Class Notes

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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!

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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.

1960

“There is a certain wistfulness in writing, arising from the realization that my three classmates, Dave Aitken, Lex Lubchenco, and Gary Wilkinson, have all left us, and that, by definition, I’m next. Time and cause unknown.

“Add to that, it was 63 years ago this spring that the Class of 1960 was going through the mental and emotional gyrations of selecting our next ‘home’: Dave heading to CU/Boulder, Lex to Menlo College (far and away the very best climate choice!), and Gary to Texas A&M. In addition, I was wavering between Haverford and Yale, the former being promoted heavily by Chuck Froelicher and Alec Rode, large influences in my life, where I eventually landed, but not necessarily on my feet. Yale would have been the wiser choice, for a variety of reasons, which I soon understood, albeit a bit too late. ‘My bad,’ as the cliché has it. However, thanks to the good people at CU/Boulder, I made it through the hoops to graduate successfully, although on the ‘five-year plan.’

“Today, I’m continuing my editorial assistance with Marvin Kalb, a close friend, and an unknown for the majority of CA alums, I suspect, which encompasses work on his books written in the last dozen or so years, beginning with The Road to War: Presidential Commitments Honored and

Betrayed, and including several covering his years as CBS bureau chief in Moscow and chief foreign correspondent for the network.

“In addition, I was elected last fall to the Board of Directors of the Washington Institute for Foreign Affairs, a membership organization founded in 1961 by three former Secretaries of State, Dean Acheson, James Byrnes, and Christian Herter, which conducts discussions and dialogue on foreign policy and national security issues at its meetings held at the Cosmos Club. Members include an array of former diplomats, military and intelligence officers, academics, journalists, and professionals whose careers include foreign policy credentials. And me!

“Sending best to all.”—Garry

1961

Mitchell

Rory Donaldson writes, “I asked ChatGPT to compose a little limerick for this note, and it did:

There once was a man named Rory D Living in Denver, feeling spry and free Waiting for warm weather to arrive Reading War and Peace, his mind alive Amazed by all that he can see Missing his loved ones, longing to be together once again, laughing and having fun Special thanks to Sue B, for being a special one.

Had I only had this tool at the time, I could have been a contender. I had the great fortune of having dinner with classmate Cito Fredrickson. It was wonderful to be together for a few moments again.”

1962

John Ragsdale continues to teach law at University of Missouri Kansas City Law School. That makes it over half a century. He still feels healthy and tries all the same old sports, albeit with a larger modicum of discretion.

1965

David Abbott remembers, “A colleague of mine’s book club recently re-read George Orwell’s 1984. Like most of my generation (and perhaps others), I had read 1984 in high school, but not since. My colleague remarked that 1984 struck him much differently as an adult than it had then. Therefore, I began my own re-read of Orwell. There are certain things I remembered, and things I didn’t. The current ability of AI to examine our emails, social media posts, etc., along with various neurotechnology techniques, brings the ability to read our minds much closer to reality than even Orwell conceived. However, I also remember that I first read 1984 for a CA class in 1963 or 1964. Following Bloody Sunday, March 4, 1965, the Selma to Birmingham March, and the attack on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, Headmaster Chuck Froelicher called for a Middle and Upper School assembly on the lawn on the west side of the Headmaster’s House to decry the evils of segregation. Froelicher’s remarks captured something important. Events in the current political divisiveness provide similar reflections. Stephen Stills’ Buffalo Springfield song, ‘For What It’s Worth,’ 1967, still has a lot to tell us.”

Rick Broome attended CA as a Freshman in 1961, where Mrs. Rhodes was his art instructor and taught him how to paint. He has gone on to have a distinguished professional career as a fine artist with tremendous passion and dedication. Although he did not get to finish school at Colorado Academy, his time at CA was the foundation for his life. As fate would have it, he became an aviation and space artist. Five U.S. Presidents have been presented with his artwork at the Air Force Academy. Rick says he is positive that the great education he received, plus special attention to his aspirations of flight, guided him. Rick has been nominated as a Living Legend of Aviation. The only art lessons he received were in Mrs. Rhodes’s class. Rick writes, “I always credit CA for my success and integrity. To the 1965 CA grads with whom I went to school, I would love to hear your latest news.”

