Winsor Fall 2024 Bulletin

Viva La Vie Bohème! RENT: High School Edition

The Winsor production of RENT stayed true to the ’90s—old televisions were used as part of the set, which displayed eye-catching live-feed video projection on stage. Posters advertised upcoming performances and directed people to donate and support the Boston Living Center. Several members of the BLC visited Winsor and met with the cast during rehearsal to share their experiences around recovery and living with HIV. Their important work in the Boston community added another layer of connection and purpose as the cast prepared for their first curtain.

Leadership in Action

Winsor has a rich history of beloved traditions. Most of these take place annually, but in late October of presidential election years, we hold a Community Curriculum Day, giving our on-campus community an opportunity to shift our attention from our regularly scheduled activities to engage in different ways, deepening our understanding of each other and the issues we face as a society. Last month during this special day I was once again reminded about how passionate, thoughtful, and engaged Winsor students are. In the opening assembly, they asked questions about participatory democracy, the electoral college, and the challenges of talking with close friends when you have different opinions. Throughout the day, in workshops led by Winsor students and also by outside experts, they explored aspects of the political process from the role of the Supreme Court to healthcare issues to environmental activism to covering political candidates as a reporter. At the end of the day, they heard from a panel of local politicians about their work and how young people can get involved, especially with regard to issues that matter to them.

As I walked down the hall at lunchtime, a Class III student exclaimed gleefully, “I wish every day could be Community Curriculum Day!”

There are times when we might worry about the state of the country or the world, but when I see Winsor students leaping out of their seats to ask questions of our guest speakers, or talking with one another about ballot measures, or arranging to help a friend register to vote, I am filled with optimism. Our students know that we face significant challenges in Boston, and indeed throughout the country. And they are eager to take on these challenges—sometimes to struggle, sometimes to succeed, but always to make a difference.

In these pages, you will find truly inspiring stories of current Winsor students and graduates who have faced challenges and found ways to succeed—and succeed in a big way! Everything from pediatric cardiac surgery, sports announcing, and running the city of Denver, to becoming an Eagle Scout, arguing for better autism awareness in the New York Times, organizing to challenge issues faced by minority athletes, and leading an organization that aims to achieve the full and equal participation of women in all aspects of society. In any and every area, facing whatever headwinds might exist, the Winsor community is pushing ahead, ensuring that they can do the work that matters to them and help to change the world.

— SARAH PELMAS

The Winsor School

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Sarah Pelmas

DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS

Janelle Browning

CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER

Erika McMahon

DIRECTOR OF ENGAGEMENT AND EVENTS

Becky Withiam

CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND DESIGN

Nicole Barbuto

COVER ILLUSTRATION

Stephanie Dalton Cowan

PHOTOGRAPHY

Kristie Dean Photography

Carl Bower

Jill Broussard

Tucker Finerty

TJ Jefferson

Adam Richins Photography

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2024–25

PRESIDENT

Allison Kaneb Pellegrino ’89, P’21, ’22

VICE PRESIDENT

Larry Cheng P’23, ’25, ’28

TREASURER

Lori Whelan P’23, ’25

ASSISTANT TREASURER

David E. Goel P’23

CLERK

Mary Beth Gordon P’23, ’26

Susan Alexander P’03, ’05, ’08

Chris Andrews P’26, ex officio

Elizabeth Bennett Carroll ’89

Wendy Cromwell P’21

Polly Crozier ’92, P’30

Jennifer Dolins P’23, ’26

Linda Dorcena Forry P’28

Claire Pasternack Goldsmith ’01

Ashley Marlenga Herbst ’01, ex officio

Risteard Hogan P’23

David Humphrey P’28, ’31

Sam Kennedy P’23

Jessica Lutzker P’25

Mallika Marshall P’27

Elise McDonald P’26, ’28

Suzanne Ranere Norris ’94

Paresh Patel P’27, ’29, ’30

Sarah Pelmas

Marion Russell ’91, P’22, ’25

Sidra Smith ’88

Perry M. Traquina P’09, ’13

Emily Lubin Woods ’91, P’26

The Winsor School does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, creed, national origin, or sexual orientation in the administration of its educational policies, scholars programs, athletic programs, and other school-administered programs.

Winsor Sailing Wins the Mass Bay Championship for the Second Year in a Row

The sailing team had another magnificent season, finishing number one in their division of the Massachusetts Bay League for the second year in a row. Sailing is a coed sport; Winsor is the only all-female team in the division. The team has demonstrated a significant depth of talent, in addition to bringing home first place in 2023 and 2024, they also placed second in their division in 2022. The Massachusetts Bay League teams race in 420 sailboats, a boat that is raced in both high school and collegiate sailing. A training ground for competitive sailors, Winsor alums have gone on to sailing programs at Brown University and the University of Pennsylvania, among others.

Making Art, Together

Visual Arts Faculty Emily

Valenza is always on the lookout for new artists to share with her students, and when she discovered Jacob Hashimoto’s mesmerizing paper kite installations, she knew it was something special. Feeling inspired, she developed a multi-part project for Winsor spanning the entire community of students, faculty, staff, and alums. What initially began as an ambitious idea to foster unity through creativity blossomed into a colorful and meaningful expression of Winsor’s community spirit.

The goal was to create a collaborative installation where participants could connect with art and each other, regardless of skill level. The materials, chosen for their simplicity and approachability, included mulberry paper, lightweight cardstock frames, and glue. These accessible supplies invited engagement from even the most reluctant participants, allowing them to explore creativity without worrying about complex techniques.

“What drew me to Hashimoto’s work was the way he uses light and layered materials to create something both simple and visually captivating,” Ms. Valenza explained. “I wanted to replicate that approachability here, with materials that have a low entry point where everyone could feel comfortable.”

The project was intentionally playful and experimental.

Participants worked on individual pieces that would eventually come together in a larger installation.

The process itself became a joyful act of collaboration. Many who were initially hesitant to participate, including some faculty members who claimed to be too busy, found themselves completely absorbed in the creative process. “One teacher told me they didn’t have time for this, but they ended up staying the longest and contributing a standout piece!” Ms. Valenza shared, reflecting on the transformative nature of making art together.

Installed over the summer, the final piece is now proudly displayed in the sunny first-floor hallway of the Lubin-O’Donnell Center. The installation invites viewers to walk around it, seeing how the light interacts with the layers of paper, just as Hashimoto’s work does. Its custom frame, designed and built by Systems Integration Specialist Jason Cox, adds dynamic curves and

movement, making it truly a unique piece of collaborative art.

In addition to students, faculty, and staff, alums were invited to participate during Alumnae Weekend. Some even continued working on similar projects at home, demonstrating how art can inspire long-lasting creativity. “It’s been wonderful to see the impact,” Ms. Valenza said. “People who might not have thought of themselves as artists are now open to that possibility.”

Beyond the aesthetic appeal of the piece, the project succeeded in its primary goal: strengthening the bonds within the community. As participants worked side by side, whether folding paper or stringing materials together, they shared in the joy of creation, breaking down the usual barriers of roles and schedules. Ms. Valenza noted, “For me, this project was as much about bringing people together as it was about the finished artwork. Art has this incredible power to dissolve walls between us.”

Now, as the community enjoys the finished installation, the project stands as a reminder of the importance of play, experimentation, and connection. Ms. Valenza summed it up perfectly: “It’s colorful, a little messy, just like people. It references Hashimoto, but it’s ours—a reflection of who we are as a community.”

This installation will no doubt be remembered not only for its beauty but for the shared experience it represents, and for the strength we find in collaboration, creativity, and connection.

Creative Journeys

This summer, Winsor graduates Eva LaFond ’24 and Sofia Grabiel Butler ’24 left their literal mark on Winsor with their shared art project, a mural they titled “Portals.” The piece comprises six portals painted with intricate detail and bold color—some with hidden surprises, including a lobster and a dragon— lining a hallway in the administrative wing. Each piece represents a doorway to a different world, one that reflects both the personal journeys of the artists and the broader spirit of exploration that the school has instilled in them.

The collaboration was born of their shared interest in art, their senior spring ILE projects, and some encouragement from their teachers, Science Faculty Denise Labieniec and Visual Arts Department Head Sara Macaulay. Upon seeing Eva’s ILE project, a collection of small drawings featuring plant/dragon hybrids, Ms. Labieniec suggested to Eva and Sofia that they consider creating a permanent installation on campus. The students saw it as a perfect opportunity to create something lasting before they left Winsor for new adventures. Over the summer, they returned to campus to transform the hallway into a vibrant expression of imagination, one that they hope encourages viewers to feel some of the wonder and joy they felt while at Winsor.

Eva and Sofia spent weeks planning, sketching, and sharing ideas, with key guidance from Ms. Macaulay. They shared responsibility for design and execution,

falling into a natural rhythm of sharing their individual expertise to produce the final piece. They created a miniature mock-up of each portal, then transferred their designs to the hallway walls. They found that they each naturally gravitated to certain aspects of the project—Eva focused on the borders while Sofia became the “creature person,” detailing the dragon, lizard, and lobster that add special interest to the portals.

In describing the feeling of viewing the finished mural, Eva said, “I’ve always had a thing about the idea of the handprints on a cave wall—leaving some literal mark. So it was very satisfying for me personally to actually finally put something up on the wall. It felt like a full circle moment.” As Eva and Sofia prepare to embark on their separate paths, the mural remains as a tribute to their journey and a symbol of the lasting impact of creativity, friendship, and shared spaces.

The hallway itself serves as a fitting metaphor for transition—a liminal space between the familiarity of high school and the unknowns of the future. For Eva and Sofia, this hallway was more than just a physical space; it was a symbolic threshold where they stood between their past and the many possibilities awaiting them in the future. In painting their mural here at Winsor, they not only transformed the walls but also captured the essence of this in-between moment, reflecting the journey from students to young adults stepping into new worlds.

2024 Lower School Closing Ceremony

Processing to Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” and holding white roses, Class IV students entered the David E. and Stacey L. Goel Theater for the 34th annual Lower School Closing Ceremony. The event is particularly meaningful for eighth-grade students as they finish their time in the Lower School.

“This ceremony is about reflection, looking at a year of accomplishments and next steps or new beginnings,” said Head of Lower School Sharon Jones Phinney. She likened the experience to a journey—“you can only take so much luggage with you”—and implored students to “think about what you intend to bring with you and what you want—or even need—to leave behind.”

Head of School Sarah Pelmas touched on connections and how important they are, “for literally everything in the rest of your life.” She explained, “When you can look for patterns and parallels, when you can see the connections woven throughout the world we live in—well, it’s a richer, more exciting life, isn’t it?” With best wishes for the years ahead, Ms. Pelmas shared, “As you head into high school, I hope you will form new connections, try new activities and meet new people that way, share your own quirky world with others and ask about their quirky world in return.”

Class IV stepped on to the risers to sing “Slipping Through My Fingers” by Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny

Andersson. The song hit close to home and many in the theater showed emotion as the class sang.

Selected by classmates, the Class of 2028 speaker was Bailey Hall ’28, who reflected on the deep sense of community between the 60 students in Class IV. Bailey noted, “We have learned how to collaborate, give the absolute best compliments, and how to give each other a hand when we need it the most.” Calling the Class of 2028 her best friends, Bailey quoted American singer songwriter SZA and said, “I have an abundant amount of love in my life, and I’m grateful for that.”

Making joint remarks, Class IV Coordinators Emily Moran and Josh Constant spoke about the Class of 2028. They encouraged students to “think ahead, don’t forget to laugh…and make room for the unexpected—often, the best learning and growth comes from places you don’t expect.”

Ms. Moran and Mr. Constant announced each Class IV student and Ms. Pelmas and Ms. Phinney conferred the certificates.

In closing, the newly introduced Class IV Council Head Ani Andersen ’29 rang Miss Winsor’s bell, ceremoniously closing the school year.

They recessed to “Unwritten,” by Natasha Bedingfield— “Live your life with arms wide open / Today is where your book begins”—an apropos send-off for the Class of 2028.

WINSOR BOARD OF TRUSTEES

At the annual meeting of the Winsor Corporation on April 11, 2024, Winsor welcomed new trustees Susan Alexander P’03, ’05, ’08 and Sidra Smith ’88, and said goodbye to outgoing trustees Eman Ansari P’20, ’24, ’28 and Kerry Swords P’23, ’27.

