UPDATE Magazine | Spring 2017

VOL . 33 / NO. 2 / SPRING 2017

Lights, C mera, lumni!

A

Around the Statue: What’s New at SJND Pilot Athletes and Olympic Dreams Pilot Profile: CEO Reflects on Life, Success and St. Joseph’s

THE FUND

FOR SJND

We give so they can

GIVE BACK.

Make your gift today at www.sjnd.org or call (510) 995-9455

From adopting families for Christmas to

building houses, cleaning the beach to serving at the Alameda Food Bank, SJND students spend hundreds of hours helping their neighbors in need.

Your gift to the Fund for SJND will help to make the transformational SJND experience possible for young women and men, and ensure that they continue our school’s mission of faith, scholarship and service.

Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School 1011 Chestnut Street Alameda, CA 94501 sjnd.org • (510) 523-1526

VOL . 33 / NO. 2 / SPRING 2017

2 016-1 7 B OA R D OF T RU ST E E S

Write us! We are always interested in stories that are of

Teasha Cable, Chair Singularity University

potential interest to the SJND

Richard Davis, Vice Chair Retired, AT&T

community. Are you interested in

Anne Washmera, Secretary

being a featured contributor?

Owner, AMC Designs

Please contact Corinne Hayhurst at chayhurst@sjnd.org.

Father George Alengadan, ex officio Pastor, Saint Joseph Basilica Parish

Mike Canizzaro Retired, Former CFO of the Diocese of Oakland

Evette Clark Dean of Students, Saint Mary’s College of California

Teresa Courville, ex officio Nurse, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland

Abe Hitti Retired, Kaiser, BDO Seidman, Bank of America

Ken Jennings, ex officio Principal, SJND

Bob Lassalle-Klein Professor, Holy Names University

Steven Levy Operations Manager, Property Management & Construction

Kerry O’Hara ’70 Plain Retired, Bay Area Contract Carpets

Dan Prislin Portfolio Manager, Jackson Square Partners

Chris Seiwald

Mission statement: Saint Joseph Notre Dame, a Catholic parish high school, provides a dynamic and rigorous college preparatory education.

Our faith-filled, diverse, and welcoming community embraces the teachings of Jesus Christ. We develop confident, open-minded, and effective leaders who are ready to live joyful lives of faith, scholarship, and service.

Features Around the Statue . ............................................................. 6 SJND Happenings Applauding our Pilot Athletes ......................................... 10 Fall 2016 Sports Recap Chasing Olympic Dreams . ................................................. 12 All-American Runner Cooper Teare ’17 Lights, Camera, Alumni! .................................................... 14 Breaking In & Moving Up in the Entertainment Industry Pilot Profile: Ralph A. Clark ’76 . ...................................... 22 President and Chief Executive Officer at ShotSpotter

Departments Calendar of Events.............................................................. 13 Where Pilots are Flying. ..................................................... 20 In Memoriam........................................................................ 27

Cover: Students at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (Pg. 7) view Chuck Close, Agnes, 1998 Spring 2017 Update 3

PRINCIPAL’SMessage

"Teachers roll up their sleeves every day and give that little extra help, push, or nod of encouragement."

Dear Alumni, Parents and Friends, As the new principal of Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School for these past seven months, I have truly enjoyed the experience of learning what makes this Catholic high school in the East Bay so special – indeed, you should take great pride in your school and alma mater. Here is what I have learned in these short months: SJND has a strong Catholic identity anchored in the tradition of a parish high school. Father George, our pastor, has shared his vision of “one family” for our parish, elementary school, and high school.

benefit most from the personal approach of a Catholic education.

SJND is a strategic thinking school. I hope you have the opportunity to review our new 2017-2020 strategic plan whose title captures what I see as so special about SJND: Rooted in Tradition, Educating for the Future. You can view the entire strategic plan on our website under the About tab.

As you can see, I am very grateful to God for the awesome responsibility of serving as principal of this excellent high school with a rich legacy and tradition.

SJND has a vibrant community of current students and parents, alums, and benefactors. I would enjoy having anyone visit our quad during lunch to see how our students truly form a community with no barriers based on race, religion or ethnicity. Having attended Dream Flight and the Crab Feed, I am also amazed at the generosity of our community who sustain our school.

I thank all of you for your continued support of this tradition, and I ask for your constant prayers as we move forward with our strategic plan and its exciting initiatives for the future in the areas of academics, admissions and advancement.

SJND has an outstanding faculty and staff who care about the individual child created in the likeness of God. Our teachers roll up their sleeves every day and give that little extra help, push, or nod of encouragement to students who appreciate and

Sincerely,

4 Saint Joseph Notre Dame

Go Pilots!

Kenneth Jennings Principal

FUELING THE DREAM FLIGHTS OF FUTURE PILOTS!

benefiting pilots of

today & tomorrow

SAVE THE DATE OCTOBER 14, 2017 Claremont Country Club Hosted by Mike Pola ’82 and auctioneer Sean Croxton ’95

Live Music by Sara and Swingtime Create opportunity for academic and spiritual growth. Allow more students to say “yes” to an SJND education. Join us for an evening of dining, laughter and funding the dreams of current and future Pilots.

All sponsorships, donations and ticket sales directly assist young men and women in need of tuition assistance.

SJND = Results!

• 99% of SJND graduates matriculate to college with $5.5 million in scholarships and awards • “Graduates of Catholic schools are more likely to vote, earn higher wages, more committed to service…”

The Alliance for Catholic Education at the University of Notre Dame

• More than 200 deserving SJND students receive scholarships and tuition assistance annually

Around the Statue

SJND Happenings Faith in Action Students held its first Youth Vote (photo above), a mock U.S. Presidential election on November 7 and 8. Students learned all about the different items on the ballot, and cast a mock vote for propositions, senator and president. English teacher Cathy Fitzgerald said, “We’re always trying to get students involved in democracy, because this is what democracy is — participation.”

SJND welcomed Bishop Michael C. Barber, SJ to preside its annual All Saints Day liturgy with St. Joseph Elementary School.

6 Saint Joseph Notre Dame

CAMPUSNews

SJND hosted its first ever school-wide Adopt-a-Family program this holiday season, which helped several Catholic charity groups provide Christmas gifts to families in need. Homerooms, teams, clubs and departments received wish lists from families, went shopping, and transformed the administration office into Santa's workshop overnight. On December 10, SJND hosted the families from Catholic Charities on campus to enjoy Christmas cheer with music, decorations, food, art and games. The children of the families were delighted when special guest Santa Claus (Theology faculty member Adam Chaffey) arrived bringing them many presents for the holidays.

