A few weeks ago, I sat in on an Upper School Acting class. Their warmup exercise of the day was to answer the question: “What age would you like to be again and why?” When it was my turn, I told the students that a part of me has always been 16 or 17 in my heart. There is something about that age that feels particularly salient to me; a time when emotions and sensations were close to the surface, and somehow everything felt at once far away and yet impossibly close.
I think this is why I have spent much of my life working with teenagers. It is also why I love speaking with alumnae. My conversations with alums often take us back to their own formative teenage years at Westridge and the forward trajectories their lives have taken since then.
At our recent Alumnae Weekend, all of this came into play so powerfully, as friends embraced and laughed and picked up right where they left off—intimations of shared adolescence everywhere. Somehow the years between don’t matter as much when you can picture the face in front of you as a teenager’s face.
One of my favorite parts of the weekend was when the 50th reunion class spent time with the 4th graders. Members of the Class of ’73 shared advice with 4th graders, and here is one that stuck with me: Stay interested in learning; it’s a lifelong joy. Follow what sparks you inside. Work hard, laugh harder … Love is all that really matters, so give it and receive it freely. Trust in your abilities to land on your feet.
This gets to the heart of so much of what I see at Westridge every day. The profound lifelong joy in learning that teachers have and that they nurture in our students; the “spark” inside students’ hearts and minds as they choose new courses and activities; the peals of laughter as students gather for lunch; the sense of self-trust and emotional freedom that girls have in a space that is all their own.
I hope you enjoy this edition of Surgere. The past and present of Westridge are connected in our cover story on the evolution of Spyglass over more than 75 years. The future trajectory of the school is palpable in the story on our new Advanced Courses program (page 4). And the energetic, forward movement of our students is alive on every page.
Warmly,
Andrea KassarWhile this former slogan no longer adorns the paper’s masthead, its spirit has infused the Westridge student newspaper Spyglass across its more than 75 years of chronicling life on and off campus with a decidedly (and delightfully) student voice.
As Spyglass approaches 80 years of publishing, we dove into our archives for a look at its evolution. The paper of record at Westridge provides a fascinating look back at the times, both on and off campus.
The 8th grade published The Spy Glass, a quarterly paper that included writings from students in 5th through 8th grade. “The student body hopes that this innovation will continue to be a Westridge activity,” a prescient Inlook yearbook description reads.
Newspaper turned over to the Upper School at the behest of a teacher with Priscilla Dunn Flynn ’47 (pictured at left and on the cover!) as editor and Nancy Lou Grandin ’47 as business manager.
pyglass has had many iterations in the decades since its origins as an 8th grade newspaper in 1943. Gone are the days of furiously typing articles via typewriter to make a printer's deadline—Spyglass is now an entirely digital newspaper. Advertisements are also a thing of the past. For decades, the newspaper would sell ads from local businesses, including Pasadena staple Vroman’s Bookstore and the now-defunct Jurgensen’s Grocery Store, to help fund the issues—the paper boasted a team of business staff and an advertising committee to deal with ads and circulation.
The newspaper went from four issues a year to a six-issue run by the ’50s. In the two decades following, alumnae created their own version of Spyglass in addition to running stories in the student version.
Fast forward to the Spyglass of today: Helmed by Editor-in-Chief Ilena M. ’24 and Managing Editor Eliza W. ’24, the publication boasts a nearly 50-student staff of editors, writers, and designers. Upper School students lead the publication (they have the option of taking as an elective course or participating as an extracurricular activity), and both Middle
and Lower School students contribute to the publication as well. The recent move to digital allows the newspaper to save on printing—a previously costly endeavor; plus, it allows people beyond the Westridge community to interact with the articles (in fact, a Spyglass article was recently linked in a Slate article).
In its current form, Spyglass is “dedicated to ethical reporting that amplifies the school’s unique voices to inform, entertain, and forge connection in the Westridge community and beyond.”
Faculty Advisor Masami Hansen’s primary goal is to help students develop their critical thinking skills through the reporting and writing process. Both Hansen and Ilena stress the importance of civic engagement and having the Westridge community interact with the newspaper by writing letters to the editor, allowing an interview, or simply reading the articles.
Despite great change over the decades, the values Spyglass students hold dear, such as thoughtfully considering the world around them and the importance of respecting different points of view, remain constant after seven decades of keeping the Westridge community informed and thinking about life on campus and beyond.
From an article titled, “Diverse Opinions Sought by Spyglass”: The primary function of a newspaper is, obviously, to report news, whatever it may be … The Spyglass, however, faces a peculiar situation, since it only comes forth (erratically) once a month … [It is then] not so much a chronicle of past events as it is a means of expressing the current ideas and opinions held by students… We hope to develop in you, Spyglass’s reporters and readers, a certain tolerant respect for the opinions of other people.
1960s 1970s 1990s
Circulation extended to family homes with financial support from the Parents’ Association. By this time The Alumnae Association sent copies to all active members and copies were also being shared with schools on both coasts as well as England, France, and Switzerland.
