QUAD, Summer 2025

Leading at Riverdale

QUAD

Published annually by Riverdale Country School Summer 2025, L, Number 1

Welcome to the first issue of QUAD as an all-school magazine. While QUAD has reached our alumni audience for many years, we shifted to a magazine for our whole community so that we can have a shared sense of the exciting happenings on campus and beyond. This year’s issue focuses on leadership and our belief that every student develops as a leader.

When I think about my own journey in leadership, I think about what I learned at NOLS — the National Outdoor Leadership School. The name says it all: leadership is a set of skills that can be taught and learned by all rather than an innate quality born in a few. When I remember my NOLS instructor course, taught in the Wind River Range of Wyoming, the most important belief instilled in us was that we all continually improve our skills by practicing and receiving feedback. In fact, it was through leading NOLS courses to high school students that I developed my own leadership philosophy.

Every morning, we would gather in a circle sipping hot drinks with the leaders of the day. We would take out the maps, remind them of our current location, and mark our evening’s destination with an “X.” Far from scripting every move for the hiking group, we would give them some guardrails, caution them on hazards, and suggest beautiful views. How each leader chose to get to the “X” was up to them. They learned to lead by having the freedom in a supportive environment to make their own decisions.

Just like the School’s founder, Frank Hackett, that’s exactly what I want for our students at Riverdale. Whether it’s attending or leading a trip to New Orleans or Alabama, trying out a new playground structure, or initiating a new research study in the science labs, students learn by trying new things and getting feedback on their choices. Learning has to be experiential. Our alumni know that our faculty creates experiences that allow students to learn by doing. As educators, our role is to encourage and provide opportunities for reflection.

I hope to see you on campus soon to see our amazing student leaders in action.

EDITOR

Jenna King

Associate Head of School for External Affairs

MANAGING EDITOR

Chloë May

Senior Associate Director of Communications

EDITORIAL/DESIGN Kalix Marketing

Kari Ostrem Head of School

CONTRIBUTORS

Marie Capasso

Executive Director of Development

Rachel Horowitz

Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement

Heidi Idrovo

Senior Manager of Development

Communications and Stewardship

Milton Sipp

Assistant Head of School for School

Life and Head of Middle School

Emily Stone

Chief Development Officer

Aviva Zablocki

Director of Alumni Engagement

Riverdale

With the campuses as inspiration, students and adults share their favorite spots

Learning to lead is part of every class and experience at Riverdale

Milton Sipp, Assistant Head of School for School Life and Head of Middle School, and the magic of his blackboard

Riverdale Researchers

Sharing research at the 2025 Science Symposium

Incredible things happen when students engage in open-ended science research. They hone their time management, collaboration, and communication skills. They build questions that are authentically theirs and propose novel solutions. And they develop the needed flexibility and perseverance to try something, fail, and dig even deeper for the unknown.

“Building something from nothing and identifying the data that supports an outcome cultivates lasting habits of mind that help students understand how knowledge is created and new discoveries are made,” says Dr. Danny Gentile, Riverdale’s Director of Science Research. “These skills will empower them to become successful citizens and meaningful contributors to future breakthroughs.”

On February 5, 2025, Upper School scientists showcased their research skills at Riverdale’s annual Science Symposium. They gave impressive presentations and poster sessions for research completed during the School’s signature 2024 summer Lisman Laboratories Science Research Program and through independent science research opportunities with outside laboratories. Also presenting for the first time were students in the new elective, Science Research and Informatics, a student-

2025 SCIENCE SYMPOSIUM RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS

LISMAN ASTROPHYSICS

Summer Li ’27, Leyla Kalagoglu ’27, Andrew Wang ’27, Alya Altintas ’27, Eleanor Ho ’27: Using Differential Photometry in Variable Star Research (talk)

Sascha Chodry ’27, Elliot Garcia ’27, Theo Schwider ’27: Variable Star Observation with Differential Photometry (poster)

LISMAN MOLECULAR ECOLOGY

Benjamin Kanovich ’26, Matilda Sales ’26: Expanding Our Understanding of DroughtResponsive Epigenetics: From Black Rock Forest to Establishing Riverdale’s First Urban Forest, Lisman Molecular Ecology and Urban Forestry (talk)

LISMAN NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOINFORMATICS

Alex Atkinson ’26, Alice Goldberg ’26, Azure Brooks ’25, Elijah Leblang ’26, Jose Valentin ’25, Madeleine Braun ’26, Matthew Lee ’25, Rasan HoskinsCorrea ’26, Rohan Mehra ’26, Ryan Kim ’26, Shivan Lakhanpal ’25, Theo Sandow ’26: What Determines What a Neuron Looks Like and Why Should We Care? A Bioinformatics Approach to Neuron Morphology and Gene Expression, Lisman Neurobiology (talk)

RCS SCIENCE RESEARCH AND INFORMATICS COURSE: Seraphina Ding ’26: Proposed Study Purification Procedure of RNF130 as Potential Target for Alzheimer’s Disease (poster)

Salar Korangy ’26: Proposed Study: Does Agreeableness Make You Prone to Gaslighting (poster)

Adiya Malhotra ’26: Proposed Study on w1118 Mutation’s Effect on Locomotion in Drosophila melanogaster (poster)

Jessie Nathan ’26: Proposed Experiment on the Effects of Climate Change on Ciona Intestinalis Development (poster)

COMPLETED RESEARCH AND PRELIMINARY/PILOT STUDIES: Dylan Bird ’26: Testing AI’s Ability to Predict Brain Responses to Images (poster)

Ryan Kim ’26: Dendritic Branching Associated Pathways: Calcium Signaling Mechanism (poster)

Shivan Lakhanpal ’25: SV2B’s Role in Dendrite Length and Alzheimer’s Therapy (poster)

Nadia Reichman ’25: Analyzing the Limitations of Machine Learning in Skin Cancer Detection (poster)

driven course where students work independently or in teams to tackle global and/or local problems. Next fall, that elective becomes part of a three-year course sequence that includes two years of independent research with students replicating the findings of a paper of their own choosing.

“The content knowledge needed to design an experiment is substantial so we start the summer building that base. Then they generate a hypothesis, do the experiment and analyze the results,” explains Dr. Monica Murakami, who teaches biology, neuroscience, and bioinformatics. “The exciting part of research is when they get an unexpected result that forces them to expand or change their initial hypothesis.”

It’s what Dr. Gentile calls “productive failure,” the central tenet of Riverdale’s comprehensive, growing student research program. “You’re supposed to fail and then react productively to it to move forward – nothing in research works on the first try,” he says. Nor does it work in a silo. “Leveraging the interdisciplinary talents of our faculty and exposing students to real-world scientists through the Lisman program and outside internships encourages students to think about problems in a more authentic way,” he adds.

Click here to watch a video of the 26th Annual Science Symposium.

INDEPENDENT RESEARCH PROJECTS WITH OUTSIDE MENTORS

Rachel Chance ’25: Tracking hizr-1 Expression in Response to Stress in Caenorhabditis elegans (talk)

Katherine Lu ’25: Evaluation of Epigallocatechin-3-gallate Combined with Inflammatory Stimuli Against Normal and Malignant Cells, Mentor: Wei Zhu (talk)

Philip Negrin ’26: AI Code Detection, Mentor: Saranya Vijayakumar ’14 (talk)

Elizabeth Shen ’27: The Anchoring Effect on Gender, Mentor: Professor Santiago Hermo (poster)

2025 LISMAN LABORATORIES

SCIENCE RESEARCH PROGRAM

Riverdale sponsors three, no-cost summer experiences providing hands-on, real-world applications of science with college-level research projects.

Freight Farm Sustainability and Crop Yield Optimization:

Students investigate the sustainability and crop optimization of the new Riverdale Freight Farm, a hydroponic farm built inside a shipping container. Ecology-focused projects will include nutrient requirements, recycling nutrient solutions, repurposing wastewater to support other campus sustainability practices on campus, and generating supplemental CO2 responsibly. Taught by Dr. Danny Gentile (Course Coordinator), Michael Hwang, and Lauren Modic-Doyle and in collaboration with Andrew Bension, Director of Food Service, and Angela Costanzo, Director of Environmental Stewardship.

Neuroscience and Bioinformatics: Students develop a research question and perform in silico (computer-based) experiments using data from the Allen Institute for Brain Science. They use Python-based bioinformatics tools to test hypotheses, visualize results, and design new research projects to validate in silico findings in vivo (on living organisms). Taught by Dr. Monica Murakami (Principal), Trevor Brandon-Harris, and Jack Lattimore.

Ari Stockwell ’25: Assessing Shifts in Political Ideology from 2016 to 2020 Using a Grade of Membership Model (talk)

Megha Verma ’26: Analysis of Airborne Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Inner City New York and their Proinflammatory Effects in Experimental Models (talk)

Tanya Verma ’26: Statistically Analyzing Biomarkers for Kidney Disease and Patient Survival (talk)

Molecular Ecology and Urban Forestry: Students explore authentic research questions in environmental science through fieldwork, instrument installation, cutting-edge sequencing technology, and advanced bioinformatics tools to better understand how forests provide climate services that mitigate the human impact of climate change. During five days in the Black Rock Forest with ecology and forestry researchers, they investigate how drought affects the epigenetic regulation of Quercus rubra (red oak) gene expression. Last summer, students installed a field station on the Hill Campus to measure data near a grove of red oak trees mimicking the Black Rock Forest’s droughted tree population. This summer, students will expand field stations to the River Campus with the goal of establishing the School as an urban research forest. Taught by Dr. Danny Gentile (Course Coordinator), Paul Fisher, and Laura Monti.

Presenting research at the 2025 Science Symposium

October Experiential Ed Days: Middle and Upper School students embraced “learning without limits” during place-based experiences throughout New York City and beyond.

Things That

Happened

on Campus This Year

Election Lunch and Learns: Before the 2024 election, the Upper School history department hosted workshops on issues like immigration, climate change, and foreign policy, fostering civic engagement and discourse.

Shabbat Dinner: More than 700 guests gathered for an evening of connection and reflection, featuring a student performance, candlelighting, and a delicious meal that celebrated our community’s diverse traditions.

Model U.N. Conventions: The Riverdale Model U.N. team showcased its diplomacy, negotiation, and critical thinking skills at BosMUN (Boston University Model U.N. Conference), debating global challenges such as climate change and women’s rights.

Lunar New Year Celebration: Middle and Upper School students participated in a Lunar New Year celebration, part of a series of events promoting cultural understanding.

VEX Robotics Team Competitions:

The Upper School VEX Robotics Club tested its design and programming skills, using critical thinking strategies to build a competition-ready robot.

8

7

Lower School Slice of Life Shares: Lower School students shared their learning with visiting parents during engaging Slice of Life Shares throughout the school year.

Debate Team Competitions: Middle and Upper School debate team members excelled this season, earning top spots in tournaments and a bid to the JW Patterson Tournament of Champions at the University of Kentucky.

Culinary Team Community Dinners: The culinary team hosted a series of community dinners for faculty and staff, creating fine dining experiences that brought our community closer through the joy of food.

Lower School

Skating Night: Lower School families laced up their skates for a fun-filled night at the Chelsea Piers Sky Rink, hosted by the Parents Association, featuring ice skating and a special appearance from Felix the Falcon. 10

Arts Recap

From the stage to the studio, students across all divisions embraced the arts as a powerful means of self-expression and community connection. Lower School students delved into character and folklore through engaging drama lessons, leading to original class plays and a lively fifth grade production of The Greatest Show. Families participated in Lower School Music and Art Shares, while students were inspired by the annual residency with the renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. In the Middle and Upper School, the stage buzzed with performances like SpongeBob the Musical, Mean Girls: High School Version, and Trap. Visual arts and music programs flourished as students showcased their talents in the art studio and on the concert stage.

Clockwise from Left: 8th Grade Ballet Rehearsal 4th Grade Drama Share Kindergarten Visual Art Class 5th Grade Pendulum Painting

Clockwise from Top Left:

Upper School Visual Art

Middle School Musical, SpongeBob the Musical

Upper School Symphony Orchestra Concert

Upper School Design Lab

Upper School Musical, Mean Girls: High School Version

Athletics Recap

The fall and winter athletic seasons included impressive achievements while staying true to our mission of providing a meaningful experience for each student-athlete. Riverdale’s Lower School physical education, 80-plus Middle and Upper School JV and Varsity squads, and more than 84 percent of Upper School students participating in at least one sport foster engagement, sportsmanship, and community pride at every level.

Clockwise from Top Left: Middle School Boys Basketball Middle School Girls Volleyball

Varsity Water Polo

Varsity Boys Squash 4th Grade PE

Fall 2024 Accolades

• Boys Cross Country: Ivy League and NYSAIS Champions

• Girls Cross Country: Ivy League Champions for 2nd consecutive season and NYSAIS Runner-Up

• Football: King of the Hill and the Birds of Prey Cup Champions

• Boys Soccer: Ivy League and NYSAIS Champions

Winter 2025 Accolades

• Boys Basketball: 2nd straight Annual Buzzell Memorial Basketball Games Winner

• Girls Basketball: 2nd straight Annual Buzzell Memorial Basketball Games Winner and NYSAIS Runner-Up

• Boys Fencing: Epée Champions, ISFL

• Girls Fencing: Sabre Champions, ISFL, 2nd Place, NYSAIS

• Boys Indoor Track: Ivy League and ISFL Champions

• Girls Indoor Track: Ivy League Champions

• Ice Hockey: Winner, Birds of Prey Cup and Big Apple Hockey League Championship

Clockwise from Top Left:

Varsity Fencing

Varsity Girls Tennis

Varsity Cross Country

Varsity Girls Basketball

Varsity Boys Soccer

Varsity Ice Hockey

My Riverdale

A spirit of place — a location’s unique and cherished aspects — flows through Riverdale Country School’s nearly 30 acres across its two campuses. Favorite spaces abound on the Lower School’s leafy River Campus stretching along the Hudson River and on the Hill Campus with its breathtaking vistas of Van Cortlandt Park, one of New York City’s largest green spaces. We asked a few members of our community to share their favorite campus spots.

JOHNNY HAGER

Upper School Spanish Teacher, former Upper School Dean of Students, and incoming Middle and Upper School Language Chair

The Dean’s Office in William C.W. Mow Hall, Hill Campus

“From 2019 to 2024, I was in the Mow Dean’s Office. It wasn’t just an office. It was really a space for connection, interaction, and discovery with students. I had an open-door policy, chocolate, and had it decorated with beanbags and class memories on a bulletin board so it was a very comfortable place for [students] to hang out. The office has French doors that open to the Mow Courtyard. When it’s nice outside, it creates a sweet spring vibe.

“Once you’re a dean, you’re a dean through and through. I connect with the seniors and juniors now in the hallways. Students who’ve graduated stay in touch with me through Instagram or through my band, Occurrence. Belonging in both the classroom and in non-academic spaces encourages student learning. If students feel seen, valued, and emotionally invested with teachers, then they do their best work.”

Assistant to the Head of Middle School and Middle School Deans

“When the weather is nice, it’s just a joy to work out there. The balcony is not far from my office in the Middle School and is a wonderful place for me to recharge. If there are other people working out there, we give each other a smile or a wave. Everyone’s there for their own reasons, but we’re all together.

“It’s breathtaking on a good day. I enjoy the birds and hearing the laughter of kids playing football or at recess. My favorite season is spring. I can see Van Cortlandt Park from the balcony, and the joy for me is seeing all the colors of the trees blooming. I am a big nature person, and the views bring me peace.”

MONIQUE FONSECA

The Milstein Terrace off of the John R. Johnson Student Center, Hill Campus

DARCEY BLAKE

Lower School Interdisciplinary Integrator

Lower School Depot, Junior Building, River Campus

“The Depot is a hub of materials and equipment designed for brainstorming and cultivating creativity. It’s where integration manifests itself in physical form. Our integration team weaves together benchmarks in digital intelligence, media and information literacy, computer science, and design thinking into the Lower School curriculum. What that looks like depends on which unit each grade is working on. Unit projects take place across classrooms, within shared spaces such as the science lab, the build space, and most often in the Learning Lab. All projects, whatever they may be, are fueled by the resources and ideas cultivated in the Depot!

“We bring faculty here to play with materials, see where curriculum naturally overlaps, and our 3D Design students use the printers in the space after school. We’re all about the a-ha moment. I want people to feel like MacGyver here, to have that kind of creative inspiration whereby piecing together things that you’ve seen, you’re creating something new.”

CAMERON PORTER ’32

5th Grader

Lower School Field, River Campus

“I love the field at the Lower School. It’s an awesome place to meet new people and just play. If you don’t know a sport, the teachers help you learn, which is really fun. Sometimes classes even go out there. I heard that in third grade [before I got to Riverdale] they put Mentos in Coke and it blew up! That sounded really cool.

“The Holi celebration was one of my favorite days. Everyone was throwing colors and laughing, and we all got super messy. It made the kids who celebrate Holi feel like they belong, and everyone else felt included. That’s what I love about Riverdale — there’s always something fun happening.”

My Riverdale

Click here for more My Riverdale.

New Riverdale Board of Trustee Members

Phillip Lee

Phillip Lee, head of Surveyor Capital, oversees more than 150 investment and support professionals. He has invested more than $35 billion of capital across all industry sectors for Surveyor Capital, a leading market neutral equities business at Citadel.

Lee has advanced Surveyor as a talent-forward strategy by developing innovative mentorship and training programs focused on building long-term careers. At Citadel for over a decade, he is also a partner and member of the firm’s portfolio committee. He began his finance career in Morgan Stanley’s technology investment banking group. Born and raised in Minnesota, Lee earned his BA in economics from Dartmouth

Kelly Mack

Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group President Kelly Mack has spent two decades defining innovation in the planning, design, marketing, and sales of luxury residential developments. Mack advises the world’s most noteworthy real estate developers on properties that set new standards for residential luxury and continually raise the bar for an entire industry.

She has worked alongside some of the world’s most pre-eminent architects and designers on a portfolio that includes many of New York’s most noteworthy towers, including Herzog & de Meuron, Robert A.M. Stern Architects, Foster + Partners, David Chipperfield Architects, Roman and Williams, and Pembrooke & Ives.

