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SCHOOLS of the SACRED HEART SAN FRANCISCO
K ATHY FANG ’00’96 The chef and restaurateur draws inspiration from her parents’ beloved Chinatown restaurant while blazing her own trail at Fang in SoMa
2019-20 ALUMNI BULLETIN
CONVENT & STUART HALL
OUR MISSION Convent & Stuart Hall educates mind, Heart and body, animating a zeal for discovery, inspiring a passion for justice and nurturing the strength to transform.
FRONT COVER: Chef and restaurateur Kathy Fang ’00’96 in the kitchen of her SoMa restaurant, Fang. LEFT TO RIGHT: The heart appears at the center of “Welcome Home,” a painting that hangs behind the front desk of the Flood Mansion. A portrait of the Class of 1897 in their graduation gowns hangs above the stairs in the Flood Mansion.
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Message from the President
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Message from the Alumni Association President
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Making History: Mark Farrell SHB’88
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Alumni Reunion 2019
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Alumni in Media
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A San Francisco Legacy: Remembering Dr. C. Allen Wall
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From the Archives
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Welcome Home: A Tribute to Sacred Heart Education
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Welcome Home Up Close
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Tradition Meets Innovation in the Kitchen of Kathy Fang ’00’96
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Faculty Alumni Spotlight
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News and Notes
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Alumni in Rome
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Words of Wisdom
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Class of 2019 Graduates
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Elementary School Graduates
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Class Notes
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In Memoriam
Watch the 2018–19 strategic plan video for a review of the programs, initiatives and accomplishments that are shaping the school’s future. sacredsf.org/presidents-report
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The shared heritage of realizing the best in children, rooted in faith and united in love, evolves and endures in San Francisco. –President Ann Marie Krejcarek
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From left to right: Former Director of Schools Dr. Mary Magnano Smith, former faculty member Marilyn Charm and President Krejcarek enjoy time together at the 2019 Alumni Reunion.
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M E S S A G E F RO M TH E P R ESI DENT
Dr. Ann Marie Krejcarek Dear Alumni and Friends, This Bulletin features alumni who have pursued careers that put them and/or their work front and center in the public eye. Across a wide range of professions, including politics, media, photography, journalism and entrepreneurship, alumni have been “impelled to action” in careers that vibrantly engage the minds, hearts and values of their audiences and patrons. St. Madeleine Sophie Barat and Janet Erskine Stuart were known to be women of great intellect, faith and action. They each had very strong skills in communicating the vision and mission of the Society of the Sacred Heart and left behind thousands of pieces of writing in which they clearly express their values and hopes for the education that was at the core of the order’s work. They wanted Sacred Heart graduates to be people who would reveal the love of God to the world and be transformative agents. They lived their lives out loud, drawing others to live the mission of the Society. This school year’s theme of Heritage invites us to look back at the writings of our founding mothers, St. Madeleine Sophie, St. Rose Philippine Duchesne and Janet Erskine Stuart. In doing so, we see how they charged those who would follow in their footsteps to commit to an education that is relevant and necessary today. “Education must be concerned not only with studies but also with whatever may be required for the right ordering of life and requirements of a cultivated society.” –St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, RSCJ As you may know, on the occasion of Mary Mardel’s, RSCJ, 100th birthday, we commissioned an artwork titled “Welcome Home,” which is now installed at the entrance to the Flood Mansion. This piece was intended to capture through art the essence of Christ’s Heart — Sacred Heart as universal and cosmic — as well as the artifacts that tell the story of the Society. This edition of the Bulletin features insight and reflections on the piece by both Sr. Mardel and the artist, Caleb Duarte. As I write this letter, our sophomore class has just returned from the seventh annual President’s Sophomore Class Costa Rica trip. The first class to have experienced the trip will graduate this year from college, and some may soon be featured in the Bulletin themselves. In these pages, alumni from different schools and different generations reflect on the Sacred Heart traditions they recall most fondly. The Costa Rica trip may one day join those ranks, as the shared heritage of realizing the best in children, rooted in faith and united in love, evolves and endures in San Francisco. Sincerely,
Dr. Ann Marie Krejcarek President Convent & Stuart Hall
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M E S S AG E F RO M TH E ALU M N I ASSOCIATION P R ESI D EN T
Patricia Munter ’86 Dear Fellow Alumni and Friends, I am honored to introduce myself to the Convent & Stuart Hall alumni community as your new Alumni Association President. A graduate of Convent High School, I am also a current parent and a former Trustee. We were thrilled last year when our daughter Kate elected to commit early to the high school, and I love seeing her thrive in the community that was so formative in my own life.
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One of the first initiatives I was tasked with when I served on the Board was to help lead the school’s SHCOG (Sacred Heart Committee on Goals) reflection. For the first time, we were asked to reflect as a single institution and not as four separate schools with a common campus. It has been nearly 10 years since that process revealed the opportunities for Convent & Stuart Hall to embrace the philosophy of four schools, one community. I have watched all the progress that has been made, have seen elementary school families show up to cheer on the high school football team and the Stuart Hall seniors rally the student section for Convent’s homecoming volleyball game. I truly believe we all — the students, faculty and alumni alike — are better served by the unity and camaraderie of this shared identity. Over the past several years, an alumni taskforce with representation from across all divisions has worked to shape the vision for a new Alumni Association that will echo the four-school, one community spirit of Convent & Stuart Hall. With this new initiative, we seek to honor the unique traditions and heritage of each division while embracing a common ethos. We plan to modernize alumni networking and communication with online tools and continued social media outreach while providing plenty of opportunities to join together in community on campus. Most of all, we hope to continue to foster a lifelong relationship with each member of the alumni community. Sincerely,
Patricia Munter ’86
ABOVE: Patricia’s senior class picture from the 1986 Convent High School yearbook.
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We hope to continue to foster a lifelong relationship with each member of the alumni community. –Patricia Munter ’86
MARK MARK FARRELL FARRELL
CONVENT & STUART HALL
MAKING HISTORY
With a retrospective that looks back on his time as a student at Stuart Hall, Mark Farrell SHB’88 recalls the early influences in a political career that led to his appointment as the 44th mayor of San Francisco. ELIAS FELDMAN, MULTIMEDIA COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
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Mark Farrell compares becoming mayor of San Francisco to being a first-time parent. No matter how much you know or how hard you prepare, “There’s no way to be ready,” he says. By the time he was sworn in on January 23, 2018, Mark, a two-term District 2 Supervisor, had what he calls a “healthy exposure” to City Hall. But even with former mayor Ed Lee and the likes of California Governor Gavin Newsom offering him valuable advice early in his political career, Mark admits he needed an adjustment period.
the “strategic agility to respond to an ever-changing world” is at the heart of the plan. That same agility that Mark leaned on while stepping into uncharted territory is what the plan calls upon faculty to imbue in each of our students.
Not surprisingly, Mark explains, every day as mayor is different. “It’s 9 to 5, but it’s also at midnight, getting calls about fires.” As is clear from his record, Mark entered City Hall prepared to tackle an ambitious agenda. The ability to thrive in the face of uncertainty, he adds, is a big reason why he was able to accomplish most of his short-term goals.
“It really strikes me how Convent & Stuart Hall is preparing our children to embrace change,” Mark says. “It’s no longer the classroom setting of five rows of 10 desks and rote memorization; it’s a different way of teaching, a different way of learning, and I think it’s necessary in today’s environment. I’m incredibly proud of the educational approach our school is taking.”
As an alumnus, Trustee and current parent of three elementary students — one of whom, 30 years later, had the same third grade teacher in the same classroom as his father — Mark is keenly familiar with the school’s strategic plan, Looking Ahead with 2020 Vision, and its mandate to espouse a continuous approach to learning. Developing an “agile culture of robust engagement” and
Looking back on his time as a student at Stuart Hall in the 1980s, Mark most vividly remembers volunteering with senior citizens. “It fosters the desire to get involved in your community,” he says, referring to the service and social awareness components of a Sacred Heart education. “It was a huge part of ultimately why I got into public life and felt a real calling to it.”
