Fall13mag

s u m m e r / fa l l 2 013

SPECIAL ISSUE

Report on Philanthropy

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be well. lead well.

There’s not a whole lot of chalk dust kicked up in the classroom on the first day of school anymore. These days, teachers introduce themselves by swiping magic pens across digital SMART Boards to spell out their names. And you’re less likely to hear pencils scratch across fresh paper as brand new composition books are filled with notes. Instead, girls’ fingers fly up and down on shiny iPad screens as they diligently log their thoughts about the horizons of possibility they’ll soon encounter.

It’s been decades since I found my seat behind a wooden classroom desk, but as each summer comes to a close, I’m filled with anticipation and excitement. The first day of school has always been my favorite day of the year. The tools of the trade have changed, but the feelings haven’t.

This is a time when anything is possible. Big, important new questions are about to be asked, new friendships are about to be made, new discoveries are about to be unearthed.

Hathaway Brown is an exhilarating place to be in the fall. This year is no exception. At the close of last school year, we bid farewell to some longtime, beloved, and influential colleagues who have now retired. Although we were sad to see them go, we know their influence never will wane (see Openers of Doors, page 7). And now we’re thrilled to welcome to HB a new cadre of scholars, experts, and motivators who will no doubt make important and lasting impressions in their students’ lives.

While the pace of the world can sometimes feel overwhelming, we know it’s not going to slow down anytime soon. In fact, there are incredible new frontiers in which our students can make amazing impacts. Our mission statement says as much: “ … At this moment in history, there is great need for women of vision and courage who are empowered for leadership in a multicultural and globalized society. We seek to answer that

need by inspiring our students to achieve their utmost potential, and to rise boldly to the challenges of our times.”

On the first day of school, we also unveil a theme that helps guide our work for the year ahead. If you read the profiles of HB alumnae business executives and entrepreneurs (see Taking Charge, page 26), you’ll notice that the best kinds of opportunities have a way of presenting themselves to people who know who they are and what they want out of life. So when one person looks inward and nurtures her own aspirations, everyone benefits. The best kinds of leaders do just that.

And the best kinds of leaders change the world.

This is a time when anything is possible.

Big, important new questions are about to be asked, new friendships are about to be made, new discoveries are about to be unearthed.

On the Cover: Michele Zhou ’14 spent several weeks this summer at Key Tower in Cleveland, where she learned some of the inner-workings of KeyCorp, one of the largest financial services companies in the United States. Michele will use that knowledge to craft a special training program for Key executives, a project that was developed through Hathaway Brown’s Center for Business & Finance.

The 2013-14 HB school theme is “Be Well, Lead Well.” Through a series of events, activities, and academic programs, students, faculty, alumnae, and parents will be invited to find ways to appropriately care for themselves physically, intellectually, and emotionally so that they may be leaders in their own lives.

At the same time, I’m pleased to announce that the Hathaway Brown Center for Girls’ and Women’s Leadership is being reimagined and restructured as the Center for Leadership and Well-Being. We’ve assembled a host of resources and a corps of expert practitioners to assist eager students in realizing the big dreams they have for themselves and for the world at large. If that’s not something to be excited about at the start of a new school year, I don’t know what is.

Photo by Vanessa Butler

Kathleen Osborne Editor, Director of Communication & Outreach

Vanessa Butler Creative Director, Director of Marketing

Scott Danielson Digital Media Specialist

administrative team: William Christ Head of School

Sue Sadler Assoc. Head of School & Director of Upper School

Sarah Johnston Assoc. Head for Enrollment Management

Jane Brown Director of Early Childhood

Nancy Gladstone Director of Middle School

Mary Rainsberger Director of Advancement

Katherine Zopatti Director of Primary School

alumnae relations team: Dana Lovelace Capers ’86 Director of Alumnae Relations

Erin Reid Advancement Coordinator

19600 North Park Boulevard Shaker Heights, Ohio 44122 216.320.8785 If you’d like to cancel delivery of HB magazine, please email publications@hb.edu.

contributors from the editor

...

School Staycation In all of our advertising, we say that “at Hathaway Brown, the fun doesn’t stop when the school year ends.” HB is always a great place to be, especially when you’re a kid. But there’s something magical about summertime at the corner of Courtland and North Park.

In addition to the flagship Broad Horizons day camp for preschoolers through eighth graders, we offer a host of athletic, academic, and adventure programs each June, July, and August. In fact, there are so many options available that we have more students on campus during the summer than during the school year.

Upper School classrooms continue to buzz with ideas, as Summer Studies classes tackle topics from Antietam to atomic numbers. Blazer Nation is well represented in the gymnasium and on Wolf Field in the summer too, with varsity athletes assisting in teaching the finer points of shooting a free throw or making a scoring play. And Leading for Life takes Middle School-aged girls out into the wilds of Northeast Ohio to explore the beaches and parks, learn to paddle-board and kayak, and scale the heights of HB’s own ropes course.

This year, we also unveiled the Hathaway Brown Theatre Institute, which provides top-notch training opportunities in drama, dance, and music. Not only do the participants have the chance to earn roles in full-scale productions, they also have a whole lot of fun. Sure, the Math wing of the Classic Building echoed with the strains of “It’s the Hard-Knock Life” day in and day out, but the girls who were singing it were smiling from ear to ear.

With new programs being piloted each season, my two daughters continue to sample and enjoy HB’s summer smorgasbord, as they have for the last six years. And now that he’s old enough to be gainfully employed, my son got in on the action as well, serving as a shepherd in the Broad Horizons for Beginners program. In the mornings he played outside and made crafty creations with the 3-year-olds. In the afternoons he snoozed in a chair in my office while we waited for his sisters to wrap up their daily adventures.

The fun doesn’t stop when the school year ends. Even for moms.

Catch a glimpse of our Leading for Life campers in action on pages 1 & 9. To learn more about HB’s expansive summer offerings, please visit www.hb.edu/summer.

If you’d like to become a contributor to HB magazine, please email kosborne@hb.edu or call 216.320.8785.

Linda Corcoran Alumnae Awards, page 34

Linda Corcoran is a freelance writer with 30 years of professional writing experience who has amassed several industry awards.

She is an excellent storyteller and a regular contributor to Hathaway Brown publications. She holds a B.A. in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing from Miami University. She is a lover of reading and gardening, and she enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband, Mark.

Jeff Downie

Cover & Feature Photographer

Jeff Downie is a versatile and energetic Cleveland-based photographer with more than 10 years in the industry. He has worked with some of the biggest brands in the U.S., focusing on people and fashion.

To check out his work, visit www.downiephoto.net.

Riya Jagetia ’14 Teaching Guides, page 16

An HB senior, Riya Jagetia is a member of the Speech and Debate Team, and she works as a research assistant at Case Western Reserve University through the Science Research & Engineering Program.

She has served as an editor for HB’s literary magazine and student newspaper, is the co-president of the G.R.O.W. philanthropy club in the Upper School, and is president of Young Politicians. This year, she will help lead a new student-run magazine. In her free time, Riya reads op-ed articles and plays card games with her family.

Scott Parsons

World Class, page 10

After beginning his career teaching college, Scott Parsons felt drawn to high school and spent 15 years teaching at a public school, where his students won more than $120,000 in college scholarships for their creative writing.

He has never been happier than he is now as the Director of the Osborne Writing Center at HB, where he says the students inspire and energize him. Scott has presented at the national conferences of the Association of Writers and Writing Programs and the National Council of Teachers of English. His writing has appeared in English Journal and Sow’s Ear Poetry Review, and he recently contributed a chapter to the forthcoming book Creative Writing in the Community. He admits that he probably reads too much but always makes time for his Blazer daughters.

Letters to the editor may be sent to publications@hb.edu or to the school’s mailing address. We welcome feedback through our social media channels as well. Find us on Facebook under Hathaway Brown School or send us a tweet at @HathawayBrown.

contents

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Cover Story

20 Wise Investments HB’s Center for Business & Finance has developed a deliberate

approach to teaching girls the art and science of business

23 Diversified Portfolios Creative internship program allows students

to learn by doing in a variety of fields with HB seniors Ariana Iranpour, Alison Nordell, Logan Paul, and Michele Zhou

26 Taking Charge

Alumnae entrepreneurs and business executives share stories and strategies for success with Jean Mackenzie ’65, Susan Kent ’71, Stephanie Skylar ’78, Reem Rahim ’84, and Chara Gafford ’93

30 Splash and Sparkle Clara Rankin Williams ’89 and Thayer Sylvester Hoe ’93 are carving

design niches in the jewelry and beachwear industries

News from North Park

4 HB Highlights 7 Faculty Milestones Features

10 World Class Advanced international curriculum allows HB’s Global Scholars to

travel the world, become immersed in other cultures, and see themselves in a whole new light

16 Teaching Guides Faculty Mentors and Advisors ensure that each and every student is

nurtured and educated in the best possible way

34 Alumnae Awards

Distinguished Alumna and Alumnae Achievement Awards: Anne Baker ’78, Dr. Barbara Kinder ’63, and H. Savery (Fitz-Gerald) Rorimer ’63 Photo by Sarah Goolishian

2012-13 Report on Philanthropy

lass Notes C 37 Alumnae News 67 A Note from the Alumnae Offfice 69 Brides, Babies, Memorials 76 Alumnae Q&A

HB.edu/magazine

The contents of this publication – with the exception of Class News for privacy reasons – are posted online. To maximize your experience, we’ve made a wide array of additional content related to the featured stories available as well, including videos, photo galleries, and Internet resources.

Quotable: “Your parents have to love you, but your

teachers don’t. Your siblings have to love you, but your classmates don’t. And yet, here, they do.

I would say we’ve made a home for ourselves here, but it’s much truer to say a home has been made for us by this school and these teachers, who with their kindness and humor and intelligence have

become our mentors, role models, and friends, who have never paused in their quest to educate us for our lives rather than the workforce, who have taught us both how to write an essay and

how to be a good person, how to be an adult.

We are lucky to even know these incredible

people and luckier to be loved by them.”

- Zoe Harvan ’13, 137th Commencement, June 7, 2013

Photos by Kevin Reeves

Photo by Impact Action Photography

Nothing Standard About It Hathaway Brown senior Dhikshitha Balaji earned a perfect composite score

of 2400 on the SAT, the nation’s most widely used college admission test. The test covers critical reading, mathematics, and writing skills. This rare feat was achieved by only 360 of the 1.6 million test takers in 2012 (.022 percent).