A Manhattan native, respected art collector, and passionate supporter of storied New York City institutions including 92NY, NYU Langone Health’s Stephen D. Hassenfeld Children’s

Hospital (a leader in the diagnosis and treatment of childhood cancers and blood disorders), Mack serves as the executive vice chairman of the New York University Board of Trustees. She holds a BA from Georgetown University and MBA from the Leonard N. Stern School of Business at NYU, which awarded her its first-ever Distinguished Young Alumna award in 2009. She lives in New York City with her husband, Stephen, and their two children, Scarlett (Class of 2035), and Sienna (Class of 2038).

College and MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he currently serves as a member of the Trust. Lee and his wife, Aram Hur, are supporters and the 2025 honorees of Finding A Cure for Epilepsy and Seizures (FACES) at NYU Langone Health, an organization that supports patients like their daughter. They live in New York City with their three children, Leo (8, Class of 2035), Aria (4), and Roy (1).

Pallavi Nanda

Pallavi Nanda is the President of Riverdale’s Parents Association (PA), currently serving the first of her two-year term. She has held many roles within the PA, including most recently Middle School PA Head. Nanda is an executive director on CIBC Capital Markets’ U.S. Leveraged Finance Team and has 12-plus years of leveraged finance and credit experience. She also leads internship and first-year analyst hiring for CIBC.

Born and raised in India, Nanda earned her BA in Philosophy from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, New Delhi, and her MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. She lives in New York City with her husband, Ranjit Bawa, and their two children, Jaivir (Class of 2025) and Anahat (“Annie,” Class of 2028).

Ben Tisch

Ben Tisch is president and CEO of Loews Corp. Tisch joined the company’s investment department in 2011, and prior to becoming president and CEO in January 2025, he served as the senior vice president of corporate development and strategy, where he was responsible for formulating the company’s view on intrinsic value, developing and implementing capital allocation strategies, and monitoring its insurance subsidiary, CNA.

Tisch is a member of the board of directors of Loews Corp. and of CNA Financial and sits on the boards of Altium Packaging and Boardwalk Pipelines, two of Loews’ privately held subsidiaries. Before joining Loews, Tisch was a managing director at Fortress Investment Group where he managed asset classes for the Global Macro Fund, including international fixed income, international equities, and U.S./European credit instruments.

He is an honors graduate of Brown University where he studied Public and Private Sector Organizations and Political Science. Tisch is co-president of the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty and a board member of UJAFederation of New York. He resides in New York City with his wife, Daniela, and their two children, Max (Class of 2033) and Isabella (Class of 2035).

See page 55 for the full list of the Board of Trustees and other Riverdale volunteers.

Riverdale Hits the Road

The Riverdale Alumni Office hosted our alumni at exciting regional events across the U.S. from San Francisco to Philadelphia. Alumni were invited to warm and welcoming dinners, with Head of School Kari Ostrem, Riverdale’s Alumni Association, and volunteers in each city.

In the fall, Eve Reppen Rogers ’84 helped us bring together alumni from the classes of 1981 to 2024 at Tre Dita in Chicago to connect over their shared experiences, reminisce, and hear updates from campus.

Nearly 40 alumni from the classes of 1955 to 2016 gathered for dinner at Bobby Van’s in Washington, D.C. A special thank you to Jonathan Langel ’00 for his partnership in bringing us together.

Inspired by seeing recaps of our earlier dinners, Danielle Witter ’20 recruited Dan Michelson ’06 to help organize a dinner at Butcher and Singer in Philadelphia. We were joined by alumni from the classes of 1958 to 2020.

At each event, alumni reconnected with each other and shared their Riverdale stories, reminiscing over Chef Paul’s famous egg and cheese sandwiches, their successes on and off the field, stories of discovering their passions, the teachers who impacted their lives, and their lifelong friendships. We are so grateful for the opportunity to hear what makes Riverdale, Riverdale from your point of view!

Upcoming trips are being planned. If you’re interested in hosting an event in your city, please contact Aviva Zablocki, Director of Alumni Engagement, at azablocki@riverdale.edu, or Rachel Horowitz, Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement, at rhorowitz@riverdale.edu

ALAIN SILVERIO ’89 RECEIVES THE 2024 ERNEST MCANENY ALUMNI SPIRIT AWARD

We were proud to recognize Alain Silverio ’89 as the recipient of the Ernest McAneny Alumni Spirit Award at Reunion & Homecoming 2024, presented in appreciation of his commitment to Riverdale.

Silverio’s journey began with Prep for Prep, which led him to Riverdale and then to Georgetown University. Today, he serves as the dean of academic administration and outcomes at the New York College of Podiatric Medicine. A loyal class correspondent and enthusiastic event volunteer, Silverio has kept his classmates connected through Reunions and their class Facebook page.

Known for his warmth and generosity since his student days — when he was voted “most loved” and “everyone’s best friend” in the senior poll — it comes as no surprise that Silverio continues to bring people together. We are grateful for all he has done for the Riverdale community.

2024 REUNION & HOMECOMING RECAP

On September 27, 2024, 300 alumni and guests came together for a sold-out Friday evening reception on the 101st floor of Hudson Yards with sunset views of New York City. The following day, alumni returned to campus to celebrate our 2024 Reunion & Homecoming Festivities with record-breaking attendance for milestone celebrations for classes ending in “4” and “9.” Jones Lawn was organized as an alumni hospitality tent with custom Riverdale T-shirt-making, a bloody mary bar, egg and cheese sandwiches hearkening back to early-2000s glory, and more. Alumni embarked on campus tours, connected with current students, cheered on our Falcon athletes, and heard from Head of School Kari Ostrem. Riverdale’s teams had an impressive showing across the board, culminating in a football win on a newly re-turfed Bertino Field against Poly Prep.

SAVE THE DATE for alumni with class years ending in “0” or “5” for 2025 Reunion & Homecoming on September 26 and 27, 2025. Please be in touch with the Alumni Office at alumni@riverdale.edu to participate in the planning or with questions.

Scenes from 2024 Reunion & Homecoming

Leading at Riverdale

A sense of awe. That’s the goal for Riverdale students when they lead in big and small ways, whether on the school’s campuses, just down the block, across the country, or around the world.

“The ideal is an awakening where [students] see something, experience something, interact with a community that makes them go, ‘Wow, that challenged my preconceived notions and woke me up to something new,’” says Jake Crowley-Delman, Riverdale’s Director of Experiential and Place-Based Learning. Intentional and surreptitious, these a-ha moments inspire students to question why and consider the how of new possibilities.

Riverdale’s extensive experiential education program and student leadership opportunities are a hands-on training ground to develop curious, unity-focused leaders who will change the world for good. “Our goal is to [develop] leaders who understand how to lead toward goals of an ethical purpose, how to follow, and how to make plans and see their goals through,” adds Crowley-Delman.

This was Frank S. Hackett’s vision when he founded Riverdale in 1907 on the “country day school” concept with academics rooted in knowing each student and abundant outdoor space and a garden where students literally got their hands dirty with learning. His School motto – It is the spirit that quickeneth – is woven through each leadership opportunity today for Riverdale students to seek out what excites them and to pursue those passions. (And 118 years later, they still toil and discover in the School’s gardens.)

ROOTED IN COMMUNITY

Leading begins early with the very youngest students learning how to listen effectively through deliberate partner work in class and in small and whole group discussions. “We bookend our days for Pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade with individual class gatherings to build skills students are going to use for every part of their lives,” says James Duval, Associate Head of School and Head of Lower School. “We demonstrate what leadership looks like by modeling community, honesty, empathy, compassion, and self-reflection. If we think about leadership as internal sturdiness, that comes from confidence and a true understanding of self.”

Elementary-aged children are not the most self-aware, but faculty work with them to celebrate students’ strengths and provide feedback and support for areas of growth. Since young children flex burgeoning leadership skills in social situations, class discussions often focus on how to lead by standing up for others and voicing one’s opinion with respect.

The Lower School’s robust drama program with original productions created and performed by each grade also offers practice in team building, collaboration, listening, and public speaking. 3rd through 5th grade enjoy overnight outdoor experiential trips to Camp Jewell in Colebrook, CT, Fairview Lake in Stillwater Township, NJ, and Princeton-Blairstown Center in Blairstown, NJ, each with an intentional team-building component, low ropes courses, and more to practice those leadership skills.

“Our students don’t have to wait in line to assume responsibility and create initiatives and great activities,” explains Milton Sipp, Assistant Head of School for School Life and Head of Middle School. “Giving children that sense of agency creates leadership

Continued on next page

Clockwise from Left (upper): Middle School Hügel Build 5th Grade Musical, The Greatest Show

5th Grade Overnight to Princeton-Blairstown Center

Leading at Riverdale

in lots of different forms and gives them a sense of ownership and belonging here.” Adds Mike Sclafani, Assistant Head of Middle School, “Open access and communication breed the sense for students that this is their community, and they can make a change in it.”

Consider these recent student-led changes: After the 2023-24 Middle School student government officers voiced disappointment about the often-messy cafeteria and volunteered their free time to clean it, this year’s Middle School President and Vice President created a rotating schedule for lunchroom cleanup duty for the officers. Last fall, Upper School students launched the digital platform they built to match Riverdale students who need tutoring with a Riverdale tutor for a few or ongoing sessions.

Traditional leadership opportunities include elected officers and grade-level representatives and committees to which students apply for Upper School’s Student Faculty Council (SFC). Middle School purposely limits elected positions beyond its student government, and most Middle School clubs and teams do not have presidents or captains, giving everyone a chance to serve as a leader. Most Upper School activities and clubs have two co-leaders who run activity period meetings, organize projects, listen, follow, debate, and advocate, all in a collaborative setting.

The Upper School Peer Leadership program (formerly known as the Peer Assistance Leadership program or PAL) selects about 20 seniors annually from an application process as assigned mentors to a 9th grade advisory group. “When our student leaders model the values in alignment with our mission statement — integrity, honesty, respect, in all regards to diversity, equity, and inclusion — then we are investing in the right way to impact the feelings and decisions of younger students in and outside of school,” says Julie Choi, Assistant Head of Upper School. The Middle School Peer Leaders program matches 8th graders with 6th grade peers to provide guidance and academic support.

LOWER SCHOOL RIVERKEEPERS

Teachers and staff provide the needed autonomy, space, and framework for students to lead and develop ideas in ways that can come to fruition. And when those ideas don’t pan out, there’s a lesson there, too. Gabi Hakim ’25, SFC co-president for 202425, discovered an unexpected skill and resiliency when a planned Schoolwide pep rally competition or other SFC project wasn’t possible. “I’ve learned how to deliver difficult news, get feedback, and then renew the council’s spirit so that we can keep going,” she says. (See page 25 for more.)

MOVING OUT INTO THE WORLD

Riverdale offers a range of place-based learning programs from global and national travel to projects down the street from the School’s two campuses. Riverdale hopes to expand place-based learning sites so that every student can have at least one experience in Middle School and one or two in Upper School, says Anna Hall, Chief of Organizational Learning and Interim Dean of Faculty and incoming Head of Upper School. These include gradewide experiences like the 11th grade annual trip to Washington, D.C., in parallel with the interdisciplinary Constructing America course and weekend hiking trips with faculty to cultural immersion experiences. Students in 5th grade learn what it looks like to lead as park ambassadors for Riverdale Park and other very local experiences.

Many Riverdale students choose to take part in experiential learning opportunities, including the hallmark 20-year-old annual service-learning trip to New Orleans and the civil rights-focused trip to Birmingham, AL. Rooted in Riverdale’s philosophy of challenge by choice, students choose to take part because they’re

LOWER

SCHOOL FOOD INSECURITY

ACTIVISTS

and wildlife and the impact trash management has on their community.

The Lower School curriculum includes discussions of food insecurity and what it looks like locally in the Bronx and in New York City. Students help Grassroots Grocery to bag unused produce that’s delivered to people who are food insecure. Students harvest food grown on the River Campus to support the nearby Friendly Fridge nonprofit.

5TH GRADE PARK AMBASSADORS

Riverdale is one of the only member schools in Forest for All NYC, a coalition of 100+ organizations working to preserve and grow New York City’s urban forest. Each year, 5th graders serve as volunteer park ambassadors at the coalition’s City of Forest Day, leading nature walks through Riverdale Park adjacent to the Lower School’s River Campus.

Lower School students become community environmental leaders through annual cleanup days on the Hudson River in partnership with Riverkeepers. Primarily led by 3rd grade students and tied to the 3rd grade curriculum, the cleanups connect students to waterways

genuinely interested. “We want students to pursue these things for love of them and for interest and for their own curiosity,” says Hall.

In April, Crowley-Delman took 10 faculty members to Bears Ears National Monument in southeast Utah for a leadership course in preparation for a student trip in 2025-26. Known for its ancient Native American rock imagery, cliff dwellings, and spectacular archaeological wilderness, Bears Ears is the first national monument proposed by Native Americans and has been controversial since President Barack Obama named it as a national monument.

“We prepare students for the experience that they’re going to have, which often stretches them out of their comfort zone,” says Crowley-Delman, who co-designed the course Thinking About Limits: Human Ecology in the Anthropocene that explores land use issues at Bears Ears. “If someone’s comfortable, they don’t learn.”

This summer, for the first time, 20 students in the theater, dance, and film program are performing at the 2025 Fringe Festival in

ANNUAL TRIP TO BIRMINGHAM, AL

Since 2014, Sipp has led an annual trip to Birmingham to explore U.S. history through the complicated lens of Southern culture and history. Due to the heavier course content, the trip is exclusive to the Upper School. Students attend multiple trips and later lead the program with his guidance, designing the experience, handling travel details, and problem-solving for any on-the-ground challenges.

Edinburgh, Scotland. The students’ original performance began through conversations with students, drama faculty, and the School’s Global Studies department. For national and international trips, preparation includes thoughtful, pre-trip workshops about where they are going and how to be respectful and culturally sensitive. During and after the experience, they share what they learned with classmates and teachers. (See page 28 for student reflections from the December 2024 trip to India.)

Sipp, who has guided students at Riverdale for nearly four decades, reflects on the bigger why of student leadership: “If we can give students the confidence to be themselves and they leave Riverdale knowing who they are, with the confidence to take on things, fail and get back up, and be a part of a team, and that their voice is just as important as anyone else’s, that’s golden.”

All the other good stuff — working hard, being better friends and global citizens — stems, he says, from being strong in who you are and realizing that this strength also spreads out to everyone else.

MIDDLE SCHOOL GARDEN CLUB HÜGEL BUILD

When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and the Gulf region in 2005, Riverdale’s Middle School had just opened as a separate division. The then-8th grade class created a danceathon (now a walkathon) to raise money for recovery efforts. Two years later, the first group of Riverdale students traveled to New Orleans for what is now an annual service-learning trip. Students plan, prep, and lead subsequent trips, including the trip application and interview process.

In spring 2024, the Hill Campus welcomed a new symbol of sustainability: a hügel! Designed and built by the Middle School Garden Club, this raised garden bed uses a German technique that conserves water, enriches soil, and supports responsible land use. Driven by student leadership and curiosity, the project grew alongside visits to Riverdale Neighborhood House, where students explored garden design, agricultural practices, and community partnerships.

Left to Right: Upper School Peer Leadership Program; Middle School Global Studies trip to Greece; Faculty Leadership Training in Bears Ears National Monument

Leading at Riverdale

CHRISTINA YOUNG Director, Counseling and Health Education

For Christina Young, shared leadership is horizontal and vertical.

Her horizontal work with other Riverdale Middle and Upper School student support leaders, deans, and chairs connects seamlessly with vertical collaborations with senior leadership and her counseling and health team. The goal, Young says, is to blur these lines to deepen the teamwork necessary for the complexities of how best to support a student — and create workflows that pull leaders out of silos.

This past April, Young defended her EdD dissertation, “Leading and Learning in the Middle, How Middle Leaders at Independent Schools Define, Engage in, and Learn About Shared Leadership at the Workplace” at Teachers College, Columbia University. With Riverdale as her learning lab, Young focused on practices and structures that support sustained performance and well-being and help leaders with sustainable workloads and professional learning and fulfillment.

“I deeply believe that we show up for students by supporting the adults around them in the community,” Young says. “To have the best growing and learning environment includes adults also growing and learning.”

Young has curated expanded parent education programming on substance abuse, middle schoolers and tech, test anxiety, eating disorders, and other topics in a “lunch and learn” format and leads parent coaching workshops called “Better Conversations with Heart.” She’s also revamped the annual student support conference for the New York State Association of Independent Schools.

“The mental health of adolescents is getting more complex, and the challenges are getting harder,” Young explains. “These are solvable challenges for which there is no road map. [Solving these] needs shared leadership and different voices learning together to be creative, innovative, and nimble.”

Leading at Riverdale

GABI HAKIM ’25

Co-president, Student Faculty Council (SFC)

“I thrive off being involved in the community,” Gabi Hakim says.

Just look at her leadership resume: Middle School Vice President. Sophomore and junior SFC representative and now SFC co-president with Oliver Mirsepahi ’25. Captain of the Varsity Girls Soccer team. Co-founder and co-leader of Meet Me in the Middle, a Middle Eastern affinity group, and Riverdale Community Partners, an afterschool tutoring program, and Debate Team novice coordinator. As a three-year veteran of the New Orleans service-learning trip, Hakim is part of its student leadership team.

Titles aside, Hakim embraces leadership as the person who reaches out to someone sitting alone at lunch and in need of a friend. “Riverdale grounds its teaching in three pillars: mind, character, and community. A leader embodies these qualities wholeheartedly by engaging in their academics, having moral integrity, and also valuing inclusivity and kindness with humor and humility,” explains Hakim.

She and Mirsepahi lead SFC, which comprises three representatives per grade, delegating tasks from SFC ideas and meeting weekly with the Head of Upper School and the Assistant Head of Upper School. Her favorite part is having people approach her with ideas: “Seeing their passion and then working tirelessly to have their ideas come to fruition is most rewarding to me.”

Hakim, who takes her leadership skills to Duke University this fall, defines a leader as someone who helps others feel part of the change-making process. “Leading takes time, commitment, and consistency, and you need to be ready for it and to listen and lean on the people around you,” she reflects. Spoken like a true leader.

Leading at Riverdale

ADAM FRY ’07

Product lead for ChatGPT Search, OpenAI

Developing innovative technology wasn’t always on Adam Fry’s radar. He knew of the AP Computer Science class at Riverdale, but as the son of lawyers, Fry didn’t think engineering was for him. After falling in love with his first computer science course at Princeton — he was a double major in economics and computer science — and with Riverdale’s liberal arts tradition as his foundation, Fry has engineered an impressive career at some of the world’s leading tech companies.

