Beyond the Academy - Summer 2025

BEYOND SUMMER 2025

Celebrating the Class of 2025

the ACADEMY

In This Issue Features BEYOND the ACADEMY SUMMER 2025

3 Vision and Leadership Regal Architects

7 Academic Excellence

Celebrating the 72nd Graduating Class

34 Honor Roll of Generous Donors

Editor

Acknowledging Gifts and Grants to the School

Siobhan O’Neill

Contributors

Kim Acosta ’08, Kristin Callaghan, Samantha Costanzo Carleton ’11, Siobhan O’Neill, and Liz Roland.

Student Contributors: Ameya B. ’28, Izzy K. ’26, Kaila P. ’28, Talula W. ’26

On Campus 11 Campus Life

Exploring Campus Life at NDA

16 Athletics

Fostering Teamwork and Leadership

Photography

Raynelle Duronslet ’98, Catherine Lacey Dodd, Joseph JoonSoo Lee (Jooney Films), and Siobhan O’Neill.

18 Rocketry

Rocketry Team Achieves Lift Off

33 ’25 College Acceptances

List of Colleges for the Class of 2025

Graphic Designer Stacie Martinez

Beyond the Academy is published by Notre Dame Academy for alumnae, parents, and friends. Class Notes and In Memoriam can be submitted at https://academy.ndasla.org/ alumnae/update/class-notes or academy.ndasla.org/alumnae/ prayer-requestin-memoriam or emailed to advancement@ndala.com.

Alumnae 29 Alumnae News

Members of the Class of ’74 Reflect

31 Class Notes

Updates from Alumnae

32 In Memoriam

Remembering Alumnae

Stay Connected Notre Dame Academy 2851 Overland Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90064 310.839.5289 www.academy.ndasla.org

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@REGALGRYPHONS

NOTREDAMEACADEMYLOSANGELES

Summer 2025

Welcome Dear NDA Community, I have often said that Notre Dame Academy is both timeless and timely, especially during our 75th anniversary celebrations this past year. Timeless traditions like Notre Dame Day, the Mary’s Day Mass, and birthday locker decorations have endured, as have our values of sisterhood, service, and leadership. But NDA is also timely; we are constantly implementing ways to stay relevant in a fast-changing world, and we are enthusiastic about innovating for the future. This combination of honoring our roots and reaching for new heights has stood the test of time, with more than 6,500 alumnae now making a difference in the world.

It has also resulted in some of our most exciting achievements yet. Our STEM program continues to grow, with a record number of graduates pursuing science-based degrees and making their mark in male-dominated fields. Alumnae from our championship rocketry team are continuing their studies of space at UC Berkeley, USC, Notre Dame University, and Washington University in St. Louis; check out some of their projects on page 19. Students in our experiencebased law pathways class have met judges, learned more about law school, been mentored by alumnae, and attended a speech by Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. And our entire community is able to discover new interests, perspectives, and approaches to problem solving through our Exploratory Approach program, which now includes a TEDxinspired event featuring talks and panels from students, teachers, and distinguished guests.

Seventy-five years ago, the Sisters of Notre Dame built a Catholic school that would have a lasting impact on our city, and we are blessed to celebrate—and advance—their legacy. While our formal anniversary celebrations are over, we’ll continue to highlight the ways our students and alumnae are growing in faith as they build their communities, careers, and character.

In Notre Dame,

Lilliam Paetzold ’84, P ’11, ’15 President/Head of School

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Vision and Leadership 3

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Regal Architects Represent NDA Throughout Los Angeles

hen the Sisters of Notre Dame built Notre Dame Academy 75 years ago, they may not have anticipated the broad scope of their influence throughout the city. For nearly eight decades, NDA has inspired and prepared young women for leadership roles in every field and specialty – from engineering to public service, medicine to law, and finance to Hollywood.

Today, those same nuns might be surprised to learn NDA graduates are literally building the future of Los Angeles.

She credits Ms. Beauvy’s influence not only with her academic preparation for the field, but also with helping her to build essential work habits.

“Ms. Beauvy encouraged me to participate in the Ryman Arts Program, which required a much greater volume of work,” said Frances.

“Building that endurance gave me the stamina for long nights in the studio in college.

[Despite the] long hours, I want to be there and still enjoy it.”

Church architecture is the greatest architecture that humans can muster

The Los Angeles architecture scene boasts several Regals among its leaders, and more recent alumnae are poised to join their ranks over the next few years.

A trip to the St. Louis Arch in eighth grade sparked Frances Barrera’s early interest in architecture.

One look at the “majestic swooping arch and the construction photos got me,” said the Class of 2018 grad. “Seeing that keystone element come together and the artistic becom[ing] functional locked it in.”

Frances earned a five-year degree in architecture from the University of Notre Dame and now is a senior designer and project manager with Moule & Polyzoides, Architects and Urbanists, in Pasadena.

In addition to her arts training, Isabella Rendon, ’19, attributes her success in the five- year architecture program at USC to her math classes: “My AP calc experience gave me the essential technical side of the art/math combo.

And I couldn’t have gotten to AP math without Mr. Lebron. He was very methodical and presented information objectively – in a structured way that helped me to absorb the information.

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Cecilia is celebrating 30 years with the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, where as the Director of Construction for one of the largest archdioceses in the country, she manages – along with her team of seven – all construction and maintenance projects over $30,000 for more than 300 Catholic parishes.

“Church architecture is the greatest architecture that humans can muster,” she said. “It’s a huge blessing to have this job – I’m grateful to be here and to have helped the church in some small way.”

Frances Barrera ’18

“Art History with Ms. Beauvy was pivotal,” Isabella continued, “because that was the first time we actually studied buildings and architectural thinking. At NDA, I felt super confident because of how I was learning. I felt free to learn.”

Her experience at NDA and in particular, the Sisters of Notre Dame, prepared her to make that contribution. “I don’t know how they did it, but the Sisters of Notre Dame gave me a good sense that God is always going to be with me, even in the darkest of moments. I never questioned that.

I don’t know how to do things that don’t serve a higher purpose – truth, love, and beauty,” she continued. “It’s a great honor for me to be a great steward of the funds that come from faith.”

Class of 2023 grad Abby Lopez also ascribes her love of art to Ms. Beauvy and her AP 3-D studio art class. “I was so in love with all of the things I was creating…and enjoyed the level of quality in the work I produced.”

After considering graphic design as a career, college and career counselor “Mr. Ho helped me to figure out that architecture was the path. I enjoy the fact that what you’re conceptualizing today will be tangible in the future. It’s a long process that requires a lot of work but I can see myself doing it for the rest of my life.” Abby is a sophomore in the undergraduate architecture program at Washington University, St. Louis.

Unlike her Regal architect counterparts, Cecilia Uribe, ’84, didn’t discover architecture as a career path until she was a student at CalPoly Pomona.

But in retrospect, as a kid “I was obsessed with Lincoln Logs, Legos, and ordering things. I was always drawing up plans and reorganizing my room.”

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Isabella Rendon ’19

Summer 2025

Abby Lopez ’23

Cecilia Uribe ’84

Photo from the archives: the early buildings and construction of Notre Dame Academy.

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Academic Excellence 7

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Notre Dame Academy Celebrates 72nd Graduating Class Hundreds gathered in front of Rosa Mystica Hall on May 30 to celebrate the 62 members of the Class of 2025, the 72nd class to graduate from Notre Dame Academy. Below are a few highlights from the day’s student speakers. “...uncertainty is not a weakness, but a space for growth, discovery, and becoming. I learned that sometimes, the most important steps are taken before you know exactly where they’ll lead. Seniors, I say this to remind you that you won’t always have the answers. Though we are graduating today, our journey is just now beginning.

You may…stumble a few times through life—that is certainly okay.”

- Gabriela Moreno, Valedictorian

“...today isn’t just about saying goodbye and moving forward—it’s about honoring everything that brought us here.

It’s about the teachers who believed in us when we didn’t believe in ourselves. The friends who supported us on the hard days. The little moments that became the big ones.

As we move forward into college, into careers, into the unknown, let’s remember—we’re not starting from scratch.

We’re starting from strength. From the friendships that shaped us. From the lessons that challenged us. From the moments that quietly, unexpectedly, taught us who we are.

From everything that NDA had to offer.”