1967

Joel Knight spent one month in Argentina enjoying Buenos Aires and the surrounding area. He and his wife Sandra decided that following retirement, they would go somewhere that they always wanted to visit and spend a month or so. In that way, they could leisurely go about experiencing a country and avoid the scramble of required daily activities that are necessary with a one-week visit. They traveled to Mendoza for the wine country, Iguazú Falls on the border of Brazil, visited Colonia in Uruguay, went to Patagonia, and the southernmost city of the world, Ushuaia. Joel writes, “My Spanish is daily mentored by Uber drivers here in Buenos Aires. I put forth my best Spanish and they look at me as if I just said, ‘The oil pan on my cat is Tuesday’! However, we eventually piece it together. It’s been a great experience. The people here are wonderful and kind. Tonight my Uber driver and I had a conversation about politics and an Argentine’s view of the world. I was humbled when he said, ‘There is only one real country in this world, the United States.’ When I look at alumni news, I hope to get some news from the old gang. It gives me a smile to read of someone’s activities and just know that they are a part of me, and vice versa, I’m a part of them. In the last newsletter, I read about Keith Robinson and his career. Some of it I knew, and an impressive amount, I did not. A life well lived, my very good friend.

“Just to give my classmates some of the same connection, I’ll tell you about my more boring activities. I left CA in 1967, and I knew two things: First, don’t send me to Vietnam. I wasn’t a protester with passionate anti-war beliefs, I was scared! Second, I knew I was smarter, quicker, luckier, and better than anybody was. There cannot be too much laughter in response to that immature rambling!

“I went to Vanderbilt in Nashville, and I was a total wreck. That was ok because remember, I was smarter, quicker, luckier, and better than anybody was, right? Longer story short, I swished around the ‘tidy bowl’ of life in Nashville, Indianapolis, and Steamboat Springs and found the famous bottom of the barrel, when suddenly, I had a Eureka! moment. To wit: I’m not smarter, quicker, luckier, and better than anybody is. Who’d a thunk it? I did an about face, went back to school, closed the library every night for years, and my fairy tale came true, when I was accepted to medical school. I married a wonderful woman who knows that I’m not smarter, quicker, luckier, and better than anyone is. I have two sons who are smarter, quicker, luckier, and better than I am. I have had a wonderful life. One of the brightest parts of that life was going to school at CA and having such fantastic classmates as you all were. I love you all, my friends. With a strong sigh and a toast to my recently lost buddies, Owen Locke and Bill Friday.” Read about Keith Robinson in CA’s online Newsroom.

Charles Pachter, formerly Charles Zweig, wonders if his classmates watch The Crown on Netflix. One episode was devoted to Gordonstoun, the school which then-Prince Charles attended. As those who attended CA know, it is Gordonstoun and its founder Kurt Hahn that had an influence on Chuck Froelicher. Charles attended CA from 1963 to1967, when the school had boarding students. They were required to take part in a winter expedition. His was an igloo expedition in which the students learned to appreciate and embrace teamwork and nature’s elements, and to build and stay in an igloo. Charles remembers he was fortunate to team up with Tap Tapley, who taught him not only how to build an igloo, but also the value of self-reliance and teamwork and its importance in accomplishing a goal. CA students also learned drown-proofing, which Kurt Hahn stressed as well. Charles writes, “What CA taught me went well beyond the classroom. And I am a better person and citizen as a result.”

1969

Mark and Kim Reed celebrated 16 years together with a night out in downtown Sarasota, Fla.

1970

Davis Wood had not been back to campus since graduating from CA in 1970. He attended the Glee Club Reunion.

John Burdick was last on campus for the 2005 Glee Club Reunion.

1972

Dudley Hulbert came to Giant Relay Day and Reunion Weekend.

1973

Read about the 50th Reunion on page 48.

