the lovett school magazine for alumni, parents, and friends spring 2018
The Peebles Era page 6
Spring 2018 1
the lovett school magazine for alumni, parents, and friends spring 2018
The Lovett School
The Lovett School Board of Trustees, 2017–18 R. Reid French, Jr. ’89 Chairman John O. Knox, Jr. ’88 Vice Chairman John R. Wells Finance Committee Chair David B. Kahn ’81 Secretary Active David B. Allman ’72 Yetty Levenson Arp ’64 Katherine J. Bayne Katherine Rowland Boudreau ’91 Frank H. Briggs III Malon W. Courts Sylvia L. Dick Michael S. Hardee, M.D. Raymond J. Kotwicki, M.D. Kathryn McCain Lee Donald M. Leebern III Anne Helms Marino James B. Meyer Eileen Keough Millard ’80 James T. Mills, Jr. ’74 Wade Wright Mitchell ’88 C. V. Nalley IV ’90 Carla Y. Neal-Haley, M.D. David W. Rice, PhD Nancy Brumley Robitaille ’84 Irma Shrivastava John C. Staton III ’84 Elizabeth B. West John Keith White ’83 Major General Burke W. Whitman ’74 Emeriti Pinney L. Allen David F. Apple, Jr., M.D. Charles R. Arp, Jr., D.D.S. ’62 Thomas A. Avery ’71 C. Duncan Beard Avril Beckford, M.D. Brian M. J. Boutté Gordon A. Buchmiller, Jr. J. Donald Childress Bradley Currey, Jr. Sallie Adams Daniel ’68 John M. Darden III Richard A. Denny, Jr. Bruce L. Dick Margaret Denny Dozier ’73 Daniel M. DuPree Russell R. French William B. Fryer
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Thomas C. Gallagher John T. Glover Deborah Hodge Harrison William F. Henagan ’76 J. H. Hilsman III, Little Lovett Dorothy Smith Knox Hines ’69 Jeffrey F. Hines, M.D. John R. Holder ’73 Dabney Mann Hollis Clayton F. Jackson ’77 Harrison Jones II Michael L. Keough ’74 Frank Kinnett Amy Rollins Kreisler ’88 Wilton D. Looney Robert C. Loudermilk, Jr. ’78 C. Knox Massey, Jr. Jane Kerr Mathews James M. McIntyre ’83 C. V. Nalley III Robert E. Peterson Elizabeth Dykes Pope ’79 Mark C. Pope IV ’68 Jan N. Portman Alfred R. Roach, Jr. ’62 William H. Rogers, Jr. Arthur W. Rollins ’77 F. Blair Schmidt-Fellner Christian B. Schoen ’79 Richard F. Smith Richard W. Sorenson Gerald J. Wilkins Frank L. Wilson III ’72 Alumni Executive Board, 2017–18 Tyler Caswell ’04, President Seale Arnold Lindsay ’90, President-Elect McKee Nunnally ’87, Past President Ray Crim ’63 Kurt Hohlstein ’76 Larry Jackson ’77 Franklin Thomas ’80 Knox Culpepper ’81 Jessica Jordan Walmsley ’84 Kate McIntosh Pearce ’90 Greer Barber Pope ’90 Rebecca Warner Strang ’93 Thaddeus Rolle ’04 Sarah Price ’05 Cameron Bagley Zakem ’07 William S. Peebles iv Headmaster, Ex Officio Lara Kauffman Director of Alumni Programs, Ex Officio Starr Pollock Assistant Director of Alumni Programs, Ex Officio
William S. Peebles iv Headmaster Stewart Lathan Assistant Head for External Affairs executive editor Courtney Fowler Director of Communications and Marketing
managing editors Jennifer Boomer Graphic Designer
staff Perry McIntyre ’71 Sports Information Director
Jennifer Sarginson Associate Director of Communications and Marketing
contributors Dan Alig, Nancy Black, Reid French ’89, Tom Moak, Hampton Morris ’69, Angela Morris-Long, Elizabeth R. Pearce ’87, Cathy Thrasher
associate editors Lara Kauffman Director of Alumni Programs Starr Pollock Assistant Director of Alumni Programs
The Peebles Era 6 Campus News 12 Alumni News 24 Class Notes 41 In Memoriam 63 Tributes 64
Lovett is published by the Communications and Marketing Office twice a year and is mailed free of charge to alumni, parents, and friends of The Lovett School. For more information or to submit news, call (404) 262-3032, ext. 1208; e-mail alumni@lovett.org; or visit www.lovett. org. ©2018 The Lovett School, 4075 Paces Ferry Road, n.w., Atlanta, Georgia 30327-3009. The Lovett School admits students of any race, color, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. The Lovett School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, employment practices, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic or other school-administered programs. This publication is printed by an fsc-certified printer on paper that is 30 percent post-consumer waste and 50 percent recycled, processed chlorine free.
Cover photo: Photographed by Jerry Mucklow, Jerry Mucklow Photography Spring 2018 3
A Message from the Headmaster
In early February, the seniors invited me to their “100 days to go” breakfast
in recognition that I, too, shall graduate this spring. This thoughtful gesture from the Class of 2018 is just one among many reasons I am so thankful for the privilege of being a part of this school family for the last 15 years. Our students have continually reached out to me with true kindness, graciousness, and support and that has meant so much. I cannot do justice in this short column to my profound gratitude to folks across the Lovett community who assisted, counseled, and encouraged me along the way. Try as I might, I could never sufficiently thank the hundreds and hundreds of people who have been such meaningful sources of support to me. But there are a few folks whom I must mention by name: 1. My first Board Chair at Lovett—Hampton Morris ’69—who chaired the search committee that gave Penny and me the wonderful opportunity to come and be a part of this special school; 2. My next three Board Chairs—John Holder ’73, Clay Jackson ’77, and Reid French ’89—whose leadership, friendship, wisdom, selfless service, and unwavering devotion to Lovett have meant so much during our good AND challenging times together; 3. My faculty and staff colleagues second to none in their commitment to our school, our whole child philosophy, and to excellence; 4. The some 450 students I have been blessed to teach at Lovett in either American Studies or People of the Book. They lifted me every class day with their energy, curiosity, creativity, and compassion. 5. Janice Lichtenstein, the true head of Lovett and our executive assistant virtually my entire time at Lovett. Her organizational genius, poise, grace under pressure, professionalism, and intuition have been invaluable to Lovett, to me, and to so many folks across our campus. 6. Our daughter, Sara, who across my 32 years as a head of three schools, so graciously shared her dad; 7. My wife, Penny—always there to provide perspective, prudent advice, unwavering devotion, and unconditional love. If I have learned anything in 37 years of teaching, it is that there has to be a critical mass of people always pulling for you even amid your mistakes and Lord knows, I made plenty of them! But I always felt that our students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, friends, and trustees have been pulling for us, and that has made all the difference. I know all of the members of this amazing school family will be pulling for our new Head of School, Meredyth Cole, in the years to come. I certainly will be!
William S. Peebles iv Headmaster
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A Message from the Board Chair
In 2001, In 2001, Lovett’s Board Chair Hampton Morris ’69 led a search
committee of trustees to name Lovett’s twelfth headmaster following the announcement of Jim Hendrix’s retirement from Lovett. Hampton and team completed a national search, ultimately selecting Billy Peebles as a worthy successor to Jim. Billy and Penny arrived on the Riverbank on July 1, 2002, and Lovett has never been the same since. Billy’s leadership over these past 15 years has transformed Lovett for the better in nearly every facet of our beloved school. Our operating budget has more than doubled from $23 million in 2002 to $55 million this current school year in support of Mrs. Lovett’s whole child philosophy. Our endowment was only $31 million when Billy arrived and below the level of our primary competition in Atlanta. Today, it is over $90 million, providing over $3 million in support to our annual budget. Billy has helped Lovett to raise over $100 million (and counting) in philanthropy during his tenure. This allowed us to either build, renovate or rebuild more than 50 percent of Lovett’s physical plant, including the Portman Family Middle School, the Murray Athletic Center, and the Rogers & Westmoreland Activity Center. These funds also allowed Lovett to redouble its efforts on character education and service leadership, two subjects that are near and dear to Billy. These figures are clearly impressive, but what makes Billy such an exceptional leader is his work ethic and his care and concern for others. There is no one on this planet who has worked harder on behalf of all of our children than Billy Peebles. I never once witnessed a decision where Billy placed the needs of the institution above that of a Lovett student. His leadership has consistently been marked by kindness and grace. He is welcoming, he is thoughtful, and he always seeks the best possible outcome for the 1,667 children entrusted to him and his team each and every year. This marks Billy’s final year at Lovett before he and Penny return to Virginia to enter retirement. Billy will end his career as the longest serving headmaster in Lovett’s history. The Lovett community is very fortunate that our longest-serving Head of School was also among the very best in our nation.
Reid French ’89 Chair, The Lovett School Board of Trustees Chair, Lovett Head of School Search Committee
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The
Peebles 2003–2018
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A Culture of Character
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Partners in Purpose
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Dedicated Leader and Friend to All
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Billy as Teacher
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A Culture of Character by angela morris-long
by jen sarginson
by dan alig
Director of Civic Engagement
Associate Director of Communications and Marketing
Upper School Principal
A hundred acres, 400 employees, and nearly 1,700 students—Lovett is more populous than the town in which
Billy Peebles grew up, Lawrenceville, Virginia. Through 15 years of early morning notes, mid-day visits, and late-night calls, he has brought small-town touch and care to our community. Billy has made Lovett feel like a school a third its size; he has lived his own mantra: “Every student shall be known, cared for, and, indeed, loved.” He has tirelessly served the faculty and staff under his care, inspiring them, in turn, to serve families and individual students wholeheartedly. Almost everyone visiting Billy’s office for the first time has received a copy of Robert Greenleaf’s essay “The Servant Leader.” Billy always has a stack of 20 copies on hand, readily available for the new hire, a family in crisis, an alum starting a new career, or a newly elected student-body president. Better yet, he models Greenleaf’s central tenet: “The servant-leader shares power, puts the needs of others first and helps people develop and perform as highly as possible.” From teaching People of the Book to hundreds of ninth graders to deepening Lovett’s involvement with the Council for Spiritual and Ethical Education to meeting individually with dozens of students, faculty, and parents each week, Billy has set a tone of tolerance, compassion, and empathy. His ready smile and daily greetings have become part of Lovett’s ethos. His uncanny recall of names, faces, graduation years, graduates’ parents’ stories, and even graduates’ grandparents’ stories is legendary. There are no strangers on Billy’s Riverbank.
According to parent of alumna Sheila Shessel, “Billy Peebles ushered in a new era of education at Lovett when he arrived with his philosophy of establishing an ‘ethical learning community.’ . . . Embracing the school’s motto, ‘Excellence in Learning, Character, and Community,’ Billy began defining Lovett’s culture through the lens of moral development and character building across every discipline. Parents, faculty, and students watched as he raised the standard of behavior on campus, initiating the language of character in the classroom, the gym, the field, in theatre and concert halls.” Security guards and maintenance workers often marvel at his ubiquity on campus. It’s not unusual to see him at his desk at 4:00 am, thumbing through collections of Dr. King’s sermons or President Lincoln’s addresses and preparing for an upcoming talk. Lovett students and faculty have benefited from his regular Chapel and assembly lessons—lessons rich with historical and theological wisdom and with anecdotes from Billy’s life. He shares himself publicly--his own successes, failures, and lessons learned--and shows rare vulnerability and compassion. His lessons invariably champion the disconnected and the downtrodden. Billy’s words and actions have elevated learning at Lovett: “This kind of education is about more than earning a living, as important as that is,” he reminded Class of 2017 graduates. “It is about living a life worth living. It is about asking big questions, seeking the answers to those questions, and living out the answers to these big, enduring questions—questions about courage, faith, community, responsiSpring 2018 7
ThePeeblesEra bility, integrity, beauty, justice, grace, and love. It is about using our learning to help make our world more humane, more compassionate, more just.” And Billy has realized more humaneness, compassion, and justness at Lovett. From the outset of his tenure, he aspired for Lovett to reflect Atlanta’s great diversity and for the entire Lovett community to engage Atlanta’s challenges and opportunities more fully. When he first arrived on campus in 2003, students and faculty of color comprised 11 percent and 6 percent of their respective populations. Those numbers now stand at over 21 percent and 14 percent. Heightened civic engagement, expanded community-service opportunities, Teens Against Prejudice, the Lovett International Alliance, the Office of Multicultural Programs and Services, Breakthrough Atlanta, Lab Atlanta, Fearless Dialogues, multiple speaker series opening Lovett to the city and the world to Lovett--all of these efforts have flourished under his leadership. Reetika Nijhawan, past Lovett International Alliance president and current Lovett Parent Association co-president, reflected on his impact: “Billy has always been an advocate for celebrating the confluence of cultures in our community through active engagement in festivities and open dialogue. Whether it is being dunked in a tank of tepid water at WorldFest for the unfettered amusement of our children, or moderating contentious points of view on sensitive subjects like race and religion—Billy is ever present. With grace under pressure, and uncommon humility, Billy has taught us all—students and parents—to be empathic listeners and to recognize our collective humanity and common purpose.” It’s standard, and understandable, for school leaders to eschew conflict. Time and time again, though, Billy has reminded our community that age-old school tensions serve as prime learning opportunities: lower-school playfulness
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versus upper-school stodginess, bountiful programs versus limited time, difficult moments of exclusion versus expectations of inclusion, college ambition versus whole-child balance, conservative traditions versus progressive initiatives, the individual’s desires versus the community’s needs. Billy has embraced, not run away from, the thorniness and messiness of school life. Along the way, he has transformed Lovett’s physical campus and garnered unmatched support for its programs by reaching out to myriad voices, however disparate; by telling Lovett’s story genuinely, warts and all; and by always, always offering heartfelt thanks. Billy has shown up at the hospital bedside of the ailing second-grader. Billy has personally called on the decades-long Lovett supporter. Billy has criss-crossed the state for the championship team. He has unified us. From July 2003 through May 2018, warmth, kindness, genuine care, and concern have been Billy’s touchstones. “Mr. Peebles is the definition of a gracious human being,” wrote Olivia Strader ’14. “He demonstrates what it means to put your heart and soul not simply into your job but into life. Over my years at Lovett, I got to know Mr. Peebles through the Service Board and his consistent encouragement of giving one’s heart and energy to others in order to better the world. . . . In each interaction he had, he taught us not only to hear the other person but to truly be present with the words and digest them. I saw him do this time and time again, making everyone in his presence feel invaluable.” Billy has proven himself both a Lovett force for good and a relatable, unfailingly dutiful friend to adult and student alike; he has proven himself a beloved servant leader. “There are leaders and then there are transformative leaders,” noted alum and former board chair Clay Jackson ’77. “Billy Peebles has been a transformative leader for Lovett.”
