Thacher's newest CIF sport celebrates its inaugural season.
Far from Ojai, an extra special, extra large Toad makes headlines and Thacher makes a connection.
Get to know Thacher's College Counseling Team.
Current students and alumni share their favorite memories— and some helpful advice for future riders—of their Thacher horses.
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A s they head out to college, career, and beyond, we celebrate the Class of 2023 and their final days as students at Casa de Piedra.
From March Magic to Walker Bell, the Thacher community came together to show their support. ON
37 • Gatherings
Interim Head of School Jeff Hooper reflects on the 2022-23 school year.
An assemblage of noteworthy School and community intelligence. 10 • Outside Outlooks
Visiting scholars, artists, and experts spark new ideas and inspiration. 12 • Scoreboard
18 • Armchair Wandering
Rhea Wong CdeP 1997 comes back to Thacher.
Highlights from the many moments of connection this spring, including Reunion weekend in June.
44 • Class Notes
N ews and milestones sent to us by our readers.
46 • In Memoriam
48 • The Best We Can Do
Honoring the life and legacy of John S. Gates CdeP 1975.
A Message from Interim Head of School Jeff Hooper
This year marked my 21st Thacher Commencement, and while I have looked forward to this event each year—seeing students and their families filled with joy, a touch of sadness, and I’m sure a bit of relief—for the first time in these two decades, I met the day not only as an educator and administrator, but also as a parent. As many of you know, Kara and I celebrated the Thacher graduation of our son Hayden, a member of the resilient Class of 2023.
In March of 2020, the students in this class were about to experience their first Thacher spring when the chaos and uncertainty of the covid pandemic sent them home for seven months. Although there is much to be thankful for—including their collective health and ultimate return to campus when many other students remained home—they missed their first Big Gymkhana weekend, their first Spring Sing, their first spring sports seasons, and above all, the rituals and rites of passage that bring closure, context, and meaning to a school year.
While nothing can replace those missed moments from their first spring at Thacher, I have relished seeing the joy and celebration the Class of 2023 was able to experience during their last, many of which you will find in the pages of this issue of Thacher Magazine . Indeed, they have co-constructed a conclusion to their Thacher experience as satisfying and fulfilling as that first spring was disorienting and disappointing. It is
both the big events and the small moments that combine to create the unique and lasting experience of living and learning in this community together. From pulling your friend up onto your horse during the rescue race, as Clio and Mariah are pictured doing on the front cover, to taking in a breathtaking vista with your friends on an EDT, as captured on the back cover, these signature moments derive their power from the fact that they are shared and
interdependent—that the true end products are the bonds and relationships that will last a lifetime.
I am grateful to be a part of this experience for our students, and speak for all my colleagues when I say it has been an honor to watch the Class of 2023 grow into the honorable, fair, kind, and true young people they are today. Their families, friends, and fellow alumni should be proud and excited to watch them bestow their many gifts upon their future communities.
I look forward to welcoming our students back in the fall and beginning anew with the Class of 2027 as we
prepare to launch our rising seniors, the Class of 2024. Until then, Kara and I send our best wishes for a happy and healthy summer full of your own variety of joy and celebration. We hope to see you on campus again soon.
In
Community, Jeff Hooper Interim Head of School
THACHER
The Magazine of The Thacher School
Spring/Summer 2023
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
Carly Rodriguez
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION
Scott Nichols
CLASS NOTES/IN MEMORIAM EDITOR
Aimee Brown-Nelson
DESIGN
Bacio Design & Marketing, Inc.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Carin Yates
INTERIM HEAD OF SCHOOL
Jeff Hooper
DIRECTOR OF ENROLLMENT AND PLANNING
William P. McMahon
DIRECTOR OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
Jeffrey D. Berndt
Thacher is published twice a year by The Thacher School, and is sent free of charge to alums, parents, and friends of the School. Every effort is made to ensure that contents are accurate and complete. If there is an omission or an error, please accept our apologies and notify us at the address below.
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Students, employees, and guests from nearby schools came together to honor the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at our 2023 MLK Symposium in January. Centering on the theme of “Belonging as a Practice of Freedom,” the day, made possible by Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Sepideah Mohsenian-Rahman, included a student panel, keynote remarks from Albert Nascimento of The Glasgow Group and the Intersectional Environmentalist Leah Thomas, and more than 15 student workshops.
Eleventh graders made their annual visit to Little Tokyo and the Japanese American National Museum, enjoying a guest lecture with USC professor Susan Kamei in conjunction with their junior year history and English classes and their reading of When the Emperor was Divine
From Mamma Mia! to TOAD Music Fest and wrapping up with the Spring Sing senior-directed performance of High School Musical, our students took to the stage this season, entertaining and impressing our community with their talents, hard work, poise, and presence.
Over spring break, 16 Thacher students and three faculty members and their families visited Tokyo, Hiroshima, Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya, Atami, and Jōmō-Kōgen in the western mountains of Japan. Highlights included visits with the U.S. Ambassador to Japan and the governor of the Hiroshima Prefecture, the Peace Memorial Museum in Hiroshima, and a meeting with the students of the Keio Senior High School at their campus in Yokohama.
Another group of Thacher students and teachers visited The Island School in South Eleuthera, The Bahamas to immerse themselves in a community with a strong commitment to sustainable practices, scientific research, positive risk-taking, and a connection to the ocean. They learned about and participated in hands-on experiences such as harvesting and planting lettuce and catching and measuring tilapia at the school's aquaponics center, identifying reef fish, the ecology of coral reefs, and the impact of invasive lionfish.
After watching Latinx poets recite slam poems as well as an instructional video about how to write your own slam poem, the students of Advanced Spanish B took to the outdoor stage in Libbey Park in Ojai and recited their creations, infusing them with passion, rhyme, and body language. Topics included: permanence versus impermanence, an open letter to the United States, police brutality, the overuse of cell phones, the news cycle, and finding your passion and your voice.
Not willing to let some mud dampen their fun, the ninth graders and upper riders put on an amazing show at this year’s Big Gymkhana, showcasing their incredible learning and growth throughout this school year. Old favorites like the Hurry Scurry, Cloverleaf Barrels, and Keyhole were joined by a surprise specialty race from Thacher Gymkhanas past—the egg-spoon race introduced in 1905.
From Formula 1 to sustainable ranching and from stereotypes and prejudice in education to Kendrick Lamar, this year’s Senior Exhibition presentations were far reaching and informative. Recordings of each presentation are available by scanning this QR code:
Thacher's Horse Department, Anacapa Program, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team co-hosted the School's first Celebration of Black Cowboys in the West in February. Californio-style vaquero Pete Taylor and polo star Dale Johnson visited campus for three days of programming with students, faculty, and staff. The weekend began on Friday evening with an all-school presentation featuring our guests in conversation with the community on topics ranging from grassland conservation to poetry, as well as a musical performance by Director of the Horse Program Trinity Seely CdeP 1999. Pete and Dale also rode and met with a range of groups throughout the rest of the weekend.
We were honored to welcome two-time Nobel laureate in Chemistry Dr. Barry Sharpless to campus this spring. Dr. Sharpless coined the concept of click chemistry, where molecular building blocks snap together quickly and efficiently. During his visit, Dr. Sharpless visited chemistry, physics, and astro research classes, met with student groups, and spoke at a Head's Invite moderated by a student panel. Huge thanks to Dr. Sharpless, his wife Jan, and Katherine Halsey, without whom this visit would not have been possible.
Academy Award-winning filmmaker, director, screenwriter, and producer Freida Lee Mock visited campus for a screening of her film Ruth: Justice Ginsburg In Her Own Words; meetings with the Thacher Asian Student Society, Thacher Activism and Human Rights Club, Feminism Club, Jewish Student Union, and U.S. History classes; a filmmaking workshop in GATES; and a community webinar with the editor of The Notes, Lucy Maitland-Lewis CdeP 2023. Mock's Thacher ties are strong—she is the daughter of renowned Thacher executive chef Lee Quong and a parent of a Thacher alum. @ruththemovie is available on multiple platforms, including Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Apple TV.