1974

50th Class Reunion!

May 17-18, 2024

1975

On February 18, 2023, Linc “Action” Jackson biked-ran-skied-snowshoed his way through 7:07 hours of the Mt. Taylor Quadrathalon. He was the third-oldest participant and finished 10th in the sixtyplus age group.

1982

While practicing retirement for the past two years, Marla Cohen discovered that an enticing opportunity presented itself during her house/dog sit in West Seattle,

Wash. Within a few short weeks, Marla and her husband Salvador decided to embrace the opportunity and sell their Maryland house. She reports, thankfully, it sold in a week. They will continue to rent their Colorado home. The couple has moved south, where Marla accepted a position as the Executive Director for Jewish El Paso, formerly known as the Jewish Federation of El Paso and Las Cruces. “Here are some of my favorite answers from the interviews. From a committee member: ‘So you and your spouse/partner/whoever is family are ok moving to El Paso?’ My answer, ‘El Paso is not on our bucket list. You will need to impress us.’ They did. From a donor who wanted to know how long I will commit to the job (which had not yet been offered), my answer was, ‘I’m at the end of my career. I already did Bay Area, New York, and D.C. I am not looking to be a bigger fish in an even bigger pond. El Paso is big enough for me.’ In addition, my top favorite: ‘I am not a CPA nor do I have an MBA. You should know there are some things I am not going to learn, because they really do not matter to me anymore.’ Happy to share other interviewing tips anytime!” To her 1982 classmates who were in town last year to celebrate their 40th Reunion, Marla says, “I’m so glad we saw you. We were blessed to spend more time with some of you during the year. I know, I have said, ‘No more working for my people,’ but this is being on the fundraising and grant-making side of Jewish communal services. Looking forward to this next adventure. Come visit!”

1983

Read about the 40th Reunion on page 50.

1984

40th Class Reunion!

May 17-18, 2024

Ned Harvey is the CEO of Digital Gaia, an AI assistant for regenerative agriculture and land use. He is also the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Colorado Cleantech Industries Association.

1985

Stacey Mitchell and Kevin Plummer, both CA and Colby College (1989) graduates, met in Tampa during a family trip to her son Jack’s national soccer tournament, where only the top 64 teams were invited. Stacey’s husband Martin accompanied them. Kevin is Head of School at Tampa Preparatory School.

Povy Atchison, Steve Char, Laura Vigor Woodard, Daniel Lopez ’86, and Orly Hersh ’86 met at the Sherpa House in Golden, Colo., for their October Book Club meeting to discuss The Newcomers by Helen Thorpe. Later in the year, the same alumni discussed Alexandra “Alix” Horowitz’s ’87 latest book, The Year of the Puppy. When Alexandra learned of their book selection she wrote, “Hello, hello! How completely delightful to hear from you and ever more delightful that you have chosen Puppy as a book club read. Thank you for the photo. Of course, I recognize many of those CA faces. Seeing everyone immediately evokes traveling to Russia with Orly on a very unusual Interim trip, and Steve, whose sardonic commentary post-assemblies stays with me still. Thanks, all, for reading.”

Povy Atchison’s photographs, “Faces of Golden,” were featured at the Golden History Museum for six months. Alumni attended the opening.

1986

Zachary Lazar’s latest book is The Apartment on Calle Uruguay: A Novel. Read about Garrett Zallen in CA’s online Newsroom.

1987

Greg Esser missed the Arizona Alumni Happy Hour in March when he was traveling to Los Angeles for a law school function. Yes, Greg is in his last semester of law school at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. Greg did, however, send recommendations for local Phoenix attractions in the Roosevelt Row Arts District in downtown Phoenix. Greg was involved in developing the area, including his wife’s bookstore, Changing Hands Bookstore, and the only womanowned craft brewery in Arizona, which Greg and his wife developed several years ago in downtown Phoenix, the Greenwood Brewery and Taproom. They operate a small art boutique, Made Art Boutique, and a small art gallery, Eye Lounge Gallery, on the same property.