Genevieve develops recipes for NYT Cooking and is the deputy editor and columnist for the Times' Food section. She previously worked at the Los Angeles Times, where she was a cooking editor. Genevieve is also the author of "Better Baking" and has contributed to over 20 cookbooks as well as other food magazines and media companies.
Sarah has been with Travel + Leisure since January 2018. Over the past 17 years, she has held staff positions at leading publications including Women's Health, Food Network Magazine, and Time Out New York. As a freelance writer, she has also contributed to such outlets as CNTraveler.com, Cosmopolitan, Domino, and InStyle
KiMi's reporting in the USA Today network covers TV, celebrity news and profiles, influencers, and pop culture fandoms at The Arizona Republic newspaper. She previously reported for the LA bureau of the Japanese international news agency Kyodo News, NBC Los Angeles, and The Hollywood Reporter.
2007 Online blog introduced to supplement print issues. Still accessible at spyglass.typepad.com/spyglass, the blog ran through 2011.
Editor’s note: Though not a journalist, the impact of Carly's Spyglass experience on her career is noteworthy.
Carly supports SNL producer Lorne Michaels on the sketch show, as well as on other projects at Michaels’ company Broadway Video. Previously, Carly worked in production and wrote for Sesame Street. Her first-post grad short film, Pocha, has screened at festivals across the U.S. Carly's experience as the Spyglass humor editor encouraged her to pursue writing satire and sketch comedy at NYU, which informed her career trajectory.
Lucy reports on issues affecting lowincome families for this NPR member station in rural northern New York. Her stories have aired nationally on All Things Considered, Weekend Edition Sunday, and Here & Now! She is part of the Report for America corps, a group of hundreds of early-career journalists working in local newsrooms nationwide. She first fell in love with reporting and editing on the staff of Spyglass!
As a 2021 lifestyles & features intern at the Los Angeles Times, Siena had 12 bylines in this hometown national paper. She currently works at her college alma mater, Boston University, as a writing & editing intern and hopes to one day build a team to tell stories about the intersection of food and race. Siena was a three-year member of Spyglass including serving as senior feature & copy editor.
In August, Westridge introduced its first Advanced Courses—courses developed by our own faculty members to thoughtfully increase the intellectual rigor of our program. Teachers report that the change in learning outcomes and student engagement demonstrated in the new classes has exceeded their expectations.
“I draw upon some of my content (from the college classes I taught) and I have never seen anything like what is happening in this class,” says World Languages Department Chair Vicki Garrett, who teaches Advanced Cultural Studies in Spanish. “This is on par with work of college Spanish majors that I taught, and the Westridge students are more engaged—even during the first semester of their senior year when they were spread very thin.”
“The rigor has actually increased because students aren’t just being fed information. We are being forced to think on our feet and make connections with the guidance of our teachers and that’s really what the real world is,” said Isabella H. ’23.
Advanced Courses replace AP courses as the most rigorous course offerings at Westridge. New courses will be phased in each year until the 2025-2026 school year, when the full complement of Westridge Advanced Courses will be complete.
According to Head of School Andrea Kassar, who previously led the Upper School at New York’s Nightingale -Bamford which moved beyond APs years ago, the change both enhances learning and reflects the foundin principles of independent education.
“This is a return to the foundational idea of independent schools as institutions with unique curricula rooted in mission, aligned with school values, and taking full advantage of the creativity and expertise of our faculty members. It’s an important and exciting evolution,” said Kassar.
WITH THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR JUST AROUND THE CORNER, THE SECOND WAVE OF ADVANCED COURSES IS BEING READIED FOR THE FALL. THEY ARE:
Students will propose and complete major projects over the course of a school year that solve a problem within the aerospace world. Students will study rockets, aircraft, satellites, landing vehicles, extraterrestrial habitation, extraterrestrial exploration vehicles, and more.
Working in teams, students will develop and build enterprisegrade software (a software product or physical device powered by student-created software). Topics include source control, large-scale project workflow structure, prioritization, Pareto’s Principle, project management, and bug tracking.
Through research investigations and project-based learning, this course will help students understand the fundamental role the environment has in all aspects of human survival and the impacts of humans on the earth.
This course provides students opportunities to use the language collaboratively and gain a deeper understanding of the Chinese speaking culture, including changing family structure, gender roles, cultural identity, influences of art and beauty, and the impact of science and technology.
This team-taught, literaturebased interdisciplinary course is designed to develop and hone students' critical thinking and analytical skills. Students consider questions of genre, language, academic disciplines, and the contextualization of literature through close reading, analytical writing, interdisciplinary projects, and presentations.
Students will explore the mathematical underpinnings of the world around them with an emphasis on conceptual reasoning, logical thinking, and algebra-based problem-solving that will include multi-variable systems of equations, advanced trigonometric applications, and symbolic manipulation.
This is a rigorous, college-level, calculus-based physics course that expands on topics covered in Physics I and introduces others, including rotational motion, calculations with extended mass and/or charge distributions, waves and oscillations, AC circuits, advanced circuit analysis, Maxwell’s Equations, and electromagnetic waves. Significant emphasis will be placed on experimental design.
