The Potomac Term Spring 2023

PotomacTerm

The

The Alumni Magazine of The Potomac School • Spring 2023

Startup Protocol Entrepreneur Erik Schluntz ’11 is transforming the face of security…one robot at a time.

Reunion ’23 October 13-14, 2023 celebrating our classes ending in 3 and 8 Potomac’s Reunion Weekend is October 13-14, and you’re invited!

Our program will be robust and include some of your favorites, such as the Friday Night Cocktail Party, campus tour, trail walk, and more! Plus, you will have the opportunity to enjoy all the fun of Potomac’s Fall Frolics carnival and cheer for our athletes during their Homecoming games.

We honor the classes of 1943, 1948, 1953, 1958, 1963, 1968, 1973, 1978, 1983, 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008, 2013, and 2018.

we need your help!

Volunteer to be your Class Reunion Chair by contacting Laura Miller, director of alumni relations, at lmiller@potomacschool.org or (703) 749-6356.

Scan the QR code with your smart phone to see our preliminary schedule.

from the head of school

DEAR FRIENDS, For the past five months I have served as acting head of school while John Kowalik has been on sabbatical.

John will return soon; in fact, by the time you receive this magazine, he will be back behind the desk where I’m now sitting. With my tenure as acting head winding down, I would like to share a few thoughts about our work at Potomac.

I have enjoyed the opportunity to engage with so many members of this school community – from students, faculty, and staff in all four divisions to parents, alumni, trustees, and friends. Many have taken the time to express their appreciation for our school as a place where people of all ages come together for meaningful experiences.

Beyond the social aspects of being part of a welcoming and collaborative community, Potomac offers us opportunities to engage in important discussions. Whether considering topics directly related to life at our school or issues affecting the wider world, the members of this community are united in mutual support of students and their futures, determined to work through challenges together, and willing to learn from one another.

This is very much in line with educational pioneer John Dewey’s vision for the role schools should play in society. Dewey wrote that “the school itself shall be made a genuine form of active community life, instead of a place set apart in which to learn lessons.” He noted that “a society is a number of people held together because they are working along common lines, in a common spirit, and with reference to common aims. The common needs and aims demand a growing interchange of thought and growing unity of sympathetic feeling.” Potomac believes now, as Dewey believed a century ago, that a school should reflect this same dynamic, giving its students and all the members of its community opportunities to form strong social, intellectual, and ethical connections.

Perhaps surprisingly, the word “school” derives from the Greek word “skholē,” meaning “leisure.” This may seem odd, since we recognize that learning and growth require significant effort.

However, if we view the opportunity to obtain an education as a privilege – one that requires sufficient “leisure” time to attend classes, complete homework, and take full advantage of related activities – a logical connection begins to emerge. Today, many children around the world do not have the opportunity to attend school, often because they must work to help provide the means of survival for their families. This was the reality in America, too, until the advent of child labor laws a century ago, during the time Dewey was writing about his vision for American education.

Thankfully, in our country today, every child has the opportunity to attend school. We recognize that an educated citizenry is key to maintaining our democracy, ensuring America’s competitiveness in a global economy, and preparing individuals for

fulfilling and productive lives. Yet America’s schools are struggling.

Many public schools are overcrowded and underfunded. There is a shortage of qualified teachers, and the number of young people choosing education as a profession is declining. The political and cultural divisiveness that affects our society at large has invaded schools as well, with parents, educators, and school boards battling over policies and curriculum. And, tragically, the specter of violence looms, causing many students to be anxious about going to the very places where they can make the most of the precious “leisure” time that youth affords.

There are no easy answers to these challenges, but I think a greater sense of shared responsibility and partnership would be a good place to start. History has shown us that schools and institutions of higher learning can be a locus for productive discourse and a lever for positive change. Potomac has the resources to excel in that role: strong board leadership, sustainable funding, industrious and creative students, and devoted teachers and families. We must do all that we can to prepare Potomac students to be tomorrow’s responsible, visionary leaders, and we must play an active role in strengthening and supporting the broader educational system in our country.

When I look around campus and see our students engaged in the joyful labor of learning, I am optimistic about the future.

When I attend Potomac events and feel the warmth and generosity of spirit that characterize our community, I am heartened and deeply grateful. There is no doubt that we have the power to make a positive difference.

With gratitude for your continued support and all best wishes,

Tim Jaeger Acting Head of School

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PotomacTerm

The

1301 Potomac School Road McLean, VA 22101 Tel: (703) 356-4100 • Fax: (703) 749-6308 www.potomacschool.org

HEAD OF SCHOOL John Kowalik DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT Barbara Overstreet DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS Laura Miller DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS Megan Corey EXECUTIVE EDITOR Shelley Dutton MANAGING EDITOR Rita Deurdulian DESIGNER Martha Madrid PHOTO EDITOR Loretta Sevier WRITERS Scott Butterworth Rita Deurdulian Cathryn Larsen Laura Miller Sarah Valente CLASS NOTES EDITORS Alexis Ellis Laura Miller PHOTOGRAPHERS Demitri Bowen Michael Edwards Susan Shaffer

The Potomac Term is published twice a year. Contact the managing editor at rdeurdulian@potomacschool.org with questions, comments, or story ideas. Class notes should be directed to term@potomacschool.org. Please submit changes of address (including for college students or adult children who have left home) or notice of missing or duplicate copies to alumni@potomacschool.org, so that we may update our records.

ON THE COVER: Erik Schluntz ’11 photo: Yana Mostitsky

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in this issueSpring 2023 FEATURES 14 Startup Protocol

Innovator and entrepreneur Erik Schluntz ’11 is passionate about developing solutions to real-world problems. His current venture, Cobalt Robotics, leverages cutting-edge technology to help businesses keep their facilities safe and secure.

20 Honoring Faculty and Staff Excellence 22 Architect of Joy, Engineer of Dreams

How cool would it be to enter the world of Stranger Things or Bridgerton – living that life for a while, being part of one of those stories? As the manager of large-scale, immersive theatrical experiences that travel from city to city, Junie Janette Harris ’83 gives people around the world the chance to find out.

26 #careergoals: Alumni Share Perspectives on the Changing World of Work 28 Innovating to Drive Financial Inclusion In Africa Serial entrepreneur Drew Durbin ’04 is always looking for ways to lift people up. His latest enterprise, Wave, is making mobile money capability widely available in Africa – addressing a critical need in areas where access to banks is limited or nonexistent.

32 Fashion Forward: Creativity Meets Sustainability 34 Casino Royale – A Night to Remember 42 Reunion 2022: Fall Frolics, Homecoming, and Fun for All!

rendering: CannonDesign

DEPARTMENTS 1 From the Head of School 4 News on Campus 10 Athletics Highlights 36 Children of Alumni 38 From the AGC President 39 Alumni Activities 44 Class Notes 68 In Memoriam

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news on campus

Local Activist Inspires the Potomac Community

by Rita Deurdulian

I

N JANUARY, Potomac honored Amanda Marshall, founder of Fair Chance and co-founder of Families4Families, with its second annual Award for Exemplary Service. Presented at a K-12 assembly celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, the award recognizes individuals from the wider community who are making a positive difference. The presentation of this award at a school-wide assembly offers Potomac students the opportunity to hear from inspiring role models whose lives reflect the transformative power of service to others.

Amanda Marshall attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, graduating from the Honors Program with a bachelor’s degree in economics. At UNC, she organized a chapter of Operation Smile, which raised thousands of dollars during her time as a student and continues to do so more than two decades later. In honor of this accomplishment, Amanda received a North Carolina Statewide Humanitarian Award in 1997.

After college, Amanda began her professional career as a healthcare consultant at Ernst & Young in New York City, but the desire to help others soon pulled her toward the nonprofit world. After working for a time at the Women’s Prison Association, she joined the Robin Hood Foundation, an organization that funds programs focused on children and education in the New York metropolitan area. Subsequently, she served as an advisor to the board of Jumpstart, an AmeriCorps program that pairs college students with preschool children from low-income neighborhoods. After moving to Washington, DC, in 2002, Amanda launched Fair Chance, an organization that works to strengthen nonprofits that support children and families in communities affected by racism, discrimination, and poverty.

Fair Chance provides training and resources to help nonprofits build capacity, so that they can serve their communities more successfully. In its 20 years of existence, Fair Chance has partnered with more than 200 nonprofits in the greater DC area. Ninety-five

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percent of those organizations are thriving today; together, they serve more than 150,000 children and families. Now, in addition to serving as an active board member with Fair Chance, Amanda has found a new way to give back to the community.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she and her family felt an urge to help those affected but weren’t quite sure what they could do. In an interview with Washingtonian, Amanda cites a pivotal dinner table conversation in which the family discussed their skill set: “We said, okay, there’s no medical expertise here, and nobody in our family sews, so we can’t make masks.”

Their “aha! moment” came as they reflected on the pandemic’s economic toll.

Financial hardship and social-distancing protocols that made it difficult for many people to get to a store were causing increased food insecurity. The Marshalls realized that they could buy groceries and bring them to households in need. To expand their idea’s impact, Amanda, her husband Alex, and their sons started Families4Families (F4F) in 2020.

Drawing upon her background in nonprofit work, Amanda tapped into her extensive connections with local groups for help in identifying where to deliver the

Potomac Trustee Michael Davis, 2022 Exemplary Service Award recipient Ericc Powell, Amanda Marshall, Acting Head of School Tim Jaeger, and Director of Community Engagement James Hightower, III, after the MLK Assembly

news on campus

“I believe that each person, regardless of how old you are, how much money you have, or where you live, can have a positive impact on the lives of others.” groceries. Her family then set up a business model for the enterprise.

One of F4F’s goals is to empower young people to make a difference through service. Student-led F4F Clubs collect food and other essential items and work with local nonprofits to get the donations to people who need them. Thanks to Amanda’s skillful and enthusiastic leadership, Families4Families has grown into a nationwide organization in just three years. There are now 55 student clubs in 25 cities – and the organization’s volunteers have collected and donated enough food to provide nearly one million meals. A number of Potomac students are active with local F4F clubs. Two of them – Ella Adamec ’23 and Will Bennett ’25 – introduced Amanda at the assembly where she received the school’s Award for Exemplary Service.

Upon accepting the award, Amanda stated, “Martin Luther King Jr. said, ‘Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve.

You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.’ I couldn’t agree more.”

(top): Families4Families student leaders gather after a successful grocery collection. (bottom): The co-founders of F4F, Amanda and Alex Marshall and their sons, James, Mac, John, and Brooks | F4F photos courtesy of Amanda Marshall

She added, “I believe that each person, regardless of how old you are, how much money you have, or where you live, can have a positive impact on the lives of others.”

Melinda Adamec, a Potomac parent and F4F volunteer, reflects, “Amanda and her family have given so many young people the opportunity to engage and contribute to their communities. While the donations benefit the families who receive groceries, there’s also tremendous benefit for the students who work together in these clubs, gaining hands-on experience serving their communities.”

Because of her commitment to children and families, Amanda has

received numerous recognitions, including Washington Life Magazine’s 2005 Women of Substance and Style Award; the 2005 Greensboro Day School Distinguished Alumni Award; the 2012 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Distinguished Young Alumni Award; and recognition as a Washingtonian magazine 2018 Washingtonian of the Year.

Acting Head of School Tim Jaeger notes, “Potomac was thrilled to add one more welldeserved honor to Amanda Marshall’s many accolades. Her deep concern for others and her creative, hands-on approach to solving problems inspire our community as we too seek to make a positive difference.”

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news on campus

Building a Global Mindset

by Rita Deurdulian

R

ECOGNIZING THAT CITIZENSHIP involves membership in a common whole, Potomac’s Global Perspectives and Citizenship (GPAC) program asks students to think beyond their own experience and explore multiple perspectives. One of four Upper School concentration programs, GPAC helps students develop the skills and mindset necessary to navigate the changing relationships among communities, cultures, and countries worldwide.

Now in its 10th year, GPAC is designed for students who are passionate about global issues and excited to conduct independent research. Originally a yearand-a-half-long course of study, it has evolved over the past decade. Program director and Upper School history teacher Bridget Gagne says that the current two-and-a-half-year model offers a more scaffolded learning and research experience.

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GPAC 10 students with guest speaker Zahra Arabzada in November 2022 (l to r): Karina Satoskar, Ethan Maher, Patrick Ritter, Ms. Arabzada, Danica Allen, Sonali Sachdeva, Garrett Hicks, Cooper Schirmeier, and Abigael Lonkeng

She recalls, “As juniors, the students in our GPAC class of 2018 advocated to grow the program and wanted the research process to make up a larger portion of the experience. They were eager to make participation in GPAC a more in-depth commitment. The program’s expansion was championed by the faculty and supported by the administration.”

Admission to GPAC is selective and based on a student’s interest and initiative.

In addition to class work and research, participation may include such experiential elements as summer travel abroad, an internship with a global issues organization, or enrollment in a university-sponsored summer program.

Bridget notes, “GPAC is appropriate for students with strong language skills who have an interest in world affairs.” Students apply at the end of their freshman year.

As sophomores, GPAC students begin the program by taking Introduction to Global Studies. Using a combination of social theory and case studies, the year-long course introduces learners to global economics, politics, culture, and citizenship, then digs into such specific issues such as food insecurity, pandemics, and climate change.

A hallmark of GPAC is student choice.

Each student identifies their own problemdriven research project in consultation with Potomac faculty. GPAC 11, co-taught

by Upper School history teacher Nick MacDonald, is spent developing a specific question and designing and executing the research. As seniors, students in the program produce a substantial research paper and give a presentation on their findings. Jack Wade ’23 acknowledges, “I was surprised at how methodical and intentional the process was. I completed months of research and calibration before I was even sure what I was going to write about.”

Bethel Girma ’23 says that the skills she learned through this process have extended beyond the program: “My work in GPAC provided a model to help me excel in every other class. It was a truly enjoyable and eyeopening learning experience.”

All Potomac students benefit from a wide array of guest speakers who are industry leaders and subject-matter experts.

Many speakers visiting campus spend extra time with the GPAC participants. Bridget’s favorite speaker to date was journalist and 2021 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Maria Ressa, who visited Potomac in March 2022.

news on campus

Bridget says, “Ms. Ressa stressed the importance of a country’s democratic character, the things we take for granted, and the role that the Internet and social media play in effecting change. It was a powerful message to hear.”

GPAC senior Grace McMiller agrees, noting, “Ms. Ressa’s presentation was especially interesting. Despite her work being far more important in the world than our high school papers, she still had interest and asked about our research.

It was incredible to hear from a trailblazer who, in the face of adversity and political corruption, continues to fight for what she believes in, at great personal risk.”

Bridget also recalls such speakers as Senator Mark Warner, who reflected on the challenges of political discourse and bipartisan work in America today, and Afghani human rights activist Zahra

Arabzada, who addressed how geopolitics impact individuals and families around the world. After speaking at an Upper School assembly, Ms. Arabzada joined the GPAC 10 class for a discussion, allowing students to learn more about her work and the forces that have shaped it.

Thinking about her GPAC experience, Alex Meek ’23 shares, “I applied because I had a strong interest in global affairs. GPAC 10 developed my understanding of ‘how the world works’ tenfold, and I was able to draw from that understanding to choose my research topic. Though I originally hoped to explore the social implications of China’s internet surveillance, the research process led me to revise my topic in a more economics-centric direction that I found equally, if not more, stimulating.” Alex adds, “GPAC taught me that research is not a linear process and, probably most importantly,

that it is about following the evidence to a thesis – not the other way around.”

Bethel also attests to the program’s benefits: “GPAC has allowed me to explore so many worldviews at once, while simultaneously offering my own perspective and experience. It gave me the chance to understand the economic, cultural, and political issues that plague the world – many of which I was not aware of before.” She continues, “Coming from an Ethiopian background, I wanted to learn more about the history of my family’s country; therefore, my research focused on the ethnic war in Ethiopia.”

Alex concludes, “This program is the reason I plan to study political science in college. I attribute a lot of my success as a student to the other members of my GPAC cohort and to our program directors, Ms. Gagne and Mr. MacDonald.”

GPAC Student Research Published

Arya Kumar and Ali O’Brien

Like their peers, seniors Arya Kumar, Grace McMiller, and Ali O’Brien were eager for the opportunity to investigate a global problem and design a project reflecting the complexities of political systems, economic exchange, and national identity. They thrived in the self-directed research process.

Grace says, “GPAC took me through the process of developing a strong, pointed research question and seeing it through – funneling through sources, writing, revising, and finally editing a long paper. The process encouraged me to think beyond the headlines and dig deeply into global issues.”

Each of the students amassed a bibliography showing that they had worked with more than 125 sources in designing their arguments. Because of their commitment to the process and relentless pursuit of a true understanding of their topics, all three were able to craft thoughtful and insightful papers that were recently published in the Journal of Student Research.

Arya’s paper: “Democracy or Autocracy: Singapore’s Increasing Rejection of Democratic Values” Grace’s paper: “One State, Two Entities, Three Constituent Peoples: Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Failed Attempt at Interethnic Peace” Ali’s paper: “The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue: The West’s Response to China in the Indo-Pacific”

Grace McMiller

Arya reflects, “It feels good to know that the hard work I put in over the summer and throughout my time in GPAC is recognized. My classmates and I have been able to engage in a college-level research process and produce interesting papers about complex topics. I’m proud to be part of this program.”

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news on campus NEWS ROUNDUP

SANDWICH DAYS RETURN

SERC Students Visit MIT

In October, students in grades K-12 relaunched Potomac’s 33-year Sandwich Day tradition by making and packaging 1,058 sandwiches to support community partners Martha’s Table and Cornerstones.

This school-wide service learning activity, which continues with periodic Sandwich Days throughout the year, gives students opportunities to learn about and help to address food insecurity in our local community.

Sophomores in Potomac’s Science and Engineering Research Center (SERC) program enjoyed an informative visit to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology this fall. They learned how research is conducted in a college setting and heard about current projects focused on brain imaging, battery construction, carbon capture, and ion propulsion systems for cube satellites. This experience was intended to fuel the students’ thinking as they define the areas for the individual SERC research projects that they will undertake as juniors and seniors. Science faculty members Laura Petro and Bill Peery accompanied the Potomac students to MIT.

Fun Under the Lights Potomac’s first-ever Friday Night Lights celebration was an amazing success! We welcomed more than 1,000 people to campus for the October 28 event, which included a varsity football game against the Maret Frogs (under rented lights on Potomac’s newly refurbished Turf Field), tasty offerings from a variety of food trucks, and fun activities for the young and the young-at-heart.

Special thanks go to the Intermediate School Chorus, for singing the National Anthem before the game; the Potomac Drumline and Pep Band, which performed rousing selections throughout the evening; and the Senior Athletics Committee, whose members helped to organize and run this great community event.

Friday Night Lights is sure to become a Potomac tradition!

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New this year: Potomac students are using compostable sandwich bags, significantly reducing plastic waste. This transition was inspired by a project conducted by Matt Brow ’24. A large supply of compostable bags was generously provided through a Green Grant from Potomac’s Office of Stewardship, Sustainability, and Outdoor Education.

Thank you to Parent Association Service Learning Committee Co-chairs Gretchen Speigel and Tiffany Butler and all of our K-12 parent volunteers for spearheading yearlong Sandwich Day logistics, and to Potomac families for donating sandwich-making supplies.

news on campus

Multi-grade Robotics Tournament In January, Potomac robotics hosted its largest tournament to date. More than 100 teams, representing 35 schools in the greater DC region, participated, with students from grades 4 through 12 competing in the VEX Robotics competition’s three divisions. It was a successful day of learning and fun for everyone – including Potomac’s own Middle, Intermediate, and Upper School teams, all of which had strong showings.

A DISPLAY OF ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT There was no shortage of amazing ideas, gadgets, gizmos, and creative solutions to everyday problems at the annual fifth grade Invention Convention in early December.

Everyone enjoyed the “Meet the Inventors” event, where the students displayed their prototypes and shared their thoughtful cost analyses and marketing ideas. Many of the young inventors even included special holiday promo codes for their products!

SEASONAL CELEBRATIONS Students in all four divisions wrapped up 2022 with concerts celebrating the arrival of winter and the holiday season. Lower School Carols, the Middle and Intermediate School Winter Concerts, and the Upper School’s Winter Lights program are well-loved Potomac traditions, and this year’s performances didn’t disappoint, as students sang, danced, played instruments, and shared readings and reflections. Each program offered memorable moments of celebration and joy.

Students Named National Merit Scholars Nine Potomac School seniors – Michelle Ahn, Olee Banerjee, Arya Bansal, Ben Joel, Grace Lee, Yabby Maelaf, Tea Picconatto, Jack Wigmore, and Patrick Wolff – have been recognized as National Merit Scholars for 2023. The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition that provides recognition and college scholarships. Approximately 1.5 million high school students from across the nation enter the annual competition; just 15,000 were named National Merit Scholars this year.

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athletics highlights FALL 2022 WRAP-UP Coming into the fall, Potomac’s GOLF team had a high bar to meet, having achieved MAC championships in their two previous seasons. This year’s team welcomed six freshmen; the team also included Katie Lee ’26 and Annabel Widdifield ’26, the first female players on the varsity golf squad in recent memory. The newest additions helped the program maintain its status within the conference as a team to be reckoned with, finishing the regular season with an 8-1 record. The lone loss was to eventual MAC champion Maret, and it was by just one stroke. At the MAC Championship, held at Falls Road Golf Course, Potomac finished in second place, with Michael Fairbank ’26 in a three-way tie for champion with a low score of 75.

Charlie Djorup ’23 and Sam Cristinzio ’23 also had scores in the top 10, allowing them to be recognized on the All-MAC team.

The Panthers FOOTBALL program notched a MAC co-championship and a berth to the four-team VISAA State Playoffs with their 6-3 season. Highlights included huge road wins against Norfolk Academy and perennial rival Flint Hill, as well as a win against Maret in Potomac’s inaugural Friday Night Lights game. Led by a strong senior class including Marcus Burrell, Aidan Cullinan, Alex DeCamp, Devin Dunn, Marcel Gaskins, Duncan Gibb, David Hyde, Blaze Jones, Tyler Judd, Andrew Lay, Malik Shelton, Drew Turner, Jack Wade, Nick Webster, Jack Wigmore, and Patrick Wolff, the team raised the bar for Potomac football.