1988

Derek Mortensen is the Director of Manufacturing Information Systems for OSI Systems. For the past eight years, Derek and his family have split their time between Singapore (work) and Indonesia as their primary residence. He reports it has been thoroughly enjoyable.

1989

Lisa Grout Cabot and her husband Len traveled to the Holy Land while celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary. Great trip! Srael Boruchin, on a ski trip to Colorado, made time to attend a CA Ice Hockey game and enjoy dinner with classmates. CA’s home ice is Big Bear Arena at Lowry, so everyone enjoyed dinner at one of the neighborhood restaurants. In addition to the game, the other excitement of the evening was Misti Alders stepping into action when a classmate started choking on a chicharrón. Her Heimlich maneuver training came in handy. Aside from catching up and reminiscing about the good ol’ days, there wasn’t a lot of drama.

Tor Hillhouse joined the cast of an OffBroadway production of Perfect Crime. He stepped into the role of Detective James Asher for Michael Halling. The play is approaching its milestone 36th anniversary in the Anne Bernstein Theater at The Theater Center on West 50th Street.

1990

Former CA basketball players LeAndre Hitt and Mike Clemons ’91 remember playing Varsity Basketball for Coaches Bob Ulrich, John Suter, and Frank Messenger.

Read about Julie Ivker Dubin in CA’s online Newsroom.

1993

Read about the 30th Reunion on page 51.

1994

30th Class Reunion! May 17-18, 2024

1996

Tamara Walker’s new hardcover book published by Penguin Random House, Beyond the Shores - A History of African Americans Abroad, is part historical exploration and part travel memoir. Beyond the Shores explores the histories of a diverse collection of African Americans who have left the United States over the course of the past century.

1997

The University of Denver Daniels College of Business invited Jared Harding to speak on a panel for their series “Voices of Experience.” He is vice president, executive producer, and head of Kroenke Sports & Entertainment Digital. Jared is a seasoned digital executive with over 16 years of experience in the sports and entertainment industry. He oversees all digital efforts for Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, including the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, and Colorado Mammoth. Jared discussed how the metaverse is changing our world. Also on the three-person panel was parent of two CA alumni, Dr. Jandel Allen-Davis.

1998

Geoff Shamos and his family made a nostalgic and exploratory visit to the CA campus. Their tour took them past some of the many pieces of art donated by the Shamos Family.

Read about the 25th Reunion on page 51.

1999

25th Class Reunion!

May 17-18, 2024

Aaron Goldhamer celebrated his yearly birthday party in December 2022 at the College Inn.

2000

Stella Prize, a major award for Australian women writers, for her powerful collection of poetry, The Jaguar. Sarah is the second poet to win the prize.

Shane Boris won the 2023 Academy

Award for a documentary feature film, Navalny. He was also nominated in the same category for Fire of Love. Only Disney has ever produced two nominations for two different documentaries in the same Academy Awards season. Read more about Shane Boris in CA’s online Newsroom. Read about Fatuma Emmad on page 36. Eli Saslow has won his second Pulitzer Prize. He was recognized for a series of stories that intimately chronicled how Americans have reckoned with civic unraveling in the aftermath of the pandemic. Currently writing for the New York Times, Eli was writing for the Washington Post when the newspaper published his winning articles.

Tess Vigil and Aaron Goldhamer ’99 recently celebrated the birth of Gabriel

2002

Brennan Shippert is enjoying being a dad and building computers with his six-yearold son. He is currently the IT Systems Administrator for an aviation maintenance facility at Centennial Airport. Brennan writes, “I still find it amusing that I was a ‘lifer,’ being someone who spent Kindergarten through Grade 12 all at CA.”

2003

Jasmine McGlade recently directed a music video for Grammy-nominated artist Gregory Alan Isakov. It was released in late spring. Isakov is based in Colorado. Jasmine connected with him through his label, when she reached out, saying she was a director and wanted to collaborate with more Colorado-based artists.