Michele Zhou ’14 earned the highest possible composite score of the ACT exam (36). The ACT features tests dedicated to English, mathematics, reading, and science, with each test scored on a scale from 1-36. A student’s composite score is an average of the four test scores, and a perfect result is achieved typically by less than one-tenth of one percent of all test takers.

Programmed for Excellence

Go Blazers!

Basketball – Brought home their fifth consecutive OHSAA Division II State Championship and set a new OHSAA record for boys and girls basketball * Finished the season 22-6 * Post-game winning streak at 36

Digital Makeover

Track & Field

– Record number of participants * OHSAA Division II Champion in 4x800 Relay

Lacrosse – Fifth straight year as OSLA Division II Regional Champion * Advanced to Final Four * Overall record of 12-7 Softball – Finished

the season at 17-10

Two New Head Varsity Coaches have

joined HB for the Fall 2013 season. Jennifer Creech will guide the Varsity Golf team and Abby Taylor ’04 has returned to her alma mater as Field Hockey coach. In the Carol and John Butler Aquatic Center, Stacey Vayo will serve as the Director of Aquatic Programming.

Bard

I nspir e d

Photo by Ripcho Studio

Tessa Murthy ’15 was a Grand Prize winner in the Great Lakes Theater 2013 Shakespeare Songwriting Contest.

Her original song, “If You Love Me,” was inspired by the play “Much Ado About Nothing.” She was interviewed on 90.3 WCPN with the three other winners, had the opportunity to have her song professionally recorded, and she won passes to see the Great Lakes Theater company perform the play that inspired her work.

This fall, visit the new-andimproved HB.edu, where you’ll experience a fresh look and feel, and it will be easier to find the important information. The design makes the site more compatible with tablets and smartphones as well. And don’t forget to download the HB and HB Alumnae apps for iPads and iPhones, both FREE in the App Store.

HB

Swimming & Diving – OHSAA Division II District Runner-Up * Finished eighth in the OHSAA Division II State Meet

The Ohio Affiliate of the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) recognized four Hathaway Brown students for their accomplishments and aspirations in computing and technology. The awards were created to generate women’s visibility in technology fields. Winners are acknowledged for aptitude in technology and computing, leadership ability, academic history, and plans for postsecondary education. Seniors Lauren Dierker, Allie Dumas, and Grace Phillips, and sophomore Isabella Nilsson were honored with the Ohio Affiliate NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing. This is the first time in Ohio that four students have been chosen from the same school.

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POTUS Prestige

Alyssa Bryan ’13 has been named a 2013 U.S. Presidential Scholar, one of the most prestigious honors for American 12th graders.

During her time at Hathaway Brown, Aly completed four years of research on fetal and neonatal malaria at Case Western Reserve University, captained the school’s Speech & Debate team, welcomed new students as Gold Key co-president, and was a Siemens science competition semifinalist.

Formal recognition of this year’s 141 scholars – along with the teachers they say most influenced them – took place at a gala celebration in Washington D.C., in June. Aly selected William Adler, her math teacher for the last four years, to join her and receive a special Teacher Recognition Award. Aly is the fifth Hathaway Brown student to earn this impressive Presidential Scholars designation.

Past honorees include Laney Kuenzel ’08, Amy Hollinger ’05, Caroline Campbell ’98, and Genevieve Mathieson Kilmer ’96.

Photographed in Washington, D.C. with United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

Generous Gift

Ready for Our Close-Up

Both University and Hathaway Brown Schools became the beneficiaries of a $6.6 million bequest from the estate of Victor M. Cannon and his wife, Georgia, a 1924 HB graduate. The monies will be evenly split between the two institutions and added to the school’s respective endowments. The $3.3 million bequest is the third largest in Hathaway Brown’s history.

This year, a professional video crew captured Hathaway Brown students and faculty in action, doing what they do best: creating, collaborating, exploring, and learning together. As it brings the campus to life, the resulting short documentary-style film also describes the benefits of an all-girls’ education. See it for yourself at www.hb.edu/life_at_hb.

“We’re pleased the Cannons decide to honor both schools with this substantial bequest,” said Head of School Bill Christ.

“Gifts like this allow us to maintain, refine, and expand the outstanding education we provide for girls across Northeast Ohio.”

Openers of Doors It has become an annual Hathaway Brown tradition to applaud and recognize the members of the faculty and staff who are celebrating milestone employment anniversaries and to bid a fond farewell to our colleagues who won’t be returning to campus in the fall. This June, we had scores of people to salute, including 10 longtime members of the HB team who are now entering into retirement: Peggy Bacon – Early Childhood Program – 23 years Joel Bartell – Department of Maintenance – 29 years Clyde Henry – Department of English – 32 years Marlene Leber – Head of Dance – 20 years Amy Longley – Physical Education & Athletics – 35 years Brenda May – The Invention Lab – 19 years Diane Niederst – Dining Services – 21 years Roger Sams – Early Childhood & Prime Music – 25 years Ruth Wylie – Head of Dining Services – 22 years

At a special sendoff celebration filled with laughter, fond memories, and shows of grace, humility and camaraderie, Head of School Bill Christ shared his thoughts about these remarkable women and men.

This year’s retirees make up a Who’s Who list of the talented individuals who work so passionately in concert to make the magic that is the Hathaway Brown experience. Included are master teachers of our youngest scholars; gifted and original artists in dance and music; a scholar of the very best in literary achievement; a skilled craftswoman who can help a student build a crazy contraption or polished cabinetry; a pied piper with an irresistible sense of fun who, given a few years, could turn a quick footed kindergartener into a top tier varsity athlete. And not only that – members of this elite group kept this quarter million square foot city of learning operating with remarkable efficiency, and fixed what broke. They kept all of our budget numbers marching in the right direction, and the IRS at bay. And they nourished and pampered us with food, glorious food (1,000 meals a day), and made our special events unmatched in festivity and fellowship.

This is a group of professionals who are steeped in HB values. Indeed, over the years they helped forge those very values and have been valuebeacons for the rest of the community. Faithfulness to the mission; to the good of the whole; to excellence and innovation; to wisdom, beauty, friendship, duty; to compassion and integrity. They are all in, all hands on deck, whatever it takes to get it done, rock-solid-in-a-pinch kind of people. In addition to their superb performance in their main areas of endeavor, they’ve won national awards, been featured in the Cleveland

To acknowledge the enormous contributions of our 2013 retirees, a special stone bearing their names was installed in the HB Courtyard near the fountain in time for Commencement. On their way to collect their diplomas, the members of the Class of 2013 also marched across another newly installed stone on the path. Designed to acknowledge the contributions of all the teachers who have helped all HB graduates along on their educational journeys, this stone is etched with the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Be an opener of doors for such as come after thee.”

Milestone Anniversaries 5 Years of Service: James Allen, Dana Capers ’86, Geraldine Dilorio, Elizabeth Dreyfuss, Claire Jones, Irene Strachan, Rob Peck, Rebecca Graham, Kelly Stepnowsky, Courtney Visioni; 10 Years of Service: Mary Boutton, Megan Dea, Julie Harris, Terry McCue, Carmen Ptacek, Carol Sphar, Nicole Trombetta, Laura Zappas; 15 Years of Service: Beth Armstrong, Andre Barclay, Felicia Philpot, Valerie Hughes, Laura Main Webster ’91, Therese Mong-Yuk Lee, Koyen Shah, Judy Silverstein; 25 Years of Service: Kathleen Englehart, Patricia Gefert; 30 Years of Service: Bob Armstrong, Jamie Morse, Steve Wismar

HB

Joanne Palicka – Finance Office – 16 years

International Film Festival, showed us how to wear a bow tie with impeccable flair, how to play African drums, how to win a state championship (our very first), to run a lip-sync, to go locavore, to clean a 240Z with a toothbrush, to tame and enchant a 3-year-old, and how, in a single morning, to exorcize the demons in a satanic piece of plumbing and teach Pre-K kids to paint landscapes in the style of Vincent Van Gogh. And so infinitely much more.

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Pasta and Prose For the last few years, the Hathaway Board of Trustees has provided a nice dinner out for the faculty and staff cohort celebrating 10 years with the school. The 2013 celebration was held at Moxie restaurant in Beachwood during Summer Break.

The group crafted a special poem of gratitude for their time spent together that evening and through the years.

We are from the stars aligning one night in June ten years later dinner at Moxie on HB’s tab!

We are from Cleveland, Amherst, Akron, Macedonia, Rocky River and Oregon finding our home in Shaker Heights.

We are from mornings with Clyde in the SDR meetings climbing the ropes course busing to Shaker Village and the shock of early mornings.

We now are from raising our families some praying for grandkids others waiting for graduation and finding soul mates

launching kids into their futures hoping for continued athletic, academic, and personal growth.

We will be from continued connection everlasting support and much laughter – Thank you, HB! Mary Boutton, Megan Dea, Julie Harris, Terry McCue, Carmen Ptacek, Carol Sphar, Nicole Trombetta, Laura Zappas

Imaginative Installation Visiting artist Gina Rubin Cody ’80, mother of twins Blake and Sara ’25, collaborated with our Kindergartners to create a multimedia mural.

In celebration of Earth Day, each girl painted, collaged, and added dimension to a 12x12 canvas. An image of each and every student artist was also incorporated into this joyous composition.

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Quotable: “As a leader you can grow in many ways … You can grow stronger. You can grow kinder. You can grow braver. And you can grow closer to others.

As a leader, I think I have grown in all four because at first on the ropes course I was not as brave as I am now. I am stronger because I might have shrunk once, but now I stand proud. I am kinder because where I once might have lashed out, I now am patient. I am closer to others too.”

- Rachel Matthew ’20, 2013 Leading for Life Camper Photos by Vanessa Butler

Story by Scott Parsons I Cambodia 2013 Photos by Sarah Goolishian

world cla Advanced international curriculum allows Hathaway Brown’s Global Scholars to travel the world, become immersed in other cultures, and see themselves in a whole new light

hen Danielle Frankel ’13 traveled to Italy with other Hathaway Brown Global Scholars during Spring Break of her senior year, she didn’t expect that she’d end up weeping before a crowd of tourists at the Vatican.

But when she was standing in front of Caravaggio’s “The Entombment of Christ,” a painting she had seen and discussed countless times in Jamie Morse’s Art History class, it was if she were seeing it for the first time. And she was overcome with emotion.

