Class Notes

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Submit your Class Note at pingry.org/classnotes, or mail it to Greg Waxberg ’96, Editor of The Pingry Review, The Pingry School, 131 Martinsville Road, Basking Ridge, NJ, 07920

1948

BILL HILLBRANT writes, “My wife entered me in a bread-baking contest at the annual Ventura County Fair. For a number of years, I have been allergic to wheat. Over time, cornbread, in our household, became the easiest alternative to regular bread. Last year, I switched from yellow to blue cornmeal. Since it is hard to find in the local stores, Sharon thought blue cornbread would be a good item for the fair. And it was— my entry earned second place. The crust turns a little yellowish, but the bread is blue.”

1951

DR. JOE HANAWAY, a member of McGill University’s 1955 Men’s Rugby Team—the Dominion National Rugby Champions of Canada— is the namesake of McGill’s new award, the “Dr. Joseph Hanaway McGill Rugby Gentleman’s Award.” It will recognize and honor “gentlemanly conduct and exemplary behavior which has been consistently exhibited by a McGill rugby player on and off the field over the course of a minimum of two seasons.” Neil D. Stephenson, who played rugby at McGill and is the creator and co-funder of the award, wrote in McGill’s Health e-News, “Rugby is an aggressive sport where two teams of 15 players are engaged in pitched battles that are the athletic equivalent of primal warfare. And yet, it is this same sport where opposing teams who have just engaged in almost-gladiatorial combat are perfectly at ease going to the pub after the game to socialize with each other and engage in fellowship and camaraderie. If there is one person who embodies the spirit of these values and, by extension, of this new award, it is Dr. Joseph Hanaway.”

1952

MILLER BUGLIARI P ’86, ’90, ’97, GP ’20,

’24 was profiled in The Wall Street Journal in early November; the article highlighted the fact that he was coaching for the 63rd consecutive season at age 87.

Left: Milton Harkrader ’54 with a Pingry mug to celebrate his 85th birthday. Right: Greg Goggin ’55 with a Pingry apron and mug to celebrate his 85th birthday. Greg is pictured with his 2021 Shelby Speedster Super Snake (825 horsepower). Pingry has been gifting alumni who are celebrating milestone birthdays (80, 85, 90, and more) with a signed letter from the Head of School and a Pingry mug, asking them to share photos of themselves with their mug for publication.

Ray Londa ’57 and Gordon Stevenson ’57, CoChairs of the 65th Reunion of the Class of 1957, met 50 years prior to that Reunion on top of Mt. Katahdin in Baxter State Park, Maine, with their photographer spouses. Ray, then an aspiring Maine Guide, found unusual traces of wildlife at the top.

1957

“This is basically a thank you note to all of you (including Katrina Musto in the Advancement Office) who were kind enough to communicate with us as we worked our way through our 65th Reunion process earlier this year. Out the 70 of us who graduated together, we discovered that at least 36 of us were still here and kicking, for better or worse; 30 of us have moved on to greener pastures; and only four of us still unaccounted for: Ron Diamond, Pan Yatrakis, Stu Crow, and George Rice. We would love to be able to reach them, too, so please let us know if you have any clues.

Special thanks to those who were able to join us in May; no surprise that there were plenty of good stories and memories, as well as equally interesting experiences we’ve had since ’57.

After checking with those who went into the most detail, we hope to share some of those stories in future notes. Several who went out of their way were Claus Mueller (he sent us our ’57 Commencement Program); Ed Yorke and Gaines McMartin (lots of great photos); Kirby

Class Notes

Gordon Stevenson ’57 and Charlie Anderson ’57 in Summit, NJ, preparing for their 65th Reunion. Gordon’s birthday was May 15, and he celebrated by having breakfast at Ray Londa’s home in Elizabeth.

Conway, Hugh Kellogg, and Ed Kolaska (great phone calls); Peter Leavens, Romney Biddulph, Larry Holden, Dick Engelman, Harding Ganz, and Bob Schweizer (perceptive and amusing emails); and Bill Cook, Morgan Smith, and others (detailed letters). Also, Gene Shea and Bob Rettig both in the Granite State: Bob hosted Sam Fisk and me for a terrific lunch at the Hanover Inn, and Gene and his wife, Dale, treated me and an old neighbor of Gene’s and mine in Summit to a memorable lunch in their gorgeously renovated barn in Rye, NH.

Last but not least, special thanks to Rob and Cheryl Campbell, who let Charlie Anderson and me cool our heels at their lovely new digs in Chatham the day before the Reunion; Mary Claude and Ray, who treated me to breakfast in Elizabeth the day after the Reunion (my 83rd birthday!) before I hit the road back to Cohasset; and Ed Reeves, who has invited me to lunch the next time I am in Summit to visit my sister. I’m coming, Ed!