– Shelby McAlpin, Salutatorian

Amanda Normand Woman of Faith

Ruby Santamaria Woman of Service

Cyan Mathews Woman of Academic Excellence

Julia Danielle Yanez Woman of Compassion

Gabriela Moreno Woman of Vision

Alexandra Spencer Alma Mater Award, Student of the Year

Veronica Reese Salonga Woman of Leadership

Graduates from left: Alexandra Spencer, Julia Danielle Yanez, Veronica Reese Salonga, Gabriela Moreno, Ruby Santamaria, Cyan Mathews, and Amanda Normand.

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NDAE girls from left: Lila Rivera, Shelby McAlpin, Catherine Schlei, Ms. Paetzold, Madison Gelacio, Aila Dionisio, Fiona Walker, Sophia Petro, and Lucy Lowrey.

Alumnae mothers with their daughters from left: Cynthia Vazquez ’91 with daughter Alexandra Spencer, Natalie McCafferty ’96 with daughter Scarlett McCafferty, Elaine Warner ’91 with daughter Noelle Warner, and Walkiria Whitford ’93 with daughter Raquel Whitford.

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Christian Service Award

C

lass of 2025, I hope you carry the luminous, nurturing spirit of Mary with you into all your future pursuits, so that everyone you encounter may be just as fortunate as I have been to experience the joy, strength, and sisterhood you so generously share.

– Ruby Santamaria

Senior Ruby Santamaria Honored at 2025 Los Angeles Archdiocesan Christian Service Awards “I vividly recall returning home from [freshman] orientation and assuring my parents that everything was going to be okay. It’s rare to conclude your first day of high school knowing you’ve met your best friends and that you actually look forward to going back the next day—but then again, NDA has revealed to me that many things once thought improbable are possible when I’m surrounded by all of you. The sisterhood that Mary has shepherded us in cultivating here is not only once in a year or an era—but truly once in a lifetime.”

From left: Class of 1974 graduates Judy Satterlee ’74, Sheila Goetz ’74, and Joni Robertson ’74 served as the Honor Guard at the 72nd annual graduation.

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Campus Life 11

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Academic Decathalon

Sophomore Unity Week Sophomore Unity Week brought the Class of 2027 together through a series of reflective, collaborative, and community-building experiences designed to deepen class bonds and individual growth. Highlights included team challenges, peer-led discussions, and guided activities focused on empathy, leadership, and trust. The week culminated in a meaningful retreat day where students explored their personal journeys and the power of unity, leaving them with a renewed sense of connection and class spirit as they step into leadership roles on campus.

By Izzy K. ’26

NDA’s Aca-Decathletes had a record-breaking competition season this year. With each participant competing in 10 categories (seven subject tests along with speech, interview, and essay), they won a grand total of 73 medals, 37 more than last year’s overall count of 36! In addition, Team 1 won first place in Superquiz, the additional competition round, and second place overall in their division, while Team 2 won third place in their division. Each year, Academic Decathlon chooses a theme that unifies all of the material; this year, it was “Our Changing Climate.” We look forward to next year’s exciting “Roaring 20s” theme and the chance to shatter the record all over again!

Dance Concert: Resilience This year’s NDA Dance Concert, “Resilience,” (pictured on page 11) was a powerful tribute to strength, perseverance, and the human spirit. Through original choreography and moving performances, our dancers told stories of overcoming adversity, embracing growth, and finding hope in the face of challenges. Each piece reflected the concert’s central theme, blending emotional depth with technical excellence. From solo spotlights to high-energy ensemble numbers, “Resilience” showcased the heart, talent, and dedication of our student performers. The concert was not only a celebration of dance, but also a reflection of the courage and unity that define the NDA community.

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Winter Formal

By Kaila P. ’28

This year’s winter formal, themed “Snowflake Soirée,” was held on Saturday, February 1, and was a magical night filled with dancing, laughter, and lifelong memories. The event brought students of all classes together for an evening of winter wonder. With great music, beautiful outfits, and a lively atmosphere, the Snowflake Soirée was truly a night to remember. Congrats to this year’s princesses, Ashley B. ’28, Camille V. ’27, Dyl’n B. ’26, and queen Sina G. ’25.

Spring Musical

By Talula W. ’26

The NDA drama department has done it again!

The spring musical was an extraordinary production filled with laughter, music, and heartwarming performances. The cast and crew brought Annie to life with a beautiful set, vibrant costumes, and impressive choreography, acting, and music. Lucy L. ’25 shone as Annie, and the audience loved seeing drama teacher Mrs. Duerr’s dog on stage as Sandy. Annie was a truly unforgettable production!

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Heritage Week Heritage Week at NDA was a vibrant celebration of the rich cultural diversity that defines our community. Each day featured events, performances, and reflections that honored the traditions, stories, and contributions of students’ unique backgrounds.

From cultural dress days and international cuisine in the café to student-led presentations and a joyful all-school Heritage Assembly, the week fostered pride, inclusivity, and connection.

Heritage Week not only highlighted our differences but also united us in a deeper appreciation for one another’s histories and identities, just as it has for Regals throughout the decades.

Summer 2025

Model UN

Prom: Lights of the City What a night! Notre Dame Academy’s Prom 2025, “Lights of the City,” was an unforgettable celebration of style, spirit, and sisterhood held in Downtown L.A. From dazzling gowns to nonstop dancing, the energy was electric and the memories made will last a lifetime. We’re proud to announce this year’s Prom Court royalty: Madison G. as junior princess, Reese S. as senior princess, and a huge congratulations to Gabi M., our 2025 prom queen! The Regals lit up the night with their grace and unity. Thank you to everyone who helped make Prom 2025 such a magical experience.

By Ameya B. ’28

NDA’s Model United Nations (MUN) team excelled at four major conferences across Los Angeles this semester, competing against hundreds of middle and high schoolers.

Delegates have tackled a range of complex real-world issues, from the regulation of digital labor platforms and sustainable energy access, to education in conflict zones and indigenous land resources. Highlights include three delegate awards at Los Alamitos MUN, along with research and delegate awards at Bruin MUN, hosted by UCLA. We’re rooting for our Regals as they utilize diplomacy, research, and problem-solving skills!

Jerry Herman Awards

By Izzy K. ’26

The Jerry Herman Awards are Los Angeles’ regional high school theater awards, recognizing excellence in student performance and behind-the-scenes management. This year, NDA’s production of Annie was nominated for two Jerry Herman awards, with junior Bianca G. nominated as best supporting actress for her role as Rooster and our musical director Mrs. Sang Hee Cho nominated for best musical direction! In addition, every year NDA selects a student to represent our school in the competition for best actress; this year, that was senior Samantha N. Overall, a very successful year for the NDA drama department!

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Student Spotlight 2025 graduate Jasmine L. earned Laureate distinction at the international Chicago Violin competition, adding to her lengthy list of impressive musical achievements. She travels the world competing in music competitions and appearing on various shows. Here at home, she’s a member of the Colburn Chamber Music Institute and the American Youth Symphony. In addition to studying violin since the age of nine, she’s studied piano since the age of six. She will continue her study of violin at Vanderbilt University in the fall.

Notre Dame Academy proudly recognizes sisters Ameya and Kamya B. for their outstanding academic achievements and leadership across multiple disciplines.

Jasmine L.

Ninth grader Ameya secured first place at the highly competitive Los Angeles Brain Bee, a neuroscience competition hosted by UCLA and USC. She competed against 67 students representing 47 schools and earned the opportunity to advance to the National Brain Bee in New Jersey this May, where she took an impressive tenth-place finish. In addition to her success in neuroscience, Ameya placed first in the Lincoln-Douglas debate category at both the National Online Forensics Elm and December Wilson Wyatt tournaments. She also earned an honorable mention for poetry in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

Kamya, currently in sixth grade, participated in the Los Angeles District Spelling Bee qualifier, earning her spots in regional, state, and national competitions. She placed second in Los Angeles Regionals and took third in the California State Bee. In the Scripps National Spelling Bee, she advanced through round three as she competed with 243 spellers.

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Ameya and Kamya B.

Summer 2025

ATHLETICS Beach Volleyball Regals beach volleyball had an impressive season, finishing third overall in the highly competitive Mission League. The team’s success earned them a spot in the CIF Southern Section Division 2 Team Championships. Our top pair, Sophia S. ’26 and Skylar G. ’27 advanced to the CIF SS Division Pairs Championships, representing NDA with grit and determination on the sand.

Soccer NDA soccer wrapped up a competitive season with a fourthplace finish in the Angelus League and a thrilling run in the CIF SS Division 4 Championships.

