ON THE FRONT COVER: Ryleigh McNelly ’27, Claire Eccleston ’26 and Michael Eccleston ’28 take part in a group workout on campus last summer.
Photo by Max Paro ’17.
FROM THE SCHOOLHOUSE
After the first familystyle dinner of the school year, Head of School John McVeigh chats with Maggie Higgins ’26, Finn Brennan ’26, and Claire Eccleston ’26.
Wellness has become a popular term…but it has never been a buzzword or a passing fad at Holderness. From our founding, it has shaped our culture and our students. Here, well-being is balanced and holistic—mind, body, spirit, and community. It’s about curiosity in the classroom, playing all out on the athletic fields, encouraging selfreflection and service, and staying engaged in our community. Programs like Out Back, Project Outreach, and our Jobs Program live out this philosophy, helping students grow into alumni who make a lasting impact well beyond our campus.
You’ll find two invitations woven throughout the stories in our Wellness Issue: get outside, and connect with community. In a world where screens dominate and anxiety among adolescents is rising, stepping into nature and connecting with others can be transformational. It’s why we start a new student’s time here with our Orientation Hike, and why Out Back is so pivotal. Holderness students learn that a full life balances personal growth with caring for others. Our alumni carry
this lesson forward—whether they’re helping communities heal, leading service initiatives, or integrating nature into their health practices.
We also celebrate the dedicated adults who support the well-being of our 300+ students on campus. From the Health Center to the athletic fields to the Chapel and classrooms, we have a community focused on nurturing the whole student: mind, body, and spirit. Classes like nutrition and exercise physiology or a tradition like ‘Fire and Fellowship,’ which fosters small-group, faithbased dialogues, ensure that our students thrive not just academically or athletically, but in life.
As you read, you’ll meet alumni for whom wellness is a calling: therapists integrating nature into their practices, a former skierturned-acupuncturist helping elite athletes manage pain, and medical professionals improving access to healthcare in Native American communities. You’ll also find Bruce Barton’s interview with two alumni—a pediatric nurse practitioner and a PhD
psychologist—who dedicate their work to helping individuals become their best selves. These stories remind us that well-being is a shared responsibility that strengthens us all.
We’d love to hear your thoughts as you explore this issue. What practices and approaches work for you when it comes to well-being? Is it venturing outdoors, embracing new challenges, or supporting others? Or a combination? Scan the QR code below to share your insights. Your stories will inspire current students, fellow alums, and the entire Holderness community to live well and stay connected.
Thank you for being an integral part of the continued well-being of Holderness.
With gratitude and admiration,
John McVeigh Head of School
Students huddle during the first Tenny Ball tournament of the year in early September.
AROUND (OR ABOVE) THE QUAD
U.S. Navy Captain Suni Williams aboard the International Space Station.
FROM THE ISS TO HOLDERNESS
NASA Astronaut and retired U.S. Navy Captain Suni Williams arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) on June 6, 2024, expecting to return to Earth a week later. Seven months later, Suni finally returned to Earth aboard the SpaceX Dragon.
For most people, being unexpectedly stranded in space for months would be overwhelming. But Suni completed her work with grace—and even found time to take part in a livestream with Holderness students while still in space.
Live from the International Space Station
On Saturday, February 15, Suni streamed into the Winter Garden for 45 minutes in a live video chat with the Holderness School community, offering students and faculty a personal tour of the ISS. Floating effortlessly in zero gravity, she welcomed the audience with a mid-air somersault—an unforgettable introduction to life aboard the station.
Suni led a virtual tour of the ISS’s hyper-efficient living spaces—tiny sleeping quarters, a closet-sized gym, and specialized equipment designed for a world without gravity. More than just a research hub, she described the ISS as a place where teamwork, adaptability, and a sense of humor are essential.
One young audience member asked, “Which time zone do you use?” Suni explained that astronauts operate on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) to stay in sync with mission control. Another student with a broken wrist wondered, “How do bones heal in space?” She described the unique challenges microgravity presents—since bone density decreases, healing is slower and more complicated. Suni spoke passionately about the scientific experiments happening aboard the ISS, including one from a previous mission that involved siphoning air from an aquarium to observe fish behavior in microgravity.
Photo courtesy of NASA
Members of the Holderness School community during their video call with Suni Williams.
Well-Being in Space
These video chats do more than satisfy curiosity–they are part of a broader initiative to maintain astronauts’ connections with Earth. The well-being of astronauts during extended space missions, whether planned or unexpected, is a top priority for NASA. The challenges of microgravity, confined living quarters, and an irregular circadian rhythm can take a physical and mental toll. Imagine setting off on a one-week mission only to find yourself in space for almost eight months. To prepare for such scenarios, NASA provides extensive training before launch and ongoing support programs in space to ensure astronauts’ health and well-being.
I SPY!
The visit wrapped with Suni reflecting on life away from her home in Maine. Sharing her view of Earth from the cupola—a module designed for observing the planet below—she pointed out the familiar shape of New England, with Prince Edward Island to the north and Mount Washington cloaked in clouds to the south. Even after months in space, she was still in awe of the view.
Despite the incredible experience of living in space, she was eager to return to her loved ones—her husband, her dogs, and her nieces and nephews. These reminders of home kept her grounded, even as she floated hundreds of miles above Earth.
In the end, the session was more than just a conversation about space; it was a reminder of the perseverance, teamwork, and curiosity that drive human exploration. Through Suni’s eyes, the Holderness community got a rare glimpse into a world far beyond our own—yet one still deeply connected to the pursuit of knowledge and discovery. Her journey aboard the ISS was a celebration of human achievement and proof that when we dare to dream beyond the stars, anything is possible.
A special thank you to Marilee Lin, Suni Williams, and NASA for bringing the experience of space to Holderness, NH.
WELCOME TO THE (TRAIL) FAMILY
For many years, Holderness School has maintained the Upper Nanamocomuck Ski Trail, which parallels the Kancamagus Highway and Swift River for 10 miles from Lily Pond to Bear Notch Road. This spring, the school adopted several more trails, including portions of the Sawyer Pond Trail, Livermore Trail, and Hancock Notch Trail. All four of these trails are in a quiet corner of the White Mountains that sees comparatively little use, but are heavily used by our Out Back groups. Holderness added these trails to its roster after federal budget cuts eliminated most of the rangers and trail crews who maintained the trails during the summer months.
Read more online
Grace Murphy ’22 takes part in the first-ever Holderness Community Trail Work Day on the Upper Nanamocomuck Ski Trail this summer.
Photo courtesy of NASA
UNPLUG & LOOK UP
THE PARALLEL PROCESS
Nearly 15 years after writing “The Parallel Process,” a landmark book that teaches parents how to grow alongside their struggling adolescent or young adult child in treatment, Krissy Pozatek ’92 P ’22 is re-releasing the book in revised and updated form. As an adolescent and young adult therapist, Krissy’s clinical experience includes the treatment of adoption issues, trauma, self-harming behavior, substance abuse, personality disorders and family system problems. Krissy switched to Parent Coaching in 2006 and currently works with parents of struggling adolescents and young adults in her parent coaching practice, Parallel Process. To learn more about Krissy and her work, and to read her book, visit Parallel-Process.com .
Krissy Pozatek ’92 P ’22 is the author of “The Parallel Process.”
At Holderness School, we cherish the rich, face-to-face connections that strengthen our community. While digital communication is now the norm, we believe nothing compares to the relationships built through in-person interaction. That’s why, this year, we’ve instituted a new policy that limits phone usage during the school day. The new policy removes phones from our classrooms, study halls, school meetings, and public areas such as the dining hall and campus paths. Research shows that reducing screen time supports wellbeing, so rather than banning phones entirely, our new phone policy will foster habits and norms that encourage presence, self-regulation, and genuine connection.
Thanks to our new phone policy, students are connecting and engaging more at mealtimes and in other public spaces.
LIKE FATHERS, LIKE DAUGHTERS
Of the four Holderness girls who qualified for U16 Nationals at Sugarloaf this spring, all performed exceptionally well, finishing in the top 20 in the respective races. In an interesting twist, all four athletes are also the daughters of former Holderness skiers. The competitors— Brooke Schemmel ’28, Nina Martin ’28, Brooklyn Barnhorst ’27, and Reese Harrigan ’28—are the daughters of Hans Schemmel ’88, Andy Martin ’92, Tim Barnhorst ’00, and Dan Harrigan ’94, respectively. With several years left in their Holderness careers, this new generation of Bulls is sure to establish a legacy of their own on the hill.
The Holderness crew posing for a photo at U16 Nationals at Sugarloaf this spring.
FOR HEALTH AND HUMANKIND
By Greg Kwasnik
Service to others is a foundational part of the Holderness experience. For many of our alumni— those who went on to become doctors, nurses, therapists, and other caregivers—Pro Deo et Genere Humano remains a daily practice. Here are just a few examples of several outstanding alumni who have made caring for others a cornerstone of their lives after Holderness.
Hannah Slattery ’14 CHALLENGING THE SYSTEM
As a Holderness student, Hannah Slattery ’14 had a bit of a rebellious streak. “I was a little bit rebellious, and I liked to challenge the system a bit,” Hannah says. “I still do, but in a good way—in a constructive way.”
Today, she’s channeling that energy into improving Native American healthcare equity at the individual, family, and community levels.
Last spring, Hannah, a descendant of the Bear River First Nation Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia and a member of the Tufts University School of MedicineMaine Track, began her residency at Family Medicine at Maine Medical Center. As a Family Medicine resident, Hannah provides care for the overall health and wellbeing
Hannah Slattery ’14 and other members of the Association of Native American Medical Students in Washington, D.C.
of entire families through every stage of life. “That’s really why I want to go into family medicine,” Hannah says. “You’re treating the individual, the family, the community, and really the tribal nation.”
In doing so, Hannah is caring for a population with vast health disparities. As a group, Indigenous people in the United States are 3.2 times more likely to have diabetes, 4.6 times more likely to develop a chronic liver disease, and 2.5 times more likely to suffer an unintentional injury, such as a car crash. Alcoholinduced mortality is a staggering 6.6 times higher for indigenous people, while suicide is 1.7 times more prevalent. Those health disparities are worsened by the fact that the Indian Health Service (IHS), which provides healthcare to American Indians and Alaska Natives, struggles to fill staffing vacancies.
As a medical student, Hannah set out to change the public policy that undergirds that system. As a Memberat-Large East of the Association of Native American Medical Students, she recently traveled to Washington, D.C. to lobby lawmakers to establish mandatory funding for Graduate Medical Education training through the IHS—a move that would make it easier to recruit and train new healthcare providers. She’s also a member of the American Medical Association’s Committee on American Indian Affairs and serves on the Board of Directors of Native American Lifelines, an UrbanIndian Health Center in Boston.
In Maine, where she practices, Hannah has been a vocal advocate for tribal sovereignty. Of the 547 federally-recognized tribes in the United States, all have tribal sovereignty—except for the five that live in Maine: the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, Mi’kmaq Nation, Penobscot Nation, and the Passamaquoddy Tribe at both Sipayik and Indian Township. The
unique status of those tribes (they’re treated as municipalities of the state rather than sovereign nations) is a result of the 1980 Maine Indian Land Claims Settlement Act, which provided compensation for tribal land claims in exchange for vastly limited application of federal Indian laws in Maine. As a result, tribes in Maine have largely missed out on the 151 federal laws passed since 1980 that benefit tribal nations’ economic development, healthcare, housing, environmental protections, and untold other aspects of tribal welfare.
The issue of tribal sovereignty became personal for Hannah in 2022, when a group of Sipayik eighth grade students she was mentoring through the Tufts-Passamaquoddy Partnership protested against the tribe’s poor water quality. Hannah testified before the Maine State Legislature in support of a bill that would have allowed the Passamaquoddy tribe—rather than the state of Maine—to regulate its own water system. The bill passed.
To Hannah, tribal sovereignty—a tribe’s ability to govern itself—is inseparable from tribal health. If a tribe doesn’t have sovereign control over its water, its economic development, its housing, or other basics of its daily life, then it has limited control over the health of its members.
“2022 was so surreal to me—that one of the communities I care most about is still undergoing water potability issues. I thought we lived in a different time,” Hannah says, disbelief in her voice. “To me, tribal sovereignty is entirely inseparable from community wellbeing.” |
Dr. Hannah Slattery ’14 has just begun her medical residency at Maine Medical Center.
“ To me, tribal sovereignty is entirely inseparable from community wellbeing.”
-Hannah Slattery, M.D.
Photos courtesy of Hannah Slattery ’14.
Mike Brubaker ’82
PROMOTING COMMUNITY HEALTH IN ALASKA
The village of Nikolski, located in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska.
Photos courtesy of Mike Brubaker ’82.
If you happen to live in a small Alaskan village, chances are you’d have a hard time finding a doctor— or even a glass of clean water—if not for Mike Brubaker ’82 and the organization he works for, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC).
For the last 17 years, Mike has served as the Director of Community Environment and Health at ANTHC, a nonprofit consortium of Alaskan tribal health organizations. The ANTHC provides a wide array of healthcare services to Alaskans through training, health education, disease and injury prevention, and rural water and sewer construction.
“Whether you’re Native or non-Native, you’re going to turn your tap on and the water is going to come from a water system run by the tribal health system,” Brubaker says. “Your solid waste is going to go out to a landfill that we built. When you need health care, you’re going to go to a clinic —and the services, whether you’re Native or non-Native, are provided by the tribal health system.”
Within the ANTHC, Mike leads a department focused on performing community health impact assessments. “I have a team of about 20 here, and we basically try to understand what makes a community healthy,” Mike says. In an era of rising global temperatures— and with the Arctic warming at a much faster rate than the global average—there is plenty to assess. Mike’s work has brought him to rural towns and villages across the state, where he’s seen the impacts of climate change firsthand: how melting permafrost has damaged water pipes and health clinics; how the shifting migration patterns of animals have altered how people feed themselves; and how unprecedented, year-round wildfires have scorched the forests and tundra. “For the past 20 years, the biggest driver for health challenges in rural Alaska has been climate change,” Mike says.
To help keep track of those changes, Mike started the Local Environmental Observer (LEO) Network, an online database where local observers across the Arctic - and now the world - report
“ We basically try to understand what makes a community healthy...”
unusual animal, environmental, or weather events. He is also managing editor of a weekly e-journal, The Northern Climate Observer; co-chairs the One Health Group with the Center for Disease Control’s Arctic Investigations Program; and directs the Center for Climate and Health at Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage.
Tracking the impacts of a rapidlychanging climate may seem like a
Sisyphean task, but to Mike and his colleagues at ANTHC, the meaning comes from helping the people who are affected by those changes.
“You get a very deep appreciation for being able to serve and see the impacts of having communities improve their lives,” Mike says. “I think that’s what drives all of us here.” |
W
Emily Pettengill ’10
WALK AND TALK
hen a client meets Emily Pettengill ’10 for a therapy session, there’s no telling what they’ll need. Sometimes they’ll need to wear a heavy winter jacket and spikes on their shoes; at other times, bug spray.
That’s because Emily— a licensed therapist who lives in Windham, Maine—practices walk and talk outdoor therapy. Instead of meeting her clients in a traditional office, Emily’s therapy sessions consist of 50-minute walks on trails through the Maine woods.
“It offers clients an opportunity to get outside of their comfort zone, especially if you live in a place with four seasons,” Emily says. “There’s a bit of a component of pushing yourself, challenging yourself. And then that creates confidence—that feeling of ‘I can do anything. I can do hard things.’”
Emily is no stranger to doing hard things. In 2017, she left a burgeoning career teaching English to professionals in Santiago, Chile after one of her clients—a psychologist —urged her to consider a career as a therapist. At first, Erin balked at the prospect of going back to school and switching professions. The psychologist’s response helped change her mind. “Anything in life worth doing is hard, and you are more than capable,” the psychologist told her. “‘You’ve moved to another country. You speak two languages. You connect with people from multiple different cultures all over the world with ease. If you can do any of that, you can be a therapist.’”
Taking those words to heart, Emily left Chile to enroll at Boston College, where she earned a master’s degree in mental health counseling. In her first job as a therapist, Emily worked at Casa Esperanza in Boston, where she offered therapy sessions in Spanish and English. In 2023, she moved to Maine to be closer to family, and shifted to offering telehealth therapy sessions. It didn’t take long
for Emily to realize that she couldn’t sit behind a computer all day. “I was really getting cabin fever,” Emily says. Given her lack of office space and the abundance of beautiful trails nearby, she soon hit upon the perfect solution: walk and talk therapy.
“ It's the journey of life, the journey of mental health.”
-Emily Pettengill MA, LCPC, LMHC
Walk and talk therapy can offer clients a low-stress way to connect.
Today, Emily relishes the walk and talk sessions with her patients. “It opens you up because you’re moving and your blood is flowing,” Emily says. “Your mind-body connection is strong and engaged.” She finds it particularly effective for patients on the autism spectrum, although she treats individuals with a range of mental health diagnoses, helping them process trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, and more. “It’s a really good modality for, ‘Hey, I’m with you on this path, and I’m listening to you—but you can share this part of yourself without having
to analyze my facial expressions or worry about your own.’”
During each 50-minute session, Emily is able to connect with patients in a way that simply wouldn’t be possible within the confines of a traditional therapist’s office. As the seasons change and the walk and talk sessions continue, the patients notice changes in the natural world—and in themselves. It’s a literal and figurative journey toward understanding. “It’s just a metaphorically beautiful way to think about the journey, right?” Emily says. “It’s the journey of life, the journey of mental health.” |
Instead of meeting in an office, Emily Pettengill ’10 takes clients on walks through the Maine woods.
Photos courtesy of Emily Pettengill ’10/ Marissa Elise Photography
Dr. Hilary Patzer ’98
WHOLE BODY HEALING
Photos courtesy of Hilary Patzer ’98/ Tink & Fox
Hilary Patzer ’98 is the official sports acupuncturist for the Minnesota Vikings and runs JADA Studios.
If you happen to play for the Minnesota Vikings and struggle with the aches and pains that come along with life in the NFL, chances are you’ve fallen under the spell of Dr. Hilary Patzer ’98.
“The needles I use are like light sabers—they’re magic wands,” says Hilary, the official sports acupuncturist for the Vikings. “I get to help the other person heal, and help their body touch in on what they need and flip those switches.”
Armed with tiny needles, Hilary can make huge changes to the body’s systems. For NFL players who contend with physical trauma on a daily basis, acupuncture— combined with massage therapy and neurological optimization—are the keys to durable, genuine recovery. “It’s not just putting a cream on something and hoping the pain goes away,” Hilary says. “It’s actually taking the pain away by helping heal the tissue and also taking the pain signals away through the nervous system and the endocrine system and the hormonal system and the musculoskeletal system. It’s really so powerful.”
Hilary’s knowledge of those systems —and her crusade against pain—come from deep personal experience. An Idaho native recruited to Holderness for Nordic skiing, Hilary rose up to become one of the nation’s top young Olympic prospects in the early 2000s. But that early success came at a steep cost: after skiing for Middlebury College and then earning a spot on the U.S. Ski Team, her competitive drive eventually led to overtraining. Intense fatigue dogged her during the day, but she couldn’t sleep at night; even walking across a room caused her body to ache with lactic acid. Her race results cratered.
“Everybody knew me as Hilary the skier, and I didn’t know who Hilary was without that,” she says. “At that point in time, I had a lot of pressure, but I also had a lot of hope. Then all of a sudden I found myself on the second page of the results sheet and I didn’t know who I was.”
Luckily, Hilary didn’t have to wait long to figure out who she was—or at least discover the person she would become. At the urging of her mother,
“ The needles I use are like light sabers—they're magic wands,”
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Dr. Hilary Patzer DACM, L.Ac
she made an appointment with Joan Scheingraber, a former pro Nordic skier-turned acupuncturist living in Sun Valley. “I was fascinated with the medicine, and I loved my treatments,” Hilary says. “Although it wasn’t enough to push me over into the Olympics, I did find my passion and my path forward.”
That path forward brought Hilary to Minnesota, where she earned a Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine from Northwestern Health Sciences University. In 2009, Hilary— who went on to earn her Doctorate in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine— founded JADA Studios, a practice where she combines acupuncture, massage therapy, and life coaching to help athletes achieve peak mental and physical performance. Her integrative approach proved remarkably effective, attracting elite athletes and, in just a few short years, a job with the Vikings.
Today, Hilary splits her time between her practice at JADA studios and her work with the Vikings—while still racing and competing herself. It’s a busy life, but one that suits her driven personality—a trait that propelled her to success at Holderness and beyond. It’s that same drive that helps her connect with the elite athletes she works with—competitors who aren’t so different from her younger self. In fact, she often passes on lessons she learned at Holderness. After one disappointing ski race, her coach, former Head of School Phil Peck, said something that helped her put things in perspective.
It’s the same advice she gives to her own patients, from high school basketball players to NFL linebackers.
“He said, hold on to the things you can change and let go of the emotion,” Hilary says. “Let go of what you’re feeling and just hold onto the things that you can change and change those.” |
Dr. Hilary Patzer ’98 uses many different modalities in her practice, including dry needling, sports massage, cupping, fascial stretch therapy, sports performanceenhancing acupuncture, and more.
Matt Reynolds ’86
LAUNCHING INTO ADULTHOOD
Turn off your devices, get off your screens, and get outside.
Matt Reynolds ’86 with his 3-year-old therapy dog, Sunny, a client favorite.
That’s the message Matt Reynolds ’86 gives to his clients at The Launch Pad ATL, his outdoor-based therapy practice for adolescent boys and young adult men in Atlanta, Georgia.
“The need to get these kids outdoors and active is more important than ever,” Matt says. “Parents often come to me when they’re looking for a therapist for their adolescent sons—usually because they’re trying to find a way to help them get more active and engaged. There’s just such a great need. So many boys are glued to their screens, socially isolated, and missing out on the kinds of challenges that help them grow.”
Matt’s office isn’t what you’d expect. Just half a block from Atlanta’s largest public park, the garagelike space is packed with mountain bikes, electric longboards, and other outdoor gear. When a new client arrives, Matt talks with them about the activities they enjoy—or used to enjoy—and then they head to nearby Piedmont Park to kick a soccer ball, play disc golf, explore a creek, or jump on a mountain bike—whatever engages their interest. “It’s a bit like the Harry Potter sorting hat—I’m trying to match each client with the activity that speaks to them,” Matt says, gesturing to the gear around him. “If I’m doing my job well, the adolescents I’m working with don’t even realize they’re in a therapy session—but a solid foundation for therapeutic connection is being built.”
Like so many adolescents today, Matt’s clients spend much of their time on social media or other screenbased activities, and often struggle with social anxiety, depression, and distorted thinking. “They’re foregoing so many important developmental tasks, like developing interpersonal relationships and learning to regulate emotions,” Matt says. “Their social and emotional development really suffers, because they’re ending up isolated indoors and having the majority of their peer interactions online.”
Whether he’s biking through Piedmont Park or shooting hoops with a client, Matt draws upon many of the same therapeutic tools other clinicians use—like cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness practices—but he also prioritizes fun and genuine connection, which are central to his approach. “Yes, I’m their therapist, but I also function at times like a mentor, coach, or even a friend,” Matt says, before recalling the mentors who shaped his own adolescence: Holderness icons like Norm Walker, Phil Peck, Mike Henriques, and Jim Connors. “They instilled in me a love for the
outdoors and taught me the value of showing up to do the work and striving toward my goals. Though my Holderness years are decades behind me, the mentorship I received there continues to shape and inspire how I work with young men in my therapy practice today.”
