Ellis magazine | Fall 2015

fall 2015

The Road Ahead

Magazine

Students, Alumnae, and Faculty Explore the World

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Inside This Issue

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1

From My Vantage Point A message from the Head of School.

2

Buzz What's happening on the Ellis campus.

6 Global Impact Three alumnae who are making extraordinary contributions internationally share their stories.

12 2014-2015 Annual Report 16 The Big Picture

16

Ellis is committed to bringing the world to its students and its students to the world.

6

19 Summer Travel Journals Ellis Teachers go global with Classrooms Without Borders.

20 A Long and Winding Road Stacy Sherman has taken a very circuitous route to arrive at her new job as Ellis’ Lower

ON THE COVER

School Director.

22 Graduation 2015 26 A Tale of Two Friends

After living and working in Peru, Dr. Carly REED ’02 returned to Pittsburgh and is now the assistant director for La Roche

Ewi MONTGOMERY Shafran ’85 and Darcy

College’s Office of Global Engagement.

FRANK Mackay ’85.

28 Class Connections 48 Alumnae Scene 50 A Tribute to Elsie HILLIARD Hillman

22 Head of School: Robin Newham Director of Alumnae Affairs: Elizabeth SUCCOP Altman ’70

Board of Trustees: Courtney Muse Chair Andrew R. Watson, M.D., M.Litt.

Vice Chair

Margaret MATHIESON Conver ’73 Treasurer Susan G. Berman, Ph.D. Secretary Janet EDWARDS Anti, Ph.D. ’68 Susan Block Susan L. Brownlee Anita Courcoulas, M.D. Elizabeth HAMMER Genter ’77 Michael Haggerty, M.B.A. Charlie Humphrey Vivian Loftness Blythe JONES Lyons ’73 Kathleen K. McKenzie

M. Robert Mistick James I. Mitnick James Morris Jr. Sandeep (Mike) Nangia Rona L. Nesbit Margot COPELAND Pyle ’52 Amanda SWANK Sauer ’94 Colleen DAILY Simonds ’95 William Strickland Jr. Rebecca Upham, M.A.

Please forward address changes to:

The Ellis School – Office of Alumnae Affairs, 6425 Fifth Ave., 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 Art Director: Diana C. Hurd Photographers: Diana C. Hurd, Eva Lin, Renee Rosensteel, and Joe Appel

From My

Vantage Point Citizens of the World I’ve often heard people talk about the “Ellis Bubble,” both as a reflection of the uniqueness and comfort of Ellis and to describe an insular and protective cocoon from a bygone era.

Times have certainly changed. Although Ellis remains a safe and nurturing place for girls to learn and grow, the “Ellis Bubble” has grown—beyond the borders of our campus, beyond even the borders of our nation.

Speaking of powerful experiences, our own world language teacher and Latin language scholar Dr. Victoria Jordan was recently awarded a prestigious National Endowment for the Humanities grant to take part in a five-week program to study Dante’s Commedia in Siena, Italy.

The bubble now encompasses the entire world. Ellis is fully committed to putting global studies at the forefront of our curriculum. Our alumnae, faculty, and students not only reflect this perspective, they live it.

Meanwhile, in our own backyard, History Department Chair and Global Initiatives Coordinator Dr. Susan Corbesero and Lower School Director Stacy Sherman share their visions for the future.

This issue of Ellis Magazine tells many of their stories.

We start with three impressive (is there any other kind?) alumnae: Jane WOBB Gamble ’81, Dr. Carly REED ’02, and Maura LEWANDOWSKI ’10. Each of these women is making a difference on a global level. Jane is a Foreign Service officer with the U.S. Department of State; Carly, the assistant director of La Roche College’s Office of Global Engagement; and Maura, a Peace Corps volunteer. Their careers and lives inspire us to follow in their global footprints.

As we anticipate next year’s centennial celebration, the future of education is very much on our minds. Here at Ellis, we recognize the importance of preparing our students to act globally, empowering them to take their place on that global stage, and inspiring them to make a positive difference in the world.

Upper School science teacher Samuel Rauhala and Middle School English teacher Amy Sidari write about their summer travels with Classrooms Without Borders (CWB). Dr. Zipora Gur founded CWB in February 2011 as a means of providing educators in the Pittsburgh region with unique travel experiences enriched with rigorous content, scholarly readings, and direct application to classroom instruction. As a participant myself, I can attest to its power.

Warmly,

Prepare. Empower. Inspire. We can’t wait to start the next 100 years. •

Robin Newham Head of School

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Buzz

What’s Happening Around Ellis A NEW TRADITION Every year at commencement, the senior class presents a gift to the School. The Class of 2015, however, decided to break with tradition. Inspired by girls’ education advocate Malala Yousafzai, the graduates opted instead to donate $300 from the senior gift fund to the Afghan Sister School Club. “We wanted to give back to the global community,” Class President Sruthi Muluk explains. “In the words of Malala, ‘One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world.’”

Members of the class of 2015 listen to Sruthi Muluk speak during graduation.

THE POWER TO NEGOTIATE The fight for wage equality is starting early for Ellis girls. In May, 100 girls (ages 8 to 13) attended the Ellis-sponsored Speak Up Workshop on the School's campus.

Organized by PROGRESS (the Program for Research and Outreach on Gender Equity in Society) based at Carnegie Mellon University, the forum addressed self-advocacy skills girls and young women require for success at school, at home, and, ultimately, at work.

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Grade 4 students show off their projects.

ROLLING ON THE RIVER Using their science, art, geography, math, literacy, and technology skills, Ellis 4th graders studied the impact of rivers on people—and people on rivers. During this year-long project, the students were called upon to make hand-drawn maps of the U.S.; create video games that would show a river’s affect on the ecosystems and surrounding communities; build water run-off models, waterwheels, and water filtration systems; and write poems.

ENGLISH HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTEES

SCIENCE FAIR VICTORIES For those Ellis Middle and Upper School students who participated in the 2015 Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS) regional competition, the results were once again 100 percent amazing. For the second year in a row, every Ellis girl entered in the event took home first or second place awards and special honors. From there, six Middle and Upper School students achieved top awards at the PJAS statewide competition while four Middle and Upper School students earned honors at the 76th Pittsburgh Regional Science and Engineering Fair.

This past spring, nine Ellis Upper School students were inducted into the National English Honor Society, the only national organization dedicated to honoring high school students and faculty for outstanding achievement in the field of English.

Inducted from the Class of 2015 were Heather Harrington, Beatrice King, Zoe Merrell, Claire Priore, and Vanessa Thomas. Rising seniors Sanjana Adurty, Lauren Drake, Talia Leshko, and Olivia Muse also joined the society.

CELEBRATING THE ARTS The Ellis School’s Fine Arts Festival, held April 19, celebrated excellence in the visual and performing arts. This year’s bi-annual event wove art, science, technology, reading, engineering, and math into exceptional performances, demonstrations, and exhibitions across campus. In addition, the national Scholastic Art Awards exhibition held this past summer in New York City featured the work of Heather Harrington and Talia Leshko. These two Ellis students received special commendations as well as Gold Key Awards at the 2015 regional Scholastic Art & Writing exhibition.

Student artwork on display at the School's bi-annual Fine Arts Festival.

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Ellis banners fly throughout the world As the School's global initiative continues to expand, more and more students, faculty, and alumnae look beyond the classroom to learn about different cultures. From Afghanistan to Prague, China to Mozambique, Ellis is exploring the world.

Tell us how Ellis has inspired you to explore the world. Go to alumnae@theellisschool.org to share your stories.

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The

GLOBAL

IMPACT

of Ellis Students, Faculty, and Alumnae ELLIS MAGAZINE

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GLOBAL IMPACT Ellis women are known for their tenacity, intellectual capacity, and ability to inspire others to act. Ellis Magazine recently spoke with three alumnae who are making extraordinary contributions internationally. Here are their stories.

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Tôlanaro Florento Chateaubriand Razafindramiaraka Madagascar, Africa.

Madagascar, Africa

Antananarivo Madagascar, Africa

jane wobb gamble ’81 foreign service officer u.s. department of state

Since 2006, Jane has worked for the U.S. Department of State as a Foreign Service Officer and has received meritorious and superior honor awards. She helps Americans in distress, monitors the treatment of imprisoned Americans, aids sick and injured U.S. tourists, and repatriates the remains of those who have died in distant lands.

“As Foreign Service Officers,” Jane explains, “we advance U.S. policy around the world, and our jobs require that we develop an intimate understanding of the countries and cultures in which we serve. The qualities of a successful officer are qualities that so many Ellis alumnae possess: a deep curiosity about other cultures, an interest in international issues, and the love of foreign travel.”

Jane describes her interest in foreign countries as “a bit extreme.” At age 16 she began traveling the world on her own, starting with trips across Great Britain and later Europe and the Middle East. Shortly after Ellis commencement, she flew to Fiji and crewed on a 38-foot yacht to New Caledonia and then to Australia, where she worked for eight months to earn her airfare back home.

Defying expectations, Jane has a penchant for adventure in every aspect of her life. She switched majors and colleges numerous times, studied acupuncture in Mainland China, and lived on an island in the Pacific Northwest running an organic farm. She earned her master’s in urban planning in 2001 from the University of Washington in Seattle and

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Torres del Paine, Chile

Timor-Leste

Monterrey, Mexico

worked in Seattle city government until 2006. Then tragedy struck when her younger brother died suddenly at age 34.

“When Kurt died, my internal world changed forever,” Jane says. “To make sense of that I felt my external world needed to be completely different as well. Through a series of events, I joined the Foreign Service—where day-to-day life is guaranteed to never be the same.”

Jane’s husband, David, not only agreed to the adventure, but decided to join the service as well. Now, the husband and wife team serve in tandem.

The life of a Foreign Service Officer is exciting for many reasons, not the least of which is the thrill of living overseas, speaking different languages, and learning new cultural norms. The job presents some unique challenges. While working as a consular officer in Madagascar’s capital city, Antananarivo, Jane’s primary responsibility was assisting Americans traveling or living in that country.

Late one night, she saved a life.

A local hotel concierge called to say he was loading an 82-year-old American woman, who had arrived gravely ill, in a taxi and sending her to the embassy so she would not die in his hotel. Jane met the taxi at the embassy and sped the woman to a nearby hospital, where administrators demanded $1,500 up front even though they weren’t equipped to treat her. Jane and her team learned that she had medevac insurance and worked swiftly to transport her out of the country.

“Though we had no diplomatic relationship with the Government of Madagascar at that time, we were able, after intense negotiation, to compel authorities to permit the medevac flight from South Africa to

land,” Jane says. “The American citizen arrived safely in Johannesburg where she stabilized and survived.”

Another incident involved a young American woman traveling alone in a remote country Jane does not wish to name. The woman arrived at the embassy reporting that she had been raped by her tour guide. Working closely with local nonprofit organizations and the Peace Corps, Jane quickly organized AIDS, pregnancy, and gonorrhea testing as well as full medical treatment. She also compelled the tour company to refund the woman’s money, and pursued charges against the guide.

Working with vulnerable populations comes with the territory. In Mexico, Jane successfully enabled a number of Americans serving long prison terms for minor drug convictions to enter the Treaty Transfer Program, allowing them to return to the U.S. to complete their sentences closer to their families and away from the dangers of the Mexican prison system.

“They were almost always low-income people who had been caught transporting small amounts of drugs across the border,” she explains.

“These people had no idea that they were being set up by drug cartels.”

Thanks to intensive language training from the Department of State, Jane is fluent in Spanish, French, and Portuguese. To date, she has been posted to Chennai, India; Monterrey, Mexico; Antananarivo, Madagascar; and Rio de Janeiro. For the last two years, she has been based in Washington, D.C., where she now oversees the government’s bilateral relationships with Timor-Leste (formerly East Timor) and covers environmental issues in partnership with Indonesia. She’s happy to be near her 28-year-old daughter, Sarah, a National Park Ranger also based in D.C., who has earned her master’s degree in foreign policy from American University.

How did Ellis influence her career?

“The great gift of Ellis,” Jane says, “is that it instills in its students boundless confidence. We were taught—along with a lot of history, math, and English—that we could make of this world whatever we chose. In my life, it just never occurred to me to hold back my aspirations. And although I fit no one’s idea of a cookie-cutter bureaucrat, I find I am a successful American diplomat living my dream.”

If you are interested in a career in Foreign Service, Jane recommends starting with summer internships at Department of State offices and embassies overseas. Opportunities can be found at www.state.gov/careers. “It’s an extraordinary career for women with an unquenchable curiosity for the world around them,” she says. “We’re able to explore the world and also do tremendous good.”

Dr. Carly REED ’02 and colleagues.

dr. carly reed ’02

assistant director office of global engagement la roche college Carly graduated from Ellis knowing she wanted to live and work abroad.

Her fearlessness and curiosity, coupled with a healthy dose of good luck, led her to a career that has taken her around the world and now back to western Pennsylvania.

“All of us at Ellis are instilled with a sense of wanting justice for the world,” Carly says. “It is not an elite school that insulates you from the world, but a place that inspires in all of us a connection to and awareness of the world.”

After earning her bachelor’s degree in peace and conflict studies from Colgate University, Carly began working for The Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD). The FSD places college graduates and professionals in meaningful internships within local communities around the globe. Its ultimate goal is to initiate projects that will continue long after the volunteers leave.

As FSD’s program coordinator, Carly moved to Puno, Peru, and began matching interns with host families and providing onsite support. She fell in love with the work.

“After Peru, I knew I wanted to remain in international development,” she says, “and I knew I needed more training.”

So she enrolled in Georgetown University’s public policy graduate program. It was while researching topics for her master’s thesis that she found information about female child soldiers in Uganda. This chance discovery set her on a course that changed her life. “Much of my interest in gender and politics comes from Ellis,” Carly says. “For female child soldiers, apart from the horrors they contend with, I was interested in how they reintegrate and live fulfilling lives.”

(Continued on next page)

Jane WOBB Gambel ’81 in Torres del Paine, Chile.

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Pisa, Italy

Pisa, Italy

Puno, Peru

Cinque Terra, Italy

Italy

Columbia

After Georgetown, Carly was one of only nine people, and the only American, accepted into a human rights Ph.D. program at Scuola Superiore Sant'anna in Pisa, Italy. Fully funded by the Italian government, the program brought together academics from across the globe. A colleague there suggested she extend her research to Colombia where, for more than 60 years, FARC guerillas have been recruiting girls as child soldiers. With recommendations from her academic supervisor and assistance from Ellis Spanish teacher and World Language Department Chair, Jack Gaddess, Carly was accepted into a six-month visiting scholar position through the United Nations’ Humanitarian Studies Institute.

In Colombia, she quickly learned that a great deal of research about female child soldiers already existed, but had been published entirely in Spanish. She read voraciously and engaged in hundreds of interviews with people involved in the reintegration of child soldiers in Colombia.

By 2013, Carly was connected to Taller de Vida (Workshop of Life), which provides social services and support to people affected by the conflict in Colombia.

“The young women I interviewed were 18 and had left the FARC, but the average age of recruitment was around 12,” Carly says. “I was struck by the fact that, though many had joined ‘voluntarily,’ their willingness to fight was a reflection of poverty, difficult situations at home, and broken political systems. The FARC rebels were often the only ones providing basic services and a community to these girls.”

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In August 2014, when she returned to Pittsburgh to write about her findings and finish her dissertation, Carly learned that La Roche College's Office of Global Engagement was hiring key staff.

“La Roche states overtly that it has a collective responsibility to consciously and holistically diffuse internationalism through the community and academic programs,” Carly says. "Its mission is to engage minds and embrace the world."

Carly got the job, and more. She was uniquely qualified to help facilitate the college's annual Global Problems, Global Solutions Conference as well as run its two-week summer training program on global development and humanitarian aid. Her responsibilities at La Roche also now include helping students—20 percent of whom are international—connect and succeed at the school and to think beyond the campus. And she successfully defended her dissertation in July.

What’s next on the horizon? She’s working on a micro-loan program via www.Kiva.org through which La Roche students will select and fund small businesses in Latin America. Carly is also introducing freshmen to an immersive exhibition that will enable them to experience the challenges immigrants face when looking for housing or a job. The exhibition just returned to La Roche after a six-week stint at Pittsburgh City Hall. Carly plans to lead a service learning trip to Ecuador over winter break and also hopes to continue working closely with Taller de Vida and support the girls from afar—perhaps with the help of Ellis.

admission dates

Information Session for Galicia,Spain

Segovia, Spain

maura lewandowski ’10

Pre-K and Kindergarten November 17, 2015 | 8:30 a.m.

peace corps volunteer

Financial Aid Workshop

By September, Maura will be stationed in Mozambique as a Peace Corps education volunteer. She chose this country because it will not only challenge her to learn a new language (Portuguese) but to also learn more about herself and her place in the world.

November 19, 2015 | 8:30 a.m.

Maura admits to being drawn to the Peace Corps for what she describes as “purely selfish” reasons. “I spent my junior year of college abroad at La Universidad de Salamanca in Salamanca, Spain, and with the World Learning School for International Training (SIT) in Managua, Nicaragua,” she says. “I could not wait to go abroad again.”

While in Salamanca, she immersed herself in the Spanish culture and language, volunteering in an elementary school as the after-school English teacher. She returned from Spain with a newly sparked sense of adventure that took her to Nicaragua the following semester, where she pursued an original research project that called upon her to interview farmers in the rural regions of Matagalpa.

“My time with SIT helped me to see the world in a more global, less American way,” Maura says. “Speaking to these farmers, I developed interpersonal skills that helped me to relate to people with whom I may have little in common.” Her project prompted her to talk to the people of Matagalpa about their relationship to the government and enabled her to gain a better understanding of the effects of the Nicaraguan Sandinista revolution in their lives today.

She credits her language classes at Ellis for igniting her interest in cross-cultural exchanges. “I loved those classes because they gave me the chance to communicate with a wide range of people regardless of their backgrounds,” she says.

Maura also grew to appreciate the importance of becoming a good global citizen. “Ellis was so special to me,” she says, “that I spend a lot of time attempting to spread that community spirit in each new experience I have. I cannot wait to see where my Ellis-girl mentality will take me next and I am excited to be changed by the people I meet in Mozambique.” •

Open House for Grades 1–12 November 19, 2015 | 9:30 a.m.

Financial Aid Workshop December 1, 2015 | 4:30 p.m.

Open House for Age 3–Grade 12 December 6, 2015 | 2 p.m.

