April 25-30, 2021
CHANGING PERSPECTIVES Reimagining the Annual Spring Gala Conversations x Connections: A Speaker Series Celebrating the Diversity of Minds, Intelligence, and Abilities reimagines our annual Gala fundraiser.
This event is still a vital source of revenue for our school.
We recognize the uniqueness of this time and did not try to create an online event that would attempt to replicate the fun and excitement we all have at our Gala. It is not possible.
The series runs from April 25-30, 2021 and is offered to attendees FREE.
We will rely on Sponsorships and a specially curated Online Auction to raise funds for Financial Aid and Professional Development.
The series will conclude with a Charity Poker Tournament open to all levels and spectators.
CONVERSATIONS X CONNECTIONS SPEAKER SERIES
The Gateway School Speaker Series is a new forum that will bring speakers from diverse backgrounds together in conversation. The series aims to facilitate open and inclusive dialogue, expose our community to perspectives on a range of contemporary topics, and ultimately learn from and about each other during this historical time.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS APRIL 25-APRIL 30, 2021 SUNDAY, APRIL 25 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ON CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DIFFERENCES Confidence and Self-Advocacy During Challenging Times SPEAKERS: Harold S. Koplewicz, MD, Founding President of the Child Mind Institute x Carolyn Salzman, Former Head of School MODERATED BY: Laurie Gruhn, Head of School
SUNDAY, APRIL 25 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. ON LIFE AFTER GATEWAY Alumni Panel SPEAKERS: Jordan Cohen '15, Luca Daly '17, Nieve Ferguson '11, Anna Garner Kaminski '03, Olivia Giuliano '07 MODERATED BY: John Banta, Gateway Faculty Member for 15 Years
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS APRIL 25-APRIL 30, 2021 MONDAY, APRIL 26 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. ON LULU IS A RHINOCEROS Exploring Identity and Inclusion Through Storytelling SPEAKERS: Allison Flom, Co-Author of Lulu is a Rhinoceros, Writer, and Director x Jason Flom, Co-Author of Lulu is a Rhinoceros, Founder of Lava Records, Founding Board Member of the Innocence Project, and Son of The Gateway School’s Founder, Claire Flom
TUESDAY, APRIL 27 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. ON FASHION How Clothing Trends Reflect the Times SPEAKERS: Micaela Erlanger, Celebrity Fashion Stylist x Libby Wadle (Sylvie Potter, Grade 6), CEO, J. Crew Group MODERATED BY: Chassie Post, (Rohde Costello '19) TV Style Correspondent, Host, and Lifestyle Editor
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS APRIL 25-APRIL 30, 2021 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. ON ENTREPRENEURISM The Importance of Collaboration and Teamwork SPEAKERS: Elizabeth Cutler x Julie Rice, Co-Founders of SoulCycle x Entrepreneurs MODERATED BY: Ellen Grayson, Director of Admissions and Placement, The Gateway School
THURSDAY, APRIL 29 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. ON ACTING How to Overcome Rejection While Pursuing Your Dreams SPEAKERS: Noma Dumezweni (Qeiva Grant ’21), Olivier Award Winner and Tony Award-Nominated, Stage and Screen Actress x Judine Somerville (Bobby Somerville ’20), Stage and Screen Actress, Singer, and Faculty Member at The Ailey School *Pre-taped
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS APRIL 25-APRIL 30, 2021 FRIDAY. APRIL 30 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. ON THE ART OF THE GAME Using Poker Strategies to Win at Cards and Succeed in Life SPEAKERS: Erik Seidel, Professional Poker Player, Winner of Eight World Series of Poker Bracelets, World Poker Tour Title, and an Inductee to the Poker Hall of Fame x Maria Konnikova, New York Times Best-selling Author, Journalist, and Professional Poker Player MODERATED BY: Elian Seidel, Director of Middle School, The Gateway School
FRIDAY. APRIL 30 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. ONLINE CHARITY POKER TOURNAMENT With Special Guest Professional Poker Players, Erik Seidel and Maria Konnikova The game is open to all levels and spectators.
