The supermoon, as seen on the way back from a hike during the fall Class IX trip to Camp Mariah (Fresh Air Fund). This is a bonding experience where students engage in team-building activities to help foster a supportive and collective class culture as well as enrich their Upper School journey.
VOLUME XCVIII • NUMBER 2 • FALL 2023
18 News and Events
Events Recap, What’s on Your Desk?, Meet the New Alumnae Board President, Award Winners, Logan Hennes ’25 Goes to the White House and more
24 610 Library: The Next Chatper
34 Red vs.
36 Giving Review 2022–2023
Letter from Modupe Akinola ‘92 and Jane Foley Fried, Total Gifts to Brearley, Benefit Committee, Fundraising Volunteers, Memorial and Honorary Gifts, Samuel Brearley Society
56 Births, Marriages and Deaths
60 Class and Faculty/Staff Notes
Special thanks to Jennifer Bartoli, Marjorie Becker, Kristen Chae, Coy Dailey, Jane Fried, Jordan Hollender, Richie Bell, Jennifer Stewart and members of the Brearley community for sharing photos and artwork with us.
THE BREARLEY SCHOOL BOARD OF TRUSTEES
2023–2024
Modupe Akinola ’92, President
Head of School
Jane Foley Fried
Content Manager
Haley Swanson
Director of Graphic Design
Jennifer Bartoli
Director of Communications
Jennifer Stewart
If you have any questions or comments about the Bulletin, please contact Haley Swanson at hswanson@brearley.org or (212) 570-8588.
Brearley has offset the equivalent of 7,017,354 total standard pages of paper consumption by reforesting 842 standard trees since joining the PrintReleaf Exchange on August 7, 2018.
Susan Berresford ’61, Vice President
Sue Meng ’99, Secretary
Gideon Berger, Treasurer
Tara Abrahams
Alexander Brodsky
Ranika Cohen
Daphné Crespo-Helm
Thomas Farrell
Jane Foley Fried
Martha Haakmat
Ning Jin
Megan Lui ‘10
Katrina McCall
John McGinn
Ann Saunders 2 Last Day 2023 14 Departing and New Trustees
Margo Nederlander
Terri Seligman ‘78
Sidaya Moore Sherwood ’90
Bill Shutzer
Nekesa Straker ’97
Lita Tandon ’06
Olivia Wassenaar ’97
Lauren Wasson
Alan Yan
Trustees Emeriti
Christine Frankenhoff Alfaro ’91
Georges F. de Ménil
Evelyn Janover Halpert ’52
David T. Hamamoto
Stephanie J. Hull
Ellen Jewett ’77
Alan Jones
John F. Savarese
Priscilla M. Winn Barlow
Faculty Representative
REMARKS FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
Last Day 2023
Welcome all to Last Day 2023.
Good morning on what is truly one of the most exciting and rewarding days not only for the 63 seniors who sit before me, but also for the parents, grandparents, siblings, relatives, friends, faculty and staff who have supported and stood behind every one of you on this challenging and fulfilling journey.
Last Day marks the culmination of your Brearley experience. Today is your cathartic and ever-so-satisfying exhale.
Over the years you have taken in so much that this school has offered, filling your body and soul with endless questions, dilemmas, emotions and pride. But today this phase of your Brearley experience does end, and it’s time to reflect, remember and, yes, exhale.
Parents: You, too, deserve to take a breath and maybe a sigh of relief.
This is the one day that we pause to consider all the experiences that marked your time at Brearley. If your first day at Brearley was the most important, Last Day may be the most significant.
You’ve heard it said before that a Brearley education unfolds over a lifetime. Yes, I suppose, that does sound as if you’ll be eternally walking the halls and eating munster bagels. But, no, it means you will discover new and unexpected applications of your Brearley education, and your peers and the alumnae you have yet to meet will play an outsized role in your life. You’ll always be a part of Brearley.
There is a reason that today is referred to as “Last Day” and not “graduation” or “commencement.” “Last Day” is exactly that: Your last day as a student here before your first day in your next educational institution. As our founder knew, Brearley students never graduate from learning.
Tomorrow, you commence your first day of the next chapter in your life. And when you complete writing that next chapter, I will be most interested in reading the author’s updated bio. I cannot wait to see how you have developed as a person and what you have become.
Probably the worst question the Head of School can ask a student is, “tell me, who are you?” But by transposing just two words, the question becomes one of the most important—and revealing—requests I can make to each of you: Tell me who you are.
Describing who you are will ultimately be an ever-evolving process. You’ll be different next year from who you are today. And the young women I see before me today will be a different version of themselves in five years and in 10 years. Everyone here is destined to evolve into a better version of herself.
Earlier this year, you listened to several alumnae who were about to celebrate their 10th reunion, learning about their time at Brearley and circuitous journeys afterward. One of you asked a pointed question to the panelists: How and when had they figured out who they were?
It elicited some giggles from the speakers, but it struck right at the heart of what we hope to instill in those who enter Brearley: self-knowledge.
The assemblies this year also featured other noted alumnae describing their travels and travails upon leaving Brearley. They, too, spoke about the ups and downs in their lives and careers. Maggie Cullman ’54, a Francis Riker Davis Award recipient
continued on next page
“ Everyone here is destined to evolve into a better version of herself.”
for service, shared an illustration of her life’s journey, which more closely resembled the highs and lows of a weather map than a linear progression of the achievements and milestones one might expect to see in an intentional life of purpose.
Let me assure you this morning that your journey will undoubtedly be as circuitous. Your quest for self-knowledge will hopefully take you to places equally comfortable and uncomfortable, and place you in situations that will test your resolve and reward you for your abilities. Self-knowledge is what leads you to being you. As you step away from a community that knows you very well, perhaps so well as to mask how well you know yourself, you will find yourself in the way you live and learn with others.
Living and learning in Brearley’s intentionally diverse community, where you have engaged deeply in curricular and co-curricular offerings, has undoubtedly prepared you for the next step in your educational careers. The School has also provided an invisible classroom, of a sort, to learn about yourself. And that journey, thank goodness, has not been a straight line from point A to B.
Why do I say this? Because as I look at you, I see your bright, inquisitive and thirtsy minds. You are an ambitious group and yet your strength as individuals and as a collective has come from some of the surprising, unexpected opportunities that required your mind to adapt to conflicting information, flex in sometimes unorthodox ways, heal and, yes, roam. Could you have imagined that by studying magic realism with Mr. Chu, the supernatural would help you make sense of history and the human condition? Or by taking China and Japan with Ms. Marcus, you would gain a greater appreciation for your own family’s culture and values? You transformed your plaster hands fashioned in Ms. Javens’s studio art course to another medium altogether that offers you and your audience insight into how you see the world. You wondered at the world’s origin after reading complex research articles about RNA world hypothesis with Ms. Chung-A-Hing and Dr. Saunders. Did your mind roam? I think yes. Did these courses change perhaps one thing you thought you knew for sure? Probably so. That experience of
opening your minds to new ways of seeing the world is fundamental to understanding your role in it.
Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. said, “A mind stretched by a new experience will never go back to its original dimension.” I cannot implore you more to stretch your minds. I urge you to greatly expand your comfort zones. Allow your mind to shape a new dimension for you.
Currently there is a shift in education toward pre-professionalism in high school and college and away from a liberal arts program, which students at Brearley are immersed in from K to XII. “Liberal” refers not to politics but to pedagogy and connotes freedom. At this school, teachers have the freedom to create their curriculum, to adapt it each year or even midyear so that it continues to challenge and inspire you. You will not appreciate how “free” your education has been in exploring broadly and deeply across the disciplines until you meet your new classmates in college.
I can’t overstate the value of the liberal arts education you have experienced. You have learned that your left brain is equally as important as your right. And unless both are firing on all synapses, you’re not using your full capacity. Unlike a pre-professional curriculum, the liberal arts serves as an incubator—not an assembly line—in which you are exposed to, and develop competence in, a wide range of disciplines that fuel your love of learning and will guide you to find your interests and purpose in life.
You may revel in physics or poetry or photography. The connection you find with each discipline is part of the fabric that makes you who you are. Where you find your intellectual joy is not necessarily where you find the most ease of mastery. The beauty of math may call you as much as it eludes you, but the chase continues. The liberal arts allow the mind to encounter lots of different topics and ways of thinking, some of which will resonate and lead you to places you never expected to go and maybe a place where no one has been before. That rare but powerful experience will give you a glimpse of yourself. How? You find it in doing original work, which, as you know, is an essential component of a Brearley education. You have grown up here knowing that your thoughts, ideas and hypotheses matter.
Your education will undoubtedly serve you on whatever career path you choose. Moving forward, you will likely major in subjects you love or perhaps fall in love with a subject totally unknown to you today.
I recall the tone of my physicist father when I told him that I had fallen in love with philosophy and chosen it as a major. What was I going to do with that degree, he asked. Philosophize? I added history later, which made him a tad happier, but in truth, I call on my background in philosophy every day. Most recently, I’ve spent time bringing an ethical lens to conflicting morals within our society and, at times, within our own community. The freedom of the liberal arts provides choice and you are well prepared to handle any choice that comes your way.
I can see our future scientists and mathematicians wondering about my liberal arts plea. Yes, I mean you, too. Keep in mind that those degrees— and careers they offer—will ask you to employ your competence in other disciplines to solve real life problems. The physicist will call on the humanities not only to deliver speeches and write papers but also to consider the impact on society of the process or project she is leading. And the mathematician may be called upon to collaborate with a team of meteorologists, chemists and biologists to model possible mitigation strategies for a global atmospheric problem (I wrote this before our city was engulfed in smoke last week). The problems we, as a country and a world, face now—whether it’s food scarcity, public health, political
divisiveness or climate change—require a multidisciplinary approach. A liberal arts approach. Your training here gives you the capacity to become expert in one or two academic areas and to know enough about all disciplines to connect the dots in ways others can only imagine. And in being that connective tissue of problem solving, you will uncover what excites you, what fulfills you, what you can and want to do.
So your days at Brearley will certainly serve to propel you forward on your journey to self-knowledge.
Self-knowledge requires self-reflection—the practice of being honest with oneself, a willingness to be critical and an ability to ask tough questions of oneself. It also requires having the capacity to listen, to actually hear and reflect on what others are going through. By listening, you will hone a greater sense of empathy and compassion. This ability to better understand others will be a powerful mirror of who you are and the good you can do in the world.
As we pursue our quest, it is wise to keep in mind how unreliable our own emotions can be. Our senses and passions can mislead us. Inundated by Instagram posts, celebrity gossip, bite-sized news and hourly trend updates, expectations of others or those we hold for ourselves, our reasoning and beliefs can be tricked by our senses. In response to this condition, Tamar Gendler, Yale Professor of Philosophy, Psychology and Cognitive Science, urges us all to practice active selfreflection, or as she calls it, “harness our inner Socrates.”
The Apology in Plato’s Republic tells the story of Socrates on trial for corrupting the youth. He questions “wise men” to expose their false wisdom as ignorance. He famously claims to be the wisest man in all of Athens, because unlike another well-considered wise man, Socrates states, “I am better off than he is because he knows nothing, and thinks
that he knows. I neither know nor think that I know.” Maybe this is the original humble brag.
It’s also worth pointing out that in the Apology, Socrates is found guilty, and when told of his death sentence, he warns the jury that silencing their critic harms them more than they have harmed him. Perhaps history’s early cautionary tale about cancel culture. On this journey for self-knowledge, it may be wise to accept what you don’t know about yourself as a strength and broaden the scope of your experiences and friendships rather than isolating yourself by sticking solely with whom and what you know.
Stretch your mind. Find those shape-shifting new experiences.
And let me say that Brearley has been forced to stretch its mind, so to speak, these past three years in new and often uncomfortable ways. This School has demonstrated its steadfast commitment to its mission by listening to multiple perspectives, toiling in pursuit of truth, making difficult decisions and tolerating a fair amount of adversity. And this has yielded a stronger program and sense of community during a fractured and divisive time. We’ve expanded our minds and will not be returning to our original dimension. I thank you for being part of this challenging but extraordinary period of growth at the School.
Finally, this class has spent a good deal of time thinking about how it is perceived by others. There is one quality that we, who work most closely with you, regularly attribute to the Class of 2023. It can be said that we have never seen a class so attached to this school. Your love for Brearley has been evident throughout your time here, even when you have complained or criticized us, and I hope you never lose that connection.
I often think of Wordsworth’s poem “Tintern Abbey,” about a man who returns to a river he last visited five years ago. Perhaps this is you continued on page 12
Class 23
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEWEST ALUMNAE
(Left to Right)
FRONT ROW: Jessica Solit, Anna Steel, Kemi Diver, Luella Coffey, Clara-Cecil Popcorn, Sophia Waterston, Anna-Beatrice Glassner.
SECOND ROW: Mahbuba Afreen, Jaeden Casasnovas, Alexandra Durt, Jacqueline Snyder, Grace Schuur, Vivienne Jones, Gabrielle Ross, Alessandra Brevetti-Bergman, Emmanuelle Toulouse, Zara Suryadevara, Ariana Arabadjiev.
THIRD ROW: Colette Hartman, Ava Yan, Lilly Fergang, Aliza Fergang, Kayla Denis, Kate McNulty, Sarah Torres, Isabela Carvalho, Sophia Hoh, Hannah Marx, Yassamin Ehsani.
FOURTH ROW: Caroline Lee, Oona Weinberg, Sofia Vargas, Harriet Shapard, Lillian Dick, Xuan Mai Perales, Liliana Falcone, Carolina Falcone, Audrey Feigin, Asha Chawla.
SIXTH ROW: Nicole Faigen, Abigail Sturley, Samuelle Leibovitz, Sarah Wagman, Estella Shklyar, Julia Vasan.
BACK ROW: Alexandra Gamboa, Olivia Oh, Sey Stein, Lilavati “India” Jayanti, Susan Leibovitz, Elizabeth Siddiqui.
We would also like to congratulate the members of the Class of 2023 who went on to graduate from other schools.
UPPER SCHOOL AWARDS
Upper School Discursive Essay Writing Prize
Anna Jordan, XII
Upper School Analytical Essay Writing Prize
Sarah Wagman, XII
Upper School Poetry Writing Prize
Chloe Tan, XI
Upper School Fiction Writing Prize
Sofía Vargas, XII
Juliet Whiton English Prize
Phoebe Pallesen, XII
Catherine Fairfax MacRae ’96 Prize
Mahbuba Afreen, XII
Upper School History Essay Writing Prize
Alexandra Su, X Harper Simpson, XI
Dorothy Mills History Prize
India Jayanti, XII
Ann Chalmers Greek Prize
Yassamin Ehsani, XII
Ann Chalmers Latin Prize
India Jayanti, XII
French Prize
Anna-Beatrice Glassner, XII
Spanish Prize
Eleanor Apps, XII
Mandarin Prize
Emmanuelle Toulouse, XII
Judith N. Conant Mathematics Prize
Olivia Oh, XII
Frances Arnold 1893 Mathematics Prize
Sarah Wagman, XII
Science Prize for Life Sciences
Alessandra Brevetti-Bergman, XII
Science Prize for Physical Sciences
Ariana Arabadjiev, XII
Technology Prize
Gabrielle Ross, XII
Ursula Loengard Berens ’47 Art Prize
Estella Shklyar, XII
Fanny H. Phillips Dramatics Prize
Alexandra Gamboa, XII
Berta Elsmith Music Prize
Olivia Oh, XII
The Brearley Alumnae Cup
Eleanor Apps, XII
Richard B. Stearns, Jr., Memorial Award
Alexandra Hayes, XII
Head’s Award
Jaeden Casasnovas, XII
FACULTY AWARDS
The Class of 2018 Fund for Building, Kitchen and Administrative
Staff Support
Shanice Echeverria
Efren Cruz
Class of 1992 Award
Brian Chu
Teacher of English and Head of Class XII
Serena Marshall Weld 1901 Award
Kate Javens Teacher of Art
Sandra Lea Marshall ’73 Award
Cait Bradley Teacher of Mathematics and VIII Homeroom Teacher
Margaret Riker Harding
Lower School Fellowship
Ayana Fletcher-Tyson
Class II Room Teacher
Chairs for Excellence in Teaching
Luigi Cicala Teacher of Art
Susannah Terrell
Class V Homeroom Teacher
Robert Duke Teacher of Drama
Class of 2023 COLLEGE DESTINATIONS
KUNZ ART COLLECTION
Class IX
Priya Acharya
Josephine Allen
Emi Arabadjiev
Cassandra Analei Calupe
Chloe Casanova
Analise Chen
Labiba Chowdhury
Sarah Elliott
Annabel Feigen
Marin Goldberg
Gemma Hayes
Ann Higgins
Samara Islam
Beatrix Mironoff
Eva Nelson-Torres
Amelia Neuburg
Atalanta Pfeister
Samantha Philip
Alejandra Piedra
Caroline Racanelli
Jessica Ren
Yasmeen Romero
Anna Semel
Jada Shutes
Charlotte Stewart
Sybil (Sadie) Tribe
Lillias Trowbridge
Lucia Xiao
Class X
Mayisha Alam
Katherine Arnall
Sofia Basilio
Chanelle Batraville
Josephine Carlock
Giselle Chan
Gaby Cruz
Linden Frelinghuysen
Beatrice Glasman Walker
Alanna Guilfoyle
Annabelle Hayes
Audrey Hoh
Bintou Jaiteh
Ameera Karim
Alice Lee
Chloe Lucich
Hadley Meyer
Nora Moor
Leena Mudawi
Yossra Nizam
Margaret Ratzan
Danna Rios-Sosa
Mira Schubert
Sophia Seckler
Amaani Sehgal
Alexandra Shepard
Jaya Shri
Charlize Solares
Isabella Stegman
Alexandra Su
Annabel Thomas
Anaya Tsai
Alyssa Zhou
Grace Zhou
Jenny Zhu
Class XI
Ines Alto
Sophia “Zephyr” Andrews
Nicole Chang
Louise Crary
Daniella Florencio
Stephanie Garrett
Caroline Gottlieb
Cade Keys
Ellery Kourepenos
Ruqayah Mahmud
Eleanor Nangle
Emma Resetarits
Alice Richmond
Amelia Roman
Inaya Shariff
Sophie Tanenbaum
Maria Ulke
Sophia Wang
Katherine Wepsic
Harmony Zhu
Class XII
Mahbuba Afreen
Asha Chawla
Lila Desai
Olivia Goldfinger
Vivienne Jones
Eleanor Keohane
Grace Schuur
Harriet Shapard
Estella Shklyar
Abigail Sturley
American University of Paris/USC (1)
Amherst College (3)
Boston College (1)
Bowdoin College (1)
Brown University (2)
Bucknell University (1)
Case Western Reserve University (1)
Columbia University (2)
Connecticut College (1)
Cornell University (5)
Dartmouth College (1)
Duke University (1)
Georgetown (1)
George Washington University (1)
Harvard University (6)
Kenyon College (1)
Lafayette College (1)
Middlebury College (2)
Oberlin College (2)
Princeton University (1)
Sciences Po/Columbia University (1)
Trinity College (1)
Tulane University (1)
UCLA (1)
University of Chicago (4)
University of Michigan (3)
University of Pennsylvania (5)
University of Southern California (1)
University of Virginia (3)
Vanderbilt University (1)
Vassar College (1)
Williams College (3)
Yale University (3)
*as of 9/15/2023
Co-heads of Self-Government
by Vivienne Jones and Grace Schuur
This year, we spent a lot of time thinking of new ways to unify the Brearley student body. As a part of rebuilding our community after Covid-19, we distributed Brearley seal pins to everyone from 4th through 12th grade. Each pin represents everyone’s individual yet connected place in the larger Brearley community.
Another core value that we tried to implement was appreciating those who guide us. With the inaugural Advisor Appreciation Day, we hoped to bring light to the incredible faculty members who put their time and energy into supporting us and teaching us invaluable lessons. They have shaped us into the people we are and their distinctive care for students unquestionably forms the foundation of the Brearley community.
We also have to thank our marvelous USSG representatives. You discussed constitutional amendments, approved common interest organizations and wrote all the high schoolers’ names on hundreds of compostable plastic spoons. There is not a better group we could
have delegated all our USSG tasks to.
Starting with the first time we will be voting—in each diploma, there’s a voter registration form which can be sent or delivered to your local Board of Elections Office! Please go vote!—the 2022–2023 school year had a lot of firsts. It was the first year almost entirely maskless and it was the first time since our freshman year that we saw so many USSG traditions return. In 2019, we saw our first Upper School talent show, and this year, we ran the first one since then. We also ran the first and hopefully not last BASH along with the first Block Party in most current high schoolers’ memories. We hope that the tradition is carried long into the future.
We’ve left our mark and made memories in every corner of 610, from the stage on B-Deck to the PE kickball games on 10. We love you all and are going to miss you.
Thank you.
Above: Vivienne Jones and Grace Schuur.
Class XII Speakers
by Anna Steel and Sarah Torres
There are many ways to describe the Class of 2023. In fact, it may be difficult to settle on just one idea, thought or label.
We’ve been called a lot of things over the years, but apathetic is definitely not one. We’re trailblazers, pioneers, the first grade in living memory to be banned from Red & White games!
Now that we have established this one truth, we can articulate possibly the most fitting idea, thought or label to describe our class.
The Class of 2023 is loud. Too often, we forget the phrase “making noise” can mean to support someone or something in a loud and obvious way, a concept that our grade has never shied away from when it comes to each other.
We have been the highlight of every town hall, our Mountain Day has the most hype and our administration-encouraged grade rebranding has been the only one in Brearley history. Though we may not have always colored inside the lines, we threw our hearts into whatever we did.
Our noise also encompasses the endless change enacted and
accomplishments achieved by members of the class, from the impeccable DEI work fostered by many of our own—including record involvement within affinity groups—to our senior soccer captains leading us to AAIS victory and so much more.
We are ambitious and unstoppable. Even as 5th graders we were ready to take on each new challenge offered: We managed to stumble through the entire Henriad in one assembly. Quite literally nothing could stop us.
Throughout our time at Brearley, we have seen the Class of 2023 learn and love. As civil rights activist John Lewis once said, “Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”
To all the teachers who have given us help and support over the years, thank you for all that you do. And to the world beyond these walls about to receive 63 members of the Brearley Class of 2023, good luck.
Thank you.
Above: Anna Steel and Sarah Torres.
continued from page 5
“ I urge you to greatly expand your comfort zones. Allow your mind to shape a new dimension for you.”
returning to the School on the East River in five years for a reunion. Wordsworth’s speaker reflects on his past experiences as a boy and how this place—nature—was such an eye-opening and inspiring destination.
In years past, he traveled to this peaceful and tranquil setting freely, but now finds himself visiting as a necessary escape from his busy life as an adult.
How oft, in spirit, have I turned to thee, O sylvan Wye thou wanderer thro’ the woods, How often has my spirit turned to thee!
He is back to encounter new pleasures, forge new memories and recall past experiences in the hopes that they will last until he can return again. He is much more mature now than when he ran freely through the woods, and doesn’t find himself sadly nostalgic as he overlooks the river below. He has gained so much and taken so much from this place. Nature has helped him self-reflect—and he advises us to learn and reflect from past pleasurable experiences.
Nature isn’t fickle. It is consistent. It never betrays. And it possesses the power to lead you from one joy to the next.
Wordsworth continues:
Knowing that Nature never did betray The heart that loved her; ’tis her privilege, Through all the years of this our life, to lead From joy to joy: for she can so inform The mind that is within us
Wordsworth strongly believes that this place—Nature—has such a powerful and nurturing impact on those who experience it.
I hope you, too, believe that this place—Brearley—has had the same effect on you.
May your life journey lead you far and wide, may you revel in its successes and lean into disappointments, and may it lead you to deepen your understanding of yourself and your power to contribute to the greater good. And may it lead you back to Brearley.
SINCERE THANKS to Our
Clockwise from top left: Amina Elderfield ‘94, Rebecca Haile, Dusty Philip and Cory Nangle with her daughter.
As Brearley embarks on highly anticipated, innovative projects and continues to develop bold and exciting initiatives, we gratefully acknowledge the members of the Board of Trustees who retired in June 2023 after providing many years of remarkable leadership. During their years of service, these board members faced numerous opportunities and challenges. This pivotal period of time was marked by the redrafting of the School Mission Statement and revision of our Strategic Vision; the construction of the 590 schoolhouse and the first transformational 610 project (our stunning 10th floor Middle and Upper School library); the introduction of formal departmental and divisional review; the launching of sexuality health education for K–XII; an enhanced institutional commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and antiracism; and the management of the School’s fiscal and physical health through a global pandemic.
We are deeply beholden to the following trustees for their guidance, expertise and unwavering dedication to Brearley.
Amina Elderfield ‘94
Trustee, 2020–2023
President of the Alumnae Association, 2020–2023
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee
Trusteeship Committee
Rebecca Haile
Trustee, 2017–2023
Audit Committee
Budget and Finance Committee
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, Co-Chair, 2020–2023
Executive Committee, 2020–2023
Cory Nangle
Trustee, 2022–2023
President of the Parents’ Association, 2022–2023
Building Committee
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee
Dusty Philip Trustee, 2014–2023
Trusteeship Committee
Budget and Finance Committee
Development Committee, Co-Chair, 2017–2023
Executive Committee, 2015–2023, Vice President, 2018–2019, Senior Vice President 2019–2023
BREARLEY’S STATEMENT OF BELIEFS
MISSION
The Brearley School challenges girls of adventurous intellect and diverse backgrounds to think critically and creatively, and to act with courage and integrity.
The School fosters a love of learning, excellence in the liberal arts, and engagement in a lively and inclusive community. Guided by dedicated faculty and staff, students learn to uplift one another as they grapple with complex ideas and develop a strong sense of self. We value empathy, originality, and depth of thought and character.
The Brearley community cultivates the joy of lasting friendships, the confidence to pursue one’s ambitions, and a commitment to the greater good.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION
The Brearley School believes that diversity of thought, practice and identity are essential elements in preparing students for principled engagement in the world. We believe in the importance of establishing and strengthening the structures and practices necessary to achieve equitable representation and participation in our school. We are committed to putting these beliefs into action and are therefore engaged in continuous study, self-reflection and dialogue in order to improve and adapt as we learn.
We embrace the opportunities and challenges of learning and working in a diverse environment characterized by respect and consideration for the needs of others. In partnership with faculty, staff, students, families and alumnae, we are endeavoring to instill and sustain shared values that promote a welcoming, inclusive and affirming community.
ANTIRACISM
The Brearley School condemns racism in the strongest possible terms and is committed to building an antiracist community. This work requires active introspection, self-awareness and the determination to make conscious and consistently equitable choices on a daily basis. We expect our faculty, staff, students, parents and trustees to pursue meaningful change through deliberate and measurable actions. These actions include participating in antiracist training and identifying and eliminating policies, practices and beliefs that uphold racial inequality in our community.
to Our Incoming Trustees
Clockwise from top left: Alexander Brodsky, Ning Jin and family, Katrina McCall, Terri Seligman ’78 and family and Megan Lui ’10
Alexander Brodsky serves as a principal of the Brodsky Organization, a third-generation real estate development company. The Brodsky Organization is one of New York City’s leading developers, builders and property managers of luxury residential and mixed-use real estate. Alex focuses on the leasing of the organization’s commercial spaces, as well as the marketing and leasing of their residential units. A graduate of New York University, Alex serves on the board of Kids of NYU Langone and the St. Bartholomew’s Conservancy. He is married to Kate Rheinstein Brodsky. Their three daughters—Beatriz (X), Frederica (VII), and Delphine (II)—all attend Brearley.
Ning Jin is the chief investment officer at Viking Global Investors LP where he is responsible for managing its public equity team and a portfolio of investments across sectors. Previously, Ning was Viking’s cochief investment officer and was a portfolio manager in its Hong Kong office. Prior to joining Viking in 2007, Ning worked at the Blackstone Group. Ning and his family returned to New York six years ago after living abroad in Hong Kong for seven years. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Huntsman Program with a BA in international studies and BS in economics, Ning has served as a member of Brearley’s Investment Committee and is a trustee of the Tiger Foundation. Ning and his wife, Jessie, are the proud parents of Abigail (Class II) and 4-year-old Amelia.
Megan Lui ’10 joined Brearley in Class VI through the Prep for Prep program. During her time at Brearley, she cofounded the Business and Financial Awareness student organization, and served as co-head of the Asian Awareness student organization and Art Club. She graduated from Princeton in 2014 with an AB in art and archaeology, with a focus on the history of art, as well as a certificate in Chinese language and culture. After graduating from Princeton, Megan spent almost a decade on Morgan Stanley’s trading floor as a part of their institutional equities sales team, on the corporate access desk. She is now on a personal break, devoting her time to family, to Brearley and to writing a novel based on six generations of her family’s history as Chinese Americans, starting with the transcontinental railroad. Megan has served on the Brearley Alumnae Board since 2020, and helped to found the Truth and Toil Award Committee during that time. She lives in Manhattan with her husband, Peter, and is the sister of Sybil Lui ‘13.
Katrina McCall was born and raised in Southern California. She joined the Brearley community in 2016. Katrina and her husband, John, have two daughters, Avery (VII) and Sydney (IV). Katrina has served at Brearley as a library volunteer and class representative for both of her daughters, and currently serves as the president of the Parents’ Association. She graduated from Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia, and then received a JD from New York Law School. Outside of Brearley, she handles extensive pro bono work helping children with immigration issues and senior citizens with Medicare and other health-related matters. She also enjoys volunteering for running-related organizations including Back on My Feet and New York Road Runners.
Terri Seligman ’78 was a member of the Alumnae Board from 2012 to 2020, and served as president, and as a member of the Board of Trustees, from 2014 to 2020. After Brearley, Terri attended Wesleyan University, double majoring in music and American studies, and then New York University School of Law. In her professional life, she is a partner at the law firm Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz and co-chair of its Advertising, Marketing & PR Group. She is the mother of Sophie Hagen ’06, Brooklyn Hagen and Max Hagen ’19 and is married to novelist George Hagen. In her spare time, Terri is a member of two AfroBrazilian percussion ensembles, Batalá New York and Mambembé, and performs regularly throughout the New York area.
Young alums from classes 2009 to 2020 gathered on a warm September night for the annual Lobster Rolls and Rosé, presented by the Young Alumnae Committee of the Alumnae Association. At the event, co-chaired by Chelsea Douglas ’13, Mina Mahmood ’15 and Amrita Ramamurthy ’15, alums reconnected and reminisced while enjoying a tour of the new 10th floor library and the sunset overlooking the East River.
EVITA Alongside Head of School Jane Foley Fried, alums and their guests enjoyed Evita in Cambridge, MA. Attendees were treated to postshow talkback with Diane Paulus ’84, artistic director of American Repertory Theater.
Submit to the Lois Kahn Wallace ’57 Writer’s Award
Established in 1999 by the late Lois Kahn Wallace ‘57, this award honors and encourages a Brearley alum at the beginning of her career as a published writer, or the beginning of writing in a new genre. Nominated books must be the first by the author, or the first by the author in its genre. Fiction and nonfiction works are eligible, as are books for young adults. This award is conferred approximately every two years and carries an honorarium. To apply, submit six copies of the work to Lizzy Youngling, Alum Relations Manager, at Brearley, 610 East 83rd Street, New York, NY 10028.
BOOKS BY ALUMNAE Please send covers of your new books to classnotes@brearley.org.
Ellen Boneparth ‘62
Lydia Davis ‘65
Felicity Sargent Blundon ‘70
Phebe
Lowell Bowditch ‘79
Marcia (Dunbar-Soule) Dobson ‘59
WHAT’S ON YOUR DESK?
PAUL BYRNES SCIENCE TEACHER, ADVISOR
CLASS X
1. Folding frame: Four pictures of the advanced physics class of 2013–2014.
2. Mug from Kennedy Space Center: “It’s just Rocket Science.”
3. Tony the Tiger mug: This was given to me by the Class of 2008. 4. Yearbook advisor mug: This was given to me from our yearbook publisher, Jostens.
5. Beaver cartoon: What I would look like as a beaver, courtesy of the 2022 yearbook staff. 6. Bumper sticker: It says, “Actually, I Am a Rocket Scientist.”
7. Framed photo on my bulletin board: A picture of me and my family on a beach vacation in North Carolina. 8. My schedule: Can’t be late! 9. Blue card: Featuring me in my car and given to me by my advisees last year.
QUEERLY BREARLEY INTERSCHOOL MIXER
Together with LGBTQIA+ Spence, Chapin and Nightingale alums, Queerly Brearley celebrated Pride Month in June with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at Milady’s downtown.
Megan Lui ’10
New Alumnae Association President
Brearley is pleased to announce Megan Lui ’10 as president of the Brearley Alumnae Association. An Alumnae Board member since 2020, Megan has served as secretary and vice president and helped to establish the Truth and Toil Award, honoring a living alum for her dedicated service to the Brearley community.
Megan joined Brearley in Class VI through the Prep for Prep program, as a part of Contingent XXV, and commuted every day from South Brooklyn to 610. During her time at Brearley, she cofounded the Business and Financial Awareness student organization and served as co-head of the Asian Awareness student organization and Art Club. She graduated from Princeton in 2014 with an AB in art and archaeology, with a focus on the history of art, as well as a certificate in Chinese language and culture. After graduating from Princeton, Megan spent almost a decade on Morgan Stanley’s trading floor as a part of their institutional equities sales team on the corporate access desk. In this role, she advised technology/media/telecom C-Suite and investor relations teams on investor targeting, shareholder analysis and marketing strategy. She is now on a personal break, devoting her time to her family, Brearley and writing a novel, the origins of which began in the history and literature classrooms at Brearley. The novel is planned to be a magical realism take on six generations of her family’s history as Chinese Americans, spanning from the building of the transcontinental railroad to the present day. Megan has served on the Brearley Alumnae Board since 2020, first as secretary, next as vice president and now as president. She lives in Manhattan with her husband, Peter, and is the sister of Sybil Lui ’13.
Megan Lui ’10
check out: faculty and staff summer reads
Jennifer Barrtoli Kate Bullock
Amy Chow
Luigi Cicala
Jane Fried
Sarah Hervieux
Jenna Horowitz
Mariel Isaacson
Gail Marcus
Erin Olsen
Haley Swanson Gabi Tuboly
Andy Vernon-Jones
Tom Wright Lizzy Youngling
ALUMNAE AWARDS
2023 Frances Riker Davis Award Winners amanda eaken ’95 and molly rauch ’90
In 1967, the friends and family of Frances Riker Davis ‘15 established an award in her name to honor the tradition of public service that Frances embodied. It is given annually to a Brearley alum for ongoing, dedicated service to the public good. We are delighted to let you know that Amanda Eaken ’95 and Molly Rauch ’90 were selected as this year’s two recipients of the 2023 Frances Riker Davis Award.
Amanda’s career has been propelled by a deep, unwavering commitment to fight for environmental progress (thanks, Ms. Seminara!), coupled with her inner New Yorker drive to make American cities thrive by creating equitable, high-quality transit and safe streets for walking and biking. Appointed by Mayor London Breed in 2018, she is Chair of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Board of Directors, overseeing policy, strategy and a $1.3 billion budget. She is a Transportation Equity Leader-InResidence at U.C. Berkeley’s Othering and Belonging Institute and co-founder and Director of the $100M Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge—an innovative climate accelerator that supported 25 cities in exceeding the Paris Climate Agreement targets. As director of transportation at the Natural Resources Defense Council, Amanda
managed a team that transformed transportation by shifting funds from highways to transit and other sustainable, equitable uses. She was named a Top 100 Influencer by the Sacramento Bee, a 40 Under 40 Leader by the San Francisco Business Times, and received the President’s Award for Sustainability Leadership from the Southern California Association of Governments.
Starting in 2010, Molly Rauch ‘90 was involved with Moms Clean Air Force (MCAF), serving until 2022 as public health policy director. MCAF is a grassroots advocacy group affiliated with the Environmental Defense Fund, with local chapters in 15 states and over one million members. MCAF works in collaboration with other climate change and clean air groups to inform the public about the health impacts of pollution and how to fight for clean air. During her 12 years with MCAF, Molly helped shape the growth of the program, building relationships, alliances and partnerships with public health organizations to develop and implement strategies to influence regulatory and policy decisions.
