Potomac Term Spring 2026

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J O URN AL ISM

THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF

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The

Reunion 2026 • OCTOBER 16-17 Celebrating Classes Ending in 1 and 6

1976

1981

1986

1991

1996

2001

2006

2011

2016

2021

Honoring all classes

have celebrated 1971 1946 that their 50th Reunion and beyond!

1951 1966 1956 1961

Scan the QR code to register.

For questions, contact Laura Miller, director of alumni relations, at lmiller@potomacschool.org or (703) 749-6356.

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LETTER FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL J O H N

K O W A L I K

THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF THE POTOMAC SCHOOL S PR I NG 2 0 2 6 HEA D OF S C HO OL John Kowalik DI R EC TOR OF A DVA NC EMENT Heather Pearce DI R EC TOR OF ALU M NI R ELATI ONS Laura Miller

STRIVING TOWARD

Our Highest Ideals

DI R EC TOR OF COMM U NI C ATI ON S Megan Corey A S S I STA NT DI R EC TOR O F C R EATI V E S ERV ICE S Martha Madrid E DI TOR I A L STR ATEGY Dan Morell www.dogearcreative.com DES I G N PA RTNER Lilly Pereira www.aldeia.design WR I TER S Maggie Bullock Brittany Carroll ’07 Marisa Demers Rita Deurdulian Anna Fiorentino April White Helena Zhai ’27 PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ILLUSTRATORS Nasser Akkari Louisa Cannell ’09 Bill Cardoni Becky Cullinan Rita Deurdulian Michael Edwards Fried Cactus Studio Valerie Plesch ’98 Kathryn Rathke Loretta Sevier

The Term is published twice a year. We welcome class notes, comments, and story ideas at term@potomacschool.org.

Please submit changes of address or missing or duplicate copies to alumni@potomacschool.org.

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This year, the United States marks the 250th anniversary of our founding—our semiquincentennial, a milestone that invites both celebration and reflection. We can take pride in the principles on which our country was built: liberty, equality, and the pursuit of a more perfect union.

At the same time, anniversaries like this remind us that those ideals require continual effort and renewal.

The road to independence was neither simple nor swift. Long before 1776, leaders and citizens debated, disagreed, and wrestled with difficult questions about freedom and self-governance. When the Declaration of Independence finally gave voice to a new nation’s aspirations, it expressed not a finished achievement but a bold and enduring promise. For 250 years, Americans have been endeavoring to live up to that promise more fully.

At Potomac, the lessons of history are more than dates and events. They help us understand how communities grow, change, and strive toward their ideals. Just as our nation continues to be a work in progress, so too is our school. We are fortunate to have a beautiful campus, extraordinary teachers, and motivated students who care deeply about learning and each other. Yet, like the United States, we continually seek to live up to our highest aspirations. Our core values—respect, integrity, perseverance, courage, and humility—are not values we simply admire; they are habits we practice daily, shaping who we are and who we hope to become.

May this anniversary inspire us all to recommit to the ongoing work of building communities and a country that more fully reflect our ideals.

FOLLOW US:

At Potomac, the lessons of history are more than dates and events.

They help us understand how communities grow, change, and strive toward their ideals.

/ThePotomacSchool

@potomacschool

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Contents

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F E A T U R E S

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Trusted Sources Josh Stinchcomb ’91 believes trust and innovation are helping journalism meet the moment

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The Long Game Leigh Ernst Friestedt ’85 is using her on-field intuition to challenge a multibilliondollar NCAA settlement— and defend the future of Title IX

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Call of the Wild Nature’s Best Photography co-founder Steve Freligh ’71 on the deep impact of the living world

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WA LK OF LIFE

Who cracked the case in Clue?

06 Traditions Outdoor classrooms 07 Agenda The daily life of Jocey Wallace ’32 08 Syllabus Doug Cobb—The physics of being known 10 Pulse What’s one small thing you do every day that makes a big difference?

11 Game Day Lance Weimer ’27 is stepping on the court to win 12 In Motion Experience the latest campus happenings

16 Currents Meaghan Kiernan Sparkman ’05— From student to shark

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BE YO N D

Take two, Kid Again, with Katie Schluntz ’15 and Theo Mendez ’15 36 Echoes A look back through the Potomac lens 37 Class Notes Catch up on the latest news 72 Crossroads The years that answer, with Brittany Carroll ’07

SPRING 2026 THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF THE POTOMAC SCHOOL

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D E P A R T M E N T S

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Term The Term cultivates community and connection through impactful storytelling and informative news and is published twice a year for alumni, parents, students, faculty, staff, and friends of The Potomac School.

On the cover: Josh Stinchcomb ’91 PHOTO BY BILL CARDONI

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Who Cracked the Case?

The Upper School Theatre Arts cast brought mayhem and mischief to the stage in Clue, racing against time to unmask the murderer at Boddy Manor. Scarlet, Plum, White, Green, Peacock, Mustard, Yvette, and Wadsworth kept the audience guessing—and laughing—until the very last twist in this madcap comedy.

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TRADITIONS OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS

Where the Trails Become the Classroom B Y

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At Potomac, the woods are not a backdrop.

They are part of the classroom experience.

On a 90-acre campus shaped by trails, streams, ponds, and outdoor gathering spaces, students learn early that education at Potomac does not stop at the classroom door. In the Lower School, that idea is quite literal—every classroom has a door that opens directly outdoors, making nature an immediate extension of the learning environment. Students head outside with rain boots, binoculars, and nets in hand, ready to observe, collect, and ask questions. Middle School students scramble over rocks, build forts, and make the woods part of recess.

In the Intermediate School, seventh graders adopt a tree and track its changes through the seasons using photographs, soil tests, and data collection. Upper School students sketch, paint, read, and reflect outdoors. Across all four divisions, the natural landscape is not an occasional enrichment activity. It is woven into daily life and into the habits of attention, curiosity, and stewardship that Potomac hopes to cultivate.

“For a school to be so close to a city, which already has so much to offer, and also be near beautiful lands with two ponds and a stream, is special,” says Mary Cahill, science teacher and academic coordinator in the Intermediate School.

She has spent decades helping students see the campus not simply as scenery but as a place to investigate and understand.

At Potomac, students are invited to look

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closely, whether that means tracking a tree over time or noticing how the woods change from season to season.

That vision has deep roots. When Potomac moved from Washington, DC, to its McLean campus in 1951, Headmistress Carol Preston recognized that the land itself could shape the student experience. In the 1950s, environmental science teacher Duryea “Dur” Morton established trails through the woods and around the ponds and streams, creating a tradition of outdoor education that continues today. Over time, students and faculty have helped build and care for the campus, from planting trees and ground cover to improving trails, bridges, and outdoor classrooms. What began as a practical use of the school’s natural surroundings became something more enduring: a philosophy that serious learning can happen in direct contact with the natural world.

That legacy remains visible across campus. Potomac has multiple outdoor classrooms, and the Morton Deck, built in 1998 in honor of Dur Morton, has served for decades as a place for classes, reading, conversation, and gatherings around the fire pit. Annual traditions

such as Fall Frolics and May Day draw the community outdoors as well, reinforcing the connection between the school’s culture and its landscape.

At a moment when so much of childhood is mediated by screens and schedules, Potomac’s woods offer something increasingly rare: the chance to notice, to learn through direct experience, and to feel a lasting connection to the natural world. For generations of students, the trails have been more than a beloved feature of campus. They have been a place to test ideas, build confidence, and develop the kind of attentiveness that lasts well beyond school.

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AGENDA

Jocey Wallace

M I D D L E S C H O O L S T U D E N T, G R A D E 6

6:00 AM Refreshingly Routine. “My alarm goes off, and I sometimes give myself five more minutes before starting my skincare routine.”

6:30 AM Self-Starter. “I prepare everything myself: breakfast, pack a snack—usually juice and GoGo squeeZ—get my water bottle ready…and wait for my older brother, who takes longer than me! Then my dad drives us to the bus stop. We usually eat in the car, but it’s a phonefree zone.”

7:00 AM ¡Buenos días! “I open Duolingo Spanish to continue my streak as soon as I am on the bus! I play games with the younger girls since there are no other Middle Schoolers on my route.”

THEN AND NOW: In 1958, science teacher Dur Morton helped shape Potomac’s natural science curriculum and, with students, built the nature trails that still wind through our campus woodlands. Today, science teacher Steve Wolfe carries that spirit forward through outdoor learning.

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8:00 AM Arrival Games. “At school, I head to Chester Gym and look for my friends so we can all play Sharks and Minnows until the bell rings and school begins.”

8:15 AM Molding My Way. “We have our morning meeting, and then I love my first block: Art with Ms. Dunkleberger.

I hope we are clay sculpting today because I can make whatever I’d like— and it’s usable!”

10:00 AM Forward Thinking.

“I love PE time. I like sports, even if I’m not good yet, because it helps me figure out what I want to do next year in Intermediate School.

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Right now, fall soccer is on my radar. I’ve played since I was five. But I am already thinking about theater for my winter option…but that’s next year.”

11:25 AM Let’s Lunch. “Butter chicken day!”

3:30 PM Disciplined and Diligent. “On the bus home, it’s usually the same routine. We play 20 questions a lot. Once I’m home, I don’t usually have a lot of homework, but I try to get right into it as soon as I have my after-school snack.”

5:30 PM Multitalented. “It’s Tuesday, and I have ballet today. Soccer season hasn’t started yet, so I am more available during the week, especially since Saturdays are typically filled with dance practice (hiphop, modern, and jazz).”

7:30 PM Playfully Competitive. “For family time, we like to have a movie night or play games—all the games get very competitive, especially Jenga and 5 Second Rule.”

8:30 PM Artistically Inspired: “As I get ready for bed, I listen to music— SZA is my favorite right now. I sing all over the house. I miss being in the Washington Revels, but I sadly aged out. I just started trying to rap and am working on getting better. There’s a Stranger Things recap rap by Millie Bobby Brown that I’ve almost perfected!”

9:00 PM Lights Out! “Skincare is done, and it’s time to sleep!”

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SYLLABUS DOUG COBB

The Physics of Being Known B Y

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In physics, the observer effect suggests that the mere act of watching a phenomenon inevitably changes it. Doug Cobb, Potomac’s science chair and a veteran of the Upper School since 1997, spends his days teaching honors physics students about these laws of the universe. But in his role as an advisor, he practices a different kind of observation—one in which the goal isn’t to change the student but to provide the steady gravitational pull they need to stay on track.

On a typical Thursday morning at Potomac, the hallway outside Doug’s classroom is a blur of energy. But as his advisees stroll into his room for Advisory, the atmospheric pressure changes.

“Sometimes the students come in a little harried, a little frantic,” he confides. “But by the last five minutes, the temperature drops. They’ve had a snack, they’ve talked to their friends, and they’ve talked to me.

It’s a stress reliever. It has to be.”

A FOUR-YEAR CONSTANT Many independent schools in the United States incorporate advisory programs to provide small-group mentorship, socialemotional support, and academic guidance.

These programs typically pair a faculty member with a group of students.

According to Doug, the magic of the Advisory program lies in its longitudinal nature. Unlike at schools where advisors are assigned by grade level—a revolving door of mentors for each year of high school—at Potomac, Doug meets a group of around 10 ninth graders and stays with them until Commencement, and beyond in many cases.

“When Potomac shifted to the fouryear Advisory model, it was huge,” Doug

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The Cobb Mob

While Potomac has initiatives for socialemotional learning and inclusion built into its curriculum, Doug is wary of being “too programmatic.” He prefers to keep the guardrails wide and know his audience.

“Our Upper Schoolers are sophisticated,” Doug says. “They can tell if you’re reading from a script. If you aren’t genuinely who you are, you aren’t going to get anywhere with them.”

Instead, the bond is built in the unstructured moments: the inside jokes, the shared frustrations over a rough week, and the simple ritual of snacking together.

“You see kids who aren’t in the same social circle become incredibly close by senior year,” Doug notes. “They have different interests, different sports, different friend groups. But in this room, they’re just the group (or Cobb Mob). I’ve had alums tell me their biggest regret was not meeting people outside their circle sooner. Advisory does that work for them.”

explains. “You aren’t just a face they see for 10 months. You become a fixture in their lives.”

This isn’t just a theory to him. He is still in touch with his very first Advisory group— members of the Class of 2001. Those former students are now in their early 40s, yet the bond remains.

“There are kids in those groups I never actually taught in a physics lab,” he says. “If I weren’t an advisor, I would have missed them entirely. You realize that a student might struggle in a lab but be an absolute leader in service learning or on the field. You see the whole person.”

A BALANCE OF SUPPORT AND CHALLENGE Doug views the school’s mission through the lens of a balance scale: support on one side, challenge on the other. “We want to challenge kids to go further than they think they can,” he says. “But if it’s all challenge, they break down. If it’s all support, they don’t grow.”

The Advisory program is the support side of that equation. It’s the safety net that allows the academic rigors of Potomac to exist. As the primary point of contact for parents and a sounding board for other teachers, the advisor acts as a central hub. If a student is failing to turn in homework, Doug doesn’t just see a missing assignment. He knows the context—the stress at home, the injury on the field, a late-night rehearsal.

“What’s the value of Potomac beyond the transcript?” he asks. “The kids are going to get the grades. They’re going to build incredible resumes. But the real value is that they feel known. There was an adult who valued them for more than their performance in the classroom.”

THE PHYSICS OF CONNECTION After nearly 30 years, Doug hasn’t taken a break from advising. He’s seen the program evolve, but the core remains: Showing up and being real. “Just be yourself,” he says. “The kids want to know us as much as we want to know them.”

As his current advisees head to their next block, they leave his room a little more grounded than when they entered. In Doug’s world, that’s the most important result of the day. No formula required.

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PULSE

What’s one small thing you do every day that makes a big difference?

Big impact doesn’t always come from big gestures.

We asked members of our community to reflect on the small, daily practices that make a meaningful difference.

NANCY H AM ILTO N S HE PARD ’ 4 6 Alum, Class of 1946 Each day, I write a simple to-do list in a notebook.

Taking a few minutes each morning to write things down—whether it’s writing to Potomac classmates, responding to a friend, or heading to choir practice— brings clarity to my day and helps me move forward with intention.

DR . A LE X SU N DMA N Assistant Head of School for Academics I try to learn one real thing about a colleague, friend, or student each day. Not their role but their story. A wonder, a worry, a weekend plan. People are endlessly surprising when you ask and stay still to listen. These small conversations teach me more than any book or podcast. They remind me how much I don’t know—and how much wider the world becomes when I admit it.

E VA N F LOWE R S Student, Grade 7 One small thing I do every day that makes a big difference is greeting someone with a smile and specifically asking how their day is going.

When I was younger, my mom taught me to be friendly and respectful and to treat others as you wish to be treated. I practice this daily, and I’ve noticed over the years that it makes a big difference and can brighten a person’s entire day!

SA N I L PATE L Associate Director of College Counseling Every day, I make time to read with my 1.5-year-old son.

He insists on choosing the book himself, which usually means The Very Hungry Caterpillar on an endless loop.

At this point, I have memorized the caterpillar’s entire diet in order but continue to act surprised. With him on my lap, turning the same pages, I try to stay present, knowing these small moments subtly build into a lifetime of curiosity, comfort, and wonder.

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I L L U S T R AT I O N S B Y K AT H RY N R AT H K E

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G A M E D AY SQUASH

Lance Weimer ’27 Lance Weimer ’27, a Potomac Lifer, became more serious about squash as an Intermediate School student. His awareness and appreciation for the game came from his mother’s side of the family, who grew up in Egypt, widely regarded as the capital of modern squash. Lance also plays football and lacrosse at Potomac, but he cites squash for “sharpening his mental game in a different way.”

“ You can play just to play, but I’m stepping on that court to win.”

MENTAL WARRIOR : “In squash, when things go wrong, there’s no one else to point to. You own the mistakes, but you also own the victories. We are a team, but ultimately, my performance depends on my ability to show up mentally.”

IGNORING THE NUMBERS: “Squash has player rankings, but I don’t pay attention to that because it doesn’t tell the whole story. I don’t want that stuff getting in my head or psyching me out.”

PRO -LEVEL RESPEC T: “Paul Coll of New Zealand is the best of the best. When I first saw his highlight reel, he had these crazy athletic plays and hitting shots. His athleticism is insane. To be a pro at any level, it takes a ridiculous amount of drive and dedication—I really respect that.”

PRE-MATCH PLAYLIST: “I like to listen to relaxing music before each match—usually Bob Marley or something instrumental. Nothing too aggressive. The calmer the music, the easier it is to focus on the work ahead.”

P O ST-MATCH REWARD: “When my match is over, I try to grab fruit from the snacks at the court, but all I really want are my dad’s smashburgers—they’re the best.”

SMELL S LIKE TEAM SPIRIT: “As co-captain, my teammate Miqy ’26 and I try to set the tone. There’s a fine line between being a buzzkill leader and a fun one. We want to push the team to be their best without making them lose their love for the game.”

FLOW STATE OF MIND: “Stretching is huge for me. I like to find a different space other than the court to help me focus on getting loose so I can play longer and play well.”

S COUTING THE GLAS S WALL S: “During the four minutes allotted for warmups, I spend that time gauging my opponent’s level and talking strategy with my coach. You can play just to play, but I’m stepping on that court to win.”

SAFETY NET: “Sports are unpredictable. When I’m struggling, my family and friends are there to catch me. That support is what allows me to push others. Being a captain means being that same safety net for my teammates.”

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IN MOTION

Potomac students are embracing a year full of exploration and connection during the 2025–26 school year. From field trips and service learning projects to performing in the band and gathering for assemblies, there’s something for everyone. Fall Frolics brought laughter with the Llamas, LS Carols sparked festive joy, and winter athletics kept energy high. Inside the classroom or out, Potomac students are learning and growing together.

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1. Upper School service learning in action 2. Virtual reality adventures on a field trip 3. Something smells fishy in science 4. IS Band rocking their winter concert 5. Guess who? Lion or kindergartner

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6. Fall Frolics fun with the Llamas 7. Joyful fun at Lower School Carols 8. Jumping for the Heart Assembly 9. Varsity Girls Squash crowned national champions

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CURRENTS

From Student to Shark Meaghan Kiernan Sparkman ’05 Brings Insight to Shark Tank B Y

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This winter marked a full-circle return for alumna Meaghan Kiernan Sparkman ’05, who was invited to serve as a guest judge for the Entrepreneurship, Finance, Economics, and Business (EFEB) concentration’s mock Shark Tank competition. Her expertise in long-term business strategy, brand growth, marketing, and commercial development offered EFEB students the opportunity to pitch their ideas to an experienced business leader in exchange for valuable feedback.