ON LEARNING DISABILITIES Confidence and Self-Advocacy During Challenging Times
HAROLD S. KOPLEWICZ, MD
CAROLYN SALZMAN
LAURIE GRUHN
Founding President of the Child Mind Institute
Former Head of The Gateway School
Head of The Gateway School
Featured Speaker
Featured Speaker
Moderator
April 25, 2021 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
HAROLD S. KOPLEWICZ, MD FOUNDING PRESIDENT, CHILD MIND INSTITUTE
BIO Harold S. Koplewicz, MD, is the founding president and medical director of the Child Mind Institute, the only independent national nonprofit dedicated to child and adolescent mental health. One of the nation’s leading child and adolescent psychiatrists, Dr. Koplewicz was previously founding director of the NYU Child Study Center and served as director of the Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research. He has been interviewed for multiple national broadcast and print outlets, and his writing has appeared in TIME and USA Today. He is the editor-inchief of the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology and author of several books, including The Scaffold Effect: Raising Resilient, Self-Reliant and Secure Kids in an Age of Anxiety, forthcoming from Penguin Random House. The Child Mind Institute’s award-winning website, childmind.org, has brought accessible information to more than 50 million parents, teachers, and mental health professionals. During the coronavirus pandemic, Dr. Koplewicz led the organization in a digital transformation to bring families everywhere mental health support including telehealth treatment, hotlines for front line professionals, resources for underserved communities, and #WeThriveInside, a celebrity social media campaign that reached more than 250 million people.
CAROLYN SALZMAN FORMER HEAD OF THE GATEWAY SCHOOL BIO During her tenure, Carolyn Salzman (Gateway parent of Ben Salzman '04) led the school through a remarkable period of redefinition, which began with focusing on and streamlining Gateway’s mission. Carolyn’s relationship with Gateway began in 1998 when her son Benjamin Salzman ’04 first walked through its doors. Since that moment, she has remained devoted to ensuring that the school continued to grow and thrive. In 1999, Carolyn was elected to the Board of Trustees and served as Chair from 2001–2005. In this role, she oversaw the expansion of enrollment, relocation to a permanent facility, and the stabilization of school finances, including the appeal of the funded tuition rate and the establishment of a Development Office. To restructure the school, she initiated a reorganization that included reordering the overall administrative structure and redefining roles, formal program evaluation, redesign of budgeting and accounting systems, implementation of reporting and control procedures, and revision of teacher compensation and benefits. Her Board committees have included Co-Chair, The Campaign for Gateway 1999–2002, Head of Program Committee responsible for quality and cost of a new Middle School program, and Head of Audit Committee. In 2013, she was appointed Head of School. In the ensuing seven years, the school grew to nearly 200 students ages 5 to 14. In June 2014, the Board of Trustees adopted a strategic plan that she successfully led to secure Gateway’s position as one of the premier independent schools serving students with special needs. In March of 2020, when the global COVID-19 pandemic hit New York City, Carolyn seamlessly transitioned the school to a distance learning program. The online learning platform impressed parents, faculty, and students with an exemplary system that remained consistent with the school’s pedagogy and mission. She retired as Head of School at the end of the 2019-2020 school year.
LAURIE GRUHN HEAD OF THE GATEWAY SCHOOL BIO Born and raised in New York City, Laurie Gruhn (Gateway parent of Susanna Gruhn, '20) is a product of independent schools. She graduated from the Hewitt School and spent fourteen years teaching English, Geography, and Drama at the Chapin School, where she also coached the speech and debate team. She was Lower School and Assistant Head of School for 22 years at the Browning School. Laurie served on The Hewitt School’s Alumni Board, The Gateway School’s Board of Trustees, and sits on The Browning School’s Board ex-officio. Laurie holds an M.A. from New York University School of Education and a B.A. from Chatham University. In 2008, as a single parent, she adopted her daughter, Susanna, from China when she was three years old. Her daughter graduated from The Gateway School in 2020. In July 2020, Laurie became the Head of The Gateway School.
