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Pingry Hosts Team Morocco for World Cup

Dr. Bon Ku ’91 Inspires Imagination at Career Day

Dr. Robert Fullilove III ’62: Letter-In-Life Award

The

Review FA L L 2 0 2 6

BUILT FOR THE COMMON GOOD STUDENTS USING TECHNOLOGY TO SOLVE EVERYDAY PROBLEMS FOR PINGRY

“ It’s so important that we keep reading books . . . reading fosters three very specific experiences and skills that are critical to our intellectual development, character development, and well-being: empathy, the ability to connect to another human being; what I’m calling defamiliarization, [when] you climb out of your echo chamber and explore the alien, the unfamiliar, the strange, characters who think or value things differently than you do; and depth . . . the key to achieving depth, I think, is to slow down. Real education—real knowledge— takes time . . . let’s find time to slow down, to immersive ourselves in words, in books.” UPPER SCHOOL DIRECTOR DR. REID COTTINGHAM AT THE OPENING UPPER SCHOOL ASSEMBLY, REACTING TO RECENT ESSAYS AND ARTICLES ABOUT THE DECLINE OF READING

“ I wanted to say a few words about Dolly Parton . . . Perhaps the most impressive thing about Dolly is how she gave back. She is as known for her philanthropy and public service as she is for her music . . . I hope that you will all aspire to be like Dolly— excellent at what you do, as well as generous in spirit to those around you . . . your skills and achievements gain true meaning when used to lift up those around you. Share your gifts generously, lead with kindness, and inspire others to do the same.”

NATALIE GONZALEZ

UPPER SCHOOL DIRECTOR DR. REID COTTINGHAM PRIOR TO THE FALL AWARDS ASSEMBLY

For Pingry’s MLK Day of Service, students in all divisions shared sentiments such as playing the piano at nursing homes, helping at food drives, volunteering at Pingry’s composter, and tutoring classmates.

FALL 2026 | VOL. 83 | NO. 1

CONTENTS

pingry.org/review

Built for the Common Good A coding program that officially began in the summer of 2014 continues today, with a group of students creating apps that benefit Pingry—whether for managing clubs, pronouncing names correctly, scheduling events, or digitizing schoolwork. During this 100th anniversary year of the Honor Code, it is an example of students using their intellect and technology for the common good.

Page 42 Dr. Jon Sarkin ’71 art exhibition

ALSO INSIDE 2

From the Head of School

Reunion

One Pingry

Career Day

Commencement

Letter-In-Life Award

New Trustees

Pingry Creates

Faculty Awards

Off to College

20 Faculty and Staff News

Class Notes

View from BR/PV/SH

In Memoriam

Athletics

A Visit to the Archives

40 On the Arts

A Final Look

True Blue Spotlight

The Pingry Review is The Pingry School’s official magazine. Contact the editor with comments and story ideas: 908-647-5555, ext. 1296 The Pingry School 131 Martinsville Road Basking Ridge, NJ 07920

EDITORIAL STAFF Peter Blasevick P’24 Archivist Emily Cooke P’36, ’38 Chief Communications and Marketing Officer Sara Courtney Communications Writer David M. Fahey ’99, P’33, ’34, ’38 Chief Advancement Officer Jane Hoffman ’94, P’26, ’27, ’28 Director of Development Maureen Maher Associate Director of Communications, Writer

48 Pingry in Your Neighborhood

gwaxberg@pingry.org

EDITOR Greg Waxberg ’96 Assistant Director of Communications, Writer/Editor

ON THE COVER:

Leila Qadri ’28 and Derek Peng ’27, Co-Leaders of the Student Tech Committee, members of the STC’s Code Team, and developers of the Club Manager app

Alex Nanfara P’33, ’36 Assistant Director of Communications, Social Media Strategy and Athletics Taylor Noonan Director of Alumni Relations DESIGN AND LAYOUT Josephine Bergin josephinebergin.com

COVER PHOTO BY REENA ROSE SIBAYAN

THINGS YOU’LL LEARN IN THIS ISSUE THE POWER THAT DR. BON KU ’91 BELIEVES WE HAVE AS HUMANS ANDREW MCCARTHY ’80 DROVE 10,000 MILES ACROSS 22 STATES MUSEUM

• WHAT DR. DICK GROSS ’67 THOUGHT THE FIELD OF MATHEMATICS COULD IMPROVE FOR ITSELF • WHY • WHY TOM ROSENBERG ’03 ENJOYED HIS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL

• WHAT DAVID BUGLIARI ’97 CONSIDERS “A CALLING” INSTEAD OF A “CONSOLATION PRIZE”

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

FROM THE

Head of School Dear Members of the Pingry Community, Whether it’s a cover story in The Atlantic arguing that the age of reading is over, or related discussions about the “dismantling” of Harvard’s writing center, there is currently no shortage of media coverage on the threats posed to human learning by AI and other technologies. Some of the most basic elements of education (reading deeply, writing authentically, thinking independently, and doing one’s own work) are seemingly under assault on multiple fronts. If he were writing today, Charles Dickens might simply go with “It was the worst of times.” There is perhaps no bigger threat to our Honor Code — and more specifically to “working for the common good rather than solely for personal advantage” — than the rapid rise of AI. Working for the common good can seem quaint (at best) in a world shouting at every turn that individual achievement and gaining an edge on our perceived competition (classmates, teammates, colleagues, and peers) should be our primary goal. Despite the upheaval now surrounding us, our community can rest assured that Pingry’s priorities have not changed. While many schools are questioning their direction, wondering not just where they are going but how equipped they are to handle the challenges of the journey, Pingry’s direction is clear. We intend to remain a school grounded in people and relationships rather than algorithms and screens. While we refuse to cede control to AI, we also have no plans to bury our heads in the sand and simply hope for the best. Guided by our Strategic Plan, we are instead choosing to consider and balance emerging technologies alongside the enduring values that govern our actions. This approach will help ensure our responsible use of AI, one that reflects our collective commitment to ethical innovation, meaningful connection, and the human-centered pursuit of excellence. To cite The New Yorker article on Anthropic written

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

by Gideon Lewis-Kraus ’98 back in February, there is a way to avoid imitating either the AI “fanboys who man the hype wires” or the “curmudgeons who claim that there’s no there there” by accepting “that it is OK to not know” what the present means (or what the future holds). This is our goal at Pingry: to explore complex, sometimes unchartered territory together, and to ask critical and ethical questions along the way. As educators, we must develop in students the curiosity to question technology as well as bring it into the classroom, ensuring that they are lifelong learners, not merely lifelong consumers. The world is rarely binary, despite what today’s AI champions and doomers would have us believe. Instead of choosing between AI and anti-AI, we must find the middle path where we learn with and alongside technology without becoming overly dependent on it. Pingry students will always need protected opportunities to think, write, and create independently, as well as guided opportunities to learn how to use AI responsibly and effectively. The central question may be less about whether AI is permitted or prohibited and more about whether its use supports or substitutes for the intended learning. Jane Rosenzweig, the longtime director of Harvard’s writing center, believes “students are not products to be moved down a frictionless assembly line, and the hard work of reading, writing, and thinking is not a problem to be solved.” We completely agree. In fact, our Strategic Plan requires us to balance technology and progress with arguably our highest and our most essential ambition: preparing students to be good people. We indeed remain sharply focused on community and connection, teachers and students, and curiosity and growth. This is the magic of Pingry, and we’re going to continue prioritizing that magic over the tech wizardry now dominating the headlines. As David Brooks has previously written, “In the age of AI, major in being human.” Sincerely,

Tim Lear

NATALIE GONZALEZ

ONE PINGRY

Read Tom Keating’s Essays Upper School English Teacher Tom Keating P’27, ’29 has been writing essays on various topics—Commencement, parenting, ethics, job interviews, The New Yorker, life-altering moments, CPR, and more—for The Flex, a student-focused newsletter produced by Communications Writer Sara Courtney. It is emailed to Middle and Upper School students, current parents, and faculty and staff during the school year. His essays are available on Pingry’s website—read them at pingry.org/we-are-pingry/news.

Middle School Math League State Champions Pingry’s Middle School Math Team won the Math League New Jersey State Championship for the third time in a decade, with Rohan Shah ’32 also winning the individual state title by one point. Five students qualified for Middle School Nationals in Houston, where the team placed third.

LeBow Competition Samaya Shah ’27 won the 2026 Robert H. LeBow ’58 Memorial Oratorical Competition. Her speech, “Embarrassment: The Epidemic We Invented”, named a number of everyday occurrences that people consider embarrassing. “We’ve turned ‘embarrassing’ into the most overused word in the teenage dictionary, and somehow, it runs our lives,” she said. “But most of what we call ‘embarrassing’ isn’t actually embarrassing at all. It’s forgettable and it’s human.”

NATALIE GONZALEZ

The competition was funded in 2005 through the generosity of the Class of 1958, led by the late William Hetfield, in memory of their classmate. Dr. LeBow was an accomplished author and public speaker, addressing audiences worldwide about the need for health care reform.

Samaya Shah ’27 speaking about the epidemic of embarrassment

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

ONE PINGRY

G E T T I N G TO K N OW ...

Guadalupe Núñez, Middle School Spanish Teacher Favorite musicians? Shakira and Juan Luis Guerra Favorite books? Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom Favorite movie? La Misma Luna Any hobbies, or favorite way to spend free time? I like to dance and spend time with my family.

Aaron Wu ’27, Lucas Greenwald ’27, Zach Zaslow ’27, Riley Wong ’27, Max Li ’27, and Upper School Math Teacher Brad Poprik P’24, ’24

Winners of the Wharton High School Data Science Competition

Pingry’s Sports Analytics and Data Science Team earned first place out of more than 700 teams from 48 countries in the 2026 Wharton High School Data Science Competition presented by Google Gemini, which challenges students with complex problems that combine sports and analytics. The competition’s challenge: analyze a full season of simulated “World Hockey League” data to rank teams, predict tournament outcomes, and uncover what drives success on the ice. The team’s winning work combined technical skill, thoughtful reasoning, and clear communication.

If you could study any field aside from your own, what would it be, and why? Ethnography because, as a researcher, it allows you to document, observe, and study how a group of people interact with each other in specific situations and settings. If you could have dinner with one person, living or from the past, who would it be, and why? Celia Cruz, because she was a trailblazer for her time and was part of one of the most influential Salsa musical groups, “The Fania All-Stars”. The group was largely male dominated and she was the only female vocalist in the group. You are the daughter of immigrant parents. Where did they and you grow up? My parents are from the Dominican Republic and I was born in New York City. You love to cook, so what is your favorite dish to prepare? Arroz blanco con frijoles negros y carne guisada. Best part of teaching Middle School Spanish? Teaching Spanish is not only about teaching a language; it also means teaching about a culture and fostering an appreciation for and understanding of diverse perspectives.

Riley Wong ’27, Ava Maloney ’27, Jasmine Zhou ’27, Sarah Yu ’27, and Aaron Wu ’27

National Recognition for Students in Chinese Courses

Thirteen students in Chinese III, Chinese AP, and Advanced Chinese courses received awards in the 22nd CLASS (Chinese Language Association of Second-Elementary Schools) National Essay Contest, themed “AI and Me”. This nationwide competition received over 700 submissions from students across the country, highlightingexceptional achievement in Chinese language proficiency, critical thinking, and thoughtful engagement with the evolving role of artificial intelligence. Sophia Guild ’26 and Kayla Chin ’27 earned Gold Awards. pingry.org/extras: Awards from a regional Chinese culture competition, and more about Pingry’s Chinese program

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

By Harvey Shao ’32

PingryHacks: First Student-Led Hackathon By Harvey Shao ’32

L A P TO PS COVE R E D T H E TA B L ES , fingers clicked on keyboards, and the buzz of ideas filled the Pottersville Campus Dining Hall on the afternoon of April 25 as over 40 Middle and Upper School students participated in PingryHacks, the School’s first student-led hackathon. A hackathon is a fast-paced event where contestants design solutions aiming to solve real-world problems. In PingryHacks, participants created apps or websites that used AI to help students in New Jersey become confident readers and writers. The hackathon was both competitive and collaborative as students worked to develop their own projects. Yan Xiong P’31, ’36, Senior Director of Engineering at Google, who focuses on integrating AI into existing Google programs, gave the keynote address on the rise of AI and how it should be handled in the future, given its growing role in our society. She also discussed the ethics of using AI in schools and homes, emphasizing how overreliance can erode students’ independent thinking. Following her speech, workshops and roundtable discussions showcased skills to build apps and features with AI while discussing the real-world impacts of this

technology. One popular session focused on vibe coding, an approach in which users without a programming background use conversational instructions in natural English to create highly complex games and apps within minutes. Students then used the roundtables to discuss AI’s impact on the economy and in education. Leila Qadri ’28, the lead of eight student event organizers, said PingryHacks was largely student-run with the support of their faculty advisors. She created the event to enhance students’ interest in computer science and AI, showing that computer science is much more than just coding. “The focus of the event was on AI and technology and how to help students use these tools better to solve real-world problems,” she said. Leila added that, beyond technical skills, the goal was for participants to build projects, explore new interests, and develop a deeper understanding of social inequity. During the build sessions, students were divided into teams and developed their own applications. One team of four Middle School students created a multilingual learning app supporting English, German, and Spanish. Their app featured tools for users with dyslexia,

vision difficulties, and hearing impairments. David Ursic ’28, a member of LitPath, the first-place team as voted by the event organizers and faculty advisors, said PingryHacks was more interactive than many traditional classes because students were actively discussing ideas and building projects rather than just listening to lectures. The winners will have their designs implemented in real-world environments. The first-place group will pitch their design to different local companies for mentorship. Kieran Jani ’32 said the build sessions taught him the importance of patience and the software engineering cycle of creating, testing, and editing. Sydney Pfeffer ’32 noted that the event, especially the build sessions, helped students prepare for a future in which AI impacts jobs and everyday life. When the day ended, students left PingryHacks with new skills, fresh ideas, and a shared vision: as AI becomes more powerful, it can bring real benefits to our society now and help improve the future in practical and meaningful ways. After a successful first year, organizers plan to continue in 2026-27 and expand opportunities for students to keep exploring AI.

Students presenting the apps they built at the conclusion of the hackathon

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

ONE PINGRY Duan-Liu Family Court Is Dedicated at Lower School The fun was tangible: on a recent afternoon on Pingry’s Short Hills Campus, dozens of students were enjoying recess on the Lower School playground and its surrounding courts. One of those spaces is The Duan-Liu Family Court, a newly enhanced space that includes a resurfaced sports court, new basketball hoops, new benches, and a Pingrybranded windscreen. And displayed on the court’s fence are three words that the Duan-Liu Family chose for its plaque: “play, laugh, grow.” “What I love about ‘play, laugh, and grow’ is that these words belong together,” Head of School Tim Lear said at the dedication. “‘Play’ gives children the freedom to explore and learn outside of the classroom, ‘laugh’ gives them the joy and the connection that makes school a place they want to go and to be, and ‘grow’ reminds us of our purpose and calling as educators, helping children become more capable, confident, thoughtful, and caring.” These three words are not only appropriate for a playground, he pointed out, but appropriate for childhood. The School thanks the Duan-Liu Family for their generosity in helping to enhance a space that will provide students with endless fun for years to come.

The Duan Lui Family: Chloe Duan ’30, Joyce Liu P’30, Ellen Duan, and Le Duan P’30

Curriculum Updates For 2026-27 MIDDLE SCHOOL

UPPER SCHOOL

The schedule has transitioned from trimesters to quarters and semesters to connect more seamlessly with the Lower and Upper Schools.

The Computer Science Department is now Computer Science & Engineering to reflect the addition of Engineering as a new course in response to family inquiries. Taught by Robotics coach Andy Corwin, the course teaches traditional and mechanical engineering. “Students will start learning about the design process by looking at how they interact with the engineered world around them, what makes for good design, and the value of collaborative teamwork,” he says. The course includes Computer Aided Design (CAD) and prototyping.

For students who are unsure of which language to choose when entering Middle School, and at an age when curiosity and self-discovery are important, Grade 6 includes Language Carousel, a new year-long option in World and Classical Languages for students who would like exposure to Spanish, French, Mandarin, and Latin (with four different teachers) before committing to a language in Grade 7. The class also introduces students to basic skills for how to study a language. Students who choose this option can still progress to the AP level. Discovery classes: Previously, students had a choice of 23 Friday afternoon classes, which have been renamed and moved within the daily schedule (meeting twice every seven days, whereas calendar issues were preventing Friday classes from meeting at all). With Discovery classes, students can explore a new subject matter or further develop an interest, and they offer an opportunity for Middle School faculty and adults in other divisions to teach a passion subject. With this change, athletics expands to a Monday–Friday schedule, bringing greater consistency to the program and reinforcing Pingry’s commitment to the development of the whole child and the important roles of movement, teamwork, and physical wellness.

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

Two other new courses in the department are Computer Science I, to introduce how a computer works and basic programming skills, and Computer Science II for students who would like to expand their knowledge of programming concepts. These courses replace the Survey of Computer Science and Introduction to Computer Programming courses. Sophomore Seminar: The previous trimester-long Financial Literary requirement in Grade 9 has been redesigned and replaced with this semester-long course for Grade 10, encompassing four literacies for a data-driven world: financial literacy, data/AI technology, ethics, and research skills. Design Thinking: This new interdisciplinary course allows students to explore design thinking as a process to develop innovative solutions to problems with unimagined outcomes—such as product and app design, but also more complex issues like urban planning, reducing plastic pollution, and better sleep.

PHOTOS BY ERIN KIERNAN

The community enjoyed food, fun, Taiko drumming, and fireworks at Celebrate Pingry!

For Others: The First Step of Design Thinking By Joseph Napolitano, Head of Technical Theater and Design Excerpted from a longer article A moment of validation arrived this campus in science, mathematics, fall at the beginning of the year when language arts, history, arts, and athletics Head of School Tim Lear highlighted to achieve this goal. a simple phrase in our 100-year-old In a world that’s propelled faster and Honor Code. For Others, embedded faster by emerging technologies and amongst the student-authored artificial intelligence, it is important tradition established in 1926 and for young designers to understand the guiding our community ever since. significance of human-centered, humanWith the development and launch originated design. Artificial intelligence of Design Thinking, the foundational is transforming the design process as phase of the design cycle, empathy we know it. As expertise and judgment rang especially true. It’s where become more important than ever, the designers set aside personal question is no longer “is it possible?” but assumptions to deeply understand rather “which possibility is best?” Design Thinking students collaborate in a fast-paced prototyping sprint. the needs, emotions, and motivations One wouldn’t necessarily assume that of another. It’s the point where designers consider someone else, the a course on design would be as lively as it is, but the class behaves end-user, and begin to frame problems based on what they’ve learned. more like a boisterous think tank. From the moment students enter the Fourteen of Pingry’s brilliant students, in a state of growth, with classroom, the sprint begins, and they must be ready to collaborate. various perspectives, budding expertise, and experiences have Design thinking asks students to look beyond the boundaries of a embarked on the complete cycle this year. With each month, the single discipline and recognize that meaningful problems rarely fit problems they solve for others become increasingly complex, and their neatly within one. A discussion in class might range from an article in tactics become more sophisticated. A cohort of future entrepreneurs, the Harvard Business Review to the latest Apple product launch, from engineers, leaders, and innovators fill out the class, with some doubling emerging market trends to the novel way Bank of America’s “Keep the as aspiring veterinarians, medical professionals, industrial designers, Change” program helped users save. They are learning that, at its core, architects, and software developers. design is an act of consideration. The energy of the classroom is not The objective is to develop a process for problem-solving, but simply a reflection of the students’ enthusiasm; it is part of the method. what they must do is apply what they’ve learned from across Pingry’s

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

ONE PINGRY Stifel Award Presented to Sam Davydov ’36 and Blythe Hoffman ’28

Sam Davydov ’36 was diagnosed with leukemia in Kindergarten in 2024; the week of this award marked his eighth birthday and one year since receiving a bone marrow transplant. To keep busy, he read books, recorded a podcast, built LEGOs, worked on art projects, created video messages, and completed many crossword puzzles. He also jumped multiple reading levels, enhanced his math skills, and completed multiple STEAM projects. Blythe Hoffman ’28 was born in Hunan, China with a cleft lip and palate and spent 18 months in an orphanage, undergoing her first of five reconstructive surgeries completely alone. In 2011, she was adopted by

NATALIE GONZALEZ

T W O ST U D E N TS WE R E H O N O R E D in April for Pingry’s 38th presentation of the Stifel Award. The Henry G. Stifel III Award is named for Mr. Stifel, who was paralyzed in an automobile accident in March of his junior year at Pingry. The Stifel Family established the award at Pingry in 1984 to “be awarded to the person who best exemplifies those characteristics exhibited by Henry G. Stifel III ’83 in the aftermath of his accident and spinal injury: courage, endurance, optimism, compassion, and spirit.”

The Hoffman family (Christian ’94, Avery ’26, Claire ’27, and Jane ’94), Biology Teacher Deirdre O’Mara P’17, ’19, ’21, Blythe Hoffman ’28, Henry G. Stifel III ’83, Sam Davydov ’36, the Davydov family (Yan, Katie, Rafi ’38, and Nate), Lower School Literacy Specialists Jamie Nanfara P’33, ’36 and Shalini Parikh P’37, and Head of School Tim Lear

the Hoffman family and received additional medical care in the United States. She has been elected to Student Government twice, and together with her sisters, Avery Hoffman ’26 and Claire Hoffman ’27, also supports other children through their nonprofit organization A Birthday Wish, which grants birthday wishes of children in New Jersey foster care.

A Pingry lifer, Mr. Stifel is a former trustee and Letter-In-Life Award recipient, is a Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, and works at Morgan Stanley.

Favorite musicians? Billy Joel. His music has been with me my entire life—the background of growing up in the 1970s and ’80s.

music—and a very daunting multi-day recording process as well. Padilla’s music had never been recorded before, to my knowledge, so getting it right was incredibly important . . . I will honestly never forget the constant goosebumps I had adding my soprano voice to that beautiful sound. While winning a Grammy is overwhelming, just finding out that you’ve been nominated is a real trip.

Favorite movies? The Lord of the Rings movies, especially The Return of the King. I still cry every time I watch everyone kneel to the hobbits! Favorite TV show? Ted Lasso . . . brilliant, uplifting, and engaging. I love that it champions empathy, vulnerability, and radical optimism. Any hobbies, or favorite way to spend free time? I’m an avid genealogist! I’m never happier than when I’m researching someone’s family history. Genealogy is the ultimate detective game.

G E T T I N G TO K N OW ... Stacey Miles, Lower School Music Teacher

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

In 2007, you and a group of friends won a Grammy Award for your recording of Mexican composer Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla’s sacred music, Sun of Justice. Can you tell us about the background of this recording and the context in which it was recorded? I was a brand-new member of the Los Angeles Chamber Singers and Cappella in 2005 when I found out we were going to be recording this album. It was very daunting

pingry.org/extras: More about the Stifel Award ceremony

How do you approach teaching music to the youngest learners? As an Orff-trained music teacher, I approach teaching music by recognizing that children learn music best through active participation. We start with experiences that are natural and engaging for children—singing, speaking, moving, playing, and creating. Our classroom is rooted in exploration and play . . . I also believe that music learning should honor the whole child. Music provides opportunities for social connection, selfexpression, movement, and joy. By integrating these elements into every lesson, I aim to foster not only musical growth, but also creativity, belonging, and a lifelong appreciation for music.

Ethics Bowl Team’s First Championship Pingry’s Ethics Bowl Team won the regional tournament in the National High School Ethics Bowl (NHSEB), which promotes respectful, supportive, and rigorous discussion of ethics among thousands of high school students nationwide. Teams are given a set of 15 cases, each asking questions about various real-life ethical dilemmas. This is the team’s first championship in school history, coinciding with the 100th anniversary celebrations of Pingry’s Honor Code. In 2024-25, the team advanced to the regional semifinals for the first time. In related news, Pingry’s inaugural Middle School Ethics Bowl Teams made a strong debut at the NJ–NY Regional Ethics Bowl, hosted by The Ethics Institute at Kent Place School in February. Both Pingry teams finished 2–1 across three demanding rounds in a competition where outcomes are determined by judges’ votes.

