Within these pages, you will discover some of the ways Miss Porter’s School embraces artificial intelligence (AI) as we deliver transformational education to girls. We chose to create the magazine cover and other images using generative, design-prompted AI. Moth Design partnered with us to navigate the ethics of this innovative approach and bring our creative vision to life. The resulting illustrations reflect our commitment to preparing girls to become impactful leaders in our increasingly digital world.
Diane R. Johnson Grant, DrPH, MPH Chief Communications and Public Health Officer
Letter from Katherine G. Windsor, Ed.D. Head of School
Embracing the Future With AI
Editor’s note:
Miss Porter’s School has fully embraced the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for this edition of the Bulletin, including the front cover, interior illustrations and, for the first time, the head of school letter. We approached this greeting in much the same way as we did the design: The written content was generated using a combination of Gemini AI and ChatGPT. We gave the generative AI programs a series of prompts, including past HOS letters and humanauthored articles from this edition, and continually refined the outputs. The final iteration of the HOS letter was reviewed and proofed in accordance with our standard editorial process.
In 1843, Sarah Porter envisioned a future where women would be impactful global citizens, equipped to shape a changing world. Today that vision resonates more profoundly than ever as we navigate a world increasingly influenced by (AI).
At Miss Porter’s School, we remain committed to our mission of educating girls to be bold, informed, resourceful and ethical leaders in this new landscape.
This edition of the Bulletin explores how Porter’s is embracing AI, not as a replacement for human intellect but as a powerful tool to enhance learning and empower our students. As you will discover, AI offers unprecedented opportunities for collaboration, creativity and problem-solving across various disciplines. Our students are actively engaging with AI to expand their understanding, from using AI-powered tools in Latin class to exploring the ethical implications of AI’s growth.
However, with these advancements come important considerations. Just as Sarah Porter instilled in her students a strong moral compass, we too must emphasize
the ethical use of AI. To that end, we have developed an AI guidance document for both students and faculty. This document, shared across our community, will serve as a road map for navigating AI with integrity and discernment, ensuring that we harness its potential responsibly. It will help us cultivate critical thinking, emphasize the importance of authentic voices and address the challenges of misinformation.
Porter’s has always been a place where girls can experiment, innovate and develop the skills to thrive. Whether it’s through our enriched STEAM courses, technology clubs or exploration of AI’s impact on society, we are dedicated to providing an education that is both rigorous and relevant.
As we move forward, we do so with the same spirit of boldness and vision that defined our founder. By embracing AI thoughtfully and ethically, we will continue to empower our students to shape the changing world around them.
In this issue
Ancient Profile
Sarah Penndorf ’99 is catalyzing net-zero action at Google and beyond.
Donor Profile
Janet Bailey’s philanthropy is creating more opportunities for girls.
Building girls’ agency to be changemakers Liz Schmitt’s purpose and passion at Porter’s.
Seen & Heard
A look at memorable moments on campus.
Head of School
A letter from Head of School Dr. Katherine G. Windsor.
Sneak Peek In the library with Fiona York.
Faculty News
What our faculty members have been learning, doing and presenting.
Remembrances 52 Then & Now Past meets present.
How student clubs animate STEM learning
Looking Back A sampling of Ancient events. 43 Class Notes
What a Porter’s education means to students
Seniors reflect on the experiences that have shaped their growth.
Advancing AI efficacy and ethics
How Porter’s is preparing girls for our evolving digital future.
CREATIVE MINDS AT WORK
Art making under the sun one of the highlights of 2024 Community Day.
Students enjoying a break
Students examine blood spatter patterns in the lab during forensics class.
FALL 2024 DEMONSTRATIONS OF LEARNING
The student head of academics for the Nova Nine delivers opening remarks.
GETTING CREATIVE
In the art studio, Art and Mathematics Teacher Eileen Mooney guides a student in developing her painting.
Evidence of Mastery
Faculty and students engage in Demonstrations of Learning as students “show what they know.”
THESPIANS IN TRAINING
Drama students from the fall semester, who enjoyed seeing professional shows and conducting staged readings for audiences.
Miss Porter’s
Aurora Borealis delights
The Northern Lights made a rare appearance above Farmington, painting the sky with its dazzling colors.
Having a doggone good time with a visiting therapy canine friend from Tails of Joy.
Triptych talent
A student shares artwork she completed for the course Advanced Interdisciplinary Seminar Professional Experience: Art and Culture.
PUPPY LOVE
PORTER’S GOT TALENT
Community spirit ran high as students performed in this annual talent showcase.
STATE OF PLAY
Students and community members got their game on at the Mahjong Fantastic tournament.
Students present their research findings to their peers and faculty members.
Bolstering tomorrow’s changemakers
In today’s complex world, the transformational education delivered by Miss Porter’s School has never been more important. By fostering critical thinking, teamwork, communication, digital smarts and active citizenship, Porter’s equips girls with the ability to meaningfully shape a rapidly changing world. In this collection of articles, students and teachers share how the forward-thinking education at Porter’s is cultivating the next generation of bold, resourceful and ethical change-makers for the future.
What a Porter’s education means to students
As members of the Second Head of School Committee at Miss Porter’s School, Margaret Fennebresque ’25, Fiona Gosk ’25, June Liu ’25, Sara Omar ’25 and Anna Risoli ’25 help advance philanthropic support to strengthen academic and extracurricular activities that enrich students’ learning experiences. In conversation with Director of Parent and Alumnae Engagement Alexandra Muchura-Mensah P’23, P’27, they reflect on the issues they care about most, the qualities that are key to personal and professional success, and how their education at Porter’s is promoting their personal growth and readiness for the future.
June Liu ’25, member of the Second Head of School Committee.
What do you see as the main competencies girls need today for career success?
AR Being able to engage in crosscultural communication, especially in a global setting, whether with classmates from around the world or through the global experiences that Porter’s offers. I’ve learned at Porter’s how to suspend my own judgment and be part of a diverse community of young women.
SO Emotional intelligence is vital, as well as self-awareness, collaboration skills, leadership abilities and resilience. Something I learned in my Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies (AIS) Art of the Argument English course was how to deal with conflict, which is such an important skill. Because our world is changing so rapidly, we also need to be adaptable.
JL Not being afraid to talk about difficult topics, such as racism, gender inequality and political polarization. Porter’s encourages us to have difficult conversations about these topics, and I think that has been very important to my personal development.
FG We should feel empowered to use our voice. As Anna mentioned, we should listen and be open to different cultural perspectives, and want to understand what other people may be thinking or where their ideas are coming from.
MF Knowledge of self is a key competency, especially in regard to one’s leadership style. I think, as women, we all are very different in how we lead, and it’s important that we know what is most effective for each of us and how we can make the biggest impact.
Director of Parent and Alumnae Engagement Alexandra Muchura-Mensah P’23, P’27.
Which key qualities do girls need to develop to advance positive social change?
SO Confidence, empathy, resilience and grit. Having confidence to use your voice and be a strong woman. Compared to [what I was like in] my freshman year at Porter’s, I’ve become much more self-confident. Understanding other people’s perspectives is also essential to having the confidence to build bridges and foster community.
AR Resilience. Being resilient means you’re able to work through obstacles and ask those around you for support. Resilience doesn’t always mean you have to plow through everything to get where you’re going. Sometimes it means stopping and reflecting and learning from those around you.
MF Staying principled. As individuals, we all have different beliefs, values and morals, and not everything in the outside world is going to fit with them. We need to stay true to ourselves and what we believe in.
JL Critical thinking skills and a healthy skepticism about the way things are. To advance positive change, questioning current systems and norms is necessary.
What
are the main societal challenges or issues you would like to address?
FG I want to help people understand the importance of the environment. Many of my problems have been solved through nature. Every Sunday, my parents would take my family hiking, and we’d always have the best conversations. The world does not necessarily have to be made out of concrete. It can also be made out of beautiful flowers and trees and foliage.
AR I think about how we become informed at a time when information can spread quickly all over the world. Something we’ve been focusing on in my AIS International Human Rights history course is how the overconsumption of media can desensitize people to problems. How can we become more intentional about what we see and hear? How do we mindfully take in information and respond?
“Emotional intelligence is vital, as well as selfawareness, collaboration skills, leadership abilities and resilience.”