Susan H. Alexander P’03, ’05, ’08

Susan Alexander is executive vice president and chief legal officer at Biogen and has served on their executive committee since 2006. After attending Wellesley College she earned a law degree from Boston University School of Law. She has served on several non-profit and corporate boards and is currently an executive committee member and governing trustee of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute as well as a board of counselors member of Equal Justice Works. She has been a member of the Winsor School Corporation since 2019 and served as a class representative for several years. Ms. Alexander and her husband Jim have four children; their daughters Caroline Gammill ’03, Margaret Gammill ’05, and Lydia Gammill ’08 are Winsor alumnae.

Sidra Smith ’88

Sidra Smith is the director of studies at the Severn School in Maryland as well as an adjunct faculty member at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College in the independent school leadership master’s program. After graduating from Winsor, Ms. Smith earned her bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University before earning both a master’s and Ph.D. from Tufts University. Ms. Smith acts as a D.C.-area regional representative for Wesleyan University and as a commissioner for the Association of Independent Maryland and D.C. Schools. At Winsor, Ms. Smith has served on the corporation since 2022 and has previously served on the alumnae board. In her role on the Winsor Board of Trustees, she co-chairs the Equity Committee.

Eman Ansari P’20, ’24, ’28

Eman Ansari served as a trustee from 2018 to 2024. During her six years of service, she participated as a valued member of the Committee on Trustees and the Audit and Risk Committee. For several years,

Dr. Ansari has participated as a devoted leader in key areas of the school, including Parents for an Inclusive Community. A faculty physician at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School and mother of four children, including Winsor daughters Lulu ’20, DeeDee ’24, and Sisi ’28, Dr. Ansari will continue her service to Winsor as a member of the corporation.

Kerry Swords P’23, ’27

Kerry Swords also served as a trustee from 2018 to 2024. She joined the Committee on Trustees in 2018 and was soon selected to chair that committee. She served on the Advancement Committee, where her vast experience has made her a highly sought after advisor throughout each stage of the Winsor Leads Campaign, and she was a steady and valued voice on the Executive Committee. A parent of Winsor daughters Kathryn ’23 and Mairin ’27, Ms. Swords will continue her service to Winsor as a member of the corporation.

Sharks, Science, and Sunshine: A Day on Nantucket Sound

BY JULIE CALLANAN Winsor Science Faculty and Science Internship Coordinator

The sun was shining and the sea was calm as Nora Furlong ’25 and I set off to catch and tag sharks this August. Our fearless leader was Winsor alumna Caroline Collatos ’09, a Ph.D. student at UMass Boston who conducts shark research and works with scientists from the New England Aquarium. I introduced the two while Nora was pursuing a Winsor Science Internship as part of her studies.

“Caroline asked me, ‘How do you feel about sharks?’” recalls Nora. “I showed her my phone case, which has pink sharks on it. They’re one of my favorite animals, though I probably wouldn’t like to meet one organically,” she adds.

Caroline’s research focuses on shark activity in Nantucket Sound, where every summer, sandbar sharks are drawn by warm water currents and an abundant food supply. “My research goals are to use catch-andrelease fishing, acoustic telemetry, and fine-scale movement tags that function like ‘Fitbits’ to collect

data to describe the demographics of the shark species caught around the island,” explains Caroline. By identifying their presence, habitat use, and migration movements, she incorporates this information into larger stock assessments and ecological information for sharks in Massachusetts waters.

On our way to Nantucket Sound, Nora and I honed our rod-and-reel fishing techniques catching fish we’d use for shark bait. Nora was reeling in a fish when suddenly a shark jumped out of the water and grabbed onto her fish while it was still on the line. “Obviously the shark won, and I did not get that fish,” she says, laughing.

With our shark bait ready, it was time to tag. Caroline’s passion

Winsor Science faculty Julie Callanan teaches Lower School science. This is her first-person account of tagging sharks with Winsor student Nora Furlong ’25 and alumna Caroline Collatos ’09.

and enthusiasm for her work was extraordinary. She gave detailed instructions on how to hook, tag, and release the sandbar sharks, which wasn’t easy. These sharks range from four to six-and-a-half feet and weigh over 100 pounds— and put up a fight! “They would just swim right under the boat or right by us. You could see 10 at a time all around. And you wonder, how do people swim here?” exclaims Nora.

Tagging involved three different types of tags. NOAA identification tags provide data on the sharks’ movements if they’re ever recaptured, revealing how far they’ve traveled since they were first tagged. Acoustic transmitter tags send out a specific frequency picked up by receivers scattered across the sound,

“It’s really cool to see an example of what field research would look like, because when I think about doing biology research I’m picturing being in a lab studying something very, very small.”

NORA FURLONG ’25

tracking the sharks’ presence, habitat use, and movements. Finally, a Fitbitstyle tag outfitted with a camera is attached to the shark’s dorsal fin and provides information on the shark’s swimming movements while similutaneously providing a “shark’seye” view of life under the water. The tag detaches within couple of days, floating to the surface where it transmits its location via GPS for Caroline to retrieve.

Nora and I tagged sharks with conventional NOAA tags while Caroline expertly handled the acoustic and camera tags. The acoustic tag was even surgically implanted into the shark’s abdominal cavity—a one-handed, delicate, and precise operation performed by Caroline.

The camera footage captured from one of the sharks was unreal. The video showed that the shark we tagged quickly rejoined its cohort of shark friends, swimming in sync with a large group of sharks for the rest of the day.

It was an unforgettable hands-on experience in marine science, especially for Nora, who wants to study biology in college. “It’s really cool to see an example of what field research would look like, because when I think about doing biology research I’m picturing being in a lab studying something very, very small,” she admits. Now, Nora realizes inspiration is everywhere.

By 3:00 p.m. we headed back to Bass River boat ramp, greatful for Caroline’s generous invitation. Nora and I were filled with adrenaline and stories to last a summer, if not a lifetime.

Scouts’ Honor

Current senior Bibi NouryEllo ’25 is no stranger to leadership, hard work, and service to her community. A proud member of the Girl Scouts from age five, last year Bibi earned the Gold Award, the highest achievement the Girl Scouts offer. But watching her brother’s Boy Scout troop hike and camp, she had long desired an opportunity to do more. So when the Boy Scouts— now officially known as Scouting America—expanded membership to include young women in 2019, Bibi, along with the rest of her Girl Scout troop, jumped at the chance to join. Not only did becoming a Boy Scout offer her a new set of interesting challenges, it gave her a new goal: to become an Eagle Scout, the highest rank in Scouting, and a long-recognized symbol of dedication and excellence.

Bibi earned her requisite badges, then moved on to the final step to becoming an Eagle Scout: the development and execution of a large-scale service project. For her culminating project, Bibi built two covered bulletin boards for the volunteer-run Food Project, an urban farm in Roxbury, Massachusetts, that provides fresh produce to local schools and donates to those in need. The boards—built of cedar so they would endure the ravages of Massachusetts weather— were installed at the farm’s entrance and serve as a hub for posting general information, volunteer

opportunities, and details about the garden’s pollinator plants. “The farm manager didn’t have a way to share information with passersby, so she asked me to build something where people could learn how to get involved,” Bibi explains. “I wanted to create something both useful and enduring. This garden brings people together, and I hope my project will help foster even more connections.”

“I wanted to create something both useful and enduring. This garden brings people together, and I hop my project will help fostr even more connections.”

Although the project was timeconsuming—“Many of my summer days were spent drilling and nailing pieces together,” she recalls—it was a labor of love. Bibi had a bit of help from her parents, both architects, when it came to the design and planning, but her experience as a Scout came in handy. “I leaned on [my parents] for some guidance, but I also had the skills I learned in Scouts to help me get the job done,” she says. The project was a culmination of not only her Scouting experience but also her passion for service and her desire to leave a lasting impact on her community. Looking ahead, Bibi hopes her project will bring more attention to

the Food Project’s mission. “I hope the signs help make the farm more visible and draw people in,” she says. “It’s a wonderful organization, and I want more people to know about it.”

As one of the first young women to join the Boy Scouts, Bibi reflects on the challenges and rewards of being part of this historic shift. “There’s definitely some bias. When we go on bigger trips, they’ll ask the boys for help first, or they’ll dumb things down for the girls,” she acknowledges. “But I’ve learned to smile through it because, honestly, the girls are often more competent, and eventually, that shows.”

Despite the obstacles, Bibi is proud to be part of this change.

“It feels great to be in the first wave of girls who can earn the Eagle Scout rank,” she says. “For so long, Scouting was so binary—Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts—and the Eagle Scout rank has always been more widely recognized. So it’s amazing to be part of something that’s shifting that dynamic.”

She recognizes that many of her predecessors weren’t able to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout, because it simply wasn’t allowed. She explains, “It [was] a lack of opportunity, not a lack of desire to do it. It feels like I’m getting to experience these things on behalf of all those women.”

In addition to earning her Eagle Scout rank, Bibi has discovered new passions through Scouting. One of her favorite merit badges, aviation, awakened her interest in becoming

Bibi Noury-Ello’s ’25 newly installed bulletin boards share important information about the Food Project, a nationally recognized nonprofit organization that works at the intersection of youth, food, and community.

a pilot. “We went to a National Guard base, and I got to sit in a Black Hawk helicopter. It was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had,” she recalls. “Just being able to have that in-person experience really set me on a path that I’m hoping to continue down.”

As she prepares to move forward in her education and career, Bibi feels confident that her time in Scouting has equipped her with skills that go beyond outdoor survival. “Scouting has taught me discipline, leadership, and how to be independent,” she reflects. “I feel more sure of myself because I know I can handle challenges on my own.”

In reflecting on her time in Scouting, Bibi shares, “I’ve always loved being part of organizations that emphasize leadership, but Boy Scouts was an entirely new experience for me. It pushed me in different ways and helped me develop skills I didn’t even know I had. And the best part was knowing that girls can now take on this challenge and earn the Eagle Scout rank.”

With her Eagle Scout rank and Gold Award under her belt, Bibi stands as a role model for girls everywhere, showing that with passion and perseverance, there are no limits to what they can achieve. Whether through her involvement in the community garden or her dedication to Scouting, she has left an indelible mark on her community—and she’s just getting started.

Generational Giving

One family’s gift promotes equity in athletics

When longtime Winsor supporters

Donna and Chris Hoffman P’88, ’89, GP’22, were considering a gift to Winsor Leads, the $100 million comprehensive endowment campaign, at top of mind was the school’s motto: a sound mind in a sound body

“Unquestionably, Winsor has done outstanding work in educating generations of girls and young women, including our two daughters, Kristen Ryan ’88, P’22 and Jennifer Hoffman ’89, and our granddaughter, Julia Ryan ’22,” says Mr. Hoffman.

“Not to be lost sight of, however, is enablement of the ‘sound body’ half of the Winsor motto for every Winsor girl,” he continues. “That requires encouragement to participate in athletic activity in one way or another, no matter the expense.”

While Title IX—the 1972 federal law that ensures girls and women have equal access to sports in education institutions that receive federal funds—protects against discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation, it doesn’t remove the financial barriers some young athletes face to participate, including costs for special equipment and travel.

In an effort to alleviate that burden, the Hoffmans—who saw firsthand the benefit of athletics at Winsor through their daughters’ and granddaughter’s involvement—were inspired to establish the Kristen Ryan ’88, P’22, Jennifer Hoffman ’89, and Julia Ryan ’22 Athletics Opportunities Fund to help defray the cost of equipment, uniforms, travel, and other athletic-related needs, and ensure that membership on a Winsor athletic team will be available to all students.

“We want all girls to be able participate in any given sport with proper, well-fitted equipment, no matter the expense that might otherwise preclude a student’s participation,” says Mr. Hoffman. “Family financial constraints, of which there are many, should not get in the way of a Winsor girl’s playing any sport or engaging in any sportlike activity that helps build the ‘sound body’ that complements the ‘sound mind.’”

With their generous gift, the Hoffmans hope that current and future generations of students will reap the benefits of an athletic experience at Winsor, just as their daughters and granddaughter did.

While at Winsor, Jennifer was a member of the rowing team, Kristen played field hockey, basketball, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, and softball; and her daughter Julia played field hockey and soccer.

“Having the opportunity to try different sports and join teams throughout my eight years at Winsor was a wonderful experience, and I really looked up to the coaches who guided us along the way,” says Kristen. “To participate at a high level, many of the sports offered at Winsor require special equipment, which often needs to be replaced due to wear and tear. The Athletics Opportunities Fund enables all girls to participate in any given sport with proper, well-fitted equipment, so that they can succeed whether it be on the playing field, ice, river, court, etc.”