Molly helped create an evolving platform for scientifically-based activism, addressing environmental pollution and climate change, while Amanda has worked to tackle climate change through transforming transportation. In addition, each has shown remarkable creativity and dedication in addressing climate change and environmental pollution. Molly’s work focused on federal environmental policy, while Amanda’s efforts target the local and regional levels.
In January 2024, Molly and Amanda will be honored at the annual Middle and Upper School Frances Riker Davis Award Assembly.
2023 Truth and Toil Award Winner wilhelmina martin eaken ’64
Created in 2022, the Truth and Toil Award annually honors a living alum for her dedicated service to the Brearley community and for strengthening connections across class years to inspire future generations of students. We’re delighted to announce Wilhelmina Martin Eaken ’64 as the recipient of the 2023 Truth and Toil Award.
Mina, who is also a past parent, worked as Brearley’s alumnae director from 1991 to 2014. During her tenure, Mina helped establish various committees of the Alumnae Association, expanded the reunion program into a weekend of activities for the community, helped further develop alum online communications and created programs that offered networking and mentoring opportunities.
Mina is a longstanding class agent, has served as reunion co-chair three times since she retired and is a member of the Lois Kahn Wallace Award Committee. Mina’s impressive knowledge of all alums makes her an invaluable member of the Brearley community.
“Alums who make the community all the more close and strong with their time, energy, ideas and spirit, alums who inspire others in the community to do the same—these are the alums whom we seek to honor and thank every year going forward with this new award,” Megan Lui ’10, co-chair of the Truth and Toil Award Committee and incoming Alumnae Association president explains. “As a culture carrier, a leader who spearheaded the formation of many of our alum committees and as an alum who has been involved in the Brearley community in various capacities throughout the years, Mina is the true embodiment of the spirit of this award.”
This autumn, Brearley will host a reception in Mina’s honor.
Molly Rauch ’90.
Amanda Eaken ’95.
Wilhelmina Martin Eaken ’64
Brearley at the White House
LOGAN HENNES RECOGNIZED BY JILL BIDEN
This past October, Logan Hennes ’25 was honored at the White House as part of the International Day of the Girl celebration called “Girls Leading Change.” The event, led by First Lady Jill Biden, honored 15 girls selected by the White House Gender Policy Council who have had a major impact on their communities. Logan was cited for her work with the American Jewish Committee in combating anti-Semitism. In her remarks, Dr. Biden said that girls like Logan “are protecting
and preserving the earth, writing and sharing stories that change minds, and turning their pain into purpose. Together, they represent the potential of young people across the country, and it is my hope that others can learn from the power of their innovation, strength and hope.”
Logan inspires us all to be the change we wish to see in our world— another example of Brearley’s commitment to the greater good. Please join us in congratulating her.
Happy Anniversary
THE BULLETIN
Connecting people for 100 years
“We have issued this first number in exactly three weeks time and against odds, such as disorganization, grippe, and complete ignorance of editorial ways. So be tolerant of our mistakes, that we may have the courage to continue.”
–BULLETIN VOL. I, NO. 1, 1923
6 10 library :
THE NEXT CHAPTER
BY HALEY SWANSON
“I
am going to live here,”
said one Middle School student brimming with excitement and speaking like a true Brearley girl upon seeing the new 10th floor library for the first time.
Her enthusiasm was shared by everyone when the School opened its new environmentally cutting-edge, spacious and accessible Middle and Upper School library in the 610 building. Jim Mulkin, Associate Head of School for Academic Life, says, “It’s a breathtaking space. And most importantly, it’s always filled with students.” Head of School Jane Foley Fried agrees. “To see the library in full use at 7:30 pm with students sharing cozy window seats, immersed in their books, conjugating verbs in a seminar room or studying side-by-side at one of the long reading tables, signals to me that this new space is quickly becoming the heart of the School.”
As every Brearley student past and present knows, the library has always been a special place. The physical collection boasts 24,000 volumes, with 3,300 e-books and audio books and 17,500 checkouts a year. Quite simply, the library is our space for learning in community with fellow students and faculty, a place where adventurous intellect is sparked and nurtured. Reading and research is the foundation for leading balanced, joyful and intentional lives inside the classroom and beyond; it’s a foundation for an education that lasts a lifetime. Each Brearley girl is called to principled engagement in their world and the library is where this conversation first begins.
The new space, made possible by generous leadership donations from our community, opens to a sweeping panorama of the East River and Queens. As the 10th floor was formerly a gym, the windows needed to be lowered to fully capture the view beyond; director of construction and facilities Doris Coleman said it best: “It’s pretty dramatic.” Their infrastructure was updated, too, ensuring better weather-proofed space. In fact, every piece of the new library is made of locally sourced materials. No fossil fuels are used in cooling or heating; it’s all electric, showing our students by example to always seek out the environmental greater good.
At the base of the soaring bank of windows are Brearley’s signature window seats where students can curl up with a good book year-round. These cozy seats have always been a focal point of Brearley libraries throughout the decades and so were preserved as a nod to our history in the midst of our modernization. As one Class VI student said in 1944, “I like the library because it is cheerful, quiet and homelike.” It remains that way today.
“This
new space is quickly becoming the heart of the School.”
In another nod to our past, the final books were brought up from the old to new library by the Brearley Book Brigade. The brigade has been a fixture in our recent history each time a new library opens, as was the case for the Lower School library in 2019 and the 610 library’s many relocations. This time, students from Classes V and XII—the “bookends” of Middle and Upper School—shuttled volumes, one by one, up the stairs to their renovated home.
The new library features more than one display of our living history. Each bookshelf is decorated with archival projects from students—dating all the way back to the early 20th century—depicting Brearley’s class mascots. From poems to drawings to stuffed animals, these glass cases atop each shelf tell the story of the School and the generations of students who’ve grown up within its walls.
“When I showed the blueprints to students last year, their excitement was palpable,” says head librarian Erin Olsen. “They’d outgrown the space downstairs. Some students ended up sitting on the floor because there just wasn’t another chair.” Now, there’s more than enough room for everyone, with numerous long desks and smaller, two-person tables for all styles of study, be it solo or group projects.
Another goal for Ms. Olsen was to increase the library’s browsability. And so, half of the bookshelves are stocked with fiction and literature from throughout the ages, while the other half houses nonfiction written by an array of authors on countless topics of interest. This makes the stacks more accessible for students who aren’t working on a research paper but instead rooting out their next favorite novel.
Facing page, top: 1984 Book Brigade where 12,617 volumes were moved from the Higginson Library on the 6th floor to the expanded library on the 1st floor. Middle: The Lower School Library Book Brigade in 2019 moving books from 610 Lower School library to the new library in 590. Bottom: This year’s Book Brigade which traveled all the way to the 10th floor.
The library also features group learning spaces with two classrooms at the back where the archives are kept. “These archives will foster the curious Brearley spirit,” says school archivist Zoey Ha. “Students can see how much writing has changed throughout the years.”
The collection is split into two categories: special and general collections. School founder Samuel Brearley’s old textbooks are currently housed in the latter collection awaiting a careful rebinding process. Amongst the worn, antique covers are philosophical classics by Plato, Virgil and Cicero. The general collection will be housed in the library’s smaller classroom and available for viewing by appointment.
The library’s special archival collection features volumes from the early 20th century as well as first editions and signed books like the priceless copy of In the Shadow of Man featuring Jane Goodall’s signature scrawled on an opening page. This collection is also viewable by appointment in the library’s larger classroom.
Mary Herr, Brearley’s librarian in the 1920s, noted the School’s collection as groundbreaking for a time when “most schools still clung to the textbook method of teaching.” The library’s inaugural 5,000 volumes widened this narrow door of learning for countless girls—as it still does today. This moment in history finds libraries politicized and challenged. In fact, many schools are choosing to reduce their collections instead of expanding them. Brearley continues to foster an open space for learning that prioritizes curiosity and intellectual bravery over fear.
“The library has always been an integral part of the life of the building and the community,” says Ms. Olsen. “It’s used by everyone.”
Ms. Olsen hopes this welcoming new space will be a source of comfort when students feel the stress of an exam or project. In this age of rapid-fire, often inaccurate information online and on social media platforms, she believes it’s more important than ever to value our school’s library and the wealth of knowledge it holds. “It’s a safe place to ask questions,” Ms. Olsen says. “Students know that we’re going to guide them to reliable sources.” In our times, this could not be more valuable. Our new 610 library is the perfect embodiment of truth found through toil.
RED VS.
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO, the infamous Red and White rivalry began. The then head of the Gym Department, Miss Carling, felt establishing schoolwide teams would encourage more interclass cohesion. Clearly a woman ahead of her time, she set her sights firmly on creating the now-familiar, tight-knit Brearley community. The first Field Day was attended by students and alumnae alike and held at 102nd Street and Fifth Avenue.
Though Miss Carling affectionately deemed the rivalry a “good-natured war of the roses,” some students found the competitions to be “ferocious” and the process of picking teams “not nice.” One alumna wrote in the 1945 Bulletin: “Not everyone is or wants to be an athlete.”
By the late 1960s, interest in the competition waned. Helen Peyonner ‘72, who was head of the Athletic Association her senior year, felt the politics and culture of her time—namely the antiwar movement and political and social turmoil—caused this downturn in participation. Nonetheless, Red vs. White persisted, many students continuing to wear color-coded belts over their PE uniforms.
WHITE
And so, by the 1980s, the decades-long rivalry had been revived—so much, that it was the principal competition at Brearley, even outweighing contests against other schools’ sports teams.
Today, Red and White are still taken extremely seriously. Faces are painted and voices made hoarse from cheering. Once a student is assigned a color in the fall of Class V, she fiercely defends that color until graduation day. In fact, teams are kept within families to avoid friction at home.
Games between the two are held once a month in PE class before the yearlong competition culminates on Field Day each spring. Middle and Upper Schools compete in a series of games including kickball, volleyball and handball, along with the now infamous grade-by-grade tug-of-war competition. Every student—from budding scientists to avid readers and varsity athletes—brings her A game. Then, as tradition goes, the final team score is awarded at the last athletics assembly of the year.
THANK YOU
2022–2023 Giving Review
Dear Alumnae, Parents, Grandparents, Faculty, Staff and Friends,
We are deeply grateful to each of you for the many ways you fulfill the promise of a Brearley education for our students. In our newly updated Strategic Vision, Stepping Through the Open Door, we focus on what sits at the very heart of our unique, rigorous and joyful school—our people.
Brearley has a proud tradition of giving: Our students give themselves wholeheartedly to their studies, to each other and to the community; our alumnae give immense time and energy to strengthen the School for the students who come next; our talented faculty and staff provide guidance and intellectual fuel to fire the curiosity of their students; our parents and grandparents offer love and enthusiasm for their family’s unique Brearley journey; and every person who makes a philanthropic gift, of any size, makes an impact and a meaningful difference.
In the 2022–2023 academic year, your combined contributions helped us to hit our Annual Fund goals. We raised a record-breaking amount for a Class XII Fund dedicated to faculty and staff appreciation and exceeded our goals at a jubilant 1980s-themed Parents’ Association Benefit. Generous gifts also made the fully funded completion of our beautiful new Middle and Upper School library possible.
Thank you for your generosity and enthusiastic support of Brearley.
Yours in Truth and Toil,
MODUPE AKINOLA ‘92 PRESIDENT, BOARD OF TRUSTEES
JANE FOLEY FRIED HEAD OF SCHOOL
TOTAL GIFTS TO Brearley
July 1, 2022–June 30, 2023
GIFTS BY CONSTITUENCY
Alumnae
Alumnae Parents
Parents
Parents of Alumnae
Grandparents, Friends and Faculty
TOTAL
$2,140,000
$560,000
$5,150,000
$1,000,000
$1,220,000
$10,070,000
GIFTS BY PURPOSE
Annual Giving
Parents’ Association Benefit
Facilities Projects
Endowment and Other
TOTAL
$3,870,000
$370,000
$4,700,000
$1,130,000
$10,070,000
giving at brearley
Brearley is pleased to acknowledge the impact of your generous gifts. We are proud to celebrate the participation of our many donors and are grateful for your contributions at all levels. Please contact Development & Alumnae Relations with questions or preferences for future listings.
If you would like more information about participating in philanthropy at the School, please contact:
Phoebe Geer ‘97 Director of Advancement pgeer@brearley.org (212) 570-8609
Amina Holman Annual Fund Director aholman@brearley.org (212) 570-8610
Patricia (P.J.) Kolman Major Gifts Officer pkolman@brearley.org (212) 570-8626
Library Plaque Winners
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE 2022–2023 ANNUAL FUND
THE SPRING 2023 LIBRARY PLAQUE CHALLENGE GAVE ALUMNAE IN THE CLASSES OF 1950 TO 2018 A ONE-TIME OPPORTUNITY TO BE RECOGNIZED WITH A SMALL PLAQUE IN THE NEWLY RENOVATED 610 MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOL LIBRARY. TO QUALIFY, THESE CLASSES INCREASED THE AVERAGE GIVING FROM THE PREVIOUS FIVE YEARS BY AN ADDITIONAL 25 PERCENT BEFORE THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. WE THANK EVERYONE WHO WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND WITH THEIR SUPPORT OF BREARLEY. CONGRATULATIONS!
Benefit Committee
The 2023 Brearley Parents’ Association Benefit brought together over 650 members of the community for a Totally ’80s evening of music, dancing, throwback fashion and friendship at the Cooper Hewitt. We are sincerely grateful to the Benefit Committee for bringing this fantastic event to life, which raised $370,000 for Brearley faculty and staff support.
CO-CHAIRS
Lindsay and Charlie Higgins
Kamila and Munib Islam
UNDERWRITING CO-CHAIRS
Heather and JP Benveniste
Haley Swindal and Jack Tantleff
COMMITTEE
Rebecca Birch ‘94 and Mark Pankoff
Michel Botbol and Arthur Krystofiak
Katie Brennan ‘92 and Jim Brennan
Rebecca Carter and Demetris Giannoulias
Kumar and Kavita Dharmarajan
Erica Frontiero and David O’Leary
Angeline Huang and Mark Higgins
Sayuri Kaczynski ‘96 and Jeff Kaczynski
Bo Young and Jeffrey Lee
Alana and Steven Levine
Emily McLellan ‘94 and Scott McLellan
Sage Mehta ‘03 and Michael Robinson
Peggy and Rajesh Midha
Elizabeth Morgan and Paul Allan
Abigail Young Moses ‘88 and Jonathan Moses
Nancy Park and Matthew Turner
Purva Patel-Tsai and Andrew Tsai
Jyoti Patil and Anand Joshi
Polly Klyce Pennoyer and Robert Pennoyer
Fernanda and Edgar Piedra
ShinHyung and Yong-Kyoo Rim
Menna and Eli Samaha
Lisa Schwartz and Ben Zeskind
Teena Shetty and Mihir Desai
Bonnie and Mitchell Spiegel
Begum and William Taft
Erica and Jonathan Teller
Ellen and Bill Turchyn
Tina and Philip Vasan
Naomi Waletzky and Rowan Hajaj
Patricia Walker and Waldo Glasman
THANK YOU TO THE 2022–2023 BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Modupe Akinola ’92, President
Dusty Philip, Senior Vice President
Susan Berresford ’61, Vice President
Munib Islam, Vice President
Sue Meng ’99, Secretary
Gideon Berger, Treasurer
Tara Abrahams
Ranika Cohen
Daphné Crespo-Helm
Amina Elderfield ’94
Thomas Farrell
Jane Foley Fried
Martha Haakmat
Rebecca Haile
John McGinn
Cory Nangle
Margo Nederlander
Sidaya Moore Sherwood ’90
Bill Shutzer
Nekesa Straker ‘97
Lita Tandon ’06
Olivia Wassenaar ’97
Lauren Wasson
Alan Yan
Trustees Emeriti
Christine Frankenhoff Alfaro ’91
Georges F. de Ménil
Evelyn Janover Halpert ’52
David T. Hamamoto
Stephanie J. Hull
Ellen Jewett ’77
Alan Jones
Edward F. Rover *
John F. Savarese
Priscilla M. Winn Barlow
Faculty Representative
Ann Saunders
Fundraising Volunteers
Nearly 200 parent and alumnae volunteers lend their expertise, time and considerable efforts to advance projects across the School each year. We are proud to recognize them for their unflagging loyalty and commitment to sustaining Brearley’s educational mission and values.
Alumnae
LEADERSHIP GIFTS COMMITTEE
CO-CHAIRS
Emily McLellan ’94
Sage Mehta ’06
Caroline Adams ’94
Leyla Bader ’88
Rebecca Birch ’94
Rebecca Bloom ’99
Mika Bouvard ’93
Katie Brennan ’92
Emily Rover Grace ’95
Hannah Gross ’09
Meghan Magyar ’97
Emily Marzulli Rummel ’06
Lita Tandon ’06
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi ’96
Margaret Warden ’93
Sarah Washkowitz ’00
Olivia Wassenaar ’97
ALUMNAE CLASS AGENTS
CO-CHAIRS
Emily Marzulli Rummel ’06
Katie Brennan ’92
1943
Frances Fisher*
1944
Connie Tate
1950
Maisie Adamson
Shelah Scott
1953
Ann Leventhal
1956
Myra Lipman
1958
Wendy Ecker
Sally Stopford
1959
Joan Hartwell
1960
Annie-May de Bresson
Martha Mendelsohn
1961
Louise Bozorth
Ginny Keim
Wendy Kleinbaum
Carey Millard
Marcella Wainwright
1962
Peregrine Whittlesey
1963
Martha Severens
1964
Wilhelmina Eaken
1966
Anne Mittendorf
Laura Page
1968
Elena Droutzkoy Corso
1969
Barbara Hauge
1970
Helen Thurston
1971
Lindsey Folsom
1972
Ann Koppen
Helen Pennoyer
1976
Kate Marshall
1977
Elizabeth Schiff
1982
Meyung Joh-Carnella
Jaqueline Worth
1986
Emily Kirsch 1988
Karen Young 1989
Darleen Jobson-Larkin
1991
Amanda Kahn-Kirby
Jocelyn Strauber
1992
Katie Brennan
Lisa Falkson
1993
Mika Bouvard
Margaret Warden
1994
Caroline Adams
Caroline Sincerbeaux King
1995
Emily Grace
Andrea Kassar
Ann Whitman
1996
Annabel Noth
Elizabeth Oelsner
1997
Annie Bystryn
Phoebe Geer
Meghan Magyar
1999
Courtney Andrialis
Rebecca Bloom
Amy Sharpe-Matthew
2000
Julia Foster
Melissa Miness
Dena Twain Sims
2001
Kimberly Stolz
2002
Elizabeth van Buren
2003
Amber Lam
2004
Natalie Moutoussis
2005
Vana Koutsomitis
2006
Emily Barnet
Molly Battles
Lizzie Ellis
Emily Marzulli Rummel
Lita Tandon
2007
Thea Hogarth
Margaret White
2008
Nell Ethridge
Stephanie Sharp
2009
Hannah Gross
2010
Maite Cubilette
2011
Nicole Lam
2012
Rebecca McSween
Annalise Perricone
2013
Colette Macari
2014
Rachel Goldstein
Katharine Jessiman-Ketcham
Victoria Kingham
2015
Suzhen Jiang
Katherine Mann
Amelia Sawyers
Dani Seda
2016
Allegra DeLandri
Lauren Goldstein
Elizabeth Mann
2017
Allegra Colman
2018
Calista Washburn
2019
Mia Colman
Sarah Mann
Lauren Scheller
Parents
PARENT CLASS AGENTS
CO-CHAIRS
Kerry Kourepenos
Whitney Mogavero
KINDERGARTEN
Rebecca Bloom ‘99
David Coles
Martha Driscoll
Patricia Raciti
Mike Yin
CLASS I
Shantanu Agrawal
Jessie Ding
Mandë Holford
Elise Kang
Fay Sardjono
CLASS II
Edwine Joseph
Sarah Kessler
Katie Lentz
Brian Shaw
CLASS III
Jenny Gillette
Emily Rover Grace ‘95
Natalie Sheppard
CLASS IV
Matt Hemberger
Jennifer Rogers
Lauren Wilkins
CLASS V
Caroline Adams Caputo ‘94
Ashima Garg
Tina Klaric
Whitney Mogavero
Margo Nederlander
CLASS VI
Mika Bouvard ‘93
Tina Bristol
Kate Lauprete
Olivia Wassenaar ‘97
CLASS VII
Scott Clemons
Whitney Mogavero
Lila Preston
Rachel Russell
CLASS VIII
Jennifer Bab
Ranika Cohen
CLASS IX
Ozzie Allen
Helen Cantwell
Tao Cheng
Richard Do
CLASS X
Lizzy Kuhlenkamp
Jennifer Rogers
CLASS XI
Kerry Kourepenos
Stuart Murray
Edward Nangle
Melissa Raso
Class XII Gift
STUDENT CO-CHAIRS
Aliza Fergang
Hannah Marx
Sey Stein
Sarah Torres
PARENT CO-CHAIRS
Abigail Young Moses ‘88 and Jonathan Moses
Tina and Philip Vasan
COMMITTEE
Cynthia Brauer and Stacy Dick
Suzanne and Benjamin Casasnovas
Florelle Diver
Bridget Foley and J.D. Weinberg
Wandy and William Hoh
Erin and Samir Hussein
Rena Krasnow and Robert Marx
Line Lillevik and James Waterston
Sorin and Imran Siddiqui
Sarah and George Steel
The Class of 2023 Teacher Appreciation Fund
The Class of 2023 Teacher Appreciation Fund was established by the members and families of last year’s senior class to honor Brearley’s beloved faculty and staff. The Class of 2023 had 100 percent student support for their fund, and exceeded the all-time fundraising record for a Class XII fund.
A portion of dollars raised will be set aside to underwrite improvements to the 7th floor Faculty and Staff Lounge, to be completed as part of the phased 610 schoolhouse renovations. The remaining endowed fund augments Brearley’s faculty sabbatical program, a unique benefit that helps attract and retain our talented faculty members and exemplifies Brearley’s belief in the impact of lifelong learning.
Thank you to every community member who helped establish this meaningful fund.
Memorial and Honorary Gifts
Donors to Brearley have a long tradition of thoughtfully recognizing others in the community through their gifts. We thank those who made memorial and honorary gifts this year and are pleased to recognize those they wish to honor through their philanthropy.
Gifts in Memory Of
LAURIE SCHNEIDER ADAMS ’59
Caroline Adams Caputo ’94 and Giorgio Caputo
John Adams
EDITH ARNDT
Richard Arndt
MARGARET ARNOLD ’82
Victoria Davidson ’84
NINA KIVELSON AUERBACH ’52
Julia Bernstein ’12
Jo Ellen Finkel and Donald Bernstein
SONIA GRACE AUSTRIAN ’50
Sarah Austrian ’77
JANE NORTHROP BANCROFT ’31
Elizabeth Bancroft ’84
IRENE NELSON BAREAU ’63
Martha Ryan Severens ’63
LINDA BARRETT ’49
Kate Barrett ’53
MARY ELLIN BERLIN BARRETT ’44
Elizabeth Barrett Matson ’71
BERYL BENACERRAF-LIBBY ’67
Peter Libby
DEIRDRE BERGSON
Michelle Wonsley ’97
ROBERT BERNE
Elizabeth Berne DeGear ’86
PAULA BIRAN
Alisa Biran Ben-Ami ’89
Rebecca Bloom ’99 and Marvin Li
Diane Deschamps Hockstader ’53
Gail Marcus
Linda and Scott Rafferty
Ella Romero ’06
Sharon Gates Stearns ’63
LINDA BOLDT ’64
Gail Marcus
Ann Whitman ’95
SUSAN BORBAY
Heyden White Rostow ’67
ELIZABETH MOSS BRADLEY ’69
Patricia Moss and Kai Sheng
BARBARA BAERWALD BRONFMAN ’56
Sara Baerwald ’65
JOY BROOKS ’81
Laura Boyer ’81
Catherine Foster-Anderson ’81
CAROLINE BROWN
Melinda Carley ’90
SARA LINNIE SLOCUM BROWNELL ’63
Antonia Bryan ’63
Hope Ewing ’63
Martha Ryan Severens ’63
MOLLY BRYANT ’59
Catherine Detmar Nicholls ’59
EDITH ISELIN BYRON ’55
Ariel Hamill Herrmann ’55
EDNA CARLING
Sylvia Kalitinsky Brewda ’63
RUTH CARPENTER
Rebecca Dolinsky ’80
Sophie Glazer ’70
Cindy Spiegel ’78
Elizabeth Levy Ward ’74
LAURENCE CASPER
Hillary Casper ’98
CHRISTINE GIUSIO CHADWICK ’88
Jeffrey and Alice Keimweiss ’88
SHAO CHEN
Ming Hui Chen ’78
YUNG CHANG CHEN
Ming Hui Chen ’78
LINDA CHILDS-VAN WIJK ’59
Mary Blum Cossette ’59
BIRGITTA CLASSON
Connie and Rolf Classon
RUBEN COHEN
Ranika Cohen
EMILY TAYLOR CRIPPS ’50
Pamela Taylor Morton ’48
KENNETH M. CRONIN, JR.
Jennifer Bartoli
MARY DE KAY
Alissa Rubin ’76
SAMANTHA DEL CAMPO ’88
Jeffrey and Alice Keimweiss ’88
BYRON AND ELIZABETH RODGERS DOBELL
Elizabeth Dobell ’79
JACK AND HELEN EISNER
Alexandra Gibson ’04
NORA ELRINGTON
Melanie Ellis Starks ’97
VIRGINIA EPPERSON ’39
Eileen Epperson ’67
AMY MAZZOLA FLYNN ’81
Laura Boyer ’81
Faith and Peter Coolidge
Joanna Delson ’81 and David R. Venderbush
Terence Flynn
Catherine Foster-Anderson ’81
PHOEBE HARVEY FRACKMAN ’50
Alexandra Bell Witten ’74
MARGARET PARSONS FROST ’56
Susan Lasersohn Frost ’56
GIGI FUCHS ’82
Thomas and Deborah Davis Ascheim ’82
Lois Falberg and Brian Sinder
Constance Rapp
Cordelia Hodges Tilghman ’82
HELEN GARRISON
Evelyn Janover Halpert ’52
Sharon Gates Stearns ’63
SUSAN GORDON ’60
Sallie Gordon Sperling ’62
RACHEL HALL ’87
Jessica Levenstein ’87
MARY HAMBLETON ’71
Priscilla Ryan ’71
ANN HAMILTON
Jane Hamilton Dorwart ’68
DONNA LANDAU HARDIMAN ’77
Elizabeth and James Auran
Augusta Svoronos Lyras ’77
MARGARET RIKER HARDING
Linda Sonnenschein Kaufman ’52
Elizabeth Tomlinson ’87
MARJORIE BYWATER HARGRAVE ’28
Audrey Adams Massa ’63
NORMAN HARRINGTON
Delphi Harrington
RUTH KISSIN HELMAN ’69
Rebecca Blank ’94
Claudia Brodsky
Rebecca Brooks ’13
Lauren Goldenberg ’04
Victoria Kingham ’14
Abigail Lash ’88 and Austin Shapard
Gail Marcus
Rebecca McSween ’12
Penelope Sinanoglou ’96
SUSAN SANDERS HENCK ’70
Jan Liss ’70
Elaine Garofallou Rollins ’70
EDWARD M.W. HINES
Caroline Hines
Gregory and Laura Hines Laufer ’97
PETER AND HARRIET HOLSTEIN
Victoria Holstein ’87
HOLLISTER HOUGHTON ’63
Martha Ryan Severens ’63
ROSEMARY JACKSON-SMITH ’65
Regan O’Connell Roos ’65
MEGAN JESSIMAN
Linda and Scott Rafferty
JEAN HAAS JONES ’55
Walter Jones
BLANCHE PERRIS KAHN
Kimberly Kahn ’94
FLORENCE MACK KELLY ’53
Alice Mack Sawyer ’64
JEAN GOLDSCHMIDT KEMPTON ’63
Olwyn Maw Morinski ’63
Martha Ryan Severens ’63
RACHEL KOCH SWICA
Yael Swica and Laurence Sprung
BONA KOSTKA
Lydia Davis ’65
Rebecca Dolinsky ’80
Jessica Levenstein ’87
BETTY KRAMER
Jennifer Collins ’77 and Mark Ettinger
Phebe Jensen ’77
BOB AND JAN KRISSEL
Kimberly Krissel Jones ’76
SOPHIE DEPREZ KRY ’84
Elizabeth Bancroft ’84
Jocelyn and Andre Deprez
Sarah Piper
PATRICIA AND GEORGE LABALME
Linda Sonnenschein Kaufman ’52
HELEN BEAMAN LAKIN ’95
Helen Hoffman Davies ’62
Valerie Hoffman Takai ’58
INGE LEDERER
Katya Gibel Mevorach ’70
ALICE LIPTON
Gail Marcus
Heyden White Rostow ’67
ELIZABETH LOEB ’55
John Loeb
MARION SMITH LOWNDES ’23
Susan Lowndes Blagden ’58
L. EDWARD LUCAIRE, SR.
Lewise Lucaire
CATHERINE MACRAE ’96
Caroline Hines
Ann MacRae ’00
Linda and Scott Rafferty
Timothy and Dena Twain Sims ’00
Leigh Stearns ’95
Sharon Gates Stearns ’63
SALLY DONOVAN MADDEN ’63
Martha Ryan Severens ’63
SANDRA LEA MARSHALL ’73
Jill Klein Grant ’73
Emily Heilbrun ’73
Patricia Taussig Marshall ’49
Rose Schwartz ’73
HELENE CHAMPRIGAND
Anna Rapp Hostrop ’50
JULIA MINARD ’03
Alexandra Bowie and Daniel Richman
JANET BACKUS MORGAN ’54
Ellen Wood Barth ’54
KATHLEEN MORIARTY ’71
Elizabeth Barrett Matson ’71
Priscilla Ryan ’71
Marjorie Deane Swain ’71
WILLIAM MOSS
Patricia Moss and Kai Sheng
LAURA MATLAW MURPHY ’70
Alison Anthoine ’70
Jan Liss ’70
DORA NOBLE
Ardena Noble Landsman ’73
ELISABETH HIGGINS NULL ’60
Nancy Bigelow Krause ’56
JULIET BOYD PATTERSON ’48
J. Ritchie Patterson ’76
KATHRYN SCHAEFLER PERSHAN ’49
Pamela Pershan Hochman ’82
Sachiko and Edward Miller
Julia Pershan ’88 and Jonathan Cohen
Richard Pershan
MARY JANE QUINLAN PETERSON ’63
Martha Ryan Severens ’63
ELLEN HARFIELD PIEL ’63
Martha Ryan Severens ’63
JAYMI GOODENOUGH PRIESTER ’66
Joan Mitchell Fletcher ’66
Sarah Tenney ’66
KENDALL RICE
Dionne Rice
SHEILA RICHARDSON ’73
Vanessa Weber ’73
SAARTJE HITZIG RONAN ’58
Ann Carlton ’58
Betsy Bacon Newell ’58
DARIA ROSE NORTON
Diana Wade ’04
ANDREA ROSENTHAL ’84
Elizabeth Bancroft ’84
Phyllis Rosenthal
Katharine Weymouth ’84
TIESHA SARGEANT ’98
Ibijoke Akinola-Michel ’99 and Jean-Claude Michel
Eliza Schnitzer Gairard ’98
Catherine Gowl ’98
Gail Marcus
Amanda Meigher ’98
Kimberly Kleinbaum Tsesarsky ’98
ANN TWEEDY SAVAGE ’65
Margot Tweedy Egan ’73
Clare Tweedy McMorris ’63 and Howard McMorris
Elisabeth McMorris ’05
Michael Savage
JULIE SCHIEFFELIN ’61
Karen Wetter Nathan ’75
Betsy Tanner ’75
Alice Truax ’77
ANNE SHEFFIELD ’48
Linda Gross Kahn ’85
HANNAH L. SHI
Yan Sun and Rong Shi
ALEXANDRA SICHEL ’81
Laura Boyer ’81
Catherine Foster-Anderson ’81
CLAUDE DE FRANCE SMITH
Ellen Seely ’73
BARBARA HADLEY STANTON ’53
Laura Stanton ’77
RICHARD B. STEARNS JR.
Lee Grimes Evans ’63
Mallory Rome ’92
Sharon Gates Stearns ’63
OTTO STEIN
Suzanne Stein
ANN TIPTON STORER ’52
Gail Tipton ’55
ADELE HALL SWEET ’43
Caroline Leopold ’15
RACHEL SWETT ’07
Elizabeth and James Auran
Marianne and Owen Davis
Catherine Miller Goldstein ’07
Shelly Guyer ’78
RUTH SYLVESTER ’70
Sophie Glazer ’70
STEPHANIE BARKER TAYLOR ’63
Martha Ryan Severens ’63
BEATRICE THOMPSON
Victoria Davidson ’84
Rebecca Dolinsky ’80
Meredith Alderman Ritsch ’97
GEORGE TOKIEDA
Thomas and Deborah Davis Ascheim ’82
Margaret Caldwell-Ott
Gail Marcus
Elizabeth Tomlinson ’87
RODOLFO TORRES
Cassandra Nelson-Torres
THEA TRACHTENBERG ’86
Carolyn Clark and David Patterson
SOPHIA TRUSLOW ’63
Martha Ryan Severens ’63
GORDON B. AND MARY J. TWEEDY
Margot Tweedy Egan ’73
Clare Tweedy McMorris ’63 and Howard McMorris
Elisabeth McMorris ’05
Michael Savage
CONSTANCE UMBERGER
Catherine Foster-Anderson ’81
MARY ST. JOHN VILLARD ’30
Elizabeth Villard ’63
HELEN TWOMBLY WATKINS ’56
Eric Watkins
LOUIS WHITE
Elspeth Woodcock Macdonald ’57
Claire Albrecht-Carrie Tomlinson ’58
SUZANNAH RYAN WILKIE ’53
Serena Wilkie Gifford ’82
PENELOPE WINDUST ’63
Martha Ryan Severens ’63
Sharon Gates Stearns ’63
Jane Handwerger Walker ’63
GRETCHEN WOLFE
Janice Condit and Edward Benett
VIVIAN AND EDDIE WONSLEY
Michelle Wonsley ’97
MARY ELLIOTT WOODROW ’63
Deborah Bancroft ’63
Martha Ryan Severens ’63
Sharon Gates Stearns ’63
Robert Woodrow, III
FRANCES HYDE ZABRISKIE ’14
Christiane Citron ’67
Gifts in Honor Of
MARGARET ALLISON ’04
Janet and Donald Allison
JULIÁN ALTSCHUL
Tao Cheng and Yiben Lin
MARY MOSS APPLETON ’65
Patricia Moss and Kai Sheng
ANNE BALDWIN ’09
Emily Baldwin ’12
BEATRICE S. BARTLETT
Lucy McDiarmid ’64v
JENNIFER BARTOLI
Jo David ’61
v This honorary contribution was also made in 2021–2022 and mistakenly omitted from last year’s Giving Review list. The Development Office apologizes for the error.