ON LIFE AFTER GATEWAY ALUMNI PANEL
JOHN BANTA
JORDAN COHEN '15
LUCA DALY '17
Grandstand Teacher
Featured Speaker
Featured Speaker
NIEVE FERGUSON '11
ANNA GARNER KAMINSKI '03
OLIVIA GIULIANO '07
Featured Speaker
Featured Speaker
Featured Speaker
Moderator
April 25, 2021 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
JOHN BANTA GRANDSTAND TEACHER BIO Mr. Banta is a 39-year-old New Jersey native and an Eagle Scout. The oldest of four, he enjoys reading, napping, a good fire pit, prefers oceans over pools, will spend months attempting to locate & reunite separated socks, and recently tried Wasabi for the first time (to much success!). Mr. Banta has taught at Gateway for 15 years and is proud to say he was fortunate enough to learn the Grandstand method with the wonderful Toby Pulanco, who had been taught the very same from Gateway’s founder, Elizabeth Freidus. Over the last decade and a half, he also has observed and adopted the same strategies demonstrated by other past Gateway legends, including Lisa Childers, Sara Kiesel, Ginny Nudell, Jossie O’Neill, and Sharyn Lico. A big fan of maintaining connections, Mr. Banta is thrilled to reunite this year’s Life After Gateway alumni with their grammar school community and looks forward to catching up with all the great things everybody has been doing.
JORDAN COHEN '15 THE GATEWAY SCHOOL ALUMNI BIO Jordan Cohen is currently a sophomore at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business. He attended Gateway until 6th grade and Birch Wathen Lenox through high school. He is studying Finance and Economics and is interested in pursuing a career in either investment banking or commercial real estate. Jordan credits Gateway for teaching him how to organize himself. He now knows how to organize tasks and focus on eliminating the easier things first and then tackle the harder material. At Gateway he learned how to attack problems head on and put in the work to be successful in school and life.
LUCA DALY '17 THE GATEWAY SCHOOL ALUMNI BIO Luca Daly is currently a senior at Dwight School, and happy to be moving on to Bennington College’s class of 2025, where he has been accepted with a scholarship for Creative Design. At Bennington, he will be following his career path, which he started shortly after leaving Gateway. Since 2017, he has been Creative Director and Lead Designer for Daffodils in Paradise, a streetwear fashion brand based in New York City. He is forever grateful to the special time and people he encountered at Gateway: “they helped me open my mind to prioritize both hard work and creative discoveries.”
NIEVE FERGUSON '11 THE GATEWAY SCHOOL ALUMNI BIO Nieve Ferguson attended Gateway from 2008-2011. Afterward, she attended York Prep and graduated in 2016. In 2016, she went to Bennington College in Vermont. She wanted a small campus that felt like an arts camp. Bennington felt like too much of that, so she decided to leave and attend her original second choice school, Emerson College in Boston where she could focus on commercial television. She graduated from Emerson in the spring of 2020. During her time at Emerson, she also studied abroad during the fall of 2018 at the University of Westminster in London. She interned at CONAN on TBS right when the pandemic hit, and had to leave Los Angeles. She is currently working as a Covid Compliance Officer (more like Production Assistant) on NBC’s Manifest (Season 3 airing now. All seasons available on Hulu or Peacock). Her dream is to write for children's television, late-night TV, or a soap opera-like General Hospital. She loves Gateway and everything it stands for. She believes she wouldn’t be where she is today if Gateway hadn’t saved her from a public school system that was failing another neuro-typical kid.
ANNA GARNER KAMINSKI '03 THE GATEWAY SCHOOL ALUMNI BIO Anna Garner Kaminski attended The Gateway School from 1995 to 2003. Currently, Anna works as an Assistant Teacher and a Spanish Interpreter in a public high school in Hell's Kitchen. She attended SUNY Empire State College for her undergraduate degree and is currently getting her master's degree in 7-12th Grade Special Education there. Along with teaching, her passion is drawing illustrations for children. She lives with her husband in Brooklyn.
OLIVIA GIULIANO '07 THE GATEWAY SCHOOL ALUMNI BIO Olivia Giuliano attended The Gateway School from 2002-2007. After Gateway, she went to the Birch Wathen Lenox School on the Upper East Side for Middle and High School before enrolling at Connecticut College, where she was a History major. She graduated from college in 2017 and is currently working at The Hospital for Special Surgery. This fall, she will be attending Columbia University to start her Masters in Occupational Therapy. Olivia’s goal is to graduate from school and help people with physical and mental challenges, which she states she can relate to given her own learning differences.