ISEE Testing for Grades 5–12* December 12, 2015 | 8 a.m.

Financial Aid Workshop December 12, 2015 | 8:30 a.m.

ISEE Testing for Grades 5–12* January 9, 2016 | 8 a.m.

Financial Aid Workshop January 9, 2016 | 8:30 a.m.

Open House for Grades 1–12 January 14, 2016 | 8:30 a.m.

Open House for Grades 1–12 April 19, 2016 | 8:30 a.m.

Open House for Grades 1–12 June 16, 2016 | 8:30 a.m.

*Call 412-661-4880 to schedule.

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2014 –2015 annual report

dear friends of ellis, It is with great pleasure that I present to you The Ellis School’s 2014-15 Annual Report. Each year, I am more motivated by Ellis’ mission to prepare, empower, and inspire every girl. Though this past year was one filled with challenging transitional and institutional changes, it was also a year of forward momentum for our School.

Through thoughtful fiscal management and outstanding investment performance, we have eliminated a deficit of more than $1 million. Even more encouraging (as you’ll see in the following pages) is our fundraising progress, which has increased by 48 percent, with a total of $1.88 million raised last year.

As we build upon our many accomplishments across our campus and our community, we thank you for taking the unique opportunity to support the only all-girls independent school in Pittsburgh. Your continued support of The Ellis School and our students ensures our future success and allows us to prepare an increasing number of girls to thrive in school and excel in life.

With warm regards,

Robin O. Newham Head of School If you would like to view the full version of the 2014-15 Annual Report, please visit our website at www.TheEllisSchool.org/annualreport.

2014–2015 annual report

LEADERSHIP GIVING 1916 Founder's Society ($25,000+)

Fifth Avenue Society ($2,500–$4,999)

Anonymous Alice SNODGRASS Beckwith* Patricia G. Burke Margaret MATHIESON Conver Sandy GLOCK Harrington HM Insurance Group Mistick Construction

American Eagle Outfitters Foundation Asplundh Foundation Amy and Michael Bernstein Blue Danube Inc Michelina Fato and Carl Snyderman B. Jean Ferketish and David Thomas Lilah Hilliard Fisher Foundation Google Catherine and Michael Haggerty Abby SHAPERA Oberbeck Delia and Timothy Parks Michelle and R. Mark Rust The Rust Foundation UPMC Health Plan Louise Kay CHILDS Woodside and Nevin Woodside

Head of School Society ($10,000–$24,999) Dollar Bank Foundation Ellis School Parents Association Fownes Family Fund Cindy and Murry Gerber Barbara and Michael Granito Blythe JONES Lyons Patricia and M. Robert Mistick Carol OSTROW The Pittsburgh Foundation Margot COPELAND Pyle The Amanda SWANK Sauer and Russell & Ellen Swank families James M. and Lucy K. Schoonmaker Foundation Valentina Vavasis and Benjamin Speiser

Arbuthnot Society ($5,000–$9,999) Allegheny Mineral Corporation Bayer MaterialScience BP Corporation North America Inc Keith Braho Susan and David Brownlee Campbell Transportation Company, Inc. Direct Energy Business Dawn and Chris Fleischner Catherine CRANE Frankel Kristina and Peter Gerszten Shanan GUINN Frances H. Hardie Elsie H. Hillman Foundation IBM Corporation Matching Gifts Program Eileen HALPERN Lane Marcena WATERMAN Love MC Endo, Inc. Kenneth and Dorothy Mechling Leona and Eric Mitchell Susan SCHUMACHER Morris and James Morris Courtney and Charles Muse Sally RIAL Phelps and Richard Phelps Philadelphia Insurance Companies Carrie LEVINE Schiff The Seattle Foundation Colleen DAILY Simonds and Henry Simonds Simpson & McCrady LLC Ritu Thamman and Andrew Watson Hilary Tyson and Charles Porter Hannah BRUSH Van Horn and Neil Van Horn Margaret CRANE Vaughan and Jeffrey Vaughan

Kentucky Avenue Society ($1,000–$2,499) Marcus Aaron, II* Elizabeth SUCCOP Altman and Charles Altman Bernadette and Richard Ardemagni Gail OLIVER Barrett Elisabeth Bennington and Brad Korinski Susan Berman and Douglas Kress Paul & Dina W. Block Foundation Susan and John Block Doreen Boyce BP Foundation Inc. Bridges & Company Inc. Martha ABRAMS Broderick Betsy HILLS Bush Catharine MELLON Cathey and John Cathey Clearfield-Jefferson Primary Care Associates, P.C. Connie and Donald Coffelt Susan SAYERS Crane* Devon GAFFNEY Cross Paula and Francis Daily Judith and Ronald Davenport Louise MULERT Delafield Carmela and Matthew DiAndreth The Double Eagle Foundation Debra Elkins and Daniel Miller Jennifer LEHOCZKY Elliott Victoria NIMICK Enright Jean DAVIS Falk Luciana FATO First Capital Corporation Nancy CONEY Forhan

Julie and Gregory Forsythe Mary Louise and Henry Gailliot Elizabeth HAMMER Genter and David Genter Glimcher Group Inc Diana DREW Harbison Sally FLANNERY Hardon Ginnae R. HARLEY Marissa and Brian Hicks Charles Humphrey Hudson Community Foundation Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh Lisa and David Keefer Emma GILMORE Kieran and David Kieran Debbie and Frank Kim Stefi Kirschner and Gilbert Schneider Lee WHITEHILL Landes Janet Lee and Matthew Rosengart Courtney LOCKHART Vivian Loftness Jenny RYAN Machak Darcy FRANK Mackay McGraw Hill Financial Amy and Amish Mehta Richard King Mellon Foundation Marla Meyer-Papernick and Stephen Papernick Janet and George Miles Amy SUCCOP Millin Norlene and James Mitnick Molly RUST Montgomery The Muse Foundation Robin and Robert Newham Lourdes Nowalk Marni Pastor Emily J. Peters Diane K. Petronko PNC Financial Services Lisa Porter and Robert Davis Marisa PORTER Beth Prairie and Todd Underwood Hannah and Robert Rierson Donna Rinaldo Nico Roscoe Barbara AARON Rosston Shirley and Murray Rust The San Francisco Foundation Schwab Charitable Fund Olga and Alexander Shabalov Silicon Valley Community Foundation Juliet Lea Hillman Simonds Foundation Heather GREEN Skurek Susan BERGER Smerd and Peter Smerd Anica REED Smith and David Smith The Sprout Fund Susan Stevick Rose and William Strickland Bayh SULLIVAN and Matt Pekar Betty Thomas Margaret EVANS Tuten Susanne and R.J. Wean Karen MCKINNEY Werstil and Rodd Werstil Winchester Thurston School Sarah and Robert Woodings Mary Louise HALL Yates* Stanley and Darlene Zin

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2014–2015 annual report

EITC DONORS The following companies made gifts totalling $181,889 to The Ellis School during the 2014–2015 fiscal year: Allegheny Mineral Corporation Bridges & Company Inc. Campbell Transportation Company Inc. Direct Energy Business Dollar Bank Foundation First Capital Corporation Glimcher Group Inc HM Insurance Group MC Endo, Inc. Mistick Construction Philadelphia Insurance Companies Simpson & McCrady LLC Snyder Brothers Inc. UPMC Health Plan

ELLISIAN SOCIETY 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.

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 Sandra GLOCK Harrington ’64 Suzanne 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 B. 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

FINANCIALS Summary of Fundraising Gifts 2013–2014

2 014–2015

Ellis Fund

$

595,020

$

Capital and Special Gifts

$

503,347

$ 1,250,481

EITC

$ 173,564

$ 181,889

TOTAL GIFTS

$

$ 1,882,180

1,271,931

449,810

Operating Income (as of June 30) Trustees

$ 114,694

$ 93,515

Alumnae

$ 234,302

$ 138,285

Current Parents

$

$

Corporations

$

2,755

$ 16,597

Foundations

$ 40,800

$ 63,853

Grandparents

$

14,438

$

9,495

Former Parents

$

63,793

$

41,846

Current Faculty/Staff

$

10,142

$

7,122

Former Faculty/Staff

$

1,897

$

2,113

Friends

$ 1,844

$ 7,510

TOTAL

$ 595,020

$ 449,810

$ 26,841,855

$ 24,330,219

110,355

69,474

Endowment (as of June 30) Market Value

My teachers and fellow classmates at Ellis made each class, each day, engaging and inspiring. Ellis taught me to speak up when I had a problem, but also to thank others and give back when someone went the extra mile. I give to the Ellis Fund because I want to contribute to that kind of environment.

—Marina LORENZINI ’14

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2014–2015 annual report

JANET JACOBS ENRICHMENT PROGRAM (JEP) TRAVEL GRANT The Janet Jacobs Enrichment Program (JEP) Travel Grant was established at Ellis in 1981 to provide enrichment and renewal to full-time faculty who have given 10 years or more of service to the School. The fund honors Janet Jacobs, who from 1971 to 1986 served as Head of The Ellis School.

Busts at the Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford

Bath Abbey

Tom Tower, Christ Church, Oxford

Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford

Middle School English and History teacher Marilyn Okonak was the 2014-2015 recipient of the JEP Grant Marilyn Okonak with granddaughters,

and utilized the fund to Emerson and Penny.

return to sites with historic and literary significance in England. She shared these reflections: “I was so excited to be selected the Janet Jacobs Enrichment Program (JEP) Travel Grant recipient for this year. I had spent a short time in the Cotswolds 20 years ago, and it had always been my dream to return to England and spend more time touring the countryside.

“I flew into London on July 12, and headed straight to Oxford where I had rented a cottage. During my first few days there I visited the Bodleian Library, Blackwell’s Bookshop, and the Ashmolean and Pitt Rivers museums.

“As I neared the end of my stay, I traveled to York where I toured York Minster, one of England’s finest Gothic cathedrals; walked along the ancient town wall; and wandered through the Shambles, York’s medieval section.

“With my BritRail pass in hand, I traveled to Stratford-on-Avon to see Ann Hathaway’s cottage and Shakespeare’s birthplace and then took a day trip to Bath to see Bath Abbey; the Roman baths; and the Pulteney Bridge, one of few shop-lined bridges.

“It was a trip of a lifetime for me.”

The travel grant program is administered by the Head of School; recipients are selected by a committee of the Head of School, Division Directors of the Lower, Middle and Upper Schools, and the Academic Dean. •

ELLIS FUND PARTICIPATION

100%

Trustees

16% Alumnae

42% Current Parents

9% Grandparents

9% Former Parents

82% Current Faculty/Staff

5% Former Faculty/Staff

ELLIS MAGAZINE

2% Friends

FALL 2015

15

The Big

Picture

“If we really want to face and solve the problems of this complex, multifaceted, diverse, and complicated world, we need a generation of students who are strong in all the Cs: communication, collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, and global competency.”

– Jaime Casap Chief Education Evangelist at Google, Inc.

The Ellis School, it seems, is ahead of the curve. Through its global initiatives, required courses, and international exchange programs, Ellis is committed to bringing the world to its students and its students to the world.

Now, Susan creates innovative courses, such as Gender & Power, and spearheads the School’s global education program. In her role as coordinator of Global Initiatives, she is committed to:

Helping to guide this effort is Ellis History Department Chair and Global Initiatives Coordinator Susan Corbesero, Ph.D.

• f ostering a global perspective to learning in academics, travel, service, signature programming, and leadership

Susan has studied international politics, traveled extensively, and conducted archival research while living in Moscow. After earning an undergraduate degree in international affairs at Penn State and a Ph.D. in Soviet history from the University of Pittsburgh, Susan went on to teach at the university level and in the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for International Studies before joining the faculty at Ellis.

• d eveloping confidence and global competence in girls and young women • b uilding cross-cultural awareness and a commitment to human rights and social justice at home and in the world • i nternationalizing the campus

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Coordina Initiatives

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Ph.D.

Eighth graders make a presentation regarding the global challenges facing Cambodia today.

GLOBAL IDENTITY–GLOBAL CITIZENS–GLOBAL LEADERS “I see a global focus infusing the curriculum, programming, and experiential learning throughout Ellis,” Susan says. “We want our students to have the skills and resources necessary to become leaders in our interconnected world.”

In the Lower School, girls are learning about their global identity and how to effectively interact and explore their worlds. In the Metropolitan Community Project, for example, 2nd graders research all the components that comprise sustainable urban environments, and then design and build a model city. In the Middle School, the focus is on citizenship skills and instilling Ellis students with a sense of global civic responsibility. In the 8th grade Capstone Project, students study pressing global issues in emerging countries and then present funding requests and informed solutions to community leaders.

The Upper School curriculum and programming, too, strive to develop effective and principled global leaders who will thrive in the complex environments of our digital age. Ellis girls cultivate global competence across the disciplines of history, science, art, mathematics, English, and world languages. This year, Susan co-designed and co-taught a new integrated studies course called Global Leadership by Design, which will prepare the entire junior class to become innovative change makers.

In the first trimester, students drew on historical and present-day case studies of trailblazers from different occupations to not only study and identify essential leadership characteristics, but to also create their own models and skillsets to effect positive change.

“As a history teacher,” Susan says, “I love seeing the students distill the essential qualities and attributes of such diverse leaders as Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King Jr, Gloria Steinem, and Steve Jobs and then think about modern-day applications of those leadership styles.”

In the second module, students deepened their knowledge of globalization by taking advantage of the resources of the city and beyond. Students participated in a variety of powerful activities in 2015, including a debate held at Pittsburgh’s Global Switchboard regarding the humanitarian challenges of unaccompanied immigrant children, a lecture at Chatham University about Africa in the digital age, a discussion with an Iraqi journalist on the role of social media in the Arab Spring, and a geography Olympiad. Working in teams and using human-centered design techniques, students also generated and presented a social-action project in response to a contemporary global challenge facing women and girls.

“Our students worked with two real clients—female Kenyan artisans and the Cameroon Football Development Program—and their solutions included educational guides, portable drinking water kits, and e-commerce sites,” Susan explains. “Each team presented its prototypes before a panel of professionals and entrepreneurs working in both businesses and nonprofits.”

Ellis Students Reach Across the Globe For their Capstone Project, Reflections on Global Issues, Ellis 8th graders took on the environmental and sociopolitical issues affecting families in Afghanistan, Cambodia, Peru, and Sierra Leone.

After researching a wide range of topics including access to basic education; human rights; family planning; how clean, affordable water (or the lack thereof) can impact infectious diseases; basic health and wellness; and the environment, the students presented their findings to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Not the Foreign Relations Committee, but rather one comprised of local community, government, and educational leaders including Lauren BYRNE Connelly ’02, executive director of Lawrenceville United; Betty Cruz, manager of special initiatives for the City of Pittsburgh’s Mayor’s Office; Yasmin Purohit, Ph.D., chief diversity and inclusion officer at Robert Morris University; and Erika Strassburger, chief of staff for Pittsburgh City Councilman Dan Gilman.

“I was incredibly impressed and inspired,” Betty says. “This experience awakened me to a corner of Pittsburgh where empowered young women are encouraged to work together—using their individual, distinct, powerful voices—to present thoughtful, results-oriented solutions.”

Equally impressed was Ellis alumna Lauren.

“I’m optimistic about the future, knowing it will be shaped by these community leaders in the making.”

(Continued on next page)

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Charlotte Forsythe, Class of 2016, in Peru. on e Thomps 17, and Hop alia. , class of 20 tr ee us A eg d, nd slan Katie Bra ol in Queen ilda's Scho from St. H

Taking Flight You could say that Ellis alumna Marcie WATERMAN Love ’56 is an avid traveler, but that would be an understatement. Together, she and her husband of 54 years, Norris “Mike” Love, who died in 2014, trekked to more than 130 countries, not to mention all 50 states.

“The highlights of our travels were when we visited with people who were working to assist and empower women,” Marcie shares.

“The problems women face are universal: domestic violence, lack of respect, lack of family planning. I firmly believe that women are moral, ethical, intelligent beings who should be empowered to make decisions about their own lives.”

These issues also infused Marcie’s work as a board member of Planned Parenthood in Chicago and a founding member of the Chicago Foundation for Women.

It’s not surprising then that she recently established the International Travel Grant for the Global Empowerment of Women and Girls at The Ellis School. The funds will enable at least one student to study abroad the summer before her senior year so that she may pursue her own independent project specifically focused on assisting women and girls in a developing country The inaugural recipient of the grant, Charlotte Forsythe, Class of 2016, traveled to Peru this past summer to work with women artisans along the Inca Trail. While there, she joined forces with Novica, an international group that helps traditional artisans and craftspeople build sustainable businesses. During her senior year, Charlotte will present highlights of her trip to Ellis faculty and students.

As far as Marcie is concerned, this type of socially engaged travel represents the best of both worlds. “At Ellis you can be anything you want to be. You do not have to hide your interests or intelligence,” she affirms. “That’s an experience every girl should have.”

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TRAVEL WITH A PURPOSE Susan has established and oversees the new international student exchange programs in the Upper School. “As someone who has studied abroad, I know firsthand how transformational these experiences are for students,” she affirms. “It is crucial for our international trips to be more than just travel and sightseeing. They need to be purposeful, intellectual, and with clear and meaningful cultural outcomes for students and parents.”

In the 2014–15 school year, Ellis ran its first student sophomore exchange with St. Hilda’s School in Queensland, Australia. As part of the exchange, Ellis students took advantage of their surroundings and wrote research papers on the Aboriginal and penal history of the continent, and documented comparative uses of public art in the region.

In the fall, Ellis will launch a new junior exchange with Queen’s College in London, a pioneer in girls’ education. The students selected for this exchange will also engage in a yearlong project on a global women’s issue that has real meaning for the students. In the process, Ellis students will further build cross-cultural communication skills as they practice multinational teamwork and problem solving.

Susan was also instrumental in establishing and designing the Marcie WATERMAN Love ’56 International Travel Grant for the Global Empowerment of Women and Girls at The Ellis School. This generous award funds a rising senior who is pursuing a self-designed independent study abroad project that aims to empower women. The inaugural recipient, Charlotte Forsythe, Class of 2016, recently traveled to Peru.

