Strength | Community in Action | Spring/Summer 2026

The Magazine of Annie Wright Schools | Spring / Summer 2026

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOLS

Dear AWS Community,

Annie Wright’s relationship with Tacoma began with the schools’ founding in 1884. For 142 years, our students have learned from and alongside this city, and as our Board worked to articulate why that relationship matters today, they arrived at a simple truth: community engagement is not a program Annie Wright runs. It is something Annie Wright is

Over the past several years, under the vision and dedication of Alicia Grover Pugh, our Director of Community Engagement, AWS has launched several opportunities in which our students, families, and community can engage with Tacoma.

Launching in the summer of 2023, Realize Tacoma is a program where students from AWS, Chief Leschi, and Tacoma Public Schools engage directly with the city’s civic, nonprofit and business leaders, spending time with residents to understand challenges like housing, mental health, addiction, education, and food access.

The success of this program raised a natural question: how might we extend this kind of learning to more of our students? The answer was Engage Tacoma, an academic elective course for students in Grades 9 and 10, taught by Alicia.

Then, every January, there is Community Day, a school-wide day of service alongside partner organizations supported through collection drives. It has become a meaningful tradition, embraced warmly across our community. The feedback we heard most often was a desire for more frequency. Families, especially those with younger children, told us how hard it can be to find consistent, accessible ways to engage meaningfully, and they wondered whether AWS might help build that framework. That feedback became the seed of our newest initiative: Community Teams

We are excited to announce that beginning this fall, every AWS family across every division, from our youngest preschoolers on up, will be invited to join a Community Team: a commitment to monthly volunteer opportunities with one of several Tacomaarea partner organizations throughout the year. Our hope is that any AWS family can step into the new school year with a full year of community engagement already on the calendar.

It is among the genuine privileges of this work to lead a school where commitment to Tacoma runs this deep–from the Board members who articulate the vision, to Alicia and the students who build the partnerships, to the families who show up, year after year, ready to engage the Tacoma community alongside us. That spirit of engagement is reflected throughout this issue of Strength.

We hope you’ll see how community engagement is more than a series of initiatives— it is a way of being at AWS. In these pages, you’ll meet alumni who are making a difference in their communities, learn how faculty cultivate connection and collaboration on campus, and celebrate the many ways our community continues to grow stronger together. Here in Tacoma and wherever our graduates go, that commitment to community continues to shape who we are and who we aspire to be.

Sincerely,

Jake Guadnola Head of Schools

Editor’s Note: You’re probably wondering why we included this throwback photo of Mr. Guadanola and his family. Consider it a sneak peek of what’s to come in our “Communities That Grow” spread! We took a trip down memory lane to create a special then and now feature celebrating how our Gator community has grown over the years. Turn to Page 16 to see more!

NEXT STOP: UNIVERSITY!

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

With this issue centered on the theme of community, we wanted to spotlight two alumni who have found meaningful careers in different fields while sharing a common purpose: strengthening communities and making a positive impact on the world.

ALEXANDRA BESSLER ’20:

NURTURING COMMUNITY THROUGH PUBLIC HEALTH

*This article discusses sensitive mental health topics like addiction, overdose, and suicide.

This past May, Alexandra Bessler ’20 graduated from Johns Hopkins University with her Master’s in Public Health and Health Policy Management after earning her Bachelor of Arts in Neuroscience from Colby College in Waterville, Maine. Through years of research, coursework, and volunteer work focused on mental health, suicide prevention, and addiction, Alexandra found herself increasingly drawn to behavioral health and community-centered care.

“I’ve always been interested in people, in their stories, and also in science. I also have personal experiences through loved ones, friends, and family related to suicide and mental health.

It’s unfortunate to say, but it’s not an abnormal experience,” said Alexandra.

“There’s a study that says one suicide affects more than 150 people. It really highlights that almost everyone has some connection to this work.”

While at Colby, Alexandra began developing a strong interest in behavioral health, a passion she continued to pursue and deepen during her graduate studies at Johns Hopkins.

“I was super interested in health policy and have really enjoyed my master’s, but it’s been really reinforcing that the work I really like to do is related to behavioral health.”

At Johns Hopkins, Alexandra further focused that interest through research centered on overdose and suicide prevention.

“On the suicide prevention side, I work with the School of Medicine at Hopkins on something called psychological autopsies.”

“When there’s a death in Maryland that the coroner’s department deems a suicide, and the next of kin consents, they go through something called a

psychological autopsy. It’s an attempt to figure out what precipitated the event— learning more about the person’s social circumstances, mental health history, diagnoses, and really compiling everything about the person. It’s essentially an autopsy of their life.”

Alexandra works directly with families to gather information about the deceased’s circumstances. “You do that by talking to family members, friends, school districts, teachers—people connected to them.”

Alexandra is also part of a long-term study examining suicide clusters among adolescents and the factors that can help prevent future tragedies.

“We’re partnering with the Department of Education and the Maryland coroner’s department to look at these suicides and ask: What prevents the next suicide within that cluster? Is it behavioral support programs, after-school support, funding for sports teams?”

She continued, “We’re analyzing both the protective and risk factors for suicide. It’s a huge longitudinal study that’s been going on for about 20 years. We have all the data now, so we’re piecing it together and trying to tell these stories in a way that can hopefully push legislation forward and show how important behavioral health programs are for communities and kids under 18.”

While Alexandra’s research addresses difficult topics, she says some of her most meaningful work happens through volunteering with NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, where she leads support groups for family members caring for loved ones with mental illness.

“I lead one of the biggest groups in Maryland, and people just keep coming back, which is awesome and rewarding. People share their [testimony], find comfort in shared experiences, and connect with resources. The healthcare system isn’t always clear or easy to navigate as a caregiver.”

“A lot of my work overall is centered around vulnerable and disadvantaged populations—people at risk for suicide, people at risk for overdose—and it’s all really connected. Most people with opioid use disorder also have comorbid mental health issues. That’s why I always say I’m interested in behavioral health, because it’s all related.”

