Class Notes

Stay Connected

Class Notes is one of the most popular and well-read sections of the CA Journal. It provides a forum for alumni to share their news, from professional accomplishments and accolades to marriages, births, and anything else fellow alumni might find interesting. Thank you for sharing your updates. We love hearing from you!

Don’t See Your Class Year?

If your year doesn’t appear in the Class Notes, it means we didn’t receive any notes from your class. We really (really!) want to hear from you. Your news and photos are always welcome.

1963

60th Class Reunion!

May 19-21, 2023

1968 1967

55th Class Reunion!

May 19-21, 2023

1966

Tim Lappen celebrated 46 years of law practice, 38 at the same firm. His practice, representing family offices and luxury homebuyers and sellers worldwide, remains very busy. However, he loves spending time with his wife Gail and their five children, as well as their 12 grandchildren, ages four to 27. Tim has chalked up 10 years as the Fine Autos Editor for Haute Living, Haute Time, Haute Residence, and Haute Auto magazines, both print and online. He also writes for the Beverly Hills Courier. Tim recently returned from a week at Pebble Beach Car Week and Concours d’Elegance. He reports, “The highlight? Driving the $2.3M Pininfarina Batista, an all-electric hypercar with about 2,000 HP and a 0-60 time of 1.8 seconds. These details are for Craig Cropsey, Mike Parmakian, and Paul Whistler!” Tim also enjoys restoring a fuel-injected 1957 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible. He reports that life in Manhattan Beach is good. Check out Tim’s website at LifeInTheFastLane.org and drop him a line if you will be coming to town.

Keith Robinson and his wife Maureen both danced for three years with the Athens Ballet 40 years ago. He returned to Greece in March with his family, as his son Ian was staging a work for the Greek National Ballet. Keith says, “It was like going back to the future!” This year will be his 50th year of performing in The Nutcracker with the Robinson Ballet in Bangor, Maine.

Tim Lappen ’66 at Pebble Beach Car Week and Concours d’Elegance From Left: Viola (Keith’s granddaughter), Keith ’67, and Maureen Robinson

Kim and Mark Reed ’69

1969

Mark Reed retired to sunny Florida in 2017, where he lives with his wife Kim. He enjoys tennis, golf, fishing, bike riding, and pickle ball year round, plus visits from his nine grandchildren ages 15 to three. Brock, his oldest grandson, followed in his CA footsteps as high school quarterback in Lago Vista, Texas. Don and Jana Dodge visit him in Florida yearly. Mark recently caught up with Steve Norris by phone and discovered his grandfather was active in Florida conservation. Mark reports his Sarasota home missed the brunt of Hurricane Ian but a home in Naples was flooded.

1970

Bob Jacobs summited Mt. Kilimanjaro (19,341 ft.) with two retired Special Forces

At the summit of Kilimanjaro, From Left: Rob Heath, Bob Jacobs ’70, Erik Nordberg

officers on September 14 at approximately 7:30 a.m. Bob and his group ascended the mountain on an eight-day trip. They scrambled up what is known as the Western Breach, which is 2,500 ft. of steep rock. Bob reports, “Not sure that at 70 years old I’m gonna’ climb many more mountains over 19,000 feet!” Jeff Lowdermilk and his wife Annie moved to Carbondale, Colo. Franz Froelicher ’72 and his wife Heather hosted a beautiful dinner party for all the CA gang living in the mountain town. Will Perry ’69 grew up in Carbondale and has remained there. Jeff recalls he and Will were on CA’s Ski Team.

Robert Martinez enters his 47th year

Peter Theodore ’71 A grand evening for CA alumni in Carbondale, From Left: Franz Froelicher ’72, Ashton Lee ’70, Rica Froelicher ’76, Jeff Lowdermilk ’70, Will Perry ’69

teaching chemistry. He has spent his entire career in Title I schools in Texas and now the past two years in a Florida Juvenile Detention Center. Robert writes, “I obviously enjoy teaching, and I am still not ready to retire. I tried to retire in 2018 for one year but came back full time.”

1971

Peter Theodore, having retired four years ago from the music business in New York, is teaching guitar, bass, and ukulele private music lessons in the Leesburg area of Northern Virginia. Since COVID, he has taught many students on Skype and says they are all used to it. Now however, he travels to some students’ homes. He still writes music, which can be heard on Soundcloud under the name Peter Theodore. His son is 39 and is a nurse in an emergency room in New Jersey. Peter enjoys raising his dear Goldendoodle, Coco, who has been a blessing. Peter’s other joy is his model railroad hobby, which keeps him busy.

