Sandia Prep Book of Gratitude - 2020

Book of 

Gratitude 

Sandia Prep 

2020 - 2021


Gratitude 

Sandia Prep 

2020 - 2021

On a 

Mission 

The joy of learning and living is at the 

center of all we do. Sandia Preparatory 

School provides remarkable opportunities 

for intellectual and personal growth within 

a challenging and balanced program. As 

an extension of our families, Sandia Prep's 

diverse community inspires students to find 

their academic focus, talents, and creativity. 

Our Vision 

At Sandia Prep, we will inspire our students 

to discover their purposes in the world by: 

• Developing essential skills and intellectual 

potential through challenging academics; 

• Cultivating a socially responsible 

environment of innovation and creativity; 

and 

• Engaging as a vibrant community for the 

betterment of society.

From the Head of School 

“The greatness of a community is 

most accurately measured by the 

compassionate actions of its members.” 

- Coretta Scott King 

It is during trying times that a community 

shows its true character. The 2020-2021 

school year was, indeed, an incredibly 

challenging time for Sandia Prep, and this 

community demonstrated itself to be equal 

to those challenges. With the outbreak of 

COVID-19, the school faced a decline in 

enrollment and revenue. As well, the New 

Mexico Public Health Orders restricted 

our campus capacity and required us to 

adopt a hybrid model of teaching/learning 

for a good part of the year. Despite all of 

this, I humbly submit that, together, this 

Sandia Prep community came through the 

crisis with flying colors. Indeed, who would 

expect anything less? 

I am very proud of the way that our 

students carried themselves throughout the 

year. They adjusted to the “new normal” 

quickly, and they performed commendably 

in the classrooms, both in-person and 

virtually. The seniors and the Student 

Government Association (SGA) rose to lead 

the entire school and keep spirits high. The 

sports teams competed with tenacity and, 

as a result, they brought home four State 

Championships and two State Runners-Up. 

The Performing Arts students continued 

to provide excellent entertainment on 

virtual media. Our Visual Arts students, 

many of whom were working from home, 

produced extraordinary pieces of art. Most 

impressive, though, was the manner in 

which students supported and protected 

each other by following rigid health and 

safety protocols. 

While it has taken this entire “village” 

to get us through the year, I must give 

highest praise to our faculty and staff. They 

demonstrated such resilience and courage, 

and they set aside their own apprehensions 

in the service of our students and this 

school. From as far back as March of 

2020, when we were forced to close our 

campus, our faculty seamlessly moved 

to virtual classrooms. When we could 

open with a hybrid model, they offered 

a dual-teaching platform, which included 

in-person and remote lessons. This was no 

easy task. Through it all, the faculty and 

staff maintained their professionalism, their 

enthusiasm, and their humor, and I am 

eternally grateful. 

Finally, I want to thank all of our parents for 

their patience and support during a very 

difficult time. Their generosity was amazing. 

Once again, they displayed the qualities of 

character that make this such a unique and 

beautiful learning community. 

With gratitude, 

Bill Sinfield 

Head of School 

1

August 

A year in 

review 

2020 - 2021 

1 

2 3 

4 

5 

6 

September 

7 

8 

9 

10 

2 

1 The school year starts virtually. 2 Prep welcomes six new teachers, to the community, including alum Nick Aase ‘03 who teaches math and computer science. 3 Teachers create classroom material 

kits for students to use at home. 4 School Nurse Lynn Jeffries, RN outlines campus COVID-safe practices. 5 Teachers create outdoor classroom spaces. 6 Prep takes first place among 3A schools 

in New Mexico Activities Association’s Subway Director’s Cup for excellence in activities, athletics, and sportsmanship. 7 New School Psychologist and Director of Wellness Dr. Amber L. Hayes plays 

an important role in the mental health of students. 8 Three seniors are National Merit Scholarship program semifinalists. 9 Executive Student Government Association officers participate in a virtual 

swearing-in ceremony. 10 Learning virtually in Ms. Haskell’s sixth-grade science class.

October 

11 12 

13 14 

16 

November 

15 

December 

17 18 

11 Class of 2021 “Senior Sunrise”. 12 The Annual Fund launches as Prep’s Fundraising Priorities campaign. 13 A team of three nurses leads temperature checks and COVID-19 screening at drop-off. 

14 Assemblies morph into virtual “Prep Huddles.” 15 Briley Commons refresh completed thanks to a grant from the Slomo and Cindy Silvian Foundation. 16 National Collegiate Athletic Association 

Signing Day: During the 2020 - 2021 academic year, nine seniors sign National Letters of Intent to compete in college. 17 Prep hosts a #GivingTuesday matching gift challenge of $20K thanks to alumnus 

Ali Hashemian ‘01 and raises $77,407! 18 Virtual admission events held for hundreds of applicants in grades 6 - 12. 

3

20 21 22 

Photo credit: Andrea Kennedy '02 

23 24 January 

25 

19 

26 27 28 

4 

19 Kylie Pizzonia ‘21 records a virtual campus tour. 20 “Sundevil Stories” highlight community members working on the front lines during the pandemic. 21 Marz Landon ‘21 is a finalist in the Global 

Oneness Project photo competition. 22 The 7th-Grade Leadership Team delivers hundreds of pounds of food, clothing, and school supplies to APS students experiencing housing insecurities. 

23 Athletic Director Willie Owens earns the Athletic Administrator distinction from the Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association. 24 Forty charter members contribute $223,000 in two years to 

benefit Alumni Legacy students. 25 Head of School Bill Sinfield announces he will retire at the end of the ‘21-‘22 academic year. 26 The DareDevil Design 1/Engineering/Entrepreneurial Studies team are 

NMSU’s Innoventure’s Round 2 winners. 27 Ben Mannal ‘22 and Sam Lawyer ‘23 accepted to Stanford University’s AI Summer Program. 28 Four students accepted to the 2021 All-State Choral Festival.

30 

29 

February 

31 

32 

March 

33 

34 

35 36 

April 

37 38 

39 

40 

29 On-campus activities resume, including Mr. Sinfield’s cricket activity. 30 Once again, Prep named a top private school in New Mexico, earning an A+ rating by Niche. 31 Ambrosia Ingoglia ‘21 wins 

the 2021 Aspirations in Computing Regional Affiliate Award in Central and Northern NM. 32 Prep’s Black Student Union (BSU) curates an art exhibit of student work. 33 The Performing Arts Department 

teams up with Landmark Musicals to produce a virtual “Children of Broadway” production. 34 Five seniors named “Best Delegates” of their committees at El Modelo Naciones Unidas conference. 

35 Ramona Delyser ‘22 accepted to the Smith Precollege Science and Engineering Program. 36 Volleyball wins State. 37 Boys Varsity Soccer team wins 3A State Championship. 38 Odyssey Scholars 

Program selects seven sophomores for ‘21-‘22. 39 Love Laing Chavez ‘27 wins Prep’s ocean biogeochemistry array float naming competition with “Determination.” 40 Seniors’ last day! 

5

41 

42 

May 

43 44 45 

46 47 48 

6 

41 A virtual Noche de Celebración gala with faculty auctioneers raises $200,000+ for the Sandia Prep experience. 42 Luke Bemish ‘21, a National Merit Scholarship finalist, places fourth out of 160 

students (and second among seniors) in the statewide UNM-PNM Mathematics Competition. 43 A new take on prom: Dinner and a show on the Quad. 44 Avery Dixon ‘22 and Gillian Hoffman ‘21 are 

Enchantment Awards “Best Actress” nominees. 45 National Teacher Appreciation Week honors our 67 teachers and 31 coaches. 46 Varsity Dance takes second in State. 47 Senior Capstones include 

building a plane prototype, investing in cryptocurrency, and producing an album. 48 Dr. Chuck Buxbaum receives the Helen and Douglas Bridges Faculty Award.

49 

June 

50 51 

58 

52 

53 54 

55 56 57 

July 

49 The Class of 2021 votes to wear caps and gowns for their commencement ceremony. 50 Boys Track & Field places second in State. 51 Varsity Baseball wins 3A State Championship. 52 More than 

550 young campers attend SummerPrep. 53 Sandia Prep’s emerging mountain biking team competes in the Colorado Growler Bike Race. 54 Longtime Boys Varsity Soccer Coach Tommy Smith named 

National Coach of the Year. 55 After 35 years at Prep, history teacher and Outdoor Leadership Program staff member, Paul Ryder retires. 56 The classes of 2000 and 2001 combine their reunions and 

return to campus on a warm summer evening. 57 At the close of the 2020-2021 fiscal year, the Prep community contributed $733,000+ for our students and programs. 58 Athletes from several decades 

return to campus to be inducted into the Sundevil Athletic Hall of Fame. 

7

AMY JAMES 

Adapting to keep chemistry dynamic 

Chemistry teacher Amy James has been surrounded 

by science her whole life; her parents were both 

veterinarians whose clinic was attached to her 

childhood home in Michigan. Amy’s zeal for science 

is obvious and she’s now been teaching chemistry at 

Sandia Prep for 11 years. Before the pandemic, she 

could be found leading rousing lab sessions, which 

sounded like a Prep assembly because her students 

were so enthused. Once Prep began teaching 

remotely in March 2020, however, like so many 

other teachers, Amy had to quickly modify her entire 

curriculum and style. Fortunately, Amy got inventive 

with her classes, which enabled her students to keep 

delivering a steady regimen of lab-based work. 

Amy hurdled the conundrum of running her labs 

remotely by tightening each class’s schedule 

into manageable sections of activity. “When 

we went virtual, my standard class was a minilecture, 

a couple practice problems, and a virtual 

assignment,” Amy stated. Amy trusted upper school 

students to leave Zoom to complete assignments, 

but she remained available for questions should 

they need to jump back online. “The kids seemed to 

respond well to very topic-specific, task-based days.” 

The year of remote and hybrid scenarios wasn’t 

without its challenges, however. Amy had to 

compromise some practices she had enjoyed in 

class for years. Typically, she encourages students to 

debate their respective answers to practice problems. 

“ 

We all 

rallied 

and made 

it work. 

Working remotely meant she couldn’t “eavesdrop” 

on the classmates’ discussions, and social distancing 

further complicated the group dynamic. Amy found 

“ 

integrating home-bound students into the inclass 

discussions particularly perplexing. Being so 

lab-focused in chemistry class, she had to alter her 

teaching plans significantly to make sure students 

were still receiving the information they needed while 

finding new ways to deliver it. 

Amy maintains, though, that her students gained 

good insight last year about how they learn and 

believes their ability to adapt will add to their 

collegiate skillset. “The students gained skills like 

employing a learning management system and 

becoming adept at video presentations,” she proudly 

noted. As to her own practices as a chemistry teacher, 

Amy found that, in some ways, she was able to 

complete goals she’d meant to sooner. “I adapted 

a bunch of my own labs to slideshows or videos, 

which I am now using as make-up labs for students 

who miss class. And for years, I’d been meaning 

to scan my homework keys and upload them for 

students to reference, and last year trained me to do 

that.” She also learned that she loves student video 

presentations and will likely keep those as part of her 

curriculum, even now, back on campus. 

Considering her experiences during the pandemic, 

Amy concluded, “Last year was about showing 

up and doing your best under less-than-ideal 

circumstances. Personally, I thought the Prep 

community did a great job showing up for each 

other.” 

8

9

SPOTLIGHT: OUR FUNDRAISING LEADERSHIP 

The School’s fundraising 

efforts are supported by two 

Board committees that review 

and revise plans for inspiring 

charitable gifts and bequests. 

Here, we recognize two trustees, Kris Kite ’93 

and Laura Calkins, who have spent countless 

hours leading the Development Committee 

and the Major Gifts and Planned Giving 

Committee to further the mission of Sandia 

Prep through philanthropy. 

Kris Kite ’93 

and family


• Chair, Major Gifts and Planned Giving Committee 

• Sales Manager, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company 

• Trustee 2018 - Present 

For those who know you, your love of 

Prep is heartfelt and genuine. Why do 

you feel so passionate about your alma 

mater? 

I think my passion for Sandia Prep and 

its programs stems from my personal 

experience as a student and then as a 

parent of my older son, Preston, who 

graduated from Prep in 2020. At the start 

of middle school, my parents recognized 

that my current school was not meeting 

the academic rigors or engagement that I 

required as a student. They decided that 

a change was needed in order for me to 

flourish and succeed in my educational 

path. I am very thankful that my parents 

made the decision and financial sacrifice to 

send me to Sandia Prep halfway through 

my 7th grade year. I think the rest is a result 

of the Sandia Prep community and the 

impact it provided for me, my brother, and 

my oldest son. 

How would you describe Sandia Prep’s 

learning environment? 

Prep has a learning environment that allows 

us to pursue our passions in a variety of 

avenues (academics, athletics, the arts, and 

personal development). What we learned 

gave us an advantage, in my opinion, for 

the rest of everything we have done in life 

so far. I value these experiences and have 

been very lucky to now try and give back 

to the school community that provided so 

much for me and my family. 

What is the greatest opportunity we 

have as a school when we align our 

donors with the school’s fundraising 

priorities? 

