Stevenson School Alumni Magazine Spring/Summer 2015 by Stevenson School

Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage

3152 Forest Lake Road, Pebble Beach, CA 93953

PAID Salinas, CA Permit No. 467

ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Back to the Future...

DR. KEVIN HICKS ’85 RETURNS TO STEVENSON

SAVE THE DATES...

OCTOBER 16–18, 2015 This year Homecoming Weekend is merging with Parents Weekend, bringing double the energy, activities, and Pirate spirit! This community weekend is for alumni, current parents and families, parents of alumni, and former faculty members to return to Pebble Beach, rekindle old friendships and reconnect with Stevenson. There’s something for every age and every interest — evening get-togethers, football games, and campus tours. Current Stevenson parents will have parent-teacher conferences, in addition to being offered several additional activities, information sessions, and more. Get in touch and make your plans. We look forward to seeing everyone here for Homecoming @ Parents Weekend! For updates and more information, visit www.stevensonschool.org/homecoming.

DECEMBER 19, 2015 Save the date! All alumni lacrosse and basketball players are invited to join us for games, food, refreshments, and friends at the Alumni Games on the Pebble Beach Campus.

SPRING 2015

ALUMNI GAMES

ALUMNI MAGAZINE

HOMECOMING

STEVENSON SCHOOL

REUNION WEEKEND

Classes ending in “5” and “0” — this is your year! Rekindle your Pirate spirit and return for a weekend with friends, family, classmates, and faculty. From the Friday night cookout to campus tours, to guest spots on KSPB, this event-packed weekend is designed to bring your class back together to celebrate old memories and make new ones. For more information, visit www.stevensonschool.org/reunion.

HOLIDAY RECEPTIONS DECEMBER 2015 Please join us for one of our Stevenson Holiday Receptions in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and Pebble Beach. Dates to be announced. Contact Mia Peterson ’89 at mpeterson@stevensonschool.org for more information.

Pebble Beach Campus, 3152 Forest Lake Road, Pebble Beach, California 93953 tel 831-625-8300 fax 831-625-5208 info@stevensonschool.org

TRANSITIONING TO NEW LEADERSHIP STRONG FOUNDATION POSITIONS SCHOOL FOR EXCITING FUTURE

Carmel Campus, 24800 Dolores Street, Carmel, California 93923 tel 831-626-5200 fax (831) 624-9044 infopk-8@stevensonschool.org www.stevensonschool.org

SPRING 2015

INFLUENCES, INNOVATION, AND TRANSFORMATION:

Reflecting on Joe Wandke’s Career

FIVE REASONS YOUR GIFT MATTERS How Your $20 Makes a Difference

Books Science Explosions Epic Ideas Art Supplies Athletic Equipment

Sarah Stewman Dewey Decimal & Database Diva (Library Director)

Sally Russell ’83 Color Consultant for Biff Smith (Art Teacher, Carmel Campus)

Mark Tretter Chief Explosion Officer (Science Department Chair)

Cooper Kehoe ’07 Seeker for Faculty Quidditch Team (Math Teacher and Coach)

David Schmittgens President of the Faulkner Fan Club (English Department Chair)

The goal of the 20FOR20 Campaign is to reach 20% participation — that’s 1,300 gifts — by alumni to the Stevenson Fund. Every gift of $20 makes a difference and directly impacts the Stevenson experience for current Pirates. Last year alumni participation doubled and reached 11% — help us make it to 20% this year.

Make your gift today at www.stevensonschool.org/20FOR20

ALUMNI MAGAZINE

FEATURES 32 A Homecoming for Dr. Kevin Hicks ’85, & Big Skies Ahead for Stevenson School After a focused national search spanning nearly two years, Stevenson School announced this past January the appointment of Dr. Kevin Hicks ’85 as the next President and Head of Stevenson School. Kevin and his wife, Cornelia Cannon Holden, will bring an amazing breadth of talents to Stevenson when they arrive this summer. Kevin and Cornelia connected with Carmel writer Melanie Bishop to share their interesting story, and how their careers, interests, and passions have led them back to the Monterey Peninsula.

Joe Wandke (in the office at the President’s House) will retire this coming June.

40 Good Timing, Good People & Good Luck: Joe Wandke & 32 Years of Leadership As Stevenson School prepares to say goodbye to President Joe Wandke, it is with pride and gratitude. In his 32 years at Stevenson, he transformed every aspect of the school. He established and grew the coed boarding program, steadily developed both campuses, and taught us to rethink how students learn. By always looking toward the future, Wandke prepared Stevenson to deliver outstanding education for many years to come.

Cover: Dr. Kevin Hicks ’85 stands in front of Talbott Academic Center during his visit to Stevenson this past February. He begins his tenure as head of school and president on July 1, 2015.

2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

DEPARTMENTS 3 Letter from the Editor 4 Connect with Stevenson 5 Stevenson Stories Stevenson women Marilee Wandke, Janet Thayer, Beth Young, Patti McAleer, and Pati Foster look back at 30 years of living at Stevenson.

51 Alumni Update

Get the latest news on fellow alumni.

64 The Inside Scoop

Looking through the lens with Cole Thompson â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a creative force at Stevenson for almost 34 years.

9 Alumni Spotlight

A social media maven, an automotive treasure hunter, and a rock climber with a cause â&#x20AC;&#x201D; plus more stories of heart, talent, and skill from our alumni.

17 Campus News

Kindness, giving back, academic excellence, and teamwork are just a few of the inspiring themes infusing both campuses.

22 Campus Events Homecoming Weekend brought together over 220 alumni, who enjoyed a variety of fun events and honored Coach Jeff Young. This past December, more than 770 alumni connected with classmates and faculty at the 2014 holiday receptions.

27 The Pirate Review

An eclectic mix of alumni showcase their creative talents through food, music, writing, and entertainment.

9 64

23 2

STEVENSON SCHOOL

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Can you remember what you were doing 32 years ago? I had just graduated from college and was contemplating my career: return to the farm, college admissions, or pursue a career in acting? Joe Wandke, on the other hand, was doing just what he is doing today; leading Stevenson School. In June, that chapter will come to a close for both Stevenson and Joe as he retires, to be succeeded by Dr. Kevin Hicks ’85. Stevenson has had only three heads in 64 years, and Joe has been at the helm for half of them. That is remarkable stability. Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan served a mere 19 years and no members of the current United States Supreme Court had yet to be seated when Joe came to Stevenson in 1983. Only the United States Senate seems to have more longevity among its members.

He knew he must keep the focus on hiring good faculty and creating places for them to work their magic. Check.

Joe had a plan to reinvigorate the residential program and make Stevenson one of the most desirable places to live and learn. Check.

So Stevenson is in a position of strength as Kevin takes the controls. No doubt he will watch, listen, and ask questions for a while, but he has a lot of assets to work with. The same was true when Steve Young took over the 49ers quarterback spot from Joe Montana, and when Sherman Potter succeeded Henry Blake as commanding officer of the 4077th M.A.S.H. unit (apologies for the dated cultural reference), or Tim Cook assumed the top post at Apple from Steve Jobs. Even as successors made changes to adapt to new realities, the results were still more Super Bowl trophies, more TV Emmys, and more great selling products. The outcome will surely be the same when Hicks succeeds Wandke.

He envisioned the creation of the Rosen Family Student Center so day students would have a place to feel at home, and all students could mix it up, study, and relax. Check.

What does the plan for the next five, 10, or 20 years at Stevenson look like? We encourage you to get involved with the school and find out. Better yet, be a part of its creation. Share your ideas and give

Today the school is at a pivotal moment in its history, with a leadership change at hand, access to the information and tools to take the next big leap forward, and a carefully constructed foundation to build on.

us your feedback. Our alumni office is always happy to hear from you. During Dr. Hicks’ first 12 months, we will be on the road in San Francisco, Los Angeles, around California, and other states and countries to visit with you. If you would like to help us put together a meeting with a group from your area, contact me and we will try our best to plan it. We want to share with our alumni, parents, and friends the excitement this transition has created at the school. Come out and see us, meet Dr. Hicks, and share your own Stevenson story. And just like Stevenson founder Robert Ricklefs, musical icon Lou Reed said in his 1989 album, it’s “the beginning of a great adventure.” Go Pirates! Jeff Clark Vice President for External Relations & Editor jclark@stevensonschool.org 831-625-8347 (office phone)

2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

CONNECT WITH STEVENSON Are you connected? Join more than 2,500 fellow alumni in sharing discussions, memories, and photos on our various social media pages.

Stevenson School Alumni facebook.com/stevensonalumni Stevenson School Alumni Network Private group, request to join

CONTRIBUTORS

We want to hear from you! Have an opinion about the Stevenson Alumni Magazine? Any thoughts on a past story or an idea to share? Please email your feedback, opinions, and ideas to alumni@stevensonschool.org.

Paul Schraub is a professional photographer based in the Monterey Bay area. With more than 25 years of experience, he specializes in a wide range of photography. www.paulschraubphoto.com Tim Hale is a professional photographer based in Southern California, and has been shooting “real life photography” for 15 years. He loves capturing the not so obvious moments and tries to keep every aspect of a shoot as natural as possible, which comes through in his work. www.timhale.com Melanie Bishop is a writer, teacher, and editor based in Carmel, CA, and taught writing for 22 years at Prescott College. Her young adult novel, My So-Called Ruined Life, was released by Torrey House Press in 2014. www.melaniebishopwriter.wordpress.com Cameron Walker is a freelance writer based in Santa Barbara, CA. Her work has appeared in the Stanford and University of Washington alumni magazines, among other places. www.cameronwalker.net Team Stevenson is a group of faculty and staff who contribute to this magazine through their writing, photography, and outreach. These include: Managing Editor Elena (Rhodes) Mueller ’89, Director of Alumni Relations Mia Peterson ’89, Mitch Zotovich, Warren Anderson, and Cole Thompson. STEVENSON SCHOOL

Summer 2014 Stevenson Alumni Magazine

@stevensonschoolalumni @stevenson_school

STEVENSON STORIES

Pati Foster, Beth Young, Patti McAleer, Marilee Wandke and Janet Thayer

The wives of Stevenson faculty and administrators were a constant force on the Pebble Beach campus beginning in the 1970s — raising families, building community, supporting students — and one another. Director of Alumni Relations Mia Peterson ’89 sat down with five incredible Stevenson women who over the past 30 years have been an integral, but not always recognized, part of the Stevenson story. Mia Peterson ’89: How did you make the decision that led to you coming here? Pati Foster: Greg was in graduate school working on his Ph.D. It was a time when it was difficult to find a job in a university. So he wrote letters to all the prep schools in California, and introduced himself. He got a letter back from another school signed by its head Phil Perkins saying they didn’t need anyone. But later, Mr. Gordon Davis wrote back and asked Greg to come for an interview.

And after he talked to Greg, he hired him on the spot — but he also wanted to meet me. So little baby Joey and I came over and sat in the headmaster’s office, and there was a picture of Gordon’s daughter and his grandson, and they looked exactly like Joey and me. So we came to Pebble Beach and we thought the dormitory apartment in Casco was very luxurious. Janet Thayer: I came in ’78, and I taught here five years before Cleve came. We met in ’83 and we were married in ’85.

Pati Foster: If you saw Janet and Cleve in the same room, you could see the sparks flying. Everybody else was shocked when they announced their marriage. And I said, “Have you been in the same room with them?” Janet Thayer: Well, we were trying to keep it under wraps. We were both fairly private, and we didn’t want everybody talking. But Pati apparently had it figured out. Marilee Wandke: We had been living in Tampa, Florida for four years when Joe 2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Chandra Hankison ’03, Sandra ’06 and Jayme Young ’03 holding a bake sale on campus. Janet and Cleve Thayer about a month before their wedding at Lovers Point in Pacific Grove, May 1985.

Pati Foster and her daughter Tory ’92 in the front doorway of the old Silverado dorm.

Beth Young, Jack and Patti McAleer, and Jeff Young

told me about the position at Robert Louis Stevenson and his interest in pursuing it. I wasn’t very enthused about the idea. We had a baby, John was happy at his school, I was taking graduate classes, and I had worked so hard to fix up our house and yard. I wasn’t quite ready to think of a move, but told Joe that I would be supportive. Before coming to visit the school, we had a chance to join Gordon and Marcia Davis for dinner at a professional meeting in Jacksonville. I’ve always remembered how Marcia assured me that there were many kids and dogs on the campus and that our young family would fit in well! I have never forgotten how warm and positive I felt about Stevenson and all of the people that we met during our first visits to the school and the Monterey Peninsula! It wasn’t so hard to move after all!

What was it like raising a family on campus? Patti McAleer: It was like an oldfashioned neighborhood. The kids 6

STEVENSON SCHOOL

could ride bikes, visit their buddies. They were safe. If they needed something, they could knock on someone’s door. If someone needed to tell them to stop doing something, that was fine. It’s that whole idea of everybody raising everybody’s kids, in a sense. It was wonderful. Marilee Wandke: I know that my children enjoyed living in their own home, yet being right here at the school. It was pretty nice to be able to run across the field to a teacher’s home for math help! Pati Foster: As far as life for women and mothers on campus, there was also this important tradition of the more mature women welcoming and mentoring the new comers. In 1973 when I arrived at the age of 24, I was so fortunate that there were older, more experienced mothers on campus (like Jane Saluta, Scotty Sacco, and Barb Keith — who had six children — her youngest was the same as my oldest!). If I had I tough day, I would go visit one of them — one

would make me coffee, the other would dance around the room with the baby, and I could just talk with these wise women who shared so many similar experiences. Janet Thayer: I was thinking, too, of my kids growing up here, and how wonderful it was to have all these people in this village who know you, and look out for you, and yet how intimidating it may have seemed at times to have so many people know you so well, and all of them keeping an eye on you. (laughter) Pati Foster: There was one Thanksgiving when our kids were in college and weren’t coming home. Greg and I were sitting in bed at the end of the hall and the door opens and somebody says, “Hi, I’m home for Thanksgiving.” It was Dai Yamada ’91, and he just decided to come spend Thanksgiving with us! Kids felt at home with us — literally.

What kind of changes have you seen over the years, or have you helped make?

Marilee Wandke serves students at the Senior Tea in the early 1980’s. Marilee is wearing a dress that she sewed. She used to sew quite often and enjoyed making beautiful dresses for her daughter Laura ’00 when she was young.

Barbara Keith, Beth Young, Nicki Klevan, and Ann Evans at Beth’s baby shower.

Chris McAleer ’09 and Reed Thayer ’09, 1993

Beth Young: The physical plant is amazing, the new buildings where the dorms were. It’s a huge difference. Janet Thayer: At Casco where we lived, it seemed as if it was built of matchsticks. They said if you want to have a private conversation, you have to close the heating vents. The new dorms are beautiful — and have much thicker walls. (laughter) Pati Foster: The students used to wear blazers and ties to a sit-down dinner once a week. And Levi’s were never permitted. I remember when Gordon Davis, who was brought in to modernize the school, announced that he was going to have Levi’s permitted on weekends.

Was there a gasp? Pati Foster: I think there was. One of the generals said, “This is the first step towards communism.” And then when girls were admitted, the wives and mothers on campus realized there needed to be some better food options for them. We went and we asked for low-fat and nonfat milk, and whole wheat bread. And we wanted peanut butter. We were told we couldn’t have peanut butter because it was too sticky.

But those were the days that the dining hall was geared toward feeding teenage boys. With the girls, there were some different needs. We did win the day. We got peanut butter, low-fat milk, and whole-wheat bread. Those were the days before Phil Tucker came in. Marilee Wandke: I remember when I came as the new head’s wife, Pati Foster said, “Now that you’re here, you’re in charge of senior coffee.” So I dutifully got the faculty wives and women faculty together and got it organized. And then maybe three years down the road, a female faculty member and a faculty wife came to raise a complaint with me. They said, “This is not right that wives and female teachers are doing this. Men should have to do it, too.” So we changed it to be each family was in charge of senior coffee. Of course, I knew that Joe wouldn’t be baking, so it didn’t really change anything. (laughter)

President’s House. It is still a really special tradition for the students.

What are some of your favorite memories? Beth Young: As many people know, it took me forever to get pregnant — 10 years. So when I did, the entire school gave me a shower. It was so wonderful, and it was so heartfelt, and you could just tell that everyone was so excited.

Pati Foster holds her son Joey ’90 at Casco dorm where they lived. (Benbow Dorm in the background), September 1973.

Since Pati came back, she and I do a senior coffee together here at the

2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

STEVENSON STORIES The night Pavarotti came to Stevenson in 1991 — one of Marilee Wandke’s favorite campus memories.

