Annual Report of Giving 2019–2020
Contents
Letter from the Head of School
3
Letter from the Chair of the Board of Trustees
4
Letter from the Chief Philanthropy Officer
7
ECFS by the Numbers
8
Donor Profiles
10
Volunteers
16
This report covers the fiscal year from July 1, 2019–June 30, 2020. If you believe your gift has been left off this list, please accept our sincerest apologies and reach out to Isabella Hiigel at 212-712-6240 or ihiigel@ecfs.org to let us know.
Donors to the Orange Fund 21 Parent Giving by Grade
48
Alumni Giving by Class Year
66
Grandparents
78
Parents of Graduates and Friends
80
Faculty and Staff
88
Advancing Our Mission
91
Special Initiatives
94
Matching Gift Companies
96
Tribute Gifts
99
Felix Adler Circle
110
BidForOrange
113
Orange United Fund Donors
118
Ways to Give
120
5+
Throughout this Annual Report, you will notice a numeral next to the names of those individuals who have contributed to the Orange Fund for 5+, 10+, 15+, 20+, or 25+ consecutive years.
Ethical Culture Fieldston School
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Jessica Bagby, Head of School, with the Fieldston Eagle at Homecoming
Dear ECFS community, Throughout my career, I have borne witness to countless incredibly heartening ways that school communities rally in support of one another, yet I have never been more inspired than I was last year by the compassion and generosity of this community. Because of the twin impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the social pandemic of systemic racism, students, parents, alumni, faculty, staff, administration, and trustees found ways to care for one another within and beyond our School. Members of our community provided essential frontline services, launched incredible volunteer efforts to distribute food and other daily necessities, organized social and political protests, held spaces to support one another in coping with distress and trauma, routinely checked on vulnerable community members, and stretched in trying financial times to make record-breaking philanthropic contributions. The newly created Orange United Fund enabled us to keep families who otherwise would not have been able to afford to stay at ECFS and helped with pressing daily needs for families facing financial hardships as a result of the pandemic. We also exceeded our Orange Fund and donor participation goals, ensuring critical funding for additional investments in technology for remote learning as well as health and safety measures for in-person learning on our campuses. Our faculty and staff also made an unprecedented show of support with gifts in honor of the Class of 2020, who celebrated a delayed in-person Graduation on the Fieldston Quad in August. Because of your commitment to our mission through unprecedented gifts of time, talent, and treasure, we have proven that we are a community of conscience and that we are, indeed, stronger together. Whether we are virtual or in person, I have faith in our ability to navigate this current academic year with the heart, imagination, determination, and resilience that it will require. In gratitude,
Jessica L. Bagby Head of School
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Letters
Kimberly Smith Spacek ‘91, Chair of the Board of Trustees, addressing seniors at Commencement
Dear ECFS community, With the deepest of gratitude, I want to send my thanks to every one of you, especially the donors and volunteers who supported our institution through the Orange United Fund and the Orange Fund. We had a record-breaking year, raising more than $5.3 million, and saw strong levels of giving and volunteerism from all constituencies. We all choose to be members of the ECFS community because we believe in giving every child the tools to change the world. Our students don’t succeed without your help. Felix Adler, our founder, spoke about the need for “gratitude toward persons or institutions that have exercised a markedly beneficent influence on one’s own development.” As a graduate of this institution, I know my parents made the right decision to send me here, and I know I made the right decision to send my children here, to be part of this community that values inclusivity. We wouldn’t be this intentional community without everyone’s support. Philanthropy at ECFS makes up the difference between what we raise from tuition dollars and what it actually costs to run the School. Every gift makes a difference, and we want 100% participation from our community to sustain everything that makes ECFS unique and special. It is with a deep sense of pride that we present the 2019–2020 Annual Report of Giving. The report celebrates the more than 2,000 donors who made a contribution to the School last year and the hundreds of volunteers who gave their time and energy. Thank you for your wholehearted dedication to our School. We are stronger for it.
