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THE MISS PORTER’S SCHOOL MAGAZINE

PRINTING

Kirkwood

Ruth Mendes

Emma Thurgood

Digital Content Strategist

DESIGN

Moth Design Ben Gebo

communications@ missporters.org

Sharon Aschaiek

Emma Thurgood

Stephen Wang

PHOTO CREDITS

www.porters.org

Editor

Sam Tressy WRITING

Sharon Aschaiek

Ruth E. Mendes

Associate Director of Digital Marketing and Communications Head of School

This trio of awards, plus several others, reflect Dubnov’s extensive expertise and firm dedication when it comes to promoting excellence among Porter’s varsity soccer players. Under his tenure as head coach since 2013, the team has become a top performer in the region. In the last decade, it has won the Founders League seven times — including a historic three-peat from 2023 to 2025 — and the WWNEPSSA Class A League Champions three times. In the same time period, five team members have been designated by United Soccer Coaches as All-American athletes.

Katherine G. Windsor, Ed.D.

Last December, the United Soccer Coaches Federation named Dubnov, who is also Porter’s director of athletics, the National Girls Independent Coach of the Year in the category for high school girls. The distinction followed on the heels of the soccer team winning the 2025 New England Preparatory School Athletic Council Class A Championship. Earlier that month, the federation recognized Dubnov as the High School Regional Coach of the Year. Meanwhile last November, the Women’s Western New England Prep School Soccer Association (WWNEPSSA) bestowed

Dubnov with its 2025 Coach of the Year award. His overall career record as a coach is noteworthy: 163 wins, 42 losses and 29 ties.

Miss Porter’s School

For his key role in fostering the outstanding success of the varsity soccer team at Miss Porter’s School, Head Coach Avi Dubnov has been honored with multiple awards.

60 Main Street Farmington, CT 06032

Girls win here with Avi Dubnov

Letter from

Katherine G. Windsor, Ed.D. Head of School

Excellence in Athletics Farmington is full of magical moments, but few match the energy of commencement. As you read this issue, we have just welcomed a new class of Ancients with the graduation of the class of 2026. Each graduate will leave with a clear grasp of her agency: the power, knowledge and confidence needed to shape a changing world. Poised to make their mark on the future, newly minted Ancients are bolstered by the respect, strength and power of the Porter’s and Ancients communities. Their success is not by chance; it is by design. This intentionality is seen in how we educate our girls, support their dreams and give them space to learn, grow and compete. It is in how Porter’s faculty, staff and coaches encourage, inspire and motivate our girls to excel at their chosen sport. In this issue, you will learn more about Ancients who are making their mark and using their strength and skills to navigate traditionally male-dominated spaces in sports. Some work in business or finance, while others are playing

professionally at the highest level. You’ll meet the first team inducted into the Porter’s Athletic Hall of Fame — a testimony that what is learned and forged on the field, in the pool, on the slopes or on the court can truly last a lifetime. As we launch our newest Ancients, we are also excited to welcome a class of New Girls to campus. We can already see their potential, their opportunity and their ability. How? Because we understand the importance of supporting students’ growth and success in diverse ways. Here at Farmington, we enable girls to develop their full potential, inspire their dreams and build their confidence. Whether in the classroom, on the stage, on the field or on the court, our future Ancients have the foundation to shape a changing world.

In this issue

People

Sneak Peek

Ancient Profile

Donor Profile

Emily Bryk creatively engages girls in discovering marine environments.

How Elizabeth “Liz” Blake ’69 used the law to uplift women worldwide.

Kendall Heath ’18: Lifting as she climbs.

Respect

Then & Now

A look at moments on campus.

How sports coaches inspire student-athletes to excel.

Past meets present.

A letter from Head of School Katherine G. Windsor.

What our faculty members have been learning, doing and presenting.

Reminiscing about MPS Ancient happenings.

On Campus

Seen & Heard

Regulars

Miss Porter’s School

Head of School

Class Notes

Faculty News

Remembrances

Looking Back

In this issue

12 Power

With their diverse talents and skills, Ancients are making their mark in professional sports.

Features

24 Strength

Honoring the outstanding softball players of 2004.

• SEEN & HEARD •

OWNING THE STAGE

Miss Porter’s School

Students enchanted the Porter’s community with their production of “Les Belles-Soeurs.”

Actors in the satirical dramedy on stage at the Hacker Theater.

From acting to directing, costumes to set design, lighting to music, the students handled every part of production.

e th

ross-countr at a c ym ee t.

BEST FOOT FORWARD

Student-athletes demonstrate their soccer skills in a game at Family Weekend 2025.

5 Seen & Heard

G oi n

ce tan dis

• SEEN & HEARD •

WORDS TO INSPIRE

Second Head of School Arianna Vasson addressed the Porter’s community at the Fall Awards.

Let it snow Students make the most of a blast of winter weather.

Miss Porter’s School

A CHERISHED TRADITION

On Mountain Day, students enjoy going on a hike together.

Conducting citizen science

Students conduct fieldwork in the rainforest as part of the Advanced Interdisciplinary Seminar Global Intensive in Costa Rica.

GROWTH IN ACTION

Students share their science project at the Fall 2025 Demonstrations of Learning.

The right notes Sweet sounds filled the air at the 2025 Winter Concert.

Seen & Heard

• SEEN & HEARD •

BECAUSE SHE WILL

Miss Porter’s School

A student shares their academic work at the Fall 2025 Demonstrations of Learning.

Senior Sunrise! Graduating students enjoy their last first day of school.

Seen & Heard

THE RIGHT MOVES

Talent and passion combined to wow the audience at the Dance Showcase at Family Weekend 2025.

Skill and grace at the Dance Showcase.

Sh ow c

Ge tt i

o int

he student-led Co e at t mm roov uni ty

e as

g the

• SEEN & HEARD •

HALLOWEEN HIJINKS

Each year on Oct. 31, students dress up in their spookiest attire for field hockey practice.

Game on

Miss Porter’s School

Each fall during Family Weekend, varsity volleyball players hit the court in Crisp Gym for Dig Pink, a game that raises funds for breast cancer research and patients.

REUNION 2025

Ancients return to campus to share memories and make new ones.

A beloved custom Ancients join together to sing “Moonbeams” at Reunion 2025.

RITE OF PASSAGE

Ancients from the Class of 2020 returned to campus for Reunion 2025 to participate in the Commencement and Graduation traditions.

Taking a dip Ancients from the class of 2020 got their chance to jump in the fountain.

Seen & Heard

Miss Porter’s School

• POWER •

ELYSE SLAYTON ’97 AUDREY MCMILLAN ’20 GRACE BERGIN ’19 ANIKA ALSCHULER ’24

Shaping change in pro sports

HOW ANCIENTS ARE SHAPING CHANGE IN PRO SPORTS

THE

past two years have been marked by off-the-charts popularity for the Dallas Wings. Average attendance at home games for the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) team jumped by more than 28%. Last season, the team’s followers on Facebook, Instagram and X grew by 400,000 — an almost 180% increase. Last year, Forbes ranked the Wings as the 10th most valuable women’s sports team in the world, valuing it at $250 million.

“Seeing the growing fandom of the Wings is incredibly rewarding to be a part of. More people are paying attention, more people are interacting,” says Elyse Slayton ’97, chief marketing officer. “When I see people cheering for the Wings in the same way they do for a men’s basketball team, I get this intense feeling of pride and competitive spirit — we have to keep this growth going.” Becoming a full-time executive with the team in August 2025 after consulting for five months, Slayton is playing a key role in the Wings taking flight to the upper stratosphere of WNBA success. A seasoned and accomplished marketing leader, she keenly understands how to build the team’s appeal to attract more fans, revenue and sponsors. Using a datainformed strategy, Slayton focuses on making the team a household name with compelling content and creative experiences that engage fans in the fun and excitement.

Miss Porter’s School

Slayton leads a team of 12 who excel at producing a regular stream of high-quality videos and images showcasing the Wings’ most sensational or memorable moments. Social posts may feature everything from dramatic plays of generational talent Paige Bueckers and her teammates to the behind-thescenes camaraderie in the locker room to the latest fits players are rocking off court. She also works with companies on mutually beneficial brand-boosting opportunities, such as last year’s partnership with LaCroix sparkling water that included free sample stations for fans at home games.

“When I see people cheering for the Wings in the same way they do for a men’s basketball team, I get this intense feeling of pride and competitive spirit — we have to keep this growth going.”

