FALL 2014
Leading the Way On and Off the Field
Magazine
Ellis Unveils Its First-Ever Regulation-Sized Playing Field
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Inside This Issue
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From My Vantage Point A message from the Head of School.
2
What's Happening Around Ellis What's happening on the Ellis campus.
4 We Had a Field Day Ellis levels the playing field for student athletes.
8 Whistle While You Work Amanda SWANK Sauer ’94.
10 Keeping Up The Pace
8
Emma GILMORE Kieran ’96.
12 2013-2014 Annual Report
4
16 2014 Graduation The largest class in Ellis history graduates.
20 Speak Softly and Carry a Hockey Stick
ON THE COVER
The 1962 field hockey team.
The Ellis community celebrated the new athletic field with a September 6 ribbon-cutting ceremony. Get the full story on page 4. Cover (L to R): Susan Brownlee, Bob Mistick, Robin Newham, Dan Gilman, Jamie Beechey, and Latonya Salley-Sharif.
Head of School: Robin Newham Head of Institutional Advancement: Emily J. Peters, J.D. Director of Marketing & Communications: Kitty Julian Board of Trustees: Susan L. Brownlee President
22 Class Connections 41 Remembering Alice Beckwith
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Kathleen K. McKenzie Vice President Margaret MATHIESON Conver ’73 Treasurer Susan Friedberg Kalson Secretary Susan G. Berman, Ph.D. Susan Block Doreen E. Boyce, Ph.D. Judith M. Davenport, D.M.D. Elizabeth HAMMER Genter ’77 Barbara D. Granito Joan L. Gulley Charlie Humphrey
Vivian Loftness Blythe JONES Lyons ’73 M. Robert Mistick James I. Mitnick James Morris Jr. Courtney Cosgrove Muse Sandeep (Mike) Nangia Rona L. Nesbit Timothy E. Parks Margot COPELAND Pyle ’52 Amanda SWANK Sauer ’94 Colleen DAILY Simonds ’95 William Strickland Jr. Andrew R. Watson, M.D., M.Litt.
Please forward address changes to:
The Ellis School – Office of Alumnae Affairs, 6425 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15206 412.661.6796 • 412.661.3979 (fax) • 1.855.363.ALUM (2586) (toll free) alumnae@TheEllisSchool.org
Editor, Ellis Magazine: Barbara Klein Director of Alumnae Affairs: Elizabeth SUCCOP Altman ’70 Art Director: Diana C. Hurd Photographers: Eva Lin and Renee Rosensteel
From My
Vantage Point Leveling the Playing Field (or what we did on our summer vacation) This summer I was invited to a conference of new heads of school from across the country. We affectionately dubbed this event Head of School Summer Camp. Many conversations at camp reaffirmed my love for Ellis. Our relationships matter. The closeness we feel to one another is authentic and life affirming. Ellis has the capacity to transform. When I got back to campus I was amazed by another transformation—that of our athletic field. Our old field was a difficult place to love. Small and bumpy, it was ringed with a sagging fence. Now all that is gone. In a few short months, the old field went from a grassy patch to a huge pile of dirt to a flat, muddy surface. Then one day in mid-July everything changed. The gorgeous new turf was installed. We were all transfixed by this transformation. This field inspires dreams of glory, not just for athletes, but for every Ellis girl. The Women’s Sports Foundation has noted that nationally 40 percent of girls play team sports. At Ellis, the number is much higher. More than 70 percent of our Middle and Upper School girls play a JV or Varsity sport and, in some classes, the number reaches beyond 90 percent. That’s why this field is so important. It isn’t just for athletes heading to Division I, II, or III schools, but for each and every Ellis girl.
When I mentioned Head of School Summer Camp earlier, I didn’t mention that there were roughly 20 new female heads as compared to 70 new males. I was reminded again of the obligation I have to convey to all Ellis girls that you belong on that playing field. Proudly take your place there. Don’t let anyone stop you. Girls and women deserve to be on the field, at the head of the class, and leading the way in the lab, the studio, and the boardroom. This new field is just the beginning. The library and the Middle School are next on our to-do list. The momentum we achieved by completing this field will carry us forward into a future where girls and young women lead, play, and triumph. •
Sincerely,
Robin Newham Head of School
In this issue of Ellis Magazine, we focus on the ways athletics have influenced generations of Ellis women. Sports help women test their physical and mental strength, discover a love of the game, and forge lifelong friendships. Even if you hated every minute of a practice, there is nothing that replaces the confidence and pride that results from competing—especially when you were not sure you had it in you.
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Buzz
What’s Happening Around Ellis NATIONAL AWARD WINNERS
INNOVATION TAKES FLIGHT In June, Ellis launched the Learning Innovation Institute to pilot, create, and share innovative practices aimed at improving learning outcomes for girls. To that end, the Institute is currently presenting a series of Teach and Lead workshops for regional educators, participating in a University of Pittsburgh School of Education study of STEM engagement, and evaluating physics and engineering active learning strategies. A community advisory board, known as the Council on Innovation, kicks off this fall. Details at www.EllisInnovation.org.
Long known for its exceptional arts education, Ellis recently added to its collection of national awards. At this year’s national Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, Talia Leshko, Class of 2016, won a gold medal for her painting Shana; Eleni CONTIS ’14 took home a silver for her ceramics work Five Stacked Serving Bowls; and Zoe Merrell, Class of 2015, also earned a silver for her sculpture Hand. Earlier in 2013, Ellis students set the stage when they won 101—that's nearly 15 percent of the total—awards presented at the regional Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.
FAMILY TIES
(L to R) Sara Woodside, Louise Kay CHILDS Woodside, Gez EBBERT, Lowrie WURTS Ebbert, Kay EBBERT Childs Bissell, and Lowrie Woodside. Lowrie EBBERT Reiter is not pictured.
For nearly a century, the Ebbert family has been sending its daughters to Ellis. Lowrie WURTS Ebbert ’39 has three daughters—Kay EBBERT Childs Bissell ’60, Gez EBBERT ’62, and Lowrie EBBERT Reiter ’70—all of whom attended Ellis. Gez and Lowrie Reiter moved away from Pittsburgh. Kay Bissell stayed in town, and also selected Ellis for her daughter, Louise Kay “Weez Kay” CHILDS Woodside ’87. Weez Kay continues the tradition by sending her daughters, Sara, Class of 2024, and Lowrie, Class of 2021. Will there be a fifth generation?
Shana by Talia Leshko, Class of 2016.
IT’S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL Recently, Ellis was one of only 80 schools in the world named to the Adobe Youth Voices program. Led by teachers Rick Malmstrom, Sara Sturdevant, Isabelle Moldovan, and Karen Kaighin, the 9th grade Voice & Vision class last year worked to connect student activists across the globe via digital media. Thanks to their efforts, all Ellis Upper School students and faculty now have free access to Adobe’s digital media tools.
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TEDx YOUTH Ellis senior Sophia Sterling-Angus was so inspired by TED talks that she recruited a team of regional high school students and successfully obtained a TEDxYouth license. On Sunday, September 7, Sophia and her peers presented TEDxYouth@ HotMetalBridge at Carnegie Museum of Art to “address the challenges facing the Millennial generation.” They didn't just discuss issues: they took part in a design thinking exercise to develop action steps related to the talks. Ellis Innovation Director Dr. Lisa Abel-Palmieri served as advisor.
Brittany Ellis and Sophia Sterling-Angus, Class of 2015.
THE ENGINEERING DESIGN GRAND PRIZE GOES TO …
Ellis field hockey team takes the Ice Bucket Challenge on August 22, 2014.
Merritt HOLLAND Spier ’80.
ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE According to Merritt HOLLAND Spier ’80, the executive director of The ALS Association Western PA Chapter, the Ice Bucket Challenge has been an amazing, unprecedented social media phenomenon that has given long-overdue attention and funding to this disease. As of September 19, the association had received more than $114 million from Ice Bucket Challenge donations. Locally, Merritt’s chapter has seen a 251 percent increase in donations. As an Ellis alumna, Merritt is honored to recognize The Ellis School field hockey team for taking part in the Challenge and helping to raise money for ALS patient care in the 31-county region served by the Western PA Chapter. If you would like to take the Challenge and donate to the cause, please visit www.Cure4ALS.org and make sure to note that you are an “Ellis girl.”
Ellis students were crowned champions in the first-ever Virtual High School Engineering Design Competition hosted by the Quality of Life Technology Center and the Learning Research and Development Center at the University of Pittsburgh. Their winning prototype of a mechanical limb was designed in Autodesk Inventor and printed on the School's MakerBot 3D printer. Their design will assist those with disabilities. The Class of 2014’s Danielle Broderick, Anna Muse, Winnie Mutunga, and Olivia Turer beat out co-ed and boys-only teams in this highly competitive event.
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We Had a
Latonya Salley-Sharif
Field Day
Ellis Levels the Playing Field for Student Athletes Standing in the middle of the new Ellis athletic field on Saturday, September 6, were hundreds of people of all ages, sizes, and athletic abilities. They all had at least one thing in common. They had gathered to celebrate the inauguration of the first regulation-sized athletic field in the School’s history. It was a balmy day. Predicted thunderstorms failed to show up, but people showed up in droves. Shortly after 11:30 a.m., the crowd began to take its first steps onto the field. Unlike the School’s previous grass field, this one features a state-of-the-art surface with lines for field hockey, soccer, and lacrosse woven into the turf itself. At 11:45 a.m., Head of School Robin Newham gathered the group, now numbering somewhere north of 500 people, to center field where the celebration truly began. Assisting Mrs. Newham with the ribbon cutting were Board Chair Susan Brownlee, Board Member Bob Mistick, City Council Representative Dan Gilman, Deputy Director of Parks & Recreation Jamie Beechey, and Athletic Director Latonya Salley-Sharif. The Ellis Tiger stood by and pounced into as many photo-taking opportunities as possible. Then came the Pittsburgh Pirates Pierogies race where Jalapeno Hannah crossed the finish line toting her trademark green handbag.
The Ellis field is an incomparable athletics space for our students. We’re not just leveling the playing field. We’re offering girls and young women the opportunity to practice, play, and compete on one of the finest athletic fields in the entire region.
Athletic Director
A student rock band managed by Beatrice KING, Class of 2015, played while children and adults wearing Velcro suits (looking, for all the world to see, like giant laughing bananas) jumped from the bouncy house base onto the Velcro wall provided for the day by Ellis parent Andrea Haney.
2013–Present
As just the third athletic director in School history, Latonya Salley-Sharif appreciates the role her predecessors have played. “It speaks to the commitment people have to this institution,” she says. It’s a commitment SalleySharif intends to honor as Ellis continues to move forward. “The new athletic field will have an immediate impact on School pride. There will be a sense of ownership. We can now say, ‘This is our field.’”
4,150 Gallons of Glue
3 weeks Approx. Time to Make Turf
—Robin Newham, Head of The Ellis School ELLIS MAGAZINE
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Athletic Director Genny Kozusko (Coach K) 1997–2013
The Ellis Athletic Hall of Fame was the brainchild of Genny Kozusko and from her perspective it was a bit of a no-brainer. “The Hall of Fame gives the School an opportunity to say, ‘thank you,’ and let our athletes know we appreciate how hard they’ve worked,” she asserts. That’s the lesson she hopes all the girls take with them. “Win or lose,” Coach K affirms, “you have to keep playing—and that’s life.”
72,600 Field Square Footage
20,670 Pounds of Fiber
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The Pittsburgh Pirates Pierogies relax on the field after their race.
Caption
Rebekah Rapp, Class of 2024.
(L to R) Susan Brownlee, Bob Mistick, Robin Newham, Dan Gilman, Jamie Beechey, and Latonya Salley-Sharif.
The transformation underway at our School had been made real. The community celebrated and reflected on how far we have come in such a short time. If you could mentally rewind the Ellis athletics highlight reel back to last fall, you would see athletes competing fiercely on a field that didn’t measure up to their athletic abilities and aspirations.
Then Ellis got lucky. Construction underway at Bakery Square created the opportunity to trade equally-sized parcels of land creating for the first time the footprint for a regulation-sized field. Under the leadership of the Board and especially Bob Mistick, Ellis seized the day. Walnut Capital proved a willing partner, and the City of Pittsburgh provided guidance. Through sheer will and determination, in less than one year the field project went from inception to completion.
At 250 feet by 125 feet, the old field was roughly one-third the size of the new regulation-sized field. This meant the School regularly rented space from the city and other schools, and was never able to host WPIAL home games. The most difficult times were during playoffs, when the undersized field meant our Ellis Tigers could not enjoy the home field advantage they had earned.
Fast forward to 2014; Ellis has the finest athletic field available in the East End. The School has also received dozens of phone calls from universities, club teams, and community groups eager to rent this glorious new space. In time those rentals will be granted.
Athletic Director
Though more than 70 percent of Ellis students play a JV or Varsity sport (as compared to 40 percent of girls nationally), this field isn’t just for Ellis athletes. Health and physical education classes are requirements for all students. The place where those classes are held is now markedly better. But there’s more to this story. It’s also a matter of principle. Even decades after Title IX, women athletes are still working for equal recognition, opportunity, and support. As the only independent single-gender educational institution continuing to thrive in our region, The Ellis School has an obligation to provide girls and young women with athletic facilities that are as powerful as each girl's talents, as inspiring as her dreams. It’s a space where playing like a girl—and winning—is celebrated. Our girls deserve nothing less. •
Beatrice (Bea) Vasser 1969–1997
(L to R) Ellis Tiger, Patricia Mistick, Bob Mistick, and Robin Newham.
3,300 ft Approx. Length of Seaming Tape
Times may have changed, but athletes remain much the same. And that’s a good thing, asserts Bea Vasser. “I don’t think student athletes are very different now, at least I hope not,” she says. “Their attitude was always superb.” According to Vasser, it was exciting to see the girls determined to participate in Ellis sports. “They wanted to play and they played hard.”
2,290 Tons of Stone
90,750 Pounds of Sand
Gracie Correll-Hunt , Class of 2027, with step-dad Shane Shaneman.
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Whistle While
You Work
The rules of the game may be complex, but as far as Amanda SWANK Sauer ’94 is concerned, her role as a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I (NCAA D-I) football official is pretty straightforward. (L to R) Charlotte, Class of 2024; Amanda; Cassandra, Class of 2026; and Cate Sauer, Class of 2023.
She speaks with authority and carries a loud whistle. After all, when you’re dealing with 300-pound linebackers, you have to stand your ground. “I walk out on that field like a state trooper,” Sauer asserts. “I make it clear I won’t take any you-know-what. Period.” Although there are less than a handful of women referees at this level, Sauer’s job as an umpire—yes, there are umpires in football— makes her one of a kind. (Considered the powerhouse league of intercollegiate athletics, D-I is known as the Football Bowl division. D-I schools have larger budgets and expansive facilities, and they offer more athletic scholarships than their Division II and III counterparts.)
Don’t tell me I can’t do something because I’m a woman.” —Amanda SWANK Sauer ’94
On any given Saturday during the season, you’ll find her right in the middle of the action. She’s the one who places the ball on the turf to start each down. She’s the one who throws the flag on those linemen caught holding or throwing illegal blocks. And she wouldn’t want it any other way.
So she did what anyone steeped in the tradition and rules of the game would do: she applied for officiating jobs.
“These are huge guys and they’re always a little stunned to see me at first,” Sauer says. That’s why she makes it a point to work the sidelines—introducing herself to the players and learning their names, their majors, and their hometowns—before the opening kick-off.
“Don’t tell me I can’t do something because I’m a woman,” Sauer says. “Are you kidding me? That just fuels the fire. I had no doubt I could do it.”
They may be surprised to find her wearing the stripes, but as far as she’s concerned, it’s a natural fit. A Steelers fan born and raised, Sauer pursued her passion for athletics at Ellis where she played lacrosse, basketball, and tennis. But it was while living in New York with her husband, Peter (a standout basketball player in his own right), and their three girls, that she heard the whistle. Actually, the whistle never sounded, and that’s what got her attention. Under the Friday-night lights, the family was enjoying a high school football game when, from her seat in the bleachers, Sauer could see that the ref had completely missed a call.
To say the initial response from Pop Warner and high school teams was less than enthusiastic would be a bit of an understatement.