And the benefits extend beyond the games and meets and races.

“A full menu of sport activities enhances a Winsor education,” notes Ms. Hoffman. “Team membership develops one’s sense of the importance of a common goal.

Many valuable lessons are learned outside the classroom in common pursuits, including sports, and those pursuits build friendships, shared memories, and a commitment to Winsor that last a lifetime.”

Jennifer, who says she didn’t possess the athletic prowess for typical sports, was privy to those lessons when she tried rowing at the encouragement of her friends.

“This was a pivotal moment for me,” she recalls. “I began to grow as a person, understanding the importance of teamwork and camaraderie, pulling each other’s weight. I became more confident with myself and flourished as a rower.”

In fact, she still remembers the feeling of accomplishment she and her boatmates felt when they won a championship race. “The excitement we felt on that rainy day in May 1988

“Unquestionably, Winsor has done outstanding work in educating generations of girls and young women.”

—CHRIS HOFFMAN P’88, ’89, GP’22

is something that I hope many other young women can experience,” she says.

This kind of all-encompassing education, through both academics and sports, was formative for the Hoffmans’ daughters and granddaughter. And through their philanthropy, they hope that others will be motivated to give.

“We hope that our gift might inspire other parents and grandparents to appreciate the gift of a Winsor education—recognizing the importance of the complete Winsor experience that was such an important factor in our daughters’ and granddaughter’s lives,” says Ms. Hoffman. “Perhaps this concept of ‘generational giving’ might encourage others.”

Three Winsor alumnae have forged bold new paths through industries long dominated by men. All of them trailblazers, Kris Guleserian ’86, Suzy Shuster ’90, and Janel Forde ’97 are paving the way for more women at the top, and credit Winsor with much of their success.

as Only a Woman Can

NEVER BEING TOLD “NO”

At Winsor, nobody ever said, “You can’t do this because you’re a woman,” says Dr. Kristine “Kris” Guleserian ’86. The director of the Congenital Heart Surgery Program at Medical City Children’s Hospital in Dallas since 2019, she is the first woman to become a chief and lead a congenital heart surgery program in the United States. Five years later, she’s still the only one. “It didn’t strike me until later in life,” explains Kris. “I always felt that becoming a surgical leader was a very attainable goal for me because at Winsor, the class president was a woman, the editor of the newspaper was a woman, the sports team captains were women. It never occurred to me that there was a job a woman couldn’t do.”

This idea of “never being told no” is a common refrain for Winsor alumnae. Janel Forde ’97 is chief operating officer for the City of Denver, Colorado. Like Kris, she has the distinction of being the first woman to step into the role, and the added pressure of being the first Black person as well. A member of the “eight-year club,”

BY

Janel attended Winsor starting in Class I and stayed through Class VIII. It wasn’t until she was a sophomore in college at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania that she heard for the first time that she couldn’t do something because she was a girl.

In a quantitative math class, a male classmate said to Janel, “girls aren’t good at math,” to which she quickly replied, “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.” Back at the dorms she complained to her two roommates—one a

math major, the other in finance— about the “foolishness” of this man. And to her surprise, her roommates asked, “You’ve never heard that before?” Janel had to stop and think about it. She recalls, “I had never heard that women could not do certain things or women were not good at certain things. Now, certainly, those narratives are out there, but truly I had not internalized that.”

Part of the strength of a Winsor education lies in the environment. When girls are surrounded

Kris Guleserian ’86 stands in her office in Dallas, Texas.

PHOTO

JILL BROUSSARD

by female leadership, female leadership is the norm, not the exception. “I think being in an environment that was not only supportive, but also where you didn’t hear some of those negative narratives and tropes [about women] just protects you from feeling like you had to be different or you had to defy them,” explains Janel. Like Kris, her career aspirations to head up an agency seemed absolutely attainable. “That understanding of what a Winsor education gives you, you learn to appreciate later,” explains Janel.

Likewise, Suzy Shuster ’90 will be the first to say, “Winsor was the single greatest educational experience I could have asked for. I am not kidding when I tell you that rarely a day goes by that I’m not grateful I went there.”

An Emmy Award–winning sports broadcaster, Suzy’s work now extends to writing, producing, and hosting. “Working in a mostly male environment, as I do in sports, Winsor taught me that the boys cheer for you. You don’t cheer for the boys. It gave me confidence in my voice.”

A RIGOROUS AND ENDURING EDUCATION

Every alumna has a story about a faculty member or administrator whose lessons and support have stayed with them long after graduation. When asked about the faculty who have stayed with her, Suzy jokes, “I still have PTSD from Ms. Skeele’s grammar class.” An alumna herself, English Faculty Jennie Skeele ’71, P’98, ’02 retired after more than 45 years at Winsor. Suzy adds, “I am still grateful for expository writing. Learning how to write that one paper junior year was key to my writing development, both in journalism and also in the advertising writing that I do right now for the Lincoln Project and for other clients.”

In 2020, Suzy attended a fundraising Zoom with the Lincoln Project, known for their cinematic style advertising in defense of democracy. In a phone call with Co-Founder and Board Member of the Lincoln Project Rick Wilson, the two started brainstorming and Suzy started pitching ideas for ads. “I realized that they had a void speaking to women. It was founded by four guys, and there

was no female voice,” she explains. By August 2020, Suzy joined them full time writing ads—something she had never done before. “We found we had an audience with Republican women, moderate women…and I felt like my voice was being heard. I was making a point.” She went on to found her own company, Magnetic Media Group, where she continues to work on strategic, targeted, and cutting-edge cinematic content.

For Janel, it was Diane Bezan who changed the trajectory of her life. “Ms. Bezan, that was my girl,” says Janel. One day Ms. Bezan, who served as both head of the Upper School and math faculty, found Janel in the hallway and handed her a packet. She said, “This program is for you. The application is due in a week,” recalls Janel. The program, called Leadership Education and Development Program (LEAD), is a national organization that accepts talented students through a competitive application process and matches them with schools for a month-long summer program. Janel was placed at the Wharton School in Philadelphia, and she fell in love. “It just changed my trajectory,” says Janel. “I would have thought business, but maybe not Wharton. I would have thought East Coast, but maybe not Philadelphia.” She ended up

applying to Wharton for college and was accepted early. “Ms. Bez… planting early seeds, allowing me to explore and do things in a safe space, literally and figuratively, and finding the things that resonated for me, that is my Winsor experience,” shares Janel.

To this day Kris still remembers World Languages Faculty Dorothy Souvaine, whose career at Winsor spanned 27 years. Ms. Souvaine not only impacted Kris’s course of study in college, but also gave her the tools to cope when life got crazy. She credits Ms. Souvaine with the edict, “If you ever have a problem in your life, just clean your room and then come back to me.” Kris explained Ms. Souvaine’s thought process, that until you have control over what you can have control over—like your dorm room at college, your home, or your workplace—you’ll feel out of sorts. “Get that in order and your head or thoughts will be much more clear. I just remember her teaching me that,” says Kris.

While Kris was at Winsor, Ms. Souvaine convinced her to study Greek, an experience that led her to study Classics at Harvard. At the time, there was no pre-med major or concentration at Harvard so Kris had to pick something else. “I had four years of Classics already under my

belt—fours years of Greek and three years of Latin,” explains Kris, “so when I took the placement examination—because not many high schools offer Greek and Latin as areas of study—I ended up placing into graduate-level classes.” Despite the aptitude she showed, Kris faced naysayers. “I remember meeting with my undergraduate medical advisor, who said, ‘I don’t think you’re going to get into medical school if you major in classical Greek.’” The future congenital heart surgery chief went on to prove her wrong.

PHOTO BY CARL BOWER

IF YOU DON’T HAVE A MENTOR, BE A MENTOR

As a young woman who knew she wanted to go into medicine from a young age, for someone to tell Kris she wouldn’t be a top pick for medical school “was pretty damn devastating.” Instead of letting self doubt fester, Kris started to lean

on other people she met along the way. A summer job in the Pathology Department at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge helping perform autopsies led her to another Harvard medical advisor who took Kris under his wing. Through the Harvard Career Services Office she applied for a position through Yale University to do research on Parkinson’s disease in African green monkeys on the island of Saint Kitts.

“When I looked through the application criteria, it said, ‘Looking for graduate students, medical residents, fellows, junior faculty, and other.’” Deciding she fit the bill for “other” as a college freshman, she applied, got the job, and spent a summer doing cutting-edge research at the St. Kitts Biomedical Research Foundation.

When it was time to apply to medical school, it was these unique experiences that set her apart—the fact that she was a Classics major, worked in a hospital, and was doing cuttingedge research with a major university. “During interviews over the years I would be asked about these experiences, particularly about my research in the Caribbean, not only for medical school, but for surgical residency and for my

cardiothoracic fellowship training. They were all fascinated by those experiences.”

Kris now goes out of her way to be a mentor to others. “I’ve got medical students and high school students of both genders coming in to shadow but I especially love when I have highly motivated young women coming through my door,” she says, smiling. “I didn’t have many female mentors in medical school or during my surgical training, so I decided to just become one for others. I am honored to be the first woman to lead a congenital heart surgery program in the U.S.—that’s what happens when you follow your heart, put in the work, and never give up.”

Suzy credits Winsor with instilling in her “an absolute work ethic,” too. “The sense of community that I got from going to an allgirls school has never left me. It bonded me to women. It has made me work more closely with other women coming up behind me and have gratitude for those who came before me.”

Suzy was lucky to have two standout female mentors in her early 20s. As an intern at CBS Sports she got the opportunity to go down to North Carolina to cover the Final Four in 1994. Lesley

Janel Forde ’97, chief operating officer for the City of Denver, Colorado.

Visser, who Suzy notes is perhaps the most important woman in the history of sports broadcasting, and a former Boston Globe reporter, was the sideline reporter for the series. “She took me under her wing,” says Suzy, recalling how Visser taught her how to observe a game, to turn off the volume on a game to make sure she knew what was happening, even if the broadcasters weren’t broadcasting or she couldn’t hear them. “She really was the first woman [outside of Winsor] to reach out to me and say, ‘Come with me, I can take you along.’ I’ve never forgotten it. She’s still the most important woman that’s come into my life in terms of teaching me how to be a better role model to other women in our business.”

Later, she took a job as an assistant to Emily Rooney, who had come to New York to launch World News Tonight as the first woman to run a network news division. Rooney and Peter Jennings did not get along, so she left, and went to a very fledgling Fox News to launch their network, where she encountered Suzy. “Emily gave me my shot to go from not just answering phones, but to get out into the field. I spent 1996 on the road covering the presidential election—primary and caucus and convention. I got to

interview Bill Clinton in the White House,” she recalls. “I got to do all these really great things because a woman believed in me and pushed me.”

Representation matters and Janel explains, “I didn’t see a lot of women like myself. I will say in Chicago, there have been a lot of female chiefs of staff, but not heads of operations.”

People often think of mentorship as something that happens early in a career, but Janel believes you are never too old to have a mentor. “Especially when you’ve been in the industry for a long time, you’re so focused on what you know and what you see. If you can’t see it, it’s really hard to think that you can be it.” Preferring the term “thought partner,” Janel encourages, “It’s important to find mentors who look like you, who don’t look like you, who are in spaces that are similar to yours and also outside of yours” to help you think through the possibilities of what could come next. “I constantly have to be learning. I have to constantly be evolving and figuring out, not necessarily what the specific next thing is, but having a sense for what will bring me joy.”

GENEROUS MINDED, ALWAYS

It’s in the Winsor School mission to raise generous minded women who contribute to the world, and Winsor alumnae everywhere continue to think big when it comes to living their values and supporting causes that are important to them.

“Winsor gave me the opportunity,” says Janel, whose story of public service started at Winsor with opportunities to volunteer with the National Conference for Christians and Jews (NCCJ) and the Italian Home for Children, among others. “I definitely have an operational mindset. I definitely have a business orientation, but I’ve always wanted to help people,” explains Janel.

Ms. Bezan and the Winsor administration made sure Janel’s school schedule was arranged so that two days a week she could do pro-social work in the Boston community. “Winsor gave me the flexibility to do that,” she explains. Bringing together her skillset, opportunity, and missiondriven approach has been the theme of Janel’s life. Decades later, career choices with Chicago

“It’s important to find mentors who look like you, who don’t look like you, who are in spaces that are similar to yours and also outside of yours” to help you think through the possibilities of what could come next.”