ELYSE SLAYTON ’97 Fans enjoy the dynamic action on the court at a Dallas Wings basketball game.

“This isn’t just a maledominated field. Women can make change and make a difference in this space.”

AUDREY MCMILLAN ’20

The Wings’ soaring fortunes are part of an overall growth trend in interest in women’s basketball, which is reflected in some noteworthy year-over-year statistics from the 2025 season: “Sports Business Journal” reported that the average attendance at all WNBA games increased by more than 12%, while ESPN indicated TV viewership rose by 6%. Slayton is ideally suited to sustain this traction for the Wings: With more than 20 years of marketing experience under her belt, including in leadership roles at major brands such as T.J.Maxx and Pizza Hut, she has a proven track record of effectively leading teams, driving expansion and growing profit. Slayton firmly links her journey up the corporate ladder to the apex of sports marketing to her experience as a student at Miss Porter’s School. She values how the school’s highly nurturing environment and attentive educators provided her with endless opportunities to collaborate and lead. Slayton especially appreciated getting to co-edit the yearbook and serve as captain of the junior varsity lacrosse team. She recalls a time when the lacrosse coach joined players in completing a grueling set of sprints, an act of solidarity that she says left a lasting impression on her. “That is a main principle I’ve applied to my leadership — being a good leader means you pitch in and show empathy, coaching and encouraging instead of only directing. I’m never going to ask you to do something that I wouldn’t do myself,” Slayton says. “The skills and confidence I built as a young woman at Porter’s are the foundation for my leadership.”

Another Ancient working to make her mark in professional sports marketing is Audrey McMillan ’20, who is on the Boston Bruins marketing team. Like Slayton, McMillan’s journey was also influenced by a coach — in this case, her field hockey coach, Nelle Andrews P’22, whose skillful training and firm belief in players’ potential helped her excel on the field. Andrews, the school’s current dean of curriculum, was also McMillan’s teacher during her senior year and provided valuable advice on how to use her innate talent to communicate ideas clearly and persuasively. “I was confused about where I wanted to go to college and what I wanted to do. One day in class, Ms. Andrews sat me down and was like, ‘You’re really good at this subject. You should think about going into public relations or communications.’ She recognized my strengths, and that was really helpful to me,” McMillan says. McMillan went on to complete an undergraduate degree in marketing at Bentley University. A recreational ice hockey player and fan, she set her sights on roles in professional women’s hockey. In January 2024, she landed a role as an account manager at the Boston Fleet. Seven months later, an internship opportunity arose in the community relations unit at the Bruins, her all-time favorite team. In May 2025, the team hired McMillan as a full-time marketing coordinator. “This job is a dream come true for me,” McMillan says. “A lot of what they stand for speaks to me. They’re really involved in giving back to the community — that is a pillar of what they stand for.”

Shaping change in pro sports

“Our facility is designed with and for our athletes to ensure they have everything they need, whenever they need it. I have loved being part of the design process to elevate our athletes’ experience and raise the bar for facilities around the world.”

GRACE BERGIN ’19 Part of a seven-person marketing team working in the business office at TD Garden, McMillan manages the marketing assets of the Boston Bruins Foundation, which engages in diverse community service work to improve the lives of children, families, first responders and military personnel in New England. Those efforts include promoting the organization’s youth hockey initiative, which liaises with sports equipment companies to secure heavily discounted hockey gear for underprivileged youth. McMillan also ensures community partners are appropriately represented in the team’s marketing materials and social media channels.

Miss Porter’s School

McMillan is thrilled to be part of an organization that looms large in the imagination of so many community members — the team is consistently one of the most popular and heavily followed NHL teams. She is also delighted to work with and be led by other women on her team, which she says signals the growing gender inclusivity of the NHL.

“My boss and my boss’s boss are both women. They empower me to continue to forge a path in professional sports,” says McMillan, who is currently completing a leadership in marketing master’s degree at Boston College. “This isn’t just a maledominated field. Women can make change and make a difference in this space.”

Women’s soccer is another area of professional sports where an Ancient is playing a key role. In April 2024, Grace Bergin ’19 joined the Chicago Stars Football Club and currently serves as its manager of strategy and special projects. In her job, she works closely with the team’s president and chief strategy and finance officer, both of whom are women, to advance the team’s major projects and priorities. “This was the perfect opportunity at the perfect time. It’s really empowering to get to work on a team owned and led by such strong women,” says Bergin, whose social work education — bachelor and master’s degrees — included a business minor in sports management. Recently, Bergin has been actively involved in a major club initiative: a forthcoming world-class training facility for its athletes. To be located on a 10-acre site in the northern suburbs of Chicago, the 45,000-square-foot performance center will include two full-sized soccer pitches, a goalkeeperspecific pitch, a weight room and recovery spaces. Bergin notes that as a club-owned center, it will provide players with enhanced opportunities to develop their skills on the pitch.

Did you know...

SHEILA FORD HAMP ’69 is the principal owner and chairwoman of the Detroit Lions of the National Football League? At least 12 of the 32 NFL teams have women in controlling or significantly active ownership roles, a record high for the league.

“At Porter’s, girls always have the best times on the courts and fields and in the weight room and other facilities, but unfortunately for professional women athletes, that is rarely the case. Many women’s teams end up as second- or third-tier tenants in shared facilities,” Bergin says. “Our facility is designed with and for our athletes to ensure they have everything they need, whenever they need it. I have loved being part of the design process to elevate our athletes’ experience and raise the bar for facilities around the world.”

$250M Forbes’ valuation of the Dallas Wings, making it the 10th most valuable women’s sports team in the world.

Bergin is keen to increase equity and promote opportunities for pro female athletes more broadly, a priority she directly attributes to her Porter’s experience. The daughter of current Chief Financial and Operating Officer Michael Bergin P’19, she grew up on campus from age 7, attended for all four years of high school and even got to practice with the field hockey team while in middle school. She calls the school an “incredible environment where girls are constantly empowered” to speak up for what they believe in and become confident, innovative leaders. Bergin has put these qualities to use by championing the club’s pursuit of the Equity Amendment to legislation in Illinois, which requires that if and when public funding is available for professional sports in the state, women’s teams must be considered. “This has the potential to benefit not only our team but generations of women in Illinois and to set a precedent nationwide,” Bergin says. “My experiences growing up on the campus, and later attending Porter’s, informs the work I do every day as I work to shape a changing world.”

Shaping change in pro sports

Miss Porter’s School

Giving it her all, Ancient Anika Alschuler dives for the disc.

“We had freedom to run drills and teach teammates how to play, which I think helped in developing my leadership skills.”

ANIKA ALSCHULER ’24

Shaping change in pro sports

For Anika Alschuler ’24, their foray into pro sports is taking place this year in their first season with Oregon Soar, the state’s new professional Ultimate Frisbee team for women and nonbinary athletes. Part of the Western Ultimate League, which encompasses eight teams in six western states, Alschuler plays home games for Soar at the Portland campus of the University of Oregon. The team kicked off its 2026 season in March, and Alschuler, who has played the sport since middle school, is relishing the opportunity to go pro. “It’s super rewarding to play at a competitive level and enhance my game that much more,” says Alschuler. The daughter of Porter’s Associate Director of College Counseling Erika Alschuler P’24, she studies math and philosophy at Lewis & Clark College, a private liberal arts institution in Portland. Ultimate, as it’s officially known, was a defining part of Alschuler’s time at Porter’s. Alschuler was co-captain of the school’s team for four years, and the co-captains received considerable latitude from their faculty supervisor to shape the training regimen and coach players, which was a meaningful growing experience. “We had freedom to run drills and teach teammates how to play, which I think helped in developing my leadership skills,” Alschuler says.

Building on that experience at college, Alschuler joined the school’s Artemis Women’s Ultimate Frisbee women’s team. Playing on the starting lines last season, she helped the team tie for third place at the D-III College Championships — a historic best performance. This year, Alschuler is one of four captains for the team. Unlike most team sports, where a referee officiates games, ultimate involves players enforcing the rules and resolving disputes themselves. This approach strengthens players’ commitment to compete with honesty, integrity and sportsmanship, qualities Alschuler says make the sport particularly appealing. “It’s a sport focused on the spirit of the game — that’s important to me.” Alschuler describes the process to be considered for the Soar as intense, involving first competing against 50-odd athletes at an open tryout, then joining a smaller pool of candidates for two closed tryouts. They say making the team was a thrill, as is the fast-paced action on the field and being part of a tight-knit, gender-inclusive team. Alschuler is also jazzed to be part of a sport that is attracting more female and non-binary athletes. Indeed, data shows that women’s division participation in ultimate in the United States has been growing steadily in recent years in terms of the number of participants and institutional support. “There is more interest, opportunities and viewership — it’s an exciting time to be part of ultimate.”

