Each year, alums contribute to the life of the school, both on campus and within the greater CA community. We are proud to share the contributions of our alum network in this 2023–24 Report of the Alum Association.
The Alum Association fosters lifelong connections between Concord Academy and its alum community. The Association facilitates meaningful opportunities to preserve and promote a love of learning, service to others, and a commitment to diverse perspectives and backgrounds. Through involvement in the life of the school, within the community, and through service to the greater world, the Association strives to renew and affirm the core values instilled while at CA.
Revised June 2024
President
Co-Chair, Alum Annual Fund Committee
Co-Chair, New England Regional Committee
Co-Chair, New York Area Regional Committee
Co-Chair, Washington, D.C. Regional
Co-Chair, Community & Equity Committee
Co-Chair, Alum Annual Fund
Chair, Joan Shaw Herman Award Committee
Co-Chair, New York Area Regional Committee
Co-Chair, CAYAC Committee
Co-Chair, Alum Admissions Network
Chair, Class Secretary Program
Co-Chair, Alum Admissions Network
Co-Chair, CAYAC Committee
Co-Chair, Community and Equity Committee
Co-Chair, Washington, D.C. Regional Committee
Co-Chair, CAYAC Committee
Chair, Chicago Regional Committee
Chair, International Alum Greater Asia Committee
Student Representative
Student Representative
Student Representative
Student Representative
Student Representative
Student Representative
Student Representative
Student Representative
*as of July 10, 2024
Chair, Washington, D.C. Regional Committee
Michael S. Edwards is an attorney-at-law with over 18 years of experience representing credit unions, credit union service organizations (CUSOs), financial technology companies, trade associations, non-profit organizations, government contractors, and small businesses on a wide range of regulatory, legislative, political advocacy, transactional, compliance, and other legal matters. Prior to founding the Law Office of Michael S. Edwards in Downtown Largo, Maryland, he has served as Senior Vice President for Advocacy and General Counsel of the World Council of Credit Unions and was Senior Assistant General Counsel in the Regulatory Advocacy section of the Credit Union National Association (now called America’s Credit Unions), the largest trade association for credit unions in the United States, in Washington, DC. Michael holds a J.D. from American University-Washington College of Law, an M.A. in International Affairs from American University-School of International Service, and a B.A. in English from the University of Pennsylvania.
Chair, Class Secretary Program
Neely has served as her class’s secretary since 2019 and is excited to serve as Chair of the Class Secretary Program. A Concord native, she loves being close to campus every time she visits her family. After graduating from CA, Neely earned a Bachelor of Arts from Princeton University and a Master of Public Policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, where she focused on health policy. She lives in Washington, DC, with her husband, Justin, and works for the Congressional Budget Office as an analyst in the Medicare Cost Estimates Unit. In her free time, Neely volunteers for the U.S. Botanic Garden and enjoys exploring the city’s cultural offerings.
President
Natalie has been a dedicated member of the Concord Academy community whose journey reflects both a passion for serving others and learning for learning’s sake. Since her graduation in 2002, Natalie has been an integral part of the CA family as class secretary, Chair of the Class Secretary Program, and member of the Alum Steering Committee.
Natalie’s academic pursuits have taken her far and wide, from earning a bachelor’s in biochemistry & molecular biology at Wittenberg University to immersing herself in a medical practice and policy program at the University of Copenhagen. Her thirst for knowledge led her to pursue a medical doctorate at Trinity School of Medicine in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
With a diverse professional background spanning roles such as preclinical R&D scientist in pediatric and congenital neurological surgery, andrology technologist, and clinical laboratory manager, Natalie brings a wealth of expertise to her current dual clinical sales position. As a RESNA-certified assistive technology professional and territory manager specializing in complex rehabilitation technology, she combines her medical knowledge with a heartfelt commitment to improving the lives of others.
Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Natalie now calls Chicago, Ill., home, where she continues to pursue her passions outside of work. An avid animal lover, traveler, and dancer, Natalie embodies the spirit of curiosity and exploration that defines the Concord Academy community.