In many ways, that outdoor lifestyle— and other hallmarks of the Holderness experience—serve as templates for the work Matt does today. Looking back on his time at Holderness, Matt has fond memories of the sports he played—football under Norm Walker in the fall, ski racing under Jim Connors in the winter, and cycling under Phil Peck in the spring—and the structure and discipline each sport gave his life. By taking his therapy sessions outdoors, Matt is, in his own way, trying to transplant a seedling of the Holderness experience into the Georgia soil.
“ Turn off your devices, get off your screens, and get outside.”
-Matt Reynolds LMFT
“If I can plant that seed for my clients to grow—maybe it’s rock climbing or mountain biking or rugby—if I can give them a tool they can carry with them when they go beyond seeing me, then that’s a huge win in my view,” Matt says. “I know my time with clients is limited, so I hope to connect them with an outdoor activity that will continue to sustain and nurture them long after the therapy relationship ends.” |
Photos courtesy of Matt Reynolds ’86.
Matt Reynolds ’86 runs The Launch Pad ATL, an outdoor-based therapy practice for adolescent boys and young adult men in Atlanta.
From the Archives THROWBACK TALES
By Dr. Jennifer Martinez
Health and wellness have been at the core of Holderness School since its early beginnings. Our school is very much rooted in the early religious education of New England which emphasized the cultivation of the mind through spiritual reflection. However, the school also encouraged pupils to broaden their horizons beyond religion, mostly through academics and outdoor activities. I think that the perfect example of this is when, back in the 1930s, Bishop Dallas would join the students on their hikes during Mountain Day!
Later on, Bishop Hall would continue to do the same (Solberg 2004, 34–35). Physical fitness has been associated with health and wellness since the time the ancient Greeks created the Olympics. The emphasis on the balance between the body and mind is a staple of our modern-day campus culture as well—yoga, strength and conditioning, sauna, and ice bath are all available today for our students. Before those, students would make use of the surrounding environment and athletic competitions throughout the academic year. The photographs below, for example, illustrate the students dancing in front of the
then Head of School Reverend Edric Weld back in the 1940s (he is sitting third from right), and enjoying some fun downtime during skiing.
Both the outdoors and academics are well-represented in the Holderness Archives, but we also have some records of a different part of students’ lives. When it comes to students having fun, our photographic collection shows the varied lives of our students. They used to dangle from rooftop pipes while pretending to read when they were not in the classroom or make funny faces to their friends when spectating athletic competitions.
Students dance in front of Head of School Rev. Edric Weld (third from right) in the 1940s, while other students enjoy downtime skiing near campus.
Clockwise from top left: A student hangs out during study time; a spectator makes a funny face during a game; and Holderness students pose with girls from St. Mary of The Mountains before a school dance in the 1930s.
When the photographs here were taken, the school was an all-boys institution. This was a time when the traditional school dances and events were frequented by outside girls and became exceptionally popular. Known as “house parties”, these took place during some fall weekends and consisted of athletic events and dances.
Going to downtown Plymouth was another fun activity enjoyed by the students. There were rules for specific days when students could go downtown (Wednesdays and Saturdays) and what paths were considered in bounds and out of bounds (AR.19.4). The student council meeting notes of October 23 of 1942, for instance, detail the exact rules for Holderness boys attending films in downtown Plymouth with girls from the Plymouth Normal School. There was one rule, for example, that stipulated that “boys must sign out and give the name of the girl they intend to visit” and that visiting hours “depend on the normal school regulations” (AR.19.4).
Dramatic productions were another popular form of entertainment on
campus. The school is lucky to have amongst its archival collections two albums that belonged to Avery Rogers, former music director between the years 1932-1947. He was one of the faculty members who was brought on by Weld and the one who was first to be called off to WWII amongst Holderness faculty at the time. Annual productions from Gilbert and Sullivan were a staple of Holderness life in which the students got to act and play different roles. Their comic operas were popular during Victorian times, and Holderness was presenting these frequently. The Mikado, The Pirates of Penzance, and H.M.S. Pinafore were all performed by the student body in our early years. One special issue of the student newspaper “The Bull” that commemorated the death of FDR (past trustee of our school) mentioned how during rehearsals for The Mikado in 1945, “there was a lot of bad singing and horsing around” (AR.29.9).
One fun fact is that “The Bull” newspaper was actually started by alumnus and renowned poet, Robert Creeley, as a newspaper written by and for students with no adult
supervision as they felt that “The Dial” was much too formal at the time (AR.29.9). Creeley said that the name comes from “bull session” referring to an informal discussion and that it consisted of “articles, notes, jokes, and cartoons”. I think that it is these precious moments when students are having fun that make some of the best archival material. They serve as a reminder that the spirit of joy and adventure has always been an integral part of Holderness School. |
ABOUT DR. JENNIFER MARTINEZ
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Dr. Martinez is a cultural Greek historian with a PhD in Classics and Ancient History from the University of Liverpool. Using modern comparative material, ancient texts, and archeology, her research focuses on the pre- and post-war lived experiences of women in the ancient world, philosophical wartime boundaries, and the social and economic impacts of war on women. Dr. Martinez also teaches history and Capstone classes at Holderness.
Relaxing in the back of a car (left) and a copy of the student newspaper "The Bull" (right).
Clockwise from top left: an album belonging to former Musical Director Avery Rogers; a student plays ping pong; students horse around during a school trip.
CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2025!
The Class of 2025 had a wetter Out Back, senior spring, senior class trip, and Commencement than any other class in many years. And through it all, they showed remarkable resilience and spirit, making lasting memories and achieving milestones that will be remembered for years to come.
Scan the QR code to see all of this year's Commencement photos online.
StevieLeigh Jade Bannon Malden, MA
Arsene August Beauregard Havelock, Canada
Ashley Marie Bergeron Bedford, NH
Belén Eileen Bernal-Doggart Concord, NH
Walker Deming Bright New Canaan, CT
Delaney Anne Cassidy Portsmouth, NH
James Hutson Chaffin Telluride, CO
Yu-Jui "Gary" Chen Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Elijah Thomas Chilicki North Berwick, ME
Eli Saveria Cook Walpole, NH
Vincent Anthony Crispi Armonk, NY
Eleanor Elizabeth Dalissandro-Allen Brookline, MA
Jayna Morning Davis Steamboat Springs, CO and Spokane Valley, WA
Drake Thomas Dearborn Holderness, NH
Kyra Ann Delli Colli Plymouth, NH
Reid Brooke Donovan Holderness, NH
Cameron Scott D'Orio Glen, NH
Connor Michael Dozois North Grafton, MA
Mia Monique Dudley Hooksett, NH
Jacob Matthew Duval Andover, MA
Victoria Grace Frankauski Ashland, NH
Rio Cook Gladchun Granville, VT
Mia Jacqueline Gonsalves Billerica, MA
Adelaide Mae Goundrey Plymouth, NH
Charlotte Cooper Hastings Greenwich, CT
Jonathan David Heneke II Nantucket, MA
Jillian Rose Hennessey Bridgewater, MA
Leon Huang Beijing, China
Lauren Elizabeth Hughey West Newbury, MA
Katherine Grace Hutchinson Marblehead, MA
Madeline Muldoon Jacobsen Falmouth, ME
Isabelle Valentine Johnson Gilford, NH
Dora Kastl Budapest, Hungary
Madeline June Keith Southampton, Bermuda
Matin "Ome" Kositchutima Bangkok, Thailand
Emma Hart Lavallee Chestnut Hill, MA
Chainath "Tian" Limchunhanukul
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, Thailand
Yuanwei "Will" Liu Beijing, China
Natalie Clare Low Groton, MA
Max Adrian Marcus Big Sky, MT
George Walker Matviak
New Canaan, CT
Whitaker Benjamin McLane Bridgewater, NH
Elizabeth Margaret Mellon Freeport, ME
Asad Hussien Mohamed London, England
Gina Dorothy Mulcahy Center Harbor, NH
Graham Harrison Newton Dexter, MI
Nguyen Cao "Win" Nguyen Da Nang, Vietnam
Blake Levi Norris North Andover, MA
Lincoln Clifford Nyquist Meredith, NH
Linnea Carr Nyquist Meredith, NH
Ann Cooper Page Wenham, MA
Jake Bryson Parmett Lyme, NH
Luke W. Pazzia Burlington, MA
Tanner James Petalas Hampton, NH
Adeline Drew Pfeifle Bow, NH
Ian Christopher Plankey Reading, MA
Jeremy Joseph Poirier Salem, NH
Helaina Danetta Rivers West Babylon, NY
Henniyah Danella Rivers West Babylon, NY
William Alexander Rob East Montpelier, VT
Esme Powell Roberts
Olympic Valley, CA
Noah David Rock Brookline, MA
Trainer Bruce Gallagher Rolfs Telluride, CO
Gabriel Orlando Ruiz Royal Oak, MI
Sally Rabe Savage Boston, MA
John Walter Schaeffler Holderness, NH
Edward John Schlueter Marblehead, MA
Trace Walker Schroeder Red Lodge, MT
Tanner Christopher Snyder Charlotte, VT
Meghan Elizabeth Stodden Laconia, NH
Henry Philip Stow Gilford, NH
Long "Ryan" Tang Beijing, China
Graydon Scott Taylor Falmouth, ME
Alexa Sophia Thornton Marblehead, MA
Ella Marie Thornton Marblehead, MA
Sophie Lan Tonello Winchester, MA
Hazel Keegan Umscheid Winchester, MA
Brayden Michael Wade Commerce Township, MI
Benjamin Dunwoody Wales Marblehead, MA
Zachary Logan Webb Lake Placid, NY
Caleigh Elizabeth Weig Maynard, MA
Jasper Jay Werner New York, NY
Lilias Sutherland Wheelock
Chestnut Hill, MA
William Ransom Wheelock Chestnut Hill, MA
Jade Collins
Stamoulis Wiggins Portsmouth, RI
Molly Jamison Wrinn
Annapolis, MD
Yilin "Samantha" Zhang Beijing, China
Ian Jacob
Zimmerman Stowe, VT
Despite unseasonably cool temperatures in the 40s, students, parents, and teachers enjoyed a memorable Commencement—with the help of some cozy blankets.
School Vice President Trace Schroeder ’25 takes a selfie with his classmates and Head of School John McVeigh (top) while new graduates walk across the Holderness seal with their diplomas (bottom).
HEALTH on Campus WELLNESS and
At Holderness, keeping 300+ students healthy and thriving is truly a team sport. From the Health Center to the athletics fields to the Chapel, we're blessed with a team of adults whose job it is to support and nourish the whole student—mind, body, and spirit.
HEALTH SERVICES
Director of Health Services
Karen Penny RN P ’15 ’18
When did you start working at Holderness?
I started working at Holderness in 2011 when my daughter started her 9th grade year. I was a part time evening nurse.
What inspired you to work in medicine?
I’ve always been a caretaker at heart. I began my career with a bachelor’s degree in education because I loved helping children learn and grow. After moving frequently early on, I made the decision to pursue a degree in nursing. I had a strong interest in the medical field but also wanted to continue using the skills I developed through teaching. Nursing has allowed me to combine both.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
I’d say the most challenging part of my job as Director of Health Services here at Holderness is juggling the clinical care—both physical and mental health—with the administrative responsibilities. Our students come from all kinds of backgrounds and bring a wide range of needs. Some days we’re treating something simple like a scratch, and other times we’re dealing with more serious or urgent situations. Mental health needs have really increased since I started at Holderness and has become a
Karen Penny P ’15 ’18 stands outside of Livermore Hall, home of the school's Health Center.
big focus of what we do. On the admin side, I’m in charge of making sure we have enough staff, keeping the Health Center stocked with supplies, attending meetings, and working with other departments to support students as a whole. It’s a constant balancing act, but we have a very strong team with excellent skills that make the Health Center a great place to work.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of your job?
The most rewarding aspect of my job is the impact we have on the students. Over the past few years, we’ve worked hard to transform the health center from a traditional “infirmary”
into a place of wellness. We want students to feel comfortable coming in—not just when they’re sick or struggling, but anytime they need a safe, welcoming space. We keep puzzles out, coloring books, and little games to create a relaxed environment. It’s not unusual for students to stop by just to chat or take a breather. Some share a good grade they’re proud of, talk about a tough situation at home, or open up about their worries and hopes for the future. Those everyday moments matter just as much as the clinical care we provide.
What means the most to me are the notes I get from students saying I made a difference in their time here. That’s when I truly feel I’ve done my job well. •
Lauren Sirignano RN, BSN
Associate Health Center Director
When did you start working at Holderness?
I started working at Holderness in the beginning of the school year 2020.
What inspired you to work in medicine?
That is a hard question because the inspiration has always been there, but it has changed directions numerous times since I started my BSN in 2009. I initially wanted to be a flight nurse or a CRNA; I felt naturally driven to help people and I wanted to have the knowledge and skill set to do so medically. I was inspired by life experiences in a way but I also loved how fast paced it seemed. I worked in the emergency department in nursing school at a Level 1 trauma center in Denver, CO which confirmed my initial instinct of getting into the medical field as a career. At the time, I hadn’t known much outside of ski racing; and having a career that would provide adrenaline and challenge me daily felt similar.
You happen to be a former ski racer, and you’re also a ski coach to our student-athletes. What is it like to be involved in students' lives that way, beyond the Health Center?
This is probably the number one reason I wanted to work at Holderness. I love it. I love getting to know students in that environment and I really missed being a part of the ski racing world. My empathetic side loves to see students in the health center and to be there for them, in that way. However, seeing students healthy and pushing their comfort zones, navigating the challenges they face on skis and how it correlates to life is so rewarding. Holderness really does attract the most amazing humans. I honestly feel like the coaching makes me a better nurse and vice versa.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
Probably the teenager/high school aspect of it all. The emotions at this age are so real and valid. I sometimes just want to hug all of them and tell them it’s going to be okay (so grateful for our incredible counselors).
What’s the most rewarding aspect of your job?
Now that I have been at Holderness for five years, seeing the progression students make throughout their journey here is insane. You watch students come in as timid freshmen and slowly observe from the shadows as they grow into confident, kind, compassionate young adults. The transformations are undeniable and so inspiring. It always makes me think about the fact that people can evolve and grow in such a short amount of time, and at any age. I love that reminder. •
Lauren Sirignano is a former ski racer, ski coach, and associate director of the school's Health Center.
EDUCATION
Luke Duffield ’26, a student in Pat Casey’s Exercise Physiology class, undergoes a VO2 Max test at Plymouth State University’s Human Performance Center.
Exercise Physiology | SCI 402
Want to learn how to run faster? Jump higher? Get stronger? We’ve got a class for that.
“I love how motivated the students are to learn,” says Pat Casey, who teaches an Exercise Physiology course each fall. “Clearly they’re hanging on to what you’re talking about because they’re personally invested in it.”
That personal investment is a key draw for the class, a semester-long exploration of the body’s energy systems and their role in athletic performance. Students begin by learning the basics of muscle anatomy and physiology and the different energy pathways that power those muscles. They then learn how different training modalities—from
intervals to strength training to rest and recovery—affect performance.
In many cases, the students become their own test subjects, hopping on treadmills and exercise bikes to study lactate threshold, VO2 Max, and other fundamentals of exercise science.
For the students, it’s a once-ina-lifetime opportunity to learn from the best. Before he became a science teacher and the school’s head Nordic skiing coach, Casey spent four years as a coach on the U.S. Ski Team. As a coach, Casey—who earned his degree in exercise and sports science from the University of Utah—worked as a liaison between the country’s top Nordic athletes and the team’s physiologist. With his science background, he was
the perfect person to help carry out—and explain—the exhaustive physiological testing that all of his athletes underwent each year.
In a way, he’s doing much the same thing with his Exercise Physiology class at Holderness. His goal is to educate his students to the point where they can advocate for their own physiological needs in college and beyond.
“Once they get the training principles, I’ve really accomplished one of my goals—which is that they can leave this class and go talk to any trainer or coach or physio or PT and have a language that’s common with those people,” Casey says. •
Nutrition | SCI 404
Randy Houseman has a simple message for students in his Nutrition class: eating a balanced, healthy diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein isn’t sexy, and it probably won’t show up on your TikTok feed.
“What the media wants to do is make something sexy,” Houseman says. “We hear the word ‘hack’ all the time—‘health hack’ or ‘nutrition hack.’ There are no hacks out there. There’s nothing easy.”
When a student scrolls through their social media feeds, Houseman says, they’re bombarded with a smorgasbord of dubious nutritional messages and myths—from TikTok videos decrying the evils of carbohydrates to Instagram reels promoting the primacy of protein. By teaching his students about nutrition and the methods to evaluate scientific studies and their claims, Houseman gives them tools to skip the junk food—and the junk science.
“My overall hope for the course is that kids become critical of what
they’re consuming—and when I say consuming, I mean consuming information,” Houseman says. “I feel like kids are being constantly inundated with misinformation and myths. Trying to battle against that is one of the purposes of the class.”
To counter that misinformation, Houseman teaches students the basics of nutritional science—like how much protein, fat, and carbohydrates the body needs to sustain itself. Students learn, for example, that carbohydrates are absolutely essential for fueling the brain and athletic performance—while the protein supplements they take are often exorbitant because the body can only utilize so much protein at any given time. They also learn that the flashy scientific studies that create a stir on social media often don’t hold up against long-term studies that track thousands of people over many years.
Armed with a solid grounding in the science of nutrition, students are able to put their knowledge into practice. Throughout the semester, Houseman takes students on field trips to local
grocery stores, where they evaluate the macronutrients of various foods and learn how to plan and shop for nutritious meals. The class also conducts various hands-on labs throughout the semester where they compare and contrast sports drinks, learn about lactose intolerance, and burn Doritos and other junk food to determine their calorie content.
Ultimately, Houseman hopes his students will take what they learn in his class and tell their friends. Perhaps if he can convince one class to eat better—more whole foods and fewer protein powders and bars—then maybe the message will go viral.
“I think kids influencing kids is where we have to focus our efforts on this topic,” Houseman says. “If you can get kids talking about it, other kids are going to be more interested in it, and they’re going to maybe try to dig a little bit deeper because of that.” • How many calories are in a Dorito? After conducting a calorimetry lab in the school's Nutrition and Chemistry classes, students can find out for themselves.
MIND
School Counselor Carol Dopp, now in her 18 th year at Holderness, volunteers with Yirong Wang ’26 at the New Hampshire Food Bank during Project Outreach in March (right).
Connecting With Carol
I
n a world where so much of teenage life now happens on TikTok, Snapchat, and other virtual platforms, Carol Dopp is helping Holderness students put down their phones, look up, and connect.
“What social media is doing is taking away one-on-one, face-toface conversations that kids used to have and now they don’t have,” says Carol, now in her 18 th year as a school counselor at Holderness. “The risk involved with asking somebody something face-toface is gone. My sense is, risking being rejected, has changed.”
Carol, a fun and outgoing presence on campus who radiates ‘favorite aunt’ energy, is the kind of person who naturally draws people together. As a longtime member of the school’s counseling office, she helps lead school-wide efforts like ‘One Trusted Adult,’ an initiative that ensures every student has at least one adult
on campus who they feel comfortable going to for help. She’s also part of a weekly meeting of adults—counselors, athletic trainers, and the school’s Chaplain, to name just a few—who exchange information about how kids are doing, who might be struggling, and who may need help. “It’s certainly a team effort,” says Carol, who has master’s degrees in school counseling and curriculum development. She even works closely with the school’s dorm leaders, the seniors who often shape the culture of their dorm and their classmates’ wellbeing.
“The senior leaders are really often influential in helping kids through some tough times,” Carol says.
While Carol is dedicated to improving the lives of her students, she says they often return the favor. “I’m 68, and I’d feel 78 if I didn’t work with teenagers. They make me laugh,” she says. “I find them to be real and open to honest conversations around adolescent issues. The topics they
explore through the internet often provide them with information, but without any education or context on these important areas.”
This year promises to be a good one for Carol—and Holderness. After spending the 2024–25 school year off campus for her Henderson-Brewervan Otterloo Chair Year (she spent the year collecting health and wellness resources, which parents and students will be able to access on the Parent Portal) she’s glad to be home. While she enjoyed her time away, Carol says she’s ready to get back to work making Holderness a stronger—and more connected—community.
“I can’t stop laughing or smiling because I’m here. I’m back. This is the place that brings me joy,” Carol says. “My siblings often ask ‘When are you going to retire?’ I tell them I’m not. Why would I retire? This is great.” •
Joanna Lightburn LMSW | School Counselor
When did you start working at Holderness?
My husband and I joined the Holderness community in August 2023. We previously worked at the Darrow School, a small, independent boarding school in upstate New York.
What inspired you to work as a school counselor?
Growing up, I always thought I’d become a teacher. That was my initial focus during undergrad at Northeastern University. But during a Co-op placement at an alternative high school serving students with social, emotional, and behavioral challenges, I realized I was more drawn to supporting students emotionally than teaching them in the classroom. That experience sparked my passion for school counseling and set me on the path I’m on today.
What challenges are today's students facing, versus what they faced 10 or 20 years ago?
Students today are navigating a far more intense and complex world than they were a decade or two ago. Mental health concerns—especially anxiety— have increased significantly. On the positive side, students are more open to talking about their emotions, but that openness comes with a greater need for support. In addition, technology adds a constant layer of pressure. Social media and smartphones make it hard to disconnect, leaving students with less downtime and fewer opportunities to build deep, in-person relationships. They’re also still processing the social, emotional, and academic fallout of COVID, all while growing up in a political and global climate that can feel unpredictable and overwhelming. So, while this generation is incredibly resilient and has more tools than ever to understand themselves, they’re also carrying a heavy emotional load.
School Counselor Joanna Lightburn enjoys a spring morning on campus.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
Probably the 24/7 nature of the role. Because students live on campus, support doesn’t end when I leave my office. I often check in with kids during evenings or weekends, especially when someone is struggling. It can be emotionally demanding to support students who are far from home and facing mental health or social challenges without their families nearby. Balancing confidentiality, student safety, and communication with faculty and parents can be complex, especially in a tight-knit community where roles often overlap. Setting boundaries and making time for self-care is important, but not always easy.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of your job?
Along with the opportunity to work with a fantastic group of coworkers, the most rewarding aspect of my job is building strong, meaningful relationships with students and their families. Watching their growth over time and being part of their journey at Holderness means a great deal to me, and it’s a privilege to be someone they trust and turn to for support. I have the opportunity to see them develop academically, emotionally, and socially, and nothing is more fulfilling than witnessing a student I’ve supported through challenges walk across the graduation stage feeling proud of who they’ve become. •
Sports Psychology | Ginger Comstock ’92
Sports Psychology Counselor Ginger Comstock ’92 helps Holderness athletes reach their potential—on and off the field.
High school sports have changed dramatically since Ginger Comstock ’92 was a Holderness student-athlete.
“When the fall ended, we hung up our cleats and put on our ski boots or hockey skates or got on the basketball court and moved to the winter sport,” says Ginger, who now works at her alma mater as a sports psychology counselor, advisor, and dorm parent. “When the winter was done, we put away our skis and skates and we moved on to the spring sport. There was very little year-round training and rarely any sport specialization.”