• SNEAK PEEK •

THE CLASSROOM OF

Emily Bryk When it comes to understanding the complexities of marine environments, science teacher Emily Bryk knows that lessons cannot be confined to the classroom. Bryk engages her students at Miss Porter’s School in real-world assignments, whether at the Farmington River or other nearby aquatic sites. For the Oceanography: Marine Science and Ocean Life course, she has taken students to Hammonasset Beach State Park to study sea level rise. A previous field trip she organized for Freshwater Ecology: Unique Properties of Water involved students testing the water quality of the Housatonic River.

Miss Porter’s School

“I want them to get the idea that they can do investigations of the natural world that have meaningful results,” says Bryk, who teaches a variety of science courses.

Sneak Peek

Hands-on scientific inquiry first captivated Bryk in a freshman geology course at Williams College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in geosciences and English in 2004. She later completed a Master of Science in oceanography at Rutgers University and a Master of Arts in earth science teacher education at Brooklyn College. Having joined Porter’s in 2018, Bryk deeply appreciates the chance to help address the persistent gender gap in science. “Historically, there’s been a lot of underrepresentation and low expectations for women in sciences,” says Bryk, who in 2021 was awarded Porter’s Warren S. Hance Teaching Chair, which honors a teacher’s exceptional instruction and care for students. “I feel great about getting more girls to feel confident about their abilities in science.” Bryk’s activities outside of teaching include coaching winter running and serving as faculty advisor to the Jewish Students Affinity group, which she says offers Jewish students a vital sense of community during a time of surging antisemitism. Porter’s is not just an employer for Bryk, but a true home: She lives on campus with her husband, math and computer science teacher John Bryk, and their children, Sam, 14, and Ivy, 11. They also have two cats, Poppy and the free-spirited Mooch, a well-loved fixture on campus. Reflecting on her journey at Porter’s, Bryk treasures witnessing students discover how science intersects with their lives. “I want them to make connections between the natural world and what they care about,” Bryk says.

RADIO DAYS

A memento from college, where Bryk met her husband — they both worked on campus as radio DJs. 02

STRIKING A CHORD

Playing tunes on the banjo is a favorite pastime. 03

PURRFECT PALS

The Bryk family includes Poppy and the adventurous Mooch, who considers all of campus his home. 04

GREAT READS

Bryk is an avid reader who particularly enjoys books about the ocean. 05

CONNECTION CUFFS

Bryk is a fan of fabric arts who loves making and giving friendship bracelets. 06

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

Bryk’s students engage in handson marine science exploration.

• FACULTY NEWS •

What our faculty members have been learning, doing and presenting

Miss Porter’s School

Michael Bergin P’19, chief financial and operating officer, presented at the 2025 annual conference of the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools along with Princess Hyatt, executive director & head of school at Grace Academy Hartford (GA), an independent, interfaith, tuition-free middle school. They spoke about how a board of trustees and head of school work together on fiduciary issues, specifically focusing on how the board can move the school’s budget and finances out of mere fiduciary conversations to strategic and generative issues. Bergin is the former chair of GA’s board of trustees and led the search that brought Hyatt to the school. As the immediate past board chair, Bergin is a member of the GA executive board.

Bergin recently joined the Risk Management Advisory Committee of United Educators (UE), which provides liability insurance and risk management solutions to K-12 schools, colleges and universities. The committee, which consists of higher education and independent school leaders from across the country, provides UE with feedback on pressing educational issues and risk management resources.

Director of Human Resources Jeannette Kopinja-Broyles was recently asked to join the board of the Connecticut Independent Schools Health Plan (cishp). Overseen by a committee of the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools (cais), the cishp offers a health insurance program to independent schools that are members of the cais. In September, Controller Lisa Gilmore was elected to serve on the board of directors of Grace Academy Hartford. Gilmore has been engaged with the school for a few years as an advisor on business operations. In September, Language Department Chair Maureen Lamb, Chief Academic Officer Timothy Quinn and Academic Dean Elizabeth Simison, who are members of Porter’s AI Task Force, traveled to Stanford University to attend the annual conference of Challenge Success, a national nonprofit that partners with K-12 schools to improve student well-being, engagement and belonging. They participated in Finding Our Way with AI in Schools: Strengthening Character and Promoting Virtuous AI Use with High School Students, a study funded by the John Templeton Foundation in partnership with the Stanford Graduate School of Education.

Summer programs

Do you have a daughter, granddaughter or niece? We invite her to join us at Miss Porter’s School this summer to discover her capacity to help shape a changing world! Through our diverse summer programs, she will find joy, develop creativity, gain confidence and build character.

Scan the QR code to learn more.

Miss Porter’s School

CELEBRATING

PHENOM

A SPORTS FOR ITS RECORD-SHATTERING 2004 SEASON, THE SOFTBALL TEAM IS INDUCTED INTO THE SCHOOL’S ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME

MENON

As members of the Miss Porter’s School community marked National Girls & Women in Sports Day on Feb. 4, they had something extra special to celebrate. That day, a member of the 2004 softball team was on campus for a ceremony to recognize its one-of-akind achievement in Porter’s athletic history: an undefeated season of 17 wins, a feat that broke a school record and is one that still stands today. The players’ prowess included scoring the two main prizes of the regional competition circuit for private girls and coed high schools: the championships of both the Western

Miss Porter’s School

New England Prep School Girls Softball Association and the Founder’s League.

For their grand slam accomplishment, Coach Melanie Knox, Assistant Coach Melissa Courtmarche and the entire team was inducted into Porter’s Athletic Hall of Fame — becoming the school’s first sports team ever to receive this honor. Addressing the audience of MPS staff and students gathered in the Hacker Theater, player Sharifah S. Holder ’06 recalled what it meant to be part of a softball sisterhood with all the right ingredients to win big.

WNEPSGSBA CLASS A CHAMPIONS “I remember a lot of laughter, singing, inside jokes, passion, grit and community,” recalled Holder, who is a current member of Porter’s board of trustees. “We learned how to work hard alongside one another, how to rely on each other and how to show up even when things felt impossible. Every single person contributed in a unique and magical way.” At last year’s Reunion in October, Head of School Katherine G. Windsor announced the recognition. She described the team’s outstanding performance as perfectly embodying Farmington’s #girlswinhere slogan, which encompasses an athletics culture of strength, cooperation and confidence.

“What you have achieved is far greater than victory on a scoreboard. … You have exemplified the very essence of leadership, of perseverance and of unity,” Windsor said. “This induction is more than just a celebration of past triumphs. It’s a testament to the power of women supporting women and what can be achieved when young women are empowered to rise together, to lead with integrity and to compete with heart.”

Celebrating a sportst phenomenon

At the induction ceremony, Student Head of Athletics Katie Cashel ’26 described the team’s success as helping to further entrench a legacy of sports excellence at Porter’s that will inspire future generations of student-athletes. “This remarkable group combined exceptional athletic skill with resilience and unity, demonstrating the power of collective effort and leadership,” Cashel said. “The 2004 Varsity Softball Team represents a defining moment in the school’s athletic history and a lasting example of competitive excellence.”

17-0 UNDEFE UNDEFEATEDD

FOUNDERS LEAGUE CHAMPIONS The Athletic Hall of Fame at Porter’s was established in 2018 to mark the school’s 175th anniversary. The studentathletes in the photos gracing its walls include those who excelled at sports such as crew, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming and tennis. “The display features the faces of those who came before you — stories of excellence, commitment and impact. And you’ll also notice something just as important — blank spaces,” said Director of Athletics Avi Dubnov. “Those empty panels are not an accident. They are an invitation. They are there for you — to dream bigger, to work harder, to lead with courage and to build something lasting.”

Miss Porter’s School

For Holder, excelling with her peers on the softball diamond fostered values and nurtured talents that have served her well across diverse domains in her life.

