Senior School health teacher, mentor teacher, and varsity lacrosse and field hockey coach, Cheryl Ann Lassen has contributed to making our community one of meaningful, yet fierce, greatness.
ELIZABETH BISHOP MARTIN FACULTY AWARD Quick to step up and help within the Academy community, Ms. Lassen consistently contributes beyond her classroom and coaching duties.”
Established by Mr. and Mrs. David L. Martin in memory of their daughter who was a member of the Class of 1979. The award is given each year to a teacher who has made a significant contribution to advancing the mission of the school. In addition to the recognition, the honoree receives a $1,000 cash award. This year’s recipient is Brian Buckley, Chorus Teacher.
Thinking outside the box is the norm for Mr. Buckley. He supported students to form music clubs, allowing those with scheduling conflicts to continue making music together.” Mr. Buckley embodies the true essence of advancing the mission of the school. Inspiring students is what drives his teaching, with all conversations and decisions being ultimately guided by the Academy mission statement. Mr. Buckley possesses a strong work ethic, consistently going well above and beyond, while working alongside others for the greater good. Sensing a great need, Mr. Buckley facilitated scheduling in-house theater master classes to support Lower School students and faculty in a time of sorrow. Thinking outside the box is the norm for Mr. Buckley. He supported students to form music clubs, allowing those with scheduling conflicts to continue making music together. And during the time of COVID, handbell choirs and online opportunities were created for students to sing “together.” In the past, Mr. Buckley was an AfterOurs assistant, chaperoned multiple Grade 5 overnight trips, coached soccer and baseball in the middle school, and stepped in at the last minute to help prepare Grade 1 for their musical program, just to name a few ways he is a team player. Last year, Mr. Buckley re-introduced students to Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) district music events and has expanded those experiences to include grade 5 students. As a master communicator, he has become the go-to colleague who helps resolve issues, provide guidance and expertise when needed, and is highly respected by his fellow teachers.
JERRY SMITH AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE Named in memory of Jerry Smith, a 45-year Academy employee who taught Middle School French for 25 years and then was the school-wide Computer Network Administrator for 15 years. In all that he did, Mr. Smith focused on the people and the job at hand, never seeking recognition for himself. He was devoted to the school, committed to excellence, cared for others, and was known for his personal humility. The award goes to a member of the faculty or staff who exhibits these qualities characterized by Mr. Smith. This year’s recipient is Randy Lennon, Network Administrator. Mr. Lennon works tirelessly each day across all divisions and offices to ensure that all faculty, staff, and students are able to connect to the world around them. He always has time to help someone even if rushing on to another project. Mr. Lennon helped streamline the process of responding to requests for help, creating a faster and more efficient system. And if a problem is not able to be resolved at the immediate moment, he researches until a solution is found. His calm demeanor, thoughtful engagement, and help with all things related to computer technology, is appreciated by all members of the campus community. Without Mr. Lennon’s expertise, the Academy would not have access to essential internal resources or the greater outside world.
S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G | The Magazine of Sewickley Academy
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MISSION MOMENT
M I S S I O N M O M E N T:
COMMUNITY
CLOTHESLINE SALE The 69th Annual Clothesline Sale began taking shape well before many people started to think of the Annual Fall Sale. Volunteers started collecting donations in January and again in May. In mid-August, the committee dusted off their purple aprons to transform Snyder Gym into a retail store. Thousands of items were sorted, priced, and hung with purpose in their respective departments. This year, volunteers put in over 2,150 hours. This included current parents, faculty, staff, students, and alumni. Students contributed over 103 hours toward their community service requirements It truly takes a village to pull off the sale. From our volunteers to the maintenance staff to community outreach; each person plays a significant role in making the sale successful. We can’t thank everyone enough for their commitment and dedication. This year’s sales brought in just over $120,000, the second most significant
year in the sale’s history. In part, we attribute this success to some enhanced marketing. Specifically, we rolled out an Instagram and Facebook page dedicated solely to the sale @saclothesline. Committee Member Christine Olson did a fabulous job creating content with sneak peeks and sales information. The revenue generated from the Clothesline Sale goes towards the Home & School Association budget, which is around $95,000 per school year. Of this, approximately $40,000 goes to our Above & Beyond Program, which is unique to Sewickley Academy. The HSA seeks grant applications in the Fall from all parents, faculty, staff, and students for items that are above and beyond the regular school budget. For the 2023-2024 school year, the committee awarded just over $43,000 in grants. We are thrilled with the funding requests we reviewed and were able to grant this year. We look forward to next year when we will celebrate the 70th Annual Clothesline Sale! Mark your calendar for Winter & Spring Receiving: January 5th & April 5, 6 & 8.
Back Row L to R: Susan Cable, Anne Batyko, Kristene Smith, Kim Krysinski. Front Row L to R: Stephanie Menzock, Laura Jenkins, Ridgely Quigley, Debbie Capito, Christine Olson. Not Pictured: Dawn Jardini, Naomi Marshall, and Amy Thimons.
23-24 Clothesline Sale Committee COMMITTEE MEMBERS Anne Batyko P ’34 Susan Cable P ’20, ’23 Debbie Capito P ’18, ’20, ’23 Dawn Jardini P ’21, ’23 ’27 Laura Jenkins ’81, P ’23 Kim Krysinksi P ’23 Naomi Marshall P ’31 Stephanie Menzock P ’19, ’22, ’27 Christine Olson P ’29, ’30, ’35 Ridgely Quigley P ’23, ’24, ’29 Kristine Smith P ’20, ’23 Amy Thimons P ’29 20+ HOUR VOLUNTEERS Renee Brayley P ’27, ’33 Dru Cox P ’98, ’01 Mary Hertzberg* P ’18 Laura Kronk* P ’12 Kathy Kross P ’03 JoAnn Matten* P ’14, ’16 Tara Meissner P ’29 *Prior Committee Member
This year’s sales brought in just over $120,000, the second most significant year in the sale’s history.” 16
S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G | The Magazine of Sewickley Academy
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AT H L E T I C S
Tracks TRACK The 2023 Boys and Girls Track and Field seasons achieved great success in qualifying 10 athletes (4 boys and 6 girls) for the WPIAL Championships, held at Slippery Rock University. The boys 3200-m (4 x 800-m) relay team (Zachary Kerrish ’24, Wesley Riddle ’24, Cooper D’Antonio ’25, Nicholas Day ’26) battled all season through injuries but gave a spirited effort at the Championships, placing
15th. The girls 1600-m (4 x 400m) relay team (Jayne Miner ’23, Amina Josephs ’25, Crista Sims ’25, Emma Di Domenico ’26) surprised many by qualifying on the last day and placing 14th in their race. Herlynn Niepa ’26 had a busy day, competing individually in the high jump and 200-m dash and as a part of the 400-m (4 x 100m) relay team. Finally, the girls 400-m relay team (Alaina Ohr ’24, Amina Josephs ’25, Crista Sims ’25, Herlynn Niepa ’26) set a new school record with a time of 51.69 seconds, placing 12th at the WPIAL Championships!
WPIAL Championship Team with coaches Jon Riddle, Derek Chimner ’04, and Austin McClinton
BOYS LACROSSE The 2023 Sewickley Lacrosse team completed a hard-fought season with a final record of 2 wins and 6 losses. The team overcame adversity week after week battling through physical games with a small roster. With the majority of the players being freshmen and playing a varsity schedule, every practice and game was full of invaluable learning experiences for the boys on the team. The team demonstrated growth throughout the season improving both their skills and understanding of how to play at a higher level. During this season the program also welcomed Sam Futrovsky as the new head coach. In his first year at the Academy serving as the school’s Sports Performance 18
Coach, Futrovsky brought a great deal of lacrosse experience to the program, having both played and coached collegiately, as well as having competed for the Slovak National Team. Futrovsky emphasized fundamentals and worked all season to establish a culture within the program that values respect, effort, passion, and selflessness. Thank you to our seniors Ashton Ragoowansi and Michael Beech for continuing the tradition of playing with intensity and embracing the high standards of the boys lacrosse program.
Jonathan Varghese ’23 and Severin Harmon ’25 with WPIAL Trophy
SPRING BASEBALL Led by a strong senior class of Hudson Colletti, Nick Madison, Lucas Mendonca, Bennett Spencer, Nick Straka, and Adin Zorn, the Panthers finished third in Section 3-A. The team found their stride midseason and finished the season with seven wins going into the WPIAL playoffs. On the field, the Panthers were led by senior captain Adin Zorn, a Penn State baseball recruit, who led the team in batting average (.538), runs (26), hits (28), doubles (8), and home runs (5).
BOYS TENNIS The Panthers were thrilled to claim the WPIAL Class 2A Championship defeating Winchester Thurston and making it to the semi-final round of the PIAA tournament. Seniors Jonathan Varghese, Spencer Krysinski, and Alexander Quigley led the team throughout the season with huge contributions from sophomore Severin Harmon who finished as the individual WPIAL 2A runner-up and claimed a fourth-place finish at the PIAA tournament.
SOFTBALL The 2023 Softball team showed positive progress on the field this past spring. With a roster doubling in size from the previous season, the team saw much improvement. In the season opener, the Panthers shut out Cornell with a 17-0 win. Competing in a very talented section, the varsity softball team defeated Rochester 20-5 to finish the regular season in fifth place in the section with a record of 3-9. Many thanks to seniors Kathryn Allen, Maddie Miller, and Ella Tominec-Ural for all they did throughout their careers to support the softball program.
Softball Seniors 2023: Kathryn Allen, Ella Tominac-Ural, Madison Miller
S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G | The Magazine of Sewickley Academy
GIRLS LACROSSE The varsity girls lacrosse team concluded a successful season with a 12-9 loss to North Hills in the 1st round of the WPIAL tournament. Junior Libby Eannarino scored her 100th career goal mid-season and continued to rack in the points throughout the season. Libby and fellow junior Ashely Close were named to the WPIAL All-Section team. Thank you to the senior class of Isabella Captio, Alex Cordle, Mary Grace Gordon, Kaitlyn Hayden, Catherine Jardini, Maya Kalenak, Elena Mohan, and Sally Moravitz for their commitment to the girls lacrosse program.