Zach London ’24

Jack Smith ’26

Varsity Tennis had a strong showing in the state tournament, earning runner-up honors.

Maya Davis ’23

The GIRLS TENNIS team had another great season this past fall, finishing with an impressive 16-4 record. Led by two exceptional senior captains, Lauren Foster and Maia Phillips, the girls showed great resilience, skill, and teamwork throughout the season. In addition to the strong performances of the captains, the team had impressive contributions from underclassmen Riley Williams ’26 and Leela Iyer ’25, who had amazing seasons, finishing with 18-1 and 17-2 records, respectively. The team saw strong performances in both singles and doubles matches, showcasing their versatility and depth on the court. The Panthers managed to secure second place in both the Virginia Division 1 Girls State Tennis Tournament and the Independent School League (ISL AA), but their quest for a state championship was foiled by Collegiate for the second year in a row. The team fought hard in the State Finals, ultimately falling short in a tough match against their rival. Despite that disappointment, it was an incredible season for the Panthers, filled with hard work, dedication, and great performances.

JV Volleyball celebrates their first win of the season.

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athletics highlights

The varsity FIELD HOCKEY team had a strong 2022 season, finishing fourth in the Independent School League and eighth in the state. The team was led by captains Ella Adamec, Sophia Ghafouri, Kate Gregory, and Elizabeth Rossotti with the full support of fellow seniors Arya Bansal, Erika Castellano, Annabel Cronic, Bethel Girma, Lina Jaeger, Kylie McKinley, Kate Motley, Lea Saba, and Shelby Willcox. Goalie McKinley had a standout season, making 291 saves, including 11 games with 20 or more saves and three shutouts. Leading scorers for the team were Rossotti (17 goals, 12 assists), sophomore Bella Kim (17 goals, 9 assists), and Adamec (1 goal, 21 assists).

The BOYS SOCCER program had a tremendous season, finishing with an overall record of 16-2-2. The Panthers finished first in the MAC with a win over Maret 4-0 and made it to the semifinals of the VISAA State Tournament as the third-ranked team in the state. Through the leadership of captains Patrick Ritter ’25, Mac Wilson ’24, and Miles Monroe ’23, the team notched an unprecedented 62 goals, scored by 11 different players, including four seniors. The top scorers this season were Scott Landry ’23 (24), Watt Marin ’23 (6), and Ritter (6). These three also achieved the most assists for the season: Landry (11), Marin (10), Ritter (8). Goalkeepers Walker Lyall ’24 and Wyatt Pence ’25 allowed only 16 goals over 20 games. The Panthers will be returning 17 players next fall; the team and their coaches look forward to building on this season’s success!

The GIRLS SOCCER team had a wonderful season, finishing as the #4 seed in the ISL AA league standings, then winning the tournament championship with a 2-1 victory over Sidwell Friends. Finishing the season with a 12-5-2 record, the girls made it once again to the NoVa State Finals, only to fall to a strong Bishop O’Connell team. Our talented defensive core was led by seniors Samantha Taylormoore (captain), Ryan Wilson (captain), Tea Picconatto (All-ISL), and Maya Davis (All-ISL).

Goalkeeper Amory Imperatore ’25 and outside back Selma Elrefai ’24 helped round out the team’s strength. Reagan Exley ’24 had another fantastic season, led the team in scoring, and was named to the All-ISL team. Senior captain Devon Cleaver and junior midfielder Megan Rowe also had impressive seasons in the middle.

Additionally, the team welcomed six freshmen to varsity this year.

Potomac’s VOLLEYBALL team had a great fall, finishing their second season in the AA division in fifth place. Led by captains Laura Taylor ’23 and Adelena Rodgers ’25, the Panthers had a huge win in the tournament quarterfinals against Bullis, finishing the ISL season with a 3-4 record. Rodgers was named to the All-League team. Four seniors led the team to an overall season record of 10-6, with Skylar Giuliani ’25 and Zora Burrell ’25 turning in particularly strong performances.

It was a banner-winning season for Potomac’s CROSS COUNTRY teams! Our boys won both the MAC and state titles, while the girls team earned podium spots for their third-place finishes at both leagues and states. Charlie Ortmans ’23 was the individual MAC and state champion and was named All-Met Runner of the Year by the Washington Post. Kate Tuttle ’24 earned All-League and All-State honors and was recognized as an Honorable Mention All-Met by the Post. Sasha Minksy ’24, Genevieve Harris ’23, and Arielle Kouyoumdjian ’25 earned both All-League and All-State honors. Zach Dalva-Baird ’25 earned All-League, and juniors Alex Mathews and Emmy Holland garnered All-State honors. Much appreciation to our captains: Harris, Emma O’Reilly ’23, Ortmans, Nate Boyle ’23, and Greg Zubler ’23!

fall honors Congratulations, Potomac Panthers!

ALL-MET:

Charlie Ortmans ’23 (runner of the year boys cross country), Kate Tuttle ’24 (honorable mention girls cross country), Scott Landry ’23 (first team boys soccer), Reagan Exley ’24 (honorable mention girls soccer), Maya Davis ’23 (honorable mention girls soccer), Kylie McKinley ’23 (first team field hockey), Marcel Gaskins ’23 (honorable mention offense football)

ALL-STATE:

Charlie Ortmans ’23 (state champion boys cross country), Sasha Minsky ’24 (boys cross country), Alex Mathews ’24 (boys cross country), Kate Tuttle ’24 (girls cross country), Genevieve Harris ’23 (girls cross country), Arielle Kouyoumdjian ’25 (girls cross country), Emmy Holland ’24 (girls cross country), Kylie McKinley ’23 (field hockey), Lauren Foster ’23 (girls tennis), Leela Iyer ’25 ( girls tennis), Riley Williams ’26 (second team girls tennis), Scott Landry ’23 (boys soccer), Patrick Ritter ’25 (boys soccer), Walker Lyall ’24 (boys soccer), Marcel Gaskins ’23 (football), Bryce Hall ’24 (football), Drew Turner ’23 (second team football), Max Gyllenhoff ’24 (second team football), Devin Dunn ’23 (second team football), Cameron Boykin ’25 (honorable mention football), Andrew Lay ’23 (honorable mention football), Jake Wade ’23 (honorable mention football), Laith Weimer ’24 (honorable mention football), Patrick Wolff ’23 (honorable mention football), Stefan Harvey ’25 (honorable mention football), David Hyde ’23 (honorable mention football), Aiden Cullinan ’23 (honorable mention football), EJ Schneeberg ’25 (honorable mention football), Lucas Boulter ’25 (honorable mention football), Marcus Burrell ’23 (honorable mention football)

ALL-ISL:

Kate Tuttle ’24 (cross country), Genevieve Harris ’23 (cross country), Arielle Kouyoumdjian ’25 (cross country), Reagan Exley ’24 (girls soccer), Maya Davis ’23 (girls soccer), Tea Picconatto ’23 (girls soccer), Lauren Foster ’23 (girls tennis), Leela Lyer ’25 (girls tennis), Riley Williams ’26 (girls tennis), Bella Kim ’25 (field hockey), Elizabeth Rossotti ’23 (field hockey), Kylie McKinley ’23 (field hockey), Adalena Rodgers ’25 (volleyball)

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athletics highlights

WINTER 2023 WRAP-UP The Potomac School BOYS BASKETBALL team had an outstanding year. Finishing with an overall record of 17-12 and 8-4 (third place) in the MAC, the squad played with energy and passion throughout the season. Over the winter break, the Panthers captured the runnerup trophy in the 2022 Kreul Classic National Tournament (Fort Lauderdale, Florida), with Khalil Williams ’23 and Elijah Flowers ’24 making All-Tournament. After Christmas, the Panthers earned third place in the 56th Annual Benedictine Capital City Classic (Richmond, Virginia), with Flowers again making All-Tournament.

In the postseason, the team finished in the Final Four of the MAC Tournament and ranked #9 in the VISAA States. Williams and Flowers were both selected to the MAC All-League team. Notably, Williams surpassed the 1,000 point mark (with 1,022) in only three years of varsity basketball!

This season, the GIRLS BASKETBALL team made its first appearance in the ISL AA Division in four years. Before engaging in league play, the team won three tournaments – Potomac’s Tip-Off Tournament, the Kreul Classic (Florida), and the Falls Church (Virginia) Holiday Tournament. The team competed well within the ISL, going up against the likes of nationally ranked teams Sidwell Friends and Georgetown Visitation. Potomac finished the regular season with a 15-12 record, earning a seventh seed in the VISAA Tournament. In the first round, the Panthers easily knocked off Collegiate, 52-39. In the quarterfinal round against the #2 seed St. Anne’s Belfield, the girls played their best game of the season but came up short, losing 70-66. The team returns 11 of 13 players, setting the stage for a strong season next year.

EJ Schneeberg ’25

The WRESTLING team rounded out a strong season with great showings at the MAC Tournament and the VISAA State Championships.

Aidan Cullinan ’23, Carter Donald ’25, Jeremy DeLaVille ’24, Jason Seeber ’25, and Adar Weinman ’25 notched All-MAC honors in the league tournament. Weinman, DeLaVille, and Seeber also earned All-State honors with their respective eighth, seventh, and fourth place finishes at the VISAA Tournament. With his placement, Seeber qualified for the National Prep Tournament in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. We thank seniors Cullinan, Bram Halpert, and Alex DeCamp for their contributions to the program. Onward for Potomac!

The GIRLS SQUASH team had a great year. With victories against National Cathedral, Episcopal, and St. Catherine’s in the regular season, Potomac was able to win the Mid-Atlantic Squash Organization (MASO) Championship on our home courts. The team brought their efforts all the way to High School Nationals in Philadelphia. Though they were seeded last in Division II, the Panthers fought their hardest. They had some tough losses, such as a close 4-3 loss against Middlesex School, but they also had a 4-3 win against St. George’s, seeded three places above them. Great effort from Meera Vadlamani ’24, who won all her matches! The team put up a good fight and had a successful season overall, ending on a high note. Congratulations to our four seniors, Layah Nasr, Yabby Maelaf, Cecilia Miliaras, and Alex Meek.

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THE POTOMAC TERM

The Girls Varsity Squash team hoists the MASO Tournament championship plaque – and coach El Torky!

athletics highlights

With a season record of 8-12, the BOYS SQUASH team peaked for their big events, finishing third in the MASO Championships (when seeded sixth), and 44th in the nation in the U.S. High School Squash Championships (when seeded 47th). The team will graduate four seniors from our active lineup – captains Jack Wigmore and Jeffrey Nuechterlein and stalwarts Jackson Mackney and Alex Zhou.

Their efforts, example, and leadership helped prepare a strong cadre of highlyskilled players to continue Potomac’s tradition of excellence in squash.

The girls INDOOR TRACK team placed third overall at the state meet, while our boys placed fourth. These were the highest finishes for both teams since 2008.

Freshman sensation Ally Griswold broke the meet record and school record in the 300m. Setting school records in the 55m and long jump, Maya Davis ’23 earned All-State honors for both events. Kate Tuttle ’24 earned All-State honors by finishing second in the 1k. Other All-State performances for the girls included Kate Motley ’23, Tenley Overdeck ’24, and Tea Picconatto ’23 for their roles on our winning 4x2 and 4x4 relays. On the boys side, Charlie Ortmans ’23 earned Runner of the Meet honors for his first-place finishes in the mile and two mile, along with a bronze performance in the 1k. Cole Griswold ’24 had an impressive fourth-place finish in the 300m, while Alex Mathews ’24 finished sixth in the 1k. Twelve Potomac athletes went on to compete at Indoor Nationals in March.

The Panther SWIM team had an excellent season, with the girls and boys finishing with records of 8-2 and 10-3, respectively. Additionally, there were five team records broken: Will Walters ’24, 100 Fly (51.94); Walters, 100 Backstroke (52.59); Brock Schedler ’23, 100 Breaststroke (57.96); Kate Douglas ’26, 50 Free (23.84); and Paige Schedler ’25, Madeleine Steves ’26, Sam Taylormoore ’23, and Douglas, 200 Freestyle Relay (1:42.18). At the state meet, the girls finished 10th and the boys finished ninth.

Freshman standout Douglas broke the school record and became state champion.

Walters achieved All-State honors with a third-place finish in the 100 Backstroke.

Other impressive swims included Douglas achieving fourth place in the 100 Freestyle; Schedler with fifth place in the 100 Breaststroke and 50 Freestyle; Walters fifth in the 100 Fly; and Walters, Schedler, Arav Bhargava ’24, and Ale Wick ’25 finishing in fifth place in the the boys 200 Medley Relay.

fall honors (continued) ALL-MAC:

Michael Fairbank ’26 (tied MAC champion golf ), Sam Cristinzio ’23 (golf ), Charlie Djorup ’23 (golf ), Charlie Ortmans ’23 (MAC champion cross country), Sasha Minsky ’24 (cross country), Zach Dalva-Baird ’25 (cross country), Max Zeldes ’24 (cross country), Eli Butler ’24 (boys soccer), Patrick Ritter ’25 (boys soccer), Walker Lyall ’24 (boys soccer), Scott Landry ’23 (boys soccer), Marcel Gaskins ’23 (football), Bryce Hall ’24 (football), Max Gyllenhoff ’24 (football), Devin Dunn ’23 (football), Marcus Burrell ’23 (football), Drew Turner ’23 (honorable mention football)

winter honors Congratulations, Potomac Panthers!

ALL-MET:

Charlie Ortmans ’23 (first team indoor track), Ally Griswold ’26 (honorable mention indoor track)

ALL-STATE:

Kate Douglas ’26 (swim/50 free state champion), Will Walters ’24 (swim/100 backstroke), Adar Weinman ’25 (wrestling), Jeremy DeLaVille ’24 (wrestling), Jason Seeber ’25 (wrestling), Charlie Ortmans ’23 (indoor track state champion/1600m and 3200m, runner of the meet), Ally Griswold ’26 (indoor track state champion/300m, 4x200m, and 4x400m), Kate Motley ’23 (indoor track state champion/4x200m and 4x400m), Tenley Overdeck ’24 (indoor track state champion/4x400m), Maya Davis ’23 (indoor track state champion/4x200m), Tea Picconatto ’23 (indoor track state champion/ 4x200m), Kate Tuttle ’24 (indoor track state champion/4x400m), Skylar Giuliani ’25 (girls basketball)

ALL-MAC:

Kate Douglas ’26

Brock Schedler ’23 (swim, 50 free, 100 free, 200 free relay), Will Walters ’24 (swim, 200 free relay), Ale Wick ’25 (swim, 200 free relay), Arav Bhargava ’24 (swim, 200 free relay), Carter Donald ’25 (wrestling, 126), Jeremy DeLaVille ’24 (wrestling, 138), Jason Seeber ’25 (wrestling, 175), Aidan Cullinan ’23 (wrestling, 190), Adar Weinman ’25 (wrestling, 120), Khalil Williams ’23 (boys basketball), Elijah Flowers ’24 (boys basketball)

SPRING 2023

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STARTUP PROTOCOL

by Scott Butterworth

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Entrepreneur Erik Schluntz ’11 is transforming the face of security...one robot at a time. photos: Yana Mostitsky

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THE POTOMAC TERM

A

chieving success with a startup is anything but assured. An entrepreneur must have a great idea, along with plenty of capital and stamina.

Timing is also key, so that the idea can be developed and brought to market just when customers have begun to recognize a need for the product or service.

Fitting these pieces together quickly and neatly is no simple trick. If only one element doesn’t materialize as planned, the fledgling business will almost certainly sputter, stall, and die. Every day becomes a race against time to finish the project and find an eager customer base.

Even for the most experienced executives, taking a startup from brainstorm to vibrant business is no easy feat. But Erik Schluntz ’11 has done it twice, and both well before his 30th birthday.

Near the end of his freshman year of college, Erik and a classmate teamed up to co-found a business, Posmetrics, that immediately interested investors and would ultimately be acquired by a larger firm. His latest company, Cobalt Robotics, does business around the world after just six years of operations, with clients on five continents using its physical-security robots. Valued by its investors at more than $300 million, Cobalt’s success is generating considerable buzz.

Along the way, Erik has formed connections with some of the biggest names in Silicon Valley. He interned at Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Cobalt’s lead investors include Sequoia Capital and Coatue, and Forbes Magazine included him on its highly prized 30 Under 30 list in 2018.

Erik credits Potomac with helping him catch the entrepreneurial fever. The inspiration came in large part from an alumnus, Drew Durbin ’04, who

returned to speak at the Upper School while Erik was there.

Erik reflects, “At the beginning of high school, I was most interested in mechanical engineering and building things with my hands. I thought I might want to be an architect or a civil engineer.” And when he heard Drew speak about his business building low-cost tools for African farmers, Erik thought, “I can use engineering to help people all over the world.”

A couple years later, he reached out to Drew about an internship. Drew agreed, and that’s how Erik got his first lessons in startup culture.

He says, “I showed up at the address of this company, and it’s this apartment!

What I thought was this big company was, like, four people in a kitchen.” He adds, “I had a blast that summer. That experience got me really interested in branching out of just pure engineering to entrepreneurship.”

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MAJORING IN STARTUPS

When Erik headed off to college, he brought his newfound interest with him.

He says, “I knew I would be around a ton of amazing people working in technology, so I came in looking for startup opportunities. It was in my mind that once you graduate, it becomes much harder to start a company because then you have to have a steady income and your commitments pile up. College is this amazing time where you have a lot of flexibility.”

The other passion Erik brought from Potomac was technology. He recalls, “I went into high school knowing that I loved engineering and science, but I didn’t know where I wanted to take that.

My freshman year, a friend of mine said, ‘Hey, we’re trying to start this robotics team,’ and I said, ‘Oh, definitely. Sign me up.’”

Robotics, Erik explains, is “about solving a problem and pulling together all these pieces from different fields – mechanical, electrical, software. From Potomac to now, that’s still what I love about robotics. In so many fields, they push you to specialize and focus, but robotics is the opposite. To stay successful, you need to stay very broad and understand the full scope of things.”

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“

A lot of people who’ve only been at a big company have a very picturesque view of what a startup is like. Then they start work and they’re totally unprepared for the grind of it. They’re thinking only about the upside.

”

At Harvard, Erik became friends with fellow freshman Merrill Lutsky. They teamed up on the final project for their Introduction to Computer Science course, which would quickly turn into their first big thing: Posmetrics, an instore survey service.

Erik says, “Businesses kept asking us to complete surveys, but nobody did them. We figured, ‘If everyone wants customer feedback but no one’s giving it, there must be some opportunity here.’”

Erik and Merrill recognized that a new tech device, the iPad, could help improve response rates. Although tablet computers had been around since the early 2000s, the iPad’s introduction in 2010 made them mainstream.

Also, data analysis had recently exploded into an industry that could provide even mom-and-pop businesses with the ability to mine customer perceptions for profitable insights. The trick was getting customers to share those perceptions.

Posmetrics enabled companies to ask for customer reactions at checkout, and it simplified the survey process, allowing

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THE POTOMAC TERM

the customer to finish the Q&A on a spiffy new iPad in about 20 seconds.

“We were originally thinking, ‘This is good for feedback for the dining hall,’” Erik says. “Then we realized it would be useful for other businesses, too.”

Erik and Merrill signed up for a student startup competition – i3, the Harvard College Innovation Challenge – and their business plan and working prototype took home a major award. That drew the attention of angel investors, who financed a rollout of Posmetrics to a dozen locations in summer 2012.

At the end of that summer, the founders applied to Y Combinator, a highly competitive startup accelerator in Silicon Valley. Posmetrics was one of only 47 businesses accepted for the winter 2013 class, and Erik and Merrill both decided to leave Harvard for California.

“Harvard makes it incredibly easy to come back if you leave,” Erik says. “So there was not a lot of risk in leaving for a startup because, if it didn’t work, I knew I could come back. It’d be like taking a gap year.”

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SILICON VALLEY CONNECTIONS

In California, the business grew to more than 70 early-testing locations.

Hotels turned out to be a particularly promising industry.

The company debuted publicly in March 2013; within four months, Posmetrics had received and accepted a buyout offer from the hospitality technology company Revinate. The “exit” freed Erik to return to school and resume

his studies, albeit with a much improved network of professional contacts. Over the summers to come, he would intern with Google, then with SpaceX. In 2015, as graduation approached, SpaceX offered Erik a full-time job. He turned it down, electing instead to team up with Travis Deyle, a roboticist he had met at Y Combinator.

Their startup would reverse the process that most new businesses follow, where the founders’ inspiration for a product or service drives everything.

Erik recounts, “We had seen a lot of

people in the startup ecosystem get overly attached to an idea and end up building something that no one wanted.”

So he and Travis determined to “focus instead on a real problem and then work backward to find a technology solution.”

They promised themselves that they would only commit to a project that could be brought to market in less than a year, and one that they could see themselves doing and loving for a decade.

Erik and Travis arranged dozens of meetings with business leaders to learn their pain points. Everything suddenly

clicked in one 2016 meeting with a Bay Area security executive who complained about the difficulty in hiring and retaining qualified guards.

“Initially, we thought that physical security must be about tackling a bad guy. But we learned that the security guard never actually tackles bad guys.

They call the police and try to stay out of the way,” Erik says. Security is primarily about detection.

Erik and Travis recognized that the need for reliable security guards was a problem technology had the potential

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“

Robots are good at doing things that are dull, dangerous, and monotonous.

We realized that security involves all of these.

”

to solve, thanks to advances in artificial intelligence. It was possible for a computer to reliably notice the presence of a person just from visual images. Other sensors could provide the computer with additional, perhaps confirmatory information. And if a situation needed even more data, a person could remotely “step in” to ask questions of a building visitor or, if needed, call the police. Technology had also enabled the computer to go mobile: Autonomous devices had proven their ability to navigate corridors and avoid obstructions.

The solution for the security executive, Erik and Travis understood, was a robot.

Erik says, “Robots are good at doing things that are dull, dangerous, and monotonous. We realized that security involves all of these.”

As Erik and Travis explained all this to the security executive, he grew excited at the opportunity and immediately offered access to his professional network. After just a few follow-up meetings, Erik says, “we began to recognize the business opportunity.”

And so Cobalt Robotics was born.

Erik notes, “We focused on the core task that guards spend most of their time doing: observe and report. We felt very confident that this was possible with today’s technology and with putting a human in the loop to fill in the gaps where AI and machine learning weren’t quite there yet.”