In collaboration with GATES and the English and History Departments, we welcomed academic, author-illustrator, and professor Dr. Julia Alekseyeva. Dr. Alekseyeva is an assistant professor of English at the University of Pennsylvania, as well as a graphic artist specializing in memoir, journalism, and graphic essays. Her first full-length graphic novel, a nonfiction historical memoir entitled Soviet Daughter: A Graphic Revolution, was published by Microcosm in January 2017 and won the VLA Diversity Award.
Caralena Peterson is the author of The Effortless Perfection Myth and an expert on the mental health crisis that this myth—that “one must have the perfect grades, perfect body, perfect social life, all without any visible effort”—has helped to create on college campuses across the United States. During her visit, Caralena spoke to all students and faculty at an assembly and led additional smaller sessions with Thacher students on effortless perfection and mental health.
After an exciting 2022-23 season where Thacher earned a runner-up CIF Southern Section Division VII title, the girls’ varsity team returned with many of its skilled players ready for another big year. Due to injury, star scoring forward Jordan Yates CdeP 2023 missed most of the season, but she remained very much a part of the team’s spirit while cheering on from the sidelines. Notable standout play from Hattie Hatton CdeP 2023 and Lily King CdeP 2023 provided the team with its scoring power and skilled defense. Look to Catherine Feira ’25 and Maddie Lee ’25 in the next season to propel Thacher into another strong contending year.
Height and heart were a couple of the hallmarks of the Thacher boys’ team this year. In all, nine seniors rostered on this year’s team, and each of them was a model for sportsmanship, integrity, and Thacher’s “Second Scoreboard” ethos. Notable achievements include those of Rob Carney CdeP 2023 , who ranked in the top ten in California for three-point field goals per game and Hayden Hooper CdeP 2023 , who broke the school record for assists. Teddy Tracy CdeP 2023 and Christian Gutierrez CdeP 2023 provided consistent support as starters to the team's vibrant roster.
The boys’ soccer team found itself in tight battles against some of the most skilled teams they’ve faced in years. It was a yo-yo of a season, full of ups and downs, but one of determination and camaraderie as the team emerged full of positive energy. Co-captain seniors Kosuke Mikitani CdeP 2023 and Jimmy Cortez CdeP 2023 will be missed as the squad moves forward with Peter Robinson ’24 and Jackson Harr ’25 full of hope for the next season.
Resilience and tenacity are two words to describe a season tinged with some tough losses, but one that also netted brilliant victories that garnered the team second place in the Frontier League. Senior Ali Bennett CdeP 2023 and 9th grader Tenzing Lama had stand-out performances and Coach Yuan is excited to see Margaret Zhang ’24 and Lexie Goodyear ’24 rise up as team captains and leaders for the next season.
Baseball began its season energized by new coach Stuart Johnson, and this spark propelled the team into one of its strongest seasons in recent memory with a regular season record of 11-3. Rostering only two seniors this year, the team's younger players buoyed a promising team, skillfully besting rivals and securing a run in their Frontier league playoffs. The Toads eventually fell to Cornerstone in the second round of CIF playoffs. Rob Carney CdeP 2023 , Hayden Hooper CdeP 2023, Ben Billings '24 , and Brady Vondriska '25 lived up to their potential as team leaders on and off the field.
Coach Anne Gregory CdeP 2015 returned to helm the venerable Thacher girls’ lacrosse team, and dazzled with several lopsided wins against Nordhoff, Chadwick, and Santa Barbara. Athletic standouts included Lexie Goodyear ’24 , Cate Tracy CdeP 2023 , and Eva Wendel CdeP 2023 .
Following closely behind their League Championship cohorts on the girls’ tennis team, Thacher’s boys celebrated a fantastic season with an 11-2 overall record. Exceptional leadership and skilled play from the seniors kept the momentum rolling from the very first match of the season against Malibu. Only perennial rival Cate was able to notch victories against our stalwart home team.
Pierce Bressie CdeP 2023 and Teddy Tracy CdeP 2023 were standouts for one of Thacher's most celebrated athletic programs.
Thacher’s boys team started the year with the hope of a playoff run and a possible matchup with Cate for a League Championship title. Despite a solid conditioning regimen and exceptional prowess on the field, the boys’ team was bested in several close matchups and dreams of a postseason run were dashed on the rocks of reality.
Cody Lee CdeP 2023, Todd Rosenbaum CdeP 2023, and Javier Zuniga-Gross CdeP 2023 celebrated their final season for Thacher and will be missed next season.
Resting on laurels is not something Thacher track and field is known for, especially when four Frontier League track titles are ours to defend. Returning stars included Arinze Okigbo ’24, Taylor Gudebski ’24, Lily Clemens ’24 , and Nico DiLullo CdeP 2023
Known mostly for the mountain views and citrus bloom aromas, Thacher’s campus can now also be known for its beach—beach volleyball that is.
Thacher added outdoor sand volleyball courts back in 2020, in part to augment outdoor activity options during the days of on-campus covid mitigation efforts. Since then, however, student and coach enthusiasm for the sport has grown, propelling it to become an official spring afternoon offering along with lacrosse, boys’ baseball, track & field, and boys’ tennis (girls’ tennis is played in the fall).
Girls' beach volleyball (although sand and beach volleyball are interchangeable in sport, the California Interscholastic Federation—the state’s governing body for high school sports—designates it as beach volleyball) is the first addition of an interscholastic team in twenty years at Thacher.
Coach Sayra Trejo (Fisher Fellow in the Language Department and indoor varsity girls' volleyball coach) joined Thacher with experience as a player, announcer, and coach and jumped at the chance to helm the squad. She is excited to be building the program with an enthusiastic group of student athletes.
Trejo’s approach to coaching, both indoor and on sand, begins by fostering a love of the game, healthy competition, and celebrating each other’s successes.
“This season was all about experience," said Coach Trejo. "Knowing how much harder this game is to move around in the sand....the team embraced the themselves to
With help from G Petra Stoilkovich C played competitive year, the team start and the players look forward to taking to the sand next experience under
Courtesy of the Association of Volleyball Professionals
The obvious difference in courts between indoor and beach volleyball is the sand, but beyond that, the biggest difference is size: a beach volleyball court is two meters shorter and one meter narrower than an indoor court.
Beach volleyball is played to 21 points, whereas in indoor volleyball a set is won by the first team to score 25. On the sand, the game is won by the first team to win two sets; in indoor volleyball, a team must win three sets to win the game. In both sports, the winning team has to win a set by a minimum of two points.
Beach volleyballs are softer, lighter, and marginally bigger than their indoor counterparts, allowing for players to close distances and make the diving plays that are the hallmarks of beach volleyball.
Beach volleyball teams consist of two players, no bench, and no substitutions, while indoor volleyball has six players per team on the court, and they can substitute players up to six times per set.
• B each players aren’t allowed to “dink," or tip, the ball over the net.
• Beach players have to use their palm, or straight locked or curled fingers, to hit a short shot over the net (unlike indoors, no soft fingers can tip the ball over).
• Double touching is much stricter in beach play than indoor, so you’ll see far fewer instances of a player double touching their initial contact with the ball after a serve on the sand.
Knowing how much harder this game is to move around in the sand.... this season was purely about gaining experience.
Rhea Wong CdeP 1997 is a leading nonprofit fundraising consultant and author. She spent time on campus this past fall and winter—along with her husband Joaquin and her dog Stella—as an Anacapa Scholar teaching Social Entrepreneurship. Her students learned more about the nonprofit sector, how to construct a fundraising campaign, and to reflect on the causes that they care about.
THIS PAST WINTER, I HAD THE DISTINCT PLEASURE OF RETURNING TO CAMPUS AS AN ANACAPA SCHOLAR. AFTER MORE THAN 20 YEARS IN THE NONPROFIT SECTOR, I FELT LIKE I WAS COMING BACK HOME TO SHARE WHAT I’VE LEARNED. IT WAS ALSO NOT A HARDSHIP TO ESCAPE THE BRUTAL NEW YORK WINTER FOR OJAI.