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AC A D E M I C S
A Taste of
South Africa Holly Haddad, Grade 2 Teacher Over twelve years ago, while working as a science teacher in the Lower School, I had the pleasure of meeting a well-traveled geologist by the name of Dick Peelek who explored many countries around the world during his career. He had recently published a book about his experiences, titled Afghanistan to Zambia. As we chatted, I posed the question, “What is the most beautiful place on Earth?” He paused, reflected for a while, and then proceeded to share that if he were able to consider both geological land features and the warmth of the people, he would select South Africa as the most beautiful place on Earth. As a result of our informal conversation, South Africa immediately rose to the top of my travel wish list. I have been dreaming of meeting these special people, rumored to be of generous and positive spirit, for many years. Elements of this potential trip appealed to both my professional and my personal travel interests. Professionally, I enjoy teaching about 20
world cultures and myriad topics of science, such as environmentalism and endangered animals. Personally, my hobbies include adventure travel, meeting people from all cultures, cooking, biking, and hiking. From South Africa’s rich history of cultural diversity to its natural beauty and varied topography, I began to imagine South Africa and its surrounding countries as unique and beautiful spaces on Earth. Africa is a huge continent made up of 54 countries. It is more than triple the size of the United States. Cape Town is a modern, beautiful seaside city situated at the tip of South Africa. It is home to Table Mountain and sits mostly on the Atlantic Ocean. We drove along the beautiful coastlines and saw where the Indian Ocean intersects with the Atlantic Ocean. The population is very diverse, with descendants from many African Tribes as well as people from the Netherlands, England, and Malaysia. Unsurprisingly, this country has 11 official languages. However, while reading the newspaper, I happily discovered that South Africa had recently added a twelfth national language, universal sign language. During my travels, I often heard natives speaking the Afrikaan language, which emerged from Dutch and French influences. However,
Holly Haddad enjoying an in home cooking class in South Africa.
English is widely in use because it is taught in schools. From the beginning, my husband, two of our friends, and I set off for our trip with many hopes. We hoped to discover cultures and cuisines foreign to our own and to investigate the history of language evolution resulting in eleven languages in South Africa. We planned to explore and appreciate various ecosystems and to connect with nature through hiking and biking. Day One in Cape Town included a tour of a historical area called Bo-Kaap and a cultural experience combining a walking tour, hands-on cooking workshop, and 2-course lunch.
Cape Town is a modern, beautiful seaside city situated at the tip of South Africa. It is home to Table Mountain and sits mostly on the Atlantic Ocean. We drove along the beautiful coastlines and saw where the Indian Ocean intersects with the Atlantic Ocean.”
The Cape Malaysian families prepare curries, rotis, samosas, and masala dishes from scratch. This was one of the trip’s highlights. We also did some sightseeing and took in views from the tops of the mountains. During our short stay, we toured the beaches and bays as we trekked to the Cape of Good Hope National Park and enjoyed observing African penguins in their natural habitat.” Another highlight was an adventurous electric bike tour around the wineries and a formal wine-tasting experience. We met many people, enjoyed chatting with them and learning more about their heritages, cultures, and perceptions. To name a few, we met Bibi from Israel, Zain whose family was from Malaysia, Gaston from Argentina, Michael of Dutch descent, and Derek and Beth who were born and raised in South Africa. Every unique individual was warm and sincere.
city, and consistently displaying friendliness and proper greetings when meeting visitors. Tourism is the backbone of the economic structure in Cape Town. The city is also known for its wineries and vast community farms. Wine production is one of the country’s leading economic industries. We also saw some of the problems South Africa experiences, such as a very high unemployment rate, increasing homelessness, and an ongoing economic gap between the “haves and have-nots,” primarily due to the legacy of white-minority governments during apartheid that left many people disadvantaged. There was a local taxi strike when we were there as taxi drivers were
We toured a few different neighborhoods and discovered how much pride people display in taking care of their houses, keeping a clean S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G | The Magazine of Sewickley Academy
opposing government legislation which would require them to use meters in their vehicles. It appears that illegal immigration is a problem in South Africa as well. Many unregistered citizens who are taxi drivers would be unemployed if they were required to register and install meters in their cars. Due to the diverse population, the beautiful sunsets, and the Mediterranean climate, I left this city certain that I had experienced the best part of my trip – but I was wrong!
Holly and Don Haddad enjoying a safari excursion in South Africa.
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AC A D E M I C S The second part of the trip was amazing! We flew to the northeastern part of the country to experience 4 full days of safaris on a private game reserve that had 35 square miles of “bush.” Our day began with a 5:30 a.m. knock on the door for the 6:00 a.m. departure. Morning safaris were cold, but rewarding, as we often saw animals nibbling on breakfast. We next enjoyed “farm to table” style prepared foods served at our lodge in preparation for safari number two from 3:00-7:00 p.m. These journeys were often broken up with a leg stretch and a picnic-style beverage break.
Our park ranger “Happy” was educated and knowledgeable, and he quickly became our favorite character on this journey. He and his partner, an animal tracking expert named Michael, took us offroading through the bush in pursuit of the “big five” animals for which South Africa is known.” They are called so as they are the most dangerous to hunt on foot. With an abundance of wildlife on each adventure, we found four of the big five – elephants, lions, water buffalo, and white rhinos. We heard the roars of a leopard one evening, but we did not actually see this nocturnal 22
cat. My favorite part of this experience was watching the elephants work collaboratively within their herds. They formed a fortress to protect their babies when we approached them at sunset while we spotted many other animals along the journey, such as cheetahs, giraffes, baboons, zebras, warthogs, hippos, and many beautiful birds. We stayed comfortably at the Shiduli Private Game Reserve, where animals are allowed to roam wild and live freely in this natural space. We met many fellow travelers on “holiday,” many from Europe. Some families were from the Netherlands who had also visited Kruger National Park, and concluded that the private game reserve was more delightful and authentic, in terms of seeing herds of animals roaming together. I kept thinking, “Every person should have the opportunity to experience this amazing safari.” After I learned that I was the lucky recipient of the Sculley Sabbatical last year, I couldn’t wait to share the news with my Grade 2 students. They were genuinely happy for me. One of my students suggested that our Grade 2 classes host a fundraiser to raise funds from our community in order to make a positive impact on another community. Quickly, the students began leading the planning of two fundraising events, one for the Lower School students, and one for our entire school community. Grade 2 students created raffle tickets to sell to their schoolmates, and their parents baked cookies to sell to the entire SA community. Faculty and Holly boarding a helicopter to see Victoria Falls from above.
Holly and Don Haddad admiring Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.
administrators generously donated prizes for an international-themed game/activity basket prize for the raffle. My heart filled with pride when I observed my students, and former students, generating enthusiasm during fundraising this past spring. These efforts, along with one additional raffle for faculty members, raised $1,450.00.
Our mission to give back, with our hands, minds, and hearts, was in full operation and I felt blessed to be a part of the process which included many individual efforts and displayed our collective strength.”
My heart was full of gratitude and pride for our community. With enthusiasm and inspiration from my students last year, I was traveling with a $1,450.00 donation to share, ideally to a local elementary school as a gift from our community to support a less economically fortunate community. Regrettably, school visits were on moratorium during my visit as local communities sought to resolve equity issues surrounding visits and the receiving of gifts. So, I did some research and discovered a foundation to which funds are donated for the local Karongwe Community. They serve a variety of purposes, such as books, school supplies, sporting equipment, local planting of fruit trees and plants to prevent erosion, and more. I was thrilled to donate the funds raised by Grade
Presenting the check from SA to the Karongwe Community Conservation Foundation
I am sincerely grateful for this unique experience and will forever remember a country described as “the most beautiful place on Earth.” I want to thank the Sewickley Academy Administration for their support of this journey and experience. I especially would like to thank the Sculley Family for their vision in creating such a unique opportunity for faculty members. I look forward to learning where the next recipient will travel! falls from a different point of view by taking a thirteen-minute helicopter ride. Personally, this was a new experience for me, and although I was a bit nervous, I highly recommend that others experience this adrenaline rush someday.
2 students at Sewickley Academy to this foundation. I sincerely hope this can be the first step toward a larger connection between Sewickley Academy and the Karongwe Community in South Africa.
The entire journey was special due to the warm and genuine people we met along our ten-day adventure. Generally, we were the only American travelers. Interacting with African citizens revealed to me our similarities, such as love for family and pride in our work. The South African people are known for their politeness. They are affectionate, responsive, and expressive. We celebrated cultural differences through food, music, art, and traditions. One modern tradition shared by the people in many of the towns we visited was outdoor barbecuing. This is a common weekend ritual in all of the areas we visited, and I was able to try three new meats; impala, crocodile, and warthog.
As an optional trip extension, we elected to visit one of the seven wonders of the world, Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Victoria Falls comprises six major waterfalls that span the longest width of any waterfalls in the world, thus earning the title of the world’s largest waterfall, however, it is not the tallest. That Is Angel Falls in Venezuela. We chose to see the
Traveling to Africa increased my understanding of other cultures and brought to the forefront of my awareness some of the issues that face world populations. I encourage my students to become informed global citizens who are keenly aware of problems that will impact their future, such as natural resource conservation.
S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G | The Magazine of Sewickley Academy
In conclusion, I will leave you with a travel quote I discovered while I was in high school. I do not know the author, but this sage advice has often guided me.
As you travel through life, choose your destination well, but do not hurry there. Wander the back roads and forgotten paths, keeping your destination in your heart – Like the fixed point of a compass. Seek out new voices, strange sights, and ideas foreign to your own. Such things are riches for the soul.” Author Unknown
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ARTS
Chrissy Olsen: Portraits by Sal & Bella
Gene Kelly Awards
Arts Fest
Arts Fest 2023 was a showcase of student-driven work across the Middle and Senior Schools. Students from the newly introduced Studio Theater elective in the Middle School performed a one-act titled They Eat Sunshine, Not Zebras, which challenged them to work as an ensemble and think outside of the box with their character portrayal. Senior School students Claire Cable (’23) and Grace Armutat (’23) wrote tenminute plays that were directed by Ben Holsopple (’26) and Avni Kathju (’25). Ibrahim Khan (’23) organized and directed a Senior Showcase which offered graduating 24
musical theater students one final opportunity to perform for the SA community. The showcase was beautifully (and dramatically!) enhanced by John Shillingsburg’s (’23) lighting design. Completing the evening was a fundraiser organized by Avani Venkat (’23) benefiting Proud Haven and a visual arts display titled Bleeding for Persepolis, Land of Broken Promises by Nikki Golestan (’23), whose purpose was to “bring awareness of the injustices the Iranian people are facing under a political structure that is refusing them their freedoms.”
Right: Max Peluso ’24 plays Will Bloom in Big Fish: School Edition
Sewickley Academy’s March 2023 Senior School production of Big Fish School Edition was nominated for two Gene Kelly Awards. The cast was recognized with a nomination for Best Dance Ensemble and the crew was recognized with a nomination for Best Crew/Technical Execution. The thirty faculty, students, and family members who attended the awards ceremony at the Benedum Center had an amazing night celebrating local high school theater!
Lower School Musical: Lost At Sea In May, Grade 5 took to the high seas with their production of Pirates! The Musical. From the melancholy “Lost At Sea” to the rollicking “You Wanna Be A Pirate”, the show was stuffed from stem to stern with sea shanties, shenanigans, and stowaways. After spending their school year working in collaboration to tell a story, gaining confidence as performers, and developing
acting, music, and dance skills, Grade 5 students were more than ready to take to the stage and bring their production to life. As an added treat, audience members got to learn more about each student’s character through a lobby display that included character biographies written in Language Arts and character portraits created in art.
SA on the Stage!