In her professional career, Meaghan currently serves as head of strategy and transformation for the Americas at Nestlé Waters and Premium Beverages and as head of marketing for Essentia Water. Her return to Potomac provided students with the chance to connect with an accomplished alumna whose continued involvement with the Upper School community reflects the enduring ties between Potomac and its alumni.

After graduating from Potomac in 2005, Meaghan studied art history at Wake Forest University before continuing to the University of Virginia to pursue a PhD in art and architectural history. After completing her master’s, Meaghan pivoted, crossing the grounds to UVA’s Darden School of Business to earn her MBA. From there, she entered the consumer goods industry, working in marketing and strategy at Campbell Soup Company before joining Nestlé.

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MEAGHAN ON MENTORSHIP:

“ The most valuable mentors are often people who will go to bat for you in rooms that you’re not in.”

which she hopes the next generation can leverage. Meaghan also reflected on the role mentorship has played in her own journey. As a student at Potomac, she credits her “incredibly empathetic, intelligent, and supportive” advisor with helping her build confidence and imagine new possibilities for her future. “Having someone believe in you can make you believe in yourself, [even when doing] something that you’ve never done before,” she said.

That early experience shaped her view of mentorship as a layered support system rather than a single guiding voice. Senior mentors can guide you and provide direction, while peers serve as collaborative mentors you can bounce ideas off of. “You need all these different people in your life,” Meaghan noted, emphasizing that professional growth happens with building connections and relationships with mentors. The value of a mentor, in her view, extends past face-to-face advice to the advocacy that happens out of sight.

The most valuable mentors, she noted, are often “people who will go to bat for you in rooms that you’re not in,” an extremely powerful form of support.

Returning to the ever-evolving campus as an alumna and a parent to one Potomac Lower and one Middle Schooler, Meaghan said she was most struck by what has remained consistent at Potomac. “What I truly love is what stayed the same,” she said, pointing to the school’s consistent emphasis on excellence, well-roundedness, and generosity of spirit. With her own children as students, Meaghan said, she hopes the next generation carries forward the same mindset that shaped her experience: a commitment to lifelong learning and growth. Her return to campus as a “shark” on the judging panel offered students an example of how the values developed at Potomac can serve them far beyond graduation.

As a seasoned business strategist, Meaghan evaluated student pitches using the same three-step framework she applies to professional business proposals: “Should we do it? Can we do it? And can we make money?” These questions determine whether a product addresses a meaningful problem, can be realistically executed, and has longterm potential—what she considers the “three most essential components of creating a strong business.” Passion and team commitment, she added, are equally critical because they generate the “momentum behind a priority,” a collective drive to get things done.

EFEB teams were challenged to meet this rigorous standard, and according to Meaghan, they delivered. She praised students for their dedication to market research, for knowing their consumers, and for finding “a compelling pain point for consumers within the marketplace that wasn’t served by another product.” Equally impressive was their willingness to refine their ideas through trial and error. Several teams demonstrated how “it wasn’t prototype one that worked,” walking the judges through the lessons they learned from early setbacks and the product iterations that followed. By the end of the event, Meaghan noted, teams had “really brought to life their ideas in a strong way,” turning them About the author: Helena Zhai, a junior into well-executed business models. at Potomac, serves as a co-editor-in-chief A key theme throughout her Shark for The Current, the school’s student Tank judging experience was mentorship, newspaper.

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TRUSTED SOURCES STORY BY MAGGIE BULLOCK

Josh Stinchcomb ’91 believes trust and innovation are helping journalism meet the moment

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PHOTOS BY BILL CARDONI

On “state of the news” panel discussions at events like the World Economic Forum in Davos and the Cannes Lions Festival in the South of France, Josh Stinchcomb ’91 regularly finds himself making an impassioned case against the practice of “news avoidance.”→

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He’s not referring to the public’s news consumption but, rather, to corporate worries that news is a potentially risky environment for advertisers— that placing glossy campaigns next to journalism on serious or politically divisive topics risks tarnishing the image of, say, BMW or IBM. Josh says news avoidance is just one of the “real existential threats to independent journalism” that has decimated news organizations across the country.

As the global chief revenue officer of The Wall Street Journal and its parent company, Dow Jones, taking up this cause is “somewhat in my own interest,” Josh admits. “But it’s also in the general interest of wanting quality journalism to exist, for the sake of society.”

Josh occupies a rare perch in the news business: He has a clear view of the multiple crises facing the fourth estate and a powerful platform from which to advocate on its behalf. But he’s also in a position of relative safety, helping to steer one of the industry’s largest, most stable operations into the future.

Indeed, Dow Jones is enjoying a very successful stretch in its history. And with a global news staff servicing more than four million paid subscribers, the Journal boasts the kind of resources that other outlets can only dream of. “Knock on wood, we are in an enviable position of being profitable and growing,” he says. “But there aren’t many of us in that position.”

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longtime veteran of Condé Nast— where, among other things, he got a front-row seat to the digital revolution on the publishing side of Wired—Josh made the leap to Dow Jones seven years ago. The role puts him face-to-face with CMOs and CEOs all over the globe “to better understand what they’re after, what their problems are, and how we might be able to help.” This not only affords him a unique perspective on the geopolitics of, say, Japan or the Middle East—an education that never ends— but is often one of the most fun parts of his job: the creative challenge of strategizing the best way to position a brand’s message and zeroing in on whom,

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exactly, a client should target next. The fact-finding involved is “almost like playing the journalist,” he says. And the end result can be thrilling. “You come up with an idea in your head and then translate that into someone giving you a substantial investment.

Where else does that happen?”

Of course, in today’s news business—and particularly in the unique, multifaceted business model of Dow Jones—selling ads is only one piece of a portfolio as diversified as the modern reader’s TikTok-ified media diet. Josh’s teams sell event sponsorships, “branded content” (custom advertising designed by Dow Jones’ nearly

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100-person team of in-house creatives), and membership to a growing cadre of “executive councils” at which C-suiters network at Journalthemed summits and dinners around the world.

Meanwhile, on the Dow Jones side, they trade in both risk and compliance as well as energy data— everything from lists of corporate board members on the Russian sanctions list to the price of every gallon of gas sold in the United States. This information is aggregated, analyzed, and packaged for financial institutions, multinational corporations, and energy companies looking to cut smarter, more secure deals.

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The biggest wins, Josh says, come from crafting “uber deals” that bundle, for example, customized advertising with energy data and corporate access to Factiva, Dow Jones’ global news and business information database.

With all of these divisions servicing literally thousands of customers, Josh’s energies are focused on the bigger picture: strategizing to stay ahead of a rapidly shifting advertising industry and, often, serving as a public face of Dow Jones, advocating for its capabilities—and those of news in general—as a place for corporations to invest and partner.

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Relative to other categories like entertainment and sports, “news is underinvested in,” he says.

This doesn’t just impact media companies, he argues. It’s a detriment to potential advertisers, preventing them from effectively reaching their audiences. And with more than 3,200 American print newspapers shuttering since 2005—vanishing at a rate of more than two per week, according to a 2024 report from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism—ultimately, it hurts us all, he says.

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hat Dow Jones is really selling is trust—a commodity in increasingly short supply. In a Pew survey from last fall, only 56 percent of respondents said they had “a lot of” or “some” trust in the information they get from national news organizations—down 11 percentage points from a survey done six months prior, and 20 points lower than the same survey in 2016. That trust, Josh says, has “been diminished by the proliferation of bad actors and bad content and misinformation—things that are almost designed to obfuscate and confuse.”

Unfortunately, it’s about to get even harder to spot a fake. “We’re about to have a wave of that [misinformation] on steroids,” he says, thanks to a tsunami of AI-generated content, some of it amplified by “bad actors, from the sovereign level all the way down to the hacker level.”

Ironically, Josh sees at least part of the solution in artificial intelligence itself. The first step of safeguarding trust “is being sure that everything we do—any piece of news that we create, data that we sell, or analysis that we do—is so incredibly wellvetted and researched that we can stand behind it 100 percent.” Even for an organization as robust as the Journal, that’s time-consuming and expensive.

Some of the cost savings to cover it, he says, will come from using AI to “accelerate processes that can be accelerated, so more time can be spent on reporting and confirmation of sources.”

Journal editor-in-chief Emma Tucker, who came aboard in 2023, has won praise for making the paper’s tone a little less stuffy and more palatable to a digital-age audience. Part of that has involved implementing AI. Already, as loyal Journal readers will know, many articles start with a series of TL;DR bullet points, which are AI generated. (Somewhat counterintuitively, Josh says the average “scroll depth,” or how far readers actually get into a story, has increased since adding these synopses.)

The editorial team is already using AI software to scan articles for hidden bias, catching any hint of opinion that might creep into the news, bypassing

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the filters of both reporters and editors. Josh says that knowing that news reporting is separate from opinion, which, at the Journal, is generated by a team that lives on a separate floor from the news and that is helmed by a different editor, is another reason that Journal readers have kept the faith.

Talking to him, it’s clear that these are just the beginning of the AI transformations to come. “You can imagine a world where, as generative AI gets better, every article the Journal writes, you may be able to listen to, watch, get those bullet points, or read the whole thing,” he says. The Journal will serve the news any way you want it.

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he paper has a track record of early adoption. In 1996, it became one of the first to implement a paywall—a move widely predicted to be the death of its business, which is now considered prescient. It’s the primary reason why, as thousands of papers across the country folded, the Journal kept making money.

Still, Josh says that the media’s embrace of this brave new world can be uneasy at times. In 2024, News Corp (which encompasses The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, and New York Post, in addition to British and Australian publications) announced the beginning of a “beautiful friendship,” opening up its publications’ archives to Sam Altman’s OpenAI— reportedly for a fee of $250 million over five years.

A few months later, the company sued artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI for allegedly scraping news articles from its sites—and doing so without permission, or payment.

“That’s the great paradox of AI,” Josh says. “It has the risk of completely blowing up any sense of trust people have in content. But also, properly wielded, it can be a great tool, ensuring that what you’re doing has been vetted as deeply as it can be.”

To those who worry about what kind of future remains for the next generation of would-be journalists and news execs, Josh’s outlook is optimistic, if not exactly rosy. The industry will almost certainly continue to shrink, he says, with fewer journalistic outlets offering fewer opportunities. But on the positive side, “I think the jobs that remain will be more interesting. The caliber of people the industry attracts will be at an all-time high. That’s invigorating to me.”

Besides, “there is a higher calling to this work,” he says. That’s not enough to keep a business afloat, as recent history has shown. “But if you can find a situation, as I have here,” where you can be creative in a successful, growing business “and at the same time do something that’s important to society writ large,” Josh says, “I would argue that’s a trifecta.”

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That’s the great paradox of AI. It has the risk of completely blowing up any sense of trust people have in content. But also, properly wielded, it can be a great tool, ensuring that what you’re doing has been vetted as deeply as it can be.”

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STORY BY

April White I L LUSTR ATI O NS BY

Louisa Cannell ’09

THE LONG GAME

Leigh Ernst Friestedt ’85 is using her on-field intuition to challenge a multibillion-dollar NCAA settlement— and defend the future of Title IX

O N AP RI L 7, 2025, Leigh Ernst Friestedt ’85 stood before a federal judge in Oakland, California, in the hope of halting a multibilliondollar legal settlement that could fundamentally remake college sports.

Leigh was one of 14 people selected to speak in opposition to a deal negotiated between the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the United States’ most prominent college athletic conferences, and a legal class of elite student-athletes who had sued to be compensated for the use of their names, images, and likenesses in broadcasts, sponsorship deals, and other commercial endeavors. Leigh addressed the court on behalf of her clients, four women playing Division I college sports who would receive little or no payment under the terms of the headline-making agreement generally known as the House settlement.

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Such would be the case for most women athletes who had competed on top college teams over the past decade. Though they made up 47 percent of the class, women would receive only 4 percent of the settlement money—a distribution Leigh argued was a clear violation of Title IX, the civil rights statute that dramatically expanded opportunities for women in scholastic sports. Leigh supports payments to student-athletes, but she believes the unequal terms of the settlement could unravel more than 50 years of social progress.

“We’re advocating for an equal opportunity for women and girls—and not just the current women who are playing sports but the future women as well,” Leigh told the court.

“I think that it makes a huge statement when we say that the women are worth $102 million and that the men are worth $2.4 billion.”

Though few in the courtroom knew it, Leigh’s statements that day marked her first-ever appearance as a lawyer before the court. But it was a moment she had been—quite unintentionally—training for her entire life.

“I A M A TITLE IX K ID, ” Leigh says. She was born two years before the Education Amendments Act of 1972 was signed. That omnibus bill included Title IX, a small, largely unnoticed section that prohibited sex-based discrimination in any educational program receiving federal funding.

Drafters had crafted the 37-word provision to expand on Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which addressed sex-based discrimination in employment but did not apply to education. There was no specific mention of sports in the new law, but by the time Leigh started hitting a tennis ball off the wall of the garage at her home in Bethesda, Maryland, at the age of five, it had already become clear that Title IX would shape her scholastic athletic career.

Leigh was a natural athlete. She wasn’t the fastest on the court, but she

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had exceptional hand-eye coordination, which distinguished her even when she was so small that the wooden handle of a tennis racket had to be whittled down to fit her grasp. At The Potomac School, she discovered another advantage on the soccer field—her “game sense.” “I never ran to where the ball was,” she remembers. “I looked at the ten kids on the ball and thought, I don’t want to be in that pile. I want to be where the ball is going to be.” In seventh grade, Leigh transferred to Holton-Arms School, where she played soccer, basketball, and lacrosse and was a nationally ranked tennis player. “Being a studentathlete has been the cornerstone of my identity,” Leigh says.

At the time, Leigh didn’t realize that the athletic experiences that she now

credits with giving her confidence in the classroom and, later, in her career may not have been available to her at all if she had been born a decade earlier.

In 1970, before Title IX, about 300,000 girls in the United States participated in high school sports, compared to 3.7 million boys. By 1980, girls accounted for almost one in every three highschool athletes. (Today, about 44 percent of high school athletes are girls.)

Despite the increasing numbers, inequalities in sports remained, as Leigh saw firsthand when she was recruited to play Division 1 women’s lacrosse at Brown University in the 1990s. The top 10 team shared both its coaches and its uniforms with the school’s field hockey team. “We all

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“This is a long-term process,” says Leigh ... It could take years, but she sees a path to stronger Title IX protections and greater equality in collegiate sports as clearly as she saw an attack opportunity on the lacrosse field.

understood that the men’s lacrosse team was getting cleats and sticks and nice gear, and we had these stupid little gray [uniforms] that we would wear to practice,” she says. “We knew those things, and we actually just kind of laughed at them.”

As a college student, Leigh found it hard to see a path to remedying this imbalance, even as fellow Brown University student-athlete and gymnast Amy Cohen sued the school under Title IX after it cut funding for some women’s teams. Leigh went off to law school at Vanderbilt University with an eye toward becoming a sports agent, but ultimately decided to pursue a career in investment banking—an experience she now sees as key to understanding the financial model underlying the House settlement terms. After two decades in that field, she returned to sports, launching a digital media company during the 2008 economic downturn. Back on the field, covering college athletes as a member of the media, Leigh saw the same disparity in investment between men’s and women’s sports that she remembered from her playing days, but through a different lens. “It was eye-opening,” she says.

Through the 2010s, with the public popularity of women’s sports on the rise, it became increasingly clear to Leigh that there were legal remedies available to women athletes and a need for more Title IX attorneys who understood the current state of play in college sports, on and off the field. There was only one problem: Leigh was not a lawyer. She had never taken the bar.

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The pandemic gave her the opportunity to change that. When COVID-19 curtailed college sports, Leigh decided to get her law license.

She studied for the bar while working with Simpson Thacher & Bartlett on a Title IX case that resulted in a settlement to increase opportunities for girls’ sports at Hawaii’s largest high school. Leigh was sworn in to the New York bar in June 2024, mere weeks after the House settlement agreement was announced.

Representing student-athletes who objected to the settlement—including her niece, Katherine McCabe Ernst, a draw specialist on the Vanderbilt women’s lacrosse team that Leigh helped to establish in the 1990s—would become the new lawyer’s primary focus.

IN J UN E 2025, federal judge Claudia Wilken approved the House settlement Leigh had spoken against.

In doing so, Judge Wilken agreed that back payments to student-athletes were not subject to Title IX—a legal position that led to the vast disparities in compensation between men and women that Leigh had documented.

Leigh and her clients had expected the outcome.

Two weeks later, they filed an appeal at the Ninth Circuit, arguing that Title IX protections cannot be waived. “Title IX is not a negotiating chip,” Leigh wrote in a brief in the case. She argued that Title IX would have prohibited such inequality if the students had been paid appropriately in the first place, and therefore, the statute must be factored into damage awards.

“Anything less would sanction systemic discrimination and reverse decades of progress for women in education and athletics,” she wrote.

Leigh and many other observers believe that the name, image, and likeness payments—both past and future—as structured in the House settlement will reshape the business of college athletics, encouraging schools to cut non-revenue-generating sports, including many Olympic sports, in

order to have the money to compete for top student-athletes in revenuegenerating sports. Leigh predicts a sports landscape that “really quickly is all focused on men’s football and men’s basketball to the detriment of all of the other sports,” Leigh says.

That worry has opened a second avenue to block the settlement: an objection to a different provision that allows schools to pay current and future athletes over the next 10 years, up to a calculated annual cap. (About $20 million per school this academic year.) Those injunctive relief payments are dramatically skewed toward men—Leigh calculates that women will receive less than 10 percent of the payments—and also have resulted in fewer sporting opportunities for both men and women.

Among those Leigh represents in this issue are several women athletes from California Polytechnic State University who have Title IX claims.

The university cut its entire swimming program in 2025, citing the impending costs of the House settlement. She also represents male student-athletes in Olympic sports who are seeking to protect their participation opportunities and promised scholarships, which have been reduced or withdrawn as schools reallocate resources in response to the settlement.