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Partners in Purpose Penny Peebles by cathy thrasher Parent of Alumni Penny and Billy Peebles, the couple we all love and admire, met on a blind date in 1980 and have been married for more than 33 years. As a couple, they have lived in Charlottesville and Winchester, Virginia; Asheville and Duck, North Carolina; and Atlanta. Their beautiful daughter, Sara, graduated from the University of North Carolina and works as a technical writer for Equifax here in Atlanta. Penny and I began walking together shortly after they moved to Atlanta. We quickly became walking/ workout buddies and close friends, learning to play bridge together and getting to know and love each other’s families. Penny has selflessly given her time and immense talents to the whole Lovett community, enabling Billy to flourish in his headmaster role. From graciously hosting countless events at Loridans House, to having an opendoor policy for stranded students and teachers in snowstorms, Penny has worked tirelessly to ensure all feel welcomed. She has served in the Lower School Library every other Friday for 15 years, hosted an annual break-
Janice Lichtenstein by courtney fowler Director of Communications and Marketing Many in our community have heard Billy Peebles say that his assistant, Janice Lichtenstein, “is the person who really runs Lovett!” Janice’s quiet efficiency, thoughtfulness, and tact are not only deeply valued by Billy but also appreciated by all who have come in contact with her over the years, and she will be sorely missed upon her retirement later this year. A native Texan, Janice’s career prior to Lovett exposed her to some unique office settings, such as the Chicago Bulls administrative office (“where I gained my wry sense of humor”) and a stint at the city desk of the Wisconsin State Journal, a job that taught her to expertly manage looming deadlines and workplace chaos. After Janice and her family moved to Atlanta from Madison, she answered an ad in the newspaper for a part-time position in the Fine Arts office at Lovett. She worked for four years as assistant to the chaplain and the Fine Arts department before eventually joining the headmaster’s office part-time under Jim Hendrix. Billy asked her to be his full-time assistant in 2004. “Over the years, I’ve worked with really interesting people from whom I learned a lot. But probably the most fascinating person—aside from several NBA basketball
fast at their home for the Physical Plant staff, and led Lions for Life bus trips around Atlanta. These are just a few examples of her servant leadership to our community. Penny’s outreach has also extended beyond Lovett. At St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Midtown, she helped lead a ministry to assist church members in times of need. Whether it was a ride to the doctor, a home-cooked meal, or an encouraging note, Penny would get it done in her joyful, quiet manner. Someone recently told me how much they enjoy talking to Penny because her impressive knowledge—on so many subjects —is so authentic, never showy. She is intelligent, honest, and insightful, and her unique mix of humility, strength, humor, and devotion has been a consistent thread through 15 years of service to our community. Penny has been a wonderful, selfless friend to me and so many others. Both she and Billy have enriched my family’s life, and for that I am deeply grateful. players and coaches—has been Billy Peebles,” says Janice. “He is an endless source of energy, intelligence, kindness, generosity, and compassion, all combined with a healthy sense of humor. Watching him day-in and day-out deal with the multiple issues of leading a school has been so enlightening. He always sees the big picture and maintains a positive spirit.” She also notes the camaraderie of colleagues, the exceptionally polite students and Penny Peebles’ banana bread as perks of her time here. Janice’s actual departure will occur over the winter holidays. Her husband, Danny, is a retired marketing professional, and they are energetic and intrepid travelers with plans to take longer trips when Janice’s schedule is more flexible. Her bucket list also includes becoming a student again. “For 15 years, Janice Lichtenstein has been a constant source of extraordinary support and wisdom for me and for so many folks across our campus,” says Billy. “Her composure, professionalism, organizational genius, “can-do” spirit and just plain common sense have meant the world to me and all in our community.” Spring 2018 9
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Clay Jackson ’77 (Board Chair 2011–2015), John Holder ’73 (Board Chair 2006–2011), Jim Meyer (Chair of Buildings and Grounds Committee), Hampton Morris ’69 (Board Chair 2002–2006)
Dedicated Leader and Friend to All by hampton morris ’69
Lovett Board Chair 2002–2006 Editor’s Note: Hampton Morris ’69 is a former chair of Lovett’s Board of Trustees, as well as the chair of the search committee that brought Billy and Penny Peebles to Lovett in 2003. Billy Peebles has handed more high school diplomas to Lovett grads than any person in
Lovett’s history, and, no doubt, more Lovett alumni claim Billy as a friend than any of our other excellent leaders over the years. But, this is no surprise. What head of school anywhere knows his or her graduates as well as Billy? Is there any school leader who is friendlier, kinder, more thoughtful or more beloved than Billy Peebles? For that matter, is there any spouse of any head of school more admired than Penny Peebles? I got my first hint of their extraordinary qualities when I visited Billy and Penny in 2002 during their final weeks at Asheville School. As Billy and I walked the campus, we passed a number of students and faculty. Invariably, at
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the sight of Billy, their faces lit up with smiles. And, of course, Billy knew everyone’s name. On my departure, I spoke with Billy, Penny, and Sara Peebles. They were pictures of grace, intelligence, warmth, and humility. I asked myself: can these impressions be real? Can Billy and Penny really be as wonderful as these scenes allowed? After fifteen years, we all know the answer. In my opinion, Billy and Penny Peebles have brought more goodwill to Lovett than any couple in our almost one hundred year history, and there are not enough adjectives to cover their positive attributes. I will leave it at this: at their core is an unwavering and fundamental decency, and we all are better people because of that.
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Billy as Teacher by tom moak
Grade 10 Dean I was new to Lovett in the fall of 2016. Dan Alig, Steve Franks, and Billy Peebles afforded me the opportunity to serve as an Upper School in-house substitute, athletic department assistant, and most importantly, an assistant teacher in Mr. Peebles’ class People of the Book. For four semesters, I learned how to teach from Lovett’s best. Ever gracious, Mr. Peebles thanked me for helping him more often than I was able to thank him for his ever-present mentorship to a young, clueless teacher. I hope that this brief story can both express my gratitude to a loyal, devoted mentor, and provide a glimpse into why students love Billy the teacher. Every year, the same class carries the largest waiting list of any course in the Lovett Upper School: Intro to Religious Studies—or more colloquially, People of the Book. Students and parents alike clamor at the thought of spending a semester with our beloved Headmaster. The course itself is a fine-tuned engine with assigned readings and questions for discussion developed by Mr. Peebles over the course of a decade. Students are asked to engage difficult texts, then express themselves through their understanding of paradigmatic figures throughout the Bible and through history. The course requires a great deal of intentionality and effort on the part of the student. Honestly, People of the Book resembles a freshman seminar in college more than a ninth-grade religion elective. Despite the immense challenge, students love the class. According to Lovett alum Margaret Brennan ’11, Peebles made her “want to learn because he made the class interesting and exciting, really cared about our thoughts and opinions, and believed in us.” Nowhere is this belief more apparent than Peebles’ assignment to memorize and recite either the Gettysburg Address or Lincoln’s Second Inaugural in front of the class. Every semester, the trepidation surrounding the assignment is palpable, and at first, Peebles is the only person in the room who knows each student will succeed in their recitation. And yet, without fail, every student realizes they can pull it off with some coaching from their teacher. In Brennan’s case, she performed Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address with aplomb in the fall semester of 2007. However, according to Brennan, “fast forward to the next semester, Mr. Peebles came to me on a Monday, and said he was speaking in Chapel on Wednesday and asked if I could recite the Gettysburg Address to begin his lesson, since I recited it so eloquently in class. Honored, I of course said yes, but… I didn’t do the Gettysburg Address in class, so I spent all of my free time those next two days memorizing the Gettysburg Address to recite it on stage.” Ultimately,
according to Brennan the recitation, and chapel itself were a great success, and eventually “it somehow got back to Mr. Peebles, after the fact, that I didn’t originally do the Gettysburg Address in class and he apologized. But, we both got a good laugh out of it and a great memory.” As a young Upper Schooler, Brennan did not want to let her Headmaster down—but a relationship of true devotion might be the only way to explain a freshman’s choice to memorize a completely foreign speech in two days for an all-school Chapel! Peebles inculcates that devotion in our students because, in Brennan’s eyes “he inspires you to want to be better, to believe that you can do something, to challenge yourself, and succeed.” In truth, the devotion students feel towards Mr. Peebles is only surpassed by his own devotion to serve them. It is what inspired him to teach all these years in the first place. And, it is his example and tutelage that inspired Margaret Brennan to pursue her very own Master’s in Education. From his shining example as a tireless servant-leader, to the wisdom he espouses in the classroom, to the way he inspires his students to believe in themselves, to the way he has mentored budding educators, Billy Peebles is the consummate teacher. Spring 2018 11
Campus News Recently on the Riverbank by jennifer sarginson
Associate Director of Communications
Jonathan Sandys In November, Jonathan Sandys, a great-grandson of Sir Winston Churchill, and an international public speaker on Churchill’s life, legacy, and leadership skills, visited Lovett. He was interviewed by Glen Jackson, Lovett Class of 1981, about the role Churchill’s spiritual beliefs played in his leadership on the world stage, especially during World War II.
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William Cope Moyers
Lynne Olson
William Cope Moyers, New York Times best-selling author of Broken: My Story of Addiction and Redemption, spoke at Lovett in October about addiction and the next generation.
Renowned journalist Lynne Olson spoke at Lovett in September on the topic of “Brexit and World War II,” as well as her new book, Last Hope Island.
Henry Lewin
Katharine Wilkinson
In January, Henry Lewin spoke about his parents’ moving Holocaust story: their marriage shortly before Nazi Germany’s invasion of Lithuania, their separation and imprisonment in multiple concentration camps, their miraculous survival and post-war reunion, and their new life in the United States.
In January, Dr. Katharine Wilkinson, Lovett’s Sustainability Speaker in Residence, spoke in Middle and Upper School assemblies, visited several Upper School classes, and met with the Upper School Green Team. Wilkinson is the senior writer for Project Drawdown, which has received international attention for its work in identifying the top 100 most effective solutions to climate change.
David Biedrzycki
Nikki Giovanni
Award-winning author and illustrator David Biedrzycki visited with Lower and Middle School students in February. He has written several children’s books, including the 2016 Georgia Book Award winner Breaking News: Bear Alert.
Award-winning poet, author and professor Nikki Giovanni visited Lovett in February as the 2017-2018 Writer-in-Residence and Black History Month speaker. Her evening event drew a large crowd and was held in conjunction with the art exhibit, Unity & Heritage XVII: Visual Poetry in African American Art. While on campus, Giovanni received the City of Atlanta Phoenix Award from Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.
NASA Astronaut Shane Kimbrough ’85 Visits Lovett October 20, 2017
Shane Kimbrough launched on October 19, 2016, as
part of Expedition 49/50. He became the Commander of the International Space Station a week after he reached the ISS and remained so until he departed almost six months later. During Expedition 50, Kimbrough performed four spacewalks, logging over 26 hours. Kimbrough and his two Russian cosmonaut crewmates returned to Earth on the steppes of Kazakhstan on April 10th, 2017 to conclude their 173-day mission. Last fall, Shane returned to Atlanta to visit two alma
Shane and wife, Robbie Kimbrough, with student, Jaq Kellet (grade 7)
Football jersey presentation by cheerleaders and football players
maters, Lovett and Georgia Tech. While at Lovett, Shane and his wife, Robbie, spoke at the Lower School student assembly. The assembly included a welcome by Lovett Headmaster Billy Peebles, a song, video, student introductions of the Kimbroughs, comments/Q&A, and a short presentation. He also spoke to Middle and Upper School students, joined his ’85 classmates for lunch and attended the Lovett vs. Westminster football game, where he was interviewed by Richard Gerakitis ’74.
Shane shows his Lovett spirit!
Spring 2018 13 ’85 classmates: Scott Cook, Caroline Crowder Robbie, Shane and Richard Gerakitis ’74 in the Bowen, Vickie Scott Kirbo, and Hunt Archbold Lovett press box
Celebrating Generosity by nancy black
Development Manager for Stewardship and Events The Founder’s Reception, Lovett’s annual event to honor and thank the school’s most generous donors, was held on September 6, 2017. With over 450 community members in attendance, Lovett took this opportunity to present its Founder’s Award posthumously to long-time friend and supporter of the school, Mr. Robert J. “Bob” Glenn (1942–2016). Mr. Glenn is the father of Lovett alumnae Anne Fitten Glenn ’82, Saunders Glenn Bohan ’87, and Amanda Glenn Brady ’88. Three of Mr. Glenn’s grandchildren—Glenn Brady ’19, Anne Alston Brady ’21, and Robert Brady ’25—are current Lovett students. The Founder’s Award was established in 1993 by The Lovett School Board of Trustees to recognize those individuals who have made extraordinary commitments to benefit the school over a period of many years. Previous Founder’s Award recipients include Wilton Looney (1993), Barrett Howell ’LL (1994), Rankin Smith, Sr. (1995), Charlie Arp ’62 (1996), Frank Carter posthumously (1997), Brad Currey (1999), Dick Denny (2004), John DeBorde (2006), and Jan Portman (2011). Lovett is grateful for Mr. Glenn’s dedication, commitment, and unwavering support of our school and its mission.
Diane Kitson, Anne Fitten Glenn ’82, and Saunders Glenn Bohan ’87
Ezequiel and Aimee Cassinelli, Tom and Kelly Godfrey
Jimmy Alston, Ross George ’72, and John Pope
Duncan and Ellen Beard, Ken and Cathy Thrasher
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Amanda Alston Gregory ’65, Amanda Glenn Brady ’88, Anne Alston Brady ’21, Glenn Brady ’19, and Robert Brady ’25
Lee Anne Bradshaw ’07 and Lollie Henry Owings ’02
Nancy Glenn and Betty Glenn
Chris Schoen ’79, Scottie Schoen, Jennifer and Brian Boutté
Margaret Denny Dozier ’73, Jim Meyer, and Brian Henry
Ed Smith ’86 and Tiffany Smith, Allen Madden ’86 and Ann Madden
Carol Fox Formisano ’86, Shannon O’Donnell, Karen Apple Mathews ’83, Elizabeth Abernathy Poindexter ’87
Reid Knox ’96 and Molly Knox, Wawa Smith Hines ’69, Rae and John O. Knox ’88 Spring 2018 15
Students of Merit Four Lovett seniors—Charles Faramarzi, Grace Harrison, Katie Krantz, and Abby Shlesinger— have been named semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program. These students are honored as top scorers in the junior-year PSAT administered in October 2016 and now have the opportunity to continue in the competition for scholarship awards. Students can submit applications for consideration as finalists and will be notified of their award status this spring.
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Charles Faramarzi
Grace Harrison
Katie Krantz
Abby Shlesinger
A Grand Visit by nancy black
Development Manager for Stewardship and Events More than 450 visitors came to the Lovett campus on November 21 to cele-
brate Grandparents and Special Friends Day. Students in Kindergarten and 6th grade presented a brief program, showed guests their classrooms, enjoyed refreshments together, and had their photograph taken to keep as a souvenir from the event. Alumnus Taylor Smith ’72, grandparent of Kindergarten student Elizabeth, welcomed guests of Kindergarteners. Friends of 6th grade students were welcomed to the Middle School by students Anna Jaje, Justin Griffin, Devan Gupta, Ryan Ohde, Victoria Simms, and Ayanna Desa. It was a special day for students and guests alike.
Lynda and Larry Dean with Kindergarten student Jack
Charlotte Dunlap, Kindergarten student Elizabeth, Taylor Smith ’72 and Deidra Smith
Frank and Judy Kinnett, with Kristi Kinnett Roche ’89 and Kathryn, 6th
Manohar and Shashi Gambhir with Kindergartener Arav
Kindergarten student Maya with George and Faye Russell
Pat Scott with Kindergarten student Parker
Kindergarten student Sam with Mick and Teresa Condoni Spring 2018 17
Fiesta of Cultures
The Lovett International Alliance (LIA) hosted its 10th annual Worldfest on
a sunny day in October. Families brought traditional eats to share from all over the world. Students provided the entertainment for the day by showcasing their skills at the Talent Show. The LIA is made up of Lovett families committed to expanding international awareness through events and programming for the entire community, and serves as an educational resource and social platform for families of diverse backgrounds.
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Planned Giving by elizabeth r. pearce ’87 Chief Development Officer For more than 90 years, friends and families of The
Lovett School have selflessly and passionately given of themselves. Without this generous support, Lovett could simply not exist. The community’s commitment to the school is uplifting and inspiring, and allows us to carry out our mission of offering a progressive education grounded in lifelong learning, moral character and community engagement. Generations of Atlanta families have invested in our school and today and we are all the beneficiaries of their generous philanthropy. Planned giving is a way for donors to leave a lasting legacy and have an impact on Lovett beyond their lifetime. It often allows donors to make larger gifts than might otherwise be possible. In the Development Office, we don’t often spend much time on planned giving as other more urgent and timely needs arise and take away our attention. But planned gifts are the simplest way to secure a sound future for Lovett. Making a planned gift to Lovett is easy. All it requires is a desire to ensure Lovett’s future and a little forethought. Their potential is unlimited. You can help them reach new heights.