Sewickley Academy presents: November 17-18 Middle School: Matilda Jr. March 7-9 Senior School: Singin’ in the Rain May 3-4 Lower School: Finding Nemo Kids May 30-June 1 Middle and Senior School Arts Fest
S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G | The Magazine of Sewickley Academy
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F L AT PA N T H E R
6 4 7
3 5
2
1
FLAT PANTHER Goes On
Summer
Vacation! 26
1-2: Julia Moya (2034) and Flat Panther searching for the Loch Ness Monster in the Scottish Highlands and touring castles in Edinburgh, Scotland. 3: Hugh Miller (2032) and Felix Miller (2034) with Flat Panther at the Blue Lagoon in Iceland.
Share your Flat Panther photos with marketing@sewickley.org. Be sure to include the location and identify anyone in the photo. Or post them on Facebook @SewickleyAcademy or Instagram @sewickleyacademy. Use hashtags #WheresFlatPanther, #FlatPanther, #SAPanthers
4: Madison (2029) and Myron Milkovich (2031), Everly (2029) and Ayana Rockinson (2033), Water Country USA, VA 5: Flat Panther and Max Kopf (2027) experienced the glory of a 7:00 a.m. sunrise at Machu Picchu in Peru. 6: Flat Panther on the bike path with Max Kopf (2027) in Sun Valley, Idaho. 7: Alexis (2033) and Kayce Bonincontro (2035) with a ghost crab in The Outer Banks, NC.
BEST BALL OF 4, 46(-22)
Bud Behling Kimberly Behling Joseph Nocito, Jr., ’89 Alexis Wukich LOW GROSS, 70(E)
Joseph Nocito, Jr., ’89 LOW NET, 52(-18)
Bud Behling LONG DRIVE #11 (MEN)
Ben Ganter LONG DRIVE #17 (WOMEN)
Alexis Wukich CLOSEST TO HOLE #15
Oliver Zeranski
Hansen Cup Winners Best Ball Team Overall 46(-22) (left to right) Kimberly Behling, Bud Behling, Joseph Nocito, Jr., ’89, Alexis Wukich
The 18th Annual Hansen Cup Memorial Golf Outing was a tremendous success! With our largest crowd to date, the event sold out with 118 registered golfers. The entire day went off without a hitch. Our fundraising goal this year was $75,000. We are thrilled to announce that, with registration, support from 19 contributing sponsors, and the extra push from our matching donors, we raised nearly $95,000!
Nearly
The net proceeds will support the W. Gregg Hansen Memorial Scholarship Fund.
$95,000
raised!
Faculty participants (left to right) Austin McClinton, Cristy McCloskey, Derek Chimner ’04 and Zack Skrabski
S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G | The Magazine of Sewickley Academy
Bobby Gordon ’86 teeing off
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F E AT U R E
Rasheda’s high school photo
In Service of the Greater Good How one alumna has built on SA’s mission
Some people have busy lives. And then there’s Rasheda Vereen ’06. Describing herself, she casually includes that she is a board certified pediatrician and a neonatologist, a PhD candidate in sustainability, a published researcher, military officer, mentor, wife, and dog mom. With all of that, she still manages to find time to see the world. As a student at Sewickley Academy, she never would have foreseen a future in the military, but she is confident that her academic achievements, humanitarianism, and love for travel are all rooted in her time on Academy Avenue. 28
Appreciation for Academic Excellence A superior student in elementary school, Rasheda was fortunate to have teachers who recognized when she wasn’t being sufficiently challenged, particularly in math and science, and provided her with additional, more rigorous projects to keep her engaged. Concerned that it wouldn’t be feasible to expect such attention and diligence from the teachers as she entered upper grades, Rasheda’s mother began investigating private school options early, which resulted in Rasheda enrolling at Sewickley Academy in 1999 for the start of Grade 6.
In her transition from Pittsburgh Public Schools, Rasheda found that she was no longer in the top of her class at Sewickley Academy, but fondly recalls teachers like Mr. Perdziola, Mr. Basinger, and many others who offered the one-on-one time to “get me to where I needed to be so that I was prepared for college and eventually made it to be a physician.”
Drawn to Humanitarian Efforts Rasheda believes that her path led her to the military because of her ongoing attraction to public service. She fondly recalls the annual Day of Service at Sewickley Academy and the humanitarian work she continued during her undergraduate years at Amherst College in Massachusetts, where she was a student leader and worked in the Center for Community Engagement. But, “when I went to Albany Med, we didn’t do any service as medical students, which was
I initially decided to join the military because I knew I wanted to do pediatrics, and military pediatrics was, at the time, the biggest humanitarian force in all operations of the military,”
ridiculous to me.” And so, she initiated days of service during orientations and on Martin Luther King Day – practices that continue at Albany Medical College and for which the school recognized her with an award. Graduating as a Doctor of Medicine from Albany Med, Rasheda also earned a Distinction in Advocacy, which, according to the college’s website, “is for students who are committed to the improvement of the healthcare system or improving the non-biological determinants of health through advocacy. In order to be successful, a student must identify and address a social, environmental or policy issue that serves as a barrier to the health of a defined population at the regional, national, or international level.” But why the military? “I initially decided to join the military because I knew I wanted to do pediatrics, and military pediatrics was, at the time, the biggest humanitarian force in all operations of the military,” said Rasheda. “Anytime there’s a conflict, the pediatricians are the ones who often get deployed and are taking care of the children in the impacted areas.”
Love of Language and Travel “In high school, I took extra language classes,” said Rasheda. “I took Spanish all through middle and high school and took Italian, too, in high school, which meant I had six classes when only five were required. It was great
I pride myself in saying that I’ve been to a lot of really cool places both personally and professionally. I was able to rotate at a hospital in Nepal and see how pediatrics is practiced in a lower resource area. Most recently, I was in Finland last fall. I’ve been to Nicaragua twice on military missions, and I’ve been back to Costa Rica. I’ve been to Iceland, all of UK, France, Germany, and I’m going back to Italy later this year.” because I travel a lot, and I still speak Spanish and some Italian. I went to Finland last year and learned a little Finnish to go there.” In discussing her foreign language study at Sewickley Academy, Rasheda specifically recalled a teacher who had a significant impact on her development. “Jennifer Brown, as a black woman, having command of the Spanish language was really powerful to see, and I had her all throughout Middle School.” Rasheda’s interest in travel was ignited during her earliest days as a student at SA. “While I was at Sewickley, I did the trip in Middle School to Costa Rica,” she said. “That was my first real international trip, and being exposed to different cultures and languages has helped me tremendously in my career as a physician because I see people from all over the world. And, it helps me in my career within the military because we’re also global.” Rasheda went on to explain, “I was given the skills to adapt in places I may not traditionally be seen at, or places that are new to me because SA gave me Top: Rasheda’s high school signature – way too neat for a future doctor! Bottom: Her current signature – much more like a doctors’!
S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G | The Magazine of Sewickley Academy
the ability to be in different places that I didn’t have exposure to before. “Traveling is super important to me. I think I had been to Bermuda once with my mom in elementary school, but going to Costa Rica for a week, the first time without my mom, in middle school – I got excited about travel. I was a little in Big Brothers Big Sisters, and my big, Ann, was the Vice President of Atlantic Luggage in Pittsburgh. She traveled all the time and would tell me about all of her travels. They’d have sample bags that she’d give to me, and I’d have all the suitcases with nowhere to go.” Rasheda continued, “Then being with the military, I’ve had lots of FA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 2 3
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F E AT U R E getting farther and farther away from the last time I took care of a teenager, but that’s part of the military mission – we go when we’re called to take care of whomever it may be.” She went on to explain what it’s like to be a physician in the Army. “I think when people think of the military they think of boots on the ground, really high-tempo combat, and I don’t do that. Of course, I went to basic and I know the lingo, but that’s not what I do. I went to medical school. I went to residency. I went to fellowship, and I happen to practice in the military. Yes, I’m a major in the military, but I’m non-combat.”
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opportunities. I pride myself in saying that I’ve been to a lot of really cool places both personally and professionally. I haven’t been deployed, but the military has lots of research facilities around the world. I was able to rotate at a hospital in Nepal and see how pediatrics is practiced in a lower resource area. Most recently, I was in Finland last fall. I was in The Galapagos Islands in May 2023 – that was a personal trip. I go to Mexico once a year because I live in Texas. I’ve been to Nicaragua twice on military missions, and I’ve been back to Costa Rica. I’ve been to Iceland, all of UK, France, Germany, and I’m going back to Italy later this year. I’ve been to the South Pacific, and I’m going back there this year also. I have an opportunity to go to Dubai with my PhD program. I’ve had to refresh my passport book twice already.”
Working as a Military Officer
As much as she adores exploring new areas, Rasheda is forever loyal to her hometown. Though she has been living in Texas since 2019, she says, “I don’t plan to be a Texan.” She maintains a Pennsylvania license plate on her vehicle and continues to pay taxes and vote in PA. “I’m die-hard Pittsburgh,” she said. “I’ll have my Texas address while I’m here – I am an adult and I own a home – but it will be on a Pennsylvania driver’s license.”
As a neonatologist in the Army, there aren’t many of us, so most of my mission is here at Fort Cavazos which is the largest Army base [covering 340 square miles across two counties in Texas]. We have a large population of people delivering babies and my job is taking care of them, which is fantastic.”
In describing her work in medicine, Rasheda said, “As a neonatologist in the Army, there aren’t many of us, so most of my mission is here at Fort Cavazos which is the largest Army base [covering 340 square miles across two counties in Texas]. We have a large population of people delivering babies and my job is taking care of them, which is fantastic. I haven’t been deployed yet, but I could be deployed on a non-pediatric mission. I can, in theory, take care of patients up to 21-years old and the average age of a soldier is 19. I take care of babies every day and I’m
As part of the medical corps, Rasheda’s mission is entirely humanitarian, and while she isn’t required to perform drills, she must maintain her training as a soldier. Though she most commonly carries a stethoscope, she visits the shooting range and takes a twice annual physical fitness test as required by the Army. This test involves deadlifts, throwing a medicine ball, a sprintdrag-carry event involving a 70-lb sled, running with two 40-lb kettle bells, pushups, planks, and more, all followed by a two-mile run. Her work in military medicine can involve transporting babies of soldiers born overseas back to American hospitals and can include physical and occupational therapies and treatments such as feeding assistance for those babies that are born prematurely. “I’ve had babies that had significant respiratory needs in terms of being intubated and on a ventilator and needing to be transported because of needing a higher level of care and things that we don’t have overseas... We’ve received patients back at our facility that were born elsewhere or, say the family was traveling for the holidays and the baby is born overseas or at a civilian hospital and the family wants to come back home to Fort Cavazos – we’ll do the compassionate transport once the baby is stable.”
Rasheda primarily cares for members of the military and their families, but during COVID and in emergency situations, she and her colleagues care for civilians as well. “In general, when there is an emergency in any community, EMS is supposed to take that person to the nearest trauma hospital which is sometimes a military hospital. We will stabilize them and then get them to a civilian facility.