“I had studied it so much, and here it was, and I could see that those were his brush strokes. I was standing there in awe, actual awe,” she says. “I didn’t realize it, but I had started crying and I couldn’t stop.”

Prior to heading to Italy, Danielle’s knowledge and appreciation of Renaissance masterpieces had grown, and the Art History class had helped prepare her to make the most of her time in Rome.

“With Mr. Morse, passion is contagious,” she enthuses. When she spoke about the trip and how excited she was to view some of

ass HB 11

“ Home is something much bigger than the house we grow up in.�

Emblazoned on the wall of Joe Vogel’s classroom are Socrates’ famous words:

“I am a citizen, not of Athens or Greece,

but of the world.” the paintings she had been studying, her father said it sounded as if Danielle were getting ready to see old friends.

The international travel opportunities organized through HB’s Center for Global Citizenship allow students to leave behind all that is taken for granted and familiar. As a result, they learn a great deal not only about other cultures but also about themselves.

After all, these are not tourist vacations but deep cultural immersions that perhaps at first might seem a bit unsettling. Ultimately they lead to the students transcending their limits and realizing their potential as global citizens.

Tapping into his own extensive international travel knowledge and planning expertise, and enlisting the support of his colleagues throughout the Upper School in setting the stage, CGC Director Joe Vogel structures

what he calls “purposeful” international excursions. In the end, the journeys undertaken are not simply sequences of random stops; they add up to significant collective experiences.

According to Alden Cowap ’13, who traveled to Cambodia in her junior year, questioning who you are and what you are capable of is what these programs are all about. She noted the country seems to be at a possible turning point for economic and social development, with people living in villages without access to modern plumbing or other conveniences, as large new buildings (being constructed with Chinese money) can be seen rising in the distance. This caused her to reflect in ways she didn’t anticipate. “When you cut the things that tether you and ground you to the person you are,” she says, “when you remove yourself from all the things you think make you who you are, you start to wonder,

‘What do I actually legitimately think?’”

Elana Scott ’14 agrees. When asked to identify her favorite part of the June 2013 CGC program in Cambodia, she said, “You can’t even separate anything out. The whole trip was a completely integrated experience that changed my life.”

Vogel works closely with the teachers who chaperone and guide the students, as they visit the country themselves first and establish the itinerary and educational programming. Each of the CGC programs has a highly intentional curriculum, which is mapped out in pre- and post-program meetings and reinforced through journaling throughout the experience. In Cambodia, for instance, the girls did not find themselves relaxing on beaches but rather working with HIV-positive children in an orphanage. And a meal overseas might occur not in an exotic

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“ The whole trip was a completely integrated experience that

changed my life.�

After all, these are not tourist vacations, but

deep cultural immersions that perhaps at first might seem a bit unsettling. Ultimately they lead to the students transcending their limits and realizing their potential as global citizens.

restaurant but standing at a bus stop at an intersection of dirt roads lined with street vendors. That’s where Alden, a vegetarian, found herself eating a slightly dusty tarantula leg.

The entire Global Scholar experience blends academic study with experiential learning.

HB’s Global Scholars spend three years discussing the pressing global issues playing out in the world today – everything from trans-border crime in Mexico to the Arab Spring, and from oceanic conflict to the rise of Indonesia. Then they take a senior capstone history course in which they pursue an individual area of interest in Art History, Economics, International Relations, Contemporary World Literature, or a host of other options.

Alden explains, “The trip to Cambodia was the most amazing two weeks of my life. We got to experience a culture so completely different and got to be present at a pivotal point in the country’s history. You know all of this context before you get there, but then

Of her time in Italy, Sarah Adler ’14 recalls that instead of retreating to the confines of her third-floor room, she explored the hallways of the building where she was staying and was drawn to the beams of light that poured through a doorframe in the distance. Reminding herself of her desire to seize opportunities to explore the unknown, she became increasingly confident as she moved toward the door at the end of the hallway, unbolted, and pushed on it “until the door swung open with a crack – and there it was: the roof of the Vesuvian Institute.”

Over and over, Sarah returned there to read and think and soak in the beautiful and expansive view.

Zoe Harvan ’13 likewise made important discoveries about herself and her world on the other side of timidity. As someone who prefers calm over chaos and small groups of people over large crowds, Zoe found the Pakistani border-closing ceremony a little scary when she traveled to India with her classmates. But she immediately felt lucky to have experienced it. And looking back a year later, Zoe says, “all of that being-out-of-mycomfort-zone-ness personally made me feel a lot more capable and brave afterward.”

Emblazoned on the wall of Joe Vogel’s classroom are Socrates’ famous words: “I am a citizen, not of Athens or Greece, but of the world.”

Alden says the first thing you realize through these international CGC programs is that you can survive. Then you realize you can actually thrive. Isabelle wrote in her travel journal that “the risks of breaking out of your comfort zone aren’t nearly as dangerous as the risks of staying within it your whole life.” She says that she and her peers “returned home with a strong – almost loyal – understanding of the culture, history, and way of life. Home is something much bigger than the house we grow up in.”

Zoe marvels that through her involvement with HB’s Center for Global Citizenship, she has had the chance to meet so many people, and to be touched by their kindness and welcoming spirit. “I don’t know why it’s surprising when people from other places act the same as people from home, but it is,” she says. “When I think of the places I’ve visited, especially in Spain and India where I stayed with families, I get homesick. The trips have made me understand that I can make homes wherever I go.”

Whether they’re experiencing history in the making in a third-world country, gazing at brushstrokes made by an artist from another time and place, or feeling at home in the Far East, HB students discover that the world— and their part to play in it—surpasses even the wildest imagination.

To learn more about HB’s Center for Global Citizenship, please visit www.hb.edu/global.

HB

Strangely enough, this kind of boundarystretching is not a rare or unusual feature of these programs but one of their central characteristics. Isabelle Arnson ’13 wrote in her journal while she was in Cambodia, “There’s literally no reason not to embrace every opportunity, to try new things.” Far away from their home country and the norms of their daily lives, the girls begin to discover the size and scope of the larger world and their place in it.

you experience it. My favorite part of the trip was Cambodia itself.”

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by Riya Jage tia ’14

Teaching Guides

athaway Brown senior Katie Selhorst is a phenomenal snowboarder who often travels around the country to compete during the course of the school year. At the start of her high school career, Katie’s faculty mentor, Upper School Science Teacher and Class of 2014 Dean Don Southard would be in constant contact with her parents to make sure that she never fell behind on her coursework and that she knew about all the important things that were happening on campus during her absences.

Last year, Mr. Southard helped Katie take the ownership and initiative of directly communicating with the school herself.

Ensuring that students, parents, and teacher are all on the same page is one of the many ways that faculty mentors contribute to the life of HB. “To be a good mentor, there has to be a lot of communication,” Mr. Southard says. “The mentors are advocates for the kids.”

An institution for more than four decades, Hathaway Brown’s mentorship initiatives “shape the culture of the school,” says Associate Head and Upper School Director Sue Sadler. In kindergarten through grade 12, students’ minds and academic

Photo by Vanessa Butler

In kindergarten through grade 12, students’ minds and academic and social development are nurtured by caring faculty members who give them personal and individualized attention.

“ To be a good mentor, there has to be a lot of communication,” Mr. Southard says. “ The

mentors are advocates for the kids.”

and social development are nurtured by caring faculty members who give them personal and individualized attention.

Here’s how it works: A group of 10-20 girls is taken under the wing of a full-time teacher in a particular division. The mentor helps facilitate communication between families and teachers, advocates for students, and reminds his or her group about important forms and dates, and other practical daily matters of school life. Because girls have the same mentor for all four years of their high school experience, the Mentor Program is perhaps most visible in the Upper School, but it is in place in slightly varied forms in the other divisions as well.

In the Prime, structured one-on-one attention and guidance are given by homeroom teachers, because they are with the girls for the majority of the school year and often are the ones who make lasting impressions on the students. Fourth Grade Teacher Jennifer Stilson starts each day with a Morning Meeting (a period of time carved out to talk about the events of the day), and a Greeting Game, which allows

Although the fifth- through eighth-grade Advisor Program is a bit different, with subject teachers’ groups, Middle School English Teacher and Eighth Grade Dean Susan Levitan’s Morning Meeting routine is similar. The group talks about forms and requirements, upcoming class events, and the schedule for the day.

Upper School mentor groups remain consistent throughout grades 9-12 years.

“Upper School teachers teach through all grade levels, unlike the majority of Middle or Prime teachers. So mentor groups in the Upper School are centered around the idea that the class will be together for four years,” says Mrs. Sadler. The switch to a four-year mentor program took place a decade ago.

“I love the new system,” says Mr. Southard.

“I have these 10 students for four years, so I really get to know them and their parents, and vice versa. The timeframe also allows me to watch the growth and the change in the mentor group. I always fall in love with my mentor group. And every four years, I get a new batch of incredible girls.”

The mentors become the first point of contact for the parents, which saves a lot of time in the long run. Before the mentor program, parents would have to talk to the division head and wait until the information got down to the teachers or faculty members who they were trying to reach. The deans of

the classes are responsible for communication through the grade mentor team, which meets regularly to discuss class issues and students who either need help or should to be recognized for a recent accomplishment.

The deans, including Mr. Southard, meet with Mrs. Sadler on a regular basis. They also read over all of their mentees’ report cards and comments.

Various additional mentor group activities also are designed to bring each grade level together. In the Prime and Middle School, girls take field trips with their homeroom/ advisor groups and often stay in the same cabin or eat at the same table. Eighth graders face off with their mentor groups in HB’s version of “Iron Chef,” cooking for new challenges throughout the school year until the winning team is awarded with well-earned aprons. Upper Schoolers enjoy mentor lunches and often bring in food for breakfast.

The most important aspect of the Upper School mentor groups is that they become support structures during the challenging junior and senior years of high school.

Mentors are students’ most trusted teachers.

We know that, at the end of the day, they always have our best interests at heart.

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Mentors and faculty advisors in the Primary, Middle, and Upper Schools also monitor students’ growth in areas that aren’t always measured on report cards. This caring guidance helps girls realize that in the long run, character, values, and personality are more important than academic performance in any individual subject. All of this is taken into account as mentors advise students and help them to explore new classes and extracurricular activities as they develop their talents during their years at HB.

the girls to check in about the things that are on their minds. Mrs. Stilson uses all of this information to help her determine if any of the students have particular needs that should be addressed.