Seniors will have the option of registering for an advanced course focused on one of the following topics—Banned Books and Censorship: A Study of
the Challenges to Intellectual Freedom; Madness in Literature; and Women of the Novel.
This course is the equivalent of a one semester, introductory college statistics course. Students will develop strategies for collecting, organizing, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data and prepare frequent written and oral analyses of real data to develop statistical communication skills.
Students will gain an understanding of how freedom has been defined and pursued throughout U.S. history, as well as the limits to freedom and the consequences of its pursuit. (While all juniors will take this course, students may opt to earn Advanced Course credit by completing requirements such as supplemental reading and advanced-level writing assignments.)
Updates on this year’s Advanced Courses, including videos with students and teachers, can be found at Westridge.org/advancedcourses.
A much-deserved congratulations to the casts and crews behind Westridge Theatre’s fall production “She Kills Monsters” and “Matilda, the Musical” in the spring!
All-School Day returned to Westridge this year with a bang! Planned by the Associated Student Body (ASB) leaders, the “Into the Wild”-themed event had students trekking across campus to visit “the farm” (Herrick Quad) to ride a mechanical bull, compete in potato sack races, and try their hand at line dancing; “the tundra/arctic” (Ayrshire Courtyard) for popsicles and hot chocolate, photo booth, and even a foam pit in the Amphitheater; “the savannah/safari” (Frank Field) for face painting, popcorn, and inflatable slides; and “the jungle/rainforest” (Ranney Court) for craft activities and tea.
The Westridge Art Department was pleased to bring back the Maxwell Artist-in-Residence program this year, allowing students to benefit from the resources of innovative, professional talent from the local area and beyond. By the end of the school year, six artists— including sculptor Joel Otterson, headpiece designer Mike Sullivan, garden artist Abudu Nininger, mixed media artist Lila de Magalhaes, and illustrator/abstract painter David Shannon—will have visited art classes, with plans for a final showcase of all the art created under their tutelage.
The program, established in 2004, is named after Cynthia Clark Maxwell '71 and was created by her parents to honor her memory and Westridge experience. The program's inaugural visiting artist was Sigrid Burton '69, a current Westridge trustee.
Varsity Golf remains undefeated! The team claimed its fourth consecutive Prep League title in the fall. Go Tigers!
A big congratulations to Grace N. ’23 (center above), who has committed to playing volleyball at New York University after graduation!
This year’s new 6th grade FLEX period—designed to help students develop executive functioning (such as study skills and organization)—is developing the next generation of female leaders!
In the spring, 6th graders focused on leadership, learning to identify different styles of leadership, writing and performing skits in the different styles, and taking part in team building exercises. Their budding skills came in handy as they helped lead clubs in Lower School!
Kudos to the 8th graders who worked in groups on thoughtful presentations for a joint history/English project: "Raising Our Voice!"
The project culminated the students' second quarter study of legal changes for Black Americans during the civil rights movement, prompting them to think about how Black Americans have effected change in the cultural landscape of America. Students did individual research (with support from Westridge Librarian Stephanie Bolton!) on a person or institution. Then, they worked in groups to compare the people and institutions they researched and look for commonalities. Students studied how Black Americans have effected change through the lens of film, visual art, comedy, dance, beauty and fashion, education, music, and more.
In December, Upper School Peer-toPeer (Westridge’s student support group, P2P) led “Be Kind to Your Mind” Week with campus-wide activities and an all-school assembly. Be Kind to Your Mind week evolved from the previously named “Love Your Mind” Week at Westridge to acknowledge that students are in difference places in the process of “loving their mind” and “to encourage the practice of being kind to your mind, giving yourself the space and time to love your mind no matter where you’re at in that journey.”
Inspired by the National Organization of Women’s Love Your Body Week movement, in February Peer-to-Peer led “Everybody for Every Body” week to start meaningful conversations regarding pressures to look a certain way. This work continued with a Student Voices assembly focused on the topic of “Modern Misogyny”—during which students shared ways in which they had experience misogyny and how they would like to see things change in the world.
In April, the school purchased a 20,000-square-foot property on Arlington Drive that sits directly behind the school’s Rothenberg Humanities Building. Pending city approvals, the site will ultimately be home to a new classroom building.
“We are thrilled at the prospects for strengthening our program and advancing our mission created by this unexpected opportunity,” said Westridge Board Chair Valerie Rubio Lemmon ’92 in an announcement to parents and students. “In mature communities such as Pasadena there are few chances to acquire contiguous property, making this is an important moment in the school’s forward trajectory.”
“It will allow us to dream big, think strategically about both the new space and the repurposing of current spaces, and provide more flexibility in the scheduling of classes. As such, its benefits will ripple across the entire campus.”
The school believes it will be at least a year before it has plans for use of the new space—but we look forwarding to sharing concepts with our community when they are available!
My sister is a Venus flytrap that catches everything and tries to swallow it even though there isn’t enough room.