From Left: Dr. David Woods, Edith Blakeslee ’73

1973

50th Class Reunion!

May 19-21, 2023

Edith Blakeslee had a wonderful visit with Dr. David Woods in Topeka, Kan., during August. She is looking forward to his joining the Class of 1973 for their 50th Reunion in May 2023. Dean Andres started a pickling business three years ago with his wife Suzi in Brookings, Ore. They can be seen frequently at farmer’s markets in the region. Visit their website: brookingspickledgoodies.com.

1975

Bill Bayne returned to campus this summer before moving back to Tucson, Ariz., in September. He had spent the last nine years in Colorado taking care of his aging mother. She passed in February 2022. Bill sold his current home in Morrison, Colo., and purchased a new home in Tucson. In addition to his mother’s care, Bill spent his time as a substitute English teacher at Chatfield High School, where he

Bill Bayne ’75 on campus

developed many friendships with faculty and students. Bill came to CA in Fourth Grade and has fond memories of his first teacher, Yoeman Fisher, and his time in Glee Club with Dr. David Woods. Gary Coombs taught college-level courses for almost 40 years at the Economics Institute and as a doctoral student at University of Colorado in Boulder, then at Ohio University. Gary is now officially Professor Emeritus of Management at OU. His challenge now becomes to decide what is going to fill his time as a retiree. Linc Jackson, now living near Las Vegas, N.M., is still riding his mountain bike. On one ride, Linc was joined by Matt King ’74, who lives in Albuquerque, N.M.

From Left: Jon Mahrer ’79 and his wife Debbie at Mont St. Michel From Left: Matt King ’74, Linc Jackson ’75 Tanya Muftic is teaching Montessori Upper Elementary (ages 9-12) at Midtown Montessori Academy, a private school in Wheat Ridge, Colo., near Sloans Lake. Since the classroom has both indoor and outdoor spaces, her students can work outside all day long if they choose. This year marks Tanya’s 27th year of teaching. Tanya writes, “When I am not teaching, my wife Linda Wheeler and I go to Winter Park and spend time taking in the gorgeous scenery from our deck.”

1983

1976

Sarah Boxer recently published reviews of two shows about the West in The New Yorker, newyorker.com/culture/culturedesk/the-photographic-search-for-truewest. She also contributes to The Atlantic.

1979

Jon Mahrer writes, It’s been great to travel again after over two years of shutting it down and learning that we can protect ourselves out there. We were able to get to France (Dordogne, Brittany) and to visit family in Nova Scotia. Otherwise, I enjoy working three and a half days a week, and getting plenty of hiking, biking, guitar, and golf in during the rest of the week.

40th Class Reunion!

May 19-21, 2023

Suzanne Lippstreu Dugan reports her children are growing up. Charles finished his Commercial Multi Engine Pilot certification and is building his flight hours. Zachery is an airframe and powerplant (A&P) mechanic for Endeavor and is living in Florence, Ky. Conner is in his fourth year of veterinary school at CSU, focusing on equine medicine. On the home front, Suzanne just celebrated her 20-year anniversary at Frontier Airlines, where she is a flight attendant.

1984

Louis Freese’s college campus was permanently closed in 2020 due to the

Sons of Suzanne Lippstreu Dugan ’83, First Row (L to R): Charles, Zachery, Conner. Second Row: Suzanne.

pandemic. He is now a full-time remote employee, teaching online classes only. Louis misses being in an actual classroom with students but is enjoying saving money on gas by not having to drive to campus every day. After 35 years in construction, Cynthia Sharon decided to retire from the “build” part of her design-build company, Dancing Dog Design Build, and transition to just design. One of her best and brightest employees will continue doing the build portion. Cynthia is excited to do the relatively easy part of just designing. She is looking forward to time for a little more fun and a little less stress.

1985

Read about Paul Robbins on page 18.

1987

Alexandra Horowitz’s new book, The Year of the Puppy, chronicles her own experience adopting a pandemic puppy and explores puppy development to adolescence and beyond. Alexandra is extremely qualified to share her journey with Quid, as she runs the Dog Cognition Lab at Barnard College in New York City. Che Prasad’s sea shanty band, The Shark Alley Hobos, missed out on the pandemic TikTok sea shanty craze. As he says, “In true Spinal Tap fashion, we missed out, but who needs recording contracts and world tours, right?” However, Che’s band is back in action and will perform a sea shanty tribute to The Who at the infamous Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, Calif.