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After starting his career as a lawyer and investment banker before co-founding a venture capital firm, Mark honed his political chops as Supervisor by finding new ways of thinking about old problems. He became mayor at a time when, he says, “The city needed a calming effect.” Mark continues, “There were a lot of pressing issues from public safety to homelessness to the cleanliness of our streets that needed a lot of attention, and I felt like in six months I could do what was right and leave the city in a better place.” As mayor, Mark says he was often asked, “How can I get involved?” His answer sheds light on the reason he decided to pursue public service. “I would tell them, ‘Think about what you’re passionate about and engage with that.’” For Mark, that foundation came at Stuart Hall. “I firmly believe that the more you get engaged in our community, the more you get out of it,” he says. “The gift I was given as a child of Schools of the Sacred Heart is so unique in San Francisco, with the values we hold dear as a community, combined with a desire to continue to challenge ourselves and break the mold.” Sometimes the enormity of it hits him. When Mark starts to reminisce about his tenure as mayor of the city he grew up in, he takes a long pause. “I left City Hall on the last day without a single regret,” he says. “I knew I would look back on it incredibly fondly.”
It really strikes me how Convent & Stuart Hall is preparing our children to embrace change.
LEFT TO RIGHT: Mayor Mark Farrell SHB ’88 speaking at a rally at Civic Center Plaza. Mark with Convent alumna and former San Francisco mayor, Dianne Feinstein ’51. The Farrell family waves to onlookers at the 2018 Chinese New Year Parade. Mark throws out the first pitch before a San Francisco Giants game with his family looking on.
–Mark Farrell SHB’88
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ALUMNI REUNION 2019 On September 21, the alumni community returned to campus to attend Mass, take master classes, have lunch in the Flood Mansion and enjoy reminiscing with faculty and friends. Later in the day, many attended the Stuart Hall High School football game and tailgate party at Kezar Stadium.
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Convent & Stuart Hall is grateful to the following alumni donors who have given consistently for four years or more: Mr. Joseph M. Alioto Jr. SHB’86 Mrs. Angelina Alioto-Grace CES’84 Mrs. Michela A. Alioto-Pier ’86’82 Mrs. Aimee Antonio Evangelista CES’91 Mr. Gregory Maxwell Applegarth SHB’78 Mr. Randolf Arguelles SHB’82 Mrs. Dorthea Baffico Kaz ’82 Mr. Patrick V. Barber SHB’80 Mrs. Barbara Biancalana ’70 Ms. Brenda Brooks Fitch ’66’62 Ms. Francesca Brunner-Kennedy ’80’76 Ms. Ana Carcache Newcomb ’92 Mrs. Barbara Carroll Robinson ’68’64 Ms. Sheila Casey ’83’79 Ms. Victoria Chekene CES’95 Mr. Stephen Cheung SHB’84 Ms. Pamela Chia CES’99 Ms. Charlene Chuang ’01’97 Dr. Henry Chun SHB’81 Mrs. Cherie “Cookie” Conway Cattaneo CES’67 Mr. Ronald Conway SHB’66 Ms. Isabella Coolins ’16’12 Mr. Andrew Cooper IV SHB’96 Ms. Debbie Cucalon ’73 Ms. Helene de Baubigny CES’81 Ms. Lokelani Devone ’74’70 Mrs. Ann Ducharme Kozlovsky ’79’75 Mrs. Lourdes Duterte Livingston ’72 Mrs. Mary “Mollie” Baldwin Ede Foley ’79 Mrs. Jacqueline Farrell Sciarrillo ’64’60 Mr. Mark E. Farrell SHB’88 Mrs. Patricia Feeney Gallagher ’76’72 Mr. Andrew Fejt ’12 Ms. Veronica Flanagan ’80’76 Dr. Anne Fung CES’85
Convent & Stuart Hall alumni gathered in New York City in early November with President Ann Marie Krejcarek, left, and other administrators. Please email photos of your alumni get-togethers to alumni@sacredsf.org so we can promote our connections near and far. Ms. Sarah Garlinghouse ’94 Ms. Nora L. Gibson CES’80 Mr. Christopher Glaub SHB’78 Ms. Karen Glaub CES’80 Ms. Jennifer Gotti ’79’75 Mr. Daniel M. Grace SHB’83 Mrs. Ann Gray Miller ’62’58 Mrs. Maureen Harty Specchierla ’61’57 Mr. Devin Harvey ’13 Mr. Erik J. Hom SHB’79 Dr. Kambridge Hribar CES’91 Ms. Kandice Hribar CES’93 Ms. Arline M. Klatte ’82’78 Mr. Tucker Kocher SHB’06 Ms. Freda Kong Kwan ’91 Ms. Sydney La Londe Blumenkranz CES’00 Mrs. Maria Lastreto Larrenaga ’68’64 Mrs. Michelle Lastreto O’Neal ’64’60 Ms. Bridget Leach CES’91 Ms. Meagan Levitan ’83’79 Mrs. Diana Ilo Liu Peng ’84 Ms. Fiona MacDonald Johnson CES’04 Ms. Carolyn Mahoney ’64’60 Ms. Sylvia Mak CES’94 Ms. Rosalind Marsalli McLean ’61’57 Mary Lou McDonald Myers ’56’52 Mrs. Martha McEnerney Brigham CES’51 Ms. Molly McGrath CES’80 Mrs. Casey McGrath Giarman ’82’78 Mr. Leon Metz III SHB’92 Mr. William “Bill” H. Miller SHB’62 Mr. Gregory P. Mohr SHB’73 Mrs. Susan Mohun ’87 Mr. Joseph Morford III SHB’81 Mrs. Lauren Morgensen Kanouse ’99’95 Mr. Miles Mulcare SHB’96 Mr. Peter Mundy SHB’75 Mrs. Carol Munstermann Williamson ’58 Ms. Patricia Munter ’86
Ms. Virginia Murillo ’48’44 Ms. Claire L. Myers ’76 Mr. Kazunori I. Nakada SHB’90 Mr. Brendan Nemeth SHB’95 Mr. Jonathan Newsome Sr. SHB’86 Mrs. Brenda O’Connor MacLean ’63 Mrs. Barbara O’Dea McGettigan ’59 Dr. Helen O’Keeffe Vajk ’60 Mrs. Nancy Onorato Kelleher ’55’51 Ms. Adrienne Osterloh Zanini ’66 Mrs. Anne Paolini-Mori ’85’81 Mr. Hiten R. Patel SHB’89 Dr. Meeta Patel ’92 Mrs. D’Arcy Pettus Owens ’72 Mr. Brian Proses SHB’90 Ms. Tara Proses ’90’86 Mr. Brendan Raven SHB’95 Mrs. Jacqueline Rescalvo Apple ’82’78 Mrs. Roselyn Reynolds Caselli ’73 Ms. Claudia Roarke Romano ’67’63 Ms. Marisa Rodriguez ’87’83 Mr. Adam Roth SHB’83 Ms. Amanda Scdoris Walker CES’91 Mr. Jack A. Sheehy SHB’98 Mr. Joshua Smith SHB’88 Mrs. Sharon Smith Bullard CES’64 Mrs. Lorraine Smith Scullion ’76’72 Mr. Michael J. St. Marie SHB’99 Mr. Mitchell St. Peter SHB’98 Mrs. Deirdre Stack Pharr CES’84 Dr. Eddie Tang SHB’80 Mr. David Thacher SHB’70 Mr. William Tseng SHB’80 Mrs. Jeanne Vecchiola Asdourian ’79 Mr. Joseph Veronese SHB’87 Mrs. Heide Walsh Kurtz ’76’72 Mrs. Margaret Watson Hartnett ’49’45 Mrs. Claire Whalen Bogaard ’56’52 Dr. Connie Yu Ludwig CES’92
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ALUMNI IN MEDIA ELIAS FELDMAN, MULTIMEDIA COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
The media industry is rapidly changing — digital news, film, television and photography look nothing like they once did. Here’s a look at four alumni who are adapting and thriving in the fast-paced world of media and entertainment.