Art Comes to Life at SJND Advanced art classes took a field trip to experience the new San Francisco Museum of Modern Art building with their instructors Mr. Ritter and Mr. McKee. They immersed themselves in art ranging from the late 1800s to the present day.

SJND Theater presented its fall play, Dead Man's Cell Phone, to a sold out audience in the Georgia M. Vlahos Performance Studio. The story follows a woman who answers a stranger's cell phone after he passes away in a cafĂŠ, exploring the paradox of technology's ability to both unite and isolate people in the digital age.

Spring 2017 Update 7

CAMPUSNews "There is no greater joy as a counselor than to see students walk across the stage on graduation day, excited and ready for their future."

A Community that Celebrates and Gives

Awards and Honors SJND’s College Counselor, Dr. Angelica Bailon, was chosen by the Colleges That Change Lives Board of Directors as one of the 2017 Counselors That Change Lives. This honor is given in recognition of her dedication to a student-centered college search process. In response to the award, Dr. Bailon said, “There is no greater joy as a counselor than to see students walk across the stage on graduation day, excited and ready for their future.

To receive a national recognition for that work is an amazing testament to the strength of our student-centered program and the investment and engagement of our students and parents in it.”

Gilligan's Island Crab Feed and Auction was a huge success! The 400 castaways in attendance raised over $100,000 for tuition assistance, athletics, and academic programs.

Renowned mezzosoprano/opera star Frederica von Stade performed a special holiday recital to earn donations for SJND tuition assistance.

The free concert was part of the Notes for Nourishment project.

6 Saint Joseph Notre Dame 8

In our 2017 Best Schools Niche rankings this year, SJND ranked the #2 Most Diverse Private High School in the entire state of California! The ranking is based on ethnic and gender diversity statistics, expert insights, and student and parent reviews of ethnic, economic, and cultural diversity. SJND was additionally ranked #15 Best Catholic High School in San Francisco Metro, based upon SAT/ ACT scores, the quality of colleges that students consider, student-teacher ratio, Catholic school ratings, and more.

For the third time in four years, Saint Joseph Notre Dame was named the Statewide D5 School of the Year by Cal High Sports. The Pilots’ 2016 men’s basketball (1st in State), 2016 women’s basketball (2nd in NorCal), 2016 men’s baseball (1st in NCS), 2016 women’s softball (1st in NCS), 2015 men’s cross country (13th in State), and 2015 women’s cross country (2nd in State) teams were all named in this honor.

A Day in the Life of a Student Lifer Joe Picchi ’18 is a junior at SJND. Here is a glimpse into a typical day: 7:50 am.

Meet with my friends in Mr. Rhatigan's room and study for an AP Calculus test.

Orange Day, 5th Period, AP Calculus. Start our test after Mr. Rhatigan cracks a few jokes and answers last-minute questions about graphic equations of derivatives. His humorous yet practical teaching style helps me understand and visualize tough math concepts.

8:00 am.

I grab a snack before entering Ms. Rodriguez's room for 6th period AP English Language. We talk about our upcoming essay assignment: an argumentative newspaper editorial on civic engagement.

We also have a lively class discussion analyzing the literary pieces we read for homework in the context of a common theme, like identity politics.

9:35 am.

11:00 am. Homeroom with Mr. Chaffey. I read the school-wide announcements for my classmates. Today I reminded everyone of the upcoming dance and encouraged them to participate in lunchtime games for spirit week points.

Lunchtime study session with my friends for our weekly AP U.S. History quiz. Right now we’re learning about Reconstruction after the Civil War and the expansion of civil rights.

11:08 am.

7th period, AP U.S. History. Mr. Rosso always begins with a 11:50 am. prayer followed by a chapter quiz. For the rest of class we met in groups and wrote a rap or poem about the concepts we read in our textbook. Mr. Rosso usually shows us a funny meme or video to end class.

During the first block of collaboration, I meet with my Junior Campus Leadership Team to discuss planning the dance. We decide on a New York City theme. We also talk about our class fundraiser – we’re selling Krispy Kreme doughnuts to raise money for Spirit Week decorations.

1:20 pm.

At a club officer's meeting for the Environmental Awareness Club, we set a date for our next beach cleanup at the Alameda estuary. We finalize our recent project encouraging students to better sort their trash, recycling and compost on campus.

1:50 pm.

JOE PICCHI ’18 I could not ask for a more welcoming, spirited, and supportive environment than SJND. It has provided me with innumerable opportunities to pursue my passions, expand my comfort zone, and contribute to my community, all while forming lasting relationships with teachers and peers. I feel honored to be an SJND student!

School’s out! I have a Speech and Debate meeting. We look over our ballots from our recent tournament at Santa Clara University, prepare briefs for state qualifiers in May, and practice impromptu speeches with feedback from the rest of the team.

2:30 pm.

Spring 2017 Update 9

UPDATEFeature

Applauding our

Pilot Athletes FA L L 2 0 1 6 S P O RT S RE C A P School's First Female State Champ

Women’s Golf

In honor of her NCS recordsetting time (17:08), and becoming the first woman’s state champion in school history (in any sport), Kiera Marshall '17 was honored

by Mayor Trish Spencer who proclaimed January 17 as Kiera Marshall Day in the city of Alameda.

Men and Women’s Cross Country The women’s team earned their second-consecutive North Coast Section title; the men’s team placed second at the NCS Championship.

State Champions Cooper Teare ’17 and Kiera Marshall ’17 dominated their races at the CIF State Championship in Fresno. Kiera won her race by over 20 seconds, and Cooper won by 40 seconds to defend his state title from last year. Emily Perez ’19 also placed at State, finishing 4th overall. Cooper continued on to the Nike Cross Nationals in Portland and earned the distinction of All-American.

10 Saint Joseph Notre Dame

The women’s golf team finished their season with a perfect 9-0 league record.

They drove and putted their way at the Chuck Corica Golf Complex to a Bay Cities League Championship; All League honors went to Eileen Rhatigan ’17, Ally Hauck ’18, Maddie O’Connor ’17 (first team) and Rosie Saxton ’19 (second team). The Pilots went on to finish fifth at the NCS D2 Championships.

Ally moved on to the D1 Tournament of Champions in Napa as an individual, where she finished 11th out of 144 golfers!

Women’s Volleyball The women’s volleyball team earned a #3 seed spot in the North Coast Section tournament, winning their way to the championship game and taking second place overall.

The women earned the #6 seed at the Northern California tournament and lost a tough four-set match to the #3 seed Sacred Heart Prep in the quarterfinals. The ladies finished their season with a notable 28 - 11 record.