The founders designed their robot to include cameras, ultrasound, thermal and LiDAR sensors, a video screen and microphone to communicate with employees and guests, an onboard

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THE POTOMAC TERM

computer, and online connectivity. Each area presented its own challenge, as did the question of how to recharge the robot’s power supply.

A top priority was to make the Cobalt robot unthreatening. “A golden retriever,” in the words of one company executive, rather than a ferocious guard dog. Erik explains, “The job of security is to keep employees feeling safe and secure. If their security robot scares them, that’s the opposite of its job. So we had to balance providing security with being friendly and approachable.”

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THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF BUILDING A ROBOT

With the blueprint in place, the time for startup speed and stamina had arrived.

The Cobalt founders hired two employees and, much as Drew Durbin had done, set up an office in Erik’s apartment. The living room was their workshop, while the dining room featured a wall of Post-it Notes detailing the scores of tasks to be done before the first robot could go to work for a client.

Mealtime served as twice-daily stand-up meetings to review everyone’s progress.

“A lot of people who’ve only been at a big company have a very picturesque view of what a startup is like,” Erik says.

“Then they start work and they’re totally unprepared for the grind of it. They’re thinking only about the upside.”

In their first month, the team constructed a prototype to establish proof of concept and met with a couple dozen potential investors. They successfully completed a $3.5 million seed round of venture capital funding, led by Bloomberg Beta and Promus Ventures.

Further prototypes followed, to work out specific bugs in the design or address particular customer needs. Building each version themselves unavoidably stretched the team’s timeline. Even so, Erik and Travis stayed focused on shipping their first robots to customers as soon as possible.

“Literally for that first year, I had written on my bathroom mirror, ‘Why can’t we launch today?’ I stared at that every day while brushing my teeth,” Erik recalls.

In hindsight, it’s easy to see where the Cobalt crew could have avoided headaches by bringing in more help. Erik says, “Travis and I both had undergradlevel electrical engineering skills, so we were able to do a lot of this by ourselves.

But if we had hired an electrical engineer much earlier, it could have delayed the first launch a little bit but saved us so much bandwidth that it would’ve certainly paid for itself.”

The bottom half of the Cobalt robot is essentially a self-driving car, able to maneuver 360 degrees through any office or warehouse setup and quickly establish the floor plan of its nightly “beat.” At the “head” of the robot is a touch screen that provides interactivity between a building guest and an employee at a remote location. Sensors allow the robot to learn of a liquid or chemical leak or a sudden change in temperature that might signal a fire in the building.

With the functionality in place, the final step was giving the robot the right look. For this, Cobalt did bring in outside help: The design firm fuseproject gave the device a sleek, tapered look while retaining its all-important stability.

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COBALT ROLLS INTO THE LIMELIGHT

After a year of preparations, Cobalt Robotics was ready to go public in early 2017 with both its product and its business plan for providing corporate security in the office space.

TechCrunch highlighted that the robots “use the same kind of components you’d expect in a self-driving car” and praised “machines that look like gliding chess pieces – say, a bishop with a tablet screen in place of a head.”

Positive press is good for any new business, but positive customer response is even better. One way to gauge Cobalt Robotics’ success is to follow the investments in the company. Cobalt’s results were so encouraging within a year of launch that investors lined up for a Series A funding round at a valuation of $45 million; the round was led by Sequoia Capital, perhaps the mostwatched venture firm in the country. A Series B followed in 2019, this time at a $220 million valuation, led by Coatue.

During the pandemic, when many big-city offices cleared out and people sheltered at home, Cobalt really proved its value to clients, who could still have on-premises security without risking the health and safety of employees.

Cobalt’s business model certainly suggests robots coming for people’s jobs, but Erik asserts that their products are intended to augment the role of human guards. Recall that, in the 2016 conversation that launched the company, the goal was not eliminating human guards but rather filling in the gaps created when qualified guards left or turned down jobs. And, six years in, Cobalt’s robots still rely on people to step in when situations exceed the machines’ limits.

Erik believes that American culture tends to get ahead of itself when it comes to technology. He points out that we get excited about future possibilities and assume their incarnation is right around the corner, but often fail to recognize the obstacles that will slow such advances.

“Five years ago, everyone thought that by now truck drivers and taxi drivers would all be out of a job, replaced by self-driving cars,” Erik told Machine Design last year. “That clearly hasn’t materialized.”

He also notes that popular acceptance of robots and artificial intelligence in our daily lives remains a work in progress. The current conversation around Chat GPT and its implications for creative work and academic study is a sign of how much remains unresolved about the role of technology in our lives. He says, “People are just starting to experience AI for the first time, but they are going to become a lot more used to it.”

As artificial intelligence becomes ever more capable, tools like Chat GPT that

use large language models (LLMs) could transform robotics. LLMs make it possible for machines to take a command, break it down into discrete steps, and then execute each step autonomously, rather than waiting for a programmer to write each step manually in code.

Erik says, “The long-term dream of most roboticists is Rosie, the robot maid from The Jetsons, who can do everything. People have tried to go directly there, but it’s a hard thing and still a long way off.”

Cobalt’s maturation has meant more new hires, more markets, and more opportunities to address customer needs. It also has freed Erik to focus his time on what he has always loved best. He reflects, “Plenty of people will be a better day-to-day manager than I am. My passion is the technology and connecting all these dots from all these different parts of things – seeing how the pieces will fit together and understanding at a high level how to solve problems.”

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by Rita Deurdulian

Community gatherings offer opportunities to highlight Potomac’s core values and commitment to excellence. Two K-12 gatherings this year, the Opening Assembly and the Thanksgiving Assembly, included the presentation of awards to faculty and staff who personify the Potomac School spirit.

The Bill Cook Excellent Teaching Award honors faculty members who exemplify the commitment to excellence and love of learning that are at the heart of a Potomac School education. At this fall’s Opening Assembly, this honor was presented to teachers Nick Hanson and Shefali Sardar.

NICK HANSON Nick Hanson is respected by students and colleagues alike for his skill, humility, generosity of spirit, and passion for his subject. As Potomac’s handbells director, Nick has worked tirelessly for 17 years to develop and grow his program. Today, the school has five handbell ensembles featuring 139 student musicians from grades 5 through 12. Nick’s love of ringing is contagious, and his talents as a teacher, conductor, and arranger enrich the experience of individual students and the Potomac community as a whole.

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Chris Simon, academic technologist and handbells instructor, observes, “Nick is a passionate and engaging teacher. He breaks down the complexity of long ringing lines into short, simple phrases, allowing students to understand and master sophisticated pieces of music. His ability to connect with and motivate students of all ages is amazing.”

Thanks to Nick’s expert instruction and leadership, Potomac handbell performances showcase the most advanced and current techniques in ringing. Performers and audiences alike are delighted by programs that feature a combination of classic selections and chart-topping popular songs, often arranged by Nick himself.

Recognized as a leading handbell director both nationally and internationally, Nick has spoken at music conferences and conducted handbell festivals throughout the United States and in England, China, and Singapore.

SHEFALI SARDAR Shefali Sardar has spent most of her professional career at Potomac. In the course of more than two decades, she has filled many roles – teaching intern, homeroom teacher, language arts resource specialist, and divisional academic dean. In each role, Shefali has demonstrated unwavering commitment to her students’ success and well-being.

Middle School Head John Mathews shares, “Shefali is renowned for her thoughtful, caring work with students. She is a meticulous planner, and her lessons are prepared with incredible care, highlighting the needs of each individual learner. Her feedback is famous for its specificity and hits that ‘just-right’ level, effectively guiding and motivating students.”

As the Middle School’s academic dean, Shefali devotes time before, during, and after school to work with students who need extra support, confer with parents, assist her colleagues, and strengthen the curriculum.

“No one asks her to go above and beyond in this way,” John notes. “Shefali is, quite simply, an extraordinarily dedicated teacher and leader. She recognizes that investing additional time supports student growth and teacher success, and she is willing to do what it takes to achieve these goals.”

The Generosity of Spirit Award is presented to faculty and staff members who consistently exemplify Potomac’s core values and whose character and contributions to the life of the school inspire the campus community. At this year’s Thanksgiving Assembly, teacher Suzanne Bailey and counselor Weezie Parry received this honor.

SUZANNE BAILEY In everything she does, Suzanne Bailey’s priority is to make sure that others feel a sense of belonging and are empowered to thrive. Since joining the faculty in 2009, she has gone about her life at Potomac and beyond with the utmost dedication and

(top, l to r): Nick Hanson, Shefali Sardar (bottom, l to r): Suzanne Bailey, Weezie Parry

humility. Her personal character shapes the success of her classes, her advisory, the clubs she moderates, her work as a member of the school’s Health and Wellness Committee, and her role as a Pilates and yoga instructor after school.

An advocate for all of her students and colleagues, Suzanne shows special concern for those from marginalized communities.

She serves as advisor to Potomac’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance and has been an active ally of the Black Student Union.

Steve Wicker, one of Suzanne’s colleagues in the Upper School English Department, observes, “Because she teaches with such an open and tender disposition, Suzanne is able to instruct a student’s soul as much as their intellect. The kids who share the learning space with her emerge from her lessons with prodigious hearts and very generous spirits, just like hers.”

WEEZIE PARRY Weezie Parry is quick to express gratitude for her colleagues. Every year, she submits a nomination for Potomac’s Generosity of Spirit Award, lauding others for their contributions to the school community. This year, Weezie was surprised to receive the honor herself.

Known for incredible dedication to her role at Potomac and an unwavering focus on student well-being, the grades 5-8 counselor is often called upon to immediately drop everything and support a student in need.

Intermediate School librarian Ginny Ramos,

who has worked with Weezie for more than two decades, says, “Weezie’s expertise and deep intellect, based on years of experience and constant research, has led to her situational awareness of the challenges of the age group she counsels. While this certainly guides her, it is her intuition, heart, sense of humor, and warmth that draw everyone to her.”

Weezie’s support of Potomac students extends beyond school hours. She is often found on the sidelines cheering for the Panthers. And if there is a dance, a movie night, or a service learning event, she’s there.

In addition to her work with students, Weezie is always willing to speak with colleagues who are in need of assistance or support. A patient, empathetic listener, she poses thoughtful questions that help bring clarity to any situation. Ginny reflects, “Weezie is a committed professional who always puts others first. Whether just passing by in the hallway or in a scheduled meeting, she gives each student, parent, or colleague her full attention. She consistently models the caring personal relationships that are at the heart of a Potomac School education.”

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Architect of Engineer of

by Sarah Valente

M

oving from construction manager on large-scale commercial and residential projects to tour company manager for immersive entertainment productions, Junie Janette Harris 83’s career trajectory has been unusual. Over the years, Junie has managed to blend her skills in two seemingly disparate fields into a career that has her traveling the world…in the company of queens and monsters.

After a year of managing the tour of the Bridgerton-inspired experience The Queen’s Ball, Junie now finds herself in Paris, where she is helping to bring to life a new immersive production, based on the hit show Stranger Things. Talking with Junie, it doesn’t take long to recognize that she’s a force of nature; the energy and enthusiasm that she brings to her work and her commitment to mentoring the next generation of entertainment industry professionals light up any room she enters.

A Blueprint for Success Managing the development of commercial buildings from the ground up and shepherding the transfer of a major theatric spectacular from one urban hub to the next – each requires the ability to see the big picture while applying laser focus to the smallest details. Both tasks call for the capacity to handle myriad moving parts and deal with countless glitches. Both require someone who is creative, strategic, and efficient – qualities that Junie Harris possesses in abundance. She explains, “Everything starts with project management. First you identify the end

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THE POTOMAC TERM

goal, then you develop a layout for the task, step by step.” Firmly believing that project management is the single most important skill for success in any field, Junie says, “If you can’t manage what’s in front of you, you can’t move forward.”

Junie also maintains that an effective leader must be able to navigate workplace politics with grace. In high school, she interned with the Marion Barry Youth Leadership Institute (MBYLI), founded to train District of Columbia youth in the concepts of leadership and self-development. The MBYLI training model emphasizes practical experience and a holistic

approach to developing leaders. Junie was placed with the DC Department of Recreation. She reflects, “That year had a profound effect on my leadership style.

I honed my public speaking skills and learned how to function in a political climate.” It was also an experience that opened Junie’s eyes to the importance of internships – and the mentors who guide interns to success.

After receiving her degree in construction management from Hampton University, Junie spent a decade overseeing nonprofit and for-profit development projects in the nation’s capital. She says, “Driving around DC, I can still see ‘my’ buildings.

It’s as if I left my mark on the cityscape.

I love that!” In 2000, Junie took the next step on her professional journey by forming her own construction management firm.

Little did she suspect that her career was about to head in a surprising new direction. A friend suggested that Junie apply her project management skills to television and invited her to help as a production assistant on the popular show America’s Most Wanted. A year into her work on AMW, the tragedy of 9/11

Joy, Joy,, Dreams occurred. Junie recalls, “I was stuck in New Orleans, filming a segment with crews from DC and New York. The experience that we endured, away from our homes and trying to locate family and friends in the aftermath of that disaster, was terrible and life changing.”

She returned to AMW headquarters in Washington with a new sense of purpose.

She says, “Working with the show to help locate those responsible for the attacks gave me an understanding of how television can change lives and bring people to justice.” She never looked back.

Entertainment Entrepreneur and Mentor to a New Generation

Just as she had founded her own construction management firm, Junie’s entrepreneurial instincts led her to establish her own entertainment and events production company, District Consortium Incorporated (DCI). A merger of several small boutique firms, her company handled entertainment operations and special events for an impressive roster of clients, including the Golden Globes, the Emmy Awards, and

photos: Maya Vidon-White

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“

No matter what role I’ve taken on professionally, I’ve always used my position to

uplift young people,

to help open doors that might

”

otherwise remain closed to them.

the NAACP. For eight years, DCI was the producer and production manager for all the events surrounding the NAACP Image Awards, including the awards dinner, symposium, nominee luncheon, screening series, fashion show/ladies tea, and pre- and post-show galas.

Business flourished, but like many other companies, DCI proved not to be pandemic-proof. Junie decided to use the lull caused by COVID-19 to pursue a master’s degree in entertainment business from Full Sail University. She says, “As great as things were going in my career, I was self-taught. I wanted to expand my knowledge. I also wanted the credibility that comes with an advanced degree.”

Junie had an additional motivation for seeking a graduate degree. Having mentored interns throughout her career, Junie established the Consortium Leadership Foundation (CLF) – a nonprofit organization dedicated to opening doors for youth who want to break into the entertainment field – while she was leading DCI. Potential major donors, such as foundations, would scrutinize her credentials when she applied for funding. Junie felt that having a master’s degree would help to assure her foundation’s sustainability.

CLF is dedicated to teaching leadership skills, developing partnerships, and empowering youth to become

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entertainment industry professionals.

Junie explains, “We are not training actors and directors. Our focus is on the critical behind-the-scenes roles like costuming, makeup, lighting, and sound, as well as the business side of the industry.” The organization’s emphasis is less on preparing young people for specific jobs – though that does come into play – and more on developing skills that can be parlayed into many aspects of the entertainment field. Junie says, “I’m so proud of the doors we have opened for kids from underrepresented communities and challenged areas, helping them see what’s possible in the entertainment industry and giving them access that can help them get started in this field.”

The Fever Pitch

You might think that between balancing her business, her foundation, and the demands of earning an advanced degree, Junie’s plate would have been plenty full. But she has never been one to turn down an opportunity, and in 2020 Junie’s attention was drawn to an irresistible offer: the chance to help bring Bridgerton, one of the most popular television shows in recent memory, to life in a dynamic new way. Would she consider coming aboard Fever Projects, the brand-new touring division of the successful technology platform Fever?

The concept, developed in partnership with Shondra Rhimes/Shondaland and Netflix, was to create a grand, immersive, interactive experience based on the Bridgerton series. Known as The Queen’s Ball, it would have multiple tours traveling worldwide, and Junie would be one of the tour managers.

After a successful year with the Bridgerton-based show, Fever recently assigned Junie to a new project; this winter, she was off to Paris to take over the international tour of their latest experience, based on another Netflix smash – Stranger Things.

Junie is quick to point out that Fever’s wildly popular immersive spectaculars are very different from, say, the national tour of a Broadway show. One difference is the vast number of actors and crew hired and rehearsed in each city. Five full-time staff traveled with The Queen’s Ball. “The other 60 to 70 people – 98% of our hires – were local,” Junie says. For Stranger Things: The Experience, the staff increased to 10, and the number of local hires per city jumped to more than 200 people.

Additionally, the setup and length of the run are longer than those of a touring musical. “When we get to a new city, it may take four weeks to get up and running before we see an audience,” Junie explains. But Fever shows remain

in each location for three to six months, steadily attracting sold-out audiences.

One of the things Junie enjoyed most about her time with The Queen’s Ball was the amount of love the experience inspired. She says, “People would often arrive in Regency attire, bow to the Queen, marvel at the chandelier, and then dance the night away. And the number of marriage proposals that took place at the Ball proves that love is still in the air.” When asked for specifics, Junie laughs, “I can’t share the details or Lady Whistledown will find out!”

One of Junie’s favorite stories from the Bridgerton experience is about a young attendee who made a costume entirely centered around the bee, including a hive in the wig. Junie recalls, “She spent months making that outfit and was crowned the Diamond of the Ball. Her tears of joy made my own work worth it.” Another story is about a woman who was escorted by her son, who was dressed in a neon-blue tux and top hat.

Junie recalls, “They danced all night long, with so much joy.” A particularly tender moment came when a dad brought his special needs daughter to the Ball on Father’s Day. Moved by the memory, Junie shares, “She also was named the Diamond, and to see her face when the confetti rained down on her…that was something I’ll always remember. That’s why we do what we do.”

mini-theme park, with special effects and a much larger cast. A child of the ’80s herself, Junie enjoys the experience.

She says with a smile, “Seeing the adults run to the arcade and relive some of that high school homecoming feeling is great fun.”

Junie believes that her job is a chance to offer people life-changing experiences: “There’s something special about seeing the everyday person feel like royalty or the nerdy kid fit right in, in a roomful of other nerdy kids and monsters.” She concludes, “A good day for me is when my team has fun, the patrons have a ball, and everyone goes home happy.”

Next Up

Whatever her next career move is, one commitment will remain at the heart of Junie Harris’s work: lifting others up. She

says, “Being able to provide a way into the entertainment field for individuals who would not otherwise have that option will be my legacy.” Junie acknowledges that she is a role model, noting, “It’s interesting to be a Black woman leading predominantly white teams. For many, this is the first time they have experienced having a Black woman in charge.”

A lifetime of experience has fueled Junie Harris’s commitment to break down barriers and create opportunities for people of color. She reflects, “During my time at Potomac, Bus 18 transported DC students from all walks of life to McLean. I was part of the group that started a movement of broadening the perspectives and increasing the diversity at the school. That experience has stayed with me, and I will do all I can to carry that legacy forward.”

Strangely Magical

Junie observes that the two shows she has worked on for Fever are very different, noting, “The Queen’s Ball was mostly an adults-night-out experience, where the guests could drink and dance. Stranger Things: The Experience is geared more for families. But it’s set in the 1980s, and the music alone will make it appeal to anyone who was alive during that time.” She adds that, from a production standpoint, the latter is the more complex show, akin to building a

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#careergoals Alumni Share Perspectives on the Changing World of Work

by Cathryn Larsen

At some point, every child is asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Even within the colorful, ABC-bedecked walls of a preschool classroom, you will find students with ready answers to this age-old inquiry. By the time these children become adolescents, a more informed idea of what they might want to do “when they grow up” begins to emerge, and by high school many are already starting to envision and pursue future career paths. But not all students have clear career aspirations – and even those who do may not have a complete or realistic understanding of what it means to be a working adult in their field of interest.

It’s not uncommon for schools to host career fairs or expos in an effort to educate their students about the possibilities that lie ahead. What is more unusual is for a high school to have an ongoing program dedicated to this end, open to all juniors and seniors and featuring alumni from diverse fields. The Potomac School’s Career Labs initiative is such a program.

Director of Alumni Relations Laura Miller, who organizes Career Labs in partnership with Alumni Relations Associate Alex Thomas, explains, “Our goal is not to put pressure on kids to make decisions, but to offer them a glimpse into the possibilities offered by various careers.

We want to expand their understanding through exposure to real-world takes on a range of professions.”

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In 2015-16, Potomac launched Career Labs’ predecessor, Career Day. That program offered juniors and seniors a halfday conference-style experience where they could hear about diverse fields of endeavor from Potomac alumni. In addition to a keynote speaker, Career Day featured 10 to 12 industry-focused alumni panels with student moderators. Participants could attend two panels during the course of the event, choosing from such fields as law, finance, healthcare, government, journalism, and the arts.

During the pandemic, Career Day pivoted, as most things did, becoming fully virtual in spring 2021. The following year, the program was retooled to focus on shifts in the workforce and workplace culture. Six alumni experts from various fields – some

on campus and some participating via Zoom – shared their perspectives on the future of work, post pandemic.

This fall, with COVID restrictions loosened, Potomac’s career program returned in a new iteration, building on lessons learned from its foray into virtual territory. Laura says, “The online program was successful because it met the needs of that moment. Each session focused on a particular career – and students could attend as many sessions as they wanted, offering exposure to more professions. We kept the online sessions short to hold the students’ attention, but this limited how much information could be shared. Students expressed that it would be good to have more time with our speakers. We thought, ‘How can we duplicate the intimate, focused nature of the online panels, allow enough time to dig into specific topics, and enable students to explore multiple fields? How can we make this experience most fulfilling for our students?”

Cue the new Career Labs program.

This year’s inaugural labs season included six in-person sessions with alumni, moderated by students. In addition to exploring the opportunities and challenges of particular career paths, many of the presenters reflected on the changing world of work. The labs were held during time slots reserved for assemblies, allowing the entire junior and senior classes – about 230 students – to participate in all six sessions.

top: Kelly Hackett ’04, Lauren Wackerle ’12, and Cleaver Sower ’00 were the featured speakers at this January’s Finance Career Lab. bottom: Panelists Hana Ford ’14, Derrick Plummer ’99, and Kevin Bender ’05 shared their expertise at the Marketing and Communications Career Lab in November.