“Our time together gave us discipline, trust, belief and a shared understanding that no one succeeds alone. Those lessons didn’t stay on the field — they have followed me into every classroom, every job, every role I’ve had since,” Holder said. “One of the most important lessons I learned at Porter’s, and through sports here, was that it’s OK to take risks because it’s OK to fail. Fail fast. Learn. Move forward. The pursuit of excellence will always lead you to personal growth. … Girls really do win here — on the field, in the classroom and far beyond this campus.”

Celebrating a sportst phenomenon

GIRLS WIN HERE MPS 2004 VARSITY SOFTBALL TEAM

FRONT ROW

BACK ROW

JESSIE SANDERS ’04 ABIGAIL MARTIN ’04

COACH

CO-CAPTAIN

AUBRE CARREÓN AGUILAR ’04 CO-CAPTAIN

CAT LINDROTH ’04 GINA LECKIE ’04

MELISSA COURTEMANCHE SHARIFAH HOLDER ’06 ASHLEY JONES ’05 STEPHANIE WEBB ’06 BAILEY SANDERS ’06

CAROLINE EWING ’06 ALEXA DAVID ’06 LIZ BOHINC ’06 HEAD COACH

MELANIIE JOSEPH NOT PICTURED

SARAH SKEETE ’05

• ANCIENT PROFILE •

Elizabeth “Liz” Blake ’69 Leveraging the law to improve lives

hen a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti in 2010, it claimed a staggering 280,000 souls, injured even more and created a homelessness disaster. Some 1.5 million people, about 10% of the country’s population, instantly found themselves on the rubblestrewn streets of their decimated towns and villages. The suffering of loss of life, displacement and societal

Miss Porter’s School

collapse was immense.

Liz Blake ’69, then general counsel and senior vice president of advocacy and government affairs for Habitat for Humanity International, knew she could help alleviate this suffering. But rehousing displaced Haitians would require overcoming a major obstacle: Most land ownership in the country was undocumented, which impeded rebuilding efforts. Blake organized volunteers from the international community and Haiti’s public, private and nongovernmental organization sectors, plus donors and lawyers, to document the formal system for buying, selling and recording land rights, and produced four accompanying books to train professionals and the public on how to secure their rights to land.

“We were able to document tens of thousands of properties, which allowed for land to be made available for building transitional and permanent shelters,” says Blake, who has visited Haiti 73 times to help enshrine land rights. “The privilege of being a lawyer is being able to use legal tools to solve social and civic problems. I feel blessed if I can do something to help.” For her social justice work in Haiti and around the world, Miss Porter’s School has bestowed Blake with the 2026 Evan Burger Donaldson ’51 Achievement Award. Established in 1998 by William H. Donaldson to honor his wife, an Ancient who was a prolific community volunteer, the biannual award recognizes alumnae whose professional or voluntary service to others has been exemplary. Growing up in Westchester County, New York, Blake was raised by parents who she says were active community volunteers and expected the same of their five children. As a boarding student at Miss Porter’s School in her junior and senior years, she says she developed the maturity and self-assuredness to become an engaged student and leader. She has fond memories of her role as Glee Club president, and of hangouts with friends who also lived in the Colony and Lathrop residences.

“Being in an all-girls’ environment allowed me to be much more focused on my studies. I also had wonderful experiences at Farmington that shaped my life,” says the 74-year-old, who lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

“If you own a piece of land, you can use that as a resource to borrow money to then get yourself out of poverty,” says Blake, who also oversaw Habitat’s Washington office.

After Porter’s, Blake earned a Bachelor of Arts at Smith College in Massachusetts and then a law degree at Columbia Law School in New York. She began her career as a corporate lawyer at private practices, first on Wall Street and then at a firm in Cincinnati. She later led the legal units of GE Power Systems, US Airways and other major companies before joining Habitat for Humanity International in 2006.

Blake’s community service track record has extended to volunteering on boards of directors of health, educational and cultural organizations in Ohio and Atlanta, including serving as the first woman chair of the Ohio Board of Regents and chairing the Board of Councilors of The Carter Center. She has also served terms on the Alumnae Board of Directors and the Board of Trustees at Porter’s. Since retiring in 2014, Blake and her husband, Frank, have supported a broad range of good causes. Via the Liz Blake Giving Fund, Blake has accompanied economically disadvantaged women and children as they work to better their lives. The fund partners with local nonprofits to support initiatives focused on quality child care, financial self-sufficiency for caregivers and mental well-being. “I feel strongly about trying to break cycles of

Liz Blake with a future homeowner in Guadalajara, Mexico in 2011. Blake led a team of Proctor & Gamble executives in building houses in the city.

intergenerational poverty,” Blake says. “I think empowering people to build resilience and strength in their lives can bring about lasting change.”

During her almost nine years at the global nonprofit, Blake advanced housing equity in multiple countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Central and South America. In Bolivia, she helped change the law to allow women to be listed on property titles, affording them the right of home ownership. Her work in Mexico sparked a government social program to replace dirt floors with cement in the homes of poor families, which reduced instances of children contracting Chagas disease. In Ghana and Kenya, Blake engaged with tribal leaders to promote women’s right to inherit land.

“The privilege of being a lawyer is being able to use legal tools to solve social and civic problems. I feel blessed if I can do something to help.”

Liz Blake with President Jimmy Carter at the Carter Center, for which she served as chair of the Board of Councilors.

Ancient Profile

• RESPECT •

Miss Porter’s School

COACHING STUDENTS TO EXCEL — IN SPORTS AND AS HUMANS

Elevating student-athletes at Miss Porter’s School is about cultivating girls’ skills, discipline, teamwork, passion and confidence — qualities that help them thrive in their sport and in life. Foundational to these efforts are highcaliber coaches whom Student Head of Athletics Katie Cashel describes as “pillars of our success. … They teach us about the power of a team, how to compete, try new things, communicate and keep going after we fall.” Three Porter’s coaches reflect on their style and goals — on the court, fairway and trails.

MELISSA SCHOMERS

Q: What do you see as the primary goal for your athletes?

Q: How would you describe your coaching style?

A: I want them to feel strong and confident in their bodies, to appreciate the unique physical qualities they bring to a court and

COACH, JUNIOR VARSITY BASKETBALL

A: Creating space to practice voice and agency. I want athletes to trust they are mentally, emotionally and physically capable of more than they think. I like empowering them to make decisions. They call plays, set the warmup routine and provide half-time feedback. They can override my decisions if they think there is a better way.

in their skill sets. I want to create spaces for everyone to feel like a positive contributor.

Q: How do you keep athletes motivated after tough losses or during challenging seasons? A: I work with kids on their specific court “jobs” and look for improvement. We create targeted focus areas so that a loss doesn’t matter as much as celebrating the fact that we had fewer turnovers. Wins take care of themselves when we take care of the training — always, always, always process over product.

HUR-SHIU WEBB

COACH, VARSITY CROSS COUNTRY

Q: How would you describe your coaching style? A: I believe anyone who can run can enjoy the sport. I strive to help students discover their inner strength and push through discomfort to “settle in” for the distance. I love guiding new runners through their first miles and witnessing their progress. Q: Could you share about a student on the team who has stood out to you?

RYAN BLISS

COACH, VARSITY GOLF

Q: What made you decide to coach students in golf? A: My summers in high school were filled with rounds of golf. Then, at a previous school job, I got to be an assistant coach under a former college golfer and fell back in love with the game. I became fascinated by the biomechanics of the swing and course management. I am happy that I can continue exposing students to golf at Porter’s. Q: How do you build a strong team where every athlete feels included and valued?

A: I cultivate a supportive and friendly team where winning is not the top priority. Regardless of whether you are a beginner or a scratch golfer, you are going to lift each other up after bad shots and celebrate the good. We focus on getting better as individuals while supporting our teammates. Everyone looks forward to the end-ofyear senior night mini golf and ice cream celebration. Q: What do you see as the primary goal for your athletes? A: Creating a passion for golf. I want our students to get into the game early, in a fairly free environment, so when they are asked at some point in their life if they want to go golfing, there isn’t any hesitation in them saying yes.

A: Sofia Olivares, a 2020 graduate. She was incredibly consistent and persistent. Over her time on the team, she significantly improved her speed. I think she ran at every single meet from ninth to 12th grades. What heartens me most is that she still runs today and even ran an ultramarathon. Q: What do you see as the primary goal for your athletes? A: Running has taught me that joy and fulfillment are accessible even when things don’t go according to plan. Above all, I want to pass this gift on to my athletes. I want them to discover and celebrate the incredible capabilities of their own bodies and minds and to carry that resilience and joy into every facet of their lives.