ELISSA JABLONS BERNSTEIN ’78
Shari Lusskin ’78
SIMONE BLASER ’04
Ronna and Martin Blaser
SHERI BLAU
Hilary Kramer
TIM BROWNELL
Margo and Jimmy Nederlander
Frank Zhang
SOPHIE PALITZ BUINEWICZ ’09
Miriam London
LAURA BYRNES
Margaret Grise and Adam Silver
PAUL BYRNES
Hilary Kramer
MING HUI CHEN ’78
Lee Grimes Evans ’63
SARAI CHICO
Margo and Jimmy Nederlander
BRIAN CHU
Julie and Joaquin Gamboa
Hilary Kramer
Rena Krasnow and Robert Marx
CLASS OF 1949
Patricia Taussig Marshall ’49
CLASS OF 1963
Clare Tweedy McMorris ’63 and Howard McMorris
Elizabeth Villard ’63
CLASS OF 1968
Alison Anthoine ’70
Frances C. Taliaferro
CLASS OF 1973
Honor Lassalle ’73
CLASS OF 1993
Lauren Reiss Frank ’93
CLASS OF 1994
Jasmine Davila ’94
CLASS OF 2005
Hanna Miller ’05
ANNAH CLONTZ
Margo and Jimmy Nederlander
DORIS COLEMAN
Margo and Jimmy Nederlander
JUDY CONANT
Rebecca Q. Leonard McCauley ’85
SARAH COX ’56
Nancy Bigelow Krause ’56
KITTY CUNNINGHAM
Krysia Bereday Burnham ’78
Katharine Marshall ’76
Rebecca Q. Leonard McCauley ’85
Elizabeth Parker Migliorelli ’76
GAIL DAVIS
Rebecca Q. Leonard McCauley ’85
LAURA DELANY ’15
Carol Brown-Hageman and Ivan Hageman
CECILE MILLER EISTRUP ’58
Andrea Matos ’88
JANE FOLEY FRIED
Samhita and Ignacio Jayanti
Margo and Jimmy Nederlander
JOAN GARDINER
Rebecca Q. Leonard McCauley ’85
PHOEBE GEER ‘97
Margo and Jimmy Nederlander
ANDREA GILROY
Frank Zhang
DEBRA GLICK
Rena Krasnow and Robert Marx
ANNABEL GORDON
Linda and William Musser
MARY JANE PEIGHTAL HAIGHT ’49
Nina Haight Frost ’75
EVELYN JANOVER HALPERT ’52
Susanne and Donald McQuade
Margery Baker Riker ’66
Cynthia Saltzman ’67
ELIANORA PALITZ HERBSTMAN ’06
Miriam London
ZOE HOPKINS ’18
Keith Butler
DAPHNE HURFORD
Laura Turpin Borak ’00
WINIFRED STEARNS HUSSEY ’78
Shari Lusskin ’78
MARIEL ISAACSON
Hilary Kramer
KELLY JEWETT
Winifred Stearns Hussey ’78
PATRICIA AND LLOYD KAUFMAN
Matthew and Lily-Hayes Salzberg ’99
FRANCES KEOHANE ’20
Isabella Levenson
GEORGIA KEOHANE ’90
Isabella Levenson
JESSICA ERNST KERNS ’00
Margot and John Ernst
JU YEON KIM
Margaret Grise and Adam Silver
DARYL KLEIMAN ’04
Laurin and Norman Kleiman
NOEL LAMBERTY
Margo and Jimmy Nederlander
SARAH LANNOM
Samhita and Ignacio Jayanti
SUE LEONARD
Flavia Golden ‘83 and Arthur Yee
DOUGLAS LEVINE
Frank Zhang
Anonymous
LOWER SCHOOL FACULTY AND STAFF
Anonymous
WINIFRED MABLEY
Margo and Jimmy Nederlander
GAIL S. MARCUS
Rena Krasnow and Robert Marx
PATRICIA TAUSSIG MARSHALL ’49
Kate Marshall ’76
PEGGY MCINTOSH
Diana Wade ’04
ARI MEDINA
Margo and Jimmy Nederlander
RAOUL MEYER
Hilary Kramer
JILLIAN MINELLO
Eloise Grace ’32
CHARLOTTE MORSE ’05
Stacey and Robert Morse
ELLIOT MORSE ’09
Stacey and Robert Morse
MARGARET MORSE ’13
Stacey and Robert Morse
AMY MOSS ’70
Patricia Moss and Kai Sheng
Catherine Moss Warner ’68
BARBARA MOSS ’81
Patricia Moss and Kai Sheng
Catherine Moss Warner ’68
KATHRYN MOSS
Patricia Moss and Kai Sheng
JIM MULKIN
Kate Glasner and Daniel Egan
KAREN NEDBAL
Margaret Caldwell-Ott
JANE NEWMAN
Jennifer Bartoli
Jo David ’61
LAURA OST ’74
Nancy Ost
GABRIELLE LONDON PALITZ ’76
Jayne and PJ Kim
Miriam London
RICHARD PERSHAN
Jayne and PJ Kim
ASHLEY PRESCOD ’17
Lucinda Noel
ALYSSA PUCCINELLI ’08
Sabrina and Steven Puccinelli
CHRISTINA PUCCINELLI ’15
Sabrina and Steven Puccinelli
GINA PUCCINELLI ’11
Sabrina and Steven Puccinelli
HANNAH RAU
Margo and Jimmy Nederlander
CHARLOTTE RELYEA ’92
Susan and George Relyea
LILY RIOPELLE ’10
Leslie Kanter and Roland Riopelle
LIBERTY RUBY ’70
Ann Lumbard Alexander ’76
ANA SABATER
Hilary Kramer
ANN SAUNDERS
Hilary Kramer
MARY SUSAN SHENG ’20
Patricia Moss and Kai Sheng
SOPHIA SHENG ’13
Patricia Moss and Kai Sheng
ABIGAIL SOLOMON ’88
Linda Schapiro
CLAIRE SOLOMON
Susan and Peter Solomon
JENNIFER SOLOMON ’01
Susan Solomon Shaderowfsky
Robert Solomon
Susan and Peter Solomon
LILY SOLOMON
Susan and Peter Solomon
MAX SOLOMON
Susan and Peter Solomon
ANNIE SPADER BYERLY
Lisa Schwartz and Benjamin Zeskind
ELIZABETH STAINTON ’77
Mary Claire Delaney and Luigi Cicala
KELLY STEIN
Katarzyna Dratewska and Pablo Rios
Lisa Schwartz and Benjamin Zeskind
RACHEL STURLEY ’19
Jessica and Stephen Sturley
KATHERINE BARRETT SWETT ’78
Alexandra Schwartz ’05
FRANCES C. TALIAFERRO
Alison Anthoine ’70
Constance and Corson Ellis
Anne Fishel ’73
Elizabeth Fishel ’68
Lucy McDiarmid ’64 v
YUE TANG
Laura Yee ’21
SUSANNA TERRELL
Margo and Jimmy Nederlander
FRANCES P. THORNDIKE
Guillaume and Mika Tsugiyama Bouvard ’93
Hannah Gross ’09
CORDELIA HODGES TILGHMAN ’82
Fletcher Hodges
CATHERINE MOSS WARNER ’68
Patricia Moss and Kai Sheng
FRANCES WHEELER
Funke and Gbadebo Akinola
ANNE WHIDDEN
Lucy Whidden Hampton ’03
ELLA WICKHAM ’20
Leslie Stroth and Landon Wickham
JESSICA GREEN WILSON ’93
Karen and Joseph Green
THOMAS WRIGHT
Samhita and Ignacio Jayanti
MARIA-ANNA ZIMMERMANN
Margo and Jimmy Nederlander
Fiona Shaw ’06
Anonymous
v This honorary contribution was also made in 2021–2022 and mistakenly omitted from last year’s Giving Review list. The Development Office apologizes for the error.
Samuel Brearley Society
Legacy gifts to the Brearley School leave a lasting impact and are an opportunity to magnify a lifetime of generosity. The Samuel Brearley Society recognizes supporters of Brearley who have included the School in their estate plans. Thank you for your dedication to Brearley and its future.
Reed Abelson and Jaqueline Worth ’82
Helen Mills Allen ’49*
Catherine Huber Anderson ’40*
Albert and Dorothy Appleton
Peter A. Aron*
Nina Kivelson Auerbach ’52*
Hope Sinauer Babcock ’59
Leyla Morrissey Bader ’88
Eleanora Gordon Baird ’42*
Emily Lind Baker ’61
Ann Woolley Banks ’49
Irene Nelson Bareau ’63*
Mary Ellin Berlin Barrett ’44*
Beatrice S. Bartlett
Hugo and Louise Beit*
Robert Belknap*
George Bilon
Lois Baldwin Bishop ’52*
Laura Maioglio Blobel ’50
Linda Boldt ’64*
Katherine Stern Brennan ’70
Amanda Brown ’74
Gillette Brown*
Sally Brown Brown ’57
Merrill Buice ’84
Edith Wise Burpee ’44
Cassandra Cavanaugh and Natan Shklyar
Joan Ridder Challinor ’45*
Elizabeth Conklin Collins ’54*
Henry S.F. Cooper*
Mary Blum Cossette ’59
Tandy Cronyn ’63
Anne Chambers Crudge ’53*
Marguerite Cullman ’54
George* and Norma Dallal and Melissa Dallal ’89
Nina Montgomery Dana ’41*
Keith David
Maude Davis*
Diane de Coppet ’62
Laura de Coppet ’64
Georges and Lois de Ménil
Diana de Vegh ’55
Gioia del Campo
Arnold and Nancy Diethelm*
Nancy Nauts Dobbs ’47*
Mary Ann Donovan ’44*
Wilhelmina Martin Eaken ’64
Jane and *Malcolm Edgerton, Jr.
Cecile Miller Eistrup ’58
Margaret Condon Elting ’45
Eileen Epperson ’67
Sylvia Montgomery Erhart ’45*
Flora Feigenspan ’52*
Joan Ferrante ’54
Gwendolyn Fortson Waring ’73
Beatrice Mathews Francais ’55
Barbara Schwarz French ’30*
Jane Fulton
Jenny Gabler ’81
Timur Galen and Linda Genereux
Philomene Gates*
Linda B. Gillies
Jane Gladstone ’86
Ann Godoff and Annik La Farge ’78
Toni Krissel Goodale ’59
Joan Goodheart ’52
Margot Brady Gordon ’52
Robin Hinsdale Gould ’47*
Sarah Sillcocks Graham ’31*
Penelope Hunter Grant ’33*
Elizabeth Greenman ’87*
Ann Richards Gridley ’58
Rosemary Blackmon Grove ’69
Mary Rodgers Guettel ’48*
Mary Jane Peightal Haight ’49
Elinor Lamont Hallowell ’53*
Evelyn Janover Halpert ’52
Dorrance Hill Hamilton ’46*
Mary Jopling Harper ’33*
Jane Andrews Harris ’50
Barbara Hauge ’69
Elizabeth Haynes ’40*
Perrin Heard
Stephen Heard
Ruth Kissin Helman ’69*
Natascha Hildebrandt ’85
Caroline Hines
Dorothy Schwarz Hines ’44*
Susan Carr Hirschman ’49
Kathrine Hamilton Hobbs ’42*
Diane Deschamps Hockstader ’53
Winifred Hussey ’78
Barbara Ridder Irwin ’40*
Susan Miller Jackson ’36*
Elizabeth Shackford Jordan ’39*
Emma Kalonzo ’97
Amanda Kane*
Barbara Adler Katzander ’46
Hollis Kegg ’75
Elizabeth Harpel Kehler ’79
Marjorie Kellogg ’63
Louisa Livingston Kennedy ’52*
Romia Bull Kimball ’53*
Alice MacRae Kissel ’29*
George Labalme Jr. and Patricia H. Labalme ’44*
Paul and Mary Lee Lambert ’53
Louisa Lawrence ’55
Elizabeth Maxwell Lee ’61
Garrick Leonard and Leslie Feder ’77
Alan* and Gail Levenstein
Linda Markwett Liebes ’56
Nancy Moffat Lifland ’45*
Susan Worcester Light ’46*
Elizabeth Loeb ’55*
John Loeb
Ian and Monique Sullivan Lowitt ’79
Tamera Stanton Luzzatto ’75
Lelia Wardwell Mander ’81
Christopher and Claire Mann
Kate Marshall ’76
Lucy Welch Mazzeo ’31*
Lucy McDiarmid ’64
Nancy McDonald ’49*
Pamela McGovern and Richard Gross
Julia McVaugh
Ginny Meding ’38*
Marjorie Meacham Meek ’44*
David Milberg*
Carey French Millard ’61
Gwenn Miller ’88
Nancy Goldsmith Mistretta ’72
Janet Backus Morgan ’54*
Iris Frampton Muggenthaler ’47*
Frances Dell Murray ’38*
Ilse Nelson*
Christine Vanderwarker Ness ’59*
Mary Ann Nordeman ’53*
Carol Rothschild Noyes ’35*
Barbara Baker O’Brien ’42*
Nancy (Anne) Pell Osborn ’36*
Elinor Scott Oswald ’38
Juliet Boyd Patterson ’48*
Clarissa Wardwell Pell ’26*
Joan McGeoch Perry ’48*
Kathryn Schaefler Pershan ’49*
Priscilla Kennaday Pick ’29*
Angela Hill Plowden-Wardlaw ’62
Ann Hochschild Poole ’43*
Nansi Pugh*
Julie Zwaska Quinn ’92
Mary Louise Rankin ’52*
Signa Lynch Read ’48*
Esther Ridder ’43*
Margery Riker ’66
Aileen Robbins ’65*
Felicia Warburg Rogan ’45
The 610 Library
Brearley alumnae could be easily forgiven if they stepped off the elevators on the 10th floor of the 610 building and felt they were in the wrong place (a bit like Alice in the looking glass). What was once a vintage gymnasium with wire-caged windows, red padded walls, fluorescent lights and basketball court floors has magically been transformed into a new, beautiful library.
With its nearly floor-to-ceiling windows that allow natural light to pour in, window seats overlooking the East River, study tables with lamps that evoke a classic library reading room and nearly double the capacity for students to sit, this spacious facility is a testament to the optimism and imagination of our community.
The Middle and Upper School library is the first of many transformational projects that are part of the plans to renovate our historic schoolhouse. Each phase, each step, is an investment in Brearley’s future. The work to modernize 610 will take place over a series of summers and vacations, allowing the School to remain open and all parts of our program accessible for students. Improved, sustainable infrastructure and facilities, along with innovative designs of our spaces, will allow us to advance our extraordinary academic and extracurricular program, ensuring that Brearley continues to flourish for the next century and beyond.
These once-in-a-century upgrades to our historic home do not just happen; they are the result of in-depth conversations with faculty, staff and the Board of Trustees about the programmatic needs of our school as well as meticulous planning on finances and schedule for construction requirements. As we turn our attention to the next project in 610—a state-of-the-art studio arts facility and classrooms on the building’s top floors—Brearley is deeply grateful for the time, strategic thinking and philanthropic contributions that make the 610 renovations possible.
Jill Renaud Roosevelt ’79
Patricia Ross ’63
Mary Anne Goldsmith Schwalbe ’51*
Andrea Selch ’82
Elizabeth Munves Sherman ’73
Cynthia Fuguet Shurtleff ’48*
Jonathan* and Nealie Small
Dorothea Wilder Smith ’33*
Frederick Smith*
Susan Bassett Southall ’58*
Helen Grace Spencer ’53*
Emily Spitzer ’72
Kathleen Steed
Anne Rosen Stern ’34*
Diane Stevens ’58
Ellen Weiler Stiefler ’76
Amanda Stiff ’75
Andrea Gray Stillman ’62
Linda Stillman ’66
Sheila Muldowny Stone ’53
Betsy Sylvester*
Ruth Sylvester ’70*
Frances C. Taliaferro
Jean Ballard Terepka ’70
Rebecca Thomson ’71
Harriet Backus Todd ’60*
Juli Shea Towell ’51
Joan Foster Twigg ’67*
Sidney Howard Urquhart ’50*
Andre-Francois* and Lisa Villeneuve
Barbara Granbery Waldeck ’60
Lois Kahn Wallace ’57*
Sally Tilghman Wardwell ’54
Sarah Hyman Washkowitz ’00
Faye Wattleton
Priscilla M. Winn Barlow
Frederick Wonham*
Karen Young ’88
Ying Zhu
Isabel Wademan Zisk ’88
Anonymous (27)
Estate Gifts
Nina Kivelson Auerbach ’52*
Mary Ellin Berlin Barrett ’44*
Susan Bassett Southall ’58*
Andre-Francois* and Lisa Villeneuve
Thank You!
annual giving 2022–2023 school year
To our extraordinary community of alumnae, parents, parents of alumnae, faculty, staff and friends, we thank you for your generous philanthropic support. We are united in our belief in girls’ education, and your Annual Giving contributions provide vital funding to ensure that our students learn and grow in a school that prepares them for principled engagement in the world. Every gift makes a difference, and because of you, Brearley persists and progresses.
Brearley Fund
Unrestricted
Fueling all aspects of the educational program, your gifts will have a direct and immediate impact on purposeful teaching and expansive learning for today’s Brearley girls. Unrestricted gifts allow the School to maintain and enhance the caliber of the academic program by supporting the general operating budget, faculty and staff salaries and benefits, library books, healthy lunches, athletic equipment, art supplies and all aspects of life at Brearley. Together, we are stewards for today’s and tomorrow’s Brearley girls.
u nited Fund
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Antiracism Initiatives
Embracing Brearley’s school song lyrics “By truth and toil united” and committed to building a more equitable school community, the United Fund empowers expanded programming in this priority area. Brearley is taking an all-encompassing approach to this work, with the goal of initiating meaningful and lasting change. We are dedicated to creating an inclusive school where all Brearley students feel a sense of belonging.
Opening dOO rs Fund
Scholarships
Ensuring that talented students from families of lower, middle and upper-middle incomes can access a Brearley education, your gifts provide tuition assistance for families with demonstrated need. Starting with a comprehensive tuition model that covers all essential school programs, Brearley offers robust financial aid, ranging from partial to full grants that include funding for additional school-related expenses, as needed. The generosity of annual donors and those who have endowed scholarships allows Brearley to enroll an economically diverse student body, Classes K–XII.
a dventur O us i ntellect Fund Faculty Support
Providing for the dedicated architects of the School’s educational program, your gifts benefit curricular development, departmental review, professional growth and faculty salaries. To advance the curriculum and enhance culturally competent pedagogy, we are furthering learning opportunities for our faculty by providing them with the resources and skills needed to grow as scholars, artists and educators. The School’s dedicated faculty cultivates the passionate exchange of ideas that is a hallmark of a Brearley classroom.
Please send news and photos directly to your Notes Agent. We ask that Notes Agents submit their edited notes for the next issue of the Bulletin to classnotes@brearley.org or by mail to Alumnae Relations by Monday, March 4, 2024 For classes without agents, please send your news to classnotes@brearley.org or by mail to Alumnae Relations. If you are interested in becoming a Notes Agent, please email classnotes@brearley.org or call Alumnae Relations at (212) 570-8616.
PHOTOS ARE WELCOME!
Digital and print photos are accepted. Please send to classnotes@ brearley.org or by mail to Alumnae Relations.
UPDATE YOUR PERSONAL AND/OR PROFESSIONAL INFORMATION
Please visit www.brearley.org/alumnaeupdate to update information including email and mailing addresses, phone numbers and professional details such as industry and field of expertise.
The views and opinions expressed in Class Notes are those of the Class Notes Agents and their classmates and do not necessarily reflect those of the School.
1939
BREARLEY ALUMNAE OFFICE classnotes@brearley.org
The Alumnae Office is sad to report that MARY (MOLLY) FAIRBANKS STAINTON, mother of KATE STAINTON ’73 and ELIZABETH STAINTON ’77 and grandmother of JULIA DERBY ’14, died peacefully on Cape Cod at the age of 102.
Born in 1920 in Plandome, Long Island, Molly traveled extensively as a child and lived in France for two years. In a 1928 trip to the London Zoo, she visited the real bear named Winnie who inspired A. A. Milne. Molly attended the Buckley School in Roslyn, NY, before joining Brearley’s Class of ’39 in the 9th grade. After finishing Smith College, Molly was determined to contribute to the war effort, and she graduated from Columbia School of Nursing in 1946. The first two years of her career were spent in Hawaii with war casualty patients. She adored nursing and continued in years to come in pediatrics and private nursing. In 1953, Molly married Robert Stainton and they were together for over 50 years. A caregiver at heart, Molly raised three children in NYC while collecting a wide array of friends and needy characters, incorporating them into family events and holidays with a sense of fun, generosity and good cooking. Writing copious letters, she maintained connections all over the world. An extremely active person, she played tennis into her 90s, entertained, traveled, and volunteered for numerous ventures. With her many rich experiences, a deep memory of family lore, as well as a sharp mind and humor, Molly continued to entertain us until the end. In her last chapter, she lived comfortably under the patient and loving care of her son, Tom, and daughter-in-law, Milly, where she continued to cheerfully raise a glass of wine each evening. She always maintained that she had had a wonderful life, and she will be missed by all who loved her.
1943
BREARLEY ALUMNAE OFFICE classnotes@brearley.org
We learned from her cousin PHOEBE GEER ‘97 that Brearley’s oldest class agent, FRANCES “FRANKIE” DAVIS FISHER, passed away after a long, wonderful life on September 18, 2023. The Alumnae Relations Office is deeply grateful for her many years of service to her School.
1947
SUSIE WILSON susie.wilson@comcast.net
At our stage of life, we can expect an intermingling of sad and happy news. This time, I will start with a loss of a classmate: JUDY RANDAL. Judy, like other class members who have died, has moved in our collective imagination from earth to the elysian fields, where as you remember from our yearbook, all
members of the class will gather when our earthly lives are done. I did check the passage describing her entrance to paradise on page 68 of my yearbook copy; this is what I found: “. . . I saw a small figure frantically trying to spread apart the closely packed branches. I heard her mutter something about ‘that kitten,’ and recognized JUDY RANDAL. ROBIN HINSDALE GOULD [our senior class president] told me that JUDY kept so many kittens and cats that she had difficulty keeping track of them. I found out that on earth, JUDY had finally bought Randall’s Island. And once every year she would proclaim field-mouse day. All cats were invited.”
CATHIE HOLMAN JOHNSON’s daughter, Leslie Johnson Evers, sent along news of her mother, who is struggling with some of the effects of aging, like many of us: “She lives at home in Palo Alto, CA, with my father (Franklin Pitcher Johnson) and is surrounded by loving helpers.” For many years, Cathie and Pitch roamed the earth attending Olympic Games and World Athletic Championships. Marriage took Cathie’s nose out of every book upon which she could put her hands and into stadium after stadium in such places as Athens, Rome and Helsinki.
Leslie’s message encouraged me to invite other offspring of classmates to let me know about their parents who were members of the Class of 1947 so I can pass the message along to you.
All best to all.
1948
ANNE BERNAYS afbernays@gmail.com
LESLIE BONHAM CARTER (NAST) writes: “I spent a week last August staying in the house my mother built in southern Italy in 1957, together with my first cousin, David Foster, and one of his daughters, JULIA FOSTER ’00, as well as Julia’s daughters, CHARLOTTE MEZRICH ’35 and Audrey Mezrich. A strong group representing generations of Brearley girls. Julia’s sister LILY FOSTER ’02, alas was not able to join us this time. To my great regret, I had to leave Brearley in 1941, but the power and depth of the teaching had already made such a deep impression that I was able to carry the benefits through my later schooling and, indeed, through my life. I live in London, where each of my four daughters spends part of the week. I have seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, some of whom were also with us in Italy and who have strong ties with their American counterparts.”
As for me (ANNE BERNAYS), I just published a “fragment” in a magazine called ArtSpeak. It’s about the famous writers I knew long ago. And I find to my surprise that I have 13 direct descendants. Who knew it would turn out this way?
1953
ANN ZINMAN LEVENTHAL azlev@comcast.net
A sparse but delicious turnout for our 70th reunion lunch. MARY ROSENTHAL LEFKOWITZ, ELIZABETH REISS BAECHER, MARGARET
2023–2024
ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION BOARD
OFFICERS
PRESIDENT Megan Lui ‘10
VICE PRESIDENT Katy Knight ‘06
SECRETARY Leslie Armstrong ‘58
MEMBERS
Presca Ahn ’05
Charlise Berkel ’89
Antonia Bryan ’63
Vasavi Devireddy ’04
Chelsea Douglas ’13
Cherise Davis Fisher ’90
Felicia Lugo Grant ’94
Laura Habian ’16
Mary Lambert ’97
Yeou-Cheng Ma ’69
Semina Mahmood ’15
Kate Marshall ’76
Andréa Matos ’88
Christina Morales ’09
Helen Pennoyer ’72
Sophie Waskow Rifkin ’03
Julie Satow ’92
Gwendolyn Fortson Waring ’73
Jaqueline Worth ’82
Christine Yang ’17
Susie Wilson ‘47 at the Chilmark Road Race, April 2023.
Julia Foster ’00, Leslie Bonham Carter ’48 and Charlotte Mezrich ’35.
BYARD STEARNS and me. CORNELIA BOSTWICK and ANNE ROTH ROIPHE bowed out at the last moment and were missed. But even without them, things were lively and loving. Newly installed in a Southbury, CT, retirement community, Byard said that walking into the dining room there was like being back in high school, wondering what clique would welcome her. I don’t remember Brearley being like that, but maybe I was oblivious, or am forgetful. In our present-day get-together, our ability to gossip about those, living and dead, we vividly know
in common was delicious and bonding. And we dug deeper, too. Lizzie, who now prefers to go by Elizabeth, talked about how freeing it was for her when she gave up on her religion. I said for me it was the opposite; giving up on my God dumped the heavy burden of taking care of myself entirely on me, and boy, do I feel that weight! Rosie said mythology was a religion, another way of explaining what happens to people, which made us understand better why she has dedicated her life to learning and teaching others about the gods. As for us mortals, breaking bread with people who knew you when was a rare and great treat. Others have said you can’t make new old friends. In a funny way, with classmates that isn’t true. Because even if we weren’t friends back in the day, we are now.
1955
BREARLEY ALUMNAE OFFICE classnotes@brearley.org
The Alumnae Office is sorry to report the passing of two members of the Class of 1955. ALISON FLEISCHMANN died on April 16, 2023, and TINA HOWE died August 28, 2023. We send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Alison and Tina.
From MERRIOL (BARING-GOULD) ALMOND: “Old age is not for sissies but I’m glad I’m still upright and living at home with my husband, Doug, in the house we’ve lived in for 55 years. Our four adult children are doing well, two in California and two on the East Coast. Our oldest two grandchildren have started college but one didn’t bother to go to classes and is now back at home working part time for Amazon deliveries and part time at Whole Foods. Our second daughter’s son Sabine has just started at the University of Michigan. He’s been a diligent student and we think he’ll apply himself and do well. Chris, our #3 offspring, is a pediatric cardiologist at Stanford University’s children’s hospital in Palo Alto. Douglas Junior is on the faculty at Columbia University as is his wife, Lena Edlund Almond. They have three daughters, the eldest of whom is just embarking on her college application process. We’ve been living through fraught times socially and politically and also have the war between Russia and Ukraine to be concerned about. We’re fearful that a change in our administration could lead to less support for Ukraine. From the heart: Slava Ukraini!”
ALICE PEPPER COOPER writes, “I do hope that BEA FRANCAIS and HOPE ALDRICH can organize
lunch again next spring. It was wonderful being together this year. I have to warn you, however, that next time you see me, you won’t find my head and shoulders where they used to be. I am much shorter. So please come prepared to bend over when you tell me all your news. My news is that I have found my vocation. I have become a smile collector. Wherever I go—this little old lady pushing her walker—people smile. They say good morning. They pause to watch me struggle when a wheel sticks in a crack, ready to help if necessary, and give me a smile of congratulation when I move ahead on my own. Babies smile. When I lean over my handlebars to push or pull open the door to the fish market or the pharmacy or the tailor, people stretch an arm over my shoulder and open the door for me. If the door opens inward, I see their faces as I pass and we exchange smiles. Most of them are not on their way in but stopped to help. The supermarket manager, who I suspect has health problems, looks relieved when I come in and says he’s ‘always so happy’ to see me. I think he finds me a source of hope. I am happy that my last decade will be in a neighborhood where people look at each other rather than at their phones and find comfort in each other’s existence.”
DIANA DE VEGH reports she continues to enjoy her work as a psychotherapist. She loves the “climate-friendly regulations that are about to descend on those of us in New York” and “dreads the implementation of said regulations.”
1957
ELSPETH WOODCOCK MACDONALD tincfom@hotmail.com
Very sorry to report SERENA RHINELANDER STEWART’s death. Although I didn’t know her well, SALLY BROWN BROWN did, and writes, “Serena was a generous person, and when she realized she could help other people more than seek help for herself she folded her tent and moved on to her next life. She also had a wicked sense of humor and a remarkable wine cellar.”
Otherwise, Sally mentions her “pesky back which both scares and annoys me. Today is a pretty good day—Eliza is here from Spain. . . . Speaking of men in our lives, Tim still is in mine, would you believe?” Yes, Sally! “Let’s keep him alive,” as a friend of ours has said. So much death.
Which brings to mind climate change and GILL WRIGHT BENTLEY’s entry, a beautiful recipe
Left to right: Class of 1953 members Ann Zinman Leventhal, Margaret Byard Stearns, Mary Rosenthal Lefkowitz and Elizabeth Reiss Baecher at their 70th reunion lunch.
Jackie Harris Assheton, Ellen Scott Walsh and Sally Woodman Stopford, all Class of ’58, in London in April 2023.
Alison Kramer Bück ’58 on the beach in the early days.
for what one individual and her husband have done to combat this enormous threat to our civilization: “Conservation in Maryland: My husband and I moved from Ohio to build a house with family in a cornfield SW of Baltimore. Instead of manicured lawn, meadow habitats for butterflies and other pollinators were created. No pesticides, please. Expecting swallowtails on fall bloomers and monarchs over 3,000 feet above migrating south to Mexico, along with hawks, owls, etc. in September. My education in conservation continues.”
And from CAROL PEPPER COOPER: “I have now created six works for my series Let New Worlds Be Born. I am unsure if I shall add to the series as right now I am enjoying making other works unrelated to it. Our older granddaughter, Ellie, started attending Bowdoin College this week. It was far and away her first choice of school and the only one to which she applied. Luckily Bowdoin accepted her with a full four-year scholarship, and so far she is very happy there. Our younger granddaughter will soon be returning to her first choice of high school, a Brooklyn all-girl public school which emphasizes empowering women. She too is very happy with her choice.”
JANA VASATA SPACEK writes, “Since the passing of my sister and brother-in-law, I’ve been mostly in the city. My nephew lives up in Callicoon, NY, and I go up there for some of the long weekends, but it’s just not the same. . . . I go to the gym at least five times a week. Love going to the theater, movies and museums. The thing that brings me the most joy is my grand, grandnephew Ashton, who is almost two and a half years old and lives with his parents in Long Island City. I go over there at least once a week, pick him up at school and spend time playing with him. I don’t have grandchildren so it’s wonderful to see him grow and change. He’s a very happy and lovely little boy. Ashton will have a baby sister in the middle of September. It’ll be interesting to see how he reacts to that since he’s been the center of attention up till now. The only person I have been in touch with from Brearley is Pepsi. She sent me pictures of her latest work and the pictures are truly gorgeous. I really miss seeing everyone and wish we could have another reunion.”
From ANN SPIEGELBERG BROWN: “You found me in Longmont, CO, visiting with my son, having visited my brother in Houston, and soon off to see my daughter in Southern California— my usual summer driving trip. I am still very
happy in Craryville, NY, where I still live and have a guest room if anyone is up my way. At home I do water aerobics three times a week. It is a lovely way to get good exercise while the water holds you up. I also spend time working (volunteer) at our beautiful local library.”
Hello, all. Thank you for your notes. Ever glad of our Brearley education. Does anyone have Greek in school anymore? Kali spera! Briefly, I, ELSPETH WOODCOCK MACDONALD, have been singing, writing, dancing (aged senior level), trying to keep active politically, and, of course, keeping up with family and friends. All best to you, and please get in touch if— when—any of you are in town or inclined. Most warmly, Elspeth.
1958
WENDY LIPSEY ECKER wendy.ecker@icloud.com
SALLY WOODMAN STOPFORD swstopford@hotmail.com
Dear Classmates: RUTH WYLER MESSINGER writes that she is happy that they can live in their same apartment with her granddaughter, her husband and her 3-year-old great-grandson. They keep them young. Ruth continues to work on various social justice issues, speaking and developing the next generations of leaders and activists. She has been working with Jane Fried, Head of School, co-teaching a seminar on these issues with juniors and seniors. Ruth and her husband recently returned from a walking trip in the South of France.
CAROL PRINS writes that they are spending their usual summer in Santa Fe with family and friends visiting. She now has five grandchildren. Carol suggests seeing Oscar, if you are in NYC.
LESLIE ARMSTRONG sent a two-and-a-halfpage description of catching the bus for her trip to visit her husband in the nursing home. It made him smile! ELLEN SCOTT WALSH is still playing tennis as well as pickleball. She enjoys mah-jongg and belongs to two book groups. She is soon volunteering at a school for underprivileged girls. She is “grateful for my dear friends from Brearley and elsewhere, and hope to enjoy them for many years to come.”
ALISON KRAMER BÜCK died in Paris on June 14, 2023. We remember a dear friend and a gay spirit. GIULIANA CAFFUZZI DE WINTER: “Vibrant, full of life, ready for all and with a knack for turning adversity into opportunity. Direct
WE MISS YOU!
please send news for class notes to the addresses listed below.
1946
ALUMNAE RELATIONS classnotes@brearley.org
1949
ALUMNAE RELATIONS classnotes@brearley.org
1950
ALUMNAE RELATIONS classnotes@brearley.org
1951
JULI SHEA TOWELL juliintj@towell4.us
1952
EVELYN JANOVER HALPERT eastend130@aol.com
1954
ALUMNAE RELATIONS classnotes@brearley.org
1956
CORNELIA HANNA MCMURTRIE corhanna1@gmail.com
and candid, Alison fully and generously shared her life with her friends. In turn, she had an insatiable curiosity about others. In Paris she became a French Clarissa Dalloway, always surrounding herself with people, entertaining, going out and going on vacation to sunny beaches.” CÉCILE MILLER EISTRUP: “When I was sent to Paris by the government of Jamaica, she became my unofficial realtor, guiding me in the choice of my apartment, which coincidentally was around the corner from her apartment where I had often stayed.” ELLEN SCOTT WALSH: “I can picture Ally now at our five-year Brearley reunions, always beautifully
1959 65TH REUNION
JOAN HARTWELL jfhartwell7@aol.com
Hi. Again, this has been an interesting summer: Emergency gallbladder surgery in Florida and in the hospital/rehab for five weeks. My roof/ceiling still not repaired after a scam but hopefully will be done in mid-September. I was evacuated from Longboat Key and got Covid. Trees fell on the roof in New Hampshire—another repair. And so it goes . . . all the news fit to print. Please send me some news next time for all consumption. Hugs.
From ALLISON COUDERT: “I finally took the plunge and retired this past June. I loved teaching but became increasingly tired of all the nonacademic stuff we were required to do. Now I can spend all my time reading, researching and writing what I want, which is truly wonderful. It also may sound a bit strange that a year ago I finally moved into a house I have been trying to build for the past 10 years. Permit permissions, Covid and supply-chain problems and shortages all made the process agonizingly slow (and expensive), but now that I am settled, I couldn’t be happier. Better late than never! Another wonderful thing about retiring is that summer never seems to end . . . since I no longer have to think of stopping what I am doing to dedicate myself to preparing for classes. And then there is the possibility of traveling off-season. I am heading to Sicily with my daughter and son-in-law in September to go to cooking school. We watched all the Godfather movies over the winter break last year, and James decided that he wanted to make cannolis. And then there is a trip to Peru in December. All the best, Ally, Allison, Eo, whatever.”
fond memories.”
From SARAH ISELIN: “Your news makes me grateful for living in central Oklahoma, where there is more or less bad weather, as Will Rogers said, always changing and we are necessarily ‘weather-aware.’ We have not suffered as much as the Texans, but it is a great relief now not to have to get up super early to take a walk. I have some solar panels, and the electric company recently let me meet my other energy needs entirely from renewable. I am in love with air conditioning and my Kindle. I dread more climate change for my son and his family.”
From MARCIA DUNBAR-SOULE DOBSON: “I have, in December of 2023, published a book with Routledge entitled Metamorphoses of Psyche in Psychoanalysis and Ancient Greek Thought: From Mourning to Creativity. I hope some of you read it! It’s my life story, but weaves together my various PhD interests in classica (the Greeks) and clinical psychology/ psychoanalysis, and the importance of symbolism, myth and art in the transformation of psyche. I have also just been appointed editor in chief of an international psychoanalytic journal entitled Psychoanalysis, Self and Context. I have two other editors in chief, thank goodness! Still teaching at Colorado College in Colorado Springs—enjoying this beautiful country, my four Shetland sheepdogs, and my wonderful husband, John Riker, who is still in the philosophy department here and writes on Kohut’s self-psychology—he has four books going on five! I am enjoying this beautiful life that we have been granted. As I approach 82 (next Monday), every moment seems precious. Love to all of you.”
dressed, the center of a conversation, asking questions, laughing and kidding. Her shining light will be sorely missed.” I (SALLY WOODMAN STOPFORD) will be forever grateful to the kind, laughing girl who befriended me when I arrived, paralyzed with shyness, in Class VI. It was as though Alison didn’t know the meaning of shy.