— SARA OMAR ’25
SO Something I think about a lot is people’s health. I’m writing an op-ed about the controversy surrounding vaccines, how they’re actually extremely important to people’s health, and how misinformation makes people more hesitant to get vaccinated. Educating people with the right information is super important.
MF Climate change. I am interested in how animal agriculture contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, so I would study that issue and work to inform the community about the different lifestyle choices they can make to better support the environment.
“Staying principled. As individuals, we all have different beliefs, values and morals, and not everything in the outside world is going to fit with them. We need to stay true to ourselves and what we believe in.”
MARGARET FENNEBRESQUE ’25
How has your Porter’s education helped you develop your ability to positively impact the world?
FG Last year, when I took the science course Oceanography: Marine Science and Ocean Life, we learned about ocean policy, how cruise ship discharges affect marine life and the impact people can make in this field. It propelled me to take the science course Freshwater Ecology: Unique Properties of Water this year, where we are focusing on the environmental issues relating to the Farmington Watershed.
SO When I took the Anatomy and Physiology science course in my junior year, it was eye-opening. It encouraged my friends and me to create the Porter’s MD Medical Interest student club. We have been able to do sessions on learning to suture, and we want to introduce CPR certification classes on campus and fundraise for local hospitals. That all stemmed from one class, which was really meaningful for me.
AR I’ve always had an interest in global studies, and that developed into a curiosity about international relations. I’ve been lucky to work as a fellow for Porter’s virtual Global Seminar Series, which gives girls from around the world an opportunity to connect and discuss pressing global issues in their own communities.
MF In my Forensics course, we focused on the criminal justice system and its different biases and inequalities, particularly regarding race. Two presenters from the American Civil Liberties Union who are both formerly incarcerated told their stories. As well, we read the book “Just Mercy” by Bryan Stevenson, a lawyer who defends disadvantaged people. These experiences were impactful because they allowed me to understand these social issues beyond the media headlines.
JL A course that had an impact on me was AIS Art of the Argument. One assignment was to write an op-ed, and I tackled the topic of pervasive bias and racism against Asian women. Being able to articulate something that I’ve felt strongly about for a long time was empowering. It gave me more confidence in myself to tackle these complex and nuanced subjects.
What do you think it will take for you to succeed after you graduate from Porter’s?
AR Porter’s led to a big jump in my growth. I have a language-based learning disability, and I struggled a lot in my early educational development. I never thought I would become someone who is passionate about reading, writing and math, because it didn’t seem achievable. But now I feel empowered and ready to further explore my interests.
MF At Porter’s, I’ve found my voice and become more confident in myself. I’m grateful to be in an environment that’s uplifted me and values my voice. Going into the greater world, I feel more ready to address issues and work with others because I know my leadership style and what my values are.
FG At Porter’s, there’s an emphasis on uplifting everybody’s ideas and recognizing that people are going to make different contributions. Being able to see how people come to a solution in different ways has been enlightening and an insight I want to carry with me into the future.
Margaret Fennebresque ’25, member of the Second Head of School Committee.
“These skills are crucial as we move into an increasingly digitized and globalized world where algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) are making decisions and there is a wealth of information — not all of it accurate — at everyone’s fingertips.”
—J. HUR-SHIU
WEBB, MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT CHAIR
Engaging students in future-forward education
At Miss Porter’s School, educators strive to help students build vital life and career skills, including problem-solving, critical thinking and collaboration. Mathematics Department Chair J. Hur-shiu Webb says these abilities are essential for students to effectively maneuver and excel in our increasingly high-tech world.
“These skills are crucial as we move into an increasingly digitized and globalized world where algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) are making decisions and there is a wealth of information not all of it accurate at everyone’s fingertips,” says Webb, who this year is teaching the Precalculus, Advanced Interdisciplinary Seminar (AIS) Calculus 1, AIS Calculus 2 and Geometry courses.
Recognizing the ongoing rise of generative AI in society, Webb engages students in using the technology for learning activities such as producing math problems to include in a study guide and examining AI-generated math equations. She also incorporates the use of interactive website applications to provide more meaningful ways for students to practice diverse math functions.
“Rather than prioritizing discrete mathematical skills, we prioritize the broader skills we want them to hold on to forever,” Webb says. “Problem-solving, constructing an argument with relevant and concrete evidence, and working with others are timeless skills.”
These evergreen abilities are also emphasized by Science and Technology Department Chair Mary Jo “MJ” Moulton, who this year is teaching Conceptual Physics, General Biology, Anatomy & Physiology and AIS Biology.
Moulton focuses on building students’ science communication and literacy skills by ensuring they understand how scientific knowledge is created, how to support their scientific discoveries with evidence, and how to articulate their findings clearly and concisely.
“We want them to be strong critical thinkers who can question both what they read and the stakeholders that are inherently a part of science and innovation,” says Moulton, who last year was honored with the Sarah Porter Excellence in Teaching Award.
Bolstering
Moulton says science education at Porter’s also prepares girls for the future through assignments in physics, biology, chemistry and other subjects, such as writing a grant proposal to investigate a pressing research problem or studying novel materials that could make our world more effective and efficient. She notes that with all classwork, students are guided in conducting research in an ethical way.
With today’s youth destined to face the challenges posed by intensifying climate change, Moulton lauds Porter’s decision several years ago to provide mandatory ninth grade education in environmental lab science. Later, she says, students get to hone their environmental advocacy skills through AIS Environmental Science, where they have an opportunity to role-play as United Nations members seeking to advance climate change policies.
To make learning relevant to our digital times, Moulton incorporates the use of AI into research and writing tasks. Students use AI tools to summarize peer-reviewed
scientific journal articles, generate information sources for a paper and assess their validity, and develop a written introduction for a lab report and critique its quality.
“AI is becoming an increasingly prominent part of our world,” Moulton says. “It’s important for students to become adept at using these technologies and in ways that support the development of their writing, reading, research and other key skills.”
“It’s important for students to become adept at using these technologies — and in ways that support the development of their writing, reading, research and other key skills.”
— MARY JO “MJ” MOULTON, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT CHAIR
What our faculty members have been learning, doing and presenting.
In October, Director of Dance Tessa Hailu obtained her Master of Fine Arts in dance from Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia. Also, her paper “Redesigning Private Dance Studio Education to Better Prepare the Future Dancer” was published last November in the journal Dance Education in Practice. The article and cover featured photos of dance students at Miss Porter’s School.
Cathie Hillian, P’25, P’27, associate director of counseling, completed three years of service on the Watertown Board of Education in Watertown, Connecticut. She was also recently appointed secretary of the executive committee on the board of directors of PROUD Academy, a safe and inclusive school for LGBTQ+ students in New Haven, Connecticut.
Latin Teacher Maureen Lamb, M.Ed., was a featured speaker at the Quizlet Unconference and led three sessions: “Language Deep Dive,” “Lesson Planning With Artificial Intelligence (AI)” and “Speed Hacks.” At the Conference in the Cloud for Comprehensible Input, she delivered two webinars: “Novel Ideas for Novellas” and “Differentiation and AI.” She also delivered a webinar on AI and academic integrity for Wayside Publishing. She also served as a principal examiner for paper 1 for the 2024 International Baccalaureate Latin exam.
In January, Eileen Mooney, Ph.D., mathematics and art teacher, had artwork accepted into the winter 2025 juried exhibition at the Blue Mountain Gallery in New York City. She also had artwork featured in the winter 2025 exhibition “In Black & White, 50 Artists/50 Works,” a member show of the Bowery Gallery in New York City.
“Untitled Numbers and Letters 3,” alcohol ink on yupo paper, 9 inches by 12 inches, 2024, by Eileen Mooney.
“Untitled Numbers and Letters,” oil on panel, 16 inches by 20 inches, 2024, by Eileen Mooney.
Sophie Paris, director of Porter’s Center for Global Leadership and Auxiliary Programs, was appointed secretary of the board of directors of the Global Education Benchmark Group (GEBC ) for a two-year term beginning on July 1, 2024. Additionally, the GEBG endorsed Miss Porter’s School for meeting its Global Education Standards. This distinction, held by only a few schools nationwide, reflects Porter’s commitment to providing students with a rigorous global education curriculum.