The team secured a dramatic first-round victory over Santa Monica High School, demonstrating resilience and heart throughout postseason play.

Basketball The 2024–25 season was historic for NDA basketball, as the team claimed the Angelus League title for the first time in school history with a perfect 8-0 record and went 20-11 overall.

After winning the season opening Sacred Heart Tournament, they reached new heights by competing in CIF SS Division 2A—the program’s highest placement to date—advancing to the quarterfinals in a thrilling playoff run.

Swim The swim team capped off a strong season with a fourth-place overall finish in the Angelus League. In a standout performance, Sienna R. ’26 qualified for the CIF Southern Section Swim Championships and proudly represented NDA on the regional stage.

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A Culture of Excellence in Regal Athletics: Adam Plax Named Athletic Director

Track and Field

Notre Dame Academy is thrilled to announce the promotion of longtime coach Adam Plax to athletic director starting this summer. As assistant athletic director these past two years, Coach Plax has proven himself a passionate leader, trusted mentor, and unwavering advocate for student-athletes. He has helped fuel the growth of our high school and middle school athletic programs, expanding opportunities for both girls and co-ed teams. His commitment to fostering sportsmanship, school pride, and personal growth will continue to shape generations of Regals on and off the field.

As we anticipate this new chapter, we pause to express our deepest gratitude to Megan Hall for her 13 years of dedicated service to Notre Dame Academy. As athletic director, Ms. Hall was a fierce advocate for female athletes who built programs that enabled students to develop essential skills to succeed both on the court and well beyond. Her example of excellence and integrity has influenced hundreds of Regal alumnae, just as her legacy will inform athletics programs for countless future Regals.

Join us as we welcome Coach Plax in his expanded role and celebrate the continued spirit of excellence that defines Regal Athletics!

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Both individual achievements and championship qualifications highlighted the Regal track and field season. Alex F. ’28 placed fourth in the 800m at the Angelus League Championships and advanced to the CIF-SS Division Prelims. Gigi G. ’26 also qualified with a strong performance in the triple jump, showcasing the team’s depth of talent.

Soccer Signing We proudly celebrate Sofia C. ’25 on her commitment to play soccer at West LA City College this fall. As this year’s team captain, Sofia led by example with her leadership, dedication, and passion for the game, on and off the field.

Summer 2025

ROCKETRY Notre Dame Academy Rockets to Success at NASA Student Launch Notre Dame Academy’s rocketry team has once again soared to new heights, completing their second consecutive year in the prestigious, invitation-only NASA Student Launch Initiative (NASASLI)—a national competition that challenges student teams to design, build, and launch a high-powered rocket and payload.

After nine months of dedication, problemsolving, and teamwork, the NDA team traveled to Huntsville, Alabama, for launch week. The days leading up to launch were filled with preparation, technical reviews, and collaboration with fellow teams from across the country.

On Sunday, May 4, the NDA rocket, Astraea 3, successfully took flight, marking the culmination of months of dedication and innovation.

Their success was made possible thanks to the expert mentorship of advisor Mr. Guardado, the steadfast support of NDA’s administration, and the generosity of donors like the Landis family and many more who helped fund the team’s efforts.

Every student embodied perseverance, creativity, and teamwork at every step.

Notre Dame Academy celebrates this milestone not just as a victory in the skies, but as a testament to what’s possible when passion meets opportunity. The school looks forward to continuing its legacy of innovation, leadership, and excellence in STEM education.

The NDA NASASLI 2025 team poses with their rocket before launch.

“We worked hard for months and seeing our efforts come to fruition was so rewarding,” said Lisa L. ’25, team captain. “Each member of the team had a unique and important role in our success. I’ll never forget celebrating the launch with them.”

The NDA NASASLI team inspects the Astraea 3 rocket one last time before launch.

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Regal Alumnae Pursue Rocketry at the Collegiate Level “The University Student Launch Initiative (USLI) rockets are significantly more complex, and being on a larger team means there is meaningful specialization. I am therefore really grateful NDA rocketry provided me with a robust overview of model rockets, as I’ve had a conceptual framework that’s been really helpful in seeing how parts of the rocket fit and come together.

WURocketry has been a great experience, and I hope all is well at NDA!” - Camille Schwab NDA ’23 Washington University in St. Louis (Bottom row, second from the left holding the rocket)

“The opportunity to explore rocketry at NDA led me to finding my passion for the problem solving skills required of the competition.

College-level rocketry expanded on many of the concepts I learned in high school, and prior participation allowed me to start off with a stronger knowledge base. My ND team is an incredible family that I’m thankful to have gotten to know through this path, and I’ve been given incredible opportunities to build complex, multilayered systems and found my major, aerospace engineering, through this path as well.”

- Madelyn “Maddy” Pieronek ’24 University of Notre Dame (Meeting with Mr. Guardado at the NASASLI in Huntsville, AL)

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“I’m part of USC’s Rocket Propulsion Lab. Some of my favorite memories from my first year have been staying up late in the lab working on our rockets or going out into the desert to make our propellant. In the fall semester, we launched a rocket, Aftershock II, which went to space and broke international amateur rocketry records for its velocity and altitude. For these spaceshot launches, we have to drive out to the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. In the spring, we completed a static fire, Baja Blast, testing a new monolithic, finocyl-geometry solid propellant rocket motor. Normally, our motors are multiple grains stacked on each other and have a cylindrical center/port. For this static fire, it was one long grain with a star-shaped center/port.

“I’m very grateful to have been a part of rocketry at NDA. Even though the rockets I’m building now are vastly different, the overall engineering principles I learned at NDA, such as the design process and the importance of designing, testing, and problem-solving, have helped me approach not just work in the lab but also all my school work confidently. Also, without joining rocketry at NDA, I’m sure that I would not have found my passion in astronautical engineering.

“Overall, doing rocketry at USC versus NDA feels bigger, and there’s more pressure to it. At USC, we pride ourselves on bringing in raw materials and turning them into a finished rocket. So everything from the rocket case to the avionics to the motor and propellant is made in-house. This adds an extra pressure of making sure that everything is done by the book, as many parts cannot be redone if messed up without pushing back or potentially scrapping a launch. [Overall, participating in rocketry here] has been one of my favorite parts of being at USC.” - Ella Tran NDA ’24, University of Southern California (In the bottom left photo: Ella is wearing the cardinal USC hoodie top left) BEYOND the ACADEMY

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The Power Within The Power Within Health and Wellness On January 15, Notre Dame Academy spent Community Time focused on the essential topics of health and wellness.

Students engaged in a dynamic panel discussion featuring NDA alumna parent Meg Moreta, a registered dietitian specializing in diabetes management and prevention, and former chemistry teacher David Christman, NDA’s STEM coordinator and green space advocate.

Together, they explored how daily habits, mindful eating, and sustainable food choices contribute to a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

California Surgeon General, NDA Alumna, Speaks

The Power Within Diversity of Thought Monique Marshall, DEI specialist and consultant, moderated an inspiring conversation on the impact of diversity of thought.

Spectrum News’ Alex Cohen Shares Her Journey On Wednesday, February 26, Spectrum News reporter Alex Cohen shared her trajectory in journalism and discussed the importance of diversity of thought in media.

Alex offered valuable insights into the evolving landscape of news and storytelling.

Notre Dame Academy proudly hosted Dr. Diana Ramos, California Surgeon General and NDA alumna ’84, as a distinguished guest speaker for Health & Wellness Month on January 27, 2025. Dr. Ramos encouraged the students to embrace their potential and take an active role in shaping their futures: “Women are the future.

We make 80% of health decisions and have the power to create solutions and challenge the status quo.”

California Surgeon General and Class of ’84 alumna Dr. Diana Ramos with senior class representatives.

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LA Is NDA’s Campus On Thursday, March 27, our Regals got “Lost in LA” to explore the city’s rich cultural, artistic, and historical neighborhoods. From innovation labs to historic landmarks, coastal communities to independent bookstores, thrift shops to architectural wonders, LA truly is our campus, expanding minds, fostering curiosity, and shaping future leaders.

The day began with a compelling keynote address by Dr. Ann McElaney-Johnson, president of Mount St. Mary’s University, who inspired students to recognize and activate their inner power through education, leadership, and service.

The morning was devoted to CARE Financial Literacy Workshops, addressing real-world topics like budgeting, credit responsibility, and scam awareness—essential skills for life beyond the classroom.