I had complicated feelings about returning to campus.
I was a girl who graduated in the 90s and was a student at the time during the most horrifying episodes detailed in the MTO report. Aside from the traumatizing experiences of some of my peers, I also reckoned with my own hard experiences of being a girl, a student of color, and on financial aid at a time when it felt like that the institution was designed to undermine my personhood.
As a girl, how could I relate to Thacher’s good old boy and machismo outdoor culture?
As a student of color, how could I relate to Thacher’s (then) policy of “we don’t talk about differences—we’re all Toads!” when my background and lived experience were clearly very different from the predominantly white student body? It also did not help that I was regularly called by the names of other Asian girls.
As a recipient of financial aid, how could I relate to my classmates whose family’s
names were on buildings and the ways in which the school celebrated “tradition,” meaning wealth and legacy?
And yet, many things can be true at the same time.
It is also true that I made some of the closest friends of my life who are sisters to me. It is also true that the School forged my sense of honor, fairness, kindness, and truth which has led me to a satisfying life of service in the nonprofit field. It is also true that the School opened doors and opportunities that have deeply enriched my life. It is also true that I received an education that was rigorous, challenged me to think critically, and prepared me for leadership.
And so it was with this mixed bag that I stepped onto campus with, as they say, “Hopes for the best, plans for the worst.”
As your inside woman, I’m happy to report that today’s Thacher student seems to be better overall with some qualifiers.
First, the bad(dish) news.
One of my first days on campus, one of my students asked, “Ms. Wong, were you not allowed to have cell phones in the dining halltoo?”
Iliterallylaughedoutloud.
Oh, children. I was at Thacher before the time of cell phones. I was there before the internet. Yes,alsodinosaursroamedtheEarththentoo.
I’m no Luddite, but I do think that the preponderance of technology seems to have taken away something of the Thacher experience.
Now, students are regularly in contact with their friends and family back home through their cell phones, which can make the experience of being at Thacher a little less of a bubble and possibly less of a tightly-knit community.
I’m also not sure if this is a symptom of the pandemic, social media, the ultracompetitive academic landscape or general end-times anxiety, but students today seem so much more anxious and stressed than we ever did. Life at Thacher was always busy, but with 24/7 technology it never seems like the kidsswitchoff.
Some of my favorite Thacher moments were shooting the breeze with my friends in the dorm and wandering out on the trails. I’m notsurehowmuchofthathappensnow.
On to the good news.
It seems like today’s Thacher student lives in an environment that is so much more thoughtful and intentional than Thacher of the90s.
Post-report, the School has put in so many policies and safeguards for the students. While I know it might seem like overkill to the kids, I’m glad it’s there. I think of it as policy seatbelts: hope you won’t need it, but gladit’stherejustincase.
Everything from the choice of curricula to the sustainability of the landscaping to the diversity of the student body, it’s clear that Thacher is making strides to create spaces of safety,belonging,andresponsibility.
It’s not perfect, but it looks like we’re heading in the right direction in creating healthy (in mind, body, and spirit), wholehearted,ethicalfuturecitizens.
While I was on campus, the second report was published and the School had an assembly and was ready to handle students’ reactions. As an alum of the 90s, I was more than a little emo. The school canceled classes as a precaution for the emotional backlashforthestudents.
Whathappened?
Basically, a collective shrug from the students. Their biggest question: are sports canceledfortheday?
This is progress.
Because despite all that is happening in the world and all of the history that we have to reckon with as a school, it seems today’s Thacher kids don’t relate to it. Even though there is no such thing as perfect, we are still preserving a joyful, enriching experience for young people to learn and grow in the golden Ojai sun.
I hope that when they are in middle-age, they will look back on their time as Thacher students with affection for that special place in the world that grew them into the humans they become. Just as I do.
My deepest thanks to Katherine Halsey, Jeff Hooper, Tracy Miller, and the whole Thacher community for welcoming me back. Special thanks to Elina Chen '24, Pierce Dowling '25, Catherine Feira '25, Sarah Sonenshine '24, and Olivia Thomas '24 for going on this journey with me.
"Everything from the choice of curricula to the sustainability of the landscaping to the diversity of the student body, it’s clear that Thacher is making strides to create spaces of safety, belonging, and responsibility."With students in her Social Entrepreneurship class.
It was a late January day in northeastern Australia when Conway National Park Ranger Kylee Gray and her team stopped their vehicle to let a snake slither across the track and happened upon something shocking: a nearly six-pound cane toad.
Believed to be female and the largest toad on record (the current Guinness World Record was set in 1991 by the 5.13 pound Prinsen, a pet toad in Sweden), the rangers worked quickly to remove it from the wild because a cane toad of that size will eat “anything it can fit into its mouth.”
Contrary to the traits of the toad that led Thacher to adopt it as its mascot—unassuming humility and quiet persistence—the cane toad has become an invasive and noxious species in Australia. Instead of mitigating against the beetle problem they were originally introduced to control, they have been negatively impacting the Australian wildlife. Thus, to the great disappointment of toad fans near and far, this toad, named Connie by the rangers, but known now as Toadzilla worldwide, was euthanized and sent to the Queensland Museum for further analysis.
Word of Toadzilla traveled quickly, making its way to Ojai and the news feeds of a number of Thacher community members who reached out to Interim Head of School Jeff Hooper to share the news. In turn, Mr. Hooper put pen to paper in a letter to Ranger Gray to share the particular importance of her discovery within our small community:
In general, the receipt of emails is not among my favorite parts of my current position. However, this past week my inbox was brightened with not one, not two, but three different emails whose subject line was simply Toadzilla. Indeed, your exploits found their way across the globe to our little school in Southern California. Your discovery of Toadzilla/Connie had particular resonance here as our school mascot is the Toad.
While there is a university in my home state of Texas that has the Horned Frog (which is actually a lizard but is also sometimes called a horned toad) as its mascot, I’m unaware of any other school opting for the toad. Thus, we feel a particular interest in your surprising discovery and, I must admit, a bit of guilt over the unfortunate outcome of the introduction of cane toads to your fine continent. We treasure our mascot for its unassuming humility, and we regret the opportunistic and aggressive habits of the cane toads in Australia. We are working diligently to teach the Toads of today the importance of ecological equilibria and the perils of invasive species.
Speaking of unfortunate outcomes, we support and regret the decision to euthanize Toadzilla, as you surely know how best to care for Conway National Park’s overall health. While we generally celebrate the longevity and good health of Toads, we also believe that they should take up residence only where their presence is welcome, sustainable, and appropriate.
In closing, and on behalf of our entire community, I’m delighted to offer this small gift to commemorate your historic discovery. Should your travels ever bring you stateside, we’d be honored to welcome you to campus.
With Toadal Respect,
Jeff Hooper, Interim Head of School• Introduced into Queensland in 1935 to control the cane beetle
• Recognized by the Commonwealth Government as a key threatening process to the nation under the national Environment Biodiversity and Conservation Act 1999
• Grows to a large size, up to 26 cm and weighing 2.5 kg, but specimens of this size are rare
• Female cane toads can produce up to 30,000 eggs in a season
• Colonizes a wide range of habitats— though not widely spread through rainforests, but will penetrate these areas along roads and walking tracks (as per this find)
• Can be fatally poisonous to wildlife— have caused local extinctions of some of their predators
A couple of months, one returned package, and some persistence later, Ranger Gray received our letter and small gift and responded to say that, while the media attention was overwhelming in some ways, the contact from Thacher was “the most heartwarming and exciting part of it.”
