‘Formula’ for Success

The Albany Academies Magazine
SPRING/SUMMER 2010
.............................................................................................................................................
The
‘Formula’
for Success
Academy student
Alydaar Rangwala’11
inspires others to reach
for the stars

The Albany Academies Magazine
SPRING/SUMMER
2010
Editor: Ann Wendth
Associate Editor: Adam Doling
Contributors: Brendan Callanan ’10, Matthiew Filanova ’10,
Dr. James FitzGerald ’57, Dr. Douglas North ’58
Photography: Chuck Breiner P'15, Adam Doling,
Dr. James FitzGerald ’57, Dennis Nally, Ann Wendth
Design: Ambrosino Design
Printing: Fort Orange Press
A 2 , The Albany Academies Magazine, is published two times a
year by the Marketing & Communications Office and sent to
alumni/ae, parents, donors, friends and other educational
institutions. Letters and comments are welcome and should
be addressed to Director of External Affairs, The Albany
Academies, 135 Academy Road, Albany, NY 12208, or
wendtha@albanyacademies.org.
2009-2010 Board of Trustees
Thomas J. Baldwin, Jr. P’05, ’06, ’10
Vice President, Board of Trustees
Larry Becker P’04
M. Christian Bender ’78
Darlene Bilinski P’14, GP’16
Walter Borisenok P’06, ‘08
Peter Campito, P.E. ’78
Eileen M. Considine P’08
Bruce DiStefano ’70, P’06, ’08, ’10
Melissa Jarvis-Cedeno
E. Stewart Jones, Jr. ’59, P’90, ’93, ’97
Leslie Morgan Marvin ’61
Robert J. McCormick P’13, ’15
George C. McNamee ’64, P’12, ’13, ’16
Debra Nelson P’10, ’13
Monica Kasselman Oberting ’91, P’19, ’21
Brad Rosenstein ’79
James Sidford P’17, ’19
Secretary, Board of Trustees
Christine L. Standish ’83
Carol Swyer ’71, P’06
Francis H. “Bert” Trombly, Jr., P’10
President, Board of Trustees
Timothy R. Welles P’06, ’09
Treasurer, Board of Trustees
Front cover: Alydaar Rangwala ’11 working in the science lab
at The Albany Academy
The Albany Academies are three year old-grade 12 independent
college-preparatory single-gender schools committed to
developing the potential of the whole individual by building a
community that fosters scholarship, leadership, character, service
and creativity. Our core values include responsibility, self-discipline,
compassion, ingenuity, respect, service, integrity and perseverance.
...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
2
HELPING
3
THE
4
THE
5
LIFE
6
AN
7
PROUDLY
8
JANE
10
12
13
TO SHAPE
YOUNG MINDS
‘ART’ OF
EMPOWERMENT
POWER
OF POSITIVE
EDUCATION
THROUGH
THE EYES OF A
CENTENARIAN
ACADEMY GIRL
FOR LIFE...
DEFENDING
A NATION...
LATHROP
STANFORD–
LEGENDARY
EDUCATOR
AN ‘OUT OF
THIS WORLD’
ACCOMPLISHMENT
THE TRIP OF
A LIFETIME
A LEADER ON AND
OFF THE FIELD
14
STICKING OUT
IN THE CROWD
15 NEWS &
ANNOUNCEMENTS
17
UPPER SCHOOL
AWARDS AND
FACULTY
RECOGNITION
18 CLASS
NOTES
29 IN
MEMORIAM
30 REUNION
2010
32 COMMENCEMENT
2010

..................................................................................................................................................
{
Head of School Corner
I
am writing this at the end of the academic year, and a
very good year it has been.
1. Finances – we have a soundly balanced budget, an
excellent five-year financial plan in place and are
right on track for next year’s enrollment goals. Our
endowment has recovered nicely and stands at its
highest level in recent years.
2. Identity – the issues attending the merger of the two
schools have been largely put behind us. Our two
great schools operate now in tandem, dedicated to
single-gender education with a “blend at the end”
through our coordinate program.
3. Accreditation – we had an excellent review with the
New York State Association of Independent Schools
(NYSAIS) this year and are on track for our first
full-scale self-study and review in FY 2012.
4. Positive Atmosphere – the atmosphere at the
Academies has turned to the positive, and every
educator knows this is the condition in which
maximum learning occurs.
So, now that we have achieved all this financial
stability and confidence, the attention of the Academies
can turn fully towards our true bottom line – academic
preeminence. Academic rigorousness at the Academies
has a high and well-deserved reputation. The cover
story in this issue of A2 magazine is a case in point.
There is no ceiling on where the Academies can take a
student. The firm grounding in the basics combined
with intense personal attention leads to dramatic results.
Alydaar Rangwala ’11 and his prize-winning project are
a preeminent example of a goal that we can attain for
every student. We know how to produce self-motivated,
self-directed students who have found their passionate
path and can do their own work (individually and
collaboratively) to a rigorous academic standard. We
can do this for every student – at all levels and varieties
of innate capability. For me, that is what it means to
be truly preparatory.
Another academic strength that we can build upon
is the incorporation of information technology into
learning. In my State of the School address this past
winter, I showed some examples of how this can be
done. I have since discovered that there are many
excellent Academies teachers doing this already. But
we need to push ahead with a more general agenda.
So next year, we will focus on the incorporation of two
Google programs (both of them free and readily
available) into every student’s education: Sketchup and
Google Earth. Parents, you may not know much about
these right now, but you will, and your students will
teach you.
This summer, the Academies will also examine the way
in which we teach Math, especially in the Lower &
Middle Schools. There is a great deal of national attention
given to this subject and we will make sure that the
Academies will be at the forefront of best practices.
We are now entering a very exciting period of
educational ferment and change – as a nation and as a
school: how students learn best; the role of single-gender
education; the role of technology; and the preparation
of motivated learners. I pledge to keep the Academies
on the front edge, a beacon educational institution that
consistently leads the way through its own practices.
With good wishes for a great summer,
Dr. Douglas North ‘58
Head of School
The Albany Academies
Spring/Summer 2010 1

Helping to shape
young minds
A
s a student in high school, Kathy Polubinski
knew she wanted to work with children
in some capacity. There was something
about working with young people and
having the opportunity to shape their
minds during their formative years that
really interested her.
While attending Rhode Island College
for her undergraduate and graduate studies,
Kathy interacted with children through
many childhood development programs
and began to recognize her own special
talents in relating to young boys and girls.
It was during her master’s program that a
college professor took an interest in
Kathy’s research and development papers.
It was through this mentoring relationship
that Kathy’s true abilities and skills were
developed.
After earning her master’s degree, she
spent the next 15 years working with
the Head Start Program in Cranston, RI
as a preschool teacher and creating a
parent-child center that assisted young
mothers and pregnant teenagers in getting
back to school. Kathy also expanded the
program to include three-year-olds in a
home-based program that sent teachers
and social workers into homes four days
per week.
She moved to the Capital Region 15
years ago after her husband came to the
area on business and ended up staying
permanently.
After settling in the region, Kathy
jumped on an opportunity to create and
lead the Preschool Program at The Albany
Academies. Although the program initially
offered many part-time options for families,
it has evolved into a full-time, coed program
that addresses the learning needs and styles
of both boys and girls.
“Our Preschool program at The Albany Academies has really grown
into a curriculum that allows young boys and girls to develop social
skills, language skills and positive self-esteem,” said Kathy. “The program
addresses the individual child’s total development, and promotes
positive attitudes toward learning by guiding the child to success in
multiple areas of discovery.”
The program is based on the “developmentally appropriate practice”
established by the National Association for the Education of Young
Children (NAEYC) that recognizes that children learn through active,
meaningful interactions with their environment, peers and adults.
“Activities in our Preschool program are designed to establish
foundations of social, emotional, physical and cognitive growth,” said
Kathy. “Each day, children interact in small-group learning centers in
the classroom that are thematically or academically organized such as
Dramatic Play, Building, Art, Discovery, Sand Table, Water Table,
Music, Computer, Quiet Reading and Storytelling.”
The program is supplemented with instruction in art, music,
creative movement, library and physical education – which incorporates
swimming and ice skating at different times of the year. Kathy says her
daily language arts instruction, such as story time, finger plays, art and
music, reinforce concepts and skills introduced across the curriculum.
These activities allow students to demonstrate a variety of different
learning skills in a fun and exciting manner.
Kathy Polubinski has served as the Preschool teacher at The Albany Academies for 12
years. She has both a Master of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education and Bachelor
of Arts degree in Elementary Education with a concentration in Mathematics from
Rhode Island College. She is joined in the Preschool Program by Linda Emrich.
2
The Albany Academies Magazine

The ‘art’ of
empowerment
G
ive a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and
you feed him for a lifetime. Arts Department Chair Greg Cummings
might as well have this quote put above his office door, as he is a
lifelong proponent of empowering students to give them the
opportunity to reach their full potential.
Greg’s philosophy mirrors that of Albany Academy for Girls &
The Albany Academy in that boys and girls and young men and
women perform at their best and learn the most when they are given
ownership of a project.
This was evident throughout the 2009-2010 school year during
a variety of arts events and programs – most recently at the Middle
School musical production of “Aesop’s Fables.” The Middle School
students who took part in the musical were charged with writing
their own plays based on the classic fables, creating the music and
choreographing the dances with faculty supervision. Attendees at the
production included Lower School students, who had previously read
“Aesop’s Fables” and were familiar with many of the themes presented.
The production was curriculum-related and had been planned since
last spring.
Other student-empowered productions held this school year
included the Upper School fall production of William Shakespeare’s
“The Tempest”; the AAG & AA Evening of the Arts; and the Lower &
Middle School Festivals of the Arts. In addition, our 4th & 8th grade
girls are given ownership of their plays as part of their curriculum.
Greg is also a big supporter of interdisciplinary projects that bring
together various divisions and departments at Albany Academy for
Girls & The Albany Academy to create a cohesive end product –
such as the Upper School winter musical production of “Memorable.”
This interdisciplinary initiative saw alumnae and alumni from the
mid 1950s to early 1960s provide memories of Broadway shows to
introduce our Upper School students to Broadway and the perspective
of those that came before them.
“As we strive to maintain the integrity of each separate arts education
area, it is also crucial to bring together various divisions
and departments at Albany Academy for
Girls & The Albany Academy
to show students how interrelated our
curriculum truly is,” said Greg. “This type
of collaboration will continue to be on
display during the 2010-2011 school year
as our fall play will be a co-production
with another school department. The
benefits of this type of collaboration and
education are bountiful and allow students
to become active and integral participants
in the learning process.”
Greg is reaching out to local colleges
and universities and arts organizations to
introduce our students to other directors
and educators and the rich landscape of
arts that exists in the Capital Region.
Throughout his teaching career, his use
of an integrated approach to arts education
has been successful in reaching out to
the school community and beyond. His
independent school experience has been
in distinguished schools where his work
has been consistently held in high regard.
Greg works with all of the faculty
members in the Arts Department to help
them grow professionally and bring the
best out of their students. He believes that
this year’s Wassail event, various concerts,
inaugural festival of original student-written
plays, flash musical performances and
numerous visual arts activities are proof
that encouraging the faculty/student
relationship is crucial to the future success
of Albany Academy for Girls & The
Albany Academy.
Greg Cummings has worked with young people,
their families and other dedicated professionals
for more than 30 years. In addition to his teaching
roles, Greg has worked as an actor, producer and
director in numerous performances over the years.
He holds a Master’s Degree in Learning, Teaching
and Social Policy from Cornell University, a Master’s
Degree in Theatre Education from Wesleyan
University, a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts Education
from SUNY Brockport, and a Pre-K through Grade
12 certification. He joined The Albany Academies in
the fall of 2009.
Spring/Summer 2010 3

The power of
positive education
W
hile positive education has yet to take
hold in the U.S., Dr. Martin Seligman ’60
believes that The Albany Academies have
the unique opportunity to become a
nationally recognized leader in the field –
transforming American education in the
process.
Dr. Seligman says education in the United
States in its current state focuses only on
what a student is good at intellectually,
instead of focusing on strengths as well as
talents. Positive education focuses on a child’s
strengths – kindness, fairness, capacity to
love and be loved, critical intelligence, etc.
– instead of working on their weaknesses;
students who are identified to have a
particular strength could be encouraged
to pursue that talent in a variety of areas
(www.authentichappiness.org).
Dr. Seligman believes that the vision of
Head of School Dr. Douglas North ’58
gives the Academies a clear opportunity
to teach positive education effectively by
combining traditional skills with having
students explore positive emotions,
meaning, strengths and relationship skills.
Over the past decade, schools in England
and Australia have begun teaching positive
education and have received encouraging
results. Dr. Seligman has even brought the
concept of positive education into the
U.S. Army; he currently serves as principal
advisor to Comprehensive Soldier Fitness,
an initiative of the Chief of Staff of the
U.S. Army to create soldiers that are just
as psychologically fit as physically fit. The
goal of the program is to prevent conditions
such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Dr. Seligman is a world-renowned
psychologist whose work on positive
psychology has earned him widespread
respect among his peers. He is a bestselling
author, having written 25 books
translated into more than 35 languages.
Dr. Seligman’s best sellers include Learned
Optimism, the Optimistic Child and
Authentic Happiness. His latest book is titled The Search for Well Being
and is set to be published in 2011.
For 14 years, he was the Director of the Clinical Training Program of
the Psychology Department of the University of Pennsylvania. He is a
past-president of the Division of Clinical Psychology of the American
Psychological Association.
After being elected to serve as President of the American Psychological
Association by the largest vote in modern history in 1996, he has made
it his mission to transform the field of psychology from being based on
suffering to being based on well-being.
Through this came the idea of positive education, a discipline that
includes the study of positive emotion, positive character traits and
positive institutions. The focus of positive education is to teach young
people both traditional achievement skills and well-being skills.
Dr. Seligman is adamant that a shift in educational philosophies to
move towards positive education could reap huge benefits for The
Albany Academies and the American educational sector as a whole.
Dr. Martin Seligman ’60 is currently the Zellerbach Family Professor of Psychology and
the Director of the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania. He
was selected to receive the 2010 Distinguished Alumnus Award for his outstanding
contributions to The Albany Academy and community-at-large. Dr. Seligman graduated
Summa Cum Laude from Princeton University in 1964 and received his Ph.D. in
psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in 1967. He lives near Philadelphia
with his wife, Mandy, and has seven children and four grandchildren.
4
The Albany Academies Magazine

Life through
the eyes of a
centenarian
W
illiam Vanneman ’27 has experienced an extraordinary
amount of change during his 101 years on this earth.
To give our readers some perspective on how times have
changed during Mr. Vanneman’s lifetime, consider the
following.
In 1909, the average life expectancy was just 47 years.
Only 8% of homes had telephones; there were only
8,000 automobiles with only 144 miles of paved roads
in the U.S.; the maximum speed limit in most cities
was 10 mph; the average wage was 22 cents per hour;
the average person earned between $200 and $400 per
year; 90% of all doctors had no college education; and
only 6% of all Americans had a high school education.
World Wars I & II, the Korean War, the Vietnam
War and Operation Desert Storm had all yet to take
place. In addition, the first talking motion picture,
televisions, crossword puzzles, short-wave radios,
Band-Aids, penicillin, photocopiers and microwave
ovens had all yet to be invented.
Life was truly much different. As times have changed,
Mr. Vanneman has changed right along with them –
even going so far as to take to using computers and
emailing at the age of 101!
This past spring, we had the opportunity to speak
with this distinguished gentleman to discuss his time at
the Academy, what it was like to enter the workforce
during the Great Depression, and his secret to living
such a long and healthy life.
How long did you attend The Albany Academy and
what was the experience like for you?
I attended The Albany Academy for 12 years through
the twelfth grade. I also had the opportunity to attend a
co-ed Kindergarten Montessori class at the old Albany
Academy for Girls building on Washington Avenue
next to the Armory.
Some of my fondest memories of my time at the
Academy are of Ms. Jordan and her sand maps of the
various continents and Ms. Evans and her calisthenics –
after opening the windows regardless of the outside
weather during class. Pop Warren was the Headmaster
at the time and frequently passed through the classroom
on his way upstairs to the Upper School. I still recall his
ample girth, emphasized by the long gold chains that he
wore across his vest.
Larry Pike influenced me all of my life through his
English teaching, and Evan Nason was an outstanding
Math teacher who attained great distinction for the
work of his students.
Where did you go to college
and what was your career path?
My father was a civil engineer from Cornell University,
which I also attended after graduation from the Academy.
He encouraged me to take as many cultural courses as
possible, including English and Public Speaking. I followed
his advice and majored in English and Economics –
graduating into the depths of the Great Depression.
As there were no jobs available at the time, I was sent
to Harvard Business School and majored in Public
Utility Administration in anticipation of going into
consulting work with my father. I was living at the
time in New York City with Jack Bender ’27 (John T.
Bender, Jr.) and “Chick” (Laut R.) Wade ’27. Jack spent
most of his time in our apartment trying to recruit Chick
and me for his family company: Matthew Bender &
Company – Law Book Publishers.
Chick saw no future in Law Books Publishing and
stayed in the securities business. I, on the other hand,
saw just what I wanted and eventually went to work
with Jack – and never regretted the decision. I spent
much of my time at Matthew Bender & Company
translating Jack’s ideas into proposals for publication.
What advice do you have for Academy graduates?
If something seems like a good idea at the time, you
should grab the idea and run with it. That would be the
best piece of advice that I could give to Academy graduates.
What do you credit for your long life?
I definitely credit the genes of my family along with
avoiding accidents and life-threatening illnesses. During
the last several years, my two sons – one of whom is an
M.D. and the other a professor of sociology – have taken
very good care of me. I am very appreciative of them.
Do you still keep in touch with your classmates at
the Academy?
I have not kept in touch with them too much recently
but did return to the Academy to celebrate Reunions
when I could travel by myself. I came back most recently
with Jon H. Dodge ’27, who has since passed. Jon was,
in my view, the most successful of all of our classmates.
He taught secondary school most of his life, and after
retiring went back to teaching by creating advanced
placement courses in Physics at Florida high schools.
He was one of many great friends that I gained from
my time at the Academy.
Spring/Summer 2010 5