Then came the heart of the summit: studentand teacher-led breakout sessions that ignited the community’s creativity and intellect.

BY the NUMBERS 71

presenters (68 students + 3 teachers)

breakout sessions across 24 unique topics

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total opportunities for thoughtful conversations

TedX-Style Power Summit On Monday, May 19, 2025, Notre Dame Academy hosted its inaugural Power Summit to celebrate the culmination of our Exploratory Approach, the “Power Within” Symposium Speaker Series, and this year’s Essential Question: How does understanding the power within ____ empower us?

Mount St. Mary’s University President Dr. Ann McElaneyJohnson with senior class representatives

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Topics ranged from social justice and sustainability to storytelling, wellness, and innovation. Students across all grades had the opportunity to attend multiple sessions, move freely among topics, and engage with ideas that sparked their curiosity and purpose.

“This was far more than a conference – the summit was a celebration of the spirit and courage of our NDA community,” said Manny Guardado, director of the school’s Exploratory Approach. “Everything we do here is thoughtful and research-based – not because ‘we’ve always done it this way.’ The summit is really a testament to the ways in which our concerted curricular changes have impacted our students and better equipped them to excel in our ever-changing world. We are so proud of the students and faculty who made this vision a reality – not just today, but everyday in our classrooms, labs, and seminars.”

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75th Anniversary

NDA Day of Service - International Women’s Day On International Women’s Day, March 8, more than 50 volunteers from NDA came together for a Day of Service at the West Side Food Bank. It was an inspiring day of teamwork and community support as we worked to help those in need. Thank you to everyone who volunteered their time and energy to make a difference.

NDA Liturgical Choir Sings at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels After hearing our liturgical choir at the 75th anniversary Mass last September, Archbishop Gomez invited the group to sing at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. On Sunday, May 18, our dedicated singers and instrumentalists braved the best commuting ever (only possible on an early Sunday morning) to arrive by 7 a.m. to prepare for our special opportunity at the 8 a.m. Mass. Just as we had at our 75th anniversary Mass, we welcomed 12 alumnae to create a beautiful combined choir that charmed the gathered parishioners with an enhanced musical component to their weekly Sunday Mass. What an honor for our Regal musicians!

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HONORING

NDA Legacy Families

The Diaz sisters from left: Isabella ’15, Alexandra ’18, Victoria ’21, and Carolina ’23 at Victoria’s graduation from San Diego State University this year.

From left: Vivienne (Lapena) Houghton ’88, Nicolette Lamanna ’23, Valerie Lapena ’87 [mother of Nicolette Lamanna], Yvonne (Lapena) Tobin ’85.

Correction: this photo’s caption in the fall issue should have read: NDA legacy family Ortiz from left: Hazel Moya (maiden name: Ortiz) ’89, Xochitl Padilla-Ortiz (daughter of Jennifer), NDAE ’27, and Jennifer Ortiz ’95.

The Salonga family from left: cousin Sydney Domael ’19, Renae ’25, Raeann ’15, and Reese ’25.

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Ford-Frontiera sisters from left: Keeva ’21 and Bridget ’25.

Petro sisters from left: Alexandra ’22 and Sophia ’25.

Kiralla sisters from left: Emma ’24 and Elizabeth ’25.

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In honor of our 75th anniversary, NDA banners proudly donned the streets of West LA. A beautiful tribute to 75 years of educating young women to make a difference.

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Lilliam Paetzold Honored with 2025 Sisters of Notre Dame Transformative Leadership Award Notre Dame Academy is proud to share that our president and head of school, Ms. Lilliam Paetzold, was awarded the Sisters of Notre Dame Transformative Leadership Award this May. This prestigious recognition honors Ms. Paetzold’s unwavering dedication to the Notre Dame charism, spirit, and mission, which she has embodied throughout her more than 14 years of ministry at NDA. Dr. Laura Koehl, executive director of the SND USA National Sponsorship and Network Office, shared, “We find great hope in leaders like you who continue the legacy of our founders in your good work. We wish you continued success in your career and life ahead. May you know God’s goodness and provident care this day and always.”

We celebrate Ms. Paetzold’s visionary leadership and her ongoing commitment to nurturing a faith-filled, innovative, and inclusive community at Notre Dame Academy.

As part of the 75th anniversary celebration, NDA hosted a popup gallery in Rosa Mystica Hall featuring photos, uniforms, and other memorabilia from across the decades.

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HISTORIC GALA On Saturday, April 12, NDA welcomed more than 300 raving fans – including alumnae from the last seven decades – for a gala celebrating the school’s 75th anniversary. The campus, which had been utterly transformed for the event, featured an outdoor cocktail lounge complete with dance floor, along with a nearly unrecognizable dining space in the gym.

Highlights of the evening included a student performance of an excerpt from Annie, young alumna speaker Emily Piña ’18, and a spirited live auction. The record-breaking proceeds from the event will enable countless young women to benefit from an NDA education.

“First and foremost, we honor the Sisters of Notre Dame, who brought us all together 75 years ago,” said Lilliam Paetzold, president and head of school. “They dedicated their lives to their faith and demonstrated it in their service to others. They had perseverance to sustain them through the inevitable challenges of bringing their vision of an exemplary Catholic school for young women to fruition. And they encouraged women like me to dream big and dream fearlessly.”

Also honored that evening with the St. Julie

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Celebration Marks NDA’s 75th Anniversary

Billiart Award was Class of 1978 graduate Christine Cervanak, who has held pivotal roles in the United Nations, non-profit organizations, the U.S. Department of State, and prestigious academic institutions including the University of Notre Dame and Harvard. Currently an independent consultant, Christine helps clients with strategic analysis and organizational development.

In the words of Sr. Gina Marie Blunck, SND, ’64, Christine “uses her law degree from UCLA and her undergraduate training in government and international studies from the University of Notre Dame to champion human rights, international law, and diplomacy.

Her career of over three decades has inspired countless individuals and communities and her accomplishments reflect a relentless pursuit of excellence, a deep empathy, and an unyielding spirit of generosity. This award celebrates not only Christine’s achievements, but also the kindness, integrity, and resilience that define her character.”

In her remarks, Christine credited NDA with helping her to develop courage through community: “NDA gave us each other. Our

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courage grew in community, through teams, friendships, shared successes, and shared heartbreaks. It’s here that we learned the real secret to courage: you don’t have to do it alone. And let’s not forget the all-girls’ school superpower: there were no limits. No one told us we couldn’t be leaders. The challenges were served up for us.”

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Alumnae News 29

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Judy Finn

Marta Ruble

Terry Sittig

Anne-Marie Troendle

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Members of the Class of ’74 Reflect on the SND Legacy

ou know what they say: the more things change, the more they stay the same. Just ask the Class of 1974.

When they were seniors, they celebrated Notre Dame Academy’s 25th anniversary. And when they marked their 50th reunion last fall, NDA was animated with 75th anniversary festivities.

How much has really changed since their last day as students on campus? The phone booth is gone, and the library has been replaced with the Student Learning Commons, but sisterhood— and NDA Day—have endured.

gifts. My dad died just before my senior year, and she just wouldn’t let me fail. By senior year, I was taking classes off campus at [nearby] colleges.

Judy Finn Satterlee: I was pep club president and I played basketball— we only had two sports, basketball and volleyball, and the camaraderie was wonderful. We were all nice to each other, and we didn’t look at people as being different. I also think of Notre Dame Day and all the fun we had parading around in front of the kids—we were the ‘Storybook Seniors.’

we carry on in [Jesus’] name

Anne-Marie Troendle: I got an exceptionally exquisite education. Even as a kid, I could recognize that the caliber of the education, and the time and energy spent by the nuns, was more than I would have gotten in the usual school.

Here’s what four members of the Class of ’74 had to say about their time in high school and NDA’s legacy.

A lot can change in 50 years! What was high school like for you?

Terry Sittig Molatore: I wanted to be in a school where I was going to get really great grades. And NDA was in West L.A. and I was a surfer girl, so it’s nice that it was on the bus to the beach. From the time I was in first grade I was an artist kid, too, and Sister Saint Anne really helped cultivate my

Marta Ruble: It was a community. We just naturally liked each other—the respect we had for one another, you just wouldn’t find today. I got involved in the school plays and directed one that had to do with the Salem witchcraft trials, and the talent of these women came through

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CLASS NOTES We want to hear from you! Advanced degree? Landing a new internship? Career change? New baby?