She swallows time, and makes it a warm mug of tea on a day with falling leaves or a box of fresh strawberries.
She swallows recipes for cookies, mochi cakes, and caramel candies until our house is a maze for the aromas coming from the oven, weaving through the cracks and bursting into fish swimming in the clouds.
She swallows blank canvases and untouched piano pieces, serving as soil to plant more gifts, while finding bridges and ladders to improve, crossing and climbing.
She swallows books and stories that fill her world with stars that whisper to her, showing her worlds without frames or string to pull them together.
— Kylie H. ’28
Cece O. ’29
Carolina A. ’28
Posy B. H. ’30
Thank you to the more than 140 Westridge alumnae hailing from classes spanning 74 years (1947 to 2022) who returned to campus to celebrate Alumnae Weekend held March 10-11! A little rain couldn’t stop the two days of festivities, which included a luncheon, coffee reception with Head of School Andrea Kassar, first-ever affinity gathering (read more on page 14), Q&As with alumnae award winners, campus tours, and a “Twilight at Westridge” reception.
It was all smiles, cheers, and hugs as members of the Class of 1973 came together for their 50th reunion on Friday, March 10.
They officially kicked the weekend off with a meet & greet with the fourth graders in the Class of 2031! After sipping on lemonade and snacking on cookies, in small groups, students took their alums around their classroom, showing work they had created over the last few weeks.
The inaugural Alumnae Affinity Gathering was held Saturday morning of Alumnae Weekend. Co-hosted by Alumnae Board Members Alicia Henry ’01 and Nicole Rabaudi ’90, the gathering was a special session where alums spanning the Classes of 1963 to 2022 connected based on their shared backgrounds. Westridge Director of Equity Ian Tatum facilitated a conversation with all attendees, who later broke out into groups based on how they identify (this session’s groups included Asian American, Black/African American, and Latinx affinities).
“By providing this inaugural space, Westridge acknowledges the lived and shared experiences of all alumni,” said Henry and Rabaudi. Board Chair Jessica Yang added: “This affinity gathering of accomplished alum sharing stories of lived experiences as racial minorities at Westridge unequivocally demonstrated to me that the forward-thinking inclusivity and compassionate support of the Westridge community continues years beyond our graduation day."
We hope this was the start of an ongoing dialogue and engagement among alumnae for years to come. If you are interested in learning more, please reach out to Director of Alumnae Engagement Fan Wang at fwang@westridge.org.
As the weekend came to a close, alums gathered in the gym for a final event: the luncheon! There, 2023 Mary Lowther Ranney Distinguished Alumna Thembisa Mshaka ’88 and 2023 Distinguished Young Alumna Sarah Beshir '10 were presented with their awards by Head of School Andrea Kassar. Ilena M. '24, the editor-in-chief of the student newspaper Spyglass, facilitated a Q&A with Thembisa, who spoke about her career and journey from Westridge to now, then Thembisa gave her own remarks. The luncheon culminated with a rousing rendition of Surgere Tentamus, featuring the Glee Club!
In her speech*, Thembisa shared advice, true for current students and alumnae alike. Here’s an excerpt:
“See this glorious, beautiful world. It’s easy to join the chorus of how fast it’s going to hell in a hand basket, but you’ll really understand differences, gratitude, and how to leverage your privilege when you place yourself in the position to experience discomfort, humility and wonder through travel—not as a tourist, but as a human being sharing in and contributing positively to the energy of other human beings and Mother Earth.”
*To read Thembisa's full speech, scan the QR code:
The following classes were honored with awards during the luncheon for their commendable fundraising efforts during the 2021-2022 year.
• The Elizabeth Edmundson Herrick Bowl (awarded to the class with the highest percentage of participation in giving to the Westridge Fund): Class of 1953—for the ninth consecutive year!
On Friday, 2023 Distinguished Young Alumna Sarah Beshir ’10 met with student affinity groups for a lunchtime discussion and later a Q&A for Middle and Upper School students. Another Q&A followed for alumnae on Saturday in the library (now known as the Academic Resource Center or ARC).
• The Nancy H. Owen Trophy (awarded to the class making the largest dollar contribution to the Westridge Fund): Class of 1992
• The Elizabeth J. McGregor Forever Fund Award (recognizing classes whose giving to the Forever Fund endowment for financial aid has reached $100,000): Class of 1963
The Ranney Award is given annually to an alumna whose life embodies the spirit of the Westridge motto, Surgere Tentamus, and who, by her commitment to her chosen path, her dedication to lifelong growth and learning, and her habits of heart, mind, and action is an example and an inspiration to the Westridge community.