And Jeff felt a little left out — so he showed up at the shower in a shower cap. He said, “Is this the shower?” When Jeff announced to the lacrosse team that we were pregnant, they took him and they rolled him across the entire muddy, wet field. Marilee Wandke: As I look back over all these years, one of the moments I’ll never forget is the night that Luciano Pavarotti came and performed at the school in 1991. In those days we had these big fundraising events and elaborate dinners and there would be a group of mothers who worked tirelessly to make that happen. It was pouring rain that night and there was a tent that covered the whole football field. I wore old mud shoes and an old outfit because of the weather. The music was heavenly. Pavarotti was singing and the rain was coming down and the football field was filled with people. It was pretty amazing. Pati Foster: I remember I woke up in the morning and I heard him practicing. I would tell people, “Let me tell you

STEVENSON SCHOOL

about the night Pavarotti sang in my back yard.”

So for young families on campus now, would you give them any advice?

Thank you, ladies, for your years of support, commitment, and leadership at Stevenson.

Beth Young: I really think you need to carve time for your family. You can be working 24/7 here and it’s never enough. So it’s very important somehow, whether it’s church or a night at home for a family meal, but just to have family time.

Marilee Wandke

Patti McAleer: I was talking to Jack about setting boundaries. I would say, “I want one night a week of just family time.” That was really hard for him to do.

• Arrived at Stevenson in 1978, met Cleve in 1983, married in 1985

Pati Foster: I have always enjoyed that our husbands love their work so much. This isn’t Greg’s work; it is his life. He loves what he does, and that’s such a blessing. He gets to work with your husband, your husband, and yours. He thinks the world of all of them. So he goes to a job every day to do something he loves to do and works with people that he respects. All that sort of happiness and joy spills over to the family. Beth Young: It was important for me, and I think all of us, to have our own careers outside of Stevenson. As wonderful as home was, we needed to have connections outside of campus — that was really important. And I’d recommend that to young wives and spouses living on campus today, too. Janet Thayer: We all seemed to share the same values. If that ever shifted, it might not have been the same place. Pati Foster: I think we all owe Joe and Marilee for setting the tone for the Pebble Beach Campus. They raised their own wonderful family here, and made everyone feel comfortable and safe. We shouldn’t take that for granted.

• Arrived at Stevenson in 1983 • Past teacher at All Saints Day School • Married to Joe Wandke, president • John ’95 and Laura ’00

Janet Thayer

• Past English faculty, current ESL teacher at Pacific Grove Adult School and director of children’s ministries at her church • Married to Cleve Thayer, math and history faculty and coach • Drew ’06 and Reed ’09

Beth Young • Came to Stevenson in 1979 • Married to Jeff Young, athletic director • Special education teacher and neonatal registered nurse • Jayme ’03 and Sandra ’06

Patti McAleer • Came to Stevenson in 1988 • Married to Jack McAleer, science faculty and sailing coach (Jack came to Stevenson in 1976, they married in 1988, and lived in the Fine Arts apartment as newlyweds) • Monterey County native • Registered nurse • Chris ’09 and Molly ’12

Pati Foster • Came to Stevenson in 1973 • Past teacher at Santa Catalina School • Married to Greg Foster, head of Pebble Beach Campus • Joe ’90, Tory ’92, and Brooks ’95

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Peter Park ’06 at Wendover Air Force Base in Wendover, UT where movies such as Independence Day and Con Air were filmed.

AUTOMOTIVE TREASURE HUNTER PETER PARK ’06

After co-founding Yummy Enterprises, a financially successful after-hours snack shop for students, in his senior year at Stevenson, Peter Park ’06 realized that with effort, courage, and a little luck you can create your own opportunities in life. Combining this philosophy with his obsession for cars, Peter has forged an exciting career as an automotive treasure hunter. Continued next page....

2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Peter Park ’06 driving through Delaware on his way to Washington, DC.

Driving through Colorado mountains, one of the most epic driving roads in the U.S.A.

A classic Aston Martin at the Gooding & Company auction at Pebble Beach, CA during the Concours week in August.

Continued from previous page....

Peter has driven a Cadillac at 140 mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats, road-tripped across America in a MINI Cooper, attended the world-famous Goodwood Festival of Speed (and driven the course), and started the most successful car blog in Korea, with more than 20,000 daily visitors. The Stevenson Alumni Magazine caught up with Peter to ask him about his career and living his dream.

was part of the Delta Force stationed on the DMZ to defend South Korea. My job was to carry live missiles on my back in case of an attack. It was an extremely challenging experience but one that made me stronger mentally and physically. I realized I had to do something that truly made me happy with my life, regardless of others’ expectations.

How did you get started with this career? Before I began my two years with the Korean Army (which all Korean men are required to do), I took my savings and planned a trip to the United Kingdom to visit my favorite car manufacturers and attend a car festival. I quickly found out that to get access to the places I wanted to go, I needed credentials. So I contacted a car journalist with GQ Magazine, described what I was doing, and he got me credentials and GQ business cards. I wrote about my travels on my Korean blog — and it went viral. It became the most popular car blog in Korea. And I’m still really close friends with the GQ editor who saw a story in what I was doing.

How did you get the job of driving across America in a MINI Cooper? After the army, I went back to Lehigh University and finished my undergraduate degree. Trying to stay true to my ideals, I landed a job in the marketing department at MINI, learning how to market and sell cars. I was getting antsy with a desk job, so I started to look for ways to get back on the road. Every other year, over 500 MINI owners road-trip across America together. I contacted BMW Group and pitched the idea that I should travel with them and blog about the experience. They liked the idea and I was sponsored. It went so well, they even extended my contract by an extra two months to travel more.

Did your time in the Korean Army influence your perspective on life? I had never had to experience hardship in my life before my time in the army. I

What are you doing now? I am living my dream! I find interesting, cool places around the US (and soon Europe) and I drive there in my MINI, blogging and sharing the experience

STEVENSON SCHOOL

along the way. My video on self-driving cars from the CES show in Las Vegas got over 1 million views. Companies sponsor me to come to their events, or market their products. Burger King wants me to dress my car up like a Whopper and drive around the world. I just want to encourage people to live an exciting life. Time is so limited and there are many types of success and wealth, not just financial. I am living a life worth living — and I love sharing that with people. When not on the road, Peter lives in Cupertino, California. Yummy Enterprises was his first business and even though Mr. Ron Provost vetoed the sale of caffeinated beverages, he was able to save enough earnings from his venture to finance his first journey. Follow Peter’s adventures on: YouTube: www.youtube.com/epicroads Instagram: @epicroads Facebook: www.facebook.com/howtoenjoycars

BANANA FROM THE YOUNGBLOODS LOWELL LEVINGER ’62 Lowell Levinger ’62 remembers the exact day he heard the music that changed his life forever. “I had trouble keeping my mouth shut when I thought something wasn’t fair or right, so I found myself cleaning out the Stevenson stables a lot on the weekends,” remembers Lowell. “A new faculty member, David Litton, was in charge of the stables and became my mentor, as we both liked music. One day, he gave me a record by Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. I heard the banjo — and within 15 seconds I knew what I was going to do for the rest of my life.” After graduating from Stevenson (Lowell recalls there were some negotiations involved for him to secure his diploma), Lowell went on to Boston University, where he kept playing music and began booking gigs in Boston and Cambridge. Lowell, or Banana as he became known, dropped out of BU (“because I still couldn’t keep my mouth shut”) and began his career in bluegrass with Banana and the Bunch, Old Time Music with Appeal playing banjo.

After several years in the East Coast folk/bluegrass scene, he co-founded The Youngbloods. The band, most wellknown for their hits “Get Together” and “Darkness, Darkness,” moved from New York City to West Marin in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1967. “In the ‘60s, folk rock music was a lot more popular in Berkeley and San Francisco — they loved us on the West Coast, and they hated us in New York —so we packed up and moved,” recalls Lowell. Banana went solo after “he realized he could sing, too” and has produced five California Americana Roots albums since disbanding The Youngbloods in 1973. He released his latest album, Down to the Roots, last year and has gigs booked as far as Genoa, Italy and the U.K.

Lowell has six children and has lived in the same house in Marin for 46 years. After visiting Italy in 2007, he made a promise he would go back twice every year — and he has. “I’ve got roots. I’ve lived a life of integrity. I’ve played gigs almost every weekend of my entire life, and I sing songs that tell stories,” he says. Is there anything that might make Lowell’s life better? “I wouldn’t mind selling a few more CDs,” he says with a chuckle. You can hear samples of Lowell Levinger’s music, read more of his story, and buy a CD at www.LowellLevinger.com

In addition to his music, Lowell has been a hang-gliding instructor (he’s taught more than 5,000 people to fly) and a software inventor (“I got fired when I realized something wasn’t right and… couldn’t keep my mouth shut (again)”). And as the sole proprietor of Players Vintage Instruments, he is also a collector and seller of vintage acoustic instruments. 2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

FROM PAGE TO SCREEN

ANTHEA ANKA ’89 & ALISON EASTWOOD ’90 Anthea Anka ’89 and Alison Eastwood ’90 have partnered up on the new film Battlecreek. Written by Anthea and directed by Alison, Battlecreek is the story of a gifted young painter with a rare skin disorder who lives in an economically depressed Southern town. Due to his affliction, he must live his life at night. When a young woman being chased by her own demons stumbles into town, their blossoming romance compels him to challenge his provocative, overbearing mother and break free of the lies that have bound them together for years. With the film in production now, Anthea responded to a few questions about the film, her partnership with Alison, and what we can expect when the movie hits theaters later this year. How did you get into a career as a screenwriter? I have always been a writer in some capacity, be it music, writing for magazines, blogging, etc. I was urged by a friend to try screenwriting in the late ’90s. I started taking classes at UCLA and everything just clicked. I started writing as many screenplays as I could churn out, and was lucky enough to find an agent who believed in me. I had a few options — a big one to start off with Warner Brothers that of course gave me the illusion it was all going to be much easier than it turned out to be. It was a very long and tumultuous road that truly tested my commitment. After writing Battlecreek, many years ago, I knew that out of all my scripts, I would do everything in my power to see it get to screen. How did you and Alison partner up? Alison and I had stayed in touch sporadically since high school. One night I was at the movies in L.A. and saw a 12

STEVENSON SCHOOL

poster for her first film, Rails & Ties. I was writing at the time, and got in touch, and we stayed in touch ever since. I would send her stuff to read in hopes of finding something we could do together. Battlecreek ended up really resonating with her, and around 2009 we set out on the course to get it made. It was a long journey — independent filmmaking is not for the weak! Having found and lost the money to make it several times, when we finally secured the funds in 2014 from a private investor and found ourselves sitting on set in the heart of Mississippi, about to make the film, it was one of the greatest moments of my life! Tell us about working with Alison, your longtime friend and now movie partner. This was our first time working together, but hopefully not our last. Working with Alison was fantastic. She is a phenomenal director, she knows what she wants, and more importantly, what she doesn’t want, which is a necessary skill when directing, especially on smaller projects when money is a concern. She picked up a lot from her father (director, producer, and actor Clint Eastwood), and I think her career is only going to take off from here. Alison was so inclusive every step of the way, from casting, to music, to costume, and I was invited into the process of filmmaking on every level (which is not always the case for a writer). So being on set, watching the day-to-day process by the crew, the producer Connie Hoy, the actors, Alison — everyone involved really, bringing my words to life, was truly an incredible and surreal experience. Was there anyone who inspired you in your writing and creativity at Stevenson? My English teacher, Mr. John Steacy, was a huge inspiration; I loved his English class so much and really started

Anthea Anka ’89 & Alison Eastwood ’90 on location shooting Battlecreek.

to find my writing voice there. I remember he used to always write “HA!!” on the side of my papers when he thought something was funny, and to get one of those remarks meant everything. He also gave me a passion for reading and wanting to become a writer. What is next for you? At this point, I’m working on a film in London that is about to go into production, and am writing a new script. I truly would love to work with Alison again one day soon; we will see what the future holds! Anthea lives in London with her husband and their son. She is also an avid blogger; you can follow her blog at www.antheaanka.com. Alison lives in Los Angeles with her husband (and many, many animals!). In addition to acting and directing, she works closely with the nonprofit Eastwood Ranch Foundation, where she has been helping to rescue and place animals around the United States. Located in Calabasas, California, the foundation provides assistance to rescue groups and no-kill shelters. Battlecreek is scheduled for release later this year. Bill Skarsgård and Claire van der Boom are cast in the leading roles, with Paula Malcomson and Delroy Lindo supporting.

Andrew Zenoff ’82 and his daughter Ruby Valentina sitting on the My Brest Friend breastfeeding pillow.

Brant Ward/San Francisco Chronicle/Polaris

Kirtan, a form of devotional chanting that originated in India.

ENTREPRENEUR WITH HEART ANDREW ZENOFF ’82

“Ever since I was a child I wanted to invent something to help people,” recalls Andrew Zenoff ’82. “Even at Stevenson, my friends and I would be hanging out in the dorms, just coming up with fun new concepts, albeit a few of them provocative and many of them humorous.” Later at Babson in the mid-80s, pursuing his degree in entrepreneurship, his senior thesis was for a plastic bath tote, in the form of a six-pack holder, with several segmented compartments, with holes in the bottom for drainage. Although he didn’t take that idea to the market, years later he saw a whole category of similar products had been created when he visited the UCLA campus store.

a focus group, and set out to make a better product. He tested and retested and made 50 prototypes in one year. Twenty years later, his company is still thriving. Andrew’s My Brest Friend brand and product lines are sold in more than 35 countries. He feels very satisfied that he has helped millions of new moms successfully breastfeed their babies. “Whatever I create, I want it to be a change agent for global good,” says Andrew. “I look to where there is a need for something, but it’s not interesting to me unless somehow people’s lives are going to be made better.”

“Although my first thought was that I should have pursued that product further, it also confirmed for me that I had a good sense of predicting trends and solutions for current issues — and that’s critical if you want to be an entrepreneur,” recalls Andrew.

And that led to Andrew’s next business venture — Day One, a retail concept and parenting center, offering products, classes, community, books, DVDs, and workshops for new parents. “I got my vision for this new concept after working in the baby industry, and saw that there was a lack of efficient resources and support once new moms got out of the hospital after giving birth. ”

So as a single guy in his late 20s, after a conversation with a friend’s older sister about the challenges of breastfeeding, he had the idea to make a product that would help nursing women. Andrew gathered feedback from mothers in

Andrew sold Day One to his partner a few years later, and continued on his adventure in improving lives. He got involved with Bhakti yoga, and spent a few years learning to play the harmonium, and traveling through California to promote

“Then I moved from professional ventures to a personal venture,” shares Andrew. He met his wife Sarah in 2009, and then spent several months in Bali “off the grid.” Five years later, they are married with two daughters, Ruby Valentina (2 years old) and Violet Moon (1 year old). “So my biggest venture of the last few years has been producing people, not products,” laughs Andrew. Recently, Andrew has embarked on an exciting new wearable technology venture that is very world positive. “The project is good for people, global in scale, will positively impact change in people’s lives, and will be for the mass market,” says Andrew. Not too much detail can be shared at this point, but Andrew can say his next product and company is combining wearable technology with the cloud and Internet to gather data and make a significant social impact. The product will be launched to the market in the second quarter of 2016. Andrew confides, “I believe this could be the culmination of my life’s work.” Andrew lives in Kentfield, CA with his wife and two children. The Stevenson Alumni Magazine will check back and share the news of Andrew’s next venture in future issues. To learn more about My Brest Friend, visit www.mybrestfriend.com. Or connect with Andrew at az@zenoffprod.com Andrew Zenoff ’82 with his wife Sarah and daughters Ruby Valentina and Violet Moon

2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT From responsible ingredient sourcing and cutting-edge green chemistry, to recycled and recyclable packaging — method is a company committed to making the planet — and our homes — a cleaner place.

# LOVEWHATYOUDO KRISTINA CONSOLE ’00 Up at the crack of dawn, and on call 24/7, Kristina Console’s ’00 tweets, posts, blogs, videos, and social campaigns reach millions of people every day. “The power of social media can’t be ignored — it’s unlike anything we’ve ever experienced,” says Kristina, community manager for method and ecover, the world’s largest green cleaning-product company and pioneer of planet-friendly and design-driven home, laundry, and personal-care products.