I think the biggest impact that Sandia Prep 

can have on donors is demonstrating that 

the message and the mission truly align 

with the School’s fundraising priorities. 

I believe that most families make the 

investment in a private education in order 

to provide their child with opportunities 

that they feel will have an impact on their 

life now and in the future. The best term 

I have heard Prep use frequently in its 

advertising is, ‘It’s not what you think. It’s 

how you think.’ This captures what we do 

as educators. When we can tell our story, 

donors are able to see the impact of their 

gift on the students. 

What would you like our community to 

know about the role of independent 

schools and fundraising? 

The role of fundraising at an independent 

school is vitally important to the current 

and future success of the school. The ability 

for a school to provide funding for students 

and teachers to explore different learning 

styles, different ways to collaborate, and 

the ability to explore the world around 

them, is becoming more and more vital 

to students becoming critical thinkers. 

There is also the reality that technology 

continues to move at a very rapid pace and 

it is important for schools to stay on the 

cutting edge. I think the changes we see in 

education over the next ten years may be 

more impactful than what has happened in 

education over the last fifty years. 

Explain the role of the Major Gifts 

Committee in fundraising? 

As Chair, the intent of the Major Gifts 

Committee is to cultivate and create 

11

SPOTLIGHT: OUR FUNDRAISING LEADERSHIP 

Kris Kite ’93 continued 

relationships with donors that have the 

capability of making gifts to the School that 

can be transformative for Sandia Prep’s 

students. I think it is also the responsibility 

of the Major Gifts Committee and the 

Development Office staff to keep our 

donors informed of the benefits and 

changes that were made possible because 

of their generosity. 

What fundraising initiative(s) are your 

most proud of? 

I am most proud of the formation of Society 

1966 and the Alumni Legacy Fund. Society 

1966 was created to establish the formal 

recognition of Sandia Prep’s major donors, 

both past and present. The Major Gifts 

Committee wanted the School to have 

the ability to recognize those individuals 

who have provided major financial support 

over the years, but to also establish a way 

that this group can be continually apprised 

of the direction and current happenings 

of the School. The Alumni Legacy Fund 

was created to provide a financial bridge 

to support second and third generation 

Sundevils when Sandia Prep’s formal 

financial aid package does not fully 

cover their ability to meet their financial 

obligation. This initiative has allowed me to 

connect, brainstorm, create and fundraise 

with a lot of different alumni to build the 

Fund. We are off to a great start and I am 

excited that we are now in a position to 

support future generations of Sundevils. 

Laura Calkins 

• Chair, Development Committee 

• Vice President, Revenue Cycle for 

Presbyterian Healthcare Services 

• Trustee 2018 - Present 

Why is Prep the school of choice for 

your three children? 

My kids have the opportunity to be 

exposed to and get involved in so many 

different classes, activities, and sports at 

Prep. Most importantly though, Prep is 

helping my kids learn to think critically 

and think for themselves in an ever more 

challenging world, and this will be a key 

to their success in the future. 

What is the greatest opportunity we 

have to connect donors with programs? 

The more we promote our diverse 

educational and extracurricular programs 

and how they connect to the desires 

of our student and faculty community, 

the greater the opportunity will be to 

secure support for those programs. For 

example, the purchase of a 3D printer 

for Engineering has been instrumental in 

sparking the interest and passion of many 

students to explore this field. 

How critical are fundraising programs 

to independent schools? 

Fundraising is what supports the diversity 

and multitude of programs offered at 

an independent school like Prep. It also 

supports leading-edge technology and 

facilities so that students and faculty can 

thrive and flourish. Philanthropic giving 

allows Prep to invest in and develop 

signature programs such as our emerging 

Engineering and Coding curriculum, our 

popular Outdoor Leadership Program, 

our highly regarded Visual and Performing 

Arts programs, and our high-performing 

athletics programs. 

What is the role of the Development 

Committee of the Board? 

The Development Committee is focused 

on fundraising activities for smaller, 

more near-term needs and desires of the 

school. Examples of this include the Prep 

Fund which supports current year 

12

initiatives, a Capital Fund for larger facility 

improvements, such as the DesignLab, and 

an Innovative Classroom Fund to bring more 

advanced technology to the classrooms in 

support of both teachers and students. Our 

role is also to promote giving and participation 

by all members of the Prep community, which 

allows us to access other forms of funding 

such as grants. Many grants require a school 

to demonstrate a high percentage of support 

from the school community in the application 

process. The dollar amount of a gift is not the 

focus as much as the number of community 

members actively participating and supporting 

the school. The Development Committee and 

team also organize and support many special 

events such as Grandparents’ Day and our 

Noche de Celebración gala. 

What fundraising initiative(s) are you most 

proud of and why? 

I am most proud of the Family Relief Fund we 

initiated when COVID-19 caused job furloughs 

and losses because it truly demonstrated what 

is best about our Prep community. Everyone 

pulled together to help each other. In some 

cases, those seeking relief were those who 

traditionally provide relief to others through 

their donations. The creation of this fund 

showed that we believe it is important to take 

care of each and every member of our Prep 

family. 

Laura Calkins 

and family 

13

14

NIMA JAMSHIDI ‘00 

Alum eyes outer space for inspiration 

Nima Jamshidi ‘00 is an Avionics Engineer at Blue 

Origin in Seattle. Blue Origin was started by Jeff 

Bezos in 2000 and is a privately-funded aerospace 

manufacturer with a focus on rocket-powered vertical 

takeoff and landing vehicles. 

Nima joined Blue Origin in May 2019 and is working 

to develop reusable rocket engines and launch 

vehicles that will dramatically lower the cost of 

access to space. He is a Responsible Engineer 

in charge of various critical electrical subsystems 

on the New Shepard vehicle and is working on 

environmental and electromagnetic tests and 

qualifications. 

In October, Nima traveled to Texas to assist with 

Star Trek actor William Shatner’s first flight aboard 

the New Shepard spacecraft. “I was in mission 

control with a headset making sure everything went 

according to plan. My job was to make sure all the 

electronics on the booster were healthy.” Nima 

recently shared, “I love my job, and I’m working 

to inspire the next generation of engineers and 

scientists.” 

Our ‘00 grad has a bachelor’s degree in Computer 

Engineering from Purdue University and a master’s 

degre in Electrical Engineering from the University 

of New Mexico. Nima previously led various 

engineering projects for Raytheon, Mechatronic 

Solutions, and Honeywell in Albuquerque. 

He speaks three languages, including English, 

French, and Persian; enjoys hanging out with his 

partner, Leslie; is an avid gamer and all-around 

“nerd” (and proud of it). 

“ 

We need to save our planet, 

and harnessing the unlimited 

resources found in space is an 

important way to do that. 

“ 

15

LYNN JEFFRIES, BSN, RN 

School Nurse Lynn Jeffries and the Prep pandemic superteam 

School Nurse Lynn Jeffries, the first permanent, 

on-site school nurse at Sandia Prep, has had her 

share of crises to manage in her career. Arguably, 

the COVID-19 pandemic was a particularly difficult 

and dynamic crisis to contend with. Lynn extols 

the amazing team of Prep’s nurses, administrators, 

faculty, and staff who joined forces to keep the 

students of Sandia Prep safe, healthy, and on their 

educational path. The behind-the-scenes story of 

how Lynn and a like-minded superteam held Prep’s 

standards aloft during the global pandemic is a clear 

example of resilience and hope. 

Lynn joined Sandia Prep in 2016 to help regain some 

time with her children, Samantha ’20 and Alex ’23, 

as her intense career choices until then often kept 

her busy up to 80 hours a week. She had received 

her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from New 

Mexico State University and usually found herself in 

high-intensity scenarios like newborn and pediatric 

intensive care units in both Texas and New Mexico. 

She was also a flight nurse in helicopters with air 

emergency services for eight years. 

When everyone started paying attention to the news 

about COVID-19 in late 2019, Lynn admits that, 

“Even being in healthcare, few of us grasped how 

expansive and dynamic this whole situation was 

going to be. Certainly, I’d been around contagious 

viruses and knew what you do with them at school.” 

But, she admits, dealing with an unfamiliar virus 

created very different circumstances. Once the 

pandemic became a global concern in the spring 

of 2020, the Prep leadership team began to discuss 

which scenarios, classes, and activities were still 

viable and which ones weren’t safe. “We transitioned 

very quickly to figure out how we could get kids back 

on campus safely in the fall of 2020.” 

Prep’s expansive leadership group began a constant 

stream of virtual meetings to update and implement 

assigned tasks. “Everyone knew what the moving 

pieces were and how it was all coming together.” 

Still, the work was exacting and exasperating; the 

group had to walk through every student’s day, startto-finish, 

to consider every safety aspect including 

classrooms, meals, social distancing, campus traffic 

flow, and restrooms. 

Lynn assuredly states that the group’s mission was 

clear: “We will bring Prep’s kids back on campus and 

make this happen. And the ‘why’ of what we were 

doing was really strong—it was what would be best 

for the kids.” Unlike other private or public schools, 

resorting to a completely remote curriculum for the 

entire 2020-2021 school year was not an option. “We 

knew we had to make [returning to campus] happen.” 

It just became a matter of how to do it as safely as 

possible. 

Lynn credits the school’s top administrators, its 

tireless IT staff, marketing team, maintenance 

team, and an advisory group of epidemiologists, 

ER and ICU doctors, and Prep board members 

with navigating big decisions about cleanliness, 

scheduling, class-size numbers, and other minuteby-minute 

considerations. Finally, while Lynn was 

often busy with administrative concerns, she brought 

on nurses (and Prep parents) DeAnna Hanosh and 

Michelle Treme, and Prep’s Athletic Trainer Cathy 

Walters. The three professionals were on hand to 

knowledgeably respond to any immediate concerns 

as families rejoined the campus in the fall of 2020. 

Lynn recalls that the Prep superteam dealing with the 

practical and impractical matters of the pandemic 

was “kind of magical because everybody was truly 

involved. It was all-hands-on-deck,” in order to keep 

the school open. In the end, Lynn and the school 

leaders’ efforts made for a safer yet still experiential 

educational choice for Prep’s students and families. 

16

17

18

AJMAIN ASHRAF ’21 

Prep grad evolves as a student 

Ajmain Ashraf ’21 

graduated from 

Sandia Prep during 

the tumultuous 

pandemic. 

As the Student Government Association (SGA) 

president, he and other student leaders had to 

navigate the hybrid learning model adopted at 

Prep and help keep school spirit high. Ajmain also 

was a fervent Outdoor Leadership Program (OLP) 

senior Camping Associate, a volleyball player, 

and a National Honor Society member. He’s now 

a freshman in college and recently shared his 

experiences adapting to academic life at Prep and 

in college under COVID-19 restrictions. 

Where are you attending college, and what are 

you studying as an undergrad? 

I am a freshman at Washington University in St. Louis 

seeking a degree in finance. I believe that financial 

education is overlooked by many schools around 

the U.S. I want to expand my knowledge in the field 

to better help our community. I also am exploring 

other opportunities to tap into my creative side, like 

computer science. 

How would you characterize your experience at 

Prep overall? 

I would characterize my experience at Prep as 

‘evolving.’ I truly felt like I evolved into a more 

confident person throughout my years at Prep. As 

I look back, I remember being a shy, worried sixth 

grader. I can’t believe that same little sixth grader 

became such a confident adult. 

What incident, circumstance, or experience stands 

out from your time learning under COVID-19 

restrictions? 

There was a significant difference between learning 

on campus and virtual learning, and that difference 

was the ability to ask questions. I felt like I was 

holding back people from getting off the Zoom call 

and was wasting the teacher’s time, while in reality 

that was never actually the case. Also, I didn’t like the 

detachment that came from virtual learning, which 

was not ideal for my peers and me. However, the one 

good thing that came from this was that it was easier 

to get one-on-one sessions with teachers for help 

on a topic or, specifically as a senior at Prep, for help 

writing an essay. 

How did you manage your learning and personal 

experiences during the pandemic? 

Again, this was a year where evolving definitely 

took place. With COVID providing more free time 

for students, managing my time was essential to 

succeed. There are two paths I could have taken: 

one was having fun and enjoying some freedom; the 

other was putting in extra work and learning new 

skills. Prep really encouraged me to do more than 

what was expected. This crisis really pushed me to 

try doing things I normally would not do; finding the 

path through discomfort. Like getting a job during 

these restrictions, improving my public speaking, and 

even gaining new skills in video editing. These were 

things that I normally would not have done without 

the COVID restrictions in place. 

What were some positive experiences of resilience 

or persistence you and your fellow students 

shared during the pandemic? 

I believe that, as a class, we were able to push 

through this crisis together. We were able to stay in 

touch and come out stronger, more independent, 

and ready for what life has in store for us. 

19

KELSEY BENEDICK ’07 

Alum attributes legal skills to her Prep education 

Kelsey Benedick ’07 is a civil litigation attorney in 

Portland, Oregon, focusing on commercial litigation 

and property litigation. 