It didn’t take long before she won over the skeptics and began working her way through the JV, Varsity, and college ranks to her current D-I status. Then in 2012, just as her family was preparing to return home to Pittsburgh, her husband died. With the help of family, friends, the Ellis community, and of course, time, Sauer not only regained her footing, but kept moving forward. Now that she’s settled in her Oakmont home and her daughters (Cate, Class of 2023; Charlotte, Class of 2024; and Cassandra, Class of 2026) are attending Ellis’ Lower School, she can finally catch her breath, but not for too long. She’s fired up to graduate from college officiating to the National Football League. “Football saved my life, it really did,” Sauer says. “I’m passionate about it and my kids think it’s the coolest thing.” The NFL will be even cooler, she affirms. •
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EDITOR'S NOTE
Although Emma GILMORE Kieran ’96 has retired from field hockey and lacrosse, athletics remains an important part of her life. Nowadays, her competitive spirit keeps her on the run—literally. “I remember my first marathon in January 2005 in Bermuda,” Kieran says. “It was really difficult, but once I crossed the finish line I knew I had to do another one.” And so she has. To date, Kieran has completed 18 marathons and three ultra-marathons, competed in six half-Ironman triathlons and two Ironman triathlons, and run in countless 5K and 10K races. She has managed to log all these miles while working first as a teacher and now as an independent consultant for non-profit organizations in the Washington, D.C., and New York City areas. Her ability to strike the right balance between life, work, and sports is hardly new. For Kieran, it’s about calling upon the same discipline and time management skills she learned as an Ellis student and athlete.
Keeping Up
the Pace
And the fun we had! We had hysterical bus rides.” —Emma GILMORE Kieran ’96
by Emma GILMORE Kieran ’96 During field hockey camp in the Augusts of my childhood, I never pictured myself as a lifetime athlete. I certainly never imagined I'd call myself a runner. We slogged through what seemed like the longest mile in existence: the familiar route from Ellis' parking lot to the softball fields in the park on Penn Avenue and back up to Fifth. I remember my days on the Ellis field hockey and lacrosse fields fondly. I now see that they are the foundation upon which I've built my life as an athlete and as a professional. The Ellis athletic fields provided preparation, empowerment, and inspiration. I also found camaraderie. My joke in high school was that Ellis never cut players from teams because we barely had enough students to fill the spots. That may have been true, but the result was one of the benefits of sports at Ellis—we were the ultimate mix of abilities, grade levels, and personalities. Our school's small size became our greatest strength, both
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on the field and in terms of the mental, physical, social, and emotional development of the players. I remember the excitement of being asked to dress for the Varsity field hockey game as a sophomore, knowing that even if I didn't get to play, I'd be considered one of the team. Sports at Ellis gave me a place to be myself and afforded a safe space where I could grow. During the inevitably awful days of 7th-grade-girl drama, the gut-wrenching days of 11th-grade term papers, and the emotional days of 12th-grade growing up, I often had trouble knowing who I was and where I fit in. That was never the case on the field. I knew the skills that I brought to the team, knew my teammates counted on me to deliver those skills at the right time, and knew that we would fight together for the glory of a win. Miss Crum, Dr. Vasser, and Mrs. Kozusko helped me learn confidence, competence,
teamwork, and stick-to-itiveness. They taught me how to be both a leader and a follower. Through them, I learned the importance of sisterhood, the necessary skill of time management, and the value of fierce competition, even if it's with yourself. And the fun we had! We had hysterical bus rides: there was a field hockey season in high school where we listened to the remake of Oh, What a Night at deafening levels. We had time-honored nicknames: I definitely have a lacrosse jacket that indicated mine was "Tink." And we had pride: being able to wear your game-day uniform instead of a tunic (or a kilt, in later years) was the next best thing to wearing your own clothes. All of these skills served me well during my time at Ellis—I learned how to make time for all of my extracurricular activities and give the appropriate effort to each one—and they have served me after Ellis. I went to college knowing I wanted to be a teacher and coach.
Recruit
Admission at Ellis Welcome Back, Bayh! Bayh SULLIVAN ’02 returned to Ellis this fall, not as an alumna but as our new Director of Admission and Financial Aid.
Even though I'm no longer a classroom teacher, as principal of Pilot Peak Consulting, LLC, I now teach adults how to run nonprofits. In my free time I volunteer with Girls on the Run, where we teach girls how to rise to any challenge through running. The threads of lessons learned on the Ellis fields continue to weave into my life today, especially when I'm training for my next race or thinking about my next athletic goal. Several years ago, while on a training run in Pittsburgh for one of my early marathons, I ran past Mrs. Kozusko as she was loading up a bus of kids for a Saturday game. We stopped and chatted for a bit, and I remember the smile that rolled across her face as she learned that sports are still a big part of my life. And I remember the pride I felt knowing that she knew. I couldn't have pursued my athletic goals—or my professional ones— without such a transformational experience at Ellis. •
All School Open House 12/9/2014 • 9–10:30 a.m. Location: Arbuthnot House Independent School Entrance Exam* 12/13/2014 • 8 a.m. Location: Alumnae Hall
Emma GILMORE Kieran ’96 finishing the Coeur d'Alene Iron Man race in June 2011.
I spent several years teaching elementary school and coaching field hockey and lacrosse. In the classroom and on the field, I used patience, kindness, and my ability to push others to excel, skills that Mrs. Kozusko taught me by her own example. During graduate school, I often thought of my days at the Ellis library, doing homework during a free period because I had a game later in the day. My muscle memory for never letting 15 minutes be spent unproductively quickly came back to me during graduate school and allowed me to work full-time and complete my master's while still pursuing my hobbies.
admission dates
Financial Aid Workshop 12/13/2014 • 8:30–9:30 a.m. Location: Benjamin R. Fisher Gallery Independent School Entrance Exam* 1/10/2015 • 8 a.m. Location: Alumnae Hall
Bayh's career includes serving as an admissions officer for Bryn Mawr College, director of the annual fund at Germantown Friends School, and consulting and client services manager for Generation Branding and Communications in New York City, where her clients included The Hotchkiss School. She also brings a deep personal appreciation for Ellis and for the value of single-gender education. “The gifts that Ellis uncovered and nurtured in me, which I have since honed in my professional life—writing and communicating, critical thinking, leadership and management, strategic planning, and a love of public speaking— are the very abilities that make me a passionate ambassador for Ellis," Bayh asserts. "I am a product of this school, well versed in our mission and values. As a graduate of an all-girls school and Bryn Mawr, a women’s college, I have had countless opportunities to reflect on and advocate for single-sex education.”
Financial Aid Workshop 1/10/2015 • 8:30–9:30 a.m. Location: Benjamin R. Fisher Gallery Classroom Visit: Kindergarten* 1/10/2015 • 9 a.m.–Noon Location: Lower School All School Open House 1/14/2015 • 9–10:30 a.m. Location: Arbuthnot House Classroom Visit: Pre-Kindergarten* 1/24/2015 • 9 a.m.–Noon Location: Lower School All School Open House 4/14/2015 • 9–10:30 a.m. Location: Arbuthnot House All School Open House 6/16/2015 • 9–10:30 a.m. Location: Arbuthnot House *Call to schedule.
We are delighted to have Bayh back at Ellis.
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2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT Dear Alumnae, Parents, and Friends, On behalf of the students, faculty, and staff at The Ellis School, I would like to thank the Ellis community for your unwavering financial support during the 2013–2014 fiscal year. Thanks to your amazing generosity and inspiring loyalty, Ellis had a record-breaking year for fundraising! When I reflect on the many names listed in our Annual Report, I think of the incredible learning opportunities and life-changing experiences that your gifts provide for our students. Ellis relies on donor generosity to fund the best education in Pittsburgh for girls and young women. Your gifts enable the School to provide current students with first-rate learning facilities like the Active Classroom for Girls and innovative programs like the Learning Innovation Institute. Throughout the pages of this magazine, you will read stories about the ground-breaking successes happening both on our campus and in the lives of our alumnae and students. From the first regulation-sized athletic field in the 98-year history of Ellis, to an alumna being among the first female referees in NCAA Division I football, to an Ellis senior being one of the youngest people in the country to organize a TEDx-licensed event, Ellis is transformative in advancing women as successful leaders both on and off the athletic field. It is clear that your support makes The Ellis School stronger and better. The incredible things that happen here are made possible by philanthropy, especially by the leadership donors listed in the following pages of the magazine. I hope you will choose to make a gift every year because when you give to Ellis you endorse the School and its mission to prepare, empower, and inspire each and every girl. Thank you for making a difference at Ellis. With gratitude,
Emily J. Peters, J.D. Head of Institutional Advancement
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2013–2014 annual report
LEADERSHIP GIVING Ivy Chapter ($30,000+)
Arbuthnot Chapter ($5,000–$9,999)
Fifth Avenue Chapter ($1,500–$2,499)
Anonymous The Edward E. Ford Foundation Mrs. Andrea G. Haney and the late Bruce E. Haney Sandy GLOCK Harrington HM Health Insurance Company Mistick Construction, Incorporated Patricia & M. Robert Mistick Carol OSTROW The Pittsburgh Foundation The Rust Foundation Hannah BRUSH Van Horn & Neil Van Horn
Campbell Transportation Company, Inc. B. Jean Ferketish & David Thomas Cindy & Murry Gerber Highmark Foundation Elsie H. Hillman Foundation Blythe JONES Lyons MC Endo, Inc. Dussie & Kenneth Mechling Leona & Eric Mitchell Courtney & Charles Muse Sally RIAL Phelps & Richard Phelps Philadelphia Insurance Companies Carrie LEVINE Schiff Colleen DAILY Simonds & Henry Simonds Snyder Brothers, Inc. Ritu Thamman & Andrew Watson
Elizabeth SUCCOP Altman & Charles R. Altman A. Randol & Benjamin Benedict Susan Berman & Douglas Kress Joan Birol & Andrew Birol Doreen E. Boyce Patricia GRABLE Burke Margaret MARSHALL Carothers & F. Peter Carothers Carmela & Matthew DiAndreth First Commonwealth Bank Linda CRAWFORD Fisher Catherine & Michael Haggerty Sally FLANNERY Hardon Susan Friedberg Kalson & David Kalson Lisa & David Keefer Natalie & Brendan Kelley Dr. & Mrs. Emma GILMORE Kieran Eileen HALPERN Lane & Nicholas Lane Janet Lee & Matthew Rosengart Victoria Lee & Otto Chu Lou KOTLER Levine Courtney LOCKHART Darcy FRANK Mackay Diane Meyers & Thomas Poerio Rona Nesbit Robin & Robert Newham Emily J. Peters Lisa Porter & Robert Davis Juliet Lea Hillman Simonds Foundation Patricia DOOLITTLE Staley & John Staley IV Ellen & Russell Swank Karen MCKINNEY Werstil & Rodd Werstil Ursula & Albert Zangrilli
1916 Society ($10,000–$29,999) Anonymous Susan & David Brownlee Ellis School Parents Association Elsie & George Geiser Elizabeth HAMMER Genter & David Genter Kristina & Peter Gerszten Barbara & Michael Granito Joan & Philip Gulley PNC Foundation Premier Automation Holdings, Inc. Margot COPELAND Pyle James M. & Lucy K. Schoonmaker Foundation The Sprout Fund
Kentucky Avenue Chapter ($2,500–$4,999) Amy & Michael Bernstein Margaret MATHIESON Conver Judith & Ronald Davenport Luciana FATO Michelina Fato & Carl Snyderman Lilian FISHER Ginnae HARLEY IBM Corporation Matching Gifts Program Carolyn GAISFORD Imbriglia & Joseph Imbriglia John E. & Sue M. Jackson Charitable Trust James Mitnick Susan SCHUMACHER Morris & James Morris Jr. Polly FOSTER Mullins Audrey Hillman Fisher Foundation Delia & Timothy Parks Hannah & Robert Rierson Barbara AARON Rosston Michelle & R. Mark Rust Simpson & McCrady, LLC Rose & William Strickland UPMC Health Network Valentina Vavasis & Benjamin Speiser Louise Kay CHILDS Woodside & Nevin Woodside III
I believe the athletic program at Ellis has taught both my daughters the importance of perseverance, hard work, and how to be a team player. Ellis gives girls an excellent education, and this field will help current students as well as future generations to have a solid athletic background. Robin Newham and Andrea Haney.
—Andrea Haney, Ellis parent
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2013–2014 annual report
EITC DONORS The following thoughtful companies made gifts totalling $173,564 to The Ellis School during the 2013–2014 fiscal year: Bridges & Co., Inc. Campbell Transportation Company, Inc. First Capital Corporation, Inc. First Commonwealth Bank HM Health Insurance Company MC Endo, Inc. Metz Culinary Management Mistick Construction, Incorporated Philadelphia Insurance Companies Premier Automation Holdings, Inc. Simpson & McCrady, LLC Snyder Brothers, Inc. UPMC Health Network
FINANCIALS Summary of Fundraising Gifts 2013–2014
2 012–2013
Ellis Fund
$
595,020
$
547,698
Capital and Special Gifts
$
503,347
$
119,660
EITC
$ 173,564
$ 263,921
TOTAL GIFTS
$
$
1,271,931
931,279
Operating Income (as of June 30) Trustees
$ 114,694
$ 145,422
ELLISIAN SOCIETY
Alumnae
$ 234,302
$ 205,751
Current Parents
$
$
The Ellisian Society recognizes individuals who have named The Ellis School in their wills or have provided for the future financial strength of Ellis through planned gift vehicles such as life income trusts, gift annuities, life insurance policies, or other special deferred gift plans.
Corporations
$ 2,755 $ 0
Foundations
$ 40,800
$ 30,250
Grandparents
$
14,438
$
18,428
Former Parents
$
63,793
$
37,656
Current Faculty/Staff
$
10,142
$
8,993
Former Faculty/Staff
$
1,897
$
1,635
Friends
$ 1,844 $ 679
TOTAL
$ 595,020
$ 547,698
$
9,711,516
$ 9,979,581
$ 26,841,855
$ 25,198,323
Alice SNODGRASS Beckwith '49* Dorothy BRADLEY Brown '34* Alice REED Buchanan '39 and Gibson Buchanan Judith COHEN Callomon '54 Anita Courcoulas and Ira Gumberg Margaret BREWER Dowler '33* Linda CRAWFORD Fisher '70 and Benjamin Fisher* Fred W. George* Jacquelyn Gregory-Rauzan and Charles Rauzan Julia HOWARD Grimstad '57 Sandy GLOCK Harrington '64 Sukie PROPST Honeycutt '67 Kelly BREEN Hunt '92 Janet Jacobs* Jane and Lee Klingenberg Eileen HALPERN Lane '64 & Nicholas Lane Susan SCHEINMAN Leonard '64 Blythe JONES Lyons '73 Mary Louise HEIDENKAMP Magnus '41 Mary KINTER McEldowney '37* Kathleen OLIVER Parker '43* April EILER Pinney '60 Jennifer RODMAN Dawson Purdom '60 Christine HEITZENRODER Quillian '91 Elizabeth Reese* Eleanor BATON Scheetz* Carolyn SHI '97 Joan DODDS Shrader '32* Anica REED Smith '61 and David Smith Mary Jane SHUMAN Stewart '40* Sylvia and John Van Jura Sarah KING Wilmer '58* *Deceased
110,355
98,884
Financial Facts Budget (includes depreciation)
Endowment (as of June 30) Market Value
I made my leadership gift to Ellis in honor of my 50th reunion. I want to give back to the school that gave me so much—nurturing teachers, the confidence to pursue my goals and dreams, and the inspiration to spend 30 wonderful years teaching in an independent school similar to Ellis. —Sandy GLOCK Harrington ’64
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ELLIS MAGAZINE
FALL 2014
2013–2014 annual report
THE CHU FAMILY FACULTY FELLOWSHIP AWARDS Victoria and Otto Chu’s daughter, Alexandra, may have graduated from Ellis seven years ago, but the family’s ties to the School remain as strong as ever.
Otto Chu, the chairman and chief executive officer for Chu Financial Management Corporation, and Vicky Chu, a litigator in the Pittsburgh office of Reed Smith, still live near Ellis and often stop by to visit old friends and check out new additions such as the athletic field.
In fact, the Chu Family Faculty Fellowship Awards, established in the early 2000s, continue to offer financial support to administrators, teachers, and staff looking to further their research or curricular development.
Alexa, however, is now a resident of New York. After earning her bachelor’s degree from Yale University, she moved to New York City to accept a position with Capital One. The Chus’ son, Jonathan, is a marketing specialist at Fenner Dunlop Americas in Pittsburgh.
Otto Chu cites the growth and expansion of the Upper School’s interdisciplinary courses as a prime example of how the grants have helped faculty make a difference in the academic lives of students.