Hana Ford ’14, an accounts supervisor at global communications firm Edelman, was one of the presenters at this fall’s Marketing and Communications Career Lab. She reflects, “I’m a firm believer that hearing other people’s stories is the best way to receive insight and pique our curiosity, so I think being able to hear first-hand experiences from me and the rest of the panelists was beneficial for current students.”

In listening to the panelists’ personal experiences, students learned about the realities of working within various industries and had the opportunity

to challenge preconceived ideas about certain careers. Senior Jackson Mackney appreciates how the range of opportunities within each field was highlighted during the labs, helping him better understand the scope of various industries, rather than relying on popular culture to shape his impressions. He says, “I was surprised to learn that every job in finance isn’t like The Wolf of Wall Street. Having multiple panelists with unique perspectives provides a terrific opportunity to learn exactly why a line of work may or may not be for me.”

Junior Paige Ramsey had similar takeaways from this year’s sessions, keying in on creativity and versatility, not only within each industry but also within each individual’s career path. She reflects, “The Career Labs made me consider options that I wouldn’t have thought of otherwise. During the marketing lab, I learned how many different interests can be incorporated into one profession. The real-life examples that the speakers shared were incredibly encouraging for me and motivated me to think about ways I can combine my passions and interests as I forge my own career path.”

The Potomac School prides itself on learning from the past while looking toward the future, finding solutions during challenging times, and always tweaking its offerings in order to more fully empower its students and prepare them for success. Through programs like Career Labs, and in all things, Potomac encourages students to take the long view in a creative and open-minded way.

Kelly Hackett ’04, who invests in and advises startups across all sectors, was a Finance Career Lab panelist this winter.

She shares, “I so appreciate this program’s emphasis on thinking broadly about a career and viewing it as a journey that is not a straight line. In my own experience, this has been the reality. But I don’t think it’s often talked about this way. My goal as a Career Labs panelist was to help students realize that you can be successful without following any hard and fast rules. You can and will find your own path, whatever that may be. I am so grateful that Potomac has created a platform that strives to convey this message to future leaders.”

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Innovating to Drive Financial Inclusion in Africa

by Rita Deurdulian

I

n ninth grade ethics class at Potomac,

Drew Durbin ’04 was tasked with writing a life goal. He thought about it briefly before stating that he wanted to create a product that would help improve the lives of a million people. “When I realized that such a thing was really possible, I was immediately drawn to the idea,” Drew says.

Now, he has surpassed that goal as an entrepreneur who is changing lives in Africa by providing innovative solutions to global economic challenges.

Described by his former teachers as a problem solver, Drew acknowledges that a solutions-based mindset has shaped his career. Having identified a need, he made the decision to move to a new country, rather than trying to solve problems from a distance. That move made all the difference. “Always get on a plane to solve the problem,” he says with a smile.

Though he is only in his 30s, Drew has started four ventures aimed at addressing basic needs in Africa, with the two most recent, focused on financial services, each scaling to over a million people. His current company, Wave, is “building extremely affordable and inclusive financial infrastructure” in markets where the majority of people do not have access to banks. Wave raised $200 million in Series A equity funding at a valuation of $1.7 billion in 2021 – West Africa’s largest-ever Series A funding round – to scale the company’s operations from Senegal to other parts of the continent.

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photo: Valerie Plesch Photography

“Money is in constant motion. If we can help people move money more efficiently and at a cheaper rate, it makes a huge difference in their lives.”

The Wave field team in Cote d’Ivoire | Wave in Africa photos courtesy of Drew Durbin

Moving Abroad

N

ow living stateside, Drew looks back on his decision to move to Africa and describes two different phases. Initially, he spent time in Africa while attending Brown University and then moved to Tanzania immediately after college. Having become interested in startups and been involved with an Engineers Without Borders project during his student days, he says, “I decided that I wanted to explore social enterprises, and I figured the best way to do that was just to jump in and try.”

His first two ventures involved building handcarts and solar cookers made from recycled materials. While neither came close to the scale Drew hoped for, he learned valuable lessons in the process of launching these initiatives.

He reflects, “I loved entrepreneurship – the traveling, working on the ground, making an impact. In global development you get to work directly with the people you’re trying to uplift.”

Drew periodically returned to the U.S. to generate support for his nonprofit efforts. He quickly saw that sending money to Africa via Western Union and MoneyGram was “insanely expensive.”

Drew talked to Africans living in the DC area and realized that they had the same problem. In response, he partnered with Lincoln Quirk, his hallmate from freshman year at Brown, to found Sendwave – a service that enabled instant, no-sending-fee remittances to be sent from mobile phones in the U.S. to phones in Kenya, where mobile money capability was already fairly widespread.

The business took off and within six months Sendwave was the largest remitter to Kenya in the world, saving users an average of 7% per transfer.

Lincoln and Drew quickly recognized that financial infrastructure on the receiving end of money transfers was lacking in other parts of Africa. So Drew moved back, this time to Senegal, with the goal of providing financial services for everyone in a given country, rather

than just those Africans who were living abroad and trying to send money home.

He says, “We thought that would be the most impactful. We wanted to solve the big, hard infrastructure problem.”

To focus fully on domestic money transfer in Africa, Drew and Lincoln sold Sendwave to WorldRemit for $500 million in early 2021 and spun out Wave, a mobile money company fully focused on enabling basic money transfer and banking services in Africa.

What is Mobile Money and How Does it Function?

D

ifferent from mobile banking, mobile money is an electronic wallet service that allows users to store, send, and receive money independent of bank accounts, using smart and basic-feature phones. The technology, which stores funds in a secure electronic account linked to a mobile phone number, is an increasingly popular alternative to bank accounts in

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Africa. Most mobile money services allow users to purchase items in shops or online, pay bills, and top-up mobile airtime.

The mobile money concept was originally introduced in Kenya by Safaricom in 2007. Sending money to a relative was a big issue then because the population in the region had a low rate of banking. The new electronic option provided a safe, quick money-transfer solution for unbanked and underbanked people. Drew saw the desirability of both making these basic mobile services available in other parts of Africa and expanding the range of services that could be provided via mobile money apps.

Now, according to TechCrunch, Wave is “disrupting the mobile money industry.” Wave’s platform is akin to PayPal, but using mobile money accounts, rather than bank accounts.

It relies on an agent network that uses cash-on-hand to service customers, serving as the mechanism for depositing and withdrawing physical cash.

Customers register for the Wave service with authorized agents – often retailers such as grocers, bakers, barbers, and butchers – then deposit cash in exchange for electronic money. Once registered, all transactions are completed securely by using a personal identification

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number, and both parties receive a text message confirming the transfer of funds.

The recipient receives the electronic money in real time, then redeems it for cash by visiting another agent.

Fostering Financial Inclusion Across a Continent

W

hen mobile money succeeded in Kenya, it lifted about a million people out of poverty. Yet, in spite of the expansion of telecom-led mobile money services beyond Kenya in the following decade, most Africans still lacked access to affordable ways to save, transfer, or borrow the money needed to build businesses or provide for their families. Drew explains, “Because these telecoms were often monopolies, they charged exorbitant prices for basic money transfer. By contrast, we created an extremely affordable financial infrastructure and, on average, our prices for these services are 80% lower than what the telecoms were offering.”

He characterizes Wave’s goal this way: “to create a radically inclusive and extremely affordable financial network.”

Wave now offers financial services and products directly to more than 10 million

customers. Drew reflects, “We’ve grown from being in one market, Senegal, to five more: Ivory Coast, Gambia, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Uganda. This was a natural geographic expansion, but it’s rewarding to see, especially when the initial product we offered was basic in comparison to what we can provide now.” He explains that the original product provided simple money transfer and basic banking services – similar to depositing and withdrawing money from a bank’s ATM. But now, especially in the company’s more mature markets, the product provides a wider array of services, including merchant payments, savings, credit, and international money transfers in partnership with other industry partners.

Drew notes with pride, “Due to Wave’s unique business model, we are now able to offer free bill payment, withdrawals, and deposits, and transfers at just 1%, making these services accessible to millions who might not have access to banks or be able to afford pricier alternatives.”

3 Drew with members of Potomac’s Upper School Career and Professional Skills Committee in fall 2022 photo: Valerie Plesch Photography

Drew believes that access to convenient, affordable financial services is one of the most important ways to support economic development around the world.

He says, “Money is in constant motion. If we can help people move money more efficiently and at a cheaper rate, it makes a huge difference in their lives.”

Serving the Community, Sharing His Passion

H

aving lived and worked in Africa for 10 years, Drew has formed deep ties to the communities there. He observes, “Living abroad taught me empathy and understanding for the day-to-day challenges of the people we are trying to serve.”

Drew adds, “There is definitely a sense of adventure when it comes to living in another country and culture, but there are costs too, like being further away from family. Wanting to solve problems was the ultimate driving force for me in moving to Africa. Sure, there are challenges, but that has never diminished my drive to be there for the people we are serving.”

Last spring, Potomac’s Alumni Office and Upper School Career and Professional Skills Committee welcomed Drew as a Career Lab speaker. Career Labs are interactive, student-led discussions that focus on a variety of professions and industries, from finance to engineering, computer science, medicine, journalism, the

arts, and more. Drew shared his experiences and insights on everything from opening his first startup to the music he listens to. Importantly, he challenged the students to think about college as “a giant petri dish” within which to incubate their interests and determine how they might align with various career paths.

When choosing a path that aims to improve the lives of others, Drew advised, “Focus on an area where you want to make an impact and one that you are passionate about.” He told the students, “I’m really big on trying to work at the intersection of what you truly care about and what is practically achievable. It’s all about trying things out to see what works and what doesn’t.

Sometimes you have to take the leap and find out early on whether a path or an endeavor works for you.”

He reflected, “No matter what path you choose, I think one of the most important skills is problem solving.

Many professions have a clear roadmap, but in entrepreneurship, there is none. The field is wide open for you to be creative and innovative, to solve problems and bring your vision to life.”

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Fashion Forward: Creativity Meets Sustainability

by Cathryn Larsen

Style. Couture. Design. Luxury.

by Cathryn Larsen

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There are so many words that leap to mind when we think of fashion. But who are the people at the helm of this industry?

The fashion world depends upon many artists and businesspeople with unique talents, without whose contributions the industry would crumble: designers, pattern-makers, stitchers, models, critics, consultants, entrepreneurs. Often, these roles are separate. But once in a rare while you will find a multi-talented individual who, appropriately speaking, wears a variety of hats within the fashion industry. Isabel Froemming ’16 is such a person.

Currently based in London, Isabel dons quite a few hats these days. She is a writer and blogger for various print and online fashion sites and magazines; she is a consultant and content editor at Luminaire, a high-end fashion consulting firm; she models for runway and print; and most recently, she has founded her own clothing line – Toile Vierge, a brand that specializes in sustainable fashion. As if owning and running her own small business weren’t enough, Isabel is also the primary designer for Toile Vierge garments.

Isabel got her start in the fashion world during a Tulane University study-abroad program in London. Though the program was slated to last only a semester, Isabel ended up transferring from Tulane to King’s College to finish her undergraduate studies. While in London, she began an internship as an editorial associate at a sustainable luxury boutique. It was there that Isabel’s passion for sustainable fashion really took flight.

She recalls, “Through my internship and other connections I made, I started diving deeply into the world of sustainable fashion. Around the same time, I began writing the final project for my undergraduate program – called a dissertation in England.

The topic was health attainment of female ready-made garment workers in Bangladesh; that was an intense subject to study, and it helped open my eyes to how I might be able to take action on

what I had learned. I found that I was really interested in developing a more holistic approach within the industry. I became inspired to explore avenues where I could share this mission with the world and stay true to my beliefs and values while still setting trends.”

During the pandemic and subsequent lockdown in London, Isabel relocated to Denmark to take a marketing editorial position with the renowned Copenhagen Fashion Week. She says, “Copenhagen Fashion Week attracts a lot of international acclaim for being a trendsetter and making sustainability achievable and cool. I was able to see firsthand the balance that this kind of environment attempts to strike between running a fashion economy that produces beautiful and ambitious products and keeping sustainability front of mind.”

After her experience in Copenhagen, Isabel returned to London to finish her dissertation while also doing freelance writing for various fashion magazines and blogs. Through these jobs, she connected with a number of designers and companies that specialize in sustainable fashion, including those that supply “deadstock” fabric – recycled and leftover material from garment production.

Through these experiences, Isabel began formulating the idea for her own sustainable fashion line, Toile Vierge. She

says, “As the lockdown went on, a friend and I started testing out some embroidery designs and using deadstock fabrics, and I began commissioning some of the pieces that I was creating.”

The featured garment in the Toile Vierge line is a simple but elegant white Oxford shirt made from completely recycled and sustainable materials. Each shirt has a colorful, hand-embroidered design on the back. The designs are inspired by, and reminiscent of, various notable works of art, such as Picasso’s Le Visage and Le Portrait by Matisse. Isabel notes, “While I was doing research into creating my own company, I was still writing and traveling to various fashion weeks to cover those events. Because of the fast-paced, busy nature of these weeks, it’s great to have at least one go-to basic but versatile clothing piece. I would always pack this vintage Chanel Oxford shirt; it went with me everywhere. I just kept coming back to the idea of that classic yet elegant piece and worked that into my ultimate design.”

Isabel’s company reflects her values and social conscience in more ways than one. Toile Vierge garments are handembroidered and sewn by women within London’s incarcerated and low-income populations through a program called “Making for Change,” run by London

College of Fashion. The women are taught embroidery and pattern-cutting skills by LCF instructors and produce the garments based on Isabel’s designs, with materials that she obtains through various sustainable-resource channels. This innovative program allows the workers to gain useful skills and connections for their future, as well as be contributing creators on these sustainable products.

Though Toile Vierge is still a young company, having premiered online and in pop-up shops in fall 2022, Isabel is happy with the line’s success so far. Toile Vierge currently has one collection that features eight items, and Isabel hopes to debut a second collection within the coming year.

She sees Toile Vierge’s ability to take custom orders and ship internationally as strengths that will help to build her clientele.

Sustainability is becoming more of a focus for producers and consumers across various industries, and the idea of acting as responsible stewards of the Earth in all that we do continues to gain support. Though Isabel’s current efforts are helping to lead the way to a more sustainable future in fashion, this cause does not feel new to her.

She traces her passion for sustainability and environmental stewardship back to her days at Potomac, noting, “I was in the Sustainability Club and on the cross country and track and field teams, so I spent a lot of time outdoors at Potomac.

When people ask me where I went to high school now, I always say ‘on a 90-acre nature reserve with biodynamic gardens!’ My relationship with nature that was fostered in that unique educational environment has had a huge influence on where I am today and what I am passionate about creating.”

This article originally appeared in the winter 2023 issue of Llama Notes, Potomac’s e-newsletter for alumni. To read more stories, visit potomacschool.org/llama.

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A Night to Remember On March 4, the Spangler Center gym was transformed into an elegant European gaming house, as parents, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends gathered for Potomac’s 2023 Scholarship Auction, Casino Royale.

Enveloped in an atmosphere of romance and intrigue, the guests began their evening with some playful high-stakes competition at the gaming tables. They then turned their attention to a delicious three-course dinner and the auction itself, which offered a tantalizing selection of one-of-a-kind items and experiences. When the bidding ended, guests took to the dance floor to round out the evening.

It was a memorable event – and all in support of student scholarships and faculty professional development. This year’s auction set new attendance and fundraising records, generating gross revenue in excess of $1.6 million. In an incredible show of generosity, the event’s centerpiece, the Fund a Scholar initiative, drew outright contributions totaling $1 million!

We thank our auction co-chairs – Janelle Nowak-Santo, Sarah Murphy Starr ’99, and Hunter Weimer – for the extraordinary creativity, dedication, and leadership that brought this amazing evening to life. Thanks also go to the many volunteers who helped to plan and organize the celebration, and to all who served as event sponsors, donated auction items, or placed a bid. Potomac’s 2023 Scholarship Auction was truly an experience to remember – an evening of fun, fantasy, and friendship in the glamorous world of Casino Royale.

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children of alumni KINDERGARTEN | CLASS OF 2035 Reginald Bullock | Ki Christmas Bullock ’03, Reginald Bullock Henry Dick | Katherine Pingree ’01, Andrew Dick Lawson Doty | Brady Millar Doty ’00, Dan Doty ’00 Wilder Coyne | Michael Coyne ’00, Ellinor Coyne Katherine Crosby | Caroline Kettler Crosby ’05, Kyle Crosby Olivia Rosenthal | Pamela Barris Rosenthal ’03, Eric Rosenthal ‘03 Madeleine Ryan | Jason Ryan ’92, Catherine Hunt Ryan Zane Hoffman | Cara Schantz ’96, Christopher Hoffman 1 GRADE | CLASS OF 2034 Charlie Dick | Katherine Pingree ’01, Andrew Dick Etta Doty | Brady Millar Doty ’00, Dan Doty ’00 Avery Blatt | Meagan Guerzon ’01, Eric Blatt Everly Craven | Meredith Murphy Craven ’02, Eric Craven Thomas Flanagan | Doug Flanagan ’03, Lauren Flanagan Sadie Kapsis | Stephanie Amann Kapsis ’01, Jim Kapsis Charlotte Kettler | Annie Harris Kettler ‘05, Taylor Kettler ’02 Alice Kilberg | Andrew Kilberg ’06, Julia Kilberg Payton Landry | Reed Landry ‘99, Julie Landry Jack Ohly | John Ohly ’01, Kiley Ohly Will Shure | Perry Aldige Shure ’94, Brian Shure Charlie Sparkman | Charles Sparkman ’05, Meaghan Kiernan Sparkman ‘05 Brenna Starr | Sarah Murphy Starr ’99, Shooter Starr ST

2ND GRADE | CLASS OF 2033 Amelia Barton | Bill Barton ’91, Shailini Jariwala Olivia Blatt | Meagan Guerzon ’01, Eric Blatt Elizabeth Fairbank | Victoria Chapman Fairbank ’98, Carl Fairbank ’00 Neelie Hoffmann | Bern Hoffmann ’86, Jenni Hoffmann Abigail Kimmitt | William Kimmitt ’02, Heather Kimmitt Kaitlyn Kimmitt | William Kimmitt ’02, Heather Kimmitt Beckam Martin | Ashley Walde ’94, Jesse Martin Mina Nasr | Sima Jaafar Nasr ’00, Nadim Nasr Greyson Weed | Kristin Carlucci Weed ’98, Josh Weed 3 GRADE | CLASS OF 2032 James Collins | Abby Sullivan ’97, Mike Collins Claire Craven | Meredith Murphy Craven ’02, Eric Craven Caroline Fairbank | Victoria Chapman Fairbank ’98, Carl Fairbank ’00 Ella Faltas | Mina Faltas ’96, Kristin Jensen Brooks Landry | Reed Landry ‘99, Julie Landry Dylan Long | Nicole Long ’06 Alexander Redway | Jon Redway ’75, Nicole Redway Tuck Wiltshire | Ashley Gerstenfeld Wiltshire ’90, Ashton Wiltshire RD

4TH GRADE | CLASS OF 2031 Beckett Doty | Brady Millar Doty ’00, Dan Doty ’00 Brooke Hodge | Gillian Kilberg Hodge ’97, Yuctan Hodge Graeme Ebert | Catherine Smith Ebert ’99, William Ebert Caroline Ebert | Catherine Smith Ebert ’99, William Ebert Savannah Harnden | Kathleen Kiernan Harnden ’00, Ivan Harnden Park Hoffmann | Bern Hoffmann ’86, Jenni Hoffmann Henry Lettow | Paul Lettow ’95, Kristen Silverberg Allegra Malawer | Eric Malawer ’92, Erin Malawer Ronan Malone | Patrick Malone ’97, Cindy Malone Finley Martin | Ashley Walde ’94, Jesse Martin Margaret Murtagh | Erin Cleary Murtagh ’93, Paul Murtagh Thomas Ryan | Jason Ryan ’92, Catherine Hunt Ryan Parker Starr | Sarah Murphy Starr ’99, Shooter Starr Charlotte Weed | Kristin Carlucci Weed ’98, Josh Weed

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5TH GRADE | CLASS OF 2030 Wells Black | Adria de Leonibus Black ’83, William Black Clara Holland | Mia Foley Holland ’94, Steve Holland Cora Kapsis | Stephanie Amann Kapsis ’01, Jim Kapsis Benjamin Levin | Michelle O’Hara Levin ’93, Jeremy Levin Vincent Nasr | Sima Jaafar Nasr ’00, Nadim Nasr Caitlyn Pence | Brian Pence ’95, Leigh Pence James Shure | Perry Aldige Shure ’94, Brian Shure 6TH GRADE | CLASS OF 2029 Austin Byrnes | Carter Byrnes ’95, Lindsay Byrnes Charlotte Faltas | Mina Faltas ’96, Kristin Jensen Jack Fischer | Alexandra Bullock Fischer ’96, Matthew Fischer Mackenzie Hodge | Gillian Kilberg Hodge ’97, Yuctan Hodge Jack Lettow | Paul Lettow ’95, Kristen Silverberg Benjamin Shure | Perry Aldige Shure ’94, Brian Shure Jon Wiltshire | Ashley Gerstenfeld Wiltshire ’90, Ashton Wiltshire 7TH GRADE | CLASS OF 2028 Sibyl Craine | Abigail Whitehead Craine ’94, Clarke Craine ’92 Caroline Farrell | Scott Farrell ’95, Maura Farrell Farrah Gardner | Darryl Gardner ’94, Alison Gardner David Murtagh | Erin Cleary Murtagh ’93, Paul Murtagh Robert Murtagh | Erin Cleary Murtagh ’93, Paul Murtagh Amelia Weed | Kristin Carlucci Weed ’98, Josh Weed 8TH GRADE | CLASS OF 2027 LuLu Black | Adria de Leonibus Black ’83, William Black Ayden Hodge | Gillian Kilberg Hodge ’97, Yuctan Hodge Grace Jenkins | Annie Lovejoy Jenkins ’85, John Jenkins Caden Levin | Michelle O’Hara Levin ’93, Jeremy Levin Robert Pence | Brian Pence ’96, Leigh Pence Hailey Quigley | James Quigley ’84, Kristen Quigley Mary Parker Stump | Jamie Stump ’91, Sarah Stump Brody Wiltshire | Ashley Gerstenfeld Wiltshire ’90, Ashton Wiltshire 9TH GRADE | CLASS OF 2026 Avery Byrnes | Carter Byrnes ’95, Lindsay Byrnes Caroline Craine | Abigail Whitehead Craine ’94, Clarke Craine ’92 Matthew Gardner | Darryl Gardner ’94, Alison Gardner Tyler Langman | Nick Langman ’94, Jennifer Langman Maria Lerner | Renee Lettow Lerner ’83, Craig Lerner Sebi Malawer | Eric Malawer ’92, Erin Malawer Gus Tierney | Drew Tierney ’80, Laurel Tierney 10TH GRADE | CLASS OF 2025 Langston Chambliss | Marque Chambliss ’76, Sheryll Cashin Wyatt Pence | Brian Pence ’97, Leigh Pence Patrick Ritter | Andrew Ritter ’86, Lee Anne Ritter 11TH GRADE | CLASS OF 2024 David Gardner | Darryl Gardner ’94, Alison Gardner Josephine Stump | Jamie Stump ’91, Sarah Stump 12TH GRADE | CLASS OF 2023 Nathan Arundel | Tom Arundel ’90, Kara Arundel Ben Gerkin | Allyson Bloom ’92, Dan Gerkin Abigail Gray | Burton Gray ’85, Yardly Gray N.J. Langman | Nick Langman ’94, Jen Langman Andrew Lay | Prentiss Vallender Lay ’85, Mark Lay ’76 Elizabeth Rossotti | Edward Rossotti ’90, Lynn Rossotti Lulu Tierney | Drew Tierney ’80, Laurel Tierney

Lower School

Middle School

Intermediate School

SPRING Upper2023 School 37

from the

AGC president

DEAR FRIENDS, Being part of the Alumni Governing Council for the past nine years has been an incredible learning experience for me, as well as a wonderful opportunity to become more deeply involved with Potomac. As I prepare to step down as AGC president, I find myself reflecting on how much this experience has meant to me. I am honored to have worked with such a great leadership group, made up of alumni who share an appreciation for Potomac and a commitment to fostering relationships within our community.