After graduating from the Lewis & Clark School of 

Law, Kelsey admits, “I wanted to be challenged by 

my practice and work at a firm that would allow me 

to pursue pro bono opportunities I’m passionate 

about like representing the Oregon Attorney 

General’s Sexual Assault Task Force in amicus 

briefing before the Oregon Supreme Court.” Kelsey 

found that fit with law firm Larkins Vacura Kayser, 

where her colleagues describe her as “a steadfast, 

compassionate advocate. She has significant 

courtroom experience for an up-and-coming attorney, 

including a federal jury trial in her first six months of 

practice.” 

The Prep grad’s work ethic has taught her an early 

lesson about work-life balance. “I have found that it 

is important to try to stick to a regular work routine 

so I don’t end up spending longer hours working. It’s 

important to recharge and have a life outside of work, 

even more so during a pandemic.” 

Kelsey’s path to practicing law was not a straight line. 

Kelsey’s love of world languages led her to major 

in Spanish and minor in Chemistry at the University 

of New Mexico. During college, Kelsey also learned 

Portuguese and received a Foreign Language and 

Area Studies Fellowship from the U.S. Department of 

Education to study Portuguese in Brazil for a summer. 

”My decision to study Portuguese at UNM stemmed 

from my love of Spanish, which I first learned at 

Sandia Prep. My amazing teachers at Prep are to 

thank for my love of the Spanish language. Ms. 

Otero, Mr. de León, and Ms. Galindo were such 

wonderful and enthusiastic teachers and taught so 

much more than the language. They incorporated 

incredible music, cinema, and authors into their 

lessons, as well as important history and culture.” 

Kelsey’s appreciation for Prep’s teachers extends to 

Mr. Suding, Ms. Walters, and Mr. Briley. “Mr. Suding 

was not only an incredible physics teacher - his 

classes were challenging and interesting, and he had 

the best labs - but he was also a fabulous mentor. 

When he learned that I had not yet made my college 

decision by the deadline, he went on a long walk 

around campus with a very frazzled Kelsey, who by 

the end of the walk had calmed down and decided 

on a college.” Kelsey was also grateful for two other 

teachers: Ms. Walters, Prep’s Certified Athletic 

Trainer, who was “someone I trusted to support me 

while also holding me accountable, and Mr. Briley, for 

constantly encouraging me to ‘get into a little bit of 

trouble’ during summer breaks.” 

Kelsey enjoys hiking and spending time with her dog 

Luna, and is engaged to be married in July 2022 to 

Andy Bayley, whom she met on her first day of law 

school. 

20

Kelsey and Andy at the 

Albuquerque International 

Balloon Fiesta 

“ 

Prep taught 

me to think 

critically. It 

also taught me 

research and 

writing skills 

that helped 

me excel in 

college and 

feel confident 

about pursuing 

a law degree. 

“

DR. AMBER L. HAYES 

Dr. Hayes and the importance of well-being 

In the summer of 2020, at the height of the 

pandemic, Dr. Amber L. Hayes joined Prep to 

address obvious concerns about the mental wellbeing 

of students and families. She serves as School 

Psychologist & Director of Wellness and is the only 

doctoral-level psychologist currently functioning 

in the New Mexico private school system. Part of 

Amber’s goal was (and is) to “systematically help 

kids gain the skills they need to weather crises.” 

She remarks that “one of the positive aspects of the 

experiences we’ve been through is that we’ve really 

highlighted how important mental health is for our 

society and for our children.” 

Amber was part of the University of New Mexico 

School of Medicine and Department of Pediatrics 

for ten years as a professor. She spent time in 

the Rio Rancho public school system as a school 

psychologist, and also ran her own private practice. 

Her emphasis at Prep has been identifying particular 

categories of responses students have as they try to 

cope with traumatic events. Amber has said that her 

work here has offered “a rare opportunity to join a 

group of people doing fantastic things aligning with 

my own values around approaches to education, and 

valuing the well-being of our students, above all.” 

22 

“ 

We did amazing things 

together that truly did 

buffer and protect so many 

of us, students, families, 

and teachers. 

“

NICK FREYGANG + JEAN ROSENTHAL 

A passion for accessible independent education inspires giving 

For Nick Freygang and Jean Rosenthal, their 

philanthropy is deeply rooted in a belief that 

education can transform the trajectory of students’ 

lives. Since 2008, the Washington, DC natives have 

maintained their presence as donors and volunteers, 

supporting various programs offered by Sandia Prep. 

And, when the world shut down due to COVID-19, 

Prep’s agility would not have been possible without 

the steadfast support of community members like 

Nick and Jean. 

“We were pleased with Marley’s independent school 

education and want to support scholarships so 

that Sandia Prep programs, such as theater, dance, 

and OLP, can be made more available to others in 

the Albuquerque community.” Nick and Jean have 

leveraged their annual support to secure funding 

from the Walter H. Freygang Foundation, which 

provides annual assistance to educational and 

healthcare institutions in communities where trustees 

reside. 

Nick Freygang and 

Jean Rosenthal 

The couple’s daughter, Marley ‘14, enrolled at 

Sandia Prep in sixth grade and so began the family’s 

involvement in outings with the Outdoor Leadership 

Program, box office sales, sewing costumes for 

theater productions, and support of the School’s 

financial aid program. 

Marley graduated cum laude from Loyola Marymount 

University in 2018 with a major in Dance and a minor 

in Theater. Nick and Jean believe that Sandia Prep 

“prepared her well for the rigors of LMU, where she 

was required to think and write critically in the School 

of Communications and Fine Arts.” 

Marley currently works as an actor and created the 

podcast, Confessions of A Wanna Be It Girl, which 

explores what it is like to work and live in Los Angeles 

in pursuit of different artistic careers. (The podcast is 

available on Amazon Audible, YouTube, and across all 

other podcast platforms.) 

In the spirit of scholarship and opportunity, Nick has 

launched a research effort on thermal energy and 

has built an Environmentally Responsive Test Room 

(ERTR) to evaluate materials and methods to optimize 

residential interior temperature control, especially for 

the unique climate of New Mexico. “I hope to use 

engineering student interns from Prep to assist in this 

effort.” 

The inspiration for the ERTR began 25 years ago 

when Nick moved to New Mexico from New York 

City. “When I moved to New Mexico, I built a house 

in Cedar Crest that had some passive solar rooms. I 

thought of a number of possible ways to improve the 

use and storage of this thermal energy. The ERTR is a 

way to implement and test these ideas. I plan to use 

these tested methods to build houses in Cedar Crest 

in the Tierra Vista Subdivision.” 

Nick and Jean’s daughter, 

Marley, graduated from 

Sandia Prep in 2014. 

23

Endowment 

Endowment often distinguishes 

the most successful schools 

As Sandia Prep’s endowment nears $10 million, we are 

grateful for our alumni, faculty, and families who have had 

the foresight to make a long-term investment in the mission 

of the School. 

With a greater endowment, Sandia Prep can support the 

programs and people that have made it a recognized school, 

while at the same time, allow us to remain innovative and 

agile as opportunities arise. 

Sandia Prep’s endowment provides for the long-term 

financial sustainability of the school. Gifts to the endowment 

are perpetual; the contributions received are invested 

with a portion of the growth and interest each year spent 

on the designated programs, such as faculty support and 

financial aid. A strong endowment provides opportunities for 

program enhancement and helps moderate tuition increases. 

The minimum gift to establish an endowed fund at Sandia 

Prep is $25,000. Contributions may also be given to an 

existing endowment. 

24

Clinton P. Anderson Endowment for Civic 

Involvement and Social Responsibility 

Earnings from the Fund may be used to fund the 

Sandia Prep Student Government Association, 

Speech and Debate, Model United Nations, Mock 

Trial, and activities, fees, and other costs associated 

with these programs. 

Arts Endowment Fund 

Established by Ray and Barbara 

Graham, earnings from the Arts 

Endowment Fund may be spent on 

materials and supplies for Prep’s art 

and photography programs. 

Aaron Kwak Memorial Award 

Established by the family of Aaron Kwak, a former 

student of Sandia Prep, a middle school student who 

shows courage and humor in his or her interpersonal 

relationships will be chosen for this award on an 

annual basis. 

Bridges Faculty Award 

Established by Doug and Helen Bridges, the 

Bridges Faculty Award is awarded annually to 

one outstanding faculty member to acknowledge 

his or her outstanding commitment, service, and 

achievement. 

Ron Briley Faculty Outreach Endowment 

Established by Sandia Prep alumni and alumni 

parents, earnings from the Fund are intended to 

provide professional development opportunities for 

Sandia Prep faculty whose academic interests require 

travel and fees for summer study, conferences, guest 

lectures, and special projects. 

Edward E. Ford Foundation Endowment Fund for 

Professional Development 

Established with an irrevocable gift from the Edward 

E. Ford Foundation, this fund is intended to provide 

for summer study programs and to increase the 

school’s year-round options for faculty courses. It 

is available to upper school teachers only. During 

the school year the funds may be used to cover the 

cost of substitute teachers and also for travel and 

registration expenses. The fund also may be used 

to allow Sandia Prep faculty to expand their current 

involvement in local training opportunities by setting 

up summer workshops at the school that would be 

open to Sandia Prep faculty and other teachers. 


Technology 

Established with an irrevocable gift from the 

Edward E. Ford Foundation, this fund is intended 

to advance technology in upper school classrooms, 

thus addressing faculty needs through infrastructure, 

software, hardware, training, video projection, and 

fiber optics. 


Upper School Scholarships 

Established with an irrevocable gift from the Edward 

E. Ford Foundation, this fund is intended to provide 

tuition assistance for Sandia Prep students in grades 

9-12. Earnings from the fund will be applied each 

year toward scholarships (financial aid) for students in 

grades 9-12. Such scholarships will be based on need 

rather than merit, and recipients will be chosen by the 

Financial Aid Committee of the school. 

Ernest Polansky Science 

Department Endowment 

Established by Sandia Prep parents 

and friends, earnings from this 

fund are intended to ensure quality 

faculty appointments in the Science 

Department, advancements in science 

curricula, and funding for classroom 

materials and lab equipment. 

Faculty Professional Development Fund 

Established by Ed and Dennie Paschich, earnings 

from the Faculty Professional Development Fund 

may be used for summer coursework, curriculum 

development, professional travel expenses, purchase 

of materials, or in any other way which will enrich the 

teacher’s interaction with students. 

Fondren Fund 

Established by the Fondren Foundation, this fund is 

intended to provide tuition assistance for Sandia Prep 

students. Earnings from the fund will be applied each 

year toward scholarships (financial aid), which will be 

based on need rather than merit, and recipients will 

be chosen by the Financial Aid Committee of the 

school. 

Frank Malley Endowment for Middle School 

Teachers 

Established with irrevocable gifts from donors wishing 

to honor former faculty member Frank Malley, the 

purpose of this fund is to provide professional 

development opportunities for selected teachers in 

25

the middle school. Funds may be used for summer 

coursework, curriculum development, professional 

travel expenses, purchase of materials, or in any other 

way which will enrich the middle school teacher’s 

interaction with students. 

The Grace Sinfield Scholarship Fund 

Established by community members close to the 

Sinfield family, earnings from the fund are awarded 

to students in grades 6-12 who demonstrate 

financial hardship and are unable to pay full tuition 

or meaningfully participate in the life of the School. 

Such awards will be awarded to students who are a 

tremendous asset to the Sandia Prep community. 

Jerald and Maxine Krohn Friedman Scholarship 

Fund 

Established by Jerald and Maxine Krohn Friedman, 

earnings from this endowment are applied toward a 

scholarship (financial aid) for a student entering the 

ninth grade and will be available to such student 

each succeeding year of enrollment at Sandia Prep 

by maintaining a high academic standing. Such 

scholarships will be based on need as well as merit, 

and recipients will be chosen by the Financial Aid 

Committee of the school. 

Peter and Alexandra Harrison Family Fund 

Established by Peter and Alexandra Harrison, 

earnings from the fund are intended to provide a 

fellowship to honor and motivate faculty members 

wishing to incorporate the arts into their curriculum 

as a means of making their classes more exciting. 

Winners are designated “Harrison Fellows.” 

Library Endowment 

Established by John and Mary Lee Sparks and the 

Lumpkin Foundation, earnings from the fund may be 

spent on materials, supplies, and program support 

for the library. 

Diana Marie Miller Scholarship Fund 

Established by Ina S. Miller and Anita 

Bine, earnings from the fund will be 

applied each year toward scholarships 

(financial aid) for students in grades 

9-12, with a preference for minority 

groups. Such scholarships will be 

based on need rather than merit, 

and recipients will be chosen by the 

financial aid committee of the school. 

Music Program Endowment Fund 

Established by Donald and Pamela Michaelis, 

the Music Program Endowment Fund provides 

enhancements to the music program such as 

purchase of instruments, financial assistance for 

music-related student travel, purchase of tickets for 

students to attend performances, bringing music 

specialists to campus, purchase of materials such as 

videos, software, scores, uniforms, or commissioning 

works for students to perform. 

Odyssey Scholars Program Endowment 

Established by Stuart and Jane Wilson, the purpose 

of the Odyssey Scholars Fund is to enable students 

to pursue a passion for a particular field or interest 

by connecting them to experts around the globe. 