Send us your class notes! Submit your updates and photos online at academy.ndasla.org/alumnae. If you prefer to email us, you can send your news to advancement@ndala.com. We can’t wait to hear from you!

1970s

On March 12, 2024, Michelle Caputo ’74 welcomed her first greatgrandchild, a beautiful baby girl: Frankie Joan Rodriguez.

Frankie’s mother is Michelle’s first grandchild and the first grandchild for the class of ’74.

Frankie is now the first great grandchild for the class of ’74.

1980s

Cindy Blehm ’82 and her husband, David, celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in Hawaii where they renewed their vows on the beach with their son as the officiant. They have five children and eight grandchildren, ranging in age from newborn to 20. Cindy still runs her professional services company, delivering IT project management services to various California state projects. Cindy’s mom, Beverly Bebb (who worked at NDA in the office for 10 years), passed away in 2017, and her dad, Edward Bebb, passed away in 2020.

1990s

Maricar Gomez ’95 is proud to serve as president of the Philippine Nurses Association of Ohio.

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Submit Your Class Notes

Amanda Garland ’95 works in the wine industry in Sonoma County for Jackson Family Wines at Matanzas Creek Winery. During the last few years, she’s earned additional credentials through the Court of Master Sommeliers and Society of Wine Educators, and is currently studying for her Certified Wine Educator exams. In addition to working at various wine competitions, she has volunteered for over 10 years as a host and auctioneer for live Wine and Travel Auctions.

In fall of 2022, she founded a local giving circle called Santa Rosa Women for Good and has raised more than $40,000 for local non-profits supporting women, families, dogs and suicide prevention.

2010s

Class of 2016 alumna Kasia Nixon has taken the international stage – or in this case, piste – as she competes worldwide in women’s fencing.

This April, the worldranked athlete clinched the national championship in Division 1 Women’s Épée at USA Fencing’s North American Cup here in Los Angeles.

IN MEMORIAM Please remember the following alumnae and families in your prayers. This publication reflects “In Memoriam” notifications received between January 2, 2025 and June 1, 2025. Those received after these dates will appear in our next issue of Beyond the Academy. Please notify us of a death of an alumna here: academy.ndasla.org/alumnae/prayerrequests-in-memoriam

Deceased Alumnae

Cheryl (Welters) Young ’70 Jeanne (Urricariet) Adams ’60 Mary Lee (Voigtlander) Barab ’63

Alumna Parents Lynne Hook P ’22 The Notre Dame Academy community mourns the loss of former board member and alumna parent Lynne Hook. She served on the board from 2020 to 2021, and remained a cherished member of our community after her daughter, Emily, graduated in 2022. In addition to her respected employment law practice in the South Bay, Lynne served and led numerous charitable organizations and church ministries in her home parish, American Martyrs, and throughout the Archdiocese. Please keep her, her husband, Jack, and their children, Emily and Liam, in your prayers.

Norma Sardinas Mother of Maria Sardinas Marin ’78 and Jackie Sardinas Martello ’82

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College Acceptances Congratulations Class of 2025!

Arizona State University American University American University of Paris American University of Rome Bard College Barry University Boston College Boston University Bryn Mawr College California Lutheran University Cal Poly Pomona* Cal Poly San Luis Obispo* Cal State Channel Islands Cal State Chico Cal State Dominguez Hills Cal State East Bay Cal State Fullerton* Cal State Long Beach Cal State Los Angeles Cal State Monterey Bay* Cal State Northridge* Cal State San Bernardino Cal State San Marcos Case Western Reserve University Chapman University* Colorado State University Dallas Baptist University Duke University Durham University Emerson College Exeter College Fordham University Gonzaga University Indiana University King’s College London La Sierra University Lewis and Clark College Los Angeles City College* Louisiana State University* Loyola Marymount University* Loyola University Chicago* Loyola University New Orleans Manhattan University McGill University Merrimack College Montclair State University

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Mount Saint Mary’s University of Los Angeles New York Institute of Technology New York University* Northeastern University* Northeastern University-Oakland Northern Arizona University Northwestern University Oakland University Occidental College Oregon State University Pacific Lutheran University Penn State University Pepperdine University Point Loma Nazarene University Pomona College Providence College Purdue University* Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rutgers University Saint Mary’s College of California Sacramento State University San Diego State University* San Francisco State University San Jose State University Santa Clara University* Santa Monica College* Sarah Lawrence College Scripps College Seattle University* Seton Hall University Simmons University Southern Methodist University St. John’s University (NY) St. Thomas Aquinas College (NY) Stockholm School of Economics Syracuse University Temple University Texas Christian University Trinity College - Hartford Trinity College Dublin Truman State University Tufts University* UC Berkeley* UC Davis* UC Irvine* UCLA*

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UC Merced UC Riverside* UC San Diego* UC Santa Barbara* UC Santa Cruz* University of Alabama* University of Arkansas University of Arizona* University of Colorado Boulder University of Hawaii, Manoa University of La Verne University of Massachusetts, Boston University of Massachusetts, Lowell University of Maryland University of Miami University of Michigan* University of Minnesota University of Mississippi University of Missouri University of Montana University of Oregon* University of Pennsylvania University of Portland University of the Pacific University of San Diego* University of San Francisco* University of Southern California* University of Tampa University of Utah University of Vermont University of Virginia University of Washington University of Wisconsin, Madison* Utah Tech University Vanderbilt University* Villanova University* Washington State University Westmont College* Whittier College Willamette University Worcester Polytechnic Institute * College that a Class of 2025 student is attending

Honor Roll of Generous Donors

ST. JULIE BILLIART LEVEL Gifts of $250,000 and above The Ahmanson Foundation Del Rey Party Rentals CHARISM LEVEL Gifts of $100,000 and above Ark Educational Initiative Shea Family Charities ROSA MYSTICA LEVEL Gifts of $50,000 and above Pat and Kate Barrera P ’18, ’22, ’23 George H. Mayr Foundation Catherine Duddy Wood ’74 CIRCLE OF SISTERS LEVEL Gifts of $20,000 and above Carrie Estelle Doheny Foundation Christine (Bertero) ’65 and Dwight Landis Chris and Aarti McDonald P ’20, ’24 Andrew and Danielle Schlei P ’25 CRIMSON & GOLD LEVEL Gifts of $10,000 and above Cecelia Assaf ’78 and Jeff Assaf Alex and Nora Chaves P ’26 Fox Corporation Francis H Clougherty Charitable Trust Koch Foundation, Inc Robert and Margaret McAusland P ’23, ’26 Parking Company of America Tom and Erin Pieronek P ’24 Vanguard Charitable P ’23, ’26 CROWN CIRCLE LEVEL Gifts of $5,000 and above Anonymous Bonnie Abaunza ’82 P ’14

Maria Bains P ’98 Michael and Michelle Berlin P ’05, ’07 The Buena Vista Foundation Brian and Teresa Carlson P ’26 Catholic Community Foundation of Los Angeles Chris Cervenak ’78 and Steve Reifenberg Pat and Betsy Collins GP ’16, ’23, ’26 Nancy J. Coonis Richard and Arlene Havel P ’88 Arjun and Sumi Jayaraman Henry and Susie Jordan P ’05 Karen Lewis ’83 Richard and Frances Moreno P ’25 E. Jane Nayagam Thomas ’94 Duncan Rolph and Eileen Chin P ’31 Denise Shepherd ’93 Strive Foundation Erin Ward ’82, P ’23 Mary Pat Warner ’69 OUR LADY OF GRACE LEVEL Gifts of $2,500 - $4,999 Lilia and Harland Bengs P ’28 Kayla Berlin ’07 The Calderon Kellett Family Concezio and Roseanne Di Gregorio ’64, P ’91 Kevin and Patricia Hearst P ’08 Jerome and Yvonne Horton GP ’27 Sandra Korn Mike and Kate Lee P ’25 Jerome and Sydney McAlpin P ’25 Matthew and Kathryn McBride P ’26 Tom and Yvette McFerson P ’20 Frances McNamee ’64 James Q. and Kristin Meehan Maureen Morehouse ’67 Damien and Marybeth Newton P ’31 Ben Nyblade and Angela O’Mahony ’93, P ’26 Carlos Rodriguez and Imogen Rogers P ’28 Romeo Santos and Mary BlomerSantos ’82, P ’23 Sonja Sevcik Duffy P ’21 Michael and Julie Stauber P ’18 Anthony and Takako Taketa P ’11, ’15 Tito and Sandra Tiberti Foundation ’59 Bruno and Ellen Tonin P ’87, ’90 Bryce Warner and Isabel Ortega Warner ’92, P ’26 REGAL PRIDE LEVEL Gifts of $1,500 - $2,499 Alexander and Tracy Alvy P ’22, ’26 Robert and Janice Arsenault P ’09, ’13, ’15 Daniel T Alvy Foundation Brianna Berlin ’05 Francis Costanzo and Lilliam Paetzold ’84, P ’11, ’15 Ann Elmendorf ’78 Steven and Devon Farley P ’28 Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long Beach Charles and Devony Ferraro P ’26 Fidelity Charitable Martin Gee and Bisrat Woldemichael P ’31