“I’m really grateful to my mentors within military neonatology and just the incredible things that have happened within military pediatrics, particularly the research. Many of the vaccines and therapies that are utilized in the civilian world have come from the military and military pediatrics specifically.” Rasheda also pointed out that her military training has prepared her to function in environments that lack resources. “The military has given me the skills to work with little and do incredible things... to be functional in whatever environment I’m in.” Her ability to learn, to absorb and apply new information, may just be what defines Rasheda Vereen. “I’ve never left school since Sewickley Academy. I love being in school. I’m a perpetual student. Learning is addictive, and you don’t stop learning once you reach your career. I learn something from my patients every day. I learn something from my research every day. No matter how old you get, you have to be willing to learn something new. And the military makes you really good at learning because it puts you in situations where you don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Rasheda’s Research
As a “perpetual student,” Rasheda is furthering her education while both practicing medicine and serving as a military officer. “I was always interested in science and math, and being from Pittsburgh, I was always interested in environmental science. But, in the early 2000s, what that looked like in college and as a career was not super clear,” she said. After graduating from Sewickley Academy, Rasheda enrolled at Amherst College in Massachusetts with plans to major in psychology but was able to graduate with dual degrees including environmental studies. Her next step required serious consideration. “I took two years off between college and medical school because I had applied to both medical schools and master’s programs in environmental studies because I was still very undecided about what my career would look like. “Ultimately, I ended up pursuing medical school first, but right now I’m getting a PhD in sustainability because I couldn’t let it go. I currently live in Texas and every year is the worst heatwave and there are people dying every day from extreme weather events – not just tornadoes and hurricanes, but there are instances of extreme heat in children and pregnant women going into premature labor from being exposed to extreme heat and dehydration. And, then we’re dealing with premature babies. So, as a healthcare provider, I’m navigating the impact of climate change on health. There were already disparate outcomes in healthcare based on race and socioeconomic status and now this layer of climate change, and climate justice being a part of that, has to be navigated as a healthcare provider. I want to be able to
I was always interested in science and math, and being from Pittsburgh, I was always interested in environmental science. But, in the early 2000s, what that looked like in college and as a career was not super clear.” accomplish something a little bit different in the realm of neonatology health and climate change in terms of policy and advocacy. “The other research I’m working on right now is looking at disparities in human donor milk distribution and how it’s used. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding as the primary source for babies, but that is not always an option for every family. There are milk banks throughout the country where families with extra breast milk can donate it. How that is distributed is something that my research team is looking into.” With this project, Rasheda is the senior author and is working with a mentee at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland where she completed her residency. Rasheda is part of a research group that is committed to making health better for children and their families and supporting military families and civilians in the best way possible. She expects that up to five papers detailing her research will be published in peer-reviewed journals this year.
S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G | The Magazine of Sewickley Academy
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AROUND CAMPUS
A New Addition to Campus At the start of this school year, Sewickley Academy proudly unveiled its new panther statue. It is appropriately positioned along the driveway at the school’s main entrance, in front of Melodia Plaza and The Nichols-Snyder School Center where it serves as a symbol of our institution’s core values of strength, resilience, and leadership. The statue has already become a cornerstone of campus aesthetics. It offers an ideal spot for photographs, capturing the essence of our school spirit. The Panther has beckoned current students and alumni alike to commemorate their shared experiences at The Academy, reminding us all of the legacy that our mascot embodies and keeps constant throughout the generations. The funding for this iconic addition to our campus is a testament to the generosity and commitment of our Sewickley Academy community. Funds were raised with the goal of the statue becoming a beacon of school spirit and unity during the 2022 Auction. This initiative showcases the collaborative spirit that drives our community forward. In an interview with Jim Miller, Director of Buildings and Grounds,
The funding for this iconic addition to our campus is a testament to the generosity and commitment of our Sewickley Academy community.” Jim Miller, Director of Buildings and Grounds 32
who was instrumental in the construction and delivery of the statue, he shared some invaluable insights into the process. Constructing the panther wasn’t just a task; it was about capturing the essence and spirit of Sewickley Academy. He spoke about the intricacies of the design, the challenges faced during the production phase, and the meticulous planning required to ensure its safe delivery and installation. The statue was sourced from Aongking Sculpture Manufacturer located in Shijiazhuang, China, and underwent several stages of craftsmanship before reaching its final form. On its delivery, Jim recalls, “There were challenges faced shipping the statue from China for delivery to Pittsburgh. Fortunately, Brad Busatto ’88 was able to connect me with a company that coordinates overseas shipping and the process was flawless from that point forward to deliver our panther to its rightful place on our campus.” In addition, Mosites Construction was an integral part of assisting The Academy with the installation of the Panther during the Summer of 2023.
Middle School students reveal the finished product and welcome the Panther to campus.
CO M I SUS N I OCNI LMCOOMRENNETR
M I S S I O N M O M E N T:
EDUCATIONAL VIGOR
Ms. Karen Hanlon
EVP & COO, Highmark Health
Ms. Leslie Bonci
Owner, Active Eating Advice
Dr. Bryan Donohue Chief of Cardiology, UPMC Shadyside
Mr. Travis Williams
President, Pittsburgh Pirates
Mr. D. Raja
CEO & Co-Founder, CEI
Mr. Mike Ressler
CTO, Diamond Kinetics
Ms. Pallavi Patil
CEO & Founder, Lark Adventurewear SA commends junior Anjali Shah for all of her efforts in bringing the inaugural TEDxYouth event to Sewickley Academy on May 13. Pictured are speakers Pallavi Patil (SA ’02), Travis Williams, D. Raja, and Mike Ressler along with students Abby Bojalad, Anjali Shah, Max Peluso, Michael Gorloff, Peter Shillingsburg, and co-organizer Mike Cesario, Middle School Dean of Students. The speakers, along with Karen Hanlon, Lesli Bonci, and Bryan Donohue, all discussed the theme “What is Success?”
Last spring, Sewickley Academy hosted its first TEDxYouth event. What started as a vision in the mind of junior Anjali Shah, became a reality on May 13, 2023 and included several prominent speakers from various industries across the Pittsburgh region. As early as Fall 2022, Anjali began working with faculty sponsor Mike Cesario to bring her concept to life. To qualify as an official TEDxYouth chapter, Anjali was required to submit a detailed application for approval and had to adhere to a rigorous set of rules. Once approved, Anjali set about identifying potential speakers who would focus on her theme,
“What is success?” This theme was intentionally broad to allow speakers to think about their life, education, and career along with the ups and downs that led to their accomplished achievements. Anjali identified approximately twelve speakers who each received a formal invitation. Of those, seven were available to speak including Ms. Leslie Bonci of Active Eating Advice, Dr. Bryan Donohue who is the cardiovascular consultant to the WWE, Ms. Karen Hanlon with Highmark Health, Ms. Pallavi (Golla ’02) Patil of Lark Adventurewear, Mr. D. Raja with CEI, Mr. Mike Ressler of Diamond Kinetics, and Mr. Travis Williams, President of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G | The Magazine of Sewickley Academy
While the bulk of the planning and execution was completed by Anjali, as May 13th drew near, she received help from friends, Sewickley Academy juniors Abby Bojalad, Cait Donohue, and Max Peluso who helped with marketing and setup, as well as Michael Gorloff and Peter Shillingsburg who helped with technology and lighting. The event was a huge success with nearly 100 community members in attendance. Now, as a Sewickley Academy senior, Anjali is already planning a Spring 2024 TEDxYouth event and has organized a club consisting of students from Grade 9 through Grade 12. She hopes this model will motivate younger students to continue the TEDxYouth tradition at the school after she graduates.
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CLASS OF 2023
CONGRATULATIONS, Class of 2023! The accomplishments of Sewickley Academy’s Class of 2023 are many and it was with pride that the Academy’s faculty and staff supported and taught these students as they learned and further developed the foundational knowledge and skills needed to carry them beyond their next educational chapter and onto a lifetime of opportunities. Come what may, they will always remain Sewickley Academy Alumni.
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2023 GRAD STATS AND FACTS
164 63
Number of colleges or universities graduates
were admitted to
12
SAT SCORES AVERAGED
28% HIGHER than national average ACT SCORES AVERAGED
61% HIGHER than national average
Number of graduates
35%
students were inducted into the Sewickley Academy Chapter of the Cum Laude Society
Global Scholar Award recipients
CATHERINE JARDINI NIKKI GOLESTAN
4
Legacy
GRADUATES
65%
20%
33%
recognized by
were admitted
NATIONAL MERIT
SCHOLARSHIP
PROGRAM
TO THEIR TOP CHOICE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY VIA EARLY DECISION
12
62
a ending 46 distinct colleges and universities
across the country
Grads and around the world
earned SA’s
Global Studies Certificate in addition to their diploma
97%
32%
participated in
participated in
participated in
SA ATHLETICS ON AT LEAST ONE TEAM
ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES
PERFORMING ARTS
THEATER PERFORMANCE TECHNICAL THEATER AND/OR ORCHESTRA JAZZ BAND OR CHOIR
S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G | The Magazine of Sewickley Academy
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ALUMNI WEEKEND
ALUMNI WEEKEND 2023 RECAP Alumni Weekend took place this year on October 6th and 7th, featuring popular new events and traditional favorites. Things kicked off at noon on Friday with a Middle and Senior School assembly in Rea Auditorium, for the induction ceremony of Dr. Lisa Suatoni ’83 into the Sewickley Academy Science and Technology Hall of Fame. Dr. Suatoni gave an inspiring presentation to students, faculty, alumni, and community members, about her work saving the oceans at this critical time in our climate’s evolution. On Friday evening, an Alumni Happy Hour was hosted at the Cavalier House, the former residence of Founding Senior School Head, James Cavalier, and his family, located on what was previously known as Faculty Circle. This new event allowed alumni to gather informally with each other and with current and former faculty. It was a resounding success! Saturday morning festivities began with mimosas and muffins in the Campbell Art Gallery, while guests enjoyed campus tours. This was followed by a panel discussion on science and technology, featuring our honoree, Dr. Lisa Suatoni, two faculty members; Science Department Chair Ben Spicer, and Math Department Chair John Basinger, and two of their students, Jack Terrell ’24 and Alexandra Bock ’24, who talked about their advanced studies at SA in astrophysics and coding. New to Alumni Weekend, an Alumni Tailgate during the Varsity Boys Soccer Game was hosted at Nichols Field. Attendance was tremendous with alumni, faculty, staff, parents, and students, all gathering to cheer on the Panthers. There were activities for the whole family, including a balloon artist, a craft table, face painting, corn hole boards, a food 36
truck, and a concession stand. We are excited to have this new tradition for future Alumni Weekends. The weekend concluded with an All Alumni Gala at Allegheny Country Club, where guests mingled and enjoyed food and beverages as talented Senior School students performed. An added feature this year was a caricature artist, who was enjoyed by all attendees and captured the spirit of Sewickley Academy Alumni. Concurrently, a seated dinner took place for the Class of 1973’s 50th Reunion celebration. There was an enthusiastic turnout for the 50th Reunion class party, which was hosted Friday evening by Judy (Shoener ’73) Semple at her home at Rockledge Farm. A special feature of the Saturday dinner, hosted at Allegheny Country Club by Sewickley Academy, was a celebration of Tim Appleton ’73 and his amazing career in basketball, especially commemorating 50 years of his unbroken scoring record. Memorabilia of that career was on display for all to enjoy during the evening. With the success of this year’s various events, we are already looking forward to next year’s Alumni Weekend. We hope you, your classmates, and your families are able to join us in 2024! Jenn (Smith) Fary, Leah (Henderson) Kanner, Lizzie Grater, and Dr. Ali Grenert representing the Class of 2001. Class of 1966, 1967, and 1968 catching up at their class party. Holly Seifert ’01 enjoying the tailgate with students and her dog, Poppy. Dr. Lisa Suatoni ’83 talks about saving the oceans with Lori Sherry’s Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences class. Heather Semple ’78, Mark Prybyl, and Eileen Minnock ’73 enjoy an evening on the deck at the Cavalier House for the Alumni Happy Hour. Dr. Lisa Suatoni ’83 discussing the sciences with SA Seniors Jack Terrell and Alexandra Bock.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Hall of Fame October 6, 2023
Every four years, The Academy inducts alumni who have made significant contributions to the fields of science and technology, as determined by awards, grants, original research, and recognition by experts in the field. This year’s inductee is Lisa Suatoni, Ph.D. ’83 for her work to save the oceans. She currently serves as the Deputy Director of Oceans at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) where her advocacy for healthy oceans is wide-ranging. She has established protected areas in ocean habitats, reduced ocean plastic pollution, and improved domestic and international fisheries management. Through her scientific analyses of the recovery of harvested fish populations, NRDC and its partners corrected flaws in the MagnusonStevens Fisheries Management Act to restore sustainable fishing limits in U.S. waters.