Kristina creates the campaigns and content, builds engagement, writes the copy, partners with influencers, and tracks and reports results for the company’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube accounts. But it’s not what she does that is so unique — it’s how she does it. “It’s all about making a human connection and being relatable,” says Kristina, who was recruited by method in 2014, undergoing three days of

“You have to know what you’re good at and create your own career. My personality is a little spicy. I love humor and I like to make things fun — I found a company and a job where all of that gets to be expressed.”— Kristina Console ’00 14

STEVENSON SCHOOL

intense interviews, pitching a campaign, and sharing what makes her “weird” (which included having the founder wear a unicorn head during her interview) before landing this highly competitive job. “People don’t necessarily care about soap, but if you make them laugh about bacteria while you’re educating them, then you’ve got their attention.” [Kristina’s “germ jokes” can be found on method’s various social media feeds and feature amoeba-shaped cartoon germs (see opposite page). Kristina jumped on the social media bandwagon almost at its inception. She fell in love with its ability to keep people connected. After college, and on her own, she took on executive assistantships and internships to get the experience she needed. In 2013, she got a job with Nordic Naturals, the world leader in omega-3 oils, where her passion, vibrant personality, and

“The power of social media can’t be ignored — it’s unlike anything we’ve ever experienced.” Kristina Console ’00

limitless energy combined with the constantly evolving social media tools really took off. “Taking scientific data and making it consumer-friendly, while being constantly tracked by the FDA, is not easy,” recalls Kristina. But she found a way — in one year she grew Nordic Naturals’ Facebook fan base from 15,000 to more than 250,000. And with no more than herself and two interns, her Recycled Art Contest Campaign won her a PRNewswire Digital PR nomination and the Social Media Icon award. More recently, she was honored to speak at Oracle’s Open World Conference as an expert panelist on successfully selling to socially influenced consumers. “You have to know what you’re good at and create your own career,” says Kristina. “My personality is a little spicy. I love humor and I like to make things

fun — I found a company and a job where all of that gets to be expressed.” After method’s wildly successful Clean Happy campaign (#cleanhappy), which was picked up by the New York Times, Kristina says her next big campaign for a new laundry detergent dubbed “Fight Club” is even better. She’s partnered with fellow Stevenson classmate Sean Donnelly ’00, an animation artist featured on Comedy Central, to create a series of video ads. They’re using sock puppets that are looking for their match, on Tinder. Now that’s relatable.

And a video of the Nordic Naturals Recycled Art Contest: youtu.be/WvG73fZQmzI Kristina graduated with a bachelor’s in communications from San Francisco State University and lives in San Francisco.

Check out Kristina’s quirky and fun Clean Happy campaign videos at the URLs below: youtu.be/5rO3Q8TVLT8 youtu.be/jKJEpOGwG4o youtu.be/k_8g8vmKYIM Kristina Console ’00

2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT The positive effects of sports on youth development have been well established empirically. Sports are directly correlated to increased school participation and achievement as well as improved focus and self-esteem. The United Nations (UN) has utilized sports in various volatile post-conflict zones to reduce violence, promote peace, and develop young leaders. — Escalando Fronteras website

traumatic stress, violence and endemic perverse risk-taking of this youth group with a healthier lifestyle that supports positive life pathways as well as a host of promising opportunities.”

CLIMBING FOR THEIR LIVES RORY SMITH ’03

Per current estimations, more than 30,000 Mexican youths work as child soldiers for drug cartels. Millions more live in poverty, with little to no means to survive, let alone change their circumstances. After discovering through his master’s thesis research the dismal plight of impoverished children in Mexico and the limited choices they have for bettering their lives, Rory Smith ’03 decided to do something about it. Knowing the positive benefits that rock climbing had brought to him, he began to think about how this sport could help

children at risk. Rory talked and worked together with gang members, organized criminals, juvenile inmates, community leaders, government officials, and forward-thinking youths from Mexico and around the world. Then with his friend Nadia Vazquez from Mexico they founded Climbing Borders (Escalando Fronteras) — a nonprofit organization that uses rock climbing to get youths away from gangs, addiction, and drug cartels, and back into more promising life pathways. Focusing on the region of Monterrey, Mexico (for both its socioeconomic demographic and its excellent climbing terrain), Rory and his team of climbers and advocates went into the poorest parts of the city, encouraging children ages 9-18 to come join them for a climb. “Climbing dovetails perfectly to the needs of the at-risk youth population in Monterrey,” Rory explained in an interview with Rock and Ice magazine. “Climbing is a natural way to bridge the negative values, low self-esteem, post-

STEVENSON SCHOOL

“Most of these kids have no positive male role models in their lives,” adds Rory. “The hardest part of this effort is dropping the kids back off after a weekend of climbing. We strive to give them the strength and confidence to say, ‘I am better than this,’ but that’s difficult to hold on to when they live within an environment where violence is how conflicts are resolved and drug and alcohol abuse is the accepted norm.” Rory is seeing progress, and that’s encouraging. By the end of 2015, he hopes to provide 1,000 of Monterrey’s most atrisk youths access to climbing, mentors, tutors, and job training. Funding is critical, and Rory is working on a business plan and attaining grants to help make the organization sustainable going forward. Rory Smith received his bachelor’s in international politics from American University and his graduate degree in international development from Lund University. He lives in both Mexico and Sweden. In addition to his work with Escalando Fronteras, he is applying for Ph.D. research positions related to this project. Rory’s brother Bain ’90 and father Biff are both faculty at Stevenson. His sister Hester ’90 is also an alumna. Learn more about Rory’s efforts and Escalando Fronteras at www.escalandofronteras.org.

CAMPUS

NEWS

NEW MURAL BRIGHTENS CAMPUS A blank wall doesn’t stand a chance at the Carmel Campus. Art teacher Sally Russell ’83 and students recently designed and painted a colorful mural filled with positive messages to decorate a once-dreary passageway.

2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

CAMPUS

NEWS Jake Peterson ’23 and Jake Carlyle ’23 demonstrate their circus creation.

Valin Kobrinsky ’23 shows his parents, Jolie and Michael Kobrinsky, how his circus works, with Aidan Eyth ’23

Chris West, music teacher at the Carmel Campus for more than 33 years, was honored with the 2015 CMEA-Central Coast Section Music Educator Award. CMEA is a professional organization comprising music teachers from all levels of education.

Vive Le Cirque! Inspired by American artist Alexander Calder’s Cirque Calder, the Grade 4 class unveiled its own circus creations. Figures made of wire, pipe cleaners, and corks “performed” various circus acts, including lion tamers, acrobats, and trick riders. This imaginative, artistic, and self-expressive event was accompanied by popcorn, party hats, circus peanuts, and rubber ducks.

Jonathan Zhou ’23 shows Head of Carmel Campus Molly Bozzo his circus creation.

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?’” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

Emma Hood ’19 makes Valentines with a resident at Gateway Center.

A Day to Serve Others Acting on Martin Luther King Jr.’s message of service, in February more than 250 Carmel Campus faculty, staff, and students dedicated their day to service around the community. From giving gratitude to local police and firefighters, to teaching robotics, sign 18

STEVENSON SCHOOL

Chris West Honored

Ryan Nielsen ’19 teaches guitar to students at Ord Terrace Elementary.

language, and chess to students at Ord Terrace Elementary School, students helped others and expressed thanks. Together, students contributed more than 800 hours of service to the community.

INNOVATION – NOT JUST A BUZZWORD The Pebble Beach Campus continues to expand its offerings for students interested in technology, and innovation. With the addition of a Mobile App Development course led by David Meyer, part-time robotics instructor Kevin D’Angelo, and new education technology director Mike Taverna, students have more resources to develop their coding, computer science, and design thinking skills. These additions complement the pre-engineering class and the maturing robotics program. The INTRSCT Club, a student and faculty created innovation start-up, is growing in numbers and also making an impact on campus life. This year’s Symposium theme, partly led by the INTRSCT club, was “The Art and Science of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Social Ventures.” More cross-campus Digital Citizenship events and partnerships are being planned with the Carmel Campus, and the school is creating a partnership with Common Sense Media.

Alyssa Newman ’15

Dr. Kevin Hicks ’85 greets Alex Glasscock ’23 during the Carmel Campus carline.

Ms. Cornelia Cannon Holden speaks with current parents.

Dr. Kevin Hicks ’85 Visits Campuses In February, Stevenson welcomed newly named Head of School Dr. Kevin Hicks ’85, wife Ms. Cornelia Cannon Holden, and their daughter Zuleika to our campuses for a whirlwind of meet-and-greets with parents, students, faculty, and staff. Dr. Hicks greeted students in the Carmel Campus carline, toured classes, and met with Pebble Beach and Carmel Campus faculty. Dr. Hicks and Ms.

Dr. Kevin Hicks ’85, his daughter Zuleika, and former faculty Bob Tintle.

Holden also made time to catch a basketball game, and see the school winter musical, Working. Dr. Hicks begins his tenure as head of school and president on July 1, 2015.

ALYSSA NEWMAN ’15 HONORED WITH KRISSOFF AWARD Alyssa Newman ’15 is this year’s recipient of the Nathan Krissoff Award, one of the most revered awards given by the school. “Alyssa’s intensity reminded us of Nathan Krissoff. Alyssa views her education as training for an energetic, useful life. She has taken an inventory of her skills and looks for places where — even as a high school student — she can in some way improve the lives of others,” said Dale Hinckley, history faculty, who presented the award during assembly. The Krissoff Award is named in honor of Stevenson graduate Nathan Krissoff ’99, who was killed in combat in Iraq in 2006.

Kindness Box

Girls Golf Team Captures League Title This fall, our girls varsity golf team won the Monterey Bay League (MBL) championship. The tournament was held at Rancho Canada Golf Club. Members of the team include Savannah Thompson ’18, Antonia Malate ’18, Cece Rivera ’16, Coach Jason Gilbert ’04,

Sofia Shalar ’17, Emily Min ’15, and Rebecca Chu ’15. Stevenson’s combined team score of 495 dominated the field of 14 teams and topped second place Santa Catalina, which carded a 524.

Implementing the Carmel Campus’s theme of kindness, students, faculty, parents, and staff have been documenting moments when they have “caught someone being kind.” They write down what they experienced firsthand or witnessed, then place the card in the Kindness Box. Randomly throughout the year, these moments of kindness are shared with the larger Stevenson community.

2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

CAMPUS

NEWS Chapman Caddell ’16 and Dr. Douglas A. Hensler, Provost, Naval Postgraduate School at the Monterey County Science Fair.

The Goldsmith family explored Point Lobos with Christy Yu ’18 from China.

Shin Ehara ’17 from Japan with local student Cade Laranang ’17

Families Reach Out to New Students The Pirate Parent Club’s Companion Program began last October by matching new international students with local families to introduce them to the area, and make them feel more at home. These

Emma Morgan ’16 at MIT this past February.

Emma Morgan ’16 was recently selected as one of three winners in Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s nationwide THINK scholarship competition. The MIT team reviewed papers submitted by more than 100 top high school students from across the country. She will receive $2,000 to build her project, a monetary scholarship, and the opportunity to work with MIT faculty 20

STEVENSON SCHOOL

new international students have been welcomed through a variety of means — emails, birthday treats, gifts, home-cooked meals, and visits to local sites.

National MIT Competition Winner and students to develop the idea in the laboratory. Earlier this year, Emma traveled to MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts to present her paper, “Artificial Musculature: A New Approach to the Linear Solenoid,” to the THINK team (a panel of MIT professors, alumni, and students), and was interviewed extensively by a selection team.

Junior Accepted to Prestigious RSI Chapman Caddell ’16 was accepted to Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Research Science Institute (“RSI”) and will attend this summer. RSI accepts only 80 students worldwide and has an acceptance rate of 1-3%. It is a sixweek, cost-free, rigorous academic program designed to kick-start careers of leadership in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology. Chap also took first place in Physics at the Monterey County Science Fair for his project, “The Leidenpump: A Novel Means of Continuous Fluid Transport”, and advanced to the state level.

Twofer!

Jensen Main ’16

The girls and boys water polo teams made school history this past season by winning simultaneous league championships and qualifying to play in the Central Coast Section (CCS) playoffs. Eren Yagmurlu ’16

Heart & Hustle Award The “Bill Hunter Heart and Hustle Award” is awarded to the two basketball players in the Coach Wilson Memorial Basketball Tournament who, through their attitude and effort, contribute significantly to their team’s success. This special award is a tribute to the late Bill Hunter, for his many dedicated years of service to Stevenson’s athletic program. This year’s winners were Aidan Donohue ’15 and Fauve Koontz ’17.

National Museum Honors Stephan Pratt Stevenson’s Chair of the Fine Arts Department, Stephan Pratt, was honored in March as the National Art Museum of Sport (NAMOS) Artist of the Month. NAMOS says: “Steph Pratt creates paintings and drawings that are bold, beautiful, and uniquely empathetic to the human condition. He is a gifted and classically trained artist whose work echoes the virtuoso skill of John Singer Sargent, the palette of Edward Hopper and the passion of Caravaggio.”

Grade 3 students perform a dance for Diwali.

Stephan’s career as a competitive athlete includes a brief skate with a pro hockey team in France, and 12 years as head coach of hockey and baseball in the New England prep school league. He has worked for Sports Illustrated at the Barcelona Olympic Games, for the ATP Men’s Tennis Tour, and as freelance artist at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

Students pose with professional Aztec dancers.

CELEBRATING OUR UNIQUENESS Beginning in pre-kindergarten, students at our Carmel Campus are taught to respect one another’s differences and similarities, and are encouraged to share throughout the year what makes them unique. This year alone

students celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month, Diwali, Chinese Spring Festival, Hanukkah, Multicultural Day, Black History Month, and more.

2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

CAMPUS

NEWS

EVENTS

Colin Brown ’18

Tony McHale ’83 and friend

Gary Dreher, Jill Dreher, Christine Rector, and Brian Rector

Homecoming 2014 & Forever Young Tribute Blue skies and temperatures in the 80s set the mood for a festive and fun Homecoming Weekend 2014. This annual fall event continues to grow in attendance and this year was no exception. The weekend kicked off with a casual alumni gathering at Cannery Row Brewing Company and a parent gathering at Vesuvio in Carmel on Friday night.

Chris Archer ’16

STEVENSON SCHOOL

Saturday marked the 18th Run in the Forest, the 2nd Annual Alumni Water Polo game in the Pirate Pool, and a pregame tailgate BBQ on Blomquist Field. To top it off, our Pirate football team claimed victory over Greenfield with a final score of 21-7.

John Minelli ’02, Claire Margolis ’11, Clare McKendry ’08, and Monica Huelga ’09

But the highlight of the weekend was the “Forever Young” tribute event for Coach Jeff Young, acknowledging his more than 30 years of being a mentor, teacher, and friend to hundreds of alumni. More than 300 guests gathered under the stars to honor Coach Young and share their appreciation for his leadership, both on and off the field. After a touching video montage of messages sent in from all over the world, several alumni and past faculty delivered heartfelt, and sometimes hilarious (e.g., Brian Kehoe ’82 and the members of the 2000 football team), recollections of their time with Coach. Rob Klevan, former faculty and head of the Fine Arts

Kristen Quilty, Scott Quilty ’90, Dan Biondi ’90, Andy Bozzo ’89, Andrew Zaninovich ’89, and Johanna Humphrey Biondi ’91

Jeff Davi ’85, past faculty member Bob Tintle, and Chris Orosco ’96

Wes Connors ’01, Coach Jeff Young, Brian Orosco ’01, Marcus Pearson ’01, and Anthony Arger ’01

Coach Jeff Young

More than 300 people attended this special evening honoring Coach Young.

David Laurance ’82 and MC and past faculty member Rob Klevan

department, emceed the event — and wore his infamous white dinner coat, while engaging Coach Young in friendly banter very familiar to alumni from the ’80s and ’90s. The celebration lasted well into the night and was an evening truly deserving of a coach and mentor who has shared so much with so many. Coach Young announced his retirement last fall and leaves a lasting legacy behind.

The annual Run in the Forest brought together more than 240 students, parents, alumni, faculty and staff for a fun run and a delicious breakfast.

You can view highlights of the weekend at www.stevensonschool.org/homecoming.

Sierra Wouden-Crosno ’23, Piper Anderson ’23, and Katrin Yi ’23

2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

CAMPUS

NEWS

EVENTS

Kameryn Tanita ’10, Peter Parisi ’09, and Campbell Sokolow ’10 Will Hertlein ’05, faculty member Mark Tretter, Will Pischel ’09

Sandy Young ’06, Kate Bruno ’03, Ryan Hambley ’07, and Marissa Rousso ’06

SAN FRANCISCO Gardner Combs ’64 and Curt Hayden ’64

Jonathan Kirk, Jennifer Boal Kirk ’89, and Chairman of the Board Mark Hornberger ’68

LOS ANGELES Keith Sarkisian ’84, Trisha Sarkisian, Jennifer Eustice ’86, and James Eustice

Bob Payne ’84, Will Daniels ’84, Phil Wang ’84, Clark French ’85, Coach Jeff Young, and Carter Edgerton ’85

HOLIDAY RECEPTIONS Lauren Culp, Joe Culp ’80, Paul Hugens ’79, and David Colburn ‘76

STEVENSON SCHOOL

More than 770 alumni braved the rain and cold to celebrate and connect with classmates and faculty at the 2014 holiday receptions in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Pebble Beach, and New York. These festive events continue to grow in popularity, with more than 220 attending in San Francisco and more than 400 in Pebble Beach. The New York

reception (hosted by Andrew Rosen ’75) brought alumni together in the trendy Meatpacking District, and attendees enjoyed a special alumni discount in Theory’s retail store. If you’re interested in bringing an alumni holiday reception to your region, email alumni@stevensonschool.org.