“This is a long-term process,” says Leigh, who is pursuing these cases pro bono with help from students at Vanderbilt Law School. It could take years, but she sees a path to stronger Title IX protections and greater equality in collegiate sports as clearly as she saw an attack opportunity on the lacrosse field. “I use my game sense every single day. I’m constantly feeling out what’s going on in the field, trying to anticipate what’s going to happen,” she says.

Even as she files briefs and prepares for potential oral arguments before the Ninth Circuit, Leigh is anticipating these issues will be settled by the country’s highest court. “Everything that I do is positioned to go to the Supreme Court,” she says.

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Call of the Wild + Nature’s Best Photography co-founder Steve Freligh ’71 on the deep impact of the living world

STORY BY

Anna Fiorentino

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Growing up in McLean in the ’60s, then considered rural Virginia, Steve Freligh fell asleep with the whippoorwills and woke to the sound of the songbirds. In class at The Potomac School, he saw nature all around him as well. “Science teachers took us on trails. I collected tadpoles for Mrs. Foster’s science class and learned about rabbits and birds in the lower fields,” says Steve.

From the moment his art teacher, John Hebeler, simplified the concept of shutter speed, Steve was capturing images and stories off the grid, eventually tracking grizzly bears and bald eagles from a remote

cabin in Yellowstone. “The camera became an important tool in documenting my research and eventually led to me selling photos to magazines and traveling to places around the world,” he says.

“I was hooked.”

After a college internship, he worked his way up to the role of director of photography at the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), the country’s largest private nonprofit conservation education and advocacy organization. About 15 years into this work at the NWF, though, Steve went searching for his own narrative. In 1995, he launched Nature’s Best Photography magazine with his wife (and art director), Deborah, and with support from Nikon and an editor at National Geographic.

Thirty years later, Nature’s Best Photography is more than a visually stunning magazine: It has also become the host of a premier global competition, the prestigious Nature’s Best Photography International Awards, and a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that gives shutterbugs of all levels and backgrounds a platform for their work while offering its audience an intimate connection to nature.

“What we have treasured over the years is the immediate and long-lasting effect that a single image or film instills, inspiring discussions, new perspectives, and a greater understanding and appreciation of nature,” Steve says.

Included here is a selection of Nature’s Best Photography past award winners.

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Giraffes

by Thomas Nicholson

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+ Atlantic Puffin and Wild Iris

by Megan Lorenz The beak of an Atlantic puffin, sometimes called a horny bill, becomes as orange as a parrot’s during breeding season. Megan Lorenz captured this “clown of the sea” in Newfoundland while perched on the edge of a cliff trying to overcome her fear of heights.

When you slow down with wildlife, the unexpected happens. “I watched this puffin pull a wild iris from the ground and walk along the hillside toward me.

He stopped for a moment, giving me just enough time to capture him with blue sky in the background before he dropped the flower over the side, where his mate was waiting at the burrow entrance,” she recalled in a story published in the magazine.

Ring-Tailed Lemurs

by Andy Rouse Lemur pups are playful and rambunctious, always curious about the environment around them—that is, Madagascar. Found nowhere else in the wild, these adorable, feisty little critters, which have an almost feline-like appearance, are now endangered after a population drop of 50 percent in the past 30 years. An estimated 2,000 remain on the world’s fourth-largest island, and Andy Rouse managed to find them.

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Kit Foxes

by Brian Clopp The desert kit fox hides out so it can raise its pups away from predators in the shrublands of the Southwest and northern Mexico. These nocturnal animals, the smallest fox in North America at just 5.5 pounds, keep a low profile thanks in part to their digestive tract, of all things. Not requiring as much water as the rest of us—they absorb every drop they drink—keeps them safe. For this photo, Brian Clopp masterfully tracked down these little guys in Utah.

Green Sea Turtle

by Montse Grillo

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→

Polar Bear and Cubs

by Daisy Giardini Every February and March in Canada’s Wapusk National Park, polar bears emerge from their dens with their new cubs in minus-58-degree winds that can be unbearable for a human.

Bundling up and shivering was a small price to pay for a moment like this for photographer Daisy Giardini. Growing up in Switzerland, she imagined herself as a veterinarian, but it was running her own accounting firm that freed her up to go into the wild with her camera before becoming a full-time photographer focused on the polar regions.

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American Bison and Calf by Lara Ferraro

Once widespread across the grasslands and prairies of Alaska and northern Mexico, herds of American bison at one point faced extinction from overhunting, railroad expansion, and policies aimed at restricting Indigenous populations. But the resilient, shaggy, horned beasts—North America’s largest land mammals, weighing an impressive 2,400 pounds— are now returning to their prairie habitats through reintroduction. Lara Ferraro snapped this photo of a bison and her calf one misty morning on her drive through Yellowstone National Park after waiting at a distance patiently until, from the sleeping herd, the hungry little calf awoke and started nagging at its mom for milk.

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Emperor Penguins

by Stefan Christmann Stefan Christmann left for Antarctica with a team of scientists to learn about climate and the ocean. He came home with hundreds of photos of emperor penguins, which found their way onto a desk at the BBC Natural History unit. Stefan was asked to join a three-person BBC Natural History documentary film crew to track a colony of emperor penguins for an entire year. These unique creatures, endemic to Antarctica, are the world’s largest birds and are born right on floating platforms of ice. But their homes are melting. Emperor penguins face the threat of extinction from the effects of climate change, making this photo even more incredible. “One of the most crucial moments during the emperor penguin life cycle is the passing of the egg [so the female can] return to the sea to feed and regain energy,” explained Stefan in an article published in Nature’s Best Photography. “If the egg is left on the ground for too long, the embryo inside will be lost.

We found this emperor couple seemingly practicing the egg pass with a snowball instead of a real egg.”

Tundra Swan by Robert Irwin

Robert Irwin traveled to Oregon’s Klamath Basin to photograph bald and golden eagles. He left with this photograph of their prey: a swan escaping them in flight over a freezing marsh—one single bird with a perfectly symmetrical wingspan. >> To see more, visit Naturesbestphotography.org

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Beyond

Beyond Take Two, Kid Again Katie Schluntz ’15 and Theo Mendez ’15 have released their debut album with their new Los Angeles–based band, Kid Again.

The album is 15 years in the making, if you count back to their Upper School a cappella days at Potomac with Notables practicing for Winter Lights in the stairwell during break.

After Potomac, their musical journey continued. Both Katie and Theo attended Harvard, where they formed The Electricians, a college band that performed around campus and throughout the greater Boston area. After graduation, they went their separate ways: Katie to Mozambique to work in renewable energy development, then to Beijing to earn a master’s degree in China studies and economics; and Theo to New York and Los Angeles to work in venture capital, then in music at a record label.

Even while living in different places, they never stopped writing and sharing music.

Katie ultimately joined Theo in Los Angeles, and that’s when Kid Again was born. Their debut album, Again I Need Your Love, is a 10-track, self-produced labor of love recorded in backyard studios and bedrooms around Los Angeles.

You can listen online or catch them in person on their East Coast tour in June 2026, at kidagainband.com or on Instagram at @kidagainband.

Pictured: Kid Again—Mike Miller (left), Katie Schluntz (middle), and Theo Mendez (right)

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PHOTO BY NASSER AKKARI

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Clipping from Southern Daily Echo, Portland Street, Southampton — June 23, 1949

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Class Notes

D ON’ T SEE YOUR CLAS S 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 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.

1946

A Midnight Welcome in Southampton In June 1949, Potomac students in Senior Scout Troop 65 were greeted by local Sea Rangers as they began an international scouting adventure under the leadership of Potomac teacher Helen Seth-Smith.

Pictured: (Back row, left to right): Peggy Wilson ’48, Faith Young ’48, Ann Thoron ’43, Louise Landstreet, Miss Seth-Smith, Mimi Mackall ’48, Bobby Tindall; (Front row, left to right): Margo Butler ’48, Ann Wigglesworth ’48, Louise Hoover ’45, Betty Owens ’47, Georgia Glenn ’45, Nancy Hamilton ’46 P OTO MAC SC HO OL .ORG

Help Us Reconnect: If you are interested in volunteering to help 80TH REUNION reconnect with classmates for this Nancy Hamilton Shepherd historic gathering, please email nhshepherd31@gmail.com alumni@potomacschool.org.

Calling All Revelers: Your Reunion Hetty Mackay-Smith Abeles writes, Celebration is October 16–17, 2026. While “When Potomac School was on the we celebrate all our Reveler classes, we other side of the river on California want to extend a very special invitation Street in Washington, DC, I was 10 and to the Class of 1946 on your 80th lived in the Shenandoah Valley. I met Reunion. Eight decades of friendship is Alice Hendrick Hardigg ’44’s family, a rare and extraordinary milestone, and who invited me to live with them in we are eager to celebrate this historic Washington to attend Potomac. We occasion with you. were the best of friends all our lives!

At Potomac, I remember a goldfish We recognize that travel can be a tank that drew daily attention. challenge, but we would still love Outside, there was eager competition to honor this milestone together. To to scissor-kick jump the four-foot ensure every member of the Class bamboo cross-pole. After Potomac of ’46 can participate, we are providing came my mother’s school, Winsor a Zoom option so you can join School, in Boston. Due to 1940s gas the festivities and reconnect with rationing, Winsor offered a residence classmates from the comfort of home. It for 13 girls, where I stayed for five is going to be a truly special event, and years. I spent two springs in Paris at we want to make sure you are a part of it. art school, then studied agriculture

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

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Hetty Mackay-Smith Abeles ’46 (far right) with her daughter, Demaris Abeles ’79 and her granddaughter Lilia Sharp

and equine genetics at Cornell, Virginia Tech, and the University of Virginia.

In my late 20s, I started a Welsh Pony breed magazine. I lived in Washington for 35 years with my husband, Charles.

Our children, Nathaniel Abeles ’78, Damaris Abeles ’79, and Jessica Abeles-Wong ’84, all went to Potomac, then Milton Academy near Boston, and finally to UVA, Duke, and UVA, respectively. Currently, they live with their families in Washington, DC, VA, and NH. My two granddaughters and four grandsons (who all rode my ponies as children, and the girls still ride competitively) are all out of college or nearly so. I am very happy here on our family farm in the Shenandoah Valley, enjoying visits from the grandchildren and lots of extended family nearby.

Damaris and her husband, Brown, have paused their law practices to help run the farm’s equine, bovine, and hay crops. In 2026, we are expecting 18 foals, both small and large!”

Elizabeth (Betsy) Silver Alexander reports, “Last year, I moved from my condo (of 32 years in Menlo Park) to Oakmont, a retirement community. I had never gone away to summer camp or boarding school, so group living has been a new experience for me. But I’ve met some very interesting people and am enjoying myself a lot—no more grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, laundry, or worries about having to call 911. One of my new friends says it’s like living on a cruise ship that never docks! I’m renting my condo to a 95-year-old gentleman who has a live-in caretaker, so I don’t have to

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worry about him. He keeps trying to buy my place, but I’m not selling— my heirs can do that. All the best to everyone!”

Jerrie Kohlmeier Bartlett shares, “My Parkinson’s disease continues to bind me to my wheelchair, but I can still enjoy life: my iced coffee at dinner, visits with friends, listening to music, and—as always and of course—the constant support of my husband, Allen, who has been by my side for 68 years.

My joys include being with special friends that I’ve come to know here at Cathedral Village. I often tell my new friends all about my wonderful old friends at Potomac School. I fondly remember the playground at the back of the school; it would not be acceptable nowadays for us to play on that gravel ground!

Oh, and do you remember throwing water bombs down the air-way? Such memories!”

Judy Blair Green notes, “I don’t feel newsworthy, but hey, I’m still alive and fighting the good fight, which, for me, is keeping abreast of the (dreadful) news and sending checks to worthy Democratic candidates. My three kids, now all senior citizens themselves, are out of town but come monthly for visits, and I have a wonderful helper who comes in the mornings to get me up and ready for the world. Bravo to Nancy Hamilton Shepherd for getting our news by every means possible. She deserves a medal!”

Audrey Hadow Michie had yet another fun visit during the Christmas holidays this year with her oldest friend, Susie, sharing, “We reminisced over the times we spent together on Skye Farm in Paris, VA, and in Washington, DC, when my mother arranged for Susie to come to live with my family when we were young girls so she could continue going to school.

Every day, we would start out walking together and then part ways to go to our different schools. I have very happy memories of Potomac: walking to school (we lived on the same street as the school), wearing blue uniforms (one for summer and one for winter), singing hymns and other songs at assembly, and having nice friends. I remember especially liking my history and geography classes, drawing

pictures inspired by reading Beowulf and putting them up in the classroom, and reading French stories and A Tale of Two Cities as a summer assignment.

It is so nice to have kept up with Potomac School after all these years.”

Nancy Hamilton Shepherd writes, “Brrrrr. January started with about 20 inches of snow here in Stow, MA, and it has stayed cold and windy. During this last week of January, the nights have felt like 20 degrees below zero.

The wooden walkway to my house has been shoveled by three people: first by me, then by two kind neighbors.

I even have sand delivered by Boy Scouts doing their good deeds. I’ve had the good company of my black and white cat, Oreo, plus a fun evening with my daughter, Katie, and her husband, Bern, who visited from Vermont. Add a warm fire in our big

’46

Audrey Hadow Michie ’46 and her oldest friend, Susie, enjoying Christmas together last December

’46 Jerrie Kohlmeier Bartlett ’46 with her husband, Allen

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’60

fireplace; time with my grandson, Sam; and lots of phone calls with friends, and it has felt especially comforting.

I wonder how many of you endured this truly wintry winter. By the time you read this, I hope you’re enjoying a lovely spring. Be well.”

1951

75TH REUNION Calling All Revelers: Save the Date!

October 16–17, 2026. While we celebrate all our Reveler classes, we want to extend a special invitation to the Class of 1951 on your 75th Reunion.

This is a momentous milestone, and we would be honored to have you join us to celebrate three-quarters of a century of connection.

While we hope to see many of you on campus, we are also preparing a virtual Zoom option so you can share in the celebration and reconnect with classmates regardless of travel or distance. It is going to be a wonderful event, and we want to ensure every member of the Class of ’51 is included.

Help Us Reconnect: If you are interested in volunteering to help reconnect with classmates for this historic gathering, please email alumni@potomacschool.org.

1952

We’re looking for a Class Correspondent to share class news. Are you ready to get our class connected? Reach out to alumni@potomacschool.org to join the team!

1954

Tina Knox Radigan elizabethradigan3@gmail.com Tina Knox Radigan is leading the charge to gather our latest news, and she’d love a partner to help. If you have a knack for catching up and want to help keep our stories flowing, drop her a line or reach out to term@potomacschool.org. Let’s make sure 1954 represents!

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Anne Dunbar Walston ’60 dancing with the Sapeurs in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, last December

1956

70TH REUNION The Revelers: The Alumni Office is proud to recognize our Revelers, those distinguished classes who have celebrated their 50th-plus Reunion milestone. Save the Date: October 16–17, 2026! While we celebrate all our Reveler classes, we want to extend a special invitation to the Class of 1956 for your 70th Reunion. Seven decades of friendship is a profound milestone—a true Platinum Jubilee—and we want to celebrate your history in style.

Whether you are able to join us on campus or prefer to attend via our Zoom option from the comfort of home, we want to ensure every member of the Class of ’56 is included. It is going to be a truly memorable event, and you won’t want to miss it! For more information, email alumni@potomacschool.org.

1960

Stephanie deSibour stephaniedesibour@gmail.com

Becky McCandlish Burckmyer reports, “I’m excited that my short novel, Love in the Time of COVID, was published

in January by Fleur du Mal Press. It’s a novel of suspense with a seriously bad lady. Otherwise, life rocks on. I’m very happy to say that five-year-old Calvin, who has endured a fair number of health challenges, seems to be pulling through.

He is really smart, funny, and energetic.

My love to you all.”

Stephanie deSibour reports, “My news is, thankfully, not much changed from last time, despite a knee replacement, which will perhaps improve my tennis game (time will tell) and get me ready for a hiking and kayaking trip to Alaska in the summer.

As for reading recommendations, which I hope others will submit, The Correspondent and Heartwood are high on the list. Both provide, albeit in very different ways, an escape from the unsettling state of the world and focus on good values and taking care of one another. Again, I thank all of you who sent in Class Notes last time around.

Your efforts made for a robust and interesting collection of news.”

Annie Rickert Shields writes, “We are selling our farm in Rome, GA, where we have lived for 26 years, raising Icelandic horses, and we’re moving to Athens, GA, where we will be next-door neighbors to my daughter and her family.”

Anne Dunbar Walston shares, “I lost my husband of nearly 60 years

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Class Notes after a long, sad decline, on Bastille Day in 2024, which felt fitting, as we had a house in France for many decades. We held a huge memorial service in November, which helped us all remember the smart, successful, and above all, funny person he had been in his prime.

After the dust settled, I decided to devote 2025 to traveling and reconnecting with my African past.

First was a three-week trip to the Ivory Coast, where I lived from 1957 to 1959. You may remember that was a very important chunk of my growing up; I returned to Potomac with fluent French—the best gift my parents ever gave me. In Abidjan, I wandered through old haunts that felt both familiar and wildly modern. The highlight was finding my old school, where I spent a morning chatting with the headmaster and a group of excited schoolgirls who showed me to my old classroom and my old desk—all exactly the same, if a bit grubbier than in 1959!

Next was a delightful three weeks in Turkey, hiking and ballooning in Cappadocia and visiting Istanbul, Izmir, and Ephesus. After my annual USA hiking trip—last year in the Olympic Peninsula, WA—I spent time at our family summer home in Maine and visited East Coast friends. Then came the final extravaganza: three weeks in the Republic of Congo. We flew up-country to explore the Sangha River by boat, then joined a group of 16 charming Germans aboard a luxurious cruise boat, the Princess Ngalessa, to travel down the mighty Congo River.

It was astounding to see the variety of animals, birds, and Baka people along the way.