A new study trip—Towards a New Europe: Global Cities and Voices of Vienna and Prague—created

by Susan with Ellen Bedell, Ph.D., is also planned and will offer students insight into the history of these two dynamic cities as well an opportunity to meet members of the largest student-run global youth leadership network in Europe—AIESEC. When asked what’s next on her list of global initiatives, Susan rattles off an ambitious slate of goals: working with the incoming Lower School Director Stacy Sherman, whose most recent post was at an international school in Guatemala (see story on page 20); building international Internet collaborations in the Middle School; partnering with Ellis Diversity Coordinator Melissa Dodge to introduce the first school-wide global focus; supporting faculty global programming; and creating international internship opportunities for seniors.

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan recently declared that it is through international focus and exchange “that we become better collaborators, competitors, and compassionate neighbors in this global society.” We couldn’t agree more. •

Summer

Travel Journals

Ellis Teachers Go Global with Classrooms Without Borders From Samuel Rauhala, Upper School Science Teacher

From Amy Sidari, Middle School English and History Teacher

“Thanks to Classrooms Without Borders and Ellis, I had the great privilege of spending two weeks in Israel this summer with 20 other educators and professionals. Our goal was to investigate Israel’s reputation as The Start-up Nation, looking at its STEM education programs, visiting research institutions, and talking to business leaders.

“My recent visit to Greece through Classrooms Without Borders was the trip of a lifetime. We started in Athens and traveled north to the beautiful cities of Olympia, Ioannina, Thessaloniki, Kalambaka, Delphi, and then back to Athens.

“In addition, we had the opportunity to tour one of the country’s great modern engineering achievements, the National Water Carrier, as well one of its classical engineering feats, the ruins of an aqueduct at Caesarea.

“Of course, no trip to Israel would be complete without taking in the many sites of religious significance. While all of our outings were thrilling, it was our visit to Neot Kedumim, a biblical landscape reserve, that truly helped frame the trip for me.

This ancient water delivery system connected the past with the day-to-day problems we face today.

“Finally, spending time herding sheep (literally!) provided me with new insight into being a classroom teacher that I will take back to the lab.”

“Along the way, we saw incredible sites such as the Acropolis of Athens, the Parthenon, the Temple of Zeus, the tomb of Agamemnon, and the theater and temples at Delphi, and climbed countless steps to reach the breathtaking monasteries of Meteora.

“We also toured several Jewish communities and their beautiful synagogues, museums, and memorials, and enjoyed dinner at a Jewish Community Center in Thessaloniki.

“The people of Greece were welcoming, gracious, and proud to share their incredible country and its rich history.

“Seeing Greece with 32 educators and students was energizing, thought provoking, and stimulating. Together, we stood awestruck at countless sites, shared many laughs (and some tears), and had great food and wine. I am very excited to share my experiences (and pictures) with my 5th graders.”

A Long and

Winding Road

Stacy Sherman has taken a circuitous route to arrive at her new job as Ellis’ Lower School Director, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. “It is interesting for me to look back and see when and how changes in my life have transpired,” she says. “I have concluded that each moment of life is an opportunity that we may not recognize until much later.”

Although this small-town Michigan girl always dreamed of “going places,” she never thought she actually would. She married and had two children and worked full time as a stay-at-home mom. But once her kids were in school, she decided that’s where she wanted to go as well.

was such a dynamic force in the empowerment of women and has been a dynamic force in my life.”

In 1994 Stacy received her bachelor’s of science degree from Trine University and began teaching 4th grade. “I devoted myself to science and math,” she says. “I wanted to lift students out of their textbooks and into a more exploratory, hands-on experience.” In 1997 she completed her master’s in the art of teaching from Marygrove College.

“I wasn’t sure which was more intimidating, moving to a new country or working with 1st graders,” she says. “During my time there I realized that teaching 1st grade was one of the most rewarding experiences in my life.”

Leaving the classroom in 2001, she took a job helping other educators impart the wonders of math and science to their students. “I really wanted to make a difference,” Stacy says. “I felt that teaching teachers how to ‘do’ science would help to spread the joy of exploration and discovery to more children.”

Then in 2003, the opportunity of a lifetime— in the form of teaching 1st grade at Colegio Maya (the American International School of Guatemala)—presented itself. “The director of the school at the time, Dr. Sherry Miller, On this diving trip, Stacy encountered two whitetip reef sharks.

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So with her grown children’s support, Stacy put most of her belongings in storage and soon found herself living the dream.

Then just three years later, she moved into an administrative role. With some 365 students in grades pre-K through 12, the school serves “third-culture” students (kids who grow up in cultures radically different from those of their parents), primarily from the U.S. and Korea as well as places from around the world.

“Soccer—along with an American education—was the one thing that brought everyone together,” Stacy says. “And kids are kids no matter where they’re from. There were cultural differences, but no cultural barriers. We all came together to play, learn, and solve problems.”

2014-2015 fond farewells

Karen Chambers retired after eight years as director of the Lower School and 40 years in elementary education in the U.S. and abroad.

Beverly Cutruzzula is a creative genius who added fun and flair to every event she organized as Lower School admission coordinator.

Norma Greco has retired after 37 years at Ellis. During her tenure, Norma served as a teacher, advisor, head of the English Department, and academic dean.

Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

While living in Guatemala, Stacy explored her environs with gusto. “I visited villages in the highlands where people still wore the traditional dress of the Mayans; climbed three volcanoes (one of which was still active); and took diving excursions to Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama where I swam over coral reefs and came face to face with grey reef and whitetip sharks.”

Sheila McCREERY Griffin ’66 returned more than 30 years after graduating to work in the School’s admission office where her warm smile greeted many.

After 12 years she was ready to return to the U.S. to be closer to her family and immerse herself in the world of American independent schools. Now she’s looking forward to being a part of Ellis’ global perspective.

“Living and working in Guatemala was a remarkable experience that I will never forget,” Stacy says. “Meeting people from all walks of life and cultures has changed the way I view the world.

“People ask me how I am going to adjust to living back in the States,” she continues. “I tell them how excited I am to share what I have learned living and teaching abroad. My life has been—and continues to be—an incredible journey.” •

I wanted to lift students out of their textbooks and into a more exploratory, hands-on experience.

— Stacy Sherman Lower School Director

Joanne Richardson arrived in 1978 and brought her organizational skills and work ethic to her role as admission coordinator.

Throughout her more than three decades at Ellis, Madeline Richardson worked as the assistant to nine different Heads of School.

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2015

Graduation

As the graduates of the Class of 2015 prepared to begin the rest of their lives, they took a moment to reflect on their experiences at Ellis. They considered the lessons they will take with them, the old friends who will accompany them, and the new friends who will join them on their journey. Then they set out to become the women they are meant to be.

By sending us to Ellis, you gave us the greatest gifts a girl could ask for: an education and the confidence to use it. You took a risk in being parents. Raising kids is a lot like buying furniture from IKEA: the instructions are non-existent, the assembly may or may not cause high blood pressure, and you have no idea what the end product will turn out to be. But looking around at my classmates, I’d have to say you’ve done a wonderful job.

– Sruthi Muluk Senior Class President Enrolled in Harvard

Sruthi Muluk giving her commencement address.

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Class of 2015

College Choices

Allegheny College Berklee College of Music Boston University Bucknell University

Members of the Class of 2015 Members of the Class of 2015 celebrate.

Noori Chishti and Sophia Sterling-Angus.

Case Western Reserve University Davidson College Duke University Duquesne University (2) Elon University Furman University Harvard University (2) Johns Hopkins University Loyola University Maryland Occidental College Pennsylvania State University, University Park Point Park University Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Smith College Spelman College Stanford University University of California, San Diego University of Colorado at Boulder University of Oregon University of Pittsburgh University of Rochester University of Wisconsin, Madison Villanova University Yale University

I hope we let our sisterhood of 30 grow to include many, many others. I hope we become women who treat other women with respect and empathy, who are slow to pass judgment, and who are quick to speak up. I hope you size up other women not for competition, but for potential. And, if the time is right, you let them know that you’re really proud of them. – Sophia Sterling-Angus Upper School Student Council President Enrolled in Stanford

Christina Ambrosino and Molly Bair.

Class of 2015

Academic Awards As part of our 2015 closing exercises, The Ellis School honored graduating seniors for excellence in the following subject areas:

Beth HORN ’95

ENGLISH PRIZE

Embracing change, being flexible in your thinking, adjusting plans when things don’t go as expected, being kind to yourself while you’re learning something new, especially if that something new is who you are and what you want—that is the work of your next chapter.

– Beth HORN '95 2015 Commencement Speaker Retail Industry Lead at Facebook Claire Akers celebrates with classmates.

Heather Sky Harrington* HISTORY PRIZE

Abigail Isabella Furlong MATHEMATICS PRIZE

Wenqin Wang* MODERN LANGUAGES PRIZE

Sophia Grace Sterling-Angus* PERFORMING ARTS PRIZE

Natalie Maria Kandra SCIENCE PRIZE

Sruthi Lekha Muluk* VISUAL ARTS PRIZE

Heather Sky Harrington* SPORTSMANSHIP PRIZE

Beatrice Webster King HIGHEST ACADEMIC AVERAGE

Sruthi Lekha Muluk* Houston Curtis, Dr. William Curtis, and wife Christine Curtis.

HEAD OF SCHOOL PRIZE

Houston Madison Curtis* BENJAMIN R. FISHER AWARD

Sruthi Lekha Muluk* AUGUSTUS K. OLIVER CUP

Brittany Nicole Ellis* THE FATO SNYDERMAN LATIN AWARD

Brittany Nicole Ellis* THE FOSTER ART AWARD

Heather Sky Harrington* VIRGINIA P. STEVENSON AWARD

Heather Sky Harrington* CALLOMON UNDERCLASSMAN AWARD

Brittany Nicole Ellis* * Cum Laude Society Member in recognition of superior academic and scholarly achievement.

A

Tale Ewi (Hélène Marie) MONTGOMERY Shafran ’85 remembers it well—the moment of clarity, the moment that changed everything. But if truth be told, it didn’t start off as a great day.

As part of the final assignment for Robin Newham’s AP art history class, Ewi found herself at Carnegie Museum of Art, sitting in front of a Franz Kline Abstract Expressionist canvas and “crying inside.”

and then considered law, at least in terms of how it pertained to protecting artists’ rights and copyright infringement. However, that idea was abandoned after spending a summer interning at a law firm.

The events of that fateful day didn’t just happen by chance (except maybe for the crying); Robin had a plan. It seems that earlier in the school year, Ewi had declared, as only an 11th grader can, that she thought contemporary art was “stupid and useless.” Robin (now Head of School) wanted to challenge her student to see beyond those preconceived notions.

Instead, she decided to move to Manhattan to pursue her first love: immersing herself in extraordinary art and objects. Her efforts paid off when she got in the door at Sotheby’s. One of her first jobs with the international corporation was in its vintage car department.

“I had to call my mother and ask her what a chassis was,” she recalls.

So, there Ewi sat … and sat, until finally she started to think, not only about the painting but also about what compels artists to create. Then it happened, the proverbial “aha moment” when she knew art history was going to be a force in her life and her work. To this day, Ewi remembers the power of that realization.

For the past two decades (and still counting) with Sotheby’s, Ewi has been enjoying a high-powered, globe-trotting career that has taken her from New York to Latin America to Spain, and most recently to England.

She hasn’t looked back since. (By the way, “Ewi,” pronounced “A-We,” is a family nickname for Hélène Marie).

Ewi went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in art history and French from Connecticut College

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She and her husband, Jake, and their 7-year-old son, Harry, have called London home for the past eight years. Despite being in charge of Sotheby’s Global Preferred client division, Ewi insists she is taking things a little slower, working just three days a week in the office (although one of those days could be in Switzerland or some other country).

“We have planted our roots here,” she says.

“Our life now revolves around our son’s school.

We feel regenerated at having such a young son at our age.”

The one aspect of her life, however, that’s showing no signs of slowing down is her connection to fellow Ellis alumna Darcy FRANK Mackay ’85.

“I don’t remember the first time we met,” Darcy says, “but I do have this memory of Ewi sitting in our morning French class, and Ewi is definitely not a morning person. While the rest of us were struggling, she would answer questions in fluent French. It was all very impressive.”

Just as impressive is the fact that these two women have sustained their friendship over decades, time zones, thriving careers, and family responsibilities.

“We lived in London at the same time,” Darcy says, “and our children are so close. We text constantly, and visit three or four times a year.”

And there’s one other thing that has endured: “I still struggle with very contemporary art,” Ewi says.

of

Two Friends Scheduled in half-hour increments, a typical workday for Darcy FRANK Mackay ’85 starts at 5 a.m.

(Pacific time) and doesn’t slow down until the afternoon when Europe is getting ready for bed and the east coast is thinking about dinner.

As president of CBRE’s West Division, Global Corporate Services, Darcy enjoys the fast pace and constant barrage of challenges. “I don’t like to stagnate,” she says. “I’ve developed a comfort level with change.”

That’s not surprising given that over the past 16 years with CBRE, the international real estate services and investment company, Darcy has steadily risen through the ranks—taking on different job responsibilities and moving to different parts of the world.

She still travels extensively. “I could wake up in New York, London, Chicago, Hong Kong, or Mumbai,” she says. But nowadays, Darcy’s favorite place to be is home—Mill Valley, CA (just north of San Francisco)—with her family—husband, Keith Orlesky, and their two children, Katherine (7) and Calder (5 ½).

Having younger children at this point in her life and an exceptional career is something she shares with her friend and fellow Ellis alumna Ewi MONTGOMERY Shafran ’85. “We have always kept in touch,” Darcy says, “and now our

children are going through the same transitions at the same time.”

One transition that Ewi is anticipating is a wedding between her son, Harry, and Darcy’s daughter, Katherine. Of course, since both kids are still in single digits (age wise) that may just be wishful thinking. In the meantime, the two families enjoy vacationing together.

Darcy and Ewi have made a concerted effort to stay in touch after leaving Ellis and Pittsburgh.

Although they have lived in the same city (London) at the same time, they share a bond that has endured both years and distance.

“Darcy is a remarkable woman,” Ewi says, “very focused, very methodical. She was great at science and math, I was terrible. I think it’s those differences that have made our friendship work.”

After Ellis, Darcy graduated from Harvard University and then went to the University of California, Berkeley, where she received her master’s in public policy with an emphasis in real estate and land-use economics.

Earlier this year, The San Francisco Business Times named her to its 2015 list of the 100 Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business.

With such accolades come certain responsibilities. Darcy is well aware that her professional and personal achievements make her a role model, especially for young women looking to find their way in the world. She’s up for the task.

Not only is she an advocate for her female colleagues at CBRE, she has some advice for the current generation of Ellis girls. Although she acknowledges that the world is a very different place from what it was when she was in school, the hardest part is still trying to find out who you are.

“Take advantage of all the resources available to you, including teachers and friends,” Darcy says. “Ask questions and go after what you want.

“Dream big.” •

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Class Connections A throw-back photo from Nancy EVANS Gruner '43. See back cover for details.

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.

CLASS OF ’49

Barbara MAYNARD Hattemer 6820 Pelican Bay Blvd., Apt. 123 Naples, FL 34108 239-594-7754 barbhat@infionline.net

Friski WALTON Moore heard from Cassie about Alice’s death and wrote that she was “a most creative and proactive gal who did much for our school over her lifetime.” Friski was her husband’s caregiver for many years, but has become quite active again since he died two years ago. She lives in a retirement home in the foothills of Tucson, AZ, with beautiful views of the mountains and the city below and serves on the board of an assisted living facility for elderly poor residents and serves on the University of Arizona's School of Arts Advisory Board (she was formerly on the school's theatre advisory board). In summer she returns to her favorite place in Santa Fe, NM, to escape the heat and will be touring Central America this summer.

Letitia DUFF Dyke shares this lovely note: “The calendar tells me I’ll be 90 on my next birthday, so I assume all the other ’43ers (who are still around) will reach that lofty age, too, if they’re not already there.

I imagine Ellis knows that my sister, Charlotte DUFF McCrady ’40, passed away in November 2013. She had been living at Schenley Gardens in Oakland for some time. I’m still here at Providence Point and love it. All my dears except my darling daughter, Tishie DYKE ’68, live nearby. My oldest great grand graduates from high school next month (June 2015). Wow!”

I just learned from my Smith Alumnae magazine that Natalie AUSTIN Ashmore died last January. The picture that was published with her obituary showed her with a wide, warm smile. When last she wrote, she reported on a very happy life.

CLASS OF ’47

Ann BECKER Egbert sent me a nice note months ago. But her number has now been disconnected, as have those of Marty SNOWDON North and Shirley FOLLANSBEE Reineman. If you know how to get in touch with any of them, please let me know.

Anne NIMICK Talbot is still at Ocean Reef in the winter but she has moved to be with her family in Point Pleasant, NJ, in the summer. She now has four great grands and one on the way and feels lucky to have most of her family near her. She gave up golf but is still playing a little tennis! She says life is exciting, great fun, and very good! Keep it up, Anne!

Sadly, Alice SNODGRASS Beckwith died last August. Cassie COCHRAN Stringham attended her Celebration of Life in Rolling Rock, near Pittsburgh, PA, and urged me to attend a similar service in Vero Beach, FL, in the fall. Marnie RHODES Hicks was also there and recently spoke about how much she missed Alice during her Florida stay this past winter.

Marnie and Harry are both well and enjoying life and will be traveling to New Orleans soon for a vacation.

Sally KENNEDY Fownes is still enjoying the house that Johnny built for her and driving about town while valiantly fighting leukemia. She is taking an incredibly expensive drug that is bringing down her white blood cell count. In spite of unpleasant side effects, it appears to be doing a good job. May it continue to be effective, Sally.

Nancy EVANS Gruner 30 Winding Way Verona, PA 15147-3887 nancygruner@me.com

While looking through old photos, Nancy EVANS Gruner found a fabulous picture circa 1943! It was taken at a party she hosted in her house. See the back page of the magazine for Nancy’s throw-back photo.

Tina RUTLEDGE Edwards is still enjoying living in her house even though she is alone. She is excited that her youngest grandson, Benjamin, wants to be in touch with his father’s relatives in Pittsburgh. She warned him that he might be the only Southerner there, but he likes winter weather and has chosen to attend the University of Pittsburgh.

Cassie COCHRAN Stringham enjoys living in Richmond, VA, where the weather is never severe.

She loves the view of Richmond from the outdoor

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restaurant at the art museum where she recently saw a marvelous exhibit of the flower paintings of the Impressionists. She also enjoys attending the meetings of the Colonial Dames.