PEBBLE BEACH

Andy Bozzo ’89 and Matt Olin ’90

Dominic Piccinini ’14 and Emily Termotto ’14

Ben Vierra ’13 and Arianna Negri ’14

Bob Lea ’57, Marianne Powers, Susan Lea, Kevin Ford ’73, Jimmy Jia ’98, and Sabrina (Lea) Hiltunen ’99

Ethan Rogge ’11, Lexi Heuer ’11, and John Louie ’11

Larry Hunter ’79, Dana Bambace ’91, Guest, Shalon Story Thomas ’89

Theory Store NYC, Andrew Rosen ’75 with President Joe Wandke

Guest. Maddie Tamagni ’05, Elizabeth Benjamin ’05, and Dan Kreer ’03

NEW YORK

Jeff Young, Beth Young, Marilee Wandke and President Joe Wandke

Mud, Friends, and Fun — Alumni Games 2014 Rain and a change of playing fields didn’t deter more than 50 alumni to come out for 2014 Alumni Games. Alumni from as far as New Jersey and Colorado participated in a series of competitive but friendly games, including men’s and women’s lacrosse and basketball. Athletes were treated to a hearty lunch and cozy, Stevenson-branded beanies, before heading home to get ready for the Pebble Beach holiday reception later that evening.

Carolyn Bruckmann ’12, Coach and Assistant AD Kelly Burnett, Sarah Howard ’09, Chelsea Verhasselt ’07, Emily Basham ’08, Alyssa Anderson ’10, and Amanda de la Vega Tovar ’10

Continued next page...

2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

CAMPUS

NEWS

EVENTS *Faculty

Continued from previous page...

or Staff Member **Parent of Alumnus

Alumni Games 2014

Front row: Ashton Clarke* ’05, John Collett*, Joel Packer ’05, Alex Hungerford ’05, Ted Minnes ’08, Cooper Kehoe* ’07, Jordan Beaudoin ’07, and Rick Storkan ’06 Back row: Sam Bennett ’08, Andrew Newton ’08, John McCreery ’03, Carter Hickingbotham ’08, Ian Morrison ’05, Cory Schaeffler ’05, Robert Stave**, Mario Enea ’90, Bruce Dini ’77, Greg Hill ’12, Jack Margolis ’16, Christian Rosa ’11, David Kurtmen ’07, Marc Pauwels ’14, Alec Negri ’14, Tony McHale ’83, Jeff Young*

Back row: Cooper Kehoe* ’07, Joel Packer ’05, Marc Pauwels ’14, Matt Arruda*, Cory Schaeffler ’05, Zekai Akcan*, Rob Whiteside ’07, Kenny Treadwell ’09 Front row: Ben Holber ’07, Will Hunter ’03, Michael Persall ’11, Brendan Kinion ’00, Logan Fannin ’14, Evan Santos ’07, and Jordan Beaudoin ’07

Kelly Burnett*, Megan Volpano ’10, Laura (McCoy) Merfeld ’09, Marea Goodman ’08, Caroline Main ’08, Dana Prelsnik ’10, Sarah Howard ’09, Kendall Keith ’08, Laura Prelsnik ’07, and Krista Winkler*

17th Hole Event Honors Donors On a beautiful 70-degree day in February, Stevenson’s Silverado Society members were treated to star-watching and some of the world’s best golf at the 2015 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro Am. Watching the “A” list of celebrities and golfers along the 17th fairway of the Spyglass golf course, attendees of the fourth annual 17th Hole Event enjoyed refreshments and an array of food while watching this annual charity golf tournament from the porch of the Benbow House. Thanks to our Silverado Society members for their support of Stevenson and sharing in this special

event. To learn more about the Silverado Society, contact Ashton Clarke ’05 at aclarke@stevensonschool.org.

Linda Persall and Samuel Persall

Don Dormer ’71, Candy Dormer, Nels Wiegand, Jill Wiegand

STEVENSON SCHOOL

Nancy Zweng, Mike Morgan, Chrissi Morgan and Kim Negri

The

PIRATE REVIEW

An eclectic mix of alumni showcase their creative talents through food, music, writing & entertainment.

“The restaurant business is not for the faint of heart. We positioned Piperade a little off the beaten path, allowing tourists to still seek us out easily, but also building relationships with local regulars who love our food and keep coming back.” — Cameron Hirigoyen ’82

Piperade, located in San Francisco, serves West Coast Basque Cuisine

2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

The PIRATE REVIEW

“Consistently terrific Basque cuisine continues to shine at the Hirigoyens’ sophisticated North Beach eatery lauded for its top-notch, creative dishes that are expertly prepared and full of flavor; the intimate dining room features a glass-paneled wall of incredible wines amid rustic-yetelegant decor, and an attentive but unobtrusive staff further helps make it a go-to place for special occasions.” — Zagat

Piperade Cameron (Kaller) Hirigoyen ’82

“I never saw it coming,” says Cameron (Kaller) Hirigoyen ’82, Piperade coowner and wife of renowned chef Gerald Hirigoyen, about being a restaurateur for more than 20 years. A Stanford graduate, photographer, and multi-linguist, Cameron was working her first day as a volunteer for Friends of Photography in San Francisco when she went to lunch at a modern French bistro called Fringale in the not-yet-trendy South of Market region. Press reports debate whether it was the French fries or the crème brulee that sparked the magic, but ultimately it was the day that Cameron’s life in the restaurant business began — and the day that she met her husband. Cameron slowly began to devote her time and talent to their culinary ventures. Soon she became Gerald’s right hand and they’ve grown their businesses together since. In 2002, the couple opened Piperade, featuring what they have coined West Coast Basque Cuisine, an infusion of these two cultures by incorporating fresh local ingredients into French, Spanish, and Basque dishes. Named after the classic Basque stew of sizzling

STEVENSON SCHOOL

peppers, tomatoes, and garlic topped with slices of ham and a poached egg, Piperade serves flavorful recipes in a cozy, vibrant environment. Cameron is in charge of “everything that is not cooked or paid.” That includes public relations, marketing, special events, and the overall look and feel of the restaurant experience. The Hirigoyens’ restaurants and accomplishments have been featured in Gourmet, Bon Appetit, and The New York Times. Chef Gerald Hirigoyen was named one of “Food & Wine Magazine’s Best New Chefs in America” in 1994 as well as San Francisco Magazine’s “Chef of the Year” in 1995 and a second time in 2003 (the only chef to ever receive this honor twice). Chef Hirigoyen and his family are especially proud of his nomination by his peers for the James Beard Award: “Best Chef, California” in 2006. “The restaurant business is not for the faint of heart,” says Cameron, citing a statistic that nearly 90 percent of restaurants close within the first year. “We positioned Piperade a little off the beaten path, allowing tourists to still seek

us out easily, but also building relationships with local regulars who love our food and keep coming back.” Piperade 1015 Battery Street, San Francisco, California www.piperade.com Cameron and Gerald live in San Francisco with their three sons. In addition to Piperade, they own and operate Bocadillos in San Francisco, have published three cookbooks, and manage the cafeteria for Williams-Sonoma headquarters. Cameron (Kaller) Hirigoyen ’82 with her husband Gerald

WE WANT TO FEATURE YOU IN THE NEXT PIRATE REVIEW! Have you published a book, released a wine, or opened a new restaurant? We want to know! Please email us at alumni@stevensonschool.org to be considered for the next Pirate Review.

Kyle Eastwood ’86

Time Pieces Kyle Eastwood ’86

In the 17 years since the release of From There To Here, Kyle Eastwood’s ’86 first jazz album, the double bassist, composer, and producer has forged a dynamic musical path. His style is described as “eclectic, yet refined and transcends the boundaries of jazz by exploring an everwidening range of musical influences.” While continuing to develop his parallel career as a composer and arranger on his legendary father Clint Eastwood’s Oscar-nominated films Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, and Letters from Iwo Jima, Kyle has reaffirmed traditions while creating truly contemporary, lyrical, and melodic jazz. Kyle’s latest release Time Pieces is all at once a fresh landmark in his discography and a culmination of a recent reassessment of his personal and artistic aesthetic. Kyle describes his new album as “a rich extension of this ongoing ‘transition,’ a work infused with

melodic elegance and a sustained sense of groove organized around my quintet’s often-collective compositions.” “What I wanted to do in this record is pay my debt to jazz in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s,” says Kyle. “It was this lyrical hard bop, full of groove and sophisticated harmonies, exemplified by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers when Lee Morgan and Wayne Shorter were in the group, Horace Silver’s Blue Note recordings and different quintets Miles had throughout the ‘60s. It’s the music that I like and that has

never ceased to fascinate me since I discovered it as a teenager. What was amazing at the time was how all these groups had an immediately identifiable sound signature. I wondered where this singularity emerged from and I concluded that this was primarily the result of a collective work in the long run. It is this way of thinking and music making that I sought to reconnect with on this new album.” To hear a sampling of Kyle’s music and for tour dates and locations, go to www.kyleeastwood.com Kyle began playing electric bass in high school learning R&B, Motown, and reggae tunes by ear. Kyle lives in Paris, France, returning to the Monterey Peninsula several times each year to visit family. He is currently on tour in the UK, United States, and Europe.

“Eastwood demonstrates monster bass chops.” — Jazz Times

“Kyle Eastwood is such a credible veteran young bass player that no one is surprised anymore that he represents so well young jazz players in Europe.” — Buffalo News

2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

The PIRATE REVIEW Her book has been reviewed by NPR, The New York Times, and The San Francisco Chronicle. Here are some excerpts that help capture the eloquence of Marie’s most recent work.

Where the Dead Pause, and the Japanese Say Goodbye Marie Mockett ’88 In 2011 a 9.0 earthquake off the coast of Japan triggered a tsunami that devastated parts of Japan, and a meltdown of the Fukushima nuclear reactor plant. Marie Mockett ’88 contacted her family in Japan, who run a temple just 25 miles from the plant, urging them to leave. Her cousin told Marie that they could not leave — he said he needed to stay to care for the souls of the ancestors. This experience, combined with her own feelings of loss a few years later when her beloved father passed away, led Marie on a journey to Japan, and deep into the culture and traditions of how Japanese deal with grief, and ultimately how they say goodbye. Marie’s recent work is a deeply personal account of her pilgrimage through Japan, and her observation and experiences with the customs, beliefs, and even ghosts of this spiritually rich and complex country. She introduces the reader to Kaneta, a Zen monk who encourages grieving relatives to make origami flowers and clay

figurines to symbolize their lost relatives. And Marie shares vivid insight into the rituals of places like Mount Doom, one of Japan’s most sacred places built atop an extinct volcano, and where she says “the souls of the dead have been seen walking as they come to the top, and then pause.” www.mariemockett.com Marie lives in San Francisco with her husband and son. In 2013, Marie was awarded a Fellowship by the NEA and Japan US Friendship Commission, which enabled her to live in Japan. While there, she was featured in the NHK (Japanese National Broadcasting) Documentary, Venerating the Departed, which was broadcast internationally several times. Marie Mockett ’88

STEVENSON SCHOOL

Part memoir, part travelogue and part investigation into the rituals and beliefs surrounding the “great parting” in Japan, “Where the Dead Pause” is a fascinating, wide-reaching exploration of the religious and cultural elements of this island nation. Woven into descriptions of crumbling temples and devastated landscapes is the author’s unresolved grief about her father’s unexpected death. — The San Francisco Chronicle

As the child of an American father, raised in California, [Mockett] regards herself as fully of the West. From her Japanese mother she has acquired fluency in the language, although no sense of belonging in her maternal country. But she has the ability, fully available only to those on the margins, “to see through more than one set of eyes, if one learns to pay attention to one’s environment.” It is this gift of double-sightedness, of bringing to bear both the “dry” rationality of the West and the “sticky” sensibilities professed by the Japanese, that makes this the most interesting book so far to have come out of the disaster. – The New York Times

Marie’s son Ewan with Mita Sempo, her mother’s cousin, at Empukuji, the family temple in Iwaki, Tohoku, Japan.

Photo by Darryl Dobson

O.P. Rockwell Scooter Thomson ’90

The bartenders are classically trained and dressed like characters out of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire. Guests descend into a subterranean basement filled with elegantly placed Asian rugs, brown leather Chesterfield couches, crystal chandeliers, and wingback chairs. Red velvet theater curtains separate the bar from the music hall, and the 100-year-old rock walls reveal themselves under the dim glow of vintage Edison light bulbs. “Everything here has a story,” says Scooter Thomson ’90, owner of the speakeasy bar and music hall O.P. Rockwell in Park City, Utah. “The building itself was built in 1889 and was once a dance hall — so we are really bringing the space back to its roots, while filling a niche in the community — a stylish, comfortable place for friends to gather, have a drink, and listen to music.” The bar is named after the Wild West figure Orrin Porter Rockwell, a

controversial and renowned Utah outlaw and bodyguard to Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon Church. O.P. Rockwell just opened in December 2014, and has already seen a great response. “We just finished up Sundance and we were packed almost every night to capacity,” says Scooter. “We learned a lot, and are already planning for next year’s festival. It’s great to have had the experience so early after we opened our doors; people couldn’t believe how smoothly things ran here after such a short amount of time.” The speakeasy portion of the bar is all about comfort, style, and really good craft cocktails. Scooter says he went to Salt Lake City just to find the caliber of bartender he was looking for. The 6,600-square-foot music hall can hold up to 500 people, and books national touring acts in addition to local bands.

“We partnered with a well-established music hall called The State Room in Salt Lake City and we’re able to attract some really talented bands,” Scooter explains. Some recent sold-out acts include South African singer-songwriter Gregory Alan Isakov, funk and jazz musician Karl Densen, and Men at Work lead vocalist Colin Hay. O.P. Rockwell 268 Main Street Park City, UT 84060 www.oprockwell.com www.facebook.com/oprockwell Scooter lives in Park City, Utah with his girlfriend and their two rescue German shepherds. When not at O.P. Rockwell, he runs his commercial and ranch land real estate company Bar Twenty Land & Cattle Company. In addition to real estate and speakeasies, Scooter and fellow classmate Frank Becking ’90 design lacrosse gear through their company Voodoo Lacrosse.

2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Dr. Kevin Hicks â&#x20AC;&#x2122;85 and his wife Ms. Cornelia Cannon Holden

STEVENSON SCHOOL

A HOMECOMING FOR DR. KEVIN HICKS ’85 &

Big Skies Ahead FOR STEVENSON SCHOOL By Melanie Bishop

2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

The search for a successor to Stevenson President Joe Wandke began two years ago. This past January, Dr. Kevin Hicks ’85, currently Head of The Hotchkiss School in Connecticut, was named as the next President and Head of Stevenson School. Kevin and his wife Cornelia Cannon Holden connected with Carmel writer Melanie Bishop to share their interesting story, and how their careers, interests, and passions have led them back to the Monterey Peninsula. When Kevin, Cornelia, and their daughter Zuleika Alice arrive in July, a new era will begin for Stevenson.

When Kevin Hicks ’85 was four years old, he attended Carmel Bay School, a small cluster of red wooden buildings tucked into an alcove of coastline, under the shade of a eucalyptus grove. A visit there today, a hairpin turn off Highway 1 just south of Carmel, reveals a main building, with a big blue cartoon whale painted on its side, and some outbuildings, one labelled “Petting Zoo.” Hicks remembers feeding chickens and rabbits. While the school has moved to Carmel Valley, a long history of play and wonder is evident on this ground. Eucalyptus infuses the setting with a fresh smell, a forest smell, not one you usually associate with beaches, unless you are from the Central Coast (Hicks is), in which case you would consider yourself lucky (Hicks does). He remembers walking with teachers through the eucalyptus grove to the beach, taking in the world with all five senses — the texture of sand, the taste of salt air, the menthol fragrance of trees, the sound of seagulls, the majestic view of the ocean. Walking back to the red buildings, the children would fill their pockets with the seed pods shed by the trees, the hardened shells of the pods seeming like ancient, wooden buttons. He knew, even at that age, and with no other landscape to compare it to, that this place was rare indeed.

STEVENSON SCHOOL

Hicks’ good educational fortune continued at both Forest Grove Elementary and Pacific Grove Middle School, after which he landed at Stevenson School, a blessing he attributes to Stevenson’s belief in him, his family’s sacrifices, and the additional financial support that made his attendance possible. Picture Hicks, a freshman, new to the school, walking across campus, hands shoved deep in his pockets, when Gordon Davis, headmaster at the time, called out to him by name. He recalls being astounded that this man knew him: “As an awkward freshman who hadn’t done anything yet to earn recognition, and who didn’t yet feel at home, the gift of being seen by the person in charge was enormous.”

shovels from home, so that “we could help our neighbors across the bay clean things up.” Klevan’s initiative and invitation conveyed a powerful lesson about community and service that has stuck with Hicks to this day.