JANEL FORDE ‘97

surgeon, she brings that personal perspective with her to the hospital every day as she operates on the tiniest of hearts in the most delicate of circumstances, knowing how important it is for emotionally fragile families to feel cared for.

Public Schools, Illinois State Board of Education, city and state government, and even Boston Consulting Group reflect her commitment to public service.

Kris’s generous minded approach is grounded in childhood moments, too. Growing up, Kris was surrounded by young people with heart and lung disease. Her brother Michael had

a heart condition, and she watched as dear family friends who rode the school bus together— Joey O’Donnell, David Labovittz, Tommy Kaplan—passed away. It left her thinking, “‘Is my brother going to die too?’ As a young kid, that’s how I saw the world. That’s what pushed me into medicine. It’s sad when you’re going to a memorial service or funeral at a young age.” As a congenital heart

For Suzy, gun violence, especially in schools, hits close to home for the mom of three. “After Sandy Hook, I went to drop off my son at preschool, and I was paralyzed,” she recalls. Remembering her Winsor education, she thought about how she could live those values and bring them into the world. She researched gun violence prevention groups and held salons at the house.

Janel Forde '97 in the City and County Building in Denver, Colorado.

PHOTO BY CARL BOWER

Eventually she met the Giffords team and knew she wanted to be a part of it.

“I’m very grateful that I’ve built this relationship with Gabby,” shares Suzy, referring to former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot while meeting with constituents in her hometown of Tucson, Arizona in 2011. “I’ve led a group of women to DC to go lobby with her, which was pretty outstanding.” Recently Suzy emceed an event for her in Los Angeles. She’s done about a half dozen such events to raise money for the Gifford’s Law Center, and remains steadfast in her commitment to their work. She explains, “No matter how busy I am or how many things I’m juggling, if Gabby Giffords asks me to do anything, I [will] drop everything to be at her side.”

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN WOMEN LEAD

Being female-centric and inclusive is at the heart of Suzy’s work. Rich Eisen Productions, which Suzy manages with her husband Rich, is launching a new show called Hello Sports with Roku

BY

this winter—a women’s sports talk show that will elevate women’s sports at every level. The project is a co-production of Rich Eisen Productions and Hello Sunshine, Reese Witherspoon’s company founded to elevate women’s voices and women’s stories.

Suzy met Hello Sunshine CEO Sarah Harden at an event thrown by her college roommate that was elevating other women. Harden loves sports and is partial owner of Angel City Football Club in Los Angeles and a few Australian

sports teams, as well. The two connected and bonded over the fact that there is no show that speaks of women’s sports simply, clearly, and emphatically. And that’s how Hello Sport s came about. It will launch this winter (February or March 2025) with Suzy as both cohost and producer.

“I undervalued women’s sports, myself,” confides Suzy. “In the past, when I was given a Sparks game, I looked down on it. I thought, ‘I’m the Lakers reporter. I’m not going to a women’s game.’” Looking

Suzy Shuster ’90 on the set of the Rich Eisen Show in Los Angeles, California.

PHOTO

TJ JEFFERSON

back, she sees it differently now. “How short-sighted was I? I didn’t realize the opportunity that was in front of me. I don’t think I even realized how unsupportive of other women I was being. It has flipped over. Women’s sports is the most exciting aspect of sports right now outside of the National Football League (NFL). And I’m really excited to create programming in which my daughter can find herself,” explains Suzy.

In the same way Suzy elevates women’s stories, women’s sports, and female colleagues, Kris is creating a similar environment at Medical City Children’s Hospital in Dallas. “My whole team here is incredible,” she gushes, comparing it to a fantasy football team. “I was able to handpick pretty much every single person who’s part of this congenital heart team. That’s been a really wonderful experience to have. Taking the best of the best, taking super talented people who are also really nice and they’re multidimensional people. To be able to come to work every day to work with a great team… I can’t even describe what that’s like.”

Calling surgery a “team sport,” Kris is the first to admit she can’t do it alone. The diehard Boston sports fan likes to remind people

that Tom Brady didn’t win six Super Bowl victories with the Patriots all by himself. “I can’t do an open heart surgery operation without my surgery team— anesthesiologists, perfusionists, scrub techs, nurses, cardiologists, intensivists, and so many more support staff,” she explains. Kris played field hockey and lacrosse at Winsor (and at Harvard) and credits the Winsor coaches for teaching her about teamwork. She insists, “What I do now, and every day, it’s 100% teamwork.”

Likewise, Janel’s time at Winsor was good practice for her time in city and state government because she got used to being “the only.” At Winsor, she wasn’t the only woman, but she was often the only person of color in a classroom. “I think there were three Black students in my class,” she recalls. Today, 62% of Winsor students self-identify as people of color. “In terms of how I think Winsor prepared me, for better or for worse, you are in spaces where you are the only,” explains Janel, “I think it gives you a sense of courage and confidence that you’ve groomed over time and definitely through Winsor, being able to speak your mind and speak for yourself…where you can appreciate that there is something unique and different about you, but also it is not a bad thing.”

Janel remembers working closely with a group of women in one of her first governmental jobs to build consensus for a complicated budget situation. The experience stuck with her. “We worked through some really tough issues the way only women can,” she recalls. “There was a lot of just putting it on the table and working collaboratively.” In hindsight, she feels certain that if there were seven men in that room, or even four men in that room, they would not have found consensus that day in large part because of ego. “I think it is a female [trait]. It is a different orientation. I don’t win by overshouting someone.”

Shortly after taking the job of chief operating office of the City of Denver, Janel said in an interview with 528 Magazine, “I find less ego shows up when women are in leadership roles, which allows us to get to the actual work.” Today she oversees roughly 25 city agencies, and she knows leadership spaces benefit from female influence. Over the years she has learned how to prioritize and how to take her ego—“because ego is always there”—out of the decision-making process, the relational process, as much as possible. “My colleagues doing the same [thing] absolutely changes that dynamic, and I think

also the outcome,” she explains. “I don’t win by necessarily getting my way. I win by finding a path forward for most of us to be as successful as we can be. And so bringing that collaboration, that focus, that prioritization to the table, women, I find, tend to do that better than men do, at least women in leadership.”

PAVING THE WAY FOR THE NEXT GENERATION

As they reflect on their teen years spent on Pilgrim Road, the impact and ripple effects of a Winsor education are still felt today. It’s a privilege that Janel, Suzy, and Kris wish for all Winsor students and young alums to recognize and enjoy.

Given her background in education, Janel knows that students today, especially Winsor students, are carrying the weight of a hundred competing priorities and feeling like they have to do it all. “I know those girls are probably under a tremendous amount of pressure,” recognizes Janel, who recalls the rigors of her Winsor years being academically solid, athletically competitive, and

generous minded, on top of other interests outside of school. “It was not easy then, and it is not easy now,” she acknowledges, but looking back, “I had opportunities to try and see and be in different spaces, and it was encouraged.” More than that, the school supported her interests— especially volunteering in the community—which pushed her reluctant parents to let their then 15-year-old daughter have new experiences. “Fast forward to the years where I’m in government, I’m in Chicago Public Schools, and the State Board of Education—it’s not a surprise if you actually go all the way back to things that I’ve done, literally, at Winsor in high school,” reflects Janel.

Suzy credits Winsor with helping her find and use her voice, a tangible skill that has served her well for decades. When asked what advice she would pass on to current Winsor students and young alums, Suzy says, “You have a much stronger voice and presence than you realize.” Adding, “I am all for getting help if you need it, but first stand your ground and demand to be seen and heard for the strong woman that you are.”

Recalling a press conference at a Los Angeles Kings ice hockey game, Suzy was confronted with a coach who didn’t believe women

should be covering hockey and who rudely challenged her intellect and understanding of a hockey play in front of a crowd of men. “He treated me like absolute garbage, and my skin crawled, my blood froze,” she remembers. But Suzy was prepared for the interview, and confident with her knowledge of the play. “I was armed, and that allowed me to stand up to this bully, and he backed down and he apologized on camera afterwards,” recalls Suzy. That grit and work ethic was forged on Pilgrim Road. “It’s no different than walking into a test at Winsor,” explains Suzy. “If you studied and you know your stuff, you’re going to come out with an A. Every interview, every game I ever did, I knew more than everybody else… I knew that if I were armed with the knowledge, I would have a successful game or a successful interview.”

Kris—who has encountered her fair share of naysayers over the years—knows self-doubt is a feeling that creeps in all the time for Winsor students, and she’s not immune, either. When she started in her role as chief, she admits, “I kept thinking, should I even be here? I hate that I even thought that,” she recalls. When she

BY JILL BROUSSARD

“I got to do all these really great things because a woman believed in me and pushed me.”

encounters people who tell her she can’t do something, or when she experiences self-doubt, she draws on her Winsor experience and remembers the resilience that Winsor instilled in her. Kris spent years on the sports field and in the classroom honing those critical skills. She explains, “The whole Winsor experience just instilled a confidence in me to know that no matter how tough times are, whenever you don’t feel you have confidence in yourself, that in reality, deep down inside, you really do.” She hopes that the next generation of Winsor students will remember that lesson in self confidence, too. “Just know you can do anything in life because

you have such a fundamentally solid and outstanding education.”

It’s telling that alumnae with experiences in vastly different fields—government, broadcasting, medicine—continue to draw on their Winsor education decades after graduation. These three alumnae are proof that a Winsor education lasts a lifetime.

The term education must be used holistically and inclusively because learning at Winsor happens everywhere. Yes, learning happens in classrooms and that learning is crucial; after all, Suzy still recalls daily what she learned in English classes. But learning also happens in unexpected

—SUZY SHUSTER ’90

places. Kris’s experience on the athletic fields still impacts her work in the operating room, and the nature of being a city school creates opportunity for students like Janel to go off campus and experience hands-on learning in the community. Every day the Winsor administrators, faculty, and coaches nurture the Winsor experience. In turn, students are called to amplify their learning beyond Pilgrim Road.

Winsor women are everywhere, in every sector, bringing their Winsor values with them to work, at home, and beyond. You don’t have to look very far to see the impact.

Kris Guleserian ’86, medical director of the Congenital Heart Surgery Program at Medical City Children’s Hospital in Dallas.

PHOTO

In honor of Winsor Leads—the most ambitious comprehensive campaign in Winsor’s history—this new section of the Bulletin highlights stories of extraordinary philanthropic leadership within our community. For the duration of the campaign, each issue of the Bulletin will feature a person or group whose meaningful contributions have propelled the campaign forward, showing how their dedication and vision are shaping the future of our school, and inspiring others to lead with purpose toward our shared goals.

A Legacy of Leadership: Remembering Joe O’Donnell

BY JOAN YENAWINE

At the heart of things. That’s where late Winsor Trustee Joe O’Donnell liked to be. From the moment he first walked through Winsor’s front door in 1988 Joe was all-in, dedicated to helping everyone else who walked through those doors “go for greatness,” whether they were a student, parent, administrator, or faculty member.

When Joe passed away in January of this year, the Winsor community mourned a deep loss, but also recognized the great gift of time, energy, and expertise that he had bestowed over the course of decades at the school.

“The Winsor community lost a dear friend,” says Head of School Sarah Pelmas. “Joe was a man whose love for this school was abiding and whose commitment to sustaining its excellence inspired those around him and changed the school forever.”

For more than 30 years, he served on Winsor’s Board of Trustees, leading transformational fundraising efforts and acting as a mentor and advisor for school leaders long after his own daughters had graduated.

And yet, for all of his notable accomplishments—in Boston’s business world as well as in his varied philanthropic efforts—anyone who knew Joe will tell you that he took the greatest satisfaction in being a family man, and in particular being a father to Kate O’Donnell ’05 and Casey O’Donnell Buckley ’07.

PARENT

Former Head of School Carolyn McClintock Peter worked closely with Joe in his role as trustee. While recognizing his decades of prominent service to the school on the board, she insists, “His primary connection [at

Winsor] was as a parent. He was on the sidelines. He was on the banks of the river when they were rowing.”

As many people know, Joe and Kathy O’Donnell’s first experience of parenting was with their son, Joey. He was born with cystic fibrosis, a disease that he courageously fought and eventually succumbed to at 12 years old.

Ms. Peter remembers, “Joe told me once that when Joey was young, he used to go and stand outside the playground, in an area sort of hidden by a tree, just to watch Joey playing at recess. I think he had a similar feeling about his girls. He wanted to see what they were doing, to be part of their lives in a way that was more than just taking them to school and picking them up.’”