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I have had a very eventful year. After a thrilling trip though New England following The Great Awakening before the American Revolution with grandson, Noah, and his mother, Bob and I took a six-week trip

(L to R) Peggy CRANE Vaughan ’79, Nellie Lou JAFFE Slagel ’55, Sally FLANNERY Hardon ’55, and Cathy CRANE Frankel ’82 together at the Susan SAYERS Crane ’55 memorial event.

Julia MATHEWS Trelease ’55 (second from right) in the Des Plaines Independence Day Parade.

Bob and Barbara MAYNARD Hattemer ’49 hiking among the glacial stones on the South Island of New Zealand.

through New Zealand and Australia to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. Definitely the trip of a lifetime! Hiking on the South Island at its Wilderness Lodges, being caught in an unseasonal snowstorm on Milford Pond, and swimming on Hamilton Island near Australia’s Great Barrier Reef were definitely our favorites.

As soon as we returned, we found a very nice apartment about a mile from our home and I have been downsizing ever since. We have stayed in Pelican Bay to continue playing tennis. I am also traveling around Florida to give my testimony to Christian Women’s Clubs and sell my books. I hope to finish the sequel of An Island Just for Us this summer in Maine.

CLASS OF ’55

Dede WEIR Wills 2708 Saint Christopher Circle Manhatten, KS 66502 Dedewills@sbcglobal.net Julia MATHEWS Trelease shares: "My kids came to see me in early July; first, Charity and Nick, and then after the Fourth, Justin, Heather, and the boys. We were all quite busy for the few days they were here.

In between their visits, I was part of the DAR entry in the Des Plaines Independence Day Parade, riding in a 1948 Chevy pickup—what fun! In August, Dede WEIR Wills flew in from Kansas with her daughter so we all could attend the Arlington Million, Illinois’s big horse race run at Arlington Park, not far from my condo. It was very hot, but exciting!” Julia also wrote, "Having a few health issues (aren’t we all?) but hanging in there. And I hitched a ride with a friend to Denver this May and had a lovely visit with Justin, Heather, and the boys. Sam is almost as tall as Jacob now, both of them about 6 feet. How did that happen?”

Sally FLANNERY Hardon and husband, Clay, are planning a second Viking Cruise. Last time they took it from Russia; this time they are taking it from Germany.

Susie SAYERS Crane's memorial on June 7 at Ellis was very meaningful and beautiful! A lot of family, school staff, classmates, and friends attended. The classmates were Sally FLANNERY Hardon, Nellie Lou JAFFE Slagle, and Ginny GANTNER Barnett.

Friends and family had many meaningful things to say about Susie. A lovely reception was held after the service. Susie will be so very missed by everyone who knew her.

I have enjoyed keeping in touch with Judy BEALL Young, Ginny GANTNER Barnett, and Toni HORNING Nelson so very much. Everyone, please keep in touch and God Bless!

CLASS OF ’59 Polly FOSTER Mullins 5421 Kipling Rd. Pittsburgh, PA 15217 gnatmoon@me.com

Dear classmates, thanks for your responses to my email this spring! It seems like folks are coasting along in our 74th year, resting up for 75!

My first news email came from Abigail BAYLES Wiebenson. “Stephen and I had interesting trips to Brazil at Christmas and to Cuba in February for a cultural exchange with 28 friends from the chorale group that we sing in. Son, Sam, and his wife, Meg, are expecting their first child in July.” Abigail still works as a leadership coach. In June, she came to Pittsburgh on business. Ellen Jane McCASLIN

Srodes and I entertained her for dinner in my garden—lots of interesting, stimulating conversation!

Ellen Jane McCASLIN Srodes writes that she’s singing a happy tune, spending more relaxed time with Carl and enjoying her grandchildren. Her oldest grandson, Christopher, will attend the University of Richmond in the fall. The Srodes spend family time at Ross Mountain on many weekends—a great chance for the generations to get together!

Louise SCOTT Moore sent news that she’s traveled recently to Costa Rica and St. Lucia. The best part of traveling, she says, is experiencing the different cultures. St. Lucia was wonderful with the influences of the French, English, and Canadians! She’s also still very involved in the Brunswick County Animal Services. She trains, socializes, and helps to place rescued dogs. This summer is busy with children and grandchildren. Two daughters live in Cleveland, one in Columbus, and her fourth daughter is in Atlanta.

They and Louise’s five grandchildren love making visits to her beach house in Ocean Island, NC. Gerry EVANS Tuten announced that she has two new members in her family. “Both daughters had baby boys four months apart: Daniel Evans Welch and William Gray Kuhnmunch.” John became a senior judge in Pennsylvania this spring. Gerry continues to paint full time with current exhibits in NYC and Southern California.

Jean BABCOCK Harbeck and her family gathered in Cape Cod in June to celebrate Jean and Tom’s 50th wedding anniversary. During the summer, Jean and Tom will spend time with their extended family at their lodge near Johnstown, PA.

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(L to R) Dede WEIR Wills ’55 and Julia MATHEWS Trelease ’55 with their daughters, Beth Davis and Kay Clark, at the Arlington Million Race in Illinois.

Vito and Pat TERRELL Mutolo ’59 and the Mutolo Family Christmas Wave.

(L to R) Son, Alex; Carolin KIRKPATRICK Dick ’65; husband, Mac; daughter and son-in-law, Eliza and Kevin Lochner; and granddaughter, Lexi (2).

The Mullins Family in Sandestin, FL: Back Row: (L to R) Polly FOSTER Mullins ’59, Polly Farnsworth, Dave Farnsworth, Alex Lipsen, Wellsy Farnsworth, Brian Mullins, and Sarah MULLINS ’88. Front Row: (L to R) Will Farnsworth, Willa Lipsen, and Ollie Lipsen.

Mary Louise MEYER Dyer and I spent several days together in Ligonier in April. We had planned a year ahead to meet our college roommates for a three-day reunion. Lots of walks and talks and good food, too! Now, Mary Louise and Ralph are looking forward to their daughter, Louise, and her family moving back to this country after four years in Singapore! The Meyer Dyer family will also gather this summer at Ross Mountain in August.

Penny PORTER Meyer went to the Galapagos Islands during this past winter. Their guide was excellent and taught them about the flora and fauna as well as the history, geology, and economics of the area. Beautiful memories for her to share with her growing family, who gather each summer at Ross Mountain, too.

I am thrilled to celebrate our grandson, Will’s, graduation from Winchester Thurston School (who would have guessed that our rival school would be graduating boys?) and acceptance to the University of California’s Cinematic Arts School in the fall! He hopes to be a screenplay writer. Our children, their spouses, and grandchildren spent Christmas with us in Sandestin, FL. A lovely sunny, warm vacation with the Mullins clan!

CLASS OF ’65

Carolin KIRKPATRICK Dick 1105 Westview Way Ann Arbor, MI 48103 A2carolin@gmail.com From Pam PROPST Campbell: “Of course, the main thing we want to do is get EVERYONE to come to the reunion! Susan DICKEY Gilmore and I had dinner with Nancy WANDERER and her partner, Susan Sanders, Molly RUST Montgomery, and Carol

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RANSON O'Keefe about a month ago. We had great fun and made many plans, all of which are subject to change, except the dates October 9 and 10. The Alumnae Office will assign us 4th grade pen pals, whom we’ll get to meet after the Milestone Luncheon on Friday. Dinner Friday night will be at Susan's. One idea for Saturday is a tour of Clayton, the Frick family house in Point Breeze. Then we could go to lunch or tea somewhere. As for dinner, that is still up in the air.

Molly suggested we go to her restaurant, Hartwood; Susan offered to have us again; we are open to suggestions. We all have empty beds, so let us know if you want a place to stay. First come, first served.

Please feel free to email Pam or Susan at alldir@earthlink.net.”

Carol RANSON O'Keefe writes: “I retired in February after 29 years of nursing! Now, I am busy preparing to sell my house so I can move back to California to be nearer to my granddaughters, son, his wife, and my daughter! It will be nice to be closer to my granddaughters and to help my son and daughter-in-law with them. I hope to be moving to the Thousand Oaks area of southern California. I am also preparing for my trip to Israel and Rome later this month. I have wanted to go to the Holy Land for a long time! Hopefully, I will be back for Reunion in October.”

Joan SLESINGER Logghe says: “I am teaching poetry every fall at Santa Fe Girls' School, my 15th year, and I love that I get to work with 6th, 7th, and 8th graders all semester. I also teach at Ghost Ranch Education and Retreat Center and privately. One wonderful meeting was at the Española Valley Fiber Arts Center where I met Ellis alum Jessica JOSEPH ’88. We had the tiniest reunion ever, and felt like we'd each found a long lost friend. Hope, Leland, and Kaleia (age 2!) are moving to Pittsburgh for a Ph.D. program at Duquesne, so it feels pretty full circle right now.”

Nancy WANDERER reports: “In March, my partner, Susan, and I stayed at Susan DICKEY Gilmore's for four days while visiting friends in Pittsburgh.

We enjoyed a delicious dinner with the reunion committee at Molly RUST Montgomery's wonderful restaurant, Hartwood.”

From Carolin KIRKPATRICK Dick: “In August, we are expecting a grandson who will join his big sister close to her second birthday. They live in San Francisco, so a great place to visit. We all gathered in San Diego last October when Mac received the American Academy of Pediatrics Cardiology Section’s Founder’s Award. Planning on attending our 50th!”

CLASS OF ’67 Markie HUNSIKER 5705 Nevada Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20015 bonsaimark@yahoo.com

Etta WARMAN writes that she is retiring after 32 years of practice, the last 10 as Taylor County Texas ADA. “My four Buff Orphingtons drift around my yards like beautiful lawn decorations. They go behind the hedge and lay eggs every day. We've had enough rain to enjoy a gorgeous spring here in West Texas. Best to all my schoolmates.”

Sukie PROPST Honeycutt opened up a second wine shop in Naples, FL, in November. She says, “It has been very successful, as it is the only independent wine shop in a four-square-mile area and the neighborhood is large and densely populated. I attached to it a private dining room called The Vintners Room, which has a handcrafted fruitwood table that accommodates up to 18 guests.

In the height of our season it was booked five to six nights a week.” Sukie is looking forward to some

(L to R) Son, Jake; Nancy ZUKERMAN Liscow ’71; and husband, Andy, on the Intercoastal Waterway in west Florida.

Joan SLESINGER Logghe ’65 and her daughter, Jessica.

down time, including a return visit to Cape May. Last year, she hosted a wonderful 65th birthday celebration with all of the Propst and Hunsiker sisters. We look forward to seeing her again this July.

Jeanne JOHNSON Thompson is renovating her house in Tucson, AZ, and is starting an e-commerce antique store to sell her east-coast inherited/ collected antiques. “If classmates could go to the site and ‘like’ something or follow my boards on Pinterest, it will start creating some buzz, drawing people and the search engines to the store. I'd be happy to give a ‘family’ price, and classmates might mention it to other friends looking for wedding or holiday presents.” Here are the links: store: store.nestinginthedesert.com blog: nestinginthedesert.com email: minn@nestinginthedesert.com Sydney FRYMIRE has big news. Five years ago she started a business, The Trek of Your Life, by combining her professional skills and experience as a therapist and certified life coach with her passion for trekking. She sponsors service-oriented group tours to Nepal, where people can pursue both their inner and outer journey while serving others. “My goal was and continues to be to help guide fellow travelers as they seek meaning and purpose in their lives by engaging them in global causes,” she says.

Here is her website: www.thetrekofyourlife.com.

Barbara BLOCK is moving back to Pittsburgh from Marin, CA. “I'm really looking forward to our ever-changing city, living in Highland Park, and being close to my niece and daughter. Also looking to sing and perform. Back to auditions!”

In Pittsburgh, Julie RENZ is fine and busy with classes at the University of Pittsburgh’s Osher

(L to R) Louise DEBOR ’73, Jeff Markel, and Carol ROBINSON ’73 at the entrance to Sydney Harbor, Australia.

Lifelong Learning Institute—fun non-credit classes.

“This time of the year my garden is taking a lot of my time. I really enjoy it, but it is a lot of work. I am traveling some to see friends. I went to Florida in February, which was fun, and then it’s Chattanooga in October to see the Smoky Mountains.”

CLASS OF ’71

Markie HUNSIKER continues to travel for fun. This past year, she went to Switzerland, France, Spain, England, and, of course, to Cape May as she does every July and September.

I continue to live in Pittsburgh. Our son, Michael, lives in Maryland and got married last October, which was exciting. Our oldest daughter, Kristen, is a mental health therapist in Pittsburgh. She and my granddaughters, Sarah (7) and Leah (5), live with me presently. The youngest, Bethany, is living in Nevada City, CA, where she works as a naturalist at an outdoor school. My husband, Jim, was transferred to Georgia by Westinghouse two years ago, so we are experiencing a long distance marriage with three years to go. Interesting! I retired from social work and am enjoying being a fulltime ‘Gaga’ to the girls now.”

Get ready. It is not too soon to start thinking about celebrating our 50th Reunion in 2017. Thanks for your news.

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.

From Judy ROTHENBERG: “I still live and work in the Bay Area. My daughter, Vera, graduated from the University of Oregon in 2012. Her twin sister, Nadya, graduated from the University of California at Santa Cruz in June 2014. Both live and work in Portland, OR. My husband retired last year, but I still have some years left to work. Heard from Meera AGARWAL Thompson after I emailed her about her show in NYC. She is thinking about coming to our 50th Reunion. I just don't understand how so many years have passed. We have a spare room if you are ever out in the Bay Area.”

Meryl RECTANUS Thomas 384 Whittier Dr. Pittsburgh, PA 15235 ptaqueen@hotmail.com

I also keep in touch with Betsy HAVERSTICK Pugh who is in Jacksonville, FL. She has retired from the insurance business and loves being a grandmother.

Marylee ROBERTS Newman writes that she is remarried and has been in the Philadelphia area the past four years after spending several years in Colorado. She continues to work as a healthcare consultant for electronic medical record implementations. She has two grown sons and two grandsons, ages 3 years and 10 months, by her son, Teddy, and his wife, Ashlie. They live in Maryland where he is a co-owner of a welding design company. Her son, Philip, is on Capitol Hill and has been promoted to a legislative assistant in the U.S. Senate at the age of 26.

Valia OLIVER Jackson shares that she and her husband are in Memphis where he is an art professor at the university. She retired several years

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(L to R) Susan CREIGHTON ’75, Judy COHEN Callomon ’54, and Karen KRIEGER ’75 at Libations in the Library.

Rachel GAFFNEY Dyer ’75 with her husband, Rick.

ago from being an art teacher. Their daughter is a graduate student at Columbia and they enjoy going to visit her. Some of you may remember that her mother, Mary Oliver, was a math teacher at Ellis!

It was great to hear from Nancy ZUKERMAN Liscow, too. She is in Cincinnati part of the year, and in the cold weather goes to their home in Venice, FL. See how smart she is! Her husband, Andy, travels back and forth to run Cincinnati Preserving Company. Their son, Jake, is in Seattle finishing a consulting job regarding the implementation of hospital digital health-care records. (Gee, working with Marylee?)

Carolyn HIRT Salzman writes: “My news is simply that I continue to live in New York City with my husband, Jeffrey. We have been together for 36 years and still get a kick out of one another. Our sons are grown and living on their own. Nick is finishing up his third year as a management consultant in D.C. and will start business school in NYC in the fall. Ben is living and working in Tucson. I am head of school at The Gateway School, a K–8 school for boys and girls with learning differences, and loving it. We come to Pittsburgh every so often to visit family (Richard and Carly Reed). When there, I never fail to drive by Ellis.”

The Alumnae Office sends word from Sandy HAZLETT: “I live on a farm in Lawrence, KS. I manage the farm, which includes chickens, organic vegetables, an extensive orchard, and pastureland rented to a cattleman. Always something to do! I am also very active in the writing community. I have a small book of poems coming out in the next week or two called The Prom Dress Room. It is a collection of nine illustrations and poems about the prom dresses I "curated" in a local thrift shop. The poems speak of each young woman who wore the dress, who she is, and what her life became. I published it as a

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fundraiser for the thrift shop. In a few weeks you will be able to find it on Amazon and even as an e-book.

It would be a lot of fun to come back to Ellis and read it at an assembly or in an English class. Hope all of you are well and happy. Much love and fond memories (even of the not so fond memories!).”

It was great to hear from you and I hope to hear from even more in the future. Feel free to email anytime and I will try to hold onto info. Not sure how we got to the 60s already, but hope everyone is enjoying the stage of life we are in now. Take care and please write!

CLASS OF ’73

Carol OSTROW 22 East 95th St. New York, NY 10128-0702 carolsusanostrow@gmail.com It was incredible to hear from so many classmates this go-round. Here is our news: Carol ROBINSON and husband, Jeff Markel, journeyed to Australia and New Zealand for three weeks in March. While there, they spent an afternoon enjoying Sydney with Louise DeBOR. “We tasted several Sydney food specialties and beers at Louise’s suggestion. It certainly was fun catching up on over three decades of history,” Carol says. “We look like we are having a very bad hair day in our photo. But actually it was the wind!” (See photo on page 31.)

Madeline Louise DeBOR confirms that the visit was fun and it was a blustery day. In addition, she adds her own news from Down Under. “Had two wonderful trips with Carol OSTROW to NYC—my

home away from home—in the summer of 2014 and again in early 2015. Enjoyed time in the Hamptons at Carol’s beautiful Sag Harbor house both in summer and winter with her family and friends, very special and a real treat! Cannot say I miss the winters considering I was caught in two of the snow storms NYC had in early January but we had a snow day which was fun! I also had some great visits during my time in NYC with classmates Peggy LAMPL Elkind and Blythe JONES Lyons, as well as a short trip to Chicago where I visited with Nancy WASSERMAN Hoyt ’72. Great to catch up on all things past and present and I remain thankful for so many rich friendships. Sydney is growing by leaps and bounds with the population heading to five million, so it is busier than ever. I continue to work in hospitality with challenging projects that keep me on my toes. My son, Jordan, is now living in Brooklyn, working for VICE Media, the growing digital media giant, and not soon to return to Sydney. But you, our Ellis classmates, are all more than welcome to visit.”

Continuing the chain, Peggy LAMPL Elkind adds, “I was very fortunate to be able to go to New York to hook up with Carol OSTROW and Louise DeBOR just after New Year's. It was so great to see them both. Carol walked us through the new Flea Theater space, while it was under construction and that was a real treat. I continue to speak with Mary HUNSIKER Fritz several times a week and she and her family are doing very well. I am also in touch with Nancy SHAPERA Barbach, and via Facebook Cici EGAN, Eva PATTERSON, Peggy MATHIESON Conver, and a few other classmates. My husband, Dave, and I are getting ready to be empty nesters as my daughter, Emma, goes off to Virginia Commonwealth University at the end of August.