ON LULU IS A RHINOCEROS Exploring Identity and Inclusion Through Storytelling
JASON FLOM
ALLISON FLOM
Co-Author of Lulu is a Rhinoceros, Founder of Lava Records, Founding Board Member of the Innocence Project, and Son of The Gateway School’s Founder, Claire Flom
Co-Author of Lulu is a Rhinoceros, Writer, and Director
Featured Speaker
LULU
April 26, 2021 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Featured Speaker
JASON FLOM RECORD EXECUTIVE X PHILANTHROPIST BIO Jason Flom is the son of The Gateway School's Founder, Claire Flom. Jason also founded Lava Records, kicking off a music empire that would discover and champion superstar acts from Katy Perry and Kid Rock to Matchbox 20 and Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Jason is much more than a record executive, however; he’s also a philanthropist with a passion for standing up for people whose lives have been derailed by our flawed criminal justice system. A founding board member of the Innocence Project, a board member of NYU Prison Education program, Families Against Mandatory Minimums, and The Drug Policy Alliance, he has spent years speaking out for those who otherwise wouldn’t have a voice, helping to set free those who have been wrongfully convicted and helping them get on their feet once released. As part of his campaign for criminal justice reform, Jason founded Lava for Good Podcasts, which is dedicated to telling inspiring human stories and promoting social justice. Lava for Good is behind a lineup of notable podcasts, including the Wrongful Conviction Presents series hosted by Jason, in addition to renowned criminal justice advocates. Also a tireless advocate for animal rights and conservation, Jason has offered his support to organizations such as VetPaw (Veterans Empowered to Protect African Wildlife) and the African Wildlife Foundation. In 2018, inspired by his own bulldog, Lulu, he wrote Lulu is a Rhinoceros, a children’s book that has become a valuable resource for the transgender community or for anyone who feels as though they were born in the wrong body. For his work, Flom was named "Music Visionary of the Year" in 2000 by the UJA Federation, and in 1999 he received the Torch of Liberty Award from the American Civil Liberties Union. In 2004, The Correctional Association of New York honored him with their social justice award, and in 2005 Flom received the T.J. Martell Foundation Humanitarian Award. In 2008, Flom was honored as a Partner in Pursuit of Justice by the Bronx Defenders and was awarded with City of Hope’s Ambassador Award. He received the Innocence Project’s Award for Freedom and Justice in 2009 and the prestigious Tikkun Olam Award in 2020 by The Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA), presented to individuals who have displayed extraordinary efforts to make the world a better place and a passion for civic engagement and justice. He was honored as a Philanthropic Partner by the Bronx Defenders in 2016. Two years later, Flom received the Frederick Douglass Human Rights Award from the Southern Center for Human Rights, the Sentinel of Freedom Award from the Foundation for Criminal Justice, and the After Now Service Award from the NYU Prison Education Program. He has appeared on Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz. and was recently featured in Rolling Stone magazine in a story that detailed his criminal justice advocacy work.
ALLISON FLOM WRITER X DIRECTOR BIO Allison Flom is a writer and director, and grateful co-author of Lulu is a Rhinoceros. Her work explores justice, identity, and human rights and has premiered on international screens and stages. Recent credits: “Trouble In My Mind” (music video), “Freelance” (web), “Ill Feelings” (short), “What You’ve Done” (stage), “Rosie” (animated). Her true-crime podcast “Erased” highlighting unsung womxn heroes throughout history premieres this spring with Lava For Good. Allison is a founding board member of The Sunny Center Foundation, providing post-exoneration support to the wrongfully convicted. She also cocreated CrimSim with Fogbreak Justice and facilitates arts workshops for women behind bars. Allison is a licensed NYC sightseeing guide and remains passionate about investigating history to illuminate and amend today’s injustices.