This past March, I took my bucketlist trip to the Galápagos Islands, my imminent 80th birthday present to myself. After that, I may actually settle down and resume my life. I am mostly retired from picture restoration now and live a one-minute walk away from two sets of grandchildren. My eldest grandchild is currently on a 12-month cardiology placement in Philadelphia during a break from med school in England. It’s odd not to have her a minute away! I also have my ever-needy granddog, Piper, who loves to walk as much as I do.”

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1961

65TH REUNION The Revelers: Celebrating 50+ Years of Potomac Alumni on October 16–17, 2026! The Alumni Office is honored to recognize our Revelers, the classes that have reached their 50th-plus Reunion and continue to shape the Potomac story. We look forward to welcoming all Reveler classes back to campus, with a special salute to the Class of 1961 as you celebrate your 65th Reunion, an extraordinary milestone.

We hope every member of the Class of ’61 can be part of the celebration.

Whether you join us on campus or participate through a Zoom gathering, we would love to have you with us.

If you are interested in volunteering to help get your classmates together for this 65th gathering, please email alumni@potomacschool.org. Your leadership is what makes these reunions truly special!

Julia Williams Robinson shares, “I am now professor emerita of architecture at the University of Minnesota, having retired in the spring of 2024. In November 2024, my longtime partner, Didier Tellier, and I got married with all of our six children and two grandchildren present at the courthouse in Minneapolis, where we live. This past year, Didier and I have traveled to France and the Netherlands, where we have family, and we continue to spend the summers in Rockport, MA, where my family has gone now for five generations! My children

are in Minneapolis, Brooklyn, and San Francisco, so in addition to spending time together in the summer, we visit during the year. My wonderful grandson in Brooklyn will enter high school this fall! How time flies! I continue to write scholarly articles with my research team and hope to start a book in 2026 on architecture as social communication. I also hope to paint watercolors (we’ll see if that happens). For fun, Didier and I still enjoy dancing Argentine tango. I also swim for exercise (in the pool in the winter, but in the ocean and lake in the summer) and sing in the church choir. I send greetings to all my classmates and others I knew at Potomac.”

1962

Deborah Johansen Harris debjohansenharris@gmail.com Elizabeth Burke Dale announced last winter during our Zoom reunion that she is a great-grandmother. “Willow was born in November to my adopted granddaughter. We are thrilled,” she said.

Elizabeth (Betsy) Davison shared on Zoom, “Last winter, I tried snow dyeing by sprinkling dye onto snow-covered fabric. When the snow melts, it creates a crystalline effect on the material. Last November, while I was in England visiting my grandniece, I had lunch with classmates Antonia Caccia and Lexi Roper Douglas. We had a great time.”

Julia Williams Robinson ’61 married her longtime partner, Didier Tellier, in November 2024, surrounded by family.

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Elizabeth also visited the British Museum to view the Parthenon Sculptures (formerly called the Elgin Marbles) and read Who Owns Beauty? about other expropriated artworks. Her fabric art will be on display in May in Rehoboth Beach.

Deborah (Deb) Johansen Harris, who hosted a Zoom reunion for seven classmates last February, enjoyed a short cruise across the Gulf of Mexico (not the Gulf of America!), with a few days in Key West.

Rachel Kitzinger announced, “Our daughter, Kira, is expecting a baby in late May. She and her husband have bought a condo 10 minutes away from us, so we look forward to a lot of babysitting. I fear, however, for the world the baby will grow up in.”

Eleanor (Bobbie) Lanahan shares that she has downsized from her house to a downtown Burlington, VT, apartment. Last winter, she finished the illustrations for a new children’s book and was writing the text.

Katherine Marshall said on Zoom last winter that she taught a course on ethics and international development, dealing with cultures and their different values.

Louise McVickar Marx shared on Zoom that she was grateful her family could be together in Florida for Thanksgiving. “We are all hanging in there after we lost my daughter, Lizzie, last year,” she said.

Carol Mattusch reported on Zoom that her new book on ancient bronzes is out this spring. Carol also studied the microfiche at the Getty Museum to compare ancient and modern casting techniques. She has offered to host a luncheon for our classmates in May— more details to come.

Rosemary Merriam reports, “Except for our president, life is pretty good. What a difference living in a Democratic state makes from all the horrible things going on in TX, where we used to live, and in the rest of the country. My husband, George, and I are getting older but feeling great. Our new brown standard poodle keeps us on our toes. We attended the Santa Fe Symphony and joined the Botanical Garden, which had an incredible Christmas light show. The winters are chilly here in Santa Fe, but the summers are wonderful. We have a guest room, and anyone who wants to visit is welcome.”

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’62

“Snow dyeing” by Elizabeth (Betsy) Davison ’62

’62

Deborah (Deb) Johansen Harris ’62 and Sponge Man in Key West, FL

Nina Nitze Moriarty writes, “We are still absorbed by our children and grandchildren. The latter range in age from 12 to 22 years old. This has been the first year that I have no family living in Washington, DC, but we still have friends in town. I had a lovely visit with Katherine Marshall this fall when we came to Washington, DC. My memories of Potomac are vivid and fond.”

Liz Murray Platts reports, “Last year brought good news when my oldest son, James, and his family moved from Seattle to a house on our street in Bethesda. My other son, Chris, and his family live in Cincinnati, where he teaches art history. Sadly, my oldest brother, Sandy, died in December.”

Anne Darneille Snodgrass writes, “Until September, it had been a good year. Home continues to be Vero Beach, FL, with time spent in ME and DC. Wherever I am, I enjoy playing tennis and bridge and reading. In ME, I also spend a great deal of time gardening, with extensive gardens that somehow keep growing. We stop in DC on our way up and down I-95 to see friends and doctors. This past fall unfortunately involved too many doctors, with surgery in early October.

Isn’t it fun getting older? I love the class Zooms with the opportunity to catch up on what my former classmates are doing.”

Kate Douglas Torrey writes, “Our grandchildren are now 16 and (almost) 13 and thriving. We are healthy and surviving this upside-down world. I hope the same is true for all of you.

I’ve taken up the ukulele, which I love. Allen and I made short visits to Paris and Switzerland last year and have a couple of trips planned for this year (Tuscany/Puglia and Alberta). I volunteer with Planned Parenthood as well as help progressive candidates get elected. I urge all alums to support Roy Cooper for senator, a two-term governor and former attorney general of NC who won in a state that voted for Donald Trump in 2024.”

John Wathen, now retired from the Environmental Protection Agency, shares that he enjoys his cottage in Newtown, where he moved last fall.

1963

Marisa Knowlton Domeyko mdomeyko@comcast.net Anne Williams annegw200@yahoo.com

Anne Williams writes, “I just returned from NJ and a delightful stay with my grandkids (2, 4, and 12) while my daughter and her partner had a long weekend getaway. A Zoom meeting in March got our class together for a ‘vi-vi’ (virtual visit). My weekly mahjongg group is very fun and cathartic.

Potomac’s core mission—to embody courage, humility, integrity, respect, and perseverance—is especially needed these days.”

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1964

’65

Alison Peake alidee1@aol.com

Lynne Dominick Novack shares, “I entered a new phase of my life in June this year when I had to place my husband, John, into a memory care center. I am learning to live alone for the first time ever. I am adjusting reasonably well, and family and friends—including my Potomac friends—have been so supportive. I am sad, but grateful too.”

1965

Sallie Ayers Barker s2barkers@yahoo.com

Chris Janney ’65, his wife, Terrell, their children, Lilli and Freddy, and Freddy’s dog, SuperNova, in their Echo Park neighborhood in Los Angeles

The Alumni Office extends its warmest thanks to the Class of 1965 for celebrating their landmark 60th Reunion this past October. It was a true honor to welcome our most senior reunion class back to campus.

We are especially grateful to our Reunion Chair, Emily Train Rowan, for her dedicated leadership and outreach.

Her commitment was instrumental in bringing classmates together to celebrate six decades of connection.

Chris Janney shares, “We moved to Los Angeles, CA, three years ago. I had had enough of New England winters.

So, guess where I was in January? In Boston, installing new artwork at the Boston Children’s Hospital Annex! You can’t run from karma. An administrator here asked me about the origins of my musical environments. They got an earful of Jack Langstaff!”

Chris Johansen writes, “I joined the two younger family generations skiing over their Christmas break. I can still keep up with my son and stay ahead of my grandkids, but not for long. I’m enjoying their company, enthusiasm, and the super-senior 75+ ticket prices! What fun to see them bombing down the mountain.

I’m still engaged with and enjoying architectural work and sustainable design consulting. Best regards to all my Potomac classmates.”

Betty Lindsten Mulrey notes, “Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well.

I really enjoyed our Potomac School

60th-year reunion last October. Thank you, Emily Train Rowan, for being our Class Reunion Chair! We walked around the campus, sang Potomac songs, and had the great pleasure of seeing each other and enjoying dinner at Lindesay Holdsworth Aquino’s! I am really looking forward to the next time our class can get together. This evening, I read through our Class of 1965 yearbook, and it brought back so many warm thoughts, good times, and wonderful memories. Truly special times, and such a gift to have each other as classmates. [The yearbook is available online at the Potomac Alumni website under Publications.] Best wishes.”

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1966

60TH REUNION The Revelers: Celebrating Our 50+ Year Alumni on October 16–17, 2026. The Alumni Office is proud to recognize our Revelers, those distinguished classes who have celebrated their 50th-plus Reunion milestone and remain an integral part of the Potomac legacy.

While we celebrate all our Reveler classes, we want to extend a special invitation to the Class of 1966 on your 60th Reunion. This is a remarkable Diamond Jubilee milestone, and we look forward to celebrating your shared history and 60 years of enduring friendships.

’65

Chris Johansen ’65 with his son, Daven, and his granddaughter, MacLane

’65

Emily Train Rowan ’65 and Betty Lindsten Mulrey ’65 at Reunion last October

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It is going to be an unforgettable event, and we want to ensure every member of the Class of ’66 is included in the festivities. Whether you plan to join us in person or via Zoom, we cannot wait to see you back at Potomac.

Help us gather the class: If you are interested in volunteering to help get your classmates together for this historic gathering, please email alumni@potomacschool.org. Your leadership is what makes these reunions truly special!

Stay in touch: To ensure you receive your formal invitation and all Reveler news, please confirm that your home address, email, and phone number are current in our records by contacting the Alumni Office at alumni@potomacschool.org.

1967

Tom Macy potomac67@gmail.com

1968

Kim Holdsworth kimsworth4@gmail.com

1970

Jane McAllister mcallister.jane@outlook.com Jane McAllister writes, “Nimmie Addison Huber and I planned to meet up with Winkie Hamilton Bierbower in Annapolis when the DC/MD/VA area thawed. Meanwhile, Nimmie and I are knitting red resistance hats based on a pattern that originated in Norway.

In January, I had a wonderful visit in Denver with Dana Strong, who joined my family to watch my 10-year-old great-niece, a goalie for the Arapahoe Warriors ice hockey team, play in a tournament game. Dana’s fourth grandchild was born in March, so she has two in the Denver area and two in San Francisco. Bobby Rock is still busy in the film industry but took a break to travel with his wife, his son, and his son’s girlfriend to St. Martin’s and St. Kitts in late March. Keep warm, all!”

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1971

REUNION YEAR: 55TH The Revelers: The Alumni Office is proud to recognize our Revelers, those distinguished classes who have celebrated their 50th-plus Reunion milestone and remain a cornerstone of our school’s history. While we celebrate all our Reveler classes, we want to extend a special invitation to the Class of 1971 for your 55th Reunion on October 16–17. This is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect and celebrate the enduring bonds that have grown even stronger over the past five decades.

Craig Fitt shares, “I celebrated my fourth anniversary working at KKR, where I am a senior managing director in the firm’s Capital Markets group.

I have a global role, which means I do quite a bit of traveling, to Europe in particular, and am having a lot of fun—so much so, I just signed on for another three to five years.

Realistically, I will need to retire at some point, so more likely two to three years. I turn 70 (?!?!) this year and am healthy and still enjoy working. On the home front, I’m celebrating 28 years with my wonderful husband, Bruce Shostak, and we divide our time between Manhattan and the Hudson Valley, where we spend most weekends and holidays when we’re not traveling.

I have a lot to be grateful for!”

1973

John Chester jchestervt@gmail.com Bill Calfee is focused on local economic power. “We believe that communities, towns, and cities are more vibrant, more interesting, and more resilient when their local economies are strong. We believe that large-scale consolidation can pull resources away from local communities across the United States.

I feel strongly that everybody wants to be part of making a difference, and especially now, people are feeling disheartened and wonder where they can turn to have an impact. One place is myti.com. We encourage people to

’71 Craig Fitt ’71 celebrating a round of golf at the Gasparilla Club in Boca Grande, FL

’71 (Top, from left to right): Leslie Hyde ’71, Karen Lindsten Devlin ’71; (Bottom, from left to right): Eugenie Anderson ’71, and Anne McClelland Sullivan ’71 at Karen’s new farmhouse in Round Hill, VA last February

’71

Mark Tucker ’71 and Rob Parker ’71 celebrating the birth of Rob’s first grandson last February

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Class Notes make a difference with their economic power. We do that in three different ways: First, the Myti Local Finder is an extension that can be added to browsers that lets people find items in their local community rather than buying them from major e-commerce giants.

Second, Myti.com allows independent retailers in an area to collaborate by consolidating their inventory on one e-commerce site. The customer gets an Amazon-like experience, but the money stays in the local community.

Third, the ProxiMyti (say ‘proximity’) delivery system allows hyper-local deliveries and is powered by retired people and others who are looking for more interaction with their community.

This is what I’ve been working on for the past five years, and it certainly was inspired in part by my research at Skidmore into the evolution of avian migration. It’s a super complex system, and I’ve used biomimicry in parts of our design at Myti and ProxiMyti. Cheers to everyone.”

Juan Cameron writes, “I am living in DC and am married to the most wonderful woman I met 48 years ago.

We have three great kids, and all are doing well. I work in real estate in the DC and mid-Atlantic area, and I’m loving life despite a few more aches these days.”

John Chester added a new hip to his “aftermarket” parts in his quest to become entirely rebuilt. John visited Michael Tucker, his brother Marshall Tucker ’76, and his mother Carol Exnicios Tucker ’46 during their trip to VT. Carrie Gibson shares, “I’m continuing to adapt to the East Coast, specifically Beacon, NY, where I moved after 40 years out west. I am cobbling life together as an actor, which now includes being part of the Second City conservatory program in New York, where I do improv and sketch comedy.

I also teach a teen improv class and sing in a small choir.” John Chester notes, “You can see Carrie in a scene in the terrifying movie Weapons about an entire classroom of missing kids, thankfully not involving The Potomac School’s Class of ’73!”

Tony Hass reports, “I have been in San Francisco for four years and find the city easy to navigate, full of AI energy, and on the upswing. It’s dog-friendly,

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and run- and bike-friendly too. My sons, Henry and Will, are in their mid-20s.

Henry lives in Los Angeles and works in the film industry, and Will lives in Bozeman and works in the outdoor industry.”

Liza Gookin Hodskins and her husband, Steve, took advantage of being dog-free for a while and spent almost six weeks tooling around Europe in November and December. She writes, “Steve did a great job planning train rides, researching museums, checking attraction hours and senior discounts, and finding places to stay at reasonable rates. We visited friends, family, coworkers, and Christmas markets in Spain, France, Germany, Belgium, England, and Scotland. We’d been to each country before, but we hadn’t visited so many great cities and towns.

Some favorite memories include all the parties surrounding the Commanders game in Madrid; the breathtaking views of and from Montserrat near Barcelona; the hundreds of bikes around Münster; busking again in Bruges and seeing Puck, the dolphin I worked with 33 years ago, and my old coworkers there; seeing Basingstoke (of Ruddigore fame); climbing the narrow stairway to the bell tower and rafters of Winchester Cathedral; and hanging with the partying population of Glasgow. And the museums. LOTS of museums. And the aquariums. The zoos. The churches.

The food. The drinks! While figuring out where to go next, I performed with Hexagon (Washington’s 70-plus-yearold original political, satirical, musical, and comedy revue) in its production of Lollapalosers at DC’s Atlas Performing Arts Center at the end of April.”

Tom Resor and his wife, Tammy, recently celebrated the births of their fourth, fifth, and sixth grandchildren in the “one-a-month program.” They split their time between Boston and Hobe Sound, FL, as well as Jackson Hole, WY, in the summer, where they have been able to see a lot of Tony Hass and his wife, Anna, who have a vacation spot there.

Hal Reynolds notes, “My wife, Lisa, and I moved to Gulf Stream, FL, from Los Angeles last year and are enjoying life here very much. In December, we traveled to Jaipur, India, for a friend’s wedding, an extravaganza beyond

’73

John Chester ’73, Marshall Tucker ’76, Carol Exnicios Tucker ’46, and Michael Tucker ’73 in VT

description! In July, our family will gather in Umbria for our son Will’s marriage to Natalie Greene.”

1974

Ann Brown annanna.brown@gmail.com

Sarah Holmes writes, “Like many in our class, I am more politically engaged nowadays to defeat our nation’s slide into authoritarianism. We all need to get off the bench and take action, large and small. Yes, political Class Notes are entirely appropriate these days.”

Andrew Hyde shares, “I am taking unexpected delight in teaching my first college-level course. Last fall, I became an adjunct professor of political science at The George Washington University in Washington, DC. I teach a course on U.S. foreign policy, and the students respond well to the tall tales I weave in from my diplomatic career. It is a fun challenge balancing that work with my part-time senior fellowship at the Stimson Center.”

Jennifer Moses notes, “Since I’ve gone off traveling, preferring to stay in my blue bubble and never, ever leaving, it’s mainly my husband who has adventures abroad, though I have to confess that a year ago, I joined him for a few days of R&R in Puerto Rico. Way too many barely clothed body parts for me. I don’t know what I was thinking.

On the brighter side, I do leave the house at least once daily to take our dog for a walk. Also, we’re expecting our third grandbaby this spring, and I’m questioning my lifelong belief that Americans are fundamentally good.

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1975

Greg Scott gscott@merevir.com

Thank you, Peggy Griffin Begor, for your many years of service as the Class of 1975’s Class Correspondent. We will miss you in this role, and we are so appreciative of everything you’ve done to keep your classmates connected to and involved in our alumni community!

We are excited to welcome Greg Scott as 1975’s next Class Correspondent. Thank you for stepping in, Greg!