Kimberly Smith Spacek ’91 Chair of the Board of Trustees
Ethical Culture Fieldston School
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Letters
Ethical Culture Fieldston School
Sarah Wendt, Chief Philanthropy Officer, on the steps at Ethical Culture
Dear ECFS community, The Ethical Culture Fieldston School remains vibrant and strong because of the collective gifts of time, talent, and treasure bestowed by all members of our community. As the new Chief Philanthropy Officer at ECFS, I am moved by our School’s spirit of philanthropy and excited for the impact that your gifts make not only on our students and faculty, but also across our diverse community. Because of your generosity, the Orange Fund — our annual campaign — exceeded expectations during a time of great uncertainty and directly supported the robust financial aid program, faculty development, and curriculum enhancements that are so important to the vitality of our School. When our community needed help most, we witnessed an impressive outpouring of donations to the Orange United Fund, an emergency fund established to provide tuition relief and fulfill immediate needs for community members impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. What’s more, the continued investment in the Campaign for ECFS supported critical enhancements to our facilities and infrastructure while strengthening our legacy for the future. We are grateful for each and every gift, regardless of scale or how it was given. Our entire community deeply appreciates your altruism. Thank you for your continued commitment to ECFS, to our students, and to one another. Together, we are stronger and better.
Sarah Wendt Chief Philanthropy Officer
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8
ECFS by the Numbers
ECFS By the Numbers
2,058
$250
1,177
681
$16.5M
52
$107M
105
350+
2500+
1,700
480
10,000+
1,200
donors
donors who have been giving for 5+ years
awarded in financial aid
total endowment
volunteers
students
alumni
median gift to the Orange Fund
donors who have been giving for 10+ years
families supported by the Orange United Fund
named scholarships/endowments
hours volunteered
faculty & staff
families
Ethical Culture Fieldston School
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Financial Update 2019–2020 Revenue Tuition and Fees Investment Income Unrestricted Giving Related Programs Non-recurring Revenue Total Operating Revenue
$73,557,110 85% 5,712,654 7% 4,902,534 6% 1,850,697 2% 284,645 0.3% $86,307,640
Expenses Instruction/Pupil Support $37,808,000 Operations (incl. Capital) 14,902,530 Employee Benefits 14,544,112 Administration (incl. Tech) 12,984,000 Fiscal Services 2,420,458 Interest Expense 1,785,000 Related and Auxiliary Programs 1,277,288 Total Operating Expenses
44% 17% 17% 15% 3% 2% 1%
$85,721,388
Giving Orange Fund (incl. Orange United Fund) Restricted Giving Endowment Special Events Programmatic Funds Total Giving All numbers subject to final audit.
$5,180,007
56%
2,995,264 801,000 175,166 157,800
32% 9% 2% 2%
$9,309,237
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At ECFS, philanthropy comes in many forms. Meet a few of our parents, faculty, alumni, and grandparents who give to ECFS because they believe in the mission of our School.
Donor Profiles
Ethical Culture Fieldston School
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Donor Profile
Raven Maldonado-Brown Parent of Wesley B. ’32, Orange Fund donor, Orange Fund volunteer
Why do you give to ECFS? We support ECFS because we understand the value of its education and its strong community. Supporting the School means ensuring that our children have extraordinary academic, ethical, and social-emotional learning opportunities and the environment needed to develop as students. What is a favorite ECFS memory? One of my favorite moments at ECFS was attending my first Fieldston Lower Family Visiting Day when my son was in Pre-K. The feeling in that gymnasium during assembly as the children all sang in unison was one of extreme pride and joy. Everyone was so engaged, happy, and
full of school spirit that it almost brought tears to my eyes! I look forward to any opportunity to join students, faculty, and staff in moments like these. What makes ECFS strong? What makes ECFS strong is its commitment to creating a culture of kindness, compassion, and critical understanding of the world around us. ECFS faculty and staff engage with one another, students, and parents with the intention of always embodying these values. It is the reason we knew we wanted to be a part of this school community as soon as we walked through the front door of Fieldston Lower. We are happy to be a part of this community and reflect these values every day.
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Donor Profiles
Donor Profile
Nelie Locher
Faculty member, Orange Fund donor, Loyal Oaks member
Why do you give to ECFS? I make an annual donation to ECFS as a gesture in support of the community. It is one way I feel compelled to demonstrate my belief in the mission of the School. What is a favorite ECFS memory? There are many small moments throughout the year, but I love to see how students mature from Form III to Form VI. This happens especially with my advisees; to think back on their development over four years is always so affirming. The ECFS community can really help children grow into thoughtful young adults.
