Dear Rachael,
We had a great time at our alumni receptions in Florida last week and enjoyed seeing so many alumni, parents, and friends of LFA and Ferry Hall. We arrived back to Chicago in time for a student performance of Mamma Mia! What a great show. A group of nearly three dozen alumni and guests joined us for the musical and dinner beforehand.
Read more about happenings at LFA below.
Ruth Keyso
Senior Director of Alumni Engagement & Philanthropy
847-615-3268 (office)
847-224-6072 (cell)
rkeyso@lfanet.org
www.lfanet.org/give
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Caxys Gather in Texas
Thank you to our alumni who joined Head of School Chris Tennyson P’27 and Dean of Advancement Garry Sloan P’19, ’21 in Austin and Dallas in January for alumni receptions. And a special thank you to alumna Lexi Garschagen Moore ’91 who, along with her husband, Ken, hosted the Dallas gathering at her home. View event photos.
caption for photo below: Alumni gather in Austin. (clockwise from bottom left): Mishreky Lawandy and Jess Kaminsky ’11, Beth (Brechnitz) Utley ’90 and Brian Utley, Head of School Chris Tennyson P'27, Former LFA faculty member Justin Jones, Steve Everett P’17, Mary (Joo) Porter ’11 and Timothy Porter, Carson Krislov Quinn ’02, Justin Schwartz ’98, Matt Przybyla ’10, Kalina Gajda ’13 and Michael Giberson (photographer: Dean of Advancement Garry Sloan)
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Trio of Florida Receptions
Thank you to everyone who joined LFA for receptions in Florida in February. And a special thank you to our hosts: Ferry Hall alumna Jean Royster Smiley ’56, Trustee Ted Kovas and his wife, Elissa P’21, and Trustee Scott Meloun ’77. This was a wonderful opportunity to introduce Head of School Chris Tennyson to the wider alumni community. (Thanks, alumni in North Palm, for spending your Valentine's Day with LFA!)
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Ponte Vedra Beach, Feb. 13, 2024. Our annual reception in Ponte Vedra Beach brought together alumni/ae, alumni parents, and grandparents at the home of Jean Royster Smiley ’56. Pictured are, kneeling: Paul Johnson ’15 and Head of School Chris Tennyson P’27; standing, l to r: Mimi and David Calfee P’02, ’05, Jean Royster Smiley ’56, Dean of Advancement Garry Sloan P’19, ’21, Karla Gillette GP’12, ’16, Susie and George Spiel P’82, ’84, Bondy and Tom Hodgkins ’53, P’82, ’85, GP’19, Dick ’53 and Teddi Siragusa, Gay Grumhaus P’86, Chris Douglas ‘74 | |
North Palm Beach, Feb. 14, 2024. Alumni gather at a private club in North Palm Beach, Florida, for a gathering hosted by Trustee Ted and Elissa Kovas P'21. Pictured are: l to r: Garry Sloan P’19, ‘21, Austin Fragomen ’61, Nancy and Mike Sitterly ’65, P’92, ’95, ’06, Senior Director of Alumni Engagement and Philanthropy Ruth Keyso, Vito P’12, ’15, Mario’15, and Elizabeth Senese P’12, ’15, Head of School Chris Tennyson P'27, Trustee Bruce ’70 and Susan Anderson P’97, Susan and Skip Hickenlooper ’60, Susan Lovejoy ’64, Chelsea ’09 and Andrew Fusselbaugh | | Naples, Feb. 15, 2024. Trustee Scott Meloun '77 hosts a reception at the Wilderness Country Club in Naples, Florida. Pictured are seated, l to r: Jodi McDonald Wilson ’67, Steve ’68 and Ann Suiter P’05, ’11, Lea Prober Gorman P’92, Carla Kappmeyer Sherwin ’70; standing, l to r: Lee Wilson, Head of School Chris Tennyson P’27, Dean of Advancement Garry Sloan P’19, ’21, Trustee Bruce Anderson ’70, P’97, Michael Springer ’71, Robin Zafirovski P’04, ’05, ’09, Margaret and Ted Dawson P’92, Roma Mirutenko ’10, Melinda Hinners-Waldie, Michael Daugherty ’75, Jeffrey Gorman P’92, Senior Director of Alumni Engagement and Philanthropy Ruth Keyso, Trustee and event host Scott Meloun ’77 | |
New Colleague in Advancement Department
Beth Bentley joined the LFA Advancement Department in late November, stepping in as the new Director of Individual Philanthropy. With a background in philanthropy and non-profit fundraising, she will be working directly with donors around the country to help support the Academy. Welcome to the LFA community, Beth! Read more about Beth.