Distinguished Alumna
Thembisa is an award-winning, multi-hyphenate creative executive, with experience as an author, producer, filmmaker, voice actor, and activist. She holds a deep love of music and media, palpable in the incredible work she has done over a 30-year career that includes tenures at:
• Sony Music, where she created the award-winning global ad campaign for Lauryn Hill’s solo album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill”
• GAVIN magazine, where she was the first Black person and first woman to hold the position of rap editor and helped introduce many of today’s renowned hip-hop and soul artists (including The Roots, Busta Rhymes, and Common)
• BET Networks, where she was appointed the first copy director in creative services and conceived campaigns for multiple top-rated shows and original programs
Her creative work has supported many artists, from Beyoncé to Nas, while her voiceover talent has been tapped for entities such as the WNBA and Ford Motor Company. In 2021, she was part of the inaugural Black Muslim TV Screenwriters cohort from the Hollywood Bureau, Muslim Public Affairs Council, and The Blackhouse Foundation. She recently completed her first feature screenplay and has pilots in development for multiple TV projects; her creative endeavors are now housed at her eponymous Mshaka Media (check out more at www.thembisamshaka.com).
Thembisa holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations and ethnic studies from Mills College (where, as an alumna, she was recognized for distinguished achievement in 2013) and is a graduate of the film producing program at New York Film Academy. She sits on the advisory boards of the Universal Hip Hop Museum and the Black diaspora think tank Brilliant Minds Collective.
Established in 2020, the Westridge Distinguished Young Alumna Award is awarded annually to a young alumna who exhibits excellence, leadership, and agency during her educational and career paths, and who continues to serve as a role model and inspiration for Westridge students.
Sarah is a systems engineer at a top-5 aerospace company, where she leads teams creating satellite system architecture models. She has developed command products and software tools and worked for the test and launch of satellites. In 2020, Sarah founded the social & racial justice working group at her company’s campus to drive awareness and solutions for racial justice by improving employee recruitment, retention, education, and communication.
Sarah has a multidisciplinary background with a B.S. in political science and environmental studies
from USC, an associate’s in mathematics from Pasadena City College, and a master’s in systems engineering from Johns Hopkins University. She also holds a certificate in model-based systems engineering from CalTech and was a Polymathic fellow at USC.
Outside of work, she supports the national nonprofit Eritrean Muslims Council as treasurer and student STEM conferences in various roles.
In October, Middle and Upper School students gathered in the Performing Arts Center for incredible performances by the Westridge Glee Club and Upper School Orchestra along with a special guest: The Princeton Tigerlilies acapella group! All three groups came together to perform “The Rose” by Ola Gjeilo. The Tigerlilies— with Reese Owen ’20 (top right, center)— performed a selection of songs including “For the Longest Time” by Billy Joel, “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)” by Adele, and “I Dreamed a Dream” from the musical Les Misérables to close the showcase. Owen was a member of Glee Club during her time at Westridge.
Westridge alumna Liliana Winkworth ’10 visited campus to share advice with students in Upper School English Teacher Tarra Stevenson’s Perspectives in Literature class. Winkworth, who holds an MFA in playwriting and screenwriting and works in the comedy division of a talent agency, led the class through the theme of “disruption.” The students were given blackouts (short comedy sketches that end in a stage blackout) to read, and then had to break down the sketches and discuss the subject matter. “I think being disruptive is just doing what you think is funny and sometimes a little weird,” said Winkworth.
On Spirit Day, members of the Classes of 2021 and 2022 returned to campus for “College Conversations,” an annual event in which our recently graduated classes give advice to current Westridge seniors about the college process and the transition to college. The theme of the panels was “Now What?” during which 20 alums spoke on topics ranging from their experience applying to colleges and the decisionmaking process to their best advice for the Class of 2023 as they look to commencement later this spring.
Kudos to Upper School Science Teacher Dr. Ryan Skophammer, Ph.D., and 112 Westridge alumnae whose work evolving yeast genes landed them with citations in the November 2022 edition of the G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics Journal. The yeast project outlined in the paper has expanded from its inception as a Westridge classroom experiment in 2017 to an ongoing, multi-year partnership with researchers at the University of Washington, who received National Science Foundation funding in 2018 to expand the Westridge program into five high schools and two colleges across the U.S. Read more about the project at www.westridge.org/yeastevolution
Coming off of Winter Break, students celebrated Spirit Day with a varsity soccer game against neighboring Polytechnic School (a 4-4 draw!) and finished the day with an exciting varsity basketball game against 12 of our very own alumnae—ranging from Classes of 2007 to 2022—in Hoffman Gym.
our
In March, Westridge alumnae in northern California gathered at ATwater Tavern in Mission Bay to meet with Head of School Andrea Kassar and Board Chair Valerie Rubio Lemmon '92!
Spring
before the
Westridge alums currently attending Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, met up with each other and College Counselor Marcie Robinson at the Sucré dessert shop in January!
When Ashwini Lakshmanan ’97, MD, MS, MPH, began her medical residency, it didn’t take her long to realize there was more to practicing medicine than the clinical work. “I quickly found that in addition to any medical conditions, families are often managing challenges including food and housing insecurity, economic instability, and more. I became interested in how these issues impact health outcomes, and how the medical profession can better support patients through their health journeys.”