Upper School English Teacher Dr. Barrett Ward, Ishaan Sinha ’27, Will Brisson ’26, Sophie Schachter ’27, Bridget Troy ’27, and Sarah Clevenger ’27

“ Ethics is an important way of life. You will face ethical dilemmas during your life, and I hope Pingry and the Honor Code gets you ready to face those, to have a rudder of honesty and integrity that will make your life much more worthwhile. There’s a famous saying: ‘Do the right thing when no one is watching.’” Special Assistant to the Head of School Miller Bugliari ’52, P’86, ’90, ’97, GP’20, ’24 speaking to Upper School students about the Honor Code this spring, rescheduled from Honor Code Week in January (see the Winter 2025-26 issue)

Pingry History Team Wins Middle School Division of History Bowl Shay Meyer ’31, Harrison Siegel ’32, Brett Calcaño ’33, and Nathan Wang ’34 represented Pingry at the 2026 Mid-Atlantic History Bowl Championships in March and won first place in the Middle School Division. Competing together as Team Pingry, the group went undefeated across all seven matches, often facing teams with older students. This is the first time Pingry won the championship title in the History Bowl (team) tournament. The team also placed 17th nationally in the Intermediate Division of the team competition, the National History Bowl. These students, whose interest in history started in various ways, such as through geography or family stories, are grateful to Pingry, their supportive teachers, and field trips for nurturing their love of the subject. As Nathan says, “Every social studies class was an excitement.” Brett says that “Pingry has been a wonderful place to bring my curiosity” and that Pingry friends who share his passion encourage him and push him to improve. In addition, Nathan is a back-to-back national champion in the individual competition, the National History Bee.

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

ONE PINGRY Baldwin Award The Cyril and Beatrice Baldwin Pingry Family Citizen of the Year Award, which recognizes individuals whose outstanding and meritorious contributions have enriched the Pingry community, was presented to two individuals during Commencement. The late Bobby Wulff, a treasured 15-year member of the Facilities Team who became Building Trades Supervisor on the Short Hills Campus, was described as “the heart of the

Short Hills Campus” with “warmth, humor, and deep humanity”. Lois Fitton P’26 has served the School in many volunteer leadership roles, including as PSPA President in 2022-23 when Pingry emerged from the challenges of the pandemic and Tim Lear became Head of School. She was lauded for her steadiness, vision, and ability to connect people.

The family of the late Bobby Wulff—including his wife Heather and their four sons—accepting in his memory

Lois Fitton P’26, James Draper ’26, and Chris Draper P’26

Research Week with Biology-Turned-Chemistry Major Maya Huffman ’18

The week kicked off with keynote speaker Maya Huffman ’18, a Ph.D. student in Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Harvard University, where she joined the lab of Prof. Emily Balskus. Her speech focused on her graduate research about understanding the chemistry of bacteria. Ms. Huffman originally became interested in biology at Pingry, “understanding how biomolecules like proteins and DNA govern the ways we live and disease progression. And being exposed to scientific literature started to help me understand what an individual’s research contribution could look like.” At Williams College, she intended to study biology, but revisited, unexpectedly enjoyed, and majored in Chemistry, with a concentration in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She earned a fellowship to study at the University of Cambridge. * Independent Research Team

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

NATALIE GONZALEZ

This spring’s Research Week involved more participants than ever before, showing “students doing real, meaningful research across a wide range of disciplines,” said Biology Teacher and Research Week Coordinator Dr. Morgan D’Ausilio. “At its core, research is about asking questions, working through uncertainty, and learning how to think critically about the world. It’s not always about finding the right answer—it’s about figuring out how to approach complex problems, evaluate evidence, and revise your thinking when things don’t go as planned.” Presentations included AP Biology, FYI Sci, Humanities IRT*, IRT, Journal Club, Molecular Biology Research, Robotics, Science in the 21st Century, and S.M.A.R.T. Team.

Maya Huffman ’18 with Biology Teacher and Research Week Coordinator Dr. Morgan D’Ausilio. Ms. Huffman’s research journey has not been linear, and she encourages students to explore their interests throughout high school and college.

Yearbook Dedication The 2026 Blue Book is posthumously dedicated to Bobby Wulff, a beloved 15-year member of the Facilities Team who passed away in February after a courageous battle with cancer. He was an accomplished heavy equipment operator who worked on projects across the Basking Ridge and Short Hills Campuses, and most recently was part of the team that built the new World Cup Field. As Building Trades Supervisor at the Lower School, he spent countless hours on tasks big and small, and in recent years, was heavily involved with the Lower School renovation, gardens, and fields. The editors described him as a “mentor, friend, problem solver, and constant source of

positivity” who “approached every task with extraordinary care, quiet confidence, and an unwavering commitment to our community.” Then–Director of Facilities Mike Waelz called Mr. Wulff “one of a kind . . . he could do just about anything mechanical he set his mind to.” Lower School P.E. and Health Teacher Jeff Patten P’24, ’26 described him as “the quiet force behind the campus that so many people take for granted—the kind of person who solves problems before anybody even knew there was a problem.” Between two jobs and his family life, Mr. Wulff was loyal and “always willing to give more of himself.” In Mr. Patten’s words: “the definition of dedication.”

“ [He was] the quiet force behind the campus that so many people take for granted—the kind of person who solves problems before anybody even knew there was a problem.” LOWER SCHOOL P.E. AND HEALTH TEACHER

NATALIE GONZALEZ

JEFF PATTEN P’24, ’26

Favorite musicians? The Clash, David Bowie, Lou Reed, and Beck: they all sit at the intersection of restlessness, reinvention, and critique of the world around them. Favorite book? Don DeLillo, White Noise. As a 1986 college graduate, [I] felt like it was describing the world I was walking into . . . consumerism, nonstop media, and a quiet anxiety about environmental and existential threats. Favorite movie? The Godfather, Part II because it shows how you can gain everything and still lose what matters most.

G E T T I N G TO K N OW ...

Jeff Cohen P’21, ’24, Grade 5 Science Teacher

Favorite TV show? The Wire because it refuses to lie about how the world works . . . What moves me is its compassion and its honesty about how hard it is to change anything. Any hobbies, or favorite way to spend free time? Anything that gets me spending more time in the mountains—my happy place.

If you could have dinner with one person, living or from the past, who would it be, and why? [Historian and philosopher] Hannah Arendt because she took ordinary human behavior seriously in a way that was both unsettling and deeply honest. What is a fun fact about you that people might never know? I have traveled to all seven continents, and I have kayaked the Grand Canyon. Any misconception about teaching science that you would love to clear up? “Teaching science is just about memorizing facts or running experiments.” The truth is, teaching science— especially to 5th graders—is really about teaching kids how to think like scientists: to ask questions, test ideas, weigh evidence, and learn from mistakes. It’s less about getting the “right answer” and more about helping students develop curiosity, critical thinking, and confidence to explore the world on their own.

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

ONE PINGRY

NATALIE GONZALEZ

Newly Named Spaces

TOP LEFT: The Eng Family Art Studios (Short Hills) BOTTOM LEFT: The Eng Family STEAM Science Room (Short Hills) TOP RIGHT: John Leathers ’57 and Della Leathers at their family’s tennis court on the Basking Ridge Campus BOTTOM RIGHT: John Leathers ’57 with Coach Brett Boocock. Mr. Leathers served as a captain of the 1957 Tennis Team, and his optimism stood out to those around him.

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

NATALIE GONZALEZ

Donors to the World Cup Field Reconstruction project include: Ellsworth Student Lawn—given by The Ellsworth Family Ferraro Stand—given by The Ferraro Family (shown at left) Goldstein Family Pavilion—given by The Goldstein Family Gonnella Stand—given by The Gonnella Family Kimber Family Terrace—given by The Kimber Family Marturano Stand—given by The Marturano Family Stillitano Student Lawn Other gifts to the 2025 reconstruction of the field came from The Brennan Family, The Egginton Family, The Jha Family, and The Robustelli Family

NATALIE GONZALEZ

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

Commencement

Pingry celebrated the Class of 2026 in the 165th Commencement Exercises on Sunday, June 7

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

Commencement

Katherine Jung playing The Star-Spangled Banner

“ Some of us in these gowns are wondering whether we just spent our best years getting good at what a computer now does for free, and some of you in front of us are wondering whether the world you’re sending us into still has a place for us . . . Nobody knows the future [and] we still have to go forth and live it. The only preparation for that challenge is . . . judgment. Judgment is what Pingry has spent all these years teaching us . . . how to take what we know and face what we don’t, how to look at a hard question, think for ourselves, and make the right call . . . When the easy thing is to let AI decide, don’t. Ask what you think first, then trust yourself enough to act on your own instincts and reach your own conclusions.” Valedictorian Christian Zhou-Zheng

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

Daniel Hall—Magistri Laudandi Award: the student who demonstrates personal integrity and generosity that inspire the best in others, whose sense of purpose is to the greater good, and who helps all succeed

“ One of the lessons of [the course] Magical Realism is that the extraordinary and the ordinary occupy the same space. We tend to think that adulthood is the process of losing our belief in the wonder of the world . . . but what if growing up isn’t the loss of magic? What if adulthood is discovering where the magic was hiding all along? It was hiding in a teacher who stayed after school to help . . . it was hiding in a friend . . . it was hiding in a coach . . . I have been positioning the adults in the room as the only magic makers . . . but the truth? You all are magic to us.”

“Every time someone asked for advice about anything, I didn’t know what to say. I was confused as to why I should be giving advice in the first place, but eventually I realized something. Nobody was coming to me because I had everything figured out. They were coming to me because nobody has everything figured out . . . Bet on yourself—not because you’ll always win, but because you’ll stop walking away from your own potential.”

Upper School History Teacher Lisa Longo Johnston

Student Body President Jayden Battles-Cobb

Harrison Hackett—The Class of 1902 Emblem: by the efficiency and amount of service, and by loyalty of attitude, the student who has done the most for the School and shown the greatest amount of school spirit

LIFERS: 13-Year Club— members of the Class of 2026 who attended Pingry since Kindergarten FIRST ROW: Sophia Guild, Ivy Zhang, Sarah Novofastovsky, Lana Haidri, Luci DiTosto, and Myles Devlin SECOND ROW: Jordan McDonald, Norah Jacob, Caroline Miller, Lane Purcell, Will MacIntosh, and Amar Bhan THIRD ROW: Jonah Park, Brody Mandelbaum, James Draper, Cole Langer, and Jack Blumberg FOURTH ROW: Xavier Germain, Elliott Eng, Jayden Battles-Cobb, Richard Lewis, and William Brisson

LEGACIES: Pingry has a long history of students whose parents and/or grandparents also graduated from the School SITTING: Layla Baydin, Henry Foster*, Brody Mandelbaum, Jack Blumberg, Avery Hoffman, Bowen Crosby, Julian Martinez, and Hanah Abdi STANDING: Sloane Mandelbaum ’25, Jeff Mandelbaum ’94, P’25, ’26, ’29, Dr. Darren Blumberg ’88, P’26, ’28, ’32, Brian Crosby ’89, P’23, ’25, ’26, Christian and Jane Hoffman ’94, P’26, ’27, ’28, Dr. Angelica Diaz-Martinez ’88, P’25, ’26, Sebastian Martinez ’25, Jake Abdi ’23, and Ann (Meyer) Abdi ’89, P’23, ’26 (Not pictured: Alex Baydin ’93, P’26, ’29) *

Step-grandfather was the late

Ted Walter ’58

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

Pingry Announces New Trustees JANEENE BALMIR P’27, ’28 rejoins the Board after serving as PSPA President for the 2024-25 school year, and then as a non-trustee committee member of the Finance and Audit Committees during the 2025-26 school year. Ms. Balmir previously served as First Vice President in 2023-24 and Treasurer from 2017–2019. She has also served as a Pingry Fund parent volunteer. She is Senior Vice President, Global League Finance for the National Basketball Association (NBA). Ms. Balmir previously worked as a Managing Director at JPMorgan where she served as CFO of Wholesale Payments within the firm’s Commercial Banking division, providing Treasury and payment services to mid-sized to large corporations. She received a B.S. in Accounting from the University of California, Berkeley and an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross School of Business. SHEILA PATEL P’29, ’29 is the

Founder and CEO of Gotham Scholars, a nonprofit she established in 2021 to expand educational opportunities for highly motivated high school students. Her career spans corporate strategy, brand leadership, entrepreneurship, and education, united by a commitment to creating opportunities for others. She began her career in management consulting at Ernst & Young and BearingPoint, advising financial services companies on customer strategy. She later became a brand development executive at Bath & Body Works, leading its women’s core personal care business. Throughout her career, she remained engaged in education through consulting, mentoring, and teaching in schools. These experiences inspired her to bring a strategic, entrepreneurial approach to educational equity through Gotham Scholars, empowering the next generation of changemakers. Ms. Patel earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, with a minor in Business Institutions, from Northwestern University and is pursuing a Master of Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

KEVIN SCHMIDT ’98 also rejoins the Board after serving as PAA President from 2020–2024 and is Co-Chair of the Investment Committee. Previous roles with the Pingry community include PAA Committee Chair, PAA Committee Board Member, Athletics Hall of Fame Committee Chair, Second Century Leadership Club member, Pingry Fund alumni volunteer, and Reunion volunteer. Mr. Schmidt is an Executive Director within the International Equity Group at JPMorgan Asset Management. Prior to JPM, he held roles as an institutional investment consultant at Callan and RVK, and as an Analyst and Portfolio Specialist at Invesco on their Quantitative Equity team. Mr. Schmidt received a B.S. in Economics from the University of Maryland and an M.B.A. in Finance from Fordham University. USHA SHAH P’25, ’28 is serving as PSPA President for the 2026-27 school year. She has been working for over 20 years as Director of Technical Services at Blackboard Inc., which delivers a digital environment for transformational teaching and learning. Along with her volunteer work at Pingry, she has served on the Millburn schools Parent Teacher Organization boards for six years, along with other volunteer work in her community. Ms. Shah has a degree in Computer Engineering from Mumbai, India.

Pingry thanks retired trustees Michelle (Chang) Comstock ’98, P’29, ’33, Laura Overdeck P’21, ’23, ’26, Katie Procter P’22, ’26, and Dr. Anju Thomas P’19, ’22 for their service to the School.

JANEENE BALMIR, SHEILA PATEL, AND USHA SHAH PHOTOS BY MAGGIE YURACHEK KEVIN SCHMIDT PHOTO BY DAVID SALOMONE

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

Faculty Awards and Chairs With the following endowed award funds, generous donors have sought to encourage excellent teaching and coaching and recognize teachers’ contributions to the School.

Presented in June 2026

ALBERT W. BOOTH CHAIR FOR MASTER TEACHERS / 2026-27

Dr. Chester Chu, Physics Donna Deutsch, Grade 1

DAVID B. BUFFUM HISTORY CHAIR / 2026–2029

Matt Honohan, History Department Chair

EDWARD G. ENGEL CHAIR FOR MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE / 2026–2029

Cecily Moyer, Middle School Science

ERIN CARANNANTE

DR. CHESTER CHU

DONNA DEUTSCH

SETH GOODWIN P’29

JESSICA HOEPFL P’37, ’38

MATT HONOHAN

LISA LONGO JOHNSTON

EMMA LIU

CECILY MOYER

HEATHER (SMITH) STEINMAN ’93

LIL TORRES

SUE TUMMARELLO

THE WOODRUFF J. ENGLISH FACULTY DEVELOPMENT FUND / 2026-27

Heather (Smith) Steinman ’93, Grade 1 Lil Torres, Biology, Anatomy & Physiology, Health THE GREIG FAMILY ENDOWED FACULTY CHAIR (TEACHING/COACHING) / 2026-27

Jessica Hoepfl P’37, ’38, Health and Physical Education Department Chair/Girls JV Soccer and Girls JV Lacrosse HERBERT F. HAHN JUNIOR FACULTY AWARD / 2026-27

Erin Carannante, Middle and Upper School Health Emma Liu, Lower School Music SENIOR CLASS FACULTY CHAIR / 2026-27

Seth Goodwin P’29, Upper School 3D Art

THE NORMAN B. TOMLINSON, JR. ’44 CHAIR FOR HISTORY AND LITERATURE / 2026–2029

Lisa Longo Johnston, Upper School History

THE JAMES P. WHITLOCK, JR. ’60 FACULTY DEVELOPMENT FUND FOR SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS AND TECHNOLOGY / 2026-27

Sue Tummarello, Grades 3–4 Science, Lower School Science Coordinator

Currently Held

E. MURRAY TODD FACULTY CHAIR / 2025–2028

Gerry Vanasse P’14, ’20, Director of Middle School Athletics

pingry.org/forever-blue/giving/endowed-funds: Read about these awards, including the individuals for whom they are named. To learn more about how you can endow an award or contribute to an existing one, please contact Chief Advancement Officer David Fahey ’99, P’33, ’34, ’38 at dfahey@pingry.org or 908-647-7058.

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

Faculty and Staff News Saying Farewell

Tributes to an administrator and those who worked at Pingry for 10 or more years PAT EGAN, Middle School Office Coordinator, retired after 20 years at Pingry and was proudest of her role as an advisor. She loves the energy of the Middle School and thrived on supporting the students, faculty/staff, and parents. “I have had the privilege and honor to work with the very best of the best. Pingry, and the Middle School community in particular, have played a huge role in my life. I shall always be grateful for this opportunity,” she says. In 2025, Ms. Egan received The Cyril and Beatrice Baldwin Pingry Family Citizen of the Year Award. She was praised for being “a steady hand” with a “legacy of care, constancy, and compassion” who has “dedicated herself to the growth and development of Middle School students. She has supported them academically, emotionally, and socially—and in doing so, she has become a symbol of the very best of what our community can be. Pat is not just a part of the Pingry Middle School—she is at its heart.” pingry.org/extras: A tribute to Ms. Egan by Caroline LaPuma ’31

TAMARA SCHURDAK, Middle School Director, left Pingry after

three years to become Head of Middle School at Rowland Hall in Salt Lake City and pursue a doctorate in Leadership and Learning at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody School of Education. During her time at Pingry, she established a divisional leadership structure that includes Middle School Department Chairs, helped develop new roles focused on student support and academic leadership, and led efforts to enhance Middle School community life, from expanding the role of Morning Meeting as a gathering for performances and student voice to introducing new traditions such as evening dances and partnerships with neighboring schools. She also worked on the development of Discovery classes that are introduced in 2026-27, as well as a revised Middle School schedule. DANA SHERMAN, Grades 4 and 5 Writing Teacher and a homeroom teacher, retired after 10 years at Pingry. She was the Lower School’s first dedicated writing teacher, and her classes touched on fiction, creative writing, expository writing, poetry, and other genres. Soon after joining Pingry, she said, “It’s such a privilege to teach writing to children because you get access into their minds and hearts and imaginations. It’s a window into their world, their struggles, and how they work to manipulate language at such an early age to describe it all . . . I really want to help the students see themselves as writers, as capable, knowing that no matter what writing assignment they’re challenged with in the future, they’ll be able to take it on.” Ms. Sherman plans to create a writing workshop for adolescents in which they can work on assignments, college essays, or something of their own in a group setting and receive feedback. “Pingry has an outstanding faculty,” she says, “and it has been a pleasure to work alongside so many dedicated educators.” GERARD SORIANO, Facilities Technician, left Pingry after 11 years. He was known for being meticulous at spackling and painting and always looking out for his co-workers. “Gerard was a pro with a paintbrush, and I respect his attention to detail on completing a never-ending series of projects,” says Head of School Tim Lear. DEBRA TAMBOR, Middle School Science Teacher, retired after 13 years at Pingry and 32 years of teaching middle school. She taught Science 7, then Science 8, and started the Middle School’s participation in New Jersey Science Olympiad (a multidisciplinary science

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

and engineering competition that challenges students with hands-on activities that make connections to real-world scientific issues). In their first year, 2015, a team of 19 students medaled in six of 12 events at the regional tournament to earn a spot in the state tournament, where they medaled in 10 of 23 events. In 2016, the team medaled in four of 10 events at the regional tournament and advanced to the state tournament, where they medaled in 10 of 25 events. In 2017, the team medaled in seven of 12 events at the regional tournament and advanced to the state tournament, where they medaled in 10 events and placed fourth in the state. Ms. Tambor also taught the Friday class Mad Science with fastpaced, hands-on activities such as engineering, dissections, and kitchen chemistry. “When students can see something in action, that’s why I love teaching science,” she says. “They can see it. They can understand it.” Ms. Tambor also taught with a lot of toys because “students of all ages easily relate to toys [because] they are captivating and many are built on science principles.” She also kept toys on her table for students to engage with before class. In 2020, Ms. Tambor received The Edward G. Engel Chair for Mathematics and Science.

MIKE WAELZ, Director of Facilities, retired after 10 years in the role and 19 years at Pingry. A licensed electrician, he joined the School as Mechanical Supervisor in Basking Ridge and took the opportunity to expand his role when he rose to Director of Facilities in 2016. Among his numerous campus projects earlier in his time at Pingry, he rewired the Carriage House, completed electrical work for Beinecke House, and worked on the modernization of both the Basking Ridge and Short Hills Campuses. Under his leadership, the Facilities’ mechanical team wired the entire Miller A. Bugliari ’52 Athletics Center, including the fire alarm and intercom systems (“a very rare, large undertaking”), and the Facilities Team installed synthetic turf fields, renovated the Lower School Library and Middle School Office, renovated employee housing and other spaces on the Pottersville Campus, installed the Veterans Wall, and reconstructed and expanded the Varsity Baseball and World Cup Soccer fields. He also played a key role in the creation of the newest three-campus Master Plan, based on the newest strategic plan. The 2021 Blue Book was dedicated to the Facilities Team to recognize their countless hours of work to ensure the safety of the Basking Ridge and Short Hills Campuses (including the construction of about 1,000 plexiglass dividers for and the installation of specialized equipment in classrooms). Frequently over the years, the Facilities Team has been lauded for the three campuses looking immaculate, and Mr. Waelz is quick to share the credit. “There’s a good sense of pride, and [Associate Director of Facilities] Neil [Spagnuolo] has a good eye. [Building Trades Supervisor, Pottersville Campus] Jenn [Johnston] has a good eye. I’ve always thought that we’re basically in the hospitality industry. We want to make it look as nice as possible. [Chief Financial and Operating Officer] Olaf [Weckesser] has been a great supporter of construction and renovation.” What was most challenging about being Director of Facilities? “We’ve got good supervisors on all three campuses, so that made it easier because I didn’t have to be involved in every single aspect of it, but there was a massive amount of detail—attention to detail. There’s always something going on. Every day, something comes up. My job largely, over the years, became construction management or overseeing a project.” During Mr. Waelz’s tenure, Pingry added more skilled tradespeople to the Facilities Team and expanded the crews because activities take place on the campuses nearly every day of the calendar year. “It’s easier to monitor and take care of things if you have in-house tradespeople,” he said in 2017. “You’re not paying for someone else’s

PAT EGAN

DEBRA TAMBOR

STACEY HANN-MODUGNO

HOLLY IZSA

TAMARA SCHURDAK

MIKE WAELZ

DANA SHERMAN

LESLEY BRUNO

DRAKE KENNON

mark-up, and you have several different sets of eyes and skills looking at various projects.” Talking in 2019 about the 2008 work on the Carriage house—but a comment that could apply to any campus project that the Facilities Team has done itself—he said, “I feel good that we’re involved in these big projects on campus. It’s saving money, yes, but it’s also just a smart thing. We’re more familiar with the buildings, and there’s a level of trust that you can’t replicate with outside contractors.” pingry.org/extras: Recognition of employees who departed from Pingry in June

Welcome to New Faculty and Staff LESLEY BRUNO, Middle School Office Coordinator, worked in communications and retail for more than 20 years. She received a B.A. in Political Science and Communications from Muhlenberg College. JULIE CAPUTO (kah-POO-toh), Grade 4 Social Studies Teacher, has spent 15 years as a reading and math interventionist, a special education teacher, and a classroom teacher for Grades 4 and 5. Mrs. Caputo earned a B.S. in Elementary Education and Journalism at SUNY New Paltz, and an M.S.Ed. in Childhood Education at University at Albany. KEVIN FARRANT (far-AHNT) is Pingry’s inaugural Dr. Joseph A.

Leone Fellow for Emerging Technologies. The position was made possible by the generosity of Mrs. Nancy Leone in memory of her late husband Dr. Joseph A. Leone. The purpose of the gift was to support and invest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) as well as emerging technologies/artificial intelligence–related programming initiatives and resources for K-12 students and educators. Mr. Farrant will support the School’s efforts to integrate cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence, into the Pingry experience. He brings 15 years of experience in independent schools, including the past four at Rye Country Day School as Makerspace Director and Upper School Technology Coordinator. He also operates an independent consulting practice with schools on AI integration and STEAM program design. Mr.

