Remarks From the Head of School Letter From Alex Curtis
On Christian & Elm News About the School
Alumni Association News Alumni Awards, Alumni Gatherings & Events
Classnotes
Profile of Laura Zander ’83, James Suh ’87, and Clifford Yin ’87 Collaborating to Relocate a Beloved San Francisco Institution
In Memoriam
Remembering Those We Have Lost
Scoreboard
Recap of Winter ’25 Sports
Bookshelf
Reviews of Works by Katherine Marsh ’92, Abdi Nazemian ’94, and Lauren Oakes ’99
End Note On Civil Discourse
FEATURES
Teaching Doesn’t Stop at 3 p.m. Life Lessons From Coaches
Savoring Community Through Food Six Alums Serve Up Their Portions
Leaving Their Mark People of Choate
William T. Little ’49 and Frances A. Little Theater Reno
Choate Rosemary Hall Bulletin is published fall, winter, and spring for alumni, students and their parents, and friends of the School. Please send change of address to Alumni Records and all other correspondence to the Communications Office, 333 Christian Street, Wallingford, CT 06492-3800.
Choate Rosemary Hall does not discriminate in the administration of its educational policies, athletics, other school-administered programs, or in the administration of its hiring and employment practices on the basis of age, gender, race, color, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, genetic predisposition, ancestry, or other categories protected by Connecticut and federal law. Printed in U.S.A. CRH201201/17.75M
Editor
Susanne Davis
T: (203) 697-2475
Email: sdavis@choate.edu
Lead Design and Production
Beth Ann Strong
Design
Ann Marie Nolan
Classnotes Editor Henry McNulty ’65
Contributors
Christine Bennett
D. Gam Bepko
Nicole Brothers
Alison Cady P ’23, ’26
Will Gilyard ’98
Kim Hastings P ’15, ’18, ’18
Rhea Hirshman
Lena Nicolai
Nolan Silbernagel
KeriAnne Tisdale
Leslie Virostek P ’15, ’17, ’20
Photography
Joey Avena
Shengfen Chien
Lucy Guiliano
Amy Henning
Tom Kates
Kate Owens
Beth Ann Strong
Xenia E. Zayas
Choate Rosemary Hall
Board of Trustees 2024-2025
Danya Alsaady P ’17, ’19, ’23, ’28
Kenneth G. Bartels ’69, P ’04
Marc E. Brown ’82
Seth J. Brufsky ’84
Yahonnes S. Cleary ’96
Alex Curtis P ’17, ’20
Elizabeth M. Ferreira ’92, P ’28
Katherine B. Forrest ’82
David A. Fraze ’84
Kristen Mautner Garlinghouse ’85
Gunther S. Hamm ’98
Elizabeth A. Hogan ’82
Jungwook ”Ryan” Hong ’89, P ’19, ’22, ’25
Kelly Green Kahn ’86
Daniel G. Kelly Jr. ’69, P ’03
Patience P. “Duby” McDowell ’78
Christian B. McGrath ’84, P ’18, ’21
Takashi Murata ’93, P ’25
George F. Pyne IV ’84
M. Anne Sa’adah
Julian C. Salisbury P ’26
Life Trustees
Bruce S. Gelb ’45, P ’72, ’74, ’76, ’78
Edwin A. Goodman ’58
Cary L. Neiman ’64
Stephen J. Schulte ’56, P ’86
William G. Spears ’56, P ’81, ’90
A Letter to the Editor
Stay Connected
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- Lou Shenk ’73 SPRING ’2
Regarding the winter ’25 Bulletin coverage of the 100-year anniversary of the Chapel, I think it is interesting to point out that the architect of the chapel, Ralph Adams Cram (1863-1942), was a literary talent as well. He published a book Black Spirits and White which is a minor classic in the ghost story genre. H.P. Lovecraft himself in his essay “Supernatural Horror in Literature” praised Cram’s story “The Dead Valley” as “achieving a memorably potent degree of vague regional horror through subtleties of atmosphere and description.”
Corrections
The Winter 2025 Bulletin included several errors, for which we sincerely apologize.
The cover photo caption incorrectly placed the RH Factors at Remsen Arena. The photo was taken during a tournament in California.
In classnotes, the photo caption for Anna Horowitz incorrectly lists her class year. It is 2014.
Also in classnotes, Kathryn Maresca Faull’s note should have been listed under 2003, which is her class year.
In the Book Review Section, author of American Sycamore, Charles Kenney, should have been listed as an alum of the Class of 1969.
Dear Alumni and Friends of Choate Rosemary Hall,
In my fourteen years as Head of School, one constant has been clear: what defines Choate Rosemary Hall is our people. It’s the teachers who inspire in the classroom and guide with care in the dorms. It’s the advisers, activity leaders, and mentors who show up with consistency and compassion. And it’s the dedicated staff — in so many ways, both seen and unseen — who ensure that the rhythms of campus life flow smoothly. Together, these individuals create the heartbeat of this school. They are the reason families from around the world #ChooseChoate for their children.
We were recently reminded of this anew with the reopening of the Dining Hall following the renovation and expansion of the servery. For months, we navigated construction and temporary solutions with grace and good humor, but being together again in the heart of our community feels especially meaningful. To be sure, the old SAC served us well temporarily, but there’s nothing quite like being home in the Hill House Dining Hall.
For our alumni, we look forward to seeing you — at Reunion later this spring or whenever you find your way back to campus. However long it’s been, there’s something special about coming home to Choate.
Warmly,
Alex Curtis Head of School
Diversity Day 2025: Athletes as Advocates for Justice
This year’s Diversity Day celebration, themed “Keeping the Torch Lit: Athletes as Advocates for Justice,” featured a keynote program with gold medalists Tara Davis-Woodhall and her husband, Hunter Woodhall, along with a full slate of workshops, hands-on research, and films related to the topic of social justice and sports. Davis-Woodhall won the gold medal for the women’s long jump at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and Woodhall won the gold medal in the men’s 400M race at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.
Dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Rachel Myers introduced the couple to students, faculty, and staff gathered in Ann and George Colony Hall on January 24, saying that “sports can shine a light on important social issues.”
The couple told the story of how they met as seniors in high school at a track meet in Idaho where, they said, they fell in love at first sight. Now, they train together, finding encouragement from each other, their coach, and communities to take them through the highs and lows and periods of self-doubt that come with world-class competition. They use the platform of their competitive athletics to advocate for justice.
Sharing openly the challenges they face is one way the athletes connect with others and encourage the understanding that leads to greater social justice. Born with a condition called fibular hemimelia, Woodhall had an amputation to remove his lower legs. Doctors told his parents he would never walk, and Woodhall likes to share that he learned to run instead. He said, “I am proud to be in a generation of people creating progress, and creative change in the world.” He would still like to see more investment in athletes with disabilities. Davis-Woodhall has been open about her struggle with mental health. She told students, “Athletes have a lot of impact and words that people listen to. By voicing how I feel, I know I’ve helped someone else.” She offered that journaling, therapy, and a supportive community aid her well-being.
“We live by the 80-20 rule,” Woodhall explained. “If you’re doing good 80 percent of the time, that’s really good.” Regarding setbacks: “You’re either winning or learning.” Woodhall said his wife inspired him by tackling her mental health struggles, and with her comeback after a broken back that kept her out of commission for a year. DavisWoodhall spoke of how inspired she was by her husband: “Every day you have to put your legs on to get up and compete.”
“You don’t have to be perfect,” Woodhall told the audience. “You just have to execute. We’re capable of so much more than we think we are.”
The Wallingford Symphony Orchestra (WSO) celebrated 50 years in April with a program titled “Golden Sounds: A Magical Night” featuring classical masterworks, tunes from Broadway, jazz, and cinematic hits, performed by WSO musicians and guest artists.
Featured Guest Artists included Hayes Greenfield ’75, Tenor Saxophone, Karine Poghosyan Piano, WSO Vocalist Susan Yankee, and Wallingford’s Young “Rising Star” Miguel Angel Vasquez.
Philip T. Ventre, Music Director of the WSO, founded the orchestra in 1974 with the late Terence Netter in collaboration with the Wallingford Bicentennial Commission, to enrich the cultural lives of nearby residents through music. It has been the WSO’s mission ever since. Ventre retired in 2020 as the Head of Instrumental Music at Choate.
WSO President Colleen Galushko extended gratitude to Choate for 50 years of “unwavering” support and added, “The WSO was so grateful to everyone who has supported us these past 50 years and joined us to celebrate our golden anniversary.”
After the Orchestra’s first year, Choate took over the funding of the WSO until it was incorporated in 1978 as a professional symphony orchestra.
The WSO holds four classical concerts each year in Ann and George Colony Hall.
Wellness Speaker Counsels Flexibility Toward Unique 21st Century Job Market
As part of an all-School wellness initiative, Harvard-trained developmental psychologist Dr. Sharon Belden Castonguay spoke recently to fifth and sixth form students about ways to get off the success “hamster wheel,” understand their unique career scripts, and use that knowledge to navigate the rest of their high school, college, and working lives.
Dr. Belden Castonguay is a career development expert, TEDx speaker, and Executive Director of the career center at Wesleyan University. Her talk was titled “Accomplished and Confused: Why the Best and Brightest Are Anxious About Their Futures.”
Despite the hoops talented young people must jump through to get into selective colleges, and the rigor of studies, they are often unprepared to face life after graduation, said Dr. Belden Castonguay. She explained that while high achievers are educated to become leaders in our society, they face unique challenges given the turbulent 21st century job market. She told students that understanding their own personal identity would help them create their individual career scripts and thus manage risk as they navigate the future with flexibility.
Dean of Students Will Gilyard ’98 said, “Dr. Belden Castonguay helped students understand how themes of identity (family, personal, professional, hobbies), culture, and decision-making impact decision making, and that they
do not have to have their life mapped out. In fact, being flexible and able to pivot will be important skills to cultivate in today’s world. Her data also showed that the major or minor a student selects is not necessarily predictive of their career choice or passions.” Dean Gilyard said that the advice was challenging for some to hear, indicating the work to be done to support students along the way.
Choate sixth former Ana Isabella Bury-Negrón ’25 said that while there were many things Dr. Belden Castonguay mentioned in her speech that resonated, the biggest takeaways were about learning to mitigate risk instead of learning to fail and how the path created for oneself doesn’t determine the path one is meant to have in the future.
Ana said, “Personally, I grew up with the old mentality regarding education: start focusing on your interests early on and make sure every career building block you have leads you to your dream job. It is interesting to see how that mentality is changing in the realm of education, and I am somewhat apprehensive yet excited to see how my generation will do and what we will do with this advice and the constant and rapid changes in education.”
As part of the School’s wellness curriculum, students participated in activities to recharge and relax, selecting from options that included pool time, ice skating, board games, and relaxing by the fire.
Bulletin Receives 2024 Brilliance Award
A Vital Partnership
Recently, Choate partnered with Wallingford Center Inc., a local non-profit organization dedicated to downtown Wallingford’s economic growth and vitality, to launch several new programs.
The School introduced Taste of the Town to over 1,400 parents and guardians during Family Weekend, encouraging Choate community members to patronize local restaurants during the academic year. After dining at six establishments, participants return their punch cards to Cheryl Madden, Manager of Parent and Community Relations, to be entered to win a gift basket of Choate merchandise and local gift certificates.
Dorm Bites brings local dining to campus for students — with catering options created especially for hungry teens. Participating restaurants offer these specialty menus on the school’s portal for parents, guardians, and advisers looking to organize a celebration or mug night with treats from local eateries.
With the third initiative, underwritten by Choate and the Wallingford Economic Development Commission, Wallingford Center Inc. unveiled a new downtown map and business guide. Choate’s newly designed campus map created by artist Maria Rabinky inspired the idea. The guide provides a visual layout and listing of downtown Wallingford businesses.
Wallingford Center Inc. Executive Director Liz Davis said, “As Choate and the Wallingford Center continue to build upon this partnership, both organizations are committed to making the downtown area an experience. With a focus on community, our continued collaboration is aimed at enhancing the quality of life in Wallingford.”
Choate took home a 2024 Bronze InspirED School Marketers™ Brilliance Award for its Bulletin “Teaching Excellence” series. The entries were evaluated by a volunteer panel of 72 marketing experts from across the globe — all professionals in private schools or businesses that focus on private school marketing.
Of the Bulletin series, one judge said, “Linking past, present, and future is skillfully achieved in these excellent and informative pieces. They drew me in immediately and kept me engaged throughout, achieving multiple objectives in a layered, multi-perspective approach. Compelling in their focus on how these storied alums bring something back to current students.” Scan the QR code below to read the stories again.
InspirED School Marketers is a community that offers “brilliant ideas and brain food” for private school administrators globally.
TEACHING DOESN’T STOP AT 3 P.M. Life Lessons From Coaches
By LesLie Virostek
from left to right: Piper Cameron ’25, Head of Student and Academic Life Jenny Elliott, Vishnu Palreddy ’25, Coach Fran O’Donoghue, Coach Jim Davidson, Coach Ben Small, Coach Will Morris, Coach Nolan Silbernagel, Director of Athletics Tom White, Kameron Mohammed ’25, Coach Charlie Fuentes, Annie Cady ’26, Coach Tiffany Rivera, Coach Stephanie Neul, Lola Wennmachers ’25
Daily practice sessions. Long bus rides. Pre-game rituals and post-game debriefings. In season, many Choate Rosemary Hall students spend a great deal of time in the company of their coaches, creating a strong sense of familiarity and conferring opportunities for observation and conversation. In addition to a student’s strengths as an athlete, a coach is likely to know what their favorite class is, what kind of food they like, what music they listen to, and who their best friends are.
Coach David Loeb
“The coaches help build your confidence, accountability, humility — there’s so much they teach you,” says varsity soccer player Kameron Mohammed ’25, who came to Choate from the UK’s Nottingham Forest FC Academy three years ago. His Choate coaches share his passion for the sport but also see him as more than a soccer player. They are mentors with whom he is comfortable having deep conversations about life. He says, “Especially for me being an international student, having a tightknit relationship with someone who is a model is very important.”
An athletic coach directs practices, implements game strategies, teaches the sport, and helps players develop as athletes. But Choate Rosemary Hall’s coaches have a far broader agenda and exercise a much greater impact than that. They see their job as teaching transferable life skills and helping students flourish in sports and beyond. Students affirm that their coaches know them well, care about them deeply, and become the adults they turn to for advice and guidance.
Mohammed, who will be at Colby College next year, says Coach Charlie Fuentes has played a key role in his Choate journey. He says,
“I learned so much more about myself, about who I want to be, where I want to go, and he guided me through that.”
Alumni such as Heidi Howard Allen ’95 attest that bonds forged with Choate coaches are not only important, but enduring. “Coaches have a profound influence on your life,” says the former field hockey, ice hockey, and lacrosse standout, who was inducted into the Choate Athletics Hall of Fame in 2021. “They’re mentors, they’re your role models, they become parent figures, and then later they become friends.”
Kameron Mohammed ’25 and Coach Charlie Fuentes
WHAT IS IT ABOUT COACHES?
“Any great coach is a great educator,” says Director of Athletics Tom White. “These are people who love working with kids, who can meet them where they are, and who know how to connect and communicate with them.”
He notes that coaches concern themselves with the development of the whole person, not just the athlete.
Choate coaches are characteristically thoughtful and intentional about their role. Fran O’Donoghue, who has coached numerous sports, including field hockey, girls lacrosse, softball, and cross country, says, “My number one agenda is to build kids’ self-confidence in terms of their ability to know themselves and be able to take on challenges.” She doesn’t want to see overconfidence or false bravado. Rather, she is trying to nurture confidence and self-awareness that are “based on having worked hard, set goals, and worked to attain them.”
Ben Small, whose coaching experience at Choate includes nearly three decades of guiding varsity divers, says,
“My job is to develop students as athletes and young adults: How to handle adversity, how to push themselves, how to be part of a team, how to show leadership, and communicate, and be supportive of one another — and to provide another venue to explore themselves and their interests.”
Students experience a wide range of emotions on the playing fields — more so than in Choate’s classrooms — and coaches are there to share in moments of elation, camaraderie, heartbreak, vulnerability, and frustration, as well as levity and silliness.
Tiffany Rivera coaches track and field and girls varsity basketball. She’s also a psychology teacher and member of the counseling team. Beyond providing support for her team members in practice or after a tough competition, she
seeks to help them develop appropriate coping mechanisms and healthy responses to difficult situations. She says, “I’m trying to build my players’ emotional intelligence, and not just their basketball IQ.”
Virtually every Choate student participates in athletics, but few will become professional athletes. Only some will play in college. But everyone benefits from social interaction and physical activity. That is something Will Morris, a longtime coach of boys varsity squash, among other sports, keeps in mind when he is trying to create positive team experiences for his athletes. Ideally, our graduates will want to replicate those experiences when they leave Choate, he says, noting, “We want to give students the tools to live healthy lives.”