“You don’t have to be an AI researcher or engineer to have a big impact in the generative AI world and landscape,” he says. “There’s a lot of room for design and creativity, and the liberal arts education plays a massive role in creating skills for the technology field.”

A short detour in management consulting helped him understand the questions to ask in tech. “Management consulting teaches early professionals how to look at 10 different problems and answer the questions that matter most,” says Fry, who helped develop operating systems for smart TVs.

As the product lead for ChatGPT Search, Adam’s team launched OpenAI’s SearchGPT, a real-time web search feature offering fast answers and

links to sources while maintaining a conversational interface.

“AI has incredible positives that should be harnessed, but we need to be extremely responsible with it,” Fry reflects. “How can our educators shape the curriculum so that students are developing their thinking capabilities and using these tools to assist their learning?”

His advice for people interested in pursuing a similar career path? Stay true to yourself.

“Leadership is leading by example,” he says. “It’s not telling people what to do. If you demonstrate authenticity and hard work, that no task is beyond you, people around you will reflect that too.”

Fry, second from Left, with his team at OpenAI.

Sparking Change Through Advocacy: Middle School Change Agents Affinity Group

A group of about 20 middle schoolers called Change Agents are leading Riverdale to make the world a better place. Open to any Middle School student, the affinity group is founded on the principle of community activism that champions nonprofits’ causes through awareness, fundraising, and service activities. The spirit of Margaret Mead’s words — “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” — guides the work of this affinity group. We sat down with Tyler ’31, Macrae ’29, and Isla ’30 to learn how Change Agents organizes and inspires lasting change.

TYLER: We meet for one period during our eight-day cycle. At any meeting, someone can bring a cause that they want to support, and we talk about it. If it’s something that we think that we can help with, we work on that. Our teacher advisors, Mr. Nelson Arroyo and Ms. Roisin Brady, bring us things, too, but it’s mostly the students. It’s not just the people inside our group helping to make change. A lot of what we do is to get the rest of the School to help.

MACRAE: A big part of Change Agents is that everything counts. The scale doesn’t really matter as long as it can be helpful to somebody in some way, it’s something that matters. In October, we painted pumpkins pink to raise awareness for breast cancer at School. We’re learning how to get messages out to people and organize something which we’ll have to do in our lives. For me, it is learning how to speak in front of people because I was so scared about that. Our teachers are very supportive about anything that we do.

ISLA: We talk about how we could help the world and then we try to do it by awareness for those organizations. One of us will usually speak at a Middle School meeting or might get someone who’s related to the cause.

TYLER: In December we went to JASA, which is a Jewish senior center in New York City. We made blankets and goodie bags filled with supplies for the winter. We met some of the people that live there, had doughnuts with them, and learned about the things that they had done. The best part was seeing the smiles on their faces. Change Agents teaches you how easy it is to just make an effort and make someone happy. It doesn’t take that much to help someone even if it’s really small.

MACRAE: We have a partnership with the Lavelle School for the Blind and go on trips with them. Just talking to other kids is a fun way of doing the Change Agents mission. This is teaching us to be more determined to go the extra mile. This can be applicable in everything in life like homework assignments and even bigger stuff.

ISLA: We learn to advocate for ourselves and for the people around us. If you have an idea, try and do it. Don’t just leave it there as an idea. Make it a possibility. Change Agents teaches us what we can do, what we should do, and how we can do it.

Change Agents celebrate Halloween

Leading at Riverdale

Riverdale Global Studies Program: India Trip Reflections

Eight Upper School students and two faculty members traveled to India over winter break in December 2024 to explore the vibrant culture of New Delhi and the tranquil landscapes of Dharamsala. They also experienced the impactful Tibetan culture including a New Year’s Day personal audience with the Dalai Lama.

Led and developed by Chime Dolma, Director of Global Studies, the program is part of an exchange with New Delhi’s Modern School whose students visited Riverdale in May 2024. In India, Riverdale students lived with Modern families for a deeper dive into Indian culture and how people co-exist in a place with so many different languages and religions.

“We try to ensure that our programs are rooted in our curriculum and are not a touristic experience, rather a travel experience where students are immersed in the local culture and local language and push their critical thinking skills and understanding of the world,” Dolma says of the 10 or so annual abroad programs sponsored by the School.

“On all of our international trips, students take on various leadership roles that deepen their engagement with the experience. These roles include videographer, photographer, day leader, and scribe. The scribe not only records personal reflections but also interviews peers to capture a range of perspectives from the group experience,” adds Dolma.

Students tour the Deden Tsuklagkhang Temple

Students’ traditional attire provided by their host families

STUDENT REFLECTIONS:

Austin Kretschman ’27: “We started our day early, taking in the morning sun at the start of a new year. Our first activity [on January 1] was to meet the Dalai Lama, granting us a blessed start to the year. Everyone in our group had the chance to shake his hand and have a photo taken. It was an honor to meet the Dalai Lama today, and I’m so glad it happened at the beginning of the new year. It was also very inspiring to have the chance to meet one of the greatest religious leaders in the world.”

“Today was a long but rewarding day. We woke up early to beat traffic and start the four-hour drive to Agra and visit the Taj Mahal. The city’s name has an interesting history, possibly coming from the Sanskrit word agra, meaning ‘the first’ or ‘foremost.’ I also learned about its brackish soil, which is used to grow a specific type of melon people call Agra melons. It’s fascinating how even something as simple as a name or a type of fruit can hold so much cultural and historical significance.”

“When we finally reached the Taj Mahal, it completely took my breath away. Seeing it in person is so different from the pictures. The details, the symmetry, and the sheer size are unbelievable. Learning about its history as a symbol of love made it even more special.”

Excerpts from the speech of Lynn Steinberg ’27 at the farewell celebration between Riverdale and the Modern School: “Our host families have been wonderful hosts and guides, taking us to some unforgettable locations and sharing their personal stories and experiences. One of the best moments for me was when my host mom dressed me in a beautiful lehenga and wrapped me in jewelry. She showered me with compliments, making me feel so special and like I was truly part of the family. I felt so embraced and welcomed into their home. They’ve really shown us the heart of India, and we couldn’t be more grateful. This trip has not only given us the chance to see incredible places but has also shown us the true meaning of hospitality and friendship. We’ll carry these memories with us for a lifetime.”

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL EXPERIENCES 2024-25

UPPER SCHOOL INDIA EXCHANGE IN INDIA

A cultural and academic exchange

MIDDLE SCHOOL FRENCH TRIP: MONTREAL, CANADA

Cultural immersion in a global city

MIDDLE SCHOOL GREECE EXCHANGE

Connection-building experience through ancient history

UPPER SCHOOL LATIN STUDENT TRIP TO ROME

Deep dive into classical civilization

UPPER SCHOOL SPANISH TRIP: PERU Language, culture, and service trip

UPPER SCHOOL

ROBOTICS IN ZIMBABWE

A hands-on innovation and impact experience

UPPER SCHOOL PERFORMING ARTS: EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL

Dynamic creative residency and global stage

Brian Tran ‘27 meets the Dalai Lama

Leading at Riverdale

2023 Jolli Humanitarian Award recipient Sharon Love

Nominated by Emily Maffezzoli ’25

Q: How did you choose Sharon Love?

EMILY: My mom encouraged me to nominate Sharon Love and the One Love Foundation because she has a friend who works for the foundation. Relationship violence for teens and young adults is not something that’s talked about in our health classes. We talk a lot about consent and general health, but we’ve never really discussed what love should and shouldn’t look like.

What happened to Sharon’s daughter, Yeardley Love, is a heartwrenching story. [Editor’s note: Yeardley was murdered by her boyfriend while a senior at the University of Virginia.] What sealed the deal to nominate Sharon Love is that I have an older cousin who lives in Baltimore [where Sharon Love lives]. My cousin told me that she had broken up with her boyfriend and opened up about certain behaviors of his that weren’t healthy or safe. All I saw were the cute stories that she would post. She said a lot of what helped her end the relationship was what she read at joinonelove.org. I think that there are many high school relationships that could end up this way if people don’t know what to look for.

Q: What has been happening at Riverdale since Mrs. Love’s visit?

EMILY: Shortly after Mrs. Love’s remarks, my classmate Gracie Griffin told me that she had wanted to start a One Love Club at Riverdale, so we paired up to start it. We’re a small group, but we’ve had meaningful conversations and have used One Love resources. We’ve analyzed popular TV shows for relationship violence signs to relate it back to our own lives. Last year, we collaborated with the Student Action Committee and Seneca to create a walkthrough gallery experience on women empowerment that includes statistics about sexual assault and the prevalence of relationship violence with ways people can

get involved. In April 2024, we held our first Riverdale Consent Summit and hosted a workshop.

Now helping others be aware of relationship violence is always on my radar, and I will continue this work in college. With more serious adult relationships, it’s even more important to know what a healthy relationship looks like.

Q: What have you learned about yourself as a leader?

EMILY: It’s helped to shape me in terms of public speaking. It’s intimidating to speak in the gym, but when Mrs. Love spoke, it was the quietest I have ever heard the audience. There were a few tears in the audience, and people told me afterward that it was one of the best Jolli Humanitarian assemblies they’d attended.

Performing through theater definitely helped me by feeling confident to talk about this vulnerable subject. I hope I’ve reached some people, if not the entire community. With the One Love Club, we weren’t entirely sure what path we were going to take, but we’ve learned from each other about how to reach out to people and listen.

ABOUT EMILY:

• Leader, Rivertones, the female a cappella group

• Captain, Varsity Girls Volleyball

• Peer Leader

• Participated in numerous school plays and musicals, including the lead as Regina George in the 2025 musical Mean Girls High School Version

Sharon Love, founder of One Love Foundation and international advocate for relationship violence awareness

Jose Antonio Vargas (Left), journalist, Emmy-nominated filmmaker, Tonynominated theatrical producer, and founder of Define American, a nonprofit empowering diverse and nuanced storytelling about immigrant experiences across mediums and industries, with Sebastian IrausquinPetit ‘26

2024 Jolli Humanitarian Award recipient

Jose Antonio Vargas

Nominated by Sebastian Irausquin-Petit ’26

Q: Why did you choose Jose Antonio Vargas?

SEBASTIAN: A humanitarian is someone who promotes general welfare and puts themselves on the line for the bettering of lives of others. I was really drawn to Jose Antonio Vargas when I read his book Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen in middle school. He helps others find a place in the U.S. for the chance to help countless others. While researching, I watched the documentaries and films of his speeches on his website defineamerican.com, which was a more free-flowing process and very different from other school projects. During the assembly Q&A I did with him, it was great to see the audience engaged and inspired.

Q: What have you learned about leadership through this experience?

SEBASTIAN: His work reshaped how I look at things. His book was the first time when I considered my identity in relation to immigration because I come from a family of immigrants. It’s allowed me to see how immigration affects everyone on a wider scale. He uses filmmaking and storytelling to redefine what it means to be an immigrant, which is what I do with my filmmaking. Since nominating him, I switched from narrative filmmaking to documentary work.

I learned that leaders set the moral framework upon which others base their actions. The process has shown me how powerful leadership really is, especially in a school community with incoming freshmen. Having someone to look up to as a leader is a very good thing.

I started my own film company to create pro bono documentaries for nonprofits that do immigration work. I did my first documentary last summer at a University of Southern California pre-college film program. Filming an

organization helping others allows me to reflect how I am using my interests to be a vehicle for social change. Mr. Vargas has inspired me to want to do more actual advocacy or policy work. Filmmaking is a great way to share these stories, promote ideas, and create discourse, but I also want to be the person who can make a tangible difference beyond filmmaking.

Q: What makes the Jolli Humanitarian Award program unique?

SEBASTIAN: Riverdale really lets students take charge. The fact that students pick the Jolli nominees reflects the values of the School and the community. We hear from various humanitarians at assemblies, along with inspiring speakers who encourage students to advocate for those in need and support different communities.

Creating discourse in our community is such a valuable part of the Jolli Humanitarian Award program. After Mr. Vargas spoke, my Constructing America class discussed his work and the Riverdale Review responded to his remarks.

I am making a large-scale documentary about immigration in New York. I recorded Ron Kim ’97, the first Korean-American elected to the New York State Legislature. Our teachers ensure that if you have something you want to do, they help you.

ABOUT SEBASTIAN:

• Captain of Boys Varsity B Soccer

• Debate Club

• Habitat for Humanity Club

• Intern, Define American with Mr. Vargas

• Youth Ambassador at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office

JOLLI HUMANITARIAN AWARD RECIPIENTS

2010: Leymah Gbowee (nominated by Rachel Wolitzer ’12), Liberian peace activist

2011: Geoffrey Canada (nominated by Sasha Croak ’13), charter school and education reform leader

2012: Rachel Lloyd (nominated by Katherine Shifke ’14), children’s advocate in fighting prostitution and sexual trafficking

2013: Pernille Ironside (nominated by Christina Puccinelli ’15), U.N. child protection advocate

2014: Frank Mugisha (nominated by Robert Connolly ’16), Ugandan gay rights activist

2015: Melony Samuels (nominated by George Harvey ’17), founder of Bed-Stuy Campaign Against Hunger

2016: Lenni Benson (nominated by Erin Cooper ’18), founder of Safe Passage Project

2017: Ellen Bassuk (nominated by Maddy Foley ’19), founder of Center for Social Innovation, advocate for families experiencing homelessness

2018: Peter Neufeld (nominated by Jennifer Frank ’20), co-founder of The Innocence Project, an organization that works to combat wrongful imprisonment

2019: Sylvia Earle (nominated by Jack Volpert ’21), marine biologist, clean water advocate, and founder of Mission Blue

2020: Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim (nominated by Kai and Lea Hostetter-Habib ’22), Indigenous and environmental rights activist

2021: Yusef Salaam (nominated by Harry Gallen ’23), member of the exonerated five and activist for criminal justice reform

2022: Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts III (nominated by Calvin Butts V ’24), pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church, educator and activist

2023: Sharon Love (nominated by Emily Maffezzoli ’25), founder of One Love Foundation

2024: Jose Antonio Vargas (nominated by Sebastian Irausquin-Petit ’26), founder of Define American

2025: Uyunkar Domingo Peas Nampichkai (nominated by Jion Tsuzuki ’27), President of the Governing Board of the Amazon Sacred Headwaters Alliance

Leadership Lessons: From the Class of 2025

By Meg Johnson History Teacher and Dean of the Class of 2025

Meg Johnson first met the Class of 2025 in August 2021. As class dean, she’s helped to shape their journey as high school leaders and discovered the many ways they’ve had an impact at Riverdale.

You’re often the best leader when working on something you care about. We have interscholastic hockey and boys volleyball teams because members of this class started them. One of the seniors on the hockey team said that when he thinks about the team, what he’s most proud of is less the hockey itself and more the way it’s brought the community together.

Authentic leaders see what needs to be changed and change it. The class has been incredible in their leadership on affirmative consent. They’ve run peer workshops, attended conferences, and spoken up in informal and formal settings alike. They’ve been brave in the way they talk about affirmative consent as leaders of teams and clubs. They learned from older student leaders, emulated them, and put their own special stamp on an issue.

Leaders create belonging. In spring 2024, the annual musical was cross divisional. It was very important to the Class of 2025 that the middle schoolers were made to feel special and part of something. They took on that mantle exceptionally well to create a wonderful community grounded in a shared experience.

Being a leader means connecting with everyone. This class has varied interests and come from diverse backgrounds and they show up every day and support each other. It’s part of how they define themselves as a class. I’ve told them that one of my North Star goals for them is that they can sit down at any lunch table, and it wouldn’t be weird. They understand on a deep level that creating community means supporting everyone with kindness and empathy.

Leaders have a sense of humor. This is a remarkably clever and funny bunch of students. Their kind cheekiness and sense of humor set an important tone that helps them connect with others.

Leaders share their own curiosity and vision in a way that is infectious. The class has pursued personal passions outside of Riverdale from research and legislative advocacy to writing articles and books. Leadership comes when you care about something enough to pursue it such that you become somewhat expert in it and then share your excitement with others. As sophomores, they said, “I care about this, you come to care about it, too,” by creating service activities based on their passions from gardening in the local park to doing a mealpacking event to address food insecurity.

Faculty Notes: Milton Sipp

A blackboard inside Milton Sipp’s door offers daily wisdom, reflection, and connection. “It is a reflection of all the things I want students to think about as they move through their day,” he says. Guiding messages about kindness, confidence, curiosity, and making good choices encourage reflection. Rotating prompts invite student voices and storytelling, turning the space into an ongoing conversation. Through quotes, doodles, or personal insights, the board quietly strengthens the sense of community and helps students carry intention into their day.

Milton Sipp, Assistant Head of School for School Life and Head of Middle School

Click here to learn more about Mr. Sipp’s blackboard

Alumni Profile

Justin Brandon ’96

Head of School, George School, Newtown, PA

A former history teacher and coach, Justin Brandon has held leadership roles at The Episcopal Academy in Newtown Square, PA, Moorestown Friends School in Moorestown, NJ, and was associate head of school at Ravenscroft School in Raleigh, NC. Throughout his career, he has led initiatives to strengthen academic programs, support faculty development, and advance equity and inclusion.

HOW DID RIVERDALE SHAPE WHO YOU ARE TODAY?

I started at Riverdale in 3rd grade following my sister, Nikki Brandon Harris ’91. I had several opportunities to visit Riverdale to watch her games before I joined the community. Many people referred to me as Nikki’s little brother throughout my time in Lower School.

I remember walking into a classroom on my first day of School at Riverdale and immediately being greeted by Mrs. Mendez. She was warm and welcoming as I was one of a handful of students of color in the grade. She created a space for us to be curious and respectful. That level of support and care continued throughout my time. I felt I could speak with many members of the staff and faculty around campus.

I was fortunate to have many great teachers and staff members who both challenged and supported me during my time at Riverdale. When I was in Middle School, I met Milton Sipp at the beginning of his tenure at Riverdale. At the time, he may have been the only administrator of color at the School. I connected with him immediately, talking about life, sports, and school. He had an open-door policy and always created space for me to talk or process anything.