Warm wishes to all of you for the holiday season and New Year.” Gordon Stevenson Ray Londa

1958

DR. JIM SMITH attended Pingry’s annual Dr. Robert H. LeBow ’58 Memorial Oratorical Competition in early March and greeted the audience prior to the student speeches. He spoke about his classmate spending his life giving to others, especially those most in need. Dr. Smith also read the introduction to Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities (he had recently re-read his copy of the book that he received in Ed Cissel’s eighth-grade class) “because of the extremely difficult times right now. In Dickens’ words, we see reasons for despair and happiness, but reasons for hope. Bob gave a message for hope because he cared—even in the face of incredible darkness.”

Dr. Jim Smith ’58 and 2022 LeBow Oratorical Competition winner Mirika Jambudi ’23.

Kathy Wheaton, Carl Haines ’60, David Wheaton ’60, and Paula Haines.

1960

BILL LOW writes, “I returned home from a European bicycle vacation with my wife, Nancy, and discovered a small box from Pingry addressed to me. To my surprise and delight, the box contained a Pingry coffee mug with a kind note from [then–Head of School] Matt Levinson. The note stated, ‘Congratulations on your milestone 80th birthday! We at Pingry are excited to celebrate with you.’ The gift is intended to be a reminder of my connection to Pingry. Clearly, it is. Since my 50th Pingry Reunion in 2010, each morning I have enjoyed a fresh cup of coffee in another Pingry mug I acquired at that time 12 years ago. I have rarely been back to Pingry due to family priorities and because I lived in California for 35 years of my working life. I feel most fortunate and honored to have graduated from the school

Top: Bill Low ’60 with a Pingry mug for his milestone 80th birthday. Bottom: David Speno ’60 with a Pingry mug for his milestone 80th birthday. Pingry has been gifting alumni who are celebrating milestone birthdays (80, 85, 90, and more) with a signed letter from the Head of School and a Pingry mug, asking them to share photos of themselves with their mug for publication.

JOHN H. SCULLY ’62 has donated his 3,000-square-foot model of the 1950s Lackawanna Railroad to the Liberty Science Center (LSC) in Jersey City, seen in the exhibit “The Great Train Set.” That railroad fascinated him as a child, and in 2002, inspired by the large train set in Macy’s in New York City that he saw as a child, he began recreating the Lackawanna Railroad in his basement in East Hampton. It includes 425 feet of track and models of six railway stations; the local coal mine industry; suburban homes; bodies of water; 5,000 trees and shrubs; 400 people; a drive-in movie theater; and stores that include a fully stocked grocery store. Engineers, lighting specialists, carpenters, architects, artists, archivists, and electricians worked on the project, making for historical accuracy and attention to detail. Over the years, hundreds of children visited the home of “Johnny Choo-Choo” to see the train set, but the visits stopped because of the pandemic, so John and his wife, Regina, looked to donate the set and chose LSC as its new home. According to a press release, the donation is closely aligned with the couple’s dedication to supporting education, and the model exemplifies science, technology, engineering, and math, which are central to LSC’s mission.

Scenes from the 3,000-square-foot model of the 1950s Lackawanna Railroad by John H. Scully ’62.

PHOTOS: LIBERTY SCIENCE CENTER

Class Notes

and absorbed the values of hard work and the Honor System. Both were fundamental to continuing my education at Lehigh and Harvard Business School as well as my personal and professional life.”

DAVID WHEATON and CARL HAINES got

together for a mini Pingry reunion at Point of Americas in Fort Lauderdale, FL this past February. Good memories and stories of Pingry days were shared during many a pleasant evening.

1961

DAVE ROGERS writes about Pingry meetings in February and March, “The first stop on our southward trip was for lunch with Frank Ali ’62 in Millsboro, DE. Dave Archibald ’61, unfortunately, had a previous obligation. The widow of Jack Martin ’61 left a box of Jack’s Pingry memorabilia for class reps to handle. Several stops later, there was lunch with Peter Delfausse ’61 in Sarasota, FL. While trying to find the restaurant, we asked for directions from a lady on a bicycle at the gate leading to Peter’s community. Her reply was to follow her, which providentially led to Peter. The lady is Peter’s wife! Harry Moser ’62 was to join us, but also had another meeting scheduled. In Naples, my cousin had asked her neighbor, Pat Coughlan ’58, to join us for dinner. He was surprised to see (Jack Martin’s) 1958 yearbook opened to his picture when he arrived in his 1950 MGTD. While shopping in Naples, a three-wheeled motorcycle prompted conversation with its owner, a resident of mid-Jersey and long-term soccer referee. Miller Bugliari ’52 is well known to him. What a small world? Finally, while in Texas, Dick Hufnagel ’61 called to chat.”

1962

HARRY MOSER, Founder and President of the Reshoring Initiative, was interviewed for a story on NBC Nightly News (August 29) about the surge in American manufacturers bringing jobs from overseas back to the U.S.

CHRIS HOFFMAN has published his fourth book of poetry. Read more on page 80.

1965

ROBERT DWYER writes, “I had Mr. Moffat for English in the Third and Fifth Forms. In late August, I was talking to an expert witness in England concerning a copyright case on which I’m working, and he mentioned that he and his son were avid glider competitors. I asked him if he knew of Mr. Moffat, and he replied: he’s a legend—two-time world champion. Small world! It brought back memories of Mr. Moffat, sitting cross-legged on his desk (we, of course, we’re waiting for him to fall off), while attempting to teach us how to pronounce Chaucer.”