“The Ellis School does a tremendous job in building the foundation for our daughters to become great female leaders,” Otto Chu says. “In my view, The Ellis School provides the finest education for girls in the Pittsburgh area. It is important for all of us to support Ellis so that it can continue to perform these significant roles into the future.” •
The new Voice & Vision class for Ellis freshmen is one such project. In 2013, Ellis faculty from across disciplines received Chu Family Faculty Fellowship Awards to create the interdisciplinary Voice & Vision class for all 9th graders. History teacher Rick Malmstrom teamed up with art faculty members Sara Sturdevant, Isabelle Moldovan, and Karen Kaighin to develop a project-based class that connected students to real-world problems. The teachers landed on using digital media with students to explore political and social issues related to water and to connect Ellis freshmen to students in Brazil and to community projects underway at our own Panther Hollow watershed.
ELLIS FUND DOLLARS BY CONSTITUENCY 2013–2014
Thanks to these efforts, Ellis was one of only 80 schools in the world named to the Adobe Youth Voices program. The School’s faculty and students will receive free access and training in Adobe Creative Suite and enjoy opportunities to collaborate with partners across the globe. “We are especially interested in helping Ellis faculty and staff members, as we consider them to be so vital to the ongoing excellence of the School and the superb education it offers Ellis students,” Chu explains. “We simply are delighted to serve as catalysts to help such talented, creative, and dedicated people achieve extraordinary things.”
$114,694 Trustees
$14,438
Grandparents
$234,302 Alumnae
$63,793
Former Parents
$110,355
Current Parents
$10,142
Current Faculty/Staff
$2,755
Corporations
$1,897
Former Faculty/Staff
$40,800
Foundations
$1,844
Friends
ELLIS FUND PARTICIPATION
96%
Trustees
21% Alumnae
53% Current Parents
13% Grandparents
15% Former Parents
92% Current Faculty/Staff
8% Former Faculty/Staff
ELLIS MAGAZINE
19% Friends
FALL 2014
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2014
Graduation
The Class of 2014, the largest in the School’s history, celebrated its achievements, friendships, families, and the future at commencement. The themes of courage and vulnerability emerged as key refrains in each speaker’s remarks.
Ellis Class of 2014, I wish you courage. I wish you joy. I wish you adventures and mistakes to learn from. I know you will build us a world I am excited to see. Thank you and congratulations!” — Poet and author Sara Kaye, 2014 Commencement Speaker
Top to Bottom: Graduation hugs from Robin Newham; Li MILCH '14; Liliane KELLEY '14, Dane BLUESTONE '14, Marie CONCILUS '14, Marshal Elise BLUESTONE (Class of 2016), and Salima "Evie" CLARK '14; Camille ALLEN '14. ELLIS MAGAZINE
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The 60 curious, creative, and intelligent women graduating from Ellis today are equipped to take on the challenges life has to offer. Who we have become, however, is not quite as astonishing as the path we took to get here. Today, with the time I have, I will tell how our individual stories are interwoven to create the Class of 2014’s story. With confidence, I can conclude that the Ellis Class of 2014’s story is a good one.”
Class of 2014
College Choices
Allegheny College (4) Barnard College Bates College Bennett College Brown University Case Western Reserve University (2) Colgate University Dartmouth College Davidson College Duquesne University Emory University Fordham University Franklin and Marshall College George Mason University Goucher College Grove City College Haverford College High Point University Indiana University Johns Hopkins University Kenyon College (2) La Salle University Lafayette College Massachusetts College of Art and Design New York University, Shanghai Northwestern University Parsons The New School for Design Pennsylvania State University, University Park Princeton University Rhode Island School of Design Southern Methodist University Spelman College The American University of Paris The College of Wooster The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science & Art The George Washington University (2) The Juilliard School The University of Arizona Tulane University University of Cincinnati University of Michigan University of Pittsburgh (4) Vassar College Washington and Jefferson College Washington University in St Louis Wellesley College (2) Wesleyan University Yale University (2)
—Nila Ravi, Senior Class President
Members of the Class of 2014.
Ellis has taught us to embrace open and sometimes difficult conversations, put ourselves out there, and be actively engaged in our many communities. Thanks to Ellis, we will always be navigating, seeking, and asking questions.” — Eliza Jiménez, Upper School Student Council President
Class of 2014
Academic Awards Each year, The Ellis School honors students who have demonstrated exceptional talent in scholarship, athletics, and the arts. This year’s Upper School academic awardees are as follows: ENGLISH PRIZE
Abigail Cox HISTORY PRIZE
Thalia Chrysanthis MATHEMATICS PRIZE
Danielle Broderick MODERN LANGUAGES PRIZE
Eugénie Arturo PERFORMING ARTS PRIZE
Madeline Lemberg SCIENCE PRIZE
Emily Yaruss TECHNOLOGY PRIZE
Naoka Gunawardena VISUAL ARTS PRIZE
Julia DiPietro SPORTSMANSHIP PRIZE
Li Milch HIGHEST ACADEMIC AVERAGE
Julia Granito HEAD OF SCHOOL PRIZE
Maeve McAllister & Olivia Parks BENJAMIN R. FISHER AWARD
Eliza Jiménez AUGUSTUS K. OLIVER CUP
Kamran Harper THE FATO SNYDERMAN LATIN AWARD
Margot Kelley THE FOSTER ART AWARD
Heather Harrington, Class of 2015 VIRGINIA P. STEVENSON AWARD
Heather Harrington, Class of 2015 CALLOMON UNDERCLASSMAN AWARD
Genell Jasper, Class of 2016
Standing (L to R): Coach Roberta Dallas, Ruth SHEARER Altun ’63, Sally FOWLER ’64, Eileen “Punky” SCHAEFER Rogér ’64, Laurie RENZ ’63, Margaret “Muffin” MARSHALL Carothers ’63, Katherine “Kaffie” WHITE McCullough ’63, Sarah FISHER ’63, Sandra MYERS Spiewak ’63, Ellin HAHN Wymard ’63, Fredericka “Kris” BLACK Hoeveler ’63, Martha “Marty” ABRAMS Brodrick ’64, and Laurie LONGENECKER ’64. Kneeling (L to R): Terryl CHAPMAN ’64, Eileen HALPERN Lane ’64, Patricia HILLMAN Treadway ’64, Cathy McCONNON ’63, Susan COYLE Wardrop ’63, Susan STALLING Depree ’64, and Sandra GLOCK Harrington ’64.
Speak Softly and Carry
a Hockey Stick
The 1962 Field Hockey Team Did All Its Talking on the Field In the annals of Pittsburgh sports lore, there is a tale that ranks among the very best. It is a story that involves a group of female athletes at a time when women were mostly relegated to the sidelines. The year was 1962, and although the Ellis Varsity field hockey team boasted an impressive roster of 19 seasoned players (including Margaret "Muffin" MARSHALL Carothers ’63, Katherine "Kaffie" WHITE McCullough ’63, and Laurie RENZ ’63) no one could have predicted what was about to unfold.
We had some incredibly talented players on our team. We were ahead of our time.” —Laurie RENZ ’63 Moms Carothers and White cheering for their daughters and the rest of the team. Photos from the Ellis yearbook.
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ELLIS MAGAZINE
FALL 2014
Board Meet the Trustees
Since moving to Pittsburgh in 2002, Susan Jones Block has immersed herself in the community, volunteering with numerous charitable organizations. Currently, she serves as a board member of the Paul and Dina Block Foundation and Alan I. W. Frank Foundation.
Ellis Connection: Daughter, Caroline, Class of 2025
In the opening game against neighborhood rival Winchester Thurston, the Ellis girls took home a 10 – 0 victory. Impressive for sure, but still it was just one game. Next up was Avonworth, and another lopsided (8 – 0) win. Ellis was fast becoming a force to be reckoned with. “I don’t remember thinking we were a powerhouse,” McCullough says, “but oh my gosh, we never lost.” And as the season progressed another staggering statistic began to emerge. Every win was a shutout. In November, Ellis took its impressive record on the road to Buffalo, NY. “It was cold and a light rain was falling,” recalls team goalie Carothers. “We were wearing those skirts and the rain felt like ice pellets hitting our legs.” In the final match of the tournament, Ellis was holding onto a 1 – 0 lead when a shot came screaming toward the goal. “I fell down to stop it," Carothers recounts all these years later, “and I got up so fast it was like the ground was rubber. Even I was surprised.” But no one was surprised when the final whistle blew and the Ellis winning season record stood. Eight games. Eight wins. Eight shutouts. “We had some incredibly talented players on our team,” Renz says. “We were ahead of our time.” And time has shown that participating in a team sport can make a difference — a long-term difference — in people’s lives. “The game itself wasn’t the end,” McCullough says. From her perspective, it was always about the relationships forged and the lessons learned on and off the field. •
In his role as vice president of COS Platform Strategy at NantHealth, Sandeep (Mike) Nangia is putting his bachelor’s of science degree from the University of Houston and his MBA from Carnegie Mellon University to good use. He is a past board member of the Allegheny County Library Association and the Electronic Information Network. Ellis Connection: Daughter, Shivani, Class of 2022
After graduating from Ellis, Amanda SWANK Sauer ’94 went on to earn her bachelor’s degree from Gettysburg College and her master’s from Chatham University. Today, she is a Division I college football official — one of a handful of women in the country to don the striped jersey at that level. Ellis Connections: Daughters, Cate, Class of 2023; Charlotte, Class of 2024; and Cassandra, Class of 2026
A professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University, James Morris Jr. earned his master’s degree and Ph.D. in management and computer science from MIT. Morris held the Herbert A. Simon Professorship of Human Computer Interaction (1997–2000). He was the founder and dean of CMU’s Silicon Valley campus, and established the university’s Human Computer Interaction Institute and Robot Hall of Fame. Ellis Connections: Wife, Susan SCHUMACHER Morris ’62; and daughters, Joan MORRIS DiMicco ’91 and Rowan MORRIS Dougherty ’95
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Class Connections Cassie COCHRAN Stringham ’49 and her family. Cassie is seated on the far left and in front of Kathryn BAEHR Strickland ’70. Cassie’s daughter, Jenn, farthest right, is next to her husband, Scott Beckwith, son of Alice SNODGRASS Beckwith ’49.
CLASS OF ’43 A class correspondent is needed! Please volunteer to keep your class connected by contacting the Alumnae Office at 412.661.6769 or alumnae@ TheEllisSchool.org. Elsie HILLIARD Hillman writes: “Henry and I continue to love Pittsburgh and were so happy to celebrate our 69th anniversary here in May. We have four children and their spouses, nine grandchildren with wives and husbands, and 12.5 greatgrands! Every day we are blessed!”
Dee DALLYE Frost (the best news giver of all of us) wrote on April 13 that she’s good thanks to pills and walking in an air conditioned mall. Her eldest grandchild has a first novel in print, two more are at Stanford, and the youngest, who was in 7th grade last year, is being home schooled and has received four awards from Scholastic Writing and is making apps. Wow!
CLASS OF ’47
Cecily HOGG Morrow continues in Annapolis, MD, as does Cordy RUFFIN Richards, who will be in Pittsburgh for her brother, Ned’s, 80th birthday in June, so we’ll have a viewing then.
Nancy EVANS Gruner 30 Winding Way Verona, PA 15147-3887 nancygruner@me.com Some of this news is a year old, and some new. It is what it is, alas. Tom and Nancy BURCHFIELD Denney, Jojo SEAMAN Bradshaw, and Harry and I are a stone’s throw (really) from each other at Longwood at Oakmont (Verona, PA 15147). Joan REED Ewart and Bill are down the Ohio River at St. Barnabas (501 Stonewall Blvd. Valencia, PA 16059). Alice BUFFINGTON Herron is living in a small house in Richmond, VA. She has a daughter in Atlanta and a son in Texas, and sounded great on the phone. I also talked to Jane SUMMERS Clements who sounds splendid. Widowed for 19 years, she lives in Baltimore and is a serious lacrosse fan with assorted grandchildren at the University of Virginia and elsewhere. Peggy CLIFFORD is living in California. She has published a number of books, edited and written for a newspaper, produced several film scripts, wants to be incognito, and would be furious if she knew she’d been busted. She is a wonder.
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Marian RODGERS Frick, I’m sorry to say, has no lines on her face. Having retired as a psychiatric social worker who set up innovative programs at McLean Hospital in Boston, she continues to play bridge and go to parties in Del Ray, FL, or Chestnut Hill, MA. Oh well.
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Marjorie BURRELL Mikita lives in a memory-care facility. Her daughter, Nancy, reports she still talks about Ellis. PAT HUMPHREYS Rockwood is living in her caregiver’s house and is as funny as ever though MS has slowed her down. Betty REED Furey writes that this is her eighth year at Kimball Farms, a lovely community in Lenox, MA. All the Fureys are well and living all over the country. “I’m constantly visiting,” she writes. “Thank goodness I’m able to travel by myself! I have seven grands ages 9–24, a great group of kids. My love to all!” It is with great sadness that I report the death of Charlotte CHAPPLE Bennett, a wonderful friend, survived by husband, David; and Amy Bradshaw Humphreys, daughter of Jojo SEAMAN Bradshaw. Amy, who had a long battle with Huntington's Disease, was loved by so many.
CLASS OF ’49 Barbara MAYNARD Hattemer 702 Bobwhite Lane Naples, FL 34108-3430 239.594.7754 barbhat@infionline.net Anne BECKER Egbert is still active, traveling to see her children and grandchildren. She is visiting two of her granddaughters in Boston and will see them at a cottage on the shore. Her husband, Dick, enjoys listening to New York radio station WCBS, where their son has an excellent job. With great sadness, I have to report the recent death of our classmate Alice SNODGRASS Beckwith on August 2, 2014. Alice was very involved in her community, serving on the executive committee of the board of trustees of the Vero Beach Museum of Art. She said she had lived a charmed life, 56 years of marriage to the most wonderful man, three great children, and seven granddaughters. She loved her friends and remembered the days at Ellis with joy. Bob and I visited her earlier this year. It was so good to see her. We had a lovely lunch at her beach club overlooking the ocean and then visited her home where we reminisced about all the weekends we stayed at each other’s homes when we were attending Ellis. I know we will all miss Alice. Cassie COCHRAN Stringham enjoys her three daughters and their families. She sent me a great picture of her entire family. They will be vacationing together on an island off of Wilmington, NC this summer. Cassie said that of all her childhood friends, those she met during her years at Ellis mean the most to her. Sally KENNEDY Fownes still sounds happy and active, but she has been through a series of very difficult health problems, operations, and a fall that fractured her pelvis. Her white blood cells are very high from leukemia and she can no longer take the medicine that was effective in bringing them down. She would greatly appreciate your prayers.
(L to R) Dede WEIR Wills ’55, Julia MATHEWS Trelease ’55, and Judy BEALL Young ’55.
(L to R) Dede WEIR Wills ’55 and Julia MATHEWS Trelease ’55.
On the farm in South Carolina: (L to R) Julia MATHEWS Trelease ’55, Judy BEALL Young ’55, and Dede WEIR Wills ’55.
Marnie RHODES Hicks wrote that she and Harry have had a full, rewarding life and their four children are all fine. They are still traveling and hope to go to Europe again in the fall, taking a cruise from Basel to Amsterdam. Marnie saw Alice SNODGRASS Beckwith at least once a week all season.
Linda STURGEON Clayton writes that she is planning to move from Hilton Head, SC, to Wake Forest, NC, to be closer to her family. Her latest mystery novel is The Unfortunate Mrs. Cumberland. She also said she was so happy to hear from Zoe ADDENBROOK Garlin recently.
Tina RUTLEDGE Edwards is well and is rejoicing that her grandson has landed a great job. He graduated from Elon College on a Saturday and started working at BAE in New York the next Monday. The British company has offices all over the world and will train him for the next three years in the field of finance.
I enjoyed catching up with Sally FLANNERY Hardon so very much. She is so looking forward to visiting Toni HORNING Nelson in Florida soon. Sally said she sees Nellie Lou JAFFE Slagle from time to time. Nellie Lou continues to work a lot with her art projects.
Barbara MAYNARD Hattemer writes: “My second novel An Island Just for Us, which takes place on our island in Maine’s beautiful Penobscot Bay, was released last June in time for me to sign books at the Christian Booksellers Convention in St. Louis and later at a retailer’s convention in Nashville. It has been well received and many are asking for a sequel, which I hope to write this summer. I just returned from the Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation conference in Washington, D.C., which is addressing the problem as a public health crisis, so I am being drawn back into the fight against pornography. “Bob and I plan to take our grandson, Noah, and his mother on a teaching trip (Boston to New York) on The Great Awakening in September and we will be spending six weeks in New Zealand and Australia in November,” she continues. “We are downsizing like crazy, throwing away half of our lives, planning to move into a retirement home next year, but still playing tennis three days a week.”