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Lucie Gregoire ’65 Patrick King and Cheryl Faris P ’08 SeungWon Lee and JoHyun Kang Robert and Erica Lockhart P ’22 Rita McBride GP ’26 Mark and Lucy Nixon P ’16, ’18 Bernard and Kia Parks P ’27 Barbara Roth Robbie and Agata Schultz P ’31 Schwab Charitable Sonal and Menik Seneviratne P ’27 Mauricio and Myriam Silva P ’25 Paul and Lisa Tyler P ’19, ’24 Dick and Patti Williams P ’03 Nathan Zamero and Deb LonguaZamero P ’26 / DLZ Interiors QUEEN’S COURT LEVEL Gifts of $500 - $1,499 Kimberly Acosta ’08 Luis and Maryetha Acosta P ’08, ’15 Pamela ’90 and Jamal Adams Sharon Arnett ’70 Andrea Bains ’98

Lori Balsamo Bank of America Charitable Foundation Frances Barrera ’18 Margot Barron ’59 Dave and Christina Bomberger ’83 Lane Bove Rosenberg Brandt Jordao and Vanessa Brandt P ’26 George and Laura Braunstein Pat Brill ’67 Jeff Campbell P ’22, ’24 Campbell Family Fund Rodney Carpenter GP ’25 Michael Cervenak Grace Chacon P ’27 Charles Schwab Corporation Maria Chavez P ’26 Chevron Humankind Matching Gift Program Kareem and Concha Christian P ’28 Lee Cotugno and Holly Fujie P ’08 Cristina Cuellar ’00 Sandra Daley ’65 Roxana De La Rosa ’95 Chris Dengler and Elizabeth Profumo P ’31 John David and Mei Lyn C. Dionisio P ’25

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Dorothy Sweeney P ’91, ’94, ’95 James and Rosa Tomchak ’82, P ’13 Tom and Christine Torii P ’18, ’23 Gery Trup and Melanie Trup U.S. Bank Foundation John and Linda Vaughan P ’28 Carlos and Jan Vega P ’27 Cynthia Velasquez ’89 Carlos and Gina Villegas ’94 Jaime Vogel ’99 Matt and Jordon Wells Maryann Wolfenden ’69 The Wonderful Company Foundation Miles and Ayako Yoshioka P ’28 Louise Young Fung GP ’26 Nathan Zamero and Deb LonguaZamero P ’26 James and Michelle Zoolalian P ’26 Barton Doll Gavin and Kavi Downey P ’28 Anne Drohan ’83 Edward Jones Investments Patricia Erb ’80 Jim and Mary Jo Evans P ’10, ’15 Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost, LLP Paul and Donna Falzon P ’26 Leonardo and Melissa Fernandez P ’26 Flutter Mark Franco and April Muggelberg P ’23 Patrick Frontiera and Maire Ford Frontiera P ’21, ’25 Brad Fuller Michael Gaston and Lori Greenland Gaston P ’31 Frank and Carolyn Gayer P ’90 Debi Gero Paula Griego ’73 Thomas Grubbs and Emmanuelle Borde P ’28 Byron and Madalynne Grundy P ’13 James and Anne Marie Gunderman P ’11, ’14 Norma Nicol Hamilton ’59 Matthew and Elizabeth Handal P ’16, ’18 John and Laura Haydel P ’96 Scott and Cindy Heimer Amy Hickl Jeff and Cari Hilger P ’18, ’23 Victoria Ho P ’28 Harriet Hofmann ’59, P ’94, ’98 Roy Houlette and Rene Jones Houlette P ’28 Dr. Mark Jamison P ’22, ’24 Regina Janosky ’63 John and Laura Kiralla P ’24, ’25 Rebecca Labat Michaud ’94 Michelle Lampa ’04 Nancy Lan James ’02 Kelley Lanni P ’25 Adam and Amy Lowrey P ’25 Richard and Maribeth Mason P ’26, ’31 Michael and Milana McDermott ’80, P ’13, ’15, ’18, ’22 Timothy and Hilda McGonigle P ’15 Deborah Montgomery ’74 Lisa Morones ’89

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National Association of Rocketry Michael Ness and Lisebeth Kearns P ’28 Allen and Sara Niimi P ’26 Eduardo and Emily Nochez P ’28 Tom and Elisabeth Normand P ’25 Northrop Grumman Foundation Maureen O’Connell ’76 Siobhan O’Neill Michael and Elena O’Shea ’83, P ’08, ’13 Dr. Guadalupe Padilla-Robb ’72 Max and Elisa Paetzold P ’18, ’21 Luis Palma and Jade Quant P ’28 Mary Panetta ’89 Andrew Paroczai and Peggy Paul P ’05 Kevin and Elaine Patel Sandra Pavick ’64 Eric Pelka and Nicole Seruto-Pelka P ’24 Richard Perez and Andrea Oconitrillo P ’27 Joseph and Natalie Petro P ’22, ’25 Mary Pickerell ’58 James and Bettijane Pike Gina Prato P ’26 Dale Preator and Carolyn Hemann P ’25 Albert and Janet Quattrocchi Ralphs/Kroger Grocery Company Dr. Diana Ramos ’84 Janice Reicher ’05 Dean and Teresita Reutter P ’26 Edwin Rivera and Carey Smith P ’25 Cheryl Robinson ’70 Shelly Rodriguez ’84 Elizabeth Roland and Robert Scott George and Jeanne Ronay Steven and Sheryl Rothans P ’08, ’14, ’18 Reynaldo and Anna Vanessa Salonga P ’15, ’25 Ray and Stacey Santamaria P ’25 Pete and Erin Schneck P ’26 Palma Selufsky ’58 Sepulveda Transit Corridor Partners Tonny and Fae Soesanto P ’05 Amanda Spagnoli P ’25 Bill Spagnoli P ’25 Steven and Carrie Stern Cody and Ashley Sumen P ’31

BEYOND the ACADEMY

FRIENDS OF NOTRE DAME ACADEMY LEVEL Gifts up to $499 Anonymous Abbott Laboratories Alysson Acosta ’15 Ronald and Ellen Adams P ’96 Michelle Aguilar ’99 Sanaa Aksu Joshua and Katherine Aldin P ’27 Jose and Flor Amaya P ’25 Theresa Anderson Kristin Andreassen ’03 Itsuko Aono ’73 Hedi and Glenn Bacon Karen Badon ’80 Steve and Teffiny Bagnara P ’26 Vejune Baltrusaitis ’93 Andres and Celia Barrera P ’21, ’27 Thomas Barry and Kristina BendettBarry P ’26 Sophia Beauvy Jose and Tiffany Benitez Janet Berryhill ’59 Allegra Bessolo ’61 Fabrizio Billi and Sara Soloni P ’27 Kathy Birmingham P ’04 Linda Bizzelle ’59 Sr. Gina Marie Blunck, SND ’64 Courtney Boitano ’99 Glorianne Bora ’75 Saskia Bory Rolf Brauchle P ’95 Gabrielle Bravo ’25 Ronald Bravo and Lennor Vida Bravo P ’25 Shannon Bresnahan P ’27 Molly Brown ’15 Scott and Erin Brown P ’15 Bill and Celeste Bub Brandon Bub Michael and Maryclaire Buchanan P ’17 Brian Buenviaje Jr and Wilawon Singkum Patricia Burdick ’83 Vernita Burrell ’83 Janice Burrill P ’20 Michael Burton Richard Byrne P ’79 Erik and Vanessa Cajahuaringa P ’28