I have enjoyed meeting many new alums and reconnecting with friends, teachers, and classmates from my student days. Above all, I have appreciated the opportunity to give back to the school

AUTHENTIC • is self-aware and reflective • acts with integrity • strives to achieve a balanced life • connects with others on a deep and genuine level • manifests kindness, gratitude, and generosity • realistically assesses their own abilities and seeks to learn and grow

• is intellectually curious • has the courage to take considered risks • believes that they have the power to make a positive difference • recognizes needs and displays initiative, creativity, and agility in developing solutions • has a desire to serve, fueled by empathy, respect, and humility • displays perseverance and a strong work ethic

MOTIVATED

that played such an important part in shaping my life and the lives of my fellow alumni.

I have come to realize that, while we are all unique individuals, Potomac alumni from across the generations share certain qualities and abilities. Many of these characteristics are captured in the Portrait of the Potomac Graduate, a document that the school created in 2017, using survey feedback from alumni, parents, and faculty. I believe that this document accurately characterizes both who we are and who we aspire to be as Potomac School alumni. I invite you to take a look at the Portrait and think about the extent to which the knowledge, skills, and qualities that it describes have shaped your personal and professional endeavors. This is the lasting legacy of a Potomac School education – solid preparation for life as authentic, engaged, motivated, and empowered adults.

There are many ways to stay connected with the school that gave us so much.

Read The Term and other Potomac communications to stay abreast of what’s ENGAGED happening on campus. Attend events that bring our alumni community together, • builds community whether on campus or in a city near you.

• seeks to understand the world beyond their own Consider becoming actively involved as a experience speaker, a mentor, or a volunteer. Or dig • exhibits leadership and values collaboration deep and commit to a leadership role.

• is adept at listening and articulate in self-expression Potomac is always looking for creative, • creates lasting, meaningful relationships dedicated alums who want to step up and lead in the service of their fellow alumni • commits to making positive contributions in all spheres of and our school’s mission of educational influence: family, profession, excellence. community, and world While my time with the AGC is coming to an end, I will continue coming • is self-confident and self-reliant to campus to cheer for the Panthers. I will • has strong critical thinking, participate in alumni events. I will support problem solving, and the Potomac Fund. I will keep in touch communication skills with old Potomac friends and be open to • is well-educated and interested in an array making new ones. I will do these things of issues and ideas because being part of this community is • harnesses information, technology, and other resources a source of joy for me and because I am to achieve goals grateful for my Potomac education. It’s • values diversity and is able to work effectively across my privilege to stay connected with our differences school and give back however I can. I • is resilient and learns from their mistakes invite you to do the same.

EMPOWERED

To view the Portrait of the Potomac Graduate at full size, please visit the Mission & Values page on our website, potomacschool.org.

CONGRATULATIONS,

<Name>!

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Best, Rory Byrnes ’01 President, Alumni Governing Council

alumni activities

Getting Their Game On Again this year, the day after Thanksgiving brought alumni, past parents, students, and faculty to campus for Potomac’s traditional Fall Games. The day started with the third annual Hale Stevenson Ross ’14 Memorial Run. Then alumni and current students had the chance to show off their skills on the squash court, lacrosse field, soccer pitch, and basketball court. The event wrapped up with an evening reception – the annual (and much-anticipated!) After-Thanksgiving Alumni Bash – held at The Admiral in Dupont Circle. Special thanks go to Reed Landry ’99 for hosting the evening event.

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q Current students and alumni spent the day playing squash. Even tiny Panthers joined the fun! w Alums were happy to see faculty member Ross McEwen at the soccer game. e Will McLeish ’18 and Jay Gollob ’21 r Both alums and current students enjoyed their annual rivalry on the courts. t Adam Moses ’14 and past Potomac parent Susan Ross led the pack at the Hale Stevenson Ross ’14 Memorial Run. For more photos, visit pantherprints.org and click the Alumni gallery.

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alumni activities

Christmas Revels Bring Merriment

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Share, Read, Discover Book Fair, a treasured annual event that raises funds to support Potomac’s libraries, was held in November.

Hundreds of children’s books of all genres and adult fiction titles were on sale – all donated by members of the school community. Alumni were invited to browse the aisles and buy books on two mornings during Book Fair Week, continuing the love of books and reading that was nurtured during their years at Potomac.

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q Michelle O’Hara Levin ’93, Lower School librarian and interim Lower School dean, introduced students to wonderful titles at Book Fair. w Elizabeth Dickerson Sinclair ’64 rediscovered some of her favorite childhood books. e First grader Charlotte Kettler, daughter of Taylor Kettler ’02 and Annie Harris Kettler ’05, found a treasure.

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In December, Washington Revels presented their 40th annual production of The Christmas Revels at the Lisner Auditorium in Washington, DC. Potomac’s involvement dates back more than 60 years, when Revels founder John M. (“Jack”) Langstaff, beloved music teacher and music program director at Potomac from 1955 to 1967, gathered his students to create a seasonal celebration of the winter solstice. Elements of those celebrations remain part of Potomac’s holiday assemblies today, and members of the school community continue to be involved with Revels every year.

This year’s theme was Celtic Crossroads, and the cast and crew included Bill Hoffmann ’79, Christopher Lewis ’98, Patrick Malone ’97, faculty member Chris Simon, and past Potomac parents Greg and Susan Lewis. In addition, fifth graders Ben Levin and Liezel Phillips, fourth graders Journey Jackson and Millie Stanzel, and third grader Genevieve Privitera lent their voices to the Revels children’s chorus.

alumni activities

SPRING BREAK ON THE WEST COAST From the Golden Gate Bridge to Hollywood, Potomac alumni joined friends and classmates for our annual West Coast receptions in March.

Although the chilly weather felt more East Coast than West, everyone had a great time reconnecting. Thank you to our San Francisco Host Committee – Aleem Ahmed ’03, Rachel Dyke ’03, Kevin Havermann ’13, Jack Peele ’17, and Ryan Lovallo ’18 – and our Los Angeles Host Committee – Danny Adrien ’96, Theo Mendez ’15, Nick Berray ’16, Samantha Dockser ’12, and Nick Shashy ’11.

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q Pixar Animation Studio workmates Alec Bartsch ’81 and Caitlin Hackett ’09 w San Francisco alumni and friends: (back row, l to r) Brendan Kopp, Arjun Dayal, Grace Young ’11, Philip Stout ’11, Ryan Lovallo ’18, Kevin Havermann ’14; (front row, l to r) faculty member Laura Petro, Jack Peele ’17, Alexandra Edward ’85, Caitlin Hackett ’09, Rachel Dyke ’03, Helen Horan ’18, Rachel Granovsky ’16, Alex Meyer, and Kyle Sanok ’16 e LA alums Bobby Rock ’70, Jeremy Gordon ’68, and Chris Janney ’65 reunited. r It was windy in LA, but alumni Naki Franklin ’17, John Nagel ’15, and James Hawthorn ’03 braved the weather to connect with friends. t Faculty member Laura Petro got an update about LA living from David Kiernan ’18.

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Sophomores in Potomac’s Science and Engineering Research Center (SERC) program visited the Massachusetts Institute of Technology this fall to tour labs, meet with professors, and explore cutting-edge science in action. Alumna Tracey Mills ‘18 spoke to the students about her research in computational cognitive science in MIT’s Tenenbaum Lab.

Tracey Mills ’18 speaks to SERC students about the research she is conducting at MIT. Tracey’s work takes place in the Tenenbaum Lab, which focuses on understanding human learning and inference.

Pictured (l to r): Potomac sophomores Ava Moazzez, Jessica Raman, Noah Altschuler, and Ben Levy, listening to Tracey.

Potomac faculty members Laura Petro and Bill Peery met up with alumni in the Boston area while visiting MIT. Pictured (l to r): Katie Van Damme ’16, Ben Choi ’22, Carolyn Beaumont ’19, Jodie Kuo ’20, Laura Petro, Evrim Ozcan ’20, Rajan Bhargava ’22, and Bill Peery

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Fall Frolics, Homecoming, and Fun for All!

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ctober’s Reunion celebration honored all Potomac classes ending in 2 and 7. The weekend kicked off with alumni “going back to class” on Friday morning; participants were able to get an inside look at interesting courses ranging from Entrepreneurship and Innovation, taught

by Harry Strong, to Global Perspectives and Citizenship, taught by Bridget Gagne, and Economics, Business, and Finance, taught by Dr. Giorgio Secondi.

When class was dismissed, the alumni enjoyed a wonderful walk on the campus nature trails, a delicious lunch with friends and classmates, and an energyfilled Homecoming Pep Rally. On Friday evening, more than 125 alums, current and past faculty members, and friends came together for the All-Alumni Cocktail Reception on the beautiful Spangler Center Plaza.

Saturday brought Potomac’s annual Fall Frolics carnival, with rides, games, food, and fun for everyone. The Alumni Reunion Rally Space in the Intermediate

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School was a great place to hang out with friends and pick up some Potomac swag. Afterward, the Panthers took on the St. James Saints in an exciting and hard-fought Homecoming football game. The Reunion festivities wrapped up on Saturday night with individual class parties at a variety of off-campus locations.

It was a fantastic weekend, and we thank all of our Class Reunion Chairs who helped make the celebration so special!

q Zach Meza ’12, Jamie Lovegrove ’12, and Cameron Kahl ’12 helped with the coin flip at the Homecoming football game. w Andrew Serafin ’92 and faculty member Alex Thomas e (back row, l to r): India Cutler ’17, Katherine Donofrio ’17, Henry Cronic ’17,

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Lennon Lewis ’17, Jacob Lazris ’17, Owen Westerheim ’17, Peter Holmes ’17; (front row, l to r): Sarah Hall ’17, Maria Nolan’17, faculty member Steve Wicker, Lexi Abravanel ’17, Erykah Murray ’17, Hana Chaudhri ’17, and Lyla Jones ’17 r Scott Mader ’92 and Sartaj Ajrawat ’02 t The Gardner Family: (l to r) Ernest, Joshua, Shamane, Dwayne ’92, Darryl ’94, and Irene y Blair Boggs Morgan ’02 and Susannah Haworth Dunn ’02 u Abby Sullivan ’97 and faculty member Harry Strong i Homecoming Pep Rally o Patrick Morris ’12 a Trevor Rocks ’12, William DeButts ’12, Kate Berray Helms ’12, and Evan Finnell ’12 s Lennon Lewis ’17 and Herny Cronic ’17 d Reid Wilson ’82 and Nancy Hoopes ’82

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For more photos from this great weekend, visit pantherprints.org and click the Alumni gallery.

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class notes Be Connected Class Notes is the most popular and widely read section of The Term. It provides a forum for alumni to share their news, from professional accomplishments and accolades to marriages, births, and anything else that fellow alums might find interesting. Thank you for sharing your updates!

This section would not be possible without the leadership of our class correspondents, who play a vital role in helping their classmates maintain a lifelong connection with Potomac. Throughout the year, they gather news and photos for the fall and spring issues of The Term. So when you get an email calling for news, please make it a priority! You can send your notes directly to your class correspondent, whose contact information is listed at the top of your class year. If no class correspondent is listed, please send your information to term@potomacschool.org.

If your class does not have a class correspondent and you would like to fill that role, please contact Laura Miller, director of alumni relations, at (703) 749-6356 or lmiller@potomacschool.org.

DON’T SEE YOUR CLASS YEAR?

If your year doesn’t appear in Class Notes, it means we didn’t receive any notes from your class. We really (really!) want to hear from you.

Please send your notes and photos to term@potomacschool.org.

Class Notes come from many sources. We do our best to edit for accuracy and clarity.

1942 Katharine Abbott writes, “I must be the only member of our class still up and going at 95, still doing collage and writing.

My second children’s book about the adventurous woodchuck, Henrietta, is at the publisher, and a third book is a finished manuscript ready to go. The Potomac School on California Street in Washington seems a long time ago!”

1946

Class Correspondents Rose Kean Lansbury rkl211@aol.com Nancy Hamilton Shepherd nhshepherd31@gmail.com

Jerrie Kohlmeier Bartlett shares, “I still wrestle with Parkinson’s, macular degeneration, and balance issues, but my husband, Allen, and I have been having fun as he reads aloud The Magic Maker by Susan Cooper, the biography of Potomac’s extraordinary music teacher Jack Langstaff in the 1950s and ’60s. Picking up on the English folk songs that the Class of ’46

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THE POTOMAC TERM

remembers so well, he built a great legacy there while creating the famous Christmas Revels in NY, Boston, and Washington. His energy and infectious enthusiasm were legendary. Someone at Potomac once said, ‘He could make an onion sing!’”

Audrey Hadow Michie writes, “I have been living at my daughter Lindsay’s house now for a little over two years. In February I turned 91. Her house is in an older residential area, convenient for her to walk to the University of Lynchburg, where she teaches mostly African and World history.

Lynchburg is sometimes called “The City of Seven Hills.” I love its many trees – they line up on both sides of the street and are in spring bloom just now. Our friend Trina, a trained nurse’s aide, is a help to me three days a week, driving me and doing errands.

The house has a small front porch, a good place to sit on sunny days. It is also a good place to watch people walking by.

At the back of the house is a garden filled with flowers and bushes, including a small plot for vegetables. The house is on three levels, with Lindsay’s and mine on two. I have the run of both floors (except Lindsay’s office), but seldom use the upper.

My bedroom fronts the street. The best

view is from the upstairs bathroom as it looks out on the garden, backyards, and the back houses, then across a street to the mountains beyond. We are on a hill.

We have had fewer big family gatherings these past two years, due to COVID and difficulties scheduling them. My children, Lindsay, Forsyth, Emily, and Ian, keep up with me, as do my granddaughters, Mary and Anna. Mary now has a house located in Goldsboro, a small town in NC about an hour from her mother (Forsyth). Anna is still in the Clinton house, closer to Forsyth.

Mary has a boyfriend called Kane – I met him when I visited Forsyth last year. Forsyth lives four hours from here. She came to get me when I visited, and Mary and Kane brought me back. Eastern NC is closer to the coast and is a very attractive flat area with farms and country roads and vast skies.

Staying with Forsyth in her upper bedroom gives a sense of vast flat stretches of land and a huge sky above. Waking up at dawn there is a particularly lovely sight.”

Nancy Hamilton Shepherd writes, “Dear friends from the Potomac School Class of 1946, it was good to see some of you on Zoom last fall, and it is hard to believe that it is once again time for class notes. This

class notes 0 Audrey Hadow Michie ’46 (right) with her friend of 79 years, Susie

’56 ’46

has been a year for gatherings in my family, which makes it a year of blessings. At the beginning of August, I traveled by Cape Air, in a seven-passenger plane, from Boston to Rutland, VT. From there, I got a ride to Lincoln, VT, where a family gathering was under way. The gathering included my daughters Ruth and Katie, Katie’s daughters Liza and Hannah, their daughters Lida, Uma, and Wren, and more.

This fall, we had another gathering, via a wonderful family wedding. On a beautiful sunny day in October, our son Nate’s third son, Sam, married Andressa Fonseca, who is now a Shepherd, and calls me “Grammy.”

The couple had asked me if they could have the wedding at my house, and of course I said “yes.” The ceremony was held in front of a tree in my garden, with the reception in a big white tent in our back field. Our family and friends gathered to celebrate. I remembered thankfully the summer of 2003, when Tom and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary with family and friends and danced the night away under a big white tent. I still live in the old red house where our children grew up, with “Oreo,” a great black and white cat. I love his company, as well as my good memories of living here for so many years. I miss Tom, but he is here in many of my memories as well. Blessings to you all.”

1948

75th

Save the date – Better Together, The Potomac School’s 2023 Reunion, will be October 13-14.

3 Bonnie Buchanan Matheson ’56 at the Rennaisance Rehearsal Dinner for her grandson Finley Ohrstrom and his bride-to-be Meghan Hughes; she notes that her family is large and lots of fun!

1952

Class Correspondent Louise Graham

If you are interested in helping Louise collect class notes, email Laura Miller at lmiller@potomacschool.org.

1953

70th

Save the date – Better Together, The Potomac School’s 2023 Reunion, will be October 13-14. Help lead the revelry! Volunteer to be your Class Reunion Chair by emailing Laura Miller, director of alumni relations, at lmiller@potomacschool.org.

1954

Class Correspondent Tina Knox Radigan elizabethradigan3@gmail.com If you are interested in helping Tina collect class notes, email lmiller@potomacschool.org.

1955 Gretchen Becker sends us this update: “Someone told me how to live a long time – keep breathing. So I’m doing that. I hope everyone is doing well. I’m tired of winter.

With climate change, there’s more ice and less snow. I now have a generator, which helps, as there are a lot of power outages where I live.”

Sherry Bingham Downes writes, “I went to visit Eliza Kellogg Klose in the memory unit at a retirement village in Salisbury, CT, last fall. Her husband, Harding Bancroft (twin brother of Mary Jane Bancroft ’57), brought us in to see Eliza. She has advanced Alzheimer’s disease. I brought my old Potomac yearbook and showed Harding Eliza’s picture and what she had written to me in 1955 when the class graduated. I had left two years before but kept up with a few classmates. Eliza looked well but did not know who I was. She could not speak but responded warmly to Harding. She still has that beautiful smile. We had several class reunions at Eliza’s house in NW Washington.

I have many good memories of my two years at Potomac. My son, Richard Bland ’91, had a very happy year at Potomac in 198687 and is still in touch with several of his classmates.”

1956 Bonnie Buchanan Matheson says that “living in Charlottesville, VA, near four of my five children, is just wonderful. I write all the time and keep a blog called BonnieBMatheson.com and have a new book coming out very soon. I have 17 grandchildren who keep me both busy and informed. Life is good. Wake up and smell the roses!”

Nerissa vom Baur Roehrs writes, “My three granddaughters were christened in a triple ceremony this past November, and shortly thereafter the family took off for

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class notes New Zealand, where they’ll spend a year while my son-in-law studies for the rigorous Staff College Examination to enable him to be considered for the rank of lieutenantcolonel in the British Army. That’s moi, dans le chapeau rouge.”

1958

65th

Save the date – Better Together, The Potomac School’s 2023 Reunion, will be October 13-14.

1960

3 Nerissa vom Baur Roehrs ’56 (in the red hat) at the christening of her three granddaughters in November 2022

Your class correspondent, Stephanie deSibour writes, “I am sad to report that Edie Kauffmann passed away in October after a fairly brief illness. I had kept up with her for many years and was asked to oversee the disposition of her household items. I went through many boxes, some of which included Potomac memorabilia.

It was clear that Potomac and her friends there were extremely important to her. In a way-too-brief tribute to Edie, I thank her for her love of nature (thanks to Duryea Morton), her love of art (thanks to John Hebeler), and her very witty “take on life” in general. She was generous, wickedly funny, creative, and curious, in the best sense. If anyone is interested in hearing more about her life since Potomac, I am happy to fill in the details.

Marc and I recently had the opportunity to take a trip to New Zealand – eight days of hiking, e-biking, kayaking, etc. Perfectly planned by Backroads for people of a certain age.

Since I suggested that classmates recommend a favorite book or two for others to consider, here are my suggestions for two that you likely may never have heard of: This is Happiness by Niall Williams and The Family Chao by Lan Chang.”

Eve Auchincloss Lilley writes, “Hello, friends. This has been a rather rough year with the passing of my dear husband Bill. What a journey with the pull of remembering, the push to move forward.

Thank heavens for my work, my fantastic family (both my side and the Lilley side), my dear friends, and my beloved dogs. So time moves along and always a new day to be grateful for the past years. Love to all.”

Speaking of wonderful trips, Becky McCandlish Burckmyer shares, “I’m just back from a thrilling, though exhausting, safari in Tanzania. Saw every animal and bird imaginable. Saw many elephants, a wildebeest giving birth, giraffes with their improbable shapes, and a group of young Maasai men jumping, dancing, singing, and swinging their fake ponytails – a very special treat for us.”

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Class Correspondent Stephanie deSibour sdesibour@ivymount.org

THE POTOMAC TERM

Belinda Winslow shares, “I am happily spending my time between DC and Santiago. Following the sun! All children and grandchildren are doing well. My sad news is that my beloved brother, Terry Winslow ’58, died of a heart attack on November 22. Although his health had been troublesome, his sudden death was a shock.

We will celebrate his life in DC in May. My best to all.”

