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Kristen Blank Kalenderian '99
Kristen and her husband Keith welcomed their new baby girl Layne Sterling on January 29th! Gerard Miller ‘01
Gerard ran the NYC Marathon on November 6th in just over 3 1/2 hours, and raised over $3000 for Hole in The Wall Gang. Congrats, Gerard!
Alexis Borgia '01
Alexis was engaged this winter. Congratulations!
Jesse Hatgis ‘04
Jesse is completing his medical school education at New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in May 2012 and specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation.
Wayne Pinsent ’04 & Kimberly Foley Pinsent ‘04
Wayne and Kimberly celebrated their third wedding anniversary this September. Kimberly is working as a floral designer, and Wayne is working as a financial analyst for GAMCO Asset Management/Gabelli Funds in Rye, NY. Wayne recently received the Chartered Financial Analyst designation from the CFA Institute.
Catherine Litke ‘07
Catherine’s design work made the cover of Chinese Vogue for November!
Vanessa Diamataris ‘07
Vanessa was kind enough to come to the Portledge Open House on November 6th and gave an inspiring speech about her experience at Portledge.
Haley Tynes ‘09
Haley writes, "I'm currently a junior at Hofstra University working on a BS in geology with a concentration in environmental resources. I'm on academic merit scholarship at Hofstra. During freshmen year, I was president of Students for a Greener Hofstra. I'm in Alpha Theta Beta Sorority and Phi Alpha Delta pre-law fraternity and currently hold board positions in both. I won the academic scholarship my sorority offers and the outstanding sophomore student award at Hofstra. During my sophomore year I also traveled for 12 days to Israel. Currently, I'm studying for my LSATS with hopes to go to law school in California. After law school, I plan to apply to the FBI."
Mike McCloskey ‘09
Mike writes, "I'm still at the University of Pittsburgh. I'm a double major in political science and administrative justice with a minor in music. I helped found the school's first ever law fraternity in 2009 as a freshman. I was a Marshal on the first executive board of Phi Alpha Delta (Bill Clinton is in it). Over the summers I've worked as a social architect for RMS Insurance, an intern for county legislature Francis X. Becker and most recently as an oversized load escort operating in and out of the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens. About once a month at school I perform trumpet solos for the music department and take weekly lessons. I've also tried out producing
music joining a group called indvs opera that has their roots in Nashville. I also have a 3 month old Rottweiler hound named socks."
Jazmyne Garvin Archer ‘09
Jazmyne writes, "Still at Penn. Majoring in Communications and Minoring in Spanish and Consumer Psychology. Went to Spain this summer."
Zaidat Animashaun ‘09
Zaidat writes, "I am currently a junior at Marymount Manhattan College where I am a History major with a minor in International Studies, I have been active in the college community joining Student Government Association, where I helped to change policies in the dorms and redecorated all of the dorm lounges. I also had the pleasure of pledging Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. College has been amazing, but I am gearing phase in life."
Yassmina Macer ‘09
Yassmina writes, "Right Now I am a junior at Wellesley majoring in Woman and Gender study with a concentration in the Health Care System and a minor in Economics. I have also been working at the Boston Public Health Commission. Things have been going well since graduating in 2009, and I have been able to reach my short term goals of traveling and building my network in Boston. I hope Portledge is doing well."
Steven Pardo ‘09
Steve writes, "I'm still at University of Miami doing Music Business with minors in Songwriting, Entrepreneurship, & Business Law. Been doing internships at a couple different recording studios and a music publisher. Also been recording/mixing/producing a lot of really cool music. Trying to start my own online music business company before I graduate."
Alexandra Siwiec ‘09
Alexandra writes, "At the moment, I am studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain. I am becoming fluent in Spanish, and have been traveling all of Europe. I am planning to graduate with a Communications major in Broadcasting and a double minor in Spanish and Business. Before Spain, I lived on my own in Brooklyn and helped managed one of my parents restaurants and spa. I have been playing soccer here in Barcelona. Everything is great, but of course I do miss high school and most of all everybody at Portledge!"