On top of all of her research and volunteering, Alexandra recently completed a paper on mobile methadone units with collaborators from Brown, Harvard, and NYU, exploring how access to addiction treatment differs across New York State communities.

“New York is such a diverse state. You have New York City with a huge, dense population, and then you have very rural upstate New York with completely different needs. The challenge is figuring out how to distribute resources equitably. For people with opioid use disorder to receive medications like methadone or buprenorphine, they have to go through an opioid treatment provider.”

Access to those clinics is really difficult, especially in rural areas.

“There are people who have to travel two hours just to get their medication. New York State decided to try mobile methadone vans, but there’s only so much funding and only so many vans, so people still have to travel to reach them. They tried to create a solution, but it also created new problems.”

Alexandra hopes the research will help improve access to care and elevate the voices of those directly impacted.

“It’s been difficult because we need approval from New York State Addiction Services, and they don’t love the paper, but it’s people’s testimony,” said Alexandra. “That’s public health, though. You try to create solutions.”

For Alexandra, public health is ultimately about the people she serves.

“All of my projects are pretty heavy, whether it’s overdose or suicide research. But in my mind, I know how prevalent these issues are. What’s meaningful to me is being able to engage directly with people’s stories—interviewing someone, hearing what has helped them and what hasn’t, and hopefully finding answers that can lead to real solutions.”

Congratulations to Alexandra on her recent graduation! And what’s next? “I’m applying to med school next cycle, and I’m starting a post-bacc program at Case Western in the fall.”

OWEN HAYES ’22

CONNECTING COMMUNITIES THROUGH TECHNOLOGY

Owen Hayes ’22 has always been interested in computers. What he didn’t initially realize was that his passion for technology could also lead him into humanitarian work—and ultimately show him how the two can work hand in hand.

“I like computer science because it’s all about understanding systems, and a way of thinking. It’s about problem solving,” said Owen.

Now in his final year studying Computer Science at Drexel University, Owen serves as president of Drexel TechServ, a student organization dedicated to bridging the digital divide by providing access to technology for people who otherwise might not have it.

Founded in 2002, Drexel TechServ began by connecting communities in Philadelphia with Macintosh computers. Over the years, the organization has expanded its mission through computer refurbishment, technology donations, and community support programs.

“People donate computers and old tech stuff to us. Then we host general body meetings where we go and refurbish these computers, figure out how to make them work, and [build laptops from computer parts].”

For Owen, TechServ began simply as an opportunity to spend time doing something he enjoyed.

“It actually started because my mother sent me a link and basically said, ‘You should do something instead of sitting in your dorm.’ So I went. Then I went again, and I kept going back,” Owen laughed.

What started as an interest in computers soon became something much larger. A turning point came in 2023 through an unexpected connection.

Gloria Anderson, founder of Tanzania Enlightment Development Innovations (TEDI), reached out to TechServ with the hope of building a partnership. TEDI also works to bridge technology divides in Tanzania, and she recognized TechServ as a leader in connecting Philadelphia communities with technology. She believed the organization could help advance TEDI’s mission in Tanzania.

Gloria originally came to Philadelphia through the Mandela Washington Fellowship, a U.S. government program to support emerging African leaders. Hosted by Drexel University for many years, the fellowship brings young leaders

from across Africa to the United States for professional development, leadership training, and networking opportunities.

Through TEDI’s One Computer Lab, One School initiative, Gloria is pursuing an ambitious goal: providing every public school in Tanzania with access to a computer lab. By connecting with organizations such as TechServ, she hopes to expand the partnerships and resources needed to make that vision a reality.

At the time, Owen was working in TechServ’s refurbishment operations when Gloria connected with the organization. Through their collaboration, Gloria was able to bring 15 laptops to Tanzania in 2023, marking the first international donation in TechServ’s history. Later that year, five additional laptops followed.

By the summer of 2025, the partnership had grown significantly.

“The biggest one, and the most exciting, was that we worked [with TEDI] to donate 40 desktops, 40 monitors, 40 mice, 40 keyboards, video cables, and a total of 80 power cables [to computer labs in Tanzania].”

That same summer, TechServ also sent an additional 25 laptops across two separate donations.

The next chapter of the partnership took Owen to Tanzania himself. After a successful grant application process, Owen was selected to spend 30 days in Tanzania in April 2026, representing Drexel TechServ.

During his time there, he traveled with TEDI to schools and computer labs, meeting with teachers, students, and parents. He helped prepare training materials and assisted in leading sessions designed to help educators maintain and maximize the use of their technology resources.

“At least for some of the participants, this was their first real experience working

extensively with computers. Some had more experience than others, but for some, they really hadn’t touched a computer much before.”

Owen’s training focused on practical skills that would allow schools to sustain their technology programs long after the equipment arrived.

But over time, the work became about much more than computers.

“I have come to really love the feeling of helping people through this work. That’s why visiting Tanzania felt so rewarding. I heard directly from the people using our computers. Most of the computers I saw still had TechServ tags on them. There’s a very high probability that I personally worked on those computers and took them apart at some point.”

“The first session was lab management— basic lab management practices, keeping things clean, following procedures, and learning basic diagnostic steps. Other sessions focused on digital training tools like PowerPoint, Excel, and similar software. There was cloud storage training and AI prompting, which was a bit controversial for me, but it is a useful tool,” explained Owen.

For Owen, the trip transformed his understanding of TechServ’s impact.

“Honestly, it feels great. Lots of neurochemicals firing. It’s really exciting to be the president of this organization [that’s doing big things],” smiled Owen. “I’m just really interested in computers. I didn’t set out thinking, ‘I want to do community service,’ or humanitarian work, or computer donations. That wasn’t my original goal.”