It can be as simple as adding a codicil to an existing will. It can be as painless as adjusting the beneficiary on a life insurance policy or IRA/retirement plan. Remember—one of the most significant ways that schools, colleges, and universities grow their endowments is through planned gifts. The Lovett School Legacy Society is a group of loyal donors who have included the school in their wills or other estate plans. The society allows the Lovett community to acknowledge, honor and thank those special donors as their gifts are created. Unless otherwise restricted, legacy gifts are devoted to the school’s permanent endowment. To those who are already members of the Legacy Society, thank you! And to those who are not, please consider the many ways that you can join. However you choose to remember Lovett, know that you help to “pay it forward’ for generations of Lovett students to come. For more information on planned giving, contact Elizabeth Pearce at (404) 262-3032, ext. 1277.
Give to the Annual Fund
The time for her future is now.
Help us finish strong. Our fiscal year ends June 30. Spring 2018 19
Fall into Fine Arts
All-State Musicians: Nine Lovett music students advanced
NAfME All-National Chorus: Sophomore Sanceray Smith, a member of The Lovett Singers, was selected by audition to NAfME All-National Honor Chorus, November 28-29, 2017, at Disney World. Eligibility to submit an auditioned recording required applicants first be chosen in their respective state’s All-State Ensemble. The Chorus was comprised of 150 of the most musically talented students in the United States. These exceptional students prepared and performed momentously challenging music under the leadership and baton of Dr. Z. Randall Stroope, composer/conductor and Pictured above: Front Row: Morgan Gao (orchestra), Sloane Santos professor at Oklahoma State University. (chorus), Vinay Neely (chorus), and Lauren Zelnak (orchestra) Back Row: Justin Griffin (band), Riya Sharma (chorus), Suzanne Schouest (chorus), Loren Bass-Sanford (chorus), and Morgan Whittle (chorus) through rigorous auditions to secure a spot in Georgia Music Educators (GMEA) State Band, Chorus, and Orchestra. Thousands of students from all over the state audition every year for a coveted position in one of these exceptional groups. These young musicians spend countless hours practicing for their auditions and then preparing the music they will be performing. On three separate weekends, qualifying students travel to Athens and work with a nationally recognized conductor/educator. These rehearsals culminate in performances on the stage of Athens’ Classic Center in February and March.
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1 “The Tell-Tale Heart” from the Middle School play An Evening with Edgar Allen Poe. 2. The Lovett Art Show & Sale featured faculty artists, distinguished alumni, and jewelry designers from the Lovett community. 3. The Upper School musical production of Peter Pan, played by Hope Valls ’18 4. Middle School Lessons & Carols in Alston Memorial Chapel 5. The Upper School dance class dancing to “Pretty Boy Swag.” 6. Ferris Layman (Marshall Smith) tries to help as Jennie Mae (Emma Mayfield) comforts her brother Buddy (Harrison Darbey). 7. Lower School Orchestra Holiday Concert. 8. Lower School Winter Musical, A Christmas Carol. 20
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CampusNews
Riverbank Roundup by PERRY MCINTYRE ’71
Sports Information Director
Cross Country – Girls 2nd in State
Softball – 16-9 – State Tournament
Coach Chris Mayer entered the 2017 girls’ cross country season facing the graduation loss of one of the school’s most accomplished athletes in history—Serena Tripodi ’17. The team, however, had learned the training ethic and competitive lessons set by Tripodi’s example well. Senior captains Elizabeth Beveridge and Stuart Ingram regrouped their young team after a third-place region finish, to finish second in the state meet. Other scoring runners at state were junior Kate Pritchard, the highest scoring runner in 11th place, sophomore Penny King, and freshman Sydney Lamberson. The boys’ team suffered a rash of injuries as their season came to its most critical juncture, but the young squad grew closer, setting high goals for improvement in 2018. Sophomore Jackson Borden finished ninth at State, the Lions’ highest finisher. All of Lovett’s scoring runners were either freshmen or sophomores. With this base of experience, and the return of other upperclassmen from injury, the Lions should be more than ready to run down the front runners this coming fall.
Coach John Rice continued to make progress with the Lovett softball program, guiding the team to the Region 5-AAA championship in 2017. Led by seniors Sellers McDaniel, Sarah Hardy, Anna Miele, and Notre Dame signee, Anna Grace Wagner, the Lions posted big wins over Blessed Trinity, Holy Innocents’, and AAAAAAA Lambert. They also swept region and neighborhood rival Pace, and took an exciting, come-from-behind win, 6-4, over Westminster, with the run deferential being the determining factor in deciding the region title. With only one senior returning to the 2018 team this coming fall, the Lions should continue to build on their experience and success, establishing a strong base for future seasons.
Football – 7-5 State Round of 16 Coach Mike Muschamp’s Lions started their 2017 campaign with two teams that played for the 2016 AAA State Championship, as well as perennially contending Marist from a higher classification. Despite a 1-3 start against formidable opposition, the Lions played tough through their Region 5-AAA schedule, securing the second seed, and a home game in the first round of the state playoffs. The highlight win of the season was a 21-14 victory against region and neighborhood rival, Westminster, on The Riverbank. Sophomore quarterback Blaine McAllister hit senior receiver Evan McKown on an 80-yard touchdown pass, with 3:56 to play in the game, to claim the Lions’ win. Throughout the season, the Lions displayed a strong resiliency, improving throughout the campaign, eventually finishing the season as the sixth-ranked team in the state in AAA. A strong and experienced group from the Class of 2019 could bring even more pride to the Lions in the fall. 22
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Volleyball – 29-16 – State Semis Coach Katie Johnson’s Lions posted their second consecutive 29-win season, winning the Area Championship, then advancing to the state semifinals, without dropping a set in the process. A heart-breaking 3-2 loss in the semis at home ended the season for the Lions. Individually, the Lions received a good deal of notice for post-season recognition. Senior Lindy Gearon, a Washington & Lee signee, was the Area MVP. Classmate Brittany Butler, a Rhodes signee, and junior Merrill Buczek, joined Gearon as first-team All-Area. Gearon and fellow senior Maiya Moran were selected Senior All Stars, as well as All State, and junior Alyssa Abraham joined them, being named to the All State team as well.
Boys Basketball – 7-19 Coach Ryan Koudele’s boys’ basketball team opened the season with a squad of youth and inexperience, but despite some early bumps in the schedule, the team rounded into form and played some of their best basketball down stretch. The team had six of their top players come from the football team, making for early season games with tough endings, but experience was valuable for the younger and
CampusNews
inexperienced players. Once the team was at full strength, the team enjoyed a trip to Nashville, TN where they defeated an undefeated LEAD Academy team, and narrowly missed upsetting the defending Tennessee AA State Champions. The highlights of the season were two home wins over Top 10 ranked teams. The Lions defeated #4 Cedar Grove at 3 in early January, giving the Region Champion Saints home their only region loss of the entire season (including Region Tourney). Lovett also defeated #10 ranked Towers, a game in which 10 different Lions scored. Although not advancing to the post-season, the Lions played some of their best basketball down the stretch, ending the season with senior reserve Clayton Jackson hitting the first three-point basket of his career in the closing seconds of the final game. The team will return a great nucleus of experience and talent, and have high expectations for next season and beyond.
Girls Basketball – 26-5 – State Quarterfinals Coach Liz Kennedy’s Lions posted their best season since the 2012 State Championship. Going 17-0 in region play, meant Lovett could lay claim to both the regular season, and tournament championship, of Region 5-AAA. They advanced to the state quarterfinals before losing to state champion, Johnson of Savannah. Throughout the campaign, the Lions were led by All American, senior Jenna Brown, who became the first Lovett player to make the nation’s most elite All America squad. Adding to the honor, that All America game was played in Atlanta’s Philips Arena, so Brown could share the experience with a large contingent of family and friends. During the season, Brown averaged 24 points per game, contributed 111 assists, and had 68 steals. Complementing Brown’s play, and keeping opposing teams from locking her down, was junior Sydney Johnson, who was a strong force, in her own right, on both ends of the floor. Johnson had 116 steals for the season, with 115 assists, and averaged just under 14 points per game. Brown, Johnson, and senior Ellie McCollam, were all named to the All Region team, and the effort of senior center Mary Alice Millard was also critical to the team’s success. A complete team effort throughout, all 11 players on the roster made critical contributions, and with eight returning players, next season could be another good one for the Lions.
Swimming & Diving – Boys 9th – Girls 7th Coach Nolan Morris continues to build the Lions swimming and diving programs, and with the new classifications split at the State Meet, Lovett was able to finally complete on more equitable terms with schools comparable in size, placing both boys’ and girls’ teams in the Top 10 of the A-AAAAA competition. The girls placed seventh, and were only three points from fourth place. Senior diver Mary Anglin Toole started the scoring off 3 at State taking third, with both freshman Elke Gill and Cole Arndt also scoring for Lovett. Once swimming competition began, the Lions started to make school history, qualifying all six relays for both genders for the finals. Senior Michael Propp qualified in the 50 and 100-yard Freestyle races, placing ninth and 12th, respectively. Freshman Avery Bargeron won the state championship, in school record time, in the 100-yard Butterfly, and was part of three scoring relay teams. Seniors Claire Hadley Benton, MacKenzie Lee, Ashley Wright, Caroline Rhodes all finished their Lovett careers on state-placing relay teams. On the boys’ side, Propp, Nick Thurkow-Schlund, and Will Schmersal, all did likewise. The girls’ overall point total at state was the highest in school history, and boys’ state score was the school’s second highest ever in the GHSA meet.
Wrestling – 3rd Area Traditional Coach Billy Maldonado took another strong group of Lions onto the mats this season. Taking third in the Area Traditional, Lovett advanced a total of 10 wrestlers who claimed placements at Area, with six advancing into the very tough State Sectionals. Senior Rogerick White led the group into Sectionals, claiming the area title in the 152-pound weight class, and he was joined there by sophomore Jeremiah Allen at 132, seniors 4 Walker Metzger at 138, Chris Ocana at 145, and Brandon Beck at 160. At State Traditionals, White became the fourth Lion in as many years to claim the top step, winning the state title at 152. Allen and Ocana also wrestled their way onto the medal platform, placing fifth and fourth, respectively.
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Alumni News Homecoming and Reunions Alumni Barbecue November 3, 2017
Redbird
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SAVE THE DATE 2018 Alumni Homecoming and Reunions October 26-27 Spring 2018 25
Class of 1972—45th Reunion
David Allman, Nancy Conrad Lovell, Mal Phillips, Inez Merritt Aspinwall, Ross George, Frank Wilson
Joyce Crenshaw Decker, Gail Feininger VanWinkle and Susan Shively
Donna Pope Allman, Beth Nicolson Dick, Virginia Wright, Patty Stotts Hull, Laura Winship Boyd, Roslyn Redfearn Gregory, Cathy Young Wilson
Patty Stotts Hull, Bill Weathers, and past teacher Janice Carter
Kay Busbey, Cathy Young Wilson, Joyce Crenshaw Decker, Jill Cofer Harris, Susan Shively, Roslyn Redfearn Gregory, Robin Sherard Ritchie
Taylor Knox, Ross George, Nancy Conrad Lovell, David Allman
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Laura Winship Boyd and Maudie Martin Huff
Roslyn Redfearn Gregory, Taylor Knox, Sara and Jim Summerour
Doug McRae, Mal Phillips, Michael and Gail Habif
Class of 1977—40th Reunion
Elizabeth Morgan Reid, Carol Taylor, Ann Davis, Leigh Estes Schlichting and Lee Harlin Hulings
Jane Duggan, Sandy Sturgeon and Leigh Estes
Ben Rogers and Rob Friedman
Lisa Krysiak and Cindy Kahn
Marshall Sanders and Chuck Taylor
Marlene Habif Haber, Richard Goodsell and Patricia Rafshoon Simon
Nica Hersch Tallman and Larry Jackson
Lee Harlin Hulings, Clint Conley and Kathy McLean
Lunch at The Varsity Spring 2018 27
Class of 1982—35th Reunion
The Class of 1982 celebrating their 35th reunion!
Anne-Fitten Glenn, Pam Hoyt, Doug Hand, Andy Wiggers, Clare Kelly O’Shaughnessey, and Stephanie Apple Kiser
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Anne McKibbon Smith and Francie White Quigley
Class of 1987—30th Reunion
Michael Janis and McKee Nunnally Susan Sineath Calahan and Fran Tidwell Killebrew Sarah Toole Lindsay, Allison Booker, Kem McIntosh Lee, Lesee Whitaker Googe
Tom Lacey, Amy Brown Edelstein and Robert Lacey
Talented classmates come together to form a band and rock the reunion
Classmates at Canoe Restaurant
Susan Sineath Calahan, Caroline Abney, Wynne Jarboe Harpenau, Elizabeth Pearce, William Orthwein, Lael Seydel Ceravolo, Margaret Moore Chambers, and Allison Booker
The Class of 1987 Spring 2018 29
Class of 1992—25th Reunion
Lynn Elliott and Deemer Dana
Billy Roberts, Alicia Stewart McDaniel, Jennifer McCarroll Dana
Tricia Grant Hunt, Nancy Dorough Powell and Vernetta Dorsey
Buff Barkley Ramsey, Todd Slutzky and Beverly Freeman Briggs
Jim Woodward, Grace Chun and Anne Fair Woodward
Kathryn Jones Edmunds, Mary Kent Ellis, Dorothy Traver Walker and Jeremy Ellis
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Claire Marie Benedict Huff, Lynn Elliott, Mandy Blandford Kriegel
Class of 1997—20th Reunion
Justin and Jessica Allen Jones
The Class of 1997
Ashley Burleson Bundy and Lauren Logan Hooks
Heyward Morris Fougerousse, Elizabeth Woodall Biber, Kristin Lucas Huber, Christina Horten Pristera, Jane Wilkinson, Hamilton Fryer Reavey and Temple Gregory Makuch
Lauren Johnson,Travis Kirkland, Erin Patrick Kirkland and Anne Pearce Worrell
Wes Whitten, Alison Whitten, John Lee and Leslie Lee
Melanie Kaufman, Edith Dinos, J.D. Dinos, Elizabeth Burgess and Mehari Kassa
Charley King, C.J. Kelly, Hunter Amos and Andrew Day John Makuch, Temple Gregory Makuch, Heyward Morris Fougerousse, Derrick Turner, Tamara D’Anjou Turner and J.P. Fougerousse Spring 2018 31
Class of 2002—15th Reunion
Taylor Dozier, Sophie Gatins, Ashley Johnston, Ali Dick Blaisdell, Sarah Berg and Mack Horton
Kristin Klee Brinkley, Lollie Henry Owings, Holloway Gott Egan and Ashley Johnston
Andrew Aydin, Giles Jago Simmer, Lauren Cheek Buchly, Vaughn Shinall and Whitney Nevins Justice
Amelia Williams Ditzel, Sarah Berg, Jenn Harris and Heather Rogers Halcik
Class of 2007—10th Reunion
Class of 2012—5th Reunion
Class of 2007 celebrates their 10th reunion
Class of 2012 celebrates their 5th reunion
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Reunions on the Road San Diego
January 19–20, 2018 The Patio on Lamont, Pacific Coast Grill
Lara Kauffman, Jenn Harris ’02, Hunter Thompson ’96 and Starr Pollock
Lara Kauffman, Starr Pollock, Bobby Siegel ’65 and Todd LaRocca ’91
Los Angeles
January 21, 2018 Redbird
Read Fasse ’02 and Julie Pfleger
Marcus King ’81, Shannon McIntosh ’83 and Steve Atlee ’83
Carolina Ivey ’09, Brittany Byrd ’09, Gabrielle Eichenblatt ’09, Charlotte Laws ’78, Morgan Ivey ’11 and Vanessa Wilkins ’11
Wes Haley ’15, Jack Beauclair, Sarah Teichner ’14 and Cathi Beauclair
Rochelle Webb ’97, Christine Lakin Breault ’97 and Nora Wade ’86
Shannon Noel, John Webb ’89 and Ashley Peters McGuinness ’00 Spring 2018 33
Washington, D.C.