Louisa Parker Young writes, “I’ve been back in New York City for six years after living in Southern California (Joshua Tree and Palm Springs) for nine years. This is home. My son and daughter were born here and are still in the city with my two grandchildren. There are so many ways to enjoy this city, which keeps reinventing itself. I spend my time enjoying family and friends and exploring different areas and delights of the city.

I had a wonderful visit in August with Becky McCandlish Burckmyer in Marblehead. It was as if no time had passed.

We talked and reminisced for hours, and I got a grand tour of high points and historic sights of the area. Such fun to reconnect with longtime friends. Happy to say I get to see Steph deSibour, too, from time to time. I will miss Edie Kauffmann. We were always so close and stayed in touch in recent years.

I get to Maryland as often as I can to spend time with my sister, Virginia Parker Clagett ’58, who lives near Annapolis on rivers off the Bay. Crab and oysters are always on the menu!”

1961 Emma Bragdon writes, “Integrative Mental Health University, IMHU. org, will be 10 years old this year.

I’m hanging in as founder/executive director... training spiritual ’61 emergence coaches, teaching, and working with an MD doing KetamineAssisted Psychotherapy and in private practice as a psychotherapist. Grandkids Sam and Rowan Buckley are now 18 and 15 and doing beautifully in this challenging world. My son Jesse is an independent videographer and happy in his work. His wife, Allison, a dedicated mom, also works.

They have made a beautiful life.”

Alexandra Villard de Borchgrave tells us, “I’m happy to share that the Light of Healing Hope Foundation, which I founded in 2010, gifted more than 70,000 inspirational books to over 108 hospitals and hospices to comfort patients and their families at a time of adversity.

It is heartwarming to receive encouraging notes such as this one from Meaghann Shaw Weaver, MD, MPH, FAAP, Children’s Hospital, Omaha: ‘Our hearts

class notes are filled with sincere gratitude for this absolutely amazing gift. We are sharing these in end-of-life rooms as a meditation together for the families and as a legacy gift.

We are exceedingly grateful for your writing gift and your art approach. Thank you with a million, zillion gratitudes.’

It has meant a great deal to me that the foundation that sparked from my hopeful prayer on 9/11, to bring comfort to the survivors’ families at a time of great personal tragedy, fulfilled its mission with its final delivery of 6,000 books and journals to the Capital Caring Health Hospice.

It was a hard decision for me to close the foundation in 2022, but I’m thrilled that The Washington Home Foundation ordered one of my cards to distribute to cancer patients and caregivers during the holiday season, allowing me to continue my personal mission of bringing comfort to those in need. Thank you to all my dear friends who supported me!”

1962

Class Correspondent Deborah Johansen Harris debjohansenharris@gmail.com Lexi Roper Douglas shares the sad news of her husband Nigel’s passing. “We were fortunate to have the Very Reverend Robert Willis, dean emeritus of Canterbury Cathedral, preside at his service,” she said. Lexi also commented on the Queen’s passing, which was mourned by English people who were “enormously respectful.”

Despite the plethora of strikes in England, Lexi thinks the new Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, is a “decent human being” and a welcome change from former PM Johnson.

Deborah Johansen Harris reports that she and husband Ted are well, although he still has a live-in caretaker and is wheelchair

Antonia Caccia ’62, with her two grandsons, Lucian Yang Caccia and Leo Yang Caccia 7

bound. “Despite Ted’s physical challenges, he and I enjoy watching streaming concerts online and other at-home activities. I still attend my painting classes, and two of my works were exhibited at our local library and bistro. I also (finally) finished up my book of tributes to, and memorabilia of, my late mother for family and friends.

Going through our early photo albums and reliving old times was great fun.

Nine of us held a Zoom reunion on March 4 that included Lexi Roper Douglas, Katherine Marshall, Louise McVickar Marx, Liz Murray Platts, Marianna (Mimi) Merrill Russell, Anne Darneille Snodgrass, and myself. Conversation ranged from the dire weather – flooding and 120 mph winds – to dire politics. However, we also talked about more upbeat topics – good books to read (The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman) and travel adventures to England and Greece.”

Rachel Kitzinger writes, “My daughter Kira got married in May of last year. It was a wonderful, happy occasion on the beach in New Jersey. To celebrate my 75th birthday I went to the island of Ithaka, Greece, to read The Odyssey. The Ionian island was the home of Odysseus and his wife, Penelope.”

An inspirational card by Alexandra Villard de Borchgrave ’61 4

’61

Bobbie Lanahan reports, “My family and I spent a week in Mexico last March, which was great fun. The publication of The Paper Dolls of Zelda Fitzgerald was a high point in 2022. The passing of my partner, John Douglas, was a very low point. And learning to live life as a single woman has been the biggest challenge of the past year. I am hoping for surprising new chapters in 2023.”

’62 Deena Breed Larlee talked on Zoom about her and husband Howard’s storm damage from Hurricane Ian last fall and quipped, “I learned more about flooding than I wanted to know and just hope I don’t have to use that knowledge again!” Otherwise, she said her bike business is doing well and she and Howard had been healthy.

Katherine Marshall shares, “The class I am teaching on ethics and international development grapples with some tough issues; one is how best to respond to today’s huge humanitarian crises. The G20 Interfaith Forum that I am immersed in makes it hard to forget the ‘polycrisis’ that confronts us all these days. While teaching freshmen at Georgetown University, mental health issues linked to the COVID-19 pandemic dominated much of the discussions; it’s clear that the long years of the pandemic are having lasting effects.”

Louise McVickar Marx comments, “I had a wonderful visit with Deb Johansen Harris and Nina Nitze Moriarty when we were staying with our son and his family in Wellesley this past fall. Hard to believe 63 years have gone by since my time at Potomac!

We were then in the warmth of Florida where our daughter, Lizzie, and her family came for a long weekend in February. Our son, Alex, and his clan were here in March.”

Carol Mattusch attended a conference in Athens and Delphi last December about the famous Greek bronze statue of the Delphi Charioteer, her first international trip since the lockdown. She writes, “Delphi is pretty wonderful. There were talks

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class notes about the statue’s casting technique, the metal alloys (cast red copper lips inset in a yellowish bronze face), the clay core, and the other bits and pieces that survive from the chariot group. We barely made it to the site: It took three tries and an hours-long stop in Thessalonike to refuel and wait for the storms to subside. They didn’t subside, but we finally made it. Several people told me when we met up the next day that they had seen a story about my flight on the TV news. One trip wasn’t enough, however: I went back to Greece in March to look inside two Greek bronze heads from Olympia – an Archaic Zeus and a fourth-century BC boxer – both now in the Archaeological Museum in Athens. This was the first time I’d gotten a permit to look at these particular sculptures.”

Rosemary Merriam reports, “We are moving to Santa Fe, NM, hopefully sometime this summer. Between bad politics and the increasing heat in the summer, I look forward to leaving the great state of Texas.”

Elizabeth (Liz) Murray Platts says she hopes to begin traveling again and is spending lots of time taking art classes and reading.

Marianna (Mimi) Merrill Russell and her husband, John, are busy instructors at the The Renaissance Institute, a lifelong learning program at Notre Dame of Maryland University. Mimi teaches “Shakespeare’s Women” to 25 students. They took time out, however, to go abroad. She writes, “We visited London, where I got to check off one of my bucket list items: seeing a play at The Globe; then Edinburgh and the Highlands; drove back into England through the Lake District; and wound up in Stratford, where I tested positive for COVID. Unfortunately, I had to miss a much-anticipated performance of Richard III at the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Nevertheless, it was a wonderful trip...and the RSC gave me a voucher so a return is in the offing!”

Anne Darneille Snodgrass shares, “We still divide the year between Florida, DC, and Maine. I play tennis in all three places, playing on an inter-club team in Florida.

I just dropped the inter-club tennis team in DC, as we just aren’t there enough any more. I do lots of gardening in Maine and am a docent at the Rufus Porter Museum of Art and Ingenuity in Bridgton, ME. I enjoy playing bridge in all three places. Our

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four children and seven grandchildren are all busy and well, with two of the families living in or near DC. Our son is in residential real estate with TTR Sotheby in DC, and a daughter is teaching biology at Sidwell Friends School. Another daughter teaches in the education graduate program at the University of Houston, and the third works for Flipboard, a social media magazine, in New York City. They all join us in Maine during the summer and in DC for Christmas.”

1963

60th

Save the date – Better Together, The Potomac School’s 2023 Reunion, will be October 13-14.

Help lead the revelry! Volunteer to be your Class Reunion Chair by emailing Laura Miller, director of alumni relations, at lmiller@potomacschool.org.

Katherine Farquhar shares, “How lovely it is to enjoy time with Potomac friends in monthly Zooms coordinated by Jennifer Owen Murphy! I’m retired, mom to three married daughters, grandmother of five (some are old enough for Christmas Revels).

I steer a project called Blankets for Babies to send shipments of handmade quilts, blankets, and fleeces to Kiev, Ukraine. I’m healthy, happy, adventure bound, family focused, and community minded – though some days how about just a short nap? Our school song’s refrain, “Labor Omnia Vincet,” with Mrs. Ourusoff and Mr. Langstaff, then pounds through my head. High fives to all!”

Katherine Farquhar ’64 in the Camino section of the Asturias region in Spain 4

Class Correspondents Marisa Knowlton Domeyko mdomeyko@comcast.net Anne Williams annegw200@yahoo.com Sally Briggs writes, “I live in Marseille, France, and am studying at the University of Aix-Marseille. Best wishes to you all.”

Wendy Neel Ellsworth shares, “I’ve received two awards recently for my service work. Interweave Press named me one of their Top 5 Community Leaders for 2022 for the work I’ve been doing with Unity Village in Northern Kenya. Frontier Nursing University in Versailles, KY, selected me as the 2023 recipient of their Unbridled Spirit Award, in recognition of a past Courier who has shown “dedication to serving others, ongoing stewardship of FNU, and demonstration of personal conviction, courage, and a zest for adventure.” I’m humbled and honored to receive these awards. I went to Kenya again last November to visit the clinic where my Rotary Club’s global grant will be focused on improving maternal and child healthcare in a remote region of Northern Kenya. It will positively impact the lives of hundreds of women and children who live there.”

1964

Class Correspondent Alison Peake alidee1@aol.com

’64

class notes

3 Caroline Casey ’67 in her Cabin John witchery

’67

Lynne Dominick Novack says, “John and I are at our home in Patagonia, Chile, until the end of April. It has been three years since we were last able to come south. It gets harder with age and health issues, so the time is precious and poignant. We’ve been in residence here for several months most years since 1998, and it is so beautiful. Life forges on and is so unpredictable, except that the changes are inevitable. Dallas continues to be our main residence for the foreseeable future, and our kids and grands are scattered across the country and in Europe. Cheers to all my classmates!”

1965 Class Correspondent Sallie Ayers Barker s2barkers@yahoo.com

1967

Class Correspondent Tom Macy potomac67@gmail.com

Caroline Casey writes, “Continuing to live in my Cabin John witchery, from whence I broadcast The Visionary Activist Show, 26 years on Pacifica Radio; convene Trickster Training Councils and Election Magic Councils online; consult with individuals; and work on big projects for the greater good on language crafting, so that our words, metaphors, and stories will be in accord with our dedicated hearts. I also continue to proffer astro*mytho*politoco*guiding metanarrative at environmental conferences and emcee spoken-word stages at festivals. So grateful to Potomac’s Jack Langstaff (the

’70 th 3 At Jane McAllister’s house for a belated 50 reunion, April 2022: (top row) Jane

McAllister ’70, Susie Crudgington – wife of Bill McElwain ’70 and past Potomac parent, Dana Strong ’70; (second row) Winkie Hamilton Bierbower ’70, Colin Rosse ’70, Kristin Rose Jaffe ’70, Garrett Jewett ’70, Matthew Kimball ’70; (front) Duncan Krieger ’70 and Bill McElwain ’70. Thanks to John Dillon ’70, who took the photo, and spouses/partners Bill Adamson, Bill Bierbower, Susie Crudgington, Lydia Kimball, Andrea Rosse, and Steve Speil for joining the group.

arch-Druid of McLean, whom I hosted on radio), who gave us magic and music. www.CoyoteNetworkNews.com”

1968

55th

Save the date – Better Together, The Potomac School’s 2023 Reunion, will be October 13-14.

Class Correspondent Kim Holdsworth kimsworth4@gmail.com

1970

Class Correspondent Jane McAllister McAllister.Jane@Outlook.com Kristin Rose Jaffe writes, “Not much to report here except that I am teaching Romeo and Juliet again to lots of eager

ninth graders. Their comments never cease to entertain me. (They had a hard time understanding the concept of “chastity” and why it was such a big deal – and my reference to chastity belts made them even more confused!) On the weekends I get to hang out with my 2½-year-old granddaughter, Stella, who is a delight, full of phrases she doesn’t quite understand, such as ‘Nice job!’ ‘Happy to see you,’ and ‘Isn’t this fun?’”

Jane McAllister shares, “Last fall I took a road trip to New York and Vermont, to see friends and foliage before and after attending a crafts workshop in the southwest corner of Vermont. I remembered that George Upton, who left our Potomac class after eighth grade, lived in VT, and I messaged him on Facebook to ask his whereabouts. George graciously invited me to his home in Windsor, so I planned to stop by en route

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class notes

(l to r) George Hamilton ’71, Mary White ’71, Madelyn Hamilton, and Jane McAllister ’70, October 31, 2022 4 George Upton ’70 and Jane McAllister ’70 took this selfie at George’s house in Windsor, VT, on October 31, 2022.

4

’70

’70

from Brattleboro to Montpelier. Turns out my friend in Brattleboro, who planned to host me overnight, was sick and could see me only briefly. But George was so welcoming in our messaging, I felt I could ask him: Can you put me up for the night, even though we haven’t seen each other since we were 14? The answer was a resounding yes, and we had a blast catching up. I am grateful for the bonds built at Potomac and for the warm hospitality I received at his beautiful home, where he lives with his wife, Daisy. From Windsor, I headed to Montpelier, where I stayed with the estimable violinist and fearless traveler Mary White ’71, sister of Maggie White Momber ’70 and Tom White ’76. Our first activity was to meet up with George Hamilton ’71, brother of Winkie Hamilton Bierbower ’70, and his wife, Madelyn, for a short hike. Mary, who moved to Montpelier fairly recently upon retirement, is happy to know of a fellow Potomac classmate there, and vice-versa. Thanks to all!”

1971

’71 3 Steve Freligh ’71 shares his greetings from Kenya, where he is setting up his next exhibition program with Nature's Best Photography.

Henry Strong ’72 and Mark Tucker ’71 had a random meeting at a Korean deli on MacArthur Blvd in October.

Mark says, “What an unexpected treat!” 7

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THE POTOMAC TERM

Rob Thayer is in his 24th year with USAID’s International Disaster Assistance Bureau, currently as division chief for the East Asia and Pacific region, based in Washington with frequent travel. He loved joining classmates at Scott and Anny Meza’s place in the Shenandoah last year. Rob became a grandfather on November 2, with the birth of Tyler Thayer Heidenberger to his oldest daughter, Amanda, and her husband Eric.

3 Rob Thayer ’71’s new grandson, Tyler Thayer Heidenberger

’71

’71

class notes

1973

50th

Save the date – Better Together, The Potomac School’s 2023 Reunion, will be October 13-14. Help lead the revelry! Join your Class Reunion Co-chairs, Liza Gookin Hodskins and Keith Ausbrook, to help plan your 50th Reunion by emailing Laura Miller, director of alumni relations, at lmiller@potomacschool.org.

Class Correspondent Liza Gookin Hodskins lhodskins@yahoo.com Our FIFTIETH (50th) reunion is this coming Oct 13-14 (and hoping for a Sunday breakfast on the 15th just for our classmates somewhere?), and I really hope that EVERYONE makes plans now and comes. If not then, when? (And don’t say never!). Let me know if you want to host a house party or help in any way, but PLEASE COME!!! (Don’t make me beg, now.) See our Facebook page –The Potomac School Class of 1973 Reunion, www.facebook.com/ groups/531161343571297 – and feel free to post anything.

Tina Adler shares, “Just retired a couple of months ago so I have time – though it’s odd how things quickly fill in the time. For news, well, that’s news!”

Chrissie Albert Carnes reports, “My daughter Jessica is following in my footsteps and practicing as a veterinarian with me.

She gave birth and is living with us so that we can give her a helping hand. So now there’s a BABY in the house. My husband, Jamie, and I don’t have any night shifts!

Meanwhile, our oldest granddaughter (age 20) got married this year.”

Sad news: Liza Gookin Hodskins shared that Chrissie’s mother died this year, noting that she had been quite active up to a year or so ago, helping to build fences and doing other physical chores around her farm.

Keith Ausbrook is looking forward to our 50th reunion. He shares, “I hope we have a better turnout than we did at our 45th, which I celebrated on my own. It was nice to have a mini-reunion when Alexandra zu Pappenheim was here at some point later that weekend. I cannot remember when that was because my sense of time is completely warped by the lost COVID years. I saw deLancey Joyce Webster just a couple of days ago and see her periodically.

(l to r): Chrissie Albert Carnes ’73’s youngest granddaughter, daughter, and oldest granddaughter 7

Had a long talk with Greg Stewart not too long ago. His childhood home was mostly destroyed by an arsonist in 2020. I had a memory of Mrs. Rose the other day when someone wished me a good morning and then corrected himself because it was literally after noon. Mrs. Rose always said it was not afternoon until after lunch. But what if I skip lunch?”

Frank Bennett writes that his father had been Consul General in Melbourne in the 1980s and retired there. Frank was recently in Australia cleaning up his dad’s things, where he found a picture of himself and Liza Gookin Hodskins walking to or from our ninth grade graduation in ’73. [Hmm, that was 50 years ago. Sounds like a good time for a reunion! - LH] John Chester is “loving retirement, traveling a lot, being a granddad, spending as much time as possible skiing, mountain biking, playing ice hockey, hiking – while the body still works! Looking forward to seeing everyone at the impossibly labeled 50th Reunion!”

Some memories that John shared: “At Lower School lunch, where eating vegetables was mandatory, we all gave our detested Brussels sprouts to the only kid in the world who liked them, John Keller. I got in trouble racing around bumping into everyone as a flying monkey in second grade recess. Keith Ausbrook was unbeatable in math flash cards in Mrs. Howison’s third grade class. Mall Ball in seventh, eighth, and ninth grades ensured I never had a pair of khakis without grass stains. In contrast to theatrical classmates, for me being in any school play was torture, starting in third grade with Mr. Popper’s Penguins, when Tony Hass and I ‘split’ the title role.”

Dorsey Davidge, who is now global director of talent acquisition at International Medical Corps, spent several weeks in Ukraine helping refugees near some of the fighting. She writes, “It was an incredible experience. I’m not sure why, but I was never scared. I am honored to be supporting the Ukrainians.”

’73

Carrie Gibson shares,“I definitely plan to come to the Reunion, since I am back on the East Coast. I am living in the wonderful town of Beacon, NY, and still acting and writing. I’m crossing everything but my eyes for the next big break. I just keep thinking of May Days and gum trees and Mrs. Rose.”

See Carrie as a tennis umpire in “King Richard”; you can find her CV and promos at http://carriegibsontheactor.com!

Reverend Diana Morgan Gustafson has been associate rector at DC’s St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church for two years. Diana and Tom have a new mini Australian shepherd (a.k.a. American shepherd) puppy, and Diana’s been keeping in great shape for years with serious yoga and CrossFit. Unfortunately, she has experienced troubles recently – “my son in a bad car accident and the death of my mother’s long companion.”

She conducted the funeral herself at St. Alban’s.

Diana shares, “Some of my fond memories of Potomac are the ‘young’ science teacher (fifth or sixth grade?) whose name deserves to be remembered – who opened me up to experimentation and the world of molds. With his help, I grew great colonies of different-colored microbes and learned to write reports on my process. It was an awakening to nature and science. He taught photography another year and we learned to play with light in the dark room.

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class notes The details of the life of the pharaohs and the lives of Roman women opened me up to new worlds, as the science projects had.

I also loved the great runs in the woods. (I think Egyptian history was Mrs. Shirk or Mrs. Burns and Roman history was Miss Hale.) Mrs. Burns gave some fun writing assignments. I also loved art, now that I think of it. I remember we did scratch boards and prints with blocks that we’d carved into (I can’t remember what that is called?) I love many of our classmates and would love to join you at Reunion!”

Tony Hass reports, “Anna and I recently moved to San Francisco in connection with a later-in-career mobility assignment with my firm. Exciting adventure and opportunity to experience the “left coast”!

We had lived earlier in Los Angeles, where our two boys were born, but have been in New York for the last 20 years. A related benefit is that both our boys now live in the West: Henry, who works in the film industry, is living in Los Angeles, and Will is a junior in college in Arizona. So we get to see more of them while also having fun in the Bay Area. Otherwise, looking forward to seeing everyone at Reunion!”

Lelee Frank Hazard reports, “My husband, John, and I took a Viking cruise from Barcelona to Athens in the fall. My fifth grade mythology came in handy; continuing thanks to Mrs. Hackett!”

Liza Gookin Hodskins shares, “It’s been a very busy year. I just finished a run with the Virginia Lyric Opera Company’s production of The New Moon, a wildly

Looking for Volunteers!

Are you interested in serving as a Class Correspondent?

This volunteer role is a great way to stay in touch with classmates and help others stay connected as well! Contact Laura Miller at lmiller@potomacschool.org to learn more.

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THE POTOMAC TERM

Susan and Chad Loebs ’73 4

’73 popular 1928 operetta by S. Romburg and O. Hammerstein. My stepmother made it to just after her 100th birthday, my dad had his 91st, the fourth grandchild was born, and Steve and I celebrated our 25th anniversary.

I helped my dad adjust to single life and move to his new house in Warrenton. I threw a “When I’m 64” Beatles-related surprise birthday party at Hard Rock DC for Steve, which was a big smash. He had some serious health issues, including a cancer spot in his lungs, but had surgery and has received an all-clear. He’s gone without smoking and drinking for four months now, and I am so proud of him. We still participate in fundraising events and support our friends in Ukraine, sending funds for cars to deliver supplies and to Ukrainian and other European blacksmiths who are forging supplies for the soldiers.

We visited Austin and from there, the Tyler, TX, and Oklahoma City Zoos, as we always stop at zoos and aquariums on our travels.