“Stevenson opened up my world,” he says, “by introducing me to friends who weren’t just like me, and instilling in me an array of lasting humane values. Stevenson encouraged me to discover work that I was intrinsically motivated to pursue, and showed me the rewards in being of service to others.” He recalls that back in January 1982, following devastating mudslides in Santa Cruz, faculty member Robert Klevan organized a Saturday service trip, and asked day students to bring rakes and

He recalls his experience playing lacrosse at Stevenson with particular fondness. Though he admits to being “more enthusiastic than good,” he credits lacrosse coach Jeff Young for taking him seriously. “He had every reason to be dismissive, but he wasn’t. He saw I was willing to work hard and he helped me to improve.” Hicks went on to coach high school and college lacrosse, direct a summer lacrosse camp at Stevenson, and help build the Peak Goalie School, the nation’s best

Dr. Kevin Hicks ’85 stands in front of Douglas Hall during his visit to Stevenson this past February. He begins his tenure as head of school and president on July 1, 2015.

such summer program. Hicks says, “Had Coach Young not given me a chance to belong, I can’t imagine I ever would have been in a position to help others in the ways that I did later on. I don’t think he was kind because he saw something special in me. I think he was kind because he knows that’s the right way to be, and because others had been kind to him.” Hicks remembers many of his courses at Stevenson having conveyed the same lessons that Young’s coaching did. “My teachers made the work seem important and relevant, and about our relationships with one another, rather than just about our grades.” He recalls Bob Henderson, who was both his history teacher and his advisor,

organizing a mock Middle Eastern peace summit. “It felt real and vital,” Hicks says. “I represented Syria. It taught us so much more than history or civics, politics or peace studies — it opened our minds to concepts like active listening, empathy, compromise, negotiation, and conflict resolution.” His participation in theater productions was influential, as well. He says, “There was so much acting talent in the program, especially in the Class of 1983. Celeste Schneider ’83, Martin Drobac ’83, Pam Carroll Sheppard ’83, Michael Town ’83 (James O’Neel) and Juliet Funt ’84 — to feel supported and encouraged by slightly older peers who I really admired was a gift.” After leaving Stevenson, Hicks earned his BA in religious studies

at Yale. Afterward, he wandered a bit: landscaping back home on the Peninsula, painting gondola cars at Killington Mountain and waiting tables at a diner in Vermont, exploring Eastern and Central Europe following the fall of the Berlin Wall, coaching after school sports in New York City, and a stint working for the City of Chicago on a welfare reform project. Eventually, he found his way to a job teaching English at The Peddie School, an independent boarding school in New Jersey, which earned him entry into Middlebury’s Bread Loaf School of English, a summer master’s program. There he studied Dante’s Commedia with John Fleming, a Princeton English professor, who encouraged Hicks to apply for

2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Zuleika joins Kevin and Cornelia at the spot on Vail Mountain where they were married in 2006.

Princeton’s PhD in English. He did, earning that degree in 2005. During those years at Princeton he met Cornelia Cannon Holden. For several years, Cornelia had been hearing from her younger sister Bowen, a high school lacrosse goalie, about her coach at Peak Goalie School. “You should meet Kevin,” she’d said. When it finally happened—in November 1996, when the family invited him to visit their home in Lincoln, Massachusetts, on the occasion of Cornelia’s grandfather’s 89th birthday— they laughed and talked easily for hours. Within a couple of days, a package from Kevin arrived at her office at Bowdoin College. Inside were a book, Italo Calvino’s The Baron in the Trees; a CD, John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme; and a

Cornelia coaching the U.S. Women’s Ice Hockey Team in Vierumäki, Finland

succinct letter. A week later, Cornelia drove down to Princeton to determine if this Kevin Hicks was the real deal.

life-mates and in it for keeps. They celebrated their nine-year wedding anniversary this past April.

Guess what? He was. Their mutual certainty led them to become engaged that New Year’s Eve, high atop Soberanes Point, after which they felt in no rush to plan a wedding. They relocated to Boston so Cornelia could pursue her master’s of divinity at Harvard. Kevin completed his dissertation while holding a number of jobs: teaching English at Wellesley High School, Boston University, and Endicott College; and coaching women’s lacrosse at Middlesex School, Brown University, and Trinity College. Though it would be 10 years before they’d exchange their formal vows, they knew they were

Now we are talking serious dynamic duo. They are each passionate about teaching, learning, citizenship, and leadership. They strike a balance between humor and reverence, demonstrating that humor is in fact one way to revere, and laughter is one aspect of health. They personify respect, teamwork, and right union, and are each other’s friend, coach, and cheerleader. They inspire. Which is not to say they’ve never struggled. They’ve done hard work to nourish and nurture their marriage, take great efforts to maintain it, and the resulting strength of their partnership underlies all their successes. Hicks says, “We keep our relationship at the center of how we meet the world.”

“One’s life can appear pretty sensible through the rearview mirror, but it would be ungracious to the point of foolishness to describe my life as anything other than a succession of remarkable blessings — almost all of which involve the considerable generosity of others, helping me find my way. ” — Dr. Kevin Hicks ’85 36

STEVENSON SCHOOL

“We both love to work hard and play hard,” Holden says. “Kevin keeps the right things important. He is the guy you want in your foxhole when things are tough.” Holden (MDiv, Harvard) is founder and principal of Mindful Warrior (www.mindfulwarrior.com), through which she teaches elite athletes,

His Holiness the Dalai Lama greets Kevin while Michael McCullough, the founder and president of Questbridge, looks on. Questbridge connects the world’s brightest low-income students to America’s best universities.

coaches, teams, and executives the principles of high performance. Using mindfulness practices and citizenleadership models, she helps clients become more powerful, resilient, and successful. “Cornelia’s ability to connect with and inspire others — especially young people, and those who teach and coach them — is remarkable,” Hicks explains. “She helps people discover aspects of themselves that had been hidden in plain sight, and in doing so empowers them to engage authentically with the world they inhabit.” In an effort to make the Mindful Warrior concepts available to a wider audience, she is currently writing a book about her teachings. She will be moving the business (including an employee) to the Peninsula this summer. And in 2016, Stevenson School will serve as the new host site for her Core Leadership Program, a groundbreaking summer training for teenagers that has changed young lives over the past three years at Hotchkiss School in Connecticut.

Cornelia leads a student discussion as Scholar-in-Residence at the Thacher School in 2012.

I am best when I am inhabiting all of it. I’ve learned that I can contribute meaningfully and sustainably as long as I have enough time and space to ‘hear’ my own thoughts. My marriage and our daughter are critical to my success and help to keep my internal fire alive.” Holden feels her husband was destined to return to the area. She says, “Carmel Beach, Carmel Valley, Big Sur — these places animate him. They, like the Pacific Ocean, are at his core. And he just flat-out loves the School. He wants to help Stevenson earn a reputation

as the finest school in California, one of the finest in the United States, and ultimately a school that’s admired around the world. He’s competitive and loves helping others thrive and achieve their best.” When asked if everything in his professional life has led him to this precise moment, Hicks says: “One’s life can appear pretty sensible through the rearview mirror, but it would be ungracious to the point of foolishness to describe my life as anything other than a succession of remarkable

Cornelia and Kevin enjoying the view from atop Adam’s Gulch in Ketchum, Idaho

“I have a range of roles,” Holden observes, “as a woman, as Kevin’s wife, as a mother, as the president’s wife, as an educator, as a writer, and as an entrepreneur growing a company. 2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

* * *

Kevin, Cornelia, and Zuleika in Ketchum, Idaho, summer 2014

blessings — almost all of which involve the considerable generosity of others, helping me find my way. It was when I returned to Yale in 2005 as a dean, to supervise 430 students assigned to Berkeley College, that I found the greatest professional mentoring, and experienced a version of institutional life that felt thoughtful, just, and well ordered. My supervisors’ care in bringing me along — sending me in directions intended to help me contribute, learn, and grow — inspires me to help Stevenson continue to be a place where faculty and staff enjoy the experience of a staged career. If it feels circular, it does so in the sense of making good on obligations incurred long ago.” Discussing his upcoming stewardship of Stevenson, Hicks says: “Broadly, I believe that education is the means by which we discover the world and contribute to its transformation, and that one’s education is best pursued in the company of others, for others’ benefit as well as one’s own. I believe that schools are obligated to educate students and to ensure their safety and well-being by promoting values of safety, trust, respect, belonging, and inclusion, and should also help students learn how an individual functions within a group, and how a group lives with ideals conveyed by an institution.” 38

STEVENSON SCHOOL

“Cornelia and I admire and respect all of the hard work it’s taken over many years from many people to establish the School’s strong reputation as a great place for kids of all ages to learn and grow, and we deeply value the faculty’s enduring commitment to keeping their students’ well-being at the center of their collective thinking, to prepare them to thrive in the present moment and eventually in the first year of college.” “We’re eager to support this tradition, and help it evolve to meet the challenges that surround the new century as it unfolds. We’re eager, too, to support the integration of program between the Carmel Campus and Pebble Beach Campus. Each in our own way, Cornelia and I have staked out some territory in conversations about social and emotional learning, learner-centered teaching, critical reflection, leadership and citizenship, and the quality and integrity of community life in schools. We’re eager to help Stevenson build and sustain partnerships in the region and around the world that will help our students enjoy a world-class education that makes the most of the School’s location on the Central Coast, a historically significant site for science, art, commerce, civic engagement, and contemplative practice.”

Flash forward four decades and four years, and there’s a new 4-year-old in the eucalyptus grove — Zuleika Alice, daughter of Kevin and Cornelia. Zuleika sifts through the seed pods on the ground, as her father did before her. Cornelia explains that these pods once held live seeds from the tree. “Imagine it,” she says, “the wisdom for the whole tall tree is contained inside this tiny seed.” Kevin adds how the rain provides water and the sun provides warmth and light, so that when the conditions are just right, a tree grows. Zuleika smiles and nods, like this is something she already knew, like all the wisdom of the mature adult is contained inside her tiny self. As the family walks from the grove onto the trail, the vista opens to the eternal blue of the Pacific. Turquoise waves swell and curl and crash on the sand, the green of the water churning itself to a brilliant foam before it retreats. The three walk along the sandy paths that ribbon through Carmel Meadows, where California poppies offer up their gold for free, and ice plant explodes like pink and yellow fireworks. Bunnies dash across the trail, birds fly in and out of the low brush, and squawking seagulls glide by, in threes. In the distance by Point Lobos, a whale spout plumes upward. As they descend the stairs to the beach, they remove their shoes, to feel the cool sand under the curve of their toes. Zuleika takes off running, and her parents are right behind. When the little girl stops, she puts her arms out and twirls, looking up at the clouds and sun. “Mommy!” she says, gesturing with her whole self, “The sky is so BIG!” That it is, Zuleika. The better to receive a joyful life. To Kevin Hicks and his family, Stevenson School would like to say, “Welcome home.” For more information about Dr. Kevin Hicks ’85 and Ms. Cornelia Cannon Holden visit www.stevensonschool.org/about_ stevenson/president.

Kevin coaching boys’ varsity lacrosse at Hotchkiss

“Had Coach Young not given me a chance to belong, I can’t imagine I ever would have been in a position to help others in the ways that I did later on. I don’t think he was kind because he saw something special in me. I think he was kind because he knows that’s the right way to be, and because others had been kind to him.” — Dr. Kevin Hicks ’85

2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

GOOD TIMING GOOD PEOPLE & GOOD LUCK Joe Wandke & 32 Years of Leadership BY CA M ERON WA L KER

STEVENSON SCHOOL

Joe Wandke (in the office at the Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s House) will retire this coming June. The portrait behind him, featuring Joe on the golf course, was painted by Fine Arts Department Chair Stephan Pratt, and was presented to Joe at his 25th anniversary celebration of his tenure at Stevenson.

2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Joe Wandke in his office, 1986

It was Joe Wandke’s first day as the headmaster of Tampa Preparatory School, and already it looked like he might be in trouble. He’d been to visit the Florida boarding school to interview, but he didn’t realize what he was getting into — he’d never been in charge of a school before, and at 38 he had become one of the youngest independent school leaders in the nation. Tampa Prep was within weeks of closing its doors; his first task was to meet with every bank president in town and figure out how to repay the six-figure notes the school owed. “I think one of the reasons we got hired is because they didn’t have anybody else. Anybody who knew what they were looking at in their right minds wouldn’t have taken it,” he says. These days, Wandke considers taking on this struggling school as one of the most important decisions he’s made in his career. “I’ve never worked so hard in my life,” he says. He and his wife Marilee and their young son John spent every Saturday at the school fixing vacuum cleaners and plunging toilets because they couldn’t afford a janitor. Wandke went from home to home with a slide 42

STEVENSON SCHOOL

carousel and projector trying to boost enrollment. He also had to make tough decisions: He needed to lay off current staff members, hire new ones, and get everyone on board with a pay cut for the school to stay afloat. The Tampa school is now a successful campus with 600 students. And Wandke brought the skills he learned there — from decisive action to steady hard work — to accomplish even more in his 32 years as president of Stevenson School. Since arriving from Tampa in 1983, he’s turned around the school’s early financial instability and shepherded Stevenson toward its current incarnation as a thriving co-ed boarding school and primary school on two campuses, which boast a host of new facilities for all students. And Wandke, who will retire in June, has driven these changes with his trademark step-by-step approach. He’s put others in the spotlight when it comes to Stevenson’s successes, eased difficult transitions with down-to-earth

Midwestern charm, and won the trust of those around him in the process.

A HEADMASTER’S HISTORY As a young man, Wandke had no idea he’d eventually run the show at a private school. “I didn’t even know what a headmaster did,” he says. After graduating from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, he applied to law school — mostly, he says, because that’s what his friends were doing. But before he showed up, he had a change of heart. A friend worked at the Blake School, a private Minnesota day school, and convinced Wandke to join him. Wandke had played semiprofessional baseball, so he began coaching the team and filling in for a few classes. The following year, he came on full time. The school’s headmaster Jim Henderson became an important role model for Wandke. Even though he wasn’t exactly sure what Henderson’s job

Joe and Marilee Wandke in 1983 at their welcome party, with Robert and Marian Rickleffs.

entailed, “I thought, ‘I’d like to be like him someday,’” he says. Henderson let Wandke shadow him, working after school hours, and encouraged him to attend a master’s program at Stanford (where he got a taste of California living). After he returned to Blake School, Henderson put him on the administrative side of the school, and later encouraged him to take a job in development at St. Olaf College and the Tampa head position. (The Stevenson president went on to play the role of mentor for others; six of Wandke’s hires have gone on to head their own schools.) One of the things he learned by working with Henderson was to fundraise. He went on solicitation calls and helped with events; once at St. Olaf’s, he took care of donors when they came to campus. As a future headmaster, he knew that fundraising would be part of his job. So at the church he and his wife attended in Minneapolis, he volunteered for the stewardship campaign — although he did ask the senior minister: “Please, don’t give me anybody really difficult.” Of his first half-dozen calls, he had “a few slam dunks, and a few duds,” he recalls. “You learn not to dread it, and not to beat yourself up when it doesn’t work out. And you learn not to burn bridges, because you never know.”

CHARTING STEVENSON’S NEW COURSE These skills were needed when he first arrived at Stevenson in 1983. “We’d been through this really tough time at Tampa, and come out the other end of that. This provided a similar opportunity at a much better known, larger school,” he says. “At Stevenson, I saw similar problems”— from financial issues to programs to staffing — “just not as severe.” Continued on page 45...

A few weeks after Wandke arrived at Stevenson, the Monterey County Herald ran this article on August 31, 1983, and said that according to Wandke, if everything goes right and with a little bit of luck, Stevenson has the potential to be one of the top 10 college prep schools in the country.

2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Carmel Campus

32 YEARS OF LEADERSHIP

Construction of Silverado Hall

1989

1988

1987

1984

1983

Wilson Hall

“[Wandke] converted a good boarding school with mediocre facilities to a top-notch competitive national boarding school with some of the best facilities in the country.”

Carmel Campus Turf Field

— Tom Moran, board member

1983

Joe Wandke arrives at Stevenson and unveils his vision for an expanded residential program for the school I Stevenson endowment at $500,000

STEVENSON SCHOOL

Day Hall

1984

Komobo Toho Japanese Exchange student program begins, opening doors for Stevenson students to spend six weeks each year in Japan.

1987

Wilson Hall completed and Stevenson becomes fully co-educational, with 24 girls joining the residential program.

1988

Carmel Campus acquired; Stevenson expands to include PK–grade 8.

President Joe Wandke, T.J. Day ’66, and Board Chair Mark Hornberger ’68 breaking ground at Day Hall.

Atwood Hall

Dance studio in the SFB Morse Fine Arts building

2015

2013

President’s House

2011

2009

2007

2006

2003

1999

1997

1995

Rosen Family Student Center

The Johnson House on Faculty Row

The Pirate Pool

Barrows Hall

1989

1999

2007

2013

Silverado Hall completed.

Atwood Hall completed.

1995

2003

Joe and Marilee Wandke’s home on faculty row burns to the ground I Robert U. Ricklefs Library renovated.

Incorporating passive technology, the first faculty townhouse, The Johnson House, is completed on Faculty Row I The Pirate Pool renovation is completed, allowing water polo and swim teams to compete at the league level for home games.