“Everything that he did, he did with the perspective of being a dad first,” reflects daughter Casey. “That’s not to

say he became involved with Winsor just so that we had a good experience. He believed in the school and its leadership. But the two go hand in hand: He wouldn’t have sent us there unless he believed in it, and he wouldn’t have believed in it so much if he hadn’t sent us there.”

For some kids, having parents who were so involved in their school might be the last thing they’d want, but Casey appreciated how both her parents managed to strike a helpful balance.

“My parents were never overbearing, but they always got to know my teachers really well,” says Casey. “My dad was very behind the scenes, and my mom was very in front of the scene. She was always volunteering and making sure that there was somebody present on campus. The two of them did that really well.

I never felt embarrassed that they were around too much.”

“He was born to be a Girl Dad,” says daughter Kate. “The best thing about my dad was that he was so supportive in every single thing we ever did—it didn’t matter how ridiculous. He’d be like, ‘You’re an idiot, but I support you,’” she laughs.

To illustrate her point, Kate offers a story about the time she quit basketball—a sport Joe had coached her on for years—to become the goalie for Winsor’s hockey team.

“I had never played hockey in my life and I could barely skate,” says Kate. “Instead of making me feel terrible at this insane decision, he brought me home and after dinner, he proceeded to strap pillows all over my body. He gave me a baseball catcher’s mask, a glove, and a stick and just started pelting me with tennis

balls. That was my first goalie practice. He was just 100% behind it and came to every game. We ended up winning the championship, through no fault of mine,” she notes ruefully.

TRUSTEE

Joe became a leader at Winsor almost immediately after Kate’s acceptance, attending his first meeting before his daughter had gone to her first class. Joe stayed on the board for an additional 17 years after his daughters graduated.

Former trustee F. Warren McFarlan P’92 knew that Joe would be a valuable addition to the Winsor board.

“I knew Joe from his extraordinary caring and effective community philanthropic work before his Winsor involvement,” says Mr. McFarlan. “He was one of a kind. We recruited Joe

(l to r) Casey O’Donnell Buckley ’07, Joe O’Donnell, and Kate O’Donnell ’05

to the Development Committee of the board. To our infinite betterment, we never let him leave!”

Richard Lubin P’91, ’97, GP’26, also a former trustee, says that he learned from Joe’s contribution of leadership, insight, and perspective. “Joe’s ability to think big and his success in achieving his goals— which were sometimes stretch goals —have been guideposts for me in my institutional and philanthropic involvements. When you see somebody try something which is not going to be easily accomplished and they somehow achieve it, it gives you a lot of confidence. I would say Joe, more than anybody I’ve ever met, was the embodiment of that.”

1) (l to r) Kathy O’Donnell, Joe O’Donnell, former Head of School Rachel Friis Stettler, Richard Lubin, and Nancy Kurson Lubin;

2) (l to r) Richard Lubin and Joe O’Donnell

Jean Hynes P’16, ’18, ’18, ’21 also served on the board with Joe, where he not only encouraged her participation but showed by his own example how to accomplish ambitious goals by making small gains, consistently.

“When I joined the board of trustees, I gave my opinions right away. I remember Joe coming up to me and he said he just loved me jumping in right away like that, and highlighted that I should keep speaking up,” remembers Ms. Hynes. “I think the biggest lesson for me from Joe was how you help bring people along when there are ambitious goals. It’s not good enough to just have a vision. You have to execute along the way.”

On the other hand, trustee Sam Kennedy P’23, says that Joe recognized that leadership isn’t always about being the loudest voice in the room, or being in charge.

“[Joe and I] were definitely in the minority as men on the board. We had so much to learn about what it means to lead an all-girls school because it’s not in either of our backgrounds,” says Mr. Kennedy. “Joe was in the food and beverage and concessions business. I’ve been in the baseball business my whole life. So it was utterly absurd for us to opine on most matters at Winsor. I saw his role as chief cheerleader for the place. Many of us have tried to pick up that baton from him.”

MENTOR

Daughter Casey describes her father as “a dude. He was a guy’s guy.” However, his upbringing and his marriage prepared him to work well with strong women.

“I think that what he loved about Winsor is that there weren’t many men who were involved in the way that he was,” says Casey. “He was raised by a very loud, loving Italian woman who really ran their household. And he married a very alpha woman. So he loved Winsor women. He knew how to talk to them. They didn’t want to be told what to do by a man. He was able to give advice in a way that wasn’t

3) Joe and Kate O’Donnell; 4) Joe O’Donnell; 5) Joe and Kathy O’Donnell

authoritarian and he really took an interest in each person.”

The O’Donnell sisters often heard and saw how their father not only took an interest and asked people about their goals and dreams, he listened carefully to their answers. When possible, he took steps to help them achieve their ambitions.

Kate remembers a story about Joe speaking with a new athletic director at Winsor, Karen Geromini, who is now chief operating officer for the school.

“At that time, we just had the fields and we had a tennis court before it was the park and quad,” says Kate. “She was sitting out there with my dad, and he asked, ‘What do you want to do with this? What’s your dream?’ She said, ‘Well, if it were up to me, I would turf all these fields and rent them out to schools in the area and use that money to subsidize the school’s operational costs.’ He thought it was a great idea. Ten years later, we changed all the fields and the parking lot and we rented them out. It’s kind of just like a perfect example of how he was a guy who asked about your dreams and got stuff done.”

Nancy Gardiner P’04, ’09, former president of the board of trustees, says she used what she learned from Joe in her career as well as in her volunteer leadership roles.

“Joe modeled the work that goes into leadership, that it’s all about relationships, that you need to have conversations, and they don’t all take place in the formal setting of a board meeting,” says Ms. Gardiner. “Many of them take place at other times, and that’s not to say behind closed doors. They’re inclusive. You talk to everyone,

you make sure that everybody comes prepared and informed. I learned that from Joe.”

PHILANTHROPIST AND FUNDRAISER

Joe arrived at Winsor as a seasoned and successful fundraiser. He and Kathy had made meaning from the loss of their son by creating the Joey Fund, raising over $500 million for research that has resulted in medical breakthroughs and effective new drugs that have greatly improved l ife expectancies for people with cystic fibrosis.

Allison Kaneb Pellegrino ’89, P’21, ’22, president of the Winsor Corporation, saw Joe as a seminal figure on the board who ushered in a new era of philanthropy. “Joe’s influence and impact on this school was so special because he insisted that we reframe our thinking about philanthropy at Winsor,” says Allison. “He pushed us to be unapologetic about asking for support for the girls. The way he not only asked us, but pushed us to start thinking about fundraising was nothing short of transformational.”

“Joe became the leadership voice on the board in persuading everyone of the critical need for giving,” said former Head of School Rachel Friis Stettler. “He continued this leadership through two major campaigns, each one historic and successful, and into the inception of the current Winsor Leads Campaign. An essential part of that leadership was also by example, through the O’Donnell family’s game-changing contributions. It was very hard to say no to him when he asked people to join him in supporting Winsor.”

Supporting any effort that Joe was involved in just made good business sense. No matter what he took on, odds were, he was going to make it a success. “He was also an entrepreneur,” says Michael Cronin P’07. “People were supporting him with full confidence that he could get these things done. A lot of the risks that mere mortals could be concerned with, Joe just already had them all figured out.”

Joe worked with three heads of school at Winsor, and each says that his support of their role and his leadership helped make the school what it is today.

As Ms. Pelmas puts it, “To say he was instrumental in the evolution of the school is to vastly understate the obvious—his name graces the largest building on campus and the endowed

(l

to r) Head of School Sarah Pelmas, Joe O’Donnell, and President of the Winsor Corporation Allison K. Pellegrino

chair that I hold. But his impact extends far beyond his philanthropic support of the school.”

Former trustee Ms. Hynes co-chaired the Winsor Promise campaign along with Joe, an effort that resulted in $82.2 million in gifts and pledges. This investment helped to build transformative new facilities including the Lubin-O’Donnell Center, and also contributed more than $25 million in core support of the endowment and annual giving.

“I think that was the inspiring message,” says Ms. Hynes. “It wasn’t about the sports building. It wasn’t about a theater. It was about creating a physical place as well as an academic program, to modernize and continue the strong legacy of graduating young

female leaders, who can have a major impact on the world.”

DREAMER

“My dad said he helped people because it felt good,” says Kate.

“He was helped a lot when he was younger and he always told me the most important thing you can do is pay it forward.”

Joe followed his own advice every day, urging the board to dream big, and continuing to lead and fundraise on behalf of the school even when he wasn’t feeling well.

Allison Pellegrino and Joe often went to meet Winsor supporters together. “I guess I knew that he wasn’t 100% because I offered to pick him up…Normally he’d be like, ‘What are

you talking about? I’ll meet you there, I’m fine,’” recalls Ms. Pellegrino.

“But I picked him up. That was the last ‘ask’ we made together, and even though he wasn’t feeling well, it mattered to him to speak with this family directly, himself. He pushed himself. He was tremendously generous not just with his money, but with his time and his expertise.”

The objectives of the Winsor Leads campaign—ensuring that the school is accessible and equitable for students regardless of financial need, and supporting competitive salaries for Winsor’s faculty—were priorities that Joe believed in.

“I think his biggest hope for Winsor was that every student who should attend Winsor—who has the smarts or the talent or the creativity or whatever it is that brings Winsor into their periphery—he wanted it to be attainable for them,” says Kate. “He wanted it to continue to be the top girls’ school in the country.”

As the campaign continues to grow and build momentum, the future of the school and the Winsor community is on an upward trajectory that Joe helped to create.

“Joe’s legacy at Winsor is extraordinary, and those of us lucky enough to be here every day get to see his name and be so very grateful for his dedication, generosity, and love,” says Ms. Pelmas. “More significantly, however, he has changed this school for those who are not yet part of the Winsor community, whose lives will be richer because of his profound commitment to the school.”

As Joe himself said, “Winsor is forever.”

Celebrating the Class of 2024

Proud parents and honored guests gathered in the Winsor courtyard for the annual commencement ceremony. Dressed in white and bearing a single red rose, seniors reminisced about their years on campus and celebrated their final moments as students on Pilgrim Road. With leather-bound diplomas in hand, students and families acknowledged this milestone achievement with cheers and happy tears.

It’s the Journey, Not the Destination

In a soaring tent, Head of School Sarah Pelmas welcomed the community to the 130th Winsor Commencement, honoring the 66 seniors of the Class of 2024. “Over the past several years, they have been true leaders who have shown all of us how to find silver linings and celebrate one another,” said Ms. Pelmas. “They have led the school with energy, creativity, and the trademark Winsor generosity.”

Eva LaFond ’24 offered advice to the class, reading from Dr. Seuss’s Oh, The Places You’ll Go! before the Upper School choir, Illumina, sang “Blessing” by Katie Moran Bart, causing tears throughout the crowd.

Emphasizing the importance of groups of women, President of the Winsor School Corporation Allison Kaneb Pellegrino ’89, P’21, ’22 welcomed the Class of 2024 to the Winsor Alumnae Association,

which she likened to a safety net. She told seniors, “today you’re graduating but becoming a part of something much larger.”

The Intermediate and Advanced Rock On students led Classes I through VIII in singing “Vienna” by Billy Joel. With lyrics like “You got your passion, you got your pride / But don’t you know that only fools are satisfied,” it was a fitting song for seniors embarking on their next chapter.

Ms. Pelmas shared, “This is a bittersweet moment for me because I arrived here with those of you who started in Class I. We have all basically grown up together, and so you have a very special place in my heart because of that.”

Recalling the senior theme “rock ’n’ roll,” Ms. Pelmas urged the seniors to make a playlist to lift them up when the troubles of the world threaten to overwhelm. “You want

your playlist…to pick you up and set you back on your feet. But it’s also a reminder that happiness is so very important; upbeat songs—songs that make you glad to be alive—need to be part of your everyday experience. And it’s ok to seek out happiness and joy, to celebrate and delight in things, even when times are bad,” she explained.

“[With] your diversity of personalities, backgrounds, opinions, lived experiences, and values, you have enriched one another and the entire school,” Ms. Pelmas added, “Whatever comes your way from here, you are already, without question, rockstars, people whose voices and vision will indeed make the world a better place. And we are proud of you.”