(the Paris Agreement). Recently, she has been working to develop an ethical framework to guide research on climate intervention technologies.
Dr. Suatoni finds creative ways to inspire public concern about the health of oceans. She helps Hollywood studios develop scientifically accurate storylines, including co-producing films such as Acid Test, introducing broad audiences to the threat of ocean acidification. She has even found herself dancing with an albatross on The Ellen DeGeneres Show while explaining how plastic pollution is devastating ocean wildlife. Dr. Suatoni is the Timothy B. Atkeson environmental lecturer in law at Yale Law School, where she co-directs the Yale Environmental Protection Clinic. She holds a master’s and doctorate in ecology and evolutionary biology from Yale University. Dr. Suatoni was introduced at the ceremony by classmate and close friend Kathy Atwood ’83, MSc ScD, who is a senior scientist for the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, an organization that focuses on
merging scientific knowledge and research-based practices to create solutions that improve the health, safety, and well-being of individuals, communities, and nations around the world. The awards assembly was held during Alumni Weekend and was attended by Middle and Senior School students, faculty, and guests. It included a warm welcome by Chris Anderson, Associate Head of School, a brief history of The Academy by school historian Dr. Susan (Ratcliffe ’55) Sour, a musical performance by the Senior School Jazz Ensemble, and singing of the Alma Mater led by Grade 5 students.
Past inductees include Carolee Bull, Ph.D. ’81 who is a world leader in research on organic and sustainable crop production in the Salinas Valley (where she mentored migrant workers to become scientists), bacterial taxonomy, biological control of plant pathogens, and phytobacteriology. Robertson “Robbie” Parkman, M.D. ’53 who received Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Pediatric and Marrow Transplant Consortium and the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation for his pioneering work on transplants in infants and young children. Mark E. Schafer, Ph.D. ’75 who established the leading independent measurement laboratory for medical ultrasound, working with companies that ranged from startups to multinationals.
Dr. Suatoni successfully fought for stronger environmental standards for offshore oil drilling in the wake of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. She highlighted the importance of oceans in climate policy at the UNFCCC S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G | The Magazine of Sewickley Academy
Beth (Willman) Lefkon, Ph.D. ’94 who discovered a new ultra-faint galaxy now known as Willman 1 and served as Deputy Director of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) project in Chile. FA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 2 3
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ALUMNI PROFILES
Lieutenant Josh Otto ’09 Naval Officer Why did you choose to serve, and why specifically in the Navy? My grandpa and dad both served in the Army, and so I knew I wanted to follow in their footsteps by serving our country. However, I was a huge lacrosse fan of the Naval Academy men’s team during the mid-2000s, and after visiting Annapolis for a couple games, I felt a calling to join the Navy instead of the Army. What special skills did you learn in the Navy? As an officer, I was put into a leadership role right away. I also learned engineering project management and program management skills, operational and strategic planning, and technical communication and writing. I was also in charge of an IT training facility for young submarine sailors which ties in with the work I’m doing now. How did SA prepare you for what you’ve experienced since graduation? The amount of writing I did at SA prepared me so much for college and for my future career. I also think that athletics at SA helped prepare me for leadership. On the lacrosse team, I learned how to face adversity with others, how to work together to reach a goal, and how to push each other when the sense to quit is at an all-time high. Having the responsibility as team captain helped me mature and grow a lot during my senior year. Describe your experience. During summers in the US Naval Academy (USNA), I trained in different areas including spending a month on a ship, taking a back seat ride in an F-18 fighter jet, and going underwater in a ballistic missile submarine.
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After the US Naval Academy, I was commissioned as a submarine officer and went through 12 months of nuclear power training in Charleston, SC. I served three years on the USS New Hampshire, which is a fast attack submarine. They are smaller, do not carry nuclear weapons, and have missions involving more surveillance and reconnaissance. As a submarine officer, you give the orders to the crew regarding where to steer and how deep to go, and you operate the periscope.
The Obama photo was at my graduation ceremony at the US Naval Academy in May of 2013. Every graduating midshipman (student) had the opportunity to shake his hand.
Much of my work was classified so, unfortunately, I cannot talk about it. However, we did get to travel under the ice on the submarine which was a really cool experience. I also
I voluntarily separated from the Navy in August 2022, but before that I was assigned to the Washington Navy Yard in DC where I worked with Strategic System Programs. They are in charge of all of the Navy’s nuclear weapons, so they write the policy, handle the maintenance, and are involved with foreign relations regarding nuclear arms.
After the US Naval Academy, I was commissioned as a submarine officer and went through 12 months of nuclear power training in Charleston, SC. I served three years on the USS New Hampshire, which is a fast attack submarine.” Josh Otto ’09
spent 57 days straight underwater. Resurfacing was like Christmas morning! I remember the water was extraordinarily calm like glass, and we were surrounded by rolling green hills in Faslane, Scotland. There was also a random Amazon fulfillment center on one of the hills which I thought was pretty funny because it looked so out of place.
What are you doing now? I am a federal consultant for Booz Allen Hamilton which involves working with the government to help build and upgrade their IT infrastructure for their classified networks. I do a lot of data science and program support for them as well.
C L A S S N OT E S
1969 John Barr and Penny (Williams ’69) Rudder in Florida.
1960s
Weekend – 1966, 1967, and 1968 – plus numerous other local alumni who joined the fun. Her home at Gladmore Farm in Sewickley Heights was a perfect setting to appreciate the fall colors on a beautiful evening that was full of laughs and good conversations among friends, many of whom had traveled quite a distance. Special guests included Pat Cavalier and David Nimick ’39 (age 99), who attended with his daughter Susan Nimick ’67. Melinda has been a caregiver in recent years to her sisters Jean Roberts ’68 and Kyoki Christine Roberts ’69, and to the late Lisa (Booth ’67) Tierney.
1966
1968
Do you enjoy reading
CLASS NOTES? So do we, but we need your news to share! It’s your turn to tell us how proud you are of your family, report on the interesting work you do, put in a plug for community service, or anything else going on in your life these days. Submit a Class Note for the next issue of Sewickley Speaking by visiting the Alumni section of our website, www.sewickley.org. If you have a digital photo to share, please send it to alumni@sewickley.org with a note identifying the people in the photo.
Fred Everett was unable to make this fall’s joint reunion with the classes of 1966, 1967, and 1968, but sent this message to all from his home in Cincinnati: “Please give my best wishes to all at Reunion. I am so sorry not to be able to make the trip and hope that you all have a wonderful weekend.” Fred’s wife Julia, passed away in August 2022, and their son Alex lives with him currently. Fred retains his familiar sense of humor and many eclectic interests, and would be pleased to hear from old friends. Contact Susan Sour in the Alumni Office for information on how to reach him. Harvey Levin had a last minute change in his plans to attend Reunion as well. Harvey is a retired attorney living in D.C. and is an avid bike rider around Rock Creek in DC and Maryland. He and his wife Bette just got an English Springer Spaniel to brighten their days – puppy training is an arduous task but well worth the trouble. The Levins have “two young grandsons just a few minutes away who occupy much of our lives.” 1967
Melinda Roberts hosted a cocktail party for three classes for Reunion S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G | The Magazine of Sewickley Academy
Rob King shared an update: “Rob King and his wife, Jane, are happily retired in Corvallis, Oregon. They enjoy hikes along the Willamette River and trips to the coast and the Cascades, as well as visits with children and grandchildren in Seattle and St. Paul, Minnesota.” 1969
John Barr visited with classmate Penny (Williams ’69) Rudder in Florida and was full of praise for the good work Penny does in her hometown of Greenport, New York, where she launched the Little Free Pantry in 2018 for those who have food insecurity.
1970s 1973
Alfred R. Price Jr. (“Rob”) recently was appointed executive director of the Bethesda Foundation, based in Hornell, NY and which provides financial support to not-for-profit healthcare services in western New York. Rob has worked as a journalist in western New York since 1991 and currently writes for Alfred University’s Office of Marketing FA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 2 3
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C L A S S N OT E S
was 53. Now retired, spending most of my time with grandkid-raising with some tennis and reading, filling the slim amounts of free time.” 1978
1973 The Class of 1973 enjoyed a wonderful evening at Allegheny Country Club celebrating their 50th Reunion.
and Communication, promoting the University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the School of Art and Design. He continues to write fiction, and his short story “Reunion” recently was published in Woven Tale Press. “I dabble in woodworking too, and I play a bad guitar,” Rob adds. “Just attended my 40th reunion at the Academy and had a blast hooking up with old friends.” Fran Nimick wrote: “Guess I was always a Westerner at heart – 3 years in Tucson, 38 in Albuquerque, and 5+ so far in Colorado Springs. Happily married for 43 years; raised three daughters and now raising two of our three grandchildren. Spent a career in rock mechanics, environmental cleanup, and management of complex hazardous operations. Played competitive soccer until I
1973 Rob Price is Executive Director of the Bethesda Foundation in Hornell, New York.
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Nick Waer shared, “Andrea and I celebrated our 40th Wedding Anniversary on June 11th in Bermuda. We stayed at the Pompano Beach Club where I went with my parents in 1975, during my summer vacation from Sewickley Academy. It was a dream come true to revisit the resort again and see the Lamb brothers, who I met as teenagers, and are now in charge.”