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Celebrating Sisterhood

2013 Alumnae Weekend Recap From the traditional and new events at the school to the individual class parties, Alumnae Weekend was a weekend to remember. Building upon the 20122013 school theme, “Imagine,” we took the opportunity to imagine an updated gathering that included more time to reconnect with classmates, enjoy family activities, learn for life, and celebrate the sisterhood that makes HB such a special place for students and alumnae alike. Among the many highlights of the weekend was a new Friday night celebration that featured alumnae chefs.

“I was really astonished at the worlds open to our graduating seniors.”

Photos by Jason Miller

SAVE THE DATE!

May 16 & 17

All class years welcome!

For more information: www.hb.edu/alumnaeweekend

“It was fun to be back at HB and see both familiar faces and all the changes.”

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Alumnae Weekend 2014

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Photo by Jeff Downie

by Kathleen Osborne

I

t didn’t take long for Kevin Purpura to discover a surefire strategy for success in Hathaway Brown’s high school business curriculum: Invest in the girls themselves.

The school’s burgeoning Center for Business & Finance is designed to give students real-world connections and experiences that will allow them to put their own ideas into action. “My role is to facilitate, not to micromanage,” Purpura says. “That’s the new model of entrepreneurial education.”

Part of HB’s signature Institute for 21st Century Education, the Center was launched four years ago with a pilot course in business and finance for ninth graders. A host of curricular offerings and off-site initiatives have been added to the program in the ensuing years, and now students have the ability to earn diploma designation as Business & Finance Scholars upon graduation.

Students enrolled in Center courses meet once per each six-day rotation cycle. In addition to normal coursework, sophomores have the opportunity to try their hands at the Junior Achievement Titan business simulator. This program creates a world in which players are CEOs of their own companies.

During game play, students must run a manufacturing company and master six key business decisions: price of product, production levels, marketing expenses, research and development costs, capital investment level, and charitable giving.

In the junior year, students are invited to participate in a special entrepreneurship program, which is designed to let them choose a field of interest and pursue specific objectives related to business, finance, or economics. Normally, the developmental process begins in the 10th grade and the hands-on experience follows. Students can start their own businesses, participate in a business plan competition, manage an existing business or organization already established by the school, or delve deeply into the inner-workings of business and management through a series of site visits and other hands-on experiences. (See Diversified Portfolios page 23 to read about some of the projects HB students are undertaking.)

In order to graduate as Business & Finance Scholars, in addition to completing the 10th and 11th grade Center offerings, students must enroll in an honors-level capstone course and complete a required thesis paper with an economics basis. Defending the thesis is also a Center requirement.

Course choices include Contemporary American Politics and Society, Economic Policy, Ethics and Leadership, International Relations, and American Government and Law. “We’re trying to create an experiential program that more closely resembles the real world of business,” Purpura says.

“Along the way, students are gaining a wide range of skills that will benefit them no matter what career path they ultimately choose.”

With more than 3,000 alumnae scattered around the world and engaged in a variety of enterprises – including as corporate CEOs, business owners, and financial advisors – HB also has a veritable treasure trove of knowledge from which students can draw. (See Taking Charge on page 26 for a small sampling of HB women in business.) A unique relationship with global audit, consulting, financial advisory, risk management and tax firm Deloitte also puts HB students in one-to-one contact with young women working in the finance industry. These personal mentors discuss the opportunities and challenges of the industry and teach the girls the value and importance of networking. “The goal is to connect students with professional women at a range of different levels,” Purpura says. “We’re

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Those who have an interest in studying business in college certainly will gain an advantage by participating in the Center’s offerings, but Purpura is quick to point out that the programming is designed to benefit everyone. “We’re trying to get girls to think about themselves as consumers and to be financially prudent and responsible in their own lives,” he says.

“We’re orienting them for life beyond HB.”

One very exciting entrepreneurial endeavor now in the works is the “Hath Caff ” – a new student-run coffee shop that will soon be constructed in the Martha Frohring Geisel Library in the HB Upper School. The shop should be up and running in the next few months. Athena Haloua ’14 is spearheading the project with a team of her classmates who are researching equipment, pricing inventory, developing menus, mapping schedules, making purchasing decisions, and approving design sketches.

The girls have met numerous times with HB’s Associate Head for Finance and Administration Valerie Hughes, Director of Plant Operations Terry Churchill, and even representatives of the Shaker Heights Health Department to ensure that their plans meet all necessary criteria and are in keeping with the mission of the institution. With generous support from the Hathaway Brown Parent Association, the coffee shop will give girls an avenue to gain additional funding to support the Center for Business & Finance. All proceeds will be funneled back to the school to assist with ongoing initiatives. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s a really fun project,” Athena says. “I’m so thankful that I’m learning how a business runs from the ground up.”

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hose who have an interest in studying business in college certainly will gain an advantage by participating in the Center for Business & Finance, but Center Director Kevin Purpura is quick to point out that the programming is designed to benefit everyone. “We’re trying to get girls to think about themselves as consumers and to be financially prudent and responsible in their own lives,” he says. “We’re orienting them for life beyond HB.”

giving them a chance to see the industry through others’ eyes so that they may begin to understand those narratives.”

Several HB parents have been extremely helpful in establishing, enhancing, and refining the Center’s offerings.

The JA Titan simulation was run this past school year with the help of Denise Farkas, chief investment officer for Sigma Investments and mother of Zoe ’15. The unique “Business School in a Box” curriculum that’s used to teach girls the ins and outs of leadership, finance, accounting, marketing, economics, strategy, and values was developed specifically for HB by Peter Zale, marketing director for Multi-Radiance Medical Laser Therapy Products and father of Elizabeth ’10 and Charlotte ’13. The Deloitte mentorship program was conceived and initiated by Deloitte consumer and industrial products practice principal Paul Wellener, whose daughters Lesley ’11, Haley ’14, and Carly ’17 are HB girls. And Steve Marcus, owner and president of First Select Medical Staffing and father of Ashley ’99 and Taylor ’04, is the advisor for the Hath Caff coffee shop launch.

Even with all this support in place, Purpura maintains that the students construct most of the Center’s value themselves. “In this setting and in the business world at large, we have to let girls know that they should be willing to take risks and even sometimes to fail. We can’t do the work or make the decisions for them,” he says. “In the end, they learn that they can adapt, adjust, and rely on themselves. They are the owners of their own education.”

Center Syllabus The Center for Business & Finance educates future civic leaders, corporate and non-profit managers, and entrepreneurs on all matters related to business and finance. Although it is committed to teaching the rudiments of individual budgeting, planning, and investing, the Center ventures far beyond the world of personal finance. Students in grades 10-12 explore institutional financial management, corporate marketing and accounting, micro- and macroeconomics, and business and professional standards and ethics. The Center is committed to training future leaders to be wise and responsible with money, whether public or private, and to be keenly aware of the positive consequences of sound financial management and ethical, informed decision-making.

Program Highlights

Grade 10

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Junior Achievement Titan Simulation

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Mentoring Program

Grade 11

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Business School in a Box

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Entrepreneurship

Grade 12

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Financial Wellness Speakers’ Series

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Capstone Course

Field Work Michele Zhou ’14 creates a curriculum for banking execs While most 17-year-olds look forward to hanging out at the pool during the summer months, Michele Zhou ’14 couldn’t wait to spend time in the halls of Key Tower in downtown Cleveland. Pursuing diploma designation as a Hathaway Brown Business & Finance Scholar, Michele will take the knowledge she gains at KeyCorp, one of the largest financial services companies in the United States, to craft a training program for aspiring professionals.

“The reach of this program is potentially unlimited,” Michele says. “I can’t wait to see how it all comes together.”

To that end, Michele got to know Linda Heselton, Senior Vice President and Director of Training at Key, who developed a comprehensive itinerary of meet-and-greet opportunities for Michele. “She did everything she could to make sure that I got to spend time with people in any areas that interest me.

She also advised me on developing my program and she’ll continue to play an indispensable role in my project and overall experience,” Michele says.

In July and August, Michele worked closely with Key executives and associates to learn how the organization is structured and what type of information must be mastered for advancement. Throughout her senior year, she’ll add to her knowledge base and translate her findings into five or six training modules that can be picked up and taught by instructors at Key. The curriculum she creates will be patterned on HB’s signature “Business School in a Box” model, which addresses seven key business topics: leadership, finance, accounting, marketing, economics, strategy, and values.

A gifted student who aced the ACT in May, Michele is not daunted by the idea of undertaking such a large initiative for a major corporation with $91 billion in assets. In fact, she sees this as a way to dive right into a business career. Her older brother, Wei, majored in economics and now works at a hedge fund in Greenwich, Conn. “He always talks about how much he loves it,” she says. “I speak Chinese and I’m thinking about minoring in it in college.

Then I’d love to find a way to get into international business. This project with Key seems like a good start toward that goal. What’s particularly interesting about this experience is that I’m discovering not only an outstanding amount about the inner-workings of Key but also a number of things I could see myself learning and doing throughout college and beyond.”

Ariana Iranpour ’14 hopes to make her bakery business a household name A nationally ranked tennis player, Ariana Iranpour ’14 always is on the lookout for healthy foods that will help her to feel full and energized while maintaining a healthy weight. She’s had some difficulty finding something that really fits the bill. So she decided to create it herself.

Competitive by nature, Ariana and her father, Safa, had a bake-off of sorts in their home kitchen last year. The goal was to bake the best tasting and grainiest bread they could. Ariana won the contest with a loaf of “Morning Nuts & Bolts.” Through many trials and adjustments, she perfected the recipe for the all-organic bread that contains no preservatives so that it tastes delicious and maintains its shape. In place of flour, Ariana uses ground millet and flax seeds. The bread also includes pecans, almonds, and sunflower seeds.

“Two pieces of toast can hold you over for quite a while,” Ariana says.

Good nutrition is extremely important to Ariana. She didn’t start playing tennis until she was 11. Within four years, she already was competing in the International Children’s Games in Lanarkshire, Scotland. There, she earned a bronze medal in doubles. That same year, she qualified for the Division II state tournament in singles. She continues to play for the Blazers and she works out at the North Ridge Racquet Club, sometimes for 8-12 hours at a time. “A lot of people like me need to supplement their diets with healthy and filling snacks,” she says.