Andrew Lofholm ’07
General Assignment Reporter, West Palm Beach, FL
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As a kid growing up across the Golden Gate Bridge in Kentfield, Andrew Lofholm ’07 and his mother had a nightly ritual of watching the 10 o’clock news together. And when the latest issue of Sports Illustrated would arrive in the mail, Andrew always read it from cover to cover. “I loved stories and how they’re told,” Andrew recalls. “I knew I had to do something story- and media-related for as long as I can remember.” Now as a general assignment reporter for WPTV in West Palm Beach, Florida, Andrew tells stories every day. Like many aspiring reporters, Andrew polished his craft at a small-market television station in Casper, Wyoming before stepping into a substantially larger market in San Antonio, Texas. In 2016, he arrived at WPTV as a general assignment reporter, covering everything from city council meetings and court cases to crime scenes and hurricanes. “Anything that people are talking about, I cover it,” Andrew says. “Sometimes we even tell good news.” When asked to name a few of his favorite stories, Andrew mentions two that have had a lasting impact. He followed a beloved high school teacher whose cancer fight mobilized an entire community to donate enough sick days for him to stay home and recover for a full semester. And he reported on a veteran who was denied disability pay despite proof that his cancer was related to his military service. When Andrew asked the Department of Veterans Affairs to comment on the story, they gave the veteran his benefits and backdated them so he could retire. For Andrew, providing “a voice to people who wouldn’t otherwise have one” is a personal commitment rooted in his experience at Stuart Hall High School. “From the service projects to retreats, I came to understand that there are so
many people out there who not only have a story to tell, but who need an advocate to be heard,” he says. Living — and being a reporter — in Florida means that when a storm is born, it immediately becomes the top story. “No matter their political views, people are thankful for us,” Andrew says, referring to the aroundthe-clock coverage that he and his station provide whenever a storm bears down on the state. “We’ll stay in the elements as long as it’s safe,” he explains. “When the eye of the hurricane gets close, we take shelter like everyone else. Once it passes, we assess the mess and report on it.” In addition to TV, Andrew creates content for social media, the web and even Amazon Alexa. Across today’s changing media landscape, Andrew says one core skill applies to every platform: writing. “As soon as you think you’re good at writing, write some more,” he says. “News media has odd hours and starting out, the pay is low. But a good day telling stories is better than a good day doing almost anything else.”
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Fintech Reporter and Anchor, New York, NY
When Tanaya Macheel ’08 moved to New York City from Paris after a yearlong internship at The International New York Times, she found herself watching a lot of Bloomberg News, closely following the significant ups and downs of Bitcoin’s price. It was the early days of the virtual currency and she was intrigued. “It became obvious to me pretty quickly,” Tanaya says, “that even if Bitcoin disappeared in a few years it would still be relevant at the time and for a while. So I bet at least the first part of my career on that trend.” Questions about Bitcoin’s sustainability aside, Tanaya hastens to say, “I just wanted to be a business reporter.” Seeing an opportunity to launch her journalism career, she soon landed her first job at CoinDesk, the leading news outlet for all things related to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Even with her penchant for learning, “Covering crypto demands a lot of patience and selfteaching [because] the industry is very young and no one is an expert yet,” Tanaya says, adding, “I never anticipated I’d become such a mental gymnast.” To keep up with the dizzying events of an ever-changing industry, Tanaya has proven herself an adept and fast learner. “On a daily basis I’m learning something in history, finance, computer science, sociology, law and politics, all just to understand something about money that didn’t exist five or even two years ago,” she says. And each year, she explains, “new players enter the industry with ideas and concepts that render everything I knew
until that point obsolete.” After stops at two industry-specific publications as a reporter and editor, Tanaya was hired at Cheddar, a livestreaming financial news network, as a journalistof-all-trades covering the future of money and finance. As cryptocurrency was getting bigger and demanding broader news coverage, Tanaya says she wanted to do her part “to close the education gap.” Befitting her expertise in the industry, she does everything from writing stories for the Cheddar website to hosting a weekly cryptocurrency show and appearing on a variety of other shows to conduct interviews and discuss the news of the day. She also books guests and leads production efforts for her show as well as others. So how does Tanaya make complex and nuanced ideas relatable for her audience? She often seeks feedback from friends and family as well as her colleagues. “I’ll ask, ‘What part of this is most interesting to you?’ or ‘What part of this story would you like to understand more?’” Tanaya says, adding that “empathy is key” when reporting on a continually inventive industry. Away from the newsroom, Tanaya takes and teaches fitness classes and sits on the Young Professionals Board of Figure Skating in Harlem, an after-school enrichment program for young women of color. Reflecting on her experience at Convent, Tanaya says, “It’s helped make me passionate about helping women and girls realize their strength and share it with each other.”
TANAYA MACH EEL
Tanaya Macheel ’08
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Matthew Shain SHB’92 Photographer, San Francisco, CA
Long before Matthew Shain SHB’92 discovered his love for photography, he clearly recalls opening his Stuart Hall for Boys report cards and reading the comments. “I spent too much time staring out the window,” Matthew says of the feedback he received. Despite the critique, he adds, “I have no doubt that each and every one of the teachers was 100 percent there for us, the kids. Some were harder than others, some more fun, but all were fair.” As it turns out, Matthew has, to some extent, made a career out of looking out a window. “There’s more to it than meets the eye,” he says.
once stood. What started with four former monument sites in New Orleans, followed by a trip to Baltimore to photograph four more empty plinths, eventually became far more ambitious. “I realized I would have to travel to as many of these sites as possible for this to be an effective and meaningful body of work,” he says. One year later, Matthew had photographed nearly all of the sites where statues and busts had been removed in 12 states, while traveling through twice as many.
Matthew, a self-proclaimed late bloomer who earned his MFA in Visual Art from UC Riverside in 2012, sees photography not as a frill, but as a tool for philosophical exploration. After working closely with MacArthur Fellow Uta Barth as an artist assistant while living in Los Angeles, he moved to New Orleans to teach photography at Tulane University and found himself confronting the legacies of slavery and Jim Crow. That history, he says, “is far more tangible in a place like New Orleans than I had ever seen before. I felt a need to respond.” At the same time, cities across the South began removing controversial Confederate monuments and memorials from public spaces. “Suddenly, my personal interests and my artistic interests aligned,” Matthew adds.
2018 Aperture Summer Show in New York City, and featured in New York Magazine and Time. “It seems people have responded to the void that the removed statues leave behind,” he points out. “That space is the space for truth, for reconciliation, for more honest conversations about our history, and the space for opportunity to redefine our public space and historical narratives. I think people have been excited by that potential.”
Matthew’s black and white photographs have been exhibited at the 2019 Atlanta Biennial and the
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What emerged was his “Post-Monuments” project. As statues of generals and slaveholders came off their pedestals, Matthew photographed the sites where they
If “Post-Monuments” provides some insight into Matthew’s ethos as a photographer, the project brings into view his inclination to capture subjects that can’t be seen with the naked eye. So it makes sense that his advice to students considering a career as a photographer or visual artist is to “be very curious.” Since moving back to San Francisco last year, Matthew has enjoyed exploring the Bay Area all over again.
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Troy Dangerfield ’07 Screenwriter, Los Angeles, CA
Back in January of last year, Troy was selected as one of 10 up-and-coming television writers who each, in consultation with established writers and producers, developed an original pilot during an intensive 10-week program. “After you get over the shock of meeting a revered writer and the vulnerability and anxiety of them reading your work, you begin talking story,” Troy says of his weekly critique sessions. “Quickly you realize that you speak the same language, but have fewer tools.” He admits that the process of “finding solutions to problems in a script” was challenging, but says, “I am an exponentially better writer because of it.” His subsequent signing with a management company that represents writers and directors at the highest levels of entertainment, including the likes of Tarell Alvin McCraney, who wrote Best Picture Oscar winner Moonlight, provides some evidence of Troy’s ascendance as a writer. “It’s a very cool and new business relationship that has been career-changing,” he says. With the goal of getting his TV pilot scripts produced as series, Troy has had pitch meetings with almost every major network and dozens of production companies. Troy traces his growth as a writer to high school, where, he says, an emphasis on good writing was ubiquitous. “I felt even in math class that writing was part of the process,” Troy recalls. “And Social Justice with Ray O’Connor had more writing than classes I took in college.” At school and in his free time, Troy started developing narratives through poetry, a creative process he still leans on while writing screenplays. “Now the stories feel the same, it’s just getting them down on paper that is the work,” he says. To stack the deck in his favor, Troy has a knack for creating stories and worlds that are totally original and unique. In Tokens, a comedy web series that
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he wrote, produced and starred in, and which he recently turned into a 30-minute TV pilot, Troy cleverly taps into his personal experience. “It’s about a young African American who has spent most of his life in predominantly white spaces and sets out to find a black community where he is truly accepted,” he explains. “It focuses on the comedy and awkward moments that happen when you are the only ‘other’ in a room.” Ultimately, Troy adds, “I hope everyone can identify with the desire to find their own cultural community.” But the project Troy is most excited about is an hourlong Afrofuturism sci-fi pilot called the LeVoy Chronicles. It’s the tale of a new planet struggling with the conflict between religion and technology. “It’s the kind of story I always wanted to write, and the response has been very positive,” he says. The secret ingredient for aspiring screenplay writers, according to Troy, is to do what he did repeatedly this year: finish a script and seek feedback. “Whether it’s a good script, bad script, web series or movie, it doesn’t matter,” he says. “It’s not easy, but that’s how artists grow, and it takes courage.”