Women’s Tennis Sister duo Aysha Hayes ’17 and Azaria Hayes ’19 were dominant all season: Aysha had a perfect 12-0 season record, and Azaria went 11-0. Aysha and Azaria won the Bay Counties League tournament and qualified for the NCS Tennis Championships at the Harbor Bay Club with their teammate Nikki Bermudez ’17 (singles). The Hayes sisters won the NCS D2 Doubles Championship for the second year in a row.

College Signing Ceremonies It's official!

SJND standouts Jade' Smith '17 (Pepperdine University basketball) and Cooper Teare '17 (University of Oregon running) signed their National Letters of Intent to play in college. We’ll sure miss these superstars next year, but look forward to following their college careers.

Men’s Soccer The men’s soccer team, a young group of players with a lot of potential, has entered into the new BCL-E League where they will look to be competitive.

Spring 2017 Update 11

CAMPUSNews

Pilot Runner Chases

Olympic Dreams Cooper Teare may not be a household name yet, but this is a runner you will want to follow – if you can keep up!

The SJND senior, born and raised in Alameda, is a threetime individual California state champion (2015 & 2016 in cross country; 2016 in track and field 3200m), and also holds a cross country team title (2013). Last November he defended his cross country title by a whopping 40 seconds (14:58.5, 5k). To date, Teare holds every SJND distance record, with the exception of the 800m (held by Nick Ratto ’12) and earned the distinction of All-American at the Nike Cross Nationals in Portland in December. On March 12, Cooper became the national mile champion at the New Balance Indoor National meet with a time of 4:06.60! His time is California’s second fastest ever, trailing only a 1976 time of 4:02.

Cooper exudes quiet confidence and genuine appreciation for those who have raised him, coached him, challenged him, and supported him along the way.

Often seen running down Shoreline Drive in the middle of the pack of his teammates, it is no surprise that this record-breaking runner got his start in the sport by wanting to spend more time with his schoolmates. Teare met Gavin Hill ’17 at Lincoln Middle School, where they became fast friends. Gavin was the one who encouraged Cooper to run for the Lincoln Lions in seventh grade and to also join the Castro Valley Track Club. By eighth grade, Cooper was running a 5:04-mile.

During the summer prior to his freshman year, Teare participated in SJND’s Summer Discovery running camp, where he met future coach Tony Fong as well as the teammates he would go on to win the Cross Country State Championships with that fall (including Gabriel AriasSheridan ’14, Christopher Melendez ’14, Matthew Murphy ’15, Michael Murphy ’15, Gavin Hill ’17 and William Mein ’17).

This past fall, Cooper received recruitment offers from Top 10 NCAA Division I running universities including Oregon, Stanford, Colorado, and Georgetown, before committing to the University of Oregon Ducks. He

10 12 Saint Saint Joseph Joseph Notre Notre Dame Dame

SJND Coach Tony Fong and Cooper at the Nike Cross Nationals

currently runs a 4:06-mile speed on the track; one of his key goals is to be invited to the Adidas Dream Mile and break a 4:00-mile time – a feat accomplished by only nine high school runners. He is working hard in his last season as a Pilot and hopes to soar his running career to new heights in the coming years.

Despite his tradition of success, Cooper is a humble young man who exudes quiet confidence and genuine appreciation for those who have raised him, coached him, challenged him, and supported him along the way.

In talking to Teare about his success, he expresses mild surprise at how far he has come in a relatively short amount of time. When asked if he has any Olympic goals, he smiles and shares that he hopes to go to the 2024 or 2028 games, as runners tend to hit their physical peak between the ages of 25-28. He will certainly have a community of Pilots cheering him on as he chases his college and Olympic dreams.

CALENDAR of Events

MARCH 30, 31, APRIL 1, 2 Spring Musical: The Wiz

APRIL 1 Basilica Society Reception

APRIL 25 Spring Festival of the Arts

APRIL 27 Spring Festival of Music

MAY 7 Mini Musicals

MAY 25 Baccalaureate Mass

Farewell Ms. Alexander and Mr. Loring Ms. Verdell Alexander, faithful school secretary of SJND for the past 18 years, retired in September. She looks forward to spending time with her son, alum Jeffrey Fuller '02. Her positive spirit, love for SJND, and graceful work with students, parents and faculty will be missed.

Mr. Mike Loring retired in January. He served SJND for 15 years as director of technology and has been a loyal member of the Pilot family as both a staff member and parent of Allison '01 and Zak '03. He and his wife Cheryl will continue to teach the very popular Everything Chocolate class during the Summer Discovery program.

We wish Verdell and Mike a great retirement after so many years of exemplary service to our school community!

MAY 27 Commencement

JUNE 10 Class of 1967 – 50th Reunion Golden Anniversary Celebration For more information, please contact Vicki Bargagliotti at 510-995-9455

OCT 14 Dream Flight Benefit

NOV 22 HOMECOMING EVENT Alumni Soccer Games

NOV 24 HOMECOMING EVENT Alumni Basketball Games

Spring 2017 Update 13

Lights, Camera, Alumni!

Breaking In & Moving Up in the Entertainment Industry

Allison Loring ’01

Account Manager at CitizenNet, Contributing Writer at Film School Rejects, former Account Executive at Vanacore Music

Movies, music, television, theater, dance, writing, media – creative jobs in storytelling are growing and ever-changing.

Billboard magazine projects that in 2017, the U.S. is expected to account for $632.09 billion of the worldwide $2.152 trillion global entertainment market, which shows no signs of slowing down.

Many are often surprised to learn how many SJND alums are working successfully in the entertainment industry—the field of storytelling— from A-list stars to lesser-known (but equally gifted) behind-the-scenes talent.

In this feature we interview four alumni who have made an impact within the entertainment industry, who share about how they started from SJND, and what advice they have for students today. We appreciate their contributions to our enjoyment of entertainment, from soundtrack, to script, to screen and everything in between.

14 Saint Joseph Notre Dame

How did you figure out what type of career path to pursue?

I figured that out in high school, in my sophomore or junior year. I was starting to prepare for college and I wanted momentum working toward a career.

I was in the SJND band, always had interest in music, took piano lessons since I was a little kid, and going to concerts was a fun outlet with my

Julian DeGuzman '05 (front row, left) on national tour of Disney’s Broadway smash hit, Newsies.

Photo by Deen van Meer.

“L.A. has a much faster pace than Alameda, but because of my high school foundation I felt safe and grounded enough to travel to New York, Italy, and Los Angeles to pursue my dreams.” me. I got a part-time job at a boutique booking agency (which booked tours for Elton John, Jimmy Buffett, Chicago, and Stevie Nicks among others) and was hired on after I graduated. I worked there my first two years out of school and worked my way up from assistant/receptionist to ticketing manager, in charge of ticket sales and contracts. After a few years on the legal/ negotiations side of things, I missed the creative aspect I experienced at school – being in the studio and bringing music to life.

friends. I always thought of the adage “Do what you love, and you'll never work another day in your life.”