1971

Composer and organist AL FEDAK and his wife, Sue, residents of Albany, NY, were profiled in The Daily Gazette on February 6. In the story, Al relates that he developed his love of the pipe organ at Pingry, and his career as a composer began when a church where he worked in Pompton Lakes, NJ needed a New Year’s Day hymn for the choir and congregation—a hymn that was later accepted by a publisher. According to the article, he has more than 300 choral and organ works in print, and more than 100 of his hymn tunes appear in hymnals and collections around the world. In program notes for a 2017 concert by the Harvard University Choir at Harvard Memorial Church, Harvard University called him “one of the greatest living composers of original hymn tunes.” That event marked the reopening of the church after construction and restoration work, when the choir sang his Last Verse: A Cycle of New England Epitaphs. Five years earlier, Harvard Memorial had commissioned him to write a piece for choir and organ to celebrate the dedication of the church’s new pipe organ—Spring Bursts Today was the first choral work performed on the new instrument. Also in 2012, Al was one of the inaugural recipients of Pingry’s Achievement in the Arts Award.

pingry.org/extras: Watch the performances of Last Verse and Spring Bursts Today. Dr. Ian Alexander ’72, right, with Ohio State University Orthopaedic Department Chair Dr. Andrew Glassman and the plaque for the Orthopaedic Living Legends Award.

1972

DR. IAN ALEXANDER writes, “Over my

career as an orthopaedic surgeon, I have had a passion for teaching, and on June 3 at resident graduation, I was recipient of the Living Legends Award from The Ohio State University Department of Orthopaedics. A couple of years ago, I was also recognized for teaching on a national level and for my service to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons with the Lifetime Achievement Award from that organization.”

1978

DR. SCOTT BROWN received Pingry’s Achievement in the Arts Award in person. Read more on page 68.

1979

ANNE DELANEY P ’09, ’11, ’14, ’14

received the Letter-In-Life Award in June. Read more on page 3.

TOM TRYNIN, President of the independent wealth management firm Red Hook Management, announced this spring that his company was joining Simon Quick Advisors, headquartered in Morristown, NJ. The merger took effect on April 1.

MARTIN B. O’CONNOR ’77, P ’11, ’14 served as Executive Pro-

ducer of Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In, a documentary about the life and career of Sir Alex Ferguson, former manager of the Manchester United football (soccer) club from 1986–2013 and the winner of more trophies than any other manager in football history.

Sir Alex and Martin have known each other for decades as part of a strong friendship with Martin’s classmate, Charlie Stillitano, Jr. ’77, P ’17—a Pingry soccer star who became a soccer executive, was inducted into Pingry’s Athletics Hall of Fame, and received the 2020 Letter-In-Life Award.

In 2000, Charlie approached Martin about establishing a company, ChampionsWorld, to secure the rights to bring Manchester United and other top soccer teams to America for summer tours during their preseasons; Martin was brought in as an investor and advisor, and to manage legal affairs. Charlie and Martin would go on to develop many relationships in soccer, including Charlie’s 2003 introduction of Martin to Sir Alex when Manchester United came to America—the foundation of a special friendship between the three men. Charlie first introduced Sir Alex to Miller Bugliari ’52, P ’86, ’90, ’97, GP ’20, ’24 when Manchester United was in America in 2003.

Charlie’s view of the friendship among Martin, Sir Alex, Miller, and himself can be traced to Charlie hosting dinners for them. “There are all these similarities between great coaches. It doesn’t matter if you’re a high school coach at Pingry or you’re the greatest manager that’s ever lived, as in Sir Alex in my opinion—or maybe Miller is the greatest high school manager that ever lived and Sir Alex is the greatest manager that ever lived—you’re talking about how many people’s lives they shape. Martin and I shared those moments with Sir Alex and Miller, and those are some of the most special moments of my life.”

For his part, Martin has witnessed over the years how Sir Alex views Charlie. “Sir Alex has three sons, and Charlie is his fourth son. His respect, professionally, and his holding Charlie in the highest esteem, personally, speak to that relationship. I’ve had the privilege of being on their bus as they go forward.”

Fast-forward to May 2021 when, after years of planning, Never Given In was released. Directed by Sir Alex’s son, Jason Ferguson, the film alternates between Sir Alex’s memories of his years as a player and manager with his recovery from a life-threatening event in 2018 that nearly took away his memory. Family members, including his wife of 55-plus years, Cathy, describe his leadership, optimism, and ambition. Among the highlights: an event that helped develop Sir Alex’s concept of a “team”; a major achievement as a player that he calls the “biggest break of my life”; why he wanted to manage; how he turned Manchester United around after their years of struggles; his reaction to people referring to him as a “fearsome character”; and the personal connections that he formed with his players. Nominated for “Outstanding Long Documentary” at the 2022 Sports Emmy Awards, Never Give In can be streamed in America on Paramount+.