Last July, Timothy Quinn, Ed.D., chief academic officer and dean of faculty, organized and facilitated the Porter’s Center for Global Leadership workshop, From Vision to Reality: What It Takes to Implement Bold Changes in Independent Schools. The two-day event attracted more than 40 independent school leaders from across the country who learned how to overcome obstacles to achieving bold, progressive change at their institutions.
Art Department Chair Grier de Langley Torrence, P’21, P’23, MFA, had his artwork “Forevermore” featured in “Being Human,” a summer 2024 exhibition at the Painting Center in New York City. Another painting, “Hill-Stead,” joined the collection of the Farmington Historical Society. Last fall, his paintings were part of a one-person show that took place at the Kohn-Joseloff Gallery at Cheshire Academy in Cheshire, Connecticut.
Head of School Dr. Katherine G. Windsor; Chief Financial and Operating Officer Michael Bergin, P’19, MBA; and Dean of Curriculum & Instruction Nelle Andrews, P’22, MA, presented at the 2024 Mastery Transcript Consortium Symposium last September in Denver, Colorado. The presentation Mission-Driven, Student-Centered School Change focused on ways to effectively approach school change and engage students in the school-improvement process.
“Forevermore,” oil on linen, 48 inches by 50 inches, 2023, by Grier de Langley Torrence.
Advancing AI efficacy and ethics
As artificial technology (AI) continues to fundamentally transform how we live, work and play, educational practices at Miss Porter’s School are evolving to optimally prepare students for this new future.
Generative AI uses sophisticated algorithms to analyze vast quantities of data and encode their complex patterns and sophisticated associations. It then uses that information to produce original, human-like text, images, video and other forms of data in response to user queries. Latin teacher Maureen Lamb, who also consults and speaks about technology in education, wrote in her article “Tomorrow’s Workforce: Why AI Fluency Is Essential in Education” for the 2024-25 Education Guide that educators must recognize the inevitability of generative AI and must model to their students how to use it ethically and effectively.
“There are very few industries that are not affected by AI,” says Lamb, whose previous position at the Ethel Walker School included dean of academic technology and innovative pedagogy. “I think making students aware of that, and supporting them in making good use of these tools, is going to be incredibly important going forward.”
“AI is going to be a part of everyday life much more than anything we’ve seen in 25 years. Students are able to think about how AI is going to transform their lives and society in the coming years and how they can use these digital tools to enhance — not replace — their abilities so that they can be a productive part of this change.”
—Technology and policy professional J. Michael McQuade P’11
Lamb helps her students recognize the value of generative AI as a collaborative partner for academic functions such as ideation, brainstorming, summarization and studying. But she prioritizes cultivating students’ confidence in their own creative expression so they don’t use AI as a substitute for their authentic voice.
“When students try to have AI speak for them, they’re doing a disservice to themselves,” she says. “We want them to understand that expression is not about being perfect and polished right away. We should teach them to honor the iterative process of expressing themselves and to be proud of their work.”
In her classroom, Lamb engages students in learning activities involving the use of diverse generative AI tools. Students use the AI image and video generation functions of graphic design platform Canva to develop multimedia presentations, and they take part in Latin Q&A sessions with Mizou, a chatbot that supports them in responding in original ways. They also conduct
research for assignments using Perplexity, an AIpowered answer engine that, unlike many other AI tools, provides sources for the information it generates, which Lamb says is vital for helping students detect and avoid hallucinations false or nonsensical information that generative AI sometimes produces.
One key AI skill that Lamb focuses on in the classroom is crafting effective AI prompts to achieve precise, meaningful results. To support students in these efforts, she encourages them to use a checklist she developed with the acronym CLEAR : Ensure clarity in the wording of your question; indicate your preferred layout for the information (e.g., narrative text, list or table); provide examples of the kind of information you’re seeking; indicate how you aim to use the data; and ensure relevance by including the audience for the information.
The ways in which Porter’s creates opportunities for girls to become competent AI users has been supported by the expert advice of J. Michael McQuade P’11, a seasoned technology and policy professional who is a former trustee of Porter’s and a current member of Men of Porter’s, an affinity group for fathers of current and former students who provide Ancients with career support.
“It’s extremely helpful and important that Porter’s gives students opportunities to think about how all of these new digital tools enhance their ability, not replace their ability, to excel at school and, later, in life,” says McQuade, who directs the Program on Emerging Technology, Scientific Advancement and Global Policy at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School.
McQuade has shared his extensive industry-informed insights on technological trends with leaders at Porter’s to support current, meaningful learning. He commends Porter’s for its focus on allowing students to experiment with AI and other technologies in a variety of ways whether through teacher-led learning activities across diverse academic subjects; enriched STEAM courses in areas such as digital game design, mobile app
development, augmented reality and robotics; the school’s signature Certificate in Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship; or its multiple technology-focused clubs and teams.
“What Miss Porter’s School gets right is that it provides students with as many opportunities as possible to try these tools. They become much better at thinking about the possibilities for using AI,” says McQuade, who is the parent of current Porter’s trustee Maura McQuade ’11. “AI is going to be a part of everyday life much more than anything we’ve seen in 25 years. Students are able to think about how AI is going to transform their lives and society in the coming years and how they can use these digital tools to enhance not replace their abilities so that they can be a productive part of this change.”
Fiona York
With its tasteful New England décor, comfortable couches and ample sunlight, the M. Burch Tracy Ford Library at Miss Porter’s School is an enticing space for students to peruse course-related texts, complete assignments or get lost in a novel.
Head librarian Fiona York researches book titles to assess their literary quality and ageappropriateness and ensures the 15,000+ book collection fulfills Porter’s aim to advance diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging on campus.
“Books are a powerful way to process things, and some have really changed me as a person. I want students to enjoy the same opportunity,” says York, who stays current in her work by attending the annual New England Association of Independent School Librarians conference.
York creates meaningful reading experiences by designing thoughtful book displays relating to the annual Prescott speaker, Black History Month and National Book Award winners. She also hosts drop-in book talks and runs a summer reading competition.
York also teaches AIS Capstone: Ready to Shape a Changing World, in which she guides grade 12 students in completing an independent research project on a timeless question or pressing problem. She is also a writing coach who supports students with completing writing assignments and, for seniors, drafting compelling essays for their college applications.
“The students here are so motivated to learn. I love working with them to develop their original voice as a writer,” she says. “I want them to understand that writing and reading are helpful skills, no matter which field they pursue.”
01 MADE WITH LOVE
A cherished handmade mug gifted to Fiona by a student.
02 COMFY COUCH
Where confabs take place between Fiona and students.
03 LIFE IN ACTION
A photo of Fiona’s daughter atop her notebook and glasses.
04 CLASSIC TUNES
A vintage jukebox adds an olden days vibe.
05 DIVERSE TALENT
Books Fiona curated for a Celebration of Identity event.
HOW STUDENT CLUBS ANIMATE STEM LEARNING
On most weekday afternoons throughout this academic year, the Porter’s Innovation Lab (iLab) has been bustling with the creative energy of students on a mission. In this ideation and maker space in the Ann Whitney Olin Arts and Science Center, Julia Koontz ’25 and two other students on the Robotics Team have hatched plans and documented them on whiteboards. They carefully developed and refined purposeful lines of computer software code. And they used a laser cutter, a 3D printer and drills to transform raw materials into useful forms. After months of conceptualizing, designing and building, the students achieved their goal: devising a functional android to perform in a local robotics competition for middle and high school students.
“I think it’s lovely how many opportunities we have at Porter’s for girls to get involved with technology, either for the first time or to continue their passion.”
—Julia Koontz ’25, leader of two technology clubs
“The most rewarding part of this process has been seeing the robot fill itself out,” says Koontz, who founded the Robotics Team this year and serves as its captain. “It’s an opportunity to tap into something we are truly passionate about and develop it at school.”
For Porter’s, providing enriching extracurricular opportunities for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education is an important priority. Students enjoy ample access to experiences, facilities and professional guidance that can nurture their technical knowledge and know-how, which today are vital to diverse career paths. This is key as gender inequity persists in this employment domain, with the National Science Foundation reporting in 2021 that women make up only about one-third of those employed in such occupations. Porter’s is keen to ensure girls gain the self-assuredness needed to follow their STEM-related passions.