Our curly coated retrievers, 12 and 13, make traveling difficult, but we are looking forward to going somewhere in the next few months other than Rehoboth, where I’ve made great friends my age. We hit the karaoke and bar game scene pretty heavily when I’m there; we’re known as “The Karaoke Kweens!”

Chad Loebs writes, “Summers in RI and winters in FL; keeping positive attitudes in both latitudes. I was a fishing guide in Key West for over a decade, so the ‘latitude/ attitude’ music still resonates. Winters are on a small barrier island off the west coast of FL. I also still sit on a couple of nonprofit boards, primarily focused on social services, historic preservation, and land trust activities in RI and FL.

The photo I shared is somewhat incomplete without photos of Susan’s children, grandkids, and of course our current wonderful dog, Jazz, a Mississippi yellow lab rescue who hands us hound-dog attitude every sweet day!

I was watching a PBS documentary recently on the history of Pan-American Airlines (Juan Cameron’s family), and it struck me how incredibly fortunate we were at Potomac in our day to have classmates whose parents were engaged at the highest levels of business, government, and the arts. I sometimes took those newsworthy last names (which I now understand to be quite special) for granted, just ‘other kids in our class,’ but given the current state of our nation, I now recognize, how fortunate we all were that our parents chose Potomac for us. Best to all of ’73! (Remember those awful Fig Newtons?)”

In April 2022, Ellen McLaughlin was awarded a residency at the Center for Hellenic Studies in DC. Ellen, Keith Ausbrook, Dorsey Davidge, and I had a lovely time catching up at Old Europe – figuring it was a somewhat appropriatelynamed restaurant to learn of her experiences. This winter, her show Kissing the Floor, “a radical retelling of the Antigone myth set in Depression-era America,” ran at Theatre Row (Theatre Four), located at 410 West 42nd Street in New York City. At one time during the run, Ellen told us, she was ‘WAY off Broadway, in Turkey, specifically Canakkale, on the Hellespont below the archeological site of Troy, where I am one of the professors teaching the (fabulous) U Penn graduate seminar Homer and Troy, which will involve a reading of my Trojan Women in the little odeon on the site.’”

class notes Louise Putnam writes, “I’m still working – mostly remotely – for UMass Boston as an AA and hope to be cutting my hours soon.

I very happily split the year between New England and St. John in USVI, something my longtime beau and I started in 2019. I spent a month in French Polynesia last fall, thanks to the large number of vacation hours I accrued during the pandemic.

I’m happy to share my enthusiastic recommendations and experiences with anyone contemplating a trip that way. With luck, I will travel to Jordan this coming fall, hopefully in the company of at least a couple of my children.

All three are thriving. My son married, bringing me a third daughter who couldn’t be a better fit for him or our whole family. They are happily ensconced in Richmond. My eldest daughter flourishes in Charlottesville, working in commercial real estate. My youngest daughter has been somewhat peripatetic in the last few years – grad school in London, a stop in DC, and now living primarily in Buenos Aires with her partner. They look forward to returning, as he hopes to join the foreign service (with a probable trip down the aisle first). That will entrench the itinerant lifestyle for them, and I look forward to continuing to visit them wherever they may land! All in all, life has been incredibly good to me and mine. I am so grateful for all that I have and hope that my classmates experience the same good fortune.”

Nini Redway writes, “My husband and I took a wonderful vacation in Italy last fall, enjoying food and wine and friends. The Basilica of St. Francis was a highlight. I am retired, but my days are full and busy.

There has been a lot of snow and rain in northern California. We live in the Sierra foothills, and had already had one exciting high-water event; our local river rose, roaring across our driveway and front yard, lifting our propane tank right off its concrete slab! Good thing it was chained to a tree. With the snow pack we had, it could happen again. I have a nephew at Potomac.

It all seems very different now, but doesn’t everything? I had lots of fun experiences there, mostly the music and theatrical extravaganzas. How lucky were we to experience John Langstaff?”

1974

Class Correspondent Ann Brown annanna.brown@gmail.com

Siri Hari Kaur Angleton-Khalsa writes, “Let’s see, what have I been doing? I’m in LA for a while, having a good time seeing friends. Then I go to Sun Valley for a young cousin’s wedding in Santa Barbara, so that’s nice. Then I go back to LA. Then I go back to New Mexico for a late spring and summer.

Fun, fun!”

mother back in September. Special thanks to Carroll Carter, Ann Brown, Garrett Randolph, and Jane Day Rich. Strong bonds bind us.”

Sarah Holmes shares, “My family, as North Sturtevant did, is building a new house in mid-coast Maine, not far from North’s.

Here’s to future class gatherings in Maine, since many other classmates are settled there as well!”

1975

From Jennifer Moses, “Our news is that our daughter Rose will marry her long-term sweetheart this June. Two down, one to go!”

Garrett Randolph reports, “Well, it’s been a year. Cold up north lately but quite frankly it keeps the crowds down. Have heard from Nina Bohlen that she and her husband, Robert, have moved to Maine. We have not crossed paths yet but plan to do so. Really enjoyed recent visits with Carroll Carter, Ann Brown, Jane Day Rich; met them in DC and drove south together to a lovely church near Montebello, Virginia. Unfortunately, the occasion was the passing of Gray Rosse’s beloved mother, but it was still great to see them – class acts. Lesley’s eulogy was inspired. John Nassikas and Georgia Chafee Nassikas hosted a spontaneous mini-reunion at Ramshorn Farm with the aforementioned, Bryce Legg, Charlie Mathias, and Carroll’s spry and charming mother, Rosie!”

Jane Day Rich shares, “My beloved mother, Tess Day, passed away peacefully at home on December 18, 2022. She had recently turned 93 and was still enjoying walking the three-miles round trip to Black Coffee on MacArthur Boulevard, gardening, and on inclement days, getting some cardio on her rower! She was looking forward to going to the Dominican Republic in early January.

My sisters (Leyla Day ’76, Isabel Day ’79, and Mary Day Fitzgibbon ’84) and I miss her terribly but are grateful that she exited the way she wanted to.”

Gray Rosse writes, “My daughter Lacy Rosse ’12 was married in the UK on October 15. A joyous celebration with two generations of Potomac alums on hand, including myself and Jamie Engert ’74, India Rosse ’08, Todd Langstaff ’08, Gingy Dixon ’12, and Fallon Bridgeland ’12. I also appreciated the support of many old classmates at the funeral service for my

Finally, as class correspondent, Ann Brown is sorry to report that Laura Rossevelt’s mother also passed away in December 2022.

Class Correspondent Peggy Griffin Begor pbegor@gmail.com

Peggy Griffin Begor shares, “I am still on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, so please look me up if you are ever on your way to the beach.

The In Memoriam section in the fall ’22 Term had the sad news that our classmate Alexandra Espy had passed away last January, so we had an email exchange with fond remembrances of Alexandra and her menagerie of pets.”

Edward Jewett writes that he and Michael Richardson got together for their birthdays.

He was also in McLean at the old house, visiting his mom and the many Potomac memories around there.

Ty Prettyman has provided ‘cliff notes’ of his life since Potomac. After college on the East Coast and a couple of engineering degrees, he moved to California for his first real job designing commercial aircraft for McDonnell Douglas. He has remained in aviation ever since, doing accident investigation, managing a repair facility, running a nonprofit, and now working as a consultant to the FAA. Ty has two sons from his first marriage and is living in Sarasota, FL, with his second wife, who has one daughter.

Katya Chavchavadze Redpath shares that she and Alison Macdonald von Klemperer, Liza Phillips, Elizabeth Leigh, and Alice McKillop Semler all got together last summer at the McKillop place in Old Lyme. She says, “Alice gets the photography prize for the kayak pics – such beautiful waters on a stunning day.”

They sang old songs and exchanged stories, along with bombardment balls, flower-power stickers, and vintage troll dolls. Katya also notes that she is finally getting her “sea legs” in Austin. She bought an electric guitar and is playing in several bands at the moment – fully plugged in and having the time of her life. “Living proof that it’s never too late to sustain (or distort) our reputation as the rock generation. Baron Tymas, come to Austin!”

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class notes 0 Alison Macdonald von Klemperer ’75, Liza Phillips ’75, Elizabeth Leigh ’75, and Katya Chavchavadze Redpath ’75 kayaking during their mini-reunion

’75

Members of the Class of 1977 celebrating their 45th Reunion in October 2022. Thank you, Wendy Arundel, for your leadership as Class Reunion Chair!

4

’75 3 (back to front) Alison Macdonald von Klemperer ’75, Liza Phillips ’75, Elizabeth Leigh ’75, Katya Chavchavadze Redpath ’75, and Alice McKillop Semler ’75, having a minireunion at the McKillop place in Old Lyme

Greg Scott is still living with his partner Julie near the small village of Orlean in Fauquier County with their two dogs. His daughter Meredith is a freshman at San Jose State University, where she was recruited to play beach volleyball. He writes that yes, she inherited her height (she is six feet tall) from him.

1976

Class Correspondent Brad MacKenzie bmackb@gmail.com

John Brooks writes that he is enjoying life in Atlanta with his retired husband, Todd, and their cat Cosmo, while remaining gainfully employed at the CDC. He looks forward to the long spring there, which threatens to bloom any minute.

Steve Higginson, who left Potomac after sixth grade to enter the American School of Algiers, now lives in his wife Collette’s home city, New Orleans. Their three kids are spread out, one in med school in NC, one at law school in NYC, and one in Marine Corps pilot training in nearby Pensacola.

Steve says he’d love to welcome any Potomac friends to Mardi Gras 2024.

Stephen Hill is currently MRC Entertainment’s executive vice president of

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THE POTOMAC TERM

’77 creative and was the creative programming and development director of the 2023 Golden Globes award show.

Class Correspondent Julie Twiname Warder batwarder@cox.net

Brad MacKenzie reports that he is living in a trailer in his driveway while his house is being rebuilt after Hurricane Ian. His bee and honey business, Sanibel Honey, is starting over, with about 60 new hives this spring.

Our class is doing a lot of reconnecting and it is wonderful! It truly makes my day to hear from classmates!

1977

Class Correspondent Four Hewes fourhewes@zoho.com

1978

45th

Save the date – Better Together, The Potomac School’s 2023 Reunion, will be October 13-14.

Help lead the revelry! Volunteer to be a Class Reunion Co-chair with Robert McDowell by emailing Laura Miller, director of alumni relations, at lmiller@potomacschool.org.

David Bradley sums up his last 40 years for us: “Since migrating west for college, I have lived in California on and off for 40 years. Somehow I have avoided succumbing to floods, fires, droughts, earthquakes, and this week’s snow. After 25 years of orthopedic surgery practice, I have musings about retirement, which continue to change every month or so. I got a later start on kids and now Diane and I are getting ready to reluctantly release the second of three out the door to college. I have spent many hours joyfully watching each of them play soccer and will relish the next couple of years before that ends. Last fall, we lost my mom, Ann, who many of you knew from her time at Potomac (and

class notes Libby Jewett ’78 (right) received the Silver Medal award from the Department of Commerce for her work on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change AR6, with her NOAA colleague Kirstin Holsman.

4

’78 3 Members of the Class of 1978 at the home of Amalie Moses Reichblum ’78 in January 2023. From the back left, Libby Jewett ’78, Ann Addison ’78, Mittie Brooks Rooney ’78, Susannah Humpstone Michalson ’78, Sarah Willens Kass ’78, Sally Anne Epstein ’78. Front row: Lola Singletary ’78, Carolina Kuzcynski Reid ’78, Amalie Moses Reichblum ’78, and Wendell Miles ’78. Missing is Byron Hope ’78, who left before the photo was taken.

’78

’78 3 Wendell Miles ’78, Libby Jewett ’78, Carolina Kuczynski Reid ’78, and Susannah Humpstone Michalson ’78 in February 2023 at a celebration of 60th birthdays

’78 Sidwell). Questioning, inquisitive, engaged to the end, she leaves a big void but got the most out of her 89 years. Brother Steve Bradley ’76 retired from the Denver Fire Department a few years ago and now splits his time between Steamboat Springs, CO, and Gilbert, AZ. My other Potomac connection is with Eric Strauch ’84, a great friend whom I met and had the pleasure of working with in Colorado for four years.

Ramin Oskoui checked in to say, “I’m doing well. Living near Potomac. Family is well.

My practice in cardiology is busy, with my office near American University.”

Carolina Kuczynski Reid has been able to have a few reunions with Potomac classmates. She writes, “My kids are going

to school in DC and my aunt, Caroline Casey ’67, is an astrologer in town, so these connections are giving me a reason to be there a lot more often these days!”

3 Caroline Casey ’67 (Carolina’s aunt), Libby Jewett ’78, and Carolina Kuczynski Reid ’78 in December 2022

Keep in Touch!

Do you miss seeing your Potomac classmates, teachers, and friends? Do you want to know what they’re up to, where they’re living now, and how they spend their time? If you said yes, you are the perfect person to be a Class Correspondent. This volunteer role is a great way to stay in touch with classmates and help others stay connected too. Interested? Reach out to Laura Miller at lmiller@potomacschool.org to see if this role is right for you!

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class notes

1979

Kassie McIlvaine ’80 with son Hassan and granddaughter Malaika 4

Class Correspondent Anita Winsor-Edwards anwinsor@gmail.com Mark Shriver is the new president of Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School (DBCR) and Corporate Work Study Program in Takoma Park, MD. DBCR is one of 38 Cristo Rey schools in the country. Every student works at least one day a week in a job setting. All students are minorities and from lower-income backgrounds. If you are interested in hiring any of these hardworking students, please contact Mark at (301) 351-1992 or mshriver@DBCR.org.

1980 Kassie McIlvaine writes, “I have been living at home in Nairobi, Kenya, since COVID, thanks to new ways of working, which I love.

I am the head of gender and inclusion with CARE International but will be moving on to new things this year. Thanks to staying in touch with classmates, I managed to find old friend Allie Daly. Otherwise life is good, with my daughter Sada Nahimana still on the pro tennis circuit and three dogs keeping me company. Christmas was wonderful as granddaughter Malaika came to stay.”

Romey Pittman shares, “Now an empty nester, I am embarking on a new, allconsuming adventure – founding a public charter high school called New Village Academy in Annapolis. It feels very satisfying to pull together all the best practices in progressive education that I gleaned from my days as a Potomac student and my 30-year career in education as a teacher, administrator, curriculum designer, school founder, and Expeditionary Learning “school designer” (not in that order). We are creating a high school experience that empowers students who have disengaged from school to take charge of their education using the city of Annapolis as their classroom. Kids will customize their own education, learning from internships and apprenticeships; from local, interdisciplinary “problem-based” investigations; and from early college and career certification programs. We plan to open in fall 2024. If other Potomac folks are interested in innovative educational models or want to support our work, please reach out! Looking forward to our next reunion!”

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THE POTOMAC TERM

’79

’80

3 Mark Shriver ’79 is the new president of Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School and Corporate Work Study Program in Takoma Park, MD.

Members of the Class of 1982 celebrating their 40th Reunion in October 2022 7

’82

Drew Tierney won a 2021-2022 News and Documentary Emmy for Outstanding Live News Program for his work as editor/ producer at CBS Mornings/CBS This Morning.

1983

Class Correspondent Eric McGuire emcg.dcfd@gmail.com

40th

Save the date – Better Together, The Potomac School’s 2023 Reunion, will be October 13-14.

Help lead the revelry! Join Victoria Frankhauser Esposito, Renee Lettow Lerner, and Eric McGuire as a Class Reunion Co-chair by emailing Laura Miller, director of alumni relations, at lmiller@potomacschool.org.

Renee Lettow Lerner tells us, “I’m still teaching at George Washington University Law School and loving it. My husband, Craig, teaches at George Mason Law. Our two oldest kids, Elias ’22 and Anna ’20, are both undergraduates at the University of Chicago and, to our relief, glad to be there together.

Our youngest, Maria ’26, is a freshman at Potomac. I’ve got a new book out now, called The Jury: A Very Short Introduction. It looks at juries from ancient Athens to modern South Korea, and of course includes plenty about England and the U.S. There are some good stories; I drew on a story from Eric McGuire about his jury service! It’s for a general audience, and at a reasonable price. It was a lot of fun to write. You can find it on Amazon and it’s also an audiobook on Audible. I’d be happy to hear more jury stories!”

class notes overseeing many primetime series including Blue Bloods, How I Met Your Mother, and Rules of Engagement. Alix also oversaw the late-night talk show The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Before relocating to Los Angeles in 2001, she served as director, CBS marketing, in New York.

1986

Class Correspondent Robert Cheek rmbcheek@gmail.com

’83 3 Renee Lettow Lerner ’83 with her husband, Craig, and three kids, Anna ’20, Elias ’22, and Maria ’26

Cabell Maddux writes, “Excited for spring and lacrosse season, the best time of the year. Just went to Jackson Hole with a bunch of DC guys, including Charlie Kehler ’84. My three boys are at Landon in the seventh and eleventh grades, playing soccer, hockey, and lacrosse and having fun. We’re still living in Northwest DC and I love running Madlax every day!

We are moving the Madlax shop and HQ after 27 years in Salona to the Langley Shopping Center across the street in McLean this month.”

1991 Eric McGuire shares, “I have just embarked on a life of crime as America’s most hapless criminal. I have a part-time job at the FBI and DEA academies as a role player, spending my days committing assorted felonies to allow the agents in training to practice their arrest and interrogation skills.

I am also volunteering with Team Rubicon doing disaster relief around the country, and so far have helped clean up after a tornado in Ohio, a flood in West Virginia, and Hurricane Ian in Florida. Looking forward to a good Reunion turnout in October.”

Ginna Young Newhouse writes, “My daughter Kate Newton ’20 is in her third year at UVA. My younger daughter Brooke Newton is, unbelievably, a high school freshman at Bullis. In one of life’s many ironies, I got married in August 2022 to my husband Brian, who became only the second director of transportation in the history of The Potomac School following Perry Swope’s retirement after 40 years of service. Perry was there when we were there.

Brian ran a large transit system outside of Portland, OR, before relocating to the DMV in 2021. No more plane rides for dinner! I am the chief operating and financial officer at The National Aquarium.”

1984

Class Correspondent Mary Day Fitzgibbon mdfitz13@gmail.com James Quigley jspquigley@gmail.com Jennifer Maddox Sergent jensergent630@gmail.com

1985 Alix Jaffe, who is currently Village Roadshow Entertainment group’s executive vice president of television, was recently named one of the four new members of the board of directors of The Television Academy. Prior to her current role overseeing Village Roadshow Television’s independent television business focused on scripted content, Alix was president of Greg Garcia’s production company, Amigos de Garcia, and served as executive producer on TBS’s The Guest Book and a producer on CBS’s The Millers, both series created

by Garcia. Before that, she spent time working in the current department at CBS and in June 2004 was named vice president of current programs for the network,

Class Correspondent Thea Lehming Brandt thea.lehming.brandt@gmail.com

After 27 years, Michael Semchyshyn and Tim Wisecarver have reunited their college band, Slackjaw, for a sold-out performance in Washington, DC, on May 20 at The Pearl Street Warehouse. Never knew that “getting the band back together” could be so joyous.

1992

Class Correspondent Ama Amoako Adams ama.a.adams@gmail.com Pascal Cooper has relocated from Los Angeles, CA, where he was born, to Houston, TX, where he grew up. He has received a real estate license in the state of Texas in addition to his broker license in California. Pascal has acquired investment properties and is looking to help clients do the same. He has also completed his second feature film that centers on Alzheimer’s disease, which has been submitted to the Cannes Film Festival, and he has completed production on his third feature, which now has a rough cut.

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class notes Abigail Nields Hillman shares, “I never intended to start a college admissions business. As a high school history teacher, I was determined to teach my students ’92 how to write clear, concise analytical essays and research papers, just as I had been taught in Ms.Wilson’s history classes (and yes, I made them take notes on 3x5 cards). When I left the classroom in 2004 on maternity leave, many of my former students came to me for continued writing support and then for college essay help. As word spread, I became so busy that I never went back to the classroom.

For nearly twenty years, my solo work was satisfying but limited; I was unable to help clients with services outside my wheelhouse. However, I now have a team of educators with a range of specialties.

They each share my passion for teaching and belief in the power of one-on-one interactions to unlock potential.

The team at Abigail Hillman and Associates: Academics & Applications offers tailor-made, concierge application services from eighth grade through grad school, as well as personalized academic

Share with us!

support from kindergarten through college.

Our updated website introduces new members of our crackerjack tutoring team and details the customized, end-to-end application services we provide to students starting as early as eighth grade. We offer enhanced guidance on course selection, extracurricular activities, cultivating teacher/recommender relationships, identifying the right college match, and taking a holistic approach to crafting a compelling story in the Common App. We continue to work with prep school applicants as well as transfer and graduate students.”

1993

30th

Save the date – Better Together, The Potomac School’s 2023 Reunion, will be October 13-14.

Help lead the revelry! Volunteer to be a Class Reunion Co-chair with Nayan Bhula and Leah Quadrino by emailing Laura Miller, director of alumni relations, at lmiller@potomacschool.org.

relating to their climate action commitment.

A special shoutout to my fellow Potomac “STE” (Science Technology and the Environment) classmates; we learned very useful and applicable information for these days and times!

My older daughter, Emma, will graduate from Virginia Tech’s School of Communications with honors this May. My younger daughter, Rose, is finishing high school and pursuing a combination of biotechnology and art.”

1994

Class Correspondents Will Lamb wlamb76@gmail.com Ashley Walde agwalde@gmail.com Devin Franklin writes, “I’m enjoying a blessed life with my family here in upstate New York, teaching kids at Flying Deer Nature Center how to be kids by running around barefoot in the woods and climbing trees.”

Kristina Osten Cook writes, “I have been living in beautiful Blacksburg, VA (Go Hokies!) for 28 years now with my husband, Adam. I work for Virginia Tech in their Infrastructure Department and am involved specifically with the planning and implementation of strategic initiatives

Kristina Osten Cook ’93 has been living in Blacksburg, VA, for 28 years now with her husband Adam. 7

’93

Send your news to your class correspondent; their contact information can be found at the top of your class year. If no correspondent is listed, email your updates to term@ potomacschool.org or mail them to Alumni Office, The Potomac School, 1301 Potomac School Road, McLean, VA 22101.

’92

We want to hear from you!