“The film shows his humanity and who Alex Ferguson the human being is,” Charlie says. “There are many stories, documentaries, and films about him, but—and I mean this in the best way possible—this is the one that captures who the person is.”

Martin O’Connor ’77, P ’11, ’14, Charlie Stillitano, Jr. ’77, P ’17, Sir Alex Ferguson, Miller Bugliari ’52, P ’86, ’90, ’97, GP ’20, ’24, and Sean O’Donnell ’75, P ’05, ’10 in 2012.

Alumni enjoying their annual dinner with Miller Bugliari ’52 in the spring. Front row: Dr. John Boozan ’75, Miller Bugliari ’52, P ’86, ’90, ’97, GP ’20, ’24, and Tom Trynin ’79. Back row: Steve Lipper ’79, P ’09, ’12, ’14, Martin O’Connor ’77, P ’11, ’14, Jim Hoitsma ’75, Charlie Stillitano, Jr. ’77, P ’17, Ted Daeschler ’77, Chuck Allan ’77, Jonathan Shelby ’74, P ’08, ’11, ’19, Chip Carver, Jr. ’77, P ’09, ’11, ’14, ’14, Frank DeLaney ’77, P ’12, and Kip Haselton ’77, P ’12.

Class Notes

Images by Dwight Hiscano ’80 from his new series, “Trees From Above.”

1980

JOSH GRADWOHL writes, “In August of 1978, the weekend before we started our junior year, I purchased a 1928 Model A Ford, Tudor sedan. I worked on restoring the car during summers while in Pingry and college. I regrettably sold that car in 1992 to fund the renovation of a house I owned at that time. I made a VHS video of the car before I sold it as a keepsake reminder of all the hard work I put into the restoration of the car. In the summer of 2021, my wife, Lynn, was looking at old VHS tapes to see what we may want to convert to DVD. She was not part of my life when I sold the car and had heard about it, but never saw more than a few pictures of the car. She found the video of my Model A and, after watching the video, it got our juices going and one thing led to another and, on November 13, 2021, we purchased a fully restored 1930 Model A Ford Deluxe Coupe. This was the fourth Model A we had looked at in our quest to find a car that did not need a full restoration like my first Model A. While signing the paperwork to complete the sale, my wife noticed that the car was first titled on June 15, 1930. My birthday is June 15 (obviously not 1930). It was almost as if we were destined to find this car. We hope to have many years of fun driving this car.”

Photographer DWIGHT HISCANO has been working on a new series, “Trees From Above,” a collection of black-and-white images that look down on trees from directly overhead. He got the idea while looking at an online satellite view of an oak tree near the Delaware Water Gap. “I was imagining the angle I’d approach it from when the idea hit me: What if I could photograph the tree through the branches, from above?” Shortly afterward, he purchased a drone and then a blizzard hit New Jersey. “During my first attempt, shooting the first tree in the series, I was struck by the image. I had never seen anything like it before. This was something new. It wasn’t quite what I had imagined; it was a photo of the entire tree, not just a portion of the branches, but it was unique and unusual.” All of the white in the photographs came from snowstorms. He adds, “The images reveal the familiar characteristics that we are used to seeing and admiring: grace, power, femininity,

Josh Gradwohl ’80 and his wife, Lynn, with their fully restored 1930 Model A Ford Deluxe Coupe.

Katie Bartlett ’89, Chandra (Cain) Davis ’89, Catherine (Kolacy) Ruberti ’89, Jenn (Gates) Earle ’89, Alice (Popp) Casey ’89, Tanya (Fickenscher) Leonard ’89, and Michelle Jarney Jacobs ’89.

masculinity, symmetry, and balance, but from an entirely new perspective. Additionally, some of the images bear a striking resemblance to the veins and arteries of the human respiratory system, a fitting reminder of the importance of trees and their role as the ‘lungs of the Earth.’” The photographs have received Honorable Mention in the Minimalist Photography Awards, and a Juror’s Top Five and Honorable Mention in the International Photography Awards.

1985

WILLIAM MENNEN was confirmed by the New Jersey Senate in June to be a Superior Court Judge. A former Hunterdon County Freeholder, he was nominated in May and is assigned to the Family Division in Hunterdon County.

1988

1981

STEVE HENRY received Pingry’s Achievement in the Arts Award in person. Read more on page 68.

DR. ANGELICA DIAZ-MARTINEZ P ’25,

’26, an associate teaching professor at Rutgers University and Director of Clinical Training at The Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP), was interviewed by NJ Spotlight News in July about mental health funding in New Jersey and the state’s shortage of mental health providers. She said two of the problems are that mental health professionals have needed their own support to decrease their likelihood of burnout, and that there is a delay at the state licensing board for graduates who are waiting for their license to be able to practice.

