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Alumnae Notes
Briana Chan ’05 Briana is studying at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, specializing in Language and Literacy. She will earn a Master of Education and will graduate in May.
Kelley Costello ’05 Kelley is now in her second year of law school at Pepperdine University. She is a senior research assistant for their Asylum and Refugee Law Clinic. She also works part time at a law firm downtown that specializes in asylum and immigration issues. This summer Kelley plans to work for a Superior Court judge at the Santa Monica courthouse.
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Julia Gazdag ’02 Julia recently moved to Portland, Oregon, where she started a Challah for Hunger chapter (www.challahforhunger.org), a national charity that organizes challah bakes to build community and donates proceeds from the challahs sold to fight hunger around the world.
Kate Geller ’09 Kate is a student at NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study where she declared a major of Humor and Comedic Writing and a Creative Writing minor. Since August, she has served as an editorial intern at W Magazine, and also interned for the Soho- based arts publication Zing Magazine during her freshman year. Kate spent the summer of 2009 studying fiction writing in Paris with NYU’s creative writing department. While there, she was taught by authors Johnathan Lethem and Darrin Straus. In her free time, she enjoys doing standup comedy in New York comedy clubs.
Kristina Goldenberg ’08 Kristina (pictured below) is in her third year at Oberlin, majoring in Art History. After a summer internship at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica, she spent her fall semester exploring Europe and
studying abroad in Siena, Italy. She returned to Oberlin this spring to continue her studies, as well as her involvement in Oberlin Admissions and various other student-led organizations.
Sami Green ’08 Sami is spending the semester studying abroad in China. As a junior in the School of Public Affairs at American University, she credits her passion for the study of global issues to her participation in the Educating Girls Globally initiative and the trip to India she took while at Archer (pictured above with Archer Counselor Patty Lancaster).
Elizabeth Hambrick ’08 Elizabeth is a third-year student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She is majoring in animation.
Rachel Katz ’01 Rachel resides in Portland, Oregon. She teaches writing and literature full time at universities and colleges in the Pacific Northwest. Last year, she purchased a house on 1/2 acre in the city, where she lives with her long-time partner and three dogs, among many trees (and a pond!). Despite her new roots in Portland, Rachel remembers most vividly the individual attention she received at Archer. “In 11th and 12th grade, I was reading novels and criticism (at Dr. Morgan and Dr. Richard’s urgings) that I used daily in my graduate work, and now in my own course design as an instructor. My experience in English classes and independent studies at Archer definitely contributed to my current work teaching literature.”
Alexandra Kogan ’05 After graduating from American University in 2009, Alexandra is now in her third semester at Georgetown University, where she is pursuing a graduate degree in Corporate Communication.
Quinci Land ’05 Quinci became engaged on Christmas Eve to Christopher Fitzpatrick. She currently lives in New York City and works at Central Casting.
Alyssa Lanz ’08 Alyssa recently returned to Wesleyan University from a semester of studying abroad in Italy. She also interned with the Carnegie Foundation in Connecticut last summer.
Brooke Lyon ’10 Brooke is in her second semester at Whittier College and plans to major in Psychology. She is currently involved in their work study program assisting at an elementary school.
Dominique Miller ’01 Dominique moved to New York City this past fall to pursue an MBA at New York University’s Stern School of Business. She hopes to specialize in Luxury Marketing, Finance, and Entrepreneurship.
Meghan Muntean ’02 Meghan shares some exciting news: “I recently took the entrepreneurial plunge, and quit my job on Wall Street to work full time for the company I cofounded, ChickRx (www.ChickRx. com). ChickRx.com is a fun, fresh online health and wellness community for young women. In
a uniquely engaging tone, the site is a place for women to share/ receive relevant health information and get expert answers to their questions and curiosities. We raised angel funding, and are currently growing our team and building our technology platform to make the beta site more interactive. In 2011, we are excited to roll out the more robust versions of the site and begin marketing it nationally. We’ve already received fantastic press, including TechCrunch, The Huffington Post and DailyCandy, and won two national startup prizes.” If you are interested in getting involved in this venture, contact Meghan at meghan@chickrx.com.
Beth Nabel ’05 Beth graduated from American University and is now a graduate student at Northeastern University working on a Master’s degree in criminal justice. Hannah Riskin-Jones ’09 Though not formally studying Spanish at Brown University where she is currently in her second year, Hannah traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she spent one month immersing herself in intensive language classes.
Almie Rose ’03 Almie recently landed a literary agent based on her blog writings. She is currently working on a book titled I Bet You Think This Book Is About You, which she says is “kind of like David Sedaris meets Sex in the City in LA.” She also has a regular relationship column in Genlux Magazine and has been featured in a photo spread of “5 Hot Los Angeles Bloggers” (pictured below, second from the right).