Lizzy Paulson and her partner David McKenzie welcomed their first child, Aurora Sara McKenzie, on April 19, 2023, at 8 p.m. Lizzy writes, “She has stolen our hearts!” Read more about Lizzy Paulson in CA’s online Newsroom.

After bouncing around the world for twenty years or so, Alex White is now living in Manhattan with his husband, Michael Hannaman. They married last New Year’s Eve in a small ceremony in California. Alex now works as an assistant professor of neuroscience at Barnard College, Columbia University. He enjoys teaching and directs a research lab: visionlab.neuroscience. barnard.edu/.

2004

20th Class Reunion! May 17-18, 2024

Andrew Bourke married Jessica Maupin on May 12, 2023, at The Colony Hotel in Palm Beach, Fla. Fellow 2004 alumni who attended the weekend festivities were Jon Cook, Jon Dubin, Ryan Jones, Andre Delsol, Karl Koch ’05, and Andrew’s sister Libby Bourke Eberhardt ’99.

2005

Adrian Michael Green joined the Sterne School faculty, teaching high school history, including world history, U.S. history, civics, and economics in San Francisco. Adrian and his wife Chanel renewed their wedding vows in Jamaica.

2006

Marine Major Geoff Ball was deployed in Asia, attached to a Marine Expeditionary Unit until April 15. He then reported to Annapolis in June. In the fall of 2023, he will become the Deputy Chair at the U.S. Naval Academy of their Leadership, Ethics, and Law Department. This position usually goes to a more senior Major, but he was selected due to his body of work in the Corps. Geoff anticipates teaching one class, which is what he really wanted from this assignment.

Murphy Robinson, Denver’s former top public safety official, has been tapped by the Denver Public Schools to help draft a new safety plan.

Evan Simmons was one of 28 Black and brown professionals selected for the Colorado Urban Leadership Foundation’s 2023 ULFC Connect program. He is embarking on a 10-month journey of discovery, community building, and education.

2007

Emma Harrington Kane and her husband Eddie welcomed Callen Kane to their family on Friday, April 4. All are healthy, home, and adjusting to life as a family of four. Big sister McKenna is starting to embrace her new role with little sister snuggles. Emma was recently named CA’s Director of Alumni Relations, following Sue Burleigh’s retirement.

Colin and Abbie Patterson were married in Seattle in August 2019 and became proud parents of Theodore Patterson in April 2023. Colin has been working for Blue Origin as an aerospace engineer in Seattle since 2018.

Kyle Rajaniemi and his wife Laura were thrilled with the arrival of their first child, Cooper, in September 2022. Cooper is now nine months old and buzzing around. He started crawling recently and is babbling away with many more sounds. Laura, Coop, and Kyle enjoyed a great trip to Cozumel in April. He loves the water and cries when he has to get out.

2008

were excited to welcome their first child, Darby Christine, into their home. She was born on February 12, 2023, in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.

Catherine Quinn Atieh and her husband Kevin greeted Everett Lane Atieh to their family on March 30, 2023.

Olivia Ross Kowalsky and her husband Markus are thrilled with the birth of their second child, Carter Ross Kowalsky. Carter was born on July 18, 2022, and joins his big sister, Ellie.

Read about Jake Sally on page 38.

Dori Shockley Wey and her husband Alex welcomed their third baby, John Alexander Wey, on December 14, 2022.

Read about the 15-year Reunion on page 53.

2009

Isabel Gary Harper and her husband John are thrilled to announce the birth of their first child, Emerson Alida Harper, born December 16, 2022.

Read about Erin Fisher Young in CA’s online Newsroom.

2010

Maddy Kane is graduating from the UCSF-UC Berkeley Joint Medical Program this spring with a Master of Science and an MD. She is excited to be heading to Seattle to start a family medicine residency at Swedish Cherry Hill and honored to be also working at the Seattle Indian Health Board, which serves the city’s Alaska Native and Native American population, offering Western medicine alongside traditional healing practices. Maddy looks forward to continuing to tackle equity and anti-oppression in medicine and public health. Maddy reports, “But my best piece of news is that I got to attend my brother Ben Kane’s wedding in April. Such a joyful day!” Archeologist Hank Woolley received his PhD from the Earth Sciences Department at the University of Southern California.