1989

CHANDRA CAIN DAVIS sent a photo from “Golden Girls Weekend” on Amelia Island in Florida in July. She writes, “We were celebrating our ‘50th’ birthday, which we did not get to celebrate in 2021 because of darn COVID. So, we extended it to 2022! It was great!” Chandra has left The Employment Law Solution (ELS), the African American–owned, woman-owned law firm of which she was a co-founding partner since 2013, and started a new position as Associate General Counsel for Employment at WestRock, an international packaging company with over 50,000 employees. She provides legal support to WestRock’s headquarters, as well as offices in the U.S.’s southern region, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. “WestRock is an opportunity for me to use my employment law experience and my law degree in a different way than I ever have before,” she says. “I’ve never had the opportunity to go ‘deep’ into a client. When you’re at a law firm, or even the plaintiff in a case, you learn what you need to learn and then you move on to the next case. When you are in-house, your only umbrella client is one company. I’m learning how to better this company and better the lives of the people who work for this company, and to make sure we’re complying with the law and treating people properly. It gives me a different view of what I’ve been doing for 20 years.”

ASHLEY DEEKS, the Class of 1948 Professor of Scholarly Research in Law at the University of Virginia School of Law and Senior Fellow at UVA’s Miller Center, has returned to UVA after taking a 17-month leave of absence to serve as White House Associate Counsel and Deputy Legal Advisor for the National Security Council (NSC). According to an interview on the UVA website, her role with the NSC involved providing advice to NSC’s senior officials and the

Class Notes

Spanish Vice Admiral Ricardo A. Hernandez Lopez awards Capt. David Baird ’92 a Cross of Naval Merit.

Rear Admiral Brad J. Collins, Commander, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central, presents Capt. David Baird ’92 with the Legion of Merit, awarded by the President of the United States for “exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services as Commanding Officer, U.S. Naval Station Rota.”

White House Counsel, based on input from interagency general counsels. When asked which national security issues she’s most “fired up about,” Ashley mentions the Mar-aLago documents issue, “both because it’s in the headlines every day and because it tangibly relates to the parameters you’re bound by when you’re at the National Security Council, handling lots of classified information.” For students who are interested in working in the federal government, she recommends taking classes in international law, the legislative process, and national security law.

DR. JENNIFER WEISS, an orthopedic surgeon at Southern California Permanente Med-

Charlotte Diemar ’24, Thomas Diemar ’96, P ’24, Lauren (Gruel) Diemar ’96, P ’24, Thomas Diemar, Jr., Alexander Diemar, Abby Diemar, Charlie Diemar ’02, Drew Diemar, Jason Woods, Caroline Diemar Woods ’99, Eleanor Diemar, Jack Diemar ’93, Natalie Diemar, Jody Diemar, Hayley Diemar, Coco Diemar, Jack Diemar, Jr., Charles Diemar, Jr., Rob Diemar ’91, and Heidi Diemar

ical Group in Los Angeles, was included among “90 women orthopedic surgeons to know” on Becker’s Spine Review in September. Jennifer was Pingry’s Career Day speaker in 2020.

1990

SCOTT LOIKITS received Pingry’s Achievement in the Arts Award in person. Read more on page 69.

1991

WOODY WELDON P ’23 received the

Nelson L. Carr ’24 Service Award at Reunion. Read more on page 73.

1992

CAPT. DAVID BAIRD, USN has retired

from the Navy and was relieved as Commander, U.S. Naval Activities, Spain and Commanding Officer of Naval Station Rota, Spain on July 14, completing a standard rotation of about three years—the change-of-command ceremony doubled as his retirement ceremony. He had taken command in June 2019 and led the installation through the pandemic and hosted evacuees from Afghanistan during Operation Allies Welcome, among other accomplishments. According to a press release, he “took a unique approach to leadership during his tenure through frequent social media updates to the community, a trend that began during the pandemic, in which he often times would weave in relevant stories from his personal life to add perspective to the ever-changing situation.” Those updates, commended by the community for their transparency, were posted to the Naval Station Rota Facebook page—initially focused on data on the spread of COVID-19 in the Andalusia region, but then putting the information into perspective.

ANDREW GOLDSTEIN, a former federal prosecutor, was interviewed by The New York Times in July to discuss the challenges of bringing criminal charges against former President Donald Trump—the newspaper spoke with Andrew because he is one of the last federal prosecutors who led an investigation into the former president’s conduct. In the conversation, Andrew explained that a case would be difficult to prove in court, and there would be legal challenges, such as finding an action in

Caroline Diemar Woods ’99 and Jason Woods. Peter Cipriano ’06 (second from right) and James Stout (far right) with Ben Cawston (far left) and Mike Bailey.

addition to proving intent. There would also be the question for the Justice Department of whether prosecuting, or not prosecuting, a former president would be in the best interests of the country.

1993

STEPHANIE LIM CAPELLO is the new

President of the Villanova University Alumni Association.

1995

ELIF BATUMAN has written a new book that is the sequel to her first novel. Read more on page 80.

DR. MARY PRENDERGAST is an archae-

ologist and an Associate Professor at Rice University. Read more on page 40.

1999

KATIE SCOTT OLD was inducted into Pingry’s Athletics Hall of Fame in May. Read more on page 75.