33 Coaching students to excel

Sports coaches Ryan Bliss, Melissa Schomers and Hur-shiu Webb take a balanced approach to cultivating athletic excellence in students.

• DONOR PROFILE •

LIFTING AS SHE CLIMBS

Miss Porter’s School

Kendall Heath ’18

Looking at the current landscape of women’s rights in American society, Kendall Heath ’18 sees the educational opportunity Miss Porter’s School provides to girls as being especially vital.

“Porter’s feels more important than ever in terms of creating opportunities for women,” Heath says. “As society becomes increasingly polarized, it’s essential to have spaces where women can develop confidence, critical thinking skills and the ability to navigate structures of power thoughtfully and effectively.” This is a major reason Heath actively contributes to bolstering her alma mater. In 2023, she joined Porter’s Alumnae Board of Directors and co-chairs the advancement committee, where she works with the Alumnae and Development Office on engaging Ancients in the life of the school. As part of these efforts, she called every Ancient from her graduating class last year to check in and invite them to consider donating. “I’m especially focused on encouraging younger Ancients to give,” Heath says. “Graduates frequently wait until later in their careers to engage philanthropically, but early participation matters. A strong participation rate strengthens the school as a whole. It helps Porter’s qualify for additional funding opportunities and demonstrates collective investment in its mission. Even small gifts contribute to sustaining the kind of transformative education that shaped my own experience.” For Heath, volunteering to help strengthen Porter’s is also driven by her gratitude for how much she gained from the school. The native of Atlanta attended during her junior and senior years and says the experience was essential to her growth — academically, creatively, socially and beyond. In English classes, Heath’s favorite subject, she enjoyed being challenged to dissect complex literary themes with her classmates, which she says developed her ability to think critically and articulate her opinions clearly. She says she has fond memories of being in the Perilhettes a cappella singing group and their performances for Singing in the Garden, one of her favorite traditions at Porter’s. She also found meaningful connection in her role co-chairing Sister 2 Sister, a Black students affinity group.

“It’s essential to educate women to feel capable — that’s what Porter’s instills in its students: the belief that we are capable of far more than we’re often taught to imagine.”

Those competencies served Heath well after Porter’s, when she attended Spelman College. Having already found her voice and built her confidence at Porter’s, she felt comfortable pursuing a variety of extracurricular activities and leadership roles at college, “including serving as marketing director for Future Business Leaders of Spelman and as financial secretary for her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.” Today, Heath lives in Austin, Texas, where she works at Apple in partner operations on the Access in Apple Wallet team. In this role, she partners with universities and institutional stakeholders to support their implementation of digital credentials in Apple Wallet, enabling students to use their iPhone or Apple Watch as their student ID across campus. Focused on continuing to advance her career in the digital technology industry, Heath is currently completing a Master of Al Strategy and Innovation degree online at Wake Forest University.

As well, she says the opportunity to meet students from all around the world, including her roommate from Jakarta, Indonesia, helped her expand her worldview.

Grounded in a deep sense of gratitude and responsibility, Heath continues to support the institution that helped shape her path. Aside from volunteering for Porter’s, she also donates annually and, in 2024, hosted fellow local Ancients at her home for a Worldwide Sit-Down Dinner.

“Porter’s helped me understand who I am, what I value and how to approach the world with a global mindset,” she says. “It gave me the confidence to put myself out there and the tools to navigate different environments intentionally and strategically.”

“I want to be able to lift as I climb,” Heath says. “It’s essential to educate women to feel capable — that’s what Porter’s instills in its students: the belief that we are capable of far more than we’re often taught to imagine.”

Donor Profile

• LOOKING BACK •

Imagining Life 2026 The ways in which Miss Porter’s School nurtures impactful changemakers vividly came to life at the 2026 Obidimma Olga Ibimina Okobi ’94 Imagining Life discourse. In January, 16 Ancients returned to campus to share their distinct professional journeys and accomplishments with graduating seniors. Named in memory of a student whose brief life was dedicated to education, this signature event provided students with firsthand perspectives on the diverse paths life can take after Porter’s. By the end of the evening, the class of 2026 learned that no matter where their journey takes them, they belong to a lifelong sisterhood that is committed to their success.

MPS at the New York Historical Members of the Miss Porter’s School community gathered at the New York Historical on Jan. 22 for an unforgettable night of history, art and connections. Ancients, parents, grandparents, trustees and friends engaged in a rich conversation about girls’ education today and in the future. The event took place in the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library, which is named after the mother of Ancient Nancy Klingenstein Simpkins ’74, who is also a former chair of the board of trustees.

Miss Porter’s School

MPS extends a sincere thank-you to this event’s generous sponsors: Ariel Investments, Fiduciary Trust International, FSSA, Janus Henderson, Lone Peak Global Investors (formerly Clifford Capital Partners) and Offit Capital.

Looking Forward Join us for a summer meetup!

See you at Reunion 2026!

MPS summer receptions are back, and they are bolder than ever.

For Ancients from classes ending in 1s and 6s — this is your year to reconnect! Reunion 2026 will take place on campus from Oct. 16 to 18. This is your

Join Head of School Dr. Katherine G. Windsor and other members of the leadership team for a conversation about the future of learning and growth at Miss Porter’s School. We’re bringing the spirit of Farmington to a spot near you for a gathering of camaraderie and insight. We expect to meet in: • Jackson Hole, Wyoming

opportunity to gather with your Porter’s peers, hear from students and faculty, and discover what’s new in Farmington. Enjoy dinners together and participate in classic MPS traditions such as Singing in the Garden and Little Meeting. The festivities will include a special 50th reunion breakfast for members of the class of 1976. You can learn more about the schedule for Reunion 2026 and register at porters.org/reunion-weekend-2026/ #registration. Registration opens on July 7, and earlybird pricing is available until Aug. 16.

• Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts • Mystic, Connecticut • Nantucket, Massachusetts • Park City, Utah • Tupper Lake, New York Don’t miss out! Visit porters.org/ calendar for event details and to register, or contact alumnaerelations@missporters.org to learn more.

If your ZIP code shifts in the summer, send a quick note to alumnaerelations@missporters.org with the dates you’ll be in residence. You may also complete the Ancient Profile Update form online: porters.org/informationfor-ancients.

’S O RT E R M IS S P L O O SCH N 2025 R E U N IO

Make your

own mem ories at Farmington during Re union 2026!

Looking Forward

• CLASS NOTES •

Submit your note!

DEADLINE

Aug. 1, 2026 DELIVERING PHOTOS

Please submit your digital photos at the highest possible size and resolution. Photos must be sized 1 MB or larger. Please note that we are not able to publish all photos submitted for Class Notes. BY EMAIL

Share your note via email: classnotes@missporters.org. THINGS TO NOTE

If emailing from your phone or computer, make sure that the software doesn’t shrink or compress your photos. Lowresolution or low-quality photos may not be included. — Digital photos are preferred. Prints may be mailed, but we cannot return them. —

Miss Porter’s School

Please provide the full name and class year of every Ancient in the photo (from left to right) and the date and location of the occasion. Include your name, your year and a caption for every image.

1951

1959

Grace Lee Jordan writes: “I have reached the age of 92 and wish I could still play field hockey! But I am still driving, taking Pilates, reading good books and enjoying life! I do play Scrabble about once a week

Rebecca Miller Harvey traveled to Madagascar, Seychelles and Mauritius, with a goal to see two bird species saved from near extinction, the Mauritius kestrel and the pink pigeon. Last October she

with friends! The only person I ever hear from in my class at MPS is Liz Cushman Putman! I have four daughters, four sons-in-law, six grandchildren and two great granddaughters! So life is full of fun and excitement!”

went birding in Sri Lanka. She is still training her corgis, Lily and Charlie, and working in the garden.

1954 Louisa Copeland Duemling retired and lives on her family’s farm near Chestertown, Maryland. She writes: “My family comes and goes. My great grandchildren are here in their house all summer. I have a dog who is excellent company. I walk a lot and play bridge. My warm greetings to classmates.”

1956 Ritchey Warren Goodwin writes: “My eldest granddaughter got married; now I feel old.”

1957 Leslie Powell Siggs writes: “We continue to split our time between Seattle and Tucson. We golf about three days a week and have fun with my hobby of decorating tissue boxes that are mostly for gifts but also are sold at several galleries and gift shops.”

