Annual Report (Published July 2025)

Dear Sonoma Academy Community,

I think often about when and how I’ve changed my mind, and I may have no better example to share than my orientation to philanthropy. In short, when I began my teaching career in 1985, I thought of it as someone else’s work. I remember receiving my first copy of an Annual Report and thinking—with relief—thank goodness this has nothing to do with me. I took comfort in viewing my work as a teacher, coach, and advisor as pure, not compromised by the need to ask for financial support.

And then I became a Head of School. I became aware of what was possible only because of the generous support of donors; I also became painfully aware of what was impossible without it. I came to understand that a school community’s ability to realize its mission to be socio-economically diverse; to make it possible for talented and dedicated teachers, coaches, and advisors to afford to say “Yes” to our invitation to share their gifts with our students; to create transformative learning experiences for students in classrooms and gyms, on stages and fields, near and far; and create the physical spaces that might animate, if not inspire, deeper, richer learning, is made possible by this support.

I also came to understand that every gift counts—that we are strongest together when we stretch together—when we say “Yes” together. As the following report conveys, you have said “Yes” to Sonoma Academy and to sharing in the responsibility for this community’s pursuit of its highest hopes.

I am very grateful for your support and glad to be part of this SA journey with you.

Thinking SA,

Mike Hanas Interim Head of School

Exploration makes explorers

“Intersession” literally means “between sessions,” and at SA it is designed to be a mid-year journey, a time for learning something new, exploring unknown places in the world. This unique program gives our students time and space to take healthy risks, and try new things, whether they are on campus, nearby, or roaming further afield.

Intersession gives students the opportunity to investigate an area of interest in a deeper way, and maybe even discover a future passion or a possible career path. Many of our alumni say that they were initially inspired on their current path in life during Intersession.

Intersession is also the time when some of our Passport Program trips take place, thanks to a generous anonymous donor. It is exciting to receive updates on our travelers’ adventures, accompanied by joyous and inspiring photos

from our chaperones in the field — students planting mangrove seedlings at the Green Camp in Bali, learning about indigenous agricultural practices in Ecuador, backpacking through the dramatic landscape of Patagonia, Chile, exploring culture and history in Morocco, delving into the intersection of city planning, art, and sustainability in The Netherlands.

The lessons students learn during Intersession are ones they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. Things such as: “Take a bite, you might like it.” Or “There is no such thing as a perfect first draft… you can always try again!” Or “Say ‘yes, and’… and improvise.” Most importantly, our students have all learned important things about themselves: a newfound capacity to get up before dawn to witness a sunrise, or the patience to persevere through travel disruptions; the initiative to talk to a stranger and find a meaningful way to connect with people; or a surprising facility for chopping vegetables. Best of all these opportunities lead to making new friends on campus and beyond because of the time spent in Intersession together.

17,050,250 + 186,653 + 461,420 + 373,482 + 183,732 + 2,032,664 + 186,200 + 2,058,691

In 2023-24, on-campus and domestic offerings engaged all the senses and sparked curiosity in many ways. Here are a few of the highlights:

Launching seaworthy “boats” built from rice krispie treats in Baking Impossible... Practicing putts in Golf... Learning to check tire pressure & give CPR in Life Skills ... Construct the perfect Avocado Toast in Dorm Room Cooking... Swinging from the trapeze in Aerial Arts... Crafting in the studios in Wooden Boxes... Plunging underground in Caving... Programming using Arduino in STEM Immersion Reflecting during a 3-day solo on Wilderness Quest in Death Valley Performing at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville ...Preparing for competition in Debate and Robotics

As I reflect on the past two school years, I am filled with immense gratitude for the unwavering support and generosity of our incredible community. Your dedication and commitment to Sonoma Academy have made a profound impact on the lives of our students and the vitality of our school community for the coming years.

I am thrilled to share with you the remarkable achievements made possible through your support. Thanks to your generosity, 58% of our students received crucial tuition assistance, ensuring that a Sonoma Academy education remains accessible to as many curious, motivated, and driven students as possible. This inclusivity lies at the heart of our mission and is a testament to the values we uphold as a community.