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Mark and Shelley Calde ’65, P ’96 Victor Calderon and Sofia Zarco P ’28 Elizabeth Callender ’65 Ronaldo and Janet Calzado P ’28 Eileen Cameron Michelle Caputo ’74 Robert and Makiko Carlson P ’22 De’Jah Carver Tania Castillo P ’27 Nicholas and Nicole Cecola P ’25 Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Mark Cervenak Karen Chambers ’98 Jennifer Chandler ’07 Katessa and Gary Charles P ’20 Allison Grace Chin ’23 Ramya Chitrakar Dr. Barbara Christie ’78 Nicholas and Lisa Cipiti ’78, P ’12 City National Bank Virginia Clifford-Weiss ’05 Larry and Joanne Conley P ’01, ’05 Jaime Crespin P ’26 Jose and Monica Cruz P ’24 Edie Cuevas Edina Cuevas P ’25 Erin Culbertson ’04 Christopher and Mary Curry P ’09, ’12 Andrew and Victoria Custer P ’24, ’26 Vincent and Sylvia d’Amato P ’28 Elizabeth Dadanian P ’20 Rodrigo and Christie Dailo P ’07 Eli Daniel P ’26, ’28 Jo Daniel P ’26, ’28 Jacqueline Davis Ken and Terri Davis ’73, P ’00, ’04 Gael Davitt GP ’08, ’16 Andrew and Miriam Dawson P ’26 Amanda DeLay ’01 Stephen Delgado and Defne Delgado Dachtbani P ’28 Leonora Dillen ’74 Christia Donohue ’99 Donald Dorson Calogero and Michelle Drago P ’27 Kevin and Silvia Dretzka P ’08 Greg and Brenda Drew ’93 Dinora Duarte Kristin Duerr Sharon Ehasz ’97 Carla Ellis ’76 Rosemary Erlinger ’59

Frank Escalon P ’28 Ramon Escobar and Maria Ortiz P ’28 Michael and Faviola Fane Paola Fantini P ’27 Nelson Fernandez de Cordoba Romero Bobby Ferris and Lisbeth Mendoza P ’21, ’24 Paul Findley and Carole Khoury P ’25 J. Stuart and Claudia Fishler P ’03 Anne Fitz ’15 Maureen Flannery ’75 George and Vicki Foy P ’85 Luke and Aubrey Freeborn P ’31

Fremont Group Jose and Elsa Garcia P ’14, ’20, ’28 Dr. Rachael Garcia ’93 Amanda Garland ’95 Theresa Gayer ’90 David Genoud Dit Du Chene and Marie Dougherty-Genoud P ’24, ’26 Patricia Genovese P ’07 Eileen Gibbs ’58 Clark Gibson Wendy Gill ’05 Samantha Gillenwater ’07 Jenny Girard Malley ’87 Rafael and Christine Girón P ’28 Seungchul and Karen Go P ’26 Sheila Goetz ’74 Anthony Gonzales Russo and Lindsay Schwartz Russo P ’31 Angelica Gonzalez ’12 Alvaro Gonzalez and Desak Astini P ’28 David and Alicia Gonzalez P ’23, ’25 Sergio Gonzalez and Vanessa De La Rosa ’01, P ’27 Jeremy and Asha Gooden P ’27 Lisa Goodwin-Rice P ’28 Nicholas and Natalie Gouche P ’25 Steven Graciano and Malia Herndon P ’26 Michael and Lenore Graham P ’26 Jeff and Peggy Grant P ’20 Kimberly Ann Grava ’00 Eric Gravning P ’27 Stephen and Dana Gray ’83, P ’08 Tom Greene Vernette Griffee ’64

Susan Griffith ’69 Manny Guardado Julio Guerra and Denise Simmons ’93 P ’28 Marla Guess ’84 Diego and Kellie Guiga P ’26 Rafael Gutierrez Michael and Christine Hanna ’94, P ’24 Katherine Harding ’00 Linda Harner ’65 Elizabeth Harris Vaughdrea and Annick Lagarde Harvey P ’22, ’28 Mark and Diana Hechinger P ’07, ’09, ’11, ’18 Randolph and Kristen Herber P ’24 Claudia Hernandez ’20 David and Mabel Hernandez P ’28 Bridget Higgins Barbara Hines ’71 John and Marinel Hirota P ’27 Gary Ho Karla Hodge Dr. Carolyn Hoffman ’87 Vida Holguin ’67 Jack Hook P ’22 Christine Hoover ’94 Kathleen Howlett ’80 Jennifer Imamura ’98, P ’31 Francesca Izquierdo ’78 Glen Janken Timothy and Monique Jarnot P ’26 Marley Jenks ’18 Elizabeth Jensen Johnson & Johnson Christopher and Janna Jones Patricia Jones ’61 Amelia Kacena P ’97 Bill and Cathy Kaiser P ’05, ’10 Michele Karantsavelos ’67 Kathy Kassar ’71 Jennifer Kemmerer ’84 Diana Kennedy ’86 Arthur Khachatourians and Francesca Piumetti P ’23 Barbara King Sutton ’13 Margaret Kish Hank Klein Robert Klier Francis and Mary Knipe P ’90, ’92, ’94 Koji and Kumiko Kojima P ’27 Julie Kosnik Lupe Kraus ’78 Balaji Krishnamurthy and Krithiga Ramkumar P ’28, ’31 Cookie and Anootara Kumpibal P ’27 Barbara Kurtz ’63 Kevin and BB Kwok P ’26 Kimberly LaCaille ’68 Christine Lagrimas Gustavo Lamanna and Valerie Lapena ’87, P ’23 Nicolette Lamanna ’23 Chris and Rose Lan P ’02 Cathy Lass ’84 Michael and Pamela Lawler P ’88, ’92

Ron Lebron Paul and Christine LeFort Jennifer Levine GP ’24, ’27 Mark Lewis and Rachel Kronowitz Eugene and Harriet Li P ’25 Renate Lichter ’75 Sigmund Lichter P ’81, GP ’13 Debra Lingard ’82 Jamie Linton ’14 Aleli Liscano P ’22 Jerry and Stacie Loaiza P ’28 Anthony and Amy Lombardo P ’24 Marissa Long ’02 Eugenio Lopez and Estela Perez P ’28 Marcelino and Bibian Lopez P ’23, ’26 Arthur Lovell and Betsy Rott P ’25 Maryanne Lovell ’63 Mary Lund Erin Lynch Tim and Jen Lynch P ’22 Brianne Lyons ’04 Frances Ma ’79 Tefi Ma’ake Arlene Malespin Michella Manning ’60 Juan Marin and Roselia Cardiel P ’26 Carina Marsella ’14 Victoria Martello ’04 Christine Martin ’91 Fernando and Maria Martin P ’19, ’20 Samantha Martin ’20 Sandra Martin ’19 Gilbert and Mina Martinez ’76, P ’02 Leopoldo and Marie Christine Martinez P ’28 Melissa Martinez Kevin and Sonya McCarthy P ’14 Kevin and Teresa McCormick ’78, P ’03, ’05, ’10 Piper McCormick ’05 Katherine McDonald ’20 Patrick McDonald Emily McFerson ’20 Jennifer McGaughey P ’23 Susanna McVey P ’04 Melvyn Mendoza and Edith Cuevas Mendoza P ’20 Henry Mera and Yvonne Flores P ’27 Margaret Jean Merl P ’02 Fran Miceli GP ’31 Microsoft Frank Military P ’14 Ryan Miller Stephen and Karie Miller P ’28 Michael Molina Sr. Antoinette Marie Moon, SND ’63 Melissa Mooney ’02 Claire Morache ’14 Yvonne Morales ’94 Elizabeth Muench Leslie Mulligan Molly Mulqueen ’68 Dr. Oscar Navarro Susan Navarro ’67 NBC Universal Comcast Erick Neblina P ’06 Lynne Nelson ’75 Paul Nelson and Dr. Jereme Butler P ’24, ’27