Once, I had the opportunity to go to a band’s sound check at a show. I not only got to meet the band but everyone in the crew, and I became interested in all of the aspects of putting on a live show – sound checks, lighting, all of the tech aspects. I gravitated toward those people, and the whole industry behind shows sparked something in me. So I carved my college path toward Los Angeles and the recording arts program at Loyola Marymount’s School of Film and Television.

I did something crazy and left that job to focus on finding the next step; I relied on a lot of network connections from school and my internships. I really liked the area of placing music in film and TV for revenue – trying to find music for a particular scene or script. I got lucky in my pursuits and a recruiter found me, and I was hired at APM Music. It was a lot of lesser-known and stock music, but when placed, it had a recognizable impact on the scene (like the NFL theme, for example). It was a great company with a cool vibe and people excited to learn about placing music.

It taught me a lot about film and TV working hand in hand.

How did you break into the industry during and after college?

How did you become involved in the film industry writing film reviews?

At school I learned things like how to run the sound board in the studio environment, but also about the film environment and the sound elements that go into film and TV. I did a lot of internships, including at MTV and Capitol Records, and tried to absorb as much as I could to find a good fit for

I had a good friend starting to write music reviews and publications online, who threw my name into the hat because I knew and loved music. That led to opportunities for me to attend festivals like The Los Angeles Film Festival and Sundance and get into the movie aspect of the entertainment

industry. It was a lot of working my “day job” all day, going to festivals at night, and using my vacation time to go to more festivals. But it showed me the full spectrum of everything that goes into marketing a movie and seeing it come full circle. I saw how small the industry is of creative collaborators coming together.

How did you decide to pivot to working at a marketing company?

I was ready for a new challenge and saw music present a challenge from a marketing perspective because it was becoming free in a lot of ways. I ended up coming to the company I now work for, doing social marketing for promoting movies, concert tours, and products – not always necessarily entertainment.

Instead of forming a product, we get it out to the public. Making a pivot seems scary – it’s change, and you feel a little crazy. As long as you’re not burning bridges, jobs are more fluid now and people ebb and flow every few years.

You recommend internships for college students to try on different roles.

Some people get into college and just want to focus on school, but for me in entertainment, you don’t always know what you love doing on a day to day basis. There was a stark change from going to class here and there, to working nine-to-five. Why do something you don’t enjoy every day?

Interning was such a great way to make connections in a safe environment for a couple months.

Spring 2017 Update 15

UPDATEFeature What has been the value in connections throughout your career?

Entertainment has a reputation of being elitist and climbing over each other to get to the next level, and that can be true, but not if you go into it wanting to help people. I am all about LinkedIn, responding to anyone who reaches out, keeping people in mind and facilitating introductions. I’ve done many networking events, conventions, talking to random people – it can seem like a waste of time, but sometimes one person you meet knows someone else and it might pay off five years later!

Dale Taylor ’94 VFX Producer at Atomic Fiction

How did your time at SJND impact your career?

How did you end up in Special Effects?

My main thing at SJND was being in the band, it was a great program.

But beyond the band, I remember the community aspect of the school, the teachers, and the smaller classes.

Some people say a school of a few hundred is a detriment, but I saw it as a positive, we were a small community that built each other up and watched each other grow. I knew that if I went to a large university or a large company, I could find my community and be supported. L.A. has a much faster pace than Alameda, but because of my high school foundation I felt safe and grounded enough to travel to New York, Italy, and Los Angeles to pursue my dreams.

After SJND, I attended Diablo Valley College for two years, and then went to Sonoma State University where I majored in communications and received minors in business and theater arts. During my last semester I did an internship for Lucasfilm with their THX division. After I graduated I reached out to the HR contact I made during my internship, interviewed, and got a job at Industrial Light and Magic in 1999. I worked at ILM from 1999 - 2012, and then took a job with Atomic Fiction in Jack London Square. I’m a visual effects (VFX) producer for the company and have worked on films including Star Wars Episode 2: Attack of the Clones, War of the Worlds, Evan Almighty, Star Trek Beyond, and recently Rouge One: A Star Wars Story.

"I was always a big Star Wars fan so it was a big thrill for me when George Lucas would come into our trailer twice a week and we would present him our work."

16 Saint Joseph Notre Dame

What led you to your current role in production?

I started out at ILM in the resources department, the communication hub between the artists and information technology. We were in charge of rolling out software updates, upgrading machines, and so on. After a couple years I wanted to make the move over to production, because I wanted to work

on the movies themselves and be a part of the creative process. Moving over to production allowed me to use my communication and organizational skills to run various departments on projects, and then eventually to produce projects which is what I’m doing now.

What were some of your favorite projects to work on?

Some of my fondest memories were working as a stage manager at ILM, being the one to coordinate various shoots – whether it was blowing up a miniature set or shooting miniatures which would be used as elements in shots. My first project in production was Star Wars Episode 2: Attack of the Clones. I was always a big Star Wars fan so it was a big thrill for me when George Lucas would come into our trailer twice a week and we would present him our work.

I also worked on the stage for the project War of the Worlds (starring Tom Cruise) which had some amazing VFX on a quick four-month schedule. There was a shot where a tanker truck flies off of an overpass and lands on a house.

The model shop built a miniature tanker truck, and the FX guys rigged it to flip and land on a miniature house rigged with explosives. It was so fun to see it all come together and look amazing with just one or two takes. On this film I worked with Dennis Muren who I believe has the most Visual Effects Academy

Awards in Academy history, and working with him was really special. I made print once in a visual effects magazine named Cinefex; in the photo I was standing around one of the War of the Worlds miniature sets with Dennis and other crew. That was exciting for me.

What is the most satisfying part of being a producer?

The most satisfying parts are being able to deliver a show on time and on budget, and keeping the client happy. I like being an integral part of all stages of the project, and in production you get to make decisions along the whole creative process instead of just one specific part of the VFX pipeline.

What advice do you have for graduates starting out in the industry?

Do your best to find a career that makes you happy. In this age of electronic communication, don’t forget to continue to communicate verbally with your co-workers and clients, as speaking can really help clear up questions and resolve issues. Always treat people well and don’t burn bridges, as you never know whose path you’ll cross on future projects. Finally, do your best to maintain a healthy balance between work and personal life - which due to delivery deadlines in the VFX industry – is challenging!