Our annual fundraising event, Big Night Out, was a tremendous success, with over 550 individuals coming together to celebrate and support our school. It is through events like these and the remarkable generosity of those who go above and beyond their tuition obligations that we are able to say YES to emerging programs and innovative curriculum initiatives, enriching the educational experience for every student.

Each act of kindness and every gesture of generosity contributes to making Sonoma Academy the vibrant and nurturing community we all cherish. Your support enables us to provide unparalleled opportunities for our students, empowering them to be inspired academically, socially, and personally.

Looking ahead, I am filled with optimism and excitement for the future of Sonoma Academy. Together, we will continue to uphold our commitment to this special community and ensure that every student and teacher has the resources and support they need to succeed.

On behalf of Sonoma Academy community, thank you for your continued partnership and dedication. Our work would not be possible without you.

Financial Highlights

REVENUE

In 2023-24, we experienced a strong year of performance from our investments. The surplus funds reflected here are unrealized gains, and not actual revenue. We would only see this increase if we sold the investments. Since we are investing for the long term future of the school, we keep assets invested over a long period of time.

Our First Year In The New Performing Arts Center

Had it All...

Big flashy musicals, intimate student-produced shows, concerts featuring members of our extended community, and much more. From dance ensembles to heavy metal bands, from classical pieces to Disney tunes, from a storytelling festival to an evening with a legendary musical icon, this space has hosted some incredible moments that will be remembered for many years to come.

But the PAC is not just for polished productions. Each week, students and staffulty gather for Community Meeting. This is one of our most treasured traditions. We hear heartfelt Senior Speeches and moving Moments of Reflections and inspiring music performances. We cheer during Coyote Cup competitions and learn from guest speakers, and we are always generous with the standing ovations.

All of this is thanks to the support of the anonymous donors who made this building possible. It is exciting to think about the many ways we will engage with the space in the future!

Sonoma Academy Fund

The SA Fund makes possible many of the most treasured features of the SA experience, from our immersive programming and exploratories to our daily lunch and snacks. We thank all those who have supported our community with a gift to our annual fund drive.

Thank

You!