An Academy
girl for life…
V
ery often on any given week, you will find
Margaret Lamar King ’65 walking the
hallways of Albany Academy for Girls,
working with the younger girls to prepare
for a play or dance performance, helping
the Admissions Office or assisting in the
Library.
For Margaret, this is part of giving
back to the school that she attended and
loves so dearly. This past May, Margaret
was recognized for her selfless efforts and
dedication with the 2010 Distinguished
Alumnae Award during Reunion Weekend
for her unparalleled service to the
Academies over the years.
Margaret arrived in Albany, NY in
1958, and her father became the pastor
of the First Presbyterian Church. She
attended AAG through the generosity of a
scholarship, and immediately fell in love
with the school. Having three brothers,
but no sisters, Margaret developed a strong
sense of sisterhood with many of her AAG
classmates. While attending the school, she
was very active in athletics and also took
part in the theater and glee club.
After graduating in 1965, Margaret
attended Skidmore College, but left after
two years to attend MacMurray College in
Illinois and major in physical education.
She was disappointed with their program,
and changed her major to Speech Therapy
and Theater Arts.
Margaret returned to Albany and
became a physical education teacher at
Philips Schuyler High School, and later
moved on to Hackett Middle School where
she taught for 29 years. After retiring, she
became very involved in the Academy
community. She worked on the production
of many musicals between the late 1990s
and early 2000s, including Greece, Pirates
of the Sands and The Music Man. She still
watches old tapes of the plays, amazed at
how well the students performed.
Margaret continues her service at AAG
today by assisting with 8th grade plays,
working with 1st graders in the Library,
and being an active member of the AAG
Alumnae Council.
Margaret is honored to be included in the same group as a number of
important alumnae who received the Distinguished Alumnae Award,
including Carol Barnet Fuchs ’58, Sally Lethbridge Hunsdorfer ’69,
Carol Tweedie Korty ’54, Cynthia Urbach ’65, Elizabeth Townsend
Dearstyne ’58, and many others.
Margaret encourages students to keep in touch with their classmates,
the school and the special community that comprises The Albany
Academies – Albany Academy for Girls & The Albany Academy.
Margaret Lamar King ’65 was the recipient of the 2010 Distinguished Alumnue Award
for her outstanding contributions to Albany Academy for Girls.
6
The Albany Academies Magazine

PROUDLY DEFENDING
D
A NATION…
uring her junior year at Albany Academy for Girls, the Israel Defense
Forces (IDF) contacted Keren Engoltz ’06 to inquire about heading to
Israel to serve in the military. She was a bit hesitant to go to Israel but
ultimately decided that she felt a strong connection to the country as a
Jewish person and wanted to follow in her family’s footsteps of serving
in the IDF.
“I cannot convey how happy and fulfilled I feel after my service in
Israel,” said Keren. “The training and my job as a combat hummer
operator proved very strenuous and difficult, yet I would do it all over
again if I had the chance. Serving in the army greatly helped me
assimilate into Israeli culture.”
After graduation from AAG, Keren joined the IDF to serve as a
combat hummer operator – one of the few positions for females that
require reserve service. She was involved in training regular and reserve
tank crews and attained the rank of sergeant.
Most young Israelis go abroad after serving and Keren was no
exception, visiting Australia, New Zealand, Nepal and the U.S. In
addition, Keren was selected to receive the prestigious Heseg Scholarship
for young people who come to Israel to serve in the IDF and plan to
remain in Israel. Eighty out of 800 applicants received the scholarship,
which includes full tuition payment and a monthly stipend.
As part of the scholarship, winners are expected to do volunteer
work with an organization of their choice; Keren chose to work with
the Israeli organization Or Yarok (Green Light) to educate young
drivers about safe driving habits and the dangers of drinking and
driving. She is especially qualified as her position in the army was
as a professional driver.
She has already begun participating in archaeological digs and plans
to continue her studies through a Ph.D. degree in the University of
Haifa’s world-renowned Marine Archeology program. Keren is currently
participating in an underwater excavation at Dor Bay, south of Haifa.
She says she learned how to balance
her time, take a leadership role and about
the benefit of service to others during her
time at AAG. A student at the school from
8th grade through 12th grade, Keren has
a variety of fond memories of her time at
our school.
“My favorite AAG memories include
people rather than specific occurrences,”
said Keren. “My teachers were unforgettable,
especially Sénor Conway, Ms. Lawson and
Dr. Allman. I also made great friends that
although I no longer reside in the U.S., I
am still able to keep in touch with. The
Academy’s high level of education allowed
me to excel and receive high grades with
which I was able to easily be accepted to
university without an entrance exam.”
Spring/Summer 2010 7

Jane Lathrop Stanford –
by Dr. James FitzGerald ’57
Q
uickly, we connect the name Susan B.
Anthony with early Women’s Rights efforts.
Less well known are the names of her
co-workers… Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Clelia
Duel Mosher and Jane Lathrop Stanford.
All of these strong leaders were educated in
New York State and all were dedicated to
allowing women full participation in our
nation’s elections, business matters and
educational opportunities. Jane Stanford
brought American women better access to
education.
Jane was one of many daughters of
successful Albany merchant Dyer Lathrop.
Around 1841, she became a student at
the Albany Female Academy. Founded in
1814, the Academy was one of the few
schools in the country that offered women
an excellent education. During that period,
Jane and her family lived on Washington
Avenue just down the street from the site
that the “Girls Academy” would occupy
years later. Actually, when Jane attended
the Academy, it was located way down the
hill... on Pearl Street. Forty years later,
Jane donated this family home to Albany’s
orphan charities as The Lathrop Memorial.
In September 1850, she
married Leland Stanford,
son of an innkeeper on
the road to Schenectady.
Exactly opposite to Jane’s
experience, Leland had
grown up with many
brothers. He studied at
schools near Utica before
practicing law in Albany for
a short time. Various events
pulled them away from
Albany... but never from
each other. Their lives and
accomplishments always
remained inseparable. The
young Stanfords moved to California where Leland’s older brother
helped the couple become very successful merchants during the “Gold
Rush” years. But, they missed their large families in Albany. Frequently,
Leland dreamed of returning to Albany to build Jane a mansion on
Washington Avenue.
As California boomed, Leland invested well and entered politics.
He became a powerful leader in the Central Pacific Railroad and was
soon elected California’s eighth Governor in 1862. Subsequently, he
joined a few other businessmen to create an intra-continental railway
system that finally brought together people and businesses from all over
America. He stood near the center of that famous photograph taken in
1869 on Utah’s Promontory Summit after driving in the “golden spike”
that essentially tied together all the railroads. The whole world listened
intently to “live” telegraphic news coverage as Leland symbolically
united the United States.
As they approached their 20th anniversary, the Stanfords unexpectedly
became the proud parents of Leland, Jr. Jane embraced motherhood.
For years, she thrived as the full time director of her precocious son’s
pursuit of knowledge and adventure.
In the spring of 1884, wealthy Jane Stanford and her adolescent son
embarked on another wide-ranging European travel extravaganza. Here
and there around the Mediterranean, the smart, over-privileged boy
would acquire another prized object for his “museum” on the top floor
of their opulent San Francisco mansion. He was an extremely curious
youth preparing to matriculate to Harvard in the fall. Then, suddenly,
in Constantinople... he fell ill.
After weeks of unrelenting sickness and special medical attention
in Italy, Leland, Jr. – an only child, a late gift to Jane and Leland who
already had everything money could buy, and a handsome boy full of
promise – died tragically of typhoid fever at the well-hidden Hotel
Bristol in central Florence. In that heartbreaking instant, the focus of
the Stanfords’ lives changed dramatically.
Within days, the devastated couple decided to dedicate their
orphaned parental energies and their vast fortune to a single objective –
the creation of a memorial to their exceptional lost child that would
continuously honor his plethora of academic interests. “The children
Iron Will:The Life and Letters of Jane Stanford, Gunther W. Nagel
8
The Albany Academies Magazine

legendary educator
of California will be our children,” they
agreed. The idea to build an outstanding
school began.
It took 10 years to create, but in 1891,
co-founders Jane and Leland, Sr. addressed
a gathering of 500 young men – and
women – beginning study at the University.
Leland would forgo his ambitions to
seek the Presidency of the United States.
Instead, his full efforts would be focused
on developing a great university capable
of educating future presidents. Ironically,
Herbert Hoover was one of those first
students.
Jane turned 72 as the 20th century arrived. She thrived on unraveling
every challenge her school generated. However, some University
administrators preferred that she rest more instead. In 1905, on an
overseas respite not unlike the one with her son years before, she too died
unexpectedly in a foreign hotel room in the springtime. The newspapers
called it a “mysterious unsolved strychnine murder.” Officials from Stanford
University, quick to minimize any hint of scandal, called it “natural
causes.” To this day, no definitive explanations have been forthcoming.
The Stanford footprints in Albany are tough to follow now. A few
traces remain. Some maps identify a tiny area near Schenectady as
“Stanford Heights.” Beautiful stained glass windows in the Episcopal
Cathedral celebrate the lives of Jane’s parents. A stone plaque honoring
her in-laws hides in the same church.
Deeper digging into Albany history uncovers some salient newspaper
clippings. From the Daily Albany Argus, it’s possible to examine the impressive
curriculum she faced as the school year started in 1841.
The Albany Journal ran an unrelated message about the Albany and
Schenectady Railroad a few lines below the simple Stanford marriage
announcement. But, is it truly unrelated? Young Leland watched his
father build this little railway... one of the first passenger lines in the
entire United States. Ironically, Leland’s own son would soon watch
him build the most dominant railroad system in the world.
Of course, the remains of Jane, Leland and Leland, Jr. repose in a
mausoleum on the Stanford campus. Nevertheless, the Albany Rural
Cemetery protects an impressive Stanford Family Vault extensively
restored recently by anonymous Stanford alumni. The Lathrop
monument stands proudly nearby.
Dr. James FitzGerald ’57 has done extensive research in the U.S. and Italy about the life
of Jane Lathrop Stanford. He is retired from a surgical ophthalmology practice in Troy,
NY and teaches surgical residents at the University of Arizona.
He is also one of the founders of
the Class of ’57 Lecture Series.
The Stanfords invested more than $20
million in their school… about $500 million
today. It was by far the richest school in the
nation. Nevertheless, in its first few years,
Stanford came very close to bankruptcy.
When her husband died suddenly, Jane
single-handedly found solutions to all of the
gigantic issues that threatened her school.
Today, Stanford University flourishes
because of her renowned “iron will.”
Images from the collections of: Barbara Casey, James FitzGerald and Kevin Franklin
Spring/Summer 2010 9

A
s Chair of the Science Department
program at The Albany Academies, it is
Bo Buran’s goal to turn out students that
are scientifically and technologically
literate and prepared to pursue the study
of sciences at the college level.
“Our science courses at The Albany
Academies provide unique opportunities to
develop skills of careful observation, logical
thinking and clear communication of
ideas, which enable students to understand
the roles that science and technology play
in their everyday lives,” said Bo.
“We also offer an Independent Science
Research (ISR) program that provides
motivated students with the opportunity
to learn about and engage in original
scientific research and exposes them to both
on and off-campus mentoring and facilities.”
This year, four Upper School students
took part in the ISR program and spent
considerable time doing research outside of the classroom on a wide
variety of topics such as neurofibromatosis, cutaneous neural structure,
direct cell printing nanotechnology and UVA1 phototherapy.
Each of the students did an excellent job with their projects, and
three of the four will attend top colleges and universities around the
nation in the fall. The final participant will likely be the only college
applicant in the Class of 2011 pool with an asteroid named after him.
Alydaar Rangwala ’11 recently returned from competing in the
highly prestigious Intel International Science & Engineering Fair
from May 9-14 in San Jose, CA. His competition was stiff as the event
– the world’s largest international pre-college science competition –
draws more than 1,600 of the brightest young minds in science from
around the globe each year.
The ninth through twelfth graders taking part in the event have
already proven their scientific prowess at local, state and regional fairs.
The students compete against the international pool of top young
scientists for more than 600 individual and group awards.
For his efforts, Alydaar received $4,500 in prize money along with
an award from the U.S. Army for “Best in the Cellular and Molecular
Biology” category as well as second place mention in the grand awards
ceremony. With that came the naming of an asteroid in his honor, a
feat that only a small number of people have accomplished.
An ‘out of this world’
10
The Albany Academies Magazine

Alydaar presented a topic that he has
spent a great deal of time conducting
research on in the past few years – “UVA1
Skin Irradiation Modulates the Migration
of Dendritic Cells: A Novel Mechanism
for the Potential Beneficial Effects of
Phototherapy on Systemic Disease.”
Alydaar’s interest and work on this
project came out of his independent
research project on Langerhans cell
histiocytosis, a disease that is rare but can
have a high mortality rate when it occurs
in very young children. He connected
with Dr. Christopher Macomber ’01 and
with his mentor, Dr. Frank L. Rice, to
develop his research project looking into
the treatment of Langerhans cells with
UVA1 phototherapy.
Alydaar had done initial research on
the disease during his freshman year; after
connecting with Dr. Macomber and Dr.
Rice, the three came up with an idea for an experiment using UVA1
light during the next year and a half.
“It was initially very difficult to work in the lab as I didn’t have a
great deal of experience working with UVA1 light or in a lab setting,”
said Alydaar. “Both Dr. Macomber and Dr. Rice have been a great
accomplishment
help to me, though, and it has been exciting to continue working on the
experiments and begin to put things together like the pieces of a puzzle.”
Alydaar worked for about 30 hours per week during the summer
of 2009 conducting his research in the laboratory at Albany Medical
College. He began his experiments in the fall after school and often
on the weekend. He says he is looking forward to continuing his
research this summer with the goal of getting his work published in
a scientific journal as a high school student.
Spring/Summer 2010 11

The trip of a lifetime
by Matthiew Filanova ’10
I
recently returned from my second trip to
China in just a few months. The first – a
10-day cultural exchange coordinated by
World Languages Department Chair
Madame Keegan and Chinese teacher
Ms. Gorton – ran from March 10-20.
About 15 students and 15 parent
chaperones went on the trip. We left on
March 10 and arrived in Beijing, China
on March 11. In Beijing, we visited
Tiananmen Square and the Great Wall.
Our contingent then traveled about two
hours southwest of Beijing to Xi’an, one of
the oldest cities in China and surrounded
by culture and history. There, we witnessed
the legendary Terracotta Warriors and the
ancient Wild Goose Pagodas. Xi’an was a
very unique experience.
We then moved on to Shanghai – by
far my favorite city. Our group took a
riverboat tour of the innermost part of
the city on the night that we arrived; we
arrived back in the U.S. on March 20.
My parents and I had been talking
about going to China for my May Project
experience – a month-long internship
experience designed to give seniors
real-world experience at companies and
organizations – for months. They originally
wanted me to work in an orphanage;
however, this was not possible so I
volunteered to serve as an elementary
English teacher in Xi’an. The trip was
coordinated through the Rustic Volunteer
organization, which allows hundreds of
high school students to participate in
unforgettable journeys to incredible
destinations in more than 15 countries
each year.
Each day at the school, I taught three
classes in the morning and two classes in
the afternoon. On the weekends, the school
would find me a host family to spend the
day with. My family took me to a pagoda
(a tiered tower with multiple eaves) as well
as an aquarium called Ocean World; both
experiences were incredible.
All of the young students that I worked
with at the school were eager to learn
English and about American
culture. Every student at the school is
required to learn English beginning in the first grade. This helped
me out a lot when I was with my host family as neither of the parents
spoke any English. Their children had to translate all of our conversations.
Overall, I absolutely loved this trip. Sometimes we forget that there is
a whole world out there, and this experience really opened my eyes. It is
much different traveling by yourself and not as a tourist. Although my
speaking of Chinese didn’t improve greatly during the trip, my ability
to listen to and comprehend the language certainly did.
This trip would not have been possible without my parents, Ms.
Gorton and The Albany Academies. It will be fresh in my mind when
I attend Boston University in the fall. Thank you very much for this
once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The goal of the 10-day cultural exchange to China during Spring Break was to further
open doors between students at The Albany Academies and their Chinese peers as
well as foster new partnerships for international students at our school. Head of School
Dr. Douglas North ’58 & Director of Admissions Bramble Buran met with several
schools, families and students to introduce them to The Albany Academies and our
International Program.
12
The Albany Academies Magazine