2012

T.J. Keller graduated from medical school this spring and begins residency training in Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Michigan Health-West in July. Taylor’s wife Maia Erickson Keller graduated from Rush Medical School in Chicago in April 2021. The couple married on October 10, 2021, after postponing their wedding due to pandemic concerns. Maia’s dermatology residency is at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. She has two more years to go there.

2013

Read about the 10th Reunion on page 54.

2014

10th Class Reunion! May 17-18, 2024

2015

It was a small-world coincidence for Emily Mott to find out she was working on music clearance for a new movie SunHee Seo ’17 (aka Ji-Young Yoo) was filming.

2016

Read about David Schurman in CA’s online Newsroom.

2017

Jonah Reeman celebrated the CA graduation of his sister Faith Reeman ’23.

2018

Eva Knepper will start a master’s program at the University of Iceland in Reykjavík this fall to research Viking and Medieval Norse Studies. She graduated from Skidmore College with a major in art history and a minor in classics and studio art. Hernaldo Piñón is working with the Challenge Foundation and its executive Director Holly Ruderman Dichter ’00. In his role, Hernaldo will frequently be coming to the CA campus.

Charlie Wallace was a recipient of a Schwarzman Scholars program for a fully funded Masters in Global Affairs. Charlie is the first Colorado Academy alumnus to claim this prestigious honor. He will study at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. Over 150 scholars from 36 countries and 121 universities were selected in 2023. Charlie states, “I look forward to having the opportunity to be with such a dynamic group of people interested in promoting international dialogue from across the globe. After the program, I plan to come back to the U.S. to complete law school with the eventual goal of entering public service.” Charlie is a graduate of Columbia University, where he was student body president.

2019

Mac Behrhorst graduated from Hamilton College. He played on the Continentals lacrosse team. Mac also volunteered as a peer counselor where fellow students could talk with him and other counselors about academic stress and social anxiety. The college began the program, which was featured in the Wall Street Journal, to address the shortage of therapists on their campus. Volunteer counselors receive extensive training and are a valuable asset to Hamilton.

In May, Zach Brinker completed his BBA in Finance at Southern Methodist University. Zach thoroughly enjoyed his time at SMU. He was the Director of Marketing for the Tate Lecture Series, a part of the SMU Student Foundation, and a member of Sigma Nu fraternity, serving as Recruitment Chair and Parent and Alumni Relations Chair.

To enhance his education, Zach joined the Alternative Asset Management Program and the Spindletop Energy Investment Group. He worked for Jefferies as an Energy Investment Banking Analyst in Houston, but decided not to return, as he wanted a position in Dallas after graduation. He is currently working for FTI Consulting as a Restructuring Consultant in their Dallas office.

Zach writes, “I can’t wait to come back to school and see everyone at our five- year reunion next year! Hope you all are doing well, and I am extremely grateful for my time at CA. It was a super seamless transition to college, and I felt fully prepared going into classes and campus life.”

Davis Ebel graduated from Wake Forest University in May with a BS in Business and Enterprise Management and a minor in psychology. His new home is in Charlotte, N.C., where he starts with Red Ventures as a digital marketing analyst.

Ben Freeman was named the 2023 Swimmer of the Year for the Centennial

Conference. He made NCAA B cuts in all his individual events and had an excellent end to his collegiate swimming career at Swarthmore College.

2020

In May, Willa Dorgan celebrated the completion of her study abroad semester in Madrid, Spain. She lived with a host family and had a fully immersive experience that improved her Spanish exponentially. Not only was she challenged to communicate in a different language, but also she was pushed out

Future Alumni

of her comfort zone as she navigated a foreign environment completely alone. Willa writes, “I am happy to be back in the U.S. this summer in Los Angeles, starting my internship in government consulting at KPMG!”

Chris Wachuta started an internship in February with a carbon capture company based in Arvada called Carbon America.

2022

Read about JJ Moore in CA’s online Newsroom.