To Our Donors 2022, 2023, 2024

Caroline Adams

Ms. Melinda Altschul

Anonymous

Christina Azahar

Seavron Banus

Lupe Barragan

Mr. William and Mrs. Gretchen

Bellville

Mr. Randy Bennett and Mrs. Kathy

McBride

Ashlie Benton

Kate ’05 and Martin

Bernal-Hafner

Rick and Beth Bilal

Tom and Rebecca Birdsall

Fernando and Ivonne Borjon

Alex and Jenn Bottmeyer

Mike and Michelle Boyers

Mr. Dave Broadbent and Mrs. Jane Richardson

Cassidy Brown

Rebecca and Owen Brown

The Browne Family

Jeff and Kristi Burton

Ann and Linda Inman-Butterfield

Terry Byrd and Laura Goldenberg

Ricardo Cadena

Tim Campbell and Katie McGraw Campbell

Luis Castaneda

Kelly and James Castañeda

John Chavigny and Staci Hyatt

Tim Choate and Elizabeth McKoy

Kevin and Megan Christensen

Wallis and Stacy Clark

Ethan and Christine Cline

Alissa Coenen

The Cort/Goldman Family

Jenifer and Jeff Coté

Cassia Crall

Robert and Elizabeth Crenshaw

Rolando Crisostomo

John and Mary Crockenberg

Olimpio Cruz and Ana Rodriguez

Curotto Family

Ken and Aundrea Cushman

Richard Dale and Caitlin Cornwall

Mr. Ronald Davis

Steve De Cosse and Sharon

Fitzgerald

Mr. David and Mrs. Vicky DeBenedetti

Curtiss and Julie DeFord

Danielle Delario

Mario Dell’Olio

Alan DeWitt and Andrea Frederick

Satish Dhanasekaran and Anusha

Chandrasekhar

Donald and Maureen Green Foundation

Alyson Douglas

Ross and Marnie Dowd

Brad and Kelly Drury

Darren and Shannon Duarte

Caitlin Duffy and Tim Hall

Kimberly and Forrest Eber

David and Claudia Eiseman

Maitane Elorza and Garrick Lee

Thomas and Marsha Engdahl

Rhodora Espiritu

Ben and Sabrina Evers

Akram and Jessie Fahmi

Todd and Erin Farber

Julie and Gary Feldman

Jason and Nancy Feldstein

Rodney and Travis Fierce

Mark and Bridget Flocco

Sierra Flynn

Tucker Foehl and Angela Mirra

Trevor and Kelly Foster

The Foulkes Family

The Freese Family

Rebecca and Steve Fuette

Kenneth Gallegos and Melanie Joshua

Antonius and Elly Gan

Jesus and Cesilia Garcia

Betsy Selby Garner

Bruce Gaynor and Karen Holbrook

Michael Gelb

Stephen and Lori Giffoni

Mrs. Barbara Gilbert

Rachel Glitz and Michael De Alessi

Matthew Goodrich

Catherine Daley and Steven Goody

Rebecca Gordon

Joel and Sarah Gott

Jonathan Greenberg

Amber Greer

Robert and Faith Grove

Michael Grow and Pamela Tambe

Eric and Lani Gullotta

Sean Hackett and Sally Ng

Sarah and Parke Hafner

Kevin and Kendal Hamann

Christine Hanna and Jake Whiteley

Sarah Hanna

Bart and Teresa Hansen

Margaux Hardy

Richard Harmon

Danny Harold

Amy Harrington and John Hahn

Stephanie Hart

Jill Bottomley and Brian Hasik

Mr. Boyd and Mrs. Melanie Hasik

David and Sarah Hehman

Heselton Family

Dan and Sue Hirsch

Jessica Hobson and Andy Wallace

Mark Homicz and Pamela Loman

Brendon and Hannah Houston

Jennifer and Christopher Huber

Joe Hudson and Tara Howley

Bill and Gail Hutchinson

David Hyde

Changa Imara

Hans and Linda Jacobsson

Pat and Toni Kam

Georgi and Gergana Karabelov

Daniel Karbousky

Ms. Nancy Kellison

Andrew Kempiak and Amy Niesen

Ms. Therine Kempiak

Thomas Kimball and Jessica Strachan

Nathan and Rachel Knuth

Prudence Kohler

Parul and Sumit Kohli

Koida Family

Kiska Kosagamez

Dorothy Kowal

Mike Kramer

Kremer Family

Mary Kussmaul

Bruce and Hilary Lackovic

Mark and Kathleen LaGrave

KayVee Larsen

Hedley and Shannon Lawson

John Lee and Karen Murphy

Larry Levin and Laurie Lamantia

Dr. Anthony and Dr. Jean Lim

Tricia Line

Rommel and Jessica Loria

Sean Low and Cate Bruce-Low

Lucy Lucchesi

Alex Macievich and Abby Peterson

David Mahlaku

Sean Mahoney and Toni Morgan

Theresa and Peter Mahoney

Ms. Muriel Mahrer

Ha Mai and Joe Stanley

Megan and Ian Malone

Jeff and Crystal Mangahas

Kristy Marksbury

Lucas and Katie Martin

Michele and Brian Martin

Jon and Carrie Marvin

Chad and Nour Maxwell

Ian Maxwell and Eurydice Rorick-Maxwell

Katie May

Sean and Jennifer McCannell

Ken and Suni McCarthy

Matthew and Stephanie McGlynn

Oona McKnight and Eric Moes

Joseph McKown and Diane Carr

Jay and Margaret McNab

Nancy Metzger-Carter

Jeff and Jennifer Meyer

Karen and Matthew Meyer

Mieritz Family

Benjamin and Linda Miller

Hus and Melanie Miller

Mr. Roger and Mrs. Sandra Miller

Moore Family Fund

Ms. Havana Moss

Raúl Munoz and Mariela Perez

Jamie Murray and Kerry Hanlon

Ramsey and Jessica Musallam

John and Heather Mutz

Joel and Pam Neuberg

Niklasson Family

Nilsen Family

Sonoma Academy Fund 2022-24 (cont.)