From WINNIE SEIBERT : “My only news is that HOPE SINAUER BABCOCK has been staying in her house in South Salem, so I have been able to see her more.” And from CATHY DETMAR NICHOLLS : “Lots of birds here…. mostly blackbirds, ravens and tawny owls with the occasional buzzard circling overhead with its catlike mew-mew call. I also have acquired a puppy despite various people saying ‘you must be mad.’ Her name is Edith. Yesterday I had a lunch party and Edith took one of the guest’s Panama hats and tore around the garden with it, adding to its already aged patina and removing the black grosgrain ribbon band. Big hugs and
From JUDY LEVIN SENSIBAR: “David and I are in Berkeley for a wild ride of on-again, off-again family events (Covid interference)— bar mitzvah and surprise wedding of various nephews. All is now accomplished and we are simply just visiting until our return to Chicago September 9. Went biking again with David in France from mid-May to mid-June. After that, saw MOLLY HOFFMAN MAZZONE and Tom (my youngest brother) and nieces and great-nieces and nephews—all in the Berkshires. All pretty cute—even my brother. Now very ready to return to flyover Chicago and the last of lake swims before the cold closes in.”
And from TIG GARDINER: “Rejoice, dear classmates, our old mascot Fridgie the Penguin lives, and sends greetings to you all!! I’ve seen it with my own eyes! As promised, I went
Alison Kramer Bück ’58 and Leslie Armstrong ’58.
Suzanne d’Autremont Gouvernet ’58
Marcia Dunbar-Soule Dobson ’59 with husband, John Riker.
on the Lindblad/National Geographic ‘expedition’ (boat trip) to the Galapagos Islands, and it was, oh, I don’t know, pick an adjective: superb, magnificent, incredible, thrilling, fascinating, all of the above and more. I still can’t quite believe all the things I saw, but here’s the kicker for the Class of ‘59: I went deep-water snorkeling for the first time ever (yes, there were sharks), and when I looked up, there upon a rock stood a bunch of Galapagos penguins (little things, scarcely a foot tall, the only penguins north of the equator). As I treaded (trod?) water and goggled at them, another one came whipping through the water in front of me and leapt out onto the rock, and I swear he looked right at me and waved a flipper and squeaked out something that sounded like ‘by truth and toil’! The memory has kept me going through the ghastly summer we’ve had here in Tucson (more than two months of 100°+ every single day). Now it’s time to get back to turning Arizona blue!”
1960
ANNIE-MAY DE BRESSON mdebresson@me.com
Our venerable endeavors these days seem to be characterized by both wobbles and leaps. And, alas, some of us are leaving this world bequeathing us fond memories to cherish. Last January it was DOMINIQUE LACOSTE who disappeared. I saw her for the last time about a year ago, her mind sharp as ever and her insatiable intellectual curiosity still driving her.
CAROLANNE ROSENTHAL STEINEBACH left her northwest haven to go on an “eight-day sail through the inside passage of British Columbia . . . humpbacks breaching, bubble feeding, wolves in a family setting, sea lions noisily catching salmon, otters with urchin prey on their bellies while they floated lazily on the surface, a grizzly mom catching a huge salmon and giving it to her twin yearling cubs.”
DIANA (KERRY) WESTGATE reports that she can “still play pickleball” despite an incident when “I could not stand or make my mouth work to produce intelligible speech” which “has me thinking more about my own mortality. . . . I feel like on the surface nothing has changed in my life, but at some level a lot has.”
We grannies love babies: ELIZABETH COHN SINGER sent a photo of her new cherubic granddaughter, born on the Cinco de Mayo, like four others of her grandkids! One of her sons, Michael, works for The Denver Post,
while Rob, his brother, is assistant dean at UNC Medical School.
As for yours truly, ANNIE-MAY DE BRESSON, I live in Manhattan much of the year, where MARTHA NEUSTADTER MENDELSOHN and I continue our various music rambles and have lunch with friends—such as JOAN DURHAM when she ended in New York on a solo roundtrip cross-country adventure seeing friends along the way. Joan writes, “My heart was filled and I reinforced that I really LOVE road trips. . . . I am now living in a very large house with two others who are rarely around. I continue to examine this relatively new concept of home sharing and to clarify what it means to me. This is certainly a national issue, not only limited to seniors, and seems to be gaining momentum in a variety of forms.”
I also pop over to the Bay Area to visit family and friends and spend the rest of the year in Paris with trips to Italy and London, where I hook up with MARJORIE GORDAN BOWDEN to catch up on her thriving three offsprings. This December, however, I am taking my whole family—nineteen of us—on a safari to Kenya, while the body can still follow the desires of the spirit.
So there is a part of leaping masking the wobbles in all of us. (But I must admit that my editorial pledge not to go into “organ recital” mode is proving somewhat difficult as we topple into the wobble stage of our lives.)
1961
JANE URIS BAYARD janeubayard@gmail.com
MITTEN MITTENDORF WAINWRIGHT swandmw@optonline.net
Fourteen of us shared a wonderful sunny day this spring touring the new Brearley building and then exploring (with hard hats) the new library space at 610. In our memorial photo (see page 64) James Croswell is gazing down on us as we finished lunch in a part of the old sixth-floor library. See how many you can identify before you read the caption.
Next Bulletin we hope to have an update on how we are all navigating our glorious 80s. On to the next decade!
1962
PEREGRINE WHITTLESEY pwwagy@aol.com
ANDREA GRAY STILLMAN writes, “I’m still in Napa, CA, living now with my Havanese rescue named Lily. I often visit my daughter Adrienne Stillman Krausz to see my first grandchild— Timothy, age 1—who is a vociferous, smiling, blond angel just about to walk. At the end of
Tig Gardiner ‘59 discusses Darwin with a scientist on board Endeavour II in the Galapagos.
Fridgie the Penguin, mascot of the Class of 1959, showing off his Galapagos estate to Tig Gardiner ’59.
Carey French Millard ’61 and her immediate family celebrating Carey’s 80th.
July I will move permanently to Richmond, VA, where my twin sister and I already jointly own a gracious condominium that we planned as our retirement home. I’m going a little sooner than I expected (age 79) but my car accident a year ago made me realize that I need to live with my twin now rather than later. It’s fully furnished with the brown furniture that no one wants to buy, and living only one hour by plane from New York means that we will often be able to take in the outstanding cultural offerings that neither Napa nor Richmond offers—plus see Brearley classmates and old friends. Cleaning out one’s possessions for the third time in 20 years means there is less furniture to throw out, but the amount of paper is daunting. Sorting through 40 years of documents and over 100 books relating to Ansel Adams means my June and July will be busy—along with as many visits with Timothy as I can fit in between his naps. Adrienne and I hope you will come visit us in Richmond if you venture south!”
From GLORIANA DAVENPORT: “Evan and I gave up our apartment in Boston in November 2021 and now reside full time in Plymouth. We have since managed a trip to the UK, where we were able to connect with PAM GOOLD In April of this year, CATHLEEN CAVELL joined us for lunch and a walk around the Mass Audubon Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary, which continues to progress. Meanwhile, I continue to concentrate my energy on growing the nonprofit Living Observatory, a collaborative of scientists, artists, engineers and restoration practitioners, to support cranberry farmers and others who wish to preserve and restore these
coastal farmlands. While it is huge fun, I would love to cede leadership to the next generation. I would love to chat with anyone who is interested in helping make this transition work. I also serve on the board of a new local news source for Plymouth, MA. We are currently searching for an executive editor. If you or someone you know has a news background, please send them to the website (www. theplymouthindependent.org).”
ELLEN BONEPARTH writes: “My latest novel, Guardian Angels, is now out. It tackles a complicated subject I have been pondering for a long time—immigration. The heroine, Jessica Lowe, becomes involved with immigration both through her work on Capitol Hill and her willingness to be a temporary sponsor for a Cuban woman immigrant, Lupe, who arrives from Havana pregnant. Jessica meets David Hobbs, a Senate staffer, and together they work out a future for Lupe, a path to confronting the extreme right-wing anti-immigrant movement, and, eventually, a life together.”
JEANNE-MARIE REISS BYINGTON writes: “In June, I spent 10 glorious spring days in Paris, encouraged by Liz Mayers who heard about my dream when it was a whisper. I relived the journey—only the second vacation I’ve ever taken solo—on my blog. In my work life I publicize a range of special events, promote the winning authors of a client’s award, and write/edit/rewrite marketing copy. Every year I also help select New York Women in Communications’ college and grad school scholarship winners, each of them remarkable. I cherish days I don’t have deadlines, which surprises me as I was a workaholic. At Peregrine and
Bob’s delightful/delicious reunion dinner I learned that former classmates also play Wordle and that some recommend Louise Penny’s Chief Inspector Gamache detective fiction as a welcome diversion from troubling newscasts that consume many others’ days and nights.”
1963
MARTHA RYAN SEVERENS severens@att.net
In April the Class of 1963 celebrated its 60th reunion. We gathered on Zoom, including many who could not get to New York, such as OLWYN MORINSKI (SUSAN MAW) in Victoria, British Columbia, who sat beneath an example of her botanical art. RENNE JARRETT BILSON spoke of her life in California and work as a court-appointed special advocate for children, and SYLVIA KALITINSKY BREWDA reported that she is trying to memorize all of Shakespeare’s sonnets. The twins INGRID LORCH BACCI and MADELINE LORCH TRAMM unfortunately were not present, so we could not sing “Happy Birthday.” JOAN LEVY BEAVIN had made prior plans to visit Hawaii, and SANDY SAMMATARO PHILLIPS was doing research in New Mexico about a photographer of Indigenous people. In Santa Fe she did reconnect with BARBARA MCFADDEN SIRNA, who was on her annual pilgrimage east from California to Rye. ANDREA MOSS END had hoped to make it but got tied up with medical appointments for her husband, and FRAN BLAKE SMITH was sidelined with a bum knee, saying, “This time next year I’ll be ready to go. And I’ll be thinking nostalgic thoughts of all of you.”
At Brearley the following day 18 members of the class took tours and enjoyed the luncheon. In a Turbo Talk TONI BRYAN told of her career as an expert crafting audio tour for museums. Once again, SHARON GATES STEARNS hosted a party where there was much sharing of memories. JEAN SOUR RABEN commented: “It was particularly nice to catch up with some classmates that I never knew that well.” Two classmates vied for traveling the farthest, both from the Northwest. DEBORAH BANCROFT, from Onalaska, WA, said the trip was most worthwhile: “Seeing old classmates this year was a terrific boon.” ELOISE DAMROSCH arrived from Portland, OR, where she is retired from the art council and is serving with a group who will select art for the city’s new airport. From New England two left island living behind: ELIZABETH VILLARD from Chappaquiddick, MA, and
Members of the Class of 1961 and Jane Foley Fried gather for a lunch in the old sixth-floor library. Seated: Margot Jamieson Witty, Sallie Laskin Felzen, Susan Berresford, Wendy Slote Kleinbaum, Jackie Dryfoos; standing: Carey French Millard, Jo Bergen David, Jane Uris Bayard, Mitten Mittendorf Wainwright, Louise Mathews Bozorth, Jane Steinberg Hart, Barbette Tweed Hunt, Joan Umpleby Salm, Ginny Chambers Keim, Jane Foley Fried (honorary member of ’61).
JILL KEEFE from Peaks Island, ME. KATY THOMPSON, who came from Tamworth, NH, was looking forward to seeing everyone: “Always so good to catch up, compare notes, rediscover each other in the present.” Last summer she saw DONA (DEESY) SANDERS GARNETT, who was at reunion along with her longtime friend PAMELA GERDAU GRIFFIN, who now lives in Rockport, MA. On Saturday JANE JANOVER RHODES held a delicious brunch at her apartment. AUDREY ADAMS MASSA declared: “I feel blessed to be a part of our class. I’ve enjoyed our emails, Zooms and reunions immensely and look forward to more in the future!”
Complementing reunion activities was an electronic yearbook, an update of one from 10 years ago, inspired by JESSICA TUCHMAN MATHEWS. It includes old photographs as well as recent ones of classmates and their families. SUSAN HARRIS’s reaction was: “I still think we’re all young! I read an article recently, somewhere, calling 90 the new 60.” KATE ADAMS, who has yet to retire as a senior advisor for the Episcopal Church Foundation, asserted: “Regrets: not really, had and have a good life.” Emailing from Yangon, Myanmar, TIN HLA KYI (JOAN HLA BU) recalled her one year at the Brearley: “That year was a big milestone in my life! I gained a lot of knowledge and experience, and returned home a different person.” Similarly, PAT ALLEN ROSS stated: “Brearley now seems in the far distant past. It set standards and provided an ethical framework that have woven themselves unconsciously into my life.”
Summer 2023: ELISA KESSLER CAPORALE celebrated a 50th wedding anniversary with family in Yellowstone; EUGENIE LIVANOS FURH-
MANN returned to Sifnos, Greece, and RITA SHERR spent time in East Hampton swimming and enjoying friends. JANE (BLAIR) HANDWERGER WALKER mounted a fascinating exhibit of women’s wear (including undergarments!) at the Westport (MA) Historical Society. INGRID BACCI launched a podcast, Total Healing Project (www.TotalHealingProject.com).
LEE GRIMES EVANS has some ambitious goals: to “steer Earth in the proper direction—away from war, sadism, greed and irrationality toward peace, love, forgiveness, justice, neighborliness, self-determination and responsible behavior.” Likewise, MARJORIE KELLOGG edits a free newspaper which attempts to “forward a message of sustainability, sane energy consumption, support of healthy agricultural practice and environmental conservation. Oh, and did I mention DON’T FRACK NEW YORK.”
1965
SARA BAERWALD sara.baerwald@gmail.com
LYDIA DAVIS cote@bard.edu
Last April, MARGY KOHN visited New York City for the first time since before the Covid lockdown. With SARA BAERWALD she went to the High Line and the newly opened Pier 57, talked politics while looking out at the harbor and visited family there and in New Jersey. “I am spending increasing time drawing and painting and hope to sell a little of my work at
a community holiday market this fall—if I am selected as one of the vendors. A totally new adventure with visual arts!”
A spate of woeful teeth troubles now behind her, JENNY (BROWN) RUHL experiences newfound joy in singing with her partner of 27 years, who learned the guitar to accompany her. When she last wrote, they were planning to perform outdoors by the Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, MA. Jenny is also writing and studying astrology. Her busy life includes a daughter who is earning a degree in quantum physics while overseeing a street fridge, among many other things, and a “wonderful, extremely musical” little granddaughter, the child of her son, a forester in Ohio. She would welcome visitors to western Mass.
CATHY (MICHELMAN) ELLIOT tells us that “I am still here in northern Baja. I am still throwing pots, and trying to walk three to five miles a day, so I guess I can’t complain. Both
Kate Adams and Tina Madden Whitman, both Class of ’63, at a 60th reunion party.
Clare Tweedy McMorris ’63 and Toni Bryan ‘63 at the 60th reunion brunch.
Class of 1963 at its 60th reunion. Top row: Deborah Bancroft, Pam Gerdau Griffin, Liz Villard, Jane Janover Rhodes, Toni Bryan, Katy Thompson, Pat Allen Ross; middle row: Jean Sour Raben, Audrey Adams Mass, Marjorie Kellogg, Sharon Gates Stearns, Deesy Sanders Garnett, Blair Handwerger Walker; bottom row: Jill Keefe, Eloise Damrosch, Christine Shaw, Elisa Kessler Caporale.
daughters are hard at work in Los Angeles, Jessica with her jewelry-designing business and Brooke (Williamson) filming nonstop for the Food Network. Perhaps some of you have seen her on TV. If anyone feels like coming to visit, we don’t have guns here!”
Having retired as judge—”absolutely no better job I could have had”—MARGOT BOTSFORD is doing volunteer work, including at the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, and helping younger assistant attorneys general with their briefs, besides babysitting for two small grandchildren. She also attends her husband’s classes on Black American culture and joins him in weekly Italian lessons. Son Sam is studying social work and is married to a cancer doctor. Margot is grateful that she remains close friends with ABBY ERDMANN and KITTY FISK AMES, both also living in the Boston area.
ABBY ERDMANN has enjoyed a year of traveling with her husband, Luc, to places they often return to that “feel like home.” But her sense of purpose in life “comes from ongoing antiracism work in the schools in Brookline.” She and colleagues are writing a book which aims to be both practical and accessible about their democratic alternative program, School-within-a-School. She concludes that “despite all the tragedy in the first half of my life, my later life is often joyful and magical.” She is grateful “for my husband, my health, my children and grandchildren, my energy, my lifelong friends, my community and my privilege.”
REGAN (O’CONNELL) ROOS, too, expresses thanks. “I may sound like a Hallmark card, but I really am grateful for each day. I have lost so many friends of late.” She often remembers her years at Brearley and Nightingale. “Some of those relationships have lasted all these decades. I am still very interested in what former classmates are up to, what they care about, how they serve, how they relax and how they use their skills. I find life ever more fascinating as focus sharpens and choices sometimes narrow. In other words, I am a long way from toe shoes and well into admiring birds and sunsets, and relishing grandchildren. Who’d a thunk it?”
EDA ZAHL reports an “unexpected” event in her recent life: “The Other Journal in Seattle just published a story of mine in their current issue #35, Vice and Virtue, online. The story is called ‘Repeat and Heal,’ and in it I explore Pentecostalism, the sect that speaks
in tongues.” Last spring she spent time in Buenos Aires and remarks on the eye-catching men and the debt- ridden economy. Back home in LA, she is surrounded by wannabe Hollywood stars!
And news from our class agents:
SARA BAERWALD: Recently retired, mostly. Enjoying time with my grandson, Bodhi, and an excellent tomato harvest. Political work coming up soon. I loved the memories that our classmates have shared about teachers, books and classrooms. It felt like we were all together connecting through our Brearley travels. Thank you, Lydia, for posing the first question and others for chiming in.
LYDIA DAVIS: I have two new things in my life this year—a lovely grandson, Asa, born on Bastille Day (!), and a book of stories, Our Strangers, due out in October. Otherwise, I have been very involved with my village’s (tiny) climate committee. We have concentrated, this year, on developing plantings at four different public sites to demonstrate principles of ecological landscaping—which we’re learning as we go along! To plant mainly native; not to pull undesirable volunteer plants (most of them, anyway) but to cut them instead so as not to disturb soil communities. Very complex and absorbing.
1967
DIANA WEBSTER BIEHL websterbiehl@me.com
In July 2023 ELIZABETH “BETH” NEUSTADT, PhD, accepted a part-time position at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, where she is now responsible for Tavistock Consulting’s Executive Coaching Programme (ECP) and will take up a faculty role on ECP in 2024. This 18- month-long modular program, an early recipient of European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) accreditation at senior practitioner level, is rooted in systems psychodynamics, aka the Tavistock approach. Beth has relocated from Cambridge, MA, back to London, UK, for this job. She also continues to work independently, with clients on both sides of the pond, under the banner of Neustatus Consulting (https://neustatus.com).
HEYDEN WHITE ROSTOW reports that she had a truly jolly reunion with camp cabinmates VICKY PIERCE and DEBBY ROBERTS the day before the great floods hit in Vermont. KATHERINE STERN BRENNAN ’70 joined them. Other summer sightings included meals with Joan Gardiner, SALLY
TILGHMAN WARDWELL ’54 and ALICE FREUND GOTTLIEB, as well as an annual pilgrimage to visit Franny Taliaferro. Heyden is proud to have coauthored an article on
“The Merchant’s Tale” that will eventually appear in The Chaucer Review. Finally, she wishes to correct a misimpression in the last Bulletin: She has one son only, Theodore; he’s a lawyer who is interested in AI. Her other child is CELIA ROSTOW ’09, who handles a lot of tech innovation at a large midwestern law firm; she also writes fantasy and science fiction and is beginning to be published.
JEAN FITZGERALD wrote that she has finally settled into retirement, dividing her time between New York and home in Washington, CT. She has rekindled her love of reading and old TV shows and relishes being able to visit museums, galleries and auction houses on weekdays; wandering through rooms filled with art with no time limit or schedule is a perfect way to spend a day. She is thrilled to start traveling again and is going to Australia and New Zealand for three weeks this October with longtime traveling companion WENDY SAMUEL. She is also planning trips to Chicago and Washington, DC, having lived in both, and to Santa Fe, NM, and Georgetown, SC, to visit friends.
During our August 27, 2023, Zoom gathering, INGRID NELSON BROAD gave a brief presentation on the “therapeutic alliance,” a two-way alliance between the health practitioner and the patient, and how a strong alliance results in better outcomes. She shared her observations of this force during her 30-year career as a physiotherapist and acupuncturist with the British National Health Service.
ANN “BUFFY” HAGUE also gave us some insight about why she has spent the last 40 years in Haiti working to develop the infrastructure to support economic opportunities and growth in a country without reliable services or leadership. She shared that she is, and always has been, addicted to solving problems that seem obvious to her but may not have been identified for action by others. After law school she wanted to pursue international development and ended up working on a short-term contract with a former colleague who was doing work in Haiti. The three-month contract became a 40-year challenge with problems to be solved that have taken decades to accomplish. Most notably, a deep-water port has been completed and is now operating. She stated that she has another 20 years of problem solving she hopes
to accomplish to give the people of Haiti and the next generations a country with the infrastructure underpinnings for an economy that will support job creation and stability.
KIM HAMILTON GOTTSHALL is enjoying a relatively quiet life and enjoying her grandchildren, 5 and 2½ years old. After a ski accident last winter that required some recovery time and weight-carrying restrictions, she realized that she’d rather give up skiing and be able to lift and hold her grandchildren.
BETSY BUSCH, MD, after an illustrious medical career, is getting the Boston-area family home ready to sell and is moving to the San Diego area in California to be near her son. Her new house is being built and she and her husband should be able to complete the move in November or December.
CAROLYN “TERRY” ELLIS spent the summer in Fire Island with her family. She is retired from the law, having spent the last part of her career in the New York State attorney general’s office prosecuting fraud in nonprofit organizations and Medicare. She is now serving as the president of a literary organization and enjoys working with the active and vibrant minds of somewhat older members of the board. She is very involved with her four grandsons.
DEBORAH ROBERTS, PhD, professor emerita at Haverford College, has just completed a new translation of Aeschylus’s play The Persians. She celebrated by going on a thoroughly enjoyable transcontinental road trip with her daughter, driving to North Dakota via the Trans-Canada Highway and stopping in many little towns along the way.
ROBIN WHITE OWEN reports that “I’ve had the good fortune to see IRIS CARULLI, DAPHNE WARBURG ASTOR, TONI GEYELIN, ANN HAUGE, CATHY SULZBERGER and HEYDEN WHITE ROSTOW in recent years.” She and her husband, Michael, are still working together on projects, currently a virtual reality experience for the artist Joyce Kozloff, whose retrospective museum exhibition opens next year. “We spent the summer on an NIH grant to study how a specific method for teaching medical students better communication, observation and empathy skills could be successfully carried out in virtual reality. Also, our son Taylor and his partner Lizzy live near us in Brooklyn and it’s so nice to see them on a regular basis.” If you are interested in how virtual reality is now being used in traveling exhibitions, read her recent article published on the TEO website (https:// www.teo-exhibitions.com/what-virtual-reali-
ty-can-bring-to-travelling-exhibitions).
EILEEN EPPERSON was in Chicago in August for the 9th Parliament of the World’s Religions. Some 6,500 participants from over 90 countries speaking over 200 languages gathered to address the theme “Call to Conscience: Defending Freedom and Human Rights.” The event featured inspirational global speakers in six huge plenaries (including climate, Indigenous people, women, threats to democracy), loads of programs for children, a labyrinth, hundreds of workshops, and an area for women-only programs called “The Red Tent.” Eileen led a workshop for women called “Our Grief and Our Gifts.” She continues creating a wonderful new relationship with her former husband, now partner, John. They reside in beautiful northwest Connecticut, in Salisbury. She and NANCY LURIA BAKER, a neighbor, talk regularly.
ROBIN LOOMIS DISTEFANO was happy to announce that her third great-niece was born in late July to the daughter of her eldest niece, Kira, who is the daughter of Robin’s sister,
CHRISTINE LOOMIS ’69. Robin and her husband spent a lot of time with her sister’s children as they were growing up and loved their aunt and uncle roles. They are enjoying the next generation, who are growing up in Boulder, CO, which affords a wonderful opportunity to travel and visit them as well as classmate CHRISSY CITRON, who lives in Denver.
CHRISSY CITRON has also been involved with the International Rescue Committee, founded by Albert Einstein, and has recently been working to assist a Muslim family who had been persecuted by the Taliban as they try to get settled in the Denver area. She has found this a most poignant and deeply satisfying experience.
CATHY SULZBERGER wrote that she was spending some special summer time with her grandchildren for a week in August.
NANCY LURIA BAKER sends her regards to her Brearley classmates and writes that she spent some time in August with her three grandsons building sandcastles at the beach.
ROBIN SCHULBERG has a farm full of animal companions and is always challenged by the wet weather in Louisiana; when heard from last, she had driven her tractor into a ditch and was waiting for neighbors to help free the errant tractor. TONI GEYELIN recovered from her health ordeal earlier in the year and is scheduled for hip replacement surgery later this fall. DIANA WEBSTER BIEHL and her husband, John, are planning to move back to
California full time in 2024. She reported that 16 class members participated in the Class of ’67 Zoom gathering in August.
1968
ELENA DROUTZKOY CORSO edcorso@earthlink.net
Fantastic 55th reunion luncheon and dinner with many classmates, loads of news—moving and deaccessioning, new beginnings/relationships—old friends, new hobbies, new hairdos, great fun touring 590, the Turbo Talks, lots of gossip, catching up, laughter and a few tears, which all started with gabbing and reminiscing in the Virtual Class Zoom.
Eileen Epperson ’67 at the 9th Parliament of the World’s Religions in August, wearing her “goddess crown” created at the event.
Iris Carulli ’67 and Robin White Owen ‘67 together in Rome.
KITTY MUNSON COOPER (sans long hippie gray mane) regaled us with her tales of life in her new San Diego condo AND her MAIN squeeze, Bart (Choate and MIT), an old friend of 50+ years, widowed, also a world champion bridge player. They are living together in Dallas for the moment and NOT getting married (“I have buried two husbands . . .”). “Chapter 3. I am a lucky woman.” Kitty and Bart “are planning a fall foliage trip with dog via car to New England in September and October, so anyone who wants to see us, let me know. We are planning to look at possible places to live in Connecticut. We both have family in the Northeast. His brother is in Connecticut and my son and grandchildren are in NYC and Bellport, plus I have many cousins in Massachusetts. Bart is in the process of retiring and so will sell his Dallas house and buy our new place. I will keep my San Diego condo for winters and perhaps other visits. That is the plan. We also plan to travel some including Australia in February. I am very, very happy. We are amazingly compatible. Mimi and I compare Wordle scores every day on Facebook, rooting each other on.”
KATHLEEN “KATE” CRONKITE (SHORT hair and cool glasses) sent word: “I have received my TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) certificate and have been online co-teaching a marvelous group of young Brazilians. When I get back to Austin after my usual East Coast swing, I’ll be starting to work with three Rwandan families who ended up in Austin. Terrified and excited to start. My daughter Isobel moved to Portland, OR, with her partner (and two bunnies) to get a master’s from Reed and to find somewhere safer to live than Austin. I just wish my two kids were in the same Portland instead of three thousand miles apart. I’ve been gradually clearing out the multiple storage bins of my parents’ estates, scattered among four states, that none of us has seen fit to address. Truly trash (unread NY Times) to treasures (love letters to my grandmother when she was in her 80s!). I grabbed some handfuls of papers to photograph and toss, including old Beavers and playbills. If anyone wants the hard copies after I’m done, let me know. Otherwise, I’ll send the replicas out to this list as I get to it, which could be . . . ? And high on the scale— postcards from Susie Blake, Neville and Kitty, as well as Lou Barnes, a program for a Buckley concert with certain names underlined and [marked with the heart symbol], and
formal and informal invitations that now seem so quaint.”
CAROLYN SCHMIDT (same mass of long hair) started in grade 7 and plays World of Solitaire every morning. She loves her land, house, garden and sleeping on the porch. Her husband has connected with his Native American roots; he has published a book about his roots and progress and done talk-show interviews. He was asked to do podcasts, so he and Carolyn have done “Indigenous Perspectives” together under the Ecologia umbrella! She also continues her concerns in corporate social responsibility, and she homeschools an 8-yearold in math. No more traveling and work in the “Soviet Union” or China; with Covid issues and physical health needing help, she turned to YouTube videos.
KATHERINE ZINSSER and hubby Jonathan spend loads of time in France, she recently wrote, “to explore and practice our French (thank you, Mme Smith). I’m writing from the car in the parking lot at Claude Monet’s Giverny house and garden. We are a few minutes early but anticipating a great day at this iconic spot. (Now hopefully it will stop raining!)”
We had a loooong table in 610 for the luncheon, with numerous participants: KITTY MUNSON COOPER, KERRY HERMAN, LIANE MCALLISTER ROMAINE, KATHERINE ZINSSER, DIANA HAMMERSTEIN, CAROLYN SCHMIDT, JANE HAMILTON DORWART, LIZA LEVY, ELIZABETH STERN and yours truly, ELENA DROUTZKOY CORSO. Our 55th reunion dinner also included ELSIE DUNN WILSON THOMPSON (looking elegant and happy!), who was in NYC for her younger daughter’s first baby. Elsie only attended in grade 2 but it was great to have her back in the class and catch up.
MICHELE GERBER KLEIN (sporting SHORT hair and chic garb) is working on her TWO books!
Saturday there was a buffet breakfast for all alums, families and children in 590. And who should appear but none other than Kitty’s son, Paul Bethe, his wife, Lindsay Nathan, their daughter, Julie, and Kitty’s cute-as-a-button grandson Jack with fabulous glasses, to cheer her on at the Turbo Talks. Kitty was fantastic! A great talk that was funny, heartwarming, engaging, entertaining, educational (of course—this is Brearley, after all), full of kudos and gratitude to Brearley for all she learned and has used in her life, Radcliffe, her various journeys and chapters, London living, husbands, loves and losses, friends and family, all the good stuff. There was much cheering and clapping by all!
KERRY HERMAN wrote: “Rediscovery and digging out seem to be current themes among my over-70 women friends, finding new among the old and enjoying change (not Ned’s favorite!), with much less enthusiasm among men. This deacquisition needs creativity to bring past and future together and to live more manageably in the present. I’m trying to avoid the word ‘downsizing’ since for some it seems threatening, and also implies change and cramming more stuff into a smaller space. Ned and I have had two apartments in the same small coop building since 1995 and have used both as a single two-floor home, enjoying space that’s rare in NYC. Our daughter Dyanna lived for a bit postcollege in part of the downstairs apartment to save for her move out eight years ago to a shared rental apartment close by. During Covid, stuck inside among our stuff, I got the urge to shed, which we’re now doing so that Dyanna can move back downstairs and make the space her own—while ‘taking care of’ her parents upstairs. I remind her we’re not at that stage yet, please! But there’s joy for me in paring down to the stuff I truly care about, getting to redesign and repaint, and sharing this process with Dyanna with an eye toward her own future. There’s also the chance for Ned and me to update our space upstairs as we jockey for bookshelves and closets. And there’s the fun of family photos and found objects. The challenge is how not to get sucked into hours of looking at it all and telling stories.”
KAREN MURPHY MILLER sent word: “Nothing to report, or at least not compared to our incredibly accomplished classmates. Alive and healthy and married and split my time between Long Island and Mexico. Retirement lifestyle of cocktails and canasta.”
MARY “MIMI” MCCLELLAN, who started in grade 7, has a sleep disorder but is a night owl anyway, loves comparing Wordle scores with KITTY and also does a “swear word” one! She says that she is losing everything she learned at Brearley and will end up only remembering swear words and Rodgers and Hammerstein lyrics. She writes: “Despite my health problems, the move to the DC area has been a good one. I love downtown Silver Spring, MD, where my apartment is located. This is the area I moved to when I left NY and Brearley in ’66. Silver Spring was very suburban back then, but it’s quite urban now, which I love. I didn’t realize how much I missed living in a lively city environment until I moved
back to one. Getting around can be challenging, but I have options. Plus, just on my block there are Burmese, Ghanaian, Thai and Sierra Leone/ Caribbean restaurants, as well as an Irish tavern. Nail and hair salons abound, and Safeway and Whole Foods are mere blocks away. I’ve reconnected with some dear old friends who also still call me Mimi. There’s something magical about spending time with people who knew me in my wild youth. I wish I could spend some magical time with all of you, but I’ll be with you in spirit.”
LOUISE CAMPBELL writes and sends a super photo: “After the delightful Zoom call a few months ago, I remembered my efforts in the carpentry shop at Brearley. The accompanying photo shows the rocking horse I ‘made’ for my younger sister Helen with much help. My mother gave it to the Museum of Childhood in London years ago, and they used to display it as part of a section called Toys Made by Children for Children. My two sons are proudly posing in front of it. The museum has just reopened after refurbishment and is now called Young V&A—but sadly, there’s no sign of the rocking horse in the new displays!”
KATE CRONKITE chimes in: “Louise, did your charming sons get to ride her before she was donated? Woodworking was one of the savers of my soul at Brearley. Somewhere I’m sure I still have the cradle I made. It didn’t really rock very well (how did you get the rockers smooth and even?), but—to my husband’s horror—I ceremoniously rocked each of our kids in it, as I’d promised myself I would do those years ago.”
NEVILLE BRYAN PELTZ sends word (finally!): “KATE—The story of your cradle reminds me of the Moses basket my children started their lives in—plucked from the Martha’s Vineyard ‘Dumptique’ (Lambert’s Cove dump) many years before and lovingly refurbished for every Peltz baby and cousin for many years by my husband Bill’s aunt until it eventually fell apart. I believe it must have been used for at least 12 to 15 babies in the family!
“I have been terribly out of touch. This has been a full, slightly fraught year. It began with my 110-pound Great Pyrenees trying to bound unexpectedly out of our yard after another dog with me on the other end of the leash. I went flying and fell full force on my right knee. Didn’t break it, but got an enormous hematoma which had to be surgically cleaned out and repaired. That put me out of commission for a couple of months. Unfortunately it means that I can no longer go for the two-to-three-mile walks I had
been taking just about every morning with the dog. We both miss them! Then in February I was in Philadelphia visiting my son and his family and managed to trip on the sidewalk coming back from a short walk. I fell forward flat on my face on concrete—not much fun! I was actually very lucky and did not do any permanent damage, but it was very scary (and painful), and I find that I am very cautious nowadays when I am out walking—I use a cane on uneven surfaces. The worst part was spending eight and a half hours in the emergency room of Jefferson Hospital (a real inner-city hospital) the day after Philadelphia lost the Super Bowl—not an experience I would wish on anyone. The good news is that my four grandsons (ages 15, 13, 10 and 6) are growing and thriving. The two older ones are both considerably taller than me and have deep voices—weird! Best thing of all is that Bill and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary in June—really astonishing that two-thirds of my life has been spent with this man—wouldn’t have it any other way!”
SUSAN BLAKE MANNING sends news: “I now live in Edmonds, WA, about 25 miles north of Seattle. It’s one end of a ferryboat line and I have a lovely view of ferries, water, islands and mountains. I’ve been seeing a man who lives in the town at the other end of the line, who I’ve actually known for almost 50 years. He worked with my husband when we lived in DC . . . they were both architects named Peter who fancied motorcycle riding (guess I collect them!). I’m most excited about plans to travel with him this coming October to Amsterdam and Germany, two places I’ve never been. Otherwise, I’m still trying to learn computer art techniques and enjoying the process.”
On a sad note, NINA JOSEFOWITZ’s beloved mother passed away in April. We send heartfelt condolences to the family.
It truly was a marvelous 55th reunion with much news from the fold.
1969 55TH REUNION
KATIE DOHERTY kdoherty711@gmail.com
CHRISTINE LOOMIS wrote, “I welcomed a third granddaughter on July 26 and have had a busy year of travel so far for work: New York, Puerto Rico, Puerto Vallarta, Utah, Stockholm, western Colorado and Istanbul.”
