APRIL 2022
Greetings!

Happy spring! I hope you're doing well.

As you may know, LFA will transform "Hutch" into a first-class, new Health Center. Here are five ways you can support health services at LFA:

1) Attend LFA's Gala on April 30. Register here
2) Commit to an Absentee Gala Paddle
3) Sponsor Gala so that the proceeds can go directly to the Health Center construction. 
4) Consider naming a space in the Health Center in honor or memory of someone. 
5) Travel, Savor/Sip while supporting LFA. View details on our Live Auction items. 

In other news, campus has been busy lately. Last weekend we welcomed back members of our Alumni Advisory Board (AAB) for their annual meeting. We are grateful to this group of 35 alumni ambassadors who joined us in person or on zoom from China, France, California, Florida, Virginia, Massachusetts, NY, and the Chicago area. Read more below about the AAB.

Take good care, everyone, and thank you for your support of LFA.


Ruth Keyso
Director of Alumni Engagement
847.615.3268 (office)
847.224.6072 (cell)
Registration is open!
Gala, Sat., April 30, 6 p.m.
LFA campus
Spend a Saturday night with us on campus as we celebrate LFA and raise funds to support the construction
of our new $1.4 million Health Center.
Not able to attend? Make a gift to the Health Center here.
Live Auction Packages: Bahamas Vacation, Wine
Our curated Live Auction at Gala 2022 offers several spectacular items to bid on. One of our packages is a luxury vacation at Kamalame Cay in the Bahamas, donated by LFA Trustee Karin Fink and her husband, Nick P'22, '23. The other is 3 cases (36 bottles) of Napa Valley Cardinale Cabernet Sauvignon wine donated by Life Trustee Jeff Neal and Susan Cellmer P'00, '02. More details about the packages can be found here.

Bid in person at the Gala or submit an absentee bid form. Questions? Contact LFA's Director of Parent Relations and Giving Leigh Ann Jacobson at [email protected]
Alumni Ambassadors Meet on Campus, Four New Members Welcomed to AAB
On April 8-9, we held our annual Alumni Advisory Board (AAB) meeting on campus. This year we welcomed four new members to the board: Elizabeth Alicea '98 (NYC); Ariana Bhatia '12 (Chicago); Jennifer (Runchu) Ma '15 (Beijing, China); and Jordan Wolff '15 (Seattle, Wash.)

During the two-day meeting, we enjoyed conversation with a group of faculty panelists; learned about the Health Center and the health/wellness program through a session with our health services team; enjoyed lunch and campus tours with current students; discussed ways to stay engaged with LFA, its students, and fellow alumni; and participated in conversation with Head of School José De Jesús P'22 and Head of School-Elect Chris Tennyson. In addition, Jose and Chris met with members of the Black Alumni Advisory Council (BAAC) to discuss engagement opportunities at LFA and ways to support our students.

Thank you, AAB and BAAC members, for serving as such wonderful ambassadors for your alma mater! Learn more about the AAB here.

captions (above photo, l to r): AAB members join us for our opening session on Friday, April 8. Jeff Konker '66, Loretta Kalnow Kaplan '73, P'03, Cecily Barnett Meers '69, P'97, P'09, Mark Karstrom '80, P'18, Jeff Parker '81, Ariana Bhatia '12, Leland Brewster '07, Terry Hall '67, Mghnon Martin '05, Joss Brass '10, Eric Brown '98.

below photo: The Saturday session of the AAB meeting featured conversation with Head of School José De Jesús and Head of School-Elect Chris Tennyson. Seated, l to r: Terry Hall '67, Head of School José De Jesús, Leland Brewster '07, Elizabeth Alicea '98, Eric Bauer '12; row 2, l to r: Mark Karstrom '80, P'18, Rickey Larke '11, Gail Gadberry '85, P'14, Ariana Bhatia '12; back row, l to r: Artie Preiss '04, Mghnon Martin '05, Head of School-Elect Chris Tennyson, Cecily Barnett Meers '69, P'97, P'09, Ann Ridge (on Zoom screen), Eric Brown '98, Jordan Wolff '15 (on Zoom screen), Jeff Parker '81, Alicia Cressey '03, Romaer Chopra '15. Also on the Zoom screen top left: Lauren Neal '02, and top right: Jennifer Runchu Ma '15.
REGISTER TODAY: Virtual Panel Discussion on Venture Capital
Join us for a virtual panel discussion on the topic of venture capital with four LFA alumni working in the field. Our panelists will share their knowledge and experiences and talk about how they got into the industry.

All LFA/FH alumni, faculty, and current students are welcome.

Thursday, April 21
7 p.m. - 8 p.m. CT via Zoom

PANELISTS
Zunaira Arshad '13, Partner, Drive Capital (Columbus, Ohio)
Connor Crown '09, Founder and Managing Partner,
Expanse Venture Partners (formerly Meteor Venture Partners), 
(Chicago and Los Angeles)
Alex Kirshenbaum '13, Co-founder and VP, 81 Collection;
Co-founder and CEO, The Helix Partners (Chicago)
Derek Mazur '08, Director, Venture Capital (Chicago)

Zoom link will be sent to registered attendees
prior to the date of the event.
Congratulations, Rebecca Makkai '95!
Congratulations to LFA alumna and author Rebecca Makkai '95 for being awarded a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship.