Jim Davidson, who has coached girls varsity basketball, cross country, and track and field for more than three decades, concurs. He says, “There are so many aspects of sports that are fulfilling and fun that I hope will inspire our students to be active their whole lives.”
Former teacher and coach, the late Mark Tuttle, with Coach Jim Davidson who has coached three sports for more than three decades.
LEARNING LIFE LESSONS
Students say they derive a variety of life lessons from their coaches’ methods and expectations. Lola Wennmachers ’25 notes that members of the crew team are expected to take responsibility for such tasks as loading and unloading boats and rigging and derigging them. Coach Stephanie Neul emphasizes the value of teamwork on land and on the water, handling equipment with care, and representing Choate positively — on the preseason trip to Florida and everywhere. “Coach Neul specifically makes a big effort to ensure we are really polite to other people and behave with respect,” says Wennmachers. “She leads with a lot of attention, and she’s very thoughtful in terms of how she runs the program.”
Annie Cady ’26 states that her swimming coach, Nolan Silbernagel, “teaches us indirectly what hard work is — how to put in the work — and how that directly relates to an outcome that’s positive most of the time.” But even if you don’t achieve the result you want every time, she says, “you still have to go back and work hard again.”
Cady, who also plays on the varsity lacrosse and field hockey teams, says that the coaches she has worked with — including Fran O’Donoghue, who is her advisor — are role models for a growth mindset. She notes that at the start of every season they must take a diverse group of players who have different experience levels, skills, and personalities and figure out how to make that team function well.
“Coaches are willing to learn themselves,” she says. “They are willing to think about: What does it look like for everyone to do this together? Is each athlete going to succeed the best they can?”
Before varsity volleyball players step onto the court, Coach David Loeb asks them to gather themselves completely and be prepared to give 100 percent for their team and themselves. Piper Cameron ’25 says this has helped her to approach experiences — in sports, in the classroom, and in other settings — with intentionality and purpose. Cameron’s ice hockey coach, Tom White, has a similar method but a different expectation for his JV players, who are still developing their skills in the sport. Says Cameron, “We set an intention before every game, and it’s to learn and have fun.”
She has appreciated how her coaches have demonstrated “patience with our learning process.” This is a quality she wants to internalize and emulate long after she leaves Choate. She says of her coaches, “They just lead by example. More than anything else, patience and understanding is what I’m going to take away and use every single day.”
Annie Cady ’26 and Coach Fran O’Donoghue
KNOWING STUDENTS WELL
“My teachers were generous with their time and always made me feel supported in my academic journey,” says Caroline Wilson ’09, an accomplished swimmer and water polo player who was inducted into the Choate Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014. “With that being said, I feel my coaches knew me on a much more personal level. I spent so much more time with them, between two-hour practices every day after school, long meets and tournaments that involved hours and hours on the pool deck, and time spent traveling all over New England for various competitions, and even to Florida for water polo preseason. They saw me at my best and at my worst. I remember feeling that my coaches knew me better than any teacher, adviser, or dorm parent I ever had.”
Wilson, currently the Director of Financial Aid for an independent school, was a team captain at Choate. She says working closely with her coaches in that capacity developed the leadership skills that benefited her in college and that she still employs today.
Coach Stephanie Neul says that supporting students’ growth as athletes naturally leads to caring for students more holistically. When she meets with her rowers individually outside of practice for video review, goal setting, and discussing their progress, the conversations often extend beyond crew into other aspects of their life at Choate and beyond.
“If someone is feeling stuck in terms of progress or not going as fast on the rowing machine as they hope to, it’s a good opportunity to talk about how they are taking care of themselves outside of practice, i.e., sleep, fueling, stress management,” she says. “Similarly, if someone seems upset or frustrated or unfocused at practice, I’ll check in with them about their general wellbeing. More often than not, it’s not crew that’s the issue, and then that turns into an opportunity to let that athlete share what’s going on if they want to, talk through an issue, maybe troubleshoot or maybe just vent.”
Coaching relationships are not just built day to day, but also year to year, season after season. Vishnu Palreddy ’25, a varsity diver, appreciates feeling known and seen by his coaches. For example, sometimes in a practice or a competition he finds himself on the edge of the board overthinking the mechanics of a dive instead of trusting his muscle memory. Fortunately, Coach Ben Small can diagnose this difficulty from the deck.
Says Palreddy, “Mr. Small has known me for three years, so he can tell when I’m kind of getting in my head. And he tells me, ‘You’ve done this so many times before. Don’t overthink it.’”
Palreddy notes that being able to set aside unproductive mental chatter is an important skill.
“There are so many things you can’t control, but what my coaches have taught me is to control what you can,” he says.
“It’s a powerful truth that is beneficial to everyone in every walk of life.”
Coach Ben Small and Vishnu Palreddy ’25
ENDURING FRIENDSHIPS
Head of Student and Academic Life Jenny Elliott, an assistant coach for girls varsity squash, believes that coaches represent timeless Choate values. “Our school community centers relationships,” she says. “We know that our students are able to thrive, take risks, and grow when they feel seen, valued and supported by the adults around them. Coaching offers adults opportunities every day to build lifelong relationships with young people. These bonds serve our students during their time at Choate and, in so many cases, in the years and decades beyond their Choate experience.”
Katie Vitali Childs ’95 is among the many alumni who can attest to the enduring influence and importance of their former coaches. She first met Coach Todd Currie as a third former on the varsity swimming and water polo teams. He became such a positive presence and trusted figure that she asked him to be her adviser, a role he served for the rest of her Choate experience.
In 2022, decades after graduation and a distinguished career as a college water polo player and member of the U.S. Junior National Team, Childs came back to Choate to coach water polo. Though Childs, who was inducted into the Choate Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010, had expert knowledge of the sport, there was much to learn about the logistics and intangibles of helming a team at her alma mater. But her old mentor was ready to help. Currie, who had stepped down from coaching a few years earlier, came back to the program.
“He had some great guidance for me,” says Childs of her former coach who is now her assistant. “To have support like that — it really is something special.”
Howard Allen still keeps in touch with her Choate coaches, noting that her admiration for them inspired her to become a coach herself. Among other things, her Choate coaches taught her about putting the team first and how to be a selfless leader. Though she’s currently a small business owner, she coached at Choate from 2005 to 2007 and also served as a college coach for many years. She says, “I knew my coaches at Choate had had such a deep impact on my life, and I wanted to be that for someone else.”
Howard Allen says the influence of coaches cannot be overstated. “You’re a teenager, and those are some pretty important years you’re spending with those role models,” she says. “They’re the ones that dare you to dream and then help you accomplish your goals by working hard and being determined. I’m forever grateful.”
Coach Katie Vitali Childs ’95 and Coach Todd Currie
SAVORING COMMUNITY THROUGH FOOD
By rhea hirshman
Emily Demarchelier ’95 remembers looking forward to chicken cordon bleu for dinner in the School dining hall. It’s a dish she serves now at her own French bistro.
Damarie Ocasio O’Toole ’99 maintains a cadre of close friends from the school, friends who, even as teenagers, cared about good food. Xenia Zayas ’07 remembers how she liked the look and feel of the dining hall, and being introduced to lobster bisque at one of the community lunches held during her time at Choate. Ellis Reilly ’10 says, “The restaurant business is very relational, and I learned about building bonds at Choate.”
Alex Morgan ’10 experienced Choate Rosemary Hall as a home away from home. “Something I love about the hospitality industry is building those homes away from home on a smaller scale,” he says. Anya Wareck ’19, credits the discipline and work ethic she developed here with sustaining her in a self-motivating career in a highly competitive industry.
These are among the many Choate Rosemary Hall alumni who have built careers in the food industry — chefs, restaurateurs, caterers, educators, agricultural advocates, bar owners, bed and breakfast owners, food reporters, and more. Food anchors our communities — and our community at Choate. As we complete the renovation and expansion of the Hill House servery, and eagerly reopen the Dining Hall with an expanded cultural menu, and a signature coffee blend, we celebrate our alumni building community with food. Whether we are gathering in a communal dining room or neighborhood tavern, sharing a friend’s culture through a home-cooked meal, or inviting colleagues to tea, what we cook, eat, and feed each other helps to connect us.
EXPERIENCING THE WONDERMENT OF GOOD FOOD
As the owner and manager of Demarchelier Bistro in Greenport, N.Y., Emily Demarchelier ’95 wears all the hats. She is the executive chef. She manages the wine list and liquor inventory. She orders the food, manages the kitchen, prices the menu items, decides on the specials, and does the payroll.
And she loves her job.
Born in Paris, Emily’s family came to the U.S. shortly after she was born. Over the next four decades, her parents opened several restaurants in Manhattan. After graduating from Skidmore and spending 10 years in the fashion industry, she began working with her family at Demarchelier Restaurant on East 86th street, managing it for its last 13 years.
When the landlord moved to tear down the building in 2019, Emily’s parents decided to retire — and she decided that the time was right to move the business to an emerging market, which was also where she had spent childhood summers. “With the building being torn down, we could take anything we wanted,” she says. “So, we took the furniture and the fixtures, and I was able to recreate the restaurant in a smaller version in Greenport.”
Emily describes Demarchelier Bistro as “a classic French bistro serving dishes you would see in Paris” such as duck confit, escargot, cassoulet, salad niçoise and, of course, French wines and cheeses. In addition to building her clientele in this new setting, she often sees long-time customers from the old Manhattan location. Customers respond well to consistency, she says, so the menu remains mostly the same with the addition of daily specials in the busier summer season and weekly specials in the colder months.
Still, Emily does like to play around a bit when she is doing the cooking, perhaps adding a new seasoning to a savory dish like coq au vin.
“ The best part of my job,” she says, is when I ‘touch the table’ — interact with my customers and have someone look up in wonderment because of what they’ve just tasted.”
FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
Unsure of what kind of work he wanted to do after graduating from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, Alexander Morgan ’10 took a job at a bar he had frequented as a student.
“And that,” he says, “is when I fell in love with the hospitality industry.”
Although his parents had emigrated to Connecticut from the United Kingdom, Alex decided to make his life back in the U.K. In 2019 he realized his dream of opening his own bar. Trekkers, located in Chesham, a market town in Buckinghamshire about 25 miles outside central London, is a classic, cozy, local spot with what Alex describes as a “diehard group of regulars.” He says, “People have gotten engaged at Trekkers. We have held weddings and wakes here. One couple brought us their three-day old child to introduce. You get the details of their lives. I love having a place that matters so much to people.”
Having gotten Trekkers comfortably up and running, Alex decided to try his hand at something different. As of last year, he is also a part owner and the managing director of Vault 17 (named after the structure’s history as a
bank), a wine, cocktail, and jazz bar in a larger, more Art Deco space just a few minutes down the road. While Trekkers offers light bar snacks, Vault 17 will have a full menu and include an extensive list of non-alcoholic beverages among its offerings. Both establishments offer an ample selection of nonalcoholic beverages. “We don’t use non-alcoholic spirits,” Alex says. “That feels lazy. Instead, we make appetizing drinks that don’t happen to contain any alcohol. You don’t want to shut out anyone from what they consider a safe and friendly place.”
While Alex does whatever is needed — from designing the wine and cocktail menus to paying the musicians who perform at Vault 17 — he says his most important job is hiring the right staff.
“I want people who embrace our ‘home away from home’ philosophy,” he says. “You can train people to make good cocktails, but you can’t train personalities.”
FOOD AS A MEDIUM FOR ART
The cakes are works of art.
Whether it is for an anniversary, baptism, birthday, graduation, retirement, wedding, or any other occasion, each is crafted in close consultation with the customer and may take more than 15 hours to create.
“I always ask for someone at the event to send me a reaction photo,” says Damarie Ocasio O’Toole ’99, owner of Areito Bakery. “Part of my reward is seeing the recipient’s face when they first encounter the cake.”
Professional baking was not her original plan. A graduate of Barnard College and Teachers College, Damarie spent about a dozen years in corporate human resources. “But whenever we had a company potluck,” she says, “I brought dessert. And colleagues always told me that I should sell my baked goods.”
In 2015, now the mother of two, Damarie decided that the time had come to start her own baking business. She rented communal kitchen space near her Rockland County, N.Y. home, started selling to friends and family, then traveled to sell at farmers’ markets, where her vegan, gluten-free granola and oatmealbased cookies were especially popular. With the birth of her third child in 2018, she gave up the commercial space and brought the business into her home. “Also, I wanted to use food as a medium for art,” she says. She created painted cookies to celebrate her third child’s homecoming, posted photos online, and started getting requests for her creations.
Although she still markets her granola — “It has a huge following,” she says — Areito Bakery focuses on Damarie’s one-of-a-kind cakes. (“Areito” derives from the word for “celebration” in the Taíno language of many Caribbean peoples.) She emphasizes fresh, organic ingredients and unique flavors, and offers vegan and gluten-free options.
“My recipes draw upon food from my childhood and from the many international cuisines I’ve enjoyed. And I’ve created a buttercream unlike anything you’ve ever tasted. Sometimes, people say that my cakes ‘look too pretty to eat.’ But the point is that they are something to enjoy with all your senses.”
Alex on right
Some samples of Damarie’s works of art, including the photo on the title page
A FOCUS ON MAKING THE GUESTS HAPPY
A philosophy major walks into a bar — and oversees a major construction project.
“I use my philosophy major all the time,” says Ellis Reilly ’10 “It comes in handy for understanding and solving problems.”
As the managing partner of Elicit Brewing Company, a part of the Eli’s Restaurant Group family of restaurants, Ellis handles the typical concerns faced by an owner of a public-facing business: hiring staff, ordering products, checking in on the customer experience, and keeping track of finances for Elicit’s two Connecticut brew pubs, one in Fairfield, and the other in Manchester. Additionally, he is currently overseeing the construction of Elicit’s newest brew pub, to be housed in a renovated 23,000-square-foot retail space in Danbury. As with its sister locations — each of which covers over 20,000 square feet — the newest addition will be a restaurant, beer garden, cocktail bar, arcade, lounge, and private event space all rolled into one.
After graduating from Georgetown University, Ellis worked with his father, a restaurant industry professional who, for a while, managed the
Eli’s Restaurant Group. “I hadn’t planned on staying,” he says, “but found that I really liked the bar and restaurant business.”
In addition to serving food, cocktails, and an expanding menu of nonalcoholic beverages, all of Elicit’s stores brew beer on site — about 40 different varieties with about 25 on tap at any given time. “We can brew some more obscure blends that are a little more fun,” Ellis says. “And we don’t distribute so if you want to check out our beer you have to walk in the door.”
The Elicit venues also host comedy and music shows, benefits, and private events ranging from birthday celebrations to weddings (including Ellis’ own), to elaborate corporate parties.
“There’s nothing like us outside of New York City,” Ellis says. “You can spend seven dollars or seven hundred dollars and have a great time. At the end of the day, I focus on doing whatever is needed to make our guests happy.”
CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE THROUGH FOOD AND WRITING
As she approached her senior year at George Washington University with a major in political science and minors in human services and criminal justice, Anya Wareck ’19 had assumed that she was headed for law school. “But that plan began to feel not really right,” she says.
Given her life-long interest in food (“I was never a picky eater,” she says), she didn’t take long to decide on a different direction. Coming from a family of good cooks — “Both my parents loved to experiment” — Anya herself fell in love with cooking at the age of nine, when her mother sent her and her little sister to a children’s cooking camp in Brooklyn.
While at GWU, Anya wrote restaurant reviews for the school newspaper and did some freelance food writing for D.C. – area magazines. After she graduated, she attended an intensive summer course at Le Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris. In classes from early morning until well into the evening most days, she had little time to explore the city. “But it was a wonderful experience,” she says, “and invaluable for learning techniques.”
Since returning to Brooklyn, working as a line cook and interning for a local food magazine, Anya has been building her career. She is now a personal assistant to chef and cookbook author Samah Dada, a regular on the Today show, for whom Anya does everything from recipe testing to editing videos and overseeing the chef’s social media presence. Anya is also a private chef for a family, develops and tests recipes for other clients, and does catering for businesses.
“I love to connect with people through food and writing,” Anya says. “Two years ago, I would not have expected to be where I am.”
“I didn’t start out planning to start a business,” she says, “but I want to do more events and cook for and collaborate with more people. I hope to write more, but I can’t ever see myself not wanting to cook.”
INSPIRING PEOPLE, BRINGING FAMILIES TOGETHER
Her beloved Dominican-born grandmother taught her how to cook, and Xenia Zayas ’07 is determined to honor and impart the cultural legacy that resides in the foods of her childhood.
“I consider myself a storyteller,” she says. “Early on, I found that there was no one who looked like me celebrating the kinds of foods I grew up eating with the production values I feel they deserved.”