WENDY GOODMAN reported, “I’m thankful that I’m still working away scouting the city for fascinating interiors for New York magazine
:) and made a major move after 27 years in a dream rental, so I bought a studio a block away in the Village.”
And YEOU-CHENG MA wrote, “AMANDA CROSS, ANN MICK, LUCY STILLE and I attended our 50th Harvard-Radcliffe reunion in May. The summer was full of fun projects, with a collaboration with six choral groups from all over the world culminating in a performance at Carnegie Hall’s main hall, a family vacation in NYC, and a summer music camp for children who are victims of domestic violence . . . and
Kitty Munson Cooper ’68, Paul Bethe (Kitty’s son) and Abigail Rose Solomon ’88 at the Saturday Turbo Talks in the 590 Common Room.
Class of 1968 members Liza Levy (wearing one of her sweatshirts—check out her website), Carolyn Schmidt and Kitty Munson Cooper.
Louise Campbell ‘68 with her two sons and her Brearley rocking horse.
MARGOT EMBREE FISHER wrote, “On entering what I expect to be the last third of my life, I decided it was time to open a new chapter. So I moved myself into a nice one-bedroom apartment in a condo with all the amenities I could want in Alexandria, VA, leaving my old house in New Jersey and all its annoying upkeep, as well as my two cats, in the capable hands of my daughter and her partner. I am now only a 20-minute drive from my almost 102-year-old mother (who has been living in an extended-care community for the past 20+ years), and a two-minute elevator ride to my brother and his wife. I haven’t yet decided if my move will be permanent.”
From CONSTANCE KILGORE : “I’ve been enjoying my return to abstraction via a new medium for me—oil and cold wax— and gave my first workshop last June. It feels like a complete departure from the sky paintings I’d focused on for the past couple of decades, but happily, Kenise Barnes (kbfa.com) recognized a connection between the two. She included both large skyscapes and small abstractions in a lovely show she curated, Earth and Sky , in Washington, CT, last fall. While down in that part of Connecticut I managed to pop in on Franny Taliaferro for a brief visit. (If you’d like to see some of my new work, you can visit www.artworkarchive.com/profile/constance-kilgore.)”
er-filled West Side bikeway, viewing the sky and Hudson waves. I love the days I’m invited to spend time with granddaughter Isadora, now 2½, who is a delight as we discover shadows from the stroller, the lamppost, dogs and us on our way to the park, walk backwards together, sit in large boxes like cats and make art. I have had fun Covid-survival-celebrating with now-all-grown NYC friends from the late 60s and Brearley Class of ’70.”
And from MARGIE DIAMOND SIMPSON: “This summer has been busy here in Washburn, WI. My husband, Chuck, and I are still working on turning an old pet hospital back into a house. It’s 35 degrees cooler today than yesterday so we are beginning to think about our second snowbird migration from a coastal town on Lake Superior to our sailboat in Mexico, currently stored in San Carlos, Sonora.”
REBECCA LEIGH wrote, “Ned and I are in the same DC house we’ve been in for 30 years. Ned retired from his government lawyering job on the day Trump was inaugurated. I’m lucky to have an entirely home-based business. I am an antique textile and linens dealer almost exclusively on the internet. This allowed me to have a very prosperous pandemic time when so many people were home and focused on their interior.”
1970
SOPHIE GLAZER Sophieglazer@aol.com
preparing for the Children’s Orchestra’s 55th performing year! Daughter Laura Dadap made her Broadway debut as bass guitarist in Here Lies Love.”
From DEBORAH MARKS: “I am spending the month in Vienna, having just taught a five-day intensive training in Rosen method movement. I’ll see bodywork clients here, then go to an international conference in Sarajevo in early October for Rosen method professionals. I’ve been to a quarterly salon with poetry, music and art in a gorgeous 19th-century apartment, such European culture.”
SHELLEY ROISEN wrote, “Retired last year in Pittsburgh, closing my private psychology practice of 23 years. Relocated to downtown Sarasota, FL, earlier this year. Enjoying walkability to concerts, art galleries, dance performances and indie films. Never married, but happily single all my life. Had an interesting first career in radio news (Tampa/ Sarasota, Cleveland, Chicago) but yearned for better fit, sought? at Esalen in California, and returned to school in San Francisco Bay area, ultimately earning doctorate at Stanford in counseling psych. Came to Pittsburgh in ’93 for pre- and postdoctoral training, and to establish practice. Starting in the early 2000s, while in full-time-plus practice, shuttled back and forth to NYC twice a month for 15 years to help take care of dad, then mom. Difficult but meaningful time. Cannot believe how freeing retirement feels! Best chapter of my life.”
LISA BRADSHAW wrote, “I have my escape to the moon many days a week—skating at the rink, biking to Chelsea Piers on the flow-
HELEN THURSTON hthurston77@earthlink.net
Our dear classmate AMY MILLER died Friday, September 15, after a long illness. She will always be remembered for her sparkling humor, inquiring mind and upstanding strong political opinions. Her great desire and ability to help others, both through her professional psychology practice and through her many friendships, will be deeply missed. Her family is asking that donations be sent to NAMI-NYC, the National Alliance for Mental Illness, in her memory. Amy battled a vicious depression for most of her life and there can be no greater tribute to her than to help alleviate the suffering of others—and their loved ones—who are in the same difficult boat. Contributions can be made in her name at naminycmetro.org.
GRETCHEN AMUSSEN shared news of the death of her mother, DIANE DUKE AMUSSEN ’47. “She was a remarkable woman, a fighter for social justice (she even went to meetings in Harlem as
Left to right: Class of 1969 members Yeou-Cheng Ma, Ann Mick, Lucy Stille and Amanda Cross at their 50th Harvard-Radcliffe reunion.
Amy Miller ’70.
Jamie Bernstein together with Lisa Morrison, both ‘70, on Martha’s Vineyard in July.
part of an interracial youth group in the 1940s, fighting for the group to come up in the elevator at her Park Avenue home). She was a lover of words, and as an editor, most proud of having edited Vincent van Gogh’s letters to his brother, Theo; she was also a community activist, and when our building and block were threatened with demolition in the late 1960s, she created a tenants association, lobbied the city and succeeded in saving one building for the elderly tenants. Later she was the founding leader for Emmaus, a service for the aging in Washington, DC, supported by five churches that connected poor, elderly (primarily Black) residents with needed services. She found her voice as a journalist after moving to the North Fork after retiring, and converted to Judaism. She remained curious and engaged right to the end. A month ago I called her when I was en route to Vilnius, and she said, ‘Someday I’ll catch up with you! For now, I just have to catch up with myself!’”
SARAH HOFSTADTER has returned to California after her years sojourning in Maui, but continues to advocate vigorously on behalf of those suffering in the aftermath of the terrible fires there.
MEGAN TALLMER is back in Princeton after six months in Hilton Head. “This is the best compromise for us until we are ready for the continuing care retirement community we have already checked out near Princeton. I apparently am the only Brearley alum who is a Taylor Swift fan, or at least the only one who will admit it. On August 5, I am seeing her show in LA and next May, my daughter and I are going to see her again in Stockholm.”
LUCY WATSON has “successfully completed a left total knee replacement, and thanks to those who have gone before me, I have learned how to recover a day at a time, to do my exercises, and, ugh, walk with a cane. I have thrown two wedding rings, one from each of my ex-spouses, into the trash along the highway and am much tempted to do the same with my cane but actually I need that more than I need a husband! Mercy has been a great help to me this summer after my surgery. It has been a great excuse to spend time with her as we go grocery shopping or to doctors’ appointments or to get ice cream together. The only negative to this is that I haven’t been able to spend a lot of time with our big goofy Labrador retriever named Stanley.”
LINN ATKINSON-LOVELESS is “involved in the creation of a new middle school, the Intermediate Preparatory Academy, affiliated with the
New Mexico Military Institute here in Roswell. I’m going to be teaching Latin (I got an MA from NYU before I went into law). Anyway, it’s funny because I hated Latin at Brearley, so I’m excited about trying to make this work here!”
After 27 years (!) of service, ANN SIEGEL retired from the American Museum of Natural History on June 30. “My swan song was overseeing the design and construction of the Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation, which opened to the public on May 4. It was a proud and happy note on which to depart, and I’m now enjoying my first days of retirement, taking it easy and also (lightly) contemplating this next stage of life. My husband, Michael, and son, Sam, attended my retirement party at the museum, at which I was presented with a sketch of the Gilder Center by Jeanne Gang, our amazing architect.”
ASHLEY COSSLETT offered a prayer for AMY MILLER, in the form of a classic Zen episode from Tang Dynasty China. As smart and intuitive as I know you to be, Amy, and all of you classmates too, you will easily detect and be able to use the wisdom of this episode for the healing journey:
A monk asked: “Your Reverend, you are ill. Is there one who suffers no illness?”
The teacher said: “Yes, there is.”
The monk asked: “Does the one who suffers no illness take care of you?”
The teacher said: “It is my role to take care of him.”
The monk asked: “I wonder, how do you tak care of him?”
The teacher said: “When take care of him, I see no illness.” (Dungshan lu, entry 120).
LISA COLLIER COOL’s latest book, Healthy Heart, Healthy Brain: The Personalized Path to Protect Your Memory, Prevent Heart Attacks and Strokes, and Avoid Chronic Illness, has won two literary awards. In May, it won gold in the prestigious Nautilus Awards for 2023, which honor “Better Books for a Better World” aimed at advancing physical, mental and spiritual healing through positive social action and individual empowerment. Past winners include King Charles, Deepak Chopra, Desmond Tutu, and the Dalai Lama. “The book, which I coauthored with Drs. Bradley Bale and Amy Doneen, also won the American Society of Journalists and Authors’ 2023 June Roth Memorial Award for Outstanding Medical Book. Both were an incredible honor for me and mark my
21st and 22nd medical journalism awards. My husband and I also have something else to celebrate this year: our grandbaby Freddie’s first birthday in August. He’s the first boy born on my mother’s side of the family since the 19th century, amazing as that sounds!”
JAMIE BERNSTEIN: “My three (three!) weeks on Martha’s Vineyard, where I got to hang with LISA MORRISON, were a welcome breathing moment in the midst of an increasingly frenetic year. We don’t see each other more than a couple of times a year, but we always pick up right where we left off, marveling at all the good and bad in the world, and delighting in each other’s company. All the pre-Covid action seems to have kicked back in: travel, music, writing, people and more people. It’s exhausting but not boring! Two big enchiladas this fall: (1) the long-awaited premiere of Bradley Cooper’s film Maestro, which began long ago as a biopic project but is now more of a portrait of Lenny and Felicia. My sibs and I will be at the Venice Film Festival for the world premiere! And (2) even more thrilling
Susanna Wolff ’06 and her daughter Sidney Tanner, Alison Anthoine ‘70, Elizabeth Wolff ’02 and her daughter Lillian Dermont.
Ann Siegel ‘70 with her husband, Michael Fischer, and their son Sam at her retirement party at the Museum of Natural History, where she was presented with a sketch of the new Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation, whose design and construction she led.
school. Don’t miss it!”
LIZA LITTLE turned 70 this year and has “stepped down as a clinical director of our university counseling services after 30 years in senior director positions and will take on a part-time position as an interim training director to help provide some glue for our team and mentoring for new staff. My partner, Arthur Howe (a Buckley, Hotchkiss, Dartmouth guy), and I are embarking on a road trip to visit friends and family and enjoy some time off. We live in a lovely condo in south Portland, ME, facing the Casco Bay Bridge, which reminds me of the countless hours spent as a child in Carl Schurz Park watching tugs on the East River while walking home from Brearley along the East River walkway. All my siblings and extended family are well and thriving, a lot to be grateful for.”
After more than two years filming in three countries, DEBORAH DENNISON “has finally got to the final cut of the film Tartan, Cloth of Legend. It’s a cloth that tells a compelling story— at once a symbol of rebellion and of stalwart national loyalty—multicultural, often controversial, and thousands of years old. In partnership with expert Peter Eslea MacDonald and the Scottish Tartans Authority, with interviews from Scotland’s top scholars, we expose a lot of myths and reveal some surprising facts. Off on the festival circuit now—fingers (and overstripes) crossed!”
ing and rewarding experience! I also engaged in some fun public art punditry for the New York Times. Recently I started taking hot yoga and barre classes. They are killing me, but I am really enjoying them.”
KATHERINE STERN BRENNAN has had “yet another version of a ‘normal’ retirement year. This year we are spending just about six months at the Vermont farm, and are splitting the rest of the time between Annapolis and France. We are still trying to find the right balance among these places we love so much! A highlight for me was meeting ALISON ANTHOINE at a café in Paris and catching up with all our children and grandchildren. Alas, the Vermont flooding prevented Alison from coming up this summer. We have had trees come down and water continues to cascade off our mountain pastures; our daughter’s town south of Burlington suffered astonishing flooding. Glad Sally is out of Maui! What horrors. Missy (DEBORAH ROBERTS ’67) had a mini-Class of 1967 reunion with VICKY PIERCE ’67, HEYDEN WHITE ROSTOW ’67—I crashed the party which was magical. All the Brearley memories except they were from a different class entirely!”
is another premiere: My eldest, Frankie, now going by James Frankie Thomas, wrote a novel, Idlewild, that will be published on Sept 12. It’s about . . . two girls in a NYC private girls’
MICHELE BOGART writes, “Much of 2023 to date has been spent preparing a short article on Daniel Chester French and Henry Bacon’s (aka the Lincoln Memorial guys) monument to the Marquis de Lafayette (1917), which stands at Prospect Park West and Ninth Street, Brooklyn. Not sure whether it will ever see the light of day, but I finished it! Beyond the walls of my study, I got back into the groove of teaching by doing scholarly walking tours of the architecture of ‘Billionaire’s Row,’ Columbus Circle, and Lincoln Center—all on one very hot afternoon—and on several statues in Riverside Park and the Carl Schurz memorial on Morningside Drive. I also had the great honor of speaking on the art of the magnificent courthouse of the New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division First Department (25th Street and Madison Avenue). The panel, held in the lavishly decorated courtroom, was convened by the Honorable Dianne Renwick (just appointed by Governor Hochul as presiding justice, and the first Black woman to hold this position) and the Honorable Peter Moulton. It was an excit-
JEANNIE BALLARD TEREPKA continues her work with National Episcopal Historians and Archivists, of which she is now president. “We focus on accounts of reparations and antiracism initiatives in the Episcopal Church. In addition, I comanage the Black Presence in the Episcopal Diocese of New York project, which I cofounded six years ago. I now have two little grandchildren; they live nearby, so I get to participate in their exuberant growing!”
FELICITY SARGENT BLUNDON writes, “I am pleased to report that a collection of my poems, I Came Home to the Lake Today, has finally been published. It’s a memoir: The opening poem, “Cathay,” fittingly dates to 4th grade at Brearley!”
CONNIE ROGERS TILTON is “beyond happy to announce the birth of Sandra Guo Tilton, my son Robbie’s little girl, on August 19. It’s incredible to watch the miracle of life and a new little being come into the world, as those of you who have long been grandmothers know well. I see even more trips to LA in the future!”
HELEN THURSTON writes, “I want to thank again all of us who contributed this year. Once again, we had excellent class participation and generosity. Recounting various memories of time spent in the libraries, as well as of Mrs. Cunningham and Mrs. Raudebusch,
Gwen Steele ’73 rocks the reunion luncheon gathering at 610 East 83rd.
Members of the Class of 1973 on Zoom in spring 2023.
Class of 1973 members Jill Klein Grant, Emily Heilbrun, Anne Fishel and Lizzie Glazer at Liz Munves Sherman’s house, April 2023.
Kim Beaty, Sheila Franklin Lieber and Liz Munves Sherman, all ’73, at reunion, 2023.
brought back many funny and also poignant memories. (My personal favorite funny one is MARGOT BRADLEY’s recounting of her discovery of Gone with the Wind.) As a result of our support, 1970 will be represented by a plaque in the library. I look forward to visiting it! On another topic, my thoughts, as I am sure is true of so many others, are turned to the political scene in our country and the horror of openly celebrated racism aligned with insurrection. One of the political campaigns I supported last year was in Georgia to make sure that the DA stayed in place in Fulton County. I am thankful to the former head of Brearley Dr. Stephanie Hull, who asked me to join AMY MILLER in presenting a talk on Martin Luther King Day. Getting to know Amy better, and through her both BARBARA LANDRETH and Margot Bradley, has been a great joy. And visiting KAREN SULZBERGER and ABIGAIL JONES on the West Coast could not have been better. Closer to home, my own consulting work, including arboretum management and creating a veterans green careers training program, has continued full steam ahead. For fun, I am launching a yearlong small-group study of Dante with the Dante scholar and president emeritus of Bryn Mawr.
1973
AUDREY MAYNARD audmaynard1@gmail.com
JILL KLEIN GRANT jeganon@gmail.com
The Class of ’73 had an amazing reunion turnout on April 28 and 29 (parts of which have already been documented in the spring Bulletin). GWEN STEELE did us proud by giving a rousing speech at the luncheon. It was not easy to capture the energy, talent, idealism and vulnerability of our high school years, but she did it. JILL KLEIN GRANT then took the torch and delivered a thought-provoking Turbo Talk on Native American law, a complex topic that she made both relevant and important. On Saturday LIZ MUNVES SHERMAN opened the doors of her home so we could gather and connect to one another in a more intimate setting. Liz M. has astonishing skills as a hostess and made each of us feel welcome and special. Finally, I’d like to give a shout-out to ELLEN FITZGERALD! I think I speak for our entire class in thanking her for creating the reunion yearbook. This book is a treasure—because it
gives us all the opportunity to reflect on the past we shared and to consider ways we may wish to connect in the future. What a gift!
A goal many class members expressed was a desire to keep in touch. Zooms and group emails are the go-to methods at present. Jill has the tech capability to host the Zooms, and we are considering the idea of bimonthly meet-ups. We also want to think about how to have fun with each other next spring in NYC. Please send us your ideas! Maybe a “Class of ’73 reads”?
ELLEN FITZGERALD sent a moving message for the fall Bulletin, which I think spoke to the reunion experience many of us had. She wrote: “The reunion was so emotional for me. Seeing my classmates after 20, 30, maybe even 40 years brought back such strong memories it brought me to tears. I recognized few of the Brearley landmarks I loved, like the sixth-floor library, but I could feel the same spirit I felt 50 years ago. Gwen’s incredible speech reminded me that through the good and not-so-good experiences at Brearley we became remarkably strong and independent women. . . . I’ve been lucky enough to spend an uneventful summer in Connecticut gardening and look forward to more reunions with my classmates.”
Editorial note: WELL SAID!
ROBIN DUFFY JACKSON sent the following hurricane update from the Florida Panhandle replete with a magical image of a flamingo in a poststorm surge: “We escaped the worst of Hurricane Idalia here in Tallahassee, but several towns east of us took the brunt. . . . Roy and I are visiting nearby parks as the weather allows and I’m working on my photography skills. I hope everyone is doing well and hope to catch up with you sometime!”
LAURA FERGUSON reported: “I’m hoping to get back to my writing classes in prison work, and wanting, through them, to institute an experiment in antirecidivism (an avowed current California goal) via developing a participatory writing class, divided between inmates staying longer and some who will soon be released. Those released will be encouraged to remain writing with the group via Zoom (perhaps gaining credits or parole points). Loneliness is a very recognizable factor in the actions of many of the imprisoned students I’ve worked with. Some even reoffended on their way out the day of their release, and thus regained a familiar (if vociferously complained of) atmosphere and, crucially, friends.”
KIM BEATY has reissued the offer for classmates to gather at her lovely home in Vermont, and she included an update about her professional life as a portrait painter. She wrote that one of her portraits was chosen for the show that will honor her mentor Ron Sherr, who died suddenly this year. The show is at the Art Students League beginning September 29. “This show honors his lineage, demonstrating the link between his teachers and predecessors, through him, to a generation of figurative painters he taught. Check it out!” Go Kim!
Finally, a joyous announcement from the UK: SALLY PLUM was married to Robert Lee at the Chelsea Registry Office in London in July 2023. They met when she was 16, and have been together for the past 20 years.
Represent! The Class of 1973 at Jill Klein Grant’s Turbo Talk.
1974 50TH REUNION
LAURIE NELSON WETTERSCHNEIDER wetterone@me.com
As I sit here at my desk I am feeling the joy of the photo that AMANDA BROWN MEGARGEL sent to me just now. Amanda writes, “This is a picture of my newest granddaughter, Liza Bealle, born in February. I’ve had a wonderful, busy year of travel and seeing friends. I went to Sicily in the spring for a plein-air painting workshop that took us to beautiful locations. In June, I got to go on a trip that has been a lifelong dream: a safari in Kenya. It was a trek— two weeks walking through Tsavo National Park in Kenya. Totally amazing. Laurie, I saw KATE GRIDLEY recently. She and I are on board to help plan our 50th.”
SANDY MATTESON HELM sent pictures from her trip to Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Slovenia earlier this summer. Sandy shared, “We went on a land tour with five other couples from our community (The Cliffs) in South Carolina. It was a lot of fun, educational and at times sad, especially when we went to Sarajevo which is still quite war-torn even after 30 years since the homeland wars over the breakup of the former Yugoslavia. Since then we have been home, hosting both sets of Perry’s grandchildren and staying very busy with fundraising events for the charity Perry cochairs and my singing at our local chapel and helping out with our chorale. I will shortly head up to Nantucket for most of August to spend time with my amazing mom, who turns 93 next month! I hope everyone is well and if anyone is ever in the Greenville, SC, area please let us know, we’d love to see you!”
SERENA SARNOFF wrote, “Unfortunately this has not been a great year for me healthwise. Two bouts of Covid, influenza A, asthmatic bronchitis numerous times. My immune system has been compromised for years since I first got Lyme disease. I have a wonderful group of specialists, and am staying optimistic! On a good note, my two California grandchildren, Annora, 7, and Caleb, 3, are coming with my son Toby and my daughter-in-law Patricia for Thanksgiving after four years! I go out for frequent visits, but I cannot wait for my son Adam and daughter-in-law Allie with their three boys, Teddy, 9, Wesley, 6, and Ari, 3, to all see each other! They live a quarter of a mile down the road from me in New Canaan, CT. Such joy!” It was wonderful to hear from BROOKE ALLEN
that she, CATHERINE DRUCKER, and DANUTA SHANZER spent their 67th birthdays together at Brooke’s place in upstate New York! July 22, 23, 24. We had a fabulous three-day celebration. Danuta’s brother Marius was there as well.
As I conclude our class notes I have literally just returned from my husband’s and my first trip abroad since the onset of the pandemic. We had a wonderful time traveling by ship starting in Copenhagen and going to the amazing fjords in Norway, as well as the gorgeous Oslo Opera House, continuing on through Ireland and Scotland and back to Copenhagen. With Covid still being a part of all of our world . . . carpe diem!
1975
MELISSA KNOX-RAAB m.knoxraab@gmail.com
CYNTHIA BRIGGS KITTREDGE writes: “At Commencement, the board honored me by endowing and naming my position on my 10th anniversary as president—that was an unexpected and wonderful honor. My husband, Frank, retires this spring, so I’m contemplating what the next season will be for us. I’m fascinated by this age (in other people, not myself!)—it’s a poignant time. I think of Brearley happily and even look forward to our reunion. Greetings and love.”
For CYNTHIA CANNELL, 2022 was a shaking-things-up year: Thanks to KATHY MAYER BRADDOCK, Cynthia and her husband sold their apartment of 30 years and are full time in Greenport, on Long Island’s North Fork. She’s in the process of closing Cynthia Cannell Literary Agency after 25 years and is pursuing an academic degree in narrative medicine at Columbia University. Cynthia and MELISSA KNOX-RAAB look forward to meeting up in Berlin, where Cynthia’s daughter lives.
KATHERINE GRIMM writes: “I have moved to NYC! Almost certainly temporary. I still work for Citibank, and it’s not a temporary position per se, but here I am. On the UWS. Not my childhood neighborhood, but convenient for getting to the office downtown in Tribeca. If anyone would like to get in touch and meet up, please do! Best wishes to all.”
MELINDA KAY reminisces: “So many teachers helped me become who I am today, but two stand out. My 6th grade history teacher, Mrs. Janet Duffy, woke us up by always asking who is ‘they’ if we dared to begin a sentence without referring to someone specific. Mrs.
Amanda Brown Megargel ’74 with granddaughter Liza Bealle.
Sandy Matteson Helm ’74 with her husband.
Serena Sarnoff ’74 with grandchildren Annora and Caleb.
Serena Sarnoff ‘74 with her grandsons Teddy and Wesley.
Duffy awakened me to critical thinking. Mrs. Ruth Carpenter was such an enthusiastic English professor who inspired me to read all 10 books of John Milton’s epic Paradise Lost, not an easy feat for a high school student not familiar with 17th-century English! Somehow her excitement for literature made the poem come alive for us, which was magic. Mrs. Carpenter also had a tremendous effect on me personally. My final year at Brearley I asked her to be my senior project advisor. I wrote original poetry which she critiqued. I was shocked when Mrs. Carpenter told me, ‘I’m not a writer,’ plus she was so respectful toward my work. In fact, the only advice she ever gave me was to make my poems longer! At the end of the year, she floored me with high praise at our senior parent-teacher cocktail party by quietly telling my mother, ‘Your daughter is a poet.’ To hear this at age 17 surprised me. But her simple statement built up my confidence in life and I continue to write poetry even now at age 66. I will always treasure my Brearley teachers.”
In July NIVIN PEI and AMANDA STIFF enjoyed a lovely New York visit, where they went to the Whitney, walked along the High Line, saw a performance at The Shed and dined in Hudson Yards, Nivin’s new hangout.
ELIZABETH HAUGE SWORD extolls life in Jackson, WY, which “continues to be a gift. With two of three children and three of six grandchildren living here as well, we enjoy lots of family time year-round. The NYC contingent (now with the eldest at St. Bernard’s!) comes out for their vacations . . . heaven. I continue to substitute-teach at one of our elementary schools (K–5) and enjoy it immensely. I am able to observe teachers’ skills (teaching math five ways in order to meet each student where he/she is) and compassion for those who need additional attention (the classroom is often split into three working groups of three to four kids, all working at their appropriate level) and the lead teacher can work one-on-one with students as well. I spent the last month of the school year subbing for a K–1 special ed teacher, working with four students. I spent the most time—almost four hours a day—with one student working on spelling and math skills with a range of manipulatives and watching his progress. There is less rote learning than at Brearley.”
JEREMY STONE moderated a panel at the Palm Springs Architecture, Design, Art Film Festival with sculptor Brian Wall after his documentary film was screened in February, and a National Museum for Women in the Arts panel with painter Deborah Kirkland in late
April. “The April 27 panel was tough because my nephew Joshua had died four days before at Weill Cornell Hospital, NYC, of cancer. I Zoomed in from my sister’s dining room in New York. Having committed to the museum moderator role months before, I couldn’t have known what was coming and that I would be flying into NYC to say goodbye to him in a hospital room. Josh was only 33 but was an early heart transplant candidate at 5 years of age due to a viral infection which caused congestive heart failure. For those of you who saw the New York Times article about how patients who have had two heart transplants die from cancer caused by the antirejection drugs, my family has lived that personally. Josh had a successful second heart transplant at 28, having outgrown the heart he received at 5. He went to college, had a writing and editing business, traveled to Iceland and Australia, and had a huge community of friends.
“Hudson and Lucy, my two adult children, are robustly healthy, and I am extremely grateful for each day and week that I get to watch them flourish and fly away. Lucy has returned to San Francisco from NYC and works in tech and finance; Hudson is beginning a master’s in architecture program at Columbia in September. After eight years of deliriously happy and productive attendance at Jay McCulloch’s Todos Santos Writers Workshop, I am deepening my commitment to my own creative time and getting my student ID in three weeks, beginning an MFA program in creative writing at California College of the Arts. When I thought I might be the oldest graduate student on campus, my great friend Mady Jones decided to apply, and while she is not a Brearley girl, she will inspire you as she will turn 80 in early September and be a fellow classmate at CCA. Mady is also a two-year alumna of the Todos Santos Writers Workshop! My strawberry patch is my morning pleasure and I am beating the squirrels, deer and mice in getting the fabulous sweet berries by sprinkling hot crushed red peppers in the dirt all around the raised bed. It works!”
TAMERA LUZZATTO writes: “I most happily report that after divorcing my husband of 18 years, I met a new love in mid-’22 via a dating site and moved in with him in a house he, a carpenter named Alphie Fair, built in the ‘People’s Republic of Takoma Park, MD.’ Along with his wonderful companionship and more, my move means I will be able to vote for members of Congress for the first time since
moving in 1979 to DC, otherwise known as the land of the taxed and unrepresented. AND I retired after what feels like working nonstop for decades. Alphie and I have already traveled quite a bit, with some visits with Brearley classmates, and we plan to do a lot more. All else—my father turning 89, grown stepchildren with five kids who have been very good to ‘GranTam,’ volunteer work, my love of ballet, reading, ‘cultchah’ of all kinds, FB posts from classmates I love seeing, much swimming—are blessings.”
Hollis B. Kegg ’75, MA, PhD in criminal justice.
Sarah Sargent ’75 visiting Alice Thurston ’75 in Cragsmoor, NY.
Children of Melissa Knox-Raab ’75, Benjamin Raab, Leopold Raab and Maria Raab, on a family vacation in Slovenia.
AMANDA MARSHALL ZINGG: “We are good. Still working and still ensconced in Rhode Island, where we visit the beaches and travel the bike path. Lots of live music in our lives. Son Marshall and wife Marissa living and working in Cambridge, MA, daughter Emma and partner Patrick living in Whitinsvillle, MA, and working in Boston. This summer I visited a friend from my college year abroad in Cornwall, England, and then joined Chris and pals in Madrid to visit my brother-in-law’s family and then drive through Andalusia. Next it’s September on beautiful Block Island. A weird summer in the garden but I guess that’s what’s in our future! Oh yeah, everyone vote!”
ALICE THURSTON met up with SARAH SARGENT and her lovely partner, John Close, “who came through Cragsmoor for a visit! Lovely to see her and meet him.” Sarah adds: “It was lovely seeing Alice and her charming house. Added boon was a glimpse of Vance, Alice’s brother, and his son, and Alice’s other brother, Philip, and a lovely conversation with Alice’s on-the-ball mother!”
I (MELISSA KNOX-RAAB) enjoyed the gor-
geous sights of Slovenia with my children, Benjamin, 21, Leopold, 24, and Maria, 19, pictured here. We hiked in the Julian Alps, swam in gorgeous lakes, and ended the trip in Izola, on the Adriatic: amazing colors! My oldest, Leopold, won the White and Case Jessup Moot Court competition with his team from the University of Amsterdam. My middle child, Benjamin, is studying law, and my daughter, Maria, is studying social sciences and social studies, a combination of sociology and political science.
1978
ELISSA BERNSTEIN
elissa@mebernstein.com
Editor’s Note: We were sad to hear the news that Winky Stearns Hussey passed away after the notes were submitted. “Winky, we miss you dearly and are happy we shared so many incredible memories together.”
Our reunion weekend was a wonderful series of gatherings. Thursday a few folks had an impromptu wine and cheese (and wine, did I mention wine?) at WINKY STEARNS HUSSEY and KRYSIA BEREDAY BURNHAM’s Airbnb; Friday tours of the Brearley new building and the all-alumnae luncheon; and a highlight of the reunion, hearing SARAH LAWRENCE speak about her curatorial work at the Met, then meeting her there to tour her amazing collaborative exhibit called Before Yesterday, We Could Fly. It is stunning.
Our main event was a warm and gracious dinner at CINDY SPIEGEL’s home on Friday evening. Cindy and her husband, Peter Kupfer, put out a beautiful and delicious buffet. Attending were SARAH LAWRENCE, KRYSIA BEREDAY BURNHAM, LISA BRAINERD, ROBIN BARNES, SHARI LUSSKIN, WINKY STEARNS HUSSEY, NINA GARDNER, TERRI SELIGMAN, ALISON ADAMS, FREDRIKA RHODIE BRILLEMBOURG, LIZ GOLDSMITH, ANTONIA NEW, JESSICA GALLIGAN GOLDSMITH, ELISSA JABLONS BERNSTEIN, JANET AUCHINCLOSS PYNE, EMMA COBB and LYNN ROSENMAN GARLAND. As has become a new tradition (thank you, MARISA SILVER!), we went around the room and each of us spoke for a couple of minutes on whatever we wanted to share—about our lives, selves, work, philosophies, whatever. We wrapped up our catch-up fest with a Saturday lunch with partners at my house. These were stalwartly represented by my husband, Matthew Bernstein, and Krysia’s husband, Steve Burnham,
and Cindy, Lisa, Winky, Shari, Krysia and I made for a table of eight full of laughter and rich conversation. As Winky wrote, “Reunion was such a delight. Great times and conversations with our always interesting, intelligent, intriguing classmates. I spent a good chunk of time with women I actually spent very little time with while at Brearley and that was wonderful. Thanks so much to Cindy and Elissa for hosting class gatherings.”
Catching up on the summer, our classmates sent in these notes:
Winky continues: “I don’t have much to add to my fairly repetitive reports from times past. Still involved in the same activities, third grandson due in August, still loving Seattle blah blah blah.
I will throw out there that I am looking at my final decade(s) in five-year chunks now. Age 55-60 was seeing both my parents through to their passing. Age 60-65 will most likely be doing the same with my husband, who is pretty significantly into Parkinson’s dementia now after 28 years with the disease. And I am guessing 65-70 will include helping my mother-in-law, who just relocated to Seattle (at age 87) after 40 years in Calgary, to have the maximum amount of time with her failing son. Curious to hear what others see when they look ahead five years at a time. . . . I hope for lots more travel and adventure! Good food and wine and new experiences.”
ANNIK LAFARGE, who was disappointed not to make the reunion, writes: “Ann and I let go of our loft in west Chelsea last August and settled in Hudson full-time, which has been wonderful. I go to the city every week or two for my piano lesson, museums, photo shoots and to see friends, but so far it’s been enough. Likely we’ll return at some point (don’t tell our dog, Spooner, who hasn’t seen a skateboard in 11 months!), but for the moment it’s been a great change, and since everyone in the world seems to pass through the Hudson Valley, it seems we’re even busier than we were in town. I’m just finishing up the third edition of my High Line book, which Fordham University Press will publish next June in its excellent Empire State Editions imprint. I was sorry to miss the reunion, and send love to all.”
KATHERINE BARRETT SWETT announced that after 25 years she has retired from teaching English at Brearley. Congratulations, I’m so pleased one of my daughters had you for her teacher, and we look forward to new poetry and whatever else comes next!
Members of the Class of 1978 reunite; Left to right: Robin Barnes, Jessica Goldsmith, Shari Lusskin, Terri Seligman, Antonia New; Back row: Janet Pyne, Krysia Burnham, Liz Goldsmith, Cindy Spiegel
Left to right: Lisa Brainerd, Cindy Spiegel, Krysia Burnham, Shari Lusskin, Winky Hussey, Elissa Bernstein, all Class of 1978.
FERNANDA EBERSTADT writes in from France:
“On July 29—five days after his 97th birthday—my father Frederick Eberstadt died of old age, at home in his own bed. I was lucky enough to be there with him. A rich, full life. And on a happier note, my seventh book, Bite Your Friends: Lives of the Body Militant, is being published next spring by Europa Editions.” Congratulations, Nenna!