Qualified students will be chosen by committee 

through an application process. Scholarships will be 

given to students who cannot fully afford to travel. 

Earnings from the Fund may be used to pay for 

travel expenses, program activities, and other fees 

associated with the student experience. 

Outdoor Leadership Program Endowment 

Established by Don and Mary Hurst, earnings from 

the Outdoor Leadership Program Endowment may 

be spent for equipment and operating expenses of 

the program, including student aid, at the discretion 

of the director(s) of the program in consultation 

with the Head of School. The Outdoor Leadership 

Program Endowment may be used for expenditures 

over and above those program expenses which are 

routinely included in the annual budget. 

Outdoor Leadership Program Yurt Endowment 

Established with a lead gift from Drs. Paul and 

Marilyn Duncan, and additional contributions from 

grateful alumni and parents, earnings from this fund 

may be used to pay for the rental of yurts for annual 

student yurt trips. 

Jim and Mary Peterson Fund 

Established by Jim and Mary Peterson, the purpose 

of this fund is to address learning differences. 

Earnings from the Jim and Mary Peterson Fund 

may be used to purchase teaching materials, to 

provide training opportunities for faculty, to engage 

specialists in learning differences or in any other way 

which will further the purpose for which the fund has 

been established. 

Tennis Endowment Fund 

Established by Bob and Mina Woltil, the purpose 

of this fund is for the earnings to help maintain the 

school’s tennis courts. 

26

Friends of Theater Endowment 

Established by gifts from Sandia Prep parents, the 

Theater Endowment may be used to purchase theater 

equipment or to pay for operating expenses of the 

program. The fund may be used for expenditures 

over and above those program expenses, which are 

routinely included in the annual budget. 

Tutoring Endowment 

Established by David and Rohini Arter, earnings from 

the Tutoring Endowment may be used for technology, 

textbooks, educational materials, tutor salaries, and 

professional development, or in any other way which 

will enrich the tutoring experience for the student. 

Saunders Family Financial Aid Fund 

Established by the Estate of Keith Saunders, earnings 

from the Fund provide tuition assistance for Sandia 

Prep students in grades 6-12. Such aid is based on 

need rather than merit, and recipients are chosen by 

the financial aid committee of the School. 

27

Odyssey Scholars 

Program 

Now in its fourth year, the Odyssey Scholars 

Program (OSP) challenges students to 

spend two years immersed in an area of 

study they’re passionate about, and it’s a 

Anastasia 

Carissa 

Elise 

challenging and rewarding run. 

In addition to becoming experts in their academic 

fields, Odyssey Scholars’ independent research naturally 

elevates all sorts of skills, including scholarly analysis, 

public speaking, and academic writing. Our young 

scholars become extraordinary learners. By the end 

of the program, they’re ready to step into college as 

strong critical thinkers with a deep understanding of their 

academic direction. 

Parker 

Zoe 

HiiLani 

Program Director Joan Goessl says the program has 

evolved to include topics that are sophisticated and 

thought-provoking. “It’s exciting to watch this year’s 

Odyssey Scholars tackle their myriad research topics. 

To name a few: film scoring; Black female artists; social 

media and body image; immigration and healthcare 

access; Black filmmaking; creating a business brand; and 

COVID-19’s impact on young people’s mental health.” 

We celebrate our current cohort of Odyssey Scholars, 

announced in 2020-2021, as well as our 2021 OSP 

graduates. 

Rowan Sofia Sydney 

28

Kylie 

Lumina 

Tatiana 

Lauren 

Mariam 

Odyssey Scholars Program Endowment 

This fund was established to provide financial 

assistance to Odyssey Scholars who cannot fully 

afford travel, materials, and other program fees for 

their research and Odyssey experience. 

Lily 

Mya 

Anastasia 

Healing Notes: A workshop using 

music therapy to alleviate anxiety 

and depression 

Carissa 

A Season Cut Short: Video 

recordings of student athletes’ 

experiences during the pandemic 

Elise 

Uncovering the Link: Research into 

sports-related injuries to ankles/ 

knees and changes to the brain 

Kylie 

The Ties that Bind: Research into the 

effect of infant-maternal 

bonding on child development 

Lauren 

Medical Explorations: Research into 

vision therapy and a guide for teens 

interested in the medical profession 

Lily 

The Music in Me: An album of 

original songs 

Parker 

Robots Rising: Building a disinfectant 

fogger robot to fight COVID-19 

Zoe 

A Filmmaker’s Journey: Writing and 

producing my own short films 

HiiLani 

The study of entrepreneurship and 

how to create a successful business 

Lumina 

A study of the Black community in 

film production 

Mariam 

An inquiry into how to improve 

healthcare access for undocumented 

immigrants 

Mya 

Storytelling through film about and 

for young people 

Rowan 

The impact of film scores and 

soundtracks in the movie industry 

Sofia 

Understanding social media’s 

influence on teenage girls with 

eating disorders 

Sydney 

The pandemic’s effect on young 

people’s mental health 

Tatiana 

Examining the term “resilience” as it 

relates to Black women 

29

SPOTLIGHT: GRADUATION ENDOWMENT 

30

“ 

Sandia Prep demanded of our son 

Matthew high standards and pushed him 

to be the best student and person that he 

could be, all while fostering relationships 

and friends that will last his lifetime. 

- Ken Leach and Hazel Tull-Leach 

“ 

Each year, families of Sandia Prep graduating 

seniors are invited to make a tax-deductible 

gift of $500 or more in their student’s name to 

Sandia Prep’s Graduation Endowment. 

Parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and 

friends can all come together to contribute 

$500 as a family, or individually, if desired. At 

the graduating class’s ten-year high school 

reunion, the honorees announce the total 

value of their class fund and vote to add their 

class gift to one of the Sandia Prep’s existing 

endowments. 

When families contribute to the Graduation 

Endowment, their gift is pooled with funds from 

other honored students. The income earned 

from the endowment supports programs that 

have added tremendous value to graduating 

seniors’ Sandia Prep experience, and over time, 

the cumulative gift from a class substantially 

benefits future generations of Sandia Prep 

students. 

Families who contribute the minimum gift to 

the Graduation Endowment receive a customdesigned 

tile that includes their student’s name 

and is permanently displayed on a beautiful 

mosaic wall in the Russell Student Center. 

31

Executive Committee 

Doug Clark, Chair, Jaynes Corporation 

Laura Calkins, Vice Chair, Presbyterian Healthcare Services 

Ed Street, Treasurer, REDW 

Patrick Westerfield, Secretary, Westerfield Law Offices Ltd. 

1 

2 

Members 

Faith Begay-Holtrop, RealTek 

David Chavez, Array Technologies 

Susan Przekurat Epstein ’91, New Mexico Tax Alliance 

Ali Hashemian ’01, Kinetic Financial 

Stan Hubbard, REELZ/Hubbard Broadcasting 

Kristofor Kite ’93, Scotts Miracle-Gro 

Ed Manzanares, University of New Mexico 

Dale Maxwell, Presbyterian Healthcare Services 

Lisa Mitchell, Cambro Construction 

Al Park ’88, Park & Associates 

Jenny Pitchford ’01, Alumni Association President 

Kelly Ross, Parents Association President 

Todd Sandoval ’91, Past Chair, Sandia Office Supply 

Brandon Saylor ’03, Base 5 Retail Partners 

Dominic Serna ’01, Keller Williams Realty 

Vahid Staples ’91, University of New Mexico 

Troy Weisler, New Mexico State Police 

3 4 

32 

Adjunct Members 

Board of Trustee Committees 

Daniel Busse 

Nicole Newkirk Custer ‘93 

John Feuerherd 

Jeff Kantor ‘97 

Rachael Miletkov 

Kim Motola 

Carolyn Ramos 

Nicole Strauser 

Ken Tekin ‘97 

Avery Volkman ‘97 

Honorary Trustees 

Drs. Paul and Marilyn Duncan 

Don and Mary Hurst 

Yvette Stout Lyle 

Ogden Reid 

Ellen Ann Lembke Ryan 

Robert M. St. John 

Leonard and Elizabeth Trainor 

Lorna Wiggins 

Ray Zimmer 

Board of Trustees 

Our 2020 - 2021 trustees at work 

1 

2 

3 

4 

Society1966 Chair Dominic Serna ’01 hosts a virtual Holiday Mixology event. 

Noche de Celebración Chair Faith Begay-Holtrop thanks all guests for attending the most 

successful gala in Prep’s history…and it was fully virtual! 

Ali Hashemian ’01 addresses the Classes of 2000 and 2001 at their combined reunion event 

on the Quad. Trustee Dominic Serna ’01 looks on and enjoys the energy of the crowd. 

Board Chair Doug Clark records a video message for members of Society1966.

Society1966 

Honoring philanthropy 

To honor past and current 

philanthropy, Sandia Prep has 

created Society1966 to permanently 

recognize donors for their 

cumulative giving of $25,000 

or more. Society1966 members 

are acknowledged on a series of 

customized plaques prominently 

displayed in the Anderman 

Concourse of the McCall Performing 

Arts Center. 

TRANSFORMATION 

Lifetime Giving: $1 million+ 

Anonymous 

D. & Kyla McCall 

Chuck & Lissa Russell 

Saunders Family - In honor of Rev. Paul Saunders, 

Headmaster 

PROSPERITY 

Lifetime Giving: $500,000 to $999,999 

Anonymous 

Bronson and Margaret Durán 

The Hubbard Family 

Jim and Mary Peterson 

John & Mary Lee Sparks 

Sandia Prep School Parents Association 

FLAGSHIP 


Anonymous 

George Taylor Anderman 

Robert & Elizabeth Aranda 

David & Rohini Arter 

Richard & Alice Bernal 

Jerry & Shirley Camilli 

Michael & Catherine Castro 

Matthew & Julia Coyte 

The Coach Jack Curran Scholarship Fund 

Paul & Marilyn Duncan 

Fondren Foundation 

The Edward E. Ford Foundation 

Nick Freygang & Jean Rosenthal 

Jerald & Maxine Krohn Friedman 

Goodrich Roofing 

Gorham Charitable Foundation 

Ray & Barbara Graham 

Peter & Alexandra Harrison 

Dick & Nancy Heath 

Frank & Dolores Hines Endowment Fund 

Carol Hinton 

Jim Hinton 

Stan & Jennifer Hubbard 

Infinite Gesture Foundation 

Intel Foundation & Volunteer Match Program 

Victor & Mary Jury 

Robert & Elisabeth Keen 

Geoffrey Kalmus 

Julia Kalmus 

Lumpkin Foundation 

Robin N. McCoy 

McCune Foundation 

Marshall L. & Perrine McCune Charitable Foundation 

Pamela & Don Michaelis 

Ina Miller - In memory of Diana Miller 

Howard & Judy Mock 

Ed & Dennie Lee Paschich 

Ogden & Roxana Reid 

Nancy Anderson Roberts 

Ellen Ann Lembke Ryan 

Nick Sanchez 

Scott & Joanne Schiabor 

Service Electric Co. 

The Slomo & Cindy Silvian Foundation 

Barbara Young Simms & Albert G. Simms II, MD 

The Trainor Family 

Betsy Blueher Truby ’73 

Philip White 

Bob and Mina Woltil 

INNOVATION 


Anonymous (3) 

An Anonymous Family - In honor of SPS Faculty 

during COVID-19 

William Anixter 

Paul & Mary Lee Anthony 

Bank of America 

The Benedict Foundation for Independent Schools 

Randy & Renee Black 

Brook & Debbie Boehmler 

Michael & Monica Bowlin 

John Brooks 

Suzette Brooks 

Mark & Judy Caruso 

John & Carol Cochran - In honor of Rachel Nicole 

Cochran ’16 

Philip & Krys Custer 

Cordova Construction & Development 

Michael Dexter 

Cathy Dexter 

Stephen & Jennifer Donaldson 

John & Sonja Donham 

Michael Elliston 

Frank & Ramsay Gorham 

David and Ginger Grosjean 

Jey Gunasegaram 

Ali Hashemian ’01 

Sheila Ryan Hunter ’78 - In honor of Madeline 

Hunter ’10 & Ryan Hunter ’15 

Don & Mary Hurst 

Jaynes Corporation 

Jerry & Geri Jones 

Suzanne Barker Kalangis 

David & Nancy Kenney 

Bart H. Kinney III 

Robert Lynn & Janet Braziel ’70 

Marc & Lynne Mauney 

Thomas & Caroline Meade 

Ricardo & Belinda Muñoz 

Thomas & Pamala Nunnally 

Amy McCoy Pettigrew ’79 

In honor of Christopher Riley ’08, Lauren Larson ’04 

& their parents Kristine Nybeck & Mark J. Riley 

Leigh P. Ryan ’71 

Dominic Serna ’01 & Georgia Manjoros Serna 

David & Marcy Stanasolovich 

Jim & Tooker Walton 

Susan Walton ’72 

Stuart & Jane Wilson 

CORNERSTONE 


Anonymous (2) 

Patrick & Kimberly Allen 

Alfred Baca & Margaret Cassidy-Baca 

Hugh & Margaret Bell 

Billy & Shawne Blackburn 

Bradbury Stamm Construction Inc. 