February 1, 2018 The Nest at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel Marcellus Rolle ’05 and Angela Oncken
Celine Heckel-Jones ’08, Sarah Berg ’02 and Caroline English ’04
Mike Connolly, Kate Beiser Connolly ’05, Betsy Block Morrow ’05 and Nick Morrow
Peter Diaz ’12, Hannah James ’12 and Megan Fricke ’12
Mary Fielder, Dick Hall and Sarah Berg ’02
Lauren Bell Trabert ’98, Seth Swift ’98 and Aiken Hackett ’98
Helen Hooper ’74, Tom White ’71, Stephen Preston ’75 and Leigh O’Kelley Wood ’73 34 Lovett
Katherine Bray-Simons ’02, Mary Fielder and Andrew Aydin ’02
New York
February 3, 2018 The Metropolitan Club
Brian Francis and Joni McGregor ’08
Amy Domanico Holloway ’11, Ton Luk ’11, Charlotte Muller ’11, John Maddox ’11, Felicia Wilkins ’11 and John Becker ’11
Taylor Pecora-Saipe ’04, Drew Brown ’12 and Morgan Pecora-Saipe ’06
Adam Domanico ’06, Jamie Topping ’06 and James Gallagher ’06
Lara Kauffman, Sophie Shutze, Alec Shutze ’87, Starr Pollock, Emily Nelson and Carrick Mollenkamp ’87
Morgan Pecora-Saipe ’06, Jamie Topping ’06, Elizabeth Henschen ’06, Adam Domanico ’06 and Tim Buchmiller ’06
Bronte Lord ’09, Jeff Jackson ’09 and Elizabeth Bowling ’09
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Alumni Volunteer Events SunTrust Park Atlanta, Home Depot Clubhouse September 10, 2017 Kick-off Event for Alumni Board and Class Leaders
Lynda and Roger Moister ’63
Taryn Chilivis Bowman ’87 and Ed Smith ’86
Watt Boone ’96 and Tricia Brock Madden ’96
Franklin Thomas ’80 and Sarah Price ’05
True Blue Alumni Phonathon October 11, 2017
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Sarah Price ’05, Alex Heaton ’05 and Allison McWilliams ’05
Rob Strang, Rebecca Warner Strang ’93 and Randy Coley ’65
Semmes Gilmore and Lee Anne Bradshaw ’07
Ashley McArthur ’04, Alex Thomas ’04, Katherine Deere ’04, Sabrina Altenbach Gibson ’04 and Missy Dinos ’04
Gatherings and Happenings Lovett Art Show Featuring Alumni Artists November 7, 2017 Opening Reception
Parents, alumni, and Lions for Life enjoyed the opening reception for the Faculty and Alumni Art Show & Sale in the Lovett Galleria. The show featured works by Lovett Fine Arts faculty and alumni artists, including Heyward Morris Fougerousse ’97, Jamie Steele ’03, and Rachel Ramsay ’06.
Amy Lee Story, Katy McDougal and Stacy Sodel Womack ’80
Megan Kota Morris ’00, Heyward Morris Fougerousse ’97 and Emily Kota ’03
Works by Jamie Steele ’03
Rachel Ramsay ’06
Sara Lipson Shlesinger ’79 and Eileen Keough Millard ’80
Wrestling Reunion November 21, 2017
For the second year in a row, a Wrestling Reunion
was held in The Rogers & Westmoreland Activity Center. Gathered together were alumni wrestlers and matlions, coaches past and present, and several parents of alumni. The Alumni Association plans to co-host this event each year on the Tuesday evening of Thanksgiving week. A special thanks to Beth Garrett, Lovett’s long-time athletics trainer, for serving as point person and coordinator of this very special evening. If you were part of Lovett’s wrestling program and are not receiving notices about this reunion, please let us know. Send an email with the subject “Wrestling” to alumni@lovett.org, and we will put you on the list. Be sure to include your current contact information. Spring 2018 37
Jewish Alumni Panel Meets with Students and Faculty November 16, 2017
Abby Shlesinger ’18, Jeff Sladkus ’91, Michael Janis ’87, Amy Brown Edelstein ’87, Carly Herbert ’13, Adam Goldstein ’78, Austin Eiseman ’15, and Zoe Williams ’18 Last fall, two Lovett student organizations, Jewish Alliance and Teens Against Prejudice (TAP), and the Alumni Association collaborated to invite a panel of Jewish alumni back to campus. On November 16, six alumni shared their stories and wisdom with several Upper School students, faculty, and staff. Thank you to these alumni who served on the panel, traveling from far and near, and sharing their stories and wisdom so transparently:
Adam Goldstein ’78: Dr. Goldstein is a family medicine physician, Director of Departmental Advancement, and Professor of Family Medicine at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. He founded and is Co-Host of UNC Health Care’s YOUR HEALTH®, a syndicated, weekly one-hour radio show on health, healing, medical care and ethics. His research, essays, and books have been featured in CNN, CBS Evening News, The New York Times, and Wall Street Journal. He is on the Board of numerous Jewish Communal Organizations, including Maccabi USA, Israel HealthCare Foundation, Jewish HealthCare International, and is current Chair of North Carolina Hillel campus foundation for college Jewish life. Amy Brown Edelstein ’87: A licensed residential realtor, Amy has started a second career after having worked as an art dealer and consultant for many years. In addition to volunteering at Lovett, she works with the Women’s Refugee Network and serves on a variety of committees at The Temple. She and her husband, Dr. Bruce Edelstein, are the parents of Lovett alumnae Devyn ’16 and upper school student Reid ’19. Michael Janis ’87: Dr. Janis is Associate Professor of English at Morehouse College, where he teaches literary theory and West African Fiction & Film. Before his career as professor, he taught English in Japan, served in Peace Corps Guatemala, taught high school in Colombia, and worked for Reuters in West Africa. His wife Andree is Lovett’s LIA co-president and served as lead organizer for Worldfest for the past two years. They have two daughters at Lovett, Gabriella (grade 7) and Olivia (grade 5). Jeff Sladkus ’91: Jeff completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin, then attended NYU’s School of Law. After spending time at two large Atlanta firms, he opened his own Intellectual Property boutique firm in 2005. He and his wife Laura have two daughters Elena (age 7) and Orly (age 6). They are members of The Temple as well as Sandy Springs Chabbad. Carly Herbert ’13: Carly graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in May 2017. She now works at Atlanta’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a Public Health Research Fellow. Carly has two younger brothers and six cousins who also attended Lovett. Austin Eiseman ’15: Austin is in his junior year at the University of Georgia. He is pursuing a double-major in the areas of Political Science and Sociology. He is also a member of UGA’s Men’s Lacrosse team.
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5th Annual Choral Reunion November 30, 2017 Lessons and Carols Reception
Alumni members of the Lovett Choirs reunited for a reception following the annual Candlelight Service of Lessons and
Carols at All Saints’ Episcopal Church.
Beth Chenault and Franklin Thomas ’80
Clarke Davie ’85 and Alex Van Winkle ’82
Vivian Jago ’06 and Alex Western ’07
Alumni join for the finale, Silent Night
Jay Freer ’78, Dorothy Traver Walker ’92 and her children Charlie and Lilla
Render Freeman ’85 and Steve Brooks ’85
Emily Shrock ’05, Ray Chenault and Vivian Jago ’06
Ashley Green ’09 and Lynn Elliott, Lovett faculty Spring 2018 39
Career Links for Young Alumni December 15, 2017
The Lovett Alumni Association hosted the 2nd Lovett Links forum for young alumni. Young alums, from the Classes of 2017-2019, stepped into the role of “advisees” for a few hours and enjoyed lunch, a panel discussion, and breakout sessions hosted by Lovett Links committee members. The panel featured established professionals, or “advisors,” from various industries with a direct tie to the Lovett community. Industries included: marketing, real estate, insurance, hospitality, finance, construction and film/entertainment.
Thank you to these Lovett alumni and friends who served as panelists and advisors to our young alumni: Andrew Lindsay ’90, Kate McIntosh Pearce ’90, Chad Watkins ’90, Todd Slutzky ’92, Michael Thrasher ’99, Dan Regenstein ’01, Taylor Dozier ’02, Mat Barnwell ’04, Anne Russell Calvert Bazzel ’04, Tyler Caswell ’04, Cameron Bagley Zakem ’07, Edens Davis (Lovett 1990 – 2000, Episcopal High School ’04), Parent of Alumni Lee Perrett, and Parent Rob Moran.
Care Packages for College Freshmen and Sophmores December 2017
The Alumni Association collaborated with Yearbook sponsor Perry McIntyre ’71, and many members of Lovett’s faculty and staff to send care packages to alumni who are freshmen and sophomores in college. Freshmen received the spring supplement to the yearbook, a “Latte on Lovett” gift card from Starbucks, and a note or two from our Lovett team. Sophomores received Popsockets customized with the words “Lovett Alumni.”
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Class Notes #LovettServes Dear Lovett Alumni, In her booklet A New Deal in Education, Mrs. Eva Edwards Lovett wrote, “The new deal in education is known as Progressive Education” and that “Progressive Education stresses cooperation rather than competition....to integrate the child as a contributing member of society.” She considered charitable projects to be integral to a child’s educational experience. For the last five years as your alumni director, I have had the great privilege of listening to alumni share their “Lovett Story.” From The Class of 1962, through present day, I can say, confidently and without hesitation, that service has always been at the heart of our school. Having worked at Lovett since 1999, I have also witnessed Lovett’s commitment to serving others to grow and thrive under the leadership of Headmaster Billy Peebles—a fact that would make Mrs. Lovett very proud. Among the Class News in this issue, you will notice a theme of service to others throughout. You will be fascinated by the variety of ways our Lovett Alumni serve their community, country, and the world at large. And, there are many more fine alumni serving others who are not featured here. Thus, I invite each of you to make your own story available to all alumni, and indeed our entire Lovett community, by posting it on social media with the hashtag #LovettServes. I can’t wait to see how each of you has made your impact and helped to fulfill Mrs. Lovett’s vision. Fondly,
Lara Kauffman Director of Alumni Programs P.S. To the extraordinary leaders serving on the 2017-18 Lovett Alumni Executive Board (pictured below), I send my thanks and gratitude. Because of your leadership, wisdom, volunteerism, and devotion to your peers, the Lovett Alumni Association continues to grow and thrive.
The 2017–18 Lovett Alumni Executive Board: Front Row: Cameron Bagley Zakem ’07, Sarah Price ’05, Seale Arnold Lindsay ’90, Kate McIntosh Pearce ’90, Greer Barber Pope ’90, and Rebecca Warner Strang ’93 Back Row: Tyler Caswell ’04, McKee Nunnally ’87, Ray Crim ’63, Kurt Hohlstein ’76, Larry Jackson ’77, and Thaddeus Rolle ’04 Not Pictured: Franklin Thomas ’80, Knox Culpepper ’81, and Jessica Jordan Walmsley ’84
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Class Notes Reach out to your Class Secretary and Class Leaders with notes or visit http://tinycc/LovettUpdate.
1964
Judy Bauer Cohen ’63 brought her dear friend from the Breman Museum, Ilse Reiner, to speak in Headmaster Billy Peebles and Steve Brown’s People of the Book class on October 16. Mrs. Reiner is a Holocaust survivor.
1963 Judy Bauer Cohen serves as a volunteer docent and on the board at the Breman Museum in Midtown Atlanta. “I have become involved with and befriended many Holocaust Survivors who selflessly share their extraordinary stories with school children and other visitors who tour the museum each year. Every Survivor is a unique, wise, resourceful, and resilient person who has a zest and appreciation for life that defies his/her horrific Holocaust experience.” Judy chairs a committee to create 30-minute documentaries for the museum’s Survivor Speakers and considers this to be her most gratifying volunteer effort. “The films are used as a teaching tool that preserves the Survivors’ personal histories long after they unable to share their stories. I volunteer because we must remember and honor the legacy of these remarkable people.”
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Yetty Levenson Arp works in both commercial and residential areas with Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty. For more than 30 years, as a VP of Southeast Commercial Properties, she participated in multi-million dollar transactions annually, not only in greater Atlanta, but also in the southeast USA and Southern California. “Giving back to my community and to causes has been a fundamentally important aspect of my life that began at Lovett when I was a student and it has been a lifelong dedication,” says Yetty, adding, “While a Lovett student, I was fortunate to have gotten involved in many service and fundraising initiatives. Giving “hands on” help to those living in poverty in Cabbagetown had a dramatic impact on me and instilled the desire to try to make a positive difference in the lives of others.” Since her days at Lovett, Yetty has served as a board member of the following organizations: Oglethorpe University, Executive Board of Trustees, Talmage Award, 2011; Rollins School of Public Health, President’s Advisory Council; Board of Trustees of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation; Egleston Children’s Hospital, Auxiliary President; Lake Rabun Association Board of Trustees; Atlanta Symphony Associates, Symphony Ball 2009 Co-Chair; The French Heritage Society, Atlanta Board; Atlanta Ballet; A Million Matters Foundation; Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Gala Chairman 1991; Junior League of Atlanta, Executive Committee; Lovett Alumni Association, Past President; Alumni Service Award Recipient; and ARCS Foundation, Atlanta Chapter Board. Lovett has honored Yetty’s service with The Lovett Alumni Service Award and Oglethorpe University, her alma mater, followed in suit by presenting her with The Talmadge Award. She was also elected to Leadership Atlanta in 1997. Presently,
Yetty is serving on Lovett’s Board of Trustees, 2016-2020, and a member the Ivy Garden Club; the High Museum of Art; and Trinity Presbyterian Church. She is a METS alumna, lay participant.
1965 Dottie Missbach Kurtz is involved with many volunteer activities in Madison, Georgia. With The Clothes Closet, sponsored by the local Baptist church, she helps take in clothing and small housewares, sorting through donation bags weekly to offer items of use for free to those who need them. “It’s been very rewarding working with our small ‘band of warriors’ who keep the doors open for those who often have serious needs. In the last few months we have seen everything from families who lost their house in a fire and needed items to start over, to a young man needing a nice shirt to go to a job interview, an older man who just needed shoes that fit and some socks, to an art teacher needing some old T-shirts for an upcoming class for kids. And relationships have formed with our regulars who come in each week to check to see what is new.” Her other volunteer work is more like a job with a non-profit Madison Artists Guild gallery that features art by local and regional talent. “As a working artist there, I know that it’s the docent’s job to ‘talk up’ all of our artists and their work, help to make sales, and be relatively knowledgeable about our charming and very historic town. Most of the shoppers we see are not only from other Georgia towns but all over the U.S. and abroad. It was especially rewarding during last year’s hurricanes when our town was full of evacuees needing someone to listen to their worries.” Between these two volunteer jobs, Dottie works around 10 days a month. “I have to credit my
mother with that spirit to serve. She worked countless hours when I was younger both with the Lovett Mother’s Club (as it was known then) and Egleston Hospital for Children.”