Day Hall completed I First capital campaign for Stevenson launched, with the goal of raising funds to build the Rosen Family Student Center.

1997 Stevenson moves to a 1:1 laptop initiative in grades 6–12, integrating technology throughout the curriculum.

Rosen Family Student Center completed, transforming student life at Stevenson.

2006 Dance studio renovated in the SFB Morse Fine Arts building, further enhancing Stevenson’s fine arts offerings.

2009 New President’s House constructed for use as both a private residence and for public presidential functions.

2011 Stevenson’s first certified LEED Gold building, Barrows Hall, completed. Faculty and staff living on campus reaches nearly 60%.

2015 Joe Wandke celebrates 70th birthday and the birth of his first grandchild I Stevenson endowment tops $30 million.

Joe Wandke and Julie Packard at the 1984 Rickleffs Dinner.

Joe Wandke, Rita Shugart (alumni parent and board member 1983-1994), and Skip Zimbalist ’64 (trustee emeritus) at the 1986 Auction Fundraiser.

“Joe always said, ‘I’m working with the board.’ He established the environment of the cooperativeness between the board and the head.” — George Walker, board member

OPEN

Continued from page 43...

To get the school back on track, he had to have some tough conversations: Faculty members would have to teach more and bigger classes, on the same salaries; tuition increased and financial aid decreased. But as he did in Tampa, Wandke promised to make it right, particularly with the faculty, for the short-term sacrifices. He was true to his word, later creating a groundbreaking formula for compensating faculty based on both experience and performance

that’s since been adopted by other private schools around the country. To attract the kind of faculty that would help Stevenson thrive academically and as a community, he says, “you’ve got to pay them, and you’ve got to pay them well. They’re doing what they’re doing because they love to do it. But they have got to be able to look in the mirror in the morning and feel good about themselves financially, too.” The early belt-tightening paid off; within five years, the school was

back in the black. “Bringing rigor to financial reporting and the financial condition of the school was probably the single most important contribution in the early years,” says Mark Hornberger ’68, current Stevenson board chair and board member since 1981.

the boarders were male. The board of trustees told Wandke they wanted to move back toward the school’s original mission — to be primarily a boarding school — while becoming a co-ed institution. But to do this, they needed more dorms for new students, both to boost the number of boys and to make girls welcome as boarders. So under Wandke’s direction, Stevenson launched its first fundraising campaign in two decades to build a pair of new residence halls, Wilson and Silverado.

Now the school could start becoming the kind of place it wanted to be, but it wasn’t clear what that was. At that time, the number of day students was more than double the 160 boarders, and while the school was co-ed, all

To do it, Wandke spent several years on the phone and on the golf course talking to people who could help support

Joe Wandke dancing with faculty member Ross Thayer during the annual Faculty Follies in the mid 1980’s.

Joe Wandke speaks with students J.J. Pfieffer ’89 and Danielle Coulter ’89.

Joe Wandke throwing the first pitch at the 1984 baseball field dedication.

2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

STEVENSON SCHOOL

Joe Wandke and Dr. Michael L. Jackson ’68, board member, at Reunion Weekend.

Stevenson’s renewed sense of purpose. Wandke’s fundraising skill is the stuff of legend. “His endless fundraising capability has been proved time and time again,” says Davis Factor, a board member since 1984. “His legacy, for all the many years he has been the leader at Stevenson, has been his ability to develop the campus, and to develop and nourish wonderful relationships with long-standing friends of Stevenson.”

BUILDING A CAMPUS — OR TWO Along with three additional residence halls, Wandke steered other projects to completion on campus, from a new dance studio and library renovation to the construction of the Rosen Family Student Center, one of his favorite spaces on campus. The 30,000-squarefoot center draws students, faculty, guests, and friends with a snack bar, mailboxes, classrooms, college counseling center, and more. While “nothing compares to what Mother Nature has done” in Pebble Beach, he says, the center is “a beautiful space. It’s gorgeous.” He also loves the school’s

new entrance on Forest Lake Road and often fields questions from passersby about what lies behind the gates. “The architects and the people who funded this deserve all the credit,” he says. Each of these efforts, from boosting faculty salaries dollar by dollar to building up funds for his dream entryway, has happened one step at a time. People tease him about being “the great incrementalist,” he says. “But I say you divide the yard up into inches and you’ll get there if you stick with it, and we did over time.” Another major coup was bringing in the Carmel Campus of Stevenson School, a day school that now hosts 245 students from preschool to eighth grade. The Carmel Campus was a gift from a longtime Stevenson supporter, Seagate founder Alan Shugart, who had started a private school in Carmel. His daughters attended the school, and later, Stevenson — and in 1987, Shugart invited the Stevenson president to lunch, then revealed that he wanted to get out of the school business. Shugart gave the 3.5-acre campus to Stevenson and

Don Hart ’70, Joe Wandke, Bobby Clampett ’78, and Homer Hayward (alumni parent and board member 1979-1993) at Carmel Valley Ranch.

©Jensen Larson Photography

The Wandke Family at Laura’s wedding in Erdman Chapel: Joe, Marilee, Mike Schierberl, Laura ’00, John ’95, and Arley.

Joe Wandke with students at the Pebble Beach Campus.

Joe and Marilee Wandke at a 1993 school fundraiser.

financed the transition. While there were a few years of growing pains, Wandke says a lot of work has gone into integrating the two campuses, and points to the leadership of the primary school as the reason for its success.

ELEMENT OF LUCK Wandke thrives on turning the unexpected — like a lunch meeting with the Seagate founder — into success for Stevenson. “Strategic planning does have its place; it’s important in goal setting,” he says. “But you can’t become too wedded to it, because of things happening that you weren’t counting on.” He’s a firm believer that while hard work and making smart decisions are critical, one of the most underrated aspects of life is luck.

Luck was certainly on his side during the winter of March 1970, when he queued up in a lift line at Snowmass Mountain in Aspen, Colorado. He rode up the Big Burn chair with a young woman on spring break from the University of Minnesota. “It’s a long chair,” he says, laughing. They skied together the rest of the afternoon, and when he returned to Minnesota, he sent her flowers. The pair will celebrate their 44th anniversary this fall. Marilee has been a critical part of Wandke’s success, from putting in elbow

grease in Tampa to welcoming the Stevenson community to the president’s home in Pebble Beach. But the journey to Pebble Beach wasn’t, at first, an easy one. When the initial call came from Stevenson, “I’d done so much to get settled,” Marilee says. The family now had two young children, a growing community, a house they’d been working on, and Marilee had been accepted to graduate school. And she’d been to Pebble Beach as a visitor: “All I could remember were these huge houses and golf courses, and I wondered where our little family would fit in,” she says.

“He probably knows more about how to run a private school than anybody in the country, and he does it very, very well.” — John Hotchkis, board member and alumni parent 2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Joe’s father Dr. O.E. Wandke

The Golf Car

10 Things You Might Not Know About Joe

1 Joe’s father was an orthopedic doctor who was stationed in the South Baby Joe, 1946 Pacific when Joe was born and went to Hiroshima on a ship with other doctors after the drop of the atomic bomb to tend to the wounded citizens. Joe was six months old at that time.

2 After college, Joe played two years

6 Ansel Adams was the first person to greet Joe at the door of Douglas Hall on his first day of work in 1983. He also had dinner at Adams’ house in Carmel Highlands and was given a personal tour of the vault in the rock face where Adams’ original negatives of his photography were stored.

7 In high school, Joe was in every

of semi-pro baseball as a slick-fielding, left-handed-hitting first baseman for the Pier Cowboys in South Dakota in the Basin League. The Cleveland Indians were the parent organization. His roommate Del Unser went on to be a Major League Baseball All-Star.

play and musical, and was quite the thespian. Fred Astaire was his idol and he has a deep love for jazz. Joe has said that if he had not gone into education, he would have become a “song and dance man.”

camp counselors at the same summer camp in Minnesota.

Joe and Marilee met on a ski lift line at Snow Mass in Aspen, Colorado during a school trip when Joe worked at Blake School in Minnesota. They were married 18 months later.

4 Joe drives a 1987 Nissan Sentra (known as the golf car) with 155,000 miles on the odometer. Former Director of Development Donna Igleheart originally owned the car, but Joe bought it for his daughter Laura to drive, then kept it.

5 During Joe’s time at Stevenson, he has potentially raised, either on the golf course or because of relationships 48

formed on the golf course, as much as $5 million for the school (exact figures not available).

STEVENSON SCHOOL

8 Joe and Garrison Keillor were 9 While at Blake School in Minnesota, Joe was one of United States Senator Al Franken’s teachers.

au In 1966, Joe was an intern for United States Congressman Clark MacGregor in Washington, D.C.

Ansel Adams stands in front of his photograph Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico —Joe’s favorite. When Joe met Ansel, he showed Joe the original negative.

They flew out and visited the campus; people assured her they’d feel right at home with all the kids and dogs to play with on campus. So they took the plunge, together. While Wandke dove right into setting the school back on course, Marilee made their new home a place where the students, staff, and supporters could gather. She hosted events, had groups from the school, and all the cooking and planning that went with it. “People just needed to be shown some attention and appreciation,” she says. The president’s house was even busier once the Wandke children became Stevenson students. “Every afternoon and weekend, our house was filled with kids,” Wandke says. In his view, having a parent as an administrator at the school is hardest for the kids. “I did my best to try to not embarrass them at school assemblies, but inevitably I did, and I would hear about it at dinner.” Perhaps the most difficult aspect of being both president and parent was having to make difficult decisions that affect students, like expulsions — and wondering if his kids’ classmates would take it out on them, something he and his children talked through as it came up.

SMART DECISIONS That’s one of the things Wandke is known for on campus: He’s someone you can count on to help talk you through difficult times. One of the hardest times for the family was in 2007, when an electrical fire gutted the president’s home. Marilee was home at the time the fire started; the next morning, she broke down when thinking of all that needed to be done in the fire’s aftermath, and everything they’d lost. “Joe said to me, ‘We’re going to do this. We’re going to be strong, and we’re going to be role models for our kids,’” she recalls. His suggestion: planning three things to do each morning, more small steps on the way to something bigger. “When things are tough, he’s really good and clearthinking,” she says.

“He built a tremendous relationship with the Pebble Beach Company and with the community. This school is absolutely beautiful. It’s a tremendous asset in the middle of Pebble Beach, a great resource.” — Ted Balestreri, board member

Dan Pasquariello, Ted Balestreri, Joe Wandke, and Bill Perocchi stand at the 18th hole on the Pebble Beach Golf Links. ”Joe is the face of Stevenson School both inside Pebble Beach and outside Pebble Beach,” says Perocchi, CEO of Pebble Beach Company and Stevenson board member.

GOOD PEOPLE

In addition to implementing his vision for the school, Joe acted as a mentor and guide for many faculty and staff at Stevenson throughout his 32-year tenure. Several have gone on to hold the highest positions at schools throughout the nation. “Joe knows how to build a team and models leadership. He gives his team real responsibility and the authority to get things done. He treats people with respect and thus gets the respect he deserves in return. He has done a wonderful job at Stevenson, creating a school that is second to none.” — James Munger, Head of School, Marin Montessori School “Joe took on the role of mentor to many of us who worked at Stevenson. He always encouraged me to ask myself the questions “What’s next?” and “What drives me?” — pushing me to look forward and grow as a leader. He has an extraordinarily healthy perspective on life — and that balance permeated the campus, as well as influenced my own values and style of leadership during my 21 years at Stevenson.” — Michele Grogan, Head of School, Katherine Delmar Burke School “Joe and I have very different leadership styles, yet Joe is one of the most important influences on my professional life and identity. He modeled the assertion of clear and wise priorities that would guide every other decision in the institution. His moral compass was unambiguous and clear; he stood, even when unpopular, for what he believed was right and decent. He surrounded himself with smart, capable people who complemented his style, skills, and strengths; he was never threatened by those people and in fact unleashed them to do their jobs well and creatively.” — Robert Henderson, Head of School, Noble & Greenough School “The biggest impact that Joe had on me as a young 22-yearold teacher was setting up a school that allowed me to take on as much responsibility as I could handle. For me that meant teaching multiple courses, coaching multiple sports, and serving as a dorm head, summer AD and activities director. I learned an incredible amount about leadership by being allowed to practice leadership. I am confident that I had not

proven myself before I was given this responsibility, but it surely launched my career in educational leadership.” — Than Healy, Head of School, Menlo School “As a leader, Joe taught me to see the long view — that the transitory frustrations or disagreements of the day are usually not important. What is important is to stay on the trajectory you have set. Anyone who’s been in a leadership role knows that it’s frighteningly easy to get so caught up in details that you lose alignment with the trajectory and goals you set for yourself. This confuses everybody, and progress bogs down. Joe never lost sight of the main goal, and had ways to remind us all never to succumb to distractions from our purposes: to serve kids and families, forge good lives for ourselves and our families, and build, over time, a great school.” — Greg Foster, Head of the Pebble Beach Campus, Stevenson School (previous head positions at Lawrence Academy, Punahou School, Alexander Dawson School, and St. John’s Country Day) “I’m not only a better Head of School because of Joe but a better person for knowing and working with him. I never saw him compromise what was best for the school and its students, but I also learned that it’s possible to run a large, complex organization in the public sphere and at the same time privately help individuals within the community. Joe has high expectations of people, supports them, trusts them, and allows them to do their jobs. In his typical self-effacing manner, he also used to say that his goal has always been to surround himself with people who are smarter than him, but in this he was genius. Joe is a school man, to be sure, and what that means is he understands that schools need experts, and they cannot make the school better if they aren’t empowered.” —Peter Fayroian, Head of School, Northfield Mount Hermon 2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

“When your son or daughter comes out of Stevenson, they truly are prepared for college and life. How to live, how to conduct themselves, how to have fun but do it right, how to be honest. Joe has imparted through the faculty and staff he hired how to live life to the students in their charge. That is the education.” — David Rosen, board member & alumni parent He’s also a leader who lets the people who work for him shine. Jeff Clark, Stevenson’s vice president for external relations, says that Wandke is known for hiring good people and then staying out of their way. He’s always available if someone needs help, Clark says, but otherwise, “He told me, ‘Jeff, I’m interested in your job, I’m just not interested in doing your job.’” Because of this hands-off style, he’s often seen as a mystery man around campus, particularly in recent years. He laughs when asked about a current student pastime — writing about rare sightings of the president, in his usual suit, tie, and pocket square, on a student blog. When he saw retirement on the horizon several years ago, he started consciously withdrawing from active duty and putting deans and division heads in the spotlight on campus. He’d read in business literature about companies that have problems when the longtime CEO retires; he became convinced that a determined effort to move away — step by step — would smooth the transition. So when he sees bloggers who wonder #wheresjoe, he says, “what that tells me is that I’ve been successful.”

that he bought years ago for his daughter. People call it “the golf car”; its trunk holds his clubs, and he never has to worry about it getting dinged by a stray ball. “I’ve gotten a kick out of driving it because people don’t notice it,“ he says. But just like Wandke, it gets the job done. “It starts up every time,” he says. “Never fails.” In June, he and Marilee plan to move to a home in Carmel. Marilee retired five

years ago from teaching third grade at All Saints’ Day School in Carmel Valley, “so she’s going to teach me how to do it,” Wandke says. For a year, at least, he’s going to do exactly what he wants to do—no consulting jobs, but likely plenty of golf and getting to know his new grandson, who was born in January. “Then, we’ll see. As I said, I’m not big on strategic plans.”

He’s actually had a fair amount of practice hiding in plain sight around Pebble Beach — in his car. Wandke drives a battered 1987 Nissan Sentra

“Joe’s legacy will be as the person who created the modern Stevenson, making it one of the great schools nationally and internationally, both in terms of its academics and its campus.” — Skip Zimbalist ’64, trustee emeritus

STEVENSON SCHOOL

Joe and Marilee Wandke in the President’s House this past February

Alumni Update 1956

Thomas McGinn Smith ’56 After 35 years on the bench, I retired as a Judge of the San Mateo County Superior Court. I am now living in New York City with my wife, Judith DurhamSmith, who is a real estate broker with Brown, Harris, Stevens. I now have the time to walk my dog, Hana, in Central Park every day.

1962 William Dann ’62 Now a grandfather of two. My son, Tyler, a geneticist with Alaska Department of Fish and Game is now pursuing a Ph.D. in fisheries management at University of Washington. I just published a book that is doing well, Creating High Performers: 7

Questions to Ask Your Direct Reports. Still consulting full time and enjoying it.

1963 John Wyatt ’63 I graduated from Burlingame High School in 1963, went on to the University of San Francisco, graduating in 1968. I attended medical school in Mexico followed by a post grad year at Rutgers Medical School. I did my first year in general surgery in Miami, with a post grad three year residency in rehab medicine at Emory in Atlanta. As a medical director for inpatient rehab hospitals, Florida is my new home as I close a 35-year career in medicine.