To read in-depth interviews with alumni featured in this article as well as others, visit sacredsf.org/alumni/alumni-stories. Our Alumni Stories series provides updates about personal milestones and what alumni have been achieving in their careers across a variety of fields.
TROY DANGER F I ELD
Troy Dangerfield ’07 has had a busy year, even by Hollywood standards. He finished writing three television pilots, participated in the Television Academy’s inaugural Young Writers to Watch program and is working on completing a feature film.
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Remembering a Longtime Sacred Heart Family KATHLEEN ESLING, ASSOCIATE LIBRARIAN
The Rossi and Wall families are closely woven into the fabric of Convent & Stuart Hall. With the recent passing of Dr. C. Allen Wall, we celebrate his family’s contributions to education in San Francisco. The Rossi and Wall families have been educated at Convent & Stuart Hall since its founding in San Francisco in 1887, with generational roots at the school that run deep and continue to this day. When Dr. C. Allen Wall, whose mother Albina Rossi Wall 1917 attended the school when it was located on Jackson Street, passed
that is now practiced worldwide. Concurrently, he held prominent positions at St. Mary’s, including chief of surgery and president of the medical staff. Meanwhile, his daughters Elizabeth Wall Hanson ’78, Catherine Wall Brooks ’79 and Diana Wall, RSCJ, ’82 were very active in Convent High School student activities. Not only did the Wall sisters and their paternal grandmother attend Convent High School, but Albina’s six sisters, including Esther Rossi 1906, along with numerous cousins are also alumnae of the school. Esther was a particularly devoted member of the Sacred Heart community. As founder and president of the Associated Alumnae of the Sacred Heart (AASH) during World War II, she organized a drive to assist Network convents and Sacred Heart schools in Europe affected by the devastation of the war. From 1943 to 1947, North American Sacred Heart students and alumnae raised $517,000 under her leadership, equivalent to more than $6 million today.
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away this past April at the age of 90, he left behind an extraordinary legacy — not just of bold leadership and innovation in healthcare, but also in his numerous philanthropic efforts as well as his place at the nexus of a family that flourished in Sacred Heart and Jesuit education in San Francisco. Following his studies at Saint Ignatius, the University of San Francisco and Saint Louis University’s medical school, Dr. Wall served as a captain in the United States Army before returning home to practice medicine. He became one of the forefathers in the field of vascular surgery. In the 1970s, during his tenure at St. Mary’s Hospital (1957–2006), Dr. Wall helped develop the transluminal angioplasty, a procedure to widen blocked arteries
Esther’s contributions to education in San Francisco live on through gifts made in her name by the Rossi and Wall families. The University of San Francisco’s Lone Mountain building has a Rossi Wing named for Esther and, at Convent & Stuart Hall, the Esther Rossi Excellence Award is presented annually to an employee who has made outstanding contributions to the school’s tradition of excellence, focused particularly on Goal 4 of the Goals and Criteria: the building of community as a Christian value. The award, established in 1989, continues to grow thanks to the support of Esther’s relatives. Convent & Stuart Hall extends its deepest sympathies to the loved ones of Dr. Wall for their great loss. We continue to celebrate this family’s remarkable contributions to our school.
ABOVE: Dr. C. Allen Wall with his three daughters, all of whom are Convent High School alumnae.
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FROM THE ARCHIVES Building upon the extraordinary work of former Director of Schools Mary Mardel, RSCJ, and alumnae archivists Mary Ashe ’48 and Virginia Murillo ’48 ’44, Convent & Stuart Hall is digitizing its archives. Showcasing our Sacred Heart history and heritage, Convent & Stuart Hall librarians are creating a new online presence for the school’s archives. Friends of the community can now discover the documents, images and artifacts that have shaped our cherished identity. We invite you to search this new database to find archival treasures such as class photos dating to the 1800s, school registers, student workbooks submitted to the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, letters and photos documenting the history of our school buildings and countless other items. Digitization of our archives is underway with the help of a dedicated team of high school interns. To access the archives, please visit sacredsf.pastperfectonline.com.
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WELCOME HOME A TRIBUTE TO SACRED HEART EDUCATION
Informed by Mary Mardel, RSCJ, the painting represents the past and future of Convent & Stuart Hall, as well as Sacred Heart education around the world. On April 23, 2018, Convent & Stuart Hall unveiled a major art installation titled “Welcome Home” inside the front entrance of the Flood Mansion. The sculptural painting, which is 10 feet wide and five feet tall and hangs behind the reception desk, is the culmination of seven months of collaboration between artist Caleb Duarte, the Visual Arts and Theology Department faculty, Mary Ann (Sis) Flynn, RSCJ, Mary Mardel, RSCJ, the Alumni Office and the President’s Office.
In the bicentennial year of Sacred Heart education in America, and around the time of Sr. Mardel’s 100th birthday, President Ann Marie Krejcarek commissioned Mr. Duarte to create a visual representation specific to the school. In October 2017, he met with Sr. Mardel and Sr. Flynn at the Oakwood Retirement Center in Atherton to hear their vision for the project. “Anything that we have has to have the heart in some way,” Sr. Mardel said during the meeting. “I don’t
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President Ann Marie Krejcarek, left, with Sr. Mardel, in front of “Welcome Home.”
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It represents the love of the Heart, the love of the spirit of the school and Sacred Heart education. –Sr. Mardel
necessarily mean the shape, but the sense of heart, because that’s what we are — meaning love.” Mr. Duarte, whose installations have appeared in museums and public spaces around the world, is known for his distinctive use of materials, often working with themes that have a social or political bent. “Art for me is about deconstructing our sense of reality,” he says. “The element of faith, or the belief in the goodness of humanity, is at its core.” In addition to creating an artistic focal point for the main entrance of the Broadway campus, the project provided an opportunity for International Baccalaureate high school art students to offer feedback and make suggestions for Mr. Duarte to consider. “It was a great opportunity for students to see
the complexity of an art commission for a distinct community and also for them to observe the role of the artist to ultimately lead with their talent and aesthetic,” says Visual Arts Department Chair Rachel McIntire, who has collaborated with Mr. Duarte previously and recommended him for this project. “I hope it moves people,” says Mr. Duarte, adding, “I hope people can contemplate with the object.” Speaking after the installation was complete, Sr. Mardel said, “I think it’s very striking — it makes you think about it. It represents the love of the Heart, the love of the spirit of the school and Sacred Heart education.” TURN THE PAGE TO DISCOVER MORE ABOUT THE INSPIRATION BEHIND EACH ASPECT OF THE COMPOSITION.
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WELCOME HOME UP CLOSE With its triptych configuration that fits precisely between two Flood Mansion Corinthian columns, “Welcome Home” greets all guests to Convent & Stuart Hall. Mary Mardel, RSCJ, and artist Caleb Duarte reflect on the meaning and inspiration behind different aspects of the painting.
I worked with the library archivists Reba Sell and Alyson Barrett to find images of RSCJ. Sr. Mardel noticed I had drawn the incorrect habits, and I returned to fix the artwork as quickly as I could. — Mr. Duarte Founded in 1800 by St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, the Society of the Sacred Heart now has over 2,000 Religious of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ) serving in 41 countries.
I hope guests will recognize the Schools of the Sacred Heart, what its purpose has been, what the education has been, and that it’s an international order. There’s a lot of symbolism. I think it’s very striking; there is so much meaning in it when you look at it. I think when we talked about naming the piece, we all agreed that we wanted it to be welcoming. We wanted to represent the love of the Heart and the love of the spirit of the school and the education. — Sr. Mardel 18
I would describe “Welcome Home” as just that, a work of art that is intended to welcome all to a place as precious and sacred as home. Home is universal, as is the love of Sacred Heart. I wanted to provide a sense of inspiration and project the overall encompassing sense of a faith’s warmth and loving embrace. That, combined with the language of art, poetry, architecture and music, engages the audience with signs of historical erasure, resurfacing, renewing, retelling, spiritually growing and evolving as an organization and as individuals. Ideally, the images and symbolism take the viewer deeper in a shared and individual experience with Schools of the Sacred Heart. — Mr. Duarte St. Rose Philippine Duchesne set sail from France on the Rebecca in 1818. Her journey represents the vision of our foundresses to bring Sacred Heart education to children worldwide. The first Sacred Heart school outside Europe was opened later that same year in St. Charles, Missouri.