Tory and Zander Nosler

Debbie and Nikolas Novograd

Paul and Gail Nurmi

Arthur O’Connor and Ellen McAleavy

Pat O’Keeffe

Joe and Melinda Oliveri

Christopher Oscar

Kerith and Brian Overstreet

Paul and Karen Pavlak

Ricardo and Jenny Perez

Agustin Pérez and Lizbeth Ruiz-Chaparro

Anthony and Tracie Pezzullo

James Piper and Nancy Cordova

Timothy Popin and Lela Emad

The Potter Family

Emily Pringle

Glenn and Laurie Proctor

Margie and Wally Pugh

Ray Ramos and Cheryl Willett

Daniel Reiter

Carrie and David Robertshaw

Duncan and Betsy Ross

Betsy Ginkel and Steve Rubardt

Molly Rubardt

Todd and Amy Ryan

Al and Aynna Sae

Terrence and Debra Sanders

Gerardo Sandoval

Mike and Angela Sarmiento

David and Tara Saul

Krista Scalzo and Dan Reidy

Scarpulla Family

Christian and Courtney Schock

Maggie Scott

The Byrne-Scully Family

Tina Poles and Richard J. Senghas

Cassandra Shafer

Doug and Annette Shafer

Timothy and Mary Shaw

Mrs. Ann Sheppard and Mr. Asher Sheppard

Scott and Wing Siegner

Michael and Buffy Simoni

Mark Simpson and Lynn Mortensen

Bill and Tonya Singer

Curt and Tam Smith

Matthew and Carrie Smith

Mr. Frank and Mrs. Heather Smith

Brandon and Irma Spars

Mr. and Mrs. Norm Spieler

Jesse and Amy Stearn

Tina Stenger

Mark Stiger and Jean Lalla

Bailey Stone

Greg and Meri Storino

Scott Stroud and Helena Sandie

Jim and Peta Sweeney

Jim and Tracy Sweeney

Chris Synek

Kristi Synek

Christine and Anthony Tantarelli

Jeffrey Tappan and Alissa Bushnell

Craig and Leslie Taylor

Lily Thompson

Kiyo and Mark Tukman

Bridget and Denis Twomey

Michael and Paula Updegraff

Ms. Catherine Vancik

Roy and Johana Vega

Pamela and David Vincent

Steve and Kathleen von Raesfeld

Brad and Jeanne Weaver

Jonathon Weiner and Sally Daganzo

Christopher and Emily White

Alan Wight and Shelly Hernandez

David and Jane Williams

Laura and Jonathan Wilson

Ashley Wolfe

James and Mary Ann Wren-Jarvis

Dan and Erin Wrightsman

Bin and Yanxia Xiao

Jianjun Xu and Cynthia Lu

Yi and Lisa Yang

Peter Young

Richard and Trisha Young

Hillary Younglove and Giovanni Cerrone

Lisa Zavieh and David Martin

Bev Zeigler

The Zelazny Family

Chris and Renee Ziemer

Julia and Larry Zimmer

The Mark West Society

The Mark West Society embodies the enduring commitment of individuals and families who have supported Sonoma Academy’s mission for five or more consecutive years. Their consistent generosity, spanning diverse roles within our community, has been instrumental in sustaining our treasured school.

From founders to grandparents, trustees to staff members, each member of the Mark West Society shares a common dedication to Sonoma Academy, demonstrated through their annual contributions without fail.

In a world of change, their unwavering support serves as a steadfast anchor, ensuring our continued growth an d impact. We extend our deepest gratitude to the Mark West Society members for their invaluable contributions to our shared vision.

There are Many Forms of Student Leadership at SA

Leadership at Sonoma Academy takes many forms, and our staffulty emphasizes and models the different styles of effective and engaged leadership. There are also many ways in which our students exercise and develop their leadership skills, from facilitating meetings and planning events to serving as advocates on important issues in our society and acting as role models for younger students.