1966 John C. (Jack) Portman III, FAIA, is Chairman of John Portman & Associates and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Portman International Development, with responsibility for management and oversight of all company activities, both international and domestic. After graduating from Georgia Tech and Harvard with degrees in architecture, he began his career as an apprentice architect with John Portman & Associates. His interest in the possibilities of international real estate development in the Pacific Rim led him to open an office in Hong Kong in 1979 and in 1980, he pioneered Portman’s entry into China. Through his leadership, a coalition of international investors joined to design and build Shanghai Centre, opening in 1990, the largest foreign investment project in China to date. The success of this project led to increased activity for Portman Overseas in China, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. Since then his company has expanded into India and increased its domestic activities within the U.S. Throughout his life, Jack has volunteered his time and talent to more groups than can be listed, but they include serving as a Board member at one time or another of the following: The Lovett School; Clark College; The Westminster Schools; the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce; the Southern Center for International Studies; and the Urban League. The Portman Family Foundation made possible the planning and construction of the Portman Family Middle School on the Lovett campus, completed in 2009. In addition, the Foundation has established the Portman Chair of Architecture at Georgia Tech’s School of Architecture, and the Portman Chair of Architecture at Harvard University’s
Graduate School of Design. Jack’s advice: “Aspire but share; learn but teach; run fast and walk slow; speak frankly but listen intently; love but like; like but love; open your mind and empty your heart; admire but respect. Give, and then give more!” On July 19, 2014, DeDe Sheetz was diagnosed with Stage 2C HIGH Grade Ovarian cancer and immediately began chemotherapy treatments. There were a total of 18 over the course of six months. Lovett classmate, Meredith Smith Daniel, took her to 17 out of her 18 treatments and stayed with her throughout each lengthy treatment. DeDe now sees her Oncologist every six months and while doctors say she will never be truly “cancer free,” her test results remain within acceptable limits. Upon retiring in the spring of 2016, DeDe moved to Tampa, FL. She says that it took her a while to “learn how to retire.” She has finally mastered it, but wanted to feel more fulfilled. After much contemplation and research, she found a way to pay it forward by volunteering at the Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation Tampa facility and finds her service very satisfying and rewarding. Rebecca (Becky) Robinson Smith started her career after college at the Trust Company of Georgia (now SunTrust), first at the Buckhead Branch, then the Northside Drive Branch. She “retired” from banking in 1977 to devote time to raising a family. With her extra time she started an import business, bringing children’s clothing to the U.S. market. Becky began serving as a volunteer in the 1980s. She became a Certified Event Planner and helped to raise money for the American Heart Association, the Atlanta Ballet, the Michael C. Carlos Museum, the Shepherd Center, and other organizations. Through the years, she produced some 34 major events that raised more than $10 million for
these and other worthy causes. She has served on the Board of Directors of a number of non-profit organizations, and Chaired the Boards of the National Osteoporosis Foundation and the Maternal and Child Health Institute. She has also presided over two local philanthropic NPO’s, the Sandy Springs Society, and the Forward Arts Foundation, now fifty years old. The Forward Arts Foundation was founded in 1967 after the tragic Orly, France aircraft crash in 1962 which took many of Atlanta’s most prominent arts patrons. The most well-known activity of the organization is operation of the Swan Coach House on the grounds of the Atlanta History Center in Buckhead, which also includes the Gallery, open to the public, dedicated to promoting the visual arts. On the academic front, Becky earned an MBA and then a Doctoral degree in 2012. She has used her degrees and personal life experience to co-author two textbooks and two online courses in Organizational Behavior and Change Management, and teaches graduate courses at the American InterContinental University in Marketing, Strategic Management, and Leadership and Ethics. Becky has truly served her family, her community, and the world by using her many gifts and talents to serve others.
1975 Lloyd Brown recently retired after 40 years of service in the non-profit health field. He credits an Easter picnic for Muscular Dystrophy patients by the Vestry his senior year at Lovett as the inspiration for his career. Over the years, Lloyd has served in the patient service area for a number of health organizations, including MDA, the American Cancer Society, and the MS Society. A bulk of his career took place at the Arthritis Foundation (18 years) and the Epilepsy Foundation of Georgia (15 years). In retirement, Lloyd is still involved as a volunteer with the Epilepsy Camp sponsored by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Spring 2018 43
John O’Callaghan ’77 John O’Callaghan serves as the President and CEO of Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership (ANDP) where he leads the organization’s policy, lending, and housing development programs aimed at ensuring mixed income housing opportunity near job centers across metro Atlanta. John recalls that Lovett Dean of Students Mrs. Carolyn B. Hatcher had a tremendous influence on him by inspiring his interest in public service. Established in 1991, ANDP was created to address the diminishing supply of affordable housing in the metropolitan Atlanta region as well as to help reclaim declining neighborhoods in its core. Throughout its 20-year history, ANDP has been supporting the creation of housing for people of low-to-moderate incomes. This dedicated work has resulted in the investment, building or renovation of more than 8,000 housing units in the Atlanta metropolitan region. John’s public service includes elected office as a Fulton County Commissioner as well as a two-year term on the Atlanta City Council. Prior to ANDP, John spent 11 years as the Regional Public Affairs Director at Fannie Mae, where he helped create and lead Fannie Mae’s housing and community development outreach network for an 11-state region. In this role, he worked with lenders, real estate professionals, homebuilders, elected officials and community leaders to identify and solve community housing needs. Before Fannie Mae, John was the City of Atlanta’s first Director of Intergovernmental Affairs where he directed the City’s State and Federal lobbying efforts. He also served as a special assistant to Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson. His early career was spent in fundraising positions with the American Red Cross and United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta.
at Camp Twin Lakes and with an Outreach program for African-Americans with Epilepsy at the Morehouse School of Medicine. Lloyd also devotes most of his free time coordinating the Facebook page for the Lovett Class of 1975. This began as a part of the 40th reunion of the class in 2015 and has continued ever since at the request of his classmates.
1980 Jarel Portman released the album Supersonic in September. On the day of the album’s release, he shared the following with his classmates “Today is the release of a record that’s been a labor of love. I was able to play with friends as well as make new ones.” Of Portman’s album, Mid Tennessee Music critic Joshua (J.Smo) Smother44
Lovett
John O’Callaghan ’77 and Donald Jackson ’77 have been long time political collaborators. It all began when Donald served as John’s campaign manager in his election for senior class president. The pair coined the slogan “OC is OK” which led to a unanimous victory. Donald also chaired John’s successful campaign for the Fulton County Commission.
John currently serves on the Atlanta Regional Commission’s 50 Forward Steering Committee, The Livable Communities Coalition Board of Trustees, Emory University Board of Visitors, the National Housing Conference Board of Trustees, and the Atlanta Terwilliger Center for Workforce Housing Steering Committee. He plays active roles in local and national networks focused on stabilizing communities devastated by foreclosure, including the Housing Partnership Network Neighborhood Stabilization Working Group and Enterprise Community Partners Atlanta House to Home Initiative.
man wrote, “Singer/songwriter Jarel Portman has had the opportunity to absorb a wide range of cultural influences through his experiences traveling the world for business reasons. As the son of an architect, Jarel has a distinct understanding of how art can blend and mold the natural world with the man-made one. His music takes a similar approach by designing sonic tapestries to encapsulate all the worthwhile stories he has to share,” adding, “Portman’s new album, Supersonic, puts these stories and soundscapes on full display. His single, Runaway Blues, is a rockin’ jam with engaging melodies, sweet sounding guitar tones, excellent musicianship, and a sense of musicality missing from most modern (specifically mainstream) music. The song stimulates the senses for the entire duration as we are taken on an aural
journey that is as intensely satisfying as it is catchy.”
1984 Susan Evins lives in Atlanta where she is senior director North America consulting with Oracle Retail Division. She will celebrate 20 years with the company this year. Lois McKeown Fulwiler and husband Guy live in Atlanta where she works at Lucy’s Market in Buckhead. Son Jake ’15 is a junior at Georgia Tech, coaches 12-13 year-olds in baseball, and is very involved with Lovett Young Life. Recently, Jake boxed in “Brawl for a Cause” at Mercedes Benz Stadium, raising over $10,000 for Young Life camp opportunities for children who cannot afford to attend
on their own. Son, Guy, Jr. ’13 graduates from Georgia Tech this year and has secured employment at Amazon. Kimbrough Mobley Gibson lives in Atlanta with her husband, Raymond, where she is Human Resource Director at KPMG. They have three boys, Charles, a senior at Lovett, Barnett, a sophomore at Lovett, and John, who is in 7th grade at Woodward. Sassy Carragher Henry and her husband Brian are early empty nesters! “Our daughter Camille is 17 and a junior at Baylor School in Chattanooga. Our daughter May May is 19 and freshman at SMU in Dallas. Chattanooga and Dallas are two great cities to visit.” She adds, “The Sea View Inn is 81 years old this year and we are the proud owners in our 17th season. Our ‘Get Carried Away Southern Takeout’ business has just expanded into full service catering. Palmetto Cheese is in 40 states and 9,500 stores. We are Rockin’ and Rollin’! Come see us on Pawley’s Island. It’s the best family beach vacation on the east coast!” Ben Henry lives in Atlanta with his wife and daughter and teaches math at Mt. Vernon Presbyterian School. Georgia Ware Margeson works as Senior Director of Advertising at Church’s Chicken. Her son, Freddy, is graduating from Lovett this year, and her daughter, Mary Hall, is a junior at College of Charleston. Sarah Redd McCain lives in New York City with her husband, Bobby, and their three boys. Her 17 year-old son Miles attends Andover and is a contributing writer for The Washington Post. Her twins are 13. Sophie Coppedge Smulders lives in Atlanta with her husband, Hajo, and works at BDJeffries. Her son Everett runs track for Ole Miss, and Hajo, Jr. is a junior at Georgia Tech.
Lisa Attridge Songy lives in Atlanta with her husband, David. Her eldest son Hogan ’14, will graduate this year from UGA and son Harrison ’16 is a sophomore there. Tamara Friedman Stanton and husband Mike live in Asheville, NC, where she has been a realtor for the past 14 years with Beverly-Hanks and Associates. She accepted a position on the Advisory Board for the North Carolina Outward Bound School, whose focus is raising funds to send students in the western North Carolina community to attend a NCCOBS course. Tammy completed Outward Bound in Colorado in 1983 while a student at Lovett and believes it played a major part of her life moving forward.
Mary Beth Pullin Toole lives in Atlanta with her husband, Barkeley, and four kids, one of whom is a Lovett senior this year. Mary Anglin won 3rd in State for Lovett’s Diving Team. Mary Beth has been a teacher at St. Anne’s Day School for 15 years. Laura Conrades Wilson lives in Wellesley, Massachusetts with her husband and five children. Daughter Whitney is at Santa Clara in California. Triplets, Lila, Janey, and Ellie are juniors in high school, and son Luke is in 9th grade. She keeps in close touch with many Lovett classmates and travels annually to meet them.
Dr. Peter Thomas ’84 Dr. Peter Thomas has been serving his community, country, and the planet as a CDC epidemiologist since 2004. Commander Thomas was commissioned as US Public Health Service Officer, a position that serves under the Surgeon General, in 2004 and has been helping those who are less fortunate or are sick ever since. After training for two years as a CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Officer in Washington, D.C., and then ten years trying to help diagnose and treat people infected with HIV, Peter has been working overseas for the past several years in Benin and Uganda to help stop malaria transmission, disease, and deaths. (There are over 200 million cases of malaria in 91 countries, and nearly 500 Malaria deaths each year. Africans experience 90% of these cases and deaths.) Apart from his work, Peter also likes spending time mentoring and volunteering with his church and professional organization. He credits a lot of his call to serve people, especially trying to help those who are poor, sick, and disadvantaged, to his Christian influence and upbringing he received at home and through his 12 years at Lovett. “My father and mother served at church and through their community and my entire family now does the same. Through Lovett, I saw Christian service and social justice as the only way to live. From Headmasters Dr. Allen Strand through Billy Peebles, Lovett unabashedly modeled what we should be caring about and investing in. Several teachers, parents, and even administrators reinforced this ethic along the way. Teeny Parker, Clara Traver, and Mr. Broadway are a few that come to mind. Even after finishing Lovett and college, it was a Lovett parent, Dr. Bob Hatcher, who really cemented my dedication to public health when I interned with his clinic and public health program at Emory School of Medicine.” Spring 2018 45
1985
1990
Clarke Davie recalls that his first grade teacher, Beverly Webb, exemplified servant leadership in many ways. “She was the first to have us memorize the Lord’s Prayer and to learn and perform all verses of the Lovett Hymn.” Later in life, the two reconnected at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church and sang in the choir together. Clarke currently serves in the 7th grade student ministry. “In this way, Mrs. Webb’s legacy of serving others, and sharing her faith by example live on today.”
A classmate and friend of Greer Barber Pope shared the longtime service to Lovett and the Atlanta community of this uber-volunteer stating, “I’m sure the volunteer activities listed here are only a fraction of what Greer has actually done, but these alone clearly provide evidence of a life where service has been prioritized and which embodies the ideals that Lovett espouses.” Among those organizations that Greer has served are: Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation of Georgia, Board Member (Past); Winship Cancer Institute, Fashion Show Co-Chair and Committee Member (Past); Atlanta Botanical Garden, Flower Show Preview Party Chair; A Million Matters, Board Member (Past); Two-time Lovett LionBackers co-President (past) with husband Bryan Pope; and she currently serves on The Lovett Alumni Association’s Executive Board.
1987 Anne Marie Gillespie Pamieri has participated as a member of the Haines Borough School District Board of Education in Haines, Alaska for ten years, serving as School Board President for the last five years.
(Left to Right) Kaseem Ladipo ’94, Darrya Lipscomb ’92, Fatima Ladipo ’90, Kristi Nash ’99, Kesha Nash Nettles ’92, Alicia Stewart McDaniel ’92, Kelly Stewart Luckett ’85 As part of Lovett’s Black History Month celebration, poet and Virginia
Tech professor Nikki Giovanni spoke in the Wallace Gymnasium to a crowd of approximately 700 interested guests and fans. Afterward, many continued on for a reception accompanying the art exhibition, Unity & Heritage XVII: Visual Poetry in African American Art held in The Lovett Galleria. On display were works from the collections of Lovett parents of alumni Sivan and Jeff Hines (Trustee Emeritus), Neysa Dillon Brown, and Ron and Melody Domanico; those from current Lovett parents Marcia Brown, Roseann and Jeff Gapusan, Laura Hathaway, Tamara and Kent Kelley, and Eric Payne; and from both Ms. Lavona Currie and Dr. Keith Harris.
1993
The Class of 1987 met up to welcome classmate, Carrick Mollenkamp in the Lions Den Cafe.
Lovett football alums enjoy a dinner out with “Coach.” (Left to Right) Stephen Leake ’88, Wright Mitchell ’88, Robert Lacey ’87, Bryan Pope ’90, Coach Bill Railey, McKee Nunnally ’87, and Hugh Pope ’87
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As John Stephenson’s career has evolved, he has sought out opportunities to serve our immediate community of Atlanta, and broader to the state of Georgia, both through his “day job” and through avenues related to his work. This includes nonprofit and public board service, taking a civic “tour of duty” of sorts to develop and open the new College Football Hall of Fame in downtown Atlanta, and now working for Chickfil-A, whose corporate purpose focuses on stewarding company assets for positive influence on all who come into contact with the company.
1994 Lovett’s focus on educating the whole child, instilling values, and appreciation for nature are part of the reason that Addison Dana wanted to get into the nonprofit world. “Many of our classmates were very good about volunteering and outreach in the community, and I think that left a desire in me to do the same.” Now he is working as Vice President and Chief Investment Officer of The Nature Conservancy. Addison oversees and implements the investment strategy for the organization’s endowment, capital, and other investment assets. “We are trying to expand The Nature Conservancy’s usage of sustainable investments to capture financial and environmental returns.” The new Julie’s Dream foundation is an organization that the late Julie Muir Harlan and husband Chad wanted to start before she fell ill. While working as a key team member of The Novare Group, Julie supported Wilderness Works for many years. In celebration of her life, and Julie’s powerful prayer and vision of transforming disadvantaged youth with inspiring wilderness experience, Chad, friends, and family launched Julie’s Dream. The program aims to support Agape Youth and Family Center and Wilderness Works with funding to provide outdoor experiences and other assistance for kids who might not otherwise have the opportunity to explore the great outdoors. The charity launched on January 20 with an event that raised $250,000 in nine minutes in support of Julie’s Dream.