Ariana has big aspirations for her bread business. She hopes to launch a website which will allow her to fulfill online orders and she ultimately would like to secure a distributor that will make Morning Nuts & Bolts available in grocery and health-food stores. She’s already created a business plan, which she showcased and defended at an in-school competition organized

by HB’s Center for Business and Finance in January. She took the top prize in that contest and moved on to the TyE young entrepreneurs business plan competition in April. Although she didn’t place in the event, she gained some valuable insights. “I realized that I have a knack for public speaking,” Ariana says. “And the questions the judges asked were really instructive – they gave me some ideas for how to be more hands-on in the process.”

Before she graduates as an HB Business & Finance Scholar in June 2014, Ariana plans to have developed all of the packaging and nutrition information for Morning Nuts & Bolts, to refine her business plan, and get the bread into the hands of customers. She’s now working with LaunchHouse, a Shaker Heights-based business accelerator and business investment funder, to get her company off the ground.

Ariana would like to major in business and chemistry in college, and to become a plastic surgeon. “I can’t wait to see how all of this turns out first, though,” she says.

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This unparalleled opportunity arose because of Michele’s relationship with Amy Brady, Key’s Chief Information Officer and HB mom. Brady is the mother of Michele’s good friends Amanda ’14 and Madison ’15. Michele was interested in crafting a unique project and Brady gave her an avenue to do it.

“Amy works closely with a lot of top-tier people who said they wouldn’t mind sharing their points of view,” she says.

Breadwinner

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Photo by Ken Furlich

Good Sport Logan Paul ’14 uses love of softball to make a difference in kids’ lives If you’ve ever been in the stands for a fast-pitch softball game, you know that the girls who play really love the game. They have to. The sport is physically punishing, the games are long, and especially in Northeast Ohio, they tend to be played either in chilly rain or blazing sun. Softball can be intensely exhilarating, too. Each new inning brings new displays of amazing athleticism, sportsmanship, perseverance, and comeback opportunities.

Logan Paul ’14 is a player’s player. An outstanding pitcher and outfielder who is consistently honored as a “player to watch” by area sportswriters, Logan is a leader on the Blazer Varsity Softball team. This past season, she threw a complete game 10-0 no-hitter against Fairview Park, and she was part of the Queen of Diamonds North Showcase, where she demonstrated what she’s capable of with a range of pitches that travel more than 60 mph.

Outside of HB Logan plays for two other travel softball teams through the Cleveland Baseball Federation. One of those is 18U Cleveland RBI, the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities program overseen by Major League Baseball. In 2010, she and Blazer teammate Brianna Owens’13 represented Cleveland in the RBI World Series held in Jupiter, Fla. With her sights set on a career in business – possibly in the front office of a sports franchise – Logan is combining her love of softball to create a program that will benefit RBI. Assisted by in-school mentor and HB Director of Athletics Paul Maes, Logan is now hard at work planning a special fundraising softball tournament to take place next spring.

“We’re inviting six local high school softball teams to play. The games will count as high school regulation games. We’re drawing the brackets, working on concessions, we’ll charge an entry fee, we’ll sell t-shirts – there’s a tremendous amount of planning involved,” Logan says. “I didn’t know how complicated it could be to coordinate field rentals, umpires, permits, and all of the other elements that go into this type of event. But it’s all for a really great cause.”

The mission of RBI, specifically related to softball, is to increase participation and interest in the sport among under-served youth, encourage academic participation and achievement, promote greater inclusion of minorities into the mainstream of the game, and to teach the value of teamwork. Logan is personally interested in developing a fund that will offset the cost of ACT and SAT application fees for those who may not be able to afford them. This barrier can exacerbate the ongoing struggle for those young men and women who want to go to college.

In order to get a jump start on this event, Logan began with a preliminary project called “K’s for a Cause,” which began on April 3 when HB faced Berkshire. For every batter Logan struck out (K) this season, she requested a 50 cent contribution from various donors. Logan had a very successful 2013 year on the mound at HB, striking out 217 batters and breaking multiple school records. She was named MVP, and received a scholar-athlete award from the Ohio High School Athletic Association. And K’s for a Cause raised nearly $2,000.

The tentative date for Logan’s charity softball tournament is Saturday, April 26, 2014. She plans to use the bulk of her senior year to finalize and promote the event. The project will count toward her eventual diploma designation as an HB Business & Finance Scholar.

Logan, who is one of the youngest members of the Cleveland-based Women In Sports and Events (WISE) professional association, cannot imagine her life without softball. “Being involved in sports makes me feel like I’m part of something bigger than myself,” she says.

If you’d like to support Logan Paul’s fund-raising initiative to benefit Cleveland RBI, please contact her at lpaul14@hb.edu.

History is her primary interest, but Alison Nordell ’14 finds herself drawn to business as well. A series of outings and field experiences organized through Hathaway Brown’s Center for Business & Finance have opened her eyes to a number of potential careers.

Career Case Studies Alison Nordell ’14 gets a taste for a variety of business professions

As she listened to the tour guide describe how both he and his father had spent their careers at the plant and as she watched the workers diligently attend to their respective tasks, Alison was able to see beyond the cars themselves.

“There was so much negative feedback surrounding the GM bailout, but I didn’t understand the other side until I went to Lordstown,” she says. “All of those workers were proud of their products and their company. But robots and machinery are beginning to replace people. Those people keep the economy going. The plant creates thousands of jobs and supports a lot of families in that area. It was very beneficial for me to be able to make that connection.”

The next stop on Alison’s tour of business careers was at Blue Spark Technologies, an engineering firm that creates thin batteries for use in a variety of devices, including interactive greeting cards and medical tools. “This is an evolving field that relies a lot on research,” Alison says. “It was really interesting to learn about all the strategy that goes into that research. New applications are being discovered every day, but it takes a lot of work to make those breakthroughs.”

Just a short distance away on the west side of Cleveland, Alison had a chance to spend a day at American Greetings’ world headquarters. There, she found a mini-primer on the business world. She and her classmates spent time in the creative, production, marketing, and management sectors of the company.

“When we first thought about American Greetings, we thought about stationery. We didn’t realize that they also make banners for Target stores, advertising billboards, pamphlets, and lots of other things,” Alison says. “It was cool to see a big business that is fueled by art. There are so many people who have to do so many different things to maintain the company’s success.

They all have to work together and every job is important.”

To help synthesize all of the information she’s taking in during her junior and senior years, Alison will continue to debrief and consult with Mackenzie Hutton ’05, a young professional and program specialist with Forest City Enterprises who is serving as her mentor. “I’m learning a lot about networking and the value of connections,” Alison says.

Before she graduates as a Business & Finance Scholar, Alison will assemble all of her experiences and observations into a portfolio that can be shared with others. In college, she expects to use her knowledge of business as a foundation for studies in international relations.

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Alison, pictured third from right, tours GM Lordstown with her classmates.

Recognizing Alison’s desire to learn more about the economics and innerworkings of business, Center Director Kevin Purpura helped craft a schedule of site visits that would allow her to see several companies in action. The first of those was a group trip to the General Motors vehicle assembly plant in Lordstown, Ohio. “I was not expecting to get such an in-depth tour,” Alison says. “We wore ear plugs and goggles and followed the line as a Chevy Cruze went from sheet metal to a completely assembled vehicle.”

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Photo by Aric Hoek

C

Business Dining

hara Pembroke Gafford ’93 has always loved cooking, but she thought she was destined for a career in law. While she was an undergrad at the University of Chicago studying philosophy, she had an opportunity to travel to Paris and enjoy French cuisine at its finest. At that point, she decided she would like to be a chef.

After earning her bachelor’s degree, Gafford enrolled in The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago and completed a culinary arts program. She trained at the RitzCarlton hotel in Chicago as well as with A la Baker catering company to hone her skills. When she and her husband relocated to Houston, she took a teaching job at Sur La Table and soon decided she wanted to go into business for herself. In 2000, she launched her own company, Artisan Cakes, a wedding cake business that she says was “too small to fail.”

As demand for her baking increased, Gafford knew that she wanted to expand operations in some way. So she consulted a friend who is a career counselor and got some advice.

“Women have a tendency to be very conservative when they first go into business,” Gafford says. “I figured it was time to take some calculated risks.” urbanCHEF was launched seven years ago in a converted building right behind Gafford’s home.

Drawing on her expertise in both

teaching and cooking, she designed the company to offer unique, interactive dining experiences for clients. The company’s website explains: “urbanCHEF offers hands-on cooking classes designed to hone your culinary skills and give you an in-depth understanding of ingredients and cooking methods so that you can cook confidently with and for others.” Classes are available for kids, for date night, and for corporate retreats. Each evening program culminates in a sit-down dinner for all participants.

Given Gafford’s background, French fine dining is always on the menu, but Mediterranean, European, East Asian, Caribbean and many other cuisines also are served. Every meal includes dessert. “If it can be done in the kitchen, we do it,” Gafford says.

“People really enjoy learning and having fun with their food. We have a lot of regulars who cook with us often.”

Fueled by a loyal customer base, a thoughtful marketing campaign, and excellent word-of-mouth endorsements, urbanCHEF has steadily grown. In 2011, they opened a larger space that includes two very large kitchens and a dining room that can accommodate 50 people. In addition to the regular dinner classes, 11 chefs and cooking assistants oversee a variety of programs including weeklong cooking camps for all ages, knife-skills training, and birthday parties. urbanCHEF also has begun to host pop-up events for

people to walk in and enjoy “Bourbon and Bacon” or “Raw Foods” dinners.

In addition to teaching cooking classes, Gafford is co-president of the Houston chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier, an international association for professional women in the culinary industry. And she volunteers with Recipe for Success, which works within public schools in Houston to transform the way children understand food and nutrition. Her workweeks tend to be about 60-80 hours long. As if all of that isn’t keeping her busy enough, Gafford also is the mother of four small children: 8-year-old Lydia, 6-year-old Gabrielle, and 3-year-old twins Roman and Justine.

For entrepreneurs to be able to balance work and family life, Gafford advises leaning on others. “Talk to other business owners and find some best practices. Ask for help. Start delegating, even if it costs you to delegate. Hire a manager,” she says.

“It’s important to create – and stick to – certain boundaries. Successful women have a tendency to overwork themselves, so it’s important to find some ways to de-stress.”