NICOLE NOLAN P’29

GERARD SORIANO

JULIE CAPUTO

RUTH PHILLIPS

KEVIN FARRANT

JESS SCHULTE

Farrant earned a B.F.A. and an M.S. in Art and Design Education, K–12, at the Pratt Institute. STACEY HANN-MODUGNO (muh-DOON-yoh), Assistant Lower School Director of Academics, has spent her entire career in public education within the Warren Township School District, beginning as a classroom teacher and later serving for 12 years as a Curriculum Supervisor, supporting K–8 teachers and facilitating professional growth. Mrs. Hann-Modugno earned a B.A. in Elementary Education at Franklin Pierce University, received Teacher Certification in New Jersey, and completed a Master’s of Education at Rutgers University. HOLLY IZSA (EYE-zuh), Grade 4 Writing Teacher, has been a K–3 teacher for over 35 years, most recently in The School District of the Chathams. Mrs. Izsa earned a B.S.Ed. in Early Childhood Education/K–8 at Kutztown University, and an M.A. in Educational Leadership at the College of Saint Elizabeth (now Saint Elizabeth University). DRAKE KENNON, Middle School History Teacher, taught economics, history, and humanities for four years at a charter school in Arizona. He earned a B.A. in History and Classical Studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder, an M.Phil. in Medieval History at Trinity College Dublin, and an M.Ed. in Secondary Education (Social Studies) at Peabody College. NICOLE NOLAN P’29, Middle School English Teacher, taught for nearly 20 years at The Wardlaw+Hartridge School, serving as History Department Chair and Director of Global Programs and Community Outreach, and teaching Upper School history and fifth-grade humanities. She earned a B.A. in English and Communications, with a minor in History, at Rutgers College, and an M.S.Ed. at Bank Street College of Education. RUTH PHILLIPS, Grade 2 Co-Teacher, worked at St. Hilda’s & St. Hugh’s School in New York for 19 years, teaching Kindergarten and Grade 2. She earned an M.A. in English Education at Brooklyn College and an M.S.Ed. in Special Education at City College of New York. JESS SCHULTE (shul-tee), Lower School Technology and Innovation Specialist, spent the past five years working in learning and

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

Faculty and Staff News

KIM SIBILIA

ALYSSA SPEAR

JULIA STORR

DR. KAYLA STORRS

DR. JAY SY

DR. MIMI TSURUGA

DR. MONTANA VASQUEZ-GRINNELL

ANDREW WRAITH

TYLOR BAKER

STEPHEN HEAD

LYNNE CATTAFI

MIKE COAKLEY

talent development as a learning experience/instructional designer and learning strategist for K–12 educators, educational entrepreneurs, non-profit organizations, and Fortune 10 technology managers. Previously, she was a third-grade teacher in East Hanover. Mrs. Schulte received a B.S. in Elementary Education, with a second major in English, from The College of New Jersey, and an M.S. in Educational Technology from Ramapo College.

DR. JAY SY, Upper School Science Teacher, joins Pingry full-time after serving as a Leave Replacement Teacher in 2025-26. He has worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow at MIT and Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Rutgers University. He earned a B.S. in Bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania and completed the Joint Ph.D. Program in Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University.

KIM SIBILIA, Upper School Math Teacher, has worked as a Gynecologic Oncology Researcher & Project Lead at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Clinical Consultant at Novopedics, Content & Data Analyst at Johnson & Johnson, and Math Teacher at Immaculata High School. She always had a love for both math and science and enjoys sharing her passion for math with students. Ms. Sibilia earned a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering, with minors in Music, Economics, Sport Management, at Rutgers University-New Brunswick School of Engineering.

DR. MIMI TSURUGA (tsoo-ROO-gah), Upper School Math Teacher, most recently taught Upper School math at the Wardlaw+Hartridge School. She was also an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at the University of California, Davis and worked as an educator in the tech industry. Dr. Tsuruga earned a Dr.rer.nat. (Doctor of Natural Sciences) from the Technical University of Berlin in Germany.

ALYSSA SPEAR, Assistant Director of Communications, Internal Strategy, spent nearly six years at Far Hills Country Day School, most recently serving as Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications. She earned a B.A. in Public Relations and Advertising, an M.A. in Public Relations, and Certificates of Graduate Study at Rowan University. JULIA STORR, Middle School Drama Teacher and Musical Director, has toured as an actress with the National Theater for Children, Hampstead Stage Company, and Maples Repertory Theater, among others, and served as Director of Education for Maples Repertory Theater. She also taught drama and directed productions for eight years in the Summit Public Schools. Mrs. Storr earned a B.F.A. in Music Theatre at Illinois Wesleyan University and an M.A.T. in Theater Education at Drew University. DR. KAYLA STORRS, Associate Director, Auxiliary Programs, has served as Head of Community Engagement and Wellbeing at the University of Pennsylvania, and Associate Director of People, Culture & Belonging for The University of Oklahoma Athletics Department, among other positions. She earned a B.A. in African and African American Studies and B.S. in Health Studies at The University of Oklahoma, an M.P.H. with a concentration in Health Behavior from the University of Kentucky, and a Ph.D. in Adult and Higher Education at The University of Oklahoma.

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

DR. MONTANA VASQUEZ-GRINNELL, Middle School Science Teacher, has been a Middle School Science Teacher at Packer Collegiate Institute, and Science Department Chair and Middle School Science Teacher at Gill St. Bernard’s. She earned a B.A. in Liberal Arts at Hampshire College, an M.A.T. in Early Childhood Education and Childhood Education at Manhattanville College (now Manhattan University), and an Ed.D. in Curriculum, Teaching, Learning, and Leadership at Northeastern University. ANDREW WRAITH, Assistant Director of Sustainability and Middle School Science Teacher, worked for five years at Germantown Friends School and, for nine summers, Strong Wings Adventure School. He has also been a hiking guide in the Santa Monica Mountains, Science and Nature Coordinator for the Summer@Smith camp, and an educator for the Heritage Conservancy. He loves ecology and believes that sustainability is not as much a discipline as it is a lens for any life path (such as a lawyer focusing on environmental justice or an artist working with natural and reclaimed materials). Mr. Wraith earned a B.A. in Physics, with a minor in English and Textual Studies, at Syracuse University, and a Master of Environmental Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.

BRAD FADEM

DAVID HAWKINS

EMMETT KRESGE

BRAD POPRIK P’24, ’24

MIKE SARACENO

DR. AMY VARO-HAUB

CARTER ABBOTT

KENNEDY BUCKLEY P’16

DR. ANN DICKERSON P’22, ’24

JILL DRISCOLL P’30, ’33

JUDY LEBOWITZ

LIL TORRES

Returning to Pingry TYLOR BAKER, Basking Ridge Mechanical Technician, previously worked at Pingry from 2011–2016. STEPHEN HEAD, Basking Ridge Groundskeeper, previously worked on the Pottersville Campus from 2021–2023.

Pingry community since 2007—as a math teacher, Math Department Chair (2014–2019), Spring Intensives Coordinator, Middle School Curriculum Coordinator, and schedule designer. “I’ve been so impressed by what our teachers do to inspire our students,” he said in a PSPA meeting. “I saw it in math, but we need to make sure we’re all moving in the same direction. K–12 is a journey, with different steps along the way. I’m really looking forward to expanding what I’ve done in the past.”

Faculty and Staff in Leadership Positions

MIKE SARACENO, Director of Operations from 2022–2026, is Senior Director of Facilities and Operations. The departments remain distinct but will coordinate closely.

LYNNE CATTAFI, Upper School English Teacher since 2023 who taught in the Middle School from 2017–2023, is the new English Department Chair, succeeding Dr. Ann Dickerson P’22, ’24. Ms. Cattafi is excited to work with her colleagues in this new position.

DR. AMY VARO-HAUB, Assistant Middle School Director of Academics and Curriculum in 2025-26, is Interim Middle School Director.

MIKE COAKLEY, Middle School Dean of Students from 2019–2026

CARTER ABBOTT, Director of Athletics from 2014–2026, is an Athletics Consultant, leading a one-year strategic initiative focused on the future of Upper School athletics as it relates to college sports, and the future of Middle School athletics as it relates to institutional goals. She is continuing as Head Coach of Girls Varsity Lacrosse.

and a former Middle School English Teacher, is Interim Assistant Middle School Director of Academics. BRAD FADEM, Director of Campaign and Strategic Initiatives in 2025-26, is Interim Director of Athletics. He joined Pingry in 2021 following six years in the University of Pennsylvania’s Athletic Department, where he served as Director of Men’s Basketball Operations and Assistant Athletic Director for The Pottruck Center for Student-Athlete Success. He has also served as Head Coach of Boys JV Basketball and Assistant Coach of Boys Varsity Basketball at Pingry. DAVID HAWKINS, Middle School Leave Replacement, Learning Specialist in 2025-26, is Middle School Dean of Students. He has spent over a decade in independent schools, outdoor education, and youth development, and earned a B.S. in Child Psychology at East Tennessee State University. EMMETT KRESGE, Construction Manager from 2022–2026, is Building Trades Supervisor, Short Hills Campus. He joined Pingry as Facilities Supervisor on the Pottersville Campus. BRAD POPRIK P’24, ’24, Upper School Math Teacher, is Pingry’s

first Assistant Upper School Director of Academics to support curriculum alignment in Grades 9–12, so this academics-focused role now exists in all three divisions. Mr. Poprik has been a member of the

Consultant

New Members of the Magistri

Congratulations to these teachers who have taught at Pingry since 2001: KENNEDY BUCKLEY P’16, Grade 4 Math; Grade 3 from 2001–2008 DR. ANN DICKERSON P’22, ’24, Upper School English; English Department Chair from 2019–2026; Upper School German from 2001–2019 (overlapping with English from 2005–2019) JILL DRISCOLL P’30, ’33, Grade 2; Lower School Educational Technology Specialist from 2013–2019 JUDY LEBOWITZ, Upper School Latin; Upper School English from

2001–2019

LIL TORRES, Biology, Anatomy & Physiology, Health, Head Coach of Middle School Girls Basketball

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

VI E W F R O M Basking Ridge Pottersville

Convocation, the official opening of Pingry’s school year since 1987, took place in the Miller A. Bugliari ’52 Athletics Center on September 10 to open the 2026-27 school year.

Short Hills

PHOTOS BY REENA ROSE SIBAYAN

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

“ School is not a cave, but this room is full of people who are, in some sense, still sitting on that ledge with each other, some of you knowing exactly who’s beside you, some of you not yet . . . Go find out who’s sitting near you. Those boys survived that ledge partly because they were already a team before the water ever rose, already trusted each other before they needed to . . . Let’s stop pretending school is every person figuring it out alone in the dark . . . Show up for each other loudly enough, consistently enough, all one-hundred-and-sixty-something days of it, so that when this year is finally over, and someone looks back at what we built together, there’s only one word left to say about it. Brilliant.”

“ Why do we bother to pay so much attention to the Honor Code? The Honor Code will not be observed and respected unless it is repeatedly emphasized. There is a simple reason for this. Compliance with the Honor Code is hard and surprisingly complex. The Honor Code speaks to our entire lives and all our behavior, not just what we do inside these walls, and understanding how to apply what seems like simple language and rules actually is often not straightforward at all . . . More attention must be paid, and more deep thought must be given, to the Honor Code, almost daily, to make it both meaningful and understood . . . we must strive for honor in whatever we decide to undertake.”

Student Body President Ishaan Kumar ’27, reflecting on the youth soccer team stuck in a cave in Thailand in the summer of 2018

Board of Trustees Chair Ian Shrank ’71

“ Much has changed since the Honor Code was written 100 years ago, but even then, students highlighted the importance of community. They wrote, ‘The members of the Pingry community should conduct themselves in a trustworthy manner that will further the best interests of the school, their class, and any teams or clubs to which they belong.’ In my opinion, this is the single-mostimportant line in the Honor Code . . . But community also means showing up for each other . . . Honor means recognizing when your classmates and teachers have worked tirelessly and making an effort to show that they are valued and that their passions are seen . . . So, as we step into the next 100 years of the Honor Code, I encourage you all to think deeper than the pledge you write on the bottom of every test. Without you, the Honor Code is just a piece of paper. It’s your actions and commitment to integrity that build a culture of support, a culture where we show up.”

“ The Honor Code describes not simply what we must do, but what we should do. It doesn’t assume that doing the right thing will always be easy or obvious. Instead, it gives us a shared vocabulary and a sense of direction . . . the Honor Code asks us to pay attention to one another and then to act on what we notice . . . it means considering how one choice, even a small one, affects the larger community . . . it means seeing something that needs to be done and not assuming that someone else is going to do it . . . Our Letter-In-Life recipient, Dr. Bob, shows us what can happen when devotion and attention to detail turn to curiosity, empathy, and ultimately, action . . . we depend on one another, but we cannot wait for someone else to notice, to care, or to act in our place. We know what we should do. Now let’s do it.” Head of School Tim Lear on the importance of paying attention instead of acting passively

Honor Board Chair Sophie Schachter ’27

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

BUILT FOR THE

COMMON GOOD By Greg Waxberg ’96

“I see the concept of using my own skills to benefit a community I love as a moral imperative.” CODE TEAM MEMBER RYAN HAO ’27

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

“This is a huge, huge win for our community.”

obert Hoepfl P’37, ’38, Form III/IV Dean of Student Life, was speaking enthusiastically to Upper School students during a Morning Meeting in mid-September. Why was he excited? Well, along with his responsibilities as a dean, teaching World History, co-advising the Honor Board, and serving as Head Coach of Girls Varsity Basketball, Mr. Hoepfl manages information for approximately 140 clubs. And until this fall, that situation was a complicated mess . . . spreadsheets, documents, and forms to keep track of data, and he needed to manually update everything himself. Surely there was a better way? There is. And that is why he was excited. The previous Friday, he had emailed the Upper School to announce the launch of a new web-based Club Manager app to completely revamp the Club experience . . . the newest app built by Pingry students. Yes, the newest—not the first, or even the third, but the newest in a series of apps designed and built by Pingry students for the School’s benefit. Or, to express it another way during this 100th anniversary year of the Honor Code, students are using their intellect and emerging technologies for the common good. This tradition can be traced to 2014, when Alyssa Baum ’14 built the first version of the first successful student-created app for Pingry, a web-based program still used today, the Event Request Management system for faculty and staff to schedule an event on one of Pingry’s campuses (or off campus). Others over the years include the Snow Day Calculator, Pingry App, and Digital Humanities Lab. Other current apps include Learn My Name (a name pronunciation tool) and Assignment Camera. More about those newer apps later, but first: how Mrs. Baum’s experience was able to happen in the first place. In 2014, she was the first high-level coding student to participate in Pingry’s summer technology internships, which themselves grew out of an advanced computer science course taught at the time by Brian Burkhart, formerly Computer Science Department Chair and

now Director of Academics. That course included what he calls a “capstone project that involved pitching an idea to solve a problem.” Students did not have a chance to actually build anything, but his concept led to the summer internship program, which consisted at the time of two teams within the Student Tech Committee (STC): the Tech Team (working on hardware and upgrades) and Code Team (building software). “All I was doing was trying to harness the kids’ enthusiasm,” Mr. Burkhart says. That internship marked Mrs. Baum’s first opportunity to apply classroom skills to building something that solved a real problem. Originally, “high level” meant that the student had taken AP Computer Science or higher and was a member of STC. Now, the criteria are slightly different because the scope of Pingry’s Computer Science curriculum has expanded. “That really sets Pingry apart,” Mr. Burkhart says. Although he has not been in charge of the Computer Science Department since 2021, nor is he teaching computer science anymore, the program will always be near and dear to him (“my baby that grew up,” he has said). When he arrived at Pingry in 2005, 12 Upper School students were enrolled in two computer science courses. Today, nearly 140 Upper School students are enrolled in a multi-year curriculum that progresses from Computer Science I (fall) and Computer Science II (spring) to AP Computer Science A, Data Structures (fall) and Algorithms (spring), Database Management (semester) and Machine Learning (semester), and Advanced Topics: Computer Science.* Plus, Computer Science 7 and Computer Science 8 are offered in the Middle School. “For many schools, AP Computer Science is a senior-level course,” he says. “We have freshmen and sophomores taking that class, and we have two years of programming beyond that, including Database Management and Machine Learning. When I was an undergrad, Machine Learning was a graduate-level course. At Pingry, it went from a rotating class to becoming a core part of the curriculum.”

*As part of curriculum adjustments, some computer science courses changed names for the 2026-27 school year (read more on page 6), so this story also contains references to previous course names. ABOVE: Derek Peng ’27 and Leila Qadri ’28 PHOTO BY REENA ROSE SIBAYAN iStock.com/ryccio

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

In all grades, says Dr. Marie-Pierre Jolly, Chair of Computer Science since 2021, students like “the challenge of creating something from scratch.” Class projects are not based on abstract ideas—students are writing code to solve real-world problems. That combination of the computer science curriculum and students wanting to solve problems leads back to Code Team, where now, “high level” refers to students who, ideally, are in, are about to enter, or have completed Data Structures and Algorithms, says David Gonzalez, Upper School Computer Science Teacher and faculty advisor to Code Team since he joined Pingry in 2021. He has years of experience building software, having previously worked in information technology at Johnson & Johnson and EY (Ernst & Young) and served as an adjunct professor at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ). When COVID-19 hit, he realized that teaching could provide an opportunity to leverage his technology skills in a different way. At Pingry, he teaches Computer Science I and II, AP Computer Science A, and Database Management. With Code Team, Mr. Gonzalez is also looking for a quality beyond students’ technology background: maturity. “I need students who really understand the seriousness of what they’re doing. They have to have a level of maturity to understand that these are real applications—we need to take this seriously. This isn’t about trying to get things done quickly or wait until the last minute to do something.” What is the makeup of a good software development team, from his perspective? “[Not] every coder on the team has to be the best coder in the school. I’m looking for other skill sets as well: Are they well organized? What does their attention to detail look like? Are they able to think through problems and brainstorm solutions?” (Mr. Gonzalez has accepted younger students to Code Team who have not yet taken more advanced computer science courses because, based on his experience teaching them, he believes they can still contribute with smaller development tasks.) The group’s goal, simply, is to use technology to solve real problems for Pingry, and ideas for apps originate from within the School (students have other avenues to pursue their own ideas for app development). Thus, the process for creating the apps begins with meeting the faculty or staff member who made the request, to understand the issue. Mr. Gonzalez names a few questions: “What are the pain points? What do you hope to be able to do? What do

“ These students are helping us fill a software need that we can customize exactly the way that we want, and that will integrate with our systems the way that we want it to.” DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY STEVE FRANTZ P’30

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

AN EARLIER APP

SNOW DAY CALCULATOR CR E AT E D BY DAVI D S U K H I N ’1 2 Mr. Sukhin built this app for fun and launched it nearly 20 years ago, in 2007. He substantially improved it during his sophomore year at Pingry, based on input from teachers and other students. It combines National Weather Service data, the user’s ZIP Code, and questions about the user’s school to predict a personalized likelihood of a Snow Day. Director of Academics Brian Burkhart calls it “one of the original Pingry computer science student innovations, a precursor to the School’s future projects.” The core functionality today is the same as when Mr. Sukhin was a Pingry student, and he continues to improve the app, which is used by parents, teachers, and students across the country. “Super-accurate Snow Day predictions are based on current weather and historical data, so the predictions only keep improving,” he says. “I am constantly energized by the continued excitement and tradition of using the Snow Day Calculator at Pingry.”

APU ’93 CONTINUES TECH SUPPORT Honored in 2020 for his decades of tech support, with The Cyril and Beatrice Baldwin Pingry Family Citizen of the Year Award, Apu ’93 helped put Pingry technology on the map in the 1990s. With former administrator, teacher, and coach Rob Macrae ’82, he wired the first Pingry network. He even created software of his own as a student—Upper School English weekly vocabulary quizzes, used in what was then the Mac computer lab. Apu continues to offer support for today’s students during their app creations. “I ask questions to find where there will be security vulnerabilities or workflow issues with what they’re planning to do,” he says. “I have a reasonably good knowledge of how different parts of the School use data—how data that one group collects might be useful to another, or influence another.” He also offers advice, as needed. For example, with the Club Manager, he guided the students on how to manage differences between Pingry’s letter day schedule and a Monday–Friday schedule.

AN EARLIER APP

PINGRY APP

CR E AT E D BY AL E X ST RAS S E R ’ 1 9 Mr. Strasser created a Pingry app to help students and faculty keep track of everything happening on their daily calendars. “I found a problem that I had, and found that a lot of my classmates had the same problem—our schedules were just too complicated to keep track of,” he says. “It seemed like a sweet opportunity to create a more centralized system to solve everyone’s problems at once while also creating a nice platform for news, announcements, special schedules, and more. I’m super-thankful for the support of my classmates and the Pingry Tech Department for providing the servers and working with me to get the tools I needed . . . I definitely didn’t expect it to take off quite as widely and rapidly as it did, with parents downloading it to keep track of their children’s schedule . . . I was known as the ‘Pingry app guy.’” The app was in use for about three years. With golfer Ami Gianchandani ’18, Mr. Strasser also cofounded Accel Golf, a golf statistics app for amateur and professional golfers, still active today.

AN EARLIER APP

DIGITAL HUMANITIES LAB CR E AT E D BY N OAH B E RGAM ’ 2 1 , J U ST I N L I ’ 2 1 , AN D J U L IAN L E E ’ 2 1 Winner of the 2019 Congressional App Challenge in New Jersey’s 7th District, this app helps students when writing essays about literature by providing detailed statistics about a certain text or multiple texts. It has not been active for about five years. “I welcome current students to take up the project,” Mr. Bergam says. “It is especially timely right now for students to think deeply about how they (ought to) interact with digital tools when learning to write essays.”

AN EARLIER APP

COVID-19 TRACKING DASHBOARD

CREATED BY DREW BECKMEN ’19 AND JEFF XIAO ’19 Mr. Beckmen and Mr. Xiao developed this dashboard in 2020 to display real-time updates of COVID cases and campus operations. Mr. Beckmen had served as an intern with Pingry’s Tech Department and had taken web development coursework. He recommended Mr. Xiao for extra assistance.