Jonathan Levi Browde ’90 

Roxanna & Ian Caird 

Kevin & Kelli Cooper 

Marjorie & George Custer 

William Degenhardt 

Hope Pearsall Durrie 

Stavros Eleftheriou 

Ethan Epstein ’91 & Susan Przekurat Epstein ’91 

Tom & Barbara Feller 

Frontier/Golden Pride 

Girard Foundation 

Scott & Kristen Hallenbeck 

Irwin & Debbie Harms 

Clark & Vickie Haskins 

Pete & Tracy Henderson 

Glenn & Sue Hughes 

Lawrence S. & Billie Ann Johnson Trust 

Phillip L. & Janelle M. Johnson 

Kerin Jones ’81 

Nick Kapnison 

Jim & Ellen King 

The Leslie Family 

Dale & Paige Maxwell 

Mountain States Insurance Group 

Gary Nelson & Gretchen Seelinger 

Osuna Nursery & Greenhouses 

James G. Oxnard 

PNM Resources Foundation 

David & Jill Patterson/Insight Lighting 

Jim and Jan Randall 

Todd Sandoval ’91 & Cristie Sappington ’90 Sandoval 

Kenneth & Anne Sapon 

Charles & Marcia Saunders 

Martha Schalk 

Steve & Dulcie Schalk 

Ron & Claudia Short 

William & Brenda Sinfield 

Southwest Capital Bank 

Stump Family 

Sundevil Athletics Organization 

US Bank 

United Stoneworks 

Alfred ’78 & Hilary Volden 

Walter Henry Freygang Foundation 

Charles & Donna Weaver 

Wells Fargo Bank 

Patrick & Sharon Westerfield 

Bruce & Lorna Wiggins 

Sarah & Chris Wilson 

Charles & Norma Young 

33

Alumni Legacy Fund 

The Alumni Legacy Fund was established to provide 

alumni legacy families with “bridge funds” to augment 

what Sandia Prep can provide through its financial aid 

endowment and operating budget. This year, our alumni 

continued to support the creation of the Sandia Prep Alumni 

Legacy Fund. We celebrate the 48 founding members and 

donors whose generosity is making the cost of a Sandia 

Prep education within reach for children of Sandia Prep 

alumni. 

Founding Members & Donors 

Anonymous 

Anonymous Alumnus - Class of 1992 

Charley Michelle (Lowe) Baruth ’97 

Amanda Beason ’03 

Michael Beinenson ’97 

Sarah Rosenberg Brown ’94 

Andrea Brue-Kendall ’98 

Arren Buck ’04 

James Caughren ’07 

Jamie (Lang) Cloyes ’03 

Jason Cloyes ’02 

Nicole Custer ’93 

Melissa Besante Dineen ’97 

Ethan Epstein ’91 

Susan (Przekurat) Epstein ’91 

Cai Ewing-Buck ’04 

Jakob Gale ’16 

Jillian Gonzales ’91 

Madeleine (Walton) Hamilton ’10 


Betsy Hume ’01 

Julie (Langheim) Jackson ’99 

Willie Kaplan ’99 

Sally (Heath) Kilbride ’94 


Roger Kite ’95 

Robert Langheim ’96 

Matt Loehman ’03 

William Loew ’95 

Rachel (Rae) Rosenberg Lyon ’96 

Seth Melgaard ’98 

Robert (Robby) Howard Mock ’89 

Jessica Korber Montoya ’88 

Amy (McCoy) Pettigrew ’79 

Jenny Pitchford ’01 

Lydia (Jones) Pizzonia ’99 

Leigh Ryan ’71 

Andrew Satter ’96 

Dominic Serna ’01 

Mary Simms ’73 

Amy (Otten) Staples ’91 

Vahid Staples ’91 

Kiersten (Whitesel) Stockham ’91 

Michael Stockham ’88 

Jake Tenorio ’10 

Avery Volkman ’96 

Sage Volkman ’99 


Make a Gift 

www.sandiaprep.org/alumnilegacyfund 

34

Class of 2021 

Alabama 

Auburn U 

Arizona 

Arizona State U 

Grand Canyon U 

Northern Arizona U (3) 

U of Arizona (3) 

Yavapai College 

California 

California State U - Monterey Bay 

Humboldt State U 

Loyola Marymount U 

Occidental College 

Pitzer College 

San Diego State U 

San Francisco State U 

San Jose State U 

Santa Clara U 

Sonoma State U 

U of California - Berkeley 

U of California - Davis 

U of California - Irvine 

U of California - Los Angeles (2) 

U of California - San Diego 

U of California - Santa Barbara 

U of California - Santa Cruz 

U of the Pacific 

Whittier College 

Colorado 

Colorado School of Mines 

Colorado State U 

Fort Lewis College 

Metropolitan State U of Denver 

Regis U 

U of Colorado - Colorado Springs (2) 

U of Colorado Boulder 

U of Colorado Denver 

U of Denver 

U of Northern Colorado 

District of Columbia 

American U 

Howard U 

Accepted & Enrolled 

Florida 

Eckerd College 

U of Central Florida 

U of Miami 

Georgia 

Georgia Institute of Technology 

Savannah College of Art and Design 

Hawaii 

U of Hawaii at Manoa 

Idaho 

Boise State U 

U of Idaho 

Illinois 

Columbia College - Chicago 

DePaul U 

Illinois Institute of Technology 

Knox College 

School of Art Institute of Chicago 

U of Illinois at Chicago 

Iowa 

Iowa State U 

Louisiana 

Centenary College of Louisiana 

Louisiana State U 

Maine 

U of Maine 

U of New England 

Maryland 

St. John’s College - Annapolis 

U of Maryland - College Park 

Massachusetts 

Brandeis U 

Clark U 

Emerson College 

Mount Holyoke College 

Northeastern University (2) 

Salem State U 

Smith College 

U of Massachusetts - Boston 

Michigan 

Eastern Michigan U 

Minnesota 

Macalester College 

St. Olaf College 

CA 

OR 

WA 

NV 

Missouri 

U of Missouri - Columbia 

U of Missouri - Kansas City 

Washington U in St. Louis (2) 

Montana 

Montana State U 

U of Montana 

ID 

AZ 

UT 

New Mexico 

Central New Mexico Community College 

Eastern New Mexico U 

New Mexico State U (2) 

NM Institute of Mining & Technology (4) 

U of New Mexico (15) 

Nevada 

U of Nevada - Las Vegas 

U of Nevada - Reno 

New York 

Ithaca College 

Long Island U - Post 

New York U 

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 

Sarah Lawrence College 

SUNY at Purchase College 

Syracuse U 

U of Rochester 

North Carolina 

Catawba College 

Queens U of Charlotte 

U of North Carolina School of Arts 

MT 

WY 

NM 

CO 

ND 

SD 

NE 

TX 

Ohio 

Baldwin Wallace U 

Otterbein U 

Oklahoma 

Oklahoma City U 

Oklahoma State U 

U of Tulsa 

KS 

OK 

MN 

IA 

Oregon 

Lewis & Clark College 

Oregon Institute of Technology 

Oregon State U (2) 

Portland State U 

Reed College 

U of Oregon 

U of Portland 

Willamette U 

Pennsylvania 

Carnegie Mellon U 

Drexel U 

Pennsylvania State U 

U of Pittsburgh 

Rhode Island 

Roger Williams U 

South Carolina 

Coastal Carolina U 

Coker U 

U of South Carolina 

Tennessee 

U of Memphis 

U of Tennessee - Knoxville 

MO 

AR 

LA 

WI 

IL 

MS 

IN 

TN 

AL 

MI 

KY 

OH 

GA 

WV 

ENG 

SC 

FL 

PA 

VA 

NC 

Texas 

Baylor U 

Dallas Baptist U 

Rice U 

Texas A&M U 

Texas Christian U 

Texas Tech U 

U of Houston 

U of Texas at Austin 

U of Texas at Dallas 

Utah 

U of Utah 

Utah State U 

Vermont 

U of Vermont 

MD 

NY 

NJ 

VT 

NH 

DE 

DC 

CT 

MA 

ME 

RI 

AK 

Virginia 

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State U 

Washington 

Gonzaga U 

U of Washington - Seattle 

Washington State U 

Western Washington U 

Whitman College 

West Virginia 

West Virginia U 

Wisconsin 

Lawrence U 

Marian U 

HI 

35

Our Volunteers 

Giving the gift of time and talent 

We are grateful for the 

tremendous amount 

of time Sandia Prep 

volunteers contribute to the 

School. Here we recognize 

those individuals who 

were an extension of our 

development and alumni 

efforts for 2020-2021. 

Development Committee 

Laura Calkins, Chair 

David Chavez 

Faith Begay-Holtrop 

Susan Prezkurat Epstein ‘91 

Kris Kite ‘93 


Lisa Mitchell 

Kelly Ross 

Nicole Strauser 

Ken Tekin ‘97 

Avery Volkman ‘96 

Major Gifts Committee 

Kris Kite ‘93, Chair 

Doug Clark 

Kim Motola 

Brandon Saylor 

Dominic Serna ‘01 

Patrick Westerfield 

Noche de Celebración Committee 

Faith Begay-Holtrop, Chair 

Jackie Apodaca 

Apryl Begay 

Kellie Brito 

Susan Przekurat Epstein ’91 

Lisa Garcia 

Tracy Henderson 

Jennifer Hubbard 


Kim Motola 

Kelly Ross 

Annie Tekin 

Anna Volkman 

Sandia Prep School Parents Association 

Kelly Ross, President 

Vacant, 1st VP/President-Elect 

Kirsten Bilan, 2nd VP/Membership & PR 

Faith Begay-Holtrop, 3rd VP/Supply Store 

Kristen Hallenbeck, Secretary 

Tamara Lucero, Treasurer 

Amy Thompson, Treasurer-Elect 

Head of School Bill Sinfield, Ex-Officio 

Consuelo Silva-Leifheit, Past SPSPA President 

Chad Cooper, SAO President 

Parents Association Committees 

Supply Store 

Faith Begay-Holtrop, Finances 

Laurie Baca, Volunteer Coordinator 

Brenda Sinfield, Inventory 

Fundraising 

Kristen Hallenbeck, School Photos 

Faculty/Staff Appreciation 

Cynthia Herhahn-Chair, Luncheons/Treats 

Kristen Hallenbeck, Snacks (ongoing) 

Admission Events 

Mita Saldana, Passport to Prep 

Ray & Corey Nelson, Testing Day Snacks 

Student Events 

Consuelo Silva-Leifheit & Kim Crismore, 

Fall/Winter Middle School Dances 

Kim Crismore, National Honor Society Reception 

Trish Bennett & Penny Dudley, Graduation 

Reception 

2000 + 2001 Alumni Class Reunion Liaisons 

Angela Turner Kubie ’00 

Dominic Serna ‘01 

Sundevil Athletics Organization 

Chad Cooper, President 

Trish Bennett, VP - Team Parents 

Scott Charles, Treasurer 

Kellie Brito, Secretary 

Grace Tackman, Past SAO President 

Kiyoko DuLac, Box Tops 

Lisa Garcia & Stacey Rouse, Apparel 

36

Beyond the Ballroom 

Virtual gala exceeds expectations 

Amid the cancellations and rescheduling of events during COVID-19, 

fundraising and volunteer teams were faced with the challenge of 

reimagining how to gather for a good cause during a global pandemic. 

Noche de Celebración was held virtually on Saturday, April 24, 2021. More 

than $200,000 was raised for the Sandia Prep Student Experience, eclipsing 

all previous gala totals, despite the challenges hosting a fully virtual event. 

It took a committed team of volunteers to engage our guests with a catered 

meal from Campo at Los Poblanos Historic Inn, a kids meal option, an array 

of bidding opportunities, and a lively auction presentation by a few faculty 

favorites. 

Co-Masters of Ceremonies, Bill Sinfield and Laura Fitzpatrick, carried the 

evening virtually just as dynamically as if they were in person, expressing 

gratitude to donors for their investment not only in Prep’s students but, by 

extension, the future of the world. 

We wish to thank our sponsors, auction donors, guests, volunteers, and 

especially our energetic faculty and student auctioneers who had the tall task 

of keeping everyone at home engaged in the evening’s program. 

Noche de Celebración 

Sponsors 

Presenting Sponsor 

Goodrich Roofing 

Silent Auction Sponsor 

POMS & Associates Insurance Brokers Inc. 