Now, as Chef Zee Cooks, Xenia uses her background in media production (which she studied at Syracuse University), her culinary training (from the Institute of Culinary Education) and, of course, the lessons from her grandmother to educate the world about traditional Hispanic foods.
Xenia notes that, when she started her first food blog about 10 years ago, food education content on the internet “was not a big thing” and what did exist was primarily Italian and French. “Even the little bit of Hispanic food was almost entirely Mexican or Tex-Mex,” she ways. “But I’m half Cuban and half Dominican — a Caribbean girl through and through.”
Determined to fill the void, and in the wake of her grandmother’s passing, Xenia and her boyfriend (now husband) created the Chef Zee Cooks channel on YouTube, where she posts new videos every week. There, both newbie and experienced cooks, she says “can learn to feel comfortable tackling the recipes of our ancestors, sometimes with a modern twist.” In addition to the YouTube channel, Xenia posts content on her website, Instagram, Pinterest, and other social media outlets. She and her husband also run a boutique production company that creates food videos, as well as offering food photography and product testing and development. But her great love is inspiring people, bringing families together, and reminding them of recipes that may have been lost.
“A little while back,” she says, “ a young follower learned from my channel to make a traditional Cuban dish — ropa vieja — for her grandmother, who has Alzheimer’s. She told me that when her abuela tasted the dish, she began to sing, remembering her girlhood in Cuba, when she sang all the time. There is nothing I could love more than that.”
ROPA VIEJA INGREDIENTS
• 2lbs grass-fed brisket (Can substitute with flank steak)
• 1 lime
• 1 orange
• 2 tsp Kosher salt
• black pepper to taste
• 6-8 garlic cloves mashed
• 1 tsp Dominican orégano
• ¼ tsp cumin
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ cup water
• 1 white onion
DIRECTIONS
• ¼ green bell pepper
• ¼ red bell pepper
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• ½ cup tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp vino seco (dry cooking wine)
• 1 tbsp Spanish olives
• braising liquid from pressure cooker
• olive oil
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1. Cut the brisket into roughly 3-5 inch pieces. Remove any excess fat.
2. Season brisket with mashed garlic, garlic, orégano, kosher salt, black pepper, fresh lime, and orange. Mix together until well combined. Marinate for 20 minutes.
3. Set pressure cooker to saute on HIGH. Once the device is hot, add olive oil and brown brisket on each side. Depending on the size of your pressure cooker, you may have to brown in batches. Be careful not to overcrowd the pot. The goal is brown the brisket and seal in color and flavor.
4. Once all the brisket pieces are browned, add to the pressure cooker along with ½ cup of water, and a bay leaf. Cover the pressure cooker and secure the valve so that it’s sealed. Then pressure cook on HIGH for 45 minutes *Optional — you can add bay leaves with braising the meat at the end.
5. After 45 minutes, carefully release the pressure from your pressure cooker. Then remove the meat and set liquid aside.
6. Shred brisket as finely or as thick as you want and set aside.
7. Now warm up a large deep-sided skillet over med-high heat. Then add olive oil, garlic, and kosher salt. Saute for about 2 minutes and then add the shredded brisket. Allow the brisket to crisp up a bit for about 5-7 minutes. Then add leftover liquid from the pressure cooker. This will braise the brisket and add more flavor.
8. Once the braising liquid begins to simmer, add tomato paste, tomato sauce and cumin. Stir until well combined. Then add vino seco (dry cooking wine) and let simmer for 2 minutes while the alcohol vapors cook off. Then add the olives and mix. In the end, add sliced onions and peppers. Turn off the flame and let the steam soften the veggies. Garnish at the end with diced cilantro. Feel free to serve Ropa Vieja with white rice and Cuban black beans.
Michael Klimaszewski
Leaving Their Mark
By SuSanne DaviS
As I round the corner of two years at Choate Rosemary Hall, learning more about the School each day and roving for stories of faculty, students, and alumni doing remarkable things, my appreciation for the community continues to grow. In my travels across campus, I have been particularly inspired by some of the stories of the staff who keep this place running. Interested to know more, I recently sat down with five community members who have given many years of service to our School. According to the National Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American stays just under four years in any one job, so the tenure of these individuals is noteworthy, but even more impactful is their commitment and contribution to our community — a trait found across this special place.
Creating Views and Vistas, Shade and Majesty
The black gum is a hardy tree, and the pignut attracts turkeys, while the hickory, along with varieties of maple — stately trees, those — give shade and majesty to campus. The names of trees roll off Michael Klimaszewski’s tongue like poetry as he explains the varieties on campus, where he has worked 42 years, 33 as a licensed arborist.
In the past 10 years, Klimaszewski and his staff have planted over 200 trees. Before planting, he considers views and pedestrian traffic, density, visibility of light on campus, as well as the specific water, light, and soil needs of each tree species. Those 200 do not include plantings around building projects, such as Carr Hall, but rather the trees taken down, mostly through disease or other death.
“We replant three or five trees for every one we take down,” he says, adding that when replanting he tries not to create monostands (groupings of one variety), because when disease hits, such as beach leaf disease or elm disease, the whole stand is vulnerable.
Klimaszewski is a visionary working for the community.
“I’m not planting for today; I’m planting for tomorrow,” he muses. “I won’t see the result of a lot of the work I do.”
A Family Affair
Trish Burnell started working at Choate in 2016 at the age of 26, joining her twin brother Michael, Jr. in the same kitchen where, as a little girl, she had visited her grandmother, Patrica Burnell (for whom she’s named) at work.
Burnell has worked in every part of dining services at School, starting with washing pots and dishes, but these days, she works mostly in catering, which she loves. She occasionally assists with the register in Lanphier Café, but she spends most of her time creating the hospitality associated with displays and arrangements of food.
Her boss, Paul Kikosicki Jr, Director of Dining at Sage, says,
“ Trish has been a great addition to the Sage team. Since she started eight years ago, she has worked to learn all the different positions on campus, making her a huge asset to Sage and Choate. She is always willing to jump in and help wherever needed so that we never have interruptions in service.”
To have three members of the Burnell family working in the same department at the School makes a good story, but this one gets better because the Burnell family legacy at Choate extends further — to Trish Burnell’s dad, Michael Burnell Sr., who worked in dining services for three years out of high school, a great-aunt Barbara, and now, Trish’s younger brother, Ibn, 17, working part-time while still in high school. Six Burnells worked in Choate’s dining services, spanning decades contributing to the School community.
Trish Burnell
Richie Rogers
40,000 Steps a Day and Counting
Richie Rogers walks 40,000 steps a day (or more) on campus and is everywhere all at once. He has been at Choate fulltime for 25 years, with ABM Services for 43 years — with his team setting up and breaking down events across campus.
Rogers says the work he does is never about him, but about the students whom he treats the way he would want to be treated, and he adds quickly, “And that’s exactly the way I’ve been treated all these years.”
Reunion and Commencement are the events Rogers most looks forward to. “They’re uplifting,” he says, noting that the alumni know him and greet him warmly when they return to campus: “I cleaned their dorms, and they are grandparents now.” Having an opportunity to connect with them through this story, Rogers wants alumni to know,
“You’re all doing a great job and it’s so nice to see you when you return to campus.”
Dave Seitlinger
Seeing the School Through Infrastructure
Dave Seitlinger has been in Plumbing Services at Choate for 38 years, so it makes sense that he literally sees the School through its infrastructure, one that connects within the walls of buildings, beneath the ground, and stretches beyond campus, to the town of Wallingford itself. When Seitlinger responded to a recent water main break outside Clinton Knight, one which caused tens of thousands of gallons to gush from the main per day, workers from Wallingford’s Water and Sewer Department arrived on the scene and were greeted by him, their now familiar Choate counterpart, providing immediate assistance to the problem. The mutual respect built through decades of professionalism was apparent.
Patrick Durbin, Chief Financial Officer at Choate and Seitlinger’s boss, says:
“ Watching Dave and his team respond to any issue — rain, snow, late night calls — is impressive. They show up ready to strategize and solve whatever problem needs solving. As a relatively new community member, it gives me confidence to know they are only a phone call away if we have a problem.”
Seitlinger says he has seen a lot of changes at Choate, as buildings get renovated and brought up to code. He and his team replace water lines and antiquated fixtures to prevent high water consumption and leaks, and have also added a great number of sprinkler systems over the years. During Covid, they installed bottle filler stations and sanitation measures around water fountains. But over all the years, Seitlinger says the job is still the same. “We try the best we can to keep the School a healthy environment, to keep up with preventive care to eliminate the risk of unsanitary situations. We do what we do for the community.”
Health Care Provider and — Sometimes — a Mom Away From Home
Cathy Fanning, RN, has been the weekend and night nurse at Choate for more than 34 years. All her various shifts have been on and off evenings and weekends. Regarding how many students she has treated during that time, Fanning says she couldn’t even put a number on it.
“My favorite part of the job is that I enjoy nursing and educating the students over this time of life — adolescence. Giving them care, and sometimes just being a mom away from home for them.”
Fanning says she hopes the alums have good memories of the care they got at the health center. “We continue to be there 24/7 to give students the support they need in all their health needs.” She says the basic nursing assessment and care of the student has not changed. “We have always been available and still are 24 hours a day, seven days a week — serving the student community when the campus is open. It is an asset we here at Choate have that not all boarding schools are privileged to have.”
Cathy Fanning
The William T. Little ’49 and Frances A. Little Theater
,
formerly known as the Paul Mellon Arts Center main stage, is planned for renovation! Our beloved 53-year-old theater will be reimagined as a purpose-built space for drama, one that will create a more intimate performance experience for actors, while also improving accessibility for audiences. The newly renovated theater will feature redesigned side walls and proscenium, permanent forestage, and improved sightlines and acoustics. Seating capacity will be reduced and moved closer to the stage.
Outdated systems will be updated with modern theatrical technology including a new lighting control system to support more fixtures, new motorized rigging, and a new audio system designed for theatrical programming. Usability will be improved with a new orchestra pit lift and removal of the old orchestra shell components will free up stage space.
With the addition of an elevator, the entire building, including the balcony and control booth, orchestra bit and costume shop, as well as adjacent gallery spaces will be fully accessible.
Funded by a generous gift from William T. Little ’49 and Frances A. Little, the renovation is projected for completion in 2026.
ALUMNI AWARD
EMILY OSTER ’98
At School Meeting on May 13, Emily Oster ’98 was honored with the 2025 Choate Rosemary Hall Alumni Award, the School’s highest recognition for a graduate. The award celebrates alumni whose outstanding professional achievements have brought distinction to Choate.
A renowned economist, author, and entrepreneur, Dr. Oster has devoted her career to making complex data accessible, equipping individuals with the tools to make informed decisions in health, education, and parenting. As founder and CEO of ParentData, a datadriven resource for pregnancy, parenting, and personal health, she has helped countless families navigate critical life choices with clarity and confidence. Since its launch in 2020, ParentData has become a widely respected platform, with a newsletter reaching hundreds of thousands of subscribers and a thriving online community.
Dr. Oster is also a New York Times bestselling author whose books — Expecting Better, Cribsheet, The Family Firm, and The Unexpected — have transformed the way parents and families engage with research-backed guidance. Her accessible, evidence-based writing has had a lasting impact on public discourse around parenting and decision-making.
Beyond her public influence, Dr. Oster is a highly regarded scholar and professor of economics at Brown University. From 2019 to 2023, she
held the Royce Family Professorship of Teaching Excellence, recognizing her dedication to mentorship and education. Her research spans health economics, statistical methods, and educational recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, she became Executive Director of the COVID-19 School Data Hub, a pioneering initiative providing policymakers, educators, and researchers with critical data on the pandemic’s impact on student learning.
In recognition of her work, Dr. Oster was named one of TIME magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” in 2022.
Dr. Oster earned both her undergraduate and Ph.D. degrees in economics from Harvard. At Choate, her academic excellence was evident early on, earning her the Frances Burton Chafee Prize for Good Influence, Industry, Sound Scholarship, and Honorable Conduct in the Third Form, as well as the Rassweiler Award, presented to the sixth form student who demonstrates a true love of learning.
Her remarkable career reflects the qualities Choate Rosemary Hall seeks to instill in its students — intellectual curiosity, leadership, and a commitment to making a meaningful impact. The Choate community proudly celebrates Dr. Oster’s achievements and recognizes her as the 2025 Alumni Award recipient.
VO LUNTEERS OF THE CHOATE CLASS OF 1965
In recognition of their outstanding commitment to their School, fellow classmates, and future generations of students, the Choate Class of 1965 volunteers have been named the recipient of the 2025 Choate Rosemary Hall Distinguished Service Award.
Their legacy of leadership began in 1969, when Peter Schaeffer ’65 spearheaded an accelerated 5th reunion, bringing over 60 classmates back to Wallingford. The following year, the tragic loss of their classmate Will Ireland ’65 inspired a profound act of generosity. Led by John Callan ’65 and Laird Davis ’65, P ’84, ’85, ’89, the Class established the William E. Ireland ’65 Memorial Scholarship.
Throughout the years, the Class has continued to break new ground in alumni engagement. In 1985, Jim Smith ’65 published the first-ever reunion yearbook, while a class-led initiative introduced a reunion chapel service, a tradition that endures today. Their 25th Reunion in 1990 set a new record for alumni giving, a milestone that coincided with Peter Schaeffer’s 19-year tenure on the Choate Rosemary Hall Board of Trustees.
Reunions have remained a hallmark of the Class’s enduring bond, featuring innovative programs such as seminars, off-campus events, and performances like the Elderly Brothers (Rusty Ford ’65 and bandmates) at their 50th reunion. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, the class adapted, launching virtual TED-style talks on topics ranging from sustainability and aging to the Peace Corps and the arts.
Their commitment to service has remained steadfast. In 2020, the class reaffirmed its support for the Ireland Scholarship, ensuring that future generations of Choate students benefit from expanded financial aid resources.
For their unwavering commitment to innovation, connection, and service, the Choate Class of 1965 volunteers are a deserving recipient of the Distinguished Service Award. Their legacy continues to inspire, setting a standard of alumni engagement that is a testament to the enduring bonds of friendship and shared purpose that define the Choate experience.
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
The Choate Rosemary Hall Alumni Association’s mission is to create, perpetuate, and enhance relationships among Choate Rosemary Hall alumni, current and prospective students, faculty, staff, and friends in order to foster loyalty, interest, and support for the School and for one another, and to build pride, spirit, and community.
OFFICERS
President
Elizabeth Alford Hogan ’82
Vice Presidents
Jaques Clariond ’01
Justin Graham ’98
Lena Sullesta Jessen ’92
Dewey Kang ’03
John Smyth ’83, P ’20
Members
Sam Chao ’04
Marisa Ferraro ’92, P ’27
Chris Herzog ’99
Ashley Holt ’11
David Javdan ’86
David Kestnbaum ’00
Jack Kingsley ’87
Lambert Lau ’97
Brad Mak ’96
George Ramirez ’11
Will Gilyard ’98, Faculty Representative
Additional Executive Committee Members
Chief Advancement Officer
Anne Bergen
Director of Alumni Relations
Andrea Solomon
Alumni Association
Past Presidents
Susan Barclay ’85
David Hang ’94, P ’25
Chris Hodgson ’78, P ’12, ’14, ’17
Parisa Jaffer ’89
Woody Laikind ’53†
Patrick McCurdy ’98
REGIONAL NETWORK
LEADERSHIP
Boston
Gabby Rundle Robinette ’06
Chicago
Maria Del Favero ’83
Jacqueline Salamack Lanphier ’06
Connecticut
David Aversa ’91
Katie Vitali Childs ’95, P ’24, ’26
Los Angeles
Wesley Hansen ’98
Alexa Platt ’95
New York
Conrad Gomez ’98
Leah Lettieri ’07
Rosemary Hall
Anne Marshall Henry ’62
San Francisco
Albert Lee ’02
Washington, DC
Dan Carucci ’76
Tillie Fowler ’92
Olivia Bee Moore ’10
Beijing
Matthew Cheng ’10
Gunther Hamm ’98
Hong Kong
Jennifer Yu Cheng ’99
Lambert Lau ’97
Sandy Wan ’90
London
Tatiana Donaldson ’13
Elitsa Nacheva ’08
Seoul
Rae-Eun Sung ’97
Shanghai T.C. Chau ’97
Thailand
Uracha Chaiyapinunt ’13
Isa Chirathivat ’96
Pat Sethbhakdi ’85, P ’18, ’18, ’20
Tokyo
Kirk Shimizuishi ’96
Miki Ito Yoshida ’07
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
MAY 2025
16-18 – Reunion Weekend
JUNE 2025
21 – Boston – North End Food Tour
26 – CT – Thimble Island Cruise
29 – Chicago – Architecture Boat Cruise
JULY 2025
Virtual – Alumni Summer Session
17 – D.C. – River Cruise
REGISTER TODAY FOR OUR ALUMNI SUMMER SESSION
Don’t miss your chance to get back into the classroom (virtually, of course!) with your favorite teacher … or perhaps meet a new faculty member! Each class meets for six one-hour sessions and topics range from film history to Shakespeare. To learn more and sign up, visit:
ATH L E T ICS
HA L L O F FAME
Each year, the Choate Rosemary Hall Alumni Association honors outstanding athletes whose achievements have elevated the School’s athletic tradition. On May 17, during Reunion Weekend, the Athletics Hall of Fame will welcome two new inductees. The Choate community proudly celebrates Caitlin Farrell ’15 and David Guernsey ’05 as the newest members of the Athletics Hall of Fame, honoring their achievements and the lasting impact they have made on the School’s athletic tradition.