Timeless and still, these women represent the founding mothers and pose in a welcoming gesture. Their expression is serene, calm and confident. — Mr. Duarte
The central ethereal figures pose in a peaceful gesture that emanates the Sacred Heart promise: You come as you are and are cared for with great love.
It stands for Philippine Duchesne, one of our great leaders — the first RSCJ to come to this country 200 years ago — so I think it’s very important. — Sr. Mardel
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This Heart stands for love. We’re consecrated to discovering and sharing the love of Christ — that’s what our whole mission is. To have it represented, it should be — as I think it is here — in a dominant position, because it’s the purpose of the whole school. — Sr. Mardel The Society of the Sacred Heart emblem illuminates from the cosmos, balanced compositionally by the Mardel chalice, rooting the artwork to the school’s history.
Silhouettes of Mater Admirabilis welcome each viewers’ personal interpretation, while white silhouettes with a stag and elephant inside them represent Christ’s love throughout the world.
The work, without a preconceived image of Mater or Christ, allows the viewer to contemplate their personal vision of love, something that in the tradition of the RSCJ, is expansive and invites wonder. — Mr. Duarte
These children stand for the central mission of the Society of the Sacred Heart, as well as students, past and present, whose lives have been shaped by Sacred Heart education in San Francisco.
The children are our work. I made five vows: poverty, chastity, obedience and the education of youth. And in the old days we made an additional vow, the promise of stability. We make a vow of education because that’s our work. It’s really essential to somehow have education [represented]. — Sr. Mardel Aside from the fact that I know what chalice it is, it speaks of the eucharist, which is very essential in our faith. It means a lot to me just because I love the chalice. — Sr. Mardel
This is a reference to the indigenous weaving of the world which represents the endless strength and honor of craft, textiles and stories. — Mr. Duarte Textile patterns made by students at our sister schools in Korea, India, England, Mexico, Chile and Uganda infuse the artwork with Sacred Heart internationality.
Commissioned by Sr. Mardel in honor of her mother, father and brother, this chalice was gifted to the school and is used in the Mary Mardel, RSCJ Chapel for First Communion and other special services. The sacred vessel has family names engraved on the bottom and a stone from the engagement ring of Sr. Mardel’s mother beautifully inlaid on the side.
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TRADITION MEETS INNOVATION 20
With a nod to her distinguished culinary family, Kathy Fang ’00’96 draws inspiration from her childhood growing up in her parents’ beloved Chinatown restaurant, while blazing her own trail with a blend of new ingredients and flavors.
How did you discover your passion for cooking? Ever since I was young I have loved cooking. I would stand on a chair and beg to do even the most mundane kitchen tasks, such as washing vegetables or slicing ginger or green onions for my parents. The day my grandmother let me cook one dish all by myself, from start to finish, was one of my proudest moments as a child. Moments like that, along with my desire to try to make anything I loved eating on my own, made it very apparent to me that cooking would play a huge part in my life.
When did you realize you wanted to turn your childhood food experiences into a culinary career? When I was growing up, following my passion, which felt like a hobby at the time, wasn’t encouraged. Finding a stable and admirable job was what was expected of me, and being a chef didn’t fit that mold. I grew up
thinking how glamorous it would be to work in the corporate world, walking around in a power suit holding a briefcase. It wasn’t until I went into the corporate world that I realized I had made a huge mistake not pursuing the one thing I loved most. I didn’t feel excitement or have any desire for growth at the companies where I worked. It was depressing. I knew then that I had to get out and just go do what I love most.
How is Fang different from the restaurant your parents opened? Well, for one, Fang is much bigger than House of Nanking, which seats around 40 guests. Fang seats up to 350 guests at one time. Fang is also more modern and hip; we have a full bar and a very open dining space where people can feel comfortable just hanging out while dining on delicious Chinese food and throwing back some drinks. House of Nanking, on the other hand, has an old iconic feel. It still has a lot of the old elements
LEFT TO RIGHT: At home in Kathy’s kitchen. One of many statues decorating her SoMa restaurant. Kathy on The Today Show with Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford.
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dating back 30 years, along with all the press and awards we’ve collected hanging on the walls. It’s small, crowded and loud. You wait a long time to get in, only to have one of the quickest, most delicious Chinese meals of your life in under 30 minutes.
hands, everything fell into place and I got this sense of controlled excitement. I used that energy to focus on the task at hand. And when I won, it was just an incredible moment. I felt proud, excited, anxious and validated all at the same time.
How do you choose new ingredients and dishes for your menu?
What advice would you give parents who want to cook with their children at home?
I find inspiration for new dishes and ingredients through traveling and experiencing other cuisines. I learn so much from eating food that’s not Chinese, and when I combine these flavors and ingredients with Chinese dishes, it helps me be more creative. I also travel to Hong Kong and Shanghai regularly just to check out their food trends because it’s always evolving over there.
Start as early as possible, and don’t be a control freak in the kitchen! Let your kids take control so they can have a sense of ownership and pride over the food they make. Encourage them to be creative with food and ask them for input on how they would like to prepare a certain dish you’re serving. And finally, make it a fun family activity. Try making your own pancakes or pizza or pie, something you all can work on together while putting your own spin on it.
In addition to running Fang, what else keeps you busy? I’m a new mom, so that’s been a big life change! My baby girl definitely keeps me busy. She’s also inspired me to start a new business venture. Early last year I launched a baby food business as a passion project. I’ve been working on Bon Petit Baby Food during my breaks between lunch and dinner service at Fang. The rest of the time I try to devote to my baby girl, my husband, friends and family. I also write about food, fitness and health for various publications. I’m always trying to stay on top of trends in these categories since they all play a huge role in my life. And finally, when time allows, I do occasional television appearances and food competitions.
What was it like to compete on — and win — an episode of the Food Network show Chopped? The first episode I went on was the most nerve-wracking. I worried about blanking when I saw the mystery basket; I worried that I’d forget an ingredient. I was just running through every negative situation that could occur in my mind before stepping up to compete. But once the competition began and I had the ingredients in my
CALLING LOCAL ALUMNI-OWNED BUSINESSES
What do you remember most about your time at Convent? I have so many fond memories of Convent. One of my favorite memories is decorating Easter eggs after school. We would melt wax and create designs on the eggs, dye them and then add more wax designs to dye until we ended up with really intricate Easter eggs. It was such a unique and fun way of decorating eggs that stuck with me all these years.
What do you think you’ve carried with you from your Convent days? I’ve carried a confidence and a healthy upbringing during what could have been a difficult and tumultuous time for a teenager (high school). But what really made a huge difference for me was the fact that Convent was a small, close-knit community. I knew all the girls and their families. The faculty felt like family to us because they personally knew each and every student and were greatly involved with the school, from teaching to coaching sports. By the time I graduated and entered college, I had grown into a strong and confident woman ready to take on anything. And I still feel that way when I start something new.
We are excited to continue building a directory of alumni-owned businesses in San Francisco. If you or someone you know has a business you think should be included, please email our Alumni Office at alumni@sacredsf.org.
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FACULTY ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT What is your favorite spot on campus? The Mary Mardel, RSCJ Chapel is my favorite spot on campus. The space is beautiful and also holds a special place in my heart for personal reasons. Both of my parents have passed, and each of their memorials were held in the chapel.
Why did you want to continue your professional life at the school?
Chauncey Aceret ’06 What is your current role? I am a Performing Arts faculty member at Stuart Hall for Boys, teaching Grades 3–8. 22
What is your fondest memory as a student? My fondest memory of my time at Stuart Hall High School was when our baseball team won its first championship my junior year!
I chose to work at Convent & Stuart Hall because of my family’s history at the school. I attended Stuart Hall High School and my younger brother, Ryley Aceret ’15’11, attended K–12. This community had a pivotal role in my growth as a person and as a student, and I wanted to rejoin this community as a teacher.