Daniel Leask '10
Daniel is on leave from (college) working for charity organizations in Australia. He loves the country and has explored the east coast extensively including swimming with sharks.
Thomas Parisi '11
Tom played for the USA Under 19 Ice Hockey team at an international tournament in December. Tom just signed a commitment to attend and play NCAA Division 1 hockey at Providence College starting in September. While at Portledge, he was a four year letter winner in ice hockey and was captain of the team his senior year.  Please email news about yourself and fellow classmates to cvillecco@portledge.org. |
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Happy 2012! We are gearing up for an exciting Spring season here at school, filled with many events and celebrations. We hope you'll join us at this year's Auction while we honor retiring Board President, Terri Austin Keogh '85, and her years of dedicated service to Portledge. For more information on the Auction, read below or visit the website. Follow the latest news from school on our Facebook Page, and send us your announcements!
Happy reading!
Stephanie Avidon
Turk Lewis '87
Christina Villecco '00 |
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Dear Portledge Alumni,
Greetings! Hopefully, many of you are enjoying a good start to 2012. As you may know, there are a number of changes afoot at Portledge. One such change concerns your Alumni Association. Effective this school year, I have assumed the role of Alumni Council President, taking over for Chris Masotto '94.
Chris has decided to step down from his role as Alumni Association President, but he has left a strong imprint on the council. He has done a great job in leading our association and spearheading numerous initiatives that have made our alumni programs better. On behalf of the Alumni Council, I would like to sincerely thank Chris for his hard work.
For those of you who do not know me, my name is Keith Merkler '89, and I am very excited to help continue the good work that Chris has done. I have been involved with Portledge for many years as a student, a teacher, and an alumnus. Since I am still on Long Island, I still manage to get back to campus for various events (usually with my wife and three kids in tow). I intend to do the best job possible to help make our Alumni Association better and to make it a place that we can use for career advancement, social networking, or just a place where you can keep tabs on the school.
Before concluding, I just wanted to remind you that the Alumni Council is your council. We want to hear your input and feedback on alumni matters. In addition, we welcome any and all participation, so if something interests you, please feel free to get involved. We are working to have some fun and interesting events in the upcoming months, and we would appreciate fresh perspectives from anyone who may be interested in sharing their views.
As always, thank you for your support of the school. Please continue to share your news with us and we look forward to seeing you at a future event.
Warm Regards,
Keith Merkler '89
Alumni Council President
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A record number of alums turned out for this year's Annual Holiday Party, held at Professor Thoms in NYC on December 2nd. Faculty, friends and alums reconnected over good food and drinks while sharing some of their favorite memories. |
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The Board of Trustees of Portledge School appointed Simon Owen-Williams as the next Head of School. Mr. Owen-Williams will succeed Mr. Steven L. Hahn, who is officially retiring after six years as Head of School on July 1, 2012.
Mr. Owen-Williams is currently Head of School at Carlisle School in Martinsville, Virginia. Carlisle is an independent day school that has expanded to three campuses and has grown to full enrollment under his leadership. He is a native of Wales and attended Exeter University in England, graduating with an honors degree in Politics. He also completed his master’s in education at Columbia University.
“I am deeply honored to have been selected as the next Head of School at Portledge. I have known and respected the school for many years. This is a bit of a coming home for my wife, Candace, and me, and we welcome the many opportunities the school has before it,” Mr. Owen-Williams shared with the Search Committee.
Simon Owen-Williams with his family: wife Candace and daughters Gwenith and Bronwyn
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The Importance of Focus and Perspective
Laura Ries is living her dream . . . to follow in her father’s footsteps as a world famous branding strategist. Laura and her father, positioning pioneer Al Ries founded Ries & Ries, a brand strategy firm in Great Neck, New York in 1993. In 1997, they both relocated to their current location in Atlanta, Georgia. However, the two of them spend most of their time on the road consulting with top corporations around the world including Microsoft, Ford, Disney, Merck and Frito-Lay. And giving speeches around the world from India, China, Kuwait to South Africa. Next month she is going to Bangladesh!