Chara Pembroke Gafford ’93, owner of urbanCHEF in Houston, Texas, found the ingredients for success

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Jean Mackenzie ’65, owner of Mackenzie Creamery in Hiram, Ohio, makes food that makes people happy

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Cream of the Crop

ean Mackenzie ’65 is fond of telling a story about a young boy who tasted her Mackenzie Creamery artisan goat cheese and turned to his father and asked, “Daddy, is there goat cheese in heaven?” Lest you think the account is apocryphal, take a look at the Twitter feed for Cleveland’s Spice Kitchen & Bar. On April 27, the restaurant tweeted: “Jean Mackenzie’s goat fudge is the food of the gods.”

Mackenzie is really, really good at what she does. Her cheeses have won numerous awards and accolades from connoisseurs the world over. She was born to be a cheese maker. Yet she didn’t realize that calling until she was 61 years old. “I was always a late bloomer,” she jokes.

She spent most of her career working in real estate, including overseeing the real estate division of the Western Reserve Land Conservancy, where she matched land donors with prospective buyers. In 2007 on a whim, she took some vacation time and enrolled in a cheese-making class hosted by the Pennsylvania Association of Sustainable Agriculture in Williamsport, Pa. She was intrigued. An advanced cheese-making chemistry class held six weeks later sealed her fate. “I fell in love with the whole process and came home telling Jim that I had to do this. It simply took hold of me. It

Mackenzie Creamery cheeses are available at the West Side Market, Whole Foods, Heinens, and Earth Fare, and numerous stores throughout the Midwest and on the East Coast.

was as though I had no choice or any decision to make. I simply knew that this was what I was to be doing with my life,” she says in a personal letter on her company’s website.

To accommodate her new profession, Mackenzie’s partner, Jim, an architect and builder, converted the lower level of the barn housed on the couple’s farm in Hiram, Ohio. Mackenzie Creamery cheeses are crafted in 30’x22’ make room and aged in a specially designed 19’x22’ cave using goat milk supplied by three Amish dairies in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The company pasteurizes 10,000 pounds of milk and 40,000 pounds of fresh chèvre cheeses each week.

Mackenzie’s artisanal wares come in 12 gourmet flavors, from Cranberry Orange to Black Truffle. For the sweet tooth, they also offer their famous Dulce de Leche fudge.

In addition to being sold at farmers’ markets and through an online portal at mackenziecreamery.com,

Though her entrepreneurial venture came together and became successful relatively quickly, Mackenzie is careful to point out that none of it was automatic. To do well in business, she says, “You must understand and be willing to be honest about your strengths and your weaknesses.”

She knew, for instance, that she had a gift for cheese making, but she wasn’t quite as adept at bookkeeping.

So she did her homework, made connections with professional organizations, asked for advice, availed herself of resources for small business owners, and hired the right people to help. Her staff includes three interns who assist in cheese making and packaging, a bookkeeper, and Mackenzie’s son, Rob DeMuch, who serves as business manager. She also contracts with Euro USA Inc. for distribution.

At the end of the day, making a good business is a lot like making a good cheese, Mackenzie says. “It’s a lot of science and a little bit of art.”

Steeped in Tradition “Creativity is the largest source of commerce,” says Reem Rahim ’83.

“If you want to be innovative, you have to do something interesting.”

When Rahim left Hathaway Brown in 1984, she traveled down Murray Hill to Case Western Reserve University, destined for a life as a biomedical engineer. In fact, she earned a science degree that would help her realize that goal. But plans of working in the field changed after she suffered a near-fatal car accident during her junior year of college. Taking stock of her life and deciding that she’d rather be an artist than a scientist, she moved to Boston and then to Italy to learn her craft. She now holds a Diploma d’Arte in drawing and painting from the Lorenzo dé Medici Italian International Institute in Florence. She was working as a teacher and studying the Masters in California when her brother approached her with the idea of going into business together.

Ahmed Rahim had been living abroad in Europe, where he owned and operated teahouses. Noticing that most American tea companies had few differentiators between them, he and his sister saw an opportunity and they capitalized on it. Numi Tea (named for a Middle Eastern dried lime tea the Rahims had enjoyed drinking as young children in Iraq) was launched in a small apartment in Oakland in 1999. “Inspired by art and exotic teas, Reem and Ahmed created a company whose hallmark is super-premium, organic and Fair Trade Certified teas and herbal teasans made with 100% real ingredients,” their company website reads.

Ahmed is the CEO and master blender of teas while Reem is the creative director who makes all of the tea packaging illustrations by hand. She guides the company’s brand identity, managing a team of artists and designers, and working closely with the marketing

department on events and other promotions. She says that having a partner in this endeavor has been extremely important. Her brother manages the finances and some other distinct aspects of the business, she oversees others, and they collaborate on the rest. Reem is pleased with the success that Numi Tea has enjoyed, but she’s not completely surprised by it. Her family immigrated to the United States from Iraq when she was 5 years old. She distinctly recalls the words of her father: “You can do anything you want as long as you work hard.”

When it comes to launching your own business, Reem’s advice is to do your homework and really understand the landscape. “Don’t go in with your eyes closed, yet don’t be overly cautious,” she says. “The secret to our success is that we never had failure on our minds. We weren’t scared; we just followed our vision.”

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Rahim’s company, Numi Organic Tea, is enormously successful. It generates $8 million in annual sales and is the seventh largest tea company of roughly 225 in the natural food space. It’s available through large and small retail grocers everywhere, distributed in all 50 states and in 15 countries worldwide. The company is committed to direct sourcing and it is the largest brand importer of fair-trade tea in the United States. All of the tea is organically grown, and it is delivered in eco-friendly sustainable packaging. Numi Tea is a Founding B Corp, certified for its adherence to rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Employees are paid for the volunteer work they do outside the company. “It’s a great environment to work in,” Rahim says.

Reem Rahim ’84, co-founder and creative director of Numi Tea in Oakland, Calif., runs her business with a conscience

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Splash &Sparkle We checked out the corporate websites of some HB alumnae designers who are carving their own niches in the beachwear and jewelry industries.

Here’s what they’re up to now.

Thayer Sylvester Hoe ’93, founder and owner, Carve Designs beach lifestyle brand, Mill Valley, Calif.

“It’s been 10 years since I co-founded Carve Designs with my business partner and lifelong friend, Jennifer Hinton. We took a leap of faith, quit our well-paying jobs, and dedicated ourselves to designing and manufacturing boardshorts for women that would fit well and look great in and out of the water. Since its inception, Carve Designs has evolved into a beach lifestyle brand offering

a full range of products for active women including swimwear, après surf and lifestyle apparel. We constantly strive to mesh the fashion and function of active apparel in a feminine and inspiring collection. We pioneered swim in the outdoor industry, in stores that previously sold competitive swim like Speedo, and are now selling nationwide to more than 500 retailers. Every year brings a new set of challenges, not the least of which is balancing raising two young children with running a business. Thankfully, I continue to enjoy the ride.” - www.carvedesigns.com

In Thayer’s Words: One of the most valuable lessons I learned at HB is that you can work hard and have a broad quiver of talents, an absolute necessity if you are going to try to juggle working professionally and raising children. Every day challenges me to think and solve problems, and I credit HB to being a foundation for teaching me dynamic thinking.

Clara Rankin Williams ’89, founder and owner, The Clara Williams Company jewelry design and manufacturing, Chicago, Ill. “Clara Rankin Williams’ impressive sense of design and classic style is beautifully conveyed in her innovative lines of jewelry. She has artfully combined talents from her well-regarded background – which includes a BA from Dartmouth College, an MBA from Harvard, and a career in Technology – to drive the success of her jewelry lines through The Clara Williams Company. Utilizing her superior skills in artistry and technology, Williams’ ingenuity gives her elegant designs an even further appeal: versatility. The magnetic clasp system she developed enables her pieces to be embellished by and combined with others in her line for a constantly changing look. She now offers a ring and bracelet concept with interchangeable charms. Williams and her jewelry line have received much media attention, including numerous newspaper and magazine profiles, and television appearances. Her jewelry is highly sought after and a consistent top producer at national and local trunk shows, regional boutiques and private showings. Williams continues to expand her elegant product line offerings for her ever-increasing clientele.” - www.clarawilliams.com

HB

In addition to its owner and namesake, Clara Williams Company employs two more Hathaway Brown alumnae.

Emily Garratt ’04 first joined CWC as a summer intern while attending Southern Methodist University. Since graduating, she has held numerous positions in marketing, product management, and sales and she now runs Direct Sales and oversees the company website as well as its national advertising strategy. Margaret LaMantia ’06 joined the CWC team in January 2011. Initially the administrative assistant to Clara, she is now a significant contributor to the Retail Sales team.

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Susan Kent ’71, owner of Moving by Design in Cleveland, Ohio, drew her own blueprint for success

I

Reading the LANDSCAPE

n the early 1970s, while politicians and everyday Americans were trying to contend with the oil crisis plaguing the country, Susan Kent was in New Haven, Conn., earning a degree in art history and environmental science at Yale.

In the wake of the crisis as the environmental movement continued to gain momentum, she went on to earn a Master’s degree in landscape architecture from the University of Virginia. She was determined to find ways to artfully and conscientiously incorporate and preserve nature in the built environment.

After working for a few years in large architectural firms, Kent struck out on her own. As an independent contractor, she oversaw large-scale jobs through the city of Cleveland Heights and other entities. And setting her own hours made it easier to spend time with her daughters, Tori Kauer ’04 and Lydia Kauer ’07.

While many women opted to either work or stay at home, Kent found a way to do both. “In a way, I was going against the grain by being home with the kids part-time,” she says.

Although she admits that it wasn’t always an easy balance between work life and home life because of the demands of her business, Kent says the choice was the right one for her household at the time. Still, the seasonal nature of her work sometimes could be stressful, and

she found herself having to put in more hours after she was divorced.

All this time, across the street from Kent, neighbor and interior designer Helen Burdg was cultivating a growing business of her own.Through her work with Judson retirement communities in Cleveland, she had found a niche in relocating clients and outfitting their new spaces.

Understanding that downsizing and moving into a retirement community can be extremely stressful for families to undertake on their own, Burdg asked Kent to be on retainer to assist in all sorts of ways – from unpacking clients’ suitcases and stocking cupboards to designing the outdoor landscaping and planting flowers. Kent seized the opportunity, working mostly part-time hours especially during the winter months.

Fifteen years ago, Kent made the business her own. She named her company Moving by Design and she works to ease the transition to retirement living for all sorts of people from all across Northeast Ohio.