LULU IS A RHINOCEROS FEATURING LULU
WWW.LULUISARHINO.COM
ON FASHION How Clothing Trends Reflect the Times
LIBBY WADLE
MICAELA ERLANGER
CHASSIE POST
CEO, J. Crew Group
Celebrity Fashion Stylist
Parent of Sylvie Potter, Grade 6
Featured Speaker
TV Style Correspondent, Host, x Lifestyle Editor Parent of Rohde Costello '19 Moderator
Featured Speaker
April 27, 2021 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
LIBBY WADLE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, J. CREW GROUP BIO Libby Wadle (Gateway parent of Sylvie Potter, Grade 6) is the Chief Executive Officer of J.Crew Group, overseeing J.Crew and Madewell brands, as well as serving on the board of directors. She has a proven track record of leading companies through periods of significant growth with a focus on customer-centric retail and building purpose-driven brands. With over 25-years of experience in the retail industry, during her tenure at the J.Crew Group, she has held executive leadership roles across each of the brands, J.Crew, Factory, and, most recently serving as the Chief Executive Officer of Madewell. As a member of the Madewell launch team, Wadle has been an integral part of the brand’s growth, bringing it from start-up to a leader in denim retail. She has dedicated herself to an ambitious sustainability and social impact strategy for the Group. She pioneered a partnership with Fair Trade USA partnership, working with them to certify their first denim product. Her commitment to sustainability and building responsible brands has been a key focus for her. This October Madewell launched its first sustainability report which detailed their work so far and plans for the future. Wadle is often looked to as a thought leader in the industry. She was named Fortune 40 under 40, Rivet 50 for denim leadership, and Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business. She graduated from Boston College with a degree in Literature and now lives in Brooklyn with her family and two dogs.
MICAELA ERLANGER CELEBRITY FASHION STYLIST BIO Micaela Erlanger is a celebrity fashion stylist based in New York City. Her work has been seen on the biggest red carpets around the globe and in the pages of top fashion publications worldwide. As one of the most sought-after Celebrity Stylists in the industry, Micaela’s unprecedented ascent to power stylist has been profiled by Vogue, Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaar, and numerous other publications. Having been repeatedly named one of the “Most Powerful Stylists,” by The Hollywood Reporter, this is a position she has sustained since 2014. Her diverse high-profile clients include Meryl Streep, Lupita Nyong’o, Common, Diane Kruger, Sigourney Weaver, Lucy Hale, Amanda Hearst, and Shailene Woodley to name a few – all of whom are perennially on the best-dressed lists. Micaela is known for creating breakout fashion moments on a campaign trail with her ability to transform clients into style icons on the red carpet. In 2019, Micaela launched her Bridal Styling business focusing on styling and consulting to brides, bridal brands, and luxury hospitality groups. Since then, she has launched an engagement ring and wedding band collection with Forevermark Diamonds, partnered with Brideside on a curated capsule of wedding gowns, and continues to represent the Platinum Guild as their global ambassador, as well as style her discerning luxury brides. In the fall of 2020, Micaela launched her line StyleList by Micaela as a collection of mix-and-match wardrobe essentials. She brings her expertise from years of styling her celebrity clients to design a size-inclusive line of versatile clothing for the modern woman. StyleList by Micaela is sold exclusively with QVC. She has worked on advertising campaigns for brands including St. Regis, Badgley Mischka, L’Oréal, Lancôme, Neutrogena, Revlon, Cadillac, Nike, Reebok, and Naeem Khan. Micaela’s work has been featured in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Marie Claire, InStyle, and Town and Country as well as on shows such as “GMA,” “E!,” “Rachael Ray,” “Entertainment Tonight,” and “Extra.” Micaela has been recognized by the industry with several notable awards. In 2019, US Magazine named her one of the Top 25 Most Stylish New Yorkers, in 2018, she was honored by The Accessories Council with their Style Influencer Award, and in 2016, Marie Claire magazine awarded her with their inaugural Image Maker Award. She is the author of “How to Accessorize: A PerfectFinish to Every Outfit” and has written for such publications as Vogue.com, HarpersBazaar.com, TMagazine.com, and Time Magazine. Micaela is the Former Head of The Gateway School. Carolyn Salzman's, niece.