Together, she and her father have written five bestselling books: Focus (1996), The 11 Immutable Laws of Internet Branding(2000), The Fall of Advertising & the Rise of PR (2002), The Origin of Branding (2004), and War in the Boardroom (2009).
Laura’s first solo book, Visual Hammer, is due out in March 2012. The book outlines why brands need to develop a visual hammer to more successfully drive their brand into the mind of the consumer.
Laura came to Portledge in the 11th grade and graduated in 1989. Even though she was only there two years the experiences learned left a lasting impression. At Portledge, she was in the school play, was on the tennis team, but spent most of her after-school time as a competitive horse rider. After graduation, she went to Northwestern’s School of Speech and studied radio, television and film. She took time off from riding in college and devoted her time to studying and socializing with her Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority sisters. Her first job after college was at a NYC ad agency, TBWA, working as an account manager for the Evian and Woolite brands.
She credits her success in college to what she learned at Portledge. The study habits and confidence she built led her on a successful path. She most remembers Mr. Bales, her AP U.S. History teacher, who also went to Northwestern and helped her through the college admissions process. She also remembers many long nights doing homework from Mr. Johnson’s physics classes. Poor Keith, George and Laura even signed up for a second year to take AP physics.
Laura got married in New York City in 1997 to Scott Brown. Together they have two boys, Conrad (10) and Brendan (7). Having two children of her own now helps her value the importance of a good education. When she went through the school selection process in Atlanta, she was looking for a “Portledge-like” school. She wanted to find the right school with small class sizes, with engaging teachers and community support, which she said epitomizes Portledge. The nurturing environment which she remembers feeling as a student was the most important school characteristic driving her search for the best school for her sons.
She has been profiled by Business Week, Marketing News, Advertising Age, The Wall Street Journal and countless other domestic and international publications and has appeared as a guest on dozens of television news shows. Laura continues to focus and gain perspective, and her company Ries & Ries continues to flourish as a result of her focus strategies. She reminds everyone, “Without a focus, it’s almost impossible to build a brand.”
For more on Laura visit www.Ries.com. |
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We are proud to announce that this year's auction honoree will be Terri Austin Keogh '85, longtime trustee, retiring board president and innovative auction chair from 2001-2004. Portledge School's 39th Annual Auction Gala, A Night of Magic, is co-chaired by Sarah Blundin and Wendy Fentress. It will be held on Friday, May 4, 2012 at the Meadow Brook Club in Jericho. You should have received a booklet in the mail next week outlining the many ways that you can contribute as a volunteer, event sponsor, item donor, bidder or by taking a journal ad or purchasing a chance to win one of the fantastic Live Auction items through the Dream Ticket raffle--there is something for everyone! Please save the date and contact Christina Villecco '00 or Turk Lewis '87 in the advancement office to participate. Click here for more information and on-line auction forms.
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By Spencer Schneider ‘13, Club President
Any alumni who attended Portledge in the Upper School has some memory of “Student Activities”—student led initiatives ranging from Xanadu to Bike Club to Board Game Club. The commitment and the significance of these extra-curricular endeavors varied widely depending on the students involved. This year through the initiative of junior, Spencer Schneider, and with support from their faculty advisor, Roger LaFlair, we once again have a student Business Club. These students are an example of Portledge students driving a meaningful initiative. Take a look and contact the Alumni Office if you are interested in speaking or otherwise supporting this group!
The Portledge Business and Finance Club is off to an excellent start in its first year. We have given students excellent opportunities to learn all about business and finance, here in America and globally, through guest speakers, field trips, and interactive games, as well as many other ways.