“Any and all career paths benefit from exposure to computer programming and design thinking,” says John Bryk, a math teacher who is also part
of Porter’s Institute of Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (TIE) faculty. “It’s worthwhile to demystify technology so you know what it’s capable of and how it can be applied to your career, your organization and our society as a whole.”
Bryk and his TIE colleagues shape and facilitate technology-related education and extracurricular activities at Porter’s. They deliver mandatory and elective courses as well as a certificate program focused on science, computer programming, digital literacy, engineering, entrepreneurship and related subjects. Outside of the classroom, the institute runs multiple technology-related after-school programs that engage students in interactive, project-based technology experiences. TIE also hosts the iLab, which makes available to students printers; laser engravers; microcontrollers; computer-aided design, or CAD, workstations; and a machine shop for working with wood, metal and plastic.
ROBOTICS TEAM MEMBERS
JULIA KOONTZ ’25 AND DECHEN SHINGSAR ’26 BUILDING AN ANDROID FOR A LOCAL ROBOTICS COMPETITION.
Understanding how the ongoing underrepresentation of women in STEM fields creates a disadvantage for girls, Bryk is keen to foster an environment in which students feel comfortable exploring and honing their technological interests.
“Porter’s is a place where our students can experiment, fail and try again without any sort of value judgment placed on them,” Bryk says. “Through extracurricular activities, students can relieve themselves of the pressure of assessment and truly lean in to authentic experiences in design thinking.”
Bryk is also the faculty advisor to other technology clubs at Porter’s, providing students with access to information and resources as well as administrative support. Aside from the Robotics Team, he advises Tech4All, a general tech-focused club that runs computer coding competitions; the Game Dev Club, where students learn how to code video games; and the AI and Robotics Club. This last club is led by Chloe Guan ’26, a junior who cofounded the club last year as a way to explore how the growth of AI will influence society.
“AI is becoming more present and integrated in our lives, and I think it’s very interesting to think about how it will impact human life, jobs and relationships in the future,” says Guan, who enjoys making art with technology themes.
CHLOE GUAN ’26 DESIGNED AND PROGRAMMED THIS INTERACTIVE ART
PIECE A MOTION SENSOR ACTIVATES DIFFERENT LIGHT PANELS ACCORDING TO THE VIEWER’S HAND MOVEMENTS.
Members of the AI and Robotics Club meet once or twice a semester in the iLAB to discuss their views on AI tools and trends. Guan says a field trip is also being planned so students can explore the broad range of technology artifacts and displays at the MIT Museum in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She adds that the club is looking to engage speakers who will deliver seminars on topical AI subjects and to partner on initiatives with other Porter’s tech clubs.
The Game Dev Club, which Koontz also leads, involves members meeting monthly to either play video games together or learn how to build their own games by watching web tutorials on simple computer coding programs such as Scratch or Unity. Koontz says the club members are aiming to share their expertise in the community by teaching beginner coding skills to students at a nearby middle and high school for girls.
“I think it’s lovely how many opportunities we have at Porter’s for girls to get involved with technology, either for the first time or to continue their passion,” says Koontz, who plans to study computer science at university this fall. “I have so much gratitude for being able to gain these skills and have these experiences.”
“Porter’s is a place where our students can experiment, fail and try again without any sort of value judgment placed on them.”
John Bryk, Faculty Advisor of Game Dev Club, AI and Robotics Club
With climate change becoming an increasingly urgent concern for humanity, more and more businesses are working to shrink their carbon footprint and find opportunities for growth. Among the key players supporting their efforts is longtime environmental champion Sarah Penndorf ’99.
dorf ’99
Penndorf is an executive at Google who is helping to realize the company’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2030. The company understands that achieving carbon neutrality is a collective effort, and so Penndorf’s job is to improve how other businesses set and achieve targets to minimize their greenhouse gas emissions and optimize their positive impact.
“At Google, we think about how to drive impact beyond our own carbon-reduction approaches and drive transformative change in the ecosystem of companies we work with,” says Penndorf, the senior lead for climate standards and advocacy.
Historically, Penndorf says, organizations wanting to use less fossil fuel-based energy have relied on practices and metrics established decades ago at a time when access to data and solutions was more limited. Since that time, the climate crisis has intensified and governments have introduced new mitigation regulations, which has created a need for a more professional, evidence-based approach to setting climate standards.
“When companies invest hundreds of millions of dollars into sustainability practices, they need to make sure they are spending those dollars according to rules that are robust and durable,” Penndorf says. “It’s time to elevate the governance and scientific integrity of how we create climate standards, so companies of all maturity levels can achieve their environmental ambitions.”
Penndorf’s own environmental ambitions took shape in her earliest years while playing in the backyard of her family’s modest home in West Hartford, Connecticut, where she fashioned mini-bridges out of popsicle sticks to help worms cross puddles. Her lifelong vegetarianism was sparked at age 10 after reading about the harmful practices of the meat industry. Meanwhile, cycling the wooded trails of the nearby reservoir inspired her lifelong love of nature. Her working-class parents’ encouragement to reuse and not waste, she adds, helped shape her conservation ethic.
At Miss Porter’s School, she found an ideal outlet for her curiosity about nature through courses in biology, chemistry and environmental science. In the latter, she recalls conducting an in-depth study of lichen as an air quality indicator, a project that involved measuring levels of the plantlike organism near the Farmington River and in other parts of campus. She says her academic success was nurtured by teachers who valued her input and promoted her independence.
“Having access to such a strong science education provided me with an excellent foundation and confidence to continue my learning in this area.”
“Having access to such a strong science education provided me with an excellent foundation and confidence to continue my learning in this area,” says Penndorf, who later earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental science at Connecticut College and a master’s degree in environmental studies at Brown University. “I felt so heard and respected at Porter’s. I was treated like someone with an independent mind who mattered.”
A desire to advance environmentally responsible corporate practices has shaped most of Penndorf’s career. She was previously a senior leader at a startup organization that used consumer activism to reward environmentally and socially responsible businesses.
“I feel very comfortable in ambiguous situations, and I tie a lot of that back to Porter’s the independence and critical thinking skills I developed, and the confidence to trust my intellect, ideas and creativity.”
Before joining Google in 2021, she was a director at an environmental consulting firm, where she guided the carbon-reduction and renewable energy strategies of Fortune 500 companies.
In her work at Google, Penndorf collaborates with nongovernmental organizations, academics, business leaders and policymakers to better understand the gaps and opportunities in the climate standard-setting landscape. She engaged University of Oxford business and public policy scholar Karthik Ramanna to study the subject, which led to his April 2024 paper, “The Governance Playbook for Climate Standard Setting,” a practical resource for improving the strategic clarity and procedural effectiveness of organizations operating in this space.
Facilitating the publication of this first-of-its-kind guidebook, and the resulting momentum it has created in climate standard-setting practices, has been a proud accomplishment for Penndorf. It’s one that also inspires personal hope for Penndorf and her husband that
their two young children may experience a cleaner, greener future. In the meantime, they are passing on their love of nature through regular family outings to the mountains, beaches and forests near their home in the San Francisco Bay Area.
As Penndorf continues to navigate the complexities of mitigating climate change, she leans into the vital competencies that she says were first fostered at Farmington.
“At Google, employees are encouraged to become comfortable with navigating ambiguity dealing with big, multidisciplinary problems without clearcut answers,” she says. “I feel very comfortable in these kinds of situations, and I tie a lot of that back to Porter’s the independence and critical thinking skills I developed, and the confidence to trust my intellect, ideas and creativity.”
Editor’s note: Ms. Penndorf transitioned out of her role at Google in March 2025.
Theopportunity to pursue a transformational high school education at Miss Porter’s School is extending to more promising girls, thanks to a new philanthropic gift made by a champion of the school. Janet Bailey, a former Farmington resident, established two new funds in 2024 for qualified students with financial need. The Janet and Sam Bailey Scholarship covers the selected students’ tuition fees, while Janet’s Daisies Fund provides resources to enhance their campus experience.
“Porter’s is such a highly regarded school, and this is such a great opportunity for girls with potential to change their lives in a positive way,” says Bailey, who now lives in both Vero Beach, Florida, and Nantucket, Massachusetts.