Editors note: These entries have been edited for clarity and conciseness.

Margaret (Gerry) Evans Tuten writes: “Looking through the list of our class, I’m saddened that so many are gone. John and I continue living with our dog in a development after downsizing. I still have my studio nearby in Norristown but do not get there to paint often enough due to caretaking. We see our three children and seven grandchildren as often as possible.”

1960 Sarah Barkhausen Rossiter had lunch in December with Kathy Houston Bradford, who was in Concord, Massachusetts, for a panel discussion at Concord Center for the Visual Arts, where two of her paintings were part of an exhibit titled “Motherhood.” Sarah writes she is now the proud owner of one of Kathy’s paintings, which is also titled “Motherhood”! Sarah’s poetry book, “Body of the World,” will be published by Cascade Books in 2026.

Class Notes

1961

1966

Mary Jane Dillon (née Churchill) now enjoys living in Atlanta, where she is near her children and grandchildren.

Elizabeth Winthrop writes: “In October, seven of us gathered in Houston at the suggestion of Ginger Clarkson. She gave us a walking tour of the Rice University campus. Because of NancyBell Coe’s myriad connections in the music world, we were able to see the university’s impressive new opera house and its

1962 Bitsy Taggart Fitzsimmons writes: “First and foremost, the class of ’62 celebrated one year of monthly Zoom calls yesterday on Jan. 13, and it is truly the greatest thing since sliced bread! Thank you to Bliss Caulkins Clark for coming up with the idea, to Muffin Lord for organizing it every month and to all of those who attend. When our hour spent together is over, I think I can speak for all of us when I say we feel 16 again and as if we are picking up a conversation we might have had while waiting to hear the Dingle before dinner or while walking up the hill to Basic Science with Miss Pegau. The second Tuesday of the month is completely magical. “Who knew that at 81 I’d suddenly change direction and become a published author, co-authoring a medieval historical fiction series with my seventh grade boyfriend, whom I hadn’t seen or spoken to in over 65 years? You just never know what the sunrise will bring, because the world ignites with new possibilities every day. And in case you are looking for something to add to your to-read list, check out “The Witch of Godstow Abbey” by Lady Harriet and Dr. Peter Stevenson.”

1965 Cordelia Frances Biddle is adapting for the stage her feminist novel that upends ancient scripture. “Listen to Me: The Women of the Bible Speak Out” was performed at the Philadelphia Fringe Festival in September 2025. Original music accompanied the performance, including a country/western ballad sung by a nongendered God. “Miss Grey would have loved every moment!” she writes. Her new novel, “The River Was Waiting,” debuted in January.

Shepherd School of Music. With our art experts, Cecie Clement and Eliza Rathbone, in charge, we enjoyed a private tour of the Menil Drawing Institute, and we met the new director of the Rothko Chapel. Another high moment was viewing James Turrell’s ‘Skyspace I’ at Live Oak Friends Meeting House. We enjoyed many laughs and delicious meals and shared memories along the way.”

Back row, left to right: Peggy Cadbury, NancyBell Coe, Ginger Clarkson, Cecie Clement; front row, left to right: Elizabeth Winthrop (Alsop), Eliza Rathbone, Magrieta Livingston Willard.

Ginger Clarkson writes that her father, Dr. Bayard Delafield Clarkson, died peacefully at 99 in home hospice on Long Island on Dec. 30, 2025. “After nearly 60 years of serving as a leukemia researcher at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Dad is free at last from a body and mind that no longer functioned.”

1969 Michelle Blake Simons, who is expecting her third grandchild, writes: “[grandchildren] are certain sources of joy in a dismal world.” Last year, she published “How We Enter the Palace,” a book of poems, and traveled to Los Angeles for the Association of Writers & Writing Programs conference and to visit her sister. This year, she is working on a fourth novel in her Lily Connor series; set in the Hill Country, it will look at immigration policies and practices, feed lot ranching and the decimation of the aquifer.

• CLASS NOTES •

1970

1978

Aggie Burke Rives writes: “I keep up with a monthly Katharine “Mima” Nason Tipper’s young teen lit novel Zoom with Lisa Kunstadter, Joan Mueller and Tina Endicott, “Kat’s Greek Summer” earned the silver medal for young which is very meaningful and fun. I’m still working part adult fiction at the Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards. time (26 years) at the University of Virginia School Her second novel, “Channeling Marilyn,” about a of Medicine. My baby granddaughter is two hours away, 17-year-old girl whose life goes sideways when the and the older girls are two minutes away — very lucky! spirit of Marilyn Monroe takes up residence in her body, The 10-year-old heard me say I might need to wear pantyhose to a fancy party and asked, ‘What is pantyhose?’”

1973 Polly Freeman Lyman is the director of gift planning at Emma Willard School, about which she writes: “It is a thrill to work for an all-girls school with such ardent support for their alma mater, just like Farmington.” Last year, Polly enjoyed hosting Worldwide Sit-Down Dinner. She looks forward to getting together with other Ancients in the Columbia/Dutchess counties area.

1974 Lydia Collins Bailey was honored with one of the Center for Community Solutions’ High 5 Awards for her work as an Episcopal deacon and volunteer services coordinator at Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry’s Men’s Shelter in Cleveland, Ohio.

Celebrating with Lydia, center, were, left, Archdeacon Bryan Gillooly and, right, Anne Jolly, the Episcopal bishop of Ohio.

Miss Porter’s School

1975

A mini reunion took place in Sag Harbor, New York, of three Ancients, left to right: Leonie Walker, Cynthia Mack and Daphne Chase Rowe.

will be released in June 2026 — just in time to celebrate the movie star’s 100th birthday.

1980 Robin Corton Bellamy writes: “I was thrilled to read ‘Porter’s Pool Legacy’ in the [fall 2025] bulletin! I especially loved the section about the early days, since I was part of that history. Claire Sutherland and I were co-captains in the 1979-80 academic year, and she was a good friend. I graduated in 1980. However, I do want to point out a slight error. I’m not exactly sure when the first swim team occurred at Farmington, but I was on the swim team my sophomore year, which was the 1977-78 academic year, a year before what was stated in the article. Also on that team was Stephanie Dettmer, who was a freshman that year. Below is the photo of that team, which is in the yearbook. Unfortunately, I was listed as H. Hubbard, not R. Corton. The next photo [was taken during] Claire’s sophomore year, her first year, the 1978-79 academic year. I’m standing right by her. Just wanted to set the record straight.” Nini Wray (Anita Kolisch) is still working full time as a physician and associate chief medical informatics officer. She has one granddaughter, Tali, who is almost 3 — “Tali calls me ‘Nini’” — and another grandchild, Oscar, was born in February. She lives in Blue Hill, Maine. She stays in touch with MaryVaughn Williams, Cary BrownEpstein and Fred Claiborne.

1982 Claire Van Cleave published a book called “The Farnese Drawings Collection,” which traces the history of the drawings collected in the Palazzo Farnese in Rome from the second half of the 16th century to the present day. “Had it not been for Mrs. Freeze, I never would have appreciated that studying the history of art was so fascinating. I absolutely credit those first lessons in her Farmington classroom as the spark which has sustained me in a long life of studying art history.” The book is published by Editori Paparo in Naples and can be purchased by contacting them or by contacting Claire directly. The Italian edition will be published in 2026.

1983 On Aug. 2, 2025, Candace Allen Fuchs joined a gathering of eastern Connecticut Ancients hosted by Janie Lange ’71 at her home on Bashan Lake. Together, they enjoyed a day of friendship and swimming.

Class Notes

Claire Van Cleave presenting her book in September 2025 in the Palazzo Farnese, which now serves as the French Embassy in Rome.

their careers in drama education and urban planning, respectively. She loves spending time with them as they settle into their new lives. This coming summer, she plans to relocate from the Boston area to Norfolk, Connecticut, a place where she spent many cherished summers as a child and young adult. She would be delighted to reconnect with any classmates who live in the area.

1986 Stasha Mills Healy and Kirsten Sadler Edepli caught up over tea at Raffles Hotel in London in November 2025. Stasha lives in Connecticut and Kirsten in “Abu Dhabi, but they were able to spend time together while Kirsten was in London on a work trip.

1989 Kristen Shaw writes: “In the last year, I have made the fun move from Connecticut to California, and I couldn’t be happier! My dogs and I have settled in Carlsbad and have been enjoying the great weather, beach, hiking and people. I am grateful for this life and the opportunity to make the most of it! Hello to all!”

