Faculty Fun Facts

Titan Faculty: Outside the Classroom

WMA faculty and sta members have many more talents and interests than those shared inside the classroom or o ce space. Here is a sampling of what some enjoyed during the Summer of ’21:

Paul Bloomfield Chair, Fine & Performing Arts Mr. Bloomfield served as the photographer for the wedding of Andrew Faulstich ’15. Drew Mele ’15 served as best man. Meaghan Cavanaugh Faculty, Middle School Mrs. Cavanaugh spent the summer reuniting with friends and family, vacationed at a lake in Connecticut and traveled to the Finger Lakes in New York. Tim Harrington ’73 Faculty, English While helping his daughter, Meg ’15, move to Houston, Texas, Mr. Harrington visited Nashville, Tennessee, and New Orleans, Louisiana.

Jon Brook Faculty, World Languages Mr. Brook caught a 34-inch bluefish o the coast of Cape Cod. Gary Cook Faculty, History Mr. Cook read more than 10 books, including Malcolm Gladwell’s World War II non-fiction piece “Bomber Mafia.” Fabienne Dubois Chair, World Languages Madame Dubois went to France to spend time with family and friends. She hiked in the Alps, spent a week in Bretagne, and visited Monaco and the south of France.

Mark Fischer Chair, Mathematics Starting in Missouri, the Fischer Family took a car camping trip through Kansas to the Great Sand Dunes National Park in southern Colorado. Jim Irzyk Chair, CEEF Mr. Irzyk spent six weeks as the Head Baseball Coach at the Ramah Sports Academy Baseball Camp, located at Cheshire Academy in Connecticut. The camp had more than 90 baseball players ages 8–16.

Don Kelly Faculty Marshal Mr. Kelly was all smiles at the baptism of his granddaughter Ellie. John Lombard Faculty, Mathematics Mr. Lombard climbed to the summit of Mount Katahdin/Baxter Peak in Maine with his wife, Lilly.

Kelsea Lewis Faculty, Science A happy and healthy Thea Jane Lewis was born on July 31. Marvina Lowry-Brook Faculty, Fine & Performing Arts Ms. Lowry-Brook made a T-shirt quilt for her son Ian Brook ’21 before he left home for his first year at New York University. Mike MacDonald Assistant Director of Admission Mr. MacDonald coached a team at the Summit Lacrosse Tournament at Lake Placid, N.Y., where a number of Titans were also competing.

Amy and Jeremy Mathison Faculty, English (Amy) and Fine & Performing Arts (Jeremy) The Mathison’s attempted to summit Mount Washington via the auto road but were thwarted by a rogue cloud, high winds and panic attacks. Christa Robinson Faculty, Middle School Health Mrs. Robinson spent part of her summer cheering on her sons: Jack ’19 playing for St. Anselm College at the NCAA Division II Men’s Lacrosse Tournament, and Luke ’23 at the Under Armour All-American Games.

Jes Rohan Faculty, Middle School Ms. Rohan met Danny Wood from The New Kids on the Block, which was her first concert as a teenager.

Bill Rosenbeck Faculty, English Mr. Rosenbeck went on a four-day silent meditation retreat at Heartwood Refuge in North Carolina. He also attended the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island for three days.

Teddy Ryan Director of Marketing & Communications Ms. Ryan spent her summer honing her green thumb, building a garden from the ground up beginning with the planning stages in February. She and her family were able to enjoy beans, peas, spinach, tomatoes, celery, basil and more from their backyard. Clark Seibold Faculty, Fine & Performing Arts Mr. Seibold spent his summer “perfecting my angling skills.” The proof is in the photograph. Sara Ugalde Assistant Director of Admission Ms. Ugalde hiked Mount Tom with her dog, Georgie. Bill Wells Director of Student Promotion “Watching Dad,” a father-son story written by Mr. Wells, was named a semifinalist at the 2021 Filmmatic Drama Screenplay Awards.

Dr. John Strauss Chair, Science Dr. Strauss visited Manhattan during the summer, where he took in the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, 9/11 Memorial and the new World Trade Center. Je and Danielle Vartabedian Faculty, Middle School Health (Je ) and Cross Country and Track Coach (Danielle) The Vartabedians visited Niagara Falls in August. Stuart Whitcomb Director of the Middle School Mr. Whitcomb hosted the WMA Mountain Bike Club’s “Community Rides,” which drew between six and 20 riders every Wednesday evening during the summer.