BEYOND the ACADEMY

Tom and Lisa Nichols P ’20 Richard and Angela Nishimuro P ’26 Nate and Angela Noggle P ’25 Marnie and Judith Nuarin P ’27 Theresa Nuarin ’00 Juan Nunez Daniel and Susan O’Connell Kimberly Ohno P ’26 Kalu and Nena Onwuka P ’97 José Orozco and Roxana Toledo John Orti P ’26 Hazel Ortiz-Moya ’89 Brooklyn Paetzold ’21 Jaclyn Paetzold ’18 Max Paetzold P ’84, GP ’11, ’15, ’18, ’21 Kimberly Palacios ’99 Connie Pallais GP ’27, ’31 Kathryn Palm ’84 Robert Palmer P ’15 Mark Pascua and Katherine Grace Ramos-Pascua P ’27 Thomas Pasic and Sharon Fry Pasic Lance Patacsil and Wendie Kim P ’28 Coleen Patterson ’71 Felix Paz and Veronica Vergara P ’27 James and Dawn Peerson P ’98 Kaiya Peralta ’15 Teresa Phelps Deborah Pohl ’74 Michelle Porchia ’70 Margaret Porter ’59 Donna Prysi ’55 Akilah Bakeer Pullum P ’21 Benjamin and Kristen Purcell P ’20, ’28 Tameka Pyles ’98 Jose and Flor Quintanilla P ’27 Joshua Quesada and Susan Pallais P ’27, ’31 Florian and Alycia Rader P ’27 Dr. Coretta Ramey ’88 Carmen Ramirez-Boner ’64 Ivan and Erika Ramos P ’28 Sean and Anne Rasmussen P ’26 Alex Reale ’12 Julio and Maral Reyes P ’26 Wendy Rhoades ’86 Eduard and Vivian Rhodes P ’14 Laurence Richard ’79 Jose Rivas and Erica Duran P ’25

Michael and Maritza Ramon Roberts P ’21 Christopher and Sonya Robertson ’89, P ’16 Rita Rocha GP ’28

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Salvador Rodriguez and Nancy Huerta Rodriguez P ’21, ’24 Randall Rojas P ’28 Alexandra Roland Julie and Willie Roland Danielle Rosales ’10 Diane Ross P ’90 Michael and Brenda Routa P ’25 Darian Rush and Yasuko Yoshinari P ’26 Madeleine Samuelian ’16 Gerardo and Mercedes Sanchez P ’18, ’28 Leo and Luz Sanchez P ’05 Judith Satterlee ’74 Terry Sauer ’76 Sr. Mary Joann Schlarbaum, SND Sr. Mary Joan Schlotfeldt, SND ’63 Thomas Schreier Valerie Schulte ’64 Kelly Schumacher ’89 Sherine Shenouda ’97 Monique Sheps ’15 Daniel and Geraldine Shimabukuro P ’26 John-Paul and Rebecca Sikora P ’27 John Silverman and Yumiko Kawanishi Silverman P ’19, ’23

Sharon Skinner ’64 Shawna Slack Caleigh Smith ’15 Sony Pictures Entertainment Eric Soriano P ’11, ’14, ’15 Scott Spencer and Cynthia Vazquez ’91, P ’25 Justin and Felicia St. Denis P ’20 Nicoli Stamps ’06 Angela Stern P ’08, ’10 Laura Stewart ’10 Madeleine Sullano Smith ’72 Michelle Sweeney ’91 Antoinette Tabora ’94 Kiran Tadepalli ’98 Takeda Pharmaceutical Tracy Taw ’88 Scott and Mia Tepper ’13, ’16, ’18 Bruce and Jill Teraoka P ’21 Ann Terrazas ’62 Carolyn Tobias ’69 Stephanie Toller Negrete ’83 Lauren Torii ’18 William and Elizabeth Townsend P ’97, ’01 Annette Trinh ’81 Paul and Deb Turgeon P ’10 Joaguin and Martha Uribe P ’07, ’10 Mark Uslan Benjamin and Lymari Valencia P ’28 Mark and Ana Leah Vallesfino P ’28 Kathryn Valverde ’14 Alana Van Slovis ’18 Danny and Elvira Vasquez P ’27 Sr. Anna Maria Vasquez, SND ’66 Giani Vega and Lena Hobson P ’28 Matilde Velasco P ’27 Katie Velasquez ’19 Vincent Verdugo Mark Vicelja Village Well Books Sr. Jan Marie Villalobos, SND ’76 Alexa Wage ’05 Sr. Mary Frances Wahl, SND Jon and Michelle Waldron P ’05 Keith and Suzy Walker P ’25 Patricia Wallace ’58 Sally ’62 and Darryl Wallace

Tracy Wallace P ’24, ’27 The Walt Disney Company Debbie Waples Behnke Elizabeth Ward John Watkins P ’00, ’02 Angela ’93 and Matthew Weed Patricia Weiss ’92, P ’26 James Weitzel Joshua Worth and Maureen Weiss ’92, P ’26 Sr. Mary Karlynn Werth, SND ’60 Stanley and Gina West P ’16 Matthew and Dina Wiggins P ’15 Robert and Jennifer Wilkinson P ’28 Brigid Williams ’03 Virginia Williams ’70 Michelle Willoughby ’81 Christina Wilson ’94 Tera Wilson P ’28 Brad and Marcey Winters P ’26 Lauren Wisdom Joseph B. and Paola Womac P ’26 Arianna Won P ’26 Victor and Julie Wright P ’23 Kit Wynn ’57 Ray and Stephanie Yinger P ’09, ’11 John and Verena Youssef P ’28

Brandon Zagross and Rusela DeSilva Zagross P ’22, ’25 Janet Zimmerman ’64 MAKING A DIFFERENCE GALA Auction Supporters Seabourn Amalfi Jets - Global Private Jet Charter Angel City FC EastWest Bank Fairmont Century Plaza John O’Groats Lexus Los Angeles Rams Pendry Newport Beach Sunstone Yoga Matthew and Dina Wiggins P ’15

UPCOMING EVENTS First Day of School Dig Pink!

August 13, 2025

October 7, 2025

Regal Reunion

Day of Giving

October 4, 2025

October 16, 2025

Open House

October 26, 2025 37

BEYOND the ACADEMY

Summer 2025

Junior Ring Ceremony

November 4, 2025

Fine Arts Night December 6, 2025

Members of the Class of ’74 Reflect

[now University], that I think gave a broader exposure to many different thoughts and ideas. I think that’s helped me as a nurse.

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Marta: When I went into law enforcement, there was a real mission there to show the kinder side of it—that’s what I was after. My stability and my core basically grew out of my parents and Notre Dame.

They are all about justice, and it’s the way you apply justice that matters. Now I’m an associate [a lay member] of the Sisters of Notre Dame.

As we commemorate NDA’s 75th anniversary and its history, what, to you, is the school’s legacy?

100%. They were dedicated and committed.

We’ve been celebrating the impact of an NDA education this past year. How did NDA stay with you after graduation?

Terry: I was a VFX artist and worked for George Lucas and Peter Jackson, and what I realized later in life as a woman working in a maledominated field is that you have to be able to stand up for yourself, have your own voice, and not be intimidated by the men. Being in those classrooms with those feisty girls, I never sold myself short and I never felt like there was something I couldn’t do because I was a woman.

Judy: After I graduated, I ended up joining the group that gave our senior year retreat and I was on the Cardinal’s youth action council, where we would meet with the Cardinal and priests and tell them what was important to us. I went to Loyola Marymount and majored in psychology and sociology, then ended up working in a DNA laboratory at the USC medical school for 18 years. I had a blast.

Anne-Marie: Sometimes I think I have a more accepting, less judgmental outlook on life that I think stems not only from my parents, but also from my years of theology classes. My parents were deeply ethical and moral, and I could recognize the same principles and structure within the nuns. There was also a wide range of philosophy classes, both in high school and in Mount St. Mary’s College

Terry: In a world of so much chaos and lack of moral fiber, I think there’s something really important in having a moral center. In my profession, we were a really collaborative group, and if you treated people with respect, they wanted to work with you. At NDA, I never had a sense that people cheated to get to the top. There was a sense of doing what’s right.

Judy: True friendship, and how much Jesus has an impact on your life and everything you do.

The legacy would be that we carry on in His name. I think we were Christians when we left there, and I think that continued on in our lives.

Anne-Marie: I think it’s good that it’s all girls.

You really had no one to distract you. We were certainly distracting ourselves enough sometimes! But in retrospect, that might have been a very good thing that I didn’t appreciate as much at the time. The legacy for me was concentrating on my education.

Marta: Every single woman at our 50th reunion was in service to others. There were teachers, nurses, authors of children’s books, it goes on and on. Not one person was in it for themselves. We did as the sisters of Notre Dame did—they say yes to the Lord just like Mary, and we say yes, we are with you. We will practice these virtues to the best of our ability.

BEYOND the ACADEMY

Summer 2025

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BEYOND the ACADEMY

Summer 2025