Helping promising girls achieve a bright future is a passion for Bailey. Over the years, she has informally provided material and moral support to nine girls from Hartford, Connecticut, whom she met through her volunteering at a local elementary school and through Boys and Girls Club. She financially sponsored four to attend Porter’s, one of whom was a fourth grade student participating in a tutorial program at her church. Struck by her intelligence and outgoing personality, the Baileys provided tuition support for the student to attend Renbrook School, an elite elementary and middle school in Connecticut, and later Porter’s, where she joined the varsity swim team and served her class as a member of the Nova Nine. The student later pursued a bachelor’s
Janet Bailey
Local philanthropist invests in Miss Porter’s girls
degree in international studies and a master’s degree in social work from an Ivy League institution. This now-Ancient works in college counseling and wellness at her college alma mater.
The Baileys have supported three other Porter’s girls over the past 20 years. One earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and Hispanic studies and a master’s degree in social work, another achieved a bachelor’s degree in psychology and educational studies, and a master’s degree in social work, and the third just completed a Ph.D. in social work. Notably, all of these women have gone on to build careers in which they give to others completing full-circle moments in each of their lives.
The Baileys, who have two sons, not only opened their wallets but their hearts to these girls. As each one grew, they formed tight bonds with Bailey, and most joined her family for Christmas celebrations and holidays in Nantucket. Sam Bailey, a lawyer, also generously provided some of the girls and their families legal advice when needed.
“Watching these girls develop and become successful in their careers as well as confident young ladies has brought Sam and me continued pleasure,” Bailey says.
“I’m a huge believer in how girls’ education will change the world. We could not be more proud of the educational opportunities MPS has provided.”
Building girls’ agency to be changemakers
LIZ SCHMITT CHIEF ENROLLMENT AND STUDENT AFFAIRS OFFICER
“
Since 1843, Miss Porter’s School has sought to be the educational institution of consequence for girls and has a distinguished track record of opening doors to opportunities for young women. Fulfilling this purpose requires evolving in step with the complex trends affecting our society, culture, economy and environment. In our globalized, fast-paced and hyper-digital era, the school continues to innovate in order to optimally prepare girls to take their place as the leaders of tomorrow.
”The pace of change has increased enormously in the last 20 years, and we have to ensure that all of our programming meets the needs of the students we serve,” says Liz Schmitt, chief enrollment and student affairs officer.
Schmitt oversees the admissions, financial aid, student life, athletics, and health and wellness functions at Porter’s. She says a key aspect of Porter’s modernization has been transitioning from a traditional academic program to competency-based mastery learning under the leadership of Chief Academic Officer Dr. Timothy Quinn. In 2017, the school joined the Mastery Transcript Consortium, a global nonprofit that supports forwardthinking schools in adopting educational practices that allow students to demonstrate evidence of the competencies they have developed.
At Porter’s, this model awards credit for demonstrated efficacy in competencies in five core areas: critical thinking and reasoning; communication and expression; problem-solving and creativity; global and civic engagement; and leadership and collaboration. Through interdisciplinary, project-based, collaborative and future-focused learning, students become equipped to respond to pressing challenges such as economic inequality, climate change, threats to democracy, identity-based discrimination, media literacy and
The pace of change has increased enormously in the last 20 years, and we have to ensure that all of our programming meets the needs of the students we serve. ”
artificial intelligence. Schmitt says authentic assignments such as developing a grant proposal to explore a research project for a biology course, or gaining global perspectives through advanced interdisciplinary seminar travel courses, engender students’ agency to drive positive change in the world.
“With the overhaul of our curriculum, students are developing core skills they can apply to the increasingly complex problems of our time,” Schmitt says. “We are preparing them to become global thinkers and leaders who can make an impact in the world they inhabit.”
Schmitt says meaningful change at Porter’s has also involved bolstering support for students’ physical, mental and emotional well-being. Over the past decade, the Colgate Wellness Center, an eight-bed infirmary offering evidence-based medical interventions, has evolved to encompass holistic, multidisciplinary care through services such as mental health counseling, reproductive health care, health promotion sessions and providing access to a therapy dog, Kash. As well, a new course introduced in 2022 for ninth graders provides foundational health and wellness knowledge and skills.
Liz Schmitt is celebrated for receiving the 2024 Burch Ford Kaleidoscope Award for Excellence in Residential Life.
“
With the overhaul of our curriculum, students are developing core skills they can apply to the increasingly complex problems of our time…We are preparing them to become global thinkers and leaders who can make an impact in the world they inhabit.
”
Miss Porter’s
“In this time of adolescence, it’s important for girls to develop a strong understanding of their own minds and bodies, and their personal experiences of physical, emotional and social health,” Schmitt says.
More holistic, progressive thinking is also behind Porter’s decision to add a restorative practices component to its disciplinary methods. This model aims to destigmatize when a student errs in their judgment by compassionately guiding them to consider their actions and accept responsibility for the consequences. The student is assigned a project that aims to promote their personal growth, such as writing a reflection paper or having a conversation with the school’s community life administrator. Students are then able to better engage with the school community with more self and social awareness.
Fostering a stimulating and supportive campus environment for students has been Schmitt’s top priority since she first joined Farmington in 2004 as director of college counseling until 2009, when she became
director of admission, before being promoted to her current role in 2014. She has also contributed significantly to Porter’s efforts to attract promising middle school-aged girls to consider the school by founding the Porter’s LEADS program, and supporting the growth of the Sarah Porter Leadership Institute summer program.
Schmitt’s important contributions to the well-being and success of students and the vitality of the school led to her being awarded the 2024 Burch Ford Kaleidoscope Award for Excellence in Residential Life by The Association of Boarding Schools. The prestigious award is named after Porter’s former Head of School Mary Burch (Tracy) Ford. Having been hired by Burch Ford, Schmitt says this makes the recognition especially meaningful.
“The top priority for all of us who work here is to be the trusted adult our students need at this critical moment in their lives,” Schmitt says. “I want every student here to feel as though they are known and loved.”
Porter’s Chief Financial and Operating Officer Michael Bergin P’19, Chief Enrollment & Student Affairs Officer Liz Schmitt, Head of School Katherine G. Windsor, and Senior Vice President of Member Learning and Engagement Emily Breite at The Association of Boarding Schools.
Building girls’ agency to be changemakers
Looking Back
Distinguished dining
The Flik Independent School Dining (FSID) team led by food service general manager Leanne Evangelist received the Be A Star Award from FSID parent company Compass Group. The award recognized the team’s dedication to outstanding food, service and safety.
Reunion 2024
Community spirit was in the air from Sept. 27–29 as Ancients returned to Farmington for Reunion Weekend. Attendees knitted their own MPS beanie following a custom pattern designed by current trustee, Ancient Claire Theobald ’84. You can still order your pattern from The Ivy school store.
MPS in South Korea!
Ancients Christine Moon ’90 and Heehyun Lee ’98 host a high tea at the Maison Van Cleef & Arpels in Seoul.
Spooktacular night
Day students hosted a Halloween trunk or treat event full of creatively decorated car trunks, costumes, candy and community fun.
Mountain Day
Students enjoying a surprise day off on Mountain Day, an annual Porter’s tradition.
Family Weekend 2024
At Family Weekend last October, parents and siblings of students watched athletic practices and a music and dance showcase, took part in a bowl-making workshop and enjoyed a bonfire.
Looking Forward
MPS summer roadshow
Once again, Miss Porter’s School is hitting the road this summer! Join Head of School Dr. Katherine G. Windsor as she travels the States and shares about learning and life at Farmington.
We expect to make stops in:
• Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts
• Hamptons, New York
• Charlotte, North Carolina
• Watch Hill, Rhode Island Visit porters.org/calendar for the most up-to-date details on upcoming events, or email questions to alumnaerelations@ missporters.org.
OCTOBER 3–5, 2025
Reunion 2025
Ancients from classes ending in 0 and 5 mark your calendar for Reunion 2025! Don’t miss out on this opportunity to reconnect and have fun with your former classmates at Farmington. Look out for more details at porters.org/reunionweekend, on @mpsancients on Instagram or in Miss Porter’s School Ancients on Facebook.
If you would like to serve your class as a reunion ambassador, please contact alumnaerelations@missporters.org.
Connect and collaborate with your Ancient-only community Join the conversation on LinkedIn
Have you LinkedIn with us on the MPS Ancients group? Need an internship? Have a networking opportunity? This is your dedicated space to connect or reconnect with alumnae from across the globe, share career highlights and support each other.