KRYSIA BEREDAY BURNHAM writes: “Having become a grandmother (in my case a ‘Nanu’) in February 2022, I’m in a paradigm shift these days. The competing forces are two things I love: my calling and my family. My calling: In the aftermath of the pandemic my focus is moving toward ‘what happens after a loss?’ Given that the whole world has lost something over the past several years, all are affected. In this environment, then, any grief (over the loss of a person, job, part of one’s identity, pet and so on) is compounded—and complex. Into this steps the hospice spiritual care team to walk with folks through the process. As such the virtual bereavement groups I’ve developed have been blossoming. They give me such joy because they fill a real and present need. I hope one day to grow this caregiving practice into a business alongside my day job of hospice chaplaincy. My family: Becoming a grandparent has shifted my priorities. I want to spend as much time with our grandchild, Piyo , without getting so punch-drunk in love that I lose focus on the rest of my life. It’s working pretty well these days to see him often while holding down my day job. There is a walkway between his house and mine: Maybe it’s all about dancing back and forth over that line. Our adult kids’ news is that John (married to Phoebe) and Sammy have cofounded a start-up called Lurk Labs/Yatima that is going well. Margaux works for the wearable division at Google. I guess they take after their father with their love of theoretical math, but I want to tell Judy Conant that somewhere, somehow, I created three computer engineers. As for reunion, it was a three-day extravaganza of nonstop conversation, food and drink (including the fabulous dinner at Cindy’s and brunch at Elissa’s), and even getting to tour Sarah’s period room at the Met. I came away full of ideas and inspiration and—as Winky has said—loving the chance to connect with classmates whom I know and hope to get to know better. What a blessing to be in this class, in the words of the Hebrew scriptures book of Esther, ‘for such a time as this.’ I love you all!”
1979 45TH REUNION
ELIZABETH ALLERTON DAVIS
eallerton237@gmail.com
With fall just beginning and more vaccines around the corner, I write these notes with a sense of hope, as well as an understanding that our job these days is to seize the joy present in everyday moments.
To that end, I have been traveling a bit and visiting Brearley pals along the way. I spent a lovely overnight with GALE PRYOR in Charlestown, MA, where she took me on a tour of her community garden plot and we harvested about 23 pounds of zucchini. Earlier that summer I attended an impromptu 92nd birthday party for her father at the lobster wharf at the end of my road in Harpswell. Very joyous! Late April included a three-day trip to an Airbnb with DIANA MOLLER and JENNIFER HAYDEN, a much-needed escape to a beautiful beach spot we were discovering together. And last month I traveled to Sharon, CT, where MONIQUE LOWITT hosted a small Class of ‘79 gathering that included close-by CLAUDIA MEININGER GOLD, ABBY MARSHALL, LESLIE DICKEY PATEL, MELORA WOLFF and LESLIE BRODY. We were greeted with bags of handme-down Brearley swag from Monique’s girls and were all very pleased with our new-to-us sweatshirts and T-shirts boasting Brearley team affiliations. We laughed, we talked, we ate, we talked some more. Ten hours later we had covered a lot. Major themes were weathering the transitions this stage of life brings, notably handling the neurocognitive changes we are seeing in our parents and partners and finding new sources of meaning and hope. Such fun seeing Abby after many, many years!
From JENNIFER HAYDEN: “Too lazy to write my notes, but be sure to include the photo I took of you and Diana and me in Salisbury Beach in April, and here’s a Zoom photo of me continuing to work with JENNIFER BURY, movement therapist extraordinaire, my body in New Jersey, her body in San Francisco. We do this every week, and it is so much fun! She is making me able to keep drawing and age gracefully with scoliosis, and I am so grateful. Let’s hear it for the applied creativity and intelligence of Brearley girls!”
From ANNE HERMANS: “Officially settling into my seventh decade, still working as an integrative veterinarian full time. Starting to wonder what retirement might look like,
WE MISS YOU!
please send news for class notes to the addresses listed below.
1964
RUTH GAIS ruthgais@gmail.com
1966
ALUMNAE RELATIONS classnotes@brearley.org
1971
LINDSEY FOLSOM lindseyfolsom@hotmail.com
1972
ANN SLEEPER KOPPEN adamsa@stpatsdc.org
1976
KATE MARSHALL katemarshall430@gmail.com
1977
ALICE TRUAX alicesanfordtruax@gmail.com
but no plans imminently. Kids are officially launched and living out west, which gives us lots of great excuses to visit. Friso and I are in New York often because Mom is not well, but no clear timeline, just lots of things to work out (Alzheimer’s). For fun these days I’m swimming, watching Star Trek reruns with Friso, reading as much as possible, and I just started doing puzzles which is making my monkey brain very happy! Looking forward to seeing lots of you next spring.”
SARAH ROSEN WARTELL writes: “Such great fun to see JENNIFER HAYDEN, in her element, with her portfolio of powerful work set up in a prominent place in a room of comic and graphic novel creators. To think . . . the public art she created on Brearley classroom chalkboards (and our high school yearbooks) was an early preview of this great artist’s work. I’m excited to expand my collection with her newest: The Sweetness that Remains.”
EMILY KANDEL writes: “I became a grand-
mother in January!!! And this condition absolutely lives up to the hype. Charlie is a beautiful, wonderful, funny and cute baby boy. And watching my daughter and son-inlaw learn how to be parents is so special. Paul and I have now babysat for Charlie solo for two four-day weekends—I don’t remember the last time I was that tired, or so happy at the same time! I am still dithering about the keep-working/retire question. So far all I have done is take on new projects, so apparently I am a failure at retiring! Eventually I will figure out what I want to do; in the meanwhile, I just keep going. I am still on the board of the National Headache Foundation; my daughter who lives with migraine is doing really well, but there are so many people who are struggling with this disease. It is very rewarding to know that I might be making a difference in a small way for a huge number of people who live with migraine and headache.”
LOWELL BOWDITCH writes: “I had a great sabbatical last year, 2022, spending some time in London, where I saw MONIQUE LOWITT, and some time in Rome, where I finally finished a book on Roman love elegy that I’d been slaving away at for almost 15 years. The book’s gestation was just a few years less than my daughter’s age—hmmmm, no surprise there! I am trying to wind down a bit in academia and move to part-time in a few years, and wondering what the transition will look like. My daughter, Elizabeth, is entering her third year at the University of Washington, so I am truly an empty-nester. That said, my 150-pound Great Pyrenees is an excellent companion.”
JILL ROOSEVELT writes from New York: “I am about to send Archie to boarding school at my alma mater St. George’s next week. It is bittersweet. I know he will love it and thrive but I will miss him being around. It was hard to leave Buckley after nine years and making so many good friends. A new chapter for us both. Glad I still have a job to keep me busy!”
DIANA MOLLER writes: “I’ve had the distinct pleasure of spending great sisterhood time with ELIZABETH ALLERTON DAVIS and JENNIFER HAYDEN in the town of Salisbury, MA. Looking forward to sharing time with them, along with MARINA JANUS, on the Cape soon. I moved from full-time teaching/directing at the Hartt School (BFA actor training), University of Hartford, to private actor training in my home in Middletown, CT. My son and his boyfriend are engaged, so that’s a wonderful thing to
look forward to. My daughter Eliza is doing well, incrementally, in her group home as an individual with disabilities. Married 32 years to the nicest guy.”
And finally, as a class we extend our condolences to CLAUDIA MEININGER GOLD and her family upon the death of her father this spring. May his memory be for a blessing. I send you all love from our Maine homestead where the ducks, chickens and geese keep us on our toes!
1981
ROZELLA FLORANZ KENNEDY rozie@kennedypost.com
Summer of Sexty: Here are some updates from the Class of ’81. Yes, we turned “sexty” this year, as evidenced by ELIZABETH ROSE, wearing a Brave Sis limited-edition T-shirt (I literally created a prototype of one, to lift my mood, and it’s taken off!). Elizabeth also shared that her daughter graduated from College of William & Mary in American studies this spring, and sent a great photo of her with HANNAH ROSEN, reporting that Zoe “worked with both Hannah and Hannah’s husband,” which is amazing, because they are extraordinary professors; lucky gal! Elizabeth’s son Leo “is back from a semester abroad in Australia and starting his senior year at Wesleyan. John has officially moved to 50 percent time at work and will ‘graduate’ from single employer/full-time work life at the end of June 2024. We are working on the transition to living off our savings, which is a really big psychological change. Next trip is a three-week drive on Route 66 from Chicago to LA, which is how John wanted to celebrate his 66th birthday. Anyone live along the way?” This message was shared on our Google chat, so I hope some of the other Class of ’81 Beavers living in the western half of the state were able to connect with her.
In other updates: I had the chance to Zoom with both ARIANE BRANDT and her son over the past few months, so I knew some of her news: “I live in Westchester, NY, with my husband, Gene, and furry son Watson; am the very proud mother of my son Adlai, a recent Vassar grad; and after many years as a consultant and coach now work in organizational development and learning at the prodemocracy nonprofit Protect Democracy.” Brava to all, and especially you, Ari, on this essential work! May I share another bit of news from an Ari? ANDREA MURRAY (and her sister RAQUEL
Elizabeth Allerton Davis, Claudia Meininger Gold, Melora Wolff, Leslie Brody, Monique Lowitt, and (back) Leslie Dickey Patel, all Class of 1979.
Jennifer Hayden ‘79 (top) and Jennifer Bury ‘79 (bottom), doing movement therapy from New Jersey to California.
Sarah Rosen Wartell and Jennifer Hayden, both Class of 1979.
Elizabeth Rose ’81, wearing shirt designed by Rozie Kennedy ’81.
MURRAY ’86) shared the wonderful news that her daughter Ariana recently graduated from Xavier University in Louisiana and is headed to the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. Andi, we all regale in this good news, after such a heart-wrenching time for you and your family. Love you so much!
Happy to hear from CLARA BINGHAM! “I moved from the Upper West Side to Cobble Hill, Brooklyn (near SARAH GOODYEAR), a year ago to live with my husband of nine years, Joe Finnerty. We chose the unconventional path of getting married (second time for both of us) eight years before we moved in together. We needed to wait for his three children and my three children to hatch before combining our books and furniture! Meanwhile, for the past four years, I’ve been working on an oral history of the women’s liberation movement. My book is being published by Simon & Schuster in May 2024 and its title is The Movement: How Women’s Liberation Remade America 1963–1973.”
Apt segue into what was a beautiful moment for some of us in June when Sarah Goodyear and JOANNA DELSON joined forces with my beloved Tufts friends to host a five-hour book party for Our Brave Foremothers! It was great reading, sharing, eating and enjoying libations! Here is a photo of the amazing Beaver sisters, minus DEB WASSER, who came in just a few minutes after this snap was taken. It was, as always, just a stellar delight to see LAURA WULF, who happened to be in town, taking care of her legendary father, Melvin, who passed just a few weeks after this gathering. He was a groundbreaking civil rights and civil liberties lawyer who litigated many important SCOTUS cases (oh for that SCOTUS again!). I often remarked that seeing his older daughter and me become such fast friends in middle school must have been one of his life’s dreams made real. Much love to him and your family, friend.
Lots more going on: KATE FOSTER-ANDERSON, I will turn the next Bulletin over to you to chronicle the great remake of our Class of ’81 group photo at the Alice in Wonderland Statue in Central Park, an event that will take place a few weeks after I submit this report. Love to all! Rozie
1982
ROBIN MURRAY-GILL PATTON
robin.patton212@outlook.com
CORDELIA TILGHMAN
CordieT@comcast.net
Greetings, Class of ’82. For this cycle we have news from KALEN HOCKSTADER HOLLIDAY and GINA SOLOMON, both of whom have taken full advantage of travel opportunities this past year. I (Cordelia), for one, am quite envious. MADELEINE FRISCH also submitted a photo for
the Bulletin of herself, Kalen and family enjoying lunch together at the Museum of Natural History where Madeleine works. Don’t miss it. From KALEN: “The past year has been focused on making up for the pandemic prison times. I’ve visited many friends—including getting to see HILARY JEWETT and Madeleine Frisch—and literally traveled from A to Z. Some highlights include Andermatt (a quaint ski village in Switzerland), Martha’s Vineyard, mid-coast Maine, Milan, Mount Snow, Normandy, Paris (twice), Savannah, Tahoe and Zurich. Plan to accompany my husband on his
Members of the Class of 1981 recreate their senior class photo at the Alice and Wonderland statue in Central Park.
1984 40TH REUNION
KATE GREER kate@contagiousvulnerability.com
Hello from the other side! Just back from an epic two weeks at Burning Man, an experience that would take far more than the space available to fully capture. I’ll share that my Playa name is Eudaemonia (a Greek word for “joy” that means “wellness of spirit”) and that you should not believe what you read in the mainstream media. Now on to our class update!
Excited to share that CATHERINE HENRY’s book Virtual Natives: How a New Generation Is Revolutionizing the Future of Work, Play, and Culture has been published and is in stores. She writes: “It basically picks up where the concept of digital natives, which was first coined in 1998 even prior to Facebook, when Mark Zuckerberg was just a freshman in college, leaves off. A lot has happened since and we researched how many generations are virtualizing new processes, workflows behaviors and relationships.”
and ALEX PIPER at Evita with a bonus dinner and showing of Jagged Little Pill with Diane.
JANE LACHER left GroupM last spring and is exploring new potential career directions. She’s leaning toward elder care or advising recent graduates and welcomes thoughts on either path. She continues to mentor women in their career growth, which remains the most rewarding occupation. Son Milo is in his senior year of an unorthodox college experience and is planning his semester abroad for spring senior year. Her mother still lives with them across the street from Brearley. She doesn’t know who Jane is, but she likes the food she cooks.
JEN NESSEL writes that she’s adopted a matching pair of orange kittens this summer who are ridiculous and bringing them much joy.
maiden voyage teaching art aboard a cruise from Lisbon to Miami this fall. Still enjoying my role as director of communications for an investment bank in NYC and love living in Sleepy Hollow, which isn’t nearly as sleepy as it sounds! Welcome visitors.”
And from GINA: “My main news is that I will be starting a new job in December as the chief of occupational, environmental and climate medicine at UCSF. I’ll be continuing my research projects focused on community resilience to climate change in farmworker and tribal communities in California, but I’ll also be seeing patients again (it has been a while!), running the residency program and probably dealing with lots of administrative headaches as well. Otherwise we’re doing well—traveling to various places (Ireland, Belize, Italy, the Navajo Nation, New Orleans), hiking and paddleboarding regularly and enjoying our two crazy terriers.”
Robin will take on the next set of notes. So send updates to her for the next cycle.
CORA VAN OLSON has been a journalist at her local paper, the Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan , for six years. Writing features, she fell in love with the town and the people and enjoys her work immensely. She was recently offered the city editor position and says that it has been a pretty steep learning curve but a nice change. She writes the city and county news and has a watchdog responsibility, too, which is new for her. She’s still got kids in the nest: Joyce, her oldest, is thriving. She’s almost 19, has special needs, and finished high school on an IEP and certificate track this spring. They are helping her manage her job cleaning at the local pet store as well as her life skills classes and Special Olympics. Son Anders is in the 10th grade and is hoping to make all-state orchestra again this year for violin. He’s been coding a single-player combat video game since summer 2022 and just built his first computer. The nerd in Cora is ecstatic!
KATY MOSS KEHOE writes that she and her husband, Jim, live in Auckland, NZ, with a few months in Maine for the summer. They love it there and luckily just received their residency visas! She’s busy working on her art, tutoring US students remotely and exploring all that NZ has to offer. She had a wonderful time in Boston seeing DIANE PAULUS, NINA SCHWALBE
LISA FRELINGHUYSEN continues her work at Banyan Global and is adding a side hustle to feed her passion for reproductive justice after Dobbs—she’s launching a company called ClutchKit to make reproductive health tools more accessible. They’ll provide tools to prevent unintended, unwanted pregnancies to young women across the country (please reach out if you’re interested). On the home front, two kids have graduated from college, one is in college, and one is starting her junior year at Brearley.
KARLA SILVERMAN writes that older daughter Ruby graduated from Columbia in May, and younger daughter Violet has just started her junior year there. Karla continues to do Medicaid health policy work and is an adjunct at NYU School of Global Public Health. She was accepted into the executive MPA program at NYU Wagner School for Public Service and began classes recently. She loves being back in school and asks that you wish her luck with her financial management classes!
1985
CARYN MAROONEY caryn.marooney@gmail.com
WILLA BERNSTEIN writes: “My little one, Eva, is back to school today, starting the 4s program. She’s happy that her big sis, ANNA BRAZ ‘19 (Brearley, K–8), is in town for a visit after graduating from Occidental College. Anna has been working as a lifestyles/features writer for the Los Angeles Times and we’ve been thrilled to read her articles on festivals, green business ventures and everything LA.”
ASHLEY HOPPIN: “It’s been great reconnecting with CAROLINE BICKS and her family
Class of 1981 members (top row) Emily Chase, Karen Sonet-Rosenthal, Sarah Goodyear and Emily O’Connor; (bottom row) Joanna Delson, Rozie Kennedy Laura Wulf.
Kalen Hockstader Holliday ‘82, her mother, Diane Deshamps Hockstader ‘53, along with Kalen’s husband, Rob, and daughter, Sky, at lunch with Madeleine Frisch ‘82 at the American Museum of Natural History.
in Blue Hill, ME, where she lives. I highly recommend checking out her podcast Everyday Shakespeare, which is relevant, fascinating and funny.”
MARIE-ELIZABETH MALI’s note: “Patrick and I got married this past summer in a small backyard wedding at our home in Santa Monica, CA. After being together for eight years, it’s sweet to feel how marriage is shifting our relationship. We spend most of the year at our home in San José Del Cabo, Mexico, where we also hold women’s retreats through my Relationship Alchemy business. I’m currently bringing out my new work for women on activating what I call the PassionBody to carry us through the second half of life and recently appeared in a documentary called Big Stages, about the work of my speaker coach, Tricia Brouk, released in October 2023.
From REGINA MATTHEWS : “While my daughter, 7-year-old Angeline, was at day camp I stole a few hours this summer to have lunch with MONICA LENGYEL , visit Judge JOCELYN NORMAND ’s courtroom and, after hours, attend a concert with VICTORIA GUEST . I was also proud to host CAROLINE BICKS on her recent visit to the Brearley, where I now teach history in tandem with Gail Marcus. I ran into AMY ROSSABI , who lives across the street, on her way to Australia to visit daughter Sarah on a semester abroad. Angie (Regina’s daughter), who desperately wants a dog (!), loves feeding Amy’s adorable pooch apples when we run into each other in the neighborhood.
From JULIE GERNGROSS: “Twenty-five years later, I’m still living in rural California in Nevada City. I’m an elected school board member and CEO of the statewide advocacy organization for arts and culture Californians for the Arts. I also run the partner lobbying organization California Arts Advocates, where I have the pleasure of trying to influence the government to invest in the arts. In 2021 the first bill I worked on became law, the first creative workforce development bill in the United States. I can assure you getting a bill signed by a governor is not as simple as Schoolhouse Rock made it out to be, but it is challenging and fun nonetheless. I was recently appointed to a state task force on economic mobility. I’m also board president for our local Indigenous tribe organization, who continue to fight to have their federal recognition reinstated. Needless to say, I am busy but work suits me, I’m not much of a hobbyist.
“Living in a small town affords lots of opportunities to make a difference and I’ve enjoyed being a big fish in a small pond; obviously this is not NYC! For those on Instagram, you will appreciate that my name is @greenacres4life—‘the country life for me.’ My three sons are all grown and my husband, Richard, and I will celebrate 30 years of marriage next year. We are also loving the grandparent life with our almost-3-year-old grandson, Joseph, or as we call him, JoJo. The rumor is true: Being a grandparent is the best. Recently I reconnected with MARIE-ELIZABETH MALI. It was a joy to hang out with her here in Nevada City. If you find yourself on your way to Lake Tahoe or near Sacramento, please stop by! We have a lovely Airbnb and welcome anyone from the Class of 1985! Sending love to you all.”
News from me (CARYN MAROONEY): We made a last-minute move from Cape Cod, MA, where we have been since Covid, to Carmel, CA. It’s a big change. My son is starting high school in Carmel. (How did that happen!?) We bought a fixer and it’s been overwhelming. Everything needs fixing!! Trying to realize it’s a journey—but it’s been a lot. Once settled (will take a while), would love to have visitors.
KIM MILLER sends a gorgeous photo of her granddaughter Poppy Siora Kahan, born 4/28/23. Huge congratulations to Kim and family.
1986
ALEX POSTMAN alexspostman@gmail.com
Classmates! As those of you on our class email know, September 13 marked the 50th anniversary of our inception: the first day of kindergarten for those who started at 610 in 1973. JULIET KOSS somehow realized this—she’s a historian, after all—and confirmed it against the meticulously archived calendars of both Franny Taliaferro and SUSAN FROST ‘56. This led her to instigate a class Zoom call on the afternoon of the anniversary, which I wasn’t able to join due to travel (more on that later), but which she recapped as follows: “On the occasion of the occasion, a dozen of us shared 34 minutes of reminiscences, and then HANNAH PARKER joined us for 60 seconds in between seeing patients, right at the very end. Tales were told of hatching chicks, paper hats with streamers, the milk cart, The Gondoliers, lost
kindergarteners in Carl Schurz Park, Ab Frost’s birthday parties, the (then) very high-tech eighth-floor science labs, and the occasional flashers in Central Park and elsewhere. Also, there was something about a dead body floating in the East River, but I’m pretty sure that was just a rumor. Attendees included ELISABETH (BETSY) LAYDON, RUTH DAVIS KONIGSBERG, EMILY FORSTER, ANNE PEARSON, ABIGAIL FROST, LIZZIE BERNE DEGEAR, KATIE ROIPHE, PATRICIA (PATTY) KEIM, KATE BARDEL HAMBLET, EMILY BAB KIRSCH, and RAQUEL (KELLI) MURRAY.”
Betsy chimed in with some additional intel
Granddaughter of Kim Miller ’85.
Anna Braz ‘19 and Eva, family of Willa Bernstein ’85.
Julie Gerngross and Marie-Elizabeth Mundheim, both Class of 1985.
WE MISS YOU!
please send news for class notes to the addresses listed below.
1980
ALUMNAE RELATIONS classnotes@brearley.org
1983
ALUMNAE RELATIONS classnotes@brearley.org
1988
KAREN MALLAH
kmallah@msn.com
for me on the whereabouts of a few people on the call: Kelli lives on Grand Street a few blocks from where she grew up, Anne lives in San Francisco, Emily Forster is in Seattle and used to work for the Seahawks, though lately she’s been working for the Olympics and is hoping to attend the upcoming Paris games. Additionally, I know that Lizzie, Patty, Emily B., Katie and Abigail remain here in NYC, and Ruth relocated during Covid to Martha’s Vineyard, where she works as a librarian.
Updating her own story, Betsy writes: “After taking a year off from working to help my teenage kids navigate through the lingering impact of the pandemic, I resumed my career as a federal government attorney but no longer a litigator, which I had been for the first 20+ years of my legal career. Instead of defending in court the regulations issued by federal agency, I now work at a federal agency helping to write those regulations. The agency is the Consumer Product Safety Commission. I really love the work, although it is a steep learning curve and switching gears at this age is no joke. I’ve mainly been working on regulations for infant and children’s products, which gives me a newfound appreciation of the fact that my children somehow survived their early childhood—not to mention how we all survived our childhoods back before seatbelts and safety precautions were a thing.”
And then the reason I missed the call is because I was on assignment in Botswana doing a trans–Okavango Delta crossing (on foot and
by boat) for my former employer, Condé Nast Traveler. Even though there’s decent Wi-Fi in many of the safari lodges now, on September 13 I was camped out by the river, being rattled awake by the gargling of hippos and rustle of warthogs in the bushes. While I still write for CNT now and again, I’m mainly working on a travel start-up (magazine and newsletter) called Yolo Journal, still helping the beauty brand Chantecaille on their wildlife conservation strategy and communications, and editing two books by my friend J. J. Martin, who founded the Italian fashion brand La DoubleJ. (The first one, Mamma Milano, came out in October ’23!) My oldest son, Sam, is now living in Berkeley and pursuing research work in psychology, Charlie graduated last spring from the University of Michigan and is home while looking for a job in renewable energy, and Nell is applying to colleges. As the nest fully empties out, I’m feeling a little wistful and confused about how fast it all went, but also excited for whatever the third act brings.
xo Alex
1987
VICTORIA “TORI” C. ROWAN VCRowan@Ideasmyth.com
SARAH (STERN) CROWELL srcrowell@gmail.com
Seeking: a classmate to coproduce class notes! Please contact either of us or reach out to classnotes@brearley.org.
Kicking off here with an overdue catch-up on 2022, our 35th reunion year, as we did manage to thwart Covid’s buzzkills with a few great gatherings:
In March a small cohort—including CAROLINE DORSEN, PHILIPPA “PHIPPY” KAYE, SASHA KOREN, MARGARET “PEGGY” ROUSSEAU, SARAH SMITH, VICTORIA “TORI” ROWAN and CYNTHIA YOUNG—met up for a slumber party weekend in Harlem. To quote Peggy, it “was a dream of giggles and spring flowers at the Bronx Botanical Garden.” (See photos.)
Thanks to MARY LAMBERT’s determination, we pulled off an in-person restaurant gathering that convened after Brearley’s alumnae week wrapped up in April ‘22. In May ‘22 we had a Zoom reunion that truly was a tribute to the transcendence of technology: VICTORIA “VICKY” HOLSTEIN tuned in from Virgina, BETSY TOMLINSON from her yard in Maine, CARMEN MALDONADO from her car in NYC, POLLY SAMU-
ELS from Utah, ANNE “SANDY” VANDERZEE and myself from Connecticut. Thumbing her nose to the time difference, SUSANNAH MOSS RAE Zoomed in from Perth, Scotland, in her tartan (of course!) pajamas. Fantastic too that we also got to catch SASHA KOREN from her seat on an Amtrak, and JODY (PERLBERGER) WATERMEYER popped in with astounding good humor while quarantining with another round of Covid from Harlem. DANIELLE LEWIS also joined us from NYC, despite feeling sideswiped by her Covid booster, and captured the class vibe so well, writing: “It was wonderful to reconnect with so many ‘87s. Let’s try to gather more and send our positive energy out into the world. My latest adventure was a venture across the Atlantic to Spain, and it was glorious. Traveling through Madrid, Cordoba and the Alhambra made me think of Mrs. Lipton, Mrs. Helman and Mrs. Thompson with gratitude.”
As our news industry maven SASHA KOREN writes, “It seems like a minute ago that we all dressed up in white to celebrate our Brearley accomplishments. Did we listen to U2’s ‘With or Without You’ later? (Maybe, or maybe Whitney’s ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody.’) Did we register the significance of the AIDS crisis or the Iran-Contra hearings taking up space on the front pages? (Possibly. But maybe not that day.) Wherever this 35th year finds you, maybe take a moment to find a good late 80s playlist, crank it up, tune out the world’s woes for a few songs, and celebrate how far we’ve come.”
Now back to the present:
Career updates:
LAURA BELGRAY: “Launching my first book, Tough Titties, has been exactly the roller coaster everyone promised it would be. Lows were about attachment to outcomes (cough, New York Times), and aren’t they always? Highs included seeing Kelly Ripa hold it up and rave about it on air; reading aloud to a packed audience at Barnes & Noble in Brooklyn; making the Publisher’s Weekly bestseller list; going into bookstores and signing copies; getting to share the launch excitement with my family; and, best of all, hearing from friends and strangers alike that it was their favorite read of the summer, that it inspired them, made them feel less alone, or made them snortlaugh on a subway or plane. That’s always my favorite. Also, my mother proudly wearing her Tough Titties pin.” CARMEN MALDONADO raves, “Read Laura Belgray’s Tough Titties and laughed so hard! Everybody MUST read this!!!” I (TORI) have gotta add, listening to Laura’s
voice on the audio version was awesome aural time travel—like hanging out for hours in the Brearley cafeteria, only better as her stories are even more outrageous today.
LISI DEHAAS: “My wife and I dropped our son off for his first year at Haverford College at the end of August. I have been filling my empty nest with preparations for the premiere of my play, The Slow Dance, which will be presented by 59E59 Theaters (59e59.org) in March of 2024. I have been developing the play together with director LILY KANTER RIOPELLE ‘10 since before the pandemic and we are thrilled to be bringing it to life for an audience.”
RÉMIE (ROSEMAN) CHRIST: “I have been working part-time on strategic growth projects with a small consulting firm founded by a friend from graduate school. I also continue to do volunteer work, mainly for Yale. Although I have stepped away from some of my involvement with governance at the Yale Club of New York, I still serve on the Finance Committee there. My biggest volunteer news is that I was appointed to the Yale Alumni Association Board of Governors, so I am very engaged with my alma mater and often on campus.”
SARAH (STERN) CROWELL: “After a decade spent revitalizing downtowns and rebuilding communities across New York State as director of the Office of Planning, Development and Community Infrastructure at the NYS Department of State, it was time for a new challenge, so I took a position as program manager for the NYS Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES). I have a lot to learn, but look forward to doing my part to facilitate clean energy development in NYS.”
CARMEN MALDONADO: “In spring 2023 I launched an organizing business, GoodLifeOrganized.com, and am so happy to have some Class of ‘87 clients (thank you LIZ GUERCIN and CHRISTINE RODRIGUEZ!). Had the pleasure of spending time with Liz’s beautiful daughters—they are truly the best of Liz. Which is everything—artsy, curious, and whippersnapper sharp! Remembering dear Rachel Hall every day and approaching life with grace and gratitude!”
VICTORIA “TORI” ROWAN: “Our home renovation finally being move-in-able, I have the bandwidth to expand my communications consulting and programming curating with some wonderful northwest Connecticut cultural organizations, including chairing the Washington Arts Council (https://www. washingtonct.org/arts-council) and cochairing
www.Farmers-Table.org as well as the nationally broadcast Common Ground with Jane Whitney (www.CGJW.org), which feeds the soul of every news nerd with quality conversation about the most divisive issues facing Americans today. Always happy to play cultural tour guide to any passing through the Hudson Valley or Litchfield Hills!”
JULIE (LEVINE) SIMON : “In addition to my tutoring (and cake) work, I am now a certified youth resilience coach. I help young women thrive—through issues of self-esteem and self-efficacy, motivation, life passion, social dynamics, career and school goals, and more.”
SARAH SMITH: “I’m directing a new master’s program at Hopkins, tailored for students who want to transition into STEM fields.”
BETSY TOMLINSON: “After 10 years in Maine, I’m back in the school world. In January 2022, I began a new position at North Yarmouth Academy, a small independent school that is just a short walk up Main Street from our little yellow house with a white picket fence—pretty much the opposite of my childhood experience! I get to create and launch a leadership and community engagement program for the whole school—preschool to 12th grade—and I’m assisting the college counselor, which fills me with gratitude for all that Mrs. Taliaferro did for us. Some days I really think purple paper notes on a bulletin board would be much more effective communication than emails. I’ve loved getting to know the students and faculty at the school and I’m happy to have the same schedule as my husband, who is the chair of the history department. I love seeing PEGGY ROUSSEAU and MARNIE (THOMPSON) MILLER and any other classmates who pass through Maine. I’m still shocked and so sad about Rachel Hall’s
Upper West Side Kids Unite! Caroline Dorsen and Sasha Koren, both ’87.
Peggy Rousseau ‘87 pointing out something funny to Cynthia Young ’87.
Swell sisterhood smiles: Marion Belgray ‘91 boosting her older sib and new author, Laura Belgray ’87.
Class of 1987’s 35th Reunion Nite Out: (left to right) Catherine “Cat” (Magid) Diefenbach, Danielle Lewis, Remie (Roseman) Christ, Sarah (Stern) Crowell, Mary Lambert, Anna Chapman, Jessica Levinstein, Jody (Perlberger) Watermeyer, Stockton Hall, Victoria “Tori” Rowan.
passing and am inspired to stay connected with old friends.”
Family life updates:
REMIE (ROSEMAN) CHRIST echoes what so many classmates are reporting about being of the “sandwich generation” (simultaneously caregiving for elders and children): “I see my mom a lot as she still lives on the Upper West Side in the apartment many of you visited and may remember. We also travel often to Germany and Spain to visit my in-laws, which is always a pleasure for many reasons. I also travel regularly to Binghamton, NY, and Alexandria, VA, to visit and help my maternal aunts, who are widows and for whom I am effectively their daughter. My twins, Annabella and Lukas, just started 8th grade this fall, which is hard to believe. It’s such a pleasure to see these once four-pound preemies flourish in school and activities, and grow into amazing, tall teens. Lukas is in his second year at Hunter College High School, and Annabella (‘Bella’) is in her last year of middle school at MS104 Simon Baruch JHS. She (and I) will be busy this fall applying to high schools. She expressed interest in the Brearley. We’ll see. . . .”
RACHEL BIEDERMAN: “I’ve lived over half my life in Colorado now and currently call Lafayette, CO, home. My oldest (Jasper, 19) is off to his sophomore year at University of Oregon. Youngest (Delilah, 16) started her junior year in high school in August. I’m enjoying my late-summer garden and getting ready to mentor four emerging women through a Women LEAD development class.”
SARAH (STERN) CROWELL: “I am still in the Hudson Valley (East Chatham to be exact), where my husband, Tom, and I are beginning to get used to life as empty nesters. Our son Jonathan graduated from UVM and is touring the world with various bands as a lighting technician. Caroline graduated from Barnard last year and is now completing her master’s in public policy at Columbia SIPA. SARAH SMITH and I met up for a sail in Maine this past summer. It was such fun to catch up after all these years. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to gather a larger group of Brearley-ites in Maine next summer? If you may have an excuse to be in Maine in 2024, please let us know!” (See photo.)
SARAH SMITH’s take on empty-nest-ness: “And suddenly, our three children are all in college. We miss them, and their friends, and their noise, and—maybe—even their laundry, more than we ever imagined. We acquired three cats to replace them, but somehow,
it’s just not the same! Commiserations to any other ABANDONED PARENTS in the Class of ’87. Wonderful to hang out with SARAH CROWELL and her lovely family in Maine this July. I hope we can have a larger mini-reunion there in 2024.
Creative adventures:
ALEXANDRA FUCHS: “I left my job at the Boston Symphony Orchestra last year and am grateful to have more time with my mother, who is going through the difficult process of aging, and with my teenage daughters when they tolerate me. Still playing the cello in a community orchestra in Newton, MA, and chamber music in the Berkshires, where my husband, Gideon, and I have a home in Richmond, MA.”
STOCKTON HALL: “I guess the aftereffects of a midlife crisis led me to try new things recently. So I took my first flight lesson and flew a plane over the coast of Maine. My dream for my retirement is to be that pilot that does flyover advertisements towing banners across tranquil beaches. I also took a glass-blowing class and am off to Paris and Morocco for three weeks in October.”
BETSY JACKS: “I’ve embraced the notion that our 50s are ‘high noon’—a term I prefer to ‘midlife’—and am finally making time to paint (in my new painting studio in Troy, NY) and write—as I cheer on my mother, who is doing the same. A highlight was a mother-daughter interview event at Hudson (NY) Hall.” (See photo.)
POLLY SAMUELS: “Me and my girls spent last fall in Aix en Provence, where they went to French school and I worked from our apartment, such a great experience! This fall we are looking forward to a trip to Antarctica which my husband guides every year, but this year I’m going along with our 16-year-old daughter. Look me up in Park City, UT!”
Relocations:
REMIE (ROSEMAN) CHRIST: “After 15 years in Long Island City, we moved to Astoria as an interim step while we figure out where we want to end up for the kids’ high school. Come visit! As BRIENNE CLIADAKIS will tell you, Astoria is fascinating, super diverse, and full of great food—Greek and much more!”
VICTORIA (GLICKMAN) HODGKINS now splits time between Park City, UT, and her college/ grad school stomping grounds of Boston, where her mother and not-so-new-collegegraduate daughter (both Boston-area graduates too) also are living.
Sarahs by the Sea: Sarah (Stern) Crowell and Sarah Smith, both ’87, in Maine.
Betsy Jacks ’87 interviewing her mother, Elizabeth Jacks Scott, at Hudson Hall.
Jody Perlberger Watermeyer ’87 and family.
Kripalu yoga on the lawn at Tanglewood with Class of 1987 members (left to right) Victoria (Glickman) Hodgkins, Lisi DeHaas, Victoria “Tori” Rowan, Alexandra Fuchs.
PHILIPPA “PHIPPY” KAYE: “I’ve been landscaping in Detroit and looking forward to more of this in São Miguel, Azores, Portugal, where my husband, Robert, and I have been planning on developing a beautiful cow pasture into an eco-positive tourist destination. World events interrupted, so that Robert organized a program that has brought Ukrainian artist moms and their children to stay on the island. You can learn more here: https://atlanticartists.squarespace.com/.”