• Competes with native species for sheltering sites and food resources
• While they primarily feed on insects, they are opportunists and will also take small vertebrates
While unfortunately one extra large toad was (by necessity) hurt in the making of this story, we are pleased to have made new friends down under who share our love of toads—big, small, human, and amphibian. The
Director of College Counseling Maria Morales-Kent is not new to Thacher. She arrived in the fall of 1997, after working in the admission offices of the University of Pennsylvania and Occidental College. However, working in the always-evolving world of college counseling means she breathes new life into the program each year as she helps students find the right fit for their personal and educational growth beyond Thacher. In her more than 30-year career in this profession, Maria has been a speaker and panelist at various conferences for the National and Western Associations of Admission Counseling, has served on the faculty of the Hampton Summer Institute for Admissions, a training and mentoring program for new admission officers, and co-founded two non-profit organizations: College Marketplace, created to provide college counseling for students in Los Angeles public schools and ACCIS, the Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools, a professional organization supporting the work of colleagues across the country. Maria has also served on the Advisory Council for the National Merit Scholarship Foundation, Colorado College, and
most recently the University of Chicago. Today she is also a member of the Association of Black Admissions and Financial Aid Officers of the Ivy League and Sister Schools.
Last year she was joined by Associate Director of College Counseling Czarina Hutchins, a former admission officer at Providence College and Columbia University. Czarina earned a BA from Franklin & Marshall College in History and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and an MA from Teachers College, Columbia University in Sociology and Education with a concentration in Education Policy. A native of Oakland, CA and a boarding school graduate herself, Czarina was an A Better Chance Scholar at the Pomfret School in Connecticut.
During her time in college admission, Czarina was a member of the National and Northeast Associations for College Admission Counseling, the New England Consortium Bridging Access to College, and is currently a member of the Association of Black Admissions and Financial Aid Officers of the Ivy League and Sister Schools. Czarina is excited to help students find the best fit that meets their educational and personal needs. She is also thrilled to bring her lifelong passion for basketball to her duties coaching Girls’ JV Basketball.
We sat down with two members of Thacher’s college counseling team to learn more about them, their approach to their work, and their advice for students and parents as they navigate the sometimes daunting, but always exciting college admissions process.
Q. How/when did you know that college counseling work was the right career for you?
Czarina: I followed the typical college tour guide to college admissions officer to college counselor pipeline. I was a Pell Grant student, which means I had high financial need, and at Franklin & Marshall College, tour guide was the highest paying job. But I liked the work involved and explored how to do that as a professional. After graduating, I started immediately at Providence College in their undergraduate admissions office before moving to Columbia a few years later.
What I realized is that I liked helping students through the process, including the moments when I had to counsel a student away from Providence or Columbia because it just didn't feel like it was a good fit for them. The
pandemic really solidified for me that I missed working more directly with students—visiting high schools, having kids on campus for admitted student days. I finally came to the realization during my last year at Columbia that even if things returned to “normal,” I wouldn't have the in-depth relationships with students that I was actually craving. When you're in admissions, you become close with applicants because you meet them at their high school and then you fall in love with them through their application and then you see them again on admitted student day. But as soon as they’re first-year students, they move on, and they're gone.
So I figured, let's go to college counseling! And I just love boarding schools.
Maria: My story is very similar to Czarina’s—I'm a first-generation student;
“In my time at Thacher, I have been grateful for the colleagues in my office and other schools. It is a close-knit community that is incredibly supportive and collaborative.
my mother was a housekeeper, and never went beyond the third grade. So for me, college was quite transformational in every sense of the word. However, I never saw myself in this line of work until I was very lucky to meet my very first mentor when I enrolled at Occidental College. At the time he was the Director of Residential Life, but by my sophomore year, he was the Director of Admission and asked me to tour a group of college counselors who were visiting Oxy. I did it and I liked it, and a year later he offered me an internship in the office.This ultimately led to me working as an admission officer for the University of Pennsylvania. I stayed at Penn for seven years, the last three of which were spent running their Western Regional Office in California. A few years later I returned to Occidental, covering the Central Coast territory, which included Thacher. When an opening became available to lead the College Counseling Office, I was excited by the opportunity and haven’t looked back.
pressures and needs. Over the years, I’ve seen many students attach their identity to either where they're applying or where they get in, and I try to help them see that neither the process nor the outcome is an assessment of who they are as human beings. What you do with the opportunities you are given is what truly defines you.
I also work to help them through the many challenging decisions that they need to make along the way, while hopefully launching them into young adulthood with a set of skills and abilities to manage the world in college and beyond. I hope that when they leave Thacher and find themselves managing other large complex projects, they will use what they learned with us here.
Tied closely to all this is my commitment to be equally transparent with parents about this process, how it has changed from when they applied, and the critical role they play in their child’s experience. As a parent in this process, what you do matters as much as what you say when you respond to something your child shares. Most times we don’t even realize it. But our children have come to know us well. So for them, a particular look in your eye or a tone in your voice when they share the highs and lows in this process creates meaning regarding what they are experiencing. For example, if they share happy news about getting into a school, your authentic joy, validation, and encouragement makes a difference.
What has also become really clear to me here is the role that honor, fairness, kindness, and truth play in the lives of these kids. Until you actually see it, you don't really believe that students are upholding these pillars, but I’ve seen it this year in the way that students are either showing their kindness or trying to do the honorable thing, even when the honorable thing isn't the easy thing to do. Those are the moments when I know that, even if they can’t do laundry, at least if they have a challenging moment, they will still do the honorable or the kind thing.
Maria: Having spent many years reading applications from Thacher and other boarding schools in my time at Penn and at Oxy, the thing that I always loved about the students here was and still is their authenticity and integrity. The other thing that I love about our graduates is that so many are deeply involved in their communities. They're starting their own projects; they're looking at how they can make a difference. For me, in addition to the intellectual strengths we nurture here, they are also learning to live for the greater good. I think that we do instill these in them in ways that we sometimes don't realize until they've graduated.
Q. How have you seen the college admission landscape change in the last five to 10 years?
Q. What is your overarching philosophy or approach when it comes to college counseling?
Czarina: My goal this year was to make sure that every student felt like the process was their own. They feel so much pressure from their friends and parents that sometimes they start to feel like the process is no longer theirs. Especially for those students who have often felt othered in the world, I try to make sure that they feel comfortable in this process, which for some can feel very new and confusing.
Maria: I want our students to feel empowered by the fact that I am very transparent with them about how the process works and how the colleges structure it to suit their own institutional
Q. In your opinion, what is it about the Thacher experience that prepares our students for life after Thacher— in college, career, and beyond?
Czarina: In my last year at Columbia, because I was reviewing the applications from the Central Coast, I got to read Thacher applications, and I was blown away. What really spoke to me when I was reviewing applicants was the way that students were able to build resiliency here. Students had to demonstrate an ability to experience a challenge and either weather it or, if they faltered in that moment, bounce back. What was evident in Thacher students, was whether it was academically or on a horse or camping, all of those challenges showed their ability to face something that they were uncomfortable with, deal with it, and move forward.
Maria: When I started admissions work in 1984 at Penn, the university, like so many other schools, was looking to the west for students because high school graduates were projected to decrease on the East Coast. So admission to schools like Penn
was much easier. Since then, as a result of innovation and technology around the process, admission to most schools is much tougher than ever. At the core of this shift is colleges and universities adopting a business model driven by all the pressures of a consumer market and developing your brand. More recently, colleges are managing those economic pressures with social ones around issues of access and equity. What does this mean for Thacher and other schools like us? It means that although our level of access to these institutions may have shifted, the skills and abilities they learn here, along with the relationships our students nurture here, will still carry them far. And I hope students and parents continue to recognize the value of that.
Czarina: I survived being an admissions officer at Columbia during the pandemic when we went from 40,000 to 60,000 applications in the fall of 2020. We were understaffed and had a hiring and salary freeze. That was just the state of higher ed at that time. Suddenly, you had a bunch of young people who believed deeply in the work they were doing, but started to feel overwhelmed (and in the Zoom environment) by an admission process that had become so much more transactional.
The push and pull that college admissions is struggling with right now is wanting to morally and ethically open up their doors wider, but then still feeling the economic constraints that come with running a university. And I think that's why we see so many small colleges closing.