He continued, “There’s a disconnect sometimes. Everybody at TechServ works in this room full of computers, and it’s easy to lose sight of the impact we’re actually having. Seeing the impact firsthand was incredibly meaningful.”

For someone who joined TechServ because he loved computers, the experience revealed something bigger: technology is not just about machines, systems, or problem-solving. In Tanzania, Owen saw how access to technology can create opportunity and connect communities.

The LT Murray Award is given to a faculty or staff member who demonstrates distinguished service to the AWS community, service that promotes the goals and philosophy of AWS.

There are people who do their job, and then there are people who are their job. Shelli Strate is the latter. As Assistant Director of the Middle School, Shelli brings something rare to her work—a combination of warmth, creativity, and quiet toughness that is nearly impossible to manufacture and absolutely impossible to fake. She builds real relationships with students, shows up for them moments big and small, and because she genuinely cares, they trust her…they trust her enough to hear the hard things when it matters. Her creativity is woven into the fabric of middle school life—the morning slides that make students smile, the Advisory Challenges that build community, the care she pours into orientation, and the Grade 8 poem she crafts each year. Her legendary hat collection has become something of a symbol: joyful, quirky, entirely Shelli. But behind all of it is an extraordinary work ethic. She works morning, noon, and night—not just to prepare students academically, but emotionally and socially for what comes next. She has the instincts of a counselor, the steadiness of a disciplinarian, the heart of someone wholly devoted to children. She changes lives not through grand gestures, but through thousands of daily acts of care, humor, honesty, and commitment.

The Beverley Brown Excellence in Teaching Award is given to the faculty member who most successfully challenges, motivates, and supports students.

There are teachers who teach a subject, and then there are teachers who teach people. John Weir is a master art teacher, no doubt, but what is consistently staggering is his excellent care for kids, his ability to know them, and to see them. For sixteen years, John has called the Upper School art room home. His classroom has always been something more than a place to learn color theory. For students who come hungry to grow, he is a master, pushing their skills and sharpening their artistic vision. For students who come carrying the weight of adolescence, he is something closer to a sage—steady, calm, and wise, offering exactly the kind of perspective that makes the hard seasons of life more survivable. John has that rare quality: a presence that simply makes things better without judgment, without pressure, without expectation. You can just BE with John. And he always says yes. He leans in when it matters. And whatever the moment asks of him, he meets it fully—with kindness, patience, and care.

WELCOME, NEW TRUSTEES!

AJ GHAMBARI

AJ Ghambari is the owner and operator of Seattle Bagel Bakery, a business he has led for over 15 years with a focus on strategic growth, financial discipline, branding, and community relationship development. He holds a degree in Finance and Marketing from the University of Washington Business School, where he led the student leadership arm of a small business consulting and multicultural marketing program, building interdisciplinary teams to support businesses in economically emerging and distressed areas of Seattle. AJ also served as a founding board member of the Iranian American Community Alliance, helping develop mentorship initiatives, social services, and the Seattle Iranian Festival as a flagship cultural event. As a parent at Annie Wright Schools, he is committed to supporting strong governance, long-term sustainability, and mission-driven growth within the school community.

JAMIE DUNNING

Jamie (Clark) Dunning, PharmD, is a lifelong local community member—a graduate of Curtis High School, the Tacoma Youth Symphony, and the University of Washington—who subsequently earned her doctorate in pharmacy

from the University of Colorado Denver. After years in the trenches of clinical pharmacy practice and managed care, Jamie co-founded Aventine Consulting in 2008, a US market access firm specializing in evidence-based value strategy, pharmacoeconomic analyses, and payer communications for toptier pharmaceutical clients. In 2023, Aventine was acquired by UK-based Prime Global, where Jamie served as Senior Vice President until her retirement in 2025. Over more than two decades, Jamie developed deep expertise in evidence assessment and strategic communications and is now bringing the same analytical rigor and creative energy to her philanthropic engagements. Jamie and her husband, Matthew, are proud members of the Annie Wright community; their daughter Della began her AWS journey at age three and will graduate as a Green Tie in 2031.

JULIE DEMUTH

Julie Demuth is the Director of Finance and Enterprise Services for Pierce County, where she leads financial strategy and operations supporting a $3.5 billion budget serving nearly one million residents. With more than 25 years of experience across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, she brings expertise in fiscal stewardship,

operations. Julie and her husband are proud Annie Wright parents. Their son is in Grade 4 in the Lower School, and their daughter is in Grade 9 in the Upper School. She is deeply committed to public service and strengthening communities for the next generation.

ALEXANDER GRAYS

Alexander Grays is a dynamic security and technology executive with over 15 years of experience driving data-led risk mitigation across global eCommerce and technology platforms. Currently serving as Regional Operations Manager for Worldwide Operations Security at Amazon, he oversees digital security technology programs and engineering operations spanning the U.S. and Canada—managing a cross-regional team of engineers. Beyond his professional career, Alexander served seven years as an executive board member of the Washington State Organized Retail Crime Association (WSORCA). He is also a proud member of the International Organization of Black Security Executives (IOBSE). He serves as an AWSPA Athletics Booster and is the Founder and President of the Grit City Gators Booster Club, where he champions youth athletics and community development. He is also a devoted husband to his wife, Lindsey, and father to their son, Thomas, who has been a student at Annie Wright Schools since

ANNIE WRIGHT IS NOT ONLY AN EXCEPTIONAL PLACE TO LEARN—IT’S THE STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES WHO MAKE IT TRULY SPECIAL. OUR COMMUNITY IS WHAT SETS US APART, AND TOGETHER WE'VE BUILT SOMETHING THAT FEELS LIKE FAMILY. FROM THE OPENING OF THE UPPER SCHOOL FOR BOYS TO NAVIGATING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC, OUR SCHOOL HAS CONTINUED TO GROW, ADAPT, AND THRIVE. ALONG THE WAY, WE'VE WELCOMED COUNTLESS NEW FAMILIES WHILE CHERISHING THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN PART OF OUR JOURNEY FOR YEARS. WE HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS LOOK BACK AT THE MOMENTS THAT HAVE SHAPED OUR SCHOOL AND CELEBRATE THE MANY WAYS OUR COMMUNITY HAS GROWN AND STRENGTHENED OVER THE YEARS.