I appreciated the variety of experiences I was exposed to, such as joining the 4th grade choir to perform at the 75th anniversary of Tiffany and Co., where I met Jim Henson; visiting the Russian Embassy in 7th grade; attending Bar and Bat Mitzvahs; our 7th vs. 8th grade rivalry in sports; rides on our Supertrans yellow bus to School and home; the 75-minute bus and subway ride when I missed the shuttle to School; informative assemblies; clubs that allowed us to reflect on difficult topics; One World Week; Homecoming; Chef Paul’s

bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches that may have made me late to class on a few occasions; hosting track meets on the cinder track that went from four lanes to two lanes on the turns; going to Glens Falls for the state basketball tournament; and winning the Buzzell Game in my senior year.

The educational experiences at Riverdale, in and out of the classroom, continue to impact me. Our faculty created electives that challenged us to think critically. Integrated Liberal Studies helped me make connections across curricula, and yes, I still remember my final oral exam. I vividly remember how our teachers used New York City as our classroom in projects like the 6th grade “Concrete Garden” project on the Brooklyn Bridge, which made the material more accessible. Everything I experienced in the classroom prepared me for my experiences in college and graduate school.

I would be remiss if I did not mention how Riverdale supported me when my mother passed away in March of my junior year. It was a very difficult time in my life because she was in and out of the hospital, starting when I was in 9th grade. I cannot thank the community enough for how they rallied around me, supported me, and gave me what I now refer to as an “independent school hug” of care.

The friendships, connections, and lessons learned during my time on both campuses shaped me and taught me life lessons. RCS will always have a special place in my heart.

WHAT WAS YOUR PATH AFTER RIVERDALE?

My experiences at Riverdale prepared me to take advantage of all that college could offer. I attended Macalester College, where I majored in Political Science and designed a major in African American Studies. I was very active during my time at Macalester. I spent

a semester in Australia where I studied Australian politics and Aboriginal culture; I wrote for the college newspaper; started a tutoring program for underserved elementary school students; was a member of the track and field team; had a radio show with a friend who attended Hackley; oversaw off-campus tutoring programs, and was active in the Office of Multicultural Affairs and multiple cultural organizations. I remain active with Macalester, having served as the president of the Alumni Board, a representative on the Board of Trustees, and now as a member of the Athletic Director’s Advisory Group. I decided to attend graduate school at the University of Minnesota after teaching for three years. I earned an MA in Educational Policy and Administration. I have been in independent school education for my entire professional career. I began my career as an intern at Culver Academy, then held a variety of roles (history teacher, coach, advisor, director of diversity, form dean, head of Upper School, associate head of school) at

independent schools throughout the country. Currently, I am in my first year as the head of school at George School, an all-gender Quaker boarding and day high school.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD LEADER?

There will be times when you are challenged throughout your career/life, and during those times, it is important for you to reflect on the situation and to know your worth to determine how to move forward. As my career continues, I have been reminded how important it is to pay it forward, open the doors for others, and become a mentor.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR A FELLOW RIVERDALIAN?

Push yourself outside of your comfort zone. Find a mentor who can be honest with you and advise you on areas of growth. Create a professional development map for your career and where you want to be in 10 years. Read as many articles and books about the industry as you can. Shadow people who have the job that you want to

understand how the position functions and think about what skills and experiences you need to make you a competitive and knowledgeable candidate in the future.

WHAT CURRENT PROJECTS EXCITE YOU?

We are working on creating spaces and opportunities for students to be in community with one another as we discuss the importance of listening to each other and teaching the difference between dialogue and debate. We feel these skills are very important in today’s climate. We are also in the process of preparing our campus for construction that will enhance the experiences of our community members.

This has been a great year of listening and learning about George School history, traditions, and hopes for the future. I look forward to continuing the work of supporting our faculty and staff and meeting our students where they are, guided by our mission and values.

Left to Right: Derek Bartee ‘96, Priscilla Morales ‘96, Justin Brandon ‘96, Megan June ‘96, Milton Sipp, Assistant Head of School for School Life and Head of Middle School

Alumni Profile

Debbie Freund ’70

President Emerita and Research Professor, Claremont Graduate University &

Adjunct

Professor of Health Policy and Management, UCLA

A pioneering researcher in Medicaid, health outcomes, and disparities as a health economist, Debbie Freund was the first person to negotiate Medicaid Managed Care contracts in New York state and helped implement the two-plan model in California. She was also the first female president of Claremont Graduate University, one of the Claremont Colleges, provost at Syracuse University, and vice chancellor and dean of the faculty at Indiana University. Freund has served as the principal investigator of $100 million in grants.

HOW HAS RIVERDALE MADE AN IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE?

I never thought about being an academic or getting a PhD, but there was something Riverdale had me do that I think really made all of my accomplishments possible. I took a lot of math and science classes, including AP classes, at a time when women didn’t do math and science. Women didn’t work! When I got to Washington University and talked about majoring in math and science, I was told that girls don’t do that. I ended up majoring in classical languages, partially

because I had small classes when I took Latin at Riverdale, and that is where I learned to speak up. It has been really important in my career to learn how to speak up. Times have changed, but I think Riverdale empowered all of us in different ways.

HOW DID YOUR IMPRESSIVE CAREER IN HEALTH CARE BEGIN?

During a Washington University class, a speaker from the medical school spoke about starting a prepaid group practice (or what’s now called an HMO) at the medical school. I was fascinated and asked if I could shadow him. He asked me if I knew any computer science or statistics. Even though I was told I couldn’t major in math or science, I talked my way into a statistics class and a computer science class. I went to work for him, and he said, ‘You need to go to grad school in health administration. You would be great at it.’ Health administration was a program to learn how to run a hospital or insurance company. For my MPH at the University of Michigan, I was supposed to intern with the CEO of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. I asked if I could work for a female CEO. They said, ‘No, there are no female CEOs.’ This was 1974. Two weeks later, they assigned me to the female director of New York state’s Medicaid program. I played a significant role in the development of Medicaid managed care, without initially realizing its full impact. As it spread nationwide, I began consulting with the federal government about it and testifying before Congress about it.

HOW DID YOUR ROLE AS AN ACADEMIC TAKE SHAPE?

When I was in grad school, I took a microeconomics course and a course in health economics, which was very new

at the time. I did well in those classes, and the microeconomics professor said, ‘We’re going to start a new master’s program in applied microeconomics. Will you be the guinea pig, and we will pay for it?’ I was the first person to graduate from that program, and in the end, it was recommended that I stay a few more years. I got a second master’s, and they said, ‘Why don’t you stay and get a PhD?’ I absolutely had never envisioned getting one. There were no women faculty at the time. A PhD in economics is like a PhD in applied math – if you don’t know a lot of math, you can’t get your degree. I learned a lot of math at Riverdale, which gave me the basis I needed.

Being a provost or a college president never would have happened without my math and science background because I never would have gotten a PhD. I never would have received all those grants. I never would have been a successful professor.

During my time at the Girls School, they taught us everything that they taught the boys. We were empowered because maybe it was all women, so we weren’t afraid to speak out. It never occurred to me that I would have a career that demanded that I know so much math and science. I pushed past discouragement in college and kept going by following my interests. I never would have guessed that I would be successful, but I was the first Medicaid scholar in the country.

Alumni Profile

Lisa Stenson Desamours ’82

Senior Associate Counsel of Procurement and Contracts, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)

Lisa Stenson Desamours, a seasoned attorney and a leader in the transportation and real estate sectors, enjoys a legal career spanning public service and major corporate institutions. She’s negotiated largescale transactions that have shaped New York City’s infrastructure and advanced environmental progress.

HOW DID RIVERDALE SHAPE YOUR PATH?

I attended Riverdale from 1st through 12th grade. I recall the rigor of the curriculum and how it thoroughly prepares students for college and beyond. Mike Michelson led an exercise in 6th grade where each student picked a profession. We received a description of our family, annual income, and formula to determine what we could afford for housing before viewing the real estate section of the Sunday New York Times to identify a home or apartment we could afford. I recall thinking that a commercial real estate attorney could be a lucrative profession. I ultimately did become a commercial real estate attorney. Being a three-letter woman who served as co-captain of Cross-Country and Track and was on Varsity Gymnastics taught me the rewards of teamwork, focus, spirit, and resilience. The friendships, which started at a young age at Riverdale, are immensely important to me.

WHAT WAS YOUR PATH AFTER RIVERDALE?

After graduation, I attended Georgetown University, earning my BA in government with a concentration in international relations, and earned my Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia’s School of Law, becoming a fourth-generation attorney in my family. My maternal greatgrandfather of Jamaican descent was a barrister and a trial attorney in Panama

in the early 1900s. My grandfather graduated from NYU Law School and became the first chair of Harvard’s Afro American Studies Department. My mother’s sister was Lani Guinier, a voting rights attorney and expert who won many impactful cases in the South and was the first tenured African American female professor at Harvard Law School. My mother, a retired New York City educator, was dedicated to encouraging students to value learning, their abilities, and their educational opportunities. Growing up in the first two decades following the Civil Rights Act, I knew the significance of understanding one’s rights and enjoyed being a problem solver.

I started my career in the public sector at the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services. I was promoted to Housing Preservation and Development, where I worked on asset sales, construction loans, and permanent takeout loans. I transitioned to Prudential Financial and into the private sector, and my real estate practice went national. I joined MetLife, becoming a real estate and procurement attorney with significant global experience across 50 countries.

As a native New Yorker and lifetime MTA customer, I was intrigued by the opportunity to work in the transportation sector. The MTA is North America’s largest transportation network, serving over 15 million people across New York City, through Long Island, Southeast New York state, and Connecticut. As lead counsel, I worked on a $300 millionplus multiagency dual-mode locomotive transaction to enhance reliability and environmental responsibility, transitioning between electric and diesel power across Metro-North’s 102-mile

third rail territory. These locomotives also comply with Tier four environmental regulations and will significantly reduce pollutants and airborne emissions by more than 85%.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD LEADER?

All ships are raised by the high tide of trust, respect, teamwork, and dedication. My leadership philosophy is solutionbased, prioritizing problem-solving as well as a way forward. A leader should identify challenges, engage subject matter experts to provide input, and collaborative opportunities to solve challenges. It’s important to ensure that everyone who’s part of the project understands the objective, its importance and impact, and the time sensitivity of their role in fulfilling the objective.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR SOMEONE WHO WANTS A FUTURE IN LAW?

Building and nurturing relationships and networks over time is essential, particularly with attorneys who practice in different disciplines, to learn about opportunities and career paths. Active engagement in and contribution to the profession through industry associations is helpful. Through 25 years of New York City Bar Association and New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) membership, I’ve served on the NYSBA Nominating Committee, House of Delegates, and Real Property Section Executive Committee. Gain exposure to the legal profession as early as you can. The practice of law is always evolving, and continually learning the law is important. Read The New York Times to learn about a range of topics, and The Wall Street Journal to learn about different businesses and industries.

Frank S. Hackett Giving Society Profile: David Frankel ’58

“During

my five years at Riverdale, I was provided the foundation for all of my subsequent education. I wanted to pay back that experience.”

In spring 2012, Dr. David Frankel ’58 reached out to then-Head of School Dominic A.A. Randolph to discuss making a meaningful gift in recognition of his educational experience at Riverdale. Dr. Frankel shared that the education he received at Riverdale provided an essential foundation for his time at Dartmouth, Harvard Business School, and medical school: “I have done a wide range of things in my life – in medicine, business, and the community,” he said. “All of these things had their germination at Riverdale.”

With a bequest to the School’s endowment, Dr. Frankel became a member of the Frank S. Hackett Giving Society, which honors those who have made a special commitment in the form of a planned or legacy gift. This society, named for Riverdale’s founder, echoes Hackett’s dedication to providing a meaningful educational experience. This gift, and all bequests, provide essential funding and create stability for the future of the institution.

Dr. Frankel’s gift helps us enrich our programs, maintain the School’s two campuses, and support our community. We remain thankful to the Frankel family for their deep generosity and love of Riverdale.

Dr. David F. Frankel, Riverdale Class of 1958, was an accomplished dermatologist and the President and CEO of David Frankel Realty, Inc. He was also a devoted husband to his late wife, Linda Sawyer Frankel, and a caring father to Greg and Davey, and grandfather to June, Vince, Ryder, and Jasper. Dr. Frankel passed away in March 2024. We thank the Frankel family for sharing this photo.

Alumni on Campus:

OCTOBER 2024

Former Riverdale chorus teacher Richard Sills and Travis Epes ’77 visited the Hill Campus and joined the Intermezzo class, where students sang their rendition of “Both Sides Now” by Joni Mitchell—the same song Richard taught his students years ago!

OCTOBER 2024

It’s always exciting to see alumni actively participating in our learning community! This year, the Introduction to Real Estate Investing mini-course was co-taught by Rami Elghanayan ’95; P’26, ’30. In the course, Rami teaches students about the full process of buying and managing investment real estate—from researching properties and building financial statements to model potential performance to developing a competitive bid.

NOVEMBER 2024

Max Horne ’19 was back on the Hill Campus to speak to Middle School students about his experiences in Riverdale’s Global Studies program, his work in the Schwarzman Scholars master’s program, and ongoing efforts to foster global leadership. He also visited Upper School students to share how his global travel experiences have impacted his life after Riverdale.

JANUARY 2025

Members of the Classes of 2021-2024 returned to campus to visit with faculty and current seniors. We love seeing alumni back on campus to catch up on their college lives and reminisce about their time as Riverdale students!

FEBRUARY 2025

Former member of the New York Liberty and founder of the Brooklyn-based program S.T.E.A.M. Champs, Niesha Butler ’98 returned to Riverdale in honor of National Girls & Women in Sports Day. The record-breaking athlete turned tech entrepreneur connected with Middle and Upper School students to share reflections and insights from her own time on campus, on the court, and now as a leader paving the way for others with a passion for sports and technology.

Niesha also took a moment to visit her jersey, which was retired after she won the Alumni Spirit Award at Homecoming 2023, proudly displayed in the Zambetti Athletic Center as a testament to her remarkable legacy.

FEBRUARY 2025

Upper School students heard from Assembly member Ron Kim ’97, representative of the 40th Assembly District, at the Donald West King II and Mary Elizabeth King Lecture. Ron discussed his path from Riverdale to the public service sector before participating in a Q&A with students curious to learn more about his community impact and the process of creating and leading initiatives that center on the needs of its citizens.

MARCH 2025

Ian Sullivan ’11 and Sarah Ludemann ’22 joined us for Middle School Project Week, three days where students explore new interests through hands-on, immersive learning opportunities. While Ian worked with students on the Hill Campus to learn about branding, design, and developing a distinctive style before creating a largescale mural, Sarah led students on an adventure to the Bronx Zoo, where they connected with zookeepers, fed giraffes, and toured exhibits before returning to campus to act as animal ambassadors at Riverdale’s own “zoo.”

Left to Right: Niesha Butler ‘98, Middle and Upper School PE teacher and coach Carol Pouliot, and Assistant Head of School for School Life and Head of Middle School Milton Sipp

classnotes

A special thank you to the class correspondents for helping us gather exciting news on their classmates. It’s been great to hear from so many of our alums this year, and we’re hoping that even more of you will let us know what you’re up to.

1950

Peter Rosenblatt reports that during the last six years he and his wife have moved to an apartment in the Chevy Chase suburb of Washington, D.C. He maintains his Washington law office (in which he no longer practices) and remains active in Washington’s foreign policy community and nonprofit organizations. He has three children, seven grandchildren, and a greatgrandson living in New York. He misses contact with his classmates.

1953

Daniel Aubry shares: “My daughter, Valerie Aubry ’77, has taken on the daunting task of slowly digitizing my extensive photographic archive going back decades and making some iconic images available to a wider audience via our website: danielaubryphotography.com. In addition to being a fellow Riverdalian, Valerie is a fellow Taurus. So, when we ‘lock horns’ the sparks really fly! But the work has brought us even closer. These days most of my photography is done on an iPhone. But the tool has never really mattered to me. The real instrument is the eye. I was blessed with a raptor’s eye and I see the

world in images. For years I was driven to capture those images. Now I just enjoy them for what they truly are: a daily blessing.”

Robert Milligan writes: “I’m celebrating my 90th birthday in a few weeks, with 60 guests coming to a festive lunch at the senior citizens’ residence in Poole, on the south coast of England. Best wishes to my classmates and all the other lucky alumni from Riverdale.”

1954

Linda Lewis Lindenbaum shares: “My greatgrandson, Spencer Tishman, has started in Kindergarten this year. I believe we are the only family to have four consecutive generations at Riverdale. He loves it!”

1956

Bill Borchard writes: “Life is good! I am in good health and have taken up golf (and am continuing to play tennis) at our winter house at Gleneagles Country Club in Delray Beach, FL. In the spring and fall, Myra and I are at our home in Mount Kisco, NY, and in the summer we are at our house on Cape Cod. I retired from handling legal work

for clients in January 2024, but am still writing and editing articles, generally about intellectual property issues, for my law firm Cowan, Liebowitz & Latman.”

Ken Deitch reports: Long after our graduation, Riverdale was still being good to me. Many years later, I met my wife JoAnne Smith Deitch ’61 at an alumni gathering in Boston. And now, many years further on, we recently celebrated, very happily, our 29th anniversary.

Our class lost Jay Barnett in 2018. He and I were good friends. Ever since, I have remained in close touch with his three wonderful children. Recently, Dov Barnett ’94 told me that his daughter Riley is a freshman at School. Now, like her grandfather, who would be so happy, and also her very proud father, Riley is playing basketball for Riverdale — the third generation of Jay’s family to have done so. Thanks to modern tools of communication, I have been having fun watching the girls team play while sitting at my computer in Massachusetts.

I continue to be active in local Democratic politics. As a prelude to sending two LTEs to our excellent weekly, The Carlisle Mosquito, on topics prominent in the nation’s political discourse, I spent some time reading up on the important details — in a word, studying. The topics: guns and tariffs. The lede on guns is that they were the cause of 48,830 deaths in 2021. Much less well understood is that the mass shootings, highlighted in the headlines, account for only about 1 percent of that total. On tariffs, the lede is that, although in the world’s prosperous nations, economists mostly discourage imposing them, they are nevertheless a major presence on today’s world stage through the dictates of realpolitik.

Next year our class celebrates the 70th anniversary of our graduation. Mostly, my journey has been a good one. I hope every other member of RCS ’56 can say the same. Good wishes to all.