A
A LEADER ON AND
OFF THE FIELDby Brendan Callanan ’10
s the youngest player – and a pitcher – on her high school junior
varsity softball team, Sarah O’Connor quickly learned how much the
other members of the team rely on you and the importance of pushing
yourself to reach the next level. Today, as the Albany Academy for
Girls Modified Softball Coach, she has the opportunity to help a new
generation of young girls fall in love with the game and gather the life
skills that come from playing athletics such as leadership, teamwork
and how to get along with others.
Having founded the AAG modified softball program, Sarah relishes
the opportunity to prepare her players to compete at the junior varsity
and varsity levels. She teaches the girls a variety of fundamental softball
skills such as fielding ground balls, judging fly balls and using the
correct batting stance. The most difficult and most important skills to
master are the mental aspects of the game, she says, such as knowing
what to do in a certain situation.
A Brunswick, NY native, Sarah has been an athlete throughout her
life and has always enjoyed participating in softball, basketball and
bowling. However, her favorite sport has always been softball. During
her own school days, she loved to pitch; the feeling of having the game
essentially put on her shoulders thrilled her.
Intern, Marketing & Communications Department
them on a different level and learn each
girl’s strengths on and off the field. She
makes sure to explain to the girls the
importance of being able to play as a
team and put personal differences aside
in order to be successful.
“When the girls are on the playing field,
they quickly realize that they are all equal,”
said Sarah. “It’s great to see girls from
different groups come together and pick
each other up on the field because they
are all there for one common goal – to do
their best as a team.”
Sarah O’Connor is entering her fifth year as a 5th
& 6th grade Math & Science teacher at Albany
Academy for Girls and AAG Modified Softball
Coach. She has also served as a church lector at
Sacred Heart in Troy, NY for the past eight years.
She has both a Bachelor of Science Degree and
Master of Arts Degree in Education from The
College of Saint Rose.
Sarah makes it a top priority to teach her girls how to balance
athletics with academics while still having time to take part in
community outreach activities. She is also proud to serve as a role
model to her students and players, and is cognizant of everything
she does and that her girls are constantly watching what she does
and how she reacts to various situations.
As a 5th & 6th grade Science teacher, she has the unique
opportunity to teach her girls in the classroom and then later
coach them on the softball field. This allows her to get to know
Spring/Summer 2010
13

‘Sticking out’
in the crowd
by
H
aving coached lacrosse at the University
at Albany for 13 years, AA Head Varsity
Lacrosse Coach Mark Wimmer has just
three requirements of his players: be on
time, pay attention, and play to the best
of your ability and push yourself at all
times—including practice.
Coach Wimmer brought these
commandments with him to The Albany
Academies 10 years ago, and has applied
the same rigorous gameplan to his work
on and off the field. His quest for
excellence translates from the lacrosse
field to the classroom, always expecting
his students and players to give their all
in the pursuit of excellence.
Coach Wimmer began his lacrosse
career at SUNY Brockport as a player
and his love for the game has only grown
since that time. “Lacrosse contains
elements of many of the great sports such
as the stick-handling and behind the goal
play of hockey, the man-to-man defense
of basketball, and the open field play of
soccer,” said Coach Wimmer. “Although
a player must be athletic to be successful,
lacrosse is a thinking man’s game, and
there are many lessons to be learned while
playing it.”
Brendan Callanan ’10
Intern, Marketing &
Communications Department
One of Coach Wimmer’s main messages as the AA Head Varsity
Lacrosse Coach is that a strong work ethic is crucial not only for
success in athletics but also throughout life. He strongly believes in the
importance of displaying good conduct and sportsmanship – especially
when times get tough.
“We are bound to take some punches in life, and we have to respond
by coming back, not by hanging our head or losing our composure,”
said Coach Wimmer. By stressing the importance of teamwork, he
hopes that the values learned on the lacrosse field will transfer to other
areas such as the classroom, the home and throughout the community.
Above all, he tries to exemplify good behavior and consistency to his
players. He asks his players to show up everyday and work hard, and he
does the same in return.
“Coaching is really about teaching,” says Coach Wimmer. “By pushing
my players to develop a strong work ethic and consistency, they will
hopefully carry these essential values over to all aspects of their lives.”
Mark Wimmer teaches Upper School A.P. United States History, A.P. Government
and Politics, and Decisions in Leadership at The Albany Academies and serves as the
AA Head Varsity Lacrosse Coach. He is joined on the lacrosse field by long time
assistant coaches Jak Bestle and Steve O’Shea. Coach Wimmer has a strong interest
in photography (he has taught Photography at AA) and worked as a professional
photographer for a number of years, counting Colorado and the mountain west as
his favorite destinations. He has a Bachelor’s Degree from SUNY Brockport and a
Master’s Degree from the University at Albany. Coach Wimmer was the recipient of
the C. Woodrow Ray '66 Teaching Award in 2004 and was named coach of the year
by the Capital District Lacrosse Coaches Association in 1996.
14
The Albany Academies Magazine

....................................................................................................................................................................................................
MS students impress at Science
Symposium!
Our 7th & 8th grade girls and boys displayed
their hard work as part of the Middle School
Science Symposium on March 22 in the
AAG Lower School Gym. Seventy eight
students took part in projects ranging from
“The effect of energy drinks on pulse rate” to
“Does temperature affect crystal growth” to
“The effect of wind orientation on energy
creation by a model wind turbine” and
were judged by science faculty, parents and
individuals that joined us from outside
organizations such as GE Global Research,
Albany Molecular Research Inc., Plug Power,
Albany Medical College, Fortitech, New York
State Department of Health and the Cancer
Research Institute.
Eleven inducted into AA Cum
Laude Society
Eleven students were inducted into the
AA Cum Laude Society at an April 24
ceremony held in Caird Chapel. Cum
Laude is an academic honor society that
annually recognizes the accomplishments
of seniors who have attended the
Academies for at least three years. The
event, coordinated by faculty members
David Pascone and Dr. Jamie Howard,
saw David Barra ’10, Vincent Birch ’10,
Jake Centofranchi ’10, Joshua Hoh ’10,
Christopher Maggiore ’10, Zachary
Nelson ’10, Ankur Patel ’10, Lukas
Schmied ’10, Charles (Buddy) White ’10,
Gregory Wilk ’10 and Alexander
Zacharczenko ’10 inducted into the group.
Vincent Birch ’10, Lukas Schmied ’10, Alexander
Zacharczenko ’10, Gregory Wilk ’10, Christopher
Maggiore ’10, Jake Centofranchi ’10, Ankur Patel ’10,
Zachary Nelson ’10, David Barra ’10, Charles
(Buddy) White ’10 & Joshua Hoh ’10
Angela Schmied with her children, Lukas Schmied
’10, Chris Schmied ’05 & Nicole Schmied ’08 along
with faculty member Alisa Scapatici
.................................................................................................................................................................................
Symposium Judge Dr. Brian Gregg of AMRI speaking
with Ankit Baghel ’15
Middle School girls speaking with Symposium Judge
Dr. Harvey Patashnick of HP Consulting, LLC
Eight inducted into AAG Cum
Laude Society
Eight students were inducted into the
AAG Cum Laude Society at an April 22
ceremony held in the AAG Auditorium.
Cum Laude is an academic honor society that
annually recognizes the accomplishments of
seniors who have attended the Academies
for at least three years. Elected into the
AAG Cum Laude Society were Darcy
Benson ’10, Emily Bruce ’10, Katherine
Cattini ’10, Madison Daly ’10, Isabelle
Heukensfeldt Jansen ’10, Jin Yeon Kim
’10, Roma Luthra ’10 and Samantha
Miorin ’10. AAG & AA Head Librarian
Audrey Koester honored all seniors by
reading a paragraph that she wrote, with
the input of our faculty, about each girl.
Darcy Benson ’10, faculty member Cathy Teitelbaum
’65, Emily Bruce ’10, Katherine Cattini ’10, Madison
Daly ’10, Isabelle Heukensfeldt Jansen ’10, AAG
Associate Head of School Wendy Muhlfelder ’67,
Jin Yeon Kim ’10, Head of School Dr. Douglas North
’58, Roma Luthra ’10, Samantha Miorin ’10 and
AAG & AA Head Librarian Audrey Koester
Emily Bruce ’10 with
her parents, Dr. David
& Mary Ann Bruce
..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Rock band films video at The
Albany Academy
Albany, NY pop-punk trio Young &
Divine – featuring JP Clark ’04 (vocals/bass),
Jake Mai (guitar/vocals) & Joe Bortscheller
(drums) – visited The Albany Academy on
June 9 to film a video for their new song
titled “Weekdays.” Academy students and
faculty members were used as extras on
the shoot, which took place in a variety
of locations such as Caird Chapel & The
Buttery. The two-year old band was
influenced by The Police, Daft Punk,
Green Day, Sugarcult, Oasis and Thrice.
Sara Barry ’12, Alexander Militar ’12, Peter Schmitz-
Morfe ’12, Sarah Naftzger ’12, JP Clark ’04, Samuel
Delarge ’14 & Shannon Windle-Puente ’12
Spring/Summer 2010 15

...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
AAPA support brings community
together
Thank you to the Albany Academies
Parents Association for its financial support
of the International Taste of the World
Festival held on March 27, the Albany
Children’s Book Festival on May 15 and
the Distinguished Author Series on May
25. The Children’s Book Festival provided
an opportunity for more than 750 children
and families to meet and interact with
children’s authors and illustrators, enjoy
readings and workshops, and purchase a
favorite book, while the Distinguished
Author Series provided Lower and
Middle School students with the chance
to work with a renowned author. The
annual International Festival brought our
community together for an afternoon of
wonderful food and culture represented
by nearly 20 countries. The AAPA also
supported the Visiting Artists Series
during the 2009-2010 school year.
Grace Sidford ’19, Katie Sidford ’17 & Lillian
Gritsavage ’17 with Book Festival participating author
A.C.E. Bauer and her daughter
Chloe Derosia ’19 with Book Festival participating
author Vicki Cobb during an author presentation
Picture Book Writing Contest grand prize winner
Keenan Boscoe ’15 speaking with Book Festival
participating authors Daniel Mahoney & Sylvia
Kantorovitz
Keenane Boscoe ’15, Sarah Jones ’15, Book Festival
participating author Doreen Rapaport, Mary Bischoff
’15 & Steven Strait ’15
.............................................................................................................................................................................
Admissions Assistant Shellie Carr with a young
attendee at the Book Festival
Academy students & parents representing Italy at the
International Taste of the World Festival
Spring Gathering A Major Success
It was an evening to remember when more
than 300 parents, faculty, staff and friends
gathered on April 17 at The Franklin Plaza
for our annual Spring Gathering. This
year’s event – “Creating Opportunities,
Changing Lives” – raised more than
$125,000 to benefit our scholarship and
financial aid programs.
Bill Koester and AAG & AA Head Librarian Audrey
Koester with faculty member MaryEllen Tomson
P’14, ’19
AA Lower School Librarian Karen Schimmer,
distinguished author Charles Smith & AAG Lower
School Librarian Stephanie Donnaruma
Mary Panzetta P’11 &
Tim Alston ’77, P’08, ’11
Martha & Board of
Overseers member
Neil Murray ’62 P’99,
’05, ’06
Honorary Co-Chairs Head of School Dr. Douglas
North ’58 & his wife, Dr. Ellen Cole
16
The Albany Academies Magazine

UPPER SCHOOL AWARDS
AND FACULTY RECOGNITION
...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
The following awards were presented at the
AA Commencement Ceremony on June 15:
Solomon Jochnowitz-Kahn Memorial Award
Bradan Liberty ’10
Taylor Mextorf ’10
Faculty Book Award in memory of
Charles P. Stevens, Jr. ’76
David Buran ’10
Ronald J. Mann ’69 Brown University
Book Award
Zachary Nelson ’10
J. Cameron Brown, Jr. ’42 Community
Service Award
Christopher Fron ’10
Wendell Memorial Prize
Vincent Birch ’10
Erving F. Albright ’60 Athletics Award
Matthew Rakoczy ’10
Goold Sportsmanship Cup
Zachary Nelson ’10
Alfred K. Sabish Award
David Buran ’10
The following awards were presented at the
AAG Commencement Ceremony on June 14:
Class of 2002 Americanism Award
Sandra Miorin P’10,’12
Elizabeth Aufsesser Sonneborn Award
Adah Keegan ’10
Mildred Hinman Straub ’26 Award
Mor Bass ’10
Katalin M. Toth Outstanding Athlete Award
Caroline Gersuk ’10
Joan Albright ’49 Athletic Award
Madison Daly ’10
Head of School Award
Sarah Farber ’10
Ranking Scholar Award
Isabelle Heukensfeldt Jansen ’10
The following awards were presented
at Final Assembly on June 2:
Carswell Writing Prize
Sarah Mahar ’10
English Department Award
Emily Bruce ’10
Fine Arts Performing Award
Kristina Militar ’10
Fine Arts Studio Award
Emily Bruce ’10
History Department Award
Darcy Benson ’10
Mathematics Department Award
Isabelle Heukensfeldt Jansen ’10
Science Department Award
Roma Luthra ’10
Sybil Townsend Greenwood
Kline Art Award
Daniella Zeman ’10
World Languages Department Award
Darcy Benson ’10
Excellence in Teaching Awards
Jeanne Dignum Birch ’79 P’08, ’10
Dr. Stephen Brown & Matthew Streifert
The following awards were presented
at Last Chapel on June 2:
T. Romeyn Beck Prize
Joshua Hoh ’10
Caldwell Mathematical Prize
Vincent Birch ’10
Colonial Council Principal’s Award
Daniel Anyaegbunam ’10
Hon. Peter Gansevoort Prize
Alexander Zacharczenko ’10
Eden Joseph Roe ’98, Musical
Arts Award
Kyu Tae “Kevin” Kim ’10
Jones Music Prize
Vincent Birch ’10
Declamation Prize
David Buran ’10
Francis Scaramuzzi Award
June VanDemark
Excellence in Teaching Awards
Dr. Jamie Howard, Sara Donnaruma
Howard ’94 & William Rosenberg
The following awards were presented at the
AAG Spring Sports Assembly on May 27:
Coach Giombetti Lacrosse Award
Bridget Malicki ’11
Most Improved Lacrosse Players
Erica Eglow ’10
Katie Lukas ’11
Heart & Soul of Lacrosse Team
Caroline Gersuk ’10
Coach McArthur Softball Award
Rebecca Smith ’13
Most Improved Softball Player
Ah-Young “Ashley” Yoo ’10
Most Dedicated Softball Player
Sarah Connolly ’11
Coach Catlett Track & Field Award
Nora Lankhof ’11
Most Improved Track & Field Players
Sarah Mahar ’10
Livia Rossi ’10
Most Dedicated Track & Field Player
Frances Yanover ’12
Trimester III Female Athlete
Caroline Gersuk ’10
Trimester III Female Artist
Zoey Patack ’11
Trimester III Female Leaders
Julia Baldwin ’10
Adah Keegan ’10
Trimester III Female Academic
Kaitlyn Mulvaney ’11
The following awards were presented at the
AA Spring Sports Assembly on May 26:
Best Overall Lacrosse Players
Conor Riley ’11
Matthew Rakoczy ’10
Peter L. Dorwaldt Bat for Baseball
Michael Eglow ’12
Steven Daniel Snyder Memorial Award
for Tennis
Ankur Patel ’10
Thomas T. Bissell Award for
Track & Field
Jelani Currie ’12
Trimester III Male Athlete
Matthew Rakoczy ’10
Trimester III Male Artist
Ian Shurbert ’11
Trimester III Male Leader
Conor Sullivan ’11
Trimester III Male Academic
Joshua Nelson ’13
Spring/Summer 2010 17