What does it mean to be an alumnus of Convent & Stuart Hall? Being an alumnus means I have experiences to pull from for my own teaching. It also means that I can finally give back to the community. I received so much during my youth, and now it’s time to pay that back in order to help enrich the music department and community.
What is your favorite Convent & Stuart Hall tradition? Congé
Michael St. Marie SHB’99 What is your current role? I started working for Stuart Hall in the Lower Form; I was an associate teacher in Grades 2–4. Before that, I was an ASP employee and a coach for about five years. I have been working for Convent Elementary as a Grades 7–8 History & Social Sciences teacher for about four years now.
What is your fondest memory as a student? My fondest memory of Stuart Hall for Boys is playing baseball in Grades 6–8 and winning the championship each year.
What is your favorite Convent & Stuart Hall tradition? My favorite tradition is the basketball game at Stuart Hall between the eighth grade and alumni. Although I have not played the past few years, I fondly remember competing as an eighth grader and also dominating the eighth graders as an alumnus.
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What is your favorite Convent & Stuart Hall tradition? I really, really love Noëls and always have — the beauty of the music, the way that you can mark your progress through the grades by what song you sing. I often found myself singing Noëls songs to my son as I rocked him to sleep.
What is your favorite spot on campus? The libraries, of course!
Why did you want to continue your professional life at the school?
Amanda Walker CES’91 What is your current role? I am the Library Department Chair and an Elementary School Librarian for Grades K–8.
What is your fondest memory as a student? It’s hard not to say Congé! What stands out most in my memories are the breathtaking euphoria at hearing the announcement, the sense that we were let loose to roam the school (we weren’t, of course, but it sure felt like it), the face paint, the bouncing and the cotton candy. There was so much cotton candy. I also remember planning the day as an eighth grader, and recognizing the privilege of participating in a beloved tradition and of helping to deliver joy to the younger kids.
What is your favorite spot on campus? My favorite spot on campus is the Highlands basketball court. It has a great view of the bay that I enjoy now as a teacher, and I have fantastic memories from my time there as a student.
Why did you want to continue your professional life at the school? I was inspired to teach after a few years working in ASP and as a coach. When I was offered an opportunity to teach history at Convent Elementary, I knew I had found my professional home.
Serendipity brought me back to Convent & Stuart Hall -- a confluence of good luck, timing and opportunity. But of course, there’s more to it than that. I loved my time here. And without realizing it at the outset, I positioned my change of career from publishing into education in the very environment in which I developed confidence in my ability to grow and learn new things.
What does it mean to be an alumna of Convent & Stuart Hall? I was able to visit the shrine of St. Philippine Duchesne while at a conference at Academy of the Sacred Heart, our network school in St. Charles, Missouri. The feeling that overcame me while standing at her grave was unexpected, (often overly) sensitive though I am. I was overcome with gratitude to be among those fortunate enough to benefit from the RSCJ’s wisdom, goodness and bravery. To be an alumna of Convent & Stuart Hall is to be an alumna of Sacred Heart education, which is to be connected to thousands of other women and men, girls and boys, across the world. What a thing that is!
What does it mean to be an alumnus of Convent & Stuart Hall? As a Stuart Hall for Boys student in the 1990s, I was taught not only about the subjects I studied, but more importantly to be a thinker and to reflect on myself and on my learning. As an adult, I am constantly grateful for the intellectual curiosity and the moral compass that were instilled in me during my time as a student. I hope that I can give those same gifts to the students that I am responsible for today.
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Welcoming Sally Rude The Oakwood Retirement Center opened in Atherton in Sr. Rude, left, with Sr. Pratt. 1971 as a community for elderly Religious of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ). Over the years, many sisters have made this center their home, continuing their spiritual journeys in a communal atmosphere of love, reflection and gratitude. Among the several dozen women living at Oakwood, a handful hold leadership positions to ensure activities, masses and general daily routines work according to plan.
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Sally Rude, RSCJ, was welcomed to Oakwood in March 2019 as the new Community Life Director. Sr. Rude is originally from California but has lived internationally for many years, fulfilling the Sacred Heart mission of educating the whole person and promoting justice and human development. This experience has given her a broad perspective as an educator, administrator and community member. One of Sr. Rude’s biggest responsibilities in this new role is building community among the sisters at Oakwood and in the larger Sacred Heart family around the world. Her predecessor, Clare Pratt, RSCJ, who moved to Washington, D.C. last spring to continue her ministry, peace and justice work, had held the role since 2010. We congratulate both Sr. Rude and Sr. Pratt and wish them well on their continued RSCJ journeys.
UPCOMING EVENTS March 13 & 14, 2020 Celebrate Spring Luncheon & Gala March 20, 2020 Stuart Hall for Boys Alumni Basketball Challenge March 26, 2020 Convent Elementary Alumnae Volleyball Challenge For more information about these events, visit sacredsf.org/alumni.
GOALS AND CRITERIA As a member of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools, Convent & Stuart Hall is participating in a Network-wide evaluation of the Criteria for our five Goals. Every 15 years, the Network formally fulfills the following charge from Janet Erskine Stuart, RSCJ:
“Epochs of transition keep us on the alert. They ask us to keep our eyes open upon the distant horizons, our minds listening to seize every indication that can enlighten us: reading, reflection, searching, must never stop; the mind must keep flexible in order to lose nothing ... So, let us not rest on our beautiful past.” While the Goals remain the same, the Criteria for each one shifts over time in response to our swiftly changing world. All 24 Network schools in the United States and Canada are engaging in the reflection process. As alumni, you have a unique perspective about the history and heritage of our school, and we welcome your feedback about how the Criteria can support the needs of today’s students. You can find the current Goals and Criteria in the “About” section of our website. Please send comments to alumni@sacredsf.org. Tony Farrell, Head of Stuart Hall High School, is leading our review and will be in touch with alumni who wish to participate. As we reflect on where our world is today, as well as where our students will be in the future, we continue to uphold our own community’s role in being timeless and timely.
Use the Convent & Stuart Hall LinkedIn Page to Network with Alumni LinkedIn is a great resource for Convent & Stuart Hall alumni. Use our school page to find classmates and other alumni with easy-to-use filters. Add the school to the education section of your LinkedIn profile, then select “Alumni” from the school’s LinkedIn homepage to access the Alumni Tool. From there, you can drill down into specific locations, employers, careers, majors, skills or degree of connection for all participating alumni. © Visit
linkedin.com/school/sacredheartsf to try the Alumni Tool.
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Convent & Stuart Hall Alumni Connect with the School and Each Other in Rome Barbara Dawson ’66, RSCJ, was elected Superior General of the International Society of the Sacred Heart in 2016, overseeing RSCJ communities and ministries in 41 countries across six continents. She lives and works in Villa Lante, the home that St. Madeleine Sophie Barat built during her time in Rome. With this prestigious and exciting appointment, the idea for a Convent & Stuart Hall alumni trip to Rome was born. “It was a once in a lifetime opportunity with Sr. Dawson being there,” said Nora Quattrin White ‘06, who went on the trip last spring. “We got to see Rome and also learn more about the Society of the Sacred Heart.” President Ann Marie Krejcarek, Chief Advancement Officer Sarah Leffert and a group of alumni, along with their friends and family, toured the historic city, including visits to the Sacred Heart archives, Villa Lante and the Trinità dei Monti church, the site of Rome’s first Sacred Heart school. A highlight of the trip was a private Mass in the church, which houses the original painting of “Mater,” a copy of which can be found in every Sacred Heart school around the world. Several people on the trip remarked that it was especially impactful to see the famous painting up close. “I’ve seen replicas of the painting in school so many times,” Nora said, “but the colors of the original fresco are so much more vivid than I thought they would be. It’s something I’ll remember forever.”
Sarah, who helped coordinate the trip, structured the itinerary so alumni and their guests could experience Rome in a variety of ways. She arranged food tours and cooking classes to immerse the group in the incredible cuisine of Rome. They even learned how to prepare a traditional Roman meal from chef Arianna Pasquini, an associate of renowned cookbook author Katie Parla.