CLASS OF ’55
Madaline WENTWORTH Baker writes that she and her husband enjoyed a very special trip to Tasmania. The trip was sponsored by the Harvard Museum of Natural History. Her big family news is that her oldest granddaughter is graduating with honors from Texas Tech and is the rodeo team captain. Madaline's granddaughter, Sophie, just returned from studying in Paris to end her second year at the University of Chicago. Madaline's daughter, Whitney's, eldest is off to the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill this fall and her youngest got her driver’s license. Julia MATHEWS Trelease writes: “Classmate Dede WEIR Wills came to see me in September 2013. We had a ball seeing 9 to 5: The Musical. Unfortunately, I came down with a horrible cold/cough and was pretty much out of it for the rest of her visit. Thankfully she didn't catch it. But this past April, Dede, her daughter, Beth, and I flew down to South Carolina for a long weekend visit with Judy BEALL Young. We met her son, Gary, daughter-in-law, Michaela, and charming granddaughter, Stella. Lovely time, great weather—I hadn't seen Judy since we graduated and she was a very gracious hostess.”
By the time this is printed, all my children and grandchildren will have come home to visit around the Fourth of July. I'm sure we will have had a wonderful time. It meant so much to me to spend time with Julia MATHEWS Trelease and Judy BEALL Young. My daughter, Beth, and I are making plans to go to Julia's in August so we all can go to the Arlington Million horse race in Chicago. I continue to visit my kids in Chattanooga, TN, Beaumont, TX, and Cape Cod, MA, as often as I can. Parting thought: October 2015 will be time for our 60th. It would be so awesome if we could all get together at Ellis.
CLASS OF ’57 A class correspondent is needed! Please volunteer to keep your class connected by contacting the Alumnae Office at 412.661.6769 or alumnae@ TheEllisSchool.org. Jane (Toni) FREELAND Williams writes: “We are still in Kentucky near my daughter for the winter and spring, and so far are able to go to our little house in Nova Scotia from June to October. I am still teaching mountain dulcimer to the University of Kentucky Osher classes for older students. Such fun to see that paycheck! I am taking a class again through the Appalachian Studies program ... challenging, but wonderful to interact with graduate and undergraduate students! We are still hiking and kayaking quite a bit in Canada and here, but shorter distances (and closer to shore) now! Regards to everyone.”
Dorothy WEIR Wills 2708 Saint Christopher Circle Manhatten, KA 66502 dedewills@sbcglobal.net Hi, everyone! Hope all of you are doing well.
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Front Row: (L to R) Brian Mullins, Lucia Tonachel, Polly FOSTER Mullins ’59, Will Farnsworth, and Willa Lipsen. BACK ROW (L to R) Polly Farnsworth, Ollie Lipsen, and Wellsy Farnsworth at PNC Park for a 50th anniversary celebration. Pat MUTOLO ’59 with her family, Christmas 2013. Pat is in the middle of the back row.
(L to R) Friend Jean Houston, with Bill and Penny PORTER Meyer ’59 in Sydney, Australia.
CLASS OF ’59 Pauline FOSTER Mullins 5421 Kipling Rd. Pittsburgh, PA 15217 gnatmoon@me.com Fifty-five years since graduation … notes from a very busy, active, and involved group of classmates! Gerry EVANS Tuten is painting and exhibiting her Pond Reflections and nature-inspired oils and mixed medium works on canvas and paper at various shows in Wilmington, DE, Villanova University, and Soka University. Gerry and her husband, John, came to Key West in February 2014 to join Brian and me for some sun, fun, food, and relaxation! Penny WILLIAMS lives in Rockledge, FL, and enjoys the warmth and nature surrounding her. She writes, “The greatest news is that I now consistently meditate (something that I have wanted to do for the longest time). This is possible as a result of an online study program at the Foundation of Meditative Studies. At the moment, I am making journals and origami mobiles. Also, I am learning how to grow micro-greens and sprouts. I make green juice every day! I feel like a pauper enjoying the riches of God’s heaven on earth.” I received a lovely, long letter from Luise MALLINGER Erdmann. Having lived in Cambridge, MA, for many years, Luise still has many friends with Pittsburgh/Ellis connections. Luise also enjoys traveling around New England and the Adirondacks as well as trips to NYC and a wedding in Rome in September. However, Luise tries to stay home to care for her two 15-year-old seal point Siamese cats. “Their owner had to go into assisted living—my good deed for the next few years!”
News from another long-time New Englander, Mary Louise MEYER Dyer: “Kids are great, husband is kind, and I am enjoying life.” Nancy BOWSER McConky and Mary Louise went to NYC to visit Linda ROST Whitman. Although coping with some health issues, “Linda has her great dry wit!” Linda’s daughters work and live in NYC, so she sees them often. Mary Louise’s daughter, Louise, lives in Singapore with her husband and three sons. Ralph and Mary Louise try to visit as often as possible. Her daughter, Sarah, lives nearby in Maine so she is lucky enough to see those grandchildren often. From Carol SCHARFE Widing: Carol sometimes wishes that she had stayed with teaching, instead of defecting to law. “Teaching Dan (with Down Syndrome) has been a joy. The idea of improvised road trips—no tours, just rent a car abroad to do it as well as to have fun, may apply to other non-traditional children. Dan learns by immersion rather than relying on strict schooling. Who can figure out the insurance and other protections? So some kids like Dan or with other handicaps can go abroad, particularly those who are not responding to schooling systems? No answer fits all.” Back in Washington, D.C., Abigail BAYLES Wiebenson sends an update on her life and travels. When she was in Budapest this spring, she saw a large sign with Borsodi on it so she emailed a photo of it to Éva BORSODY Das. Éva’s return email said, “Thanks,” and mentioned that she was leading a hiking tour of Scotland. She is totally amazing! "My partner, Stephen, and I are on a Grand Circle Danube river trip with 60 members of our singing group Encore Chorale. We gave our first concert last night in a beautiful little church in Vienna. I don’t know if that church had ever heard the likes of Phantom of the Opera or Porgy and Bess (we did sing some sacred music, too); the audience was definitely receptive. It is so satisfying to be singing seriously again; Ellis Glee Club was the beginning! "For other non-work related travels, I’ve been to Zurich and the Canary Islands to visit son, Derek, and his family who will head back to the U.S. at the end of the summer after living for two years in Switzerland.
"My work coaching educators is steady and always interesting. This year, it’s taken me to California, North Carolina, Florida, Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey, in addition to the Washington area. Lucky me!" Sally ARMENTROUT Majak writes: “Hey Polly, the years just keep rolling by! Thanks so much for organizing the news of Ellis classmates. "We have just had a wedding! Our daughter, Lydia, was married this month and when she and her husband return from their honeymoon, they will continue to live nearby in Alexandria, VA. Roger and I have moved further out from the city. We live close to our son and his family so now it's easy to help out with the grandchildren when needed. We live close to Leesburg, VA, a place that is growing rapidly while maintaining a real sense of history. There are many opportunities to explore new places in the area, but we're still close enough to the Washington, D.C., city life that we have known for so many years. "This summer we have planned a family vacation in Sun Valley, ID. After that, hopefully we'll have some travel opportunities in the fall. Roger still does some international consulting so if he goes someplace interesting I will probably tag along. Surely I will get some good suggestions from reading the class notes!” At home in Pittsburgh, Ellen Jane McCASLIN Srodes writes: “Carl and I are going to the western Four Corners area with the entire family (five grandchildren spanning the ages of 6–17) to celebrate our 50th anniversary. Where did all the time go? Now we are looking forward to a new chapter in our lives with Carl taking more time to travel. We have a trip to Paris and Normandy planned for the fall; then who knows where else our whims will take us?” Penny PORTER Meyer has been enjoying traveling this year. “A family gathering in NYC in November; Christmas in Florida with son, Robert; and two weeks in Sarasota with daughter, Julie, and grandchildren. In February, Bill and I cruised the coasts of Australia and New Zealand. It was all wonderful and we managed to miss the bad winter weather in Pittsburgh!” And I managed to be in Key West and Sandestin,
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Pat MUTOLO ’59 with her husband, Vito, and grandchildren, Lucienne, Ben, and Andrew, fall of 2013.
Gerry EVANS Tuten ’59 “en plein air” with Pond Reflections 2.
FL, for the harsh winter with daughters and grandchildren joining us! Thanks for all your news and best wishes for 2014. Hope to see you all in October at our 55th Ellis Reunion!
CLASS OF ’61 A class correspondent is needed! Please volunteer to keep your class connected by contacting the Alumnae Office at 412.661.6769 or alumnae@ TheEllisSchool.org. Patsea COBB writes: “On to our next adventure. We are leaving our cabin in the woods just 10 minutes from downtown Portland, ME, a great small art city, to return to our live-in studio in a big arts community in Somerville, MA.” Sherry STANLEY writes: “John (Giusti) and I went and explored parts of the Amazon River this winter. It has been on my 'bucket list' for a long time due to my love for the culture of indigenous tribes, shamans, and shamanic medicine, and my fascination with the Amazon Basin. It was a wonderful trip on a riverboat without one other tourist in sight.”
CLASS OF ’63 Margaret MARSHALL Carothers Nash Farm 1089 River Rd. New Haven, VT 05472 nashfarm@myfairpoint.net
Sherry STANLEY ’61 and John Giusti on the Amazon River in 2013.
We had an amazing 50th reunion! There were 19 of us for lunch on Friday. A phenomenal turnout: Sarah FISHER, Tina WOLF Greenberg, Sally MUNSON Imbriglia, Marsha MINER Martin, Kaffie WHITE McCullough, Rin MARSHALL Babson, Marcia SCHREIBER Halpern, Monna SHIRER Lang, Kathlyn SWARTZ Maguire, Melissa BARBOUR, Suzy WEINBERG Bursaux, Jennifer GILL, Alexis MANDELL Marmar, Irmchen HUBNER Richardson, Roxane PETERSON Thomas, Pam BUTLER Roberts, Laurie RENZ, Judy SCHOYER Robb, and your scribe. Forty-six percent! Following are excerpts from notes I received while rounding up people and more recently. Marcia SCHREIBER Halpern wrote: “I have two daughters, a grandson, a granddaughter, and one on the way. When I became involved as a dancer and costumer with a local ballet company many years ago, I did not have time for public policy issues. I figured the problems would be there when I couldn’t dance anymore. And sure enough we are still fighting the same battles. I stopped ballet dancing, but not other forms of dancing. I still do jazz dancing, hip hop, ballroom, and west coast swing. Great fun! I don't intend to ever stop. I continue to be active as a volunteer with Planned Parenthood, the League of Women Voters, and the ACLU. I also work with an organization that raises money for women who need abortions and cannot afford them.” Kathlyn SWARTZ Maguire wrote: “I’m in Chicago now, after 20 years in NYC and another 20 or so in West Palm Beach, FL. As both a widow and a divorcee, I can say that I’m enjoying my life and looking forward to catching up with the class.”
Linda writes, “I continue to enjoy my work in business development for an architectural firm that is terrific and 100 percent Revit (modeling software for architects)!! Lucky me. I miss you all—and hope maybe I can attend a 100th reunion!” Linda sent a cake to our meeting with our 4th grade pen pals. Much appreciated by all, but seeing Linda again would have been better. Marsha MINER Martin wrote: “So happy to see OUR photos in the recent Ellis magazine. The only new news I have is that I finally did reconnect with Sandy MYERS Spiewak. Sandy was unable to fly to our reunion due to eye surgery, which is healed now. We attended a pre-70th birthday party with friends from our teenage years at a weekend party at the Bedford Springs Resort.” Suzanne WEINBERG Bursaux was entertaining Tina WOLF Greenberg and her husband in Paris as we went to press. She has also had lunch with Irmchen HUBNER Richardson, once in Brussels and once in Paris. They are only an hour or so apart on the train. And Ann DOAK Dillard wrote: “I'm sorry I missed you! I do see Judy SCHOYER Rodd, and that's great; I still miss Ellin HAHN Wymard. From what I hear and read, reunion sounds amazing. I'm too decrepit to travel, decrepit in the brain. It's not dementia, but premature atrophy. My husband of 27 years is a biographer of Emerson and Thoreau. The best thing we do is spend spring in the mountains of Virginia.”
Linda MAYER Smith was so sorry to miss the reunion, but busy seeing an expanding family—one daughter; her husband, Craig; and son, Evan (3) are in Menlo Park, CA, and she is a pediatrician at the Palo Alto Foundation; her specialty is infectious disease. Daughter, Lanz, and her husband, Christen, and son, Cole, moved from Portland, OR, to Charlottesville, VA, with a new baby boy to arrive any day now. Lanz had Judy SCHOYER Robb’s sister, Betsy SCHOYER ’67, as a professor at the University of Virginia and family friend.
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Carol RANSON O’Keefe ’65: Reading in granddaughter, Kaya’s, class on her 5th birthday in March 2014.
Mother’s Day 2014: Carolin KIRKPATRICK Dick ’65, her daughter, Eliza Lochner, and granddaughter, Lexi Lochner.
CLASS OF ’65 Carolin KIRKPATRICK Dick 1105 Westview Way Ann Arbor, MI 48103-9736 a2carolin@gmail.com Lea HILLMAN Simonds writes: “I am still based in Pittsburgh, though spending a lot of time in NYC, where my son, Talbott, and Carter have two boys and my only granddaughter. My son, Henry, and wife, Colleen DAILY Simonds ’95, an Ellis trustee, are parents to John (2 ½), and my youngest grandchild, George. My son, Dylan, and Dorlon have two boys and live in Mill Valley, CA, so trips out there are as frequent as I can make them. I am a trustee of the Carnegie Museums and of Carnegie Mellon University, where interesting people and ideas keep me engaged and challenged. I'm also involved with a couple of smaller arts and literary organizations. With the universities, arts organizations, affordable real estate, bike trails, and, now, some very good restaurants, and more, Pittsburgh really is a great place to live! Well, yes, there is the weather, but even that looks good compared with some other parts of the country.” Nancy HAYES Kilgore writes: “In the last two years, Jess and I have moved to Burlington, VT, and I am still working at my pastoral counseling practice two days a week in Hanover, NH. I take the train, a lovely ride through Vermont along the river and mountain valleys. We are happy to be in Burlington, where we can walk to everything, including beautiful Lake Champlain, and are five minutes from our daughter and granddaughter. I pick up Koa (6) from kindergarten on Fridays and we have a family dinner. I am still writing and now trying to find a publisher for my second novel. We are all thankfully healthy. We’d love to see any old Ellis friends who come for a visit!”
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Carol RANSON O'Keefe ’65: In Uganda, taking a three-mile walk to a waiting van after the truck she was traveling in rolled over.
Carol RANSON O’Keefe writes: "I got together with Pam PROPST Campbell, Susan DICKEY Gilmore, and Nancy WANDERER at the Church Brew Works in Bloomfield on March 10. We had a great dinner and got caught up with all the news everyone had. Nancy looked great and we reminisced about her late mother and talked about our grandchildren. Once again, I am headed to Uganda in July for my eighth mission trip. I will be doing health teaching as usual at the well-digging sites where our men are working. It might be my last trip for a while since I plan on retiring next year and moving back to Southern California to be near my son and his wife and my granddaughters; they are 3 and 5 and so much fun! My son, Peter, is an executive chef and runs two restaurants in Malibu. He is a superb chef, if I do say so myself. My daughter, Elizabeth, lives in Truckee, CA, and loves snowboarding and all the outdoor sports that area offers. I am still working part time as a pediatric nurse doing private duty in patients’ homes and love it. Looking forward to our 50th reunion—can't believe it.” Hoping to be able to attend the reunion next year, GaiI STEWART Will retired from teaching French a few years ago and only subs occasionally. With more free time, and thanks to Susan DICKEY Gilmore’s and Pam PROPST Campbell’s excellent travel advice and planning, I have been fortunate enough to take many enjoyable trips. Last fall, it was a Paris and Prague trip. I always love Paris, but was surprised at the beauty of Prague. I also spent a day at a nearby Nazi concentration camp ... sobering, to say the least. I am in the throes of wedding plans for my daughter, who will be married this fall in Manhattan. I see my son and his wife and my two darling grandchildren, Henry and Kate, as often as I am able to get to Connecticut.