What makes ECFS strong? I think what makes ECFS strong is what makes it different. This school is not afraid to dig in and do the sometimes difficult, messy work that is often part of confronting many of the complicated issues we face today. As part of living the mission of Felix Adler to help inspire “passionate learners, critical thinkers, and ethical individuals,” students learn how to navigate discomfort and still be part of a vibrant community and support each other.
Ethical Culture Fieldston School
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Donor Profile
Michael Shindler ’09 Orange Fund donor, Loyal Oaks member, FAN Leadership Council member
Why do you give to ECFS? I give to ECFS because no place means more to me or has been more instrumental in my growth. I wouldn’t have been able to attend ECFS if not for the financial support offered by the School, and I would like to give other students the ability to go to ECFS no matter their financial situation. I want the next generation of Fieldston graduates to share in the same experiences I had, and I want to help them better themselves and their communities. What is a favorite ECFS memory? One of my most meaningful memories was my time as Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Fieldston yearbook. After 14 wonderful
years as a student, it was my way of saying thank you to the School. I was able to connect with the entire faculty and student body, see ECFS from a new perspective, and leave behind a piece of me. What makes ECFS strong? Felix Adler’s words, “The place where people meet to seek the highest is holy ground,” ring true today, tomorrow, and always. This statement embodies the spirit of the School and is something that all students, graduates, and faculty members seek — whether it be through passionate discourse, community building, or simply standing up for what you believe in.
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Donor Profiles
Donor Profile
Pat and Paul Saunders Grandparents of Erin S. ’23 and Will S. ’25, Orange Fund donors
Why do you give to ECFS? We support ECFS because we have always supported the schools that we attended, our sons’ schools, and now our grandchildren’s schools. Both Erin and Will have found a home at ECFS. They are doing well academically and have made good friends. Additionally, we both went to college and graduate school on merit scholarships. By supporting ECFS, we are giving back, enabling students to get financial aid at a time when many are struggling.
What is a favorite ECFS memory? We have loved attending games and swim meets. It is great to see the camaraderie and team spirit and to watch the cheering from the sidelines. ECFS provides so many opportunities for participation on sports teams. What makes ECFS strong? The commitment to equity and access and the strong educational programs.
Ethical Culture Fieldston School
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Volunteers
Volunteers ECFS volunteers are the heart and soul of events that take place throughout the year. The parents and alumni who devote their time and efforts to our School make our community whole. * Trustee
Claire Abenante Misha Abraham Heather Abrahams ’89 Jaime Abrams Frank Abreu Ravina Advani Chelsea Smith Akey ’03 Terrence Alexander ’82 Elizabeth Alfano Melissa Alschuler Marie Amerasinghe Andrea Amiel ’83 Kimberly Anast Susan Anderson Christina Anton Carin Apter Elizabeth Kagan Arleo ’95 Gustav Aronson ’16 Edmund Arrowsmith-Kron ’17 Hanadi Awwad Monica Azare Mette Baccari William Baker * Julie Barer ’92 Rachel Barone Cindy Bautista-Thomas Malena Belafonte Dylan Bell ’19 Jennifer Bell Bianca Bellino ’07 Vivienne Bennett ’71 Maria Benzan Frank Berall ’46 William Beres ’78 Sara A. Berg