CHASSIE POST TV STYLE CORRESPONDENT, HOST, X LIFESTYLE EDITOR
BIO Chassie Post (Gateway parent of Rohde Costello '19) is a sought-after TV Style Correspondent, Host, and Lifestyle Editor who is best known for bringing her upbeat style-savvy and know-how to women across the country. As a guest on national television shows such as The Today Show, Extra, Entertainment Tonight, E!, Wendy Williams Show, GMA, The Insider, Access Hollywood, Live w/ Regis & Kelly, CNN, The Steve Harvey Show, and more, Chassie covers the hottest trends in all things style: from fashion to design to entertaining to celebrity to wellness and beauty. Whether it’s dishing about Oscar red carpet looks or incorporating bold color into your décor, millions of viewers have seen her as their go-to style source. Known for her keen and exuberant eye, Chassie started her career as an art gallerist, launching the Chassie Post Galleries in New York and Atlanta where she exhibited the work of emerging contemporary artists. She then shifted into media, joining the magazine world as an Editor and Stylist for national fashion, home, and lifestyle magazines. She acted as Contributing Style Editor for Conde Nast's Domino and Cookie Magazines, representing the brands on television as style correspondent and as an editorial stylist for titles ranging from Glamour to O The Oprah Magazine. Her style advice has been featured in numerous publications such as House Beautiful, NewYorkTimes.com, Marie Claire, New York Post, Domino Magazine, Today.com, Living Etc. and more. Chassie also acted as Lifestyle Editor and TV Correspondent at Gilt.com, representing the site onair as well as creating and producing their national broadcast segments. Most recently, she continues her work in editorial television as a Lifestyle Correspondent for Yahoo. Chassie launched a capsule collection of accessories entitled Sequin & Burlap which is available in limited editions on ChassiePost.com. She is also developing a new house tours show which launched in January called Chic & Awe, co-hosting with sister-in-law Sara Ruffin Costello.
ON ENTREPRENEURISM The Importance of Collaboration and Teamwork
JULIE RICE X ELIZABETH CUTLER
ELLEN GRAYSON
Co-Founders of SoulCycle x Entrepreneurs
The Gateway School, Director of Admissions x Placement,
Featured Speakers
Moderator
April 28, 2021 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
ELIZABETH CUTLER CO-FOUNDER OF SOULCYCLE X ENTREPRENEUR
BIO Elizabeth Cutler is an entrepreneur best known for co-creating the fitness phenomenon, SoulCycle. She served as CoCEO at SoulCycle from 2006 to 2015 before becoming Co-Chief Creative Officer in 2015. Cutler attended the University of Colorado, Boulder where she studied the intersection of Art History and Religious Studies. Her studies took her to Bodh Gaya, India, where she lived in a Buddhist monastery and throughout Southeast Asia. Cutler and her partner Julie Rice started SoulCycle in 2006 in the rear lobby of an Upper West Side dance studio found on Craigslist. They grew the company to 60 studios as founders, CEOs, and Creative Officers before departing in 2016. Cutler and Rice were honored as one of Goldman Sachs’ 100 Builders + Innovators in 2013 and 2014 and SoulCycle was voted one of the World’s Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Fitness of 2013 by Fast Company. They were contributing editors to The Wall Street Journal’s Accelerators column and in 2015, Cutler and Rice were voted one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business. In 2015, they were honored as two of AdWeek’s Brand Geniuses. In 2016, Cutler formed Dopamine Ventures and LifeShop companies, focused on advising, investing, and incubating new ideas rooted in the community. Cutler continues to speak at CEO, business, and creativity conferences worldwide. She serves on the board of Crisis Text Line, a mental health-based text messaging support line, and SHOFCO, the Kenyan-based community-organized initiative to transform urban slums and urban poor. She currently advises select startups and companies, as well, under Dopamine Ventures. Prior to moving to New York City, Cutler lived and worked in Telluride, Colorado. Elizabeth her husband, Allen, and their two daughters are based in New York City and enjoy cooking and hiking.
JULIE RICE CO-FOUNDER OF SOULCYCLE X ENTREPRENEUR
BIO Julie Rice is an entrepreneur best known for co-founding the fitness phenomenon, SoulCycle. She received a B.A. in English and Theater from the State University of New York at Binghamton and started her career in Los Angeles. Julie was a Talent Manager at Handprint Entertainment from 1997 to 2004 Julie and her partner Elizabeth Cutler started SoulCycle in 2006 in the rear lobby of an Upper West Side dance studio found on Craigslist. They grew the company to 60 studios as founders, CEOs, and Creative Officers before departing in 2016. Rice and Cutler were honored as one of Goldman Sachs’ 100 Builders + Innovators in 2013 and 2014 and SoulCycle was voted one of the World’s Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Fitness of 2013 by Fast Company. Rice and Cutler were contributing editors to The Wall Street Journal’s Accelerators column and in 2015, they were voted one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business. In 2015, they were honored as two of AdWeek’s Brand Geniuses. Julie's life's work has been about building community. She served as Co-CEO at SoulCycle from 2006 to 2015 before serving as a Partner at WeWork from 2017 to 2019. She is currently the Co-Founder of LifeShop. LifeShop advises and invests in entrepreneurs and consults with businesses at scale. LifeShop is also developing original concepts in the health and happiness space. She is a board member of the Public Theatre and WeightWatchers, as well as an advisor to the women's club, The Wing. Julie lives in NYC with her husband, Spencer, and their two daughters, Phoebe and Parker.