Ancient event hosted by Janet Bailey at her summer home on Nantucket in 2024.
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1951
Grace Davis Lee Jordan attended Miss Porter’s School from 1947 through graduation and the Daisy Chain in 1951. She graduated from Hollins University in Virginia in 1955. She has been a fourth grade teacher in the Arlington County, Virginia, public school system for three years and in Elkins City Park, West Virginia, during the summers.
In 1958, she married, and the couple often moved because of her husband’s job with the Federal Highway Administration. Their first daughter was born in 1960 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Their second daughter was born in Topeka, Kansas, and their third and fourth children were born in Overland Park, Kansas.
In 1967, they moved back to Topeka and have been there ever since. She has done tons of community volunteering but also worked for the staff of the Kansas House of Representatives during the legislative session. She was the reader and the assistant journal clerk for several sessions. She writes that it was really very interesting!
Her daughters also work as teachers in various towns in Kansas. She has six grandchildren (three boys and three girls), who are all college graduates and one who is getting her master’s degree. She also has one great-granddaughter and another one who was due in April.
1957
Elizabeth “Buffy” Reynolds Colt is enjoying her senior years at the Carleton-Willard Village retirement facility in Bedford, Massachusetts.
1959
Greer McLane Hopkins has joined Nueva Esperanza Accompaniment Team (NEAT), an interfaith group that assists legal asylum seekers who have escaped severe persecution in their home countries. NEAT provides help with accessing housing, food, clothing, classes in English as a second language, medical services and employment. Greer is also a new member of the board of directors of the Merola Opera summer program in San Francisco. This tuition-free intensive training program supports the careers of diverse up-and-coming opera artists from around the world.
1960
Sarah Barkhausen Rossiter had her poetry manuscript “Body of the World” accepted by the Poiema Poetry Series, which is part of the Cascade Books imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers.
Sarah Barkhausen Rossiter ’60, left, and Polly Jenkins Man ’60, right.
1965
Cordelia Frances Biddle celebrates the publication of her feisty feminist novel, “Listen to Me: The Women of the Bible Speak Out,” published by Vine Leaves Press.
1966
Virginia “Ginger” Clarkson wrote that she and her husband, Mark, are in the midst of renovating their house so they can gracefully age in place. They have installed ramps and bathroom grab bars to prepare for the next stage of life. During frequent visits with her 98-year-old wheelchair-bound father, who is in home hospice care on Long Island in New York, she has witnessed the need for such adaptations.
Professionally, Ginger continues to serve as the community dharma leader of Insight Meditation Houston, the hospice chaplain at Omega House, a music therapist and a psychotherapist with a practice in guided imagery and music. Over the next few years, she will complete her final international training as a fellow of the Association of Music and Imagery. Co-teaching in Valencia, Spain, Ginger will train musicians and psychotherapists from Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Spain.
Ginger and Mark have been together for 47 years. Recently, they celebrated Mark’s 80th birthday aboard a Windstar cruise that sailed from Venice, Italy, along the coasts of Croatia and Montenegro and landed in Rome on Sept. 21, his birthday. Ginger writes that they will soon go on a writers’ retreat in Galveston, Texas, with their rescued Maltipoo dog, Amanda. While Ginger works on compiling hospice stories, Mark will prepare a course examining the nature of consciousness, which he’ll teach at Houston’s Jung Center.
1968
Meredith Tilp began teaching at Mandela International Magnet, an International Baccalaureate school in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She teaches 10th grade U.S. government and economics and U.S. history.
1972
In the spring of 2024, Lindsay Bloomfield organized the 55th reunion of her graduating class from Renbrook School (elementary) in West Hartford, Connecticut. She writes: “Many of us attended the school from nursery through ninth grade, and four of my closest friends in life are from this remarkable institution. [The reunion] was a huge success, with classmates attending from all over the country.” Lindsay also attended an exciting year of study abroad in Vienna organized by the Institute of European Studies.
1975
Shawn Donaldson retired after 44 years of teaching sociology and women’s and Africana studies at Stockton University in New Jersey. Shawn’s next life chapter is to train to become a travel agent. Shawn also writes that her grandchildren, Robert (10), Jayla (8) and Nyemah (5), live nearby and visit often. Her father passed away recently, and her mother is in a nearby nursing home. Now she loves visits with family, cruising, live concerts and bingo. She is single but not in a rush for companionship. Her life is truly full.
India Howell has retired from Rift Valley Children’s Village (RVCV), a nongovernmental organization she founded in Tanzania in 2004 that provides a home, education and health care for orphaned and marginalized children as well as economic opportunities for local citizens. She moved to the nearby town of Karatu and still visits RVCV and hosts youths interning at the organization. India also writes that she has been focusing on her travel bucket list with recent trips to Machu Picchu, Peru; the Ngorongoro Crater Rim in Tanzania, and Patagonia, Chile.
Helen Piling writes that life in Montana is snowy and wild. Last year, in February, her husband of 40 years died suddenly, and she learned three days later that her son’s wife was pregnant with her first grandchild. Hazel Jackson Moore was born in Istanbul on Nov. 2, 2024. “The circle of life is real and working; stay grateful and hopeful!”
In November, Susan Phillips received her Master of Fine Arts degree from Maine Media College in Rockport, Maine. In the process, she transitioned from working primarily as a photographer using alternative processes to creating experimental video. You can find her work on Instagram at @schapinphillips.
1976
Devon Delaney had her latest cooking competition murder mystery book, “A Holiday for Homicide,” published by Beyond the Page.
1980
Anita “Nini” Kolisch (née Wray) is still working full time as an internal medicine physician and chief medical informatics officer at Northern Light Health in Maine. She is blessed to live within a five-mile radius of her three children and 15-month-old granddaughter in Blue Hill, Maine. Nini is regularly in touch with Class of 1980 Ancients Cary Brown, Frederica “Fred” Claiborne and Mary Vaughn Williams. Nini shares that she has tried to attend various MPS events “but work seems to always get in the way.” Nini thinks about cutting back in a couple of years but shares that she loves her work.
1982
Ashley Jones Tagatac writes: “Happy 2025! Life is moving at lightning speed, which is a sure sign that I am not a New Girl anymore. Madeline Tagatac ’16 came home from Washington, D.C., and her brother, Cameron, came home from Brooklyn for both Thanksgiving and Christmas in 2024. It was wonderful to spend time as a family of four again. Chris and I are spending more time in Guilford, Connecticut, which is one town away from Maureen Burke and her wonderful family. I am grateful to also see Theresa Douglas Tagatac ’88, who is married to my brother-in-law, as well as Mindy Gorzelany Jones ’99, who married my brother. They both live in Connecticut, as well, so we are hoping to spend more time together. I am celebrating 10 years with State Street Corp. in January, which seems like the blink of an eye. Madeline
has applied to graduate schools in Europe for the fall of 2025 to study international development and humanitarian assistance. Cameron is in Brooklyn working in the film industry, and a documentary he worked on premiered at the 2024 Woodstock Film Festival. He is considering graduate school next year. Chris is still running his business working with fledgling companies. I am excited for our 45th reunion in 2027 and hope to see everyone there.”
Cristina Quazzo Zinzser, right, celebrated her 60th birthday with some of her Porter’s pals. Left to right: Claire Van Cleave Brainerd, Kelly Ashton Barel di Sant’Albano ’83 and Brewer Mullins Schoeller ’83.
1983
Elizabeth Gardner enjoyed brunch with Nell Walker ’84 in Chicago.
1984
Nancy Tupper Ling celebrated the publication of her latest picture book, “Hearts in My Pocket,” by Union Square Kids, which is about a girl named Leilah who navigates her parents’ divorce.
Sophie Osborn published her second book, “Feather Trails: A Journey of Discovery Among Endangered Birds,” which is about her efforts as a wildlife biologist to help recover three endangered bird species. The book also explores the threats that imperil these birds and reveals that what harms them threatens us too. American Birding Association reviewers chose “Feather Trails” as their favorite bird book of 2024.
1990
Marisa Soulios Felt continues to work in education as the middle school principal at Saint Matthew’s Parish School in Pacific Palisades, California. She lives with her husband, Chris, and their four children in Calabasas. She shares that with three children in high school and one in college, there are a lot of moving parts!
