Isaura Resendiz (en español

Madelon and I took students to Costa Rica in the summer of 1987 and then four times to Buenos Aires, Argentina. In Buenos Aires, we were delighted to be joined by the eighteen Argentine students from our cross-cultural exchange program with whom we had already forged bonds of friendship. The visiting Argentine scholars enriched our whole MA community while attending classes with their MA student hosts. Some of the porteños (people from Buenos Aires) even did MA homework. I know that at least two former MA students are still in contact with their porteña families and have attended weddings there.

Glenn and I took students three times to the beautiful mountain town of Cuenca, Ecuador, where our young people lived with families for two weeks and attended small classes in conversation and culture. The last week in Equador we visited the Galapagos Islands and journeyed into the Amazon where biology classes and environmental issues were brought to life.

It seems that students who studied abroad with us improved their conversational skills in Spanish, having to use it daily in their homestays and participating in daily life. In addition, and probably even more importantly, they learned about the culture and made critical comparisons between what they knew at home and what they lived there.

Why study a second language?

Above all, students learning a world language (particularly learning it well with three or more years of study, as at MA) should lead to a more positive and respectful attitude towards other cultures and cultural diversity. Strong language programs don’t just study grammar (yikes!) and vocabulary. They explore cultural habits, geography, literature, history, the environment, art, and music. Most job applications ask if a job seeker speaks a second language, which is undoubtedly an asset in many fields and businesses. Here in California, increasingly a multilingual state, we have many opportunities to practice Spanish and use it in various fields. It’s a joy for language teachers to hear students report using their language skills outside the classroom, including travel.

What’s the difference between learning a language in a classroom and being immersed in that language for weeks or months?

In the MA World Language Department, students hear and speak the language daily, but it’s a somewhat formalized version, often slower than people usually talk. When students have the chance to be abroad and use it in a real-world context, it’s more challenging and rewarding when they realize they are communicating. I’ve relished seeing students smile with a sense of accomplishment when they understand and are understood.

Imagine you could wave a magic wand and make it, so every high school student senior in the United States had the opportunity to spend a month in a different county. How might our society be different?

Being exposed directly to another cultural and linguistic experience abroad makes everyone more open to other ideas and points of view, opening up horizons and closing the doors of prejudice. I believe professionals who have more experience abroad tend to be more open-minded.

Why did you create this scholarship?

I hope students have the chance to have the types of experiences that I had in Spain back in 1968 when I had the opportunity to live and breathe Spanish and Spanish culture almost exclusively. I feel I returned a fuller person, more knowledgeable and confident, and I hope that many MA students in the future share that experiential richness.

New Board Members

EMILY BRAKEBILL, a native San Franciscan, lives in San Francisco with her three kids, Benji, Sydney ’22, and Kelsey ’25. Emily is a Founding Partner, Head of Investor Relations, and Chief Operating Officer at HMI Capital, where she has been since its inception in 2009. HMI is an investment management firm with a long-term perspective seeking to invest in the highestquality growth businesses globally. Prior to HMI, Emily spent four years at a credit opportunity fund and previously held positions at other specialty finance, investment, and technology businesses. Emily received an A.B. with the highest honors from Stanford University and an MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School. Previously, Emily served for seven years on the National Board of Directors (including a three-year stint as Board Chair) for the nonprofit Kesem.

MARISA GOMEZ is English Department Chair and has taught a variety of English courses since she arrived at MA in 2018. Marisa has also served as a faculty advisor to Echoes, as a coordinator for Lit Fest, and as a member of the Teacher Competencies PLC. Marisa received her Bachelor of Arts degree at Texas Christian University and her Master’s Degree in Private School Leadership as a Klingenstein Fellow at Teachers College/Columbia University. Marisa began her teaching career in her hometown of Fort Worth, Texas, where she taught in public and independent schools. She has also lived and worked in Brooklyn, New York, where she served as the English Department Chair at Poly Prep Country Day School prior to joining the MA faculty. Given her career as an English teacher, it is probably no surprise that one of Marisa's favorite pastimes is reading. She also enjoys hiking through national parks, strolling through art museums, and visiting family and friends who live all over the country.

DAVID COREY lives in San Francisco and is a parent of Rei '25 and Teagan. David is a Senior Managing Director at Blackstone where he is Chief Operating Officer of Blackstone Strategic Partners, which he joined in 2001. David earned a B.A. from Northwestern University and a J.D. from the University of California at Berkeley.

SPENCER WANG is the Chief Investment Officer for JSW, LLC. He serves on the Board of Directors for Inclined, China Live, the Marin Health Foundation, and First Tee of San Francisco. He has also been actively involved in the past with Family House. Prior, Spencer was the CIO and co-PM for Seasons Capital, a San Francisco-based hedge fund. He started his hedge fund career at Pequot Capital, the world's largest hedge fund at the time, before joining the technology team at Pequot in the spin-off that became known as Andor Capital. He graduated from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. An avid basketball fan, Spencer recently retired from the ranks of coaching both the basketball and softball teams of his two daughters. He resides in Tiburon with his wife, daughters, and pet dog Curry.

SIGGY STRACK and his wife, Denise, live in Kentfield and are the parents of MA graduates Katrina '15 and Nicki '17, current MA student Lexi '24, and younger siblings Tina, Heidi, and Mattias. Siggy oversees a series of private investment funds at Trinity Alps Capital and previously led private equity and venture investments at Willett Advisors, the family investment office of Michael Bloomberg. Siggy started his career in management consulting at McKinsey & Company and holds an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley.

SCOTT MOLLETT '99 is a Marin Academy graduate and lives in Oakland with his wife and two daughters. He is a corporate attorney focusing on transactional work and corporate governance. He currently works at CSAA Insurance, a AAA insurer, and was previously a partner in a boutique law firm and an associate at several major firms. He has published in academic journals and was a Visiting Assistant Professor at Fordham Law School. Scott graduated with an AB from Dartmouth College, a JD from Stanford Law School, and was a Fulbright Fellow at Kobe University. He is an active alumnus serving on the Alumni Board as Secretary.

2022-23 Board of Trustees

Paul Levitan

(Chair)

Marie Lyons

(Vice-Chair)

Lisa Hauswirth

(Vice-Chair)

Mandy Tachiki

(Vice-Chair)

Robert Brown

(Vice-Chair)

Travis Brownley

(Head of School)

Ari Blum

Emily Brakebill Tad Buchanan

David Corey Sarah Byrne Lorri Durbin

Brighid Dwyer Jessica Eisler

Marisa Gomez

Erica Hunt

Rachel Kernodle Christina Kosmowski

Jason Lee

Scott Mollett

Florencia Parada

Isaura Resendiz

Ali Rezaian

David Riley Ed Sarti

Siggy Strack Spencer Wang

"Basketball Fever" by Max U. '22 "Gold Star" by Chase F. '23

2022 Student Art Spotlight

TO SEE MORE IMAGES, PLEASE VISIT MA.ORG/ARTS

"Arsonists" by Max U. '22

"Double Exposure" by Everett R. '23 Aoife R. '24