1964 Ed Haas ’64 Google “Steamboat Ed”: I’m the first hit. Preparing to exhibit my hybrid pedalelectric mobility vehicle at Maker Faire. It’s for my dotage and it’s fast! https://www. flickr.com/photos/steamboat_ed/sets Dr. Lou Ogaard ’64 I worked in environmental science for 25 years for the State of North Dakota and three for a non-profit in New Mexico. I am married to a woman from Bolivia, and I have lived there a total of four years. Currently I work for a private contractor at the Dugway Proving Ground in Utah. I went on to graduate

John Wyatt ’63

from Cate, St. Olaf College in Minnesota, the University of Northern Iowa, and finally North Dakota State University. I have a Ph.D. in botany with a 4.00 GPA.

1965 Mike Handler ’65 Since mostly retiring from sales and the world of business, most of my time is taken up with running a blues band in Santa Fe, New Mexico. (The Country Blues Revue on Facebook) My interest in music (and acting, which I still do!) started at RLS, and my first guitar teacher was at the school. My second was Jerry Garcia in Palo Alto around 1966, but that’s a different story... I’ve also been a writer/music journalist for Downbeat Magazine, and to this day I use techniques I learned in English class at

William Dann ’62

2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Alumni Update Bill Hirsch ’69 and his wife Mary

RLS to craft my articles. Life took many different paths in the ‘60s, and I hope I can share some of these stories at the 50th class reunion this June! Looking forward to see how the school has grown. Duffy Witmer ’65 Actively work in the restaurant business. Three great children, five outstanding grandchildren. I share my time in Sun Valley, Idaho, Santa Barbara, California, and Troncones, Mexico. Surf, golf, tennis, fly fish, gardening, laughing, family, and friends are my passions. Enuf said.

1968 Steve Russell ’68 I’m a retired lawyer living in Seattle (I defended civil claims of one kind or another most of my 38-year career). I have three grown sons: my oldest also lives in Seattle (married, two girls); my middle son lives in Austin where he writes and chefs; and my youngest lives in San Francisco, where he works as an immigration lawyer. I “play-sit” my granddaughters regularly. I ski, hike, backpack, scramble, climb, and kayak. I play guitar, carve, draw, and write. I avoid doing my yardwork. I’m an 52

STEVENSON SCHOOL

instructor in outdoor skills (scrambling, climbing, snowshoeing, backcountry navigation, glacier travel) for the Mountaineers, an outdoor adventure and environmental stewardship/ advocacy club. I remain in touch with friends from my public high school and Stevenson days, as well as friends from Stanford (especially my Stanford-inGermany group). I just returned from a ski-and-scrambling trip to Snowmass and the Colorado National Monument (where I found myself alone on top of a trackless mesa in a snowstorm one afternoon, but obviously it all turned out well — this is the kind of thing I actually enjoy doing!). This was the fifteenth consecutive annual ski trip a group of us from Stanford-in-Germany have taken (including Allan Johnson ’68 in some past years). Tonight I taught a group of budding mountaineers. In early April 2015, I’ll be backpacking and camping below the rim in the Grand Canyon. I’m reasonably healthy, not particularly wealthy, and blessed with wonderful sons and granddaughters, and I’m having fun every way I can think of just about every day. I’m confident most of you can say the same. I’m pretty sure at least some of our accomplishments and fortunate circumstances can be traced back to the love of learning we obtained at Stevenson, and to the lasting relationships we formed there. Jeff Smith ’68 As some of you may already know, I spent the past 10 years in Europe, between Paris and the island of Capri, just off the coast of Naples. It was great fun, we swam, drank a bit, and renovated a home on Capri and several Parisian apartments…. and all without me speaking one word of French. But after such a long time I became tired of being semi-retired and I missed the States. I came back almost two years ago, having been granted the

distribution rights for a wonderful French product called MELJAC. We make very high end lighting switch plates and lamps. It’s been great fun and very profitable, we sell only to architects, lighting designers, and audio visual firms. We are based in New York City, but cover all of the United States and Canada. Please have a look at our website, LVL-USA.com. Looking forward to seeing all of you soon.

1969 Bill Hirsch ’69 I am still involved in the thoroughbred horse racing business in New York. Through my Hirsch Thoroughbred Management, LLC I put together racing partnerships and manage, do some consulting and buying, and sell race horses. We are snowbirds. We live on Long Island, New York in the summer and in south Florida during the winters. My website is www.hirschthoroughbredmgmt.com.

1970 John Enders ’70 Sailed my boat S/V Victoria from Anacortes, Washington to Mexico from

John Enders ’70

Charles Nemes ’70 (far right) with his wife Sheila (left), son in law Kevin with Gavin, and his daughter Fiona with Liam

August 2014 to April 2015 with my love Cass Sinclair. What a ride! Looking forward to the reunion and to seeing old, very old friends. Charles Nemes ’70 Happily retired and living in Longboat Key, Florida. Currently playing lots of tournament bridge. Denis Simard ’70 My dressage training facility, King of Games Farm, continues with a steady flow of riders and owners choosing SATS communication technology to communicate with their horses. One of my client horses entered dressage competition, for the first time, at Level-III — an almost unheard of level for horses just starting their dressage careers. Ambrosia Hop Yards, my small whole-cone hop farm, is looking to expand operations in the Corral de Tierra area in the next two years, to a 30 acre yard, from its current 3 acre yard. Business has been brisk, with so many micro craft brewers springing up in Northern California. Lastly, my web technology business, DSimard. US continues to grow, and has gone international with a client in Brazil. Life is GOOD! Pursue your passions.

first in my age group and received an invitation to Nationals in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in fall of 2015. I’ve completed five triathlons and ran a half marathon last March for my 60th. I was a member of the first Stevenson football team under Tor Spindler. I work as a financial advisor in The Woodlands, Texas. I’m married with one daughter, age 25.

1974 Fr. Joe McDonald ’74 I am looking forward to celebrating my 28th anniversary of ordination to the Catholic priesthood in June. Many thanks to Señora Maria Vargas and all those years in Spanish class. Those classes formed a linguistic foundation to help me serve the Hispanic/Latino

Randy Bolt ’72

community over the last 25 years. Many thanks to “Coach” Wilson who helped me keep my faith during the many evening Vespers and Sunday services in the forest Chapel! God has been awesome in my life, just as “Coach” promised! I am blessed with a great life in the church due to the opportunities for travel, ministry and continuing education. I was in graduate school in Rome for two years earning a Licentiatus Lurus Canonici (JCL in Canon Law) and I recently took a sabbatical to study in Africa at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Maryknoll Institute of African StudiesNairobi, Kenya. I was able to meet my “adopted daughter” Christine (through Christian Children’s Fund), who lives in

Fr. Joe McDonald ’74

1972 Randy Bolt ’72 I completed the Galveston Sprint Triathlon in September 2014. I finished

2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Alumni Update works for American Medical Response in San Francisco. I still perform safety consulting but enjoy spending plenty of time sailing on the Bay.

immersion, as I had taken German at RLS. In my year, I studied, traveled, volunteered, lazed, dreamed, read, took photos, and made lifetime friends.

1975

In January 2014 I went back to Bolivia, with my college-age twins in tow. While there were plenty of common threads after 40 years, much has changed. A tramway system today ties La Paz together to augment the chaotic public transport system. The dictatorship I experienced is now a democracy with a 3rd term elected president. Technology has spread, with Facebook and cell phones and Google in Quechua — language of the Incas — and locally produced laptops.

Doug Hyde ’75 I graduated in June 1975 from Stevenson. Six months later I graduated from Instituto Americano in La Paz, Bolivia, along with 40 of my public school high school Bolivian classmates. Then I was 1/3 into a year as an exchange student, doing what today would be called a gap year. I stayed for nearly 13 months in Bolivia before returning to my deferred studies at Stanford. Jim Parrot ’74

a small village at the foot of Mt. Kenya. My family and I took a couple of safaris in Tanzania and I took extra time to explore for chimps and do some rhino trekking in Uganda as well as gorilla trekking in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda/Rwanda. Zanzibar was pretty cool, too. I currently serve as pastor in Moscow, Idaho but maintain a small farm in the mountains above Boise. My sister, Tracy (Santa Catalina Class of ‘73) and I share the land with the elk, coyotes, wolves, eagles, herons, and buzzards. Sorry to have missed the 40th reunion! Peace and blessings to all! The photo attached shows my family: Rob Hiller, Tracy McDonald and Joe McDonald at the hippo pool in the Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti NP, Tanzania. Jim Parrot ’74 I have been retired for three years after a 36 year fire service career culminating as a fire chief in west Contra Costa County where I reside. My daughter Chelsea is finishing her Master’s in Education at NYU and my son Will

STEVENSON SCHOOL

Bolivia was then, and remains, one of the world’s poorest nations, roughly 60% American Indian, 30% Mestizo and Other, 10% European. La Paz is the world’s highest capital, with an airport at 14,000 feet above sea level, and the main part of the city built impractically in a steep gorge. You need special tennis balls to play tennis there, and its golf course at 10,000 feet boasts of drives that sail some 50 yards longer in this rarefied air. I was quickly recruited to the basketball team being at 6 feet the tallest in my class, but I as rapidly retired as I couldn’t run at that altitude. I learned Spanish “a la fuerza” through

Through today’s social media, I was able to contact former Bolivian classmates. With my visit the catalyst, we had a minireunion, with 12 of the 40 attending. We relived and remembered, and rekindled very close and special friendships. That seven classmates of 40 have passed away speaks to the many challenges that remain for Bolivia, but there is optimism and progress too. It was special time for us all, for me especially after 40 years. Jacques Lord ’75 Not much new to report. Still working in environmental remediation, the four girls all in college or about to be, living

Doug Hyde ’75 (second from left ) and his former Bolivian classmates.

Jacques Lord ’75

A selfie Christopher Totten ’79 took during a recent trip to Ireland.

1978 John Gothard ’78 Janet and I just celebrated our 30th anniversary this past fall. Here is a pic of us cruising 101 in our ‘64 caddy over the holidays. Loved watching the AT&T event and saw that Timmy Allen is still up to his old pranks! Great job with the seaweed on the beach!!!

in a high-performance green home we built after the 2007 fires, doing a lot of hiking in the Anza-Borrego desert, and improving and performing as a magician as often as possible.

1976 Loren Hunter ’76 I have assumed the position of executive vice president and chief credit officer for American River Bank, located in Rancho Cordova, CA. The company is a business bank that extends commercial real estate and other business loans throughout the state and in Reno, Nevada. The new position is charged with combining prudent credit risk and portfolio management with stronger than average asset growth.

1977 Warren Lee ’77 I am getting married, yet again, to a member of Castilleja’s class of ’77... Caren Clauss. Anyone remember the exchanges between our schools in the ‘70s? My two daughters are doing exceedingly well. Katie is a member of UCSB’s Class of ’15, graduating with distinction in BioChem, while younger daughter Kristie is a sophomore at Chapman’s Dodge film school, currently starting a production business catering to the needs of film students who need funds and equipment for making films at Dodge. Still hanging with Bob Fox ’77, Stuart Woo ’76, Bob Mateus ’74, Colin MacKenzie ’77 and occasionally Rob Goodwin ’76. Wishing that the pool had been replaced 40 years ago!

John Gothard ’78

Greg Nacco ’78 & John Ferriter ’78 Whirlwind careers paused for a day recently when Greg Nacco ’78 and John Ferriter ’78 took time to visit campus in late January. Both alumni spent time with current students in classrooms and workshops and toured the campus. John, one of the pioneers of the original “KRLS” radio station, couldn’t resist the chance to get back in front of the microphone in the KSPB studios. A former managing director for William Morris and Octagon Entertainment, John’s newest venture is the Alternative Co., where he is the founding partner and will continue to represent top news and entertainment talent, and produce music and television shows. John is engaged and resides in the Los Angeles area. Greg has been in the travel industry for over 25 years, having owned and managed several agencies. He continues to travel around the world, and is now consulting in the luxury cruise market. Greg still competes in distance running events and lives in Marin County with his wife Julie and children Izzy and Marley.

Warren Lee ’77

2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Alumni Update A selfie of Garth Harley ’79 at his new “office.”

1979

1981

Christopher Totten ’79 My family and I relocated to Bulgaria this past summer, which is where my wife is from. We had an opportunity to shift the focus of our lives, and to give our kids a chance to know their grandparents and family here as well as to experience an entirely new part of the world. We have a large property here which will be a significant focus for much of my time and work for years to come.

Adam Rogers ’81 Ten and a half years ago I was in a near death accident. I was driving down Highway 1 on my motorcycle and ran into a dead wild boar. I was in a coma for a month. As of now I am confined to a wheelchair.

Garth Harley ’79 It is said in many different ways that true quality in life comes from a combination of finding what you love, pursuing it against all opposition, being authentic and true to self while also kind to others. All alongside feeling grateful for every step of the journey, even the difficult ones. More than 40 years after first dreaming it, and 30 years in medicine, I am now flying jets full time for both United Express and Delta Connection. This first year is like being an intern again (and then some!) but things have never been better. Let me be of service, fellow alums, perhaps a ways out now from graduation but questioning the path you are on? You gotta be bold, undeterred, and prepared to sacrifice some things you may think you need, but it’s never too late to live the life that resonates with who you really are.

Adam Rogers ’81

The house Bernhard Heitz ’82 built in southern Germany.

STEVENSON SCHOOL

Joe Workman ’83, Mike Kellogg ’83, and Frank Lortscher ’83

1982 Bernhard Heitz ’82 I built a small house for me and my two dogs for retirement in southern Germany (close by Stuttgart). It is energy efficient and has a photovoltaic system that can produce up to 9,2 kw peak. So far, in winter I did not have to buy power during the day. Maybe something for Stevenson to think about with all the sun around in California! Tschuess from Germany!

1983 Frank Lortscher, Jr. ’83 Joe Workman ’83, Mike Kellogg ’83, and Frank Lortscher ’83 recently gathered in Seattle to celebrate the 11th anniversary of their 39th birthdays. And to tour area distilleries making everything from absinthe to whiskey.

1985 John C. Weaver III ’85 I can’t believe that it has been 30 years

Painting by Brian Dunigan ’86

since we graduated from RLS, and left the beauty of Pebble Beach to go out into the world and become the people we are today. I cherish my four years at Stevenson and all of the amazing relationships that I made during my time there. Such great memories. I try to explain to new people that come into my life about my time at Stevenson and it is really hard to put it into words — it was that special. I am currently living in San Francisco (with my adorable dog, Cooper) and I’m still in the movie PR/Marketing biz. I left the agency life a few years back and I’ve started my own gig (working out of my kitchen). It’s amazing. Two of my major clients include Lionsgate Films and Bleecker Street Media, and I cover markets from San Francisco to Reno to Fresno to Hawaii. I still try to travel as much as I can. A trip to Africa is planned for this summer and then I’ll be spending the Christmas holidays in London. Life is good, and I’m happy. Here’s to the class of 1985. I can’t wait to see all of you at the reunion.

and sell my painting at briandunigan. blogstop.com. I use an online gallery to auction off my paintings. My favorite thing is painting ‘plein air,” which is painting outside. This summer my family and I are driving our new RV through the Pacific Northwest and Canada. I’ll be painting along the way. Above is an example of one of my paintings I did in Monument Valley, Arizona. Kyle Eastwood ’86 I married Cynthia Ramirez last

Kyle Eastwood ’86

Mohammed Ali Khalil ’87

September. Cynthia is from L.A and worked in the fashion industry for 25 years. Our wedding photo was taken at Tehama and the ceremony and reception took place at the Mission Ranch. Read more about Kyle’s career on page 29. Kenneth Ibrahim ’86 After a stint developing Augmented Reality apps in downtown Los Angeles (see featured bio from summer issue of Stevenson Magazine) I am now splitting my time between independent game

Kenneth Ibrahim ’86

1986 Brian Dunigan ’86 I have become an artist over the past ten years or so. I take oil painting workshops at the Scottsdale Artist School. A few months ago I set up a blog to share

2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Alumni Update and graphics are displayed. To see these “roboScreens” in action, please visit www.roboticarts.com. We are currently working on the state-of-theart entertainment venues (the Two70) on Royal Caribbean’s new fleet of ships being built in Germany. I did “the crossing” on the first of these ships (Quantum of the Seas), which echoed the trip of the Titanic across the Atlantic from Southampton to Newark. Though the seas were rough, we made it! And the first game I’m working on will be available soon on all major mobile platforms. I’ve also just put up some of the music I’ve done over the years (some while at RLS) at soundcloud.com/ kenneth-ibrahim, so please have a listen and enjoy!

Children of Joel Holland ’88

development with two other partners in the greater Los Angeles area and robot programming with another small team whose members are in Las Vegas and Rio de Janeiro. The robot programming comprises both 3D animation and software tool development related to the robots. My lengthy VFX background lends itself perfectly to the task. The robots have high-powered LED screens attached, which, when animated, form panels of varying sizes on which video

1987 Mohammed Ali Khalil ’87 After graduating from the Culinary Institute in 2001, I traveled the world learning the different food cultures and styles of cooking. In 2005, I was fortunate to meet my wife on a visit to Bahrain, where we chose to live for the first three years of our bliss, then we moved to Saudi Arabia in 2007 where we live with our two children. Here, I

Chad Melville ’89, Bob Carroll ’88, Mark Peterson ’89, and Peter Yengst ’89

STEVENSON SCHOOL

work as a consultant to a food service solutions company and am part of a very solid team.