1995
Keli Lemoi will graduate this September from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences with a master’s degree in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine and a minor in Japanese acupuncture. She was also recently inducted into Phi Kappa Phi for her academic excellence. Operating her massage therapy practice at Boston Massage and Bodywork, Keli is excited to expand her offerings to include acupuncture and herbal medicine.
Lorin Wolfe and her family recently relocated to Amelia Island, north of Jacksonville, Florida. They are enjoying the beautiful weather, beaches and live oak trees.
2003
Michelle “Nia” May had her book, “What I Couldn’t Tell My Therapist,” published by Seven Leaves Press. The book explores the deeply human stories of three patients in intensive therapy. It has sold out twice since its release and is being picked up by international publishers in China, India, Turkey and Ukraine.
2004
Morgan Clifford’s outerwear line, based in New York City, was on display during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Singer Rachel Platten wore a coat designed by Clifford while performing “Fight Song” during the parade.
2006
Maggie Garczynski Johndrow welcomed her first baby, Matilda “Tilly” Maria, who is named in honor of Maggie’s only living great-grandparent. As Tilly is in the 100th percentile in height and weight, her mom and dad believe she will be a great contribution to MPS athletics when she joins the class of 2042. All jokes aside, mom and baby are doing well, and Tilly is a very happy baby!
Ancients from the class of 2006 reunited at the Morgan Library event in NYC. Left to right: Sharifah Holder, Maggie Garczynski Johndrow, Liz Gilson, Jahmelilia Paul and Ashley Walker.
2007
Caroline Dean co-founded her own company, GiveProsperly, a full-service philanthropic consulting firm that brings strategy, creativity and a personal touch to nonprofit auctions and development. She and her partners are helping nonprofits maximize their impact and reimagine fundraising. She feels fortunate to have built a business that aligns so beautifully with her passion for philanthropy.
Sisters Carolyn (Mulvey) Jenks and Katie Rae Mulvey ’05 each welcomed new babies this winter. Carolyn and her husband, Fielding, had Clara Meriwether Jenks, born Jan. 1, 2025; she joined big brother, Fielding Jr. Katie Rae and husband, Sam, welcomed Ellis Thomas Stolper on Oct. 15, 2024; he joined big brother, Otis. Grandmother Nancy (Westervelt) Mulvey ’77 is overjoyed!
2012
Annie Hill married Kenneth Stewart in August 2023 in Hyannisport, Massachusetts, and they reside in London, England. Among those who attended the wedding were Ancients Hilary Willis (née Kozak), Emma “Barefoot” DeCourcy, Emmie Skinner ’11, Kiki Torpey, Lola Noero (née Harney), Christen Safko, Kelly Hires, Haley Hughes,
Isabelle Harrison, Clare DeSantis, Charlotte Crawford, Andrea “Drea” Consuegra, Camille “Cammy” Kenny ’13, Isabel “Izzy” Hartner, Emily Waite and Charlotte Grove, the last of whom sang Annie down the aisle. Phew!
2013
Bridget Hampton celebrated her wedding in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 14, 2024, with fellow MPS Ancients.
2014
Heather Flynn White married Jeremy White on June 29, 2024, at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, Illinois. They chose the venue in honor of Heather’s late grandfather, John Greene, who was a member of Porter’s board of trustees and who also served on the board of the garden for more than 40 years. Among the Ancients who attended were Heather’s sister Casey Flynn Bennet ’12, mother Valerie Greene Flynn ’81 and grandmother Jean McBride Greene ’51
Left to right: MaryKate Meedzan, Isabel Hartner, Bridget Hampton, Camille Kenny and Margot Hartner ’14.
Joining Heather Flynn White and Jeremy White at their wedding were MPS leaders (left to right) Chief Financial and Operating Officer Michael Bergin, Head of School Dr. Katherine G. Windsor and Chief Advancement Officer Christine Pina.
Annie, center, celebrates her wedding with her Ancient friends.
Miss Porter’s School
is very sorry to learn of the passing of these Ancients, trustees and staff.
We extend our deepest condolences to their families and friends.
Harriette Allen Mellen ’42 | 12/11/2024
† Nancy Allen Maxwell 1930 Sister
† Leslie-Hart Fenn Tapscott 1936 Sister
† Patricia Allen Wall 1941 Sister
Sophie Bell Donaghy 1949 Sister-in-law
† Rachel Hammond Breck 1925 Cousin by marriage
Ruth Robinson Warner ’45 | 1/1/2024
† Sarah Robinson McAndrew 1947 Sister
Harriet Warner Jones 1977 Daughter
† Madelaine Blackburn 1942 Stepsister-in-law
† Elizabeth Blackburn Taylor 1944 Stepsister-in-law
Marion Taylor Dann 1947 Stepniece
† Anne Sloan Morrison 1951 Niece by marriage
Anne Gile Sennott 1964 Stepniece
Courtney Taylor Marsters 1966 Stepniece
Cecilia Taylor Bloomer 1967 Stepniece
Elizabeth B. Taylor 1970 Stepniece
Jean McKeever Lawler ’46 | 1/9/2024
Sarah Tanner Smith 1978 Niece
Joan Paton Tilney ’46 | 8/1/2024
† F. Margaret H. Paton 1885 Grandmother
† Pamela Paton 1956 Sister
Linda Peyton 1970 Daughter
Anne Meserve Davis 1954 Cousin
† Edith Kunhardt Davis 1955 Cousin
Kathleen Kingsford Davis 1964 Niece
Martha K. Davis 1979 Cousin
Elisabeth Tilney Helm 1994 Step-Granddaughter
Avery S. Peyton 2011 Granddaughter
Joan Remick Post ’49 | 6/22/2024
† Eleanor FitzGerald Francke 1924 Aunt
† Nora Francke Cammann 1950 Cousin
Eleanor H. Seaman 1985 Niece
Gabriella Haws Woese ’49 | 10/3/2024
Jean Hammond Peabody ’50 | 9/30/2024
† Ruth Keeley Hammond 1922 Mother
† Dorothy Keeley Aldis 1913 Aunt
Diana Towne Knox ’52 | 6/25/2024
† Dorothy Vilas Towne 1927 Mother
Tiffany Bingham Andrews ’53 | 12/17/2024
M. Cecilia Bingham 1962 Sister
Abigail Bingham Endicott 1964 Sister
† Heidi Bingham Stott 1954 Cousin
Margaret Bingham Turner 1966 Sister
Kathleen Fell Connor 1976 Cousin
Eleanor Bingham Mallory 1978 Cousin
Alexandra Pierson Griffin 1979 Cousin
Grace Bingham Ott 1980 Cousin
Cordelia S. C. Pierson 1981 Cousin
Mary-Lenore Blair ’53 | 10/28/2024
† Lenore Scullin Darneille 1924 Mother
Lela Ottley Leslie ’53 | 6/20/2024
Polly Hackett Kraus 2007 Granddaughter
Florent W. Hackett 2010 Granddaughter
Natalie Hall Webb ’53 | 7/12/2024
Blythe Bickel Edwards ’59 | 11/1/2024
Eleni Tsandoulas Gillis ’59 | August 2024
Natasha Reed DeVoe 1984 Daughter
Beatrice Reed Niven 1979 Niece
Mary Mendle Bird ’60 | 10/23/2024
† Roberta Pierce Mendle 1934 Mother
Emily Graves Jones ’60 | 8/1/2024
Nancy Perkins Jacobson ’61 | 10/30/2024
† Nancy Fenton Perkins 1935 Mother
Florence Perkins Rawls 1963 Sister
† Polly Fenton Dickerson 1937 Aunt
Mary Dickerson Pierson 1968 Cousin
Amanda Kirkpatrick Dickerson 1970 Cousin by marriage
Mary Eastham King ’63 | 7/7/2024
Ruth Eastham Flournoy 1963 Sister
Loring Harris Amass ’66 | 10/20/2024
Barbara Loether Mathieu ’68 | 8/5/2024
Catherine Morgan-Standard ’70 | 12/20/2024
Alice M. Kriz ’81 | 8/12/2024
† Margaret Eaton Taplin 1932 Aunt
Jennifer Sichel Dickerman 1958 Cousin
Kristen E. Guest ’04 | 7/6/2024
FORMER EMPLOYEES
R. Rennie McQuilkin | 7/3/2024
English teacher, 1976–1997
IN MEMORIAM
John Dewitt Macomber, a trustee of Miss Porter’s School from 2014 to 2017 and a non-trustee committee member from 2017 to 2021, died peacefully on Aug. 2, 2024, at the age of 96.