“We are planning a trip to Iceland this summer,” she continues, “and have had several nice trips lately. We just returned from New Orleans where

Annamaria FATO ’79 and Mary Jane CURRY ’79 in Zurich (a reunion 39 years in the making).

(L to R) Paul Oberbeck; Cooper (20); John (22), the graduate; and Abby SHAPERA Oberbeck ’79.

(L to R) Golfing friend Brandan, Allison STEELE Lang ’75, Lissa WRIGHT Hazel ’75, and Johnsie SCOTT Irwin ’75.

we attended the Jazz Fest. I was in Nova Scotia for my annual trip to visit my dad. Unfortunately, that was our last one. After 12 years he decided to sell his summer home. His home on the ocean provided many wonderful memories for all of us. Dave and I had a fabulous Thanksgiving on the Mayan Riviera in Mexico. Just think what we can do once all the kids are gone! I am not officially working, but am very involved in several charity organizations. I am on the gala committee for the National Brain Tumor Society fundraiser event being held at Hickory Hill in May (the former home of Ethel and Bobby Kennedy). I am also active in several green and resiliency organizations, so I am keeping very busy.

I hope everyone is well as we continue in these sandwich years.”

The most surprising message came from Diane Blancett-MADDOCK, “ALOHA. We're living in Paradise enjoying everything our 50th state has to offer.”

Blythe JONES Lyons also has news. “I’m spending more time than usual in Pittsburgh working on Ellis matters. It is just great being around campus, seeing my mom more often, and visiting my son and daughter-in-law, who live in Pittsburgh—actually, on Wightman, my old street. Can't make these things up! Loved seeing Louise DeBOR in NYC, if ever so briefly, and hope I helped her think harder about moving back to the states, fingers crossed. We took the huge step of downsizing by moving into a condo in Georgetown and we are not looking back. A more urban lifestyle and the ability to shut the door and head out of town are making us feel younger.

Speaking of that, many of us are turning the corner on the 50s. Sixty is the new 40—that's my story.

Happy Big Birthday to the class of ’73.”

And from Peggy MATHIESON Conver, “It's nice to know I'm not the only crazy one out there. I just

went back to work full time filling in for a business manager who is ill. The school is a small PK–8 in Princeton, NJ, a mere hour away from home.

The funny thing about schools is that the job of running them is pretty much the same regardless of size—just the number of people who want to be involved in decisions changes. I'm still active on the Ellis Board working with Blythe JONES Lyons to bring the ‘outside of Pittsburgh’ point of view.

It still is all about the girls and, wow, what they are accomplishing is amazing.

“Robin Newham, Head of School, was just in Philly and a group of Ellis alums got together for dinner,” she continues. “Diane Blancett-MADDOCK was there and it was wonderful to see her. She's taken her legal training and love of music and art and combined them to become the executive director of a foundation. In addition to my Ellis gig, I'm also on the board of the Philadelphia School for the Deaf, and the Squam Lake Natural Science Center up in NH, as well as my old Gilbert & Sullivan group, The Savoy Company. Too many meetings by half! Our daughter, CC, is a junior at Colorado State studying equine science. She's coming down the home stretch trying to avoid the ‘what's next’ question. We know she'll find something grand, probably a million miles from home and involving all sorts of animals, but we hope it'll be someplace fun to visit.”

Lastly, it's been a year of tremendous work for me.

The Flea Theater announced a new artistic leader and we are deep into the construction phase of a brand new three-theater performing arts facility in lower Manhattan. Bette BLUMBERGER Saltzman is sometimes in the audience of The Flea and I always enjoy reconnecting. My eldest received her M.F.A. in creative writing from Texas State University and my youngest, his B.A. from Vassar College in the spring. We have a breather in higher education until our middle goes off to law school next year.

Our other eldest is an editor at Simon and Schuster.

Renovation continues on our 150-year-old captain's house in Sag Harbor and I am happily looking forward to joining the boards of Vassar College and the MacDowell Colony this fall. Thanks and more to all of our Ellis classmates who do keep in touch and best wishes to our entire group.

CLASS OF ’75 Betsy HENSHAW P.O. 794 Camden, ME 04843-0794 echenshaw@gmail.com

Betsy CHODER writes that she had the absolute pleasure of seeing Allison STEELE Lang and her gorgeous daughter while they were touring colleges in Atlanta. She writes that Allison has not "aged" in the last 40 years!

Susan CREIGHTON is moving after 18 years in her house. She is wondering how she collected so much stuff and recommends moving while we are still "young!” She will be moving into a newly renovated townhouse. Susan recently met up with Karen KRIEGER and Judy COHEN Callomon ’54 at an alumnae event in the Ellis library.

Rachel GAFFNEY Dyer writes that she and her husband, Rick, have been living in all parts of the world. Rick works for the foreign service. They have lived in Sweden and Tajikistan for the last couple of years. Currently, Rachel is living and working in Portland, OR, while her husband is working in Iraq for the next 18 months. They are able to do the "long-distance" marriage thing, thanks to Skype.

Fortunately, Rick gets a lot of time off, so they see each other pretty often. They are planning a trip to

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(Top to Bottom) Dave Farnsworth, Sarah MULLINS ’88, Amy MULLINS ’83, Polly Farnsworth, Ollie Lipsen, Wellsy Farnsworth, and Willa Lipsen.

(L to R) Olivia Wheadon (12), Ann WYCOFF ’81, and Mark Wheadon.

Deborah CHAPMAN Edwards ’81 on the Nile River in Aswan, Egypt.

Bosnia this summer. Rachel works for a software and database company in Portland.

Sheri ONQUE Eastman sadly lost her father last April after a long battle with multiple health issues. She misses him immensely and prays that he is resting in peace. On a more positive note, Sheri's husband, Dan, retired after 33 years with Exxon/Mobil last June. They spent the majority of last summer traveling to Alaska, Colorado, and Pittsburgh. They celebrated a truly winterwonderland Christmas at their house in Colorado with their children and their spouses skiing and dog sledding. They will be traveling to New York and Aberdeen, Scotland, this summer.

Allison STEELE Lang writes that she recently reconnected with Lissa WRIGHT Hazel and Johnsie SCOTT playing golf. Allison’s daughter, Courtney, graduated from Wake Forest this spring. She will be working for Aspen Insurance in Rocky Hill, CT. Allison’s daughter, Maddie, will be a senior at Ashley Hall in Charleston and has started the college process. Allison recently spent time with Betsy CHODER looking at colleges in Atlanta and said she is "as wonderful as ever!”

As for me, all is well in Rockport, ME. My daughter, Lila, is getting married on 10/10/15 at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. We are so excited and love her fiancé. My son, Will, is a senior at Champlain College.

I am still doing lots of non-profit board work and keeping busy! I saw Lissa WRIGHT Hazel in April.

She looks great and so happy. It is hard to believe 40 years have gone by since our graduation! Where did that time go?

I also wanted to send our heartfelt condolences to Allison STEELE Lang and her family for the loss of her brother, Gordon. He was a great person and will live on in the memories of many forever.

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CLASS OF ’77

Jean ROMUALDI Bongiovanni 3174 Beechwood Dr. Allison Park, PA 15101-1160 jeanbongiovanni@howardhanna.com Jessica ROMUALDI Snare says work is “great guns!” She just got her biggest project, a 10,000-square-foot home in Woods Hole, MA. (I have seen pictures and it is amazing.) Her daughter, Audrey, is still working for her as an architect, but is always looking for other options!

Susan CLAY Russell writes that Pricey moved to Denver to teach 2nd grade. Libby graduated from the University of Southern Carolina and moved to NYC to work for an event company called Creative Edge Design. William is a sophomore at the College of Charleston. Susan and Fred travelled to South Africa in November and saw amazing animals on safari. Susan remains on the board at the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) and is involved with its annual fundraiser. She has taken up golf and still does pilates and yoga. She continues to see Robin MacGREGOR Parsons, Ann HOFFMANN Scully ’76, and of course, Susan MacGREGOR Shaw ’78.

Robin MacGREGOR Parsons writes that she is serving on the advisory board of a new start up for a talented German designer in Chicago named Katrin Schnabl. She continues her non-profit work and just celebrated her birthday in Antigua with her family. Robin also spent time this winter in Del Ray with her sister, Susan MacGREGOR Shaw ’78. She is learning how to play bridge and learning to love it! She continues to play paddle tennis in the winter.

Her daughter and Susan CLAY Russell’s daughter will be together in NYC this summer—“history repeating itself!”

Jessica ARNOLD Mayerson told me that “life is excellent!” She took some time away from California and spent two months in Paris last spring, which was gratifying both personally and professionally.

She still loves living at the beach and seeing the ocean every day. (Not quite the same as looking at the Allegheny River here most days.) Both of her kids are living in NYC—Maddie is in PR and loving it, and Jordan is launching a startup, which is exciting.

Jessica loves working with international companies on creative executive positions in the entertainment industry. “It is great to have a successful business with your sister,” she says.

Also in sunny California, Vicky KING reports that her daughter, Katherine, will be attending the University of Michigan in the fall. She has wanted to go there since she was a little girl. They spent spring break at St. Barths and had a great time. Her business keeps her busy and she hopes to open a VKPR (Victoria King Public Relations) office in Paris this coming winter. Traveling between L.A., Paris, and NYC will help her “empty nest syndrome.” I was fortunate to see Vicky’s daughter presented at the Cinderella Ball with her cousin back in February. Her whole family was there. A beautiful evening and two beautiful debutantes!

Rachel SCHACTER Edelson writes that her boys are 23 and 25, out of college and grad school, both with successful jobs and serious girlfriends. The older one is an art and architecture writer and teaches at the School of Visual Arts. The younger one has been paid to write a screenplay and hopes to get into cable TV writing. Her husband’s aesthetic medicine business is going public this year. Rachel continues to teach 3 year olds and is also the school’s assistant director. She feels pretty reasonable about being 55 (well said, Rachel), although mentally she prefers to imagine herself much younger! She sends her best wishes to all from our days in those uniforms!

(L to R) Steve, Molly, Susan SLATER Ellenberg ’83, Naava, and Zach at Thanksgiving (and pre-49ers games).

Nancy KACZYNSKI Pollock ’83 in Australia.

Liz WINSON Sweeney writes that she spent five weeks on Roatán Island this winter, but had a bad fall at the start and was not able to walk or swim for most of it! On the one dive she was able to do, she found herself within feet of a 6-foot-long moray eel with a lobster in its mouth! I see Liz walking every morning in Fox Chapel while I drive to one of my job sites and honk at her!

Nancy PETTINGILL Bushnell says that after 25 years in Connecticut, they moved to Boston, where both of their sons live, and where they are close to her family, plus Cape Cod is only an hour away!

(Except on Fridays in the summer, Nancy!)

Holly ELLIS Eisenbrandt writes that all seven children are grown and having babies. They have four grandchildren and one on the way. She finally finished her counseling psychology degree. YAY! Jenny HOUSTON Howland says her son, John (27), and daughter, Elizabeth (24), joined the family business, which specializes in protective garments.

On weekends, Jenny and her husband, Charlie, are building a 21-foot rowing dory. One of her sons said that in Alaska those are called “divorce boats!”

She is hoping that 31 years together will provide “buoyancy and protection!” I am sure it will, Jenny!

I continue to see Holly ELLIS Eisenbrandt, Liz WINSON Sweeney, and Melinda MOLYNEAUX Edwards ’76 in our Cinderella Ball duties. My son, John, and his wife, Katie, continue to work here in the ’Burgh; and my older daughter, Dana, is getting married in October in Cape Cod. She and her fiancé, Brian, live in NYC. My youngest, Emily, graduates from college next week and will travel to Italy and India in June. Then she will teach in Spain at a private school for a year. I continue to sell real estate in Pittsburgh, and took on the site manager position at Chapel Pointe in Fox Chapel selling condo living to

all of us aging folk! I would love to hear from more of you. Make sure Ellis has your updated emails!

CLASS OF ’79

Annamaria FATO Kapfsteig, 32 CH-8032 Zurich, Switzerland annafato@yahoo.com I have been living in Switzerland for five years now, working for Zurich Insurance in global marketing and I have been delighted to have so many Ellis visitors over the years! I travel throughout Europe, hopping on trains almost every weekend to discover another village in the Alps or visit another country for the day! That is the beauty of living in the heart of Europe. But I do miss my nieces, Lucia Snyderman, Class of 2019, and Malibu and Valentina Detmer. I was so happy to be able to spend New Year’s Eve in New York with all three of them, my mother, and my sister, Lucy FATO ’84!

So happy to see some classmates respond this year from whom we have not heard in a long time!

I am delighted that I had another Ellis classmate, Mary Jane CURRY, visit me in Zurich this past year!

We had lots to catch up on and I was so pleasantly surprised to see the global life she has also led and wondered why it took so long for us to reconnect. I asked her to please let us know what she has been up to since she left Ellis!

Here’s Mary Jane’s reply: “I was at Ellis for 10th grade only, then I went to Northfield Mount Hermon School in Massachusetts and then Cornell University. I worked in the publishing industry as an editor for eight years, got my master’s degree in teaching English to speakers of other languages in 1993, taught in Costa Rica and Boston, and did my

Ph.D. in education at the University of WisconsinMadison (2000). I worked in the U.K. for three years at the Open University and in 2003 came to the University of Rochester where I currently teach in the Graduate School of Education and direct the Writing Support Services. Until this year, I directed the master’s programs in language education. I handed that over to a new colleague last fall and still teach in the program but also direct a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education for supporting English language learners. In the spring of 2014, I received a Fulbright Scholarship to lecture and conduct research in Chile. I love living in Rochester, which is a lot like Pittsburgh!”

From Gina OSBORN Campbell: “I started my own business last summer and am president of TeleRecruiting Corp. in Yorktown Heights, NY. I work from home, which is perfect for me. My company provides phone services for colleges and universities. I have about 60 independent contractors who work for me; all of them used to work professionally in college admissions. We call prospective students, applicants, and admits (never cold calls) on behalf of specific colleges and universities. My daughter is currently a sophomore at Johns Hopkins and my son is a junior in high school, so we will be visiting a lot of colleges this summer. We’re also looking forward to a vacation in Yellowstone. The whole family enjoys hiking, and we love visiting national parks.”

Abby SHAPERA Oberbeck writes: “I saw Lisa ROSENBERG Walton last year when I helped my oldest move to the South Bay Area. Amazing! Time changes everyone and yet stands still. Barbara Walters once said, ‘Women don't get older, they get blonder.’ At 50, I just took the plunge and went blonde. My older son, John, graduated from college and my younger son, Cooper, is a sophomore at Boston University. My husband, Paul, and I

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Ewi MONTGOMERY Shafran ’85 with her husband, Jake, and son, Harry (7), on Safari in the Okavango Delta, Botswana.

Alexander Baldwin Konitsky (6 months) with his parents, William Konitsky and Maria (Mary Beth) BALDWIN ’87.

Meg WATKINS ’85 and her husband, Stratton, with Henry (10) and twins, Luke and Kate (8).

live in Bethlehem, PA, and run a family-owned manufacturing company. Best to you, Annamaria.

Thanks for reaching out to all the old Ellis girls.”

Diane ROSENTHAL writes: “I left Quest Diagnostics after nearly 20 years of marketing wellness programs and joined a small innovative company out of Utah by the name of Imagine Health. I was looking for something new and challenging! My girls, Jen and Li Wen, both turn 13 later this year.”

From Jennifer LUBIC Poluka: “My son, Adam, is leaving the nest and heading to Cornell’s College of Engineering. Samantha will be a junior in high school. I talk to Jana STRYKER frequently and usually see her each year. I just became a great aunt (yikes!). My sister's daughter, Kelly, gave birth to a girl on April 30. Kelly lives in Seattle. My parents seem to have found the fountain of youth living in Chadds Ford, PA. I can only hope I look as good in my 80s.”

CLASS OF ’81

Deborah CHAPMAN Edwards deborahsedwards@gmail.com Ann WYCOFF writes: “Hi, Class of ’81! We are still living in lovely Solana Beach, CA, though we spend a lot of time in Park City. My husband loves the mountains. I am the editor of the San Diego visitor guide and am busy travel writing for several national publications. My favorite new discovery is Baja's wine country, Guadalupe Valley, just 90 minutes south of San Diego. It's amazing! We are also excited to be taking our 12-year-old daughter on her first adventure to Europe this summer, so we always seem to be on the move! Hope everyone is healthy and happy.”

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I put my stuff in storage in September 2014 and have been on my journey as an “urban nomad” for the past eight months. It’s great and I love the freedom! So far I’ve lived in Cabo, Mexico; Kiveri Village, Greece; Selma, Malta; Cairo, Soma Bay, and Aswan, Egypt; Coral Coast and Pacific Harbor, Fiji; and Melbourne, Australia. I arrived in Melbourne in time for the Australian Open Tennis Tournament and it was awesome. My kids join me whenever they have a break in their schedules and we are currently hanging out in Los Angeles.

CLASS OF ’83

Lauren THOMPSON 16 Belvedere Court Annapolis, MD 21403 lthompson@bbdconsulting.rocks www.bbdconsulting.rocks Hard to believe this is a benchmark year for us!

Looking forward to celebrating our, ahem, “21st birthday” with Carrie LEVINE Schiff in Las Vegas in October.

colleges; her oldest son, Greg, is back in school studying nursing; and her youngest, Emily, will be in her last year of middle school. Nancy continues to work for RAND and did some work in Australia over the past year so was able to finally achieve her lifelong dream of meeting a koala face to face.

Carrie LEVINE Schiff shares, "Enjoying this year very much—work at the law firm I established with several partners is going very well. Watching my youngest head off to college in Baltimore in the fall will be hard. My husband and I are celebrating turning 50 by hiking 100 miles on the Colorado Trail this summer and partying with Lauren THOMPSON in Vegas in October!"

Alexis MAMAUX is still in New Mexico. Her first solo textbook is in the final proof stage, so please read her version of the history of the Cold War (publisher is Oxford) this summer. She was in Pittsburgh in March training IB history teachers and had a great time as a tourist, staying in a downtown hotel, and trying all the foodie restaurants that have appeared.

She adds, “It's nice to be from somewhere, well, nice!”