We recognize that when students pursue their passions they discover unique leadership capabilities, and they also exhibit important qualities that are core values of our school—empathy for others, resilience in the face of adversity, communicating across differences, and the importance of collaboration when dreaming something big or making an impact on a challenging real-world problem.

For the 2023 theatre production of Alice ( in what Theater Director Jen Coté described as our most student-driven and student-led production ever at SA) students envisioned something big, and collaborated to create the multidisciplinary magic that made for a dynamic stage performance. The show was a triumph, featuring many student accomplishments: an original script written collaboratively by students, award-winning set design and artistic vision from Mae McCarthy ’23, amazing costumes designed by Marlena Bennett Hall ’23, beautiful puppets created by the Art of Puppetry class, memorable performances from students in the Production & Design Studio class, a dedicated and skilled student tech team led by Chris Giffoni ’23, and an original music score produced by Sarai Juarez Osorio ’23. The artistic vision and theater experience was a tour de force, and our students literally transformed the Fitzsimmons Theater into a magical wonderland!

Student leadership is also on display in every game, match, meet, and practice. Our student-athletes are leaders for their teammates and they model our values in competitions with other schools and opponents. At the close of each athletics season, we honor our senior athletes, many of whom have participated in SA sports for all four years. These students act as caring mentors for younger teammates, exemplifying teamwork and school spirit, as they significantly advance our athletics program during their time in high school. In 2022-23 and 2023-24, our teams experienced great success, advancing to the playoffs in Boys and Girls Soccer, Volleyball, Boys and Girls Basketball, Tennis, and Baseball, and sending runners to the State Meets for Cross Country and Track.

And with special thanks to our Board of Trustees

Chris Hanna, Chair (Brian Whiteley ’20)

David Eiseman (Nick ’20)

Nick Folly ’04

Rebecca Fuette (Luke ’21 and Zach ’24)

Dan Hirsch (Claire ’26)

John Lee (Archie ’22)

Karen Meyer (Lex ’24, Dana ’27, and Cooper ’28)

Ben Miller (Claudia ’22)

Debbie Novograd (Avery ’25 & Sawyer ’28)

Kerith Overstreet (Bruno ’22, Amelia ’24, & Lily ’24)

Emily Pringle (Liam O’Keeffe ’24 & Maeve O’Keeffe ’25)

Krista Scalzo (Danny Reidy ’25)

Timothy Shaw (Steven ’26)

Steve von Raesfeld (Audrey ’17 & Nina ’19)

Yi Yang (Ryan ’23, Andrew ’26, & Chloe ’27)

Thank you for your enduring and generous support of Sonoma Academy. Your care and your donations allow Sonoma Academy to thrive and shine. Writing this letter makes me a bit wistful–and grateful– as this is my first Trustee Advancement message as a mom of three Sonoma Academy graduates (Bruno ’22 and twins Amelia ’24 and Lily ’24).

Mired in the day-to-day stress of raising high school teenagers, we parents may lose sight of the big picture value of a Sonoma Academy education. But finally, I have the luxury of hindsight (and soon you will, too)! Watching my college kiddos employ the skills they honed at SA is a joy and a revelation. Most notable among these skills is SA’s emphasis on self-advocacy. Sonoma Academy prepares students to seek academic support when needed and to utilize office hours with aplomb. Our graduates have the confidence to look their professors in the eye and to introduce themselves on day one of class. This is all due to the fact that they were able to have such close connections with their high school teachers at SA. To be sure, we invest in Sonoma Academy for the community, and no aspect of SA is as sacrosanct as the teacher/student relationship.

SA graduates are creative, thoughtful, and collaborative, because collaboration is often a key part of their work in and out of the classroom. Whether they take part in jazz band, theater,

sports, or robotics, they are practicing lifetime skills, thanks to our donors’ support.

Does your student love debate or robotics or pottery or vegan cooking? Does your student love luxuriating in the sunshine of the plaza or chatting with friends in comfy Adirondack chairs? When you visit campus, does the hum of student life lift your day? Do you smile when you have the chance to see students on stage?