Daniel Berger ’05 Alison Berke Lois Ullman Berkowitz ’55 Heather Berland Nadeige Bogard Rachel Bonham Carter Margaret Bornstein ’06 Richard Boylan ’72 James Bracchitta Susan Sarnoff Bram ’81 * Margot Bridger * Santa Brito-Abreu Philip Brohn Jodi Bronstein Shari Brooks Susan Brown Chris Browne ’76 Linda Amiel Burns ’58 Sandra Buzali Marvin Cabrera Robin Caiola Lauren Camara Stephanie Campbell Kimberly Cantor Lisa Caputo Rosalind Clay Carter * Alison Cassorla ’99 Jessica Castillo Melissa Chapnick Deborah Chase Babej Sandy Choe Mira Choi Jennifer Chowdhury ’97 Tracy Chutorian Semler ’82 * Matthew Claeson ’90
Jedidiah Cogan ’17 Marlin Cohen ’05 Rick Cohen ’70 Debra Cohn Tarah Cooke Jamil Cordova Caroline Curry Jade Dalton ’97 Jesse Damon Mari Damon Cynthia Daniel Gianghia Dao ’95 Samantha Dascher ’06 * Audrey David Kenneth Dearden Carlos de Armas-Kendall ’17 Charles Debrovner * Nadine Dehgan Pouria Dehgan Erica Desai Pamela DiCola Tracey Dixon Darryl Do ’81 Martha Dorn ’78 Akinsheye Dorsett ’88 Judith Dreitzer Wallach ’49 * Shana Druckerman Tracey Early Alan Echtenkamp Jeanine Edwards Victoria Eisenberg Lauren Eisner Crystal Eng Won Richard Eno ’63 Marjan Farshchiha
Ethical Culture Fieldston School
Riqueza Feaster Erika Feil-Lincoln Rachel Feinberg ’09 Joan Fenton ’69 Carolyn Ferrell Deb Fienberg Vanessa Fine ’04 Dana Finesilver Kristina Fink Elaine Bauman Finsilver ’48 Andrea Fionda Andrew Fippinger John Firestone ’76 Vincent FitzPatrick III ’91 Samuel C. Florman ’42 * Gary Fluker Francette Foote Justin Forman ’06 Melissa Frankfort Hal Freedman ’60 Nina P. Freedman ’73 * Daryl Freimark ’94 Thomas Friedner Marti Frucci Mindy Gabler Ann Burnholz Galton ’51 James A. Gara ’72 * Samantha Gay ’19 Aria Gee Marcy Geller Bradley Gendell Laura Gewirtz Franci Girard ’04 Kenneth Glassman * Matthew Gold ’86 Abbe Goldfarb Stephen Gonzalez ’92 Olivia Gonzalez-Scott ’17 Reba Mirsky Goodman ’45 Rebecca S. Gordon ’96 David Gossett ’87 Laura Gourdine ’99 Jaclyn Rothenberg Greenberg ’99 Aisha Greene Rachel Greenfield Adam Greenwood
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Erika Greff Katherine Grier D. Justin Griffith Susan Gross Sameena Groves Stacey Gutman Cylena Ha Samuel Hamilton ’05 Barrie Handschu ’01 Helaine Harte Yael Hayim Erica Held Melanie Heller G. Angela Flemister Henry ’75 * Marie Heubach Vanessa Hicks-Voorham Elisheva Hirshman Finston ’00 Rachel Hochhauser ’91 Nancy Hoehler Andrew Holm ’01 * Ravyn Hounsell-James ’17 Joshua Howard ’84 Marian Pack Howard ’51 Hazel Hunt * Ebony White Hurwitz ’07 Gina Iacono Beverly Israely Beryl Jacobs Laura Jacobs Blankfein ’71 * Jeannette Jakus ’94 Susan Jang Benita Jones Fainna Kagan Samantha Miller Kagan ’03 Peggy Semel Kahn ’62 Tal Kaissar * Leslie Kandell ’54 Jennifer Kane Jenny Sharfstein Kane ’00 Jennifer Kangas Mara Kanner Michael Kaplan ’90 Nicholas Kaplan ’88 Elisa Karp Sameea Kasim
Eileen Katz Elizabeth Kauffmann Duppstadt ’91 Ayesha Kazi Becca Kelly Linda Kelly Rebecca Kendall Jeremy Kern ’19 Lisa Kim Ann Kirschner ’65 Ammu Kirtane Jesse Klausz * Ariela Kohen Lauren Kolchins Michele Kolevzon Lili Kong Justine Koons Patricia Kou Betsy Kramer Anna Kraske Katherine Krause Brenda Furman Kreuzer ’57 Jack Kuhr ’12 Alison Kunofsky Alice Kahn Ladas ’39 Khary Lazarre-White ’91 * Heather Lefcourt Cindy Leibovitch Perry Leon ’08 Harper Lethin ’19 Bingka Leung Tamara Spiegel Levenson ’99 Stefanie Levine Stacy Liechti Margaret Goldin Lincoln ’67 George Litton ’52 Isabel Lo Galya Lodish Jeremy Loeb ’17 Francesca Lozada Jana Lucash Oliver Lutz Anna Lyu Bo Ma Meghan Mackay * Diane Maldonado