Meagan Miller Finnerty ’99

Estate Manager at Puma Springs Vineyards, Former Associate Production Manager and Casting Coordinator at Lucasfilm Animation

What’s a strong memory you have from your time at SJND? An English teacher at the time, Mrs. Dempsey, was the best teacher. Her love of classic stories and writing

"Once you build your reputation on a willingness to learn and then translate that knowledge into series of successes, it will benefit you in the long-term." inspired a lot of her students. When a story is well-written it stands the test of time and is always relevant. Our senior year she wrote a song to the yearbook staff (she also was the yearbook moderator) based on the song “Can’t take My Eyes Off of You”

by Frankie Vallie.

She sang it in front of the entire senior class. You can tell when you have a teacher that just loves teaching and their students. I also went to St. Joseph Elementary K-8 and am still friends with many of my friends who went there.

Did you know you wanted to go into entertainment while you were at SJND? I actually had no clue what I wanted to do when I graduated. I thought I wanted to be an attorney because I worked at a law firm in high school, but really wasn’t sure. I went to Diablo Valley College for two years to figure it out, and while I was there I got a job at Pixar as a receptionist. I decided that I wanted to major in political science (I always loved politics) so I transferred to Cal State Hayward because they taught the entire major at night. I worked full-time at Pixar during the day until 6:00 pm, and then took night classes at Hayward from 6:30-10:00. My entire college experience was at night!

And then you moved up at Pixar.

As a receptionist, I got to meet

everybody. I did that for six months, and then took a production assistant position that opened up. I started working on Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Ratatouille and Wall-E which all won Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature. I started as a PA in the main production office and then became an animation coordinator, and did that for a couple years. Then I got a phone call from a friend at Lucasfilm, sharing a job opportunity in a new division they were starting and asking if I wanted to come over. I was interested and looking to move to the North Bay anyway.

At Lucasfilm we were making an animated TV series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars. We ended up making six seasons of the show, a feature film, and we won a couple of Emmys along the way. It was a fun and different experience coming from Pixar/Disney.

I was executive assistant to the show’s director, and also casting coordinator for the show. I worked directly with George Lucas for six years and he was heavily involved in the show; it was his passion project as he was transitioning into retirement.

Spring 2017 Update 17

UPDATEFeature What was your favorite part about working on Skywalker Ranch?

What from SJND has carried forward into your life today?

The people and the environment.

Skywalker Ranch, very small and isolated in Marin County, is amazing. The entire group was about 200 people, figuring it all out in this little incubator with no distractions. I really enjoyed doing it.

Having so many incredible teachers that really want you to succeed. As long as you took advantage of the tools made available to you, there was no way you would fail. I carry that forward into my career. Companies don’t want you to fail because if you fail, they fail. If you take advantage of everything that you can, it benefits you down the line.

You manage a vineyard in Healdsburg now – what made you shift paths?

It was kind of a different path. First, Lucasfilm sold to Disney (following Pixar, this was the second time my workplace was sold to Disney!). I had the opportunity to move to Glendale to work on the new Star Wars section of Disneyland; I could have also gone to Disney in Shanghai or Orlando. We had stopped making The Clone Wars show, and I was ready for a change after 15 years in the film and television industries.

The family who owns Puma Springs Vineyards (in the Dry Creek Valley in Healdsburg) came from high-tech. It was rare that they were willing to take a chance on someone with no idea about vineyards. But I had a willingness to learn, and I jumped in. I’ve been here 3.5 years and use a lot of my tools from the industry like scheduling, logistics and flexibility.

I also remember the first film class I took was at SJND. Mr. Hooke, also one of the greatest teachers I ever had, taught a class called Religious Themes in Film and Literature. I think we watched every horror movie that ever came out - it was so fun! He taught us how to analyze film and journalism, and I had no idea that it would benefit me so much.

Tom Stohlgren ’70 Senior Research Scientist at Colorado State University, Novelist and Screenwriter

18 Saint Joseph Notre Dame

Can you describe your jobs in academia and entertainment?

My “day job” as a scientist has lasted 36 years. I’ve been teaching and training graduate students in ecology at Colorado State University for the past 24 years while remaining happily married and, now, a father of three. I wrote over 200 scientific papers and a textbook, and became a leading scientist in the field of biological invasions. For the past nine years, I’ve added the night job as a novelist and screenwriter. I’ve written six novels and 19 screenplays, selling my first screenplay last November.

What is the most satisfying element of writing for you?

I write with a conscience, often creating lead roles for strong, smart women and minorities. My screenplays “Rescue me Twice,” “Rock Springs,” and “Becoming We” are emblematic of social injustice stories dealing with human trafficking, mistreated laborers, and tolerance for Muslims, respectively. The script that sold first was “Twelve – My Age of Reason” an autobiographical comedy based on my short novel with the same title.

Any words of wisdom for people considering a career change?

Always jump in. When you see an opportunity, don’t be afraid to walk into your manager's office and say “I want that job. I can do that job. Just give me time to learn and prove myself to you.”

In my casting role, when a previous employee had left, I walked and said “I can do this. Give me a shot.” The worst you can hear is no. Once you build your reputation on a willingness to learn and then translate that knowledge into series of successes, it will benefit you in the long-term.

graduating from U.C. Berkeley in forestry in 1976. I landed a job as a wilderness research technician in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, which was unusual for an inner-city kid from Oakland. I continued my education with a Master’s Degree in biology from Fresno State (1982), and received my Ph.D. in ecology from U.C. Davis when I was 39 and a father of two.

What advice do you have for SJND graduates?

What were your educational pursuits after graduating from St. Joseph’s?

I graduated in 1970 in the lower third of my class. I met the love of my life Cindy at Laney College, and ended up

Follow your heart first. “All you need is love” - my lovely bride and I have been together 45 years. Be a life-long learner.

Volunteer to get your foot in the door. Get connected (check out www.Stage32.com to network with other film, television and theater creatives). And never give up!

Love the arts?

More Alumni in

Entertainment Nikki Silva ’68 and co-host Davia Nelson, better known as The Kitchen Sisters, have been producing radio stories for NPR since 1979.

Ray Ratto ’71 is a sports commentator for Comcast SportsNet. Steven Anderson ’77 is an Emmy-winning makeup artist for the movies. For more than 20 years he has worked on feature films including Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Willow, Tucker, The Principal, Die Hard 2 and 3, and Terminator 2.

Mark Curry ’79 is an actor, comedian, and host. He is best known as the star of the 90’s ABC sitcom Hangin' with Mr. Cooper.