Elana Schwarzman ’02 This summer Elana is getting married to her wonderful fiancé, Adam Besserman. She is thrilled to share this special time with fellow Archer alumnae and brides-to-be Korinne Mitchell ’02 and Shireen Shafai ’01. Other than wedding planning, she is acting and running her company, Popstar Gourmet Kettle Corn. (continued on pg. 30)
following your passions: from the science lab to Spain
an interview with natalia serrano, class of 2002
You graduated from Archer nine also incorporate distinct cultural is to be able to find a balance between years ago. Do you think you were components. The hope is that through living for today while thoughtfully prepared for life in the “real this program, students will have a solid planning for tomorrow. world”? command of the English language and Archer encourages girls to be well- an introduction to the cultural context What were you doing before you rounded individuals and to see of the language through native moved to Spain? learning as a process that has no speakers. I worked as a clinical research boundaries. This is a unique concept associate in the Neurosurgical Institute because, as a society, I think we’re This experience also has inspired me to at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los taught to see the world in very narrow try and carry out my own sociological Angeles. I coordinated clinical trials for terms. We come to believe that research study. I’m particularly patients with malignant brain tumors, education only occurs in classrooms fascinated by the ways in which people primarily glioblastoma multiforme, or that your career should directly negotiate identity in a variety of who have limited treatment options. reflect your educational degree. settings. I’ve developed a preliminary Glioblastomas are the most malignant Archer was the type of environment research proposal that focuses on type of primary brain tumors that offered me opportunities to learn how the autonomous community of (tumors that originate in the brain). both inside and outside the classroom, Andalucía, a major tourist destination Patients initially diagnosed with that expanded my worldview, and that relies economically on tourism, glioblastoma get standard treatment, that helped enable me to become a negotiates its identity with respect which includes surgical resection well-rounded individual. In this way I to tourism. Ideally I’d like to get a of the tumor followed by radiation believe Archer has prepared me well doctorate in Sociology. Being able to and chemotherapy. Despite various for work and for life. do my own research is the first step treatments, patients with glioblastoma towards this ultimate goal. have a poor prognosis with a median What is your current job? survival time of 12-15 months. Right now, I’m working with the local government in Andalucía, a town in “ My goals for the future are to continually challenge Southern Spain, teaching English at a public school as part of the Ministry of Education’s bilingual initiative in the However, I’ve also come to realize Clinical trials using investigational myself, to be happy, and to live with consciousness. ” country. Within the bilingual program that sometimes people spend so much drugs offer patients with limited I work with several teachers teaching time planning for the future that they treatment options possibilities to 12-14 year olds math, English, and forget how important it is to live in increase survival times, quality of life, physical education. We develop lesson the moment. So my other primary and help researchers learn more about plans for each subject in English that goal, both for the present and future, the disease for future breakthroughs.
My job usually began by reading a scientific protocol that outlined what the investigational product and experimental treatment consisted of.
After our doctors would agree to move forward with a study, I assisted with the administrative components of the study—I drafted applications to submit to the Institutional Review Board (IRB), budgeted allocations, worked with the legal department, and coordinated research agreements with various hospital departments who would provide services to the patients.
Once all of that was in place, I assisted with collecting data, making sure all the research procedures ran smoothly and that these research services were accurately accounted for in our research grant report. Every month we worked on opening new trials to offer patients more treatment options with the hopes of prolonging their lives and improving their quality of life.
What did you learn from your time there? At the most basic level I learned about brain tumors and cancer treatments, but I also learned about the health care system, how large institutions work, and how individuals move within these systems. I think one of the most important things I learned while working at Cedars-Sinai was humanity--to treat all people with the same respect you would like to be treated with. In our weekly tumor boards, doctors would discuss treatment options for patients, which at times led to conflicting opinions. In these moments the question that inevitably surfaced was, “If this was your mother…if this was your daughter…how would you treat her?” Imagine how the world would be if we all treated each other the way we would want someone to treat our loved ones. In short, working there taught me more about who I am and who I want to be.
How did you move from the field of science to education? My decision to move from my job as a research coordinator to a teacher was mostly based on my desire to continue exploring the world. I wanted to experience the challenge of living and working in another country and learning more about myself in the process. For me, it’s important that the work I do allows me to live the way I want to, but that it doesn’t control my life. I’m grateful for the opportunity I had to work with such brilliant and inspirational people at Cedars-Sinai and also for the push it gave me to continue to pursue my passions.