After the tent sang “Jerusalem” by C. Hubert Parry, student speaker Desiree Winston-Johnson ’24 took the stage. She shared, “My peers are

some of the brightest, most talented, focused, driven, and inspiring people that I’ll ever meet. But they are also kind-hearted, empathetic, supportive, uplifting, confident people who will stand up and fight for what is right. I genuinely believe you guys will make the world a better place in this lifetime, and we’ve really already begun, from solar panels installed on the roof to eco-friendly thrift businesses and everything in between.”

Desiree shared that “every day warm embraces and compliments are just handed out like Halloween candy… Giving someone a compliment is like a chain reaction. At Winsor, you will get a compliment and pass it on.” She added, “A single compliment a day goes so very far, and in seven years, you guys have loaded me up with enough confidence and love to instill it in me permanently,

and I will never forget it, long after we leave here today. I will never stop giving out love because of the Class of ’24.”

Senior Small, performing for the last time, sang a cover of “Cover Me in Sunshine” by Maureen McDonald and Amy Allen. “Shower me with good times…and everything will be alright,” they crooned.

Feminist, ethicist, psychologist, and this year’s commencement speaker Carol Gilligan shared stories about rejection and self confidence from her life. “Trust yourself and stick to your guns,” she said to students, adding, “To have a voice on your own terms is a battle worth fighting.”

Dr. Gilligan believes in the power of curiosity. “Notice what happens when you replace judgment with curiosity,” she told the tent. She encouraged students to “develop the muscle of curiosity.”

Giving “credit to the exceptional teachers who taught me what I know and [how to] find a way to say it,” Dr. Gilligan told graduates, “There is nothing more needed than a fresh perspective. Be the generation who cares…because this world is so desperately in need of your care.”

Relationships are key, she told students, “Don’t do it alone, find the people who will be with you.”

In closing, she played on the senior theme and told the Class of 2024, “May you continue to rock and roll, to sing it out loud, and to have fun.”

Ms. Pelmas, Head of Upper School Kimberly Ramos, and Class VIII Dean Shannon CalamariKirwan then conferred the diplomas and wished congratulations to the Class of 2024! W

First Row (l to r) Catherine Kreig, Sofia Robinson, Jessica Wu, Diya Dronavadhyala, Desiree Winston-Johnson, Gwendolyn Duda, Hannah Mu, Ainsley Wang, Aimy Huynh, Niko Matsuzaka, Yuyuan Huang, Grace Destefano, Anna Fisher, Danah Ansari, Veronica Romero-Rivera, Lucie Rynne, Sofia Grabiel Butler, Evangeline LaFond

Second Row (l to r) Sophia Wang, Talya Le, Keilana Godhwani, Abigail Stephenson, Mina Subramanian, Caroline Eielson, Ryan Fantasia, Shannon Calamari-Kirwan, Sarah Pelmas, Kimberly Ramos, Valentina Lara, Avery Harrison, Ariana Rowe, Camille Eckert, Jaya Kolluri, Prudence Sullivan, Gricelda Castro

Third Row (l to r) Gwendolyn Castro, Hillary Browne, Audrey Wang, Suzanne Pogorelec, Aelin McKechnie, Zoe Vittori-Koch, Caroline Bae, Paige Whalen, Veronica Agudelo, Jaire May, Skylar Goldstein, Ciara Leonard, Emeline Daley, Stella MacLean, Karla Sahin, Vanessa Paige, Sylvia Jenkins, Laura Massimo

Back Row (l to r) Bonnie Li, Sophia Lichterfeld, Beatrix Picotte, Gia Bharadwaj, Sophie Lim, Natasha Dalziel, Aoife Beswick, Natalie Cooper, Alyssa Quarles, Madison Glynn, Mae Myers, Alicia Wu, Audrey Copeman, Meg Madison, Calista Nelson, Aiko Dable

“My peers are some of the brightest, most talented, focused, driven, and inspiring people that I’ll ever meet. But they are also kind-hearted, empathetic, supportive, uplifting, confident people who will stand up and fight for what is right.”

DESIREE

WINSTON-JOHNSON ’24

2023–24

PRIZE WINNERS

The Cross Country Cup

Gracie Zhou ’26

The Field Hockey Cup

Ariana Rowe ’24

The Soccer Cup

Sophia Fleishman ’25

The Volleyball Cup

Karla Sahin ’24

The Ice Hockey Cup

Katherine Danik ’25

The Squash Cup

Mina Subramanian ’24

The Swimming Cup

Bonnie Li ’24

The Basketball Cup

Nell Sparks ’25

The Crew Cup

Sylvia Jenkins ’24

The Lacrosse Cup

Katherine Perkins ’26

The Sailing Cup

Danah Ansari ’24

The Softball Cup

Gricelda Castro-Cacho ’24

The Tennis Cup

Suzanne Pogorelec ’24

The Track and Field Cup

Meg Madison ’24

The Bremer Athletic Prize

Nell Sparks ’25

The Class of 1972 Prize

Suzanne Pogorelec ’24

The Nancy Shelmerdine ’72 Memorial Prize

Nell Sparks ’25

The Linda Alles ’71 Memorial Award

Madeline Cheng ’25

The Ann Nowell Kramer ’48

Drama Prize

Sofia Grabiel Butler ’24

The Brooks Parkman Woodard ’48 Memorial Prize

Natalie Cooper ’24

The Peggy Stuart-Coolidge ’32

Memorial Music Prize

Talya Le ’24

Brooks Prize for Poetry

Reading in Class IV

Isabella Nguyen ’28

The Clare Cutler ’62 Memorial Prize for Excellence in the Dramatic Arts — Acting

Sirine Ansari ’28

The Clare Cutler ’62 Memorial Prize for Excellence in the Dramatic Arts — Tech

Cody Villanueva ’28

Brooks Prize for Poetry

Reading in Class V

Sienna McCabe ’27

The Annie Lawrie Fabens Crozier ’47 Memorial Prize for English

Evangeline LaFond ’24

The Ruth Sabine 1924 Prize for Writing

Mina Feldman ’25

The Adele Bockstedt

Spanish Prize

Suzanne Pogorelec ’24

The Frances Cabot Putnam 1915 French Prize Nidhi Mallavarapu ’25

The Nora Saltonstall 1911 Memorial Scholarship

Nell Sparks ’25

The Ruth S. Thayer Prize for Excellence in Latin Anna Yang ’26

The World Languages Department Prize for Excellence in Mandarin

Hannah Mu ’24

The Madras Science Prize Karla Sahin ’24

The Richard P. Binzel Prize for Excellence in Physics Bonnie Li ’24

The Mathematics Prize Sophia Lichterfeld ’24

The Frances Dorwin Dugan History Prize

Sophia Lichterfeld ’24

The Class of 2002 Award Ummah Jew Kidz on the Block

The Hemenway Prize for Speaking Danah Ansari ’24

The Class of 1994 Leadership Prize

Caroline Bae ’24

The Nina Cies ’68 Memorial Award

Evangeline LaFond ’24

The Virginia Wing Outstanding Teacher Award

David Griffin

A Tree Grows in Boston

Since graduation, Ngoc-Tran Vu ’06 has returned to Winsor numerous times to share her story and her art. Headlining an all-school assembly in September, Ngoc-Tran unveiled a community art project years in the making—1975: A Vietnamese Diaspora Memorial. Her proposed design— a sturdy bronze tree with far-reaching branches and a canopy of conical hats—is grounded in Vietnamese heritage and cultural resilience and inspired by listening sessions and community meetings. The intentional process of getting community buy-in takes effort. “A lot of public art is a rubber-stamp process, but the root of this work is collaborative,” she said. For Ngoc-Tran, it was crucial to honor and preserve the memories of the waves of Vietnamese refugees and diaspora by engaging the local community and providing spaces for intergenerational remembering, healing, and reflecting. “Memorials should be living spaces,” said NgocTran, who hopes her design will invite conversation and foster a sense of belonging. She and her team are still working to secure the land, permits, and funds to move forward with the permanent installation in Dorchester. Despite the many moving parts, Ngoc-Tran is hopeful and determined. As she told Winsor students, “Even if it might not pan out right away, move towards your goals, be experimental, follow your passion, and keep at it.”

Alumnae Board 2024–25

PRESIDENT

Ashley Marlenga Herbst ’01

VICE PRESIDENT

Meghan Weeks ’04

SECRETARY

Armine Afeyan ’08

MEMBERS AT LARGE

Fatima Aziz ’06

Holly Breuer ’14, Co-Chair, Young Alumnae Committee

Alison Geyer ’75

Elizabeth Flint Hooker ’95

Jennifer Inker ’83, P’26

Danielle Johns ’05

Katherine McCord ’02, Co-Chair, Alumnae Giving

Johanna Mendillo ’96

Nell O’Donnell ’81

Ambika Patni ’98

Elizabeth-Anne Finn Payne ’94

Sarah Marlenga Powers ’05

Mary Noonan Quirk ’05

Lacey Janet Rose ’06

Jennifer Slingerland Skeele ’71, P’98, ’02

Robin Smith ’74

Elizabeth Tillman ’83

Alexis Hasiotis Wintersteen ’91

Claire Wiseman ’83

EX-OFFICIO

DIRECTOR OF ENGAGEMENT AND EVENTS

Rebecca Withiam

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ALUMNAE ENGAGEMENT

Myriam Poznar

PAST PRESIDENT

Erica Mayer ’91, P’25

CO-CHAIR, ALUMNAE GIVING

Caitlin Crowe ’89

CO-CHAIR, ALUMNAE GIVING

Julia Livingston ’66, P’85, ’07

CO-CHAIR, YOUNG ALUMNAE COMMITTEE

Anushree Gupta ’13

ANNUAL ALUMNAE AWARDS HONOR GRADUATES FROM ’83 AND ’87

Each year at Alumnae Weekend we celebrate alums who have made meaningful contributions at Winsor and beyond with special awards.

This year’s Alumnae Service Award—presented to a volunteer who has given sustained and significant service through involvement in either reunion planning, fundraising, Alumnae Board work, or general service to the school— was presented to Miwa Watkins ’83. Described as a constant advocate and ambassador for Winsor, Miwa is known for her passionate loyalty to the school. She has served on the Alumnae Board as secretary and nomination committee chair, conceived the highly popular Alum Career Series, was the driving force behind reintroducing Winsor’s Alumnae Book Club, and much more. Always with a clear focus on what is best for Winsor, Miwa is a trusted advisor, counselor, sounding board, and advocate.

The Julia Lyman Simonds Distinguished Alumna Award, given in loving memory of Julia Lyman Simonds, Class of 1917 by her Winsor daughters and granddaughter, is presented annually to an alumna who displays dedication and service in her volunteer or professional endeavors, and who shows sustained interest in support of Winsor and the Alumnae Association.

This year’s recipient, Elizabeth Samet ’87, has taught at West Point for the last 27 years. She describes her role as a “sort of bridge, translating military culture to the larger community, and, especially during times of war, supporting students and colleagues who are deployed to various places.”

She teaches literature to cadets, and mentors young faculty members who return from service to teach the next generation. Often the only woman in the room, Elizabeth brings a unique perspective to her students and colleagues, helping to foster a more equitable and inclusive environment at a predominantly male school.

Congratulations to these remarkable alums who contribute their time and talents to enhance their communities through leadership and passion for service.

OVERHEARD

“I really enjoyed attending the Alum Volunteer Dinner and Reunion Kickoff this October. I’m not in a reunion year but I got to connect with a classmate over dinner and I loved looking at old photographs of our class and remembering what the school was like back then.”

—ALEXANDRA MCPEEK ’83

LEADING THROUGH SERVICE:

WINSOR ALUMS ON BOARD LEADERSHIP AND VOLUNTEERING

The Winsor Alum Career Series is an ongoing virtual program put on by the Winsor Alumnae Board.

In a recent Winsor Alum Career Series panel, Winsor alums gathered virtually to discuss the value of board service and volunteering, offering insights on how to navigate the challenges and rewards of leadership in both nonprofit and corporate settings. Moderated by Armine Afeyan ’08, the conversation explored personal experiences, the impact of diversity in decision-making, and actionable steps for fellow alums interested in joining boards.

Panelists from a wide range of backgrounds shared how their board service has shaped both their careers and personal lives. “Serving on a board isn’t just about offering skills,” said Clare Hawthorne ’02, senior director of product and engineering operations at Oscar Health and a junior board member of Harlem Academy. “It’s about learning, growing, and building relationships while giving back to causes that resonate with you.”