After earning her MD from USC’s Keck School of Medicine, Ashwini completed a Master of Public Health from Harvard and took on two fellowships there looking at how to make access to care more equitable for families in neonatalperinatal medicine. When she returned to Southern California, this work continued at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (she led CHLA’s Laboratory for Neonatal and Infant Health Outcomes) and at USC as an associate professor of pediatrics and population and public health sciences at the Keck School of Medicine.
Today, Ashwini is an associate professor of health systems science at the Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine in Pasadena, where her research and advocacy into equity and access continue with a particular focus on developing digital technologies to support families. Results from her first project in this field, the Baby Steps LA mobile app, are being analyzed now. She also maintains her clinical neonatology skills within the Kaiser health system.
Ashwini credits her time at Westridge with setting the foundation for her career. “My experience at Westridge really shaped who I am today,” she explained. “I was inspired at Westridge and to this day to be empowered. Both my teachers and my peers showed me that I could be a leader—I never felt a door would be closed. The combination of confidence and capability that I gained there helps me tremendously in my career.”
Ashwini spoke of the impact of the school’s focus on community and giving back. “In my work now, being cognizant of who lives in a community, who thrives in a community, and how we see voices show up in a community is important. That started for me at Westridge.”
As she has advanced through her career, Ashwini has taken time to mentor hundreds of medical students, undergraduates, and even high school students. “I want to see young women succeed in medicine and to feel that there are no limits on their opportunities.”
Ashwini has recently made a generous gift to the Forever Fund for financial aid at Westridge to help advance opportunities for young women. “Given my interest and work in equity, I thought if there is a way my family can support a candidate for this wonderful and unique education, we want to do that.”
My interest in equity also comes from Westridge. There was a focus on taking a global view that started in the early grades that was very significant for me. We were exposed to a wide range of views and read many different voices, particularly strong female voices.
Annie Rohrbach-Walker (Hereford)
(Los Osos, CA): “From 20212022, my husband Gary & I completed an incredible year-long adventure of a lifetime, cruising ‘America’s Great Loop’—7,500 miles around the mostly inland waters of the eastern U.S.A. (plus Quebec & Ontario in Canada) in our own 40-feet cabin cruiser. There were friendly people everywhere we went and so much beauty! For more info about the Loop, read our blog at www.slodancer.com. At ages 79 (Gary) and 82 (me), our mantra is, ‘Have a blast while you last!’ So we are no longer collecting ‘stuff’—we are collecting experiences!”
Poppy Copeland
(Thailand): “I am currently in Thailand where I lived and worked during the Vietnam War. Now we are doing a project called Photo Pal in which we give donated cameras to young refugees from Burma and have them shoot photos of their life transition and express feelings regarding new life.”
Leslie Wheeler
(Cambridge, MA): “I'm delighted to share that two books of mine were released in 2022: the third book in my ‘Berkshire Hilltown Mystery’ series titled ‘Wolf Bog’ (more at www.lesliewheeler.com) and ‘Deadly Nightshade’ (named the Best New England Crime Stories anthology for 2022).
The latter was published by Crime Spell Books (www. crimespellbooks.com), where I'm a co-editor/publisher. In November, I received a lifetime achievement award for my contributions to the New England mystery writing community. On the personal level, my son, Nick Stein, and his longtime girlfriend finally tied the knot!” 1
Rinda Bishop (Hambleton) (Kentfield, CA): “In 1987, my husband Bill, my three children, and I were living north of San Francisco in Marin County. We then moved to Connecticut after Bill accepted a job there, added another child, and had 34 wonderful years there. In 2020, we decided to return to California and have had two happy years back in Marin County! Once a Californian, always a Californian! I still have beautiful memories of Fergus and all the wonderful women of the Class of ’67!”
Carol Luther (Fullerton) (Palm Desert, CA): “Just thinking back to those high school years and how much I appreciate the Westridge experience. I am enjoying life with my husband of soonto-be 54 years. I will always have Pasadena in my heart and come back to visit family often. I wish everyone a good year and good health.” 2
1970
Tory Belsky (Metcalf) (Scottsdale, AZ): “Retired after 50 years in the nightclub/restaurant business. Worked every
day all those years. Traveling extensively. Relaxing very happily. Trying to be the best golfer ever. Spending seven months in Scottsdale and five months in Vail and Denver. Please say hello if you are in the area.” 3
Karen Huante-Alexander (Altadena, CA): “My youngest son, Kameron—who has been with Sony for years—moved to Nashville, TN. He wrote and produced the song “Grand” by Kane Brown. I am finally going to be a grandmother to a little boy. I’m still dancing and selling with Coldwell Banker Realty Pasadena.”
Susan Anderson (Oakland, CA): is now the managing director of Camp Winnarainbow (www. campwinnarainbow.org),
a children’s circus and performing arts camp in Mendocino County!
Pam Bryant (Carter) (Los Angeles, CA): "I returned to school at UCLA just before the pandemic lockdown and completed my doctoral degree in nursing practice. Ironically enough, my study was on vaccine interest and uptake in college students. I thoroughly enjoyed being a student all over again! Last year, I left my university position as a Master of Science in Nursing-Family Nurse Practitioner program chair and took a position at an innovative healthcare startup company that is nurse practitioner provider focused. In my spare time, I continue to enjoy travel and golf, and I spent my first Christmas with my grandchildren, Gavin and Giavanna!” 4
Donna Riley
(Albuquerque, NM) moved to Albuquerque to begin a new job as the Jim and Ellen King Dean of Engineering and Computing at the University of New Mexico as of April 1.