The Alumni Office would like to extend a heartfelt and resounding “Bravo!” to our incredible Class of 1975 Reunion Chairs for making their 50th Reunion nothing short of legendary. From the high-stakes Members of the Class of 1975 at their 50th Reunion Class party hosted by Lizzie Edgeworth Cantacuzene ’75 — thrill of the Bombardment Games to Thank you, Lizzie! the pitch-perfect performance of the Bumbling Bombardment Band, every detail was infused with school spirit and gusto. We are especially grateful to Lizzie Edgeworth Cantacuzene, who provided the ultimate highlight by hosting the Saturday-night class party at her home. This spectacular milestone would not have been possible without the tireless energy and leadership of Lizzie Edgeworth Cantacuzene, Peggy Griffin Begor, Elizabeth Leigh, Liza Phillips, Katya Chavchavadze Redpath, Alice McKillop Semler, and Alison Macdonald von Klemperer.

Thank you all for showing us how to celebrate half a century of friendship in true Potomac style!

Members of the Class of 1975 at last fall’s Reunion Greg Scott writes, “2025 was a big year for the Potomac Class Please read, or at least buy, my new book, blues group. Ice used to cool my of 1975—our 50th Reunion! First You’ve Told Me Before. I was thrilled drinks—nevermore.” of all, a tremendous shout-out to when classmates Sarah Holmes and Patrick Willmot writes, “I’m almost our classmates in the Bumbling Andrew Hyde came to my reading in DC as busy as when I was working full time.

Bombardment Band for entertaining us and when classmates Ann Brown and In January, I was coming to the end of at the Friday evening reception. Their Tim Higginson came to my reading in a piece of pro bono IT consulting for a songs brought back many memories Boston this past fall.” local nonprofit yoga studio, so I thought from the early 1970s that were the North Sturtevant shares, “I am I’d have time to take on another hobby: themes of our final years at Potomac. happy to report that I rise daily with I’ve started violin lessons (since I’m a Lizzie Edgeworth Cantacuzene hosted purpose. I am proud to say that my new big fan of classical music). It turns out to a wonderful dinner for the ’75 reunion house in Eliot, ME, has a two-car heated be nowhere near as easy as they make it attendees, resulting in a wonderful garage; thus, a 28-inch snowfall last look, and it’s been a humbling experience. group photo. And perhaps the most week did not result in hastening my And now, of course, the yoga studio classic photo of the weekend was of demise. I have two of many important suddenly needs a lot more help, so I have the Potomac Llamas, who appeared at things: two dogs, two granddaughters, a crammed timetable. I think of you all Lizzie’s party. The names of the llamas and two houses. For some reason, I every day when I turn on the TV and are being withheld to save them from have nine guitars and play in an adult catch an American news broadcast.” embarrassment!

’75

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Class Notes ’75

Members of the Class of 1975’s Bumbling Bombardment Band playing during the cocktail reception at Reunion (From left to right): Baron Tymas, Katya Chavchavadze Redpath, Liza Phillips, and Zoe Carter

’75

and has started an executive coaching firm. Liza Phillips wrote that she has closed her rug design business after 25 years to focus on painting. She is getting more involved with the Phillips Collection board, which she expects to bring her to the DC area more often.

Katya Chavchavadze Redpath says she is dividing her time between VT and TX. Her first album, Time Changes Everything, was released in February 2026 and can be found on various platforms under her married name, Katya Redpath.

And last and certainly least, I (Greg) have been living in an RV with two rescue pups for the past 11 months, driving wherever my heart tells me, and have visited 31 states and six Canadian provinces to date. Now that I have taken over as Class Correspondent and have everyone’s addresses, you can expect a visit in the coming year! Thanks to Peggy Griffin Begor for 50 years of shouldering this task of keeping us in touch with our classmates!”

1976 ’75 Lisa Brown ’75 and Chere Johnson Sanders ’75 met for coffee in downtown DC

The “Potomac Llamas” at the Class of 1975’s Saturday-night class party during Reunion

Here is some more news from classmates. Margaret Evans Cosgrove is “mostly” retired and living in Canaan, CT, on 20 acres in the country with her second husband. Between them, they have seven children and 11 grandchildren (and a dog and a cat!). Judson Randolph joined Lizzie Edgeworth Cantacuzene’s party remotely via Zoom from Seattle, WA, where he is retired (who says we old dogs can’t learn new tricks?!). Chip Chapin reminded me of a hiking trip that he, Dick Saltonstall, Curtis Bohlen, and I went on the summer after our ninth-grade year to Vermont to conquer the Long Trail; we only made it about 30 miles out of the planned 200! And he said to blame Michael Richardson and Edward Jewett for any tall tales told at the reunion.

Speaking of Dick Saltonstall, he is living in Kodiak, AK, and is intent on designing the “perfect” skate sail.

Laura Blakeslee reports that she and her husband, Dale, are retiring in 2026 and plan to revisit New Zealand 30 years after their honeymoon there and travel to AZ for Cubs spring training.

Doug Fleming is living in Nevada City, CA, and has been elected mayor of the city! Lisa Brown and Chere Johnson Sanders met in downtown DC recently for coffee. Chere, who is president of the Greater Washington Softball Umpires Association, is heavily involved in playing and umpiring softball games for girls and women all across the country.

Brandon Griggs reports he is selfmedicating with tennis, music, books, travel, and the fellowship of good friends.

Peter Arundel is living in Northern VA

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50TH REUNION Lanier Frank lfrank@stalbansschool.org Bill Kirk williamtkirk2@gmail.com Calling the Class of 1976! Mark your calendars for October 16–17, 2026, as we celebrate our 50th Reunion.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime milestone, and we are planning an unforgettable weekend to honor five decades of friendship and memories. To make this celebration truly legendary, we are thrilled to announce that Lanier Frank and Bill Kirk have stepped up as our Reunion Chairs. They are ready to lead the charge, but when it comes to a 50th, the more the merrier! If you are interested in getting involved and helping these two rally your classmates for the best party of the year, please reach out to them or email alumni@potomacschool.org.

John Brooks writes, “Katherine Childs and I ran into each other in the E Concourse of the airport in Atlanta; our gates were very close. She was going to Guatemala for a yoga retreat, and I was going to Mexico for birding.”

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’76

’76

Bill Kirk ’76; his daughter, Baylee; and siblings Gus Kirk ’71, Jennifer Kirk ’73, and Alison Kirk Long ’83 at Baylee’s baby shower

Marque Chambliss shares, “I continue to enjoy retirement. Most of my time is spent reading, cooking, and traveling, in addition to exercising at a nearby gym. I also manage two rental properties, including a vacation rental in Martha’s Vineyard that I’d be happy to rent to Potomac alums. I also serve on the board of a family real estate company founded by my maternal grandparents.

In November, Stephen Hill invited me to attend a Commanders game with him. The next month, I saw Andrew McElwaine at his mother’s birthday party in Washington, DC. Andrew lives in Pittsburgh, PA, and I’m grateful he’s available to help my son, Langston Chambliss ’25, who’s a first-year student at Carnegie Mellon University. Tony Poole came to a New Year’s Day party at my home. I look forward to seeing many other classmates in October!”

Katherine Childs notes, “It really was extraordinary. I was on my way to Guatemala, and John Brooks and his husband were headed to Mexico City.

Since John lives in Atlanta, I decided to text him while I was waiting at the airport. As I was walking along, we suddenly spotted each other just as we were about to pass—such a perfect moment of serendipity. There were lots of

hugs, and I got to meet John’s husband.

John had been a very important part of my life, and it felt wonderful to know that love is still there.”

Jay Kauffman writes, “I still teach writing and literature at the Miller School of Albemarle and WriterHouse. My book of fiction, The Mexican Messiah: A Novella and Stories, was recently nominated for The Story Prize and was runner-up for the Leapfrog Global Fiction Prize. Of my three sons, one is at Virginia Tech (his first year), one is due to graduate from the University of Vermont in May, and my oldest finished his studies at Cambridge and now works at a startup in London. I try every year to check off one bucket-list challenge, and this June, over the course of a week, I’ll be swimming the length of the little Cycladic islands chain in Greece (from Koufonisia to Donousa). Hope everyone is healthy and doing well.”

Bill Kirk writes, “On January 17, my daughter, Baylee, held a baby shower in Gloucester, MA. Potomac, as it turned out, was well represented at the event thanks to the attendance of the four

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—SUE WILLIAM SILVERMAN author of How to Survive Death and Other Inconveniences

“With shimmering, vibrant language, Kauffmann offers unexpected insights on the nature of fate and faith.”

—HARRISON CANDELARIA FLETCHER Colorado Book Award Winner

—DIANE LEFER author of California Transit

“Polished, haunting . . . as cinematic as Sonoran Desert heat shimmer.”

—KRIS SAKNUSSEMM author of Zanesville

“An unforgettable launch for an exciting new voice.”

—MICHAEL CZYZNIEJEWSKI author of The Amnesiac in the Maze

“A haboob of a book, a dervish of story, salted with oases of dread and delight.”

Author photo © Marion Masuch Cover art © Thomas Feiner Cover design by Scott Miller

J A Y K A U F F M A N N is a former international model, travel writer, and award-winning poet. He holds an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts and is currently English Chair at the Miller School of Albemarle. Runner-up for the Leapfrog Global Fiction Prize and nominee for a Pushcart Prize and Best New American Voices, he has published in CutBank, Prime Number, The Writer’s Chronicle, upstreet, Mid-American Review, and other journals and anthologies.

ISBN 978-1-960329-82-0

CORNERSTONE

90000>

9 781960 329820

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A NOVELLA & STORIES

—MICHAEL MARTONE author of Plain Air: Sketches from Winesburg, Indiana

THE

MEXICAN MESSIAH

“Kauffmann has the grace to write about the nature of faith and belief, the emptiness of privilege, the baffled rage born of loss—all without passing judgment”

JAY KAUFFMANN

John Brooks ’76 and Katherine Childs ’76 unexpectedly ran into each other at the airport in Atlanta—serendipity!

Kirk siblings! It was a great party, and we are all looking forward to the arrival of Luciana ‘Lucy’ in a matter of a month or so!”

1977

Four Hewes four@fourhewesdesign.com

Buck Dominick writes, “I’ll make this quick. I officially retired at the beginning of this year, though I’m working a couple of hours a week helping a younger attorney take over my practice. I’m looking forward to spending more time hunting, fishing, skiing, and traveling with Cindy, as well as hanging out with my six grandsons and watching them grow. My girls, each with two boys, are close to us in Denver; Whitney is a nurse, and Caroline is a landman for a solar company. My boys are both in Carbondale; Christopher, with two boys, runs ZipFit, and Josh, who doesn’t have kids yet, runs Wise Bar. Let us know if you are in CO.” Timothy Makepeace shares, “I’m getting ready for a solo art exhibition at American University’s Katzen Museum, opening this June 13. The title of the

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Class Notes ’77 ’77

Buck Dominick ’77 and Cindy, with their grandsons

exhibition is The Ghost in the Machine, which will feature drawings and paintings inspired by the James Webb Space Telescope.”

Timothy Makepeace ’77 working on Light Path Inside the MIRI Camera Onboard the James Webb Space Telescope (Sumi ink, acrylic on paper)

’78

1978

Julie Twiname Warder batwarder@cox.net

Brian Homet reports, “I’m enjoying an adventurous semi-retirement with heavy doses of travel (Europe, South Africa, and the Caribbean this past year), pickleball, sailing (newly minted captain!), and hiking. The goal is to visit all 63 national parks—I’m at 24. My wife, Caryn, and I volunteer as church leadership coaches in places like Prague, Amsterdam, and Budapest, where we served as missionaries. Travel with a purpose. We spent time in Charlottesville this summer for the big UVA 40th Reunion, where I got to hang out with Tim Gould. We were there again in October for our daughter Caitlyn’s wedding. I guess we liked it, as we bought a house seven minutes from the wedding venue! We moved in April. I continue to do leadership and presentation training/coaching work, which is fun. I may do some work with UVA when we get to Charlottesville.

Wishing all the best to classmates near and far!”

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The Term

’78 Newly minted Captain Brian Homet ’78 and his wife, Caryn, at sea

Carolina Kuczynski Reid shares, “Being a third-generation DC native, I grew up with the clear knowledge that Potomac was ‘the’ school to attend.

Today, it’s my Potomac friends who have stood the test of time—mother knows best! I have kept up with many of them and even heard from my thirdgrade teacher, Mrs. Paulsen (Hank Paulsen’s wife), the very same teacher who gave me my own literary and poetry wall; she kept my work and later sent it to me. Her encouragement led me to a book on the way: Keep an eye out for The Scammers’ Handbook: Warning Edition. It’s an exploration of how scammers operate and will help us all

Carolina Kuczynski Reid ’78, Wendell Miles ’78, Susannah Humpstone Michalson ’78, and Wendell’s wife, Ann

’78 Carolina Kuczynski Reid ’78 and her father, former President of Peru, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski

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’79

Lola Singletary says, “Greetings from Washington, DC. At the time I am writing this, snow-concrete abounds, the ground is tundra, and temperatures hover in the single digits. I enjoy reading about the Great Class of ’78 and other classes in The Term, and Facebook is another great connection, especially for pics of grandkids (how can THAT be?).

Not much to report, but I appreciate our Class Correspondent gently reminding us to stay in touch!”

1979

Anita Winsor anwinsor@gmail.com

Anne Metcalf ’79 published her first book, Old Town at Home: Historic Alexandria Today

avoid the pitfalls we face as boomers in a modernizing society. Last year, in 2025, I lost my mother, Jane Casey Hughes ’52, my uncle John Casey ’54 (a St. Albans alum), and my cousin Cindy Dudley, all in the month of February.

By October, I had unexpectedly lost my favorite uncle, Michael Kuczynski, a fellow at Cambridge University. This was a year full of grief and its incumbent introspection. Like so many of us, it resulted in me answering the call to make a small difference in a positive way with whatever time I have here on Earth.

My uncle Michael spent the eve of my mother’s funeral speaking with Theodore Miles, Wendell Miles’s father, at the dinner we hosted.”

OLD TO TOWN Anne Metcalf AT HO HOME ME shares, “My first book, Old Town at Home: Historic Alexandria Today, an inside peek into a selection of homes and gardens in Old Town, came out in December and sold out in three weeks! One of the homes featured is that of Don and Megan Beyer, parents of Clara Beyer Bower ’10, whose artwork is shown on several pages.

Another is that of Ari and Iris Karadaghi, parents of Tanner Karadaghi, a current fifth grader.

Along with many others from Potomac, I attended the celebration of life for Sarah ‘Sally’ Gamble Epstein, mother of Sally Anne Epstein ’78 and her four brothers, on what would have been her Anne Metcalf

Photographs by Gordon Beall

’80

Members of the Class of 1980 celebrating their 45th Reunion

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100th birthday. In addition to seeing Sally Anne and Lola Singletary ’78 regularly, I also enjoy seeing classmate Cynthia Ewing Miller when she’s in town, and Christine Boehm, mother of Henry ’21, Irene ’24, and David ’24, who is teaching nursing and enjoying her new home in Middleburg, VA. In other news, my sons Jack ’20 and George Stoody ’24 are both doing well. Jack graduated from Wake Forest in 2024 and lives in Boston, where he works for Canonical. The staff is largely remote, so they meet quarterly around the globe—over the past year, he’s been to Berlin, Cape Town, Vienna, and Gothenburg, where I met him for a long weekend. George is a very busy sophomore at Cornell after graduating from Andover in 2024. I enjoyed the interview with classmate Davis Guggenheim in the fall 2025 Term.

Hard to believe An Inconvenient Truth has been out for 20 years!”

1980

Rylan Harris rylan.r.harris@gmail.com

The Alumni Office extends its sincere thanks to the Class of 1980 for a wonderful 45th Reunion this past October. It was a pleasure to see such a dedicated group return to celebrate nearly five decades of friendship.

We are deeply grateful to our Reunion Chairs, Romey Pittman and Cecilia Van Hollen, for their outstanding leadership. Their commitment to reconnecting with classmates and coordinating this milestone was essential to the weekend’s success. We appreciate their ongoing dedication to the Potomac community.

Stay Connected: To ensure you receive all future news and event invitations, please confirm that your primary email address, cell phone number, and home address are current by contacting alumni@potomacschool.org.

Skip Norman writes, “David Olin and I spent a week in UT skiing, snowmobiling, and 4x4 rock crawling in January. What a blast!!! It was crazy catching up, sharing stories, and enjoying the great outdoors. Best friends for life!”

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Class Notes ’80

Members of the Class of 1980 posing with the Llamas during their 45th Reunion last fall

Jennifer Davis shares, “I am enjoying my new job as administrative coordinator for the Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Virginia. After working remotely for five years, it is great to be working around people again! And it’s fun to be in such a dynamic university environment. Charlotte Matthews and I play pickleball fairly regularly, and Hope Jewett McKalip and I stay in touch by phone and the occasional visit. Although I cannot admit it at work—lol—my daughter is a freshman at Virginia Tech this year!”

’80

David Olin ’80 and Skip Norman ’80 in Utah last winter

1981

45TH REUNION It’s time to head back to Potomac!

Mark your calendars for October 16–17, 2026, as we celebrate our class’s 45th Reunion. This is going to be an unforgettable weekend of catching up, reminiscing, and celebrating four and a half decades of Potomac friendships. If you’d like to join the planning committee or help rally your classmates, please email alumni@potomacschool.org.

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The Term

1983

Eric McGuire emcg.dcfd@gmail.com

We are so grateful to Eric McGuire for his five years of dedicated service as the Class Correspondent for the Class of 1983. Thank you, Eric, for helping keep your friends and classmates connected not only to each other but also to Potomac. And a warm welcome to David Bryant, who is stepping into this role moving forward. It’s great to have you on the Class Correspondent team, and we look forward to working with you! If you want to help David, reach out to term@potomacschool.org.

Eric McGuire writes, “After five years as Class Correspondent, I am going to step down and let someone else have a shot. I enjoyed the position far more than I imagined. It was great reconnecting with so many far-flung alums. Thanks to all of you who replied to my emails, even when you didn’t have news to submit but just took the time to say hi or catch up. Special thanks to my predecessor, Jennifer Webber, and my nemesis, James Quigley ’84, for their assistance in getting me up to speed when I started. Wishing everyone well.”