Nancy WANDERER writes: “Sadly, my mother died in October at age 94. I was so fortunate to be able to be with her for her last few days and at the moment of her death. Her memorial service the following weekend was attended by three members of the Ellis community: Susan DICKEY Gilmore, Kaffie WHITE McCullough, and Muffin MARSHALL Carothers '63, who were in Pittsburgh for their 50th Ellis Reunion, and Krissy MILLER Seel’s mother, who was a friend of my mom's at Longwood. Last summer, my partner, Susan, and I had a great visit with Tally CRAIG, when she came east from California and spent some time with us on the coast of Maine. In March, we spent four days with Susan DICKEY Gilmore and visited with other Pittsburgh friends. (See Carol RANSON O’Keefe’s note.) My health is still excellent, with multiple myeloma in remission, and no other problems on the horizon. I plan to retire from teaching at the University of Maine School of Law in September, but will still stay connected with the Maine Bar by writing a regular column on legal writing in the Maine Bar Journal. The textbook I coauthored, Off and Running: A Practical Guide to Legal Research, Writing, and Analysis, was released in March, making this a perfect moment to retire. If only our grandchildren were closer. With three out of four of them living in Kenya or Thailand, spending enough time with them is a challenge.” Pam PROPST Campbell writes: “Not a lot new here. Still live in the same house; still travel to pretty much the same places (the Outer Banks every September); still work at All Directions; daughter, Karin, still lives in Omaha; and son, Jay, is still in Villanova. But, I guess status quo is not all bad!” I did get an email from Lisa MILLIGAN, and they just bought a house in the Berkshires but I didn’t have a chance to call her to get the details. Susan DICKEY Gilmore and I went to a recent Ellis get-together, which was fun, and we saw Judy COHEN Callomon ’54, who seems to be doing well.
Cuppy HENRY Kraft ’61, her grandchildren, Lila and Chris, and daughter, Kendall KRAFT Conner ’81, having high tea at the Savoy in London, 2013.
Nancy SHAPERA Barbach ’73 and her husband, Robert, at their daughter’s wedding in 2014.
Nancy WANDERER ‘65 and her spouse, Susan Sanders
Robin Newham, who is the new Head of School, is a terrific person and I understand things are going along quite well. She came to Ellis in 1981 as an art teacher, so, after our time, but everyone will get a chance to meet her next October at our 50th reunion! I do hope everyone blocks off the whole month in order to be here. Fifty—hard to believe. Carolin KIRKPATRICK Dick writes: “Life is good. Mac is still working and we are first-time grandparents, so we go to San Francisco as much as we can. We are looking forward to a Normandy Back roads bike tour this fall. Hope to make our 50th October 9 - 10, 2015!
CLASS OF ’67 Marguerite HUNSIKER 5705 Nevada Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20015-2545 Bonsaimark@yahoo.com From Ann WATERMAN Sheedy: “We welcomed our first grandchild, Charlotte Lee Waterman Sheedy, daughter of our son, Matt, and daughter-in-law, Paige, in April. Charlotte will go to day care with my sister, Sally WATERMAN Woodroofe’s ’60, first grandchild, Jed. I am still the executive director of the American Platform Tennis Association. I am so lucky to do something that I love. I love the sport, the people, and the travel. Would love to hear from any Ellis alumnae who play.” From Jeanne JOHNSON Thompson: “Here's some news: a bobcat just walked by my studio doors! I've had about four to five sightings in my time here, but it never fails to surprise. Wild and wonderful desert life! I moved to Tucson, AZ, a couple of years ago and am busy designing and renovating my house. In the interest of preserving the creative juices, I have developed the following blog/website: www. NestingInTheDesert.com.”
From Etta WARMAN: “Howdy, my schoolmates! I bought a small house in Clyde America (as my little Texas town styles itself) and am preparing to retire as a Taylor County assistant district attorney. Clyde (the largest city in Callahan County) has a population of less than 4,000 and no courthouse. 'Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee; And live alone in the bee-loud glade. And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow ...’ After 30 years of legal war, I am nearly ready. Best to all!” Last fall, I took a four-week road trip in Oregon, traveling two weeks from Portland south along the coast to Gold Beach, and then drove two weeks north through the Cascades. The highlight of the trip was a visit with Mary B. GRUNNAGLE Barlow. MB, as she is now called, is as wonderful as she ever was. We reminisced and laughed for two days. One would think we hadn't seen each other for a year, instead of 40. This spring I traveled to Kauai for three weeks and then to Pittsburgh for a Society of Woman Geographers meeting. Now I'm busy planning for a trip to Switzerland, southern France, and Barcelona. And welcome to Medicare! All the best!
Dulcie DEVITT sends this: “All is well for us in Cleveland Heights. I am back to the position I last had in 2004 running an elementary school library, which I love. Will is still working in the AV business and helping with business development of a small monument firm. Our daughter finished her master’s in English last May, landed a job as a technical writer, and became the third roommate in her brother's house. Our son, Brandon, will graduate from medical school in May and will begin a residency at the Naval Hospital in San Diego. Grace will be Brandon's house manager and also care for his cat. Brandon hopes to be admitted to the flight surgeon program after this year, so that will mean another posting after next July.” Judy ROTHEBERG writes: “Still hanging out in Los Gatos and working, although my husband retired this year. Kathy LAMPL moved to San Francisco for a job with Genentech, so I’ve been seeing a lot of her. My girls are 24; Vera works as a travel agent in Oregon and Nadya graduates from UC–Santa Cruz in June with a degree in literature. We did an extensive remodel of our house this year as we have decided to stay in it until we can no longer manage it. It has a spectacular view of the mountains and Monterey Bay in the distance (which you can see on a clear day).”
CLASS OF ’69 A class correspondent is needed! Please volunteer to keep your class connected by contacting the Alumnae Office at 412.661.6769 or alumnae@ TheEllisSchool.org. Barbara BUTTENFIELD writes: “It's been an eventful winter repairing and rebuilding our basement after the September floods here in Boulder. We had 17 inches of rain in five days! We had to remove a foot of water from our basement, along with black mold; and then replace the flooring and walls, furnace, water heater, washer, and the water main pipe coming in from the street. My husband, Bill, is a retired plumber and carpenter, so we did a lot of the work ourselves. Just finished repainting, hooray! Hope everyone is staying safe and dry out there.”
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Betsy HENSHAW ’75 with her daughter, Lila Hunt, and son, Will, in Honolulu.
Front Row: (L to R) Elizabeth GOLDHAMMER Croke ’83, Jacob Kuzma, Emily KUZMA ’14, and Anne GOLDHAMMER Moore ’75. Back Row: (L to R) Paul Croke, Joe Kuzma, and Keith Moore.
Susan AZAR ’75 with her husband, Victor Zona, enjoying Swiss hot chocolate in Zurich with Annamaria FATO ’79.
CLASS OF ’71 A class correspondent is needed! Please volunteer to keep your class connected by contacting the Alumnae Office at 412.661.6769 or alumnae@ TheEllisSchool.org. Meryl RECTANUS Thomas is enjoying being a Gaga (grandmother) and that's not Lady Gaga! Sarah is age 6 and in kindergarten and Leah is age 4. Meryl went on to say, “They certainly add a whole new wonderful level to life. My husband, Jim, is an engineer for Westinghouse and is working in Georgia for the next four years, but I am staying in Pittsburgh. Our son, Michael, is being married in October in Maryland so plans are progressing with that. I am currently looking for a position with hospice as I have seven years of experience in this field as a social worker and find it very rewarding. Hope all my classmates are doing well.”
CLASS OF ’73 Carol OSTROW 22 East 95th St. New York, NY 10128-0702 carolsusanostrow@gmail.com I was delighted to be back on the Ellis campus for our 40th reunion last fall and to be joined by a great group of classmates—including Sandy MARHOEFER Roberts, Blythe JONES Lyons, Jane SEGAL, Kenny BECKWITH Nelson, Carol ROBINSON, Bette BLUMBERGER Saltzman, Peggy MATHIESON Conver, and Pamela SMITH Stodolsky; and by Skype, Madeline Louise DeBOR. We look wiser, but certainly not older, though it did take me a minute to recognize the women we have become. It was lovely to reconnect with Jane SEGAL, who, despite medical hurdles, is still fully engaged in her field of orthodontia and her immediate family. Carol and Bette have remained great friends over the years and conversation was easy. Blythe hosted a terrific dinner at her mother’s new apartment and many of us participated in a docent tour by Gail GARLAND Simpson ’72 at the 2013 Carnegie International.
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Happy to start our class news with Blythe JONES Lyons, who is proud to be co-chair of the Ellis Centennial Campaign and will be wanting all of our class members to think of Ellis fondly during the capital initiative. She is downsizing, finally, into a very cool apartment in Georgetown. Her oldest son and his wife have recently moved to Pittsburgh. Blythe is hoping that they will have a daughter very soon, so that she can attend Ellis. Blythe is still a senior fellow with the Atlantic Council working on energy issues and can still be found in Ligonier in the summer. Visitors welcome. Blythe was also very much behind the organization of our recent reunion. And from Louise DeBOR, “Can’t say how great it was to touch base with the reunion by Skype and must give a heartfelt thank you to Blythe’s mum, Sally, on helping to organize this via Australia and Pittsburgh. Life in Sydney after 26 years keeps me entertained and challenged. Eighteen months ago, I took a position with our federal government as the food and beverage director for a commonwealth government trust that manages old defense sites. These sites (eight in total) were handed back to this governing body to manage by way of development through property refurbishment, cultural events, festivals, and maintenance of public land. My part involves instituting exciting festivals and consulting with tenants who lease restaurants, cafes, and function centers. So as a self-funding body, it’s keeping me on my toes and enjoying every day liaising with the hospitality industry here in Sydney. Beyond that my son, Jordan, moved to NYC two years ago and works for a digital media group. He is loving the Brooklyn life. I am looking forward to my yearly visit and catching up with those in town.”
From Nancy SHAPERA Barbach comes the following news, “I am sorry I was not able to come to the reunion and wanted to thank those who worked so hard to put it together. I was covering for a colleague from September to January, so I was working two jobs, planning a wedding shower and a wedding for my daughter! Erin married Scott K. Silver on March 23. It was honestly the best day I could have ever imagined! My husband and I did get away just before to celebrate his 60th birthday in Scotland! I haven't quite digested any of this! I was recently honored by the Association of Pediatric Oncology Social Workers, which felt great, but also just highlights where in our lives we are ... kids getting married, husband turning 60, and professional contribution awards ... hmmm ... oh yes, and a 40th Ellis Reunion!” Surprised and delighted to hear from classmate Eva PATTERSON. “I've been in the San Francisco Bay Area for a bit more than 15 years, lured out here by a friend I went to graduate school with. I'm the branch manager of the library in the historic Marin County Civic Center Building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It's a great place to work. My wife, Alysanne, and I have been together for 10 years and were legally married 3 ½ years ago in Vermont. We've had to cut back on our travels while Alysanne went to school for her MSW and goes through her probation period at her new job. We hope our next trip will be to Iguazu Falls in Argentina and Brazil.” I have also, at long last, been in touch with Mimi EGAN. We shared a drink and lots of laughs in New Haven last winter. Mimi loves her Connecticut life, has a new puppy, and a job that keeps her busy. She gets back to Pittsburgh to see family and I am trying to entice her to visit NYC. I also have been in touch with Peggy LAMPL Elkind though we missed seeing each other when business took me to D.C.
(L to R) A selfie of Connie ELLIS Heppenstall ’79, Meg HARDON ’79, Peggy CRANE Vaughan ’79, and skipper Lauren AZAR ’79. (L to R) Annamaria FATO ’79 with Tanya GIACCO Deke ’79 on the train to Zermatt, Switzerland.
Susan HUNSIKER Howard ’75 with her daughter, Liza, on graduation day at Beaver Country Day School in Massachusetts.
As for me, I’m happy to report that all is much the same. The pace of life with four children in their 20s combined with a career in NYC is fast, but I am content for the time being. Daughter, Anabel, is entering her third year of an MFA writing program and living in Austin, TX; twin, Emily, is an editor at Simon and Schuster living in the West Village on Minetta Lane. Third daughter, Candace, is a paralegal with the Juvenile Division of the Legal Aid Society, getting to know the courts of Manhattan as well as the jails and living in Brooklyn with a group of college friends. Son, Jesse, is now a senior at my alma mater Vassar, where he is majoring in math and economics and wondering what to do next. Michael and I split our time between NYC and our new, “old” farmhouse in Sag Harbor, NY. Great to hear from so many of you and a shout out to you all.
CLASS OF ’75 Elisabeth HENSHAW PO Box 794 Camden, ME 04843-0794 echenshaw@gmail.com Susan AZAR and her husband, Victor Zona, visited Annamaria FATO ’79 in Zurich this past fall. Lisa HURITE Fischer reports that she and her family moved to Greenwich, CT, last fall after living in Brussels for 24 years! It has been a huge adjustment, but a welcome one to be home and close to family. Two of Lisa's girls graduated from university this spring; Alexandra from the University of Edinburgh, and Sarah from the University of Miami! Their youngest, Catherine, is at the University of Miami in her sophomore year. Patsy HAZLETT McKenna writes that she has two granddaughters who live in Mt. Lebanon. Her son lives in Dallas and her daughter lives in Philadelphia. Patsy and her husband, Ed, sold their house of 29 years and moved to a townhouse overlooking the Allegheny River. They will spend most of the year in Pittsburgh and the "ugly" part in Sarasota. Patsy wonders if anyone else winters in Sarasota?
Lisa NORRIS Traugott ’79, her husband, Peter, and children, David and Katie, crossing Lake Champlain in summer 2013.
Susan HUNSIKER Howard reports that she and her husband are about to become empty nesters with their daughter, Liza, going off to Hobart William Smith this fall, and their son, Henry, finishing up his senior year at Trinity. Susan and her family still summer in Cape May and live in Dedham, MA. All is well!
“I am finding 2014 to be a year of change,” Anne continues, “and one in which I shall be testing the waters with husband, Keith, in starting up a small consulting firm called KANDA Consulting, LLC. Probably the best way to keep up with where that adventure takes us is to hook up with me on www.linkedin.com/in/annemoorepgh/.”
Sheri ONQUE Eastman's family is grieving over her brother, Craig's, untimely death two days before Christmas 2013. Their good news is that her husband, Dan, is going to retire from Exxon/Mobile at the end of June after 33 years of service. They plan to spend more time at their second home in Colorado and travel with other retired friends!
My news is that I am an empty nester and decided to sell my house of 23 years. I moved from my antique farmhouse to a loft in an historic building overlooking the harbor in picturesque Rockport Village, ME. Downsizing is huge, but I so welcomed having a "turnkey" setting. I am still really involved in non-profits as a trustee, primarily doing a lot of event planning. It will be my seventh year teaching water fitness at the Samoset Resort in Rockport. My daughter, Lila, is living in Portland, ME; it’s so great having her nearby. My son will be entering his junior year at Champlain College in Burlington, VT. He loves living there! Sadly, my grandmother passed away on December 24, 2012 and my father passed away on March 9, 2013. They are so missed by all.
Sandy ENGEL Edgecombe writes that she recently caught up with Susan CREIGHTON, Karen PAVLOVICH West, and Blyth STEERE Bailey in Pittsburgh. They had a great time catching up with everyone's progress with life. One question they pondered: "At our stage in life, would we be able to pass the various tests of accreditation we took when we were the same age as some of our offspring— the Bar, CPA exam, etc.?" There is no photographic proof, but Sandy writes that they all "looked pretty good for gals of our vintage." Those Ellis alumnae who live in Pittsburgh try to get together on a semi-annual basis, but it can get tricky coordinating everyone's schedule. The regulars include: Karen KRIEGER Montgomery, Jean DRUCKER Reznick, Patsy HAZLETT McKenna, Lisa HAABESTAD Pfaffmann, Deb BROWNE Walrath, Susan CREIGHTON, Karen PAVLOVICH West, and Sandy ENGEL Edgecombe. Sandy sends her very best to you all. Anne GOLDHAMMER Moore sent news: “June offered some graduations for the Goldhammer Clan. Along with my sister, Elizabeth GOLDHAMMER Croke ’83, I attended the Ellis graduation of Emily Morgan KUZMA ’14 and the Shady Side Academy 8th grade graduation of Jacob Brettler Kuzma. The guest speaker at Ellis, Sarah Kay, was brilliant and right on point. If you are not familiar with her, I encourage you to look her up. Here is a sample of her brilliance: www.ted.com/talks/ sarah_kay_if_i_should_have_a_daughter.