Alexandra Horowitz ’87 with the subject of her latest book, Quid 1988 alumni, From Left: João Cowperthwaite and Robert Dickert From Left: Michele Forstot Nadel ’89 and Coach Bob Ulrich

Homecoming volunteers, From Left: Remy Emerson (Grade 6), Julia Völkel Emerson ’94, Charlotte Emerson (Grade 7), Ryan Koch ’96, Avery Koch (Grade 7)

1988

While on a business trip to California, Robert Dickert was able to meet and catch up with João Cowperthwaite in Manhattan Beach. The two alumni have been friends since 7th Grade, yet had not seen each other in person for seven years. João writes, “These grade school bonds are golden!”

1989

Michele Forstot Nadel ran into Coach Bob Ulrich while watching her daughter play volleyball against a CA team. Michele’s daughter attends Stanley British Primary School in Denver.

1990

Scott Schroeder has a YouTube channel named “Ascotpres,” where he presents short films he has made. The most recent playlist is “Fiery War Masks” and has eight videos. The channel has more than 700,000 views.

1993

30th Class Reunion!

May 19-21, 2023

From Left: Jim Flottman ’89, Jordan Slutzky (Grade 8), Kendall Dennis Slutzky ’97, Michael Slutzky, Taylor Slutzky (Grade 11)

1997

Alumni enjoyed Happy Hour at Welborn House on Homecoming before the Friday night Field Hockey game on Slater Field.

1998

25th Class Reunion!

May 19-21, 2023

1999

College Counselor Cathy Nabbefeld ran into Erin Siegel Peikin and her sister Cassie Siegel ’05 while vacationing in Santa Fe, N.M., this summer.

Sarah Rich is still living in Oakland, Calif., where she and her husband Alexis Madrigal were able to buy their first house during the pandemic and plant their roots on the same block where they had been renting for a decade. About a year ago, Sarah took a job as Editorial Director at Heath Ceramics, a 75-year-old Bay Area company with a really wonderful history as a woman-founded, employee-owned California company. Alexis also took a new job as the host of a radio show on culture and society on KQED, the NPR affiliate of the Bay Area. Their children Orion (9) and Flora (6) attend a Spanish immersion school in Oakland. Sarah writes, “They’re beginning to follow my footsteps with an interest in music, dance, and singing, which of course is a very fun thing to see.”

2000

Abbi Hills Leazott, her husband Pete, and their golden retriever Ralph have relocated from Golden, Colo., to Lausanne, Switzerland, prompted by a shift in Abbi’s role at Deloitte. They expect to be living on the northern shores of Lac Léman in “The Olympic Capital” through 2026. Julia Richman was awarded a 2022 Outstanding Women in Business designation by the Denver Business Journal. Julia is the Deputy Executive Officer of the Colorado Governor’s Office of Information Technology.

From Left: Abbi Hills Leazott ’00 and Pete Leazott with Ralph

Sitting on Stone Book, From Left: KP Yelpaala, Desmond Yelpaala, Eliana Yelpaala, Sara Shamos Yelpaala ’00

Sarah Rich ’98 and her family From Left: Cathy Nabbefeld, Cassie Siegel ’05, Erin Siegel Peikin ’99

PHOTO BY EINSTEIN PHOTGRAPHY From Left: Cole Kauffman (Elena’s husband), Elena Harman ’05, Ashley Shuyler Carter ’03, Elena’s friend Anna Griffis From Left: Liz Polsin, Taylor Ross ’03

On the evening Campus Tour on Homecoming Weekend, Sara Shamos Yelpaala ’00 stopped to check out one of the many sculptures her family donated to CA.

2001

Sonia Arora stepped into a new additional role at Colorado Academy as the Director of Upper School Strategic Initiatives. She continues to work as the Director of College Counseling. Sonia is thrilled that her twins, Raj and Simran, are students in CA’s Pre-Kindergarten, the Class of 2036.

2002

Read about Trier Bryant on page 16.

2003

20th Class Reunion!

May 19-21, 2023

Ashley Shuyler Carter and AfricAid Board Member Elena Harman ’05 celebrated the 20th anniversary of AfricAid at the annual fundraising event, Art and Soul. Ashley writes, “Heartfelt thanks to the very many CA students and alumni who have made our work possible over the years. It was so wonderful to see many CA friends at our most recent Art and Soul event honoring my parents Rick and Nina Shuyler.” Taylor Ross married Elizabeth Polsin of Bremerton, Wash., on July 22, 2022, at the Pinery Country Club in Parker, Colo. Fellow CA golfers Tom Roller ’01 and Brian Fisher ’02 were in attendance. Liz and Taylor met in Las Cruces, N.M., at a friend’s Christmas party. She is a physician, and Taylor is a dentist. In August, Tom, Brian, and Taylor spent a long weekend playing golf in Nebraska at the famous Sand Hills Golf Club. The three of them would like to challenge Mark Hubbard ’08 to a 3-on-1 scramble at CA’s old home golf course, Foothills, with their former coach Beth Folsom officiating.