A central theme of the discussion was the importance of diverse voices on boards, especially in the decisionmaking process. Elizabeth Bennett Carroll ’89, a class dean and environmental science teacher at Roxbury Latin who sits on the boards of both Winsor and the Acadia Center, shared, “Diversity in thought and background leads to more effective decision-making. Bringing different perspectives to the table fosters creativity and more collaborative solutions.”

While board service can often come with financial expectations, the panelists emphasized that organizations

value contributions beyond donations. “You don’t have to be the largest donor to make an impact,” said Abby Ackerman ’86, a former member of the Winsor Alumnae Board and the Vincent Club Board. “If you have a unique skill set or a different perspective, that can be just as valuable as a financial gift. Your presence and participation matter.”

The panelists also discussed the practical aspects of serving on a board, including how to balance professional and personal commitments. “The key is to be transparent about your capacity,” Clare advised. “As my life circumstances changed, so did my level of involvement, but I stayed committed by contributing in new ways.”

Danielle Waldman ’10, who sits on four corporate boards as part of her work in growth equity, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of resilience and finding one’s voice. “In many cases, you’ll be the only woman on a board,” she shared. “But don’t let that intimidate you. Trust that your perspective brings value, and be patient as you prove your worth. Sometimes just showing up, listening, and then stepping in with thoughtful input makes all the difference.”

The conversation wrapped up with actionable advice for those considering board service. Margaret Joy Weaver ’73, who has served on numerous nonprofit boards, encouraged the audience to “immerse yourself in the community you serve. Whether it’s a geographical community or a mission-driven one, being deeply connected helps you make a lasting impact.”

For Winsor alums, board service is not only a way to give back but also an avenue for leadership and growth. As Clare noted, “You probably have more to contribute than you think—don’t be afraid to step up and get involved.”

Armine Afeyan ’08

Clare Hawthorne ’02

Elizabeth Bennett Carroll ’89

Abby Casner Ackerman ’86

Danielle Waldman ’10

Margaret Joy Weaver ’73

1949

Susan Conant Holden

Barbara Smith Metcalf ’49 invited my daughter, Susannah, and me to luncheon at the Essex County Club in Manchester by the Sea. We had a delightful time reminiscing about Winsor and how much it meant to us. We were saddened by the passing of Jody Swan Blagden ’49 on September 2nd. Jody always joined us for luncheon. Barbara says that Winsor was a wonderful experience and that she was well prepared for college. I arrived at Winsor after two years in a boarding school in Deerfield. I was ecstatic to be there. My learning skills were not the best, but Winsor soon taught me how to study and to keep up with the classes. I loved French and Latin and all the many activities Winsor had to offer. I do not think we were lucky enough to go to on the tours to Boston. I was taught how to take notes and write accurate reports. As a result of this, I became the Recording Secretary in many of the Patriotic Societies to which I belong, sometimes as many as three at one time. During Zoom that became a challenge. Winsor is a college preparatory school and I applied to many colleges. One day, Miss Dugan asked me where I really wanted to go. I replied, “Children’s Hospital,” and that is where I went. Winsor continues to be an amazing school, anyone would be very fortunate to go there.

(l to r) Susan Conant Holden ’49 and Barbara Smith Metcalf ’49

1953

Natascha Simpkins Halpert

A new great grandchild is expected in December, right around Christmas, bringing the total to six. What joy to all. I continue my blog on Word Press. It can be accessed at http://tashasperspective.com, and on Facebook. Parkinson’s has slowed me down, however I soldier on.

Wonderful new life lessons keep me on my toes, so to speak. I still drive locally and am active in a Zoom poetry group as well as publishing

my poetry in the newsletter where I have for many years. Best of all, my beloved husband and I have dear friends and family we are most grateful for and see frequently.

1958

Nancy Strange Maitland

Three old friends from the Class of 1958 go sightseeing on the Isle of Wight. Nancy Maitland, Pattie Sullivan, Sally Hinkle. Miss Jenckes and Miss Roelker would be proud of us.

Natascha Simpkins Halpert ’53

Class of ’58 friends Nancy Maitland, Pattie Sullivan, and Sally Hinkle

NEWSMAKER: ALEXANDRA MITROPOULOS ’08

Confidence in Action

The grit, mental toughness, and confidence that was instilled in Alexandra Mitropoulos ’08 at Winsor still guides her as an attorney and is what led her to seek out participation in the Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts (WBA) back in 2018. At the organization’s annual spring meeting, it appointed and welcomed Alexandra as its 2024–2025 president.

“There’s not a single day that goes by, both as an attorney and as president of the [WBA], where I do not draw from the leadership skills and deep confidence in myself that was ingrained in me by Winsor,” said Alexandra of her recent appointment. “Winsor is also the place where I first understood that women helping other women and lifting each other up is how real progress can be made; that when glass ceilings get broken, we also have to run a ladder down for the rest to come up; and that no one, ever, should make you feel small or like you need to dull your shine because they can’t handle your star power.”

Alexandra is senior counsel at Boston-based Hirsch Roberts Weinstein LLP and deputy general counsel at Berklee College of Music. She primarily represents and works with colleges and universities on a variety of

matters, including litigation, investigations, and general counseling work. Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly named her an “Up and Coming Lawyer” in 2023.

The WBA was founded in 1978 to promote and foster the representation of women in the legal profession.

Alexandra said she is thrilled to lead an organization whose “common goal of achieving the full and equal participation of women in every aspect of society” continues to be the highest goal in a climate where women’s rights continue to be challenged.

“With another critical election looming in November and continued attacks on the reproductive rights of women emerging daily from state legislatures all the way up to the Supreme Court, the WBA’s commitment to advancing the rights of women in a just society is as vital as ever,” she said in a post on LinkedIn following her appointment.

In addition to her WBA activities, Alexandra is also an active member of the Boston Bar Association’s College & University Steering Committee, the National Association of College and University Attorneys— including serving for the past eight years on their annual conference planning committee—and the newly founded Arab American Bar Association of Massachusetts.

Photo Hirsch Roberts Weinstein

Alexandra Mitropoulos ’08 speaking at the Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts annual gala

NEWSMAKER: ABI JACKSON ’99

Building Belonging, Together

Retreating into the collective slump of the pandemic was just not on the menu for Abi Jackson ’99. Along with a network of others in the professional women’s lacrosse network, Abi sought to organize, identify, and address the issues facing minority players.

“2020 was a brutal year for everyone; a lot of traumatic things were happening,” Abi wrote in a post on Athletes Unlimited, a network of professional adult sports leagues that is challenging old models. “It was easy to fully retreat into a sad solitude of acceptance: this is the way things are and there’s nothing I can do, best to just wait it out.”

Abi, the director of sport for lacrosse at Athletes Unlimited, chose the alternative. She collaborated with her network, and several initiatives were born that eventually became the Multiracial Students Leadership Academy. The purpose of this program was to create a space where minority women’s lacrosse players could come together, converse, take advantage of resources, and find support and mentorship, according to Abi.

The academy collected articles on key issues like imposter syndrome, the effects of microaggressions, systemic racism, and cultural competency, and developed a curriculum.

“We engaged prominent women of color from in and around the world of lacrosse and athletics at large to engage with our athletes in an intimate setting. We sourced a group of multiracial college coaches as facilitators to guide discussions and provide assistance to athletes in processing the materials,” said Abi.

Over the last three years, the program has grown to 70 participants across a wide swath of divisions of the NCAA, as well as the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Progress was immediately felt when Abi logged into a recent Zoom meeting of the academy.

“Never have I logged onto a Zoom call—never mind walked into a room—to find faces that resembled mine looking back at me. I wanted to cry with joy, a reaction I was not expecting and was totally unprepared for,” said Abi. “You never know what you might be missing until you find it. I was missing community, a sense of belonging, and relatability, but didn’t know it until right then on that Zoom call.”

Abi hopes to facilitate similar moments for other women’s lacrosse student-athletes of color as the academy progresses and grows.

Photo by USA Lacrosse , July 1, 2024

1960

Eleanor Canham Shanley

Hello! Hoping to see some of you on the 16th—will be in Wareham for a week, visiting my brother there and my oldest daughter in Charlestown. Am working on taking my health into my own hands: yesterday I had trainer at 8, chiropractor at 9:15 (a new effort) and an hour Zoom with nutritionist. Then I settled in with a book, a dog and a cat and enjoyed the gentle and long overdue rain. That’s pretty much what the last year has been like, with much less fly-fishing and weeding, and more pruning and aimless wandering with my dog. Love it. Love to you all, Maudie.

1964

Cornelia Pratt

Happy to be living my best life here in Northern California at a senior community that feels just like being in college, except half the people are in walkers, and none of us can find a direct object to save our lives. I have a garden, and swim three days a week, which I love, and my youngest son lives only an hour away,

so I see those two grandchildren, ALMOST as often as I would like. I’m still directing my beloved nonprofit project, Young Performers International, and you can find it on Facebook or check out our website at www.youngperformersinternational. org. Come see me if you are nearby!

1969

Hallie Stephenson Lee

Great to see Winsor Alumnae at the Cape Cod Summer Cocktail Party on August 8, 2024, hosted by Nancy Place, mother of recent graduate Rachel Place ’20, in Osterville, MA.

1973

Jo-Anne Reavis Hurlston

This year has been eventful! On February 7th I was blessed to add another grandchild to my life, Lilith. On July 29th, the dream of an 11-year-old was finally realized, I successfully defended my dissertation and am officially a Doctor of Education/EdD. There are still 3 months left in this year, let’s see what else uplifting can happen.

2006

Curry Wilson

I married John Cocke on September 28th in Portland, Maine in a small ceremony with family and friends. Fellow Winsor alum, Emily Swaim Ranaghan ’05 was my Matron of Honor —from the Winsor Ring to the Wedding Ring!

Cornelia Pratt

front row (l to r) Rachel Place ’20 and Hallie Stephenson Lee ’69; back row (l to r) Squeakie Thompson ’72, Victoria (Vicky) Thaler Cabot ’83, and Angie Bainbridge Simonds ’66

Jo-Anne Reavis Hurlston’s ’73 grandchild, Lilith

Eleanor Canham Shanley ’60 in NYC for her birthday with her three daughters

NEWSMAKER: CHLOE CHAO ’23

Bridging Voices

While in East Asia for the first time this past May, Chloe Chao ’23 learned that music is a universal language that can transcend all language barriers—and that robots can dance.

Chloe was among a group of 14 singers to perform with the storied a cappella group from Harvard University, the Radcliffe Pitches.

“It was such a blast to get to perform in Taiwan,” said Chloe, who has familial roots in Taiwan and connected with relatives while on her trip. “This trip was fully funded through the earnings that the Pitches made from gigs and other performances the past year. I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to travel and sing with them. I’ve met some of my best friends through this group and absolutely love the community.”

Chloe said the group arranged and performed two popular Mandarin songs: “Jasmine Flower” and “The Moon Represents My Heart.” In a performance called “Bridging Voices,” they had the chance to collaborate with singers from an a cappella group at Taipei Tech University, and were invited by the Pulou Science and Technology Culture and Arts Foundation to perform. The group has performed around the world, but this was the first time they had the chance to sing in Taiwan.

As the group sang in Mandarin, the university brought in a robotic dog named “Spot.” Programmed to dance to the music, Spot immediately became the star of the show.

“This definitely had a comedic effect, especially during the mellow and sentimental songs when Spot started doing what I can only describe as contemporary dance–adjacent moves,” Chloe recalled.

The tour also included trips to Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, and London, as well as the chance to conduct workshops with elementary-age children in Taiwan.

The Radcliffe Pitches was founded in 1975 and has performed at events including the 1993 inauguration of U.S. President Bill Clinton and the Hasty Pudding Man of the Year Ceremony. The group currently consists of 14 Harvard University students.

Chloe is a sophomore at Harvard studying biology and environmental science.

2009

Alyssa Thomas

Hi everyone, I’m excited to share a few updates! I got married on 9/7/24 to Max Friedman, with Urboshi Pal ’09 and Toby Israel ’09 by my side! I’ve been back in Boston finishing up my fellowship training in neonatology and now work as an attending at the Brigham & Women’s Hospital NICU.