Acts of Kindness SUNSHINE COMMITTEE

During the 2025–26 school year, Upper Schools Counselor, Emily Schroeder, launched the Sunshine Committee to bring a little extra joy to the AWS community. Joined by Emily Weston, Cassandra Kopriva, and Gracie Kerr, the group surprised Upper School faculty throughout the year with themed carts featuring treats, drinks, handwritten notes, flowers, and even a bake-off.

“When starting this job, I knew this was something I wanted to bring to our school community,” said Schroeder. “I brought it up to Emily Weston in the fall, and she told me that she had been thinking the same thing! From there, we extended the invite to any other Upper Schools Faculty members who wanted to be a part of spreading sunshine! Gracie and

Cassandra both joined, and the planning began from there!”

Each month, the Sunshine Committee rolled through the Upper School with themed carts of treats, spreading appreciation and a little extra sunshine to faculty.

“I love seeing the smile on people’s faces when we come into their classrooms with our cart, and I can often see their demeanor change instantly,” said Emily Weston. “Being a part of the sunshine committee reminds me how powerful kindness can be in building a positive and supportive community.”

CHOMPIONS OF CHEER

This year, Grade 1 teacher Lisa Walker asked, who says school spirit is just for students? The Chompions of Cheer embraced a simple mission: helping our Lower School Staffulty feel seen, valued, celebrated, and a little more connected to one another. Through birthday celebrations, trivia shenanigans, potlucks, theme days, cards, treats, milestone moments, and the occasional excuse to gather in Bertha’s Kitchen, we looked for opportunities to say, “What you do matters, and so do YOU!”

What began as a fun idea grew into something more meaningful—a reminder that community isn’t built only in the big moments. It’s built over shared snacks and inside jokes, signatures on a card, celebrating new babies and weddings, cheering for one another during life’s milestones, and finding reasons to laugh together in the middle of busy days. Because everyone deserves a hype squad, and at Annie Wright, we happen to have a pretty great one in our Chompions of Cheer.

MAPPING COMMUNITY PROJECT:

SERVICE IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL

At every grade level in the Middle School, community service is an important piece of the curriculum. Each year, students deepen their understanding of community needs and discover how their actions can make a difference. Starting in Grade 6, the “trail” culminates in Grade 8 with the IB Community Project. Grab your hiking boots and follow the trail to the summit—there are plenty of meaningful stops, memorable moments, and inspiring views along the way!

MILESTONE 1: GRADE 7

STRENGTHENING SERVICE & LEADERSHIP

• Continue building intergenerational connections through Time to Talk

• Support food security efforts at the Tacoma Rescue Mission

• Prepare and serve meals for community members in need

BASE CAMP: GRADE 6

BUILDING EMPATHY & CONNECTION

• Practice communication and interview skills through Time to Talk with Lutheran Community Services Northwest

• Build relationships with senior community members through visits to local senior living communities

• Restore local habitats through environmental stewardship projects at Garfield Park

• Learn about sustainability by planting native species alongside Tacoma Parks and local tribal partners

• Develop leadership, responsibility, and teamwork through servicelearning experiences

GRADE 8: COMMUNITY PROJECT

USING THE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES GAINED ALONG THE TRAIL, STUDENTS DESIGN AND COMPLETE THEIR OWN COMMUNITY PROJECT.

• Identify a community need (e.g., recycling education, fast fashion, animal care, homelessness awareness)

• Conduct research and interviews

• Create and carry out an action plan

• Collaborate, problem-solve, and adapt

• Present findings to the Middle School

• Make a meaningful impact At the summit, students leave Middle School with more than a completed project. They leave with confidence, compassion, and the understanding that positive change begins with taking the first step.

Join the AWS Heritage Society

The Heritage Society honors alumni, parents, and friends who have made a planned or deferred gift to Annie Wright Schools. Through planned giving, you can ensure that future generations of students thrive thanks to your thoughtful investment. By becoming a member of the Heritage Society, you play a vital role in shaping your legacy while providing lasting strength and stability to the school.

“Reflecting on my career as I approached retirement, it was clear to me of all the opportunities I have been fortunate to have, Annie Wright was the single institution that made the most difference in my life. I am immensely grateful for my time there, and it played a huge role in making me who I am. I wanted to give back in some way that might be meaningful.”