“There were also breaks in the schedule and opportunities to do your own thing,” Nora, who brought friends on the trip, said. They visited the Trevi Fountain and created their own little gelato-tasting tour. “Then we would come back together and connect about what everyone did that day,” she added. Alumni and administrators dined and explored together, and had a chance to get to know one another. The trip was also meaningful for non-alumni who came along. “My wife appreciated it greatly even though she isn’t an alumna of the school,” said Gary Tom SHB ‘76. “It was amazing to be able to bring her into this connection.” True to Sacred Heart tradition, the trip was designed with an emphasis on learning, discovery and science. “Sacred Heart has always had a strong belief in intellectual curiosity and academic rigor rooted in faith,” Sarah said. “The coupling of religion and science, history and heritage have been hallmarks of Sacred Heart education for 200 years. It was amazing to see that demonstrated firsthand, in the place where those values first started.” After a very successful experience, Convent & Stuart Hall is working to plan another alumni trip. “I think all alums should go,” Gary said. “It makes the connection to the school and each other much, much stronger.”
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ORDS OF WISDO
WORDS OF WISDOM
Alumni return to campus during Senior Week to impart advice and share reflections on how Convent & Stuart Hall has made an impact on their lives.
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The Goals and Criteria are actually roadmaps. They provide you with the tools you need to make good decisions for yourself. What I want you to walk away with here is knowing that you have all the tools you need to make good decisions. Believe this. Nikesh Patel ’06’02 Assistant District Attorney, San Francisco District Attorney Office Stuart Hall High School Alumni Brunch 2019
2019 Convent High School college panelists: LEFT TO RIGHT: Sophia Slacik ’16, Alex Farrán ’16, Isabella Borges ’13, Mary Crawford ’18
WORDS OF WISDOM
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I was in your shoes 27 years ago and as I look back at the last 27 years of my life, I vividly see the influence my education at Convent had in my life. Here I learned the importance of family, community and perseverance. Dr. Meeta Patel ’92
Executive Director, Clinic 4 Kidz Convent High School Alumnae Luncheon 2019 (Meeta, center, pictured left to right with Casey McGrath Giarman ’82’78, Jacqueline Rescalvo Apple ’82’78, Meagan Levitan ’83’79 and Phyllis Bowie ’78.) 2019 Stuart Hall High School college panelists: LEFT TO RIGHT: Owen Fahy ’18, Everet Tom ’13’09, Nicolas Vasquez ’17, Omid Ravanfar ’16, Jacob Hubbard ’17
In a ceremony that takes place days before graduation, seniors are presented with a lapel pin and passport, formally welcoming them into the Alumni Association. More than a keepsake, the items connect Convent & Stuart Hall graduates with the worldwide Sacred Heart community. All Network schools share this pin, which includes a monogram of S (Sacré), C (Coeur), J (Jesu) and the Latin phrase Adveniat Regnum Tuum (His Kingdom will come). The card acts as a “passport” into any Sacred Heart affiliated institution in 41 countries where Religious of the Sacred Heart serve, reminding alumni of a phrase they hear throughout their time at the school: “Once a child of the Sacred Heart, always a child of the Sacred Heart.”
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CONVENT OF THE SACRED HEART HIGH SCHOOL
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CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF
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COLLEGE MATRICULATION 2016–19 Academy of Art University American University Arizona State University Barnard College Bates College Berklee College of Music Boston College Boston University Brown University Bucknell University Butler University California Lutheran University California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo California State University Maritime Academy California State University, Bakersfield California State University, Sacramento Canisius College Carleton College Chapman University City College of San Francisco Claremont McKenna College Clemson University Colby College Colgate University College of Marin College of the Holy Cross Colorado School of Mines Columbia University Connecticut College Cornell University Dartmouth College Denison University Drexel University Duke University Durham University Elon University Emory University Fordham University Franklin & Marshall College Georgetown University Georgia Institute of Technology Gonzaga University Harvey Mudd College Hobart and William Smith Colleges James Madison University John Cabot University Johns Hopkins University
Johnson & Wales University Kenyon College Lawrence University Lehigh University Lewis & Clark College Linfield College Loyola Marymount University Loyola University Chicago Loyola University New Orleans Marist College Massachusetts Institute of Technology McGill University Middlebury College Morehouse College Mount Holyoke College New York University Northeastern University Northern Arizona University Northwestern University Pennsylvania State University Pomona College Providence College Purdue University Reed College Roger Williams University Roosevelt University Saint Mary’s College of California San Diego State University San Francisco State University San Jose State University Santa Barbara City College Santa Clara University Sarah Lawrence College School of the Art Institute of Chicago School of Visual Arts Seattle University Sierra College Southern Methodist University St. John’s University St. Olaf College Stanford University Syracuse University Texas A&M University Texas Christian University The American University of Paris The George Washington University The New School The University of Alabama The University of Arizona
Trinity University Tufts University Tulane University University of British Columbia University of California, Berkeley University of California, Davis University of California, Irvine University of California, Los Angeles University of California, Merced University of California, San Diego University of California, Santa Barbara University of California, Santa Cruz University of Chicago University of Colorado at Boulder University of Denver University of Georgia University of Hawai‘i at Ma-noa University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign University of Kansas University of Leeds University of Miami University of Michigan University of Minnesota, Twin Cities University of Nevada, Reno University of Notre Dame University of Oregon University of Pennsylvania University of Portland University of Puget Sound University of San Diego University of San Francisco University of Southern California University of St Andrews University of Washington University of Wisconsin, Madison Vanderbilt University Vassar College Villanova University Wake Forest University Washington and Lee University Washington State University Washington University in St. Louis Wheaton College MA Whitman College Whittier College Willamette University Xavier University Yale University
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CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GRADUATES CONVENT ELEMENTARY
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We know you will blaze new trails toward a bright future. In doing so, remember who you are, look for ways to serve, and always do what you know in your heart is the right thing. -ANGELA TAYLOR HEAD OF CONVENT ELEMENTARY GRADUATION CEREMONY JUNE 7, 2019
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STUART HALL FOR BOYS
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Use the talents you have been given and the knowledge you have begun to acquire to help make our world a better place to live. I am honored to have been part of your lives and to have you be my last class to graduate from Stuart Hall. -JAIME DOMINGUEZ FORMER HEAD OF STUART HALL FOR BOYS GRADUATION CEREMONY JUNE 7, 2019
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CLASS NOTES STAY IN TOUCH!
Visit sacredsf.org/alumni or email alumni@sacredsf.org directly.
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Maria Cecilia Crespo ’65 celebrated the Feast of the Sacred Heart in June and says, “Today, on the Sacred Heart feast day, I remembered you, the school and many beautiful traditions! In front of an image that belonged to my mother, and in front of which she prayed every day, I also prayed for you!”
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Charles H. Greene Jr. SHB’66 recently enjoyed a small reunion with Ron Conway SHB’66, John Long, MD SHB’66 and Rick Conway SHB’66. Charlie reports that the classmates enjoyed seeing each other for the first time in 53 years!
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Elli Royak Larrieu ’67’63 writes, “Best wishes to everybody! It’s great to be retired!”
1969 Ellen Dolson Howse ’69 writes, “John and I are retired although he works for multiple companies as a consultant. Our permanent residence is Puerto Los Cabos, Mexico and our U.S. address is in Kingwood, Texas, so you might say we spend most of our time in the desert or the forest, but we do visit San Francisco and Los Angeles often to see our kids. Our kids all graduated from Convent Elementary and are now practicing physicians. We have five wonderful grandkids. Sending blessings to all! Try to keep living every single day as though it is your last with gratitude in your heart.”
Jeanne Vecchiola Asdourian ’79 writes, “This year is my twentieth year working at Schools of the Sacred Heart San Francisco. I have been lucky enough to have my two daughters and my son pass through these halls and become Children of the Sacred Heart, chair the 2017 AASH National Conference that was held in San Francisco and reignite old and forge new friendships with so many wonderful alumnae and alumni over the years. I’m feeling very blessed.” Thomas W. Mitchell SHB’79 writes, “I am a law professor — now at Texas A&M University School of Law and previously for 16 years at the University of Wisconsin Law School. I do a lot of work to assist disadvantaged property owners and communities maintain ownership of their property, and the communities all across the country that I’ve assisted are quite diverse racially and ethnically, though they are disproportionately communities of color.
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My work has gotten quite a bit of national attention this past year as I’ve had more than 30 media interviews, including for articles published by The Washington Post, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Nation, Politico, ProPublica and The New Yorker, as well as television appearances in New York City and Texas. A model state statute that I was principally responsible for drafting that is designed to enhance the ability of disadvantaged families to maintain ownership of their property and to protect their wealth in one particular legal context, has been enacted into law in 14 states in every region of the country and the U.S. Virgin Islands (with New York state recently becoming the latest state to enact it into law), and it will be considered by legislatures in as many as 10 more states in the next year. My wife, Lisa Alexander, is also my faculty colleague at Texas A&M, and we live in Dallas with our 9-year-old daughter Kira.”