1988 Joel Holland ’88 We are blessed to have three healthy and happy kids ages 6, 10, and 12 and lots of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends nearby. We have a dog, a cat, a hamster, and six chickens. Wendy, my wife, works in admissions at Cardinal Newman High School and I recently quit my day job to pursue a dream and start up a company. We live in Healdsburg, California.

1989 Mark Peterson ’89 Chad Melville ’89 was visiting town and we got together a foursome of Stevenson alums with Bob Carroll ’88 and Peter Yengst ’89. A little wagering and some good Pirate smack talk. Then Bob raised the stakes, turned around and hit a hole in one at the 17th of Tehama.

1990 Kelly San Filippo ’90 As I am staring down my 25th Class Reunion, I’m thinking to myself, “25?!

Kelly San Filippo ’90 and family

Jalil Afridi ’93 with his sons, Shayan and Abdullah, and his wife Shandana

How did that happen?” (Hopefully, I’m not the only one thinking this…) So, what have I been up to lately? I live in Monterey with my husband, Russ, who is an engineer/firefighter with the Piedmont Fire Department (Oakland area). We celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary last December and have two amazing (and very active) boys! Ethan is 5 years old and will start Kindergarten in the fall; Aidan is 4 and will be in Pre-K. The boys keep us busy with soccer, swimming, T-ball, and more — never a dull moment, that’s for sure. Every so often, I run into local classmates around town who are out and about with their families, and we are fortunate that our boys get to grow up with my sister and brother-in-law’s [Amy ’91 and Joe Rheim ’89] girls. In May 2014, I sold my Monterey Fit4Mom/Stroller Strides business, as it was becoming more difficult to manage a pre/postnatal fitness business and teach full-time at the same time. Two years ago, I returned to the classroom; I’ve been teaching 4th-8th grades in various subjects at Chartwell School in Seaside. This has been my 10th year of teaching and this coming fall, I will substitute teach so that I can be home with our boys. I am looking forward to catching up with my fellow 1990 classmates this June!

Neelam Jain ’95 and family

Ryan Anderson ’95

1993 Jalil Afridi ’93 I came to visit Stevenson along with my sons, Shayan and Abdullah, and my wife Shandana. It was like a dream come true. Good luck to Mr. Wandke after retirement and salute to the services he has rendered to Stevenson. Best wishes to all the alumni and faculty of Stevenson. Have a great 2015.

1995 Ryan Anderson ’95 Learning to love the ups and downs: We recently went on a vacation to Martinique Island and stayed at Club Med. Speaking French, tanning on the beach, and sailing with the grandparents (Indiana Jones type of grandparents); Building sand castles and learning to wind surf and wakeboard. Good times, but we are learning that the best memories we are having aren’t necessarily the vacations but rather the challenges that we have faced as a family and then worked through the tough times into the easy times. It’s transforming. We are very thankful to be working hard to have a tight family, growing real estate company, and a hope-filled faith.

Neelam Jain ’95 I am happy to share the news that my son, Tej Thomas Weber, was born on November 1 and happily welcomed by big sister Devi Jain Weber (age 2). I continue to work as a clinical neuropsychologist and I play the oboe in the Memphis Wind Symphony. I am excited for the Class of ’95 20th reunion this summer!

1996 Gina Lehe ’96 My husband, Adam, and I welcomed our first child into the world on December 11, 2014. Adriana Dolce Lehe was born at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, weighing 7 pounds, 9 ounces, and 20.5 inches long. Gina Lehe ’96

2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Alumni Update Jessica (Belardi) Klimczak ’01

Bianca Sams ’97 (second from right) and friends

1997 Nicole Tonti ’97 Recently engaged to Sam Baron, I have gained a 10-year-old daughter Rosalie and am loving being a stepparent. I am a massage and yoga therapist in Santa Cruz, California, The Big Island of Hawaii, and outside of Medellin in Colombia. I love sharing my time between giving massage and teaching yoga in three of my favorite places in the world. Bianca Sams ’97 So happy to share that I finished my MFA in playwriting from Ohio University in

April 2014. I’m currently in the middle of three writing fellowships: Playwright Center, Nashville Rep and Warner Brothers TV Writing Fellowship. My plays have had workshops/readings around the country and have won some great accolades. Looking forward to what 2015 has to offer.

1999 Ted Holloway ’99 After marrying Alexa Pennell in Yorkshire, England in 2011, I decided to make Key Biscayne, an island just a couple miles east of Miami, my home. In

Laura Schierberl ’00

STEVENSON SCHOOL

doing so, I went “all in” and successfully ran for local city council, beating out four other residents for a seat in 2012. I still work full time as a director of ecommerce for a hotel management company, but love the experience of municipal politics.

2000 Laura Schierberl ’00 My husband and I welcomed Jack Michael Schierberl on January 2, 2015. He arrived at 2:19 a.m., weighing 6 lbs., 9 oz. and measuring 19 in. We are loving being parents!

Charmaine Mossbarger (Li)’s ’03 twin sons Owen and Colin

2001 Christiane DeSalvo ’01 I graduated from the University of San Diego in 2005 with a Communication Studies degree, minor in Business Administration. After completing college, I started working for AnheuserBusch in Marketing. After several promotions, I am now the High End State Manager for Southern California, specializing in Import & Craft Beer, education, food & beer pairings & craft events throughout Southern California. I live in San Diego, California. Jessica (Belardi) Klimczak ’01 Evan and I welcomed our first child, a son, Calder Joseph Klimczak on January 26, 2015 - weighing in at 8 lbs., 7 oz., and 21 inches in length. We could not be happier with our new addition.

2002 Casey Grover ’02 The Close-Grover Family is so happy to be back on the Monterey Peninsula. I finished my residency in Emergency Medicine at Stanford University in 2013, after which our family moved to Monterey. My wife and I now work in the ER together at the local hospital. More important, my daughter just started in Pre-K at Stevenson’s Carmel Campus. She could not be happier as a Pirate, and is enjoying all that is Stevenson in the class of 2028.

2003 Emily Gralnek ’03 I’m raising money and writing a satisfactory business plan for our state’s Department of Health. I want to open a small-scale food business in the state of Rhode Island where I currently live. Sara Ittelson ’03 I recently moved back to California from New York City and am excited to reconnect with Stevenson alumni in the Bay Area. I got married this past November in Chicago.

Matt Feldberg ’05 in a onesie at Burning Man firing a flaming turret gun.

Charmaine Mossbarger (Li) ’03 I am happy to announce that my husband, Tim, and I welcomed identical twin boys into the world in November of 2014. Owen and Colin were born seven weeks before their due date and spent a month in the hospital NICU, but they came home to us before the New Year. They are healthy and thriving, and have already tripled their weight in three months! We are very excited to have doubled the size of our family. Tracy Wong ’03 After spending 14 years in California, I moved back to my home city Hong Kong in mid-2014. The past months have been a rollercoaster ride: having established myself as a portrait and lifestyle photographer in a new location, I’ve now also joined a tech startup as the marketing manager. It has been great to be back with family and old friends, and I’m excited for new adventures to come!

Emily Gralnek ’03

College of Law. The new career allows me to combine my legal skills with great customer service.

2005 Matt Feldberg ’05 I have spent the past four years becoming thoroughly acclimated with living in the world’s most expensive city. Thankfully, I have been able to afford San Francisco after being recently made partner at Flavor Group — an eventmarketing and creative agency with great clients like: Red Bull, UNIQLO, Capcom, & the Super Bowl. I have also Sara Ittelson ’03 with her husband Tim Fletcher

2004 Ben Zoller ’04 After two years of managing the restaurant at the Mission Ranch, I have joined the team at Sotheby’s International Reality. I am active on the Monterey Peninsula and still an avid golfer. I moved back to the area to attend and graduate from the Monterey 2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Alumni Update Muir has just taken over for Diane Sawyer and is taking the show in a new and exciting direction.

2011

BJ Lally ’08 and Jaclyn Newman ’08

stayed busy producing all-ages raves across the USA with frequent trips to Santa Barbara, Denver, and Tahoe under my other moniker “RedEye Presents.” Love and Light!

2008 BJ Lally ’08 After the Pebble Beach Stevenson Holiday Party (December 20, 2014), I proposed to Jaclyn Newman ’08 on Carmel beach, under the tree where we had our first date at the end of our sophomore year. We are looking forward to our wedding in the summer of 2016 near our home in Seattle. Thank you to Stevenson for bringing us together nine years ago!

Raven Atkins ’11 I am currently a senior at Lehigh University majoring in both Journalism and Health, Medicine & Society. Coming from San Francisco, these past four years on the East Coast have been eyeopening and priceless. While school is as much of a challenge as you make it, I have had some of my lowest lows only to be followed by extreme highs. Having switched majors halfway through college, graduating on time is one of my biggest accomplishments. It means that I was able to struggle and come out on top, which is a much farther journey than having always been on top. I am currently applying to public relation positions in Silicon Valley and other, local startups and broadcasting positions at major broadcasting industries like CBS, NBC, ABC and Time Warner. I am more excited about my future than ever before because after my college experience, I don’t just have a degree and a resume, I have a story. In the photo (at right), I

am visiting the venture capital firm started by Adam Draper, the grandson of William Draper, the father of venture capitalism in Silicon Valley. I am posing behind Adam’s desk, refurbished from the newly engineered and very popular Tesla car. It is symbolic for Adam and his company of what they can help create as a VC firm. Connor Stuewe ’11 I capped off my senior season with Boston University by earning the 2015 Patriot League Outstanding Swimmer of the Meet award. Patriot League Championships were held at Bucknell University where I won the 100 Backstroke, setting a new league, meet and BU school record (47.16). I also won the 200 Backstroke in 1:43.38 where I set a new pool (Bucknell), league, meet & BU school record. I earned NCAA qualifying times in both event and was part of 5 relays that placed in the top 3 and finaled in the 500 freestyle. I was featured as a Major Award winner for Boston University Athletics and

2009 Katherine Carroll ’09 I was recently hired by ABC News as a production associate for “World News Tonight with David Muir” in New York. I am very excited to be working with the “World News Tonight” team as David Priscila Garibay-Favela ’14

STEVENSON SCHOOL

Connor Stuewe ’11

Katherine Carroll ’09 with a friend at the news desk on set.

Sigma Phi fraternity at San Jose State University.

Raven Atkins ’11

earned BU Student-Athlete of the Week recognition, and was also named AllPatriot League First Team.

2014 Zach Anglemyer ’14 Hi Stevenson! The months since graduation or more accurately continuation to the mysterious, stupendous, philosophical, and disciplined university, are complete with intellectual, spiritual, cultural, and social experiences. I have traveled to the Aspen infested mountains of Colorado, engaged in Silicon Valley, cycled my bike around the west, developed and failed and developed again Zibron, a company that aims to make transportation more efficient, successfully completed my first semester at Rochester Institute of Technology, conducted research in the design archives of the Vignelli Center for Design Studies, helped develop an electric motorcycle and plan for the upcoming Stevenson Symposium. Along the way I have met and formed friendships, mentorships with fascinating, learned individuals from

We want to hear from you!

my floormate Sam to my fascinating cousin Irv, a daguerrotypist of 60 years and unknown to me until a few weeks prior to enter Rochester, New York. The electric motorcycle I just mentioned is the baby of the Electric Vehicle Team, upon which I have been assigned the design and building of data analyzer, its cover, and mounting and the CADing the front end of the bike. I am very excited to see our efforts pay off this July at New Jersey Motorsports park when we compete against a couple dozen universities and independent builders. Materials Science calls. I will see the Pirate community at the April 2015 Stevenson Symposium; until then I challenge you to think and create boldly, get out of the building and breathe. P.S. If you are a mobile app developer, transportation expert, AI engineer or interested in mentoring start-up entrepreneurs in transportation or want to learn more about Zibron or EVT, I would love to speak with you!

Priscila Garibay-Favela ’14 After graduating from Stevenson, I decided to come back to Mexico and pursue my dream of attending Med School. I’m currently in my second semester and I’m studying in one of the best Medical Schools in Mexico — The Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara. It has been a challenge, but at the same time Stevenson taught me so much about managing my time that I’ve been able to handle the workload. I was in the top 50 students of the 900 who entered last semester and it is something I’m very proud of. Coming to the school I’m in will help me go back to the States and practice my medical residency there. Catherine Moran ’14 While at Stevenson, I pursued my love for writing with the Green Key blogs, Tusitala, and English classes with Mr. Biff Smith and Mr. David Schmittgens. Now in D.C., I am a news reporter for The GW Hatchet and am loving every minute of it. I am so happy where I ended up for college, but it wouldn’t be as special as it is, if I hadn’t had such an amazing time at Stevenson. Catherine Moran ’14

John Culcasi ‘14 I had a great first semester enjoying Silicon Valley, and I joined Delta

Please email your personal stories* and digital photos* for the “Alumni Update” section to alumni@stevensonschool.org. *Please limit your update to 300 words or less. Personal updates must be written in the first person and will be reprinted as provided, please check your grammar and spelling. Updates may be edited for appropriateness. All photos must be high-resolution (300 dpi) and please identify the people in the photo(s).

2015 ALUMNI MAGAZINE

THE INSIDE SCOOP

For almost 34 years, Cole Thompson has been a creative force at Stevenson through his role in the Fine Arts department, focusing on photography and ceramics. From teaching the art of developing photos to throwing the perfect pot, Cole has inspired students to find passions they never knew they had and to nurture talents beyond what they thought possible. His leadership has been invaluable on the Sophomore Wilderness Expedition, where he’s documented the arduous 11-day trek through the wilderness with his creative, and always artful, eye. Outside of Stevenson, he’s lent his talents to the Monterey Jazz Festival for more than two decades, and is a member of the Ventana Wilderness Alliance and Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz, California. This issue, Cole Thompson answers the Proust Questionnaire. What is your idea of perfect happiness? A challenging Saturday morning bicycle ride followed by a full recovery.

What is your greatest regret? Not taking up surfing on Carmel Beach when I was growing up.

If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be? A raptor.

What is your greatest fear? Getting lost.

What is your most marked characteristic? Vein-popping skin condition.

What is your most treasured possession? My family.

What is the trait you most deplore in others? A lack of attention to personal well-being. What do you consider the most overrated virtue? Fame. Which words or phrases do you most overuse? Okay so (queso). Dude. Maggy, stay!

STEVENSON SCHOOL

When and where were you happiest? Traveling through Europe with my daughter for a month. What is your current state of mind? Happy, joyous, and free. What do you consider your greatest achievement? Dedication to my life’s work while living a healthy lifestyle in support of that endeavor.

What do you most value in your friends? Sincere and effective communication skills. What is your greatest pet peeve? Bad drivers. Who are your heroes in real life? My colleagues. What is your motto? Hydrate or die.

FIVE REASONS YOUR GIFT MATTERS How Your $20 Makes a Difference

Books Science Explosions Epic Ideas Art Supplies Athletic Equipment

Sarah Stewman Dewey Decimal & Database Diva (Library Director)

Sally Russell ’83 Color Consultant for Biff Smith (Art Teacher, Carmel Campus)

Mark Tretter Chief Explosion Officer (Science Department Chair)

Cooper Kehoe ’07 Seeker for Faculty Quidditch Team (Math Teacher and Coach)

David Schmittgens President of the Faulkner Fan Club (English Department Chair)

Make your gift today at www.stevensonschool.org/20FOR20

Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage

3152 Forest Lake Road, Pebble Beach, CA 93953

PAID Salinas, CA Permit No. 467

ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Back to the Future...

DR. KEVIN HICKS ’85 RETURNS TO STEVENSON

SAVE THE DATES...

DECEMBER 19, 2015 Save the date! All alumni lacrosse and basketball players are invited to join us for games, food, refreshments, and friends at the Alumni Games on the Pebble Beach Campus.

SPRING 2015

ALUMNI GAMES

ALUMNI MAGAZINE

HOMECOMING

STEVENSON SCHOOL

REUNION WEEKEND

Pebble Beach Campus, 3152 Forest Lake Road, Pebble Beach, California 93953 tel 831-625-8300 fax 831-625-5208 info@stevensonschool.org

TRANSITIONING TO NEW LEADERSHIP STRONG FOUNDATION POSITIONS SCHOOL FOR EXCITING FUTURE

Carmel Campus, 24800 Dolores Street, Carmel, California 93923 tel 831-626-5200 fax (831) 624-9044 infopk-8@stevensonschool.org www.stevensonschool.org

SPRING 2015

INFLUENCES, INNOVATION, AND TRANSFORMATION:

Reflecting on Joe Wandke’s Career