A three-sport varsity athlete at Choate, CAITLIN FARRELL ’15 was a force on the field, excelling in soccer, basketball, and lacrosse. As a two-time varsity captain in soccer and lacrosse, she earned the Greatest Contribution to Athletics Award for three consecutive years.
In soccer, Caitlin tallied 188 career points, including 72 goals and 44 assists. She was named a High School All-American, New England MVP, and Connecticut Player of the Year, among numerous other accolades.
Continuing her career at Georgetown, Caitlin led the soccer team to its best season in program history in 2018 (21-1-3), earning back-to-back Big East Tournament and regular season championships. Her 18-goal senior season tied the school’s single-season scoring record, and she became Georgetown’s firstever MAC Hermann Trophy finalist, an honor given to the nation’s top collegiate soccer player.
After college, Caitlin played professionally for the Orlando Pride in the National Women’s Soccer League and remains involved in the sport as an assistant coach for the Pingry School girls’ varsity soccer team in New Jersey.
One of Choate’s most dominant swimmers and water polo players, DAVID GUERNSEY ’05 was a four-year varsity athlete in both sports and a two-sport captain in his sixth form year. He was recognized with multiple awards for excellence, leadership, and sportsmanship, including the Dolphin Award for Excellence in Swimming (all four years) and the Charles Wickliffe Kennerly Memorial Award given to the student whose generous nature and good will represent the highest ideals of fair play and who, through uncommon sportsmanship, has positively influenced others and brought great credit to family and School.
As a swimmer, David broke multiple school records and held the New England 200-yard freestyle record for over a decade. The Choate swim team was undefeated throughout his four years, a testament to his talent and leadership.
David continued his success at Harvard, where he captained the swim team, became an Ivy League champion, and was a three-time First-Team All-Ivy selection. He also qualified for the 2008 Olympic Trials, competing in the 50, 100, and 200-meter freestyle events, placing in the top 35 in the 100-meter freestyle.
As a senior at Harvard, David won the prestigious Harold S. Ulen Trophy, awarded to the swimmer who best exemplifies leadership, sportsmanship, and team spirit.
CHOATE ROSEMARY HALL
Minds ALWAYS Open
LEARNING DOESN’T STOP WHEN SUMMER BEGINS
Choate Rosemary Hall’s unique summer programs provide engaging and innovative curriculum for learners to widen their worlds as they pursue their creativity, curiosity, and passion for discovery.
Students of all ages explore new concepts and advance their skills through programs at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.
Are you ready to widen your world this summer? Begin the process by scanning the QR code.
QUESTIONS? Contact us at (203) 697-2365 or at choatesummer@choate.edu
BACK. GET MORE. Create a legacy that pays you back.
With a charitable gift annuity, you can support the future of Choate Rosemary Hall while securing steady income for yourself or a loved one — often with significant tax benefits.
It’s a meaningful way to give that works for you:
Guaranteed lifetime income
Possible tax deductions
Support for the next generation of Wild Boars
Join fellow alumni who are shaping the future — while taking care of their own.
Learn how a planned gift can fit into your future.
For more information, please visit choate.edu/plannedgiving or contact us at (203) 697-2221 or plannedgiving@choate.edu.
THE MARY ATWATER AND WILLIAM GARDNER CHOATE SOCIETY, named for the founders of Rosemary Hall and The Choate School, honors individuals who have remembered the School in their estate plans through charitable bequests, trusts, or over provisions. With more than 550 members, The Choate Society represents a substantial investment in future generations.
CLASSNOTES |
1940s
’48 C Web Ray writes, “After a period of 70 years, I reconnected with my classmate Eric Javits because of Melania Trump. Why? Because she was wearing a hat at the Inauguration designed by Eric’s son, Eric Javits Jr. ’74. Eric is a well known hat designer. It made me wonder about my old classmate, and I got in touch with him and we talked about our old times as well as being on the tennis team together.”
1950s
’54 C Jon Turner writes, “I moved from Manhattan to San Francisco in 2008. We now have a house in Alameda, just across the Bay from San Francisco. I have retired from New York University as an emeritus professor, but am still doing occasional research with UCSF Medical & REACHnet in New Orleans. Mary Ann and I are still traveling: Alaska last year and French rivers and Amsterdam this spring and summer. We try to play pickleball once a week.”
’54 RH Hannah Milde Marks writes, “I planned a trip in April with my daughter, Georgia, to Africa to see the animals, something I have wanted to do for many years. I have been blessed with excellent health, but it can’t last forever! Mary Adams Loomba ’54 is still my oldest and closest friend. I am very grateful to have had her as a friend all this time.”
’55 C Jere Buckley writes, “After graduating from Cornell with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in mechanical engineering, I worked for 35 years as an optical/mechanical engineer for the Perkin-Elmer Corp. in Wilton, Conn., working mostly on optical devices for aircraft or satellite applications. However, the highlight of my career was being an inventor of a machine that changed the world by enabling the economical fabrication of integrated circuit ‘chips’. I have now been retired for 29 years. Time flies when you’re having fun! My wife, Caryl, and I spend much of our time in summer at the log home we built in the small town of Webster, N.H. (and at the associated seasonal lakeside camp) where we enjoy hosting friends and family. That family includes our three children (one retired and one about to be) and their spouses, seven grandchildren pursuing challenging careers, and now three great-grandsons. We spend much of our time in winter living a life of relative ease at RiverWoods Manchester, a nearby Continuing Care Retirement Community.”
Roger Vaughan writes, “I am well into my 80s, which is a trip and a half. Like so many things in life (parenting, for example), we have had little preparation for such a dynamic, challenging adventure. Choate should consider a course: ‘Becoming 80 101.’ It would be a great service. Cause and effect, for instance, a condition we’ve learned to trust all our life, ceases to be valid after 80. Upon reaching the octogenarian heights, or thereabouts, things just fail. I’ve written a piece about becoming 80 called Overtime. Email me if you’d like a copy (vaughan.roger@gmail.com). I’ll spare you the organ recital; for 87 I’m doing okay. My mind still works most of the time. I’m living with my cool wife, Kippy, and my just as cool stepdaughter, Leigh, in Easton, Md. I just had my 23rd book published, Patsy, a biography of pioneer ocean racer and race car driver Patsy Kenedy Bolling. This remarkable woman is 81 and still going strong.”
’56 C Bob Gaines writes, “Your class agent has taken on a new volunteer job as a steward on the Dover Harbor, a restored Pullman car operated and maintained by the D.C. chapter of the National Railroad Historical Society. The chapter runs its own trips and has charters, but the major difference is they try to recreate the same level of service in an authentically restored Pullman car as back in the 1940s. I have to don my white steward jacket, black trousers, ‘shiny’ black shoes and, of course, black bow tie. One trip is to Roanoke, Va. The guests are served adult beverages and brunch, they have three hours to explore the museum’s art gallery in Roanoke and then are welcomed back on the Dover Harbor for happy hour and a complete three course dinner before disembarking back in D.C. All Aboard!”
William Spears writes, “Proud to add four great-grandchildren to our family. We also have 12 grandchildren. Maria and I enjoy our travels. I’m writing this note from Moustique, where we are spending the winter. Summers we go to Greece. Will visit Choate often if our grandson, who has applied, ends up going there. Fingers crossed.”
Roger Vaughan ’55 just had his 23rd book published. Patsy is a biography of pioneer ocean racer and race car driver, Patsy Kenedy Bolling.
Bob Gaines ’56 as a steward on the Dover Harbor, a restored Pullman car operated and maintained by the D.C. chapter of the National Railroad Historical Society.
William Bryant ’59 (left) and Alex McFerran ’60 (right) on January 31, 2025 at The Moorings Yacht and Country Club, Vero Beach, Fla. “Although well into our 80s, still playing competitive tennis.”
’57 C Frank Ashford writes, “I’m 85, and lifelong lessons learned at Choate are still with me. I remember that as a third former I learned how to: wear a tie and make my bed neatly every morning. I remember the essential element of courtesy, respect for masters and their wives, standing in the dining room when they arrived or left the table. I fondly remember Mr. Stanley Pratt, a wise drama teacher, and Mr. Fowler and his lovely wife, who would take me in during the short holidays when I couldn’t travel back to Venezuela. We played soccer with Andover, Exeter, and Yale freshmen. I wish I could remember the ‘halls’ I stayed in. I do remember my dad reminding me of the cost! This was a transition from boy to man. At Choate I learned never to smoke, and I still do not. When in groups, with friends and guests, I always stood when an adult entered and now I’m the only one who stands and opens doors for ladies. I had great friends and I remember Adam Bianchi and Dave Black. I am a Venezuelan citizen but a resident of the U.S. My classmate buddies from Venezuela and Colombia: Luis Roche, Luis F. Sanchez, and Francisco Marulanda. I was on the soccer team when we whipped Phillips Andover. Our great Headmaster Seymour St. John was a man of dignity, intelligence, always fair play, and a great person. After Choate, I attended the University of Oklahoma, and was there for almost 10 years with three degrees in natural gas and petroleum engineering.”
’59 C Ivan Light has edited, along with Leo-Paul Dana, Immigrant and Refugee Entrepreneurs Springer Verlag, 2025.
’59 RH Jane McKeone Gleason writes, “I just became a great-grandma. Didn’t think we were old enough.”
1960s
’60 RH Stuart (Sassy) Saylor Watters writes, “After more than 50 years of living in Connecticut, I made the decision to move to Vero Beach, Fla. I am in a beautiful condo right on the ocean. I have a bunch of friends, and a very active community. Lucky me!”
’61 C Seth Hoyt writes, “I moved to the senior independent living facility StoneRidge in Mystic, Conn. Lovely place, very nice staff and fellow residents. Already had some C ’61 visitors, including Stan and Doozle Trotman. I’m waiting for hip replacement surgery, learning how to slide into compression stockings, and staying away from most news online and on TV. Still traveling on my spiritual journey. Grateful to continue to be in touch with classmates Clip Kniffin, Rob Doyle, Dallas Dort, Morrie Adams, Tim Werbe, Russ Ayres, Ken Phillips, Rick Fabian, Bill Garner, and Terry Hannock. I was also fortunate to be in regular pen pal communication with Nathaniel Messimer before he passed away.”
’61 RH Sue Bristoll Sayles writes, “I’m still working with special needs children. It’s been seven years, and I love these kids. It’s a very gratifying job to be able to make them smile and laugh with all the challenges they face. Y’all should try it. Life on the Vineyard is great. Such a beautiful spot. They do take very good care of the Senior community.”
’62 C F. John Wilkes Jr. writes, “Gini and I enjoyed Deerfield Day last fall. We watched the Wild Boars complete yet another undefeated season. After cheering on the team, we strolled the campus, catching up with old with friends and experiencing the constant evolution of Choate. In the summer we sailed the Mediterranean from Rome to Cannes. We spent the last two days in the south of France with Annick Couillard, a friend from my Peace Corps days in the Ivory Coast (1966-1968). For Christmas/ New Year’s, we visited the warmth of the Caribbean islands. Unfortunately, like many passengers, Gini was confined to our cabin for the first four days due to a viral outbreak. This summer we leave from Iceland (hopefully with Molly and Steve Wade ’63) to explore the Norwegian Sea, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England and France. With luck, we will finish our trip in Paris, staying three nights at L’Hôtel Angleterre sleeping in the bed Hemingway used when he first visited The City of Light in the early 1920s. I am looking forward to a knee replacement, done by the son of the surgeon who did my hip in ’95. Of course, I am determined to continue my cycling, skiing, and ski racing.”
’63 RH Donna Dickenson writes, “I can never forget the outdoor performance of Twelfth Night in 1961, when I was cast as Sebastian, Viola’s twin brother. (Viola was beautifully played by Penny Griffith.) In good New England summer weather fashion, a thunderstorm was threatening just as the final scene approached. The director very sensibly decided to advance the final reunion scene between the twins by cutting the scene just before it, Sebastian’s soliloquy. Having put some effort into memorizing my lines, I was not pleased! But the actual moment of the reunion, with each twin approaching from a different point in the old orchard in front of the packed amphitheater, was quite magical. I feel so lucky to have taken part in three Shakespeare productions while at Rosemary Hall, but that was the most memorable.”
Penny Griffith Dix writes, “Turning 80 was psychologically a wakeup. Life becomes finite. On the other hand, making it to 80 is terrific and to be celebrated that we have lived that long. My three children are taking me for a long weekend to Crystal Bridges. Having been an American Art docent, I am thrilled to be returning there and sharing it with Ellie, Heather, and Morgan. My husband, Dennis, is taking me to Italy, this time to tour Pompeii and Herculaneum, and the Amalfi Coast. What a way to celebrate!”
Four 1962 Classmates at the Harvard Club of New York on December 18, 2024. Left to right: John Campbell, Steve Gilhuley, Peter Miller, Joe Pawlak.
Judy Hetzel Jones writes, “I am enjoying life in sunny Huntington Beach, Calif., with my partner of 30 years, Frank Carroll, and our two Cavalier King Charles spaniels. We feel very fortunate to have been far enough away from the tragic Los Angeles fires to experience only ashes on our cars. I spend two months a year in Nantucket where my sister, Dede Hetzel Jagger ’61, is my neighbor! We get together with assorted cousins, nieces, nephews and visiting friends and have a wonderful time. Alice Chaffee Freeman has been a frequent visitor for years. We always have such fun reminiscing and laughing like we were 15 again! She has the most remarkable memory for so many shenanigans of that time in our lives. Being almost 80 is not always easy, but don’t forget to laugh every day and be kind.”
Jean McBee Knox writes, “August of 2024 brought our first European travel in many years, first to London for a visit with my sister Hetty ’61, who lives in Cornwall, and then to Germany for the silver wedding anniversary of friends. Following the anniversary party, we spent a week with our friends on the beautiful isle of Sylt in the North Sea. We ended the trip with three days in Copenhagen. Our daughter Elizabeth and her family are an easy two hours away in Bedford, Mass. — allowing us great joy in every new growing-up stage of our grandchildren. Daughter Sierra (formerly Sarah) continues to work remotely as a web designer. My husband, Dick, continues to contribute articles to NH Media and is on the board of the NH Master Chorale, also singing baritone and writing program notes. I serve on the Sandwich Conservation Commission, co-manage a winter book review series, and enjoy poetry and art workshops. Gardening, hiking, and crosscountry skiing deepen gratitude for our beautiful surroundings in New Hampshire.”
Reeve Lindbergh Tripp writes, “I do a little writing here and there and play tennis and do Tai Chi with a group of people about my age. We’re friendly and forgiving, and it all keeps me feeling both wellexercised and well socialized, which I’m told is good for me. We still have the chickens, and they’re still laying eggs, which amazes me, because my previous hens used to go on strike in the winter. I’m a bit worried about avian flu, though it isn’t in our area yet, thank goodness.”
’65 C Jim Smith writes, “Last year we took a 122day world cruise on the Viking Sky, and we will be cruising to Bermuda from Boston the week before our 60th reunion, which we’ll attend.”
’65 RH Wesley Cullen Davidson and her husband, Sandy, toured many museums in Paris, Brussels, Ghent, Bruges, Amsterdam for their 50th wedding anniversary. In an introductory Art History Class taught by Ms. Saltus at Rosemary Hall, Wesley’s interest in art was piqued. Classmate Ann Mason Sears’ mother, Martha Mason, suggested Wesley attend Finch College, which had its own art museum and excellent courses in art history. It was a perfect fit. After graduation, Wesley worked in art galleries.
Abigail Erdmann writes, “I work locally, helping immigrant high school students write college essays, teaching writing to women who live in affordable housing, supporting former colleagues at Brookline High who are doing equity work, and hoping the courts hold us in our democracy. I search for joy in daily life — small things like arranging flowers, doing yoga, being with friends and family — to remind myself to feel gratitude.”
Sarah Kernochan writes, “For the past three years, I’ve been working as librettist on a Nancy Drew mystery musical with my husband, James Lapine, directing and Alan Menken and Nell Benjamin on music and lyrics. It’s still in development, and God knows where this is headed. Meanwhile, I’m finishing up a new novel, also fate unknown. Stay busy and stay fictional, is my personal way to stay sane. I’m in regular contact with my Rosemary Hall ’65 besties, whom I’ve known for over 50 years and who are profoundly good for the soul.”