Kathryn Schipper ’79

HERITAGE SOCIETY MEMBERS

Jae-Chan Ahn and Young-Sun Nam

Shirley Anderson* ’52

Sally (Peterson) Atherton ’66

Grace (Brynolson) Atkinson* ’33

Elaine (Tubbs) Austin* ’36

Martine Baker-Anderson* ’57

Anne (Murray) Barbey* ’38

Ruth (Nunan) Bartells* ’26

Sue (Spiegle) Batema ’61

Rex J. Bates*

Barry and Susan Bauska

Mildred Anne (Campbell) Bechtel* ’45

Florence Behnke*

Catherine (McPherson) Bernhard* ’30

Suzanne (Baker) Bethke* ’55

Kay Bishop* ’60

Ruth Bishop* ’63

Ann Bogrette*

Dzidra Briedis*

Betty Lou (Ervin) Broderick ’53

Beverley Brown* ’41

Samuel Brown*

Alma (Corry) Campbell Fleet ’64

Laura and Mark Carlson

Patricia (Sutherland) Carver ’45

Michael Churng and Kate Dorr ’96

Tad Ellis*

Mary (Turrill) Ellis* ’39

Anne Field*

Judith (Yengling) Forkner ’63

Jane (Spencer) Foster* ’56

Will and Anne (Middleton) Foster ’70

Joan Gardner-Johnston*

Katherine (Parks) George ’61

Barbara Glasgow* ’36

Tamar Griggs* ’60

Stacey and Jake Guadnola ’90MS

Dorothea (Cragin) Hanich ’63

Pamela Hanson ’70

E. Harvey Headland*

Greta (Shaw) Heide* ’24

Allan and Melissa* (Sallee Sheldon) Hess ’63

Henry and Barbara Hewitt*

William and Anne (Fisher) Hofius* ’55

Susanne (Fisher) Hubbach* ’37

William and Elizabeth (Doud) Hyde* ’38

Mildred (Russell) Jensen* ’50

Barbara (Roberts) Kenney* ’38

Helen (Edwards) Kenney* ’46

Rebecca Kirkpatrick ’97

Susan Kirkpatrick

Janet (Ferris) Koltun-Titus ’53

James Mack Koon Jr

Elizabeth (Allen) Koons* ’36

Sally Briggs Leighton

Phyllis Lewis

Sharon Levy

John and Sara Long

Rose Magrini*

Susan* and David Manger

Patricia (Gibson) McAvity* ’60

Amy (Schanno) McCarthy* ’54

John and Burdette (Craig) McClelland* ’36

Edward and Adele (Houx) Miller* ’49

Kathryn Monroe*

Derry Ann Moritz* ’53

Allen and Elizabeth (Ayrault) Moses* ’48

Kimberley Munson ’82

Lynne (Rubush) Nickel* ’60

Marjorie Oda-Burns ’66

Yu Chin Pan*

J. Bruce and Laura (Gonyea) Partridge ’70

Cordelia (Hartwell) Puttkammer ’57

Linda (Waldherr) Riggio ’67

Marlene (Westfall) Robbins ’73

Peggy Lou (Stebbins) Roberts* ’35

Jean (Harriett) Roskos*

Frances (Young) Rushton* ’38

Ruth (McFarland) Rystogi* ’31

Robert and Eleanor Sanders*

Veronica Sauer ’86

Rand and Lynn (Beaty) Sealey ’61

Grace (Rexroth) Seaman* ’48

Kathryn (Works) Schipper ’79

Lance and Marion (Williamson) Shipley ’89

Jay and Peachy Smalling

Pamela Hyde Smith ’63

Suzanne P. Smith* ’82

Ann (Terteling) Sparks* ’53

Barbara (Brooks) Spaulding* ’34

Mary Jane Stamm* ’42

Susan (Backus) Stoller ’66

Waldo and Norma (Gjertsen) Stone*

Herman Tenzler*

Eleanor (Walker) Threlkel ’55

Camilla Titcomb*

Mary Trodden ’69

Bob and Emily (McFadon) Vincent ’49

Kristen Wallerich ’75

Marilyn (Muckey) Walter* ’44

Barbara Jean White Eckles

Peter and Karen (Warren) Wickstrand ’60

Holly (Hewitt) Wight ’61

Wilbur Woodhams*

Virginia (Baker) Woolf* ’36

*Heritage Society members noted with an asterisk have already left their legacy at Annie Wright Schools.

On the Road with AWS Alumni

CLASS NOTES

Marilyn

“Klink” (Kleinberg) Levin ’47

Marilyn turned 96 in May and is doing well living in Los Angeles. She enjoys watching the Dodgers and would love to connect with classmates and friends. If you’d like to get in touch with her, call the alumni office at Annie Wright (253-284-8623) for her number. Marilyn looks forward to connecting with Annie Wright alumni at the next On the Road event in LA in the fall of 2026.

Diane (Rexroth) Keller ’50

After graduation, Diane attended the Harvard/Radcliffe Business School one-year certificate program, living on the third floor of an old Victorian house in Cambridge with fellow classmates. The program included internships—called “field work” then—that exposed students to both unskilled and skilled jobs. Diane worked as a floor clerk in a Boston hospital and in the investment department of a New York City insurance company, where she lived in a dormstyle building. Following the program, she worked as an assistant personnel officer at Massachusetts Memorial Hospitals for a year before returning to the Bay Area to work for McKinsey as a “Report Specialist,” a position they created for her. She met her husband, Edward Cahoon Keller ’49, at an after-the-Big Game party in Piedmont, California. They married in 1958 and moved to Modesto a couple of years later. Diane has been involved in the community in numerous ways, especially with the creation of the McHenry Mansion museum house. At 50, she briefly took a part-time job at H&R Block to prove to herself she could still earn a living. Diane is proud that her daughter Katharine “Katie” Keller ’82 was the thirteenth member of their family to attend Stanford and now works there. Diane enjoyed her years at Annie Wright, as did her sister. She has fun visiting the school when she goes to Gig Harbor to visit her nephew, who now lives in her beautiful garden home on Henderson Bay. She would enjoy hearing from any of her classmates from the Red Tie class of 1950.

Aliceon (McInroe) Jones ’51

Aliceon is living in a wonderful retirement community in Carmel Valley, where she has spent the last six years feeling spoiled and well taken care of. She sees her son several times a year and is enjoying life. She is still walking and will celebrate her 75th high school reunion this May. Aliceon would love to hear from classmates from the Green Tie class of 1951. If you want to get in touch with her, reach out to Jeremy Stubbs at Annie Wright for an address and/or email. She sat down for lunch with Jeremy in March when he was in town and got to hear about the school and how it’s grown. Aliceon has many fond memories of the friendships she made while at Annie Wright, especially with Mary Kay Kelley and RJ.

Sharon (James) Marcoe ’52

I’m living in Merrill Gardens, a senior living facility just one mile from where I lived when I entered Annie Wright. I haven’t gotten far geographically, but I have had a wonderful, full life.