Elizabeth Gould (Dunton) (Oceanside, CA): “2022 was action-packed—I moved back to California after 30 years in Phoenix. I am now in Oceanside as of March 2022. The 40th reunion dinner our class held at Elizabeth Loper Serhan's home was delightful. I look forward to more California things for Westridge now that I am only two hours away. Here is a picture of me and my new water activity—I love kayaking!” 5
Whitney Potter (New York, NY): “Living happily in New York City with my husband, John, and 10 ½ year old daughter, Daphne. Professionally, I am the executive director of donor relations and strategic events at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, where I am responsible for approximately 75 fundraising events a year. I look forward to interesting travel and seeing old Westridge friends in 2023!” 6
Anna Pehoushek (Orange, CA): “The college search is beginning for my son, John, who is a junior and plays soccer at Servite High School with fellow Westridge class of 1988
alumna Maya Alvarez’s son Marco, a sophomore. On the professional front, I continue working at the City of Orange
as assistant community development director. I was recently inducted as a fellow into the American Institute of Certified Planners, one of only 50 urban planning professionals across the country to be acknowledged by the American Planning Association for contributions to the planning profession.” 7
Michele Stathatos ’10 (Tuscon, AZ): “I am an assistant professor of practice for the school psychology program at the University of Arizona. I graduated with my Ph.D. in school psychology in 2020. Additionally, I am a licensed psychologist in the state of Arizona. My clinical work focuses on supporting and training educators to advocate for and create supportive school systems for LGBTQ+, transgender, and gender diverse youth.”
Christine Ulin (New York, NY): “I received my M.S. in communication sciences and disorders with the bilingual extension (Spanish) from Columbia University. I look forward to starting the next chapter of my life in New York City as a speech language pathologist at a private practice. I also moved in with my partner and registered for a domestic partnership in summer 2022.” 8
Sierra Lyman (Los Angeles, CA): “The pandemic hit and brought me back to California where I lived with Elena VegaFujioka ’13. For the last year, I have been working in artist management for The Familie. The artists I manage include Avril Lavigne and Games We
Play. Excited to reunite with my classmates this year for a 10-year reunion!”
Tess Stewart (Los Angeles, CA) graduated from Stanford University in June 2022 with a major in symbolic systems and a minor in education. She is living in San Francisco and working as a software engineer for Google. 9
Emily McLane (Pasadena, CA): “I recently graduated summa cum laude from Fordham University Gabelli School of Business in New York, where I received a B.S. in business administration with concentrations in information systems and business law & ethics, and a minor in Spanish. I am now pursuing a Juris Doctor degree at Notre Dame Law School. I just wanted to thank Westridge for enriching my education; Westridge prepared me extremely well for college and made me the student, critical thinker, and person I am today.” 10
Rosemary passed away on August 19 at the age of 99. After Westridge, she attended Wellesley College and later graduated from UC Berkeley in 1943 with a B.A. in political science. After working for government agencies during World War II and Matson Lines thereafter, she married Henry Reed Hayes, Jr., with whom she raised two daughters. Rosemary supported causes and organizations such as Amnesty International and Women in Black. In the early 1970s, she began volunteering as a storyteller for 4th and 5th graders; she used this experience as the basis for an M.A. in education for human values from the San Francisco Theological Seminary. Rosemary and Henry moved to Friends House in Santa Rosa in 2006. She was predeceased by her husband and four siblings, including Jane ’44. She is survived by two daughters and numerous nieces, nephews, and godchildren.
Christine was student body president during her time at Westridge. She is survived by her daughter; her grandchildren; and greatgranddaughters.
Joan passed away on September 27 at the age of 95. After her time at Westridge, she graduated with a B.A. from Smith College and a master's degree in early childhood education at Bank Street Teacher's College in New York. While visiting family in West Hollywood, she was cast in a production of “The Rainmaker” which led to a long and distinguished
stage and film acting career. Joan studied acting with legendary teachers Sanford Meisner and Lee Strasberg. A member of the famed Actors Studio, she debuted on Broadway and performed in regional theatres across the country. Joan co-starred in many television sitcoms, most notably as Oscar’s girlfriend Nancy on “The Odd Couple.” Her film credits include “Breezy” opposite William Holden, “Ode to Billie Joe,” and “Legacy,” which she also wrote. She co-authored a manual for actors entitled “No Acting Please: Beyond the Method,” which is used in colleges and conservatories throughout the country. Joan was the 1992 Distinguished Westridge Alumna recipient. She is survived by her daughter.
During her time at Westridge, Arden was a member of the Riding Club, participated in her senior year’s production of “The Prince of Peace,” and was a member of the Welfare Committee as chairman of Thanksgiving donations.