Ann Mason Sears is celebrating her 55 years of marriage with Herb and traveling as much as possible. She writes: “My bags are ready and packed to go explore. We went to two extremes — Antarctica and Central America’s eastern coastline with the Panama Canal to Panama City. I’m looking forward to a river cruise, Prague to Paris, with my daughter Hannah ’93, followed by spring to Adriatic area — Venice to Istanbul. We will do China in the fall and the Nile over New Year’s Eve.”
’66 RH Nancy Hoffman writes, “I am a retired active RN, doing wellness coaching. Not ready to let go of my RN license just yet. Been an RN for 49 years, will most likely fully retire after 50 years! Still living in Seattle. I have my third Tibetan Spaniel; we go on 4-5 walks a day. One thing we have to be very careful of here, are all the coyotes that love to eat cats, bunnies, and have tried to get small dogs, which they did this past summer. So we are learning how to live with them and the powers to be won’t move them, which is not really feasible. It was sad to lose one of my Rosemary friends, recently, Joelle Houze ’65. A most wonderful soul.”
John Wilkes ’62 with friend Annick Couillard and his wife Gini in Cagnes-sur-Mer, France. Bradley Fenton ’67
Nancy Hoffman ’66 has her third Tibetan Spaniel, who is 3 1/2 years old.
Leigh Johnson Yarbrough writes, “The past year and a half has certainly been one of changes for my family. My husband Edwin died on April 28, 2024, following a long illness. I manage to stay busy with my three children, along with my seven grandchildren, aged 14 to three-year-old twins — never a dull moment for sure. Family and friends gathered in Woods Hole, Mass., in October 2024 for the celebration of life of my sister, Lucina (Tina) Johnson Lewis ’64. Rox Rennie, Choate Class of 1967, was also there to celebrate a life well lived.”
’67 C Jonathan Farkas writes, “I’m moving to Malta after my wife, Somers, was named the next Ambassador to Malta.”
Bradley Fenton writes, “Fifth year of retirement after 39-plus years practicing and teaching internal medicine in Philadelphia at U Penn affiliates and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. I spent more than a decade as a team physician for the 76ers. Now living full time in Denver. Marie Savard and I celebrated 45 years of marriage this past December. Our three sons are all west of the Mississippi: Zach ’99 in Denver, Aaron ’00 in Mill Valley, Calif., and Ben ’00 nearby in Boulder. We are blessed with nine grandchildren, healthy and well. I have weathered a number of medical adventures in the past five years but remain active and healthy. We still enjoy our home in Montauk, N.Y. with a cadre of friends. We do get back to Philly to see friends and family and continue to root for the Phillies and the Eagles.”
’67 RH Mary Lou Lange writes, “I’m still flying high from my recent trip to Southeast Asia in January. I went to Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand. It was amazingly fantastic, and I learned and experienced so much. I went over in part because my father was in the Vietnam War, and I wanted to see history firsthand. Every day for me was like ‘a wonder of the world.’”
’68 C David Reed writes, “I am finally retiring completely after 40 years on the staff of Stamford Hospital and 20 years as the Public Health Medical Director for the departments of health for New Canaan and Norwalk, Conn. I know from the 50th and 55th reunions that most of my classmates were smart enough to retire years ago. I am looking forward to fishing and hunting trips, travel with Janet and most of all, playing many rounds of bad golf. We now have five grandchildren: three girls (ages 4, 6, and 9) in Westport, Conn., and two boys (ages 2 and 8 months) in Newton, Mass. Like most people our age, we have had a few significant bumps in the road: I with oral cancer and Janet with her 95-year-old mother with worsening dementia. Nonetheless, we are enjoying our new retirement status and the opportunity it affords us to spend time with family and friends. We are now back in Southport where I lived when at Choate. Look us up if you are in the neighborhood.”
1 Mary Lou Lange ’67 up close and personal with elephants in a sanctuary in Thailand.
2 Jan Scott Perrault ’65 has 4 dogs at the moment: two 1-year-old Maltese, a 3-month-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, and a beautiful Standard Poodle born October 23. Her name is Shero. She is the great granddaughter of Paisley who died 2 months ago at 14 years.
3 Rick Rosenthal ’67 — ”watching the US Open, I couldn’t figure out why Athena, our rescue Golden Retriever, was so transfixed by the TV and then I realized she was waiting for a tennis ball to get loose and pop out of the screen! Rescue dogs provide such joy.”
4 Carlie Mayer Feldman ’65 is being featured in a local publication, a very small magazine, where she lives in Sag Harbor. She wrote an article for them about her massage practice and included lots of photographs of her quilts.
5 David Reed ’68 and family on Labor Day 2024. One week after grandson, William, was released from the NICU at Brigham after 67 days of “captivity”. “We are so joyful to have been able to celebrate our newest member’s good health.”
’69 C Julian Lines introduced Steven Rockefeller, Jr. ’78, who received the Nakashima Foundation for Peace award on behalf of his father this past October in New Hope, Pa. Julian has had a longtime relationship with the Nakashima family since 1973. They often visited Matagiri, the yoga center outside of Woodstock, N.Y., where he is a resident trustee. Steven is a woodworker himself. His father was instrumental in bringing the first Nakashima Peace Table to the Cathedral St John the Divine in New York. The others are located at the Academy of Arts in Moscow and at the Unity Pavilion in Auroville, South India. Previous recipients of the Peace Award include the Rev. James Parks Morton and Scott and Hella McVay. A video of the event is on the Nakashima Foundation for Peace website: nakashimafoundation.org.
’69 RH Vickie Spang writes, “I’m starting to enjoy retirement more (I miss the structure and socialization of the office) and am traveling a bit; up next is a Danube River cruise. And I enjoy my art history classes hosted by UCLA. I regularly see Rosemary Hall classmate and lifelong friend Helen Halpin in the SF Bay Area.”
1970s
’70 C Randy Houser writes, “My wife, Jean, and I will celebrate our 44th anniversary in May. We met and married in Jackson, Wyo., where I was the GM of the local cable TV company and she was a nurse. Our sons were born there. The business took me to Washington D.C., Chapel Hill N.C., and Charleston S.C., as well as many other places for temporary work. After that, I worked as a realtor here in Charleston. We are retired now and live near our younger son and his wife and two grandkids. Our older spent a career in the USAF and now is employed with the D.O.D. in Utah. We downsized five years ago and found a smaller home in our old neighborhood. I am regrettably not able to attend our 55th reunion, as we will be in Dubois Wyo., for the memorial service of our stepfather, who passed away last year. He and our Mom started the guest ranch where Geoff Houser ’72 and I called home and had summer jobs in the 1970s. He sponsored me for my sixth form project, where I went to work on a fishing boat in the remote Solomon Islands in 1970. It was the adventure of a lifetime. He was also the Yale roommate of Jack Downey ’47, whom we both got to know when he was was released from China as America’s longest held POW in 1972. They both were recruited into the CIA. While at Choate I remember we would have an annual Jack Downey sermon and had no idea I would one day get to take him fly fishing and have him share his experiences with us.”
’72 C Chip Truwit writes, “The cleats are on the hook. As of last September, I have effectively retired, working only as a consultant for a few medical device companies going forward. My career included 12 years with the U.S. Army, after which my academic career in Minnesota, starting in 1993 at the University, ending in 2019, after two decades as department chair on the other side of the Mississippi at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, four books (two of which are in the Choate Library), 150 peer-reviewed publications and 30 patents and the startups that leveraged those patents. From 2019 to 2024, I joined Philips as Chief Medical Officer, and subsequently Hyperfine. Paula and I are now enjoying time with Peter and Christina and their families, sailing my trimaran on Lake Minnetonka, designing our next waterfront home in Wakefield, R.I. After 32 years in Minnesota, we are coming up on parole and will be moving back later this year.”
’73 C Jim Bertles writes, “I’m still living in Palm Beach, Fla., with wife, Lisa, of 44 years, three kids and seven grandkids all spread around living in Connecticut, Virginia, and Wyoming, and am still working hard (what else would I do?) for our continually growing wealth management/investment firm and playing golf as my aching body allows. I stay in close touch with Drew Casertano ’74 and Gary Lickle ’72 and see Jay Remsen ’75 occasionally, but otherwise don’t have much contact with former Choate classmates. Would love to connect with those who pass through Palm Beach.”
Chip Forrester writes, “After over 40 years in Democratic politics, I retired November 16, 2024. While November 5 did not give us the outcome we had hoped for, it was nevertheless an incredible honor to do all I could this election cycle for Democrats — from the courthouse to the state house to the White House and nationally. I left nothing on the field, and am proud of what I did. It has been quite an adventure, and I am honored to have known three U.S. Presidents personally, having been an integral part of their campaigns and administrations. Now it is off to Wild Rose Farm in southern Illinois and retirement, just a few hours from my granddaughters, Mary Lou (5) and Betty Joy (3), who live in Chicago with Evan, my son and Wen Wen, their mom. As they say, it is time to ‘Smell the Roses’ during the final phase of life.”
Caroline Bissell d’Otreppe writes, “my husband of 47 years and I have found our forever home directly across the street from my home of 60 years. We have just become grandparents for the first time and look forward to having our daughter, son-in-law, and baby girl, Charlie, move closer-by in the summer. I feel this stage of life is all about leaving a legacy — gifts that keep on giving. Whether it is writing a book, tackling a restoration project, leaving a memoir, assembling recipes, leaving lesson
L-R: Steven Rockefeller Jr ’78, Mira Nakashima, Julian Lines ’69, Irene Goldman
Chip Truwit ’72 sailing on Browns Bay, Lake Minnetonka, just in front of his home.
Brian Jacks ’74. “Last September we traveled to Maui for a beautiful vacation. We hope to go back in 2026.”
plans for the next generation of students, creating a documentary or other form of storytelling, or leaving gifts to endowments of organizations that made a difference in our lives — this is the time to give back in ways that have a ripple effect. There is also nothing that replaces old friends. Happy 70th birthday to all my classmates.”
’75 C Bradford Bancroft writes, “Perhaps like a few of you guys, I have (slightly) retired from my long practice as a creative arts therapist and have spent this past year writing about this work. It is called Rehearse For Life, and shows examples of the kind of sessions I have done over the past 25 years using drama, music, art, and writing as therapeutic tools. I suppose I have been going through a touch of existential thinking as so many of my friends, colleagues, and peers are starting to pass away — at my age. I was devastated to learn of Doug McGrath ’76 passing and it made me think, “How do I want to spend the next part of my journey”? I feel so blessed to have had such an exciting life in the arts, working with amazing folks and wanted, finally, to spend some time honoring these people and the work rather than collecting more memories on the bookshelf. I appreciate all of the friends I made at Choate Rosemary Hall who still remain dear to me after all these years. We tore it up then in our wild youth and can laugh about it now as we share our aches and pains. Sending love and warm regards to you all. See you in the future … if not in the pasture.”
Tim Barnard writes, “I’m celebrating 45 years as a professional sculptor. I’ll be having events through out the year in Healdsburg, Calif., Laguna Beach, Calif., Santa Fe, N.M., and more. I’ll see you at the reunion in May.”
Bruce Cooper writes, “I’m looking forward to the 50th Reunion and to hear all of the stories of the past 50 years. I recently started my crime novel about a government prosecutor turned criminal. Should be fun to write after 30-plus years as a criminal defense attorney, a tour as a special assistant US Attorney, and 10 years at the CIA.”
’75 RH Cameron Fletcher writes, “I retired in May 2023 from a 37-year career at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and now continue with freelance editing in international economic policy and quantum sensing/ computing — for all of which I was eminently qualified by my BA in French lit, of course! Seriously, I got an excellent head start at Choate Rosemary Hall in learning how to write and to think analytically, and those skills stood me in good stead throughout my career. In retirement I’m active in my community, sing with a quartet in monthly gigs at senior centers, play pickleball, am a member of a beer club and a book group, and walk my 11-year-old Aussie mix two to five miles a day. I’m interested in hearing about what others are doing in their retirement.”
1 Bradford Bancroft ’75 carrying on the tradition in this photo showing him and his great great grandfather, Hubert Howe Bancroft, the historian.
2 Tim Barnard (T Barny) ’75 with his sculpture ‘Coriolis’.
3 Linda B. McCulloch ’75 (center), celebrates her theatrical career during a New Year’s Day champagne celebration at Domaine Carneros in Napa, Calif. along with her husband, Daniel Aviles (right), and lifelong friend, John J. Geoghegan ’75 (left).
76 C Joseph A. Margoshes writes, “It is said that long-range planning does not deal with future decisions, but with the future of present decisions. I have presently decided upon a return to campus for the first time since graduation, and very much look forward to the Class of ’76 50th Reunion in May.”
’76 RH Sue Ziegler Barrows writes. “Last year, I moved from Bozeman, Mont., to Islamorada, Fla. A son and two grandchildren still in Bozeman keep me visiting there. I have the best of both worlds to enjoy retirement. Love the fishing, pickleball, kayaking, and biking year-round in the Florida outdoors. Our second son lives here too.”
Lisa Helme Danforth writes, “I’m working on a final media launch with SDG News, the fast growing digital, events and data company working to accelerate and achieve UN Sustainable Development goals. I’ve been spending time with Bob Habgood ’77 and his great wife, Dawn. Lots of Choate Rosemary Hall friends in Vero, happy to connect with more. I’m also contemplating buying a house in Guilford or Madison, Conn. I’m looking forward to 50th Reunion in May 2026 with husband, Michael Danforth.”
Helen Thorgalsen writes, “After owning the local general store, HB Provisions, in Kennebunk, Maine for 22 years, my partner and I have retired to Woodstock, Vt. Now I have time to do those fun things I never had time for while working, including playing on a women’s ice hockey team, The Puckhogs. My daughter, Audrey Micca, plays with me weekly and my granddaughter (11 years old), Chloe Micca, plays goalie for us occasionally. It’s very special to have all three of us on the ice together.”
’79 Terry McClenahan writes, “Last June, our first grandchild, Arthur, was born in Charlottesville, Va. If he were any cuter it’d be illegal (said like a true grandparent). Daughter Katie is a 2L at Georgetown Law, and our son Rory graduated last May from Wesleyan (my alma mater). Last summer, he was a field organizer for Josh Riley’s successful N.Y. 19 campaign for the U.S. House. My wife, Kara Kelly, continues to do astounding work in her eighth year as Chief of Pediatric Oncology at two Buffalo hospitals and the medical school. I still work on commercial projects and (Amazon) warehouses with Acquest Design. I also row a lot with Buffalo River RC; won medals at Midwest Sprints and Head of the Welland regattas. In October, I raced in a four at my beloved Head of the Charles Regatta — probably my 14th or 15th time. And, on a down note, in 2024 we lost my mother and father-in-law.”
Sally Morton was elected to the National Academy of Medicine last October. Founded in 1970, NAM is one of three academies that make up the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. The body elects no more than 100 members each year.
Victoria Nuland retired again last year from the U.S. State Department as Undersecretary for Political Affairs and Acting Deputy Secretary, after 35 years as a U.S. diplomat. She is now Shelby Cullom Davis Professor in the Practice of International Diplomacy at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and a Senior Advisor at Covington & Burling, LLP.
’76
Helen Thorgalsen (right) has her experience at Rosemary Hall to thank for her still playing ice hockey. She plays weekly with her daughter, Audrey Micca (left) and granddaughter, Chloe Micca (center).
Miles Spencer ’81 with his new book A Line in the Sand.
Sally Morton ’79.
Terry McClenahan ’79 holds grandson Arthur McRose, born June 2024.
1980s
’81 Tom Colt writes, “I’m in my eighth year living in China, where I work as a college counselor at Shanghai American School. My wife, Megan, and I continue to travel as much as possible. In the past year we’ve visited the Philippines, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Morocco, France (for the Olympics!), Cambodia, Nepal, Bhutan, and Uzbekistan. It’s been great to have been able to attend some Choate alumni events in Shanghai.”
1 Several members of the Class of 1982 spent a memorable weekend on campus this fall celebrating being sexagenarians and 40+ years of friendship. Left to right: Laura Rawlings, Page Vincent Gosnell, and Kalen Hockstader Holliday.
2 Elyse Singer ’85 (in cap and gown) celebrated her Ph.D. graduation with frequent collaborators Carolyn Baeumler (left) and CRH classmate Carey Bertini ’85 (right).
3 Ted Danforth ’84, Tag Mendillo ’83, Teddy Danforth, Jack Mendillo, and Scott Danforth at the Dolphins/49ers game in Miami this past December. The Mendillos and the Danforths have been able to celebrate many holiday seasons together over the years.