1957

We’re sorry to report that our classmate Steve Goldstein died on February 10, 2025. He leaves his wife, Erika, his son, Kenneth, and his stepdaughter, Shira. Steve had a long career — nearly 60 years — teaching at Smith and Harvard colleges as an eminent scholar of SinoAmerican relations. His career also included faculty appointments at Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, Columbia University, and the U.S. Naval War College.

Nina Zagat, Tim Zagat ’57, Bill Mow ’55, and Rosa Mow in Los Angeles in March 2025

Mario Adler ran the largest toy company in South America for several decades. After selling it, he continues to live in São Paulo, Brazil. He and his wife, Eva, split their time between São Paulo and their country home in Campos do Jordão, Brazil.

Judy Austin, one of our four class correspondents, resides in Boise, Idaho, with her husband, Don Bott. Besides continuing her work as an editor, Judy remains active in various civic organizations, which she modestly describes as “minute-taking.”

Bill Bennett started his career with a decade as a teacher and administrator at RCS. He followed up as the head of the Waynflete School in Portland, Maine, and as a leader in the accreditation of independent schools nationally. Both Bill and his wife of 64 years, Jean, have retired to their homes in Portland and Heron Island (off Christmas Cove), Maine.

Paul Dickson, our distinguished author (with over 70 books to his name), will publish his next book, G.I. Jive — A Dictionary of Words at War (1939-1946), later this year. Sadly, Nancy, his wife of 54 years, passed away in January. Paul is now living in a retirement community in Kensington, MD.

Peter Ellis, one of our seven class lawyers, has now retired from the renowned Boston law firm, Foley, Hoag & Eliot. Peter and his wife, Cynthia, a classically trained vocalist, remain active “in civic causes” from their homes in Cambridge and Shelburne Falls, MA.

Jeff Fisher spent his career running Fisher Bros. Steel Corp. He and his wife, Patricia, “live seasonally” between East Hampton, NY, and Palm Beach Gardens. Jeff has organized our class’s biweekly Zoom sessions based around an agenda of current issues. Amazingly, most of the class attends.

John Freeman was in the investment banking business for over 30 years and has been married to Judy for 62 years. She explains that

it would have been pointless for him to ask for a divorce since she “would shoot him first.” They live in Northbrook, IL, and have three “happily married kids.”

Margo Fuld, though a Fieldston grad, is an “honorary member” of our class via her deceased husband, Ken, and son Steven ’84. Margo, a financial investment specialist, splits her time between her homes in New York City and Tucson, AZ.

Warren Golde, our “class horticulturist,” and his wife, Jane Ellan, have led their hometown of Lewes, DE, to successive awards as “America’s Most Beautiful Small City.” They have several hundred Lewes residents producing gorgeous garden displays.

Bob Johnson and his wife of 62 years, Marilyn, are spending their time between their Los Angeles and Ventura, CA, homes, as well as recent family visits to Panama and Guatemala. After chairing his law firm Munger, Tolles & Olson, Bob retired in late 2024. He remains active in civic organizations involving housing and aging issues.

Larry Johnson and his wife, Alison, recently moved their farming operations to Castine, ME. After a long career as a corporate litigation attorney, Larry reports that he “prefers tending to his animals than to human clients” but would welcome classmates to the “beautiful Maine coast.”

Steve Kane continues to broadcast his wildly popular radio show, “Kane Talks.” Despite being outvoted by his RCS Democratic peers, Steve is one of several classmates who still consider themselves to be Republicans. Steve and his wife, Lori, live in Cooper City, FL, and have seven children, six of whom are adopted.

Tom Keiser, after a long career in hospital management, is now retired and lives in Brooklyn, NY. His brother, Richard, was a member of the RCS Class of 1959.

George Liebmann ’56, another lawyer, and his wife, Anne-Lise, maintain homes in Baltimore and Perryville, MD. George remains active as a legal history writer and still practices “a bit of law.” George recently published, The Age of Biden. It is a collection of more than 100 op-ed pieces and letters on public affairs written during the Biden administration, 20202024. It is followed by an appreciation of Jefferson’s contribution to the American polity, unacknowledged in recent years. It is a sequel to a previous volume, Vox Clamantis In Deserto (2021), covering the four previous failed national administrations, those of Presidents Clinton, Bush (Jr.), Obama, and Trump. He said, “My political stance is not one that commends itself to either of today’s contending factions, since I dislike bellicosity, plutocracy, and permissiveness. Foreign policies that generate millions of refugees are not to be excused on the basis of limited American casualties, nor can I overlook the proletarianization of the American workforce, including the professions, or the diminution of personal character and insecurity resulting from extreme permissiveness in morals, ultimately affecting the quality of our national leadership.”

Richard Meade ’56, and his partner, Louise, are living between Sarasota, FL, New York City, and Cambridge, England. Dick spent most of his career practicing law in Paris. Later, he got a degree in theology from Cambridge University — albeit that a “lawyer theologian may be an oxymoron.”

Maarten Meckman, after many years living in Sarasota, FL, moved to Medellin, Colombia, in 2024. He continues his practice of helping clients get U.S. visas and green cards but finds time to organize our class Zoom meetings. Maarten says he would welcome RCS visitors to “beautiful Medellin.”

Frank Midgely, our erstwhile class president, practiced medicine, i.e., surgery, throughout his career. He is retired and now lives on beautiful Cayuga Lake in New York’s Finger Lakes with his wife, Sally.

A screenshot of the most recent regular Zoom for the Class of 1957 on February 2, 2025: Top row: Judy Austin, Doug Warwick, Ed & Sue Schaffzin, and Warren “Gump” Golde; Middle row: Maarten Meckman, Peter Ellis, Jeff Fisher, and Skip Wasserman; Bottom row: Bob Johnson, Steve Kane, and Tim Zagat.

Yvonne Payne-Daniel and her sister Carolyn Payne-Fairley ’59, believe it or not, were the first African Americans to attend RCS. For many years Yvonne taught dance and anthropology at Smith and Mills colleges. She now lives in the Bay Area (Castro Valley) “near our classmate Heather Fowler-Salamini” (Berkeley).

Vera von Saucken Haldy-Regier lives in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY. Sadly, her husband Jim died early February 2025. She has written several wonderful books of poetry, which she has shared with our class. Her autobiography, An Irregular Girlhood in Hitler’s Shadow: A Memoir, is well worth reading.

Ed and Sue Jacobs Schaffzin are the only classmates to have married each other. Ed, another lawyer, continues to practice real estate law 60 years after graduating from Yale Law School. Sue ran a Florida day school for many years and is one of our class correspondents, along with Judy, Bob, and Tim. Ed’s daughter Tracy also attended RCS, Class of 1982.

Doug Warwick was only in our class for a few early years but is considered to be “a full member.” Doug’s career at Citibank involved living in Australia, Moscow, and Paris. As a “Republican, party of one” in our class Zoom discussions, Doug does his best to uphold “the cause” (although not the Trump cause).

Jane, Doug’s wife, has been a private school administrator and now consults on New York City schools “highly recommending RCS.”

Skip Wasserman and his wife Janis, have been married for 48 years. Skip was in the mortgage banking business before he retired to live in Sarasota, FL. Janis is working full time as a grant writer for a 20-year-old nonprofit. Interestingly, Sarasota has attracted several other classmates, including Dick Meade, Maarten Meckman, and the late Martin Zelnik Skip is spending his spare time working for the Democratic National Committee.

Tim Zagat, another class lawyer and restaurant surveyor, has been a RCS Board member for many years. He is also one of four class correspondents. He and his wife, Nina, have been married for 60 years and spend most of their time living in Millerton, NY, in Northern Dutchess County. He has been writing children’s books while Nina has been “running the family.”

Roberto (“Bob”) Zalles lives with his wife of 60 years, Ana Maria, in Lima, Peru. After graduating from Yale University, Bob has been a lifetime financial executive. Like other members of the class, namely Bob Johnson, Keiser, Midgely, Payne-Daniel, and Zagat, Roberto has a sibling, Jorje ’59, and a son, Alejandro ’90, who attended RCS. Bob says he is looking forward to seeing as many classmates as possible when he comes Norte this year.

General Class of ’57 Info*

Age Range: 84-86

Education Post-RCS: Harvard (9); Cornell (4); Yale (3); Brandeis (1); Brown (1); Dartmouth (1); Duke

(1); MIT (1); Princeton (1); St. Lawrence (1); UC Berkeley (1); Wesleyan (1); Grad Schools (17) Class Correspondents: Austin; B. Johnson; S. Schaffzin; Zagat; RCS Siblings: Bates, Ginsberg, Bob Johnson; Keiser; Midgely; Payne; Zagat; Zalles; Zelnik

Careers: Law (7); CEO (4); Author (3); Education (4); Finance (4); Health Care (3); Accounting (1); Architecture (1); Horticulturist (1); Poet (1); Talk Radio Host (1)

Books Published: Zagat (100+); Dickson (70+); Liebman (12); von Saucken (6); Austin (2) Marriages: Thirteen classmates are married to their first spouse; six have been married twice; one is married for the fourth time.

Offspring: Collectively our classmates have 70 children, over 100 grandchildren, and 16 greatgrandchildren; nine of the children attended RCS. *Only counting for “active classmates”; more than 20 members of RCS ’57 are deceased or lost

1958

David Lahm writes: “ Richard Moloy died on February 3 of this year. He was kind of the Cal Ripken of our class, having spent all 14 school years at Riverdale. I don’t know any classmate whose attendance equaled his. In our 7th grade production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s Ruddigore , I played his nephew; we both had big roles. We opened on March 13, 1953, and Richard carried on while grieving the death of his father, who died very shortly before showtime. That’s courage and selfpossession I have never forgotten.”

Jim Gordon, Phil Proctor, and Dan Silver shared brief fond memories of Richard Moloy. “Dan and I had a warmly nostalgic chat on the eve of his 85th birthday. I told him the usual: Nancy and I are happy to be in SW Florida, doing well and I’m playing piano in public, regularly two nights each week.”

From Phil Proctor: “Almost two years after the sudden loss of my darling Melinda, I have found new love and adventure. Adele is a renowned safety lawyer and ex-radio DJ. We have enjoyed the Telluride Music Festival and a cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Key West, Belize, and Cozumel.”

“I’m still doing Phil & Ted’s Sexy Boomer radio show on KPFK, and adding my voice as Detective Polehaus on Adventures in Odyssey. I had a recent role on Ha Ha You Clowns on Comedy Central. Macular degeneration has forced me to give up driving. Welcome to old age.”

Paul Jablow wrote: “At our age, sometimes no news is good news,” but later relented and reported attending an alumni gathering at the Butcher and Singer restaurant in Philly, where Rachel Horowitz saluted the attendees with an upbeat peroration, saying in part: ‘It is heartwarming to hear their Riverdale memories and, while things change, the things that make Riverdale Riverdale stay the same: the ties to faculty and staff, the lifelong friendships, the exploration of interests, and the classes that taught them how to think.’”

1959

Members of the Class of 1959 at Reunion & Homecoming 2024

Bob Feuer had a nice break and a tough return this winter. Living in Stockbridge, MA, he “escaped” to the Dominican Republic, where he played flute in the Las Galeras Cowboy Band and avoided a week of repeated snows and wintery mix. Upon returning, however, he was forced to shovel and sand his driveway just to get the car back to the house.

Geoff Howard reports: In recognition of the 50th anniversary of the Wellesley College Centers for Women, Micki Seligson writes of her decades-long involvement with out-ofschool programs for school-age children and the important results that work has produced. She founded a research project in 1979 at the center, the National institute on Out of School Time (NIOST), that enabled working mothers to stay in the workforce, to enhancing the work of schools especially in high-need communities, to promoting child welfare, academic achievement, and life prospects. NIOST celebrates its 40th anniversary this year and continues its important work on behalf of children, families, and the public good. Micki, retired from WCW, is now a Jungian psychoanalyst in Cambridge, MA.

Some words of advice from Stephen Miller: “My wife and I are ‘elder orphans’ — no children to take care of us in our dotage — so we’ve taken a deep dive into finding organizations that can offer those services. There are a lot of these organizations and the issues are complex, so I highly recommend to my Class of ’59 mates to dig in and investigate, as we did, and then understand your options.”

Mike Otten writes: “Evelyne and I are in Paris for all of February. Outstanding event of the first week was the obligatory visit to the ‘new’ restored 12th-century Notre Dame de Paris. If

you get there before 9:30 a.m., there doesn’t seem to be any wait, but the crowd builds quickly as the tours start arriving around 10 a.m. We were lucky that an art history professor friend of ours gave us a wonderful two-hour history and architecture tour of the Cathedral. Due to some firemen heroics, the North Tower bells and organ pipes survived!”

Dave Petzal claims to be “embarrassed” by Bob Feuer’s idea of a winter hammering. He writes, “Here in Maine, we have just under 20 inches of snow on the ground, most of which has turned to ice.” He goes on to add this colorful note: “If you die in Maine during the winter, you can’t be buried, because the ground is too hard to dig a grave. Most people just prop the corpse on the back porch until spring. Some use the bodies for driveway markers, which I think is kind of sweet.” Probably not 100% true, but then, this is vintage Dave Petzal!

Ron Winston writes that he and wife Heidi live very happily between New York and Santa Barbara, with son Blaise in college in Oregon. He adds, “I continue some of my work on cancer research and avoid the strenuous NY winters.”

As for me, Geoff, I’m involved in several interesting community projects here in Warwick (NY), which serves to keep me occupied and focused in my early 80s, as well as keep my mind off some of the really worrying things going on in the “outside world.”

1960

Patrick Terrail is now retired and living in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, and La Napoule, France, during the summer. “My wife and I are raising our 16-year-old son. A challenging time to raise a teenager. Working on a documentary of my life in Hollywood and the restaurant Ma Maison.”

1961

Jessie Hoffmann Davis shares: “I finished my first novel [see jessicahoffmanndavis.com] and am loving the monthly Zoom ‘homerooms’ Judith Masius Bernard organizes for our class. We talk about everything just as we always did and marvel as we always did at our easy and timeless rapport.”

1962

Kathy McEwen Goodrich writes: “Hubby [short for Hubbard] and I just celebrated our 57th wedding anniversary. He will turn 93 along with his twin sister, Anne Goodrich Jones, Riverdale Class of 1950, on 2/21. Anne moved to Brunswick from Florida five years ago and is 13 miles from our home here in Harpswell, ME.

“I stay in touch with three of my Riverdale classmates, Hedy Ruth Gunther, Barbie Pough Moore, and Peggy Van Leer. I saw Barbie two years ago when she visited her brother, Harvey Pough ’60, who lives about seven miles from us.

“Our lives are quiet, contented, and comfortable, and at the moment, chilly and snowy! Hubby likes to take photographs of the area and writes editorials for a local paper. We walk daily and Hub uses a rowing machine. We both sing in choir and I like to play bridge with three local

groups of women. I also swim with several other women and we are known as The Mermaids ranging in age from the mid-70s to the mid-90s!

“We see our children, Kaline [pronounced Colleen] and Kevin, frequently, as they live within two to three hours of us. Kaline and Al live in Winterport, ME, and have twins, age 16, Lionel and Dorian. Kevin and Shannon live in Cambridge, MA, and have a daughter, Leah, 14. If the weather cooperates, we plan to gather a week from today with them all to celebrate seven February birthdays!

“It has been years since I visited Riverdale. The School was a great fit for me and I have wonderful memories of my years there. My last visit to Riverdale was to see my sister, Matilda McEwen Mendez, who taught in Riverdale’s Lower School for 30+ years. That was in 2015, the year she died.”

Joe Pickard shares: “Sarah and I continue to enjoy our retirement years in the one blinking light town of Londonderry, VT. We live on a dirt road halfway up Magic Mountain. with views of Stratton and Bromley ski resorts from afar. The groomers look like fireflies as they move up and down the mountains to smooth out the slopes for the next day of skiing. While we love all seasons

1960: Patrick Terrail and son Gabe

1962: Joe Pickard and Sarah Torrance

[particularly the fall], the winters do get a little long and for a respite, we visit Apalachicola and Islamorada, FL, in the spring and fall, and spend the month of January in St. Thomas. During the summer, we have discovered Viking River cruises and so far we have taken the Seine cruise [Paris to Normandy], as well as the Danube excursion from Passau, Germany, to Budapest, Hungary. Gliding up and down the rivers in complete silence [the engines are electric] is a wonderful experience. In addition, the side trips along the river, the onboard entertainment, the friendly atmosphere, and the gourmet food complete the package.

“I look forward to seeing more of my classmates this year [lunch is my favorite activity] and hope everyone is enjoying healthy and happy retirement years.”

Peggy Van Leer West reports: “I just had my 80th birthday!! I retired from Community Mental Health quite some time ago and have LOVED retirement.

“I ended up getting a BA in nursing and, years later, a master’s in social work. My husband, Jack West, and I have been married for 52 years. We have a son and daughter, both of whom live nearby with their families. I spend my time helping with grandchildren [lots of transporting], visiting disabled friends, country line dancing. Just a nice, simple life that gives me a lot of joy.”

1963

Peter Philip reports: “Everybody turns 80 this year except Paul and Adam. Everyone maintains great vitality and are ardent supporters of RCS.

“The Class of ’63 enjoyed their 61st Reunion, with eight classmates reuniting in Miss Guiney’s classroom, and were joined by four classmates via Zoom! That’s 20% of our original class. The two ‘no-shows’ were forgiven. Two other classmates got together in California. Miss Guiney and her ‘Powder to Jericho’ did not appear.

“Most of this group attended our 60th Reunion last year and the program that RCS set up for us was so enjoyable that we knew we wanted to meet again sooner than five years. We did and

we will do so again. We shared our successes, some troubles, achievements, and future plans.

“Thank you, Rachel Horowitz and Alumni Office staff, for all your efforts and support to make these gatherings possible. All classmates who got together received a jar of honey harvested the week before, as did Rachel, donated by our class beekeeper.”

1964

Pam Reiche Betz writes: “Betz & Co. is celebrating 29 years in business and is going strong serving clients nationally at Bridges Reentry and Transition to Success. My son, Michael, is now president & CEO of Walden University. Granddaughters Jackie and Carley are studying at Santa Clara University and Barnard. My daughter, Courtenay, is busy researching colleges for my grandson, Landon, in his junior year at Eleanor Roosevelt HS in New York City, as well as preschool for my granddaughter, Lia. Welcome any visitors to Scottsdale, AZ, with our beautiful warm weather.