“Bidding for Dollars” Challenge Donors 

Tom and Barbara Feller 

The Motola Family 

Ogden and Roxana Reid 

Cynthia Schultz 

Live Auction Sponsor 

Outpost Ice Arenas/Stan and Jennifer Hubbard 

Five A’s Sponsor 

BBVA Compass (now PNC Bank) 

“Students In Action” Sponsors 

Grosjean Insurance Agency 

Scott and Kristen Hallenbeck 


Wine Sponsor 

Billy’s Long Bar 

Class Baskets Auction Sponsor 

Todd ‘91 and Cristie Sappington ‘90 Sandoval 

Noche Event Sponsor for Alumni 

Dominic Serna ’01 and Georgia Manjoros Serna 

Wine & Spirits Pull Sponsor 

Scott Harenberg and Jill Stone Harenberg 

Table Sponsors 

Jeff and Jackie Apodaca 

Kellie Brito 

Rita Chalamidas 

Stephen and Lisa Garcia 

Pete and Tracy Henderson 

Dean Holtrop and Faith Begay-Holtrop 

Insight Lighting/Geoff Patterson ‘97 and 

Jaxon Patterson ‘01 

Manzano Day School 

Dale and Paige Maxwell 

Frank and Lisa McCulloch 

New Mexico Gas Company 

James and Susan Rogers 

Ed and Jennifer Street 

Ken ’97 and Annie Tekin 

Gehron and Michelle Treme 

Al Park ‘88 and Jessica Perez/Vahid ’91 and 

Amy Otten ’91 Staples 

Faculty Table Sponsors 

Anonymous 

Dacia Card/Jeff and Vicki Gale 

David and Ginger Grosjean 

Kevin Leifheit and Consuelo Silva-Leifheit 

Avery ’96 and Anna Volkman 

Event Sponsor 

Kellie Brito 

Noche Planning Committee 

Faith Begay-Holtrop, Chair 

Jackie Apodaca 

Apryl Begay 

Kellie Brito 

Julie Cook 

Melissa Besante Dineen ‘97 

Susan Przekurat Epstein ‘91 

Lisa Garcia 

Tracy Henderson 

Jennifer Hubbard 

Sara Mannal 


Kim Motola 

Kelly Ross 

Annie Tekin 

Anna Volkman 

Special Thanks 

Ajmain Ashraf ‘21 

Audio Dimensions, Inc. 

Mia Chiavetta ‘22 

Laura Fitzpatrick 

Tom Gentry-Funk 

Louie Giannini 

Lucca and Hudson Giannini 

Susi Hochrein 

Lucy Kozikowski ‘91 

Alexis Magaña-Jaggli 

Dr. Cheryl McMillan 

Erin Moots 

Chef Jonathan Perno 

Bill Sinfield 

Waseem Touma 

SAVE THE DATE 

Please note that Noche de Celebración 2022 

will be held at Sandia Resort and Casino 

on Saturday, April 23. We will celebrate the 

leadership of Head of School Bill Sinfield as he 

prepares for his retirement. 

37

MARY TAYLOR HURST 

Mary Taylor Hurst’s legacy lives on through Prep 

Mary Hurst loved music, children, and live 

performances, so much so that when her sons Ian 

’99 and Zachary ’04 attended Sandia Prep, she 

poured her energy into the School’s performing arts 

programs. 

Years later, Mary and her husband Don established 

the Friends of Sandia Prep Theater Endowment. She 

led the letter writing campaign to raise money for 

this fund, which is now valued at nearly $50,000. The 

annual distributions from the endowment help pay for 

props, equipment, costumes, and just about anything 

else the theater department needs. Mary held such a 

great love for Sandia Prep that she named the School 

as a beneficiary of her life insurance policy, which was 

received earlier this year. 

“Mary and I believed that we could help Sandia Prep, 

and in doing so, encourage others to support the 

School in a similar manner,” says Don, a former chair 

of the Sandia Prep Board of Trustees. “Mary believed 

in the power of the performing arts, and her bequest 

is a wonderful expression of her appreciation.” 

Mary grew up in a small town in Wisconsin. She 

was valedictorian of her high school graduating 

class and earned her undergraduate degree from 

Northwestern University and an MBA in finance 

from the University of Wisconsin. Later in life, she 

returned to the University of New Mexico for an 

undergraduate degree in music. She was most proud 

of this accomplishment. 

Mary worked as an auditor and tax accountant most 

of her adult working life. Between employers, she 

spent 11 years working as the Assistant Director of 

the UNM Music Prep School. Working with children 

and music was one of her greatest joys. 

Mary is survived by her husband Don Hurst 

(a long-time member of the Board of Trustees), 

her son, Ian Taylor Hurst ’99 and spouse 

Stephanie Kelley Hurst, and her son Zachary 

David Hurst ‘04 and partner Adrianne 

Huxtable. Mary is also survived by 

two grandchildren. 

38 

2

The Simms Society 

The Simms Society is named for the school’s 

founder, Barbara Young Simms, and honors 

donors who have made planned gifts to the 

school. Whether it be a life insurance policy, 

bequest, permanent endowment, IRA, or 

charitable gift annuity, Simms Society members 

have created a legacy that will benefit students, 

teachers, and programs for generations. 

Bequest Language 

Wording for restricted or unrestricted gifts and bequests 

benefiting Sandia Preparatory School: 

“I give, devise and bequeath to Sandia Preparatory School, 

532 Osuna Road NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87113 

[the sum of $_____] or [_____ % of the rest, residue and 

remainder of my estate, both real and personal] for the 

charitable purposes of Sandia Preparatory School to benefit 

the ______________ [program] or [to use where the area of 

greatest need exists].” 

For more information on making a planned gift to Sandia 

Prep, please contact our Director of Development, 

Julie Cook, at 505.338.3022 or jwcook@sandiaprep.org. 

Simms Society Members 

• Charter Member Deceased 

Patrick & Kimberly Allen 

Roxanna Caird 

Elizabeth Ball Camden '78 • 

Marcus & Maria Cassimus • 

Ann Simms Clark • 

Jim Conway 

Paul Duncan • 

Hope Pearsall Durrie • 

Betty A. Hagaman & Ralph C. 

Friedenberg • 

Donald & Diane Goldfarb • 

Dr. Peter D. Harrison • 

Dick & Nancy Heath • 

Susan S. Horn • 

Sheila Ryan Hunter ’78 

Don and Mary Hurst • 

Suzanne Barker Kalangis • 

Geoffrey Kalmus • 

Julia Kalmus 

Sally Heath Kilbride '94 

Jim & Ellen King • 

Richard & Christine Loew • 

Yvette Stout Lyle • 

Pamela & Don Michaelis • 

Ina Miller • 

Howard & Judy Mock • 

Gary & Dibby Olson 

Jerry & Patty Ortiz 

Alfred A. Park '88 • 

Toby Pugh & Elizabeth Baker • 

Gil & Karen Raff 

Anne Reynolds '73 • 

Joseph & JackieRiggs • 

Nancy Anderson Roberts • 

Chuck & Lissa Russell • 

Mr. and Mrs. Charles C. Russell 

Ellen Ann Ryan • 

Leigh P. Ryan '71 

Randolph V. Seligman, MD • 

Rita G. Siegel • 

Albert G. & BarbaraSimms • 

Mary Field Simms '73 

John and Mary Lee Sparks • 

Howard Stump • 

Dan & Nancy Tandberg 

James K. Walton • 

Susan Walton '72 • 

Steve & Linda Wedeen • 

Eryn E. Weninger '98 • 

Janet Williams 

Bob & Mina Woltil 

Walter D. Wood • 

Chuck & Norma Young • 

Barbara & Ray Zimmer 

1 39

40

Sundevil Athletic Hall of Fame 

Sandia Prep’s Sundevil Athletic Hall of Fame was 

created to honor and pay tribute to our studentathletes. 

We congratulate this year’s recipients 

on their high school athletic accomplishments. 

2020 - 2021 Sundevil Hall of Fame Inductees 

Gretchen Heath ‘00 

Lucy Kozikowski ‘91 

Chad McCall ‘96 

Gabriel MacFarlane ‘01 

Molly MacFarlane ‘98 

Scotti Russell ‘02 

Matt VerEecke ‘01 

Classy Wagner ‘98 

Mia Whiting ‘01 

Pete MacFarlane, Sandia Prep’s Longest-Serving Athletic Director 

2001 State Champion Baseball Team: 

Andrew “Dewey” Bowman ‘05 

Bobby Harms ‘01 

Blake Houghton ‘02 

Chad Kennedy ‘01 

Alex Kwak ‘01 

Matt Loehman ‘03 

Gabriel MacFarlane ‘01 

David Mann 

Colin Scott ‘01 

Derek Serna-Gallegos ‘04 

Tim Sloan ‘05 

Justin Soden ‘03 

Conner Tryon ‘03 

Matt VerEecke ‘01 

John Wimer ‘03 

Joey Zobel ‘01 

Caitlyn Scott ‘02, Team Manager 

Coached by Paul Huitt and D. McCall 

41

Our Donors 

We sincerely appreciate our donors for their passion and 

commitment to helping Sandia Prep provide the very 

best independent education for our students. The lists 

herein recognize our donors for their gifts of cash, pledge 

payments, memorial and tribute gifts, and gifts of stock 

received between August 1, 2020 – July 31, 2021. 

Cornerstone • $25,000 and above 

Anonymous 

Dee Hines 

Stan and Jennifer Hubbard 

Howard and Judy Mock 

Nick Sanchez 

Dominic Serna ‘01 and Georgia Manjoros Serna 

The Slomo and Cindy Silvian Foundation, Inc. 

The Cabinet • $10,000 to $24,999 

American Endowment Foundation 

Anonymous 

Anonymous Family 

Martin and Shannon Biddle 

The Estate of Mary Hurst 

Nick Freygang and Jean Rosenthal 

Ali Hashemian ‘01 

Dick and Nancy Heath 

Sandia Prep Parents Association 

The Coach Jack Curran Scholarship Fund 

Leaders in Giving • $5,000 to $9,999 

Douglas and Michelle Clark 

Tom and Barbara Feller 

Andrew and Kate Fishman 

Stephen and Lisa Garcia 

Scott Harenberg and Jill Stone Harenberg 

Dean Holtrop and Faith Begay-Holtrop 

Dale and Paige Maxwell 

Don and Pamela Michaelis 

Cynthia Schultz 

Robin and Nicole Strauser 

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation 

The Estate of Walter Wood 

Len and Liz Trainor 

Walter Henry Freygang Foundation 

Stuart Wilson 

Founder’s Circle • $2,500 to $4,999 

Ryan and Laura Calkins 

William and Patricia Carpenter 

Grosjean Insurance Agency 

Scott and Kristen Hallenbeck 

Patrick ‘85 and Shannon Hurley 

Insight Lighting 


David and Jill Patterson 

Geoff ’97 and Kristine Patterson 

Todd Sandoval ‘91 and Cristie Sappington 

Sandoval ‘90 

Edward and Jennifer Street 

Ken ‘97 and Annie Tekin 

Gehron and Michelle Treme 

Lion & Unicorn Society • $1,000 to $2,499 

Abrazo Homes 

Jeff and Jackie Apodaca 

Allen Arsenault and Elizabeth Henderson 

Notah and Apryl Begay 

Michael ’97 and Natalia Beinenson 

Colby Blodget 

The Estate of Kristen Blodget ‘01 

Nancy Boye 

Arren Buck ‘04 and Cai Ewing ‘04 

Jake Buehler and Amber Hayes 

Toni Campbell 

Capital Group Charitable Giving 

Dacia Card 

Joseph Carpenter 

Carlos and Kristen Carpio 

Kevin and Kelli Cooper 

Kim Crismore & Tristyn Ladewig ‘25 

Wendy Crismore 

Philip and Krys Custer 

De Anna Dellabarca 

Peter and Kathi Dineen 

Sam and Sandra Donaldson 

David and Courtney Dornburg 

Ethan ’91 and Susan Przekurat ’91 Epstein 

Dow Hughes ’79 and Shannon Delap 

James Hughes and Cheryl Feller-Hughes 

Susan Indermuehle 

Neil and Julie Langheim ’99 Jackson 

Debby Jensen 

Kerin Jones ’81 

William Kaplan ’99 

Kristofor Kite ’93 and Karen Griego-Kite 

Ted Lambert and Cecelia Dardanes-Lambert 


Kenneth Leach and Hazel Tull-Leach 

Legacy Development & Management 

Stanley and Jeanne Lewis 

Jay and Janice Livingston 

Lisa and Frank McCulloch 

Mark Meiering 

Malcolm Montoya 

Ray and Corey Nelson 

Osuna Nursery and Greenhouses 

Jaxon Patterson ’01 

Ian Paul and Lara Patriquin 

Amy McCoy ’79 Pettigrew 


Winston and Linda Porter 

Carolyn Przekurat 

Ogden and Roxana Reid 

Aimee and Carey Richardson-Zadra 

Rio Grande Dermatology 

Todd Bruner and Linda Rios 

Jo Ann Romero 

Crystal Carrasco and Amy McQuitty 

Stuart and Mary Silloway 

William and Brenda Sinfield 

Brooke Stanford 

Stellar Senior Housing Experts 

StrategyWorks, Inc. 