Kirk McHenry ’87 is a fast-rising comedian who has been featured on BET's ComicView, BET's One Mic Stand, and Jamie Foxx Laffapalooza.

musician playing jazz, fusion, Latin, soul, funk and R&B. "Music at SJND was the first step for me in emerging from being a piano player to being a musician," he says.

Julian DeGuzman ’05 performed in the Broadway, North American tour, and live film productions of Disney's Newsies. He is currently performing in Miss Saigon on Broadway.

Shaun Tuazon ’05 is a company member with the cutting-edge theatre organization Circle Circle dot dot and a co-founding member of the new theatre organization Lemonade Stand Theatre. He was also nominated in 2012 in the category of Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical by The San Diego Critics Circle Craig Noel Award.

Marielle Heller ’97 is a Hollywood film director, actor, and playwright.

She received attention as the writer and director of the 2015 feature film The Diary of a Teenage Girl; her writing credits include pilots for ABC and 20th Century Fox, and multiple screenplays and theatrical plays.

Deric Lee ’07 is an actor known for Red Dead Redemption (2010), Hayride: A Haunted Attraction (2014) and Suicide Boyz (2008).

Come see SJND performers and artists in the beloved Broadway gem The Wiz at the Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts in Oakland. March 30-31, April 1-2.

Tickets at sjnd.bpt.me.

Ray Ratto ’71

Shaun Tuazon ’05

Kirk McHenry ’87

Nikki Silva ’68

David Dupart ’03

Robyn DeGuzman ’02 is a theater actress, singer and dancer living in New York. After several roles with the Arizona Broadway Theater, she was hired as a cast member of Beauty and the Beast in New York, her first national tour in a smash hit Broadway show.

David Dupart ’03 is the musical director for René Escovedo, the Latin

Steven Anderson ’77 Robyn DeGuzman ’02

Deric Lee ’07

Marielle Heller ’97

Mark Curry ’79

Spring 2017 Update 19

WHERE OUR PILOTS ARE FLYING NOW 2010s

Gabriel Arias-Sheridan '14 broke a St. Mary's College school record in winning the Bronco Invitational 8-kilometer race, finishing in 23 minutes, 27.8 seconds for the victory. He was the first Saint Mary's student-athlete in school history to run in the NCAA National Championship.

Kathleen Brennan '11 is living in New York City working as an art consultant to an antique silver collector, helping the collector donate their large silver collection to several museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Two former SJND basketball teammates, Brendan Chai '11 and Jon Brown '11, are now freshman basketball coaches coaching against each other – at SJND and The Bentley School, respectively.

Category. Her submission, “The Sea is Silent but the Lights are On,” stood out from the 1,200+ high school entries from around the world.

Serena Milroy '15 is focusing on her Exercise Science studies at Seattle University.

Daniel Ratto '16 ran his first cross country season for St. Mary's College.

2000s

Shereda Nosakhare Robinson '01 and Richard Robinson welcomed their son, Osayande. He is joining big sisters Osamede and Osarieme.

Congratulations to Jason Rockwell '06 on his recent engagement to Arienne Moran.

Isabela Reid '14 is studying abroad in Spain this year.

1990s Nicha Kittitanaphan Leaser '99 and her husband Bradford welcomed their first child, a son, Niran.

Joe Leo '96 says it feels like his junior year (1994-95) all over again, with the SJND spring musical revisiting "The Wiz." Leo was the student musical director of the original production of "The Wiz" in Spring 1995.

Kristina Lovato-Hermann '96 will present at the Latino Social Workers Organization's conference on March 27 at UC Berkeley.

1980s Darryl Glover '84 is living overseas with his wife Tania and son Nicolas.

He is working on his fifth start-up company, which is focused on Advanced Digital Ledger Technology.

Kirk McHenry '87 hosted the Late Night Comedy Connection on March 16 at Yoshi's in Oakland.

1970s Joseph Pawloski '76 is excited for his new role as Grandpa Joe. His first grandchild, Hudson, was born on November 18.

Victoria Robles '11 moved to Anaheim and is working in the guest relations department of Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and performing in Disney California Adventure's seasonal parade, Viva Navidad.

Carlos Rodriguez '14 recently started a new job as an EMT with Royal Ambulance.

Victoria Robles '11

Michael Cuellar '16 was nominated for Junior Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Rowing Association. Michael and his team, the Oakland Strokes, have won the National Junior title twice and took silver for USA in the Junior World Championships of Rowing last summer in the Netherlands.

Abigail Leong '16 won a cash award in the 2016 Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Student Contest Poetry

Congratulations to Princess Tacorda '04 on her marriage to Allan Purnell.

Darryl Glover '84

Princess Tacorda '04

Michael Cuellar '16

Kristina Lovato-Hermann '96

Gabriel Arias-Sheridan '14 Isabela Reid '14

Joseph Pawloski '76

20 Saint Joseph Notre Dame

Bob Pola '57

Mark Zimmerman '68

ALUMNINotes

1960s Art Flores '69 and Sharon Rourke Flores '69 are happily retired and have moved to Minden, Nevada. Art loves having no alarm clock, and Sharon is wondering how an Alameda beach girl is now surrounded by snow!

Mark Zimmerman '68 recently met up over dinner with the two current recipients of the Joe Del Sol '69 Memorial Scholarship Fund, which he established in memory and honor of his dear SJND friend Joe Del Sol '69.

1950s Bob Pola '57 and his wife Rochelle traveled throughout Lisbon, Portugal last fall.

Sister Jean Stoner '59 completed her six-year service as the Sisters of Notre Dame NGO representative to the United Nations.

Sister Jean Stoner '59

Art Flores '69 and Sharon Rourke Flores '69

Seeking Internship and Mentorship Opportunities for Current Students SJND is seeking internship and work experience summer programs for our current students. Does your company have an internship program? Would you be willing to create a summer internship opportunity to mentor a current Pilot?

We would love to connect current students and alumni to strengthen our SJND community and prepare our Pilots for college and career opportunities.

Please contact Vicki at 510-995-9455 or vbargagliotti@sjnd.org.

What’s your news?

Send your updates to Brendan Chai '11 and Jon Brown '11

Kathleen Brennan '11

Serena Milroy '15

vbargagliotti@sjnd.org.

Nicha Kittitanaphan Leaser '99

Daniel Ratto '16

Kirk McHenry '87 Shereda Nosakhare Robinson '01

Jason Rockwell '06

Abigail Leong '16

Carlos Rodriguez '14

Spring Fall 2013 2017Update Update 21 33

ALUMNINotes

Pilot Profile: Ralph Clark ’76

Ralph A. Clark is President and Chief Executive Officer at ShotSpotter, the world’s only wide-area acoustic gunshot detection and surveillance solution, which is deployed and used to combat gun violence in over 90 cities.