.....................................................................................................................................................................................................
1927
William M. Vanneman
237 North Main St.
Thirwood Place, #250
South Yamouth, MA 02664-2088
ggrampi@yahoo.com
1932
Edgar A. Spencer
8 Brown Street
Falmouth, ME 04105
1936
Herbert L. Shultz
62 Lounsbery Place
Kingston, NY 12401-5228
AA’36: HERBERT SHULTZ writes, “DICK
WINSLOW, retired professor of music at Wesleyan,
where he headed the music department for many
years, lives in a handsome home that he built on
old family property in Antrim, NH. We reminisce
often by phone about our Academy years.
Recently, we recalled “The Rhythm Cadets,” a
dance band formed during our Sixth Form year.
We were two of the founding members. Dick
played trombone, I was on drums. Other original
members included WAYNE WILKINS ’37, piano;
JAKE VAN AERNAM ’37, string bass; BART
ZABIN ’37, trumpet; HAL WILLIAMS, guitar; and
DAVE HUME ’38, sax, with BILL BEILBY as baton
waver and “leader.” Our theme song was “Rhythm
is our business,” which we played to great acclaim
one day at a concert in the Chapel. We also had
some outside gigs, including a memorable date at
our sister institution, Albany Academy for Girls,
for a dance at the gymnasium in their great old
building on Washington Avenue… long before
there was any thought of merging the two schools!
1937
Dr. E. Wayne Wilkins, Jr.
240 South St. PO Box 593
Williamstown, MA 01267
ewwilki@roadrunner.com
Adelaide deBeer Muhlfelder
14 Hickory Drive
Slingerlands, NY 12159
adebm@aol.com
1940
Frank J. Williams, Jr.
PO Box 477
Altamont, NY 12009
Elizabeth Aufsesser Sonneborn
56 Mohawk Trail
Slingerlands, NY 12159
bsonneborn@juno.com
1941
Janice Sharp Adkins
1611 Cold Spring Road
Apt. 219
Williamstown, MA 01267
granadk@gmail.com
1943
Austin A. Woodward
28 Woods Hill Road
Voorheesville, NY 12186
Elizabeth White Christenson
23 Glen Washington Road
Bronxville, NY 10708
bettychristenson@gmail.com
1944
Robert Olcott II
67 Mead Road
Nassau, NY 12123
1945
James H. Scholtz
'925 New Garden Road
Apt. 2305
Greensboro, NC 27406
1946
John T. DeGraff, Jr.
17 Chestnut Hill North
Loudonville, NY 12211
hdegraff@nycap.rr.com
1948
Charles E. August
44 Cheshire Way
Loudonville, NY 12211
ca817@msn.com
Mary Shear Brennan
2830 W. Old State Road
Schenectady, NY 12303
saranacmary@yahoo.com
1950
Carole Koblantz Deitcher
79 Harris Avenue
Albany, NY 12208
carolekd@aol.com
Helene Fuller Wasson
125 Winne Road
Delmar, NY 12054
1951
Andrew C. Holmes
36 Cod Cove Farm Road
Edgecomb, ME 04556-3025
cruises@gwi.net
Carol Conners O’Brien
31 Sage Hill Lane
Albany, NY 12204
cobrien@platform9.com
AAG’51: From CAROL CONNERS O’BRIEN, “I
have two grandchildren at the Academies – one in
Kindergarten at AAG and the other in 1st grade at
AA. Both love it. Husband, Michael, had a reunion
at AA this year, and mine is next year. Looking
forward to it all.”
CAROLINE DEUEL ROBERTS writes, “I'm still
hoping that LEE METCALF BENNETT will get to
Boston this year so we can make the grand tour
of Albany and Slingerlands. Lee slipped on wet
pavement in England and broke her hip the same
day that I had mine replaced. We are both on the
road to 100% recovery. Ken and I are taking our
youngest grandchildren to France this August on a
National Geographic trip. Wellesley, 16, took some
wonderful animal pictures when the family was on
safari the Christmas before last. I know that she
will have a great time with her camera. Brad is 14
and still thinks that we are fun so let’s hope that
lasts for a few more months. Our 19 year-old twin
granddaughters are sophomores in college and
too busy with summer jobs to take off with us.”
CARYL GOODMAN BARNETT writes, “I’ve
been retired for nearly nine years and have
enjoyed the flexibility. However, there still is not
nearly enough time! Until this year, I’ve (on a
private basis) supervised graduate social workers
who needed to upgrade their licenses. I continue
to co-chair a major committee at my synagogue,
Yad B'Yad (hand-to-hand)... our Caring Community.
2009 was one of the worst years for me. I started
it dealing with breast cancer (I'm doing very well
now) and in December I retired my sixth and last
Seeing Eye dog. I felt that I could no longer deal
with the difficult parts of having a dog but now I
have to deal with a huge loss of independence.
Both issues were HUGE and I'm so glad that 2010
has been very good to me. I spend my time, beyond
the synagogue and the Administration/Long Range
Planning Committee at my condominium complex,
18
The Albany Academies Magazine

eading, keeping my body in shape and getting
together with good friends. I also travel to visit
family from coast to coast. Amy, now almost 54,
lives in Nyack, NY and is married with two
fabulous children adopted from Kazakhstan.
Her husband, Dan, is a guidance counselor at an
international alternative high school in Long Island
City. Amy works from her home as a consultant in
nonprofit administration. Gyul'nara, 14, lives for
theater. This spring, she’ll be in the ensemble of an
adult community theater production of Steven
Sondheim’s “Assassins.” I'll visit and attend a
performance in mid-May. Dias, nearly 11, is a
great kid and loving playing the viola, among other
interests. Both of them are avid readers. My son
has been a researcher at Microsoft in Seattle for
15 years. His wife, Abby, is in career transition.
They have three grown children. The twins, Alex
and Zack, are 23. Zack has been living in Istanbul
for 3 1/2 years, obtained his Master of Arts Degree
in Modern Turkish History there and is a lecturer
at an English language university there. Alex lives in
Washington, D.C. and is planning to start law
school in 2011. Keri, 21, graduated from New York
University in December and will go to China in
July with the Peace Corps to teach English in a
high school. I sound like a bragging grandmother,
but isn’t that what grandparents do?
1952
Prentiss Carnell
7 Autumn Lane
West Sand Lake, NY 12196
pcarnell@nycap.rr.com
AA’52: HEATH TWICHELL returned to campus
in April as part of the 2009-2010 Alumni/ae
Speaker Series. He spent two days in classrooms,
talking to faculty and students about his experiences
in uniform. Many members from the Class of 1952
(pictured below) were in the audience for the grand
finale in Caird Chapel: Heath’s program titled
“Some of my Heroes,” where Heath expressed his
admiration for the triumphs of JIM CAIRD, RAY
CASTELLANI and DICK BEAMISH.
1953
Judy Tischler Rogers
PO Box 1096
375 Wylerhorn Drive
Crestline, CA 92325
vjamesjudith@netscape.net
1954
Daniel H. Cook
4212 Robin Hood Road
Jacksonville, FL 32210-5827
acrookedcook@yahoo.com
AA’54: LEW “RUSTY HERBSMAN” SANDLER
was found (thanks, PAUL GOETZ) in Dallas, TX,
972-991-4747. Lew’s son, Derek, practices law
with him at The Sandler Law Firm. Lew has become
a fly-fishing junkie and travels the world. He
dropped the “Rusty” and lost most of his hair after
law school. He and his wife, Willy (from the
Netherlands), plan to attend our 56th reunion.
From the medical profession; ALTON STEINER
is still practicing endocrinology in Houston, TX and
swimming for exercise. He and Emily make an
annual pilgrimage to the northeast in the summer.
Though they’ll miss this June, they have committed
to the 60th reunion.
TOM MOSHER retired from practice and is
enjoying his free time at the beach, reconnecting
with tennis and exploring new opportunities. He
and Heide were silent about June 26.
Melba and PETE TACY are (intelligently)
spending the winter (and money) in sunny and
cold Florida. They planned to come back in April.
They missed the 55th reunion but are looking
forward to the 56th reunion.
Sherrill and RUSS STEVENSON started a new
church (www.riverchurchsouth.org) in Gonzalez,
LA. Many in the congregation relocated there after
Katrina. They claim 21 grandchildren!
Speaking of grandchildren, Jean and KING
WILSON celebrated their 50th wedding
anniversary last year. Pictured above is their
immediate family, which includes 37 members!
I’m not sure who they all are, but with nine
children plus spouses and grandchildren, it adds
up very quickly.
Anita and BILL CORRIGAN also celebrated 50
years of wedded bliss by touring the Canadian
Rockies. Bill retired from Brown University and
stays busy with his volunteer commitments.
I had a great conversation with FRED BAUER
about life, times and our class. He and Clair will try
to join us in June if they can get from Newburgh
to Crooked Lake (driving is a problem).
If Carolyn and JACK DAMRATH and Mary and
TOM PITKIEWICZ attend, Fred is a lock. I called
Jack, who advised me that it was 20 degrees below
in Colorado. He’s still building railroads and trying
to stay warm. He accepted Fred’s challenge and
they will try to come east in June. I called Tom and
had a long chat with Mary (Tom was out).
ROSS COOK seems to find reasons to avoid our
reunions. He also may need encouragement. He and
Rachel are surviving the winter in Winchester, MA.
Speaking of Winchester, Jack is still in CA,
vacations in Puerto Rico, retired and very active in
youth sports while his AA close friend, ALFIE
MUELLER, resides on the opposite coast in Maine.
I called Alfie and spoke with Sue (Alfie was out
shoveling snow). Like many of us, retired and
volunteering.
BOB SALZER is still on Cape Cod and is the
primary caretaker for his wife, Mary, who suffers
from Alzheimer’s. He doesn’t get out much, but
will try to join us in June.
BURRILL BURKE recovered from last June’s
illness. He assured me that Tina will bring double
cheesecake this June. Your class agent was again
able to finish the Goofy Challenge (39 miles) at
Disney this year. He and Ann Sheila will head north
when the ice melts.
Kimmey Carnell Decker
P.O. Box 1179
Saranac Lake, NY 12983
tealeafmom@aol.com
1955
E. Wayne Harbinger
478 W. Lawrence Street
Albany, NY 12208
jharbinger@hotmail.com
AA’55: I am continually amazed by the memories
of classmates, especially those not heard from for
45-55 years. Even these members express very
strong beliefs in education, arts, discipline (Battalion)
and athletic programs that we enjoyed and shared,
no matter their number of years at the Academy.
EVERETT FELSON now lives in Albany now
and I spent more than an hour talking on the
phone with him in December 2009.
During the past five years, I have seen DICK
ROBB and WHELDON JENKINS at the annual July
reunion of Schenectady classmates at JOHN
LANG’S camp on Lake George. I was invited five
years ago and only missed one year. It is a great
“fraternity” get-together. JIM SEARS, JOHN TITUS
and I were among the non-Schenectady members
invited to attend last summer. John was in the area
in July. Jim also has a camp on the lake and has
attended for many years. Jim writes, “Elsa and I
continue to split our time between California and
Lake George and still enjoy our annual drives cross
country with our “boys,” Ruffy (PWD, now called
the Obama dog) and Wally (Std. Poodle). The
grandchildren are doing well. We have one college
graduate with two more graduating this year and
two juniors and a freshman in the pipeline. Most
exciting is our two year old great-granddaughter,
Natalie, and we expect two more of these joys
this summer. Elsa has become the bionic woman
with seven major joint operations (five hips, a
shoulder and an ankle). She still enjoys her clubs
and traveling. We celebrate our 55th anniversary
this summer. I am still doing some work for the
military health system as we struggle to find ways
to help the Wounded Warriors and their families,
especially those with stress and traumatic brain
injuries. We spent the year looking forward to our
55th reunion in May.”
Spring/Summer 2010 19

20
1956
Charles C. Wing, Jr.
38 Unionville-Feura Bush Road
PO Box 10
Feura Bush, NY 12067
cwingjr@nycap.rr.com
Marcia Reed Ryan
93 Fenwood Drive
Old Saybrook, CT 06475
marcia.ryan@comcast.net
AAG’56: Our class mourns the death of SYBIL
(Janey) TOWNSEND KLINE in December.
LYNNE ROBBINS GREENE and SUSIE LOWE
LESSER both wrote to say that they were glad to
have been able to see Janey several times in her
Adirondack home during her illness. They were
also happy to able to connect with each other
during that time. Lynne wrote about her memories
of painting Janey’s portrait in Mrs. Grant’s top floor
studio on Washington Avenue during our senior
year. Lynne said that she and Janey became friends
in 3rd grade at AAG. A big part of their friendship
revolved around their mutual interest in the fine arts.
Lynne’s mother referred to Janey as a more lovely,
pure version of Jane Russell & Dorothy Lamour, and
she still had that beautiful purity of soul shining
through to her final days.
The Sybil “Janey” Townsend
Greenwood Kline AAG
’56 Memorial Art Award
was established by Janey’s
friends and family in 2010
to be given to a senior
who demonstrates the
same love and dedication
to art that Janey did.
MARJORIE WHITEFORD MALCOM wrote
about her recent travels to the Mexican coast,
Switzerland, Bruges, and a cruise down the Rhine
and Mosel rivers all last spring, plus a trip to the
Dakotas last summer and one to the Caribbean in
December. Marjorie is now recovering well from
knee replacement surgery. She stays busy with
many volunteer organizations, playing bridge, and
stocking her antique booth at a local mall.
BOBBIE FINEMAN LEVINSON is still riding
her horse as much as possible. Her granddaughter,
Abby, is applying to colleges (“Wasn’t it just yesterday
that she was born?”). Joel will retire from his
medical practice in June and they plan to spend
more time in their Chicago condo. She is looking
forward to attending her 50th reunion at Cornell
this summer. I continue to enjoy all the opportunities
that life on the Connecticut shore has to offer,
the proximity to New York City, New Haven and
Hartford for theater and music. I traveled to Rome
and Sicily in May with my choral group.
1957
James L. FitzGerald
3302 Vt. Route 7A
Arlington, VT 05250
drcows@earthlink.net
Marcia Babcock Aronowitz
56 Loudonwood East
Loudonville, NY 12211
The Albany Academies Magazine
AAG’57: SUSAN B. ANTHONY shared the above
photo and writes: “Rainbows continue growing and
keeping me busier, even as I dream of slowing
down. I am enjoying a regular yoga class and have
gotten back into a dream group. For several years
now, I have been part of an amazing group of
women in a spiritual growth group. Family rounds
out my life, especially Mondays with Christopher.
The lake house is always beckoning and this year
I have managed to spend more time there than
ever. I enjoy hearing from each of you and so
appreciate all who kept in contact this holiday.
My wish for each of you remains a healthy fulfilling
and satisfying life during this new year. May we all
feel that we are needed, loved and can make a
difference.”
MARCIA BABCOCK ARONOWITZ writes,
“Since I returned to the Albany area four years ago
in March, my dear husband, Lee, passed away. We
loved living in Florida, but it’s the best being back
with my children, grandchildren and now, three
great grandsons! I have rehabbed my home in
Loudonwood East and have become active with
the AAG Alumnae Council.
SALLY COOK KETCHUM has opened a diner
in Duanesburg and is near where my daughter
lives. I will stop in soon to try their burgers! Sally
still looks great! I saw her at a party at Dalton and
Louise Marks’ home this past summer!”
BARBARA FUTTERE ZORY writes, “Glad to
see you doing email for class news. Hope we get
more responses that we have in the past. I love to
hear how and what everyone is doing. We traveled
a lot last summer – China and a cruise to the arctic.
This is the year to finally do some renovations to
the house! Our grandchildren are 16, 7 and 4.
Wish we could spend more time with them. They
are fun to be with but are too far away. I still have
my store. It has been 21 years but I still love it.”
LINDA DIBBLE CROZIER writes, “We have
been in New York City for almost three years,
living in Soho now but we had been in Brooklyn.
Still have the house on South Lake Avenue in
Albany. Right now, Greg and I are sitting in a wine
bar in the Air France terminal waiting for our flight
to Italy – sort of a birthday present.” Linda has
three children and two grandchildren.
HEATHER SMITH KLEINER writes: “My life
continues to center on our daughter, Catherine,
who bravely battles secondary, progressive multiple
sclerosis. There are some promising research efforts
on the horizon, which give all of us hope.
Scott and I did have a wonderful two-week trip to
Bavaria last year, in celebration of his 70th birthday.
I am hoping we can do a little more traveling later
in the year. PS. Check out rankinfoundation.org to
learn about my favorite charity (I'm a co-founder,
so I am very proud of what they are doing!).”
1958
Henry C. Schmerler
4661 Idylwood Lane
Naples, FL 34119-8424
hcsags@aol.com
Robert Taylor
4 Via Lago
Boynton Beach, FL 33432-2818
Robert.taylor@bethesdahealthcare.com
AA’58: I received the following email from FRED
RODGERS describing the important role that his
passion for skiing played in his life: “In Slingerlands
as an eight year old, I trudged up Garvin’s Hill
with my skies on my back. My trip down was a
life-changing event. I fell in love with skiing. Twenty
years later, I ran into a college classmate in Vail, CO,
who owned a condo in that new ski area. I bought
it for a meager sum. After leaving the Army, I
moved to Breckenridge and happily practiced law
there for many years. While there, I raced in a
benefit against another judge for the handicap ski
program. We were both strapped into sit-skis
tethered to a skier behind us. I lost the race, but
gained respect for the disabled skiers on Colorado’s
slopes. I had a total knee replacement in late
December last year and I am now a dedicated
member of that ski group – until my knee heals.” Fred
received the Anthony Greco Award “For Exemplary
Achievement and Leadership as a County Court
Judge” at this year’s Colorado Judicial Conference.
Fred presides over Gilpin County Court.
STEW MYERS wrote that he gave a presentation
at a conference in a resort south of Munich in
September. Then he and Maureen spent a day with
BILL AND TOCKEY DEARSTYNE and stayed on
for two more days as tourists. He continued with
the news that Bill and Tockey had just broken
ground for a new home in Bregenz, Austria. Stew
has joined the board of Entergy Corp., which
provides electric service to Louisiana, Mississippi,
Arkansas and part of Texas. The public corporation
also owns several merchant nuclear plants. With
this connection, he visits New Orleans frequently.
While tending to his many business interests and
his professorship at MIT, Stew has found time to be
involved with the restoration of a 1957 Imperial
(pictured above). The restoration seemed to take
forever, but finally was completed in the fall.
Attendance for the 52 1/2 class reunion in April
2011 at my house in Naples, FL is growing.
Fourteen class members have indicated they will be
enjoying the sun and warmth and an opportunity to
once again gather with our classmates. MESSERS,
TAYLOR, DEARSTYNE, DANES, KELLEY,
FOREMAN, NORTH, SIMPSON, WILLIS,
JORDAN, CRARY, RODGERS, BURGER, MYERS
have all written or called that they will be here.
How about the guys that I haven’t heard from?

