Class Notes

Did you know industry studies show the Class Notes section is the first place everyone checks when they receive their school’s magazine? We don’t mind, because Brewster’s alumni share such interesting life updates and fond memories of their time on campus! We hope you enjoy this extra-large batch of Class Notes—it spans a meaty time frame from mid 2021 until late 2022.

Please send us your news for the next issue, already underway. Weddings, tales of travel, new jobs, retirements, family additions? They all belong here! Email us at alumni@brewsteracademy.org, and be sure to include a large photo.

1977

Rob Spano writes “Greetings all. I’m still playing and writing music. Check out ‘Rob Spano-Music of a Lifetime’ at www.secretcovemusic.com. Still waiting and hoping for Congress to make the Affordable Care Act affordable while managing existing insurance contracts. Blessed with good health and grateful for two Tylenols first thing in the morning!”

1980

1974

Bonnie Hoyt writes “It’s hard to believe it has been 48 years since I graduated from Brewster! I’m retired now and able to spend more time in my art studio. As I settle into retirement, I’m hoping to do more exhibitions, a little design work here and there, as well as traveling again!” Bonnie shared an image of her piece entitled “L.I.F.E.”, which features smokefired rings with a gold leaf orb. See more of her work at bhoytceramicarts.com.

John Abbe writes “Life is good! My daughter, Hannah, is my best accomplishment. She is in her second year of pre-med studies in Boston with lots of scholarships. She is working at New England Baptist Hospital doing COVID testing. I was working for Worcester Public Schools prior to the pandemic and I am now playing the stock market and reading a lot of history. I had heart surgery last year, but I am now fully recovered.”

1981

Back in 2021, at the height of COVID lockdown and work-from-home situations, Michael Kiesling shared that he had a breakout year for his business, though life in the Philadelphia suburbs had been restrictive with “my college son, Reece, taking a gap year, and my younger son, Thomas, not enjoying virtual school—but does love not getting up early. My wife, Susan, has enjoyed her second year at Princeton University as a Research Administrator, but would prefer the campus rather than the home office.”

1982

Randy Elkin writes “I sold my gyms in 2014 and am currently working at Seven Cycles in Watertown, Mass. It’s fun working with the artists and engineers on fully custom bicycles that are truly rolling works of art. I had both knees replaced with titanium models three years ago and am back mountain biking and walking pain free. Truly a new lease on life!”

1983

Tony Bryant writes “My family and I are doing well. I have two children, Maya (8 years old/third grade) and Eden (6 years old/first grade). My wife Greta and I both work full time, currently from home, and keep busy with the girls’ activities and coaching Maya’s basketball team.” / Jonathan Hibbard writes “I have so many good memories of Brewster—it’s tough to single out one. I have moved back to N.H. and into the area. I look forward to watching many home sporting events and seeing some old friends.”

1984

Ron Burt writes “My favorite memory of Brewster was the last night of final exams. My family is all healthy and safe. My youngest is a sophomore at University of Maine—how does the time fly by! Last fall I was promoted to a Senior Project Manager at a construction company in Maine and I continued to work during the pandemic.” / Bill Moore writes “I am still working for the Federal Aviation Administration. My wife Karen (now cancer free since 2018) and I still love cruising and RVing.

To

SENDING

My favorite Brewster memories include fall soccer, Student Center bands and weekend ‘cocktails.’ ”

1987

Tamah French-Proops writes “My favorite memory while attending Brewster was when Heather Monroe Rohner ‘87 introduced herself on the first day of school and invited me to walk to the All-School Meeting with her. We are still best friends 36 years later! Thanks BA for all the memories!

1988

1985

John Bolling writes “We moved back to Michigan from Princeton, N.J., 10 years ago and are loving being close to family. Son Trey attended Brewster as a Post Grad for the 2021-22 school year and my wife and I enjoyed visiting him a couple of times. Our daughter Olivia is 15 and looking forward to her sophomore year at East Grand Rapids High School.”

/ Joel Coffman writes “Our granddaughter Scarlet (see photo) turned 1 year old. Her birthday party was in July, and our daughter Chelsey is amazed at how fast the year went by raising a baby. Our daughter Kayla got married to her high school sweetheart on Memorial Day weekend on Cape Cod. Our son Tyler is moving to Denver this year. My wife and I will be celebrating our 34th anniversary in February of 2023. Life is good.” / Loriel Cook writes “I live in Oregon with my husband and three children who are now in colleges in Oregon and Montana. My favorite memories while attending Brewster are the beautiful winters, the snow, and playing on the frozen lake. Walking into town with friends is also a favorite memory!” / Hank Nusloch is the Lead Teacher of the English Department of De La Salle High School in New Orleans, and says “Teaching has been a real challenge in recent years, especially when so many students were learning from home. On a positive note, one of my daughters runs in the college NCAA championship and my other daughter is preparing to attend Furman University.”