Sarah Preston Schrott shares, “I have recently retired from a 30+ year career as a psychotherapist in private practice in Portland, OR. I am now exploring my more creative side through the art of weaving, which is a fully engaging experience. I had a great time catching up with Alison Kirk Long somewhat recently, and I connect with Claire Hebeler Harrington from time to time. A big thank-you to Eric McGuire for keeping our class connected these past five years! Cheers to all.”

1984

Mary Day Fitzgibbon mdfitz13@gmail.com James Quigley jspquigley@gmail.com Jennifer Maddox Sergent jensergent630@gmail.com It was a quiet season for the Class of 1984, but we know you’re out there doing big things! Whether you’ve recently traveled, started a new project, or simply grabbed coffee with a fellow alum, your classmates want to hear from you. Let’s bring some gusto to the next issue and fill this space with your news and photos. Send your notes to Mary, James, or Jennifer!

1985

The Alumni Office would like to extend its profound gratitude to the Class of 1985 for an unforgettable 40th Reunion this past October. It was a true honor to welcome back such a vibrant and tightknit group to celebrate four decades of connection.

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’86

Natalie Washburn Hawkins ’86’s photograph, Tranquility, which she considers her “signature” photograph, taken on Martha’s Vinyard

’85 Members of the Class on 1985 on campus for their 40th Reunion

We are especially thankful for our phenomenal team of Reunion Chairs: Chris Arndt, Robert Creamer, Eliza Graham, Randy Myers, Lizzie Peet, Connie Pendleton, and Christy Halvorson Ross. This amazing group of volunteers has been the heartbeat of the class, working tirelessly to ensure their classmates remain connected year after year. Their collective leadership was the driving force behind the success of this milestone celebration.

A special note of thanks goes to Christy Halvorson Ross for her incredible hospitality in hosting the Saturday-night class party. By opening her home to so many classmates, Christy provided the perfect setting for a memorable evening of reconnection—a highlight of the reunion weekend.

Keep your information current: As we look forward to future gatherings, please ensure the Alumni Office has your most recent home address, cell phone number, and preferred email address. Maintaining accurate records is the best way to stay informed about class news and upcoming regional events. Please send all updates to alumni@potomacschool.org.

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1986

40TH REUNION Forty Years in the Making! Get ready to head back to campus on October 16–17, 2026, for a milestone 40th Reunion that promises to be absolutely legendary. We are already gearing up for a weekend of reconnection, great stories, and long-overdue catch-ups.

The Reunion Planning Committee, Bern Hoffmann and Ann Renzy Maclean, are excited to get the class together again! Go to potomacschool. org/reunion for more information.

Natalie Washburn Hawkins shares, “I founded a photography business, Natalie Hawkins Photography, on Martha’s Vineyard in May 2025. Since then, my work has been featured multiple times in the Vineyard Gazette and by Martha’s Vineyard Radio, among other organizations. Living on Martha’s Vineyard and having the opportunity to photograph and capture the island’s essence and beauty is a true gift. Through my work, I aim to share my favorite hidden landscapes and quiet moments so others can feel a meaningful connection to this magical place. I hope that through purchasing

one of my photographs, you will feel you are taking a piece of the island with you. For further details, please visit nataliehawkinsphotography.com.

Tranquility is my signature photograph.

I shot this photo having just finished up a run, culminating at the launch area where Peases Point Way literally descends into the waters of Eel Pond. This is one of my most cherished spots on the island.

I often plop myself down at the farthest point of the road right before it enters the water, close my eyes, and meditate for a few minutes. I quickly find myself aware only of the sound of the water’s soft lap against the dock, the gentle air grazing my cheek, and the warmth of the asphalt upon which I am perched. I save the best moment for last, when I open my eyes and see the plethora of colors and beauty that surrounds me: To my right, colorful stacked kayaks; straight ahead, the striking reflection of the sun on boats bobbing against their buoys; and to my left, always a magnificent sunset.

This spot, to me, is the definition of tranquility.”

1990

We need Class Correspondents!

This is a fun and meaningful way to stay connected, keep your classmates connected, and help share updates in The Term. Interested? Email alumni@potomacschool.org.

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Class Notes ’90

’93

Edward Rossotti ’90, Annie Martin Simonds ’90, Dudley Winthrop ’90, and Carlos Cecchi ’90 celebrate 35 years as Potomac alumni

Tara Barrett Ciongoli ’93’s son, Indiana University wide receiver Ace Ciongoli, after winning the National Championship in Miami last January

1991

35TH REUNION Charisse Mortenson McElroy jcharissem@yahoo.com Jamie Stump jfstump@yahoo.com It’s time to come home! Mark your calendars for October 16–17, 2026, as we celebrate our 35th Reunion. As only the second class to ever go the distance, you were the pioneers who helped start it all and who shaped what the Potomac Upper School is today.

This milestone is the perfect time to reunite and celebrate 35 years of history. The Reunion Co-Chairs are planning an amazing weekend. Go to potomacschool.org/reunion for more information.

1992

Do you love staying in the loop? Are you the one who always knows what your old crew is up to? We need you!

Serving as a Class Correspondent is a fun, low-pressure, and meaningful way to keep your class spirit alive.

You’ll be the bridge that helps classmates stay connected and ensures your class is well-represented with updates and gusto in every issue of The Term. It’s as easy as sending a

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The Term

’93 Tara Barrett Ciongoli ’93 and her family cheering on Indiana University’s football team during the Championship game last January

few emails a year and gathering the stories that make our community so special. If you’re ready to take the lead and keep the conversation going, we’d love to have you on the team! Interested in becoming the voice of your class? Email alumni@potomacschool.org today.

1993

Do you like being the first to know the who, what, and where of our class? We need a Class Correspondent to keep the

1993 flame alive! This is a fun, lowpressure way to be the connector for our crew and ensure our class has plenty of gusto in every issue of The Term. It only takes a few emails a year to gather the updates that keep us all linked. Ready to be the voice of ’93? Email alumni@ potomacschool.org to join the team!

Tara Barrett Ciongoli writes, “I was thrilled to have our entire family down in Miami to cheer on one of our twins, Ace Ciongoli, a wide receiver on the Indiana University football team, who won the National Championship last January!”

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1994

Will Lamb wlamb76@gmail.com Ashley Walde agwalde@gmail.com

TRAILS

Will Lamb writes, “In October, I was promoted to a new role at The New York Times as a deputy editor of the Express Desk, a team of editors and reporters who cover general-assignment and breaking news. I love reconnecting with Potomac classmates in New York, as I did recently with John Skillern (on purpose) and Zed Adams ’92 and Jessica Wright Baldenhofer ’95 (by happy accident).”

Ashley Walde was in Florida celebrating the holidays with her family.

’94 Walter Cheatle ’94, Sandy Gentles ’94, Tim Zaragoza ’94 catching up at Eddie V’s: a perfect new holiday tradition!

BIG SKY Latex on canvas 60 x 75” Big Sky is one in a series of Alison’s sky-scape paintings.

These are studies of light and how horizon, ocean, and sky become one. The layered gestures suggest both the force of change and the quiet that follows, creating a sense of openness and ease.

There is something here that settles the eye and the body at once—an invitation to pause, with shifting beauty held gently in place.

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Monumental Art Alison Scherr ’90 uses her entire 5’4” wingspan to create paintings that are nearly as wide as a living room wall.

Her tranquil color palette, juxtaposed with long, sweeping brushstrokes of paint on industrial drop-cloth canvases, creates abstract works of art that serve as statement pieces in East Coast galleries and private homes.

For Alison, art is both a creative and physical experience. She will spend weeks observing nature, visiting museums and libraries, and listening to music before she sketches ideas in her notebook, a process she calls inner work. When she is ready, Alison will enter her sun-drenched studio; dip her brushes in paint; and stretch, move, and dance her way to every corner of the canvas. Each splatter and stroke reflects her preparation but gives the illusion of spontaneity.

“My paintings are a response to the energy I feel around me and the colors and movement I see when I’m doing my inner work,” she says.

Ever since her time at The Potomac School, art has been Alison’s first love. Yet working full time as a painter was not her first or even her second career. The Syracuse University graduate initially channeled her creativity as a photographer and then a prop stylist for clients such as Condé Nast and Bloomingdale’s.

When she reached her mid-30s, Alison made major changes in her life. She moved from urban Brooklyn to suburban-rural Peapack, New Jersey. As she contemplated her next job, Alison says, messages flooded her mind to be a painter.

“I laughed because it felt ridiculous,” Alison says. “Who can be a painter? You can’t make any money as a painter.”

Then serendipity struck. A friend visited Alison as she was settling into her new home and noticed one of her paintings that had been stored in an attic. Her friend hung it in her New York City gallery, and to Alison’s surprise, the piece sold in a week. The sale quieted her inner skeptic.

For Alison, the most significant lasting impact of Potomac was the visceral experiences of beauty. She describes cleaning the paint palettes from the late John Hebeler’s art classes and how amazed she felt to see the sun illuminate the paints as they swirled down the drain. She also recalls her joy at seeing angel wings and handmade stars at the annual Lower School Carols and the springtime ritual of students placing flowers near the gum tree fields.

“In a sense, the beauty I felt at Potomac is what I try to convey in my work today,” Alison says.

—Marisa Demers

I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y K AT H RY N R AT H K E

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Class Notes ’94

’94 John Skillern ’94 and Will Lamb ’94 in New York City in February

Will Lamb ’94 and Zed Adams ’92 at the WFMU Record Fair in New York City in November

’95

’94 Ashley Walde ’94 (center) celebrated Christmas in Florida with her children, Potomac 5th grader Beckam Martin and 7th grader Finley Martin

Thanks to Libby Huffman Wilkinson and the team for leading the class Reunion program. Visit potomacschool. org/reunion for the latest updates, or email alumni@potomacschool.org for information.

Members of the Class of 1995 celebrating their 30th Reunion

1995

Stay in touch: To ensure you receive future class news and invitations to upcoming events, please take a moment to confirm that your primary email address, cell phone number, and home address are current. Updates can be sent to alumni@potomacschool.org.

Three Decades of Connection: The Alumni Office is incredibly grateful to the Class of 1995 for a remarkable 30th Reunion this past October. A special thanks goes to our dream team of Reunion Chairs: Nish Herat, Reed Kuhn, Matt McBay, and Keith Weinstein. This team has worked seamlessly together across multiple milestones, providing a core of dedicated leadership that has kept the Class of 1995 deeply 30TH REUNION connected. We especially appreciate Mike Herren their ability to lead the charge while jmherr22@gmail.com consistently bringing in new chairs to Class of 1996: Can You Believe It’s keep the energy fresh and the outreach Been 30 Years? It’s time to bring that broad. Their commitment is a model ’90s fun back to campus! Mark your for alumni engagement, and we thank calendars for October 16–17, 2026, for a them for making the 30th Reunion an milestone reunion that is guaranteed to outstanding success. be unforgettable.

1996

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The Term

1997

Elizabeth Race Terborgh elizabethrace@gmail.com

Elizabeth Race Terborgh is doing a fantastic job keeping the Class of 1997 connected, but she’s looking for a copilot to join the fun! Serving as a Class Correspondent is even better as a team effort. You’ll work alongside Elizabeth to gather the latest news, track down far-flung classmates, and ensure the ’97 updates are packed with gusto for every issue of The Term. It’s a low-pressure, high-reward way to stay in the loop and keep our class spirit thriving. We’d love to have you on the team! Contact us today at alumni@potomacschool.org to volunteer.

1998

Jessica Ohly jessicaohly@gmail.com

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’00 ’00

The Class of 2000 celebrated their 25th Reunion last October

The Matt Meenan ’00and Emily Duncan ’00 crew, Christmas edition

Jessica Ohly is a fantastic Correspondent for the Class of 1998, and now she’s looking for a teammate to help tell our story! Do you have a knack for reaching out to old friends or a curiosity about where everyone has landed? We are looking for a CoCorrespondent to work with Jessica to gather updates, photos, and news. It’s a fun, collaborative way to stay at the center of the ’98 network without a heavy time commitment. We’d love to have you on board. Reach out to us at alumni@potomacschool.org to learn more.

1999

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

Don’t Miss Out—Update Your Info!

Have you moved into new digs, changed your cell phone number, or finally retired that old email address? Potomac wants to make sure you stay in the loop!

Whether it’s an invitation to a local alumni happy hour, news about your favorite former teachers, or your

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copy of The Term, we want to ensure everything reaches you. Staying connected is the best way to keep your Potomac network strong, no matter how many miles you are from campus. Help us keep our records as dynamic as our alumni! Send your updated contact info to alumni@potomacschool.org today.

2000

Maura Myers Bisogni maura.bisogni@gmail.com Jonathan Haworth haworth.jonathan@gmail.com Thank you to the Class of 2000 for a terrific 25th Reunion in October. We loved having you back on campus and seeing the class together again.

We are grateful to our dream team of Reunion Chairs, Brady Millar Doty and Dan Doty. Their collaborative leadership and tireless efforts were the driving force behind the weekend’s success. From outreach to execution, Brady and Dan worked to ensure that this 25th celebration was an unforgettable experience for everyone involved. We appreciate their dedication to keeping the spirit of the Class of 2000 alive and well.

Chris Ayer shares, “After living in Los Angeles working on music for film and TV, I made a pivot last year and moved to Austin, TX. I’m now a student in the UT McCombs MBA program, happily embracing my role

as the resident middle-aged guy in the class. This summer, I’ll be joining Bain & Company as a consulting summer associate. My family (wife Meredith and two boys, Jack [4] and Finley [2]) is loving life in Austin! If any Potomac grads are also in TX, I’d love to connect.”

Matt Meenan writes, “Emily Duncan and I remain married. Yay! Our son, Harrison, is currently in the 6th grade at Potomac, and our daughter, Ellie, applied this year to join the Class of 2035! Fingers crossed!”

2001

25TH REUNION Stirling Kelso Neff stirlingkelso@gmail.com Class of 2001: The Silver Anniversary Is Here! It’s time to bring that 2001 gusto back to campus. Mark your calendars for October 16–17, 2026, for a milestone 25th Reunion that promises to be absolutely legendary.

The party planning is already in high gear thanks to our Reunion Chairs: Shannon Gopaul Balser, Skip Calvert, Steve Gavula, and Christine Varoutsos.

We’d love for more classmates to join the squad! Being part of the committee is a fun, low-pressure way to reconnect while ensuring our 25th is a celebration for the record books. To get involved or find out more, visit potomacschool.org/reunion or email alumni@potomacschool.org.

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Class Notes Stirling Kelso Neff moved to Amsterdam in September and celebrated Thanksgiving by hosting two generations of Panthers in her new flat.

Marian Smith ’01 joined from London, along with her sister Catherine Smith Ebert ’99; Catherine’s husband, Will; and their children Caroline and Graeme, now in 7th grade at Potomac. Turkey managed to make the menu, though the bird was born and raised in France.

Kate Jackson Wendelboe writes, “I still live in Boston with my family (husband Adam and kids Alfie [11] and Eddie [8]), working for Verizon, taking improv classes, and ferrying the boys around to soccer games. I’m so happy to be in touch with so many Potomac alumni and can’t wait for Reunion this October!”

’01

Stirling Kelso Neff ’01 (third from left) with Marian Smith Montalbano ’01 (fourth from left) and Catherine Smith Ebert ’99 (third from right), and their families

2002

Victoria Sylos-Labini victoriavsl@gmail.com It was a quiet season for the Class of 2002, but we know you have stories to tell! Whether you’ve made a big move, started a new venture, or simply had a mini-reunion with fellow alums, we want to hear about it. Help us bring some gusto to the next issue of The Term by sharing your news and photos.

Victoria Sylos-Labini is looking for a partner to help gather updates and keep our class connected. If you’re interested in joining her as a Class Correspondent, or if you just have a note to share, please reach out to Victoria or to term@potomacschool.org today!

Joey Pahira writes, “I’m incredibly grateful and honored to share that I’ve been named president of Dynanet Corporation. At my wedding, my brilliantly insightful brother-in-law (and our officiant) quoted Mr. Rogers and spoke about the importance of mentors. He asked everyone in the room to close their eyes and think of someone who had positively shaped their life and to imagine how happy that person would be to know the impact they made. That moment has stayed with me ever since. I’ve been fortunate to have so many people who have supported me, challenged me, guided me, and taught me not just

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The Term

’03 Maya Jaafar Lena ’03 with the 2026 Bowdoin Public Service cohort

how to be a better business leader but how to be a better person. I carry those lessons with me every day.”

’03

2003

Aleem Ahmed aleemhahmed@gmail.com Maya Jaafar Lena maya.j.lena@gmail.com Maya Jaafar Lena was recently invited to her alma mater, Bowdoin College, to meet with the Bowdoin Public Service cohort and share her experience as a member of the Portland, ME, Public Schools Board of Education. The discussion focused on community engagement and working

(From left to right): James Hawthorn ’03 hiking with Ian MacLeod ’03 and Ian’s children, Skye and River

collaboratively with others to create positive change.

Ian MacLeod enjoys living in Sacramento, CA, with his wife and two kids. They are expecting a third

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’04 ’04

’04

Kelly Hackett ’04 and her sister Caitlin ’09 had an impromptu reunion with faculty member Sharyn Stein in Tysons, VA, last December.

Robbie de Picciotto ’04, Delara Derakhshani ’04, Paul Caine ’04, and Matt Hassett ’04 reunite at Loftie HQ, which Matt founded in 2018, in Tribeca

Derek Thompson ’04 with his wife, Laura Martin, and their daughters; the family welcomed Piper in 2025

boy in June! Ian recently connected with classmate James Hawthorn for a weekend visit and hiking in the Oak Woodlands of Sacramento.

’05

2004

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

JJ Reibel continues writing computer, fantasy, and sci-fi books. His latest computer book is titled C# Programming and covers the programming language from beginner to advanced.

He recently released Warriors of the Mortal Macrocosm: The Powerful and the Mighty as part of J.J.F. Reibel’s Mythic series and its spiritual successor, J.J.F. Reibel’s Legendary stories. Last fall, JJ published stories including Zombie Chronicles 9: Munich as part of J.J.F. Reibel’s Apocalypse series.