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1989
1989
Alexander Carter Thacher SHB’89 writes with news of his professional move to Armanino, LLP. Announced in the company’s February 2019 press release, it was reported that, “Alex joins as leader of the firm’s SALT practice, primarily focused on SALT consulting, as well as tax planning and controversy. He has more than 17 years experience in income and franchise tax, sales/use tax, local taxes, credits and incentives. Prior to joining Armanino, Alex led Ernst & Young’s Seattle global indirect and state tax services group and served in various roles at Deloitte and PwC.” Ricardo Martinez SHB’90 is a partner at the same company.
1990
1996 David Cohen SHB’96 writes,“My wife, Lindsay Cohen, and I welcomed our first child, Matthew Cohen, on April 20, 2019. We could not be happier and look forward to him becoming a Stuart Hall Lion one day.”
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1996
Melissa Dong Mountain ’90’86 writes, “From 1950– 2011, there were just 14 years (1963–1977) when at least one of my family members couldn’t be found routinely at Broadway either attending classes, working as faculty or volunteering as an alumni board member. I’m excited to share that my daughter Sydney’s attendance as a ninth grader this year marks the third generation of our family at Broadway! While attending the reunion this fall, I had the opportunity to flip through decades of yearbooks and contemplate the current school year’s theme of Heritage, which is filled with meaning for me! We are grateful that Sydney now, too, has the opportunity to join the community, traditions, education and goals inherent in the experience of being a child of the Sacred Heart.”
1990
Charlene Mak Durand CES’96 was happy to share news of her wedding celebration at the Flood Mansion in June with Convent & Stuart Hall classmates and teachers. Charlene chose the Flood Mansion for her reception because she has so many fond memories of her years at Convent, with lifelong friendships that started many years ago. Joining the newlyweds were (from back to front, left to right): Dana Marseille CES’94, Christina Cardenas Castelein CES’94, Tanya Spadaro Zuerch ’00’96, Barbara Mathieu (former Convent Elementary Grade 3 faculty), Leesa Miao Romo ’85, Catherine Carr Magee CES’96, Agnes Roberts (former Convent Elementary dean), Belle Akers (Convent Elementary Grade 1 faculty), Alison Groeger ’00’96, Anthony Durand, Charlene Mak Durand CES’96, Sylvia Mak CES’94, Lilian Chau Katz ’99’95, Vivian Chau Chun ’05’01, Jackson Yu SHB’81.
CONVENT & STUART HALL
1999 CLASS NOTES
1999
2002 2002
Anna Roberts McMurray ’99 writes, “I’m a proud mama of three boys under the age of six and of a half chihuahua, half German shepherd pup. I married my best friend in 2011 and love traveling the world with him. I established a health and wellness business that incorporates yoga, pilates, meditation and fascia release. I’m excited to see everyone!”
2009 2004
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Amanda Liskamm ’99 received the Department of Justice’s Attorney General Award for Exceptional Service, the highest award that the DOJ bestows for employee performance, for her work as the lead Criminal Division attorney in the prosecution and conviction of Joaquín Archivaldo “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera. She currently serves as the Director of Opioid Enforcement and Prevention Efforts in the Washington, D.C. Office of the Deputy Attorney General, where she is responsible for formulating and implementing department initiatives, policies, grants and programs related to opioids, and coordinating these efforts with law enforcement.
Michelle Chung CES’02 has moved back to the Bay Area to work as a recruiter at Google headquarters in Mountain View. Prior to this, she was based in Hong Kong as a senior recruiter at Goldman Sachs for many years, where she won an award as a LinkedIn Top 5 Social Recruiter in 2017. She is always looking to reconnect with fellow Convent alumnae, so please feel free to reach out.
2004
Sarah Moscardini Blushi ’04’00 welcomed her second baby girl in April 2019. Pictured are her children, Amelia (5 months) and Gabriella (3 years). Lynn Thompson writes, “Ben Lind ’04 was named by the United States Coast Guard as Elite Athlete of 2018.”
2009
Arendse Lund ’09’05 writes, “The Association of British Science Writers presented me with the Dr. Katharine Giles science blog award, the top award for science blogging in Britain and Ireland, for my work writing about museum-based science.”
2009
Kyle Chong SHB’09 writes, “Over the last year, I have been on a yearlong journey through East, Southeast and South Asia. Starting in August of 2017, we traveled by plane, train, boat, car, camel, horse, backpack and elephant through Russia, Mongolia, the Korean Peninsula, Japan, the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and India as part of the Pacific Rim Asia Study/Travel Program from the University of Puget Sound. Along with 24 other students on this journey, I completed original research on LGBTQ student activists in the People’s Republic of China in between taking eight courses and over a hundred site visits. The team traveled through Siberia on the Trans-Siberian Railway, hiked in the Himalayas, visited the North and South Korean DMZ, The Great Wall of China, Tiananmen Square and the Taj Mahal, among other sites. My research was presented at the Pacific Rim Triennial Symposium in India on the panel Communicating Saviourism in Contemporary Asia and my paper, The Radical Practice of Hanging Out: China’s University Student Dissidents earned me
2019–20 ALU M N I B U LLETI N
the Robert S. Trimble Distinguished Asia Scholar title for 2018. After this incredible program, I also worked as a team leader for the U.S.-Indonesia Cooperative Work Project, working from a U.S.A. Study Abroad grant from the Department of State of the United States of America. The team was also awarded the Royal Seal of the Regency of Pangkep for their service to the region. My 2017 paper, Playful Practice: the Democratic Potential of Reacting to the Past as Experiential Learning, discussed the potential for students to learn civic engagement and social justice skills through gameplay in the classroom. It won the 2017 University of Puget Sound Politics and Government Outstanding Research Award and will be published in the 2019 spring issue of the Race and Pedagogy Journal. I now manage professional development seminars for the Bureau of Education & Research and Institute for Educational Development, and travel to the United States, bringing continuing education programming to American teachers. I will join the Class of 2024 in the Ph.D Program at Michigan State University in Curriculum, Instruction and Teacher Education.”
2009 Alumni returned to campus for the annual Stuart Hall for Boys Alumni Basketball Challenge on March 22, 2019. Final Class Notes as of December 2, 2019.
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CONVENT & STUART HALL
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2019–20 ALU M N I B U LLETI N
IN MEMORIAM We remember and honor those from our Convent & Stuart Hall community who have gone before us this past year. CHARLES CHRISTIAN, GRANDPARENT ANNE DAVIDSON, RSCJ, ’51’47 SARAH DOGGETT, PAST PARENT LANE FOEDISCH NORTON ’66 FRANCES GOTTI, PAST PARENT ANGELA HACKETT DRIVER ’49 ALICE JAMES, PAST PARENT DANIEL KUZNETSOV ’12 JANE LESH, FORMER EMPLOYEE DANIEL MCLAUGHLIN, PAST PARENT WOLFGANG WILFRIED MOELLEKEN, GRANDPARENT ROSALIE MOROSIN ’57’53 VINCENT NOLAN SHB’65, GRANDPARENT BRENDA O’BRIEN LYDECKER ’56’52 ANGELINA PRESTI, GRANDPARENT PATTY REGIN MURPHY ’53’49 SHANE ANDREW SANCHEZ SHB’87 BRUNO SCHATZ SHB’04 C. ALLEN WALL, M.D., PAST PARENT MARTIN R. WORMUTH, FORMER EMPLOYEE
Please note: This list includes updates submitted by family members and friends. We send our heartfelt condolences to families in our greater community who have lost loved ones.
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We are grateful to our many contributors. Special thanks to the following: Editorial Contributors: Ingrid Coolins, Madeleine Dopico, Caleb Duarte, Kathleen Esling, Elias Feldman, Dr. Ann Marie Krejcarek, Sarah Leffert, Karen Lenardi, Rachel McIntire, Cara Patterson, Samantha Tabarez and Robyn Wilkinson. Photo Contributors: Convent & Stuart Hall Archives, Laura Beeson, Michel Edens Photography, Elias Feldman, Sarah Leffert, Peter Locke, Mugsyclicks School Photography and Nano Visser. Design: Peter Locke
ARTIST: Caleb Duarte