1986

Bjorn Otterness was in an auto accident in 2002 that left him in a wheelchair. He has learned to travel by car and plane, and tells us, “Life has been good, with a few ups and downs over the past few years. In 2014 I bought a tax business that keeps me busy. Had surgery in 2019 due to an infection, but thankfully I am still here!” He’s looking to travel again and enjoys taking cruises, his most recent being a cruise to Norway.

Tara Hines shared the changes that happened in her life in recent years: “I sold my house after 15 years in July 2020 and moved to New Mexico in March 2021 to be closer to my sister. My father passed away in November 2020 due to complications with open heart surgery.” / Jon Konheim can’t believe that 34 years have passed since his Brewster days. He now has one daughter entering her senior year at Chapman University majoring in Graphic Design, his middle daughter entering her freshman year at Tulane University majoring in neuroscience, and his youngest going into her second year of high school. He is currently starting up a new dental implant company with his father-in-law while remaining involved in an airplane parts business. He likes to see everyone is doing well through their posts on social media and hopes to get back to Brewster to visit.

1989

Matt Woodward wrote in mid-2020 he was laid off and took the chance to drive from Denver to California with his 6-year-old son. “It was a multiweek road trip with stops at several National Parks. We took our time and camped when we were not seeing family. It was a rare opportunity to just spend time with my son and explore. Seeing how different states were reacting to COVID was interesting, but we stayed outside and kept our distance.” Matt is now employed by the Gates Corporation in downtown Denver, a short bike ride from his house.

1990

Jonathan DeWoskin writes “My big news is that I’m a father! My wife Bonni and I had been working with a law firm that specializes in adoption laws and connecting parents with some seeking adoption for their child. We got the call Valentine’s Day in 2018. Michael was born 12 days later, giving us less than two weeks to get ready. Michael is now an adorable, brilliant, and very kind toddler.” / Toby Georgi spent a year recently remodeling his house. The project turned out to be bigger than he expected, and he had to move his family to a nearby apartment. “Looking back at my days at Brewster, I’m always amazed at how much the faculty cared for us,” he shared along with his house news. / Robert Gorden writes “Hi everyone! After 15 years in NYC as an actor, writer, and comedian, my family and I moved to Orlando where I was a performer at Hollywood Studios at Disney. The show I was in ended, and through a variety of crazy events I unexpectedly ended up at The United States Tennis Association. I now work at the USTA National Campus in Orlando. I am the Coordinator for Adult Tournaments. During my tenure with the USTA I’ve discovered a passion for Wheelchair Tennis—especially Elite Wheelchair Tennis. I have been a staff member for the Wheelchair Tennis portion at the US Open and currently I am in charge of the Junior Wheelchair Tennis Series. I’m also a tennis official. The acting bug has not left me, though. I will be playing Mark Rothko in a production of ‘Red’ by John Logan sometime during the summer in 2023. If you find yourself in Orlando and want a tour of the campus, please reach out!”

1991

John Burfeind shares “My wife Cristine, son Evan (16), son Ryan (13), and I have been living in Raleigh, N.C. since 2016. Cristine is currently Associate Director Clinical Supply with United Therapeutics. After 24 years in law enforcement I retired in the fall. I’ve enjoyed serving, but time to move on. I plan on expanding my lawn care business. Hope all is well with the Class of 1991!” / Beth Dales writes that she is working for the YMCA of Greater Boston Overnight Camps as the Director for Pleasant Valley Camp in Tuftonboro, N.H. “I serve as the year-round director and manage both the girls’ camp and the boys’ camp. My son Jack is 20! He’s the best part of my life. A sophomore at UNH, he is majoring in Studio Art and Graphic Design. I love having him so close.” / Cristina Hamel writes “I have so many wonderful memories during my time at Brewster—I loved it! I am doing well and moved to Riverside, Conn. so that Caroline can go to their high school. My son is finishing his time at Greenwich Catholic and we are surviving COVID.”

1992

Chris Crowley has worked at Outside TV as an Executive Producer for the past nine years, and has traveled the world producing meaningful stories with exciting people. “The family is great!” he adds. “Sara, my better half, and I have raised two incredible children, Michaela (16) is in her junior year at Westminster and Caden (11) attends The Windward School and is in the 5th grade.” / Tim Keating accomplished a feat that (probably) no other Brewster alum has achieved: “I have now stepped foot on all seven continents! Do check out my Facebook page for photos,” he says.