Q. What advice do you give to families beginning this journey?
Maria: Based on my own experience with two Thacher graduates, I say this to parents: the best places are truly the ones where your child is stretched and affirmed…stretched and affirmed. When they're stretched, they are learning, growing, finding their way. But the moments of affirmation and acknowledgement of what they achieved are equally important to their confidence to step further into the space where they're going to be stretched again.
If you are at a school where you constantly feel pressured and carry thoughts like ’I can't believe I got in here; I’ve got to be in
the library every day or I’m going to fall behind; I’ve got to study really, really hard for the next step,’ the lack of affirmation will ultimately deplete you. So the goal should not be getting into the hardest school. Instead it should be getting into the school that will be a great match so that you blossom and emerge into a more complete self ready to step into adulthood. That’s the cool part of going to college, right?
Q. Do you have a moment, maybe at graduation or a reunion, where you feel like, “We did it!”?
Maria: I describe the job of college counseling as similar to a party planner who organizes a great event, but who may not actually attend. Each winter, my office initiates a 12-month party planning effort with our juniors, and just when their party is about to start with the culminating events of senior year in late winter, we are already planning another party. It used to be that you could enjoy the results of your work in December with the release of all Early Decision and Early Action applications, but today, given their preoccupation with yield, colleges have many more processes and news arriving throughout the winter and spring. Of
course, graduation is a wonderful time for us as we witness the success of our seniors as they travel beyond Thacher.
Q. Anything else you’d like to add?
Maria: In my time at Thacher, I have been very grateful for the colleagues in my office and other schools. It is a close knit community that is incredibly supportive and collaborative. I'm also grateful for Thacher’s faculty who step up and write letters of recommendation for our students each year; they are so patient, supportive, and understanding of what our students are managing. I also want to give a shout out to the more recent additions to Thacher's community. In our profession, we have a favorite line: “it is not where you go but what you do when you get there.” Our current faculty serve as a real example of the diversity of many wonderful colleges and universities worldwide.
Finally, I want to thank the wonderful parents in our community for their trust in our experience and expertise, and their approach to this process with their children first and foremost in mind.
When Connor Meng ’24 returned to campus at the beginning of this year, he learned that his beloved horse Moped had retired. To honor her and her time spent serving the Thacher students that came before him—as well as the many other horses that have infused the Thacher community and student experience with their unique personalities and talents—Connor created the GOLD Horse Yearbook, a collection of stories and photography of the horses that have served Thacher for 10+ years.
Included here are student and alumni reflections on eight members of the herd.
Use one word to describe your horse:
Could you describe your most memorable moment with your horse?
My most memorable moment with my horse was when we were practicing ranch riding in the cow pen arena and overlooking the valley.
-DIEGO ESCALANTE ’24
What advice would you give to the horse's new rider?
She's an awesome horse (especially for Gymkhana)!
- DIEGO ESCALANTE ’24
She is a very kind horse, and she would never try to hurt you intentionally. Be kind to her and give her a lot of love and be gentle.
Current students and alumni share their favorite memories— and some helpful advice for future riders—of their Thacher horses.
Use one word to describe your horse:
Could you describe your most memorable moment with your horse?
My most memorable moments with Giraffe were when I would meet up with him at his stall on weekend evenings and just hang out, sharing some apples, something we kept doing throughout my four years at Thacher.
ALEJANDRO
The most memorable moment was when I loped with him for the first time. We really bonded and he started being more affectionate with me after that.
DIANA ZAYASWhat advice would you give to the horse's new rider?
Just let him vibe, he knows what he’s doing so let him do it. But guide him while he’s doing it.
Keep a level head and it will work out just fine.
He's the sweetest horse ever—appreciate him and treat him well. Just treat him with respect and have lots of patience with him.
Use one word to describe your horse:
Could you describe your most memorable moment with your horse?
Her birthday!! I made her a vegan cake for her 25th birthday (5/11), she loved it!! I checked in with Doc Finch to make sure all the ingredients were okay for horses! My prefect group and I spent two hours making it. She loved it! I plan to do the same this year again.
Little Jo calmly eating an apple on our second day together.
- LIAM PIGOTT CDEP 2023
Once, I raced another rider on horseback up a small hill. I started to feel Little Jo move on her own, knowing I’d probably be unable to stop her. You see, she was usually quite timid, but could be extremely stubborn at times. I could sense her excitement and competitive spirit. I don’t remember if it was her heartbeat or mine, but it was beating so fast I thought it’d burst. While I knew I was no longer in control, I also trusted Little Jo because the way her strong muscles moved as she galloped up the hill reminded me that this was what she was born to do. I was merely a passenger privileged enough to lean forward, hold my reins close, and enjoy the ride. The way the wind felt against my skin is the way I imagined it would feel like if I could fly. And in that moment, it felt like I was flying.
- REID WADSWORTH ’25
There is no advice necessary. She is the nicest horse anyone will ever find. As long as you don't make her jump, she'll do whatever you want in the nicest manner possible.
- GRACE YANG CDEP 2023
Be calm and precise, she will always do the right thing.
- LIAM PIGOTT CDEP 2023
Use one word to describe your horse: Could you describe your most memorable moment with your horse?
It has to be the time I rode her bareback and was trying to figure out how to get on and how to not fall off. As I was hanging on during the trot, she listened to my every cue and slowed down whenever I asked so that I could figure out a better seating. She didn't flinch once and stayed patient with me as I tried to figure it all out.
Delightful is known for always wanting to go fast, right? One time I was able to train her to WALK over the cavalettis set up on the Gymkhana field. I was so amazed—kinda felt like a horse whisperer.
When I was allowed to let Delightful lope and she sped around the arena.
What advice would you give to the horse's new rider?
Be so patient with her. She honestly means well and is a very good girl.
-
It takes time to get used to Delightful’s speed, but she’s a generally nice horse.
-
Use one word to describe your horse: Could you describe your most memorable moment with your horse?
He’s just a goofy guy—pretty much every time I was with him was memorable. Just recently I went to go see him up in turnout and he was just standing in the sun living his best life. All the other horses were running and eating but he was just chill.
My most memorable moment with Zee would have to be during the smaller gymkhanas, with races such as Figure 8 Flags, Speed Barrels, and the Hurry Scurry. His swiftness and energy made these races enjoyable; I am sure that any other rider that has ridden Zee would say the same.
My most memorable moment with Zee was after I turned him out for winter break at Hendrickson. I came back to the turnout a few days later for a PTS cleanup, and as I was leaving, Zee split from the herd and followed me all the way to the gate.
He’s literally the best horse. He’s pretty mad all the time but on the inside he’s a goofy old guy. If you’re nice to him he’s really sweet. Also he and Giraffe have a thing together so anytime he can see Giraffe he will.
Zee has a tendency to kick and buck at other horses, so I would suggest really taking control of him when he does get that way.
Use one word to describe your horse:
Could you describe your most memorable moment with your horse?
Sometime in January, Moped figured out how to remove the stopper from her drinking fountain with her teeth, and flooded her stall. This repeated every day for about a week or so, at which point she was moved to Roadside, where she promptly flooded that stall too. Finally, she was moved to turnout for the rest of the semester, which was really her plan all along, as she got to enjoy all the space and freedom she pleased. She always was a smart one, my Moped.
Learning how to lope, and accidentally galloping at full speed in the process.
What advice would you give to the horse's new rider?
Ride bareback any chance you get. She always had the softest back.
Work with Moped, she already knows everything, so if you are nice, she’ll be nice to you.
Could you describe your most memorable moment with your horse?
During my first Gymkhana with Shorty, the race I recall the most was Keyhole. This race consists of your horse slipping through an entryway to rapidly roll back to reach the finish line without touching the chalk. This was the first time I ever did this race and I was nervous since my teammates continuously reminded me of how difficult it was. When it was my turn with Shorty, I gave him a pat indicating it was our turn. In my head, I remember having thoughts of failing but when Shorty entered his world, I did too. We took off, loping through the narrow path and instantly stopping to complete the perfect rollback, loping back to the finish line. WOW! It was astonishing! My entire team was cheering and clapping as I completed the race. I also had the best time in Keyhole that day. I patted and rubbed Shorty a ton of times. I did not know his true ability and how incredible of a horse Shorty was until then. He was flawless!