Erin

(Lombard) Beasley ’53

Erin is living in Happy Valley at a retirement home that her son helped her find, so she could be closer to him and his family. She volunteers as a librarian in her retirement community and enjoys attending many of the events offered there. Her late husband, Tom Beasley, worked as an oceanographer, and as a result, Erin and her family lived all around the world. From 1972 to 1976, Tom worked at an International Atomic Energy Agency Lab located in the Oceanographic Museum in Monaco, which was run by Jacques Cousteau. The family attended the museum’s Christmas parties during those years. Erin said the gifts for kids were amazing, and the punch for adults was very strong. Over coffee, Erin shared lovely photos and newspaper articles from her time at Annie Wright, including a beautiful photo of herself as May Queen with her grandmother, Aimee Middleton (Porter)

Lombard, class of 1893. Her grandmother was on campus for May Day in 1953 for her 60th reunion with at least four other alumna from 1893. While Erin wishes her porch got more sun to support her plants, she feels fortunate to have family close by. Wilhelmine “Willie” (Hartnack) Shuck ’54

I live in a senior residence where most of my needs are taken care of. I am still following numerous interests and socializing with other residents and old and new friends. Life continues to be an adventure and a joy! I have been married three times, widowed twice, and bask in the warmth of the love of children, grandchildren, and friends. Two of my daughters graduated from Annie when she was still a school for girls. Classmates of both 1953 and 1954, I would love to see you at a reunion again!

Philinda (Parry) Robinson ’56

My memories of AWS are of hats, white gloves, girdles, chaperones, uniforms, the Senior Stairs, Chapel in the morning before school, and in the evenings before dinner. We walked to church on Sundays, which was followed by Sunday dinner and then an hour of TV in the Great Hall. Dances with blind dates were recruited by a calling committee, gathering together in a classmate’s room before Mrs. Wilson rang the lights-out bell. I could go on and on, but it was the “best of times and the worst of times.”

Mary Ann (Hyslop) McClure ’57

Mary Ann and her husband Jim are thankful to be healthy and thriving in Portland. They recently donated their golf clubs to local kids, as they don’t get out to the course much anymore. They enjoy exercising in their retirement community, doing puzzles together, and playing bridge. Jim keeps Mary Ann laughing, and the two of them continue to have a lot of joy living life together with their dog. Mary Ann and Jim look forward to family visits this summer and getting back to Spokane when they can. They’re enjoying their quiet life in Portland.

Patricia (Pierce) Layden ’57

A few of our class connect monthly online: Cordelia “Cordie” (Hartwell) Puttkammer ’57, Ellen (Pearson) Redfield ’57, Mary Ann (Hyslop) McClure ’57, Diane (Hibbard) Vadnais ’57, sometimes Marilyn Carlsmith

’57, and me. I’m hoping some of us can be part of the celebration next year, since it would be our 70th!

Elisabeth “Betsy” Minthorn ’59

Tuning in with such fondness and gratitude for my class of ’59 classmates and our many adventures at AWS. Portland has been home for twenty-five years, and in such challenging times, I continue to make new friends, travel around the greater Portland area, study Tai Chi, and Chi Gong, and volunteer for conservation. And, the family has a new great-nephew in Seattle. Again this year, I garden in raised beds with neighbors, and in pots for herbs and pansies. Gardening has been quite a teacher. As always, I continue spiritual studies with Yogananda, and also traditional practices such as walking the Labyrinth at Portland’s Trinity Episcopal.

Pamela Hyde Smith ‘63

I worked with Cascadia Art Museum in Edmonds, Washington, to present a major exhibition of the paintings of my grandmother, Beulah Loomis Hyde, AWS class of 1904. Cascadia also published a catalogue for the exhibition entitled “Structure and Form: The Work of B.L. Hyde,” by curator David Martin. Hyde’s other grandchildren, Douglas Ann Hyde Land ’65, Christopher Jane Hyde Lee ’66, and Charles H. Hyde III ’57, loaned paintings to the exhibition, as did I and other collectors

and museums. Now her works are also being acquired by The Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, The Denver Art Museum, The Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth, The Addison Gallery of American Art in Andover, Massachusetts, and others. B.L. Hyde was an extraordinary person, grandmother, and artist, and we’re thrilled she’s receiving the recognition she earned.

Marie (Dodge) Eaton ’64

I recently published “Learning to Bend,” a collection of tender and lyrical poems contemplating the years that are ‘heavy gifts to carry,’ exploring the challenges and joys of aging, the inevitability of death, and the persistence of love. Available on Amazon and www.ingramspark.com.

Alma

(Corry) Campbell Fleet ’64

Based in Sydney, Alma enjoys building on professional relationships through mentoring to extend and share thinking, particularly as influenced by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander colleagues. Having been a teacher in various places, she is now an educational consultant. Interested in practitioner inquiry and pedagogical documentation as empowering vehicles for educational change, Alma values provocations from Reggio Emilia, Italy, rethinking professional practice across multiple age groups in diverse settings, from individual sites to large organizations. In 2022, she co-edited EECERJ’s special edition on pedagogical documentation with Inês Machado from Portugal. She publishes in journals and co-authored books, including a six-volume series with Michael Reed (2019) and a 2025 book with Adam Christie and Anthony Semann. She values friends and family, including her long-term friendship with Marie Dodge Eaton from her Tacoma class. Alma was boarding, and Marie lived up the hill, so they said goodnight to each other by waving at the blinking lighthouse they could both see from their windows! Now, toddler grandchildren offer special joy!

Misa Furumoto ’92

Hi everyone! It’s been such a long time—I hope you’re all doing well. I’m now living in the ancient capital city of Nara, Japan, with my husband Yasuhisa, our 18-year-old daughter Lisa, our 17-year-old son Noah,

and our toy poodle Mugi. My husband and I are both priests in the Anglican Church of Japan, and we serve at Nara Christ Church. It’s a unique Japanese-style church building that has been designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan. If you ever travel to Japan, please come visit us! I’m also working as a chaplain at St. Agnes’ Junior and Senior High School in Kyoto. The school has such a warm and welcoming atmosphere, very much like AWS, and I would love for our students to have opportunities to connect with each other someday. I truly look forward to seeing all of you again someday!