This year, he published the first book of a new zombie novel series titled NECROWORLD, which follows postapocalypse survivor Jack Stein in an undead-infested world, as well as The Swamp of the Dead, a fresh take on one of his previous subseries. JJ plans to continue writing post-apocalyptic fiction and computer books this year and is always working on some kind of software project.

Derek Thompson welcomed several “babies” in 2025. His favorite one is

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Members of the Class of 2005 celebrating their 20th Reunion

Piper, his second child with his wife, Laura Martin. His other long-gestating 2025 project was Abundance, a book he co-authored with Ezra Klein on the future of liberalism in America. Derek and his family live in Washington, DC, just two doors down from Drew Durbin and his family.

2005

The Alumni Office would like to extend its thanks to the Class of 2005 for making their 20th Reunion this past October one of the most successful gatherings to date. The energy and attendance from this class were a highlight of the weekend, showcasing the lasting community built over the two decades since graduation.

We are incredibly grateful for the hard work and dedication of our Reunion Chairs: Caroline Kettler Crosby, Lolly Cunningham Rivas, and Justin Stilwell. Their leadership was key to creating an event that many have called our best one yet.

We appreciate the countless hours they spent coordinating and reaching out to classmates to ensure such a memorable celebration.

Update your records: To stay connected, please ensure the Alumni Office has your current email address, cell phone number, and home address.

Maintaining accurate records allows us to keep you informed about regional events and future class news. Please send any updates to alumni@potomacschool.org.

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2006

’07

20TH REUNION Virginia O’Connell Fowler oconnell.virginia@gmail.com Class of 2006: It’s time to bring the crew back together. Mark your calendars for October 16–17, 2026, for a milestone 20th Reunion that you won’t want to miss.

The planning is already in great hands with Griffith Roberts Roth leading the charge as a Reunion Chair. By the time you read this, our leadership team will have grown, and we’d love for you to be part of it! Joining the Reunion Planning Committee is a fun, low-pressure way to reconnect and ensure our 20th celebration is exactly what we want it to be.

Want to join Griffith and the squad?

To get involved or see the full list of chairs, email alumni@potomacschool.org or visit potomacschool.org/reunion.

2007

Malcolm Dilley malcolmdilley@gmail.com

Have you moved into new digs, changed your cell phone number, or retired that old email address? Potomac wants to make sure you stay in the loop! From invitations to local alumni happy hours to your copy of The Term, we want to make sure everything reaches you.

Help us keep our records as dynamic as our alumni! Send your updated contact info to alumni@potomacschool.org today.

Lane Ebrill married Thomas Schratwieser on September 6, 2025, at the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, VA. The two met in 2004 while Lane attended Potomac and Thomas attended HB Woodlawn in Arlington, VA.

2008

Rosalind Fennell rfennell12@gmail.com Anne Lenrow Kobylarczyk aklenrow@gmail.com Crhistian Vasquez and his wife, Michaela, married in the fall.

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The Term

’07 Lucy Matthews ’07, Lane Ebrill ’07, Alysia Smith Huynh ’07, and Aja Ewing ’07 at Lane’s wedding

’08

Lane Ebrill ’07 married Thomas Schratwieser in the fall of 2025

2009

It’s been a while, ’09! We know your class has scattered far and wide, but we want to bring that Potomac gusto back to our network. To do that, we need a Class Correspondent (or a team of two or more) to help us find our footing again. This isn’t about writing a novel; it’s about being the spark that gets the conversation started. Whether you’re the one who’s still in touch with a small group of friends or you’re just curious to see where everyone landed after all these years, we need your help to gather a few updates and photos for The Term. Ready to help the Class of 2009 make a comeback? It’s a fun, lowpressure way to lead the charge. To join the squad and help us bridge the gap, email alumni@potomacschool.org.

The Class of 2009 joins the Potomac community in extending its deepest appreciation to Catherine Kahl Linskey for her exceptional service. Catherine recently concluded a seven-year tenure on the Alumni Governing Council (AGC), most recently serving a threeyear term as president. Throughout

Crhistian Vasquez ’08 and his wife, Michaela, married in September 2025

her leadership, Catherine’s strategic vision and steadfast commitment have been instrumental in strengthening our alumni network. Her dedication to Potomac’s mission and her ability to foster meaningful connections among graduates have left a lasting impact on the AGC. We are incredibly grateful for Catherine’s leadership and for the professionalism she brought to every initiative. Thank you, Catherine, for your tireless work and for representing the Class of 2009 with such distinction.

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’10

’11

Sasha DiGiulian ’11 was recently named an Entreprenista 100 Award winner

Members of the Class of 2010 on campus last fall for their 15th Reunion

2010

Tori McCaffrey tori.mccaffrey@gmail.com Maggie Nelsen carrington.nelsen@gmail.com The Alumni Office would like to thank the Class of 2010 for an incredible showing at your 15th Reunion this past October. It was wonderful to see so many alumni return to campus to celebrate this milestone and reconnect with longtime friends and faculty. We are especially grateful to our Reunion Chairs, Jenna Meza, Maggie Nelsen, and Paul Taylor, for their dedicated leadership. We appreciate the time and care they took to make the 15th Reunion a truly memorable occasion for their classmates.

To ensure you continue to receive updates and school news, please take a moment to confirm that your primary email address, cell phone number, and home address are current in our records. Updates can be sent directly to alumni@potomacschool.org.

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2011

15TH REUNION Marie Henneberg marie.henneburg@gmail.com Charlotte Morris charlottelaurie93@gmail.com Class of 2011: The Countdown to 15 Years Begins! It’s hard to believe, but our 15th Reunion is just around the corner. Mark your calendars for October 16–17, 2026, for a milestone celebration that promises to bring back all the energy of our time on campus.

Leading the charge for this unforgettable weekend are our fantastic Reunion Chairs: Kathleen Smith Barnard and Ellen Overstreet Helvey. To see the latest updates, visit potomacschool.org/reunion or email alumni@potomacschool.org.

Sasha DiGiulian continues to reach new heights, both on the rock and in the boardroom. This year, Sasha was named an Entreprenista 100 Award winner and celebrated the release of her memoir, Take the Lead: Hanging On, Letting Go, and Conquering Life’s Hardest Climbs. She also made waves in the film

world with the documentary The New Frontier, which chronicles her historic first ascents in Mexico.

Sasha writes, “I’m incredibly honored to be named an Entreprenista 100 Award winner. Building my company, SEND Bars, has been a whole new kind of climb for me, one filled with exciting highs, stressful lows, and a lot of learning in between. SEND started years ago with me blending bars in my college dorm because I couldn’t find anything on the market that felt clean, nourishing, and honest. My entrepreneurial journey has stretched me in ways I didn’t anticipate. It’s been demanding, humbling, and deeply rewarding. And it’s only been possible because of my incredible team, who shares the mission to make healthy, real-food fuel easy and accessible on the go. While I’m still learning every day in the CPG (consumer packaged goods) world, I’m committed to showing up, staying curious, and continuing to build with intention. To be listed alongside so many women boldly building their visions means a lot to me!”

Jorman Heflin is revolutionizing the beverage industry with the launch of NA Wine Co. After more than a year of intensive research and development, he is bringing high-end, nonalcoholic options to the table, starting with

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Class Notes ’12 ’12

’12

Lauren Wackerle Hardison ’12 and her husband, Shep, welcomed Bennett Rex Hardison to the world on December 13!

Rebecca Wheeler Deitz ’12’s kitties Milo and Chèvre

Rebecca Wheeler Deitz ’12 on her wedding day, July 2025 in Quebec, Canada

California varietals like chardonnay and rosé, which have already garnered praise for their authentic profiles. Jorman shares, “I love wine, but I didn’t love how it made me feel the next day. I wondered: Was it possible to make great nonalcoholic wine? Well, after more than a year of tinkering and tasting, I finally answered that question with a resounding yes! We’re on a mission to craft the world’s best-tasting nonalcoholic wine. We start with ultrapremium Napa Valley wine and use custom technology to gently remove the alcohol without sacrificing the character, flavor, or texture that makes Napa wines legendary. From a few beakers in the second bedroom of my Chicago apartment to a full-fledged winemaking facility in Napa, CA, the journey has been surreal, and I’m so excited to finally share what we’ve been building.”

Joshua Drumming writes, “I moved back to the DMV a few years back and am now working as an attorney here.”

Lauren Wackerle Hardison and husband Shep have a brand-new reason to celebrate! The couple welcomed Bennett Rex Hardison to the world on December 13. Both mom and baby are doing well, and the Class of 2012 sends its warmest congratulations to the Hardison family on their newest (and cutest) Panther!

Keenan Lidral-Porter completed two years as a volunteer crisis counselor for local and national hotlines. These are free, confidential, 24/7 emotional support lines available for anyone in need. He has also been working on a ’91 Mitsubishi Delica and looks forward to taking it on adventures, grand or mundane.

2012

Jamie Lovegrove lovegrovejs@gmail.com Rebecca Wheeler Deitz shares, “I had a whirlwind 2025 with a full travel schedule ranging from St. Moritz to the Maldives to getting married in Quebec, Canada, in July. I still live in Boston and run the five New England states for luxury wine importer The Sorting Table, with the help of my kitties, Milo and Chèvre.”

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The Term

2013

Soraya Batmanghelidj sorayabatman94@gmail.com

Emma Wright Brice and her wife, Crichelle, started the new year with a beautiful new addition! The couple welcomed a sweet baby girl, Lydia Claton Joy Brice, born in Arlington, VA, January 25, 2026. Congratulations to Emma and Crichelle on their growing family!

Claire Figel DiTondo married Pat DiTondo this past September

’13 Emma Wright Brice ’13 and her wife, Crichelle, welcomed their newborn daughter, Lydia

’13 Claire Figel DiTondo ’13 (center) with her husband, Pat, surrounded by bridesmaids (from left to right) Maisie Aines ’13, Rachel Chason ’13, Tatiana Kersten DeWitt ’13, Grace Becker ’13, and Emma Weir ’13

in Middleburg, VA, surrounded by Potomac bridesmaids Maisie Aines, Grace Becker, Rachel Chason, Tatiana Kersten DeWitt, and Emma Weir.

2014

Vanessa Luehrs Hwang vanessahwang28@gmail.com

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’15

The Class of 2015 celebrating their 10th Reunion last October

2015

Tabitha Huff Taylor tabihuff9@gmail.com The Alumni Office extends its sincere appreciation to the Class of 2015 for an outstanding 10th Reunion this past October. It was a privilege to welcome so many of you back to campus to celebrate this significant decade milestone and witness the enduring connections within your class.

A special thank-you goes to our Reunion Chairs, Brendan Dwyer, Gillian Price, and JP Young, for their exceptional leadership and dedication.

Their commitment to outreach and organization was instrumental in the weekend’s success and the impressive turnout of classmates. We are grateful for the time and energy they invested in making this celebration a highlight for the entire Potomac community.

We look toward the next chapter for the Class of 2015 and encourage everyone to keep their email address, cell phone, and home address current with the Alumni Office. Staying updated ensures you receive the latest news and invitations to local and regional events.

We are also seeking volunteers to assist with future class engagement and to help gather notes for The Term. If you

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are interested in supporting your class in a volunteer capacity, please reach out to alumni@potomacschool.org.

Maddie Price reached a major professional milestone this winter, earning her Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice from Virginia Commonwealth University in December 2025. With her doctoral studies complete, Maddie is now beginning her career as a certified registered nurse anesthetist right here in Northern Virginia.

2016

10TH REUNION Arjun Fischer arjunmfischer@gmail.com Danielle Grae daniellegrae2022@gmail.com Gabriel Miller gabriel@millerwalker.com Class of 2016: The Decade Milestone Is Here! Can you believe it’s been 10 years since we walked across the stage at Commencement? It’s time to bring the crew back to campus for a legendary 10th Reunion on October 16–17, 2026.

Interested in helping with Reunion? To learn more, visit potomacschool.org/reunion or email alumni@potomacschool.org.

’16

Erin Jackson ’16 (right) and her fiancé, Jabari, will marry in September 2026

Stay in the loop! Have you moved into new digs, updated your cell phone number, or finally ditched that old student email address? Don’t miss out on the 10th Reunion invites or your copy of The Term. Keep your connection to Potomac strong by sending your latest contact info to alumni@potomacschool.org.

Erin Jackson is having a banner year!

She shares, “I said yes! Come September, I’ll be marrying my love, Jabari, after purchasing a new home! What a way to start 2026!”

2017

Join the Squad: Class Correspondents Needed! Want to be the heartbeat of the Class of 2017? We are looking for Class Correspondent volunteers to help keep our network vibrant. It’s a fun, lowpressure way to stay in touch with friends, hear the latest news first, and strengthen our Potomac community. If you love a good update and want to help us bridge the gap, email alumni@potomacschool.org to join the team!

Erykah Murray is taking her passion for the pavement to the professional level! She is excited to share that she is now an official crew runner for Adidas Runners. A lifelong athlete, she is now a key face of the Adidas Runners

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Class Notes ’17

Erykah Murray ’17, recently named a crew runner for Adidas Runners

’20

Members of the Class of 2020 reunited on campus for their 5th Reunion

’18

’19 Emma Mae Regan ’18 at her master’s graduation from King’s College London, January 2026

Atlanta community, where she plans events, organizes local runs, and represents the brand at major races and expos.

For Erykah, this role is about more than just miles; it’s also about facilitating meaningful connections and fostering an inclusive, supportive environment for runners of all levels.

She is currently training for her very first marathon, a massive milestone that reflects the dedication she’s had since her days at Potomac.

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The Term

Nathan Evans ’19 (right) and his colleague, Shawn Perkins, with the Ford Mustang Mach-E they painted for Art in Motion, part of the Automotive Rhythms exhibition at the DC Auto Show

2018

Connor Havermann cwhavermann1016@gmail.com Sara Kowalik sarakowalik2018@gmail.com Ryan Lovallo ryanlovallo@gmail.com Gabriela Williams gabrielaewilliams@gmail.com

A sincere thank-you goes out to our Class Correspondents, Connor Havermann, Sara Kowalik, Ryan Lovallo, and Gabriela Williams, for their ongoing dedication to our class community. They are the driving force behind our Notes, and we are grateful for the spirit and enthusiasm they bring to keeping us all in touch.

As the Class of 2018 becomes more established in their professional lives and homes, staying connected becomes even more vital. To ensure you receive all the latest news, including exclusive invitations to our events and programs, please take a moment to update your contact information. If you have moved to a new address, changed your cell phone number, or updated your preferred email address, please send those updates to alumni@potomacschool.org.

Your updates keep our network strong—we can’t wait to hear what you’ve been up to!

Emma Mae Regan shares, “I recently earned my master’s degree in international management from King’s College London. During the program, I contributed to consulting projects for a range of organizations, including Adobe, the Institute for Government, Slalom, and Remotis, a European motorsports startup.”

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2019

Margot Labrecque margot.m.labrecque@gmail.com

As the Class of 2019 continues to make its mark on the world, we want to make sure you stay connected to the Potomac community! Whether you have moved into new digs, started a new job with a different email address, or updated your cell phone number, we want to hear from you. Keeping your information current ensures you receive invitations to local alumni events and your copy of The Term. Please send your updated contact details to alumni@potomacschool.org today.

A special thank-you to our Class Correspondent, Margot Labrecque, for her commitment to gathering our news and keeping the class spirit alive.

Nathan Evans showcased his creative talents on a grand scale this winter. Nathan writes, “In January, we completed painting a vehicle for the DC Auto Show as part of the Automotive Rhythms exhibition, titled Art in Motion.” The project merged high-performance design with custom artistry, serving as a standout feature of the show’s interactive gallery. When he isn’t transforming vehicles into rolling canvases, Nathan continues to push the boundaries of his craft through various multimedia projects.

2020

Caroline Lay carolinekellogglay@gmail.com Caroline Otteni ottenicaroline@gmail.com

A Remarkable 5th Reunion! The Class of 2020 recently gathered to celebrate our 5th Reunion, and the turnout was nothing short of spectacular! It was a fantastic opportunity to reconnect, share stories of our post-college adventures, and return to the Potomac campus as a group for the first time.

A special note of appreciation goes to our Reunion Chairs, Declan Cleaver and Caroline Lay, for their exceptional leadership and dedication. Declan and Caroline were instrumental in driving the high attendance and ensuring

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TRAILS

IRL [in real life] Ramses Rubio ’18 prefers to break rules, not create them. Still, anyone who wants a seat at one of his dinner parties has to agree to three: Be open to making new friends, respect freedom of speech and expression, and avoid absent-minded scrolling on their cell phones.

Some of the leading Gen Z creatives are happy to oblige. In return, invitees enjoy anything from a performance by synchronized swimmers to a blindfolded dinner and carefully crafted, sometimes provocative, icebreaker questions. The fusion of boundarypushing people and experiences has earned Ramses’s Dine with Dez dinner series a reputation for fine dining, in-the-moment exuberance, and meaningful human connection.

“If you’re young and trying to be intentional about meeting new people, it’s not easy,” says Ramses, who co-founded Dine with Dez with business partner Desmond Sam in 2023. “After the pandemic, nightclubs kind of died out. Then, we thought about how the act of breaking bread is one of the simplest and most instinctual things we do as humans when we want to get to know someone.”

Ramses, who manages accounts within the luxury wine and spirits sector, and fashion publicist Desmond Sam launched Dine with Dez as a complementary event to Art Basel in Miami. Together, the pair taps their corporate connections to make most of their dinners free for guests and has organized gatherings in cities such as New York City, Los Angeles, and Paris. Ramses oversees logistics, from booking the location to styling the venue to sourcing food and drinks.

For Ramses and Sam, Dine with Dez not only addresses a desire for inperson connections but also represents a commitment to representation.

Too often, the pair felt tokenized at industry functions. “We felt that most brands were just checking the boxes on a demographic,” Ramses says. “If we weren’t getting a seat at the table, then we were going to build our own. At our table, we look for people who are fun, who want to engage with others, and who are moving culture forward.”

Dine with Dez guests have included Brandon Blackwood, whose “End Systemic Racism” bags merge luxury and social activism; entertainer JoJo Siwa; and Miss Peppermint, the first transgender woman of color to star on RuPaul’s Drag Race and on Broadway. Diversity is more than a guest list. Past dinners have celebrated Black History and Hispanic Heritage Months, as well as the cuisine of ancient China and its use of plants and botanicals. Other events have spotlighted suicide prevention and helped raise funds for people affected by the Los Angeles wildfires.