From Left: Brian Fisher ’02, Taylor Ross ’03, Tom Roller ’01

2004

Charlie Miller’s current production, Theater of the Mind, is in collaboration with David Byrne (of the Talking Heads) and Off-Center at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. This immersive work runs until December 18, 2022, at the York Street Yards, Denver. On Homecoming Day, alumni from 2004 enjoyed beautiful weather, breakfast burritos, and a tour of campus.

2005

Nick Palmeri and Jenn Forkel ’07 were surprised to connect while working at the Division of Cardiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a Harvard Medical School teaching affiliate, in Boston, Mass. Jenn is a Cardiac Nurse Practitioner and Nick is an advanced fellow in Cardiac Electrophysiology. Nick said, “I had just finished an ablation and was calling Jenn to discuss the plan for the patient when we made the connection, small world!” Nick’s program will be completed in June 2023, and he accepted a job at a practice in Denver to start in the fall of 2023. He is looking forward to being back in Colorado with his wife and two children. Jordan Sedlacek completed her veterinary

From Left: Rosie Jones, Renae Jones, Ryan Jones ’04, Oliver Jones, Andrew Bourke ’04, Laura DePetro, Samantha DePetro, Nick DePetro ’04

The cardiac catheterization laboratory at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, From Left: Nicholas Palmeri ’05, Jenn Forkel ’07

residency in canine sports medicine and rehabilitation at Colorado State University. Evan Zeitler and his wife Klara both started new jobs on the faculty at University of North Carolina School of Medicine. She is in Endocrinology, and Evan is in Nephrology. Their twins are now eight and are in second grade. Their three-year-old started in a Spanish immersion preschool and already speaks Spanish better than Evan and Klara! 2006

Walker Shaw married Andrew Battles on March 12, 2022. Walker reports, “We actually eloped but threw a wedding party on September 10, 2022, in Denver at Bigsby’s Folly.” CA alumni attending the celebration were Walker’s brother Max Shaw ’08, Jessie Thalman McLaughlin ’06, and Kedzie Schotters Schoenwetter ’06. Walker is an anesthesiologist at Lutheran Medical Center. The couple recently purchased a home in Denver. Read about Geoff Ball on page 14.

From Left: Peter Villani, Franklin Villani, Christy LaPlante ’08 With their dog Annie, From Left: Walker Shaw ’06, Andrew Battles The sons of Evan Zeitler ’05, From Left: Sam, Harry, Felix

2007

Christy LaPlante and her husband Peter Villani are thrilled to announce the birth of their first child, Franklin, on August 10, 2022. Christy says it has been fun to reconnect with CA alumni since she and Peter recently moved to Denver. They met while living in Australia and were there eight years.

2008

Rory Fry married Alex Reitsema in August 2022, in Grand Lake, Colo. She was surrounded by many CA alumni and alumni parents, including CA bridesmaids from the Class of 2008 Anna Cooley, Hillary Hoffer Arnold, Julia Carlson Landy, and Maggie Dickman. Rory and Alex live in Denver. Brett Sisun has had an adventurous and creative year. Starting in the spring of 2022, he has been performing a comedic musical PowerPoint presentation called the “Wild Ride.” Brett writes, “It has been a great deal of fun and is about exploring the meaning of life, depicted in animated slides and humorous songs. I’ve been able to perform it at the Oregon Country Fair, at a few local festivals, and in and around my hometown of Portland.” Brett will be performing live in Denver for the first time on November 19 at the Enigma Bazaar Venue & Bar. Tickets are available at: eventbrite.com/e/ comedic-musical-powerpoint-brett-sisunswild-ride-tickets-420110029407.