While Holderness still requires its students to play three sports, many of today’s student athletes have specialized in a single sport from early childhood, with summers dedicated to showcase events, sports camps, club practices, and club tournaments. As a result of that intense focus, many athletes have developed an all-or-nothing mentality that leaves them far less psychologically resilient when life’s inevitable athletic disappointments—an injury, a tough loss, or lack of playing time—occur.
“Today, many athletes’ identities are so tied to their sport that when a sport doesn’t go as well as they would like, their identity can crash,” Ginger says. “There’s a
name for this in sports psychology. It’s called identity foreclosure state.”
A big part of Ginger’s job is to help students develop the proper perspective to move beyond that state—or avoid it altogether. When a student is at a crossroads in their athletic career, Ginger is there to help them realize that they are more than the sport they play. “I had two athletes this year that had this issue and one actually said, ‘I don’t know who I am without hockey,’” Ginger says. “And I said, ‘You are a student, you’re a brother, you’re a son, you’re a friend. We need to develop life beyond hockey for you.’”
When Ginger counsels a studentathlete about overcoming disappointment and developing a healthy relationship to sports, she speaks from experience. Diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis at the age of five, Ginger continued to play sports despite joint and spinal pain that resulted from those conditions. “I was never going to be on the podium because of my physical pain and limitations, but I loved to compete hard,” Ginger says. “I kept playing with and competing alongside of great athletes, and I experienced firsthand how strong your brain and your mind can be in adverse situations.”
Now entering her seventh year as sports psychology counselor, Ginger is a highly-valued resource for the school’s student-athletes. In addition to one-on-one work with students, she also meets with teams to help strengthen their culture, improve communication, and make a detailed plan for achieving their goals. “Athletes will now proactively ask coaches, ‘Can we have a Ginger Session?’ because they see and experience the value of the sessions,” Ginger says, laughing. “That’s what they call them. I call it sports psychology; they call it a Ginger Session.”
Those Ginger Sessions are having a big impact. Not only are students developing their identities beyond sport, but they’re also playing better together and winning more competitions with the tools Ginger has given them.
“I really try to go to as many games as possible so that I can see some of what we’re working on take place on the field,” Ginger says. “When I see the things that we’re doing in our sessions manifesting on the field or on the ice or on the hill, it’s incredibly rewarding.” •
Asad Mohamed ’25 and Miles Donahue ’27 celebrate during a soccer game.
BODY
Athletics | Director of Athletics Jenna Simon
Director of Athletics
Janna Simon
At Holderness, athletics is about far more than just wins and losses. The school’s vision statement for athletics takes a far more holistic approach: We aspire to develop skilled student-athletes with strong character who work together to compete at their highest level, take pride in representing Holderness School, have a passion for lifelong fitness and a love of the outdoors.
But that vision doesn’t become reality all on its own. Venture into the Bartsch-Gallop Athletics Center and you’ll find the person who makes sure our student-athletes are scoring goals on our athletic fields, running gates at Mittersill, and developing all of those habits for lifelong fitness: Director of Athletics Jenna Simon.
To Jenna, the school’s commitment to athletics—particularly its emphasis on multi-sport participation throughout the school year—is key to promoting the health and wellness of students.
“The co-curricular program sends a message that much of our learning and growth happens outside the classroom,” Jenna says. “It lays the foundation that physical activity is part of our daily lives.”
Indeed, while Holderness has a long tradition of athletic excellence (it’s a perennial snow sports powerhouse with hockey and lacrosse teams that are among the best in New England) the school takes a much broader approach to athletic success.
In 2017, the school convened an Athletics Council to consider what the future of Holderness athletics could look like. Ultimately, the council decided the school’s athletic program should rest on five main pillars: character development and athletic culture; strength and conditioning; nutrition; mental health; and coach development.
From her office in the Bartsch-Gallop Athletics Center, Jenna oversees
the people who uphold those pillars. Today, student-athletes at Holderness are supported by a multidisciplinary team of professionals, from the school’s athletic trainers to its sports psychology counselor and strength and conditioning coach, all of whom work with teams and individual athletes on a regular basis.
“I’m super thankful that we get to work with the people that we do,” says Jenna, who also coaches girls varsity lacrosse in the spring. “Everyone brings a different skill set and we’re all here for the same reason: to engage with our students, to help challenge them to work through those challenges and help them reach their goals.”
Whether those goals involve playing for a Division I college or just having fun, Jenna and her team give students the resources to succeed. For most athletes, that means skilled care from our athletic trainers, weekly sessions in the weight room with the school’s strength and conditioning coach, and empowering team meetings with our sports psychology counselor.
While those resources help Holderness athletes reach their immediate athletic goals, they also help instill the behavior, habits, and skills that are critical for a lifetime of health and connection with others. It’s those habits—and the friendships formed through athletics at Holderness—that will continue to benefit students long after they’ve scored their last goal or skied their final race.
“Our teams—and really our whole school—pride themselves on being an extension of family,” Jenna says. “Those will be the things that last forever, not the wins and losses.” •
Athletic Training | Nick Laurence M.Ed,
L.ATC & Caroline Davenport MS, N.H. LAT, ATC
As Holderness School’s athletic trainers, Nick Laurence and Caroline Davenport are always busy. But it isn’t until mid-afternoon, right before the school’s athletic competitions and practices begin, that things get really intense.
“I would guess that 10 percent of the school will come through this space in about 45 minutes,” says Nick, speaking from the cramped confines of the athletic training room in the Bartsch-Gallop Athletics Center. “It can get pretty crazy, pretty quickly.”
With 300 student athletes hurling lacrosse balls, shooting hockey pucks, and speeding down mountainsides on skis and snowboards, occasional injuries are bound to occur. Luckily, Nick and Caroline are there to catch kids when they fall, helping athletes heal—and teaching them how to prevent future injuries. Their workdays are a whirlwind of activity: taping athletes before games and practices, overseeing rehab exercises, providing care on the sidelines of games, scheduling MRIs and CT scans, and filling out paperwork.
“It’s something different every day,” says Nick, who came to Holderness in 2012. “It’s super dynamic. No two days are ever the same—one minute you could be taping an ankle and the next minute you could be responding to a really emergent issue.”
Beyond simply providing care, Nick and Caroline have forged connections with students that go beyond athletics. In addition to her role as an athletic trainer, Caroline is a dorm parent, advisor, and teaches a Capstone class. And each March, both Nick and Caroline spend 11 days in the White Mountains leading Out Back groups. It’s the kind of deep involvement in the life of the school that makes their work in the training room all the more rewarding.
“Whether it’s a kid who took steps for the first time off crutches that day, or they’re finally getting back
Holderness is lucky to have Athletic Trainers Nick Laurence and Caroline Davenport on Staff (top). Caroline Davenport works with Maddie Keith ’25 in the Athetic Training room (bottom).
on the field after a season-ending injury the year before—I think that’s what makes it all worth it,” Caroline says. “Seeing the smile on a kid’s face when they shoot their first basket or
score their first goal after an injury —that’s one of the most rewarding parts of being an athletic trainer.” •
SPIRIT
Sparking Spirituality
W henever a group of people gather around a campfire to talk, roast s’mores, and ponder life’s big questions, something magical happens.
Just ask the students who attend the school’s weekly “Fire and Fellowship” gatherings outside the Chapel of
the Holy Cross every Wednesday evening. The informal meetings, usually held around a campfire, often spark deep discussions about life on campus, faith, and spirituality.
“I love our small group and the way we are able to talk about our day, practice faith, and just simply
Brooke Cippoletti ’26, Kelly McVeigh ’26, and Drake Dearborn ’25 meet for an informal, weekly ‘Fire and Fellowship’ gathering.
enjoy each other’s company,” says Brooke Cippoletti ’26. “It is a place where you can practice your faith if you want to, or just hang out. Fire and Fellowship is an underrated Holderness group that should be talked about more often. After our busy days with classes, sports, etc. it is nice to just sit by the fire and talk.”
Founded in 1879 as an Episcopal boarding school, Holderness has always recognized the spiritual side of the student experience. Today— nearly 150 years after its founding— students and faculty still meet for twice-weekly Chapel services, and spiritual meetups like Fire and Fellowship have sprung up organically to complement the school’s longstanding spiritual traditions.
Participation in Fire and Fellowship is purely voluntary, and students are encouraged to lead the gatherings,
which can range from Bible study and prayer to discussions about personal struggles or the state of the world.
For the school’s Chaplain, the Rev. Jay Hutchinson, gatherings like Fire and Fellowship and regular Chapel services are key to fostering student wellbeing. While students’ minds are challenged in the classroom and their bodies strengthened on the athletic fields, it’s in the Chapel—or around a campfire — that they’re able to discover and develop their true spiritual selves.
“We are the school we are, the welcoming place we are, the academic place that we are, because we have this deep spiritual kernel that we can feed off of,” Hutchinson says. “Whether you’re Christian, Jewish, Muslim or atheist, the spiritual aspects of this school are going to be the things that help us weather storms, that help us get through stuff, that help to inspire us when the world seems bleak.” •
Clockwise from top: Students gather for the Out Back Chapel in March; have their skis blessed during a Blessing of the Backpacks in September; and place their rocks during the annual Senior Stones Chapel in May.
OUTDOORS
Inspring Awe
F
rom O-Hike to Out Back, outdoor adventure has long been a cornerstone of the Holderness experience. Whether they’re reaching new summits on Mountain Day or testing themselves on a three-day OB solo, when students spend time outdoors they develop grit, resilience, and appreciation for something greater than themselves.
But don’t take it from us. Here, Director of Outdoor & Climbing Programs Erik Thatcher explains how the outdoors can be a key component for a student’s overall wellbeing.
“There are so many different avenues of growth in the outdoors. One of them, I think, is just the awe-inspiring nature of getting into some really cool places in nature. It puts us in this different psychological state of mind. It’s called being hypo-egoic, which means you’re just unconcerned with matters of yourself and you’re fully in the present. Research has shown that spending time in that zone really helps with our mental health and our happiness. There’s kind of this balance that happens with kids in the outdoors, where they’re humbled by how awesome the experiences are and how powerful nature is. At the same time, they’re encouraged and their self-confidence is usually raised by their accomplishments in the outdoors. What we’re trying to do is educate the whole person, right? We’re not just educating them in the science classroom or on the cliffs. We’re trying to make them into competent, empathetic human beings.”
-Director of Outdoor & Climbing Programs Erik Thatcher ’08 •
Counter-clockwise from top left: Students snowshoe into Base Camp on Out Back, race along the school's mountain bike trails, and enjoy a spectacular view of Franconia Notch from Hounds Hump Ridge during a spring hike.
ARTS
René Albee teaches a Studio Practices class in the Carpenter Arts Center
René Albee | Visual Arts Faculty and Art Therapist
When did you start working at Holderness?
My introduction to Holderness was as a guest artist for Artward Bound, the 10 th -grade March Experience program, in 2022 and 2023. It was during that time that I developed a great appreciation for the arts program at Holderness, as well as for the students and faculty. The next fall, I joined Holderness as part of the arts faculty.
What inspired you to work in art therapy?
I knew I always wanted to have art in my life, so I majored in Fine Art, unsure of what future I wanted to have within it. After graduating, I worked various jobs in the arts field and realized how lonely it can be. I stumbled upon an article about art therapy, did some research, and knew it was for me. I quickly applied to the founding school in the field of art therapy, Lesley University, and was fortunate enough to learn from the founding father himself, Shaun McNiff, right before his retirement.
While it was a decade-long journey, it culminated in my deep appreciation, understanding, and commitment to the arts. The arts add great value to our lives, and this value is not limited to therapeutic settings or appointments only. It can occur anywhere, at any time, and is accessible to everyone.
Do you incorporate it in any way into your classes?
I believe that the intrinsic healing that occurs with art happens every day. While I don’t purposely plan my lessons around art therapy, I
teach in a way that allows students to fully express themselves. While art certainly has a structured way of doing things, I make sure that freedom of expression is equally represented. The simple act of making art can help lower our anxiety, aid in overcoming grief, and navigate so many other emotions that our students deal with regularly. Our students often deal with high levels of stress, and if my class can give them 45 minutes of decompression, I consider that a success.
What’s the most challenging and rewarding aspects of your job and/or art therapy?
The most challenging part of being an art therapist was being immersed in a system that ultimately fails our most vulnerable people in society, and the resulting weight on my heart as a human. I worked with abused
children, teenagers of incarcerated parents for major crimes, adults with severe mental illness, and at Concord Hospital with NAS babies (Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome) and the actively dying.
I loved the work I did, but it led to burnout for many reasons. Using my art therapy knowledge as a basis for teaching is an uplifting and recharging experience of using art to help people. The most rewarding part of my job is the same in art therapy and teaching. It’s the little moments. It’s a smile that came in as a frown; low energy leaving recharged; completing a challenging work; a student overcoming a selfmade hurdle; a student helping a classmate; students commenting on each other’s work. Above all, a laughter-filled room with people expressing their creativity and supporting each other in a carefree environment, even just for 45 minutes, is the best reward. •
René confers with a student, Henry Demetriou ’28, during one of her classes.
5 QUESTIONS WITH RAMEY HARRIS-TATAR ’94
By Bruce Barton P ’13 ’16 Assistant Director of Major Gifts
R
amey Harris-Tatar PNP ’94 is a nurse practitioner and managing partner at Lexington Pediatrics in Massachusetts and a Regional Associate Medical Director for the Pediatric Physicians Organization at Boston Children’s Hospital. After graduating from Holderness, she attended Washington and Lee University in Virginia, majoring in Psychology. After a year working as a Veterinary Assistant, Ramey decided to move to humans, and graduated from Regis College with a degree as a pediatric nurse practitioner. She lives with her husband Nick and her two boys, Ben and Sam, and her two dogs, Caleb and Lucy, in Needham, Massachusetts.
1.
What are the most frequent issues you see with adolescents?
The most frequent issues we see with adolescents these days are related to behavioral (mental) health. In the 20 years that I have been practicing, there has been a significant increase in anxiety and depression among teens. There are a number of factors that have contributed to this including social media, academic stress, family dynamics and other digital media use. You can find information about this in many areas, and if you are interested in learning more about the impact of screen use on mental health I suggest reading “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness” by Jonathan Haidt. In this book, Haidt explores how screen use and social media have changed how kids and teens grow up and interact with one another and the wider world, and how this has contributed to the increase in mental health issues.
2.
How has your practice of medicine changed since you first started?
Because there has been such an increase in behavioral health care, pediatric providers have had to do additional learning to meet this need. With the years-long shortage of behavioral health clinicians, managing these problems has fallen to the primary care providers (PCPs). However, most of us didn’t have a lot of training in diagnosing, and especially treating, behavioral health conditions. At our practice, and many others, we are all now comfortable
prescribing and managing firstline SSRIs for patients. We have also enhanced our practices overall, such that many pediatric practices now have integrated behavioral health clinicians in their offices. Our practice in particular has four integrated therapists, a psychiatric nurse practitioner, and a nutritionist. This helps improve access to behavioral health providers for our patients as well as provide additional support to the PCPs doing this increased work.
What are some undervalued "should dos" when it comes to adolescent physical well-being?
3.
Someone once said to me, “sleep is like a hidden lever” and this has really resonated for me. Sleep plays such an important “hidden” role in so many parts of our lives. Lack of sleep reduces your problem-solving and decision-making skills. This can make it harder to learn and retain new information in school and can contribute to increased risk-taking behaviors. Lack of sleep also alters the hormones associated with hunger, making you more likely to overeat. It also can negatively affect your immune system, making you more likely to get sick. Finally, lack of sleep can increase anxiety, depression, and irritability. Different people need different amounts of sleep, but it is so important for everyone, adolescents included, to try to prioritize sleep so that they get the amount their body needs.
Ramey Harris-Tatar ’94.
4. If you could wave a magic wand and immediately change one thing about the physical well-being for young people, what would that be?
Screens! Teens in particular face several challenges with screen use, including excessive time on social media and gaming. This can lead to disrupted sleep, reduced physical activity, and declining mental health. Constant exposure to online content can fuel anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. Additionally, screens can interfere with faceto-face communication skills and academic focus. Screen use truly can be addictive. Screens cause our brains to release dopamine, similar to doing drugs, so nothing is ever as “rewarding” as scrolling through social media or playing video games. When most of your stimulation comes from screens,
other activities that bring slower or less intense dopamine responses (e.g., face-to-face conversations, sports, nature walks) can feel boring. In addition, children and teens are more vulnerable to these effects because their brain is more malleable and still developing.
Some ways to cut back on screen use?
• Don’t use screens while walking.
• Don’t use screens while eating.
• Set a timer so you know how long you have been using the screen.
• Try to avoid using the screen 30-60 minutes before going to bed.
• Turn off as many alerts as possible, and turn off all alerts at night (remember sleep?).
5.
What "best practices" for youth physical well-being are on the rise?
While behavioral health issues may be on the rise, I also see increasing awareness and practice of things besides medications that can help improve everyone’s mental health. There is definitely more awareness of the benefits of mindfulness and stress management. Practicing mindfulness can help reduce stress, anxiety and depression. It can improve emotional regulation and self-compassion. And it can help improve sleep quality (that hidden lever keeps popping up!). And it doesn’t take a lot of time— practicing just 5 minutes a day can have a positive impact. |
Ramey Harris-Tatar ’94 with her family.
CATCHING UP WITH CHUCK FISHER ’72
By Bruce Barton P ’13 ’16 Assistant Director of Major Gifts
High school is not an easy journey for many. Much happens developmentally in those years as we all stand up, stretch our wings, and make the move to separate from home and become our own person. Author Chuck Fisher ’72, PhD, will be the first to tell you that his was a rocky road at Holderness. “I had lived all over the
place leading up to Holderness as my dad worked for the CIA—Peru, the Philippines, and up and down the East Coast—we were never anywhere for more than two years.” Having floundered academically, including failing sixth grade, Chuck lacked focus, discipline and the skills to succeed in the classroom.
Chuck Fisher ’72 is the author of “The Heart of Resilience” and founding director of Dovetail Learning.
At Holderness, Chuck says, “I lived at the top of the mountain and in the depth of the valley. I was successful in athletics (soccer, ice hockey, lacrosse, and rock climbing) and head of the Jobs Program, but I was a total mess in the classroom. By the time I was a senior I smoked pot to numb myself from self-doubt. I thought of myself as slow and called myself ‘stupid’ under my breath. I was on course to not graduate when my Physics teacher, Mr. Ayres, in an act of tremendous compassion, gave me a D- because ‘I tried hard’ or so he said.” With a voice of total humility, Chuck offers, “I graduated 49 th out of 50 students at Holderness; I barely made it.” Chuck freely admits he was “ill-prepared for college,” but off to the University of New Hampshire he went. There, things bottomed out quickly, and he dropped out after two years.
Happily, that is far from the end of the story. After leaving UNH, Chuck focused on his love of the outdoors and drove to Alaska for alpine mountaineering. In his final year at Holderness, he led a Senior Project with friends mapping the climbing routes at Rumney Rocks, something our Climbing Club of today enjoys weekly. Climbing and being in the mountains “opened a path to self-knowledge for me,” says Chuck. It provided him with a sense of focus and centeredness that he has continued to explore for a lifetime.
Most importantly, mountaineering turned his life at that moment from a breakdown into a breakthrough. Along the way, Chuck became an Outward Bound instructor. It was in this role where helping people find themselves became a lifelong mission. Back to school he went, getting his undergraduate degree from UNH in 1976 and then a Master of Science in School Counseling from
the University of Vermont in 1978. Chuck has been a school counselor, a director of health and wellness at an independent school, a director of a substance abuse recovery program, and currently the founding director of Dovetail Learning, an open source nonprofit where the mission is both clear and compelling: “We strengthen resilience in adults, youth and children.” By the way, Chuck added to his academic bona fides by getting his PhD in Transpersonal Psychology in 1998 and writing a book, “The Heart of Resilience,” which was recently published in 2024. With a slight chuckle he says, “I am here to represent all 49ers [remember, he was 49/50 at Holderness] out there in the world.”
In the world of mental health, Chuck’s life’s work has revolved around an essential question: “How do we live into the beauty of who we are—the joy of accepting ourselves and others as whole human beings?” For Chuck, the Delphic precept to “know thyself” became his directive, which is anything but easy given all the difficulties and distortions life presents to us. Finding answers to the question of ‘Who am I?’ has been Chuck’s north star and a pillar of his career.
“HOW DO WE LIVE INTO THE BEAUTY OF WHO WE ARE—THE JOY OF ACCEPTING OURSELVES AND OTHERS AS WHOLE HUMAN BEINGS?”
Through decades of working with young people and adults, Chuck has found some wisdom. First is this: “Every human being has absolutely impeccable reasons for being exactly who they are.” He teaches educators, healthcare providers and
others the deeper nuances of this truth. We are all a product of our early experiences and the societal influences which informed our attitudes, beliefs, and behavior. In the process of growing up, we develop “protective patterns” which help us get through the emotional drama of life but can stand in the way of us becoming whole. He is the first to say his own early childhood trauma were the roots of protective patterns that became his default positions, asserting themselves into situations where they don’t belong. He says, “our emotional reactive patterns can harm relationships, keep us stuck, and reinforce fear and separation.” Identifying our protective patterns and learning how to work through and beyond them can open up a well-spring of resilience we all have within us. His book, “The Heart of Resilience,” is a perfect guide for anyone who wants to dig deeply into our human condition. The ideas and concepts in the book are animated and illustrated with examples from many people’s lives, including Chuck’s. Chuck, and his co-author Meri McCoy-Thompson, provide a blueprint for how to move from a fixed mindset of judgement and negativity to a resilient mindset of curiosity, acceptance and beauty. The book is replete with quotes that are elegant expressions of truth to frame the author’s thinking. For example, there is this gem from William James: “The greatest discovery…is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.”
Chuck Fisher lives up to this quote: “Wear gratitude like a cloak and it will feed every corner of your life” (Rumi, 13 th century Persian Poet). He is quick to share how grateful he is, both for the good and the difficulties that have shaped his life and made him who he is. “For me, the real work is opening my own heart to see that all of life is an unfathomable miracle.”
As a counselor, father, grandfather,
colleague and friend, Chuck has been on a quest to understand who he is and how he can be his best self no matter the circumstances. Like Alice in “Alice in Wonderland,” Chuck asks, “Who am I anyway?” And concludes, “Ah, that’s the great puzzle.” He has spent a lifetime post-Holderness working at understanding himself and then helping other people understand who they are and how they too can be their best self. While honoring the flaws each person and the world we live in have, the human story need not end there. Seeing what is possible and living into the beauty of who we are is a journey well worth exploring. Chuck is a living, breathing example of just that. Current Head of School John McVeigh is fond of saying that at its best, Holderness School “seeks to develop people the world needs most.” Chuck Fisher is clearly one of the people that our world needs now. His life-long quest to unlock the mystery of ‘Who am I?’ teaches us a lot about what is possible. |
Please visit DovetailLearning.org to learn more about Chuck’s work.
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HOLDERNESS GATHERINGS
The Holderness School Alumni Association includes more than 4,000 people worldwide, and throughout the year there are plenty of reasons to get together and celebrate! The Holderness Advancement office plans events throughout the country, and sometimes even internationally. Here are just a few of the events that have occurred over the past year.