April and Trent Taylor 

Casey and Francine Thompson 

Rob VanderMeer ’87 

Avery ’96 and Anna Volkman 



Patrick and Sharon Westerfield 

Erin Wideman 

Neal and Michelle Williams 

Benefactor • $500 to $999 

Irene Agostini 

Kimiko Akiya ’04 

Anonymous 

Laurie and Philip Baca 

Charley Lowe Baruth ’97 

Brian Butcher and Jillian Gonzales ’91 

Mary Byrn 

Rita Chalamidas 

Jeff Chiavetta and Melissa Rodgers-Chiavetta 

Comcast Corporation 

James and Julie Cook 

Mark and Shari Cordova 

Darren Crouch and Patricia Rivera-Crouch 

Jonathan and Joyce Custer 

Robert and Stephanie DelCampo 

Robert and Carol Diggelman 

Don and Penny Dudley 

Steven Evans and Julie Muche 

42

Dick and Susan Evans 

Alison Farrar 

John and Debbie Feuerherd 

Firestone Family Foundation, Inc. 

Tobias Fischer and Cynthia Herhahn 

Leonard and Deborah Garcia 

Betty Gendron 

Dennis and Geri ’74 Georg 

The Gilmore/Moriarta Family 

Lee and Rebekah Goldstein 

Chris and Dawn Gutierrez 

David and Lisa Helper 

Gary Hodges 

Dennis Holtrop 

Lawrence and Melissa Horan 

Scott and Lynn Jeffries 

Aleem Kassam ’93 

Faizel Kassam ’95 

Kirkland & Ellis LLP 


Robert & Mary Lantis 

Matthew Loehman ’03 

Rae Rosenberg Lyon ’96 

Julia Maccini ’02 

Ed Manzanares 

Andrew and Melissa Mason 

David McKinney 

Joseph and Margaret Michael 

Robert and Lisa Mitchell 

Willie and Debra Owens 

Al Park ’88 and Jessica Perez 

Alison Peterson 

Gundar and Myja Peterson 

Dustin and Lynsey Richter 

Annabel and Adam Roberts 

Perry and Donna Robertson 


Mike and Kelly Ross 


Tito and Debbie Salcido 

Kenneth and Anne Sapon 

Charles and Lisa Shoaff 

Kevin Leifheit and Consuelo Silva-Leifheit 


Vahid ’91 and Amy Otten ’91 Staples 

Timothy and Heather Summers 


Madeleine Walton-Hamilton ’10 

Troy and Martha Weisler 

Bruce and Lorna Wiggins 

Richard and Anna Wilkerson 

Sundevil Club • $100 to $499 

Charity Melgaard Aiken ’96 and Doug Aiken 

Morris Albert and Helen Haskell 

Nicholas Andrews and Addie Olsen-Andrews 

Loraine Andrews 

James and Jami Anzalone 

Clara Apodaca 

Peter and Pearl Archuleta 

Amrit Aristimuno ’00 

Ryan Assink ’89 

Daniel Miller and Amanda Jackson 

Zane and Wendy Barker 

Madeline Barker ’09 


Charles and Eurvenia Becknell 

Beth Begay 

Ray and Kate Bemish 

Krista Berger ’00 

Andrew and Sarah Black 

Michael Blea ’00 

Gregory and Katherine Bogart 

Cynthia Bonafair 

Kim Botvin 

Bryan Bowen ’90 

Terry Boyd 

Matthew and Rachel Brackbill 

Peter and Lois Brakenhoff 

Kellie Brito 

Tom ’95 and Jill Broderick 

Levi Browde ’90 

Leslie Bruce 

Buchanan/Beard Family 

Marcos and Tonna Burgos 

Dan and Melissa Busse 

John and Yvonne Butcher 

Joshua ’93 and Jenny Caldes 

Gina Campbell 

William Carter 

Enrique and Lindsey Cavazos 

Adam and Jennifer Cherry 

Jason Cloyes ’02 and Jamie Lang Cloyes ‘03 

Kathy Copeland 

Andrew Cordova ’11 

Pete and Morgan Word ’89 Costello 

Don Crismore 

Sasha Custer ’90 

Nancy and Bob Daily 

Nick Davis ’00 

Brian and Dayna Arkin ’00 Dennington 

Michael and Melissa Besante ’97 Dineen 

Stephen Dixon and Rebecca Vasilion 

Brian Donohoe ’00 

Michelle Draszkiewicz ’90 

Mufaro and Vicky Dube 

Farirai Dube 

Don DuLac 

Kiyoko DuLac 

Bronson Durán and Margaret Garcia de Durán 

Tatianna Durán ’07 

Greg and Robyn Elison 

Laura Christopher Erway ’96 and Jeffrey Erway 

Charles and Elizabeth Fleddermann 

Daniel Force and Noel Allen-Force 

Mark Friedman ’84 

Rodney and Ann Gabaldon 

Jeff and Vicki Gale 


Sendalio Garcia 

Greg and Julia Koenig ’90 Gilbert 

Mike Ginn and Shelbra Thorla-Ginn 

Joan Goessl 

Gabriel Gomez and Laurie Magee 

Ruth Ann Goradia 

Kevin and Peggy Graham 

Frederick Grambort and Cecily Yee 

Kim Griffith 

Ruben Guerra 

Danielle and Ron Gunderson 

Scott and Christine Hall 

Trevor and Natalie Hardcastle 

Wayne and Darlene Hardcastle 

Hank and Becky Harenberg 

Timothy Harmeson 

Tom Harmon 

Derek Haynie ’01 

Gretchen Heath Keller ’00 

Christine Helmick 

Jim and Karen Hepburn 

Edward Hepworth and Elizabeth Otten Hepworth ’89 

Jason Hinkes ’00 

Jerry and Marie Hochrein 

Greg and Nicolle Hoffman 

Will and Wesley Wenninger ’00 Hogsett 


Ian and Amy Hurley 

James and Sarah Huron 

Sherrin Jameson 

Phillip Johnson and Janelle Miller Johnson 

Ed and Nancy Keller 

Bruce Kelley 

Theresa Kelley 

Gurujot and Carrie Khalsa 

Christopher and Sally Heath ’94 Kilbride 

CJ ’11 and Kara Kinney 

Joel and Liz Kirschner 

Todd Kelgard and Michelle Kjeldgaard 

Samara Knight ’00 

Kirsten Knutson-Barlow ’81 

Sara Koplik 

Kroger, Inc. 