Lovett uber-volunteers LeeAnn Landers Smith ’95 and Megan Apple Stephenson ’93 help make the Lower School’s Halloween Parade and Fall Festival a smashing success.
U.S. Coast Guard Lieutenant Commander Taylor Carlisle ’96 Tres Williams ’95
1995 Tres Williams heads iHeartMedia’s Business Affairs division in New York City. iHeartMedia (or “iHeart”) owns more than 850 radio stations and reaches over 92% of Americans making it one of the largest media companies in America. Tres handles strategic transactions for iHeart’s national radio station networks as well as its award-winning digital service iHeartRadio and national events such as the iHeartRadio Music Festival and Jingle Ball Tour. Tres and his wife, Josie, live in Montclair, NJ with their three children, Lucy (5), Max (5) and Dexter (1) and their English Bulldog, Ozzie (10).
1996 Taylor Carlisle has served her country for more than 16 years in the U.S. Coast Guard. She started as a Deck Watch Officer on a cutter, then transitioned to aviation where she flew predominately Search and Rescue missions as a helicopter pilot for eight years in New Orleans and San Francisco. After the Coast Guard sent her to grad school to earn a degree in Human Performance Technology, she landed her current role as the Instructional Systems Branch Chief at CG Special Missions Training Center at Camp Lejeune, NC – the Coast Guard’s Center of Excellence (COE) for tactical operations, responsible for developing and delivering training to improve performance, ensure safety, promote proficiency, and enforce standardization. She is looking forward to her next unit starting this summer at Coast Guard Activities Europe where she will serve as an International Port Security Liaison Officer in the Netherlands. Her Coast Guard career combines her love of the water with her desire to help people and serve our country. While at Lovett, she was grateful for the influence of two teachers in particular: Dan Dalke who encouraged her love of marine biology and Joni Janis who supported her in developing a strong sense of self, which has proven to be an important trait in her military career. Spring 2018 47
Tricia Brock Madden ’96 and family
Tricia Brock Madden lives in Atlanta with her husband and three children. She is the Founder and Director of Atlanta School Insight, an education consulting company that assists families and children with learning differences find the best school fit and advocate for appropriate educational accommodations. In addition to her work in special needs education, she regularly volunteers her time with local charities and political organizations. She is currently the Fundraising Chair on the Steering Committee for Northwest Atlanta Habitat for Humanity’s first ever ALL Women Build, is a member of the non-partisan Cobb County School District Community Advocacy Network, serves on the Strategic Planning Team for a local politician running for Georgia House of Representatives, and is an active member of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee at The High Meadows School in Roswell. She is passionate about youth sports and has enjoyed volunteering for several years coaching recreational soccer at NASA Tophat. Last year, she was proud to be the founder and head coach of The High Meadows School’s first middle school Ultimate Frisbee team, and she played an integral part in establishing Atlanta’s first all-girls Interscholastic Middle School Ultimate League with the Atlanta Flying Disc Club. Tricia has also enjoyed reconnecting with old friends while serving as one of the Lovett Alumni Class Representatives. 48
Lovett
Rusty McCall ’96
Rusty McCall has been a public elementary school teacher in San Francisco since 2003. His focus is on integrated curriculum and hands-on science and gardening, joining in the school gardening movement of California. He also volunteers in community projects ranging from affordable housing to LGBT rights to sustainable agriculture. While at Lovett, he was inspired by the purchase of the Siempre Verde preserve in Ecuador, spearheaded by Bob Braddy, as well as his many adventures with the Outdoor Club, headed by Angela Morris-Long. “She was an enthusiastic mentor and a shining example of how to be a positive influence on young minds.” Winnie Offen Smith has worked at UGA for ten years. She currently serves as the Director’s assistant at the Willson Center for Humanities and Arts. She received a BFA in Jewelry and Metalsmithing and MAED in Art/Museum Education, both from the University of Georgia (UGA). In addition to her career in the arts, she devotes considerable volunteer time to teaching art in the
community. She has served for the past few years as a volunteer illustration teacher at the UGA Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, a continuing education program for Athens area retirees. When her son started kindergarten, she quickly learned his school did not have an art teacher or even a part time art program, so she founded the Cougars Art Club at Colbert Elementary School. Through this school art club, Winnie teaches art to Kindergarten through 2nd grade students in an after-school program. She has 20 regular students who are proud to host their first art exhibit this spring. Each class has a theme and looks at artists such as Rauschenberg, Albers, Rothko, Matisse, Kandinsky, Cezanne, Picasso, and examples of art from around the world to create varied pieces using paint, collage, fabric, weaving, drawing, and photography. Winnie credits her Lovett art teacher, Annie Faber, who instilled this very personal mission in her: To do what she can to bring art to everyone, to expose this small handful of public school students to artists and art making, to provide resources to parents such as art handouts and museum family opportunities, and to facilitate art exploration and socialization in an art classroom.
Chris Stewart ’96
Chris Stewart is a managing Partner of Stewart, Seay & Felton Trial Attorneys, a personal injury litigation law firm, where he handles a variety of cases including motor vehicle collisions, wrongful death, civil rights, and shoot-
ings or sexual assaults. Chris is recognized worldwide for his civil rights cases including that of Walter Scott, a South Carolina man shot in the back on video by a police officer that settled for $6.5 million dollars, the highest in South Carolina history and led to a twenty-year prison sentence for the officer. Other clients he has represented in some of the nation’s highest profile civil rights death cases caught on camera include Alton Sterling, Deaundre Phillips, Chase Sherman, and Georgia Tech student Scout Schultz. Chris is regarded as one of the nation’s top civil trial lawyers. He was the first and only African-American voted Attorney of the Year for the State of Georgia for 2016, and received the 2016 R.E. Thomas Civil Rights Award, the 2018 Pinnacle Leadership Award, the 2014 Esquire Award, and a finalist for Nation’s Best Advocates. Selected as a Super Lawyer from 2011 – 2018, Chris also received the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus’ Chairman’s Award for service to the community and the Outstanding Citizen Award for the State of Georgia 2018. Born and raised in southwest Atlanta, Chris is extremely active in the Atlanta community. He is founder of “If You Can See It, You Can Be It,” which focuses on motivating inner city elementary children to become lawyers. He is also co-founder of Project CP, a non-profit that focuses on inner city youth and the homeless. Chris is also a board member of the Southern Center for Human Rights. Having overcome reading issues as a youth, Chris embodies his favorite motto “Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough.” While at Lovett, he was greatly influenced by Coach Danny Singleton, who never allowed him to get discouraged or fear his opposition. Coach Singleton often reminded him that because David slew Goliath, the size of your opponent should never matter.
1997 Hunter Amos, Lauren Logan Hooks, and Justin Jones all serve on The Shepherd Center Foundation board of directors. In this volunteer role they help spread the word about the revolutionary work Shepherd is doing, volunteer at Shepherd events, and support the institution’s philanthropic endeavors.
Parent of alumni Art Glaser, Kevin Glaser ’97, and Dan Regenstein ’01 with Kevin’s children at the Capitol City Club golf championship. Dan won flight four, Art won flight three, and Kevin was Club champion.
2002 1997 classmates Christine Lakin Breault, Rochelle Webb, and Corley Kenna on a recent girls trip to welcome Corley to California.
2001 Amy Sacks Zeide is the executive director of the nonprofit she founded, Creating Connected Communities, where she trains Jewish teens to become community leaders. She is working with 65 Jewish teenagers around Atlanta, using a curriculum she developed to target such communitywide issues as homelessness, foster care, refugees and children attending Title I schools.
SteerSmart, the Buckhead-based nonprofit dedicated to safer driving for young people, recently named Christy Nickles Bell its first executive director. Her key responsibilities include expanding operations and developing a plan to serve more students and families. “Christy’s background and history in marketing and nonprofit management makes her a perfect fit for what SteerSmart needs to grow its mission,” SteerSmart founder and President Lauren Winborne (a parent of six Lovett alumni) said in a news release. “We are thrilled to have her on our team to bring her expertise and passion in growing our mission to reach more students and save more lives.” She joins SteerSmart from a marketing position at Fidelity Bank. Prior to Fidelity, she spent more than eight years in fundraising, management and marketing with Heritage Sandy Springs (special events director), DDD Foundation and 101 Concepts Restaurant Group. She is an active member of Leadership Sandy Springs and past member of the Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber 400 Club, Junior League of Atlanta, and Shepherd Center Junior Committee. Spring 2018 49
Ali Dick Blaisdell serves on the Shepherd Center Advisory Board, the Wake Forest University College Board of Visitors, and is a member of the Junior League of Atlanta. She is passionate about giving back to her community and seeks opportunities to serve and make a difference for those around her.
2003 Margaret Aldridge Gaines and her husband started their non-profit organization, MelaNoMo, in 2009 after he was diagnosed with stage III melanoma. Its goal is to spread awareness and raise money for research. They host an event every year, and have raised several thousand of dollars for Emory Winship Cancer Center. “Our goal is to create awareness and generate funds toward finding a cure for melanoma. Together we can put an end to this disease, no more melanoma, MELANoMo!”
2004 One way that Michelle Domanico serves her community each year is by sponsoring and volunteering time to mentor a veteran who is transitioning from military service to the business world via the non-profit American Corporate Partners. Last year, she helped a former marine secure an internship on Wall Street. He will return to New York this summer for a full-time job in Investment Banking. More good news is that Michelle became engaged to Mark Oppenheimer. They met in New York City, where Michelle works in Finance and Mark works in Executive Search. Mark and Michelle are thrilled to be getting married this summer surrounded by friends and family.
Michelle Domanico and veteran
Caroline English teaches history at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia, where she also coaches and serves as the head of one of the girls’ dorms. She loves her job and thanks her teachers at Lovett to thank for sharing their passions with their students day after day. She has recently taught a number of Lovett students who are now boarding at Episcopal for high school—all of whom rave about Mr. Peebles!
Young Alumni Mentorship Program (YAMs) Thaddeus Rolle ’04 and fellow alums Charlie Loudermilk ’08 and Kathleen Block Low ’08 launched a new initiative
for young alumni in fall 2017. The Young Alumni Mentorship Program (YAMs) pairs two young alumni, ideally one male and one female, with Lovett advisories for the sake of mentorship, friendship, and to establish a first “alumni connection” for Lovett’s upper school students. The program is in its pilot phase, with six junior advisories and 12 young alumni participants. In time, the program seeks to a match a pair of young alumni with advisories for a relationship that lasts the duration of an upper school student’s experience.
Anita Alston planning for her advisory visits with Thaddeus Rolle ’04 and Madeline Keb ’09
50 Lovett Jonathan Newman’s advisees visit with Lee Anne Bradshaw ’07 and Richard Sorenson ’07
Kelley Greer’s Advisory with Frances Lacefield ’10 Billy Maldonado planning ahead for his YAMs, Grace (front, center) and Elwyn Bridges ’12 (back, 2nd from Mabon ’08 and Rob Pierson ’08 left)
David Silverman’s advisory with Brent Kaufman ’08 (back, right) and Alison Meares ’08 (front, left)
Mary Kay Waterman, Charlie Loudermilk ’08, & Kathleen Block Low ’08 (not pictured) teamed up.
Taylor Pecora-Saipe is living and working in New York City as a pediatric nurse practitioner at Memorial Sloan Kettering, the world’s oldest and largest private cancer center. According to US News & World Report, Memorial Sloan Kettering has ranked as one of the top two hospitals for cancer care in the country for more than 25 years and is among the nation’s top pediatric hospitals for cancer care. Thaddeus Rolle volunteers with the Lovett community as an Alumni Board member and committee chair of a new initiative for alumni, the Young Alumni Mentorships program (YAMs). Outside of Lovett, he is a committee member and past chair of the Gathering of Eagles and Golden Eagle events for the Boy Scouts of America - Atlanta Area Council. “The biggest gift we can share with others is our time. Countless individuals, including Mr. Peebles, provided me the opportunity to learn servant leadership by their example. Spending time with young developing leaders in our community has provided a rewarding opportunity to positively impact and shape these growing minds of the future.”
Babies and Toddlers of The Class of 2004 (Left to Right) Elouise & Mills (Kate Lindsey Powell ’04), Langdon (Laura Pope Service ’04), Celie (Coley Young Cuttino ’04), and Anne Kelley (Sabrina Altenbach Gibson ’04)
Jennifer Klee Pittman ’05 and husband Cory completed the Chicago Triathlon on August 27, 2017
2005
2006
In 2017, Sandra Thomann was sworn into the Fulton County Juvenile Court as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). As a CASA volunteer, she is appointed by a judge to watch over and advocate for neglected or abused children so that they can be safe, have a permanent home, and have the opportunity to thrive.
Chelsea O’Haire is currently employed as a licensed psychologist in the state of California. “I specialize in working with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders and their families to improve their emotional well-being.” She also assists each patient and their family to advocate for an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) within their school setting to ensure each child and family has the opportunity to access curriculum, obtain additional therapy services needed (speech and occupational), and to make sure each family’s basic needs are met (i.e. beds to sleep in and food to eat).
In addition to working in the helping industry, Lanier Meeks Yi has been called to service work on at a smaller scale. She is a therapist for a local “Drug Court” program through Virginia’s Arlington County Circuit Court. Her clients have had multiple legal charges related to substance dependence issues, often battling addiction for years, and developed a worldview that makes it difficult for them to function independently in the community. Lanier helps them look at their addiction as well as their criminal thinking patterns, using techniques to address both through therapy. She loves working in this niche of her field and adds, “Being a part of the Drug Court Program has developed my interest in Drug Courts across the country and different modalities and approaches to helping others and their communities. I am involved in some initiatives to be more involved in the communities and make folks aware of the services the community has to offer. Additionally, our Drug Court is always working towards a way to connect our clients with the community, both for their recovery as well as paying it forward to others. Involvement, in one way or another, is an intricate part of the recovery process.”
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2007
Lee Anne Bradshaw serves as a first grade teacher at Christ the King school in Atlanta. She was influenced by countless teachers over her 14 years as a Lovett student, but notably by Kim Morgan, Jonathon Newman, and Mary Stark. Through their efforts encouraging her to always do her best, she channels the same energy in her students on a daily basis. Carmin Hazim serves others around the world as an Epidemiologist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She works in countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Senegal, and the Republic of Georgia to set up infection control programs and to track and prevent the spread of disease in healthcare settings. She was recently in Ethiopia on a three-week deployment supporting the Ministry of Health by setting up a system to track the spread of antibiotic resistant “superbugs” in hospitals across the country. The hope is that the system will also detect outbreaks and trigger response efforts before they can further spread. Chris Kennedy moved to Florida after graduating from Auburn with an Economics degree. He is presently Senior Project Manager for the renovations branch of a nursing home management company with expansion projects at five facilities around the state and the company’s first new-build project, a 120,000 sq ft, 223-bed facility, a new challenge that he looks forward to facing. Chris reflects, “At Lovett, I was instilled with a desire and sense of responsibility to 52
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help those in my community who are less fortunate. Through Lovett’s CAP program, I formed the foundation of what has become a life-long desire to continue serving others. At Auburn, I became very involved with a year-round program, Dance Marathon, that raises money to help a local children’s hospital alleviate the financial burden that Miracle Kids and Families face while fighting for their lives.” Chris helped to start the Auburn branch of the national program, and served as VP of Fundraising through graduation. “Dance Marathon has now become one of the larger fundraising events that Auburn has annually, and in its fifth year, I was approached by some of my former founding members about starting up an Alumni Program, AUDM.” Today, Chris serves on AUDM’s Board as Alumni VP of Fundraising. “It’s been extremely enjoyable because I work long hours each week and participating in this very important effort has allowed me to serve children who are in need and stay involved with young professionals who are passionate about helping others out.” As his time permits, Chris also volunteers once a month in a local beach clean-up effort alongside his fiancée. Since graduating from Lovett, Jensen Paterson has become a special educator and loves her job. She is grateful for the opportunity to help shape our future leaders to be problem-solving as well as open minded and inclusive. Jensen shares, “Engaging with young minds on a daily basis brings me such purpose and I love how each day is a new chance to positively influence my students. While at Lovett, I participated in the Senior Projects and benefited exponentially from the real world experiences provided during that time. I appreciate all that Lovett and its many wonderful educators did for me over my years as a Lion.”