PEGGY ROUSSEAU : “My wife, Karen, and I moved to Harpswell, ME—seeing how happy BETSY TOMLINSON is in nearby Yarmouth sealed the deal and we are hugely enjoying our ‘pretirement.’ A highlight of last fall was hosting a tea party with Betsy Tomlinson, her mother and my parents. Unfortunately I can’t find a photo with the people, only the food. Typical. Being back in the homelands and closer to old friends has been so restorative and FUN. Please come visit, we have the room!”
In memoriam:
From MARY LAMBERT : “Our classmate SARAH MOLLOY passed last year in Palm Harbor, FL, from complications with COPD. Sarah graduated from UVA and worked primarily as a social worker in her 20s. She was a gifted artist and spent much time on her own art and using art as therapy. I know many of us remember and will miss Sarah’s infectious laugh, her mischievous energy and her beautiful creativity. CYNTHIA YOUNG , along with some of Sarah’s and my classmates from Exeter, established a fund in Sarah’s name at NYC’s Fountain House in hopes that others struggling like Sarah with mental illness can find community, resources and support for their artistic journey and their well-being. Contributions can be made to Fountain House to the Sarah Molloy Fund in her honor (Fountainhouse.org).” NOTE: Anyone with photos or stories of our classmates LIZ GREENMAN , RACHEL HALL , or SARAH MALLOY please submit to us so we can do an expanded obituary for each of these most memorable women.
1989 35TH REUNION
MELISSA DALLAL
melissa@melissadallal.com
Class of ‘89! We want to hear more from you! Please make sure to send us your news!
Starting off with a big congrats to KATE ANTHONY for her first book being published: “My first book, The D Word: Making the Ultimate Decision About Your Marriage, is coming out on December 26, published by Kensington Books.” Wishing her much success!
ZANTHE TAYLOR shared what’s on her mind now that both daughters are on to their next chapters: “On the one hand, I have very little to report since I’ve just worked myself out of my longtime job of raising children at home. Matthew’s and my younger daughter graduated from high school in June and is taking a gap year before college, while the older is a junior at Oberlin, following in the footsteps of several of our wonderful classmates. And then I wonder whether, in fact, the significant thing to report is embarking on the biggest transition since becoming a parent 20 years ago? I know so many of us are facing or anticipating the same kind of transitional . . . angst? opportunity? Whatever it is, I happily anticipate conversations with my fellow Beavers about what the next stages look like for me and for each of us. I’m looking forward to figuring out what the past 20 years have taught me about where to go in the next 20, if I’m lucky. I know at least I’ll be in good company.”
In July, I attended a fun birthday dinner for CLAIRE GILMAN with JORDIN RUDERMAN and JAMIE OBSTBAUR LEONHART. Jordin told us about the three-thousand-feet-in-the-sky 13th birthday adventure of her daughter TWYLA SHAND ‘28—she said she wanted to go hang gliding for the first time to celebrate, so off they went to upstate NY to make it happen! Claire continues to shine in her role as the chief curator at the Drawing Center, organizing creative, insightful and beautiful shows. Earlier in the year, Jamie and I attended Claire’s sister Priscilla Gilman’s talk at the New York Society Library about her wonderful new book, The Critic’s Daughter, about her relationship with her father, the theater and literary critic Richard Gilman.
I’m still enjoying my role as interior design and art collection manager at Memorial Sloan Kettering. This past year I’m especially proud to have commissioned installations by the Mexican American artist Carlos Rosales-Silva (for MSK’s cafeteria) and the Japanese American artist Yoshi Sodeoka (for MSK’s new Computational Oncology Research Campus). We’ve recently started work on a new inpatient tower going up in 2029 on the southeast corner of 67th and York, so that’s been exciting to
see it start to take shape.
Going forward, ZANTHE has come to my rescue and has offered to share the role as class notes agent with me in an alternating capacity, so for the next issue, please share your news with her at Zanthe23@gmail.com.
1991
SARA CHAGANTI
sara.chaganti@gmail.com
As we make our way through our collective 50th birthday year, it’s great to hear how busy everyone is. LEONORA ZILKA WILLIAMSON sends news from Nashville, TN: “I teach business at Vanderbilt and have an executive coaching practice called Platinum Rule Advisors. I’m divorced with two daughters—Louise, 15, is a sophomore at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, VA, and Annie, 13, is in 8th grade here at the University School of Nashville. We also have an awesome golden retriever named Scout! Any of my Brearley classmates passing through Nashville should look me up!”
Three generations of Brearley girls: Wendy Lehman Lash ‘60, Lucy Shapard ‘25, Hattie Shapard ‘23 and Abigail Lash ‘88 at Upper School Last Day ceremony.
Twyla Shand ‘28, daughter of Jordin Ruderman ‘89, hang gliding on her 13th birthday.
WE MISS YOU!
1990
KAREN MALLAH
kmallah@msn.com
1992
LAURIN LUCAIRE
laurin.lucaire@gmail.com
LIZ ALDERMAN lizzyholmes@yahoo.com
1993
MIKA TSUGIYAMA BOUVARD Mbouvard@outlook.com
1998 ALUMNAE RELATIONS classnotes@brearley.org
VANESSA GUEST HOPE writes that she recently directed a documentary about the first female president of Taiwan, Invisible Nation . It will be released at film festivals across the country this fall. Congratulations, Vanessa!
Finally, LAKISHA MAXEY shared the story of an incredible accomplishment at the end of a very challenging few years. Here is her message: “Hey y’all. August 10, 2023, was the third anniversary of my hemorrhagic stroke. This trauma led me through a myriad of emotions I struggled with daily. When suicide was not an option because of my faith and my family, I turned my pain into poetry. My first published book is now released! This is a really big moment in my author journey. I’m so excited to share my brandnew book with you, A Stroke at Midnight: Poems for the Journey from Trauma to Healing . It is officially available NOW! I have also released my new children’s book, Wheels Like Me . This book is about the journey of a young girl in a wheelchair who tours her neighborhood looking for other people who get around using wheels just like herself. It is available as a paperback and an ebook.”
I got my copy of LaKisha’s book of poetry in the mail last week, and I am deeply moved by her words and inspired by her strength. A half a century in, I’m guessing many of us are feeling like we were not prepared for all of what life has thrown at us. I really appreciate everyone’s generosity in sharing your stories. Keep in touch!
1994 30TH REUNION
ELIZABETH
SAROSI
Elizabeth.Sarosi@gmail.com
Hoping that this finds everyone well after a notes hiatus! Thrilled to hear from KIMBERLY KAHN, who is returning to 610 as a parent. She writes, “My daughter, Ananke, starts kindergarten at Brearley tomorrow! That’s my big news. We had a lovely visit with YILING CHEN-JOSEPHSON’s family during an upstate trip in July. Then, in August, YiLing’s dog, Thumper, had a pleasant stay at our place. Multigenerational and interspecies Brearley connections!” Good luck, Ananke!
JANE OHWHEILER GARGETT is making a return of sorts as well, to the engineering world. “My family and I moved back to the US from Germany in the summer of ‘22, and we’ve settled in Colorado Springs for the time being while our daughter attends high school. Can’t believe I’m only a few years out from empty nesting! After years working in education and the travel industry, I’m back working as an engineer for the first time in decades. It’s been a weird transition, but it’s going well. Outside of that, I’ve been performing, and right now I’m directing a show at a local community theater, which I love.”
ZIBBY SCHWARTZMAN OWENS is keeping busy these days: “I’ve recently opened a bookstore in Santa Monica, CA, called Zibby’s Bookshop. My publishing company Zibby Books has released eight novels and memoirs already, including a USA Today bestseller. Zibby Media now includes classes, retreats, events, Zibby’s Book Club and podcasts like mine, Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books (going strong for five years). In March, my first novel will come out called BLANK, about a bestselling author/ wife/mother in LA whose impending second book deadline causes upheaval in her personal and professional life in ways she never could’ve imagined. Life is busy but very fun!”
I have been keeping busy myself, continuing to work for the Department of Education as a social worker. This year, my youngest will leave
one of the elementary schools where I work and head off to middle school. Time flies! Happily, I see CAROLINE SINCERBEAUX KING, LYNN RASIC, NATASHA SZARKOWSKI BROWN and ANDREA SARAZEN MELTON frequently and get to see CAROLINE ADAMS with regularity as our children are in the same choir—fun! I’ve run into REBECCA BLANK, who is back in the neighborhood with her adorable daughter, and spent a few great days with PERSEPHONE HARRINGTON in California this past spring. So lucky to connect with so many classmates. Hoping for more updates from everyone next time!
1995
MEGAN LYNAGH melynagh@gmail.com
Our class was so very sorry to hear about the passing of our beloved teacher, Grace Nicklas Warne, known to students as Miss Nick during her years at Brearley. Miss Nick was a great friend to the Class of 1995. From 5th grade until we graduated, she was a constant presence in our lives. In those eight years she taught math to members of our class at least four times and was a homeroom teacher three times. In years she wasn’t teaching our grade, Miss Nick was a regular at sports events and acted as a chaperone on our overnight trips. She stayed in touch with many of us after graduating, sending postcards to our college addresses or meeting up during vacations. It was a special relationship at an important time in our lives, and we will miss her always. Several of my classmates shared some thoughts along with their updates below.
In early August, ALICE LIDDELL visited New York from Sonoma, CA, with her 8-year-old twins and saw KATE WAGNER-GOLDSTEIN and ANN WHITMAN. Ann writes, “We had such a great time discussing everything from family to climate change to RV life, and, of course, reminiscing. As part of the latter, we spoke about Grace Nicklas Warne and our hopes for her recovery, and we were quite devastated to learn about her death only a week later. Grace (‘Miss Nick’) really was a superb and personable teacher, and a big part of our class’s Brearley experience. It was such a joy for many of us to reconnect with her as adults and to see her at reunions, for lunch in the city, and even at a classmate’s wedding. She’s really going to be missed.”
Alice has been at ICF, a consulting firm, for over 15 years and is providing support to
the EPA Energy Star program, and setting up rebate programs for the Department of Energy. Ann lives in Brooklyn and is the director of communications at the Dana Foundation, where she has worked for many years.
KATE and her family moved to Montclair, NJ, two years ago. “We still miss New York— and Brearley, which our kids, Iris (12) and Sylvie (8), attended before we moved—but we are enjoying the upsides, among them our new dog Oggie. I’ve spent the last several years advocating for the NY Clean Slate Act, which finally passed this June with broad support! The bill will decrease current punitive barriers to employment, housing and other opportunities for people with conviction histories. It’s a huge step and I’m excited to see what comes next. This summer it was great to get to see a couple of West Coast classmates—ALICE on her quick visit, and ANDREA KASSAR, who just moved with her family to Pasadena, CA, for the exciting job of head of school at Westridge!” Kate added that Miss Nick “had such an impact on me! I was so grateful for her incredible energy and contagious enthusiasm, and the real attention and interest she had for us.”
LILI STEARNS “was on sabbatical with my family in the lovely city of Detroit this past year. My husband’s work took us there, and I worked as a faculty fellow for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). The NGA is a division of the Department of Defense, and their mission is to collect, analyze and distribute geospatial intelligence. This includes renewed attention on the Arctic, given recent geopolitical tensions and a rapidly changing environment. My research focuses on iceberg and sea ice remote sensing, and it was fun to apply that expertise to a more operational objective for the year.” Lili stayed close with Miss Nick through the years, and she has written more elsewhere in the Bulletin
LETICIA SKAI YOUNG-MOHAN shared some exciting news that “Pepsi hand-picked my restaurant brand LoLo’s as one of four restaurant partners to participate in a restaurant residency program at the Libertine Social MGM restaurant in Las Vegas this holiday season!” Leticia also announced their new location, LoLo’s on the Water, at Market 57, the newly opened James Beard food hall located at Pier 57. And she “can hardly believe that we are celebrating a 10-year run of our flagship location in Harlem, which is set to close at the end of this year. Thank you to
everyone in the Brearley community who has ever visited us there—including our beloved Miss Nick, whom we will remember forever!”
1996
EMILY FITZGERALD emfitz@gmail.com
Class of 1996, you answered the call again. I continually am amazed by the range of talent, expertise and generosity of spirit in this group.
DREUX CHAPPELL is living her best eclectic life in Tampa, FL, having left Old Dominion University and started a new position as an associate professor in the College of Marine Science at the University of South Florida. “My husband’s band, Dark Remedy, is doing well climbing the rock charts. On the side we (mostly he) manage(s) our Disney vacation rental business, Magical Destination Villas, which includes two houses with Frozen- and Harry Potter-themed rooms in addition to other theming, home theater, pool and an in-home arcade room at each house.” Did someone say winter getaway?
Coincidentally, HANNAH ROGGE shared a great DREUX story from a few months ago when she was wrapping up her third children’s book (Hello Clownfish) and the editor challenged a sentence for accuracy. “I didn’t think their suggestion was any better but wasn’t sure how to verify my research and wording (for my target audience of a 2-year-old, mind you). Then, Dreux came to my mind! I hadn’t seen her since 1996 but I knew she was a professional in the field. I messaged her through Facebook, getting right to the point of my very specific clownfish question. She responded immediately and confirmed the process clownfish go through. It was a really cool moment (like we hadn’t skipped a beat . . . or 27 years). As it turns out, she was at a trivia night with her oceanographer colleagues, who all weighed in on the options and agreed that either one could work in the context of this board book. I let Dreux get back to her night out and I was able to go back to my editor with confidence and approval from expert(s) in the field! Thanks so much, Dreux. I still really appreciate it and enjoy thinking of that moment!”
ELIZABETH NATHAN SAUNDERS wrote in with the late-breaking news that she accepted a faculty position in the political science department at Columbia University and will start in January 2024. “I have a new book coming out around the same time about the politics of war
called The Insiders’ Game: How Elites Make War and Peace—obviously, a spring break beach read—and will be published by Princeton University Press. I have been working on it for more than a decade, but it will be coming out in an election year, when the politics of foreign policy are once again in the news. The book has some experimental evidence from public opinion surveys and a lot of historical material from presidential archives—just the combo of science and history that I loved at Brearley. Meanwhile, our girls keep growing up (anyone know how to slow that down?), and I enjoy spoiling my nieces (daughters of CAROLINE NATHAN HORN ‘00) rotten.”
I heard from another author in our midst,
Class of 1995 members Alice Liddell, Kate Wagner-Goldstein and Ann Whitman.
Chai Vasarhelyi ‘96 at the Telluride Film Festival premiere of NYAD with son James, daughter Marina Vasarhelyi-Chin ‘32 and head of National Geographic Documentary Films, Carolyn Bernstein ‘86.
Chai Vasarhelyi ‘96 on set of NYAD with husband Jimmy Chin, Annette Bening and Jodie Foster.
HADLEY FREEMAN, whose big news from 2023 was that “after 23 years at The Guardian newspaper in London, I moved to The Sunday Times as one of their main columnists and features writers, and so far the landing has been reassuringly smooth. My book, Good Girls, came out in April in the US and UK and got some lovely write-ups in the New York Times, which was a proper dream-cometrue moment. My twin boys are now 8 and my little girl is 4, and the main excitement of our summer was the filming of Paddington 3 in our neighborhood in north London, Primrose Hill. The kids were looking out all of August for the small brown bear, and yet he is so far proving strangely elusive. Much love to all the Brearley girls!”
The London-Brearley connection remains strong with classmates gathering in different combinations throughout the year. While on a family trip to London/Paris in June, DAISY UFFELMAN DOWNS had dinner with CARYN BELL, LILLY WOLLMAN, SARA PECK and Hadley. “Sadly, ADELAIDE SCARDINO and ANNIE SCHNITZER NOTH couldn’t make it. In Paris, I had a nice stroll around the Luxembourg Gardens with TORI DE MÉNIL and our youngest children. It was lovely to catch up with Brearley classmates that I haven’t seen in I don’t know how long!” DOMINIQUE PECK-MEYER also caught up with Sara and Caryn while in London. “I was there sadly for the funeral of the father of AMELIE VILLENEUVE and FRANCOISE VILLENEUVE as our families have remained good friends through the years. Amelie lives outside of London, and Francoise is in Washington, DC. I still live in New Jersey with my husband, daughter and dog. Our daughter is a senior in high school now so we are looking into colleges etc. I still work with the family real estate business. We own and manage a few different kinds of property in Long Island, Westchester and NYC. I hope that all in the Class of 1996 are healthy and happy! Sending love and light from the dirty Jerz (just kidding, we actually love it here).”
And, sometimes the London folks come this way. Annie and her husband, Pascal, surprised ISCA GREENFIELD-SANDERS by attending the opening of her husband’s painting show in NYC. ARIEL FANTASIA, OLIVIA HOWARD and Charlotte (her mini-me daughter) were there, too!
Since the last Bulletin, JULIA WILD has continued to work on her next books and maintain a happy relationship with her fuzzband,
Remi. She shared the pros and cons of living with him: “On the upside: He is the best traveling and hiking companion on earth, lights up any space he’s in, and is a world-class dish cleaner (by his definition of cleaning dishes). On the downside, sometimes he snores so loud that he wakes himself up, and constantly tries to steal mozzarella sticks. Small price to pay for so much love. If you’re on the fence about getting a Cavalier King Charles spaniel, you won’t regret it. I also wanted to express a long-overdue congratulations to CHAI VASARHELYI for her Oscar for Free Solo. When she appeared on my screen to accept the award and graciously spoke on behalf of women of color, I felt inspired and proud to see her up there. And she’s right: Women of color make everything better. Go girl!”
And she is going . . . by the time this Bulletin reaches your mailbox, Chai’s first narrative feature, NYAD, will have been out in theaters since October, and hopefully you all will have gone to see it. NYAD chronicles the real-life story of Diana Nyad, who woke up at 60 and realized that while the world may be done with her, she is not done. She sets off to resume her lifelong dream of swimming the 110 miles from Cuba to Florida. Annette Benning plays Diana Nyad and Jodie Foster plays her best friend, Bonnie Stoll. Meanwhile, Chai’s daughter MARINA VASARHELYI-CHIN ‘32 is excited to be entering 4th grade at the Big B, and brother James is entering the 2nd grade at Trinity.
Last, SUSANNA MCGUIRE CASTILLO knows that “life is short—don’t sleep on your bucket list. This year’s adventure was to see the Moai of Easter Island, where ZOE CASTILLO ‘31 proudly wore her Brearley swag alongside her 5-year-old brother, Gabriel.” Words to live by, Susanna!
This summer, I (EMILY FITZGERALD) started a new job as development manager for Milwaukee Riverkeeper, a science-based advocacy organization working for swimmable, fishable, drinkable rivers throughout the Milwaukee River Basin. I also got to see a lot of old Brearley friends and, most recently, was graced with a visit from TINA FOXLEY ARCHER and her husband, Dave, a native Wisconsinite, at the tail end of their week-long cheese, beer and fish-fry-filled Midwest travel extravaganza. Rumor has it they are still detoxing on salad back in NYC.
Annabel Schnitzer Noth ’96 and husband, Ariel Fantasia ‘96, and Isca Greenfield-Sanders ‘96 at Isca’s husband’s art show.
Olivia Howard ‘96 and daughter.
Julia Wild ‘96 and dog Remi.
Gabriel and Zoe Castillo ‘31, son and daughter of Susanna McGuire Castillo ’96.
1997
KYLE LABUSH RABKIN kylerabkin@gmail.com
JOHANNA KUHN-OSIUS writes: “Thanks to Apple ending remote work arrangements, I am enjoying an extended maternity leave/ sabbatical, and was able to continue a family tradition and take both children to Germany for the whole summer, where Ishir attended a German forest nursery school. We had a blast! We also traveled to India in May for Himanshu’s parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. And, yesterday was Ishir’s first day in kindergarten at the Cathedral School!” At nearly 10 months of age, Johanna’s younger son, Romir, is “crawling all over and he loves to eat everything.”
Big congratulations to EVA CHEN on the upcoming publication of her “ninth (!) children’s book” in early January, in time for Lunar New Year. The board book for young children is “a compendium of AAPI/API trailblazers” and is entitled We Are Golden: 27 Groundbreakers Who Changed the World
LIZ GRUBIN writes: “LYDIA PACE, CHARLIE GILBERT TILSTON and I were able to get together this summer, along with some members of our families: Sarah’s husband, Shane, and their two girls, Tate and Ren, and Lydia’s kids, Celia and Anders. It was so fun to see the next generation getting to play together as we did when we were their ages.”
TALIA YOUNG reports that she had fun giving a talk about her community-supported fishery, Fishadelphia, at Brearley’s ninth annual science symposium in February. It sounds like it was a memorable event!
1999
SABRINA GEER sabrinageer@gmail.com
I hope this finds everyone enjoying the last lovely days of summer which, for me at least, have gone by too quickly.
JENN YEE writes, “DIXIE UFFELMAN came to visit Boulder on her family’s California Zephyr rail trip in July, and it was delightful to see her and her crew. I’ve also returned to my B-Deck roots and started performing stories and stand-up comedy around Boulder, including at an historic downtown venue where Ani DiFranco and Franklin Roosevelt have both appeared (sadly not together).” I’m now trying to envision how this would go down. I actually feel like maybe pretty well?
Jenn adds, “I had my first-ever paid comedy gig this summer, opening a showcase at a tiny bookstore run by retired college professors in a neighboring town. The crowd was composed of 80 percent friends and 20 percent skeptical bookstore patrons who walked in off the street.” Congratulations, Jenn! This is amazing. Definitely hoping a Beaver cohort can see you perform live soon.
Speaking of live performances, it was with great delight that Jenn and I attended the Brearley Benefit in April and jammed out to some choice ‘80s tunes from the amazing band—kudos and thanks to all of the party planners and hosts—it was a smashingly great time! We also had the great pleasure of seeing many familiar faces, including IBIJOKE AKINOLA-MICHEL and BEC JOSEPHSON BLOOM, and have attached some silly pictures for your enjoyment.
Dixie wrote in to add that she is “crushing Connections, the new NYT game,” and has “run into only one rabid animal this summer.” Her kids are “tiny geniuses and extremely charming.” She concludes that she “yearns to spend more time with her BFF Sabrina.” Well . . . Dixie didn’t actually say any of those things but when she wrote that she was sorry she didn’t have any fresh updates, I suggested some language for her. I can confirm it is all true, possibly even the last sentence! And also I do recommend Connections, quite entertaining.
If anyone is in the city and inclined to visit, I’ve recently started working at a small animal practice between 95th and 96th Streets on 3rd (Carnegie Hill Veterinarians), so please do come visit me (with your cat or dog, or just to say hello!) soon. And to conclude, for those of you who haven’t sent news lately, I’m apt to start penning notes for you as I did for Dixie—so go forth and report on exciting things, or beware! Until then, wishing you all happy times.
2000
LOGAN I. FERGUSON loganiferguson@gmail.com
JULIA FOSTER julia.foster@gmail.com
Happy fall! As always, we’re so grateful to everyone who has written in and can’t help ourselves in asking anyone else who may be inclined to reach out. SARAH HYMAN WASHKOWITZ
Tori de Menil ‘96 and Daisy Uffelman Downs ‘96 with children in Paris.
Class of 1996 members Caryn Bell, Sara Peck and Dominique Peck-Meyer with their children in London.
Class of 1996 members Caryn Bell, Lilly Wollman, Sara Peck, Daisy Uffelman Downs and Hadley Freeman in London.
Emily FitzGerald ‘96, Tina Foxley Archer ‘96 and their husbands in Wisconsin.
writes that “all is well and likely the same since my last update: Andy and I are living on the Upper East Side, with Henry in 7th grade and Zoe in 5th grade at Brearley. I am still working at Gilead Sciences in manufacturing. Staying in touch with Brearley friends remains the best— and I hope we are able to get together more frequently this fall and winter!”
STEPHANIE ELLIS-KHANDESHI and MEREDITH JAMES were able to get their “little ones together in Michigan this summer. It was so magical and heartwarming to see how much they love each other!”
JULIANA PEREIRA writes that the “company I used to work for was acquired last year, so I took some time off to travel. I now work at a cybersecurity/fintech start-up based in Israel (I still live and work in NYC, though), which has been a lot of fun so far. On the music front, I continue to play and perform concertos with my local orchestra as well as chamber music with friends. My partner works at Colgate University and I somehow managed to get a ‘second’ job as staff in the music department, where I play in the student orchestra to help out. It’s been a lot of fun being part of that community! Otherwise, I’m sitting on the board of a couple of nonprofits in the city and enjoy my traveling when I can.”
JULIA FOSTER had a lovely summer, during which she was lucky enough to spend time with her cousin LESLIE NAST BONHAM-CARTER ‘48 at the house her mother and Julia’s greataunt built in southern Italy. Her older daughter, Charlotte, is starting 1st grade at Brearley and her younger daughter is entering her final year of nursery school. She’s fortunate to see many Brearley friends frequently and continues her work at City Harvest, where she leads the marketing and communications work.
I (LOGAN) am still in DC and am recovering from the whirlwind that was our summer. We were awash in traveling and sleepaway camps, but I did get to sneak away for a brief dinner with RACHEL COTTON, which was heavenly. Our younger daughter just started kindergarten and our older daughter started 4th grade at a new school, which was the closest thing I could find to Brearley in DC (hi, Ms. Mabley!). She’s already gotten her class mascot (no contest in comparison to Tigger) and her color (Red Team for life), and if I can just get her singing “Jerusalem,” we’ll be in business. Thanks again to everyone for writing and lots of love to you all, Julia and Logan.
This has been a big year for the Class of 2001 as many of us have welcomed a new decade!
CHRISTIANA ESTEVES is still living in Miami with her husband and twin boys, Axel and Liam, as well as their dog Coco and their cat Jax. They also just added a new member to their family, a little husky puppy called Leeloo. They spent two amazing weeks in Portugal this summer. The boys just started 1st grade this year and are very excited about it. They have a trip planned to Banff, Canada, over winter break. They also recently ran into SARAH MASLIN NIR when she was down in Miami on her book tour for The Flying Horse, which was amazing!
SARAH MASLIN NIR is enjoying her 13th year at the New York Times and celebrating the release of her children’s series Once Upon a Horse. She spends time with her colleague ELIZABETH “LIZ” HARRIS (who just sold her first novel; look for it in 2024!), ANIKA CHAPIN, director of artistic development at Signature Theater, KIM STOLZ, a managing director and private client advisor with Bank of America Private Bank, and JENNY SOLOMON, the Federal Aviation Administration’s senior representative in Paris. The characters in Sarah’s new books are all named after Kim, Anika, Lizzy and Jenny’s kids.
ANIKA CHAPIN is living on the UWS, working remotely for the Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA, where she is very happily scouting and developing new musicals (among other things). She is also teaching and working on several side projects as a freelance dramaturg, including a book about musical theater dramaturgy. And no, even though she is one, she still doesn’t have a great definition of what a dramaturg is or does. The other major element of her life right now is her son, Marlowe, who is 16 months old and loves running, climbing and cars. “He does not get any of this from me, clearly,” she notes.
KIM STOLZ, her wife, Laura, and daughter, Savannah, are still splitting their time between the Hamptons and New York City. Kim continues to build her private banking business at Bank of America, specializing in art lending, hedge fund lending, and managing her clients’ investments. Savannah starts at Resurrection Episcopal Day School this fall and Kim
Johanna Kuhn-Osisus ‘97 with her husband, Himanshu, and her son, Ishir, who is holding the German “Zuckertüte” on his first day of kindergarten at the Cathedral School.
Back row: Shane Tilston, Ren Tilston, Lydia Pace ‘97, Liz Grubin ‘97, Charlie Gilbert Tilston ‘97 and Tate Tilston; front row: Anders and Celia Wurster.
Christine Pace ‘97 connected with Jo Lack ‘97 while visiting Philadelphia.
Ibijoke Akinola-Michel, Jenn Yee and Sabrina Geer, Class of 1999, at the Brearley Benefit.
is already excited about the prospect of her becoming a Brearley girl.
JENNY SOLOMON and her family have been happily living in Paris for two years, and this summer they visited friends and family across the US, with major stops in New York City, Albuquerque and Cape Cod, marking the first time her three kids (ages 2, 4 and 6) had returned since they moved from New York. It was wonderful introducing (and reintroducing) their crew to the children of her Brearley friends. On that note, they have tremendously enjoyed seeing Brearley friends, including myself, and their families during their vacations to Paris. Jenny and her beautiful family also came to Madrid during which time our children had a blast playing. They are looking forward to the next visitor this month—ALEXIS RIORDAN ‘02
SARAH MENDELL FLEMMER also flew to New York for the summer, introducing her adorable daughters to the city in which she grew up and all of her Brearley friends, including KIM STOLZ, ANNA WAINWRIGHT, ELIZABETH TUNICK CEDAR, NINA BRADDOCK, MARINA THOMPSON CUMMINS, EMMA ZAKS and HANNAH LIFSON
NORA MOORE continues to live in Denver, CO. She is busy with work and managing the kids’ busy schedules. She is living the real Colorado life with skiing, hiking and doing a sprint triathlon. She works within a private practice, providing gender-affirming care to adolescents and adults and helping families navigate the transition in the most inclusive way possible. It has been really interesting and gratifying work, especially given the states surrounding Colorado. She had visits from EMILY and DIANA GROTHEER, as well as SASHA KAYE, who helped me celebrate her birthday. If anyone is ever out west or stuck in Denver for a layover, do reach out to her!
ELEANOR STREICKER lives along the Long Island Sound on the coast of Connecticut in the town where she summered growing up. She works for her family’s foundation, meeting people, seeing where the funding goes and doing some administrative work. She is taking a few classes, including one on the economics of nutrition and food policy and another on personal finance. She teaches swim lessons to adults at the local Y. She often thinks of the Lower School library, where she read every book on dogs; the art floor, where we all made messes and brilliant creations; and the eighth floor with the red tape on the floor showing blood circulation throughout the body, with
the heart outside Mrs. Skully’s office, where she cured us with her cough drops. She has so many good memories of Brearley because of our amazing class (I concur!). Also a bit of amazement that we learned about the greenhouse effect in 4th grade!
MARINA THOMPSON CUMMINS is living a life of extreme Brearley nostalgia these days! She and her family recently moved to East End Avenue, just a few blocks away from Brearley. Her older daughter, Lila, started 1st grade at the Big B this September. She’s back to spending a lot of time at Carl Schurz Park and on the promenade and loving it! She’s always so excited to get to go to Brearley parent events and assemblies, attend homecoming, and see Ms. Zimmerman shaking the girls’ hands every day as they go into school—the cycles of life! She is still working at American Express in digital technology and really enjoying it (time has flown—she recently celebrated her 10th year there this month). And speaking of anniversaries, she also celebrated her 10th wedding anniversary this year! She loves getting to see many of the Class of ‘01 on a regular basis, both those in NY—NINA BRADDOCK, ELIZABETH TUNICK CEDAR, KIM STOLZ—and those visiting—ANNA WAINWRIGHT, SARAH MENDELL FLEMMER, CAROLINE CASTILLO—and was so happy to get to visit with both KARINA SCHUMACHER-VILLASANTE and JENNY SOLOMON in their home cities of Madrid and Paris respectively. The more time goes on, the more she cherishes all the special Brearley relationships in her life and hopes to see many more of you soon!
Finally, I continue to live in Madrid and work for Reuters News Agency. I was so lucky to receive visits from JENNY SOLOMON and MARINA THOMPSON CUMMINS! It is truly such a blessing to have such wonderful, intelligent and inspiring women in my life. Also, I recently had my third child, Raphael El Achkar Schumacher. I spent maternity leave traveling through Spain, escaping the heat in the north.
We hope you enjoyed our updates as much as I enjoyed receiving them!
2002
ABBY SEIFF aseiff@gmail.com
ASHLEY MILLER writes: “My husband and I have been living in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, for the last few years. Our son, Finnegan, just turned 1 in August. He is walking and very inquisitive.
Children of Sarah Hyman Washkowitz ‘87, Zoe Washkowitz ‘31 and Henry Washkowitz (Collegiate ‘29), on vacation in LA soaking up California vibes.
Left to right: Ami, Waleska, Louis, and Brahms, children of Stephanie Ellis-Khandeshi ‘00 and Meredith James ’00.
Class of 2001 members Marina Thompson, Liz Tunick, Nina Braddock, Anna Wainwright and Caroline Castillo.
We have our hands full. My stepson had a class after school on the Upper East Side last year. Whenever I took him, we would invariably run into a gaggle of Brearley girls—made me miss everyone!”
MARY ANGELA MOUTOUSSIS writes: “It has been a wonderful year getting to spend time with dear classmates and their littles - we’ve had many adventures with ELIZABETH VAN BUREN and her baby boy Miles, ALLISON PAN and her little girl Tommy and ALEX ALTMAN and her little girl Leanna!”
I (ABBY SEIFF) am also living in Brooklyn, in Prospect Heights, and have been lucky enough to see some fellow Class of ‘02 alumnae recently, including MARGARET BREED, DOROTHY LEE, ELIZABETH VAN BUREN, ISADORA BOTWINICK and GRETA MATZNER-GORE. I recently started as an investigative editor at Radio Free Asia and am also working on finishing up an MFA in fiction at Brooklyn College, which has been a fun change of pace. My first book, Troubling the Water: A Dying Lake and a Vanishing World in Cambodia, came out last year.
2003
AMBER LAM amberwlam@gmail.com
AMELIA HALL ameliashall@gmail.com
Hi ‘03! AMBER LAM here again! In the last edition of class notes, I lied and said I would see you all at reunion. I ended up not being able to attend and I was so sad to miss out on the class cocktails SAGE MEHTA so generously hosted! I heard the event was a great success, though, and loved seeing all of the pictures of everyone together again. Hopefully we can all plan another gathering without waiting for another 20 years to pass!
I didn’t make it this year because, it turns out, I was entirely too optimistic about pulling myself together to socialize so soon after giving birth. Hubert Hayes Chou joined our family on March 20, 2023, and we are totally besotted with the little squish! Emmy is so in love with her little brother, and watching her adapt to this new role of big sister makes my heart burst every day.
Recently, on one fine September Sunday, PJ and I packed up both kids (VICTORY!) and drove into the city for a Carl Schurz playdate with HELEN ROGERS, her daughters Ella (4) and Kate (2), TALINE PAMPANINI and her children,
Aliza (7) and Luca (4), ALLISON DAVIDSON (née Gold), and VALERIE CHIN and her boys, Peter (2) and Austin (5 months). It was pure chaos of the best kind! There were babies passed around, sprinkler-soaked kids, Paw Patrol emergencies, and just the cutest little gang of Brearley offspring romping through the park. Serendipitously, we also bumped into Sage and her beautiful twins, Marina and Phoebe! The girls are in their second year at Brearley and are now 1st graders.
Helen’s return to NYC with both babies was the catalyst that brought us all together. She still lives in Denver with her family, and recently left her partner position at Holland & Hart LLP to join J. P. Morgan Private Bank as an executive director and wealth advisor. Valerie welcomed another baby boy, Austin Thomas Decareau, in May and the Decareaus are now a family of four. Val and Taline have come full circle with living a couple of blocks away from each other again, and now their kids are going to the same school. Allison and her husband, Ryan, adopted the cutest little moppet of a cavapoo, Lizzie, last summer and are enjoying life as a family of three and the process of making their Sutton Place home theirs.
REBECCA LEVI was also recently in town from southern Chile. She was here to bring Psique, a show based on an album Becca co-composed and recorded with two other musicians last year, to New York from South America. In the show, she and her fellow musicians perform the music live, combined with contemporary dance and multimedia.
MAGGIE GALLIN is excited to start a year-long fellowship through LEND Without Walls (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities) to help increase awareness and resources within Alaska for people experiencing autism. She and her family also recently adopted a new dog named Stitch and are enjoying adventuring in the woods and on the water with him. She’s hoping to make it back to New York before next summer to catch up with friends and family.
2004
20TH REUNION
LAUREN GOLDENBERG goldenberg.lauren@gmail.com
Hello, one and all! First, I just want to say thanks to IMAN AHMED for covering me for the last round of notes while I was on maternity leave (more on that below).
Clara and Sylvia Wainwright Parsons, daughters of Anna Wainwright ’01.
Louisa and Lila Cummins ’35, daughters of Marina Thompson Cummins ’01.
Finnegan, son of Ashley Miller ’02.
Mary Angela Moutoussis ‘02 with her baby George and Elizabeth Van Buren ‘02 with her baby Miles.