Above: Alumni and family of current students met in Falmouth, Maine on September 20 for a gathering hosted by Laura and Gary Bergeron P ’24. Below : A Holderness gathering in Edwards, Colorado hosted by Ginger Gribbel P ’27.
Left : An alumni gathering in Bozeman, Montana on September 30, 2024.
:
in Boston on February 17, 2025 to celebrate the school's annual Day of Giving.
Right
Bulls met
Left: A meeting of the Bulls in Jackson, Wyoming on October 3, 2024. Right: An alumni meetup in Ketchum, Idaho on January 29, 2025. The event was hosted by Carolyn and Woody Cullen ’87 P ’17 TR
Above: Parents of current students met in Salem, New Hampshire on January 30, 2025 at a gathering hosted by Pooja and Ryan Deveau P ’27.
CLASS NOTES
MILESTONES
DEATHS
KC Robbie ’64: December 13, 2023
Michael Foust ’50: January 29, 2023
Duncan C. Syme ’56: May 2, 2024
Brooks Morin ’68: May 22, 2024
Adam Talman ’89: July 27, 2024
Kenneth M. Gates ’6 1: August 25, 2024
Jeffrey R. Scowen ’79: August 17, 2024
Gordon E. “Terry” Peach, III ’76: September 7, 2024
Dewey Dumaine ’54: October 13, 2024
John Putnam ’75: October 27, 2024
Lee Katzenbach ’61: November 21, 2024
William Berry ’57: November 4, 2024
Geoffrey Welch ’74: December 22, 2024
Fred Carter ’51: December 28, 2024
Tom Butler ’65: January 2, 2025
Lynne Jackson ’73: January 17, 2025
Norman Mason Boucher ’75: February 9, 2025
Jake Rosencranz ’15: June 21, 2025
MARRIAGES AND UNIONS
Owen Miller ’08 and Kristin Meyer : April 22, 2023
Henry Miles ’11 and Clare Durkin : June 24, 2023
Ariana Bourque ’12 and Matthew Covino: August 2023
Willie Ford ’05 and Caroline Nurse: September 2023
Hedi Droste ’14 and Cam McCusker : May 28, 2024
Scott Nelson ’10 and Christie Harrison: June 15, 2024
Paul Clark ’10 and Teresa Lu : July 13, 2024
Drew Houx ’14 and Clair Gardner : August 25, 2024
Kristina Micalizzi ’12 and Tommi Venemies: September 7, 2024
Nick Martini ’08 and Madison Lawlor : September 7, 2024
Katie Remien ’15 and Ross Whitlock : September 14, 2024
Kathryn Sanger ’13 and Tanner Spencer : September 14, 2024
Abby Thompson ’09 and Chris Gendron : September 27, 2024
Perry Craver ’14 and Alexandra Schoen : September 28, 2024
Michelle Hofmeister ’13 and Stephen Page ’13
Chandler Grisham ’11 and Nicole Knowlton : October 4, 2024
Erica Hamlin ’10 and Kevin Ferrari : October 12, 2024
"Ann" Ye Jin Hwang ’12 and Woo Suk Cho: October 26, 2024
Ax Hayssen ’07 and Julia Van Sant : December 7, 2024
Neal Frei ’03 and Kieran Sequoia : December 31, 2024
Hollis Durnan ’14 and Beth Derr : January 5, 2025
Charlotte O'Leary ’11 and Cody Bullen : March 2025
BIRTHS AND ADOPTIONS
Peter Schlech ’05 and Emily Similis: Cal Peter Schlech, May 30, 2024
Cole Phillips ’11 and Sasha Phillips: Jackson Phillips, August 13, 2024
Jesse Straus ’06 and Madison Straus: Tully James Straus, September 18, 2024
James O'Leary ’09 and Mimi (Patten) O'Leary ’11: Lowe Elizabeth O’Leary, September 17, 2024
Carly (Meau) Rorick ’12 and Jake Rorick : Theodore Tyrus Rorick, September 25, 2024
Elijah Sobel (EM) and Kelsey Sobel: Baker Dean Sobel, October 17, 2024
Kathryn (Cheng) Sullivan ’08 and Christopher Sullivan: Bobby Weng-Ren Sullivan, November 2, 2024
Brendan Johnson ’16 and Alexis Johnson: Brooks Joseph Johnson, November 5, 2024
Mattie Ford DiNapoli ’04 and Vinnie DiNapoli: Daisy Ford DiNapoli, November 23, 2024
Haley Hamblin ’08 and Josh Raab: Luna Azra Raab, November 27, 2024
Elizabeth Kutch ’05 and Ives Parent: Sierra Noelle Parent, December 2024
Kristina (Weatherbie) Chaisson ’04 and Kyle Chaisson: Konrad Koad Chaisson, December 16, 2024
Craig Leach ’08 and Haley Chandler: Josephine Diane Leach, January 26, 2025
Shannon Fallon ’03 and Briar Bouthot: Finnegan Fallon Bouthot, February 3, 2025
Cecily (Cushman) Koopman ’11 and Benjamin Koopman: Harper Addison Koopman, February 9, 2025
Will Humphrey ’10 and Shae Callahan: Mae Victoria Humphrey, February 2025
Mary Robbins ’08 and Kourosh Keynejad: Cyrus Livingston Keynejad, March 27, 2025
IN MEMORIAM
JAKE ANDREW ROSENCRANZ ’15
Jake Andrew Rosencranz ’15, of Denver, Colorado, passed away on June 21, 2025, after being struck by lightning while on vacation in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. He was surrounded by family during his final moments at the hospital in Daytona.
Born and raised in Weston, Massachusetts, Jake grew up visiting New Hampshire on weekends to ski at Loon Mountain. He developed a strong appreciation for nature and a passion for skiing from such a young age. He met his bride Leah Curtis ’15, the love of his life, in sophomore chemistry class at Holderness. The young couple, who were together ever since, married at Arapahoe Basin Ski Area in 2023. They lived a life of adventure in the Rocky Mountains with their dog, Bonnie.
Jake was a beloved member of the Holderness community. A dedicated alumnus, he served on the Holderness Alumni Association Council and contributed actively as a Class Correspondent. Remembered for his warmth, laughter, and kindness, Jake made a lasting impact on those who knew him. “Jake was a wonderful young man,” said Associate Head of School Tobi Pfenninger. “He could light up a room with his smile and laughter.”
Jake graduated from the University of Denver in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts in geography and minored in construction management, property development and sociology. He was most recently a project manager with Behm Consulting Group where he helped clients achieve the best outcomes on development projects.
Jake’s older brother, Ryan Rosencranz ’12, is also a graduate of Holderness. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with Leah, Ryan, and the entire Rosencranz and Curtis families during this difficult time.
All Class Notes cover the period from January 2024 to January 2025.
Class Correspondent
Bill Briggs
alum@holderness.org
Class Correspondent
Rik Clark
RCBCcapecod@aol.com
Bart Chase writes: “Life is good for me and my family. We have been blessed with our fourth great-grandchild whose family lives nearby. To see the little ones grow up is a great pleasure. We are fortunate that our family gets together very often. These are happy times. As I’m not able to travel I wish I were able to get back to Holderness. I am so impressed by the growth of my favorite school. Holderness is certainly much larger than when I left. I wish everyone the best possible
2025. I always thank Rik Clark for time spent keeping our class active.”… Despite some aging health bumps, I am hanging in there with less travel, no more golf, but the brain still seems to be working. Thanks to technology advancements, I now hear much better. Communicating by snail mail and e-mail is enjoyable but no social media or messaging. Thankful for many blessings and for Holderness, Phil Peck and John McVeigh . ~ Rik Clark
’50
Class Correspondent
Frank Hammond
fhammond64@comcast.net
Frank Hammond ’50 writes: “ Fred Carter ’51 gave me my first major ‘break’ when he body-checked me into the boards while we were playing ice hockey on a Sunday afternoon in 1949. My duration at the hospital turned out to be an unusually productive event for me, because I actually studied for upcoming semester exams and did surprisingly well. Fred felt bad about the whole thing and visited me often during my tenure. I had to remind him that it was my decision to engage in this competitive event with gifted athletes like him, and I fully bear the responsibility for my participation in a game in which I should not have been involved in the first place. For a naive teenager, I have to admit that I grew up a little bit by becoming somewhat less immature. Fred, therefore, played a major role in a moment in my lifetime for which I will always be grateful. My thoughts and prayers go to his family members, who are suffering over the loss of such an important person.”
’56
Class Correspondent
Dick Meyer
h2richard419@gmail.com
Dick Endlar writes: “As they say on the golf course, ‘at least we are looking down at the grass.’ I am in a retirement community in Needham, MA called North Hill. It’s very nice; the food is quite good. They have three restaurants. They try to take care of any problems. They have different units for different problems when they occur. I have two daughters, six grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren within 45 minutes. They
take very good care of me with rides, shopping, etc. I don’t drive any more. I use a walker and seem to get around pretty well. This is the first year I have been in MA for 30 years. It’s not easy getting used to this cold weather. I’m always cold. I guess my blood thinned out in the FL warmth. I miss it. I wish you and all my classmates and their families a happy, safe, and healthy new year.”…Tom Anthony responded to my second request for notes with this: “We’ve made all the arrangements to return to Vienna for another two weeks next May. Happily, we will be getting tickets for Bellini’s Norma at the Vienna National Opera. It is a joyful city to visit, easy to get around and more to do than you can imagine. It turns out that my daughter Jessica’s latest book, The Most , was nominated as a finalist for the National Book Award. (Incidentally, my brother and I had breakfast at the Miss Portland Diner a half hour before we learned about the award from her at the Portland Museum of Art.) It has been fascinating to see what this nomination evokes in the publishing world. I’m writing a fair amount of poetry and continue projects in wood-working. The current effort is a bas relief of a Maine harbor, partially inspired by N.C. Wyeth’s painting ‘Herring Gut.’ And joining the rest of my classmates, I am now 86. My perspective lengthens and the things I thought I knew seem to change almost daily.”…Doc Snow sends this interesting story of cancer research: “My son, Paul, has a friend who is a professor of chemistry at the University of North Carolina. The friend and other scientists founded a cancer research company. Paul became part of the company, because he provided some seed money for the research. The idea is to attach a radioactive molecule to cancer molecules. This tracks the cancer. Then a laser beam kills it. They just had their
first clinical trial with mice. Three mice are cancer free. Two saw the tumors reduced. One died. Since they have just started animal trials there is a long way to go, but they believe that they will find and kill ALL types of cancer, including glioblastoma. (This is the cancer that took my wife.) Paul, by the way, owns a commercial appraisal company and a construction company. My other son, Fred, has just become president of DMA Industries, which makes automobile parts. Hope all is going well with you.”…Dick Meyer adds: “After I requested class notes, David Wiggins asked: ‘How many of us do you reach out to for HST class news?’ I thought this might be of interest to everyone. So here are a few statistics: GiveCampus is the platform for keeping track of alumni. They provided me with 27 names for the class of ’56. This includes those who, for one reason or another, did not finish with us in ’56. Nils Kahl is the only one with absolutely no contact information. I have email addresses for 15, including those who didn’t finish at Holderness. This cycle, I sent eight snail mail letters, including one to Austria, to those without an email address. There were three I opted not to contact. That leaves 15 who received email requests for notes.
’57
Class Correspondent
Bob Backus
robertbackus05@comcast.net
’58
Class Correspondent
Bill Biddle
billbiddle2310@gmail.com
John Greenman mrjohng40@gmail.com
In my note to the class of ’58, I asked them about their grandchildren’s activities, and several of them have responded with remarks about their legacy. Others have commented about their location. It’s good to hear news of the class from coast to coast. I am grateful for responses from classmates who wrote in.… Jon Wales writes: “Here’s something from my family. Our oldest granddaughter is off to Ireland for a junior semester from Wake Forest. She’s a straight A student. Our second granddaughter is a sophomore at University of Vermont where she excels as an equestrian. Our oldest grandson is in a PG year at Holderness working hard at ice hockey. In his senior year at Marblehead, he and his team won the state championship. Our second grandson is headed to Union College where he hopes to play football. As a senior at Marblehead, he had a very strong year as a quarterback and as a strong defensive back. His younger brother is a junior at Marblehead High School, expecting to play football. Carol, my bride of 57 years, plays tennis twice a week and is in great shape! For me, I have retired for the most part as CFO of Reinauer Transportation Companies, my position for the past 35 years, although I still serve as a director for various company entities. Before that I served nearly four years in the Navy (destroyers), several years at the First National Bank of Boston in the New England division ending up as a vice president of commercial lending. It’s been an interesting career over the past 61 years. Still in decent shape, but slowing down. All our family is here in Marblehead, so we’re pretty happy!”… Gordi Eaton reports: “One of the very few advantages of getting older is your mind becomes less cluttered because you forget a lot of stuff! There are two things I want to discuss with you, both having to do with education. My wife, Karen, and I moved to Hood River, OR
in the fall of 2018. Our son, Chris, and his family (three kids)had moved the same year to Hood River, working for Tesla. He also loved this part of the country—wind surfing, skiing, mountain biking along with a lot of employment opportunities in the tech world. We are 50 miles from Portland. In late 2019 and 2020, like the rest of the world, Covid turned the world upside down. The three kids were in three different public school situations. Each school had their own way of handling closures, wearing of masks, different requirements for teachers. It was very messy, very frustrating, and a common problem across the country. Chris had been for eight years on the school board in Weybridge, VT, with the last four years as chairman, so he had a good understanding of budgets, staffing and a passion for learning. Chris and his wife, Eliza, who has a master’s in education, started talking with their friends about starting a middle school (grades six, seven, and eight). Bottom line—it happened! They are halfway through their fourth year. They have 50 kids, have rented a space that was designed for a kindergarten, have never lost a student, were open all the way through Covid. The kids who have gone on to high school are doing very well. If you are interested, look up Hood River New School, Hood River, OR. Karen and I are very proud of Chris and Eliza and three kids, who, with great affection, we call Team Chaos!!! The second thing I wanted to talk about is the oldest grandchild, Beckett, who is 15. This story happened last year when he was in the eighth grade at HRNS. Here in OR, we have an organization called the Oregon Historical Society. It has been around for 125 years and is very active. Every winter, they have a state-wide event for eighth graders. The general assignment is to pick an historical event of some note that has occurred in the world but
does not have to be about OR. There are a number of categories that could be used, such as documentary, a detailed skit; could be a single person or group. There is a teacher involved but only for one purpose: namely, to help to pick out a worthy historical event. Afterwards, the students do all the research, write the script, do interviews, put it all together. Beckett, and two of his pals, did a documentary on the Challenger disaster in February 1986. They qualified to go to the state finals which they won. That qualified them to go to the national competition in Washington, DC. Beckett wrote the script and did the narration.” Ed note: This is the link to the winning documentary. drive.google.com/file/d/1 Gordi concludes, “At New School, there is a strong emphasis on putting more responsibility on the students to do more research and do a better job of substantiating their position. These events,” he suggests, “are all the fault of Holderness for waking up an 18-yearold brain (Gordi’s) to the importance of learning at any age!!!!”… Michael Kingston’s grandchildren are also showing inherited talents. Here’s what Mike has to say about them: “Of our eight grandchildren, three have graduated from their respective colleges, and three are in college. The most recent to begin college, Annie Pflaum, started at Dartmouth this last fall. She is a runner but was injured this fall so could not compete. Annie’s younger sister, Louisa, spent a semester at the Mountain School in Vershire, VT. Reminded me of Holderness but with animals. She loved the experience, and we likely should have encouraged her to go to Holderness. Our youngest grandchild, Caroline Pflaum, who is in ninth grade, just ran in California’s Cross Country State Meet and placed sixth in her age group. She may challenge her older sister at Dartmouth.”…In other class news,
Doug Rand reports: “I have lived near Gallatin Gateway, in southwest Montana, for the past 56 years. I built our stone and timber house with my own hands and have been involved with conservation of wildlife, preservation of wilderness lands and progressive politics. We do a lot of camping and canoeing. I skied until two years ago when I realized I couldn’t get off the ground without help. No grandchildren yet, but we have one son and another foster son. Both share the same birthday. If you Google ‘Doug Rand is a lucky man’ you can read about our current goings on in a news story. Life has been good here but it is changing very fast as wealthy newcomers have taken over the elected offices. This is a huge, economically poor state with only one million people. It is relatively easy for a billionaire to ‘buy’ a Senate, Congressional or top state office and they have shifted the politics to the extreme right. At age 84, I am patiently waiting for the pendulum to start swinging back.”… Some classmates have moved to locations where they can better care for themselves. Don Latham writes, “Jen, my wife, has had a rather tough time medically and we found it necessary to shift our location to her parents’ former house on Cape Cod, it being all on one level there—certainly less challenging than our 1810 colonial house in New Hampshire which you could safely categorize as ‘definitely NOT handicapped friendly!’ The idea was to use physical services here until Jen recovered sufficiently to be able to move back home. However, it’s difficult to regain lost mobility when one doesn’t commit to the work required. So, for the foreseeable future, at least, it is appearing more and more likely that this will become our primary residence. But on the bright side, we are located in Sandwich, MA overlooking Cape Cod Bay at the
northern end of the Canal—a beautiful location with wonderful neighbors!”… John Greenman shares: “Last year, Patty and I sold our home in Williamsburg, VA and moved to Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community (VMRC)in Harrisonburg, VA. We moved because we would be living near Patty’s two daughters and because of my cancer diagnosis. We’re in independent living in a third-floor apartment facing east with a screened porch and a beautiful view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The food here is excellent; the fresh vegetables are grown on an adjacent farm owned by VMRC. There are three restaurants in house, two auditoriums, and a wellness center with up-to-date exercise equipment and physical therapy. Postal service and a grocery store run by volunteers are also available. The staff are genuinely outgoing and ready to enable a thriving lifestyle for each resident. About one third of the residents are Mennonite. They are very welcoming and not concerned that we join their denomination. Worship is open to all, is Bible-based, and includes lots of singing. Mennonites are also notable for their disaster relief work in VT and NC, for instance. VMRC is a non-profit with a section of the facility for those who can’t pay the full amount for their room and board. The latter are supported in part by funds raised among about eight hundred residents. We are happy here and in the city of Harrisonburg, home to James Madison University (JMU) and Eastern Mennonite University (EMU), which is next door to us.”…Tucked into Bill Biddle’s Christmas letter is this abundant description of his grandchildren’s hockey activity. Bill and Jon Wales have apparently shared their ardor for the ice with their children and grandchildren. Bill writes: “Our son’s children, older and armed with driver’s licenses, or
licensed friends, are at home, it feels, only to eat and sleep. Our Ipswich, MA daughter’s kids, younger, are hockey players and are driven by one or both parents several times a weekend to ice arenas and hockey games or tournaments as far away as Plymouth, NH, Jay Peak in northern VT, or in central MA. School vacation also means time to squeeze in a couple extra tournaments. These often require the advance rental of several motel suites in one of which hockey players party after games and in others of which their parents or chaperones party. These are younger kids, prepubescent, and the parents are actually keeping a watchful eye on what the kids are doing—what are they going to do with cookies, mylar-bagged chip snacks, Coke and apple cider? But it’s not happening at home—or at a grandparent’s home. When Sharon and I were growing up in the 1950s and I played ice hockey on the junior high school team, and then for Newton High School, the only ice for practice and home games was that belonging to the Skating Club of Boston, where we had twice-weekly practice ice at 4:00 AM, but the ice was nearby. Like the late Tip O’Neill’s truism about politics in Massachusetts, all hockey was local back then, and kids were with the family for the holidays.”…Brooke Thomas asked me to succeed him as a class correspondent assisting Bill Biddle . Brooke and Bill brought our class notes back from zero after no one wanted to follow the late and beloved Charlie Kellogg as class secretary. When they took over, the notes bloomed, and there’s been reason to be proud of our class contribution. Brooke brought his drive, droll sense of humor, and his vision for the school’s future to this assignment. We hope he’ll continue to share his thoughts. It’s good to hear news of the class of 1958 from coast to coast. I am grateful for
responses from classmates who wrote in ~ John Greenman
’59
Class Correspondent
Jerry Ashworth
jashworth617@gmail.com
All is well here in FL except the weather. We escaped any damage from the two hurricanes with the exception of some landscaping work. I can report on two classmates— Barndollar and Palmer—to tell you that all is going well with them. Steve is traveling the world as usual and Chris is attempting to improve his golf game. ~ Jerry Ashworth
’60
Class Correspondent
Gerry Shyavitz
g.shyavitz@comcast.net
Well, another year has gone by and most of us are 82 and some (me) will be 83 in February. So much has changed— good, bad, wonderful and whatever— but there is still one constant, and that is we are still here. We can appreciate that our memories are still good and clear, and we can look back for the most part on Holderness of the ’50s and ’60s with fondness, as if they were yesterday. I thank those who responded to my requests for updates. For those who did not, you still have an opportunity to contact us in the future. We would love to hear from you. You are all important. Before I report on those who responded, this year has been a tough but manageable year for me. I lost my dear Pearl of almost 37 years, after her long, courageous battle, but I still landed on my feet. There is a significant gap in my life now, which still needs filling, but my focus on my legal career has expanded and I now
lecture at libraries and senior centers 10 times a year on estate planning. My glorious grandchildren and daughters give me immense pleasure. Following their lives in college and their studies in Germany is thrilling. Now my next job is to fill the gap in my life, which I will. ~ Gerry Shyavitz John Despres says: “So far, so good.” He is constantly travelling and enjoying his grandsons in college. He reports: “I’ve continued to serve on two philanthropic boards and roam the world from our home base in Santa Monica, CA where we’ve been lucky to avoid any damage from nearby fires. In 2024, Gina and I kept very busy traveling, mostly for recreation, including several weeks each in Japan and Europe; shorter trips to New York City, Washington,DC, Santa Fe, Seattle, and Napa; and brief visits with our three grown grandsons at their college campuses.…My old roommate and college pal, Alan Dewart , did have a health scare, but he is fine now and besides getting an email, I had a long telephone conversation with him. Alan initially said for me to include what he sent in June as he never saw it, but I was to check. I almost used it when I got the following email from Alan. “Hi again, Shy!! I discovered in the Holderness School Today that arrived today that my update that I resent you just last week has been included in this Winter 2025 edition, so PLEASE be sure not to reuse what I just sent you, or our classmates will begin to worry about you and me!”…Alan’s twin, Brian Dewart , did respond but very briefly. I did ask him again to expand, but the following is all he sent. Maybe next time, Brian. You have a long time to prepare. “Hi Shy…well, boring, but this is the best I could do :)”…I heard from Charley Witherell , my constant and trusted companion at Holderness reunions, as follows: “Pam and I are looking out at the blowing
snow and thinking about getting after our maple sugar project. This is an annual challenge which takes a little longer every year but it definitely keeps us moving and we feel better for having done it. That’s the current work side of living on the farm in addition to the daily chore of climbing the hayloft ladder and throwing bales to our hungry cows. I’m also happy to report that we’ve been able to get away. We were invited to join our son, Benjamin, and his family on the TX seashore for Thanksgiving. The sand was wonderful, the temperatures were in the 70s and we found Brownsville, TX to be an interesting new spot that we had never visited. It is the home of SpaceX and a bustling resort area. We really enjoyed their new airport; not very big but creatively designed with an amazing aviation timeline that is a fascinating piece of history. Earlier in the fall, Pam and I surrendered to the onslaught of Viking cruise ship literature and signed on for what turned out to be a very enjoyable experience cruising up river on the Danube from Hungary to Germany, although not nearly as adventurous as Spike’s boating adventures of the high seas!…Don Sokolosky, an extremely loyal alumnus who always has something to say, was a four-year student like me, having lived next to my single room ninth-grade year in Niles. Soko says the following: “Hi Shy! It’s been a while since I reported anything new to you, so here goes. I sold my home a couple of years ago and decided to do ‘the bachelor thing’ now. I even moved into a ‘retirement living’ facility with fellow seniors, but that got too expensive after a couple of rent increases, so I went back to ‘the bachelor thing’ again. I’ve also stayed very active in my GM Lansing Social Clubas the chair of our membership committee, taking care of our member database and website updates. It at
least keeps my mind active. Turned 82 in December and it’s starting to register that I’m an old fart!”…Age does not seem to hinder “Spike” Hampson , as he still navigates the world on his motorcycle. Anyone can contact Spike to get the book he wrote. “In November of 2023, while motorcycling in Mallorca, I woke up one night so dizzy I could not even sit up without holding onto the bed. At the same time, I was suddenly deaf in one ear. I had to return to UT where, over the winter, cataract surgeries, hearing aids, and physical therapies improved my condition enough to consider motorcycling again. As long as I am in a fixed position the remaining dizziness does not bother me much. In late April, I decided to try doing a long motorcycle trip in the far north where traffic would be light. It was a success and I wrote a book about the trip. The motorcycle trip ended in CT in mid-October. In November I returned to Mallorca to try to do what I planned to do a year earlier. If all goes according to plan, I’ll set off for a motorcycle tour around Morocco sometime in late February.”… Rick Bullock always responds, but this time he is competing with Brian Dewart for a prize for the shortest response, as follows: “No news. Still here. Best regards to my classmates— hope everyone has a good 2025.”…I do not know if John Dunklee still has red hair or any hair, but he is in good health and also rides his motorcycle, like Spike. He states as follows: “All is well here on Newfound Lake. Spike Hampson dropped by this summer for a short visit. He has no home address since his place burned down a couple of years ago, but he travels instead. He was in good health and riding his motorcycle. I am still involved in town politics as chairman of the Historic District Commission and part time assistant to the town administrator. Otherwise, we built a deck on the lake
house and spent a lot of time on the dock this past summer. Trust you and the family are well and busy. Good to hear from you.”…And I was about to end my work as a correspondent and send in my report when I realized, in the middle of the night actually, that I left someone out. That was Pete Macdonald . We certainly needed him in the backfield on our football team but now we needed to hear from him and luckily I did: “I still have the farm in So. Dartmouth, MA and we try to spend six weeks there during the summer. I am selling my condominium in Coral Gables, FL and my wife, Dora, and I will be moving to Delray Beach, FL.”…Just as I was to mail in this correspondence, I received communication from Ross Deachman I am glad I waited. Ross, although retired still does some legal work for he is also an attorney. “Nancy and I are in Cocoa Beach for the winter. I continue to do light work for my son when I’m home. He is busy with work and his trips to the US Virgin Island to sail his boat. I will try to have more next time.”…I thank all of you for the honor of being your class correspondent and wish all of you good health and hope to see many of you again, maybe at the 65th REUNION! ~ Shy
’61
Interim Class Correspondent
Gerry Shyavitz ’60
g.shyavitz@comcast.net
From Gerry Shyavitz: As I approach my 83rd year in February, and all of you are in your 80s, here’s hoping your health is good and that you dwell on the good things in your life, with many good moments to come. As your temporary correspondent, I accept the honor. I heard from John Cleary, Rick Churchill , Peter Keene and Bill Seaver. For those who did
not respond, you are all important, and I really hope to hear from you guys again. ~ Shy…First, from John Cleary: “I really do not have any earth-shattering news to share with you and our schoolmates other than we all are facing the end of our lives as our once-assumed health and mobility skills would never disappear but now slowly are diminishing. I try to reshape my current physical losses as part of that process which makes my life a little too interesting—and now, too expensive. Due to a mini-stroke two years ago, I now use a cane in the dark just to remain upright because I have no visual vertical and horizontal references. Otherwise, I flop around like a drunken sailor. As an example of putting a smile on anyone’s face and to earn my seat on Spaceship Earth each day, I with a grocery cart (for balance) have been accused of sneaking up on another old fart in Walmart, whether male or female, and quietly ask, ‘Do you want to race?’ ‘We’ never do race but do enjoy writing an exciting script of what ‘we’ can or could accomplish. I often converse with Pam and Charley Witherell ’60 over the phone, sharing old hockey stories and our current physical surprises. Charley and I never did play directly against each other on the college level but played in the same Christmas tournament at Madison Garden. After college, graduate school and Vietnam, Jon Milne ’62 and I continued to play together in various senior leagues in southern New Hampshire and Maine. Peter Chapman ’63 played in the same league, but I don’t remember crossing paths with him. Yes, too many marvelous years of chasing stupid balls and dumb pucks. Thank you for being our class correspondent. I hope that you are faring well.”…A brief update from Rick Churchill: “Life marches on and I’m busy as ever. Still working full-time as a cabinet-maker
in New York City but now only five days a week. I also work part-time for the NYC Board of Elections—about six weeks each year—a job I find interesting, almost fun, but often frustrating. And I continue to work for a semi-professional theater troupe in New York another 30 weekends a year building scenery. There’s a little time left over each year to visit family and friends in Canada, Germany, France, and HI, but Marianne and I hope to find more time travelling just as tourists. This year Santa brought me two precious gifts: T-shirts. Both black with large, bold, white lettering. The first: I’M TRYING TO RETIRE. The second: I DON’T WANT TO. / I DON’T HAVE TO. / YOU CAN’T MAKE ME. / I’M RETIRED. I’m wearing the first shirt today; I’ll have to wait for some future date to earn the right to put on the second T-shirt. As I said above, life marches on.”… Peter Keene writes, “Shy, I have a quick note for you. Pearl and I sold our 1825 Cape in Topsham, VT and moved to a condo in Hartford, VT; our last downsize until we push up the daisies. We enjoy a different lifestyle in that we don’t have to deal with huge gardens and old house upkeep. I hope all is well for the rest of the ’61 crew.”… And now a note from Bill Seaver: “I am finally getting results from my no salt and mostly vegan diet and they are amazing. My heart valves are healing and many of my heart issues are slowly being replaced by more normal heart functioning. This means I can now slowly resume the longer walks I was doing a few years ago. This renewed strength and exercise is addictive. I want more and there does not seem to be a reason I cannot achieve this over time. I am also learning how to safely eat out while maintaining my strict diet and attended a luncheon with local friends from my 1968 MBA class. Life is good! I continue
to hold weekly men’s group meetings at my house as well as Wednesday Buddhist group meetings on Zoom.”