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Raven Maldonado-Brown Amanda Nelson Mandel ’91 Vanessa Mann Susan Karp Manning ’56 Ruby Marenco Talia Markowitz ’17 Darren Martin ’98 Svetlana Matsakh Jeannine Mazzeo Yael Melamede Julie Mellony Luisa Mendiola Stephanie Mendoza Francisco Menendez Maren Messing ’02 Marti Meyerson * Adam Michael ’88 Marissa Miller Victoria Miller Charles Minton ’79 Alisa Mitchell Pamela Mittman Patrick Monahan ’01 Benjamin Monteagudo ’17 Natasha Moore Amanda Barad Morgan ’77 Sandra Moss Margaret Munzer Loeb ’90 * Jessica Murray Samuel Nedelman ’19 Khadijah Newell Ajita Naik Joshua Nash * Tiku Natauri Sara E. Nathan ’71 * Kai Nelson ’17 Sasha Nicholas ’96 Mine Nisanci Garlin Dhari Noel ’11 Jennifer Novikov Kathleen O’Connell * Zeynep Oguz Bilimer Deirdre Olsen Matt Onek Simon Ottenberg ’41 Ushma Pandya Stan Parker *
Volunteers
Christina Park Huang Caroline Patel Samir Patel Miriam Paterson * Riley Paul ’12 Kilsys Payamps-Roure Ilkay Pekin Seren Patricia Barrett Perkins ’49 Atiba Pertilla ’95 Lowell Pettit Alice Phan Tammie Phifer Steven Pike ’66 Lance Pillersdorf Stacy Pillersdorf Andrea Pivnick Dana Points Jeffrey Posternak ’89 Princess Prince-McCoade Linda Lefkowitz Pruzan ’57 Robert Pruzan ’81 * Rene Punzalan ’03 Deirdre Hannon Ragusa ’84 Samuel Ravetz ’11 Malcolm Ray ’06 Seema Reddy James Rein ’62 Jennifer Resnick Zachary L. Resnick ’99 Michelle Rickert Leslie Rivas Stephen Robins Eduardo Rodriguez Petronila Rodriguez Fernando Rojas ’04 Enrique Rosado ’17 Lauren Rose Jessica Rosenberg Amanda Rosenfelt Ross Rosenfelt ’94 Paul Rosenfield ’73 Fredda Rosenthal Wendy Ross Eric Roth Vedette Roye Jonathan Rozoff * Daniel Rubins ’12
Debra Bradley Ruder ’76 John Rudy ’63 Nicole Saldana Alexander Saltzman ’93 Jason Samuels Natalie Sanchez ’03 Marcia Santoni Adia Santos ’19 Ajani Santos ’12 Ruth Roemer Sanzari ’83 Anne Rosenthal Satin ’51 Claire Scavone ’19 Jono Schafler ’03 Scott Schiller ’77 Alissa Schmelkin Laurie Schneider Paul Schnell ’72 * Dana Schoenfeld ’92 Caryn Seidman Becker * Randi Seigel Jean Senegas ’59 Jennifer Seshadri Sara Shames Karen Shapiro Bree Sheahan Jaime Sheiffer Meredith Shin Michael Shindler ’09 Barbara Antell SilberWeinstock ’50 Jeremy Silverman ’17 Abigail Sims ’92 Liz Singer * Michael Singer ’70 Dana Sirota Elaine Wechsler Slater ’42 Kimberly Smith Spacek ’91 * Rebecca Snyder ’15 Irina Sourek Sapna Srivastava Alix Steinfeld ’99 Ariel Stern Ayesha Strickland Ann Stuchiner ’74 S. Donald Sussman * Jennifer Tassler Lance Taubin ’06
Ethical Culture Fieldston School
Margot Tenenbaum * Sophia Teng Lily Tepper ’19 Emily Tisch Sussman ’00 * Michelle Toll Michell Tollinchi Audrey Train Jasmine Trillos-Decarie ’88 Mirella Tronco Jack Upton ’15 Ayala Usdin Krishna Veeraraghavan * Irina Vekselberg Rielly Vlassis * Megan Vlasto Stephanie Wagner * Jeff Walker * Grace Wang Jordana Warmflash ’03 Eliza Weber Kimberly Weil Jacob Weinig ’01 Casey Weinstein Vida Weisblum ’13 Nicole Weiser La Poche Andrew Werts ’99 Kaya West-Uzoigwe ’17 Cameron Williams ’19 Ellen Wilner Christina Winters Keisha Wright Sharon Yeshaya Ku-Ling Yurman Marissa Zackowitz Heather Zuckerman
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Ethical Culture Fieldston School
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120
Ways to Give
Ways to Give Ethical Culture Fieldston School is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, and contributions are tax-deductible to the extent of the law. There are several ways to make a gift.