Elizabeth Townsend Dearstyne
14 Durgins Way
Hollis, NH 03049
edearstyne@aon.at
AAG’58: CAROL BARNET FUCHS gets the
prize as first responder and writes: “Still enjoying
the music, museums, theater and proximity to
grandchildren (not necessarily in that order!) in
Philadelphia. We will be spending most of the
summer in New Hampshire again. This is the
10th year of SEAD.”
SUSAN McKENZIE WOLK tells us that she is
“pretty hunkered down up here in Williamstown. I
know Faith isn't interested in family news, but my
life is not as full of incident as hers, so here goes:
My oldest child, Nan (Susannah) is getting married
soon and having a baby in early June. I am very
excited for her and I can’t wait to see grandchild
number four.”
EMMA STEIN HOUSMAN writes: “I’m fast on
my way to becoming the bionic woman. Back
surgery last March, total hip in August and a total
knee scheduled in February. Then hopefully the
mechanical problems will be over and we can get
back to having some fun.”
JOANIE PARRY BAIM says that she is “surviving
the year with enjoyment but without anything
exciting to report! I love to go to my grandson’s
hockey games, some of which are at the rink at The
Albany Academy. My sister, Cathie, is coming to stay
while she has her 50th Reunion. I hope it will be as
much fun as ours was! My mom is 94 and says hi to
all she knew at Albany Academy for Girls.”
ELLEN STEIN NEWELL reminds me of the
shortest poem ever (which is entitled “On the
Antiquity of Microbes” and is “Adam had’em” –
remember that?) Ellen wrote: “Good news: no news!”
Are we surprised that FAITH PULLIAM
FOGARTY writes: “Okay, Tock, you deserve at
least one sentence for all your effort! My sentence
would be (turned out to be sentences): I spent
some time in February in Guatemala and Mexico,
and am feeling a bit out in the ozone. I am not
sure if I want to ever stay in one place again or
not, since traveling is all I really feel like doing. Yet I
don’t feel I’m being productive with my peripatetic
life style. I definitely have the hobo gene, so I’m not
sure how this will end up. I’ll look to 2011 for some
resolution of my dilemma. If I wait long enough, old
age and decrepitude will relieve me from having to
make a decision... or the U.S. economy!”
SUE BUCKNER HURD makes my life look
terribly mundane. She deserves The Citizen’s
Award: “My life is busy but wonderful. KELSEY ’10
graduated in June from AAG so I was down there
for that. I still have fun going to activities. My
granddaughter, Brianna ’15, was on the Middle
School basketball team. It was great to watch the
progress that they made. By the end of the season,
they could hold their own against some tough
teams. She had me out practicing shots with her in
18-degree weather. At least I could use the cold as
an excuse. I’m still working with Burmese refugees
teaching English, trying to get their children into
preschool programs, helping them get to doctor’s
appointments, etc. They are wonderful people
whose smiles and laughter brighten my day. This
time of year, the rescue mission in Albany is
overwhelmed by the homeless trying to get a
warm place to stay. We usually serve about 90 at
night but have been feeding 120. When I work
there, I receive more than I give. It is heartwarming
to see someone turn their life around. That takes
an immense amount of courage and humbles me. I
send my love to everyone. Our reunion was lots
of fun thanks to all of you who put so much effort
into it.”
JUDY LAUNSBACK LEWIS writes that “Chuck
and I sold our Naples, FL home and moved back
to cold Cape Cod in February. However, we may
be building a new home in the Venice, FL area that
would be ready next fall. Chuck thinks that he can
work in the Venice Morgan Stanley office.”
MIDGE COPELAND TRIVERS: “We are looking
forward to our daughter, Katrina’s, wedding on
October 8, 2010 in Decatur, GA. She has her Ph.D.
in Public Health and is working in research at CDC
in Atlanta. Our son,Geoff, and Colleen adopted a
beautiful girl from China – Amelia. While vacationing
on Marco Island, FL last winter, we dined with
JUDY LEWIS and had lunch with NANCY FRASER
MCEWAN and BETSY GAMMACK CAPPELLETTI.
LISA SHULTZ LUCAS lets us know that from
Ely Nevada her one sentence news is “no news.”
Doesn’t this sound just like good ole KIRSTEN
WALDBILLIG CHRISTIANSON?: “We are packing
to go up to northern Michigan to ski. Up near
Lake Superior where there are “mountains.” We
will be skiing telemark, which we both love. Carl
is a beautiful skier. I have been out on my crosscountry
skis almost every day going out of town
tight from our house where I can just jump on the
river. The snow is great, the light begins to fade and
I skied into the sunset yesterday, then out on my
headlamp and continued. The stars were so bright,
and two weekends ago we saw a spectacular
display of Northern Lights! The grandchildren are
more and more our focus. We love to sail with
them in the summer. They are such good sailors
and sit on the front of the boat to catch a wave on
their bare feet. Then we stop and they jump off the
boat and we all swim. I am teaching preschoolers
art right now. I love these little children! When I
arrive, they come running down the hall calling
“Kirsten, Kirsten, what are we doing today?” For
now, my one sentence is: “the house that we are
building in Bregenz, Austria will be finished in the
fall and we will move in January 2011, allowing us
far more time over there than here.” As Carol says:
Happy 70th birthday to all of us! I still “picture”
myself playing field hockey, smashing softballs into
the windows of the doctor’s office next to 155
Washington Avenue (and then having to go and
get them), and climbing ropes and vaulting over
the horse in the gym. That won’t be happening
again but I do love the memories.”
1959
Eric Moore
4110 Mel Smith Road
New Albany, IN 47150
Eric.Moore@pcusa.org
AA’59: It’s great to report I finally located our
classmate DON LORD (formerly DON NOORD)
living and working in the greater Sacramento, CA
area. He shared with me that he is divorced, has
one daughter, and is currently the owner of a
business called America’s Marketing. He earned
Master of Arts degree in Counseling from San
Francisco State University and a Ph.D. in Psychology
from CSPP, San Francisco. For almost 25 years, he
taught psychology courses and led workshops at
colleges and universities on the west coast. He
decided to change the spelling of his last name
shortly after his parents died. He is glad to be back
in the loop and wishes everyone his best.
I had a nice note from CHILLY FORESMAN.
Now retired, he and Marcia share their time
between Cape Cod, MA and Vero Beach, FL. He
expressed interest in attending our next reunion
(STEVE, take note).
I also heard from JAY FRANK. He and his
wife, Cathy, have two sons, both involved in the
computer technology business. Jay and Cathy
have one granddaughter, now 15 years old. Jay is a
licensed pharmacist, has taught nearly all of the
high school sciences and practiced psychology.
He is now retired.
STU JONES reports that he is working harder
than ever and earning half as much. The whole
Jones family enjoyed a week long “Caribbean
Christmas” this past holiday season. Stu reports that
DOUG NORTH ’58 is doing a great job serving as
Head of School of The Albany Academies.
Enrollment is up and fundraising is growing.
I’m still looking for classmate JEFF HARRIS. Any
help finding him would be appreciated. It’s always
good to hear from you. Send me notes and stories
that you don’t mind sharing with the Academy
family. My sincere thanks to those who already have.
Pam Morgan Marvin
105 Brightonwood Road
Glenmont, NY 12077
Seagull61@verizon.net
AAG’59: DORIS SHULMAN ALPART: Married
nearly 50 years, she and Alan spend time with their
grandchildren in Florida. They have also visited
England and Hawaii and have been to the Caribbean
several times. Doris still manages to find time for
gardening, cooking, needle work and music!
When not at home in Voorheesville, ELIZABETH
ELLIS BATES and her husband, Milt (retired), visit
their daughter and grandchildren in Naples, FL and
their youngest son and family in Maine. Their oldest
son lives in Voorheesville. They spend summers at
Warner’s Lake in the red cottage, which was the site
of AAG’s Bacon Bat during our senior year! Betsy is
an avid reader and enjoys playing cards.
Retired now by default (employer closed up shop),
TERRI BRONNER is learning about preventive and
body-mind medicine and yogic meditation. Never
one to exercise, Terri has joined a gym. Stress is
lower; peace higher. A number of social groups,
getting together with friends (including Carole
Rosenblum and Pam Marvin), tending to family
matters plus a small bit of volunteer work round
out the routine.
PAM MORGAN MARVIN volunteers at her
church and AAG. She also enjoys her grandson,
Luka; attending movies; spending time with friends;
and photography. She especially wants to thank
the AAG Class of 1959 for its support of the
Academies and attendance at our 50th Reunion!
CAROLE SOLOMON ROSENBLUM is a
self-employed consultant for business development,
operating her own company, Albany-based CSR
Associates. She created and maintains a year-round
habitat for wildlife in her backyard and cultivates
many perennial gardens. Most of all, she values family
and friendships and is dedicated to maintaining
resiliency and sense of purpose through “life’s
eventful journey.”
Spring/Summer 2010 21

JOANNA WAGONER BROUSELL winters in
Florida, where her beloved golden retrievers
compete. Last year, near her summer home in
Nassau, she began riding horseback, and visited with
Carole, Pam and Terri.
ANN SUDERLY CROSS retired after 33 years as
a family therapist and now devotes more time to
gardening and art work. She says, “Six fabulous and
amusing grandchildren, a terrific career I never could
have imagined, and a wonderful, loving and generous
husband.”
MARCIA RUBENSTEIN DUNN retired from
an all-women’s law firm where she specialized in
International Trade Law. Marcia lives in Miami, FL
with her husband, Herb Dunn, and summers in
Connecticut. Marcia enjoys her grandchildren,
collects Asian art, plays golf and bridge and works
with several charities.
JUDY WHEATLEY FILLION has served as
Division Director for the New Hampshire State
Department of Education for many years. Having
grown up in Canada, she still enjoys downhill skiing
as well as water sports at a local lake where Judy
owns a cottage and is sometimes serenaded by loons.
PAT MORRISON FRIEDMAN and her
husband, Robert (a dentist), have two daughters
and four grandchildren. They spend summers in
Albany and winters in Palm Beach, FL where they
enjoy playing golf. Pat has served in a number of
leadership positions such as President of the
AAG Mother’s Association and Women’s Dental
Auxiliary, and Co-Chair of the Women’s Division
of the Jewish Federation.
1960
George L. Ryon III
1230 Mader Street
Schenectady, NY 12308
georger123@aol.com
1961
Leonard Berns
400 McChesney Avenue Ext. #21-3
Troy, NY 12180
leonardberns@longtcare.com
Linda “Trudy” Hemstead Calabrese
24 Crane Road
Huntington, NY 11743
sbkcc@aol.com
AAG’61: BARBARA HOFFMAN MOW writes,
“Van was in Europe, Asia, Africa and the U.S. for
speaking engagements this year. His presentations
and awards were from UNESCO, National Academy
of Engineers, Institute of Medicine, NASA, Hong
Kong University, etc. He continues to guide
Biomedical Research as Chairman at Columbia’s
Department and for other organizations throughout
the world. Kathy and Kelvin, our younger son, live
in Hong Kong with their labradoodle. They each
manage separate corporations, one whose home
office is in Germany and the other in Paris. Their
travels include skiing in Japan and yachting and
water skiing in Thailand. We see them fairly often
due to their and our travels. Jonathan, our oldest,
is the Business Vice President of a pharmaceutical
company in La Jolla. His family moved recently
after 10 years in Seattle. Jon buys and sells
pharmaceutical companies and merges and develops
others. Our grandtwins spend the entire summer
every year on the East Coast, both with us and at
their favorite camp in New Hampshire. Diana, their
mother, teaches Art and Art History at a local
public school and is very involved with the Scouts
and in the children’s sports activities. We moved
two miles in our own village a few years ago into a
gated community of 100 homes on about 200
acres. Our acreage abuts the Rockefeller property,
which protects us and makes for a lovely living
area. I am on the board of our community and
also had the fun of redecorating our 1930’s
mansion which serves as our clubhouse. I continue
to travel with Van, play lots of tennis, work out, do
fundraising for UJA, belong to several book clubs,
support and volunteer for Lincoln Center, and
even go to our local college lifetime learning center
every semester. I guess once you are a professor
you never get away from the learning mode. The
big change may be that we are giving up skiing after
over 45 years... maybe. We still visit the Albany area
to see friends and family and to go to a lecture
series in my husband’s honor at his alma mater,
RPI. We love our life in Westchester, being able
to live in “hill and dale” yet be so close to New
York City. Recently, we have been seeing many
high school and childhood friends as we travel
throughout the world.
DARCY PULLIAM writes, “My status is
increasingly quo. I’m learning to live alone in the
country and for all this semi-isolation – there is
family in walk-able proximity – I never get
depressed or miss my theatrical life. The business
retired me before I would have expected and I’m
far more comfortable with that than I would have
expected. It was a little like quitting driving before
you have an accident – not necessarily a bad thing.
I love the house that I had built. It’s a pleasure to
live here. Come visit! Had a great trip to Turkey
last fall with FAITH ’58 and Verity, so I do get out
occasionally if someone puts a gun to my head.
HELEN ALPERT GOLDENBERG writes, “I
reside full-time now in Tamarac, FL. I may return to
the Albany area for brief visits to friends in the
summer or fall, but living the “upstate life” in the
summer is over at least for now. I am widowed
and have a long-term relationship with a gentleman
who lives nearby in FL. We visit relatives, socialize
with friends, and go to various cultural offerings
together. My daughters, sons-in-law, and two
grandsons visited in January. Cold, but fun anyway.
I made two subsequent trips to White Plains, NY
to help care for an infant grandson while my
daughter there took care of a health problem. She is
doing much better now, back to work as a 3rd grade
teacher. I also visited my other daughter in Atlanta,
GA. I chair a group of retired New York State public
employees in Florida. We just had more than 120
people at a luncheon meeting. I also volunteer for
Hadassah and enjoy events and activities of other
organizations around the community.”
SALLY BURKHART HADDAD writes, “Since
the winter was so horrible in the Washington, D.C.
area, I decided to spend most of the season in our
South Carolina home. My husband, who is still
with B.A.E. Systems, has to contend with flying
down here every other weekend to see me! My
daughter teaches Yoga downtown on the weekends,
so she enrolled me in her starter classes (I’m
hopeless!). She also enrolled me in a sewing class.
That’s something that she, her brother and their
father do beautifully, but something I absolutely
cannot do! Currently, I am making curtains under her
watchful eye. My grandson, Kier, is three years-old.”
LESLIE MORGAN MARVIN recently traveled
to West Africa: Capetown to Gibraltar. She writes,
“New granddaughter, Charlotte Elizabeth Gill
VanDerzee, born in January.”
From TRUDY HEMSTEAD CALABRESE: “Our
daughter Sarah left her job at Verizon, after having
worked there for more than five years. She was
offered another job internally, which would have
meant relocating. We know that she will land in a
good situation. Kate left Coastal Living voluntarily,
taking a package offered by the parent company,
Time Inc. She felt this was good timing to head in a
new direction. Andy sees a challenging time ahead
with all of the attendant pressures to do more
with less. We are proud of our three for their
resilience, initiative and almost unfailing good
humor. Tom thinks the real estate market is
rebounding a bit, but has not yet recovered. He
continues to do his best to maintain a stable
business. Tom is still happily engaged as chair of
The Caumsett Foundation. I am busy, too busy
according to Tom, with my involvement with
Save The Children here on Long Island as well as
delegates’ advisory Committee, St. John’s Church,
Buildings & Grounds and St. Johnland Nursing
Center. We have had fine times with our children
and friends on Nantucket, Sea Island, Florida and
Maine. We had the good fortune to be part of the
Bosch’s wedding celebration in Bordeaux, followed
by a few days in Spain. At the end of July, Stan Gale
invited us to fly to Korea to be part of the opening
festivities for new Songdo , economic free zone,
along the Incheon waterfront . It was amazing to
see this 21st century city, developed on a land fill.
The Korean people are most gracious and hospitable.
An unexpected “perk” of the trip was
having Donald Gregg, former U.S. Ambassador to
South Korea, as our travel companion.”
1962
Robert P. McCarthy
5 Fox Hollow Rd
Troy, NY 12180
cormaccompany@verizon.net
AA’62: LAWRENCE DUBB is already thinking
about attending the 50th reunion of the Class of
1962 and returning to Albany from his home in
Michigan. He writes, “I recently celebrated the
birth of a grandson as an addition to my adored
granddaughter. My daughter teaches High School
Honors English and unlike her father, she was an
Honors student in school and graduated from the
University of Michigan. My wife, Barbara, retired
from 37 years of teaching High School English. I
continue to actively work as a Poultry Broker in a
business that I started in 1978. No plans to retire
– although I take more and more opportunities to
play golf. Several times a year, MIKE HIRSH and I
exchange emails. I believe that he is planning to
attend the 50th reunion along with his new wife
(in her glorious 20’s) and their new baby !
Whoever thought 65 was old was wrong.”
22
The Albany Academies Magazine