From 1972-1976, Ralph Clark commuted to St. Joseph’s High School from Oakland, near the San Leandro border.

A self-described “quiet kid,” he played JV basketball and baseball, but additional activities were difficult to fit into his commute to and from school. He recalls high school being an interesting and complex time in the mid-late 70s, but remembers having a good time at St. Joe’s with a cohesive class of young men.

After graduation, Ralph enrolled at the University of the Pacific, where he started out as a pre-med/pre-dental major with a course load full of science and math. But during the winter term of his freshman year, he found a passion for philosophy from classes about the Odyssey and Good and Evil. “I think the reading we did at St. Joe’s really prepared me for a love of philosophy,” he said. “I excelled in that.”

After taking a Philosophical Economics course, he ended up pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Economics with a lot of philosophy courses in the mix.

Ralph considered law school after graduating from UOP, and took the LSAT. But since he had put himself through school financially, he decided to take a job at IBM and work for a 22 Saint Joseph Notre Dame

"We know we’re making an impact making challenged and underserved communities safer."

couple years first. At IBM, the company occasionally hosted thought-provoking Presidents’ Classes taught by professors from Harvard Business School. So Ralph decided to apply to Harvard Business School, just to see if he would get in. His initiative paid off and he says he was “lucky enough to be accepted there!”

Ralph’s first post-M.B.A. job was working with many public offerings and acquisitions as an investment banker with Goldman Sachs. He advised successful tech companies in their transactions and took an interest in how different founders were doing exciting things with technology, and growing quickly in the fertile startup environment.

Ralph was working as the CEO of GuardianEdge Technologies (later acquired by Symantec) when he received a call from a company called ShotSpotter. ShotSpotter is a gunshot detection technology company which delivers instant data to police, helping them to respond more quickly and safely. He was intrigued with the company and spent six months meeting with employees, and thinking about how to pursue markets in a new way. He accepted the CEO position at ShotSpotter six years ago, and has had a big influence on improving their operating systems leading to increased success. While the company’s success is indeed gratifying, “we also know we’re making an impact making challenged and underserved communities safer,” says Ralph, “which is quite rewarding.”

Through his leadership at ShotSpotter, Ralph has learned a lot about urban violence, and is motivated by seeing his company’s technology improve response rates. He feels honored to be part of significant thought-leadership in that space, and enjoys the opportunity to meet a lot of people and officials around the world. He recently returned from a trip meeting with the London police leadership team. He recalls a specific memory from a trip to South Africa. There had been a poaching event in Kruger National park, and the park rangers asked Ralph if he wanted to go in with them and retrieve a baby rhino that was left starving to death. “To

who are happy and healthy. He is active in nonprofit work, consulting with small businesses through Pacific Community Ventures where he is Chairman of the Board. He also helps on an advisory basis with the Oakland Museum and the Oakland Boys and Girls Club, which are both very important to him. “I’m a big Oakland fan – all things Oakland. I was born and raised here, spent some time in Seattle and New York City, but I knew I would come back and settle in Oakland.”

be involved with their operation, deep in this park in Africa, with armed park rangers, and then to see the rhino and this helicopter come...that’s just not something you experience at a regular job!” he says. He is excited that his company is expanding its footprint to help more people globally.

Outside of ShotSpotter, Ralph considers himself blessed to have a wonderful wife and partner, and four children

Patricia Jimenez '09 Inspires Art Honor Students Patricia Jimenez '09 works for the GNU Group, an experiential graphic design firm in Walnut Creek. While at SJND, she was lead designer and layout editor for the Reflections yearbook and the Kaleidoscope newspaper. SJND art department faculty invited Patricia back to campus to speak with student artists at the school’s National Art Honor Society (NAHS) induction ceremony in January.

Patricia encouraged focusing on the fundamentals in college – drawing, color theory, art history,

As Ralph reflects on his educational and career accomplishments and pivots throughout his life thus far, he acknowledges how the critical thinking and reading skills that he developed at St. Joseph’s stuck with him. “Although I wasn't always paying as much attention in class as I should have, it really did help me.” He enjoys staying in touch with St. Joe’s classmates Jim Kelly ’76, Michael Murray ’76 and Paul Stier ’76 and reconnecting with even more people now through Facebook.

“It’s been a happy life and I’ve met interesting people along the way.”

and introductions to software – as they will be the building blocks of art education and an art career. She also spoke about how their journeys will be non-linear: “If you love science as much as art, you will find a place. If you love making abstract patterns in the margins of your notebook, you will find a place. Trust that you will find your Point D, even though you’re only at Point A today. Just remember: You Are Here. Bask in it.

You Are Here. Where you go next is up to you.”

Solidarity and Stewardship in El Salvador Rose Lassalle-Klein ’13 participated in Casa de la Solidaridad, a study abroad program based in El Salvador that combined rigorous

study at the UCA (Universidad Centroamericana) with real-world solidarity experience through volunteer placements. For six months she participated in their summer public health program, taking classes while working full time in a government-funded clinic. After the summer ended, she volunteered for a month in Suchitoto, El Salvador at Centro Arte Para la Paz (Art Center for Peace) teaching painting, yoga, drawing and English. “The values of solidarity and stewardship were planted by my experience at SJND,” Rose said.

Spring 2017 Update 23

ALUMNINotes

Reunion Reports and Alumni Events Alumni Women's Volleyball Game SJND, August 26

Volleyball alumnae came back for the three hard-fought games: Michelle Ybarra Bas '89, Elena Chai '16, Gabriela Espinoza '16, Khalia Burton-Hom '13, Jaelin McCreary '12, Allie Oilar '15, Alexis Perez '12, Taryn Perez '11, Gail Sousa Rodrigues '70, Jennifer Rodrigues '96, Cassandra Rodriguez '12, Geena Serles '10, Sabrina Sudarsana '04, and Carmela Valderrama '12.

Back from College Day SJND, January 5

Thank you to recent grads who shared their college experiences with current students at Back from College Day! Matthew Graybeal ’16, Justin Deierling '13, Gregory Galvan '16, Toni Gadar '15, Lily Bramble '15, Aaron Stanek ’15, Chris Melendez ’14, Martin Martinez ’16, Bianca De La Cruz '15, Allie Oilar '15, Dana Pineda ’15

24 Saint Joseph Notre Dame

Alumni Basketball Games

Homecoming | Kelly Gymnasium, November 25

Thank you to all of our alumni athletes!