1978 Nick Waer and his wife Andrea celebrated their 40th anniversary in Bermuda.
1980s 1981
Lydia Ciarallo and Sarah Suatoni, still the best of friends, returned to the SA campus in October to see Sarah’s sister, Dr. Lisa Suatoni ’83, inducted into the Science and Technology Hall of Fame over Alumni Weekend. They also enjoyed lunch with some current school administrators in the Hansen Library and the opportunity to get together with other alumni pals while back in Sewickley.
1985 Kemp Fuller and his wife Shelly, and mother-in-law, Mary Ann Ray, enjoyed the sunset in Roatan, Honduras, during a scuba-diving trip.
1983
Not only was it the 40th reunion year for the Class of 1983, but it happened to coincide with the induction of Lisa Suatoni, PhD ’83 into the SA Science and Technology Hall of Fame (see article on page 37). Joining Lisa in Rea Auditorium as she received her award were classmates Kathy Atwood and Bill Goehring, along with Lisa’s sister, Sarah Suatoni ’81, and Lydia Ciarallo ’81. They later joined Tad Coburn, Dan Scioscia, and Lindsey Smith at Left Field Meeting Space, located on Pittsburgh’s North Shore where Lindsey and Bill hosted a class party featuring incredible views of the city.
1978 Dave Volk and Heather Semple had a great time seeing each other at the All Alumni Gala at Allegheny Country Club on Alumni Weekend. They wondered how 45 years has gone by since the Class of ’78 graduated!
1985
Kemp Fuller continues to indulge his passion for scuba diving along with his wife Shelly, an elementary school librarian and technology coordinator in Idabel, Oklahoma. In June, they spent two weeks diving in Roatan, an island in the Caribbean about 40 miles off the coast of Honduras. It is considered a paradise for divers. Kemp’s mother, Susan (Ratcliffe ’55) Sour, and Mary Ann Ray, Shelly’s mother, joined them for a week,
1983 Bill Goehring, Lisa Suatoni, Sarah Suatoni, Kathy Atwood, and Lydia Ciarallo pose after Lisa was inducted into SA’s Hall of Fame.
Hour at the Cavalier House over Alumni Weekend. Bob continues to serve SA as a member of the Board of Trustees. John and Bob took the opportunity to head downtown to catch up with members of the Class of 1983, Tad Coburn and Bill Goehring. 1988
Brad Bussato remains active in life at Sewickley Academy, where he wears many hats, as a member of the Board of Trustees, father of Brooke ’25 (daughter Kate graduated in 2016), and as an involved alumnus. As such, he was pleased to recently host a few classmates for an evening at the Edgeworth Club, including Darren Torbic, George Linge, Laura (Aufman) Jenkins, and Fraser (Zimmerman) Traverse, who had just flown in from a sojourn in Spain.
In case you missed it in the “New Faces” section, John Zimmerman has taken on the role of Alumni Engagement Officer at, of all places, Sewickley Academy! In his new role he will oversee alumni affairs, working to build relationships between all alumni and our alma mater. Says John, “This is an exciting opportunity to give back to the institution that gave me, and all of us, so much. It’s an honor and a privilege to be back on campus and to have been welcomed into this dynamic team.” Not coincidentally, John ran into Bob James at the Alumni Happy
1999
1990s 1993
snorkeling the beautiful reefs and swimming in the clear blue waters. Kemp is Director of Consulting Services for Ispere, a technology company based in Houston, Texas.
1988 George Linge, Darren Torbic, Brad Busatto, Laura (Aufman) Jenkins, and Fraser (Zimmerman) Traverse gather to celebrate the Class of 1988.
Jason Fincke was in town for Alumni Weekend and attended every school sponsored event. He also got together with Jonathan Glance and Elvira Eichleay in Rosslyn Farms. Jason is a member of SA’s Alumni Council and, as such, remains engaged throughout the year. He reports that all of the Finckes are doing well. 1998
Ryan Thompson and wife Jayme (SA’s Director of Admissions) hosted friends from the Class of 1998 and others, for a very festive evening at their home on Fox Hill Farm. The group included Bill Miller, Grant Marstof, Katie (Joy) Rosinski, Lisa (Goldstein) Helman, Laurel (Weller) Noe, Dan Hinkle, Julie (Bevevino) Fulesday ’99, and Holly Seifert ’01.
S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G | The Magazine of Sewickley Academy
1999 Clayton Deutsch and Ryan Thompson ’98 catching up at the Tailgate and Soccer Game during Alumni Weekend 2023.
2010s 2010
Katelyn (Hough) Frey ’10 received her doctorate from the University of Akron where she is on the faculty: “The degree is technically in ‘Adult Development and Aging.’ A little wordy, but unique! The professors in the program stated they wanted to be more specific than ‘Developmental Psychology,’ because most people hear that and immediately think ‘children.’ Which is true! Katelyn is Assistant Professor of Psychology at Kent State University in Trumbull, Ohio. FA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 2 3
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1998 Ryan Thompson
and wife Jayme (SA’s Director of Admissions) hosted friends from the Class of 1998 and others at their home.
2012
Josh Green, from Australia, reunited with the Wilson family over Memorial Day weekend, eleven years after Josh and Elizabeth Wilson participated in the reciprocal exchange program between SA and Central Coast Grammar School. Their friendship continues to flourish eleven years later! Josh and the entire Wilson family are so thankful for the exchange program that brought them together. Elizabeth ’14 is a chemical engineer and product manager, Katherine ’12 has a pet sitting and dog walking business, Margaret ’17 is a preschool teacher at KinderCare, Theresa ’19 is an accountant with Animal Friends, and Nick ’22 is a mechanical engineering student at Penn State Behrend. 2014
Sophia Werner was promoted at Thermo Fisher Scientific in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as a Site
lead, working across teams between sales, vendors, customer facilities and operations to manage inventory in real time at customer locations. Sophia graduated from Boston University, with a degree in International Relations and Affairs, where she participated in B.U’s Women’s Club Ice Hockey, FeelGoodBU, and the London Study Abroad Internship Program. She has had an eclectic background of jobs and interests including earning a wine certificate from B.U. and serving as a Harvest Intern at Margerum Wine Company in California, and a personal trainer and a CrossFit L2 Trainer/Coach in Naples, Florida. 2015
Rachel Becker reported, “For the second year, I am serving as an ambassador for the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (BHCHP), an organization whose mission is to provide unconditionally equitable and dignified access to the highest quality health care for all individuals and families experiencing homelessness. This year’s fall soiree will be held at the Overlook at Fenway Park – I hope you may consider joining! The founder of the program, Dr. Jim
2005 Mike Kalis ’07 and
Derek Chimner ’04 were proud members of the wedding party when Marina Kalis ’05 married Michael Belmonte at the Pennsylvanian in Pittsburgh on July 1, 2023. 42
2012 Wilson Family photo: Front row left to right: Elizabeth ’14, Judi Rubino (grandmother), Katherine ’12, Theresa ’19, Margaret ’17; Back row left to right: Ann (mother), Nick ’22, Josh Green (Australian exchange student), Todd ’81 (father).
O’Connell, was an alum of my alma matter, Notre Dame, and I had read his book, Stories from the Shadows which is how I initially got connected to the program.” 2016
Lilian Traviato shared, “Since graduating from SA, I have worked with Grammy Hall of Fame producers, I’ve been signed to a record label, and my self-produced catalog has received coverage in multiple publications with 1 million monthly readers. Informed by these experiences, I recently started my own business and launched a music production training program. The ten years I spent playing double bass at Sewickley were the foundation for everything I’m
2010 Katelyn (Hough ’10) Frey earned her doctorate last spring.
PILLARS SOCIETY 2023
2016 Lilian Traviato ’16 adds the fun fact that in this photo she is at the NEVE Console that once belonged to George Harrison!
working toward today, and it would be a truly special opportunity to offer this program to current SA students during their extracurricular time.” Lilian has founded a start-up that mentors musicians seeking to enter the professional world of music production. Check out her website at www.princessnostalgia.com/alchemy. 2017
Ciara Donohue ran her second half marathon in the Olympic Village, Lake Placid, on the weekend of October 6th. Despite it raining the
entire time, Lake Placid’s beautiful fall foliage, creeks, and lakes provided the perfect backdrop, and a great escape from the “Concrete Jungle” of New York City where she lives. Lake Placid was home to the 1932 and 1980 Olympics, hosting the “Miracle on Ice” in 1980. Despite Lake Placid’s profound beauty, the following weekend, Ciara visited our coveted Sewickley to see her sister, Cait ’24 attending the fall dance hosted at the school on Saturday, October 14th. Ciara stated that the fall foliage in Sewickley was more radiant than that of Lake Placid, and almost as radiant as the class of 2024 dressed up for their fall dance.
2020s 2020
Mishon Levine is now an Associate Consultant at Bain & Co. “After an amazing summer in Chicago, I’m excited and honored to be returning as an Associate Consultant for Bain & Company upon my graduation this Spring!” Mishon graduated from Washington University’s Olin School of Business (St. Louis).