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New Year—New Opportunities!
Looking for tax-wise opportunities to support the organizations you love, like LFA? Our gift planning web page is full of information that can show you ways to do more and realize some terrific benefits.
Visit the New Gift Opportunities page for the latest charitable gift strategies to consider in 2024. You can also find past issues of The Bell, LFA's gift planning newsletter, and tons of other helpful information.
For specific questions on gift planning opportunities, contact a member of the LFA Advancement Department.
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Mamma Mia!
Thank you to our local alumni who joined us for a Greek dinner followed by a student performance of Mamma Mia on Feb. 16 at LFA. Many of our talented alumni actors, musicians, and singers returned to campus to see the show. We enjoyed sharing Friday night with all of you! Photos can be viewed on our website. Additional shots from our professional photographer are also online.
caption: Chelsea Langston '15 and her fiance, Terence Mangram
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Thank You - Give To What You Love Success
Students and faculty are feeling the love. Alumni, current parents, parents of alumni, and friends of the Academy came together and we reached 85 heartfelt gifts to support meaningful aspects of the LFA experience. Thank you!
The areas earning a bonus for the most beloved gift designations: Area of Greatest Need and Athletics, and -- in a two-way tie for third -- Academics and Student Life. Thank you for pouring your hearts into #LOVEatLFA!
Check out your name on the Love Note List of donors as well as milestone gifts that we celebrated.
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Gala 2024: April 27
LFA will celebrate its annual Gala, The Art of the Imaginable, on campus on Sat., April 27. At that time, alumni, parents, and friends will join together in a community-wide initiative to benefit arts education. Together, your generosity will further elevate the fine and performing arts, allowing LFA to enhance offerings in theater, visual arts, and music for passionate artists, performers, and students exploring newfound interests. More details coming soon on how you can empower LFA students’ evolving artistic aspirations.
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Alumnae Join Panel Discussion at LFA
Students in LFA’s WOCE club (Women of Color Empowered) will host a panel discussion with alumnae on Tues., Feb. 27. This is an opportunity for all members of the community to come together to celebrate, amplify, and honor the contributions of women of color. Thank you to the alumnae below, including members of the Black Alumni Advisory Council (BAAC) and Alumni Advisory Board (AAB), for engaging with our students and serving as role models for them.
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Felicia Edwards Houston ’90 BAAC member
Licensed Mental Health Consultant, Advocate Aurora Health
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Alisha Bhutani Patel ’96
Assistant General Counsel, Cook County Health
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Willow Walker ’03
AAB/BAAC member
Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, Beacon Academy
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Liz Peinado ’08
Partner, RCG Talent Solutions
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Alumni Networking Night Celebrates 10 Years
The Academy is proud to announce its alumni representatives for the 2024 Josh Rothstein Young Alumni-Student Networking Night, which will take place on campus on Feb. 29.
At this event, students interact with young alumni professionals who share knowledge and advice about college, careers, and life post-high school.
Thank you to Rebecca Raudabaugh ’09; Allie Cedergren ’13; James Padley ’13; Piper Benjamin ’14; Nate Chase ’14; Mbasa Mayikana ’14; Malcolm Chaka ’15; Romaer Chopra ’15; Ford Johnstone ’16; and Shaopeng Frank Gu ’21 for serving as this year’s industry reps.
Read more about the event
and our alumni representatives.
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ACE Construction Progress
Construction on the Athletic Center Expansion (ACE) at the north end of campus is moving along smoothly. Read updates and view NEW video on our website. Fundraising continues on this effort, the largest capital project in LFA’s history. If you’re interested in learning more and supporting this project, please contact a member of the Advancement team.
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Caxys on the Stage
All community members are invited to enjoy LFA musical and dramatic performances in person or online. Visit the LFA Arts page for a calendar of events. Can’t join in person? Enjoy shows through the Livestream.
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Caxys on the Court
Want to follow your favorite LFA sports teams? Visit lfaathletics.org. The site includes schedules, rosters, photos, and recaps of athletic events. Set up a fan account to get news about specific teams. You can order Caxy gear through the site as well.
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Contact Info Updates
If you have recently moved, changed jobs or have a new email address or cell number, please let us know so that we can update our database. Send your data to updates@lfanet.org
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Link In with Us
Alumni, stay connected with us through the LFA Alumni LinkedIn page. As our students graduate from LFA and start building their networks of alumni contacts, we'd like our LinkedIn site to be as robust as possible. Thank you for joining our group.
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