’62
Class Correspondent
Randy Romaine rbromaine@kaballero.com
Yes, it’s been a while since we had Class Notes here. We’re not moving as fast as we used to, after all, we’re octogenarians now, but there are still 32 of our 44 graduating class out there stumbling around. So here’s news from some of us. Len Hodgman writes: Having taken ROTC in college, I served in the Army from 1967 to 1969. However, at the height of the Vietnam War, Uncle Sam sent me to Germany after a few months at Fort Lee in Virginia. Since the Army, I have been a banker in Rhode Island and in sales in the paper industry in Vermont and Connecticut. For the last 40 years, I have run my own business shipping truckloads and container loads of paper to converters in the U.S. and abroad. And yes, at 80 I am still working part time because I don’t have enough sense to retire and I don’t golf… Charlie Bradley writes: I grew up in Montana, where I lived when I attended Holderness. I went to Colorado College. I think I got in because our headmaster Hagerman had played football with the President of CC when they were both at Dartmouth. You classmen will recall I was the audacious one in a school meeting to say I didn’t go all the way to Holderness to play football. Anyway, I majored in religion but didn’t get into a seminary. So I tried laboring in an Episcopal mission for the Lakota Indians in South Dakota. While struggling there, I got an opportunity for graduate work and training for teaching Crow Indians in Montana. My
first grade teacher who had moved up in the college of education at MSU opened the way for me to a profession. I probably should have stayed on the Crow Reservation but hearing impairment interfered with my abilities. I did write some documentary histories about the tribe, but the Privacy Act, following the Watergate scandals, closed further research for me. Knowing how the Government had tried to make homesteaders out of the Indians attracted me, or distracted me, to look out the school windows and dream of working on the land. I joined the great back-to-the-land movement of the 70s, returned to Wisconsin and proceeded to struggle on the land for 42 years. I had to work off the farm and found social work the best fit for me as I worked with individuals. I also became active in the Episcopal Church for 34 years. I continued painting, especially sail ships. My wife proved to be an excellent teacher, sheep raiser, and gardener. We raised two boys who did well in school and went on to careers. My wife and I joined an ecumenical Benedictine monastery and began learning more about prairies, one of the places where we volunteer. We sold the farm and moved to a condominium where I am enjoying a more communal existence… Fred Fauver writes: We’re hauling our Sea Sprite on the 31 st , so this morning I scraped the jack stands to ready them for re-painting. Not much sailing, this summer. Most of our coast of Maine cruising seems to be happening in our rich fantasy life these days, although we’re planning on exploring Bay of Fundy in the summer with some friends (their cutter). Parked my KLR650 and my road bike (cycle) for the winter. Got the last of the winter’s firewood moved from the wood yard to the house, last week, with the help of my son Jon, ten-year-old grandson Lincoln, and seven-year-old
granddaughter Frankie. Jon and family just moved to Cumberland, Maine, after 25 or more years in Interlaken, Switzerland. Yup, you guessed it: outdoor adventure sports industry. More than twenty years ago, we (I and my wife, Sharon Townshend, sculptor) cleared what we thought was a fairly large space on which to build our house. Started a small vegetable garden, planted some apple and pear trees, and a thirty-foot-long raspberry bed. The vegetable garden is getting shaded out as the maples, pines and birches to the south get taller. We’re encouraging it to slide downhill out of the shade, and some of the shading trees are becoming firewood. The raspberries did great! Too great!! I ripped out about fifteen feet and tried black raspberries there, instead. Bad idea. Ripped out those aggressive and painful nasty plants, and planted blackberries instead. Huge thorns, but at least they don’t attack. The fruit trees began to blossom well a few years ago, but still haven’t given us enough fruit even for a pie. Not many pollinators seem to find their way into our little oasis, so last spring, I hived two swarms of honey bees. If I can get them through the winters, perhaps we’ll finally be able to make some pies, sauce and cider. Peter Cooke writes: Hello classmates. In the spirit of sharing, I retired at 75 after running a small consulting business where I facilitated team building, leadership development, diversity, and strategic planning for mostly non-profits like Boys & Girls Clubs and some corporations like Waste Management. Next up, was serving on the leadership team for Welcoming Manchester that focuses on immigrant integration in NH. I have been so impressed with the new arrivals’ ambitions, their willingness to learn our American culture, and their helping us learn the culture of their homelands. It has been
fun and a real education! My current source of amusement has been introducing pickleball to the NH Department of Corrections with three other pickleball trainers, where it has been inculcated into the culture of the men’s prison in Concord, NH. We hope to get into NH’s two remaining prisons once their staffing shortage improves. Getting the “residents” to have fun, follow the pickleball rules, and to apply their newly acquired team leadership skills to prison life and their communities upon release, have proven to be worthy objectives. Really looking forward to reading your stories… Steve Rand writes: My CRS is kicking in and I’m thinking that I sent in a piece about my organization in support of the children of war in Ukraine. If not, please click the link below, which tells the story and explains the mission of Common Man for Ukraine. This year, we had the pleasure of being joined in Poland by 2 Holderness Students and 2 Holderness teachers when we went on our 10 th trip in September. You might have read about it in the HST. I’m hoping to raise awareness from my classmates to keep the flow of money coming ($3.7 Million so far, in three years) to help the kids. I am the Treasurer, Common Man For Ukraine, a project of Plymouth Rotary Foundation. Please help us continue to provide humanitarian aid to orphans, refugees, and families in Ukraine. Learn more about us at www.commonmanforukraine.org
Dennis Donohue writes: Brief glimpse of the past 25 years. In August of 2024 I traveled to Norway with my partner, a trip that was a partial repeat of one we took in 1999. The repeat part was staying in the same hotel in Gran where we were in March of 2000 with a large group (15) of high school aged cross-country skiers, 3 adult coaches, and one parent. The back story for such an adventure began in 1968 when I
spent 10 weeks in Norway as a member of the US Army Biathlon team. We were in Lillehammer, Norway, to compete in the annual military ski championships with teams from NATO countries. My Middlebury College geography professor was Norwegian, and he occasionally compared the wealth and size of the US to his native land. I was quite interested to learn first-hand if the comparisons were real. Actually, no comparison. US size and abundant natural resources dwarfed those in Norway then and now, yet today Norway is a close ally. Take a glimpse at the Norway embassy news articles: www.norway.no/en/usa/ In 1985 I moved from Holderness School where I was a faculty member (1978–1985 math & computer programming), to the upper valley region of NH and VT (Hanover and Lebanon, NH; Hartford and Norwich, VT). I became immersed in coaching young kids (grades 3–8) in the Ford Sayre cross country programs; and in 1992 with several other families started a competitive program for local high school XC skiers. Forward to 1999 when we (co-coach and partner) hatched the plan to take a group of the Ford Sayre high schoolers to Norway for sightseeing, racing, and watching the first ever Norwegian National XC Sprint Championships. We wanted a skier size greater than the 9 from Ford Sayre so we invited Holderness coach, Peter Hendel (still at Holderness), to come along. He agreed and added 6 of his skiers to get the total to 19. Between 2000 and 2024 we have done 9 more winter group trips to Norway, 4 with Ford Sayre only, then changing composition to more adult skiers and past Ford Sayre skiers, now ‘alums’. I have found the more than 50-year view of Norway definitely fascinating. What was once a ‘poor’ country (selfdescribed by one of my partner’s Norwegian third cousins, an Oslo City
council member) to a country with a larger mixed English speaking population, great wealth from the North Sea oil, updated infrastructure (tunnels and bridges instead of ferries, hydroelectricity everywhere and even some wind turbines), more EV’s than petrol vehicles(ironic), and many people with a strongly puzzled view of the US. I still supplement my home heat with a Norwegian wood stove (fourth one) just as Norwegians do. As for your Class Correspondent , after graduating from American University with Rick Taff, and before I could show up for my enlistment in Air Force OCS, I was drafted into the Army. One year in the States and the second in sunny South Vietnam. (You may be interested to know that at least 12 of our class served in the military, and 8 of those were in Vietnam). After the Army, I got a Master’s degree at Northwestern University and then went to work with Mobil Oil Corporation in New York City, and later Fairfax, VA, for 29 years, except one gap when I worked for a small company in the Middle East –Beirut, Iran and Kuwait. When Exxon bought Mobil, I spent another six years with ExxonMobil, then finally retired. I am now blessed to live with my wonderful wife on a branch of the Corrotoman River in southeastern Virginia. We’ve enjoyed lots of sailing and racing over the years, first on our Sabre 36 and then on our J24. Both now sold, but we still have a small Boston Whaler. Our two daughters live within a couple of hours of us and have blessed us with four grandchildren that we have enjoyed immensely from the cradle to now college. We’ve done a lot of remodeling and construction on our home over the years, but are now just maintaining it. We’ve also done a lot of volunteer work with our local, 360 year old Episcopal church.
NH 4,000 footers.
’63
Class Correspondent David Pope popemaine@gmail.com
Years ago (1962?), I visited Jim Drummond at his family’s summer place on Sebago Lake. He took me out on their ski boat and ran a few buoys for me. He also had his cute younger sister make a few passes through the buoys. I was mightily impressed by their skills. A month ago, I happened to sit in front of that very same sister in a movie theater. So, I knit it into a class story.…I remember our classmate George McNeil saying he has been water skiing all the years since moving to Maine. I’ve been trying to think of ways to get classmates to send a picture or recollection of something that would interest other classmates. So here is a picture of George, reluctant “to show
off my deficiencies, from the nationals a couple of years ago—I was fifth in my geriatric age group. I’m largely self-taught, so it’s fun to unlearn the bad habits of a lifetime at this stuff.”
Wow! Thank you, George!…I hope this opens the gates to have others send in their adventure pictures. I’m sending in my picture, proof that I finished the last of my 4000-footers in Maine and New Hampshire. That was on October 10, 2024. Surely, the rest of you, slackers all, can come up with a few things to brag about. Even the now-popular organ recital will do. Maybe pictures of scars? Dented automobiles? Police citations? ANYthing! I’ve got to run off to a trails meeting on our local network in Wiscasset here. It’s taking up way too much time right now. Hope you all had a good winter. Remember, send copy!
’64
Class Correspondent Guy “Sandy” Alexander salex88@comcast.net
Terry Morse shared these thoughts last summer, but they were too late for inclusion in the July issue of class notes. “For some reason it struck me the other day that I am much closer to 80 than 70. I’m not convinced I like the idea; however, it’s clear there is nothing I can do about the fact. Rather I have begun to look more forward, wondering if I will continue to feel as good at 100 as I do now, should the ‘Age Gods’ be with me. In thinking about this a bit deeper than I am wont to dwell on such subjects, I decided that, (hard to believe), my life is not fully in my control. My early years, including the few I endured and mostly overall enjoyed at Holderness provided me with two of my life’s essential lessons: physical activity (the more rigorous, the better) and critical
George McNeil ’63 at the Nationals waterskiing competition.
David Pope ’63 finishes the
thinking (the more used, the better). These two lessons pretty well sum up what I learned of any importance at Holderness. The rest, for me, was about friends and acquaintances. The course of study was in the background and more or less filler. To this day I am still baffled as to how I got into Middlebury College and actually survived college academics. Nevertheless, everything that followed came from those days of skipping study hall and sneaking out on the cross-country course, only to find myself skiing up behind Mr. Hagerman and not knowing what to say other than ‘Good morning, sir,’ and getting the response, ‘Hi Terry. It’s a nice morning to be out here isn’t it? Make sure you make it back in time for French class. I don’t really want to talk to Madame Fiore about you.’ My senior year was replete with exchanges like this, both with Mr. Hagerman and with several other staff members in which I had little or no control over the final outcome after I set things in motion. Somehow though, the culture in the staff at Holderness made it safe for the students to grow into who they were at that important age. I have had the good fortune of stumbling over recent graduates who have passed through Moab and have concluded that the underlying ethos has not changed much. Seems like Holderness is still an effective opportunity for young folks to express themselves and excel in a safe non-judgmental environment.”…Richard Seltzer reports on his latest publication: “My new book, One Family, is now available at Amazon. www.amazon.com/ dp/1959621211. Tangled threads of association connect history, genealogy, literature, and personal memories. We lie to ourselves and to one another, and coincidence shifts the paths of our lives this way and that. We believe what we’re ready to believe, and what we believe is more important than
what actually happens. And we all share a common ancestry, connected as one family. Here and there you’ll find reminiscences of Holderness.”
’65
Class Correspondent
Terry Jacobs
tjacobs@jacobswyper.com
I wanted to let you know about the death of our classmate Tom Butler. He took over the class correspondent’s role from me a few years ago. He was scheduling a Zoom call for the class before Christmas, and we talked by email and he said he had not been feeling well, and then a week later he died, a complete shock. At our age things can happen quickly, so staying in touch becomes more important. This year, 2025, will be our 60th Reunion which will be held in 2026, so please keep that in mind. We met in January on Zoom and I will try to schedule more of these if there is an appetite for this which I hope there is. Meanwhile, please send me any class notes, thoughts and insights to share. ~ Terry
’67
Class Correspondent
Jamie Hollis
jameshollis@comcast.net
’68
Interim Class Correspondent
John Coles
johncolesart@gmail.com
’69
Class Correspondent
Jonathan Porter jwport9537@gmail.com
’70
Class Correspondent
Ted Coates
Tedc33@outlook.com
’71
Class Correspondent
Roger Clarkson roger@rogerclarkson.com
Hannah (Roberts) Artuso is enjoying retirement, doing many things she didn’t have time for while working. She’s dividing her time between Boston and Cincinnati, OH with occasional visits to Clearwater, FL. Hannah’s daughter, Kelton, and her husband, live in Scituate, MA. Hannah and Kelton took a wonderful trip to Scotland and England last May. Hope others will send in their news!…Rob Hier chimes in: “After Holderness, Dartmouth, where I graduated as a language major (French, German, Spanish). Then one year as a newspaper editor in Lebanon, NH. Then one year as an English teacher in Paris at ESPCI (where the Curies discovered radium) and met wife Annemarie (German girl; now married 47 years) in Paris and off to International Business School in Arizona, where daughter Joanie was born. Then a series of jobs in international business: in Ohio, where daughter Katie was born, then New York, Boston, Brussels, CA, after which I cashed in my chips and moved back to the family farm in Cornish, NH. For 20 years bought/ managed real estate property while accumulating various ‘necessary’ heavy equipment to use on my tree farm. Last five years have been tree farming with chain saws, ATV, three tractors, forwarding trailer, skid steer, excavator and skidder. Am now building my final barn and trying to stay fit to enjoy my two grandkids, Sylvie and
Fritzy, for the next score of years. As you can see, everything went exactly according to no plan. As the Doors so aptly sang it, ‘Variety is the spice of life babe.’ All the best.”…From Stu Goodwin: “After college, short tour in US Navy and large retailer; spent 37 very rewarding years (24 with father and 13 with six co-workers) in family insurance business in my hometown of Norway, ME. Meanwhile, along with my wife, helping to bring up two stepchildren and two grandchildren and active with community organizations. Retirement has included speaking at local historical societies on different local subjects, some travel (including cities where my professional actor brother is appearing on stage) and midweek skiing!”…And now bits of news about a variety of classmates… Jeff Little , my freshman year roommate at Dartmouth, who introduced my wife and me, and was our best man, recently retired from RBC. Jeff summers in NH and winters in FL, wherever there is a golf course or pickleball court. I witnessed his spectacular hole in one in FL, after which he raced away upon hearing he was expected to buy drinks for everyone in the clubhouse. Most recently he sent a picture of himself taking a dive off a boat in Antarctica. Not bad for a guy in his 70s! Aren’t we all?…Jeff invited Tony Hart , who manages Killington Ski Resort in VT, down for a round of golf and Lew Hinman tagged along from the good life up in northern Maine. We had a great first nine but got rained out on the back nine. Rolf and Roy Madsen were supposed to join us, but they wimped out in anticipation of the rain.…Have also talked with Scott Dorwart (he talked, I listened) who is still an avid skier and a professional bike racer. He ran a country inn in Stowe, VT and is a craftsman, having built his own authentic antique home. Scott and Rob Hier recently got
together to ’shop talk’ about forest management.…Gardner Hall still drives by Holderness almost every day, working as a carpenter. He has two children, Brayton (36) and Katie (31), and will be a grandfather in May. He “played soccer long enough at Tufts to kick a Harvard boy in the shins.” He didn’t say whether or not the Harvard boy went to Holderness but did say he is still “living the dream” of being on the Lakes Region Championship soccer team our senior year. Neal McNealus and Geoff Bruce were also on that team coached by Ed Cayley and Jim Page .…As for me, Roger Clarkson , I’m still in Hanover, NH winding down a career in real estate sales and management while my youngest son takes over, and I tend to grandchildren. In talking with some of our classmates, I detect a fondness rooted in the granite of New Hampshire, skiing, Outward Bound, and the great outdoors. I hope some of you will make it back soon for a visit. Holderness is still a small school, but there are new dorms, modern classrooms, athletic facilities, and it’s co-ed! I remember having to register for the draft in ninth grade, plugging dimes and quarters into pay phones, and of course the outdoor crew, pantry crew, and the old red schoolhouse (still there). No cell phones, no computers, no TV (other than in the basement of Weld); how did we survive? And yes, I still remember Jeff Little eating all my fresh home-baked cookies the same day they arrived each week from my mom…Take care. Send news, and remember the good ol’ days!