Jacob ’00 and Angela Turner ’00 Kubie 

Kathy and John Kwait 

Rajiv and Julie Baskin ’87 Kwatra 

W. Matthew Lammers ’89 and Selena Lammers 

Kerry Lavallee ’89 

John Ledwith 

Irene Lee 

Gwen Lewis 

Michael Lilly 

Cynthia Loehr 

Richard and Christine Loew 

Tami Miller Lott ’00 

Mary Ann Lucero 

Kristin Lynn ’13 

Richard and Karen Mannal 

Jon Marinaro and Liz Rosenbaum 

Jim Martinek 

David and Kim Martinez 

Lance and Katherine Simms ’01 Maurer 

Sean and Rachel ’89 Mayercek 

Marianna McJimsey 

Israel McMullin 

Katrijn Mesco Eaves ’01 

Microsoft Corporation 

Nikolay and Rachael Miletkov 

Carolyn Montoya 

Eric and Stacy Moses 

Tonya Munding-Dixon and Aaron Dixon 

Thanh Nguyen and Xuan Ngo 

Dina and Virgil Otero 

Robin Dozier Otten 

Nicky Ovitt 

Pavlos and Nicolette Panagopoulos 

Lynnette Park 

Michael and Nancy Parks 

Elizabeth and Andrew Paterson 

Peak Motion Physical Therapy 

K.W. Pearce ’90 and Cynthia Rickerman 

Jose and Jessica Perez 

Douglas and Alison Peterson 

Radu Presura and Ioana Paraschiv 

Trent and Elizabeth Proffitt 

Amberley Engroff Pyles 

Evelyn Quintana 

Sylvia Ramos 

Spencer Reid ’00 

Molly Rennie 

Carole and Henry Richardson 

Ron and Toni Richter 

Michael Riordan 

Tom and Melissa Roberts 

David Roman and Eva Eitzen 

Brooke Rosen 

Morgan Royce and Nicole Custer ’93 

James and Cecelia Ruelas 

Robert Salazar ’01 

Troy and Ann Samora 

Alexandra Sanchez-Riffe ’89 


Richard and Barbara Sauerman 

Charles Saunders ’88 and Kristin Kjeldgaard 

Brandon ’03 and Nicosha Saylor 

43

Kami Schwing 

Audra McCammon Sedillo ’90 and Francisco Sedillo 

Rachel Cobb Shadoff ’00 

Heather Shanahan Sharif ’01 

Rahul Sharma and Laura Fitzpatrick 

Katherine Sharp ’03 and Anthony Teel 

Stuart Silloway 

Ben Silva and Cindy Chall-Silva 

Robert Sid Simmons 

Dennis and Graziella Singleton 

Charlotte Wall Smith ’90 and Doug Smith 

Steve Smith ’95 

Erwin Melis and Hydie Sobel 

Rosanna Soloperto 

Darko and Maya Stefanovic 

Michael ’88 and Kiersten Whitesel ’91 Stockham 

Taylor Strauser ’20 

William Sype 

Leah Taschek ’00 

Don Tennent and Nancy Kirkwood 

Amy and William Thompson 

Patricia Thompson 

Patrick Toohey ’01 

Waseem Touma and Sarah Hamilton 

Tara Trafton ’01 

Jim and Sharon Tregembo 

Carol Trujillo ’89 

Angelo and Barb Turiciano 

Becca Turiciano ’05 

Ben and Cheryl Valdez 

Ross and Tina Volzer 

Joshua and Rebecca Weldon 

Kathryn Werkema ’89 

Mary Westerlund 

Elsie Westman 

Rick Wettin 

William and Kirsten White 

Brooke Wiggins ’15 

R.Lynn and Bonnie Wilson 

Al and Vicky Zaleski 

Friend • Up to $99 

Robert and Gabriella Anderson 

Brad and Lora Allpass 

Lauren Amagai ’08 

Bryn and Jennifer Andreas 

David Andrick and Claudia Alfaro-Andrick 

Kelly Aragon 

Melvin and Leslie Archibald 

Daniel Archuleta 

Liam Arsenault ’14 

Aneta Ashraf 

Ahmad and Sana Assed 

Gilbert and Danielle Baca 

Dariimaa Tovuu 

Alan Beach ’13 

Steve and Shannon Bell 

Perry and Louise Benallie 

Gary ’81 and Trish Bennett 

George Bennett and Mita Saldana 

Peter ’88 and Kirsten Bilan 

Leonard and Maureen Bird 

Shastyn Blomquist 

Marika Borgeson ’01 

Susan Boye-Lynn 

Box Tops For Education 


James and Crystal Buckner 

James Cameron 

Scott Cameron 

Sean Cardinalli 

Joseph Casados 

Jay Caughren ’07 

Ashley Chancellor 

Timothy and Tina Chavez 

Enrique Chavez and Ashley Dzogola 

Hope Chavez 

Alice Chavez 

Mimi Chen and Jan Gevaert 

Dennis and Cecilia Clark 

Bill Slakey and Heather Clark 

John and Danielle Clemens 

Bernard and Rosella Clifford 

Coca-Cola Bottling 

Jeremiah Collatz ’00 

Jackie Combs and Stephanie Moore-Combs 

Stephen Cook and Janet Quintana-Cook 

Linda and Brett Cooper 

Chad Cooper and Melita White 

Adrian Cordero 

Priscilla Cordova and Joey Chavez 

Scott Creange 

Anna and Aaron Cress 

Scott and Jennifer Davidson 

Daniel Dinning 

Josh Dixon and Robynn Sena Dixon 

Zachary Lively and Camilla Dominguez 

Elizabeth Dreskin 

Nicolas and Debra Droux 

Carol Dudley 

Juan Duran and April Saavedra-Duran 

Joy Eaton 

Philip and Jennifer Eckenroth 

Shannon and Ryan Elliott 

Anthony Esposito 

Matthew Ezzard ’05 

Dean and Jennifer Fellabaum 

Nathan and Fran Fernandez 

James and Jennifer Flowers 

Dain Forsythe and Elizabeth Freyman 

Andy and Kristen Freeman 

Christoper Freiwald 

Daniel and Garianne Fuentes 

Thomas and Maria Gabbett 

Timothy and Heather Gallegos 

Didi Garcia 

Rick Garcia 

Kenric Garcia 

Thomas and Sara Gardiner 

Thomas and Katie Gentry-Funk 

Christopher and Nechelle Gist 

Paul and Ann Dee Gonzales 

Javier Gonzales 

Matthew Bazan and Francis Gonzales 

Chuck Buxbaum and Becky Gordon 

Peggy Graham 

Ralph Groves and Cheryl Mason 

Dana Gutierrez 

Lance and Sarah Hadfield 

Jeremy and Faith Hanlon 

Christopher and DeAnna Hanosh 

Dave Hanson and Jennifer Kavka 

Catherine Harrington 

Jodi Harrington 

Ruth Healy ’00 

Timothy Hebenstreit ’09 

Christian and Karen Helmka 

Wahid and Gemma Hermina 

Peter and Huan Hill 

Charles and Anissa Hogeland 

Cathy Hubbard 

Rosalind Hutchinson 

Mike and Jennifer Ickes 

John and Stacey Imhoff 

Joseph and London Ingoglia 

Nima Jamshidi ’00 

Catherine Green ’97 and Scott Ashbaugh 

Leila Johnson 

Avery Kalapa 

Kristina and Josh Keenan 

Murray and Pamela Kelley 

Andrea Kennedy- Montanez ’02 and Luis Montanez 

Gerard and Julie Kerbleski 

Tony Kill 

Thomas and Joy Kim 

Joseph Kinney ’06 

Kevin and Kimberly Kopacz 

Stevie Kuenzler and Amy Butel 

Dustyn Ladewig 

Lisa Laing Chavez 

Tim and Beth Landon 

Marcus Lathon 

Adrien Lawyer and Shari Weinstein 

Jason and Candice Lemons 

Josh and Jessica Lieb 

Paul Lium and Denise Ready 

Marinell Locson 


Vicki Lords 

Matt and Holly Lovato 

Tony and Tamara Lucero 

Brennan and Kathleen Lucero 

Roberta Lujan 

Jesse and Sarah Lynch 

Claudia Lyon 

Peter and Donna MacFarlane 

Jamil Mahboub 

Kevin and Jaime Mancini 

Brian ’94 and Sara Mannal 

Robert and Tiffani Martinez 

Melissa Martinez 

Alan and Debbie Mask 

Katherine McKinney 

Aubrey and Trisha McWilliams 

Juan Medina 

Jared Meyer ’07 

Susan R. Pecastaing Miller 

Patrick and Michelle Monaghan 

Christopher and Franziska Moore 

Melissa Morse 

Luis Viveros and Davina Motlow 

Mary Nakigan 

Jim Nawarskas 

Andrew O’Cleireachain ’98 

Steve and Christina Ortega 

Elisa Padilla 

Amanda Parker 

Rick and Hema Patel 

Ginger Penrose 

Jessica Perez 

John and Pam Pitchford 

Justin and Lydia Jones ’99 Pizzonia 

Andrew and Laura Poe 

Daniel Powell and Cheta Balizer 

Ty Provoost 

Mark Puckett and Sarah Whitlock 

Amberly Pyles 

Amy Quinn 

Rajeev Rao ’01 

Christian and Monica Reedy 

Patrick and Tamara Rendon 

Justin and Tamara Rodriguez 

Andrew and Elisha Romero 

Elizabeth Romero 

Robert Rougemont and Pamela Overman 

Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group 

Elisa and Eric Saavedra 

Dr. and Mrs. Rawls Saecker 

Annette Saiz 

Martha Saldana 

James ’96 and MJ Besante ’98 Sams 

David Sanchez 

Andrea Sanchez and John Duran 

Clarice Sanchez 

44

Sharon Sanchez 

David Sanchez and Diana Gabaldon 

Michael Satterwhite and Carla Weiner ’86 

Mark Sauerman and Maria Tapia-Sauerman 

Kelvin Schenk and Cay Garcia 

Eric Schultz 

Amber and Shane Schumann 

Shannon Morgan Consulting, Inc. 

Beth Sherwood 

Michael and Shari Siegal 

Tom and Marion Slakey 

Nicoleta Spilca 

John and Melissa Stroud 

Regan and John Stuecker 

Kevin and Heather Succi 

Aria Sutton 

Alexander Sutulov and Marta Marín 

Jennifer Swanson ’08 

Melanie Templet 

Jeffrey Thompson and Leslie Montano Thompson 

Jon and Stephany Toman 

Hien Ton-That and Bao-Quynh Nguyen 

Camelio Torres 

Curtis and Christina Trafton 

Michael Holley and Alea Trafton 

Sharon Trauth 

Brian and Venessa Tregembo 

Elyce Tryon Sheehan ’01 

David Tyroler 

Loren and Samantha Updegraff 

Dan Schatzman and Vivian Urdaneta 

Claudia Valles 

Rick and Christina Vigil 

Liz Perlino 

Aaron and Marla Walker 

Cathy Walters 

Perla Webb 

John and Leslie Wegrzynek 

Tyler Wesley 

Anna Wessely ’95 

Pam Western 

Shanna Wix 

Shuguang Leng and Yangyang Yu 

Ben Youngdahl ’00 

Tim Zannes and Lucy Kozikowski ’91 

Shawn and Liz Zinter 

Elsa Zollars 

Jean Anne Zollars 

Gifts In Memory and In Honor Of 

Meaghan Carpenter 

Shannon Morgan Consulting, Inc. 

David Palmer 

Jeff and Vicki Gale 

Marshall Lammers 

W. Matthew and Selena Lammers 

Aaron Kwak 

Andrew Satter ‘96 

Barbara Young Simms 

Mary Simms ‘73 

Frank Malley 



Alice Perry 



Robert Howard Mock ‘89 

Dr. and Mrs Rawls Saecker 

Michael ‘88 and Kiersten Whitesel ‘91 Stockham 

Jeff Campbell 

Toni Campbell 

Tom, Jack, Helen and Gerard Curran 

Robert and Mary Joyce Simmons 

Gifts In-Kind 

Academy Parkway LLC 

Albuquerque Fire Department 

Notah & Apryl Begay 

Gary and Trish Bennett 

Colby Blodget 

Joseph Carpenter 

William Carpenter 

Jeff and Laura Christopher ‘96 Erway/ 

La Cumbre Brewing Co. 

Gary Hodges 

Stan and Jennifer Hubbard 

Susan Indermuehle 

Phillip Johnson and Janelle Miller Johnson 

Brennan and Kathleen Lucero 

Brooke Stanford 

Stellar Senior Housing Experts 

Wiggins, Williams & Wiggins, PC 

Alumni Legacy Fund 

Founding Members & Donors 

Anonymous 

Anonymous Alumnus - Class of 1992 

Charley Michelle (Lowe) Baruth ’97 


Michael Beinenson ’97 



Arren Buck ’04 

James Caughren ’07 

Jamie (Lang) Cloyes ’03 

Jason Cloyes ’02 

Nicole Custer ’93 

Melissa Besante Dineen ’97 

Ethan Epstein ’91 

Susan (Przekurat) Epstein ’91 

Cai Ewing-Buck ’04 


Jillian Gonzales ’91 

Madeleine (Walton) Hamilton ’10 



Julie (Langheim) Jackson ’99 

Willie Kaplan ’99 

Sally (Heath) Kilbride ’94 




Matt Loehman ’03 


Rachel (Rae) Rosenberg Lyon ’96 

Seth Melgaard ’98 

Robert (Robby) Howard Mock ’89 

Jessica Korber Montoya ’88 

Amy (McCoy) Pettigrew ’79 


Lydia (Jones) Pizzonia ’99 



Dominic Serna ’01 


Amy (Otten) Staples ’91 

Vahid Staples ’91 

Kiersten (Whitesel) Stockham ’91 

Michael Stockham ’88 


Avery Volkman ’96 



While we make every effort to 

be complete and accurate, 

occasionally a name may be 

misspelled or omitted. 

Please contact the 

Development Office at 

505.338.3058. We sincerely 

regret any errors. 

45

Support and Revenue 

Tuition & Fees ........................................................................ 11,110,113 

SummerPrep ................................................................................ 465,382 

Unrestricted Contributions .......................................................... 247,855 

By the Numbers 

2020 - 2021 Financial Summary 

Restricted Contributions .............................................................. 562,558 

Endowment Contributions ................................................................ 759 

Investment Income .................................................................. 1,960,742* 

Cafeteria Revenue ......................................................................... 61,998 

Student Activities .......................................................................... 18,192 

Other Income ........................................................................... 1,650,688** 

Gain on interest rate swap ........................................................ (300,136) 

Total Income .................................................................. $16,378,423 

Expenses 

Salaries & Benefits ................................................................... 6,955,570 

Financial Aid ............................................................................ 2,615,388 

Instructional Expenses ................................................................. 384,087 

Student Activities ........................................................................ 186,622 

SummerPrep ............................................................................... 308,884 

General & Administrative ............................................................ 452,854 

Technology .................................................................................. 156,027 

Campus Operations & Maintenance ........................................... 667,296 

Interest Expense .......................................................................... 274,589 

Cafeteria ...................................................................................... 197,513 

Depreciation & Amortization Expense ..................................... 1,071,293 

Total Expenses ............................................................... $13,270,123 

* Endowment investment income gains 

** Includes Payroll Protection Program revenue 

46

Students 

703 63% 

Donors Parent participation 

+ Staff 

$787,131 

Total fundraising 

$5 - $75,000 

Gift range 

$713 

Endowment distribution 

per student 

Giving 

10% 

Alumni participation 

100% 

Trustee participation 

40% 

Students receiving 

financial aid 

514 

Student enrollment 

18 

Average middle school class size 

13 

Average upper school class size 

46% 

Students self-identify as BIPOC 

44 

2nd + 3rd 

generation Sundevils 

Community 

34 5 

Current parents who are 

Prep alumni 

Current grandparents 

who are Prep alumni 

75 

2021 graduates 

61% 

Faculty with advanced degrees 

47

On September 15, the Sandia Prep Board of Trustees announced 

Heather Bushnell Mock as Sandia Prep’s next Head of School. 

SPOTLIGHT: MEET HEATHER MOCK 

Heather will step into her new role 

in July 2022. Trustee and alumnus 

Dominic Serna ’01 sat down with 

Heather for a brief conversation 

during a recent campus visit. 

Sandia Prep is not new to you. What is your 

history at the school and your desire to move 

back to New Mexico? 

When I finished graduate school, my husband was 

in law school at UNM, so I moved from New York 

to Albuquerque for my first teaching job. I had 

You’ve had different roles in education throughout 

the years since you’ve been at Prep. Describe the 

school that you currently lead. 

I had the opportunity to build a school from the 

ground up in Aurora, Colorado, so that meant 

doing all of the hiring, developing the curriculum, 

putting together a board of trustees, and developing 

admissions practices. It was really exciting, just being 

there from the beginning and growing this school. 

It’s a workplace-based school located on a medical 

campus in the Denver area, so all of our families are 

people who work on the campus. But really, the main 

goal is to really develop an education for the whole 

child, something that I know Prep is very fond of, as 

sense of community and developing relationships. I 

also got a lot of questions about whether I was a Lion 

or a Unicorn! (Heather is a Unicorn.) 

Can you share your vision for Prep to keep 

moving forward and where you see our school 

headed in the next five to ten years? 

I view myself as a servant leader, so I am here to be 

at the service of the School and its constituents. I will 

lead by listening and really get to know everyone, get 

to know the community, learn everything there is to 

know about the School. My role is to lead the School 

into the next phase of its development, to work with 

the Board, work with the faculty and administration to 

no experience at the time aside from my student 

well. 

continue to develop this strong community. 

teaching. I came to Prep, and the school really took 

a chance on me, giving me a part-time job as an 

What did you learn about Sandia Prep during 

What do you think the greatest challenge in 

on-call substitute. I ended up coaching volleyball and 

the hiring process, not necessarily just about the 

education facing students is today? 

heading some outdoor trips and that really just sort of 

school, but about the students, the parents, the 

cemented the beginning of my teaching career here 

alumni and the Board of Trustees? 

I think that we are in what some people term the 

in Albuquerque. I didn’t really realize it until I came 

fourth Industrial Revolution, which is really this idea 

back, but so much of who I became as an educator 

The thing that really stood out for me both when 

of humans and machines working together, so a lot of 

came from what I learned in those first couple of 

I was a teacher here and when I came back is the 

jobs that we used to have are becoming replaceable. 

years as a teacher here at Prep. 

incredibly strong sense of community. The questions 

So, we are preparing our kids for jobs that we don’t 

that people asked all had to do with continuing this 

even necessarily know exist yet. I think that’s a big 

48

challenge. It really means that we, as educators, have 

to focus on these larger skills. How do we make sure 

our kids know how to collaborate? How do we make 

sure that they can think creatively and critically rather 

than just learn by rote memorization? 

We understand you are an avid cyclist. Tell us 

about your hobbies and a little about your family, 

as well. 

I used to be a big runner, but I tore my ACL in a 

skiing injury a few years ago, so I started cycling. 

My husband Jim also really likes to cycle so we do 

a lot of long distance cycling together. My husband 

and I actually met when he was living in Taos many, 

many years ago, and I was living in New York at the 

time. I drove across the country to live with him for 

the summer in a trailer in a field on a ranch in Lama, 

just north of Taos. That’s when my love of the state 

of New Mexico began, and Jim and I now have two 

wonderful kids. Our son Oliver is a sophomore in 

college, and our daughter Lily is a senior in high 

school. 

We wish to thank the Head of School Search 

Committee (HOSSC) for their tireless work in 

choosing Sandia Prep’s next Head of School. 

Todd Sandoval ‘91, BOT, HOSSC Chair 

Lorna Wiggins, Board of Trustees, HOSSC Vice Chair 

Doug Clark, Board of Trustees Chair 

Laura Calkins, Board of Trustees Vice Chair 

Stan Hubbard, Board of Trustees 

Vahid Staples ‘91, Board of Trustees 

Brian Tregembo, Faculty 

49


Gratitude 2020 - 2021

Sandia Prep Book of Gratitude - 2020 - 2021

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