1994

Front row, left to right: Janie Lange ’71 and Jade Starbala Matviyenka ’05. Back row, left to right: Elizabeth Werbe ’93, Courtney George ’85, Anne Ellis Ruzzante ’85 and Candace Allen Fuchs.

1984 Diana (Irwin) Beck: Diana recently retired after a 37-year career in public education, during which she served as an elementary teacher, a district program coordinator and an elementary school principal, primarily in Newton, Massachusetts. She is thrilled to be beginning this next chapter of her life. Diana is especially proud of her two adult children, Natalie and Andrew, who are building

A reunion took place in Key Biscayne, Florida, in January, celebrating the birthdays of Ancients and their friendship over 35 years. Photo includes Leyla Dailey, Paulina Mejía, Heather Lynch McAuliffe, Kelly O’Boyle, Cheyne Munk Beys, Ursula Galindo, Lindsay Shurman, Andrea ValdesFauli, Gonzalo Valdes-Fauli and Nelsy Trullols Troncoso.

• CLASS NOTES •

1997

2001

Alexandra Holden Terhalle writes: “It is really wonderful to see my daughter, Felicity Terhalle ’27, enjoying her junior year at Porter’s, and it is especially lovely to see that she has befriended fellow junior Rory Myers ’27, the daughter of Megan Cheshire Myers ’97, on the fall Costa Rica trip! Felicity is also enjoying being on the

Jennifer Watts Labinski writes: “It was wonderful to be back on campus for two of my daughters to participate in the Summer in Farmington program. They had a great time, and I loved getting to reconnect with other Ancients and their daughters!” Alicia Sands Tiberio writes: “This past year I had the privilege of participating in Metro Arts Studio, a small showhouse that connected artists with interior designers to create a vignette to showcase our work. I designed it around one of my patterns that I created as part of my line of fabrics and wallpapers, Dorset & Pond! My family and I enjoyed another wonderful year in Riverside, Connecticut, playing squash and sailing. I look forward to the next Worldwide Sit-Down Dinner to connect with fellow Ancients!“

eri o Alicia Sands Tib

, Tim Tiberio. and sb hu

Left to right: Rory Myers ’27, Felicity Terhalle ’27, Alexandra Holden Terhalle P’27, Caroline Holden Lewis ’02, Lauren Schwaber Melman, Hadley Weiss Rosen and Nuala Droney.

ter, Emily; son, Ja ugh m da r ie ; he

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swim team with Elle Dorin ’29, daughter of Ashley Green Dorin P’29, and Lauren Schwaber Melman is the school’s pediatrician! A great representation of the class of 1997 at MPS this year! Please let me know if any of you visit Berlin, Germany, as I would love to meet up.”

2000

Bridget Dee me

Miss Porter’s School

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m i st er, Rac hel D e e

Bridget Deemer married Michael Dodrill on Sept. 14, 2025, in a pear orchard on Mount Hood. Her sister, Rachel Deemer ’03, and her friends Kerry Dietterich and Stephanie Higgins Bealing were in attendance. She and her husband are living in Hood River, Oregon, with their dog, Bandit, and their cat, Cinnamon. Left to right: Stephanie Bealing, Bridget Deemer and Kerry Dietterich.

2003 Carly Schwartz writes: “I’m so excited to share that my first book, “I’ll Try Anything Twice: Misadventures of a Self-Medicated Life” — a memoir about my adventures overcoming depression and addiction — will be published in March 2026 by She Writes Press/Simon & Schuster. I’m a longtime journalist [and] most recently served as editor-in-chief of the San Francisco Examiner; I’m honored to share my story on a larger platform in the hopes of helping others with similar struggles. I currently live in San Francisco and will be touring on both coasts, including at an event at River Bend Books in West Hartford, Connecticut, moderated by fellow Ancient Alysa Auriemma.”

Class Notes

2007 On Sept. 27, 2025, Gabriella Korba married Daniel Klingenberg in Hume, Virginia. Their new last name is Koberg. Bridesmaids included Kaitlin Mesiti (Faticoni) and Natasha Trevino (Korba) ’06.

Laura Moeller Bibby and her husband, Andrew, welcomed their second daughter, Grace Murphy Bibby, on April 12, 2025, in Wilmington, North Carolina. At just 6 weeks old, Grace made her first trip to Farmington to celebrate the wedding of her Porter’s auntie, Kaitlin Mesiti (Faticoni).

Left to right: Nisha Siedor (Kapur), Laura Bibby (Moeller), Ana Pratt (Calciano), Katilin Mesiti (Faticoni), Gabriella Korba, Natasha Trevino (Korba) ’06, Sarah Cummings, Caitlin Gibbons, Alexandra Rodis and Katherine Dzialo (Andrew).

Ally Hashemi celebrated her wedding at the Bowery Hotel in New York City on Aug. 2, 2025, in the company of her crew of Porter’s besties.

Yasi Hashemi (bride’s sister), Victoria Arango, Ally Hashemi, Monica Aguirre, Carolyn Mulvey Jenks, Polly Hackett and Kayla Kawalick.

2008 Diva Malinowski Green and her husband, Benjamin Green, welcomed their daughter, Eliza Ida Carlson Green, on Oct. 10, 2025. Eliza has a big brother, 3-year-old Henry.

2010 Stella de Stefanis opened her own acupuncture practice, Acupunctury, in Santa Monica, California. After completing her master’s degree and licensure, she launched the studio with a focus on holistic, patientcentered care, blending traditional acupuncture with modern wellness and cosmetic acupuncture services. In a full-circle moment, several of her Porter’s sisters have served as models for her marketing materials, with their beloved Porter’s ring making a few sweet appearances along the way. “It’s been incredibly rewarding to build a space rooted in healing, creativity and community, and I’m deeply grateful for the support that has carried me here.”

Stella de Stefanis with Ancient model Sarah Vogel.

• CLASS NOTES •

2012

2015 Kaitlin “Katie” Tyner had one of her published articles included in the syllabus of Women in Politics, a course being taught this year at Wesleyan University. The article, “The Succession Effect: Change Over Time in Women’s Political Leadership Styles in New Zealand,” was published in December 2024 in the journal Comparative Political Studies.

2016 On Nov. 20, 2025, Emma DeCourcy and her husband, Jason Barefoot, welcomed twin boys, Colin and Duncan DeCourcy. They spent one month in the neonatal intensive care unit before coming home just in time for the holidays.

Hibba Meraay recently developed her art practice into a small business, Made By Hibba. She creates handpainted home goods and colorful art. Hibba has participated in pop-up markets around Washington, D.C., and is excited to sell her work in a store for the first time at Femme Fatale DC. She would love to connect with fellow entrepreneurs and creative Ancients.

Miss Porter’s School

On Oct. 11, 2025, Caroline McCance married Benjamin Perry in Richmond, Virginia. A beloved group of Ancients attended, including Julia Eddy, Emma Dubin, Sarah Berg, Ellen McCance Parker ’54, Suzanne McCance Huguley ’79, Cady Cirbes, Ymani Francis and Noell Head.

On Oct. 10, 2025, Monique Beaupre married Samantha Kreps. Monique writes: “It was a beautiful, intimate ceremony, and we were so lucky to have a strong Farmington presence!”

Left to right: Caroline Arnett, Madison Liistro, Liz Stoller (née Beaupre) ’05, Monique Beaupre, Aleks Jalinksas-Irby, Eliza Sareyan and Daria Forde.

2024 Anika Alschuler recently secured a roster spot on Oregon Soar, the Oregon women’s professional ultimate team, for the 2026 season. She is the youngest player on the team and will be competing at a high level during the spring semester while also serving as captain of the ultimate club team at Lewis & Clark College, where she is studying philosophy. Read more about her story on pages 18-19.