Online Our secure online gift form (www.ecfs.org/en/support-ecfs/) enables you to support the ECFS Orange Fund or the Form VI Legacy Gift quickly and easily. You also have the option to make monthly, quarterly, or yearly payments towards your pledge to ECFS. By Mail If you would like to send a gift by mail, please send it to: Office for Institutional Advancement and Alumni Ethical Culture Fieldston School P.O. Box 28552 New York, NY 10087-8552 Checks should be made payable to Ethical Culture Fieldston School.
By Phone If you would like to make a gift to the Orange Fund over the phone, please call Isabella Hiigel at 212-712-6240, or email ihiigel@ecfs.org and she will return your call.
Gifts of Appreciated Securities and Stock Neuberger Berman DTC #0226 National Financial Services LLC (NFS) Account NBJ-040061 Federal Tax ID #13-3862529 To process and acknowledge stock and securities gifts, we need to know the number of shares and the type of stock you are donating. Please contact Isabella Hiigel at ihiigel@ecfs.org or 212-712-6240 if you are making a gift of stock or securities.
Matching Gifts Double your impact! Last year, we received approximately $95,000 in matching gifts to the Orange Fund. Check with your employer’s human resources office for more information on how to obtain a matching gift form, then send the completed form with your gift. Please contact Isabella Hiigel at ihiigel@ecfs.org or 212-712-6240 with any questions.
33 Central Park West New York, NY 10023 212-712-6220 3901 Fieldston Road Bronx, NY 10471 718-329-7300 ecfs.org
Administrative Council 2020–2021
Board of Trustees 2020–2021
Jessica L. Bagby Head of School Jon Alschuler Interim Principal, Fieldston Middle Lauren Coulston Director of Communications Rob Cousins Principal, Ethical Culture Jeannie Crowley Director of Technology Liz Fernández Assistant Head of School for Ethical Education and Social Impact Nigel Furlonge Principal, Fieldston Upper Charles Guerrero ’89 Director of Admissions, Financial Aid, and Institutional Research Chris Harper Chief Financial Officer & Director of Human Resources Joe McCauley Principal, Fieldston Lower Gus Ornstein ’94 Director of Athletics Sarah Wendt Chief Philanthropy Officer Kyle Wilkie-Glass Chief Operating Officer & Assistant Head of School for Strategic Initiatives
Jessica L. Bagby Ex-officio William Baker Society Representative Susan Sarnoff Bram ’81 Advancement Co-Chair Margot Bridger Eunu Chun Rosalind Clay Carter DEI & Education Co-Chair Kenneth Glassman Vice-Chair, Audit & Risk Management Co-Chair Andrew Holm ’01 Treasurer, Finance Chair Hazel Hunt Faculty Representative Tal Kaissar Compensation Chair Nick Kaplan ’88 Fieldston Alumni Network (FAN) Chair Jesse Klausz Faculty Representative Meghan Mackay Vice-Chair, DEI & Education Co-Chair
Kathleen O’Connell Society Representative Stan Parker Miriam Paterson Faculty Representative Jonathan M. Rozoff Governance Chair Bree Sheahan P+T Chair Liz Singer Society President Kim Smith Spacek ’91 Board Chair, Investment Chair Emily Tisch Sussman ’00 Margot Tenenbaum Faculty Representative Krishna Veeraraghavan Secretary, Audit & Risk Management Co-Chair Rielly Vlassis Stephanie Wagner Advancement Co-Chair Jeff Walker Executive Committee Advisor