Alumni
Class Notes By Anne Torrey McCuean ’08, Advancement Associate and Alumni Relations
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Cinda Koets Boomershine ’84 along with her husband, Mark; their daughter, Belle, who is a Trinity Fifth Grader; their son, Rex ’26; and two cats recently completed the Great American Loop and a bit beyond. They took a 15-month, 7,000-mile nautical journey that encompassed part of the Atlantic Ocean, Intracoastal Waterways, the Great Lakes, Canadian Heritage Canals, the inland rivers of America’s heartland, and the Gulf of Mexico. Approximately 150 boats complete this intense journey every year.
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Whitney Brown Novak ’90 and her husband, Joe, owners of Kazoo Toys, celebrated their store’s 10th Anniversary in April. The Buckhead Business Association’s Business of the Year in 2018 and a member of the UCLA Alumni Association’s 2023 Bruin Business 100, Kazoo Toys has provided the Atlanta community with a curated selection of premium toys that allow for educational opportunities, as well as fun. Though challenged during the pandemic, Kazoo Toys was able to remain open as an essential business (“for parents’ sanity,” says Whitney) and branched out into weekly surprise deliveries to help keep those stuck at home with something to look forward to each week. Joe sits on several ASTRA (American Specialty Toy Retailing Association) committees, and the store is a member of The Good Toy Group. Whitney, who left her position as COO at Mathnasium to keep the business growing, is now basically the C-Suite. Whitney and Joe, along with daughter, Sierra ’24, live in North Buckhead with their two guinea pigs, Dill and Mr. Pickles. They love to travel to the west coast as often as possible to see friends and family.
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Catherine Overend Stewart ’95 and her husband, Peter Stewart, welcomed Rex Newell Stewart on February 7. Rex joins proud siblings and current Trinity students Christopher and Grace.
Julia Bailey Carter ’97 recently secured more than $2 million in seed funding in less than 30 days for her travel startup, Flaire, which is gaining recognition as a trusted alternative to the biggest names in travel today. The Flaire platform (flaire.me) is initially targeted towards the exploding population of Gen Z travelers, empowering them to save and share the places they’ve been and places they want to go, while connecting with like-minded travelers. Flaire, which Julia says feels like “Pinterest for travel but
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supercharged with AI,” does so by harnessing real-time data from users’ social networks and generative AI, making it a powerful travel hub of the future. With more than 15 years’ experience working in technology companies, Julia first worked at Google, then reported directly to the CEO of Atlanta-based innovation group Kenzie Lane, where they built and sold two companies, each for a staggering $200 million. Prior to her career in technology, Julia graduated from the University of Virginia and spent time working with the International Justice Mission in Kampala, Uganda. She currently resides with her husband and three daughters in Atlanta, where Flaire is headquartered.
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Patrick Shields ’99 married Elif Alyanak of Gainesville, Georgia, on April 29 in Atlanta.
Warren Coleman ’02 married Emily Collins on May 6 in Atlanta. The groomsmen included Trinity alums Thomas Coleman ’00, Kyle Carey ’02, and Stuart Coleman ’03.
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