Do you laugh along with the goofy jokes in Community Meeting? Are you more wistful than ever now that your kids have graduated? Oh wait, got a little bit too personal there…

Today I’m asking you to close your eyes and re-envision the magical feeling when you recognized Sonoma Academy as “the one” for your student. Think back on the programs, course offerings, teachers, and extracurriculars that drew your student here. When you do, recognize that the generosity of our shared school community touches all of it.

Thank you for your past and continued support of Sonoma Academy. I know how special this school is to all of us. Cheers!

Warmly,

Kerith Overstreet Trustee, Advancement Chair, and Mom to Three SA Alumni

Big Night Out

Thank you for your support!

Katherine and Robert Angell

Anonymous

Fernando and Ivonne Borjon

Burns Family

Tim Choate and Elizabeth McKoy

Cassia Crall

Richard Dale and Caitlin Cornwall

Adam Doss

Ross and Marnie Dowd

Kimberly and Forrest Eber

David and Claudia Eiseman

The Florsheim Family

Rebecca and Steve Fuette

Stephen and Lori Giffoni

Jeff and Ann Gospe

Christine Hanna and Jake Whiteley

Dan and Sue Hirsch

Jessica Hobson and Andy Wallace

Katie and Shaun Jackson

Thomas Kimball and Jessica Strachan

John Lee and Karen Murphy

Dr. Anthony and Dr. Jean Lim

Henry Loh II and Amy Loh

Melissa Long and Gary Koop

Alex Macievich and Abby Peterson

Sean Mahoney and Toni Morgan

Jeff and Crystal Mangahas

Jon and Carrie Marvin

Ian Maxwell and Eurydice

Rorick-Maxwell

Mr. and Mrs. Doug McKesson

Lisa Micheli

Mieritz Family

Benjamin and Linda Miller

Hus and Melanie Miller

David and Kristen Mutter

John and Heather Mutz

Tory and Zander Nosler

Debbie and Nikolas Novograd

Kerith and Brian Overstreet

Gillian Parker

Noelle Passalacqua

Carrie and David Robertshaw

Duncan and Betsy Ross

Al and Aynna Sae

David and Tara Saul

Krista Scalzo and Dan Reidy

The Byrne-Scully Family

Scott Shepardson and Nancy O’Neill

Brad and Emylena Squires

Greg and Meri Storino

Douglas and Lisa Stringer

Jeffrey Tappan and Alissa Bushnell

Craig and Leslie Taylor

Sean and Dawn Taylor

Ray Texel

Gregory Thrash and Melissa Jeong

Bridget and Denis Twomey

Doug and Ame Van Dyke

Steve and Kathleen von Raesfeld

Warnelius-Miller Family

Jonathon Weiner and Sally Daganzo

Chay Woerz

Yi and Lisa Yang

Julia and Larry Zimmer

Each year we gather in a celebration of our growing and enduring community, to recognize the furtherance of our mission and recommit to the vision of our founders. And every year, contributing to the dynamic endeavor that is Sonoma Academy is an unparalleled reward.

AmazonSmile

Anonymous

Foundations, Companies, and Corporate Matching Programs

Thank you to our strategic partners:

Ayco Charitable Foundation

Bank of America Charitable Fund

BlackRock

Community Foundation Sonoma County

Ciena

Donald and Maureen Green Foundation

Doss Logistics

DPR Construction

Earth Rising Foundation

eScrip

Fidelity Charitable

Flocco Foundation

Gullotta Law Group

iGive

Imagination Foundation for the Arts,

Education, and Environment

Jackson Family Enterprises, Inc.