Lauree McMahon Hickok
89 Luke Hill Road
Queechy Lake
Canaan, NY 12029
PLY22@aol.com
AAG’62: JOAN COPELAND BENSON: “Time
flies when you are having fun! Charlie and I took a
cross-country road trip last September on Route
66. We stopped in all of the quaint places that we
could find. I flew home after three weeks as fanny
fatigue was setting in. He traveled home for three
more weeks. I continue to volunteer at the Habitat
for Humanity Restore in Albany where the “landfill
is our biggest competitor,” enjoy Tole and Decorative
painting and try to visit the gym as much as
I can. Our son, Josh, lives in New York City and is
involved in the film and music business.”
1963
Steven D. Ranney
800 Rosemont Avenue
Frederick, MD 21701
bigranney@comcast.net
AA’63: Thanks to those of you who responded
with some “news.” HANK EVANS has hibernated
south for the winter in his boat, “Queen Ann’s
Revenge.” After the weather breaks, he and his wife,
Ann, will head north from the Bahamas through
inward waterways along the eastern seaboard. They
are not in any big rush, so in a “big” day, they may
cruise around 8 miles per hour. What a life!
SANDY CARPENTER says that he has called it
a day after 37 years of practicing law in Colorado.
His retirement is less than boring, especially with a
blended family of eight children who live as far
away as Shanghai. Healthy and happy, he is providing
seminars on nutrition, helping one of his sons in his
international business, and having the energy to
hike the Grand Canyon last year with his children.
In his “spare” time, he does missions with his
church to New Orleans and (this summer) to
Haiti. Keep it up, Sandy!
TOM MAUET sends greetings from Tucson
where he has been a law professor for many years
at the University of Arizona. He has a few more
years before retirement, but he is not pining away.
He continually has to update several law books
that he has written, but in addition, he and his wife,
Gloria, had the time to visit South Africa last year,
including a tour through one of the game preserves.
In April, STEVE SUMBERG and I hosted the
Washington, D.C. Regional Alumni/ae Reception at
Steve’s apartment. JERRY ECKERT made the trip
from Millersburg, Pa.
1964
Laurie Stein Bigley
18 Devon Court
Voorheesville, NY 12186
winair@mac.com
1965
Stephen S. Marks
561 Bloomingrove Drive
Rensselaer, NY 12144-9416
evemarks@aol.com
John F. Assini
818 Karenwald Lane
Schenectady, NY 12309-6414
jassini@nycap.rr.com
AA’65: JOHN SICKLES has retired and now resides
in River Bend, NC.
DAVID HENGERER reports that his son, Ryan,
will attend Methodist University in North Carolina
this summer and will start a program in management
and business as well as receiving his PGA card.
Perhaps Dave can get some free lessons!
TOM FRAWLEY, who left the Academy at the
end of Form IV, is a Family Court Administrative
Judge in St. Louis, MO.
BOB JONES reports that, for him and Beccie,
grandparenting is a special treat. “Granddaughters
ages 7 1/2 and 5 live in Montpelier, VT and our
youngest, age 7 months, is just 3.5 miles east of us
in the same town of Manchester, VT. I retired from
33 years of association management in June 2009
(and 31 years of USN and USNR in May 2000)
and love retirement, although I recently jumped back
into the workforce for a temporary assignment with
the U.S. Census Bureau until late April. Then, we
plan on doing some traveling including a barge trip
from Amsterdam to Basel down the Rhine.”
Cindy J. Urbach
69 Brookline Avenue
Albany, NY 12203
Cyn42350@aol.com
AAG’65: ANNE KLEIN (pictured above) writes, “All’s
well in Houston, TX, Last October, I participated in a
Mind and Life program titled “Educating for the
21st Century” in Washington, D.C. as a panelist in
discussion with HH Dalai Lama. My sixth book,
Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse is almost out;
it translates into Chantable English verses chanted
in Tibetan Buddhist practice. Dawn Mountain
(www.dawnmountain.org), a center for contemplative
study and practice I founded with Harvey Aronson,
my husband, in 1996 is slowly growing. I teach
Buddhist thought and practice there and also, this
year, in Mexico, California and Oregon. I am still
Professor of Religious Studies at Rice University,
where I teach courses and Buddhism and Tibetan
language. I’m very happy to recently be in touch
this year, mostly electronically, with SUE SHAW
STEWART, MARILYN PROPP JONES, ANN
FLYNN and CINDY URBACH.”
VIRGINIA CREIGHTON had a solo exhibit
of her paintings at Suffolk County Community
College on Long Island, NY in March and April.
The exhibit, titled “Long Island and Other Places,”
showed her slightly abstracted landscape scenes
from Long Island, Albany, NY and Westport, NY,
among other places.
At Final Assembly in May 2009, CATHY
ROSENBLATT TEITELBAUM was presented with
the “Upper School Faculty Enrichment Award.” As
a result, Cathy spent two weeks studing at the
Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre in New York City.
LOUISE DUBB GUTOWSKI reports that she
moved her office and her Naturopathic practice is
doing well in Scottsdale, AZ. Her new address is
8149 North 87th Place, Scottsdale, AZ 85258. She
and her husband, Walter, are doing well in the sun
in Arizona.
CANDY MCMURRY CHANNING writes, “I
have a son, 24, and a daughter, 39, and they each
have a boy and a girl. My daughter got married for
the first time five years ago, having first pursued an
education and career. Love law, dislike clients. Living
in the sticks has its challenges as we get older. I still
draw and paint, but never pursued it as a vocation
after my 20’s when I worked for Rueben H. Donnelly,
the corporation that provided yellow page graphics.
A couple of my handdrawn ads were still in use
10 years ago. What a hoot. I gave up riding my
street motorcycle in the 1980s, but continued
riding dirt bikes with my son, who raced motocross
for several years. I still ride horses with
my daughter. She is eager to get back into the
show ring. I held my breath as she competed at
Skidmore jumping her newest acquisition when
she was six months pregnant. Her GYN said that
would be her last for awhile.... ya think? I haven’t
skied in years, notwithstanding the fact that I am
35 minutes from Hunter Mountain. All was not
lost. I veered in an opposite longitude and discovered
diving. Now I escape to sand and palm trees
and small sand bars, aka islands, to enjoy the
tropical thrill of evading large, carnivorous fish.”
LAURA ELKIND ROSENSTOCK is enjoying
her retirement from curator at MoMA where she
spent 30 years. As one would guess, Laura has
seen as many art galleries and museum shows as
New York City has to offer. She and her husband,
Larry, enjoy their summer weekends in East
Hampton. Maybe we can spend our 50th at Liz
Hedges and Laura’s summer homes. In 2008, they
traveled to Vietnam. They also visited Julie and her
son, Ben, in London and saw them again last year
in New York City along with Virginia Creighton.
INEZ TELESKY PERRY reports that life in Port
Saint Lucie, FL is fabulous. Golf, golf and more golf!
She writes, “My husband, Peter, and I moved here
six years ago. We cruised the Mediterranean this
spring for a month and visited five different counties.
We will visit Albany in August. Please call me for a
visit. Happy 45th!”
DEEDIE MORAN HUDNUT is one of the
busiest women in Los Angeles and was listed as one
of the most powerful women in the Los Angeles
Times. The Hudnuts traveled to Beijing, China to
watch Peter play and ultimately win a silver medal
in Water Polo. We all followed the matches on
the Internet with Tom posting as events occurred.
Peter’s team winning was not expected. Deedie’s
son-in-law also stood on stage for the Oscars
with the movie that he helped produce, Little Miss
Sunshine. Their biggest accomplishment is their
wonderful granddaughter, Franny, who some say
looks like Sally. I am sure that Sally Moran is looking
down and smiling at her family.
ANN FLYNN reports that she is working at
two CLAMS (Cape Library Automated Materials
Sharing network) libraries and enjoying life on
Cape Cod, MA. CLAMS has 32 member libraries
around the Cape & Islands. She is also working on
promoting sustainable living on Cape Cod.
Spring/Summer 2010 23

MARILYN PROPP JONES had two major
exhibits and one small group show in Chicago, IL.
She says, “I received three awards/grants and was
invited to serve on the Visual Arts Panel in Painting
for the Maryland Arts Council in Baltimore, MD
and award grants. I continue to teach in the Art &
Design Department at Columbia College Chicago,
and David and I have begun to have two-person
shows together. In 2008, we traveled to Xalapa,
Mexico as visiting artists. We continue to share a
studio and our work is beginning to interact in an
interesting way. Our catalog is a flip-book – half the
book is upside down and half is right-side-up,
with each of our work and the accompanying
essay taking up half the catalog. Our website is
www.proppjonesstudio.com.”
LIZ CANTWELL HEDGES says, “I am inclined
to focus on all news that supports the assertion
that the 60’s are the new 40’s. I am thrilled to be
able to ski with husband, Bryan, children and their
cohorts, and granddaughter, Ruby, both here in
Syracuse, NY and in their territory in Colorado.
We continue to be focused on our restoration/
renovation efforts on the family farm in Sagaponack
where the family gathers in the summer, and
welcome friends to join us. I have developed lots
of new skills in the effort and enjoy the work. And
the big question is how long to continue to work
at a job in elementary education that I still love.”
LANEY MCINTYRE JOHNSON dedicates her
first Class Notes submission to her mother. “I have
been a teacher and Guidance Counselor in Fort
Lauderdale, FL for the past 35 years. I’m a member
of several art societies and spent last summer
painting and enjoying living on the beach and
deep sea fishing. My new beau has a wonderful
apartment on the island. The children that I interact
with each day are poor and troubled; I hope to
have helped a few in some small way. I may retire
next year. My total admiration goes out to my BFF
MARGARET LAMAR KING. She is the only
person I have ever known to never pass judgment
on anyone, and has always been there for others.
I am lucky to say that my children and five
grandchildren are happy, healthy and prosperous.
Cathy, my oldest daughter, and family returned
from quite a trip to the Galapagos Islands. Carly,
my oldest grandchild, was selected as one of the
‘elite.” My daughter, Laura, has opened two
restaurants in South Florida.”
JULIE CANDIB FETT writes, “Despite
undertaking my fourth regime of chemotherapy
for colon cancer, I remain upbeat and enjoy life to
the full: my 15-year-old son is a great blessing and
starts sixth form (equivalent of 12th grade) in
September. I take spinning and circuit (boot camp)
classes at the gym four to five times per week as
I believe exercise has a restorative influence. My
annual visits to Albany and New York City are a
pleasure as I am able to meet up with ‘old’ school
mates – Virginia, Laura, Cindy, Cathy and Margaret
on the last trip. If I’m still around when Ben starts
university, I will be able to make the reunion in 2013.”
1966
Stephen V. Lewis
15 MacAffer Drive
Menands, NY 12204
steve.lewis@rosaryparts.com
Lisa Furlong
P.O. Box 1173
Ashland, NH 03217
thehove@earthlink.net
1967
Thomas R. Gordon
413 Dorset Rd
Devon, PA 19333
foregordo2@aol.com
AA’67: BILL PATRICK’S book Saving Troy: A Year
with Firefighters and Paramedics in a Battered City
is an account of the often-harrowing work done
every day by the members of any fire department
– including not only fires but also rescue and
life-support calls. Originally published by Hudson
Whitman in 2005, the book has now been
reissued in paperback by SUNY Press.
Mimi Evans
328 The Promenade
Edgewater, NJ 07020
meemsy@hotmail.com
AAG Class of 1967 gathered at Mimi Evans’ home
1968
W. Allen Schade, Jr.
33692 Holtz Hill Drive
Dana Point, CA 92629
allenschade@cox.net
1969
Rolland B. Peacock
2 Yankee Maid Lane
Goshen, NY 10924-2616
rbpeacock3@frontiernet.net
Ms. Sandra D. O'Connor
333 E. 43rd Street, #401
New York, NY 10017
tudortwo@msn.com
Linda Dubins, Mary Farley, Sandra O’Connor &
Sally Lethbridge Hunsdorfer
AAG’69: LINDA DUBINS provides primary health
care for members of Kaiser Permanente Health
Care Program in northern California. She and
her husband of 28 years, David Baer, have three
daughters. Hilary (26), having majored in political
science at University of Michigan, is studying for
her master’s degree in nursing at Columbia in
New York City with plans to be a nurse practitioner.
Rachel (24), a graduate of Rhode Island
School of Design in jewelry design and metal
smithing, is working in public relations in San
Francisco, CA. Anna (20) is majoring in biological
and chemical engineering at the University of
Colorado at Boulder.
MARCIA ANDERSON DUDDEN works in
personnel selection for the New York State
Department of Civil Service in Albany, NY where
her son, Dan (35), a graduate of Drew University
with a double major in international studies and
theatre, also works. Dan was married in the
Capital Region in September 2009. Her other son,
Dave (21), a May 2009 graduate of Hudson Valley
Community College, attends the University of
Albany as a math major/physics minor.
MAGGIE HAWN is practicing only gynecology
now in Harrisburg, PA, having stopped obstetrics
about five years ago. Maggie and her husband, Paul
O’Connor, have three children. Kate (24), who is
married with a 3 1/2-year old daughter, recently
began working as a nurse on a medical-surgical
floor at the local hospital. John (21), who with his
fiancée has an 8-month old son, owns a tattoo
shop. Carson (15) is a sophomore at West
Nottingham Academy, where he plays basketball.
Maggie’s husband, a motorcycle nut — Harleys,
in particular — is retired, but helps out at the
tattoo shop.
JEN MORRIS LYONS is a primary school
librarian in Central Square, NY. She and her
husband, John, still have one child in college – Greg
(19), a junior at Cornell. Katie (33) works for the
National Park Service and lives in Cortez, CO, with
her husband. Tim (31) is with Lockheed-Martin in
Owego, NY, and lives with his wife in Ithaca. Chris
(26) is a musician in New York City. Jen and John
are busy with community activities. Jen also plays
flute in a church music group, teaches church
school, kayaks and quilts.
FRAN JOHNSON MORSILLO and her husband
of 37 years, Leon (yes, her AAG senior year
boyfriend), have three sons. Their oldest is finishing
up his Ph.D. in Computer Science at the University
of Rochester. Their middle son, a graduate of the
University of Pittsburgh, works as a systems
engineer in Pittsburgh, PA. Their youngest is at the
University of Pittsburgh, majoring in Music and
Neuroscience. Having lived in the Philadelphia, PA
area for more than 30 years, Fran and Leon are
in the process of moving to southern Vermont.
Fran designs and produces artistic jewelry, does
portraiture in pastels, and paints.
1970
Laurence I. Talbot
1 Charlotte Road
Marblehead, MA 01945-1602
laurence.talbot@comcast.net
AA’70: I caught up with a number of classmates
over the past several months during business
travels. I dined with Margorie and RUFUS
BURLINGAME in San Diego, CA in November.
Both are very busy and doing well. Aside from
golf, Rufus spends quite a bit of time in Europe on
business as a part of his responsibility for (R&D)
24
The Albany Academies Magazine