CLASS OF ’79 Annamaria FATO Kapfsteig, 32 CH-8032 Zurich SWITZERLAND annafato@yahoo.com I am still living in Zurich, Switzerland, and working at the Zurich Insurance Company. Last year Tanya GIACCO Deke came to visit after spending a month studying French in southern France! I picked up Tanya from the train station, and 30 years wiped away instantly when we saw each other! We went to Zermatt to see the Matterhorn, a three-hour train ride to and from in one day—true Ellis girls, even if we left before senior year! Looking forward to having more Ellis visitors in the future!
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(L to R) Husband, Andy, and son, Asher, and Miriam GREEN ’81 at Machu Picchu.
Deborah CHAPMAN Edwards ’81 on her trip to the Grand Cayman Islands.
Susan SLATER Ellenberg ’83, with her husband, Steve, and children, Zach, Molly, and Naava.
Tanya GIACCO Deke writes: “The most important thing I would want to mention is my amazing weekend in Zurich reconnecting with Anna, after all these years! It was truly remarkable to witness the melting away of 35 years in a matter of days as we talked, ate, and drank our way around town! I am so thankful that through Facebook so many of us have been able to keep in touch and, in my case, reconnect … it has been wonderful!” I am so excited that this year we have an old classmate from 1979 who wrote in for the first time! We all remember brilliant Patti STARMACK Cyr! Patti writes: “I live a charmed, if predictable, life in Rochester, NY, where we have lived since 1985. I work as a statistician for Harris Corporation and I teach statistics as an adjunct faculty member at Rochester Institute of Technology. Whoever expected I would end up in a math-based career? “John and I recently celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary in Dallas, TX,” Patti continues, “where I am going to receive the American Society for Quality’s 2014 Dorian Shainin Medal at the World Quality Conference. It only seems like yesterday that we were married. Where does the time go? Our son, Justin, is working on his Ph.D. in math at the University of Indiana at Bloomington. Maybe that apple did not roll far from the tree. Our daughter, Amanda, is working on her doctorate in psychology in Philadelphia, PA. I think Amanda takes after her father since she actually likes writing papers. I don't often get the time to respond to one of your requests for information, but since I twisted my knee on some black ice after the last snowfall of winter, I spend much more time sitting and working on the computer. I am glad I got your note and had the time to respond.”
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Well, here is a good laugh, everyone … I saw a selfie posted on Connie ELLIS Heppenstall’s Facebook page and immediately wrote to her to send me the story associated with it. Connie wrote: “Peggy CRANE Vaughan, Meg HARDON, and I traveled to Madison, WI, to spend time with Lauren AZAR. We stayed in Lauren’s beautiful lake side home; saw Taliesin, Frank Lloyd Wright’s home; sailed with Lauren as our captain; saw part of the taping of NPR’s Whad’ya Know?; and toured Madison together.” Peggy CRANE Vaughan added: “It truly was a weekend of reconnecting, recalling many, many Ellis memories and much laughter (and, of course, beer and cheese since we were in Wisconsin.) I would highly recommend Madison to anyone—what a great town to visit! Our shared Ellis history and subsequent lifelong camaraderie is remarkable! We thought perhaps a trip to Zurich next!” (That would be great, Peggy. Zurich next year!) Meg HARDON writes: “We had a great time in Madison visiting Lauren with Connie and Peggy, yucking it up about old times and laughing hard at ourselves while sailing, checking out the cows in downtown Madison, and watching Lauren’s cats’ antics. Ellis ’79; Madison ’14: a fun, funny, interesting, enlightening, and a very Ellis weekend!" Meg also wrote, “I have had a very full Ellis year because in addition to the mini-reunion in Madison, I saw Liz MITINGER Locke twice this year, along with her sisters, Alice MITINGER ’81, and Louise MITINGER ’85, and my sisters, Kelly HARDON ’80, and Sara HARDON Aros ’86. The Mitinger and Hardon girls reunited in Pittsburgh, and then had a sweet getaway to Bedford Springs. And, I have seen Anne MAGNUSSEN Lockhart in D.C. twice this year, along with her daughter, Meg, who is getting very grown up; their exchange student; and Anne’s husband, Tim. So nice to see them all. In all these get-togethers, the 35 years just seem like 35 minutes have passed.”
Lisa NORRIS Traugott writes: “All is well here. Husband, Peter, retired from teaching studio art several years ago—he now holds us together! Children are newly 16 and 13 so we are having our first encounters with a boy and his driver’s permit—all okay so far! Both kids are healthy, happy, and doing well in school. We just moved my father out here to Reading, PA, in January between snowstorms! I feel super fortunate that I still love my work teaching art history after all these years. Those fabulous teachers we had at Ellis are still my role models when I walk into a classroom. Life is good for us.” Well, ladies, we can’t deny the years that have passed as we congratulate another grandmother in our class! Jean THOMPSON Bird writes: “My big news for class notes is that I now have a beautiful grandson! Rowan James Bird-Pfeuffer was born on April 22. Our daughter, Darrah, son-in-law, P.J., and Rowan are all well. The rest of the family is fine and staying busy working and/or in school.” What a lucky little boy to have such a young grandma! Love and miss you all. Come visit me in Zurich!
CLASS OF ’81 Deborah CHAPMAN Edwards 7108 Penn Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15208 deborahsedwards@gmail.com Miriam J. GREEN sends greetings from Berkeley and shares that her single son, Asher, is now in 9th grade and started at a new school this year. This brings back memories of her high school freshman year in Israel. She and her husband, Andy, are very aware that their nest will be empty in just a few years and are taking all opportunities to spend quality time with Asher. Travel is their favorite way to do this. In the last couple of years, their destinations have included Spain, the Maldives, Antarctica, Peru, New Zealand, and Singapore. They have trips coming up to Sicily and Sri Lanka, where they look forward to seeing lots of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Any alumnae living in or passing
Claire HANDLEY Stevens ’84 and Lauren THOMPSON ’83 in London. Judith COHEN Callomon ’54 and Carrie LEVINE Schiff ’83 at Reunion 2013.
Nancy KACZYNSKI Pollock ’83, with her husband, Bob, and children, Greg, Steve, Bethany, and Emily.
through the Bay Area are most welcome to be in touch: Miriam_J_Green@yahoo.com. Deborah CHAPMAN Edwards was inspired by Miriam J. GREEN’s class note and took an impromptu trip to the Grand Cayman Islands. She had a great time soaking in the sun while lying in a lounge chair on the white beach under a hut watching the sun rise and set and peacefully falling asleep to the rhythm of the waves.
CLASS OF ’83 Lauren THOMPSON 16 Belvedere Court Annapolis, MD 21403 lthompson@bbdconsulting.us I was disappointed to have missed our 30th reunion, but was in London visiting Claire HANDLEY Stevens ’84 and her two boys, who are my godsons. Still in Annapolis, still have my marketing and résumé consultancy, still crazy after all these years …. Carrie LEVINE Schiff writes: “Reunion weekend was a blast! I had fun roaming around Ellis with Nancy KACZYNSKI Pollock taking pictures of everything that hasn't changed since we walked the halls in uniform. Brooks FOLLANSBEE hosted a fun evening on Friday, when we put on lip smackers, prank-called Mary DAVIS, Heather BERSCHLING Levitt, and Bianca FALBO, and sifted through Nancy's massive store of memorabilia. Saturday evening I had fun taking selfies with Mr. Altman and Mrs. Vassar and catching up with everyone.
Alexis MAMAUX is still at UWC-USA in Montezuma, NM teaching history and theory of knowledge. She is in the middle of revisions of a History of the Americas textbook and hopes to get the draft of a Cold War textbook done by the end of the summer, both of which are being published by Oxford. Connor just finished middle school and continues his career as a mariachi band member. Hope WEDEMEYER Salzer reports that she was elected president of the board of Piedmont's League of Women Voters and also onto the California-wide board of an advocacy organization called Educate Our State. She adds, “On the home front, Clio began playing the flute this school year and was selected for the more competitive traveling soccer team (no, we don't yet have a minivan); and we spent some time this summer in Rhode Island with my mom and siblings. The volunteer work I've been doing has given me the bug to re-enter the workforce so I'll be pursuing that soon—wish me luck (and connections!).”
Susan SLATER Ellenberg is still teaching social justice to middle school students and currently running for a seat on the San Jose Unified School District Board of Trustees. “Family is all well— older kids are in college (Molly at UC–San Diego; Zach at University of Washington) and Naava is finishing 9th grade. Steve and I celebrated our 24th anniversary this year, which puts me at having been married for exactly half my life! I would love to finally make it back to Pittsburgh for a reunion— maybe our 35th (good God … ).” Nancy KACZYNSKI Pollock has been with RAND for 13 years and is currently the director of operations and business strategy for its national security research division. “Just the job that one would expect from a psychology major who had no interest in history, politics, or current events,” she says. “This year, I finally made it out of elementary school after 20 years. My oldest, Greg, is now 25 and my youngest, Emily, is 11 with Steve and Bethany in their senior and junior years in high school.” Nancy is also back in school working on her MBA, so she’s keeping quite busy between school, work, and family. “It was awesome to see some folks at the reunion,” she adds, “and I look forward to connecting more often with old friends and other Ellis alumnae. If you are ever in Pittsburgh, please look me up!”
“Back at my house, we are two steps forward and one step back—just as Kevin and I were beginning to enjoy the empty nest, school has let out and Sid is moving home for the summer,” Carrie adds. “Sam will be home from boarding school soon and the house will be full again. Ah, the yin and the yang of parenthood!”
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Rhiana WIGGINS ’85 and Kat Comstock married in Seattle, WA.
(L to R) Calder (4), husband, Keith, Katherine (6), and Darcy FRANK Mackay ’85.
CLASS OF ’85 Ann CANCILLA Gaudino 2 Stonegate Wheeling, WV 26003-9332 ann.gaudino@yahoo.com The Class of ’85 had another great year full of wonderful opportunities, accomplishments, and memories. Kristen ANTONUCCIO Norris writes, “This was a year of change for me. After teaching elementary school for 18 years, I made the tough decision to leave the classroom. I am still working in education, as that is my passion. I am now in the business side of education, working as the South Carolina account manager for the American Reading Company. ARC focuses on literacy solutions for districts and schools, making sure every child can read on or above grade level. I'm really enjoying the change and learning a new business. "I am continuing to pursue my love of triathlon and I competed in the Vineman Full Triathlon in 2012 and 2013. This year my husband and I will race together in the inaugural Ironman Boulder on August 3. I'm excited and looking forward to the challenge. When Rhiana WIGGINS introduced me to triathlon in 2008, I had no idea of the journey ahead. It has been life changing, and I enjoy the physical and mental challenges of triathlon.”
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Jessica WILK ’85 and Barclay KRAFT Stone ’85.
Rhiana WIGGINS ’85 places 8th in her first Masters Swim meet. Rhiana WIGGINS ’85 and her BFF Kristen ANTONUCCIO Norris ’85.
Rhiana WIGGINS shares, “We got married on the water on a beautiful summer day in Seattle. My wife and I waited six years for the right to legally marry. We were blessed to be surrounded by close friends and family. Kristen ANTONUCCIO Norris, of course, was there to toast us as my BFF! My wife, Kat, is the clinical educator for the emergency department at Harborview Medical Center, the only Level 1 Trauma Center in a five-state region. I also work for Harborview and continue my nursing specialization in palliative care. I have started grad school at the University of Washington, getting my master’s in bioethics. Serving as a member of the ethics consult service at our hospital, this is a direction I have long felt compelled to follow. On a recreational note, having given up triathlon due to knee injuries, I am continuing open water swim races and cycling events, and just recently competed in my first U.S. Masters Swimming meet (and didn't do too badly). I am looking forward to more later this year. We need more women in the world of masters swimming, so if you have ever wanted to swim for fitness, find your nearest pool, and look online at www.USMS.org. Come join us! Hey, it would be great to see any classmates finding themselves in Seattle and, of course, see ya on FB!” Barclay KRAFT Stone reconnected with Jessica WILK, who is currently living in Charlottesville, VA, and working with the University of Virginia's women’s lacrosse team. “Jessica called when they were playing a tournament down here in Atlanta, where I'm living. We met for a long breakfast and tried to catch up on what's happened to us in the last 25 years! The last time I'd seen Jessica was my first or second year in college—when Maryland was playing a lacrosse game at the University of Virginia! Anyhow, catching up and seeing her was great! I was so thrilled that she called and we got to reconnect for a while! If anyone else is heading down the Atlanta corridor, I'd love to see you, too!”
Darcy FRANK Mackay writes, “We’re settled back in California after our move back from London at the end of 2012. We recently bought property in Sonoma wine country to build a country getaway. It’s quite the undertaking and will likely end up being our 10-year project! Katherine (6) and Calder (4) love playing in the stream, picking apples, and ‘tasting wine.’ We fortunately get to see Debbie McWILLIAMS McLaren and Ewi MONTGOMERY Shafran often.” Nina KOROS Cavalier writes, “Ambrose received the Sacrament of Confirmation and Marcellina made her First Communion. Augustin is wrapping up 11th grade. I am still working part-time with Sparky in our software development business (www. mibsoftware.com).” Just a reminder that 2015 is a reunion year! More information will be forthcoming.
CLASS OF ’87 Louise Kay CHILDS Woodside 401 South Murtland St. Pittsburgh, PA 15208 weezkay@aol.com Hard to believe another year has passed by! It was great to hear from some of you, so here we go! Greer MUNTER Whalen is still busy with her four kids. The triplets are 6 and Hollis is 10. They all play hockey for the Mt. Lebanon Hornets and the boys also play lacrosse. Hollis goes to Emma Kaufman Camp with Julie BURSTIN Lichtenstein’s boys. Greer is playing tons of tennis and paddle tennis. She sees a lot of familiar Ellis faces when she travels for matches. Alyssa PRINCE’s daughter, Julia, is 13 and just had her Bat Mitzvah. I remember going to Alyssa’s! Hard to believe! Her son, Teddy, will be in the 4th grade this fall.
Jennifer KIM Proske ’91 and her new son, William Wallace Proske.
(R to L) Alyssa PRINCE, her daughter, Julia (13), son, Teddy (10), and husband, Ralph Posner.
Martha RUNNETTE is still at Denver Public Schools as a project manager until her grant expires in fall 2015. She had a great time with other alumnae when Robin Newham, head of school, came to town in January 2014. She still loves Denver after 15 years and would love to connect with any Ellis alumnae. Email her at sourcefulness@gmail.com. Amy SUCCOP Millin gets the prize for busiest classmate! When she is not transporting Craig (15) and Wills (13) to their various activities, she somehow manages to find time to coach girls’ varsity basketball and lacrosse. She is an “avid proponent of girls’ and women’s fitness and health and how a healthy body can support a healthy mind.” She has added boxing to her own fitness regime! She has just completed a two-year term as president of the parents’ association at her sons’ school and will be joining the board of trustees. She also spends time planning and running a cultural diversity film and discussion series that encourages conversation on a range of difficult topics that emerge from the films that are screened. The audiences have grown and the conversations have been powerful. Stephanie PRINCE Wyatt’s daughter, Sloan, is headed to high school this fall. Her son, Drew, will be in 8th grade. She still works at Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta as vice president of engagement and leadership development. She loves seeing everyone’s posts on Facebook.
The 40th Birthday Boat Ride (L to R): Christy Farrell (honorary Ellis alumna and Christy HEITZENRODER Quillian’s ’91 cousin), Elsbeth GILMORE Iannone ’91, Christy HEITZENRODER Quillian ’91, PJ CALDWELL McCarroll ’91, Amanda RUTHERFORD ’91 , and Joan MORRIS DiMicco ’91.
From the Woodside household: my girls continue to love their time at Ellis. Lowrie (11) starts 6th grade and Sara (8) begins 3rd grade this fall. Lowrie is playing field hockey, basketball, and tennis for Ellis. Last spring, she won the most tennis matches for her mainly 5th-grade team. She is also active as an acolyte at our church. Sara loves being a Brownie, playing tennis, and singing in the youth choir at church. I am playing lots of tennis, singing in the church choir, and serving as treasurer for our local chapter of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America. It is an organization of women descended from our founding fathers, dedicated to preserving colonial historic sites, promoting patriotism, and supporting the education of our youth in our country’s early history. I am also serving on the capital campaign committee for Sheldon Calvary Camp. We are trying to raise $3 million for capital improvements to the camp and are over half way there! On a sad note, Hillary VEEDER’s father, Peter, died this year. I saw Alyssa PRINCE and Heather PHILLIPS Burton at the funeral. We also lost dear Mrs. Jenkins and her husband this year. What a great teacher she was! She touched so many lives and prepared us so well for our future education. She was one of the reasons I decided to become an elementary school teacher. Please consider giving a gift to the Ellis Fund in her memory. May they all rest in peace.