“ I need students who really understand the seriousness of what they’re doing. They have to have a level of maturity to understand that these are real applications.” CODE TEAM FACULTY ADVISOR DAVID GONZALEZ

you wish you could do but there’s no way to do it with the current process?” Following the conversation are design mock-ups, flow charts to illustrate processes, and figuring out what information will be stored and how to store it. “To build quality software that meets business requirements, there is a structured software engineering process that has existed for decades,” he says. Prior to 2023, to write software, students used computer programs—an Integrated Development Environment, or IDE, that contains all of the required tools—whereas now, students also incorporate AI to write code, which is what most professionals are now doing. Pingry has paid for a ChatGPT Business Plan, which includes the advanced AI agent Codex, because some free coding resources were insufficient. “I can’t run Code Team and say ‘nobody can use AI’. Students need to understand what that world looks like,” Mr. Gonzalez says. “And the process is not just writing code, but [also] a design process and a problem-solving process.” Most apps require multiple summers to complete and are housed on Pingry servers. The Code Team’s current projects for Pingry’s business processes are the Event Request Management app for faculty and staff (a 2022 rebuild of the 2014 system, with newer technology to meet current needs), the name pronunciation tool Learn My Name (launched in the 2025-26 school year), Assignment Camera (launched this fall), and Club Manager (also launched this fall). The Event Request Management app is critical. During the 202526 school year, over 1,000 events were submitted, and the app helps facilitate a multi-level review and approval process for all of the events. As of fall 2026, the app has received over 250 events. Learn My Name (namevoice.pingry.org), which allows community members to record themselves saying their name, is an initiative of the office of Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, and Belonging. DEIB Director Dr. Gilberto Olvera P’29, ’33 makes sure that all faculty and staff are aware of the tool prior to the start of the school year because of “the value of pronouncing our students’ names correctly. Correct pronunciation is one of the simplest, most concrete ways we honor and affirm a student’s identity.” Assignment Camera for Lower School homework is the brainchild of Director of Technology Steve Frantz P’30 and

“ I find meaning in bringing about positive changes that empower our community.” CODE TEAM MEMBER LEILA QADRI ’28

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

requires context. Before the pandemic, Lower School students used iPad minis (K–2), iPads at the beginning of the year and then Chromebooks (Grade 3), and Chromebooks (Grades 4–5). During the pandemic, each student was given two devices, an iPad and a Chromebook (one for connecting to Zoom and one for assignments). After the pandemic, each student still had those two devices, but one was not being used, so Pingry reevaluated the setup. Most teachers of Grades 3–5 wanted to stick with Chromebooks (considered a working tool, whereas iPads were equated with entertainment), even though Mr. Frantz believes a Chromebook is limited in function compared to an iPad. Realizing that neither the Chromebook nor the iPad was the best option, the Tech Department selected MacBook Airs because of their full-featured desktops and capabilities for software—plus, students will use laptops like MacBook Airs in Middle School. But one of the teachers’ big concerns: students had been using iPad cameras to digitize their homework for Google Classroom. Digitizing homework needed to continue, so Mr. Frantz asked Mr. Gonzalez and the Code Team to create an app for use on the MacBook Airs. The result is Assignment Camera, which is added to each student’s computer and uses the camera as a scanner to photograph and crop a piece of paper, and the image can be easily saved to their computer. Club Manager opens a new world for Mr. Hoepfl and all Upper School clubs. “It’s challenging,” he says simply, when talking about the information involved in managing clubs. It will not be so challenging anymore . . . the new website (clubs.pingry.org) offers new ways to gather and track data. To name only a few of its features: apply to start a club, find clubs, join clubs, schedule meetings and send calendar invites, take attendance at each meeting (important because the Upper School is seeking to understand how students use Conference Period and other free time), take notes at each meeting, and email everyone in a club (using a button instead of creating email lists). Mr. Hoepfl can even assign tasks to club leaders. The app is complex, but STC member Leila Qadri ’28 met the challenge as she led its development, including the creation of wireframes (two-dimensional blueprints) to show how the webpages might appear. Building the app took place over a dozen stages and 12 weeks. “We started building about a quarter through [that time period] because the design took time,” she says. “I had never worked on a project with this much detail.” Mr. Hoepfl is grateful and beyond impressed. “Leila and David were fantastic. They were able to do anything I asked, far exceeding what I thought was possible.” So, current students spend all of these summer hours creating these apps, but what happens after they graduate? What happens to the maintenance? “Without strict quality practices, there is the risk that an app won’t be maintained properly,” Mr. Gonzalez says. “From an STC perspective, we try to ensure that does not happen. We built a process to ensure we can support our apps for many years, following best practices of software engineering.” The process encompasses documentation for every code change—who made the change and why—user guides, help guides, and technical documentation of how the app was designed and which server hosts it. “Ideally, there should be no loss of knowledge.” If an app is no longer being used, the Tech

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

Department considers officially retiring it. All of these Code Team–created apps have at least one attribute in common, besides the fact that they are Pingry apps: they are all customized, relying on expertise within Pingry’s walls. “These students are helping us fill a software need that we can customize exactly the way that we want, and that will integrate with our systems the way that we want it to,” Mr. Frantz says. In the past, Pingry has spoken to external companies about similar apps for these purposes, but in most cases, these companies charge a lot of money for software that does too much or not enough for the School’s needs—and what if a company gets rid of features or ceases to exist? Code Team prevents all of those frustrations and possibilities, and Mr. Gonzalez promotes the value of a summer spent working on software that is used every day. “It’s an amazing opportunity for students who are interested in the computer science field and want to be software engineers.” Special thanks to Alex Steinberg, Curriculum and Instruction Specialist, for his contributions to this story.

ADVANCED AI ON THE HORIZON TO IMPROVE STUDENT-CREATED APPS? Head of School Tim Lear, Associate Head of School Dr. Jessica Flaxman, and other members of the School’s leadership team collaborated on a new technology initiative that they believe is important for Pingry’s future, the Dr. Joseph A. Leone Fellowship for Emerging Technologies. Pingry’s inaugural Fellow is Kevin Farrant (read more about his background on page 21), who grew up in a technologyfilled home. “I always approached using technology from a creative lens, always asking myself the question, ‘What can I build or make using this tool?’,” he says. One of his passions is AI. “I’m deeply embedded in the research and fascinated by it. Most importantly, I’m experimenting with these tools every single day.” AI has already improved Pingry students’ coding process for apps and is likely to change the coding landscape even more in the coming years because AI is constantly in flux, as Mr. Farrant knows from his research. “There have been exponential improvements . . . I want to make sure that everyone is up to speed on what the current models can do—not what was tried last year. Over the past several months, these models have crossed a threshold from generating interesting output to genuinely useful work.” Given the juxtaposition of manual coding versus AI helping with coding, Mr. Farrant offers this observation: “Many software engineers no longer write most of their code by hand, but they are still responsible for understanding, reviewing, and owning what gets produced. That’s why computer science students should absolutely learn the fundamentals. What’s changing is the job itself, which is moving away from typing code and toward directing the tools that write it and evaluating what they produce.”

CODE TEAM MEMBER

ALEX DELORENZO ’27

DEREK PENG ’27

Background in coding: Coding for fun since elementary school, and doing more since joining Pingry as a freshman

Background in coding: Co-Leader of STC; Co-Leader of PingryHacks; develops websites, including his own Computational Biology Learning Lab; has developed numerous machine learning–based research projects, both independently in pursuit of his own interests and through SmartHeart IRT (Independent Research Team) at Pingry

Computer Science at Pingry: Survey of Computer Science, Introduction to Programming, AP Computer Science A, Data Structures and Algorithms, Database Management. “Those first two years especially, taught by Mr. Gonzalez, helped me change my mindset about writing code: instead of trying to create something that was simply ‘correct,’ we need to write code that’s also readable, maintainable.” Enjoyment of building software: “It’s immediately and meaningfully useful to real people in their everyday lives.”

CODE TEAM MEMBER

LEILA QADRI ’28

Background in coding: Co-Leader of STC; Co-Leader of PingryHacks* (read more on page 5); Co-Leader of CS-XX (club for girls/ non-binary students in computer science, AI, engineering); Team Lead for STC internship, supervising other student interns who worked on Event Request Management and Learn My Name apps Computer Science at Pingry: Survey of Computer Science, Introduction to Programming, AP Computer Science A, Data Structures. “My CS teachers taught me that technical skills alone could not solve a real-world problem, and they helped me develop my ability to think critically and collaborate with others. Everything I learned in my classes translated to my work on STC Code Team creating applications in daily use by members of our school community.” Enjoyment of building software: “Developing software gives me the opportunity to design and engineer a solution that best suits the needs of users and improves their daily workflow. I find meaning in bringing about positive changes that empower our community. I especially find enjoyment in collaboration, bouncing ideas off of each other and collectively coming up with innovative solutions.” *As a result of speaking about the hackathon at the NJAIS (New Jersey Association of Independent Schools) Innovation and Collaboration Conference in August, Leila was interviewed for ChatEDU: The AI & Education Podcast in September, speaking about the hackathon and Club Manager app. She explained that she had participated in hackathons in middle school (operated by local high schools), and she wanted to bring the concept back to Pingry. But older students with a lot of technical expertise were the stars of those other hackathons, and since then, AI has become more prevalent in the real world, so Leila sought to make the hackathon accessible for all students, regardless of their technical skills. PingryHacks was open to students in Middle School and early Upper School, and they would vibe code with AI to build a solution to a realworld issue. Asked for her thoughts on the notion that “AI is cheating” and what she might tell a teacher who is not supportive of using AI, Leila said, “If you wanted to bring this back to an English classroom—‘write an essay about this character in this book’—[AI] will give you an essay, but it won’t be as good as something you came up with yourself, because AI can’t really invent things. It can only innovate on what’s already been given to it, and you’re the one who has to come up with the idea. The creativity still lies in you. So, the more you use it to supplement your critical thinking and your creativity, the better overall your use of AI will be.”

Computer Science at Pingry: Survey of Computer Science, Introduction to Programming, AP Computer Science A, Data Structures and Algorithms. “The most important skill they taught me is definitely problem solving and how to think critically, which I think is especially important in a time when AI can increasingly handle the coding aspects itself. That being said, coding languages and technical skills are definitely valuable, but I see them more as tools for turning that problem solving into something concrete.” Enjoyment of building software: “I always aim to create software that positively impacts a community I care about. As technology and AI advance ever faster, I find myself increasingly drawn to the human side of it: understanding what humans actually need. I like the process of taking an idea or problem and turning it into something tangible that one can actually use. Software combines both creativity and problem solving, and it’s especially rewarding to see something that started as an idea become a useful tool and continue improving it based on how people interact with it.”

CODE TEAM MEMBER

RYAN HAO ’27

Background in coding: “I’ve always been fascinated by things that move and work autonomously. I initially manifested my interest by diving into Robotics, but later I started seeing even more nuanced logic within programming and software engineering.” Computer Science at Pingry: AP Computer Science Principles, Data Structures and Algorithms, Database Management. “Data Structures and Algorithms helped me realize how many choices are involved in manipulating data. Database Management has further extended into that topic and helped me question information itself more deeply.” Enjoyment of building software: “I see the concept of using my own skills to benefit a community I love as a moral imperative. There are so many aspects of software beyond the implementation, which forces me to consider every aspect of the users’ experience.”

“ Students are using their intellect and emerging technologies for the common good.”

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

AT H L E T I C S Student-Athletes with All-America Recognition for 2025-26

Coaching Excellence It was a big year for Pingry coaches, with many earning recognition for their leadership and the success of their programs. Carter Abbott (Girls Lacrosse), Deirdre O’Mara (Girls Swimming), and Marion Weber (Girls Tennis) were each named Skyland Conference Coach of the Year by conference officials, and celebrated alongside student-athletes Owen Smith ’26 and Chloe Huang ’26, who were also honored at the Skyland Conference Awards Luncheon as recipients of the Carl Weigner Scholar Athlete Award. Additionally, NJ.com recognized Jason Murdock as Skyland Conference/Raritan Division Coach of the Year, and Ron Pack Jr. ’99 as Boys Fencing Coach of the Year. For Coach Pack, who was also named NJSIAA Boys Fencing Coach of the Year, the statewide recognition reflects more than wins and losses. “Over the past three years, we’ve worked hard to build a team culture—focusing on accountability, leadership, cohesion, and camaraderie,” he said. “This sense of team has become a defining part of our program, and I think it has played a tremendous role in our growth and success.” Coach Pack added that he is most proud of “the culture we’ve created and the relationships that have grown from it,” a sentiment that reflects the impact Pingry coaches strive to have on student-athletes well beyond competition. ABOVE: Deirdre O’Mara, Owen Smith ’26, Chloe Huang ’26, Carter Abbott, and Marion Weber at the Skyland Conference Awards Luncheon

Pingry student-athletes earned national recognition across four sports during the 2025–26 school year, with six receiving All-America honors and another recognized for excellence in both athletics and academics. In lacrosse, Campbell Clark-Schoeb ’26 capped her Pingry career as a USA Lacrosse All-American after earning Skyland Conference Player of the Year, All-State First Team, and All–Skyland Conference First Team honors. Chloe Huang ’26 was also named a USA Lacrosse All-American and All-Academic honoree following a career that included two All–Skyland Conference First Team selections, All-Non-Public First Team honors, and a role in helping Big Blue capture the program’s first state championship. Lucy Waterstredt ’26, a standout defender, earned USA Lacrosse All-Academic recognition, an honor reserved for players who combine exemplary lacrosse ability and sportsmanship with high achievement in the classroom. On the soccer field, Maya Nuwayhid ’26 was selected to the High School All-American East Team after a dominant senior season. The Skyland Conference Player of the Year finished her Pingry career as one of the program’s all-time top scorers with 94 goals, and ranked sixth in New Jersey in goals scored during her senior season. Rayee Feng ’26 added another national honor to an extraordinary golf résumé, earning AJGA (American Junior Golf Association) Rolex Junior All-America Second Team recognition. Rayee made the cut at the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open, finished tied for ninth at the U.S. Women’s Amateur and tied for third at the U.S. Girls’ Junior, and represented the United States in the Junior Ryder Cup. Pingry was also represented among the nation’s elite junior squash players. Moeed Khan ’27 earned US Squash All-America honors through the NYC Tri-State High School League, while Erika Qin ’28 qualified through both the league and her GU17 national ranking—one of only the top four players in that age division to earn All-America status through the national rankings.

LEFT: Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse Head Coach Mike Webster P’24, ’27, ’27, who has led the team since 1989, earned his 400th career win on March 31, a 6–1 win over Ridge. The game also featured a hat trick—the first varsity goals—by Henry Foster ’26 and the 200th career save by goalie Luke Burns ’26. RIGHT: Maeve Webster ’27, Mandy and Mike Webster P’24, ’27, ’27, and Michael Webster Jr. ’27 PHOTOS BY BRUCE MORRISON ’64

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

Team Morocco Welcomed to World Cup Field for 2026 World Cup

CO N T I N U I N G A T RAD I T I O N that began with the Italian National Team for the 1994 World Cup, Pingry hosted Team Morocco, which selected the Miller A. Bugliari ’52 World Cup Field for its training and practice site during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. That tradition was highlighted in a June 19 New York Times story, “How a Tiny Private School in the Suburbs Attracts World Cup Teams”, which detailed the expansion and reconstruction of the World Cup Field to FIFA specifications, from November 2024 to Spring 2025. The story specifically mentioned the history of international teams practicing at Pingry since 1994 when Charlie Stillitano Jr. ’77, P’17 helped bring the Italian team. Bohler carried out the 2024–2025 renovation with its integrated planning, site civil engineering, and landscape architecture teams. They needed to expand the field, construct a second practice field, and create enhanced spectator areas with an elevated pavilion—all according to FIFA standards that include detailed requirements for drainage, field conditions, and playability. Of major importance: the field needed to drain quickly enough for practice to resume within two hours of a storm, so all layers were specifically engineered to make that a reality. Although most of the Moroccan National Team’s practices were closed to the public, Pingry hosted a community access event on June 4. The next day, Moroccan National Team Supporters wrote to thank Pingry for its “warm welcome, outstanding hospitality, and excellent facilities” and for its “commitment to creating a professional, comfortable, and inspiring environment for the players and staff.”

TOP: Pingry hosting the community access event ABOVE: Morocco is the most recent international team to train and practice on the Miller A. Bugliari ’52 World Cup Field. Others have included AC Milan, Juventus, Manchester United, and Paris Saint-Germain. BELOW LEFT: Gov. Mikie Sherrill visiting the World Cup Field in May to announce that Pingry would be hosting Morocco. Pictured: NY/NJ FIFA World Cup Host Committee CEO Alex Lasry, Gov. Sherrill, Moroccan Ambassador to the United States Youssef Amranin, and Head of School Tim Lear BELOW RIGHT: Boys’ Varsity Soccer Head Coach Miller Bugliari ’52, P’86, ’90, ’97, GP’20, ’24 and Gov. Mikie Sherrill PHOTOS BY NATALIE GONZALEZ

Donors to the soccer reconstruction project include: Ellsworth Student Lawn gift given by The Ellsworth Family

Gonnella Stand gift given by The Gonnella Family

Ferraro Stand gift given by The Ferraro Family

Kimber Family Terrace gift given by The Kimber Family

Goldstein Family Pavilion gift given by The Goldstein Family

Marturano Stand gift given by The Marturano Family

Stillitano Student Lawn Other gifts to the 2025 reconstruction of the field came from The Brennan Family, The Egginton Family, The Jha Family, and The Robustelli Family

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

AT H L E T I C S

College Athletes THOMAS SANTANA ’22 (Columbia

University, baseball), a team captain, made 12 starts, recording 51 strikeouts over 59.2 innings and earning All–Ivy League Second Team honors for the second consecutive year. He was also named a co-recipient of Columbia’s Cy Young Award, closing his collegiate career as a threetime All–Ivy League selection.

ZACH VENTURA ’22 (Carleton College, football) appeared in all 10 games in 2025 and made three starts at linebacker. He finished the season with 36 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and an interception, while also earning College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors. JAKE FRANCIS ’23 (Villanova University, baseball) made 21 appearances, including 11 starts, in 2026, throwing 53.2 innings and striking out 34 while also recording a save. He is a two-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team selection. BELLA GOODWIN ’23 (Duke University,

lacrosse) recorded 33 goals and 22 assists for 55 points as a junior, and earned All-ACC Third Team honors for the second straight season.

CECE KORN ’23 (Brown University, lacrosse)

is coming off the best year of her collegiate career. She started all 15 games in 2026, collecting 26 ground balls and 12 caused turnovers while earning All–Ivy League Honorable Mention.

JASON WEAVER ’23 (Macalester College, football) earned MIAC Defensive Player of the Week honors after opening the year with 13 solo tackles, including two tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery in a win over Martin Luther. ABBY BAIRD ’24 (Stanford University,

sailing) earned ICSA All-America honors as a crew and helped Stanford capture the 2026 ICSA Women’s Fleet Race National

For possible publication of news about alumni competing in athletics after Pingry, please contact Alex Nanfara P’33, ’36, Assistant Director of Communications, Social Media Strategy and Athletics, at ananfara@pingry.org.

Championship, part of a season that saw the Cardinals win two national titles. ETHAN BORODITSKY ‘24 (Duke University, fencing) helped secure Duke’s 2026 ACC Fencing Championship with his épée victory in the winner-take-all fence-off. SOPHIA DEENEY ’24 (Emory University, cross country / track and field) reached the 400-meter hurdles final at the 2026 UAA Outdoor Championships. She ran a personalbest 1:05.01 in the prelims before finishing sixth in the conference final. Sophia also earned an individual win in the 400 meters during her first collegiate season, taking first at the 2025 Sewanee Indoor Invitational in 1:03.62. SARAH GU ’24 (Harvard University, fencing) earned All-America Second Team honors in women’s épée and delivered an undefeated performance at the Beanpot Fencing Tournament. CHARLES LEVINE ’24 (Muhlenberg College, wrestling) is competing at 157 pounds. He recorded seven pins during his sophomore campaign and represented Muhlenberg at the Centennial Conference Championships and NCAA Division III Region III Championships. He was named to the Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll. GRAHAM STEVENS ’24 (Harvard

University, lacrosse) started all 14 games as a sophomore, making 181 saves with a .531 save percentage while earning Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week honors— twice—and two selections to the USILA National Team of the Week.

JOSH WOODFORD ’24 (Trinity College,

football) totaled 76 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown in the season-opening win

over Colby. He rushed for 51 yards on eight carries and added two receptions for 25 yards, including a touchdown catch. SASHA BAUHS ’25 (University of Pennsylvania, squash) posted a 5–2 record in team competition and won the first four matches of her college career. She also helped Penn capture the 2026 Howe Cup national championship. DYLAN BLEKICKI ’25 (Yale University, lacrosse) amassed 18 goals and seven assists for 25 points across 14 games, including 10 starts. He scored game-winning goals against Dartmouth and Harvard and added two goals in Yale’s NCAA first-round matchup at Syracuse. TAYLOR FRANCIS ’25 (Georgetown

University, softball) started all 42 games as a freshman, batting .336 with 38 hits, 21 RBIs, and a .421 on-base percentage while leading Georgetown in batting average. She was even better in BIG EAST play, hitting .364 across 24 conference games.

BECCA KIRSCHNER ’25 (Princeton University, lacrosse) appeared in all 18 games and earned eight starts. She finished the year with eight goals and an assist, including a goal in Princeton’s Ivy League Tournament championship victory over Yale. RAYEE FENG ’26 (Harvard University, golf) finished fourth in her collegiate debut at the Nittany Lion Invitational, shooting eightunder par with 15 birdies across three rounds. She followed that performance with a top-15 finish at the Princeton Invitational. ACC—Atlantic Coast Conference ICSA—Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association MIAC—Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference UAA—University Athletic Association USILA—United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association

Class of 2026 Competing in College Lolly Ackermann Lafayette College, Field Hockey

Sydney Ellsworth Colgate University, Lacrosse

Patrick Lange Washington University in St. Louis, Football

Julia Ronnen Emory University, Cross Country / Track and Field

Leah Solomon Williams College, Track and Field

Jesse Busch Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Lacrosse

Rayee Feng Harvard University, Golf

Cole Langer Johns Hopkins University, Tennis

Ella Royster Niagara University, Softball

Rehman Tariq New Jersey Institute of Technology, Swimming

Ryan Moye Hobart and William Smith College, Football

Max Ruffer Amherst College, Swimming

Anthony Truncale Vassar College, Lacrosse

Maya Nuwayhid Columbia University, Soccer

Owen Smith Middlebury College, Swimming

Samantha Cassanelli Trinity College, Field Hockey Campbell Clark-Schoeb University of South Florida, Lacrosse Luci DiTosto Bucknell University, Field Hockey 34

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

Henry Foster Hamilton College, Soccer Harrison Hackett Amherst College, Soccer Avery Hoffman Cornell University, Sailing Chloe Huang Dartmouth College, Lacrosse

Caleb Polanco Carnegie Mellon University, Basketball

Lucy Waterstredt Colby College, Soccer / Lacrosse Ja’Mar White High Point, Track and Field

BIG BLUE HIGHLIGHTS The following highlights look back on Pingry Athletics during the 2025–26 school year, with some of the memorable moments, milestones, and achievements from teams across the fall, winter, and spring seasons. MOST PHOTOS BY BRUCE MORRISON ’64

SAILING AND SKI TEAM PHOTOS BY NATALIE GONZALEZ

Boys Cross Country captured the Prep A Tournament championship for the second consecutive season. James Draper ’26 led the way, placing ninth at the Non-Public A championship before finishing 21st overall at the Meet of Champions.

Girls Cross Country won their third consecutive Somerset County Championship and fourth consecutive Prep A Championship, and placed second in the Skyland Conference. At the Prep A race, Pingry was the only team to submit a team average under 20 minutes.

Field Hockey captured the program’s first Somerset County Tournament Championship in 17 years, while also securing the Prep A Tournament Championship with an exciting 2–1 victory over Kent Place in the Prep A Final.

After starting the season 2–3, Football strung together four consecutive wins to make the playoffs and eventually defeat defending Metropolitan Independent Football League (MIFL) Champion Poly Prep in the MIFL Championship. The victory was Big Blue’s first MIFL Championship in school history. Girls Tennis completed their fourth straight undefeated season, capturing the Skyland Conference, Somerset County (7th straight), Prep A (5th straight), Sectional, and State Group championships (5th straight). The four-time defending NJ.com Team of the Year also claimed the overall NSIAA Doubles title for the second straight year, while Head Coach Marion Weber was named Skyland Conference Coach of the Year for the fifth consecutive year. Coach Weber’s squad was particularly dominant, sweeping 14 of the 16 matches they played.

Co-ed Water Polo celebrated a gritty win over Horace Mann last winter, while the girls’ season was highlighted by their runner-up finish at the Beast of the East Tournament in Philadelphia, the best result in program history.

Girls Volleyball compiled nine wins, their most in three seasons. Madison Titus ’28 was unstoppable, amassing 207 kills.

Sailing made waves in 2025-26 with the strongest season in program history, highlighted by a second consecutive NJISA (New Jersey Interscholastic Sailing Association) Girls State Championship for Megan Soos ’27 and Avery Hoffman ’26. The pair capped the spring by winning the final NJISA North NJ Spring Series Regatta, while the team also qualified for the Mid-Atlantic Scholastic Sailing Association (MASSA) Fall Invitational in Buffalo. At the NJISA Awards Ceremony, Megan was named NJISA Female Sailor of the Year for the second straight year, and Avery earned First Team Crew honors. Avery was also recognized as the 2025 Raritan Bay High School Sailing Association Female Sailor of the Year for her leadership and skill on the water, putting an exclamation point on a record-setting season for Big Blue.

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

AT H L E T I C S BIG BLUE HIGHLIGHTS

Boys Soccer had another stellar season, boasting an 18–3 record highlighted by their third consecutive Somerset County Tournament Championship and second consecutive Sectional title. Perhaps the most memorable match of the year was the showdown against national #1 St. Benedict’s in a double-overtime thriller at Sports Illustrated Stadium in October.

Boys Squash finished at #17 in the national Top 20 after a hard-fought series of matches at the National Championships at the Specter Center in Philadelphia.

Girls Soccer won 11 of their first 12 games and played their best soccer against Rutgers Prep, pushing the nation’s #1-ranked team to the brink of defeat in the Somerset County Tournament Final. Maya Nuwayhid ’26 drove the offense, scoring 38 goals to land at 94 for her impressive career total.

Girls Squash enjoyed another strong season and finished #10 in the country, marking the second consecutive season in the national Top 10.

Boys Winter Track delivered a strong season highlighted by several victories including Dylan Bartoli ’26 and Ja’Mar White ’26 winning the Triple Jump event at the Tsai Relays.

Girls Basketball posted another stellar season, advancing to the sectional finals—the best state tournament result in program history—after eliminating NJ.com #17 Immaculate Heart Academy in the semifinals.

Boys Basketball’s season earned them the Skyland Conference/Raritan Division Championship, and will be remembered for their big upset of NJ.com #9 Rutgers Prep in Bristol Gymnasium. Head Coach Jason Murdock was named Skyland Conference/ Raritan Division Coach of the Year.