CAROLINE DIEMAR WOODS married

Jason Woods, a Sergeant with the Washington, D.C. Fire Department, on June 3 at Winding Creek Farm in Lovettsville, VA. In addition to her brothers Robert ’91, John ’93, Thomas ’96, and Charles ’02, and niece Charlotte ’24, Jess Bennet ’99 was also in attendance.

2000

PAUL W. DOWNS, actor, writer, producer, and one of three co-creators of the HBO Max comedy series Hacks—which has won three Emmy Awards and the Golden Globe for best comedy series—was profiled in The Star-Ledger on May 22. In the story, he talks about getting his start while working on skits at Pingry and knowing that he wanted to be in comedy. He joined an improv group while attending Duke University and pursued stand-up in New York after college, but preferred collaborative comedy. He recently married his co-creator, Lucia Aniello.

2003

BUZZY COHEN joined Season 3 of ABC’s game show The Chase as a Chaser. He has also appeared on the new podcast Inside Jeopardy!, hosted the first Jeopardy! Honors ceremony, and presented a fashion category on Celebrity Jeopardy!

2004

LIAM GRIFF was inducted into Pingry’s Athletics Hall of Fame in May. Read more on page 75.

2005

JESSE (MEYER) PERTUZ was named the

Principal at KIPP DC Lead Academy, an elementary school serving students in Grades 1–4 in Washington, D.C. Lead is a 2020 National Blue Ribbon School and an EmpowerK12 Bold Performance School from 2017–2019. This year, Jesse celebrates 12 years at KIPP DC, where she has previously served as a thirdgrade teacher, grade-level chair, Vice Principal, Director of HS Instruction, and Principal-in-Residence.

2006

PETER CIPRIANO and James Stout, husband of former Pingry squash director and coach Tina Rix-Stout, won the 2022 US Open Racquets Doubles Championship on March 13. They represent the Racquet and Tennis Club of New York. They defeated Ben Cawston and Mike Bailey, who represent the Queens Club, West Kensington, London. Peter and his wife, Dana, live in Maplewood, NJ with their three children, and Peter works for commercial real estate brokerage firm Savills US in Manhattan.

LAUREN SALZ, Co-Founder and CEO of the climate tech company Sealed, and one of Forbes’ “30 Under 30” for Energy (2018), was interviewed in April for TriNet’s “SHEco-

Class Notes

Lauren Salz ’06 visiting with Pingry’s ESG/Business Club.

Matthew Vitale ’11, Ishita Bali ’07, Alex Golding Marcotty ’07, Lauren Vitale ’07, Elizabeth Castle ’07, and Donald Castle ’05.

nomics” series that honors women who are “blazing trails as CEOs and founders.” Among other topics, she spoke about her goals for the company (“to be across the U.S. and take all homes off fossil fuels”), her career path (began as an investment analyst at McKinsey & Company to find mentors and develop skills), and why she started a company (a McKinsey mentor encouraged her, and she wanted to somehow make an impact). Lauren also addressed the question of fundraising as a first-time CEO during her first pregnancy: she was concerned that the pregnancy would affect fundraising, but realized that “the best investors are not going to care . . . and I also thought, ‘If someone doesn’t want to invest in my company because I’m pregnant, I don’t want them as an investor.’”

Lauren also visited with Pingry’s ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance)/Business Club this spring to talk about how she got A-list funding, how she hires executives, how the original idea came to fruition, how Sealed is valued by investors, and other topics. Coming from a privileged family, she always wanted to give back to the world, but didn’t have the hard skills to directly help those in need. But she is applying her business skills acquired from studying at Columbia (Barnard College) and the University of Oxford to lead a company that prioritizes sustainability and lessens clients’ carbon footprint while saving them money on energy costs.

2007

LAUREN VITALE married Michel Robey on August 29, 2020 in Newport, RI. Their reception was held on August 29, 2021 at the Eisenhower House in Newport.

2010

EZRA (MYLES) BRISTOW is the Events

and Communications Coordinator at the Institute of Governmental Studies. Ezra joins the UC Berkeley community with over a decade of professional experience in event productions, entertainment, communications, and media. Ezra received a B.A. in Studio Arts from Trinity College and studied Visual Arts and Communication Studies at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago. In 2015, Ezra pivoted from visual arts to performing arts when he became one of the principal dancers and volunteer social media & marketing manager for SambaFunk! Carnaval Explosion, an Oakland-based nonprofit arts organization. Over the last five years, Ezra has supported live and virtual performances, fundraising campaigns, and events with companies and organizations like the National Institute for Mental Illness, LiveNation, Boys

Maddie (Garcia) Roberts ’10 with her husband, Andrew, and Sage Noel.

and Girls Club of San Francisco, Joe Goode Performance Group, and most recently, Cal Performances’ AileyCamp Program. Prior to joining IGS, he worked as a Production and Programs Coordinator and Dance Faculty at East Bay Center for the Performing Arts for three years.