John was born in Rochester, New York, on Jan. 13, 1928, as the youngest of three sons. His father was a stock broker and the family suffered devastating financial losses in the Great Depression. As John wrote in his memoir, this hardship instilled in him a determination to succeed.
John graduated from Phillips Academy Andover in 1946, Yale University in 1950 and Harvard Business School in 1952. After briefly serving in the U.S. Air Force, John entered the nascent field of management consulting by joining McKinsey & Company, where he rose to partner and led the firm’s expansion into Europe. He left McKinsey in 1973 to helm the Celanese Corporation, a global fiber and chemical company, where he oversaw its expansion and significantly increased share value.
In 1989, John was recruited by President George H.W. Bush to head the Export-Import Bank of the United States. Under John’s leadership, the bank doubled its support of the U.S. export sector and established its first thorough auditing procedures.
John met Caroline Morgan ’50 in 1954 in the foyer of Radio City Music Hall in New York. As Caroline descended the grand staircase, John turned to a friend and said with conviction, “I’m going to marry that girl.” Caroline was an alumna of Miss Porter’s School and Bryn Mawr College. The couple married in 1955, and shared a full life of sailing, gardening, skiing and travel, and a love of family. In North Haven, Maine, they held summertime family gatherings and threw annual lobster picnics under July’s full moon. John loved their gardens, raised sheep on the fog-dappled meadows and sailed boats among the surrounding islands with family and friends.
In retirement, John championed the success of Miss Porter’s School by serving on its board of trustees, and by making a donation to renovate the school’s Macomber Dorm. He also served on the board of several other organizations, including
Adelphi University, the Atlantic Council, Bristol-Myers Squibb, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Chase Manhattan Bank, the Council for Excellence in Government, the Folger Shakespeare Library, Lehman Brothers, the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Mettler Toledo, the New-York Historical Society, Phillips Academy Andover, RJR Nabisco, Rockefeller University, Textron and Xerox.
While John was known for many incredible accomplishments over his lifetime, those who knew him will miss his energetic, smart presence and his style. His passionate drive for success was founded in a desire to bring out the best in himself and those around him. He was endlessly curious and always there when needed, quietly advising and supporting.
John was predeceased by Caroline in 2012 and his brothers: William B. Macomber Jr. and Robert R. Macomber. He leaves behind three children: Ancient Janet Williamson ’81 of Portland, Oregon; Elizabeth of Vashon, Washington; and William of Los Angeles, California. He also leaves two daughters-in-law (Kelly and Annie) and six grandchildren (Coleridge, John, Alexander, Ian, Caroline and Dorothy). John’s family imagines that he and his beloved Caroline are dancing together and are once again inseparable.
IN MEMORIAM
Edwina Shea Millington ’49, a beloved member of the Miss Porter’s School community, passed away on Sept. 9, 2023, at the age of 92.
Since we first shared about the passing of Edwina Shea Millington ’49 in the fall 2024 edition of the Bulletin, some additional details were shared about her life and her invaluable contributions to Miss Porter’s School. Edwina volunteered extensively and served on the board of trustees as an ex officio member from 1971 to 1973, as a member from 1979 to 1988, as vice-president from 1983 to 1985, and as president from 1985 to 1988. She also served as president of the alumnae board from 1971 to 1973.
IN MEMORIAM
Joan P. Tilney ’46, a trustee of Miss Porter’s School from 1966 to 1969 and a member of the alumnae board of directors from 1954 to 1967, died peacefully while surrounded by her family on Aug. 1, 2024.
Joan was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on Nov. 3, 1928, as the first of three children to Helen Meserve Paton and Dr. R. Townley Paton. In 1933, Joan moved with her family to New York City. She attended The Brearley School, Miss Porter’s School and Sarah Lawrence College. After finishing college, she married Bernard Peyton Jr. following their exchange of 800 love letters. While Joan was pregnant with Pamela, their third child who was born with cystic fibrosis, Bernard died in a plane crash and Joan’s younger sister drowned. To honor Pamela’s life, Joan later established the Pamela Paton ’56 scholarship at Miss Porter’s School.
Joan married her dear friend Bob Olney six years later. They had two children and moved from New York City to Cold Spring Harbor, New York. Joan’s life revolved around children, schools, community projects, gardening, photography, the Metropolitan Opera Guild and the research of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Bob introduced Joan to Isle au Haut and Kimball Island in Penobscot Bay, which became her “spiritual home.” Bob died of cancer 16 years later.
Joan never expected to marry again until Robin Tilney swept her off her feet. In 1978, she moved to his farm in New Jersey. They spent summers sailing the Maine coast and Canadian Maritimes and traveling worldwide. After Robin died in 2005, Joan moved permanently to Maine, close to her children.
Joan immersed herself in volunteering, hosting events and supporting cherished causes. She was always gracious, elegant, joyfully enthusiastic and full of good humor. She believed in the sacredness of each day and conveying expressions of love. She regularly reached out to others with a phone call, thoughtful card or act of kindness. Since her death, friends and family have universally shared that to know Joan was to simply love her and be loved fiercely in return.
IN MEMORIAM
Philip Smith Walker P’82, ’84, ’86, ’93, GP’12, ’13, ’16, ’22, ’23 , a trustee of Miss Porter’s School from 1985 to 1991, including as board vice president from 1990 to 1991, died peacefully at his home in West Hartford, Connecticut, on Nov. 26, 2024, at the age of 91.
Born in New Haven, Connecticut on April 12, 1933, Phil was the oldest of three sons born to Rose (Smith) and Joseph M. Walker. In 1950, he graduated as a member of the inaugural class at Notre Dame High School in West Haven, Connecticut. Phil then attended the University of Notre Dame, where he earned a degree in political science. Following his graduation in 1954, Phil served in the United States Air Force as a second lieutenant, navigating transatlantic flights for the Military Air Transport Service for three years. After his discharge with the rank of captain, Phil returned to New Haven to attend Yale Law School, and graduated in 1960.
That same year, Phil found the two defining loves of his life: Helen Dillon, whom he married in 1961, and the Hartford law firm of Day, Berry & Howard (now Day Pitney LLP), which he joined as an associate. Phil thrived as a trial lawyer and became a distinguished litigator and mentor to young lawyers. Although he retired in 2008, he continued to serve as an arbitrator for the Connecticut and federal courts, the American Arbitration Association and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. Phil was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and served several years as the organization’s Connecticut state chair. He was also an active member of the National Lawyers Association, the Connecticut Bar Association and the Hartford County Bar Association.
Passionate about bettering his local community, Phil served as chair of the West Hartford Senior Citizens Advisory Commission, president of the 1401 Farmington Avenue Community Association, board member of the Office for Catholic Social Justice Ministry, and parish council member for the Parish of Saint Peter Claver. He also was a long-standing member of the Hartford Golf Club, the Yale Club of New York City and the Notre Dame Club of Greater Hartford.
Phil was predeceased by his beloved wife, Helen, and is survived by children Phil Walker Jr. (Eileen) of Guilford, Connecticut, Marylou “M’Lou” D. Walker (Sam) ’82 of Pennington, New Jersey, Helen “Nell” D. Walker ’84 of West Hartford, Connecticut, Rosemary S. Walker ’86 (Joe) of Sarasota, Florida, Peter Walker (Georgina) of Scarsdale, New York, and Sarah Walker Tonetti ’93 (Joe) of Stockbridge, Massachusetts; as well as adored grandchildren Sarah E. Walker ’12 and Jamie Walker; Cos Arnett (Melinda), Helen “Daly” Arnett ’13 (William), Caroline M. Arnett ’16 and Philip Arnett; Helen M. LaPointe ’22 and Olivia W. LaPointe ’23; Charlie and Henry Fioriglio; Jack Walker; and James and Christian Tonetti. Phil is also survived by his brothers Paul Walker (Susan), of Ponte Vedra, Florida, and Monsignor David Walker of Branford, Connecticut.