Jim Bruenn sends his first-ever submission: “Some years after Riverdale, I moved to the beautiful Berkshires in Western Massachusetts. I opened a successful CPA practice, then after several decades I shut it down, went back to school, and opened a more personally satisfying practice as a Certified Financial Planner. Other stuff: In the ’60s and ’70s I played electric bass in several rock bands throughout New England. In 1999, with the help of my wife, the former

Tigger Outlaw [she sang Joni Mitchell’s ‘Songs to Aging Children’ in the movie Alice’s Restaurant: youtube.com/watch?v=IBneR_ImcjE], I formed a 10-piece R&B/Rock/Jazz ensemble, After Silence. We recorded two excellent albums available on Spotify: Live’ll Get You Ten and Now You See ‘em, Now You Don’t. I also performed in the pit for the Berkshire Theater Festival’s remarkable 2011 production of The Who’s Tommy starring Randy Harrison as the adult Tommy and the narrator.

Act 1: youtube.com/watch?v=TuQECRJ1egs; Act 2: youtube.com/watch?v=3QwFm4gxTAA

“Happy to send out fun and interesting details on both the band albums and the Tommy performance: jim@cpaplanner.net. Besides music, my passion is motorcycling on my BMW. I have ridden all over beautiful New England and Eastern Canada, the Pyrenees, Rome to Sicily, Ireland, Croatia, and South Africa. Attached is a photo of me on the Palmer, MA, racetrack last July [2024]. I absolutely love when I can get together with my ’64 classmates on Zoom. Still some of the brightest, most thoughtful, and caring people on the planet! Gotta think RCS had a big hand in that.”

Richard Mercuri shares: “I live in Gig Harbor, WA, with my spouse, Cheryl, and German shepherd, Romeo. Grown daughter Lauren Gallagher, who is married and lives in San Diego, to husband Bailey and a stepson, John Russell, who lives in Colorado. Some career highlights: I am actively coaching three CEOs in the tech and finance sector. CEO Advisor & Coach, Global Talent Supply Chain Leader Culture and People Operations Optimization, Talent Management, Organizational Development, Succession Planning, M&A Planning; CEO Coach and Board Advisor, Venture Capital Funded C-Suite Search Leader, Global Talent Operations, Global Workforce Augmentation, Employment Branding Strategist, M&A Integration Leader, Board and Investor Relations Coach, and Communications Designer for strategic plans.”

1965

Bill Theodore writes: “My term as president of the American Epilepsy Society has been particularly exciting due to our sponsoring a national plan for epilepsy, supported by many other groups. Epilepsy affects more than 3 million Americans, and about 1 in 30 of us will receive that diagnosis at some point in our lives, yet it receives much less funding than other less common disorders. It is particularly common in children and can have

1964: Jim Bruenn

1966: Elaine Gantz Berman and Cathy Frank Halstead

Members of the Class of 1964 at Reunion & Homecoming 2024

a serious adverse effect on their entire lives. So a national plan to increase research and improve treatment is needed now.”

Robert Krulwich shares a memorial for Phil Garvin: Remembering Philip Garvin:

“After Riverdale came Yale, where Phil deepened his interest in photography and religion. His senior thesis took him to Cambodia to see a recently excavated section of the Buddhist temples at Angkor Wat just as Pol Pot’s soldiers and North Vietnamese regulars were pushing south. Philip found himself trapped behind enemy lines and had to sneak his way back to safety. After college, he became a documentary filmmaker at WGBH in Boston, and for his series Religious America, he traveled the country, again getting into occasional trouble. An angry group of Jewish Satmar men [who don’t like being photographed] chased Philip back to his car in Brooklyn, and though he got inside and locked himself in, they turned the car upside down and left him that way in a parking space. He stayed with journalism, joining PBS’s MacNeil/Lehrer Report, then landed in Denver, CO, where he became fascinated with live broadcasting and began designing trucks that could go to sports arenas (high school, college, and pro games) and send live feeds back to home stations. The business took off and Phil’s company became the go-to delivery system for professional golf (the PGA Tour), NBA, NHL, Denver Broncos, and college football. In 2001, he teamed with DotCom tycoon Mark Cuban to create the first high-definition national television network and hired Dan Rather to be his anchor. Phil was general manager of HDTV for 12 years, then stepped back to run his sports business full time, turning it over, weeks before he died, to his son Nick. When he was younger, he liked to post fences, pounding wooden posts into hard Colorado soil, not something one does on Central Park West, where he lived during his high school years. He liked being outdoors and built a ranch on an isolated Colorado uplift [a sort of little mountain] only a half-hour from downtown Denver. Phil had three children,

several grandchildren, and is survived by his wife Angela and his brother Andy [Riverdale, Class of 1963].”

John Wohlstetter writes: “In 2024, I published my third book, Presidential Succession: Constitution, Congress and National Security [Gold Institute Press]. My book traces the history of efforts to address presidential succession, culminating in ratification of the 25th Amendment, which provides for succession in the event a president dies, resigns, becomes unable, or is removed from office. In addition, my book covers presidential protection, and succession after mass casualty events. I conclude with recommendations to address critical unresolved issues.”

1966

Robin Lynn shares that she attended a fundraising event hosting Pete Buttigieg at the home of friends David Rubin ’65 and Kay Unger on Sunday, October 6. She even got 50th anniversary best wishes from Buttigieg when she and her husband Larry Blumberg were photographed with him.

Philip Taubman shares that his latest book, McNamara At War: A New History, will be published September 23, 2025, by W.W. Norton. Co-authored with his brother, William Taubman, the book takes a fresh look at Robert McNamara and his management of the Vietnam War under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. Philip is a former reporter for The New York Times who specialized in national security issues, including United States diplomacy, and intelligence and

Robin Lynn

defense policy and operations. He is affiliated with Stanford University’s Center for International Security and Cooperation, and is also the author of several books, including In the Nation’s Service: The Life and Times of George P. Shultz

Leslie Nathan Weinberger writes: “Elaine Gantz Berman and Cathy Frank Halstead had a Reunion in Aspen, CO, in October. Elaine lives in Denver and Cathy spends time in Edwards, CO. I am also in touch with Susanna Rosin Bergtold, who still paints and sculpts in New Jersey just over the George Washington Bridge. Alexa Stellings and Michael Hertzberg live in the City and I see them as often as I can. They spend time with Chris Jones, who is still active in the New York theater.”

1967

Carol Nathan McKegney reports: “The Class of ’67 has been meeting via Zoom over the past few years. We’ve had great participation. Active on the Zoom meetings are Hillary Brown, Anne Stadler Klass, Ruth Andrea Levinson, Dale List Kaplan, Beth Novick, Debbie Herman Shank, Beth Gildin Watrous, Lillian “Kim” Tchang, Polly Demuth Steenhagen, Cathy Schwed Wood, Mary Lou Gilbert Scott, Pam Tytell, and ME. I think we also had an appearance by Nancy Liberman Cohen, Sara Ford, and Tina Zerdin Fleishman. It’s amazing that we all just pick up where we left off!”

David Rosenbloom shares: “The first volume of my speculative fiction trilogy has been published: Virtuality Book I: The Sailor Comes Home from the Sea, written under the pseudonym Ragnar Kroll.”

1966: Philip Taubman’s book

1966: Larry Blumberg; Pete Buttigieg, former United States Secretary of Transportation; and

Mike Stein writes: “My main professional outlet continues to be track and field, where I coach the throws (heavy stuff + javelin) at Hunter College, a member of the City University of New York Athletic Conference. On May 3, 2025, the women’s team won its fifth consecutive outdoor championship (2019, 2022–2025), and the men’s team earned a strong second-place finish. My throwers contributed three conference champions, two runners-up, and several other event finalists. At the indoor championships on March 1, 2025, both teams were runnersup, with both meet MVPs. My group delivered two conference champions, one runner-up, and multiple finalists. Looking back to May 4, 2024, the women’s team secured its fourth straight team title, while the men’s team narrowly missed the podium. That year, my athletes earned one conference champion, one runner-up, and four additional finalists.

“As an aside, I view these latter-day accomplishments and experiences as a balanced bookend comparison to my earlier competitive days at RCS. That is, all my indoor and outdoor throws records set during that time stand to the present. Of course, almost nothing is forever. However, the worth of defining goals and objectives, the efforts that lead to results, and the life lessons learned along the way come pretty close to timeless.”

1968

Robert Hsu shares: “I am a proud graduate of the esteemed Riverdale Country School, having pursued an education of the highest caliber to then ascend to New York University and study mechanical engineering. I learned that a well-crafted design is an expression of art, demanding exactitude and intuition.

“My quest for exactness extended beyond the precision of mathematics and design with a passion to study the natural world and its

fragile environment. I discovered that Mother Nature, with her patient creation of perfection, stood as our most exemplary teacher.

“Driven by my unwavering passion and deep curiosity, I pursued the art of photography and the written word to capture and bring to light Earth’s beauty that at times we take for granted. My journey culminates in my lifetime’s work in a pictorial essay titled Beauty & Chaos The book portrays Earth’s natural beauty and then the strain to our environment as the toxins of industry have caused irreparable damage to our lands, seas, and skies.

“In the face of looming catastrophe, humanity can still rise. With an unwavering commitment to healing the Earth, we can restore its ineffable beauty. The road ahead is steep yet the human spirit is invincible for a world to be reborn and rise above our folly to find peace, harmony, and life satisfaction.

“To inquire about Beauty & Chaos, please contact Robert Hsu at roberthsu999@gmail.com and I will send you a foreshortened view of my photographs and essays, or visit www.rhphotoart.com.”

John Marcus writes: “Enjoying retirement in bucolic Greenwich, CT. Working on getting my handicap down and awaiting announcement from my daughter that she and her husband are trying for our first grandchild, and from my son that he will be proposing to his current girlfriend. I will be reverting back to my garage band days at Riverdale and looking to write some new ’60s-styled songs — which may or may not hit the social media or local dinner party circuits. You may recall the band I had at Riverdale, The Turn of the Screw, which played at several of the Riverdale dances [and also at Horace Mann dances, since several of the members of the band came from our arch competitors]. We also played in the city at Brearley, NightingaleBamford, Miss Hewitt’s, and a few other schools and bars whose names I no longer remember. I dearly miss one of my longtime closest friends and college roommate for four years, Steve Strasser, who sadly passed away much too young several years ago.”

Jeffrey Rosenbaum and his wife Nancy became grandparents for the fourth time. Their son Daniel and his wife had a baby girl, which makes four girls for the Rosenbaum grandkids!

1969

1968: Photograph by Robert Hsu

1970: Bob Kahn, Jane Hershey Cuozzo, and Evelyn Leston Sherburne

Members of the Class of 1969 at Reunion & Homecoming 2024

1970

In May, Bob Kahn, David Greene, Jane Hershey Cuozzo, and Evelyn Leston Sherburne reunited at their 50th college reunion at the University of Pennsylvania.

John Andrepont, founder and president of The Cool Solutions Co. in Naperville, IL, and Life Member of ASHRAE, has been elevated to ASHRAE’s College of Fellows. John has served for decades on ASHRAE tech committees for District Energy, Thermal Storage, and Cogeneration, and in 2019 was inducted into ASHRAE’s Cool Thermal Energy Storage Hall of Fame.

Debbie Freund writes: “I now work at UCLA and love it. I was offered the chancellor job there many years ago, but did not accept the position for family reasons.”

1972

Larry Epstein shares: “Lots of water under the bridge since I graduated! My personal life has been great since marrying my college sweetheart in 1982, and this year we celebrate our 43rd wedding anniversary. We have two children, both married and living in the Boston area with their spouses and their dogs. After living in New York City for a decade, my wife and I moved to New Jersey in 1988, where we raised our kids and stayed until 2020, when I retired and we moved to the Finger Lakes region of New York state, where we live today. My professional life went full circle, from 25 years as a television executive to 20 years as a college professor and administrator, retiring from that job as professor emeritus. That’s it in a nutshell!”

Rosemary Reiss writes, “I am not sure if I’ve ever before sent a class note — though I admit I enjoy reading them. I live in the Boston area with my husband Avner, a mathematics professor at Boston College. I still work as a Maternal Fetal Medicine physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. BWH and Mass General hospitals have now been merged, along with several small community hospitals, into MGB, a behemoth that is becoming ever more corporate and annoyingly top-down. My work is still intellectually stimulating, and it is still satisfying to help my patients and to teach residents and fellows — though the balance between pleasure and pain may tilt toward retirement at some point in the

next few years. For fun, we play chamber music with friends, go to concerts, stream old movies, read old books, and take periodic sabbaticals or vacations, mostly in the U.K. We have two daughters. One lives in Inwood, just a stone’s throw from Riverdale; she is a programmer. We have a granddaughter aged 5; I would be glad for her to go to RCS someday, but at least at present her parents are very committed to public schools. Our other daughter lives in Cambridge, MA, and recently got a PhD in religious studies with a sociologic “lived religion” bent. She has a postdoc for another year. She is job hunting in an impossible academic climate. She’d be willing to work for a nonprofit or in the private sector, so if anyone is looking to hire a brilliant, hardworking, creative person with skills in qualitative and quantitative analysis of polls and interviews, let me know!”

1973

Steven Roth notes: “Most recently, I have: attended our 50th Reunion (had a great time. Chris Pilkington was my ‘chauffeur’), visited with Tom Teicholz multiple times when I’ve been in L.A. to visit my daughter, communicated via email with: Lonnie Ramati Robert Najjar Gina Pressman Elardo, Jeff Kronthal, Roy Pulvers, Johnna Murray Camp, and her husband, Bill Camp, whom I went to college with; moved to Dover, MA, and gotten remarried this past August.”

1974

Members of the Class of 1974 at Reunion & Homecoming 2024

1975

Jon Beitler writes: “We are getting to the age where when we receive our QUAD we look at the list of alumni who passed away. I was surprised to

learn that Teddy Cohn was on that list. As we well know, the Class of 1975 was eclipsed in athletic ability by the Class of 1974. However, after the stars graduated, football had to go on, and Teddy Cohn was right in the mix as the middle linebacker, always game to do the best job he could. Ted and I attended Lehigh University and the toughest major at the school was Electrical Engineering, Ted’s choice. I fondly remember getting the very senior teacher’s attention in Physics 101 when Ted and I would be talking in class. Despite being the middle linebacker, Ted had not one mean bone in his body, and always had a smile for everyone.”

Here’s a note from William Galison on behalf of himself and John Coles: “First of all, we are both very old. Secondly, we collaborated last fall in making a music video to celebrate the candidacy of Kamala Harris for president. I wrote and performed the music with some wonderful musicians and John produced and directed the video.

“Although tragically it did not result in her winning the election, we were both very pleased with its fulfillment and hope it continues to inspire Americans to stand for the progress we have made as a nation since our inception, and to resist the forces that wish to take us back to a time of racism, misogyny, and environmental destruction. You can quote me on that!”

Ellen Fischer Dawidowicz shares: “I am very excited about our 50th Reunion. Can’t wait to see people in real life, since we were virtual during COVID. I started a new adventure post-COVID. I have a wine blog called WinetalkwithEllen.com It’s for people to have more fun with wine without overthinking or overspending. I love everything about it but the tech stuff. Check it out. You can contact me through the blog if you want. See you all at the Reunion!”

Jim Weinberger writes: “I reside in Chestertown on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. One son, Jacob, lives in Rockville, MD, but often works and stays in New York City, while his older brother, Sam, with his wife, and 2-year-old boy are in the same Maryland town.”

1977

Michael Gilson shares: “I’m a bit amazed to have become the grandfather of three children — two girls and a boy — during the last two years! Time flies … Greetings to classmates!”

1978

Teri LaCaille updates: “Embarrassing as it may be, I’ve been eking by on an income from Social Security and Disability. It’s difficult, but I’m surviving. Other than that, my oldest son, of two, Forest, who lives in Aurora, CO, has been married since 2012. My grandchildren were born in 2014, my sweet Skylar girl, she is quite athletic, like her father, and extremely intelligent and quite the social butterfly … and Hunter, born in 2016, is quiet and extremely observant; when he has something to say, it’s usually quite profound. My younger son, Jordan, lives locally and is a commercial fisherman and rarely available to hang out with. Not married,

1970s Decade Party

no kids, but has a wonderful live-in girlfriend. Not much more than that. I hope all of you are doing well.”

Bill McCall shares: “Riverdale led to three years of working, before a BA in American Studies, before a multi-faceted career in the digital transition and its impacts on media. At long last, I am retired, remarried, and astonished by the unfolding goat rodeo that has gripped America.”

Bill McGowan and his wife, Juliana Silva, recently published their book, Speak, Memorably: The Art of Captivating an Audience The book offers concrete strategies and tools to help anyone, in any stage of their career, cut through the numbing sameness of cliches and boring business rhetoric and find their authentic voice.

1979

Patty Greene Isen writes: “I hope everyone is well. I see Lori Tarnopol Moore all the time. I’m living in New York City and started selling real estate 10 years ago. I’m having fun. The boys are 30 and 32 and live in New York City as well.”

1980

David Roberts shares: “We have two married children and two grandchildren. I retired from my finance career and now spend most of that time writing a weekly personal essay on my Substack called Sparks from Culture https://robertsdavidn.substack.com.”

Théo Spilka writes: “I’m in my 38th year in the beauty industry and still as passionate about perfume creation as I was on the first day I

started. My work with celebrities and startups has been taking me to far-off places in Asia and Latin America, as well as nationally. Happy to reconnect shortly with Tim Greene and his family. Was delighted to also have had a recent touch-base with Elena Jones, who hasn’t changed a bit! Looking forward to another Reunion — casual or otherwise — one day soon. Hope everyone is well!”

1981

Sascha Feinstein’s most recent book, Writing Jazz: Conversations with Critics and Biographers, presents interviews with 14 distinguished jazz scholars: Whitney Balliett, Bob Blumenthal, Stanley Crouch, Linda Dahl, Maxine Gordon, Farah Jasmine Griffin, John Edward Hasse, Willard Jenkins, Hettie Jones, Robin D.G. Kelley, Laurie Pepper, Tom Piazza, Ricky Riccardi, and A.B. Spellman. This literary jam session explores the many challenges and thrills of writing about jazz in various prose forms, including liner notes, memoirs, biographies, and critical guides.