We have a lot of local New Yorker updates this round. From ALY (FLUDD) KRAVETZ: “I am doing well and living in the Bronx near Yankee Stadium with my husband, Joe, and my cat, Earth Kitty. Two years ago, I opened a metaphysical shop called BronxWitch HeadQuarters, also near Yankee Stadium, and I invite you all to come by sometime! I’ve been in touch with JILL USDAN, who plans to come by soon, and I’d love to see all of you all as well!”
From BRITT (CAPUTO) BUNN: “Nick and I had a baby! Emilia Bunn arrived in March 2023 and we feel so lucky to have her. We live in New York and, happily, get to see Brearley pals all the time. I am about to start a new job at Estee Lauder, where I’ll be leading e-commerce for Bobbi Brown.”
From ALY GIBSON: “In May, we welcomed our second daughter, Isabel Claudia Marcucci. She’s a tough cookie who somehow puts up with her big sister’s cheek squishes and aggressive kisses! We spent the summer in Waldoboro, ME, which was particularly special because we got to be close to my sister LAUREN GIBSON ’07, who lives in Portland and just had her first baby, Jacqueline, born only a few weeks after Isabel. Lots of girl energy!”
I, LAUREN GOLDENBERG, have had quite a year: My daughter Simone was born last September, five weeks early, followed by eleven weeks in the NICU. Simone is now about to turn 1, and she is full of joy and humor, already following in her parents’ footsteps as a chatterbox and bookworm. She has already met CLAIRE WILCOX and PEARL KAN, and I look forward to introducing her to the other Foxes (and their offspring!).”
2005
VANA C. KOUTSOMITIS vkoutsomitis@gmail.com
ALEXANDRA SCHWARTZ alexandralschwartz@gmail.com
After taking an extended hiatus from class notes—oops!—the Class of ‘05 has lots of happy news to report. HAZEL BALABAN writes: “We just celebrated baby Augusta’s first birthday. Augusta was brought into the world surrounded by (three!) Brearley girl ob-gyns at NYU, including none other than our own KATYA OSTROW. It was so fun (and such a relief!) to have Katya there. She used to tie my shoelaces in kindergarten; Katya could do bunny ears way before I could, solidifying our now 30-year friendship. It has been a joy introducing Augusta to other Beavers and kits—let us know if you’re passing through the UWS!”
ALI GINIGER’s big news is the arrival of her daughter, Sloane! She writes, “Workwise, for the past year I’ve been the studio director for visual artist Nina Chanel Abney, and lifewise, I’ve decamped from the city for the Jersey ‘burbs and am enjoying the grass, flowers and birds right outside my doorstep, though I’m still growing accustomed to neighbors who actually speak to each other.”
LING PAN has also crossed the Hudson. She writes, “Major update is that we made the move to the suburbs of central New Jersey. I’m switching neurology jobs from NYU to Rutgers. Henry is almost 2 years old and seems to be enjoying the extra greenery. Mama has had a more difficult transition due
Lucy Hampton ‘03 and Sophie Rifkin ‘03 and their daughters (Annie and Emma Hampton and Naomi Rifkin) visiting Lucy’s family in Vermont this summer.
Elihu Jr. (8) and Everest (6), sons of Jenny Bogan ’03.
Valerie Chin ‘03 and Amber Lam ‘03 with sons, Austin Thomas Decareau and Hubert Hayes Chou, in Carl Schurz Park.
Valerie Chin ‘03 with son Austin, Taline Pampanini ‘03 with daughter Aliza, Amber Lam ‘03 with son Hubert and daughter Emerson, Helen Rogers ‘03 with daughters Kate and Ella, and Allison Davidson ‘03 at a playdate in Carl Schurz Park.
Class of 2003 reunion cocktail party hosted by Sage Mehta: Lillian Meredith, Taline Pampanini, Lucy Hampton, Kate Cik, Jaclyn Lyman, Anna Della Subin, Amelia Hall, Anina Nolan, Sophie Rifkin, Sage Mehta, Nora Moncrieff, Hope Esser, Alanna Gladstone, Malwina Johnston, Katie Lihn, Piper Ferriter, Allison Davidson, Valerie Chin.
to her lack of driving skills.”
HELENA ANRATHER reports: “Cosima Anrather Rose arrived in May and we are absolutely delighted by her every day. Getting used to running the gallery with a baby under foot this fall has been a challenge, but I’m grateful to be able to give it a try.” PAM LACHMAN also has baby news to share: “My wife, Alice, and I had a baby named Arthur, born in January 2023.” And ANDREA BARSK welcomed a daughter, Sigrid, on February 5, “right in the mix of all the others!” So did ELAINE CHEN, whose third baby, Celia, arrived in June.
CAROLINE ETTINGER is heading business insights and tech operations at a start-up in InsurTech and living in Brooklyn with her husband and 2 ½-year-old daughter, Cooper, who just started preschool. She writes, “I see BECCA GRIDLEY a lot. Our kids are friends—just last weekend Becca’s daughter, Izzy, and I did the NSYNC ‘Bye Bye Bye’ dance that I learned for the 7th grade talent show. Cooper’s favorite day is Tuesday, when she gets to see her grandmother, JENNY COLLINS ‘77 (former teacher). My resolution for 2023 was to travel and see live music again, which has been a real adventure with a toddler, but also very rewarding.”
PRESCA AHN writes: “Not much to report here from Paris. When I’m not in a plane or train for work, I’m usually either organizing my entire social life around my dog, Proust, or picking out tiles and faucets for an apartment I despair of ever being done renovating. Love to all the girls.”
KAREN FRENCH is spending September in Italy, helping harvest grapes and make natural wine with her friend and business partner Joy Kull at their vineyard, La Villana, in Gradoli, Italy. She is there with her 3-year-old, Daphne, who is very proud to be starting preschool, and her husband, Bill, who is a PhD candidate in political science and theory. They will spend the rest of the year in Chicago.
As for your trusty notes agents: VANA KOUTSIMITIS is working at Morgan Stanley in wealth management, focused on clients who are entrepreneurs. She is living near Columbus Circle and loving it. She just completed her level-two yoga teacher training and has been teaching private sessions, in both yoga and meditation.
I, ALEX SCHWARTZ, have not been exempt from the ‘05 baby boom. My son, Benjamin, decided to breeze by his due date and arrive on December 25—he has good comic timing. It’s been so wonderful to be part of the pack
of Beaver moms and to squeeze some of the babes in person. Ben and Augusta Balaban have become fast friends. Professionally, I’m preparing to launch a podcast with two New Yorker colleagues called Critics at Large, on which we’ll discuss big cultural topics of the day. Now that we’re back on track with notes, drop Vana and me a line and let us know your news!
2006
RACQUEL QUARLESS HILL rmhill0215@gmail.com
Woo. It’s been a minute since the Class of 2006 graced you with updates of our lives, so here we are! EMILIE JACKSON ran into AMRITA KUNDU while shooting behind the scenes for the final season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. She’s a great assistant director and she said she loves it when they end up on the same show! HANNAH LYONS also had an exciting update. After 12 years as a restaurant chef here in NYC, she finally escaped and is now working for a small farm-to-table meat company called Heritage Foods. Oh, how things change, and yet for many still stay the same! ASKA SHIRATORI-LANGMAN is still rescuing dogs and pigs in Idaho and sent us some incredible pictures.
SOPHIE HAGEN is living in Philadelphia with her partner and two cats. She is working as a research reporter at the United States Press Freedom Tracker, the canonical news database documenting press freedom violations in the United States. KATHARINE (KAKI) ETTINGER NAVARRE and her husband, Willie, welcomed a baby girl, Lily Tyler Navarre, on 8/2/23. MOLLY BATTLES got married at the Bridgeport Art Center in Chicago on October 9, 2022, and a lot of Brearley alums joined the celebration. She married Noah Sherr Breslau and on May 28, 2023, welcomed Juno Sherr Battles to the world! Another new mom in the Class of 2006 is TIFFANY STODDARD. She had a baby girl on July 11, 2023. Her daughter’s name is Aina (pronounced I-E-Nah) and Tiffany delivered her at home: 36 hours of labor without medications. Aina is currently 10 weeks old! Congratulations are most definitely in order for these moms!
OLYMPIA SONNIER continues her work at NBC News as a producer. Since November she has been covering former President Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, as well as other 2024 GOP contenders. In August, Olympia married Adam Littlefield, a senior producer
Guy Savino Norton, son of Charlotte Savino ‘04, and Ellie Klein Throop, daughter of Allison Klein ’04.
Benjamin, son of Alexandra Schwartz ’05, and Augusta, daughter of Hazel Balaban ’05.
Emilie Jackson ’06 and Amrita Kundu ’06.
Class of 2006 members Hollis Nymark Rydland, Olympia Sonnier and Talia Chapman.
at NBC Sports, at her house in Bridgehampton, NY. Fellow Brearley girls in attendance were HOLLIS NYMARK RYDLAND, TALIA CHAPMAN, HONOR MCGEE, MIA CAMPBELL, ELIZABETH (EB) KAPNICK and ELIZABETH ELLIS
As for me, RAQUEL QUARLESS HILL, my husband, Ricky, and I are slowly completing the build and upgrades to our home! We recently hosted NICHOLE DAVIS, who came to Atlanta to see us . . . and Beyoncé (in that order!). We had a fabulous time, and to quote Queen B, “You know that we do it grande, you know that [we] gon’ be extra!” Outside of having incredible visitors, I have been doing college admissions coaching for students as they navigate the application cycle. One hundred percent of my coaching students are accepted into at least one of their top three choices in colleges or universities, including Duke, Georgia Tech, Hampton, Ohio State, Clemson, Howard, MIT and Spelman. If you, your parents, neighbors, friends or colleagues have middle and high schoolers, let them know you know a FABULOUS college admissions coach!
2007
ZOË DAVIS zcgdavis@gmail.com
CAROLINE STERN cstern88@gmail.com
It has been a season of new adventures—babies, jobs and travel—for the Class of 2007. From ELIZA LEHNER: “My news is that Porter and I had a baby girl, Georgina Lehner, in June! She’s very smiley and loves her blackand-white mobile.” ANDI KLESTADT also shared some exciting baby news: “My husband and I were thrilled to welcome our first (human) baby, Eleanor Olivia Garber, on May 23. We also just moved to Forest Hills at the beginning of August. For the past year and a half I’ve been working as head of product strategy for a start-up called Vanna Health, which is focused on reimagining care and community for people with serious mental illness.” Welcome, Georgina and Eleanor!
JULIA IZUMI writes: “After coming out of my off-Broadway debut as a playwright in the spring, I spent the summer traveling—went to Japan to visit family; Ojai, CA, for the Ojai Playwrights Conference; and just outside of San Antonio, TX, for a silent writers retreat.” She is looking forward to going back to teach
at Saint Ann’s School in the fall.
JULIA SPEED reports that in August she joined Almine Rech, an international contemporary art gallery, as a director of their New York space. Congratulations on the new job, Julia!
I, CAROLINE STERN, spent most weekends this summer in Prospect Park with our 2 ½- year-old son, who loves to play in the sprinklers, climb on tree stumps and zoom around on his scooter. JULIA SPEED and her husband recently joined us for one of these outings and got to witness the intricacies of playground social dynamics firsthand. We also managed to spend some time with family outside the city, including in the Berkshires (see the photo of a hike on the same trail where Tom and I got engaged—surreal to be there with our son seven years later). At work I’m currently gearing up for a jury trial in Houston during the first half of September— it will be a long couple of weeks away from home, but an exciting opportunity.
2008
HALLEH B. BALCH hallehbalch@gmail.com
CLAIRE WALLACE clairewallace13@gmail.com
From exciting career news to marriages and new babies, the Class of 2008 has had a busy year!
ALICE LOSK is still in Los Angeles, biting her nails while the WGA and SAG strikes continue. She hopes that any other Brearley women in TV and film are weathering the storm as well (and, as always, she would love to meet them!).
KRISTIN KAGETSU’s company, Saathi (https:// saathipads.com/), continues to thrive, providing biodegradable and compostable sanitary pads to women around the world. One highlight from the past year is that in April of 2023, Saathi was selected as a winner at the ELLE Sustainability Awards in Mumbai: https:// elle.in/winners-elle-sustainability-awards-2023. Another highlight is that in July of 2023, Saathi developed their first partnership in Africa and distributed 24,000 pads in Rwanda!
Speaking of busy years, ANNIE SHI got married, had a baby and opened a second restaurant! Annie married Sean Anderson in September of 2022, and her second restaurant, Jupiter, opened in Rockefeller Center a few months later. Annie and Sean welcomed
WE MISS YOU!
please send news for class notes to the addresses listed below.
2011 FAITH WILLIAMS faithswilliams@gmail.com
2013
SYDNEY HAUSMAN sydneyhausman@gmail.com
COLETTE MACARI colettesmacari@gmail.com
2015 JULIA PRESS julia.r.press@gmail.com
ISABELLA ALTHERR isaalth@gmail.com
EMILY ORENSTEIN emily.rose.orenstein@gmail.com
2016
QUINN EVANGELAKOS quinnqre@gmail.com
2020
ALUMNAE RELATIONS classnotes@brearley.org
2021
ALUMNAE RELATIONS classnotes@brearley.org
2022
SHAYNA PODHORETZ shaynajulianne@gmail.com
2023
ALUMNAE RELATIONS classnotes@brearley.org
their son, Walter Fitzrui Shi-Anderson, on June 13, 2023.
HILARY BARTLETT writes that on April 13, 2023, she and her husband, Kiel Zsitvay, welcomed twin boys, Arthur and Henry Zsitvay. They are tired and can’t believe their good fortune! In other baby news, ASTRID BARSKKNOTT and her husband, Ben Knott, have added a new family member. Axel Harald Knott joined them in June 2023. They now live in London, and Astrid’s sister ANDREA BARSK ’05 visited them from Texas with her daughter Sigrid in August.
LILI MEYER is living in the DC area and writes, “I just bought a house in Arlington! I’ve been working at the consulting firm Oliver Wyman for the last five-plus years and am a principal in the people and organization performance practice and transportation practice (which was an interesting job during Covid!). Amidst work I love to travel—often seeing NELL ETHRIDGE whenever I get a chance to come to New York—land have had some great international trips over the last year or two (Galapagos, Greece and Italy to name a few). Coming up next is a trip to Mexico City for the Formula 1 race at the end of October. I fortunately get to come up to NYC often for work too, and would love to grab a drink or meal with anyone still here!”
JENNY LIM writes: “I am very excited that the first attraction I worked on is now open at Universal Studios Florida: Villain-Con Minion Blast (https://shorturl.at/moxJT)! Feeling lucky to have gotten to voyage on the Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser this summer with amazing and talented folks who worked on the project before its closing at the end of September 2023. Sending bananas and best wishes to all!”
In other exciting career news, CLARA SPERA is teaching a class this fall at Harvard Law School on reproductive rights advocacy: https://hls.harvard.edu/courses/reproductive-rights-advocacy/.
NELL ETHRIDGE continues to live in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, and is working as an associate in the capital solutions and private credit group at the law firm Ropes & Gray in their New York office. She writes: “This summer, I hiked a ‘presidential traverse’ in the White Mountains in New Hampshire, which was a three-day trip climbing six peaks in the Presidential Range. It was incredibly difficult (and humbling on my 33-year-old knees!) but very rewarding and beautiful. Also had a wonderful time at the impromptu 15-year reunion brunch
this past spring hosted by Clara, her husband, Rory, and their adorable son Thomas (proud to be one of his many honorary aunties!).”
And I, HALLEH BALCH, had the good fortune to catch up with DIANA MCKEAGE, who recently moved to San Francisco, and spend a weekend walking around the city with SKYLER (WALLEY) REDFORD and HILARY during Skyler and her husband Hugh’s visit to San Francisco. I continue to hold my research fellowship at Stanford, working at the intersection of laser physics and oceanography. I invite any Brearley folks in the Bay Area to stop by for a lab tour or a get-together in SF!
2009
15TH REUNION
ANNIE BALDWIN
annie.m.baldwin@gmail.com
Salutations from the Adriatic Sea, where EMILY BALDWIN ‘12 and I are reveling in a sisters’ summer road trip. While life brings many changes, we both take solace that we are still writing class notes the night before they’re due.
MONICA DODGE writes, “I married my longtime partner, John, in July 2023. I was thrilled to celebrate this milestone with so many Brearley friends including SOFIA MCDONALD, ANNIE BALDWIN, LEXI SANTORO, LILY HAJE, LIZ MOORE and CHARLOTTE KAYE. After our wedding, we enjoyed an amazing honeymoon of travel to Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania. I have been based in Washington, DC, for the past eight years and work on education policy in the mayor’s office, where I have the pleasure of working alongside Brearley alum CLARA BOTSTEIN ‘03.”
This Labor Day weekend, HANNAH GROSS flew to Edinburgh, Scotland, for LINDSEY-ROSE AGUERO-SINCLAIR ’s amazing wedding, part of which took place in Dundas Castle. Hannah was honored to be the matron of honor and give a speech. She also participated in the dance portion of the Indian ceremony, which confirmed she is a double threat, not a triple threat.
NAFESSA ISLAM writes, “I’ve lived in Los Angeles for 10 years now, and I live with my boyfriend/partner in a house with a backyard (!) 15 minutes from the beach. I go to gaze at the ocean maybe once every two weeks or so. I teach aerial arts to adults, and I think about the Brearley gymnastics team and my volleyball coaches often. I also do Human Design readings for people, which is kind of like astrology, the I Ching, and the chakra system
Caroline Stern ‘07 and family hiking in the Berkshires.
Jenny Lim ‘08 at Villain-Con Minion Blast last year when the area was still under construction.
Astrid Barsk-Knott ‘08 and her children with Andrea Barsk ’05 and her daughter.
Hilary Bartlett, Skyler Redford and Halleh Balch, all ’08, in San Francisco.
combined. This fall, I’m traveling around Europe with my family and am attending my cousin’s wedding in France, and then I’m going to Thailand to help lead aerial arts workshops. I read a lot of books and am in two book clubs. People are impressed by my analytical skills so thanks to the Brearley English Department for that.”
SOPHIE PALITZ BUINEWICZ writes, “Jacob and I welcomed our second daughter, Talia Brooke Buinewicz, into the world and big sister Callie is adjusting well to her new role.” KATHERINE TENG and Brandon Kelly welcomed her first child, Oliver Powell Kelly, in March.
2010
MEGAN LUI megantesslui@gmail.com
What a joy it is to report that our illustrious class has recently welcomed two additional honorary members—Cora McLeod Delaney and Mira Lehner Greengard!
MAHALA PAGAN and her husband, Colin, welcomed their first child this June, Cora Delaney. Mahala has been enjoying the break from her work as a product manager at Salesforce to ease into life as an Upper West Side mom, and has run into a few fellow Brearley students around the neighborhood during daily strolls, particularly on the Great Lawn, which is always such a nostalgic spot for her.
MARINA LEHNER shared that her daughter Mira Lehner Greengard, by August 2023, after only three months of life, had already enjoyed a number of visits from her Brearley Class of 2010 friends. WENDY DE WOLF fit in time for a visit, after recently selling her renewable development company—congratulations, Wendy! ANNA SANTOLERI visited from Lander, WY, where she is working with the National Outdoor Leadership School before heading to the Himalayas in the fall.
In the same spirit of newness, OLIVIA HARRIS writes, “After coming off a fantastic year in Joe’s Pub Working Group, playing BRIC’s Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival at Prospect Park and Brooklyn Museum’s First Saturday, I’ve been focused on balancing my artistic career with my new position as operations manager at Resonator, a music start-up that specializes in artist services (admin, booking, releasing music, everything but being a label—lol). In keeping with the Brearley spirit, I hosted a women-centered musical jam session that we’re hoping to make a free monthly experience in Bushwick—if you’re ever interested in coming, let me know!”
Inspired by classmates like Olivia, who toil energetically in pursuit of their own personal truths, and with the warm encouragement of mentors like AMINA ELDERFIELD ‘94, I too am excited about a major life pivot of my own. In June, I decided to close the chapter on nine years at Morgan Stanley to spend more time with my family, and to devote myself fully to my first year as Brearley Alumnae Board president (such an honor!), as well as to a number of creative pursuits that have been persistently nudging my brain, basically since I left Brearley. One of those pursuits draws inspiration from Dr. Fryer’s US History course, Ms. Marcus’s History of China and Japan course, and Mr. Koh’s Chinese, Indian and South African literature courses. Over the years, their life-changing classes have inspired me to novelize six generations of my family’s history as Chinese Americans—hopefully, more on this to come in the coming months/years!
Because good things supposedly come in threes, I am also happy to report that I married my number-one cheerleader in all things, Peter Na, in the Catskills, NY, in May, and that we are splitting time between New York and Singapore until 2024. On my wedding day, ALIDA DAVIS, HILARY EDELSTEIN STUDIN and my sister SYBIL LUI ‘13 stood by my side, as they always have over the years, and tore up the dance floor with me, as they always have over the years. After a honeymoon in the Algarve, and also in the Naples area (where I made sure to bombard Peter with as much Brearley-acquired classics knowledge as possible, of course), I helped Peter to move to Singapore, which is halfway around the world and yet, surprisingly, not beyond Brearley’s reach. JULIA WU ‘09 and CLAIRE WU ‘09 have been exceedingly generous about sharing their knowledge about their mother’s native city-state, especially where to find the most delicious food! As we make new friends, dynamic Brearley alums always crop up in conversation. At every bookstore, Mr. Koh’s books also greet me warmly. What a comfort it is that no matter where we go in the world, or what turns our lives take, we can always find the comfort of Brearley.
EMILY BALDWIN ebfinishingthehat@gmail.com
Not much has changed for EMILY BALDWIN —still in London, loving life and that sweet, sweet socialized medicine and broad government support for the arts. She’s currently jazzed about doing access support for Access All Areas’
debut coproduction Imposter 22 with the Royal Court Theatre, featuring eight learning-disabled and autistic actors in the mainstage, which is extremely fancy and cool.
Annie Shi ‘08 and some of her colleagues on the cover of New York magazine on December 5, 2022 (photograph by Pelle Casse).
Lindsey-Rose Aguero-Sinclair and Hannah Gross, both ‘09, at Lindsay-Rose’s wedding in Edinburgh.
Mira Lehner Greengard (left), daughter of Marina Lehner ‘10, with her cousin Georgina Lehner (right), daughter of Eliza Lehner ‘07.
and CHARLOTTE DAY in Paris—before starting a new job in iOS at Duolingo. If you see the green owl on TikTok, she might be inside.
2014
ISABELLA HUBER huberiwh@gmail.com
COURTNEY SCREEN ccscreen@gmail.com
ALLEGRA NEELY-WILSON writes: “After graduating in May from NYU with my master’s degree in school counseling, I departed on a monthlong road trip from NYC to LA and back! It was an incredible journey seeing the country and friends along the way! Favorite stops included Pittsburgh, Santa Fe, Carmel by the Sea, the Badlands and Chicago. Now as the school year begins, I have started a new position as college counselor at Achievement First East Brooklyn High!
2017
MORGAN PERRY morganperryny@gmail.com
This fall, the Class of 2017 continued to be engaged in our communities and live across the country (and world!).
In New York:
SARAH GREENSPON started a new position as a middle school teacher at Success Academy. She has worked in schools for the past two years, but is now commencing her first experience in a middle school.
RACHEL ROSE attended a summer program at Columbia University, where she studied urban planning. She is looking forward to traveling around Europe starting in September.
working as a curatorial associate at a NY-based art consulting firm.
AYO LEWIS completed her conversion to Judaism, a process she began over the summer after 8th grade. Some of her fondest Brearley memories are of celebrating Jewish holidays with her classmates. In September, she celebrated her conversion with her congregation, and her family and SYD DANZIGER traveled from New York and North Carolina respectively to be there. See the photo from the Brearley celebration!
Across the US:
EMMA LADOUCEUR moved to San Francisco. After spending the last two years in Boston as a paralegal, PHOEBE LANDSMAN recently moved to Washington, DC. She is working at the Climate Board, helping corporations implement sustainability into their business plans.
ALEX TEPLITZ is living, working and gaming (professionally and for fun!) in Los Angeles. They have been promoted to managing editor at Hunters Entertainment, and will be a writer on the upcoming game Confluence: The Living Archive. This year Alex celebrated the release of their first published editorial credits: the tabletop role-playing games Gods of Metal: Ragnarock and Kids on Bikes 2nd Edition!
MAUDE LATOUR performed at Governor’s Ball, which she described as “a full-circle moment,” as she attended this music festival in 2017 as a senior in high school with Brearley friends. She also played at Bleached Festival in San Diego and Music Midtown in Atlanta. She will complete her next headlining tour across America with 20 shows over four weeks this fall, including an NYC show at Webster Hall in October. Maude is finishing her first album and is still signed to her record label.
REBECCA MCSWEEN and Tim Barron welcomed a daughter, Sadie, in June. Between naps and diaper changes, they are enjoying SF parks together.
RACHEL TAO just moved to London. She is enjoying her new job doing data science for the National Health Service at Imperial College London, where she is also starting a part-time PhD in environmental sustainability in health care. She was thrilled to catch up with Emily Baldwin this summer and looks forward to more adventures as she gets to know the UK.
MIRANDA STRAND was genuinely thrilled to get laid off last winter. She spent several months relaxing and traveling—including seeing GRETA DELACY and Emily Baldwin in London
MORGAN PERRY returned to New York after a year in Turkey pursuing a Fulbright scholarship. In February, a catastrophic earthquake upended life tremendously. She and her Fulbright colleagues raised $20,000 to support their students after the natural disaster, and many Brearley community members participated; she’d like to thank everyone involved in making the fundraiser so successful. After returning, Morgan worked with International Intrigue, a publication dedicated to making international affairs more accessible, and staffed the United Nations General Assembly in September.
BARBARA BANCHIK spent time this summer going to concerts and visiting friends and family (and lots of museums) in Vermont, Hawaii and France. She’s excited for fall in NYC and to be
PHOEBE LANDSMAN, BARBARA BANCHIK, RACHEL KHUTORSKY and ELENE AMIRANASHVILI visited Storm King this summer and reminisced about their 9th-grade trip.
Abroad:
CAITLIN TIERNEY has been living in Beijing for the past year attending a master’s program at the Yenching Academy of Peking University. She will continue living in Beijing and exploring China for another year.
Wishing the entire Brearley community well, as always. See you in 2024!
Class of 2017 members Phoebe Landsman, Barbara Banchik, Rachel Khutorsky and Elene Amiranashvili.
Ayo Lewis ‘17 and Syd Danziger ‘17.
Class of 2019 members Katie Nath, Lily Fittinghoff, Alexandra Baird, Isabel Stern and Mia Colman at the Acropolis.
Lots of relocating this year for the Class of 2018! This summer, CLARE NIMURA moved to Providence, RI, to begin medical school at Brown University, and CHIARA NILSSON SALVATI moved to Washington, DC. This fall, BEASIE GODDU is moving to England thanks to a Mellon Fellowship. She plans to pursue an MPhil in English literature at Cambridge University, with a focus on the portrayal of women’s agency in British fiction between the two world wars.
ALEXANDRA HARTMAN has returned from a year in Taiwan and is moving to Washington, DC, where she is excited to start a new job and reunite with IRENE LOEWENSON.
2019 5TH REUNION
LAUREN SCHELLER
Lscheller01@gmail.com
Though 2019 feels like just a bit ago, our class is nearing our fifth-year reunion, which we are eagerly awaiting this spring. Since our graduation, the last to be held in our beloved 610, our class has pursued diverse paths in college and persevered through the Covid-19 pandemic. Read on to learn more about the exciting adventures that lie in store for the Class of 2019.
CHRISTINA FLYNN graduated this May from Lehigh University, where she majored in finance and minored in creative writing. While at Lehigh, she was the only girl competing on the men’s club squash team and was also the only female member of the Dreyfus Portfolio, a group that managed a portion of Lehigh’s endowment. Last, she was the business manager for the student newspaper, on the executive board for the investment management group, and an avid member of the club tennis team. She has interned at both Houlihan Lokey and Bank of America, where she is now working full time in the equity capital markets division. Christina is happy to be back in NYC postcollege and running into lots of Brearley girls in New York.
JASMYNE ROBERTS took a gap year during the pandemic, so she is graduating in the spring of 2024. One fun outcome of her year off is that she started cycling and went on a weeklong biking trip in coastal Maine. She is now a senior at Harvard double majoring in computer science and East Asian studies, and she is extracurricularly involved in college radio, theater and
film. This past summer, Jasmyne interned as a software engineer at Google.
FIONA XU graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Union College in the Leadership in Medicine program this past spring with a BS in anthropology and biology and an MBA in health-care management. The highlight of her undergraduate experience was getting involved with community service organizations, for which she cooked with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, mentored at-risk youth and worked to decrease health inequities through a social-determinants-of-health program. This year, she started medical school at Albany Medical College, where she hopes to bring the sense of community and love that she learned at Brearley and during college and medical school. It’s especially exciting to start this journey at the same time as one of her best friends, MADELYN MAURO. She and Maddie have been aspiring to become physicians together since they were sophomores at Brearley walking down the halls of the eighth floor in 610!
RACHEL YOUNG has spent the past four years studying psychology and neuroscience at the University of Rochester. In her free time, she was heavily involved in musical theater, a passion that was first ignited at Brearley. After graduating this past May, she moved down to Atlanta, GA, to start a two-year research fellowship at the Marcus Autism Center. In Atlanta, she got to catch up with fellow ‘19 alumna JANE GODINER, whom she hadn’t seen in years!
Faculty/Staff Notes
CONSTANCE Q. UMBERGER died on March 29, 2023. She was born on March 4, 1932, in Herkimer, NY. Constance taught at Brearley first as a student teacher from 1963 to 1965 and then as a room teacher in the Lower School from 1965 to 1973. She briefly taught at the Nightingale-Bamford School before moving from New York to Massachusetts in 1982. In the 1970s, during a transitional period in her life and between teaching positions, Constance started a bookstore, Salmagundi, in Cold Spring, NY, which she owned and operated and which earned a favorable review in the New York Times. After moving to Nantucket, Constance took a teaching position at a small independent high school, where she taught until its closure. She then began tutoring privately, enabling her to continue doing what she loved until almost the end of her life. She served on
the board of the Nantucket Lighthouse School and was instrumental in creating the Nantucket Garden Festival fundraising event for its benefit. In addition to her sincere love of and natural gift for teaching, Constance was deeply passionate about reading, writing, history, politics, gardening, art, music, antiques, interior design, cooking, entertaining, traveling, needlepoint, Scrabble, bridge, crossword puzzles, lively discussions and anything that engaged her outstanding intelligence and creativity. Constance was the mother of SARAH UMBERGER ‘75, MARY UMBERGER ‘77 and NEELTJE WESTERLUND ‘87 DEIRDRE BERGSON passed away earlier this year. Deirdre taught English at Brearley from 1980 to 1997. From Deirdre’s brother, Ralph Levinson: “My sister, Deirdre Bergson (nee Levinson), who died in April this year, was a scholar, activist and teacher who influenced many lives. Born in 1931 in Wales to Yudel and Miriam, intelligent and devoutly observant Jews, she was the second of five children. Four girls, Jean, Deirdre, Shula and Norma, were born within six years of each other and the youngest, Ralph, was born 20 years later. Deirdre was a rebel throughout her childhood. Expelled three times from her grammar school in Hull, she had made such a deep impression on her headteacher that they remained lifelong friends after she left school. She went up to St. Anne’s on a scholarship in 1951 to study English language and literature, where her tutor was J. R. R. Tolkien. Tolkien maintained a long correspondence with Deirdre, and perhaps one of the factors that persuaded her to take up an academic post in South Africa after her BLitt was Tolkien’s experiences of his native land. Deirdre spent five years teaching in South Africa, where she joined a revolutionary movement. It not only was opposed to the apartheid regime but also parted company with the ANC, which she saw as reformist and collaborationist. She wrote a novel, Five Years, published in 1966, based upon her experiences there, reviewed for the New York Times by a young Edward Said, with whom she and her partner, Allen, maintained a lifelong friendship. Her activities in South Africa might well have resulted in imprisonment and she left in time to avoid arrest. After, she spent several months hitchhiking through Africa on her own, an extraordinary venture for a young woman at that time. Deirdre took up a teaching post in Tougaloo College in Mississippi in the late sixties. From there she went to teach at New York University, where she struck up a long-lasting friendship with the Irish politician and intellectual Conor Cruise O’Brien. In New York, Deirdre met her husband, Allen Bergson, then an academic at Columbia Uni-
versity. Deirdre and Allen remained in New York, in an apartment on the Upper West Side, for the rest of their lives. In February 1970, their daughter Miranda was born. A son, Tobias, was born in May 1973 but died two months later. In April 1975 they adopted Malachi, from Cambodia. Deirdre continued to work at NYU and wrote her second novel, Modus Vivendi, published by Penguin in 1985. During these years she published short stories and articles in Commentary magazine and wrote reviews for the New York Times. Later, she taught in the Brearley School, where she made a deep impression. She also ran Shakespeare study groups at her home. Throughout her life, and particularly at St. Anne’s, Deirdre made many friends who were devoted to her through her intellect, generosity and commitment to their well-being.”
CONSTANCE (CONNIE) L. BOVEE died on June 4, 2023, at age 75. Connie served as secretary in the Head’s office from 1976 to 1979. She attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, graduating in 1969 with a BA in political science, and subsequently graduated from Moorhead State College in Moorhead in 1970 with a BS in education. Connie worked in administrative capacities at several other independent schools and colleges, including the William Penn Charter School, the Quaker School, Lehigh University and Cedar Crest College.
GRACE NICKLAS WARNE, a mathematics teacher at Brearley from 1986 to 1997, died on August 12, 2023. During her time at Brearley, Grace served as Chair of the Math Department, and then relocated to Connecticut with her family in 1997 to become a longstanding member of the faculty at the Brunswick School. Lili Stearns, Ann Whitman and Megan Lynagh (Class of 1995) provided the following tribute:
“Miss Nick joined the Brearley staff when we were needy and rowdy V graders and we immediately felt like she was OURS. She
was cool, fun, patient and encouraging. We tripped over ourselves to impress her, and often sought out her company and approval. In return, she was generous with her time inside and outside the classroom. For eight years she made us feel seen and heard and special—as she did for her many other students during her 11 years at Brearley.
Miss Nick’s tireless energy made us want to love math. She had high expectations and worked hard to explain concepts in new ways that would help us understand. She gave up an inordinate amount of her personal time to meet with us before and after the school day and during her lunch to ensure we didn’t fall behind. She erased the notion of being a ‘math person,’ and showed us that we could get there.
Much to our joy, Miss Nick was also a regular presence at our extracurricular activities: sports competitions, plays, even chaperoning class trips to Stokes, Hunter Mountain, the Delaware Water Gap and Frost Valley. On the trips, she humored our dramatic episodes (often punctuated with her signature ‘You guys!’ cry of exasperation), laughed at our mediocre skits, and offered sage advice in quieter moments, when needed. She balanced her role as teacher with that of confidant, walking that fine line of relating to her students (of all ages) while also commanding the respect she deserved.
For many of us, Miss Nick was an important fixture in our formative childhood years. It was a true delight that this bond extended into adulthood. We invited her to our Brearley reunions. We invited her to lunch in the city. We invited her to our weddings. And she showed up, with her infectious energy and a smile just for you. She will be missed at our future reunions, and whenever we need to remember how to do trig. Our thoughts are with her husband, Dave Warne, and her girls, Charlotte and Susanna.”
Constance Q. Umberger.
Mr. Wright and Class of 2013 members Anna Arena, Anna Oakes and Talia Boylan met up last spring.
Class of 1995 friends (Alice Liddell Rooke, Nina Gonzales, Ann Whitman and India Bayley) and Grace Nicklas Warne at Lili Stearns’s wedding. Miss Nick put up with our antics for decades.
Create a legacy for Brearley.
Incubator, proving ground, home. Brearley is a singular place that is all about the girls—who they are, what they are capable of, and who they can become. When you include Brearley in your estate plans, you join a generous group of supporters who safeguard the Brearley experience for the girls of future generations.
For sample language to use in your will or trust, and further information, please contact: Phoebe T. Geer ’97, Director of Advancement (212) 570-8609 or pgeer@brearley.org.