Class Correspondent
Dwight Shepard shepdb@comcast.net
Communication from you guys started off well this time when I got the following email from Nat Mead in Norway. “January 2023 marked a revolution in time with a rendezvous of two distant and dear friends,” Nat wrote. “Gary Circuit and I reconnected, first through Facebook and then through a generous invitation to visit in his homeland. Traveling from winter homeland Norway to his forever summer land Mexico was a treat. Most enjoyable was the reconnection with Gary and meeting his dear Cecilie, children, and grandchildren. We had five years together from 1966 to 1972, starting at Eaglebrook and on to Holderness, bonding through soccer and lacrosse, as roommates and in free time activities. Fifty years passed and the reconnect showed the friendship bond was still strong. Thanks, Gary, for your friendship and warm and generous hospitality! May our paths cross again.”…Isn’t it great when we can reconnect with old friends we haven’t seen in years!…From FL, Chuck Kaplan writes: “Still alive and well living the snowbird life escaping the cold in Delray Beach, FL and enjoying the warmer months living in the Back Bay of Boston. I am still traveling to Asia now that the Covid era is basically over, making textiles for most of the major athletic footwear companies.”… Toby June chimed in: “Hello Dwight! Well, here I am. Shame on me for not being a good correspondent. You
Toby June ’72 on his ranch.
and Dan Murphy have ‘shamed me’ into it. In all honesty—thank you for that. All is well and we’re retired (Beth was a career educator, and me an old hotel and conference center guy), still plodding along in Texas. We still live in The Hills, outside Austin. However, we only spend about half our time there. We also have a small ranch about 85 miles away, in literally a one flashing light town (less than 1,000 people) called Waelder, that we’ve had going on 30 years. That is where we spend the balance of our time. In the last two years I have transitioned the property from having cattle to maintaining a land and wildlife management plan. Both activities provide for an agricultural discount which saves close to 70% on taxes. (However, truth be told, if I added everything up it might come close to breaking even. But I don’t add it up because deep down I don’t think I want to know). I have turkey feeders and deer feeders to maintain, multiple birdhouses spread around the property to inventory and clean each year, and a constant level pond to maintain for an approved wildlife water source. Additional ongoing projects include annual clearing of parts of the land and replanting with native grasses. I also regraded a portion of the property and created a catch basin/pond for erosion mitigation. Another less glamorous, but HUGE problem, is the feral hog population. Dispatching the hogs and keeping a record for the county is a much-appreciated activity. Next (maybe this spring), I want to try to do a section of flowering plants for bees and butterflies.”…Had quick shout outs from Dave Nicholson in FL and Will Graham in CA, both of whom just wanted to check in and let us know they are well. But I was sorry to hear of the passing of Peter Kimball’s mother, Lee, in October in Chatham on Cape Cod. She was such a lovely lady. You
may recall that Peter’s late dad, Lewis, was our graduation speaker in 1972.… Now I’m going to talk about myself a little bit, not because I want to, but in the hope that I can help someone dodge a bullet like I did last fall. One midSeptember afternoon I was walking my best canine friend, Razzo—a beautiful white golden retriever—when I felt something funny in my chest. It was a little bit of pressure on the right side, not terribly bad. Because it was on the right—not the left—I didn’t think about it too much, especially as it went away after a few minutes. Two nights later, the same thing happened again, only this time it was a little bit more noticeable. I started wondering whether I should call 911 or go to the ER. My wife was due home in a few minutes, so I decided to wait and see what she thought. When she got home, she said, no question, I should call 911, which I did. I felt a little bit foolish, but because that feeling was not going away, I didn’t feel totally stupid.
When the paramedics from the Duxbury (MA) Fire Department arrived, they said they were going to transport me to the emergency room at the Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Plymouth. I was able to walk out of my house to the ambulance and was put on a gurney. Once in the ambulance, one of the emergency medical technicians said it me, “It’s a good thing you called us. We have seen too many cases like this not end well.” Wow, that got my attention. They gave me nitroglycerin in the ambulance, and the sensation in my chest left. When I got to Plymouth, they said they would probably be able put a stent in up any artery from my leg which would take care of the problem. But after trying to do that they said the blockage was too great and I was going to have to go to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston for a more aggressive solution. I had been to
my cardiologist four days before all of this happened. She had been watching a heart valve that she said would probably have to be replaced in the next five years. She ordered some tests for me to be done the next week, and I went home thinking everything was fine, and that it would be five more years before I’d need surgery. There was no indication of any other blockages. The Plymouth hospital held on to me overnight and the next morning at 5:00, they transported me to Boston where I met a surgeon who told me I was going to need triple bypass surgery. He said I had three arteries that were 80- to 90-percent blocked. While this was a Monday, he said he could not operate until Friday, so I had a very nice stay in a first-class “hotel” in the Fenway section of Boston. Since I had to have bypass surgery, we agreed to replace the aortic valve at the same time to avoid having two invasive surgeries in five years. They told me recovery would take eight to 10 weeks. It took 10. But I am happy to report that I have been doing well. I had some mild pain for a few more weeks, but it eventually left. I am a little distressed that some of the medication made me feel lightheaded. The good news is I did not have a heart attack. But I was on my way to having one, and the fact that I called 911 despite just a little bit of discomfort may very well have saved my life. Why am I telling you this? Not because I really like sharing this story, but in hopes that, since we are all about the same age, you will say something if you feel something. Since that time, three friends here have had heart attacks. Fortunately for them, none of them had to have open-heart surgery. But their heart attacks did some damage to their hearts, which I was able to escape, even though they had to open me up. Stay safe, my friends. I am planning on many more years to come, and I hope you will,
too. Well, that’s it for now. If you’re ever near Duxbury or Dennis, give me a shout out. Both communities are on Cape Cod Bay, with Duxbury being on the mainland and Dennis on Cape Cod.
’73
Class Correspondent
Dick Conant rconantjr@msn.com
I hope 2025 is off to a good start for all of you. As of mid-January, I have gotten some skiing in at Loon, Sugarbush, and Stratton and we are finally expecting substantial snow here in Mystic after a couple dud years. I apologize for the short fuse call for notes. I neglected to put the due date into my calendar and, well, my impending senility is always a wildcard; however, a number of you answered the call!… Scott Morrison sent a quick note and photo from Bridger Bowl in MT. He is heading up to Red Mountain in British Columbia for a month. I don’t know if he is fleeing the current U.S. administration or maybe spearheading the takeover invasion of Canada! Inquiring minds want to know.…Geoffrey Klingenstein sent on word of his adventures in the Atacama Desert. Klinger writes: “Alix and I wanted a bit of warmth over Christmas, so we headed south, waaaaay south, to the Atacama Desert in Chile. Actually, it was only warm part of the time. One day we visited the geysers. By the time we got to the geysers, which were on a plateau at almost 15,000 feet, the sun was just peeking over the horizon. But the temperatures there at that altitude were in the mid 20s. The only people appropriately dressed were those who had come from a tour in Antarctica!”… Tim Scott writes: “I am coming off a fall of complicated shoulder surgery, which brings that insistent reminder of
those long-ago high-speed ski crashes back in my teens and twenties. Well, it was fun while it lasted. We’ve another grandson on the way come July, bringing the extended tribe of littles to six under six! Winter in Jackson remains disappointing with lots of cold but very little real snow. Anyway, here’s to the unknown challenges and joys of 2025!”… Mike Mixter writes that he regrets not being able to make our 50 th. Maybe next time around. He adds, “The big news in Mixterland is steady progress toward retirement. Additional time allows me to cycle, hike, and do Durango recreational things. Also, as I phase out of live music performing, I spend more time recording and archiving music in my home studio. Otherwise, it’s nice to have plain old unstructured time after so many years of external demands. This is an interesting, reflective time of life. Where did the time go?”…And finally, Matt “Matayo Kama” Kamarck checked in. He reports the sad news that his older brother, Jonathan, passed away last month. Jonathan did not go to Holderness himself, but three of his siblings are Holderness graduates. Matt’s grandparents were old friends of the Hagermans .…As for me, in turning 69 years of age this past May, and as I anticipated—maybe loathed—my upcoming 70 th birthday this May, I planned out a year of adventures. I kicked off last May with a visit to my eldest son and his girlfriend in ID and then did a technical climb to the summit of Mt. Hood in OR with my son and a guide. Following on the heels of that adventure was our very enjoyable 50 th anniversary at Holderness, a bacchanalia with Class of ’74 members Bryce Muir, Bill Guild , Jim Miller, and Kris Friedrich over in Old Lyme, CT (I am hoping to host the next get-together later this year for all local Holderness diaspora at my place in Mystic), a long overdue
visit to my middle son and his wife in Denver, and a nostalgic trip back to Nantucket, which I hadn’t visited since our family summered there in the late sixties and early seventies. My wrap up plans in the New Year are a February trip to ski Sun Valley in ID, and the hopeful overuse/abuse of my IKON ski pass this winter with planned trips to VT, NH, and up to Sugarloaf, ME, where I haven’t skied since college. Might even get in a trip south to do some hiking in the central Appalachians in May if all the body parts are in working condition after ski season. Best to all, Dick
Alix and Geoffrey Klingenstein ’73 waiting for a cab ride in the middle of the Atacama Desert. Que Gringos!
’74
Class Correspondent Cindy Maclean cynthia.maclean56@gmail.com
Rodger Wolf ’75
Michael, debilitated from the initial response to the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, receives a new generator.
Ted McElhinny ’75 on his sailboat in the Bahamas.
’75
Class Correspondent
George Fox georgesfox@msn.com
Ted McElhinny writes: “Left my home in the Chesapeake Bay in October. Sailed down to the Bahamas and I’m hanging out there all winter. Cruising around all over the islands checking things out and enjoying my retirement. Perfect weather, beautiful waters and friendly people. Takes me an hour now to travel the same distance that it took me one minute in the Airbus when I was working for American Airlines.”… Barb and Hunter Ten Broeck welcomed their first grandchild in 2024. They have now lived in NM for almost 42 years.…Sun Valley hosted the FIS World Cup finals March 22-27, and Baird Gourlay worked for SV company as a lead and section chief for all races.… Alexander S. Hoes writes: “After a four-year medical odyssey, I
was diagnosed with Bulbar onset ALS. To quote Kurt Vonnegut ‘And so it goes.’ See, Mr. Snyder, I was listening. I leave you with two axioms: 1) you look, but do you see? 2) you hear but do you listen? My Holderness experience honed those skills that served me well even to this day. Having been forced into retirement I get to reflect on my life and listen to music (axiom 2) and I think Stephen Stills said it best in the song ‘Judy Blue Eyes’: ‘Don’t let the past remind us what we are not now.’ Many of us have regrets over decisions we made in the past. Be honest, we all have!”…As for me, George Fox , I spent another two months in Ukraine over the holiday season, mostly 19 miles from the Russian border in Kharkiv. There are amazing networks of looseknit but dedicated volunteers assisting this extraordinary citizenry in every way imaginable: delivering food aid to regions affected by aggression, transporting residents, foreign nationals and military personnel, relocating rescued animals, preparing food in soup kitchens, teaching foreign languages, stitching together camouflage nets that conceal frontline logistical elements, to name a few.
’77Class Correspondent
Peter Grant pete@grantcom.us
Bob Bohner writes: “Still enjoy some rec skiing with the family out in Washington when time and conditions allow, often followed by a couple cold beers. Also having fun with our grandson!”… Jody Collins reports: “In January, my wife, Michelle, and I celebrated our one-year anniversary of living in North Carolina after 35 years in St. Louis. While it’s been quite an adjustment at our young age, we really love being by the ocean and for me,
being back on the East Coast. Having met each other in Charlotte back in ’85, it seems appropriate to be settling down here. While she happily retired at the end of 2023, I was very lucky to find a job as a hospice community liaison and am extending the previous 10 years of marketing in healthcare. Our only child got married in October 2024 in Minneapolis where she and her now husband have lived for two years. It was a wonderful celebration even though I cried like a baby for most of it. I have recently restarted my role as a volunteer to help Holderness with fundraising after a couple of years hiatus. It’s been a blast catching up with classmates and your contributions are appreciated regardless of amounts. Stay in touch as our 50 th Reunion is right around the corner. Had a fun time at the last one. Cheers!”
Bob Bohner ’77 with his wife Jennifer and grandson Milo.
Jody Collins ’77 and daughter at a father-daughter dance, which began with Shooter by Lil Wayne into Comes a Time by Jerry Garcia.
’78
Class Correspondent
Luther Turmelle lturmelle@sbcglobal.net
After 34 years with The Sheridan Group, most recently as executive vice president for strategic solutions, Paul Bozuwa retired on May 1st. Boze describes his job as a good gig running printing companies producing great books and journals that inform, educate, and entertain. “I was reading the Holderness School Today issue on leadership and realized how much I learned in that system that I was able to employ in my career,” Paul writes. Paul and his wife Colleen are living in Norwich, VT, not far from classmate Jay Mead .…As for your loyal class correspondent, I celebrated my 27th year in Connecticut journalism at the end of last year. I’m working as a reporter for Hearst Connecticut Media’s statewide business desk. My wife, Joan, and I are happy to have our youngest son, Jacob, back at home living with us as he tries to launch his career as a professional photographer after a stint living in Israel. Our oldest son, Zack, continued to work as a teacher at Dobbins Vo-Tech in Philadelphia. ~ Luther Turmelle
’80
Class Correspondent
Jack Dawley jdawley@northlandresidential.com
’82
Class Correspondent
Chris Pesek chrispesek7@gmail.com
’84
Class Correspondent
Craig Westling cwestling@gmail.com
’86
Class Correspondent
Chris Zak chriszak@gmail.com
From Massachusetts, Laura (Cooper) Page shares: “This year is bittersweet as after nine years of having a Holderness student, my youngest is a senior and heading to Wake Forest next Fall. My middle is heading to Madrid for her spring semester and then back for her final year at Bucknell. My sister Sarah’s twin girls are freshmen at Bucknell; both on the soccer team. All of her five kids are currently living on the east coast, so I am seeing her a lot more. My oldest is a college graduate, living and working in SLC so my husband and I have plans for some Utah skiing this winter.”…Kelly (Keating) Trinkle reports: “My husband, Danny, and I live in Bedford, NH and we pass by Holderness School frequently, en route to our ski home in North Woodstock, NH. We spent the past three years raising our granddaughter ‘Seven,’ who was born with a rare genetic disorder. We dove into genetics, chromosomal deletions, and spoke to countless scientists around the world to help her, but ultimately the science is just not there yet. Our granddaughter, who passed away in my arms a week before her third birthday, taught us next-level compassion, patience, and love. Just as life presents its challenges, it also grants us reasons to smile again. A few months ago, our youngest daughter, Jordan, a former ski racer, launched a women’s ski apparel company called JORDE out of Stowe, VT that has been
extremely successful. Cheers to the class of 1986 and to all of our collective ups and downs.”…Caroline (Bloch) Jones writes: “When Beautycounter sadly closed its doors in April 2024 due to a VC nightmare, I switched gears and jumped in with both feet into the world of travel, a lifelong passion of mine. I joined The Travel Boutique (thetravelboutique.net) and became a luxury travel advisor and I’m having a blast. These are the years we all should be traveling the globe, staying active, and learning. I just got back from exploring the Christmas Markets of Europe with one of my daughters, drinking in WWII history and too much Glühwein! This has been a fun career change for me now that all the kids have graduated from college and are on their own. There is so much of this world I can’t wait to discover!”… Matt Reynolds reports: “I’m still in Atlanta and recently celebrated 30 wonderful years of marriage with my wife, Jennifer. We’re proud parents of four daughters: Ivy (23), Isabel (21), Madeline (19), and Evelyn (13). Ivy and Madeline are overlapping at UVA, which is great as my wife and I met there and enjoy regularly revisiting our stomping grounds! I continue to work with adolescents and young adults in my private psychotherapy practice—The Launchpad ATL—in midtown Atlanta. Because my office is near to Piedmont Park and the Atlanta Beltline, I spend more time outdoors with clients, which way beats sitting on a couch. Unfortunately, the mental health crisis continues to grow, and young adults seem particularly hard hit by suicide. As such, I have become more involved with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, which does great work! As the years roll by, I find myself reflecting more often on the formative experiences and people that shaped who I am today, and I’m reminded of how pivotal a role
Holderness played. With that in mind, I’m hoping to see my ’86 classmates at our 40 th reunion in 2026!!” Elise Mott writes: “I have so many memories of Holderness, but some of my best memories were of Out Back. It was my first immersion into the woods, and is the first time I realized how much I loved the backcountry. That March trip with Phil Peck and Colby Coombs ’85 as our leaders was epic. They were incredible leaders—down to earth, knowledgeable, and hilarious. During our solo, I remember feeling confident about getting my fire going and boiling the lobster. When we got back together as a group, we heard many rumors of folks eating their entire lobster, shells and all. We also heard that another friend sat in a tree with their backpack, strategically dropped their pack on a squirrel and cooked it up for dinner! Whether these tall tales are real, I am so grateful for our time out there. And thank goodness our first few days we weren’t withdrawing from our technology!”…Geoff Bride wishes everyone a great 2025. “Got my wife, Meg, skiing at Cannon Mtn this year after 20 years!” he writes.…As for me, Chris Zak , with my daughter now a sophomore in college in Chicago and my son a senior in high school, my weekends are starting to free up. I’ve taken some awesome fishing and hunting trips with friends—mostly catching stories and missing fish, but it’s always a great time. I’m also enjoying building a small cabin with my sister on some land we own in Shrewsbury, VT. The true highlight of my fall/winters, though, is Fantasy Football with Blake Swift , Andrew McDonnell ’85 , Braden Edwards ’85 , and Cort Pomeroy and our kids. I think I’m still waiting on a few pizzas from my league victory this year?
’88
Class Correspondents
Christina “Nina” (Bradley) Smallhorn nsmallhorn@me.com
It has been a quiet response from ’88ers. Personally, I am still smiling and scrolling the photos from the fun we had at reunion (by the time this goes to print it will be a year ago). Time is flying. I’ve been thinking about our Los Angeles classmates and wishing love, healing, and safety. The fires have been devastating to witness from afar and I can’t imagine living through the horror. I don’t have any big news from SC but it was an exciting football season for the Clemson Tigers. Tom and I went to every home game and are working on our tailgating skills. Our daughter, Sophie, spent the semester in in London which made for a fun visit in November. It was perfectly festive. Our youngest, Serena, was accepted to Bucknell for fall 2025. We are thrilled for her and her next chapter. Good news for me is that Sarah (Cooper) Connell ’87 and Laura (Cooper) Page ’86 have daughters there, so we will have a mini Holderness reunion in Lewisburg, PA next September. Can’t wait! Again, wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2025!…Chris Stewart , a.k.a Stewie, writes: “Great music action with U2 and Dead & CO at the Sphere, Goose with Baja & Espo at Spac, Phish at MSG. Missed
the annual Holderness boys Jackson ski trip as it was Jess’ 50 th birthday month extravaganza which included St. Barths into Art Basel. Shattered my collar bone at Stratton on day one and had to get it plated so no skiing until late February which is making me a little cuckoo but it’s probably good for work. Lots of love.”…Through a quick correspondence with Jenny (Alfond) Seeman I learned she has a side hustle of teaching Mahjong, which is a new obsession of mine. If you haven’t played, I highly recommend it.…The most exciting class news goes to Ali (Christie) Paysee who is going to be a grandma in April! Congratulations!
’89
Class Correspondent
Brad Greenwood brad@greenwoodbiz.com
Kimberly Gannett writes: “Next chapter of my life is beginning! My twins graduated last spring and I had a fantastic European adventure with them and their ninth-grade sister for five weeks last summer!”…Chris Davenport shares: “Konichiwa from snowy Japan. I’m ski guiding here for six weeks both in Hokkaido and on the main island of Honshu. I got to connect with Kat Alfond ’90 and her family for a week at Lotte Arai which was amazing. And my oldest son, Stian ’19, came and joined me for a week.… As for me, Brad Greenwood , things at the Greenwood house are busy as ever with both Cora (16) and Charlie (14) in high school and doing well both in classes and sports. Our business is booming with the much-welcomed snow and cold this season and we hope that trend continues through the rest of the winter! We have been skiing at Jay Peak a bunch and see some Holderness peeps now and then who show up to chase the pow, like Ezra Cushing ’14
Matt Reynolds 86 and family in Atlanta GA.
Brad Greenwood ’89 and Ezra Cushing ’14 at Jay Peak in VT.
Kimberly Gannett ’89 enjoyed a European adventure with her twins and their 9 th grade sister for five weeks last summer.
Tracy McCoy Gillette ’89 had fun meeting up with these Holderness friends in Vail!