3 Members of the Class of 1992 celebrating their 30 Reunion in October 2022 th

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THE POTOMAC TERM

class notes 0 Laura, James, Sandy ’94, and Kate Gentles in Philadelphia in February

’94

’95 3 The Class of 1995 had a mini-reunion with other alumni friends at the home of Keith Weinstein ’95. (l to r): Ben Ritter ’95, Mike Shaheen ’96, Paul Lettow ’95, Nish Herat ’95, Jonathan Wilson ’98, Leah Lipsky ’96, Paul Newport ’95, Reed Kuhn ’95, and Keith Weinstein ’95

1996 ’97 th 3 Members of the Class of 1997 celebrating their 25 Reunion in October 2022

Sandy Gentles writes, “I started a new job in December as head of hospitality partnerships at Heart of the House, focused on hotel staffing. We have decided to stay in Baltimore after a temporary move during COVID. Welcome the chance to see anyone stopping in!”

Will Lamb writes, “My wife, Gina, and I celebrated our 15th anniversary with a trip to New Orleans in March. I am settling into a new role at The New York Times as the enterprise and features editor on the Express

Class Correspondent Chris Cramer cpcramer@gmail.com

Annabel Forde Olah shares, “I have expanded my pilates business with a new permanent location at Evolution Health & Fitness Club in Vienna, VA.”

Dr. Blair Farr recently launched PediaWise (pediawise.com), a searchable, subscriptionbased website described as “the go-to source for reliable, up-to-date, and easy-to-digest health information from pregnancy through the toddler years.” It includes weekly PediaGuides (to help you navigate your pregnancy and the baby and toddler years), a free newsletter, “hot topics,” freebies, top 10 lists, news alerts, questions of the week, and more.

1995

1997

Desk, working with a team of talented and versatile general-assignment reporters.”

Class Correspondent Elizabeth Race Terborgh elizabethrace@gmail.com

Class Correspondent Elizabeth Race Terborgh elizabethrace@gmail.com

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class notes

1998

25th

Save the date – Better Together, The Potomac School’s 2023 Reunion, will be October 13-14.

Help lead the revelry! Join Chris Lewis and Elena Sylos-Labini as Class Reunion Co-chairs by emailing Laura Miller, director of alumni relations, at lmiller@potomacschool.org.

Class Correspondent Jessica Ohly jessicaohly@gmail.com

auction by placing ads in the catalog, donating items, buying raffle tickets, and contributing to Fund a Scholar. With record attendance, this year’s auction was a wonderful night of community-building in support of student scholarships and faculty professional development.

2000

Class Correspondents Maura Myers Bisogni maura.bisogni@gmail.com Jonathan Haworth haworth.jonathan@gmail.com

1999

star of the series. Author Mary Calvert, a leading pediatric speech language therapist, is the mother of Skip Calvert and David Calvert ’05. The book follows David and his dog Bailey as they act out sounds and gestures that help to stimulate speech development in young children.

Class Correspondents Sahar Batmanghelidj saharbatman@gmail.com Christian Gomez christian.gomez@gmail.com

2001

Christian Gomez shares, “I had the opportunity to visit with former President of Colombia Iván Duque Márquez at the Concordia Americas Summit in Miami. As a Colombian-American, I recognize the great challenges he faced while serving as president (2018-2022), including COVID, the economy, and the Venezuelan refugee crisis.”

Explore Bailey Speaks!, a children’s book series that educates parents, teachers, and therapists on ways to expand a young child’s communication at home or school.

Bailey, a delightful golden retriever, is the

Skip Calvert ’01 with son Quinn 4

Class Correspondent Stirling Kelso Neff stirlingkelso@gmail.com

Sarah Murphy Starr co-chaired Potomac’s 2023 Scholarship Auction – Casino Royale – on March 4. She enjoyed the event along with many fellow alumni who are current Potomac parents, including classmates Reed Landry, Catherine Smith Ebert, and Brady Millar Doty ’00 and Dan Doty ’00. Sarah was especially thankful for the generosity of the many alumni who supported the

Sarah Murphy Starr ’99 with her co-chairs, Janelle Nowak-Santo and Hunter Weimer, at Potomac's 2023 Scholarship Auction, Casino Royale 4

’01

Christian Gomez ’99 (right) with President of Colombia Iván Duque Márquez 4

’99

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THE POTOMAC TERM

’99

class notes 0 Laura K.O. Smith ’01 with husband Federico Guerrero and their daughter, Livia, in Isla de los Estados at the most southeastern tip of Argentina

’01

’02 3 The Class of 2002 at the Saturday night party during their 20 Reunion Weekend, hosted by Taylor Kettler ’02 and Annie Harris Kettler ’05

th

Sartaj Ajrawat ’02 (left) made a Ukrainian Sikh friend this winter 4

’02

’02

th 3 Members of the Class of 2002 celebrating their 20 Reunion in October 2022

John Ohly lives in Mclean, VA, with his wife, Kiley, and their two children, Jack (7) and Charlotte (5). John continues to work in federal government affairs on behalf of a large trade association representing the automotive industry, while Kiley enjoys volunteering at Potomac. Jack loves first grade at Potomac and the entire family is thrilled that Charlotte will join him as a rising kindergartner in the fall.

Laura K O. Smith writes, “In October we sailed to Isla de los Estados (at the most southern eastern tip of Argentina) as part of a southern otter expedition sponsored by the Explorers Club and Discovery Channel and recognized as an Explorers Club Flag expedition. We were able to bring our daughter Livia along for the two-week sailing trip and she essentially learned to walk while onboard – up ladders and

over ropes! During the trip the scientists were able to scout the entire coast for scat and dens and place trap cameras. One evening, one of the usually shy otters spent four hours swimming around near our anchorage, eating and playing – a very special experience.”

2002

Class Correspondent Victoria Sylos-Labini victoriavsl@gmail.com

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class notes

2003

20th

David Calvert ’05 is living in Los Angeles and working as a fractional CFO for startups and high-growth companies.

4

Save the date – Better Together, The Potomac School’s 2023 Reunion, will be October 13-14.

Help lead the revelry! Join Ki Christmas Bullock, Michael Kirkman, Maya Jaafar Lena, and Eric Rosenthal as Class Reunion Co-chairs by emailing Laura Miller, director of alumni relations, at lmiller@potomacschool.org.

Class Correspondents Aleem Ahmed aleemhahmed@gmail.com Elizabeth Fabiani Rooney elizabethfabiani@gmail.com Sarah Duncan and her husband, Kiley Larson, welcomed their son Rye in September 2022. Big sister Nell (4) and brother Atticus (dog, 12) have been thrilled about the new addition to the family!

2004

’03 3 Sarah Duncan ’03 and her husband, Kiley Larson, welcomed their son Rye in September 2022

Class Correspondents Claire Robertson robertsonaclaire@gmail.com Regina Lee Fechter reginablairlee@gmail.com

JJ Reibel recently graduated with his third master’s degree. He now has an MBA, an MS in cybersecurity, and an MS in data analytics. He is looking for a job in tech or other quantitative fields and is currently located in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Since graduating from Potomac, JJ has also earned many other degrees, certificates, certifications, and awards. He has traveled the Pacific Northwest, studied abroad in South Korea, lived in Hong Kong, visited France several times, helped companies grow and transform, led and mentored teams, engineered software, and contributed to the development of modern technology and to changes in the education sector. He has been inducted into honor societies, including the Order of the Sword & Shield, and has developed a keen interest in systems and advanced artificial intelligence. He continues to be passionate about video games, swimming, and the outdoors, and is an audio enthusiast (and enthusiast of tech in general).

He has helped in the development of new products from software to outdoor gear.

JJ has fond memories of being a student in Potomac, participating in Panther sports and robotics, and living in McLean and Washington, DC. He has loved living in his original neighborhood in the San Francisco Bay Area and is now eager to see what next adventure awaits.

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2005

Class Correspondent Lolly Cunningham Rivas lollycrivas@gmail.com

David Calvert writes from the sunny West Coast, “I’m living in Los Angeles and working as a fractional CFO for startups and high-growth companies. I launched my coaching company, Calvert Coaching & Consulting, late last year; through it, I coach clients on all things personal and professional. And, as my brother Skip ’01 mentioned, in his class note, I am helping our mom with the release of the Bailey Speaks! book series that aims at sharing tools to help stimulate speech language development in children.The first book is available on all major online retailers, and the second book will be released later this year! There will be five books in the series, to guide parents and children along their speech journey.”

Kate Crowder Svendsen and her husband, Calder, welcomed a son on September 13, 2022 in Richmond, VA. Baby Sterling is happy and healthy; most of all, he loves to smile and laugh!

’05

’05 3 Kate Crowder Svendsen ’05 and her husband, Calder, welcomed baby boy Sterling on September 13, 2022.

class notes

2006

2008

Class Correspondents Virginia O’Connell Fowler oconnell.virginia@gmail.com Trevor Lewis talewis10@gmail.com

Willie Morrison’s (@iamwilliemorrison) new single “It Ain’t Me” dropped in March. His music streams on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon. If you want to learn more about Willie, go to his website, williemorrison.com.

2009

15th

Save the date – Better Together, The Potomac School’s 2023 Reunion, will be October 13-14.

Help lead the revelry! Volunteer to be a Class Reunion Co-chair with Kate Blackwood Blair and Cate Rooney Schrimsher by emailing Laura Miller, director of alumni relations, at lmiller@potomacschool.org.

Class Correspondents Rosalind Fennell rfennell12@gmail.com Anne Lenrow aklenrow@gmail.com This summer, Dr. Caroline Feigert will complete her internal medicine residency at Albany Medical Center in New York.

Next, she will start a clinical infectious disease fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, OH. Josie Toso is finishing up the last year of her

’06 clinical psychology doctoral program. She is

2007

Class Correspondent Malcolm Dilley malcolmdilley@gmail.com

graduating in May and soon to be Dr. Toso!

Josie recently accepted a job at the Child Mind Institute in New York City’s Anxiety Disorder Center, where she will work with children and families.

Members of the Class of 2007 celebrating their 15th Reunion in October 2022 4

Class Correspondents Isabelle Conner isabelleconner22@gmail.com Phillips Mitchell phibitz@gmail.com

Catherine Kahl Linskey still lives in Old Town Alexandria with her husband, Mike, and golden retriever, Finnley. Catherine and Mike recently renovated their kitchen and several bathrooms, a project that wrapped up this spring. She continues to work at Hilton, where she leads corporate philanthropy and Hilton’s corporate foundation. Catherine is currently in her final semester at GW, working toward her MBA with a concentration on nonprofit management. She will graduate in May. Additionally, Catherine recently became an aunt. Her brother Cameron Kahl ’12 and his wife, Kelsey, welcomed their daughter Merritt into the world in December.

2010

Class Correspondents Tori McCaffrey tori.mccaffrey@gmail.com Maggie Nelsen carrington.nelsen@gmail.com

Will Callahan left his job as a project manager for Schindler Elevator in February 2022 and thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail last year from March through August. This January, he moved to Asheville, NC, where he is working on a book about his hike and managing a restaurant.

Katie Chockley, LSW, MPH, graduated from Bryn Mawr Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research in 2022. She is now a clinical social worker in private practice in Philadelphia, helping college students and young adults heal from trauma, manage anxiety, and explore their identities.

Mackenzie Foster is the assistant director of conference and event services at Duquesne University, while also teaching philosophy.

’07

Jordan Jones shares, “After four years of living abroad in Colombia, I have returned to the States. Needless to say, my parents are very happy about that decision. In August, I began my studies at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, to pursue a master’s in divinity. Attending seminary sounds like a left turn for me and is still a bit weird to say out loud, but in fact, it is the perfect

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class notes intersection for my interests in exploring how spirituality manifests itself in movements for justice and peace. I intend to keep writing and editing and have been publishing my newsletter and on other outlets on occasion.

It’s been good to be back stateside and reconnect with family and friends, including the New York Potomac crew.”

Jack Overstreet married Allie White in October 2022, with many Potomac alumni in attendance.

Isabel Dann Selan ’10 got married this past October in Mexico City. 7

Jordan Jones ’10, wearing cool glasses and staging a pensive look out across the Hudson River in October 2022 4

Isabel Dann Selan got married this past October in Mexico City, then enjoyed a fabulous honeymoon in Argentina. She also converted to Judaism last June. Isabel, her husband Joey, and dog Leo are living in L.A. and loving it.

2011

Class Correspondent Marie Henneberg marie.henneburg@gmail.com Charlotte Morris charlottelaurie93@gmail.com

’10

Miranda May was recently married to Carlo Hamermesz Neumark in Jerusalem. The couple are now residing in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Miranda is a VP at IL MAKIAGE, a New Yorkbased, tech-driven prestige beauty brand.

’10

2012

Class Correspondent Jamie Lovegrove lovegrovejs@gmail.com Cameron Kahl is excited to share that he and his wife, Kelsey, welcomed a baby girl, Merritt Grace Kahl, into the world in December. Cameron continues to work for Clark Construction, where he has contributed to several projects throughout the Washington, DC, region. Cameron, Kelsey, and Merritt live in Alexandria, VA, with their dogs, Jax and Beau.

’10 3 Jack Overstreet ’10 married Allie White in October 2022, with many Potomac alumni in attendance.

2013

’12

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THE POTOMAC TERM

10th

Save the date – Better Together, The Potomac School’s 2023 Reunion, will be October 13-14.

Help lead the revelry! You can join Co-Chairs Soraya Batmanghelidj and Claire Figel as a class reunion chair and help make this event the best ever. Interested? Email Laura Miller, director of alumni relations at lmiller@potomacschool.org.

Class Correspondents Soraya Batmanghelidj sorayabatman94@gmail.com Ellie Gilbert epgilbert13@gmail.com Victoria Kasonde recently completed her MPA at Cornell. She now works as a speechwriter for a United States Senator in Washington, DC. Victoria says, “It would be an absolute delight to catch up with former

class notes

Taaj Davis ’15’s latest album, Highly Educated 4

’12

’15

3 Members of the Class of 2012 celebrating their 10th Reunion in October 2022

classmates or meet other alumni.” She can be reached at vk4cx@virginia.edu.

2014

Class Correspondent Vanessa Luehrs Hwang vanessaluehrs@gmail.com

Evan May was commissioned with the United States Army upon graduation from the University of Chicago and is currently a ranger-tabbed officer with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, based in Vicenza, Italy.

2015

Class Correspondent Tabitha Huff Taylor tabihuff9@gmail.com Taaj Davis shares, “I am still educating, and I am still creating. My latest album, Highly Educated, fuses together my passion for education with my love of hip-hop.

Creating this project was a fun process, as I collaborated on every track with friend and fellow educator Eddy Benton III, whom I met through our shared work at Woodberry Forest School. If you’re a hip-hop fan, consider checking out this body of work, which can be found on all major streaming platforms!”

’15 3 Clare Kehoe ’15 was back on Potomac’s campus in October to speak to students about Morgan’s Message, a nonprofit striving to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health within the student-athlete community and equalize the treatment of physical and mental health in athletics.

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class notes In fall 2022, Kyla McLaughlin directed and Clare Beth McConnell ’17 starred in Constellations by Nick Payne at the Thymele Arts Center in Hollywood. Their new theater organization, The Practical Spirits Production Company, was formed to produce small, independent, live performances that cultivate and celebrate the work of young performance, design, and literary artists in the Los Angeles area. They are looking forward to collaborating on a short film later this year, as well as future live-performance projects.

Kyla McLaughlin ’15 recently directed a production of Nick Payne's Constellations, starring Clare Beth McConnell ’17 (right) as Marianne.

Photo by Kristie Bell 7

’15

FO L L O W U S !

Facebook “f ” Logo

CMYK / .ai

Facebook “f ” Logo

CMYK / .ai

Facebook www.facebook.com/PotomacSchool Instagram @PotomacAlumni LinkedIn • The Potomac School Alumni Association Professional Networking Group • The Potomac School Alumni Association Real Estate Professional Group (PSRE)

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THE POTOMAC TERM

’16 3 Bria Peace ’16 and her parents, Pam and Will Peace, having dinner in the Agafay Desert

class notes

2016

Class Correspondents Arjun Fischer arjunmfischer@gmail.com Danielle Grae daniellegrae2022@gmail.com Gabriel Miller gabriel@millerwalker.com Danielle Grae graduated cum laude from William & Mary with a French and Francophone studies major and math minor. She next earned a 4.0 GPA in graduate coursework in curriculum and instruction with a concentration in elementary education at William & Mary’s School of Education. In February 2023, she launched her tutoring business, Danielle Grae Tutoring, through which she provides primarily in-person tutoring in reading, writing, and math for elementary school students. Danielle is looking to expand to online math tutoring with older students. If you know of someone in need of a tutor for elementary school-aged children or a math tutor for any age, you can contact Danielle through her website, daniellegrae.com.

Erin Jackson shares, “I’ve moved to Virginia after spending all my life in Southern Maryland. I’m now located in Tyson’s and look forward to hanging out with those of you in the area!”

Bria Peace is an assistant vice president at Bank of America, working in wealth management on the Hedge Fund Origination team. She’s been with the bank for a little over two years and really enjoys the company culture and the work she does in managing hedge fund relationships. Bria is living in the SoHo area of New York City and loves to spend time with her former Potomac classmates in the area. She recently joined the board of En Garde Arts (engardearts.org), an artistcentered nonprofit theater production company that supports playwrights, directors, composers, and designers creating site-specific work throughout New York City. As a board member, Bria assists En Garde with fundraising, business strategy, event planning, and audience building. She recently took a family trip to Morocco and is looking forward to new travels this year.

’17 3 Members of the Class of 2017 celebrating their fifth Reunion in October 2022

2018

5th

Save the date – Better Together, The Potomac School’s 2023 Reunion, will be October 13-14.

Help lead the revelry! Join Hamilton Brooks and Amelia Mazloom as a Class Reunion Co-chair by emailing Laura Miller, director of alumni relations, at lmiller@potomacschool.org.

Class Correspondents Conor Havermann cwhavermann1016@gmail.com Sara Kowalik sarakowalik2018@gmail.com Ryan Lovallo ryanlovallo@gmail.com Jacqueline Olson jaolson423@gmail.com This May, Nadia Scharpf will graduate from Tulane University’s 4+1 Master of Accounting Program with both a Bachelor of Science in Management with a marketing major and a Master of

Accounting. She will be moving to New York City in the fall to start working in PwC’s audit practice and is currently studying to get her CPA license.

2019

Class Correspondents Margot Labrecque margotmail2@gmail.com

Doug Cobb writes, “I’m happy to share that I will be starting a new position as technical solutions engineer at Epic, located in Wisconsin, this summer.

2020

Class Correspondents Amelia Cook amelia.cook630739@tufts.edu Caroline Lay layca@bc.edu Caroline Otteni caroline.otteni@tcu.edu

SPRING 2023

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class notes

2021

Class Correspondents Lucy Goldberg Lucy.Goldberg.25@cmc.edu Will Fearey feareyw25@mail.wlu.edu Rachael Fields rmfields19@gmail.com Maya Sardar mmsardar@email.wm.edu

2022

Class Correspondents Bunny Cameron Fcameron@colgate.edu Emily Raman Emily.Raman@tufts.edu Clay Socas robert.d.socas.26@dartmouth.edu Madelyn Bonadio continues to pursue her love of dance at McGill University in Montréal, Canada. At the beginning of her first year, Madelyn auditioned for and joined McGill’s only ballet-style dance group, Alegria Contemporary Ballet

Company. She quickly integrated into the group and became its vice president for fundraising. Madelyn has also learned about business and marketing through this role, as she continues to express herself through the art of dance and immerse herself in studying international development.

Through successful fundraising sales, strengthening her French through business relations, and teaching classes to the greater McGill community, Madelyn has thrived in experiential learning.

Kennedy Ferguson started her college experience at Pennsylvania State University as one of the 60 students selected out of a first-year class of 16,000 to be a part of the Equity Scholars Program. Through this accomplishment, she has earned a full-tuition scholarship that will carry her through all four years of her college experience. Kennedy maintains a high GPA and earned a place on the Dean’s List for her first semester as a member of the Schreyer Honors College.

Kennedy has a passion for animals and exotic wildlife conservation and is now pursuing both a biology major with a

concentration in ecology and a visual arts minor. This upcoming summer, Kennedy is excited to embark on an exciting new learning experience, 7,542 miles from her campus. She has been accepted by the School for Field Studies (SFS) to study elephant ecology in Kenya. Her experience will include visiting national parks and reserves, meeting local Maasai people, developing an understanding of sustainability and wildlife conservation efforts, and conducting fieldwork, all while earning college credit.

Hadley Husisian spent her summer preparing for senior World Championships in fencing but was ultimately unable to compete due to contracting COVID. Since arriving at Princeton University this past fall, she has been studying history with the intent of one day entering law school, and has continued traveling internationally for competitions with the goal of maintaining her position as the number one fencer worldwide in the under-20 age category.

Hadley plans to take a gap year in 2023-24 to attempt to qualify for the Paris Olympics.

in memoriam Anne Coleman ’76 sister of Craig Coleman ’79, Bruce Coleman ’73, Chris Seymour ’68, and Peter Seymour ’67 Eda Darneille Doyle ’54 sister of Anne Darneille Snodgrass ’62 and Virginia Darneille Estes ’53 Peter Douglas ’65 son of Mary Douglas, trustee emeritus; brother of Kate Douglas Torrey ’62 Patricia Gesell ’57 sister of Peter Gesell ’54 Salome “Bodie” Hein former faculty member Edie Kauffmann ’60 Eleanor Lombard former faculty member; mother of John Lombard ’81 and Laura Lombard ’77

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THE POTOMAC TERM

James Lowe ’52 father of Amanda Lowe ’93, Elizabeth Lowe ’84, and Jamie Lowe ’80; brother of Elizabeth Lowe ’53 and Susan Lowe Kilbourne ’50; uncle of Mackie Collon-Gardner ’90 Conrad Skinner ’66 son of Judith Skinner, former faculty member; brother of Nathaniel Skinner ’71 and Grahman Skinner ’67 Moira Symanski former faculty member; mother of Katharine McHugh ’94 Nathaniel Thayer ’75 brother of Margaret Thayer ’78, Marian Thayer Vito ’72, and Robert Thayer ’71 Terry Winslow ’58 brother of Belinda Winslow ’60; uncle of Alexandra Harvey ’73

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