Karyn Scott shares: “I retired from my tech career and bought 20 acres in Napa Valley with 230 olive trees. My husband and I press and sell a boutique brand of oil. I stay in touch with Carol Rosenbaum and Claudia Ullman, recently spent a few days with Barrie Feld Birge, and plan to hike the Laugavegur Trail in Iceland with Amy Shoenberg Menell ’82 in July.”

Barney “Chip” Straus is directing a threeday Group Relations Conference (GRC) at Roosevelt University in Chicago, IL, June 6-8, 2025. GRCs are temporary institutions that are designed to study themselves. It is a great opportunity for anyone interested in studying leadership and other aspects of group dynamics. More information on this work can be found at mindbodygrc.com

1982

Gwen Perlman still works at NYU’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. This year she went to see a screening of The Session Man with Alix Muehlstein Ninfo’s husband Matthew. The excellent movie was about Alix’s uncle, who played on about 200 of the biggest rock and roll albums ever. See the movie — it was awesome.

Meryl Poster writes: “Well — no grandchildren yet! Ava Levinson ’17 and Jed Levinson ’20 visited me in my new home base of New Orleans! I moved here close to three years ago. I have taught a class at Tulane called Story Time. I am still developing TV and film projects.”

Hillary Haberman Suchman and Jeff Suchman ’80 welcomed granddaughter Phoebe on December 8, 2022. Her proud parents are Danielle Suchman Sheptin ’09 and her husband Zach Sheptin.

1984

Kristin Marting reflects: “I have recently left the nonprofit arts org I founded over 30 years ago to spend more of my time directing —upcoming projects: Mercury Store, La Mama, Opera Omaha, and Opera San Diego. I just received an Obie Award for Lifetime Achievement.”

Class correspondent Eve Reppen Rogers adds how wonderful it was to see so many classmates during the Reunion cocktail, our dinner, and on campus. Stay in touch!

Akiko Terasawa Yoneyama shares: “I am currently living in Tokyo, Japan. I opened a Lucite gallery in 2001. I have three grandchildren. I wish to visit Riverdale one day. Contact me if any of you are visiting Japan.”

1985

Andy Richman is vice president and associate general counsel of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (parent company of the New York Stock Exchange and other financial exchanges and clearinghouses). Andy and his wife Diane live in South Salem, NY, and have two daughters. He

1982: Hillary Haberman Suchman with granddaughter Phoebe Sheptin

Members of the Class of 1984 at Reunion & Homecoming 2024

Members of the Class of 1979 at Reunion & Homecoming 2024

1982: Margo Simon Schumer with granddaughter Kaia Kalinsky

1982: Ava Levinson ’17, Meryl Poster ’82, Jed Levinson ’20

keeps in touch with, among other classmates, Melinda Fellner, Jimmy Bandler and Susie Bandler Steinberg, Allison Unger Brody, and Andy Miller

1986

Michele Alfano is celebrating her 10th year of Michele Alfano Design, an interior architectural design studio. Follow her on Instagram @michelealfanodesign, where she features personalized interiors designed to care for you — seamlessly simplifying daily life with intuitive technology while fostering wellness.

1987

Cori Mason Berger writes: “Seth and I are great! We left New York City in the height of COVID in the summer of 2020 and escaped to our home in Aspen. At the time, our two boys were in college and our daughter was just entering 7th grade. We figured we would just be in Aspen for six months to a year, waiting for NY schools to return to normal, but almost five years later we are still here! We are loving the outdoor lifestyle — hiking, biking, and skiing — and have enjoyed making new friends and building community. Funny enough, if you go back and check out ‘where will you be in 20 years’ in our RCS 1987 yearbook, Seth was predicted to be a ski instructor and Cori a snow bunny. Kind of nailed that one!

“In real life, Seth is still a real estate developer, with properties in New York City and Denver. I am a full-time volunteer, deeply involved at the American Jewish Committee, and more recently joined the Foundation Board of Aspen Valley Hospital and am working on a big event for them. Our oldest son, Ryan, RCS Class of 2017, is living in the West Village in NYC and working as Chief of Staff at a software tech company. Our middle son, Justin, RCS Class of 2020, recently moved to Baltimore, MD, for a job with Johns Hopkins Tech Ventures. And our youngest, Alexis, is currently a junior at Aspen High School, having a very different experience than the rest of us RCS grads.”

Pam Goldberg shares: “Couldn’t resist writing in after Laura Stoland’s very warm email to the Class of ’87. Here goes — as some of you may know, I am a concert pianist and released my third all-Schubert CD last year. My other passion, teaching, I have been doing since graduate school, when I joined the faculty of the Diller-Quaile School of Music for 10 years. I now have a private studio on the Upper West Side in Manhattan. Lastly, I ran a music festival on Governors Island with fellow colleague/pianist Blair McMillen for 12 years called Rite of Summer and now I currently run a series on the Upper West Side at a place called DOROT [much more convenient]. I have two boys, one a junior at NYU School of Sport Management and a high school senior who will be going next year to NYU Film School. Feel lucky to have them both so close … And I see my best friend since 9th grade (!) Debbie Yamin Manocchia every week for lunch.

Alex Lloyd writes: “We moved to Miami from San Francisco in 2020. My wife, Rachel, and I now have three children: Franklin (6), Madison (4), and Reagan (1). Madison and Reagan are our daughters. Franklin recently won a bronze medal in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Madison loves dressing up as different princesses, and Reagan can almost sing the entire alphabet song. I continue to invest in tech startups, mostly via Zoom. Rachel has made many friends with other moms at our kids’ school, and I do my best to hang with

the other husbands. In my spare time, I’ve been flying a Cirrus aircraft and recently earned my commercial pilot’s license. Our pool is always open to any Class of ’87 alums and their kids.”

Deborah Yamin Manocchia shares: “Our children, Milena and Tony, went to RCS and loved it. Their grandmother, Joan Diamond Steinberg, graduated from RCS in 1958, and still keeps in touch with her RCS friends. My husband Pat was the first head coach of the RCS ice hockey team for three years that our son Tony played on. Our daughter Milena graduated from the Juilliard PreCollege program in Classical Voice and is now at Harvard University. Tony is a senior at Mount Saint Charles Hockey Academy in Rhode Island playing 18U AAA ice hockey. We own La Palestra Center for Preventative Medicine, an integrated health center, where I’ve had a private psychotherapy practice since 2002. I’m still very much in touch with my classmates from my time at Riverdale.”

Laura Stoland writes: “We are still living in Venice, CA. Our home was safe from the fires, other than a dusting of toxic ash, but it has been a difficult spring in L.A. We’ve done what we can to support those in our community most affected. I’m still enjoying making and teaching art. Our son is a freshman at Bowdoin, our middle daughter is waiting to hear what college she will attend in the fall, and our youngest has joined a local crew team. We recently completed work on a pool and guest apartment on our property and would love to host any RCS classmates!”

1988

Stacy Grossman shares: “I graduated from RCS in 1988 and have been the class representative for a very long time. I still live in New York [though in the suburbs], and a bunch of my friends have kids who attend the School.

“I’m a trademark lawyer, and started my own firm 10 years ago. It’s woman-owned, and currently 100% of the lawyers and staff are women. I started my legal career in 1995 by working for another Riverdalian, Kenneth David Burrows ’58, who sadly passed away a few months ago.

“Anyway, to mark my firm’s 10th anniversary, I’m rebranding today! —from “Law Office of Stacy J. Grossman” to ‘SGIP.’ I’m writing to share a press release that discusses my firm, and the trend of women-owned trademark firms in the U.S. [not many]. I’ve also shared a more personal perspective on my firm’s website, which you can read here: https://sgip.law/ rebranding-for-the-next-decade”

Class of 1984 at the 2024 Riverdale Alumni Reunion

1988: Bryan Zelnik

Bryan Zelnik writes: “I wanted to thank the RCS Headmaster, Faculty, and the Alumni Engagement team for putting together the 21st Annual Reginald Zelnik ’52 Memorial Lecture on February 11, for the students in the Constructing America Curriculum. This year’s lecturer, Nadine Strossen, New York Law School professor emerita and senior fellow at FIRE [the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression] and internationally acclaimed free speech scholar and advocate, was outstanding. The students had prepared questions for Nadine on issues of free speech today in the various aspects of media and government. Thank you all for the reception that was held in the Class of ’57 room, donated by my father’s [Martin Zelnik ’57] classmates. It was powerful to hear Nadine’s opening remarks describing my uncle’s contribution to the free speech movement of 1964 at Berkeley. Thankful for another year that the annual Memorial lecture series continues on well-received by the students and faculty.

“Also wanted to note in my architecture practice, I recently completed an alteration project for the showroom at Rivera Toyota in Mount Kisco. Was a privilege to work with the Hall of Fame Yankee legend pitcher Mariano Rivera, who is one of the owners. The showroom completes one of the three projects for the Rivera dealership,

with the remaining two projects currently in construction to be opened this year. The Bronx AIA, of which I am proud to be a third-generation member, nominated the showroom project to help represent the chapter in the NY State AIA design awards as a submission.”

1989

Topher Cox shares: “When I was at RCS, I always wanted to be in the School plays, but was too afraid to try out … so I ended up being a stagehand. It was fun, but I wanted to be on the stage, not under it. So, 35 years later, I finally said it was time to give the stage a try, and I loved it! The town of Needham [and many towns across the country] has a community theater group. Fall of 2024 was Fiddler on the Roof. I was cast as Avram and had the most wonderful time, and I hope to do another one again soon.

“To go along with Fiddler, I also had an art show that mixed the history of my own family coming over from Belarus along with some of my art. One of the best parts was having Alain come up to see the musical and my art show with his family. If you want to give something a try, there is no time like the present.”

Alain Silverio has had an eventful last couple of months. He published a book on Afro-Caribbean religions in his native Dominican Republic titled

Santería, Espiritismo y Vudú en el Caribe. He was honored to receive Riverdale Country School’s Ernest McAneny Alumni Spirit Award in 2024. He attributes this honor to his relationships with his classmates, who have always been available for catching up and conversations. Lastly, in December, he successfully defended his doctoral dissertation titled “The Relationship between Course Survey Components and Overall Course Satisfaction” and has earned the EdD degree in Higher Education. Thus, answering his daughter’s question for the past year, “Papa, are you a doctor yet?” He reports that he is tired, which means nothing to his 6-year-old daughter Emma.

1990

Alfred Burger, MD, MS, received the Excellence in Teaching Award from the Society of Hospital Medicine at its national meeting in April 2024. The award is given each year to a hospital medicine physician who has best demonstrated outstanding teaching prowess and who has served as a role model and mentor to other hospitalists, residents, medical students, or other health care professionals.

1992

Dan Shlomm notes that both kids are now in college, and he’s now an empty nester.

1990: Alfred Burger (Left)

1989: Topher Cox and Alain Silverio

1989: Rhonda Ross Kendrick and Gene Kim

1990s Decade Party

Members of the Class of 1989 at Reunion & Homecoming 2024

1993

Adam Peck writes: “Over the past two years, I started my own strategic marketing services company called Adapdiv [www.adapdiv.com]. It’s been an amazing, challenging, yet satisfying new career journey. I had spent so many years at marketing agencies and in corporate marketing at emerging technology and health care companies, and I realized I wanted to take that experience to help businesses navigate growth, brand transitions, and market expansion on my own terms.

“Adapdiv specializes in guiding companies through major shifts —whether it’s launching new products, entering new markets, or managing mergers and acquisitions. We’ve had the opportunity to work with incredible clients across health care, legal, tech, and more.

“Running my own business has taught me the value of adaptability [hence the name!], strategic thinking, and the power of strong partnerships. It’s been both humbling and exciting to see how much impact a focused, agile team can have. I’d love to connect with any classmates who are on entrepreneurial paths or looking to collaborate. Feel free to reach out!

As a personal aside, I have been married for almost 24 years to Dawn. We met at my first fulltime marketing role after college. Dawn and I lived in New York City for a number of years, but we decided to settle down in suburban Philadelphia [Doylestown in Bucks County]. We have two wonderful teenaged daughters, with our first-born getting ready for her first year of college this fall. We also have a lovely and adorable rescued lab mix puppy [now 5].”

1994

Jessica Murphy shares: “After seven years working on a PhD in Santa Barbara, CA, and 15 years working as a professor and leader at a public university in Dallas, I moved back to the Northeast with my family in August last year to take an amazing new leadership position at Montclair State University. It’s a bit of a culture [and weather] shock for the kids, but we love Montclair already.

“It was fun to see how much the Riverdale campus has changed at Homecoming in the fall, my first visit since a little over 20 years ago when my husband and I came to see a show before Mr. Bosseau retired.”

1996

On July 1, 2024, Justin Brandon became the 10th head of school of George School, a boarding and day school in suburban Philadelphia. Milton Sipp, Nikki Brandon Harris ’91, Priscilla Morales, Megan June, and Derek Bartee attended Justin’s installation ceremony in September.

Sam Schoenfield writes: “My mother, Roberta, passed away in February 2024. Her legacy as a financial advisor, along with my 20+ years working with top financial institutions, has inspired me to take a more active role in helping people achieve financial security. I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve joined Fortis Lux Financial, a boutique firm specializing in financial planning, insurance, and wealth management. I’d love to reconnect: SSchoenfield@fortislux.com

1998

Rich Boatti and his wife, Adetutu Adekoya, welcomed their baby boy, Gabriel Damilare Richard Boatti, into the world in June.

1999

2000

Taylor Agisim and his wife Maya are proud to welcome their first child, a baby girl named Zoe Leigh. Taylor lives in Riyadh and is the chief strategy & corporate development officer of SURJ Sports Investment, a PIF portfolio company.

Last March, Darcy-Tell Morales and Maceo June moved to Boston. Darcy has taken on the role of Chief of Learning and Community Engagement at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where she will oversee the areas of public programs, interpretation, community engagement and academic research. Maceo is currently a voiceover actor and continues to work in that field. If you are in Boston, hit them up on LinkedIn!

2001

Rachel Friedman Elberts completed her yoga teacher certification to continue to supplement her holistic wellness business.

2004

2005

Alyssa Cooper Graf gave birth in October to a baby boy, Benjamin Rubin Graf.

Kunal Khaitani and his wife, Grace, welcomed Amalia Ruby Khaitani on December 2, 2024.

Dennis Kramer shares: “A little under four years ago, my wife and I moved from Brooklyn to Waterbury, VT, where we both work remotely. Access to outdoor activities is one of the main perks that brought us to Vermont. As a backcountry skier, rock climber, and mountain biker, I really appreciate the ability to get out for an activity every day before work. Professionally, I have been working at Etsy since 2014, as a product designer, most recently working on a new product launch that was featured in Etsy’s first-ever Super Bowl commercial. My parents still live on the Upper East Side and I love having a home base in the city to visit, but Vermont feels like home to us now.”

2006

Adrian Cohn and Natalie Razdolsky welcomed their first child, Leo Jordan Cohn, in January.

Tracy Dansker and Jenna Langel Witten snapped a photo of their children at a BBQ last summer (pictured on page 52).

2007

Emily Schorr Lesnick moved to Honolulu, HI, where she works at Punahou School alongside her Constructing America teacher, Gustavo Carrera.

Michael G. Moreno reports: “Over the last three years, I have had the opportunity to host several intimate classical piano concerts for my friends, colleagues, and members of the Penn

2000: Taylor Agisim, wife Maya, and daughter

Zoe Leigh

Members of the Class of 1994 at Reunion & Homecoming 2024

Members of the Class of 1999 at Reunion & Homecoming 2024

Members of the Class of 2004 at Reunion & Homecoming 2024

Club of New York. It is a real joy to introduce these unique musicians and have them perform in such an opulent space. My next concert, in May 2025, will feature pianist Thomas Osuga, my former piano instructor from the Mannes School of Music.”

Charles Urwin shares: “I just welcomed my first child, a happy, healthy baby boy! Named Poe Leo, after my favorite poet and my wife’s birth sign. He already has a healthy constitution!”

2008

Hanna Trundle recently opened up her own private practice, Hanna Trundle Nutrition, focusing on gaining a more peaceful relationship to food and body, and helping those with metabolic issues through medical nutrition therapy. HannaTrundleNutrition.com

Ben Wetzler is running for New York City Council in District 4. District 4 includes parts of the Upper East Side, Midtown, and Stuyvesant-Town. A former Democratic Party leader for the neighborhood, Ben has spent his career as a public servant specializing in housing policy. He’s running on a platform of data-driven policy solutions to make housing more affordable, enhance public safety, and improve public spaces. Registered Democrats in District 4 can vote for him in this June’s primary election, and you can learn more about his campaign at www.voteben.nyc

2009

Natalie Schwartz Graziose writes: “After getting married in 2018, my husband and I moved to Seattle in 2021 and welcomed our son, Jack, the following year. In 2023, we moved back to New York City on the Upper East Side — where we both grew up — and couldn’t be happier to be home! We bought our first home and recently welcomed our second child, our daughter Elle, in December 2024.”

Kyle Bessa-McManus was married in November 2023.

2010

Rawson Pope Faux got married in February 2025 to Lindsay Kass after meeting at Columbia Business School. He also started a new job

in October as the head of strategy at Said Differently, a nontraditional creative agency where he leads commercialization.

Cassie Scheiner and Josh Kaminer welcomed Teddy Kaminer on March 16, 2024.

2011

Peter Janulis shares that Theodore Peter Janulis was born on February 3, 2025. Theo is the sweetest baby boy, and his parents love him more than he will ever know!

Christopher Schuster married Kaitlin Foshee in Boca Grande, FL, on January 18, 2025.

2014

Allison Gross is based in San Francisco, working for girls education development and financing in India and East Africa.

Helena Janulis recently was named recipient of The Island School’s 2025 Founders Alumni Award for her work with ocean conservation and uplifting the next generation of ocean leaders.

2015

Michael Gardner writes that things are good!

Sarah Horne says: “After six years of graduate school, I am excited to share that I will officially be a clinical psychologist following my graduation in June! This fall, I will be joining a private practice on the Upper East Side, where I will be working with children, adolescents, and young adults with anxiety and depression. I am thrilled to be starting the next chapter of my career and am thankful for all of the support I have received from Ethan Rosenthal, my family, and many of my close Riverdale friends over the past several years.