Rebecca was named one of Chicago Magazine's 50 most powerful women in 2020. She was a finalist for both the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction for The Great Believers, and the 2018 National Book Award. The Great Believers was also named one of the New York Times’ Ten Best Books of 2018. Rebecca was inducted into the LFA Hall of Fame for Achievement in the Arts in 2020.

Read more here about this remarkable achievement. Congratulations, Rebecca, on all of your professional success!
Coach of the Year!
Prep Hockey Head Coach and Lake Forest Academy Athletic Director Darrin Madeley P’11,’14 was named the Midwest Prep Hockey League (MPHL) Coach of the Year on March 14.

The Caxys are currently 27-8-4 overall on the year including 10-5-1 in the MPHL conference. LFA finished in second place in the competitive MPHL conference tournament. Congratulations, Coach Madeley!
Caxy Entrepreneurs Engage with Students
Thank you to alumnus Adam Wisco '17 (right), who spoke via Zoom with students in Matt Vaughn's entrepreneurship class on April 8 about his business, Bigg-A-Bed. Adam is a senior at Middlebury College, where he majors in computer science and plays on the varsity men's ice hockey team.

On April 4, CEO and founder of electrIQ marketing, Brandon Amoroso '15, spoke with students about the company he founded while an undergrad at USC. Based in Miami, Brandon's e-commerce agency partners with businesses--both start-ups and mature brands--looking for marketing growth. 

Thank you, Adam and Brandon, for sharing your knowledge and experiences with our students!
Head of School-Elect Chris Tennyson on Caxology!
The most recent episode of Caxology features current Dean of Students and Head of School Elect Chris O. Tennyson taking the first-ever Caxy Query (credit here to the Colbert Questionert). Chris also talks about the new role he will begin on July 1, 2022 and his dreams for LFA's future. 

Caxology is brought to you by LFA's Richards & Tremain Society
Class Leaders Needed! Alumni Weekend & Reunion 2022
If you are from a graduating class ending in 2 or 7 and would be willing to provide feedback and rally classmates to attend Alumni Weekend & Reunion, we need your help! Whether it is your 55th or 5th milestone, help us ensure that your reunion (Sept. 23-24) is a celebration to remember. The time commitment and effort is minimal, but will be have a big impact in the success of the weekend.
 
If you are interested, contact Director of Annual and Reunion Giving Hannah Shallenberger at [email protected].
Final Co-ax Concert with Steve Ryder: May 21
Join us on campus on Sat., May 21 at 3 p.m. for Steve Ryder's final Co-ax concert! Steve is retiring from LFA after a remarkable 37-year career as a teacher, coach, and dorm parent. In addition, Steve helmed the student-faculty rock band, Co-ax, from its start more than three decades ago.

Come join us in the Cressey Center to pay tribute to this LFA legend!
Alumni & Friends Reception in Phoenix
Join us on May 12 from 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. in Phoenix for an evening alumni reception at the Musical Instrument Museum.

This is event is free of charge. Registration and details here.

Questions? Rachael Josephsen: 847.615.3298
Alumni & Friends Reception in Minneapolis/St. Paul, May 21
Register today for our alumni and friends reception with Head of School-Elect Chris Tennyson, VP of Advancement Rob Buckla, and Director of Alumni Engagement Ruth Keyso.

Thurs., May 19, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

John Dawson '92, Host
Host Committee
Art Erickson '55, Life Trustee John Huss '58,
Life Trustee Nancy How Speer '59, Phil Willkie '72,
Leslie Steiner Johnson '79, Peter Johnson '08
Kanyana Norah Ntagungira '18

The reception is free of charge.
A spouse/guest is welcome.
Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres will be served.

(Must be 21 years old or older to attend.)
Register HERE.
Alumni Directory Project: More than 1,600 Respondents So Far--Thank you!
Thank you for your assistance as we update our alumni contact info for the alumni directory project.

Our partner company PCI is in its final months of data collection before the directory is printed. Thank you to the more than 1,600 LFA and Ferry Hall alumni/ae who have connected with PCI.

Please note that while you will be offered to purchase the directory and LFA-branded apparel when you speak with PCI, you ARE NOT OBLIGATED TO PURCHASE ANYTHING. Simply by confirming your data and filling in information gaps, you are helping us immeasurably. (And if you do not want to be listed in the directory, that's perfectly fine. Please note that when you speak with PCI.)

Here is a link to some FAQ about the directory project.
Celebrate Summer at Happy Camper
We're counting down the days already! Chicago-area alumni from the classes of 2000-2018: Mark your calendars and plan to join LFA for a happy hour IN PERSON at Happy Camper in Wrigleyville on Thursday, July 21, 2022! Enjoy pizza, apps, drinks, and socializing with former classmates and teachers, including Head of School-Elect Chris Tennyson. (Watch your email and LFA's social media in the months to come for more info.)