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

Wrestling qualified two studentathletes—Jack Abramson ’27 and Finn Cavanaugh ’26—for the state tournament in Atlantic City, and celebrated an individual district championship and a Somerset County title for Jack, who was also selected as a Beast of the East AllAmerican. The team also made school history, as Jia Battles-Cobb ’29 became the first Pingry student-athlete to place at an NJSIAA-sanctioned girls wrestling tournament.

Girls Winter Track was on top of their game and consistently out-performed larger schools. The team set a new school record in the 55m Shuttle Hurdles at the Non-Public A Championships.

Boys Ski Racing stayed atop the NJISRA (New Jersey Interscholastic Ski Racing Association) mountain, winning their third consecutive state championship. Parker Junger ’26 scorched the courses all season, taking first place in almost every race he competed in.

Girls Swimming more than doubled their trophy count from a year ago, securing consecutive Skyland Conference and Prep A titles, while adding Somerset County, Sectional State, and Group State titles. Head Coach Deirdre O’Mara was named Skyland Conference Coach of the Year.

Fencing completed an impressive turnaround, with the boys and girls teams finishing 14–3 and 13–3, respectively, with each earning spots in NJ.com’s final Top 10 rankings. Head Coach Ron Pack Jr. ’99 was named Boys Fencing Coach of the Year by both NJ.com and the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletics Association (NJSIAA).

Girls Ice Hockey ended their regular season strong with a 7–1 victory over Randolph. Annabelle Elie ’26 and Keira DeCroix ’26 led the offense with 14 and 12 points, respectively.

Boys Lacrosse enjoyed another year battling as an NJ.com Top 20 program, highlighted by two playoff wins in the Non-Public state tournament. Colin Blekicki ’27 led Big Blue in scoring with 60 points.

Baseball won 11 games, including an impressive state tournament victory against Notre Dame. Langston McDonald ’26 led Big Blue with 35 hits and a .412 batting average.

Boys Tennis finished the season 13–3 and earned the No. 2 spot in the NJ.com Top 20 after sweeping then–No. 2 Delbarton in the state tournament. Big Blue also captured its sixth consecutive Somerset County championship and fifth straight Prep A title, earned Skyland Conference Team of the Year honors, and saw Cole Langer ’26 named Skyland Conference Player of the Year.

Girls Spring Track ran hard, with pole vaulter Leah Solomon ’26 winning the Somerset County, Prep A, and Non-Public A titles, and Brooke Angell ’28 setting a school record in the 100m hurdles.

Boys Ice Hockey swept the season series against local rival Watchung Hills. Bowen Crosby ’26 led the team in scoring with 20 points.

Boys Golf delivered an outstanding season, winning the Somerset County Tournament, Skyland Conference, and Prep A Championships, while also taking first place at the Red Devil Invitational. Rayhao Feng ’28 shot a 69 to take first place as an individual at the Red Devil Invitational, and Owen Kirchner ’27 won the individual Prep A tournament with an exciting 3-way playoff hole victory.

Boys Swimming won the Prep A title for the second consecutive year, earning a #11 state ranking from NJ.com and advancing to the Non-Public North sectional finals.

Girls Golf remained a state powerhouse, finishing undefeated at 10–0 for the second consecutive season while winning a fourth straight Somerset County title and third consecutive Skyland Conference championship. Angela Liang ’27 captured the individual State Championship and NJ.com Player of the Year honors, as teammate Rayee Feng ’26 did a year ago. Both golfers earned NJ.com All-State First Team recognition.

Softball started the season with six straight victories and rode that momentum to their third consecutive Prep A Championship. Ella Royster ’26 hit seven home runs and became the program’s all-time RBI leader.

Boys Spring Track’s historic season was highlighted by their first-ever Prep A Championship and a 6thplace finish in the ultra-competitive Non-Public A Championship, where Ja’Mar White ’26 won two individual titles in the long jump and triple jump—setting school records in both events.

Girls Lacrosse captured their fourth consecutive Somerset County Tournament Championship and the Skyland Conference/Delaware Division title, while dominating the regular season with an 11-game win streak. They were named Skyland Conference Team of the Year, with Campbell ClarkSchoeb ’26 named Skyland Conference Player of the Year

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

AT H L E T I C S

Q & A W I T H D A N N Y I T T Y C H E R I A ’2 2

From Pingry to the Pros By Alex Nanfara P’33, ’36

Before we talk about your soccer career, give us your FIFA World Cup prediction! If I had to choose one team, I’d probably

choose Spain. I think they’re just the best team overall. I think France probably has the best players, but as a collective team, I don’t see anyone beating Spain.

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

What initially drew you to choose soccer as your sport? I’ve been

Danny Ittycheria ’22 at Princeton University

FRANK JACOBS III

This summer, when Pingry hosted the Moroccan National Football Team during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, it marked an extraordinary and exciting chapter in the School’s soccer story, bringing the worldwide spotlight to the Basking Ridge Campus. The global attention may have felt new, but the passion for the beautiful game was already here, generations in the making. Pingry student-athletes and coaches have built a proud soccer tradition defined by talent, discipline, and staying “humble and hungry”—a tradition that continues to thrive today. One of Pingry’s most celebrated soccer alumni, Danny Ittycheria ’22, is an embodiment of Pingry soccer’s culture and is climbing the professional ranks in North America. After a Pingry career that yielded 32 goals and 19 assists and garnered All-American and All-Region honors, Associate Head Coach David Fahey ’99 describes Mr. Ittycheria as “one of the most dynamic attackers in Pingry soccer history”. Mr. Ittycheria went on to star at Princeton University, leading the Tigers to back-to-back Ivy League Tournament Championships, and collecting awards and recognition such as Ivy League Tournament Most Outstanding Player, Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year, United Soccer Coaches All-Region, and All–Ivy League First Team, to name a few. Selected 40th overall in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft, Mr. Ittycheria launched his professional career with Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2, leading the team with nine goals in his first season—a performance that caught the attention of the LA Galaxy organization and ultimately earned him his second professional contract, which was signed this fall. Earlier this summer, The Pingry Review caught up with the prolific goal scorer to reflect on his soccer journey—and to get his pick for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Champion, a prediction that, much like so many of his strikes on the pitch, proved to be right on target. Editor’s Note: This interview was compiled from three conversations, in December 2025, June 2026, and September 2026, as continued interest from MLS organizations brought new developments to his professional journey.

playing soccer since I was five or six. In my earliest memories, I’m playing soccer. What drew me to the game was that I was always a competitor. I love competing, I love winning, I love just going up against people, and I also hate losing. So that kind of game aspect of it really drew me to it at first. And then honestly, just kicking the ball and just having fun with friends. And there’s a reason why it’s the most popular sport in the world—it connects everyone together. I can’t imagine myself playing an individual sport competitively at a high level, just because you’re kind of alone in the situation. But when it comes to soccer and other team sports, just playing with a team and being with a bunch of guys that you love is one of the reasons it’s so enjoyable.

What does Pingry Soccer mean to you, and how did it set you up for success at Princeton University? I have to give a lot of thanks to Pingry. It was kind

of like a brotherhood when I was there. When you come to Pingry freshman year, you’re immediately brought into a culture and an environment that’s very different than what I had experienced prior. There’s different values and different things they prioritize, and it’s about connecting everyone together in terms of having one goal, which is winning championships. And I think one of the first things [they emphasize], which I’ve gotten used to and it’s helped me a lot, is the idea of very high expectations. Right away, Coach Bugliari: he’s been there for so long and he has such high expectations for the team and for the coaches and players. And he’s won enough games to know that one win doesn’t mean anything. You have to stay on the course. And the idea of never getting too high, never getting too low [emotionally] is something that I learned from him. When you look back at your NCAA experience at Princeton, what are you most proud of? I’d say the biggest thing I’m proud

of is my senior class’ perseverance as a whole. The year before I got there, Princeton won the Ivy League and went 7–0 [in the Ivy League Conference], and it was the first time we did that in years. And then my class was brought in and it was supposed to be a highly talented class, but we were not playing well. There were a lot of hard times and a lot of moments where there was a lot of self-doubt and we didn’t know what the next step was. My first two years, we won a total of 10 games. And then my junior year, we won 12 games and the Ivy League Tournament. And then senior year, we won 15

games, the conference title, and the Ivy League Tournament again. So, my junior and senior years alone, we had more wins than we did my first two years combined. Especially [winning the Ivy League Tournament] my junior year, it was one of the greatest feelings ever, especially with the amount of resilience we had to have. I was crying, I was happy, I was smiling, I was doing all those things. Senior year, we expected to repeat, and we did. What was going through your mind when you found out you were drafted in the MLS SuperDraft by D.C. United, then how did it feel to sign your first professional soccer contract with the Vancouver Whitecaps? I was actually driving when I got the

call from D.C. United. And then once that happened, it was kind of crazy. My phone started blowing up! I was kind of speechless in the moment, and it didn’t really hit until after I got out of the car and was able to see the amount of texts and congratulations. Signing the contract [with the Vancouver Whitecaps] was surreal. It’s kind of crazy to think about, but I’m super grateful. And then going into the locker room was a humbling moment at first. Like, I’m a new guy, going into pre-season in Spain, which was a great learning experience, being with guys who have been professionals for such a long time. I mean, I was playing with Thomas Müller, World Cup winner, top goal scorer, he’s just so experienced in what he does, and the level he is, compared to everyone in terms of first touch, technical quality—it’s just truly mind-blowing. But overall, it’s been a super-rewarding experience. You led Princeton Men’s soccer in goals for three straight seasons, picking up several individual accolades in the process, and then you led Whitecaps FC 2 in scoring during your first season with them, leading to a second professional contract, this time with the LA Galaxy. What makes you such a dangerous goal scorer? I’d say the first trait that stood out was,

I have a lot of speed and I’m pretty fast and can just blow by a lot of defenders. And then the second thing is, I don’t really have a weak foot. I’m ambidextrous with my hands, and I guess it kind of came along with my feet as well. I can shoot and pass really well with my left foot and my right foot. I’ve actually taken [penalty shots] with both my left foot and right foot at Princeton.

What advice would you give a young soccer player with aspirations of playing at the highest level? There’s two big tips

that really helped me. First, you have to have fun playing the game. Find ways to enjoy playing soccer. The reason why I loved it was because I was just having loads of fun playing, kicking a ball, playing with friends, and stuff like that. And when you’re a little kid, there’s a lot of pressure, a lot of nerves, so find ways to have fun. And then just keep grinding. You’re gonna have setbacks. Everyone has setbacks. Always stay on course and finish things out. That’s something my parents told me. “There’s no way you’re gonna quit when things are going south.” In the middle of it, always having that resilience to bounce back and finish the season, and finish strong, is super important.

Matt Beattie ’11 and Hanna (Beattie) Petrick ’13—Ms. Petrick joins her brother in the New Jersey High School Ice Hockey Hall of Fame. Mr. Beattie was inducted in 2018.

HANNA (BEATTIE) PETRICK ’13 is among the 2026 inductees into the New Jersey High School Ice Hockey Hall of Fame. Her ice hockey career has spanned from high school to college to professional to working for the NHL. She led Pingry in scoring throughout her four years on the team, served as captain her junior and senior years, and was named Star-Ledger All-State First Team and WIHLMA All-League First Team. Her career continued at Williams College, where she appeared in every game and helped lead the program to its first NESCAC Championship. She served twice as a captain and was named NESCAC Rookie of the Year, All-American First Team, and All-NESCAC First Team. She then played professionally for five seasons, 2017–2022, with the Connecticut Whale (NWHL/PHF) and spent five years coaching 14-and-under athletes. She now works on the NHL’s Innovation Team, bringing her perspective on how technology can elevate the sport while preserving tradition. “A Hall of Fame board member who had followed my playing career nominated me, so the call came completely out of the blue,” Ms. Petrick said in an NHL article. “Learning that I’m only one of six women ever inducted made the moment even more meaningful and I feel tremendously honored to join that group.” NESCAC—New England Small College Athletic Conference NWHL/PHF—National Women’s Hockey League, rebranded as Premier Hockey Federation WIHLMA—Women’s Interscholastic Hockey League of the Mid-Atlantic

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

ON THE ARTS

“In the Service of Other People’s Art” Talent Manager David Bugliari ’97 Receives Achievement in the Arts Award career.” Mr. Keating went further, SOMETIMES, A PERSON with listing some of the character traits a passion needs to create that contribute to Mr. Bugliari’s opportunities when none success (quoted from his friends exist. David Bugliari ’97 has and classmates): connects people, a passion for movies, but listens, befriends, acts sensitively, the career opportunities maintains a cool head, looks out for did not exist. Now, in 2026, others, solves problems. Mr. Bugliari has spent a After creatively solving a quarter-century as a talent problem to get in the door at CAA manager, representing (Creative Artists Agency), he some of the biggest names worked there for 20 years, ultimatein Hollywood, and Pingry ly co-running their Motion Picture honored him in April with Talent Department. In August 2020, its Achievement in the Arts Mr. Bugliari and some colleagues Award, presented to Pingry Upper School English Teacher Tom Keating P’27, ’29, David Bugliari ’97, and Head of School Tim wanted to build something of their alumni in recognition of Lear PHOTO BY NATALIE GONZALEZ own and co-founded Range Media the contributions they have Partners, the world’s fastest-growing management company, where made to artistic pursuits throughout their careers. he continues to represent actors such as Bradley Cooper, Halle Berry, Accepting the award, Mr. Bugliari acknowledged that he is not an Vince Vaughn, Gabrielle Union, Shane Gillis, and Monica Barbaro. artist. “I don’t paint. I don’t write screenplays. I don’t perform. But I In the spirit of the award that brought him back to Pingry, he told find people who do those things, and I fight for them. I’ve spent my the students, “Not every person who loves art is meant to make art. entire career in the service of other people’s art.” For that reason, he Some of you will champion the people who do . . . that’s not a consoconsiders this award the highest compliment because it means that lation prize. That’s a calling.” his work “is considered part of the same conversation.” Presenting the award, his former Upper School English Teacher pingry.org/extras: The story of how David Bugliari ’97 chose a career Tom Keating P’27, ’29 provided the big picture of Mr. Bugliari’s in Hollywood and created opportunities for himself at CAA, plus his career. “He has been closely connected to some of the most interview with Sophie Pateyuk ’28, “Figuring It Out Before You Have significant films and creative projects in contemporary cinema, It Figured Out” including The Hangover (2009; the most successful R-rated comedy of all time), American Sniper (2014; six Academy Award nominations BELOW LEFT: David Bugliari ’97, Bradley Cooper’s agent, met up with him, Clint Eastwood, and his father Miller Bugliari ’52, P’86, ’90, ’97, GP’20, ’24 in Morocco, where Mr. Eastwood and director Clint Eastwood’s highest-grossing movie), and Maestro and Mr. Cooper were filming American Sniper. BELOW RIGHT: David Bugliari ’97 with his (2023; seven Academy Award nominations). Taken together, these father Miller Bugliari ’52, P’86, ’90, ’97, GP’20, ’24 and Jack Dorsey (co-founder of the social works reflect both the scale and cultural impact of the projects and media platform then known as Twitter) at Pingry during Reunion Weekend in 2012. Mr. Bugliari talent Mr. Bugliari has helped guide throughout his remarkable interviewed Mr. Dorsey as part of Pingry’s year-long 150th Anniversary celebration.

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

MUSIC

Middle School Spring Concert

PHOTOS BY NATALIE GONZALEZ

Jazz Concert PHOTOS BY NATALIE GONZALEZ

TOP: The Middle School Chamber Choir, directed by Middle and Upper School Music Teacher Jay Winston and accompanied on piano by Lower School Music Teacher Emma Liu, competed in their first competition in May at Music in the Parks at Dorney Park. They achieved an Excellent rating and first place in their category. BOTTOM: The Balladeers and Buttondowns combined as the Pingry Glee Club in April to compete at the Music in the Parks festival at Hersheypark, and won first place with a superior rating in the Mixed Choir category. The Balladeers, competing for the first time ever, were awarded first place with a superior rating in the Women’s Choir category. In addition, the Best Overall Choir award went to the Balladeers who, of the 14 ensembles (instrumental and vocal) that competed, received the highest score of the day.

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

O N T H E A R T S VISUAL ARTS Pingry’s Visual Arts Department along with Jane Sarkin O’Connor ’77 and former trustee Martin B. O’Connor II ’77, P’11, ’14 hosted a reception in May to celebrate the life and work of the late Dr. Jon Sarkin ’71, whose art was exhibited in the Hostetter Arts Center Gallery for the 2026 Alumni Art Exhibit. Dr. Sarkin would have celebrated his 55th Pingry Reunion in 2026 and was honored in words by Head of School Tim Lear and former Visual Arts Department Chair Miles Boyd. PHOTOS BY REENA ROSE SIBAYAN

ABOVE LEFT: STANDING: Lauren O’Connor ’14 with Jane Sarkin O’Connor ’77 and former trustee Martin B. O’Connor II ’77, P’11, ’14 SITTING: Elaine Zheutlin P’68, ’71, ’77, GP’11, ’14 ABOVE RIGHT: Five paintings by Dr. Jon Sarkin ’71 permanently installed in the Hostetter Arts Center. He worked on them over a 10-year period during his annual spring visits to Pingry. BELOW LEFT: Visual Arts Teachers Nan Ring, Andrew Sullivan (Department Chair) and Rebecca Sullivan P’36, ’39, Melody Boone, Seth Goodwin P’29, Daniel Hertzberg, Katelin O’Hare, Miles Boyd (former Department Chair), and Nigel Paton P’09 with Head of School Tim Lear

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

“ I know that Jon would have been so pleased to see both the exhibition and these artworks permanently installed . . . [For] 20 years, Jon generously shared his unrestrained, multidisciplinary creativity as he came to visit yearly. Although not accustomed to the classroom, he quickly connected with our students. He treated the students’ ideas and budding concepts of art with respect . . . Gallery exhibits, a book about his life, collaboration with Adam Gardner of Guster, NPR interviews, numerous articles, numerous television and radio appearances, signing with Henry Boxer, the celebrated British art dealer, art added to museum collections . . . all of this brought honor to Pingry . . . Sadly, Jon didn’t get to experience tonight—this show and the permanent installation of his work—but I know it would elicit the familiar, slight, subtle smile, an acknowledgement for a job well done.” FORMER VISUAL ARTS DEPARTMENT CHAIR MILES BOYD

“ Jon began coming back to Pingry because of his relationship with Miles Boyd. Thanks to the strength of his relationship with Miles, and the generosity of our faculty, specifically our art faculty, Jon quickly developed a second home here, despite having never been a student on our Basking Ridge Campus . . . Jon was beloved and embraced here at Pingry, all because a teacher and a department took the time to extend an invitation to come to campus, and in doing so, they allowed Jon to experience a priceless sense of normalcy and belonging.” HEAD OF SCHOOL TIM LEAR

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

O N T H E A R T S PERFORMING ARTS

Upper School Winter Musical: Cabaret In the spirit of the 100th anniversary of the Honor Code, Upper School Performing Arts Teacher and Winter Musical Director Alan Van Antwerp said in an Honor Board podcast for Honor Code Week that this immersive production put the audience “in the world of Germany at that time [1929–1930]”, showed them a story of the rise of authoritarianism, Nazism, and antisemitism, and challenged them “to think about their role in the greater world” and ask themselves, “What would I have done if I saw what I saw?” The production won the 2026 Central Jersey Marquee Award for Best Lighting. PHOTOS BY RACHEL MONTELEONE

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

Lower School Musical: Space Pirates! (A New Children’s Musical) PHOTOS BY NATALIE GONZALEZ

Middle School Musical: Beauty and the Beast JR. PHOTOS BY RACHEL MONTELEONE

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

TRUE BLUE SPOTLIGHT Q&A WITH MEMBERS OF PINGRY’S TRUE BLUE SOCIETY

Kennedy Buckley P’16 A new member of the Magistri, Mr. Buckley has taught fourth-grade math since 2008. He joined Pingry in 2001 to teach Grade 3.

What inspires you about Pingry today? Teaching at Pingry, we have the best of two worlds. I have the opportunity to work with such amazing, talented colleagues. Everyone, teachers and all staff, are top-notch and give their best for each other every day. Also, the students and parents are grateful for every little thing we do.

MAGGIE YURACHEK

How did math become your subject? I always enjoyed math class in school. However, my Algebra 1 teacher, Mr. Henry Fullerton, helped me to see how to love the challenging fun of solving math problems. He had a sense of humor and was strict and demanding, yet we all loved him.

Kennedy Buckley P’16 in 2020 and celebrating Pi Day in 2024

What are your fondest memories of teaching at Pingry? My fondest memories happen every year. All teachers have those moments when a student is working so hard to understand a task and master a skill. When you finally hear that exclamation of “Ohhhh . . .”, there is no better reward. You don’t always know right away that you’ve made a difference, but getting that letter or email years later keeps me going forward. What has motivated you to support Pingry every year? Giving back to an institution that has done so much for me and my family is an easy decision. You have had tremendous success as a Pingry Fund volunteer, leading the Lower School faculty and staff to 100% participation. Why do you volunteer, and to what do you attribute your success? I have always enjoyed fundraising/philanthropy. Philanthropy is all about human connection. Broad participation in The Pingry Fund serves as a tangible vote of confidence, showing the institution, foundations, and valued individual donors that parents, staff, and alumni are fully united behind our school every single day. I believe that forming personal connections over a long period is a very effective technique. My colleagues know that success with The Pingry Fund has always been important to me personally, and they have always helped me get to 100% Short Hills participation.

Those who have given to The Pingry Fund for three or more consecutive years

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

LET’S MAKE SOME N O I S E ! Ring the Bell is back on Wednesday, October 21 and Thursday, October 22

Ring the Bell is Pingry’s Annual Celebration of Giving—a 48-hour event when alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and friends unite to celebrate our incredible community and support The Pingry Fund. As the School’s top fundraising priority, The Pingry Fund fuels innovative programs and helps us retain world-class faculty. Last year, an astonishing 1,000 donors rallied to raise an incredible $2.68 million for The Pingry Fund during Ring the Bell, directly impacting student technology, professional development, athletics,

OCTOBER 21-22

and the arts.

Big Blue Pride Continues With You—Volunteer Today!

How you can help make this year’s Ring the Bell a success:

Show your spirit: Every gift—no matter the size—ensures we have the resources to create an exceptional educational experience for each and every one of our students. Can’t wait? Make your gift anytime before midnight on October 22 to be counted in Ring the Bell totals! You can make your gift online at pingry.org/ringthebell.

●

Amplify your impact: Stay tuned for exciting challenges and matching gift opportunities throughout the 48 hours to make your contribution go even further.

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Mark your calendars, and let’s Ring the Bell together! For more information or to make your own challenge gift, please contact Jessica St. Marie, Associate Director of Development, Director of Annual Giving, at jstmarie@pingry.org or 908-647-5555, ext. 1219.

We are looking for enthusiastic parents and alumni to serve as Pingry Fund volunteers for Ring the Bell, Alumni Reunion, and beyond! If you want to make a meaningful impact on the Pingry community, we would love to have you on board. Want to learn more? We’d love to hear from you—reach out to your contact below: ● Parents: Contact Margaret von der Linden, Assistant Director of Development, Annual Giving and Parent Engagement, at mvonderlinden@pingry.org or 908-647-5555, ext. 1299. ● Alumni: Contact Mackenzie Eford, Assistant Director of Development, Alumni Annual Giving, at meford@pingry.org or 908-647-5555, ext. 1270.

GO BIG BLUE!