Kristen BOYLE Dowd writes, “My oldest son just finished up his sophomore year at Denison University. My youngest graduated from Shady Side Academy and is headed across the river to Swanson School of Engineering at Pitt next year. That leaves Jimmy and me at home with our two yellow lab puppies. Yes, two yellow lab puppies. We may be a bit crazy, but so fortunate and happy. I am lucky to have connected both in person and through social media with so many Ellis friends. I even have gotten puppy training advice from Bianca FALBO.”

Susan SLATER Ellenberg is enjoying her role as a trustee for the San Jose Unified School District and adds, “I didn't realize how well suited I was to the political arena until I stepped inside!” With two children in college and one halfway through high school, she has a lot more time to focus on professional development as well as on her husband!

She and Steve are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary this summer with a trip to Italy. She’s also excited to have reconnected with Hope WEDEMEYER Salzer through their mutual interest in public education.

Nancy KACZYNSKI Pollock reports that her son, Stephen, is heading to college in the fall; her daughter, Bethany, will be a senior and looking at

Teresa STOUGHTON Marafino contributes, “My daughter, Elizabeth, earned her master’s of theater arts from Villanova University and married David

(L to R) Nora Schindler (5), Jamie COHEN Schindler ’93, Kathryn MAY McBride ’93, and Ava (7) and Maren (4) McBride in Washington, D.C.

(L to R) Elsbeth GILMORE Iannone ’91, Christy Farrell, Christy HEITZENRODER Quillian ’91, and Amanda RUTHERFORD ’91.

Fiola on November 29, 2014. My older son, James, recently graduated from Catholic University of America. My younger son, Michael, has a band, Project Looking Glass. And my husband, Matt, was Teacher of the Year at Allegheny College of Maryland.”

Hope WEDEMEYER Salzer writes, “All is blissfully much the same here in San Francisco’s East Bay— excellent, well … except for the historic drought, but no biggie, we’ve reduced our water usage by 75 percent by not watering our yard. Had a relaxing reunion lunch with Susan SLATER Ellenberg earlier this year to celebrate her school board election win and her birthday!”

Karin WINTERS McCloskey is still happy in Seattle. Her oldest daughter, Kylie, is a sophomore at University of Washington; her second, Nadia, is a senior in high school; and her youngest, Carys, is going to high school next year. Last year, she left the karate school where she'd worked for 10 years and went to work for a friend who has an organic wholesale food business, which, she says, “has been a fun change.”

CLASS OF ’85 Ann CANCILLA Gaudino Ann.gaudino@yahoo.com

Kristen ANTONUCCIO Norris and her husband recently moved to Colorado. She writes, “On August 3, I completed my third iron-distance triathlon (140.6 miles), Ironman Boulder. My husband and I raced together and absolutely fell in love with the town of Boulder, so much so that we decided to move there in May 2015! We have been enjoying the mountain life so far. I hope to connect with Amy WALTERS on one of her trips to visit her son, who is

in school at Colorado University. I continue to work for American Reading Company, although in a new role. I am now one of the executive coaches, which means I get to meet with district leaders, school principals, and teachers to develop and implement best practices in literacy education. There is a lot more travel with this job, but I am enjoying it so far!”

Darcy FRANK Mackay writes, “Things are well on my end. I moved into a new role at CBRE as President, West Division, Global Corporate Services, so I am on the road a lot with a wonderful team.. My team at home is great and I feel very blessed to have a wonderful husband, Keith, my daughter, Katherine, who is turning 7 and determined as ever, and my son, Calder, 5.5, who is destined for the theatre. I see Ewi MONTGOMERY Shafran as I return to London frequently (we miss living there) and Debbie McWILLIAMS in New York. It's wonderful to have such lasting friendships from Ellis around the world.

I also popped by Ellis earlier this year and it was fun to see Mrs. Newham, tour the school, and remember bringing in all my mom's old dry cleaning bags for art class!”

Meg WATKINS reports, “We've all had a good year.

Kids, Henry (10), and twins, Kate and Luke (8), had good school years and are generally busy with piano, children's chorus, soccer, swimming, art, drama, etc., etc. We moved into Baltimore in August to be closer to the kids' schools and unpacked the final box last week! Saddened by all of the negative attention one day of non-peaceful riots brought the city, which definitely has challenges, but was not engulfed in violence as portrayed in the news.”

My son, Bill, graduated from high school and is off to Penn State in the fall to major in civil engineering.

Where have the years gone? It seems like just yesterday we were graduating from high school!

Please be sure to join us for the Class of ’85 30th Reunion October 9–10. See you there!

CLASS OF ’87

Louise Kay CHILDS Woodside 401 S. Murtland Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15208 weezkay@aol.com I always enjoy hearing from all of you and sharing your news. Abby HICKS is celebrating nine years in Dublin. At Christmastime, she and her husband were having dinner at a restaurant and so was Hillary VEEDER! It was a surprising place for an impromptu Ellis reunion. At Easter, she saw Megan FLOOD Curran in Pittsburgh and their kids had fun running around the museum and digging for dinosaur bones while they caught up.

Megan FLOOD Curran is celebrating 15 years as a psychotherapist in private practice in Washington, D.C. She continues to teach post-graduate therapists at The Washington School of Psychiatry.

She is also having fun with husband, Jim, and raising Finn, who is now 8!

Robin HEITNER Koffman moved this past summer from Los Angeles to Mill Valley, which is just outside of San Francisco. She has seen a few other Ellis gals who live nearby—Jill DEITCH and Kelly WORRALL Reade ’84. She has also had a few visitors including Alexa SHEPTAK Recchi, Sarah ZIMMERMAN Tuthill, Martha ZIMMERMAN Lightfoot ’83, and her sister, Jamie HEITNER ’90. She would love to see more people if they live nearby or are visiting.

She can be reached at heit33@gmail.com.

I think the prize for biggest news goes to Mary Beth BALDWIN. She writes, “2014 proved to be an astounding year for us. Our great joy was the birth of our son, Alexander Baldwin Konitsky, on June 20.

It has been wonderful and life changing.” Mary Beth wanted a better schedule so she will be taking

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The Wedding Pyramid: At the top, bride, Sakena PATTERSON Washington ’93. Second Row: (L to R) Jamie COHEN Schindler ’93, Priya PALEKAR ’94, and Cameo COZART-Chance ’93. Bottom Row: (L to R) Kathryn BABSON Brewer ’93, Emma COAX Gil ’93, Anna FOSTER ’93, and Sarah FOSTER Schroeder ’93.

(L to R) Jozy (3), Jamie COHEN Schindler ’93, Sam Schindler, and Nora (6) celebrating dad’s 40th birthday!

a full time position as a neurologist/epileptologist at the VA Hospital in Oakland. She has been back in Pittsburgh for four years now to be closer to family.

I continue to raise a new generation of Ellis girls.

Lowrie (12) is in 7th grade and Sara (9) is in 4th—her last year in Lower School! When I am not shuttling them around, I continue to work on my tennis game, which I love! I am still treasurer of our local chapter of The National Society of Colonial Dames of America. And I helped to raise nearly $3 million for Sheldon Calvary Camp. Nevin continues to travel every week for work. His new territory includes Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi, in addition to western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. Luckily, his mom is from Kentucky and he has relatives in Tennessee, so it won’t be a complete culture shock. However, he won’t need a winter coat nearly as often! I look forward to hearing from more of you in 2016, Ellis’ Centennial year!

CLASS OF ’89 Tanna MATTA Lambert 109 Raley Rd Cedar Park, TX 78613 Tanna.lambert@gmail.com

Heather BOSSERT Cunningham writes: “All is well with me. I gave birth to twin babies on February 28, 2014—Julianne Rose and Jackson David. They keep me running! I am finishing my Ph.D. in urban education this summer at Pitt, and I'm focusing on how to train teachers for urban and culturally diverse classrooms. I see Kristin KLINGENBERG regularly and Judge JoErin O’LEARY when she is in town from Michigan. Happy summer!”

From Amy McDOUGALD Petrie: “Wow! I'm boring.

I’m still in Tampa, FL, with my hubby, Geoffrey. It's

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hot. I have three boys, 17, 12, and 10. The oldest, Cameron, is a rising senior and starting his college search. All three play football. Brendan will be entering 7th grade and Logan 5th. I love catching up with the Ellis clan on Facebook.”

“Hi all—Jen LEHOCZKY Elliott here—been here in Silicon Valley for almost 15 years now; no kids, but crazy cats. I'm a patent attorney and just last month switched from working alongside dozens of other lawyers at Genentech to being the one and only attorney at Kindred Biosciences, a company focused on therapeutics for companion animals. Quite the change of pace—making me stretch in lots of ways.

Say hi, if you find yourself out in the San Francisco Bay Area!”

Vicki TAYLOR Stein writes: “Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well! It's been another exciting year in our house! I had our third baby girl, Milena Evangelina, this past March and she is now 2 ½ months old! I homeschool our older girls, Sabrina (6) and Valentina (4, but turning 5 soon), and they are both very involved in Hungarian folk dance. They had a performance at the Pittsburgh Children's International Theater Festival. They are also quite involved in art and ballet. I am still enjoying life as an insurance agent with Aflac, and I, along with two other fellow agents, just completed a large open enrollment for CVS/Caremark for the entire state of Pennsylvania … three weeks after Milena was born!

Yes, that was a bit crazy! Our house is filled with tons of fun, lots of laughs, good times, and a bit of chaos, especially when you add in our three dogs. But we wouldn't have it any other way! We are actually in the car, on the way home from a 12-day vacation at the beach in Isle of Palms and Charleston, SC. Tanna, I would love to see you when you are in town, and the same goes for anyone who is still in Pittsburgh, or back home visiting. Take care!”

From Kelly BRENT: “I am still working for WorldDealer, Inc. We are a website development and advertising agency with a focus in automotive marketing. I've been here for 15 years and am the chief operating officer. On the personal side, I finally found my perfect companion and we are getting married in September. We bought a beautiful 1932 Cape Cod house last year with a full acre. Renovations, here we come! We are very excited about starting those. Our house is pretty full and busy with both my soon-to-be-step kids, Ashlie (24) and Dakota (17), and, of course, the two dogs, Abbie and Ruphus. For the wedding, Ashlie is my maid of honor and Dakota is the best man. I have never been happier and cannot wait to see what the future will bring.”

It has been a fabulous year in Austin. I have gone back to work for one of my old companies, Reddwerks Corporation, as the director of business development and marketing. Warehouse execution software is an exciting industry that is growing and I am loving it. Levi's FoodaPalooza is going gang busters and has grown 100 percent in the last year.

It is hard work, but the food is amazing—he is such a good chef. Jack had a great year in 6th grade, making excellent grades. Tally is, of course, the most grown up 7 year old, who is me 10 times over—oh my! I couldn't ask for better children. My mother got remarried and is living in Cleveland. Don't worry, she is still a Steelers fan. My brother, Evan, also lives in Cleveland and is engaged. My other brother, Warren, lives in Pittsburgh and just had his fourth daughter.

I hope everyone is well and hope to see some of you over the next year.

Jen VENTO Kunkel ’97 and her husband, Ben, in San Francisco.

(L to R) Sisters Alexandra MARKS ’97 and Megan MARKS ’95 with Melissa Bartsch at the Keeneland race track in Lexington, KY.

Back Row: (L to R) Paige WIEGMAN ’95, Wally Kelsey, Finnegan Bartlett, Kate LOVELACE ’95, Betty Lou Kelsey, Clementine Hooper, Sarah CURTIS Hooper ’95, and Effie Hooper. Front Row: (L to R) Ayvind Wiegman, August Wiegman, Samuel Hooper, and Ida Hooper.

CLASS OF ’91

CLASS OF ’93

Elsbeth GILMORE Iannone writes: “Our big news is that we moved back to California this past fall.

We live just outside of San Francisco. We are all settling in and doing well. Sam is in 4th grade and Megan is in 2nd. Christy HEITZENRODER Quillian, Amanda RUTHERFORD, Christy's cousin, and I had a mini-reunion in Hilton Head this past weekend.

Joanie MORRIS DiMicco was supposed to join us, but had to cancel at the last minute, unfortunately.

We had a great weekend biking, sailing, and walking on the beach.”

Our class has remained close through technology and weddings! Beautiful Sakena PATTERSON had a wedding and a mini-reunion this past year (see her picture and “the great pyramid on page 38”).

We have gatherings and photo opps all year long, and share them … so I decided that we had more to share than our kids growing and our moves around the country. I live in New Orleans, and this 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina reminds us that there is much more to life than “stuff,” so I asked our class what we do for others. And I wasn’t disappointed. Enjoy this eye-opening insight into what matters most to our class (beyond our Ellis contributions).

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.

From Monica NAMAN Boyles: “I can't believe it's been a year already! My daughter, Quinn, will turn 1 in early May, and my stepson, JP, just turned 8. We moved to Napa last summer, just days before the 6.0 Napa earthquake. We made it through safely, but are just now finishing up repairs to our house. It's been wonderful to live in the wine country, so close to renowned wineries and restaurants. I'm taking a brief hiatus from work and trying to figure out what to do next with my career.”

Amanda RUTHERFORD writes: “I’m still living in Alexandria, VA, and working for the U.S. Department of Transportation. I enjoy my time sailing, kayaking, and playing tennis. I’m looking forward to seeing some of the Ellis girls in a couple of weeks—we’re meeting up in Hilton Head, SC.” Editor's Note: Michelle Maola Dialoiso is retiring as your class correspondent this year. We are all so grateful for her many years of devoted service.

Heather HILLIARD Hhilliard01@aol.com

Liz SMITH Bornstein writes how it was difficult to incorporate her young children into volunteering.

Her family, however, was able to identify family volunteering opportunities with her then 5 and 8 year olds at a local food pantry. She notes, “The pleasure has been seeing how they have become familiar with the organization and the tasks, now lifting items by themselves that were once ‘soooo heavy!’ and expressing excitement rather than whining when I tell them it's a food pantry day.”

(You can find a local food bank or pantry near you through www.feedingamerica.org.) Their family also supports School on Wheels of Massachusetts (www.sowma.org), which provides tutoring and school supplies to homeless K–12 children in their area.

Heather FAHEY McLewee supports a similar school program—Classroom Central (www. classroomcentral.org)—that gives students living in poverty the school supplies they need to succeed

in the classroom. She also supports Habitat for Humanity (www.habitat.org). Habitat has a Global Village program where you can spend your vacation in an impoverished area of the world and work with members of the community as an immersion into the culture while also supporting Habitat’s mission—so you can vacation and volunteer.

Aun SUKANICH Holland and her family chose an organization through an experience of a family friend. They participate and volunteer in an annual walk for the Angelman's Syndrome Foundation (www.angelman.org) that funds research for the neuro-genetic disorder in support of their friends’ son, who was diagnosed at 18 months old.

The syndrome is named for the pediatrician who identified it in 1965. The disease causes severe intellectual and developmental disabilities, sleep disturbance, seizures, jerky movements (especially hand-flapping), frequent laughter or smiling, and usually a happy demeanor; there is no cure available, so every dollar toward research brings hope.

Jamie COHEN Schindler has given for several years to the Jewish Women International Flower Project (www.jwi.org/fp), which sends flowers to mothers living in domestic violence shelters on Mother's Day. Since becoming a mother herself, she has added another foundation: BEBO—Birth Education Beyond the Ordinary (beboinc.org), an organization in Westchester, NY, providing "childbirth preparation classes, labor and postpartum doula support, and breastfeeding support in English and Spanish. All fees are set on a sliding scale based on income— affordable for everyone!"

Sakena PATTERSON Washington says that in addition to planning her wedding and celebrating her nuptials in the past year, she also donates her time as a volunteer writer for Watsi (www.watsi.org), a global crowdfunding organization that connects

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Jen VENTO Kunkel ’97 with her new tattoo!

(L to R) Connor (4), Alex Chan, Erin SZETO Chan ’99, and Lila (2).

(L to R) Anne “Sparky” BOOKER ’10, Meghan NIGBOROWICZ ’01, and Whitney PATROSS ’01 at Machu Picchu.

donors with people who need medical care. By working with raw medical data and turning that into patient narratives, potential donors can get to know the patient they are helping. As of June 2015, 12,006 people have funded healthcare for 4,266 patients in 20 countries!

Kathryn MAY McBride owns her own company and supports her clients’ charitable causes with direct financial support as well as pro-bono work. In addition, Kathryn sits on the board of directors for the Homes for Life Foundation (www.homesforlife. org), an organization focused on providing transitional and permanent housing for adults in Los Angeles afflicted by mental illness. It's a cause that's close to her heart.

With my work through the Junior League of New Orleans (www.jlno.org), I’ve been able to work with a variety of charities and projects—including some programs already mentioned and several others— all of which support the mission of promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. I joined JLNO after Katrina to have a targeted way to volunteer “for the duration” and filter all the local needs. Since the tragedy of September 11, I cannot forget about the ones left in devastation who cannot speak for themselves, so not only do I seem to adopt animals, but I support four-legged friends’ organizations, too.

Wherever you help in your community, it’s great to show others that the world is bigger than one person, bigger than just our neighborhood. I’m so glad we are all involved in our community and giving back as we were given so much. The Class of ’93 is living the Ellis motto: to be rather than to seem.

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CLASS OF ’95 Megan MARKS megmarks@gmail.com

Greetings from the Class of ’95! What a busy time in our lives 2015 is for our class! I can’t believe this year marks our 20th Reunion already. Such a pleasure to hear from classmates all over. You can find our class from the west coast in California, to the east coast in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey, to the south in Kentucky and North Carolina, internationally in Bermuda, and of course, as an ever growing contingency in Pittsburgh!

Beth HORN writes, “Greetings from Palo Alto! I've been at Facebook since 2011, and continue to love every minute of it. I am a retail industry lead, which means that my team and I work with large retailers like Neiman Marcus and The Home Depot on their marketing programs. I speak at conferences fairly regularly and have been able to travel a great deal for work and play, something I deeply enjoy. The big highlights of the last year were all onstage, in a manner of speaking. In September 2014, I had the honor of speaking on millennials and technology at TEDxYouth@HotMetalBridge, a fantastic event organized by Ellis students that took place at the Carnegie Museum. Giving a TED talk was a bucket-list item and a complete high. My biggest news is that I delivered the commencement speech at this year's Ellis graduation. It was incredibly humbling and a true thrill, and the fact that the Class of 2015's graduation was 20 years and two days since our own made me smile from ear to ear.”

Congrats, Beth!