2010: Teddy Kaminer, son of Cassie Scheiner

2005: Amalia, daughter of Kunal Khaitani

2006: Children of Tracy Dansker and Tim Sacks ’99 and Jenna Langel Witten (Left to Right): Joey Sacks, Julia Witten, Teddy Sacks, and Jack Witten

2007: Michael G. Moreno (center)

Members of the Class of 2009 at Reunion & Homecoming 2024

Members of the Class of 2014 at Reunion & Homecoming 2024

“Ethan continues to enjoy his work at iCON Infrastructure, a private equity firm that invests in transportation, telecoms, utilities, and other infrastructure businesses. We’re looking forward to traveling to Italy this summer and spending time with family and friends!”

Annie Reiner writes: “I am in my fifth year of pursuing a PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Alabama and crossing my fingers that I will be returning to the East Coast next year for an internship!”

2016

Elena Golub tied the knot this past May in Port Jervis, NY, celebrating alongside fellow alums Leah Moore, John Cicco, and Hannah Ludemann Hicks Her 15-year friendships with Leah and John began in 6th grade on the Hill Campus, where she fondly

remembers harmonizing with Leah and enjoying “Friday at the Movies” with John. She met Hannah in 9th grade, and their connection continued at Smith College, where they worked together to advocate for accessibility and disability inclusion on campus. It was a joy to share this milestone with friends from Riverdale.

2019

After graduating from Columbia University in 2023, Elsa Chung is pursuing a career in film and television. She currently works at All3Media International and is producing the short documentary Si La Isla Quiere (Island Willing) alongside fellow 2023 alum Cece King

2020

Grace Gallen writes: “Hi, Riverdale friends! After graduation, I started a job as a trial preparation

assistant at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. Needless to say, it’s been a busy time over here! Looking forward to hearing what the rest of you are up to. Hugs, Grace”

Olivia Salvage shares: “I graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in May, moved to Chicago in August, and started working at Bank of America!”

2021

Julia Brand was selected as a recipient of the Frederick E. Terman Award for Scholastic Achievement in Engineering, given to the top 5% of graduating seniors in Stanford’s School of Engineering. A special part of this honor is recognizing the secondary school teachers who have had the greatest impact on their academic journeys, and she immediately thought of Dr. Abbe Karmen at Riverdale. The awards ceremony took place on April 26, with a dedicated portion to celebrate the teachers who have shaped the recipients’ paths.

2022

Daniel Tantsyura raised $2.5 million for a real estate deal!

2024

Alexis Muchnik writes: “I’m loving my freshman year at UCLA. I’m a writer for the Daily Bruin, and I’m basking in the ‘California winter’ aka 70 and sunny every day.”

2010s Decade Party

Members of the Class of 2019 at Reunion & Homecoming 2024

IN MEMORIAM: JOEL DOERFLER

Former faculty member Joel Doerfler passed away on May 14, 2023, after suddenly falling ill just a few weeks earlier. The cause of death was Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, a rare and incurable neurological disease. Tovah Leibowitz ’07 shared the following on Joel:

“The last time I saw Mr. Doerfler, we sat across from one another at our regular booth at our regular diner in Park Slope. The night before our final meeting, I emailed him a link to a newspaper article and asked for his thoughts. He arrived the next day carrying a printed copy of the article, the pages covered in red ink and the margins riddled with annotations — the same way he used to grade my homework.

“Over the course of his 26-year career at Riverdale Country School, Joel Doerfler led the history department while innovating a multitude of interdisciplinary courses. Engaging students with his unique brand of intellectual curiosity, his curricula ran the gamut of world history, culture, race, film theory, international relations, and more. His signature course, Constructing America, helped elevate Riverdale’s academic prestige and redefined students’ notions of American society. Shining a spotlight on the trailblazers of history, he blazed his own trail in secondary education.

“Mr. Doerfler believed teaching could serve a counter-hegemonic purpose: to instill in students the values that would prepare them to rethink systems for a better future. As an educator, his pedagogy was forward-looking and world-building. He resisted the tendency to teach history as a series of exceptional events and exceptional individuals, but rather

to understand history as a process; as ongoing systemic and structural evolution.

“He taught with a spirit of intellectual openness that welcomed dissent and transformed our critical consciousness. Mr. Doerfler’s curricula indexed alternative paradigms that gave students the language to interrogate their political circumstances, question authority, question themselves, undermine truths that claimed to be self-evident, and imagine futures beyond the limits of “common sense.” To be a student of Mr. Doerfler was to experience study not as a practice of memorizing and regurgitating, but as an invitation to take risks, to protest, to practice solidarity, to gather, and to think together.

“After I graduated from Riverdale, Joel became my trusted mentor, loyal pen pal, and close friend. Over the years, he met me for dinner, advised me on life dilemmas, and invited me to film screenings. Joel was a movie guru; a bona fide cinephile who had an encyclopedic knowledge of film and filmmakers. In the earliest days of the pandemic lockdown, Joel sent his friends an annotated list of great movies they could – and should – watch at home. ‘I’m not talking timeless masterpieces,’ Joel wrote, ‘I’m talking about shots of pure, unadulterated cinematic comfort.’ But Joel’s favorite topic of discussion was his family, his wife Sarah and his son Alex, who were sources of immense joy and pride; who he bragged about shamelessly; who he loved beyond words.

“May Joel’s memory serve as a moral compass and intellectual guide, a reminder to tear down the structures that limit our ability to find each other.”

IN MEMORIAM

PATRICIA PULRANG AMBLER ’40

SUSAN WILLIAMS MILLER ’45

RONALD MULLINS ’46

CARLTON BROSE ’48

ARTHUR DERCKSEN ’48

MICHAEL ABEL ’52

RICHARD CORBIN ’54

PHILIP EIDELBERG ’54

THOMAS SITRIN ’54

RATAN TATA ’55

JOHN MURPHY ’56

STEVEN GOLDSTEIN ’57

DAVID FRANKEL ’58

ALEX LLOYD ’60

PETER POLATIN ’60

PHILIP GARVIN ’65

GREGORY KRISER ’69

RUSSELL WILLIAMS ’69

JOHN BERYLSON ’71

JAN KRESLINS ’73

DEAN LANGADAS ’73

TIMOTHY OGNISTY ’84

DANIEL COHEN ’89

DAIHACHI YAGI ’12

2024-2025

Thank You, Riverdale Volunteers

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

GWEN ADOLPH

BRUCE BEAL, JR.

EDEM DZUBEY ’07

EBBY ELAHI

CHLOE EPSTEIN

RENATA GARCIA

JOHN GRIFFIN

ANITRA HADLEY

SANDRA KIM HOFFEN ’83, VICE CHAIR

MARK HOSTETTER ’77

CHRISTOPHER JAMES ’93

DAVID KABILLER

PHILLIP LEE

MARC LIPSCHULTZ

KELLY MACK

PALLAVI NANDA

JOHN NEUWIRTH, VICE CHAIR

KARI OSTREM, HEAD OF SCHOOL

DAVID RHODES

DANIEL ROSEN ’92, CHAIR

CRISTIÁN SAMPER

DEBORAH SONNENBERG

MARC STERNBERG

BEN TISCH

PHILIP “TOD” WATERMAN III ’84

ROY WEATHERS

VANESSA WITTMAN

Trustees Emeriti

MICHELE COHEN

TED JANULIS ’77

BRAD KARP

JANE LISMAN KATZ ’65

PETER LEHRER

LINDA LEWIS LINDENBAUM ’54

TOM MONTAG

WILLIAM C.W. MOW ’55

DAVID ROBERTS ’80

HARVEY SCHULWEIS

THOMAS STRAUSS

JEFFREY VINIK ’77

DAVID WESTIN

TIM ZAGAT, JR. ’57

ADA ZAMBETTI

RICHARD ZINMAN

2024-2025

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

EDEM DZUBEY ’07, PRESIDENT

JENNA LANGEL WITTEN ’06,

VICE PRESIDENT

SAM ACUNTO ’01

LIZ STRAUSS CLYMAN ’97

STEFANIE FIRTELL DONATH ’91

LANA JACOBS EDELMAN ’00

DANIELLE ENGLEBARDT ’94

BETSY FIELDS ’86

JOE GOLDSCHMID ’04

PAUL GOLDSCHMID ’96

MAGGIE HELLER GREEBEL ’99

SARAH HORNE ’15

GEORGE IGEL ’64

MICHELLE KIRSCHTEIN JACOBS ’81

TIFFANY AUSTIN LISTON ’94

TONY MELCHIOR ’73

LARA ENGLEBARDT METZ ’96

PHIL MICHAEL ’00

SHARY MOALEMZADEH ’89

ALLYSON PELTZ PENNOCK ’10

ASHLEY RAINFORD ’09

OMARI RAMIREZ ’05

AMELIA LEVIN RELLES ’87

MICHAEL ROBERTS ’08

CAROLYN BRAUN ROSEN ’92

PETER ROSENBLATT ’50

JESSICA ELGHANAYAN SHELL ’95

ROGER SHERMAN ’74

STUART TISHMAN ’07

SARANYA VIJAYAKUMAR ’14

ANDRINE WILSON ’02

AHMED YEARWOOD ’91

JESSICA ENDELSON ZELNIK ’98

PARENTS ASSOCIATION (PA) EXECUTIVE

BOARD

PALLAVI NANDA, PA PRESIDENT

DANA GOLDING, HEAD, UPPER SCHOOL PA

CAROL YING, HEAD, MIDDLE SCHOOL PA

GILLIAN SPORN, CO-HEAD, LOWER SCHOOL PA

NICOLE KANKAM, CO-HEAD, LOWER SCHOOL PA

JESSICA YAU, PA TREASURER

NANDITA SOOD, PA SECRETARY

MALDA HIBRI, SECRETARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL PA

LESLEY THOMPSON VECSLER, SECRETARY, LOWER SCHOOL PA

JACKIE ROSEN, PA MEMBER-AT-LARGE

DAVID VAN, PA MEMBER-AT-LARGE

SHALINI MATANI, AFFINITY GROUP REPRESENTATIVE AAPI

MICHELE GRANT, AFFINITY GROUP REPRESENTATIVE IPC

ERICA WERBER, AFFINITY GROUP REPRESENTATIVE JAG

TAMIKA TOLLIVER, AFFINITY GROUP REPRESENTATIVE LGBTQ+

NANCY OTI, AFFINITY GROUP REPRESENTATIVE POC

CYNTHIA CARRION, DEIB PARENT GROUP REPRESENTATIVE

SUSAN OLIVERA, EX-OFFICIO

TASHEEM QUAYENORTEY, EX-OFFICIO

CLAIRE WANG, EX-OFFICIO

FROM THE ARCHIVES: The Evolution of Riverdale’s Middle School

The first iteration of Riverdale’s Middle School opened in the 1930-1931 school year and was composed of Forms I and II. The yearbook stated, “Riverdale, always foremost in sound educational experiments, has this year united her first two forms in a middle school, a convenient steppingstone from the elementary work of the Lower School to the College Board preparation of the higher classes.”

The Middle School changed as Riverdale went through several iterations. When the School became co-ed in 1972, combining the separate Girls and Boys Schools, the Middle School remained on the Hill Campus but comprised grades five through nine.

In the 1980s, there were several conversations about the future of Riverdale, the best use of physical space, and what would be optimum for student development. The decision was made in 1985 to switch campuses, with grades seven through 12 moving to the Hill Campus and grades six and below relocating to the River Campus, which resulted in the closing of the Middle School. At the time, Head of Upper School Richard Karman believed that “students and teachers could get to know each other much better” without students moving to a different campus after 9th grade.

After almost 20 years without a Middle School, when considering the academic development of students, in 2004, the Board of Trustees and then-Head of School Dr. John R. Johnson decided to bring it back, with Milton Sipp leading the charge. They approved renovating the Hill Campus and making Hackett Hall the home of the new division. The Board believed that the “new division will enhance the curriculum and environment for all students of that age … The Middle School will be more independent from the Upper School, and the faculty will be able to focus more clearly on the education of the Middle School students.” This change brought the 6th grade from the River Campus to the Hill Campus.

Clockwise from Left: Sixth-grade Homebase teacher Jay Crosby in the classroom; Head of Middle School Milton Sipp; 8th grade students gather in the Maker Studio in the Lindenbaum Center for the Arts; J. Michael Berical, 8th grade Dean of Students, meets with students in his office.

1,307 Total Enrollment

48% students of color

Founded in

1907

219 BY THE NUMBERS 2024-25 Riverdale

211 Courses offered in Grades 6 to 12

Endowment as of March 2025 $82,000,000

100+

96

Students from the Hill were part of our global travel programs to locations including India, Rome, Greece, Montreal, Peru, Zimbabwe, and Scotland

7,662 alumni spanning 12 decades

Scholars from the River Campus had an overnight experience or trip 250+ full-time faculty

Financial aid budget in 2024-25 $13,062,014 of Hill Campus students who played a sport this year 84%

117 ZIP codes represented

Summer internships or job shadowing for law, education, finance, medicine (clinical and research positions), nonprofit community service, publishing, technology, and other fields by alumni and parents

56 Performances

400 Meals (and counting!) served with food from our Freight Farm

93 Clubs & activities in the Middle and Upper Schools

In Memoriam: John R. Johnson

Dr. John R. Johnson, Riverdale’s fifth Head of School, passed away on November 14, 2024, in California. When he arrived as the new Headmaster in July 1997, Dr. Johnson already had almost 25 years of school leadership under his belt, having served as the director of summer sessions at UCLA from 1993 to 1997, as the headmaster and president at Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School from 1981 to 1993, and as a department chair and director of studies at Harvard-Westlake School from 1976 to 1981. Having earned his PhD in Roman history, Dr. Johnson always had a deep knowledge of European diplomatic and military history and maintained a magnificent collection of miniature soldiers that Riverdale colleagues remember with fondness.

He was a visionary leader. Upon arriving at Riverdale, already a fine School with a great history, Dr. Johnson immediately realized that the School was poised to be one of New York City’s very best and a model of what a “country day school” should be for the nation. John was eager to remind all who listened that the School’s founder, Frank Hackett, devised an idea for a school in 1907 that combined the things Dr. Johnson believed in: genuine scholarship founded on great teaching, a “care for the best influences,” and abundant play in the out-of-doors. He drove Riverdale to rebuild and refurbish its wonderful campuses, almost from the ground up, making the physical plants and fields genuinely superb, while he also encouraged thoughtful innovation in curriculum, demanded high but humane standards for students, and worked hard to attract and compensate the very best faculty that could be found.

Dr. Johnson also had the vision to create a Middle School that was focused on children at that stage of their adolescence. He brought the 6th grade from the River Campus to the Hill Campus and thus created a Middle School. John was extraordinarily successful, and with a supportive Board, faculty, and alumni and parent body, he created a momentum that the School still enjoys: success based on excellence in every dimension, always with a human and child/student-centered focus — a “care for the best influences,” words he cherished from the School’s foundation. John Johnson

made an enormous and lasting mark that continues to benefit Riverdale. Following John’s retirement from Riverdale, he returned to California to do all of his favorite things — teaching history at Harvard-Westlake, researching, and writing.

Several Riverdale community members shared their fond memories of Dr. Johnson at a recent celebration of life held at the University Club on March 8, 2025. Michael Seiden ’04 recounted, “I was fortunate enough to know Dr. Johnson for over 20 years. He was my headmaster, my teacher and my friend … As headmaster, John Johnson truly made Riverdale Country School the institution it is today. It’s a name that carries tremendous respect both inside and outside of New York, and that’s due in large part to his effort and skill in managing a number of competing goals and priorities as well as various parents, faculty members, students, and other stakeholders. In later years I came to better understand the game of politics the headmaster of a school like Riverdale has to be able to play, and I think Dr. J would smile to hear me say that I think he played it as well as any of the great 19th-century European statesmen he was so fond of teaching us about in his classroom.

“That’s a good segue to Dr. J’s true passion and where I think he shined the most — the classroom … To say that Dr. J was my favorite teacher of all time is almost beside the larger point given that we remained friends for years after, but regardless — he was my favorite teacher of all time at any level. From the moment he began his course you could tell he was passionate not only about the subject matter, but about engaging his students in thoughtful discussions about the rich developments in European politics, society, war, art — you name it. His mission was not to simply inundate students with facts nor to merely prepare them for the AP Euro exam. He did not seek to impose his own viewpoints on anyone or to try and mobilize students to go out and be his foot soldiers in some sort of academic revolution. Instead, Dr. J’s style of teaching was to get his students engaged by exhibiting his own love for the subject and finding a way to connect some or all of that passion with the interests of his class. In the process, he encouraged discussion and engagement in a way many history teachers are unable to do.”

Former Head of Upper School Kent Kildahl shared, “John’s tenure at Riverdale was 10 years exactly, 1997 to 2007. It’s fitting that he departed to return to California in the School’s 100th anniversary

year. It is hard to summarize the feats of change and improvement that his leadership accomplished in that decade. He transformed the physical plant, and he strengthened the human dimension of an already excellent School. John never tired of repeating and reinforcing Frank Hackett’s description of the School Hackett created in 1907 because John believed deeply in the ideas:

A School devoted to “intimate, scholarly teaching,”

A School that provided “abundant play in the out-of-doors,”

And a School that emphasized “a care for the best influences.”

“The School that John came to in 1997 had a strong, vigorous student and parent body, an excellent, committed faculty, and a curriculum that was coherent and innovative — key building blocks. What it did NOT have were facilities, fields, and beauty to match. So John set out to create them. In his Riverdale phase, John was a builder. He believed in Churchill’s idea about architecture and physical context: ‘We shape our buildings, and then they shape us.’ John knew the history of Rome’s architecture. He was a man of great taste. He was a conservative, in the best and original sense of that word. The list of what he built, renovated, refreshed, and beautified is astonishing. It must be said that a Board of Trustees willing to commit to this project, to support it, along with an enthusiastic parent body, were also crucial.”

Kildahl went on to say, “What John loved most was teaching. He relished being necessary and important in the lives of young people. He would confide, especially later, as we became closer, that he was regretful he didn’t have a family of his own, but he made up for that with hundreds of kids who respected and admired him as a mentor, guide, and later in life, a friend. In spite of all the buildings and dollars raised, and the School’s reputation enhanced, he loved teaching AP European History at Riverdale, from his second year on, more than anything.”

Click here to watch a video about John R. Johnson’s legacy.