MADDIE (GARCIA) ROBERTS and her

husband, Andrew, welcomed their first child, Sage Noel, to the world on August 31. The new parents are loving getting to know their little girl and settling in as a family of three in Greenwich, CT.

2011

Olympian and World Champion NIC FINK is on the April cover of Swimming World magazine; the cover story details his recent accomplishments as a first-time Olympian and in the Short Course World Championships. He is also completing a master’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Georgia Tech. In the story, Nic says he is approaching his swimming career on an “every-six-months basis”—after each championship meet, he will reevaluate his future in the sport.

CHLOE SORVINO, a staff writer at Forbes, has written her first book. Read more on page 80.

Steve Lipper ’79, P ’09, ’12, ’14, Dr. Connor McLaughlin ’12, Kate Binder, Sean Fischer ’15, Caroline Fischer, Kevin Fischer ’12, Matt Lipper ’12, Rachel Lima ’13, William Fischer ’11, Stuart O’Keeffe ’12, and Jay Zaifman.

Front row: Steve Lipper ’79, P ’09, ’12, ’14, Catherine Lipper ’09, Stephanie Lipper ’14, Dr. Connor McLaughlin ’12, Matt Lipper ’12, Rebecca Curran ’12, Freddy Elliot ’12, and Stuart O’Keeffe ’12. Back row: Emily McCormick ’12, Kate Binder, Caroline McMinn, and Kevin Fischer ’12.

2012

KEVIN FISCHER married Caroline Fischer on October 2, 2021, in Spring Lake, NJ.

MATT LIPPER married Kate Binder on June 26, 2021, on Peaks Island, ME.

2013

Keyboardist MICHAEL ARROM had the honor of performing with singer Sofia Carson at the 142nd annual White House Easter Egg Roll.

2017

AMANDA CELLI was an assistant coach for Pingry’s Varsity Field Hockey Team this fall. As a Pingry athlete, she received a four-year varsity award and was a captain for field hockey. While studying Public Health at The College of New Jersey, Amanda played field hockey at the D3 level. She currently works at a special education school.

Class Notes

JAKE MAYER, playing golf at Princeton University, received the Class of 1916 Cup as the senior student-athlete with the highest academic standing. He is an Economics major and team captain who also volunteers coaching golf with the Special Olympics of New Jersey. Jake served as Co-President of the Student-Athlete Service Council (SASC) for two years, helping to organize a variety of on- and off-campus service initiatives to connect varsity student-athletes with the Princeton community. While at Pingry, Jake won the Somerset County title three times and the NJSIAA Non-Public B title twice, and was named the Somerset County Scholar-Athlete.

SAM SCHERL and his Harvard Squash team (15-1) won their third consecutive National Championship with a 5-4 upset over topranked Penn. Serving as a senior captain, Sam was undefeated—and a unanimous All-Ivy First-Team selection. Sam was a Big Blue captain and three-time All-American who won multiple national titles at Pingry and has been ranked No. 1 in the country for the Boys U15, U17, and U19 divisions.

2018

AMI GIANCHANDANI, a senior at Yale University and captain of the Women’s Golf Team, was named the 2022 Ivy League “Player of the Year” for the second time, having been named both Ivy League “Player of the Year” and “Rookie of the Year” in 2019. She also qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open. She birdied the final two holes of the 36-hole qualifier event in Massachusetts to card a 71-69 (140) and earn medalist honors by two strokes. In April, she was named Vice Chair of the NCAA Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, which provides insight on the student-athlete experience while offering input on the rules, regulations, and policies that affect student-athletes’ lives on NCAA-member institution campuses. Ami is majoring in Statistics and Data Science; uniting her loves of golf and statistics, she is Co-Founder and CEO of “Accel Golf,” an app that golfers can use to keep track of their statistics, round by round. She developed it with Alex Strasser ’19 (double majoring in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University), one of her teammates in Robotics at Pingry. According to a profile in the August issue of The Met Golfer, Ami plans to play golf professionally after college.

MEGAN HORN, playing basketball at Washington and Lee University, was named Honorable Mention on the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association 2022 All-America teams. Also a D3hoops.com All-Region First Team selection and the 2021-22 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) “Player of the Year,” Megan finished the season ranked fourth in the ODAC in scoring average (13.8), seventh in rebounds per game (7.2), and third in assists per game (4.0). Her scoring and rebounding averages were both single-season career highs, and this was her third season with at least 100 assists, tied for the most such seasons in program history. Megan also crossed the 300-assist mark for her career, becoming the fourth player in program history to do so, and she finished her career as one of two players in program history with at least 300 assists and at least 400 rebounds. Megan ends her career with the fourth-most assists in program history (353), sixth-most three-point field goals (132), and the program’s only triple-double. AUBREY MOLLOY, fencing at the University of North Carolina, was named a 2021-22 Athletic Director’s Scholar-Athlete.