Kyra Mungia ’09

Kyra serves as CEO of the Oakland Fund for Public Innovation, where she leads the organization’s strategy, partnerships, and execution across initiatives designed to improve the quality of life for Oakland residents. She is currently leading a firstin-the-country capital campaign to acquire and preserve housing for educators, positioning nonprofit ownership as a scalable model for addressing housing affordability, educator retention, and community stability. Prior to becoming CEO, Kyra co-founded and led Rooted (formerly TRiO Plus), an educator-housing initiative that has supported hundreds of educators in securing stable housing. Earlier in her career, Kyra served as Deputy Director of Education in the Oakland Mayor’s Office, where she helped launch initiatives expanding digital equity and co-wrote legislation generating $30 million annually to support Oakland youth. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and Roddenberry Fellow, Kyra also serves on the Annie Wright Board of Trustees. She lives in Oakland with her partner and their dog Noodle.

Jasmine Kennedy ’17

Jasmine has joined Hatch Africa as Group Manager of Digital Engineering & Product Management. Hatch works alongside poultry farmers across East and West Africa to make farmers healthier and wealthier using a model that tackles malnutrition while creating sustainable livelihoods. In her role, Jasmine leads the strategy and development of digital tools

that support teams across six markets and helps shape Hatch’s next phase of growth across the continent. She is excited to work at the intersection of technology and social impact.

Jin Huang ’18 & Caitlyn Bell ’18

Jin and Caitlyn are both at Michigan Law School, with Jin in her second year and Caitlyn in her first.

Mai Kondo ’18

Mai is honored to have presented her MSc research as an oral presentation at the EAPC World Congress in Prague, Czech Republic, after her poster abstract was selected as one of the 20 highest-scoring submissions. At her first international conference, Mai was grateful for the opportunity to share her work in front of large audiences and connect with a global community passionate about supportive and palliative care. She is thankful to her research team and her University of Toronto program for their mentorship, support, and belief in both her work and her throughout this journey.

Emil Haedt ’21

I have been meaning to submit a note for a while, but I just graduated from UC Berkeley a little over a year ago (and one semester early, thanks to IB!) with a major in Chemical Biology and a minor in Bioengineering. I know a lot of my fellow Yellow Ties have been up to really cool things since graduating high school and now college, for those who attended. From traveling the world to attending medical school and even pursuing post-graduate degrees in other countries, we have been very busy. I am lucky to have made so

many great friends that I still keep in touch with regularly and who inspire me to be the best version of myself. Starting last August, I have begun a fully funded Ph.D. in Chemical Biology at Harvard Medical School. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to take part in all kinds of research, ranging from developing novel treatments for Alzheimer’s disease to studying the molecules produced by gut microbes that can trigger colon cancer. If there are ever any students who might be interested in pursuing a science in college or a post-graduate degree, I am happy to speak with anyone interested!

Ananya Kukreja ’21

Ananya graduated in Spring 2025 with a double major in English and Art History from Lewis & Clark. She is now living in Tacoma and doing a lot of work with the Humane Society. She hopes to get to the Oregon coast this summer to spend time with friends and is excited to come back for the five-year reunion this fall. She would love to see her Yellow Tie friends at the reunion.

Grace “Graycie” Viscon ’21

Graycie, a fourth-year Architecture Studies student at the University of Washington, returned from her autumn quarter abroad on the Architecture in Rome (AIR) Program. The program’s theme was “Palimpsest”—exploring how architectural elements, structures, and sites have been reused and adapted throughout the years, displaying vestiges of eras past. During her time in Rome, Graycie walked the entire city across twenty-two rioni (neighborhoods), visiting 43 churches and covering 60 miles as part of the program’s tradition of Rioni Walks. She developed her sketching skills, learning to be present and observe her surroundings in a new way. Graycie embraced weekend trips across Italy and discovered that studying abroad is an experience she plans to repeat—this marks her fourth time studying abroad, with more adventures to come.

Khue “Rosa” Nguyen ’22

I’ll be graduating from UW this March with a bachelor’s degree in Food Systems, Nutrition, and Health. Thanks to the

IB program, I’m able to graduate a quarter early, which feels like an exciting milestone. Over the past few years, I’ve completed internships with Food & Beverage companies in Montana, Oregon, and Washington, including Columbia Distributing, where I received a return offer last summer. I’ve been working in IT and recently accepted a new role in the company’s Routing Department. After graduation, I’ll be moving to Oregon to begin this next chapter of my career, and I’m excited to see where this opportunity leads.

Thien “Tony” Nguyen ’23

Tony is currently a junior at the University of South Florida studying computer science. He has completed software engineering internships at Tesla, Microsoft, and Dow Jones. Tony credits Annie Wright with supporting him during his sophomore and junior years and sparking his interest in computer science through his first coding class with Mr. Considine. While he says he wouldn’t call himself a coding genius, Tony is passionate about solving problems by creating solutions and building products that can benefit others. When engaging with this year’s call for Alumni volunteers during All In for Annie, he said he hopes to return to campus in the future to speak with students about his journey in computer science, choosing a college, securing internships, and navigating career decisions in an evolving tech landscape shaped by AI and new possibilities.

Johanne “Rae” Wartelle ’23

Rae was featured in the Winter 2026 issue of CC Magazine for her achievements during the fall athletics season at Connecticut College. She was recognized as one of only five NESCAC athletes to earn a place on all three All-NESCAC teams: All-Academic, All-Sportsmanship, and All-NESCAC. This semester, Rae is studying abroad in Paris through IES Abroad in a French immersion program. Alongside her studies, she continues to develop athletically with CLUB SPORTIF MUNICIPAL DE PUTEAUX—VOLLEY-BALL, training and competing with athletes in a new cultural and linguistic environment.