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

PINGRY IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

Vero Beach Reception Hosted by Sue and Charlie Thomas P’88, ’90, ’92 February 2

Palm Beach Reception Hosted by MM and Wes Lang P’05, ’07, ’09, ’12 February 4

Miami Reception Hosted by Lauren Platt ’02 February 5

Steve Hamburgo, Eric Mannis ’83, Catherine Dewey, Lauren Platt ’02, Sharis Walthour ’25, Rebecca Novofastovsky ’25, Michael Lehrhoff ’05, and Neha Sampat ’07 (Not pictured: Chelsea Garber ’09)

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

Los Angeles Reception Hosted by George Heller ’97 March 3 Alumni Paddle Event Hosted by the Pingry Alumni Association February 5 LEFT: Branden Phillips ’15, Elizabeth (Kellogg) Winterbottom ’87, P’21, ’23, Julie Kaufman Betancur ’87, and Alex Betancur BELOW: Mike Elms, Jake Angell III ’90, P’23, ’28, PAA President Kathy (Iacuzzo) Sartorius P’22, ’25, ’29, Priscilla (Stack) Elms ’92, Sam Partridge ’92, P’29, Gretchen (Weiss) Oatman ’89, P’20, ’20, ’23, ’23, Experiential Programs Coordinator Annie Oatman ’20, Varsity Softball Head Coach Chip Carver Jr. ’77, P’09, ’11, ’14, ’14, Julie (Johnson) Roberts ’05, Cara Solina ’12, and Steve Brisgel ’80

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

PINGRY IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

Nantucket Reception Hosted by the Greig Family July 23

Pingry at the Red Sox Fenway Park April 23 FRONT ROW: Kirsten Lytle ’23, Mirika Jambudi ’23, Maisy Webster ’24, Monica Chan ’21, Derek Cheng ’24, Alex Wong ’25, Head of School Tim Lear, Kayla Kerr ’25, Nabihah Chaudhry, and Rachel Park BACK ROW: Jason Yang, Andrew Schauers ’23, Jaymin Bhat ’23, Hyla Lear ’25, Elizabeth Nikitin ’25, and Elbert Ho ’25

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

Jersey Shore Reception Bay Head Yacht Club July 11 ABOVE: Members of the Class of 2023: Charley Bush, Sydney Puntus, Cece Korn, Luke Guest, Bella Goodwin, Adrian Kurylko, Vared Shmuler, and Mary Claire Morgan

Upcoming Events Alumni Squash Event & The John A.

Naples Reception

Magadini Alumni Ice Hockey Game

Thursday, February 4

Friday, November 27 New York City Reception Friday, December 11 Back-from-College Lunch Thursday, December 17 Vero Beach Reception Monday, February 1 Palm Beach Reception

Career Day Friday, February 26 Los Angeles Reception Tuesday, March 2 Reunion Weekend Friday–Saturday, May 7–8 PAA Annual Meeting of the Alumni Thursday, May 20

Wednesday, February 3

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

>> pingry.org/forever-blue/alumni: View more photos from Reunion

ALBERT GERSH

Ned Nelson ’76 and Chip Carver Jr. ’77, P’09, ’11, ’14, ’14

ERIN KIERNAN

Ethical Dilemma class with Upper School English Teacher Tom Keating P’27, ’29

ERIN KIERNAN

NATALIE GONZALEZ

REUNION

Flavia Cummins ’81 and Alison Little ’82, P’22, ’25 with Guido and Martha (Ryan) Graff ’84, P’15, ’17, ’20

2027

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

Special Assistant to the Head of School Miller Bugliari ’52, P’86, ’90, ’97, GP’20, ’24 leading a tour of the former Hillside Campus

SAVE THE DATE! REUNION 2027 MAY 7-8

PHOTOS BY ALBERT GERSH

50-Year Club Luncheon

Class of 1976 at the 50-Year Club Luncheon

Bill Sterns ’66, George Ellis Jr. ’66, Adam Rowen ’66, P’05, and Barbara Rowen P’05

Suzanne Alenick, Dr. Scott Alenick ’76 and Kevin Granville ’76

Doug Martin ’76, Diane (Wasserman) Feldman ’76, and Special Assistant to the Head of School Miller Bugliari ’52, P’86, ’90, ’97, GP’20, ’24

Connor Seabrook ’76, Susan Yeomans Breen ’76, and Head of School Tim Lear

Andrea and Hans Bonn ’68 with Chief Advancement Officer David Fahey ’99, P’33, ’34, ’38

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

REUNION

NATALIE GONZALEZ RUSS DESANTIS

NATALIE GONZALEZ

Class Parties

TOP: Class of 1966 with Special Assistant to the Head of School Miller Bugliari ’52, P’86, ’90, ’97, GP’20, ’24 and Head of School Tim Lear MIDDLE LEFT: Class of 1981 MIDDLE RIGHT: Class of 1986

MAGGIE YURACHEK

BOTTOM: Class of 1996

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

MARK WYVILLE

KATIE MOLLISON

MAGGIE YURACHEK

REENA ROSE SIBAYAN

>> pingry.org/forever-blue/alumni: View more photos from Reunion

TOP LEFT: Class of 2001 TOP RIGHT: Class of 2006 MIDDLE LEFT: Class of 2011 MIDDLE RIGHT: Class of 2016

KATIE MOLLISON

BOTTOM: Class of 2021

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

C A R E E R D AY

“Tap Into Your Imagination and Creativity” D R . B O N KU ’9 1 S P E AKS AT CAR E E R DAY A doctor who did not like math and science in high school or college? A doctor who thought medical school was boring because of “math and science amplified”? Indeed. That was the situation for Dr. Bon Ku ’91, the keynote speaker for Pingry’s 2026 Career Day. Dr. Ku is a practicing emergency physician and Program Manager at the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), where he works at the intersection of medicine, technology, artificial intelligence, and human-centered design to advance bold, high-impact healthcare innovation. His career path was determined by his parents before he was born. Their dream was for him to become a doctor—hence his need to get through medical school, and he credits two activities with saving him from mental burnout: a hobby (in his case, surfing), and applying his creativity to the field of medicine. Creativity has been a dominant theme of his work over the years. To name a few examples: • s tarting the Health Design Lab in medical school, to apply health design principles to healthcare • s tarting a “design thinking” curriculum for medical school, to teach doctors to think like designers • a pplying the mind of an architect to healthcare, such as designing better physical spaces in hospitals (Dr. Ku is “obsessed” with architecture) • redesigning a 1960s airstream trailer as a mobile health education unit in underserved areas of Philadelphia, to engage with patients in their neighborhoods; when COVID-19 hit, they repurposed the trailer as a vaccine distribution site. Looking to the future, can the medical field use creativity to confront the challenge of rural hospitals closing (closures that are forcing patients to travel hundreds of miles to get care)? Dr. Ku wonders, “Can we shrink what happens in a hospital, to put that in a mobile unit and deliver that care directly to patients?” Can medical tests, such as CT scanning, be miniaturized? Dr. Ku has even co-authored a book with Ellen Lupton, Health Design Thinking: Creating Products and Services for Better Health, in which the authors emphasize that creativity is a skill that can be learned. And that relates to creativity involved in communication. During his time in the medical field, Dr. Ku has heard countless stories from patients, leading him to declare that storytelling is fundamental to his work as a physician—and not just stories from patients, but doctors needing to tell stories about policies they want to implement, or research that needs funding. In the midst of many jobs becoming increasingly automated, one thought delights him: “Our imagination cannot be automated. That is the power that we have as humans. Be able to tap into your imagination and creativity.” Editor’s Note: A feature about Dr. Ku’s career, especially his journey with creativity in the medical field, appears in the Fall 2020 issue of The Pingry Review. PHOTO BY NATALIE GONZALEZ

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

Honoring the Memory and Mentoring of Maureen Kelly McLaughlin ’80 Dr. Bon Ku’s presentation marked the first year that the Career Day keynote speech is sponsored by an endowed fund: The Maureen Kelly McLaughlin ’80 Career Day Keynote Presentation. She passed away in September 2025 after a courageous nine-month battle with pancreatic cancer, and her family—husband Michael McLaughlin ’80 and children Dr. Connor McLaughlin ’12 and Lauren McLaughlin ’15—endowed this fund to ensure that Pingry can continue to attract distinguished and inspiring leaders and panelists to campus for Career Day, and further support career development initiatives for students and alumni. “These initiatives are important to Maureen, who mentored many younger employees,” Michael said as he spoke warmly about Maureen and her career. She worked for decades in the pharmaceutical industry. In her final role of Senior Vice President & General Manager of Information Solutions at the Fortune 500 company IQVIA, nine senior-level managers reported to her, with 1,000 employees below them. “It might seem that, in a large company environment, there would be a tendency to have less-meaningful personal relationships with colleagues and co-workers,” Michael said. “But Maureen always referred to her work family . . . she had a dynamic personality, enabling her to connect in a meaningful way, one-on-one, with everyone and stay engaged. She remained humble and valued all of her interactions with people . . . Rather than use last names in her phone, her iPhone had everyone on a first-name basis . . . She held herself and

everyone around her to the highest standards—not as a demand, but as an invitation to rise. In doing so, she lifted teams, projects, and individuals, creating an environment where excellence was not only expected, but also made possible. Maureen led with a rare combination of firmness and kindness.”

Dr. Connor McLaughlin ’12, Maureen Kelly McLaughlin ’80, Lauren McLaughlin ’15, and Michael McLaughlin ’80 at Lauren’s graduation from Pingry in 2015 ABOVE INSET: Maureen Kelly McLaughlin ’80 and Michael McLaughlin ’80

Thank You, Career Day Speakers! ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Sara Farber ’92 Brittany Gildea ’07 Natalie Lifson ’17 BUSINESS OPERATIONS AND MANAGEMENT CONSULTING Dipali (Dasmahapatra) Ottaviani ’97 Matt Ford ’09 Katerina Deliargyris ’19 Noelle Mullins ’20 ENGINEERING Robert Baldwin Jr. ’96 Adam Palmer ’13 Lauryn Rodney ’17 FINANCE Randall Jordan ’10 Natalie (Battista) Reed ’10 Jonathan Lee ’16 Heba Syed ’17 Jack Gambello ’19 Holden Shikany ’19

GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICE Dr. Bon Ku ’91 David Spett ’04 Will DiGrande ’17 Martha Lewand ’20 LAW Don McMinn ’82 Mike Grandis ’91 Jennifer Wu ’96 Andrew Gunther ’06 Dan Davidson ’07 Garrett Schuman ’08 MEDIA, MARKETING, AND COMMUNICATIONS Lauren (Anderson) Holland ’01 Catie Lee ’05 Madeline (Higgins) Keller ’12 MEDICINE Dr. Ershad Elahi ’00 Dr. Ashley Ulker ’06 Dr. Caroline Kwon ’07 Dr. Jeff Zimering ’07 Katherine Oatman ’20

PSYCHOLOGY Haley Eicher ’13 Zachary Steinhardt ’15 Hannah Benton ’16 SCIENCE Ali Rotatori ’10 Eleanor Johnson-Steele ’12 James Robertson V ’17

Read about these alumni in Class Notes! If you are interested in speaking at Career Day, or would

STARTUPS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP Sumeet Shah ’04 Jason Leeds ’07 Kiran Chokshi ’16 Ryan Boylan ’17

like to suggest

TECHNOLOGY AND AI Nikhil Srivastava ’05 Malvi Hemani ’11 John Roberts III ’12 Akshina Gupta ’17

tnoonan@pingry.org

someone, please contact Director of Alumni Relations Taylor Noonan at or 908-647-5555, ext. 1223.

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

Dr. Robert E. Fullilove III ’62 Receives Letter-In-Life Award The Letter-In-Life Award is the most prestigious honor that the Pingry Alumni Association bestows upon a graduate. It honors those who, in gaining distinction for themselves, have also brought honor to the School. Dr. Fullilove was honored during Convocation.

Dr. Robert E. Fullilove is a university educator, a nationally recognized scholar in public health, and a civic leader who has devoted his career to health equity and social justice. He was one of the first African American students to attend Pingry, where he was elected to Student Government and elected president of his senior class. He also studied French, leading to his fluency, which would prove helpful later in life for consultant work in France. As a sophomore at Colgate University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Religion, he participated in Freedom Spring Break, organized by the YM/YWCA for college students to travel to nine cities in the south to assist with voter registration campaigns. He was assigned to Atlanta and worked at the headquarters of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He was also part of Mississippi Freedom Summer in 1964, when he helped spearhead voter registration drives for African Americans. In retrospect, he believes that simply showing up was important. Dr. Fullilove’s involvement in the Civil Rights Movement continued

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

until 1967 as a field secretary with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. He went on to earn a Master of Science in Instructional Communication at Syracuse University and a Doctor of Education in Higher and Adult Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. He began his career in academic positions and became involved with initiatives involving minority health because HIV/AIDS was part of a health disparity, when a particular group experiences the burden of illness and access to healthcare beyond what their population numbers suggest. In this case, African Americans were associated with a significant increase in cases of HIV, so after the Civil Rights Movement, the battle against racism continued with this racialized phenomenon in public health. By 1986, Dr. Fullilove and his wife Mindy were heavily engaged in HIV/AIDS research at the University of California, San Francisco, working at the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies. Within four years, they were publishing their research in journals and presenting at conferences on HIV/AIDS. At one conference, they met colleagues from Columbia University who told them about a similar HIV/ AIDS research organization at the New York State Psychiatric Institute and at Columbia. Because Dr. Fullilove and his wife were

“ That you honor me today with this award, that you recognize how much what I did in life was very much conditioned by what happened to me here at Pingry, is one of the reasons why, instead of becoming a physician like my dad and my grandfather, I became an educator.” r. Robert E. Fullilove III ’62 at the D Letter-In-Life Award Luncheon

OPPOSITE PAGE: Dr. Robert E. Fullilove III ’62 and PAA President Kathy (Iacuzzo) Sartorius ’92, P’22, ’25, ’29 LEFT: The Reverend Bob Scott Jr. ’62, Dr. Robert E. Fullilove III ’62, and Martin McLean ’62 PHOTOS BY REENA ROSE SIBAYAN

studying a public health problem largely located in Black and Brown communities, the colleagues from Columbia suggested returning to the institution where they had received their doctorates, in a city and state with a substantially larger community of color. Thus, Dr. Fullilove and his wife returned to New York in 1990, joining Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, where he is Associate Dean for Community and Minority Affairs, Professor of Clinical Sociomedical Sciences (the field addresses social, political, and economic factors that influence health outcomes), an adjunct full professor at Teachers College, and Co-Director of the Cities Research Group, which studies epidemics that affect poor and minority communities. He has been awarded the Distinguished Teaching Award three times (1995, 2001, 2013). In the mid-1990s, Dr. Fullilove began writing about the impact of both the war on drugs and mass incarceration on the HIV pandemic. In 2010, he was invited to present that research to college students who were in prison through the Bard Prison Initiative. His presentation hit home and the students wanted to hear more. As a result, Bard College decided to offer public health courses in prison, with Dr. Fullilove as Senior Advisor to the newly formed Public Health Program. Since 2010, he has taught public health in New York State prisons that are part of the program, and over 500 students have studied the field, with many of them completing degrees at Ivy League universities and making contributions to society. In May 2026, to honor his founding of the program and commitment to the Bard Prison Initiative, the Bard College Board of Trustees awarded Dr. Fullilove an Honorary Doctorate. He has also written numerous articles about minority health and served on editorial boards of medical journals as well as many other boards and committees, including the Board of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at the Institute of Medicine (IOM) at the National Academy of Sciences, and the Advisory Committee on HIV and STD Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control. Among his

many honors, Dr. Fullilove has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Bank Street College of Education and was named a National Associate of the National Academies of Science. In 2025, a student award in his name was established at Columbia: The Dr. Robert Fullilove Community Impact Award recognizes a graduating Sociomedical Sciences student who has demonstrated exceptional leadership and innovation in community public health work. Through his commitment to the African American community and public health, and his distinguished teaching career, Dr. Robert E. Fullilove has earned distinction. Through this distinction, he has brought honor to The Pingry School. Proudly presented this tenth day of September 2026. Editor’s Note: Dr. Fullilove spoke at Pingry’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. assembly in January, with coverage appearing in the Winter 2025-26 issue. He also participated in Pingry’s Black History Month panel in 2021—read excerpts or watch the conversation at pingry.org/extras. His Convocation speech is available on Pingry’s YouTube channel.

“ The Honor Code is something that needs to be alive and well . . . We are all affirming, at this institution, that we are about more than just an education. We are expressing commitment to a world that needs us, that needs the values that are expressed in our Honor Code . . . There is a commitment that we will do better, that we can do better, that we are dedicated to doing better . . . This is our moment. The future is calling us. The future demands that we be better . . . it is a future that is full of promise.” Dr. Robert E. Fullilove III ’62 at Convocation

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

P I N G R Y C R E AT E S THE REV. JEFF GEORGI ’67, with

Becky Georgi, published the book Beyond Shame: Healing the Pain Beneath the Surface of Addiction, the culmination of over 40 years of research and clinical practice supporting USED WITH PERMISSION OF THE AUTHORS individuals suffering from addiction. “It is designed to help new or young clinicians, patients, and their families better understand the disease of addiction and the necessary treatment process,” he says. His career has been dedicated to the field of Substance Use Disorders, including 25 years at Duke University School of Medicine and 15 years in his current private practice, Georgi Educational & Counseling Services. ANDREW MCCARTHY ’80

wrote a new book, Who Needs Friends: An Unscientific Examination of Male Friendship Across America (Grand Central Publishing). The book was inspired by his son’s question, “You HACHETTE BOOK GROUP, INC. don’t really have any friends, do you, Dad?” Mr. McCarthy’s

Paul W. Downs ’00 receiving the Achievement in the Arts Award at Pingry in 2023

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

response: “I have friends. I just don’t see them, but I know they’re there, and that’s enough.” He later realized that it wasn’t enough. Mr. McCarthy had not seen his core group of friends in many years or decades, so he drove 10,000 miles across 22 states—on backroads, because of his disdain for highways—to catch up with them. “If I did one thing right in traveling across the country,” he said on The Drew Barrymore Show, “I showed up. Ninety percent of life is showing up. Just be there.” His media interviews for the book also touched on the 40th anniversary of Pretty in Pink, and when Drew Barrymore asked why he switched from acting to directing, he said, “I wanted to be the grownup in the room.” In related news, in April, Jeopardy! featured a clue about Mr. McCarthy: “This actor bristled at the term ‘Brat Pack’ & wrote & directed the documentary ‘Brats’ to explore the term and & its members.” KATHY (APRUZZESE) SHERBROOKE ’85, award-

winning author of three prior novels, completed her latest novel during the first Pottersville Arts Residency in July 2024, This Much Is True (Sibylline Press). It explores a woman’s dilemma when an incident from high school comes

PAUL W. DOWNS ’00 appeared on CBS Sunday Morning in April for a story about the fifth and final season of his Emmy Award– winning HBO Max comedy Hacks. He called the show “the proudest accomplishment of my life.”

back to haunt her. Publishers Weekly raved, “The novel earns its power by refusing easy villains . . . For readers drawn to stories of inherited silence and hard-won reckoning, This Much Is True is a gripping, timely novel.” MICHELLE LERNER ’89 also

completed her new memoir, A Series of Opinionated Animals (Bancroft Press), during the first Pottersville Arts Residency in July 2024. Midwest Book Review calls it “a hilarious, thoughtprovoking, and utterly unique memoir. Through rollicking vignettes that explore animal law, rescue, and the rich inner lives of animals, Michelle Lerner takes readers on an entertaining and deeply engaging journey through both animal and human worlds.”

A scene from Daniel’s Story, produced by Tom Rosenberg ’03 on a commission from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

TOM ROSENBERG ’03, a director, producer, and writer of documentaries and educational films, produced Daniel’s Story: A Boy’s Life During the Holocaust for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The film is based on the museum’s permanent exhibit, Remember the Children: Daniel’s Story, which shares a child’s perspective on his family’s experiences during the Holocaust. The museum commissioned Mr. Rosenberg’s production company to translate the physical experience into a 10-minute animated film, with illustrations closely modeled on the original exhibit. “We created this animated version to allow Daniel’s Story to reach beyond the walls of the Museum,” said Sarah Lumbard, the Museum’s Director of Museum Experience and Digital Media, in a press release. “For more than 30 years, Daniel’s Story has helped young people

KAYLIE GAO ’27 won the 2026 Congressional Art Competition

for New Jersey’s 7th District, themed “Celebrating America’s 250 Years,” with her acrylic painting Allegiance. It will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol. She told local media that the painting highlights “teamwork, ambition, and national identity by depicting an American Olympic swimming relay team that just won an event. The eagle and the flag behind the team symbolize nationalism and American pride.” Although Kaylie painted Allegiance outside of school, her experiences in Art Fundamentals with Melody Boone (color theory, shading, and techniques in drawing and acrylic painting) and Sculpture with Seth Goodwin (using different materials to create something from her imagination) helped provide skills and creativity.

culinary producer. She has worked for Food Network, ABC, HBO Max, Hulu, Netflix, and other digital brands.

The film is available on the museum’s website and YouTube channel.

ROB PRYCE

understand the Holocaust in an accessible way. This animation allows us to extend that experience into classrooms and homes around the world.” Daniel’s Story marked Mr. Rosenberg’s first children’s film and first animated film, so he needed to learn about the animation process. And whereas some clients have wanted to rush the production process, he was excited to partner with the museum because of the resources available and the museum’s emphasis on being thoughtful and thorough. On the topic of being thorough: his visits to locations in Germany and the exhibit in Washington, D.C., as well as talking to historians, contributed to the film’s historical accuracy. “Certain parts of the storytelling go [beyond what’s shown in] the exhibit. For purposes of adapting to film, we needed to visualize the spaces in a more realistic way,” he says. “It was really important to get a sense of the physical spaces where we didn’t have enough information from the exhibit.” For example, a visit to one of the ghettos and speaking with a historian proved that a planned scene could never have happened, historically, so the production team revised it. “This was not just an exercise in being detailed, careful, and pedantic,” Mr. Rosenberg says. “We needed to be very careful about publishing anything with small inaccuracies to avoid possibly feeding into Holocaust denialism.”

ALI CLARKE-LOO ’04 won a 2024-2025 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Culinary Cultural Series, working as Culinary Producer on the 2024 HBO Max television series Chasing Flavor with Carla Hall (her husband, food stylist and culinary producer Santos Loo, also received an Emmy for the show). She handled the Istanbul, Turkey episodes, helping to coordinate all of the show’s food needs with the locations and chefs. “Anytime there was a food demo or location that highlighted a food product, we would help prep the location and the chef, make sure all the food was ready to be shot, and style all the finished dishes for camera,” she says. Ms. Clarke-Loo started her career as a food stylist and is now a freelance

SHIVAN BHAVNANI ’09 co-authored his first book, Artificial Intelligence in Mental Healthcare: Potential Applications and New Frontiers (Chapman & Hall), with Ryan McKim. The book offers a look at how artificial intelligence is being applied across mental and behavioral healthcare. He is a Partner at Evio VC, a healthcare-focused venture capital firm, and the founder of GIMBHI (Global Institute of Mental & Brain Health Investment). ANTHONY TRUNCALE ’26 produced a short film for the 100th anniversary of the Honor Code, What (even) is The Honor Code?, available on Pingry’s YouTube channel. He was also named an official selection in the “High School Short Film” category in the Count Basie Center for the Arts’ 2026 Breakthrough Filmmaker Fest.

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

OFF TO COLLEGE The Class of 2026 is attending 72 colleges and universities

NATALIE GONZALEZ

Colorado College (1)

3 U.S. Presidential Scholar Candidates 29 Cum Laude Society Members 8 National Merit Scholarship Winners 14 National Merit Scholarship Finalists 14 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists 36 National Merit Scholarship Commended Students

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

79 AP Scholars, comprised of 27 Scholars, 17 Scholars with Honor, and 35 Scholars with Distinction 25 Student-Athletes Headed to Division I and III College Athletics Programs 22 Lifers (seniors who attended Pingry since Kindergarten) 8 Legacies (at least one parent and/or grandparent who also graduated from Pingry)

On the Map Bucknell University (3) Carnegie Mellon University (1) Lafayette College (2) Lehigh University (6) Penn State University (1) Swarthmore College (1) University of Pennsylvania (3) Villanova University (1)

Colgate University (3) Cornell University (5) Hamilton College (2) Hobart and William Smith Colleges (1) Niagara University (1) Rochester Institute of Technology (1) Vassar College (1)

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (1)

Barnard College (1) Columbia University (4) New York University (8)

University of Notre Dame (3) Purdue University (1)

Brown University (3) Providence College (2) Rhode Island School of Design (1) Fairfield University (1) Trinity College (1) Yale University (2)

University of Michigan (5)

Northwestern University (5) The University of Chicago (6)

Amherst College (2) Babson College (1) Colby College (2) Boston College (2) Boston University (2) Middlebury College of the Holy College (1) Cross (1) Dartmouth Harvard University (3) College (2) Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1) Williams College (1)

Miami University (1)

Indiana University (2)

American University (1) Georgetown University (4)

Montclair State University (1) New Jersey Institute of Technology (1) Princeton University (1) Rider University (1) Rutgers University (3)

Virginia Tech (1) William & Mary (1)

Washington University in St. Louis (4)

Johns Hopkins University (1) University of Maryland (1)

Duke University (3) High Point University (1) Wake Forest University (3)

Vanderbilt University (1)

Emory University (3) Georgia Tech (2) Spelman College (2) Southern Methodist University (2)

The University of Texas at Austin (2) Tulane University (1)

University of South Florida (1) California California Institute of Technology (1) Stanford University (2) University of California, Los Angeles (1)

University of Miami (3)

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

CLASS NOTES share your news Submit your Class Note at pingry.org/classnotes, or mail it to Greg Waxberg ’96, Editor of The Pingry Review, The Pingry School, 131 Martinsville Road, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920

1957 ROMNEY BIDDULPH writes, “I received an

S.B. in Mechanical Engineering from MIT in 1961, and S.M. in Industrial Management from MIT Sloan School in 1963. Partner/ Spouse is Betty Biddulph. I’m retired at AT&T, New Jersey and New York City. Was Financial Manager Controller of Business Products at Digital Equipment Corporation in Maynard, Massachusetts and Merrimack, New Hampshire. Also was Manager of Financial Analysis at Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan, Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Philadelphia. I’m living in Centennial, Colorado. Father of eight children who attended Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley. Our daughter founded PowerBar and JAMBar companies. Grandfather of 25 grandchildren. Our granddaughter went to Stanford and Cambridge Universities. Grandson studied Artificial Intelligence at Cornell University. Raised family in Mendham, New Jersey. Six sons are Eagle Scouts. I was active with Boy Scouts of America for 40 years. Grandson was awarded 137 merit badges. I was on Tredyffrin (PA) Town Council and Mendham Board of Education, both for two terms. Wife, Betty, studied voice at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria and graduated from Columbia University. She was a School Nurse in Mendham. Betty and I were missionaries for eight years, four of which were in Chile.”