A career update on Katie Boydston Rollins: after working in the luxury travel industry for more than four years, she recently started her own business, Rollins Travel Co. In partnership with Virtuoso Ltd., Rollins Travel is a global travel agency providing bespoke and comprehensive planning services. Since March 2015, Barnett Williams has been serving on the board of WonderRoot, whose mission is to improve the cultural and social landscape of Atlanta through creative initiatives and community partnerships. The anchor of our organization is our Arts Center—a full-service facility that supports artists, offers public programming, and brings diverse voices together to envision and activate a stronger Atlanta. “We believe that social change is both a values system and a path of action: the belief that society isn’t perfect and the understanding that we have the power to do something about it. We strive to affect change through the arts—a powerful vehicle for attracting attention, creating dialogue, and changing perceptions.” Barnett adds, “Participating in Lovett’s Service Initiation for the Ninth Grade (SING) program in 2004 opened my eyes to the significance of a sense of community and a sense of connection to the larger city of which Lovett is a part. SING introduced me to the importance of participating in helping grow a better Atlanta.”
Edward Kenna ’07 and Hunter Dunlap ’07 recently hiked to the peak of Mount Rainier.
2008 Celine Heckel-Jones is now living in the Washington, D.C. area and working as a Product Manager for Alarm.com in Virginia.
2009 For the last four years, Stuart Coleman, and brothers Thomas ’06 and Warren ’08, have served as volunteer coaches at Buckhead Baseball. The Coleman men spend roughly eight to ten hours each week teaching 11 and 12-year-olds about sportsmanship and the game of baseball. Stuart adds, “A lot of my fufillment comes from watching a kid develop from a timid 11-year-old to a confident 12-yearold. It is amazing how much a kid can blossom and come out of his shell in just a two year period.” He feels that it is important for the kids to have positive role models at such an
impressionable age. “The reason that I keep coming back is the enjoyment that I get out of watching the kids develop both on and off the field.” Will Deisley serves others by working directly with those in need. “There are many wonderful organizations that exist to provide resources to people who are struggling to support themselves and their families. I’ve found that showing up and really being present with another human being can be one of the most challenging, humbling, yet rewarding experiences. Human connection is powerful and can truly leave an impact on another life far outweighing the current need.” Sullivan Griffith’s design temp company, Griffith Design Temps, helps interior designers in the Atlanta area with too much work on their plates by filling in on an as-needed, hourly basis. The typical interior designer in Atlanta takes on multiple projects
and ends up having too much to do, but the work does not support hiring a full time employee with salary, benefits, and on-boarding expenses. Griffith Design Temps helps these designers meet their commitments, saving them time, money, and stress! May is a big month for Zach Kopelman as he will graduate from medical school and receive a promotion to US Army Captain. He will begin his OB/ GYN Residency in San Antonio, TX in July. Elizabeth Selman Rudd married husband Cameron on April 29, 2017. She works as a physical therapist and enjoys helping her community by returning people to a pain free, prior level of function to restore and enhance quality of life. Elizabeth thanks Mr. Peebles and Lovett’s athletic trainers, coaches, and science teachers for inspiring her and for helping to pave her way!
Buckhead Baseball coaches Warren Coleman ’08, Stuart Coleman ’09 (back, left), Thomas Coleman ’06 (back, right), and their team. Spring 2018 53
Clay Cooledge ’09 Clay Cooledge works with Savills Studley, the largest real estate service
provider in the U.S. that exclusively represents commercial office tenants. His Atlanta office team recently won the Atlanta Business Chronicle “Office Deal of The Year” award representing Anthem for its 352,000 square-foot build-to-suit project that will be developed by Portman Holdings in midtown Atlanta Tech Square. Giving back to the community is something that Clay has always found very important. At a young age, he and his family would join another Lovett family—the Winships (Blanton Winship ’07, North Winship ’09, and Alex Winship ’11) around the Christmas holiday to serve at what is now Ponce City Clay Cooledge ’09 Market. At the time, Ponce City Market was a rundown building in an impoverished area with rampant homelessness. The two families served Toys for Tots, providing gifts to families that could not afford them. Clay adds, “I’ll never forget the feeling of running through the basement warehouse, throwing gifts in the cart and returning to handoff the presents to the families. They could never contain their laughter, giggles and smiles filled with joy!” In 2004, Clay and Ross Pope ’09, his good friend and classmate, started a fundraising effort for the tsunami victims in Thailand and recalls, ”Ross called upon all of our friends and classmates to help plan a country fair at Lovett that raised more than $10,000 for the tsunami relief. Looking back, that was pretty incredible since we were only in 8th grade!” Since then, Clay has served on multiple mission trips to Acapulco, Mexico to a local orphanage to build a library, bathrooms, and other buildings. “What I think is equally important (if not, more important), are the interactions with the less-fortunate people that we are able to help. Even though we speak different languages, we forge true friendships and lasting bonds. Making a difference in the life of someone who needs your help leaves you with an amazing feeling inside,” Clay said. Today, Clay is a member of The Emerging Leaders Network for CHRIS 180, an organization wholly committed to healing children, strengthening families, and building communities through counseling, safe housing, specialized training, and community support. In its 35-year history, CHRIS 180 has transformed the lives of more than 60,000 people. “I give back because I am lucky enough to be in a position where I can. Many people have helped me throughout my life and I want to pay it forward. Improving the quality of life in our community and leaving the world a better place than how we found it is crucial.” Clay adds, “Headmaster Billy Peebles is instilled an atmosphere at The Lovett School where giving back to others was a part of everyday life. I will always be grateful for those memories and experiences, and I look forward to continuing to give back to our community and hope to accomplish much more in the years to come!”
2010
Laura Beth Ellis’10
becoming the third employee to be hired. “Exactly three years later, I have seen our small firm grow from three to 20, and this is the second year in a row Clyde Group has been recognized as ‘Boutique Agency of the Year’ by PR Week.” Laura Beth and her colleagues headed to New York City in March to see if they win the recognition again this year.
After graduating from Washington and Lee University in the spring of 2014, Laura Beth Ellis headed “north” to Washington, D.C. with a great group of college, high school, and new friends. After completing an internship with a large PR firm, she joined the start-up communications and public affairs firm, Clyde Group,
Mary Liz Cronk Harms loves serving her community through Park Pride, an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization dedicated to improving parks and greenspaces city-wide. This summer she celebrates four years at Capgemini, where she is currently a Business Development Consultant
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Mary Liz Cronk Harms ’10
Madeline Keb ’09 Madeline Keb works in Government and Community Affairs at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, where she support efforts, on the state and federal level, to lobby for Georgia’s children. “I am grateful for the opportunity to come to work every day knowing that I am contributing to a mission that is so much larger than myself; however, my contribution is small relative to the clinical staff who give of themselves in ways I could never imagine. To see their passion and hear their stories is truly humbling,” she said. She spends a lot of time volunteering for the Junior League of Atlanta, an organization that was founded to train volunteers to best serve the women and children. In addition, she is currently part of the Evening MBA program at Madeline Keb ’09 Emory’s Goizueta School of Business, where she is concentrating in Social Enterprise, business focused on societal impact. “I have always felt a strong sense of gratitude for the opportunities I have been given throughout my life, and I consider giving my time and energy to others a way to say thank you. There is so much hurt and need in the world, which people are susceptible to, often times, based on circumstances they have zero control over. Serving others is a way for me to be a good steward of the circumstances I was blessed with.” Madeline thanks Angela Morris-Long, her Upper School advisor, for helping to connect her with internships and volunteer opportunities, which, she says, would not have been possible otherwise. “I happened to be in her advisory during her transition to her role focusing on Civic Engagement. This allowed me to see, very concretely, Lovett’s commitment to community service and its shift to making it a formal part of the curriculum.”
Jamal Releford ’09 Jamal Releford lives in New York City and works in Information Security for
the Regional Chief Information Security Officer for the Americas at Deutsche Bank. Having lived in the city for two years, he came to the realization that there was more that he could be doing with his time. “It felt like perfect timing when I ran into a friend who mentioned that he was involved with a tech-related volunteer program and encouraged me to apply. It took no time in convincing me, and I went home and applied immediately.” The organization that Jamal volunteers for is New York on Tech (NYOT), a program designed to prepare minority students prepare the next generation of technology leaders emerging from New York City by creating pathways for students to thrive in technology and innovation. Jamal says, “I find it amazing Jamal Releford ’09 that through this program, high school kids were able to develop in-demand skills like coding and web design at such a young age. This, in combination with the professional advice that we mentors provide through the professional development courses teach to NYOT mentees, is a recipe for developing the super-professionals of tomorrow.” Jamal assists the program in every way he can. He believes NYOT embodies everything he wishes he had in his youth and that it is incredibly important to empower youth to pursue degrees and careers in tech, a field so highly in demand. “It makes no sense when companies say that they struggle to find and hire a talented workforce of color for technical tasks, when I find myself surrounded by kids who do just that on a daily basis.” Jamal advises his mentees to never let someone decide what they can or cannot do, adding, “The mind is an amazing thing which can be used for both the best and worst of things. So, if you want to be a great developer working at Google, and are willing to put in the work, time and effort to so, you can do just that!”
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for the company’s largest account. Late last year, she gathered a team of young Capgemini professionals to raise money and volunteer at Historic Fourth Ward Park and says, “It was very rewarding to see my coworkers come together in a communal effort to help keep Atlanta beautiful!” Mary Liz shares, “Two of my English teachers at Lovett had a very strong impact in developing me into the person that I am today. Emily Anderson, my American Studies teacher, saw a passion for writing in me that no one else had really seen. She taught me that if I put my mind to something, the sky’s the limit. The guidance and insight she provided as I wrote my Lovett term paper really laid the foundation in allowing me to write a strong Senior Honors College Thesis during my final year at Ole Miss. In addition, Ann Swartz helped reveal my innate creativity and leadership skills by pushing me outside of my comfort zone during various literature activities. I will never forget the excitement she sparked for me and my classmates during our final year at Lovett and her advice to never let anyone hold you back from pursuing your dreams.” She adds, “Writing and leadership are two traits that have very much enabled me to be successful in both my consulting career as well as in my personal life during my post-school years, and I thank God for how the Lovett teachers and faculty ‘planted a seed’ and contributed to that!” “Figuring out what to do after college can be a daunting task,” says Kelly Hite adding, “Like many others, I had no clue what I wanted to do.” At the beginning of her senior year at Lovett, Kelly learned of Teach For America and thought, “I loved Ms. Moss (now Mrs. Courtney Hooker) as a teacher and mentor. Maybe I should try to be a math teacher!” For Kelly, who had never before considered teaching, this idea alone reveals a lot about the imact that Courtney had on her life. Kelly says, “She was an advisor, 56
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Kelly Hite ’10 with her Teach For America students
teacher, coach, and friend. No matter what question I had or crazy story I made her sit through, she was always there for me. I ended up teaching high school math for two years with TFA and thought about Ms. Moss everyday. It takes a very special person to be an educator, and I hope that my time in the classroom had a fraction of the impact on my students that Ms. Moss had on me.” Serving others has been instilled in Kelsey Melito Shackelford since she was a little girl. “I was always taught to serve through kindness and to always try to brighten someone’s day, never dull it.” Kelsey adds, “I would write ‘Never forget to smile!’ on a post it or say it to a frowning friend, and I now live by that motto.” Today,
Kelsey Melito Shackelford ’10 and her family
she serves as director at a child care facility where she finds herself flooded with innocent joys and accomplishments on a daily basis. “I don’t know if it’s the abundance of hugs or the constant sound of children laughing, but no matter what trouble the day might bring me, I truly can’t ever forget to smile.” Kelsey feels fortunate to have been the child of two Lovett faculty members, Chuck and Jill Melito, as many of her teachers and coaches became an extension of her family. Through this experience she took was able to translate many of her experiences and into life lessons. “I got to see everyday things at Lovett from the teacher’s perspective, and although I sometimes knew a little more than I should have, I remain grateful for that insight. Through this
experience, she learned to see beyond the curriculum or a grade on a test, to the countless hours of planning and grading. She witnessed the hurt that faculty members feel when a child wasn’t succeeding, and the elation for those who were. Perhaps most importantly, she learned that are two sides to every story and to seek both before moving forward. “The dedication these teachers and coaches had to their profession, their students, and to me personally was truly inspiring. Life lessons, positive character traits, perseverance, and the love of learning were some of the many things that I learned at Lovett. While it may sound corny, I have to admit that I learned the most from my mom and dad. Their dedication to not only Lovett, but to the students, is undeniable.” Kelsey adds, “Because they love inspiring children, I was inspired me to work with children. To me, this is the best form of service one can offer.” S.E. Spencer will graduate with a Master’s in Public Administration from North Carolina State University in May 2018. Meredith Thornhill volunteers as the High Museum of Art Atlanta Wine Auction Captain of Uncorking Cru 2018 because “it is a diverse collection of young adults, all of whom are brought together by a shared passion and advocacy for both art and wine, and who all are creating a moment, a memory to remember as they embark on a journey to become the future of the High Museum of Art Atlanta, as its donors, patrons and benefactors. Uncorking Cru is the next generation of our city’s beloved fine art museum—it is our group’s camaraderie that helps influence, garner and nurture the museum’s growth,” she said. Meredith has worked for BBDO Atlanta since October 2016, recently receiving a promotion to Business Manager. In this role, Meredith manages and executes all day-to-day business details critical within radio, digital and/or domestic and interna-
tional TV production process, working closely to producers, account teams and talent managers before, during and after each production. In addition, she interacts with cost consultants, in-house finance and outside vendors to ensure monies appropriately pertain to Client-approved costs. Her primary Client-responsibility is AT&T.
2012
Peter Diaz ’12
2011 Since graduating from Lovett in 2011 and Northwestern in 2015, Ton Luk has been working in strategy consulting for L.E.K. Consulting. There, he is a member of the Medical Technology practice and his projects help advance innovative medical devices. He has worked out of the Chicago and New York offices, and this summer he will be headed to work on a project out of London. Avery Wiens, a doctoral student in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Georgia, applies equations of quantum physics to study the motions of electrons and protons in molecules. Wiens’ current project is using quantum chemistry to study the methylene amidogen radical, a system of interest to the study of extraterrestrial atmospheres and combustion of high energy materials. Her goal is to use theoretical predictions about the molecule’s vibrational frequencies to offer insight into past chemical experiments that have presented conflicting results.
Since graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2016, Peter Diaz moved to Washington D.C. where he is now in his second year of law school at Georgetown University Law Center. This summer, Peter will work as a Summer Associate at King & Spalding, both in Atlanta and Washington, D.C. Hannah James serves as a Wish Coordinator for Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic helping to grant wishes to children with critical illnesses in Maryland, northern Virginia, and Washington DC. In her role, Hannah helps plan and coordinate all of the wishes the Foundation’s chapter grants.
