Kristin Herkstroeter –ASTA Orchestra Director of the Year Award

BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE JUBILEE

A Conversation with the 60th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee Auction Co-Chairs

By Monica Case ’90, Director of Content Strategy

ON MAY 18TH, THE TEAM BEHIND THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY DIAMOND JUBILEE AUCTION, Maryam Torab P’33,’35, Krystal DryMurphy ’03,P’34, Jerriann Fleming P’24,’28, Michal Rouse P’35, Major Gift Officer Trudy Baylock P’23,’28, and Assistant Head of School for External Affairs Maureen M. Nash, sat down together to talk about the fun they had, what inspired them to get involved, and how they hope to assemble an even bigger group of volunteers for the 2023 Benefit.

Maureen: First, I would like to thank you all for your tremendous leadership and work on the 60th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee and auction. You were able to secure so many special items including a flight in the Goodyear Blimp, travel by private jet, and an afternoon meeting with director Jon Chu on-set in London, which made for such an exciting night. Through your efforts, the School raised over $1.3 million for the 60th Anniversary Wellness Campaign and Peak Performance Center.

Trudy: Not only was the auction an amazing success, it was a great night for the community to come together and have a lot of fun. Maureen: We are excited to introduce the four of you to our community and to let our readers know how they can get involved in the auction for the 40th Annual Benefit on Saturday, May 13, 2023 at the Skirball Cultural Center. Michal, let’s start with you. What prompted you to volunteer to work on the auction? Michal: I decided to take on the role of co-chair because I felt like it was an area where I could contribute something that would help the School, but I also thought that it would be fun at the same time. There is an amazing feeling of satisfaction with the auction, because there is a grand finale and you get to see what you helped to achieve for the School. I thought it was a lot of fun, and I definitely learned a lot to bring to future auctions. Jerriann: Trudy, what did you think when we secured a ride on the Goodyear Blimp? Trudy: I thought it was a fantastic out-of-the-box item that we had never had before, and the results from it were great. The highest bidder was a trustee emeritus and alum, and it was very exciting. Since it was unique, it brought great energy to the auction and encouraged people to get into the spirit of the event and start bidding on other things. I hope that we will be able to offer other things like this in the future.

Maureen: To our co-chairs, what would you say to the members of our community who might be interested in getting involved in the auction for 2023?

Krystal: I would remind everyone that our Benefit is the largest fundraising event that Viewpoint puts on, and also super inclusive. We want everyone on whatever level to participate and just come together and have a big festive event. It is a great opportunity for all of us to get together and support the School in whatever way we can. In fact, over 50 families bought and donated extra tickets and tables so that every single staff member was given complimentary tickets. Michal: I also would like to remind everyone that the planning meetings are a lot of fun. It is a great way to meet your fellow parents over a glass of wine and to get to know one another, while coming up with creative ways to make the auction better than ever.

Trudy: How about you, Krystal? Even though you are busy working and have four young children, what made you decide to get involved? Krystal: As a parent and as an alum, I really wanted to find a way to participate. And being in business, I just thought about my rolodex of who I know, or places I have relationships with, who might be willing to donate. And then I discovered that I love asking. I love getting gifts. I love reaching out to places that I don't know. Tying the community together is so important, teaching people about how the funds raised help the School, and promoting the value of their participation. I also love bringing my friends in and saying, "Hey guys, we have some really cool auction items. I know you're going to want to go here or do this – and you are supporting the School.” Jerriann: I think it's a lot easier to ask when it's something you really believe in. And I think helping with the Jubilee really aligned with some of our parents’ and donors’ interests in volunteering. Maryam: And you know that you will benefit from creating a successful Benefit. Maybe not you personally, but your kids and the children of people you know. Plus, the bidders are getting great things that might not otherwise be available to buy at any price. Michal: I agree. For everyone who participated or even considered bidding, there were some really good auction items this year. There was a great range of prices of items to choose from, it was affordable for some, but then it was aspirational for others and that kept things interesting for everyone. Maryam: Trudy, what do you love most about the auction? Trudy: What I love the most is how organically it came together with people like our auction co-chairs, who weren’t really sure what to expect when they volunteered, but just rose to the occasion and then started to enjoy the process, gave donations, or solicited great gifts.

From left to right: Auction Co-Chairs Jerriann Fleming, Maryam Torab, Krystal Dry-Murphy ’03, and Major Gift Officer Trudy Baylock (Not Pictured: Michal Rouse, Co-Chair) Photographed in front of President Ronald Reagan’s personal desk.

TRUDY BAYLOCK PROMOTED TO MAJOR GIFT OFFICER

WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE that Trudy Baylock has been named Viewpoint’s new Major Gift Officer. She has been a dedicated member of the Advancement Office since 2017, and had distinguished herself as a leader in advancement and as a leader in the community in her role as the Advancement Liaison for PPDI (Parent Partnership for Diversity and Inclusion). In addition to working with a portfolio of donors, Trudy will continue to lead the auction for the Benefit, as she did with much success at the 60th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee. Maureen Nash, Assistant Head for External Affairs, had warm words of praise for Trudy, “She is an exceptional colleague and was invaluable managing the auction this year. Whatever the project, she enjoys working collaboratively and engaging with other parents to ensure a positive outcome. Trudy’s children, Amir ’23 and Aven ’28, are Viewpoint students, so she also understands the life of the School from the perspective of a parent, and she is deeply connected to the community. I am excited for her to assume a greater leadership role and to help our families make their own connections to the School’s philanthropic goals.”