Co-Chair, New England Regional Committee
Originally from Cambridge, Mass., Nicky graduated from CA in 2017, before heading to Bates College where he earned a B.A. in theater and psychology in 2021. As a result of his love of the arts fostered by faculty and students at Concord, Nicky now works for Williamstown Theatre Festival. After his stint in Maine, Nicky has moved back to Cambridge, where he lives with a camp of fellow chameleons (three to be exact!).
Co-Chair, New England Regional Committee
Reilly grew up in Vermont’s Mad River Valley and graduated from CA in 2015. She then attended Bard College where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Human Rights. Since college, Reilly worked as a college-in-prison program coordinator and as a consumer rights paralegal. She is currently pursuing her JD and looking forward to a career as a civil rights attorney and advocate. In her free time, Reilly loves exploring New England nature via biking, hiking, and skiing!
Chair, Alum Annual Fund Committee
Tracy Welch is head of wealth advisory for Clarendon Private, a boutique wealth management firm based in Boston. She has more than two decades of experience in financial services and wealth management. She previously worked at Eaton Vance WaterOak Advisors helping individuals and families achieve their personal investment and planning goals. Prior to joining Eaton Vance, Tracy was a managing director at Credit Suisse in the Global Markets division, advising many of the firm’s key institutional accounts.
Tracy is a 1989 graduate of Concord Academy, Dartmouth College, the University of Virginia School of Law and Harvard Business School. She is a competitive amateur golfer and former captain of the Dartmouth Women’s Golf Team, and she serves as co-chair of Friends of Dartmouth Golf. Tracy and her husband, Steve Adams, live in Winchester, Mass., and have three children, Tory ’23, Mandy ’24, and Bradford Adams. Tracy served as co-chair of CA’s 2020–2024 Parent Annual Fund Committee and is now the co-chair of the Alum Annual Fund.
As we welcome new officers and leadership, Concord Academy would also like to thank those alums who will be stepping down from their roles. Through your hard work, dedication, and service to CA, you acted as our greatest partners, cheerleaders, and supporters and we appreciate all you have done for the school.
Tess Munro Bauta ’94, P’25
Trelane Clark ’92, P’22
Serena Frechter ’14
Alexis Goltra ’87, P’26 ’27
Maris Hubbard ’12
Dat Le ’06
Julia Packman ’14
Philip Stefani ’13
Adam Geer ’99 and Meisha Newman ’94 Co-Chairs
There were a variety of ways for Alums of Color to connect with Concord Academy and current students during the past year. We were thrilled to launch the Alums of Color Mentorship Program to cultivate a stronger support network for CA students of color. The inaugural year saw 11 alum-student pairings. If you are an alum of color and interested in becoming a mentor, please reach out to Merrill Genoa, associate director of alum engagement and individual giving.
In addition to a virtual happy hour, CA was also pleased to host 30 alums and students in April for the Alums and Students of Color Conference. Attendees engaged in dialogue, networking, and a morning of fellowship. Thank you to the Alums and Students of Color Conference Planning Committee for all their hard work in making this event so successful: Willie Diaz ’99, Adam Geer ’99, Kaity Goodwin ’18, and Meisha Newman ’94.