CLASS OF ’91 Michelle MAOLA Dialoiso 1253 Glencoe Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15205-4340 mdialoiso@yahoo.com
Many of us in the Class of 1991 celebrated our 40th birthdays this year. Amanda RUTHERFORD mentioned how one group celebrated together. “We had a 40th birthday party last fall in Florida with Christy HEITZENRODER Quillian, Elsbeth GILMORE Iannone, P.J. CALDWELL McCarroll, Joanie MORRIS DiMicco, and Christy Farrell (Christy HEITZENRODER Quillian's cousin and honorary Ellis alumna).” Amanda also shared that she moved to Alexandria, VA, last fall to work for the U.S. Department of Transportation in D.C. “I love the job and I'm still sailing competitively and kayaking when I have time.” She is also very close to Jenn KIM Proske now, whom she hopes to see a lot! Jenn KIM Proske and her husband, Mike, welcomed a son on June 15, 2013. “He was 8 lbs. 8 oz. and 22 inches long and we named him William Wallace Proske. Olivia likes being a big sister and is being a very responsible older sibling. Olivia will be 3 at the end of July and is such a little lady.” Jenn is moving to Gaithersburg, MD, where she and Mike are building a house. She is relocating for Astra Zeneca, where she is “now responsible for in-licensing and new business development for cardiovascular compounds.” Her new role started on July 1 and she was excited about it! Monica NAMAN Boyles writes with big news, “My husband, John, and I welcomed a daughter on May 9, 2014. Her name is Quinn Araxie. She is adorable and fun, and we're overjoyed to have her in our lives. Her 7-year-old stepbrother, JP, is thrilled to have a sibling. I'm taking the summer off from work, and we're looking forward to making some family trips in California while I'm off.” Three Ellis alumnae came to Quinn's baby shower in Napa this spring: Rachel SMERD, Anne BUCKINGHAM, and Sara SUTTON Fell ’92.
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Michelle MAOLA Dialoiso ’91, with husband Nick and son Nicholas at Idlewild Park this summer.
Megaen REILLY ’93 and her son, Chris, at Disney this spring.
(L to R) Sam, Nora Grace (5), Jamie Beth COHEN Schindler ’93, and Josia “Jozy” Schindler (2).
Elsbeth GILMORE Iannone and her family are “getting ready to move from New Jersey back to the California Bay Area this summer. We are sad to be leaving the East Coast, but looking forward to some nice California weather after the crazy snow we had this past winter! I'm not working at the moment, but I continue to do significant volunteer work.” She had a great time celebrating 40 with other Ellis friends in Florida last fall, “looking at old photos and videos of Ellis days.” It’s always wonderful to hear from our class. I continue to enjoy working for The Medicines Company selling in the acute care setting, particularly around cardiovascular medicine. My husband, Nick, and I are building a house in Indiana Township and look forward to moving soon with our son, Nicholas, who will turn 2 in September. All the best to each of you!
CLASS OF ’93 Heather HILLIARD hhilliard01@aol.com Our class has been moving around the world— from Parke WIEGMAN in Shanghai with her husband, Ryan McGee, and children, Eli (10) and Oliver (6), the youngest being too little to remember his time in Sweden, to Danielle SCHADE and her new twins in Morocco. We are a well-travelled bunch! Danielle is taking a bit of an extended trip for the boys to meet her husband, Hassan's, family (her only regret is that her Arabic is still so elementary for this family excursion). We are well-represented from coast to coast to the Gulf, too. I'm still in New Orleans and teaching at Tulane University, but there is quite the gang in or near Washington, D.C. Shanan GUINN is back there (still with BP in communications); Kristie PRANTIL is also there, still working with Marriott; and Cameo COZART-Chance is an ER physician just outside of D.C. (though she actually lives in Maryland, I am still putting her on the East Coast krewe).
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Danielle SCHADE ’93 with her twins, Nacer and Rayan.
Heather FAHEY McLewee ’93 and her husband, Jeff, shortly after their first wedding anniversary at a Belmont Stakes party.
A bit more south along the East Coast is Heather FAHEY McLewee, on the Carolina shore with her husband and three children. She loves being a step mom to three wonderful kids—Grace (12), Claire (10), and Matthew (8). Grace started playing lacrosse this year, and she and Jeff absolutely LOVE watching her play since they both played. Claire is also going to give it a shot next spring, and Matthew is still deciding between soccer and lacrosse. (Can you imagine playing lacrosse or field hockey on the new field at Ellis? What a dream for the current students!) Heading to the West Coast and representing us there, Kathryn MAY McBride is quite successful in work and at home, celebrating her 11th wedding anniversary with Matt, and enjoying their two girls— Ava (6), and Maren (3). Of course, we have representatives in the more central part of the continental U.S., too. Monica BROWN Gurbach is in Ohio, moving back to Cleveland from Youngstown—and has a new baby girl. Aun SUKANICH Holland is raising her family in Chicago—and also has a new baby. And keeping the home fires burning around Pittsburgh for us are Megaen REILLY and Meghan PASTRICK Nese. Meghan shares that her son, Jonathon David, was born June 28, 2013, one day before his big brother, T.J.'s, birthday. She has three children now: Jonathon (1), Emmy (5), and the big brother, T.J. (8). She is the head of the English Department at Burrell High School, where she just finished her 17th year. Have we really been out of college that long?... Oh, goodness. As you can tell, we are on the move—either around the world or into bigger homes with new additions to our families. Remember to keep in touch—our parents especially love the updates and it makes it fun to see the kids growing up. We can all laugh as we wonder which child will think of senior pranks that will rival our class’ ideas! Best to you all.
CLASS OF ’95 Sarah ALTMAN Bumsted 7 Plaice’s Point Rd Pembroke HM 01 BERMUDA altman.sarah@gmail.com Hello from Bermuda! We have launched right into summer over here. Our girls are eager swimmers and we are getting lots of pool, beach, and boating time in. We will do a bit of traveling this summer to see all the grandparents, but otherwise will be here. Eight years after moving here, we still miss our families and friends a lot, but when summer is in full swing, I just look out the window and remember— there is a reason people come here on vacation! Annie (5) is about to finish at nursery school and will begin year 1 (kindergarten) at Bermuda High School, the all-girls school here. I am consistently amazed by the similarities between BHS and Ellis. I tell myself, if she can’t go to Ellis, this is the next best thing! I am really proud to be continuing my strong family tradition of all-girls education. Kit (3) is at nursery school three mornings a week and keeps me VERY busy and entertained the rest of the time! It was a bit quiet for the Class of ’95 this time around, but I was excited to get updates from a few pals. Courtney EVANS Reim has been continuing some amazing work in Uganda. She recently returned from a solo mission trip with Bridges to Hope (www. bridgestohope.com), where she’s been helping to build a small hotel and a self-sustaining educational farm. She also works with two rural village schools. At home, she is an Association Montessori Internationale trained primary guide, working with children 3 – 6 using Montessori's pedagogy in The Montessori Magnet School in Hartford, CT. Courtney writes that while life is very busy, she; husband, David; son, Keegan (12); and daughter, Reilley (10), are “blessed with an abundant life and good health.” You can’t ask for more than that!
Kathryn MAY McBride ’93 and her husband, Matt.
Aun SUKANICH Holland ’93 and daughters, Kaia (4½) and Ada (1).
(L to R) Ava (6), Kathryn MAY McBride ’93, and Maren (3). Cameo COZART Chance ’93 and her two little ones, Kellan (3) and Camryn (6).
Of course, I am more than thrilled to spread Colleen DAILY Simonds' terrific news—the arrival of baby, George, on March 8! She writes that all is well, and John is a terrific big brother. She and the family will spend some time in Long Island this summer, where we will actually cross paths in July! Colleen reminds us that plans for Ellis’ centennial celebration are underway: “It will be a lot of fun and we hope to have a great crowd,” she says. Colleen will be hosting an NYC alumnae event in the fall, so all you New Yorkers, keep yourselves posted for details! Hope this finds the rest of the Class of 1995 well!
CLASS OF ’97 Tomar BROWN 608 Jefferson St., NW, #102 Washington, D.C. 20011 tomarbrown@gmail.com The Class of ’97 is brimming with accomplishments and aspirations! We are setting and achieving our goals—be they focused in the classroom, the workplace, or in the home. Blythe SANFORD Fawcett recently gave birth to Evan Alexander Fawcett, joining his brother, Lucas (8), and his sister, Abbey (5). Stephanie LUNSFORD Panach ’96 is godmother to all three. Blythe has also welcomed to her growing family a new puppy named Millie. In addition to taking on a new OB/GYN position, Blythe’s current goal is to run her second full marathon this fall. Alicia EBBITT McGill started a position as a tenuretrack assistant professor in the history department at North Carolina State University. She was hired to contribute courses in international cultural heritage and cultural resource management for the graduate program in public history. Alicia also teaches undergraduate courses in ancient Latin America and a class on frauds and mysteries in history. “I often think fondly of my history and anthropology classes with Dr. Ellen Bedell and try to embody her enthusiasm and eccentricity when teaching my own students.”
Heather HANCHEK Moss is also sharing her passions as a teacher. Heather teaches marketing classes for grades 9 - 12 at Eagle Mountain Saginaw Independent School District and MBA marketing classes through the University of Phoenix. She recently started training for a fitness/body building competition, with a goal of competing at her first show this fall! Allison BERGER Garcia realized her goal of taking on a leadership and public service role when she was elected to O'Hara Township Council! She began her four-year term in January 2014. Ally says, “It is a pleasure to represent residents and businesses in O'Hara and to make decisions that keep it a quality township.” In addition to her civic duties, Ally continues to work at her family’s real estate business and is the proud mother of her 1-year-old daughter, Ruth. When I was last in Pittsburgh, I met Saskia BERANEK for coffee. She spent the 2013-2014 academic year teaching art and architectural history at the University of Pittsburgh as a visiting lecturer. She spent two fun and exhausting weeks this summer in the Netherlands studying Dutch palaces as part of a program run by a consortium of European researchers. As for me, I spent my summer teaching and supervising law students in the Juvenile and Special Education Law Clinic at the University of the District of Columbia, David A. Clarke School of Law. In precious moments of free time, I worked toward my goal of writing a law review article critiquing aspects of the child welfare system. I was certainly encouraged through the juggling of it all by the news of other Ellis women who were realizing their dreams.
CLASS OF ’99 Alicia KACHMAR 1021 Duffield St. Pittsburgh, PA 15206 aliciakachmar@gmail.com
Molly QUINLIN O’Brien and her husband, Kevin, welcomed future Ellis grad, Sloane, on March 11, 2014. They recently moved to Aspinwall and Molly works in digital marketing for Highmark. Liz KELLER and her husband, Liam Cooney, welcomed their second daughter, Fionnula Mae Cooney, in June 2013. Liz works as the director of Pre-College Art + Design Programs at Carnegie Mellon University and still speaks to Molly QUINLIN O'Brien every day. Aviva ZABLOW Werner welcomed her fifth child in February 2014. Dovid joined brothers, Avraham (10), Tuvia (8), and Meir (6); and sister, Leah (3). She works as a freelance writer and will have her first picture book published this summer. She also teaches a creative writing workshop in her children’s school and oversees production of the school’s annual literary journal, an idea which came to her because of fond memories of Ellis’ literary magazine. Jenna MCALLISTER Gannon and her husband, Bill, had another boy, Maverick Pierce, who was born on June 25, 2013. Brooke GENERETT Titus started a private counseling practice, Generett-Titus Counseling Services, LLC, a year and a half ago, located in the Nuin Center in Highland Park. Regina WILSON is finishing up her year as chair of the Young Lawyers Division (YLD) of the Allegheny County Bar Association. She sees Corrine MCGINLEY Smith ’01 often as she, too, serves on the YLD Council. She also sees Brooke GENERETT Titus often since they live in the same condominium building in downtown Pittsburgh. Sarah JORDAN Rosenson continues to work at Pitt, and she and her husband have set their sights on Ellis’ kindergarten for their 4-year-old daughter, Molly. She’s very much looking forward to being an Ellis girl! Angeline WONG moved back to Pittsburgh a few years ago and ran into Erin SZETO Chan and her family at CMU’s Spring Carnival. Angeline works from home as senior associate, software engineering for Diio, LLC.
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Angeline WONG ’99 with Rubber Duck at its United States debut in Pittsburgh, September 2013.
Courtney EVANS Reim ’95 with her Ugandan students.
The McAllister/Ellis Clan: Front Row: (L to R) Anne McAllister, Sandy McAllister, Jenna McALLISTER Gannon ’99, Abigail McAllister, Nancy McALLISTER ’76, and Judy McAllister (Jame and Jenna's mother). Back Row: (L to R) Margaret McAllister, Maeve McALLISTER ’14, Grace McALLISTER ’08, and Jamie McALLISTER ’96. (The sixth Ellis alumna, Susan McALLISTER ’81, also was a visitor, but left prior to the photo!).
Liz KELLER ’99 with her husband, Liam Cooney, and baby, Fionnula Mae, and Olive.
Husband, Bill; Billy (3); Jenna MCALLISTER Gannon ’99; and Maverick Pierce born June 25, 2013, at Seven Springs.
Mimi LaVALLEY is in Peru working in two EnglishSpanish schools and studying the dual-language acquisition process. In September 2014 she will start her master’s in bilingual speech-language pathology at Columbia Teacher's College. She is hoping her music background can help contribute meaningful research into treating communication disorders, since music helps us all to connect in many ways. She looks forward to working with kids in bilingual NYC schools when she graduates. Kate DAVIS Booker works full time in the family business and is really enjoying it. She and her husband, Mac, had their second daughter, Teddy, in January 2013, 14 months after her sister, Pearl, was born. In addition to working and living in Regent Square, she joined the board of the Regent Square Civic Association as treasurer. Pearl attends Escuelita Arcoiris in Squirrel Hill, where, until her adventure to Peru, Mimi LaVALLEY was one of her teachers and her "best friend." They all miss Mimi terribly and Kate is so envious of Marla GREENWALD's plans to visit her over the summer. As for me, after four years, three surgeries, and too many hospital visits in Pittsburgh, I moved to Philadelphia to attend the University of Pennsylvania for the five-year dual degree Hillman Scholars program for a B.S.N. and Ph.D. in nursing. I am excited to take my decade of bad health and put it to use at the research-heavy, #1 nursing school in the country and begin a new career.
CLASS OF ’01 Shira TOEPLITZ Center 225 I Street NE, Apt. 611 Washington, D.C. 20002 ShiraT@gmail.com Anne CLARK recently moved to Los Angeles for a new job. She had dinner with her fellow Californian Ellisians, Frances CHEEVER, Songsong WANG, and Natalie FONG earlier this year.
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Shira TOEPLITZ Center was married to Eli Center in a September wedding in Pittsburgh, with a ceremony at Heinz Hall and a reception at The Andy Warhol Museum. Ellis alumnae in attendance included Whitney PATROSS, Alice CURTIS ’02, Francie CHEEVER, and Heather GREEN Skurek, who served as one of Shira's bridesmaids. The newlyweds recently returned to Washington, D.C., after a three-month fellowship at Harvard University's Institute of Politics, where Shira led a series of discussions for students on women, politics, and the midterm elections. Shira and her new husband followed up their adventures in Cambridge, MA, with a belated honeymoon to Spain. Life is really, really good. Dorothy HOOVER has been living in Los Angeles for the past five years. Since graduating with her MFA from California Institute of the Arts in 2012, she has been working as a website curator for a startup company, in addition to making art. Her performance art has been seen all over L.A. in galleries and places like Honor Fraser Gallery and Machine Project. She regularly sees Sophie KLAHR, who recently moved to the city, and sometimes Nell COX Yates ’02, when traffic allows her to travel all the way to the west side! Kate CSAKVARY Cooper is enjoying life in her little home in Catonsville, MD, with her husband and cat. She received the Partners' Values in Practice Award, one of Booz Allen Hamilton's highest honors, and one of the benefits of the award was a life-changing trip to Alaska and Victoria, British Columbia. Crossing off one of her top five bucket-list items was thrilling. She recently returned from a trip to Pittsburgh, where she visited family and Ellis alumna Celanie POLANICK ’00. Kate spends her spare time gardening, making greeting cards, and writing a children's book that she hopes to finish before year's end.