1993

Suzy Kaufman writes that she graduated from ASU in 2021 with a BS in Information Technology and a minor in Anthropology. “I have been working for a company called Trimble, located in Westminster, Colo.,” she shares. “I am a Helpdesk Technician where I set up, fix, and assist users with computers. I love my job and my coworkers very much.” / Mat Roberson and Alexis Gallagher Roberson ’95 have an update. Alexis shares “We are busy parenting a 16-year-old and a 7-year-old while trying to keep our sanity building another business. Roberson Counseling now has a sibling: Roberson Coaching! This will allow me to have a greater impact in supporting families across the globe. Moving to the West Coast has been a wonderful homecoming for Mat and me, as we recall such great memories from our college experiences in Durango. We are loving the vibe in Olympia, Wash. and enjoying having my mom, sister, niece, and nephew right around the corner from our house.” / Elizabeth Traverso reports “My blog, Healdsburg Table, has been live for about a year and it is gaining lots of notoriety. My wine club has been very popular and we celebrate one year in October. We offer four wines (two local wines and two European wines from small wineries) four times a year. I’m also in the process of writing a cookbook. Life is busy, but good. I have been traveling and seeing the world, and it feels great. If you find yourself in Healdsburg, California or in Moose, Wyoming, stop by for great food and worldly wines. I am excited about our 30th Reunion next year and looking forward to attending. Hope to see all of you on campus next year.”

1994

Steve Weigers is in the Recycling Business in Glen Ellyn, Ill. and writes that his wife Stacy enjoys teaching preschool and that their daughters, 14 and 15, enjoy soccer and volleyball.

1995

Alexis Gallagher Roberson shares the following update about her life with Mat Roberson ’93, “We are busy parenting a 16-year-old and a 7-year-old while trying to keep our sanity building another business. Roberson Counseling now has a sibling: Roberson Coaching! This will allow me to have a greater impact in supporting families across the globe. Moving to the West Coast has been a wonderful homecoming for Mat and me, as we recall such great memories from our college experiences in Durango. We are loving the vibe in Olympia, Wash. and enjoying having my mom, sister, niece, and nephew right around the corner from our house.”

1996

Will Turner shares “Getting ready to send my daughter Sydney off to College of Charleston, and the Turner Motorsport race team has been keeping me busier than ever—catch us at Daytona in 2023 for the 24-hour race.” / Lindsey Whisenhunt shares that her favorite memory of Brewster was singing Christmas carols in the snow in front of Estabrook, a tradition that lives on to this day! She also let us know that she is a Pilates Coordinator and Instructor at Life Time Fitness in Plano, Texas. “I teach all of the apparatuses (Reformer, etc.) and truly love it. It has been difficult rebuilding the Pilates Program after the pandemic (the gym was closed), although slowly but surely more and more people are coming in and the program is growing.”

2005

Steven Hopengarten writes “I married Rachel Carter in February 2021 and we welcomed our son Jacob into the world in August 2021. I have been working at National Grid since 2018 in an energy services procurement role. I spend my time supporting integration of renewable and sustainable energy sources in New York and Massachusetts— and assisting our UK business by helping the energy system operator (ESO) prepare for the growth of renewable energy on the British power network.”

2009

Hanna “Pattie” Hugel says “I graduated with a Master of Global Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in May 2021. Following several years at Reebok, I’ve accepted a position at Crocs’ newly acquired brand, HEYDUDE, managing Global Energy, Collaborations, and Licensing.”

2017

Zack Corr graduated from Bentley University, Waltham, Mass. with a BS in Finance (he also made the Deans List!). The May 2021 ceremony was extra special, as it was the first time Bentley held its commencement at Fenway Park in Boston.

Correction

2007

Kate Buesser writes “I am currently living in St. Louis, Mo. where I am in my fifth and last year of orthopaedic surgical residency. In addition to my clinical training, I will also be serving as the Administrative Chief for our team of 40 residents. I apparently can’t get enough of the Missouri heat and humidity, as I am planning to stay in St. Louis for a year after my residency to complete my Orthopaedic Traumatology Fellowship.” / Dr. Karin Clement married Dr. Eric Parent on May 28, 2022. Pictured with Karin and Eric are brothers Mikael Clement ’12 (far left) and Kris Clement ’06 (far right), along with their parents, Nora and Peter.

In our last issue, we misidentified the alumna on the right in this photo on page 64. She is Abby Allen ’14, not Lydia Allen ’15. We apologize for the error, and used our faux pas as a chance to catch up with Abby. She graduated with a degree in business and corporate communications from Bryant University, and has built a career in technology. Now working with Docker, a platform for developers to build apps, she lives in Miami with her fiance and rescue dog, Olive. (Emily Connors ’14, on the left in this photo, is one of Abby’s Brewster best friends, and will be a bridesmaid at the wedding next year!)

“Brewster played a major role in shaping who I am today, and I am forever grateful for the teachers, coaches, and lifelong friends who made this experience so special,” Abby told us. “Brewster allowed me to reach new heights in my academic and athletic goals, but most importantly engrained diversity, equity, and inclusion into my core values. My advice to any current BA students is to leverage the amazing mentors and classmates around you, always do the Polar Plunge, and get whatever your heart desires at Three Sisters!”