Emily Potts Callejas ’92, P’26, New England Regional Committee Co-Chair
Noah Fisk ’93 and Gabe Greenberg ’98, New York Regional Committee Co-Chairs
Serena Frechter ’14 and Julia Packman ’14, Washington, D.C. Regional Committee Co-Chairs
Philip Stefani ’13, Chicago Regional Chair
Gary Zheng ’14, International Chair
This year saw members of the CA community gather with Head of School Henry Fairfax in Cambridge, Mass., Washington, D.C., and virtually for our international alums. Many thanks to the following individuals for helping make our regional events a success:
Jen Burleigh ’85
Emily Potts Callejas ’92, P’26
Anne Clark ’89, P’26
Trelane Clark ’92, P’22
Amy Dunbar ’74
Michael Edwards ’98
Michael Firestone ’01
Serena Frechter ’14
Neely Hall ’06
Andrew Heimert ’89
Sandra Willett Jackson ’61
Dat Le ’06
Nicholas Longo ’17
Karen McAlmon ’75
Meisha Newman ’94
Julia Packman ’14
Jennifer Pline P’13 ’15
Aisha Smith ’06
Ethan Thurow ’94, P’27
Tracy Welch ’89, P’23 ’24
Margaret Winslow ’77, P’17 ’21
Gary Zheng ’14
We look forward to offering more opportunities to connect with fellow CA community members in the coming year. Save the date this upcoming year’s regional gatherings with Head of School Henry Fairfax:
New York City Regional Gathering
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
Chicago Regional Gathering
Wednesday, April 9, 2025.
Heads up to the CA community in Los Angeles and San Francisco. We plan to hold regional gatherings in these cities during the 2025–2026 academic year.
In addition to the aforementioned events with the Head of School, groups of alums gathered to cheer on the Washington Capitals in Washington, D.C., and the Mets in New York City.
Interested in hosting an alum gathering in your area? Contact Merrill Genoa, associate director of alum engagement and individual giving.
Betsy Green ’91, Chair
Established in 1976, the Joan Shaw Herman Award for Distinguished Service is presented annually to a member of the CA community. The school’s only award recognizes the work of CA graduates who have demonstrated dedication to service to others in either a professional or volunteer capacity.
This year’s recipient, Richard Read ’75, was honored with the 2024 Joan Shaw Herman Award for Distinguished Service on May 10. A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist with a 40-year editorial career, Rich was presented the award for his dedication to responsible journalism and journalistic integrity. During a school-wide assembly, Rich shared how he got his start as a reporter at CA’s student newspaper, The Centipede. Growing up in the late ’60s and early ’70s, he always tried to emulate his generation’s investigative journalist heroes like Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein and speak “truth to power.” Rich emphasized the importance of journalistic integrity and humanistic storytelling.
A special thank you to the 2023–24 Joan Shaw Herman Award Selection Committee:
Mandy Adams ’24
Alexis Goltra ’87, P’26 ’27
Betsy Green ’91, Chair
Aurora Hao ’25
Irene Jiang ’24
Grace Kalere ’24
Lynn Lewis ’24
Shreya Patel ’21
Mei Reed ’25
Kate Rea Schmitt ’62, P’88
Chiara Wanandi ’24
Stuart Warner ’77
Irene Zheng ’24
To nominate a member of the community for the Joan Shaw Herman Award, click here.
Natalie Krajcir ’02, Chair
This year’s class secretaries led another successful cycle of collecting hundreds of class notes and photos for the summer edition of CA Magazine. Alums from the classes of 1946 through 2022, shared stories and updates, offered reflections, celebrated accomplishments, and remembered those they lost. We are grateful to our class secretaries for their unwavering dedication to their classes and for their commitment to upholding this special CA tradition through which they continue to bolster and strengthen CA’s alum community.
Eliza Grossman ’17, Becca Miller ’14, and Miriam Perez-Putnam ’12, Co-Chairs
The CAYAC Committee meets regularly throughout the year to lead and support CA’s young alum community, and keep this cohort connected to one another and the school. This year, they assisted in planning regional gatherings in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago where alums from the classes of 2009–2023 came together to reconnect, reminisce, and engage in a little friendly competition (bowling in Boston and axe throwing in New York). They also modeled support of the 2023–24 Annual Fund and Centennial Campaign, encouraging their peers to join them through personal outreach. Special thanks to our committee members—Lena Stein Beckham ’11, Connie Blumenthal ’15, Oliver Clackson ’20, Emily Marcoux ’14, João Henrique Martins ’23, Angie Minichiello ’21, Shreya Patel ’21, Philip Stefani ’13, Stanley Zheng ’17, and Andy Zou ’13—for your engagement and dedication to CA.