ELLEN GRAYSON DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS AND PLACEMENT, THE GATEWAY SCHOOL
BIO Ellen Grayson, Director of Admissions and Placement at The Gateway School, is a seasoned veteran in New York City Independent Schools. Bringing 28 years’ cumulative experience, Grayson has led Gateway’s admissions and outplacement program for the past 10 years. Grayson holds a MS in Speech-Language Pathology from Columbia University and a BA in Speech Communication from the State University of New York, Oneonta, and was fully trained in International Baccalaureate. She helped to shape a global mindset in her students by organizing both philanthropical and cultural trips abroad to Italy, Cuba, India, and England, to name a few. In addition to her work with independent schools, Grayson ran a private practice in pediatric language therapy and serves as a private consultant for high school outplacement. Grayson encourages and promotes a healthy lifestyle, whether it’s was running a snowboarding program for New York City youth for 15 years or organizing SoulCycle group classes for her colleagues.
ON ACTING How to Overcome Rejection While Pursuing Your Dreams
NOMA DUMEZWENI
JUDINE SOMERVILLE
Olivier Award Winner and Tony Award-Nominated, Stage and Screen Actress, Parent of Qeiva Grant ’21
Stage and Screen Actress, Singer, and Faculty Member at The Ailey School, Parent of Bobby Somerville ’20
Featured Speaker
Featured Speaker
April 29, 2021 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. *pre-taped
NOMA DUMEZWENI ACTRESS BIO Noma Dumezweni (Gateway parent of Qeiva Grant '21) is a British stage and screen actress. In 2006, she won an Olivier Award for her role in A Raisin in the Sun. She starred as Hermione Granger in the original West End and Broadway runs of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which garnered her a second Laurence Olivier Award, and a Tony Award nomination. Noma’s work in theatre includes: President of an Empty Room and The Hour We Knew Nothing Of Each Other at the National Theatre, London; Breakfast with Mugabe, Antony, and Cleopatra and Much Ado About Nothing for the RSC; A Raisin in the Sun for the Young Vic at the Lyric Hammersmith, London; A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Master, and Margarita, Nathan the Wise, and The Coffee House at Chichester Festival Theatre, Six Characters in Search of an Author in the Chichester Festival production at the Gielgud Theatre and The Bogus Woman at the Traverse and the Bush. In the spring of 2009, she appeared in the RSC's The Winter's Tale. In 2013–2014, she appeared in A Human Being Died That Night at the Fugard Theater in Cape Town, the Market Theatre in Johannesburg, which later transferred to the Hampstead Theatre in London. Notable screen appearances include roles in Dirty Pretty Things, Mary Poppins Returns, Normal People, The Undoing, and the upcoming HBO Max series Made for Love. She is currently filming for a role in The Little Mermaid, a live-action remake of the animated Disney classic.
JUDINE SOMERVILLE ACTRESS BIO Judine Somerville (Gateway parent of Bobby Somerville '20) is the recipient of the Steven Goldberg Award as well as the F. Lammont Belin Arts Scholarship. She has performed in five original Broadway musicals, including the eight-time Tony Award-winning, Best Musical HAIRSPRAY, where she was part of the singing trio sensation ‘The Dynamites.’ Judine is the recipient of the historic Legacy Robe, which is awarded to the cast member who has performed in the most Broadway musicals. Judine reprised her role for NBC-TV’s live presentation HAIRSPRAY LIVE. The 2016 NBC sensation featured Harvey Fierstein, Martin Short, Jennifer Hudson, Kristin Chenoweth, Ariana Grande, Andrea Martin, Sean Hayes, and Rosie O’Donnell. Judine has sung the National Anthem at Madison Square Garden and Barclays Center and is a former member of The Radio City Music Hall Rockettes. Previously a Guest Artist at Lincoln Center’s Meet The Artist Series, she is currently on the faculty of The Ailey School Broadway Classroom and a Guest Artist at Rosie’s Theater Kids. Judine is a member of The Gateway School Board of Trustees.