2017 Top: Ciara Donohue ’17 ran a half marathon in the rain at Lake Placid in October. Bottom: Ciara ’17 and Cait ’24 reunite in Sewickley before the Senior School Fall Dance. S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G | The Magazine of Sewickley Academy
James J. Angel ’77 Claire (Lang ’90) Ballantyne Josephine Gilmore Bell ’54 Winifred Farin John K.’51* and Doris Foster Deborah Gray ’68 Larry E. Hall John O. Heard ’60 Dan & Joan Hilson Nancy Crowley Inman ’84 Albert F.* and L. Gail Knight Jeffrey A. Lenchner ’77 Dr. John S.’66* and Cristel Liggett George J. & Jamie Magovern John & Dolores Mahoney Jennifer L. Markus ’89 David and Ellen Martin Robert A. McKean III ’52 William S. McKeever ’73 Maureen and Jack McKnight Wm. John ’70 and Kathryn Powell Robert W. Riordan Elizabeth Standish Sackson ’83 Henry Z. Shenk ’74 Susan (Ratcliffe ’55) Sour Billie Spencer ’67 Lee Jackson Warner ’78 Richard and Audrey Weinzierl Missy (Ratcliffe ’60) Zimmerman
We are grateful to these past benefactors: Helen (Collin 4’ 0) Adams Edward B. Blue ’10 William Boyd, Jr. ’29 Constance (Irwin ’53) Bray Nicholas C. Chubb ’37 Robert B. Egan Gerta Engstrom family Yale and Louise Frame Katherine C. Galbraith Ronald E. & C.A. Gebhardt Josephine “Bobbie” Gilmore Rev. William R. Harper, Jr. Mary Clause Heard B.F. III and Katharine H. Jones John P. Levis, Jr. E. Thorne McKallip ’29 Otto and Maude Meinhardt Anne (McKnight ’37) Murdock Martha (Anderson ’37) Nash Constance (Hillman ’30) O’Neil George P. O’Neil ’30 Laura (Liggett ’33) Oliver Henry Oliver John C. Oliver, Jr. ’26 Virginia Rose Rea Henriette E. Rougraff 4’ 5 Lucy K. Schoonmaker Frank C. Schroeder ’28 Alden H.J. Sector Harton S. Semple ’36 G. Whitney Snyder Judge William L. Standish 4’ 4 FA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 2 3
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IN MEMORIAM Through October 12, 2023
ALUMNI FREDERICK HOLDSHIP JONES ’47 Frick Jones died on July 21, 2023, just shy of his 91st birthday, at his home in East Chop, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, with family. He was one of a kind, always a gentleman thinking of others, and never saying no to giving a helping hand. He was born to Katharine and Benjamin Franklin Jones III, on September 12, 1932. He attended Sewickley Academy and graduated from Brooks School and Princeton University. He was a Lieutenant in the Army, stationed in Germany and after his service, returned to New York City to become a stockbroker with Legg Mason Global Assets. Frick moved back to Sewickley, continuing his career then retired and moved to Boston. He met Karen Austin, they married in 1992 and lived happily together for 31 years. Frick was predeceased by his older brother, Benjamin, and his son, Michael Brown. He is survived by his wife, Karen; stepchildren, Anthony, Alexander and wife, Melissa, and Lacy Austin; his brother, Peter ’53 and wife Leslie and their family; his grandchildren, Sam ’05 and Hilary Brown; and his step-grandchildren Blake and Bode Austin. WALTER I. FLOYD, JR. ’54 Walter I. Floyd, Jr., 82, passed away on March 29, 2022, at home in Virginia. He was born April 4, 1939, in Pittsburgh, the son of the late Walter I. Floyd and the late Nancy McDaniel Floyd. He received his bachelor’s degree from Williams College in 1962 and became an officer in the U.S. Air Force. He spent a 33-year career in the Central Intelligence Agency with assignments in Laos, Cambodia, Cyprus, Greece, and Japan. In Tokyo, where he spent thirteen years, he met and married Taeko Fukubayashi, the love of his life. In 2000 Walter and Taeko moved to Pembroke Springs, a beautiful property in Star Tannery, Virginia, that Walter had acquired in the late 1960s. They decided to start second 44
careers as innkeepers and built a small Japan-inspired retreat that continues to operate as a family-run business. Walter is survived by his wife, Taeko; children, Chris (Felicia), Lisa, and Winston; grandchildren Emma, Jake, and Chloe; and brother, Dan Floyd ’57 (Sarah). His sister, Alison (Floyd ’60) Melinn (Bruce) who survived him, died March 12, 2023. ROBERT TATNALL KENNEDY ’58 Robert “Bob” Tatnall Kennedy, of Haverford, Pennsylvania, passed away on August 27, 2023, at age 80. Bob was born August 12, 1943, in Wilmington, Delaware. After his father’s death and his mother’s remarriage to Henry M. Curry III, of Sewickley, he moved with his mother and sister, Anne ’56, to Sewickley, where he attended Sewickley Academy, The Salisbury School, and graduated from The University School, Pittsburgh. He attended the University of Pittsburgh before enlisting in the Navy in 1964. He served on the destroyer USS Charles R. Ware (DD865) which included a tour with the 7th Fleet to Vietnam where it engaged in intelligence gathering activities in the Tonkin Gulf. This was followed by Operation Sea Dragon within a mile of the coast of North Vietnam. After completing his naval service, he enrolled at Waynesburg College. He married Mary Lockwood McClintock ’60, and moved to northern Indiana, where he worked in the accounting division at U.S. Steel. In 1994, he transferred to the Fairless Hills plant in eastern Pennsylvania. His beloved wife, Mary, passed away in 2000. He later retired from U.S. Steel and married Noelle Walser Paul. He was a longtime member of the Allegheny Country Club and a lifelong resident at a family summer home at Pocono Lake Preserve. He was also a member of the Tunkhannock Creek Association. His love of dogs, duck hunting, and fly fishing showed itself in his active involvement in Ducks Unlimited in Indiana and southeastern Pennsylvania and the French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust, Inc. These passions also led him to
create a conservation area called Blackberry Marsh in northwest Indiana with a group of friends. Bob was known for his charming, engaging, and fun-loving nature and his love of people. He is survived by his wife, Noelle; daughter, Christine; son, Robert Jr.; stepsons, William B. Paul III and Colin Paul; four grandchildren; and sister, Susan Curry Cadwalader ’74. He was predeceased by his sister, Anne Carpenter Kennedy Theobald ’56. ALISON OSBORNE FLOYD MELINN ’60 Alison Osborne Floyd Melinn, age 77, of Burnsville, North Carolina, passed away on March 14, 2023, at her home. She was the daughter of the late Walter I. Floyd and the late Nancy M. Stites of Sewickley. She was also preceded in death by her son, Sean Pergerson, brother, Walter I. Floyd, Jr. ’54. Alison enjoyed making jewelry, painting, and creating beautiful things. She is survived by her loving husband of 33 years, Bruce Melinn; daughter, Katharine Scott (Derek) of Boone, North Carolina; brother, Augustus McDaniel “Dan” Floyd ’57 of Chester, South Carolina; grandson, George Hunter Pergerson of San Rafael, California, and granddaughter, Grace Katharine Pergerson of Napa, California. CHARLES FREDERICK BENZ ’66 Charles Frederick Benz, of Durham, North Carolina, passed away peacefully on October 15, 2022, after a battle with cancer. Known as “Chaz” to family and friends, he was born in Chicago to Ralph Benz, Jr. and Charlotte Benz, the third of five children and the younger of a set of fraternal twins. Through the course of his long and winding life journey, he cemented his legacy of being a man who marched to the beat of his own drum. After a brief, ill-fitting stint in business school, he followed his father’s family roots to Tucson to attend the University of Arizona, where he excelled in soccer and theater, and graduated with a degree in creative writing. After a number of odd jobs, Chaz backpacked
through Central and South America, in what ultimately became a pilgrimage. According to one version of the tale, he had a spiritual awakening while communing with a “street preacher” on the island of San Andres, off the coast of Colombia. Returning to Sewickley, Chaz decided to become a priest in the Episcopal Church. He met and soon married his first wife, Mary Hays. They moved to Bristol, England, where Chaz studied theology at Trinity College, and welcomed their first child, Sigrid. Moving back stateside to Berkeley, California, Chaz obtained a master’s degree in divinity from Church Divinity School of the Pacific. In Seattle, they welcomed their second son, Charles Patrick. He dedicated himself to non-profit fundraising for the next phase of his career. He moved to North Carolina, where he met his second wife, Dorothy (Dottie). They had one son, Evan, in North Carolina, and another, Alex, in San Diego, California. The family returned to North Carolina where Chaz would remain for the rest of his days. Over the years, Chaz fundraised for churches, children’s hospitals, and the Duke Cancer Center, where he would ultimately be cared for as a patient. In his later years, he worked as a marital counselor, wedding officiant, and career coach. Chaz loved jazz, film and other art, yoga, travel, and fast machines, especially Ford Taurus SHO’s and BMW motorcycles. While battling cancer and making peace with his fate, he adopted “surrender and gratitude” as his mantra during his final weeks; he made great efforts to reconcile hurts and grievances from the past. Chaz is survived by his brothers, John (Carole) Benz, of Tucson; and Fred (Nancy McAllister) Benz ’79 of San Francisco; and two sisters, twin, Meredith Benz ’66, of Point Richmond, California; and Susan Benz-Rodgers ’72, of Oakland, California. His four children include daughter, Sigrid Benz, of Pittsburgh; and sons, Patrick Benz, of Sewickley, Evan (Sam Hoeffler) Benz, of Durham, North Carolina; and Alex, of
Longview, Washington; and grandsons, John, Dylan, and Sean Benz, of Pittsburgh and Max Benz, of Durham. JOHN S. LIGGETT, JR., M.D. ’66 Dr. John S. “Jack” Liggett Jr., age 74, passed away on April 4, 2023, at the Primrose Retirement Community of Lima, Ohio. Jack was born June 28, 1948, in Pittsburgh to the late John S. and Mary Annette (McFarland) Liggett. He married Christel Eisele Bowers on April 7, 1979, with whom he shared 44 years of marriage. After graduating from Sewickley Academy, he earned his B.A. in Theater Arts from St. Andrews Presbyterian College, North Carolina, in 1970, and his M.D. from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia in 1976. He completed his pediatric residency in Pensacola, Florida, and his pediatric pulmonary fellowship in Gainesville, Florida. He expanded his medical skills through specialized roles in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Tyler, Texas; Freeport, Illinois; and LaPorte, Indiana, before moving to Lima in 1990. Jack found the focus of his life’s work as a pediatric hospitalist. He became a great asset to St. Rita’s Medical Center and Lima Memorial Hospital through his professional expertise and commitment to service. He shared his time on numerous medical and community boards and served as Chief of Staff at Lima Memorial and Chair of Allen County Children Services. His professional associations included Lima and Allen County Academy of Medicine, West Central Ohio Pediatric Society, Ohio State Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Medical Association. He was also a member of the Shawnee Country Club, Hogge Creek Toastmasters, and St. Matthew Lutheran Church. Jack’s greatest joy was spending time with his family – traveling, sharing great food and drink, playing golf, and fishing. His final visit with his grandchildren was spent casting lines into the pond at the Liggett log cabin. He is survived by his wife, Christel Liggett
S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G | The Magazine of Sewickley Academy