If I had to choose, it would probably be one day after gymkhana practice when I decided to stay a little late with my captains and a few of my teammates in the cow arena. I forget exactly what we were doing, but we started loping around the arena. I had finally begun to trust Shorty a bit more a few weeks earlier, so pushing him still felt pretty new. But as we flew around the arena, I was able to let go of all of that, and everything just felt right.
-BRADY MCGAWN ’24
Trust him in Gymkhana. He'll be pretty relaxed in the fall and winter, but he lights up in Gymkhana, and all you have to do is not get in his way.
Take care of Shorty well! Give Shorty showers when it's a hot day. Make sure to groom him every morning. Also, give him the right amount of food and a bit extra on special occasions. Make sure to pat and rub him often on the areas he likes, and have a strong connection. He is a great horse and whoever is riding Shorty is extremely lucky to have him.
Use one word to describe your horse:
Could you describe your most memorable moment with your horse?
After having him for a bit senior year, it was clear we could be awesome, but he was super skittish. One day, I took him out to the field to get through the trail horse course, and was working to get him to do the A class blindfold cans and rope door. It starts raining and it's just me and him after a while. I get off and lead him through by hand, talking it through the whole way. Of course in Russell fashion, he's completely petrified, but works with me. After we got done, he gave me a look and truthfully we were all in. From then on, that was my guy. Sure he'd still stiffen up at the sound of anything, nostrils flaring, but he'd literally breathe deep and push through for me. Made me realize just how much you have to compensate for where your horse falls short and vice versa.
MILES FOSSETT CDEP 2012Breathe, take it easy, learn to trust yourself and your horse. It's a partnership, not a dictatorship. Think through what you want to do, offer the option to your horse, and make it easy. Just about anything you want your horse to do, you'd probably see them do it in turnout without you. But most of all, smile. It takes the pressure off, your horse feels it, and bam... you're on a horse.
The night before graduation, the Class of 2023 gathered with their families and friends to eat, dance, and celebrate the end of their time as Thacher students.
Barnard College
Bennington College
Boston University
Bowdoin College
Brown University
Bucknell University
California Community College
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
California State Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo
Carnegie Mellon University
Claremont McKenna College
Colorado College
Columbia University
Cornell College
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Duke University
Emory University
The George Washington University
Georgetown University
Gnomon - School of Visual Effects, Games, and Animation
Hamilton College
Harvard University
Kenyon College
Marquette University
Middlebury College
New York University
Northeastern University -
Oakland Campus
Pennsylvania State University -
University Park
Pomona College
Princeton University
Rice University
Santa Clara University
Scripps College
Spelman College
Stanford University
Texas Christian University
The American University of Paris
Tulane University
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Cruz
University of Chicago
University of Colorado, Boulder
University of Edinburgh
University of Pennsylvania
University of Southern California
University of St Andrews - Scotland
University of Virginia
University of Washington
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Wesleyan University
Over the last six months, we enjoyed hosting and joining 23 alumni gatherings across the country, in states including Arizona, New Mexico, California, New York, Virginia, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Colorado. Alumni from CdeP 1946 to CdeP 2022 gathered in community to meet with school leadership and to connect with their fellow local Toads.
If you are interested in hosting a gathering of your own, please reach out to Aimee Brown-Nelson, assistant director of community engagement and events.
Hosted by Hunter Hollins CdeP 1982 with guests Talia Isaacson CdeP 2016, Charles Kern CdeP 2021, Wyatt O’Connell CdeP 2021, Tucker Gwilliam CdeP 2022, TJ Gwilliam CdeP 2019, and alumni parents Tori and Jamie Macmillan (Alex ’10, Nan ’13).
Cathy and Nick Cunningham CdeP 1946 with Thacher Board Chair Danny Sonenshine CdeP 1991 at one of the NYC alumni events.
Alumni Dinner hosted by Michael Dachs CdeP 2003.
Hosfelt Gallery events hosted by Lily Mitchem Pearsall CdeP 2001 with pictured guests Kit Collins CdeP 1966, Jack Look CdeP 1966, Justin Buell CdeP 1998, Ward Sorrick CdeP 2004, Neal Howe CdeP 1969, Justin Faggioli CdeP 1969, and John Barkan CdeP 1967.
Aly Blair Brown CdeP 1996, Mike Ward CdeP 1958, Lily Mitchem Pearsall CdeP 2001, Kristina Alley CdeP 1991, Kendric Foultz CdeP 1977, and Brendan Fitzgerald CdeP 2000.
Current parents, parents of alumni, and alumni gather at the home of Paul and Kate Twichell Mason CdeP 1986.
Jim Moffitt CdeP 1972, Patrick Chu CdeP 1988, Aija Thacher (widow of Philip Thacher CdeP 1954), Cindy Castañeda CdeP 1988, Lisa Farrand CdeP 1982, Pete Marlantes CdeP 1996, and Lynn and John Taylor CdeP 1965.
Hosted by current parents Stacy Palestrant and Tomer Rothschild (Shiraz ’25) with guests Michèle Barnett Berg CdeP 1987, Bill Irwin CdeP 2006, Diane and Gordon Kaiser CdeP 1984, Joanna and Nick Garzilli CdeP 1997, and current grandparents of a Thacher student, and Aubrey and Fay Palestrant, current grandparents of a Thacher student.
NEW YORK, NY
GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade) Brunch
Graduates of the Last Decade: Reyna Kleemeier CdeP 2021, Maxine Tamas CdeP 2021, Evan Perry CdeP 2019 and Julien Luebbers CdeP 2019.
Graduates of the Last Decade: Kipper Berven CdeP 2015, Dylan Jin-Ngo CdeP 2022, Kuma McCraw CdeP 2022, Paul Brokaw CdeP 2022, Alejandro Pelayo CdeP 2022, Oakley Browning CdeP 2022, Emma Robertson CdeP 2016, and Emmy Daro CdeP 2019.
At Thacher, March means GOLD, a month-long focus on connecting and celebrating with Graduates of the Last Decade. This year we visited with alums in NYC, Claremont, Colorado Springs, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and more. Some highlights from the month include:
331 GIFTS received in eight days (up 3% from last year)
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS
$10,000 in CHALLENGE GRANT FUNDS unlocked
107 GIFTS secured by student callers
100 TEXT CONVERSATIONS with Interim Head of School Jeff Hooper
“Talking with GOLD alums made me realize how many people there are off campus who deeply care about the School and its future, and who call it a home. While I am really sad to be leaving Ojai and all of the people here, I am really excited to join such a caring and inspiring group of young alums and know that Thacher and its community will always be a part of me.”
The “walker” bell has called the Thacher community together for dinner for generations and now also represents a week of community engagement and giving each May. This year we celebrated the following achievements:
160+ $540,000 in CHALLENGE FUNDS unlocked Raised over $1,135,000 Released the equivalent of 10
25 STUDENT CALLERS and 800 handwritten student THANK YOU NOTES FINANCIAL AID GRANTS
“Thacher made all the difference for my daughter and it continues its magic for my granddaughter. I remain profoundly grateful to the School, the fabulous faculty and the wonderful horses. Go Toads!”
- CURRENT GRANDPARENT AND PAST PARENT
MORE THAN
760 DONORS student, parent, alumni, and employee VOLUNTEERS
THANK YOU so much to those who joined GOLD Month and the Walker Bell Challenge this year! The collective spirit and commitment of this community is both humbling and inspiring, and we appreciate your time, investment, dedication, and enthusiasm in all that you do to help our School and students.
1971 Nancy and Hans “Peter” Nielsen enjoyed returning to campus on multiple occasions throughout the baseball season to cheer on the Thacher Varsity Baseball team.
1974 Classmates George Arnold (wife Jan and daughter Jennifer) meet Louise and Bryan Beckham for a wonderful Auckland, New Zealand reunion and the recounting of many Thacher memories.