4 Mini two-family Choate reunion January 4, 2025. Left to right: Dexter Chang ’89, Davina Chang ’92, Ronna Chao ’85, Jason Lo ’95, Heidi Chang ’96. Dexter and Davina are siblings. Their parents and Ronna Chao’s are college friends from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and have remained close ever since. Jason and Heidi are Dexter and Davina’s cousins. The little boy, Miles, is Heidi’s son. The Changs were having a big family reunion in HK.
5 Josh Sagarin ’83 kayaking in Venice
Jim Wright writes, “I have spent the past 33 years working in the soccer world. I spent nine years as the men’s assistant soccer coach at my alma mater, Davidson College. Since 2001, I have been working in the youth soccer ranks primarily in Raleigh, N.C., with brief side-trips to Richmond, Va., and Jacksonville, N.C. I am currently in my 15th year with the North Carolina Futbol Club Youth in Raleigh, where I serve as the Classic Division Operations Director and coach girls at the U16 and U19 age-groups.”
’83 Josh Sagarin writes, “2025 is shaping up to be a big year in the Sagarin household. Both children are graduating, Sam from GSU and Elle from high school. Since this was likely the last time we could all travel together for a while, we took the family to Italy, where I got to kayak in the canals in Venice. Back in Atlanta, I have shifted from restaurants to real estate. After selling my last restaurant just before the COVID shutdown I have been doing several years of planning and permitting, and we plan to break ground on a mixed-use development with 250 apartment units as well as first floor retail, restaurants, and parking deck. Beyond that, Margaret and I are enjoying semiretirement in Atlanta and would love to see any Choaties here in Atlanta, especially early ’80s grads.”
’84 Elizabeth England writes, “My dear lifelong friend, fellow faculty child, and Choate Rosemary Hall classmate Michelle Elizabeth Generous passed away in Washington, D.C. in January after a valiant battle with cancer. Those with her surrounding her with love as she passed included me, my sister, Kat England ’78, and our lifelong friend Amy Catala Cassello. Michelle was the daughter of two longtime Choate faculty members, Tom and Diane Generous. She grew up on the Choate campus, living in the faculty residence of Pitman dorm where her parents were the dorm advisors. She is survived by her sister, Suzanne Generous Prentice ’87. No one I know was friends with and stayed in touch with more people from Choate (former faculty, former faculty children, alumni) than Michelle! I’m not sure if she ever missed a Reunion Weekend. Even in the midst of her very challenging cancer fight last year, she made the difficult trip from Washington to Connecticut on the train by herself with her rollator walker in order to attend the 2024 Reunion Weekend.”
’87 ’87
Three Alumni Collaborated to Relocate a Beloved San Francisco Institution
Laura Zander ’83, James Suh ’87, and Clifford Yin ’87
The Exploratorium is a San Francisco landmark. This interactive art and science museum, located in the city’s historic waterfront Embarcadero district, is known as a “public learning laboratory,” characterized by inquiry-based teaching, experiential learning, and the spirit of exploration. It is also the largest net-zeroenergy museum in the world.
Three Choate alumni — Laura Zander ’83, James Suh ’87, and Clifford Yin ’87 — came together at a critical point in the Exploratorium’s history, possessing different professional expertise, to play key roles in building a new home and brighter future for an institution with both local importance and global reach.
When Laura Zander was a little girl, the Exploratorium captured her imagination. She grew up in Venezuela but loved going to the museum when visiting her cousins in San Francisco. Years later, in 2007, she leaped at the opportunity to become the nonprofit’s new Chief Financial and Operating Officer. When she arrived, she had her work cut out for her: If the Exploratorium was going to flourish in the 21st century, it needed a new home.
Founded in 1969 by Frank Oppenheimer, who had worked on the Manhattan Project with his more famous brother, the museum was then situated in a warehouse-style building erected for the Panama Pacific International Exposition of 1915. Originally intended to be a temporary structure, the place was, according to Laura, “a vast cavernous space without heat, cooling, or ventilation” that was falling into disrepair.
Laura, who has a B.A. from Columbia and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, was well prepared for her oversight role on the relocation project. Her resume included working in finance in New York City, acting as a CFO for Bay Area tech companies, and serving as the CFO/COO who had recently helped the not-for-profit Peninsula Jewish Community Center construct its new facility.
But this was going to be a challenge. The leadership of the museum had already had to abandon two potential properties after initial investment, and now the historic — and dilapidating — sheds on piers 15 and 17 were under
consideration for development. Could such a project even be done? The San Francisco northeast waterfront is notoriously difficult to develop. Successful construction, renovation, and relocation for the Exploratorium would involve more than navigating the usual challenges of keeping such a big project on track and on budget. It would also require negotiating with a whole host of stakeholders — about a dozen federal, state, and local agencies and as many community groups — who could raise potentially project-threatening objections.
Enter Project Manager James Suh, who was then working for a firm called Wilson Meany Sullivan.
James says, “My responsibilities included getting regulatory approvals and permits, bringing on and managing the architects, engineers, contractors, and attorneys, negotiating the ground lease, meeting with community groups and local politicians, assisting in the acquisition of historic tax credits and the construction loan, and owning the budget and schedule.”
In pursuit of the requisite permits and permissions, James had to make inroads and build trust with every entity from the city’s Waterfront Design Advisory Committee to the State Historic Preservation Office and the Coastal Commission. He was even on a first-name basis with the marine biologist tasked with ensuring that construction on the piers’ 100-year-old pilings did not interfere with the spawning of local herring.
Meanwhile, there were numerous legal hurdles to overcome. And that’s where lawyer Cliff Yin and his firm, Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass, came in.
“We did all of the legal work related to the Exploratorium’s move to its current site,” Cliff says. “We did the entitlement work, we dealt with the city, we dealt with tenants, and we obtained the financing to construct the project.”
Cliff brought his skills as a litigator and negotiator to the project. He says, “My first role was to try to head off disputes or issues as they might come along,” he says. “And then when there were disputes, resolving them. But I would say that the bulk of the work we did was just to get the building built and the Exploratorium developed in as seamless a way as possible.”
Cliff says it was gratifying to be advocating for a beloved San Francisco institution, and he enjoyed working with Laura and her colleagues. “They were incredibly dedicated,” he says.
Cliff and James knew each other from Choate, and one day they bumped into each other on the street to discover that they were both engaged on the same long-term development project. Though the classmates had each been meeting with Laura and her team on a regular basis, they didn’t know at first that all three of them were Choate alumni.
Laura remembers the exact moment when the realization hit. She and James were discussing a potential date for a meeting, when she said, “I don’t think I can go that night because my high school is having a reunion at [the restaurant] Pier 23.” And he replied, “So is mine!”
Discovering their Choate bond made the project more meaningful for all of them. Laura says, “I firmly believe that that connection made our engagement with each other stronger.”
Notes Cliff, “I actually think that the two most important skills I needed for the Exploratorium project, and to be a lawyer, I developed and honed at Choate. And those skills are critical thinking — trying to figure out how to get from A to B and solving the problems that come along the way — and writing. Writing really well, writing succinctly and writing logically.”
The efforts of the three alumni — and the dozens of other people who contributed to the endeavor — came to fruition in 2013, when the Exploratorium opened to the public in its new location.
“We received entitlement in six years, which was a small miracle in San Francisco,” says James. “We finished construction in another two years, which was amazing, as this was a full, seismic retrofit of a dilapidated and historic pier with lots of specialized marine construction.”
In the end, the $220,000,000 project provided 330,000-square feet of indoor/outdoor space for the museum, tripling the exhibition space, among other benefits. Meanwhile, the LEED Platinum facility’s bay-water heating and cooling system and array of more than 5,800 solar panels helped to make the museum a sustainability leader. And, significantly, the Exploratorium’s more central location strongly aligns with its educational mission by making the museum more accessible to visitors to the city, as well
as to socio-economically disadvantaged parts of town.
Today, all three alumni still work in the Bay Area.
Cliff is a partner at the same firm and has built a reputation as a seasoned and successful litigator of business, real estate, and employment disputes.
He has been named a “Northern California Super Lawyer” by San Francisco Magazine for more than a dozen consecutive years, and his roots in the community include serving as a mock trial coach for a local high school team for over 30 years.
A typical day for him involves client meetings, strategy discussions, pre-litigation tasks, and sometimes being in trial, as he was for more than two months in 2024.
He says, “Most disputes don’t go all the way to trial, but I’m always ready, and frankly I really enjoy going to trial.”
Cliff, who earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School after attending Brown as an undergraduate, was always drawn to litigation. “I think I realized that I’m both competitive and somewhat of a ham,” he says. Being a lawyer he notes, “requires a fair amount of creativity and strategy and performance, and each of those things really appeals to me.”
Serving clients is another rewarding aspect of the job. “They entrust their business and their incredibly personal, sensitive issues to [us],” he says. “And being entrusted with that responsibility, having people come to us for our advice, or our advocacy — it’s very fulfilling.”
James, too, can see how his Choate experiences have influenced his career. His interest in architecture dates back to his prep school interviews, and he recalls being drawn to the I.M. Pei-designed Paul Mellon Arts Center on his first campus visit. He went on to get a B.A. in Art and Architectural History from Tufts, and later a Master of Architecture from UPenn, and then an M.S. in Real Estate Development from Columbia.
After 20-plus years in the Bay Area, James has built not just edifices, but also relationships across the city. He still likes the strategic, organizational, and technical aspects of project development but says, “The personal interaction has become a much more important joy in my life.”
He notes that the Exploratorium project helped to put him on a path to the work he does to this day.
“I left my salaried job in real estate and started a development company with a friend in 2013
called KASA Partners,” he says. “We had a good run doing multi-family, commercial office, and land development for clients, but during Covid I found myself wishing to pursue projects that I was passionate about again, like the Exploratorium.”
In May 2024 he founded a new company, JSRE Partners, which is currently engaged in three development projects for area nonprofits. “We still have other more traditional development deals, but the mission-driven projects are definitely the more fulfilling for me at the moment,” he says.
As for Laura, she continues to oversee the Exploratorium from a financial and operational standpoint. Her leadership was recognized by the San Francisco Business Times in September, when she was named “2024 CFO of the Year” in the nonprofit sector.
She is especially passionate about the Exploratorium’s impactful local and regional initiatives. These include a youth development program that trains high school students to be Exploratorium “Explainers,” or docents, and a program that teaches educators how to implement inquiry-based methods in their classrooms.
Laura says, “[The Exploratorium] is a museum of the people, and it’s got a really deep mission, and that’s why I’m there.”
Part of her work is forging global relationships and negotiating contracts with like-minded institutions that seek to build the kinds of spaces and employ the pedagogies pioneered by the Exploratorium. Laura says the museum’s legacy is far-reaching: “This is the catalyst for a thousand science centers around the world that owe their existence to the Exploratorium, because they copied us in some way.”
A big challenge for executives like Laura is that, worldwide, attendance at museums and other cultural institutions is in decline, in spite of their continued relevance in today’s society. Laura says, “They foster deep learning and critical thinking through one’s natural curiosity. People of all ages can experience joy and wonder while learning, making these institutions’ survival essential.”
By LeSLie viroStek P ’15, ’17, ’20
Leslie Virostek is a
freelance writer and frequent contributor to the Bulletin.
’84
George Stein writes, “Really excited about LA Lacrosse, a free lacrosse program I started in the Watts area of LA for kids from under-resourced communities. So appreciative to get support from classmates Bill Ryan, Noel Williams, and Greg Williams. For anyone who wants to learn more, check out lalacrosse.org.”
’85 Susy Brickman Greer writes, “After 35 years of public service, I retired in December as the Deputy ACIO for all IRS Application Development. I’m now a proud IBMer! See everyone at the reunion.”
Elyse Singer writes, “In June 2024, I received my Ph.D. in Theatre and Performance, with a certificate in Film and Media Cultures, from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. After the graduation ceremony at Lincoln Center, I celebrated with family and friends including classmate Carey Bertini. Carey has collaborated with me as a choreographer on numerous stage productions, including Mae West’s SEX and The Pleasure Man, Trouble in Paradise, and Frequency Hopping. She even helped to identify some dance steps in early silent films for my dissertation.”
’86 Peter Finfrock writes, “I had a stroke on Labor Day 2024, and have been making tremendous progress in my recovery ever since. I was in Ohio when it happened and did some of my recovery in Cleveland at the Cleveland Clinic. Then I got to take the air ambulance to Florida, bed to bed in a private jet, thanks to my loving paternal family for that! I had spent the earlier part of the year in lovely Stratford, Ontario, which is more British than Great Britain, though now I don’t know if I’ll be able to leave Florida again. Bless all the therapists out there who rescue people from stroke oblivion. I was surprised at how sloppy my speech became. That was too close for comfort.”
Jason O’Neill released his new book, The Secrets of Successful Drug Launches in February. The book exposes the hidden reasons why some products fail while others succeed. In doing so, it reveals that the most common causes are the hidden traps in human decision making. Filled with colorful examples and personal stories, Secrets helps readers master the best of what others have already learned.
George Stein with some of the LA Lacrosse program’s 6th and 7th grade girls learning to play lacrosse and having fun!
’87 Kevin Kassover writes, “After over 17 years in the medical aesthetic business, I’ve ventured out on my own as a consultant. My clients include companies focused on the professional physician channel (skin care, hair care, injectables, lasers, etc.) along with dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and medspas. Wish me luck on this new chapter! And let’s start planning now for our 40th Reunion in 2027.”
’89 Wendy Tetrault writes, “My husband, Aaron, and I are empty nesters! Both our kids are at UVM. Our son is a junior studying computer science and our daughter is a freshman in the nursing program. I am the nurse manager of Perioperative Services at Mt. Ascutney Hospital. We spend our time mountainbiking and skiing out our back door in Vermont, feeling lucky to be able to enjoy the woods.”
1990s
’90 Constantin von Wentzel writes, “Late last year, I visited Matthew Taylor ’90 at the Northeast Energy Center, in Charlton, Mass. It’s a recentlycompleted, fascinating facility whose development Matt has been shepherding for several years.”
’91 Carrie Angoff writes, “I’ve launched Elective Study Abroad, a company that reimagines study abroad for adults. Studying abroad was life-defining for me, starting with my very first experience studying in France in 1989 with the Choate summer program. I went on to spend my career in strategic operations, helping to grow a variety of companies and organizations connected to international education and cultural exchange. I created Elective because I believe that education doesn’t stop after college, and learning through travel is just as valuable — if not more so — later in life. The pilot course, Moorish Spain,” ran in March and April with four other courses set to run later in 2025: Women in Paris, World Religions in Istanbul, Morocco’s Waterways and Civilization, and a second edition of Moorish Spain. See electivestudyabroad.com for more info. Hope to see some Choaties on an Elective sometime soon!”
’91 Brad Robie writes, “Our youngest, Leanna, is graduating from Choate this year. We are also so excited that she will going to college closer to home for us when she attends Tufts in the fall.”
TOP LEFT Matthew Taylor ’90 and Constantin von Wentzel ’90 standing on top of millions of gallons of liquefied natural gas at the Northeast Entergy Center in Charlton, Mass.
TOP RIGHT Brad Robie ’91 and daughter, Leanna Robie ’25 at Deerfield Day in Wallingford.
BOTTOM Gian-Carlo Peressutti, Ulysses de la Torre and Chris Dommers, all Class of 1991, met at Stanford University in February for a women’s lacrosse game between Stanford and the University of California, Davis. Gian-Carlo’s daughter, Roma, left, and Chris’ daughter, Hailey, right, are teammates at UC Davis.
’92 Jeremiah Goodwin reconnected with classmate Vijak Sethaput at an executive roundtable hosted by the Ethereum Foundation in Bangkok, Thailand, in November 2024. Jeremy, a veteran blockchain entrepreneur specializing in industrial supply chains, shared insights from his extensive experience leveraging decentralized technologies to transform traditional manufacturing processes in the U.S. and European aerospace and automotive industries since 2017.
Samantha Coleman Ritchey writes, “What a fantastic hens bridal weekend on the boat for Lacey Tucker’s upcoming wedding! Onna Houck, Sara Glenn, Kristen Zeitzer, and I were honored to be able to spoil Lacey for a super fun long weekend filled with laughs, gifts, delicious food, and hilarious reminiscing about old school days. I also got to spend another weekend with Kristen Zeitzer attending her son’s Bar Mitzvah. Mazel Tov! I’ll just say that I truly enjoy seeing our class updates and achievements online and, in the Bulletin.”
Harmony Caton Stratton writes, “This spring I will move with my family to Sequim, Wash., to work as an addiction medicine and primary care physician at the Jamestown S’Klallam Healing Clinic.”
’93 Courtney Scott and her husband, Tim, recently moved to Ormond Beach, Fla.. The relocation was predicated by an offer to become the Vice President of Strategic People Operations for Brown & Brown Insurance. Courtney had worked for the past 12 years as the head of marketing and business development for a Brown & Brown subsidiary. They look forward to catching up with other Florida-based Choaties.”