ON THE ART OF THE GAME Using Poker Strategies to Win at Cards and Succeed in Life
ERIK SEIDEL
MARIA KONNIKOVA
ELIAN SEIDEL
Professional Poker Player, Winner of Eight World Series of Poker Bracelets, World Poker Tour Title, and an Inductee to the Poker Hall of Fame
New York Times Best-selling Author, Journalist, and Professional Poker Player
The Gateway School Director of Middle School
Featured Speaker
Moderator
Featured Speaker
April 30, 2021 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
ERIK SEIDEL PROFESSIONAL POKER PLAYER BIO Erik Seidel is a legendary professional poker player from Las Vegas, Nevada with eight World Series of Poker bracelets and a World Poker Tour title. He was fond of backgammon at college and soon left for the career of professional backgammon player. A tournament backgammon player for eight years, he eventually started playing the stock market and then moved on to poker. He was one of the group of now-famous players from the Mayfair Club, including Howard Lederer and Dan Harrington. In his first major tournament, Seidel was runner-up in the 1988 World Series of Poker main event to Johnny Chan. This final hand was featured in the movie Rounders. He has also participated in numerous poker TV shows, including the popular show Poker After Dark. In the late summer of 2016, psychologist and writer, Maria Konnikova, contacted Erik to help her fulfill her goal of spending a year becoming a competitive poker player. He became her mentor and since 2017 she has plunged into the poker world. Konnikova’s New York Times bestseller, The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win tells the story of how Seidel taught her to study human behavior, the importance of distinguishing between what can and cannot be controlled, and how to self-reflect while reading your opponents. These lessons translated away from the poker table. The Art of the Game is filled with valuable lessons for poker and in life. Erik splits his time between Las Vegas and New York City with his wife, Ruah. He has two daughters, Jamesin and Elian.
MARIA KONNIKOVA AUTHOR, JOURNALIST, AND PROFESSIONAL POKER PLAYER
BIO Maria Konnikova is the author, most recently, of The Biggest Bluff, a New York Times bestseller and Editors’ Choice. Her previous books are the bestsellers The Confidence Game, winner of the 2016 Robert P. Balles Prize in Critical Thinking, and Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes, an Anthony and Agatha Award finalist. Maria is a regularly contributing writer for The New Yorker whose writing has won numerous awards, including the 2019 Excellence in Science Journalism Award from the Society of Personality and Social Psychology. While researching The Biggest Bluff, Maria became an international poker champion and the winner of over $300,000 in tournament earnings—and inadvertently turned into a professional poker player. Maria’s writing has been featured in Best American Science and Nature Writing and has been translated into over twenty languages. Maria also hosts the podcast The Grift from Panoply Media, a show that explores con artists and the lives they ruin, and is currently a visiting fellow at NYU’s School of Journalism. Her podcasting work earned her a National Magazine Award nomination in 2019. She graduated from Harvard University and received her PhD in psychology from Columbia University.
ELIAN SEIDEL DIRECTOR OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE GATEWAY SCHOOL
BIO Elian Seidel was named Director of Middle School in 2019. A Head Teacher in Gateway’s Middle School for four years, Elian was added to the Program Specialist Team in 2017 and promoted again to Curriculum Specialist in 2018. In these roles, Elian redesigned the Humanities content, developed the scope and sequence for a revitalized Middle School curriculum, and enhanced Gateway’s K-8 sequence of content, skills, products, and assessments to improve academic rigor and support teacher planning and instruction. During her time at Gateway, Elian has been committed to providing opportunities for students to participate in class and school-wide trips. Last year she was responsible for implementing the Middle School’s Winter Workshop at Chelsea Piers, and planned the first-ever 8th grade trip to Washington, D.C. She also coached the girls’ basketball team and loves to support the Gateway Lions athletic program. Elian received her B.A. from Providence College and her M.A. from Teachers College, Columbia University. Elian is Erik Seidel’s oldest daughter and the only child who hasn’t won a poker tournament in her adulthood.
CHARITY POKER TOURNAMENT
APRIL 30, 2021