Ramses credits The Potomac School’s culture and teachers for encouraging him to question the status quo.

“There were a lot of opportunities at Potomac where I could be open and advocate for alternative viewpoints in the classroom,” Ramses says.

“That curiosity that I have is still part of my life and is reflected in my work today.”

—Marisa Demers

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Class Notes the weekend was a success. Their commitment to bringing our class together made for a truly memorable celebration, and we are incredibly grateful for the time and energy they invested in making our first major milestone so special.

Class of 2020, good news! You now have your own LinkedIn group: Potomac School–Class of 2020 Alumni.

Join today to connect, share updates, and stay in touch with your classmates.

Maryam Abbasi shares, “I am so excited to share that I will be joining O’Melveny & Myers LLP as a 2027 summer associate in its Washington, DC, office!”

2021

5TH REUNION Will Fearey feareyw25@mail.wlu.edu Rachael Fields rmfields19@gmail.com Lucy Goldberg lucyemail03@gmail.com Maya Sardar mayasardar1515@gmail.com Class of 2021: The 5th Reunion Squad— Can you believe it’s already been five years? It’s time to head back to the Tundra. Mark your calendars for October 16–17, 2026, for our 5th Reunion. This is the perfect excuse to get the whole crew back together, see where everyone’s post-grad life has taken them, and celebrate our first official return to Potomac.

Class Reunion Co-Chairs Will Fearey and Ariana Ghafouri are excited to bring the Class of 2021 together again. For more information, go to potomacschool.org/ reunion. Let’s make your 5th one for the books!

Axel Gyllenhoff has been on a highspeed trajectory since leaving Potomac.

After heading to the University of Virginia, he didn’t just stop at a bachelor’s degree; he doubled down, earning his master’s in computer science in 2025. During his time in Charlottesville, Axel balanced life as the Men’s Club Lacrosse president with serious research into machine learning security, eventually writing a thesis on distribution inference attacks in the wind turbine industry.

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The Term

’21

with a busy career, he’s staying active, most notably completing a north-tosouth hike of the VA section of the Appalachian Trail to reach UVA for Alumni Weekend. When he isn’t hiking or climbing, you can find him on the court playing in a men’s basketball league with fellow Potomac alumni.

2022 Axel Gyllenhoff ’21 and his mom at his graduation from UVA

Before hitting the workforce, Axel embarked on a whirlwind global tour through South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Nicaragua, and El Salvador. Proving he can multitask at any altitude, he studied for and passed the USPTO Patent Bar Exam while traveling, officially becoming a registered patent agent this past November.

Now based in Washington, DC, Axel is part of the IP litigation team at Desmarais LLP, focusing on semiconductor memory cases. Even

Bunny Cameron fcameron@colgate.edu Clay Socas robert.d.socas.26@dartmouth.edu It’s been a few years since we were all together in McLean, and we know the Class of 2022 is scattered across the country doing big things. Whether you’re deep into your major, just getting back from a semester abroad, or starting to think about life after graduation, your classmates want to hear from you!

Don’t be a stranger—updates don’t have to be major milestones to be worth sharing. Did you run into a Potomac friend in a random city? Discover a new passion? Finally finish a grueling

’24

Paige Ramsey ’24 (bottom left) celebrating “Friendsgiving” with other members of the Class of 2024

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’25

’25 Kate Choi ’25 (top left corner) at her first Harvard-Yale game this past November

project? Send a quick note to Bunny Cameron or Clay Socas so we can keep our class section vibrant.

We’re looking for a few more volunteers to help Bunny and Clay keep the 2022 network strong. If you’re good at rallying the group chat or just want to help make sure our class stays in the loop, we’d love to have you. Drop a line to alumni@potomacschool.org to get involved!

2023

Mika Dewar msdewar23@gmail.com Shelby Willcox shelbswillcox16@gmail.com

The Class of 2023 has been out in the world for a couple of years now, and it’s time for a check-in. From McLean to Los Angeles and everywhere in between, we know you’re doing big things. We want to keep your class connection strong, but we need your help to fill these pages.

A quick text or email to Mika Dewar or Shelby Willcox with updates (and a photo!) goes a long way.

2024

Paige Ramsey paige_r@icloud.com

Nathaniel Estes writes, “I’m enjoying my second semester in Boston and excited to go on co-op this summer!”

Brooke Parry says, “Hi! I’ve been thinking of you all this year. I have been singing in an a cappella group at Middlebury, teaching spin classes, and

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John Paul “JP” Sosnitsky ’25 and Cooper Schirmeier ’25 enjoying a beachside dinner in Mexico last summer

working at a local daycare. Hope 2026 is treating you all well.”

Paige Ramsey reports, “I have been enjoying my second year at UVA as a financial economics major. I am also a new aunt, serve as president of an impact consulting club, and am the vice president of philanthropy for my sorority.”

2025

Kate Choi kathrynjchoi@gmail.com Meredith Vorndran m.vorndran@tcu.edu

Kate Choi shares, “I have had a joy-filled first year at Yale University, where I am pursuing a dual degree in history and global health. In New Haven, I share a suite with nine other girls, and we’ve become a close-knit family, which has made my first year of college endlessly fun. Life at Yale is busy but intellectually thrilling. I love studying Asian American and medical history. I’ve become deeply engaged in the health care industry, consulting for New Haven hospitals and building prosthetic and maternal health startups. On the weekends, I enjoy skiing for the Yale ski team and bonding with my new Alpha Phi sisters. While grateful for my college community, I miss my Potomac classmates dearly and cherish every chance to reunite with high school friends during breaks. I’m especially looking forward to studying abroad in London this summer alongside three of my closest friends, Potomac classmates Anya Aggarwal, Polina Helinski, and Audrina Mafi. As one of our Class Correspondents, I am so excited to

continue to watch my beloved Potomac Panther classmates thrive and make their mark in their new homes.”

Last summer, John Paul “JP” Sosnitsky spent quality time relaxing with his friends and family before heading off to Brown University in August. He’s extremely grateful to be in Providence, where he’s exploring a variety of interests through the open curriculum. JP feels that Potomac has prepared him well for this new academic environment. Inspired by Jia Lao Shi (Potomac Chinese teacher Carol Jia), JP continues to study Chinese and plans to major in applied mathematics. JP has been honing his Catan skills in the Board Games Club and, alongside his fellow Potomac alum and brilliant friend Erim Ozcan, enjoys investing in Brownaffiliated startups through Van Wickle Ventures. Outside of the classroom, athletics remain a mainstay in his life with Brown Men’s Club Soccer (BMCS).

In April, the team defended its Ivy League title for the eighth year running, a feat that would cement 2026 BMCS on the Mount Rushmore of club soccer.

Look up the results. While forming new bonds on the club team, JP still stays in close contact with his friends back in VA, whom he saw frequently over winter break. JP says it was comforting to see that his old friends remained mostly unchanged: As Garrett Hicks put it, “I am still Garrett.” Although JP has found a new home in Providence, he is glad to see the Class of 2025 thriving in all of their new homes and will always feel welcome back at Potomac.

IN MEMORIAM Julie Hamm Finley ’52 Trustee Emeritus, mother of Abner Finley ’86, and sister of Martha Hamm Spencer ’60

Wanda Clemens Hill Trustee Emeritus and mother of Stephen Hill ’76 and Trustee Emeritus Gary Hill ’79

Anne Green Mackall Sasscer ’45 Sister of Charles Green Mackall ’50 and cousin of Mimi Mackall Dozier ’48 and Sorrel Mackall McElroy ’52

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ALUMNI EVENTS

’25

CELEBRATING THE P OTOMAC CONNEC TION Reunion 2025 welcomed Potomac alumni back to campus for a memorable October weekend of connection, celebration, and school spirit. From a thoughtful lunchtime conversation with Head of School John Kowalik and Potomac seniors to the Friday Night reception, campus tour, walks on the trails, Homecoming games, and a sing-along with beloved faculty member Jerry Rich, the weekend offered countless opportunities to revisit old traditions and make new memories. The long-standing tradition of Fall Frolics brought even more life to campus, as alumni, families, and friends gathered to celebrate all that makes Potomac so special. Whether reconnecting with classmates, spending time with faculty, or simply enjoying being back on campus, alumni from across generations helped make the weekend warm, lively, and full of joy. The photos that follow reflect just some of the many moments that made Reunion 2025 such a special celebration of the Potomac community.

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A special thanks to the Class Reunion Chairs: 2020 | 5th Declan Cleaver and Caroline Lay 2015 | 10th Brendan Dwyer, Gillian Price, and JP Young 2009 | 15th Jenna Meza, Maggie Nelsen, and Paul Taylor 2005 | 20th Caroline Kettler Crosby, Lolly Cunningham Rivas, and Justin Stilwell 2000| 25th Brady Millar Doty and Dan Doty 1995 | 30th Nish Herat, Reed Kuhn, Matt McBay, and Keith Weinstein

1985 | 40th Chris Arndt, Robert Creamer, Eliza Graham, Randy Myers, Lizzie Peet, Connie Pendleton, and Christy Halvorson Ross 1980 | 45th Romey Pittman and Cecilia Van Hollen 1975 | 50th Peggy Griffin Begor, Lizzie Edgeworth Cantacuzene, Elizabeth Leigh, Liza Phillips, Katya Chavchavadze Redpath, Alice McKillop Semler, and Alison Macdonald von Klemperer 1965 | 60th Emily Train Rowan

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“ REUNION WEEKEND REMINDS YOU HOW STRONG THE

POTOMAC CONNECTION REALLY IS. BEING BACK ON CAMPUS, SHARING STORIES, AND TAKING PART IN TRADITIONS OLD AND NEW

made for an unforgettable weekend.”

Reunion 2026 October 16–17

Celebrating Classes ending in 1 & 6!

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LETTER FROM THE AGC C A T H E R I N E K A H L L I N S K E Y President, Alumni Governing Council

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Finding My Way Back As I wrap up my term as president of the Alumni Governing Council (AGC), I’ve been reflecting on what first pulled me back to Potomac. I was commuting downtown to one of my early jobs, driving on the GW Parkway. Every morning, I would pass the familiar turn I had taken for 13 years—the turn that led up the Parkway to Potomac. Each time, I’d think, “That’s the road I used to take every day on the bus. I wonder what’s happening at the school. Hard to believe I have no idea when I spent nearly every day there.”

That small, persistent thought brought me back to a community that helped shape who I am. Joining the AGC and eventually serving as president allowed me to reconnect with classmates, engage with alumni across generations, and witness firsthand how Potomac continues to nurture curiosity, character, and a deep sense of belonging.

One of the greatest lessons this role has reinforced is the importance of giving back. Potomac continues to thrive because alumni choose to invest in it—through time, talent, or treasure. Every contribution, no matter the size or form, strengthens the experience for today’s students and ensures that the traditions and values we cherish continue.

As my term concludes, I am filled with gratitude—for the opportunity to serve and for the lifelong community Potomac has provided. I encourage each of you to find your own way back, just as I did, and to support the school that supported us.

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ALUMNI EVENTS

DAY OF GIVING October 2025 Potomac’s Day of Giving, Wednesday, October 29, was a remarkable success, with 441 donors, including alumni, parents, former parents, and grandparents, contributing nearly $1 million to The Potomac Fund in honor of the 278 faculty and staff members whose dedication helps make Potomac such a special place. The school is deeply grateful to everyone who gave, helped spread the word, and made the day such a meaningful celebration of the Potomac community. There is still time to make a gift to The Potomac Fund through June 30, and every gift, of every size, makes a difference. Go to potomacschool.org and click on support, today!

NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART MORNING FOR ALUMNAE February 2026 A group of Potomac alumnae enjoyed a remarkable behind-the-scenes experience at the National Gallery of Art in February. The morning included a wonderful conversation with an archivist, Paul Mellon, about the Gallery’s history and the key moments that shaped the institution, followed by a curated tour of the new Back and Forth exhibit. It was a memorable morning of learning, connection, and access to a truly special collection.

Thank you to Malcolm Dilley ’07, a member of both The Potomac School Alumni Governing Council and The National Gallery of Art Circle Committee, for his partnership in bringing this event together.

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The Term

NET@NIGHT DRAWS ALUMNI ACRO S S S CHO OL S FOR AN EVENING OF CONNEC TION January 2026 Despite a snowy week across the DMV, alumni turned out for a terrific evening of conversation, networking, and new connections at Net@Night on January 28 at Venture X in Arlington. A longtime favorite, Net@Night is a professional networking series. For more than ten years, the program has been part of a collaborative effort among peer schools, bringing together alumni communities for shared professional programming and expanded networking opportunities.

This year’s event included alumni from The Potomac School, Flint Hill School, Holton-Arms School, Landon School, and St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School for an evening of speed networking.

In a round-robin format, attendees met professionals from a wide range of industries, exchanged ideas, and made connections.

After the structured networking rounds, guests stayed on for cocktails, appetizers, and longer conversations with new and familiar faces.

As one attendee shared, “It was such a fun and easy way to meet new people. I left with several meaningful connections and conversations I know will continue beyond the event.”

Want to know what’s coming up?

Scan the QR code to visit the alumni website and check out the full schedule of upcoming events.

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P OTOMAC HEAD S WEST March 2026 Potomac made its way to the West Coast for two memorable alumni gatherings in San Francisco and Los Angeles, offering a warm reminder that the Potomac community remains strong no matter the distance from McLean.

The first stop was San Francisco, where Mike ’03 and Saer Kirkman graciously welcomed alumni into their home for an evening of conversation and connection.

Graduates from across class years came together to reconnect with old friends, meet fellow Bay Area alumni, and share updates on life and work. The setting was intimate and relaxed, and the conversations reflected the lasting bonds formed at Potomac, from shared memories on campus to the many directions alumni have taken since graduation.

The following evening, the celebration continued in Los Angeles with a dinner at Funke. The energy was lively and engaging as alumni gathered around the table, catching up, making new connections, and reflecting on the ties that continue to link them to one another and to the school. The evening captured the spirit of Potomac.

Together, the two gatherings highlighted the breadth and vitality of Potomac’s alumni network. From Northern California to Southern California, alumni showed up with enthusiasm.

BLACK ALUMNI DINNER & CONVERSATION February 2026 A new Potomac initiative began to take shape in February at the home of Shannon Gopaul Balser ’01, who hosted an intimate evening for a small group of Black alumni.

The gathering offered an opportunity for conversation, connection, and the early exploration of what could become a Potomac Black Alumni Network. This effort is still in its early stages, and alumni interested in learning more or being part of the conversation are encouraged to contact lmiller@potomacschool.org.

Connect with us: /PotomacPanther

@potomacalumni

P OTO MAC SC HO OL .ORG

The Potomac School Alumni Association Professional Networking Group

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CROSSROADS

The Years That Answer B Y

B R I T T A N Y

C A R R O L L

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“There are years that ask questions, and years that answer.”1 I was trained early to believe that meaningful change happens quietly—through careful language, professional distance, and closed doors. It took years, and eventually caregiving, to understand what silence costs.

Diplomacy felt like a natural path for someone drawn to systems, negotiation, and the careful choreography of power. Through observation and formation—long before I took the oath—I learned how institutions speak, how decisions are shaped before they are announced, and how neutrality is framed as professionalism. Those early lessons, reinforced throughout childhood, taught me that progress depends on restraint: on knowing when not to say too much, when to smooth the edges of truth so it can travel further. That training served me well. It also had limits.

Over the course of my career—navigating Guyana’s oil discovery, evacuating Americans from southern China during the pandemic, overseeing operations at one of the largest U.S. missions in post-war Iraq, and coordinating U.S. delegations at consequential international summits— I learned that some truths cannot be smoothed. They must be blunt, not just to travel but to transform.

Those limits became unmistakable when I found myself navigating caregiving—not as a policy problem but as a daughter. There were no talking points for watching someone you love struggle. No briefing memo prepared me for the isolation of care or how profoundly it disrupts the narratives my generation is expected to embody. Caregiving interrupts careers, exposes fragility, and demands a presence that cannot be optimized or outsourced.

At first, I treated caregiving the way I had been trained to treat everything else: privately, efficiently, and without complaint. But the broken systems that stitch together the country I love and serve were staggering, blunt, and unrelenting until they demanded release.

Writing about caregiving publicly felt transgressive— unprofessional, even. Yet silence began to feel like complicity: an agreement to pretend that care happens offstage, untouched by ambition, identity, or policy.

So, I wrote anyway. What surprised me most was not my own relief, but the response. People, especially other millennials, recognized themselves in my words. Writing became a form of witness, a way to name what so many were living through quietly.

That act of naming led me further back to questions I had inherited but never fully confronted—whispers, broken stories, missing timelines that surfaced at family gatherings and lingered in hushed conversations. I am now writing a book about the legal lynching of my great-uncles during the Jim Crow era and the land my family lost in its aftermath. This is not history in the abstract. It is an examination of how violence can be rendered lawful, how dispossession compounds across generations, and how silence becomes culture and policy.

As a diplomat-turned-caregiver, I am living through the years that bear answers. My family’s land and legacy were not misplaced; they were stripped through quiet, closed-door decisions, contracts, and procedures cloaked in legitimacy.

The consequences of that loss are still unfolding.

This, too, is diplomacy of a sort: navigating power, language, and loss. But it is no longer quiet.

The crossroads I return to is whether to remain fluent in systems that reward discretion or to speak plainly about what those systems demand from the people least protected by them. I no longer believe those choices are mutually exclusive.

But I do believe they require courage.

If diplomacy taught me how to listen, caregiving taught me when not to look away. Writing—publicly Brittany Carroll ’07 is a former U.S. diplomat and honestly—has become the and writer whose work place where those lessons meet. It explores caregiving, is how I make sense of inheritance, truth-telling, and the responsibility, and voice. Not to legacy of power across offer answers, but to refuse erasure. generations.

1. Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God (Virago Press, 2018).

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The Term

I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y F R I E D C A C T U S S T U D I O

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THE POTOMAC FUND

Please make your year-end Potomac Fund gift by June 30, 2026.

P OTO MAC SC HO OL .ORG

Scan the QR code I 73 I

Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage

PA I D

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