MIDDLE Eliza Buddenhagen ’06 launched AURI, a brand offering luxury handbags and fine jewelry that re-invent ancient art forms, such as Pietra Dura, with a modern edge.
BOTTOM Jeremy Goodwin ’92 (left) and Vijak Sethaput ’92 (right) pictured with Aya Miyaguchi, Executive Director, Ethereum Foundation.
TOP Left to right: Shawn Yang ’24, Diana Beste, Former Faculty, Gigi Chen ’24 at the Columbia Orchestra concert in December 2024. Diana says “It was spectacular. The Orchestra performed again in April, this time in Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center.”
3
4
2
1 Class of 1992 friends for life Samantha Coleman Ritchey, Onna Houck, Lacey Tucker, Kristen Zeitzer, Sara Glenn — “Personalized robes, towels, tumblers, and shades … we’re on a boat!”
Class of 1996 — amazing group of people right here! At the wedding of Ari Fishman ’96.
Josh Martino ’96 is being awarded the OneJax Humanitarian of the Year Award.
Dr. Sean Thomas ’99 released his second book entitled Project More. The health and fitness book includes 40 days of tips along with workout videos and daily tasks to “Be More Today.” The book can be found on Amazon.
’05 Max Sinsteden opened his own solo interior decorating firm. From a new office on Madison Avenue, he is happy to report he is decorating for multiple Choate alumni across the U.S.
’96 Ari Fishman married Molly Tonino at Zenbarn on August 24, 2024. So many from the Class of ’96 in attendance — Jon Forman, Ali Jeronimo, Maya Lichtenstein, Andrew DeSear, Aaron Zubaty, Jelani Hale, Jed Williams, Lil’ Alex Ullman, Chris Stewart, Mike Caplan, Trevor Shattuck, Trillium “Piggy” Sellers. The celebration took place at Ari’s music and events venue Zenbarn. Zenbarn has recently expanded into the cannabis industry and has one of the largest and most sustainable cannabis growing operations in the state as well as the premier retail dispensary in Vermont.
’99 Andrea Johnson Baskett-Pee announces the launch of Atwasi, a luxury travel concierge specializing in bespoke Jamaican experiences. Atwasi creates thoughtfully curated journeys for individual and corporate travel.
2000s
’01 Meagan Kudchadkar Shah recently left her job as a KIPP D.C. school leader to begin her own education consulting business — MVS Educational Services LLC — through which she supports families to navigate and enhance their children’s school experiences.
’05 Maximilian Sinsteden writes, “2024 was a big year both personally and professionally, as my husband Jordan Rundell, and I had our first year with our son Everett (born October 2023) and I opened my own solo interior decorating firm after 14 years with a professional partner. From a new office on Madison Avenue, I am happy to report I am decorating for multiple Choate alumni across the U.S. I still have daily contact with many Choate friends and look forward to the reunion this spring.”
’06 Shira Knishkow is a music industry executive who manages Grammy-nominated rock bands Alvvays and Bright Eyes, as well as indie acts like Blondshell, Stephen Malkmus, and Kurt Vile. “This maybe explains why I had weird hair and piercings in high school,” she says.
2010s
’13 Johann Fitzpatrick writes, “I designed the set for Choate’s upcoming production of Macbeth at the PMAC. Don’t have pictures to share, but once the show goes up I’m sure pictures will be available.”
Photo by Read McKendree
1 Sarah Kornacki ’10 married Eric Sandwen on June 30, 2024 in Haddam, Conn. Choate graduates in attendance from left to right: Scott Hansen, Mike Grisanti, Jon Maddalone, Kristine Yamartino, Eric and Sarah, Olivia (Bee) Moore, Danielle (L’Heureux) DiCostanzo and Daniel Kornacki ’14.
2 Sonja Eliason ’15 and Max Friedman welcomed Rosalyn (Rosie) Renée Friedman on October 29, 2024.
3 Lily Catherine Colley Ferguson ’08 and her husband Duncan Lockhart Ferguson welcomed Siena Van Sise Ferguson on August 29, 2024 in New York, N.Y.
4 Annie Oxborough-Yankus Braude ’08 welcomed Lucas Michael Braude on September 7, 2024 on Cape Cod. He joins big siblings Connor and Riley.
5 William M. Copp ’04 and Emma Copp celebrated the birth of their son, Miller Moore Copp, in June 2024.
IN MEMORIAM | Remembering Those We Have Lost
Alumni
and Alumnae
’42 RH Ann Connell Davis, 100, died January 11, 2025 in Rocky Point, N.C. Born in Scranton, Pa., Anne came to Rosemary Hall in 1939; she earned eight bars on the Committee, was President of Philomel, Captain of the track team, on the Air Raid Squad, and on 1st team hockey and basketball. After graduating at age 15, she returned home to her parents, opting out of college because her two brothers were in World War II. She enjoyed gardening, church work, and golf, hitting a hole-in-one when she was in her 80s. She leaves a daughter, three grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren.
’46 C Jay E. Stempel , 96, a commercial real estate developer, died January 20, 2025 in Gloucester, Mass. Born in New York City, Jay came to Choate in 1943; he played club sports. After earning degrees from Muhlenberg College, New York University Law School, and the Whittemore School of Business, he served in the Army. He then spent 65 years in real estate investment and development for Arlen Realty, Federated Realty, and other concerns. He leaves his wife, Jane Stempel; four daughters, including Jennifer Stempel ’91; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A brother, the late Robert Stempel ’48, also attended Choate.
’49 C James W. M. Monde , 93 , president of a manufacturing company, died January 6, 2025 in Northford, Conn. Born in New Haven, Jim came to Choate in 1945; he lettered in crew and was Associate Editor of The Choate News. After graduating from Yale, where he was a member of the Whiffenpoofs, he served in the Army. Jim then returned to Connecticut, where he became President of the American Specialty Co., a manufacturer of contract springs for autos and machinery. A former Chair of the Branford Board of Education, he was also a ham radio operator, a philatelist, and a world traveler. He
leaves his wife, Nancy Monde; four children; and four grandchildren.
’51 C Alan E. Fayé Jr., 91, a retired NASA scientist, died June 16, 2024 in Lihue, Hawaii. Born in Waimea, Hawaii, Alan came to Choate in 1948; he lettered in crew, was on the Board of the Brief, and was Vice President of the Rifle Club. After earning degrees from the University of Washington and from Stamford, he worked at NASA’s Ames Research Center in San Francisco for 25 years. This included engineering work on flight simulation for the Mercury and Apollo programs. He also developed technology for Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing flight. Alan was an avid sailor, typically on a 40-foot sloop, and made several voyages between California and Hawaii. He leaves three children, nine grandchildren, and three grandchildren; and two siblings. Many members of Alan’s family also attended Choate: The late uncles H. Peter Fayé 1916 and Eyvind Fayé 1923; cousins the late H. Peter Fayé ’48, Marc Fayé ’50, Lindsay Fayé ’51 and Alexander Fayé ’59; and cousins David Grayson ’73, Peter Fayé ’74 and Olen Fayé ’84.
’52 RH Saralee Garrison Phelps, 90, a retired social worker, died September 13, 2024. She came to Rosemary Hall in 1947, where she was Editor of the Question Mark, Class Librarian, and President of her III and IV form classes. After graduating from the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minn., Saralee was a supervisor for the Guardian Ad Litem program for Ramsey County, Minn., supporting children affected by abuse and addiction. She enjoyed knitting. She leaves three children, 12 grandchildren, five greatgrandchildren, and a sister.
’53 RH Patricia Parslow Harris, 88, a retired café owner, died October 14, 2024 in Scotts Valley, Calif. Born in Beverly Hills, Calif., Patricia came to Rosemary Hall in 1951; she was on the Answer Book Board, in Philomel, and was a Marshal. After attending the University of California at Santa Barbara, she married and, with her husband, ran the Ebb Tide Café at Half
Moon Bay. Later they established a jazz and classical music venue called the Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society. Patricia enjoyed opera, reading, and crafting. She leaves three daughters; seven grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren.
’55 C Henry N. Arnold Jr., 88, a retired entrepreneur, died December 20, 2024 in Lady Lake, Fla. Born in Providence, R.I., Henry came to Choate in 1951; he lettered in wrestling and was in the Skeet Club. After graduating from the University of Rhode Island, he worked for Hartzell Manufacturing and was a partner in Ambi Inc. in Rhode Island. He later owned a restaurant, sold antiques, and speculated in real estate. Henry enjoyed American history, travel, and gardening. He leaves two children and three grandchildren. His
father, the late Henry Arnold Sr. 1922, also attended Choate.
Nelson W. “Pete” Kimball III, 88, a retired executive of paper companies, died September 17, 2024. Born in New York City, Pete came to Choate in 1951; he lettered in hockey, was in the Choral and Glee clubs, and was on the Board of the Brief. After graduating from Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla., he worked in the paper industry for many years, including for Great Northern Nekoosa and Chatfield Paper. Pete enjoyed reading, playing tennis, spending time at the beach, and sailing. He leaves his wife, Carol Kimball; three children; and seven grandchildren.
’58 C James Bolling “Bo” Sullivan III, 84, a biochemist, died October 17, 2024 in Beaufort, N.C. Born in Rome, Ga.,
’58
James Bolling “Bo” Sullivan III, was a professor of biochemistry at the Duke Marine Laboratory. In the 1960s, he was the youngest federally licensed bird bander in the country, and later he became a national expert in butterflies and moths. His collection of 100,000 specimens is housed at the Smithsonian Institution.
Bo came to Choate in 1956; he lettered in basketball and tennis, and was in St. Andrew’s Cabinet. After earning degrees from Cornell and the University of Texas, he was a professor of biochemistry at the Duke Marine Laboratory. In the 1960s, he was the youngest federally licensed bird bander in the country, and later he became a national expert in butterflies and moths, authoring 175 scientific papers and articles. Bo was a founding member of the North Carolina Biodiversity Project and collected specimens for the American Museum of Natural History and many other institutions. His collection of 100,000 specimens is housed at the Smithsonian Institution. He leaves his wife, Ashley Sullivan; three children; six grandchildren; and a brother, Peter Sullivan ’61.
’61 C Nathaniel C. Messimer, 82, an antiques dealer, died October 21, 2024 in Eldorado, N.M. Born in Scranton, Pa., Nathaniel came to Choate in 1957; he was in the Glee Club, the Dramatic Club, and the Gold Key Society. After graduating from Lake Forest College, he taught in Colorado for several years, then moved to Santa Fe, where he collected and sold antiques. A devoted Anglophile, Nathaniel visited England many times; he also enjoyed painting, trains, and singing in the Santa Fe Gay Men’s Chorus. He leaves several cousins.
’61 RH Patricia “Ronnie” Carpenter Carey, 81, active in the community, died January 11, 2025 of cancer. Born in Port Chester, N.Y., Ronnie came to Rosemary Hall in 1955; she was on First Team hockey, was President of her II form class and Treasurer of her III form class; and was on the Junior Dance Committee. She then graduated from Marjorie Webster College in Washington, D.C. Ronnie was involved in many volunteer activities in Darien, Conn., including being a representative to the Town Meeting; serving on the Rules Committee, the Park and Recreation Committee and the Finance and Budget Committee, and founding member and President of the Republican Club of Darien. She also worked at the local blood bank
and was active in her church. She leaves her husband, Dan Carey; two daughters; a granddaughter; and four siblings. An uncle, the late John Allen ’37, attended Choate.
’64 C Richard Boice Esser, 78, a retired executive in the mining industry, died November 16, 2024 in Evergreen, Colo. Born in Bronxville, N.Y., Dick came to Choate in 1960; he lettered in tennis and played trumpet in the Band and Orchestra. He then earned degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Denver. Dick had a 30-year career in mining, starting as a day laborer in Leadville, Colo., and ending as a corporate officer of AMAX Mining worldwide. In retirement, he was a consultant for Minera Antamina in Peru. He was also a municipal court judge in Breckenridge, Colo. He enjoyed golf, tennis, skiing, and backpacking. He leaves his wife, Julie Esser; three children; and two grandchildren. His father, the late P. Boice Esser 1934, also attended Choate.
’68 RH Edith Richmond Febiger, 74, an artist, died October 20, 2024, in Hopkinton, Mass. Born in Boston, Edith came to Rosemary Hall in 1965; she was a Marshal in the Fire Squad and in Gold Key. After graduating from Colby College, she enjoyed several pursuits, including antique restoration, greenhouse operations, caring for cattle, and waitressing. Her main calling, however, was art; she painted in watercolors and oils, created pottery, and was exhibited widely. Edith enjoyed animals and nature. She leaves three siblings.
’70 C James Lane Nalley Jr., 73, a retired banker, died October 3, 2024. Born in Gainesville, Ga., Lane was at Choate for one year; he lettered in football. After earning degrees from Washington and Lee and Georgia State, Lane had a 37-year career in the banking industry and taught at the Banking School of the South at Louisiana State University. He was a lifetime member of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. He leaves his wife, Coleman Nalley; a daughter; and two grandchildren.
Terrell C. Wooding, 72, an executive of a contracting firm, died January 4, 2025 in Wallingford. Born in Meriden, Terry came to Choate in 1967; he was co-manager of Crew and won a School award in Spanish. He was the owner of C. F. Wooding Co. in Wallingford before becoming Executive Vice President of Petra Construction. Active in the community, Terry was on the boards of the Wallingford Family YMCA and the former MeridenWallingford Hospital. He also served in the Association of General Contractors, the Connecticut chapter of which created a scholarship in his honor. He leaves his wife, Janice Wooding; a son; and a brother, John Wooding ’81. Another brother, the late Geoff Wooding ’72, also attended Choate.
’76 C Charles J. Toomey Jr., 67, a retired Army officer, died January 9, 2025. Born in Newark, N.J., Chuck was in Choate for one year; he lettered in soccer, hockey, and baseball, earning a School prize in soccer. After graduating from West Point, he earned further degrees from the Florida Institute of Technology and the Army War College. Chuck held many senior staff positions and served in several countries, earning many decorations, including the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster. After he retired, he worked for the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. He leaves a son and three siblings.
’84 Michelle Generous, 58, a financial services professional, died January 12, 2025 of cancer. Born in Honolulu, the daughter of Choate faculty Tom and Diane Generous, Michelle came to Choate Rosemary Hall in 1980. She was an editor on the News and in the Press, Camera, and Spanish clubs. After graduating from Dickinson College, she worked for Little Brown & Co., Bear Stearns, and ProShare Advisors, where she was Vice President for Marketing Planning. Michelle loved the visual arts, the theater, music, and collecting memorabilia involving the British royal family. She leaves a sister, Suzanne Generous ’87.
Trustees
Alfred E. Devendorf ’52, a former Choate Rosemary Hall Trustee, died December 29, 2024 in East Hampton, N.Y. He was 89. Born in Great Neck, Long Island, Alfred came to Choate in 1949. He lettered in squash (twice captain) and tennis, was on the Student Council, and was President of the Current History Club. At one point, he invited the baseball star Jackie Robinson to speak at Choate, and Robinson did so. After graduating from Cornell, Alfred served in the Army in Germany, then earned a law degree from Brooklyn Law School. He was a prosecutor and public defender before serving Nassau County, N.Y., as a lobbyist in Albany and as legal counsel for the state Department of Health. He was a Trustee from 1983 to 1985. He enjoyed travel, visiting more than 50 countries. He leaves his wife, Bonnie Devendorf; two children, Diana D. Rice ’84 and George Devendorf ’85, and four grandchildren.
Alexander W. Nixon ’69, a former Choate Rosemary Hall Trustee, died November 23, 2024 in Mount Dora, Fla. He was 73. Born in Hot Springs, Va., Alex came to Choate in 1966. He was on the staff of The Choate News, sang in the Glee Club, played sousaphone in the Band, and won a School prize in Latin. After graduating from Cornell, he was an investment banker at Salomon Brothers in New York, and later acquired the JCH Co., which makes theatrical state curtains. Alexander was a Trustee from 1977 to 1980. He was also a trustee of the Patterson Library in Westfield, N.Y., and head of rebuilding for St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Brooklyn, N.Y. Alexander moved to Florida in 1992, where he became City Administrator of Umatilla, a city in Lake County. He leaves a son, three grandsons, and five siblings. A cousin, the late Hughes Griffis ’63, also attended Choate.
Our sympathy to the friends and family of the following, whose death is reported with sorrow:
Joelle M. Houze ’65
January 27, 2025
This winter, the Wild Boars worked hard on the courts, the rink, the mats, and in the pool. Their strong work ethic resulted in many team championships, historic performances, and individual successes. Girls Varsity Wrestling won the Class “A” Championship and New England Championships for the first time in school history, while also placing third at Prep Nationals. Varsity Co-Ed Wrestling claimed the Founders League title. Boys Varsity Basketball enjoyed another championship-winning season, as Choate won the Founders League title for the second straight season and advanced to the NEPSAC Class “A” semifinals as well. Girls Varsity Squash finished as Runner-Up in the NEPSAC Class “B” division. Finally, Boys Varsity Swim & Dive set eight records in the pool, while claiming their fourth straight Founders League title, with Girls Swim & Dive finishing Runner-Up.