The bulk of her business happens at Judson’s Park, Manor and South Franklin Circle campuses. Kent says her work is “at the crossroads of social work and design.” She meets with families just as they’re making the decision to move, helping them to select the best spaces for their needs. Then she uses the floor plan as a guide to determine which furniture should come along and where it should be placed. She also helps her clients sift through all of their sentimental items and personal belongings, select color palettes and make design choices. And she coordinates the move itself – which generally takes just one day – from start to finish. “The goal,” she says, “Is to have all of the pictures hung, the beds made, and the people sleeping in their new homes that night.”

With strong word-of-mouth marketing, Kent and Moving by Design have enjoyed phenomenal business for many years. Kent says she is proud of her work and grateful that an unexpected course led her to some terrific opportunities.

“To everything, there is a season … for women especially,” she says.

Learning for Life In less than 20 years, Stephanie Skylar ’78 went from sitting in the broadcast booth as the morning show drive-time host for a radio station interviewing the likes of Deepak Chopra and Hal Holbrook to sitting at the helm of an 11-store chain of supermarkets supervising 900 employees.

Getting from one point to the next wasn’t as complicated as you might think.

In 1985, she and her then-husband decided to go into broadcasting on their own. So they bought a pair of radio stations in Lima, Ohio: WCIT-AM (news-talk format) and WLSR-FM (adult contemporary). The purchase made Skylar, at 25 years old, the youngest station owner in the state. In addition to filling air time, the couple had to find ways to make their stations profitable and desirable venues for advertisers. That’s how Skylar ended up serving as a morning show host, and it’s how she came to know Chief Super Markets.

“We’d do anything and everything to help our advertisers succeed,” she says. “For Chief, we launched a parking lot Rib Cook-Off that really got people’s attention and drove business.” Other off-the-air initiatives included direct-mail marketing campaigns using pinpoint segmentation. “We weren’t just selling time,” Skylar explains. “We were incredibly multifaceted in our approach.”

Chief Super Markets owner, Eric Hench, son of the company’s founder, took notice. He brought Skylar on board as a contract employee to coordinate marketing initiatives. As radio stations around the country began to consolidate under corporate ownership, Skylar sold her stations in 1997 and she started working full-time for Chief. She earned a degree in organizational leadership from Defiance College and her role evolved from Executive Vice President in charge of marketing to President, a position she assumed in 2007.

One of Skylar’s proudest accomplishments was the establishment of Chief University in 2009. This comprehensive hands-on associate training program gives employees a direct path for promotion, offering courses in such things as Customer Experience and Department Management. The motto of Chief University is a familiar one: “We learn not for school, but for life.”

“It’s such a rush to see folks in the hourly associate pool who are now managers in training, stepping up and saying, ‘I want more,’” Skylar says. “People raise their families in these communities. They are placebound. But that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be able to advance. We respect the work of all of our employees.”

In 2011, Skylar was named Woman of the Year by the Women Grocers of America. The award honors and recognizes an industry professional who is a community-focused citizen committed to serving the needs of her neighbors, associates and customers through involvement in community and civic affairs and whose leadership has contributed to the success of her company. In an industry that is heavily dominated by men, three-quarters of Skylar’s operating team are women.

“I don’t feel like there is a glass ceiling,” Skylar says. “People came before me and paved the way. But business is tough – the competition won’t give you any leeway. You have to know what you need to know and be independent and resilient. You need to find your opportunities and participate in the process.”

HB

After graduating from Hathaway Brown, Skylar earned a degree in communications from Tulane University. She came home to Cleveland in 1982 and spent the next three years working on the news assignment desks at the local ABC and NBC affiliates, WEWS-TV5 and WKYC-Channel 3. “It was the heyday for local broadcasting,” Skylar says. “We worked hard and had a great time. It was a very valuable experience.”

Stephanie Skylar ’78, president and CEO of Chief Super Market Inc. in Northwest Ohio, has a knack for discovering opportunities

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L–R: Dr. Barbara Kinder ’63, Anne Baker ’78, H. Savery Fitz-Gerald Rorimer ’63 Photo by Jason Miller

Lasting Impressions Inspired by what they learned at HB, the 2013 Alumnae Award recipients have made their marks in many fields.

by L inda C orcoran

2013 Distinguished Alumnae Awards

her current hometown of Vinalhaven, Maine, a lobstering island in Penobscot Bay. Her influence has helped move the rural community center forward with Quality Assurance programs and electronic medical records.

“I was blessed to go to a school of such high caliber at a time when it was really important for women to have a sense of empowerment,” says Dr. Barbara Kinder ’63 as she reflects on her education at Hathaway Brown. “I am a fan of single-sex education to the extent that it allows women to select and fill all the roles in the community.”

Even though a world of opportunity has been opened since her early years at HB, Kinder says that she would still choose the path of science and medicine. “I have never lost my sense of wonder at the workings of nature and the human body,” she says. “Nor my conviction that each of us, as individual members of a just society, has an obligation to contribute in some way to the welfare of all.”

When Kinder entered Hathaway Brown in seventh grade, her family already had deep roots here. Her mother, Barbara Cole Kinder, and sister, Emily Kinder Farmer, are alumnae, as are several aunts and cousins.

After HB, Kinder went on to Smith College, from which she graduated magna cum laude, and entered Yale University School of Medicine.

She finished cum laude with an MD, completed her surgical residency there and joined the faculty in 1977 as an assistant professor.

Kinder also rose through the ranks to become Chief of Surgery at the West Haven Veterans Affairs Medical Center (1985-1989) and Chief of the Division of Endocrine Surgery (1987-1992) at Yale University School of Medicine. During her tenure, she performed a broad range of general surgery, including trauma and gastrointestinal procedures and treatment of breast cancer. At Yale, she developed the then-nascent field of endocrine surgery and was a founding member of both the International Association of Endocrine Surgery and the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons, where she was elected the first woman president in 2001. Throughout her career, Kinder received numerous academic awards, and was listed in Best Doctors in America for endocrine surgery from 2000-2003. She also participated in multiple research activities, was a contributing member of numerous professional societies and has authored more than 40 professional papers for publication.

In 2004, Kinder retired as William H. Carmalt Professor of Surgery, Emerita, but she didn’t leave the world of medicine too far behind.

She now serves on the Board of Trustees at a small medical center in

Rorimer entered HB in the fourth grade when her family moved from Wilmington, Del., to Mayfield Village. A spark was ignited for her in 1962 when she performed a modern dance at the HB Variety Show with Barbara Jewitt ’66, daughter of HB dance teacher Patty Jewitt.

Knowing she wanted to be a dancer and artist, Rorimer entered Stephens College in Columbia, Mo. She completed her two-year dance program at Stephens and took an opportunity to travel to Italy, Greece, and the Middle East to be immersed in great art through a 10-week summer art history program sponsored by Smith College.

With new knowledge in hand, she entered the Cleveland Institute of Art, earning a degree in weaving and ceramics.

In 1971 and 1972, she returned to HB to assist Patty Jewitt in teaching a dance class at her alma mater. “I couldn’t wait to get to HB and collaborate with the teachers and the students,” Rorimer says. “At one point I realized that I had come back to where I had started.”

A new Master’s degree program was just beginning at Case Western Reserve University and Rorimer was accepted to study modern dance and choreography. In 1975 she graduated and spent the next five years teaching K-12 creative movement and modern dance for girls at Laurel School. It was then that she entered into what she calls her “second career” as a wife and mother.

In 1978 she married Louis Rorimer. Two years later, they welcomed their daughter, Sarah, followed by son, James. Although Rorimer was busy raising children and caring for her elderly parents, she never stopped loving the arts. There were early signs in their life together that

HB

Today, Kinder is a retired surgeon and professor, as well as a wife, mother, outdoor enthusiast, lifelong learner, community healthcare advocate, and poet. Tracing her enthusiasm for these activities back to HB is not a far stretch. “The science classes with Ms. Reeve and Ms. Kuerti were terrific. You couldn’t keep up with Ms. Reeve on a bird walk – even though she was in her 80s! I came out of HB with a very strong science preparation,” remembers Kinder. “Miss Bruce, my English teacher, was amazing – terrifying, but amazing. She taught me how to write and instilled in me a love of poetry, which I have now come back to in retirement.”

***

As a market gardener, H. Savery Fitz-Gerald Rorimer ’63 can tell you about the importance of good soil in producing healthy plants.

As an accomplished teacher of modern dance, wife and mother, and now a student of biological and organic systems that work, she also knows that the roots of her own life were planted and nourished in the empowering environment of Hathaway Brown. “My teachers enabled me to make my own decisions and to act on them,” she says.

35

Savery and Louis would one day be part of a whole foods movement.

Louis’ family owned a farm in Bainbridge Township, Ohio. They also had a small group of friends that included Pam Grosscup, who was trained as a chef in France and would create nouvelle cuisine for all to enjoy. The group also went on bird walks and cross-country skied at The Holden Arboretum.

Rorimer’s transition into her “third career” as a market gardener would come later as her mother-in-law aged and she spent more and more time with her at the farm. One of her first farm initiatives was to grow flax and soybeans in order to create paper and ink. The venture flopped financially, but ended with a harvest of soybeans taken to sell at the North Union Famers Market, which had just opened.

In 1995, after Louis had retired from his law practice, the couple began dedicating their full-time efforts to Snake Hill Farm, which consists of 150 acres of pastures, field, and woodlands. The farm yields much for selling at area famers’ markets: organic fruits and vegetables, eggs, certified organic beef, honey, and maple syrup. And Rorimer works to provide healthy organic produce and ensure the availability of food grown locally and free from potentially harmful chemicals.

“Our farm is a wonderful, magical place,” she says. “I have become more aware of symbiotic relationships between human beings and all the creatures that work with us.”

Alumnae Achievement Award Anne Baker ’78 has seen the world. But the world has seldom seen a person as passionate about global education as she.

“My grandparents started traveling after retirement and I heard their stories about remote corners of the world. I remember thinking that was something I wanted to experience,” explains Baker.

Two years after graduating from Amherst College (where she was the only woman in her class to earn a degree in physics), she joined the Peace Corps and found herself in the Fiji Islands teaching high school physics, math, and science. At the end of her assignment in 1987, leaving the people of Fiji was one of the most difficult things Baker ever has had to do.