Photo:

MARRIAGES

2009

Alyssa Thomas

Max Friedman

September 7, 2024

2006

Curry Wilson

John Cocke

September 28, 2024

IN MEMORIAM

1947

Elizabeth Perry Ball

1949

Josephine Swan Blagden

1959

Nathalie Hubbard Bramson

1948

Edith LaCroix Dabney 1952

Nancy Dodson 1954

Alice Williams Doherty

1948

Cynthia Gruener Fisher Jones

1950

Mary Gould Warren Foster 1957

Elizabeth Flather Haddad

1953

Jean Burch Harrison

1956

Ann Gannett Hurlbut

1954

Anne Kennard Ryan 1945

Margaret Santry

1985

Alissa Spielberg

1960

Evelyn Stockton Stewart

Winsor Leads Launch Is One for the History Books

On May 2, 2024, Winsor launched the Winsor Leads Campaign with a community-wide event and cocktail party. Over 400 alumnae, current parents, past parents, faculty, and staff enjoyed a festive atmosphere in a tent under the stars.

A spirited performance by the Winsor Dance Team preceded remarks by Winsor Trustee and Campaign Co-Chair Mallika Marshall P’27. “Through my career, I have realized how deeply important it is to uplift girls and women. And a transformative education like Winsor’s is a catalyst for the empowerment of girls and women,” she said. Winsor Trustee and Campaign Co-Chair Sam Kennedy P’23 added, “Students here are encouraged to pick up a sport they’ve never tried, play in a rock band without ever having played an instrument, and develop grit, tenacity, and self-belief.”

Winsor’s Upper School choir, Illumina, then sang “Gloria” by Gyorgy Orban. Winsor Trustee and Campaign Co-Chair Perry Traquina P’09, ’13 explained, “My wife, Robin, and I believe deeply in the importance of the Winsor educational experience and the importance of expanding the ability of families to access this opportunity.” He shared a personal story, “My parents immigrated to this country and never had the benefit of formal education. But they believed in the power and value of education, and the only way I was able to access the opportunity to go to college was through a financial aid scholarship.”

The most ambitious campaign in the school’s history, the Winsor Leads Campaign establishes philanthropic priorities through faculty support and student accessibility that will ensure a Winsor education for future generations. Winsor alumna and President of the Winsor Corporation Allison Kaneb Pellegrino ’89, P’21, ’22 told the crowd, “Your commitments today will secure the school in perpetuity, and will ensure that our faculty and students are supported every day, forever.”

The final student performance was by Advanced Rock On, the music elective designed for experienced instrumental and vocal musicians to hone their skills into a top-level band. The performance included songs such as “Life Is a Highway” by Tom Cochrane (1991) and “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Freddie Mercury (1975), with back-up vocals by Illumina.

“Winsor is preparing bold, courageous, extraordinary girls and students. And the world needs more of them,” said Head of School and O’Donnell Family Chair Sarah Pelmas, closing the speaking portion of the evening. “Our $100 million Winsor Leads goal is critical for securing this unmatched school for future generations. These funds will guarantee an endowment that can support our students and faculty…forever.”

The energy carried into the night as guests spoke animatedly about the campaign. The Winsor Leads Campaign launch was a night to remember, in honor of a campaign that will secure the future of Winsor for generations to come.

ALUMNAE WEEKEND

Alumnae Return to Winsor

A yearly tradition that brings together graduates of all ages, Alumnae Weekend offers attendees a hefty dose of camaraderie, connection, continuing education, and Winsor pride in a fun-filled 24-hour package.

Following an afternoon of programming, reunioning classes posed for pictures during cocktail hour before filtering into the dining room for dinner.

Alumnae Return Home to Winsor

Each May, Alumnae Weekend draws Winsor alums from near and far to bask in the collective joy and nostalgia that comes from reconnecting with dear friends and beloved faculty, sharing memories of their time at Winsor and updates on all that has happened since they left Pilgrim Road. This year was no exception, and featured opportunities for alums to engage meaningfully with each other, honor peers with awards, and return to the classroom to be Winsor students once again.

On-campus activities stretched across a full day, kicked off by a delightful lunch where Silvia Spring ’99 shared insights with fellow alums. Speaking of the challenges she encountered after graduation, she noted, “For many years, in college and afterward, when I described

where I went to high school, I’d say, ‘I went to this really small allgirls school in Boston.’ Almost like it was an apology, like, ‘Sorry I’m used to this very small, supportive oasis, with small classes and gooey brownies and tetherball, that made me feel very special, and so the real world is hard.’” She spoke of seeking out and cultivating those special environments where deep connections among women are formed, and remembers her parents referring to her finding her place in college among a group of hardworking, supportive women as “finding her Winsor.”

And while she holds dear the memories of former English Faculty Jennie Skeele’s ’71, P’98, ’02 Innocence and Experience class, as well as all she learned about field hockey from former Athletics Faculty Laura Gregory, she shared,

“Most important—more important than the sports or the reading—the thing that makes me feel most me, most myself, most supported and affirmed, is being with the friends I made here at Winsor.”

Lunch continued with the conferral of the Alumnae Service Award to Miwa Watkins ’83 for her many years of significant service to Winsor as a volunteer.

Lunch was followed by laughter and learning, with three faculty members offering classes for the alums to enjoy. Some chose to sing and dance with former Performing Arts Faculty Lisa Taillacq, others spent the time with Visual Arts Faculty Emily Valenza, creating vibrant paper kites to be included a community-wide art project, and the rest dove into history, exploring Aquinas with former History Faculty Helen Schultz.

After class, alums attended a festive cocktail reception in the courtyard, where chilly temps presided but did not dampen the fun. Dinner followed, and attendees filtered back into a transformed dining hall where they were entertained with updates from staff, the presentation to Elizabeth Samet ’87 with the Julia Lyman Simonds Award, and remarks by Abi Jackson ’99 and Linda Cies ’74, 25th and 50th reunion speakers selected by their classmates.

Abi focused her remarks on what she referred to as “the engine of community,” and how each day in her adult life “is about creating a version of community like the one I found here.” Abi garnered laughs from the crowd as she recounted a story about the great lengths she went to to get an English paper to Ms. Skeele on time, narrowly meeting the deadline.

Ms. Skeele listened appreciatively to the story, alongside the many alums who could easily relate to Abi’s commitment to doing well in Ms. Skeele’s classes.

That commitment to excellence continues to serve Abi, who went on to talk about how her time at Winsor informs her life to this day. “Every tool that I learned here is sharpened daily with an increasing expertise in my day-to-day,” she explained. “In my current job, it’s not just about professional sports, our company is about the advancement of women. It’s about equity. It’s about representation.” Abi represented her class perfectly.

Linda Cies ’74 followed Abi, honoring her classmates as they celebrated their 50th reunion. She described her peers, who had “scattered all over” after graduation: “We were excited to have new

opportunities and forged ahead to become archeologists and artists; doctors and ministers; research scientists and teachers; architects and computer scientists; partners, moms, and caregivers.” Many of those classmates were present for her speech, and agreed with her that “a lot can happen in 50 years.” All these years later, she encouraged the assembled crowd to “remember the good that came from our Winsor years, the interests sparked while at Winsor, the training we had to think critically, to ask hard questions, and to always question authority.”

The evening rounded out with more time to socialize and reminisce before wrapping up another memorable Alumnae Weekend.

Side: Read about the Alumnae Service Award and Julia Lyman Simonds Award on page 40. Learn more about Abi Jackson ’99 on page 44.

Reunion Classes

5th Reunion—Class of 2019: Back row (l to r) Serena Pollard, Nancy Kaneb, Charlotte Fries, Abbigale Shi, Sindhu Krishnamurthy, Jamila O’Hara, Sam Goldenson, Berneece Tam, Julia Monaco, Sophie de Castro, Ellisya Lindsey, Sophia Blyth, Katie Tsai, Emma Specht, and Lydia Broderick Front row: Maura Mullaney, Zoe Belluck, Amanda Fogarty, Sarah Stier, Anya Samtani, Talia Bode Ward, Kaylee Chang, Ariela Rosenzweig, Leslie Moukheiber, and Abby Golden

35th Reunion—Class of 1989: (l to r) Elizabeth Tobey, Michele Aristegui Huie

10th Reunion—Class of 2014: (l to r) Angela Yang, Emily Stack, Dorie Gordon, Sophie Ruehr, Taylor Lynn-Jones, and Meera Ramakrishnan

20th Reunion—Class of 2004: Back row (l to r) Jenifer Brown, Diana Patterson, Eliza Gardiner Stensland, Elyse Newman, Avery LeBoff Vafai, Katherine Minton Gray, Lilly Dagdigian, Cristina Stefanescu

40th Reunion—Class of 1984: (l to r) Laura Uyterhoeven Moon, Ashley Ackerman, Michele Laine, Cathy Guttentag, Sarah Beatty Buller

50th Reunion—Class of 1974: (l to r) Robin Smith, Anne Sebestyen, Erika Tarlin, Medb Mahony Sichko, Christine Paterson Smith, Juliet Richardson, Priscilla Baybutt Barlow, Giselle Limentani, Linda Cies, Deborah Babson

Front row (l to r) Meg Weeks, Justine Chilvers-Fang, Nancy Walton Scioli, Yijing Yang

25th Reunion—Class of 1999: (l to r) Rachel Polonsky Sundet, Sarah Kornfeld, Kim Guerra, Cecily Flemings Wardell, Abi Jackson, Michelle Riffelmacher, Elizabeth Miller O’Connell, Leah Fish De Sacerdote

30th Reunion—Class of 1994: (l to r) Anastasia Contos, Carrie Jenks, Mary Gallagher, Abby Donovan, Elizabeth-Anne Finn Payne, Malene Welch, Tavie Devon, Sara Crowe, Kristin Dwyer, Suzanne Ranere Norris, Alyssa Moskos Haggerty, Tamecka Parham Hardmon

65th Reunion—Class of 1959: (l) Judith Winslow Walcott, 60th Reunion—Class of 1964: (r) Jane Rose

70th Reunion—Class of 1954: (l to r) Sherburne Reidy Worthen, Sarah Graves Hammerness, Marion Dusser de Barenne Kilson, Esther Chute Williams, Stephanie Bigelow Neal, Julie Anne Decker Goetze, Allison Peters Jablonko, Janet Green Vaillant

Speaking from Experience

When the New York Times invited students to participate in an open-letter contest to write about what’s bothering them and how they could inspire others to care and make change, Leela Uppaluri ’26 stood out with her heartfelt and powerful response. In her letter—selected as one of nine winning submissions from a pool of more than 8,000—Leela shared her personal experience growing up with an autistic brother and highlighted the need for greater understanding, acceptance, and inclusion of individuals with disabilities. We had the chance to sit down with her to learn more about her journey, the inspiration behind her letter, and her hopes for the future.

What inspired you to write the letter?

I was mostly inspired by my autistic brother and the experiences I’ve had as a student. Throughout my time at different schools, I’ve experienced times where classmates didn’t really know a lot about disabilities—specifically autism—and they have used negative language. At first, I didn’t know what to say in response, so I just wrote it down in a letter. I didn’t really write this letter thinking it would be published.

How did it feel to learn you had won the contest?

It was really rewarding. I almost hadn’t submitted my letter because I hadn’t really heard autism talked about very much, and thought that maybe it just wasn’t seen as important. But it is important to me, so I went ahead and sent in my letter. It has been so gratifying that the NYT found my letter’s message important, too.

In your letter, you talk about how autism is often misunderstood or labeled negatively. What are some of the most important misconceptions you think people have about autism?

I think a lot of people think of autism as a disease or use the term as an insult. People have biases that they don’t really think about, about disabilities and specifically autistic people, and I think there are a lot of caricatures that people latch onto of what autism looks like. Autism is not one thing, and it doesn’t look like a lot of the representations that we see often depicted in the media.

Do you have advice you’d give other people who are in similar situations?

It’s really hard because you don’t want to feel alone. You just have to try to educate people, and they can do what they want with the information you share. At a certain point, it is out of your control. I believe we all have a responsibility to try to educate people, but remember that if people aren’t receptive to hearing what you have to say, it says more about them than it does about you.

How did writing this letter and winning the contest impact your own perspective on advocacy and making change?

I’ve learned that if you have something that’s really important to you—even if you aren’t sure it’s something people want to hear—you should share it. The response might be what I got, and it might not be, but both are valuable.

What do you hope readers will take away from your letter and your experience?

I hope others begin to understand and start to call out behavior that could be considered ableism—which I would define as a bias against people with disabilities— both in our school environment and just in the world. It can be implicit or explicit, but it’s there. Educating yourself about disabilities and ableism is the only way to counteract that bias.

To read Leela’s New York Times piece, go to: https://tinyurl.com/leela-nyt