1962 HARRY MOSER received the AMT’s (The

Association For Manufacturing Technology) 2026 Albert W. Moore AMT Leadership Award in March. Introduced in 2003, the award honors individuals who go above and beyond in their contributions and service to the industry. AMT President Doug Woods called Harry “one of the most relentless and effective advocates for U.S. manufacturing in our generation. Through the Reshoring Initiative, he has built a data-driven movement that empowers

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

Harry Moser ’62 receiving his award from AMT President Doug Woods

George Gabb ’71

manufacturers to compete globally and invest confidently in American production. From uniting industry associations and major manufacturers to testifying before Congress and shaping national policy discussions, Harry has strengthened the foundation of modern manufacturing. His leadership is not only visionary—it also delivers measurable results.”

keynote address. According to the article, he drew on his three greatest influences beyond family—faith, Pingry including the Honor Code, and 15 years in the U.S. Navy—to show a common bond of shared responsibility. He also said, “It is a constant and dynamic struggle to maintain the basic tenets upon which we were founded, while still being capable of making acceptable advancements. The challenge grows daily to retain our core values without detrimental compromise.”

1971 GEORGE GABB writes, “Still alive and kicking. Retired twice, from the Navy (LCDR, MSC, USN) (Note I am a prior service Hospital Corpsman 8404 Green sider) and public schools (Chesapeake Public Schools). Married the right person, raised two boys, both doing well, and I have three grandkids. Spend my time cooking, traveling, fishing, and hiking. Despite the background noise, I am doing well. If you are in Pittsburgh, PA, look me up.”

PETER HISCANO writes, “A bunch of my friends from ’76 found time between events to join me at Natirar Park to hike to a late, mutual (non-Pingry) friend’s dedicated bench. He passed two years ago.”

1973

Read more on page 61.

SETH FLOWERMAN and business partner Devin Stagg, of PLT Health Solutions, Inc., were recognized as winners of Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2026 New Jersey Award. Founded in 1986, the program recognizes original founders who bootstrapped their business from inception or who raised outside capital to grow their company; transformational CEOs who sparked innovation and propelled established organizations to new heights; and multigenerational family business leaders who reimagined a legacy business to fortify it for generations to come. SUMEET SHAH, Founder & Managing Partner

of VHS Ventures, was a panelist at Career Day.

DAVID SPETT, Chief Data and AI Officer for the Office of Foreign Assistance Oversight at the U.S. Department of State, was a panelist at Career Day.

2005 CATIE LEE, VP, BU (Business Unit) Head for Bee and Animal Health at GreenLight Biosciences, where she leads a team developing and selling science-backed products to support bee and animal health, was a panelist at Career Day.

BEN ROSENTHAL was included in the

DOUGLAS BENEDICT

Architizer Visionary 100 for 2025, described as “a celebration of the world’s most innovative architectural thinkers: studios, individuals and collaborators whose ideas are not only powerful, but powerfully shared” / “100 Visionary Creators Changing How We See Architecture”. Architizer is a prominent online publication focused on the architecture industry. He was included in the Visionary 100 after placing as a finalist in Architizer’s 2025 Vision Awards in the Architecture & Environment Photography category with a photograph of Philip Johnson’s Glass House. Ben was also promoted to Senior Associate at New York City–based architecture firm David Smotrich & Partners LLP, which he joined in 2014.

Garrett Schuman ’08 and Music Teacher Sean McAnally

2011

NIKHIL SRIVASTAVA, an AI Engineer at

OpenAI, was a panelist at Career Day.

2006 ANDREW GUNTHER, a Partner in the private companies group at Cooley LLP, was a panelist at Career Day. DR. ASHLEY ULKER, a board-certified

Obstetrician and Gynecologist with fellowship training in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, who sees patients at the Reproductive Science Center of New Jersey, was a panelist at Career Day.

2007 DAN DAVIDSON, an attorney at Kostelanetz

The photo of Philip Johnson’s Glass House, “Points of Reflection”, by Ben Rosenthal ’05. The photo description: “On a late summer afternoon, a woman sits in contemplation with her back to the house, which fades into the background behind her. The architecture all but disappears so that the landscape on which it is built can take center stage, creating a sense of solitude and a space for peaceful reflection.”

2008 GARRETT SCHUMAN, Senior Counsel – Global Investigations & Government Litigation at Johnson & Johnson, was a panelist at Career Day.

LLP, where his work focuses on criminal defense and tax-related litigation, was a panelist at Career Day.

2009

BRITTANY GILDEA, Senior Director of

book. Read more on page 61.

Brand Partnerships at leading global talent and entertainment company United Talent Agency, was a panelist at Career Day.

DR. CAROLINE KWON, a fellowship-trained

SHIVAN BHAVNANI co-authored his first MATT FORD, Senior Director of Applied AI

at Huron Consulting Group, was a panelist at Career Day.

minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon at Main Line Health, was a panelist at Career Day.

2010

JASON LEEDS, Founder and Leader at Chelsea Hospitality Group, was a panelist at Career Day.

finance operations as Assistant Vice President at Blackstone, was a panelist at Career Day.

DR. JEFF ZIMERING, a fellowshiptrained neurosurgeon in the Department of Neurosurgery at Lenox Hill Hospital and Northwell Health, was a panelist at Career Day.

RANDALL JORDAN, who works in real estate

NATALIE (BATTISTA) REED, Head of Derivative Sales – Americas Buyside at Cboe Global Markets, the world’s leading options exchange, was a panelist at Career Day. ALI ROTATORI, Industrial Innovation Lead

at RMI (Third Derivative), was a panelist at Career Day.

MALVI HEMANI, Senior Growth Product Manager at Google Maps, was a panelist at Career Day.

2012 ELEANOR JOHNSON-STEELE, an educator

at Harlem Renaissance High School and the American Museum of Natural History, was a panelist at Career Day.

MADELINE (HIGGINS) KELLER, Director, Ad Sales & Partnership Marketing at FanDuel Sports Network, where she is a conduit for all sponsorships in the network’s NBA, NHL, and MLB games, was a panelist at Career Day. JOHN ROBERTS III, Software Development

Engineer at Amazon, where he builds AI and machine learning systems that power Amazon Search, was a panelist at Career Day.

2013 HALEY EICHER, a licensed professional counselor and owner of The Apricity Approach Therapy & Wellness, was a panelist at Career Day. ADAM PALMER, a Data Engineer at The Fulcrum Group, where he helps organizations understand their energy use, improve efficiency, and reduce carbon emissions, was a panelist at Career Day.

2015 ABHIRAM KARUPPUR writes, “A lot has

changed in the past year [and a half]! After graduating from HBS back in May of 2025, I moved out to San Francisco to work at a battery storage startup. A few months later, I moved

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

DOUGLAS BENEDICT

CLASS NOTES

Adam Palmer ’13

back east to start a new role serving the country in Washington, D.C.! I was sworn in as a Senior Advisor at the U.S. Department of the Interior in October 2025, and I’ve had the immense privilege of being able to work on meaningful policy relating to our nation’s public lands, wildlife, and natural resources, and Native American issues. In April, I moved over to the Department of Commerce, serving as a Senior Advisor to the Secretary, helping lead domestic infrastructure investments using Japan & Korea trade funds. I’ve also enjoyed catching up with classmates living in the D.C. area (shoutout to Hunter Stires ’15, Paul Ludwig ’15, Kimberly Chen ’15, and Coby Harris ’15), and I’m working toward obtaining a private pilot license. If you’re ever in D.C. or want an aerial tour of the region, please reach out!”

Abhiram Karuppur ’15 being sworn in as a Senior Advisor at the U.S. Department of the Interior

Ryan Salamon ’15 at the finish line! He hiked the entire 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail in 2025.

over all sorts of terrain and in all types of weather conditions. That said, the positives outweighed the negatives. It is amazing, once one strips away all the creature comforts of life, how grateful one becomes for the simpler pleasures. I was always so grateful when coming into town for a rest day to lay on a bed, to have a warm meal, or to take a shower. I’m grateful for all of the kind strangers I met

along the trail who went out of their way to help the PCT community by providing rides, food, and shelter, among other things—these people are commonly referred to as Trail Angels. Though this was a truly egregious amount of walking, I was still excited to wake up each day and continue hiking along the path, knowing any day could bring unpredictable excitement or challenges.”

RYAN SALAMON hiked the Pacific Crest

Trail (PCT) in a little over five months in 2025. The trail spans 2,650 miles from the Mexican border in California to the Canadian border in Washington. Ryan started at the Mexican border on April 23 and finished at the Canadian border on October 2. His passion for hiking started during college at Syracuse University when he “was hooked by the rawness of the experience, the incredible views, and the opportunity to put myself in a situation where I could really test my limits and show myself what I was capable of.” After going on many solo hikes from 2019–2024, and inspired by a family friend, he decided to hike the entire PCT. “There were many challenges along the way: heat in the Desert, navigating snowy peaks and raging river crossings in the Sierra, the return of the cold in Washington, and, in general, fatigue, loneliness, dangerous wildlife, wildfires and their smoke, and the beating that one’s body takes hiking 20-plus miles per day

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

Charlie Kellogg Jr., Jon Gibson ’88, Jamie Smith ’15, Jennifer Wilkens ’15, Meg Vreeland ’15, Lily Graff ’15, Matthew Dannenbaum ’15, JC Sorenson ’15, Doug Lachenauer ’15, Chris Lucciola ’15, Robert Diaz ’15, Caroline Kellogg Diaz ’16, Sam Schuman ’15, Julia Rotatori ’16, Jacquie Jakimowicz ’16, Emilia McManus ’16, Julia Muro ’15, Claire Putman ’15, Kacey Weiniger ’15, Bella Walton Boyajian ’15, Harrison Boyajian ’14, and Elizabeth (Kellogg) Winterbottom ’87, P’21, ’23

CAROLINE KELLOGG DIAZ ’16 and ROBERT DIAZ ’15

married in May 2025 at Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach, Florida. Robert is a Vice President in Lockton’s Alternative Investments group in New York, where he advises private equity firms and their portfolio companies on acquisitions, growth initiatives, and risk management. Caroline recently earned her M.B.A. from Columbia Business School and is an accomplished equestrian who competes in the hunter-jumper division at horse shows around the country. The couple divides their time between Tribeca and Bedminster, New Jersey, where they enjoy playing golf and tennis. They also have an 18-month-old black Labrador named Roger, who keeps them entertained and is rarely far from the action. PHOTOS: JENSEN LARSON PHOTOGRAPHY

DOUGLAS BENEDICT

James Robertson V ’17 and Drama Department Chair Stephanie Romankow

ZACHARY STEINHARDT, Behavioral Health Clinician at Atlantic Health System, was a panelist at Career Day.

2016 HANNAH BENTON, a Licensed Master Social

Members of the Class of 2020 at the Jersey Shore on the 4th of July FRONT ROW: Nikki Vanasse ’20, Jessica Hutt ’20, Ryan Geller ’20, and Derek Raskopf ’20 MIDDLE ROW: Caroline Wargo ’20, Jared Goldklang ’20, and William Hoffmann ’20 BACK ROW: Connor Skelly, James Draper ’20, Sam Williams ’20, Waleed Nisar ’20, and Alec Bliemel ’20

NATALIE LIFSON, an Agent Trainee and

2020

Coordinator in the Comedy and Digital Departments at talent agency Buchwald, and Founder of Fever Pitch Media, was a panelist at Career Day.

MARTHA LEWAND, Coordinator, Programming at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, was a panelist at Career Day.

KIRAN CHOKSHI, Founder and CEO of Forkast, a technology company that helps restaurant brands make smarter pricing and promotion decisions using data and AI, was a panelist at Career Day.

JAMES ROBERTSON V, who works at the

NOELLE MULLINS, Global Trade Tax

SOPHIA CORTAZZO and her husband Jay

Engineer for Nestlé Health Science, where she manages capital projects focused on improving process systems, was a panelist at Career Day.

Worker at Parallax Center, where she provides substance use and mental health treatment to adults, was a panelist at Career Day.

welcomed a beautiful baby boy in October 2025.

JONATHAN LEE, Private Credit Investing

Senior Associate at Goldman Sachs, where he works in the Private Credit Group, focusing on structured corporate credit investments, was a panelist at Career Day.

2017 RYAN BOYLAN, Founder of Colligo

intersection of science and technology as a Life Science Partnerships Associate at Flatiron Health, was a panelist at Career Day.

LAURYN RODNEY, an Associate Process

HEBA SYED, Deposit Manager at

JPMorganChase, was a panelist at Career Day.

2018 MAYA HUFFMAN spoke at this spring’s Research Week. Read more on page 10.

Automotive Group, a specialty firm focused on the acquisition, sale, and management of collector automobiles, was a panelist at Career Day.

2019

WILL DIGRANDE, Outreach Manager for

Decarbonization at the consulting firm Motive Power, was a panelist at Career Day.

Rep. LaMonica McIver in the U.S. House of Representatives, and President of the Somerset County Young Democrats, was a panelist at Career Day.

AKSHINA GUPTA, Quantitative Researcher

at the hedge fund Citadel, was a panelist at Career Day.

KATERINA DELIARGYRIS, Senior Associate,

JACK GAMBELLO, an Associate at Bain Capital, where he concentrates on real estate investments and portfolio management, was a panelist at Career Day.

Advisory Consultant at Deloitte, was a panelist at Career Day.

KATHERINE OATMAN, Pediatric Registered Nurse at Goryeb Children’s Hospital, part of Atlantic Health System, was a panelist at Career Day.

2022 EVAN HAIDRI, a graduate of Boston

College, is one of 65 Americans, selected from 420 applicants, to work and study in Germany as part of the 2026-2027 CongressBundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals, a bilateral exchange program of the U.S. Congress and German Bundestag (Parliament). The program is administered by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs through non-profit implementing partners such as Cultural Vistas. While in Germany, Evan will attend a two-month intensive language course, study at a German university, and complete an internship.

HOLDEN SHIKANY, an Acquisitions Analyst

at CleanCapital, was a panelist at Career Day.

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

CLASS NOTES

Attendees at the 2026 Pottersville Arts Residency New York celebration for the move by Burke Pagano ’20 to L.A.: Caroline Schuessler ’20, Jack Younghans ’20, Anthony Rubino ’20, Henry Graff ’20, Ryan Smith ’20, Sofia Lombardo ’20, and Chase Millar

John Roll ’73, Peter Allen ’78, P’10, Edie

(McLaughlin) Nussbaumer ’84, P’18, Joanne Steinhardt ’84, P’15, Kathy (Apruzzese)

Sherbrooke ’85, Michelle Lerner ’89, Ria Cooper ’97, Ben Rosenthal ’05, Ameesha Sampat ’06,

Caroline Schuessler ’20, Bella Goodwin ’23, Lucy Field ’23, Jack Goodwin ’25, Freddie Field ’25, Laura Young ’25, and Kaelani Aanstoots ’23

Celebrating the birthday of Bella Goodwin ’23 at the Jersey Shore: Freddie Field ’25, Jack Goodwin ’25, Tyler Katt ’25, Bella Goodwin ’23, Cece Korn ’23, and Cooper Goodwin ’26

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

and Neha Sampat ’07 are among the alumni who have gathered on the Pottersville Campus for the week-long Pottersville Arts Residency, which launched in 2024 and has now taken place over three summers; in 2026, 19 Pingry-connected artists participated. Intended for visual artists, musicians, performers, and writers to work independently while enjoying a community cohort, this studio-based experience is open to adult artists of all media, at all stages of their careers. “Participants spent a week immersed in their craft at our Pottersville Campus, culminating in an inspiring closing work share and reception. It is wonderful to see this program continue to foster deep artistic collaboration across the Pingry community,” says Rebecca Sullivan P’36, ’39, Director of the Pottersville Campus and Upper School Visual Arts Teacher, who developed the residency. A notable success story: writers Kathy (Apruzzese) Sherbrooke ’85 and Michelle Lerner ’89, who came to writing as a second career (from business and law, respectively) and met at the first residency, stayed in touch, including reading each other’s manuscripts for editorial feedback. “Our experience highlights the opportunities that a Pingry education offers, from ‘professional’ endeavors to the arts,” Mrs. Sherbrooke says. Both of the manuscripts they finished at Pottersville are being published this fall—read more on page 60.

IN MEMORIAM Trustee GAIL LASSITER MALIN April 1, 2026, age 90, Summit, NJ and Vero Beach, FL n Mrs. Malin served as a Pingry trustee from 1982–1985, working on the move from Hillside to Bernards Township and landscaping for the new campus. She graduated from Finch College and Duke University, worked in advertising in New York City, then devoted herself to her family and community leadership in Summit and Vero Beach, including her decades-long involvement with Calvary Episcopal Church, the Summit Garden Club, the Reeves-Reed Arboretum, and McKee Botanical Garden. She was predeceased by her husband Robert Abernethy Malin and brother James Harrison Lassiter Jr. Survivors include children Alison ’83 (Scott), Robert ’86 (Coleen), five beloved grandchildren, and brothers Allen (Mary Ann) and Robert (Jane) and their families.

Alumni JOHN K.P. “NICK” STONE III ’50 April 17, 2026, age 93, MacMahan Island, Georgetown, ME n Mr. Stone attended Princeton University where he graduated cum laude in English and rowed on the varsity heavyweight crew. He enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard Officer Candidate School and received his commission as an ensign. He served as C.I.C. (Combat Information Center) and then Communications Officer on the U.S.C.G. Cutter Duane. In 1958, he resigned from active duty and matriculated at Harvard Law School. Mr. Stone then joined the Boston law firm Nutter, McClennen & Fish, where he practiced tax and corporate law and served in senior management positions. In 1988, he joined the firm Hale and Dorr, where he continued to expand his corporate practice. In 2002, approaching the firm’s retirement age, he accepted a position as General Counsel and Vice-Chairman of the board of one of his clients.

Throughout his career, Mr. Stone was active in many pro bono activities, including serving as a member and chair of the Marblehead Planning Board and, later, of the Marblehead School Committee. He was instrumental in organizing Neighborhood Legal Services, Inc., in Lynn, one of the first organizations in the country providing free legal services to the poor. He also served as a member of the Board of Overseers and Executive Committee of the New England Aquarium, a member of the Corporate Advisory Committee of the Museum of Fine Arts, a director and treasurer of the Lincoln and Therese Foundation, a director of the Essex County Community Foundation, and a member of the vestry of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Salem. He also contributed his legal and business experience to the MacMahan community, serving on its Board of Directors and various committees and as president. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Georgetown, Maine, Historical Society. Following his retirement in 2005, Mr. Stone took up the writing of poetry. His book of poetry Fragments was published in 2017, Seaward in 2022, A Distant Shore in 2023, and Another Shore in 2025. He was predeceased by his youngest brother David and sister Dorothy. Survivors include his wife Erin; brother Jim; children John K. P. Stone IV (“Kip”), Elizabeth G. Stone, and Nathaniel W. Stone; five grandchildren; three stepchildren; and three step-grandchildren. WILLIAM LANG CAMERON ’54 December 6, 2025, age 89, Easton, MD n Mr. Cameron earned a B.S. in Geology at Yale University and an M.S. in Economic Geology at Stanford University, and was a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served as a medic in Germany in the mid-1950s. As a career geologist, he worked for a number of mining and financial institutions, including in exploration as a District Geologist for Hanna Mining (Missoula, MT) and as a District Manager for Jododex Australia (Perth, Western Australia). He also served as Vice President for Exploration for Pacific Tin (New York, NY) and as Vice President and Chief Mining Engineer for Chemical Bank (New York, NY). After retiring from Chemical Bank, Mr. Cameron served as a Principle in Brookchester Recourses, a consulting and natural resource

holding company. As an exploration geologist, he loved being in the field and being a part of discovering new resources. Early in his career, he was the first to look at several regions from an economic geology perspective, such as in Alaska and Labrador, Canada. He was among the last generation of explorers of the surface of the earth. A committed member of his community, Mr. Cameron served on the school board in Harding Township, New Jersey, on the board of the Friends of the Chestertown Library in Chestertown, Maryland, and on the board of Kent Youth in Chestertown, Maryland. He was inducted into Pingry’s Athletics Hall of Fame as a member of the undefeated 1952 Football Team. He was predeceased by his wife of 46 years, Judith, and brother Frank, and died of complications from pneumonia. Survivors include his daughter Cynthia, son Douglas (Tia), and grandson Thomas. ROBERT EMMETT “BOB” LONG JR. ’56 February 23, 2026, age 87, The Villages, FL n Mr. Long described attending Pingry as one of the most important formative experiences of his life. He graduated from Babson Business College and joined both the U.S. Army Reserves and the family business, Travelong of Summit, which ultimately came to include his brother Walter and brother-in-law Ed Ehlert. Mr. Long was proud of his work expanding and bringing the business into the computer age, also chairing the Hickory Travel Association. He was predeceased by his sister Pat and brother Walter ’63. Survivors include children Corky and Britt Long ’87; second wife, the former Angela Gruen; sister Jeanne Ostrow; sister-in-law Cathy Long; grandchildren Robert, Joseph, and Stephanie; and nieces and nephews. NORMAN MCLEOD “MAC” CARTER JR. ’59 April 26, 2026, age 84, Tewksbury Township, NJ n Mr. Carter attended Rutgers University and enrolled in ROTC. He later earned a J.D. at Duke University School of Law, and after serving in Vietnam, earned a master’s in Taxation at New York University. He was an attorney for Carter, Van Rensselaer & Fox out of Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, an

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

IN MEMORIAM evolution of a third-generation family law firm that was originally located on Wall Street. Mr. Carter served in the military for 45 years—in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, on active duty in the U.S. Navy JAG Corps during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, and in the U.S. Navy Reserve JAG Corps from 1972 until retirement. He cared deeply about the Corps, was promoted to the rank of Captain, and served as Deputy Naval Reserve Senior Judge Advocate, being the first officer to ever hold this position. He was awarded many service medals including the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal (five awards), Navy Commendation Medal (two awards), Army Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (two awards), Army Meritorious Unit Commendation, Rear Admiral Hugh H. Howell, Jr. Award of Excellence, and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal (five awards). Mr. Carter was a longtime trustee and past president of the Hillside Cemetery Board of Trustees. Survivors include his loving wife of 58 years, Evelyn “Lynn”; children Terry (Mary) and Lisa (Warren); grandchildren Caris and Eliot; and siblings Thomas and Nancy (Ed). JOSEPH “JOE” BARNARD II ’61 May 8, 2026, age 83, Savannah, GA n Mr. Barnard was a Pingry lifer and attended Trinity College, where he was a three-sport athlete (football, swimming, and lacrosse). He was named to the 1965 All-America Lacrosse Team and played as a midfielder in that year’s North/South game. After graduating from college, he and his wife Lynn moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, where they both taught school. They returned to New Jersey, where he worked at Pingry from 1968–1970, teaching Junior School math and English and coaching JV basketball. Mr. Barnard switched to a career in sales, selling life insurance for Penn Mutual and Northwest Mutual. After retiring, they moved to the Landings on Skidaway Island in Savannah. He was inducted into Pingry’s Athletics Hall of Fame as a member of the undefeated 1960 Football Team and undefeated (against high school opponents) 1961 Lacrosse Team. Mr. Barnard died of complications from dementia and multiple myeloma. Survivors include his wife of nearly 62 years, Lynn; brother William (Lucinda);