2013
Sydney Lawings ’13
Currently in graduate school at the University of Chicago, Sydney Lawings is working towards her Master’s in Social Work. Sydney works with families in South Chicago but more specifically at-risk youth. She decided that this would be the path after going to Ecuador with Lovett the summer of 8th grade. “I loved the Spring 2018 57
community service we were able to do in Ecuador. I became more aware that at home, in our own community, there was work to be done! I hope to continue to work with at-risk youth in the years ahead.” Lovett was an instrumental influence in Maggie Sinkler’s decision to pursue the career path of becoming a physician. “Through my time in medical school and as my career as a physician, I will have a life dedicated to serving others. I decided to go down this long career path because I could see the potential to make a lasting impact on the lives of others. My career decisions were greatly impacted through the experience I had through Lovett’s science departments as it instilled a love of knowledge and learning. I found medicine as a way to apply a love of learning that was fostered during my time at Lovett towards pursuing a career dedicated to serving others.”
2014 Carson Cook recalls, “Mr. Peebles started at Lovett when I was in the 2nd grade and was with The Class of 2014 through our graduation. I never saw him without a smile on his face. His constant positive energy and willingness to help us as students is something I’ll always remember and appreciate.” Wesleigh Lourie is finishing her senior year at the University of Georgia and interning at Athens Nurses Clinic, a non-profit health care clinic that provides free evaluation, treatment, and education for acute and chronic medical conditions to area residents who are without health insurance. She loves serving her local community while learning about something that she is passionate about- the health of others. “I can’t wait to start nursing school when I graduate and I’m so thankful that Lovett planted “the seed” of service in me. I constantly think about my third grade 58
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teacher, Mrs. Ray (Louise Orahood Ray ’72), when it comes to service. She was such a positive role model in my childhood and I can still picture her contagious, vibrant smile encouraging me every day. Thank you to Mr. Peebles, Ms. Ray, and all my teachers at Lovett for providing with me this foundation!
with executives and engineers from INFINITI cars and Renault Sport F1.
2015 One way that Emily Drake loves to contribute to the University of Virginia community is by giving local elementary school students tours of UVA’s Fralin Art Museum. “It is truly amazing see the world through a child’s eyes and to teach them how to look at art. Through these tours, I have learned a lot about myself, learned how to keep kids engaged, and I get to see beautiful art while doing it!”
Evan Maynard ’14
2016
Evan Maynard will graduate from Auburn University in August 2018 with a major in mechanical engineering and a minor in automotive engineering. While at Auburn, Evan and a classmate founded Slysdexic Racing, where he is now Manager & Owner. In the past 4 years he’s been heavily involved in the mechanical and engineering aspects of cars, having rebuilt the Mk3 Golf that Slysdexic is now racing in ChumpCar, a series of six to 36 hour sanctioned automotive endurance races held on paved road race courses across North America. Evan also has experience with race cars on the professional level, having worked with several Pirelli World Challenge TC and GTS teams as a race mechanic and setup/design engineer. Evan was selected as one of ten, out of an original 2,500 U.S. applicants selected, to attend the 2017 INFINITI Engineering Academy United States Final (Evan was the youngest selected; other participants included Master’s students and recent college graduates). His team of five participants won every challenge in the competition which included remote control drag racing car build/ design, Microsoft PowerApps app design challenge, media interview with local automotive and motorsports journalists, and a judge interview
In May 2016, Shivram Daftari spoke to classmates at Lovett’s Graduating Senior Luncheon and shared this thought, “Lovett is our home. Why shouldn’t we take care of it?” He recalls that during his sophomore year at Lovett, he and his family took 14 students to India on a service mission, the school’s first in that hemisphere. “We knew it would be an important experience and help Lovett students and Lovett as a whole to become a stronger community, a better home.” He adds, “For me, serving my community makes me a better person, allowing me to see things from other people’s perspective. Mr. Peebles represented the pinnacle of this to me. He was able to reflect the entirety of Lovett’s diverse class without blinking because he was a man of service. That’s what everyone should strive for.” Today, Shiv has spent a year in the Middle East learning and serving a different community in an effort to grow as a person and serve others around him. “I bring these experiences back to the Lovett classroom whenever I am able to guest lecture in the middle school because I hope one day that one of these kids just might be Lovett’s headmaster, hopefully one like Mr. Peebles.”
Marriages 2007 Cameron Bagley and Charles Zakem, August 5, 2017
2008
2
Alexis Lally and Carr Churchill, March 18, 2017 Margaret Ray “Maggie” Deutsch and Alexander Frankel, September 16, 2017 Emily Scheible and Andrew Whittaker, May 6, 2017
2009
1
Elizabeth Selman and Cameron Rudd, April 29, 2017 Elizabeth Thorpe and Eryk Johnson, July 29, 2017
2010
3
Ryan Johnson and Ricky Nunez, September 16, 2017
1. Elizabeth Selman ’09 and Cameron Rudd 2. Bill Thorpe ’74, Elizabeth Thorpe ’09, Eryk Johnson and William Thorpe ’10 3. Maggie and Alexander Frankel ’08
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4. Alexis and Carr Churchill ’08 5. Cameron Bagley ’07 and Charles Zakem 6. Ryan Johnson ’10 and Ricky Nunez ’10 with their wedding party: Brooke Johnson ’14, Hunter Clark ’10, Casey Ward ’10, Maggie North ’10, Dan Bouck ’10, Trey O’Callaghan ’10, David Van Horn ’10, Sean McIntosh ’10 and Carter McClaugherty ’10
6
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Babies 1996 Wyatt Bryson Boyd, July 21, 2017, son of David and Kelly Ragland Boyd
1997 Crawford Kemp Zapf, October 29, 2017, son of Joseph and Montine Mansell Zapf
1998 Sage Hughes, December 30, 2016, daughter of Yelena and Ryan Hughes
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1999 Charlie Beckett Derksen, July 18, 2017, son of Maarten and Whitney Horton Derksen
2000 Reese Elizabeth Conselman, July 11, 2017, daughter of Marc and Shelly Humphries Conselman
3
Annabelle Elizabeth Kebel, January 10, 2018, daughter of Matthew and Anna Cox Kebel
2001 Alexander Clark Davis, November 1, 2017, son of Preston and Dorsett Clark Davis
2002
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Whitt Reeves Brinkley, October 5, 2017, son of Beau and Kristen Klee Brinkley Hayes Cullen McKenney, December 6, 2016, son of Cullen and Pamela Elting McKenney
2003 Virginia Grace Brown, May 2017, daughter of Laurie and Taylor Brown Chester “Chess� Bowen McBurnette, October 24, 2017, son of Colin and Abbie Odom McBurnette 60
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7 10
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1. Alexander Clark Davis joins big brothers Christopher and Jordan, age 3 (Class of 2001)
5. Hayes Cullen McKenney, son of Cullen ’02 and Pamela Elting McKenney ’02
10. Crawford Zapf, son of Joseph and Montine Mansell Zapf ’97
2. Whitt Reeves Brinkley, son of Beau and Kristen Klee Brinkley ’02
6. Chess Bowen McBurnette, son of Colin and Abbie Odom McBurnette ’03
11. Annabelle Elizabeth Kebel, daughter of Matthew and Anna Cox Kebel ’00
3. Charlie and big brother Henry Derksen (Class of 1999)
7. Andrew Sandidge Riley and big brother William, age 2 (Class of 2004)
12. Yelena and Ryan Hughes ’98, with Sage and Forrest
4. Wyatt Bryson Boyd, son of David and Kelly Ragland Boyd ’96
8. Taylor Brown ’03 with daughter, Virginia
9. Reese Elizabeth Conselman, daughter of Marc and Shelly Humphries Conselman ’00 Spring 2018 61
Babies
15 13
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2004 Rory Harrison Bain, September 20, 2017, son of Harrison ’05 and Neeley Odom Bain Grant Michael Blench, July 17, 2017, son of Alex and Anne Kagey Blench Andrew Sandidge Riley, December 18, 2017, son of Lauren and Pete Riley
2006 Quinn, March 26, 2017, daughter of Chang and Lanier Meeks Yi
2007 Nasor John Mansour V, January 17, 2018, son of John and Katie Thornhill Mansour Elizabeth “Elsie” Winfield Rollins, August 3, 2017, daughter of Win and Katie Boydston Rollins Bennett Madison Stearns, June 15, 2017, son of Robert and Suzanne Clark Stearns
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13. Elsie Rollins, daughter of Win ’07 and Katie Boydston Rollins ’07
15. Quinn, daughter of Chang and Lanier Meeks Yi ’06 (Class of 2006)
14. Grant Blench with parents, Alex and Anne Kagey Blench ’04
16. Rory Harrison Bain, son of Harrison ’05 and Neeley Odom Bain ’04
In Memoriam Carl Thomas Archbold Parent of alumni
Hammond Burke “Nick” Nicholson III Parent of alumna
Harold Bowen, Jr. Parent of alumni, grandparent of alumni
Mark Nucera ’98
Mary Elizabeth Fike Parent of alumnus David Morgan Jones, Jr. Former Upper School faculty and coach Lt. Col. (ret.) Joseph Donald Kelly Parent of alumnus, grandparent David Milton Lacy Parent of alumni, grandparent of alumni Mildred Jessie Rand Lines Parent of alumni, grandparent of alumni Mike Maloof, Sr. Parent of alumni
Ernestine P. “Teeny” Parker Retired faculty Maxwell Carr Payne, Jr. Parent of alumni Dudley Gatewood Pearson Parent of alumnus John C. Portman, Jr. Parent of alumni, grandparent of alumni Mark John Schwarb Parent of alumni Sara (Sally) McArthur Shigley Former faculty
Nicholas Taylor Marshall ’17
Betty Ann Nordan Teem Parent of alumnae
Edward Daniel McCrady Trustee, parent of alumni, parent
Varney Stuart Ward, Jr. Parent of alumnae
Julia Holt Merkle Parent of alumni
Frederick Sloat Van Winkle Parent of alumni, grandparent
William Milton ’65
Carolyn Williams Parent of alumna
Robert Earle Minnear Parent of alumna Ida Few Bigbie Mixon Parent of alumna
John A. Williams Parent of alumni, grandparent of alumni, trustee emeritus
N. Forrest Montet Parent of alumni
Audrey Lundell Wilson Parent of alumna
Bob Morrell Former faculty
Mary Louise “Mary Lou” Wolff Former faculty
Thomas Lee Newberry Parent of alumni, grandparent of alumni, grandparent
Kay Wheless Woodward Parent of alumna Joan Payne Smith Zillessen Parent of alumna, grandparent of alumna
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Tributes Ed McCrady
Ernestine P. “Teeny” Parker
(1963–2018)
(1930–2017)
Ed McCrady was a wonderful Lovett trustee for sev-
For 43 years of teaching, 33 of them at Lovett, Teeny Park-
en years and took his stewardship responsibilities ever so seriously. He was a highly engaged member of our Board of Trustees, of our Advancement Committee, and of our Buildings and Grounds Committee. Across the years, he was always waving the flag for Lovett, garnering additional support for our school, and encouraging Atlanta families to consider us as their school of choice. We would not have the Rogers & Westmoreland Activity Center (aka, the Scout Hut) without Ed’s leadership, generosity, and enormously hard work and commitment toward making that project a reality. He also headed up a key leadership giving committee during Our Defining Decade campaign which in turn generated such important philanthropic support for the improvement of our facilities and the strengthening of our endowment. Ed was that trustee always there to support our leadership team with his encouragement, work, and service. —Billy Peebles, Headmaster
er was the embodiment of all the things that make a teacher both beloved and remembered. Lovett children were a joy and love for her. Teeny was passionate about teaching and was an early recipient of the Woodward Award for Excellence in Teaching, an esteemed recognition for Lovett faculty who are recognized by their colleagues as “master teachers who improve the achievement of students in significant ways and go beyond the normal commitment of time and energy in pursuit of excellence.” With open arms, Teeny would greet past students who returned to the Lower School to visit with her and receive one of her loving and restorative hugs. Blessings to Teeny Parker, a key member of our Lovett community. —Lynn Elliott, Faculty
William A. “Bill” Parker, Jr.
John C. Portman, Jr.
(1927–2017)
(1924–2017)
William A. “Bill” Parker, Jr., was a Lovett grandparent and
John, his wife Jan, and the Portman family have a
steadfast friend of our school. Known for his gentle spirit and common sense approach to leadership, Bill was a generous supporter of Lovett’s financial aid program to which he always gave quietly and always without being asked. In memory of his beloved wife, Bill created the Nancy Fraser Parker Awards which are presented annually to a male and female member of the junior class. These awards are given in recognition of the recipients’ exemplary devotion to our mission and community, a description that equally reflects the nature of Bill’s friendship with Lovett. Indeed a man of exemplary devotion to our mission and community, Bill Parker shall be greatly missed. —Billy Peebles, Headmaster
relationship with Lovett exceeding fifty years and they have supported us in every way imaginable. The Portman family gave the largest gift to Lovett in the School’s history. But just as important and significant to Lovett and to me is the fact that their support has been so steadfast, unwavering, and nuanced. They have been all-in as far as Lovett is concerned. Plus, John was that mentor to so many Lovett folks—and certainly to me as Headmaster—who seemed to reach out to us at just the right time. Spending time with John Portman was a great gift. He would always make clear his loyalty and love for Lovett while at the same, he would ask such good, penetrating, thought-provoking questions. I came away from my conversations with John thinking more deeply and critically about Lovett’s mission, our community, and what we need to do to live more fully into our purposes as a school. It was indeed a privilege to know John Portman and to be on the receiving end of his counsel and encouragement. —Billy Peebles, Headmaster
John A. Williams (1943–2018) John Williams: Trustee, parent, friend, grandparent. A passionate Atlanta native, John’s involvement at Lovett began
in the 1970’s. He saw three children graduate from Lovett: Jay ’87, Sarah Brook ’11, and Parker ’14 and has two Lovett grandchildren, Jack ’16 and Harrison ’25. John was an early and enthusiastic supporter of Lovett, helping to vision and build our vibrant campus on the riverbank. He was instrumental in our 75th Anniversary Capital Campaign, providing significant support for Lovett’s Hendrix-Chenault Theater and most recently served as a Trustee Emeritus for the school. —Elizabeth Pearce ’87, Chief Development Officer 64
Lovett
The Lovett School Misson
The Lovett School is a community that seeks to develop young men and women of honor, faith, and wisdom with the character and intellect to thrive in college and in life.
Founded in 1926 by Eva Edwards Lovett, we continue today as an Atlanta independent school serving children in Kindergarten through Grade 12. With an emphasis on the whole child, we provide integrated experiences in academics, arts, athletics, and service through an education grounded in learning, character, and community. Learning Lovett faculty and staff inspire our students to love learning. We help them discover how to think critically, communicate effectively, engage creatively, and collaborate purposefully. We create opportunities for them to grow in all dimensions—intellectual, emotional, physical, aesthetic, moral, and spiritual. Character Lovett teaches the qualities of servant leadership and sound character—honesty, respect, responsibility, compassion, courage, and integrity. We celebrate the uniqueness of each individual within an intentionally inclusive, diverse, and welcoming environment. We honor God in an atmosphere that is rooted in Judeo-Christian beliefs and is further enriched by a variety of religious traditions. Community Lovett is a dedicated community of students and teachers, joined by loyal parents, staff, alumni, trustees, and friends. We are committed—with shared purposes and principles—to improving our school, our city, our society, our environment, and our world. approved by the lovett school board of trustees, february 2012
The Lovett School Character Pledge
We, who are members of the Lovett community, seek to live lives of good
character. We believe that good character grows from daily acts of honesty, respect, responsibility, and compassion. We pledge ourselves to develop these ideals with courage and integrity, striving to do what is right at all times.
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nonprofit organization u.s. postage PAID atlanta, ga permit no. 1443
The Lovett School 4075 Paces Ferry Road, n.w. Atlanta, Georgia 30327-3009 Parents of Alumni: If this is addressed to a child who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, kindly notify the Alumni Office at (404) 262-3032 or alumni@lovett.org.
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Lovett