Class Correspondent Pepper deTuro Pepper@woodwinds.biz
“After spending eight years in S. FL (yuck!), my wife Brandi and I are planning to move to New England in the spring/summer,” reports Joel Nields . “Our oldest son, Will, is
attending Florida Atlantic University, Gus ’26 is a junior at Holderness, and Dan is applying to Holderness for the 2025–2026 academic year. I palled around with alumni Sarah “Soupy” Campbell and David Gerasin ’91 while visiting campus for Holderness functions last year and see Geoff Perham and his wife, Meghan, every summer in Maine. Go Bulls!…“Things are good here in Brunswick, ME,” writes Geoff Perham . “We have a daughter at Providence College and our son is playing junior hockey in New Hampshire. Weather has been good for skiing, pond hockey, and lounging by the fire. We are embracing the winter and looking forward to springtime and warmer weather. Best to everyone out there, even Pepper and Nate Beams!”…Chris Haigh notes, “Jenn and I are currently living in southern NH (Pelham), but spending summers up at our place in Maine. Working as a sales engineer for a cybersecurity firm where I’ve been for five years now. Just picked up a boat docked in the Boston area (Winthrop) and working on it on the weekends. Anyone around Boston looking to do some deep sea fishing late spring/summer let me know!”…Courtney Fleisher writes, “I just finished reading the HST cover to cover, something I haven’t done for a while. I’m forever grateful for the humble, wise, community-focus of our little school in the White Mountains and amazed at the incredible people it turns out including my 75 classmates of the class of ’90. In my corner of Vermont, I continue to try to do my part, caring for the emotional health and well-being of children in our region admitted to our hospital or being treated by our medical specialty teams, while training the next generation of psychologists. Getting to do more health equity work and taking part in initiatives to increase recruitment and retention of racially
and ethnically diverse providers in our hospital adds a level of gratification I missed from my work in Chicago. I had the opportunity to compete in Italy this past fall in the Dragonboat Club Crew World Championship races and travel in Croatia with my mom afterwards. It’s not as if everything is perfect, but I’m grateful for the life I get to live. My husband and I welcome visiting Holderness friends if you’re in the Burlington, VT area!”…“Working in Toronto, living in Richmond, VA but in ME in the summers. Married for 24 years, three kids—one in Australia, one in Boulder and one still at home. If anyone is in Richmond, Toronto, or ME in the summer would love to catch up,” reports Miguel Martin .… “Life remains busy and full down in Maryland, says D. Miles Barnard . “Had a fun exchange with my 14-yearold grandson, Henry, who is looking at high schools in Baltimore where he lives. At the school fair, Holderness was one of the schools and he was very excited about the idea of skiing every day in the winter and of course playing lax which is his main sport. He has gotten to know New Hampshire pretty well with many trips to my folks’ place on Lake Winnipesaukee, and visiting summer friends on Squam Lake, so it all seemed quite feasible to him. It won’t happen, but it was a fun idea. He loaded up on stickers and merch and gave me a sheet so I’ve been flying the Holderness flag down here in the MidAtlantic. Here we are on a recent ski trip to Telluride a couple weeks ago.”… Ben Eaton is “still making art out of iron in Crested Butte Colorado. Flying a paraglider is my thing these days. It keeps me young and forces me learn new skills. It’s hard to believe it has been over thirty years since I have seen most of you amazing people. Peace and love to my Holderness family!”…As for me, Pepper deTuro, daughter Corley is in grad school in Florida. Daughter
Bailey is working in private equity for Black Rock in Manhattan. Son Pepper is a junior at Denison and enjoying another great hockey season. Son Locke is in sixth grade and playing a plethora of sports. I keep in touch with Perham , Queenie , Beamer and speak with Miles on our mutual birthday, but he ghosts me the rest of the year. Hope all is well with the Class of ’90.
’91
Class Correspondent
David Gerasin davidgerasin@gmail.com
Lots of news from our class! Brent Radcliffe and his wife live in Lexington, MA with their three children and would love to connect with others nearby.…Peter Christensen writes: “Hi David! Thanks for taking over the class correspondent role. Overall life is very good up here in the frozen tundra of WI! Work is going great with our ever-growing company expanding into KS and OH; triathlon racing is rocking along with me winning a national championship in Daytona, FL this past December; and a 13th place finish racing the Ironman World Championships in Kona, HI back in October. My daughters (freshman and junior) are thriving in school and are even taking up lacrosse (the freshman) and cross-country and track (the junior). Finally, Lindsay and I are excited for a trip to Spain in April and I’ll be traveling to Marbella, Spain in November for the Ironman 70.3 World Championships. The low
point of the year was my mom passing away back in August. That was a very difficult time since both my parents have now passed on. However, she passed peacefully in her sleep with my brother and me at her side. I hope you are doing well and again, thanks for taking over the correspondent position.”…Michael Brogna reports: “2024 was a year filled with adventures, with more on the docket for 2025. From a MotoGP race in Italy to snowmobiling in Canada, this fall and winter I’ve been spending every available moment hunting with Nina (Barker) Brogna ’89 and my good friend Job Roach ’93—chasing ducks in the marsh, geese in the fields, and grouse in the woods. The post-hunt meals are always the most fun, and Nina’s favorite dish is goose Milanese. Nina and I are heading back to Argentina in May for a mixed bag of duck hunting and fishing, with a few days spent absorbing the culture of Buenos Aires. We hope to see more classmates in 2025.”… Jamie Barbour writes: “I have been enjoying Tahoe, still getting lost in the backcountry. Thank God for the snowcat driver at Vail who saved me and David Gerasin in 1992 after David convinced me to duck a rope that led to five hours of hiking uphill in waist deep power. Haven’t talked to him since, but I guess I am willing to forgive him now. I got out of the outdoor industry in 2016 and for the past eight years I’ve been doing architectural and ornamental metalwork and selling some sculpture on the side. I love to make music in my home studio and just started baking my own bread. Check out this fresh loaf.…“YEP! Still livin’ in The Bubble or The Republic whatever you want to call it,” reports Jon Hatch. “Almost 30 years now here in Boulder. My kids are 23 and 20 years old. Ethan graduates from CU engineering in spring 2026. Phoebe graduates from Rhode Island School of Design in Providence around the same time. She is an amazing painter. I’m not
just saying that. She’s in South Africa all of January. Visit her IG gallery @ ph0ebe.art to see her work. 2025 marks my 30-year anniversary with Kristin. We travel a lot and hit The Phish tours when we can, just like we did back in the early ’90s. 2024 was a good fishing year with juicy cuttyrainbrowns, tarpon, and snook. Still trail-running the Boulder foothills. Drew Hyde introduced me to trail running back in the late ’90s and I never quit. This year marks my 21st year in the real estate biz. I moved to Compass here in Boulder in February and never looked back. My biz is refined and vibrant and fun as hell. Yep, living the good life at the Sigma Oasis! Find me @hatchbaak on the Gram or by email jon.hatch@compass.com.”…As for me, 2024 and 2025 so far have been excellent. Tristan is now a sophomore at Holderness and loving his life full of independence and spreading his wings. He made varsity soccer this fall, is having fun on the slopes on the varsity ski team and is laser-focused on making the varsity lacrosse team at some point in his Holderness career. Neve is soon to be an eighth grader in Kittery, ME and doing well in life as she keeps me very much on my toes. Henry, my two-anda-half-year-old little guy, is our “cherry on top”. Watch out, Holderness classes ’31 and ’40, Neve and Henry, coming at you. I am still getting as much time on the hill as possible. I might have to retire later with 22 years of tuition payments staring at me in the face. But I won’t be able to ski this hard when I am 70+, so I might as well pull some retirement fun (and funds) forward at this point. Professionally, I transitioned Steel Street Capital into a registered investment advisor in September 2024. After 20 years of being affiliated with large firms, either as an employee or an independent advisor, I could not be happier. I focus on investment management and tax strategies for high-net-worth, highearning individuals and families with
Jamie Barbour ’91’s fresh loaf of bread.
an acute focus on entrepreneurs. As I’ve been saying, my wings are now unclipped and I can now soar like an eagle, baby. Just before Christmas, Mark Mezzanotte and his wife, Krista, hosted a few ’91s: Brendon Donnellan, Brent “Rads” Radcliffe, and Elliott Visconci I see Mezz pretty often and it’s always great to see him. I have seen Brendon a few times since graduating; it was always good to see him, but it was really nice to reconnect with Rads and Elliot, neither of whom I have seen since our senior gig tour. I also get to see Zofi (Samborski) Meffert often and it’s always great to see that big smile. I also stay in touch with Michael Brogna , Charlie Smith, Rob Wolf, and the forever famous Erv Wolf, who hit a few bumps along the way but made for some unforgettable stories. While so many years have gone by, seeing everyone and celebrating some holiday cheer made it seem just like yesterday. I would love to see a good showing at our next Holderness Class of 1991 Reunion in 2026. Stay in touch, Class of ’91. davidgerasin@gmail.com
’92
Class Correspondent
Nici Ash Niciash12@gmail.com
’93
Class Correspondent
Lindsay (Dewar) Fontana linds_dewar@yahoo.com
’94
Class Correspondent
Ramey Harris-Tatar rameyht@yahoo.com
’95
Interim Class Correspondent
Amanda (Knox) Hoffman ’96 bostonknox30@gmail.com
96/97 Classmates came together to celebrate the life of Adam George in 2024.
Tankersley ’96 and Allison Megroz ’96 met
’96
Class Correspondents
Heather (Pierce) Roy Heatherbpierce@hotmail.com
Amanda (Knox) Hoffman bostonknox30@gmail.com
2024 was an incredible year to reconnect for the Class of ’96. Nick Kaulbach (Montreal) and Jon Conant (Rockport, MA) continue to see each other regularly, taking their kids surfing, mountain biking, and climbing adventures all over; Jon with four boys under the age of 11! The Jackson Hole crew connects regularly on the slopes. Lydia (Griffin) Hudacsko, Ethan Valenstein , Sam Pope ’97, and Andy Tankersley ’97 met up with Zach Pritchett ’95 in January 2025 (picture). We are still reeling that Bo Surdam and Will Richardson are brothers-in-law, evidenced by the large family photo with the Rick ’94 , Kate ’99, Patrick ’01, Anne Richardson ’06
Maggie, Samantha and Peter Christensen ’91 and Lindsay Barber pose at the beach.
David Gerasin ’91 and family: Tristan ’27, David ’91, Henry, Laura Mooney, Neve.
Jon Hatch ’91 shares his catch.
Jay
at the Colorado mountains last winter.
Britta Waters ’96, Katie Waltz Harris ’97, Koren Cargill ’96 met up for lunch outside of NYC.
clan. The Jackson Hole crew regularly sees Augusta (Riehle) Comey (Salt Lake City, UT) for ski races with her daughter. Lydia ran into Trina (Hosmer) Saxe in the Portland, OR airport last year. Will is making the rounds with classmates, seeing Dave Flynn, Kris Langetieg ’97 and me at the EMA Admissions Conference last September 2024 in Boston.…I’m currently working in admissions at Bancroft School, a pre-k–12 school in Worcester, MA. Will has his own education advisory company out of Kittery, ME helping families find the right boarding school for their child. While Flynn continues his 8th?? year as director of enrollment management at Holderness! FUN FACT: Flynny is finally going on Out Back in March!!… Alison (Megroz) Chadbourne and Jay Tankersley met up (picture) and hope to see each other more at ski races.… So wonderful to hear from Carolyn Campbell who’s living in Philly with her family.… Sage Kiedaisch is living in NH (and we won’t mention where her daughter is in high school in NH (New Hampton) and shared her story about how the Outdoor Chapel was built our senior year for senior project!…When my daughter and I toured Holderness last year, I ran into Sam Daigneault who is living the dream at Holderness, teaching and coaching basketball with three of her four kids there now.…Other classmates’ children are the daughters of Amanda Knox Hoffman and Reece Spinney Dahlberg—both class of ’27—along with Flynn’s daughter, Molly ’28.…Loved hearing from Katie (Waltz) Harris and Bjorn Franson out of the NYC area. Waltz recently met up with Koren (Cargill) Wall and Britta (Waters) Pemberton in CT. (Pic)… Liz (Fox) McGlamery is doing great in FL with her family of two boys, and visited Lydia in Teton Valley, ID last year (pic). They had a blast catching up!… Stacey (Eder) Smith is living in
CT with her four boys. She is co-owner of a new gym: Levlup Family Fitness. One of her triplets is hoping to attend Holderness next fall.…Our 30 th reunion is around the corner next year! Let’s hope to see everyone back on the Pem.
’97
Class Correspondent
Putney Haley
putneypyles@gmail.com
A new year begins again. We are only shortly into January, and my kids are already recovering from the flu and pneumonia. And now we’re trying to stay cozy in these freezing northeast winter temps. My youngest (3.5) will spend more time on skis this winter and will be hard to miss in her bright pink helmet—we live Frozen and all things pink and purple right now. She’s the youngest but keeps us all laughing. It’s never a dull moment. I have been in this role for quite some time, and I genuinely have enjoyed the chance to stay connected to classmates over all these years. The updates were few this time, but a very thoughtful one came from Ben Dulac which is shared below. Undoubtedly Adam George has been on the minds of so many over the last year. Thanks to Ben for putting this update together…He writes: “I have three high schoolers now, and they are thriving in Marblehead. I am cherishing every sporting and extracurricular event they have! This has been a difficult year with the loss of Adam George . Several of us have been working closely with classmates, Bruce Barton and Mark Sturgeon , and Caroline (Adam’s wife) on ways to honor Adam at Holderness. We are still working through a handful of options and hope to have a plan ironed out in the near future. We will be sure to reach out to friends and alumni once we finalize a path forward. I have had a
lot of time to reflect on Adam since April, what has been made clear from all who knew him is that he was an amazing father, husband, son, and friend to many who is going to be missed dearly. His humble strength and personality made him a soughtafter mountain guide in the Alps. He was a professional at the top of his game who figured out how to make the most beautiful mountains in the world his office. Holderness had a big part in setting this path for Adam and I am looking forward to working with the Holderness community to honor him appropriately at the school.”…Be well, ~ Putney
’98
Class Correspondent Zach Antonucci zach.antonucci@gmail.com
Greetings from Andover, MA where we moved six years ago following the ritualistic suburbs migration from South Boston. 2024 was a great year with trips around the country and the Caribbean. However, we still found plenty of time for the NH Lakes Region where I grew up. Our son, Greyson, is in second grade. He is an avid reader when he’s not playing basketball, hockey, or lacrosse. I’m in my third year of coaching Andover Youth Hockey; to be determined how much longer I’ll last! I’ve been able
Photo courtesy of Ben Dulac ’97.
to reconnect with a few classmates, most recently with former roommate Erik Dane . I’m hoping this quick update breaks the seal and we get more Class of 1998 updates rolling! All the best ~ Zach . Cell 617.851.8230
’00
Class Correspondent
Andrew “Sully” Sullivan MyIreland20@gmail.com
’01
Class Correspondent
Karyn (Hoepp) Jennings KarynPJennings@gmail.com
I recently accepted a position at Harvard University as a marketing lead at the Harvard Graduate School of Education in the Professional Programs Department. I am currently managing the K-12 Superintendents/ School and District Leaders Portfolio and so far I am loving the job and the people I’m working with. I get to go into Cambridge a few times a month for meetings to observe the programs and it’s been an amazing experience. We’re still skiing at Ragged Mountain every weekend; our daughter, Avery (8), is on the ski team there, and it’s been fun running into some Holderness alums! I’ve seen Andrew Everett ’02 with his family a bunch, and I ran into Jon Nichols in the lift line one day. My husband is always amazed at how, for such a small school Holderness is, we meet people from there everywhere we go! Hope everyone is doing well! ~ Karyn
’02
Class Correspondent
Betsy Pantazelos b.pantazelos@gmail.com
Ally (Keefe) Collins writes: “Our 2.5-year-old daughter (Harper) is growing quickly and learning to ski. She seems to have the need for speed and always tells us to ski faster when she is between our legs on the bunny hill! We also finally went on our honeymoon nearly three years after our wedding. We had an amazing time skiing in Austria and hope we can make it back there someday!”
’03
Neal Frei is delighted to share that he and Kieran Sequoia tied the knot on New Year’s Eve 2024 in Santa Fe, surrounded by family and friends. “The night was filled with so much amazing love, joy, and celebration, marking the beginning of our journey together. Kieran and I feel incredibly grateful for the love and support that has surrounded us as we embark on this new chapter. We were so thrilled to have so many Holderness alumni, employees, and friends to share in the amazing evening. Alumni included: classmate Matt Sopher and his wife Debbie, Andrew Sheppe ’00, Rebecca and CJ Vincent ’06 , Fred Harbison ’89, Jennifer Crane ’01 , Meredith Peck ’09, Johanna Peck ’08 and of course Tori and Landry Frei ’08 , Ziad and Lauren (Frei) Sleiman ’05 , and parents Gary and Vicki Frei. Faculty and staff past and present in attendance: Phil and Robin Peck , Peter Durnan and Kristen Fischer, Abby and Mark Sturgeon, Caroline Davenport , John and Marilee Lin, Margot Riley, and Jiabao Mei and Marco Coderoni.”… Matthew Sopher and his wife recently relocated to the Burlington area from NYC to rejoin the family business, InTrack Investment Management. Matthew says: “Please reach out if you are in the area, we’d love to grab dinner or go skiing!”… Jay Connolly writes:
“At some point last summer I stumbled into John Lockwood while visiting a local restaurant in Beverly—turns out he moved to the North Shore within the last few years and we aren’t too far away. Late in the summer, when Anna was up visiting, we all got together for lunch in Marblehead which was great (see pic below). Otherwise, I enjoy regular conversations with Dave Madeira , Murph, Bob Low P ’25, Simon and a bunch of other lax guys talking shop about youth lacrosse coaching. My kids are 7 and 10 and both playing lacrosse and I have gotten involved with coaching which has been a lot of fun. I also just got back a month ago from visiting Emily (Noyes) Grunow in FL for a long weekend. We make a point to get our families together each year. That’s it for now!”
Jay Connolly ’03 with Anna (Lockwood) Kelly ’03 and John Lockwood ’03.
Neal Frei ’03 and his wife Kieran Sequoia.
Neal Frei ’03 and Kieran Sequoia tied the knot on New Year’s Eve 2024 with many Holderness friends in attendance.
’04
Class Correspondent
Kate (Kenly) Tith kate.tith@gmail.com
Dave Campbell writes: I live in Crested Butte, CO with my wife, Audrey, and our three daughters (Tilly—6 years, Addy—3.5 years, and Leni—8 months). We enjoy life in a small mountain town—spending lots of time skiing, biking, hiking, and enjoying the beauty of the Colorado Rockies. I’ve worked at Gusto for the past 5.5 years—a platform that helps small businesses manage their payroll and teams—where I lead the development of consumer financial products. I continue to support Lacrosse the Nations and our international sports programs as a Board Member. Carling Bennett Thanks for doing this… Hope you and the family are doing great. I just got back from an incredible 10 day ski trip in Hokkaido Japan with my brother (Sean Delaney ’ 03), sister and dad. We skied incredible powder on 5 different resorts and hiked several days in the backcountry. It was epic! Mattie Ford DiNapoli and her husband, Vinnie, welcomed Daisy Ford DiNapoli in November 2024. Daisy has two older siblings, Emerson (8) and Rocco
(6). Mattie works at Kimball Union Academy in admissions and is the ski coach. The family lives in Meriden, NH and is fully into all the sports and activities in the area.… Marta (Heinen) Robinson writes: “I was sad to miss the reunion last summer. Holderness is looking very beautiful with all the new updates I see on social media! My husband, Justin, and I are living in Michigan in the town where I grew up. My kids, Lucy (11) and Tommy (8), go to the same schools I went to; maybe Holderness will be in their future too. I would love that for them. My husband is in property management and I’m a preschool teacher. We are having fun while the kids try out all the team sports and the calendar is always full. I’m very proud of my little family :) I often think of my time at Holderness and the safe, supportive environment it provided for me. I seriously miss meals together and only having to walk down the hall or across the quad to a best friend’s room! I pray for those classmates who are no longer with us and for their families. They are forever young in my memory. Hoping 2025 brings happiness and good health for everyone. As for me, I loved seeing many of you at reunion last summer! Since then, things have been busy for our family. My son, Liam, started seventh grade at Cardigan Mountain School. Julia Ford ’08 is one of his dorm parents and I see Chris Day ’97 often on campus. My nine-yearold daughter, Sophie, is a competitive swimmer and she’s learning to play hockey! My husband, Mike, works in advancement at St. Paul’s School and I am the vice president, head of global clinical operations at Dyne Therapeutics; we are developing therapies for people living with neuromuscular diseases ~ Kate Tith
Phoebe and Trey Larkin, the children of Joy (Erdman) Larkin ’04, with Lucy and Payson Nordblom, the children of Todd and Amy (Laverack) Nordblom.
Mattie Ford Dinapoli ’04 with husband Vinnie and 3 kids, Emerson, Rocco and Daisy.
Kate Tith ’04 and family at Cardigan Mountain School with new Cardigan 7th grader Liam, daughter Sophie and husband Michael.
Ashley Healy ’04 the Director of Development at the David Krempels Brain Injury Center (KBIC) connects with Robbie King ’99 at The King Challenge. The King Challenge, named in honor of Robbie’s family, is a fundraising event to benefit KBIC, a Portsmouth NH-based nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people living with brain injury.
’05
Class Correspondent
Brie (Keefe) Healy healy.brie@gmail.com
’06
Class Correspondent
Casey Gilman clgilman5@gmail.com
Rory Clifford reports: “2025 is shaping up to be a big year for our family. We will be welcoming a baby girl in June, and couldn’t be more excited to grow our family. I recently completed my securities licensing to become a registered representative with New York Life. This is a step on my journey towards investment advisor as part of my full financial offerings. Life is good in Vermont!”
’07
Class Correspondent
Taylor James taylorveronicajames@gmail.com Matt Tomaszewski mctomaszewski@gmail.com
Baby Luna is all smiles for the camera! Photo courtesy of Haley Hamblin ’08.
’08
Class Correspondents
Baird (Meem) Anderson bairdmeem@gmail.com
Jessica White
white.jessica.madigan@gmail.com
Brett Phillips had a good year. His company, Create Awesomeness, continues to fund his lifestyle of outdoor adventure sports and PC gaming. He currently lives with his significant other in the Back Bay of Boston. He is considering getting another cat.…Greg Ramey writes: “Excited to see tons of Holderness friends at my wedding in June. I’ll continue to bounce around NYC but am officially moving to Bermuda full time this year. I’ve got a spare beach chair for any Holderness visitors!”… Josh Raab and Haley Hamblin moved back to New York in September and welcomed their daughter Luna Azra Raab on November 27! Haley reports: “Everyone is doing great, staying cozy, and happy to be back in the city after a few years away. Luna can’t wait to meet her auntie Baird and dance up a storm!…As for me, Baird (Meem) Anderson , I’m still a preschool teacher at Spruce Street Nursery School in Boston and live in Cambridge, MA. I started DJing kids parties in early January 2024 and I’m still doing it as a fun side gig! Holderness reunion
in June was an absolute blast and it was great to meet more of the Holderness community that weekend! I still keep in touch with as many Holderness people as I can, especially Haley Hamblin!! I can’t wait to meet Haley’s first child, Luna, very soon!!!
’09
Class Correspondent
Allison (Stride) Lloyd stride.ally@gmail.com
James O’Leary joleary129@gmail.com
’10
Class Correspondent
Elise (Steiner) Hacker eliseshacker@gmail.com
’11
Class Correspondents
Cecily (Cushman) Koopman cncushman@gmail.com
Jamie McNulty jamcnulty20@gmail.com
Samantha (Devine) Roy shares: “We had a baby at the end of June 2024. His name is Enzo Christopher Roy.”… Casey Powell writes: “Hey everyone! I am currently living in Brooklyn, NY and am a health, wellness, and sex educator for an independent K-12 school. I love it! I am basically Carol Dopp. My boyfriend and I just adopted a sweet German shepherd mix puppy named Ralph. I’m fully obsessed and yes, he is our child and yes, I have a million photos, thank you for asking. I hope everyone is doing well and thriving doin’ whatever you’re doin’.”… McKinley “Chuckie” (Carbone) Crowley notes: “Life has been full and rewarding as I enjoy the stay-at-home mom life with my two kids, Cully (2),
and Ev (4). My days are filled with swim lessons, school programs, and all the joyful chaos of raising little ones. In my free time, I’ve found a love for pickleball, competing in two small tournaments—and winning both! My husband, Adam, and I are looking forward to an exciting 2025, especially celebrating Charlotte Noyes ’s wedding this summer. Wishing everyone a wonderful year ahead!”… Jaclyn (Vernet) Embiricos shares: “This past September, George and I got married. MJ (Germanos) Negroski ’10 and Cecily (Cushman) Koopman ’11 honored me as bridesmaids. We are still living in New York City and I am finishing up my degree from Parsons School of Design in May.”… And finally, my update. My husband, Ben, are living in Marblehead and love seeing many Holderness alums around town, especially Alex Gardiner and Katie (Leake) Parker ’12! ~ Cecily (Cushman) Koopman
Eliza Cowie writes: “Hello! I am still living in Salt Lake City where I get to see Holderness people everywhere. This past Thanksgiving, Jamie McNulty ’11 hosted a bunch of us for a big Friendsgiving. I continue to work in the environmental policy space, writing for outdoor magazines on the connection between skiing and climate, consulting on brand and marketing for outdoor companies, and spending a lot of time outside riding bikes, skiing, and playing in whitewater. If you’re ever in Salt Lake, let me know!”…Kristina (Micalizzi) Venemies got married this past summer in Greece and was thrilled to have fellow class of 2012 alumnae Sara Mogollon , Erica Steiner, Samantha Cloud , and Julia Potter make the trip to celebrate along with the couple’s family and friends from Finland, Greece, and the US.…Haley Mahar reports: “I recently moved to South Burlington and opened a New England office of New West Building Company in Stowe, VT! We’re a general contractor that focuses on multifamily and custom homes construction. I love being able to go from the construction site to the slopes in the winter or the hiking trails in the summer.”