Our first field trip was extremely successful. A group of students went to the floor of the NYSE during a live trading day and received a full tour. We also had a tour of the whole Wall Street and World Finance Center area from my father, Steven Schneider. We are now in the process of planning our second trip to the American Museum of Finance, where we will take the whole club on a tour as well as take two classes that are taught at the museum.  |
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Jay Dewey Current Residence: Raleigh, NC Portledge Position: 5th and 6th Grade Teacher/ MS Head Current Position: High School Leadership Program Advisor/ Writer |
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Alumni Council Meeting
Wednesday, February 8th @ 6:30pm
Portledge Middle School
39th Annual Auction Gala
Friday, May 4th @ 6:30pm
Meadow Brook Club
Reunion 2012
Saturday, June 16th @ 6:00pm
Portledge School
Annual Alumni Hockey Game & Reception
July
TBD
Alumni Soccer & Networking BBQ
August
Portledge
Mums of Alums Luncheon
October
Portledge School |
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Alumni giving continues to outpace last year in number and dollars raised...
Alumni support continues to grow as we approach the NAIS average for independent day schools.
C'mon people, we are better than average. Take a moment now and make a contribution of any size to show your support for Portledge. As students, all of us received some level of tuition assistance from alumni who came before us. Let's do our best to support our future alumni through the Annual Fund.
Ever considered setting up monthly payment through your credit card or debit card? For little more than the cost of a daily gourmet coffee, you could join the 1965 Circle in just one year.
Click here to make a one-time or recurring gift and show your support for Portledge!
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By Phil Hills, Director of Athletics
The Portledge fall athletic season is over, and we are in the midst of our winter season of basketball, hockey, squash and middle school fencing. However, before jumping ahead, let’s recap the fall sports teams’ successes.
Varsity Girls Soccer: Girls soccer at Portledge is one of the strongest programs, top to bottom in the entire athletic department. Teams at all levels had winning seasons, and the varsity squad was once again a highlight of the fall sports season. Finishing the regular season with a record of 8 wins and 5 losses in the very competitive PSAA Girls Soccer League, the Lady Panthers moved on to the PSAA playoffs for the sixth time in the last seven years. Although they put forth a tremendous effort, the Portledge girls were defeated 2-1 in a tough semi-final game by their arch rivals from Long Island Lutheran. Junior midfielder Kristie Kelly and junior forward Erica Cohen were selected as All-League players. The team will return 16 of 18 letter winners next year, so look for continued success in the future from this talented group.
Varsity Boys Soccer: Varsity Boys Soccer had a difficult season as the rebuilding process that follows a decade long run at the top of IPPSAL begins. Many young players received significant playing time as the season wore on, and, hopefully, these athletes will become the foundation of a strong team for the future. Closing the season with a record of 2 wins, 10 losses and 4 ties, there is reason for optimism as many of the Panthers defeats came by only a goal or two. Seniors Eric Diamataris and Captain Joey Brambil were selected as All–IPPSAL players.
Varsity Girls Tennis: The excellent play of the Varsity Girls Tennis team has become expected at Portledge. Once again the Lady Panthers delivered on the court as a large team comprised of 18 players rallied their way to a final regular season mark of 11 wins and 4 losses. This fine overall record qualified the Portledge girls for both the IPPSAL and PSAA Championship matches and came out victorious in the PSAA Championship. A key to the team’s success was the tremendous leadership of seniors Lisa Dourmashkin and Jessie Sarkis and the exceptional play of freshman Julia Khan. Look for Portledge Girls Tennis to remain strong since only two of the top ten players will be graduating.
Varsity Cross Country: As many as 16 runners competed for Portledge Varsity Cross Country this fall as the team alternated between 2nd and 3rd place finishes in the eight-school IPPSAL meets. Freshman David Shirley broke onto the Cross Country scene in a big way as he finished among the top five overall male runners in every race he ran. Junior Marc Mucciaccio was also critical to the team’s success placing among the top ten in all races. On the girls’ side, Isabella Muratore wrapped up a terrific four year varsity career with another successful season of top five finishes. |
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Congratulations to the Portledge Varsity Girls Basketball team that won the 2011 Portledge Basketball Invitational. The Lady Panthers defeated Martin Luther 56 - 40 in the championship game on Saturday, December 10th. Ceci Mulry ’13 and Tamara Simpson ’14 were selected to the All-Tournament team, and Tamara Simpson was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. This is the girls’ first championship in this event since 1996.
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