AVERY SCHIFFMAN, running track and field at Washington and Lee University, set a program record in the 800m at the Liberty Twilight Qualifier in May. She ran a time of 2:15.51 to place seventh, but was the second-fastest Division III runner. Avery was selected to the VaSID (Virginia Sports Information Directors) 2021-22 All-State Women’s Indoor Track and Field College Division First Team, Mid-Distance; she won the mile at the conference meet to earn this honor, posting a season-best time of 5:13.53, which is also the fifth-fastest time in program history. She was also named to the USTFCCCA (United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association) 2022 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field All-Region teams. Her two citations came in the 800m and 1,500m—the latter at the Hopkins/Loyola Invitational, when she placed second in 4:39.94. At the ODAC (Old Dominion Athletic Conference) Outdoor Championships, she won the 1,500m and was runner-up in the 800m. These are Avery’s first two outdoor all-region honors of her career, on top of three indoor citations. In July, she was named to the VaSID 2022 All-State Women’s Outdoor Track & Field College Division First Team, Mid-Distance.

MARIAM TRICHAS, who graduated from Cornell University this spring, was accepted to Rutgers Medical School, Class of 2027.

Mariam Trichas ’18 in Agios Nikolaos in Crete, Greece

2019

NABEEL JAN is serving as President of the Class of 2023 at Bucknell University.

ANGELINA MAYERS, playing softball at Bowdoin College, was named to the All-NESCAC (New England Small College Athletic Conference) Second Team. Playing third base in 25 games, she was second on the team with a .375 batting average and 1.023 on base percentage. In 96 plate appearances, she had 26 hits, including a team-leading eight doubles, one triple, and four home runs. Angelina led the team with 32 RBI.

JOE SHILTS, running track and field at The College of Wooster, was named North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) “Athlete of the Week” for men’s sprints and hurdles events in March. He posted an NCAC-leading time of 58.24 in the 400-meter hurdles at the Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational. He also went 17.17 in the 110-meter hurdles, a time that ranked in the top five in the conference.

2021

MATT FALLON, swimming at the University of Pennsylvania, broke the college freshman record in the 200 breaststroke at the 2022 NCAA Division I Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships. He swam 1:49.03 in the preliminaries, surpassing the previous program record of 1:49.71, then swam 1:49.16 in the finals, placing third and earning All-American First Team honors. He was also All-Ivy First Team and Ivy League champion in the 200 breaststroke (1:51.44 at the Ivy League Championships—a new pool and meet record), and All-Ivy Second Team in the 100 breaststroke. In late July at USA Swimming’s 2022 Phillips 66 National Championships, facing seven other competitors—six of whom were older—Matt placed first in the 200 breaststroke (2:07.91), swimming the seventh-fastest 200 breaststroke in U.S. history.

JEREMY LIN, a cellist attending Washington University in St. Louis, won the Friends of Music Concerto & Aria Competition in November 2021 and performed the first movement of Dmitri Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1 with the WashU Symphony Orchestra this past April. He began playing the cello at age four. For six consecutive years, he was selected by competitive audition to be a member of both the Central Jersey Regional Orchestra and the New Jersey All-State Orchestra.

A paper written by NOAH BERGAM (now at Columbia University) and TEODORA KOLAROV (now at the Georgia Institute of Technology) for a Math 6 project at Pingry was published in the secondary school mathematics magazine Parabola (UNSW Sydney) in August 2021. The subject, “The Black-Scholes model in the context of econophysics,” reflects Noah’s interest in physics and Teodora’s interest in economics.

“Black-Scholes is a famous model in financial math that touches on a branch of economics known as ‘econophysics,’ in which economists borrow ideas from statistical physics and thermodynamics to try to model different processes—particularly in the trading of options, derivates, and stocks,” Noah explains. “We looked into derivations of the model and its broader connotations within the field. A lot of math research is focused on hyper-specific problems, but we took a more holistic view of interdisciplinary ideas and philosophy. It was ‘meta’ mathematics.” Mathematics Department Chair Dr. Alexandra Lasevich, Upper School Math and Economics Teacher Davidson Barr, and Upper School Math Teacher Brad Poprik reviewed the paper.

With this project complete, both Noah and Teodora are looking forward to more research in math, to explore the fields of applied and pure mathematics in greater detail.

The paper is available to read at pingry.org/

Jeremy Lin ’21 in concert with the WashU Symphony Orchestra in April.

extras.

2022

LUKE ENGELKE, who will play lacrosse at Duke University, was among 44 players selected for the 17th annual Under Armour Senior All-America Lacrosse Game on July 30. A faceoff specialist who stays on the field to play offense, Luke won 71 percent of his faceoffs for Pingry in 2022 and added 32 goals and 31 assists for 63 points. In three seasons for Pingry, Luke won 67 percent of his faceoffs and contributed 69 goals and 62 assists for 131 points.

DANIEL ITTYCHERIA, playing soccer at Princeton University, was named Ivy League “Rookie of the Week” in October. He scored his first career goal as part of Princeton’s 5–0 win at Virginia Tech.

EMILY SHEN and SAM WEXLER, inspired

by the information that alumni shared at Career Day, have created a podcast called After the Tassel, focusing on career possibilities for young professionals, with lesser-known details about careers they are familiar with and information about jobs they might not know exist.