Alumni Women’s Basketball:

Alumni Co-Ed Soccer:

Jessica de Mesa ’12 Savannah Fisher ’15 Patricia Jimenez ’09 Ayesa Kearns ’16 Viviann Nguyen ’08

Alumni Soccer Games

Homecoming | College of Alameda, November 23

Luis Alvarez ’08 Alejandro Alvarez ’12 Alex Argueta ’16 Matt Bacon ’16 Derricke Brown ’96 Reinhard Cate ’03 Nikko DeGrano ’12 Alumni Men’s Tristyn Dowsey ’15 Basketball: William Fong ’03 Ricardo Arrizon ’95 Larry Gandsey ’72 Calvin H. Byrd ’89 Axel Garcia ’13 Fred Harper-Cotton ’94 Jonathon Gordon ’96 Brendan Chai ’11 Angel Hernandez ’12 Avery Dueberry ’16 Jeffrey Marshall ’15 Elijah Fisher ’14 Michael Molinari ’08 Jonathan Gordon ’96 Bryon Osario ’16 Sean Harding ’11 Kevin Pardo ’14 Kevin Harris ’16 Joseph Rockwell ’16 Allen Hester ’05 Alberto Salinas ’12 John Keltner ’83 David Sheehan ’02 Steve Manzo ’88 Jonathan Sheehan ’97 Adrian McCullough ’97 Loren Urtula ’11 Jonathan Musson ’99 Jenna Vacca ’13 Ian Ordinario ’94 Joseph Vacca ’09 Raffy Pangilinan ’98 Brandon Quick ’01 Alumni Pep Band: David Silva ’01 Maribelle Martinez ’13 Marcel Williams ’02 Marty Martinez ’16 Nikki Yokomizo ’94 Serena Milroy ’15 Matthew Porter ’15 Benjaman Adam Reyes III ’15 Emilio Sanchez ’14 Ruben Souza ’16

Spring 2017 Update 25

ALUMNINotes

Reunion Reports and Alumni Events, cont.

Class of 1967 Golden Reunion

Save the Date!

Saturday, June 10, 2017 Class of 1967, save the date of June 10 for your Golden Reunion.

This event includes a luncheon, special mass, campus tours, Golden Diploma ceremony, and an evening planned by your class organizers.

It’s a unique time to reminisce with friends about your days at Notre Dame and St. Joseph's!

CLASS OF 1976

40th Reunion | Pasta Pelican, October 22 Organizers: Heidi Krause Anderson, Peter Meuleners, Brian McMahon, Kathleen Vinella Jorgensen

CLASS OF 1981

35th Reunion | R&B Cellars, October 15

Organizers: Christina Reich, Margaret French Isaac

For more information and to update your contact information, please contact Vicki at 510-995-9455 or vbargagliotti@sjnd.org.

Fun facts about the Notre Dame Class of 1967:

Graduates: 56 Class Mascot: Cobra Class Officers:

President – Pat O’Hara Vice President – Vicki Flores Secretary – Mary Higdon Treasurer – Ann Keltner Athletic Manager – Lou Garnier Section President 12s1 – Therese Ambrose Section President 12s2 – Sally Ybarra

CLASS OF 1986

30th Reunion | Puerto Bello Restaurant, November 12 Organizers: Jenny LaTorre Porciuncula, Lia Corsi Freccero

Fun facts about the Saint Joseph Class of 1967: Graduates: 58 School newspaper: “The Contact” Class Officers:

President – Andrew Dworak; Mark Snopkowski First Vice President – Michael McNeill; Joseph Rastatter Second Vice President – Adrian DaSilva; Thomas Alcedo Third Vice President – Charles George; John O’Brien Secretary – Robert Edwards; Dennis Travins

50

26 Saint Joseph Notre Dame

Join your class in making a contribution to your reunion class gift.

Reunion class gifts continue the proud legacy of SJND by supporting student scholarships, retreats, counseling and other programs for our current Pilots. Select "Reunion" under Tribute Type and enter your class year as the Tribute Recipient.

INMemoriam ALUMNI Umberto P. Bartholemeu ’54 Brother of Carl Bartholomeu ’61

Karl Breitkopf ’49 Brother of Gerda Breitkopf ’53 Siple

Phil Edwards ’61 Antonio Galindo ’89 Frederick J. Hirth ’42 Ronald “Jim” Jensen ’68

Brother of Dr. Randy Jensen ’67

Rhea King Knutz '81 Gerard McCormick '59

REMEMBERING Ruth Iverson Gann '48 1930 – 2016 SJND was blessed this year with a generous gift from the estate of Ruth Iverson '48 Gann, an exceptional example of the perseverance and generosity inherent in Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School graduates.

Mary McDonald ’70

Mother of Bill Connacher ’09 and Claire Connacher ’11

Donal McEnhill, DDS ’47

Brother of Gerald McEnhill ’54

Patrick Nelson ’46 Bob Woelffer '49

Ruth grew up in foster care in Oakland. Coming from a difficult childhood, she worked hard at Sears to pay her own tuition at Notre Dame Academy. She was a very independent woman, and built a career in reservations at United Airlines for 30 years. Upon retiring, she received a congratulations letter from Clint Eastwood, her former classmate from Piedmont Elementary School.

In her active retirement, she learned how to swim in her seventies and swam every day at her gym. She also loved water color, skiing, and volunteering at the animal shelter in Sonoma. She adopted a 15 year old girl from Russia and filled a grandmother role to many friends.

Ruth overcame obstacles to pursue a quality Catholic education for herself.

She cared deeply about SJND's mission and future, and left a considerable bequest to the school in her estate to help others afford an education here. She joined a great company of Heritage Circle supporters who have also named SJND in their estate plans in order that we may continue to grow and flourish. Ruth’s lifetime and legacy of hard work and giving will benefit students for generations to come.

Join Ruth in the Saint Joseph Notre Dame tradition of leaving a legacy.

To learn more about including SJND in your estate planning, please contact Kay Reed, Donor Relations Officer, at (510) 995-9422 or kreed@sjnd.org.

Editor: Corinne Hayhurst, Director of Communications Contributors: Ken Jennings, Principal Mollie McFarland, Assistant Principal of Institutional Advancement Vicki Bargagliotti, Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving Design: Marci Stewart Designs Production: St. Croix Press Spring 2017 Update 27

Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School 1011 Chestnut Street Alameda, CA 94501 www.sjnd.org • 510-523-1526

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Parents of Alumni:

If this issue is addressed to your son or daughter who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify SJND at (510) 995-9452 with the new address. Thanks!

Think Summer! Think SJND! Summer fun, athletic and academic enrichment activities for students grades 1–8

June 12 through August 4 Enroll at SJND.org/summer

SAVE! Enroll by April 29 for Early Bird pricing

Summer Discovery at SJND