technology transfer to commercial production at
drug manufacturing sites in EMEA. They planned
to be in the Albany, NY area in the spring for his
father’s 90th birthday, as well as their annual July
4th family get-together in Altamont, NY.
Like many of us, Jane and JOE PICKETT have
become empty-nesters this past year, at least
temporarily. Eldest son Kevin graduated from
college this spring and youngest son Conor
finished his first year at Flagler College in Florida.
Bette and BILL OPPENHEIM are proud to
announce that they are recent grandparents; their
eldest daughter Amy (a University of Pittsburgh
graduate) gave birth to son Henry eight months
ago. Their youngest daughter, Lauren, is working as
a teacher in South Korea, following her graduation
from Tulane last year. Bette has retired from Pfizer,
but continues to keep busy with the occasional
helping hand at Lily Pulitzer.
Over a couple of beers, Bill assured me he
would work on getting NED DUFFY back to the
reunion in May. Ned lives in Rockville, MD and
remains very active in the Barbershop Quartet
Society as does Bill.
I tried to get BILL and BOB ALEXANDER
together for dinner on recent travels through
Wayne, PA, but unfortunately Bob was travelling
to Washington, D.C./Virginia on business. Bob has
two daughters: Sarah, a high school sophomore,
and Kate, a freshman. Bob’s wife, Ann, oversees
Partner Channels for Microsoft. He and his family
still keep close ties to the area. Bob is very proud
of his summer home on Sacandaga Lake, NY; he
handled most of the building himself.
PETER VAN AERNAM left for Thailand just
after Christmas on his annual getaway/walk about,
communing with nature and locals for three to
four months.
1971
George T. Harder
15 Euclid Avenue
Delmar, NY 12054
george_harder@tax.state.ny.us
Leslie Knauf
PO Box 115
Malden Bridge, NY 12115
foxlair@verizon.net
1972
Kenneth J. Aufsesser
RR 4-9 Canaan Circle
South Salem, NY 10590
kjalaw@hotmail.com
AA’72: VINNY MCLOUGHLIN writes, “I live in
Alpharetta, GA. I started a logistics company 12 years
ago called Cardinal Logistics (www.cardlog.com) and
serve as Chairman. I have three cool children. My
eldest son, Matty, pitched at the University of
Richmond and was just on Late Night with David
Letterman with his band “The Soft Pack” as they
continue to tour the U.S. and Europe. My daughter,
also a University of Richmond graduate, sells
pharmaceuticals in New York City and is perfect.
My youngest son is also a musician – a drummerfor
two bands in Brooklyn. I still cannot even hum.”
Sue Hengerer Sneeringer
17 Valley View Drive
Albany, NY 12208
sdmcsue@nycap.rr.com
Lindsay Wood Li
160 Union Street
Norfolk, MA 02056
globalil@att.net
1973
Frank J. Williams III
211 Larry Hill Road
Schoharie, NY 12157
FWilliams@Brwncald.com
Margret Paticopoulos Poole
86 Salisbury Road
Delmar, NY 12054
hmhp@aol.com
1974
William A. Kellert
2 Ross Court
Loudonville, NY 12211
wakatccc@aol.com
AA’74: PETER SWIRE is on leave from law teaching
and is serving as Special Assistant to the President
for Economic Policy. He works directly with Larry
Summers, the head of the National Economic
Council. His principal areas of focus are the housing
crisis and technology issues, including broadband.
He and ANNE PUTNEY SWIRE ’77, live in
Bethesda, MD. Anne is the CEO of the Andre
Sobel River of Life Foundation. Their older son,
Nathan, is at Dartmouth and has joined ROTC.
Their young son, Jesse, is a senior in high school.
1975
Patti Cloud Macmanus
3505 Dartmouth Drive
Plano, TX 75075
pmacmanus@trinitychristian.org
1976
AA’76: KEN BLASS writes, “Our daughter, Victoria,
is a freshman at Sweet Briar College in Virginia
and loving it. We were happy to have NICK
FRANGELLA’S daughter, Lisa, as an intern,
working in the media department here at Blass
Communications. She worked hard and did a great
job. What a bright girl! I had my right hip replaced
in December. I am doing great now. I was hitting
tennis balls again less than two weeks later.”
1977
Edward DeBerri
115 S Burning Tree Drive
Hampstead, NC 28443
edeberri@hotmail.com
1978
Mason Tolman
29 Mullens Road
PO Box 295
Slingerlands, NY 12159
tolmanco1@gmail.com
Lisa Tate Field
18 Delafield Drive
Albany, NY 12205
peacefulfield@aol.com
1979
William F. Comtois
PO Box 357
Greens Farms, CT 06838
wcomtois@att.net
AA’79: CHARLES ("ANDY") ANDROS, enjoying
family life as a proud father and grandfather of two,
recently enjoyed a fun-filled vacation in the Florida
Keys with his wife.
After years of being out of touch with our
friend and classmate ANGELO FIACCO, I was
pleased to learn that Andy has reconnected
with Angelo. Although he departed the Academy
before graduation, Angelo left behind a very
positive presence in our class. I hope to have
more news on Angelo in the next update.
BOB BOLLINGER and his wife and two children
have relocated from Colorado to northern
California. Bob, along with his wife and daughter,
will take a missionary trip to Croatia while Bob’s
son remains behind to study biology in college.
With an accomplished track record in business
and finance, Bob plans to teach local business
owners in California the fine art of running a
successful business during tough economic times
following his return from Croatia. On a personal
note, last year while mourning my mother’s passing, I
was deeply touched by Coach Ernie Steck’s
attendance at the wake and the kind words that
he shared with me and my wife. "Ernie, I will never
forget. Thank you!" Personal feelings aside, Coach
Steck has once again shown us that the Academy is
not just about a fine education – it’s about people
who sincerely care for their students and athletes.
Jeanne Dignum Birch
160 Dahlgren Road
Valatie, NY 12184
birchj@albanyacademies.org
1980
Eric Cramer Besch, Esq.
6730 Springhill Dr.
Frederick, MD 21702
Eric@Besch.org
AA’80: Hey, 1980 is a creative class! Here’s a
sampling: GILL ALEXANDER makes art –
http://web.mac.com/gillalexander/Gill_Alexander/G
ill_Alexander.html.
GEORGE BEACH composes music and writes
poetry.
THEODORE BOULOUKOS writes and acts –
http://www.myspace.com/theonyc and
http://www.evangelistmovie.com.
KENT CARNELL is a professionally trained
cook.
Spring/Summer 2010 25

TONY CORDI is writing a book on his heritage
focusing on events in Ireland and Italy that prompted
his ancestors to leave their homes for the U.S.
JEFF KAHN is an actor and writer. His book You
Say Tomato, I Say Shut Up begins with a remembrance
of an AA 1980 class trip to see Zeffirelli’s version of
“Romeo and Juliet” – http://www.amazon.com/You-
Say-Tomato-Shut-Up/ dp/030746377X and
http://www.imdb.com /name/nm0434854/.
JIM FORNI does great things with video –
http://www.octanerichmedia.com/.
CORD REYNOLDS writes commentary. Ask to
be on his mailing list. The latest incarnation of the
movie in which he acts is at http://www.killpecker.com/
origins.html. I write this. Who did I miss?
Jenean Taranto-Watson
74 Bittersweet Lane
Slingerlands, NY 12159
jtara@albanylaw.edu
1981
Kimmey Janco
19 Ash Grove Lane
Selkirk, NY 12158
kimmeyjanco@yahoo.com
Anne Olcott
187 West Rock Avenue
New Haven, CT 06515
Aeo2007@comcast.net
1982
George D. Mahoney
3058 New Williamsburg Dr.
Schenectady, NY 12303
GeorgeM@janitronicsinc.com
AA’82: VINCENT ZANDRI'S new noir thriller,
Moonlight Falls (RJBuckley) is out in trade paperback
and Kindle. It’s been getting some movie attention
from the likes of Heyday Films (Yes Man, The Harry
Potter series). Vince has embarked on both a
traditional and virtual tour. Pre-publication news of
the novel has recently been featured in the ITW's
The Big Thrill, American Chronicle, News Blaze, Book
Marketing Buzz, the Times Union and more. For more
information about Moonlight Falls and other Zandri
novels, visit www.vincentzandri.com.
1983
Jerald P. Casey
96 Connolly Road
Ballston Lake, NY 12019-1904
jcasey@adktapes.com
Christine Standish
42 Turner Lane
Loudonville, NY 12211
Christine.Standish@albint.com
1984
Michael C. Obel-Omia
37190 Fairmount Boulevard
Hunting Valley, OH 44022
mobelomia@us.edu
Laura Staunton Mueser
6211 4th Avenue NW
Seattle, WA 98107
lauramueser@msn.com
1985
Kirk W. Harbinger
16 Patriot Circle
Clifton Park, NY 12065
kirkharbinger@hotmail.com
Sarah Carswell Heffernan
156 Savin Hill Avenue
Dorchester, MA 02125
sarahheffernan@comcast.net
Michele Samal Kinnon
Mexico
michelekinnon@gmail.com
1986
Todd Hoffman
700 Route 22
Pawling, NY 12564
Thoffman@trinitypawling.org
AA’86: ASHWIN KOCHIYIL PHILIPS writes,
“After graduating from the Academy, my family
moved to the Poughkeepsie area while I attended
RPI. After that, I did consulting work for various
companies until 1996 as a software developer. In
this capacity, I moved to the Washington, D.C. area
in the early 1990s and in 1997 received funding to
start a company called Imagilab Holdings – basically
an idea/start-up factory. One of the spin-offs from
ImagiLab was Lydstrom, a venture capital-backed
start-up that developed the first mp3 home stereo
component in 1997. After opening a branch in
Boston, I lived both there and in Washington, D.C.
from 1999 to 2001. Sadly, my family lost my sister,
Sneha (some of you may remember her), in the
9/11 attack in New York City. This prompted a
move home to be with my family for a year and
then to Miami in 2003. I am involved with three
companies right now: I’m the CTO and co-founder
of Event Technologies, an RFID access control and
universal rewards program for concerts, sporting
events, restaurants, and bars based in New York
City (http://concertpass.net); I am a partner and
CTO in Paradise Is Mine LLC, a real estate
marketing & technology company currently
pre-developing an island in the Bahamas called
Rum Cay (http://paradiseismine.com); and I
founded a company in Miami called South Beach
Geeks (http://southbeachgeeks.com).
1987
G. Todd D’Alleva
27 Cayuga Court
Averill Park, NY 12018
gtdcompaq@yahoo.com
Tony Loupessis, John Hayes, Todd D’Alleva, Peter
Kim & Marcus Pryor traveled to Catskill, NY for
their classmate William H. Hobbs’ funeral
1988
J.R. Clearfield
165 Rupertus Dr
San Clemente, CA 92672
clearfieldjk@yahoo.com
AA’88: KIM ’87 and I
are doing well in
Southern California –
I was blessed with the
privilege of taking
command of 1st
Battalion 4th Marines in May 2009 and spent the
next year preparing to deploy in May 2010 with
the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (as pictured
above). It is much less stressful than being a 1st
Lieutenant in Delta Company under the tyranny of
then Captain JEFF HARNETT. Jokes aside, I am in
receipt of lots of good updates from the Class of 1988.
JOHN SCICCHITANO writes, “My wife,
Florence, and I have had our first daughter, Faith,
who turns a year old soon. We live in Washington,
D.C., having returned a couple of years ago after
spending the previous 12 years in Africa. I work for
the U.S. Agency for International Development on
global hunger.” John returned to speak at the
Academies in January as part of the 2009-2010
Alumni/ae Speaker Series.
RAY DEMARCO writes that he resides in
Albany with his wife PAIGE ’84 and their 6-yearold
son, Nicholas ’22, who finished his kindergarten
year at the Academy. In addition to being the
principal owner of Pro Tech ALS, a lawn sprinkler
company serving the Northeast, western
Massachusetts, and southern Vermont, he coaches
hockey at the Academy on Sundays for children
ages 2-14.
RICH COLUCCIELLO writes from Schenectady
that his wife and he our proud parents of two
boys: Seth is 7 1/2 and Brett is 6, and that “I’ve been
at G.E. for 12 years and work as a Finance Manager
in our Renewable Energy (Wind and Solar)
business after serving 12 years in the U.S. Army.”
JEFF DETESO writes that; “My family and I are
doing well. We are still living in Connecticut where
my wife is a 3rd grade teacher and I’m a school
psychologist. My son just turned 11 (5th grade)
and is at the end of the travel hockey season.”
MARK CARIOTO writes from Connecticut
that, “We have three children: a girl, Arianna, who is
5, and two boys, David who is 2, and Gabriel, who
was just born in November. This is my 14th year at
IBM where I am a sales executive. My wife is a
financial manager at Pepsi.
CHRIS CUOMO writes that, “My wife just gave
birth to our third child. Carolina joins Isabella and
Mario.”
JIM PARKS writes, “I have no significant updates.”
LUKE MCGRATH, Esquire writes that he
continues to excel at the firm of Bickel & Brewer
and that his girls, Leah (4) and Valentina Coco
(almost 2) are his pride and joy.
ROHN MCNULTY writes, “My wife, Sharon,
and I live in East Boston with our daughter, Alden
(born just a few weeks before our 20th reunion)
and our retired racing greyhound (10 years old).
My wife and I have both been working as
architects in Boston for the past 10 years after
getting our Master’s degree in Architecture from
Washington University in St. Louis.”
26
The Albany Academies Magazine

SEAN COUCH sent me an update from
North Carolina where he is doing very well.
Unfortunately, I misplaced it. No worries Stein/Jeff
– I gave myself 10 demerits.
1989
William J. Belleville
155 West 70th Street, PH3B
New York, NY 10023
bill.belleville@credit-suisse.com
Jeffrey M. Berman
8 Crosby Avenue
Beverly, MA 01915
jberman18@yahoo.com
Sarah McLaughlin
80 King Street
Swampscott, MA 01907
sarahmclaughlin@verizon.net
AAG’89: After four days of competition from
February 4-7 in Park City, UT, ELYSE WILSON
TANNER was named to the 2010 USSA Masters
Western Region Team for alpine ski racing.
1990
Jasan M. Ward
248 Lark Street Apartment 2
Albany, NY 12210
jasanjaywilly@aol.com
1991
Joseph Bonavita
302 Audubon Boulevard
New Orleans, LA 70125
jbonavita@hotmail.com
Andrew Safranko
40 Marquis Drive
Slingerlands, NY 12159
asafrank@nycap.rr.com
AA’91: MARC EINHORN, a freelance writer, lives
in San Francisco, CA and is currently the Class of
’91’s only Emmy Award winner.
Cristy and JEFF CAMPBELL welcomed twin
daughters, Molly Catherine and Madeline Francis,
on May 29, 2009. The two join older brother JJ
(4 years old) in Cohasset, MA, just outside Boston,
MA. Jeff noted that “they start cooing every time
they cross the Hudson River. Very well could be
future Academy girls.”
ASHWIN PUROHIT is still a Principle Systems
Engineer at Axcelis Technologies, living in Gloucester,
MA with Amy Michaels and their three cats and
one dog.
JEREMY BARLOW is owner and head chef of
tayst (www.taystrestaurant.com), a restaurant and
wine bar located in Nashville, TN that uses only
locally produced meat, fish, dairy, fruits and
vegetables. The restaurant, which opened in
February 2004, is also the first and only “green
certified” restaurant in Nashville, which means that
the Green Restaurant Association has assessed the
environmental impact of the restaurant based on
seven categories and awarded it three out of four
stars. Jeremy was also selected as the winner of
the 2009 Iron Fork competition in Nashville, and in
2008 tayst was selected as Best Restaurant by
Nashville Lifestyles magazine.
Katherine Buchan Gates
101 Spring Street
Arlington, MA 02476
Katbuch_2000@yahoo.com
1992
Duncan P. McCaskill
1200 Braddock Place, Apt. 102
Alexandria, VA 22314
dpmccaskill@aol.com
1993
William R. Samuels
600 Ortiz Avenue
#403
Sand City, CA 93955
bill@thesamuels.net
AA’93: MATTHEW SMALLS has been appointed
Special Investigative Counsel of the New York
State Senate. In this position, he investigates fraud,
waste, abuse, harassment and corruption in the
Senate. Until recently, Matthew lived in New York
City, where he was an Assistant District Attorney
in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. He
was also in private practice in New York City, and
was recently featured on the show “Snapped” on
the Oxygen Network for his defense of a young
woman who strangled her wealthy husband. Matthew
and his wife, Samantha, now reside in Latham.
LUKE LAZZARI writes, “After completing a
master’s Program at the Naval Postgraduate
School and a yearlong Russian language course at
the Defense Language Institute, I was recently
assigned to Commander Naval Forces Europe in
Naples, Italy. I serve as the Russia and Ukraine
Desk Officer.”
JAMES CARPINELLO earned accolades in a
Sunday New York Times Theatre review in January
for his role as Stacee Jaxx in “Rock of Ages,” an
arena rock-musical. Here is an excerpt: “Carpinello
is resplendently funny as the arrogant, bleachbrained
lead singer of the metal band… This is
Mr. Carpinello’s third Broadway show. The others:
“Xanadu” and “Saturday Night Fever.” The actor
clearly does not regard this as cause for shame.
“All jukebox. All the time,” as he puts it. Rock on,
Mr. Carpinello.”
Jennifer Riitano Levy
608 West Ghents Road
Schenectady, NY 12306
jriitano1@nycap.rr.com
AAG’93: NICOLE CROWTHER MILLER writes,
“Sam and I have lived in Needham, MA for 10
years. In September, our older son, Lance, will start
kindergarten. Our younger son, Justin, will turn 3 in
June. When not chasing after the boys or hosting
gatherings for loved ones, I can be found under
mountains of clean laundry, behind a vacuum
cleaner or at the gym. My life is full and crazy, and I
wouldn’t have it any other way! I would love to
hear from fellow Academies alumni/ae!”
JENNIFER RIITANO LEVY writes, “I am
currently working for a sporting goods company,
Brine, as the National Sales Manager for Women’s
Sports. KEVIN LEVEILLE ’99 also works for the
same company as a sales representative for both
the Brine and Warrior brands and has recently
taken over the Upstate New York territory. Other
AAG grads that I get to work with on a consistent
basis are ASHLEY GERSUK ’01 and her efforts
with her company womenslax.com and JESSICA
DEROSA DAVOS ’98 as an assistant lacrosse
coach at Harvard.”
1994
Mark J. Bonavita
223 Executive Drive
Guilderland, NY 12084
mjbonavita@yahoo.com
Cypriana McCray
13667 Legacy Circle
Apt M
Herndon, VA 20171-4757
cypriana.mccray@gmail.com
1995
Kate Riitano McLaughlin
5240 Baltimore Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20816
Kmclaughlin@meltzer.com
1996
Alexis Casano-Antonellis
285 Garfield Place
# Garden
Brooklyn, NY 11215-2351
1997
Robert M. Witt
473 Western Avenue
Albany, NY 12203
martywitt@gmail.com
Lynne Hutter Kimball
225 Kenwood Avenue
Delmar, NY 12054
lhutter@cpclaw.net
AAG’97: LYNNE HUTTER KIMBALL married
her husband, Micah, in February. Pictured at her
wedding are: front row (L to R) Catherine Tomson
Spring/Summer 2010 27