REMEMBRANCES

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. Pamela Whitmarsh Gores ’41 | 12/19/2025

Nancy Allen Vaughn ’52 | 10/12/2025

† Catharine ReQua Cluett 1912 — Grandmother

Catherine Gores Lynch 1961 — Daughter

† Nancy Barnes Goss 1928 — Cousin

† Phoebe Massey Ryerson 1937 — Cousin

Ainslie Gores Gilligan 1964 — Daughter

† Polly Powell Hincks 1945 — Cousin

Agnes Bell Wetteroth 2000 — Niece

Valerie C. Gores 1967 — Daughter

Jane Vaughn Love 1950 — Sister-in-law

† Anne Whitmarsh Close 1938 — Cousin

Marion Love Couzens 1975 — Niece

Catherine Young Clough 1968 — Cousin once removed Margaret C. Morgan ’44 | 1/24/2025 † Janet Croll Morgan 1919 — Mother † Caroline Morgan Macomber 1950 — Sister Janet Macomber Williamson 1981 — Niece Elisabeth Harrison Morgan 1948 — Sister-in-law

Anne Dodge Simpson ’53 — 12/2/2025 † Lucy Bell Hartwell 1951 — Cousin

Elise McIlvaine Strawbridge ’64 | 7/16/2025

Anne Meserve Davis ’54 | 11/25/2025

† Marjorie Flagg Strawbridge 1938 — Stepmother-in-law

† Joan Paton Tilney 1946 — Cousin † Edith Kunhardt Davis 1955 — Cousin

Patricia Beck Phillips ’66 | 9/3/2025

Linda Peyton 1970 — Cousin

Laura Bocly 2004 – Niece

Martha K. Davis 1979 — Cousin Philippa M. S. D. Neupert 2024 — Great-niece

Dale Pirie Cabot ’49 | 11/14/2025

Millicent A. E. D. Neupert 2027 — Great-niece

Emily Cabot Chamblin 1977 — Daughter

Elisabeth Howe Petersen ’55 | 10/22/2025

† Suzanne Pirie Pattou 1947 — Sister

Pamela Romaine Beckett 1984 — Niece

Linda N. Cabot 1976 — Niece † Lucy Cabot Smethurst 1952 — Cousin by marriage Stephanie M. Cabot 1981 — Cousin once removed Ginevra K. Chandler 1971 — Stepniece Esme B. Lovell Smith 2010 — Cousin twice removed Margaret P. Cannon ’50 | 6/15/2025 Mary McGrath Thacher ’50 | 7/28/2025 † Anne McGrath Lederer 1953 — Sister

Storrs Lamb Cote 1982 — Niece

† Pamela Paton 1956 — Cousin

Nancy Pardue Scheerer ’47 | 10/31/2025

† Ginevra Mitchell Hunter 1943 — Stepsister

Nancy Adams Downey ’59 | 7/10/2025 † Jeannette Keating Adams 1896 — Grandmother

Ashley Romaine Sczupak 1987 — Niece

Valerie Mixter Dove ’67 | † Stephanie Leonard Mixter 1939 — Mother † Muriel Eaton Mixter 1910 — Great-aunt Gay Lewis Jefferson 1955 — Cousin Stephanie Leonard 1965 — Cousin Kathleen A. Wilson ’76 | 6/14/2025

Agnes Gund ’56 | 9/18/2025 † Jessica Roesler Gund 1922 — Mother Louise L. Gund 1962 — Sister Edith Myles de Montebello ’57 | 9/16/2025 Amelia A. Newcomb 1976 — Second cousin Harlan Trevithick Simpson 2006 — Second cousin Edna Cassinerio Ott ’57 | 11/7/2025 Chartis Bell Tebbetts ’58 | 12/29/2025 † Catharine Johnson Bell 1937 — Mother Catharine C. Bell 1968 — Sister

FORMER EMPLOYEES

Alice M. DeLana | 8/23/2025 Art history teacher, bulletin editor, 1959–1998 Lois M. Hines | 6/9/2025 Spanish and French teacher, 1985–2000 Phyllis Katz | 9/5/2025 English and Classics teacher, 1978–1992 Sarah Owens Smith P ’24 | 12/15/2025 Assistant Director of Admission for International Recruitment, 2022–2024

† Deceased

† Evelin Clarke Young 1941 — Cousin

Section Remembrances title here

• REMEMBRANCES •

IN MEMORIAM

Alice Mohler DeLana, who taught at Miss Porter’s School from 1959 to 1998, died on Aug. 23, 2025, at age 88 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Born on Oct. 5, 1936, in Philadelphia to Orren and Helen Mohler, Alice graduated from Kingswood Cranbrook School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. She studied mathematics at Mount Holyoke College before transferring to the University of Michigan to earn a degree in English. Her love of teaching was sparked by her father, a lifelong academic and chair of the astronomy department at the University of Michigan.

Miss Porter’s School

In 1959, Alice joined the faculty of Miss Porter’s School, where she found purpose and delight in teaching English, art history and computer science. She often said her role was to give her students agency, then step aside so they could claim their own voices. Alice was known as a teacher who both asked the world of her students and gave them the courage to meet it. Many of Alice’s students later said she had inspired their paths in the arts, education and publishing.

Alice married William G. DeLana, a partner at the Hartford law firm formerly known as Day, Berry & Howard. Alice and William had two children together and enjoyed a marriage marked by devotion to intellect and community. Alice loved reading and spending time at the family’s home on Chappaquiddick. She served on the boards of the Hill-Stead Museum, the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, the Mortensen Library at the University of Hartford and Hartford Stage.

After William died in 1987, Alice described feeling “unable to breathe for several years” but carried on with grace, pouring herself into her students, volunteer work and then grandchildren. In 1989, she completed a Master of Arts in Writing at Northeastern University. After retiring, Alice served as a docent at Harvard University’s Fogg Museum. She also led guided tours for students and alumni of Harvard and Mount Holyoke through the Louvre museum in Paris, the Uffizi Galleries in Florence and the National Gallery in London. In time, Alzheimer’s touched Alice’s mind; for those close to her, it became a long parting. Alice is survived by her sister, Jane Barry; her daughter, Elizabeth (Libby); her son, Charley; her daughter-in-law, Patty; and her five grandchildren, William, Charlotte, Orren, George and Harry, who knew her as “Grandhoney.” A service celebrating Alice’s life and 40-year teaching career took place at Miss Porter’s School on Oct. 5, 2025.

IN MEMORIAM

H. Catherine (Cathy) W. Skinner, who served on the MPS Board of Trustees from 1985 to 1990, died on July 30, 2025, at age 94 in Southbury, Connecticut. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Cathy graduated from Kew Forest School in Forest Hills Gardens, New York. She attended Mount Holyoke College, becoming the first in her family to go to postsecondary school. She earned a master’s degree at what was then Radcliffe College (which became part of Harvard University) and a doctoral degree in mineralogy at the University of Adelaide in South Australia. Upon returning to the United States, Cathy worked at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. In 1966, she transferred her work to Yale University and became a senior researcher in the departments of Geology and Geophysics (now the Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences). She was also an affiliate of the university’s Department of Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation and of the Yale Peabody Museum. Her research on asbestos featured prominently in the 1989 publication “Asbestos and Other Fibrous Materials: Mineralogy, Crystal Chemistry and Health Effects.” Cathy was a pioneer in the field of medical geology. Her extensive work with phosphates produced breakthrough research and led to her leadership in public health-related science organizations. Her discoveries in mineralogy and crystallography supported biologists and biochemists working on collagen, bone and teeth, and they contributed valuable knowledge to the fields of dentistry and orthopedics.

Following her interests with determination, Cathy broke through gender barriers and created new opportunities for women. She was the first female to be elected president of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences. Meanwhile at Yale, she served as head of Jonathan Edwards College, becoming the first woman to lead any residential college at the university. Cathy also co-founded the Investors’ Strategy Institute, which educated women on how to strengthen their financial future, and created a networking group for professional women in New Haven that met monthly for more than 40 years. Cathy’s volunteer pursuits included serving as a member of the board of trustees for five years at Miss Porter’s School. She also contributed her talents to organizations such as the Connecticut Fund for the Environment and the New Haven ywca. Cathy was married to Brian J. Skinner, the former Eugene Higgins Professor of Geology and Geophysics at Yale, who died in 2019. She is survived by their three daughters: Adrienne, Stephanie and Thalassa; four grandchildren: Catherine, Diane and Erica Scott, and Alexandra Gordon; and two great-grandchildren: Elijah and Henry Scott-Samber.

Remembrances

Miss Porter’s School

2005

Then & Now

2026 49

October 16–18, 2026

Ancients from classes ending in 1s and 6s – this is your year! Mark your calendar for Reunion Weekend and make plans to join fellow Ancients and classmates for the festivities at Farmington. REGISTRATION OPENS JULY 7, 2026.

Visit porters.org/reunion-weekend-2026 for more information or email: alumnaerelations@missporters.org

Miss Porter’s School

60 Main Street Farmington, CT 06032

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