of Lima; daughter, Kelly (Peter Kunkel) Liggett of Podgorica, Montenegro; stepdaughter, Teri (Frank Mamola) Bowers Mamola of Tulsa, Oklahoma; stepson, Kirk (Kara Metlen) Bowers of Poway, California; four grandchildren, Lochlan Kunkel, Finnian Kunkel, Chloe Mamola, and Grayson Mamola; two sisters, Anne (Curry) Rinzler ’59 and Kit (Terry Peard) Liggett ’73; and sister-in-law, Carole Eisele. ELIZABETH “LISA” BOOTH TIERNEY ’67 Lisa Booth Tierney, of Riverside, died of ovarian cancer on April 1, 2023, in Greenwich, Connecticut. Born November 2, 1949, in Cleveland, Ohio, to the late Elizabeth “Bobbie” Herman Booth and the late Lloyd Booth. She was predeceased by her husband of 30 years, Peter McGovern Tierney, Sr. Lisa graduated from Sewickley Academy and earned a B.A. in Sociology from Connecticut College in 1971. The summer after graduation, she launched what became a lifelong career in the performing arts. Moving to New York City, she joined Charles Reinhart Management, where she produced the American Dance Festival for 10 years. In 1983, she established Lisa Booth Management, Inc. (LBMI) to manage and tour contemporary dancemakers. In 1984, with Deirdre Valente, LBMI expanded its portfolio to create and realize projects that celebrate and contextualize performing arts projects across genres, art forms, media, and cultures. LBMI’s current focus, CenterStageUS.org, is the largest public diplomacy effort of the U.S. Department of State to tour professional artists from abroad to American communities in recent history. Perceptive, trusted, empathetic, and grounded, Lisa was the constant lodestar for her family and friends. She was a champion of performing artists and colleagues around the globe, whose careers have flourished under her advocacy and care. An avid gardener, she supported local food security efforts and worked for FA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 2 3
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the continued ecological health of Greenwich’s lands and waters. She served on the board of directors of Greenwich Community Gardens where, “I grew many friends, in addition to organic vegetables.” She was an elected member of the Greenwich Democratic Town Committee. “I am grateful to have lived a full life, to see my family, friends, and colleagues thrive, and to have had an adventurous career of projects spanning the globe.” Lisa is survived by her son, Peter McGovern Tierney, Jr. (Amanda); grandchild Marlowe Poling Tierney; brothers Lloyd Booth ’62 (Jeanne) and Charles Herbert Goodwin ’70; and many Booth and Tierney nieces, nephews, and cousins. JAMES. B. JAMISON, III ’72 James B. “Jim” Jamison passed away May 31, 2023, with his loving wife, Lynn Phillips Jamison, at his side. He was born July 13, 1954, to the late James and Doris Jamison. A resident of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, he graduated from the Ohio Institute of Technology and was a retired electrical engineer who had worked in the Electrical Lab Testing division of Eaton Corporation. He was a man of strong faith and formed a special bond with family and friends, always grateful for their kindness. He was an avid golfer and especially enjoyed his time on the course with close friends. Jim is survived by his wife of 25 years, his brother Todd (Karen) Jamison; his sister Kathy Jamison ’70, George (Louise) Phillips, Carol (Bob) Dougherty, Tina (Dan) Seery, Tammy (Andy) Gall, and Louis Phillips, and his faithful four-legged companion, The Duchess. MEGHAN FAWCETT WISE ’72 Meghan Fawcett Wise, age 68, died suddenly on April 14, 2023, at her home on Green Bluff, Washington. She was born Meghan Elizabeth Fawcett in Pittsburgh on July 31, 1954, to parents Harry and Miriam Fawcett. Meghan’s family moved to Edgeworth in June 1967 from Mt. Lebanon. Meghan 46
started school at Sewickley Academy, where she met her husband of more than 40 years, John Wise ’72. A Vassar College graduate in 1977, she returned home and married John in 1982. She earned her JD from Duquesne University School of Law in 1983 and practiced law in Pittsburgh until she retired as a partner at Zimmer Kunz in 2013. Meghan and John raised two wonderful sons: Bryan born in 1987 and Colin in 1989, who died in 2009. Meghan and John put down new roots on Green Bluff in Washington in 2014 where they made new friends, raised goats, gardened, enjoyed concerts, and explored and skied magnificent locations throughout the Northwest. Meghan revived her reputation as the “hostess with the mostest,” continued to delight in celebrating and decorating for holidays, and spent time in the company of her loyal dog Sandy. Meghan frequently came east to visit family and her beloved Sanibel Island. Her life revolved around her family and friends. She relished adventure, had an indomitable sense of style, and was always the first to find fun – especially in recent years playing with her beloved grandsons, who were never without a cookie in hand. Meghan served as President of Sewickley Academy’s Alumni Council and as sponsor for the Mock Trial club for many years. She is survived by her husband John Wise ’72; her son Bryan Wise ’05 (Jenna); their sons Harry and Lincoln, of Pound Ridge, New York; her sisters Deborah Fawcett of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Penelope ’69 (Paul McDermott) of Hilton Head, South Carolina; her brother-in-law Tim Wise ’70, and her sisters-in-law Nancy Wise, Polly Fawcett, and Hedy Foreman Fawcett. She was predeceased by her parents, her son Colin ’07, and her brother Michael. JACQUELINE SWAN ’75 Jacque Swan passed away at age 65 on May 5, 2023, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She was born June 25, 1957, in Wausau, Wisconsin, to Anne (Roppa) and Jon L. Swan. Jacque was
preceded in death by her mother and father; as well as her loving companion, John Buckley. She is deeply missed by her sisters, Jayne Swan ’78, of Sewickley, and Jeanne Swan-Chieski (Michael), of Jamestown, Pennsylvania. Jacque graduated from Sewickley Academy and the University of Pittsburgh. She also studied abroad at the University of Siegen, Germany. For many years, Jacque and John enjoyed boating on the Beaver River and traveling. With a very kind and compassionate spirit, Jacque always cherished spending quality time with friends and family. She had an important impact on Spring Tide residents at her home in Florida where she became vice president and president of the board of its condominium association. She was always available to lend a helping hand and knowledgeable on the logistics of the building, the longtime Swan family getaway on the beach. A memorial will be held late fall in Fort Lauderdale to celebrate her life. MALINDA WHALEN NEWMAN ’86 Malinda Lewis (Whalen) Newman, 55, of Wheeling, West Virginia, passed away on October 3, 2023, at home. The daughter of Malachy and the late Patrica (Templeton) Whalen, she attended Sewickley Academy and St Mark’s School, Southington, Massachusetts. She earned a BA from Northwestern University, and two Master’s degrees: one from Loyola University for Social Work, and another from St. John’s University for Library Sciences. Malinda is survived by her husband, Timothy Newman; her three children, Robert, Malachy (Mac), and Alice Newman; her father Malachy Whalen; two brothers, Clark Whalen ’82 and Claude Whalen ’78; and her aunt, Paula Templeton. FA M I LY O F A L U M N I HOWARD GEORGE BOWER, father of Holly (Bower ’76) Miller and Jim Bower, M.D. ’80 JO ELLEN HUMPHRIES BREWTON, mother of John Brewton ’99
THOMAS WILLIAM COURTNEY, father of Tom ’82, Peter ’84, and Frank ’87 Courtney MARCY HOLQUIST DUFF, mother of Lauren “Libby” Duff ’17 CAROL HADDAD FOY, mother of Charles, Daniel, Carolyn, and Mary Jean (Foy ’81) Bretton MARGI BROWN GREGORY, mother of Katie (Gregory) Clarke, Jim and David Gregory, Maggie (Gregory) Manuel, and Betsy (Gregory ’93) Tseronis PATRICIA SHERRARD STUART, mother of Lyall ’70, Anne (Stuart ’73) Hoffman, Eben ’79, and Alec THOMAS CHARLES WETTACH, father of Christine (Wettach ’87) Trebilcock and Heidi Wettach ’93; brother of Bill Wettach ’66 FAC U LT Y A N D S TA F F THOMAS JOSEPH SMART Thomas Joseph Smart, 73, of Emsworth, Pennsylvania, passed away on May 31, 2023. Tom was born in Pittsburgh, where he was adopted by the late Thomas N. Smart and Elizabeth M. Smart. In 2017 he discovered his birth mother to be Elizabeth Hastings Krol and was lovingly welcomed into the Hastings family with open arms. Tom was a man of faith. As an adult, he was an active member of the Emsworth United Presbyterian Church for forty-nine years, until its closing in 2022, when he joined the Community Presbyterian Church of Ben Avon. A compassionate and kind-hearted person, who deeply loved his family and friends, Tom had a great sense of humor and a pun ready for any situation. A graduate of Chartiers Valley High School, he went on to graduate from Edinboro University, achieving a dual degree in mathematics and teaching. Later he earned an Interior Design degree from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. His lifelong fascination with design included working as a professional interior designer for four
years. He found joy in teaching Middle School math at Sewickley Academy for thirty-four years. Tom enjoyed singing, gardening, film, art, and travel. Besides participating in multiple church choirs, he sang for two Christian ensembles: The Gospelaires and One Voice for Christ. His travels took him to Italy, Malawi, France, Spain, Rwanda, Turkey, and the UK. Tom is survived by his loving wife of fifty-one years Martha “Marti” M. Smart, his daughter Erin R. Smart ’02, and many relatives including in-laws, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his adoptive parents and his birth mother. Dr. Ashley (Brown ’00) Birtwell, Head of School, recalled Mr. Smart: “Tom Smart will be missed by many on campus. I will always remember Mr. Smart for his warmth, as I cautiously started at the Academy as a new middle school student. He had a lasting influence on me, helping to spark my love and joy of math that stays with me today.” FRIENDS OF THE SCHOOL NANCY KOEHLER HANSEN Nancy Koehler Hansen was born on April 5, 1929, in Bellevue, Pennsylvania. Raised in Ben Avon Heights, she graduated from Penn Hall Preparatory Academy and Cornell University’s College of Agriculture in 1951, where she served as president of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. With a BS in Home Economics, Nancy worked as a home demonstration agent for Nassau County for three years. Returning to Ben Avon Heights, she became reacquainted with William “Bill” Stucki Hansen, and they married in 1955. For 44 years, they were devoted to each other, until Bill’s premature passing in 1999. The Hansen family, including Gregg ’77 and Natalie ’78, moved from Ben Avon Heights to Sewickley in 1981. Nancy was a master at home management, with a thorough understanding of fabrics, sewing,
S E W I C K L E Y S P E A K I N G | The Magazine of Sewickley Academy
cooking, elegant entertaining, home maintenance, and decorating. She had a passion for fashion, horticulture, and music – from symphonies to hymns, a balanced Chardonnay, and a delicious chocolate chip cookie. In her 40’s, Nancy became an avid athlete, enjoying decades of tennis, paddle tennis, golf, bowling, skiing, and cheering on the pros as a spectator. It was part of Nancy’s life’s purpose to serve her community: in Ben Avon as President of the Avon Club, President of Shannopin Country Club’s Women’s Association, a member of Session of the Ben Avon Presbyterian Church, the Ben Avon Heights Borough Council, and a member of the Junior League of Pittsburgh. In Sewickley, Nancy was an active member of the Little Garden Club, Allegheny Country Club, Edgeworth Club; and president of the Village Garden Club and the Women’s Club. A devoted member of the Sewickley Presbyterian Church, she supported Day on the Lawn and the Ladle and Hearth. She was deeply blessed by the fellowship and prayer group, Koinonia. As a trustee of the Hansen Foundation, she perpetuated its mission rooted in the Biblical principles of giving and caring for others, by supporting capital improvements at the Samaritan Counseling Center and the Ambridge Center for Hope, and the W. Gregg Hansen Memorial Golf Outing that provides scholarships for students at Sewickley Academy. The Hansen Library on campus is dedicated to her son Gregg ’77 and her husband Bill. Nancy passed away peacefully at home on June 18, 2023, at the age of 94. She is survived by her daughter, Natalie Hansen Weinsz ’78 (Mike); daughter-in-law, Gretchen Seitz Hansen; granddaughters, Katherine ’07, Alexandra, Julia ’09, Melissa, Laura Hoffman (Sam) ’12 and Sarah ’18. She was preceded in death by her husband, William Stucki “Bill” Hansen; her son, W. Gregg Hansen ’77; sister, Betty Jean Cain (Almon); and brother, Reginald S. Koehler III. FA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 2 3
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