Keysight Technologies

KHR Family Fund

LinkedIn

Marin Community Foundation

Oracle

Overstreet Family Foundation

PMI North Bay

Quattrocchi Kwok Architects

Raymond James Charitable

Renteria Vineyard Management

Richard and Jane Manoogian Foundation

Schwab Charitable

SEI Giving Fund

Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund

Sonoma County Children’s Charities

State Farm

Summit Engineering, Inc

T.L.L. Temple Foundation

The Medtronic Foundation

The Walt Disney Company Foundation

Vantage Wealth Management

CLASS OF 2023

AI Miami International University of Art and Design

Amherst College

Beloit College

Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo (10)

Cal Poly, Humboldt

California State University, Monterey Bay

California State University, Sacramento

Chapman University (2)

The Citadel

Claremont McKenna College

Colgate University

Colorado College

Colorado State University, Fort Collins

Columbia University

Dartmouth College

Dominican University of California

George Washington University

Gonzaga University (3)

Lehigh University

Lewis and Clark College (4)

Michigan State University

New York University

Northeastern University

Northwestern University

Oberlin College (2)

Occidental College

Oregon State University

Pomona College

Rhode Island School of Design

Saint Mary’s College of California

Santa Rosa Junior College (2)

Skidmore College

Stanford University

Tufts University (2)

College Matriculations

Tulane University of Louisiana

University of California, Berkeley (2)

University of California, Davis

University of California, Los Angeles (2)

University of California, San Diego (2)

University of California, Santa Cruz University of Colorado, Boulder (2)

University of Denver (2)

University of Oregon

University of Puget Sound

University of Southern California (3)

University of Vermont

University of Washington, Seattle (2)

Vassar College

Wellesley College

Western Washington University

Gap Year (2)

CLASS OF 2024

Belmont University

Boston College

Boston University

Cal Poly Humboldt

California Polytechnic State University (San Luis Obispo) (8)

California State University (Long Beach)

Carleton College

Chapman University (2)

Colgate University (3)

Colorado College (2)

Colorado School of Mines

Columbia University

Elon University

George Washington University (2)

Harvard University

Lewis & Clark College (3)

Loyola Marymount University (2)

Northwestern University (3)

Occidental College

Pitzer College

Pomona College

Purdue University

Rice University

Saint Mary’s College of California

San Diego State University

Santa Clara University (2)

Stanford University

Syracuse University

Texas Christian University (2)

Tufts University

Tulane University of Louisiana (3)

University of California (Berkeley) (2)

University of California (Davis) (3)

University of California (Los Angeles) (4)

University of California (Santa Barbara)

University of California (Santa Cruz) (3)

University of Colorado Boulder

University of Colorado Denver

University of Pennsylvania

University of Puget Sound

University of San Francisco (2)

University of Southern California

University of St Andrews (2)

University of Vermont

University of Washington

Wesleyan University

Whitman College (2)

Williams College

Gap Year

I could not be more excited to join the SA Community in July as your next Head of School. I am humbled by this opportunity and inspired to serve this remarkable learning environment. The school’s intrepid history, creative staffulty, talented students, and passionate parent community resonated with me from the moment I stepped onto the campus. What draws me to SA is the spirit of possibility, belief in the power of education to transform lives, and commitment to providing a supportive environment for educators to coax the best from their students and help them soar beyond limitations. It is rare for a school community to commit to and invest in the unique promise of students the way that SA has done over the past quarter century.

I cannot wait to immerse myself in this commitment and investment in July. I look forward to meeting with staffulty, students, alumni, families, and Trustees to learn about their aspirations for the school’s future and the opportunities that await us in the years ahead. As I began to share my excitement with Nina, Claudia, and Carlos, they could sense from my enthusiasm what an incredible community I am joining.

From its historic founding at the turn of the century, to its impressive ascent to an educational leader in California and the country, SA serves as a model for innovative programs, inspirational “staffulty”, sustainability, access, and educating students to become leaders in

a dynamic world. It is an honor to lead the school community into the future and to build upon SA’s 25-year legacy among its independent school peers.

I want to extend my sincere appreciation to Tim Shaw and Debbie Novograd for their leadership, and to the entire Search Committee for introducing me to SA and shepherding me through this process. I would also like to acknowledge the time and attention that Mike Hanas and the staffulty took out of their incredibly busy schedules to welcome the candidates to campus to share their love for the school with me and others. Thank you again for welcoming our family to SA. I cannot wait to begin our work together.

It’s a great day to be at SA!

With gratitude,

Percy L. Abram Sonoma Academy Head of School