Brett Sisun ’08 performing in Oregon

2008 alumnae, From Left: Julia Carlson Landy, Hillary Hoffer Arnold, Rory Fry Reitsema, Maggie Dickman, Anna Cooley

The son of Natalie Lesinski ’09, James “Kuba” Proffitt Second child of Peter Macartney ’10, Tucker James

2009

David Jones returned to CA’s Upper School as an Associate Director of College Counseling, working with his former college counselor, Cathy Nabbefeld. Previously David was the Assistant Director of College Counseling at the Wildwood School in Los Angeles and an Assistant Admissions Director at USC and Knox College, his alma mater. Natalie Lesinski and her husband James Proffitt are overjoyed to announce the birth of James “Kuba” Woodford Proffitt IV on August 22, 2022. He weighed 7.8 lbs. and was 21 in. long. Natalie shared her pregnancy time with Mallory Frantz Buffington, who was also due in August and delivered a baby girl, Georgie, also at Rose Hospital, just five days apart. Andrei D. Semenov recently completed his National Institutes of Mental Health Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Minnesota, Institute of Child Development. In September, Andrei joined EarliTec Diagnostics as a clinical study manager. At EarliTec, Andrei is helping research solutions for diagnosing Autism as early as possible.

2010

Peter Macartney and his wife Jenna welcomed their second child Tucker James on October 10, 2022. Big sister Miller (1½ years) is thrilled. Jordan Ulrich married Kelly Grafeld on Saturday, October 8, 2022, on a lovely Colorado fall day. The best man was Gavin Ulrich ’02 and the ring bearer was Cayden Roll (Grade 7). The couple lives in Boston, where Jordan is a strength and conditioning coach at Boston University.

2011

Schuyler Grey married Catherine Freeman on September 24, 2022, in St. Louis, Mo. The couple met at Southern Methodist University and live in Dallas, Texas. Max Allen flew all the way from Wales, Great Britain, to attend.

At the wedding ceremony, From Left: Catherine Freeman, Schuyler Grey ’11

2013

10th Class Reunion!

May 19-21, 2023

2014

Daryn Rhett Butler married Mallory Anna Wojtaszek on June 11, 2022, in Windsor, Colo. Daryn and Mallory met at CSU. He is teaching at STEM Highlands Ranch, and Mallory works as a researcher at Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora.

2015

Jilly Christensen joined CA’s teaching staff in the Pre-Kindergarten Casita. She is also coaching Junior Varsity Field Hockey, a sport she played at Rhodes College. Grace Parham married Reid Zielinski on June 18, 2022, at the Timberline Lodge

From Left: Kelly and Jordan Ulrich ’10 Attending the wedding of Jordan Ulrich ’10, First Row, (L to R): Nehemias Luna ’10, Megan Abman ’10. Second Row: Jessie McCoy. Third Row: Michelle Stevens Zinn ’97, Jenn Adams, Bob Ulrich, Dan Zinn ’97, Guy Garcia, Beth Folsom, Brel McCoy, Dan Pratt.

At their wedding, From Left: Mallory Wojtaszek Butler, Daryn Butler ’14

on Mount Hood in Oregon. Former CA Upper School English teacher Brett James officiated. Grace and Reid met at Knox College in Galesburg, Ill. Reid is originally from Salem, Ore. The couple are currently living in Portland, Ore., where they settled after college graduation in 2019. Grace and Reid honeymooned in Costa Rica. Many from the CA community attended the wedding.

2016

Abel Ramirez returned to CA as the Assistant Director of Admission for Middle School and Spanish Language Liaison. He is also teaching Middle School photography, the art he enjoyed as a CA student. Abel graduated from Bates College in Maine and worked for Accenture before finding his way home to CA.

2019

Ivory Schulte, formerly Noah Schulte, writes, “A lot has changed with me since I left CA. My transition from horribly depressed boy to shockingly optimistic girl being the most obvious. I am entering my senior year at Emerson College, with a new name, new friends, and a new outlook on life. I hope to enter the field of political communication, specifically working with campaigns and politicians close to my heart. I have a magazine that is relaunching (fettucinethezine.com) and new writing and artwork that should be published there soon.”

2021

Kiah May spent the summer interning at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) doing research on exoplanets, planets outside of our solar system. Her work will continue throughout the school year. Kiah’s project included research on gravitational bodies within the system, other than the confirmed planets, to discover more exoplanets. The program is called Exoplanet Watch, and Kiah and her team are planning an international launch of their project to citizen scientists around the world at the start of 2023.

Ivory Schulte ’19 (L) with her friend and fellow Emerson senior, Alyssa Frey, at Shakespeare in the Boston Common Kiah May ’21 at Mission Control, JPL in Pasadena, Calif.

The marriage of Grace Parham ’15, First Row (L to R): Jack Parham ’17, Camryn Beall ’18, Hailey Detrick ’15. Second Row: Nikolai Lyssogor ’17, former CA English teacher Brett James, Kate Rydberg ’15, Grace Parham ’15, Reid Zielinski, Charlie Parham ’19, Lily Fox ’19.

CA alumni and current students were well represented among the CA Summer Camp counseling staff on campus.