Pat passed away on November 24 in Fort Collins, Colorado. After her time at Westridge and Polytechnic School, Pat completed her B.A. in history at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, where she met her future husband, George (Barry) McEldowney. After Barry returned from serving in the Korean War, they married and moved to Illinois, and raised six children. At 50, Pat obtained her master’s degree in library science from Dominican University and worked as the director of youth services for a public library until she retired in 1997. Pat and Barry later relocated to Flagstaff, Arizona, where Pat became a docent with the Museum of Northern Arizona—volunteering and leading children’s programs across the Navajo Nation. At 75, she received her Master Naturalist certificate from Coconino Community College and volunteered at the Flagstaff Arboretum. Pat was predeceased by her husband and is survived by her children; 10 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and her sister.
Barbara died peacefully at home on February 20 in the company of her daughters. She attended Westridge before moving to Louisville, Kentucky, where she graduated from Eastern High School and attended the University of Kentucky. In 1954, she married Jim Hennessy with whom she raised eight girls. Barbara committed herself to community service, was a devoted employee at Louisville Today magazine, and supported the arts. She was preceded in death by her beloved Jimmy and is survived by her sister Marilyn Kiernan ’55; eight children; 20 grandchildren; and five greatgrandchildren.
Molly, as she was known to friends, passed away peacefully at home on December 4. After her time at Westridge, she graduated from Stanford University in 1960 and went on to serve on the boards of directors of Heritage House and Children's Hospital of San Francisco. Recently, Molly was on the board of directors of the Achievement Rewards for College Scientists, Bay Area chapter. She is predeceased by her son and is survived by her sister Robin DeWitt ’58; two daughters; daughter-in-law; and seven grandchildren.
During her time at Westridge, Ann was a member of the Glee Club. Following her time at Westridge, she wrote awardwinning books and co-authored a book about community building. Ann held several senior positions during her career, and was the president and founder of the Project Loan Division of Bank of America Mortgage and International Realty Corporation. Outside of work, she traveled extensively and studied the spiritual traditions of ancient and Indigenous cultures. She was known for her gracious hospitality. She is survived by her three siblings; her two children and their spouses; four grandchildren; and friends.
Ann passed away on December 16 at the age of 75. During her time at Westridge, Ann was on the Spyglass staff; athletic council; and on the swim, basketball, and volleyball teams.
Julie passed away on December 2 from complications of a stroke. After graduating from Westridge, she attended Stanford University where she was a trailblazer in the all-male electrical engineering department and earned her master’s degree. She
began working at the Cupertino site of Hewlett Packard where she designed “fast math” programs and went on to market Leading Edge computer technology to Fortune 500 companies. She and her husband, Fred Ware, were married for 46 years and raised three sons. Julie played key roles in many philanthropic organizations—especially those involving the education of “at-risk youth” and early education. She was also a long-term member of the League of Women Voters. In 1996, she was awarded Westridge’s Mary Lowther Ranney Distinguished Alumna Award. She is survived by her husband; three sons; two grandchildren; and sister Daphne ’64.
Lynne passed away on September 17 at the age of 59. During her time at Westridge, she was the editor of Spyglass
Glory passed away at the age of 50 on February 11. Upon graduation from Westridge, she earned her B.A. in cinematography from USC, then earned her teaching credential from the University of Phoenix and taught for 16 years. At a Westridge reunion in fall 2021, Glory expressed her newfound love for skateboarding and watercolor painting. The Class of 1990 shared that Glory “was kind and had an indomitable positive spirit.”
“She laughed a lot at life and herself and had a gentle giggle that was sweet and unassuming. The Class of ’90 has lost a kind, thoughtful and creative soul,” the message continued. She is predeceased by her father, and is survived by her son, sister, and mother.
For more than 100 years, the generosity of Westridge alumnae has made possible the school’s top-quality education and beautiful campus setting. Thinking about donating to Westridge? Consider the funds below!
Your gift to the Westridge Fund impacts every student and touches every part of the school—from faculty salaries and financial aid, to programs, activities, and students' mental health.
DID YOU KNOW you can direct your giving to areas such as diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice?
Founded by members of the Class of 1969, the Forever Fund is an alumnae initiative to raise endowment funds for financial aid and to ensure that future generations of qualified students have the means to attend Westridge.
There are many ways to contribute via cash, matching, or stock gifts; donor advised funds and family foundations; or planned giving.
Visit www.westridge.org/giving to learn more!
Questions? Contact the Advancement team at advancement@westridge.org.
Gifts to support the school’s endowment and special funds are eligible for the naming opportunities below.
$25,000: Alumnae Courtyard Tables
Crafted from natural wood, tables in the Alumnae Courtyard can be reorganized for classes, meetings, and social gatherings for students, faculty, alumnae, and parents.
$10,000: Alumnae Courtyard Chairs
These wooden chairs help us host memorable moments when alumnae gather and are used by students and teachers for outdoor classes.
Please contact Director of Alumnae Engagement Fan Wang for more information at fwang@westridge.org.