Lilah FISHER Wise, her husband, Jeff, and their kids, Charlotte and Beau, welcomed Hudson Emmet Wise on January 23 . She writes, “Life with three under 6 is bananas but wonderful! We are happy to

be back in NYC and love the kids’ school downtown.

When I’m not busy with the kiddos, I am working on editing my novel and other writing projects.”

While life is busy, she does try to see other NYCers, Elizabeth BEAMAN and Colleen DAILY Simmonds, as much as possible.

Arianna MASON shares that she is “still a local” in Edgewood, PA, and loves her neighborhood.

She works as a fine artist, mostly in abstract acrylics, and recently joined the board of the Edgewood Foundation.

Amy KOZUSKO, also a local ’Burgher, took on a new position in clinical marketing at UPMC, where she works on a range of marketing and communications projects for the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute.

Paige WIEGMAN spends time with Sarah CURTIS Hooper, Kate LOVELACE, and all of their kids in Pittsburgh. Make sure you check out their photo on page 39 of all nine(!) children.

I am still in the horse capital, Lexington, KY. I’ve recently become the outreach coordinator and a senior staff psychologist at the University of Kentucky Counseling Center. I’ve also branched out into some private practice therapy and consulting work. My sister, Alexandra MARKS ’97, has come down to enjoy the horse racing at Keeneland race track.

Happy fall to Ellisians near and far!

Shira TOEPLITZ Center ’01 with her husband, Eli, touring Petra, Jordan.

Cristine DAVIS ’01 with students from her dance studio.

CLASS OF ’97 Tomar Nicole BROWN 226 East 7th Ave. Apartment 1 Homestead, PA 15120 tomarbrown@gmail.com

Hello out there all you bold, beautiful Ellis women! I was happy to catch up with several members of the Class of 1997 this year. Saskia BERANEK spent 11 weeks in Europe this summer, so I considered myself lucky to catch up with her before she headed off for some summer research abroad. She spent the past year as a visiting assistant professor of art history at Duquesne. While in Europe, she’ll be touring Parisian palaces from the 17th and 18th centuries. Saskia studies elite residential spaces during the early modern period. She has been invited to present some of her research at a conference being held in a castle!

Jen VENTO Kunkel and her husband recently took a real vacation—to San Francisco! From there, Jen and Ben drove up the coast to Seattle. She writes, “It was an amazing, amazing trip! We got to visit the redwoods, which are just indescribably beautiful and incredible.” In March of this year, Jen shaved her head to raise money for St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a charity that raises money for childhood cancer research. She raised about $1,500 for the foundation by becoming a shavee. The next day, Jen took advantage of the shorn look and tattooed her head with: Esse quam videri.

We have also experienced our share of loss. In the fall of 2013, Allie LEE lost her incredible mom, Bonnie, to advanced Alzheimer's. My mom passed away unexpectedly in January. I miss her every single day. Danielle BELLOWS, Heidi HOLZAPFEL, and Ally BERGER Garcia kept me going during

that hard time. My family was visited by Emy Boag, mother of Emily BOAG Bongiovanni, and Barry Shields and Karen Kaighin, parents of Rachael KAIGHIN-SHEILDS. Angela ROMAN Bryan graduated from a pediatric rheumatology fellowship this July. Angela is a major in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, so she will head back out to Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, WA, to take a staff position there. Angela will be the only “peds rheum” in the Army. She, and her husband of almost 11 years, Charles, had a beautiful baby girl, Olivia, last August. Angela writes, “She is a rambunctious little lady with quite a personality and so much fun!”

Alexandra LEE is also enjoying being a parent. In August of 2013 she welcomed her second child, Kinen Elouan. Allie writes, “I'm now the lone lady in a house of guys, but I'm hardly outnumbered or overwhelmed, being the badass Ellis lady that I am." (I guess you may have to edit that out.) Allie’s eldest son, Javin, will be finishing up middle school this coming year. “I’ll be looking at high schools and preschools at the same time!”

Another classmate will soon be preschool shopping.

Rachel KAIGHIN-SHEILDS became the mother of a beautiful baby girl, Edie, last fall.

The degrees keep mounting up for the Class of ’97 alumnae as well. Allie LEE completed her master’s in landscape architecture. I received my LL.M in clinical legal education, social justice, and systems change. Marsha BROWN completed her Ph.D. in clinical psychology. Marsha recently learned that her dissertation research has been accepted for presentation at the annual conference of the European Association of Psychology and Law. “I will be giving a talk on my research findings this August in Nuremberg, Germany. I'm excited to

Best man, Chris Richez; groom, Frank Matazarro; bride, Courtney GRATTAN ’01; and her sister and maid of honor, Bailey GRATTAN ’06.

see Germany. I've never been and I haven't visited Europe since I was a kid.” This fall, Marsha will begin a postdoctoral fellowship with a private practice in Fort Lauderdale, FL, which specializes in forensic assessment. Congratulations to Dr. Brown, and to each of you, my amazing classmates! Keep in touch!!

CLASS OF ’99 Alicia KACHMAR aliciakachmar@gmail.com

In November 2014, Molly QUINLIN O’Brien was a bridesmaid in the wedding of her sister, Kate QUINLIN Brown ’02. Also in attendance were: their mother, (Elizabeth SAGAN Quinlin ’71), Moira McGINLEY ’98, Corey McGINLEY Smith ’01, Courtney GRATTAN Matarazzo ’01, Tara BAHL ’01, Gillian BERNARD Stovall ’02, Susan STALEY ’04, Lauren FISCHER Schultz ’00, and Elizabeth KELLER ’99. Molly and her husband, Kevin O’Brien, as well as son, Jack (9), and daughter, Sloane (1), are expecting another daughter this summer.

Erin SZETO Chan is living in Queens, NY, with her husband, Alex; son, Connor (4); and daughter, Lila (2). Both kids are super active and energetic, so her days are pretty busy as a stay-at-home mom. And things are about to get even busier this summer: they just bought a new house and are also expecting another baby! She knows life with three kids is going to be crazy, but they’re all excited and Connor and Lila are looking forward to meeting their new sibling!

Sarah JORDAN Rosenson reports that her daughter, Molly, will officially be an Ellis girl in the fall! She is very excited and is tickled by the idea that she may have some of the same teachers Sarah had.

Sarah and her husband, meanwhile, are very excited by the fact that she will be wearing a uniform every

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(L to R) Erin O'BRIEN ’03; Anne FRIEDMAN ’03; bride, Kesi CHEN Yang ’03; Annie GITOMER Schwarz ’03; and Lauren HAUSER ’03.

(L to R) Andrea ZIN ’04, Megan BORIGHT Newman ’05; Robin Newham, Alexa ZIN ’07, and their mother, Darlene Zin at the Ellis in NYC Event last fall.

(L to R) Robert Reed; Katerina ISTOMIN ’03, recipient of the Robert Reed Counselor Excellence Award; and Joseph Roberts at Carlow University.

day, which will spare them some of the arguments they have about clothes. Sarah is at the same job at Pitt and will celebrate her 10th work anniversary this fall.

CLASS OF ’01 Shira TOEPLITZ Center 99 Bolton St. Boston, MA 02127 ShiraT@gmail.com

Sparky BOOKER traveled to a wedding in Ecuador last summer with Meghan NIGBOROWICZ and Whitney PATROSS. They salsa danced, visited Machu Picchu, and saw a toucan. She reports it was “wonderful.”

Anne CLARK is living in Los Angeles and working as an architectural and landscape designer for a design firm. She hopes one day to be a licensed architect.

Cristine DAVIS has been on her toes this past year teaching at and directing at her dance studio, District Dance Arts, in Northeast Washington, D.C. She opened her studio in October 2013, and it offers ballet, tap, jazz, creative movement, hip hop, and specialty choreography services to youth and the community. She also directs and performs with the Selah! dance ministry at her church in Silver Spring, MD. In her "other life," Cristine is the general manager of the Performing Arts Alliance, an advocacy coalition that represents the professional nonprofit performing arts sector on Capitol Hill, advocating for federal policies that enhance and support the contributions that nonprofit performing arts make to our nation.

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Courtney GRATTAN is still working in Manhattan for a large hedge fund and living in Hoboken with her husband, Frank Matarazzo. She celebrated her wedding this past September in Pittsburgh at St. Paul’s Cathedral and the William Penn Hotel. Her sister, Bailey GRATTAN ’06, served as her maid of honor, and Courtney was so thrilled to celebrate with her fellow Ellisians Tara BAHL, Gillian BERNARD Stovall ’02, Maret BERNARD, Kate QUINLIN Brown ’02, and Alexa ZIN ’07. (Danielle KATZ ’02 and Ginger DRYSDALE Jewett ’95 should be mentioned, for good measure!) She is diligently working to meet up with Jess KAYLOR ’01, another new Hoboken resident, which they better have accomplished by the time of publication!

Heather GREEN Skurek and her husband, Ben, celebrated their one year wedding anniversary in the fall by adding a new member to the family: Clover, a black Labrador puppy. Heather and Ben recently returned from a trip to Chile, where Heather reunited with her Chilean host family from her time studying abroad in 2003. One highlight of their South American adventure was spotting a puma in Torres del Paine, Patagonia.

After making her way to Hollywood and getting Anne CLARK to move out there, Kat WANG recently “abandoned both by moving back to Chicago for a boy." She recently accepted a job doing global marketing with McDonald’s and reports there are "new dreams ahead."

I moved to “The Hub” in March with my husband to become a politics editor for the Boston Globe.

Fortunately, I missed the city’s once-in-ageneration, apocalyptic snowfall by a few weeks (my new colleagues and neighbors say I’ll get my turn next winter). Eli and I have found a nice townhome in “Southie,” and are really enjoying our new city.

CLASS OF ’03

Andreina PARISI-AMON andreina.parisiamon@gmail.com Another eventful year for the Class of ’03! Here’s what some of us have been up to.

Liz CRYAN has had a great year photographing many weddings and wonderful life events for her business, Elizabeth Cryan Photography. She recently got engaged and is moving from Denver to Charleston, SC. Katerina ISTOMIN is finishing up a master’s in professional counseling at Carlow University in August. She was the recipient of the Robert Reed Counselor Excellence Award at school for high academic achievement and internship work, and the same week she won the Pittsburgh Concert Society's Major Artist Auditions. She will be performing a solo recital on October 11 at the Kresge Theater at CMU. Katerina’s currently interning at the Neuropsychiatric Clinic of Allegheny Hospital and was certified as a yoga teacher. She is teaching at Yoga Love studio in East Liberty. Last but not least, she’ll be traveling in August to France to participate in the Festival Lyrique International de Belle-Ile en Mer! On September 13, 2014, Kesi CHEN married her best friend and love of her life, Michael Yang. They met in their intern year during residencies, got engaged six months later, and just got married!

They were very excited to have several Ellis girls in attendance including Lauren HAUSER, Anne FRIEDMAN, Annie GITOMER Schwartz, and Erin O'BRIEN. She’s also very excited to be graduating from her pediatrics residency at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia this July. Beginning in July, Kesi will be an attending in the neonatal intensive

Jessica BOPP Dawson ’05 with her husband, Joel, visiting Chichén Itzá, Mexico.

Ali GITOMER ’05 hiking the Santa Ana volcano in El Salvador with the Izalco volcano behind her.

Nadia EL-HILLAL ’05 with her son, Yusuf, and husband, Yaser Ali.

care unit at CHOP with plans to begin applying for a three-year fellowship in neonatology. Here’s hoping that her interview trail and very possibly her career take her through Pittsburgh very soon!

Rebecca COOPER is employed at Biogen in Cambridge, MA, working on treatments for diseases including multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's. Reach out if you find yourself in the Boston area!

Nadia EL-HILLAL and husband, Yaser, welcomed their new addition, Yusuf, on Thanksgiving Day 2014. Nadia is now a practicing dentist in Phoenix, AZ.

Kjerstin PUGH is beginning her fifth year in New Haven, CT, as the director of after school programming for Co-Op After School, the largest state-funded after school program for high schools in Connecticut. She frequently works with Yale University, the Connecticut After School Network, and the National AfterSchool Association to promote, research, and advocate for youth development and youth voice. Additionally, this fall she is excited to start the M.S. program in negotiation and conflict resolution at Columbia University.

Mariel SCHWARTZ is leaving Washington, D.C., where she worked for the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation in support of its mission to engage young adult Jews around the world. She recently traveled to the Philippines to aid in disaster relief efforts and learn about the local Jewish community in Manila. Her next stop: Ann Arbor, MI. Mariel will be a student (again!) in the University of Michigan's School of Social Work, working toward a master's degree and furthering her passion to help others. Recently, she was lucky enough to watch Kristen WALTER get married in the company of Julie GEORGE, Marisa PORTER, Constance McGRAW, and Abby PERER.

Katie HELLNER-BURRIS Boatright is currently working as an associate veterinarian at Baker Animal Hospital in Clark, PA. She loves her job and looks forward to new excitement every day! She lives with her husband, Cory, and three cats, Lance, Gambit, and Echo, in Grove City, PA. Cory received his Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Pennsylvania this year and is in his second year teaching at Grove City College. They look forward to many adventures together now that school is officially behind them both!

As for me, California has been pretty great, albeit far from Pittsburgh and many of you. I’m very much loving being outside of the lab for the past couple years now and deep in the startup/tech/ Silicon Valley world, but always with an educational focus, at Coursera. It's amazing the different ideas and energy that bounce around this place! Ryan, whom I met a few years ago in grad school, and I got engaged in August 2014 and will be getting married this coming October at Stanford.

CLASS OF ’05 Adrienne ATTERBERRY atterberrya@gmail.com

It is hard to believe that our 10th Reunion is just around the corner. I look forward to seeing many of you there in October! In the meantime, here is a snapshot of what’s happening in the lives of some of our classmates.

Ali GITOMER writes: “I have been living in El Salvador and working for my family's apparel manufacturing company for the past three and a half years. It's been an adventure to say the least! I have made friends with many locals and have enjoyed the experience of getting to know a culture very different from what I knew in Chicago. I have been pleasantly surprised by the friendliness and inclusiveness of the majority of Salvadorans. They have managed to find a very high level of satisfaction and happiness in their lives by prioritizing family, friends, and religion. It has been a very pleasant experience overall. The situation in the country is actually quite different from what is portrayed in the news. This fall, I will be moving back to the states to attend Harvard Business School. I am looking forward to the next chapter and being able to open my mouth in the shower once again. :-)”

And since graduating from Lehigh University in 2009, Megan BORIGHT Newman has been working in NYC as a technology consultant for Accenture. Megan is currently living in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband, Brian, and 4-year-old Cocker Spaniel, Jake. Megan and Brian are looking forward to celebrating their second wedding anniversary this summer.

CLASS OF ’07 Laura HAZLETT Laura.hazlett@gmail.com

Ronna PEACOCK Pratt is currently living in Shadyside with her new husband, Tim, and two cats, Max and Callie. She and Tim married this past October at the Wildwood Golf Club in the North Hills, with Kirsten SPITTELL and Becca HESTER ’06 in attendance. Ronna is pursuing her M.B.A. at Duquesne University and will graduate in July. She had the opportunity to visit China with her M.B.A.

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Stephanie SOTOS ’05 with her fiancé, Brian Blackwell. They will be married the weekend after her 10th Reunion.

Mariel SCHWARTZ ’05 lending a hand in the Philippines.

cohort, where she explored global economics in Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai.

Kate McLEAN graduated from the school of design at Carnegie Mellon University with a Master of Arts in Design. She is enrolled at CMU for an additional two-year Master of Design program. Over the summer, she continued to work for REI as a gear specialist and was trained as a bike mechanic.

Brittany FONG recently moved to the Baltimore area with her dog, Maggie. Brittany loves living near the Chesapeake Bay and enjoys her work as a data analyst in Washington, D.C., for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. In her spare time, she coaches gymnasts, continues her hobby of photography, and enjoys the outdoors.

Alyssa TREMPUS married fellow Pittsburgher Ashton Kinney on June 27 with fellow Ellisian Molly SNYDERMAN as a bridesmaid! Alexa ZIN designed the invitations. It was an Ellis-effort!

Mary CHEEVER recently started working in research at Hearst Magazines. She enjoys living in the NYC area with several other Ellis ladies!

As for me, I’m fundraising for Newark Academy, an independent school in northern New Jersey, and trying to catch up with Ellis friends in the area!

CLASS OF ’09 Jennifer HEINAUER j.m.heinauer@gmail.com

Hallie BENNETT has at last finished her scholastic education and you are welcome to refer to her as Dr. Bennett! After six years, she has completed her

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Doctor of Physical Therapy and has sadly left the Finger Lakes and Ithaca College. Ahead are the board exams and the daunting task of acting like a real adult. While unsure of which state she will practice in first, Hallie is fond of the east coast and being able to visit the 'Burgh frequently for Steelers games, family, and class reunions.

Liz COHEN writes: “I graduated from the University of Pittsburgh last year and I'm receiving my master’s in biomedical science at Rutgers Graduate School of Biomedical Science in June. I plan on starting dental school in the fall in Philadelphia.”

Janessa BENN Dukes is currently in her second of three eight-month rotations in BASF Corporation's Engineering Professional Development Program. In her new role as a compliance engineer for the new Latex Dispersions Plant, Janessa ensures that the plant stays within federal and state environmental regulations. She and her new husband, Chaplain Candidate (2LT) Jonathan Dukes Jr., have relocated to the greater Houston, TX, area and will be expecting their first child in July.

From Margaret SCHERVISH: “I'm currently working as a software engineer at Applied Predictive Technologies, a cloud-based predictive analytics software company in the D.C. area, and I’m one of our leads for the recruiting we do at Carnegie Mellon. I also got married in November, with four Ellis alums in my bridal party! This May, I ran my first half marathon, in Pittsburgh, of course!”

Lindsay "Bean" MURDOCH moved to the western slope of Colorado to work with the Cross Watershed Network to help build a collaboration forum for watershed managers to share information/resources in restoration projects. No plans for marriage or kids, but maybe adopting a dog isn't totally out of the question ….

In July, Maddy SAXON earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in the accelerated nursing program at Duquesne University. She hopes to work in pediatrics and is actively seeking employment at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. Maddy is living in Pittsburgh with her Australian Shepherd, Calvin.

She and Calvin can be seen walking around Highland Park or sharing an ice cream cone in Shadyside. Also at any given time, Maddy can be found with Bridget BYRNE, with whom she celebrated their 10th year Best Friend Anniversary in August!