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

sons Andrew (Lendy) and Matthew (Miriam); sister-in-law Jean; nephews Alexander, Will, and Cameron; nieces Nicole and Jennifer; and seven grandchildren. RICHARD CROSBY “RICK” ILL ’61 March 24, 2026, age 82, Berwyn, PA n Mr. Ill was a member of the football, basketball, track, and sailing teams at Pingry and attended Lafayette College, where he played lacrosse. He served for three years as a U.S. Army Captain, founded the global aerospace enterprise Triumph Group, Inc., created the Triumph Foundation, devoted 21 years to the nonprofit work rehabilitation program Baker Industries, including 12 as Board Chair, and gave his time to institutions such as Drexel University and Outward Bound USA. In 2009, he was named Ernst & Young’s Philadelphia Entrepreneur of the Year and, in 2011, the Mustang Scholars Foundation’s Man of the Year. Mr. Ill also served as Chair of the Bryn Mawr Hospital Foundation, Chair of the U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club in 2013, and Chair of the U.S. Amateur at Merion Golf Club. He was inducted into Pingry’s Athletics Hall of Fame as a member of the undefeated 1960 Football Team and as an individual. Among his accolades, he was an All-County Third Team quarterback who threw 11 touchdown passes in 1960, and was captain of the basketball team, led the team in scoring and assists his senior year, and was named All-County Third Team. Mr. Ill was a devoted husband to his wife Lesty and a proud and loving father to Jennifer, Todd, and Sarah. He found his greatest joy in his role as a grandfather to Charlie, Jane, Teddy, Pippa, Henry, Caroline, Lana, and Finn. Survivors also include his brother, former trustee Rob Ill ’64. STEPHEN MEL “STEVE” BROWN ’62 August 29, 2026, age 83, Canal Winchester, OH n Mr. Brown graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Hamilton College and joined the U.S. Air Force, earning the Basic Military certificate in Journalism. He started his career as a reporter for the New York Daily News, graduated from Cornell University with an advanced degree in Labor Relations,

joined the Reuters news organization, and later worked as a data and publishing manager for Dow Jones. Mr. Brown also worked for several years as a maintenance customer service agent in car dealerships. Wherever he lived in the U.S., he frequently volunteered at the local Historical Society Office or museum and at the local hospital. Mr. Brown passed away from coronary distress and dementia. He was predeceased by his sister Phyllis. Survivors include his wife Johanna, nephew Matthew, and brother Stewart ’58. DR. THOMAS WILLIAM DECKER ’65 May 3, 2026, age 78, Waverly, PA n Dr. Decker attended Dickinson College, earned a master’s in Counseling at the University of Virginia, and earned a Ph.D. in Counseling and Psychology at The Ohio State University. He worked as a Professor of Counseling at the University of Scranton and became a licensed psychologist. He and his wife Barb opened their own private counseling practice grounded in their shared belief in person-centered therapy. Dr. Decker was officially diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) at age 40. At age 50, he had to leave the university career he loved because of the progression of MS. Survivors include his wife Barb; children Heather (Ed) and Brian (partner Kate); siblings Ann, Connie, Bill, and Cate; and granddaughter Julia. DR. BENEDICT “DICK” GROSS ’67 December 2025, age 75, Solana Beach, CA n Dr. Gross was a member of Pingry’s first fencing team in 196667, played tennis, and was Class Valedictorian. He said his life as a mathematician began after Russia sent up Sputnik because of the push in the U.S. to get more students interested in math and science. He credited Frank Romano and Ernie Shawcross with his strong math and science training at Pingry, although Mr. Romano did not feel he had much to do with Dr. Gross’ math success, telling The Pingry Review in 1986, “I do recall expressing my doubts about the wisdom of placing such a young person—he was only 15 years old—in my senior AP class. However, it didn’t take long to realize that

this youngster was a true genius and that he certainly could teach me a thing or two about calculus! His enthusiasm, ability and humility were just unbelievable.” He attended Harvard University for a B.A., but the path to his major was circuitous: he wanted to pursue math, but other students were better prepared, so he initially majored in Physics. And there was another problem, as he told the Asia Pacific Mathematics Newsletter in July 2013: “I did not know what it was like to be a mathematician. I had no idea what a mathematician did. In the newspapers, you can read about what physicists do and what chemists do, but not so much about what mathematicians do. The first great mathematician I met was Andrew Gleason when I took his course. That was absolutely inspirational.” Dr. Gross received consent to take an advanced math course as a Physics major and later switched his major to Math. After graduating, he received a Marshall Scholarship and studied History and Sociology, and later switched to Math, at Oxford University, earning a Master of Science. He thought he should pursue a doctorate in the U.S. but had a difficult time finding acceptance at graduate schools because of his dabbling in various subjects (music, history) after college. So, he made an arrangement with Harvard to accept him as a “special student” the first year, then official acceptance if the year went well. He ultimately earned a Ph.D. at Harvard. He began his teaching career as Assistant Professor at Princeton University and Associate Professor at Brown University before returning to Harvard University as a Professor from 1985–1998, earning a MacArthur Fellowship in 1986 and the Cole Prize in Number Theory from the American Mathematical Society in 1987. He was George Vasmer Leverett Professor of Mathematics from 1998–2017. He also served as Chair of the Mathematics Department (1999–2002), Dean of Undergraduate Education (2002-03), Dean of Harvard College (2003–2007), and Harvard College Professor (2011–2016, an honorary title). Asked by the Asia Pacific Mathematics Newsletter for his thoughts on sharing knowledge within his field, Dr. Gross said, “Many people are so worried this way or that way about priority, who discovered what, who did this, who did that. I don’t worry that much. Some people hold their cards very close to their chest and don’t want to say what they are working on. I think this is the stupidest thing in the world. I’m happy that other people know what I am working on—maybe they will be able to make

progress where I won’t. I feel that it is (not to be too philosophical) a group-mind that we participate in. We all benefit from the work and the insight of all the mathematicians in the past . . . this marking out territory and calling it mine—I find that very strange.” Upon retiring in 2015, Dr. Gross was named Professor Emeritus and moved with his wife to San Diego, where he taught graduate courses at the University of California, San Diego. In a 2015 interview with Imprints, published by the Institute for Mathematical Sciences at the National University for Singapore, he gave two reasons for remaining at Harvard for decades: “a wonderful place to do research in mathematics”, and repaying a debt from his undergraduate and graduate education. In 2025, the Department of Mathematics launched the Benedict H. Gross Distinguished Visitors Program to invite a prominent mathematician from another institution to teach, give lectures, and engage with faculty and staff each year. On the subject of lectures, and echoing the challenge he had voiced about not understanding the field of mathematics when he was in college, he told Imprints, “We need to communicate to the public the fact that it is an incredibly active field with advances occurring all the time. Our colleagues in the other sciences seem to do this quite well. Physics, astronomy, biology are always in the papers. I think we can make a better case . . . whether it is in the newspapers, whether it’s in the lectures, whether it’s in the movies, or whatever.” Co-author of the 2003 book The Magic of Numbers, Dr. Gross was a fellow of the American Mathematical Society and American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a member of the National Academy of Sciences and American Philosophical Society, and editor of several international mathematical journals. Survivors include his wife of 45 years, Dr. Jill Mesirov, sons Isaac (Melanie) and Samuel (Chandler), and three grandchildren. RUSSELL KUCINSKI ’68 February 11, 2026, age 75, Central Florida n Mr. Kucinski attended Pingry in the Lower School. He earned a master’s in Geology and retired from the National Park Service as the Team Manager of Resources for the Alaska Region. His wife of 32 years, Joy, was the Team Manager of Contracting for the Alaska Region.

RICHARD FRANCIS “RICK” ENGEL ’70 March 2, 2026, age 73, West Windsor, NJ n Mr. Engel was a proud graduate of Lafayette College and attended the University of Virginia School of Law, where he met his wife, Brenda. They worked in the Missouri Attorney General’s Office before returning home to New Jersey. He was an advocate for doing good in the world, which permeated his career, and in the practice of law, he emphasized the importance of being honest and ethical above all things. In his work for the State of New Jersey for 45 years, Mr. Engel briefed and argued several precedent-setting cases, making significant contributions to New Jersey environmental law and a more beautiful New Jersey—he was one of the State’s foremost experts on contaminated site and remediation law. An active member of the community, he devoted time and energy as a supporter and volunteer for local organizations including West Windsor Arts Council, Princeton United Methodist Church, and the West Windsor Little League. A believer in teaching the fundamentals, Mr. Engel coached soccer, baseball, and softball teams, throwing thousands of batting practice pitches and stepping in to referee. After Brenda passed and his children relocated to develop their own careers, he opened his home to host athletes who were training for Olympic crew teams in the Princeton area. In 2021, Lafayette College profiled Mr. Engel and his work as New Jersey Deputy Attorney General, when he recalled cleaning up the Elizabeth River on the first Earth Day in 1970 (the river flowed next to Pingry’s Hillside Campus). “I was always interested in the environment, from the very beginning,” he said. The same year, he was nominated for the 2021 New Jersey Law Journal Lifetime Achievement Award. In November 2025, he received the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Negotiations. His family has a long connection with Pingry, and the Engel Dining Room on the Basking Ridge Campus is named for him and his brothers, father, and uncle. Mr. Engel died after a long, courageous battle with cancer. He was predeceased by his wife Brenda and parents, former Pingry trustee Joseph Engel ’35 and Jane Engel. His uncle was the late Edward Engel ’33. Survivors include his three children, John (Megan), Robert (Abigail), and Libby; seven grandchildren, Hunter, Austin, Trevor, Graham, Blake, Avery, and Eloise; twin brother Robert ’70 (Pat); and older brother, Honorary Trustee and former Pingry trustee William ’67.

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

IN MEMORIAM ALAN KRASNER ’75 June 29, 2026, age 69, Troy, PA n At Pingry, Mr. Krasner was a standout member of the cross country, winter track, and spring track teams. He earned a B.A. in Economics and Political Science at Bucknell University, where he met his future wife Lori, and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon. After returning from Cameroon, and passionate about financial literacy, he pursued an M.B.A. at Cornell University. He spent his career in computer consulting and finance, working as a partner for Deloitte and as a financial advisor for Merrill Lynch. He also volunteered to address systemic inequality, as a board member of the local YWCA. In retirement, he and Lori lived in her childhood home in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania. He was active as a volunteer, donor, and board member for various non-profit organizations. Mr. Krasner died from cancer. Survivors include his loving wife Lori; son Drew; daughter Ali (partner Samuel); granddaughter Matilda; sister Barbara; and niece Sarah. DOUGLAS RALPH HISCANO ’77 February 28, 2026, age 66, Andover, NJ, Nantucket, MA, and the Bahamas n At Pingry, Mr. Hiscano developed into a standout athlete, competing at the varsity level in soccer, winter track, and lacrosse. His 1977 lacrosse team stands in the School’s esteemed Athletics Hall of Fame for their winning record. He attended Wesleyan University, majoring in Economics and continuing as a threesport collegiate athlete, adding squash to his repertoire—he was elected captain of both the varsity soccer and lacrosse teams his senior year. Mr. Hiscano moved to New York City to pursue a career on Wall Street, working at Chemical Bank, Shearson Lehman Brothers, Smith Barney, Bear Stearns, Commerzbank Securities, Banc of America Securities, and Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein. In his retirement, Mr. Hiscano was an active member of the Pingry Alumni Soccer community and a state champion varsity ski team coach at Pingry (2008–2010); the owner, operator, and sole proprietor of Black Bear Maple Syrup (at the

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

time, New Jersey’s largest operation with over 700 taps); and a patron of numerous charitable endeavors—largely focused on historic preservation and land conservation. A lifelong athlete, he played competitive soccer well into his 40s on the elite Mendham Arsenal team. Survivors include his two children, Kelsey ’08 and Garrett ’11; three siblings, Margaret “Peggy” (Jack), Peter ’75 (Lisa), and Dwight ’80 (Nancy); six nephews; and two nieces.

Faculty/Staff DREW BRIAN BURNS September 26, 2026, age 64, Easton, PA and Scarborough, ME n A member of the Magistri, Mr. Burns taught chemistry and physics at Pingry from 1990–2021, including serving as Chair of the Science Department from 1993–1998. He also coached Co-ed JV Ice Hockey and JV Softball. Mr. Burns graduated with a B.A. in Chemistry, magna cum laude, from Williams College and received an M.S. in Organic Chemistry from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Prior to joining Pingry, he taught chemistry at The Lawrenceville School and briefly worked as Assistant Director of Admissions at Franklin & Marshall College, where northern New Jersey—including Pingry—was his territory. During a Pingry visit in his second year at F&M, he was concluding a meeting with then–Director of College Counseling Dave Allan, who asked him, quite seriously, when he was going to return to teaching. As Mr. Burns remembered, in a Pingry Review interview in 2015, “He thought a position might open up at Pingry and told me he’d put a word in for me. Well, sure enough, a position did open up, and I got the call for an interview . . . While I had other job offers, it was the wonderful kids and fantastic colleagues who made the greatest impression on me and brought me to Pingry. The rest, as they say, is history.” At Pingry, Mr. Burns was affectionately known as one of “the science guys” along with Bill Bourne, Chuck Coe, and Tim Grant. In June 2025, Biology Teacher Deirdre O’Mara recalled how their joy, camaraderie, and support made her want

to join Pingry, and she always remained grateful to Mr. Burns, among others, for welcoming her. She also spoke about “his meticulous organization for every class— down to every detail.” His neatness showed up elsewhere, too. She shares: “I will always picture Drew with his fastidiously neat handwriting on the chalkboard, his perfect ties, and his backpack neatly over his chair every day. I remember his laughter, and I will always remember that (rather gross) coffee cup that accompanied him every day on the science faculty’s daily walk to the cafeteria—known as the coffee train. I was not always a part of ‘the train’, but I would hear the guys (and Jill Law) laughing and chatting down the hallway to start our day. It makes me smile just thinking about it. Drew made my own children love chemistry and physics. He had a remarkable ability to make difficult concepts accessible, but what I remember most was how he made students feel about themselves even when they were challenged. He was an extraordinary cheerleader for students’ struggles. He pushed them, encouraged them, believed in them, which gave them confidence to succeed. He helped them see possibilities in themselves that they might not have recognized on their own. I am a better teacher because I knew him. One of the greatest compliments I have received from students has been that my handwriting looks like Mr. Burns’!” Her daughter Grace O’Mara ’19 remembers those challenges: “My freshmanyear chem class was an absolute disaster, but you’d never know it from how Mr. Burns helped me. I’ll never forget sitting in Freshman Chem and having a huge ‘aha!’ moment and Mr. Burns celebrating with me that everything had finally clicked. Stoichiometry wasn’t so scary anymore. Despite struggling through his classes for two years, I was desperate to take Advanced Physics with him even when I was the only student who signed up for the course. I knew that, despite his reputation as a tough teacher, he would become any student’s biggest cheerleader when they needed one. He always supported me through my (admittedly, very difficult) journey with science classes, and always said hi when I stopped by the cozy chem office, even when I wasn’t there to see him. After I graduated from Pingry, Mr. Burns and I kept in touch—since he lived in Easton, I would often see him at the coffee shop, Mojo, close

to my college campus. We used to meet up every few months throughout my four years at Lafayette to get a cup of hot chocolate and just sit and chat. He even saw me on my graduation day, fixed my hood, and gave me a big hug before I went to line up to cross the stage. Mr. Burns helped me scrape through chem and eventually watched me graduate summa cum laude. He is absolutely part of the reason I am a teacher today. Thank you, Mr. Burns, I’ll wear some purple for you!” Overall, he viewed teaching as not merely a profession, but as a commitment to fostering a lifelong love of learning among his students. “Teaching and learning is more than information retrieval,” he once wrote to a student. “It is curiosity, passion, energy, compassion, fun and laughter, frustrations, and successes. It’s about establishing relationships, building confidences, and developing skills and talents that last far longer than the actual content of the courses you teach.” Among his teaching awards, Mr. Burns received Pingry’s Woodruff J. English Faculty Award (2004) and Edward G. Engel Chair for Mathematics and Science (2008), along with The University of Chicago Outstanding High School Teacher Award (1994) and the Tufts University Outstanding High School Teacher Award (1997). He was also a finalist for The American Chemical Society’s U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad mentor program (1994). Mr. Burns ended his Pingry career in 2021 after being diagnosed with youngonset Alzheimer’s Disease. Following his diagnosis, he committed to lightheartedness and contributing to Alzheimer’s research— he participated in research studies and decided that his brain will be donated to Alzheimer’s research to help find treatments and a cure. Mr. Burns was predeceased by his sister Kimberlee and father Walker Jr. Survivors include his loving and caring wife of 35 years, Sue; son Andy; daughter Maggie; daughter-in-law Katharine; mother June; brother Walker III; and sister-in-law Jennifer. Read more memories of Mr. Burns’ Pingry career, from students and teachers, in the Fall 2021 issue.

The editorial staff makes every effort to publish an obituary for and pay tribute to trustees, alumni, and employees who have passed away, based on information available as of press time. If family members, classmates, or friends would like to submit tributes, please contact Greg Waxberg ’96 at gwaxberg@pingry.org.

PETER V. “PETE” FICK February 2, 2026, age 85, West Chester, PA n Mr. Fick was an assistant coach for Varsity Softball in 2015, 2016, and 2017. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education at Springfield College and a master’s at what is now The College of New Jersey. Mr. Fick spent most of his career teaching and coaching at Hunterdon Central High School, retiring in 2012 as New Jersey’s then-leader in softball coaching victories with a record of 721–236–1. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of over 50 years, Mary Rae, and beloved sister Emily “Lee”. Survivors include his daughter Laurie, son Peter (Cris), six grandchildren, one great-grandson, and three brothers. ELAINE HERSH KRUSCH May 22, 2026, age 93, Springfield, NJ n Mrs. Krusch taught typing, computers, word processing, and study skills at the Lower School from 1977–2007, and had worked in the Development Office in Hillside prior to her teaching tenure. She also wrote many articles about Lower School people and events for The Pingry Review, including National Young Readers’ Day (Winter 1990), Environmental Education Day (Autumn 1990), “Passport to the World” (Spring/Summer 1992), paper recycling (Spring/Summer 1996), camping in the Catskills (Winter 1997), and innovation in physical education (Summer 1998). Asked “Why I Teach” for the Winter 1995 issue, Mrs. Krusch said, “I love to see the children grow. I love to see them learn and their confidence grow as they acquire skills. Impressionable, caring, and serious, they hear my expectations, and ask even more of themselves. I teach because I enjoy the company and confidence of the children, because I feel a response from them, and because I love watching them change from September to June. I teach because it helps me to grow!” Mrs. Krusch attended Newark Rutgers and Kean College before moving to SaintJean-D’Angély in France where she studied at the Army base. Along with her work at Pingry, she published a paper in The Journal for Children with Learning Disabilities,

“Keyboard Connections: Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic.” She was also a tutor. As an engaged member of her community, Mrs. Krusch was active in the League of Women Voters for more than 10 years. Through the League, she proudly volunteered at the Multi-Service Center, tutoring illiterate adults. She was predeceased by her beloved brother Dr. Donald Hersh, sister-in-law Carol, and nephew Jimmy. Survivors include her daughter Stacy, grandson Ellis, son Dr. David Krusch and his family, and nephew Dr. Peter Hersh and his family. JOHN RIOS August 2, 2026, age 83, Linden, NJ n Mr. Rios joined Pingry in 2019 as Operations Officer for Transportation. He took immense pride in the responsibility of ensuring that students arrived safely where they needed to be each day, and was a familiar and dependable presence for many families, particularly those whose children travel between the Short Hills and Basking Ridge Campuses. For those students, Mr. Rios was part of their daily routine. He graduated from Manhattan High School of Art & Design and worked as a Creative Art Director in advertising before becoming a bus driver in retirement. He was the former lead singer for the “Us 4” band. Survivors include his two loving children, Deborah and Frank; three grandchildren, Alex, Anaiis, and Jonah; three greatgrandchildren; sister Carmen; and brother Richard. JEFFREY PETER “JEFF” TAMN September 1, 2026, age 66, Plainfield Township, PA n Mr. Tamn, a carpenter, worked for the Facilities Team on the Basking Ridge Campus from 2001– 2026. He was a talented craftsman whose work helped shape Pingry. He played an important role in the construction of Beinecke House, built furniture in the Carriage House, helped build the industrial-strength composter, and lent his skill and expertise to countless other projects. He passed away after a brief but aggressive battle with cancer. Survivors include his loving wife Nancy.

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

A VISIT TO THE ARCHIVES

Joe Cornell Jr. ’58 donated his sport-specific sweater (a soccer ball appears inside the P), JV letters and varsity soccer letter, soccer letter certificate, class rings, and other items.

Sports photographer Bruce Morrison ’64 donated these books of his soccer photos. He explains: “In 2004, Miller kindly invited me to join his soccer team on their annual summer trip. That particular year, they traveled to a small town in Italy, about 45 minutes from Milan, where they stayed and trained for about a week. I photographed everybody during training sessions, games, and hanging out. I was also fortunate to join the team for their European tours the next four summers. We visited Barcelona, Prague, London, and Italy again. I again documented each sojourn with my photography. The trips were wonderful and well organized. Besides the aforementioned destinations, we were able to visit Florence, Milan, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Manchester. In each city, we visited many historic and cultural sites, museums, and soccer stadiums. Probably the highlight was watching the teams gradually bond together as a playing unit and develop the chemistry that would carry them through the season. Fun times for which I am very grateful.”

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

Artist George M. Kelly created this bronze bust of Dr. John Pingry and recently donated it to Pingry, shortly before his death.

The Archives have also received a huge volume of documents from College Counseling as well as documents from Pingry’s recent reaccreditation process—more examples of the School’s history being preserved for future generations.

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A VISIT TO THE ARCHIVES

In Pingry History

1 0 YE A RS AG O

20 YE A RS AG O

Campaign, including tours of the under-construction Miller A. Bugliari ’52

Carol and Park B. Smith ’50 Middle

Homecoming marks the official end of the six-year Blueprint for the Future Athletics Center. The campaign raises $76.7 million, surpassing the goal of $65 million.

Construction nears completion on The School. Groundbreaking had taken place in July 2005.

30 YE A RS AG O Upper School History Teacher and Coach Joe LaValley passes away in July, and Pingry holds a remembrance ceremony in October. Speakers include his widow Carol, Pat Lionetti, Ian McGuire ’96, Andrew Goldstein ’92, and Adam Rohdie. Brett Boocock, English Teacher, coach, and Director of Admission who worked at Pingry twice and wrote “Old John Pingry”, passes away in October.

40 YE A RS AG O

David Wilson ’59 begins his final year as Head of School.

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pingry.org (Forever Blue section): Visit the monthly blog Pingry Flashes Back for more stories from the Pingry Archives.

50 YE A RS AG O

Girls Soccer is introduced, coached by Mike Richardson, and the Fine Arts Department is created, with Mike Popp as department chair.

60 YE A RS AG O

The new Library Wing is dedicated to C.B. Newton, who served as Head of School from 1920–1936.

7 0 YE A RS AG O

80 YE A RS AG O

Gym facilities are constructed. The new two-

For the first time in 10 years, Pingry holds an alumni

floor building will house a wrestling room and

dinner, calling it a Victory dinner. Former war

gym. The main gym will house three basketball

correspondent Richard Tregaskis ’34 speaks about

courts.

his experiences in the South Pacific. The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

A FINAL LOOK The Grade 4 Living Museum project allows students to bring inspiring stories—past and present—to life with incredible heart and creativity. Each child dove into researching a figure who inspired them, ranging from historical icons to modern-day changemakers, crafting a personal story and costume to match. On presentation day, the Cipriano Family Library transformed into a bustling gallery where students posed as “living statues,” eagerly stepping into character when a visitor stopped by. It was a joyful, hands-on experience that let our young scholars truly shine while building real confidence in research, writing, and public speaking. Description courtesy of Grade 4 Language Arts Teacher Katie Ricca

The Pingry Review | Fall 2026

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE

PAID THE PINGRY SCHOOL

The Pingry School Basking Ridge Campus, Middle & Upper Schools Short Hills Campus, Lower School Pottersville Campus, K-12 Experiential Education 131 Martinsville Road Basking Ridge, NJ 07920

REENA ROSE SIBAYAN

40 Years of Convocation Convocation took place for the first time in 1987 to inaugurate John Hanly as Head of School and “to give praise to the leaders of our school” (The Pingry Record, November 1987). The ceremony continued in following years as a formal start to the school year, and the 40th Convocation took place in September. Read more on page 24.