CO-ED VARSITY ARCHERY
Record: 3-1
Captains: Lindsay Hong ’25, Farrah McQueen ’25 Highlight: Took three out of four home contests against local rival Meriden Archery Boys & Girls Club.
BOYS VARSITY BASKETBALL
Record: 22-4
Captains: Quentin Floyd ’25, Jake Palluzzi ’25 Highlights: 22 wins, one of the best records in recent program history. Claimed Founders League title for second straight year. Defeated Dexter Southfield to advance to NEPSAC Class “A” semifinals.
GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL
Record: 13-10
Captains: Payton Collins ’26, Abby Kim ’26, Sky Burke ’27 Highlights: Earned 13 regular season wins with victories over Exeter, Williston, Andover, Westminster, and Taft. Qualified for the NEPSAC Class “A” Playoffs as the #6 seed.
BOYS VARSITY ICE HOCKEY
Record: 7-14-2
Captains: Rowan Aggarwal ’25, Jacob Head ’25, Will Henderson ’25, Michael Papaspyros ’25 Highlights: Clinched the most regular season wins in seven years, with victories over Andover, Lawrenceville, Westminster, Berkshire, and Hotchkiss.
GIRLS VARSITY ICE HOCKEY
Record: 11-11-1
Captains: Nani Keyes ’25, Taylor Rossiter ’25
Highlights: Finished the season strong by winning 9 of their final 15 games. Wins over Hotchkiss, Taft, Hill School, and Westminster.
BOYS VARSITY SQUASH
Record: 11-9
Captain: Rodrigo Chon Him ’25
Highlights: Placed third in the NEPSAC “B” Division Championships, and 15th overall at the National Championships. Also tallied regular season wins over Loomis, Andover, Tabor, and Avon Old Farms.
GIRLS VARSITY SQUASH Record: 7-3
Captains: Charlotte Flynn ’25, Annelie Hang ’25 Highlights: Runner-Up in the NEPSAC “B” Division Championships while also qualifying and competing at Nationals the previous week. Secured wins over Loomis, St. Paul’s, Convent Sacred Heart, and Taft.
BOYS VARSITY SWIMMING & DIVING Record: 7-2
Captains: Antonio Giraldez Greco ’25, Johnny Jannota ’25, Vishnu Palreddy ’25, Daneel Polakoff ’25, Michael Xu ’25
Highlights: Claimed their fourth straight Founders League Championship title and tied for third at the New England Division I Championships, their highest finish since 2007. Also, the 200 Freestyle relay team of Xu, Ethan Sun ’27, Emerson Nappi ’27, and Polakoff earned All-American Honors. During the regular season set eight team records and earned wins over Deerfield, Suffield, Loomis, and Hotchkiss.
GIRLS VARSITY SWIMMING & DIVING
Record: 5-4
Captains: Isabelle Jiao ’26, Claudia Li ’26, Nicha Tongdee ’26
Highlights: Runner-Up at Founders League Championships and eighth overall at the New England Championships. Defeated Suffield during the season for first time in seven years, with wins over Deerfield, Hotchkiss, Hopkins, and Northfield Mt. Hermon.
Highlights: Named co-Founders League Champions after going undefeated during league play and splitting their season matches against Trinity-Pawling. Individually, the team had many Class “A”, New England, and National champions while Head Coach Ryan Roddy was named Girls National Prep Coach of the Year.
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Girls Varsity Wrestling hoists its first-ever New England Championship trophy.
Anisa Akinola ’25 (#1) puts up a 3-point attempt while teammate Avery Brochu ’27 (#15) looks on.
Jacob Head ’25 (#8) surveys the ice as he races after the puck.
Choate Archers prepare to aim, pull, and hit the target.
Aliaun Iscandari ’25 (#3) throws it down for the breakaway slam dunk.
Girls Varsity Squash enjoys their trophy at the NEPSAC Division “B” Championships.
Lucas Carlson ’26 keeps his eyes on the ball during a tightly contested match.
Girls Varsity Hockey celebrates a goal against Greenwich Academy.
Boys and Girls Varsity Swim & Dive Teams celebrate after the Founders League Championships.
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In this issue, one young adult novel retells the myth of Medusa from a feminist perspective, while another is a contemporary story about love and loss. A third book probes the role of forests in the fight against climate change.
Desert Echoes
By Abdi Nazemian ’94 | Reviewed by D. Gam Bepko
High school is rough for many people — it’s that awkward stage where you’re not really a kid anymore but not an adult yet. Hormones are wreaking havoc. Adults are embarrassing. It’s also a reset in ways — a fresh start with new people — and some see this as an opportunity to recreate themselves or leave longtime friends behind. But then junior year comes along, and you find yourself worrying if your grades are good enough for that college you want to attend, and you need to figure out what you want to do with your life. It’s a lot of pressure. And then love walks into the room and turns everything upside down.
Desert Echoes by Abdi Nazemian ’94 is about Kamran Khorramian, a gay Persian teenager living in Los Angeles. The novel bounces back and forth between his freshman and junior years, in which he deals with first love, grief, family strife, cultural expectations, and friendship.
Freshman year, Kam falls hard for a mysterious redhead named Ash, a senior transfer who keeps to himself. Ash is a poet who hides his writings in library books, an artist whose drawings are equally beautiful and disturbing. They meet in choir class, immediately bonding over their love of alt-pop star Lana Del Ray. Their romance blooms bold and colorful, like the flowers at Huntington Gardens, where they have their first date and share their first kiss.
Kam has been best friends with Bodie since kindergarten, an instant bond forming from being the only two Persian children in the classroom. Bodie, who is also gay, thinks they shouldn’t let themselves
get distracted by romance and concentrate on the gap year that he thinks should be spent traveling. Bodie is suspicious about Ash. Something seems off about him — his mannerisms, the age difference, and what teenager doesn’t own a cell phone? The most worrisome part is when Ash disappears for days, leaving Kam distressed and convinced he’s been ghosted.
When Kam joins Ash and his parents on a camping trip at Joshua Tree, everything changes when the boys venture into the desert at night but only Kam comes back, with no memory of what happened.
“Some call me the boy who lived. Some call me the boy who killed. Most call me nothing; they just whisper and stare.”
Since the incident at Joshua Tree, Kam has been left grieving and wondering about Ash. He was never found, so that doesn’t mean that he’s dead — maybe he took off to start anew. When Bodie tells Kam their school’s Gay-Straight Alliance group is taking a field trip to Joshua Tree, he finds himself torn between not going and wanting to go and find the truth once and for all. But as he prepares himself for the possibilities of what could have and what actually did happen, he learns that Ash’s secrets — and the ones he withheld from Ash — will bring about surprising revelations that affect his life in ways he didn’t expect.
Desert Echoes is a beautifully realized story about love, grief, and trying to navigate through the ups and downs of life.
Author: Abdi Nazemian ’94
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers LLC
About the Reviewer: D. Gam Bepko works in the Financial Office at Choate Rosemary Hall.
DESERT ECHOES
Medusa: The Myth Of Monsters
By Katherine Marsh ’92 | Reviewed by Nicole Brothers
Katherine Marsh ’92 excels in her novels at setting her characters on journeys the world over without ever leaving the reader feeling lost. Whether to Brussels in Nowhere Boy, or to Kyiv in The Lost Year: A Survival Story of the Ukrainian Famine, the settings feel grounded in real experience and the characters always feel deeply human. This is no small feat in her new novel, Medusa: The Myth of Monsters, which transports readers from the canal-streets of Venice to the depths of Hades and the very celestial core of Mount Olympus. A finalist for the National Book Award in 2023 for The Lost Year, Marsh has received numerous awards for her work.
Medusa: The Myth of Monsters is perfect for fans of modern-set fantasy with mythological roots, such as the Percy Jackson series. It will also appeal to anyone who has an interest in Greek mythology, especially when that mythology is told from the point of view of someone other than the gods. More generally, I highly recommend this book to readers of any age who love a journey or quest told from an unexpected, (and in this case, long overdue) perspective. When reading this book, keep in mind that, “History is the story the powerful tell. It’s not always the true story.”
Ava, the central character, is struggling. She is struggling in middle school because she is always in the shadow of her perfect older brother, Jax. She’s struggling to control her temper that her protective, strong mother is always telling her she must restrain. And she’s struggling with fear for her future when she and Jax are sent to their mother’s alma mater, the formidable Academia del Forteo in Venice, after an unexpected incident with Ava’s temper sends another student to the hospital.
This young protagonist quickly discovers that all is not as it appears at Academia del Forteo. The school is run by the Greek Pantheon, or its male portion, at least. Even more worrisome, the school appears designed to control or, perhaps, imprison, the descendants of the monsters from Greek mythology.
How does a middle school girl find her way in a school run by the male portion of the Greek Pantheon? How does she discover who she is, and handle the implications of being descended from an unknown monster of myth? How does she do all this without angering the gods with questions and criticism and hubris?
With her new friends, Ava embarks on a harrowing adventure where she learns about her own past, as well as her mother’s. As they move from one dangerous situation to the next, Ava begins to uncover her full heritage and embrace her birthright, all while defying the gods and helping those who cannot tell their own story.
Defying gods and their authority, changing a pre-determined destiny, and being comfortable with yourself are all nontraditional themes for mythology. After all, most of Greek mythology is about avoiding pride and following the will of the gods. Focusing on the more modern themes allows readers a chance to embrace the familiar elements of Greek mythology while simultaneously commenting on them from a modern perspective. Medusa: The Myth of Monsters gives the reader so much to reflect on: the overarching male focus of traditional myths, the invisible work of women, rejecting the component of destiny where others get to define who the hero is. The power to tell one’s own story and to stand up for what you believe in is a powerful message in this novel.
MEDUSA: THE MYTH OF MONSTERS
Author: Katherine Marsh ’92
Publisher: Clarion Books
About the Reviewer: Nicole Brothers is a Teaching and Resource Librarian at Choate Rosemary Hall.
TREEKEEPERS: THE RACE FOR A FORESTED FUTURE
Author: Lauren E. Oakes ’99
Publisher: Basic Books
About the Reviewer: Lena Nicolai is a Science teacher at Choate Rosemary Hall.
Treekeepers: The Race for a Forested Future
By Lauren E. Oakes ’99 | Reviewed by Lena Nicolai
A habitable planet requires trees, and trees require keepers. Having spent decades engaging with forests through science and with a sense of curiosity and awe, Lauren Oakes lays out the reality that in multiple ways humans are the arbiters of a forested future. But what, exactly, is a forest ecologically, culturally, and economically? For whom and how does a forest function? And given the pervasiveness of human influences on the planet what do trees and forests need? Treekeepers: The Race for a Forested Future compellingly relates Oakes’ “quest to understand the science behind, legitimacy of, and hard work involved in this global movement to restore forest cover” in the context of the climate and biodiversity crises.
Oakes’ storytelling engages the reader fully and moves between the scientific and personal in impactful ways. Sometimes, a short conversation between the author and her three-year-old son is our entry into exploring something in depth, such as the innovations behind seed storage and the enormous scale at which tree-planting efforts must be deployed. Sometimes she uses a mix of data, scientific and historical facts, and anecdotes in her book. I enjoyed encountering an explanation of an ecological model, complete with a figure in the same section inspired by Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax. In helping us comprehend the big picture surrounding the movement to plant trees, the author moves us through time as well. We learn of the arborescent lycopsids of the Carboniferous period and Virginia Norwood’s technological innovation in the 1970s that enabled satellite land imaging. Lauren regularly explains foundational concepts in ecology such as forest transition and ecological integrity, and her references to colleagues from her graduate school years, mentors, and previous research projects remind us that this work is a life endeavor.
The author’s visits to field sites and projects add to the adventure and significantly impress upon the reader that tree planting and treekeeping work best when the strategy involves the local community. The author’s style of inserting an italicized sentence to
revisit a theme or loop back to a recurring concept makes the reader feel the common ground we are building. It also forces a moment’s pause to experience Oakes’ joy, or the gravity of loss, as well as the ever-pervasive sense of urgency. By recounting directly a remarkable number of interviews we hear varying perspectives on topics for which there is not always consensus, such as the global tree restoration potential and the variable quality of the forest carbon credit supply. Oakes conveys the tension in evaluating the forces, particularly financial, that incentivize actions and motivate policies regarding the push to increase forest cover. We grow acutely aware that this is a conversation about values as much as it is a discussion of how to implement valid science. The capacity of trees to remove carbon from the atmosphere is well-established. But trees do not equal forests. Focusing on biodiversity for the wellbeing of all life in the biosphere means carbon sequestration is already folded in. “Without forests, new and old, the house will collapse.”
Oakes posits that never in human history have people mounted such an extensive global approach to planting forests. The reader learns the stories of some of the amazing people who are mobilizing across communities, cultures, companies, and governments to sustain the possibility of a verdant landscape. She provides the context we need for the necessary and messy work of putting trees and forests alongside carbon and carbon dioxide in our local and global conversations. Recognizing that humans are changing the planet and enabling a trajectory of persistent degradation through our extractive relationship with nature is one part of the story. Keeping forests and a forested landscape on the planet is imperative to the rest of the story. Ultimately, Oakes writes, “The more I looked inside the black box of the global reforestation movement, the more inspired I became, which surprised me, given the complexity of everything I kept uncovering.” Clearly, a very challenging race is in motion. We must all be treekeepers now.
IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE ENTREPRENEURS: HISTORY, CASES, AND FRONTIERS
Editors: Ivan Light ’59, Leo-Paul Dana, Didier Chabaud
Publisher: Springer
IMMEMORIAL
Author: Lauren Markham ’01
Publisher: Transit Books
REMAINING: BODY ODES, PRAISE SONGS, ODDITIES, AMAZEMENTS
Author: James P. Lenfestey ’62
Publisher: Milkweed Editions
Author: Erica Caple James ’84
Publisher: University of California Press
On Civil Discourse
As we navigate the complexities of today’s world, the value and importance of civil discourse have never been more evident. At Choate, we seek to have respectful, meaningful conversations that are foundational to personal growth and community cohesion. Part of what makes Choate ripe for meaningful discourse is the potential connections each student can have with peers from all walks of life. We embrace the opportunity and challenge of this moment to engage deeply, listen actively, and approach discussions with sincerity and humility to help build the civil discourse necessary to navigate the complexities of today’s world.
True discourse means debating ideas vigorously while respecting the personhood of those involved. It is not always easy to separate personal identity from political opinion, but this challenge is one we explore collectively and safely at Choate. As John F. Kennedy ’35 said, “Civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof.” We encourage students to show their sincerity through thoughtful engagement rather than simply asserting their opinions, through rigorous research rather than simplistic headlines.
Learning how to engage with ideas critically — a hallmark of civil discourse — we cultivate intentional listening — listening to understand rather than to rebut. By fostering an environment where students feel comfortable questioning, making mistakes, and changing their minds, we ensure they develop the skills to engage thoughtfully and respectfully with differing opinions.
We aim, even in disagreement, to respect and understand the lived experiences of others, particularly those whose voices should be centered in certain conversations. Maintaining a respectful and constructive dialogue, even when faced with difficult topics, is a vital skill for leadership and social change.
Humility is another key factor in meaningful discourse — the willingness to recognize that one’s ideas may be flawed, incomplete, or inaccurate. At Choate, we encourage students not only to engage with differing views but also to acknowledge when their own perspectives need refinement. Just as important is understanding the impact of one’s words on others. The more we develop this mindset, the safer and more open our community becomes for all.
I would be remiss if I did not mention that it is important to recognize when, sometimes, disengagement is the healthiest choice. Not every debate or discussion will lead to growth — some can become emotionally draining, toxic, or unproductive. We teach students to know when stepping back is an act of self-care, not weakness. True civil discourse includes the ability to walk away with dignity when a conversation no longer serves a constructive purpose.
Civil discourse at Choate is not just about debating respectfully; it is about seeking the most accurate answers through collaborative discussion. As we continue to nurture the skills of self-awareness, reflection, and openness to evolution, we are confident that our students will carry these valuable lessons beyond Choate, contributing positively to the broader society.
By WiLL GiLyarD ’98 Dean of Students
Students in the Global Engagement Program learn to tackle challenges such as education, healthcare, climate change, and food security, just one example of the way our programs prepare students to be leaders throughout their lives. Your generosity plays a key role in who our students become. Give Now. Go Choate. Scan QR code or visit
Instrumental Ensembles Director Gene Wie leads the student performance of the Winter Instrumental Music Ensemble in Ann and George Colony Hall.