Were there specific classes, teachers, or activities that you participated in at Archer that have influenced your decisions? All my experiences contributed to making me the person I am today. One of my favorite things about my time at Archer was that it allowed me to pursue all of my passions. In addition to being academically focused, I was encouraged to be on the soccer and volleyball teams, to join the debate team, to participate in the musicals, to be president of the Student Store, and to be an editor of the newspaper. More importantly, I was able to do all these things and be identified not by the things I did, but for the person I was. In the Archer setting I felt empowered to challenge and define myself. But above all, I think Archer engendered a pioneering spirit in me that prompts me to always ask, “How can I resist this shining adventure?” What are some hobbies that you are interested in? I have a number of hobbies, but the two I am probably most focused on these days are piano and flamenco. Playing piano is one of my favorite hobbies and greatest outlets. Each year I like to challenge myself to learn new music and explore new styles. This year I’ve been focusing on teaching myself how to play Cuban jazz piano.
My other main hobby is flamenco dance. I felt an incredible connection to flamenco when I was first introduced and began taking classes at eight years old. I stopped taking classes to focus on athletics, but had always wanted to eventually begin taking lessons again. I’ve been taking classes for the past year.
What are some of your goals for the future? It seems the more experiences I have, the less concrete my goals become. Right now my goals for the future are to continually challenge myself, to be happy, and to live with consciousness.
What advice do you have for other young women who are considering a shift to another profession? I think being a well-rounded individual is one of the most important things in entering any field. Having a liberal arts background has helped me tremendously in learning how to think critically and innovatively, which has helped me adapt well to a variety of situations. With an open mind you can accomplish anything.
alumnae notes continued
Malka Sender ’09 Malka is in her second year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she is double majoring in journalism and communication arts. Malka is involved in numerous extracurricular activities at the university and believes that part of her willingness to put herself out in the community comes from the encouragement she received at Archer. Currently, she is part of a committee that is planning a 14hour dance marathon, which raises money for the local American Family Children’s Hospital.
Emily Skehan ’06 Emily recently started working at Homeboy Industries as a Grants Manager. She was thrilled to hear about Archer’s involvement with Homeboy through the Diversity Day program. Emily shares, “They had a great time there and are very appreciative” of Archer’s support.
Aimee Sorek ’06 Aimee graduated from UCLA where she was the president of the school’s only fashion club, Fashion and Student Trends (FAST). She is currently the PR and Marketing assistant at Wildfox Couture, an LA-based clothing brand.
Courtney Teller ’10 Courtney is attending Chapman University where she plans to major in Television and Broadcast Journalism. She is a founding member of the Epsilon Nu chapter of Delta Delta Delta and is currently a show producer for an on-campus awards show that will take place in May. She was back at Archer for the month of January to work with Dr. Morgan
on the Literature and... Literary Conference (pictured above with Head of School Elizabeth English).
Helen Vera ’02 Helen is a first-year student at Yale Law School. Prior to starting law school, she worked for four years after college (also at Yale) as a reporter-researcher at Vanity Fair magazine in New York. Last summer, Helen (pictured below) was lucky enough to travel to two very different places she had always wanted to go--Cambodia and the Grand Canyon!
Hannah Zeiler ’04 Hannah (pictured below) tied the knot in September 2010 and has been working for Snyder Sutton Real Estate in Topanga Canyon for the past two years.
Stay Connected! Have you recently changed careers? Tied the knot? Changed your address? Traveled abroad? We want to hear from you!
Volunteer Opportunities There are numerous ways alumnae can get involved at Archer. Please let us know which areas are of particular interest to you and a School representative will contact you.
Please send updates or volunteer inquiries to Michele Warner, Director of Alumnae Relations, at 310-873-7085 or mwarner@archer.org.
survey said...
Last spring, Archer’s alumnae classes of 2001-2009 were surveyed to gather feedback about their experiences at Archer. One hundred alumnae (25% of those surveyed) responded. Each year this data will be used in overall assessments of our academic and extracurricular programs and to plan future alumnae events.
Archer alumnae have received degrees in many fields including:
economics, psychology, animal science, philosophy, early childhood education, special education, marketing, communication, film, drama, English. 86% said they were very satisfied or satisfied with leadership opportunities at Archer.
“ I feel like Archer prepared me fully for college and work, gave me the confidence and courage to make difficult 98% said they were (and right) decisions. I feel forever indebted to Archer.” very satisfied or satisfied with their academic experience at Archer.
Alumnae are attending graduate schools such as NYU,
Stanford, USC, and Harvard.
Alumnae continue to engage in
community service
with organizations such as the American Red Cross, Teach for America, and Project Open Hand.
T HE A RCHER S CHOO l FOR G IR l S 11725 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90049