Heather GREEN Skurek and Benjamin Keenan Skurek were married in Ligonier, PA, on November 2, 2013. Heather celebrated with Ellis classmates Morgan ZIPF-Meister and Shira TOEPLITZ Center. Heather and Ben relocated to Columbus, OH, where she recently accepted a position as the Vice President of Business Development at Weber Associates, a small marketing firm. Courtney GRATTAN recently moved from NYC to Hoboken, NJ, and works as an attorney at a large Manhattan hedge fund. She got engaged last summer to a fellow "Domer" and will be married in Pittsburgh this fall. Courtney was so excited to be a bridesmaid in Gillian BERNARD’s ’02 beautiful November wedding along with Maret BERNARD—it made for a lovely Ellisian reunion. In addition to the Bernard ladies, she still regularly keeps in contact with Kate QUINLIN ’02 and Tara BAHL. In July, Emilie RONALLO Raczek transitioned out of the classroom and took on the role of early childhood and elementary literacy director for KIPP's (Knowledge Is Power Program) national public charter school network. Then, in November, she married fellow teacher Garrett Raczek in a small ceremony at New York's Mohonk Mountain House. They enjoyed a beautiful trip to Bali over Thanksgiving and are now back in New Haven, where Garrett is attending graduate school. Melissa ADAMS Wika works at JP Morgan Chase, where she is currently doing risk strategy programming. She also volunteers for www.code. org, which helps get young girls interested in computer programming as a career choice. She reports that she still lives in Avondale, PA, with her wonderful husband, Eric. Their first child, Murphy (a dog the couple got together as a puppy in college), celebrates his 11th birthday in July and, according to Melissa, still acts like a puppy. She says they are looking forward to taking him with them again to Clark, SD, for pheasant season in October.
Kate CSAKVARY Cooper ’01 in Alaska.
Classmates meet in Los Angeles: (L to R) Anne CLARK ’01, Frances CHEEVER ’01, Songsong WANG ’01, and Natalie FONG ’01.
Ellis Friends and Wedding Guests: (L to R) Katie O’MALLEY ’02; Tricia STALEY ’00; Molly QUINLIN ’99; Corrine McGINLEY Smith ’01; the bride, Moira McGINLEY ’98; and Susan STALEY ’04. Shira TOEPLITZ Center ’01 on her wedding day with her sister, Ilana Ransom Toeplitz.
CLASS OF ’03 Andreina PARISI-AMON 376 Northumberland Ave. Redwood City, CA 94025 andreina.parisiamon@gmail.com Always staying busy, over the past year the Class of ’03 has been starting businesses, getting married, having babies, and graduating from even more schools! As a small snapshot … Liz CRYAN is approaching her fourth year living in Denver, CO, and it couldn't be better! She writes: “Two years ago I dove full time into my wedding and portrait photography business and it is flourishing! I have the best clients and have traveled all over the world (including many states in the U.S., Canada, Jamaica, and Lithuania!) photographing weddings. I have even had the opportunity to photograph important events in a few classmates’ lives! Last year I photographed Julie CUTRUZZULA Beil's beautiful fall wedding, Marisa JAMES' gorgeous twin baby girls, Isla and Thea, and I'm really looking forward to photographing Lauren HAUSER'S wedding in 2015! My website is www. elizabethcryanphotography.com. I am also teaching a few photography courses at one of the top private schools, Colorado Academy, in Denver. While I'm not working, I'm outside taking advantage of the Rocky Mountains, hiking, skiing, and camping with my boyfriend and golden retriever, Tuna.” Erin O’BRIEN got married on May 17, 2013 in Sedona, AZ. She and her husband, Brian, are now living in Greenfield (just a block from Squirrel Hill!) and would love to catch up with any Ellisians in the area! Anne FRIEDMAN just graduated from UC–Berkeley with her master’s in social work and will start a clinical fellowship at Kaiser Permanente in the psychiatry department in the fall. She’s getting ready to head to Central America for a Spanish immersion course and travel. Still loving California, she is always looking forward to crossing paths with other Ellisians, both in Cali and in Pittsburgh!
graduated from Stanford with my Ph.D. in bioengineering in August. Since then I’ve been living in San Francisco working at Coursera, an educational technology start-up that aims to make high-quality education accessible all around the globe. I’ve also been helping to develop Miss CEO, a small company working to create curriculum and opportunities for young women to cultivate their leadership skills. If you’re ever in the Bay Area, let me know!
CLASS OF ’05 Adrienne L. ATTERBERRY 10 Tucker Court Willingboro, NJ 08046 atterberrya@gmail.com Much has been going on in the past year for the Class of 2005. Amy GOODRICH writes: “I'm living in Pittsburgh and landed my dream job in March 2014. I am working for the Girl Scouts of Western Pennsylvania as a full time camp director for Camp Redwing, located in Butler. I'm so excited to be able to work at a camp year round and for the Girl Scouts. Other than that, I love spending time with my dog Fenway and look forward to moving to Lawrenceville at the end of the summer into a house that I helped fix up with my boyfriend, Conrad.” Katie HELLNER-BURRIS Boatright received her VMD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in May 2013. She has spent her first year out of school as a small animal general practitioner at the Lewisburg Veterinary Hospital in central Pennsylvania. In mid-May 2014, she moved to Grove City, PA, where her husband, Cory, is a professor of computer science at Grove City College. Katie will be working in Clark, PA, at Baker Animal Hospital. Katie, Cory, and their two cats, Lance and Gambit, are excited about the next chapter in their lives!
Meanwhile, Nadia EL-HILLAL graduated from the Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health in June 2014. She and her husband, Yaser, will be settling in Phoenix, AZ, for the next few years, where Nadia will work as a dentist. They are expecting their firstborn this November! And Jessica DEMOISE recently moved back to Pittsburgh from Washington, D.C. She is managing engineering projects to ensure city compliance with the Federal Consent Decree to reduce combined sewer overflows into Pittsburgh's three rivers. She is living above a garage in Shadyside and would love to meet up for coffee: jessicademoise@gmail.com or 412.303.1400. And as for me, I returned to Syracuse University in August of 2013 to complete a doctorate in sociology with a focus on international higher education. I am looking forward to completing my final year of coursework and getting the chance to do more research.
CLASS OF ’11 Natalie HONKALA nhonkala11@gmail.com Tali AIZENMAN spent her fall 2013 semester in Copenhagen, where she studied public health. During her time there, she also visited 12 other countries and now says that she has a serious case of wanderlust! As a result, she continued her experience abroad this past summer in Tel Aviv, interning at a nonprofit. Laura CONGELIO just finished her third year at Washington University in St. Louis, where she organized the return of the club field hockey team and continued her work as a student athletic trainer for varsity athletes. Additionally, she participated as an executive member of the school’s ThurtenE Carnival, in which her sorority built a façade of a riverboat with the help of a fraternity partner.
As for me, I finally defended my thesis and
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Erin O’BRIEN ’03 and her husband, Brian Filer, on their wedding day in Sedona, AZ.
(L to R) Shana LESHKO ’13; Sara Sturdevant, head of fine arts; Lizzie SHACKNEY ’13; Madison KALSON ’13; and Lucy CRELLI ’13.
Heather GREEN Skurek ’01 and her groom, Ben Skurek.
Emilie RONALLO Rezcak ’01 and her husband, Garrett, in November 2013.
Jessica BOPP Dawson ’05 and her husband, Joel, on their vacation in Guanacaste, Costa Rica.
Caroline FERGUSON continues to love life up at the University of Rochester, where she has learned the fine art of being a barista. This past summer she also went to Halfway, OR, with Rhiannon VAUGHN ’10 to sing at the Clear Creek Musical Festival. Nicole JUREWICZ is an education major at the University of Maryland and will therefore spend her next year student teaching middle school math and science classes. Outside of academics, she has continued her passion for dance and served as the president of the university’s Ballet Company M. Norah KARLOVICH studied in Madrid for the fall of 2013 and has acquired a wealth of knowledge about the abroad experience! She traveled all over Europe; one of her favorite stops was Rabat, Morocco, where she explored the Chellah and experienced an authentic Turkish bath (she says she never felt cleaner in her life). For those looking to study abroad in the future, she recommends staying with a host family, not being afraid to speak the language (even when you make mistakes), and being willing to be spontaneous and take advantage of all that’s available! Rabia MALIK interned in NYC and London last summer before studying abroad in Vienna in the fall. She learned to speak German, cooked for herself, and traveled to 15 different countries. She loved Vienna so much, she stayed to celebrate the New Year with her sister, Zaynab MALIK ’12. At Emory, she served on the executive boards for Kappa Alpha Theta and for the student programming council, where she planned a 5K charity run. While also being a tour guide, dancing in the Emory Dance Company, and serving as a study abroad peer advisor, she was inducted into the Mortar Board Honors Society. This past summer, she interned with Prudential Financial in Hartford, CT.
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Katie MATHIESON spent her fall semester in Thailand, where she studied development and globalization, learned to speak Thai, ate weird foods (frogs and cockroaches among other things), and traveled to Singapore. Her time there also sparked an interest in journalism and documentary film, which she continued to develop over the summer by traveling to South America for six weeks with a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting to cover environmental justice issues. She then traveled an additional five weeks with Alana GANZ. Back at Davidson, she is the president of Davidson Outdoors, serves on the board of the Davidson Lands Conservancy, and is the RA of the sustainable living community house. Meredith MILLAR reports that she is happily trucking along at Berkeley, where she is taking classes and working. She spent this past summer digging in a second century Roman port on the coast of the Black Sea.
CLASS OF ’13 Smriti “Aveeka” VATS aveeka@yahoo.com Welcome, Aveeka Vats to Ellis Magazine! Aveeka volunteered to act as class correspondent, and she’s looking forward to hearing updates from everyone in the Class of 2013. Please send your news and hi-res photos anytime to the address above. Erin WEST’s father proudly sent news that during her gap year, Erin has been busy running! She placed 19th in the Istanbul Half Marathon with a 7:07-mile pace from Asia over the Bosphorus into Europe! Erin is also writing for an expat informational website in Istanbul. You can read her articles online at: yabangee.com/2013/11/exclusive-third-bridgeconstruction-photographs/.
LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE GIRLS In a May 31 op-ed published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, alumna Jean YANG ’04 described how Ellis gave her the confidence to thrive in environments where women are often absent. A Harvard computer science grad and now one of a handful of female Ph.D. students in MIT's artificial intelligence lab, Yang wrote: “At Ellis, I experienced what it was like to have no one treat me differently because of my gender … I saw many models for acting both feminine and competent—and learned that I should not need to choose between the two.”
Craig Biel and Julianne CUTRUZZULA ’03 on their wedding day.
Milestones
Marisa JAMES ’03 and one of her twin daughters.
MARRIAGES
Monica BROWN Gurbach ’93, a daughter, Josephine Florence Gurbach, on March 29, 2014
IN MEMORIAM
Rhiana WIGGINS ’85 to Kat Comstock in September 2013
Megan PASTRICK Nese ’93, a son, Jonathon David Nese, on June 28, 2013
Mary ENGLAND Moor ’38 on March 19, 2014
Heather GREEN ’01 to Benjamin Skurek on November 2, 2013
Danielle SCHADE ’93, twin sons, Nacer and Rayan, on September 23, 2013
Betty AYERS Black ’45 on May 10, 2014
Corrine McGINLEY ’01 to Joshua Smith on September 7, 2013
Blythe SANFORD Fawcett ’97, a son, Evan Alexander Fawcett, on January 19, 2013
Anne “Nancy” PATTON Thompson ’48 on February 20, 2014
Emilie RONALLO ’01 to Garrett Rezcak on November 9, 2013
Allison BERGER Garcia ’97, a daughter, Ruth Carmela Garcia, on March 19, 2013
Alice SNODGRASS Beckwith ’49 on August 2, 2014
Shira TOEPLITZ ’01 to Eli Center on September 1, 2013
Kate DAVIS Booker ’99, a daughter, Theodora Beswick Booker, on January 12, 2013
Claire LIST ’50 on March 5, 2014
Gillian BERNARD ’02 to Nathan Woodroof Stovall on November 9, 2013
Jenna MCALLISTER Gannon ’99, a son, Maverick Pierce Gannon, on June 25, 2013
Sheila “Muffi” FOX ’69 on May 7, 2014
Julianne CUTRUZZULA ’03 to Craig Beil on October 18, 2013
Molly QUINLIN O’Brien ’99, a daughter, Sloane O’Brien, on March 11, 2014
Erin O’BRIEN ’03 to Brian Filer on May 17, 2013
Aviva ZABLOW Werner ’99, a son, Dovid, on February 28, 2014
NEW ARRIVALS Monica NAMAN Boyles ’91, a daughter, Quinn Araxie, on May 9, 2014
Nell COX Yates ’02, a daughter, Adair Lee Yates, on December 18, 2013 Marisa James ’03, twin daughters, Thea James and Isla Blake, on June 10, 2013
Jennifer KIM Proske ’91, a son, William Wallace Proske, on June 15, 2013
A Few Words About Photos We greatly appreciate all the photos we receive for the magazine’s Class Connections section. However, to ensure that the images look their best, we need your help. Unlike the small thumbnails or snapshots you might find online or send to a friend, print publications require high-resolution (300 dpi) images. That’s why some photos do not appear in the magazine or why some are smaller than others. As always, our goal is to include as many images from our alumnae as possible. When submitting, please find the original images on your smart phone or camera, and keep those hi-res photos coming! If you have any questions contact the Alumnae Office at 412.661.6796 or alumnae@theellisschool.org.
Marilyn ANDERSON Gilmore ’43 on January 26, 2014
Jessamine PATTON Haff ’45 on March 15, 2014
Helena GILL Blackstock ’49 on April 29, 2013
Penne WEBER ’62 on August 8, 2014
Hello New Employees
welcome to the ellis school
Roberta Brandão, Ph.D.
Diane DiNardi
Jacqueline Fox
Head of Operations & Human Resources
Theatre Arts & Vocal Music Teacher, Middle and Upper Schools
Elisa Hill
Diana Hurd
Orchestra Teacher, Middle and Upper Schools
Design & Creative Manager
Timothy Israel
Cheryl Kotowski
Karin Miller
Photo & Video Teacher, Middle and Upper Schools
World Languages Teacher (Spanish), Lower and Middle Schools
After School Coordinator, Lower School
Ashley Smith
Bayh Sullivan ’02
Kristy Tomashewski
English Teacher, Grades 9 & 10; Dean, Upper School
Director of Admission & Financial Aid
Engineering & Technology Teacher, Upper School
Brooke McLaneHigginson World Languages Teacher (Latin), Middle and Upper Schools; Assistant to Director of College Counseling
Kassandra Wadsworth Science Teacher (Biology), Upper School
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Math Teacher, Middle School
Farewell Remembering
alice beckwith
When entering the Ellis Lower School building, one passes a bronze plaque with a forest green background that states: Ellis Lower School, Alice S. Beckwith Building, Dedicated April 15, 1988. By Robin Newham Ellis lost a dear friend with the passing of Alice Beckwith at her home in Vero Beach, FL, on August 2, 2014. A graduate of the Ellis School Class of 1949, Mrs. Beckwith remained a devoted supporter of the School, serving as an Ellis trustee for a total of 19 years (from 19761995) and as the chair of the Ellis Board from 1988-1992. She was named an honorary trustee by Board President Eileen Lane in 1996. Mrs. Beckwith’s daughters, Kennedy "Kenny" BECKWITH Nelson, graduated with the Ellis Class of 1973 and Kathryn "Kate" BECKWITH Woody, attended Ellis before transferring to and graduating from boarding school; both Kenny and Kate have served as Ellis trustees. Mrs. Beckwith embodied the qualities that define an Ellis graduate—smart, strong, and of exceptional character. Her legacy at Ellis is an enduring one, and her generosity of spirit and resources have helped many young women receive the excellent Ellis education that Mrs. Beckwith so valued.
Alice SNODGRASS Beckwith ’49.
We will miss her very much. •
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The Not So Distant Past Lessons learned on the field—like the value of teamwork, sportsmanship, and commitment; not to mention the joy of spending time with friends and having fun—will endure long after memories of the field itself have faded into black and white.