1978* Mary Paredes Karnes announces, “My first of a three-book deal will be traditionally published in August 2023. Wedding Bride and Doom is a cozy mystery featuring a crime solving New England wedding planner. The subject matter is close to home, as I live in New England and am a real-life wedding planner. I still maintain a home in Ojai, and hope to visit Thacher soon.”
1996 Laurel Braitman released her second book, What Looks Like Bravery, this past March and traveled across the country for her book tour. The book has received rave reviews and follows Laurel’s experiences from a young age learning how to fish, keep bees, and fix carburetors to navigating pain, grief, fear, and loss.
Spurred on by the multi-year reunion in 2022, the Class of ’71 held their own reunion at Steve Yate’s Ranch in the Napa Valley. Attendees included:
1982 Rey Balderas shares, “I have been busy the past year with typical life commitments, but I took a well-needed break and ran the Boston Marathon in April 2023. I spent some time in Boston, Cape Cod, and Plymouth Rock, unplugged from technology for the remainder of the marathon week. I am thankful that running was available to me as a therapeutic measure to grieve the passing of my son. My grief is with hope in a reunion of reunions in the life to come. I'm looking forward to more exploratory running miles and finishing my master's thesis and degree before the year's end.”
2003* Chance Phelps updates, “Hi Y'all! My family has grown to three, with the birth of my son Everrit, who is now three years old, and we've moved back to Singapore in May of 2021. So let us know if you're in Singapore! Hope everyone is doing well and staying safe.”
Congratulations to Shayla Yellowhair who received her EdD from USC Rossier School of Education, completing the Doctor of Education in Organizational Change and Leadership program.
Front Row, L-R: Scott Hannahs, Paul Gavin, Malcolm & Ann Plant, Sonya Johnson
Next Row, L-R: Steve Yates, Derek Holstein, Ginger Von Wening
Next Row, L-R: Hans Peter Neilsen, Steve Scott, George Hoffmann, Phil Murphy, Jamie Greene
Next Row, L-R: Kris Meisling, Bob Jones
Top Row, L-R: Billy Volkmann, Todd Oppenheimer, Jeff Bermant, Paul Cohen
2004 "Driftwood," the latest animated short film from Christopher Hills Eaton '04, is already making waves before hitting the film festival circuit this fall. "Driftwood" tells the story of Lt. Askr and his connection to a beloved piece of driftwood. "Driftwood" brings together Thacher alumni Eaton, Producer Anderson T. Clark '04, and Composer Jack Sligh '11, along with a Special Thanks to Peter Gierke '04. Keep an eye on the horizon for "Driftwood" coming to a film festival near you!
2007 Lesley Sun is happy to announce that she married her partner of 15 years, Thaddeus Ng in February 2023 in Somerset, NJ. Fellow Toads Rocio Hernandez ’07 and Kelly Singco ’06 were able to attend and celebrate the occasion!
were written—deeply rooted in the heart of Sonoma Mountain.
2008* Moizeé Stewart announced the new addition to her family, “We are so in love with our son, Zion Akai Stewart Romero. He was born 3/29/23 weighing in at 8lbs 12oz and 21in of pure perfection.”
2011 Avery Hellman, who goes by their stage name, ISMAY, competed in the new Apple TV+ series, “My Kind of Country,” produced by Kacey Musgraves and Reese Witherspoon. They will be releasing their second album, Desert Pavement, and heading on tour this year. ISMAY creates intimate folk/Americana songs that transport you straight to the land where they
2017 Liam Kirkpatrick embarked on a semester abroad and a trip of a lifetime to Antarctica. Liam shares a photo of him driving a ski-doo away from the plane and kneeling by a radar system. Both photos were taken at the field site on Hercules Dome, a couple hundred kilometers from the South Pole. The team used snow and ice penetrating radar systems to identify a promising ice core site, which might provide critical constraints on past and future sea level rise. This research was the start of Liam’s work towards his PhD at the University of Washington.
Steward of the land, metallurgical engineer, cattle rancher, lifelong punster, civic minded citizen, housing advocate, and dedicated Methodist, David Garden died peacefully at his home surrounded by his loving family on Tuesday, January 17, 2023, one week short of his 93rd birthday
Born in Berkeley, CA, he attended Thacher and earned an engineering degree from Lehigh University where he met his future wife, Nancy They celebrated their 70th wedding an-niversary on December 28, with a family gathering in their beloved White barn. David also earned an animal husbandry degree from UC Davis.
After working in steel foundries in Ohio and Pennsylvania for many years, the Garden family, which now included five children, returned to the family property in St. Helena where David could fulfill his dream of becoming a cattle rancher
Always aware of his wife Nancy's interest in music, he converted the carriage house on their property into an intimate performing arts space which has expanded the cultural life of the valley for 35 years.
David was a well-known philanthropist, one with a vision that his 20 acre property on Pope Street could be better used for the common good. Today that site is the location of the affordable housing complex, Stonebridge Housing, the Upper Valley Campus of Napa College, as well as Wappo Park.
He was a wonderful father who instilled the virtues of kindness, honesty, and compassion in his five children. He will be greatly missed, but our memories of him will live on.
David is survived by his wife, Nancy; and five children: Anne, Susan, Amy, David, Jennifer; five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
George Sterrett Wheaton III, died at his home in Portola Valley surrounded by his family after a long battle with cancer.
George was a fourth generation Californian, raised in San Francisco and Pasadena. He attended the Thacher School in Ojai where he became an excellent horseman. While in college at Stanford, he met his wife of 66 years, Sarah Coffin. Although both attended Stanford, they met in Spain while traveling in the summer of 1954. George received his engineering degree while serving in ROTC and after graduation was posted to the 23rd Armored Engineer Battalion in Germany. After his discharge from the army, George and Sarah returned briefly to Southern California before George was accepted to Harvard Business School, receiving his MBA in 1962.
George's career included senior positions at Cyprus Mines Corporation, NCR, Pacific Scientific and Bechtel Corporation. He concluded his professional career after serving as Associate Chairman of the Stanford Computer Science Department.
George and Sarah were adventurous travelers, and visited all seven continents. They regularly joined hiking tours that took them through Bhutan, the Pyrenees, Italy and Antarctica. George was also an avid fly fisher; he and Sarah fished rivers in New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, Canada and throughout the Midwest and West coasts of the United States.
When a boy, George's parents built a cabin in the El Dorado National Forest just off of Highway 50 on the American River. George and his younger brother, John Wheaton CdeP 1956 (who predeceased George last year) spent many long summers at the cabin where George developed his fly fishing skills. George's children and grandchildren also enjoyed the cabin where siblings and cousins could gather together until it was destroyed by the Caldor fire in 2021.
George was a long-time active member of the Palo Alto Rotary Club and served as club President devoting considerable time on international development projects. He was an officer in the Palo Alto Club and a fourth generation member of the Bohemian Club.
George is survived by his wife, Sarah Coffin Wheaton; his children Kathleen, Julie and William, six grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
William "Bill" Wren was born in San Francisco in 1934. He graduated from the Thacher School in 1953 and Stanford University in 1957. He went on to earn his Masters degree in Business in 1960. Bill was recognized for his amazing soccer skills beginning at Thacher, as the Captain of the soccer team, and winner of the Sportsmanship Award. He was a school Prefect, President of the Glee Club and on the Senior Year Student Counsel. At Stanford, Bill once again was Captain of the Soccer team and sang and played guitar, in a then famous quartet in college named the Sigma Chi Travelers. He married Joan Farwell in 1959 and they had three children, Bill, Peggy, and Eric. Bill traveled all over the world with Joan, loved to scuba dive and was an avid fisherman who would take our boat, the Wrens Nest, down to Mexico. He was successful in land development for Chevron, and then as a Real Estate consultant on his own. He raised his family with a love for the ocean, a love for music and a love for boating and fishing. Bill and Joan have lived in Balboa/Newport Beach for 60 years. Bill loved life, and he loved God and is survived by his wife Joan (Farwell), son Bill Wren CdeP 1979 (Tracey), daughter Peggy (Mark), son Eric, six grandchildren and two great grandsons.