But the experience abroad made her aware of just how much she enjoyed teaching. So she moved from the Peace Corps to St. George’s, a boarding school in Rhode Island, where she taught math, coached sports, lived in a dorm, and directed the hand-bell choir. The school was working to become more international, and Baker was ready

to assist. She started a Cultural Outreach Club and strived to help students examine global issues and their local impact. With a goal of bringing global education into the classroom, Baker took a year off of teaching to earn an Ed.M. with a concentration in international education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Upon her return to St. George’s, she was named Director of Cultural Affairs and International Student Advisor.

Still, she felt that her talents and knowledge could have a greater impact. In 1996, Baker joined the staff at the National Peace Corps Association, a nonprofit organization that champions Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, produces global education programs and advocacy campaigns, and provides community, national and international services. She went to work immediately developing and establishing the Global TeachNet program (NPCA’s Education program), a national network of educators promoting a more global perspective across the K-12 curriculum. In 1998, her role expanded as the Director of Global Education. In 2001, she became Director of Global Education and Programs, shifting to Director of Global Education and Technology a year later.

In 2004, NPCA asked Baker to take on the newly created role of Vice President, the position she holds today. “That title means that I am not tied down to one area, but am able to do lots of things,” she explains.

Baker credits HB with establishing the foundation for her confidence and career success. She is grateful to have learned in an all-girls’ environment and to have had the opportunity to try a variety of activities afforded by the small school setting. Baker joined HB as a seventh grader and shared the experience with her mother, Nancy Baker, who taught English and was head of the middle school. “I am lucky to have had that time with my mother, who was devoted to HB. She passed away from cancer shortly after my graduation,” says Baker, whose father comes to HB each year to help present the Nancy Baker Award to a deserving student.

Baker was the first in her family to join the Peace Corps, followed by her stepsister, Becky Smith, who joined shortly after Baker’s return to the U.S. from Fiji. She was stationed in Guatemala from 19881990, where she met her husband, Jeff Hopkins, who also was a Peace Corps volunteer from 1987-1989. Baker’s partner, Murty Polavarapu, was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Fiji from 1990-1992. And in 2001 her father and stepmother, John Baker and Kathy Smith, joined the Peace Corps in their retirement and served together in Romania from 2001-2003.

Katherine Dolansky Jane Domeck Sydney Giller Jennifer Jones Rachel Leizman Pauline Marting Paige Persky Samantha Santoscoy Louise Shiverick Katherine Smythe Sarah Young

2013 Gurbani Kaur gkaur2013@gmail.com 2012–13 Alumnae Giving

Jessie Adkins Maya Ahuja Isabelle Arnson Halle Bachouros Caroline L. Bashour Elizabeth Benjamin Sabrina Bhaiji Courtney Black Jennifer Blumer Anne Brockett Alyssa Bryan Alice T. Catanzaro Serena Chang Michelle Chapman Ellen Coticchia Alden Cowap Brittany Davis Katherine Eisele Katharine M. Everett Taylor Forsythe Danielle Frankel Alina Freeman Caitlyn Frohring Alyssa Furth Emily C. Gaudiani Rebecca Geisinger Arielle Goldberg Mikaela Grumbach Joyce Guo Nayab Habib Zoe Harvan Melanie Heyside Danielle Jones Imaya Jones Olivia Julian

regional Alumnae Gatherings

Alumnae News

For the fifth consecutive year, the senior class reached 100% participation in the Senior Gift Campaign and raised $2,664 for the Serendipity Fund!

Gurbani Kaur Devon Kilroy Mary Alice Koon Sylvia Krebs Colleen Lavelle Alyssa Levy Kayleigh Loveland Tatini Mal-Sarkar Hannah Margolis Evelyn Maroon Nia Marshall Sarah McCann Gianna Mitchell Leah N. Mustee Tulibona Namulemo Brianna Owens Rachael Persky Stephanie Poland Alexandra Pullella Alaina Radigan Lena J. Ransohoff Mckenzie Retino Lysette Roman Kelsey Ruddock Addison Ruhlman Brenna Scully Preeya Shankar Shamanthika Shelkay Ilana Siegal Rachel Slack Vanessa Smith Stephanie Solano Sara Spain Madeline Stambler Emma Stewart-Bates Catherine Terez Riley Vance Emma Wahl Kiren Walters Emily Wargo Elizabeth Warner Michelle Yang Ashley Yarbrough Grace Yi Charlotte Zale Ingrid Zippe

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Alumnae Q&A with Mallory Meyers Taylor ’91 founder, Mallory Taylor Design

Q:

Knowing what you know now, if you were a senior at HB today, what path would you choose?

A:

When I graduated from HB in 1991, I knew I would be going to college in the fall, but beyond that, I had no idea what my future held. When I look back on my life since that day, I realize how important my HB education was in forming the foundation for not only the career path I eventually chose, but also for the life I lead today.

At HB, I learned how to solve problems, think critically, and communicate effectively. Those three skills were with me when I first fell in love with art and photography in Mr. Morse’s art room and they’ve stuck with me ever since. In college, after a brief stint (and by brief, I mean two weeks) in pre-med, I tried psychology and art history before settling into journalism, where I created a path for myself in graphic layout and photojournalism. After I graduated from college, I worked odd jobs to further develop my graphic design skills before landing in a marketing position with an architectural firm. It was during this time that technology began to evolve and the Internet gathered momentum. Realizing this was an up-and-coming frontier, I shifted my focus and began a career with a fast-growing web company.

Each position I held along the way was a building block for whatever would come next – both in my career and my personal life. When it came time to change gears and start a family, I once again found myself borrowing from my HB foundation. I left the corporate world thinking a break might be nice, but after a few months, I missed the excitement and fulfillment of the career I had started, so I decided to reinvent myself and launched a home-based web and marketing company called Mallory Taylor Design. This life change has made

it possible for me to enjoy the best of both worlds when it comes to balancing work and family.

Anyone can learn the nuts and bolts of any particular job, but if you don’t have the skills to solve problems or the confidence to take risks, reinventing yourself is next to impossible. Looking back on it all, I’m grateful for my time at HB, and I wouldn’t change a thing about the path I chose. As my kids grow up and become more independent, my business continues to evolve. Who knows when I may need to reinvent myself again – it’s never too late.

Q:

What should every girl and woman know to be a leader in her own life?

Give us your thoughts! The Winter/Spring 2014 issue of HB will focus on women’s leadership and well-being. To participate in the Alumnae Q&A, email your response to kosborne@hb.edu.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Betty Friedan’s groundbreaking book The Feminine Mystique. The plight of Malala Yousafzai is making headlines the world over. Female-centered documentaries including PBS’ “MAKERS: Women Who Make America” and “Girl Rising” are generating a lot of buzz. Essays about Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, Facebook COO (and Lean In author) Sheryl Sandberg, and gender equality are being circulated in magazines and newspapers everywhere. At Hathaway Brown, we’ve set “Be Well, Lead Well” as the theme for the 2013-14 school year.

We’re seizing the moment to talk about where we are as women, where we’ve been, and where we’re going.

Photo by Vanessa Butler

Meet the Advancement Team: The

Department

of

Advancement

has

the privilege of connecting and engaging

Hathaway Brown alumnae, parents, donors, and friends with each other and with the school and its students. Additionally, the Advancement team initiates and manages numerous philanthropic programs for the

and capital campaigns. Each member of the department oversees a unique aspect of school

life, but all are available to answer questions

and to support the broader community.

Email mrainsberger @hb.edu to learn more.

PHOTO at left: top row, l-r: Mary Rainsberger, Dana Lovelace Capers ’86, Louise Scott bottom row, l-r: Erin Reid, Taylor Marcus Laurer ’04, Kate LaMantia ’00, Megan Ullom PHOTO below: Clarke Wilson Leslie ’80

Transitions Clarke Wilson Leslie ’80, who served for 13 years as Hathaway Brown’s Associate Head for Advancement, recently has been appointed as the Associate Dean for Development and External

Affairs for the College of Arts and Sciences at Case Western Reserve University. During her tenure, $80 million has been raised for HB and the fulfillment of our mission. None of that, Clarke

wrote, would have happened without “the dedicated Advancement staff, exceptional faculty, and

incredibly generous donors of Hathaway Brown.” Clarke traces her passion for philanthropy back to her great-grandmother who graduated from HB in the 1890s and believed that “to whom much is given, much is expected.” Having been given the gift of an HB education herself, she has

made it her fervent mission to galvanize others in support of our school. In the process Clarke has touched many lives and been one of the major shapers of the institution HB has become

today. While we were quite sorry to see Clarke go, we know her relationship with HB will endure, especially as her daughter Olivia ’16 makes her way through the Upper School. And we’re pleased

to announce that Mary Rainsberger, who has been HB’s Director of Gift Planning since 2000, is now Director of Advancement. Mary is a fearless and imaginative fundraiser who loves HB

and will no doubt continue and enhance the good work that has been done for many years.

Alumnae News

benefit of HB, including the Annual Fund

89

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

19600 North Park Boulevard Shaker Heights, Ohio 44122

mark your calendar hb.edu/upcomingevents

PAID

Cleveland, Ohio Permit #3439

Homecoming & Fall Family Festival September 21, 2013, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

Featuring Middle and Upper School sports exhibitions, food trucks, balloons, face painting, and more Learning for Life Speakers’ Series October 9, 2013, The Ahuja Auditorium, 7 p.m.

Dr. Catherine Steiner-Adair, author of The Big Disconnect Middle & Upper School Open House October 27, 2013, 1:30-3:30 p.m.

For prospective families, grades 5-12 Writers & Artists Festival November 7-9, 2013, University Circle, various times Northeast Ohio writers and artists in grades 7-12 invited to hone their crafts with expert instructors Infant & Toddler, Early Childhood, and Kindergarten Open House November 9, 2013, Primary School Building, 11:30 a.m.

Meet the teachers, explore the classrooms and participate in innovative play activities. No RSVP necessary.

Upper School Fall Play November 15 & 16, 2013, The Ahuja Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.

Sophocles’ ANTIGONE Fair Trade Sale December 9, 2013, HB Atrium, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

A global marketplace of crafts, clothing, coffee and fair-trade gift items

Photo by Vanessa Butler

MasterWorks December 10, 2013, 7:30 p.m., Tri-C East Campus A winter concert with HB choruses and orchestras IDEO December 20, 2013, 10:30 a.m.

Alumnae reception in The Anne Cutter Coburn Reception Room; Program in The Ahuja Auditorium