faculty, staff & Friends…
Faculty NEWS Thacher welcomed three interns to campus this fall. Kayla Elliott, a recent graduate of Williams College, teaches math and advises sophomore boys in Los Padres. A native of Santa Barbara, Liz Witmer, who just graduated from Lafayette College with a BA in English, is helping with technical theater this year and is advising senior girls in Sespe. After spending her summer in Colorado working on a dude ranch, Dana Vancisin arrived at Thacher to help Liz Mahoney with photography, to work with students in the Horse Program, and to advise some freshman girls in Casa. She earned her BA in classical civilization and art from Colby College in June. Patty Atkinson offers academic support to students who want extra assistance with their study skills. Prior to arriving at Thacher, Patty taught math at Ojai’s public junior high school, and before that, taught at the Monica Ros School. And Brandon Doyle has been hired as the new director of development. A graduate of Middlebury and a fundraiser for the last 11 years, Brandon is making the rounds to meet Thacher’s alumni and friends across the country. The newest teachers at the African Leadership Academy in Johannesburg, South Africa, are Thacher’s teachers on sabbatical, Kurt and Alice Meyer (math and psychology, respectively). Kurt teachers “pure math” and statistics, Alice teaches psychology and they both have groups of advisees. When breaks come around, they take jaunts, such as to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, followed by a traditional safari in Botswana’s Okavanga Delta. Check out their “One-A-Day” photos at http://bit.ly/bm4J7f. Just before Christmas, when their stint in South Africa is done, they will fly to Beijing and Hong Kong for a couple weeks, followed by a few weeks in southeast Asia, and finally Bali. Megan Carney returned to the classroom to teach AP Psychology while the Meyers enjoy their sabbatical. And William Okin’s teaching load moved to fulltime to cover classes for Kurt Meyer. Richard and Cheryl Winters traveled to Ohio, Nevada, Hawaii, and Montana this summer to share their equine training expertise and they share the great news that their son Joseph CdeP 2007 was accepted into the Coast Guard Rescue Swim-
mer program. They will offer their Horsemanship Clinics to Thacher parents February 11-13, 2011, and various other clinics on campus throughout the spring and summer. More details are available at www.wintersranch.com. Tony Franco, who continues his work on the football coaching staff, joined the College Counseling office this year and advises boys in Upper School. Relying on his doctorate in English, Director of Communications Chris Land has returned to the classroom to teach English to some lucky sophomores. Aaron Snyder is the new dorm head of Los Padres for sophomore boys and their senior prefects. Former science and equine instructor Chuck Warren still gets out on his pony to play polo, as seen in Vermont this past summer (below left). Past Staff and Faculty Notes Former Director of Admission and Financial Aid and Assistant Head for External Affairs Monique DeVane was appointed the new Head of School for The College Preparatory School in Oakland, California. This independent coeducational day school for grades 9-12 focuses on “intellectual risk-takers who want to pursue a serious, purposeful education with others who feel the same way.” Prior to beginning her new job in July 2011, Monique will complete her duties as Associate Head of the Hawken School near Cleveland, Ohio. Allie and John Bueti are in wedding-planning mode for their daughter Grace CdeP 2004 who is newly engaged to Dan Malloy, a surf ambassador for Patagonia.
Top Left: Director of Development Brandon Doyle with fiancée Dana Cesnik. Top right: New faculty includes (L-R) Dana Vancisin, Kayla Elliott, Tony Franco, Patty Atkinson, and Liz Witmer. Left: Chuck Warren playing polo in Vermont.