Archibald McClintock Look was born April 28, 1945 at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara to Richard Look and Heartie Edwards. When Archie was seven, the family moved to Tokyo,
Japan while his father was working for the U.S. government. While in Tokyo, Archie attended a Japanese school, Morimura Gakuen, as the only nonJapanese in his class.
In 1960, he was sent to the Thacher School where he excelled at his horsemanship, singing, and student government. After graduating from Thacher, he went on to the University of Pennsylvania. During the Vietnam War, Archie served his country as logistics officer on Okinawa, Japan, where his ability to speak Japanese was put to use. After his discharge, he would facilitate Japanese folk music groups on tours of North America and South America and Europe.
In 1975, he was asked to represent DISCO Corporation, a Japanese precision tools maker for the semiconductor production industry, first in Silicon Valley, then in Tokyo as vice president of international sales. In 1984, Archie married Meiko Kitahara at All Saints-by-the-Sea in Santa Barbara, and in a ceremony in Tokyo. After 30 years at DISCO, he retired and worked part time helping the company with the nuances of English.
Archie was active with his Morimura alumni group and always attended his Thacher class reunions. His daily participation in Radio Taisou calisthenics, and his regular meetings with the expat Fuji Club filled his retirement time. He was also an active member of the Tokyo American Club, as well as the Santa Barbara Club.
He died peacefully in Tokyo on Feb. 9, 2023 after stoically living with glioblastoma for three years and eight months. His wife Meiko, son Archibald Kitahara Look, and daughter Heather Mari Warner were by his side. He is also survived by his six grandchildren and brother Rich Look CdeP 1962.
See page 48 for a look at John’s lasting legacy.
Marganne Winter Oxley, passed away peacefully on February 20, surrounded by family. She was born on November 4, 1959, in New Jersey, to John Winter and Margery Van Keuren Winter. After moving to Houston, Marganne's childhood was filled with weekends at Bolivar Peninsula and riding horses in the Piney Woods of East Texas. She attended Emma Willard high school in Troy, NY, before transferring to The Thacher School. Proud to graduate as part of the first co-ed class in a traditionally all-boys school, there she would meet her future husband, David Oxley. Marganne graduated from Southern Methodist University. Her summers were spent working on a dude ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming where Marganne and David married. They first lived on the family ranch in Scott Valley California, before moving to Wichita, Kansas in 1988, and putting down roots in Klamath Falls, Oregon in 1992. There they raised their family on their 350-acre ranch for 25 years. They retired to the Piney Woods in 2017. Marganne ran a small parts manufacturing company and was a La Leche League Leader in addition to the demands of being a ranch wife. Marganne had a gift for organizing and bringing people together. In her retirement, Marganne relished building her dream log house in the Piney Woods. She enjoyed many visits from family and friends, along with watching her granddaughters play. She will be remembered for her unconditional love of family, her generosity, and her kindness to everyone who crossed her path. Preceded in death by her grandparents; Marganne is survived by parents John and Margery Winter; loving husband, David Oxley CdeP 1979; children, Will Oxley CdeP 2005 and Sondra Haro CdeP 2009; granddaughters; siblings; In-laws, Carol and Bruce Oxley CdeP 1954; Sister-in-laws, Jill Souto-Maior CdeP 1980 and Rachel Oxley CdeP 1989; as well as many nieces and nephews and extended family members and friends.
William Hankison, a gifted educator and titlewinning coach, passed away on April 25, 2023, following a brief illness. Not only a master teacher and exceptional basketball, tennis and golf coach, Bill was an American Contract Bridge League player, weekend golfer, animal lover, and most proudly, a devoted husband, father, grandfather and brother.
Bill’s life-long love of books and athletics began at an early age, and he always carried at least one book with him along with some kind of ball on hand, ready for a pick-up game. It was no surprise that Bill would grow up to become a master teacher of English and literature.
Bill did post-graduate work at Harvard and Stanford, completing his master’s at Wesleyan. In 1968, Bill moved to Ojai, taking a job at The Thacher School. He was a resident English teacher and dean but quickly made a name for himself as the athletic director and varsity basketball and tennis coach. In several newspaper articles during these years, Bill was credited with the school’s athletic successes, but he always turned praise onto the students. In one interview he was quoted as saying, “I just like to see the kids go out and do their best. It’s not about winning, although we like to win. It’s about playing to their full potential.”
Moving up the coast to Stevenson School in 1976, Bill continued to embody this philosophy, believing that, “You get the best effort from others not by lighting a fire beneath them, but by building a fire within.” For 41 years, until his retirement in 2017, Bill exemplified this both in the classroom and sporting arenas. It was at this time that BIll met and married Jayne Zambresky, the love of his life.
Bill is survived by his wife, Jayne Hankison, his children Seth, Anya, and Chandra, grandchildren, siblings, and numerous nieces and nephews.
If you walk almost anywhere on the Thacher campus today, you cannot miss the impact of alumnus, past parent, and former Trustee John Gates’s vision, stewardship, and magnanimous generosity. His legacy, however, goes far beyond the physical buildings that he helped make possible.
Thacher graduate in the Class of 1975, John Gates never really said goodbye to Casa de Piedra. He went on to college in Colorado and later founded Gates Architecture in Aspen, but always remained connected to the people and place that he held so dear. It was when John’s children Emmo and Jesse became Toads themselves, in the classes of 2008 and 2012 respectively, that John discovered a new way to be involved as a parent and volunteer, and in 2008, joined the Board of Trustees, serving on the Buildings and Grounds, Development, Architectural Review, and Executive Committees during his impactful nine-year tenure.
John’s passion for innovation, creativity, and teamwork was fostered by his father Charles who built his family’s company, the Gates Rubber Company, into a worldwide leader for industry and technology. Charles also inspired John to give back, in part through his vision for the Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine, a world-class research center dedicated to finding cures for age-related macular degeneration that John and his sister Diane led.
Among John’s many contributions to Thacher is the realization of GATES (Gates Art, Technology, Engineering, and Science), the newest and most dynamic building on campus. As a self-identified nontraditional learner, John valued new approaches to teaching and learning and recognized that those approaches also called for new kinds of spaces. Taking inspiration from Stanford’s Design School and engaging the input of thought leaders such as Harvard’s Frank Locker, John helped Thacher leaders and Trustees fund and envision a new academic building to support active learning across the disciplines that would also facilitate creativity and experimentation and offer the versatility to accommodate changing needs in the future.
GATES was completed in 2021, and has transformed teaching and learning at Thacher. The 25,000 square-foot facility includes a lecture hall, fabrication garage, tech shop, photo lab, 3D art and ceramics studios, in addition to classroom and meeting space with incredible vistas. On a given day in GATES you will find students building robots and go-karts, solving multivariable calculus equations, creating visual storyboards on our digital displays, painting, drawing and creating with clay, 3D printers, wood, and laser cutters.
“GATES embodies many of our academic program’s core principles and values: collaboration, creativity, and interdisciplinary thinking, problem solving and learning by doing,” said Dr. Tracy Miller, assistant head of school and director of studies. “It’s a space where learning is visible, vibrant, and full of joy, purpose, wonder, and discovery.”
John’s indelible imprint on Thacher is undeniable, but goes far beyond the physical spaces he touched.
“John was a mountain of a man,” said Jeff Berndt, director of institutional advancement. “His footprint on our campus is almost as big as his heart—you can see his legacy in almost every area of the School. The School's progress and improvements are completely correlated to his vision, passion, the strength of his relationships, his appreciation for the aesthetic, and his magnanimous generosity.”
At an event to celebrate the Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine, John echoed one of his father’s favorite sayings, “You only really need three things in life to be happy—someone to love; something productive to do; and something to look forward to.” We will be forever grateful for John Gates’s love of Thacher and the many meaningful ways he demonstrated that throughout his remarkable life.
His footprint on our campus is almost as big as his heart—you can see his legacy in almost every area of the School. A
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Seniors on their spring EDT to Catalina Island ponder their next adventure on the horizon.