Class of 2012 alums Sara Mogollon, Erica Steiner, Kristina (Micalizzi) Venemies, Samantha (Cloud) Spencer, and Julia Potter (from left to right) at the wedding of Kristina Micalizzi Venemies ’12 and Tommi Venemies in Kefalonia, Greece.
Kristina Micalizzi Venemies ’12 and Tommi Venemies at their wedding in Kefalonia, Greece. ’14
Chuckie, Everly and Cully snowboarding at King Pine this winter.
Casey Powell ’11 and pup Ralph.
Enzo on the swing! Photo courtesy of Samantha Roy Devine ’11.
Carson Holmes ’15
’15
Class Correspondents
Hope Heffernan hopeheffernan@gmail.com
Jake Rosencranz (deceased) jrosencranz1@gmail.com
Leah (Curtis) Rosencranz lcurtis1330@gmail.com
Carson Holmes writes: “Over the past year, I turned my passion for photography into a thriving personal business, focusing on weddings and lifestyle sessions. What started as a small hobby in 2023 quickly grew into something far greater than I had imagined. By 2024, I surpassed all of my goals, balancing the demands of running a successful photography business while still maintaining my fulltime 9-to-5 job. Currently, I’m servicing the New England area and have had the privilege of capturing countless special moments for my clients. Looking ahead, I’m excited to continue growing and expanding my business—setting my sights on offering wedding photography services out west over the next year or so. It’s been an incredibly rewarding journey, and I’m proud of how far I’ve come in such a short time—proving that with dedication and passion, growth knows no limits.”
’16
Class Correspondent
Chris Sargent
christopher.t.sargent@gmail.com
’17
Class Correspondent
Elizabeth Johansson ecjohansson17@gmail.com
’18
Class Correspondents
Stuart Clifford
stugclifford@gmail.com
’19
Class Correspondent
Lilly Patterson lillypatterson555@gmail.com
’20
Class Correspondent
Ellie Page ellie.l.page@gmail.com
Noah McIntire reports: “I moved to Bend, OR three years ago in the neverending search for powder. I work part time at Mt. Bachelor in the terrain parks. I have gotten into split boarding and recently bought a snowmobile to get deeper into the backcountry. In the summer months I travel the country fixing wind turbine blades for a small sub-contracting company called Rope Partner. I use ropes to access the blades and fix them using fiberglass.
I’ve been working in wind for four years. Below I added some photos of me at work fixing the blades of the towers off the coast of Block Island, RI. The snowboard picture was taken last week on a backcountry jump I built in the Sisters Mountain range.
’22
Class Correspondent
Rachel Storey rstorey@bowdoin.edu
’23
Class Correspondents
Evan Plunkett eplunkett31@gmail.com
Terry Zhu terry961616@126.com
’24
Class Correspondent
Sammy Edwards samantha.edwards@hws.edu
Want to connect with your classmates? Scan the QR code and submit a class note online today
Or consider becoming a class correspondent by contacting us at alumni@holderness.org for more information.
Noah McIntire ’20 at work fixing the blades of the towers off the coast of Block Island, RI.
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Sofie Romasko ’26 hugs Director of Out Back Randy Houseman upon her return from Out Back last March.
REPORT OF APPRECIATION
2024–2025
The Holderness community remains strong thanks to the tremendous support we received this year from you—our alumni, parents, and friends. Your support in fiscal year 2025 (July 1, 2024–June 30, 2025) helped us recruit tremendous faculty members, provided world class learning opportunities for our students, helped host thought leaders on campus, and allowed our artists and athletes to thrive.
In the fall of 2024 we welcomed six new faculty members, including a former pro cyclistturned filmmaker, a reverend and lacrosse coach, an art therapist, a French teacher who has led environmental field lessons and overnight wilderness trips, a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship recipient, and a lawyer who once worked on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Ninth-grade biology students engaged in a long-term study of our campus snowmaking pond, measuring turbidity (how clear the water is), temperature, depth, mineral concentration, and plant life. Students learned about data collection, hypothesis
testing, and analysis, and applied classroom concepts in the field. Last year’s data will serve as a foundational baseline, enabling future classes to monitor and understand the pond’s evolving ecosystem.
Dino Ambrosi, founder of Project Reboot, came to campus to speak on a topic that is at the top of many people’s minds: how we can build healthier relationships with technology. He challenged students to reflect on how their use of devices, social media, and gaming affects their mental well-being, relationships, and the ability to be present.
Jake Thibeault visited campus in March of 2025. Jake’s life instantly changed on Labor Day weekend of 2021. During a hockey game, a devastating hit sent the 18-year-old crashing into the boards, paralyzing him from the waist down. His talk offered a firsthand perspective on the power of a positive mindset to persevere through life’s toughest challenges. Students and teachers left with a renewed appreciation for resilience and the reminder that setbacks
can become springboards for new opportunities.
Students also learned about avalanche safety with mountain guide Jordan Cargill ’11; performed “Mean Girls: The Musical” in the Kistler Family Auditorium; spoke with NASA astronaut Suni Williams aboard the International Space Station via a live video chat; the boys golf team won the Lakes Region Championship; Gina Mulcahy ’25 won the USASA Nationals 17–18 Junior Women Slopestyle National Championship; and both the girls and boys lacrosse teams competed in the Lakes Region Championships.
These opportunities to learn and grow are made available thanks to the support Holderness receives from donors on an annual basis. For that, I thank you!
Developing the Students the World Needs A Freshwater Ecology & Management class conducts an electrofishing survey of a campus stream with NH Fish & Game.
57 YEARS OF GIVING
By Greg Kwasnik
Eric Werner ’62 has one heck of a streak going. Of the more than 2,000 people who made a gift to Holderness last year, he’s one of a small handful who’ve given to the school for more than 50 consecutive years.
“Some people are very generous on a one-time basis and that’s great,” Eric says. “But if I can be consistent about it, I think it’s something that’s valuable.”
Eric made his first gift to Holderness, a $10 donation, just before Christmas in 1968—and he hasn’t let up since. His first gift came right around the same time that he and his wife, Karen, began giving to Colby College, where the couple met. “We gained a lot from our education in both places,” Eric says. “I felt that it was appropriate to be a consistent donor.”
It’s thanks to that kind of consistency —or persistence, in his case—that Eric was able to attend Holderness in the first place. A native son of the town of Holderness, Eric attended Holderness Central School and then spent two years at Inter-Lakes High School in Meredith. But his parents, who ran a business renting lakeside cottages to tourists, wanted a better education for their son. His mother petitioned Headmaster Don Hagerman three
times before he admitted Eric, despite the boy’s lackluster entrance exam scores—and the fact that he would be the first student from the town of Holderness ever to attend Holderness School. “My mother insisted and finally he relented and said ‘We’ll give it a try,’” Eric recalls.
Eric seized the opportunity and took full advantage of his Holderness education. He thrived at the school, where he played hockey, excelled in his Spanish classes, and eventually graduated cum laude. He says some of his most impactful Holderness experiences happened in Don Henderson’s history classes, where the hard-driving ski coach pressed his students to live up to his own high standards. “You look back and say, who, other than your parents, really influenced you? For me, he would be near the top of that list,” Eric says. “You remember things from people who demand a lot of you, whether they’re coaches or teachers or headmasters.”
Eric carried those lessons far beyond Holderness. His drive and dogged persistence led him to become an officer in the Navy, where he spent four years as a ship’s navigator— among other roles—in the South China Sea. Much of that time was spent managing a crew of 600 sailors and guiding his vessel across the immense Pacific six times. It was during one of those tedious, threeweek voyages that Eric had time to truly reflect on how Holderness shaped him. “I didn’t think much about my college experience at Colby, but I did think quite a bit about the experience that I had at Holderness,” Eric says. “As I thought about that, a lot of my thinking came back to Don Henderson. Here was a guy who was demanding of his students that they first show an interest and second that they prepare, just like he did with his skiers.”
Those lessons about preparation and engagement served Eric well throughout this life. After leaving the Navy, he earned an MBA from
Western Michigan University and then began a successful career in finance and investments. Throughout his life, whether he was an officer in the Navy or a CEO leading American International Group’s London office at the end of his career, Eric was focused on managing large groups of people and motivating them to achieve and succeed. Don Henderson would have been proud.
Today, Eric is focused on motivating his fellow Holderness alums to give back. As a Class Agent, he periodically reaches out to his classmates from the Class of 1962 and asks them to make a gift to the school. Sometimes, he succeeds. At other times, he’s rebuffed by classmates who don’t see the value of giving to Holderness when so many other charities need help. He recalls making a pitch to one reluctant classmate who figured Holderness didn’t need his money. “I said that part of my reason for contributing, modest as it is, is basically to give back what was given to me as part of my education,” Eric says. “I said, that has to be worth something.”
In a way, Eric’s yearly gifts to Holderness are a way of honoring his mother—and Don Hagerman—for giving him the opportunity to excel at the school. “I owe something to Don Hagerman for a career path that I probably wouldn’t have had if he hadn’t relented because of my mother’s insistence,” Eric says. “Between the two of them, I gradually appreciated over time that other people had a role in my success.”
And he still remembers what Don Hagerman said to his parents the day he graduated from Holderness some 63 years ago.
“Don Hagerman congratulated my parents on being so insistent,” Eric says, with a chuckle. |
Eric—and 1,050 other donors—are members of The 1879 Society, which honors those who have given for five or more consecutive years.
DARIELLE MATTHEWS ’18 Putting a Face on Your Gift to Holderness
By Greg Kwasnik
When Darielle Matthews ’18 shared the good news on LinkedIn that she had received the Hon. Dorothy T. Eisenberg Woman in Law “Trailblazer” Award, she was overwhelmed by the response she received from her Holderness network. Her phone and inbox were flooded with congratulatory messages from former classmates and teachers—and she even received an encouraging email from the new head of school, whom she’d never met.
“Every text message I received and every email truly meant a lot to me because my Holderness community is still so supportive of me after all these years,” Darielle says.
It’s no surprise that Darielle continues to receive support from the Holderness community, which has closely followed her impressive accomplishments in college and law school. Those accomplishments are many: just last spring, she earned her law degree from the Maurice A.
Deane School at Hofstra University, where she received the school’s Outstanding Law Student award; served as academic chair of the Black Law Students Association; became an associate editor of the Hofstra Law Review; volunteered as a Pro Bono Scholar for the Legal Aid Society of Nassau County; and received the 2024 AMISTAD Scholarship Award from the Long Island Bar Association. She took and passed the February 2025 New York Bar Exam and was recently sworn in as an attorney to practice law in New York State. This fall, she will begin a prestigious federal clerkship with the Hon. Craig T. Goldblatt of the United States Bankruptcy Court of the District of Delaware.
If anyone is surprised by Darielle’s meteoric rise through law school, then they probably didn’t know her at Holderness. A native of Long Island, Darielle—who was recruited to play basketball for the Bulls—made huge contributions to Holderness on and off the court. A four-year recipient of a Holderness Fund Scholarship, Darielle was an integral part of the school community: she acted in plays and musicals, became a three-sport athlete, and served as a job leader her junior year and house leader during her senior year. Her impact on Holderness was so great that, as a senior, she received the Marshall Award in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the school.
If Darielle had a big impact on Holderness, the school had just as big an impact on her. Whether she was traveling across China on a school trip, persevering through the rigors of Out Back, or challenging herself during her yearlong Capstone project, Darielle found countless opportunities to learn and grow at Holderness. “To be able to have these experiences—which definitely pushed me to not only expand my horizons, but pushed me to my
limits as an individual as well—was super impactful,” Darielle says.
Those experiences would not have happened if not for the Holderness Fund Scholarship, which awarded Darielle $25,000 each year to offset the cost of attending the school. Without that kind of support, her transformative Holderness experience would most likely have been out of reach. “I get emotional thinking about Holderness because it was such a special moment in my life where I was really able to gain that independence and learn how to be fearless in every endeavor I was able to take,” Darielle says. “I would just say thank you for allowing students to support their dreams. By giving to the fund, you’re allowing students to have the whole world open up to them even more than they had thought possible.”
While a Holderness Fund Scholarship gave Darielle an excellent education, it also gave her a network of lifelong friends and mentors—the same people who reached out to her after she received the Dorothy T. Eisenberg Woman in Law “Trailblazer” Award. They were there for Darielle during her years as a Holderness student, and they’ll be there for whatever successes her future may bring.
“Holderness is still such a big part of my family and such a big part of my life,” Darielle says.
“To have these people who were such a big part of my life still so proud and still so supportive of me just means the world.” |
A Holderness Fund Scholarship is a named, current-use scholarship that supports a student through their four years at Holderness. To learn more, contact Mark Sturgeon, Executive Director of Advancement, at msturgeon@holderness.org
Photo courtesy of
Darielle Matthews ’18
DAVID PARKER ’78
Balch Legacy Society Planned Giving
By Greg Kwasnik
I
f you were a student at Holderness School in the 1970s and wanted to escape the watchful gaze of your dorm parents, there’s a good chance you absconded into the surrounding forest with a shovel and some scrap lumber and built a fort.
“The fort building was all about having a warm safe place to drink and smoke pot and do all this stuff you’re not supposed to do,” said David Parker ’78, one of the era’s chief fort architects. “I mean, it was the ’70s, right?”
It took a few decades, but David and his secret fort were finally found out. When Holderness student Erica Ashby ’18 contacted him several years ago for a book she was writing about that era’s craze for campus fort building, he agreed to talk.
“She interviewed me and I was more than happy to reveal all,” said
David, who recalls digging a cozy Hobbit-like burrow—complete with a fireplace—by the lower fields with roommate Henry Fletcher ’78. “I’m not going to get kicked out now.”
While David’s subterranean fort was short-lived (he found it demolished when he returned to school one fall) his latest contribution to Holderness is sure to stand the test of time. As one of the newest members of the Balch Legacy Society, David has joined the ranks of donors who have made generous planned gifts to Holderness.
“I had to create a will and when I was working it out, I asked myself ‘What do you want to do with your money when you die?’” David said. “I wanted to give back to Holderness, for sure.”
For David, Holderness was about far more than unsanctioned fort building. Ultimately, he said, the school gave his life direction. “I was hard to handle as a kid, you
know—ADHD, I had my own mind,” David said. “I think my parents just felt like it would be good for me.”
His parents were right. At Holderness, David learned discipline, developed his love of literature and theater from English teachers like Jay Stroud and Parkman Howe, and discovered a lifelong passion for the outdoors. “Holderness was a big part of my love for the outdoors,” David said. “They were very, very formative years, and I think they definitely got me in the right direction.”
He credits the Out Back programthen called Outward Bound - with having the biggest impact. While he grew up skiing at Sugarloaf in Maine, Outward Bound gave David —who went on to become a rock climber, alpinist, backcountry skier, and sailor—a far more expansive vision of a life lived outdoors. He recalls his two-week Outward Bound experience as a thrilling bushwhack through the White Mountains that
David Parker ’78 enjoys an active outdoor life, and counts skiing, mountaineering, and sailing among some of his favorite pursuits.
began near campus and ended somewhere near Littleton. “The joke was that Fred Beams, who ran the program when I was there, took a map of New Hampshire and gave his son a crayon and said ‘Here, draw a line,’” David said. “Then we had to go out and follow it.”
One of his favorite Outward Bound memories happened under a full moon, when his group, trying to make up time, hiked long into the night. As they trudged their way through the snow along an old forest road, David and Kirk Siegel ’78 volunteered to drag the group’s heavy toboggan, which they’d nicknamed ‘The Pig.’ When they came to a long downhill stretch, the two boys decided to use gravity to their advantage. They jumped on The Pig and proceeded to blaze down the hill at full speed before frantically digging their heels into the snow to halt their slide, just feet from a snowbank. Had they hit the snowbank at full speed, they would have launched into the middle of a paved road. “We had one hell of a sled ride in the middle of the night,” David said. “It’s kind of funny how these things stick with you for the rest of your life, you know?”
The rest of David’s life has followed a similarly adventurous path. After graduating from St. Lawrence
University with a degree in English, he packed up his car and drove West to become a ski bum at Deer Valley in Utah. When friends invited him to visit Bainbridge Island on Puget Sound several years later, he realized he’d found the perfect location to indulge in his love of skiing, alpine climbing, and sailing. After moving to Bainbridge full time in 1989, David married, had a child, and built a successful career as managing broker at Windermere Real Estate.
Today, David is still living the outdoor life. He officially retired last November, and now follows his outdoor passions with the seasons. Each winter, he and his partner Deborah live and ski at their home in Whitefish, Montana; each summer, they spend several months piloting their 40-foot sailboat along the Inside Passage between Seattle and Alaska. In between, they travel. On one such journey this spring he reunited with Prescott Smith ’78 and Don Whittemore ’78 to watch a Dead & Company concert at The Sphere in Las Vegas. And after classmate J.D. Hale ’78 received this year’s Distinguished Alumni Award at Commencement, he and his classmates started a giant email chain to offer kudos, reconnect, and reminisce about old times—and old forts.
As David looks back on his years at Holderness, he’s happy to be giving back to the school with his generous planned gift. The school gave his life direction, and he hopes his gift will help other students find their own unique path through life.
“By giving back to the school you’re going to be helping somebody else who might need that same direction,” David said. |
The Balch Legacy Society honors a group of forward-thinking individuals who have included Holderness in their estate plans. Their investment ensures that future generations of Holderness students will be able to benefit from all that Holderness has to offer. Thank you to the 55 current members who are thinking ahead for Holderness! For more information, contact Tim Scott ’73, Advisor to the Balch Legacy Society, at tscott@holderness.org or visit holderness.planmygift.org
HEART OF THE HERD: Alumnae Volunteers
F or Amanda (Knox) Hoffman ’96 P ’27 ’29 and Laura (Cooper) Page ’86 P ’20 ’22 ’25, the spirit of Holderness didn’t end at graduation—it deepened. Both alumnae, now parents of current or recent Holderness students, have continued to stay engaged with the school in meaningful ways. Their stories remind us that giving back doesn’t have to be grand or complicated—it simply starts with a desire to be part of something bigger.
Amanda’s commitment to service began early—literally at sunrise. As a sophomore, during one of the snowiest winters in New Hampshire history, she was up at 5 a.m. shoveling the walkways in front of Livermore Hall.
“One day I was grumbling about having to get up early, and my job leader said, ‘You’re getting up to shovel so the pantry can get to the kitchen on time to cook and serve food for everybody for breakfast,’” Amanda recalls. “I was like, okay,
Carry Holderness Forward
I can stop complaining. There are a lot more people involved in keeping this school running. I think something shifted in me when I heard that. I realized that this is what makes Holderness special.”
Decades later, Amanda continues to make a positive impact in our community. She volunteers as a Class Correspondent, hosts events at her Vermont home, and serves on the Parents Association. For Amanda, it’s all an extension of the values she absorbed as a student.
“The experience instilled a set of values in me that I still utilize today that are still really important to me: get outside every day, work with integrity, treat people how you want to be treated, and be a part of a community that you give back to,” she says. “Those core tenets are what I’ve carried with me since graduating.”
Laura’s journey at Holderness began in a different climate. Growing up in Bermuda, she had only seen snow
a few times before arriving in New Hampshire. But that didn’t stop her from diving into life on campus.
“I think I had only skated once or twice before, but it was great,” Laura says of joining the hockey team with her sister, Sarah (Cooper) Connell ’87. “Holderness opened up so many opportunities for me: the New Hampshire wilderness, Outward Bound—so many things that, on a small island, you’re not going to have offered to you.”
Now a Class Agent, Laura takes pride in staying connected to her classmates and encouraging participation in Day of Giving and Reunion. For her, it’s a way to stay grounded in a place that profoundly shaped her and her family.
“For me, nothing has felt better than feeling like I’m giving back to something that has meant so much to me,” Laura says.
Neither Amanda nor Laura equates giving back with making
a large financial donation. Both emphasize the importance—and the impact—of simply showing up.
“People can be intimidated because they think the only way to give back when you’re an alumnus is financially,” Amanda says. “I would hate for folks to feel that was a barrier to getting involved in the school. It can be as simple as sending a letter to your Class Correspondent sharing about what you’re doing in your life and how Holderness made an impact on the place that you’re at now.”
Laura agrees. “You don’t have to have any kind of special skill. You just have to have the compassion and love for the school,” she says. “A lot of it is just time and caring, and many hands make light work.”
For both women, the true reward is watching the next generation thrive in the same environment that helped shape their own lives.
“They all thrived, and they’re three completely different people,” Laura says of her daughters, all Holderness graduates. “Holderness isn’t just for one type of person. It definitely does attract those amazing downhill skiers. But you don’t have to be a skier to come here. You can be an incredibly smart kid and take all the AP classes and honors classes. Or you
can do something with theater. Or you can be a three-sport varsity athlete. There’s something for everyone.”
Amanda feels similarly as she watches her daughters, Charlotte ’27 and Lilly ’29, discover the same sense of belonging and growth she experienced. “The school’s ethos hasn’t changed in the 30 years since I went there,” she says. “The core values of the people who attend
this school are very similar, and the community fabric is just as strong.”
Holderness thrives because of volunteers like Amanda and Laura. Whether you’re interested in writing class notes, mentoring a student, helping with Reunion, or making phone calls on Day of Giving, there’s a place for you.
“There will always be something—I think Holderness will always find an opportunity, a way for you to help,” Laura says. “And I find it incredibly gratifying.” |
Thank you to the 200+ alumni and parent volunteers who shared their time, talents, and Holderness spirit during the 2024–25 school year. Our community is stronger because of you! Ready to join? We'd love to have you! Volunteer as a Class Agent or Correspondent, pitch in with the Parents Association, or help at events like Homecoming and Reunion. Email Carolyn Soucy, Director of Parent and Alumni Engagement, at csoucy@ holderness.org to learn more.
Amanda (Knox) Hoffman ’96 P ’27 ’29 with her daughter Charlotte ’27 and husband Tyler on campus during Fall Family Weekend.
Laura (Cooper) Page ’86 P ’20 ’22 ’25 during a visit to campus last spring.
Senior leaders prepare to welcome new students to campus on September 3, 2025.