If you’re interested in hosting a young alum gathering in your city, please contact Hannah Dunphy, senior major gift officer.
Tess Munro Bauta ’94, P’25 and Alexis Goltra ’87, P’26, 27, Co-Chairs
The generosity from CA’s global community of alums this year was incredible.
FY24 Alum Annual Fund Total as of June 30, 2024 = $1,201,727 (820 donors)
FY23 Alum Annual Fund Total as of June 30, 2023 = $1,340,961 (878 donors)
FY22 Alum Annual Fund Total as of June 30, 2022 = $1,270,495 (965 donors)
Overall alum participation in the Annual Fund reached 16%.
Additionally, this year was marked by the generosity of two young alums when Dex Blumenthal ’11 and Connie Blumenthal ’15 offered to donate $50,000 for every 25 donors who give to both the Annual Fund and the Centennial Campaign by June 30. Through their Centennial Challenge, which united and inspired the community, 447 community members participated, raising over $1,158,235 for CA.
We are very grateful to the dedicated members of the Alum Annual Fund Committee, Jake Bartlett ’91; Tess Munro Bauta ’94, P’25; Rebecca Seamans Egea ’93; Alexis Goltra ’87, P’26 ’27; Peter Li ’02; and Caragh McLaughlin ’88, who worked tirelessly throughout the year to make over 150 personal connections across the globe and invite alum support of the school.
Giving to the Annual Fund is the most impactful way to support CA and we appreciate each and every alum who affirmed their confidence in the school’s mission by investing in the people and programs at the heart of this school. Your personal gift ensures that a transformative CA education continues to positively shape the lives of countless students.
Mandy Adams ’24, Aurora Hao ’25, Irene Jiang ’24, Grace Kalere ’24, Lynn Lewis ’24, Mei Reed ’25, Chiara Wanandi ’24, and Irene Zheng ’24
Student Representatives play an important role by sharing their experiences and perspectives about living and learning at CA today with our alum volunteers. This year, they met regularly to learn more about philanthropy and engagement at CA as well as CA’s vast network of volunteers, provided updates from campus at Alum Steering Committee meetings, served on the Joan Shaw Herman Award Selection Committee, introduced alum guest speakers at special events, and supported the Annual Fund by leading student volunteers for the All Community Campaign. In addition, members of the group invited a number of alums to connect with clubs on campus that they were leading including the GRiT (Gender Representation in Tech) Club and the Business Club. They recognized the value of current student-alum connections and found creative ways to foster those opportunities. We are grateful for their partnership and proud to have them representing CA.
For the past six decades, CA has awarded the Hall Fellow lectureship to a wide array of accomplished individuals. Caitlin FitzGerald ’02 was named Concord Academy’s 2024 Hall Fellow on April 19.
Caitlin is an accomplished actress, director, and filmmaker known for her roles in the television series Masters of Sex, Sweetbitter, and Succession, among other performances.
From June 7–9, 2024, more than 200 alums from across generations returned to Concord Academy. It was a weekend filled with celebration, connection, and joy. From student-led campus and hard-hat tours of the West Campus construction, an alum panel, insight into the CA academic experience today, and chances to reconnect with old friends, there was a lot to choose from! The weekend culminated in a festive reception and dinner which brought everyone together on Academy Garden.
Thank you to everyone who was able to attend and to everyone who participated on their class Reunion Committee. Without your participation, the weekend would not have been the huge success!
Reunion and Alum Weekend 2025 will celebrate classes ending in 0 and 5, but as always, members of every year are invited to attend. Keep an eye out for more information in the coming months.
Be sure to follow Concord Academy on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram, and remember to update your contact information to stay updated on all things CA.
Interested in volunteering? There are a variety of ways to share your time and talents with the community, whether you’re local to Concord or across the globe. Click here to learn more! Or share your perspective with a prospective CA student—Admissions loves to partner with alums to represent CA at admissions fairs in their city. If interested, please contact Merrill Genoa, associate director of alum engagement and individual giving.