Bonnie WEST writes: “After attending the University of Vermont, I transferred to Chatham, and am proud to say that I graduated in the last class of Chatham University for women! I have a major in studio art with double minors in art history and museum studies. In April, I had my first-ever solo show at Chatham University Art Gallery, for which I was both the artist and curator.”

Katie FERGUSON is currently living in New York and pursuing a graduate degree in journalism at Columbia University. She's enjoying riding the subway, running in all the parks, and meeting with other Ellisians to engage in our two greatest traditions: gossip and eating so much you can barely move. Send her any breaking news, especially if the tip is that you'll be in town, because she'd love to see you.

From Gillian PORTER: “I'm living in NYC and working in wealth management at UBS Financial Services, while spending time with my fellow Ellis ladies in the Big Apple!”

Rebecca ADELSHEIM moved to Chicago in August 2014 for the Artistic Apprenticeship at Steppenwolf Theatre Company. The apprenticeship ended in late May and Rebecca is now trying her hand as a producer and dramaturg in the Chicago theater

Another fabulous Ellis wedding group: (L to R) Julie GEORGE ’05; Mariel SCHWARTZ ’05; bride, Kristen WALTER ’05; Constance McGRAW ’05; Marisa PORTER ’05; and Abby PERER ’05.

(L to R) Erin CROSSETT ’07, Emma Smith, Annie OLSZEWSKI ’07, Abby LEMBERSKY ’07, Maeve WARD ’07, and Mary CHEEVER ’07 in Florida.

community, focusing on new play development. This summer and fall, she will be working with Victory Gardens Theater, The Gift Theater, The Hypocrites, and Strange Bedfellows Theatre.

CLASS OF ’11

Sarah ROBINSON writes: “I currently live in NYC and work for a finance firm managing community relations in the New York office. On weekends, I run in Riverside and Central parks and love to get together with all of the Ellis girls in NYC.”

Rebecca ATKINSON graduated from Richmond, the American International University in London in May, where she studied communications, literature, art history, and British studies. She is spending the summer in NYC to attend the Columbia Publishing Course. In the fall, she will be returning to London as a master's student at University College London studying publishing. After her master's, she hopes to work in the publishing industry in either New York or London.

From Heather ACUFF: “I have just completed my second year of medical school at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. In July, I will enter graduate school to complete a Ph.D. in psychiatry before returning to medical school in three to four years. My research will focus on using Diffusion Tensor Imaging to study the white matter tracts in the brains of patients who have depression, bipolar disorder, and ADHD. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my family and boyfriend of four and a half years, knitting stuffed animals, and exploring all that Pittsburgh has to offer.”

Brittany RAUZAN is finishing her second year in the materials chemistry Ph.D. program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is completing her thesis under the direction of Dr. Ralph Nuzzo, a world-renowned surface scientist. Her research focuses on the development of stimuli-responsive materials that are biocompatible for use in 3D printing. Outside of the lab, she is actively involved in Women in Chemistry and Merit for Emerging Scholars. This spring, she is serving as a fellow mentor to female freshmen chemistry majors in the Merit Program.

Jennifer HEINAUER is living in Pittsburgh and just celebrated her two-year anniversary with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. She spends her time reading and traveling around the country to visit friends.

Natalie HONKALA nhonkala11@gmail.com

Laura CONGELIO graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in May. She is staying in St. Louis for another year to work as a medical scribe in an emergency room while applying to medical school.

Norah KARLOVICH graduated from Duke University with a B.S. in biology (with distinction!) and a B.A. in Spanish. After graduation, she traveled to South America with friends to visit Peru, Brazil, and Chile. Now she is working for ClearView Healthcare Partners, a biotech and medical device strategy consulting firm in Newton, MA, right outside of Boston.

Rabia MALIK had a very busy senior year at Emory University. She performed with the Emory Dance Company, served on the executive board of Kappa Alpha Theta, and was elected to plan and execute Emory University’s school-wide Homecoming Week with the Student Programming Council—an incredible success! In November, she traveled to Amman, Jordan, with her family to visit her sister, Zaynab MALIK ’12, who was spending seven months studying abroad there. Rabia graduated from

Emory in May with a B.A. in international studies and anthropology with honors. Afterwards, she was home in New Jersey to watch her youngest sister, Hanaa MALIK ’15, graduate from high school before heading off to explore Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil for a month with three friends.

She then moved Hanaa into her freshman dorm at Tufts before flying back to Atlanta to start her career as a human capital analyst at Deloitte Consulting, LLP with plans to go to business school in the future.

Lauren MEISNER graduated Cum Laude with honors from the University of Cincinnati with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and minors in marketing and electronic media. She is continuing at UC to pursue a master’s degree in applied psychology. She also has been enjoying her current job with CityBeat magazine as the marketing and events assistant.

Mary CHASE graduated Magna Cum Laude from Temple University with a major in Classics (Latin and Greek). She spent a terrific semester in Rome.

In January 2017, Mary will move to South Korea for a year to earn her TEFL certificate. In the meantime, she is living in Pittsburgh while planning to move to Chicago.

As for me, I graduated Cum Laude from Vanderbilt in May with my B.A. in chemistry (yes, that major is given a B.A. and not a B.S. at Vandy) and Spanish. I have been accepted at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, but have deferred my matriculation for two years. In the interim, I will teach junior high science with Teach For America in Tulsa, OK. I can’t wait!

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The Benn Family: (L to R) Jonathan Dukes, Janessa BENN Dukes ’09, Jeffrey Benn, Judith Benn, Jessica BENN Hortman ’01, and Kristopher Hortman at their parents’ surprise 35th anniversary party.

(L to R) Rebecca HESTER ’06; Kirsten SPITTEL ’07; bride, Ronna PEACOCK Pratt ’07; Brittany FONG ’07; and Brea FURMAN ’07.

BOOK YOUR TRIP TO ITALY TODAY MARCH 21 - 29, 2016 Pack your bags and join Ellis in Italy for 9 days of wine, food, and culture led by Head of School and art historian Robin Newham.

The trip is being planned by alumnae Pam PROPST Campbell ’65 and Susan DICKEY Gilmore ’65. Home base will be the glorious Villa Scacciapensieri hotel in Siena. From there, daily excursions will include the city of Florence, Pisa, and many more exciting sites.

Adventures include a wine tasting, museum visits, and the glory of Tuscany! A perfect way to spend the last week of March.

Find details online at TheEllisSchool.org/Italy

Submit Class Notes Online The Office of Alumnae Affairs wants to hear from you, and share your news with your fellow Ellisians! Have you recently gotten a promotion? Won an award? Started a business? Gotten married or had a child? The Ellis magazine's online Class Notes form makes it easy for you to share your news and keep in touch with your classmates.

Online Class Notes must come directly from the graduate who has news to report. Notes are edited to fit available space. Log on at www.theellisschool.org/classnotes today.

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Milestones

(L to R) Meredith SCHERVISH ’11; Mary HAZLETT ’12; Laura HAZLETT ’07; Alexis KANDRA ’09; Katie FERGUSON ’09; Sarah MISTICK ’09; Anne HAZLETT ’09; bride, Margaret SCHERVISH ’09; Catherine BYRD ’09; Naoka GUNAWARDENA ’14; Naomi GUNAWARDENA ’09; and Heather ACUFF ’09.

MARRIAGES

NEW ARRIVALS

IN MEMORIAM

Mary B. GRUNNAGLE Barlow ’67 to Sheri Cannell on May 8, 2015

Maria (Mary Beth) BALDWIN ’87, a son, Alexander Baldwin Konitsky, on June 20, 2014

Charlotte DUFF McCrady ’40 on November 14, 2013

Kelly BRENT ’89 to Jeffrey Schoeneman on September 18, 2015

Heather BOSSERT Cunningham ’89, twins, Julianne Rose and Jackson David Cunningham, on February 28, 2014

Sakena PATTERSON ’93 to Ricardo Washington Jr. on September 19, 2014 Courtney GRATTAN ’01 to Frank Matarazzo on September 20, 2014 Lauren BYRNE ’02 to Patrick Connelly on June 13, 2015 Kesi CHEN ’03 to Michael Yang on September 13, 2014 Andreina PARISI-AMON ’03 to Ryan Bloom on October 17, 2015 Kristen WALTER ’05 to Devin Sobel on May 23, 2015 Ronna PEACOCK ’07 to Timothy Pratt on October 25, 2014 Alyssa TREMPUS ’07 to Ashton Kinney on June 27, 2015 Janessa BENN ’09 to Jonathan Dukes Jr. on August 16, 2014

Elsie HILLIARD Hillman ’43 on August 4, 2015 Janet KETCHUM Whitehouse ’43 on December 24, 2013 Mary Louise HALL Yates ’43 on April 14, 2015

Vicki TAYLOR Stein ’89, a daughter, Milena Evangelina Stein, on March 20, 2015

Jane LEES Lynch ’47 on August 17, 2013

Monica NAMAN Boyles ’91, a daughter, Quinn Boyles, on May 9, 2014

Linda BERGER Lasday ’57 on July 24, 2014

Lilah FISHER Wise ’95, a son, Hudson Emmet Wise, on January 23, 2015

Leah L. O’BRIEN ’99 on April 25, 2015

Angela ROMAN Bryan ’97, a daughter, Olivia Bryan, in August 2014

Natalie AUSTIN Ashmore ’49 on January 5, 2015

Kristin GRELLER Smith-Dufala ’69 on August 16, 2015

Kathryn Fell Stolarevsky, former faculty, on March 27, 2015

Rachel KAIGHIN-SHIELDS ’97, a daughter, Edie Jiwoo Kaighin Cheigh-Shields, on September 3, 2014 Alexander LEE ’97, a son, Kinen Elouan, on August 9, 2013 Whitney OKONAK Sunday ’98, a daughter, Penelope Grace Sunday, on April 20, 2015 Nadia EL-HILLAL ’05, a son, Yusuf Abdullah Ali, on November 27, 2014

Margaret SCHERVISH ’09 to Dan McCarriar on November 22, 2014

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 Office of Alumnae Affairs at 412.661.6796 or alumnae@theellisschool.org.

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Scene Ellis Scene

libations in the library April 30, 2015

The warm and welcoming environs of the Fred C. Babcock Library was the setting for the annual Ellis alumnae event in Pittsburgh. Nearly 30 grads, along with Head of School Robin Newham, checked out the event.

Tere MILLER-SPORRER ’02, Kiely LEWANDOWSKI ’02, Katie O’MALLEY ’02, Carly REED ’02, Bayh SULLIVAN ’02, and Lauren BYRNE ’02.

Hannah BLUM Entrekin ’02, Kiely LEWANDOWSKI ’02, Carly REED ’02, Tere MILLER-SPORRER ’02, Bayh SULLIVAN ’02, and Lauren BYRNE ’02.

Bridget BYRNE ’09, Jennifer HEINAUER ’09, and AMBER CHAUDHRY ’10.

Amber CHAUDHRY ’10 and Kiely LEWANDOWSKI ’02.

CELEBRATION OF LIFE FOR SUSAN SAYERS CRANE ’55 June 7, 2015 Former Head of School Ellen Fleming with Robin Newham, Head of School, at the Celebration of Life for Susan SAYERS Crane ’55 in June 2015.

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dream big May 28, 2015

Host for the Philadelphia Alumnae Event Peggy MATHIESON Conver ’73.

This past spring, 160 members of the Ellis community gathered at Pittsburgh Center for the Arts for Dream Big, where guests ate, drank, and toasted in celebration of Ellis and its 99-year legacy of excellence. Fond farewells were made to retiring Lower School Director Karen Chambers as the School honored the dedicated educators, staff, and administrators to whom our parents entrust their daughters every day. Auctioneers Kristin Kalson and Genny Kozusko provided laughter and entertainment, raising more than $5,000 for the Ellis Fund and the Ellis Parent Association. We can't wait to do it again next year!

the 2015-2016 ellis alumnae calendar

November

washington, d.c.

Catch 15 Thursday, November 5, 2015 5:30–7:30 p.m.

1518 K Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20005

December

new york

The Home of Colleen Daily Simonds ’95, Trustee Thursday, December 3, 2015 5:30–7:30 p.m.

Tribeca

January

pittsburgh Young Alum Ice Cream Social

Lisa Bennington and Susan Allison sell EPA raffel tickets.

Head of School Robin Newham and her husband, Bob, at the Philadelphia Alumnae Event.

February

california

philadelphia April 22, 2015

A dozen Ellis alumnae living in the Philadelphia area joined host Peggy MATHIESON Conver ’73 at the Bellini Grill. The group, ranging from lawyers to a jazz singer, enjoyed an evening of good food and conversation.

Ritu Thamman and husband Andrew Watson.

April

boston

May

pittsburgh

Maggie's Farm Rum Thursday, May 19, 2016 5:30–7:30 p.m.

3212A Smallman St, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

May

philadelphia

For more information, visit TheEllisSchool.org/Alumnae or call 412-661-6796.

Kristin Kalson and Genny Kozusko run the auction.

Retired Lower School Director Karen Chambers with retired faculty member Norma Greco.

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Remembering

Elsie HILLIARD Hillman ’43 1925–2015

By Robin Newham Head of School It was with great sadness that we learned of the death of our beloved Elsie HILLIARD Hillman ’43. Elsie was both a loyal alumna of Ellis and a committed benefactor. Most recently, she agreed to serve as one of our honorary Centennial Campaign co-chairs—an act of love for Ellis that we will always cherish.

Elsie Hillman attended Ellis until 1941 and was proud of her daughters, granddaughters, and granddaughter-in-law, as well as many nieces, who followed in her Ellis footsteps. Elsie was the inaugural recipient of the Sara Frazer Ellis Award, given to those who exhibit exceptional service and generosity to the School. She was also one of nine alumnae honored during the School's 90th anniversary celebration.

Her characteristic kindness, charm, and graciousness were evident in every encounter she had, but were in particular abundance when she met with members of the Ellis community.

In fact, Ellis Heads of School (past and present) truly appreciated her support.

Ellis is not alone in mourning the loss of Elsie.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s obituary noted that she was “a philanthropist and political activist whose lifetime of civic devotion made her a beloved figure in Western Pennsylvania and beyond.”

Photo Courtesy of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

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Board Meet the Trustees

Dr. Anita Courcoulas is a leader in the field of surgical outcomes and health services research. A tenured professor of surgery and chief of the Division of Minimally Invasive Bariatric and General Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), she also directs the Surgical Fellowship Training Program in Advanced Laparoscopic and Bariatric Surgery.

A plaque honoring the Hillman family on the outside of the Upper School.

Ellis Connection: Daughter, Tessa, Class of 2025

As a managing director of The Hillman Company since 1996, Michael Haggerty oversees a diverse portfolio of alternative asset strategies that include private equity, venture capital, real assets, and hedge funds. He’s also treasurer for The Sprout Fund.

Ellis Connection: Daughter, Viola, Class of 2023 A plaque honoring the many members of the Hillman family who have attended Ellis.

In a follow-up tribute, the paper stated, “Fond remembrances of social and political activist Elsie Hillman continued to be expressed … with many voicing their belief that her impact on the community will be long-lasting.”

But perhaps it is the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s article that describes Elsie in the way we believe she would most like to be remembered: as an unassuming and caring human being, who was driven by respect and compassion for others.

“Despite her enormous wealth and influence,” the Trib wrote, “she loved simple things: Kentucky Fried Chicken, costume jewelry, driving her own car, and calling people ‘dearie,’ even a president of the United States. A generous woman with a hearty laugh and indomitable spirit, she pushed for equal rights for blacks and women beginning in the 1950s, encouraging them to run for office, and later advocated for gay rights and women's reproductive rights.”

At September's memorial service, former University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Mark Nordenberg said, “She was the queen of Pittsburgh. But she was a queen with a common touch, a monarch by merit.”

Regardless of Elsie’s many accomplishments and well-deserved accolades, she was always focused on the person right in front of her, regardless of that individual’s station in life.

We at Ellis are proud to claim Elsie as one of our own, and we wish her beloved husband, Henry, and her entire family the peace of knowing that throughout her lifetime she garnered the love and respect of so many people. •

Former Ellis Head Rebecca Upham is returning as a trustee, bringing her experiences working at Buckingham Browne & Nichols School in Cambridge, MA, and the HarvardWestlake School in Los Angeles.

Having sat on the boards of Headmistresses of the East and the Educational Research Bureau, she has also served as regent for District 1 of the Cum Laude Society.

Ellis Connection: Served as Head of School from 1992 to 2001

For nearly three decades the Rev. Dr. Janet EDWARDS Anti ’68 has served as a pastor and minister. She is a leading voice for marriage equality, reform, and acceptance for all. A prolific and eloquent writer, she blogs regularly and has written for The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, and The Advocate.

Ellis Connection: Alumna, Class of 1968

ELLIS MAGAZINE

FALL 2015

51

show your ellis spirit G o E l l is T ig e r s !

Announcing the Ellis Online Store Celebrate your Ellis pride with logo items from the new Ellis online store. You’ll find uniform polos and plaid, women’s and men’s stadium jackets and ponchos, rugby shirts, caps, workout gear, baby gifts, and sale items, all with the Ellis logo.

Find gifts for your Ellis friends or for yourself. Shop online and we’ll ship anywhere in the world.

Ellis.AECOnlineStore.com

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ELLIS MAGAZINE

FALL 2015

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Centennial 2016 MORE POWER TO HER

Magazine THE ELLIS SCHOOL 6425 Fifth Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15206

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The Class of ’47 Enjoys a Party at the Evans’ House (Circa 1943) On the floor: (L to R) Elsie YOHE Follansbee*, Mary WEITZEL Gibbons-Landor, Nancy BURCHFIELD Denney, Cecily HOGG Morrow, and Helen FORKER Offenhiser*.

Seated: (L to R) Joan LAPPE-Bowman*, Constance RANDALL McLean, Nancy EVANS Gruner (hostess), and Jane HAYS Featherstone. Back Row: Diane DALLYE Frost, Cordelia RUFFIN Richards, Jean McWILLIAMS Allred, Patricia HUMPHREYS Rockwood, Marjorie CUMMINGS Franks*, Elizabeth BUDD Whiteside*, Margaret WILSON Ryan*, Charlotte CHAPPLE Bennett*, Margaret CLIFFORD, Nola DORBRITZ Denton, Marian RODGERS Frick, and Alice BUFFINGTON Herron.

Rear: Louise EDDY Davis*. * Deceased