’19, Sadie Rinehimer ’21, Madeline Rinehimer ’20;
second row (L to R) Annika Tomson ’14, LYNNE,
Micah Kimball, EMILIE MCHUGH RIVERS.
WHITNEY PORTER MALONE married her
husband Paul on October 17, 2009 in Chatham,
Cape Cod, MA. From the far left, Whitney’s bridemaids
included CHRISTY WEAFER DEEGAN ’96
and ALEXIS CASANO-ANTONELLIS ’96, and
Maids of Honor ERIN JONES and GABRIELLA
CARDONA ’98 (pictured below).
1998
John LaBoda
121 Castlebar Road
Rochester, NY 14610
Jlaboda3@hotmail.com
AAG’98: JANE VALENTINO and Brady Hauswirth
were married on September 19, 2009 in Sonoma,
CA. Her brother, MATT VALENTINO ’95, was the
man of honor, while BRIDGET MILOT AMICONE
was in the bridal party. Jane is the manager of the
Green-e Climate Program at the Center for
Resource Solutions in San Francisco, CA, where
she and Brady live.
1999
Nicholas Conger
1930 Columbia Road
# 506
Washington, DC 20009
nickconger@gmail.com
AA’99: ANDREW ASSINI hiked the 221-mile John
Muir Trail, along with a few side hikes up spectacular
granite peaks, in the Sierra Nevadas in summer
2009. His father, John Assini ’65, mother and sister
joined him for part of the trip. Andrew was also
awarded the James Madison Memorial Fellowship
to study and teach constitutional history. He is
completing his masters at Rutgers while he
continues to teach U.S. History in New Jersey.
After completing required constitutional
coursework at Georgetown this July and an
African American history curriculum at Rutgers
for his thesis, he plans to section hike the Great
Divide Trail in the Canadian Rockies from Mount
Assiniboine through Jasper National Park.
Things continue to go well for MICHAEL
MURRAY at Marist College. His team won the
women’s conference championship (MAAC)
and finished third for the men. At the ECAC
championships, the women’s team claimed yet
another title, beating second place Harvard by 11
points. Both meets were very exciting and should
really help recruiting in the next few classes.
ANDREW LAVEN is finishing up law school
in Florida in May and plans on returning to the
greater New York City area to be a criminal
defense attorney after he passes the bar. He is the
proud father of a two-year old French Bulldog
named Henri.
ROB MANNING won a PEABODY award.
“That’s the broadcast equivalent to darn near a
Pulitzer or an Oscar. NPR won two Peabodys this
year, so did 60 Minutes, and a few other notable
news programs and organizations. Our award was
for the “Hard Times” series, in which Oregon
Public Radio followed about a dozen individuals,
couples and families through a few months of the
recession. I followed a struggling young couple and
a homeless family. Both of their stories were
alarming and heartwarming at the same time. My
boss, Morgan Holm, singled those stories out for
particular credit for winning this award, though it
was really a team win for the entire newsroom.”
2000
Gina Riitano
gina.riitano@gmail.com
2001
Andrew M. Stone
1021 N Garfield Street Apt 323
Arlington, VA 22201
andrew.m.stone@gmail.com
2002
AA Class of 2002
Seth A. Wander
801 Brickell Key Blvd. #2010
Miami, FL 33131
sawander@med.miami.edu
AA’02: CHRIS SHAW (pictured above) went
through the Army ROTC program as a student at
Cornell University and is a helicopter pilot.
FRANK COMMISSO represents the 15th
Ward on the Albany Common Council.
TOM SCHUYLER is Communications and
Social Media Manager at GyPSii, a leading mobile
lifestyle and social networking application that
connects people, places and communities across
networks and devices. It’s a real-time vehicle to
share experiences: where you are, who you are
and what you’re doing. By collecting user-generated
content and points of interest from across the
globe, GyPSii aims to create a searchable index of
the world that users can access anytime-anywhere
to enhance their real world experience. He has
held the position since mid-September.
2003
Brian Lasky
22 East 36th Street #8B
New York, NY 10016
brian.j.lasky@gmail.com
AA’03: MERRICK THOMSON has been named
to the Team Canada roster for the 2010 FIL
World Championships, to be held July 15-24 in
Manchester, England. Canada won the gold medal
when the World Championships were last
contested in 2006.
Elizabeth Conolly
1 Callaway Circle
Loudonville, NY 12211
elizabeth.conolly@gmail.com
AAG’03: SARAH SAMSON married Benjamin
Seymour on October 16, 2009 in Delmar, NY.
Sarah works for the City of Albany. Benjamin
works in the Town of Colonie’s emergency
medical services department.
2004
John P. Garvey
112 Hunter Lane
Queensbury, NY 12804
jp@jpgarvey.com
AA’04: MIKE LEVEILLE will play lacrosse in the
2010 World Games for Team USA.
MIKE SPZIECH will play for Team Poland.
GREG GERSUK writes, “I have been living in
Shanghai, China for the past year and a half working
for a textile company and having a blast. I travel to
Taiwan and Korea often for work. I recently went
up to Beijing for a weekend with REBECCA
TROEGER, where we met up with alums MIKE
KEEFRIDER and KRISTIN KEEFRIDER ’03.”
Gretchen Freihofer
21 Father Gilday Street
# 511
Boston, MA 02118
g_freihofer@yahoo.com
AAG’04: STEFANI BUTLER made Dean’s List at
SUNY Canton, where she is a Veterinary Science
Technology major.
2005
Conor Stewart
162 Hogarty Road
Averill Park, NY 12018
cwstewar@middlebury.edu
AA ’05: TOM BALDWIN lives in New York
City where he works for Wishbone LLC, a
pharmaceutical advertising agency recently
acquired as Rosetta’s Professional Healthcare
division.
Living right around the corner from Tom,
DILLON McNIVEN works for InstaNet and
enjoys “the hustle and bustle of life in the city.”
TREVOR ADAMS recently returned from
traveling around Europe with friends that he
made while studying abroad in Galway, Ireland.
His travels included Ireland, Spain, Greece, Italy,
Germany and Croatia.
28
The Albany Academies Magazine

Speaking of Europe, DAN TEGTMEYER is a
third-year med student and is interning at a
hospital in Germany. This summer, he will be
studying in Valencia, Spain.
JOE WEN writes, “I'm currently undergoing
training as an Army artillery officer.” Joe will be in
Lawton, OK until July when he will report to the
10th Mountain Division’s 3rd Brigade Combat
Team stationed at Fort Drum, NY.
TIM HENDERSON is finishing up his senior
year at Middlebury College where he has enjoyed
his final collegiate winter as a coach for the
Panthers ski team.
BRANDON LEFEVRE is a realtor for
RealtyUSA in Albany and has been busy showing
houses and apartments as well as looking forward
to the sunny days of summer where he can “take
his Harley out for a cruise around town.”
Thanks to all of you who wrote in and we hope
to hear from the rest of you soon.
Kendall Drew
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL 60201
k-drew@northwestern.edu
AAG’05: From CARY MAYBERGER: “I am
enjoying my first year at Harvard Law School and
will be working as a legal intern this summer at the
Open Democracy and Advice Centre in Cape
Town, South Africa.”
2006
Katharine Schimmer
C/O 756 Irish Hill Road
Berne, NY 12023
kas.oiseau@gmail.com
2007
Colin Dennis
1536 Tibbits Ave
Troy, NY 12180
cmd024@bucknell.edu
Jillian P. LeFevre
250 Bushendorf Road
Ravena, NY 12143
lefevj@rpi.edu
AAG’07: DEE-DEE POWELL started off the
summer of 2009 with a six-week study abroad
program in Toledo, Spain, where she lived with a
Spanish family. Upon completion of the program,
she spent three days in Rome and two in Paris
(though she could have spent a month in Paris!).
After that, she visited KEREN ENGOLTZ '06 in
Israel, where they traveled all over the country.
Dee-Dee is now back at Ohio State University
finishing up her degree in Hispanic Linguistics and a
minor to be determined, competing (and winning)
in Mock Trial, and studying Hebrew.
2008
Omar McGill
20 Chestnut Street
Schenectady, NY 12307
Omar_McGill@yahoo.com
Jill Scalzo
240 Miller Road
Selkirk, NY 12158
jes23@geneseo.edu
2009
Marcus Hart
37 Marion Avenue
Albany, NY 12203
sucram67@me.com
Elite Williams
104 Edward Street
Schenectady, NY 12304
williame@union.edu
AAG’09: As our second semesters reach their
climax, or for some, second trimesters end, the
Class of 2009 is happy to report that we are all
doing very well. KAITLYN STEINHORST, who is
attending Hilbert College says, “My first semester
went very well. I am involved with the Student
Government and Adventure Club on campus. I am
also a Community Assistant and plan programs for
all of the residents. My favorite class was Forensics
101. Imagine that, I am a Forensics major! It has
been a huge adjustment, but I am coping well and
can’t wait for future semesters!
DRUE SOKOL, who attends Rochester
University, is doing just as well and reports, “My
favorite course was Psychology 101, which was
good because I am planning on being a psychology
major! I am now a photographer for my campus
newspaper and I joined the belly dancing club!”
The class of 2009 is representing our beloved
AAG with pride in trying new classes, joining
various clubs, and participating in campus events.
Several Academy alums are feeling at home
at Dartmouth College. Pictured below are
RAJIV RAGHAVAN, HANNAH KUHAR, DAVID
PICOTTE ’01, MATTHEW MACKEY ’04 and
NATHAN BRUSCHI ’06.
.................................................................................
The Albany Academies – Albany Academy
for Girls & The Albany Academy – extend
condolences for the following recent passings:
Kenneth H. Hannan ’29 passed away
on November 2, 2009.
Theodore F. Barnes ’61 passed away
on November 3, 2009.
Rev. James McKeough ’39 passed away
on December 2, 2009.
Sybil Townsend Greenwood Kline ’56 passed
away on December 16, 2009.
William V. Waterman ’42 passed away
on December 20, 2009.
Nancy Curtin Manifold ’60 passed away
on January 15, 2010.
William H. Hobbs ’87 passed away
on January 21, 2010.
Richard A. Hunsdorfer Sr. ’40 passed away
on January 21, 2010.
Jane Baldwin Holbritter ’39 passed away
on January 22, 2010.
Marion Tietz Mooers Lamar ’47 passed away
on February 12, 2010.
Nancy Hawn McClure ’44 passed away
on February 17, 2010.
Virginia Baker Bennett ’34 passed away
on February 25, 2010.
Audette Egley Taylor ’52 passed away
on March 2, 2010.
Linda Mandelbaum Caigan ’51 passed away
on March 12, 2010.
Jesse M. Leibowitz ’00 passed away
on April 12, 2010.
Frank E. O’Brien, Jr. ’53 passed away
on May 25, 2010.
Ferdinand Levison ’34 passed away
on June 3, 2010.
Spring/Summer 2010 29

........................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Reunion 2010 welcomes back
alumni/ae!
We were thrilled with the number of
alumni and alumnae who came back to the
AA & AAG campuses for Reunion 2010
on May 21 & 22. Numerous friendships
were rekindled during several special
events held throughout the two days and
new relationships were developed.
AAG Class of 1960
Jaylynn Walker ’17 & Catharine Parry McHugh ’60
at a special meeting of the AAG Class of 1960 and
their 5th grade pen pals
Members of Dance Workshop at the Jane Lathrop
Stanford Induction Ceremony
Jad Jacob ’17, Matthew Bohl ’17 & Alan Klein ’60 at
a special meeting of the AA Class of 1960 and their
5th grade pen pals
Betty Auffsesser Sonneborn ’40, Lynne Hutter
Kimball ’97 & Dorothy Cooley Beal ’40
Head of School Dr. Douglas North ’58 presenting
Jonathan Gordon ’60 with his Old Guard pin
Members of the 1984-1985 AA Varsity Basketball Team at the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
30
The Albany Academies Magazine

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
AAG & AA Classes of 2000
Members of the AA Class of 1990 (with one member of the Class of 1989) at
their Reunion gathering at Yono’s in Albany
Michele Samal Kinnon ’85, Sarah O’Brien Black ’85,
Sarah Carswell Heffernan ’85, Deborah Steiner
Wilson ’85 & Kim Reed Colluccio ‘85
Linda Furlong ’60 & Joyce Berman Brooks ’60
presenting the Class of 1960 Reunion check to
Head of School Dr. Douglas North ’58
Brian Colbert ’85, Anthony Owens ’85, Tony Gaddy
’85 & Seth Hathaway ’85
Lisa Boyagian Giombetti ’90, Ramona Perrino
Cammarata ’90, Courtney Schaad ’90 & Cathy
Wright Smith ’90
Members of the AAG & AA Classes of 1980 celebrating with Head of School Dr. Douglas North ’58
Spring/Summer 2010 31

Congratulations to the
AAG and AA Classes of 2010
Commencement 2010
Connor Ferris ’10 & Quadir Phillips ’10
Ankur Patel ’10 & Cameron Ford ’10 receive their
boutonnieres from junior parents
Jennifer Wicks ’10, Samantha Miorin ’10
& Roma Luthra ‘10
Matthew Rackoczy ’10 & Taylor Mextorf ’10 with Zachary Trombly ’10 behind on the right
Dr. Sarah Elmendorf ’70 P’06, ’08, ’10,
AAG Associate Head of School Wendy
Muhlfelder ’67 & Board of Trustees
member Bruce DiStefano ’70 P’06, ’08, ‘10
Members of the AAG Class of 2010 enjoy a lighter moment
32
The Albany Academies Magazine

Spring/Summer 2010 33

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Save the Date
.........................................................................
Homecoming
October 1- 2, 2010
Golf & Tennis Outing
Inaugural Albany Academy
for Girls Alumnae Council Hall
of Fame Induction Ceremony
.............................................
Scholarship Luncheon
October 3, 2010
.............................................
Reunion
May 20 & 21, 2011