With strength in our hearts, we remember those we have lost from the Annie Wright Schools community.

Laura (Haynes) Alford ’78—Alumni

Nancy Brocard ’83—Alumni

Patricia (Sutherland) Carver ’45—Alumni

Rev. Richard Chapman Tumilty—Chaplain & Teacher

Kenneth D. Farshtey—Teacher

Diana (Russell) Gillanders ’52—Alumni

Elizabeth (Morgan) Heath ’58—Alumni

Gwen-Lee (Cole) Isenhart-Anderson—Associate

Jane (Tozer) Paton ’50—Alumni

Thomas Piwonka—Friend

George Russell ’34LS—Alumni & Former Trustee

Elizabeth (Dunn) Schilt ’48—Alumni

Caroline (Clabaugh) Sekar ’98—Alumni

Ines Silins—Librarian

Eleanor (Walker) Threlkel ’55—Alumni

Rebecca (Brocard) Yao ’81—Alumni (January 2025)

Senior Leadership Team

Jake Guadnola ’90MS, Head of Schools

Sandra Forero Bush, Assistant Head of Schools

Jeff Barber, Director of Residential Life

Eireann Corrigan, Director of Upper Schools

Ann Dicks, Director of Lower School

Grace Finch, Director of Development

Mike Finch, Director of Athletics

Annie Green, Director of Arts

Alicia Grover Pugh, Director of Community Engagement

Clare Wagstaff-Brown, Director of Middle School

Jean Webber, Director of Finance and Operations

Board of

Trustees

David Overton—Chair

Alana Zautner—Vice Chair

Janelle Guirguis-Blake—Secretary

Amber English—Treasurer

Jim Defebaugh—Prior Chair

Thomas Baker

Troy T. Bailey

Medina Broadenax

Tenley Cederstrand

Julie Demuth

Bill Driscoll

Jamie Dunning

C’Ardiss Gardner Gleser

Editor

Gena Wynkoop

Graphic Designer

Lillian Austin

Photographer

Sy Bean

Lisa Blackmore

Oona Copperhill

Gena Wynkoop

AJ Ghambari

Alex Grays

Jason Griffiths

Kalyan Kanneganti

Dianne Matthaei

Suzanne Messinger

Kyra Mungia ’09

Kevin Sanders

Monica Torrez-Pfister

Jennifer Vertetis

David Bishop (ex-officio)

Jake Guadnola (ex-officio) ’90MS

Contributors

Alexandra Bessler ’20

Dymphna Bloodworth

Sandra Forero Bush

Angela Ferguson

Grace Finch

Jake Guadnola ’90MS

Owen Hayes ’22

Lindsey Joyce

Emily Schroeder

Jeremy Stubbs

Lisa Walker

Emily Weston Nya Zae ’26

In April 2026, the Tacoma Scholars community gathered for a Friends and Family Dinner, bringing together rising Grade 9 Tacoma Scholars, current scholars, and their families for an evening of connection and celebration. Guests shared a meal and heard reflections from graduating Tacoma Scholars. Among them, Nya Zae ’26 delivered a heartfelt reading about finding a sense of belonging through Tacoma Scholars and at Annie Wright Schools.

Ifeverything together. I was doing well in school. I knew how to get good grades, stay on track, and be the person people expected me to be.

For a long time, that was enough. Or at least, I told myself it was. But the truth is, even then, I wanted more. Not just more success, but more meaning, more purpose. More of a life that actually felt like it belonged to me, where I could be proud of who I am and who I am becoming. This led me to make one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make. I had to choose between an artistic high school experience, attending Tacoma School of the Arts for dance, and a more academic one. While one felt like passion, the other felt like pressure. And for a while, I thought I could do both. But ultimately, I chose a path that I thought would take me further, one that

star” of my family. This was the kind of shift that didn’t just affect my grades, but my whole identity. I started to lose confidence in myself. I started to question if I was ever really capable in the first place. Slowly, I became someone I didn’t even recognize. But the hardest part wasn’t even the academics. It was the loneliness. I couldn’t find my people. Although I was surrounded by others, I didn’t feel seen or understood. And being in a space where I was constantly aware of how different I was only made that feeling stronger.

As someone who’s mixed, I’ve always lived in between worlds. Too Asian for some spaces. Too Black for others. But

place where you can fully exhale. Like you’re constantly adjusting yourself just to fit into whatever room you’re in. After a while, you start to wonder if there’s even a “real” version of you underneath all of it.

But that’s where I found true value in being a Tacoma Scholar. Now, I’m not going to stand here and say it magically fixed everything. But what it did do was give me something I didn’t even realize I needed. Stability. Tacoma Scholars became this quiet, steady presence in my life. It wasn’t loud or overwhelming. But it was constant. Something I could come back to when everything else felt uncertain. Something that reminded me that I wasn’t alone, even when

perform to be accepted. And for me, that changed everything.

I realized that community isn’t just about being around others. It’s about being around people who make you feel real, seen, and validated, who don’t make you question your identity, but rather, help you reclaim it.

Tacoma Scholars didn’t just give me support. It helped me find pieces of myself that I thought I had lost. Because of that, I started to think differently, and more optimistically, about my future. I started to ask myself not just what I want to achieve, but what I want to be for others. This is what led me to pursue the medical field, as I will be attending

Someone who sees others not just for where, who, or what they currently are, but for who they can become, because I know what it feels like to feel lost, and if I can help even one person feel less alone in that, then everything I’ve gone through will have meant something.

Being a Tacoma Scholar didn’t make my life perfect, but what it did do was give me something stronger than that. It gave me grounding and clarity. Most importantly, it gave me the reminder that even when you feel like you don’t belong anywhere, there are still places and people who will help you find your way back to yourself. And for me, that has made all the difference. Nya Zae I ’26